perisheth as the Wiseman speaketh CAP. V. Of the loue of God and diuers vertues which spring from it §. Sect. 1 Of the loue of God what it is and wherein it consisteth and of the measure and meanes of it THe next mayne and principall dutie is the loue of God when as knowing beleeuing and remembring his infinitenesse in all goodnesse excellency beauty and all perfection and his inestimable loue grace and bounty towards vs we doe loue him againe with all our heart soule minde and strength aboue all things and all other things in him and for his sake So that the causes of our loue towards God are his goodnesse excellencie beautie and perfection in himselfe and his goodnesse grace and benignity towards vs. For goodnesse is the onely obiect of loue neither doe wee loue any thing which is not either truely good or at least appeareth good vnto vs. And therfore seeing God is the summum bonum and chiefe goodnesse when his nature appeareth to be so we should loue him chiefly and place our chiefe happinesse in his fruition But yet because in this state of corruption we are full of selfe-loue therefore wee cannot loue God perfectly and absolutely for himselfe as we ought till wee bee assured of his loue towards vs and haue it shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost for we loue him because he loued vs first as the Apostle speaketh Now the Rom. 5. 5. 1. Ioh. 4. 19. measure of our loue wherewith we are to loue God ought to be without measure both because he is immeasurable in goodnesse in his owne nature and also because his loue towards vs hath exceeded all measure the which appeareth not only in our creation whereby he hath giuen vs vnto our selues and made vs his most excellent creatures but also in our Redemption wherein he hath giuen himselfe vnto vs euen his onely begotten and dearely beloued Sonne of the same nature with himselfe to die for our sinnes and rise againe for our iustification and that when we were not friends but of no strength strangers sinners enemies vnto him and his grace the slaues of Satan and children of wrath as well as others And therefore if he thus loued vs when we merited no loue yea when we deserued wrath and hatred how much more if it were possible should wee loue him who is most louely and infinitely deserueth our loue But because our nature being finite we cannot loue him infinitely wee ought therefore to loue him as much as is possible for vs with all our hearts soules and strength Or if we cannot thus doe in respect of our corruption yet at least we must loue him in sincerity and vprightnesse of heart as much as we can and be heartily sorry that wee can loue him no better We must loue him aboue all things in the world as house lands parents children wiues yea our owne liues and be ready with all cheerefulnesse to lay them downe for him as he hath first laid downe his life for vs. For if we ought to loue all things in him and for him then ought wee to loue him much more preferring his glory euen before our owne saluation when as they come in comparison the one with the other And this is that loue of God which is to be imbraced of vs as being in it selfe a most excellent vertue and in diuers respects to be preferred before faith and hope 1. Cor. 13. 13. and to vs most profitable feeing it assureth vs of Gods loue and remission Luk. 7. 47. of our sinnes transformeth vs after a manner into the diuine nature for where is loue there is likenesse and it is the nature of it to change the louer as much as may be into the party beloued and finally weaneth our hearts from the loue of the world and earthly vanities and lifteth vp our affections and thoughts vnto God and heauenly things maketh all that we doe or suffer for Gods sake easie and tolerable yea sweete and comfortable for it seeketh not her owne beareth all things endureth all things it inableth 1. Cor. 13. 6 7. vs to offer vnto God cheerefull obedience and to performe all duties of holinesse and righteousnesse required vnto a godly life with ioy and delight which without it are irkesome and vnpleasant yea intolerable and impossible vnto flesh and blood Now the meanes whereby our hearts may be inflamed with this diuine fire of Gods loue are first that we often meditate vpon Gods infinite goodnesse excellency beauty and perfection which make him worthy of all loue and how hee hath exercised these sauing attributes towards vs in our creation and preseruation in our redemption giuing his only Sonne to die for vs and for his sake forgiuing vs all our sinnes and in bestowing vpon vs all the good things which wee inioy in this life or hope for in the life to come §. Sect. 2 Of the zeale of Gods glory what it is and wherein it consisteth Now the vertues and graces which arise and issue from loue are diuers as zeale of Gods glory ioy and reioycing in God thankefulnesse and obedience Zeale is the fruit and effect of our feruent loue towards God and as it were a flame arising from this diuine fire whereby we are made most carefull and earnest in seeking Gods glory both in aduancing and furthering all meanes whereby it is furthered and in opposing hindring and remoouing all the impediments whereby it may bee hindred And this is to be shewed in all other vertues as being the intension of them and in all duties which we performe vnto God So the Apostle telleth vs generally that it is good to be zealously affected alwayes in a good thing Gal. 4. 18. Our loue towards God and hatred of sinne must be zealous and hot and not cold or luke-warme our repentance must bee ioyned with zeale Bee zealous and amend We must zealously worship and serue God according Apoc. 3. 19. to that of the Apostle feruent in Spirit seruing the Lord. Wee must not Rom. 12. 11. Tit. 2. 14. 1. Thes 3. 10. onely doe good workes but be zealous of them Wee must pray with zeale exceedingly and powre out our hearts like water before the Lord with Lam. 2. 19. zeale we must preach the Word and be inwardly affected with that wee speake that so also we may affect others and we must with zeale heare the Word and euen hunger and thirst after this spirituall food of our soules 1. Pet. 2. 1. that we may grow vp thereby But yet our care must be that our zeale be guided with knowledge and not shew it selfe in all things but as the Apostle speaketh onely in a good matter and also that in aduancing of the Gal. 4. 18. meanes of Gods glory and remoouing the impediments wee keepe our selues within the limits of our callings Now the meanes to attaine vnto this zeale is to consider often and seriously how great things
our selues liable to the fearefull curse thereof and to all the plagues punishments of this life and the life to come Neither is there any power in vs to helpe our selues out of this misery being as vnable to renew our nature as the Blackamore to change his skin or the Leopard his spots Yea when by thy Spirit wee are regenerate and haue some desires and indeuours to serue and please thee wee are vtterly vnable to satisfie thy Iustice for the least of our sinnes past seeing if thou lookest vpon vs with thy pure eyes our best righteousnesse will appeare like a polluted cloth so mingled with our imperfections and stayned with our corruptions that it cannot challenge any other reward as its due but thy displeasure and euerlasting death O Lord wee humbly beseech thee let vs not securely rest and please our selues in this our wofull condition but hauing a liuely sense and feeling of our sinne and misery let vs labour aboue all things to be freed from it And seeing there is no name in heauen or earth whereby wee may bee saued but by Iesus Christ alone thine onely Sonne and blessed Redeemer whom thou hast purposely sent into the world to saue sinners O Lord let vs renounce our selues and all creatures in heauen and earth as being vtterly vnsufficient to satisfie thy Iustice and saue our soules and let vs rest vpon him alone hungring and thirsting after his righteousnesse and desiring aboue all things that wee may bee found in him And for his sake we humbly beseech thee to magnifie thy mercies in the free forgiuenesse of all our sinnes and as they in their waight and number doe exceedingly abound so let thy grace abound much more in their forgiuenesse Enter not into iudgement with thy seruants for in thy sight shall no man liuing bee iustified Wee are not able to answere vnto thy Iustice one of a thousand but Christ our surety hath payed our debt and now as our Aduocate pleadeth for vs that by him thou hast thy due and that thy Iustice shall sustaine no losse in setting vs free seeing hee hath made full satisfaction for vs. Heare him then deare God thus pleading for vs Heare vs holy Father in his mediation pleading for our selues forgiue vs all our debts and cancell the hand-writing by which wee were obliged that it may neuer bee produced in iudgement against vs. Contrariwise wee beseech thee write the new couenant of grace not in tables of stone but in the fleshy tables of our hearts and not onely enrole the great Charter of our peace in the volume of the Booke containing in it the glad tidings of the Gospel but ingrosse and ingraue it in the booke of our consciences by the finger of thy Spirit that wee may with inestimable ioy dayly peruse it when wee haue it in our owne custody And not only worke in vs this peace in our assured freedome from the guilt of all our sinnes but also inward and outward purity in our soules and bodies by bathing and washing them in the blood of Christ from all sinfull corruption And sanctifie vs throughout that our whole spirit and soule and body may bee preserued blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ make vs in him more then conquerours ouer all the enemies of our saluation and spirituall Kings raigning especially ouer our corruptions that they may not by their might and malice disturbe our peace Reuiue vs more and more with the Spirit of Grace and power that we may walke with cheerefulnes in the waies of thy commandements performing throughout the whole course of our liues all Christian duties of holinesse righteousnesse and sobriety Indue vs plentifully with all sanctifying and sauing graces and let vs bring forth the fruits of them all in our new obedience with all sincerity vprightnes of heart Open our blind eyes that we may see the wonderful things of thy law increase our faith that the gates of hel may not preuail against it preserue vs from carnall security and hardnesse of heart and as wee daily renew our sinnes so let vs daily renew our repentance and sorrow for them Confirme our affiance in the assurance of thy power and loue strengthen our hope worke our hearts to thy feare inflame them with thy loue and with feruent zeale of thy glory giue vs humility patience and spirituall reioycing in the assurance of thy fauour euen in our afflictions and tribulations Make vs zealous of good workes that wee may approoue our faith by the fruits of it and let vs neuer bee weary of well-doing Arme vs against all the assaults of our spirituall enemies against the feare of death and iudgement to which end let vs keepe alwayes our accounts euen that we may not be loth to be called to a reckoning Prepare vs for the dayes of affliction and persecution that wee may be ready with wisedome constancy and courage not only to doe but also suffer all things for thy sake Accept with these our suits and prayers our praises and thankesgiuing for thy manifold blessings and benefits both corporall spirituall and eternall for thy inestimable loue and that singular pledge thereof thy deare and onely Sonne whom thou hast giuen vnto vs to worke that great worke of our Redemption for our being and well-being all thy graces in this life and assured hope of glory and happinesse in the life to come For our continuall preseruation in the whole course of our liues this night past and this day hitherto for our quiet rest and all other comforts of this life For all which and all other thy mercies thy blessed name bee praised and magnified Wee beseech thee good Lord continue thy mercy and loue towards vs in the whole course of our liues and namely in the residue of this day watch ouer vs with thy gracious prouidence and thereby preserue vs from all sinne and danger and so rule all our thoughts words and deeds that being holy and righteous they may be acceptable in thy sight Let vs so spend this day in thy feare as though it were the last day of our liues and let vs with all care and watchfulnesse so arme our selues against all the tentations of our spirituall enemies as that they may not preuaile against vs to make vs slothfull in thy seruice Finally giue vnto vs all things necessary for our soules and bodies and so sanctifie all thy blessings to our vse that they may be helps and furtherances vnto vs in seeking thy glory and our own saluation Vouchsafe these and all other blessings not onely vnto vs but also to thy whole Church and euery member thereof as if particularly wee had named them and so ioyne vs in the holy communion of grace as that we may for euer inioy the communion and fellowship of thy blessed Saints and Angels in the Kingdome of glory Heare vs and helpe vs O God of our saluation in all these our suits for thy Sonne and our Sauiour
XV. Of the good things which a good Conscience witnesseth to the faithfull 77 Sect. 1 That it witnesseth first pardon of sinne and reconciliation with God 77 2 Secondly it witnesseth our sanctification 78 3 Thirdly that we are in all estates blessed 79 4 That a good conscience maketh vs cheerefull in Gods seruice 79 CAP. XVI Of the signes and properties of a good conscience 81 Sect. 1 The first signe and the causes of it 81 2 The second is taken from the manner of working it in vs. 81 3 The third is the effects of it 81 4 That it is knowne by the properties of it and first that it is pure and peaceable 82 5 That it keepeth it selfe cleere before God and men 82 6 That a good conscience knoweth it selfe to be so 83 7 That a good conscience maketh vs merry and cheerfull 84 8 That it may bee knowne by the integrity and constancy of it 85 CAP. XVII Of the meanes whereby wee may get a good conscience and preserue it being gotten 86 Sect. 1 The first meanes is highly to esteeme it 86 2 The second meanes to know Gods reuealed will and apply it for vse 87 3 The third meanes is a liuely faith 88 4 The fourth meanes are the exercises of repentance 89 5 Of the meanes whereby a good conscience may be preserued 90 THE SECOND BOOKE of a godly life containing the maine parts and principal duties of it which wee ought generally to performe at all times and vpon all good occasions CAP. I. Of the maine duties wherein a godly life consisteth 92 Sect. 1 That a godly life consisteth in doing all those duties which God hath commanded 92 2 Of that Euangelicall obedience wherin a godly life consisteth 93 3 That this obedience must bee performed after an Euangelicall maner 94 4 That we must ioyne in it the duties of piety righteousnesse and sobriety 94 CAP. II. Of piety which is the summe of the first Table 95 Sect. 1 Of piety comprizing in it all the duties of Gods seruice 95 2 3 4 5. Reasons mouing vs to imbrace piety taken from the excellency profit and necessity of it CAP. III. Of our adhering and cleauing vnto God with full purpose and resolution of our hearts 99 Sect. 1 Of the summe of the first Commandement 99 2 Of adhering vnto God what it is and the necessity of it 100 3 The properties of sound resolution as first that it must be vniuersall 101 4 The necessity of our adhering vnto God proued by diuers reasons 102 5 Of the meanes whereby we may confirme our resolution of adhering vnto God 103 CAP. IIII. Of trust affiance and hope in God 105 Sect. 1 Of affiance in God and wherein it consisteth and of the reasons which may moue vs vnto it 105 2 Of the meanes of affiance 106 3 Of hope in God what it is and wherin it consisteth 107 4 Of the meanes of Hope 108 CAP. V. Of the loue of God and diuers vertues which spring from it 109. Sect. 1 Of the loue of God what it is and wherein it consisteth and of the measure and meanes of it 109 2 Of the zeale of Gods glory what it is and wherein it consisteth 110 3 Of reioycing in God what it is and the meanes whereby wee may attaine vnto it 111 4 Of thankfulnes vnto God what is required vnto it and the meanes of it 112 5 Of obedience vnto God what it is and wherein it consisteth and of the properties of true obedience 113 6 Of the meanes of obedience whereby we may be inabled to performe it 114 7 Of passiue obedience and patience in afflictions 115 CAP. VI. Of the feare of God and humility which ariseth from it ioyned with his loue And of Gods external worship with the body 116 Sect. 1 Of the feare of God what it is and the causes of it 116 2 That this feare of God is commended vnto vs in the Scriptures and of the profit of it 117 3 Of the meanes of obtaining this feare of God 118 4 Of humility what it is and the causes of it 119 5 Of the excellency and vtility of humility 120 6 Of the meanes whereby wee may attaine vnto humility 121 7 Of externall worship with our bodies 122 CAP. VII Of the duties which are required in the second Commandement as prayer hearing the Word and administration of the Sacraments 123 Sect. 1 Of the things generally required in the second Commandement 123 2 Of prayer and inuocation 124 3 Of the duties of Gods Ministers 125 4 Of the duties of hearers and first such as respect their preparation 125 5 Of the duties required in hearing and after we haue heard 126 6 Of the administration of the Sacraments 127 CAP. VIII Of the duties required in the third and fourth Commandements 129 Sect. 1 Of the sanctifying of Gods Name and how it ought to be done 129 2 Of the sanctifying Gods Name in lawfull oathes 130 3 Of the sanctifying Gods Name by making and performing our vowes 131 4 Of the sanctifying Gods Sabbath and what is required vnto it 131 5 Of the spirituall sanctification of the outward rest 132 CAP. IX Of the summe of the second Table 133 Sect. 1 Of the duties of righteousnesse towards our neighbours 133 2 Of the dutie of sobriety towards our selues 134 3 Of the duties of charity 135 4 Of the meanes and manner of working charity in vs. 135 5 What charity is and the properties of it 136 6 Of the obiect of charity which is our neighbours 137 7 The manner of louing our neighbors namely as our selues 138 8 That naturall selfe-loue is not the rule of charity but that which is holy and spirituall 138 9 The properties of lawfull selfe-loue 139 10 That wee must loue our neighbours as Christ hath loued vs. 139 CAP. X. Of the reasons which may mooue vs to imbrace charity 140 Sect. 1 Of the excellency of charity 140 2 Of the profit of it in respect of our neighbours 141 3 Of the profit of it in respect of our selues 142 4 Of the necessity of charity 142 CAP. XI Of the duties required in the fifth Commandement 144 Sect. 1 Of the generall duties required in the fifth Commandement 144 2 Of the duties of superiours in excellencie and of inferiours towards them 144 3 Of the duties of superiours in authority in generall and of inferiours towards them 146 4 Of the duties of superiours and inferiours in the family and first of man and wife towards one another 147 5 Of the duties of husband and wife towards the rest of the family 148 6 Of the duties of parents and children 148 7 Of the duties of Masters and seruants 149 8 Of the duties of Ministers and people 149 9 Of the duties of Magistrates and subiects 150 CAP. XII Of the duties required in the sixth Commandement 151 Sect. 1 Of the summe of this Commandement and of anger and hatred 151 2 Of the inward duties and vertues here
be throughly perswaded that hee shall ouercome them whereas on the other side for want of this faith or rather this speciall art of application many deare seruants of God are hindred and discouraged from going on in the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse or else proceede with much vncomfortablenesse and disquietnesse because comparing their weakenesse with the difficulty of the worke they thinke that they shall neuer atchieue it in any measure acceptable to God though in the meane time they want not faith to rest vpon the promises of the Gospell the mercies of God and merits of Christ for their iustification and the bringing of them to euerlasting happinesse CAP. X. Of the third ground of a godly life which is a pure heart §. Sect. 1 Of a pure heart what it is and whence it ariseth BEsides those mayne grounds of a godly life before spoken of sauing knowledge and a liuely faith there are two other which Prou. 20. 9. arise and spring from them a pure heart and a good conscience By a pure heart I doe not vnderstand such an one as is free from all sinne and corruption for who can say I haue made my heart cleane I am pure from my sinne But such an heart as being regenerate by Gods Spirit is in part purified and sanctified hating sinne and louing vertue and holinesse in the inner man feeling the waight of corruption and desiring to be clensed from it and the want of grace and resoluing to vse all good meanes whereby it may be supplyed And this is a fruit of sauing knowledge which discouereth vnto vs how vgly sinne is in it selfe and pernicious vnto vs and the beauty and excellencie of grace and godlinesse in it owne nature with the profit which redoundeth vnto vs by it and also of a iustifying faith which applying the vertue of Christs death and resurrection doth mortifie our carnall corruptions and quicken vs in the life of grace making vs to hate that sinne which we formerly loued and to loue and imbrace that grace and vertue which in time past wee loathed and answerably to resolue that wee will vse all good meanes to be freed from the one and furnished with the other All which proceedeth out of our assurance of Gods loue which being shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost doth worke in them vnfained loue towards Rom. 5. 5. God againe whereby we desire resolue and indeuour to leaue and forsake what he hateth and forbiddeth and to imbrace and practise whatsoeuer he loueth and commandeth §. Sect. 2 That all true fruits of godlinesse spring from a pure heart And this is that pure heart which is necessary to a godly life as being a chiefe piller that supporteth it and a liuely fountaine from which all good and vertuous actions doe spring and flow For if the heart be pure it will purifie all our words and actions but if it be defiled we can expect no pure streames from a polluted fountaine according to that of our Sauiour Those things which proceed out of the mouth come foorth of the heart Mat. 15. 19. and they defile the man for out of the heart proceed euill thoughts murthers adulteries c. And therefore as it is in vaine to purge the streames when the fountaine is defiled because it will soone againe pollute them whereas if the spring be cleere it will soone clense the streames though much defiled that issue from it so is it with the fountaine of the heart and the words and actions which from it as streames doe spring and flow The heart is the roote and tree and the words and workes are the fruits it beareth which discouer what it is for a good tree bringeth foorth good fruits Mat. 7. 17 18. and a corrupt tree bringeth foorth euill fruits neither can a good tree bring foorth euill fruit nor a corrupt tree bring foorth good fruit as our Sauiour hath taught vs. It is the treasurie of all our thoughts speeches and actions And a good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth foorth Luk. 6. 45. that which is good and an euill man out of the euill treasure of his heart bringeth foorth that which is euill for of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh It is the King and Monarch in the little world of man which giueth lawes to all the other members raigning and ruling ouer them as it seemeth good vnto it It is the primum mobile and first moouer which giueth motion to all other parts as inferiour spheares and as it were the first wheele of the clocke whose motion all the rest follow standing still when it standeth and going as it goeth So that if the heart bee an inditer Psa 45. 1. 57. 7. 108. 1. of a good matter the tongue will be the pen of a ready writer if the heart bee prepared so also will be the tongue to sing and giue praise if it nourish euill thoughts like vnto discords there can be no good musike but if it be well tuned we shall in singing Hymnes Psalmes and spirituall Songs sing Col. 3. 16. with grace and make sweete melody in Gods eares And therefore Dauid desiring to make good speed in the way of godlinesse desireth first to haue his heart in larged with the loue of it I will runne saith he the way of thy Psal 119. 32. Commandements when thou shalt inlarge my heart §. Sect. 3 That God chiefly desireth the heart aboue all other parts And hereof it is that the Lord chiefly requireth the heart according to that of Salomon My sonne giue me thy heart The which also Dauid chiefly Pro. 23 26. 1. Chron. 28. 9. required of him in the seruice of God And thou Salomon my sonne know thou the God of thy father and serue him with a perfect heart and willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts It is aboue all other parts the sacrifice which is most acceptable vnto God according to that of the Psalmist The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise An Psal 51. 17. vpright heart is his chiefe delight and though he requireth sincerity both in our words and workes yet aboue all he desireth truth in the inward parts Vers 7. And if the heart be sincere and desireth to offer vnto God perfect seruice the Lord passeth by and pardoneth our imperfections and accepteth as perfect our weake and worthlesse indeuours according to that of the Apostle If there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man 2. Cor. 8 12. hath and not according to that he hath not An example whereof we haue in Iehosaphat and Asa who though their inward corruptions did breake out into diuers open sinnes yet because they prepared their hearts to seeke the 2. Chr. 19. 3. Lord he esteemed them
