hearing of Gods worde The third earnest and continuall praier By the first he addresseth himself to come to God casting off his filthy sinnes and putting on the new garment of a religious iust vpright and honest life by the second he standeth waiting at the gate of Gods mercy where vsually men are receyued into fauour by the third hee becommeth a little more bolde presumeth to knocke and rappe at Gods gate where we leaue him prepared wayting and knocking till it please God to open and let him in Sect. 5. ANd yet there remaineth one point to be briefly declared to wit how this repentaÌ„t being now as we are to hope iudge and suppose of a carnall made a spirituall man may know himself to be in the state of grace For although regeneration beeing so great and a totall chaunge bee vsually so euident especially to him in whom it hath place that hee can not doubt of it yet it commeth often to passe by the temptation of Sathan and that naturall infidelitie which remayneth in them that euen the faythfull are brought to this passe that they knowe not what to make of themselues but eyther thinke or at the least suspect themselues to bee in the middest of a troublesome and tempestuous Sea when as in trueth they are arryued in the Hauen This controuersie must bee taken away by comparing our present estate with our former and by considering that chaunge which wee feele to bee of a suddaine wrought in our selues in the earnest perfourmance of some Christian exercise tending to regeneration For wee are not to looke for it in our banquets pastimes sleepe recreations or while wee are busied about worldly affaires but while wee heare the worde of GOD while wee pray vnto him publikely or perhaps priuately alone or with others while wee humble our selues in fasting and vnfayned sorrowe for our sinnes In the perfourmance of the which Christian duties GOD is by his mightie power able to turne the hearts of men which way hee lifteth to change the naturall disposition of his soule whom hee then calleth making it looke towarde himselfe which before did frowardlie abhorre from all good and vppe to heauen which before had the eies fixed in earthly things Whereupon this repentaunt for wee will yet giue him his olde name because hee doubteth himselfe to bee still not a newe but the olde man feeleth all the facultyes of his soule his minde will and affections straungely chaunged For whereas before hee felt himselfe so hard hearted that although he sawe his sinnes yet hee was not greeued for them vnlesse it were for the punishment of them nowe he powreth out of his eyes Ryuers of teares in respect of the dishonor which he hath by his sins bâ—ought to the name of God Whereas before he doubted of Gods fauor and the pardon of his sinne now he is vndoubtedly perswaded of both and so he is now replenished with vnspeakable ioy heareth the spirit not of bondage and feare wherewith hee was possessed but of adoption crying in his heart Abba father He now feeleth himself able to withstand those sinnes wherevnto before he yelded continually at the first to haue a delight in praying to God and in all Christian exercises wherevnto before hee was drawn by feare of the displeasure either of men or perhaps in some conscience of sinne in feare of the wrath of God and a desire to auoyd it And to conclude hee feeleth all those parts of holinesse wrought in some measure in his soule which are requited in the faithfull FINIS The Argument of the Treatise following AS it is not sufficient for the good estate of mans bodie that it be brought into the world in the naturall perfeâ—â—â—on of it which consisteth in the equall temperature and iust proportion of the seueral parts of it for that it being left here would soone perish and come to nougâ—t and therefore it must of necessitie be continually both nourished with meate and drinke and also preserued from all hurtfull things yea carefully restored to the former state of health if by any inward or outward meanes it fall into sicknesse or bee any way hurt wounded or distempered no more will it serue for the good estate of the soule that it be both prepared by repentance for regeneration yea actually regenerated by the spirite of God but it likewise must continually be tended fed and cherished yea healed of all those maladies which by any meanes happen vnto it This we call the right dieting of the soule resembling the soule to the bodie that both the doctrine may be plaine and easie being illustrated declared by sensible familiar similitudes and also that the continuall care and paines which we take about our bodies tâ—e ordering dieting of them may alwaies be putting vs 〈◊〉 minde of perfourming the same dutie vnto our soules for the which we oght to be so much the more carefull as eternall happinesse is better theÌ„ this short and miserable life This spirituall diet hath two partes conseruatiue and restoratiue the former continueth and keepeth in the soule that measure of grace and of holinesse which it hath receiued from God the other restoreth it when it is lost and repaireth it being decaied Againe conseruatiue diet hath two parts nutritiue and preseruatiue consisting the one in the right vse of those things by the which the soule is nourished the other in the carefull auoyding of all things which are hurtfull vnto it spirituall nourishment consisteth in two tâ—ings foode and exercise whereof the one is the matter the other the meanes maner or forme of nutrition Further we are to consider how the soule hath resemblance to the state of the bodie and how it being of it selfe simple and spirituall can be subiect to alterations distempers and diseases which haue place in the bodie by reason of the contrarietie of qualities preuailing or yeelding one to another to wit that as in the bodie heate and moysture so in the soule holinesse sinfulnesse do continually fight togither the one laboring to consume and expell the other the sinfulnesse of the flesh labouring to quench all the good motions of the spirit and the spirit striuing to crucifie the flesh with all the corrupt lusts thereof Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirite against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other This is the composition temperature of the soule hauing place onely in the state of regeneration wherein the soule hath in it selfe both holinesse and sinfulnesse but not in the state of innocencie or yet since the fall of Adam in carnall men when as tâ—e soule being altogither either holy or sinful cannot be said to haue this composition or temperature These points of doctrine may profitably be considered But first we are to know that the paines and care taken in dieting and ordering the soule ought to bee continuall without any intermission for that as the body being neglected for
both to satisfie the infirmitie of his flesh and fraile nature and also to make himselfe more ioyfull and chearefull in seruing thanking and praysing God but if hee haue his dayly conuersation and make his continuall abode in them he may indeede serue God there in some sort but he shall finde it dangerous in respect of spirituall life and health yea as vnholsome for the soule as it is pleasant for the body The minde and affections of a man may indeede be set on diuers things on earthly and heauenly pleasures but that which is giuen to the one is taken from the other and the more we are affected to the one the lesse delight we shall haue in the other for that there is a kind of contrariety betweene the flesh and the spirit betweene fleshly and spirituall pleasures studies and exercises arising not of their owne nature according to which the seÌ„se of worldly pleasure is euen as bellowes to strire vp in maÌ„ loue obedience thankfulnes to God as we know that God placed Adam in his creation in Paradise a place of pleasure but by reason of the corruption of maÌ„s nature which cannot vse them moderately and in due tymes it cannot tast of them but it will drinke of them it cannot drinke of them but it will bee drunke with them yea it will adde thirst vnto drunkennesse euen an vnsatiable appetite to the greatest surfet yea when it hauing ouercharged it self is constrained to vnlode it selfe and abstaine for a season it will afterwards more greedily then euer it did returne to the vomit and so wallow continually in all sensual pleasure By this means haue many of the seruaÌ„ts of God beene ouertaken yea it is the vsual means by the which satan worketh in theÌ„ a decrease of holines making them to drinke so deepe of this cup of worldly pleasures that straitghway they fall into sleepe or slumber and so forgetting themselues neglect their soules Besides this licentiousnes is the next neighbour and cousin germain to sin it self which for the most part consisteth in the vse of forbidden and vnlawfull pleasures and therfore to be auoided as very dangerous as it is the part of a wise man not to walke too near the brink of a deep riuer where into if he chance to slip there is daÌ„ger of drowning but rather to keepe a loofe off and so to be in safetie So that in these respects a good dietarie of the soule must carefully auoyde this licentiousnes too free vse of worldly pleasures as wee are in many places of the Scripture counselled coÌ„maÌ„ded Luc. 21.24 Take heede least at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfetting drunkennesse the cares of this life and so that day come vppon you vnawares and the Apostle writeth to the Corinthians 1.6 That howsoeuer all things are lawful yet al things are not expedient in respect of spiritual edification Yea he propoundeth vnto them himself as an example to folow in abâ—taining from the vse of all vnnecessary pleasures saying 1. Cor. 9.27 I beate downe my body and bring it into subiection least that otherwise I my self who preach saluation to others should be reiected So that we are to hold as a most plaine and certaine truth that as for the body so also for the soule a strict sparing diet is most safe and wholsome and therfore to inioine it to our selues as necessary for our saluation that which may not be broken without offence both to god to our owne soules For howsoeuer many do flatter themselues in the doctrine and knowledge of christianity and so giue themselues ouer to the vse of worldly pleasures yet we are to know that it is no lesse displeasing in the eies of god to vse those lawfull things which we know to be hindrances to our saluation then to do that which is simply and in nature vnlawfull For as we read 1. Sam. 15.23 Rebellion in what thing soeuer it be is as the sinne of witchcraft and transgression as idolatrie CHAP. II. Section 1. THe second part of conseruatiue diet is in the vse of those good things which are agreable to the soule and appointed by God for the preseruation of it they are two in number foode and exercise by the which two as the body so also the soule is nourished As for sleepe and natural rest the which is needfull for the norishing preseruing of the body it hath no place in this spirituall diet for the flesh is fraile and would soone be consumed with labor if it had not som rest intermission in the time of sleep but the soule cannot bee wearied by doing good but contrarily getteth strength by coÌ„tinual labor and is made faint and weake by rest as the body is refreshed by it Only it requireth these two things food and exercise of the which two the one is the matter the other is the form of nutrition or thus spiritual food is that wherof holines is made spiritual exercise turneth the said food into holines first of the food then of the exercise of the soule But why is food more needfull for the soule then rest or sleepe and why can it not coÌ„tinue as well without the one as without the other It needeth no rest because it cannot be wearied but it must be norished both because it is imperfite in regard of holinesse and therfore must be increased till it come to the full stature and perfection and also because it is dayly diminished by the corruption of sin and therfore must be dayly repaired by conuenient food Euen as we do daily feede our bodies for these two endes first to augment them as long as they are in growth then after that they haue come to their pitch and naturall bignesse to restore so much of the substance of them as is dayly wasted away by the force of naturall heate But what shall we make to bee the foode of the soule Surely no bodily meate though neuer so fine and daintie for if we eate we do not therefore abounde in grace and if we eate not we are not diminished neither any earthly thing for the food of the soule is that whereof holinesse is made the which hath the originall not from earth but from heauen whither wee muste lifte vppe our eyes and thence looke for this spirituall and heauenly Manna not from any creature that is in heauen the which although it may be holy in it self as are the angels yet they are not the fountaine from the which holinesse is to be deriued to others and therefore wee must seeke for this foode at the handes of God not in his nature whereof the soule is not capable but in some thing proceeding from him euen in the worde of God by the which as this spirituall lyfe of holinesse is begotten so it is nourished and continued as it is in naturall things the which Ex quibus oriuâ—tur ex iâ—sdem nutriuntur 1. Peter 1.23 Beeing borne not
life consisting not in a bare and naked profession or in worde onely but also in deede and action when as euery grace of Gods spirite lurking inwardly in the heart sendeth foorth fruit in life according to the nature and kinde of it For as it commeth to passe in our bodies both in the whole and also in the seuerall partes and members of them that the more they are exercised the more they are both confirmed in strength and augmented in quantitie and contrarilie the more they cease from perfourming theyr naturall functions the lesse able they are to perfourme them yea by this meanes it commeth to passe that they are littlâ— and weake euen so it commeth to passe in the soule the graces whereof as they are more or lesse put in practise in the doing of of good workes and the performaunce of Christian duties so they do either encrease or decay For example a Christian is diligent in practising the duties of loue towardes his brethren hee imparteth his goods and whatsoeuer he hath vnto them for the relieuing of their necessitie and the supplie of their wants this Christian by this meanes increaseth loue in his owne soule by giuing hee becommeth more liberall by shewing mercie on the distressed more pittifull the more hee giueth to his brethren of his temporall goodes the more hee getteth to himselfe of spirituall loue the more wee suffer afflictions the more wee learne patience as it is sayde of Christ in the fifth to the Hebrewes and the eight verse That hee learned patience by his sufferinges and as it is sayde in the fifthe to the Romanes That afflictions worke patience the more the bodie is tamed and kept vnder by fasting such other means the more the soule is strengthned and so it commeth to passe in all other graces Foâ— by practiâ—e they are kept and increased by the want of practise they are diminished and lost Whereby it appeareth how necessarie good workes are in regarde of the good estate of the soule and that as they take their being froÌ„ inward graces so they giue backe againe vnto them strength and increase Thus Christ Mat. 7. in the parable of the wise and foolish builder maketh the practise of Christianitie to bee the foundation of Religion in the heart of a man euen that without the which it cannot stand and continue but will decay by little and little and at length fall to the ground in lyke manner Paule 1. Tim. 6.17 maketh good workes the foundation of godlinesse although in truth and in proper speach it bee the fruit of it And Iam. 1.22 Be ye not onely hearers but also doers of the law otherwise yee deceyue your selues for that all your Religion will soone vanish away and come to nought For the facultyes both of bodie and soule are lost by idlenesse as they are strengthened by vse and labour and therfore wee are not to doubt but that good workes howsoeuer little esteemed by many and seldome to bee found in the lyues of any haue a necessarie and notable vse in this spirituall Diet. And surely whosoeuer considereth the liues and professions of many Christians yea euen of those of whom we are to thinke no otherwise but that they are truely endued with faith how fruitlesse and altogether barren of good works they are neede not maruaile why most men either decrease or stand at a stay in godlinesse but may easely see and acknowledge that the graces of God are lost for want of vse and the practise of Christian duties For now a daies châ—istians being too much adâ—icted to the world and worldly pleasures content themselues with the performance of those Christian duties which belong to God as are prayer hearing the word receiuing the sacrameÌ„ts leading an vnblameable life But as for the duties of loue and mercy which cannot be performed without cost the impairing of our worldly state and diminishing of our earthly pleasures these are not to bee found among men but cleane laide aside as things of no necessitie nor of any great vse in regard of saluation But the trueth is that the more they are neglected the more the graces from the which they should proceede are diminished For as good children are to their parents so good workes are to inward graces they cherish and maintaine them as they came from them and so are in respect of them both as causes and as effects And therefore that we may be stirred vp to the daily practise of good works wee will breefely consider in how many other respects they are good and needfull Sect. 15. THe first motiue and that which ought to be of greatest force to perswade vs to good works is the setting foorth of Gods glory for the which purpose weâ— were both created in the beginning and recreated in regeneration 1 Cor. 6.20 You are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your bodies and soules which are Gods For that God is greatly glorified by our good workes wee know both by the scripture and by coÌ„mon reason Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your works may glorifie your father who is in heauen And Ioh. 15.8 Herein is my father glorified that yee bring foorth much fruite and become my Disciples And 1. Pet. 2.12 Haue your conuersation honest among thâ— Gentiles that they beholding your good works may glorifie God in the day of their visitation Yea this is agreeable to reason it selfe for by this meanes it appeareth that the God whom we serue is not euill or vniust or any approuer of euill but of puritie iustice vprightnesse and goodnesse Again by obeying Gods commandements we shew and professe to the whole worlde that we acknowledge loue and feare him that we beleeue his worde promises and threatnings that we hope and trust in him whereas by neglecting those Christian duties which God requireth we shew indeed whatsoeuer we professe in word that wee make small reckoning of him or of his word Secondly we ought to abound in all good workes that so we may giue both to others and also to get to our own coÌ„sciences many arguments and pledges of true regeneration the which cannot be knowen by any other meanes But shall wee go a little further and say that good workes are some cause of our saluatioÌ„ as being in part the matter of our iustification It is not good or lawful to speake or lie in the cause of God or to perswade good works by an vntruth yet thus much we may safely say that looke what is to be giuen to renewed holinesse in the matter of our iustification and saluation So much may and must bee granted to good workes which are a part thereof to wit the holinesse of the outward action For holinesse is exercised by good works especially by those which are most costly and troublesome vnto vs. For whosoeuer doth any thing contrary to his temporal commodity he doth it in al likelihood in some spirituall respect and for conscience
worlde aboue the highest heauens and beneath the bottome of the earth and yet it is a straunger at home most ignoraunt of the owne estate as the manifold doubts cōtrouersies and cōtentions which haue from time to time troubled the heads schooles and bookes not onely of Philosophers but also of learned Diuines about the originall creation substaunce infusion infection or corruption and separation of the soule do plainely testifie Yea in the soule of man nothing is so vnknowne to man himself as that which both of it selfe and to all others is most apparant and conspicuous as are the spots in a mans face to wit the wants infirmities and enormities of it This cōmeth to passe by reason of that self loue engrauen by nature in man and in all other things by the which it cōmeth to passe that as he is better affected towards himselfe thē to any other thing so the iudgement following affection he thinketh better of himself then he ought to do being vnwilling to heare and vnable to conceaue anie thing tending to the disgrace of himselfe especially of his soule wherein his excellencie dooth consist And therefore as Philosophers knowing that men are altogither ignorāt of their owne faults and vices set this precept Nosce seipsum in the beginning of their morall institutions so the first lesson which a diuine is to teach and a Christian to learn is this know and acknowledge the sinfulnesse of thy soule wherof of thy selfe thou art altogither ignorant And surely so it is for although the soule of man bee so wholy infected with the leprosie of sinne that there is no cleane part or piece from the top to the toe of it yet it seemeth to it selfe most pure beautifull and glorious as by the receiued opinions of perfect inherēt righteousnesse iustification by works merit of pure naturals free will doth plainly appeare Reuel 3.17 Thou sayest I am rich and am enriched the one by nature the other by freewil and industry and haue need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched miserable poore blinde and naked These are the opinions conceits which al mē haue of themselues thinking far better of thēselues in euery respect thē they shuld do yea the errors before named as they are natural to man so they haue place cōmonly in most if not generally in all carnall men who howsoeuer perhaps for cōpany and fashions sake they make profession of the cōtrary truth yet in their minds they hold the puritie of mans nature thinking it no more corrupt then it was created by god then it was in Adam during the time of his innocēcie yea that it is impossible to shew how possibly either his nature shuld be corrupted or his corruption deriued to his posteritie Yea thinking it to be the most excellent nature or little inferior or different frō it wherof it commeth that they do so vsually resemble the diuine nature vnto it honoring fearing worshipping trusting inuocating it as god yea ascribing to it what soeuer is glorious in god making saints of sinful men gods of saints wheras in truth it is not only not most excellent but euen very base and meane not onely corrupt in sinfulnesse but euen filthy and loathsome not weake or sick but dead and rotten not happy but of all natures if wee except the the diuel his angels the most wretched wofull Likewise for outward actiō he thinketh that those works which haue any shewe of goodnes although they be neuer so imperfit corrupt and hipocriticall are meritorious before god yea to be a sufficiēt price of eternal saluation both for himself also for others For meane ordinary sins he thinketh them venial light offences not to be accounted or auoided his good meaning is as good as perfit holinesse his owne righteousnes perfite and absolute yea this blindnes and ignorance of their own estate appeareth euen in the natural gifts of men who vsually iudge themselues of all other the wittiest most wise and most worthy of honour although there bee no such cause yea althogh they be most simple vnlearned yet they are as stifly addicted to their owne opinions and fashions as they who haue the surest ground for their actions course of life In these other like respects our naturall blindnesse is to be considered and so to be applied to our spiritual estates in respect whereof this blindnesse is greatest and most hurtful Sect. 2 BVt how shall wee bring the naturall man to see his owne sinfulnes Surely 〈◊〉 by setting before his eyes the glasse of the morall law wherein if he will open his eies for of himself by nature he hath some knowledge of good and euill remaining in his minde he may see himself to be a most vgly and filthy leaper defiled in nature soule and bodie in minde will and affections in worde deed and in all his actions with all maner of sin The which exercise of comparing the puritie of the law of god to wit the obedience commanded in it with the sinfulnesse of their owne soules and the sins of their liues we do earnestly cōmend vnto all those who desire to walke aright in this way of repentance leading to regeneration and saluation And not only to consider the bare wordes of the tenne commandemēts the whch being of set purpose made short cōpendious for memories sake do onely mention the principall duties forbid grosse and capital sins but also to learne the meaning of them by reading marking and remembring those manifolde expositions which are made of the sayde commaundements both by Christ himselfe the head doctour of the Church Matth. 6. and also by his Ministers in their wrytings according to the measure of grace receaued from him In the which thou who soeuer thou art that takest in hande this happie worke of Repentance shalt see the greate varietie and multitude of thy sinnes thy originall sinne which is the totall corruption of thy nature prone to all euill and abhorring from all goodnesse and thy actuall sinnes thy inwarde sinnes to witte the wicked vniust and filthy motions of thy minde will and affections and thy outwarde sinnes to wit thy vaine foolish and filthy talke thy lewde behauiour dishonourable to God and iniurious to thy brethren thy sinnes of ignorance and thy wilfull and rebellious sins committed with a high hand and obstinate purpose and a shamelesse face against God and man The sins of thy youth and the sins of thy ripe age thy smal sinnes although the least may be counted great in that it bringeth vvith it the endles wrath of God and thy hainous and horrible sins as are atheisme idolatrie periurie murther incest and adulterie all these and many other sorts of sins thou shalt find in euery one of the ten cōmaundemts and in euery part of thy bodie soule if it please thee to take the paines for it wil be a painfull and greeuous peece of worke painfull indeede
