that many walke loosely and carelesly in their calling and are slouthfull and negligent in the performance of the duties thereof whereas they should faithfully and diligently be taken vp in their honest and lawful vocation which comming either of the ignorance of their duty or of a mind too much giuen to seeke carnall libertie or of both cannot be without daungerous discommodities For what should the multitude of Christians do through the whole yeare if they should not euery one walke and be daily occupied in some certaine estate some at home some abroad and therein haue triall of their faith patience and obedience not that they might thereby waxe worldly minded and the further from God but get encouragement to serue him better as shall be said afterwards For God in appointing but one Sabbath of all the seuen dayes hath sufficiently declared that they cannot attend onely to spirituall actions as prayer meditation reading and such like and therefore hath for the most part of the weeke appointed them to shew foorth their knowledge and religious keeping of a good conscience in being occupied about things of this life in their honest calling wherein they may haue worke enough to be employed and taken vp Of the which matter as the Scripture speaketh many things to great purpose so the Apostle chargeth euery man to abide in that same vocation wherein he was called and commaundeth them in the name of our Lord Iesus to withdraw themselues from euery brother that walketh without labouring that so he might be ashamed And that one place of Salomon is worthy our consideration to the perswading of vs to faithfulnesse and diligence in our calling and to loath slouth and idlenesse where he saith The sluggard lusteth but his soule hath nothing but the soule of the diligent shall haue plentie And againe The riches of vanitie shall diminish but he that gathereth them with the hand that is with his owne labour shall increase them And againe The slouthfull man will not plough because of winter therefore he shall beg in sommer but haue nothing yet a woman that hath a diligent hand buildeth and vpholdeth her house with many other such like In which he doth not onely shew what commoditie a mans labour and diligence in his calling bringeth and contrariwise but especially commendeth painefulnesse and trauell how good and beseeming Christians they be He alloweth not we see slouth idlenesse and ouer-reaching heads in the seruants of God but sheweth that it agreeth well with the best of them to be diligent and well occupied and that it is not too base and vnbeseeming the honour of their profession to labour and take paines which the diuell too readily perswadeth many yea and therefore he saith in another place seeing a meane and poore estate might be thought reprochfull that better is a litle euen a dish of greene hearbes with peace and loue then a stalled oxe with an vnquiet conscience and strife It is the more lamentable to see how numbers degenerate in this point to their owne great hurt and drawing others after them Some not so well aduised and stayed as were meete for them are euer medling in other mens matters and leauing off their owne calling spend much time in prying and searching into other mens liuing titles of their lands and leases and busying themselues needlesly yea and oft times to the great hurt offence and iust complaint of them with whom they liue and seeke to haue to do Others as busie-bodies and as though religion consisted therein do as it were make a trade of obseruing other mens faults neglecting too much their owne and sow dissention and set debate betwixt neighbours and with their euill tongues bite and reproch such as are better then themselues Others trifle out their precious time in seeking of acquaintance not such wherby they may take good or do good but spend it in play ieasting and merry-making amisse and prophanely c. Others occupie themselues in dealings and merchandize not appertaining vnto them but farre aboue their abilitie yea and skill also many times occupying their trades with other mens goods and whiles they keepe within no bounds by ayming at great matters without any warrant do gaine lesse then nothing for their labour and disable themselues to their owne calling besides this that their vnwise dealings that way and departing from that businesse which they were more fit for and appointed vnto doth iniurie yea and vndo others oftimes as well as spoile themselues till they come to this that they cannot digge and to begge they are ashamed There are many other waies beside these drawing men from their callings which seeme pleasant but the issue thereof proueth farre otherwise whereby many and those also of good hope haue giuen themselues to seeke their libertie and to be vnburthened from their callings wherein whiles they remained they thought themselues to be in a kind of prison and therefore till foolish experience had taught them how they had bene deceiued could in no wise be perswaded to serue God in them as had bene most meete for them to haue done These men and such like of which sort there are many in the world might haue kept both peace to their consciences and good report and bene freed from many euils if they would haue hearkened to the voyce of God which saith He that laboureth not let him not eate And again that man is borne to labour as the bird to flying But they depart from the ordinance of God and shew that howsoeuer they professe themselues to be religious they fell to these indirect courses from diligence in their callings for want of religion which onely doth rightly direct men how to follow them as it doth to order all other things aright But it may well be a dutie of some account commaunded of God to make conscience of diligence in our particular callings it is so few mens cases to performe it But whiles I commend faithfulnesse in mens calling and find fault with negligence therein I attribute no godlinesse to the very act of labouring neither defend that they are good Christians all who are diligent workemen and painefull labourers in any calling magistracie ministerie or any other I haue said otherwise to them which marke well my words onely this I say that to a faithfull Christian who reformeth and studieth daily more and more to amend his life diligence in his outward calling is no small helpe to liue well and godly and to keepe him from many euils but otherwise if there be not good gouernment ouer the heart and life daily he may find sorrow and miserie enough seeing he will not take his direction from God But the right following of our calling to enter into the third branch is in such manner and sort to vse and walke in it that it may be no let nor hinderance to vs from exercises of religion and growing in grace thereby
established in their faith as the graine of Mustard seede which after rooting becommeth a stalke and hath branches and boughes and as that groweth so shall sound peace and safetie and strength against their corruptions yea and these meanes whereby it is preserued how wearisome soeuer they haue been sometime shall become easie and pleasant and from time to time more and more so that they may be assured that they haue cause in all things to be thankfull And that should be thought a rare and speciall benefit if wee consider how many thousands haue not an houre of this comfort through the yeere no not through their whole life And thus much to shew who is the Lords and how the weake beleeuer is to be vpholden and how he differeth from him who is not and what graces accompanie them who beleeue and how hee who hath faith should grow till hee be setled and what ease and gaine is found thereby And by that which hath been said in this treatise it may bee gathered that although this faith bee in substance one and the same yet that there are three degrees of it The first is the weakest and least measure when there is yet no assurance in the beleeuer and yet inseparable fruits and infallible tokens of it as I haue set down The second degree is when some assurance is wrought in the beleeuer at some time but very weake and is often to seeke and wanting and recouered againe by entring into due consideration of his estate and of the truth of God who hath promised it The third is the highest degree of it though more strong and better setled in some then in other and this hath assurance accompanying it for the most part vsually vnlesse the beleeuer doe quench the spirit in himselfe or the Lord to shew him that he standeth by grace do leaue him to himselfe for his owne glorie and the better establishing of him afterwards This I haue said for their cause who being tender and weake in faith would desire some helpe herein the larger handling of the helpes is to bee sought in the third part of this treatise where the helps to preserue the whole heart and consequently faith and all godlines in the beleeuer is set downe Now I thinke it conuenient to leade forward this beleeuer to set this faith of his a worke by a godly life and teach him what manner of course and estate that is which is the second treatise of this booke The end of the first part of this Treatise THE SECOND TREATISE SHEWING AT LARGE WHAT THE LIFE OF THE TRVE BELEEVER IS AND THE CONuersation of such as haue assured hope of saluation CHAP. 1. The summe and order of this second Treatise HItherto I haue shewed who are they whom the Scripture calleth beleeuers and the sonnes and daughters of the Lord Almightie Now it is necessarie and followeth in order to shew what the life of the true beleeuer is and how he who hath faith must behaue himselfe throughout his whole conuersation for as yet nothing hath been said of that But that treatise namely what the life of the true beleeuer is was reserued to this place for auoiding confusion and without it a man could neither well see the excellencie and beautie of faith which without workes is dead neither could the beleeuer know how to occupie himselfe throughout his life but must of necessitie be idle and vnprofitable who yet must ioyne with his faith vertue knowledge temperance patience godlines brotherly kindnes and loue c. This I say is the argument and matter to be handled in this treatise And seeing there is much difficultie about this point as about the other in the former treatise and seeing it is of greatest weight and moment of all other except that it must with like care be looked into and laid forth For some thinke that repentance and godlines is nothing else but griefe for some offence committed and so Iudas might haue been godly Some thinke that to amend some thing which was amisse is godlines especially if they also doe some good therewith and so Herod that caused Iohn to be beheaded might haue been godly For he reuerenced Iohn and when he heard him he did many things Some thinke that if they haue been well moued at the hearing of the word of God and doe bowe themselues before God for the time in outward signes of repentance only that then they be godly in deede but so might Ahab haue been godly Some if they can shut vp all their vaine talke bad dealings foolish iestings with such other merriments at their meetings in this manner Lord haue mercie vpon vs we are all sinners that then they haue repented and so the common sort of wicked ones may be said to repent and to be godly And lastly popish contrition auricular confession and satisfaction is thought in poperie to be good repentance which as they vnderstand them are as farre from it as any of the former These are some few of a great many opinions about this matter all which are most dangerous and erronious It is therefore very necessarie that we may vnderstand the will of God aright concerning this and what to leane vnto that we be not deceiued My purpose is therefore in this treatise to set downe at large what a godly life is and wherein it consisteth that he who desireth it may see whether his course and behauiour be such or no and the triall of this must be made of him who hath tried himselfe by the former that the one may be seene to goe with the other and both together as twinnes so that he who hath not both may be truely said to haue neither And in laying forth this matter I will follow this method and order to referre all that shall be spoken about it to foure generall heads or parts The first that a godly life must of necessitie goe with the faith before spoken of and that it is the foundation and ground thereof whereby we receiue and giue credit not only to the promise of our saluation but also to all other promises of temporarie benefits appertaining to this life and also to the whole word of God with a mind to relie vpon it and to be guided by it This is the first head of this treatise The second that there must be a pure heart in him who must lead a godly life a pure heart I say renued and changed from that it was before as Ezekiel speaketh I will take away your stonie or hard heart from you and put a new heart in you This must of necessitie be in him who shall liue godly and so consequently that the whole man be changed Thirdly I will set downe the first part of a godly life and shew that it is a renouncing and forsaking of all sinne both inward and outward And fourthly I will adde the other part of godlines declaring that it
hearts should conceiue and our mouthes should set forth and declare his praise accordingly For if we be commaunded as the Psalmist teacheth to continue this duty long after his benefits be receiued as he saith Let Israel now say that the Lord is gratious after his bountifulnesse had bene declared vnto them how much more ought we to praise the Lord daily for his mercies renewed vpon vs Therefore did Dauid the faithfull seruant of God force himselfe to performe this duty as too slouthful in his owne iudgement though we reade of none more continually occupied in it Psalme 103.3 saying Praise thou the Lord ô my soule and all that is within thee praise his holy name and further he saith that he will be euer setting forth his goodnesse and praise his name alwayes And yet that none may hinder this duty in vs by saying we are not bound to follow no not good examples in all things let vs well weigh the commandement of God by the Apostle saying In all things be thankfull as if he should say that our whole life ought to be a thanksgiuing and therefore it is no life when we cannot be thankfull And what the thankfulnesse is which should daily be in vs looke in the former treatise The next duty to be daily performed of vs is watchfulnesse and prayer of which two as the first ought to be continuall euen to ouer-see our whole worke in and through the day and to looke before vs that all may be done to the glory of God for as the eye-lids preserue the tender eyes from annoyance so doth this our life from offence and our feete from falling so this latter namely prayer is to be as an helpe and hand-maid vnto that And although I prescribe no certaine rule nor set houre to the solemne performing of this duty because we are taught to pray alwayes at any time as we shall haue fit oportunity yet ought our hearts to be lifted vp to God often hauing euer occasion and sometime solemnely and by set prayer powring out our complaints and making our requests vnto him Both of them are so farre to be in vse with vs as we are desirous to retaine sound peace and quiet minds toward God and to be free from or at least not to be ouercome of temptations which seeing we are subiect vnto euery day it cannot be doubted of but as the one should not cease I meane watchfulnesse but be working in vs continually and keepe vs waking out of spirituall slumber throughout the day so the other which is prayer should quicken and sharpen it and both of them strengthen vs being oft and vsuall with vs against all occasions which might else ouer-match vs. And can any be ignorant when our Sauiour taught vs to pray euery day for our daily bread but that we should pray euery day for grace to be guided aright and comforted there being as great need of it and more then of the other The same thing he meant when he vttered a parable to them to this end that they ought to pray alwayes and not to waxe faint but euer willing though not euer able So that the life of a Christian is no day well passed when prayer as it hath bin before described is not one member part of it The last point of our direction is that we by meanes of all these as our faith and feare of displeasing God c. may keepe and hold fast our holy and most sweete peace with God and our reioycing which is the fruite of this Christian walking and an vnseparable companion vnto the same I haue taught this in generall before onely now I shew that it is daily to be kept and maintained of vs in such wise that as we regard our bodily maintenance while we liue here so should we prouide that this our peace which passeth vnderstanding be not broken off betwixt God and vs. If it be asked how this shall be the Apostle saith If we be iustified by faith in our Lord Iesus Christ we haue and do inioy it And we haue heard that the Lord hath both giuen liberty yea and commandement to his children that they should daily beleeue and lay hold on eternall life and rest themselues in the assurance of his loue and how can this exclude that peace which we speake of Nay our reioycing in the Lord which is rather a degree beyond this peace we are commaunded to entertaine and retaine alwayes that is at all times that none may imagine that I meane we should onely some one time in the day or other possesse and inioy it Neither indeed is any part of our life any day pleasant vnto vs without it Therefore the Apostle doth very fitly meet with an obiection of ours in the forenamed Scripture thus that if any of vs dare not presume so farre as to take our part in cōtinual reioycing in the Lord or if we shold thinke that the Apostle was not well aduised in offering so great libertie vnto vs he repeateth his words thus againe I say reioyce as if he should say you who are carefull ouer your selues and ouer others for to such he speaketh be ye merry and ioyfull in the Lord from time to time yea and so as no worldly sorrowes do breake it off Now I haue shewed what are the necessary graces which should accōpany the life of the beleeuer daily I wish him to view thē all at one sight together to see if he may well be without any of them as without certainety of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes without feare of offending God a thankfull heart and chearfull watching and praying against euill c. And he cannot walke voide of any of them so yet he must not thinke but that there are other particular actions beside these but they be all to be well ordered and gouerned by these And now somewhat I will set downe about them not vnprofitable and needlesse I haue briefly proued that some certaine manner of directing a Christian daily is required in the word of God and that it is no fancie of mans braine thus nearly and narowly to looke to himselfe and haue set downe a draught thereof out of the Scripture and therefore men must know that it is their sinne when they are not guided by these rules in the daily course of their liuing I say when these accompany them not whatsoeuer their calling is or the actions which they are occupied about it is their sinne whether it be of ignorance that they know them not which is the lesse if they be willing to learne or carelesnesse or wilfulnesse that they do not or will not regard them and being sinne it is to be resisted seeing no sinne is to be borne withall or rested in And that it may be thought more necessary to be daily guided in this maner we must know that these graces which I haue spoken of are not at some one
cleerely shewed his word to Iacob his statutes and his iudgements to Israel and hath committed to vs his holy oracles Wherein I meane not only that we haue the Gospell so publikly and plentifully preached which though great is common to vs with many but withall that in some admirable manner God hath reuealed his secrets vnto vs such as wee know no Church vpon the earth in which the true sense of the Scriptures and sound doctrine thereof are more sincerely embraced and professed Yea with what store of rare and excellent lights the Lord hath furnished this our Church he is blind that seeth not and malitious that wil not acknowledge it wherein though generally it falleth out by humane frailtie and Sathans subtiltie that there is more light of iudgement then integritie of conscience yet herein God hath not left himselfe without witnes of many worthie Christians both Preachers and professors of the truth who liuely expresse the forme of holie doctrine into which they are cast such as vpon my vttermost perill I dare professe the deuoutest Papist neither hath nor possiblie in that profession can attaine vnto lacking true faith the right mother and nurse of a godly life And herein to giue one instance in steed of many take and examine streightly this one work and if it breathe not out more sound godlines in one leafe then all their artificiall composed treatises of Resolution which in their estimation are chiefe in this argument of a godly life let me beare my deserued blame I leaue the life of the writer of that Popish booke to such as seeme vpon better knowledge to haue set out the same And for the Author of this Treatise I may not in modestie say what I know but could and doe desire that his life were so knowne to all to whom his writing shall come as it is to such who haue heard the doctrine and seene the practise hereof in himself these well neere thirtie yeeres But to spare the person for his life time and to foretell what you shall finde in his labours In my simple opinion it might in one principal respect be called the Anatomie of the soule wherein not onely the great and principall parts are laid open but euery veine and little nerue are so discouered that wee may as it were with the eye behold as the right constitution of the whole and euery part of a true Christian so the manifold defects and imperfections thereof Whereto be added most approoued remedies for the curing of all spirituall diseases with like preseruatiues to maintaine our health in such sort as may be enioyed in this contagious ayre and so in a second respect may be called the physicke of the soule In both which how welcome it shall be to all that loue their soules health I neede not doubt onely I would desire the Christian patient not to be offended with the largenes of the work as too deare for the poore and too much to be read ouer in long time but consider with me that if the arte of bodily physicke be so long as the father of that arte testifieth then is it no marueile that this spirituall physicke doth as much exceed the other in length as it doth in dignitie And yet for the reliefe of such as desire to profit by his labour great care hath been taken so to set out apart euery seuerall matter that by the helpe of the Table they may be directed to the particulars which I perswade my selfe will be so farre from glutting any though neuer so weake stomacke that it will rather procure him a better appetite For simply to say as I feele I haue not read in any mans writing a more sauourie stile and better relished All which I leaue to euery one to speake as they finde and so with my strongest desires doe commend the fruite of these labours to the blessing of God Ezechiel Culuerwel To the Christian Reader CHristian Reader I am constrained in commending this spirituall blessing vnto thee to begin with the excuse of a good deed For although it be a good deede to commend this commendable worke yet must I plead the pardon of my defectiuenes in doing it by alleaging my calling thereto and impleade the fulsomnes of the maligners of such holy enterprises who for the most part distast all things but vanitie The eare saith Elihu trieth words as the mouth tasteth meate to wit if the eare be truly spirituall otherwise there is an vncircumcised eare where there is an vncircumcised heart and he that hath an vnmortified eare which is an affection to carnall eloquence cannot escape a reprobate sense in iudging of the wisedome of God An itching eare requireth a clawing stile and the most readers seeke after that which this treatise purposely eschueth But wisedome will be iustified of her children and the godly hearted will lay that vnlooked for imputation vpon affectation of braue words which the holy Ghost laieth vpon womens brauerie mentioned in the 3. of Esay which soone after in the 4. chap. vers 4. by passage of speech he calleth the filthines of the daughters of Sion Something I graunt may be yeelded by way of indulgence to the weake but he that seriously seeketh the Lord will not be offended nor cloyed with that simplicitie which offendeth not God by turning away the mind by trifles from a bent purpose of sound edification The matter of this booke is right worthy to occupie the minds of men and will be receiued of the gracious perusers of it The rest of the professors which like wanton and full fed children begin to play with their meate brooke nothing but conceited writing and speaking are to be bewailed and as for the dogs they are to be detested and denied holy things The blessing and comfort of grace brought S. Paul to account all things as dung in comparison and their illumination how great soeuer is vnsanctified which are not so minded and if any man loue godlines indeed and be good mettall he will blesse the fire which is ordained to melt him and the mould which is made to cast him in but they which make the founder to melt in vaine shall be called reprobate siluer It is part of the blessing of a worke to bee wrought by a blessed instrument and although it be sacrilege to interuert the praise of God yet it is of religion to take notice of Gods chosen vessels and all men are more affected by such This is the aduantage of this booke I meane the long approued godlines of the Author as he is a Christian and his zealous painfulnes as he is a Minister And if it please God that his pen may be as his tongue hath been a tree of life the very leaues thereof will cure him of the sting of Serpents tongues That which S. Luke testifieth of Barnabas may after Gods admeasurement be spoken of him and hoped of his labours that he was a good man