neuer examine their actions by it yea rather being carried through the violence of their carnall lusts and passions into all disobedience and sinne and resoluing in themselues to goe on in their course doe cast the Law out of their sight and remembrance lest conscience hauing it to iudge by should accuse and condemne their euill actions and so abate their pleasure which they take in them But especially if we would haue good consciences we must apply vnto our selues the sentence of the Law which condemneth Deut. 26. 27. Gal. 3. 10. all of sinne and subiecteth them vnder the curse who doe not continue in all that is written in the booke of the Law to doe it For vntill the Law doe conuince vs of sinne and that we cannot be iustified before God in our own righteousnesse we shall rest in it neuer seeke to be partakers of the righteousnes of Christ by which alone we can be iustified before God and consequently by it only obtaine peace of conscience In which regard it is not sufficient to know and apply the Law vnto vs for this will worke in the conscience terrours and feares and no peace but onely vse it as a schoolemaster to teach vs our owne vilenesse and sinfull corruption and that we are in our selues most miserable in the feareful state of death and condemnation that so it may bring vs vnto Christ in whom alone we can be iustified and obtaine sound and secure peace And therfore if we would haue good consciences wee must also know the Gospell in which God of his free grace doth offer vnto vs peace and reconciliation in Iesus Christ wee must acquaint our selues with the couenant of grace which is the maine foundation of all our peace when as thereby wee are assured not onely that Gods mercies are infinite and Christs merits all-sufficient but that they belong vnto vs performing the condition of the couenant that God for Christs sake will forgiue vs our sinnes be reconciled vnto vs and Esa 32. 40. write his Law in our hearts that we may not depart from him §. Sect. 3 The third meanes of a good conscience is a liuely faith Thirdly we must not for the obtaining of a good conscience only know the Gospell and Couenant of grace with the sweet promises therein contayned but also apply them by a liuely faith and in a speciall maner interesse Rom. 5. 1. Heb. 9. 14. Col. 1. 20. our selues in them by performing the condition of the couenant which is our restipulation that we make with God For we must be iustified by faith before we can haue peace with him or peace of conscience Our consciences must be purged by the blood of Christ from dead workes and from the guilt and punishment of all our sinnes before they will speake peace vnto vs. The Charter of our peace must be drawne vpon the Crosse sealed with the effusion of Christs blood and must be receiued and pleaded by faith before our consciences will cease accusing and condemning or stand with vs vpon any tearmes of peace Now this faith must be approued to be vnfayned sound by the fruits which it bringeth forth in vnfained repentance by the changing of our hearts and renewing of our mindes our hatred of euill and loue of good our sorrow for our sinnes past and resolution to leaue and forsake them for the time to come and to serue the Lord in the contrary duties of holinesse and righteousnesse without which fruits faith is no liuing Tree but a dead stocke which will giue vs no assurance of peace with God in the remission of our sinnes and consequently will bring with it no peace of conscience And hereof it is that the promises of the Gospell are as often made to repentant sinners as to those that beleeue in Christ because though faith only be the condition of the Couenant yet it is such a faith alone as is fruitfull in repentance Neyther can this faith be so easily seene and discerned in it selfe but onely by the fruits that spring from it which necessarily inferring this good Tree from which they spring the promises are made to them because these being more sensible they may be more easily applied §. Sect. 4 That the exercises of repentance are notable meanes to get a good conscience also the loue of God and our neighbours Fourthly the exercises of repentance are notable meanes to worke peace of conscience as our often humbling of our selues before God in Luk. 1. 53. 1 Pet. 5. 5. Esa 57. 15. Pro. 28. 13. the sight and sence of our vilenesse and vnworthinesse whereby our stony hearts are broken and our spirits made contrite our dayly confession of our sinnes vnto God and earnest crauing of pardon for them seeing our fayth will assure vs and answerably our consciences will witnesse with vs according to the rule of Gods Word that humbling our selues we shall be exalted that being empty of all grace and goodnesse and hungring after it we shal be filled and satisfied that the God of peace wil dwell with vs and bring his peace vnto vs being of broken hearts and contrite spirits and finally that confessing and forsaking our sinnes we shall finde mercy seeing it standeth vpon the truth of Gods promise according to that of the Apostle If we acknowledge and confesse our sinnes he is 1. Ioh. 1. 7 8. faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse Of which we haue experience in the example of Dauid who being afflicted in the sight and sence of his sinne with terrours of conscience vsed this meanes to quiet it and get peace I acknowledge saith he my sin Psal 32. 4 5. vnto thee and mine iniquity haue I not hid I said I will confesse my transgressions vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the iniquity of my sinne Lastly the vnfained loue of God and of our neighbours is a notable meanes for the obtayning of a good conscience for if we loue God our consciences will witnesse vnto vs that he loueth vs seeing his loue shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost worketh this loue in vs and is that diuine fire and flame from which this heate commeth for we loue him because he loued 1. Ioh. 4. 19. vs first as the Apostle testifieth And this loue of God towards vs and our loue towards him will make vs carefull to keepe our consciences vnspotted of any knowne sinne and zealous in doing all things which may be pleasing in his sight From which sense of our mutuall loue will spring peace vnspeakeable wee resting securely vpon him who so loueth vs and whom we so loue According to that of the Apostle Aboue Col. 3. 14 15. all things put on charity which is the bond of perfectnesse and let the peace of God rule in your hearts §. Sect. 5 Of the meanes whereby a good conscience may be preserued And these are the meanes
the Lord hath done for vs which will make vs thinke that we can neuer be too earnest in seeking his glory nor too intent and feruent in all holy duties of his seruice That it is an inseparable propertie of all grace to be zealous in them and therefore there can be no grace at all where zeale is wanting That is an vndoubted signe of those who are the redeemed of the Lord to be zealous of good works therfore where there is no zeale there can be no Tit. 2. 14. signe of redemption by Christ finally that luke-warmenesse is most lothsome vnto God and that those who are so he will spue out of his mouth Apoc. 3. 17. §. Sect. 3 Of reioycing in God what it is and the meanes wherby we may attaine vnto it The second vertue arising from loue is ioy and reioycing in God when being assured of his loue towards vs and louing him againe tasting for the present how good the Lord is and perswading our selues of the full fruition of him in the life to come we are exceedingly delighted and euen glory in the assurance and sense of Gods fauour For it is the nature of loue to make vs reioyce in the thing beloued and as the more excellent any thing is in our conceite the more our loue exceedeth so according to the measure of our loue such also is our ioy when we inioy it And therefore needes must our ioy and reioycing in God exceed all other ioy because our loue ought to bee proportioned to his goodnesse and excellency and our ioy to our loue In which respect this diuine ioy swalloweth vp all worldly griefe and causeth vs to glory not onely in worldly prosperity but also in persecution and tribulation Rom. 5. 3. And this is that ioy vnto which the Scriptures exhort vs Reioyce in the Phil. 4. 4. 1. Thes 5. 16. Psal 37. 4. Lord alway and againe I say Reioyce Reioyce euermore Delight thy selfe in the Lord and he will giue thee the desires of thine heart Which if we attaine vnto then haue wee euen in this life the first beginnings of our heauenly happinesse For as the Apostle teacheth vs the Kingdome of God Rom. 14. 17. consisteth in righteousnesse peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Now the meanes to obtaine this ioy is to labour after assurance that wee are vnited vnto Christ for we cannot haue it in our selues but in and through him according to that of the Apostle We ioy in God through our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 5. 11. by whom now we haue receiued the atonement Secondly if we would haue this ioy we must labour after the assurance of our iustification and remission of our sinnes for peace with God followeth our iustification by faith Rom. 5. 1 3. and ioy this peace Thirdly let vs labour after this assurance that wee are the sonnes of God by adoption and grace and to haue it sealed vnto vs in our hearts and consciences by his holy Spirit that so our assurance of our heauenly inheritance may vphold our ioy and reioycing in the middest of temporary crosses and afflictions Finally let vs labour to feele Gods loue shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which wee shall best discerne by finding them inflamed with feruent loue towards God approoued to bee sincere by our care to flee all sinne which is odious vnto him and imbracing all vertue and goodnesse which is acceptable in his sight And if wee inioy God in this mutuall loue wee shall in all estates glory and reioyce in it and in the middest of all worldly extremities comfort our selues with Dauid in the Lord 1. Sam. 30. 6. 1. Thes 1. 6. our God §. Sect. 4 Of thankfulnes vnto God what is required vnto it and the meanes of it The third vertue arising from the loue of God is vnfained thankfulnes for when in consideration of Gods goodnesse mercy and bounty towards Psal 116. 12. vs our hearts are inflamed with his loue and replenished with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious then doe we thinke with Dauid what wee may returne vnto him for all his benefits and finding no possible meanes of making the least requitall in regard of our impotency and Gods all-sufficiency we doe at last resolue to remaine for euer thankfull debters and to expresse our thankefulnesse both by our words in praysing and magnifying and in all our actions by glorifying him our Benefactour who hath beene so infinitely gracious vnto vs seeing wee haue nothing else to returne vnto him So that our loue of God proceeding from his loue towards vs is the roote of our thankefulnesse and our reioycing in his loue and goodnesse an inseparable companion of it For this thankefulnesse is a vertue whereby knowing acknowledging and reioycing in the sense and feeling of Gods loue goodnesse and bountie towards vs wee are inwardly thankefull vnto him for all his benefits and outwardly expresse it by praysing and glorifying his holy Name both by our lips and liues whereby it appeareth what is required to this vertue of thankefulnesse First that wee apprehend Gods loue and inwardly reioyce in it hauing our hearts thorowly affected with the sense of his goodnesse and bounty towards vs. Secondly that wee doe not ascribe the blessings and benefits which wee inioy vnto any Jam. 1. 17. thing else but onely vnto God as our supreme and chiefe Benefactour who is the principall Author of all our good Thirdly that wee doe not smother our thankefulnesse in our hearts but cause it to breake forth first in our words by praysing magnifying Gods holy name for as the Psalmist speaketh It becommeth the righteous to be thankefull and secondly in Psal 33. 1. our workes by doing those things which are pleasing vnto God in whom our soule delighteth that so the light of our godly liues shining before men we may cause them also to glorifie our Father which is in heauen Mat. 5. 16. The which ought to be performed of vs in all things and at all times both in prosperity and aduersity plenty and penury health and sicknesse according to that of the Apostle But be filled with the Spirit speaking to your selues in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs singing and making melodie Eph. 5. 18 19. in your hearts to the Lord giuing thankes alwayes for all things vnto God the Father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ An example whereof wee haue in Iob who blessed the Lord when he was depriued of all his substance Iob 1. 21. and in the Church grieuously afflicted who in the middest of all her calamities did acknowledge Gods mercies in that they were not vtterly Lam. 3. 32. consumed Now the meanes whereby vve may be stirred vp to this duty and inabled to performe it are first to consider that this thankfulnes and thanksgiuing is good pleasant and comely according to that of the Psalmist Praise ye the Lord for it is good
to sing praises vnto our God for it is Psal 147. 1. pleasant and praise is comely Secondly consider that it is the will of God that we should be thankefull vnto him for all his benefits which if we performe he requireth nothing else at our hands nor any other requitall for all his mercy and goodnesse towards vs. And this reason the Apostle vseth 1. Thes 5. 18. Psal 50. 13 14. In euery thing giue thankes for this is the will of God in Christ Iesus concerning you Thirdly that it is most pleasing vnto God and that the sacrifice of the calues of the lips is much more acceptable then of Bulls and Goats Fourthly let vs continually meditate vpon Gods manifold and inestimable mercies bestowed vpon vs in time past his eternall loue our election creation the great worke of our redemption by the death of his onely begotten and dearely beloued Sonne our vocation and effectuall calling to the participation of this great benefit from which innumerable others are excluded our iustification sanctification continuall preseruation together with our assured hope of glorificatiō with al special blessings which from day to day he bestoweth vpon vs. With all which our hearts will be filled with thankfulnes and our mouthes with praises thankesgiuing if we throughly meditate on them especially if withall we consider our vnworthines of the least of Gods fauours and according to Iacobs example Gen. 32. 10. compare Gods inestimable mercies with our demerits Lastly let vs meditate and consider what a foule vice vngratitude is how vile and odious in the sight of God mē that the Lord wil neuer let it go vnpunished nor suffer any to inioy his benefits who through their vngratitude wil not acknowledge them nor render the praises which are due vnto him §. Sect. 5 Of obedience vnto God what it is and wherein it consisteth and of the properties of true obedience The fourth and last vertue arising from the loue of God is obedience which is a fruit of our loue and thankfulnesse whereby in all things we submit our selues our wills and actions wholy vnto Gods good will and pleasure both in doing all that he requireth and in patient suffring whatsoeuer he imposeth So that this obedience is of two kinds First our actiue obedience to Gods Law whereby wee conforme our whole man vnto the reuealed will of God The which is an inseparable fruit of our loue towards God and an infallible note whereby wee may discerne that which is sound and sincere from that which is false and counterfaite for if we loue God we will keepe his Commandements And this is the loue of God if we keepe his Commandements and his Commandements are not grieuous The Ioh. 14. 15. properties of this obedience are these First that it be absolute vnto whatsoeuer 1. Ioh. 5. 3. God requireth and admit of no discourse of reason when we know his will but whether profit or disprofit honour or disgrace the fauour or displeasure of men doe follow vpon it we are to doe the things that he Act. 4. 19. 5. 29. inioyneth Secondly it must be total both in respect of the obiect and subiect In respect of the obiect we must obey God in all his Commandements at all times neither adding nor detracting nor declining therefrom Gal. 3. 10. Deut. 12. 32. Ios 1. 7. on the right hand or on the left Neither is it sufficient that wee obey God in some things and neglect others or in many and most things and not in some few for he that thus sinneth in one thing is guilty of all but we must propound vnto our selues the whole Law of God for the rule Iam. 2. 10. of our liues obseruing one table as well as another and worship him both in holinesse and righteousnesse and that not only for some small time but Luke 1. 74 75. all the dayes of our liues In respect of the subiect our obedience must bee Deut. 11. 1. with the whole man and like our loue from which it springeth it must be performed with all our hearts soules and strength But especially the Lord requireth the inward obedience of the heart wherein he chiefely Pro. 23. 26. Iohn 4. 23. Luke 1. 74. 2. Chro. 25. 2. delighteth we must worship him in spirit and truth in sincerity and vprightnesse of heart as before his face and in his sight and presence neither is it sufficient that we doe that which is right vnlesse we doe it vprightly It must be voluntary with cheerefulnesse and delight as the Saints and Angels doe the will of God in heauen For loue maketh euery burthen light and the Commandements of God not to be grieuous Yet this internall obedience is not sufficient vnlesse the externall be ioyned with it 1. John 5. 3. For God will bee worshipped with the whole man with our bodies as well as with our soules with our outward actions as well as with our inward affections §. Sect. 6 Of the meanes of obedience whereby we may be enabled to performe it Now the meanes which may moue and enable vs to yeeld this obedience are these first we must consider that the Lord hath created vs to this 1. Cor. 6. 20. Luke 1. 74. Rom. 6. 18. end that we should serue him and to the same purpose when we were by sin vtterly lost hath redeemed vs with the inestimable price of his Sonnes most precious blood that wee should worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our liues that being freed from sinne we should become the seruants of righteousnesse and from the slauerie of Satan that we should spend our dayes in Gods seruice Secondly let vs meditate on the riches of reward and that liberall wages which the Lord hath freely promised to giue vnto those who faithfully serue him in which respect we may iustly say of our actiue obedience as the Apostle of our passiue that all our seruice in this present world is not worthy the glory Rom. 8. 18. 2. Cor. 4. 17. which shall be reueyled for it is slight short and imperfect but shall cause vnto vs a farre more excellent and eternall waight of Glory Thirdly let vs consider that though our best seruice be mingled with many imperfections and stayned with our corruptions yet God in Christ will accept of it and not only pardon our wants but reward our wills and workes For he will Mal. 3. 17. spare vs as a man spareth his sonne that serueth him accepting of our will for the deede and of our sincere affections as of perfect actions Fourthly let vs consider that hereby we shall be assured of all Gods promises for Godlinesse is profitable for all things hauing the promises of this life and of that 1. Tim. 4. 8. which is to come Neither doth God require our obedience for his owne sake for he is most absolute in perfection and our righteousnesse doth not
abroad Rom. 5. 5. in our hearts by the holy Ghost as the Apostle testifieth §. Sect. 4 Of the meanes and manner of working charity in vs. The meanes and manner of working this grace in vs is first by perswading vs that God in Christ loueth vs and will giue vnto vs the remission of our sinnes his grace heere and glory heereafter with the liuely heate of which loue our hearts are inflamed with feruent loue towards God againe from which springeth an holy affection towards our selues who are thus beloued of God members of Christ and Temples of the holy Ghost whereby we seeke the fruition of our chiefe goodnesse and consequently of our owne saluation and eternall happinesse which whilest we were destitute of the loue of God and were poysoned with hatred of God and carnall selfe-loue we neglected and contemned And from hence also ariseth the like affection towards our neighbours whom vvee loue for Gods sake not onely as Gods creatures and bearing his image but also in obedience vnto his Commandement So that it is impossible to loue either our selues or our neighbours as wee ought and for our owne and their good vnlesse wee loue God in Christ Iesus first and chiefly from whose sincere loue the other springeth and floweth But when we sincerely loue God and so yeeld our obedience vnto the first Table our loue towards our selues and our neighbours which is the summe of the second Table will necessarily and inseparably follovv For as our loue tovvards God is exercized immediately in religious vertues and holy duties of piety vvhich vve performe in his seruice so mediately by performing in obedience to his Commandements the duties of a true and Christian loue towards our selues and our neighbours For when our little goodnesse bounded in narrow limits will not reach vnto God for the manifestation of our loue towards him wee extend it as farre as wee are able and doe what good we can our of a holy and sanctified affection to our selues and our neighbours to shew our loue towards God in yeelding obedience vnto his Commandements As we see in the example of Dauid who being rauished with the apprehension of Gods loue and desiring to shew his loue towards him againe could no otherwise doe it then by taking Psal 116. 13. the cup of saluation and praising the name of the Lord and by causing his goodnesse to extend to Gods poore Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent Psal 16. 2 3. which in respect of its smalnesse and Gods all-sufficiency could in no sort reach vnto him Where by the way we may note that if wee loue Act. 17. 25. our selues and our neighbours out of our loue towards God and in obedience vnto his Commandements performing these duties of the second Table in and for him then doe wee when wee doe most good to our neighbours and our selues shew most loue towards God and performe vnto him such acceptable seruice as he requireth of vs and will richly reward in this life and the life to come For he hath sworne that all those Luk. 1. 74 75. whom he hath redeemed shall serue him as well in righteousnesse as in holinesse all the dayes of their liues And his grace appearing hath taught vs to deny not onely all vngodlinesse but also all worldly lusts and to liue as Tit. 2. 12. well soberly and righteously as godly and religiously in this present world §. Sect. 5 What charity is and the properties of it But let vs come to speake of this dutie of charity as in our Sauiour Christs words it is propounded vnto vs out of the Law of God Thou shalt Mat. 19. 19. 22. 39. Leuit. 19. 18. loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Wherein we are to consider two things the dutie commanded and the manner of doing it In the duty wee are to consider the act of louing and the obiect of our loue which is our neighbours and our selues the first plainly expressed the other necessarily implyed in the manner when as we are commanded to loue them as we loue our selues The duty of loue containeth in it First an affection or motion of the heart wherewith we are affected and inclined towards that we loue Secondly an earnest and longing desire that we may inioy it by being as it were vnited vnto it Thirdly ioy and delight in the fruition of it and a contentation whereby we rest according to the measure of our loue and fruition satisfied with it The properties of it are principally two the first that it be sincere and vnfained So the Apostle requireth that our loue be without dissimulation and vnfained and the Apostle Iohn disswadeth Rom. 12. 9. vs from lip-loue which is onely in profession but fruitlesse and 2 Cor. 6. 6. 1. Ioh. 3. 18. vneffectuall in action Little children saith he let vs not loue in word neither in tongue but in deed and in truth The other that it be feruent and effectuall according to that of the Apostle Aboue all things haue feruent charity among your selues And this is that sincere and feruent loue which is so much and often commended and commanded in the Scriptures So our Sauiour Christ This is my commandement that ye loue one another as I haue Ioh. 15. 12. loued you And againe A new commandement I giue vnto you that yee loue Ioh 13. 34. 1. Ioh. 3. 23. one another as I haue loued you that yee also loue one another The Apostle likewise Walke in loue as Christ also hath loued vs and hath giuen himselfe Eph. 5. 2. for vs c. §. Sect. 6 Of the obiect of charity which is our neighbours The obiect of this loue plainely expressed is our neighbours whereby we are not with the Pharises to vnderstand our friends onely nor according Mat. 5. 43. to the vulgar vse of the word those that dwell neere vnto vs alone but all men without exception who are of the same nature with vs consisting of a reasonable soule and body whether they bee strangers or acquaintance friends or enemies vnto vs. For all men are of the same flesh Act. 17. 26. and created according to the same Image of God and also our brethren as they haue all alike descended from the same first parents And this is implyed in the Law where that Commandement which is giuen for the helping of our enemies Oxe or Asse being repeated in another place is Ex. 23. 4 5. com Deut. 22. 1 2 3. Esa 58. rendred thy brothers Oxe or Asse And the Prophet Esay maketh it a worke of mercy to couer the naked without any exception of stranger or enemy because hee is of our owne flesh But our Sauiour plainely presseth this duty both by precept But I say vnto you loue your enemies Mat. 5. 44. blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that despitefully vse you and persecute you propounding the
