SEVEN TREATISES CONTAINING SVCH DIRECTION AS IS GATHERED OVT OF THE HOLIE SCRIPTVRES leading and guiding to true happines both in this life and in the life to come and may be called the practise of Christianitie PROFITABLE FOR ALL SVCH AS HEARTILY DESIRE THE SAME IN THE WHICH more particularly true Christians may learne how to leade a godly and comfortable life euery day PENNED BY RICHARD ROGERS PREACHER OF the word of God at Wethersfield in Essex DEVT. 33. vers 12. The beloued of the Lord shall dwell in safetie with him who protecteth him all the day long PSAL. 84. vers 10. One day in thy Courts is better then a thousand other where DEVS IMPERAT ASTRIS RD AT LONDON Imprinted by FELIX KYNGSTON for THOMAS MAN and ROBERT DEXTER and are to be sold at the brasen Serpent in Pauls Churchyard 1603. TO THE RIGHT VERTVOVS HIGH AND MIGHTIE PRINCE King IAMES our dread Soueraigne by the grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland defender of the faith c. long life happie daies and most prosperous raigne MOst gracious and dread Soueraigne Lord I haue not presumed vpon this dedication as being ouertaken with the forgetfulnes either of your Maiesties greatnes or mine owne pouertie For I confesse that if comparison were made that way I might worthily be blamed of presumption But the truth is that I laid in balance your mind rather then your Maiestie and the argument rather then my penning of it In this I confesse I presumed and I trust without desert of blame that as you haue preferred godlines before glorie in the middest of this glorie which God hath brought you vnto so you will preferre a treatise of godlines thus simply furnished before a glorious stile Which is not seldome repugnant to the simplicitie of holie things And yet my meaning is to confesse to your Maiestie that this argument deserued both a more learned and more gracious penne then mine To which I would with al my heart haue giuen place if I had either seene before me or heard behinde me the footsteps of any tending that way that I goe though I confesse there are some to bee seene trauailing in waies neere adioyning to this Concerning your Maiestie I am perswaded that you repose your greatest greatnes in the communion of Saints and not in your seuered calling which is transitorie and therefore will account your selfe honoured by the augmentation of grace and the furtherance of true holines Your Maiesties owne affaires must be permitted to inioy their opportunities and your godly wisedome to inioy your choice in this varietie of reading But I doubt not but your godly heart will perswade you to receiue a booke of this kinde with a gracious hand though it were to no other end but to begin to Gods people in the entertaining of any true hearted motiue vnto holines And this to say the truth is that wherein I haue made bold to vse your gracious and renowmed name to aduantage my intent of furthering the people committed to your charge in their passage to saluation Let it therefore I most humblie supplicate please your Maiestie to giue allowance to my endeuour and drift and to pardon my slips for my meaning hath been to seeke the honour of God in this work and to borrow helpe in this Dedication of the grace he hath giuen you for such purposes Thus reioycing with the rest of Gods people for the comfort wherewith the Churches heart is comforted by you and desiring the lineall descent of these kingdomes to your Maiesties royall posteritie till Iesus Christ with his glorious comming obscure all the glorie of the world I beseech the holie Ghost to be with your spirit and keepe your Maiestie in Christ vnto the end Your Maiesties most humble subiect RICHARD ROGERS Minister of the Gospell TO THE CHRISTIAN READER THe children of this world are in their generation wiser then the children of light The truth hereof may appeare in the Papists who discerning that their bookes of Controuersies stuffed with manifold vntruths fallacians and corruptions were not able to gaine sufficiently though small gaine be too great for such merchants to their Babylonish kingdome haue set themselues and others on worke being all set on worke of Hell to penne certaine treatises tending to insnare and intangle the minds of ignorant and simple Christians in the corrupt and filthie puddle of Popish deuotion In this respect I perswade my selfe it is come to passe not without the gracious prouidence of God that the author hereof hath been incouraged in himselfe and by others to write these Christian directions as a counterpoyson to all such inchauntments of Papists who would by these meanes beare men in hand that al true deuotion dwelt amongst them and were inclosed and tyed to their Cels and Cloysters In which vncleane cages it is vnpossible for any true spirituall and holy meditations to haue their abiding for as much as euen the very mindes and consciences of such vncleane birds are defiled with damnable errors and Idolatries Wherefore I would earnestly aduise and heartely intreate thee Christian Reader to imbrace this booke wherein thou shalt finde good precepts and holy directions not deliuered by rote as from a Parrat out of the bookes and writings of other men but confirmed by the singular experience of one who hath long laboured the conuersion and confirmation of many other but especially the mortification and quickning of his owne soule and conscience one whom indeed I haue euer esteemed another Greenham and herein more happie then he because he hath liued to penne and peruse his owne labours and may yet liue by the mercie of God to correct and amend whatsoeuer slip of his penne for in a long worke one may happily take a nap two or three shall be shewed vnto him Reade it therefore beloued Christian and that with diligence and thou shalt finde I doubt not more true light and direction to a true deuout and holy life then in all the Resolutions of the Iesuiticall Father Parsons though neuer so refined as a brick newly washed or meditations of Frier Granatensis or any Popish Directories whatsoeuer And so I commend thee and all thy holy labours in this and all other good bookes especially in the booke of bookes I meane the holy Bible to the rich and mercifull blessing of God our Father in Iesus Christ Blackfriers London this 26. of May 1603. Thine in the Lord STEPH EGERTON TO THE CHRISTIAN READER WHat be the priuiledges and high fauours of God Almightie wherwith he hath preferred this age and in speciall our nation aboue all before vs since the daies of the holie Apostles needeth more meditation to moue our selues to thankfulnes thē proof to cōuince our aduersaries who though they should gainsay it shall gnash their teeth and pine away in griefe to behold it Among all I may say with the Prophet and the Apostle this is chiefe that God hath so
like of the place of a sonne But he that could bring him tidings of righteousnes that is a messenger sent of God to tell him that God will be mercifull to his offences and thinke vpon his sinnes no more this should be vnto him an odde man and one of a thousand Then to heare that Iesus Christ hath vanquished sinne death and the diuell who had power ouer him and brought to light immortalitie and life to him and hath giuen him perfect righteousnes to couer his shame and to make him comely and well fauoured in the sight of God and that hereby he is fully reconciled to him againe all the former disgrace anguish of minde and deadly thraldome abandoned what thinke we can be more welcome Is it to be thought that a man being in this case before mentioned filled with miserie from top to the toe not knowing where to hide himselfe not seeing how to go vnder the burthen of his griefe would make no reckoning of this message as if a man thirsting almost to death should refuse to drinke or one at the place of execution should reiect his pardon Among other thoughts this is not the least profitable which God enableth him to fasten vpon that laying as it were his estate in a paire of ballance he seeth that there is no hope of mercie but certaine condemnation by lying still in the estate wherin he hath liued and that he cannot appeare before Gods iudgement seate in it now on the otherside he considering that God calling sinners to repentance giuing his son to redeeme euen great offenders that it may be as the King of Niniueh said he will haue mercie vpon him so that there is some hope by suing and seeking in humility remorse vnto God thus the Lord still bringeth him on And whereas some other in this case hasteth out of his sorrow if by any meanes he may either break through it before it hath humbled him or wrought any such effect as to long after a remedy deliuerance or els ouercome of it yet the soule of the poore sinner whom God meaneth to saue being meekned humbled waiteth till God doth further stay and vphold it with continued sighs desires that the bright beames of his fauour through Christ might shine vpon him he desiring aboue al things to be vnburthened of this woe pardon of his sins and yet hath no power perhaps to pray for that which his soule most feruently desireth After this and such like manner as hath bin said is his consultation resolution and this is his mind thus he deliberateth and casteth with himself for though he in this case is not able to expresse his meaning yet if he could vtter that which he conceiueth he would say that these are his very thoughts and considerations with himselfe In which estate of his although I affirme not that he is able to applie the remedie to himselfe yet this generall hope which hee hath found by the promises that God is kind and mercifull to broken hearted sinners doth cause him to stay himself that he may perhaps be so to him and resolueth vnfainedly and with full purpose to goe forward in seeking forgiuenes of his sinnes at Gods hands this way he will take if he perisheth he perisheth yet some hope he hath he resoluing with himselfe that he will neuer walke in his former deadly estate but that he will confesse and lay foorth his long continued wickednes vnto the Lord though it be against himselfe neither will he spare himselfe wherein he hath most pleased his owne heart for why he seeth what and how vaine the desires of it be and therefore is resolute neuer to turne to them any more yet he being well instructed maketh not this purpose of forsaking sinne any meanes of his iustification but in detestation of his former wickednes is moued and drawne by God so to doe This resoluing therefore is one steppe or degree by which he passeth vnto the fuller certaintie of that happines which he seeketh and he hath receiued a great measure of grace and fauour when he hath attained to it therfore Sathan who knoweth this holdeth men by many strong cords from it that although they bee long about it yet as faint chapmen who are bidding still for the ware which they would haue but yet buy it not euen so doe they For when they haue been well counselled to make haste in seeking the Lord as that which is best of all for them yet profit or pleasure friendship or feare holdeth them backe who although in their heate and haste being sore driuen by sicknes tempests feare of death or the like occasions they doe rashly purpose and protest that they will neuer be the men which they haue been yet doe but how for a day as it were like the bulrush with the wind and therefore they are farre from the truth of it But he of whom I here speake who hath so neerely and deeply looked into his estate which the other haue not done he I say cannot be drawne backe to his former loosenes and licentiousnes nor holden and kept in it any longer by any torture because he well knoweth that none is like terrible to it Now if it be asked what he is the better for his resoluing to the end it may more cleerely appeare I answere that when this is wrought in him his heart is mollified humbled and softned as Pauls was who after hee saw that God set himselfe against his going to Damascus to persecute his Saints and threw him down on the ground said Lord what wilt thou haue me to doe And when he is brought to this point his heart is both full of relenting and sorrow for displeasing God though not in such sort as afterward it shall be which from another not hauing thus resolued is farre off and is now an heart of flesh not of stone in which the sauing grace of God being offered may be planted and receiued And all this is wrought in him by the marueilous and secret operation of Gods holy spirit who as he beginneth and finisheth the whole worke of his receiuing Christ so doth he the middle part of the same for it is not in any other thus to bow and bend mans heart Neither doth Gods spirit that onely as with an hammer breaking and brusing the clods of it but also doth leade him further The fift worke they confesse and aske pardon FOr with these holie affections in this poore sinner there is wrought an encouragement and some more bold accesse to God by the same spirit to confesse his sinnes to God euen as particularly as he can especially those in which he hath taken most pleasure and which haue most preuailed in him and to say with the prodigall child I will goe vnto my father and confesse father I haue sinned against heauen and thee c. how much soeuer it goeth against him and as he confesseth his sin
