age it is stronger meate and when he shall be perfected it shall be to him as hid Manna Let vs not therefore thinke at the first to attaine to those sweet and secret consolations which are locked vp and lie hid in the word three dayes did the people waite vpon Christ before hee fed them with miraculous bread and many dayes must wee waite vpon Christ before that he feede vs with his misticall Manna But alas wee are no lesse foolish then they who knowing the place wherein a treasure is hid giues ouer the seeking thereof because the first day they did not finde it except with hearing and reading wee ioyne diligent meditation prayer and practise of Gods word we cannot attaine to the comforts contained in it Salomon sayth that the people will curse him who withdrawes the corne but more iustly deserue they to be cursed who by a more sacraligeous tyrannie withdraw the bread of life from the people of God As the enuious Philistims closed the fountaines of water which Isaac had digged for his familie so the hatefull Papists stop from Gods people the wholesome fountaines of liuely Waters which God in his Word hath opened for their refreshment They pretend that the Scripture is obscure But is it so obscure in some places that it is not plaine in others Or is it reason that because strong meat is hurtfull to Infants therefore no milke shall be giuen them Gregory the great compareth the Scripture vnto water which in some place is so shallow that a Lamb may goe through in other parts so deepe that an Elephant may swimme in it And to the same purpose he saith againe that some part of the Scripture is like vnto bread which must first be cut and broken before that conueniently wee can eate it such is the Scripture which without help we cannot vnderstand Other parts of it againe are like vnto drinke that is more easily receiued As the word is the seede of our new birth so is it the food whereupon wee are nourished when wee are borne that we may grow vp by it to euerlasting life Euery creature by instinct of Nature seekes nourishment and increase of life where it got the beginning the beasts of the field such as the tender silly Lambes so soone as they are procreated doe turne them toward the breast of their mother seeking the encrease of life there where they got the beginning The fowles of the ayre so soone as they are hatched and brought out of the shell gather themselues vnder the wings of their Damme seeking nourishment to their life there where they got the beginning The Plants of the earth so soone as receiuing sap from their mother they begin to spring vpward so soone doe they shoot their rootes downewards into her bosome seeking continuance of life there where they got the beginning And the same is also to be seene in the fishes of the sea Like as this by the instinct of Nature holds true in the Creature so is it also by instinct of Grace true in the Christian for so soone as he is borne of the immortall seed of Gods word he turneth himselfe toward the same word seeking the increase and perfection of his life there where hee got the beginning For it is most certaine that to whom soeuer the Word becomes a seed of regeneration to them also it becomes a spirituall food after which they hunger and thirst that they may be nourished thereby to eternall life As for them therefore who delight not in the Word of God esteeming it a wearinesse to them to heare it let them excuse it as they will the true cause is that the Word was neuer vnto them the seed of their regeneration they are yet in the state of Nature and most fearefull is the recompence of their error for as they delight not in Gods Word so hath God declared that he hath no pleasure nor delight in them The Censure And by these rules it is euident that all haue not the Christians disposition who now vsurpe the Christian name CHAPTER IIII. Of his New Growth The Lords Command FOllow truth in loue and in all things grow vp in him who is the head Christ Iesus by whom all the body being coupled and knit together by euery ioynt for the furniture therof according to the effectual â—…ower which is in the measure of euery part receiueth increase of the body vnto the edefying of it selfe in loue Ephes. 4. 15. 16. Cleanse yee therefore also your selues from all â—…ilthnesse of the slesh and Spirit and grow vp vnto â—…ull holinesse in the feare of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obey this Command O Lord who perfectest euery worke which thou beginnest bring forward I beseech thee in me this worke of my regeneration Stablish O God that which thou hast wrought in me that I may grow daily in grace till â—… be perfected Alas Lord my corruption hath in such sort choaked the seede of thy word that it is scarce sprung vp to the blade which after so long planting and watering should haue brought out long ere now the ripe fruit of godlinesse where in regard of the time I ought to haue beene a teacher of others I am yet alas but a babe inexpert in the word of righteousnes Lord sâ—…ue me from that curse of the wicked that I should waxe worse and worse let me not end in the slâ—…sh when I haue begun in the spirit Punish not my former sinnes with a barren heart that I should be like that accursed earth which beares nothing but thornes and briars these are thâ—… fruits of the slesh which grieues thy spirit but as a liuely member of Christs body quickned by his spirit I may encrease with the encreasings of God and be daily filled with the fruites of righteousnâ—…sse which are to the praise and glory of thy name through Iesus Christ. The Christians Practise of this Command THE light of the righteous shines more and more vnto the perfect day Pro. 4. 18. and hee goes from strength to strength till hee appeare before God in Sion Psal. 84. 7. When I was a childe I spake as a childe I vnderstood as a childe and thought as a childe 1. Cor. 13. 11. But as I grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus 2. Pet. 3. 18. I put childish things from mee 1. Cor. 13. And now I giue all diligence to ioyne vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and with brotherly kindnesse loue 2. Pet. 1. 5. Thus being knit to the head by ioynts and bands I encrease with the encreasings of God Coloss. 2. 19. fruitfull in all good works and encreasing in the knowledge of God Coloss. 1. 10. till at