example of God himselfe for our imitation that you may bee the children of your Father which is in heauen for hee maketh his Sunne to rise on the euill and the good and sendeth rayne on the iust and on the vniust And also by his Parable of the man which fell among theeues who being a Iew Luk. 10. 29. 30. was relieued by a Samaritane though an enemy to that nation and therefore approoued as a neighbour vnto him All men therefore being our neighbours they are all in respect of their persons to bee loued of vs with such loue in respect of the qualitie as is sincere vnfained and feruent euen as wee loue our selues although in respect of the quantitie wee may and ought in our loue to obserue diuers degrees For seeing wee loue others in and for God therefore wee must loue those aboue others which are of the houshold of faith and our kindred in the Spirit brethren of the same heauenly Father and fellow members of the same body in whom the Image of God most brightly shineth so the whole Church and Common-wealth more then a priuate man and among priuate men our parents children kindred Gal. 6. 10. 1. Tim. 5. 8. familiar friends and benefactours more then strangers or ordinary men §. Sect. 7 The meanes of louing our neighbours namely as our selues The manner of our loue towards our neighbours is that we loue them as our selues In which the loue of our owne persons is necessarily implied Leuit. 19. 18. Mat. 22. 39. for if the loue of our selues be the rule of our loue towards our neighbours then must our charity begin at home and from it as from the fountaine the streames of brotherly loue must spring and flow And howsoeuer we haue in the Scriptures no direct precept inioyning vs to loue our selues yet it is necessarily implied First when we are cōmanded to loue God for seeing loue vniteth vs vnto him who is the chiefe Good and fountaine of all happinesse we chiefly loue our selues in louing him in whose fruition consisteth all blessednesse and felicity Secondly in all those Commandements which require of vs that we seeke our owne good and preseruation both in respect of our soules bodies and states temporall and eternall both by auoyding all sinne which would hurt vs as selfe-murther vncleannesse prodigality exposing of our fame and good name to slanders and imputations and by imbracing all vertues and practising all good duties which may further our euerlasting saluation Besides where our Sauiour saith that whosoeuer loueth his owne life better then him Eph 5. 28 29. is not worthy of him he implyeth that wee ought to loue our selues but with such a loue as is subordinate to the loue of him who hath loued vs better then his owne life And the Apostle in pressing a mans loue towards his wife which ought to exceed all other naturall loue because of that neere vnion betweene them whereby they become one flesh vseth this as a reason that no man euer hated his owne flesh implying thereby that seeing man and wife are both one therefore we should loue our wiues as our selues and consequently our selues first according to which rule we are to loue them §. Sect. 8 That naturall and carnall selfe loue is not the rule of louing our neighbours but that which is holy and spirituall But seeing our naturall loue of our selues is carnall and earthly plunging vs head-long into sinne and death and is no better then true hatred in respect of those miserable effects and fruits which it produceth both to our soules and bodies therefore this carnall loue ought not to be our rule in louing our neighbours although in truth wee can loue them with no other whilest this loue ruleth and swayeth in vs but first this loue must be mortified in vs and in stead thereof our hearts must be replenished with a iust and holy loue whereby we loue our selues in and for God for the aduancing of our temporall and spirituall good and the eternall saluation of our soules and bodies in the fruition of him whom wee chiefly loue and with him of euerlasting ioy and happinesse And when wee thus truly loue our selues according to this rule wee must loue our brethren So that when we are commanded to loue our neighbours as our selues Leuit. 19. 17. it is not required that we should so loue them as we loue our selues in the state of corruption with a carnall and earthly loue which would draw them together with vs into eternall death and destruction and is therefore to be esteemed no better then hatred but as wee ought to loue our selues in the state of regeneration with a right lawfull and holy loue which is alwayes subordinate to the loue of God and louing him first and chiefly doth cause vs to loue them in and for him and not in such respects as are carnall and sinfull In which regard as we are bound to loue all men euen our enemies yea the most wicked in the world in respect of their persons which are Gods workemanship so not our dearest friends in respect of their vices or their vices together with them seeing our loue must be subordinate to the loue of God and for his sake and as we loue their persons which he also loueth so must wee hate their sinnes and corruptions euen as wee ought also to hate our owne because he hateth and abhorreth them And wee must loue our selues and them according to Gods will and not contrary vnto it so farre foorth as it may stand with Gods loue and not when there is any opposition betweene them And thus Dauid who mourned for his enemies because they Ps 119. 136 137 Psal 119. 113. Psal 139. 21 22. kept not Gods Law and prayed for them in respect of their persons yet hated them in respect of their sinnes which vvere hatefull to God as he often professeth §. Sect. 9 The properties of lawfull selfe-loue Novv the lavvfull and right loue of our selues hath diuers properties for first it is vnfained and not counterfeit and dissembled and seated and settled in the heart and not in the tongue and lips onely Secondly it is feruent and effectuall and not cold remisse and carelesse Thirdly constant and permanent and not fickle and mutable alienated and estranged by frailties and infirmities And such ought our loue to be towards our neighbours sincere and vnfained feruent and effectuall seeking by all meanes their good not onely in word but in deede and action doing Mat. 7. 12. that vnto them which we would haue them do vnto vs and finally we must loue them with a constant loue and not alienate our affections from them in regard of their frailties and imperfections And thus wee are to loue our neighbours either with a common and naturall loue sanctified by Gods Spirit or with a special and spirituall loue In respect of the former as euery man out of a naturall loue doth seeke
to bee performed are either common to all the members of this body which is that they l 2. Sam. 24. 17. Neh. 1. 4. 2. 3. Ier. 9 1. Ps 122. 6 7 8. loue their countrey and preferre in their iudgements desires and indeuours the good of it before the good of all others or of themselues or the speciall duties of superiours and inferiours as the supreme Soueraigne and Magistrates or subiects and people The generall dutie of the former is that as they desire the honour of parents m 1. Pet. 2. 13 14. Gen. 4◠8. Iudg. 5. 7. so to carry themselues in all things as fathers of their countrey and subiects The speciall duty of Soueraigne Princes is the good lawfull and commendable exercise of his soueraigne power especially in making good Lawes and seeing them duly executed in creating and making good Magistrates of State and containing them in their duty in shewing mercy vnto those whom they may lawfully pardon being obnoxious to the rigour of the Law and Iustice towards those who by the Lawes of God and the Common-wealth ought to die In hearing of causes of great importance which respect the good of the Common-wealth and of particular persons especially of high and last appeales in waging warres and concluding peace so as they may be iust profitable and safe for their Countrey In all which hee is to aime chiefly at Gods glory and the good of the Church and Common-wealth Which duties that he may performe he must be qualified and furnished with many excellent vertues as a Deut. 17. 19. piety religion and the true feare of God b Pro. 29. 4. Iustice c Pro. 20. 28. clemency d Deut. 17. 17. Pro. 28. 16. bounty and liberality e Psal 2. 10. wisedome and learning f Ios 1 6. Deut. 31. 23. fortitude and courage g Pro. 30. 4 5. Eccl. 10. 13 14. temperance and sobriety h Deut. 17. 17. Pro. 31. 3. chastity i Deut. 17. 20. Psal 131. 1. Exod. 18. 21. Deut. 1. 13. 16. 19 20. 73. 8. 2. Sam. 18. 3. 21. 17. Lam. 4. 20. 1. Tim. 2. 12. Psal 61. 6 7. 1. Pet. 2. 17. Pro. 24 21. 1. Pet. 2. 13. Rom. 13. 1 5. Rom. 13. 6 7. Mat 17. 27. 22 21. Psal 82. 1. 1. Pet. 2. 13 14. modesty and humility The speciall duty of Magistrates is that in executing of their office they conscionably labour to aduance the glory of God the honour of their Soueraigne and the good of the whole Common-wealth and of all the particular members of it Vnto which these vertues are required in them that they be men of k courage fearing God louers of iustice haters of wrong and all euill faithfull and true free from couetousnesse and haters of bribes and rewards wise and prudent iust and vnpartiall hauing in iudgement no respect of any mans person The speciall duties of subiects towards their Soueraigne are first a singular loue of them approoued by their speciall care of their safety by their high esteeme of them and frequent and feruent prayers for them Secondly to honour and reuerence them as the supreme gouernours vnder Christ ouer all persons and in all causes Thirdly to be obedient and subiect vnto them in all things lawfull and that in the Lord and for conscience sake Fourthly to be seruiceable and helpefull vnto them both with their bodies and states The speciall duties of the people towards their Magistrates are to loue and reuerence them as Gods deputies to submit themselues to their lawfull Commandements and punishments and finally to be thankefull vnto them and ready with all chearefulnesse to allow vnto them such stipends and fees as are due for their maintenance CAP. XII Of the duties required in the sixth Commandement §. Sect. 1 Of the summe of this Commandement And of anger and hatred IN the foure following Commandements are all those common vertues and duties required which concerne all our neighbours in generall and all the contrary vices and sinnes forbidden all which concerne either their person and life or the adiuncts belonging to them as their chastity goods and fame Those vertues and vices which respect the person and life are inioyned or forbidden in the sixth Commandement in these words Thou shalt not kill which hath precedency before the other because the person and life are of greater worth and excellency then the adiuncts that appertaine vnto them The summe whereof is this that wee in all our thoughts words and deedes imbrace all vertues and performe all duties which tend to the good of the person and preseruation of the life both of our neighbours and our selues and flee the contrary vices and sinnes whether they be inward or outward And these are either the rootes and fountaines from whence the rest doe spring and flow as anger and hatred or the fruits and streames which arise and issue from them The first duty commanded is iust anger against the sinnes of our neighbours and our Eph. 46. 26. Mar. 3. 5. selues vnto which is required that it arise from iust causes and be directed to good ends that it be in a lawfull manner and measure and continue a fit and conuenient time And heereunto are required as the meanes of it patience long-suffering and mildnesse goodnesse slownesse to anger and readinesse to forgiue The contrary vice whereof is heere forbidden of which I will not heere speake hauing written largely of it in another Treatise of Anger place The second vertue commanded is an holy hatred of our owne and our neighbours sinnes which is alwayes ioyned with the loue of the persons Leuit. 19. 17 18. Now the fruits of holy and iust anger and hatred are to a Pro. 19. 11. 10. 12. Psal 38. 13 14. passe by an offence b Matth. 6 12 14. 18. 21. Col. 3. 13. Luk. 17. 3 4. Leuit. 19. 8. freely to forgiue wrongs and iniuries and euen to forget them and to requite c Mat 5. 44. good for euill to those who haue wronged vs by d Pro. 25. 21 22. helping and e Psal 35. 13. Act. 7. 60. praying for them and finally to vse all f 1. Pet 3. 8. Gen. 23. 4 6. 24. 19. Act. 27. 3. humanity and courtesie towards all men acquaintance and strangers §. Sect. 2 Of the inward duties and vertues heere required Other more speciall fruits may be distinguished according to the difference of persons towards whom they are referred As first if our neighbours are in prosperity we are not to enuie them if they bee our superiours nor to emulate them being our equals nor to disdaine them being our inferiours but contrariwise g Num. 11 29. Act. 26. 29. wish vnto them all good things which we haue or they want and congratulate their well-fare and communicate with them in our h Rom. 12 15. 1. Cor. 12. 26. reioycing at their happinesse If they
life §. Sect. 3 The second sort of meanes consist in the performance of diuers actions And vnto these meditations we are for the renewing of our faith to adde diuers actions as first we must daily renew our promises vnto God made in baptisme and bewayling our manifold frailties and imperfections whereby we haue often failed heerein we are to resolue and promise that if God will accept of vs and passe by our former infirmities we will with more intire affection renounce sinne Satan and all our spirituall enemies and consecrate our selues wholly to his worship seruice and with greater zeale and deuotion labour in the vse of all good meanes whereby we may attaine to more perfection Secondly wee must labour to finde and feele our hearts more and more inflamed with vnfained loue towards God in respect of his infinite goodnesse and absolute perfection in himselfe and graciousnesse towards vs shining in his vnspeakeable and innumerable blessings and benefits bestowed vpon vs which loue towards God will strengthen our faith in assurance of his loue towards vs seeing it is but a drop that distilleth from this fountaine and but a sparke that ariseth from this infinite flame Thirdly we must exercise our selues in the daily practice of religious duties as prayer meditation holy conferences and such like which will increase our communion and acquaintance with God and more and more assure vs of his fauour And finally we must resolue to take all good occasions of doing daily the workes of mercy and Christian charity towards our neighbours for Gods sake whereby our faith will get daily new assurance that seeing we are willing and desirous to glorifie God in all things by causing the light of our godly liues to shine before men hee will bee no lesse willing to glorifie vs before his Matth. 5. 16. 1. Sam. 2. 30. Saints and holy Angels in his heauenly Kingdome For these duties of piety and righteousnesse are the fruits which spring from the roote of faith the flames and heate which proceed from this fire the very breath whereby it liueth and the actions and motions wherein it is exercised and therefore if it bringeth not foorth these fruits it is but a barren tree and dead stocke a vselesse fire which being couered giueth no light or heate a dead carcase without breath an idle habite without vertue or vigour and for want of exercise languisheth and decayeth daily in strength whereas contrariwise if the strength thereof were vsed and seasonably imployed in holy and righteous actions it would like the strength of the body bee confirmed and redoubled by this daily exercise §. Sect. 4 The manifold benefits which would arise from the daily renewing of our faith But that we may be the better perswaded vnto this daily exercise of renewing our faith let vs consider more particularly the manifold and inestimable benefits which would thereby accrew vnto vs. For first we shall liue in couenant with God haue assured title and interest vnto all his promises without any intercession or intermission of our comfort and hope seeing God requireth of vs no other condition Secondly wee shall no longer liue the life of the flesh and corrupted nature but the life of faith Hab 2. 4. Mat. 4. 4. which is principally sustained by God and holdeth dependancie not on earthly things but chiefly on his Word and promise which can neuer faile and the life of Christ subiecting our selues in all things to the regiment and gouernment of his holy Spirit so as we may say with the Apostle I liue yet not I but Christ liueth in me and the life which I now liue in the Gal. 2. 20. flesh I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God who loued mee and gaue himselfe for me which life of grace certainely assureth vs of the life of glory Thirdly heereof it will follow that all our thoughts words and workes shall be voluntarily subiected to the good will and pleasure of God and being daily in couenant with God we shall by vertue of his Spirit assisting vs keepe all our faculties and functions senses and actions in couenant with Iob 31. 1. vs that they shall in all things obey him and doe nothing which is displeasing vnto him Fourthly by renewing our faith daily we shall with it renew all the sanctifying and sauing graces which issue from it and depend vpon it and by watring the roote giue vertue and vigour vnto all the branches and fruits which spring from it whereas contrariwise wee shall spend all our labour in vaine if neglecting faith we vse all diligence and indeuour to increase in loue patience hope or any other grace or to bring foorth plentifull fruits of them in a Christian conuersation and the workes of mercy and charity like those who take much paines in watring the boughes and branches of a tree and neuer take care to water the roote More especially if wee daily renew our faith wee shall heereby confirme our affiance and confidence in God in all things and at all times for when we firmely by faith apply vnto our vse the power wisedome goodnesse promises and prouidence of God and with strong imbracements vnite them vnto vs we may easily with all safety and security rest and rely vpon them We shall heereby also strengthen our hope which is nothing but an expectation of the things beleeued and according as our faith is strong or weake in apprehension of the promises so also is our hope which waiteth for their fruition Wee shall increase by it our loue towards God for the more and oftner we apprehend the diuine fire of his loue towards vs the more our cold hearts are thereby inflamed with the heate of it so that we returne vnto him loue for loue And our zeale of Gods glory there being no stronger argument to make vs in all things earnest to glorifie him then to be fully assured that he will glorifie vs. It will worke in vs and daily renew our patience when as we daily renew our assurance that all our afflictions are the chastizements of a louing Father and not the punishments of a seuere Iudge that they are stinted and measured out vnto vs both in respect of their quantity and continuance by a most wise prouidence which will not let them exceed either our strength or necessity that they are inflicted out of meere loue and are signes not of our reiection but adoption and saluation that they shall Rom. 8. 18. 2. Cor. 4. 17. haue a good issue and worke together for the best for the inriching of vs with spirituall grace and the furthering of our eternall glory It will increase our peace of conscience when as our assurance is daily renewed of our peace with God the remission of all our sinnes and victory ouer all the enemies of our saluation of our safety vnder his protection and that nothing shall be able to separate his loue from vs. It will daily replenish our
