12. 16. By fretting with enuy at the gifts and respects of others Num. 1â—… 2 8 9. By being ouer-confident of our owne innocency Iob 34. 5 6. By desire to prie into the secret things of God being not content with things reuealed Deut. 29. vlt Rom. 12. 3. 4. Pride in sinning and so he is guilty That dares commit great euils against his knowledge That seemes wise in maintaining sinne Prou. 3. 7. Psal. 52. 7. That hardens his heart against repentance 1. Sam. 15. 22 23. Numb 15. 30 31. Ierem. 16. 12. Iob 34. 37. That sinnes with affectation that glories in it as he that takes a pride in drunkennesse Isai. 28. 1 3. That frets because he is croâ—… in sinne Prou. 19. 3. And thus 〈◊〉 Pride The sixt sinne is the neglect 〈◊〉 Gods mercy and this is the morâ—… grieuous offence because mercâ—… is the most eminent attribute 〈◊〉 God For the sinnes of this kind worlds of men are damned iâ—… hell Iohn 3. 19. And against Gods mercy hee offends That askes wherein God hath loued him Mal. 1. 2. That abuseth Gods blessings Hos. 10. 1. 11. 3 4. That obserues not the mercy of God in his prouidence Hosea 2. 8. That in aduersitie saith God cares not for him or hath passed ouer his iudgements or hath forsaken him Isaiah 40. 28. and 49. 14. That enquireth not after God Zeph. 1. 6. That beleeues not Gods premises through neglect or despaire That blesseth his heart against Gods threatnings Deut. 29. 19. That forsakes his owne mercy by trusting to lying vanities Ionah 2. 8. That scoffes at the signes of Gods mercy Isai. 7. 12 13. That sacrificeth to his owne net ascribing the praise to himselfe Hab. 1. 16. That seekes not to God in his distresse 2 Chron. 16. 12. That sayes God cannot deliuer 2 Kings 6. 33. and 7. 2. That answers not when God calls Isai. 50. 2. That limits God Psal. 78. 41. That hath a spirit of bitternesse through discontent Hosea 12. 14. That dishonours God by his euill life Rom. 2. 24. Thus of the sins against Gods mercie The seuenth sinne is resorting to witches Isai. 8. 19 20. Leuit. 20. 6. Deut. 18. 11. Eightly hee offends that disregards Gods Workes Isaiah 5. 12. Ninthly that lies against God hauing professed to haue God to be his God Isai. 29. 13. And so he doth That opposeth the truth and objects against it That performes not what hee promised in his sicknesse or aduersity or at the Sacraments That falleth away from the truth Tenthly that feares not God or not in a right manner and so he sinneth That feares God onely for reward Iob 1. 9. That feareth God onely because of punishment Hos. 3. 5. That is not afraid of Gods presence or threatnings Psal. 36. 1 2. Isaiah 66. 1. Ierem. 6. 10. That comforts not men in misery Iob 6. 14. That meddles with changers or the seditious Prou. 24. 21. That in matter of sinne is wise in his owne eyes and will not depart from iniquitie Prou. 3. 7. That sins because God doth forbeare to punish Eccles. 8. 13. Psal. 50. 19 21. That feares the signes of Heauen Ierem. 10. 2. That finds an hardnesse of heart against Gods feare Isaiah 63. 17. Thus of the sinnes against the feare of God Eleuenthly That trusts not in God and so he offends That asketh not counsell of God Isaiah 31. 1. and 30. 1 2. but vseth carnall helpes That saith there is no hope Ierem. 3. 23. That trusts in man and makes flesh his arme Ierem. 17. 5. That puts his confidence in his wealth Prou. 10. 15. Iob 31. 24. That leanes to his owne vnderstanding Prou. 3. 5. That drawes not neere vnto God in aduersitie Zeph. 3. 2. That impatiently desireth death Iob 7. 15. Thus of the sinnes against trust in God Twelfthly That neglects communion with the godly he hath not God for his God that is noâ—… ioyned to Gods people and this is aggrauated against him That in contempt of godlinessâ—… goeth in the company of the wicked Iob 34. 8 9. That reprocheth Gods people Psal. 74. 10 18. Esay 57. 3 4. That accounts the godly as signes and wonders Esay 8. 18. That reioyces in their disgraces Ezechiel 25. 6. That forsakes their fellowship either through carelesnesse and aposâ—…y Heb. 10. 25. or through â—…hisine Esay 65. 2 5. That for malice persecutes them or casts them out of the Church Esay 66. 5. And thus of the sinnes against the nature of God CHAP. V. Shewing how men offend against the meanes of Gods worship THe sins against the meanes of Gods worship follow and these are of three sorts 1. Not worshipping 2. Will-worshipping 3. Idoll worshipping For the first he offends in generall That worships not God Zac. 14. 17. That calls not vpon the Name of the Lord Ps. 14. 4. Esay 64. 7. That comes not to the Church 2. Chron. 29. 6 7. That prayes not in his family Ier. 10. 25. That receiueth not the Preachers of the Gospel Mattheâ—… 10. 14. The aggrauations are when a man is so far from worshipping atight That hee offers the blind and the lame for the maintenance 〈◊〉 Gods seruice Mal. 1. 8 14. That he deuoures things sanctified that should be employeâ—… for the furtherance of Gods seruice Prou. 20. 25. That forbids Gods faithful Ministers to preach in the Name of Christ Acts. 4. 17. 1. Thes. 2. 16 That disswades men from Gods worship vpon pretenâ—… that it is either polluted Malâ—… 7 12 13. or vaine Mal. 3. 14. That is wayward or neueâ—… pleased with all or any part 〈◊〉 Gods worship or the meanâ—… thereof Math. 1â—… 16. Thus of sinnes of irreligiousnesse or not worshipping Will-worship followes and so he offends 1. That deuiseth any thing of himselfe to the intent to serue God by it Numb 15. 38 39. 2. That serues God for custome or after the old manner making the example of Fathers or fore fathers the rule of his seruice 2 Kings 17. 34. Ier. 9. 13 14 Amos 2. 4. 1. Pet. 1. 18. 3. That feares God after the precepts of men Esay 29. 13. 4. That being not a Minister doth the worke of a Minister vpon pretence of necessity or deuotion 2 Chron. 26. 16. 5. That vrgeth the lesser things of the Law and neglects the greater Math. 23. 23. The aggrauations are To vrge menstraditions with opinion of necessity and with neglect of Gods Law Matthew 15. 2 3 9. To desire to bee taught vaine things Esay 30. 9 10 11. To borrow rites and obseruations from the professed enemies of God to adde them as parts of Gods worship 2 Kings 17. 34. Deut. 12. 3 4 13. Ezech. 11. 12. Idoll worship followes and so men offend either first inwardly or second outwardly Inwardly he offends that conceiues of God in the likenesse of any thing created and manifests his offence If he direct his worship to that likenes Comman 2. Acts 17.
Confâ—…ssion of sinnes Petition for grace and thanks-giuing for mercies receiued Nâ—…w the weakest Christian may be through Gods blâ—…ssing comfortably furnished for his owne particular if hee take such a coâ—…e as this to goe aside and with all sâ—…cie and attention of heart before the Lord aske himselfe these three Questions 1 What sinnes haue I committed which either now do trouble me or if I were to dye would make mee afraid Let him set them downe in a paper or in his memory distinctly till hee can can bethinke himselfe of no more It is no great matter for the order how hee sets them downe so hee be sure he haue the chiefe sinnes in which hee daily offends or hath offended 2 What would I haue the Lord doe for me if I might haue what I wish let him set the particulars downe till he can remember no more As for example I would haue him forgiue mee my sinnes and I would haue him giue mee strength against such and such sins and I would haue him giue mee faith and assurance and I would haue him giue me Heauen when I dye and so goe on with all the things he feeles a desire in his heart to seeke of God till he can remember no more and if at any other time hee remember some speciall thing which hee would further haue which hee hath not in his Catalogue let him set it downe as from time to time he sees cause 3 What speciall fauours hath God shewed to mee which I see I ought to take special notice of Let him set them downe distinctly whether they be deliuerances or such and such spirituall or outward mercis preseruing the memorie principally of the chiefest of them Now when hee hath thus furnished these three heads with things that in particular concerne himselfe they being all matters of weight hee must now carry these things or the chiefe of them in his mind and frame his heart to speake to God in the best words he can get to signifie his detestation of those sinnes his humble requests for those graces and his vnfained thankefulnesse for those blessings Howsoeuer hee may be rude or vnperfect in his Language about these at the first yet exercise will bring him to a ripenesse and by this course hee shall be sure to speake of things that concerne himselfe neerely and that God which hath taught Parents to regard the vnperfect language of their little Children when they begin to speak vnto them will himselfe much more delight to heare the desires of his Seruants that are grieued that they cannot speake in a better sort vnto him The profit and comfort of this course will appeare by experience to be exceeding great besides it is an easie way where there is in any a true desire to bee at the paines to learne this Language of speaking to God by prayer and Gods Spirit will helpe and teach the poore Christian and draw his petitions for him and prompt him both with words and affections And the Christian must know this that when hee hath confessed his sinnes and shewed what hee should haue God doe for him with the best words hee could in the truth of his heart he hath made a most effectuall prayer to God Thus of prayer The awefull of God and the reuerent dreading of God may bee begotten and increased in vs if we throughly remember and deepely ponder vpon 1. The surpassing glory and transcendent excelleÌ„cie and perfection of his Nature his absolute purity and exact lustice and Holinesse 2. The wonderfull workes of God especially those standing miracles shewed in the hanging of this mighty earth and those huge heapes of water in the cloudes and the bounding of these mighty Seas and such like 3. His fearefull threatnings of all sorts of woes against the transgressions of men 4. The terrour of the last day and the dreadfulnesse of death and Iudgement 5. The fearefull and sudden iudgements which haue fallen vpon wicked men either recorded in Scripture or reported in Histories or obserued in experience 6. Especially if wee thinke much and seriously of the great goodnesse of God to vs how hee hath striuen with vs to ouercome vs with his mercies Thus of the feare of God We should striue to stirre vp in vs affection and loue to our very enemies by such considerations as these 1. Because Christ to whom we are infinitely bound hath expresly charged vs to look to this That we doe loue our enemies and therefore for his sake wee should deny our selues and our owne corrupt desires and affections and striue to shew the truth of our loue euen towards them that hate and persecute vs. 2. There is none so wicked but they haue something good in them and worthy to be respected 3. Our enemies doe vs good though they intend it not wee ought to like the very rod that mends vs and regard the water that washeth vs white and make much of the stone that tries vs and the glasse that shewes vs our spots and not mislike the tents that search our wounds 4. If euer God turne their hearts they will be effectuall instruments of our praise Gods glory in the day of their visitation they will not willingly beare the shame of their owne sinfull oppositions I forbeare to set downe the directions for the attainement of the loue of the appearing of Christ because I haue at large handled that point in the Treatise of the Cure of the feare of Death CHAP. VIII Thus of the directions that concerne the first sort of gifts concerning the attainement of the other graces the directions now follow AND first for the attainment of sauing knowledge and the increase ofâ—… these directions are of excellent vse 1. In hearing or reading the Scriptures hee must bee wise for himselfe that is marke distinctly what he heareth or readeth that may especially concerne himself Prou. 〈◊〉 12. 2 He must study those things exactly which most concerne him auoiding vaine questions and fruitlesse contemplations and vaine ianglings and controuersies he must especially labour to know Gods Nature aright and the distinct manner of Gods true worship how he may serue him he must studie to know his owne particular offences and Christ crucified as his Sauiour with the benefits of his mediation and the necessary things that concerne his owne Iustification Sanctification and finall Saluation 3. He must redeeme the time and by forecast and order prouide so that some time may be daily allowed for holy studies to recouer his former time lost 4. Hee must enquire and take counsell hee must take heed of smothering his doubts but must carefully seeke satisfaction to his conscience as occasion ariseth There is more profit in this rule then many Christians are aware of 5. Hee must take heede of consulting with flesh and blood he must not regard other mens opinions or his owne carnall reason but resolue to giue the glory to Gods Word so
his heart 7. Seuenthly if wee consider the issue out of all troubles Many may be the troubles of the righteous but God will deliuer them out of them all Psalme 34. 19. If God make vs sore he will make whole if he wound hee will binde vs vp againe In sixe troublâ—…s he shall deliuer them and in seuen there shall no euill touch them Iâ—…b 5. 18 19. God will giue his people rest from the daies of aduersity till the pit be digged for the wicked Ps. 94. 13. Light is sowne for the righteous and gladnes for the vpright in heart Psa. 67. 11. It is wel said It is sowne for though God doe not presently giue vs ease and comfort yet the haruest will come if with patience wee rest vpon God and be truely sincere and keepe his way God will settle his people as in the former daies and it may bee doe better vnto them then at the beginning Ezech 36. 11. For Gods thoughts towards his people are thoughts of peace and not of euill to giue an expected end Ier. 29. 11. so as Gods seruants shall sing for ioy of heart when wicked men howle for vexation of spirit Esay 65. 14. 8. Eightly if we consider the wondâ—…rfull care of God about the measure of our crosses For God will not lay vpon man more then right that he should enter into iudgement with God Iob 34. 23. Therefore Iacob should not feare because God will not make a full and finall end of him as he will of the Nations but will correct him in measure not leauing him wholly vnpunished Ieremie 46. 28. God doth waite to be gracious to his people hee is a God of iudgement and doth not consider what sinne they haue committed to deserue affliction but what strength they haue to beare it After hee hath giuen them the bread of affliction and the water of aduersity he will not restraine his mercies from them Esa. 30. 18 20. There is great difference betwixt Gods dealing with wicked men that are enemies to the Church and his dealing with the godly From hence the Prophet asketh Hath hee smitten them as hee smot them that smot him And resolueth that God smites in measure and but in the branches hee will not cut them vp by the rootes Esay 27. 7 8. 9. Ninthly If we consider the short time of these afflictions Heauinesse may bee in the euening but ioy will come in the morning For Gods anger endureth but a moment but in his fauour is life Psal. 30. 5. The rod of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the righteous Psa. 125. 3. For the Lord will not cast off for euer but though he cause griefe yet will he haue compassion according to the multitude of his tender mercies Lam. 3. 31 32. For a small moment God may forsake but with great mercy will he gather vs. In a little wrath hide I my face but with euerlasting kindnesse will I haue mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer Esay 54. 7 8. Hence Christ saith A lâ—…le while and ye shall not see mee And againe A little while and yee shall see me Ioh. 16. 16. The godly may be in heauinesse if need require but it is but for a short season 1 Peter 〈◊〉 6. And Paul saith The afflictions of this life are but light and for a moment 2 Cor. 4. 17. 10. Lastly If we consider the good we get by these afflictions For God will make all worke together for the best vnto them that loue him Rom. 8. 28. The godly may be troubled on euery side and yet not be distressed They may bee perplexed and yet haue no cause to despaire c. 2 Cor. 4. 8. The godly in affliction may bee like the burning bush which Moses saw which was not consumed And there are many particulars of the good they get by their crosses For affliction is as the fire onely to refine them and trie them and make them more bright Zach. 13. vlt. they lose nothing but their drosse and this is all fruite euen the taking away of their sinnes Esay 27. 9. Besides they meete with many consolations in affliction which otherwise they had not experience of 2 Cor. 1. 7. and therefore we should count it all ioy to fall into many temptations as knowing that the tryall of our faith worketh patience and if patience haue her perfect worke wee shall bee entire wanting nothing Iam. 1. 3 4. Lastly the tryall of our faith which is more precious then gold that perisheth will bee found vnto praise and honour and glory in the reuelation of Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. 7. and our light and short afflictions will worke vnto vs an eternall weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. and if wee endure temptation we shall receiue the crowne of life Iames 1. 12. Lo thus wee haue searched it and thus it is heare it and know thou it for thy good Iob 5. vlt. Learne thou therefore in nothing to bee carefull but in all things to make thy request knowne vnto God with giuing of thankes Phil. 46. And if any man lacke wisedome to know what to doe in affliction let him aske it of God who giueth liberally and reproacheth no man Iam. 1. 5. CHAP. V. How the godly may comfort themselues against reproaches HItherto of the comforts against all outward afflictions in general Now it followeth that I instance in reproaches and aduersaries For reproaches it is euident there is neede of consolations more specially against them because naturall men stumble at it when they see Religion censured and scorned and it hardens many men when their hearts are infected with this preiudice that they heare this way euery were ill spoken of Sometimes men are dismaied at the disgrace of sincerity in the generall Sometimes they are troubled for what they themselues doe suffer or may bee in danger to suffer Sometimes the weak are scandalized when they heare or see what others suffer And it is manifest that the best men haue beene put to a great plunge when they haue beene laden with reproaches This makes Ieremy so vnquiet Ier. 18. 18 â—…1 Now there are many wayes by which a Christian may establish his owne heart against all the scornes and reproaches of the men of this world First If they consider that God takes notice of all the wrongs of that kind done vnto them Thus Dauid O Lord thou hast knowne my reproch and my shame and my dishonour mine aduersaries are all before thee Ps. 69. 19. It easeth his heart but to talke with God and tell him that he knowes his dishonour Secondly It is an increase of the comfort if wee further consider that God fauours vs and accounts vs deare and honourablt whatsoeuer the wicked thinke of vs And in this argument the Lord himselfe pleades withall Esay 43. 4 5. If Gods Face shine vpon his Seruants what cares Dauid for all the reproches of all sorts of