may serue and the people be so blockish they say that nothing will enter into them yet the well aduised will not refuse to heare and weigh the rule of S. Paul to Timothie that attendance should be giuen to teaching and that they should be readie to doe that dutie in season and out of season and to put the people in minde of the same daily though they know this thing as well as to attend to reading priuately to make them fitter for that dutie Christ hath laid no weightier busines vpon them calling it the pawne of their loue to him to whom he hath giuen this charge to this end that this may be well and throughly done and the rather seeing the people depend vpon them They will also consider that the people haue many infirmities much dulnes slipperie memories and sundrie other pulbackes all which doe shew the necessitie of often teaching The which being so I professe with griefe it astonisheth me oft when I thinke of the too great slacknes and vnwillingnes of many who haue gifts that they hearing and knowing that he who hath an office must attend vpon it and againe that woe is pronounced to them who doe it not and that as they loue Christ they should feede his lambes and his sheepe and also that the flocke dependeth vpon them Yet that they can be content to take the commoditie and to refuse the labour and as some doe count it too base a thing to discharge that dutie But howsoeuer they can easily shift it off before men they shall not be able to answere it with peace to God But yet where this is remedied there may be lets enough on the Ministers behalfe to hinder the hearers yea though they should be willing to be taught from comming by faith As if he should teach often and yet doe not carefully acquaint himselfe with the peoples weakenes and want in conceiuing the doctrine which is to bee deliuered vnto them but should speake aboue their reach little to their vnderstanding and conceiuing and consequently little to their edifying There is nothing more like to hurt the people then such a kinde of teaching when they shall haue a learned man to preach vnto them whereby they are readie to thinke their case farre more happie then others and yet they shall not be able thereby to receiue light edification in faith and godlines and sound comfort that is not easie and plaine to them which he himselfe vnderstandeth Although it were to be wished that some things were not put foorth by them to the people which they themselues haue not tried by the Scripture and cleerely seene into of the speakers before they vttered them I vtter not this to grieue any of my brethren who desire to doe good in the Church of God hauing receiued gifts of God thereunto but to put all in minde to labour to be vnderstoode as well as to speake the truth And that some may more especiallie know that the neglecting of plaine speaking is a chiefe cause of little fruite of their labours it neede not be taken heauilie for I know men of singular learning and gifts who haue already much altered the manner of their teaching framing themselues to the diligent hearers capacitie and more and more desire to doe the same daily rather then to be commended for learned men of them which neither conceiue nor vnderstand them Yet my meaning is not to nourish or perswade to rude absurd and barbarous teaching which were more fit to make them which should teach ridiculous and the Scriptures themselues without authority or credit as also to mocke the people but that by their plainenes in the euidence of the spirit reuerence might be procured to their Ministerie among the hearers and that their doctrine might be approued in their consciences which is approued of the Lord as being drawne from his word and easilie conueied to their vnderstandings that so they may proue that they preach with power and authoritie and not as the Scribes There is but one thing more which in my iudgement doth hinder profiting on the teachers behalfe and that is when by Catechising the chiefe grounds of faith be not briefely and cleerely taught in right and good order the one depending vpon or following the other as they ought by fit coherence and agreeing together that the people may see the way cleerely to saluation and thereby they may the better make profit of their whole Preaching and Ministerie also As that repentance be not required of the people before faith that faith be not warranted to be in the people when they see no neede thereof by their sinne and miserie because it is cleere that they can finde no sweetnes in Christ who feele not their sinnes bitter and sower Also that a man be taught that he no sooner beleeueth then he is made a new creature and so is changed in heart and in life and that the new borne desire to growe by the sincere milke of the Word It were a great furtherance to their Ministerie if where the grounds of Religion be plainely and soundly taught the Minister did by conference and questioning in his Catechising and by examination at Communions trie how the doctrine is receiued seeing for want of this a better opinion being conceiued of many by the teacher then he knoweth cause why they are vnsound in many necessarie things who yet for their often hearing are thought to be ignorant of no necessarie poynt of knowledge which the Minister hath often taught It were much to be wished that the Minister who is willing to take this paine for it is tedious and vnwelcome to many might haue authoritie to proue such as heare him how they profit as well to build vp those which are weake the better when he seeth wherein their want is greatest as also to purge out the leauen of Poperie and other errors ouf of them which are infected therewith Whereby also this benefit might come that if any sculking Iesuits or Priests or other Papists or heretikes should creepe into any of their Parishes and Townes they might by the diligent care of the Minister well furnished with knowledge and authoritie be remoued or reclaimed And otherwise the people being neuer proued how they haue receiued the truth neither by authoritie inioyned to be subiect to triall of their soundnes as well as to resort to the assemblie doe through custome lye hardened in their ignorance and superstition and still remaine wilfull in their old dregges A Minister able and painefull through loue in few necessarie points iointly laid together labouring with the people to make a sufficient Catechisme might be well assured that he should call so many to the fellowship of the pretious faith as God had appointed there vnto eternall life and without this it is found too true that much preaching doth the lesse good as shall appeare better vnto such as list
Prophet by his example teacheth them in the like case whilest it stoode free from the disease of temptation when they found comfort in the spirit through an acceptable measure of faith Further the triall of their faith is likewise to be taken by those fruits which are euident to the eye of others who can iudge more sincerely then the afflicted themselues whose vnderstanding is much altered by Sathans terrours And here as in fittest place I alleage the strong faith of the woman of Canaan when Christ seemed to giue her the repulse vtterly yet she would not be moued from her faith when firie darts were thrust into her three or foure one after another The same I say to other their obiections of like sort as I haue said to these As when they reason thus against themselues that they do not liue as Gods children doe nor so holily as God requireth and therefore they cannot haue such comfort as they haue What then are they reprobates haue they no grace because they want that which they would haue Ought they not to consider that they being the Lords plants take not their full perfection at once but according to the nature of a plant require a daily watering and dressing whereby in the end they attaine to a full growth in Christ Oh but they feele not the testimonie of Gods spirit which might assure them I answere neither doe any of Gods children at all times feele it but that they may see their owne frailtie God doth as it were hide himselfe sometime for a season as the mother doth from the child to try the affection of it to her that they may with more earnest desire mourne for Gods wonted grace and when they haue obtained it againe may with more ioyfulnes of heart praise him and yet God doth not withhold comfort from his many times when they walke heauily who if they could giue credit vnto him may assure themselues that they may liue in safetie vnder his protection all the day long but their owne frailtie and the vehemencie of the temptation which oppresseth them diminisheth the feeling thereof But patience and constancie with a resolute mind to beare Gods triall will bring a good end yea and by the meeke going vnder Gods hand in these they shall learne experience afterward to wade thorough greater and yet in the middest of them to haue hope that shall not make them ashamed And thus it may appeare that although the weake faith of Gods deare seruants may be many waies assaulted and their saluation by meanes thereof to their feeling be doubted of yet that such are vndoubtedly the Lords and cannot be taken out of his hands because they are not destitute of faith as I haue proued whereby they apprehend Christ though weake and which hath brought vnto them much comfort in times past though for a season the Lord working all for their good it seeme to them farre otherwise And of the former point of this second head or generall part of this treatise that is how the weakest of Gods people are to be vpholden in vehement temptations thus much be said CHAP. 9. The difference of beleeuers from them that are none NOw followeth the second point wherein for the cleerer manifestation of that which hath been said I must now discerne from the former sort such as haue great shew of faithfull ones and beleeuers and yet are nothing lesse and shew that the weakest Christians of whom I haue spoken may see their estate apparantly different from theirs who yet come neerest of other vnto beleeuers and then answere some doubts which I know doe sticke in the mindes of diuers about this matter And first whereas some may maruaile that I in the describing of Gods children haue not rested in these as infallible markes thereof namely 1. sorrow for their miserie 2. confession of their sinnes to God 3. feare of his displeasure for the same and 4. desiring some kinde of amendment of life seeing they are also in them who are effectuallie called of God I answere I haue followed the Scripture herein and that I haue in shewing who are the Lords made mention rather of those graces of God which are properly belonging to the faithfull then of them which may be in hypocrites and hollow hearted professors Seeing we finde both by Scripture and experience that these forenamed affections and many good and commendable vertues as they seeme to be may haue place in those which doe not appertaine to Gods election For a man may be much burthened with the weight of his sinne his conscience terrified by the spirit of bondage he may be pensiue afterward for his sinne committed and wish it were vndone afraide for the punishment and may promise amendment and walke heauily and expresse it by outward signes and yet not released nor set free from that which he feareth So the same person by the hearing of the promises of the Gospell may finde ioy and delight in the glorious tidings which it bringeth and take sensible pleasure in the exercises of religion He may haue a taste of the life to come as Balam he may reuerence and feare the Ministers of God as Herod and begin to amend some faults in his life as hee and others of whom wee reade in the Gospell did and yet for all this though fearefull to thinke of not sealed vp to saluation euen thus farre a man may goe in the profession of Christian religion and yet a stranger from the power of faith from the life of godlines and from that which accompanieth both I meane a good and peaceable conscience Of the which argument because much is written and where the Gospell hath been preached of some places I may speake of mine owne knowledge it hath been often handled and largely I thinke I may say the lesse Neither doe I speake that which I haue said about this matter to discourage any but partly to driue them from deceiuing themselues which loue to stay themselues they care not vpon what rotten hold and broken staffe partly to make the true testimonies of eternall life to be more pretiously esteemed of those which haue them and such as are without them to bestowe more diligence in seeking of them For the weakest faith findeth Christ Iesus no more to lose him seeing he hath said that he will not breake a brused reede nor quench the smoking flaxe and the most glorious shewes of godlines and boldest crakes and most loude boastes of faith where yet it is not indeede shall all vanish away in the ayre and come to nothing not hauing any part in him euen as Sauls bragges that God had deliuered Dauid into his hands when he was shut in the citie were frustrated to his owne shame 1. Sam. 23.14 24.5 The which how true it is may appeare not only by some examples mentioned out of the Scripture but also by the liues of sundry in the Countrey who
doe For when he saw that God gaue him twelue moneths to repent of his pride for the which his dreame told him his kingdome should depart from him he forgot his dreame like a dreame and did not repent but at the twelue moneths end began a fresh to increase his pride crowing and boasting of his wealth and honour thus Is not this great Babel which I haue built for the house of my kingdome by the might of my power and for the honour of my maiestie Wherby we see that he was more desirous to know what his dreame meant then to bee warned by it Euen so these professors which I speake of are very carefull to heare the glad tidings of the Gospell preached and cannot bee withdrawne or disswaded from it but to lay their estate with it and to take this warning by it that they will receiue the print of it vpon their hearts and liues and bee cast into the mould of it that I say they cannot be brought vnto for then they should finde it to be the power of saluation to them for the which end it is preached But what is the cause that they going so farre before many other who are professors also cannot be brought to goe beyond them in this as well and herein to be equall to the best louers of the Gospell I meane in prouing and examining whether Christ be in them without they be reprobates and whether they haue not the spirit of God without which they be none of his The maine cause is this Their hearts are not vpright nor they will not deale plainly with the Lord. They cannot say in truth Search me O Lord and see if there be any vnrighteousnes in me which I doe hide within me and it shall be remoued out of thy sight Nay it is certaine if they might come to triall that they doe keepe some sinne as Iob saith euen as a child doth sugar vnder the palate Sundrie faults I graunt such will refraine both themselues and driue them out of their families but yet for all that they will not bee brought to this to make profession that they will be willing to be reformed in what part of their life soeuer they may bee iustly chalenged for then they should not blemish their religion as the best of that sort doe Neither doe they set their priuiledges which they haue by the Gospell before all other things alwaies they thinke it ouer strict that they should be tied so narrowly and that it is neither beseeming wisedome credit ciuilitie policie grauitie or such place and calling as some of them may bee in to shew what is in them though they be zealous they say but too base a thing for them when yet the Scripture saith I beleeue and therefore I haue spoke And againe The zeale of thine house hath consumed me And againe if this be to bee vile and base I will yet be more vile for the Lords sake that hath honoured me Yea and they thinke it is more then needeth that all their delight should be in the Saints which are on the earth and such as excell in vertue and that they should be companions with such as feare God when yet the communion of Saints is more pleasant and sweete then was Aarons ointment and more fruitfull then mount Hermon was with the dew and Sion and her vallies about her with the siluer droppes that fell vpon them Yea for the preciousnes thereof the Church spake thus of it If I preferre not Ierusalem that is the welfare of Gods people before all ioy that I haue on earth beside then let me lose my best delight To returne they of whom I speake though in their owne opinion and in the iudgement of some others they be in right good state to Godward yet God whose thoughts are not as mans and the truth which must giue good report of them as well as men iudgeth and determineth of them farre otherwise if that be the best that can be said of their faith and repentance which I haue set downe For the elect and deare children of God doe farre otherwise They hauing found the pearle sell all that they haue to buy it though they are occupied about many things yet that one euen the word of God is chiefe with them Their loue of it is strong as ielousie that admitteth no recompence and as death that cannot be resisted They cast not away their confidence if they once grow to see what recompence of reward it hath nor will not suffer any to take their crowne from them euen their honour that they haue in being the Lords sonnes and daughters They couet spirituall things they hunger and thirst after righteousnes they with good and honest hearts receiue the word and bring foorth fruite in due season They if they haue offended their most louing father cannot be quiet till they returne and come home againe and say wee haue sinned And if they be in worse estate then this they like it not vnlesse it be when they are fallen asleepe and haue forgotten themselues And yet what doe they in all this more then they ought feeling for all this their wants and burdens of which they complaine and crie out And whereas they are mocked and euill spoken of for this that they doe thus carrie themselues in the loue of heauenly things and in the hope of immortalitie farre more feruently then they who are not intitled to any such thing it is hard to say whether they who offer them this iniurie doe most offend in hindring the honour of God thereby or their neighbours welfare or their owne saluation For God commaunds that wee should labour rather for the foode that abideth to eternall life then for that which perisheth And what doe we offend then who doe so and is it not our gaine and benefit if we doe so Therefore let men for shame and feare of iust damnation desist from such madnes But to returne to them to whom I speake and to conclude in a sentence or two to them and such as they are I say therfore giue no rest to your selues till you can prooue that you be in the estate of saluation You haue many waies set downe by which you may doe it euen in this treatise in other godly mens labours and especially in the Scriptures Lose not all your labour which you haue bestowed in seeking to be saued I meane your reading hearing of Sermons praying and confessing your sinnes it is lost if you attaine not that which you seeke You are not farre from it a little more humilitie and truth of heart will bring you further into the estate of happines then that ye can fall any more from it Be neuer satisfied till ye haue more then an vnrepentant person can haue You count it no toyle to sweate in hay and haruest This is another manner of substance if ye once had part in it