so he powreth out earnest praiers to him for the pardon of thē through the mediation of Christ All which howsoeuer they seeme to him to be no great matters who is not as yet a competent and sufficient iudge in this case yet the Scripture commendeth them to be great euen the fruite of some little and weake faith and him who obtaineth them to be in especiall fauour with God as in the forenamed parable is most liuely to be seene where the father resembling God is said to haue met his lost sonne before he came at him and to haue imbraced and kissed him after that hee was resolued in himselfe to goe and seeke to him for fauour and pardon and to acknowledge his faults vnto him c. Now was there any thing thinke we in the naturall father which is not much more in the father of mercie who exceedeth all the fathers of the earth in kindnes and compassion Thus the Lord by his holy spirit worketh in the hearts of his children and with all these forementioned graces which he giueth them he draweth them to prise and value this benefit of redemption so highly as the wise Merchant doth the field wherein the pearle is hidden selling all to buy it so doe they I say set light by all things in comparison of this and are caried with this mind that they will forsake whatsoeuer may hinder for the obtaining of it The sixt worke they forsake all for it and highly prize it BVt what then some perhaps will say do you affirme that these things can do a man any good without faith for of this nothing hath yet bin said and doe you affirme a man to be iustified for such an one is he who is in fauour with God hauing no faith or that any thing is accepted of God which he doth as his desire to bee forgiuen his hungring after it his humiliation accesse to God in prayer and confession of sinnes all these being without faith or if not so do ye then say that we our selues must thus prepare our selues to receiue faith but that is to attribute free will vnto man being yet in the estate of miserie and bondage and vnrenewed as being yet without faith To the first I say that although none of these be faith yet I say that they are not without it as I will more fully shew afterward neither that God is pleased with any man neither he himselfe is iustified but only by it but wee cannot discerne or set downe the very moment when faith is wrought but when the other forenamed graces of God are effectuallie wrought in the heart then is this of faith wrought also by the same spirit neither can hee that hath receiued this faith into his heart so certainly and easily iudge of it as of those other gifts which accompanie it To the latter obiection I answere that I am farre from ascribing to man vnrenewed any inherent goodnes whereby he may prepare himselfe to receiue faith he is I say destitute of all goodnes in his will and of power to doe good such graces are giuen him of God as was said before For God findeth all men in their filthines and gore bloud as the Prophet Ezechiel speaketh and she whom he vouchsafeth to make his beloued spouse I meane his Church he raiseth out of the dust washeth and clenseth her from her filthines wherein hee found her and then taketh her to him to delight in as his deare and onely spouse It is the Lord therefore which is the author and finisher of his faith who shall be saued and he as he hath abased him and filled his heart with sorrowes for the same purpose so it is he that soketh it by little and little and seasoneth it in time with faith hope and comfort This is his only worke And although it be hard to determine whē faith is wrought as I haue said and how long dreadfull feare continueth yet by meanes of the knowledge of his miserie and redemption God worketh them both in his heart and that when and in what manner it seemeth best to his wisedome so that it may be seene that it is so And thus I hauing answered these two obiectiōs I wil now proceed morefully to shew how he guideth bringeth home this lost sheep as I had in som sort proceeded to do before I was occasioned to digresse a while by reason of the two former questions now answered To proceede therefore with this person whom the Lord wil saue when he hath wrought thus farre in him earnestly to desire the remedie against his miserie he leaueth him not there as many through ignorance wāt of wise building vp are held longer at this stay and although not lying in vtter vnbeleefe yet not bold to applie Gods promise to their soules euen as there are many who haue had compunction of heart that neuer goe further but waueringly are off and on and whē the desire is not accomplished the heart fainteth and they for all their desire seeing it vanisheth away is not constant fall away altogether But God goeth further with this person as I haue said For he hauing now with the skilfull merchant weighed the price of this pearle namely to haue Christ to become his hath it in such estimation that he counteth meanely of all things in comparison of this and in good aduisednes selleth all that he hath to buy it But what hath he you will aske of his owne to purchase or come into the possession of it As for his goods and riches whatsoeuer he inioyeth they are not his owne but an others and borrowed yet many thousand poore soules which shal be saued haue little or no wealth at all but this precious pearle is not bought with money What hath he then ye say to procure it verily he hath nothing but an interest and hold in sinfull pleasures and worldly lusts But alas some man will say what doe ye naming of them as things any thing worth But I say againe I must mention that which he hath of his owne and that is his sinne which though euery reasonable man will say that it is not worth the mentioning yet it was sometime more precious to him then siluer and in account aboue the purest gold and therefore to renounce it is no easie nor small matter And yet so well it falleth out for him there is no other thing required of him to the attaining of the forementioned pearle then the casting away and the forsaking of that his sinne For so the Lord plainely testifieth he that denyeth himselfe he shall be my disciple and whosoeuer forsaketh any thing that is which God condemneth he shall haue an hundreth fold more then he forgoeth so bountifull a rewarder is the Lord of all that seeke him and afterward eternall life Therefore when this silly sinner vnderstandeth and giueth credit vnto it as deare and pleasant as his sinnes were vnto
doe For when he saw that God gaue him twelue moneths to repent of his pride for the which his dreame told him his kingdome should depart from him he forgot his dreame like a dreame and did not repent but at the twelue moneths end began a fresh to increase his pride crowing and boasting of his wealth and honour thus Is not this great Babel which I haue built for the house of my kingdome by the might of my power and for the honour of my maiestie Wherby we see that he was more desirous to know what his dreame meant then to bee warned by it Euen so these professors which I speake of are very carefull to heare the glad tidings of the Gospell preached and cannot bee withdrawne or disswaded from it but to lay their estate with it and to take this warning by it that they will receiue the print of it vpon their hearts and liues and bee cast into the mould of it that I say they cannot be brought vnto for then they should finde it to be the power of saluation to them for the which end it is preached But what is the cause that they going so farre before many other who are professors also cannot be brought to goe beyond them in this as well and herein to be equall to the best louers of the Gospell I meane in prouing and examining whether Christ be in them without they be reprobates and whether they haue not the spirit of God without which they be none of his The maine cause is this Their hearts are not vpright nor they will not deale plainly with the Lord. They cannot say in truth Search me O Lord and see if there be any vnrighteousnes in me which I doe hide within me and it shall be remoued out of thy sight Nay it is certaine if they might come to triall that they doe keepe some sinne as Iob saith euen as a child doth sugar vnder the palate Sundrie faults I graunt such will refraine both themselues and driue them out of their families but yet for all that they will not bee brought to this to make profession that they will be willing to be reformed in what part of their life soeuer they may bee iustly chalenged for then they should not blemish their religion as the best of that sort doe Neither doe they set their priuiledges which they haue by the Gospell before all other things alwaies they thinke it ouer strict that they should be tied so narrowly and that it is neither beseeming wisedome credit ciuilitie policie grauitie or such place and calling as some of them may bee in to shew what is in them though they be zealous they say but too base a thing for them when yet the Scripture saith I beleeue and therefore I haue spoke And againe The zeale of thine house hath consumed me And againe if this be to bee vile and base I will yet be more vile for the Lords sake that hath honoured me Yea and they thinke it is more then needeth that all their delight should be in the Saints which are on the earth and such as excell in vertue and that they should be companions with such as feare God when yet the communion of Saints is more pleasant and sweete then was Aarons ointment and more fruitfull then mount Hermon was with the dew and Sion and her vallies about her with the siluer droppes that fell vpon them Yea for the preciousnes thereof the Church spake thus of it If I preferre not Ierusalem that is the welfare of Gods people before all ioy that I haue on earth beside then let me lose my best delight To returne they of whom I speake though in their owne opinion and in the iudgement of some others they be in right good state to Godward yet God whose thoughts are not as mans and the truth which must giue good report of them as well as men iudgeth and determineth of them farre otherwise if that be the best that can be said of their faith and repentance which I haue set downe For the elect and deare children of God doe farre otherwise They hauing found the pearle sell all that they haue to buy it though they are occupied about many things yet that one euen the word of God is chiefe with them Their loue of it is strong as ielousie that admitteth no recompence and as death that cannot be resisted They cast not away their confidence if they once grow to see what recompence of reward it hath nor will not suffer any to take their crowne from them euen their honour that they haue in being the Lords sonnes and daughters They couet spirituall things they hunger and thirst after righteousnes they with good and honest hearts receiue the word and bring foorth fruite in due season They if they haue offended their most louing father cannot be quiet till they returne and come home againe and say wee haue sinned And if they be in worse estate then this they like it not vnlesse it be when they are fallen asleepe and haue forgotten themselues And yet what doe they in all this more then they ought feeling for all this their wants and burdens of which they complaine and crie out And whereas they are mocked and euill spoken of for this that they doe thus carrie themselues in the loue of heauenly things and in the hope of immortalitie farre more feruently then they who are not intitled to any such thing it is hard to say whether they who offer them this iniurie doe most offend in hindring the honour of God thereby or their neighbours welfare or their owne saluation For God commaunds that wee should labour rather for the foode that abideth to eternall life then for that which perisheth And what doe we offend then who doe so and is it not our gaine and benefit if we doe so Therefore let men for shame and feare of iust damnation desist from such madnes But to returne to them to whom I speake and to conclude in a sentence or two to them and such as they are I say therfore giue no rest to your selues till you can prooue that you be in the estate of saluation You haue many waies set downe by which you may doe it euen in this treatise in other godly mens labours and especially in the Scriptures Lose not all your labour which you haue bestowed in seeking to be saued I meane your reading hearing of Sermons praying and confessing your sinnes it is lost if you attaine not that which you seeke You are not farre from it a little more humilitie and truth of heart will bring you further into the estate of happines then that ye can fall any more from it Be neuer satisfied till ye haue more then an vnrepentant person can haue You count it no toyle to sweate in hay and haruest This is another manner of substance if ye once had part in it
thereon in such wise that he dares ieopard his soule vpon the truth and doctrine of them euen as he is to looke for saluation only by our Lord Iesus Christ euer counting that for sinne which shall be found to iarre or iangle with the same either in his heart or life But though all who haue hope to be saued should doe this yet it is manifest they doe not They make not conscience of many sinnes they looke not to many promises they feare not many threats all which doe much testifie against them that they be not so well fenced as they might be and by meanes hereof they holde euen the promise of saluation it selfe more weakely And this commeth to passe the more commonly that they be no better stablished and rooted in the truth to beleeue it because these things as they be worthiest and most excellent so they be not plainely soundly and thoroughly beaten into the people and that againe and againe till they that are willing haue them for their owne And another cause is for that the people who haue some taste of this doctrine namely how they should ioyne good life with their faith take not paine when they haue been well taught them to call them to minde and digest them onely they haue pieces and fragments of many good points but rarely it shall be found that one Christian among many groweth to see this which I now speake of by teaching much lesse hath it in vse and practise for his owne that is to giue credit to one part of the word as well as to another and not euery one to take that which liketh him And therefore when they haue some work of true faith in them yet they see not how to set vpon repentance and a godly life how to begin and how to proceede therein but are off and on now forward then backward and scarcely at any time setled and staied the which although it be so in great part through their owne weaknes yet is it also in respect of their ignorance I speake of the better sort of people and such as haue receiued the first fruites of the spirit Whereas if they were perswaded that they ought to make conscience of all sound doctrine that they heare and to giue assent to euery part of the word of God and submit themselues thereto promises threats and commandements they should hold more firmely the perswasion of their saluation and also be better prepared how to flie euill and how to doe dutie and how to trust God in all kindes of his promises Therefore it is said to the Hebrues To vs was the Gospell preached as also vnto them but the word that they heard profited not them because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it Againe Without faith it is impossible to please God With the which agreeth that which is written by S. Paul to the Romanes Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne that is whatsoeuer we doe not being perswaded in our consciences that we please God in doing of it we sinne against him Now then when our iudgements be not setled in this doctrine and truth and consequently we follow no such rule in our actions must wee not needes wander vp and downe the more vnprofitably and heauily or when we be at the best must we not needs be doubtfull and vncertaine whether wee please God or no whereas our chiefe care should be least we doe any thing which might crase or cracke our faith especially when it is tender and weake and like the bruised reede which is easily broken Therefore if any beleeue to be saued let