before in our course of liuing Also it is duly to bee regarded that wee applie that which we reade wisely to our selues seeing all that is contained in the Scriptures is written for our instruction and comfort as perswading our selues that all precepts of dutie and good life are set downe to direct vs not others onely to the practise of the same that all sinne is forbidden vs and that all the generall promises which we reade to be made to the Church are to bee beleeued of vs whether they appertaine to this present life or to the life to come and the comforts that accompanie them Likewise that all exhortations and admonitions quicken and stirre vs vp from coldnes deadnes and drousines and all reprehensions to checke vs for faults escaped and all threats to feare our boldnes and appale our securitie which is too easily and readily kindled in vs that so wee may make that vse of them which the Apostle requireth when he saith that all Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach conuince to correct and instruct in righteousnes and thereof in matters as well concerning God as men and amongst men all particular kinds and therefore Prince and subiect noble and base men and women and more particularly in families husbands and wiues parents and children masters and seruants Thus to reade that thereby wee may be made fit vnto euery good worke and to glorifie God thereby is vndoubtedly to make our reading as it is appointed of God an especial helpe and meanes to grow forward in a godly life and therefore wee are commaunded to search the Scriptures and with the godly people of Berea to compare our hearings and our readings of them together For reading is much commended to be one of the three duties that make vs happie the Apostle saying thus Blessed is he that heareth and readeth and keepeth the contents of this booke But this one thing I cannot omit that the benefit and comfort of this exercise of reading being so great and the substance of the Scriptures being so brought to light as it is and such varietie of good bookes being granted vs of God that yet euen such as looke after eternall life delight so little in them I speake not of the prophane and vnruly whom nothing will moue to reade no nor so much as to heare Sermons till God make them see how they haue deceiued themselues But I am sure it is one speciall cause why heart is taken from many learned and godly men to set out any new workes in print seeing the professors of the Gospell doe bestow so little labour and time in reading of those which are extant alreadie And herein these two things I thinke meete to adde in regard of some Christians that such as haue not the gift of reading may endeuour to follow the foresaid rules by vsing the helpe of others exhorting all by their losse and discommoditie to haue reading in greater reckoning then it is with most at this day The second is that besides the former rules such as haue better helpes of vnderstanding memorie and leasure doe besides their publike hearing note their doubts and as they shall haue opportunitie seeke resolution of them at their learned pastors hands or of some others and mark the coherence of the Scripture how it hangeth together and the agreement that one place hath with another that thereby that which seemeth darke in one is made easie in another This shall suffice to haue said for making some better vse of reading then commonly men doe And though there are other things besides these which the learneder may take profit by yet they being more out of the reach of the greatest number of Christians they doe not so neerely nor necessarily concerne them And it must bee remembred that I propround not to say as much as may bee gathered together about reading but how it may bee profitably vsed to helpe the Christian to be fruitfull in a godly life And that which I haue said is auaileable thereunto For hee that shall consider how many waies the conscience is appeased the iudgement inlightened and inlarged the heart perswaded the memorie relieued the affections moued and in a word the whole man drawne by that which he may reade shall not neede to doubt how great the benefit of reading together with the other helpes is And that it being vsed as oft as possibly it may in such manner as hath bin prescribed and so many good things drunke in and receiued of vs as wee shall meete with in our reading who doubteth but it shall be a singular helpe and furtherance with the rest to a godly and Christian life For a mind well seasoned before shall be vndoubtedly better seasoned and refreshed when it shall vsually and oft drinke of the water of life out of the sweete fountaine of Gods word by reading And of the helpe of reading and so of al the ordinarie meanes both publike and priuate whereby a true Christian continueth a godly life and groweth to further ripenes and perfection therein thus much be said CHAP. 12. Of the extraordinarie helpes NOw follow the extraordinarie helpes which are not commonly nor daily in vse but sometime and that according to the extraordinarie occasions which the Lord offereth And these are especially two first solemne thanksgiuing and secondly fasting with prayer more then vsuall adioyned The first is when in some rare and vnlooked for deliuerance out of desperate danger wee doe by the commaundement of God and examples of the godly before vs in a most feruent manner yeeld praise to God for the same and reioyce heartily in the remembrance and consideration of it tying our selues as it were in a renuing of our holy couenant more firmely to the Lord and testifie both these by signes of vnfained good will to our brethren All which are to be seene most cleerely and liuely in that famous example of Hester and Mardocheus that I mention no other for breuitie sake who being with the rest of Gods people in those countries marked out and as sheepe appointed by Hamans subtiltie and cruell malice to be slaine did yet by prayer and fasting obtaine deliuerance when to mans iudgement all hope was past and not that onely but also their hearts desire against their aduersaries with great fauour of the King whom God had made of an heauie enemie a mightie friend and much wealth and prosperitie whereupon they caused a day and time to be appointed in the which the Lord might be praised and they might expresse their reioycing and send portions one to another to testifie their loue vnto them And this is that solemne thanksgiuing which I call one of the extraordinarie helpes to set vs forward in godlines which of all Gods people by the like occasion is to be offered vp to God differing as ye see apparantly from this dutie daily performed as in