may doe and doth where hee can enter with both the other sorts also My meaning is that the children of God weak or strong doe not onely step aside sometimes from the peaceable estate wherein they desire to keepe but also are in daunger without continuall watchfulnes and earnest and oft praying to be sensibly dazeled as men not knowing where they are and stript of grace vtterly to their owne feeling as if there had neuer been any Which I say that none may be dismaied as they might easily be if they should heare onely the best of the state of the godly and not vnderstand something of the worst also and yet euen that worst part God turneth to their good as they in time by experience doe easily perceiue But if any thinke that this last sort of Gods children which indeed is the weakest of the rest or either of the other bee nothing differing from the vnregenerate in their thoughts and desires they must know that the secretest hypocrite which of all vnreformed ones commeth neerest them is yet farre differing from the weakest true Christian as both may bee seene by that which hath been said of both and as the same hypocrite would confesse if he might bee conuerted And I will in few words shew as much as shall be expedient For when a godly man dislikes himselfe most yet euen then he is farre before the best of the other who haue not their mindes occupied about heauenlie matters the thought thereof is tedious vnto them they desire no acquaintance therewith neither delight they to thinke how they may be better reformed neither can they bee brought to put themselues in the weights of the Sanctuarie that is to trie their estate by the word of God But their thoughts and desires are about carnall libertie pleasure profit long life reuenge c. euen as their speech is that commeth from their hearts frothie and vaine idle and vnsauourie earthly and worldly And when it is any better it is either by constraint of others or to shew the pride of heart or for vaine glorie or to some such end or els they are soone wearie of it So that it may trulie be said that the desires and thoughts of Gods people euen the weakest differ much from others who are vnrenued And this may in some sort shew the vsuall thoughts and desires of this third kinde of godly people as of the two former As for the diuers measures of spirituall growth in them in degree one aboue another as I haue followed the Scripture in the setting out thereof so I thought good in a word to put the reader in minde of this that euery action mentioned in the three kinds of our estate must not precisely be so appropriated to that kind in which it is reckoned that it may not also pertaine to one of the other but for the most part the affections which are reckoned to euery one are most proper to that to the which they are referred Neither is any to think that these cogitations which I haue set downe to belong most properly to euery kind of age in Christ are the only meditations thoughts of them but that amongst others according to the diuers occasions of euery one they haue oftentimes these and such like occupying their hearts but more oft desiring then inioying them whereas others which are not partakers of the promise of life haue seldome any good thoughts or if they haue they are fleeting and momentanie and either caused by feare or prouoked of others and as I may say violent so that they abide not and not voluntarie seeing they haue not the spirit of Christ which only doth worke them And all this that I haue said of the three sorts of Gods people may cleerely be illustrated and proued by the many examples out of the holy Scriptures who of weake became strong As Moses who was first afraid to looke Pharao in the face desiring that another might goe who was meeter then he yet afterwards hee was not afraide to doe his message boldly and thoroughly in the name of the Lord. And Peter who in his middle estate as I may say was so faint and fearfull that hee was striken and flighted with the voyce of a sillie damsell Luk. 22.57 yet after when he grew to the degree of a father was not abashed at the threat of the high Priest Act. 5.29 and yet both these were weaker then in either of these estates at their first beginning As the plants corne and grasse are first tender then stronger and at last setled and at their full growth And thus much of the cogitations and affections of the three sorts of Gods children that it may be seene that they are not caried about of their lusts as the vnregenerate but haue their hearts occupied in farre better manner And thus to returne and to ioyne this which followeth to the end of the seuenth chapter for this former came in by way of a parenthesis to answer a question propounded in the entrance into it Now that I haue spoken of inward lusts and sins of the heart and shewed how they are disliked and renounced of all true beleeuers it followeth that the same be proued concerning the outward sinnes of the life that they abhorre and shunne them also that all may see they haue little cause to please themselues or to reioyce either CHAP. 9. Of the second kinde of euils or sinnes to be renounced namely outward TO reioyce either about their saluation or the goodnes of their heart if their behauiour be stained with outward wickednes their holie profession blemished with open and shamefull sins is vaine which is the more to be marked seeing many boast that they haue good harts to God whē their liues are wicked When Samuel willed the people to trie their repentance to be sound he willed them to put away Baalam and Ashtaroth that is their strange gods and shamefull Idolatrie which they had delighted in And Paul telleth the Corinthians that they must clense themselues from all filthines of the flesh as well as of the spirit But the lesse shall be needfull to bee said of this seeing the whole course of the Scriptures both doctrine and examples as also common reason doth testifie the same that none can proue their hearts vpright if their behauiour be offensiue and euill For doctrine first that of S. Peter doth plainly shew it where he saith If a man after he hath professed a Christian course by acknowledging the forgiuenes of his sinne and the hope of euerlasting life shall yet be intangled againe in his old sinnes and ouercome of them the latter end of that man is worse then the beginning for it had been better neuer to haue acknowledged the way of righteousnes then afterwards to turne from the commaundements giuen vnto him And they that do so are most fitly compared to dogges which returne to their vomite and to swine
warning by his word he doth further bewray them and set them out in deed to be knowne such as he neuer tooke pleasure in by suffering now and then here and there in all ages some such to hang and drowne themselues or to die in despaire or other miserable manner if possibly he might bring some of the rest to repentance These perswade themselues that they doe liue godly and yet by apparant proofe of Scripture may see plainelie that they doe not so for of such our Sauiour speaketh when he saith to his Disciples Matth. 5.20 Except your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies ye cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen These it feareth me to vtter it but that it is Gods truth as farre off as they be from Gods kingdome goe in sundrie points farre before the two former sorts who yet thinke their estate to be good Oh therefore how many perish And yet some of all these three sorts are sometime pricked in conscience and sore disquieted in themselues for their sinnes which is hardly procured and wrought in the most hearers no not euen by oft and sound teaching but yet in deed this is only a slauish terrifying of them for feare of the punishment in which feare they doe also confesse their sinne and that in teares somtime There may be seene in them also a leauing for the time of some of their old euill qualities that a man would marueile at them as Iohn Baptist did when he saw the Pharisies resort to his baptisme For this is but externall in some things and for a season as Herod who did many things at Iohn his teaching and as Ephraim in Osee whose goodnes was as the morning dew In their trouble they seeke the Lord but they seeke him not as they who would find him for then would they not leaue off to seeke vntil they had found him as the church did in the Canticles chap. 3.3.4 Neither doe they regard his waies when their trouble is ended as Iob speaketh describing the hypocrite thus The hypocrite doth not pray that is serue God alwaies meaning in one condition of life as in another in peace as in trouble Yea more particularly whē God smiteth and plagueth them either by their enemies diseases losses and such like they couenant religiously with him that they will neuer fall from him any more but they flatter him with their mouth and dissemble with their tongue their heart is not vpright with him neither are they faithfull in his couenant They will sharply tell others of their faults though they be but small yea though they be but so in their opinion as though they could not abide that God should bee dishonoured but they themselues will not take a reproofe they hate to be reformed They are zealous in some things but it breaketh out many waies not to haue been true godlines by their inconstant feruencie and other passions They heare the word of God willingly sometimes and some of them speake of it with ioy and wonder at the heauenly wisedome of it but it vanisheth away and fleeteth whereas if it had been sound it would haue increased and continued as the hearbe that taketh roote in good ground becommeth fruitfull So they attaine to many good gifts of God whereby one would thinke sometimes that they were not farre from eternall life but they either burie them in a napkin and doe no good with them or vse them amisse as Iudas did Christs communion with him to their owne hurt while they dare bee bolder by meanes of these good gifts to offend God then if they had them not But if I should reckon vp the beadrolles of grosse faults which they suffer in themselues and nourish yet vnder the name of infirmities it should easily appeare to such as haue any iudgement in the Scriptures that they cannot be reckoned among the beleeuers and beloued of the Lord. For howsoeuer he gather his elect out of all these kinds yet are none of them to be accounted for his while they abide and continue so From these faults therefore let the beleeuers separate themselues A fourth sort and those diuers from these now mentioned may be added who being sore stumbling blockes and offences to many deserue to bee reprooued with the former ye shall know them by the description which I set downe of them by rehearsing their particuler properties who if they repent not will in the end though I hope better of some of them prooue no better then the rest Among whom they are to bee counted who seeming to be of the forwarder sort doe yet offend dangerously and suffer the same blemishes before men to breake foorth in countenance speech behauiour against such as they mislike though farre better then themselues which testifie that their hearts are inwardly poysoned in the sight of God who for their zeale that they haue towards the worship of God do thinke so well of themselues that they cannot brooke nor abide any other who differ from them in iudgement about some things though they haue no cleere ground in the word of God And if they bee at variance with any how honest and godlie soeuer yet cannot affoord them a Christian and friendly countenance nor speake a word to them without taunting girding rating or wounding them and in their absence deface and defame them very vncharitably for somewhat which they mislike in them and yet oft times without any iust cause at all Yea and some of them being themselues but priuate men but put the case some of them bee in the Ministerie and men vnlearned doe make it a great piece of their religion to censure sharply and descant arrogantly of their betters and superiours so that it is well knowne that many of them haue turned vtterly to become Schismatikes and others haue not been farre from them Which kind of zealous professors I do the more boldly reproue because some haue thought me a fauourer of such their readines in receiuing the Gospell I haue well liked and as I haue been able furthered it but this arrogant bold and vncharitable spirit of theirs bringing forth such fruit as I haue mentioned neuer taught them in any sound Ministerie I vtterlie mislike and haue done from time to time since I had any iudgement Who hauing been content for some yeeres space to be taught as seeing great need thereof haue in a few yeeres I may say moneths outgrowne their teachers in their owne iudgements and haue thought almost none of them good and meete enough or sufficient for them and therefore some of them haue giuen themselues as they say to grow by their priuate reading when they might haue been taught also in the publike assemblie which some of them refuse to doe especially by the ministerie of such as they are exasperated against and so for the seruing of their owne cankred humour they sinne against God in breaking one
so may they be although these foule euils be not common with them nor long lien in of them which I haue spoken of of whose infirmities I will say more when I haue satisfied in some sort these obiections Therefore where it is demaunded if they be not partakers of the same sinnes that other men are I denie not but that it is possible for them in some sort and for a time to be carried after the streame of the euill example of so many which are in the world so common and almost vniuersall for the best liue where Sathans throne is euen as the Israelites and the Aegyptians dwelt together whose vnsauorie and stinking breath what maruaile were it if the whole and sound should be infected with it And further as they may possiblie haue their part in the sinnes of the vngodly so I denie not if God beare not the greater authoritie with them and be not the more regarded of them but that they may also lie still in the same loathsomenes for a season though smallie to their comfort This to be true both lamentable examples of the Scripture doe shew in Noah Lot Dauid and Peter and wofull experience among vs in all ages doe testifie But what then Are they therefore giuen ouer of the Lord to lie and abide in them and being washed to wallow againe in the mire And as I deny not but that it may be possible and is too cleere by wofull experience that the best may be snared with the sinnes of others so yet I say that when they fall it appeareth plainelie that it was the subtill malice of the diuell watching his opportunitie so narrowlie that he deceiued them rather then that they were giuen ouer like wicked men to lie therein and to adde sinne to sinne without combat and conflict as though they had made a league with sinne and were without God in the world as the other be And the rather I say this because when they haue been awaked and come to themselues againe they are so strangely amased at their offence and so tremble to thinke what they haue done and can haue no peace within themselues vntill they returne and that after they haue got out they are made more warie and vigilant against the like another time the which of the wicked cannot be said in any of their repentings till God change their hearts in deed although in suddaine and rash feare they may be flighted till it vanish away againe like smoake and so come to nothing Last of all when haue they fallen dangerouslie who had so well begun Hath it been while and when they haue held on in their course of Christian dutie Haue they been violentlie carried from the platforme and direction of a godlie life whether they would or no as not knowing what they did or how they were brought to it Yea rather haue they not at such times giuen themselues the bridle and suffered their mindes to runne too farre after that which they tooke pleasure in and offended by And haue they wisely auoided the occasions of such mischiefe and danger at such times as they vsuallie were wont Neither obiect here that a man cannot be at all times watchfull and the wisest shall or may bee sometimes ouercome I answere were they warie but as they haue been vsuallie in which times they were preserued from such reprochfull falles For if it were so with them they could not thus offend but if they haue been wearie of Gods gouerning of them and haue thought long till they haue gotten more libertie to the flesh and to be at their owne hand with the world and to count stollen waters sweete it is no maruaile though they haue smarted with Dinah for ranging and seeking to haue their will amisse for if his owne children prouoke him he must punish euen their sinnes with the rod and their offences with the scourge till they returne and say wee haue sinned God hath promised to keepe vs in all our waies wherein he appointeth vs to walke and whiles our mindes are leading vs thither we are in no danger and he hath promised vs strength to walke in them But if wee will runne out of our bounds with Shemeia where our owne hearts tell vs that we are in daunger is it any wonder if afterwards it take hold of vs And was it not thus with that deare seruant of God whom the Scripture commendeth by this title that he was a man according to Gods minde that when that one time befell more to his reproch then all other he was found to giue himselfe the bridle of vnlawfull libertie and to shaking off the secret reigne of holie feare more then vsually he did And who denieth but that in such a case if they refuse to stand vpon their watch they may become like other men but yet for all that is there great difference betwixt the one and the other as hath bin said the one offending in that sort seldome neither then long lying therein the other making it his practise to breake out one way or other And therefore we must know that when we haue obtained once to beleeue and thereby to haue our poysoned hearts purged and made cleane as it is the greatest of all other benefits so it is and may bee kept by such meanes as God hath prouided and not lost any more but confirmed and continued in the feare of God But then as we be one with Christ and partakers of him and as branches of a vine which sucke our sappe and draw our spirituall strength and nourishment from him so it is required of vs and we willingly yeeld to it that we hold fast the beginning of our abiding in him that is our faith vnto the end and that we take heed that there be not at any time in vs an euill and corrupt heart which will make vs fall from the liuing God to our owne deceitfull imaginations and desires and so to fall dangerously and to purchase heauines thereby our bellies full And this let euery one endeuour to doe and he shall see himself so strongly fenced that through Gods blessing which faileth not in such a case he shal be free from the diet of the carelesse liuers who are euery while shaken because they who walke vprightly walke safely but he that peruerteth his waies God will finde him out Prouer. 10.9 For whereas many of Gods beloued ones procure sore wounds in their liues and anguish thereby it is but the fruit of their owne labours who will not bee held within holie compasse but pleade for some vnlawfull libertie and count it strictnes more then needeth by harkning too much to the vnruly flesh to tie themselues to any certaine directing of themselues in his seruice when yet his seruice is perfect freedome whose euils I defend not but yet I say as I haue said if they be his they shall rise and repent
with Peter if they haue fallen with him when yet the wicked shall lie still and waxe worse But ye demaund and would needes haue me answere whether I can warrant such as feare God that they shall neuer fall into some reprochfull and dangerous euill as other men doe as well as they may breake out some other waies If I might answere a wise and sober demaunder I would not refuse to speake my minde although it may in part be gathered by that which I haue said alreadie vnto such a one therefore I say for if any other see his owne practise not to agree with my answere let him impute it to his owne sinne rather then to my rashnes I say therefore seeing rare and deare seruants of God haue fallen thus into shamefull sinnes it may seeme scarce possible for the best in these latter times being far inferiour to some of them in grace to be free from the like fearefull falles But yet wee must know that some other of his good people God hath preserued from that kinde of shamefull sinnes and staines as Enoch Abraham Caleb Iosua with many others and therefore it may of vs be hoped for especially seeing it is no other thing then we are commanded to haue speciall regard and care of that is to liue without iust reproch in the middest of a crooked generation and vnstained Saint Peter saith If ye haue these things ye shall neuer fall that is dangerously to take any great hurt thereby Therefore by these and such other perswasions wee ought to be incouraged for to vs there is good hope to obtaine grace hereunto But seeing all Gods children cannot alike be perswaded that they ought to giue all diligence hereunto euen that they may be vnrebukeable amongst men as Paul did and so taught other to doe but thinke it impossible to liue so constantly but that they shall sometime breake out dangerously Therefore such must be taught wisedome by experience and some of them being more proud then others must haue their pride humbled and healed by such medicines for grieuous falles are phisick for pride and many who haue some grace but not the grace which is sufficient for them are daungerously proud because they haue not fallen shamefully that is into some odious crime and yet they haue fallen shamefully if they could see it in that they are dangerously proud If God therefore seeth it meete to abate their pride thereby they may possibly fall after such a manner Or if it be for the more manifesting of his glorie in forgiuing them so great a trespasse they may also fall dangerously This doth our mercifull father see expedient oftentimes as both in Peter and Dauid it came to passe as also in others who doubtlesse loued the Lord more then some others of his faithfull people which neuer fell in that manner as Peters answere and Dauids Psalmes doe cleerely testifie yea and such loued him the more Luk. 7.47 euen for that very cause seeing they obtained mercie against so great sinnes of theirs and fearefull iniquitie Yea and to adde a third end God is highly magnified by others which know and see this that hee hath forgiuen so great offences in such as haue fallen grieuously who otherwise beholding the heauenly course of such excellent seruants of his how holie and sincere it was saue in some such offence should haue been vtterly discouraged yea and like to haue despaired of their owne good estate and the rather for the high opinion that they conceiued of them if they had not seene or heard of these their falles For these causes therefore the Lord may and often hath let some of his deare seruants fall dangerously first for the humbling of them and secondly for that they may see his exceeding bountifulnes in pardoning so great sinnes that they may loue him the more and thirdly that others farre weaker then they yet faithfull may be incouraged to beleeue that their sins shall be pardoned and their weake seruice accepted of him for as much as they haue seene that God hath pardoned great offences in some otherwise farre more excellent then they which if they were not perswaded of should be discouraged much because of the great graces and gifts in them farre exceeding those which are in themselues And otherwise or in other respects they neede not feare that God taketh any pleasure to cast them downe who desire to stand when his propertie is rather to raise vp them that are fallen or that hee seeketh euery aduantage against their infirmities who doth not look streightly what is done amisse of them but helpe their weakenes supplie their wants and deliuer them from such dangers as they feare so far as it is expedient or els make them able to beare them For proofe whereof they may remember how he kept them when they had small skill or abilitie to keepe themselues after that they first imbraced his promises will hee not much more keepe them safe now they haue experience of his kindnes and the power of Christ working in them Nay that which is more when they were his enemies he gaue his sonne to die for them and now they are reconciled vnto him and approued of him as his beloued ones shall they not much more be preserued by his liuing in glorie from the fearefull iudgements which in his wrath he executeth against the vngodly of the world Therefore if thou beest grounded and established in faith and holdest fast the beginning of thine ingrafting into Christ be of good comfort thy greatest danger is past for can he that loueth thee dearely meane hardly against thee Is there with him yea and nay with whom there is no shadow of chaunge The Lord witnessing to that which I say with reuerence and thankfulnes beleeue it either thou shalt not fall reprochfully or if thou doest it shall be thus as I haue said euen so as it shal turne to thy good and it neede to be to thy great good which cannot be without the great offence of so many as shall know it For though such as shall perish may turne this which I say to their owne great hurt as they doe the Scriptures also seeing to the vncleane all things are vncleane yet if thou shouldest slide the Lord would hold thee vp and make thee stand more constantly after The world seeth no whit of this but counteth it all arrogancie boasting and falsehood because indeed they beleeue no more then they see or then their reason and fleshly wisedome can prie into which is an vtter enemie to this heauenly truth but ô faith what pretious secrets art thou able to reueale to vs of Gods minde and will and how safe is he yea in this dangerous wildernes of the world in whom thou dwellest seeing the Lord hath said This is the victorie that ouercommeth the world euen our faith And this for answere