of Oxen or the grunting of Hogs Yea as the same Author saith If I be delighted more with the musicke then with the matter in stead of seruing God I fearefully sinne And therefore diuision and fraction of voyce broken repetitions and reports which take away the sense hinder the vnderstanding both of the singer and hearer and tend onely to affect the eare with the melody and not the heart with the matter are not to be vsed in this holy exercise For this is to sing not like men indued with reason but rather Aug. enarrat in Psal 18. like birds which are sensible onely of the tune but haue no vnderstanding of the matter and ditty §. Sect. 3 That we must diligently reade the Scriptures and the great profit of this exercise Vnto prayer and praysing of God by singing of Psalmes we are to adioyne another religious exercise which is reading of the Scriptures and other holy writings of which we will onely heere speake as it is a daily duty to bee performed of vs referring the more full handling of it vnto another place when we are to intreate of the meanes whereby we may be inabled to leade a godly life Here let it suffice to shew that it is a duty no day to bee neglected if wee can borrow any time from other necessary imploiments and find any conuenient leysure and fit opportunity to performe it For wheras we should labor after a daily increase in spiritual graces there is scarce any meanes more effectuall for this purpose seeing it is a notable helpe for the inlightning of our mindes in the knowledge of God and his will according vnto which we are to frame our liues for the Word of God is a lampe vnto our eyes and a light vnto our paths it inlighteneth the Psal 119. 105. Psal 19. 7 8. Pro. 1. 4. eyes and giueth vnderstanding vnto the simple It giueth wisedome to the ignorant and to the young man knowledge and discretion It is a singular helpe for the strengthening of our faith when as we haue daily before our eyes the couenant of grace and the sweete promises of the Gospell made vnto vs in Iesus Christ and obserue the infinite mercies of God extended to all without respect of persons who haue beleeued and trusted in him It much inflameth our loue towards God when in reading of them we obserue his loue towards vs and maketh vs zealous of his glory when we take notice of the infinite bounty of our Lord and Master and what a rich rewarder he is of our poore and imperfect seruice It will serue for a looking-glasse wherein we may see our spots and spirituall deformities and bee directed also by it to reforme and amend them It is a fit guide in the time of prosperity which will teach vs to vse Gods blessings aright so as they may be not onely truely comfortable in themselues but also as they are pledges of Gods loue and earnest pennies of our saluation It will be our comforter in our aduersitie whilst it teacheth vs so to profit by them as that they may be signes of our adoption and notable meanes to assure vs of Gods loue and our owne saluation It containeth in it the euidences of our heauenly inheritance and teacheth vs how to get them into our owne keeping without feare of losing them and who cannot daily with much comfort spend some time in perusing these assurances wherein so rich and glorious a Kingdome is ratified vnto him It is a diuine treasury of all spirituall and heauenly riches and who is so vnwisely moderate in his spirituall desires as not once in a day to please his eye with the sight of these treasures Finally it is our spirituall armorie in which is munition of all kinds and all sorts of weapons fit to defend our selues and offend our enemies and therefore seeing we are daily in the Christian warfare and continually assaulted by the enemies of our saluation why should we not also daily goe into this armory to fit our selues with spirituall armour and to take out of it the most preuailing weapons Now for the time of the day when this duty must bee performed in respect of priuate reading it cannot bee limited but must bee left to bee prescribed by mens leasure and opportunity And for that which is vsed as a family-exercise it is most seasonable as I take it before prayer either morning or euening because then they are assembled together and multitudes of occasions will hardly admit of often meetings CAP. XVIII Of our daily exercise in the duties of our callings and of diuers vertues required in them § Sect. 1 That we must make choyce of lawfull callings HAuing thus begun the day by the performance of these religious duties we must in the next place betake our selues to the duties of our lawfull callings Neither can we sufficiently approoue our selues vnto God if we doe not ioyne these with the other for he will be serued not onely in the generall duties of Christianity but also in those speciall duties which are peculiar vnto those places and callings in which he hath set vs either in the Church or Common-wealth Neither is it sufficient for him who is called to be a Magistrate Minister Master of a family or seruant that hee performe those duties which are common vnto him with all Christians vnlesse he also with like care and indeuour performe those speciall duties which belong to his owne place and calling And heere first is required that our calling be lawfull and agreeable to Gods will and Word that is such an one as our labours in it may tend to Gods glory the good of the Church and Common wealth and the furthering not onely of our temporall but also our spirituall good and the eternall saluation of our soules and not such as being vnlawfull hindreth these ends as those that liue by vnlawfull Artes and Trades Players Gamesters and such like for then the greater paines wee take in such callings the greater is our sinne the more wee dishonour God hurt our neighbours and hinder our owne saluation Secondly that wee bee in some measure qualified with such gifts as are fit for our callings for those whom God calleth vnto any place hee furnisheth them with such competencie of gifts as that they may profitably performe the duties required vnto it And if our calling bee lawfull and wee thus fitted for it then may wee say with the Apostle Paul that wee are called by the will of God and may with cheerefulnesse 2. Cor. 1. 1. and comfort goe on in it expecting his blessing vpon our labours and in the end of our liues a rich reward for doing him therein faithfull seruice Thirdly our minds and hearts must be settled in our callings so as we neither shift and change vnlesse it be vpon waighty and necessary causes nor intrude and busie our selues in the callings of others for this were to ouerthrow all order and bring
we seldome admit such holy conferences as tend to Gods glory whom we haue found so gracious and bountifull a Master or being entred into them doe waxe weary and soone giue them ouer vpon euery slight occasion for want of loue and zeale to his seruice Yea let vs consider with what pleasure and delight our selues haue beene taken vp in the dayes of our ignorance with idle and hurtfull communication and let this make vs to redeeme our lost time by being diligent and frequent in good conferences and seeing wicked men are and we were not ashamed to spend much time in speaking to Gods dishonour and our owne and our neighbours hurt let it now bee a shame vnto vs to bee backward and bashfull slacke and meale-mouthed to speake freely vnto his praise or to omit any good occasion of discourse which may further the saluation of our selues or our brethren CAP. XXX Of those duties which concerne our workes and actions one with another both out of contracts and in our buying and selling §. Sect. 1 That we must labour both to do and receiue all the good we can in our dealings with others AND thus much concerning those duties which are to be performed in our society and conuersation respecting our speeches and conferences Now we are to speake of those which concerne our workes and actions And these either respect our simple and ordinary dealings out of contract or those which are to bee obserued in contracts and bargaines one with another Concerning the former I shall not neede to say much more then I haue written before of those duties which are generally to be performed in our whole conuersation and society with our neighbours Only let vs obserue this principall rule that when wee come in any company with our brethren wee indeuour by all good meanes both to receiue and doe all the good wee can vnto our selues and them improouing our society for the best aduantage to all parties And first for our selues we must not idly and vainely spend our time when we are in company but labour as much as in vs lyeth to reape what fruit and benefit we can by it setting our selues to listen vnto and lay vp for our vse the good speeches instructions counsels exhortations admonitions or reproofes which we shall heare from any and those especially which are superiour vnto vs in Gods gifts and graces as also to take notice of those good examples of piety or Iustice faith affiance in God humility meekenesse patience and such other vertues that they may serue as patternes for our imitation according to that of the Apostle Brethren be followers together of mee and marke them which walke so as ye haue vs for an example and elsewhere hee exhorteth the Hebrewes Phil. 3. 17. to follow the faith of those who were set ouer them and had spoken vnto them the Word of God But because such rules through humane frailty Heb. 13 7. doe sometime faile we are not hand ouer head to conforme our selues to such ensamples but in any doubtfull case to bring them to the maine Standard the Word of God and to consider if they agree or swarue from it and to our chiefe Patterne and Precedent Iesus Christ to see how their example agrees with his seeing the Apostle though excellently graced would not propound himselfe as an absolute patterne to be followed in all things but onely so farre foorth as he was a follower of Christ 1. Cor. 11. 1. §. Sect. 2 That we must take all occasions of gayning others to Christ And as we must labour when we are in company to receiue so also to doe what good we can vnto those who associate vs. Especially wee must indeuour to take and seeke all good occasions and opportunities of speaking or doing any thing which may further their saluation and to vse all good meanes both to gaine them vnto Christ if we see no signes of their conuersion or to build them vp in him to inrich them with all spirituall graces and to confirme and strengthen them vnto all Christian duties if being conuerted they belong to the same houshold of faith Of the former we haue the Apostle Paul a worthy example for our imitation who though 1. Cor. 9. 19. to 22. as he professeth he were free from all men yet he made himselfe seruant vnto all that he might gaine the more To the Iewes hee became a Iew that hee might gaine the Iewes that is as he expoundeth himselfe in the next words to them that were vnder the Law as vnder the Law that hee might gaine them that were vnder the Law to them which were without Law as without Law though hee were not without Law to God but vnder the Law to Christ that hee might gaine them that were without Law To the weake hee became as weake that hee might gaine the weake and in a word made himselfe all things to all men that he might by all meanes saue some And in the next Chapter he saith that he indeuoured to please all men in all things not seeking his owne profit but the profit 1. Cor. 11. 33. of many that they might be saued In respect of our brethren which are already conuerted we must when we keepe them company performe all Christian duties which may inrich or confirme and strengthen in them all the gifts and graces of Gods holy Spirit To which end we must obserue and watch ouer one another not as curious busie-bodies to intermeddle with their affaires which belong not vnto vs or to spie out their infirmities that wee may blaze them abroad to others but seeing their weakenesses that we may helpe and support them and their wants that we may vse all good meanes to supply them and in the meane time to couer them vnder the vaile of charity And finally that we may prouoke and stirre vp one another to the imbracing of all holy vertues and the practising of all Christian duties according to that of the Apostle Let vs consider one another Heb. 10. 24. to prouoke vnto loue and good workes §. Sect. 3 That in all our dealings and bargainings we must carry our selues vprightly and honestly In our contracts and bargaines whereby we alienate or exchange the things which of right appertaine vnto vs vpon some equall and honest conditions diuers duties are to bee obserued of all Christians who haue trading and dealings one with another some whereof are generall to all contracts and some more specially respect selling and buying In all our contracts and dealings there is generally required that we carry and behaue our selues simply and vprightly honestly and with a good conscience as in the sight and presence of God who seeth not onely our outward actions and dealings but also the inward thoughts of our hearts and our most secret and hidden intentions according to that of the Apostle We trust we haue a good conscience in all things willing to liue honestly And Heb.
their carriage and gouernement but behaue themselues in all things grauely and with a kinde of Christian Maiesty and authority according to the example of Iob who obserued such grauity in his carriage that when the young men saw him they hid themselues and the aged arose and Iob 29. 8 9. stood vp the Princes refrained talking and laid their hand on their mouth The which as it gaineth authority to gouernours so the contrary leuitie and lightnesse of behauiour doth expose their persons to scorne and their gouernement to neglect and contempt Thirdly there is required that piety iustice and sobriety doe shine in the whole course of their conuersation that so they may become examples vnto their inferiours of an holy righteous and vnblameable life then the which nothing is more powerfull and effectuall to draw inferiours to imitation of those vertues which they obserue in them And therefore Dauid intending a strict reformation of his house beginneth first with himselfe that hee might be an example vnto all the rest and resolueth that he will behaue himselfe wisely in a perfect way and walke within his house with an vpright heart and then that hee will banish out the wicked from his family and entertaine and countenance the religious and faithfull of the land Whereas contrariwise if they take neuer so much paines in teaching them their duties yet if they doe not make their owne liues examples of their rules but run a contrary course in their practice they shall not so much further them in the wayes of godlinesse by their instructions as discourage and hinder them by their bad example Fourthly they must not insult ouer their inferiours with tyrannicall pride and cruelty nor doe all they may by reason of their power and authority to keepe them vnder as base vnderlings out of a fond and false opinion raysing the pitch of their absolutenesse and greatnesse out of their slauish deiection who are vnder their gouernment but they must mixe with their power and authority parent-like loue brotherly humanity and Christian mildnesse and modesty that their inferiours may honour them as fathers as well as feare them like Lords and may yeeld vnto them free cheerefull and voluntary obedience subiecting to their gouernement Rom. 13. 5. not onely their bodies and outward actions but also their hearts wills and inward affections For if the hearts of Kings themselues must not bee lifted vp aboue their brethren then much lesse should the hearts Deut. 17. 20. of inferiour gouernours in families bee thus exalted Fifthly they must gouerne in the Lord as his Vice-gerents and Deputies and chiefly ayme therein at Gods glory remembring that from him they haue all their authority and that they exercise not their owne but the iudgements of the Lord according to the saying of good Iehoshaphat to his Iudges Take 2. Chro. 19. 6. heede what yee doe for ye iudge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in iudgement And this must make them chiefly to aime by their gouernement to containe their inferiours in the duties of piety and righteousnesse that God may be glorified both by themselues and also by all those which are in the family And finally they must make it appeare in all their gouernement that they doe not wholly ayme at their owne particular and priuate profit but also at their ioynt good which is the chiefe cause why the Lord hath made them superiours vnto others not that they may serue their turne of them and looke no further but that they may like the head the members of the body gouerne them for their benefit And this argument the Lord vseth to perswade inferiours to honour their superiours that it might goe well with themselues in the land which the Lord gaue Deut. 5. 16. them And the Apostle mooueth them to doe that which is good vpon the like reason because their gouernours were the Ministers of God to them for good if they did well Rom. 13. 4. §. Sect. 2 Of the iustice loue which are required in gouernement The things required vnto the administration of their gouernement are iustice and loue the which must be tempered the one with the other that loue may moderate and sweeten iustice and iustice may keepe loue vnpartiall and vpright lest our actions sauouring of nothing but iustice seeme rigorous and expose vs to hatred and loue not guided nor backed by iustice degenerate into doting fondnesse and so expose vs to contempt whereas both rightly mixed the one with the other will cause reuerence and obedience The which mixture must bee vsed in all our actions towards all vnder our gouernement although these vertues are to bee exercised diuersly and the one to be more manifested then the other according to occasion time persons and deserts For though we ought to loue all yet those especially who excell in Gods graces and profit most in all religious Christian and ciuill duties and to such our loue must bee most manifested to incourage them to go on in their good courses and to draw others to follow their example The which was Dauids practice as he professeth who though he were indifferently iust towards all his subiects yet his loue exceeded towards the faithfull of the land and those which walked Psal 102. 6. in a perfect way But especially our loue and iustice must appeare in our rewards and chastisements which are the mayne bonds and very sinewes of gouernement We must reward those who deserue well partly by our words commending their good actions which is a great incouragement to well-doing as the Apostle implyeth when hee vseth it as a reason to perswade inferiours to their duty Doe that which is good saith he and thou shalt haue praise of the same the which our Sauiour will vse to Rom. 13. 3. his seruants at the last day Well done good and faithfull seruant thou hast Mat. 25. 23. beene faithfull ouer a few things c. And partly by deeds the which must sauour both of iustice in giuing them their due wages and of loue and bounty by giuing according to our ability gifts to incourage them in their well-deseruing Chastisements also must be vsed towards them who will not otherwise be reclaimed from their faults nor kept in due order either in words only by gentle or more sharpe reproofes according to the quality of the offence or by stripes when nothing else will serue For otherwise we shall offend against God in neglecting being his Deputies to glorifie 1. Sam. 2. 29. him in his Iustice against our selues by becomming accessary to their sins against the parties offending whom we reclaime not but suffer them to go on in their wickednes to their destructions against those of the same family whom by this impunity we incourage to follow their ill example and the whole society which is hereby made obnoxious to Gods Iustice But this correction is only good when it is necessary being like
either from the causes which are efficient or finall or from the subiect and adiuncts of our afflictions And first in our meditations we are to consider that God himselfe is chiefe cause and principall Author of all our afflictions whatsoeuer bee the meanes and instruments The which may confirme our patience and comfort vs in our afflictions seeing they must needs be good and iust as comming from him who is the chiefe Goodnesse in himselfe and the Authour and fountaine of all goodnesse which is in the creatures Secondly that hee hath not onely in some generall manner in his eternall counsell preordained our afflictions and left all the rest to bee disposed by chance and fortune but that hee specially ordereth and ruleth them with his most wise iust and gracious prouidence both in respect of their manner measure and continuance making the ends of all inferiour causes to serue for his supreme ends which are his glory and our saluation Thirdly that the meritorious causes of all our afflictions are our sinnes which are so many and grieuous that our greatest afflictions are farre lesse and lighter then by our sinnes we haue iustly deserued Fourthly that our afflictions are not signes of Gods hatred nor the punishments of a iust Iudge but the chastisements and corrections of a gracious Father and that they proceed from his meere loue the which appeareth first in the measure of our afflictions both in respect of their quantity and time of continuance For he hath appointed a measure which cannot be exceeded and this quantity is small and light and how long also they shall last and continue the which time is short and momentany in comparison of that super-excellent and eternall waight of glory which they shall cause vnto vs. Yea he so measureth our afflictions vnto vs as that they do not exceed our ability to indure 1. Cor. 10. 13. them seeing he is alwayes ready to lessen our burthen or to increase our strength that we may be able to beare it Neither doth the Lord take delight in our smart to inflict vpon vs more then is needfull but measureth our afflictions not according to desert but so much onely as is necessary for his owne glory and our saluation §. Sect. 4 That our afflictions tend to the setting foorth of Gods glory Fifthly let vs also consider the ends of our afflictions which God propoundeth vnto them wherein his great loue shineth and appeareth The first and chiefe whereof is his owne glory seeing he manifesteth his power and goodnesse by assisting vs in our afflictions and by taking occasion thereby to shew and try his spirituall graces which he hath bestowed vpon vs the which should comfort vs in all our troubles seeing God heereby vouchsafeth vs this high priuiledge to be instruments of his glory The second end is the good both of our neighbours and our selues They receiue much good by our afflictions seeing they learne by our example to feare God in his iudgements and are restrained from the same sinnes which they see corrected in vs. Secondly as wee are ensamples of Gods graces shining in this fiery triall and also through our infirmities of humane frailty that seeing Gods perfection in our imperfections and his power and wisedome in our folly and weakenesse they may take occasion to glorifie him Thirdly because by our afflictions wee are made more compassionate and more able and ready to comfort others with those consolations wherewith our selues haue beene comforted The which also should make vs patient in our troubles yea euen to be thankfull and greatly to reioyce in that God vseth vs as meanes and instruments of our neighbours good whom wee ought to loue as our selues and as much as in vs lieth to helpe them in all things which may further their saluation §. Sect. 5 That God vseth our afflictiōs as means of our owne good Secondly let vs consider that the Lord vseth our afflictions as notable meanes of our owne good and of deriuing vnto vs many singular benefits both in respect of this life and the life to come For first hee vseth them for trials for the discouery of those spirituall graces which he hath giuen vs not vnto himselfe who knowing all things needeth no such helpes but vnto vs and others that hee may bee glorified in them and take occasion thereby to glorifie vs by crowning his gifts when by this Iam. 1. 12. triall they are approoued and may also edifie those who obserue them in vs and mooue them to follow our good example And likewise for the making knowne of our infirmities and corruptions that wee may be truely humbled in the sight and sense of them In which regard our greatest trials not exceeding our strength as God hath promised should bring vnto vs an answerable measure of sound comfort seeing they are assured signes vnto vs of the greatest measure of sauing graces in vs. Secondly hee vseth them as effectuall meanes to further our conuersion fitting and preparing vs thereby for the more diligent hearing of the Word and so working in vs by both ioyned together true contrition and humiliation Thirdly hee vseth them as speciall meanes to preuent sinne and to preserue vs from falling into it and also to mortifie and subdue those corruptions by all good meanes which adhere and cleaue vnto vs as pride carnall concupiscence selfe-loue and loue of the world The which should greatly increase our patience and comfort vs in afflictions for if we are willing to indure so much to be eased of bodily and temporall euill how much more should we chearefully indure any afflictions to bee Heb. 12. 9. freed from those which are spirituall and euerlasting as the Apostle reasoneth Fourthly he vseth them as notable helpes to increase in vs all his spirituall graces as sauing knowledge and remembrance of God a liuely faith vnfained repentance firme affiance hope loue feare patience and humility both by making vs more carefull in the vse of the meanes whereby they are begun and increased in vs and by exercising them with these trials And also to bring forth the fruits of these graces by new obedience prayer and more zealous performance of all other duties of his seruice Finally by our afflictions the Lord also maketh vs more forward to imbrace all vertues and to performe all Christian duties which concerne both our neighbours and our selues For whereas prosperity vsually incourageth men to wrong and oppression affliction being sanctified vnto vs is a notable motiue to perswade vs to carry our selues iustly in all our actions to be mercifull and compassionate towards others in their miseries and to bee meeke humble and courteous towards all men So also they increase the knowledge of our selues our courage Christian fortitude and strength to beare our crosses and miseries as being the spiritual exercise of these graces and finally our temperance sobriety modesty chastity as it were easie to shew if we could heere insist in these particulars In respect also