for the present but ioyfull in the ende to ransacke the secret corners of thy sinfull soule and to search euen to the bottome the festered sores thereof yea to lay open before God and thy owne conscience the story chronicle day booke of thy life past by calling to minde the course of life which thou hast followed and to examine it without flattery or partialitie by the straight line of the law and word of God In the which examination there must great care be had that we bee not blinded by any meanes and so made corrupt iudges as namely by an opinion and conceit of our own good parts of nature our vertues gotten by good education and industrie our good works which we haue done to God and to our bretheren how many waies and with how great charges we haue maintained learning set forward religion serued God and releeued the poore These conceits if they runne in our heades they will blinde our eyes and so ouershadow all our sinnes that wee shal iudge and pronounce our selues not sinfull but holy iust and innocent And then especially this commeth to passe when as we compare our selues with those who are more sinfull and in some respect notoriously wicked then the opinion of our owne holinesse which before was doubtfull is put out of all controuersie and wee not onely exempted from the ranke and state of sinfull men but euen canonized Saints in our owne conceits This delusion of the diuell and vanitie of our mindes we haue notably painted out vnto vs in the example of the Pharisee Luke 18.11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus O God I thanke thee that I am not as other men are extortioners vniust adulterers or as this Publican There is the second delusion nowe followeth the first of good works I faste twise in the weeke I giue tithe of all that I possesse But this mischieuous errour by the which many mens repentance is nipt in the head broken off in the beginning must be remoued by knowing and considering that other mens sins will condemne themselues but cannot iustifie vs that in sinfulnes we are as far further beyond others then we are short of them and that our good deeds though neuer so many glorious comming from the corrupt fountain of an irrepentant and vnbeleeuing heart are accounted sinnes before God as the scripture teacheth vs Rom. 14.23 yea as defiled and filthie clouts loathsome and abhominable in his sight And further that they comming as our owne consciences knowfull well and as others haue sufficient ground to suspect not from any manner of loue either to God or man but from selfe-loue pride and vaine glorie we intending desiring nothing but onely to purchase vnto our selues credit cōmendation in the world deserue not to be commended but to be abhorred euen of men This fight of sin consisteth in knowing two things First our selues to be so sinfull as we are indeed secōdly that in regard of our sin we are vnrighteous in the sight of God Mans sinfulnes is this that wheras he ought by the lawe of God to be holy and pure in nature soule and bodie hee is in all these respects wholly corrupted defiled with sin His natural sinfulnes consisteth in this that he is of himself by nature without any outward tentation allurement or perswasion inclined to euill altogether vnable to do good The inward sinfulnesse of the soule is in that all the secret motions of it which should be onely toward God and the doing of that which is agreeable to his law are altogether from Godward and toward sin and disobedience These howsoeuer some thinke teach them to be no sins yet God doth account otherwise of them so must this our repentant do For why as god is a spirit so he wil be worshipped and serued not onely outwardly in bodily actions but also inwardly in the spirit and soule and abhorreth the secret filthinesse of the soule as much as the outward and apparant filthinesse of the bodie the one being as apparant manifest to him as the other Thus we must esteem the corrupt thoughts lusts and concupiscences of the soule as sins that so we may see acknowledge the multitude of our sins to be greater thē the haires of our heades And lastly for our outward actions that we be not deceiued with any opinion of our good works the perfitnesse number excellencie and merite of them but rather thinke know that as sauory water cannot come from a stinking puddle or sweete fruit from a sower roote no more can any one good worke come from an vnregenerate man from a corrupt and sinfull soule who although he giue his bodie to the fire for the profession and maintenance of the truth and all his goods to the poore in a tender compassion of their miserie yet hee being destitute of faith loue the rest of the parts of regeneration dooth not by these workes please God or fulfill his lawe For that where they are fewe and seldome performed they should bee continuall where they should be done onely for Gods glory they are done onely in vaine glory and in desire of the applause of men or which is worse in a presumpteous opinion of meriting saluation at the hands of God if not in hypocrisie or in some euill and wicked intent How much lesse then can we think that our vnlawfull actions forbidden and condemned by the law and word of God are any way veniall or iustifiable The other part of the sight of sinne is to know that by it we are made vniust and vnrighteous not onely by a sinfull and wicked life but euen by one sinfull action not onely by great and grieuous crimes but euen by the least offences which wee commit not onely by outward sinful actions but euen by the most secret motions of our corrupt minde and will not onely by these actuall sinnes but euen by our naturall inclination and pronenesse to sinne which the yongest infant hath and bringeth out of his mothers wombe For hee that breaketh any one of the commandements by any meanes breaketh the whole law and is as guiltie of sin as he who breaketh all the commandements So that to cōclude this point this our Nicodemus desiring to repent and so to be sanctified and saued must in the first place learne vvhat sinne is how many kinds differences and degrees are of it yea all the doctrine belonging to this head and secondly so applie it to himselfe and his owne estate as that hee make it as a glasse wherein to see and know himselfe to be sinfull Sect. 3. Thus wee hauing brought this repentant to the sight of his sin which is the first part of the knowledge of his estate we are in the next place to bring him to the sense of sinne which is the second part of it By the sense of sinne wee meane the knowledge of that punishment which is due vnto him for his sin For
last ages of the world then it was in former times as God hath reuealed himselfe in his word farre more clearly then he did at any time before and as the last iudgement dooth more and more approch whereas before he did reueale himselfe by many meanes as namely by visions dreames apparitions miracles teÌ„porall blessings punishments but now in these last ages of the world god doth not shew himself to men in any such maner but doth hide himself froÌ„ their eies wherby it coÌ„meth to passe that many carnall men beleeuing nothing but that which is sensible palpable come to this extreame blindnesse of mind as to think that there is not a God in the world or at the least to doubt whether there bee one or no and no maruaile that this secrecie of God moue the carnall man to atheisme when as the godly themselues haâ—e ofteÌ„ their faith shaken with this 〈◊〉 But both carnal and regenerate are to take heede that this roote of infidelity doâ— not spring vppe in their hearts and make them depart from the liuing Lord and that by considering that God doth of set purpose in great wisedome keepe him selfâ— secrete as in diuerse other respects so especially for the triall of men both elect and reprobate For as a wise maister of a family desiring to know the disposition of his seruants hideth himselfe in a corner or behind a cloth and there both beholdeth the vnrulinesse and misdemeanour of some also perceiueth the vertues of others of them the which they would neuer haue shewed in his presence so God doth in a manner absent him selfe from the world that both the faith of his seruaunts and the outrage of sin in the wicked ones may be made manifest Sect. 6. ANother hinderance by the which men are withheld from seeking regeneration are the cares and pleasures of this present world by the which they are so entangled and euen wholly possessed that they haue not leysure so much as once to thinke on their saluation or any meanes of attayning vnto it The cares of the world hinder those who haue not attayned to so good and settled estate as they desire who thinke that they may lawfully deferre to prouide for their soules vntill they haue prouided sufficiently for their bodies about the which they are so continually busied and employed that they cannot afford any time to thinke at the least not seriously as they ought to doe on God and godlinesse Thuâ— men excuse them selues for not comming to Christ Luc. 15.17 One cannot come because he hath bought a farme the which hee must of necessity goe and see Another because he hath maried a wife The third because he hath bought Oxen but these men take a wrong course and as wee say set the Cart before the horse For they should First seeke the kingdome of GOD and the righteousnesse thereof and then all these things would bee easie vnto them that is gotten with great facility and in great aboundance Math. 6.33 and that by the secrete and wonderfull blessing of GOD who giueth temporall blessings also to those that seeke for spirituall graces at his handes as hee gaue to Salomon not onely wisedome and knowledge which he asked but also great riches honour and worldly glory as amends yea as a reward because hee had in his choâ—se preferred wisdome before earthly blessings Wee doe not deny but that men may lawfully yea must of necessity haue care of their temporall estate yea so much the greater as it is worse and more vnsettled For if the body perish for want of things needfull for it how shall the soule be endued with the life of holinesse seeing that as the tree falleth so it lieth and he that dieth a carnall man cannot rise spirituall But this is our meaning that wee doe not as vsually men doe so suffer our selues to bee ouerwhelmed with the cares of the world that we neglect and forget to seeke after God but that in all wants miseries and troubles in all conditions whatsoeuer our chiefe care study desire and endeuour bee sette vpon those things which concerne our eternall saluation For if we be in good estate in respect of temporall things we may the more freely serue God if distressed we haue the more need to seek to him Yea we are to suffer rather our bodies to pine away for want of food then our souls to coÌ„tinue in the state of sinfulnes and of death For what profiteth it a man to winne the whole world if he leese his own soule But if the soule bee once endued with the life of holinesse the body may well sleepe for a season but it cannot possibly die for euer And therefore let vs alwaies remember those heauenly sayings vttered by Christ Luke 10.14 Martha Martha thou carest and art troubled about manie things but one thing is needfull Marie hath chosen the better part which shall not be taken from her Likewise for worldly pleasures as the seeking so also the enioying of them being now got is a hinderance to the seeking of regeneration For although in all likelyhood men hauing the world at will and being euen glutted with the aboundance of worldly pleasures should learne by experience that which reason could not teach them to wit the vanity vncertainty and loathsomnesse of them and so be driuen to seeke for some pure and permanent happinesse yet they make no such vse of prosperity but the more they haue the more they desire enlarging their appetite and inuenting daily new and freshe pleasures as the Prophet describeth them Amos 3. They put farre from them selues the euill daie and approach to the plâ—ce of iniquity they lie and stretch them selues vppon Iuorie bâ—ds eating Lambes from the flâ—cke and Calues out of the stall They sing to the sound of the Viole and inuent to themselues instruments of musick like Dauid they drinke wine in bowles and annoint them selues with the best ointment but neuer thinke on the affliction of Ioseph or yet on their owne saluation Thus doth aduersity and prosperity want and and aboundance hinder men from seeking after God whereas miseries and crosses should driue men to God the only giuer of all good things and temporall happinesse should put them in minde of true and eternall happinesse in heauen Sect. 7. THe last let by the which men are hindered from seeking regeneration is offence taken at those who doe professe them selues to haue attained vnto it and to be those in whom this supernaturall and miraculous worke of grace is wrought by the power and finger of God These men doe often incurre the mislike anger and hatred of others insomuch that not only their persons but also their profession becommeth odious vnto them The causes of this offence are these First the diuersity in iudgement affection disposition in words deeds behauiour and whose coursâ— of life whereby they differ from others somtimes of necessity as in matters of conscience and impoâ—tance somtimes in light
of corruptible but of incoruptible seede to wit by the worde of the euerliuing God which indureth for euer and this is the worde which is preached among you and therefore aâ— newe borne babes desire the sincere milke of the worde as it may bee translated that you may grow thereby The worde of GOD is the reuealed will of God for as men doo by speach make knowne to others theyr minde counsailes and intents so GOD hath manye wayes made knowne vnto man what hee woulde haue done so that as the soule of man dooth more or lesse conforme if selfe to the will of God so dooth it more or lesse increase in holynesse This worde or reuealed will of God is contained and declared first in the creatures secondly in the bookes of holie Scripture thirdly in the actions of God or his continuall administration of the worlde out of all which this spirituall foode must bee gathered and gotten But especially out of the Scripture wherein God hath fully and plainely reuealed his will and which maketh the other two fieldes the one of the creatures the other of the actions of God to yeelde plentifull fruit for the nourishing of our soules whereas without it they are altogether barren and fruitlesse For it is impossible that hee who hath not the eyes of hys soule opened and enlightned by the word and spirite of God shoulde picke out any matter of spirituall edification eyther out of the creatures or the actions of God Sect. 2. THe will of God as it is coÌ„teyned in thâ— Scripture creatures and actions of god is as meare vndressed and therefore it must be prepared and made fitte for our vse as we daily see meates to bee dressed infinite wayes This preparation is made by searching and finding it out which of it selfe lyeth hidden and it is prepared either by our selues or else by others as namely by the Ministers of the worde who in the Church which is the house of God are both as Stewardes to prouide and as Cookes to prepare meate for the children and seruaunts of GOD the which they do when as they gather out of the worde of God sounde and wholsome doctrine and applie it to the seuerall conditions of the hearers This publicke foode which the publicke ministerie of the worde yeeldeth is thâ—t wherewith chiefly God hath appointed that our soules should bee nourished and therefore we are carefully to consider how it ought to be receiued For we are not here to declare howe this publicke preparation should bee made for that belongeth not to this Treatise yet as all men knowe that the good estate of the bodie dooth chieflie consist herein that the meate wherewith it is nourished be well dressed and made fitte for the receyuer not rawe offensiue or mingled with any hurtfull thing so without question the health of the soule dooth chiefly depende on the ministrie of the worde that it offer to the Church nothing but that which is both in it selfe good and sounde and also made fitte for the present estate of the hearers And surely it is to bee wished and the contrarie greatlie to bee wondered at that men were as carefull in prouiding for themselues wyse and cunning Cookes able to prepare a right the sacred worde of the euerlyuing GOD wherewith their soules are or ought to bee fedde to eternall life as they are curious about the dressing of theyr bodily meate which is soone turned into fylth and so cast away as a most loathsome thing yea which together with the bellye for the which it is prepared shall be abolished as in the first to the Corinthians the sixt Chapter and thirteenth verse But menne spend their whole care tyme and substaunce about the one to wit the filling of their bellies and the feeding of their bodyes and are altogether carelesse of the other thinking no cost sufficient for the one and euerie pennie that is bestowed on the other cleane lost But to leaue these godlesse epicures seruing their bellies which are their God it is the part of euery Christian that hath care of the health of his soule after that he hath done his endeuour in prouiding a cunning and faythfull Cooke for the preparing of meate for his soule to prepare himselfe for the receyuing of it by procuring in himselfe an appetite to this spirituall foode that so as it commeth to passe in feeding the bodie it beeing earnestly desyred may bee happilie digested This is done fiâ—st by vnloading our stomackes from all sinfull cares cogitations and desires the which beeing of nature contrarie to the pure and heauenlie worde of God will not suffer it to haue enteraunce for it is impossible that a man shoulde both earnestly desire the worde and cherish sinne and therefore he must resolue himselfe to yeelde heartie obedience vnto it by casting away whatsoeuer is in his minde heart or lyfe contrarie vnto it This counsell wee haue giuen vs. 1. Pet. 2.1 Wherefore laying aside all maliciousnesse and guile all dissimulation enuie and euill speaking as newe borne babes desire the sincere milke of the worde that yee may growe thereby And lykewise Iames. 1.21 VVherefore laying asyde all filthinesse and superfluitie of maliciousnesse receyue with meekenesse the word engrafted in you which is able to saue your soules Secondly this appetite of the worde is to bee procured by a due consideration of the necessitie of the profitablenesse and excellencie therof for who will not desire that which hee seeth to bee both most needfull and profitable for himselfe and most excellent in it selfe it being the onely matter of spirituall nourishment and so the meanes of attaining eternall life Psal. 19.7 The law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule the testimonies of the Lord are sure and giue wisedome to the simple the statutes of the Lord are right reioyce the heart and therefore they are more to bee desired then gold yea then much fine gold sweeter also then the hony and the hony combe Moreouer by them thy seruant is made circumspect and in keeping them there is great reward Againe the excellency of the word is so great as connot bee expressed It is indeed contemned by carnall men as base and simple and as hauing in it no matter of importance but a bare storie of Christ crucified as we reade 1. Cor. 1. The Grecians and other wise men of the world reiect the Gospel as being destitute of that deepe wisedome wherewith they know themselues to be endued But what maruell is it that he who is blinde thinke it to bee darke when the sunne shineth most clearely or that a naturall man who in regard of heauenly things is as blind as a buzard can see no wisedome in the worde of God in the which all the treasures of the endlesse wisedom of God are coÌ„teined The Queene of Saba thought it woorth her labour to trauaile into a strange countrey to heare the wisedome of Salomon and counted his seruants happie in that they liued in
wholsome hearbes and soueraigne medicines may be had And therefore a Christian although he ought not to bee a stranger in anie part of the booke of God yet he ought to be most conuersant in this and such other as that hee scarce euer lay them out of his hands Yea in these bookes some sayings and sentences are more excellent then others and therfore more specially to be regarded and remembred Sec. VI. THus our Christian is to reade the scripture but what auaileth it to reade that that is not vnderstood or how can we suppose that euery Christian can vnderstand the scripture which is so hard that euen they who giue themselues wholly vnto the studie of it cannot with any paines or means which can be vsed sound the depth of it We answere that as it is not possible so it is not needfull for any man to attain the true sense of the scripture in euerie place and againe that it is both possible and easie for any Christian to vnderstand so much of it as will serue for his spirituall edification in all respects Yea it hath pleased God in great mercy and wisedome so to prouide for the saluation of his elect as to make those things which are most effectuall to edification most easie to be vnderstood and so to meete with the carnall curiositie of men as to make vnnecessary questions and quiddities most intricate and euen as labyrinthes into the which it is easie to enter but impossible to get foorth And therefore no man ought to be kept backe from reading the scripture by considering the difficultie of theÌ„ but rather to be persuaded that by prayer to God who can open the eies of the blind to behold the wonderful things of his law by acquainting himselfe with the phrase maner of speech which the holy Ghost vseth by conferring one place with another and lastly by vsing the helpe of those who haue laboured painfully and faithfully in searching out the true meaning of the scripture hee shall vnderstand so much of it as shall be aboundantly sufficient for his edification and saluation Thus the scripture being painefully read and truely vnderstood will yeelde vnto vs plentifull foode for the confirmation of our knowledge faith loue patience temperance and of all spirituall graces Wee shall enter into these fertile fieldes and pleasant gardens in ignorance doubting distrust impatience and sorrow but shall come out of them full of faith and of the holy Ghost and replenished with all spirituall ioy With this reading of the scripture we must ioyne the reading of the writings of those who haue gathered the doctrines exhortations coÌ„tained therin to their proper heads in forme of catechismes sermons commentaries treatises disputations common places and praier and so haue prepared spirituall foode for others who haue not the like oportunitie of doing it The benefite and profite which the Chuch reapeth by this meanes is verie great For by this meanes many poyntes of singular vse are gotten and as it were digged out of the scripture which otherwise would lie in theÌ„ as in the bowels of the earth hiddeÌ„ and vnknowne especially they who are not endued with so great a measure of knowledge and iudgement as that they are able of themselues to vnderstand the scripture therout to gather whatsoeuer is needfull for them And therfore they are to be red both thankfully in respect of god the giuer and authour of them and also carefully in regard of our own profit edification yet not with that reuerence estimation and confidence which is to be vsed in reading the scripture For that which man saith may bee false but whatsoeuer God speaketh is vndoubtedly true For the which cause we are not to relie and depend wholy vpon the writings authoritie of any man of what learning account soeuer he be as it is the custom of many who not content to acknowledge admire the excellency of gods gifts in men do so addict themselues to al their sayings opinions and fashions that they take for vndoubted truth without any further inquiring of it or examining it by the word of god whatsoeuer proceedeth froÌ„ them wherof many incoÌ„ueniences folow For first as no man is without his errors wants infirmities so by this meâ—ns it coÌ„meth often to passe that in stead of sound and wholsom food they receiue into their soules corrupt errours infecting theÌ„ Yea as for those sound doctrines which they haue froÌ„ them they do not examin them by the rule of gods word but take them hande ouer head vpon their words and so haue no firme setled perswasion and resolution of them in their minds Thirdly by this partiall conceit which men haue of some one teacher or writer they are brought to coÌ„temne al other men with their gifts and and labors and so depriue themselues of that great fruit edification which they might reap by theÌ„ Sect. 7. BEside the scripture which is as Paradise the Garden of God whereâ—n growe all maner of trees bearing fruit for the sustentation of the soule of man wee haue other pastures wherin we are to feed to wit the creatures and the actions of god The creatures serue for the vse susteÌ„tatioÌ„ as of the body so also of the soule the which may clearly see in them the goodnesse power and wisedome of God and so bee stirred vppe to loue and prayse GOD. Hee shall see the wonderfull power of god by the which the heauens and the earth were created the one in continuall motion the other vnmoueble he shall see the wisedome of God in framing euery creature so curiously in regard of the workemanship in contriuing euerie part so fitly in regard of the naturall vse of it as no witte or imagination of man can come neare or almost imitate With these Meditations the holie men of God haue continuallye fedde their soules Psalm 8.4 VVhen I beholde the heauens the worke of thy hands the Sunne and the Moone which thou hast created VVhat is man that thou shouldest vouchsafe him this honour to be the Lord of these to haue the fish in the Sea the beastes of the fielde at his commaundement Hitherto the Scripture dooth often sende vs to learne the doctrine of Gods prouidence who if hee decke the Lillies of the field if hee feede the Rauens Luke 12.24 yea the yong Rauens not able to shift for themselues howe much more will hee giue to his seruaunts all needfull and good things yea diligence and care in prouiding for our selues Pro. 6.6 Sluggard go to the Emmet yea whatsoeuer beside is needfull to be knowne and practised by vs. For so wee are to account the whole worlde and all the creatures therein contayned to bee euen as a storehouse of soode wherein as carnall men do fill and fatte their bellyes with that infinite varietie of creatures which GOD hath made so the spirituall man may haue euen for the taking vp all manner of spirituall instruction consolation and