added publike fasts when the people of God by some especiall calamities either hanging ouer them or alreadie vpon them or for greeuous transgressions against God do abase and humble themselues more earnestly and feruently to intreate God against them Also publike thanksgiuing for some rare benefit or deliuerance sent vpon the Church In all which publike actions the Lord requireth streightly besides that we should loue desire and procure them by all meanes that we can so that we shew all reuerence in the vse of them as by bowing our neckes in making our prayers lifting vp of our hands or eyes as occasion is offered so casting downe of lifting vp the countenance with cheerefulnesse as the matter heard requireth An other part of Gods worship is when the most of these now spoken of are vsed priuately of vs Also the talking and conferring of the word of God in mutuall instructing admonishing exhorting comforting or any way else which is fit for edifying as singing of Psalmes and thanksgiuings in Christian families both ioyntly and seuerally according to their particular occasions and oportunities and namely at meate and at rest And to conclude we must all both magistrate minister and people carefully auoyde and watch against all occasions of superstition and idolatrie and be zealous against the same to the rooting out and abolishing of them as much as in vs lieth and carefully retaine and hold our company and familiaritie with the true professors and worshippers of God and continue daily our frequenting of the places of publike assemblies of Gods people and not breake off our fellowship as the manner of some is Neither giue or take occasion one or other of vs in our seuerall estates or places of hindring or cooling our holy and comfortable proceedings in the Lords pure worship and seruice But seeing the Scripture teacheth that he is not a Iew which is so onely in the eyes of men neither is the drawing neere with the lips and bodie onely spirituall therefore the manner of doing these duties in Gods outward worship is also to be learned as in a word I haue touched before that as in themselues they are good and godly so they may as they come from the beleeuers be also sweete and sauourie in the Lords nostrils namely that as they proceede from faith so they may be seasoned with holie affections as oft as they are offered to him So that wee are to know this that when wee shall set vpon any part of his worship which now hath been spoken of it is highly displeasing to him to goe about the same lightly rashly falsely hypocritically and vnprofitably for that were abominable to him as a dead sacrifice But contrarily wee must vse them with al high reuerence being prepared rightly before wel affected in the vsing of them and ayming at the most profitable end which he hath appointed that so we may be approoued and allowed of him Now if I should particularly declare how and after what manner euery part of the outward worshipping of God should be vsed as I haue shewed in generall I should tarie too long in this matter but in some few of the principallest particulars I will shew it that thereby may be seene what is required in the rest In the preaching of the word being the way to inlighten vs first with faith and after to settle and establish vs in the truth wee should come prepared to the hearing of it after this manner laying aside all filthines of heart and hands which might hold out wisedome we being readie and desirous to receiue it with a hungrie soule and therefore not rashly and little regarding what we goe about neither comming with a captious and malitious purpose to heare In the action it selfe we should be thus affected with our whole soule to marke and weigh the matter that so we may bee touched with it accordingly that is to say with hearing our faults wee should bee pricked and relent with hearing promises beleeue and receiue comfort by them by doctrine of dutie to be fullie resolued to practise it and therefore not to haue our heads full of other matters running vpon our profits and pleasures or in hypocrisie and though wee take some delight in that which we heare yet not to bee contented to rest therein without the feeling of the true worke of it in vs. After wee haue heard wee should giue all diligence to muse and conferre of the things which we haue heard examining them by the Scriptures with the good men of Thessalonica and finding agreement betwixt both with more boldnes to set our selues forward in euery good way by the helpe thereof This is the right manner of hearing the word of God preached which the Lord hath taught his people to endeuour after as whereby he warranteth them singular fruite and blessing And although this be but the vse and helpe of one part of Gods worship yet if wee were alike directed in all the rest how greatly thinke wee might a Christian bee holpen and enabled to the true worshipping of God by the same which now being not knowne of many neither reuerently practised is a thing most vnsauourie and irkesome vnto them Not much vnlike to this is the true manner of the priuate exercise of Gods word in reading and conferring vpon it that with high reuerence in hope to get profit thereby and praying earnestly for the same we should goe about it whiles we are at it withdraw our mindes from all other things and after applie it profitablie and readilie to vse it To the Lords Supper if we desire to finde it as it is in it selfe an heauenlie banquet we should see that we come in our wedding garment meet guests for such a table apparrelled with the robe of faith and repentance without which the Lord of the feast will neither looke vpon vs nor welcome vs but expell vs rather In the time of our receiuing we should be heauenly minded much comforted and made glad as feeding vpon such dainties whereby our soules and bodies shal liue happily for euer And afterwards to be thankfull to the giuer of so great good things and a long time after to retaine the strength we receiued by them to the end wee may feele ourselues readie to testifie the same by all dutifull obedience for the time to come Of prayer also which shall be more fully spoken of in another place there is an holie and reuerent vse to be made though many are little acquainted with it namely that we should seriously weigh Gods almightie power and how fatherly he is affected to vs which two things should be our pillars to leane vnto so that we may be the better prepared thereto that whilest wee are in powring out of our prayers vnto him wee may through this confidence feele our selues effectually moued to lift vp pure heart and hands vnto him with cheerefulnes and after
partly maintaine themselues but not without the helpe of others by borrowing of them and the third sort is able to lend or to giue or to do both therefore according to these diuers sorts of men the seuerall points of righteous dealing one with another must be spoken of and those which are beside this shall be considered afterwards They who haue no other way to liue or to be maintained but by receiuing mens beneuolence haue their proper dutie assigned them of God about their neighbours goods first to know that their poore estate is allotted them of God as the rich mans is also according to the Scripture which saith The Lord maketh poore and he maketh rich and therefore he is to liue in it with contentation As also hee may doe if hee know God to be his father through Christ his redeemer for there is incouragement enough from thence to liue contentedly and comfortably in any condition in the which God shall set him For want of the which it is that neither poore nor rich are contented without hunting after that which is another mans Now as it is the poore mans dutie to be contented with his portion so it is in no sort tolerable in him to grudge at other mens abundance for shall his eye be euill seeing God is good Neither ought he so much as to wish the same and so to iniurie his neighbour but to receiue thankfully that which befalleth him acknowledging such to be Gods instruments and as it were his hands wherby he ministreth to his necessities And because the people of God which either sent reliefe to the poore of other Churches as they of Macedonia and Corinth to Ierusalem or who prouided for their poore as they in the Acts they did it to incourage them to remaine and abide constant in the doctrine of the Gospell therefore the poore which liue with vs must know this and looke to performe this dutie also that hauing such incouragement they make it their chiefe worke to liue godly and obediently That is to say to glad their hearts who refresh their bodies when they may see their innocent conuersation and zeale to Godward according to their knowledge But I lament the estate of the poore euen as I doe many thousands of others to thinke how few of them are fit to heare this their dutie with any hope to be the better for it and what an vniuersall blindnes and securitie is amongst them seeing they are as farre from the desire of true knowledge as they are from possibilitie of obtaining it yea though there bee offered vnto them a plaine and easie manner of teaching them which as it is at this day for the most part in that estate to be seene so it seemeth to haue been vsuall among such long agoe that the poore liued for the most part without care of religion as by Ieremy his words doth appeare Who when he had after inquirie found that there were few that sought the truth he said Surely they are poore for they know not the law of the Lord I will get me to the great men for they haue knowne the way of the Lord but these haue altogether broke the yoke and burst the bonds God moue the hearts of them in whom it lieth to redresse it to pitie the one and the other and to haue a greater care of their good by prouiding that they may bee taught the saluation and happines of Christians then they being yet ignorant haue care of themselues Euen to be meanes to bring light to some of them who haue long sate in darknes and especially for the obtaining of the forgiuenes of their sinnes and the change of their liues But I must remember that I am in setting downe the duties of all Christians about the goods of their neighbours although intire pitie hath moued me to make this short digression The last dutie therefore of this sort of poore people is with the former that as much as they be able and their bodilie infirmities of age blindnes lamenes and such other will suffer them that they redeeme their time from idlenes and consequently from other euill passing of the same to doe any profitable worke which they are fit for euer tying their hearts eyes and hands from pulling to them or desiring that which is anothers The second sort that I am to deale with here are they who cannot liue by their labour alone but stand in neede of the helpe of others by borrowing some thing of them that so they may the better prouide for themselues and theirs Their dutie is carefully and faithfully to purpose the restoring of that which they borrowed at the day appointed and that with thanks And therefore in no wise to abuse their creditor by a dishonest denying of it or vnwillingnes to repay it thereby and by other delayes seeking to defraude him and thinke hardly of him if he requireth it which to doe is as if they counted it their owne and a kinde of theft and so they shut vp mens compassion from lending For a chiefe cause of little lending is euill paying It is further required of them that they borrow not without neede as many doe to maintaine themselues in play and idlenes for by that meanes they depriue him who hath neede indeede to borrow seeing the lender cannot pleasure both And although they finde fauour to borrow for their necessitie yet they must not looke to borrow that which they are not like to pay againe by taking more dealings into their hands then their abilitie will serue vnto for many vndoe themselues and others by that meanes much lesse may they borrow to lend to another for vsurie as we call it Lastly if their simple meaning in purposing to repay it at the due time be disappointed yet their care must be to satisfie their creditor and content him with promising new day and paying part and euery way that they can except it be forgiuen them altogether to shew that they were not faultie nor negligent in this matter And this for the borrower now as concerning such as are able to giue and to lend first I will set downe their duties in those respects and how they should vse their goods to the end they may continue this dutie of lending and giuing still after I will shew what rules of righteous dealing they must vse in the getting and increasing of their goods with all men and in all kindes of their dealings that so they may be free from this common euill of wronging any in their commodities They who giue must giue freely not by compulsion and cheerfully desiring thereby to relieue and comfort them who receiue it for charitie and conscience sake as the necessitie of the poore body requireth and their abilitie will giue leaue and so as they may giue to one as well as to another and continue the same duty and
acquainted with it For answere to all let such vnderstand and know that this Christian life is not to be peeced vp with some good actions in the which we may rest neither consisteth of good intents and in chopping and changing our course from good to euill and contrarily but it is the same which I haue said euen the keeping of our hearts sincere and vpright and vnfainedly bent to walke with the Lord after all his commaundements throughout our whole course according to our knowledge and that in such wise and with such delight that he who hath experience of it would not change it for any other for why it yeeldeth an hundreth fold for one in all carnall liberties or delights which we forsake And that it must be thus with the people of God and may possibly be also that of the Prophet doth plainely declare that the man which may reioyce and speake of his estate with comfort indeede is he which doth not by fittes and at some odde times lift vp his heart to God but who doth so loue his law that he meditateth in the same all the day long as he himselfe did meaning this that his thoughts should leade him to God from time to time and when they are occupied about euill or ranging in the world vnprofitabile and amisse that he should by and by without dallying or delay call them backe againe And what thinke we doth he meane in another place when not speaking particularly of himselfe but generally of all which are the Lords he saith The blessed man doth exercise himselfe day and night in this that he may please God as his word directeth him and haue peace thereby with him and so may testifie that God is his treasure because his heart and loue is set vpon his commaundements He doth not meane that we who will be happie must be occupied in prayer hearing or reading onely both day and night neither yet doth he meane that in some pange or when we thinke good we should be occupied thus and well affected and haue our liues well framed but this he meaneth that he who is godly and happie indeede indeuoureth to this that his minde may delight in and be possessed of good matters or rightly vsing lawfull or carefully resisting those which are sinfull And it is the same which the Apostle ment when he said our conuersation is in heauen though we are on earth teaching therein himselfe and all other Christians that their whole course so farre as mans frailtie would permit and how farre it may permit let this treatise out of Gods word testifie ought to be a setled and constant carrying of themselues as I said before throughout their liues in such sort as they might shew and approue themselues to be men of God If we desire to see examples of these things the Scripture setteth out many vnto vs and namely the life of our father Enoch that in his time which soone after the creation of the world was corrupted he did yet walke with the Lord as if it should say he did so liue in the world amongst men that he had yet through his life an heauenly and most happie communion with God Abraham though he be not exempted from infirmities yet from the first time of his calling vnto his death what a rare paterne did he set before the eyes of men in his example of a man consecrated to God and not earthly minded For wheresoeuer he came he set vp an altar vnto the Lord declaring thereby that no change of place time or companie could withholde him from following the Lord but as the first left countrie and kindred at his commaundement when he knew not as yet whither he should goe or what should become of him So when he had leasure after to returne yet he refused because he sought a better countrie namely heauenly witnessing still more and more that his obedience was sound and faithfull by looking to another inheritance vntill an hundred yeares were fully complete in an holy course And of Iob how cleerely doth the holy Ghost witnes this whereof I speake In somuch that he not onely withdrew himselfe and departed from the corrupt examples of the people of his time but also had a particular regard of the actions of his life both towards God and men For proofe whereof his strong faith with patience prayers and sacrifices doe testifie the one his iust dealing with all men and mercifulnes to the poore with rare wisedome in gouerning his owne family and in carrying himselfe toward all doe shew most cleerely the other All which were not at times but vsually and ordinarily performed and through his course of life looked vnto and continued And yet another thing I must needes adde as I am perswaded very admirable that he did vse to acquaint himselfe in the middest of his prosperitie with the looking for a change and did learne in his greatest abundance to want and being in so high a place yet he was not puffed vp because he considered how fleeting and momentany all things were and that his prosperitie was lent him onely for a short time and was not a patrimonie or inheritance to him for euer So that when he was afterward tried with losse of all which was exceeding much it might appeere that he was but little moued with it because he had loued it but a little when he did inioy it The which gratious man thus vsing the world as hath been said holding all so strangerlike while he had it and so willingly foregoing it when God would require it how could he doe it without a diligent looking to his wayes and the directing of the thoughts of his heart in a very particular manner and that in and about worldly goods in which case men thinke no bounds should be prescribed them As for Moses although it was a rare grace when he was of full and ripe yeares to refuse to be maintained as the sonne of Pharaohs daughter and to inioy the pleasures of sinne for a season yet it is more marueilous how in example he went before the rest in the things which God required and shining daily more and more as the Sunne till the noone tide not weary of his seruice as many are but liking better of it the longer experience he had of it so that there was no good being elsewhere to him and so accomplished eightie yeares in that righteous and holy course As for Dauids practise besides the Lords commendation of him that he was a man after his owne minde so that we may see more particularly how he passed his time that one place of his Psalmes doth cleerely shew where he saith This is the course of my life after the which I frame my selfe as the blessed of the Lord also doe with my whole heart I seeke thee O Lord as thy word teacheth me the which so farre as I haue
receiued I lay it vp and hide it in my heart as treasure and so farre as I doe not vnderstand it I desire to be further taught of thee I vse to speake of thy wonderous workes and of thy wisedome I take more pleasure in thy testimonies then in all manner of riches and I daily meditate and muse thereon By these with many other such properties of a godly man mentioned in the same Psalme we may conclude without doubting that a minde thus exercised was not voyde of a life full of answerable fruites And three times a day he did vse to refort to God ordinarily in prayer and thanksgiuing after a solemne manner besides other occasions oft moouing him that saue onely in that one matter of Vriah the Hittite we seldome reade of a man more taken vp of an heauenly heart then he was I make mention of these holy seruants of God the more particularly setting downe their course of liuing their properties and their whole estate rather then some of their actions and holy works to this end That they who loue to haue short worke made of this matter and content themselues with this as a sufficient warrant of godlines if they can reckon vp some commendable workes in their liues whereas the baddest haue somewhat in them that is commendable may not iudge so of a godly life deceiuing themselues but may make it their whole conuersation to be godly not fauouring themselues in any knowne sinnes or actions doubted of to be sinnes but sifting themselues daily to search and finde them out neither withholding themselues from new duties which they haue not been wont to practise but teachable and readie to heare whatsoeuer the Lord hath to require of them And my meaning is that after we haue made an entrance into a godly life we should not hold on by fittes now and then as I said and be off and on as many are but constantly goe forward as our yeeres growe vpon vs and carefully to indeuour that in one thing as well as in an other we may please God in reuerence and in feare Neither is it my purpose in all this to perswade that beleeuers must haue some godlines for that must be attained to alreadie of all such as I direct my speech to neither that they should rest in that which they haue but looke vpon such to follow them who in the Scriptures are set before them as the forwardest Christians and holiest examples So that they acquainting themselues still with their owne wants weaknesses and corruptions which they beare about them may daily gather strength against them and prosper as the Lords plants in euery part of their life to become fruitfull So shall they know by experience what this meaneth which I speake of namely to walke with God continually and after a certaine manner although wandering on the earth wrapped in with infirmities to haue their conuersation in heauen with him And so shall they more cleerely and fully behold the benefit of Christs death that it was not onely to saue them from eternall death and to bring them to euerlasting life but also to worke the death of sinne our most deadly enemie and to mortifie it and to purchase for them a comfortable passage thither also through the inioying of many goodly blessings in this life as pledges of the same though it be otherwise but a vale of miserie to all such as finde not this for their portion For this is to be knowne that as euery one excelleth another in the graces of the spirit thereafter is his measure greater in the priuiledges of a Christian more then others and with more sound and continuall comfort doth he passe his daies and free his life from reprochfull and fearefull euils And the more that any godly man increaseth in goodnes and goeth beyond that estate wherein he hath sometime been in knowledge and in an high esteeming of it and the right vse of the same the more shall his life be filled with matter of sound and pure reioycing Therefore to conclude this matter seeing the godly and Christian course of liuing is not a seruing of God when we thinke good but from time to time nor a looking to some of our actions when others are not regarded nor an estate vnpleasant to the spirituall man whom the holy Ghost directeth but easie sweete and comfortable seeing also we haue heard by many examples of godly men otherwise not without their infirmities any more then we that this life hath been practised in al ages I conclude that the elect and beloued of the Lord shall yeeld to the imbracing of it and must take vp the same though it be a yoke to the corrupt lusts not yet subdued and that such as see not cause to submit themselues to Gods commandements one as well as another but will take their libertie in some euill after the desire of their hearts cannot glorie with any sound peace of a godly life And consequently that the life of the common Protestant which counteth it precisenes to be abridged of any libertie that he hath been wont to vse or yet liketh to inioy how vnlawful or offensiue soeuer it be is nothing lesse then a godly and Christian life for such a one will come to the light that whatsoeuer is not as it ought to be may be made knowne and so remoued But he that will not be touched nor suffer his actions to be censured nor reprooued though he be farre from this practise but pleaseth himselfe in the things which he doth is without all question fraught and filled with infinit euils and a bondman to his own lusts whatsoeuer opinion he hath of himselfe and let such a one know that his damnation sleepeth not But many of these with whō I haue to deale such as goe for good Christians and who in sundrie of their doings are of vs well to be liked though God iudgeth the heart many such I say doe keepe at a stay or content themselues with this that they doe no great euill although they doe little good because they see few liue better by whom they might take any great light to amend To speake plainly they thinke there are none in these daies who doe follow the steps of the holy fathers whose liues I commend which kind of persons may be easily conuinced and I will say no more then I needes must The truth is that the generall state of those men who imbrace the Gospell is much to be bewailed For although they are infinitly the worse by reason of the swarmes of Atheists Papists Familists and others both Heretikes and Machiuilians which with their stinking breath doe poyson many thousand inhabitants which dwell in the land amongst them yet besides this the abomination is great without respect of them through ignorance little reuerence to the word custome in euill and sleight executing of sundrie good lawes among vs but this ought