receiue vs into euerlasting habitations Luk. 16. An vnprofitable life is attended with a seruile feare of death 6. It would master this feare but to force our selues to a frequent meditation of death To learne to dye daily will lessen yea remooue the feare of dying Oh this remembring of our latter end and learning to number our daies is an admirable rule of practice It is the forgetfulnesse of death that makes life sinfull and death terrible Deu. 32. 29. Psa. 90. 12. And wee should begin this exercise of meditation betimes Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth Eccles. 12. 1. This is that is called for when our Sauiour Christ requires vs and all men so to watch and here in lay the praise of the fiue wise Virgins Matth. 25. 3. Thus Iâ—…b will waite till the time of his change come Iob 14. 14. And of purpose hath the Lord left the last day vncertaine that we might euery day prepare It were an admirable method if we could make euery day a life to begin and end as the day begins and ends 7. Lastly because yet we may find this feare cumbersome and our natures extremely deceitful there is one thing left which can neuer faile to preuaile as farre as it is fit for vs and that is hearty prayer to God for this very thing Thus Dauid prayes Psal. 39. 4. and Moses Psal. 90. 13. and Simeon Luke 2. 19. And in as much as Christ dyed for this end to deliuer vs from this feare wee may sue out the priuiledge and by prayer striue with God to get it framed in vs. It is a suite God will not deny them that aske in the name of Christ because it is a thing that Christ especially aimed at in his owne death To conclude then wee haue prooued that it is possible to be had and most vncomely to want it and likewise the way hath beene shewed how both by meditation and practice this Cure may be effected If then it be not wrought in any of vs we may here finde out the cause in our selues For if wee would hereby be soundly aduised and ruled we might attaine to it all the dayes of our life to sing with the Saints that triumphant Song mentioned both in the Old and New Testament Oh death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victory so as we are now the conquerors through him that loued vs and gaue himselfe to death for vs euen Iesus Christ the righteous to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost bee all praise in the Churches throughout all ages for euer AMEN FINIS The Contents of this Treatise 2. The contents of the second booke 3. The Contents of the third booke 4. The Contents of the fourth booke 5 The contents of the fift booke * Touching tâ—… Treatise of the Principles reade the Aduertisement printed at the end of the Rules of Life pag 640. 6 The contents of the last booke Whom these Treatises concerne 〈◊〉 to the sâ—…y of tâ—…se 〈◊〉 Generall directions by way of preparation 2 3 4. Note The course to be rid of sinne Motiues 3 Things he must be resolued of in his iudgement 1 2 3 If we do 4 things wee are râ—…d of the danger of all sins past 1 Make a Catalogue of thy sins How our sins are innumerable Look to a things The proof 2 Secondly thou must confesse thy sinnes particularly in the best words thou canst Note The proofes 3. Thirdly thou must seek godly sorrow not giue outr till thou feele thy heart melt within thee How it may bee attained 4. Fourthlâ—… thou must thâ—… lay hâ—…ld vpon the promises distinctly 〈◊〉 Sorts of promises How this may bee done Note 1. A taste of the 〈◊〉 hapâ—…e of sâ—…ch as haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…arte 2. 3. 4. 5. How thâ—…se promises are to bee vsâ—…d How wee may know whether our confession bee tighâ—… 1. 2. 3. 4. Note this well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. This direction concernâ—…s three sortâ—… of men Other vsâ—…s of the Catalogue Tâ—…e misery of such as will not bâ—… 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thâ—…ir 〈◊〉 1. 2. 3. 4. The first sâ—…rt of sin Originall sinne Ignorance Procrastination Vainglory Security Incorrigiblenesse Carnall feares Hypocrisâ—…e Selfe-loue Luke warmnesse Vnchearefulnesse Inconsideration Inconstancy 1. Naturall Atheisme 2. Epicurisme 3. Defects 4. 〈◊〉 of our affections 5. 4 Sorts of pride 6. How many waies men sin against Gods mercy 7. 8. 9. 10. Offences against the fâ—…re of God 11. Offences against the trust in God 12 1. Not worshipping The aggrauations 2 Will worship The aggrauations 3. Idoll worshipping Sins in any part of Gods worship 1. Sinnes in hearing 2. Sinnes in Prayâ—…r 3. Sins abouâ—… the Sacraments of â—…he Lordâ—… Supper 4. About swearing More secret offâ—…nces against the Sabbath The open breaches Note The sins 1. Of wiues 2. Of husbands 3. Of children The aggrauations 4. Of Parents 5. Of seruants The aggrauations 6. Of Masters 1. Of subiects 2. Of Magistrates 1. Of hearers 2. Of Ministers 1 By omissi on The aggrauations 2. By commission 1. Enuie 2. Anger 3. Hatred 4. Worldly sorrow Sinnes externall 1. In gesture 2. In words The aggrauations 3. In wâ—…rks Sinnes against the body Sinnes against the soule The means of vncleannesse 1. In witnesse bearing 2. Lying The aggrauations 3. Slandering The aggrauations 4 Censuring 5. Vainglory 6. Flaterie 〈◊〉 Sins against Christ. 2. Sinnes against repentance The aggrauations 3. Sinnes against Faith The aggraâ—…ations 4. Against the graces of the Spiriâ—… Two Catalogues of signes The shorter Catalogue handled in this Chapter 1 He auâ—…ides the company of the wicked 〈◊〉 Hee is sâ—…rrowfull for his sin 〈◊〉 Hee is â—…hroughly reformed â—…n his con â—…ersation 4 He maketh conscience of lesser â—…ns as well as greater 5 Hee loues preaching 6 He esteemes the goâ—… aboue all men 7 He is carefull of the sancti fication of the Sabbath 8 He is not in loue with the world 9. He loues his enemies 10. He is constant in good courses though opposed 11. He serues God in his family The occasion of this Treatise The signes refâ—…rred to six heads The infallibility of the signes 3. Wâ—…ies to find out the signes of a godâ—…y man in Scripture â—…6 Signes of true humiliation 1. Hee sees his sinnes 2. He feares Gods displeasure 3. He trusts not vpon the merits of his own workes 4. Hemours For all sorts of sins For sin as it is sinne As much as for crosses 5. And for the sinnes of others 6. And for spirituall iudgemeÌ„ts 7. And is moued 8 And â—…ee is eased onely by spirituall meanes 9 And is carefull to learne how to be saued 10 And is fearefull of being deceiued 11 And earnestly desires to lead an holy life 12 And trusts vpon Gods mercy in his griefe 13 And is in loue with God if he heare his praiers 14 And daily iudgeth himselfe for his sinne 15 And prayers in the holy Ghost 16 Desiring to be rid of
THE MARROVV OF THE ORACLES OF GOD. OR Diuers Treatises containing Directions about sixe of the waightiest things can concerne a Christian in this life By N. BIFIELD late Preacher of Gods Word at Isleworth in Middlesex The seuenth Edition LONDON Printed by Iohn Legatt and are to bee sold by P. Stephens and C. Meredith at the golden Lyon in Pauls Church-yard 1630. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND most Noble Ladie the Ladie Lucie Countesse of Bedford MADAM THESE ensuing Treatises hauing receiued their birth at seuerall times being but little Ones sought them seuerall Guardians to protect them being now all ioyntly to goe into the world together to seeke entertain ment they humbly present themselues vnto your Honour beseeching your generall protection and your noble admission to doe you and your Noble Family their first ioynt-seruice and from thence they are contented to beare their aduenture for their entertainment abroad in the world And the rather am I emboldned thus to end them with this Petition to your Honour because in the first conception of them in the publike Doctrine you were pleased to conceiue so good hope of them as to desire the profit of their seruice as they should be 〈◊〉 and fitted thereunto As they are mine they are worthy of little respect but as they haue receiued spirit and life from the heauenly Word and will of God so they are meete to attend your most retired presence and to be trusted with the charge of your greatest treasure not doubting of your Honours noble and religious respect herein I desire to remaine Your Honours Chaplaine in the things of Iesus Christ â—…o serue you euer N. BIFIELD THE BEGINNING OF THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST OR A Catalogue of sinnes Shewing how a Christian may finde out the euils he must take notice of in his Repentance With Rules that shew a course how any Christian may be deliuered from the guilt and power of all his sinnes By N. BIFIELD late Preacher of Gods Word at Isleworth in MIDDLESEX Lament 3. 40. Let vs search and try our wayes and turne againe vnto the Lord. LONDON Printed by Iohn Legatt and are to bee sold by P. Stephens and C. Meredith at the golden Lyon in Pauls Church-yard 1630. THe Contents of all the six Treatises thou shalt finde in the first Chapter of the first Booke TO THE MVCH HONORED LADIES the Ladie ANNE CLEERE and the Ladie ANNE PINCH and the Ladie IONE HERICKE N. Bifield wisheth all increase of the true grace of Christ and the blessed fruition of the glory of God in heauen Worthie Ladies LAmentable are â—…he ruines into which the natures of men are generally fallen by their sinnes which appeares especially by the waies men take in the businesse of their soule The most men are cleane out of the way to heauen and walke in by wayes of their owne which are called in Scripture The waies of the wicked The waies of their owne hearts Peruerse waies Darke and slipperie wayes The way of iniquity All meeting in that broad way that leadeth to destruction being wholly ignorant of the way of life and peace yea the most of them speake euill of the good way of God and persecute it Some there are that are so farre enlightned as not to like the common roade way of the multitude and after some enquirie haue found them out wayes that seeme good in their owne eyes and they are wonderfully well pleased with their course but the issues of these wayes are death too as well as the former And the more is this danger increased vpon men because the way of life is but one and it is a narrow way and hard to find and may be sought by many and yet not found Yet this hope is left vnto forlorn men that there is a way to heauen and happines A way of righteousnesse and peace a way of mercy and truth a way of wisedome A way that men may securely and safely walke in a way in which Christ will guide theÌ„ God the Father will keepe them and the holy Ghost leade them by the hand and direct them in all the passages thereof Onely it concerneth vs to aske the way with all importunitie of God and to attend vnto the directions of the Word of God apply our hearts and suffer our selues to bee disposed aright that our eyes may see the saluation of God And in particular wee must looke to three things First that if the Lord shew vs that mercy to direct vs in the way we must take heede that wee neglect not or despise notthe care of walking in the way Second ly that with all diligence we auoide going about and make straight stops to our feet And thirdly with all feare watch our selues that we fal not off with the errors of the wicked from the good way of God and so our latter end be worse then our beginning I haue vndertaken by the assistance of God and the direction of this blessed word to single out the choisest things I could finde in the Scriptures concerning the entrance into the way of God and those first path which are called Holy Thâ—… substance of these directions I haue digested into the Treatise following which I dedicate vnto your Ladiships as a testimonie of my thankfulnesse for the respect you haue shewed vnto my Ministerie both in your constant resort vnto it in the weeke dayes while you liued in a neighbour Parish and in that two of you are pleased to come to liue amongst vs and so are become a part of my charge As also to manifest to the world my obseruance of your Ladiships for the good report you haue amongst the godly for the grace of Iesus Christ and your vnfeigned loue of the truth Beseeching your Acceptation Perusall and Patronage of these I take my leaue and commend your Ladiships to the God of Mercie and Truth who guide comfort deliuer sanctifie and preserue you all vnto the day of Iesus Christ. Your Ladiships to be commanded in Iesus Christ N. BIFIELD Febr. 12. 1619. The chiefest things contained in the first Booke CHAP. I. THE Contents of all the sixe Treatises briefely set downe pag. 1. to the 7. The persons whom those Treatises doe concerne p. 8 Encouragement to the studie of these things p. 8. to 11 Generall directions by way of preparation p. 11. 14. CHAP. II. THe Rules that shew distinctly what men must doe about their sinnes p. 14. to 36 Motiues to perswade to the care of these Rules p. 15 Three Rules of preparation pag. 16. 17 Foure things deliuer vs from all sinnes past p. 17 About the gathering of the Catalogue of sinnes p. 17 About the confession of our sinnes p. 22. to 24 About sorrow for our sinnes and how â—…t may be attained p. 24. to â—…7 About the application of the promises and how it may bee done p. 27. to 3â—… The speciall promise made to such as have-confessed and sorrowed for their sinnes p. 29. 30 How men may know
I haue likewise out of the Scripture gathered the rule of Life which will shew him distinctly how he should carrie himselfe towards God and towards men in all parts of his life how hee should behaue himselfe at home and abroad in company and out of company c. and all this shewed him by the expresse words of the Scriptures In the fifth place if a man aske himselfe what yet he wants that is necessarie for his state he may and ought to bethinke himselfe of this question What are those necessarie truths which God hath absolutely tied him to know and beleeue without which he cannot bee saued and which are fundamentally needfull for him To this end I haue collected a fift Treatise called the Principles which are an extract out of all the Doctrine of religion of such truths in euery part of religion as a man is bound of necessitie to know And this I haue not onely proued by Scripture but shewed what vses hee may put such knowledge to all the dayes of his life The sixt and last thing which ought to bee enquired after is how a man thus fitted to liue the life of God may also bee cured of the feare of death and to this end I haue published that Treatise of the Cure of the feare of Death which shewes plaine and comfortable wayes how any Christian may deliuer his heart from those feares I suppose that no man that readeth this will conceiue that any of these is needlesse And as I would aduise such Christians as abound with abilitie and lâ—…isure to furnish themselues with the labours of such worthy Diâ—…ines as haue written of any of those subiects so vnto such Christians as haue not that abilitie or leysure I commend these Treatises both for their breuity and the distinct digesting of the things he would seek after there being nothing of mine in these but the labour of disposing them the maine substance of them being Gods owne Word and things deuised and inuented by God himselfe I may lawfully commend the care and study of these things vnto thee and that with so much authority from the Lord as to tell thee that thou maiest not safely bee negligent in any of these if thou consider the worth of them or thy owne nâ—…ed If thou say that here is prescribed a hard tasâ—…e and so many things are to bee done as may make any man afraid to mâ—…ddle with directions of such variety and number I answer that in many of these Treatises the way is not made harder then is required or in the doctrine of the Church manifested but rather things are made more plaine and so more easie Besides thou knowest already that the way to heauen is a narrow and straight way and fâ—…w find it But especially thou shouldest weigh with thy selfe the great encouragements and motines to abide the hardship and difficulties of any godly and necessary course Though the way to Canaan with the Israelites were through a solitary wildernesse yet it should comfort thee that it is but a way of three dayes as they say being about to get out of Egypt God will keepe thee at worke but a little time and therefore thou shouldst not thinke much of thy paines And further thinke of it that this is a course of wonderful comfort and safety when a Christian followes the euident directions of Gods Word in these most weighty things he walks safely He is in the good way the way of life the way of peace he is sure to see the saluation of God To follow those directions soundly is to keepe our soules All Gods waies will be mercy and truth to vs. God will cause vs to heare his louing kindnesse in the morning Our way will be full of refreshing Gods waies are wayes of pleasure and if any man set himselfe exactly to take notice of Gods will in these things and will be at paines to store his heart distinctly in such solid truths it is certaine the Lord will recompence his way vpon him God will not cast away the exact man till he fill his mouth with laughter as it is said Iob 8. 20 21. Sure it is that in the study of these things lyeth the way of eternity and though thou thinke the way to be hard and narrow yet this may somewhat case thee it is a plaine way For the simple may profit by it as is auouched to bee true of all the courses which God by his Word so expresly required Psal. 119. Isaiah 26. 7. 52. 16. Prou. 8. And besides thou hast many helpes the word of God will not only shew thee what to dâ—…e but it will beget in thee a secret power to doe it God will teach thee to profit and the Spirit of God will helpe thy infirmitie and God will send his Angels to guide thee in thy way Christ will be the Way and the Life to thee And thou hast good company for this is the old way the way of all Gods seruants in the substance of the course Onely before thou set vpon any of these directions let mee giue this generall aduice to looke to these few things First thou must giue ouer and forsake vngodly company for else it is in vaine to meddle with any religious course as these places will shew thee Psal. 1. 1 2. Prou. 4. 14 15. 9. 6. 23. 19 20 29 27. Psal. 26. 2 Cor. 6. Secondly thou must get thee into the way of good men prouide for thy self â—… if it be possible the fellowship and societie of godly persons Prou. 2. 20. Isai. 19. 23 24 25. For this fellowship will take away the tediousnesse of the way and much preserue thee against giuing ouer and their examples will bee as patternes for thee and by acquaintance with them thou wilt be brought into acquaintance with God himselfe Isaiah 16. 23 24. 2 Cor. 6. 16 17 18. Prou. 2. 20. Thirdly thou must remember to pray vnto God by all meanes to direct thee and shew thee the way in all these things thou must beg a way of God and beseech him to remoue from thee all lying and deceitfull wayes Ezra 8. 21. Psal 119. 26. Ier. 2. 33. Fourthly thou must when thou comest to Gods directions lift vp thy soule and giue not way to thine owne carnall reason and the sluggishnesse of thy owne nature and the deceitfulnesse of thy owne heart but let the Lord see thou art willing to doe any thing thou canst Psal. 143. 8. Bring a mind desirous to obey in all things By any meanes take heed thou be not like those complained of Isaiah 58. 2. that haue a great mind to know Gods wayes and to read all sorts of directions as if they sought righteousnesse in a speciall manner of care and yet do not follow any of the courses they so much desire to knâ—…w seeme to commend and like If euer thou wouldest haue thy soule to dwell at