them beleeue also that they shall be sanctified for with one and the same faith we beleeue both and that they shall receiue grace from God to bring foorth fruites of amendment of life and that they shall be made able by him through the hearing of the holie Scriptures to cast off their old conuersation This faith much auaileth to the furthering of the deare children of God in a godly course euen at their first comming vnto God as it doth alwaies after to liue by it And although God by the same spirit regenerateth them by the which he assureth them of their adoption yet is it wrought in them much more hardly and in greater feare when they doe not first know and be perswaded in their iudgements that it shall be so And though it can be but weake in any at their first conuersion to God yet shall they sooner wade through their doubts and grow out of their feare if they haue this faith as a foundation to vphold them and incourage them to goe about it But otherwise they shall faint and feare oft times and be without hope nothing is more cleere then this if we obserue it in weake christians And thus must they be perswaded also concerning all blessing good successe deliuerance out of troubles or patience and meekenes to beare them as well as to beleeue the forgiuenes of sinnes and finally whatsoeuer God saith in his word either the forbidding of any sinne or the requiring of any dutie they are bound to beleeue it as the truth of God to depend vpon it and to be built vpon it and to trust him vpon his bare word and to suffer themselues to be led by it and that because it is his word hauing in them alwaies a setled purpose to doe so and this is called by the Apostle the obedience of faith For they must be resolued of this that to whom God giues Christ to them also he giues all things needfull for this life and the life to come in and by Christ And thus Noah did not only beleeue that he was made heire of righteousnesse but also that he and certaine of his household should be saued in the flood and Abraham likewise beleeued not only that he was iustified but also went to a place which he knew not only seeing God commaunded and abode in the land of promise as in a strange countrey and beleeued that he should haue a sonne in his olde age And they who beleeued among the Israelites in the Sauiour which was to come of whom Moses though darkely had taught before the same beleeued other promises as that the walles of Iericho should fall downe after they had bin compassed about seuen daies Many other such examples who shewed themselues not only to beleeue the promise of forgiuenes of sinnes and of eternall life but also other temporall promises yea and precepts also and threats which God had set downe in his word very profitable for vs to this purpose many such I say both thoroughout the Scriptures and namely in that eleuenth chapter to the Hebrues are set downe vnto vs. And this generall faith so called for that it giueth assent and credit to the word of God in the elect as well to one part as to another with an honest heart ready to
obey it euen this faith I say must be planted in them as well as faith to be saued because by it as well as by this Gods people must liue afterwards and be vpholden And this doctrine because it is occupied about the promises of this life and the commandements of God which are to guide vs to full sanctification here I did not therefore ioyne it with my discourse of faith in the former treatise but referred it to this place as the fittest where I teach how to liue godly to the attaining whereof the beleeuing that I haue spoken of is a speciall helpe and furtherance And so I wish the christian reader to marke well that which I say about this matter for it is one of the hardest points in all christianitie to practise and one of the darkest to conceiue and see into and to be rightly perswaded of and setled in and a point in deed lesse stoode vpon and taught and made cleere by Preachers themselues in their Sermons and Catechizings and yet our liuing by faith throughout our whole life which is the fruit of it is as plainely taught and brought to light in the Scriptures as any need to desire it and namely in those places to the Hebrues and the Galathians one The iust shall liue by faith the other I liue no longer but Christ in me and the life that I leade is by faith in the sonne of God As if they both should say Christ by his spirit doth draw his faithfull ones to be led and guided by the word of truth which he hath set downe to them and they desire no other life then that which there they are moued and perswaded vnto whether we meane the commaundements or promises I said that this beleeuing which I speake of is not much laide open in publike teaching but only this which is the effect of it that we ought to be obedient to the word of God and therefore it is that the forwarder sort of good hearers except some few who haue been throughly made acquainted with it and exercised in it by long experience doe little see into it namely that they may vndoubtedly be perswaded that God will make them able to obey his will as they are fit to reach vnto it and that he hath promised if they once come to know that they are beloued of him that he will afterwards be with them to quicken their will and draw their affections and strengthen them to doe their duties as it was said by the Angell to Mary Haile thou that art freely beloued the Lord is with thee Many of Gods deare children when they are somewhat staied about the assurance of their saluation after that they haue been long labouring about it and then come to heare that they must leade new liues many of them I say are willing to goe about it but they are much discouraged because they see not how they shall be able And least any should obiect that Paul himselfe was so troubled who said To will is present with me but I finde no meanes to performe that which is good I answere he complained not of that which I doe that is that he had no hope in God nor no promise of strength from him to performe for he said the contrarie in sundry places I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ which strengtheneth me And againe I liue no longer but Christ in me but he complained that for all the hope of helpe that he had yet the rebellion of his flesh and nature that was vnreformed did mightily resist him And this hinderance he had and we all shall haue while we liue But what is that to this that besides this rebellion of the old man they haue this also to hinder them that they cannot tell whether they shall haue strength to make them able or no nor whether God haue giuen them any promise that their burthen shall be made light and that Christ himselfe will beare the greatest part of it for them that so it may be made easie This it is that killeth the heart of right good christians when they are ignorant of it and when they be not well grounded in it and throughly perswaded of it that God will make them able and fit for so great a worke as the leading of a godly life is euen like the burthen of the Israelites who were inioyned their taske of bricke that they had made in times past which worke was hard enough and yet themselues to seeke and prouide their strawe This I am sure hath troubled many who yet were willing and readie to doe any duties required of them and hath been the cause why they haue gone about the seuerall actions of their life the bearing of their trouble and the offering vp of their prayers the more deadly and vncheerefullie and therefore the more aukely and wearisomely And for the benefit of many good soules I will say that which hath been acknowledged vnto me by sundrie well approued christians when I haue in conference set downe plainelie to them the point which now I write of namely how necessarie it is to beleeue in generall whatsoeuer other promises or precepts in the word of God as well as the promises of saluation by Christ Oh haue many said if wee could haue holpe vp our selues out of distrust feare and vncomfortable dumpes by applying the promises of God concerning grace necessarie for vs outward deliuerance from daungers and good successe in our lawfull dealings of this life wee might with much ease and peace haue staied vp our selues when for want therof we were sore plunged and almost fainted and with halfe the toyle which wee vsed for it wee might haue vpholden our selues in hope with comfort For many houres yea and sometime daies wee haue beate our braines and reasoned to and fro with heauie hearts how to wade thorough some afflictions and how to bee contented with some accidents which were like to fal out and come to passe and this we did because we missed of the right way of trusting to Gods prouidence that he would turne all to the best without which resolution who can quietly rest in any vncertainties here below So effectuall and good a meane it is to be led by faith and to haue it as a daily companion with vs. By which wee hauing perswasion of the greatest benefit of all other namely Christ we might the more easily haue assured our selues we see now of any smaller whether any trouble to haue a good issue out of it or any good thing as it should haue been expedient for vs to inioy it And wee may say truly wee know nothing to haue been the cause of so much and so long vnprofitablenes and heauines these many yeeres as this that we haue not been rooted and grounded in faith as we haue had a care to please God For wee being subtilly vndermined by Sathan to
it and after And according to the prouerbe like tree like fruite for a good man out of the good treasurie of his heart bringeth forth good things and the wicked man out of the ill treasurie of his heart bringeth forth euill things This heart of man therefore must be good and holy and pure it must be brought to yeeld and submit it selfe willinglie to better instruction then naturallie it hath been acquainted with that so it may bring forth fruite of amendment of life and be readilie disposed vnto euery good worke But as I sayd that men may not deceiue themselues who for the most part being ignorant about the heart and the nature and properties of it doe thinke that they may liue godlie whatsoeuer corruption doth infect the heart it shall be requisite to know it better and how all godlinesse is but fantasie or hypocrisie vnto the heart be reformed and changed We must haue it clensed and well seasoned and afterwards kept so that it may be no longer an enemie to vs or an hinderer of vs in any of our good actions but contrarilie that by the helpe of it we may dailie goe forward in well doing at least by striuing or after a repulse to returne againe For this we are to know that the heart of man before it be emptied is a dungeon of iniquitie before it be inlightened a denne of darkenes before it be clensed a puddle of filthinesse and that which Saint Iames speaketh of the tongue may much more be said of the heart that before it be tamed it is an vnruly euill If then such an heart be the guide of our life how monstrous and loathsome must that life needes be Hereby therefore it is cleere that the heart must be purged of this corruption as I haue said it must be changed from this nature and custome that when any departing from sinne should be or any dutie to God offered this may not be a pulbacke and hinderer but ready to giue consent thereunto and a furtherer thereof in subduing the corruption of the same from time to time For who seeth not that this were otherwise a toile most tedious yea a thing altogether impossible as oft as we should goe about any good dutie then to haue our heart to seeke as they say and to be set in frame as if an husbandman should alwaies be driuen to mend and sharpen his plough share when and as oft as he tilleth the ground or a Carpenter to grinde his tooles so oft as he goeth to worke but much more seeing the heart is backward and not willing and ready to any good thing yea rather rebellious against it must not all of necessitie the more preposterouslie goe forward But to proceede more particularlie to anatomize and describe the heart and in few words to say much of it we must know that it is ouerspread with vnbeleefe deceitfull vnruly loose hardned wilfull vaine idle blockish cold in goodnes and without sauour and soone wearie of it high big proude disdainefull selfe-louing vncharitable vnkind conceited impatient angry fierce enuious reuenging vnmercifull froward and tuchie churlish sullen medling worldly filthie and vncleane louing pleasure more than godlinesse vnprofitable repining earthlie greedie or couetous idolatrous superstitious vnreuerent hypocriticall disobedient to betters iudging rashlie hardlie reconciled and in a word prone to all euill is it not then hardlie tamed Which must needes be graunted when the most part of people vnder the Gospell doe either not know nor suspect this and therefore are farre from abilitie to hunt these corruptions out and they who know it doe yet loue them as their owne flesh and therefore be neuer the neerer to the purging out or remouing of them It is not without cause therefore that Salomon saith there are seuen abominations in the heart that is many And Ieremy in like manner affirmeth that the heart of man is deceitfull and deepe aboue all things who can gage or search it out Euen I the Lord saith God am the searcher or finder out of it Therefore also our Sauiour to set out the nature of the heart saith Out of the heart come euill thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefts false testimonies slaunders Must it not then needes be a filthie sinkehole out of which so vnsauorie stinkes doe arise So that it may truly be said the heart of man is euill aboue measure and in the kindes thereof in number as the sparkles that come out of the furnace and as the sand of the sea shore which is innumerâ—â—le And what should I say more The time would be too short to proceed further and I shall haue occasion in another place to speake of the same But by the way this is worthilie to be lamented that where the Scripture is so plentifull in describing and setting out of the manifold and foule defilements of the heart that men are so blind in vnderstanding them and see so little when the holy Ghost bewraieth so much And hereof it is that they feare so little danger and suspect so little hurt to be comming towards them thereby in the middest of so great and iust cause to feare and suspect both For who is merrier or more secure than he that hath most sinne in his heart to witnes against him Which being so who doth not see that such a draft-house is to be emptied and that much grace and water of life had neede to be poured in to sweeten and season it before it be fit to be imployed to good vse and to be made a temple for the holy Ghost to dwell in and a good treasurie that out of it a good man may bring forth good things Yea an admirable thing it is that it should euer be brought to good But to go forward now to shew what this purging of the heart is and how it should be purged For the first we must know that it is a renuing in holines and righteousnes by little and little of all true beleeuers they being first deliuered and freed from the tyranie of sinne and feare of damnation for a man is no sooner set at libertie from the feare of euerlasting death and the wrath of God but he is also sensiblie drawne to let goe his holde and interest in sinne which before he had and feeleth the same to receiue a deadly wound in him and the power thereof to be abated and crucified And so findeth that verified in him which the Apostle setteth downe to the Romans that is to say How can such as are dead to sinne liue any longer therein And withall he is quickened and sensiblie stirred vp to a loue and earnest desire of things holy and heauenlie euen that he may please God and being renued in the spirit of his minde doth affect and long after righteousnesse and true holines And herein consisteth this purging and changing of the heart which I now speake of and such a thing it is shewing