or any way hindered set our selues to pray vnto God as we read Psal. 119.61 euen at midnight will I rise to praise thee and to thinke of all thy iudgements or at the least to sequester our selues in the day time frō the cōpany of others as we read Gen. 24.63 That Isaac in the euening did walke forth into the fields to meditate and pray And Mat. 14.23 That Christ whē his time of prayer was come sent the multitude away and went vp to the mountaine alone to pray and was there alone as also Marke 1.35 That verie earlie in the morning before day he went into a desert or solitarie place and there prayed But as for suddaine praier he did often performe that in the midst of other affaires and in the companie of others euen of the whole multitude Thus hee prayed Iohn 11.41 vpon occasion of the myracle which hee was about to worke in raysing Lazarus from death Whereby it appeareth that what with extraordinarie and ordinarie what with set and suddaine prayer the life of a Christian is a continuall exercise of praying to the daylye and diligent performance whereof he whosoeuer desireth to haue his soule in good estate is to looke carefullie least that by anye meanes hee bee drawne away and become negligent in this behalfe as wee see it often to come to passe that Christians doo so entangle and euen ouerwhelme themselues with worldly cares and affayres that they can scarce spare any time either for extraordinarie or for ordinarie either for set or for suddaine prayer Yea if there bee no outward hinderance yet the slouthfulnes of the flesh vnwilling of it self to take paines in this or any other spiritual exercise is a sufficient hinderance and maketh many cold negligent yea at lēgth altogither careles of this duty as we read Mar. 14.37 that the disciples of Christ whē as they had this duty imposed vpon thē by the expresse cōmandement of Christ were by drowsie sluggishnesse hindered from the performance of it the which so farre preuailed with them that they could not get the vpper hand of it no not when they were sharply reproued by Christ stirred vp to prayer for so he saith Peter sleepest thou couldest thou not watch one houre Watch and pray lest ye fall into temptation the spirit is willing but the flesh is weake And therefore Christ speaking of praying Luc. 8.1 addeth this caueat that they should pray and not be wearied with it So that wee being forewarned by Christ are to take heed least that by these or any other meanes we bee either altogether hindered or made negligent in this exercise wherein as hath often beene said the welfare of the soule doth consist as no doubt wee shall if we consider and weigh the vnspeakeable fruits and comfort arising of it What ought to bee lesse irksome or more pleasant to a Christian soule then to haue daily companie conuersation conference and talke with God his sauiour and redeemer his protectour and mediator his Lord and his God the fountaine and full treasure of all blessings the giuer of all good things What ought to bee more carefully performed then that which procureth pardon for all sinnes which remooueth all euils which supplieth all temporall and spirituall wants which encreaseth all graces and preserueth the soule in sounde and perfect health euen as bodily exercise doth the body And therfore as mē feeling their bodies any way heauie distempred and out of course straightway they flie to this remedy of exercise not doubting but that it will soone put it away So whensoeuer wee feele our selues prone to sinne and vntoward and sluggish in the seruice of God if we giue our selues to this exercise of prayer stretch out the ioints of our soules before God we shall no doubt feele a great change in our soules and that now they are light and able to lift vp themselues to heauen Sect. 11. THus wee see what singular force and vertue in preseruing the soule in the grace of Gods spirite this exercise of prayer hath and that not onely by the extraordinary blessing of God who according to his gratious promises granteth whatsoeuer his children aske by prayer according to his will in the which respect praier is as profitable for the body as for the soule for it procureth temporall blessings as well as spirituall graces but also by a proper vertue inherent in it selfe For if wee set aside the extraordinary worke of God in pouring his spirit and grace into their hearts who aske it by hearty prayer the very action of praier doth although not merite yet both confirme and encrease grace In the which respect it is not of force for temporal blessings for no man can by praying enrich himselfe onely it procureth the blessing of God vpon the labours and endeuors of a Christian and so bringeth riches but as for spirituall graces it worketh not the beginning but the continuance and increase of them not onely from God but also by it selfe as hath beene noted before and will more plainely appeare by that which followeth For first for prayer in generall whosoeuer giueth himselfe to a diligent vse of it hee doth of necessitie daily enter into a serious consideration of his spirituall state and of all things appertaining vnto it the which cannot but worke in him a great measure of grace For as the carelesse neglect and forgetfulnesse of heauenly things comming from a greedie seeking and a sensuall enioying of earthly pleasurs bringeth a daily decrease so the serious and continuall meditation of them bringeth encrease of grace the which in scripture is called watchfulnesse as the contrary neglect is drowsie sleeping and therefore these two are vsually ioyned together Watch and pray As Mar. 13.33 Looke watch and pray and Math. 26.41 VVatch and pray least ye fall into temptation that is giue your selues to prayer and so consequently to a serious consideration of your owne estate such as vseth to bee not in drousie heads but in men giuen to much waking that by this meanes you may bee strong in grace and so enabled to resist the force of sinne This appeareth more euidently in the particulars for it is impossible that a man should make a full and plain confession of his sinnes before God desiring him for his mercy sake in Christ to pardon them promising and vowing vnto him that hee will neuer againe so displease and so dishonour him and not bee made euen by this confession far off from committing of sin And if we suppose that the corruption of sinne is so strong in him and doth so much preuaile that notwithstanding his diligent praying he stil falleth into sinne yet that will stand true which we affirme to wit that diligent prayer and the committing of sinne will not stand tother for if prayer cannot make him cease from sinning yet his sinning will make him leaue off praying and be ashamed to open his mouth to God or lift vp his eyes to
hee himselfe little thinketh of any such thing as wee reade Eccle. 11.1 Cast thy bread on the waters and after manie daies thou shalt finde it By this argument which God in mercie hath giuen vnto vs for the helping of our weakenesse in this behalfe wee are to bee encouraged to go on in a daily and liberall practise of Christian dueties towardes our Bretheren and not to spare for any coste for wee do not loose it but only lende it to the Lorde who will assuredly pay vs our owne with aduantage wee shall receiue a hundred folde in this life and a farre better rewarde in the worlde to come For GOD iâ— not vniust that hee shoulde forgette the good workes the painefull loue of those who minister vnto the Saintes yea although it bee but a cuppe of colde water giuen to a Prophet or any of Gods seruants it shall not bee forgotten but haue a rewarde This Motiue to good works God hath giuen vnto vs not that we should rest in it or that it shoulde haue the cheefe place in this consultation for then Sathan may obiect agaynst vs as hee did agaynst Iob Doth Iob serue God for nought hast thou not compassed him in with thy blessings And so to vs thou doost not serue God or performe these Christian duties in loue either of him or of thy brethren or for conscience but in a greedie desire and a carnall hope of aduauntage And therefore it is better if so bee that wee can contemne and passe by this argument not mistrusting the truth of Gods promise in this behalfe but preferring simple obedience the sincere loue of God and the rewarde of eternall glory before any rewarde that God can giue vnto vs in this worlde So that to conclude this point by these and such other motiues which the worde of God doth plentifully affoord vnto vs wee are to stirre vp our selues to the dayly performance of all Christian duties of loue thankefulnesse compassion and mercie and to account this kinde of spirituall exercise no lesse needfull to be dayly performed then anie other CHAP. III. Sect. 1. HItherto wee haue declared how the soule of man being by God endued with the spirituall life of holines and also with health streÌ„gth whereby it is able to performe all the actions belonging vnto it is to bee ordered and preserued in that estate The which thing if as it ought to be desyred and endeuoured by all Christians so it might bee brought to passe then were this our labour brought to an ende there beeing nothing else needfull to bee declared as touching the welfare and good estate of the soule But as for the welfare of the bodie it is not sufficient that wee haue learned and do knowe the arte and meanes of preseruing health for that notwithstanding all our knowledge cunning and care in this behalfe infirmityes and diseases may happen as wee knowe by dayly experience that manie notable Phisicians haue fallen into daungerous and mortall sickenesses and by them bee brought to vntimely death so it is not sufficient for our spirituall welfare that we knowe howe to diet and order our soules as long as they are in health and strength it being also required that wee knowe howe by a conuenient and meete diet to recouer them out of sickenesse and to heale all the maladies happening vnto them For why No man as we remaining in these earthlie corruptible bodyes can promise vnto himselfe continuall and certaine health because both our knowledge and also our care in practising is vnperfite For if no man can attaine so exact knowledge of his bodie which is sensible but that there may be hidden in it corruption and secrete sicknesses neuer perceaued till that they cannot be amended as it commeth often to passe in impostumes plurifies and such other inward diseases what maruaile if wee cannot attaine to so perfect knowledge of the state of our soule the nature whereof is farre more subtill and therefore much more hard to be thorowly knowne especially by him who is fallen into some speciall sicknesse wherein men are far lesse able to order themselues aright then they are in health And therefore as we haue in the former part of this treatise shâ—wed how the health of the soule is to be continued when it is present so now we are to declare howe it is to bee procured where it is wanting or recouered when it is lost It is indeed the part of a wise man to bee carefull in keeping the health both of his body and of his soule and not presuming of his cunning in recouering it to bee carelesse of it No man is so foolish as to cast himself into the sea although he thinke that hee may escape by swimming to wound his bodie because it may be healed to take poisoÌ„ because he can counterpoise it by the contrarie therfore no man ought to make this vse of this Treatise to let his soule fall into anie spiritual meladie because he knoweth where to haue a remedie It is so much easier to keepe sickenesse out of the bodie and soule then to get it out after that it hath gotten enterance as it is more easie for a whole and strong man then for a sicke and weake man to withstande or resist his aduersarie for possession is of great force And therefore this restoratiue or rather curatiue diet which nowe wee take in hande ought not to bee to anie man an occasion of sinne and of negligent ordering of his soule but to be accounted the last refuge whither wee must flie when as by the force of sinne wee are driuen from the former dyet of preseruing health But howe commeth it to passe that the soule which is of a spirituall and so pure a nature shoulde bee subiect to infirmities and diseases Surely by the corruption of sinne in it the which where it hath the whole place and rule the contrarie holinesse beeing altogither wanting as it is in carnall men is the death of the soule as holinesse is the life of it where it is and worketh yet kept vnder and ouerruled so that it cannot preuaile it is an infirmitie and lastly when it hauing in this wrastling preuailed and gotten the vpper hand doth raigne and rule it is a sicknesse of the soule so that sin in the carnal man is death in the regenerat soule it is either an infirmitie or a disease fuâ—ther it cannot go it beeing impossible that it shoulde wholly expell holinesse out of the soule of the regenerate man as it were heate out of the body and so bring death For as Abraham is brought in speaking to the rich man Luke 16.26 as betwixt heauen and hell so betweene carnalitie and regeneration there is such a gulfe set that they who wold cannot without the miraculous worke of Gods spirit passe from the state of sin to regeneration nor from regeneration to the state of sin by that or any other means Yet as long as the soule is out of
Gods you shal not hearken to the words of that Prophet for the Lord your GOD proueth you whither you loue the Lord with all your hart this point is to be noted for that howsoeuer few or none of the faithfull in these dayes haue occasion giuen vnto them of conceite and obstinacy in errour by extraordinary reuelation the which is not now in vse yâ—t because the Church of Rome maintaineth all her errours by this means whereas if it were granted that many of her children had this gift yet it would not thereof follow that whatsoeuer they held or thought is true and agreeable to Gods word The third last of those diseases which are most vsual in the mind which we wil here mention is the ignorance of the particular prouidence of God of his rewarding euery one euen in this life according to his works for many Christians although they be perswaded that God will in his vniuersal iudgement reward both the godly with eternall gâ—ory and the wicked with shame and misery yet they are not perswaded that he executeth iustice and mercy in this life especially in regard of matters of lesse moment either good or euill This ignorance is a petty Atheisme many wayes hurtfull to the soule and therefore by all meanes to be auoided it taketh from them the feare of Gods iudgemeÌ„ts which should be a bridle to restraine them from sin yea the hope of reward for good works by the which they should bee pulled forward to the chearfull performance of them Wheras the word of God techeth as experience also will without doubt testifie to him that will obserue the doings of God that hee noteth as it were in a day booke euen their least actions both good and euill yea the most secret motions of their mindes and suffereth none of them to go vnrecompenced yea he recompenceth euery worke in the owne kinde inflicting a punishment like vnto the sinne and giuing a blessing to the good work that it may be knowen that the one doth belong and is to bee referred to the other The diseases happening vnto the conscience are many but of them all the most vsuall is the false testimony of it excusing where it should accuse For seeing that it doth manifestly appeare that in the liues of many Christians there are many things vnlawfull and contrary to Gods word wee must of necessity graunt that either they sinne wittingly against the testimony of the conscience or which is more agreeable to charity therfore rather to be thoght that their consciences are false witnesses affirming euill to be good and good to be euill Hereof it commeth that many christians thinke it lawfull for them to dissemble lie and glose in their dealings and affaires with their bretheren when as their profit aduaÌ„tage do so require that they may giue the time appointed or at the least due to holy exercises and to the seruice of God to eating drinking sleepe pastime company trafficke and to any worldly pleasure or profite that they need not practise any duties of loue pitty or thankfulnesse to their bretheren but in all things regard and doe that onely which standeth with their owne profite And lastly when as they doe those things which they know and thinke to be vnlawfull yet this lying witnesse beareth them in hand that God will winke at these scapes and in a manner allow them to doe so and so they draw God into the society of their sinne making him as it were the receauer of their theft and thinking of him that hee is like vnto themselues This disease is diligently to be searched out by examining our consciences and liues by the rule of the word and lawe of God which will not lie And in those cases whereof we cannot attaine to any certaine knowledge of the truth to abstaine from action till GOD giue vnto vs some ground whereon to leane thinking it far better to abstaine from many things yea although it be to our trouble and losse then to doe any thing in a doubtfull wauering minde much lesse then to sin presumptuously against God by doing that which we know to be vnlawfull We must in this case learne to remoue all those props whereon this false witnes doth rely it selfe as namely First the priuiledge of Christian liberty vnder pretence wherof many take vnto them selues greater scope then is meete make vagaâ—ies beyond the limits of the law of God But we know or els we are to learne that the Gospell doth not abrogate any iot or title of the lawe that Christ hath freed vs from the curse but not from the obedience of it Yea that our liberty in things indifferent and lawfull is to be restrayned and kept within the compasse of conueniency and the spirituall edification of our selues and our bretheren in godlinesse the which if we doe neglect we transgresse the lawe euen in doing that which otherwise is permitted by the law The second proppe whereon this lying witnesse leaneth are the examples of vertuous and godly men endued with a great measure of knowledge and of all spirituall graces and therefore worthy to bee made patterns for others to behold and imitate who haue practised defended allowed or tolerated that which we alledge against the receyued opinion and practise of the godly to be lawfull But neither will this serue the turne for no mans life is a law the best men doe sometimes goe astray yet they must then goe alone and not lead others out of the way Thirdly this false excuser will bring in way of defence the manifold commodities which will ensue hereof the necessary vses redounding to our selues and to our bretheren to our soules and to our bodies and by these plausible pretences labour to iustifie that which is not warrantable by the word of God but we are straight way to stoppe his mouth with that true and knowen saying that we must not doe euill that good may come of it By these infirmities and diseases of the soule we may gather the rest and learne to auoide and heale them to our vnspeakeable comfort and eternall saluation FINIS
TWO TREATISES CONCERNING REGENERATION 1. Of Repentance 2. Of the Diet of the Soule Shewing The one how it ought to be sought after and may be attained vnto The other how it being gotten iâ— to be preserued and continued Math. 7.7 Knocke and it shall be opened LONDON Printed by Thomas Creede for Robert Dexter and Raph Iackson 1597. The occasion and argument of of the Treatise following IT is a certaine truth coÌ„firmed by experieÌ„ce and also by the word of God tâ—e which are two being both one in effect so sure witnesses that no exception can be taken against either of theÌ„ that the number of true beleeuers is very small especially in this last most corrupt age of the world wherein as we haue it foretold in Scripture faith is not to be found but iniquity doth abound and that most of those who professe themselues to be Christians deceiue both themselues with a false conceite and also others with an hypocriticall shew of religion when as in truth they know not what it meaneth For many are so far from hauing religion in their hearts that they are altogether ignoraÌ„t of the doctrine of regeneratioÌ„ wherin the substaunce of religion doth consist and without the which it is as impossible to attaine to eternall saluation as it is for the cleare sunne-shine and palpable darkenesse to be together in the same place For although according to the rule of Christian loue â—ee iudge the best of the least appearance of grace taking for pure gold whatsoeuer doth glister yet most men are so estranged from God hauing no sense of religion in tâ—eir mindes nor any sauour of it in their wordes and deedes being in their whole behauiour so farre from the practise of godlinesse making no conscience of any duety belonging either to God or man that we may bee bold hauing sufficient warrant from the word of God to thinke and say of them that they are carnall and vnregenerate men not as yet called to the knowledge and obedience of the truth howsoeuer they may bee according to Gods secret counsell in the number of his elect Thus men liue and thus they die in the most fearefull state of eternall death the which thing being duely weighed would worke griefe euen in the hardest heart and stirre it vp to a pittifull desire of amending it For if we be iustly moued to pitty by beholding the moment any miseries of men and the distressed state of tâ—eir bodies being consumed with sores and sickenesse and euen at deaths dore how much more ought we to be grieued for the eternall misery of their soules not dying but being already cleane dead in sinne and yet liuing in that state which leadeth to vnspeakable torment and the hot-burning furnace of the wrath of God But helplesse pitty encreasâ—th the euill communicating it to those who before were free from it and therefore wee are not here to rest but rather to put to our helping handes and so both with hand and heart to endeuour the releeuing of this woefull and wretched estate But it there any help for this spirituall misery in the hands of any maÌ„ can men worke this regeneration in themselues or in others and so chaunge a carnall and sinfull man into a holy and new creature No surely regeneration is the proper work of the omnipoâ—ent God impossible to bee brought to passe by man angell or any creature for althogh many creatures haue life in them selues yet none can giue naturall much lesse spirituall life to another So then belike there is not any duty looked for at mans handes in this behalfe but onely that he pitty and bewaile his oâ—ne and other mens desperate estate and the blame of mens sinfulnesse and damnation is not to be laid on men â—ho cannot helpe though they would but on God who keeping this faculty of regenerating men in his oâ—ne handes neither him selfe helpeth man neither yet maketh it possible for man to helpe him selfe This may seeme to follow of the aforesayd ground but it is not in any case to bee admitted for God doth both himselfe reneâ— men by his spirite to eternall life and also hath appointed the meaanes by the which man is to worke his owne saluation The which if he will not try and vse who can eyther deny or doubt but that the blame is in him selfe and not in God the which if he vsing cannot preuaile yet the fault is in his owne corrupt nature the which is so dead in sinne that it cannot bee recouered no not by good and sufficient means For as touching the corruption of nature the which wee confesse maketh it impossible for a man to renew himfelf God is not in any wise to be thought the author of it for he created man in perfect holines but man did carelesly wilfully loose that holines which God gaue vnto him But as for the neglect and contempt of the means which God hath appointed for the recouering of holines man can not but take that wholly to himself who although he cannot renew himself thogh he wold yet if he will hee may vse the meanes appointed for that purpose as will more plainly appeare in the particulars But maÌ„ who for the most part is carelesse of eternall saluation yea altogether vnwilling to take that paines in seeking it which is required of all those who desire to finde it will alledge in defence of this his wilfull contempt of Gods word that it were folly for him to seeke regeneration the which it is not in his power to effect VVhereunto we answer that no man ought to despaire of the truth goodnesse mercie or power of God and make his sinfulnesse the greater and his damnation the more iust and grieuous but rather doe his endeuour in the carefull and continuall vse of the means as God hath commanded and so leaue both the successe of his labour and â—is owne saluation to the wil and good pleasure of God The which that we may doe it is needefull that we knoâ— and consider the meanes whereby regeneration may be attained vnto or at the least ought to be sought after It is not gold or siluer although Simon Magus supposed that spirituall graces might be bought with money as worldly commodities are that can purchase regeneration not fauour friendship or any desert of holinesse but onely the vsing of the meanes which God hath appointed The meanes of Regeneration is the way leading vnto it called in Scripture Repentance in the Greek tong Metanoia that is an after minde or a right mind after a wrong minde for as in other matters it commeth daily to passe that men being in processe of time brought by experience to see their owne errours wherein they haue done amisse are displeased with themselues for so doing with that they had done otherwise and so are said to repent of this or that action so a carnall man â—auing all â—is life time liued in vaine and sinfull pleasures altogether carelesse of