faults in others and to be guilty of great offences himselfe Mathew 7. 5 In vain-glorie and minding too much our owne praises And so also he offends That boasteth of a false gift Prou. 27. 1. That iustifieth himselfe ouermuch Iob 35. 2. That boasts of to morrow Prou. 17. 1. That measures himselfe by himselfe 2 Cor. 10. 12. 6. In flatterie Psalme 12. 3. Prou. 27. 14. and 26. 26. 7. In iustifying the wicked Prou. 17. 15. and 24. â—…4 CHAP. XIII HItherto of the sinnes with consent of the will The sinnes before consent of the will are 1. To want desire of the good and well-fare either of himselfe or other men 2 To conceiue euill thoughts Matth. 15. 19. or couer euill 3. To delight in the inward contemplation of euill whether in dreames or awake though it bee without purpose to act them outwardly Iude 8. Iames 1. 14. Hitherto of the sinnes against the Law CHAP. XIIII Shewing how many wayes men offend against the Gospel THe sinnes against the Gospel may bee referred to foure heads as they are sinnes Against Christ. Against Repentance Against Faith Against the graces of the Spirit 1. He sinnes against Christ That saith he is Christ Math. 24. 5. That denyeth directly or by consequent that Christ is come in the flesh 1 Iohn 4. 3. and 2. 23. That hath base thoughts of Christ Esay 53. 3. That saith hee hath no sinne 1 Iohn 1. 7 8 10. That worships God without Christ Iohn 17. 3. 1 Iohn 2. 23. That vseth not Christ as his own and onely Aduocate 1 Ioh. 2. 2. 1. Tim. 2. 5. That loues not the Lord Iesus Christ with inflamed affections 1 Cor. 16. 22. Eph. 6. 24. Philip. 3. 8. 2 Hee sinnes against repentance That confesseth not his sinnes without hiding distinctly Prou. 28. 13. Psalme 32. 5. That mourns not for his sins Ier. 5. 3. That forsakes not his sinnes Prou. 28. 13. Yea hee sinnes against repentance That repents fainedly Ieremi 3. 10. That repents desperately as Cain and Iudas That repents too late Iob 27. 8 9. That repents by halues and in some things onely as Ahab and Herod That falls away from his repentance 2 Peter 2. 19 20. The aggrauations are To be wise to do euill Ier. 4. 22 To pursue euill Prou. 11. 19. To reioyce in doing euill and make a mocke of sinne Prouerbs 2. 14. and 14. 9. To be without shame and to declare his sin like the Sodomites Esay 5. 9. Ier. 3. 3. To be incorrigible Ier. 5. 3. To fret because hee is crossed in sinne Prou. 19. 3. To blesse himselfe against the curses of the Law Deut. 29. 19. To freeze in security Zephan 1. 12. To refuse to returne 3. He sinnes against Faith That beleeues not in Iesus Christ for his iustification and saluation Iohn 3. 17. Yea he offends That is carelesse and neglects the assurance of Faith Heb. 6. 12. Rom. 1. 16. That in affliction doubts of Gods fauour and goodnesse Esay 41. and 49. 14 15. The aggrauations Not to seeke after God at all Zeph. 1. 6. Not to stir vp our selues to take hold on God when mercy is offered Esay 64. 7. Not to answer when God calls Esay 50. 2. To forsake our owne mercy or scoffe at the signes of it Iohn 2. â—…8 4. He sinnes against the graces of the Spirit 1. That receiues the grace oâ—… God in vaine 2 Cor. 6. 1. 2. That turnes the grace of God into wantonnesse Iude 4. 3. That falls away from the grace of God either wholly by forsaking the acknowledgement of the truth 2 Peter 2. 20. Or in the same measure by losing his first loue Reuel 2. 4. 4. That tempts grieues or quencheth the Spirit Eph. 4. 30. 1 Thess. 5. 19. 5. That despites the Spirit of grace and of malice persecutes the knowne truth which is the sinne against the Holy Ghost Hebrewes 10. 26. FINIS THE SPIRITVALL TOVCH-STONE OR THE SIGNES OF A GODLY MAN Drawne in so plaine and profitable manner as all sorts of Christians may try themselues thereby Together with directions how the weake Christian by the vse of these Signes may establish his assurance By N. BIFIELD late Preacher of Gods Word at Isleworth in MIDDLESEX 2. Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selues whether ye be in the Faith proue your selues Know ye not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except yee bee Reprobates LONDON Printed by Iohn Legatt and are to bee sold by P. Stephens and C. Meredith at the golden Lyon in Pauls Church-yard 1630. TO THE MVCH HONORED LADIES the Ladie Ruth Scydamore increase of peace and ioy in beleeuing HOw great the benefit of assurance of Gods fauour and of our owne saluation is those onely know that are either scourged with the conflicts and terrors of their owne doubtings or that are solaced and established with the sweet dewes of refreshing that arise from a rooted â—…nd well grounded Faith If men studie assurances so much for their outward possessions in this world how much more earnest and diligent should men be to assure Gods loue and the inheritance of the glory to come There is not a clearer signe of a prophane heart then to account these cares needlesse nor doe I know a iuster exception against any religion then that it should teach that when a man hath done what he can to obserue the directions of that Religion yet he cannot be sure he shall goe to Heauen But since I know that all that are possessed of the grace of Iesus Christ doe account assurance great riches I therefore conceiue hope that my paines about this subiect will not be altogether vnacceptable and the rather because in this present Treatise I haue endeauoured to expresse the signes of triall in a much more easie way then before and besides haue added directions that shew how a weake Christian may establish himselfe in his assurance I make bold to dedicate my new assay herein vnto your Ladiship You haue heard the substance hereof preached and receiued it with much gladnesse and in the priuate vse of these signes you haue beene pleased to professe to the glory of God that you haue found much contentment and establishment of your owne assurance Your eminencie in the sincere profession and practise of true Religion and the shining of the graces here treated of long acknowledged by many witnesses haue made you worthy to bee publikely obserued and praysed in the Churches of Christ and your great respect and fauour shewed to mee hath made this way of testifying my thankefulnes but as a small pledge and assurance of my desire to doe your Ladiship any seruice in the things of Iesus Christ. Thus beseeching God to enlarge the comforts of his Spirit in your heart and to prosper you in all things that concerne the blessed hope of the appearing of Iesus Christ our mighty God and Sauiour â—…end and rest Your Ladiships to be commanded N. BIFIELD CHAP. I.
Describing the godly man by such signes as discouer him to the obseruation of other men THe signes of the true Christian that hath true grace in this world and shall be saued in Heauen when he dies may be cast into two Catalogues The one more briefe the other more large The one Catalogue of signes describe him by such markes as for the most part doe outwardly distinguish him amongst men The large Catalogue 〈◊〉 intend especially as a more infallible and effectuall way of triall as containing such signes as for the most part are not obserued by other men or not fully but are knowne to himselfe and can bee found in no reprobate For the first Catalogue the true Christian vsually discouers himselfe by these markes First he will not haue fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse he will not walke in the counsell of the wicked nor stand in the way of sinners He will not sort himselfe with workers of iniquity Psalme 1. 1. and 26. 4 5. 2 Cor. 6. Secondly Hee will afflict and humble his soule for his sinnes mourning and weeping for them till the Lord be pleased to shew mercie and forgiue him He doth account his sins to be his greatest burthen He cannot make a mock of sinne c. Thirdly He labours to be holy in all parts of his conuersation watching ouer his owne waies at all times and in all companies Ps. 50. 23. Esay 56. 1. 2. Peter 3. 4 Fourthly he makes conscience of the least commandements as well as the greatest auoyding silthy speaking and vaine iesting and laciuiousnesse as well as whoredome lesser oathes as well as the greater reprochfull speeches as well as violent actions c. Fiftly hee loues and esteemes and labours for the powerfull preaching of the word aboue all earthly treasures Sixtly he honours and highly accounts of the godly delights in the company of such as truely feare God aboue all others Psal. 15. 4. Seuenthly hee is carefull of the sanctification of the Sabbath neither daring to violate that holy rest by labour nor to neglect the holy duties belonging to Gods seruice publike or priuate Esay 56. and 58. Eighthly hee loues not the world neither the things thereof but is more heartily affected in things that concerne a better life and so doth in some degree loue the appearing of Christ. Ninthly He is easie to be intreated hee can forgiue his enemies desires peace and will doe good euen to them that persecute him if it lye in his power Mat. 5. 44. Tenthly Hee goeth on in the profession of the sinceritie of the Gospel and doth such duties as he knoweth God requires of him in businesse of his soule notwithstanding the oppositions of prophane persons or the dislike of carnall friends c. Eleuenthly He setteth vp a daily course of seruing God and that with his family too if hee haue any and exerciseth himselfe in the word of God as the chiefe ioy of his heart and the daily refuge of his life calling vpon God continually c. CHAP. II. Shewing the generall diuision of the signes and the wayes how the signes were found out THus of the shorter Catalogue of signes Now it followes that I proceed to those infallible markes of Election and Saluation And whereas I haue diuers yeeres since published a Treatise which I called Essayes or Signes of Gods loue and mans saluation Hauing obserued that diuers haue accounted the manner of setting the Signes downe somewhat obscure in diuers parts of the Booke I will now by Gods assistance for the helping of the weakest Christians in this Treatise endeauour to expresse my selfe in this Doctrine of the tryall of a true Christian estate in a more plaine and easie course of exâ—…mination and leaue both the former Treatise and this new Catalogue vnto the blessing of God and the free choise of the godly Reader to vse which hee findeth most agreeable to his owne taste being both such as are warranted and founded vpon the infallible euidence of Gods vnchangeable truth In this proiect then I consider of the triall of a true Christian sixe wayes First in his humiliation Secondly in his faith Thirdly in the gifts of his minde with which he is qualified Fourthly in the workes of his obedience Fiftly in the entertainment he hath from God Sixtly in the manner of his receiuing of the Sacraments In all which hee differs from all the wicked men in the world so as neuer any wicked man could finde these things in his condition which are true of the weakest Christian in each of these signes And that the true Christian may not doubt of his estate hauing found these signes in himselfe let him consider the proofes annexed to each signe and that nothing may bee wanting to his aboundant consolation I will tell him how I found out these signes and by what grounds I proceeded There are three sorts of places in Scripture as I conceiue which do point out the grounds of infallible assurance in those that can attaine vnto them as first such places as expresly doe aâ—…firme that such and such things are signes As for example 1 Ioh. 3. 14. Hereby we know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren Here the holy Ghost shewes vs expresly that the loue of the brethren is a signe by which a Christian may know that he is translated from death to life and so the Apostle Paul giues signes to know whether their sorrow were after God or no 2 Cor. 7. 11. So doth the Prophet Dauid Psalme 15 giue diuers signes by which the man that shall dwell in Gods holy hill may be knowne So the Apostle Iames tells vs how wee may know the wisedome from aboue by reckning the fruits and effects of it Iames 3. 17. So doth the Apostle Paul tell vs how we may know whether we haue the Spirit of Christ in vs or no Rom. 8. 9 15 c. Gal. 5. 22. and 4. 6 7. Secondly I find out signes by marking what graces in man the promises of God are made vnto For thus I reason Whatsoeuer gift of God in man brings him within the compasse of Gods promises of eternall mercie that gift must bee an infallible signe of saluation But such are such and such gifts as the instances in diuers Scriptures shew And therefore the man that can finde those gifts in himselfe shall bee certainly saued As for example The Kingdome of heauen is promised to such as are poore in spirit Mathew 5. 3. From thence then I gather that pouerty of spirit is an infallible signe The like I may say of the loue of the Word and of vprightnesse of heart and of the loue of God and the loue of the appearing of Christ c. Thirdly I finde out other signes by obseruing what godly men in Scripture haue said for themselues when they haue pleaded their owne
as to submit himselfe to what he shall finde therein required to be beleeued or done or auoided Other rules he may finde in the directions for the priuate reading of the Scriptures as also in Rules of life Thus of sauing Knowledge That thou maiest inflame in thy heart the loue of God 1. Thou must auoid with speciall care these things First Forgetfulnesse of God Thou must not dare to go whole daies or weekes without communion with God or remembring his holy presence Secondly the loue of the World We cannot loue the Father while our hearts dote vpon any earthly thing Of necessity some degree of the contempt of the world must be bred in vs before we can loue God 2. Wee must labour for a distinct knowledge of the dreadfull prayses of Gods Nature and Workes as they are described in the Scriptures or may be obserued by experience This is a needfull direction and miserably neglected 3. VVe must frequent his house especially when his glory doth shine in the power of his Ordinances in his Sanctuary 4. Wee should especially studie the mercies of God and all the good things hee hath promised or giuen vnto vs that wee may after a solid manner cause our hearts to know how infinitely we stand bound to God 5. Wee should obserue carefully and daily our owne sinfulnes and vilenesse and vnworthinesse For vnlesse wee cast out selfe-loue wee shall neuer get in the true loue of God 6. Wee should pray much for an holy course in prayer doth breed in men a wonderfull loue of God and admiration of that fellowship which thereby they haue with God 7. We should resort often to such as vse to speake much of the praises of God and marke the experience of Gods wonderful prouidence or the glory of his Word 8. It will much further the loue of God to get and increase in vs a louing respect of and behauiour towards such as feare God and beare his Image Thus of the loue of God Concerning the loue of the brethren two questions may bee demanded The one what wee must doe to get a hearty loue to the godly and the other what we must doe to preserue it when it is gotten For the first hee that would heartily bee affected towards all the godly with a brotherly loue must obserue these Rules 1. Hee must not haunt with vicious persons nor goe with dissemblers nor hold needlesse society with such as hate godlines and godly persons Psalme 26. 4 5. 2. He must much meditate of Gods loue to him and of the great things were done by Iesus Christ and of those rich mercies are offered him in Christ and of the wonderfull loue that God and Christ do beare to true Christians and how glorious they shall be in the kingdome of heauen The arguments taken from Gods loue to vs or Christs suffering for vs are often vsed in the first Epistle of Iohn to perswade vsto the loue of the brethren as 1 Iohn 4. 8 9 10 11 12. Psalme 16. 2 3. 3. Hee must take notice of Gods peremptory commandement who requireth this of him as one principall duty that hee loue the godly with an vtter disclaiming of him if hee doe not loue them 1 Ioh. 3. 10 11 12 13. For the second That he would continue and increase and abound in loue 1. He must seeke and hold and not forsake the fellowship that he hath with the godly in the Gospel but make them the constant companions of his life Heb. 10. 25. 2. When he finds his affections stirred vp he must make vse of all opportunities by his deeds to shew the fruits of his loue vpon all occasions of mercie and well-doing else affections will dye in him The fruits of righteousnesse must be sowed by practise 1 Ioh. 3. 18. If affection bee onely in shew or in words or in the conceptions of the heart and be not expressed and made fast by the engagements of practise it will much decay if not wholly be lost 3. He must by all meanes take heed of discord with any of them striuing with a resolution to take things in the best part to beleeue all things and endure all things suffering long without enuy or reioycing in iniquity doing all things without reasonings or murmurings or censuring or complaining auoiding vaine ianglings and selfe-conceitednes begging of God an ability to beare with the infirmities of others See further directions about this point in the Rules of Life CHAP. IX Hitherto of the directions that concerne the attainment of the sacred gifts of the minde Now it followeth to shew what thou must doe that in all thy wayes thou mightest walke vprightly and attaine vnto sound sincerity of heart and life HEE that would walke vprightly or take a sound course to continue in his vprightnesse must earnestly looke to these rules 1. If thou haue beene guiltie of any grosse sinne know it is vnpossible thy heart should bee vpright till thou haue with speciall repentance humbled thy selfe before God for that sinne and that also by conscionable practise thou keep thy selfe from the great transgression Psalme 19. 13. 2. Thou must in a speciall manner watch and striue against hypocrisie and that intwo things chiefly First that in thy setting out into religion thou fashion not thy course more to get credit then grace Secondly that in Gods seruice thou by all meanes auoide distractions and so resist and checke thy pronenesse of heart thereunto iudging thy selfe seuercly when thou so offendest till thou bee able in some happie degree to serue God with thy spirit as well as with thy body The habit of dissembling with God is extremely dangerous 3. In thy conuersation take heed of that feare full carelesnesse of the most 〈◊〉 shewed in the knowne and wilfull practice of sinne vpon pretence that it is but a small offence or secret Take heed of the sinnes of deceit how gain of all so euer they might be to thee thou maiest together with vprightnesse lose the kingdome of heauen for daring so wilfully to breake one of those little commandements Math. 5. 19. Take heed in generall of a stiffe and wilfull heart they are seldome vpright that are heady and peremptory and hard to bee perswaded Iam. 3. 17. Prou. 21. 29. Heb. 2. 4. 4. As much as may bee accustome thy heart to the obseruing of Gods presence walke as before him Gen. 17. 2. 5. Yeeld thy selfe ouer to bee wholly guided by Gods Word Without knowledge the minde cannot be good Prou. 19. 2. and hee that walketh according to this rule shall haue peace in his heart and conscience Gal. 6. 16. Let Gods Law be the light for thy seete and the lanthorne for thy paths Psal. 119. Labour therefore to get a particular warrant for the lawfulnesse of thy practice in the occasions of thy calling either generall or particular where thou doubtest enquire so shalt thou walke in