in comparison and I must looke for greater Heb. 13.5 and 12.4 The carefull obseruation of our hearts and waies is an especiall meane to keep vs from euill and to see our infirmities better that we may bow to God and obtaine pardon of them Where new knowledge is not sought there is the lesse sauour in and vse of the old and when men make not good vse of the old the seeking of new is but noueltie Seeing the conscience is so tender and so soone pricked a man would meruaile how they do who make many breaches therein and solder them vp slenderly and easily Men hauing experience of Sathans malice and continuall dogging them to euill it should teach them to trust better to their armour and lesse to themselues Dispose thy outward affaires with wisedome and so as thou spend not ouermuch time about the same when thou maist doe it in a little whether it bee in companie by talking thereof for commonly when wee enter talke thereof once wee cannot tell when to make an end or whether it be alone by our selues in consulting for thoughts of the world doe tickle vs and that may be determined in a few sentences and in a part of an houre which may hold vs worke the most part of a day yea many If any of Gods children will waxe bold against the Lord and break forth to seeke libertie amisse he shall surely smart for it Psal 89.31 If mine owne children breake my lawes and keepe not my commandements I will punish their sinnes with the rodde and their offences with the scourge And if they sinne openly against their conscience they shall one time or other and one way or other come to smart for it openly As Iosiah 2. Chron. 35.22 23. God afflicteth sometime to correct pride least wee should be lifted vp aboue measure 2. Cor. 12.7 and sometime to instruct vs and make vs wise in our course and constant as we were not before Psal 119. and so to bee wiser and afraid to offend Psal 119. Men haue neuer too much wealth but the more is euer welcome Why should not wee doe the like in spirituall things euen whosoeuer hath most 1. Cor. 14.1 and greatest part therein For a while we finde sweete sauour in an holie estate oft times but the strength of feruent desire is soone cooled many waies namely by feare of outward troubles and losses c. for if that take hold once it eateth deeply It is too cleere that many professors doe but aime at a godly life and therfore they are soone vnsetled when they be at the best and gather not experience for the time to come to be directed Where we suspect that conceits grow if wee goe not about to pull them vp they will be too deeply fastened in a short time Though a man pray and meditate and keepe a better course in his life then some doe yet if he doe it but sleightly that the flesh preuaileth much in hindring the well performing of it all will soone come to naught it may be perceiued by the sway it beareth in other parts of life and then let it be speedily amended It is good so to taske our selues with duties one or other at all times and in all places that so doing we may cut off occasions of much sinne Let no sin be sleightly passed ouer or committed For when it commeth to remembrance in trouble it will be an heauie burthen and pinch vs to the heart Seeing in age our company will be tedious and we shall be left alone without company let vs learne in our youth to ioyne the Lord to our companie and to haue him our familiar that we may be neuer lesse solitarie then when we are alone He that can sinne freely and giue it no vent out againe by repentance though he will not see nor remoue it yet seeing he knoweth he must Lam. 3.40 he shall not thriue nor prosper in Gods familie nor taste of his dainties by faith Sundry necessarie obseruations for a Christian fit also to meditate vpon 1. THat we keepe a narrow watch ouer our hearts words and deeds continually 2. That with all care the time be redeemed which hath bin idly carelesly and vnprofitably spent 3. That once in the day at the least priuate prayer and meditation bee vsed 4. That care be had to doe and receiue good in companie 5. That our familie be with diligence and regard instructed watched ouer and gouerned 6. That no more time or care be bestowed in matters of the world then must needes 7. That we stirre vp our selues to liberalitie to Gods Saints 8. That we giue not the least bridle to wandring lusts and affections 9. That we prepare our selues to beare the crosse by what meanes it shal please God to exercise vs. 10. That we bestow sometime not onely in mourning for our owne sinnes but also for the sinnes of the time and age wherein we liue 11. That we looke daily for the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ for our full deliuerance out of this life 12. That we vse as we shall haue opportunitie at least as we shall haue necessitie to acquaint our selues with some godly and faithfull person with whom we may conferre of our Christian estate and open our doubts to the quickning vp of Gods graces in vs. 13. That we obserue the departure of men our of this life their mortalitie the vanitie and alteration of things below the more to contemne the world and to continue our longing after the life to come And that we meditate and muse often of our owne death and going out of this life how we must lie in the graue all our glory put off which will serue to beate downe the pride of life that is in vs. 14. That we reade somewhat daily of the holy Scriptures for the further increase of our knowledge if it may be 15. That we enter into couenant with the Lord to striue against all sinne and especially against the speciall sinnes and corruptions of our hearts and liues wherein we haue most dishonoured the Lord and haue raised vp most guiltines to our owne consciences and that we carefully see our couenant be kept and continued 16. That we marke how sinne dieth and is weakned in vs and that we turne not to our olde sinnes againe but wisely auoyde all occasions to sinne 17. That we fall not from our first loue but continue still our affections to the liking of Gods word and all the holy exercises of religion diligently hearing it and faithfully practising the same in our liues and conuersations that we prepare our selues before we come and meditate and confer of that we heare either by our selues or with other and so marke our daily profiting in religion 18. That we be often occupied in meditating on Gods benefits and workes and sound forth his praises for
before in our course of liuing Also it is duly to bee regarded that wee applie that which we reade wisely to our selues seeing all that is contained in the Scriptures is written for our instruction and comfort as perswading our selues that all precepts of dutie and good life are set downe to direct vs not others onely to the practise of the same that all sinne is forbidden vs and that all the generall promises which we reade to be made to the Church are to bee beleeued of vs whether they appertaine to this present life or to the life to come and the comforts that accompanie them Likewise that all exhortations and admonitions quicken and stirre vs vp from coldnes deadnes and drousines and all reprehensions to checke vs for faults escaped and all threats to feare our boldnes and appale our securitie which is too easily and readily kindled in vs that so wee may make that vse of them which the Apostle requireth when he saith that all Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach conuince to correct and instruct in righteousnes and thereof in matters as well concerning God as men and amongst men all particular kinds and therefore Prince and subiect noble and base men and women and more particularly in families husbands and wiues parents and children masters and seruants Thus to reade that thereby wee may be made fit vnto euery good worke and to glorifie God thereby is vndoubtedly to make our reading as it is appointed of God an especial helpe and meanes to grow forward in a godly life and therefore wee are commaunded to search the Scriptures and with the godly people of Berea to compare our hearings and our readings of them together For reading is much commended to be one of the three duties that make vs happie the Apostle saying thus Blessed is he that heareth and readeth and keepeth the contents of this booke But this one thing I cannot omit that the benefit and comfort of this exercise of reading being so great and the substance of the Scriptures being so brought to light as it is and such varietie of good bookes being granted vs of God that yet euen such as looke after eternall life delight so little in them I speake not of the prophane and vnruly whom nothing will moue to reade no nor so much as to heare Sermons till God make them see how they haue deceiued themselues But I am sure it is one speciall cause why heart is taken from many learned and godly men to set out any new workes in print seeing the professors of the Gospell doe bestow so little labour and time in reading of those which are extant alreadie And herein these two things I thinke meete to adde in regard of some Christians that such as haue not the gift of reading may endeuour to follow the foresaid rules by vsing the helpe of others exhorting all by their losse and discommoditie to haue reading in greater reckoning then it is with most at this day The second is that besides the former rules such as haue better helpes of vnderstanding memorie and leasure doe besides their publike hearing note their doubts and as they shall haue opportunitie seeke resolution of them at their learned pastors hands or of some others and mark the coherence of the Scripture how it hangeth together and the agreement that one place hath with another that thereby that which seemeth darke in one is made easie in another This shall suffice to haue said for making some better vse of reading then commonly men doe And though there are other things besides these which the learneder may take profit by yet they being more out of the reach of the greatest number of Christians they doe not so neerely nor necessarily concerne them And it must bee remembred that I propround not to say as much as may bee gathered together about reading but how it may bee profitably vsed to helpe the Christian to be fruitfull in a godly life And that which I haue said is auaileable thereunto For hee that shall consider how many waies the conscience is appeased the iudgement inlightened and inlarged the heart perswaded the memorie relieued the affections moued and in a word the whole man drawne by that which he may reade shall not neede to doubt how great the benefit of reading together with the other helpes is And that it being vsed as oft as possibly it may in such manner as hath bin prescribed and so many good things drunke in and receiued of vs as wee shall meete with in our reading who doubteth but it shall be a singular helpe and furtherance with the rest to a godly and Christian life For a mind well seasoned before shall be vndoubtedly better seasoned and refreshed when it shall vsually and oft drinke of the water of life out of the sweete fountaine of Gods word by reading And of the helpe of reading and so of al the ordinarie meanes both publike and priuate whereby a true Christian continueth a godly life and groweth to further ripenes and perfection therein thus much be said CHAP. 12. Of the extraordinarie helpes NOw follow the extraordinarie helpes which are not commonly nor daily in vse but sometime and that according to the extraordinarie occasions which the Lord offereth And these are especially two first solemne thanksgiuing and secondly fasting with prayer more then vsuall adioyned The first is when in some rare and vnlooked for deliuerance out of desperate danger wee doe by the commaundement of God and examples of the godly before vs in a most feruent manner yeeld praise to God for the same and reioyce heartily in the remembrance and consideration of it tying our selues as it were in a renuing of our holy couenant more firmely to the Lord and testifie both these by signes of vnfained good will to our brethren All which are to be seene most cleerely and liuely in that famous example of Hester and Mardocheus that I mention no other for breuitie sake who being with the rest of Gods people in those countries marked out and as sheepe appointed by Hamans subtiltie and cruell malice to be slaine did yet by prayer and fasting obtaine deliuerance when to mans iudgement all hope was past and not that onely but also their hearts desire against their aduersaries with great fauour of the King whom God had made of an heauie enemie a mightie friend and much wealth and prosperitie whereupon they caused a day and time to be appointed in the which the Lord might be praised and they might expresse their reioycing and send portions one to another to testifie their loue vnto them And this is that solemne thanksgiuing which I call one of the extraordinarie helpes to set vs forward in godlines which of all Gods people by the like occasion is to be offered vp to God differing as ye see apparantly from this dutie daily performed as in
needlesly of other mē or of their dealings was wont to be cōmon with them and in solitarinesse a spending of their thoughts and desires after the like manner vainely vntill they were able more wisely to discerne how to giue euery dutie in the day his time and how to occupie both the one and the other throughout the day But they haue with heartie thankes to God protested that after they had attained to this they saw farre more clearely into the practise of Christianitie then euer before they did and found the Lords yoke farre more easie to them and themselues setled with more sound peace in the leading of their liues This report of some Christians whom I know well I haue set downe where by this little the rest may be coniectured for the better encouraging of the reader to be acquainted with a daily direction for the course of his life and that he should not rest in a generall and vncertaine obedience to God And let nothing that I haue said of them be thought needlesse or vnmeete for vs as long as we can see good reason for this which they did But know wee that this kind of seruing God both may bee and is and hath bene God be thanked vsed of many of Gods seruants though I will not say in a like maner and ought to be of the rest as euery one shall be able to see into it And therefore I purpose to thrust no fancie nor conceit vpon any but that which all well aduised persons must iustifie to be the commaundement of God and which bewrayeth too plainely that many professors of the Gospell haue not so much sought for the sound practise of a godly life by reading the stories of holy men in the word of God as to report generally that they haue bene holy neither haue reaped that benefit by the Scripture in enioying a sweet life aboue other men as the Lord in much mercie hath affoorded them For though the sect of the Family of loue the Church of Rome and sundrie other lying spirits do fancie a course which the Scripture knoweth not and some of them also fantastically haue for euery day in the weeke deuised an order to be followed as the reading of certaine taskes nothing lesse then proper to direct their liues yet in this which I here propound namely that we should be daily directed in our whole course I haue followed no fancie and dreame of man but haue in all good conscience spoken from God and drawne it from the Scripture both for the learned and simple high and low one and other and is neuer in vaine to the right vser of it although I deny not but that a skilfuller handler of it might haue set it downe farre more exquisitely But from whence is the difficultie that it is no more in practise being a treasure of so infinite value and that so many pray and some of them often to leade a godly life yet when and where they should not there they fauour themselues and say they are weake and vnable From whence I say is this but from hence that they will put no diligence thereunto to obserue their waies in which they prosper and contrariwise also there is no aunswerable trauell nor labour for skill and experience in this Christian course to that which is in all other but euery litle is tedious to them and wearisome They are seuen yeares at other trades to learne them though they be apt to them and forward in them before they are thought fit to occupie by themselues But yet without seuen yeares or seuen moneths diligent exercising of the rules of christian life for before they be conuerted to the obedience of God what reckoning is to be made of their professing they will be thought fit to do as the best in this trade of christian liuing although it be cleane against their nature Nay I say more he is a rare man who can be perswaded to be guided by religion and the rules thereof but seuen weekes constantly I may truly say seuen dayes for if he who would but so long giue ouer himselfe to liue by faith and walke with God he would neuer seeke to be loosened and set at libertie againe to his old life but would renounce it vtterly so great should his aduantage be in this course and trade And as I know that this is the maine and greatest cause why so fewe are lights and examples to others so when people are taught the truth clearely concerning this matter for I am sure that it is neglected of many through ignorance let them either resolue to be gouerned through the day and from day to day or let them looke to find small reioycing in the christian life with much vncomfortablenesse which otherwise need not to be And therefore in the feare of God let men thinke and iudge of themselues as Gods word teacheth them yea let them professe as they be or let them looke to find as they be and not as they professe But as the most do handle the matter they shall find it harder to practise a christian life after seuen yeares twise told then the hardest trade after halfe seuen And as it is with many of them who neuer learned their occupation well that they are neuer skilfull in it nor thriue by it as others do so one especiall cause why many neuer practise godlinesse to the welfare of their soules neither prosper nor be well liking therein is because they neuer soundly learned how to liue godly for continuance and constantly one day as an other but peeced and patched vp the same with here a good deede and there another and in being sometime deuout and zealous the most of their actions being vnregarded and of many of them it may truly be said the power of godlinesse was neuer throughly rooted and setled in their hearts These rules and the like for the daily directing of a Christian are to be well conceiued and approued in our conscience to be such as are very fit and profitable to guide vs the which whosoeuer hath the spirit of God doth or may discerne because they are according to the word of God and practise of his children and so he yeeldeth to them and of euery such they are duely and daily to be regarded so farre as God giueth him to conceiue of and see into them this indeuouring to practise them will bring a man increase daily of sound libertie and freedome from bondage to his boisterous passions and vnruly life and recompence an hundred fold in sweet peace all his losse in earthly and vaine delights which he was wont to make the flower of his garland And seeing they will worke vpon the simplest whose heart is vpright and which the Lord hath opened to conceiue them therefore when thou seest that thou art such a one and that thou hast felt them these rules of directiō I meane to perswade and draw thee on to follow them
be the discharge of a good part of our duty who are commanded that our talke should be gratious and poudred with salt so it promiseth great blessing to all such as are carefull in looking to the same as they haue seene who for these twentie or thirty yeares haue had experience that it hath profited them greatly who haue carefully vsed it in comparison of those who haue not regarded it so that not onely the first beginners in the practise of Christianity haue bene well stirred vp to care and conscience and haue learned many good points of Christian religion and duty by it but euen they of longer continuance in Christs schoole haue bene much comforted and perfited by vsing all oportunities this way for their edifying It may be a shame for vs in the going about a duty which hath great promise of blessing to be slacker then Heretickes Papists and Sectaries are in that which is but the deuice of their owne braine who by oft talking of their religion and opinions haue drawne many into their errors As for those who obiect against it that it is more then needeth and they see not that men are tied to it and they meete to be mery I say to the first part of the obiection that they who like it not in friendly and familiar meetings but thinke it more then needeth must needs looke litle after it amongst strangers and ill-willers to goodnesse where it will be so much the more vnwillingly gone about because they know not how the company is affected and so amongst such as bring this obiection there shall neuer be time for it nor vse of it but the words of the Apostle shall lye dead That our communication should minister grace to the hearers For answering the second part of their obiection I haue proued as much out of other Scripture so that none should account that an imbondaging and tying of him which God requireth whose seruice is perfit freedome and let them looke who haue a commandement from God to vse it what defence they haue by the corrupt example of men which neglect it for their so doing For the last point of their comming to be merrie I aunswer that if they be merrie in honest and seemely mirth they will not be against good communication which seasoneth their lawfull mirth that it may not passe bounds and let them suspect that it sauoureth too much of the flesh which they account honest mirth if for it the other become irkesome vnto them neither do I seeke to depriue men of the one neither aboue that they are able to tye them onely or alwaies to the other but to indeuour to make best vse of our companie because it is with vs in this one dutie as in the rest that he which commeth most forward in it is yet much behind and yet this I would say further of their merrie talke though communication of things lawfull and indifferent be to be allowed yet I would if I might choose when there is libertie for both alike alwaies to preferre that which is holy and to edifying And to conclude so I would be taken in that which I haue vttered concerning this matter that how meete and profitable soeuer I affirme this communing of good things in companie to be yet if we light vpon such who haue some liking of the truth and yet haue not felt such sauour in it nor found such fruite by it but that they count it an ouer-charging and too sore a pressing of them to be much holden to it I say we lighting vpon such ought to haue regard of their weakenesse and to bring them on as we see they may in best sort be preuailed with and let this be well regarded of vs for it is farre from me to beate any such thing into their heades as to make them thinke that our religion alloweth no talke but of the Scriptures when both it alloweth and we deny not but any thing which hath bene said notwithstanding that the learned may haue their talke of learning the magistrates of gouerning and the common people of their sciences and trades how they may come to more skill and attaine to further perfection in them or of any other lawfull things to a good end But this is to be obserued generally that in all these kinds of meetings whatsoeuer the persons be we leaue no ill example among them which as an ill sauour may cast such a rancke smell in the companie that it procure as well shame and sorrow to vs as hurt and offence to those which are present and reproach to their profession as also an imboldning of the bad to be worse And thus much for the vse of our company in the which we haue no necessary dealings about the things of this life To the which I will adde the duties of our reprouing exhorting and comforting one another seeing these are religious actions practised in company though there be but two that meete together And first for reprouing or admonishing of a Christian who hath giuen offence and iustly deserueth to be rebuked we must be sure that the fault is committed by him and not charge him vpon bare report much lesse for that which is no sinne though in our conceipt it be so but a thing indifferent and we must beware that we be not iustly to be charged with the like offence for then we take away the grace and force of our reprehension vnlesse it be knowne that we do warily decline such sinnes our selues and with a mind to reclaime him and turne him from his sinne in loue though it pricke seeing the woūds of a louer are faithfull he that telleth the truth shall find more fauour at length then he that flattereth and for a priuate offence priuately though if it be open and well knowne it maybe in the cōpany of many and more sharply as the offence is greater and the person one that may be more offēsiue as a minister alwaies laboring that it may appeare that God findeth the fault and reproueth and not we who are but his instruments to do his wil. But this age hath most boldly yea scornfully dispised this ordinance of God which troubleth the consciences of many good Christians so that when God commandeth it so straightly on the one side and men reiect it so insolently and resolutely that I speake no further on the other side they cannot tell what to do betwixt both And as for exhortation which is a stirring vp of them to proceed in the wayes of the Lord as Barnabas did the people in the booke of the Acts and as Paule doth oft require it to be vsed among Christians so doubtlesse he that laboureth in such a worke doth discharge an excellent duty But he must be a man so free from worldly incumbrances and so looking to the necessitie of the performing of it through the coldnesse that is