hand for euermore so farre foorth as the frailty and infirmity of nature will suffer and not disable vs through drowzinesse caused by want of sufficient sleepe vnto the publike duties of Gods seruice And therefore farre bee it from vs that professe Christianity to imitate the practice of carnall worldlings who rise betimes vpon the weeke dayes to goe about their owne businesse but when the Lords Day commeth lie long in bed and as they say take vp their penny-worths of sleepe in which they were scanted by their earthly imployments because they thinke it an idle time wherein they haue nothing to doe sauing to make themselues ready and goe to Church but rather according to our profession let vs imitate the example of our Sauiour Mar. 1. 35 38. Christ who did awake betimes to doe the workes of God rising before day to pray and afterwards preaching in the Synagogue §. Sect. 2 Of meditations fit to be vsed on the Lords Day Secondly being awakened out of sleepe we must in the first place settle our selues to performe those religious and holy duties belonging to euery morning of which we haue formerly spoken but with these differences first that wee respect in them the Lords Day and make speciall application of them vnto that present occasion And secondly that we doe in an extraordinary manner stirre vp our selues to performe them with more ardent zeale and greater deuotion then at any other time For example we must awake with God and in our first thoughts set him before vs and our selues in his presence that we may in a speciall manner performe the peculiar duties of his seruice which that Day aboue others he requireth of vs. And first we must deuoutly lift vp our hearts and soules to praise his holy Name for preseruing vs the whole weeke and night past from all perils and dangers continuing still vnto vs life liberty and all good meanes and opportunities whereby wee are inabled yet once againe to sanctifie his Sabbath by performing vnto him the duties of his seruice earnestly desiring the continuance of his fauour and the gracious assistance of his holy Spirit to guide and leade vs thorowout the day following that wee may therein carry our selues in such an holy and religious manner as that all the seruice which we performe vnto him may be pleasing and acceptable in his sight and may wholly tend to the aduancement of his glory the edification of our brethren the inriching of our soules with all spirituall graces and the furthering and assuring of our saluation After which short Prayer we are to spend some time in holy meditation the subiect and matter whereof may bee the infinite and inestimable loue and mercies of God innumerable wayes shewed vnto vs but especially in giuing vnto vs his onely begotten and dearely beloued Sonne to dye for our sinnes and as this Day to arise againe for our iustification In which we may inlarge our selues as time and leasure will serue by calling to our remembrance the particular parts of Christs Passion as his miseries and afflictions in the whole course of his life his betraying and apprehension his haling to the Iudgement seate of mortall men who was the Soueraigne Iudge of heauen and earth his accusing and condemning who was innocent that hee might acquit vs who are malefactours Also how he was railed and spit vpon scourged and tormented clothed with purple and crowned with thornes scorned and derided numbred among the wicked and crucified betweene two thieues died the death the bitter ignominious and cursed death of the Crosse and in his soule bore and indured for our sakes the anger of God much more heauy and intolerable then all his other sufferings which made him in that his bitter agony to sweate water and blood and to cry out vpon the Crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Vnto which we may adde in our meditations Iob. 3. 16. the manifold and exceeding fruits and benefits of his death and resurrection redounding vnto vs that so we may not onely bee stirred vp to vnfained thankfulnesse vnto God the Father who hath of his meere loue Rom. 5. 8 10. Phil. 2. 6. giuen his Sonne euen when wee were strangers and enemies to doe all this for vs and to God the Sonne who hath being equall with his Father thus humbled himselfe to worke the great worke of our Redemption and to God the holy Spirit for applying the fruits and benefits of Christs passion and resurrection vnto vs making them effectuall for our iustification and saluation but also hauing our hearts inflamed with the apprehension of this their loue we may be mooued heereby to loue them againe and bee made zealous in their seruice thinking nothing enough which wee can doe to glorifie them who haue beene so good and gracious vnto vs. We are to meditate also on our sinnes which we haue falne into especially since the last Lords Day either in the omission or imperfect performance of good duties or in the commission of euill that we may seriously bewaile and repent of them before we present our selues in the holy assemblies to performe the publike duties of Gods seruice Seeing hee will be Leuit. 10. 2. honoured in all that draw neere vnto him either in his mercy by forgiuing the sinnes of the repentant or in his iustice by punishing those that continue in their impenitency So also wee are to examine and search out those sinnes and corruptions vnto which our fraile nature is most inclined and wherewith wee haue beene most often ouertaken that so going into Gods spirituall armorie wee may fit our selues with such weapons as may defend and strengthen vs against them and get such wholesome preseruatiues as may keepe vs from being tainted and infected after our recouery with the like contagious poyson Wee are likewise to examine our wants and in what graces of Gods holy Spirit we are most defectiue and in what holy duties wee are most backward and sluggish that so wee may supply our defects when wee come into this spirituall market by applying such doctrines and instructions admonitions and exhortations as shall be most fitting for this purpose §. Sect. 3 Of Prayer Thankesgiuing and reading the Scriptures priuately on the Lords Day After some time spent in these and such like meditations we are in the next place to performe the duty of priuate prayer which is to be fitted to the Lords Day For prostrating our selues before the Throne of grace in the mediation of Iesus Christ we are to confesse and acknowledge as our other sinnes so those especially whereby wee haue offended God in respect of his Sabbaths and the duties of his seruice as our originall corruption whereby we haue vtterly disabled our selues in all the powers and parts of our soules and bodies to all holy duties and religious worship and become apt and prone to the contrary sinnes and our actuall transgressions whereby we haue broken all Gods Commandements
vertue vice or other thing handled the causes effects and common affections the subiect place the time and other adiuncts the dissentanies and contraries the distribution of the whole into the parts or of the generall into the specials and how euery branch is followed prooued illustrated and applyed Or if the Sermon want method or wee skill to conceiue it or memory to retaine it for it sometime happeneth that method which is the chiefe help of memory through too much curiosity and multiplicity of diuisions is a meanes to confound it yet let vs at least obserue those things that are deliuered which we knew not before for the increasing of our knowledge and bettering of our iudgement what vices are reproued or vertues commended with the reasons and illustrations of them both what hath most conuinced our consciences what hath been well pressed and wrought effectually vpon our hearts and affections for the withdrawing of them from any sinne their inflaming with the loue of any thing that is good and the stirring of them vp to the imbracing and practising of any Christian and holy duty §. Sect. 3 That we must stay in the Church from the beginning to the end of the Sermon The last duty in hearing is that we continue from the beginning of the Sermon to the end and as we are to come with the first so wee must not as the manner of many is depart till all the exercises of Religion being fully concluded the whole Assembly bee dismissed For as it is great vnmannerlinesse at a solemne feast to rise before the table is taken away vnlesse it be in case of sicknesse weaknesse or some important businesse so they which depart from this spirituall Feast before it be ended are either very vnmannerly and voyd of due reuerence and respect of Gods presence and his holy ghests and if they be not troubled with bodily infirmities doe shew the sicknesse of their soules when their spirituall appetite is so queazie that they loath their nourishment or that they thinke the imployment which they goe about of greater waight or at least much more necessary then the feeding of their soules with this spirituall Manna and vsing the meanes of their saluation Neither must we haste away after the Sermon is ended as though wee would rush out of prison as soone as the doore is opened but we must stay still that we may ioyne with the Minister and the Congregation in prayer and thankesgiuing if any bee as there ought to be after the concluding of the Sermon seeing as in receiuing our corporall food so also in the spirituall we haue as iust cause and occasion of praising God for benefits receiued as of praying for his blessing vpon them before we receiued them But if it bee omitted wee must supply this defect in respect of our owne particular by lifting vp our hearts vnto God praising him for causing the light of his Gospell to shine still vnto vs and for all the wholesome instructions admonitions reproofes and consolations which he hath graciously at that time imparted vnto vs. And if there be a Psalme sung we must ioyne with the Congregation praising the Lord with minde and voyce and making melody vnto him with our hearts which being ended we must expect the blessing of God pronounced by the mouth of his Minister with all reuerence and deuotion esteeming it of great efficacie as if God himselfe did blesse vs by them For so we reade that God appoynting Aaron to pronounce Num. 6. 23 24 c. such a blessing vpon the people saith that he should hereby put his name vpon them and he himselfe also would blesse them And therefore being of such importance we must not through ouer-much haste leaue it behinde vs as a needlesse complement §. Sect. 4 Of our duty in receiuing the Lords Supper And if the Sacrament of the Lords Supper bee administred hauing duly prepared our selues we are to communicate with the rest of the Congregation Luk 22. 19. and not vnmannerly depart from this holy Feast being inuited when we see it set vpon the Lords Table For it is a part of Gods publike seruice which is not left as arbitrary at our choyce to doe or leaue vndone but expressely inioyned by our Sauiour Doe this in remembrance 1. Cor. 11. 24 25 26. of me It is a notable meanes of confirming and increasing our faith being the Lords Seale wherewith he hath ratified his Couenant of grace and saluation with vs the which being often shaken with tentations and wounded and weakened with our sinnes needeth often to be strengthened and renewed It is the badge and liuery whereby we are knowne to bee Gods seruants and therefore comming to doe him seruice we ought not to cast it off when the rest of the family put it on It is a testification of our thankfulnesse to God and his Christ for all their benefits especially that great worke of our Redemption and a profession of our faith that we rest vpon the mercies of God and the death and merits of Christ for our iustification and saluation which wee are not to neglect when others performe it but to take all good occasions of testifying our faith loue and thankfulnesse vnto them It is a notable meanes to put vs in mind of Christs death and to apply all the fruits and benefits thereof vnto our selues when as wee see him crucified his body broken and his blood powred out before our eyes It is the Sacrament of our vnion with Christ and communion one with another wherein wee are knit together in the bond of loue and make profession that wee are fellow-members of the same body whereof Christ Iesus is the Head whereof if wee refuse to communicate hauing no good and necessary ground for it wee shall make a rent in the body and deny the communion and profession of our loue one with another §. Sect. 5 Of our duties to be performed when Baptisme is administred So likewise if the Sacrament of Baptisme be administred wee are not to depart before this holy action bee finished but to continue in the Congregation not as idle spectators but as being tyed heereby to performe diuers Christian duties both vnto God our selues and the party baptized In respect of God we are to stay the administration of this Sacrament that wee may shew our reuerence to his holy ordinances and glorifie his blessed Name for granting vnto his Church and vs the vse of them Secondly in respect of our selues that wee may renew our Couenant with God by calling it afresh to our remembrance together with his sweet mercies and gracious promises in Iesus Christ and also our owne vow and couenant which we haue made with him in our Baptisme that we may renew our resolutions and indeuours to performe it daily in more perfection and in the meane time take occasion vpon our slips and failings to bewaile our wants and imperfections That we may also call to mind what
kill Now if thou commit no adultery yet if thou kill thou art become a transgressour of the Law For there is a chaine of vertues and vices whereby they are so fast and inseparably linked together that he who imbraceth and practiseth any one vertue and Christian duty out of his loue and obedience to God imbraceth and performeth all the rest hee that willingly liueth in the neglect of any one duty or maketh no conscience of committing any knowne sinne neglecteth all and is prepared to commit any wickednesse In which regard it may truly bee said that the vnregenerate man breaketh all Gods Commandements euen those which hee seemeth to keepe and that the sound Christian obserueth all euen those which he seemeth to breake For howsoeuer the one doth not actually transgresse euery Commandement yet there is in him an habit of sinne and a naturall disposition and readinesse to breake all when opportunity serueth and when hee is tempted thereunto with the alluring baits of worldly vanities And though the other doe not actually keepe the whole Law but faileth in many particulars yet there is in him an habit of holinesse and righteousnesse and a disposition and desire resolution and indeuour to obserue all for with the Apostle they consent vnto the whole Rom. 7. Law that it is holy and good and being in their hearts delighted in it they striue to keepe one Commandement as well as another and when they faile of their purpose doe heartily bewaile their imperfections It is true that a wicked man may not onely forsake many sinnes but may also in some sort loath and detest them but this is not out of his loue towards God or because he hateth or forbiddeth them but caused by some common restraining grace or done out of some corrupt passion and disposition not because he hateth sinne but because some contrary vice being predominant in him doth draw him vnto another extreme And thus the couetous man hateth prodigality and the prodigall couetousnesse the presumptuous man melancholike despaire and the despairing sinner bold presumption the coward bloody quarrell and the desperate backster Plerique metu peccare cessant non innocentia profectò tales timidi non innocentes dicendi sunt Seneca cowardize Yea thus may a man outwardly shun all sinnes which make him liable to legall penalties out of selfe-loue that hee may gaine rewards or escape punishments not out of loue to vertue and innocency but feare of running into danger §. Sect. 5 That without totall obedience we cannot attaine to heauenly happinesse Finally vnlesse we performe totall obedience in the desire purpose and indeuour of our heart vnto the whole Law of God wee can neither attaine vnto heauenly happinesse nor escape hellish death and condemnation though we imbrace and practise many vertues and duties and flee from many vices and sinnes For as a Mill-stone will keepe vs from mounting aloft as well as a Mountaine and the one as well as the other would cause vs to sinke into the bottome of the Sea if it were fastened vnto vs so if any one sinne haue taken such fast hold of our hearts that we will by no meanes be moued to leaue it the waight thereof will bee sufficient to keepe vs from ascending vnto heauenly happinesse and to drench and drowne vs in the sea of perdition So the Apostle saith that he that liueth not in all or many sinnes but in any one shall neuer enter into the Kingdome of heauen Neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate c. shall inherit the Kingdome of God And the Apostle Iohn saith that 1. Cor. 6. 9 10. Apoc. 22. 15. euery sort of sinners as sorcerers and whoremongers and murtherers and idolaters and lyers shall be excluded from this place of blessednesse So that as for the losse of corporall life it is not necessary that the body should be wounded in euery place but a mortall wound in any of the vitall parts is sufficient to let in death and giue it seisure of the whole man so is it in this case And as particular sinnes depriue vs of happinesse so they plunge vs into death and destruction as appeareth by that distinct enumeration which the Prophet maketh of particulars If saith hee hee Ezek. 18. 10 13. beget a sonne that is a robber a shedder of blood and doth the like to any of these things and that neglecteth any of the duties there mentioned hee shall not liue but surely dye And the Apostle Iohn saith that sinners of euery kind shall Apoc. 21. 8. haue their portion in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Now if any will say that if for any one duty wilfully neglected or sinne committed they shall lose the ioyes of heauen and be cast into hell torments then it were as good to bee outragiously wicked and to liue in all manner of sinne let one of the Ancients make answere to such an obiection This saith he is the speech of an vngratefull and reprobate Ingrati serui est his sermo c. Chrysost in Eph. cap. 2. serm 4. seruant yet let not such an one let the reines loose to all impiety for his owne profit For though all impenitent sinners are excluded out of heauen and throwne into hell yet all in hell doe not suffer equall torments but some greater and some lesse according to the quality and number of their sinnes CAP. V. Of the properties of Christian and holy duties which respect their causes efficient and finall §. Sect. 1 That all duties should spring from the loue of God AND these are the properties which respect the duties themselues The properties which concerne the manner of doing them are diuers and respect either the causes that mooue vs to performe them or our disposition in doing them The causes are either efficient or finall The efficient cause mouing vs to performe all the duties of a godly life ought to be the loue of God which is the fountaine of true obedience and should bee so powerfull in vs that we should thereby be moued to serue like children our heauenly Father though there were no reward promised to our seruice which is the motiue that induceth mercenaries and seruants rather then children to doe their duty For howsoeuer we may in our obedience haue an eye with Moses to the recompence of reward yet the chiefe argument Heb. 11. 25. that preuaileth with vs ought to be not the loue of our selues and out of it the desire of our owne saluation but the loue of God who is the chiefe Goodnesse whose glory is much to bee preferred before our owne good Neither is it enough that the loue of God accompany our actions and that they be done in and with it as running together as it were in the same streame but also that it be the fountaine from which all our obedience doth spring and flow Consider we therefore when wee vndertake the
14. if we hold out the beginning of our confidence stedfast to the end And therefore if we meane to haue any part in Gods promises we must constantly perseuere in the profession and practice of true godlinesse and the Christian duties of an holy life The second meanes of perseuerance is carefully to The second meanes of perseuerance is to auoyd the causes and meanes of apostacy and defection auoyd the causes and meanes of apostasie and defection And these are diuers first voluntary liuing in any knowne sinne which will harden the heart and dead the conscience and so make way for many others till wee be wholly carried away from God in a streame of wickednesse Secondly we must carefully take heed of the least declinations in Christian graces and holy duties for if we be once going downe the hill wee shall hardly keepe our selues from running headlong to the bottome vnlesse wee stop speedily in the very beginning And as for the preseruing of our bodies in a sound estate we labour with seasonable physicke to preuent diseases and when we finde our health to decline a little doe vse all good meanes at the first because if the sicknesse seaze thorowly vpon the vitall parts it will hardly be remoued and indanger our liues so must we take the same course for the good of our soules carefully obseruing the first declinations of our spirituall health that we may stop them at the beginning before they breake out into any extremities And considering that those diseases both of body and soule are most dangerous and desperate not which come suddenly with some sensible violence but which steale vpon vs by degrees vpon no apparant causes and impaire the health by little and little because they are hardly discerned and when they are knowne not easily cured as in the outward man the consumption hectique feuer and the like and in the inward and spirituall part carnall security hardnesse of heart and others of like nature let vs not therefore neglect the least declinations in sauing grace and holy duties but keepe a carefull watch ouer our selues that none of these diseases of our soules steale vpon vs and become desperate before we discerne them Let vs bee as good husbands for our soules as wee are for our clothes houses and grounds mending little holes before they teare out into great rents repairing the first decayes ere they become rotten and ruinous and making vp the breach as soone as wee discerne it before it come to an inundation and carry vs away in a floud of wickednesse And this counsell the Apostle giveth vs. Lift vp saith he the hands which hang downe and the feeble knees and make straight paths to your feet lest that which is lame be turned out of the way but let it rather be healed c. Looking diligently lest any man faile of the grace of God lest any root of bitternesse springing vp trouble you and thereby many be defiled A third cause of apostasie is a great opinion of our owne strength which causeth God to leaue vs that we may see our weaknesse as we see in the fearfull defection of the Apostle Peter And also a fond conceit that we are so rich in grace that we may spend vpon the stocke and labour for no more and that we haue already so well profited in religious duties that we need not take any care or paines to make any further progresse For there is no standing still in the wayes of Christianity but when we cease to goe forward wee begin to goe backward when in our owne opinion we are at the full we will begin to wane and decline towards a change and when our godlinesse is come to a standing water it presently declineth and neuer ceaseth vntill it be come to a low ebbe For the preuenting whereof let vs not measure our vertues and good proceedings by the false mete-yard of pride and self-selfe-loue which will make vs ouerweene our owne gifts and good parts nor compare our selues with our selues or others that come behind vs and haue not attained vnto Gal. 6. 4. our measure but with the perfect Law of God which like a looking-glasse will discouer our blemishes and imperfections and with our Sauiour Christ the perfect paterne of holinesse and righteousnesse according Ephes 4. 13 14 15. to whose Image we ought to be conformed A fourth cause of defection from God and godlinesse which we must shunne is the immoderate loue of the world and worldly vanities which cooleth and quencheth in vs the loue of God and of spirituall and heauenly things and so choketh in vs all good desires and indeuours of seeking after them that wee may obtaine them For as our Sauiour telleth vs we cannot serue God and Mammon Math 6. 24. Jam. 4. 4. And the Apostle saith that the amity of the world is enmity with God and therefore whosoeuer will be a friend of the world he is Gods enemy Which argument the Apostle Iohn vseth to disswade vs from this carnall loue Loue not the world saith he nor the things that are in the world If any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him A fifth cause is slacknesse 1. Ioh. 2. 15. and negligence in the vse of those meanes which both beget and begin Gods graces in vs and also nourish and preserue them when they are begun as the hearing of the Word reading prayer meditation the Sacraments and such like For as the strength of the body languisheth and consumeth if we refuse our bodily food whereby it is preserued so must also our soules needs fall into a consumption of all grace and goodnesse if we neglect that spirituall nourishment by which onely they are sustained in vs. A sixth cause is the grieuing of Gods Spirit dwelling in vs by quenching the good motions of it and defiling our soules with sinnes Ephes 4. 30. 1. Thes 5. 19. that waste the conscience being committed wilfully against the knowledge which loathsome filthinesse polluteth our soules and bodies and maketh this holy Ghest weary of his lodging going away to withdraw also with him his gifts and graces by which alone wee are inabled vnto all good duties And therefore if wee would not fall away from all grace and goodnes let vs louingly entertain the Author of them and not grieue Gods holy Spirit by resisting those good motions which he putteth into vs and by making our hearts and bodies which should be his holy temples and place of residence a loathsome stie of sinfull vncleannesse A last cause of apostacy is neere and inward familiarity with prophane and wicked persons who will corrupt vs with their euill examples and poyson vs with the contagion of their sinnes alluring and drawing vs by degrees Deut 7. 2 3 4. to accompany them in their euill courses vntill at last wee runne on Pro. 22. 24 25. with them into the same excesse of outragious wickednesse and so giue a