it selfe by an hatred of sinne and a delighting in goodnes Which no power nor will of man can effect for it is an enemie thereto And although this new change be not such as that it is able to beare down all the old corruption that raigned in him sometime and to intertaine holy things only yet it is a mightie alteration that goodnes hath any place in him in truth which was before so farre from him and sinne and euill hunted out in will and desire which alone bare sway before For there is without question the first fruite of the spirit which will afterwards bring forth an increase of the same for continuance which worke of grace and sanctification if he in whom it is wrought should not liue to shew forth any further fruite of it is an infallible marke of Gods election and loue towards him and can no more be in a reprobate then light can be in the bellie and bowels of the earth But if any will demaunde what becommeth of this grace in time because it is too cleere that it is not only dimmed but euen choaked also in many in whom it began to shine and giue light such must vnderstand that God doth strengthen and continue this grace of holines and sanctification as it is nourished esteemed and set by and as men do stir it vp in themselues by asking after it when they misse it and prouoke themselues to pray for such good affections and cannot be satisfied without them As Dauid did often sometime one way and sometime another Why art thou heauie O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within me Also praise thou the Lord O my soule and all that is within thee praise his holy name And thus and by the like means we shall cherish our sparkles which as the fire is blowne vp with bellowes shall not ordinarilie faile vs not be extinguished in vs especiallie for any long time except in time of temptation or when melancholy oppresseth vs vnlesse through our default and folly Thus vnderstand what it is to haue the heart purged and changed that thereby it may be fit to set vpon a godlie life The next thing is how this is done and how it commeth to passe that men after they haue receiued the grace of iustifying faith doe finde and perceiue in themselues such an alteration from that which was before euen as if a benumming colde should be on the suddaine turned into a glowing and burning heate I say this is the proper and wonderfull worke of God who mortifying our worldly lusts and euill desires in vs by his holy spirit doth reforme vs and create this holines and sanctification in vs. He it is S. Luke saith that purifieth our hearts He kindleth good affections and subdueth the contrarie in vs. There is no other besides him in heauen who can worke it much lesse on earth that can set his hand to it Which if that man of sinne had duly considered he would not haue arrogated to himselfe a greater worke then it which also is inseparable from it namely the authoritie of forgiuing sinnes The Lord I say by his holie spirit it is who stirreth vp in our hearts godlie motions and good desires namely of knowledge good gouernment feare of him communion with him and his people the desire of spirituall reioycing and strength against infernall foes and such like which good affections when they be kindled in vs hee suffereth not to vanish away but teacheth vs to feed and nourish them by reading meditation prayer And the spirit of the Lord which raiseth vp and worketh in vs these holy affections is therfore described by these most excellent titles for it is called the spirit of wisedome strength feare of the Lord c. And this he doth to his deare children when they are first brought to this happie chaunge euen in their first entring into the estate of grace to the end they may loathe as stinking garments the old custome in which they had long lien I meane the vnsauourie draffe of their owne cogitations desires and lusts of their hearts the least daunger whereof was this that they deceiued them These when they see what varietie there is of better matter to season and occupie their mindes and hearts withall they doe shunne and flie from as one that had escaped the loathsome prison doth crie out when hee must be brought backe to it againe And although I denie not but that they must hold and retaine the sauour and smell of their old filthines and profanenes which in times past as bands and chaines did keepe them in captiuitie yet is not their condition for all that to be counted meane and little worth because they haue not full deliuerance from it but happie and highly to bee iudged of in that they haue obtained deliuerance in part and doe see how they may be partakers of a farre better I speake now but of the beginning of a Christians change when hee can discerne no more in himselfe then this namely that hee hath with faith vnfained an heart sanctified and purified from his naturall corruption and wicked disposition And without regard of the fruite hereof euen the whole worke of Christianitie which shall follow this happie beginning then the which he desireth and longeth after nothing more the weake Christian that hath his part in this thinkes himselfe euen for this exceedingly indebted to God True it is that no man is to stay and abide in this estate but is to proceede further euen to repentance which commeth from it as hereafter shal be seene But yet seeing the clensing purging of the hart at the first conuersion of a sinner is a distinct worke of the spirit and in man but the beginning of all the worke of Christianitie which shall follow it I would not passe it ouer in silence and the rather I say so because it is but darkly and confusedly seene into and discerned And although it bee but as the graine of Mustard seede in comparison of the tree it selfe to the full growth and perfect age in Christ yet is it in possibilitie nay in certaine and sure hope euen the same and alreadie of the nature of it and therfore hath part of the reward also And now it tarieth but for further building vp in knowledge and grace that so it may appeare to other as it is in it selfe the estate of a regenerate person and new borne vnto God But for al this which I haue said of this matter namely both what this chāge of the heart is and how it is wrought by Gods spirit yet one thing is wanting which the diligent reader will desire to know That is why the Scripture saith that although it be God which purifieth the heart yet that it is ascribed to faith their hearts were purified by faith saith S. Luke And S. Iohn which is little difference attributes it to hope
put in him for continuall defence deliuerance and succour in soule and bodie they are carried with distrust as with a whirlewind and therefore their hope is faint or none at all before they see their desire accomplished In their great dangers when meanes to come out doe faile them they are ouercome with feare and almost beside themselues In losses impatient and full of murmuring receiuing them as from a cruell iudge and sorrowing for them deadly And as some haue their hearts thus boiling in their trials and afflictions so others haue their hearts swelling against God in obstinacie and contempt for his afflicting them and are loose careles and desperate whatsoeuer pincheth them yet in a scoffing spirit they say within themselues let him doe his best yet will we not turne vnto him nor seeke vnto him oh horrible blasphemie fearefull to be once named that I say nothing of them who ascribe all to blinde fortune in cursing of the which they curse God or as the Atheists doe to nature Are not these loathsome guestes to lodge in the hearts of Christians I doe not goe about to set downe the poisoned corruptions and lusts of Heathens Turkes and Atheists as they are properly called that is such as deny God vtterly for so should I neuer haue done but to lay forth some part of the corruptions which dwell and abide in the hearts of such as goe for Christians that many of them who can beare out matters boldly here among men may see what villanie and treacherie they commit against God This is a little of a great deale of the dishonour which they offer to God And as this declareth what rebellion is in men vnder the crosse so how they behaue themselues towards him in the daies of their prosperitie experience teacheth and I could shew at large if the time would suffer me to declare it As for thankefulnes there is little or none in them I appeale to their owne consciences what doe their hearts yeeld to God the whole day thorough for his manifold mercies and if some doe yet is it done onely in words for a fashion onely and from the very teeth outward and yet many are ashamed euen at their table to doe that They reioyce in the merry world whilest they haue ease and plenty they looke for no other but wish it alwaies so yet what grace doe they desire the more although they haue their fill but are rather more headstrong and inordinate And if they aske ought of God it is to bestowe it on their lusts being made drunken with their pleasures so that they are louers of them more then louers of God and become insensible thereby and past all feeling If some be not thus hardened yet shall they be found to haue small desire to furnish their hearts with the best gifts when yet they see that he which hath giuen the one is as readie to giue the other also And as for the true worshipping of God how farre are the most from taking pleasure therein when yet one day bestowed in it is better then a thousand in any delights beside For superstition and blind deuotion carrie many to false worships affirming boldly that they cannot rest in that manner which God prescribes in his word that is to doe it in spirit and truth though God sendeth vs to the Scriptures to know his will and minde but the will-worship which they deuise to themselues and which they take vp by tradition as to represent God by an image and Christ by a Crucifixe that onely pleaseth them and their deuotion is frozen and cold except it be helped by such counterfeit delusions And many of them which imbrace the truth and retaine the right manner of worshipping God according to his word yet are content to be deceiued while they denie that which onely maketh the other well pleasing to God and sauourie to themselues that is to doe it with their heart and ioyfully without which God telleth them plainly that in vaine they worship him And as in their worshipping of him by the vse of religious exercises their harts take no delight euen so in his seruice throughout the course of their priuate conuersation how vaine prophane and dissolute are their hearts what pleasure is it to them to please him though it should be their meate drinke and pastime and how lightly are his iudgements passed ouer how fearefull soeuer they be so farre is it off that they can expell their hypocrisie and other sinnes Moreouer they haue no desire in peace to bee taught the true vse of it namely to haue peace with God and as much as in them lieth to be at peace with all men Rom. 12.18 no not in their owne houses which yet to be without is a little hell to them And as for the Lords Sabboth and other many good meanes appointed on the same to season and change their hearts they sensiblie loath them or finde no sauour in them neither is it any part of their thought to seeke any comfort in them although they be the chiefe flower of a true Christians garland or if some of them doe it is in superstitious deuotion wishing that religion vp againe whereby God is dishonoured highlie but as their fathers before them did euen so doe they passe through the world as shadowes their mindes looking no higher so that though they were made to honour yet they not vnderstanding it are like the beasts that perish These may serue for a taste of the corruptions and worldly lusts which men not worse accounted of doe swarme with directly tending to the dishonour of God from which with the rest that follow when wee shall see how God deliuereth his beloued we shall haue cause to loue the godly life more heartily which is by Gods grace freed from such intemperancie freed I say so that it ruleth them not neither reigneth in them although sometimes in some thing it preuaile against them till they repent of it which grace none of the other doe finde nor obtaine when they be at the best But to goe forward to acquaint men with some of the vnbridled and worldly lusts which carrie them after the hurt of their neighbour what vnreuerence contempt and obstinacie appeareth to be in the hearts of many against their betters diminishing that authoritie credit and estimation which God hath giuen them so that place yeeres and gifts are had in meane account of them Where is that ancient reuerence which younger men in the Ministerie haue giuen to those who haue gone before them in labours gifts and good example they imagining themselues able to doe farre better then their elders and therfore ambitiously aspiring to that which they ought not and lifting vp themselues aboue them when yet they should haue learned to honour and submit themselues to those of low degree What vnthankfulnes in the people to them which labour for their