well ordered But seeing few can heare this saying that our hearts should be holden in subiection to Gods will from time to time and our desires and thoughts though fond and foolish captiuated therefore Sathan taketh his aduantage thereby to make them slaues and bondmen to his suggestions and deceitfull inticements to bereaue and make them voide of all sound iudgement and thus to come to do those things which sometimes they were ashamed of or at least haue iudged very hardly of others for doing them And thus it commeth to passe that besides the hinderance we haue by our euill hearts when we shall haue considered and well pondered how many wayes the diuell letteth and hindereth vs we shall see good cause to prouide the strongest helpe and defence that we can against the same Now then that it may more clearely be seene what daunger and feare we are in by him which may easily breake off our course in godlinesse some of his bad sleights and practises are more particularly to be laid foorth which though they be many and diuerse yet may be fitly drawne to these two heades Either they do all set against our faith or else directly ayme at the extinguishing and burying of godly life in vs wherein if the diuell can preuaile against vs he hath gotten what he would and we haue lost that wherein our glorie stood CHAP. 3. Of the diuels troubling the weake beleeuer about his faith and if he do not preuaile against him one way he seeketh by another AND first for the former to declare how he troubleth the weake faith of Gods children for I omit to shew how he leadeth them captiues who are in his snares being taken prisoners of him to do his will and how forcibly he holdeth backe such as do but begin to looke after eternall life that they shall be long in cheaping but neuer buying although it be without mony his malice crueltie and diligence do euidently appeare in the new borne Christians which are made the children of God by faith as S. Iohn saith The dragon made war with the remnant of the womans seed which keepe the commaundements of God and haue the testimonie of Iesus Christ How many heauie discouragements he presseth downe their weake faith withall that they may shake it off vtterly and be perswaded infinite times that they haue none at all Christs words to Peter do prooue saying Simon Simon Sathan hath desired to winow you that is to scatter and cast you out And how mightily he preuaileth with many for a season so farre that they are altogether in a maner without comfort the dispersed Churches in the Apostles time knew then and they now know best who haue felt and found it so Also it would hardly be beleeued if both Scripture and experience were not cleare witnesses in this behalfe how he terrifieth them with their owne wants ignorances infirmities and vnworthinesses also with feare of shamefull falles which it seemeth to them that they are vnlike to auoide and the rather when he brings to their remembrance such good seruants of God as haue fallen in the like manner before them Besides these what vnsetlings doth he worke in them whiles he feareth them with this that for all their care they shall neuer hold out in their faith and holy course of life vnto their end but by persecutions and other afflictions which shall be stirred vp against them or by other prouocations they shall be turned backe All which with many other he oppresseth them with and all to the end they may cast away their hope and confidence conclude resolutely that they haue no faith The which though the sleepie and drowsie professors are not moued with yet with his weake children it so preuaileth that they haue no greater affliction And in that our Sauiour himselfe was mightily set vpon by him about this thing Whether he were the sonne God or no what other thing did it signifie then this that none of vs should easily attaine to this honour to know our selues to be the children of God and rest quietly therein but we should find Sathan our aduersarie a most mightie hinderer of vs in our going about it For wherein can he shew his malice more fully or verifie the Scripture more clearely which saith That he is enuious man and again That there shall be enmitie betwixt the seed of the woman and the Serpent and that he should treade vpon his heele Indeed this is to be graunted that euen their weake faith which they haue is sweet vnto them and God doth sometime shew them how happie a thing it is to be in his fauour and freed from condemnation Saint Iohn thus speaking to them I write vnto you that beeene that you may know ye haue eternall life And by reason of the litle tast and fruite of their weake faith God so vpholdeth them that they can neuer be contented to forgo it and therefore would they most chiefly be occupied in thinking of it to nourish and strengthen it if they knew how and were able as being their chiefe treasure But the diuell knoweth that there are all those wayes which I haue before spoken of and many other to dismay them and trouble their minds about the same and that their weaknesse is easily wrought vpon for he watcheth his best oportunitie whereby he may driue them into feare doubting heauinesse and such like And the want of outward blessings in many doth much increase it from the which they shall neuer be free long together but euery while be troubled till they grow better acquainted with the nature and propertie of Gods promises namely how true vnchaungeable and perpetuall they be euen as God himselfe also is also except they prize them aboue all other things and send vp earnest prayers to God daily and oft for this faith to be rooted in them which they must do most willingly and gladly as in the first treatise I admonished that it being more and more daily setled in their hearts they may feele their doubting and feare to vanish as fast as they perceiue their hold in the promises of God to waxe stronger and by those meanes by which I taught the weake beleeuer there to strengthen his faith let him looke to be vpholden against the lets which I haue mentioned before or any other whatsoeuer may trouble him It is also to be graunted that God doth ordinarily stablish mens faith the sooner and more easily by the cleare sound and most skilfull and wise applying of Gods promises by his Ministers and messengers whom he appointeth to that worke and as this is done more weakely and darkely the greater and longer is their combat conflict but how cleare and plaine soeuer the wil of God about our saluation be to vs who haue experience of the truth which is taught vs yet it is not so by and by to them who do but newly imbrace this glad tidings although they
a sowing in teares it is no doubt through Sathans malitious subtiltie a sore weakening of the courage of Gods people that they do not grow forward daily from grace to grace But how much more thinke we shall we be imbondaged and kept back from beautifying the Gospell daily in our conuersation if we shall be so vnwise as to like of and ioyne our selues to the companie familiarity of such For then must we grow to be of one mind with them for two cannot walke together as the Prophet speaketh but they must be of one mind therefore Salomon aduiseth vs that we should depart from the foolish man when we perceiue not in him the lippes of knowledge q.d. if he declare his folly that is his wicked state by shamefull sinne and by his speech bewray that he hath no sauour in good communication but despising and scorning knowledge and instruction and hating to be reformed And againe He that walketh with the wise shall be wise but a companion of fooles shall be afflicted that is take part with them of their punishment We reade of Ioseph when he was importunately vrged from day to day by his whorish Mistresse to adulterie that he not onely consented not nor hearkened to her to lye with her but would not so much as be in her companie And that was a speciall cause why Dauid would not go home with Saul when he reconciled himselfe kindly to him and bad him come againe the second time for he knew his Court was full of flatterers lyers slaunderers and malice-bearers But the allurements to ill companie are so forceable the perswasions so many and Sathans sleights so subtill to deceiue euen those who haue some feare of God that they preuaile with too many to their cost while the hope of pleasure profit or preferment doth blind their eyes in such wise as they do not onely quench yea and so grieue the spirit of God in thē that therby they be left destitute of the power and effectuall working of it but also are led captiues by the diuell into many sinnes and are snared in them as the bird in the net that they cannot tell how to winde out For helpe against this let let vs be made as wise as we may by the former counsell and example to shun it but if we be once woond into it common perswasions or ordinarie prayers will do vs but litle good though euen they are farre enough from vs when we be brought to like of such fellowship nay that kind of diuell is not cast out easily but by fasting and prayer c. And yet this is not so to be takē of vs as though the Scripture did not giue greater strength then that these or such like temptations should ouercome vs. For if we enter into the Lords sanctuarie and weigh vpon what slipperie places the vngodly stand and how soone they are cut downe whē yet Gods promise standeth fast for the safety of his euen this one part of armour well handled for our owne defence and wisely vsed against the aduersarie doth set them at great libertie which were so deepely plunged into daunger But it were endlesse to set downe all occasions whereby the simple who wold do wel are hy the diuell beguiled Our outward senses he so poisoneth that we shall haue no right and pure vse of them if we be not well stayed and yet it shall belong before we can espie and see it that one shall not heare that which agreeth with his nature though it be shamefull and euill but he shall be tickled and affected with it often remembring it with liking thereof and pleasing himselfe in thinking or vttering of it be it a foolish iest a secret nip a filthie rime a foolish tale a grosse lie c. till it haue taken such hold of him that he cannot shake it off when he would One shall not cast his eye aside but it shall be as a glasse-window to let sinne into the heart and cause it to be delighted with the beauty of a strange woman and to be taken with her eye-lids nor one shall not see any man earnestly following the world or too seriously occupied about his profits with successe therein and sweete commings in but we are drawne and as it were tickled with the like and so our minds begin to be snared and intangled and itching to be doing where we ought not And so we are ready to be led by occasion in other things innumerable 1 We cannot see our enemie but we haue our hearts rise against him 2 Nor hurt our foote neuer so litle but we curse 3 If a thing go not forward as we would we fret and become impatient at it 4 If we be prouoked neuer so litle we storme 5 If we be told of a fault we swell and conceiue ill Prou. 9.7 6 If we be absent awhile one from another we waxe strange 7 If we be merry we waxe light c. What go we about wherein we may not sensibly and easily perceiue that the diuell is at hand to hurt vs so truly is it sayd that he raungeth about the whole earth to bewitch not the vngodly alone whom he hath sure inough already but euen Gods people as may clearly be seene and felt of vs if we giue him neuer so small aduantage This I haue sayd of some of the lets to stirre vp the Reader to obserue others by them as coldnesse deadnesse of spirit a neare companion to slouthfulnes which causeth men to say A Lion is in the way when they haue quenched the spirite of grace in themselues which sometime made them willing and ready to their duties Then Delay and driuing off good attempts til the season and fit time be past wherin they should either resist euill or do good a common euill euen among the better sort of Christians to let passe the oportunitie and vnder this pretence that they cannot do the good which they would therefore to do none at all whereas we are taught that a word in season is like apples of gold and pictures of siluer so is a thing in season and we haue bene taught not to driue off from day to day To these may be added a carelesnesse in obseruing and looking to our hearts and wayes which grow fast vpon vs a yeelding too readily to temptation whereas we ought in such cases to put a knife to our throate and weane our appetite Pro. 23.2 A common custome and boldnesse in sinning when yet we should feare all our wayes Iob 9. Prophanesse which yet ought not to be among Gods seruants Heb. 12.16 Loosenesse of the eye eare and tongue though the holy Ghost hath commaunded that we should be slow to speake Iames 1. and our Sauiour hath willed to plucke out such an eye Math. 5. and both teach Prou. 15.32 That he who turneth his eare from instruction much more if he should lend it to euill words despiseth his
but carefully seeke oportunitie to muze vpon it by our selues or commune of it with others as our small abilitie will suffer vs or both And when we shall haue learned to put in vre this part of the remedy we intend to marke how this with the former doth bring our minds better in frame that we may both take incouragement in beholding any fruit to continue it and in seeing the contrary to marke where the fault lieth that it may be remoued And to sharpen our desire to heare and reade the more willingly seeing there is much vntowardnesse in our nature to such exercises and we haue strong temptations to perswade vs that it is as needlesse as we feele it irkesome we haue seene it necessary for vs to stirre vp our dulnesse not onely by the commaundement of God that we should search the Scriptures and so reade thē that we shold giue eare daily to the Apostles doctrine and therfore heare the same in season and out of season that by both the word of God may dwell plentifully in vs but also to haue in fresh memory the power of the Scriptures which besides that they are able to saue our soules so they can fill vs with goodnesse and comfort euery way as we shall haue need and haue done so often in times past vnto vs. For many times we haue bene brought so low in feeling of any present cōfort to such a barrennesse emptinesse of all good instructions sometime which was worst of all to such an vnsauourinesse in the good things of Gods word and so vnapt and vntoward to them that we thought in our weaknesse it would neuer be otherwise with vs yet when we haue come againe to the ministerie of the word the Lord hath scattered our darknesse raised vs out of our deceiueable dumpes and drowsinesse and shewed vs ioy and comfort againe so that we haue bene taught thereby that this is the fountaine which refresheth vs in our vnsatiable thirsts and cooleth the heate of our sinne and finally giueth greater grace then Sathan for all his subtilties and tyranny And further because experience hath taught vs that we easily lose that in the world amongst the manifold incombrances discouragements and dealings thereof which we learned of the Lord by any good meanes we haue faithfully couenanted for the better keeping of our hearts watchfull and safe frō euill once in the day if it be possible to set apart a time from all other law full and necessary duties for meditation and priuate prayer to the seasoning of our hearts with grace and to the stablishing of them against all temptations afflictions and other hinderances Not to free our selues hereby from other times of communing with the Lord as occasions shall be offered necessity shal require but because our vntoward harts would otherwise draw vs altogether to breake off this duty if we should not determine of some speciall time therefore one quarter of an houre or as euery one shall find himselfe able we haue seene meete to appoint hereunto if we can haue good oportunity that is to say if God giue vs minds fitly disposed thereto and minister profitable and plentifull matter accordingly or if we faile in both so much the more to take occasion by our present wants and infirmity to repaire vnto God And because the morning when we arise is both meetest to be imployed that way as wherein our minds are best able to thinke vpon heauenly matters when we haue not yet bene about our worldly affaires and for the most people the best time that may be spared therefore we haue purposed to allot the first part of the day thereunto with this prouiso that if through necessarie occasions we should be hindered from it we may yet carefully performe it on some other part of the day And although at the first we shall see some vntoward beginnings herein by which discouragement from the continuance hereof might arise yet we resolued with our selues that it is some profiting to begin though in weaknesse and there is hope that good proceedings and great shall come euen of small beginnings being faithfully entred into And if by these meanes we should not become better seasoned in our harts it is litle to be hoped for that other meanes should do vs the good that we haue need of But when the day is thus begun that wisedome communeth with vs in the morning and awaketh vs with heauenly salutations we are for the most part kept more sober and continent from all out-straying the whole day following for when good things either concerning the life to come and the glory of it or the vanity and change of this present life are deeply digested and throughly thought vpon it is no small occasion to make vs more stranger-like to this present world and to cary about vs greater freedome ouer our secret corruptions And because it is hard especially for priuate persons to haue alwayes matter in a readinesse which is profitable to meditate vpon for he that shall be furnished herewithall must be one which hath a daily obseruation of his life without the which grace euen the learneder sort shall be to seeke therefore some points were set downe for those which are least able to helpe themselues that by some few of those which are very fit auaileable they may set themselues on worke and by them learne to find out others like vnto them which do most nearly tend to the well ordering of the life By which meanes appointed and found out for their helpe and furtherance if yet vnfitnesse of mind an vntoward heart shall hold them backe being troubled with cares of the world or deceiued with dreames of vaine pleasures which make the meditation of heauenly matters loathsome they are to know that they can haue no better occasion offered them to the performing of this duty then for them to complaine of and seeke redresse euen against this euill and earthly heart of which they presently complaine and as they can bring that vnder so to proceed in musing of and praying for such grace as they shall see most needfull Lastly we concluded to obserue what fruite we reape by these remedies what release of our strong and vsuall maladies and diseases what weakning of any such lusts as sometimes had strongly preuailed against vs Also what liking we find of this manner of dealing with our selues or contrarily whether we feele any watchfulnesse ouer our hearts throughout the day since we entred into this couenant and whether any bettering of our waies by the same whether in company we haue bene more wary of taking or doing good according to the occasion offered in our dealings more carefull not to be found offensiue And weekly and by daies to marke it and to communicate our estate with some faithfull brother with whom we may freely and faithfully open and impart our whole course what meanes and how farre foorth we vse them what we see cause