greatest hatred and detestation which thou hast formerly imbraced with greatest loue seeing by them thou hast most dishonoured and displeased thy God and wounded thine owne conscience The other part of thy conuersion is that thou turne vnto the Lord that thou maist serue and please him in newnesse of life according to that of the Prophet O Israel if ye returne returne vnto me saith the Lord for it is not enough that thou cease to be the seruant of sinne vnlesse thou become a seruant of righteousnesse nor to be vnblameable before men vnlesse thou be holy before God nor to abstaine from euill vnlesse thou doest good nor to keepe thy selfe from mis-spending thy Lords Talent vnlesse thou doest by vse increase it to thy Masters aduantage And as in thy returning there is a change in the obiect from not some but all euill not to some onely but all good so if it be sound and sincere it is also to bee plainly discerned in the subiect or person that returneth and in the change of all his faculties and actions And therefore if thou truly repentest O my soule there is a change in thy mind from the darknesse of ignorance to the light of knowledge from errour to truth in thy conscience from dead workes to purity in thy will refusing that euill which formerly it imbraced and imbracing that good which in time past it reiected in thy heart from hardnesse to tendernesse from security and impenitency to true repentance from the loue of sinne to the loue of God and all goodnesse for Gods sake from lothing of spirituall things to hating of carnall and so in the rest of thy affections and passions If thy repentance be sincere Ephes 4. 23 24. it beginneth inwardly in thee my soule and proceedeth to the outward parts it beginneth in feruent desires proceedeth in good resolutions and earnest indeuours and sheweth both in our holy and righteous actions throughout the whole course of our liues and conuersations And howsoeuer it is imperfect in respect of degrees seeing we can neuer sufficiently whilest we liue heere bewaile and forsake our sinnes nor serue the Lord in holinesse and righteousnesse in any such perfection as the Law requireth yet if thou doest truly repent O my soule there is a perfection of integrity whereby thou labourest to serue and please thy God in renouncing all sinne and imbracing all righteousnesse and in the purifying of all thy powers and faculties outward and inward from corruption to holinesse And these are the parts of thy repentance O my soule containing in them the matter and forme §. Sect. 4 The final causes subiect and properties of repentance the contraries vnto it and comparisons which illustrate it The finall causes and ends of it are first that God may be glorified in the acknowledgement of thy sinnes and may be iustified in his righteousnesse when he iudgeth and magnified in his mercies when being guilty of sinne and condemned in thy selfe yea by thy selfe hee pardoneth all thy sinnes and iustifieth thee in the righteousnesse and obedience of Iesus Christ Secondly when out of the same grace and goodnesse hee freeth thee from not onely the guilt but also from the punishment of all thy sinnes his iustice being satisfied by Christs sufferings and obedience Thirdly that being freed from sinne and become the seruant of righteousnesse thou shouldest glorifie and please God in the whole course of thy life by mortifying thy sinnes and studying to serue him in thy new obedience Finally that thou maist hereby be assured of Gods fauour in this life and of euerlasting happinesse in the life to come and haue the peace and comfort of both in thine owne conscience The effects and fruites of thy repentance are the inward purity and sanctity of thee my soule from the pollution of sinne in all thy powers and faculties and thy exercise of these inward graces in the duties of piety towards God of righteousnesse and charity towards thy neighbours and of temperance sobriety towards thy selfe and an hearty desire and earnest indeuor to please thy God in all things both in thought word and deed by conforming them in obedience vnto all his Commandements The subiect or person to whom it onely belongeth is the elect and faithfull the repentance of all others being like that of Cain Esau Ahab Iudas and all hypocrites false and counterfeit The subiect in which this grace is exercised is the whole man and all the powers and parts both of his soule and body but principally it keepeth its court of residence and sheweth it chiefe vertue and power in thee my soule and aboue all other thy faculties in the change of thy mind and will thine heart and affections The obiect of thy repentance is sinne and that compleat righteousnesse required in Gods Law that being the thing from which thou fleest this that vnto which thou aspirest that it which thou labourest to mortifie and kill this that vnto which thou indeuourest to bee more and more quickened and reuiued The properties and qualities of it thou hast before seene in the seuerall parts The contraries vnto it generally considered are impenitency carnall security hardnesse of heart worldlinesse and prophanesse In the parts of it the contraries to humiliation and sorrow for sinne are pride out of an opinion of our owne righteousnesse for Christ came not to call such Pharisaicall Iusticiaries but sinners to repentance and an hard heart and seared conscience which cannot repent and on the other hand worldly sorrow for carnall respects which causeth death and hopelesse sorrow which being voyd of faith endeth in despaire and so plungeth those which so repent with Cain and Iudas into hellish condemnation Now to what wilt thou compare this grace of God O my soule It exceedeth all legall vertues in profit and necessity especially to vs who are imperfect in them and is exceeded of none but of faith and loue the fountaine of this streame and roots from which it springeth which if thou ioynest together and entertainest them like louing friends to liue and lodge in thee no misery my soule can make thee miserable no curse of the Law can hinder thy blessednesse no imperfection of other vertues or duties can keepe thee from the fruition of eternall happinesse whereas without these all other blessings are accursed vnto thee all shewes of other graces false counterfeit and vtterly vnprofitable To what then mayest thou compare this excellent grace and gift of the Spirit It is like the waters of Iordan which will purge thee from the filthy leprosie of all thy sinnes not by it owne inherent vertue but by the power of Gods Word and promise who hath assured all that truly repent of the remission of their sinnes and as it is a fruit and infallible signe of faith which assureth thee that thou truly beleeuest and art therefore purged from all thy sinnes in the precious blood of Christ It is like the precious balme of Gilead which is fit
naturally in vs no drop of grace and goodnesse but what we receiue from God who is the inexhaustible fountaine of euery good and perfect gift as the Apostle telleth vs. Now as hee Iam. 1. 17. hath appointed Christ to be the Conduit head so prayer to be as it were the Pipe whereby he will conuay vnto vs these waters of Life which if we intermit not hee will richly replenish vs with all his graces but if we neglect this holy duty and yet imagine to receiue any grace or spirituall strength from him it is all one as if we should cut off the pipe and yet imagine to fill the empty cisterne §. Sect. 3 That all the parts of prayer are singular helpes to a godly life Finally all the parts of Prayer seuerally serue as speciall meanes to further vs in the duties of a godly life For first the confession of our sinnes will withhold vs from the committing of them whilest aggrauating bewayling and adiudging our selues for them to those fearefull punishments which they haue iustly deserued our hearts are wrought vnto a true hatred of them when as we see and acknowledge the miserable fruits which spring from this cursed roote Secondly because wee cannot for shame commit those sinnes willingly which we haue humbly confessed and God hath graciously pardoned For what malefactour is so impudent as to commit those crimes againe which his Prince of meere loue hath lately remitted and whilest he hath as it were his pardon in his hand especially when he knovveth that he must the next day againe be arrained for them and stand at the barre at his Soueraignes mercy Thirdly because by often confession vve search out our hidden sinnes and ransacke our hearts and consciences so as they cannot lye lurking in them but are apprehended condemned and dravvne out to execution Lastly because vpon our confession receiuing at Gods hands assurance of pardon Pro. 28. 13. 1. Ioh. 1. 7. Luk. 7. 47. according to his gracious promises wee cannot but intirely loue him who hath forgiuen vs so great a debt whereby wee shall bee made loth to doe any thing which may displease him and ready to performe all good duties which may bee acceptable in his sight By petition also wee haue no lesse helpe seeing thereby wee come to a more thorow sight of our wants which worketh in vs an hungring and thirsting desire that they may bee supplied and of our imperfections in our best duties that wee may striue and labour after more perfection carefully and conscionably vsing all good meanes whereby our desires may bee satisfied seeing if wee should neglect them after wee haue made these earnest suites we should both tempt the Lord and discouer our owne grosse hypocrisie in asking those things which wee care not to obtaine Againe by these suites and requests made vnto God according to his Luk. 11. 13. will wee receiue the gift of his holy Spirit which inableth vs to all good duties by regenerating and sanctifying vs seeing God hath promised to giue him vnto those that aske him and together with him wee obtaine all Gods sanctifying gifts and graces which by the same meanes are daily confirmed and increased in vs and haue such a quickning power vertue and vigour added vnto them that they inable vs to the constant performance of all Christian duties which otherwise lying dull and dead in vs wee should become like a body without spirits lumpish and lazie in Gods seruice Finally by these suites and requests our loue is inflamed vpon our assurance that they are heard and granted which stirreth vs vp to yeeld vnto God cheerefull obedience our faith is confirmed and our affiance and hope strengthened in assured confidence and expectation of Gods helpe and assistance which will vphold vs when we are ready to faint inable vs to ouercome all difficulties and to performe all the duties of a godly life with much comfort and delight Lastly thanksgiuing is a singular helpe to the same end whilest we recount and call to minde Gods manifold blessings and rich mercies which of meere grace without any desert of ours he hath from time to time multiplied vpon vs. All which if we be not too too vngratefull will bee so many strong bands of loue to tye vs vnto obedience and to make vs cheerefull in all Christian duties seeing by them we serue so bountifull a Master which if we neglect to doe we shall play the notable hypocrites in professing that thankfulnesse with our lips which we neither haue in our hearts nor take any care to expresse in our liues CAP. XXVIII Of reading the Scriptures and other religious writings §. Sect. 1 Who are to exercise themselues in this dutie of reading THe second priuate meanes of a godly life which may be vsed by our selues alone or with others is reading which is the perusing and studying of religious writings for the information of our iudgements in the knowledge of God and his truth the sanctifying of our hearts and affections and the reforming of our liues and conuersations The which exercise may be performed when we are alone by the sight of the eye and the discourse of the minde either with or without the vse of speech but with all necessarily ioyned together when we performe this dutie with others In speaking whereof let vs first generally obserue who are to reade and then the subâ—ect matter which is to be read of them For the first all sorts and conditions of men without exception are tyed to this dutie who are any way able to performe it both the learned and vnlearned the Ministers and common people the poore and rich men women yong old and of middle age seeing the Lord in the Scriptures hath imposed it as necessary and profitable for all men Thus he requireth that not onely the Leuites but his whole people of Israel should continually studie in the Booke of his Law and take all good occasions to speake and talke of it in all places that they should binde the words of it Deut. 6. 7 8 9. Matth. 22. 29. for a signe vpon their hands and that they should bee as frontlets betweene their eyes and that they should write them vpon the posts of their house and on their gates to no other end but that they might often take occasion thereby to reade and study them Our Sauiour Christ also doth exhort all to search the Scriptures and affirmeth this to bee the cause of all errours Ioh. 5. 39. both in iudgement and manners because men were not well acquainted with them And the Apostle Peter writing generally to all saith that hauing a more sure word of prophecie that is more infallible then any reuelations therefore they did well that they did take heede vnto it as vnto a 2. Pet. 1. 19. light that shineth in a darke place And the Apostle writing vnto the Romanes saith that whatsoeuer things were written aforetime were written for Rom. 15. 4.
for their sinnes and all others who should beleeue in him And such a solemne thankesgiuing was made by Deborah Iudg. 5. and the people for their victory ouer Sisera and their freedome from the tyranny of Iabin King of Canaan who had long oppressed them By Dauid when as God had deliuered him out of the hands of all his enemies and especially out of the hand of Saul and by Hester Mordecay and the Iewes Hest 9. of the Captiuity from that feareful conspiracy of Haman who had plotted the destruction of the whole Nation And such a feast of thanksgiuing we worthily celebrate vpon the fifth of Nouember for that maruellous and almost miraculous deliuerance of our King and State from that horrible and vnmatchable Powder-treason by giuing wisdom to our gracious Soueraigne to interpret their darke riddle as he did somtime to Daniel for the expounding of Nebuchadnezzars dreame when the wisedome of the wisest in the Land could not vnfold it Of the other we haue an example in Abraham who made a solemne feast that he might render vnto God Gen. 21. praise and thankesgiuing for giuing vnto him contrary to all hope a son in his old age of whom should come that promised seed in which both himselfe and all the Nations of the earth should be blessed §. Sect. 2 When this solemne thanksgiuing is most seasonable how it differeth from that which is ordinary and the kinds of it Which examples we ought to imitate consecrating vnto God some day for solemne thankesgiuing whensoeuer wee receiue from him any great and extraordinary benefits either priuatiue consisting in deliuerance from some imminent or present euill or positiue when as he vouchsafeth vnto vs some great and vnexpected blessing But aboue all other times we must performe this duty when wee celebrate the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in remembrance of that inestimable benefit the great worke of our Redemption wrought by the death and Passion of Iesus Christ whereby we are deliuered out of the hands of all our spirituall enemies The which is called the Eucharist or a Sacrament of thankesgiuing because therein wee doe in a solemne manner render vnto God thankes and praise for Christ and all his benefits the pardon of our sins and that great Charter of our peace sealed first by his blood and now by this Sacrament instituted to put vs in remembrance of it and as it were afresh to renew his Couenant and to put our Pardon into our owne hands Now this extraordinary thankesgiuing to bee vsed vpon such speciall occasions differeth from that which is ordinary not in the matter which is one and the same but in the manner and measure which according to the occasion ought to be extraordinary in quantity and degree For our hearts must be more then vsually inflamed with the apprehension of Gods loue and goodnesse and inward ioy in the speciall fruition of his singular blessings which must affect them with extraordinary zeale to glorifie and praise him and to expresse our thankfulnesse by renewing our couenant with God binding our selues by firme resolution that in sense of his present fauours wee will be more deuout and zealous in all duties of his seruice for the time to come then euer we haue been in time past And by continuing our thankesgiuing in a solemne manner for a longer time then ordinary setting it apart as a Sabbath of rest from all our worldly labours that it may be wholly spent in Gods praises and in testifying our loue and inward ioy and reioycing in him by outward feasting and more liberall vse of meates and drinkes and all other comforts of this life and in shewing our loue and bounty in obedience to God by entertaining at our table and by sending gifts and rewards vnto our poore neighbours that they also may reioyce with vs. And this solemne feasting and thankesgiuing is according to the occasion of it publike or priuate Publike for some publike benefit which concerneth the welfare of the Church or Common-wealth which is to bee appoynted onely by the publike authority of Christian Magistrates and is to be celebrated in a most solemne and publike manner all sorts and conditions of men assembling together in the Church to magnifie and praise Gods holy name and to craue the continuance of his loue and fauour The which prayers and prayses are profitably conioyned with the preaching of the Word for the stirring vp of the whole Assembly to extraordinary thankfulnesse when as thereby the greatnesse of the blessings receiued and the inestimable mercie of God is set forth vnto them Priuate for some speciall benefits bestowed either on a particular person or a whole family which is to bee solemnized by singing of Psalmes prayer and thankesgiuing reading of some portions of holy Scriptures fit for the present occasion holy conferences whereby wee are to magnifie Gods mercies and to recount and tell what great things hee hath done for vs and also expressing our inward ioy by a more free and liberall vse of Gods creatures whereof wee must also cause our poore neighbours to haue some taste The which kind of feasting and solemne thankesgiuing is a notable helpe vnto true godlinesse as it worketh our hearts to a more liuely sense feeling of Gods loue stirreth vs vp to more zealous performance of all religious duties vnto him who hath been so gracious and good vnto vs and as it giueth vs occasion to renew our couenant with God and to confirme our resolution that wee will be more diligent and zealous in doing all things which may please and glorifie him CAP. XXXIIII Of the second extraordinary meanes which is solemne fasting §. Sect. 1 What a true fast is and how it differeth from all other fasts THe other extraordinary meanes of a godly life is an holy fast of which it is my purpose to speake briefly though the vse and benefit of this duty is so great that it well deserueth a more full discourse because it is already so excellently and exactly handled in diuers Treatises purposely written of this argument and especially in one which is called The holy exercise of a true fast and in another intituled The Christian exercise of fasting written many yeeres since by the right Reuerend Father and my most deare brother that nothing materiall can be added vnto it And therefore I will content my selfe to set downe after mine owne manner some of those poynts briefly which are most essentiall and necessary vnto this exercise for how should I in a Chapter expresse all fully which would require a whole Treatise referring the Christian Reader vnto those learned Treatises if he desire more thorow satisfaction and particular direction in any of them And first that wee may begin with the description of this duty A fast as we here vnderstand it is a voluntary religious and solemne action vndertaken vpon some extraordinary occasion wherein we seriously humble our selues before God in the sight and sense of
owne sinfull lusts but we must consecrate Rom. 12. 1. 1. Cor. 5. 20. our bodies and soules vnto the seruice of God alone in the duties of a godly life seeing he is a iealous God who is impatient of any copartners and will haue all or none §. Sect. 2 The second reason taken from Gods loue towards vs. The workes also of God doe yeeld vnto vs most effectuall reasons to perswade vs vnto all duties of a godly life but especially his manifold and inestimable benefits which he hath vouchsafed to bestow vpon vs whether wee consider the Fountaine from which they all spring or the blessings and benefits themselues which as streames doe issue and flow from them The fountaine of them all is his diuine and incomprehensible loue whereby of his free grace and meere goodnesse Ier. 31. 3. he hath loued vs from all eternity without any respect of our deserts and worthinesse The which he hath manifested when as we were dead in our sinnes and the children of wrath as well as others when we Eph. 2. 1 3. were weake and of no strength hauing not so much as any power to desire Rom. 5. 8 10. his fauour and mercie to free and deliuer vs out of our wofull misery When as wee were like poore impotent infants new borne whose Nauell was not cut and who wallowed in the filthy and bloody Ezech. 16. 4 5 6 gore of our naturall corruptions no eye pitying vs nor hauing any friend that was able to help vs or to wash vs cleane from our corruption For euen then when we were helpelesse and hopelesse this loue mooued him to take compassion on vs and to say vnto vs whilest wee were in our blood You shall liue And when wee were so deepe stained yea euen in-grained in the filthy dye of our sinnes that all the waters in the world could not make vs cleane he in this incomprehensible loue gaue his Son to the death that we might be washed in the Lauer of his precious blood and so purged from our crimson and scarlet sinnes Esa 1. 26. both in respect of the guilt punishment and corruption of them that thereby we are restored vnto a snowie whitenesse and being washed with the blood of his innocent Sonne are recouered and cleansed from our incurable Leprosie O how ought this vnspeakeable loue to affect and warme our frozen hearts with vnfained loue towards him againe How should our soules cleaue vnto him and be inflamed with most feruent affection towards him who being infinite in all goodnesse and perfection and needed neither vs nor any thing from vs yet vouchsafed to set his Loue vpon vs who were so vnlouely and vnworthy yea so sinnefull and wicked that wee iustly deserued his wrath and fearefull vengeance How can we chuse if we thorowly consider this but haue our hearts thorowly inflamed with most feruent affection towards him who is the chiefe Goodnes most amiable in himselfe and most gracious vnto vs How can we sufficiently expresse our loue by doing or suffering any thing for his sake How fearefull should this make vs to offend him and how carefull in all things to please him How zealous should wee be of his glory and how diligent and cheerefull in doing him faithfull seruice by performing all duties of a godly life How should this weane our hearts and affections from the loue of the world and earthly vanities and 1. Joh. 2. 15. make them to become as bitter as gall and wormwood to our spirituall Iam. 4. 4. taste seeme they neuer so sweet and pleasant to our carnall appetite when as they are offered as the deuils bayts to withdraw our hearts from God and to make vs more slothfull in his seruice §. Sect. 3 The third reason taken from Gods decree of our election The fruits also and effects of Gods Loue towards vs doe serue as strong arguments to moue vs vnto a godly life As first his decree of election whereby from all eternity he hath chosen vs in Christ out of the corrupt masse of mankinde vnto eternall life and happinesse and vnto all the meanes which may bring vs vnto it What greater mercy can be imagined then that God of his free grace should chuse vs in Christ who were vtterly lost in Adam dead in our sinnes and the children of wrath as well as others not vnto some meane estate or low degree of happinesse but to the highest greatest priuiledges as to be his owne peculiar people and seruants of his owne family yea to be his adopted children coheires with Christ not of some earthly patrimony or worldly kingdome which though it were neuer so great and glorious yet is it mutable and momentary but of an heauenly 1. Pet. 1. 4 5. inheritance which is incorruptible vndefiled and fadeth not away as the Apostle speaketh The which benefit will be much amplified if we consider his infinit Maiesty and Glory who hath thus chosen vs and our owne vilenesse and vnworthinesse whom he hath aduanced to these rich and wonderfull priuiledges seeing we were dust and ashes corrupt and sinnefull strangers yea enemies vnto God which if it be well weighed may iustly make vs cry out with the Psalmist O Lord what is Psal 8. 4. man that thou art mindfull of him and the Son of man that thou visitest him Especially if we consider vnto what dignity wee who were so low are exalted For if it had beene a matchlesse mercie for vs that were so base to haue beene made the meanest of Gods family euen doore-keepers in the House of our God what incomparable kindenesse and loue is this to be made his owne Sonnes and Heires of his Kingdome The which mercie is not indefinitely communicated vnto all though all haue deserued it as well as we but to the least part of mankinde and yet such is his goodnesse towards vs that passing by many great Kings and Monarches many rich noble and wise in the world he hath vouchsafed to make vs of this small number Not because wee deserued such extraordinary fauour more then others that want it but of his meere grace and free good will O how should our hearts be inflamed with the Loue of God in the sight and sense of such an inestimable benefit How should it fill our hearts with thankefulnesse and our mouthes with his prayses How zealous and diligent should it make vs in his seruice And to thinke all time lost which is not spent in doing something which may tend to his glory who of his meere Loue hath done so much for vs Out of the same lumpe of Rom. 9. which haue beene made so many vessels to dishonour he hath chosen vs that he might make vs vessels of grace and honour O how should we delight to be seruiceable to so gracious a Lord and to shine in the light of godlinesse to his glory who hath thus aduanced vs He hath chosen vs which were children of wrath