vnto death yet to trust by lawfull meanes to find helpe so I must further say to others who neglecting their duty do suffer them to want might relieue them that God will iustly bring it against them lay it to their charge such I meane as both by that good christian law of this land worthy with al care conscience euer to be executed are made ouer-seers of the poore such also as hauing superfluity much more then necessarie food apparell yet are not rich in good workes neither do good to the poore which are amongst them for that purpose Iudgement shall be to such without mercy because they shew no mercie who if they be liuing members of Christs body which is the Church must pity the bowels and glad the hearts of their poore brethren But rare are they who do any more this way then they needs must though mens left hand should not know what their right hand doth but they striue and fall out one with another euen for that they are inioyned by authoritie to giue that litle which they do And for the poore themselues as they may make their mone to such as are fittest and readiest to relieue them so they must beare their burden the more easily because they haue hope in Christ and are by him exalted higher then most of their betters I speake of the godly considering that all Gods seruants haue their seuerall crosses to make them meete for the Lord. I am sory to speake it but it is too true that of such as need the helpe of others to the maintaining of them there are too few who haue eares to heare that which I haue to say to them from the Lord Ierem. 5.4 For they are foolish as the Prophet saith and know not the wayes of the Lord nor the iudgements of their God But for the few that do feare God I say let them so go to their worke as I haue taught al true christians to do that is that they make it not an vncomfortable toile but waite for the promise that they shall be fed and stay vp themselues by the examples of the poore widow and the word that saith Man liueth not by bread only and againe The Lyons shall be hunger-bitten but they that feare him shall not want and againe The Lord hath many wayes to deliuer his and know they thereby that sooner shall the stones be turned into loaues of bread then they shall be forgotten and starue for hunger or else he will prouide better for them But to leaue this I may not omit one other obiection which is much amongst men that whereas I haue taught that if a man be neuer so good a labourer and diligent husband and so walke painefully in his calling yet none of all this commendeth him to God if he be not religious also men reply and say that such of all other are most negligent in their businesse as seruants by name who they say when their minds should be vpon their worke are found oftentimes at their booke and at prayer other of them sitting idly and litle regarding their maisters aduantage whereas they who occupie not themselues about religion but are held in by feare or drawne on by hope of reward are for their maisters profit and go to their worke lustily Wherupon some haue gone so far that they haue vsually vttered this speech that wheÌ„ soeuer they make choice of seruants they will neuer chuse any which are religious Which latter speech I answer if it were not added the former part might more charitably be interpreted For it is not to be denied but that as in other states so there are many hypocrites among seruants who make profession of religion as Gehazai and many did whom we reade of against whom I denounce by the word of the Lord that they shall beare the punishment of their iniquitie But to grow to this absurditie from thence that all religious seruants are such and that they would not chuse such to be seruants to them the least sinne that it can be made is that it is a rash and a carnall speech and so much the more faultie by how much he that vttereth it goeth for the better Protestant For such declare that so their businesse be done they can beare any rudenesse brutishnesse and disorder in their seruants and so the dishonoring of God thereby for all such behauiour must be looked for more or lesse in such as are not religious But commonly such maisters are iustly met with by the seruants whom they so preferre before those which are religious Againe whereas they in that speech condemne all which professe it is well knowne that there are manie seruants who in their particular calling in that they are seruants as well as in their generall that they are Christians do glorifie God highly and shine as lights in their places to the shame of their accusers And yet such maisters might iudge of their seruants religious and christian practise by their owne that all dutie is not by and by to be looked for at their hands which haue some loue and liking of the Gospell Are they themselues so vnblameable in their whole course that others may not see as great wants and faults in them as they see in seruants It is to be feared that such who will so speake as I haue shewed do not giue them alwayes the best example but if they do let them catechise them also beside the publicke teaching which they inioy who being alreadie willing to liue christianly yet if they be not diligently and louingly taught cannot so soone be brought to any great perfection And this being done let them proue whether religious or prophane be the best seruants Lastly of mens vocation this I adde that I haue not so vrged the necessitie of laboring in it but that if some through extreame pouerty want of stocke be inforced to giue ouer occupying as hauing no other remedie through the hardnesse of their harts who will forgo nothing to the reliefe setting vp of such the multitude of other poore folke if it be thus I say that they haue no other remedie nor be able to labour in any lawfull calling they may with the peace of their conscience receiue almes please God therein keepe their confidence in him and grow forward in the further knowledge practise of their dutie as other Christians do though this which I say ought to be no shelter for the slouthful and idle Which thiâ—g if many were perswaded of as it is pity that any should doubt of they should beare their poore estate more indifferently and the shame that many haue of it more coÌ„tentedly then now they do For that is now their calling to trust in God and to hope for that reliefe which shall be sufficient for them as they did before their decay Furthermore neither would I haue any to thinke
among men and be vpholden and maintained in such sort that they may weigh downe all wicked practises of men against the same The duties in generall which belong to all inferiours doe arise from this one as from a fountaine that is to say subiection which is a voluntarie acknowledging that they are set vnder those which are their superiours by Gods ordinance and appointment The which when men are perswaded of they will readily goe vnder any dutie that appertaineth to them And from hence issueth inward reuerence towards them as to thinke highly of them for that person which God hath put vpon them and therefore also to giue them that outward reuerence which is due to them as to rise and bowe to them to giue them the higher place libertie to speake before them and to giue them reuerent titles and submitting themselues to them euery way as it is meete which if in loue it be not regarded and the benefit which God hath appointed thereby to come to their inferiours considered that so there may be a preseruing of the dignitie and worthines of such persons and places amongst men all confusion and barbarousnes must needes insue and follow And for this cause the superiours againe for their parts must see that they carry themselues towards them as brethren in all curtesie sauing their authoritie and further also that they goe before them both in all innocencie and example of good life And because there are some superiors to vs by ciuill authoritie as princes and other magistrates and some ecclesiasticall as Church officers some by nature as parents some by age as the gray headed and some