therfore thy case is the more comfortable because thou feelest the weight and burthen of thy sinnes as the places of Scripture following most euidently and comfortably shew namely Psalme 34. 15. The eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares are open vnto their cry Math. 11. 28 29. Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and heauy laden and I will ease you Takemy yoke on you and learne of me that I am meeke and lowly in heart and you shall find rest vnto your soules Ierem. 31. 25. For I haue satiate the wearie soule and I haue replenished euery sorrowfull soule And their soule shall bee as a watered garden and they shall haue no more sorrow the latter part of the 12. verse c. Esay 63. 9. In all their troubles he was troubled and the Angel of his presence saued them In his loue and in his mercy hee redeemed them and he bare them and carried them alwaies continually Psalm 31. 21 22. Blessed be the Lord for hee hath shewed his maruellous kindnesse towards mee in a strong Citie Though I said in my haste I am cast out of thy sight yet thou heardest the voyce of my prayer when I cryed vnto thee Psal. 103. 9. He will not alwayes chide neither keepe his anger for euer Ob. But I offend daily Sol. That is cleerely answered in Gods promise For he saith he will multiply pardon or abundantly pardon Esay 55. 7. Ob. But I find I grow worse then I haue beene my heart is much out of order Sol. If there be an heart in thee desirous to returne there is comfort also against this distresse The Lord will heale thy backe-stiding if thou take vnto thee words to confesse thy falling away Hosh. 14. 2 3 4. Behold saith the Lord I will bring it health and cure and I will cure them and reueale vnto them the abundance of peace and truth Ieremie 33. 6. There is healing in the wings of the Sonne of righteousnesse and yee shall goe forth and grow vp as the Calues of the Stall Malachy 4. 2. Ob. But I am extremely burthened with my ignorance this is a continuall grieuance vnto mee Sol. There are many comforts against ignorance 1. It is a speciall promise of God in the new Couenant that he will write his Laws in thy heart and hee will make thee to know the Lord Thou maist goe boldly to the Throne of Grace to beg further illumination of the Spirit of God This is one of the suits God cannot deny 2. God hath promised to leade thee by a way which thou hast not knowne Hee will preserue thee by his knowledge though thou bee vnacquainted with the way thy selfe He that lede his people from Babel to Sion when they scarce knew a foote of that long way wil leade thee in the straite way from Earth to Heauen if thou seeke a way of God as they did Esay 42. 16. 3 We haue such an High Priest as knowes how to haue compassion on the ignorant He that required that propertie of the High Priest in the Law will much more expresse it himselfe Hebrewes 5. 1 3. 4. This must be thy glory and the crowne of reioycing that though thou be ignorant of many things yet thou knowest God and Christ crucified and this is eternall life Iohn 17. 3. 5 The Ministers of the Gospel are ours and therefore if wee attend vpon the Word and continue in it we shal know the truth their instructions shall bee daily distilled into thy heart like drops of raine 1 Cor. 322 23. 6 The anointing thou hast receiued shall teach thee all needfull things and leade thee into all truth 1 Iohn 2. 27. 7 There is a seed of heauenly doctrine cast into thy heart which shall euen remaine in thee It is indelible it cannot be blotted out 1 Iohn 3. 9. 8 Lastly Knowledge is the gift of Christ and as wee know that he is come so we beleeue that he will giue vs vnderstanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true euen in his Sonne Iesus Christ this is the true God and eternall life I Iohn 5. 20. Ob. But we want or haue lost the meanes of knowledge our Teachers are taken frem vs. Sol. It is true Where vision faileth the people faint but yet 1 After God hath giuen you the bread of affliction and the water of aduersity hee will restore Teachers and no more restraine instruction Esay 30. 20. 2. Though thou see no way of helpe yet thou knowest not how God can prouide He can open Riuers on the tops of mountaines and he maketh the wildernesse a standing poole when his people thirst and cry vnto him Esay 41. 17. 18. 3. If ordinary meanes faile and bee denied God will then supply of his Spirit make that meanes which is left to suffice for thy preseruation and building vp Philip. 1. 19. Now that there may bee the more abundant support vnto our hearts in this case of infirmities I will open two places of Scripture that doe meet with the most obiections of our hearts The first is Exodus 34. 6 7. where the Lord proclaimeth the goodnesse of his nature that all men may take notice of it and giue him the praise of his rich grace where hee so describeth the Lord that in his titles hee giueth an answer to many obiections 1. If thou say thy infirmities may alienate the Lord from thee He answers that he is Iehouah alwayes the same vnchangeable Hee will not alter his loue towards thee but loue thee to the end and for the more assurance he repeated that title twice because he knowes we most doubt of that and haue most need to be succoured with that argument as the foundation of all our comfort 2. If thou say thou hast strong inclination to sinne or strange temptations or great impediments or many aduersaries and discouragements Hee answers that hee is God or strong to signifie that nothing shall hinder the worke of his grace towards thee but hee will keepe thee by his power and maketh his grace sufficient for thee 3 If thou say Hee is of pure eyes and cannot but discerne thy faults and sinne is sinne in the sight of God He answers That he is mercifull 4 If thou say Thou deseruest no such mercy He answers That he is gracious and doth not stand vpon desert He will shew mercy not because thou art good but because he is good 5. If thou say The daily repeating and renewing of thy sinnes may prouoke him though hee be mercifull and gracious He answers That hee is long-suffering 6 If thou say Thou hast many defects and wants to bee supplyed He answers That he is full of goodnesse 7 It thou say Thou art ashamed of thy ignorance which is more then can be conceiued Hee answers That he is abundant in truth to supply thy defects and to performe his promise though thou haue but a little faith 8.
If thou say Thou doest beleeue that God is all this vnto some men and that Abraham and Dauid and others that were in great fauour with God haue found all this But for thy selfe thou art so vile a creature and so meane a person as it is not for thee to expect such great things of God He answers That hee keepes mercy for thousands He hath not spent all vpon Dauid or the Patriarks or Prophets or Apostles or Martyrs or Ministers but he hath an Ocean of goodnesse still to be shewed without respect of persons to al that come vnto him for mercy 9. If thou yet say Thou art guiltie of diuers sorts of sinnes and that it is not one offence onely but many that lye vpon thee and some of them such as thou darest not name they are so vile He answers that he forgiues iniquitie transgression and sinne that is all sorts of sinnes of nature of weaknes or of presumption 10. If any other should say this is a doctrine of liberty and may embolden men to sinne Hee answers to that hee will by no meanes cleare the wicked those are fauours onely hee will declare to the penitent that are weary of their sinnes and would faine â—…ffend no more 2. The second place is Ezek. 36. 25. to the 37. where many obiections are euidently answered the consolations being fitted of purpose so as euery word almost preuents some doubt might arise in mens minds as 1. Ob. I am exceeding lothsome and a creature extremely filthy in respect of my sinnes Sol. I will powre cleane water vpon you that is I will wash your soules in the fountaine of my grace and both forgiue you and sanctifie you 2. Ob. Oh it cannot bee that any meanes should doe me good I am so totally defiled Sol. Ye shall be cleane it is easie for God to cleanse vs it is our owne vnbeleefe hinders vs God hath promised our cleansing 3. Ob. O but my sins are great and grosse sinnes I haue offended more grieuously then other men Sol. From your Idols and from your filthinesse will I cleanse you though thy sinnes were as great as idolatry in the first Table or whoredome in the second yet God can forgiue and sanctifie thee 4. Ob. But my nature is so bad that if I were forgiuen I should offâ—…nd againe Sol. A new heart will I giue thee Where God forgiues our sinnes he giues vs another disposition and change our natures verse 26. 5. Ob. O but I am so ignorant I cannot but offend Sol. A new spirit will I put within you Hee will giue vs vnderstanding and wisedome 6. Ob. But I am so dull and hard-hearted that I am not sensible of my owne distresse and wants and cannot bee affected with the excellency of the goodnesse or promises of God Sol. I will take away the stony heart out of your body God will cure vs of hardnesse of heart 7. Ob. But if my heart were softned and that I had some feeling it would grow hard and senslesse againe Sol. I will giue you an heart of flesh 8. Ob. O but if all this were done for me yet I know not how to order my selfe and what to do to goe on in a religious course of life Sol. I will put my Spirit within you verse 27. 9. Ob. If the Lord do giue me his Spirit yet I feare I shall not be ruled by it but offend and grieue the Spirit of God through ignorance and want of strength Sol. I will cause you to keepe my statutes and yee shall keepe my iudgements and doe them The Lord will worke our workes for vs and teach vs to obey and giue vs power to doe what hee commandeth 10. Ob. I finde a maruailous vnfitnesse in the very things of my outward estate Sol. Yee shall dwell in the land the Lord will blesse vs in outward things as well as in spirituall 11. Ob. But when I come to vse the creatures me thinks I see such vnworthinesse in my sâ—…e that I am almost afraid to meddle with them Sol. I gaue the land to your fathers you hold these outward blessings not by your deserts but by my gift and my gift is ancient I bostowed these things on your fathers 12. Ob. It may be so our fathers were in couenant with God and more eminent men and more worthy then we Sol. Ye shall be my people and I will be your God Gods couenant of grace is with the fathers and their generations after them if he haue bene the fathers God he will be thy God also and thou shalt be of his people 13. Ob. O but I finde such daily sinnes and I am polluted in euery thing I do I am many waies vncleane Sol. I will also saue you from your vncleannesse God will multiply pardon he will forgiue vs and comfort vs against our sinnes after calling 14. Ob. But how shall I beleeue all this for I see God hath plagued vs by famine scourged vs with great want which still lies vpon vs. Sol. I will call for the corne and increase it and lay no more famine vpon you and I will multiply the fruite of the trees and the increase of the field c. 15. Ob. But there is no condition on our part Sol. Yes for all this shall bee done vnto you when you remember your owne euill wayes and your doings that were not good and shall lothe your selues for your iniquities and for your abominations These comforts belong to vs when we are throughly displeased with our selues for our faults And besides for all this must the Lord be sought vnto we shall obtaine all or any of these but we must aske first verse 31. 37. CHAP. XIII Shewing how a godly man may comfort himselfe against the feare of falling away HItherto of the comforts against our daily infirmities The consolations against the feare of our falling away follow We may three wayes comfort our selues against this feare namely if we consider God or Christ or our selues 1. In God there are two things of excellent obseruation both of them exprest in the Scriptures The first is that he hath vndertaken to preserue vs from falling away The second shewes vs distinctly how he will performe this For the first that God will keepe vs from falling away wee haue foure things to assure vs. First the promises of God directly to that end for he assures vs that his Elect shall enioy the worke of their hands and shall not labour in vaine Esay 65. 22 23. The smoking weeke shall not bee quenched nor the bruised reed broken Esay 42. 3. Not one of them shall bee lacking in the whole flocke Ierem. 23. 4. God will build them and not plucke them downe he will plant them and not pull them vp Ier. 24. 6. He will confirme vs in and to the end that wee may bee blamelesse in the day of our Lord Iesus Christ for God is faithfull who hath called vs to the fellowship of his
to be able to attaine these skills how much more ought man to bee at the paines yea and cost too if it were required to get this admirable Skill to liue a religious life This most gainefull subiect is intreated of in this little Volume I may truely say that almost euery sentence in this little Treatise leads vs to much and rich treasure if the promises belonging to each dutie were annexed thereunto And therefore no Christian that loues his owne soule should thinke much of the paines of learning or practising these Rules I shall not need to exhort your Ladiship to the hearty care of those things you haue beene taught of God long since to profit haue learned Iesus Christ as the truth is in him your sincere profession and practise hath many witnesses and since you beleeued the Gospel of Saluation and were sealed by the Spirit of promise you haue a Witnesse within your selfe which will not faile in life or death to plead your aboundant consolation When I intreate of pietie righteousnesse mercie and temperance I intreate of things you haue aboue many profited in I haue presumed to dedicate these Directions to your Ladiship and not without reason You haue heard the preaching of them with speciall attention and haue bin a principall perswader to haue them published for the common good Being many wayes bound to acknowledge your Ladiship amongst my best hearers and friends I cannot but beseech your Ladiship to accept of this small testimonie of my vnfained obseruance of your many prayses in the Gospell and as a pledge of my thankefulnesse of all your workes of loue to mee and mine The God of Glorie and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ make you abound yet more and more in all the riches of his grace in this life and fill you with the comforts of the blessed hope of the appearing of Iesus Christ. Your Ladiships in the seruice of Iesus Christ to be euer commnaded N. BIFIELD THE Contents of the whole Booke Chapter 1. page 441. to the 448. THe Scope of the whole Booke is to shew briefly the choysest Ruâ—…s of life of all sorts Some obiections against this course answered and the warrant and profit of it shewed The easinesse of the course with some generall Directions Chap. 2. p. 448. to 470. THe Rules are either generall or particular The generall Rules concerne either the helpâ—…s to an holy life or the manner of well-doing Hee that would prepare himselfe to an holy course of life must doe diuers things and auoide diuers things The things he must doe are these 1. He must bee sure hee hath repeuted and doth beleeue 2. He must get knowledge how to doe well and that he may attaine knowledge 1. He must esteeme it 2. He must not consult with flesh and blood 3. He must redeeme the time 4. Hee must bee wise for himselfe 5. He must be swift to heare 6. He must study onely profitable things 7. He must striue to increase in knowledge 8. Hee must propound hâ—… doubts 9. He must be rightly ordered towards his Pastor to pray for him and obey him and not discourage him 3. Hee must auoid ill companie 4. Hee must resolue to practise these rules 5. Hee must order his outward calling so as he be freed from all needlesse incumbrances 6. He must keepe companie with such as doe liue well 7. He must not be a seruant of man 8. He must accustome himselfe to the thoughts of the comming of Christ. 9. He must not regard what the multitude doth 10. He must carefully remember to be in all things thankefull to God 11. He must studie to be quiet 12. He must be carefull to go on in a direct course 13. He must reade the Scriptures dayly 14. He must be carefull to preserue his first loue 15. He must especially striue for such good things as would make him more excellent in his place and calling 16. He must be often in the duties of mortification 17. He must obserue the opportunities of well-doing 18. He must be carefull of keeping the Sabbath 19. He must often meditate of the examples of the godly that excell in holinesse 20. He must daily pray God to direct him Chap. 3. p. 470. to 475. THus of what ee must doe what he must auoid followes and so he must take heed 1. Of 〈◊〉 2. Of rashnesse 3. Of carnall confidence 4. Of â—…asting to be rich 5. Of distrustfull fâ—…ares 6. Of adding to or taking from the Word of God 7. Of contempt of reproofe 8. Of beholding of vanitie 9. Of the beginnings of sinne Chap. 4. p. 475. to 491. NIne things to bee euer in our minds that in generall concerne the manner of well-doing for in all good workes wee must shew 1 1. Zeale 2 2. Sinceritie which hath in it Truth Respect to all Gods commandements A right end Obedience without obiâ—…cting Obedience in all companies 3. Constancie when wee doe good Without wearinesse Without discouragement Without resistance Without wauering Without declining 4. Feare 5. Simplicitie which is To rest vpon the word for the forme of holinesse and happinesse To be harmelesse To be simple concerning euill To loue goodnesse for it selfe To be meeke and lowly minded So to feare God as not to enuie the wicked 6. Circumspection which hath in it A respect of lesser commandements Abstaining from appearance of euill Obseruation of the circumstances of things Vnrebukeablenesse Auoyding euill when good might come of it 7. Growth which hath in it Abounding in goodnesse Finishing of holinesse Progresse 8. Moderation to bee neither iust nor wicked ouermuch which is expounded at large Chap. 5. p. 491. to 499. THus of the generall Rule the particular rules concerne either God or other men or our selues Our whole dutie to God concernes either his loue or his seruice The loue of God must be considered either in the foundation of it or in the exercise of it The foundation of the loue of God is the knowledge of God The Rules about the knowledge of God concerne either the right conceiuing of his Nature or our acquaintance with God That we may conceiue aright of the Nature of God 1. Wee must cast out all likenesses 2. We must striue to conceiue of him according to his speciall praises in his Word 3. Wee must bring with vs the faith of the Trinity 4. Wee may helpe our selues by the thinking of the Godhead in the humane Nature of Christ. 5. We must get cure for Atheisticall thoughts That we may be acquainted with God 1. Wee must prepare our hearts 2. We must begge acquaintance by prayer praying with all our hearts and early and constantly 3. Wee must giue our selues to God Chap. 6. p. 499. to 515. THus of the foundation of the loue of God the Rules that concerne the exercise of our loue to God either shew vs how to manifest our loue to God or how to preserue it We manifest our loue to God 1. By auouching him