the seruice of God and of his owne saluation at length seeth the vanity of his life past is grieued for it and wisheth although too late that he had taken an other course Yea together with his minde he changeth â—is â—ill affections and his whole life vtterly renouncing and disclaiming all those vices and sinnes wherein before he delighted and liued and labouring to frame and inure him selfe to a vertuous and christian disposition of minde and life This state wee haue plainely set doâ—ne vnto vs in the parable of that prodigall young man who hauing wasted his money time strength in riot commeth at length to his right wits and to a sober kinde of life This is that state of man which is betwixt sencelesse security or open prophanesse wherein he seldome or neuer thinketh of God whom perhaps he thinketh neither to exist in him selfe nor to worke any way in the world or of his owne saluation he neuer dreaming of any other world then this which hee doth presently enioy and wherein hee placeth his whole happinesse In this first estate which may truely bee called Atheisme man is most wretched as in all other respectes so chiefely in that he accounting him selfe happy as all carnall men doe who are free from outward crosses is for the present without any knoâ—ledge desire hope or likelyhood of any better estate In the second estate also the which in this Treatise wee call the state of Repentance man is as yet not happy but miserable yet happy in this one respect for that he knowing himselfe to be wretched doth earnestly desire carefully endeuour and may well hope to become happy But in the third estate to wit in regeneration he knoweth him selfe to be both happy and holy and laboreth for the perfectioÌ„ of it by vertue of that holinesse which he hath receiued from God to ouercome that sinfulnesse which he hath by nature The second state is the way leading from the first to the third from sinne to holinesse from death to life the conuersion of a sinner not to God for he is as yet as farre from him as hell or rather as the earth is from Heauen but onely towardes God and the preparation for grace and regeneration commaunded vnto vs by the name of Repentance Thus the ministery of Iohn was the ministery of Repentance being appointed by God not so much to teach Christ and the doctrine of the Gospell or to worke faith as by preaching the doctrine of the Law to bring men to a sight and sense of sinne that so they might be stirred vppe to Christ the pardoner of sinne Thus he defineth his office and ministery Math. 3.3 The voice of a Crier in the wildernesse prepare the waie of the Lord and make his pathes straight And this was the summe of all his Sermons Repent for the kingdome of Heauen is at hand Likewise in other places of Scripture the word Repentance is thus taken altâ—ough sometimes put for Regeneration or sanctification it selfe yet vsually distinguished from it as being but a preparatiue vnto it As Math. 21.32 You did not repent to beleeue Or that so you might haue beleeued and Act. 2.38 Repent and be baptized for remission of sinne and yee shall receiue the gift of the holy Ghost and Act. 8.22 Peter saith to Simon Magus Repent and pray to God if perhaps the thought of thy heart may bee forgiuen thee And thus we take it in this Treatise for the naturall conuersion of a man to God wrought in a man vnregenerate as it seemeth Nicodemus was Iohn 3.4 although he did seeke saluatioÌ„ yet being the meanes of regeneration This way or this ladder whereby we are to clime vp to regeneration hath foure steps for so we will make a homely and familiar diuision of it that it being set down in many seuerall partes may the more easily be vnderstood and knowen The first step which is to be made by this carnal man now repenting is to get the true knowledge of his oâ—ne estate to wit how sinfull and wretched he is in him selfe by nature and at tâ—is present The second step is humiliation or contrition wrought in him by the due consideration of his own estate The third is a full purpose or resolution of mind to seeke for grace and regeneration The fourth and last part is the diligent vsing of the meanes appointed by God for the obtaining of grace the which meanes are three in number The first is amendment of life the second the hearing of Gods word the third is praier or inuocation of the name of God Read in the former Treatise Page 80. line 17. praise for practise page 64.3 done but his dutie pa. 61. lin 24. fainteth for faintly pag â—3 lin 24. reiected for receiued pa. 43. lin 8. great for grace pag. 40. lin 5. words for workes pag. 31. lin 14. of absolute for absolute pag. 26. lin â—0 humbled for humble Page 86. Line 10. liker for better page 88. lin 12. tempted to for tempted by page 90.26 sinfulnesse for sinfull life page 94.9 in alâ— the ages pag. 104.20 required for requiâ—ed Read in the latter Treatise pag. â—2 lin 23. thus they die pa. 88. lin 1â— lying idle pa. 65. lin 18. shuld not pa. 110. lin 7. other mens pag. 112 lin 27. is not pa. 113. lin â— in a darke 116.1 blessing like OF THE FIRST part of Repentance called Repentance by the name of the whole CHAP. 1. Sect. 1. THe first thing to be done in Repentance is this that the carnall man labour to haue the true knowledge of his owne estate the which as it is in all other things neither could be continued if it were good nor can bee amended being now amisse vnlesse it be fully and throughly knowne And therefore we must endeuour in the first place to bring this our Nicodemus to know himselfe to wit how he standeth in respect of God and his fauour whereon his good estate doth wholy depend For as the good estate of a subiect or seruant consisteth in this that he liuing in the fauour and good liking of his king or maister procured by his loial obedience faithful seruice is free froÌ„ al euils and iniuries and enioieth all things either needfull or pleasant so the state of man being pure from sin is good happie otherwise if by sinning rebelling against god he incur his displeasure most wretched miserable But what doth not man knowe himself how caÌ„ we suppose that he who knoweth all things is ignorant of his own estate especially seeing this knowledge is most proper and pertinent vnto him For none knoweth the things of man but the spirit of man which is in him Surely as the eye of the bodie although it beholde all other things yet it can not see eyther it selfe or some other partes of the bodie euen those which are nearest vnto it so it fareth with the mynde of man the eye of the soule it raungeth ouer the whole
his behalfe eyther to shake off his naturall sinfulnesse or to escape the punishment of eternall death belonging vnto it For the former of these two a carnall man may foster in his minde what conceytes hee will of his owne excellencie and naturall strength supposing himselfe to bee although perhaps for the present both outwardly wicked and inwardly sinfull outwardly filthy and inwardly vncleane yet able at his own pleasure to purge himself both frō the naturall corruption and from the outward act of sin but the truth of Gods word teacheth the contrarie to wit that sin being by the fall of Adam made naturall to man cleaueth vnto him as vnseparably as the skin doth to his body and as the spots to the skin of the leopard which hauing their originall in the bones marrow and most secret parts cannot by any force or deuise be gotten out He may indeede by his naturall strength represse the rage of it hee may prune and loppe it cutting off the superfluous boughes and branches of it yet the roote yea the whole bodie of it will remaine vnmoueable in the secret parts of his soule send forth plentifull fruit in all the parts and members of his bodie at one time or other as occasion is offered as hath beene declared more at large else where Likewise for the punishment due vnto sinne that can no way bee auoyded not by hiding our selues in some secret place from God for whether shall wee go from his presence who is euery where hee is in heauen and in hel in the towne and in the desart he seeth as well at midnight as at noon day Psa. 139. If we say to the hugest mountains fal vpon vs and couer vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne from the wrath of the Lambe Reue. 6.16 yet the eyes and hands of God will pierce thorow the highest hils and the hardest rocks for they laide the foundations of them But we hope perhaps to escape punishmēt yea though we cannot eschew his presence that by meanes of the great mercy and indulgencie of God who delighteth not in the misery anguish and confusion of men but in their saluation and happie estate and therefore will no doubt bee easely entreated by the humble sute and pittifull mone of men to pardon their sinnes and if not to bestowe vppon them the crowne of eternall glorie they hauing not deserued it yet to remitte the punishment due vnto their sinnes Thus doo many men imagine of God and thus they imagin him not to bee God who as hee is mercifull so also he is iust yea hee is as iust as hee is mercifull being in both respectes infinite and therefore equall And therefore it is no lesse impossible that GGD should remitte the punishment due vnto sinne then that he should do that which is contrarie to his owne nature If it be here asked how then doth God shew mercie on the elect we answer that he doth it not by remitting the punishment of their sin but by taking it vpon himselfe euen by punishing their sin in his owne person and therfore there is no hope of impunitie left for the carnall man but a fearfull expectation of wrath the which although perhaps it bee in part deferred for a time yet assuredly the day of iudgement and of vengeance will come at length Thus we haue brought this vnregenerate man to the sight or true knowledge of himselfe and of his owne estate to wit the knowledge first of his sinfulnesse secondly of the punishment due vnto his sinne and thirdly of his impotencie or inabilitie of mending this his euill estate This is the first part of Repentance and may fitly bee called by the name of the whole to wit Repenting forethinking or rather after thinking and an after minde For in steade of that fonde conceate which he had of his owne puritie righteousnesse and happinesse he now seeth himselfe to be sinfull guiltie of eternall death and subiect to all maner of plagues miseries and curses both in this life and for euer in the life to come So that now he is in the same case with the Iewes Act. 2.37 who being pricked in their consciences by a sight sense of sin asked Peter what they should doo the answere followeth in the next verse Amende your lyues and be baptized for the remission of sinne and ye shall receaue the holy Ghost CHAP. II. Of the second part of Repentance called Humiliation THe second lesson which a penitent person is to learne and practise is Humiliation the which will euen of it selfe followe the former for that the affections following the temperature of the minde it can not bee but that as the conceate of holynesse and happinesse doth puffe vp a man in pride presumption ioy and confidence so the sight of his sinfull and wretched estate should cast him downe in shame sorrow and feare of the which three the first respecteth sin it selfe the other two the punishment of it The first the time past the second the time present the third the time to come The first ariseth of the due consideration of the filthy and loathsome nature of sinne for as Adam by comming out of the state of holinesse into the state of sin had his eies opened to see the filthinesse of sinne and his owne nakednesse whervpon he being ashamed desired to hide and couer himselfe so a carnall man comming out of the state of senselesse securitie wherein he neither knoweth nor considereth what sin is into this state of repentance wherein he conceiueth of sinne as it is in deede iudgeth himselfe in regarde of it the most abiect man of all other vnworthy of their companie or to come in their sight and therefore he declineth it wherein this shame doth consist Yea when as this humiliation is vehement he iudgeth himselfe the most vile creature on the earth the most grieuous sinner that euer liued although there be no such cause hee hauing liued as orderly honestly as vsually men do For now he hath his eies fully bent vpon his owne sinnes he hath fresh remembrance of them and of all the circumstances aggrauating the hainousnesse of them and knoweth the particulars of them the which hee dooth not in other mens sinnes This shame is not so proper and necessarie a part of humiliation as are the other affections of sorrowe and feare for that it hath place in those onely who before their repentance were giuen to great and notorious sinnes such as are not vsually found in the liues of men and therefore are reproued and condemned by all as for ordinary sinnes which may bee daily seene in men and from the which few are free they doo not worke this shame for men are ashamed in regard of them onely who are lesse sinfull and therfore more excellent then thēselues yea they are ashamed more in respect of men then of God because the presence of men is sensible whereas they ought to be so much
the more ashamed in respect of God and of his holy angels as they are more excellent pure more abhorring the filthinesse of sinne then any man is or can be as we knowe that Adam and Eua were ashamed of their nakednesse or rather of their sinne which made their nakednesse shamefull which of it selfe was glorious when as there were not any other men to see it And therefore howsoeuer the Atheisme of men be so great that they are not perswaded and therefore not ashamed of the presence of God yet all they who haue any dealing with God or do any way seeke vnto him must be more ashamed of their sins in respect of god then men and yet to nourish this shamefastnes in regard of their brethren as being good and profitable for the more that they are humble towards men the greater wil their humiliation be in respect of God The second part of inward humiliation is sorrow which is a greeuous sense of some present euill as feare is of some euill to come both which affections cannot but be great and vehement in this repentant for that his eyes being now at length opened hee seeth and feeleth himselfe to be in a most miserable estate to bee for the present in slauerie to sinne and Sathan altogether destitute of grace of al the means of attaining it beside many temporall crosses wherewith hee is afflicted and for the time to come in the very gnawes of the deuill and in the vnquenchable furnace of the wrath of God It is not needefull that we should insiste in declaring how great and iust cause hee hath of sorrow feare yea rather it is not possible for vs to declare it in any measure If we suppose a mā liuing in health wealth and all maner of pleasure to haue this of a sudden made knowne vnto him that he is condemned of treason committed against his Prince and countrey and that therefore hee is forthwith to be depriued of life and al those pleasures which he doth enioy there being no hope of pardon which can not possibly be procured by himselfe or any other it depending wholly in the gracious fauor free inclination of the prince who vseth to be greatly inflamed with anger against al such offenders not to spare one of a thousand of them can wee fully conceiue in mind or expresse in word the greatnesse of his greefe sorrow and feare How much more greeuous and fearefull a thing shall wee then thinke it to incur the displeasure of God the losse of eternal ioy and happines togither with those endlesse paines which are prepared for the wicked And therefore when as wee see men labour and grone vnder this burthen of their sinnes and the anger of GOD wee are not as vsually men doo who haue no sense of these things to iudge them as men subiect to foolish and melancholie passions but rather to thinke and confesse that there is good cause why they shoulde be thus affected Yea this repentant is to giue himselfe to the daily and serious consideration of these things that so this humiliation which is of great vse and verye needfull in regard of his saluation may bee procured For as it is often needfull for the preseruation of the bodily life that the patient be by detraction of blood brought to a swowne and so euen to deaths doore so it is needfull for the procuring of this spirituall life of the soule that the repentant be by sorrowe and feare cast down euē to the gates of hell as one forlorne and being in a most wretched estate Thus the apostle writeth 2. Cor. 7.8 I do not repēt me that I made you sorrowfull by an Epistle yea I am glad not that ye were sorie but that ye sorowed to repentance not to be repented of for worldly sorrow bringeth death But as this humiliation is carefully to be procured in regard of the great commodities which it bringeth which are afterward to be declared so it is to be moderated least that it driue to desperation as in the place before named he warneth the Corinthians that they doo not vse too great seueritie toward the incestuous person least that he be swalowed vp of excessiue sorow For it may easely come to passe that men entering into a serious consideratiō of their sins of the iudgments of god denounced and executed against sinners do plunge thē selues into the gulfe of horror and desperation out of the which they are hardly recouered so fearefull a thing is the wrath of God that euen one blencke of it is able to driue a sinner out of his wits and vtterlie to astonish him And what maruaile is it that a sinfull man who in respect of the anger of God is euen as hay stubble or flaxe meeting with fire bee soone ouercome and faint vnder this heauy burthen lying on his conscience when as euen Christ himselfe who in himselfe was free from sinne and whose humane nature was vpheld by the Godhead to beare the burthen of Gods wrath due vnto the sinne of man was by the sense of it so amazed and confounded that all the faculties both of his bodie and soule were shaken and loosed as for the one those drops of blood which he swet and for the other those wordes vttered in humane weakenesse and feare My God my God why hast thou forsaken me do plainly witnesse So that if a short consideration and apprehension of the wrath of god could work such a strange effect in him who knew no sin what maruaile is it if in sinful men it stir vp the very flame of hell fire as to let all other examples passe we reade of one Francis Spira in whom wee may beholde the very picture of that spirituall torment of a gnawing and terrifying conscience which is prepared for the wicked in the worlde to come But it must bee preuented by hauing in the midst of the view of our wretched estate the other eye set on the mercifull promises of God made as touching the pardon of sinne whereof although this penitent cannot haue any assurance that they belong vnto him in that hee feeleth not as yet grace wrought in his heart which is the onely earnest penny pledge of saluation and of the loue of GOD yet hee may hope for it in time to come it being like inough that GOD who hath begunne this repentance in him will also worke regeneration in his good time And therefore there must in this case a meane be kept so as wee be neither secure and senselesse in regarde of our sinnes and the wrath of GOD much lesse puft vp in pride and vaine confidence supposing our state to be good and happy whenas it is wofull and miserable nor yet swallowed vppe of excessiue sorrow and feare as if there were no hope of helpe left vnto vs as many haue beene to whom the burden of this sorrow and feare hath beene so intollerable that despairing of any other remedie
much of the inward humiliation of the soule required in repentance vnto the which the outward behauior must be correspondent as we see that the apparell of men is agreeable to their condition degree and kind of life and therefore we must now put on this repentant a black mourning weed that so his outward behauiour may be sutable to the inward disposition of his mind that as hee is in soule and conscience cast down by the sight of his sin the sense of the wrath of god so he may behaue himselfe accordingly and expresse his inwarde humiliation in all his wordes deedes and in the whole course of his life But what needeth this will some man say considering that God regardeth not the outward but the inward man wil accept a broken and contrite heart without these outward shewes and ceremonies Yea wee are flatly forbidden by Christ Mat. 6.16 to weare this hipocrites weede of outward humilitie and holinesse When thou fastest looke not sowre as hipocrites do for they disfigure their faces that they may seeme to men to fast But when thou fastest anoint thy head wash thy face that thou seeme not to men to fast bâ—â— to thy father in secrete We answere confessing that outward humiliation being destitute of the inward contrition of the heart is not acceptable but abhominable to god Yea that sometimes it may bee omitted as namely when by vsing it we shall incur the suspition of hipocrisie and a desire of vainglorie in the which sense this prohibition of it which Christ maketh is to be vnderstood yet it is a thing which God both lyketh and requireth yea which is manie wayes profitable for him that vseth it For God will be serued both by the soule and by the bodie and will haue the inward holinesse of the one expressed and professed by the outward obedience of the other yea it is a thing pleasing and acceptable in his sight that there be an agreement and conformitie in al things belonging vnto vs and therefore hee did in the iudiciall law forbid the Iewes from sowing diuerse seeds in the same field or froÌ„ making their garmeÌ„ts half linnen and halfe wollen from mourning in a festiuall time Nehe. 8.9 or from ioying and feasting in a time of mourning Ioel 2.16 How much more vndecent then wil hee thinke this repugnancie betwixt the soule and the bodie that when the one weepeth the other should laugh when the soule is humbled with sorrow and feare the bodie should he puffed vp and swell in ioy and pleasure yea this outward humiliation is very needfull and profitable in respect of the repentant himselfe for as it is in all other partes of holinesse the more they are practised by the bodie in life and action the more they are confirmed and encreased inwardly in the soule so the more that a man giueth himselfe to the vse of all the outward exercises of humiliation before men the more doth he humble him selfe in the sight of God Beside this outwarde humiliation will be a great furtherance to another part of repentance to wit amendment of life and a very effectuall meanes of mortifying the flesh with all the corrupt lusts thereof For it requireth an abstinence from the vse of worldly pleasures by the which we know that the flesh being hartned is made to rebel yea to preuaile agaynst the spirit of God in the regenerate and in all motions tending to holynesse which can be in a carnall man Sect. 4 THis outward humiliation must stretch it selfe ouer the whole behauiour and life of this repentant and must haue place in all his works and deedes for so we make it of two sorts verball and reall verball humiliation is commonly called confession which is a readie and voluntarie acknowledgement of sinne and of deserued wretchednesse to God and to man It is a notable effect and signe of the true and vnfained humiliation of the heart For euery man by nature is charie of his owne credit and estimation very vnwilling to heare or admit from another any thing tending to the impairing of it but nothing goeth more against his stomacke then that he himselfe should vtter any thing any way tending to his owne disgrace and so as it were throwe mire on his own face Wherof it commeth that men do by all meanes couer and coâ—ceale their owne faults and infirmities and although they cannot stoppe other mens mouthes yet they wil be sure to keepe their owne counsaile so that whensoeuer a man is brought to a true plaine and voluntarie confession of his sinnes it is vnfallible argument of great humiliation and therefore god threatning Leui. 26.40 extreame misery in which the greatest humiliation hath place vnto the people saith that the remnant of the people shall pine away in the land of their enemies and shal confesse their sinnes In this respect confession is required and hath alwayes beene performed in true repentance Pro. 28.13 He that hideth his sin shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh it Thus Nehem. 9.2 in that publike repentance the people were assembled togithâ—r in fasting sackcloath and earth vppon them and they stood and confessed their sinnes and the sinnes of their forefa-fathers And likewise in the ministerie of Iohn which was the ministery of the lawe and of repentance more then of the Gospell and regeneration the people that were baptised confessed their sins Math. 3.6 This confession is to bee made first and cheefely vnto God against whom all sinnes are committed and that for the illustration of his glorie for by the sinne of man the puritie holinesse of his nature is illustrated Thus the Prophet Dauid confesseth Psal 51. I know my iniquitie and my sinne is euer before mee Against thee O Lord I haue sinned and done euill in thy sight that thou maiest bee iustified in thy sayings and found pure when thou iudgest beholde I was borne in sinne and in iniquitie hath my mother conceaued me Yea this confession must be made simply plainely and fully all excuses pretences and shifts being laide aside without concealing either any sinne although neuer so great and hainous or any circumstance whereby the hainousnesse of it may be aggrauated Secondly this confession of sinne must bee made to men whereunto our repentant will much more vnwillingly yeelde who although he should be much more afraide and ashamed to confesse his sinne in the presence of God who is puritie it selfe vncapable of any maner of pollution yet hee is more ashamed of his sinne in the sight of men because hee is not so fully perswaded of the presence of GOD which is not sensible But howe vnwilling soeuer he bee it must be doone and that euen for that ende cheefely in regard whereof he is so vnwilling to doo it For GOD knowing that nothing is more against the mind of a carnall man then by laying open his greeuous sinnes and offences before the eyes of men to incurre shame and ignominie with