by gifts as of knowledge experience and other graces therefore both their inferiours to them and they to their inferiours besides the former duties in generall set downe haue somewhat seuerally to looke to one towards the other To such as haue authoritie ouer them inferiours must submit themselues in bearing their rebukes and receiuing their corrections willingly and without resistance by not answering again by stomack or countenance yea though they suffer wrongfully which commaundement Saint Peter giuing to seruants toward their masters who are not superiours of the highest power or of greatest authoritie doth much more binde other inferiours to be subiect thereto And further besides this such inferiours are charged by God to be obedient onely to their lawfull commaundements so that God be not thereby depriued of his due for this cause subiects pay tribute to their Princes hold both their goods and liues so as they be at their commaundement And seruants which will testifie and shew that they count their masters worthie all honour do frame themselues to serue them with faithfulnes and diligence not with eye seruice by the one seeking their profit and good trustily by the other doing their duties with care and painfulnes euen as to the Lord himselfe So all high Magistrates both Kings and such as are in authoritie vnder them owe this particularly to the people ouer whom they are to regard that the Gospell of Christ Iesus be published freely and purely by the Ministers thereof thorough their whole dominion to bring the people to God and the same dominion to bee well gouerned by the right executing of wholesome and good lawes that the people may liue an honest and quiet life vnder them So also Masters for recompence to their seruants are charged by the Lord to shew themselues as well good and bountifull towards them in recompencing their labour and trauaile to the full as besides it to doe that which is iust and equall vnto them the which they for their parts doe owe to them againe which is to prouide that they may bee taught in the congregation and at home as also of themselues to see that no necessaries in meate drink work and honest intermission in due time bee wanting neither that they with whom they haue so couenanted bee kept ignorant and vnexpert in their trade Another kinde of superiours are kindred by nature and parents in the flesh to whom their inferiours and children for the singular benefits which they receiue from them except they degenerate farre from their duties do acknowledge much to be due to them againe Among which this is not the least that they shew themselues forward in the imbracing of holie instruction according to the ripenes of their yeeres That their reuerence and obedience continue of children I speake euen vnto their end although with more libertie when they shall be of more ripe yeeres their parents themselues consenting thereto Also that they make no mariages without their consent That in token of thankfulnes they be readie to helpe their necessities And that they be carefull also to doe their duties euen to those which shall succeed their parents by way of second mariage For their parents are bound to teach them from their youth as was said of seruants to keepe them from idlenes to traine them vp in some lawfull and honest trade to gouerne them wisely and kindly to prouide for their necessitie of mariage and to minister things needfull for this life as they shall be able and as they may doe it religiously and lawfully Of those superiours which excell their inferiours in gifts the Minister of God is chiefe who is furnished with knowledge and grace to conuert many to God and to perfect them as Gods instrument vnto the day of Christs comming And so particularly to lift vp the faint-harted by comfort to strengthen the weak to direct him that wandreth vncertainly for want of knowledge and to waite with patience and by becomming all to all that he may gaine some to God Therefore the Lord hath giuen him a great honour with them whom hee preuaileth with not to bee counted their teacher onely but their father they who know their duties for this heauenly communion which they inioy with God himselfe and with Iesus Christ by his ministerie doe with gladnes make him partakers of all good things for this life and haue them in singular loue for their workes sake And this they doe besides the subiection reuerence and obedience which they haue in common with all inferiours who are willing to be taught and reioyce to be counted obedient children in the faith Among these which I count superiours in gifts of the mind they are to be reckoned who are strong Christians and whom God hath indued with a liberall portion of heauenly grace wisedome experience c. more then other of their brethren and who know their libertie which they haue by Christ in things indifferent and abuse it not Towards these the weaker sort must know that it is their dutie not to iudge them who vse their libertie which they haue by Christ neither to count them as prophane men for doing that which they themselues dare not doe but to thinke
them with the reuerend titles of men and brethren asking counsell of them whom they had so abused rather then of any other what they should doe to be saued And this for answere to the second obiection CHAP. 20. The last obiection against the godly life answered THere is yet another obiection that I will answere and it might be a great weakning of the holie courage of the seruants of God if they should not be well fenced against it And this it is Seeing we teach publikely the same which I haue before set downe of the estate of the godly and professe without feare that thus the people of God must walke and wee affirme that Gods is not pleased with this darke and dead life which is led by mens good intents without any certaine rule to guide them much lesse with that which is contrarie to godlines diuers take great offence hereat and arise vp against vs in this manner saying Ye goe too farre and bragge of that which is not in you and againe remember how many haue fallen which were more like to haue stood then you as Dauid Peter and others It is therefore good say they for all men to professe no more then others doe that there may bee no great wondring when any great trespasse shall be committed by them To which kind of men for the better setling and quieting of Gods weake children I answere By the grace of God bragging is farre off from vs as wee also heartily desire it may be neither doe we goe too farre his word being our warrant But wee are not afraid to vtter that which wee know nay wee dare not doe otherwise though it be against our selues as much as others if wee shall set light by it at any time neither feare we that shamefull falles shall any thing the sooner take hold of vs for speaking the truth boldly but remoued more farre from vs whiles we are nothing more afraid then to offend thereby And if either our pride or boldnes should breake out so farre as that it should cause the Lord to chastise vs or that wee should be so careles and improuident ouer our selues that Sathan should againe bewitch vs with the deceitfulnes of sin we looke for none other but to beare our burthen of an vnquiet minde and the reproch due to vs thereby and our punishment which shall befall vs because of our offence but though we