great part against their will as shall be said afterwards for else they should haue their heauen heere which may not be but as they espy it they giue it no rest but with hearty mislike they oppose themselues and fight against it and because they haue sweetnesse and pleasure in in the Christian life therefore the gainesaying lusts which rebell against that course and striue to hold them from it are neither so forceable as they haue beene neither doe so long time as they were wont hold them vnder But this which I haue said of the remainder of sinne and of rebellion of nature abiding still in the best of Gods seruants I would haue well to be marked for that many will be ready to take occasion otherwise to cauill and quarrel against that which I haue said namely that God hath giuen this priuiledge and liberty to serue him with delight For thus they reason If you can goe forward thus easily in a Christian life that you can take pleasure in it which to so many Godly people is toile it seemeth that you are not hindered nor clogged with the rebellion of the old man which is our corrupt nature but that his force and strength is extinguished and killed whereas the scriptures tell vs farre otherwise and the best men that euer were borne after the maner of men felt it smarted by it and complained of it Therefore say they you set before vs such a Christian as is no where to be found But to all this I answere somewhat more fully than I did before that if it were not for the stirring and rebellion of the old man and the corruption and naughtinesse that cleaueth fast vnto vs we should by many degrees farre exceed the greatest measure of holinesse which we can now possibly reach vnto although we denie not but that through the grace of God we haue attained to somwhat already For as we serue God with delight now and may God be glorified do so for the most part so we should but for the sinne that sticketh fast in vs doe so perfectly and continually without intermission and contradiction as the heauenly spirits do And as our Sauior Christ seeing he could neuer be conuicted of any sinne when he was heere vpon earth as his words prooue Which of you can accuse me of sinne therefore when the Prince of this world namely the Deuill came he found nothing in him which he looked for namely sinne euen so should it likewise be with vs but for this fountaine of spirituall leprosie whereas now we finde through the vncleannesse of our hearts that there is imperfection and weaknesse euen in our best actions that I say nothing of those which are common And although with delight we goe forward in duty both to God and men yet through weake knowledge faith memorie c. through subiection to sinne and Sathan euen the best estate that we can attaine to is with much infirmitie and with iust cause of crying out as the Apostle by his example taught the perfectest in this world to doe saying O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death So that the olde man is not killed nor his strength extinguished we say no such thing but abated indeed and weakned much aswell as pardoned through the grace and power which wee receiue dailie from our Lord Iesus Christ by faith And this for answere vnto the former obiection whereby it may clearely be seene what I meane when I say that God hath giuen power to vs if we acknowledge and beleeue it to leade a Christian life with delighting in it which though it be not without change full and absolute yet in that it is so great libertie as it is it ceaseth not to be worthily accounted a most great priuiledge as I haue said before For is it a small thing to finde pleasure and the greatest reioycing in the subduing of our euill hearts and in the forgoing of our vnlawfull liberties which other men fight for with tooth and naile and would count their life worse than any death except they might inioy them Nay is it not an high degree of honour that we may from day to day be admitted to reioyce before the Lord in the duties which we doe euen all that we shall set our hand vnto when yet others are so farre off from it that they would chuse to lie in prison all the daies of their life rather than they would be thus yoked as they account of it O therefore praise the Lord all ye seruants the Lord I say who doth so wonderfull things for his for in this is that Scripture fulfilled which saith Honourable things are reported of thee that is which thy God hath done for thee O thou citie or people of God And if it were not so that the Lord hath done so great good things for his people how could that be true which is said in another place of their happie estate that it is better to be a doore-keeper in Gods house because we are there in his seruice and vnder his gouernment than to dwell in the tents of the vngodlie wheresoeuer yea though it were in the palace of Princes If it be further demanded Where are such as inioy this prerogatiue in their liues I say I know no cause why Gods people which haue an acquittance and discharge against the day of iudgement and the wrath to come and haue sound knowledge and assurance of their saluation and of Gods fatherly care ouer them while they liue here I say I know no cause why all they should not haue some good and liuely resemblance of such persons For did they holde fast this perswasion that God hath giuen this libertie vnto them the Deuill who it is which iniuriously deteineth it from them should deceiue and defeat them no longer in the grosse sort and maner that he doth But this I must adde because it is a common bait whereby they are snared earthly pleasures and profits yea though lawfull must be in meaner reckoning with them They are too eager and greedy in their dealings and their hearts especially must be pruned of much drosse rubbish as vnwillingnesse vntowardnesse in the vsing of those helps by the which men may wait vpon God with ease from time to time Also men must thinke it the greatest libertie to haue their hearts readilie framed and disposed to their seuerall duties and be perswaded that nothing is better for them then thus to bridle the vnruly affections which are euery while ready to breake off the best course that can be entred into of them And if we thinke it much to be inioined thus to curbe vp the old man which most hindreth from going forward with delight and readinesse consider what iniury we offer to the Almighty that whereas nothing goeth forward well that is vnwillingly gone about so neither should this worke of the Lord
the Lord shall there wipe away euery teare from the eies of his children and they which sowed in teares before heere on earth shall there reape in ioy death shall no more raigne neither shall there be any more lamentation nor crying nor sorrow and for the glory beautie pleasure and eternitie which shall be found there it is compared vnto a goodly citie whose shining is like vnto a stone most precious as a Iasper stone cleere as chrystall c. And after the soule in paradise shall in her kinde haue inioied the pleasures there then shall the bodie for inioying the fulnesse thereof be adioined to it and made like to the glorious body of Iesus Christ and be glorious it selfe also The vse is comfort and such a waiting for the comming of the sonne of God for our last and full deliuerance that we may well testifie that in these our houses of clay we are but strangers So that if we lay this priuiledge with the rest which I haue mentioned in this treatise all which are and properly belong to the true beleeuers who can deny but that their part and porcion is great But oh that it were so accounted of euen among such and yet when I or any haue said what we can we haue said but a little for it is farre greater then we can set it out to be For as the Queene of Sheba said to Salomon when she had heard his wisdome It was a true word that I heard in mine owne land of thine estate and wisdome howbeit I beleeued not this report till I came and had seene it with mine eies but loe the one halfe was not tolde me for thou hast more wisdome and and prosperity then I haue heard by report So it may be said by Gods people who haue already in heauen a taste of the glory of the kingdome It was a true report which we heard by the mouth of his preachers concerning the tidings of saluation their other prerogatiues yet the one halfe of our prosperitie happinesse was not declared and made knowen for we haue greater then was reported in their message And if they find it so great in heauen can the taste thereof choose but be sweet and great which we haue heere on earth euen as Balaam by the spirit of God prophecied of his people the Israelites when he looked vpon them dwelling according to their tribes How goodly are thy tents ô Iacob and thy habitations ô Israel as the valleies are they stretched foorth and as gardens by the riuers side c. And as all these priuiledges are great and we haue good proofe that God hath giuen his deare children liberty to inioy them so this further commends their happy condition that they may know that all these belong to them and they haue the word of God among them and they may also approoue of imbrace and delight in the same and be able to see thereby how they are made partakers of them all by faith and how thereby they haue most sweet communion with him and with Christ by his spirit which the world cannot haue and most heauenly comfort and peace thereby and hauing learned experience for the time to come may get wisdome to carry themselues in euery estate and condition after the best maner of Christians all this I say they haue giuen them of God And concerning the effectuall knowing of the will of God out of his word to beleeue all the forementioned priuiledges that it is a peculiar gift of God to his elect and that no other no not the greatest and most iudiciall clarkes diuines haue it that saying of our Sauiour is a plaine and cleere proofe to his disciples To you it is giuen to know the mysteries of the kingdome but vnto others not that the prophecy of Esay may be fulfilled In hearing they shall heare and not vnderstand and seeing they shall see and not perceiue lest they should turne I should saue them Whereby we may vnderstand that it is a singular prerogatiue to Gods children to haue the effectuall knowledge of the word of God whereby they may see their liberties which others cannot haue And therefore the Lord saith in Ezekiell that he will take away from his children their old hearts and giue them new and write his law in them that they may see the excellent things and wonderful which are contained therein which others do not So that although the vnbeleeuers and vnregenerate may haue knowledge in the letter yet are they not led after it by the spirit which is the life of it For what will not hope of promotion liuing and credite doe euen with naturall men in drawing them to take paines to seeke for knowledge as experience in all ages hath and doth teach when yet for any great matter of sound practise comfort that many of them haue by the scriptures besides it is not worth the speaking of For when by study and learning they haue gotten the wealth and glory of this world they haue that which they sought and as for the scriptures and the power of godlinesse though they haue a shew of it their hearts tell them that they are not the matters which take them vp in the delight of them for they hate to be reformed by them neither are they so precious in their eies as that which they haue gotten by them though it be but base and temporary Whereas the word of God that reuealeth his will about all these is more sweet to his seruants then the hony combe yea all the pleasures of the world are not in their account to be compared to the wisdome thereof but that which is said of the man of God That he had more pleasure in the word of god then in al maner of riches and that they were the ioy of his hart his matter of song and his companions to talke solace himselfe with it is far from them Therefore when the blessed of the Lord are set forth in the scriptures to delight in the law of God the wicked on the contrary are described to speake thus Depart from vs ô Lord we desire not nor are delighted in the knowledge of thy waies And is not this a roiall gift then that whereas mens hearts naturally can take no pleasure in the heauenly Manna of Gods word but soone loath and waxe weary of it that Gods people who know the price of it may make the same their song their ioy and their delight that so they may draw out of it all good things as they haue opportunity Which seeing others cannot doe therefore they seeke vaine delights to pleasure in and that which ministreth found delight indeed they can in their greatest need and heauinesse haue no benefit by it And through this knowledge and delight that they haue in the scriptures which certify them of all these heauenly prerogatiues they get experience in themselues of
grow to direct themselues safely and with holy peace as it were meet for them in such a troublesome world and many waies dangerous as they liue in Some to draw towards an end say nothing troubleth them so much in all that I haue said as the vrging of these speeches All the day long we must meditate on the law and passe the whole time of our dwelling heere in feare Also Whatsoeuer we do eat or drinke c. And Take heed lest at any time there be in any of you an euill heart and vnfaithfull to depart away from the liuing God These and such like places they confesse in their iudgement are vrged too sore and they could else be content with all their hearts to glorifie God sometime and in some parts of their liues as they are able but what comfort shall it be say they when we haue done what we can to thinke yet that God is neuer the more pleased with vs because we know we haue omitted many things which we ought to haue done and committed the contrarie I answer The sense of the places I cannot alter and yet I will not leaue them still in their doubt and perplexitie but for their further satisfying I will not refuse to vnfold them more clearely and helpe them to some stay and resolution And first let them be perswaded of this that there is nothing in these or any such like scriptures which may iustly dismay him that seeketh the Lord in trueth neither is anie lawfull libertie heereby denied to a Christian in such benefits as God hath left vnto him to be inioied onely vnto the flesh whereto we are not debters are we commanded to bidde battell and that so farre as of vs fraile men but yet indued with Gods spirit may be performed Yet more particularly to speake to them I dissemble not my meaning plainly to be this that if any time of the daie or part of our life we thinke we may take any libertie to euill and sinne no not then when we haue before beene best occupied for after such times commonly doe men most giue themselues the bridle this cannot be done without manifest contempt of these scriptures consequently of the maiestie of God who knowing what is best for vs hath thought good thus to direct vs. And yet alas how common this is in many which goe for good Christians we may see with griefe who as though God had giuen them some times to offend in and some liberties which in his worde are condemned which were to make him saie and vnsaie and to denie and affirme the same things I say as though it were thus they do by euerie small occasion let loose the raine to licentiousnesse and yet I denie not but that they doe many things commendably But what doth that auaile them For as dead flies doe cause to stinke and putrifie the ointment of the Apothecarie so some ill parts of life and dead fruites mixed with commendable vertues do spoile them of their vertue and beautie that they haue no fauour in the sight of God neither giue they any sweet smell or sauour vnto men and as the leauen though it be but a little doth sower and leauen the whole lumpe of dough so some strong corruptions being suffered to beare sway in the life doe corrupt euen that which otherwise would be good For as it is a bleamish and deformitie in nature to see in a mans body one eie or legge small and the other great so if there be not proportion and agreeablenesse in our liues betwixt one part of it and another it is an vtter deformitie in the whole They thinke it harde to be bound they saie to bring particularities of their liues vnder examination and themselues to be held within the compasse of anie such rules as should debarre them of anie libertie which they shall thinke good for them and that it were too foolish for them to thinke necessarie and too seruile to obey follow them But let them remember what they said that they are willing to do what duties they can and then let them heare me what seruitude it is I lately set down that is only a stopping of the course of flesh and our owne corrupt will and affections the which yet if we liue after we shall die and be cut off from our inheritance with God and with Christ Indeed by these meanes we should bridle many passions of pride loftinesse swelling and breake off many boisterous outrages which rise vp in vs as wrath frowardnesse heart-burning and quench manie fierie darts of concupiscence vncleane lusts and wantonnesse with other such fonde and dangerous delights which lead men to destruction and cleare our liues season our tongues with Christian talke as well as clense our hearts And is there any man which reioiceth in the name of a Christian who would haue his libertie in these euils What did I say libertie nay who would become a bondman for to speake properly and truely that is bondage in the highest degree to his owne intemperate affections and desires As for the varietie of good liberties which our most mercifull God hath betrusted vs with which are both manie and comfortable in themselues we may vse them all in the Lord so that God haue his honour thereby but whiles we take our part in them the Lord may not lose his part due to him in a worde whiles we vse them soberly and with care not to offend and that nothing be done against knowledge and peace therein And is not this sufficient and enough for all men which are the Lords I am sure when men cannot be content to keepe themselues at this staie as they pay dearely for euery stolne libertie so they must say when they haue had their mindes satisfied after all The godly life excelleth and sing the dolefull song of them who haue learned it somewhat too late by their wofull experience that Measure is a treasure when their mirth is at an end For doe we not see that when Christians haue walked in a good course for a time and after haue begun to shake off the yoke of obedience and haue againe sought libertie to the flesh alledging this What must we be alwaies pent in to looke to our waies see we not I say that God hath in some houre or day giuen them vp into their owne hands in haste and rashnesse to run with greedinesse to the fulfilling of their hearts desire which they haue sought and in that one houre to lay a foundation of sorrow for many yeeres after But haue they afterwards in like haste and with ease returned againe Nay then they must haue shewed themselues wiser than some who were wise and more strong than Sampson the strongest in his time who after he had prostituted made himselfe a sot and slaue to a base mistresse recouered not himselfe againe vntill he had ground in the prison like an
watchfull An other is to view the day at our lying downe For we beleeue that which God hath promised Ios 1.3 Ios 11.6 Hebr. 11.30 Gen. 6.22 Hebr. 11.17 1. Ioh. 5.4 Mich. 7.8 Dan. 9.5 1. Sam. 12.19 No fruit of the best helps if we vse them not in faith Iam. 1.6 2. Pet. 3.17 How the day is to be begun and continued What it is to neglect duty or to commit offences Reuel 3.11 The sweetest liberties of a Christian are wretched bondage to a man of the world Note A sleight and formall vsing of the meanes will not profit The beautie of the worship of God is too glorious for the armeyes of prophane persons to beholde That which is common to all is no priuilege Note Who they are that are constant in the seruice of God Prosperitie a slipperie estate God teacheth his to stand in this slipperie way The wicked cannot How he teacheth his to do it First by the scriptures Luc. 14.18.19 Dan. 4.27 Act. 12.22 Also by experience and obseruatiō of things Dan. 1.8 Iob. 1 21. By meditation also of their gaine heereby The effect heereof Iob. 31.24 Esa 59.1 Heb. 8.11 Act. 2.17.18 Note It is most false that some say My goods are mine owne and therefore I may do with them as I lift The Christian must be perswaded that it is Gods worke which he goeth about and also that God will strengthen him thereto How the godly doe rightly vse their lawfull liberties Who shall enioy this foresaid priuiledge They that attaine not to this benefit prouide ill for themselues Pro. 16.32 Phil. 3.18.19 The cauillers at this doctrine are vnder heauie and speedy condemnation The godly escape many troubles altogether The greatest sinnes bring the greatest punishments Gen. 3.17.24 Deut. 28.44 Gen. 19. The freer from sinne the freer from trouble All the godly doe not avoid the sorrowes which they might doe here Note 2. Tim. 3.12 Many trouble themselues greatly by their corrupt affections And many other with those which ouerrule them another way Heb. 12. They bring also vpon themselues outward troubles by their sinnes It is prooued by many particulars Prou. 21.17 God giueth grace to ouercome these sinnes Note What quiet some finde in their liues more then other and how Note Math. 18.7 Obiection Answere Luc. 8.18 Iam. 1.2 1. Pet. 4.15 Ier. 5.25 To whom chiefly the comfort of this doctrine doth appertaine 1. Sam. 8.19 compared with 12.19 Excuses for mens sinnes Many shun to be truely religious because they would auoid trouble Luc. 16.25 1. Cor. 15. Eccles 11.9 The foolishnesse of them that do so Mat. 5.12 Eccles 7.8 Iob. 21.13 Ps 32.10 Num. 32.23 1. Cor. 11.32 1. Pet 1.7 Iohn 16.20 Rom. 8.28 Eccles 8.12 God oft deliuereth his altogether Ioh. 16.7 2. Cor. 12.9 Prou. 11.8 And the wicked come in their roome Psal 124.1 2. Cor. 1.10 Esther 3.13 c. 7.10 Dan. 6.23 Gen. 21.15 1. Sam. 31.8.1 The godly are deliuered in gods fauour Hos 6.1 Ester 4.16 2. Chro. 20.3 Hose 14.4 Iosua 11.6 Iudg. 7.9.15 The wicked not so Yet the godly doe not alwaies beleeue this Obiection Obiection The fathers had particular promises but so haue not we 2. Chron. 20.17 Ios 11.6 Iudg. 6.14 Answer 2. Tim. 4.8 Hebr. 1.1 God in the chiefest matters hath spoken as plainly to vs as to them Rom. 7.25 Iam. 4.6 Iohn 14.13 15.16 Rom. 8.28 2. Sam. 15.25 Dan. 3.17 Note 1. Sam. 28.7 Iona. 2.8 1. Sam. 25.37 Math. 27.5 Ps 73.13.14 Iona. 4.4 Note Ps 119.71 Iohn 16.6.7 1. Pet. 1.5.6 Luc. 9.23 Ia. 1.5.6 How we may take good by our afflictions Rom. 8.28 Petit. 3. For God sendeth them to that end Lam. 3.33 1. Pet. 1.6 Iohn 16.7 Heb. 12.11 Reasons why God afflicteth his Ps 34.17.19 2. Cor. 1.10 Rom. 5.4.5 Iam. 1.3 1. Cor. 11.32 Ps 119.67 2. Cor. 4.9 6.9 Gods children are neuer forgotten though they may seeme for a time to be neglected Ps 20.8 Ioh. 16.22 1. Sam. 30.6 Ps 73.1 Ps 119.71 Heb. 11.8 Ps 105.19 Ps 105.18 Act. 2.21 Rom. 10.14 Though God promise to turne our troubles to good yet we must not be carelesse vnder them Dan. 9.5 Ps 18.26 How they may profit by afflictions Heb. 12.11 Vses of afflictions Lam. 3.27 Iam. 1.2 Col. 1.11 Rom. 5.4 Animi securitas conscientia bona causae fiducia plurimùm valent ad sustinendas afflictiones Eph. 3.19 The 1 point God giueth to his greater grace then they could aske As in particular may be seene Note Col. 1.9 c. Ioh. 16.13 Examples Exod. 4.11 Exod. 10.17 Iohn 1.52 Math. 13.31 Luc. 15.17 Mat. 15.27 Numb 11.28 Ios 1.5 Ios 24.15 c. 1. King 3.12 Iohn 16.12 ver 23.24.25 Luc. 22.57 Act. 5.29 1. Thess 3.7 2. Thess 1.3.4 Esay 59.1 This priuiledge causeth much comfort if it be duely considered Ephes 4.1 1. Tim. 4.15 Though there be many things to hinder it yet there is also much to helpe to greater grace Heb. 5.12.14 Rom. 1.17 Ps 103.5 Ps 119.11.12 Rom. 15.4 The Scriptures are plentifull in prouing this Note Prou. 4 1◠The Lord thinketh it not to great for his Note All must be ready to grow to that grace which they may attaine to Note The godly shall continue to the end in a good course Ps 37.37 Phil. 1.6 Ioh. 6.39 10.28 God letteth them know it that they shall Though it be a secret to the world 2. Cor. 4.3 Ps 25.14 Ioh. 15.15 Reasons why they shall know it The first 1. Pet. 1.4.5 1. Iohn 5.13 1. Thess 5.9 The second Ios 1.5 1. Pet. 5.9 The third reason Luc. 8.15 Heb. 3.6 Note How they perswade themselues of a good end 4 The fruit of the knowledge of perseuerance The second fruit of it 5 We must not alwaies iudge of men by the maner of their death Ps 37.37 1. King 13.24 2. King 23.29 A good Christian may possibly offer violence to himselfe not knowing what he doth He that doth so aduisedly is a murtherer in the highest degree 2. Cor. 6.1 c Mat. 5.10 No cause to desire to liue when we must needs dishonor God Eccles 7.1 Ps 50.15 Mat. 10.19 Heb. 4.2 Reason 1. Mat. 10.28 2. King 6. 1. Cor. 10.13 1. Thess 5.25 2. Reason Rom. 8.18 2. Cor. 4.13 Rom. 8.17 Heb. 12.2 3 2. Cor. 4.8.9.10 2 Cor. 6.9 10 Heb. 11.36.37 38. Marc. 10.29 Reu. 22.20 Ro. 8.38 Col. 3.1 2. 1. Cor. 5.31 Col. 3.5 Lam. 3. 1. Cor. 15.19 What this priuiledge is Ps 16.11 Math. 25. It cannot be conceiued how great It is shadowed out by earthly comparisons Hebr. 13.14 1. Pet. 1.18 With whom their fellowship shall be What ioy they shall haue in heauen Their honour An amplifying of these prerogatiues A further commending of thē 1. Cor. 2.9 Farre greater then princes The pure estate and vncorrupt of things in Adams innocency but a shadow of heauen Ps 84.10 87.3 2. Cor. 12.5 Mat. 17.2 Of things vncertaine we may not speake boldly The ioyes of heauen cannot