signified by that name In the eyes of worldlings a Christian is despised and accounted but the offskowring of the earth the cause of this contempt is their ignorance they see the earthen vessell but know not the treasure which is within it or else for loue of the treasure they would imbrace the vessell But against this contempt of men wee haue to set that honourable estimation which God hath of a Christian for the high and honourable stiles which Gods giues him testifie that in the Lords account the Christian is an high and honourable person Againe the manifold names which are giuen him declare that it is not one grace onely but manifold graces of God which must concurre to make vp a Christian and this doth teach vs that it is not so easie a thing to be a Christian as commonly is supposed Last of all the honourable stiles giuen the Christian admonish him to walke worthy of his calling that he may answere the names which God hath giuen him since hee is the free-man of God the brother and the member of Christ why shall he abase himselfe to the seruitude of Sathan and sinne The Censure But now the contrary conuersation of many proues that all haue not the Christians disposition who now vsurpe the Christian name THE SECOND PART WHEREIN IS DISCRIBED THE DISPOSITION OF HIS INWARD MAN CHAPTER I. Of his Inward Man The Lords Command MAN looketh to the outward appearance 1. Sam. 16. 7. but I am the Lord who searcheth the heart and the reynes Iere. 11. 20. therefore my Sonne keepe thine heart with all diligence Prou. 4. 23. wash it from thy wickednesse Ierem. 4. and giue it vnto mee Pro. 23. 26. Let the hid man of the heart be vncorrupt 1. Pet. 3. 4. and keepe thy selfe in thy spirit Malach. 2. 15. Cast off concerning the conuersation in time past which is corrupted and put on the new which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Eph. 4. 22. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obay this Command O Lord my God I know that thou tryest the heart and hast pleasure in righteousnesse and that the man is blessed in whose heart are thy wayes therefore O Lord take away from mee the stony heart and giue me a heart of flesh put a new spirit into my bowels let neuer mine heart be diuided from thee O my God but let it be vpright in thy statutes and faithfull before thee knit it to thee that I may feare thy Name so shall I neuer be ashamed Another O Lord my God who brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus the great Shepheard of the sheepe through the bloud of the euerlasting couenant worke I beseech thee that which is pleasant in thy sight and grant according to the riches of thy grace that I may be strengthened by the spirit in the inward man that Christ may dwell in mine heart by faith and so my whole Spirit soule and body may be kept blamelesse to the comming of the Lord Iesus to whom be praise and glory for euer The Christians Practise of this Command I Haue prepared mine heart to seeke the Law of the Lord and to doe it Ezra 7. 10. I will not regard wickednesse in mine heart Psal. 66. 18. for I haue set the Lord as a seale on my heart and signet on my arme Cant. 8. 6. My heart abhorres all labour that is wrought vnder the Sunne Eccles. 2. 20. onely I delight in the Law of God as concerning the inward Man Rom. 7. When the Lord saith to me seeke yee my face my heart answereth O Lord I will seeke thy face Psal. 27. My heart is purified in obaying the truth 1. Pet. 1. 22. and it shall cleaâ—…e to the Lord without separation 1. Cor. 7. 35. THE OBSERVATIONS THE Christian soiourning in the body consisteth of an outward Man and an inward eyther of them hauing their owne kinde of life senses actions and operations of so contrary qualitities that as saith the Apostle when the one is decaying the other is renuing By the one he walkes among men and hath his conuersation honest in the world by the other hee walkes with God as Henoch did and hath his conuersation in heauen In all his outward behauiour hee sheweth himselfe an example of godlinesse so that euen in his countenance gesture and language hee carries a print of godlinesse as the high Priest had grauen on his fore-head holines to the Lord but his chiefe care is to deck the hid Man of the heart which before God is a thing much set by But in this age many carry the name of Christians who neuer knew what this inward Man is and farre lesse hath felt the power of his spiritual life they are not the holy temples of God which should be more beautifull within then without as was Ierusalems Temple but are painted sepulchers pleasant without full of rottennesse within hauing the faces of men and the hearts of beasts If the Lord Iesus whose eyes are like fire and who with one looke can see them both within and without come to iudge them hee will not giue sentence of them as hee did of Nathaniel Behold an Israelitie in whom there is no guile but will charge them with that which Simon Peter said to Simon Magus I see that thou art in the gall of bitternesse and band of iniquitie and that thy heart is not right in the sight of God The Censure And hereby also it may be knowne that all haue not the Christians disposition who now vsurpe the Christian name CHAPTER II. Of his New Minde The Lords Command THE light of the body is the eye if the eye be single the whole body shall be light but if thine eye be wicked then all the body shall be darke wherefore if the light that is in thee be darknesse how great is the darknesse Math. 6. 22. Take heed then that the light which is in you be not darkenesse Luke 11. 35. for yee are the children of light therefore sleepe not as others doe but watch and be sober 1. Thes. 5. 6. not as vnwise but vnderstanding what the good will of the Lord is Ephe. 5. 17. Not as other Gentiles who walke still on in the vanitie of their minde hauing their cogitation darkned and being strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them Ephe. 4. 17. but be yee changed by the renuing of your minde that yee may proue what is the good and acceptable will of God Rom. 12. wise in that which is good simple as concerning euill Rom. 16. 19. But be not wise in your selues neyther high minded Rom. 12. 16. If any man thinke that hee knowes any thing the same knowes nothing as he ought 1. Cor. 8. 2. An high mind goes before a fall Prou. 29. 23. Neyther will the Lord