should so be ouertaken yet shall we rise againe and though many of vs should fall from our stedfastnes yet for all that this is true namely that God will haue the holie and Christian life which I haue set downe practised of others and howsoeuer wee should be turned out of the way for a season and whatsoeuer might become of vs yet he that is able of stones to raise vp children to feare him will prouide true worshippers of him whatsoeuer become of vs and the truth of God remaineth that such as will be worshippers of him must depart from iniquitie As for Dauid by the great wisedome and goodnes of God his fall was a glasse to behold Gods mercie in not to imbolden any to sinne thereby and that like trespassers who possibly might despaire should not cast away hope of forgiuenes The sinne it selfe arose from the nourishing and giuing place secretly to his heart in such vnlawfull desires as by his eyes were occasioned such as in this treatise I labour to call men from as appeareth by his owne confession in the Psalme where hee saith Against thee O Lord against thee haue I done this euill as if he should haue said though my offence be horrible before men yet from hence it came seeing I feared not before God secretly whiles yet the offence came not foorth openly And this I say that we may learne to beware of inward temptations and outward occasions of sinne and boldly professe to doe both And thus I hauing answered this doubt of Dauid that no wise bodie need to take hurt by it yet because I know how some doe draw such examples to libertie in sinning and euen this one example as much as any other turning it against themselues which they should take good by I will adde this one thing which I would otherwise haue omitted seeing I haue made mention of it before That Dauid did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and turned away from nothing that he commaunded him all the daies of his life saue only in the matter of Vriah the Hittite As therefore it was no vsuall thing with him neither did he oft thus offend in cases so well knowne vnto him so it is no cause why wee should be discouraged from a sound course for feare least we should fall after the like manner but watch in all things that wee may be the further from such feare Peter to say somewhat of him before Christs ascension howsoeuer hee was faithfull and in many parts of his life commendable yet had he no such great strength and growth in grace that wee ought to be content to be as he was but rather looke to bee lights and good examples in all good workes least we should fall away daungerously when such an one as he was did denie his master I knowe God can correct the dearest of his seruants in as fearefull a manner But blessed be his name wee know thus much of his minde that he taketh no pleasure in their troubles neither delighteth he in their sufferings much lesse doth he take aduantage of their infirmities He draweth them out of deepe dangers when they haue plunged themselues into them And if we prouoke him not there is no feare of reprochfull euils to be sent vpon vs by him and therefore if we count it pleasure to please him and to bee watchfull against the occasions of sinne this giueth vs holy boldnes and confidence that we shall be kept from fearefull falles rather then to be afraid of them by being too godly Neither was Peter thus armed when he so offended but as we may easily see therefore he fell because he was naked and vnarmed And so it is with all others in this case that so dishonour God as he did Now if he did fall and we may also fall whiles we are yet not without confidence in God what is to be thought of our best actions if we should doe as many would haue vs namely to shew and professe no more then others do so make cōmon professors examples to be rules for our liues what should our liues then be but a very dunghill fraught with vnsauourie filthines and not an offending of God lightly now and then Neither let men say they can liue no otherwise then they haue done nor discontentedly say wee would haue them take no delight in any thing but husband and wife must sit and looke heauily one vpon another neither may neighbours be merrie together
grosse errors for not knowing them and so become nothing the better for them but he hath taught vs to draw as it were a copie and a certaine platforme for our liues out of the same the poore the rich the old the young the married and the vnmarried all are I say to draw out of them direction for their vse And what other thing is contained in the words of the Prophet for in saying that we must take heede to our wayes that is our course of life and the actions thereof doth he except any one more then another So that it is manifest both by the doctrine of the word of God as also by the examples thereof that not onely there ought to be a generall guiding of Gods people by the word but also a particular trying of their wayes thereby and that this ought to be as a trade to be followed in one poynt as in another according to the knowledge of euery one and therefore to be made an ordinarie course to seeke to haue direction in all things So that in the more actions of our liues that we are ignorant and to seeke whether we doe them lawfully or no the more wee must see our debt to God and finde fault with our selues that we may see the greater neede to sue for pardon which few doe see And therefore are the particular duties set downe almost in euery epistle both which all Christians ought to performe and the contrary sins that they may see according to the occasions offered how to imploy themselues and also more specially of men and women old and young rich and poore maisters and seruants both inward affections and externall actions all which to what end serue they or why should they haue been set downe but to teach this that men must tie themselues shorter and denie many noysome liberties which now they take and runne after and also to teach that euery part of a Christians life requireth direction that hee must shun that which is naturall I meane his owne and be guided by that which is spirituall namely by the word of God And therefore it is not to be counted as a common sinne but as the head of many sins that as though the Scriptures were among vs but for fashion or for the deciding of some rare and hard doubts and controuersies in religion which is but one vse of them the most thinke themselues by their naturall wit and skill able to direct their waies which opinion with their practise what doth it differ from that which is written of the Heathen Gentiles God in times past suffered all nations to walke in their owne waies Act. 14.16 And this be said for the proofe of the first part of this former reason namely that all their actions must bee squared after the rule of Gods word throughout their life The second part of this reason namely that it ought to be daily and euery day and so through the day the saying of the Lord doth cleerely prooue Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies And againe 1. Cor. 10.31 Whether ye eate or drink or whatsoeuer ye doe else doe all to the glorie of God And to Iosua 1.8 Thou shalt meditate and exercise thy minde in this booke of the law day and night as if he should say early and late all times of the day that his heart being well seasoned with the sweete sauour of knowledge