to bee our God 2. By prouiding him a place to dwell with vs. 3. By louing Iesus Christ. 4. By walking with him which hath fiue things in it 5. By honouring God and we honour him By seeking his kingdome first By open profession of his Truth By grieuing for his dishonour By directing all our actions to his glory By suffering for his sake By honouring such as feare him By hating his enemies By speaking of his truth with all reuerence By free-will offerings By praising him where diuers Rules 6. By trusting in him and this trust in God we shew By relying vpon his mercie for our saluation By committing all our workes to his blessing By beleeuing what he saith By staying vpon him in all distresses praying to him and casting our care vpon him and relying vpon his helpe Without leaning to our owne vnderstanding Without murmuring Without feare Without care Without vsing ill meanes 7. By obeying him In the manner also of our manifesting our loue to God wee must doo it 1. With feruencie 2. With feare and our feare of God we shew By awfull thoughts of God By departing from euill By all reuerence of minde By not fearing men By remembring his presence By trembling at his iudgements By humilitie in the vse of his Ordinances By the reuerend vse of his very Titles Chap. 7. p. 515. to 522. THus of the manifestation of our loue to God for the preseruation of our loue to God 1. We must separate our selues from all others to be his 2. We must beware that we forget not God 3. Wee must edifie our selues in our holy faith 4. Wee must pray in the holy Ghost 5. We must waite for the comming of Christ. 6. Wee must seeke his speciall presence in his Ordinances 7. We must preserue the Truth he hath deliuered to vs. 8. Wee must studie his praises 9. Wee must study to reioyce in God which containes in it 4. things where eight rules to obtaine this ioying in God Chap. 8. p. 522. to 525. THus of our loue to God his seruice followes and the rules about the seruice of God concerne either the parts of his seruice or the time of it The rules that concerne the parts of Gods worship and either generall to all parts or speciall Nine things to be remembred in all parts of Gods worship 1. Preparation 2. Godly feare 3. Penitencie 4. Griefe that others serue not God 5. That all be done in the name of Christ. 6. Precedencie before other businesses 7. That wee serue him with all our hearts 8. Desire to please him 9. Detestation of what might draw vs from his seruice Chap. 9. p. 525 to 531. THe speciall Rules concerne either his publike seruice or the particular parts of his seruice Vnto the publike seruice All must come With speciall reuerence And zeale and this zeale to be shewed sixe wayes And with our consent With speciall gladnesse before God And trusting in his mercie And thankefulnesse for all successes Chap. 10 p. 531. to 536. THe speciall parts of Gods worship are 1. Hearing where the rules concerne vs. 1. Before hearing A resolution to deny our owne wits and affections A meeke and humble spirit 2. In the time of hearing Speciall attention Prouing of the doctrine 3. After hearing 1. Meditation 2. Practice Chap. 11. p. 536. to 543. 2. THe Sacraments which are either Baptisme or the Lords Supper Concerning Baptisme wee haue diuers things to doe 1. About our children to present them to Baptisme In due time In faith With thankefulnesse 2. About our selues to make vse of our owne Baptisme In case of doubting In the case of temptation to sinne where our Baptisme serues for vse three wayes In the case of doubting of our perseuerance 3. About others to acknowledge the Baptized Chap. 12. p. 543. to 546. COncerning the Lords Supper we are charged with 1. Examination 2. The discerning of the Lords Body 3. The shewing forth of the death of Christ. 4. The vowes of louing the godly 5. Reconciliation 6. Vowes of holy life Chap. 13. p. 547. to 550. 3. PRayer about which the Rules are 1. Thy words must be few 2. Thy heart must be lifted vp which hath three things in it vnderstanding freedome from distractions and feruencie 3. Thou must vse all manner of prayer 4. Thou must perseuere in prayer 5. Thou must be instant without fâ—…inting or discouragement 6. With supplications for all sorts 7. In all things thou must giue thankes Chap. 14. p. 550. to 554. 4. REading the Scriptures the rules are 1. Reade daily 2. Meditate of what thou readest 3. Conferre vpon it 4. Resolue to obey Chap. 15. p. 554. 555. 5. Singing of Psalmes the rules are 1. Teach one another by Psalmes 2. Sing with the heart 3. Sing with grace 4. Make melody to the Lord. Chap. 16. p. 555. to 558. 6. VOwes the rules are 1. Before thou vow consider 2. When thou hast vowed defer not to pay 7. Swearing the rules are 1. Sweare not by any thing which is not God 2. Sweare in truth 3. Sweare in iudgement 4. Sweare in righteousnesse Chap. 17. p. 558. to 560. 8. FAsting the rules concerne 1. The strictnesse of the abstinence 2. The humbling of the soule Chap. 18. p. 560. to 566. HItherto of the parts of Gods worship The time followes which chiefly is the Sabbath and the rules about the Sabbath concerne 1. The preparation to it End thy worke Auoide domesticall vnquietnes Cleanse thy selfe 2. The celebration of it where is prescribed 1. Rest from all worke 2. Readinesse and delight 3. Care and watchfulnesse 4. Sinceritie to be shewed By doing Gods workes with as much care as our owne By obseruing the whole day By ausiding the lesser violations of the Sabbath 5. Faith by trusting vpon his blessing 6. Discretion Chap. 19. p. 566. to 570. HItherto of the Rules that concern our carriage towards God Towards man followes and so either towards all men or towards some men The Rules that order vs in our carriage towards all men concerne either righteousnesse or mercy The Rules that concerne righteousnesse either order vs in company or out of company In company we must be ordered either in respect of Religion or the sinne of others or the way how to carry our selues inoffensiuely For matter of Religion looke to it 1 That thou take not vp the name of God in vaine 2 That thou auoid vaine ianglings about doubtfull disputations or curious questions or vnprofitable reasonings 3 If thou be asked a reason of thy hope answer with all reuerence and meekenesse 4. Let thy communication bee yea yea and nay nay Chap. 20. p. 570. to 574. AS for the faults of others 1. Iustifie not the wicked nor condemne the righteous 2. Conuerse without iudging 3. Walke not about with tales 4. Reprooue but hate not 5. Passe by frailties 6. Giue soft answers Chap. 21. p. 574. to 582. THat thou mayest conuerse inoffensiuely thou must looke to three things
better affections CHAP. I. Containing the Preface which shewes the drift warrant profit and vse of the ensuing Treatise THE only thing intended in this Treatise is to collect for thy vse Christian Reader those directions scattered here and there in the Scripture which may throughout the whole course of thy life tell thee what thou must do in the right order of thy conuersation how thou shouldest behaue thy self towards God and how thou shouldest carry thy selfe towards men in all the occasions of thy life in company out of company in all duties either of righteousnesse or mercie and how thou shouldest dispose of thy selfe in affliction and out of affliction at all times And thou maiest bee the more encouraged to studie and practise these rules because thou hast the most expresse and apparant word of God to warrant and require thy obedience herein Be not so profane as to thinke that heere is more to doe then needs or that I burthen the liues of Christians with a multitude of vnnecessarie Precepts and so make the way harder then it is For I require thy obedience in nothing thou hast not reason to be perswaded to be enioyned thee by the pure Word of God and thou must know to the confusion of thy securitie that he that will walke safely must walke by rule Gal. 6. 16. He is yet in darkenesse and walkes on in darkenesse and sees not what he doth or whither he goeth that doth not make the Word of God the light vnto his sect and the Lanterne vnto his paths Ps. 119. There is an holy order of life commended in the godly Col. 2. 5. And Gods promises are made to such as will dispose of their whole wayes aright A loose conuersation is an ill conuersation and if euer we would see the saluation of God we must be at the paines to dispose of our wayes and to see to it that wee dispose of our wayes aright Psal. 50. vlt. The benefit thou maiest reape by this Treatise is much euery way if the fault bee not in thy selfe for here thou maiest briefly behold the substance of a godly life thou maiest in a short time informe thy knowledge in that great Doctrine of practicall Diuinitie But especially thou maiest by the helpe of this Treatise see a sound way how to beautifie thy owne conuersation with the addition of diuers rules which perhaps hitherto thou hast not taken notice of God hath promised much peace and comfort vnto such as will walke according vnto rule Gal. 6. 16. Yea he hath promised that they shall see the saluation of God that dispose their way aright Psal. 50. vlt. It is true it is a greater labour to trauaile in the way then to shew it but yet it is a greater benefit to bee shewed the way Howsoeuer it may not bee denied but it is a greater glory to obserue these Rules then to know them or prescribe them It may be thou wilt obiect that the Rules are so many thou canst neuer remember them and so not profit by them I answer If I haue made the Rules no more in number then God hath made them in his Word thou mayest not finde fault with me Secondly No man that is to learne any Trade or Science but he meeteth with more directiōs then he can on the suddain reach to or practise and yet he reiects not his Trade or Science because in time hee hopes to learne it all Would we put on a resolution to serue a Prentiship to Religion and to worke hard one seuen yeeres Oh what worke would we dispatch How many Rules and knowledges would we grow skilfull in But alas after many yeeres profession of Christianitie the most of vs if all were put together haue not done the worke that might haue beene done in few dayes Thirdly I answer that it is not necessarie thou shouldest lay all these Rules before thee at once but marke out certaine choise Rules so many as thou canst well remember and striue by daily practise to bring thy selfe to some kinde of dexteritie in obseruing them There bee some Rules of each kinde which if thou bee a true Christian thou knowest and obseruest alreadie These thou mayest continue to obserue still without loading thy memory about them Now if those be omitted then consider of the rest that remaine which of them do most concerne thee or would most adorne thy practice and profession or are such as thou neuer hitherto didst make conscience of Extract or marke out so many of those at that time as thou wouldest in daily practice striue to attaine and when thou hast learned them then goe on and prescibe to thy selfe new Lessons To a carnall mind all the way of godlinesse is impossible but to a godly and willing mind all things through the power and assistance of God are possible God will accept thy desire and endeuour and will adde strength and might and encourage thee in all his wayes By prayer thou mayest forme any grace in thee by reason of the power the Lord Iesus hath to preuaile for any thing thou dost aske the Father in his name The last benefit may come to thee if thou daily reade these directions is that they wil quicken thee to a great care of weldoing and giue thee cause to walke humbly with thy God and abase thy selfe for thine owne insufficiencie The Lord giue thee vnderstanding in all things and vnite thy heart vnto his feare alwayes that thou mayest obserue to doe as hee commandeth thee and not turne from the good way all the dayes of thy life CHAP. II. Containing such Rules as in generall men must take notice of as preparations and furtherances to a godly life THE Rules of a holy life may be cast into two rankes the first containing such rules as are Generall and the other such as are Particular The generall rules are likewise of two sorts some of them concerne certaine generall preparations helpes or furtherances to an holy life without which men in vaine beginne the cares or endeuours of a reformed life And some of them comprehend those necessarie rules which are to bee obserued in the manner of doing all holy duties and so are of singular vse to bee alwayes remembred when wee goe about any seruice Of the first sort there are many rules for they that will addresse themselues to order their conuersation aright must be soundly carefull in the obseruation of these directions following 1 Hee must examine himselfe about his faith and repentance he must be sure hee is reconciled to God and hath truely repented himselfe of his sinnes 2 Cor. 13. 5. For vnlesse he be a new creature he is no creature but a dead man and so vtterly vnable for the practice of these rules following And without God wee can doe nothing and without God wee are till we liue by faith Besides the pollution of our hearts or liues drawne vpon vs by the custome of
must doe it in the name oâ—… Christ Col. 3. 17. Sixtly in euery seruice of God wee must as neere as it may bee giue God the first prayse preferring the respects of God and his worship before our selues or the regard of others wee must serue him betimes seeking God in the first places Iob 8. 5. Matth. 6. 34. Psal. 5. 3. Seuenthly when wee doe any seruice to God wee must doe it with all our hearts with as much willinguesse as may be so as it may appeare that wee loue to be his seruants as the Prophets phrase is 1. Sam. 16. 7. 1. Chron. 28. 9. Esay 56. 6. Eightly in all seruice wee must striue so to serue God that wee may please him not onely carefull to doe tâ—… dutie but carefull of Gods acceptatiâ—… 〈◊〉 good duties being chiesâ—… carefull to see Gods approâ—…ation not caring so much for the prâ—…ise of â—…as as the praise of God â—…n eâ—…ery part of Gods worship our praise mâ—…st be of God anâ—… not of men Heb. 12. 28. Rom. 2. 29. Ninthly wee must cleane to God with detestation of all things oâ—… persons that might aâ—… way draw vs away from his sâ—…uice Deut. 13. 4 5. CHAP. IX Shewing how we should carry our selues in Gods house HItherto of the Rules to be obserued in all parts of Gods worship generally The speciall Rules concerne either Gods publike worship in his house or else the particuâ—…ar parts of Gods worship each by themselues The godly Christian ought with all care to lay before him the Rules that binde him to the good behauiour in Gods house and to striue to fashion his nature and practice as may become the glorie of Gods publike seruice and presence and so there be diuers things which in a speciall manner he must looke to in performing Gods publike seruice For coÌ„cerning these publike duties these rules must be obserued First that all sorts and degrees of men must appeare before God publikely to do him homage and seruice None must be spared or freed men women and children must all take notice of it that they are bound hereunto Deut. 31. 11 12. Secondly we must come our selues with all possible reuerence and looke to our feete when we enter into the house of God and striue to shew before all men our most carefull respect of God and his holy Ordinances For God will be sanctified in them that come nigh him and he lookes for it at our hands by our reuerent behauiour to be glorified before all the people Leu. 10. 3. Eccl. 5. 1. Wee should then shew a most holy feare of Gods name and presence Psal. 5. 7. Thirdly in publike duties that of the Prophet Dauid should be true of vs The zeale of Gods house should eate vs vp Ps. 69. 9. and this speciall zeale we should shew 1. By louing Gods house aboue all the places in the world Our hearts should be fired in vs in thâ—… respect that we may truly say with Dauid O how I loue thy house Psal. 2â—… 8. 2. By confirming our owne hearts in a resolution to resort to Gods house with ioy and gladnesse notwithstanding the scornes oppositions of worldly men and persons 3. By stirring vp others with all importunitie to goe vp with them to worship God in Sion Esay 2. 2. 4. By making haste to Gods worship going to the house of God with the first and with willing hearts with an holy thirst after the meanes flocking and flying thither as the clouds or as so many doues to their windowes Zach. 8. 22. Psal. 110. 3. Esay 35. 1. and 60. 8. 5. By forwardnesse and chearefulnesse in contributing towards the maintenance of Gods house and seruice in the meanes thereof Esay 60. 8 9. 6. By grieuing heartily because other men neglect or contemne the house of God and haue no more minde to keepe Gods law Psal. 119. 136. Thus of that speciall zeale we should shew about Gods publike worship Fourthly wee should in all publike duties serue God with one consent and one heart There should appeare in Gods seruants a wonderfull desire of vnanimity and concord They should serue the Lord with one shoulder that when they speake to God it may be as the voice of one man when the Lord speakes to them they should heare with one heart It is a maruellous glory in Religion when people can come once to this to serue the Lord with one shoulder Zeph. 3. 9. Lastly in the 52. Psalm v. 8 9. wee may gather three other rules which in a speciall manner fit vs for a right behauiour in Gods house First we should alwayes be as greene Oliue trees in the house of the Lord. Howsoeuer it goe with men in the world yet when wee come before the Lord our hearts shall reioyce and reuiue and our spirits be fresh cheerfull and our affections should be healed of all the cares or distempers were before in them Gods Ordinances should haue such a power ouer vs as to make a sudden fresh spring of desires and holy thoughts in vs. There is this power in the Ordinances of God to effect this if the fault be not in vs I meane when these Ordinances are exercised in the power and life of them Secondly wee must trust on the mercie of God bringing an heart readie to beleeue euerie good Word of God resoluing that if the Lord will speake comfortably to his seruants wee will not dishonour his consolations through carelesnesse or vnbeliefe but receiue them with all our hearts and establish our selues in the safe-keeping of his good Word Thirdly wee must resolue to be thankefull with all tendernesse for all experiences of Gods presence and goodnesse toward vs in the meanes vowing with Dauid to praise him for euer for them And if the Lord doe withhold his power and presence for a time so as we feele not the effectualnesse of his ordinances yet wee should resolue without distemper to waite vpon the Lord and obserue him according to the seasons of his grace CHAP. X. Rules that order vs about hearing of the Word THus of the rules that wee must obserue in all publike seruice of God Now there bee certaine speciall rules which must bee particularly heeded in each part of Gods worship by it selfe And first I will begin with those rules which wee must more specially obserue in hearing the Word of God and these are of three sorts 1. Some bind vs to the good behauiour before wee come to heare 2. Some at the time of hearing 3. Some after we haue heard 1. Before we come to heare wee must bring with vs two things 1. A resolution to deny our owne wits reasons opinions and conceits and emptie our heads of all perswasion of our owne skill to iudge in the things of the kingdome of God being ready to beleeue and thinke in all things as God shall teach vs out of his Word Wee must be fooles that we may be wise