consider first that this is a shamefull and horrible abuse of Gods mercy and goodnesse which hee will neuer let goe vnpunished to take occasion thereby the more to offend and diplease him by wilfull continuing in sinne and neglecting the duties of his seruice To prouoke God to wrath because he is patient and long-suffering and to sinne against him because hee is good and gracious and ready to forgiue And finally to neglect all duties of his seruice because he is such a bountifull Master that he giueth of his free grace and mercy rich wages and rewards without all merit and desert For these should rather be arguments to inflame our loue towards him and to make vs so much the more zealous of his glory and fearefull to offend so gracious a God according to that of the Psalmist There is mercy or forgiuenesse with thee that thou mayest bee feared Or if through Psal 130. 4. frailty and infirmity we haue contrary to our purpose and resolution been ouertaken of any sinne this patience and loue of God should be a strong motiue to make vs to rise out of it by vnfained repentance according to that of the Apostle Despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance Secondly let vs consider that as the Lord is infinite in mercy and compassion so hee is no lesse infinite in iustice and truth that as he is mercifull Exod. 34. 6 7. and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquity to ansgression and sinne so also hee is iust in all his wayes and holy in all his workes and will by no meanes cleare the Psal 145. 17. guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation that as he is a mercifull Sauiour so also a iust God and Esa 45. 21. Psal 11. 7. a righteous Lord who loueth righteousnesse and will not let sinne goe vnpunished but will iudge euery man according to his works and that he is a terrible 2. Cor. 5. 10. Iudge especially to those who abuse his mercy and long-suffering And therefore let vs not disioyne these things which cannot be seuered nor imagine such a mercy in God as will not stand with his Iustice which were to mayme the Diuine nature and to pull as it were one of his hands from him which outragious violence offered vnto his holy Maiesty hee will neuer suffer to goe vnpunished Let vs with Dauid so acknowledge that hee is good as that wee doe not deny that Psal 25. 8. Psal â—01 1. hee is also vpright and in our songs so sing of his mercy as that wee doe not disioyne his Iudgement from it Let vs remember that in God and in all his workes mercy and truth doe meete together righteousnesse Psal 8â— 10. and peace doe kisse each other Let vs not say His mercy is great he will Ecclus 5. 6 7. be pacified for the multitude of my sinnes for mercy and wrath come from him and his indignation resteth vpon sinners Neither let vs presuming on Gods mercy and patience make any tarrying to turne vnto the Lord nor put it off from day to day for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord come foorth and in thy security thou shalt be destroyed and perish in the day of vengeance Thus the Apostle telleth vs that if we despise the riches of Gods goodnesse and forbearance Rom. 2. 4 5 6 which should leade vs to repentance we shall after our hardnesse and impenitent heart treasure vp vnto our selues wrath against the day of wrath and reuelation of the righteous iudgement of God who will render vnto euery man according to his deeds And the Lord threatneth that if any man hearing the words of his curse against sinners doe blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace though I walke in the imagination of my heart to adde drunkennesse to thirst that he will not spare him but that his anger and iealousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses that are written in the booke of the Law shall Deut. 29. 19 20. lie vpon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from vnder heauen Let vs remember what the Apostle teacheth vs namely that no outragious sinners continuing in their wickednesse without repentance shall inherit the Kingdome of Christ and of God and therefore exhorteth that wee suffer no Eph. 5. 5 6. man to deceiue vs with vaine words seeing because of these things commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience Finally let vs consider that though Gods mercies be in themselues infinite and aboue all his workes and all his gracious promises which are in Christ yea and Amen yet they are limited by his infallible truth and appropriated vnto repentant sinners and therefore cannot extend to the presumptuous who take occasion from his mercies to continue impenitently in their sinnes but he will glorifie his iustice in punishing them as hee glorifieth his mercy in pardoning the sinnes of all those who turne vnto him by vnfained repentance And therefore let vs acknowledge with the Psalmist that the Lord is good Psal 73. â— and gracious yet not to all but onely to Israel euen to such as are of a cleane heart and that as the eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares open to heare their cry so the face of the Lord is against them that do euill to cut off the Psal 34. 15 16. remembrance of them from of the earth Let vs not presume vpon Gods mercy whilst we continue impenitently in our sins but let vs stand in awe of Gods Iustice and Iudgements and sin not and offer first the sacrifice of righteousnesse Psal 4. 4 5. and then put our trust in the Lord. Those likewise who presuming vpon the all-sufficiencie of Christs death merits and satisfaction doe take occasion thereby to continue in their sinnes without repentance and to neglect the duties of a godly life may easily remooue this dangerous impediment out of their way if they will but seriously consider that this is a most fearefull abuse of his inestimable loue who hath done so much for vs when as we vse his helpe to vphold vs in our sinnes and his death and merits as a pillow whereon we may sleepe more securely in our wickednesse Whereas he came not to ratifie and confirme but to dissolue and abolish 1. Ioh. 3. 8. the workes of the deuill And gaue himselfe for vs not onely to free vs from all sinne in respect of the guilt and punishment but also to purge Tit. 2. 14. vs from all iniquity and that being his peculiar people we should bee zealous of good workes He hath redeemed vs out of the hands of all our spirituall enemies Luk. 1. 74 75. that wee may serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse
him by an absolute faith when there is no reason for it but wee must examine his tentations by the rule of Gods Word which will easily discouer the fraud weakenesse and maliciousnesse of them For nothing giueth Satan more aduantage against weake Christians then their readinesse to giue credit to his tentations without bringing them to the touchstone of Gods Truth Fourthly if Satan taketh aduantage from the humour of melancholy abounding in vs to fill and fraught our hearts with these scruples feares we must vse the helpe of the skilfull Physician for the remouing of this cause that so the effects may cease And withal aske the counsel of some iudicious faithful Diuine who may direct vs in our wayes resolue our doubts vpon whose iudgement grounded vpon Gods Word we must more rest then vpon our owne weake conceit and opinions especially being thus blinded with those blacke and foggie mists which false feare and melancholy haue cast before them Fifthly wee must labour to haue our hearts possessed and replenished with the true and filiall feare of God springing from Faith and Loue whereby we shall be made zealous in Gods seruice and then there will be no roome for these Panicke and superstitious feares nor any aduantage giuen to Satan of seazing vpon vs with his suggestions Lastly we must carefully take heed that we doe not yeeld our selues ouer to be ruled by these scruples and feares either to doe or not to doe any thing because of some euill threatned but in things indifferent it is our best course to resist the tentation by doing the contrary to that which is suggested if Christian prudence tell vs that it is conuenient all circumstances considered And in things lawfull or vnlawfull we are to performe or omit them not out of scrupulous feare of any euils threatned by the tempter from which God is al-sufficient to shield vs but in obedience to God because he in his Word hath commanded or forbidden them §. Sect. 3 That carnall feare is a great hinderance vnto godlinesse and the meanes to be freed from it Secondly we are hindred by carnall feare in the duties of a godly life whilest thereby we are mooued to thinke that we shall neuer be able to performe them though we vse all our indeuour or if we haue begunne well yet we shall neuer hold out vnto the end by reason of our owne frailties and infirmities the afflictions and troubles which crosse vs in these courses and the manifold and malicious tentations and persecutions which are raised against vs by the enemies of our saluation By which feares our mindes are troubled our hearts vexed and turmoyled our courage quailed our resolutions weakned and we vtterly disabled and discouraged from entring into this course of Christianity when as we haue little or no hope of proceeding continuing inâ—â— vnto the end that we may be saued The which tentation is much strengthened when we see the many faintings and faylings of others that haue gone before vs who professing Christianity haue either neglected the duties belonging to it or performed them to little purpose in a cold formall carelesse maner and in the end haue wholy desisted returned back to their old prophanenes Which impediment if we would remoue we must know that neuer any did seriously sincerely seeke God in the waies of his commandements but they haue assuredly found him And therfore we must not be discouraged with the faylings and relapses of hypocrites temporaries if our owne conscices testifie vnto vs that we labour to serue and please God in the vprightnesse of our hearts Secondly our faintnes and weaknesse must not discourage vs from entring into and proceeding in the waies of godlinesse seeing we walke not in our owne strength but by the power of God assisting vs nor by vertue of our own resolutions indeuours but of Gods gracious and free promises made vnto vs in Christ that he will not onely iustifie but also sanctifie vs free vs as well from the corruption of sin as the guilt and punishment The which if we apprehend by a true liuely Faith we shal be able to ouercome all difficulties and to serue God in some good acceptable maner as I haue more fully shewed in the beginning of this Treatise Finally we need not to feare our perseuerance in the duties of godlinesse vnto the end if disclayming our owne strength we rest and rely wholy vpon Gods power and promises seeing he is able and al-sufficient to perfect that good worke which he hath begunne to enable vs likewise who are impotent in our selues to doe all things necessarie for his glory and our saluation Phil. 1. 6. 4. 13. Ioh. 10. 28. Rom. 8. 35 36 38. through the power of Christ which strengtheneth vs. To arme vs against all the tentations of the deuill the world and our owne flesh so that all the power of hell the prosperity or persecutions of the world nor any thing else whatsoeuer shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God or to put out and extinguish our loue of him in our hearts or to hinder our proceeding in the wayes of godlinesse vntill by walking in them wee attaine vnto euerlasting ioy and happinesse §. Sect. 4 That carnall sorrow is an impediment to a godly life Againe we are much hindred in the duties of a godly life by carnall sorrow and lumpish heauinesse For if as the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 7. worldly sorrow causeth death both in respect of the life of grace and glory then must it needs also disable vs vnto all actions of life being made as vnfit for them hereby as a man in the state of death to performe any works of the liuing Now this heauines excessiue sorrow ariseth from diuers causes as first from the sight sense of our innumerable grieuous sins when as it is not mixed with faith the loue of God but meerely ariseth out of seruil feare self-loue apprehending Gods terrible Iudgments against vs for our sins Secondly from the imperfection in our sanctification whereof it is that our vnmortified corruptions doe rage sway in vs disabling vs vnto Gods seruice and making vs prone vnto sin That the duties which we performe are so ful of wants weaknesses that we can with no coÌ„fort looke vpon them That the graces of Gods Spirit are imperfect continually assaulted with our contrary corruptions our faith with doubting our affiance with diffidence our humility with pride our repentance with security and hardnesse of heart and so in the rest Thirdly from our weaknesse in faith perswading vs of the remission of our sinnes and of our reconciliation and peace with God Fourthly from spirituall desertions whereby God estrangeth himselfe from vs and seemeth to haue left and forsaken vs. Fifthly from our fainting and failing in the waies of godlinesse and often relapses into sinne Sixthly from our manifold and sharpe afflictions which
paines and care they take about their fraile and mortall bodies and for the preseruing of their flitting and fading health and strength and the prolonging of their vncertaine and momentany life What paines they take in tricking and trimming decking and adorning clothing and beautifying nourishing and feeding pampering and pleasing physicking and dyeting their corruptible carcases though they are assured that by all their care and cost they can but for a short time adiourne diseases and infirmities and for a small and vncertaine while procure a repriuall from approching death Finally consider that there is much more toyle and difficulty in the waies of vice and sinne then in the way of vertue and godlinesse although carnall loue so sweeteneth it to a corrupt appetite that it is either not discerned or not much abhorred For example what rackes and torments are in couetousnesse and ambition and what comfort and sweetnesse in contentation and submission of our estates to the will of God What pangs and pulls of an euill conscience accompany vice and sinne and what peace and quietnesse ioy and delight haue wee in the conscience of our innocency and well-doing Vnto what stormes and tempests doth pride expose vs from all which we are secured by lowlinesse and humility What vexation and griefe is there in malice enuie anger and desire of reuenge and what ioy and sweet delight to be found in brotherly loue reioycing in one anothers good peaceablenesse passing by and pardoning of offences and making friends of enemies by our kind vsage and sweet conuersation What trouble and discontent in discord contention and wrangling suits of Law and what sweetnesse and contentment in amity friendship mutuall agreement and euen in departing from some part of our right that we may thereby purchase Iewels of farre greater price peace and loue Finally what anxiety and vexation is there in carking care about worldly things and what ioy and pleasure in the life of faith whereby we securely rely vpon Gods promises and prouidence and goe boldly vnto him as vnto our gracious Father when we are in any want with confidence that it shall be supplyed in that manner and measure as will best stand with his glory and our owne good In all which respects and innumerable others as wicked worldlings after all their labours about worldly vanities and the vaine and vnfruitfull works of darkenesse haue iust cause to complaine with those in the Booke of Wisedome Wee haue wearied our selues in the way of wickednesse and destruction yea wee Wisd 5. 7 8. haue gone thorow desarts where there lay no way but as for the way of the Lord we haue not knowne it what hath pride profited vs or what good hath riches with our vaunting brought vs All these things are passed away as a shaddow and as a Poast that hasted by So on the other side the faithfull who haue spent their time and strength in the duties of a godly life haue iust cause to comfort themselues in their happy choyce when leauing the world and the pleasures of sinne and imbracing the loue and feare of God they haue deuoted themselues wholly to Gods seruice seeing they may with Augustine reioyce in God and praise him saying Let my heart praise thee and let my tongue and all my bones say O Lord who is like vnto thee c Confess l. 9. c. 1. How sweet and pleasant is it now become to want the sweetnesse of worldly vanities That which I feared to lose what ioy is it to haue lost For thou O most true and supreme sweetnesse didst cast them out of me thou didst cast them out and didst enter in their stead who art sweeter then pleasure but not to flesh and blood cleerer and brighter then all light but to the inner man onely and then all honour much more high and honourable but not to those who are exalted in themselues Now was my mind free from the biting and eating cares of ambition couetousnesse voluptuousnesse and from scratching the itching scab of lust and did freely talke with thee my beauty riches saluation and my Lord and God And after a painefull warfare they may with the Apostle make that comfortable conclusion when death approcheth I haue fought a good fight I haue finished 2. Tim. 4. 8. my course I haue kept the faith Hencefoorth there is laid vp for me a Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue vnto me at that day And therefore let not those seeming difficulties any longer discourage vs from resoluing to serue God in the duties of a godly life seeing thereby we shun and escape much greater difficulties in the wayes of sin then we shall euer find in the way of a Christian and holy conuersation CAP. XV. That a godly life is not harsh and vnpleasant mopish and melancholike but aboue all others most cheerefull and pleasant sweet and delightfull §. Sect. 1 That though a godly life were sad and sorrowfull yet this should not discourage from it A Third obiection which the flesh maketh against a godly life to discourage and hinder vs from entring into or proceeding in it is that it is harsh and vnpleasant mopish and melancholike depriuing vs of all ioy and delight which is the very life of our life and which being taken from vs it becommeth irkesome and tedious The which obiection of the flesh the deuill and the world labour all they may with their vtmost policy and skill to confirme and strengthen and knowing that men naturally are affected with nothing more then with pleasure and ioy and doe shunne aboue all things sorrow and sadnesse they vse all their Art to blinde and delude vs by offering to our view all the pleasures of carnall and corrupt courses and hiding from vs the griefes and mischiefes which alwayes attend vpon them and like a bitter tang or lothsome after-taste doe vtterly spoile these sinfull and fleshly delicacies And contrariwise they offer to our consideration all the sorrow and smart losses and worldly inconueniences which they must vndergoe who resolue to please God in the strict and constant performance of the duties belonging to a godly life concealing in the meane while the manifold comforts which doe accompany them and the inestimable ioyes and euerlasting happinesse vnto which they attaine that continue in them vnto the end For the answering of which obiection wee are first to know that though there were as much sadnesse and as little ioy for the present time in the godly life as is pretended by our spirituall enemies yet this should not discourage vs from chusing and imbracing it seeing both the pleasures and paines solace and sorrowes of this life are but short and momentany whereas both the ioyes and griefes which shall immediately succeed them are endlesse and euerlasting In which regard wee are to account that mirth miserable which ends in perpetuall mourning and that sorrow and sadnesse sweet and comfortable which is attended with eternall and