them with whom hee hath daily conuersation and to abiect himselfe his credit and estimation which is dearer to him then his life at their feet with whom he hath continual emulation for credit doth to bring down his loftie stomacke and to haue an infallible testimony of his grace and vnfained humiliation enioyne this confession of sin to men Besides this confession is profitable and often needfull in respect of his good that doth repent for so by imparting to others the particulars of his state and of those sins wherunto he is most subiect he may receiue at the hands of his brethren a greater measure of comfort edification and strength to resist the said sinnes then otherwise hee could do and be freed from many doubts and errors which do greatly trouble hinder him And yet in making this confession to men diuers things are to bee considered First it must bee priuate vnlesse the repentance be publike that is enioyned by the publike authoritie of the church for the remouing of some publike offence Secondly there is no necessity imposed by the word of God of confessing sin to any one man more then to another it being left free vnto the repentant to make choise of him or theÌ„ whoÌ„ he thinketh fittest for that purpose of what calling or profession soeuer they bee For if men haue this worldly wisedome that they will not commit their bodies the curing of their bodily diseases to any but vnto those who are knowen to be learned expert faithfull diligent louing and secrete knowing that otherwise they should hazard their health life goodes and in some case their credit how much more circumspect ought they to be in choosing this spiritual Phisician of the soule And therefore choyse must bee made of such as haue knowledge and experience in these spirituall cases chieflie of those that haue theÌ„selues beene most humbled and cast downe by the sight of their sinnes and haue drunke deepest of the cup of Gods wrath as we know that Phisicianâ— haue happiest successe in thosâ— cases wherin they haue oftnest dealt and most of all if that they themselues haue had experience of them in their owne bodies Thus the Aposâ—le writeth 2. Cor. 1.4 God dâ—otâ— comfort vs in all tribulations that we may bee able to comfort others with the same comfort wherewith we are comforted of him Againe this spirituall Phisician must bee gentle tender and indulgent toward his patient least that by vnneedfull and vnseasonable seueritie he break quite in sunder the broken reede And lastly hee must in anie case be endued with such wisedome and moderation as that he be able to coÌ„ceale yea to couer from the eyes of men the secrete infirmities which hee spieth in his patient wherein if he be wanting hee addeth one greefe and crosse to another and is to bee accounted a miserable comforter To such men sinne is to bee confessed otherwise no man is bound to disclose his secret faults and sinnes to any yea rather to be carefull in couering them as all men are and ought to be in couering the shame and nakednesse of their bodies Lastly this confession made to man neede not be so exact but that many things may be concealed euen whatsoeuer may be any way hurtfull either to the confessor himselfe or to any other Sect. 5. AS in word so in deede and in the whole life and all the actions of it this outwarde humiliation hath place the which hauing once ouercome the soule will easely bring vnder the bodie and all the members and faculties of it as the King being once taken the subiects yeeld without making any resistance This reall humiliation consisteth in abstaining from the vse of all earthly pleasures the which doo any way cherish the bodie or refresh the minde As namely gay gorgious and soft apparrell in steede whereof wee know that the Church and children of God in their publike and priuate humiliations did vse to put on rough sackcloath a garment verie vnpleasant either for the wearer to feele or for others to beholde not that a Christian ought to vse any strange or insolent attire and so to make himselfe the common by worde of of the people and his priuate repentance publike but onely that as much as may bee without any publike note hee abstaine from braue and costly garments by the which his minde might bee pâ—ffed vp with pride and tickled with vaine and foolish pleasures and rather vse that graue and meane garment which may put him in minde of that wofull estate wherein hee standeth Secondly hee ought to abstaine from the ordinarie vse of merrie and ioyfull companie yea to be more sparing and to take lesse pleasure in the companie of his dearest friendes the which all men doo account great pleasure and some the greatest of all others So wee reade Ioel 2.16 that in publike humiliation vnto the which priuate must be answerable though not alike in all respects GOD commaundeth the bride and the bridegrome to come out of their marriage Chamber and to breake off that societie which of all other is the nearest and most pleasant As also the Apostle counselleth vs 1. Corinthians 7.5 But especially this abstinence must haue place in meate and drink the which comming nearest the body or rather piercing into the midst yea into the most secret parts of it do most affect the soule putting it beside al moderation due regard of that estate wherin it is yea driuing it as a mighty tempest doth a silly ship hither and thither from one extreame to another For so we know that a daintie and full diet as at the first entrance by heating the body it inflameth the soule stirring vp in it excessiue ioy pleasure boldnesse confidence presumption so soone after it putteth it into a new temper lulling it asleepe in senselesse securitie and euen drowning it in a drousie forgetfulnes both of God and of it selfe as Christ â—orewarneth Luk. 21.34 Take heede that ye be not ouercome with sâ—rfetting drunkennesse and so that day come vpon you vnawares And therefore as all other Christians so especially this repentant ought to beware oâ— filling the belly and pampering the flesh of being too diligent in nourishing it within and cherishing it without otherwise it cannot be that this his humiliation should bee effectuall and either acceptable to God or profitable to himselfe Thus much of outward humiliation the which although it will followe euen of it self inward humiliation being vehement for as the fountain so are the streams yea the greatest ioyes and sweetest pleasures euen life it selfe is bitter to the distressed soule yet for so much as it is seldome vehement in carnall men thâ—rfore it is carefully to be preserued by these outward meanes as by continuall watch and ward least otherwise it escape away from vs. Yea it is of great force comming from a broken and contrite heart to moue the Lord to pitie and to procure a blessing at his handes for
which in respect of the strength of man is altogether impossible is easie in respect of GOD who is no lesse able to restore the soules of men to their first puritie then hee was in the beginning to create both bodie and soule But all the doubt is in the wil of God whether that as he is able so he be willing to worke regeneration in euery one that seeketh it If hee bee willing then surely either euery one may attaine to regeneration which is vndoubtedly false or else very fewe doo seeke after it the which may be greatly wondered at that most men should be so carelesse of their owne saluation as not to thinke it worthy the seeking If hee be not willing to grant it to all that seek it then regeneration remaineth as impossible a thing for man to attaine as if it were impossible to God to worke it in man and men haue cause to abstaine from that which neither themselues are able nor God willing to bring to passe Wee answere first that it is not so easie and ordinarie a matter as it may bee supposed for a carnall man to seeke for regeneration and grace the which is contrarie to his nature Secondly if as it commeth sometimes to passe he do in some sort desire it and set himselfe to seeke it yet he doth not perseuer in this minde and desire as he ought but faintly in well doing and so returning to his olde bias ceaseth from seeking and looseth his labour But let vs suppose that which although it bee very rare and scarse to bee founde in a whole age yet it is not impossible to witte that a carnall man doth set him selfe with a resolute purpose of heart to seeke for regeneration and that in the carefull and painefull vsing of all the meanes of attayning it he spend and end his dayes whither is he sure to obtaine his desire or may happily loose all his labour we answer that although God haue appointed that the carefull seeking of regeneration should bee the ordinary meanes of obtayning it yet he hath not so tyed him selfe to the meanes that it should alwayes of necessity bring forth the effect but hath left it free to him selfe whither to giue good successe and a happy issue or no. Whereby it may come to passe that a man may desire and seeke for regeneration and yet die a carnall man out of the state of grace and life Yet wee are both in our selues and also in others to hope the best And in that hope both to beginne without despaire and to continue without faynting in the carefull seeking of grace leauing the euent to the will and good pleasure of the almightie God Yea further we are to take heede that no wrong opinion arise hereof in our mindes as it commeth vsually to passe in men carnally minded who in this case will not sticke to say that God dealeth both vnfaithfully in withholding grace hauing made this solemne promise in his word VVhosoeuer seeketh shall finde and whosoeuer knocketh shal haue the dore of grace sette open vnto him and also vniustly both in punishing him for the want of it whom hee knoweth to haue done what so euer is in the power of man for the aâ—tayning of it and also in not recompencing his painefull endeuours by graunting his requests and giuing grace We aunswer that God in withholding his regenerating spirite the worker of grace from men doth them no manner of wrong for his graces being his owne it is lawfull for him to doe with them what he list He was not bound in the beginning to create man in naturall life and holinesse how much lesse then is he now bound to restore those blessings vnto him hauing so vnthaÌ„kfully wilfully rebelliously depriued him selfe of them As for Gods promise the which we confesse is to be perfourmed to those who are vnworthy of fauor for otherwise mans vnthankfulnes should make God vnfaithfull howsoeuer they are propouÌ„ded in general terms yet they beâ—oÌ„g to the elect only to whoÌ„ God doth perform theÌ„ to the full As for the reward due vnto the painefull seeking of grace man when he hath taken the greatest pains in this behalfe hath done but dutie nay he hath not in any measure done his dutie for one regenerate much lesse a carnall man cannot seeke for grace so as he ought and therfore when he hath done all that he can he is but an vnprofitable seruant But besides all this so endles is the mercie goodnesse and equitie of God yea so great is his desire to make him selfe manifest to all men in these respects that it pittieth him to see any thing made frustrate of the expectation in any good endeuours that rather then he will not do good hee will do it to those who are euill and that rather then he will seeme vniust in not rewarding that which men doo falsly thinke to be good and to deserue good he will in some sort not in truth for it is lawfull for him to bestow his blessings on whoÌ„ he will euen on the wicked be vniust in rewarding men for that which hee knoweth to be sinfull Thus this carnall man in seeking grace doth not either loose his labour or lacke his reward for by this meanes he doth not onely purchase vnto himselfe temporall blessings at the hand of God but also escapeth those fearefull plagues which are powred on wilfull and obstinate sinners in this life as wee reade 1. King 21.28.29 that Achab. did by his hypocriticall humilation yea that grieuous damnation which abideth them in the life to come As for the guilt of eternall death it is madnes to imagin that it should by this meanes be auoided seeing it is procured by these and the best actions of a carnall man the which comming from a corrupt fountain cannot but be sinfull and impure Sect. 4. ANother hinderance of seeking regenetion is another erroneous opinion coÌ„ceaued of it to wit presumption of the power goodnes of God It is to be seene in all those who thinke that God will in his good time worke grace in theÌ„ although they themselues take neither care nor pains about any such matter yea although they go a cleane contrary way liuing in all maner of sinne and altogither carelesse of the meanes of their regeneration and saluation To this we answer first coÌ„fessing that god as he alwaies can so somtimes doth worke â—â—â—eâ—eration without any meanes euen in â—lâ—â—se whâ—neuer thinke nor dreame of any such matter and haue not so much as either the knowledge or yet a desire either of grace or of saluation being as we read Râ— 10.20 found of those who did not seeke him and made manifest vnto those who did not so much as once aske for him as we may see plainly in the said Apostle who found God grace when as he did not only not seeke or follow them but also flie as farre off from them as hee coulde Thus regeneration is compared
to a treasure lying hid in the fielde and beeing founde by him who looked for no such thing in that place And thus wee neede not doubt but that many comming to heare Gods worde for fashions sake or in a wicked desire of hindering it and hurting the professours of it haue bene of a suddaine wonderfully conuerted and effectually renued Thus it pleaseth God sometymes to worke regeneration without any meanes that it may bee seene to come not from anie vertue inherent in the meanes but from the powerfull operation of his spirite yet this is not his ordinarie and vsuall manner of working according to the which hee doth nothing without some kinde of meanes no not in miraculous and supernaturall actions wherin the meanes doth not helpe forward the matter any iot but onely is vsed for a shew or colour to hide the immediate working of God whose glory it is to keâ—pe himselfe his counsels iudgements and manner of working secrete and hid from the eies of men as we read Pro. 25.25 Thus he healed Nâ—aman by washing him in Iordan and the sicke in the primitiue church by anoynting them with oile And thus he raised the widowes sonne 2. King 4 35. from death by laying the warme bodie of Elizeus vppon his dead and colde bodie and thus hee healeth the sickenesses of the soule yea restoreth it froÌ„ death to life by the preaching of the word in all which miraculous actions the meanes are not in any respectable to bring forth the effect yet they haue in them a vertue tending to that end wherto the effect may easely bee ascribed by carnall and ignoraunt men So that although GOD can alwayes and dooth at some times worke regeneration without meanes yet ordinarilye hee vseth meanes the neglect or contempt whereof is an impious tempting of God and presuming of his goodnesse Hencâ— it is that regeneration hath place and is to bee found not among the Iewes Turkes Moores and other Infidelles but onely in the Church of God wherein his worde is preached his Sacraments administred and all other meanes of beginning and continuing grace daily vsed yea of Churches professing the name of Christ as some are more pure and sound in doctrine more diligent and zealous in seruing God and in vsing all Christian exercises so they haue oftner experience of this miraculous worke of God putting his helping hand to the godly endeuours of his seruants Yea of Christians those who are carefull and painfull in seeking and seruing God are farre lyker to attaine to grace then they who are otherwise euen as they are liker to retaine and recouer their health who are carefull in vsing a competent diet of meate and medicine then they who do carelesly distemper theÌ„selues in sicknesse and in health nor regarding what things are wholsome or hurtfull for them Sect. 5. THus much of the falsâ— conceats or errors conceaued of regeneration by â—he which men are hindred from seeking it the first being the ignorance of spiriâ—â— all regeneration the second despaire of obtaining it by any means the third presumption or a perswasion of getting it without meanes Nowe wee come to the other hinderances whereof to let the rest passe these three are most vsuall the first is infidelitie Atheisme the second worldly cares and pleasures the third is offence taken at those who professe this regeneratioÌ„ For the first although it may seeme a thing not to be named in the Church of God yet many of those who professe themselues to be Christians haue in their hearts and mindes no other religion then Atheisme no God but their owne bellies no hope of any other world then this which they presently enioy They say in their hearts that there is no God nor diuell no heauen nor hell no reward for the godly nor punishment appointed for the wicked no truth in the scripture and that it is but folly to serue God or at the least they do so doubt of the truth of these things that they are not by the coÌ„sideration of them either moued to any good or restrained from any euill as the apostle writeth to the Corinthians among whom the doctrine of the resurrection from death was called in question that some of them were ignorant of god that is were meere Atheists That this is the religion of many christians it appeareth both by their liues dealings which are altogither void of conscience and the feare of God and also by the plaine and voluntarie confession of the simpler sort being by sickenesse feare hope loue or anie other meanes made to declare their conscience in this behalfe These men cannot possiblie seeke for regeneration seeing that they make no account of eternall saluation wherevnto it leadeth And therefore this hinderance cannot be taken away but by proouing that there is a God who hath promised and will certainly perfourme it eternall saluation vnto all those that seeke for it as they ought to do But wee are not heere to take in hande the demonstration of the principles of religion the which requireth manie seuerall tractates Yet as touching this ignoraunce of GOD the which contayneth in it all errours whatsoeuer it may bee refuted by as manie arguments as there are creatures in the worlde all which ioyntlie and seuerallie doo preach and make manifest the Deitie power wisedome and goodnesse of GOD to all those who are not wilfully blinde and doo not put out their owne eyes not onelie to Christians liuing in the Church as in the cleare light of the word of God by euen to Infidelles remayning in darknesse and in their naturall blindnesse as wee reade Roman 2.20 The Godheade that is the eternitie and power of God may be behelde in the creatures For wee must of necessitie suppose some infinite power by the which they were made and are continually ordered and preserued and some great king and monarch hauing authoritie ouer the whole world and who will one day call all his subiects to account and giue vnto euerie one according to their workes The greatest obiection which the minde of man maketh agaynst the Godheade and the most forcible motiue to this infidelitie is the inuisibilitie and insensible secrecie of GOD and of his actions in that hee dooth not continuallie shewe foorth his omnipotencie in newe and straunge myracles his iustice in punishing sinne and rewarding good deedes his presence in hearing those that pray vnto him but suffereth all things to go according to the ordinarie course of Nature yea as if hee had layde aside the administration of the worlde the wicked to prospeâ— and the godly to be afflicted Aâ— for the creation of the world although in it selfe it bee the greatest miracle that can be yet it being daily and continualle behold ceaseth to driue men to admiration or to acknowledge the power of God as the common prouet be sayth that a wonder lasteth but nine dayes Yea this secrecie of God is greater now in the time of the Gospel and in these
regeneration beeing so wonderfull and glorious a work of God should bee wrought rather in the publike bodie of the Church in the assemblye of those who are alreadie sanctified then in hugger mugger in this or that corner So that the second meanes of attaining to regeneration is the word of God publikly purely preached not as it doth by a natural facultie inherent in it selfe worke in men knowledge obedience and that reformation and amendement of life mentioned in the former Chapter to the which it is to be referred in this respect but as it doth by the supernaturall power of GOD worke true regeneration in the elect And therefore it standeth euery one in hande who hath any care and desire to attaine to eternall life to be diligent in hearing the word of God whensoeuer occasion serueth As the wise man exhorteth the good husband to be sowing his seede at all houres times and seasons because he knoweth not whether this or that will prosper so must this repentant take al occasions of hearing gods worde for that hee knoweth not but that God will euen at that time which hee would bestow on worldly profites or pleasures bestow this vnspeakeable blessing of regeneration vpon him God may indeede call him wheresoeuer he strayeth but that we may vse the similitude aboue mentioned as that offendant is liker to obtaine mercie at the handes of his prince who standeth at his very gates in his presence attending when he will becken or call vnto him then he who hauing addressed himselfe to come before the king keepeth himselfe aloofe of far out of his sight so it is liker that God wil behold him with the eie of mercy who is in his presence hearkneth to his voice attendeth his pleasure then him who is out of his sight and employed about otheâ— matters Sect. 4. THe third and last meanes to be vsed in seeking regeneration is praier or inuocation of the name of God wherby this repentant seeing himselfe to bee as yet but carnal hard hearted as he was before and that no meanes either deuised by himselfe or appointed by God will preuaile renounceth himselfe as beeing most desperately miserable all meanes in the world as being vnable to effect that which he desireth and so flieth to the onely mercy and goodnesse of God desiring him for his mercies sake and for Christs sake in whom all the mercie and goodnesse of God as the great Ocean ouerflowing the earth doth shewe forth it selfe to vouchsafe vnto him the most wretched and vnworthy creature in the world one drop of his grace to mollifie his stonie heart and to quicken his soule being now cleane dead in sinne This must be done not seldome coldly negligently and for fashions sake as men vse to pray for so men aske those things which are of no account and which they care not greatly whether they obtaine or no but in all vehemencie of spirite and affection yea with all importunitie wee giuing no rest night nor day eyther to our selues or to God till wee obtaine our desires This prayer will bee of great force as wee are taught by the Parable of the importunate widdowe Luk. 18.5 and therefore wee are not to bee wearie or faint in perfourming this dutie to GOD and to our owne soules but rather to prepare our selues by all meanes as by abstayning from the superfluous and vnnecessarie vse of meates drinke sleepe worldly affayres and whatsoeuer may hinder vs in this behalfe and by considering the incomparable excellencie of the thing wee labour to attaine for the right perfourmance of it The which if wee do wee shall see and finde that prayer is the most wonderfull thing in the worlde able to worke myracles yea stronger then the strongest that is then God himself who as the scripture teacheth or rather speaketh is by prayer forced and compelled to do that which otherwise he would not do No man can by force wring any thing out of the hands of God whose weakenesse is stronger then men yet prayer in that it renounceth all force of meanes relying it self wholy on the goodnesse of God is of greatest force and that by the which if wee wrestle with God wee neede not doubt of ouercomming of him If men of great and loftie spirites who to God are as fillie wormes creeping on the earth stand so much vpon their reputation that as it is recorded of the Senatours of Rome in olde time they thinke it a great disgrace vnto them that any man should say that hee had in vaine asked helpe at their handes shall not God the great King of Heauen and earth who is as able as the richest and as willing to giue as the frankest yea and hath as great care and not without cause of his glorie as anie man hath of his worldlie worship and renowme thinke scorne that anie man should say there is no help for me in GOD I haue in vaine afflicted my soule humbled my selfe at his footstoole cleansed my wayes in his sight repayred to the place of his presence and called vpon him there is nothing to bee hoped for or gotten at his hands Yea further as this exercise of praier is the most readie and effectuall meanes to procure this or any other blessing at the hands of God so often it pleaseth God to grant grace to men euen whilest they are asking it to touch mens hearts by his spirit in the verie instant wherein the heart and the soule of man is in vehement and earnest prayer in a maner separated from the body and lifted vp into heauen For euen as the smith striketh the iron while it is hote and and fit to receaue any forme or impression so God although hee could imprint his grace in the coldest hardest and flintiest disposition of the heart yet he rather doth it when as the affections of men are stirred vp and enflamed either by the ministerie of the word and publike prayer during the which regeneration is ordinarily wrought in men or else by some priuate Christian exercise as reading the scripture and serious meditation but especially by praying and singing Psalmes to god in the time of the which actions it pleaseth God somtimes to send his spirit into the harts of his elect But it may be here obiected that we suppose an impossible thing to wit that an vnregenerate man should pray especially with that vehemencie and perseuerance which wee require as appeareth by those words of the Apostle Rom. 10.14 How shall they call on him on whom they haue not beleeued Wee answer that this is to be vnderstood of Infidels who knowe not the Gospel not of Christians who may bee indued with knowledge yea who may pray although not as they ought and as the faithfull do Thus we haue commended to this repentant the meanes of attaining to regeneration wherof the first is that reformation and amendement of life which may bee in one as not yet regenerate The second is the diligent