Christ Iesus so loueth vs that he is readie to doe any thing which is expedient for vs because of the great fauour that he beareth vs whereby we are made able also and in whom we can doe all things as shall be expedient for vs. For as nothing can separate it from vs so he thinketh nothing too good or too pretious for vs. So that he into whose heart his loue is shed plentifully is perswaded that as he hath saued him from the greatest daunger of hell so he will much more saue him from the smaller of being ouercome of his corrupt lusts and that he who hath bestowed by free graunt and sure promise the greatest benefit vpon him namely the kingdome of heauen will not denie him the smaller that is grace to liue Christianly here on earth For he that hath giuen vs Christ by whom we haue the former how shall he not with him giue vs other things also And if not as we would yet that is best which he giueth Now for the other part of the obiection that Paul himselfe did not finde grace to ouercome the rebellion of the old man that is his corrupt nature I say it is true that fullie and perfectly he did not to the end that he might alwaies haue a marke of his vnworthines and sin remaining in him and thereby remember that it was of only mercie that he was pardoned and the grace of God that kept him from falling away from him And for both these causes that he might be abased and kept humble vnder so great grace as hee had receiued in regard whereof he had as he confesseth himselfe been exalted and lifted vp aboue measure and last of all that he might from time to time finde sweetnes still in the forgiuenes of his sinnes But although he was not perfect here as an Angell yet was he not caried of his lusts into grosse iniquitie as some dreame because he cried out and complained I am carnall solde vnder sin O wretched man that I am And it was necessary that he should mislike and be grieued with the smallest rebellion or resistance of goodnes and with some vnfitnes to his calling which he felt sometimes and to other good duties but yet Gods grace was sufficient to keepe him that he fell not into that depth that he might haue done But I haue in effect answered this alreadie by another occasion Now to applie this to our selues and not to bee glutted with it as many are I say that wee likewise through the same grace in our measure may looke with good cheere to bee deliuered from the yeelding to our wicked lusts which most dangerously incumber vs as hee was from his wee being resolued that our most louing father for the tender care hee hath ouer vs is alwaies looking downe from heauen and beholding who is vpright hearted towards him how weake soeuer that he may shew himselfe strong towards him and thereby supplie his weaknes And thus the desire to keepe a godly course being soundly planted in vs and the same proceeding from faith also who doubteth but that it may haue strength to doe such outward duties as are required though weakly to endeuour at least which God will accept though wee doe not alway preuaile ouer such strong corruptions as oftentimes for want of such grace doe master vs. But in thus speaking I shew what Gods children may confidently looke for not what euery one obtaineth And except the sinne of incontinencie against the which God hath prouided a lawfull remedie wee haue both promise from God and wee by the power of our faith doe inioy such victorie ouer other sinnes as whereby wee may walke without iust reproofe amongst men and keepe our peace toward him also this being added that when we are craftily deceiued by the vncessant malice of the diuel although not without our owne slouth sleepines and securitie we haue accesse as in time past and recourse to God by the meanes of our aduocate and doe recouer our hope and hold againe Thus I haue shewed how they who haue a will and good desire may look for strength also to performe in some good sort the duties which seeme so difficult and impossible to them so that they neede not be greatly troubled with that obiection howsoeuer there are many and those also fauourers of Christian religion who neuer finde nor feele the same But because many of Gods deare seruants finde it not thus oft times neither are able to say that they feele this but contrarily doe complaine that their life is full of disquietnes for that they cannot ouercome the force of anger impatience raging frowardnes and such like neither liue godly to their contentation although they desire it because I say these may be discouraged by this doctrine I would haue them vnderstand that I haue not in the former answere to the last obiection set downe what euery godly Christian doth or shall feele as I said before but what God of his bountifull liberalitie hath prouided that they may feele and find and how their estate may be bettered and their spirituall libertie enlarged Besides many good people doe not know this in a long time what God hath bequeathed them nay many of them neuer know one of the many sweet liberties and priuiledges of Gods children but only receiue so much light from the father of light and therefore are rightly called the children of light as whereby they see the way to his kingdome and according to the knowledge they haue of his will thereafter they declare and shew it forth in their liues but nothing as they might and as some others doe Now to proceede to the other vertues which further our practise of a godly life such as receiue and desire to attaine to the grace which I haue spoken of that is to be more sound and better setled in an holy course they are and must be glad with all their heart to be diligent and painefull in this worke of the Lord and to abide constant therein that they may by these two vertues adioyned nourish all good desires and holy endeuours after they be once planted in them and hold out the contrarie whilest they be not yet greatly troubled with them and set on worke their knowledge in such practise as it may well be seene whose seruants they are This diligence and constancie in whatsoeuer they be vsed they bring great things to passe whether it be in any trade or in the searching out of things obscure and hard to be found out when only the light of reason is followed and who doubteth then but that in holy duties wherein men are guided by the spirit of God most excellent effects are brought forth of them Neither is any dutie indeed well performed without them for which cause S. Peter speaking of the godly life teacheth that all diligence must be added thereto Giue all
is a greater honour that he hath of a rude vnbridled and vncleane diuell made a well ordered sober and meeke Christian yea a sanctified person as the Scripture calleth him for by his holy spirit through the worke of the Gospell he hath made of an extortioner and oppressor a liberall and bountifull giuer as Zaccheus of an adulteresse a penitent woman reclaimed from the course of vncleane life as the woman in Luk. 7.47 and of a persecutor a preacher yea himselfe a persecuted man euen Paul the Apostle And how doth such a change thinke we when it is seene of men and the reporte of it heard among such as knew them before cause them to say The Lord hath done great things And such grace doth God giue to them I meane that feare him that he causeth by their light which shineth among men euen their very enemie to be at one with them yea to speake well of them and to glorifie their father which is in heauen And yet their beautie is to speake as the truth is chiefly within and not seene with eye As all was not heard of Salomon a farre off which was to be seene at home and yet not all seene that might be knowne to be in him The faithfulnes innocencie and rare continence of Ioseph with other graces which were in him when they brought him into such fauour credit and admiration amongst men how thinke we was God honoured who was the giuer of them Thus doth God honour them that honour him that he may be all in all and by them shewed to be most honourable And to speake of our owne time wherein we liue notwithstanding it affoord not so many examples of so excellent gifts and graces of holy life though in learning and knowledge few haue gone beyond it as so long libertie vnder the Gospell might iustly challeng which sinne I pray God be not laide to our charge but speedily repented of so yet we will not be ashamed to affirme to the great praise of God that both many gratious and godly people since the raigne of our most noble Prince haue been alreadie gathered to their fathers who in the dayes of their flesh did honour God highly and many remaine God be blessed amongst vs who haue and doe and to their end shall we doubt not to the great comfort of many weake ones commend the power of the Gospell preached amongst vs and cause that vnfained thankes be giuen to God by many for them And that both of the ministerie though nothing be more ridiculous to the Papists our aduersaries the Lord hath raised vp many who both preach sincerely and diligently and walke warily and worthie the Lord Col. 1.10 and vnoffensiuely seeking to please him in all things and of the people he hath drawne not a fewe who doe beautifie their profession and carrie themselues vnrebukeable among them who can iudge aright and are free from reprochfull and daungerous euils In such as I haue said is the Lord made admirable As it is written In Sion his Church shall God be praised and why because for them he hath done great things The Lord maketh the weake strong the ignorant prudent and such as sate in darkenes to see great light holy and glorious is his name Yea further the Lord teacheth his beloued ones in their prosperitie to count themselues but strangers in this world he causeth the things of greatest price to be little set by of them in comparison of his treasures which are not seene This honour haue many of his Saints The Lord giueth strength in tribulation aboue hope and maketh anguish and sorrow to become comforts false accusations and contumelious reports to be crownes to their heads and chaines of golde to their neckes which beare them And to be short he teacheth his to sucke sweetenes out of sowernes and to make good vse of all estates and they are able to doe all things through him that maketh them able yea persecution it selfe he maketh tolerable and ioyfull and when our weakenes can see so farre the greatest aduancement If these gifts of God with other such doe not greatly honour the Lord in the congregation of the righteous and if they which inioy them being gratious and of high estimation doe not most highly commend the giuer which is God where will men say that God is honored at all And so doth the Apostle require that it should be with Gods people Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers may glorifie your father which is in heauen And yet I haue said nothing of their peace of conscience which Salomon saith is as continuall banquetting to them Saint Paul saith it passeth all vnderstanding euen in this one thing which the vngodly because they haue not they therefore know not for the stranger is not partaker of the childrens ioy know not I meane as it is felt and knowne of them which haue it In this one thing I say doth God get himselfe great glorie For they beleeuing in their hearts they cannot choose but vtter with their mouthes their deliuerances and the wonderfull things that he hath done for them And though they be for the most part contemptible in the world yet is the meanest of them more happie then the greatest of the world And if these things be well weighed which haue been said of this matter it shall not be marueiled at that the Prophet thus speaketh in the Psalme Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou citie of God! Yea glorious indeede as we here inioy them though we haue but a small part of our glorie in this life and so glorious that if they could be seene with eye they would so inflame men with the beautie of them that they would force them to set all their loue vpon them And thus by the graces which are in the life of Gods seruants and which are not to be found in other men it may be seene how God is honoured of them the contrarie whereof is done most apparently by the vngodly as much as lyeth in them Therefore to conclude this first reason except we can like to see Gods name ill spoken of his Gospell lightly accounted of and his person dishonoured and that by our selues the recompence whereof cannot be borne nor abidden of vs let vs not onely come out from the vncleane conuersation of the vnbeleeuers but let vs so lay hold on eternall life that we presse hard vnto the marke for the price that is set before vs and let the words of the wise be as goades to pricke vs forward out of our slouthfulnes and as nailes to fasten vs ioyntly and closely to Christ our head without hypocrisie that we faint not neither fall away but grow vp vnto the perfect age of Christians that so we may giue good testimonie that God is truely honored of vs