Ioel 1. 2. Leuit. 16. 29. Secondly the time must bee spâ—…t in religious duties as a Sabbath especially in the exercises that concerne the humiliation of the soule in renewing of our repentance for the obtaining of pardon of sinne or some speciall blessing of God or the preuenting or remoouing of some great iudgement of God The former rule concernes onely the ceremony or outward exercise of the body but this rule containes the substance of the dutie without which a religious Fast is not kept vnto God who regardeth not the hanging downe of the head like a bull-rush if the soule be not humbled before God for sinne Leuiticus 16. 29. Ioel 1. 14. and 2. 16 17. CHAP. XVIII Rules about the Sabbath HItherto of the Rules that concerne the parts of Gods worship The rules that concerne the time of Gods worship follow and this time especially is the Sabbath Day Now the rules that binde vs to the good behauiour concerning the Sabbath concerne either the preparation of the Sabbath or the manner of performing holy duties on the Sabbath The preparation to the Sabbath containes in it these things First the ending of all our works on the sixe dayes as God did his Gen. 2. 2. This example of God is set downe not onely to shew what he did but to prescribe vnto vs what we should doe as is manifest by vrging this example in the reason of the commandement We must then take order to finish the works of the weeke dayes with such discretion that neither our heads bee troubled with the cares of them nor our hands tempted to worke about them on the Sabbath Day Secondly the preuenting of domesticall grieuances and perturbations Leuit. 19. 3. Ye shall feare euery man his mother and his father and keepe my Sabbath Discords and contentions and heart-burnings in the members of the family extend their infection and hurt euen to the prophaning of Gods Sabbath The Lord lookes not to be serued aright in his house if people liue not quietly and louingly and dutifully in their owne houses Thirdly we must cleanse our selues that wee keepe the Sabbath Nehemiah 13. 22. Which place though it speake of Legall cleansing yet it shadowes out that Morall and perpetuall care of cleasing our selues that ought euen to be found in vs. And thus we do cleanse our selues when we humble our selues that we may walke with God confessing our sinnes euen the sinnes of the weeke past and making our peace with God through the name of Iesus Christ. Thus of the duties of preparation Now for the manner of keeping the Sabbath the rules prescribe vnto vs these things 1. Rest from all your works whether they be works of labour or workes of pleasure Works of labour the Scripture instanceth in such as are selling of victuals Nehemiah 13. 15. Carrying of burthens Ier. 17. Iourneying from our places Exod. 16. 29. the businesse of our callings done by our selues our children seruants or cattell which the words of the Commandement forbid And as workes of labour so also workes of pleasure are forbidden Esay 58. 13. 2. Readinesse and delight We should loue to be Gods seruants on this day Esay 56. and consecrate it with ioy as a glorious priuiledge to vs Esay 58. 13. abhorring wearinesse or a desire to haue the Sabbath gone and ended Amos 8. 3. Care and watchfulnesse We must obserue to keepe it Exod. 31. 16. wee must take heed to our selues that no duty bee omitted and that wee no way prophane it attending our hearts and our words Ier. 17. 21. 4. Sinceritie and this sinceritie wee should shew diuers wayes First by doing Gods worke with as much care as we would do our owne or rather shewing more care for the seruice of God They had their double sacrifices on the Sabbath in the time of the Law and we should studie how wee might please God in especiall manner on that day choosing out the things that might delight him God hath taken but one day of seuen for his worke and shall wee not doe it willingly Further if we respect our selues shall wee not bee as carefull to prouide for our soules on the Sabbath as for our bodies on the weeke dayes 2. By obseruing the whole day as well as a part and keepe the Sabbath in our dwellings as well as in Gods house God requires the whole day and not a part As wee would be contented our seruants should worke for vs onely an houre or two in the sixe daies so neither should we yeeld lesse vnto God then we require for our selues Nor will it suffice to serue God by publike duties in his House vnlesse we serue him also by priuate duties in our owne dwellings Commandement 4. Leuit. 23. 3. 3. By auoiding the lesser violations of the Sabbath as well as the greater especially not transgressing of contempt or wilfulnesse in the least things we know to bee forbidden The Prophet instanceth Esay 58. 13. We must not speake our owne words Thus of sincerity 5. The fifth thing required of vs is Faith wee must glorifie God by beleeuing that he will make it a day of blessing vnto vs and performe that blessing he hath promised accepting our desire to walke before him in the vprightnesse of our hearts and passing by our infirmities and frailties Wee many times disturbe the rest and Sabbath of our soules by vnbeleefe Commandement 4. Gen. 2. 2. Exo. 31. 13. Ezech. 20. 20. 46. 2 5. 6. The last thing is Deprecation we must beseech God when we haue done our best to shew vs mercie and spare vs for our defects and weakenesses Thus we must end the day and reconcise our selues to God that the Rest of Iesus Christ may bee established in our hearts Nehe. 13. 22. And thus of the rules that bind vs to the good behauiour in respect of the time of Gods worship CHAP. XIX Rules that shew vs how to carrie our selues when we come into companie in respect of Religion HItherto of the Rules that concerne our carriage towards God Now it followes that I breake open those directions that should bring our liues into order in respect of men And these rules are of two sorts for either they are such as binde vs to the good behauiour towards all men or such as order our conuersation towards some men onely as they are considered to be either wicked or godly The rules that concerne all men may be cast into 2. heads as they belong either to righteousnesse or to mercy The rules that belong to righteousnesse order vs either in company or out of company The rules which wee are to obserue in company concerne either 1 Religion or 2. The sinnes and faults of others or 3. Our owne inoffensiue behauiour towards all men For the first when wee come in company we must be carefull to bee that which may become the glory of Gods truth and the Religion wee professe that weetake not vp the
6. we must giue to our power and sometimes beyond our power 2 Cor. 8. 2. we should desire to answer the expectation had of our bounty especially the expectation of our teachers that know vs and our estates 2 Cor. 8. 24. we should striue to abound in this grace also as well as in other graces of the Spirit 2 Cor. 8. 6. we should giue to seuen and also to eight Eccl. 11. 2. we must giue good measure yea and pressed downe Luke 6. 30. Fourthly Humility There is great vse of humility in shewing mercy Now we should shew our humility diuers waies about mercy As First in helping others without exalting our selues and domineering ouer them The rich must not thinke to rule the poore and to command them as if they were their vassals we should so shew mercy as not to stand vpon termes of their beholdingnesse to whom we shew mercy Prou. 22. 7. Secondly in not despising the poore wee must not thinke of them meanely and contemptuously because they stand in need of our helpe whether it bee in body or minde Prouerbs 14. 21. Thirdly in accepting exhortation shewing our selues willing to bee called vpon and stirred vp to mercie 2 Corinthians 8. 17. 4. By our penitencie when we goe to God after we haue done our best and confesse the corruption that cleaues vnto vs euen when we haue shewed our best desires to communicate to others and withall striuing to plow vp the fallow ground of our hard hearts that wee may bee more fit to expresse the bowels of mercie Hos. 10. 12. Fiftly the Macedonians shewed their humilitie in this that they prayed the Apostle to accept their gift giuing themselues also to bee disposed of to the Lord and vnto them by the will of God 2. Cor. 8. 5. Thus of the Humilitie to bee shewed in doing works of mercie A fifth thing required in shewing mercie is Faith and faith is needfull in two respects First to beleeue Gods acceptation of the mercy shewed For a godly Christian that is not vaine-glorious hath so meane an opinion of his best workes that hee finds neede to flie to Gods promises and da◅es not trust vpon his owne goodnesse Now God hath promised to accept of that we doe if there be a willing minde The will is accepted for the deed 2 Cor. 8. 12. Secondly to beleeue the successe and reward from God and that wee shall not lose by what is so expended Though the persons to whom we shew mercie should be so vngratefull that it were as bread cast on the waters yet we ought to beleeue that our seed cast on the waters shall bring vs a plentifull haruest Eccles. 11. 1. And it is certaine whatsoeuer the persons be yet what is giuen is sowed And if the Husbandman doe not thinke his corne spoiled that hee casts vpon his land no more ought a Christian to think that to be lost that is giuen to the poor Nature may disappoint the hope of the Husbandman but in workes of mercy there is no venture but a sure increase from the Lord 2. Cor. 9. 9 10. and therefore our faith should make vs get bags to put vp the certaine treasure wee shall gaine by mercy from the Lord Luk. 12. 33. A sixt thing required in shewing mercie is discretion and discretion should shew it selfe First by distributing our almes in the fittest course wee can hauing a principall respect to godly poore He that sheweth mercy ought to haue a good eye Prouerbs 22. 9. Secondly by obseruing our owne abilitie so to ease others that wee burden not our selues 1. Cor. 9. 14 15. Thirdly by taking heede that wee spend not vpon the rich by needlesse entertainments what oughtto be bestowed vpon the poore Prou. 2◅ 16. Luk. ◅4 13. Fourthly by auoiding scandall or giuing offence that no◅ blame vs in our abundance but prouiding things honest in the sight of God and men 2. Cor. 8. 20 21. yet so as we endeuour in an holy life and discreet manner to prouoke others by o◅zeale 2 Cor. 9. 2. A seuenth thing required in shewing mercy is Sympathie Pitty a Fellow-feeling of the distresses of others being like affectioned and laying their miseries to heart Heb. 13. 3. Col. 3. 1◅ Romans 12. 16. Iob. 30. 25. There should bee bowels in our mercie The last thing is Sinceritie Now this sinceritie should bee shewed diuers wayes As 1. In the matter of our almes It must be of goods well gottē For God hateth robbery though it were for burnt offrings Esa. 61. 8. 2. In the manner wee must shew mercie without wicked thoughts or griefe of heart Deut. 15. 7 8. to 12. and without hiding our selues from the poore Esay 58. 7. and without excuse to shift off the doing of it Prou. 24. 11 12. 3. In the ends That we doe not our workes to be seene of men or to merit of God but with an vnfained desire to glorifie God and make our profession to be well spoken of and shew the true loue and pitty wee beare to the creature in distresse Matth. 6. 2 Cor. 9. 19. 4. In continuing our mercy not forgetting to distribute but still remembring the poore Heb. 13. 16. Galath 2. soundly performing the◅ mercie with constancie which we haue purposed wil'd or promised It were an excellēt order if Christians would follow the Apostles rule Euery weeke as God hath prospered them to lay aside for the poore 1. Cor. 16. 2. 2 Cor. 8. 11. 5. In the kinds of mercy that we be ready to shew spirituall mercy as well as corporall and in corporall mercy to doe good all the waies wee can as well as one way As by lending protecting releasing visiting and giuing thus to the poore to such as are fallen into decay and to the strangers also as many Scriptures require CHAP. XXIIII Rules that shew vs how to carry our selues towards wicked men HItherto of the Rules that concerne all men now the particular rules direct our carriage either towards wicked men or towards godly men Our conuersation towards wicked men may bee ordered by these rules First we must auoid all needlesse societie with them and shunne their infectious fellowship especially wee must take heed of any speciall familiarity with them or vnequall yoaking our selues with them by marriage friendship or leagues of amitie Psalme 1. 1. 1 Cor. 6. 17. Ephes. 5. 7 11. Prou. 23. 20. 4. 14 c. Secondly when wee haue occasion to cōuerse with them we must studie how to walke wisely towards them so as we may be so farre from giuing scandall as if it be possible wee may winne them to glorifie God and his truth in our profession It requires much skill to order our selues aright in those things that are to be done in the presence of wicked men or in such things as must come by report vnto them and their scanning Now there are diuers things of admirable vse in our carriage to put
them to silence and to take them in their consciences at least to thinke well of vs Such as are 2. Mortification A sound care to reforme our wayes and true hatred and griefe for our owne sinnes will cause many times wicked wretches to say of vs that wee are the people of the Lord Esay 61. 3 8. I say a sound care of reformation for to professe a mortified life and yet in any thing to shew that we can liue in any fault without repentance this prouokes them exceedingly to speake euill of the good way of God Therefore the first care of a Christian that would be rightly ordered toward wicked mâ—…n must be to liue without offence and to discouer a true mortified minde and an heart broken for sinne Secondly to speake with all reuerence and feare when we intreate of matters of Religion much amazeth the prophane conscience of a wicked man whereas cursorie discourses of such grand mysteries emptie and vaine ianglings doe exceedingly occasion a confirmed wilfulnesse and prophanenesse in such men 1. Pet. 3. 16. and Prou. 24. 26. Thirdly it is a most winning qualitie in all our carriage to shew meekenesse of wisedome to expresse a mind well gouerned free from passions and also from conceitednesse frowardnesse affectation and the vaine shew of what wee haue not in substance For each of these haue in them singular matter of irritation and prouoke wicked men to scorne and hatred and reuiling Fourthly there is an holy kind of Reseruednesse which may adorne the life of a Christian in his carriage among wicked men and this Reseruednesse is to be shewed 1. In not trusting our selues too farre with them not beleeuing euery word not bearing our selues vpon euery shew of fauour from them For as too much suspition of them breeds extreme alienation if they perceiue it so credulitie is no safe way Prou. 14. 15. Ioh. 2. 24. 2. By abstaining from iudging of them that are without It is a most intemperate zeale that spends it selfe in the vaine and bootlesse censure of the estate of those that are without Those censures haue in them matter of prouocation and nothing of edification It were happy for some Christians if they could with the Apostle say often to their owne soules What haue I to doe to iudge them that are without 1 Cor. 5. 12 13. 3. By studying to be quiet and meddle with our owne businesse casting about how to cut off all occasions by which we might bee tangled with any discord or contention or much businesse with them It is a godly ambition to thirst after this quietnesse of life 1 Thess. 4. 11 12. 4. By our silence in euill times alwayes auoyding all such discourses as might bring vs into danger without any calling for our owne edification or the edification of others Many a man hath smarted sorely for want of this bridle for his tongue when his words could doe no good to others and much hurt to himselfe Amos 5. 13. Dauid held his peace while the wicked were present Psal. 39. 1. 5. In forbearing to reprooue scorners Prou. 9. 7 8. and 23. 9. 6. In seasoning their words with salt so as they discouer no vanitie lightnesse vainglory malice or desire of reuenge or the like faults in their speeches 7. In answering the foole but not according to his follie that is not in such pride passion or reuiling fashion as the foole obiects in Prou. 26. 4 5. 8. In getting out of their companie when wee perceiue not in them the words of wisedome If wee see they grow once to be peruerse outragious or wilfull in any notorious offence of words or workes we must get from amongst them Thus of the eight wayes wherein we should shew reseruednesse they are of excellent vse if men would studie them and practise them 5. Mercie is amiable euen in the eyes of wicked men and mercifull Christians that are full of good works doe bring a great deale of honour to religion It is true Religion and vndefiled to visit the fatherlesse and widowes and to be vnspotted of the world A conuersation that is vnrebukeable and full of mercie also cannot but be very honorable whereas Religion it selfe when it is â—…ated in the brests of such Christians as haue forgotten to shew mercy and not studie how to bee doing good to others is exceedingly darkened in the glory of it and many times extremely ill spoken of A true Christian should hold it a great disparagement that any Papist or carnall man in the world in equall comparison should put them downe for either the tendernesse or the abundance of workes of mercie 1 Peter 1. 12. Math. 15. Iames 27. 6. When we haue cause and a calling to speake for the truth or to reprooue sinne it is an excellent grace to bee vndaunted and free from sâ—…ruile feares or flattery To giue place to wicked men in Gods cause or to feare their faces in the quarrell of Religion or to shew a minde that would repent of wel-doing or that basely would stoupe some way to honour vngodly persons for our owne ends is so farre from gaining true fauour with euill-minded men that it makes them to scorne and hate vs and Religion so much the more whereas a godly man that is vnmoucable and refuseth to praise the wicked or iustifie the vngodly and when he hath cause will contend with them as Salomons Phrase is and not be like a troubled fountaine or acorrupt spring hee may for the time receiue ill words from the wicked but his heart is afraid of him and his conscience doth admire him Prou. 24. 25. and 28. 4. and 25. 26 1 Cor. 16. 22. 7. The like aduantage is brought to the conuersation of a godly man when he can shew like patience and firmenes of mind in bearing all sorts of afflictions and crosses Patience in affliction makes a great shew before a wicked man that well knowes how vnable he is so to carry himselfe 1 Pet. 3. 14. Lastly to loue our enemies and shew it by our suies in forgiuing them or being ready heartily to please them and to ouercome their euill with goodnesse To pray for them when they reuile and persecute vs is a transcendent vertue euill men themselues being Iudges Luk. 6. 27. to 31. Pro. 10. 22. CHAP. XXV Rules that shew vs how to carry our selues towards godly men THus of our carriage towards the wicked How we should carry our selues toward the godly followeth to bee considered of The summe of all is that we must walke in loue If wee can soundly discharge our duty to the godly in respect of louing them vnfainedly and heartily and constantly we performe all that is required of vs toward them And this loue to the godly is so necessary as that it is imposed vpon vs as the only commandement giuen by Christ who in one word tels vs the substance of our duties Ioh. 13. 34. Eph. 5. 2. 1