liue but vpon his life that is delighteth in sinne which doth breed his owne destruction The third obiect of our Loue is our neighbour where first we are to regard those of our familie least we be found worse then Infidels secondly those that are of the familie of Faith thirdly all men yea euen our enemies in so much as they are the workmanship of God for he loueth his neighbour truely who loue God in his neighbour that is who loueth his neighbour eyther because hee seeth that God is in him or else because he would haue God in him Now as for the measure of our Loue it is not one and alike toward all the obiects of our Loue the right measure of our Loue to God is to loue him without measure at least with all that wee haue with all our heart all our mind and all our strength but the loue of our selues and our neighbour is limited so far forth may wee loue our selues and them as may stand with the loue of God Beatus qui te amat amicum in te inimicū propter te nam solus is nihil charum amittit cui omnia chara sunt in eo qui non amittitur blessed is hee who loues God and his friend in God and his enemie for God onely that man cannot loose any thing which he loueth who loueth nothing but in God who cannot be lost Thus the affection of Loue being ordered by grace is in the soule like a sparkle of heauenly fire which no way can be borne downe but carries vp by course and degree the desires of our heart toward the Lord from whom it came till at length wee be consummate with his Loue. The Censure But now the great number of them who want this Loue proues that all are not Christians indeed who now vsurpe the Christian name CHAPTER VI. Of his Hatred The Lords Command YEe who loue the Lord hate that which is euill Psal. 97. 10. for they that call on the name of the Lord should depart from iniquitie 2. Tim. 2. 19. and should hate euen the garment that is spotted with the flesh Iude. 23. but thou shal◅ not hate thy brother in thine heart Leuit. 19. 17. for if any man say that he loues God and hates his brother hee is a lyar 1. Iohn 4. And hee that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother is in darknesse vnto this time 1. Ioh. 2. 9. He walketh in darknesse and knowes not whither he goes because that darknes hath blinded his eyes 1. Iohn 2. 11. Yea hee that hates his brother is a man-slayer and ye know that no man-slayer hath eternall lise abiding in him 1. Iohn 3. 15. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obay this Command QVicken me O Lord according to thy louing kindnesse so shall I keepe the testimonies of thy mouth Deale with thy seruant according to thy mercy and teach me thy statutes I am thy seruant grant me therefore vnderstanding that I may know thy testimonies The Christians Practise of this Command I Hate falshood and abhorre lyes Psal. 119 163. I hate vaine inuentions 119. 113. and all false waies 119. 128. I hate the assemblies of the euill Psal. 26. 5. and them that giue themselues to deceitfull vanitie Psal. 31. 6. My soule hateth Idols 2. Sam. 5. 8. and the worke of them that fall away it shall not cleaue to mee Psal. 101. 3. Doe I not hate them O Lord that hate thee and doe I not earnestly contend with those that rise vp against thee surely I hate them with vnfained hatred as if they were mine vtter enemies Psal. 139. 21. THE OBSERVATIONS AS by nature mans heart is emptied of all holy Loue so it is filled with a sinfull hatred a monstrous euill offensiue to God to our neighbour yea and to our selues Naturally Man hates the Lord according to that which our Sauiour saith hee that doth euill hateth the light the euill Conscience of the wicked abhorreth the Lord who is that first and great light from whom all others haue that light which they haue wishing that eyther there were not a God at all or else that he were like them He hates in like manner good men euen for that good which is in them and that with such a raging malice that no band of Nature can restraine it thus Caine hated his brother Abel and why onely because his works were good Rahel hated her Sister Leah and why onely because shee was fruitfull her selfe being barren and Ioseph also was hated of his owne brethren for no other cause but for that his earthly Father loued him and his heauenly Father had blessed him with the gift of Reuelation or Prophecie aboue them O cursed roote of bitternesse which doth cause man to hate his owne and that onely for the good that is in them O greatest euill so directly contrary to the greatest good God is so good that of euery euill hee worketh good to his owne and hatred is so euill that the good things of God become vnto it a matter of greater euill Thus is man who was made to the similitude of God become an incarnate diuell or as Augustine cals him Secundus Diabolus inferior onely to Sathan in two respects For whereas Sathan being now very neere sixe thousand yeares olde hath the subtiltie of his Nature wherein also he doth exceed man helped by long experience to doe wickedly Man being of shorter continuance cannot equall him Againe man is clogged with a body which is a great impediment to the perfection and accomplishment of that which his Spirit conceiueth it being farre otherwise with the actions of the bodie which require the circumstances of place and persons then with the conceptions of the minde which without any such thing are perfected Otherwayes if the wickednesse of mans heart brake out as it is conceiued if euery hatefull thought brake out into murther and euery vncleane lust into a carnall act O what a world of wickednesse should then be discouered in man then should it be manifest that Man for similitude of Natures were but an incarnate Diuell as I haue said As the graces of the Spirit keepe one fellowship so disordered affections which vnder their proper name in effect are but vices goe together like the linkes of one chaine For Hatred comes of euill parents Pride begets Anger Anger breeds Enuy and Enuy brings out Hatred If any man loue not the daughter suffoca matrem non erit filia let him suffocate and slay the mother the daughter shall not be Anger is festuca in occulo but if it benourished fit grandis trabes ira enim inveterata fit odium of a mote in the eye of our Conscience it becomes a beame for inveterate anger turneth into Hatred Against this euill wee are to embrace the wholesome counsell of the holy Ghost Let