his tongue might vtter the same and hee might be exercised by the helpe thereof in the manifold actions of his life S. Paul also when he writeth of the widow that should be chosen to looke to the poore describeth her by this one note whereby a good Christian is discerned amongst men namely if she haue been daily giuen to euery good worke And hee whom it may well beseeme vs to follow did not onely make it his daily trade to bee directed by the doctrine of Gods word but euen through the day did the same diuiding as it were the day into one good doing or other for these are his words Oh Lord what a loue haue I to thy law all the day long is my meditation in it that is I am musing still how I may please thee whatsoeuer my actions are which I goe about Againe Euery day will I praise thee Euen so if it may be let vs be doing good and that in an holy and right manner euery day and when wee cannot yet let vs auoide and shunne euill But if thou wilt doe neither nor endeuour after the same constantly from day to day then renounce Gods word and doe what thou lustest And why should not mens hearts be daily giuen to the Lord who is most worthie of them what haue we to doe in the day more necessarie as it shall appeare one day to all who now will take no knowledge of it Weigh what I say and the Lord giue thee vnderstanding that in thy heart and life thou maist euery day serue him doth the holie Ghost Prou. 4.23 and 25.25 when hee saith Keepe thy heart with all diligence and againe let it be in the feare of the Lord continually doth he I say meane any certaine time or one day and not euery day so when rules for praying are giuen are they not to direct vs in all our prayers for euer If thou saist why is this then so strange to men I say first naturally men desire to satisfie God with a little and soone to haue done with him and few will weigh particularly and daily what they ought to be and how to walke one day as well as another but are content to goe the easiest way to worke as they thinke and slubber vp their sinnes and are therefore neuer long confident in nor bold with God as they might bee and as some others also of his deare children be and they themselues also perhaps sometime haue been Whereas if it were the matter which is in account with them who doubteth but that it would be daily looked to Againe if ye say why are wee troubled with these nouelties now more then in times past I say men are content to haue such things to be nouelties vnto them with which they desire not to bee acquainted for els these are not nouelties in the Scriptures and that is seene seeing there are diuers who as they haue learned it to be the will of God that al good duties as they may should euery day be practised so they doe carefully and conscionably prune off that behauiour in the day which could not well be thought vpon and remembred at the euening without an vnwelcomed wound and accusation For what can lesse be gathered out of the Scriptures before alleaged then that Christians should bee daily giuen to euery good worke that is to aime thereat though when they haue done all they may finde themselues to bee much behind hand and vnprofitable seruants And what meaning else hath this Scripture Herein I
for necessity onely or for feare of punishment or shame of the world or because they would be rich all which are carnall sensuall and diuellish respects as I sayd before in forbidding all vitious affections in mens lawfull actions neither do they please God which thus go to worke And further they must do these lawfull workes in perswasion and confidence that God will blesse them therein and giue them good successe and take that for their daily bread and blessing which God in their thus-going to worke doth bestow vpon them And lastly they must do these without adding the common sinnes which wicked persons do vse at their worke as swearing lying negligence idlenesse falshood and deceiuing cursing quarrelling impatience and contention These and such other of their owne deuising the wicked do bring in among the lawfull workes which God commaundeth them to do and mixeth such euils with the doing of the workes which of themselues are good that they vtterly marre and deface them thereby depriue themselues of Gods blessing and it causeth their callings and trades to be meanely accounted of and in discredit with such as are not able to iudge as though none could vse them better whereas others as poore as they and as much put to their shifts yet taking better direction and depending on God and carefully abstaining from such sinnes as are wont in the most to accompany their lawfull workes and dealings do liue in them contentedly peaceably and holily and do in that manner put honor and beauty vpon their callings and testifie that God hath to singular ends and purposes appointed and giuen them vnto vs. And thus would God haue Christians go to their worke and do all their lawfull businesse not as hirelings onely in regard of their bellies And this were a goodly and most beautifull sight to behold in all sorts maisters seruants buyers sellers and euen in the poore labourers yea cutters of wood and drawers of water and they that are of meanest place in families may liue godly in them while religion rules their actions and while they desire to do them as they are taught in the word of God And they who go to worke after this maner may be merry at their worke and merry at their meate and yet I meane not as the prophane and earth-wormes who sometime are merry when they haue more cause to be heauy seeing neither they nor their worke are pleasing to him but the other may reioyce and be glad by Gods allowing yea commanding it them where he saith Reioyce thou and thine before the Lord thy God in all that thou puttest thine hand vnto And againe Serue the Lord thy God that is in that thou art appointed by him to do in ioyfulnesse and with a good heart for the aboundance of all things And this is the mirth and ioy of heart which the Apostle willeth vs to take our part in saying Speake to your selues in Psalmes and Himnes and spirituall songs singing making melodie to the Lord in your hearts with thankes for all things through Iesus Christ In this sort hath God allowed his seruants who haue learned and are resolued to obey him in all things to reioyce and go about their worldly affaires and in like maner doth he allow them to vse all their lawfull liberties in this life all which he knoweth they haue need of to allay the tartnesse and asswage the painfulnesse and griefe which through their afflictions are infinite wayes ready in all places to meete with them And not to do lawfull businesse and workes thus and with the three former rules set downe but as the vnruly and disordered people of the world do them is to make the lawfullest and excellentest callings base and meane and to the persons themselues most hurtfull while they stand forth against them as accusations for that they haue vsed them vnlawfully which in themselues are very honest and lawfull which I say that I may answer the brutish and irreligious sort who say they know no difference betwixt those who are counted godly and themselues seeing they are faine say they to worke for their liuing as well as we their godlinesse will not feede them The difference let them learne from that which I haue sayd I haue also spoken