dissolued that hee might bee with Christ Philip. 1. 2◅ In which words he imports two things in death First that there is a dissolution of the soule from the body and secondly that there is a coniunction of the soule with Christ. Now which is better for vs to haue the body or to haue Christ The same Apostle saith else-where that they are confident in this they had rather be absent from the body and so to bee present with the Lord then to bee present with the body and absent from the Lord 2. Cor. 5. 7 8. Now the true reason why men feare death is because they looke vpon the dissolution onely and not vpon the ◅oniunction with Christ. 14. In the 1. Cor. 9. 24. our life is compared to a race and eternall life to a rich prize not a corruptible but an incorruptible Crowne Now death is the end of the race and to dye is but to come to the goale or race end Was euer Runner so foolish as to be sorrie that with victorie he was neere the end of the race And are we afraid of death that shall end the toyle and sweate and danger of the running and giue vs with endlesse applause so glorious a recompence of reward 15. In the Ceremoniall Law there was a yeere they called the yeere of Iubilee and this was accounted an acceptable yeere because euery man that had lost or sold his lands vpon the blowing of a trumpet returned and had possession of all againe and so was recouered out of the extremitie in ◅hich hee liued before In this life we are like the poore men of Israel that haue lost our inheritance and liue in a manner and condition euery way straitned now death is our Iubilee and when the trumpet of death blowes we all that die returne and enioy a better estate then euer we sold or lost Shall the Iubilee be called an acceptable time and shall not our Iubilee be acceptable to vs Esay 61. 2. 16. Death is the day of our Coronation we are Heires apparent to the Crowne in this life yea we are Kings elect but cannot bee crowned till death 2. Tim. 4. 8. And shall not that make vs loue the appearing of Christ Is a King afraid of the day of his Coronation 17. To conclude this first part of Contemplation If we did seriously set before our eyes the glory to come could our eyes be so dazeled as not to see and admire and haste to it Aske Paul that was in Heauen what hee saw and he will tell you Things that cannot be vttered Happinesse beyond all language of mortall man If there were as much faith on Earth as there is glorie in Heauen Oh how would our hearts bee on fire with feruent desire after it But euen this faith is extremely wanting it is our vnbeleefe that vndoes vs and fils vs with these seruile and sottish feares And thus of the Meditations taken from the happinesse wee enioy by death which should make vs conclude with Salomon That the day of Death is better then the day when one is borne CHAP. V. Shewing the miserie of life in wicked men NOw it followes that I should breake open the miseries of life the consideration whereof should abate in vs this wretched loue of life The miseries of life may bee two waies considered for they are of two sorts either such miseries as load the life of Nature or such miseries as doe molest the very life of Grace The miseries that accompany the naturall life of man while he remaines in the state of Nature onely who can recount I will giue but a briefe touch of some heads of them First thinke of thy sinnes and so three dreadfull things may amaze thy thoughts For first thou art guilty of Adams sinne for by that man sinne came in vpon all men euen the guilt of his sin Rom. 5. 12. Secondly thy nature is altogether vile and abominable from thy birth thou wast conceiued in sinne Psal. 51. 5. And this staine and leprosie hangs on fast vpon thy nature and cannot be cured but by the blood of Christ only Heb. 12. 1. And this is seated in all the faculties of thy soule For in thy Minde there is Ignorance and Impotency to receiue knowledge and a naturall approouing of euill and errour rather than the truth and sound doctrine Those wayes seeme good in thine eyes which tend vnto death 1. Cor. 2. 14. Rom. 8. 7. 2. Cor. 3. 5. Pro. 14. 12. And this thou maiest perceiue by this that thou art not able to thinke a good thought but canst goe free for dayes and weekes without any holy cogitation and besides thy minde is infinitely prone to swarmes of euill thoughts Gen. 6. 5. Againe if thou behold thy Conscience it is impure polluted without light or life or glory in thee shut vp in a dungeon excusing thee in many faults and accusing thee for things are not faults but in thy conceit and when it doth accuse thee for sin it rageth and falleth mad with vnbridled fury and terrors keeping no bounds of Hope or Mercie Further if thou obserue thy Affections they are altogeth◅r impotent in that which is good there is no lust in thee after that which is good and yet they are all out of order and prone to cōtinuall rebellion against God ready to be fired by all the enticements of the World or the Diuell Gal. 5. 24. Thirdly vnto these adde thy innumerable Actuall sinnes which are more then the haires of thy head multiplyed daily in thought affection word and deed the least of them deseruing hell fire for euer thy sinnes of Infancie Youth Old age sinnes of O◅ission and Commission sinnes in Prosperitie and Aduersitie sinnes at Home and Abroad sinnes of Infirmitie and Presumption If Dauid looking vpon his sins could say They haue so compassed me and taken such hold on mee that I am not able to looke vp Oh then if thou haddest sight and sense how might'st thou much more cry out of the intolerable burthen of them and the rather if thou obserue that many of thy corruptions reigne tyrannically and haue subdued thy life to their vassalage so as thou art in continuall slauerie to them Thus is thy life infested with these vnspeakeable inordinations and thus of the first part of thy infelicitie in life Secondly if thou obserue but how God hath auenged himselfe vpon them and what yet remaineth vnto thee how can thy heart sustaine it selfe For 1. Thou art a banished man exiled from Paradise and made to liue without hope to returne thither The best part of the earth thou shalt neuer enioy 2. The earth is cursed to thee and it may bee a wofull spectacle to see all the creatures subiect to vanitie and smitten with the strokes of God for thy sinne and groaning daily round about thee 3. Looke vpon thy most miserable soule for there thy
to passe through the gate of death to attaine such a life What Prince would liue vncrowned if hee could helpe it and might possesse it without wrong or danger and what great heire would be grieued at the tydings that all his lands were fallen vnto him CHAP. VII The miseries of a Christian in respect of God in this life THus of what hee wants in this life Secondly he ought to be as much troubled to think what hee hath and cannot auoide while he liâ—…es and thus his life is distressed and made vnlouely either if he respect God or the euill angels or the world or himselfe For first if he respect God there are two things should marre the taste of life and make it out of liking The first is the danger of displeasing of God who would liue to offend God or grieue his H. Spirit or any way to make hiâ—… angry Thâ—…gh this reason will mooue little in the hearts of wicked men yet it is of singular force in the heart of an humble Christian who as he accounts Gods louing kindnesse better then life so he findes nothing more bitter then that he should displease God that God I say who is so great in maiestie and hath shewed himselfe so abounâ—…nt in mercy to him It would lie as an heauy load vpon our hearts to 〈◊〉 of the displeasing of our best friend specially if hee were a 〈◊〉 person or a Prince How much more should wee desiâ—… to bee 〈◊〉 of thaâ—… condition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may displease our good God and to be there where wee are sure neuer to anger him more Thâ—… second thing â—…hat should 〈◊〉 looke with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vpon life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God â—…oth conâ—…ally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things of this life The Lord doth of purpose so watch vs that when hee sees vs settle any contentment in life he drops in some thing that makes all extremely bitter And those correctioÌ„s of God should be the more noted if we consider but diuers aggrauations about them as 1. That God will correct euery sonne whom he loueth none can escape Heb. 12. 7. 2. That a man is vsually most opposed and crossed in that â—…ee loues best 3. That a man shall euer want what he wisheth euen in such things as other men doe not wâ—… There is a secret vexatioÌ„ cleaues vnto mans estate that their hearts runne vpon such thingâ—… which cannot be had but in the callings of other men The countryman praiseth the Citizens life and the Citizen is full of the praises of the Countrey and so is there in all men a liking of the callings of other men with a dislike of their owne Eccles. 6. 4. That there is no discharge in that warre but that a man must euery day looke for crosses Euery day hath his griefe Eccles. 8. 8. Luke 9. 24. Maâ—… 6. vlt. 5. That God will not lâ—…t vs know the times of our corrections but executeth them according to the vnchangeable purpose of his owne counsell so as they come vpon vs as a snare vpâ—…n a bird For this reason Salomon saith That the misery of man is great vpon him because there is 〈◊〉 time for euery purpose which cannot be auoided nor can man know before haâ—…d that which shall bee for who can tell him when it shall bee Eccles. 8. 6 7 8. and 9. 12. 6. That no man knoweth either loue or hatred by all that is before him A godly man can haue no such blessings outwardly but a wicked man may haue them in as great abundance as hee nor doth there any misery fall vpon the wicked in outward crosses but the like may beâ—…all the godly All things come alike to all there is one euent to the righteous and to the wicked to the cleane and vncleanâ—… to him that sweâ—…eth and to him that 〈◊〉 an â—…ath as is the good so is the 〈◊〉 This saith Salomon is an euill among all things that â—…e done vnder the Sunne that there is one â—…uent vnto all Eccles. 9. 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7. This bitternesse is increased because God will not dispose of things according to the meanes or likelihoods of mans estate The race is not to the swiâ—… nor the battell to the strong nor yet brâ—…ad to the wise nor riches to men of vnderstanding nor yet â—…our to men of skill but time and chance hapneth to them all Eccles. 9. 11. 8. That besides the present miseries there are many miseries to come so as it is an argument to proue the happines of the dead that they are Esayâ—…57 â—…57 1 2. Which should likewise mooue vs to loue life the lesse because we know not what fearefull alterations may come either in our outward estate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ters of Religion What 〈◊〉 were we in if war should come vpon vs with all the desolationâ—… and terrors that accompany it What if the 〈◊〉 should come againe or wee be lâ—…t in the hands of the violent or God fight against our estates by 〈◊〉 or inundations or the like Who can tell what fearefull alterations may beeâ—…in Religion And is it noâ—… best to bee in heauen and then are we safe Besides the miseries may fall vpon our owne bodies or our children or friends c. And these things should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 life as we â—…espect God CHAP. VIII The miseries of life in respect of euill angels NOw secondly let vs turne our eyes to the euill angels and then these things may affright vs. 1. That they are euery where vp and downe the world in the earth ayre seas no place free Those fiery serpents are euery where in the wildernesse of the world Wee lead our liues here in the midst of innumerable dragons yea they are in the most heauenly places in this life the Church is not free from them A man can stand no where before the Lord but one diuell or other is at his right hand Eph. 2. 2. and 6. 12. Zac. 3. 1. Iob 1. And sure it should make vs like the place the worse where such foule spirits are the earth is a kind of hell in that very respect Secondly it should more trouble vs that we must of necessity enter into the Conflict with the diuels and their temptations and to bee buffeted and gored by them A man that knew he must goe into the field to answer a challenge will be at no great rest in himselfe But alas it is more easie a thousand fold to wrestâ—… with flesh and blood then with these Principalities and Powers and spirituall wickednesses and great Rulers of the world Ephes. 6. 12. Thirdly besides it addes vnto the distresse of life to consider of the subtiltie and cruelty of these diuels who are therefore like the crooked Serpent and Leuiathan and Dragons and roaring Lyons seeking whom they may deuoâ—…re Though these things will little moue the hearts of wicked men yet vnto the godly minde the temptations of life are a grieuous burthen Thus much of euill angels CHAP.
all sinne Note this 17 And is willing to suffer affliction 18 He dislikes sinne in all 19 Sinne reignes not in him 20 Hee humbles himselfe for sin euen in his prosperitie 21 And in aduersitie his heart is vpright 2â—… He accouâ—…ts of spirituall things as thy best things 23. He doth not fauour the things of the slesh and the world 24. He is much grieued if God hide himselfe 25. Of a Lyon hee becomes a Lambe 26. His spirit is without guile Why wee should try out faith The drift is to shâ—…w how faith may bee proued not how it may bâ—…e bred A second câ—…ueat Theâ—… note by way of preface The true fâ—…ith 1. Was wrought by the Word preached 2. Esteems Christ aboue all things 3. Receiues the testimony of Gods Ministers before all the world 4 Casts out by pocrisie 5. Will abide triall 6. It beleeues all things 7 Will not make hast 8. Is accompanied with a pure conscience 9. And a spirit of discerning 10. And the witnesse of the Spirit of adoptioÌ„ 11. Beareth those fruits following 1. Loue 2. Purity of heart 3. Victory ouer the World 4 Humility 5 Confession 6 Application of Christs righteousnesse 7 A very spring of grace Two sorts of graces in a Christian The holy thirst that is in the godly Christian tryed by foure signes His tryall by his loue to the Word 13. Signes to try his affection to the Word by His triall by his gift of prayer 13. Rules of tryall His loueto his enemies tried His tryall by the loue to the appâ—…aring of Christ. The triall of his knowledge And so he differs from wicked men In the things hee knowes 2. In the cause of his knowledge 3. In the effects of his knowledge 4 In the properties of his knowledge His loue to God tried by nine signes His loue to the godly tried by ten signes 5. Six fauours God bestowes vpon him which the wicked neuer feele 1. Election in time 2. The baptisme by fire 3. Much assurance 4. Ioy vnspeakeable 7. The sanctification of his afflictions 6 The answer of his prayers Sixe Rules of his trial about the Sacrament Note Why wicked men neglect the triall of their estates 〈◊〉 Because they are afraid all is noâ—… well 2. They are slothfull 3. They rest vpon the common hope Or 4 vpon their outward profession of Religion Or 5. they 〈◊〉 euâ—…l opinions 〈◊〉 assurancâ—… 6. They are lettâ—…d by their beloued sins Why soâ—…e that are godly neglect the triall of their estates 1. Euill opinions 2. Ignorance 3. Smothering of doubts and temptatioÌ„s They are wicked o uermâ—…ch 5. Melancholy 6. Passions 7. Neglect of the meanes 8. A barren life 1 Cor. 15. 58 9. Too much loue of earthly things 10. Secret sin 1 He is a wicked â—…an 1 That liues without God 〈◊〉 That auoids the societie of the godly 3. That sauours oâ—…ly earthly things 4. That iâ—… discernes not the things of God 5. That sorts with wicked men 6 Thaâ—… of malice persecuteth the truth 7. That allowes himselfe in Atheisticall thoughts 8 That cals not vpon God 9 That is not chastened of God 10 That neuer examines himselfe â—…n knowne sinnes 11 That applaudes himselfe in knowne sinne 12. That lothes the Word of God constantly 13. That allowes himselfe in hypocrisie 14. That refuseth knowledge 15. That in great distresses humbles not himselfe 16. That care not for the afflictions of the godly 17. That will not vnderstand to do good 18. That is â—…esensible of spiritual iudgemeÌ„ts 19. That is an ordinary swearer 20. That is carelesse of Gods Sabbath 21. That is a worker of iniquity 22. That beleeues not in Christ. 23. That hates to be reformed 24. That hath not the Spirit of Christ. 25. That cannot forgiue his enemies 26. That loues not God 27. That â—…ares not God â—…8 That is dead in sin 29. That is guiltie of any of his sinnes in the Apostles Catalogue 30. That cannot repent Two sorts of these signes 〈◊〉 Signes of hypocrisie 16 Signes of an vnsound Professor Note Arguments of hope 1 Gods oath 2 Gods Patience 3. The offer of grace to al 4. Suffiâ—…ient satisfaction made by Câ—…st 5. The meanes continued 6. One only sin vnpardonable 7. As grâ—…t sinners saued Quest. Answ. 1. He must consider of Gods promises 2. He must take notice of Gods commandement to beleeue 3. Hee must pray for faith 3. He must renounce his owne righteousnesse 5. He must waite vpon the Word preached 1 Gather a Catalogue of thy sins either by memory Or by booke 2. Consider Gods iustice 3 Think of his threatnings 4 Remember thy latter end 5. Obserue Gods iudg ments vpon the wicked 6. Especially Gods goodnesse to thee 7. Try thy selfe by the signes 8. Beg an humble heart of God 9. Liue vnder 〈◊〉 searching ministery 10. Wâ—…tch against the things â—…hou art naturally proud of 11 Auoide the flatterer 12 Thinke still of some of thy worst fruits Quest. Answ. 1 Consider Gods promise about a soft heart 2 Daily confesse thy sinnes to God and beg sorrow 3 Bee thankefull for euery mercie in prayer 4 Acknowledge thy faults to otheâ—… 5 Go into the house of mourning 6 â—…e heed of distraction in Godâ—… seruice 7 Study the tenth commanment 8 Remember the sorrowes of Christ for thy sinne 9. Get others to pray for thee 10. Vse fasting Quest. How the Spirit of Adoption may be had Answ. 1 He must pray for it 2 Waite vpon preaching 3 Cherish the motions of the Spirit Quest. How wee may get a loue to the Word Answ. 1 Sâ—…ttle vâ—…der a powerfull mi isterie 2 Pray God to quicken thee 3 Take heed of worldly cares 4 And of personall discord with such as feare God 5 And of vngodly companie 6. And of neglect of the increase thereof Or excesse 7. Practise what thou hearest To attaine the gift of prayer 1. Pray God to teach thee 〈◊〉 Ioyne wâ—…h such as can pray 3 How he â—…y 〈◊〉 himsâ—…lfe in euerâ—… part of prayer Three Questions How the feare of God may bâ—…â—…gotten in vs. How loue to our enemies may be excited How to increase sauing knowledge 1 He must be wise for himselfe 2 He must study only profitable things 3. He must redeeme the time 4. He must propoundâ—… his doubts 5 He must not consult with flesh and blood How the loue of God may bewrought in thee 1. Thou must auoid forgetfulnesse of God and the loue of the world 2. Thou must study Gods praises 3 Thou must frequent his house 4 Thou must study Gods mercies 5Thou must obserue thy daily infirmities 6 Thou must pray much 7 Thou must râ—…sort to experienced Christians 8 Thou must behaue thy selfe louingly towards the godly What wee must do to get the loue of the godly 1 Auoide the company of the wicked 1. Meditate much of Gods loue to vs. 3. Consider Gods Commandemét For the preseruatlon of our loue three things must bee looked to How sound sincerity of