vpon vs. And herewith also comes in the troublesome estate of Gods Church as good Nehemiah was not so merry for the preferment he had in the Court of King Artashashte as sorrowfull for the desolation of Ierusalem why should not said he my countenance be sad when the citie of my fathers lyeth waste so is it with the Christian though his owne particular estate be neuer so good yet is it his griefe to see the Church of God in trouble The third matter of our griefe ariseth of the consideration of that which wee are not but would be The Christian hath some liuely foretaste of the excellent pleasures of the life to come and therefore it is a griefe to him to be holden from it and a ioy to remoue toward it but certainely hee shall neuer goe out of the body with ioy who liues not in the body with griefe for his absence from God Si desideras quod non habes funde lachrymas vnde dicturus es Deo posuisti lachrymas meas in conspectu tuo If thou desirest that which thou hast not shed teares that thou maist obtaine it Alas how shall the Lord gather our teares into his bottle if wee shed them not or how shall hee giue vs that comfort for which wee neuer mourned In worldlings ioy and griefe agree not together the one of them excels the other It is not so with a Christian Lachrimae sunt illi vice deliciarum for in mourning he findes vnspeakable ioy And as after raine the aire becommeth more pure so after the showers of teares the Conscience is cleared and comforted Quae enim secundum Deum sunt lachrymae iugem pariunt certamque laetitiam for those teares which are according to God doe alway bring forth most sure consolation The Censure But the want of this holy mourning which is euident in many proues that all are not Christians indeed who now vsurpe the Christian name CHAPTER XI Of his Griefe arising of a troubled Conscience OH that my griefe were well weighed and my miseries laid together in a ballance it would now be heauier then the sand of the sea Iob. 6. 2. The Lord doth renue his plagues and encreaseth his wrath against mee Iob. 10. 17. his hand is heauie vpon mee night and day Psal. 32. 4. hee writeth bitter things against mee and maketh mee possesse the iniquities of my youth Iob. 13. 26. his indignation lyeth vpon me Psal. 88. 7. hee filleth mee with bitternesse and suffers me not to take my breath Iob. 9. 18. Changes and armies of sorrowes are against me Iob. 10. 17. My spirit is in perplexitie my soule is amased Psal 143. 4. I go mourning all the day long and am sore broken I roare for the very griefe of my hart Psal. 38. 6. My bowels swell and mine heart is turned within me Lam. 1. 20. Mine eyes are dimme through griefe Psal. 6. My flesh hath no rest at all but fightings without and terrors within 2. Cor. 7. 5. As a woman with childe who draweth neere to the trauatle is in sorrow and cryeth in her paine so am I in thy sight O Lord. Esay 26. 17. The Christians Prayer for deliuerance from these terrors ALas O Lord wilt thou absent thy selfe for euer is the multitude of thy mercies compassions restrained from me shall my heauinesse be continuall and my plague desperate that it cannot be healed Alas Lord how long wilt thou forget me how long wilt thou hide thy face from me how long shall I take counsell within my selfe hauing wearinesse daily in my hart O Lord it is thy praise that thou art gracious and mercifull Thou breakest not the bruised Reede and quenchest not the smoaking slaxe Thou exaltest the sorrowfull to saluation Hide not therefore thy face from mee O Lord neither take mee for thine enemie but haue mercie vpon mee and consider how I am sore troubled Contend not with mee any more neither rebuke mee in thine anger least thou turne mee to nothing What shall I say vnto thee O thou who art the preseruer of men I haue sinned against thee but according to the multitude of thy compassions haue mercie vpon mee and put away my iniquities restore me to the ioy of thy saluation and stablish mee with thy free spirit O Lord who speakest peace to thy Saints make me to heare ioy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce then shall my tongue sing ioyfully of thy righteousnesse and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise THE LORDS ANSVVERE TO THE CHRISTIAN NO tentation hath ouertaken you but such as appertaines to man 1 Cor. 10. 13. Remember that I am faithfull and will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you be able but will euen giue the issue with the temptation that ye may be able to beare it 1. Cor. 10. 13. I will not breake the bruised Reed nor quench the smoking Flaxe Esay 42. for a little while haue I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee for a moment in mine anger haue I hâ—…d my face from thee but with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassion on thee The mountaines shall remoue and the hils fall downe but my mercie shall not depart from thee neyther shall the Couenant of my peace fall away saith the Lord who hath compassion on thee Esay 54. 7. THE OBSERVATIONS THE heauiest griefe of a Christian is that which doth proceede from a troubled Conscience The Spirit of a man may sustaine his infirmities but a wounded Spirit who can beare it The health of conscience consists in these two first in a sense of Gods mercy pardoning our sinnes in Christ secondly in a holy disposition to spirituall exercises And the disease or trouble of conscience proceedeth from the contrary euill for if the soule be forsaken for a time it becomes vnable for spirituall exercise Faith becomes weake Loue waxeth cold Grace to pray is relented yea as the Moone is but a darke body when the Sunne looketh not vpon it so the soule is but dead when God doth not worke in it and in this absence of God no man can tell how sore the soule is troubled but he who hath felt the comforts of his presence But the other euill is much more fearefull when God erects a tribunal in the conscience giues out into it a iust condemnatorie sentence for sin which cannot be denyed there followeth vpon it a sense of wrath which like a fire burning within it doth miserably torment the soule of him in whom it is Whereupon there followeth such a distemperature of the whole body that as Dauid felt in himselfe the moisture thereof is turned into the drought of Sommer the reason hereof is giuen by Bernard the soule hath vnder it a body which it gouernes aboue it the Lord