this by occasion for the satisfying of the simple-harted that they may not thinke that in requiring that we should liue euery day in a godly maner I do vrge any to leaue off and lay aside their callings and businesse and yet this I shew to be required by the Lord how and in what maner those lawfull workes ought to be done of them that he therein may be pleased And so I conclude that the beleeuer ought euery day to arme and frame himselfe to a godly life and to cast off all that sauoreth not thereof as in some which are most vsuall actions I haue shewed seeing his whole conuersation must beseeme the Gospell remembring what the wise man saith All that thine hand shall find to do do it with all thy power for there is no worke in the graue whither thou goest Which if it were perswaded throughly to men that it ought to be so and that it is as necessarily to be looked after as their maintenance health yea or their life it selfe which none wel aduised wil deny then should there not be this posting it off from one to another which now there is nor this refusing to be subiect to God in this maine and great commaundement of doing all to his glorie which they that refuse do refuse godlinesse it selfe And there should not be this parting of stakes betwixt God and our selues that sometime we will be forward and sometime backeward in some things obedient but in others denying our obedience which causeth such patching and peecing of duties as is farre from holinesse without which yet we shall neuer see the Lords face whereas yet by constancy in duty and keeping of a daily course therein much dulnesse deadnesse barrennesse slouth idlenesse and the fruits thereof lewd lusts and many such dangerous euils should be auoided with which euen many good Christians to their great heart-smart afterwards are annoyed because they know not how to do better The sixt point of our daily direction in thankfulnesse I meane a renewing of this duty to the Lord euery day that so we may still see and acknowledge our selues indebted vnto him and be the fitter to go vnder any of his fatherly chastisements which he shall lay vpon vs which without it will presse vs downe and raise bitternesse in our hearts and also that by it we may the ofter call to mind Gods many kindnesses to cheare our harts which are too soone forgotten of vs. The Prophet Ieremie forceth this daily duty to be continued of vs when he saith that the mercies of God are renewed vpon vs daily and what followeth vpon that but this that our
and apparell and nourishing our hearts as in a day of slaughter disdaining our inferiours repining at our betters with a greedie and hastie seeking to go beyond our equals and infinite others like for euen in these may Gods seruants be drowned And so on the contrarie if we thriue not nor attaine to that which we looke for what commeth from vs but fretting and vexation of heart for that we obtaine not our desire that is the good successe which we hoped for So that before the issue commeth we do not with contentation rest vpon God and meekely commit the successe to him no but rather vnquietly and distrustfully carie ourselues vntill the triall come Besides these there are other kinds of offending which a Christian man may fall into as when he shall ouer-lay himselfe with such multitudes of worldly dealings that there can be no place nor time giuen to holy exercises of prayer or regard had of christian walking in his ciuill or common actions but all the wisedome which God hath giuen him to farre more excellent purposes is bestowed this way euen to be rich then the which folly what greater may fall into one who thinketh himselfe wise For what hath he prouided for himselfe but care toile and miserie couered with iolitie while he liueth and the fruite of his follie at his death that he being turned out of all here he is much vexed and disquieted hardly brought to cast off this burthen and heartily to repent this his disguised estate is hardly receiued into euerlasting habitation after but hath worse prouided for himselfe then the meanest godly person which liued vnder him I graunt it is to be allowed that Salomon saith A diligent hand maketh rich and The slouthful commeth to pouertie But that none may be deceiued with mis-vnderstanding his wordes let him be the interpreter himself what diligence it is which he alloweth to grow rich by euen such and no other as will giue him leaue to seeke wisedome as gold and to lay it vp as treasure and to labour for vnderstanding aboue all things such also as in the middest of his diligence to become rich he be affraid to offend and such as it may not be his trauell that he doth most looke after Such an euill is to be seene in the world I meane euen amongst men otherwise well to be hoped of that they do not marke when the sweetnesse of gaine comming in is felt how godly duties grow as bitter and vnsauourie to them which was wont to be otherwise with them Last of all besides these before named in christian mens dealings worse things for the getting of this worlds good may come to passe that is that vnlawfull meanes may be practised as iniuring one of another whiles either by deceipt in bargaining or otherwise it be offered or whiles violence be shewed oppression and rigour and there be none against them able to resist it more particularly whiles men contrarie to Gods commaundement do put their money to vsurie If in this sort or the like we should be prouoked in our affaires and dealings to go to worke as it is the manner of the most to do we should so blemish yea deface the christian life whatsoeuer graces of God should be in vs that we lying open to our aduersarie but in some of these for want of a particular regard had against them we should need no other occasions to make our liues irkesome reprochfull and vncomfortable But I haue hitherto laid foorth onely some of the diseases that grow out of a worldly mind in mens dealings but there is no lesse euill incurred of an earthly minded man though otherwise religious euen whiles he is free from all affaires wherby his profites and substance are increased For he who doth not yet see the deceiptfulnesse of richs how they blindfold the heart that it cannot see clearely the beautie of christianity alas how is he led about of his fantasies like a foole to dreame of the happinesse of his outward estate Oh what pleasure is it to him to thinke of that which he hath How is his heart made drunken with the fleshly reioycing in his wealth and welfare How doth it delight him to think what libertie he hath in the world by reason of his abilitie to please himselfe in that which his heart carieth him to or his eye lusteth after when yet he is so much the more miserable because he hath nothing to restraine him from such libertie How doth he cast in his head what he will do hereafter and within some few yeares how conueniently he will haue all things about him I speake still of a Christian for euen so may such an one be beguiled for a season and before the time be expired he is taken away from all like the foole in the Gospell and laid in the earth And thus his spiders webbe which with much care and long time was in working is now suddenly swept away in one moment It were infinite to say that which might here be vttered and to very good purpose how many waies and how farre the poore soule may be led to