loue 15 He must couet the best gifts 16. He must often humble his soule be fore God 17 He must watch for the oppor tunities of wâ—…-doing 18 Hee must be 〈◊〉 of sanctifying the Sâ—…bbath 19. Hee must often thinke of â—…he example of the godly that haâ—…e excâ—…lled 20. He must daily seek 〈◊〉 way of God He must â—…oide 1. Carelesnessâ—… Rashnes 3. Carnall confidence 4. Hast to be rich 5. Distrustfull 〈◊〉 6 Adding to or ta king from the Word of God 7 Coâ—…teÌ„p of reproof 8. Beholding vanity 9. The be ginning of sinne There are 5 things to be still remembred which concerne the manner of wel-doing Zeale with continual willingnes and feruen cie 1. Sinceritie which hath in it fiue things 1 Truth 2 Respect to al Gods commandements 3 Right end 4. Obedience with out expostulation 5. Obedience in all places The third thing required in the maner of well-doing is constancie And hee is constant that doth good duties 〈◊〉 Without discouragement 3. Notwithstanding impediments 4 Without wauering 5. Without declining 4. Feare Simplicitie which is 1 To rest vpon the Word for the formes of holines and happines 2 To bee harmelesse 3 To bee simple concerning euill 4 To loue goodnesse for it selfe 5. To 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. Feare God and not enuie the wicked The sixth is circumspection which hath fiue things in it The 7 is growth or increase Which hath three things in it 1 Abounding in goodnes 2. Perfecting of holinesse 3. Progresse 〈◊〉 Tâ—…m 4. 2. 1 8. Faith The last is moderation The place in Eccles. 7. 16. expounded The diuision of the particular rules The subdiuision The rules that con cerne the right knowledge of God of 〈◊〉 sorts That wâ—…e â—…ay conceiue â—…right of Gods nature 1 Wee must cast 〈◊〉 all likenesses 6. Wee must conceiue of him according to his prayses 3. Wee must beleeue the Trinity of Persons 4. Thou maist conceiue of God in the Humane Nature of Christ. 5. Thou must resist Atheistical thoughts 2. Of acquaintance with God That thou maiest bee aquainted with God 1. Thou must prepare thy heart 2 Thou must beg it by prayer 2. We must beleeue the Trinitie of Persons 3. 4. Thou must giue thy selfe to God Other things about our knowledge of God Rules about the exercise of our loue to God Sâ—…en wayes to manifest our loue to God 1. By auouching him to be our God 2 By prouiding him a place to dwel where wee dwell 3. By shewing our loue to Iesus Christ. 4. By walking with God Men walke with 5. wayes 6. By honouring God to waies of honoring God Rules about the praise of God When wee commend God diuers things are to be obserued 6 By trusting in him How wee must shew it that wee â—…rust God How wee may proue that wee trust God in distresse In relying vpon God in affliction We must auoid fiue things 7 By obeying him 2 Things in the manner of shewing our loue to God 1. Feruencie 2. Feare Eighâ—… wayes by which wee shew our feare of God About reioycing in God What it is to reioyce or delight our selues in God What wee must doe that wee might bee able to ioy in God Ruleâ—… about the seruice of God 9. Things to bee remembred in euâ—…ry part of Gods worship Rules about the publike worship of God 1. All must come 2. With all possible reuerence 3. And zeale And this zeale wee shâ—…uld shew sixe wayes 4. With one consent Three other rules gathered out of the Ps. 52. 8 9. Rules that order vs in hearing the Word of God 1 Before we come 1. In the time of hearing Noâ—… 3. After we haue heard Rules about Baptisme 1. Abouâ—… our children 2. About our selues In 〈◊〉 thingâ—… How Baptisme may help vs against sin 3. In respect of oâ—…hers Rules about the Lords Supper 1. We must examine our selues 2. We must discerne the Lords Supper 3. We must shew forth Christs death 4. We vow to cleaue to the godly 5. We must be reconciled 6. We vow an holy life Rules about prayer Thy words must be few 2. The heart must bee listed vp 3. Vse all manner of prayer 4 Thou must perseuere in prayer 5. Thou must be instant without fain ting or discourage â—…tat 6. With supplication for all Saints 7 In all things giue thankes Rules about reading the Scripture 1 Reade daily 2 Meditate of what thou readest 3. Confer vpon it 4. Resolue to obey Rules about singing of Psalmes The rules about vowing Rules about swea ring The rules about a religious fast Rules about the Sabbath 1. The preparation to it 2. Of the celebration of the Sabbath Rules that direct our carriage towards men Towards all men And so 1 in company Wâ—…th due râ—…spect of Religion Auoiding vaine ianglings in three thingâ—… How wee must behaue our selues in company concerning the faults of others Note Reproue but hate not Passe by mâ—…re frailties Rules that concerne the inoffensiuenesse of our carriage in company An humble behauiour hath three things in it 1. 2. 3. Note 8 Rules that concerne discretion in our behauiour Three rules that concerne the purity of our conuersation 1. The rules that order vs out of company 8. Things required in shewing mercy 1. Willingnesse 〈◊〉 Labour 3. Liberalâ—… ty 4. Humility Humility shewed fiue waies in doing workes of mercy 5. Faith in two respects 6. Discretion in 4. things 7. Sympa thy 8. Sinceritie in fiue things Needlesse socretie with them must bee auoyded Great wisdome required in conuersing with them Diuers things that affect the hearts euen of the worst men are 1. A mortified life 2. Reuerend speech of Religion 3. Meekenes of wisdome 4. Reseruednesse in foure things 5. Mercy 6. Vndauntednesse in a good cause 7. Patience in affliction Sixe waies of manifesting our loue to the godly 1 By courtesie 2. By receiuing them 3. By bearing their bur thens Note 4. By prouoking them to good duties 5. By faithfulnesse in all their businesse 6 By enioying our gifts for their good What wee must do to prâ—…serue our loue to the godly We must labour to be of one iudgement with them 2. We must 〈◊〉 peace 〈◊〉 We must couer their weakenesse 4. We must confesseour faults one to another 10. Things to be auoided 1. Suits in Law 2. Dissimulation 〈◊〉 Conceitednesse 4. Reioycing in iniquitie 5. Worldlinesse and selfe-loue 6. Ficklenesse 7. Vaine-glory 8. Iudging 9. Euill words and complaining 10. Forsake not their assembly How we must carry our selues towards such as are fallen from God How wee must carry our selues towards such as trespasse against vs. How wee must carry our selues towards weake Christians How wee must carry our selues towards the strong How wee must carry our selues towards our special friend How we must carry our selues in our â—…enerall calling 1 In matters of faith 2 About thy repentance 3 About thy hope 7. Things to be auoi ded in our particular calling 〈◊〉 Vnfaithfulnâ—…sse 3. Rashnes 4
else those sinnes so spared may buffet thee a long time after thou hast finished this course and besides they may get head and preuaile against thee in practice if by this course they bee not brought vnder Now that thou oughtest thus seriously to examine and call to minde thy sinnes and that this is one of the things God requireth of thee to bee distinctly done these places of Scripture do euidently proue and withall shew that God doth take euen this beginning of thy repentance well Lament 3. 40. Psal. 4. 4. Ezec. 16. 43 61. 20. 43. 36. 31. Ier. 8. 6. 1 Cor. 11. 28. Gal. 7. 3 4. Iob 11. 13. While thou art doing this thou shalt do well to doe no other exercise of Religion at that time but onely to attend this The second thing that God requireth of thee distinctly to be done is the confession of those sins thus gathered into the Catalogue and for the performance of this dutie set sometime apart and present thy selfe before the Lord and if thy memory will not carrie all the particulars of thy offences take with thee the written enditement and as Hezechiah did with his letter spread thy Catalogue before the Lord and then take vnto thee words in the best manner thou canst to iudge thy selfe for those offences Let the Lord know that it is thy hearts desire to pleade guiltie to each of those sins and in speciall vrge against thy selfe those sinnes wherein thou hast more especially offended Be not ouer-carefull for words the Lord requireth thee but to doe it in the best words thou canst onely let thy words bee the true voice of thy heart and thou maiest bee sure the Lord vnderstandeth the meaning of thy heart Let no obiection driue thee off from the practice hereof but doe it so as thine owne conscience may witnesse with thee that thou hast done it in the best manner thou canst Now that it is a dutie necessarily required these Scriptures plainly shew Hos. 14. 2 3 4. Pro. 28. 13. Leuit. 16. 21. 26. 40 51. Iob 33. 27 28. Psal. 32. 5. Ier. 3. 12 13. Mat. 3. 6. Act. 19 18. Dan. 9. Neh. 9. 2. Rom. 10. 10 1 Cor. 11. 1. Ioh. 1. 8 9. This is the second dutie The third thing thou must labour for distinctly is to conceiue true mourning and sorrow for these sinnes thus confessed This is that sacrifice is so well pleasing to God and this is euery where in Scripture expresly required and the promises fastened diuers of them vpon this condition as these places manifestly shâ—…w Mat. 5. 4. Iam. 4. 9. Ioel. 2. 12 13. Zach. 12. 12. Isai. 1. 16. Psal. 31. 9 10. Isai. 61. 1 2 3. Ier. 50. 4. Ier. 31. 18 19. Now that thou mayest attaine vnto softnesse of heart I aduise thee to take this course Resolue with thy selfe to set some time apart at least once euery day for this businesse and when thou doest stand before the Lord with thy former mournefull inditement while thou striuest to iudge thy selfe and to keepe an assise vpon thy owne soule begge of God to giue thee that soft heart he promised Ezech. 36. 26. begge it I say of God but let thy prayers bee without limitation for the time If the Lord heare thâ—…e not the first time yet pray for it the next time againe and so the third day and so still till the Lord doe heare thee and make thee feele thy heart to melt and if it may bee teares to trickle downe thy châ—…kes before the Lord yea put on this resolution that thou wilt neuer stand before the Lord for any request while this course lasts but thou wilt remember this Petition to beseech him to giue thee secret sorrow and sensible for thy sinnes It may bee the Lord will heare thee at the first or in the beginning while thou art preparing thy selfe to speake vnto him or while thou callest vpon him at the first or second time but yet if he doe not persist thou thy sute is iust and importunity will ouercome the Lord and this very desire to sorrow being resolute is a degree of true godly sorrow But yet that thou maiest be sure of it giue not ouer till the Lord heare the letter of thy desire if it may be And withall striue against the perplexities of an vnquiet heart feare not but that time of the day which thou setst apart for religious duties bee as earnest as thou canst and when that is done goe chearfully about the works of thy calling Hang not downe thy hâ—…ad like a bulrush as if thou must do nothing else but sigh and bemoane thy selfe and shew a troubled mind in all things Euen the freer and readier thy mind is the more fit thy heart will be for this or other holy employments And further know that the vse of this Catalogue is not for euer nor do I require this speciall mourning all the dayes of thy life but in this case of first repentance by which the body of sinne may be remoued Thereforâ—… thou oughtest so long to vse the Catalogue of thy confessions of sins till thou feele in some measure this sorrow and melting of heart which when thou hast attained eithâ—…r sooner or later then addresse thy selfe to the fourth rule The fourth râ—…le concernes the 〈◊〉 of the Promises especiâ—…lly the Promises of two sorts First sâ—…ch as shew that God hath giuen Iesus Christ to make satisfaction for the sinnes of men and then in speciall such promises as shew that through the merit of Christ hee that hath thus confessed and felt sorrow for his sin shall be receiued to fauour Now for this purpose thou must get thee a distinct Catalogue of promises made to such as confesse their sinnes with sorrow and mourning and in them thou shalt see most plainly vnto how much riches and treasure thiâ—… entrance vnto godlinâ—…sse hatâ—… brought thee For the conditioâ—… of the Promises being alreadâ—… formed in thee by this grace 〈◊〉 God thou maist safely assure thâ—… soule of so much fauour froâ—… God in particular as is expresâ—… contained in those promises Marâ—… it thou as yâ—…t dar'st not claimâ—… all the prerogatinâ—…s or gooâ—… things contained in any Promisâ—… in Scripturâ—… et thou maist safely lay vp as treasure so mucâ—… as the Promises that concernâ—… confession and godly sorrow dâ—… assure and estate vpâ—…n thee anâ—… so thou shalt finde tâ—…at thâ—…u hasâ—… 〈◊〉 in Câ—…rist already for 〈◊〉 and rich fauours and maist shâ—… Gods expresse Word to warraâ—… thy claime as for example Goâ—… hath assurâ—…d thee First that thou shalt not bee damned thou maist rest vpon it thâ—…se be plaine Scriptures 1 Cor. 11. 31 32. Iob 13. 18 19. Secondly that God will haue mercy vpon thee and loue thee freely and take away his anger from thee Prou. 28. 13. Ioel 2. 12 13. Hos. 14. 3 4. Ierem. 31. 18 19 20. Thirdly that all thy
sinnes are forgiuen thee 1 Ioh 1. 7 9. Zach. 12. 10. and so forward to the 2. verse of the 13. Chapter Fourthly that God is at peace and reconciled and that thou hast a free right vnto his word and shalt finde his presence in his word Isaiah 57. 15 16 17 18. Fiftly that God will now henceforth heale the nature of thy sinfulnesse Hos. 14. 3 4. I do but instance in these few particulars but I could wish thee to make thee a full Catalogue and write out the words verbatim and learne them without booke or at least study them soundly to vnderstand them And for thy ease I haue set downe the chiefe places of Scripturâ—… as they lye in order Leuit. 26. 41 42 44. 2 Kings 22. 19 20. Iob 33. 27 28. Psal. 32. 5. and 51. 17. Prou. 28. 13. Isaiah 57. 15 16 17 18. and 61. 1 2 3. Ierem. 31. 18 19 20. Zach. 12. 10. and so forward to the second verse of Chap. 13. Hos. 14. 3 4 5 6. Math. 5. 6. 1 Cor. 11. 31 â—…2 Iam. 4. 9 10. Now when thou hast written oâ—…t thâ—…se Promises and dost vnderstand the meaning of thâ—…m then carrie them into Gods presence as thou diddest the Catalogue of sinnes and now beseech God for Iesus Christs sake to incline thy heart to beleeue these promises of Grace and to this end pray vnto God from time to time till the Lord bee pleased to let thee feele life in the Promises or a cleare perswasion and withall beseech GOD by the Spirit of Promise from heauen to seale vp thy interest herein and if thou feele the ioyes of the holy Ghost fall vpon thee in any of these promises O happy man that euer thou wast borne to such a rich estate I say the same of this sensible life in the promises that I did before of godly sorrow It may bee the Lord will heare thee at the first if not persist thou to begge this grace till thou obtainest it Thou seest forgiuenesse of all thy sins which thou hast confâ—…ssed is promised thee vrge the Lord with most humble deprâ—…cation to hâ—…are thee for the pardon and forgiuenesse of them fâ—…r the mediation sake of Iesus Christ and his merits that sits at his right hand to make request for poore sinners that seeke mercy Now when thou hast felt the Promises to bee any of them spirit and life to thee then hast thou done this most glorious exercise and thou hast cause to praise God all the dayes of thy life and what thou shouldest afterwards doe the Treatises following wil shew thee but for thy more cleare satisfaction I will answer a question Quest. Thou wilt say I could take comfort in this course hauing done these things but that I doubt whether my consession or sorrow bee right or no. For I finde that wicked men in Scripture haue confessed their sinnes and mourned too Answ. Thou maist euidently try thy confession and sorrow by these signes of difference First wicked men haue confessed their sinnes and sorrowed but both were compelled whereas thine is voluntarily and so a freâ—…will-offering Secondly Cain and Iudas confâ—…ssed sin but it was not all sorts of sinne but onely the capitall crimes knowne by them by which they had shamed and vndone themselues Thirdly the sorrowes of wicked men were more for the punishment then for the sinne nor did they sorrow for all sorts of sinnes but for the sinnes before described Fourthly their confession and sorrowes were not ioyned with an vnfained desire to forsake sinne whereas this is an infallible signe of true repentance when a man can as heartily desire that he might neuer commit sinne as heartily I say desire it as he would that God should neuer impute it When a man can say before the Lord that there is no sinne but hee doth as vnfainedly desire God to giue him strength to leaue it and forsake it as hee doth desire that God should forgiue him ' and not plague him for it I say this is such a signe as was neuer found in a wicked man in any age of the world Fifthly the confession and sorrowes of the wicked were not ioyned with any perswasion of Gods goodnesse or any constant desire to finde mercy with God in Iesus Christ. Thus haue I sheweâ—… thee the directions which concerne this first and most weighty businesse that can concerne thee There are three sorts of men whom this direction concernes First such as neuer repented Secondly such as though they haue repented yet haue not the comfort and assurance of their repentance who by following these directions may make all out of doubt Thirdly such as after calling fall into grâ—…sse sinâ—… These haue nâ—…ed to recouer themselues by the helpe of these directions The Catalogue following may serue for other vses besides this of a mans practice in his repentance at his first conuersion or after apostacie For 1. As in a small Map a man may here see the sorts of sinne and so may get knowledge quickly what euill to auoyde which hitherto he hath not taken nâ—…tice of 2. It may serue before the Communion for such as would make a generall suruey of their sinâ—…es in discharge of that examination which the Apostle mentionâ—…th 1 Cor. 11. For howsoeuer this large Catalogue be not of necessitie requisite to that examination yet vnto such as haue leasure and fitnessâ—… it is profitable for their more abundant satisfaction To conclude if any man that reades these presâ—…nts and is guiltie to himselfe that hee hath hitherto taken no sound course about his sinnes and yet will not bee perswaded to practise these directions lâ—…t him consider that so long as his sinnes be vnrâ—…pented on his part and vnremitted on Godspart the pollution of all the sins he euer committed still clâ—…aues vnto him so as he may iustly with the Lâ—…per cry Vncleane vnclâ—…ane yâ—…a all his sinnes are written as it were with a pen of iron in Gods booke of remembrance and that hee is a meere strangâ—…r from all Gods promises â—…nd liues without God and without Christ in the world and that all he doth euen his best workes are aboâ—…inable to God and that seas of wrath hang ouer his head and vnspeakable woe will bee to him in the appearing of Iesus Christ if he preuent it not by sound and speedie repentance CHAP. III. The diuision of Sinnes and the Catalogue of sinnes against the whole Law ALl the sinnes mentioned and condemned in the Bible may be cast into foure ranks For they are Either sinnes against the whole Law that is such as may be committed against any of the Commandements Or sins against the first Table of the Law Or sins against the second Table of the Law Or sinnes against the Gospell The first sort of sinnes are sins against the whole Law and thus hee sinneth that is conceiued in sinne Psal. 51. 5. That