in whom it rests Viuificat Anima viuificatur if that life by which the soule liueth relinquish it that is if the help and comfort of Gods blessed Spirit forsake it how can it be but the soule must also relinquish the body And yet both these wayes it pleaseth the Lord to exercise his children in this life first by desertion wherein sense of mercy and spirituall strength vnto good is with-drawne from them and this is vnto them as a lingring disease the fruit whereof is first to humble them for their former sinnes secondly to make them esteeme more of the presence of God when he grants it vnto them But the other is worse when not onely hee forsaketh them but also as it were doth pursue them with his wrath this is like vnto a fearefull consumption which if it continued would vndoe them Infernus enim quidam animae rea conscentia est for an euil conscience is a certaine infernall prison of the soule And with this accusing and tormenting conscience it pleaseth God also to exercise his children first to worke in them a conformitie with Christ in spirituall sufferings secondly to teach them by experience the bitternesse of that wrath to come that they may flye from it And thirdly to learne them some knowledge of that incomprehensible loue Christ carryed toward them who for their sakes dranke out the dregs of that cup the drops whereof are so intollerable vnto them The first of these the wicked know not they were neuer comforted with his presence and how can they be grieued with his absence but the second they shall know how euer for a time their consciences being burnt as it were with a hote iron are without feeling of sinne and no way troubled for it yet shall it at length waken them and trouble them with a gnawing worme that neuer shall dye The Censure Now the great number of them who being lodened with sinne were neuer troubled in consciscience for sinne proues that all are not Christians indeed who now vsurpe the Christian name CHAPTER XII Of his Patience The Lords Command HEe that is slow to wrath is of great wisedome and he that ruleth his owne mind is better then he that winneth a Citie Prouerb 16. possesse therfore your soules in patience Luke 21. 19. and let your patient minde be knowne to all men Phil. 4. 5. for yee haue great need of patience that after yee haue done the good will of God yee may receiue the promise Heb. 10. 36. Render not euill for euill nor rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise blesse knowing that ye are thereunto called that ye should be the heires of blessing 1 Pet. 3. 9. And indeed if yee be railed on for the name of Christ blessed are ye for the spirit of glory and of God rests on you which on their part is euill spoken of but on your part is glorified 1 Pet. 4 14. If therefore yee suffer not as murtherers or euill doers he not ashamed ver 16. Say not thou I will recompence euill but wait on the Lord and he shall saue thee Prou. 20. 22. Be patient and settle your heart Iam. 5. 7. for the patient abiding of the righteous shall be gladnesse Prou. 10. 28. The Lord is a God of iudgement and they are blessed that wait for him Esay 30. 18. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obay this Command LOrd encrease thy graces toward me so that I be not destitute of any gift waiting for the appearance of my Lord Iesus Christ Lord confirme to the end that I may be blamelesse in that day and may walke worthy of thee pleasing thee in all things and may be strengthened with all might through thy glorious power to all patience and long suffering with ioyfulnesse The Christians Practise of this Command I Will waite on the Lord Zeph. 3. 8. and my soule shall keepe silence vnto my God for of him commeth my saluation Psal. 62. I will approue my selfe vnto him in much patience in afflictions in necessities in distresses 2. Cor. 6. 4. submitting my selfe vnto the will of my God and in all things giuing thanks to him through Iesus Christ. 1. Thes. 5. 18. THE OBSERVATIONS THE Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ is compared by S. Paul to a mirror wherein wee behold the glorie of God with open face and by which wee are transformed into the similitude of his Image for so many as are the Sons of God by regeneration to them he communicates his Image by his word and spirit His goodnesse is extended ouer all his creatures and he illuminateth euery one that comes into the world for euery man by nature hath in him as much light as furnisheth to him some principles of good and euill to make him inexcusable in all the euill that hee doth But as for his owne Children hee markes them from the rest of the world by his owne image and this is it wherein we should chiefly try our selues whether wee be the workmanship of God by regeneration as we are his creatures by the first creation or not and this tryall is to be made by our similitude and conformity with him As other affections are reformed in the regeneration so also is our Patience Concerning it three things are to be considered first the nature of Patience secondly the necessitie thirdly the vtilitie thereof Patience as saith the Apostle is a grace very needefull for vs to sustaine vs in the doing of Gods will and in the expectation of his promises Heb. 10. From this is borrowed that description of Augustines Patience is a grace of the Spirit flowing from faith by which we suffer euill things willingly because wee will not forsake those good things by which we may come to better The euils which with Patience wee must suffer are not the euils of sin for it is not Patience but effeminate feeblenesse to suffer it but the euill of affliction Againe the good which wee will not forsake is as saith the Apostle the doing of the good will of God the better things which God hath promised and wee doc hope hereafter to obtayne The second is the necessitie of Patience In two respects Patience is most necessarie first the good which God hath promised and wee hope for is suspended and delayed for a time which time though in regard of the dispenser it be short because hee knowes when hee will giue it yet to the expectant it is very long therfore haue we need with Patience to wait for it Next because of the present manifold euils wherewith in this life we are exercised We liue in the company of the wicked who are vnto vs as the Cananits wer to Israel pricks in our side and thornes in our eyes Neither will the Lord haue them separated from vs but the popple must grow with the good Wheat till the