deceiue it selfe and finally to be vtterly vndone being altogether bereft of all heauenly furniture through the foolish and sottish dreames of earthly felicitie which do oftentimes fasten euen vpon good men sometime vnawares through the corruption of the heart and the commonnesse of this euill which they see in the world All which how clearely do they proue that riches are commaunders and maisters and men slaues and seruants to whatsoeuer they will force them and get such secret loue and liking in their hearts that it will be a matter of great difficultie to breake their fellowship and yet a greater vexation of the hart when it must be broken There is such a neare agreement and liking betwixt our nature and them that we can talke with them as with a friend and are led by them to many euill purposes and ends So that we may possibly be brought to abuse them to the satisfying of our lusts both in excesse licentiousnesse pride and the ioynting of our aduersaries and what not that I say not much of the deceiptfulnesse which there is small hope to make men see that is to become very slaues and droiles for the aduancing of their childrē neglecting for that cause whatsoeuer oportunities God offereth them of doing much good For it may be seene that many rich men haue seemed to liue to no other end then to leaue great wealth to them whom yet they laboured not to make fit to vse it aright and therefore prouided to the vndoing of them And yet to comfort the hearts of their poore brethren with thē or to apply them to any such ends they are backward and slow yea too pinching spary and nigardly as if all were too litle for a few bellies And as they hardly come from vs to good vses so are we as much
as appeareth by the parable of the talents deliuered to be occupied till it should be demanded how they were imployed and by that of the steward who was called to giue an account of his stewardship The account which shall then be demaunded shall be according to the doctrine which hath bene set downe in the foure remedies namely whether we haue not vsed them to the hurt and iniurying of others and how long and wherein And secondly whether we haue done good with thē as we in conscience haue seene our selues bound to do and as occasion hath bene offered Thirdly whether we haue not our selues yeelded to commit some noisome and fearefull sinnes for and by occasion of them which we should not otherwise haue bene bold to do And lastly whether we haue bene furthered by them to euerlasting life By this we see we may not deale and behaue our selues about these earthly commodities as we shall thinke good for we are but stewards and disposers of them as the owner our Lord and maister hath appointed Wherein as we haue failed we shall haue litle cause to reioyce considering that whatsoeuer we haue gotten and gained yet the worst is behind euen our account giuing which we shall not be able to yeeld no not one of a thousand And though I deny not but there is mercy with the Lord and plentifull redemption yet it is that he may be feared of vs for the time to come in occupying our goods and talents as he hath commaunded and it is also for them that tremble when in remembring and thinking how ill they haue vsed them they say penitently within themselues What haue we done But to the rest shall be tribulation and anguish when they not wisely casting their reckoning before shall be vrged to it by the Lord they being vtterly vnready for it In this regard therefore as in all the former we see good cause to withstand carefully this sinne of worldlinesse These are the remedies and reasons which perswade to giue a foile to this couetousnesse now heare the direction in few words how to vse them both For although we know them yet if they do but swimme in our braine and be talked of now and then they shall be so farre off from doing vs the good they may do that we shall the rather deceiue our selues with a false conceit of practising them when yet we remaine drowned in some grosse point of worldlinesse still Therfore it is necessarie that we nourish and retaine a mind willing to see and find out what is amisse in vs this way and then as the sins of this kind are most daungerous and many that therefore we force our selues from day to day to stoupe and submit our selues in an honest and good heart to vse these remedies and be perswaded by these reasons till we find ease by them through practise of them that is a ready mind to vse the world soberly and aright and desirous lest we should deceiue our selues through selfe-loue both to learne by the publicke ministerie and by our priuate reading as also by the helpe of any faithfull brother which can shew vs what blemish remaineth to annoy and hurt vs. Thus vsing both remedies and reasons from time to time for this must be no worke of a dayes or a yeares continuance with feruent prayer to God both to see and cast out such excrements we shall not need to doubt but that we shall be blessed in our worke And yet this I will adde because I know that the matter which I haue set downe for the redresse of couetousnesse will sauour but harshly in the tast of worldly minded Christians that I do not in all that I haue sayd speake or except against any libertie that God alloweth his people about the vse of the world for some will be ready so to gather For concerning skill and wisedome in mens trades dealings and occupyings I am so farre from counting them points or properties of couetousnesse that I hold them for comely ornaments if they be not choaked and ouer-growne with the weedes of their corruptions Yea I say more that ignorance and vnskilfulnesse if ye except the contrarie extremities subtilty and craftinesse is one of the greatest occasions of euill dealing among men Also I deny not but that forecasting and thrifty prouidence in a familie is both lawfull and meete and that no more be spent then for necessarie and comfortable vse to make prouision also of things needfull in the fittest time so as it be without fraudulent dealing in fore-hand bargaines also good husbandrie warinesse in their doings sure bindings of men in their contracts and couenants and sufficient securitie for mortalitie sake euen betwixt the best by writings or witnesse and a taking heed of suretiship as Salomon willeth that one be not vndone by another diligence also in mens callings with such other like religion and Gods word alloweth them all And all to this end that the more outward dangers a man can auoide the more free he may be to liue godly But seeing it falleth out commonly that the wisest are the worldliest and these fore-mentioned liberties are much abused of earthly minds and such do too easily passe their bounds and much nigardly nipping go vnder the cloake of frugalitie and honest sparing therefore these fore-mentioned liberties which being well vsed are also commendable vertues grow into ill report among the ignorant and vnstayed which otherwise are not reproachfull neither deserue any blame And this I haue spoken to meet with an obiection which might rise in the minds of some by occasion of that which went before And if this content them not they shew themselues iustly to be suspected of worse meaning then in their obiection they pretend As for them who say If they had riches they might ioynt their enemies and stand against them and do many other things which now they cannot for want of them it is not worth the answering For God doth not giue these his blessings to men to bestow them on their lusts but to profitable and necessarie vses And where men do not make that reckoning of them and learne not to be maisters ouer them rather then to be seruants and slaues to them what one among a thousand is the better but the worse for them And therefore to a reasonable man I would say What if we could in diet and apparell countenance and controling of others flourish and please our selues also in other iolity libertie and exercise what were we the better All men see that we may want these better then the pairing of our nailes and that we may please God better without them and that we shall not haue so many things to let and hinder vs if we be free from them We haue promise of sufficiencie if we desire to liue vnder his gouernemnt and without that cursed is all plentie But here an end of this matter