preached to them haue not only professed that they haue repented when besides some gripes of grief they haue not knowne what repentance meaneth but they haue thought themselues able almost on the sudden to censure yea to condemne other and teach them and so although with boldnes enough ioyned with as much ignorance they haue taken in hand to doe I speake not of such as are humbled in their hearts for their sinne who desire nothing more then to be set at libertie from the feare which oppresseth them learning daily to beleeue and to be grounded therein who dare no otherwise beleeue their sinnes forgiuen them then they walke humbly before God and men but of such as passe from sorrow for sin without faith to newnes of life as they imagine which was neuer nor euer shall be attained leauing the learning of faith and assurance of Gods fauour which is the beginning and worker of all new life as a thing soone gotten and therefore it is so sleightly laboured for of them and so to seeke with thē for want of thorough prouing whether they haue it or no that many are driuen againe to seeke for it many yeeres after they thought they had been sure of it yea and that which is more to be lamented many of them neuer attaine vnto it at all It standeth with no sound reason that young beginners in learning of any trade should by and by become occupiers and setters vp or that they should rule well who haue neuer learned to obey so it standeth not with religion that they should count themselues good Christians or that they should be so indeede who haue not tasted of Christ and the benefit thereof neither learned him as the truth is in him that is to put off the old man with his affections and lusts and to put on the new and who haue not felt him so good and bountifull to them that for his sake they be readie to doe any thing This I haue spoken by occasion of the matter in hand namely that faith bringeth alwaies with it new life in so much that when it is ouermatched with the fleshly corruption yet it raiseth sighings and striuings in the heart till it be subdued that I might at least preuaile with some of my brethren that they please not themselues in thinking they haue faith when their liues are filled not only with many offensiue actions but also with custome and commons in the same whereas he which is honored with the title of Gods seruant must be known by the liuerie of vncorrupt life and proue by his sauour and smell of good conuersation that he came from God and is not of the earth that so he may shew himselfe to be a man of God indeed his rootes must be fastened as the trees of Lebanon he must flourish as the Lillie and finde the graces of God as dew to quicken them For of this be we sure that whatsoeuer men alleage why their liues cannot beare the mould and print of sound doctrine and yet they will needes goe for the approoued seruants of God it is a strong delusion which perswadeth them so And therefore seeing the Scripture doth as I haue said so fully and so often set downe this truth vnto vs that such as haue obtained mercy of God are taught and guided by him ought not men to settle themselues to another course then in times past they walked in being now deliuered from so great bondage For to that end as they haue heard they were deliuered Wherefore if any be assured of saluation let them either willingly be subiect to the Lords yoke I meane his commandements and commit their whole life to him to be gouerned and be diligent to doe good workes or else let them hold their peace for they are nothing lesse as in time it shall appeare and hath done already in many such as they are to their cost and be they well assured that God will not be slacke to reuenge such boldnes But I will shut vp this matter in one sentence Saint Paul to the Ephesians most liuely describeth this life which is to be led of them which are sure of Gods fauour saying Put off or lay aside as concerning your conuersation past that old man that is that corrupt nature and so the powers of your mind and bodie which were infected with deceiueable lusts and be renued in the spirit of your mindes euen where the force of reason should be greatest that so you may put on the new man which is to be sanctified that the powers of your bodies and mindes may be renued and changed also so shall ye be framed to bring forth righteousnesse and true holinesse wherein ye shall carrie some resemblance of God CHAP. 3. That for the leading of a godly life is required faith in the temporall promises of God and hartie assent and credit to the commaundements also and threatnings in the word of God as well as faith to be saued NOw I haue shewed that true iustifying faith and a godly life must of necessitie goe together and that the one cannot be without the other I will goe to the second point in this first generall head or part and proue that it is necessarie to the leading of a godly life to beleeue and giue credit to the whole doctrine of the word of God to be led and guided thereby as well as to haue faith in the promises of saluation and forgiuenes of sinnes This I say therefore that he which beleeueth in Christ to saluation must not stay himselfe and rest therein only as though he were giuen vnto vs of his father to be our righteousnesse only and to make for vs a way to eternall life but to be our wisdome also to make vs wise our sanctification to make vs holy and also our redemption and deliuerance to ridde vs in his good time from all calamities and miseries which here befall vs This he that truly beleeueth must be perswaded of and that all the promises of this life and of the life to come which serue to confirme him in obedience whether the great and principall as of the graces of the spirit or the smaller as of bodily safety and preseruation from dangers so farre as they shall be good for him doe belong vnto him And beside both these he must beleeue that both all the commaundements which teach obedience and the threatnings because they restraine the contrarie are set downe for him particularlie as well as for any other to binde his conscience thereunto these also I say must he beleeue according to that of Saint Paul Whatsoeuer things are written aforetime as either promises threats or commaundements they are written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope So that he is bound to depend vpon this word of God written in the canonicall Scriptures and to build his faith
thereon in such wise that he dares ieopard his soule vpon the truth and doctrine of them euen as he is to looke for saluation only by our Lord Iesus Christ euer counting that for sinne which shall be found to iarre or iangle with the same either in his heart or life But though all who haue hope to be saued should doe this yet it is manifest they doe not They make not conscience of many sinnes they looke not to many promises they feare not many threats all which doe much testifie against them that they be not so well fenced as they might be and by meanes hereof they holde euen the promise of saluation it selfe more weakely And this commeth to passe the more commonly that they be no better stablished and rooted in the truth to beleeue it because these things as they be worthiest and most excellent so they be not plainely soundly and thoroughly beaten into the people and that againe and againe till they that are willing haue them for their owne And another cause is for that the people who haue some taste of this doctrine namely how they should ioyne good life with their faith take not paine when they haue been well taught them to call them to minde and digest them onely they haue pieces and fragments of many good points but rarely it shall be found that one Christian among many groweth to see this which I now speake of by teaching much lesse hath it in vse and practise for his owne that is to giue credit to one part of the word as well as to another and not euery one to take that which liketh him And therefore when they haue some work of true faith in them yet they see not how to set vpon repentance and a godly life how to begin and how to proceede therein but are off and on now forward then backward and scarcely at any time setled and staied the which although it be so in great part through their owne weaknes yet is it also in respect of their ignorance I speake of the better sort of people and such as haue receiued the first fruites of the spirit Whereas if they were perswaded that they ought to make conscience of all sound doctrine that they heare and to giue assent to euery part of the word of God and submit themselues thereto promises threats and commandements they should hold more firmely the perswasion of their saluation and also be better prepared how to flie euill and how to doe dutie and how to trust God in all kindes of his promises Therefore it is said to the Hebrues To vs was the Gospell preached as also vnto them but the word that they heard profited not them because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it Againe Without faith it is impossible to please God With the which agreeth that which is written by S. Paul to the Romanes Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne that is whatsoeuer we doe not being perswaded in our consciences that we please God in doing of it we sinne against him Now then when our iudgements be not setled in this doctrine and truth and consequently we follow no such rule in our actions must wee not needes wander vp and downe the more vnprofitably and heauily or when we be at the best must we not needs be doubtfull and vncertaine whether wee please God or no whereas our chiefe care should be least we doe any thing which might crase or cracke our faith especially when it is tender and weake and like the bruised reede which is easily broken Therefore if any beleeue to be saued let them beleeue also that they shall be sanctified for with one and the same faith we beleeue both and that they shall receiue grace from God to bring foorth fruites of amendment of life and that they shall be made able by him through the hearing of the holie Scriptures to cast off their old conuersation This faith much auaileth to the furthering of the deare children of God in a godly course euen at their first comming vnto God as it doth alwaies after to liue by it And although God by the same spirit regenerateth them by the which he assureth them of their adoption yet is it wrought in them much more hardly and in greater feare when they doe not first know and be perswaded in their iudgements that it shall be so And though it can be but weake in any at their first conuersion to God yet shall they sooner wade through their doubts and grow out of their feare if they haue this faith as a foundation to vphold them and incourage them to goe about it But otherwise they shall faint and feare oft times and be without hope nothing is more cleere then this if we obserue it in weake christians And thus must they be perswaded also concerning all blessing good successe deliuerance out of troubles or patience and meekenes to beare them as well as to beleeue the forgiuenes of sinnes and finally whatsoeuer God saith in his word either the forbidding of any sinne or the requiring of any dutie they are bound to beleeue it as the truth of God to depend vpon it and to be built vpon it and to trust him vpon his bare word and to suffer themselues to be led by it and that because it is his word hauing in them alwaies a setled purpose to doe so and this is called by the Apostle the obedience of faith For they must be resolued of this that to whom God giues Christ to them also he giues all things needfull for this life and the life to come in and by Christ And thus Noah did not only beleeue that he was made heire of righteousnesse but also that he and certaine of his household should be saued in the flood and Abraham likewise beleeued not only that he was iustified but also went to a place which he knew not only seeing God commaunded and abode in the land of promise as in a strange countrey and beleeued that he should haue a sonne in his olde age And they who beleeued among the Israelites in the Sauiour which was to come of whom Moses though darkely had taught before the same beleeued other promises as that the walles of Iericho should fall downe after they had bin compassed about seuen daies Many other such examples who shewed themselues not only to beleeue the promise of forgiuenes of sinnes and of eternall life but also other temporall promises yea and precepts also and threats which God had set downe in his word very profitable for vs to this purpose many such I say both thoroughout the Scriptures and namely in that eleuenth chapter to the Hebrues are set downe vnto vs. And this generall faith so called for that it giueth assent and credit to the word of God in the elect as well to one part as to another with an honest heart ready to
that so we giue occasion to none by our liberties taking so vnseasonably to embolden others against conscience The manner should be in moderation of our affections in it as anger choler contention strife coueting that which is our neighbours and such like and in moderation of the time how long we continue it remembring that it is a refreshing tanquam somno caterisque quietibus as he saith that is as a man that is wearied doth desire rest and to giue himselfe to sleepe that he may be refreshed by it and it must not be an ouerlaying of our selues or a toyle vnto vs or wearying of vs so that necessarie duties of the day be omitted by it neither get such an interest in vs that we cannot leaue it when we should Our companions therein should not be men of euill name for corrupt life and notorious offences but such as be readie to heare of it if they be ouershot Our end to be the fitter to the duties of our calling not couetous cōtrarie to the tenth commaundement nor seeke our gaine thereby nor to increase our liking of such passing of our time and so to draw vs after the same oftener then might seeme expedient for vs or from one kind to another spending out our precious time therein as though we were to yeeld no account of it that we may not be seruants to our lustes And as this may somewhat direct vs in companies where we meete to refresh our selues so he that is not willing thus to vse recreation shall wish in time that he had neuer bene acquainted with it besides that it is not said in vaine He that loueth pastime shall be a poore man Now for other companies in which we meet about our earthly affaires God hath taught vs vertues fit to vphold and carrie vs through them as all other parts of our life in peace and in good sort whereas without them full daungerous hurts might easily take hold of vs therein by such meanes as we litle suspect Therefore to speake particularly of our bargainings and other couenants they ought to be without hollownesse deceipt vndermining and such other vnconscionable dealing that so we may be simple and our meaning good our words plaine our agreements reasonable our promises kept our couenants performed except consent on both sides to the contrarie but where the aduauntage should fal out against the poore and needy there mercie and compassion would be required In suites and controuersies great charitie is to be shewed and in this to be shewed namely that although no compromise can be made which if it may with any indifferencie be obtained is in no wise to be neglected yet that the question or case betwixt vs about words goods or other matters may not turne vs from the pursuing of the thing to the persons nor to breake off our Christian loue howsoeuer we receiue hatred and deadly malice for our good meaning Strong patience also must be laboured for to beare the cost the trauell the toile and tariance with all other griefes and molestations which fall out thereby or may possibly be offered vs vntill we see the end and issue But especially if it should stand with the aunswering for our selues in accusations of any crime before the magistrate with this patience would wisedome and christian courage with modestie and meekenesse be necessarily adioyned And by the helpe of these the Lord hath brought to passe that the frowning lookes and cruell faces of tyrants and persecutors haue not bene feared their bloudie threats haue not daunted the people of God much lesse haue they turned them from their most holy faith and profession but they themselues who haue vexed them haue appeared to be more tormented in their conscience at the beholding of the graces of God in them then they who haue bene bodily tormented by them And this for the vse of companie be said as in such breuitie I could which aduice and direction the reader must receiue in all companies one day as another to guide him therein And to shut vp this fourth dutie let this be added that not onely in our companies we be harmelesse and giue good example but euery way and in all our dealings with men whether they be priuie to it or no innocent and iust to all and mercifull and pitifull to the needie and oppressed and the rather for that we are so naturally giuen to regard and seeke our owne profite whosoeuer sustaine losse thereby and therefore to be alwaies thus resolued that rather then any should haue iust occasion to complaine of our iniurie or hard dealing we are readie to depart from some peece of our owne right as Abraham did to Lot And because it is most mens calling euery of the sixe daies to haue dealings with some other therefore let the true Christian arme himselfe with this mind euen thus to liue and conuerse with them in all that they haue to do with them for many of them are so deceitfull and vnconscionable that they will abuse the most innocent and honest Christians with slaunderous tongues and false reports if they cannot get what they would at their hands Now what would such do if they had any iust cause giuen them to open their mouthes But besides euen honester men if they deale together either for that they do not plainely set downe their minds or if they do yet one sustaineth the losse in the end when both looke to gaine I cannot tel how it commeth to passe that there arise hard thoughts betwixt them that loue is broken off or so cooled as the diuell hath apparantly shewed that the persons wanted care and wisedome therefore such should so looke to their actions that they may haue no such accusations come against them at euen or in the iudgement day nor prouoke the Lord to measure out to them after the same manner againe which they may be most sure of Yet one thing remaineth which most fitly is here to be placed that seing we shall in hauing companie fellowship and affaires with sundrie men behold many gracious examples among the rest as worthie patternes of godlinesse that we be diligent to marke and learne and follow whatsoeuer in thē may better adorne furnish vs as the Apostle taught Be ye followers of me as I follow Christ that we carie not that high opinion of our selues as that we stand in no such neede of others because we haue somewhat more then the common sort of the world but in humilitie and meekenesse make that reuerent account of Gods gifts in others rather then enuie and disdaine them that we may with all speed seeke to enioy the same our selues and much more to follow the good examples of such as are commended to vs in the Scriptures as Abraham the father of the beleeuers in faith Moses in meeknesse Ioseph in chastitie Dauid in the loue of Gods worships and
holy exercises Caleb in constant following of the Lord to the end c. This the holy Ghost exhorteth vs to in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Follow the faith and conuersation of such and consider what hath bene the end thereof A necessarie watchword for numbers in this age so degenerated from the godly course of the reuerend Auncient that were before them that they haue not onely not knowne the God of their fathers but also disgraced that zealous seruing of God which they vsed The examples of such therefore as I set downe before shall be no small helpe being oft before vs to chase away from vs friuolous and hurtfull fantasies faintnesse discouragements and wearinesse of well doing and cause that the multitude of contrarie examples shall not hurt vs by their pride boldnesse and licentious life and to ioyne vs fast to Iesus Christ though not now seene of vs and that we may hold the profession of our faith with ioy vnto our end CHAP. 16. Of the declaration of the fifth duty how we should behaue our selues in solitarinesse NOw I will passe to the next duty which is to guide and teach vs how to cary our selues and passe the time when we are out of company solitary by our selues alone And this it is that seeing a great part of the day many times is passed when neither our callings are in hand neither we occupied in any company we must haue the same especiall care ouer our hearts and behauiour when we are alone that we were taught before to haue in company And as we are counselled by the Prophet that if we desire to reforme our wayes and so to liue blessedly we must take diligent heed to them all one as well as another as Gods word directeth vs so this being one part of our wayes euerie day for the most part to gouerne our selues christianly at all times when we are by our selues alone we must haue a speciall regard and care of the same For who is able to reckon vp all or the most part of the occasions whereby we are moued and prouoked to offend and let loose our hearts to sinne when we are alone and how infinite kinds of euill we may be brought vnto at such times when there is none present by feare or shame to hold vs from them Nay I say more the most iniquities which are done in the sight of the world were first inuented and purposed onely in the sight of God and the sinnes which openly are committed haue bene in warping and working secretly before which the Prophet did plainely expresse when in bewailing his sinne which was come into the eyes of men he sayd thus Against thee only ô Lord haue I sinned as if he should haue sayd I offended thee secretly by vngodly desire before I proceeded in the sight of men to giue offence And so saith another Scripture that Dauid walked on the roofe of his house and saw from thence a woman c. And to shew more fully that it is a fit time for the Diuell to occupie our heads in sundry kinds of euill when we are alone it is noted that our graund-mother Eue was set vpon by Sathan when she was alone her husband not being with her And our Sauiour was assaulted by him when he was in the wildernesse out of the company of men with many other such sayings Which I alleadge not as though I were of opinion that there is no danger to be feared in company I haue before sayd the contrarie but to shew that there is many wayes sore danger of falling when we are alone and so we the more naked to resist which was the thing that I intended to proue which our wofull experience I am full sure confirmeth who are no sooner from company alone but swarmes of vaine foolish and if they be not chased away of noisome and perillous thoughts and desires as a swarme of Bees about a mans eares are solliciting and offering themselues vnto vs. Now then seeing the case so standeth who doth not see what need there is of some good helpe to keepe our soules from annoyance at such times And not onely so but also to stirre vp our selues vnto the doing of such duties as we shall see to concerne vs most that so we may make this solitarie part of our life which is not small to be sutable and correspondent vnto the rest And for some plaine and certaine direction herein we may consider the things which we are occupied about in solitarinesse Now we know that all matters which go through our hands or heads while we are out of company are either simply holy or vnholy or things indifferent now our owne necessitie and Christian wisedome will teach about which of all these we haue most cause to be occupied and let vs not be slacke and negligent to marke and obserue that but let our circumspect care and watchfulnesse which must alwayes accompany vs euer foresee that for without it we shall do nothing well And therefore if in iourneying walking sitting still or lying in our beds c. we shall remember that we are held downe with any sinne or infirmitie let vs muse vpon the occasion of it vpon the vilenesse shame and danger of it how hard it is to renounce it how God is prouoked thereby and therefore how to be abased vnder it and so in confidence craue pardon of it and grace to weaken it If we haue need and cause to take order for some earthly businesse which otherwise will turne vs to great trouble let vs with good aduice thinke with our selues how to dispose of it to our peace If neither of both these giue vs occasion to be occupied then let vs watch such good oportunitie of being alone to make benefit of the time by setting our selues to muse vpon some holy things as the loue of God our mortality c. or inioy the libertie of talking with our God by prayer thanksgiuing reading reioycing in him c. or if we haue any other necessarie duty to be done as we shall be able when we be from our calling let that be gone about And if it be obiected that it is an hard matter thus to do I must needs say it will be hard to haue our hearts thus at commandement when we are by our selues especially for such as cannot reade but yet let vs consider againe that we cannot be better occupied what did I say better nay we can hardly be otherwise occupied without sinne And this aduice for the redeeming of the time when we are alone as long as it is the counsell of the Lord that we should thus gaine it from euill I am not moued what they say against it who neither vse their solitarinesse thus but as though thought were free giue their hearts libertie to roaue and raunge any where Sure I am we cannot be too prouident and carefull that way and the best follow