day of haruest Patienter itaque ferendum est quod festinanter auferendum non est There will neuer be peace where God hath proclaimed inimitie the blessed seed of the woman and seede of the cursed Serpent will neuer agree let there be but two of them in the world suppose brethren the one of them shall slay the other as Caine did Abel let them be in one house vnder one discipline yet the one shall persecute the other as Ismael did Isaac yea put them into one wombe as were Iacob and Esau yet the one shall striue with the other As the rocke in the sea said Nazianzen lyeth obiect to the waues of the sea raised by euery winde from whatsoeuer coast it blow so is the Christian in the world subiect to the trouble of euery wicked man that can come neere him and therefore hath hee neede to be armed with patience and to walke among them circumspectly as among snares Now to the third the vtilitie of Patience Euery grace of the spirit hath in it some speciall vertue whereby it excels another but the principall praise of Patience is pointed out by our Sauiour in that precept Possesse your soules in Patience These are three excellent graces Faith Loue and Patience by Faith I possesse Christ Iesus by Loue I possesse my neighbour and make him mine owne by Patience I possesse my selfe hee that hath not Faith is without the Head hee that hath not Loue is without the body and hee that hath not Patience is without himselfe no maister nor possessor of himselfe but still ouer-ruled by the will of another Beside this Patience entertaines all the rest of the graces of the spirit it a enim proposita est Dei rebus patientia vt nullum opus Deo complacitum perpetrare possit extraneus à patientia for it is so set ouer the affaires of God that without it no spirituall worke acceptable to God can be done no prayer to God yea no pietie no duty of loue to man can be discharged without patience Moreouer Patience mittigates euils and maketh heauy and difficult crosses easie to be born Patientia enim fit vt homo liberetur à malo non exteriore alieno sed intimo ac suo where as Impatience were it neuer so great reâ—…ieues not men of the euils that offend them but rather encreaseth it so that by it small crosses become greater and heauier to be borne Impatientes dum mala patinolunt non efficiunt vt malis eruantur sed vt mala grauior a patiantur Therefore Sathan seekes by many meanes to bereaue vs of so great a good but specially by these three iniuries in our person in our goods and in our name Hoc velu titriplici ariete pulsatur Patientia nostra against these three therefore are we to confirme our selues As for the afflictions of our persons if they come mediately vpon vs by men we are to remember that which our Sauiour said to Pilate Thou couldest haue no power ouer me at all if it were not giuen thee from aboue and that which Dauid spake to Abishai concerning Shimei that cursed him Suffer him for the Lord hath bidden him it may be that the Lord will looke on mine afflictions and do me good for his cursing this day And againe we are to remember that of the Apostle we wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against principalities and powers c. that is that it is not so much men clothed with flesh and bloud that fights against vs as Sathan that worketh in them nihil enim aliud sunt omnes impij quam membra Diaboli for what els are the wicked but members of Sathan moued by him and therefore not them but him wee are to account our enemie If so wee doe we will neuer fight against the wicked of the world with their owne weapons to render euill for euill or rebuke for rebuke for if they prouoke vs to euill and we in our impatience be prouoked by them what difference is there between vs but that they sinned first and we sinned next nihil enim inter prouocantem prouocatum interest nisi quod ille prior in malesicio deprehenditur ille posterior As rauening and deuouring beasts cannot hurt vs vnlesse they finde vs in their way so cannot the wicked of the world harme vs if we goe not their way that is if we doe not as they do but keepe a way different from theirs that is as our Sauiour commands vs Pray for them when they persecute vs otherwise it is certaine that if any man will fight against Sathan with sathans armor hee shall suffer a shamefull ouerthrow at his hands He that cannot suffer a small crosse is there any hope hee will sustaine a greater if the distemperate breath of another mans mouth put thee out of patience how wilt thou for Christs sake resist to the bloud Absit à seruo Christi tale inquinamentum vt Patientia maioribus praeparata rebus in minimis excidat It is true that as a good conscience is necessarie for our selues to approue vs to God so our good name is necessary for others that we may be the more able to edifie them mihi quidem sufficit conscientia mea vobis autem necessaria est fama mea my conscience said Augustine is sufficient for mee but my good name is necessary for you And to this same purpose said Philo Non est negligenda bona fama res tum ad custodiam tum ad dignitatem vitae vtilissima But where neither a good conscience within nor a good conuersation without can preserue our good name we must with Patience endure it Neuer one liued in the world so holy and without spot as Iesus Christ and yet what contradiction did he sustaine of sinners If they called the Maister of the house Beelzebub what will they doe to the seruants no innocency can guard thee against the slanderous tongues of the wicked This is the very worke of the Diuell who was a lyar from the beginning vt seruos Dei mendacio laceret falcis opinionibus gloriosum nomen infamet vt qui conscientiae suae luce clarescunt alienis rumoribus sordidentur to rend the seruants of God with lyes and staine them in their name whom hee knowes honourable in their good conscience It is a great praise so to liue that others be compelled to commend thee but great pusillanimitie to stand in neede of another mans praise As the Moone that borrowes her light from the Sunne is vnder a continuall change so the minde which is made vp and downe by the breath of other men can neuer be stable As a true Christian is not puft vp when he is esteemed of others to be better then he knowes he is himselfe so is he not casten downe when he