a small time becommeth weake and distempered yea soone falleth into sicknesse and doth perish so is it with the soule the which being neglected but a litle there will a decrease of holinesse be plainly felt yea perhaps seene by others The reason whereof is manifest to wit because both outward occasions and temptations and also tâ—e inward corruption of sin neuer ceaseth from oppugning this holinesse and therefore as the bodie must continually be repaired with nourisâ—ment because it is continually consumed by our naturall heate so must the soule by a good diet daily vsed bee preserued Thus the scripture doth euery where exhort vs to a continuall vse of all spirituall exercises as namely of praier Eph. 6.18 Pray alwaies with all maner of praier and supplication in the spirit And 1. Thess. 5.16 Reioyce euermore pray continually not as if as some haue fondly imagined wee ought to giue our selues so wholly to spirituall exercises as that we neglect our bodies this present life as most men bestow all their time care and labour about their bodies without any regarde had to their soules For as God hath giuen vnto vs both bodies and soules so it is his will that both be carefully preserued and that both for the maintenance of this present life we labour daily diligently in some lawfull calling for the preseruing of the life of our souls we vse that spiritual diet which we are about to declare Yet as heauenly spirituall and eternall things are farre more excellent and more to be desired then earthly things so we ought to haue greater care of the one then of the other and so to frame the course of our life that we entangle our selues in no mo worldly duties then are needfull Thus the Apostle counselleth 1. Cor. 7. that the seruant should not neglect any duty which his maister enioyneth him vnder pretence of seruing God but yet desire a free life because in it he may haue greater opportunitie and leisure to serue God and like wise that we should preferre a single life before mariage which vsually bringeth with it many cares troubles According to this rule they whoÌ„ God hath blessed with riches and abundance of â—orldly things ought to giue more time care and labour to the seruice of God theÌ„ they who are in pouertie and want things needful and to say with themselues soule thou hast goods laide vp for many yeares and therefore not take thy ease and make thy selfe drunke with the superfluitie of â—orldly pleasures but take time as much as thou wilt to serue God and to clense thy selfe from the filthinesse of sin which maketh the abhominable to God But vsually men as it were adding thirst to drunkennesse the more they haue the more they desire to haue and are more careful in seeking worldly things then they who are in greatest want Besides it is needful for the right dieting of the soule that wâ— know and consider the present state or constitution of it â—hether it be in infaÌ„cie or in ripe age in the increase or decrease of holinesse in strength or in faintnesse in temptation or not that so we may vse that diet which is most coÌ„uenient in regard of the present state of it Otherwise we cannot but erre in dieting it yea euen in the carefull vse of the most holsome meates and soueraigne remedies For as it is impossible to order the body aright either in sicknesse or in health without the certaine knowledge of our complexion age and strength and vnlesse wee marke in what parts it is most weake or strong that accordingly choyse may be made both of meates in health and of remedies in sicknesse so the foundatioÌ„ of the right ordering of the soule consisteth in this that we know our age and strength in Christ whether we be ripe and strong men able to digest solide meates or but babes and weaklings who must be fedde with milke and also our infirmities what sinnes we are most subiect vnto that so we may auoyd all occasions of them THE DIET of the Soule Or A Treatise shewing how the Soule of man being renued or indued with holinesse is to be ordred and preserued in that estate CHAP. 1. Section 1. THe first part of the Diet of the Soule is that whereby the spirituall life of holynesse and that measure of grace wherwith God doth endue it in regeneration is maintained and continued as we knowe that Phisitians prescribe a diet for continuance of health as well as for the remoouing of sickenesse For whereas Christ sayeth Mar. 2.17 The whole haue no need of the Phisitian but the sicke and that therefore he came to cal not iust men but sinners to repeÌ„tance he meaneth not that any man is so holy as that he needeth not both his owne continuall care in watching ouer his soule as also the continuall assistance of Gods spirit but that they who are sicke or rather dead in sinne and impenitencie haue more neede of helpe then they who are alreadie endued with the life of holinesse For as it is truly said in other things Non minor est virtus quaÌ„ quaerere parta tueri so is it true in respect of spirituall health the which caÌ„not possibly be kept without continuall care although in exact comparison it be easier to coÌ„tinue either bodily or spiritual health where it is already then to procure it where it is as yet wanting Here it may bee asked what this spirituall health is and how any man can bee said to haue it when as all are sinfull we answere that although no absolute perfection of holinesse yet a state of spirituall health may be attained vnto euen in this sinfull life and is then attained when as a faithfull man leadeth a holy and vnblamâ—ble life performing although in weaknes imperfection yea in some corruption of sinne all duties belonging either to God or man and being irreprouable in regarde of any great sinne For as most men liuing are truely said to haue their health howsoeuer that exact temperature ad pondus wherof Phisitians dispute cannot be found in any man or in any age so absolute perfection of holinesse is not required to spiritual health But as it is sufficient for bodily health that the distemperature bee not so great and manifest as that it hinder any of the naturall faculties from their functions so if the corruption of sinne be so brideled aâ— that it hinder not the performance of any christian dutie there is spiritual health yea although this corruptioÌ„ of sinne bee so strong that it doth sometimes bring forth some sin and hinder in part the performance of some Christian dutie yet if for the generall course of life the grace of gods spirit do preuaile so that it represseth that sin performeth all duties sometimes faintly imperfectly at other times fully couragiously yet here is health For so as in the body so also in the soule we are to distinguish betwixt health and
strength betwixt sicknesse and infirmitie many haue their health who are not strong and many whole men haue many infirmities For example Many are thick of hearing sight yet they can both heare see therefore are to bee accounted whole not maimed or sicke as we are to declare more at large hereafter Yet it is the part of euery faithfull man to preserue himselfe not onely in health but â—lso in spirituall strength and vigour of holinesse yea to encrease his strength from one degree to another the which three effects come of this first part of spirituall Diet. For first it preserueth the life of holinesse gotten by the first act of regeneration secondly it continueth that strength or measure of grace whereunto wee haue attayned in the progresse of it and lastly it encreaseth strength and grace The which diuers effects or degrees of holinesse aâ—ise of the diuers vse of this spirituâ—ll diâ—t as it is more or lesse carefully and diligently vsed For as the naturall life of man may if no outward violence come bee preserued with the least care cost and paines that can be but if a man desire to keepe his body in strength and vigour there must choise of diet bee made and care vsed and most of all if hee go about to augment either his stature in his young yeares or afterwardes his strength or flesh he must be yet more carefull yea curious in his diet bestowing all his time yea great care and cost in it So it is in spirituall life the which being once put into the soule of man by the hand of God will continue there euer by it selfe although as it commeth often to passe the owner of it bee negligent in maintaining it yea in a manner carelesse of it Whereas hee that desireth to continue a whole and strong man in Christ without any sicknesse or decrease of grace must make account to bestow great care in this worke aâ—d farre greater if as hee ought hee desiâ—e to encrease in grace Sect. 2. THis preseruatiue Diet consisteth in two things the first iâ— to auoyde what soeuer is any way hurtfull to tâ—e soule in respect of holynesse the other is to vse aright whatsoeuer is good and agreeable to the nature of it In the fiâ—st kinde wee are to auoyde first and chiefely the committing of actuall sinne especially of those which are great and hainous These are to be accounted as very poyson to the soule many wayes impairing the holinesse of it first in that they seldome come alone but accompanied with some other sinne as Lots drunkennesse brought forth incest and Dauids adulterie horrible murther This commeth to passe diuerse waies for as he who taketh a tast of hony is easily drawn on by the sweetnes of it to eat of it to his great hurt so the pleasure of sin being once felt and enioyed will not afterwards be easily reiected contemned yea as the Merchant venturer hauing receiued a great losse by sea or the souldier a great wound in battaile often become desperate and carelesse of their owne estate so oftentimes a Christian by committing some grieuous sinne is brought to this passe that hee laieth aside the care and studie of holinesse and letteth all go at six and seuen Thus one sinne drawing on another and two twentie the soule is at length wholy possessed and ouercome by sin and euen as a city or castle being taken by the enimy yeldeth without resistance And if by the grace of God supporting him in this temptation he be not brought to this desperate passe yet the committing of any one sin taketh from him or doth greatly diminish diuerse particular graces especially affiance hope spiritual ioy and the peace of conscience and in stead of these bringeth a fearefull expectation of the wrath of God and of those iudgmeÌ„ts which he vsually poureth vpoÌ„ sinners Yea it hindreth him from calling on god by praier with that coÌ„fidence alacrity which is meet for that now he cannot come to him as an obedient sonne to a louing father but as a rebell or fugitiue to an angry maister yea sometimes the committing of sin worketh the contrary effect taking away or diminishing the feare of God who although sildome for that this most fearefull punishment of impunitie beloÌ„geth to the reprobate ones yet sometimes suffreth the sins of men to go vnpunished for a time so as it were letting the reines loose vnto them that he may see or rather let themselues and the whole world see whither they would go and what corruption is in the heart and what infirmitie in the nature euen of regenerate men In these and many other respects the committing of sin is hurtfull to the soule and therefore with all care to bee auoyded by him who desireth and endeuoureth to diet his soule aright Sinne is to bee auoyded first by considering the loathsome nature the horrible parentage beeing come from Sathan that foule spirite the vglie and monstrous shape beeing cleane contrarie to the image of God in man yea to the nature of GOD himselfe the fearefull fruites which it bringeth foorth the anger of the great GOD of Heauen and earth which being kindled but a little maketh the hard stonie Mountaynes to melt away like waxe the dishonour of the glorious name of God the vnthankefull and vngratious disobeying of so gratious and good a Father the slaunder of the Gospell and name of Christ the grieuing and snubbing of the holy Spirite of God by whom wee are sealed vp to the day of redemption the horrour of an accusing conscience and that which the Apostle Ram. 6. maketh the onely fruit of it in respect of men shame and ignominie These things being duly coÌ„sidered cannot but stay the most violent and raging motions of sinne yea they are of such weight that if they be put in the ballance wiâ—h all worldly pleasures whatsoeuer the which are the onely proctors of sinne pleading vehemently for it before the iudgment seate of mans free will they will vnlesse the ballance be strangely false and the iudge palpably blinded and peruerted wey theÌ„ downe as a mountaine would do a molhill without any controuersie or comparison Sinne is indeede as pleasant in the mouth as is the honie combe but it is vaine and momentanie yea it rotteth the bowels bodie and soule Secondly sinne is to bee auoyded by auoyding all occasions and prouocations of it for as he who would not haue his house set on fire will not willingly bring fire into any rowme where there is powder flaxe or any other thing which will readily take fire so he that would not haue the lusts of firme kindled in his heart must carefully auoyd all outward obiects which stirre them vp and do in a manner intise men and euen lead them by the hand to the committing of them The places of Scripture which giue this good and wholsome counsaile are well knowne Iob. 3.1 I haue made a couenant with mine eyes and why then should
his company presence where they did daily see and behold his wisedome how much more shal we account our selues happie when as we are in the coÌ„panie house presence of God beholding the wonderfull misteries of his wisedome laide open before our eies the which passeth the wisedome of Salomon and of al the men in the world further then the great Ocean doth a drop of water And surely whosoeuer can and doth by the grace of God seriously consider the dealing of God with his Church from time to time the tragicall end of the reprobate liuing here for a time in all iollity and pleasure the happie estate abiding the godly who in this world are miserably afflicted the fall of man comming of his owne wilfulnesse the saluation and regeneration of the elect proceeding from the mercy loue of God He that compareth the law with the gospel the babish estate of the Church of the Iewes with the Churches vnder the Gospel being come to ripenesse and perfection the agreement of the tipes with the bodies the wisdome contained in the iudicial lawes of Moses And lastly he that coÌ„sidereth the incarnation death resurrection of Christ with the â—est of points of christian religion shal vndoutedly see wil coÌ„fesse that al the wisest lawes the deepest deuises counsels of the greatest and most subtile politicians that euer liued the learnedest works of the wittiest philosophers and schoolemen are but meere foolery seely shifts yea he shal be compelled to crie out say with the Apostle Rom. 11. O the riches of depth of the wisedome and knowledge of God how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding And 1. Tim. 3.16 Without controuersie great is the mistery of godlinesse God manifested in the flesh iustified in the spirit seene of angels preached vnto the gentiles beleeued in the world and receiued vp in glorie Neither can any man answer say I confesse indeed that there are notable points of wisedome to be seene in the word of God in the hearing coÌ„sidering wherof I haue takeÌ„ great delight but I haue heard theÌ„ so often reiterated that nowe it is irksome to me to heare the word preached for as the wise man saith euen the hony combe the sweetest thing in the world is lothsome to the ful stomacke But we cannot be thus affected toward the word of God and the wisedome of God therein contained the which is so infinit that it can neuer be sounded to the bottome and fully comprehended by the mind and therefore it commeth forth euery day new and fresh not cloying the heaâ—er but inflaming him more and more with a desire of hearing and learning Of other things it is truely said that a wonder lasteth but nine dayes for that nothing hapneth so strange but that the cause of it at length will bee found out but the wonderfull things of the law of God do more amaze him that hath spent al his time in the seâ—ious contemplâ—tion of them then him who iâ— a nouice in the schoole of Christ. Thus we are to thinke of the word of God and thus we ought to stirre vp in our selues a greedie and vnsatiâ—ble appetite of it yea great care and attention in hearing it yea they whâ—m God hath endued with most excellent spirituall gifts and the greatest measure of knowledge ought not to think themselues exempted froÌ„ this duty of continuall attentiue hearing of gods word as no man is so strong in bodie that he may abstaine from meate because hee is by the word of God both to restore that spirituall strength which is daily weakened by the corruption of sin and also to encrease his strength til he come to some ripenesse in Christ. But contrarily he is with great care ioy and pleasure to giue himselfe to the hearing of Gods word when soeuer iust occasion is giuen Sect. 3. FVrther as it is not sufficient for the feeding of the body that meate be receiued into the stomâ—cke for that if by any infirmitie thereof it be straightway voyded it doth not any iot nourish the bodie no more will it serue for the feeding of our soules that we heare the word with great ioy delight yea with care and attention vnlesse also we remember and so keepe it in our soules This point of spiritual Diet is necessarily to be regarded for that many faile in it who do in some measure heare aright as many haue an insatiable appetite in deuouring meate who cannot keepe it for any space of time This we see both in the parable of the seed Luke 8.13 and also in daily experience whereof the one saith that many heare the worde with ioy but it taketh no roote in them the other sheweth vs by the vnfruitful and barren professions of many Christians that bee daily and attentiue hearers of the word that they let it soone slip out of their mindes for that otherwise it could not possibly but bring forth some fruit in their liues The meanes of remembring the word preached are these first carefull attention for nothing caÌ„ be remembred which is not first minded marked secondly to repeate with others either with our friendes in way of conâ—erence discussing euery point seuerally to see what is doubtful or manifest what singular and excellent or vsuall for as in the word of God so in the sayings of men some are more notable then others or with those who are any way committed to our charge in way of examination as our wiues childreÌ„ seruants schollers and such others But of all other the surest way to remember the word is application when as both in and after the hearing of it we consider how it concerneth our selues or any other what experiments wee haue had of the truth of it and how it will make for our spirituall edification whereunto if practise be ioyned then we make it our owne for euer Thus we being carcful in receiuing the food of the word of God preached and as Christ warneth vs taking heed how we heare it cannot be but that by the blessing of God wee shall continue and increase the spirituall health of our soules Sect. 4. IN this publike banket which God maketh in his church for the refreshing strengthning and feeding of the soules of his children besides the ministerie of the word which hath the first the chiefe place there is a second seruice to wit the sacraments appointed for the same end being the word of God as the other althogh in another forme and is as it were prepared after another maner They nourish the soule in that they increase in vs knowledge faith mortification of sinne and all the parts of new obedience when as the true vse end and significatioÌ„ of theÌ„ is duly weighed as namely in Baptisme which is the sacrament of the lawe and of death the mortification both of our soules for the guilt of sinne and also of the corruption of sinne inherent in our soules signified
by dipping and drowning the bodie in water For when as we receiuing the sacrament in our own bodies or els beholding it administred vnto others feele a sense of the guilt of eternal death due vnto vs for sin a mortificatioÌ„ of thinherent corruptioÌ„ of sin comming from thence theÌ„ do we feed our soules by this Sacrament that no lesse when we see it administred to others then when we feele it in our own bodies and therefore the custome which hath preuailed in most places of neglecting contemning this part of the foode of our soules is to be condemned and sharpely reprooued Likewise in the other Sacrament of the Lords Supper the bread and the wine receiued in it feede both our bodies and soules the one by their naturall vertue the other by their misticall and sacramentall signification working in vs a fresh remembrance and a liuely sense of the death of Christ represented vnto vs by the breaking of the bread in peeces and the pouâ—ing foorth of the wine Sect. 5. THus much of the publike foode of the soule besides the which we haue other meanes appointed by God to be vsed priuately For Christians must not bee as babes vnable to feede themselues or to take any nourishment vnlesse it be put into their mouths by others but must as they receiue the meate prepared by others so also dresse some for themselues and that by gathering the word of God the onely foode of the soule where it is to be had euen there where the publike food is had to wit in the Scripture in the creatures and in the actions of God In these fieldes the word of God groweth and therefore a Christian is to bee continually conuersant in them and so to make his soule strong fat and lustie First therefore he is to giue himselfe to the reading studying vnderstanding and meditating of the scripture For the profitable reading of the word of God diuers things are to be considered first that we reade it with this intent and purpose to edifie our selues in the knowledge and obedience of Christ making our spirituall edification the end of our reading Otherwise wee may spend all our dayes yea although they were as many as the daies of Methuselah and yet receiue no more encrease of holinesse then they who neuer heard tell of the word of God For why it is impossible that any man should find this spirituall foode but he who doth hunger after it and seeketh it with all care and diligence Indeede God sometimes is found of those who doo not seeke nor yet so much as aske after him and doth by his spirit renewe those who do not once thinke of regeneration or saluation but here we do not speake of the extraordinary and immediate working of God in regenerating men but of that ordinarie continuance and encrease of holinesse which euery faithfull man may and ought to worke in himselfe by such meanes as God hath appointed This he that seeketh findeth hee that seeketh it not shal neuer find it Hence it is that many haue beene very painefull readers of the scripture who neuer found in them any spiritual fruit or comfort because they read them not to that end but for some sinister respect The Iewes tooke great pains in reading or rather in learning without booke the books of the old testament yea so great as may make Christians who cannot finde in their hearts to bestow so much time and pains in seeking or keeping Christ pardon of sin eternal glory as they do in seeking an earthly king earthly glory the which onely they looke for by their Messiah and yet they finde not Christ nor any spirituall grace because they seeke not for such things So many other haue read the scriptures for other sinister ends some to get the knowledge of curious and vnprofitable questions and controuersies of endlesse genealogies yea some for confirmatioÌ„ of their erronious heretical opinions some for meere knowledge vaine ostentation But he who desireth to be a good phisitian of his own soule must laying aside these and all such respects propound to himselfe the confirmation and encrease of his faith loue patience temperance of all other spirituall graces These things must be continually in his mind yea he must apply to these purposes all the precepts examples and doctrines wherewith he meeteth minding onely poynts of spirituall edification and especially those whereof he most doubteth and would bee resolued and which belong most to his present vse This rule and counsell we haue giuen by Eliphas Iob. 5.27 who after that he hath declared at large both the iustice of God in punishing the wicked and his goodnesse in sparing sauing and blessing the godly hee addeth this notable conclusion Loe thus we haue inquired of it and so it is heare it and know it for thy selfe that is do not content thy selfe with the generall knowledge of this doctrine but applie it to thy owne speciall state Not as if it were vnlawfull for a Christian in reading the Scripture to obserue and studie those things which doo not directlye tende to spirituall edification for it is good and commendable if hee can giue so much time to the study of the word as that hee knowe all the circumstaunces of thâ— storie al questions which can be moued about any place but that when as all cannot be had as it is seldome seene that any gyueth or can giue himselfe so wholy to this studie who hath anie other calling choise be made of that which is most needfull profitable and excellent In the which respect he is also to make choyse of those bookes of Scripture for his dayly reading studying and meditating in the which this spirituall food dooth most plentifully growe and may most easily bee had For although whatsoeuer is written bee written for our comfort and edification and that no part of the Scripture ought to bee accounted barren and vnprofitable yet some partes are more excellent and more effectuall for spirituall edification then others are in that they handle those points wherein the good estate of the soule consisteth more fully and plainly then others do Thus the writings of the Prophets are to be preferred before the bookes of Moses to the which they are as Commentaries and the writings of the Apostles before the writings of the Prophets for that all the mysteries of our saluation are now in the time of the Gospel plainely reuealed which before were couered with types and ceremonies Yea of the bookes of the new Testament the Epistles written by the Apostle Paule and others do more didirectly ayme at this marke then the storie of the liues and acts of Christ and his Apostles But of all the bookes of Scripture it seemeth that the booke of the Psalmes doth most excell in this behalfe the which consisteth wholy of spirituall meditations obseruations precepts and experiments insomuch that it may truly bee called the Christian mans Garden wherein all manner of