helpes to set downe that they which vse them conscionably may not thinke that they doe any more then they ought and haue neede of they who vse them but slackly and coldly may bestowe greater diligence therein and that amongst all sorts they may bee had in better regarde if they desire to see good dayes here vpon earth CHAP. 5. Of the first priuate helpe which is watchfulnes ANd to begin with them according to the diuision made of them in the entrance into this treatise the first priuate help is Watchfulnes worthily set in the first place seeing it is as an eye to all the rest to see them well and rightly vsed And it is a carefull obseruing of our hearts and diligent looking to our waies that they may bee pleasing and acceptable vnto God And first that it is an obseruing of the heart Salomon prooueth saying Aboue all obseruations obserue thine heart for from thence commeth life And that it maketh a man to looke diligently to his waies who so is watchfull indeede let the words of the prophet testifie I thought I will take heede to my wayes that I sinne not with my toung I will keepe my mouth as with a bridle And that by both these God is pleased it appeareth by the contrarie For so it is said Hebr. 10.38 He that withdraweth himselfe from liuing by faith which cannot be without watching my soule saith God shall haue no pleasure in him euen as he delighteth in the contrarie This is in sundrie places of the Scripture commended vnto vs that we should haue a great care how we liue and watch ouer all our waies Saint Peter saith 1. Pet. 5.7 be sober and watch as though he should say notwithstanding we haue sobrietie that is a well ordering of our affections which is a most fit vertue to keepe the life in frame yet without watchfulnes it will be lost and depart from vs. So our Sauiour ioyneth it with prayer where hee saith Watch and pray least ye fall into temptation As giuing vs to learne thereby that the force of the one is much weakned and abated without the other and that men shall make but cold prayers if they watch not their liues yea and for oportunitie to pray also And both render their reason why watching ouer our selues carefully should be a companion to vs seeing without it we are by and by plunged into many noysome temptations by Sathan our owne sinful hearts Besides the necessitie of this one helpe may easily be seene in our owne experience by the contrarie sinne carelesnes and securitie For what doth more easily grieue the holy spirit of God and quench it in vs then that whatsoeuer chaseth away godlines or what doth so set open the dore to all confusion And further because of the vrgent necessitie of it Saint Paul warnes Timothie to watch in all things not in some one or few but in all and therefore at all times in all places with all persons and by all occasions It caused that holy man of God King Dauid to couenant and professe this that seeing he saw he could not discharge dutie to God without an especiall regard and taking heede to his life by reason of Sathans vigilancie I will watch or doe wisely saith he till thou come vnto me I will walke in the vprightnes of my heart in the middest of my house And that I may not be thought to speake absurdly because I speake otherwise then most mens practise doth approoue view other Scriptures and thou shalt see this truth more cleerely For I must make this foundation strong seeing there is a great weight to be set vpon it In the third to the Hebrewes Take heede that there be not at any time in any of you an euill heart this that he saith at any time what can it meane lesse then that from time to time the heart and the manifold affections and desires thereof should be looked vnto and taken heede of least thereby the Lord should be offended c. This taking heede therefore to thy selfe and to thy heart especially because from thence the words and actions doe come must be thy companion from time to time and thou must set this watch before the doore of thy lips and thou must be well acquainted with looking diligently to thy waies that it may goe well with thee and that thou maiest prosper But if thou beest a stranger vnto it and it vnto thee looke to fall often I meane to fall daungerously for otherwise he that watcheth most warily cannot be free from offending looke to finde many woundes in thy soule and to want many comforts in thy life And this I may boldly say is the cause why many and those not euil men doe make many iarres in their liues and breake often into vnseemely actions and doe many things against their holy profession which they by and by couer with the gentle name of infirmities when indeede they doe rather wilfully fulfill the desires of their hearts and rashly and intemperately giue themselues the bridle refusing vtterly in those cases this holy watchfulnes yea and sticke not to count it bondage and a depriuing Christians of their libertie and too streight an holding of them in whereas who seeth not that watching is that to the life which the eye-lid is to the eye and that which the eye it selfe is to the whole body and as it doth easily fall into many annoyances except it be carefully and wisely guided from wind and weather so it fareth with thy soule and life when thou doest not take heede to them as Gods word and good instruction teacheth thee for a due looking to thy waies is the safety to thy life And because this is seldome welcome to men and little in vse therefore is a wel ordered and setled course which should be diligently kept of them a meere stranger to thē But contrariwise because they are secure for the most part therefore they haue at least both their hearts out of frame and their liues voyde of good order For what other thing is to bee said when those which goe for religious shall be so hot hastie and furious that they are not fit to be liued with as Nabal Others so vntrustie and so hollow that they cannot be dealt with as Gehazi Alas I am weary of so often reprehending and complaining of the vnreformed qualities and actions of the most part of them who goe for Christians and many of them it may be thought are so indeede and yet vntill they will take knowledge of this want of watchfulnes and learne to bee acquainted with it they shall neuer be at better stay but out and in off and on neuer setled But they must goe about it to purpose and set their minde and delight vpon it if they desire to be the better by it They must be content in this behalfe to be dealt with as children whom we will
to be put in practise yea and although they could yet do they not sufficiently nor throughly guide a Christian I answer he that vnderstandeth so much in the Scriptures as that he knoweth thereby himselfe reconciled to God and so haue sure hope to be saued and to be one of them whom God hath chosen out of the world from the rest which shall perish he can easily vnderstand the meaning of this direction and the points and parts thereof and is fit to be directed by it as for any other it is but to accuse and conuict him of infinit iniquities in his life and of guiltinesse of eternall damnation thereby although through the law of his members which rebell against the law of his mind and through ignorance and the malice and subtiltie of the diuell he be much distracted on the other side and hindred from that which he seeth he ought to do vntill experience haue made him better acquainted with it But this is the battell which he must feele and haue with his lusts and which euery true beleeuer must be exercised with daily and yet this resistance and rebellion against Gods grace which he feeleth by this corruption and sinne daily is a most fit whetstone to sharpen him the more to imbrace and follow these rules in this direction set downe because he shall see that by them he is made strong against these his rebellions daily by litle and litle whereas without some such direction he could in no wise be able to resist Now whereas it is obiected that although it should be practised yet it is not a sufficient directing of him for and throughout the day seeing euerie rule and point hath not his certaine time set downe in which it should serue and in the which it should be required to this I say that we must not imagine that there is any such direction as though thereby we might keepe from sinne any houre of the day but this direction teacheth how by the wisedome of Gods spirit according to the measure of our knowledge we may be led through euery part of the day in peace and safety and do all the outward actions of the day as by occasion we shall be called thereto more purely and dutifully and with more ease and chearfulnesse then otherwise might be looked for especially after we haue by longer experience bene exercised therein for God doth teach his children wisedome when and how to vse thankes and when to make requests what sinne to oppose themselues against as their weakenesse shall require what duties to follow how to watch ouer their heart and life and by all to find and obtaine rest to their soules And although through infirmitie which is in the best they shall neuer fully reape the fruite which the rules do leade vnto for they faile through ouer-sight rashnesse and by other naturall corruption are much feebled and therefore must needs come short in performing duty as they ought yet through the grace that God giueth his they find and still may obtaine by the helpe hereof such ease in the seruing of God through the day as they thought before impossible and neuer looked to inioy that they may truly say notwithstanding the sinne that cleaueth to them that they haue oft most sweete communion with God and hold their sinne in great subiection to their admiration which was wont full sore to imbondage them Neither shall this seeme strange or doubtfull which I say if it be well considered For hath not the Lord promised to make his children partakers of the diuine nature euen the grace of his holy spirit whereby they shall flie the corruption that is in the world through lust hath he not sayd that if they watch and pray they shall not fall into temptation but be deliuered from euill and that if they resist the diuell he shall flie from them and by the armour of a Christian they shall stand fast against all infernall subtilty And hath he not sayd that the weapons of our warfare are mighty casting downe strong holds which seemed impossible to be cast downe hath he not taught vs that he is greater which is in vs then he that is in the world hath he not promised them his spirit the comforter which the world cannot haue that they might not be here as Orphanes and desolate and that he will lay no more vpon his then he will make them able to beare And what should I say more hath he not giuen them singular prerogatiues that they being vpholden by them may passe by the deceiueable baites of the world that they may not poyson them And by this litle which I say of a great deale which might be sayd out of the Scriptures to the like purpose doth not God harten and incourage his to trust in him for that strength and grace which shall be sufficient for them hath he not taught them daily to thinke much of these things Now then when his poore seruants come to know his mind and will in them and how he is affected to them yea which is more when they shall be further instructed that his will is that they should daily occupie their minds in thinking of these and such like things is it any great maruell if they grow more heauenly minded and be more constantly setled in an holy course and so become acquainted with the practise of duty more vsually and continually then they were wont when either they know not that any such thing was required of them daily or how to bring their hearts daily to like of it And when they shall be well and throughly perswaded whatsoeuer the wandring and inconstant course of the most be that God requireth of them that euery day they shall warily shunne euill waite to honor him in the proper duties and seruice which they owe to him count it their chiefe worke to do so daily to pray oft and to speake to him in thanksgiuing daily renew their faith and hope of saluation and other temporall fauours of his when I say they shall see that God commeth thus neare to them whiles they are absent from him here on earth and offereth them this familiaritie as his friends and not vsing them as seruants is it to be maruelled at that they accept of it daily and when they haue tasted once that this may be their vsuall and ordinarie diet this sweete communion with God I meane which was wont to be but their feasting now and then is it to be thought strange that they should reach out their hand to this their welfare No no if God once perswade his that they may walke in his fauour euerie day and with more acceptation and better welcome then when they could haue but a small glimse of it once in a weeke moneth or quarter they will not starue when they may banquet they will not eate achornes with swine when they may
needlesly of other mē or of their dealings was wont to be cōmon with them and in solitarinesse a spending of their thoughts and desires after the like manner vainely vntill they were able more wisely to discerne how to giue euery dutie in the day his time and how to occupie both the one and the other throughout the day But they haue with heartie thankes to God protested that after they had attained to this they saw farre more clearely into the practise of Christianitie then euer before they did and found the Lords yoke farre more easie to them and themselues setled with more sound peace in the leading of their liues This report of some Christians whom I know well I haue set downe where by this little the rest may be coniectured for the better encouraging of the reader to be acquainted with a daily direction for the course of his life and that he should not rest in a generall and vncertaine obedience to God And let nothing that I haue said of them be thought needlesse or vnmeete for vs as long as we can see good reason for this which they did But know wee that this kind of seruing God both may bee and is and hath bene God be thanked vsed of many of Gods seruants though I will not say in a like maner and ought to be of the rest as euery one shall be able to see into it And therefore I purpose to thrust no fancie nor conceit vpon any but that which all well aduised persons must iustifie to be the commaundement of God and which bewrayeth too plainely that many professors of the Gospell haue not so much sought for the sound practise of a godly life by reading the stories of holy men in the word of God as to report generally that they haue bene holy neither haue reaped that benefit by the Scripture in enioying a sweet life aboue other men as the Lord in much mercie hath affoorded them For though the sect of the Family of loue the Church of Rome and sundrie other lying spirits do fancie a course which the Scripture knoweth not and some of them also fantastically haue for euery day in the weeke deuised an order to be followed as the reading of certaine taskes nothing lesse then proper to direct their liues yet in this which I here propound namely that we should be daily directed in our whole course I haue followed no fancie and dreame of man but haue in all good conscience spoken from God and drawne it from the Scripture both for the learned and simple high and low one and other and is neuer in vaine to the right vser of it although I deny not but that a skilfuller handler of it might haue set it downe farre more exquisitely But from whence is the difficultie that it is no more in practise being a treasure of so infinite value and that so many pray and some of them often to leade a godly life yet when and where they should not there they fauour themselues and say they are weake and vnable From whence I say is this but from hence that they will put no diligence thereunto to obserue their waies in which they prosper and contrariwise also there is no aunswerable trauell nor labour for skill and experience in this Christian course to that which is in all other but euery litle is tedious to them and wearisome They are seuen yeares at other trades to learne them though they be apt to them and forward in them before they are thought fit to occupie by themselues But yet without seuen yeares or seuen moneths diligent exercising of the rules of christian life for before they be conuerted to the obedience of God what reckoning is to be made of their professing they will be thought fit to do as the best in this trade of christian liuing although it be cleane against their nature Nay I say more he is a rare man who can be perswaded to be guided by religion and the rules thereof but seuen weekes constantly I may truly say seuen dayes for if he who would but so long giue ouer himselfe to liue by faith and walke with God he would neuer seeke to be loosened and set at libertie againe to his old