is esteemed to be worse then indeed he is As a rich man will laugh if he be called poore because he knowes it is false so a Christian when he is charged with euils whereof he knowes he is not guiltie Bene sibi conscius non debet falsis moueri nec aestimare plus ponderis in alieno esse conuitio quam in suo testimonio Now as for those troubles which come immediately from God wee ought so much the more patiently to beare them whether they be in our bodies or our goods shall wee receiue good things from him and not receiue euill Moreouer we haue had fathers of our bodies who haue corrected vs at their pleasure and we haue beene subiect to them how much more should wee be subiect to the father of Spirits who alway corrects vs for our profit Yea seeing vnder hope of health wee can be content that Phisitions cut and burne our bodies let vs be ashamed to murmure when the Lord chastiseth vs seeing hee doth it for no other end but that after it wee may enioy the quiet fruit of righteousnesse But how many men shall yee nowfinde professing Christ and yet like vnto those of whom Micah said in his time the best of them are bryers they thinke it religion good inough if they be quiet when none offends them but if you touch them with the smallest iniurie yee shall finde them thistles and thornes to pricke you The Censure And of this also it is manifest that all haue not the Christians disposition who now vsurpe the Christian name CHAPTER XIII Of his Anger The Lords Command BE not of an hasty spirit to be angry for Anger rests in the bosome of fooles Eccles 7. 11. Whosoeuer is angry with his brother vnaduisedly is culpable of Iudgement Math. 5. 22. The discretion of a man differeth his anger and it is the glory of a man to passe by an offence Prou. 19. 11. The foole is knowne by his anger but the wise couereth shame Pro. 12. 16. Cease therefore from anger and leaue off wrath Psal. 37. 8. But if ye be angry sinne not and let not the Sunne goe downe vpon your wrath Ephes. 4. 26. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obay this Command O Lord thou hast formed mee for thy selfe therefore giue mee vnderstanding that I may learne thy Commandements Poure thy Spirit vpon me from aboue and teach mee in all things to doe that which is good in thy sight Thou art gracious and righteous and teachest sinners thy way specially them that be meeke wilt thou guide in iudgement Deliuer me from wrath contention and debate which are the workes of the flesh and work in me a meeke and a quiet spirit which before thee is a thing much set be so shall I shew by good conuersation my workes in the meeknesse of wisedome to the glory of thy Name through Christ Iesus Amen The Christians Practise of this Command I Am the Lords seruant I will not forget him Esay 44. 21. but will lay vp his words in my heart that I sinne not against him Psal. 119. I will not walke after the stubbornnesse of mine heart that I should not heare the Commandements of my God Ierem. 16. 12. I will not striue but will be gentle toward all men instructing with meeknesse them that are contrary minded 2. Tim. 2. For I haue no such custome as to be contentious 1 Cor. 11. 16. but I cannot for-beare them which are euill Reuel 2. 2. I cannot suffer such as deceiue the seruants of the Lord Reuel 2. 20. saying they are Apostles and are not Reuel 2. 2. for the zeale of thine house hath eaten me and the rebukes of them that rebuked thee are fallen vpon me Psal. 69. 9. Yea my zeale hath consumed me because mine enemies haue forgotten thy word Psal. 119. 139. THE OBSERVATIONS THat same holy Spirit that descended vpon the Apostles in the similitude of â—…e descended first on the Lord Iesus in the similitude of a Doue to teach vs that in some things we should be patient and meeke in others inflamed with an holy Anger and that both the one and the other are the effects of Gods Spirit In our owne particulars we should be patient in the cause of God wee should be zealous after the example of Moses who was the meekest man vpon the face of the earth but wonderfull angry when he saw God dishonoured by Idolatry hee spared not to put to the edge of the sword those people whom otherwise hee loued most dearely But alas our corruption carries vs a contrary way making vs fierie beyond measure in reuenging our owne wrongs but wondrous cold in pleading the cause of God Anger is a naturall affection by which the soule of man is commoued to remedy the euill done against the will thereof by reuenge I call it a Naturall affection such as God created in Adam in the state of innocency otherwise it had not beene in our blessed Sauiour Now there are two sorts of Anger one carnall which is the worke of the flesh and forbidden another holy which is a worke of the spirit and commanded Alia est ira quam impaâ—…ientia excitat alia quam zelus format illa ex vitio haec ex virtute For the commotion of the minde is according to the mouer thereof if the Spirit of God commoue thy minde it is an holy anger raised for iust causes and tempered in ordinate measure Affectiones dona Dei sunt cum à ratione duce ac imperatore mouentur Affections are the gifts of God when they are moued by Reason as their leader and commander and in speciall Iracundia moderate spirans Zeli est armatura moderate Anger is the armour of Zeale But if the Spirit of Sathan commoue thy minde he raiseth an anger which eyther is vniust or at least so immoderate that thou neyther canst keepe vnder it reuerence toward thy God loue toward thy nighbour nor compassion toward thy selfe This carnall Anger is a raging euill Momentanea insania a momentanie madnesse said Basil compositum malum a compound euill of many euils said Nazianzen Spirituum legio a legion of many euill spirits by which the will of him who was the first murtherer of man is satisfied and many horrible euils are effected It casteth off all reuerence of God for the man this way angry doth set himselfe in the roome of God and would haue the Lord subiect to him as his seruant to execute without delay all that wrath hee wisheth for by cursed imprecations It disioyneth a man from God and makes him like to the diuell in rerum natura quid mitissimum an non Deus quaenam natura biliosa est ea quae hominem peremit De his tibi quamvis partem elige nam vtramque non licet habere the