edifycation For if the heathen who haue no spirituall eyes wherewith to see can obserue the power and goodnesse of God in these creatures as wee are taught Rom. 1. how much more shall the spirituall man find in this feeld plentifull food for the feeding of the soule Sect. 8. THE last feeld wherein this spirituall foode of the worde of GOD dooth growe and is to bee gathered are the actions of GOD for as in the creation so also in the administration of the worlde God is to bee seene and sought as in the one the power wisedome and goodnesse of God so in the other his prouidence iustice and mercy do manifestly appeare or rather clearely shine His prouidence by the which all things all the actions and faculties of all creatures are disposed ordered directed restrained vpheld as that they all seuerally and ioyntly tend to those endes for the which he appointed them and the effecting of those things which he will haue brought to passe as namely first principally and generally the setting forth of his glorie which is the last end both of the creation and also of the administration of all things and secondly the execution of his iustice vppon the reprobate for their sins and of his loue and mercy in the saluation of the elect His iustice appeareth in that he recompenseth euery one according vnto his doings and that without fauour or respect of person laying feareful iudgements euen vpon his elect for their sinnes and rewarding the good deedes of the reprobate with temporall blessings but most of all he doth dayly poure forth the treasures of his goodnesse loue mercy toward his faithfull seruants in preseruing them frō all euill and in prouiding for them whatsoeuer is needfull These things may profitably and are diligently to be obserued in all the ages and stories of the Church but they are especially to be obserued in the age and time wherein we ourselues liue for that we giue greater credence are more affected with those things which wee behold with our owne eies which we haue noted our selues knowing the persons in whom they befell and all the circumstances of the said actions then with those which we haue at the second hand by the report of others and which in all respects are strange and vnknowne vnto vs. Thus the Prophet Dauid mentioneth Psal. 37.25 one of his owne obseruations the which he had bene al his life time euen a whole age in gathering of the gracious prouidence of God ouer his seruants saying I haue beene yong and now I am olde yet did I neuer see the righteous forsaken or his seed beg their bread Of these obseruations cōcerning the blessings of God bestowed on the righteous and his fearefull plagues poured on the wicked the bookes of Iob and of the Psalmes are full yea it is in many places made a signe of godlinesse to marke the doings of God as the neglect of it is of an vngodly man as Eccl. 2.14 The wise man hath his eies in his head but the foole walketh in darknesse And Es. 57.1 The iust man is taken away frō the plague that is cōming and no man regardeth that is carnall men who are not acquainted with Gods dealings nor exercised in marking thē know not this that the vntimely death of righteous men is a forerunner of some greeuous plague which God is to bring vppon that Cittie or countrey where they dwelt And more especially we are carefully to obserue those actions of God which concerne our selues as namely how he hath from time to tyme prouided for vs al things needful euen in our greatest wants when as all men did forsake vs how hee hath preserued vs from great dangers how he hath chastised vs for our sins how he hath heard our prayers and granted our requests how he hath comforted vs in our afflictions how hee hath rewarded all our good works godly endeuors how he hath assisted vs by his spirit in time of tentation how hee hath sometimes let vs remaine in sinne irrepentance and hardnes of heart at other times hath giuen vs soft hearts melting at his promises and threatnings as waxe before the fire sending forth riuers of the teares of true repentance how hee hath plagued for our sins or blessed for our sakes our friendes acquaintance wiues children kinsfolke and seruants how he hath reuealed himselfe his will and truth vnto vs and in short how he hath in euery respect dealt with vs since wee first knewe or serued him Sect. 9. THus wee see the right manner of feeding the soule with the heauenly manna the word of God contained in the scriptures creatures and actions of God beside the which there is required in the right nourishment of it spirituall exercise For it fareth with the soule as it doth with the bodie the which although it bee fedde to the full and daily filled with meate yet it cannot be preserued much lesse increased in health strength and vigour vnlesse it be exercised that so the meate receiued into the belly may be drawen and fastned to the other partes of the body which otherwise will not nourish but soone passeth away without any profit so for the preseruation of spirituall health and strength exercise is no lesse needefull then foode the truth heereof appeareth plainly in many who although they feede their soules with all are and diligence being continually conuersant in studying hearing reading meditating and regarding the word yet they are not nourished by this foode because they do not ioyne exercise vnto it This spirituall exercise is the practise of christianity or of spiritual graces or the performance of Christian duties belonging either to God or man and therefore it must of necessitie be of diuers kindes as there are many kinds of spirituall graces and of Christian duties The first and chiefe kind of spiritual exercise is prayer or inuocation of the name of God both publike also priuate by the right vse wherof wee shall feele all the graces of Gods spirit to be stirred vp in vs yea confirmed and encreased yea all drousines and heauiness of soule to be shaken off as will easily appeare by considedering the seuerall parts of it For the more that wee cōfesse our sins and the multitude and hainousness of them as it were painting them out in their naturall shape and in liuely colours the more wee loath and abhor them the oftner and more seriously that we consider the iudgements of God either present or which are like inough to bee shortly poured vpon vs for our sinnes and also the benefits temporall and spiritual receiued at the hands of God the more wee increase in feare and loue and all dutifull thankfulnesse towards him and therfore whosoeuer desireth to preserue his soule in health and strength must haue speciall regard to this that he giue himselfe to the daily continuall vse of prayer the necessity and efficacie whereof is so great that it may truely be called
the soule of the soule that is that whereon the life and good estate of the soule doth depend it being impossible that either that Christian who is diligent in prayer should bee weake in grace or that grace should abounde where there is neglect of prayer But what shall wee account diligence in prayer or how often ought a Christian to performe this dutie The answere wee haue in many places of the scripture as namely Thessalonians 5.17 Pray without ceasing And Ephesians 6.18 Pray in the spirit with all perseuerance in all manner of praier and supplications at all times And Luke 18.1 He tolde them a parable to this ende that they should pray alwaies and neuer bee wearied This generall commandement is thus to bee vnderstood and restrained pray at all seasons vppon all occasions thinke not this exercise to be needelesse vnprofitable or vnseasonable at any time in the night or in the day in the morning or at noone in the towne or in the field in businesse or in leysure Thus haue the seruants of God liued and thus they haue passed on their daies in continuall inuocation of the name of God Thus did Paule 1. Thes. 3.10 Night and day without measure I pray c. And Dauid Psal. 55.18 In the euening in the morning and at noone day I will meditate I will make a noyse in praier and the Lord shall heare my voyce And we reade of Daniel Dan. 6.10 That it was his custome to pray vnto God thrise euery day Out of the which precepts and examples wee may easely gather howe much tyme and care ought to bee allotted and bestowed vppon this exercise and that it is continually to be performed For it is not with our soules in this respect as it is with our bodyes the which may easelie surfeit of meate or of exercise for that they beeing of meane strength can not beare much of either but are soone ouercharged and hurt whereas the soule hath not any pitch or set limit eyther of holinesse but is to growe on further euen when as it is at the highest or of the meanes by the which it is attayned and therefore we cannot exceed in this behalfe vnlesse perhaps wee as verie fewe doo fall into the practise of that heresie which giueth all the time of a mans life to prayer and none to the preseruation of lyfe in following the workes of our callings the which is in no case to bee admitted And therefore that it may bee knowen what is required at the handes of a Christian in this behalfe and what is needfull for the right dieting of the soule wee will consider this poynt more at large and in particular in this manner As bodilye so also spirituall exercise is eyther ordinarie or extraordinarie the one is to bee vsed dayly the other at some tymes onelie as occasions require For as sometimes the bodie requireth long and vehement exercise the which is not to bee admitted in ordinary diet for that it would soone dry vp and consume the body so it is sometimes needfull that a christian vse extraordinarie praier and that for the better performance of this exercise hee lay aside for a time all other duties cares and incumberances whatsoeuer the which hee may not doo ordinarily as the Apostle teacheth 1. Cor. 7. That when as it is so needefull in anie respect as for the auoyding or remoouing of anie great afffliction or heauie iudgement which he hath by his sinnes pulled vppon his owne head for the obtayning of some needfull grace or temporall blessing hee may omit for a season the duties of marriage and giue himselfe wholy to prayer But ordinarie prayer may stand with the performance of al other duties neither hindering them nor yet being hindered by them so that a Christian may both serue God by prayer and also do whatsoeuer his calling although it be laborious and troublesome doth require This ordinarie prayer is perfourmed after two sortes eyther at set and certaine tymes or else vpon occasion as we know that it is an ordinarie thing with men to eate drinke and exercise themselues both at tymes appoynted for these purposes and also as diuers occasions do offer themselues so a Christian is to pray as the Apostle willeth Timothie to prâ—ach both in season and out of season at set times of a sudden Set prayer is to bee performed in full and ample maner the other kind which we will call suddaine praier briefly in fewe words euen as we knowe and see that men at their set meales take a greater quantitie of meate and drinke then they doo at other times For why set prayer must haue in it all the partes or kindes of prayer as the Apostle writeth Ephe. 6. Pray in all maner of prayer and supplication to wit confession of sinnes committed deprecation of iudgements present or imminent requiring of graces needefull thankesgiuing for benefites receyued intercession for others Set prayer must consist of all these partes yea which is more the particular at least the chiefe sinnes iudgements graces blessings benefites persons ought to bee rehearsed and mentioned whereof it commeth that this kinde of prayer contayning in it so many diuerse matters cannot bee contayned in a fewe wordes or vttered in a short time whereas suddaine prayer conceyued vpon some particular occasion and hauing but one matter may be dispatched in one worde Sect. 10. THe vses of set prayer are manifest for they are many eueÌ„ as many as are the necessities of the soule all which are supplied by meanes of it But wherefore then serueth suddaine prayer Surely for suddaine vses hapning beside a mans expectation and necessarily requiring this dutie of praier As when a Christian committeth any sinne in thought word or deed straightway he desireth God to pardon his sin likewise when he receiueth any blessing from God he giueth thanks without any delay and likewise in all other parts of praier as we know that the church in these latter ages hath generally taken vp this custome of praying at the taking of meate the which of temporall blessings is most needful most often receiued This kinde of praier may be performed at any time and in anie place for of it the apostle writeth 1. Tim. 2.8 I will that the men pray in euery place lifting vp pure hands yea in the midst of other affaires whatsoeuer in the company of others but for set praier choise must be made of a secret place of such a time wherin we are freed as it were loosed from all other businesse that so we may haue our minds affections wholy set vpoÌ„ it Mat. 6.6 VVhen thou praiest enter into thy chamber and when thou hast shut thy doore pray to the Lord in secret And therefore we are to accouÌ„t some part of the night the fittest season for this worke because then we are freed from all other duties beloÌ„ging either to our callings or to our brethren and so may without being interrupted
sake Notable for this purpose is that saying and pratise of Dauid 2. Sam. 24 4. who when as he might haue had the threshing floore the oxen for sacrifice of free gift at the hands of Araunah he would needs giue him the full price for them saying I will not offer a burnt offring to the Lord my God which shal cost me nothing as if he had said if I serue God at another maÌ„s charges how shal it appear that I do it in loue obedience and conscience towarde him In like manner ought euery Christian to say with himselfe I know that many hypocriticall reprobates and proude Pharisaicall heretiks haue giuen all their goods euen a thousand times more then I haue to the releefe of the poore the maintenance of learning and other good vses that God regardeth the heart and not the hand that my best woâ—ks are sinful in themselues abhominable in his sight yet for the manifestation of the sinceritie of my fayth and loue I will labour to abound in al good workes towardes all men to the vttermost of my power yea my seruice which I offer to God shall be costly and chargeable vnto me although I knowe this will be grieuous to flesh and blood There shall no day passe mee without some good worke no more then there doth without praier and other spirituall exercises Sect. 16 THus wee haue in some sort declared that part of spirituall Diet by the which the soule is preserued in health and strength yea augmented in these respectes from one degree of grace to another till it come to the measure or stature of the fulnesse of Christ that is towarde that absolute perfection of holinesse which is in Christ in whom there is nothing eyther imperfect or wholye wanting This perfection can not bee attayned vnto in this lifâ— for as long as the soule remayneth in this sinfull tabernacle so long it shall haue in it infirmities wantes and reliques of sinne which keepe out the perfection of grace yet we must endeuour to come as neare it as wee can dayly rysing vp from strength to strength In the which respect the soule differeth from the bodie the which hath a short time of life but farre shorter of growth and an appointed limit or periode of stature beyonde the which it cannot bee brought but there standeth at a stay But as for the soule although it also haue a sette pitch beyonde the which it cannot go yet because it cannot be attayned vnto in this life therefore it is to growe continually Yea it beeing of so subtile a nature and so quicke motion is seldome or rather neuer made to stande at a stay but if it do not increase it doth decrease in grace For although sometymes Christians doo so frame the course of their liues in a safe quiet and prudent kinde of mediocritie that there is not in them anie sensible chaunge in respect of godlinesse but as they were mynded and affected and as they liued manie yeares ago so they go on and do still continue yet without all question there is some inward chaunge eyther to the better or which is liker to the woorse For as when the bodyes of menne or rather of children do not grow vp to their full and naturall stature it argueth some secret distemperature and some naturall infirmitie in them so when Christians do not grow on from one measure of grace to a greater it doth of necessitie infer an euill constitution of the soule And therfore no man ought to count it sufficient and as much as is required at his hands that hee doth not decrease in grace and godlinesse but rather to thinke as it is indeede needeful that he growe on from grace to grace as we are often taught and exhorted in the scripture Ephesians the fourth chapter and fifteenth verse Following the truth in al things let vs grow vp in Christ who is the head in all things And in the second Epistle of Peter third chapter and ninteenth verse Let vs grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ. This is to bee brought to passe by the same meanes by the which the health and that measure of grace whereunto wee haue alreadie attained is preserued for as the holines of the soule is nourished by the same thing by the which it is begotten so it is encreased by the same Diet by the which it is nourished For as there is required a greater vertue and force both of nature and of diet to augment the bodie in stature then to keepe and continue it in lyfe and health so hee that desireth not onelie to continue but also to go on in grace must indeede vse this conseruatiue Diet of spirituall foode and exercise which hath beene in part described yet in a greater measure with greater care and diligence Here is required a free kinde of lyfe not intangled much lesse ouerwhelmed with worldlie affayres cares and encumberances in the middest whereof although a Christian may serue God and worke his owne saluation and maintaine that measure of grace which hee hath receyued from God yet hee cannot giue himselfe so wholie to the vse of those meanes which are effectuall for this purpose as is needfull This free kinde of lyfe beeing got hee is that wee may vse the wordes of the Apostle in the first Epistle to the Corinthyans the seuenth Chapter and fiue and thirtie verse to cleaue to GOD to his seruice and to all spirituall exercises without separation or intermission to wit to the hearing reading and studying of the worde of God to the considering of his woorkes and obseruing of his actions to prayer singing of Psalmes to the exhorting horting and instructing of others in the waies of godlinesse and lastly and summarely to the daily performance of all Christian duties and the exercising of all those graces which he hath receiued The last vse and commoditie of good workes the which is also the least and iâ— truth little to be esteemed in comparison of the other and yet that which perhaps will preuaile with those with whom wee haue to doo more then the other is temporall retribution for so it pleaseth GOD for the incouragement of his seruants to rewarde their good workes with temporall blessings as also hee requiteth their sinnes with temporall punishments By this argument the Apostle stirreth vp the Corinthians 2. Cor. 9.6 to make a libeberall contribution to the Church which was in Ierusalem He that soweth sparinglie shall reape sparinglie and he that soweth liberallie shall reape liberally for God is able to make you abound in all blessings that you hauing sufficient may abounde to euerie good woorke and so no doubt it is for howsoeuer men of carnall mindes iudge it a losse and damage to doo the woorkes of loue and mercie yet sure it is that hee that aboundeth in them doth heape vp for himselfe for his children and for his friendes treasures of blessings which hee shall certainely meete with when as
that resting place which in that place is called Abrahams bosom or rather as long as it is but in the way towardes it it dooth often looke backe to sinne yea returne and go backe againe euen til it come to deaths doore and the gates of hell but there it stayeth hauing no entrance graunted yea in truth desiring none And that wee may returne to our accustomed similitude the soule of man hath in it two contrarie qualities sinne and holinesse of the which as the one preuaileth against the other so is the soule in weakenesse or in strength in sicknesse or in health in death or in life Sect. 2. THe euils of the soule which are to bee cured are of two sortes infirmityes and diseases Spirituall infirmitie is the relique of sinne subdued in a faythfull man working agaynst grace making him prone or reâ—die to fall into outward and actuall sinne and backwarde in performing the contrarie spiritual duties This description which doth in some sort set downe the nature of the euill is to bee particularly explaned And first in that we make it a relique of sin we distinguish it froÌ„ humane infirmity the which is the weaknes of mans nature and of all the faculties both of bodie and soule being compared with the nature of angels and which maketh that hee cannot serue God in so great measure that he is not so strong against the temptation of sinne not so farre from committing it or so sure and constant in holinesse but that he may decrease in it yea omit for a time some dutyes yet without sinne as the Angels are To this kinde wee are to referre that ignoraunce feare and forgetfulnesse and many other infirmities which had place in the state of mans innoceÌ„cie which may be seene in the humane nature of Christ. Those naturall infirmities are not sinnes for they were created in man by God all whose workes are good neither are they the reliques of sinne for they were before sinne and in him who knew no sinne yea the Angels themselues being compared with God are more weake haue mo and greater infirmites then man hath in respect of them But these infirmities whereof wee speake are the reliques of sinne and sinne it seâ—fe not lying idle but working otherwise the reliques of sinne are in all men and cannot possibly be remoued But wee speake of infirmities which may bee remooued and from the which manie Christians are free For sinne may by the power of Gods Spirite bee so suppressed that it haue not a day he and ordinarie worke in vs as these infirmities haue in bringing foorth actuall sinnes not outwardly which is sinne perfected for then these infirmityes were greeuous diseases but inwardly in the minde wiâ—l and affections all which the corruption of sinne dooth daylie worke but it is seldome brought foorth into act beeing put backe and kept downe by the power of Gods Spirit yet sometymes it doth preuaile euen to actuall sinne For as that Cittie which is continuallie beseeged and assaulted can not but bee taken at length at one tyme or other as they who haue the care and defence of it committed vnto them cannot but sometymes remitte of their diligence and be ouertaken with sleepe drinke forgetfulnesse fayre promises and pretenses or by some such meanes so where the corruption of sin is continually working in the heart it cannot be but that it should at one place or other vpon one occasion or temptation or other burst forth into open sinne For example a Christian is endewed by God with the gift of continencie by vertue whereof hee leadeth a life free from all adulterie fornication and all such vncleannes Yet he feeleth inwardly in his minâ—e that burning whereof the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 7.9 Here are both the gift of God suppressing sinne and also the relique of incontinency not liuing idle but working vehementlie and continually not in life and action but inwardly in the soule Yet where this infirmitie is there somtime the outward sinne it selfe will happen For although a Christian do ordinarily keepe watch and ward ouer his soule least that he do fall into sin yet sometime hee will bee somewhat carelesse ouercome by the force and varietie of temptation and so fall into the sinne of vncleannesse An other example we haue in the sayde Epistle in the Chapter following A pagan being conuerted by the word and spirit of God renounceth his false gods serueth the true god only in christ Here is the grace of GOD preuayling against the corruption of sinne and suppressing it Yet there is a relique of this sin in his minde whereby he thinketh that his Idols his old gods are not altogether void of power and excellency ought to haue some kinde of worship giuen vnto them This is the infirmity and the worke of it inwardly in his mind yet he suppresseth it by the knowledge grace which hee hath receiued from God so that hee is not an open Idolatour but serueth the true God only yet so as that he may easily be drawn by the examples and perswasions of others to giue some outward worship and honour to these false Gods Many other instances might bee brought but these may serue Now that we see what a spirituall infirmity is wee are in the next place to see how it is to be healed and remoued Wherein there is great care and diligence to be vsed both for that God being a spirite requireth the inward purity of the soule as well as the outward purity of life as also in regard of the great daunger of falling into great and open sinnes wherein this weake Christian is Who although for a time he walke vprightly in the waies of godlinesse yet hee is like inough to stumble and fall when he meeteth with a stumbling block to wit any great occasion and prouocation to sinne Sect. 3. BVt whither are these infirmities curable or no Surely there is no question but that the grace of Gods spirite is able to mortifie all the corrupt lusts and inclinations of our sinful nature whatsoeuer they be Yea it is like inogh that God who hath begun the good work of grace in our hearts will perfect and accomplish it and that as he hath cut downe the body of sin so hee will in his good time pull the rootes out of the ground also There are indeede some infirmities in the faithfull which are incurable some which are hardly and very seldom cured In the first sort we are to recken the originall corruption of sin which is an infirmity yea corrupt as being the relique of sin and sin it selfe This infirmity sticketh so fast in our very bones marow that it is altogether impossible to be remoued and therefore no man ought to hope for or to go about the totall healing of it For although it be not impossible for God to sanctifie vs fully and wholly as the Apostle prayeth 1. Thâ—ss 5.23 yet it is contrary to his reuealed wil and word