life but would renounce it vtterly so great should his aduantage be in this course and trade And as I know that this is the maine and greatest cause why so fewe are lights and examples to others so when people are taught the truth clearely concerning this matter for I am sure that it is neglected of many through ignorance let them either resolue to be gouerned through the day and from day to day or let them looke to find small reioycing in the christian life with much vncomfortablenesse which otherwise need not to be And therefore in the feare of God let men thinke and iudge of themselues as Gods word teacheth them yea let them professe as they be or let them looke to find as they be and not as they professe But as the most do handle the matter they shall find it harder to practise a christian life after seuen yeares twise told then the hardest trade after halfe seuen And as it is with many of them who neuer learned their occupation well that they are neuer skilfull in it nor thriue by it as others do so one especiall cause why many neuer practise godlinesse to the welfare of their soules neither prosper nor be well liking therein is because they neuer soundly learned how to liue godly for continuance and constantly one day as an other but peeced and patched vp the same with here a good deede and there another and in being sometime deuout and zealous the most of their actions being vnregarded and of many of them it may truly be said the power of godlinesse was neuer throughly rooted and setled in their hearts These rules and the like for the daily directing of a Christian are to be well conceiued and approued in our conscience to be such as are very fit and profitable to guide vs the which whosoeuer hath the spirit of God doth or may discerne because they are according to the word of God and practise of his children and so he yeeldeth to them and of euery such they are duely and daily to be regarded so farre as God giueth him to conceiue of and see into them this indeuouring to practise them will bring a man increase daily of sound libertie and freedome from bondage to his boisterous passions and vnruly life and recompence an hundred fold in sweet peace all his losse in earthly and vaine delights which he was wont to make the flower of his garland And seeing they will worke vpon the simplest whose heart is vpright and which the Lord hath opened to conceiue them therefore when thou seest that thou art such a one and that thou hast felt them these rules of directiō I meane to perswade and draw thee on to follow them
may be addresse thy selfe to be ready to any duties which thou hast to do and be strongly perswaded and confident that God who loueth thee so dearly as in thy prayer thou beleeuedst and in thy thanksgiuing thou didst acknowledge that he I say will be with thee to guard thee from all aduersary power of Sathan and his instruments which might rise vp against thee and by the comfort of his holy spirit keepe thee from euill for he which hath all power in his hand looketh downe from heauen and beholdeth all the earth to shew himselfe strong with them which are of an vpright heart towards him and therefore be incouraged thereby with confidence to set vpon any duty and to withstand any euill And further remember that thou art armed by God with all furniture meet for the seruant of God with faith to beleeue all Gods promises with hope to be kept from fainting with righteousnesse to performe all duty with sincerity to do it with a single heart with knowledge of the word of God to direct thee aright and with the preparation of the Gospell of peace to be shod against troubles and dangers in thy voyage to Gods kingdome Remember all these and that thou hast not the right vse of these except thou beest setled against the discouragements which might stand vp in thy way And therefore be chearfull and of good courage although there are many things which may one time or other put thee to trouble and many occasions of vnquietnesse and vnsetlednesse may arise which also would otherwise vndoubtedly soreshake thee Thus before thou goest about any thing it is requisite for thee to renew thy faith that thou mayest rest freshly on God for his protection throughout the day and waite to see it so and obserue that thou mayst be guided by him and make thy heart mery in him considering that he is more to thee then all the world beside And this for the declaration and further laying open of this first duty as with any conuenience it may be done to teach vs how to awake with God CHAP. 13. Of the declaration of the second duty of beginning the day with prayer NOw when thy heart shall after thy first shaking off thy sleepe be lifted vp to thy God set thy selfe to the next part of thy duty prayer confession of sins and thanksgiuing in solemne maner vpon thy knees casting off and renouncing such foolish and fruitlesse thoughts and fantasies as were wont and still may hold thee from this duty and set vpon it as soone as thou canst conueniently yea if it may so be let it be the first worke that thou shalt take in hand in the morning season except in time of sicknesse when thou keepest thy bed and then ioyne it with the former rule and make of both one and pray shortly when paine giueth thee no further libertie but yet feruently and more often But if it cannot be thy first worke yet let not thy deferring of it be a breaking it off if thou mayst performe it neither let a light occasion cause thee to deferre it for such shall neuer be wanting especially thine owne vnwillingnes or slouth but when for some especiall and weightie cause thou doest deferre it returne if it may be after thy necessarie businesse ended to the performing of it therwith renew thy couenant of amendment of life And to expresse my meaning about this more plainely remember and acknowledge the kindnesse of thy God in benefits daily and hourely receiued both to soule and bodie and sometime particularly that so thou mayst be more nearly knit vnto him and delight in him For daily and oft thankfulnesse to God is of great force to subdue thee vnto God and to maintaine a thankfull heart in thee all the day following And let another part of this morning worship of God adioyned to this be an hearty recording and viewing of thy sinnes a bewailing and confessing of them to God and accusing of thy selfe with an especiall remorse for those which haue most troubled thee and be humbled vnder the burthen of them that so thou mayest see thy selfe a wretched person and infinitely indebted to God and so withhold thy heart from insolencie and securitie and be broken-hearted that thou mayst the better abide so after And with both these send vp loud cries vnto the Lord through Iesus Christ confidently looking for pardon of them that thus thou mayst find the death of Christ daily fresh sweete and sauorie to thee which the most do make too common and vnsauorie And pray also in faith for grace and power to mortifie thy sinne and to direct thy wayes and for all earthly blessings and by thine owne necessities be moued with compassion towards thy brethren euen the whole company of the militant Church who haue the like need of Gods blessing as thou hast and withall that those which are yet without and strangers from the common-wealth of Israel may be brought home that thus thou mayst both testifie thy loue to them and daily remember and consider how thy selfe and all other do depend vpon him for whatsoeuer is good and necessarie And to helpe forward this dutie the better some meditation or musing vpon such things as may asswage the bitternesse and corruption of the heart and season it with grace were a thing most requisite as euerie one may be brought to it As for example sometime of our mortalitie of the vncertaintie and slipperie estate of all things vnder the Sunne of the change of persons times estates of the glorie of the kingdome of heauen sometime of our saluation to make it more sure of the duties we are to do in the day and how we may keepe our selues from the defilements and sinnes which we are in danger to fall into of the occasions by which we are most like to be led to euill and of the helpes and meanes with the sundrie priuiledges of a Christian which we haue to withdraw vs from the same and sometime of any particular branch of any of these and the corruptions of the heart and of the Christian armour of some of these or of the like matters let meditation be raised before prayer be entred into if it may be And because meditation is much out of vse euen among Christians and therefore it will be found the harder matter to go about and take it in hand I haue therefore set downe some meditations of all sorts both briefly and in larger manner to helpe those which without helpe cannot draw matter from their owne experience to meditate vpon as I haue before set downe a short Treatise about the same that through the helpe of both they may want nothing about this dutie and Christian exercise so that their hearts be framed and fitted thereto This part of Gods worship namely prayer confession of sinne thanksgiuing and meditation being conscionably and carefully vsed and gone about before
doe in vs except we should prouide so that much vntowardnesse and awkenesse in Gods seruice which is wont either to breake it off or to be the greatest hinderance therein be remoued or at least resisted Which shall not be hard to doe if we daily consider that he hath promised to make vs fitte for that which he sets vs about and that we beleeuing his said promise shall finde the trueth of it in vs our hearts incouraged our backewardnesse and slougth repelled or much abated as Iosua and other his faithfull seruants haue done which grace if it may be obtained of vs and who doth not see cleerely that it may I meane that all true Christians may obtaine willingnesse and cheerefulnesse in their daily duties doing and to be much freed from the contrary vntowardnesse and vnfitnesse which is the greatest let that can stand in their way if I saie God haue prouided so mercifully for his that they may with delight walke in his waies set themselues to watch against their infirmities and so in their common dealings and actions practise a godly and innocent life and that they may doe earthly businesse with heauenly minds which the vnreformed cannot in the least manner attaine vnto I conclude this priuiledge as the former that the Lord hath in giuing this gift vnto his children bestowed an vnualuable blessing and prerogatiue vpon them and let vs waite for and inioy it and when we faile most acknowledge such weaknesse that we may find release of it from God and if any of his finde it not neither see it to be so it is their vnbeleefe which depriueth them of such a treasure but when they enter into Gods sanctuary they shall see it farre otherwise This were worthy to be harkened after some perhaps will say if we might indeed attaine heereto But what triumph call ye this ouer sathan and sinne when the best of vs are priuy to this that we are carried by them both to doe that which we know to be displeasing vnto God For besides this that some perticular sinnes doe draw vs through the deceitfull inticements thereof the diuill changing himselfe into an angell of light to winde vs in the more subtilely there are also strong corruptions which breake out in vs preuailing dangerously to the hindring of vs from many good duties and that often times as in the examples of Iob Dauid and Peter it may appeare These two obiections of great waight doubtlesse I must first answere before I goe further And first of the formost though they I meane the Godly be not voide of the sinnes which I haue spoken of yet that hindreth not the honour which God hath set them in and giuen vnto them For there is left in the most holy a strife betwixt the spirit and the flesh and that for this purpose by the lord himselfe euen in his elect as the Apostle teacheth by his owne example not that they should perish but partly lest they should looke to triumph before the victory which sathan would most of all wish partly that the best men being priuy to their owne weaknes and that throughout their life might not rest vpon their owne strength but alwaies depend vpon God yea and further also for this cause he doth it that the more hard the combat is and their strife with sathan sinne the more vehement the more glorious might the victory appeare And therefore as it is in warre and battels fought amongst men we doe not measure the victory by any thing done one either side whiles they are contending or skirmishing for the vhemency of the one or the remissenesse of the other neither will we count him a coward who shall be grieuously wounded no although he sometime giue backe like one which is ouercome so as he doe afterwards take heart and courage to himselfe againe euen so in this spirituall fight conflict when we shal see the good Christian to be ouer-matched as it were for the time driuen to hard distresse by sustaining the shame and reproch of some euill action committed or ranke rebellion nourished which is no lesse then if a man should in war loose some member of his body yet must we not thinke that the spirit hath yeelded it selfe vnto the flesh neither hath beene ouercome of it though sore and greuiously wounded if it shall by the feeling of the smart which it tooke by the sinne committed gather againe greater heart of detestation against it and strength and courage by spirituall armour to repell sathans poisoned dartes for heereafter Now of the examples and first of Iob yee will say How could he cry out as he doeth in the third chapter against the day of his birth crie out I say yea howle and charge God but he must needs shew himselfe to be ouercome of the flesh There is no doubt I graunt but that his aduersary the deuill did now make full reckoning that he should fall into very loathsome blasphemy and vtter desperation and it cannot be denied but that he was caried verie farre out of the way But yet as he is not to be freed from all fault so he is not to be further charged then he gaue iust cause forasmuch as the Lord himselfe doeth so determine the controuersie in the end whose sentence no man doubteth but that it was most righteous that although he reprooue him yet of his singular goodnesse he doth not make his fault so heinous but chargeth his three friends as the chiefe prouokers of him to that euill which he did and crowneth him as it were for that in so great a combat by his valiant wrestling he had preuailed yet for our further edification let vs see somewhat more particularly into this action directing our selues by that which the Lord hath said of him I say therefore that Iob sinned many waies but yet through humane frailty For his intemperate speech proceeded not from a setled and constant purpose of the mide but was wrung from the exceeding greatnesse of his griefe and paine which hindred for the time all sense and light of faith iudgement in him For in that he thought he could by no other meanes be deliuered from those so great euils which he suffered but by death it shewed that he did not throughly nor sufficiently weigh the power and might of God In that he wished either that he had neuer beene borne or together with his birth to haue died it must needs be granted that it was a speech of a man little considering what he said but which had forgotten what great mercies he had receiued yea what he himselfe had sometime vttered .i. If we haue receiued prosperitie from the Lord why should we not suffer aduersitie in that he earnestly wished deliuerance from his suffrings but asked it not of God it bewraied a minde in him sore troubled And lastly in that he had regard onely to his owne quiet and ease and thought at that time