beside themselues while they were in such good moodes they come to themselues againe that is to their old course and say Shall we forgoe our pleasant life our mery companie our braue stomacks which make vs famous and to be spoken of yea the meanest haue somewhat to hold themselues in as it were in chaines that they may not returne to God lest he should saue them But now I haue shewed them their estate euen their shame and the woe which they are in and what variety of spirituall and heauenly delights they haue forgone by refusing to walke within the compasse of Christian duty from daie to daie which sweetnesse of holy delights God giueth his seruants as a taste of heauen in this life what remaineth but this that all which will not shew themselues desperate wilfully to seeke their owne confusion consider this though they haue long forgot God and lay it to heart namely that they say with the apostles euerie one seuerallie when Christ their master told them that one among the rest should betraie him Is it I master and with Paule when he was smitten downe at the gates of Damascus Lord what wilt thou haue me to doe yea and let them doe as the seruants of Benhadad when they were in great feare of their liues by the king of Israell They put halters about their necks and came and humbled themselues before him and said they were his seruants to the end they might finde fauour at his hands Thus I say let them seeke the Lord while he may be found and say Spare thy people ô Lord and be no longer angry with the sheepe of thy pasture But let them doe it in trueth till the promises of God be beleeued of them and applied to them piercing to the heart and taking hold of the affections so that they may see themselues to be of the number of Gods people and to goe beyond all reprobates and till the same word of God which they haue heard preached hauing beene the seed of saluation to them may be the mould of their conuersation also which they being cast into may be fashioned after the doctrine of it And the rather for the renued peace and defence of the gospell by the happy succession of our most gracious Soueraigne the kings Maiestie as well as the hope we haue for the time to come of liuing safely vnder our vine figgetree lest if they serue not the Lord with ioy and a good heart for all such good things they doe procure such plagues as shall manifestly shew that he is angry with them Now to shut vp all if it be said to me that I haue shewed how men may liue happily but nothing hath beene said about happie dying be this for answere An happy life bringeth an answerable death and the learning and accustoming of our selues to die contemne the world while we liue shall lead vs the way to eternall and blessed life when we must die For that knowledge faith hope and other grace is to vphold and guide vs at death which was the staffe and stay of vs in our life which God shed plentifully into our hearts both in our life and at our death to make vs blessed in both And of this Treatise and of the whole booke thus much A SWEET MEDITATION OF THE AVTHORS LONG AGOE of the benefit of reading conference musing on holy things and praier conteining a complaint that these holy exercises are neglected for that which is worse than nothing euen mens sinfull will 1 OH what a blessed thing it is with godly learn'd to talke By reading and by conference both as we sit and walke 2 And oft to thinke vpon the ioy by God for his prepar'd And eke to pray with groanes to him the like hath not beene hard 3 It doth reuiue our hearts most dull and bring our mindes in frame It doth indue our soules with light made fit to praise Gods name 4 It causeth vs our time to spend in fruit and heauenly sort It keeps from euery euill way and so from ill report 5 It holds our minds frō earthly thoghts and vanities most vaine It doth become pleasant and sweet instead of irkesome paine 6 By this ill tidings are not fear'd afflictions are not heard But from impatience and ire hereby we are preseru'd 7 By meditation and reading with prayer annext thereto We make our gaine of that which we are loth once to forgo 8 It maketh vs a sauour sweet in places where we come That some are gain'd to God thereby and folly hath no roome 9 Blessed is he whose portion this in stead of toile is giuen Whereby some cannot read a line from morning vnto euen 10 And as his lot in fairer ground is cast whom this behighteth In reading and in studie sweet that ioyfully delighteth 11 So he that seeth not this grace and priuiledge most great Sorrow and shame shall him pursue and folly be his meat 12 I speake of those whose calling is by learning for to liue Whom God would haue be free from world and good example giue 13 And so of euery one as he hath liberty and leaue That he do not for fond delight◠himselfe hereof bereaue 14 But Lord what griefe it is to thinke that this so happie a lot Should be trod downe as pearles of swine of many a drunken sot 15 That this deceitfull merchandise of profit and of gaine Should darken so blinde mens eies that they should loath this paine 16 That some should dreame of honour high and of promotion so That this sweet state with all her fruits they should gladly forgo 17 That neither Scripture giuē by God nor books by learned made Can cause them be in loue with them and so forsake their trade 18 Indeed it doth require the heart from euill to be brought That louers of pleasures more than God may come to better thought 19 I meane that they may sin abhorre of euery loathsome kind And that their chiefest ioy may be from thence to weane their mind 19 And with no lesse delight of heart they wisdome may imbrace Till godlinesse hath got in them a roome and setled place 20 Such shall it finde a pleasure sweet their yeeres and time to spend In authours holy and diuine vntill their life do end 21 And such therefore may be full sure the forenam'd fruites to reape And to inioy all good delights in measure and in heape 22 If any thinke this too great toile and state of life to hard Let him againe thinke that full great and sweet is the reward 23 〈◊〉 for my selfe with Salomon this one thing I may say Tha◠〈◊〉 haue had experience of 〈◊〉 a happy day 24 Such as deceitfull world doth yeeld to such as it imbrace Yet neuer saw I pleasure like vnto this heauenly grace 25 What did I say Not like to it no nor to be compar'd For one it yeeldeth twenty fold in pleasure and