thy seruice and thy fatherly corrections more fearefull to displease thee Remooue all impediments of thy glory and aduance the meanes whereby it is aduanced Aduance thy Kingdome vniuersally ouer all rule ouer thine enemies and subiect all things vnto thy gouernment that nothing may resist thy power Rule ouer thine owne seruants and Church after a speciall maner in protecting and preseruing them and let them like dutifull subiects yeeld obedience vnto thee their Soueraigne in all things Make vs in this life true members of the Kingdome of grace that afterwards we may be triumphant members of the Kingdome of glory Rule in our hearts effectually by thy Word and Spirit worke in vs thine owne good worke of grace make vs Citizens of the Saints and meete to be partakers of thy Kingdome of glory Pull vs more and more out of the kingdome of Satan in which we naturally are subiects and let him no longer raigne and rule in our hearts and minds to our perdition Let vs no longer be ruled by the lawlesse law of sinne neither let it raigne in our mortall bodies by making our members the instruments of it but be thou our King and rule in our hearts by thy Word and Spirit Erect the Kingdome of grace where it is not yet begun continue and increase it amongst vs where it is established blesse the meanes wherby it is furthered and remoue the impediments which hinder it Free vs from the remnants of the kingdome of darkenesse from our sinnes and corruptions lusts and concupiscences Let vs not yeeld to the tentations of Satan the world and our owne flesh but giue vs victory ouer them Let vs first seeke thy Kingdome and righteousnesse and let vs indeuour to be members of the Kingdome of grace that afterwards we may be members of the Kingdome of glory Let thy Kingdome of glory also come hasten the comming of Christ to Iudgement to this end accomplish the number of thine Elect and subdue thine enemies vnder thy feet Let vs so liue alwayes as if we were ready to meete Iesus Christ and let vs labour to be euer such as we desire to appeare before his Iudgement seate that so when he commeth we may not depart from him ashamed Let it appeare O Lord that thou raignest in our hearts by our humble subiection and submission in all things vnto thy most holy will let vs see and bewaile our imperfect obedience and daily labour after more perfection Giue vs grace to deny our selues and our owne wills and affections which are opposite to thy will and let vs labour to performe absolute obedience vnto thee in all things Arme vs with patience in all our afflictions that we may say with Christ Not my will O Father but thine be done Let vs seriously desire that thy will may bee done concerning vs and let vs not grieue when we see it done because it crosseth our wills Let vs not content our selues with a bare outward obedience but let vs doe thy will after a spirituall manner as the Angels doe it in heauen with sincerity and vprightnesse of heart with alacrity and cheerfulnesse with readinesse and speed without delay Let vs doe thy will fully and not by halues constantly and not by fits faithfully and humbly not assuming any glory to our selues but yeelding it wholly vnto thee Let all our suites which concerne our selues bee referred to thy glory as their maine end Giue vs temporall benefits so farre foorth as they serue for thy glory and our spirituall good Teach vs to moderate our desires and not to couet after superfluities seeing thou hast taught vs to aske for bread and not for dainties Let vs be contented with our allowance if we haue but necessaries as food and raiment yea bread to sustaine our liues and if thou giuest vs more make vs thankfull vnto thee for it Let vs haue a true desire and care to get our goods by good and lawfull meanes that wee may be assured that we eate our owne bread and that it is giuen vs of thee Let vs walke diligently in our lawfull callings that wee may eate the labours of our own hands and working with quietnesse that which is good let vs eate our owne bread Let vs not set our hearts and desires vpon the things of this life nor couet other mens goods but be contented with our owne portion which in thy wise prouidence thou hast allotted vnto vs. Let vs haue a moderate care to prouide that which is conuenient that we may not be burthensome but rather helpefull vnto others and let vs neither be carelesse and negligent nor turmoile our selues with carking care to hoord vp for many yeeres Let vs depend vpon thy blessing in the vse of good meanes for the obtaining of our desires and expect it vpon the things themselues when we haue obtained them and let vs sanctifie all thy blessings to our vse by the Word Prayer and Thankesgiuing Let vs not trust in our owne prouision but in thee and casting all our care vpon thee let vs in all our wants flie vnto thee for supply Giue vs things necessarie not onely for our nature but also for our states and callings places and persons Giue vs with thy blessings their right vse and giue them vertue and strength to sustaine and nourish vs. Let vs when wee want these blessings begge them from thee and when wee haue receiued them returne thee thankes Inflame our hearts with loue towards our brethren and let vs not through couetousnesse and selfe-loue seeke onely our owne good but let vs seeke the common good of our brethren and pray for it as well as for our owne Let vs know and acknowledge our frailty and mortality who neede to be dayly sustained by thee and let this make vs like children to resort dayly vnto thee our heauenly Father crauing from thee all things needfull Let vs not be distrustfully carefull for the time to come but euer depend vpon thy Fatherly prouidence being assured that thou who hast prouided for vs to day wilt prouide for vs to morrow Let vs lay vp goods to good ends not onely that we may haue to supply our wants and to prouide for our families but also to releeue the necessities of others Let vs not be so addicted to the commodities of this life but that withall wee doe most principally labour for Spirituall graces and things pertayning to a better life Let vs as much desire to be freed from the corruption of sinne as the guilt and punishment and as wee craue the forgiuenesse of our sinnes so let vs earnestly labour to forsake them Remit and pardon all our sinnes and to this end giue vs a liuely Faith to apply Christ for our iustification Let vs pray for remission not onely with feruencie but also with Faith stedfastly beleeuing that thou wilt pardon them and seale this assurance in our hearts by thy good Spirit Let vs see our sinnes and heartily bewayle them and be truely
comfort your sinnes are forgiuen you Strengthen our weake faith in the assurance of thy loue and the remission of our sinnes and let vs labour earnestly in the vse of all good meanes whereby it may bee more and more increased and confirmed that so without wauering and doubting we may apply Christ vnto vs with all his benefits and thy gracious promises made in him Let vs not weaken and wound it with sinnes committed against our knowledge and consciences but nourish it by bringing foorth the fruits of obedience in a godly life Assure vs that wee are thy children by adoption and grace and heires of that heauenly inheritance reserued for thy Saints and let vs approoue our selues to bee so by demeaning our selues in all things as it beseemeth thy Sonnes Let vs loue reuerence and obey thee our heauenly Father and thinke all too little which wee can doe or suffer for thy sake that thereby we may expresse our loue towards thee Let vs aboue all things be zealous of thy glory reioycing when it is magnified and grieuing when it is neglected either by our selues or others Let vs not hazzard our heauenly inheritance by wilfull sinning for the gayning of the whole world but let vs labour to make our calling and election sure and worke out our saluation with feare and trembling Giue vnto vs peace of a good conscience and replenish our hearts with spirituall ioy in the assurance of thy fauour Let vs vndoubtedly expect the performance of al thy gracious promises made in Christ euen when thou seemest to delay them especially that mayne promise of euerlasting life and happinesse and hauing this hope let vs daily purge our selues as hee also is pure But especially giue vs grace that wee may bring foorth the fruits of our faith in true hearty and vnfained repentance bewayling our sinnes past hating our present corruptions which still hang vpon vs and both purposing and seriously indeuouring to leaue and forsake our sinnes and to serue thee in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our liues Let vs not deferre our repentance from day to day but seeing the necessity thereof vnto saluation let vs lay hold of the acceptable time and whilest it is called to day let vs not harden our hearts but turne vnto thee with all our soules Let vs as we daily renew our sinnes renew also our faith and repentance and haue an earnest and serious study of pleasing thee in all things Let vs not content our selues with a small measure of repentance seeing our sinnes are many and grieuous but let vs aspire to the highest perfection hating sinne with a perfect hatred and bewayling it with bitter griefe Finally let vs constantly perseuere in the practice of repentance and hauing begun in it let vs continue it to the very end of our liues And as wee begge these benefits at thy hands so wee yeeld vnto thee most humble and hearty thankes for all thy mercies and fauours vouchsafed vnto vs especially for all thy spirituall graces concerning eternall life and aboue all for that inestimable pledge of thy loue thy deare and onely Sonne whom thou hast giuen to the death that hee might free vs from all our spirituall enemies and purchase for vs euerlasting happinesse Wee praise thee for that thou hast watched ouer vs with thy gracious prouidence in the whole course of our liues and namely this day past preseruing vs from all dangers and furnishing vs with all necessaries and blessing vs in all our labours and indeuours Wee beseech thee holy Father to continue with our thankfulnesse thy loue towards vs and care ouer vs. Take vs this night into thy gracious protection and watch ouer vs with thy prouidence waking and sleeping and thereby preserue vs from all perils and dangers and from the malice and fury of all our enemies spirituall and temporall especially of that raging and roaring Lyon the deuill who seeketh all aduantages to worke our destruction Let vs not sleepe like others the sleepe of sinne which bringeth death but let vs still keepe the spirituall watch that wee may alwayes bee prepared for the day of death and Iudgement and haue our accounts continually in readinesse that when wee are called to a reckoning wee may with comfort appeare before our Iudge Preserue vs in the darke from the workes of darkenesse and let vs day and night behaue our selues as in thy sight and presence making no lesse conscience of secret sinnes then of those which are open and manifest Let vs whilest our bodies rest haue our mindes exercised with holy and heauenly Meditations and let them bee so seasoned with thy grace and guided by thy good Spirit that they may not in our sleepe giue way to sinfull thoughts and vaine imaginations Giue vnto vs such quiet and moderate rest that our bodies may thereby bee refreshed and their decayed strength repaired and so blesse and sanctifie our sleepe vnto vs that it may bee a meanes of preseruing our health and of making vs more fit for all duties of thy seruice Heare vs gracious God in all these our suites and vouchsafe these and all other blessings which in thy wisedome thou knowest needfull not onely vnto vs but also to all thy children and seruants and especially such as bee of this Church the Magistrates Ministers and whole people euen for Iesus Christ his sake In whose Name and words wee conclude our prayers as hee himselfe hath taught vs saying Our Father which art in heauen c. Another Prayer for the Family in the Euening O Immortall inuisible and onely true God most wise mighty iust and mercifull holy and infinite in all perfection Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and in him our most gracious and louing Father Thou hast in thy Word inuited sinners to come vnto thee promising that if wee confesse and forsake our sinnes wee shall finde mercy if wee lay them open thou wilt hide them and if wee acknowledge and bewaile them thou wilt shew thy selfe faithfull and righteous in forgiuing them wee thy vnworthy seruants being loaden with sinne and misery doe heere humble our selues before thee and in the mediation of Iesus Christ prostrate our selues before the Throne of grace suing vnto thee for mercy and forgiuenesse We confesse vnto thee holy Father that wee are by nature dead in trespasses and sinnes and the children of wrath as well as others loaded with the guilt both of that corruption in which wee were conceiued and of innumerable actuall transgressions whereby wee haue violated thy whole Law and so made our selues subiect to the curse thereof and euerlasting death of body and soule The which our sinne and misery is much aggrauated in that wee haue long liued without any sense of it or any desire to be freed from it but tooke all our delight in displeasing thy Maiesty and in performing cheerefull seruice vnto sinne and Satan Yea Lord after that thou of thy free grace hast giuen vs a sight of our
much I honor you for those singular vertues and graces wherewith God hath inriched you especially your piety towards him and loue of his truth much approoued as by many other fruits so especially by your loue to his Ministers and Ambassadors The which were ample matter for a larger discourse to incourage others of your ranke to imitation did not your modesty and humility attending and adorning all the rest admonish mee that such praises of you vnto you will bee thought vnnecessary if not vnpleasing and distastfull The Lord infinitely rich in all goodnesse and perfection more and more multiply all Christian Vertues and sauing Graces in you both in the light and lustre whereof you shall be euer more truly honorable in the sight of God and all those that feare him then in the highest dignities and noblest aduancements that the world can yeeld vnto you Your Honors most obliged in all Christian duetie and humble seruice IOHN DOWNAME Faults escaped in the Treatise of Securitie Pag. 6. l. 3. r. his mercies p. 64. l. 9. r. idle spectator p. 65. l. 22. r. opinion of our p. 66. l. 6. r. against them in p. 68. l. 22. r. by inuring p. 70. l. 28. r. let vs watch p 83. l. 13. r. in the vse p. 89. l. 16. r. for a spurt p. 92. l. 8. r. peace and securitie And l. 20. r. God infinite THE CONTENTS OF THE FIRST BOOKE Jntreating of Carnall Securitie CHAP. I. Of Securitie in generall and more especially of Securitie in the state of Innocencie and of that which is in vs after the fall § 1. THat God the supreame Goodnesse turneth all euen euill it selfe into good Pag. 1. § 2. That it is the nature of sinne and corruption to turne all into euill pag. 2. § 3. That fleshly corruption abuseth prosperitie to the begetting in vs of carnall Securitie pag. 3. § 4. The motiue inducing to the writing of this Treatise pag. 3. § 5. That it is necessary to distinguish securitie into seuerall kinds pag. 3. § 6. Of Securitie in the state of Innocency pag. 4. § 7. Of Securitie in the state of corruption and the originall of it pag. 4. CHAP. II. Of carnall Securitie and what it is § 1. OF the generall parts of this Treatise pag. 6. § 2. Carnall Securitie defined pag. 6. § 3. Testimonies of Scripture shewing what it is pag. 7. § 4. Examples of carnall Securitie pag. 7. CHAP. III. Of the manifold causes of carnall Securitie § 1. THe first cause ignorance of God and his sauing Attributes pag. 8. § 2. The second cause want of consideration of that we know pag. 9. § 3. The third cause Selfe-confidence pag. 9. § 4. The fourth cause abuse of worldly prosperitie pag. 10 § 5. The fift cause is customable sinning pag. 11. § 6. The sixt cause is the present impunitie of sinners pag. 12. § 7. The seuenth cause presumption on Gods mercy pag. 13. § 8. The eight cause the neglect or contempt of the meanes of grace and saluation pag. 14. § 9. The ninth cause hearing the Word without Faith pag. 14. § 10. The tenth cause not applying the Word preached pag. 15. § 11. The eleuenth cause the mis-applying of the promises of the Gospell pag. 16. § 12. The twelfth cause a flattering Ministerie pag. 16. CHAP. IIII. Of the diuers kinds of carnall Securitie § 1. OF naturall securitie which is in all men pag. 18. § 2. Of carnall securitie which is affected and voluntarie pag. 19. § 3. Of carnall securitie which is in the vnregenerate pag. 19. § 4. Of that which remayneth in the Regenerate and how it groweth vpon them pag. 20. § 5. Of insensible and sensible securitie in the faithfull pag. 22. § 6. Of the causes of carnall securitie in the faithfull first prosperitie worldly or spirituall pag. 23. § 7. The second cause is spirituall pride pag. 24. CHAP. V. Of the differences betweene the carnall securitie of the Vnregenerate and Regenerate § 1. THat the carnall securitie of the Vnregenerate and Regenerate are in many things alike pag 25. § 2. Of the differences betweene the carnall securitie of the Vnregenerate and Regenerate in the highest degree pag. 16. § 3. Of the differences betweene the carnall securitie which is ordinarily in the faithfull and wicked and first in respect of their causes pag. 27. § 4. The second difference in their effects pag. 28. § 5. Another difference in their effects pag. 30. § 6. That they differ in respect of the subiect pag. 30. § 7. That they differ in their properties pag. 30. § 8. That they differ in their time of continuance pag. 32. CHAP. VI. Of the signes of carnall securitie arising from the causes of it § 1. THat the causes of carnall securitie doe argue and shew the effect pag. 32. § 2. The first signe of carnall securitie is ignorance of God and his Attributes pag. 33. § 3. The second signe is when wee are forgetfull of God his attributes pag. 33. § 4. The third signe pride and selfe-confidence pag. 34. § 5. The fourth signe abuse of prosperitie pag. 34. § 6. The fift signe customable sinning pag. 35. § 7. The sixt signe abuse of Gods patience and impenitency pag. 36. § 8. The seuenth signe presumption on Gods mercy pag. 36. § 9. The eight signe contempt of the meanes of saluation pag. 36. § 10. The ninth signe hearing the Word without Faith pag. 38. § 11. The tenth signe not applying of the Word pag. 39. § 12. The eleuenth signe mis-applying of the Promises pag. 39. § 13. The twelfth signe is to delight in aflattering Ministerie pag. 39. CHAP. VII Of eight other signes of carnall securitie arising from the effects and other arguments § 1. THe first signe is not to profit by afflictions on others pag. 40. § 2. Secondly such as are inflicted on our selues pag. 41. § 3. The second signe is to haue no desire to keepe Gods Commandements pag. 43. § 4. Secondly when we yeeld obedience but by fits pag. 43. § 5. Thirdly when we doe not yeeld obedience to the whole Law but some parts onely pag. 44. § 6. Fourthly when our obedience ariseth not from spirituall causes nor is directed to right ends pag. 44. § 7. The third signe delaying of Repentance pag. 45. § 8. The fourth signe is Hypocrisie pag. 46. § 9. The fift is to feare Man more then God pag. 46. § 10. The sixt signe immoderate feare in time of danger pag 47. § 11. The seuenth signe is to run from God and to rest on inferiour meanes in danger and affliction pag. 47. § 12. The eight signe is contempt of Gods Ministers pag. 48. CHAP. VIII Of such reasons as may mooue vs to abhor carnall securitie and to vse all meanes either to preuent it or to bee freed from it § 1. THat it is necessarie to haue our hearts wrought vnto the hatred of this Vice pag. 49. § 2. That Christ hath giuen vs speciall warning
thinke most glorious that they are abominable in Gods sight And also by telling vs that we haue peace with God and are highly in his fauour and peace with all the Creatures so as nothing will doe vs any harme when as all things in Heauen and Earth are at enmitie with vs and when God doth but giue the signe of battaile will set vpon vs with all their furie In the other respect hee secureth vs by setting before vs the infinite mercies of God inferring thereupon that we may safely goe on in our sinnes because God is so mercifull that few or none shall bee condemned and that though wee deferre our repentance to the last houre yet euen then wee shall haue pardon if we haue but leisure to say Lord haue mercy vpon me the all-sufficient merits of Christ which are a full price of redemption for the whole World the gracious and indefinite Promises of the Gospell made vnto all Men without exception the impunitie of sinners and namely of themselues hauing long continued in their sinfull courses the prosperitie of the wicked who glut themselues with the pleasures of sinne the afflictions of the faithfull who are precise and strict in all their wayes and diuers other motiues of which wee shall speake more fully hereafter from all which hee concludeth that wee may lay aside all feare and take libertie to satisfie our carnall lusts because there is no danger at all of either present or future punishment And thus in stead of that securitie which we had in our creation and in the state of innocencie accompanying the assurance of Gods loue and protection whereby wee should haue beene made more chearefull and couragious in the duties of Holinesse and Righteousnesse because wee serued such a gracious and powerfull Lord as was both able and willing to protect vs from all perils and to safe-guard vs from all enemies Satan laboureth to worke in vs this carnall securitie whereby wee are encouraged to performe seruice vnto himselfe with all confidence and chearefulnesse perswading vs that we are safe from all danger though we be daily obnoxious to Gods wrath liable to his fearefull Iudgements and in the very jawes of Death and Hell With which securitie hee bringeth more to destruction then with all his terrors and feares whereby hee indeauoureth to plunge men into desperation yea in truth then with all other tentations though neuer so vgly and terrible in their outward appearance In which regard it behooueth all Christians as they loue their soules and would either escape Death and Hell or attaine vnto saluation and euerlasting happinesse that they keepe a narrow watch ouer themselues and that being wounded by this viperous Serpent with the sting of sinne they doe not thereupon fall into this pleasing slumber or rather dead sleepe of carnall securitie the which bringeth all ouer-taken with it into destruction and condemnation of Body and Soule CHAP. II. Of carnall securitie and what it is §. 1 Of the general Parts of this Treatise TO which purpose let vs now speake more specially of it And for our more orderly proceeding I will first shew what it is that so knowing wee may the better auoid it Secondly the causes of it and meanes which Satan and our owne corruption vse to worke it in vs. Thirdly the diuers sorts and kinds of this Vice Fourthly how we may know the one from the other Fiftly the signes whereby we may discerne whether and how farre forth we are tainted and infected with this deadly poyson and lastly the meanes whereby we may either be preserued from falling into it or recouered if we be alreadie ouer-taken §. 2 Carnall securitie defined Concerning the first wee will make it plaine not onely by a Definition or Description but also by Testimonies and Examples of it recorded in the holy Scriptures It may best bee defined if in all things we oppose it to that Vertue whereof it is the priuation namely the true feare of God after this manner Carnall securitie is a Vice or vicious habit whereby forgetting or neglecting both the iustice and power of God in punishing sinne and also his infinite Loue and Goodnesse in Christ his Merits and Iudgements his Promises and Threatnings with the manifold benefits which we haue receiued from him we doe cast off all feare of him and so quietly and securely goe on in sinne without repentance promising vnto our selues immunitie from all punishment and not onely for the present the constant fruition of our carnall delights but also euerlasting saluation in the World to come Vnto this description for the better clearing of the point in hand we may adde that of Bernards describing an hard or secure heart It is that saith he which is not rent with compunction nor Bernard de Consid ad Eugenium lib. 1. softned with pietie nor moued with prayers nor yeeldeth to threatnings and is hardned with stripes It is vngratefull for benefits vnfaithfull for counsailes fierce in respect of iudgements shamelesse in regard of things filthy and dishonest vndaunted in dangers inhumane in humane actions rash in diuine forgetfull of things past neglectfull of things present improuident for things to come It is that which remembreth nothing past but injuries loseth the benefit of all things present and fore-casteth and prouideth for nothing to come but reuenge And that I may in a word comprehend the euills of this horrible Vice it is that which neither feareth God nor respecteth Man So that if we would haue a briefe definition of this Securitie it is nothing else but the absence and priuation of the feare of God for as securitie generally considered is the freedome of the mind from all feare so this speciall kind of it carnall securitie is that horrible Vice which emptieth the heart wholly of the true feare of God And thus the wise Man opposeth them the one against the other Happy is the man saith he that feareth alwayes but he that hardneth Pro. 28. 14. his heart shall fall into mischiefe §. 3 Testimonies of Scripture shewing what it is And this is that securitie of which Dauid speaketh The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart that there is no feare of Psal 36. 1 2. God before his eyes For he flattereth himselfe in his owne eyes vntill his iniquitie be found out to be hatefull And describing the prosperous estate of the wicked he saith That continuing in their corruption and being couered with violence as with a garment They speake loftily Psal 73. 8 9 11. and set their mouthes against the Heauens saying How doth God know and is there knowledge in the most High And Iob discoursing of the same subiect namely wicked men flourishing in worldly prosperitie saith that their houses are safe from feare neither is the rod of God vpon Iob 21. 9. them They take the Timbrel and Harpe and reioyce in the sound of the Organs they spend their dayes in wealth and in a moment