who in great wisdome hath left this corruption in the faithful to exercise them while they remaine here on earth yea as this infirmitie can not bee wholly taken away so it can not bee wholly hindered from working for it sendeth forth some fruites euen in the most holy men who sinne often But we doe not speake of this infirmity in this place for although the former part of this definition agree vnto it yet the later doth not It is indeede a spirituall infirmitie yea the relique of sinne yea working many wayes and striuing against the grace of Gods spirite Yet it doth not make a faithfull man prone and ready to the committing of actuall sinnes or backeward in seruing of GOD For notwithstanding it many are far off from actuall sinnes and forward in seruing GOD. But those spirituall infirmities in the healing whereof we are to labour doe worke sensibly and forcibly yea they doe in some sort preuaile vsually inwardly in the faculties of the soule and sometimes they preuayle in the outward act originall corruption may be so restrayned that it cannot worke but secretely and without force or apparaunt effect but these doe after a sort part stakes with grace raigning inwardly in the faculties of the soule at least often and as it were by course howsoeuer they bee so subdued and repressed that they seldome come to the perfection and act of sin Yet of these infirmities whereof we speake some are in a manner incurable to wit First those which are grounded vppon some erroneous opinion the which as it is an infirmity in it selfe so often it bringeth forth an euill custome in action and as vsually it being inueterat is incorrigible so is the effect which commeth of it For example many thinke that they may lawfully giue themselues to the daily and continuall vse of all worldly pleasures being not in nature vnlawfull howsoeuer for vse they are inconuenient and a hinderance to their saluation this is their opinion and this is their practise thus they liue and thus they do The like we are to thinke of all those infirmities which haue their beginning and foundation in an vnchangeable constitution of the body howsoeuer this vnchangeable disposition of the body came whither by natuâ—e or by some other accidentall meanes For example many are by the distemperature of their bodies vncessantly and vehemently prouoked and euen pricked on to carnall lust to drunkennesse to slouthfulnesse to anger impatiency and to other sinnes Hereof it commeth that the soule following the disposition temperature of the body is also thus affected For the sense of pleasure of sinne in the body maketh the minde to thinke of it the will to choose the affections to embrace and hunt after it The which motions of the soule although they bee continually withstood by the grace of Gods spiâ—ite striuing not only to keepe them from bursting into actuall sinnes but also wholly to dispossesse them yet they haue too sure footing to be cleane taken away But how hard of healing soeuer they be we must endeuor by all meanes to free our selues from them both for that we are as long as they remaine in vs in continuall daunger of falling into open greeuous and presumptuous sinnes as hath beene sayd that that city which is continually both besieged and also assaulted is in continuall daunger as also because they are a continuall trouble and griefe vnto vs yea an hinderance to the perfourmance of all duties belonging eyther to God to our bretheren or to our selues and our owne callings In the which respecte the Apostle 1. Cor. 12.7 calleth one of these spirituall infirmities a pricke in the flesh and the messenger of Sathan continually buffetting him that is greatly troubling and greeuing him The meanes by the which they are to be remoued are these First and chiefely prayer vnto God from whom onely commeth euery good and perfect gift yea feruent earnest importunate and vncessant prayer as the sayd Apostle saith that he desired GOD thrise that is earnestly and often that hee would take that infirmity and temptation from him Where it is added that GOD made him this aunswere My grace is sufficient foâ— thee My power is made perfect in weakenesse Whereby it may seeme that his importunity in prayer was eyther reproued which is not to be thought or els forbidden which may bee admitted although it be liker that he was not forbidden to pray but onely comforted and strengthened in temptation wee are not therefore to be wearie of praier or to giue ouer as despayring of victory against it but rather to call for grace at the handes of God yea euen to the last gaspe to continue in earnest prayer The second meanes is to remoue the causes of it whither it be in the body or in some euill custome and company or an erroneous opinion The third is to auoide all occasions which may prouoke vs to that sin or put vs in minde of it The last is not to suffer it to haue any settled place in our mindes or affections as it were comming to composition with it and giuing haâ—fe vnto it For if it beare rule in the souâ—e it will certainely breake forth often in outward actions but rather to put it farre out of our minds and not giue vnto it any resting place Sect. 4. THus much of the infirmities of the soule the diseases follow a spirituall disease is the raigning of sin or ordinary and hâ—bituall preuâ—iling of sin against grace This definition is to bee particularly declared thus It hath bene often sayd that in the soule of man there are two contrary qualities sin and holines these two are of contrary natures continually warring the one against the other The field wherein this battell is fought is the will of man the which is haled nowe to this now to that side at length the one getteth it and withall the victory For in this battell the outward action which proceedeth wholly from the will for that a man willeth that he doth is the victory which if it be sinfull then sinne hath preuailed if sin take the repulse and cannot be brought forth then grace hath preuayled and gotten the victory there is the infirmity of the soule but if sinne preuaile there is a greeuous disease of the soule Yet not any preuayling of sinne but the ordinary preuayling of it maketh a spirituall sickenesse For it hath bene sayd that euen in spirituall infirmities sinne is sometimes brought forth but not vsually or ordinarely As Noahs drunkennesse Lots incest Dauids murther and adultery were not ordinary but happened perhaps but once in all the time of their liues and therefore these sinnes argued not any diseases but infirmities in their soules Thus we see what spirituall disease is the kindes of it are two totall and particular the one stretcheth it selfe ouer the whole soule of man making a sensible decrease in all the partes of his holinesse the other resteth in some part as it commeth to
is not so grâ—euous and dangerous as is the former to wit impenitency wherein the practise and exercises of godlines are neglected for this worldly christian serueth God and performeth all good duties although seldome coldly and negligently yet in truth and sincerity of heart Yet it is more seldâ—me cured then the other for that it is not so euident and sensible and therfore not much considered regarded Yea it hath a great shew and appearance of perfect health and strength in that there is no christian dutie wholly wanting no grosse sin committed but onely such as haue a shew of Christian liberty which maketh it lawful for the faith full to seeke and enioy riches and all other worldly pleasures Whereof it coÌ„meth that men flatter themselues in this state and rest contented with it whereas no mans conscience can be so continually dead and blind but that it will sometimes checke him in regard of the other and euen driue him perforce to seeke some remedy for it The cure of it consisteth in this that we doe daily and diligently consider the vanity and basenes of all worldly pleasures that in comparison of spirituall things they are as dung in respect of the most pure and fine gold that nothing is more vnseemely then that thâ— soule of man which GOD by his spirite hath sanctified and lift vp to Heauen there to enioy his presence which is perfect happinesse should so much debase it selfe as to lie wallowing in the puddle of earthly pleasures or haue any sound ioy in the vse of them which ought rather to be loathsome and irkesome vnto him By these and such other meditations the grace of Gods spirit which now is clogd pressed downe with worldly cares is to be stirred vp the minde and affections to bee lift vp from earth to heauen and we inured to a contempt of the world a chearfull and liberall practise of all christian duties especially in giuing to our bretheren or rather in lending to the Lord for so it is indeed part of those temporall blessings which we haue receiued leauing all sensual Epicurisme wretched niggardnes to the children of this world whose God are their bellies who haue their portion in this life and eternall perdition in the life to come Sect. 6. THe third and last generall disease of the soule is distrust which is a doubting of the truth of Gods word promises made as touching the saluation and happinesse of the faithfull This although in truth it bee a particular disease of the minde yet in that force and effect it stretcheth it selfe ouer the whole soule of man working a decrease of holinesse in all the faculties of it it is to be accounted and may fitly be called a generall disease it ariseth of a supposed impossibility oâ— Gods word being fouÌ„d coÌ„trary to our own experience to mans reason Thus the propet Dauid coÌ„sidering the miseâ—able estate of the godly togither with the prosperitie of the wicked was teÌ„pted to thinke and say that it was in vaine to serue god And thus many other godly men feeling and seeing in the beginning of their conuersion that God worketh strange wonderfull things in them and for them promise to themselues the like strange experiments of Gods power and loue towards them the which when as they do no not come to passe according to their expectatioÌ„ al going on in an ordinary course happening to one as to another they fall into this doubting and distrust of Gods presence prouidence power and loue towards them and so wax dayly more and more slacke and backewarde in all the wayes of godlinesse and in seruing God But this temptation is to be resisted by considering that God for the triall of the faithfull and the hardning of the wicked worketh not openly and sensibly but secretly till the time come wherein al things shall be reuealed especially this euill sheweth it selfe in the time of aduersitie when as the loue of God is ouershadowed with crosses in the which wee see not the loue but rather the anger of God afflicting vs for our sinnes and tryall But as touching them we are to knowe that God dooth in theâ— shewe his loue more then in prosperitie and therefore wee ought by them to bee the more perswaded of his loue and the truth of his worde Yea sometymes this distrust becommeth despayre wherein the faythfull man is driuen beside his faith and hope yea beside himselfe and in a maner out of his witte supposing his sinne to exceede the mercie of God and â—o bee altogither vnpardonable He cannot be comforted by remembring his former state of faith and grace wherein sometime he stoode but is by that meanes confirmed in despaire as thinking his sinne to bee in that respect the more grieuous and vnpardonable it beeing committed agaynst so great a measure of grace And so he applying to himselfe that which is written Heb. 6.6 It is impossible that they who were once enlightned and tasted of the heauenly gift if they fall away should be renued againe by repentance seeing they crucifie to themselues the sonne of God and make a mocke of him languisheth in horrour of conscience and a fearefull sense and expectation of the wrath of God This is the most fearefull sicknesse which can happen to a faythfull man yea it is the state of the wicked spiritâ— in hell who continually liue or rather die in a desperate sense of the endlesse wrath of God The remedie is to be looked for at the hands of God who onely is able to appease these stormes and in stead thereof to giue a quiet calme yet the meanes must be vsed by our selues to wit the consideration of the examples of manie godly men to whom God hath remitted as many and as great sinnes as ours are yea hauing beeâ— committed after a greater measure of grace receaued For the which purpose we must also remember that there is no proportion betwixt then mercie of God which is infinite and our sinnes which are as nothing in respect of the sinnes of the whole world al which the mercie of God in Iesus Christ is able to do away that the place of Scripture before mentioned such other are to be vnderstood of the malicious despitefull oppugning of the Gospel once embraced And lastly that where sinne there the mercie of God aboundeth and his glorie is set forth Sect. 7. BEside these generall diseaseâ— which make a man decrease in all the partes of godlinesse there happen to the soule many particular diseases which contain themsemselues within one part or facultie of it the rest remaining whole and sound These are as many as are the parts of râ—nued holinesse or the graces of Gods sanctifying spirit the want of any one whereof maketh a spirituall disease for where any grace is wanting there the contrarie corruption of sin doth preuaile and raigne If it be asked whether that one truly regenerate can be wholy destitute of any
grace if hee may what difference there is betwixt him and a carnall man we answere that regeneration is the roote and the possibilitie but not the act of all graces as a liuing bodie although naturally it bee thee subiect of sense yet some one part of it may be benummed and senslesse so the soule of one regenerate hath in it at least the beginnings and seedes of all graces howsoeuer some of them at some tymes doo not woorke or appeare whereas a carnall man is altogither destitute yea vncapable of them Among these particular diseases the first place is giuen to the diseases of the mind the which are three in number conceate errour and ignorancâ— of Gods particular prouidence Conceate is a fonde opinion which a man hath of his own excellency in respect of others esteeming himselfe more iust wise and holy then any other and therefore more highly in Gods fauour and more worthie to bee honoured among men This proceedeth from that selfe loue which is naturally in euery man yea in euery liuing thing by the which he is mooued to desire and to endeuour the aduancing of himselfe and the bettering of his owne estate for the which purpose hee hath his minde continually set and fixed on those thinges wherein his excellencie doth consist and so fitting his opinion to his desire and affection thinketh them to bee mo and greater and himselfe more excellent in respect of them then he is in deed Thus are not onely carnall men in regarde of outward blessings and naturall gifts but euen the godly often puffed vp in pride in regard of spirituall graces seeing themselues to be aduanced to so high a dignitie as far passing the common condition of men as the heauen is higher then the earth as wisdom is better then folly light then darkenesse holinesse then sinfulnesse and happinesse then eternall miserie Yea as they haue a more certaine knowledge of their owne gifts and graces which they feele wrought and working in their heartes and liues then of other men which they but coniecture and of other mens wants infirmities sinnes and faults then of their owne wherof they cannot abide to thinke or heare so they thinke farre better of themselues then of others This corruption dooth manie wayes shewe forth it selfe as namely in insolent talke and behauior in obstinate maintaining of erroneous opinions and vnlawfull or vnmeete practises and especially in contempt of our brethren their companie giftes opinions in tâ—o sparing acknowledging of their vertues and graces But it is carefully to bee resisted and auoyded as beeing displeasing yea odious to GOD who resisteth the proude and giueth grace to the humble and in whose eyes nothing is more acceptable then a meeke and lowlie spirite as also hurtfull to our selues in that it maketh vs obstinate and incorrigible in errors and sinnes and depriueth vs of that good and comfort which might bee reaped by the giftes and companie of our brethren whereof wee may reape great profite and comfort The remedie of this disease is the consideration not of our gifts and graces but of our wayes sinnes the which no doubt will pull downe these peacockes feathers and make vs base yea vile in our owne eies By this reason the Apostle exhorteth the Romans Rom. 12.3 not to be drunke and besotted with any great conceate of themselues but rather to thinke soberly and modestly of themselues for that God hath giuen his graces not all to any one least hee should haue matter of pride but some to euerie one that none should bee subiect to the contempt of others Wherein the great wisedome and godnesse of God is to be considered praised and admired who doth so temper his graces bestowed on the faithfull with their owne wants and sinnes that neither the one is able to lift vppe the minde too high in vaine conceates nor the other to presse it downe too lowe with disgrace but supplyeth the greatest wantes with other most excellent and rare giftes and qualifyeth the abundance of grace with some great want or grieuous sinne as wee are taught by the examples of Lot Noah Dauid and Salomon that the most haynous and horrible sinnes haue beene found in the holiest men and extreeme folly in the mirror of wisdome Sect. 8. THe second disease of the minde is errour the which vsually commeth of conceate and dooth accompanie it Where we do not meane any light errours in matters of small importance for no man either is or can bee free from these as long as he is in this world but such as are neare about the foundation and substance of Christian Religion which may seeme to endaunger a mans saluation as about Christ his incarnation passioÌ„ natures about the manner or matter of our iustification the Church or Sacraments or any other waightie poynt Yet not any such errour maketh a spirituall disease but onely when as it hapneth in a time of light and knowledge wherein the contrarie truth is both plainly reuealed by God and also generally or at least commonly acknowledged by the Church Otherwise if it be a time of ignorance and darknesse wherein that truth is reuealed the most grieuous errour that is doth not argue the distemperature of the soule or make a spirituall disease as we know no man accounteth him either blind or ill sighted who cannot see and discerne things in the night or in the darke dungeon or him to bee of an euill constitution of body who is infected with a common sicknesse or plague But it commeth often to passe that the faithfull are ignoraunt when they might see the truth it being by others seene and acknowledged In this case great errors argue an euill constitution of the mind an vnsound iudgement yea they make our regeneration to be doubted of and cald into question For this is a property of a mind sanctified and enlightned by Gods spirit if not to search and find out the truth when it is vnknowen yet to acknowledge and receiue it when it is offered But notwithstanding all this it cannot be denied for the experience of all ages doth witnesse it that men truely regenerat may both liue and die in great and most dangerous errours yea when as the truth is both expounded to them by others and also sought for by their owne labour and continuall study The remedie of this disease consisteth in these things First that wee suspect our selues in those opinions wherein wee disagree from those who are godly and learned knowing that they haue the spirite of God to leade and guide them into all truth as well as wee Secondly in knowing that God doth often suffer them to fall into greâ—uâ—us errours to whom he doth shew great fauour not onely in their regeneration but also in immediate and extraordinary reuelations So wee read Deut. 13. If there arise among you a Prophet a dreamer of dreames and giue thee a signe or wonder and it come to passe saying let vs serue strange
they haue by murthering themselues sought for ease in death and in hell it selfe thinking that no state could be so euill and therefore that any change would be good Sect. 2. NOw further in this humiliation of a sinner wee are to declare these two points first whether it bee a worke of grace or of nature and secondly whether it bee absolute necessitie for regeneration and saluation or no. For the first although it may seeme a worke of Gods spirit to haue a broken and a contrite heart contrarie to that obstinacie atheisme and hardnesse of heart which is in the wicked yet it is a worke of nature comming of that knowledge of good and euil and that conscience of sinne which remaineth in man since his creation For wee are not to thinke that this humiliation is that true contrition and softnesse of heart which hath place in those who are regenerate and whereby they do easely without any resistance or delay yeelde to the word and will of God being at the first mooued by his promises blessings to loue him by his threatnings and iudgements to feare him and by both to obey him onely it is a seruile feare of punishment and of the anger of GOD wherewith obstinacie in sinne may easely and doth often concurre But why will some man say if this humiliation bee naturall is it not if not in al yet in most men as nature is the same in all yea why is it in so fewe as wee see that it is not to be found in one of a thousand and that almost al generally liue in pleasure and in senselesse securitie without any conscience of sinne or feare of punishment We answere that the grounde of this humiliation is the light of nature not being neglected suffered either to lie dead or to decrease daily as it doth in most men for then it is not able to send forth this fruit but is at length cleane extinguished and turned into meere Atheisme but augmented by the written law and worde of God and stirred vp by the iudgements of God Otherwise this light of nature cannot worke this sorrowe and feare in respect of sinne and the anger of God for how can they haue a troubled conscience who haue no conscience or feare of God whome they doo not know to exist at least not to do either good or euil Hence it commeth that this humiliation is so seldome found euen among those who professe the faith for that they haue no sound knowledge and setled perswasion of God but a slight and wauering opinion therefore no great or vehement humiliation but onely are sometimes disquieted in â—heir mindes in their miseries and in the committing of notoâ—ious sinnes as euen the very Heathen are sometimes of whom we reade that they haue beene strangely stung in their consciences by hainous sins and driuen by a fearefull sense and expectation of Gods reuenging hand into madnesse horror and desperation And yet wee are so to esteeme this humiliation as that which although it bee not a proper worke of Gods sanctifying spirit nor any part of regeneration yet it is a step toward it and farre to be preferred before tâ—e contrarie Atheisme and contempt of God In the next place wee are to enquire of the necessitie of this humiliatioâ— whether it may be spared or be so absolutely needfull as that without it no regeâ—eration or saluation may be hoped for We answerâ— that it is needfull for that no man can seeke to be eased of the burthen of his sinnes by Christ vnlesse he feele the weight of them or to be healed by him vnlesse hee know himselfe to be wounded and bruised yet it is not in the same measure and alike vehement and manifest in all neither is it needfull that it should so be It is sufficient that the repentant haue a sight and sense of his sins and so be as he cannot but be affected with sorrow and feare in respect of them although there be not those horrible pangâ— of horror which are in the repentance of some The degrees of humiliation arise of these three causes first of the diuersitie of sinfulnesse in the repentant for as the heauier the burthen is the more it presseth down so the mo and the more hainous that the sinnes of the repentant be the greater is his humiliation wherof it commeth that those fearfull agonies of sorrow and desperation are not vsually seene but where many haynous sinnes haue gone before Secondly it ariseth of the diuersitie of those outward afflictions and iugdements wherwith the repentant is punished the which being of themselues grieuous vnto him and some tymes such as can not be borne by flesh and blood without great perturbatioÌ„ and anguish of soule and so being added to the inward burden of his sinnes and of a troubled spirit whereof the wise man asketh who is able to beare it maketh this humiliation verie great Thirdly it aryseth of the delay of grace the which the Lord vouchsafeth to some far sooner then he doth to others who being kept a long â—ime in suspence and not feeling that work of grace in their hearts which they desine and expect haue lesse hope of obtayning pardon of their sinnes and so consequently greater feare in respect of the anger of god due to sinne whereas otherwise beeing soone some suddainly without any sensible humiliation or time of repentaunce giuen vnto them receyued into fauour haue not the like cause of this excessiue sorrow and feare Lastly the degrees of humiliation arise of diuerse apprehensions of the nature of sinne and of the anger of God For as the repentant thinketh the one more or lesse haynous the other more or lesse intollerable so is his humiliation lesse or greater yet alwaies as it hath bin said it must bee in some measure otherwise wee haue iust cause to suspect our selues that we are not yet in the state of grace and regeneration into the which there is entrance but through this narrowe gate of shame sorrow feare and anguish of soule and therefore hee that cannot remember himselfe to haue beene in this low estate of humiliation cannot thinke that he is as yet exalted by the remission of his sinnes to the fauour of God but must nowe at length labor to be thus humbled vnder the hand of God not putting farre out of his mind the euill day and all things whatsoeuer may any way vexe or trouble him as vsually and naturally men do but rather laying this corsiue of the wrath of god and his sinnes committed to his conscience suffering it there euen to eate and fret away his heart and soule till God in mercie take it away Thus we leauing this poore distressed soule out of conceite with himselfe esteeming himselfe the most vile and and forlorne caitife in the world saying with himselfe O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of sin and of death we go on to that which followeth Sect. 3. THus