Sathan but pittie the weake creature who is abused by him to offend thee In the third roome wee haue a prescribed remedie against carnall Anger if it ouer-take vs Let not the Sunne goe downe vpon thy wrath There are some men slow to Anger but if once they conceiue it they cannot easily be pacified others are both hastily angry and stubborne in continuance in it the third sort are slow to anger and ready to forgiue and these are the best ad tranquillitatus bonum plus appropinquant for they come neerest the nature of God It is an euill thing to conceiue this carnall Anger but it is farre worse to keepe it such is our corruption receiued from the first Adam that wee cannot hold Anger out of our heart but such is the obedience wee owe to the second Adam that wee should not let it lodge in our hearts after the setting of the Sunne As Bryers and thornes which pricke euery hand that doth handle them are the cursed fruit of the earth so are these spightfull men whom if thou dost stirre neuer so lightly they pricke thee with bitter speeches yea oftentimes though thou dost not stirre them they sting thee in secret with their backbitings manifested by their fruits to be of the cursed race of Caine the first murtherer of his Brother But the Children of God are full of gentlenesse loue and meeknesse they will not pricke thee no when thou dost handle them roughly by the words of sobernesse and truth they endeuour to make euill men better rendring good euen to those that haue offended them The Censure But now the want of this holy disposition proueth that all are not Christians indeed who now vsurpe the Christian name THE THIRD PART WHEREIN IS DISCRIBED THE DISPOSITION OF HIS OVTWARD MAN CHAPTER I. Of his Outward Man The Lords Command I Beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable to God which is your reasonable seruing of God Rom. 12. 1. And suffer not sinne to raigne in your mortall bodies that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof Neither giue your members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse to sinne but giue your selues to God and your members as weapons of righteousnesse to God Rom. 6. 12. The night is past the day is at hand cast away the workes of darknesse and let vs put on the armour of light so that we may walke honestly as in the day not in gluttonie or drunkennesse or chambring and wantonnesse nor in strife and enuie but put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ and take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13. 12. Let your conuersation be such as becommeth the Gospell Phil. 1. 27. that yee may walke worthy of God who hath called you to his heauenly kingdome and glory 1 Thes. 2. 12. for the grace of God which bringeth saluation to men hath appeared vnto vs and teacheth vs to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world Tit. 2. 11. Therefore as obedient Children fashion not your selues to the former lusts of your ignorance but as he who hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conuersation 1 Pet. 1. 14. Cleanse your selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit and grow vp vnto full holinesse in the feare of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. hauing an honest conuersation that they who speake euill of you as of euill doers by your good workes which they shall see may glorifie God The Christians Prayer for Grace to obay this Command SHew the light of thy countenance O Lord vpon thy seruant and teach me thy Statutes that I may walk worthy of thy calling blamelesse and pure as thy Sonne without rebuke in the middest of this noughty and crooked generation and may shine among them as a light in the world To this effect I beseech thee good Lord to performe thy worke toward me thy mercy endureth for euer therefore forsake not the worke of thine hands but fulfill in mee the good pleasure of thy goodnesse and the worke of Faith with power that the Name of my Lord Iesus may be glorified in mee and I in him according to the grace of thee my God and of the Lord Iesus Christ. Amen The Christians Practise of this Command VVHen I was in the flesh the motions of sinne which were by the Law had force in my members to bring forth fruit vnto death but now I am deliuered from the Law being dead vnto it whereof I was holden that I should serue God in newnesse of spirit Rom. 7. 5. God therefore be thanked that albeit I was once the seruant of sin yet now I haue obeyed from the heart the forme of doctrine wherevnto I was deliuered and so being now made free from sinne I am become the seruant of righteousnesse Rom. 6 17. and doe bring forth fruit in holinesse ver 22. For I know that my body is the Temple of God and that the holy spirit of God dwelleth therein 1 Cor. 3. 16 and I know that I am not mine owne but bought with a price 1 Cor. 6. therefore doe I beat downe my body by discipline and studie by all means to glorifie God both in body and spirit 1 Cor. 6. THE OBSERVATIONS HItherto wee haue spoken of the new disposition of the inward man in the Christian it remaineth that now wee speake of his outward Man In regeneration first the soule is renued then the body restored Sinne began in the soule and from it shame and death came vpon the bodie Grace againe first reformes the soule and then proceeds to reforme and restore the body for as the inward Man is so is the outward The regeneration of the body hath in it two things first a restitution of it to originall dignitie and glorie and greater this shall be done in the resurrection secondly a sanctification of all the members thereof whereby they are made weapons of righteousnesse and this is presently done by grace For as by grace the Christian is renued in the spirit of his minde so also in all his externall conuersation As those holy Angels that stand about the throne of God are full of eyes within and without so all the Saints of God foris se intus circumspiciunt within them they haue light and holinesse by which they looke to their Iudge euer seeking to please him without them also light and holinesse by which they looke to their brethren euer labouring to giue good example to them Fidelem decet vndique esse manifestum a godly man should be manifested and knowne by all the parts of his life ab incessu aspectu a vesâ—…e a voce both from his vestment and his voice from his looking and his walking Vox enim quidam