commeth the greatest and that which maketh all these great and that is the pleasures at Gods right hand for euermore and the glory the vnspeakeable glory which was prepared and laid vp for vs before the beginning of the world And amongst all the other although this be by many degrees the chiefest yet I confesse that for the excellency thereof and for that I cannot see into the bewty of it as I doe somewhat into the other whereof I haue some experience I confesse I say that I cannot expresse to my contentation my minde about the same and do feare that in speaking of it I shall rather make it seeme lesse then if I said nothing yet somewhat seeing this place doth so require This estate therefore of the faithfull after this life the scripture setteth out by earthly comparisons and similitudes to our capacity for that we are not able to conceiue the same if in it owne nature it were described vnto vs and especially by the resemblances of those things which we doe most affect and delight in as honour treasure riches bewty friends pleasure ioy inheritance and possession of our owne Behold therefore heere prepared for thee ô happy Christian an habitation not made with hands but euerlasting in heauen an inheritance immortall vndefiled c. not purchased with gold and siluer but with a farre more excellent price for what is more desired then to liue with our friends But lift vp thine eies and see how God hath prepared for thee the company of the celestiall spirits namely his holy angels and elect people to eat and drinke with at his table for euermore I meane to haue fellowship with them and to dwell with Iesus Christ and his blessed Apostles Prophets Martyrs friends kinred and acquaintance which is the highest degree of the communion of Saints Pleasure and ioy how is it sought after yea what is welcome without them And that thou maist know that the Lord hath liberally prouided for thee this way know and vnderstand that the ioy which there is possessed is such as it causeth a continuall singing and thanksgiuing And what honour can be greater then to be the kings sonnes and daughters yea to raigne triumphantly after we haue ouercome death sinne hell the deuill the greatest enemies that euer were conquered The like I might say of the rest And all these priuiledges are so much the greater because as their habitation it selfe is permanent and euerlasting so are all the treasures which are inioied therein euerlasting also And therefore the precious things of the kingdome of heauen are said to be such as no eie hath seene no eare hath heard neither is the heart of man able to conceiue The happinesse of princes hath beene inioied and therefore is knowen what and how great it is which prooueth that it is in no sort to be compared to this Neither is it any maruell seeing one day in the courts of the Lord euen in this life is better then a thousand else-where euen in a princes palace therefore in the estate of glory after this life how much more And yet further this is not to be neglected that when the wicked shall be at their wits end and smitten with horror weeping wailing and gnashing of teeth euen then shall the faithfull inioy this infinite varietie of heauenly blessings which if it were possible for them to haue a dreadfull feare and perswasion of losing and forgoing would be an exceding and intolerable torment vnto them Besides we that liue now in this corrupt estate of the world for it was not so in the beginning and behold the varietie of Gods creatures replenishing the world the beasts of the field the fishes of the sea the fowles of the aire the Sunne Moone and starres furnishing the vpper parts aboue vs the trees corne and grasse beautifying these inferiour parts of the earth beneath vs if we might haue seene all these in their perfection with him which was made Lord of them euen man when he was yet without sinne in the world what a glorious habitation should it haue beene And yet but as a court-yard or entrie into a kings palace should it haue beene in respect of the heauenly mansion which is the celestiall Ierusalem for this is called but his footstoole but heauen is his throne And therfore if the Lord did so adorne this earth as that it is yet full of admiration to see but the prints of his glory his power and wisedome therein and yet it is but for a season euen a while to be a place of refreshing for vs who can thinke how magnificent the kingdome of heauen is which with all the infinite commodities he hath made to be a perpetuall habitation and dwelling place for all his beloued ones And so likewise it is an high degree of prosperitie to be inlightned to see by faith but in this world the sweet life of a Christian yet is this but a taste of heauen and a day there is better then a thousand elsewhere and the prerogatiues of a Christian are admirable When Paule was wrapt into the third heauen had heard things that were not to be vttered it is said that he was lift vp with the aboundance of reuelation and When Christ was but transformed that his garments did shine as the sunne Peter was astonished how much more then with this glory which in the former are but dimly represented As for the further describing of it by the particular kindes of pleasures and delights to the body and euery part of it and euery sense partaining to it and to the soule likewise which some haue taken vpon them to affirme and set out the Lord hauing said no such thing himselfe of the kinds of pleasures which are to be inioied there I leaue it as a bold coniecture of mans braine and fitter for the popish cleargy to teach to their superstious company who as their whole forme of their worshipping of God is outward grosse and carnall with Sonnets and sounds to please the eare and praier-like sights to delight the eie but that worship which is in spirit and truth is not in vse with them so they imagine as grosly of the delights which are in heauen that part of them are in the exceeding sweetnesse to the sense of smelling maruellous pleasure to the sense of tasting and so of handling they speake answerably I will not I say wade further then I may wade safely what the kindes and varietie of pleasures are particularly which the righteous are partakers of the Lord hath not reuealed vnto me and therefore I am not ashamed to say I know not It is enough that I am sure they are so great and many that they cannot be once thought of according to their woorthinesse no not of the wisest who can see furthest and enter most deepely into matters Onely this I will say and with this I will end That
taken away in great part there is no cause why they should feare that as too hard which shall not hurt them or seeke to shunne that as too vnpleasant the benefit whereof they haue not prooued Some say they like it well and would with all their hearts that they could practise this direction but they haue so many lets to holde them off and cut them from it that they doe not see how they shall in anie meane sort performe the duties through the day required in it But such are to know that the chiefest lets of all from a godlie life which be the intemperancie of the minde and vnbridled lusts thereof are by this direction best remedied and staied the most of other which are outward in the world as prouocations temptations and other like occasions are heereby also and by the well ordering of the affections preuented and auoided or the easilier borne And as for the third kind which are mens callings dealings labours which through ignorance many doe meane when they complaine of hinderances are none at all but as they are made by the vnskilfulnesse carelesnesse or other sinne of the partie which ill vseth them And to this purpose I will tell thee what I haue heard a man of good account and long experience say I neuer had such lets as farre as I can call to remembrance but if my heart had beene held in good gouernment I might haue serued God with peace and gone forward in the course which I propounded Which what differeth it from that in the Prouerbes Keepe thine heart with all diligence for from thence commeth life So that yee see the chiefe hinderances are vnfaithfulnesse hardnesse of heart frowardnesse licentiousnesse and such like euill distemperatures of the heart by meanes whereof outward occasions of sinning doe the easilier prouoke vs and our lawfullest actions which we goe about come vntowardly to passe But perhaps they will reply thus We would sometime pray or read by our selues or looke to some other duties which God requireth for the well guiding of our liues when we must needs goe about our owne worke or the princes businesse or such like lets of one sort or other call vs away so that we cannot performe them whereas they which are free from these outward businesses and seruices may take their libertie in these spirituall duties But I aske this question of them againe Why they should be most earnestly bent to praier and reading at such times when they see other duties to be laid vpon them necessarily Is it not because they see they cannot doe them that the deuill setteth them forward so hotly at such a time to goe about them that they may thinke themselues to be godlier then they be and so be deceiued And why are they not but euen halfe so feruent in going about reading praying and other heauenly seruing of God when they haue time and leisure Which if they be it is well let them rest with peace therein so shall they be the fitter to outward duties and so doing they must not count thēselues letted when they do that which is their calling If they do not let them wisely marke how they be blind-folded on both sides and make conscience so to doe the one dutie in his season that the other be not counted an hinderance of them from the seruing of God but be performed also and that with cheerefulnesse when it lieth vpon them And that which I answer in this one I would haue to be vnderstood of all other of the like kinde of questions and therefore heereof enough Onely I thinke good to put them in minde that when two duties meet together at one time both being of great waight that they pray God to giue them discretion to consider which is most necessarie alwaies following the light which God giueth them and in things indifferent to do that which is most to Gods glorie their owne peace and the benefit of their brethren An other sort there is who are not troubled about this yet haue another doubt which discourageth them very much from practising such a Christian course For when they heare that there must not onely be appointed set times to pray and meditate but also that in our going through the whole day we must watch against euill and euen in particular actions be circumspect that we sinne not against our knowledge they aske whether they may not haue their mindes on their worke while they are at it If it be granted them they aske how they shall doe both I say no scruple is to be made of this but that there should be a minding and that carefully of those things which we doe though they be not spirituall neither needed there be any question made of this but that they haue after the maner of carnall and worldly men so fraught and stuffed their heads with earthly thoughts and worldly desires that they cannot vnburden themselues of them when they pray vnto God And therefore when he doth afterward giue them conscience thereof and of other sinnes they are so grieued to remember their long continued offence that way in that they were woont to fill their hearts with all sensuality and worldlinesse that now they thinke they dispease God when they haue them set vpon their businesse at all euen as he that hath abused musicke myrth or meate dangerously thinks afterward that he may not vse them in any sort whereas they may vnderstand that there is no such disagreement or contrarietie betwixt holy things and lawfull liberties neither therefore betwixt spirituall duties and the workes of our calling but that there maie be recourse had from the one to the other without quenching the gifts of Gods spirit in vs. And he that doth both of them in their season as becommeth him I meane with a single and honest heart may worship God in praier hearing his word or any such like and not be distracted at the same time by earthly thoughts and fantasies so as they should interrupt and breake him off and againe the same man may be occupied in his earthly affaires and businesse in such wise that he comming to them with a religious and well ordered heart need not be distracted vnsetled or made vnfit thereby to other duties of Christianity afterwards nor any thing more earthly minded while he is at them For why euen they are the worke which God hath set him about and therefore obeying him therein he may be quiet yea and chearefull which God alloweth vs freely if we could be wise to see and vse our liberties to our good For a godly minded man who hath tasted how precious and sweet a thing it is to keepe peace with God in all his waies and hath experience how soone his heart is drawen into the world by the deceitfulnesse of sinne will with such faithfulnesse keepe his affection knit vnto goodnesse as he knoweth he ought to do that he is not drowned in
this and contrarie The watchfull obseruing of mens traditions is farre off from this Heb. 11.6 We must specially watch against that infirmitie which most anoyeth vs. 1. Sam. 12.19 1. Sam. 8.19 An illustrating it by similies The fruite of such watching If we be but turned out of the way we must speedily returne Phil. 2.12 Prou. 28.14 VVhat it is Matth. 6. Genes 24.63 Psal 119.97 Iosh 1.8 The matter of meditation The necessitie of meditation What our meditations should be of our sinnes Heb. â— 1 Meditation purgeth out sin Our hearts are deceitfull Rom. 2.28 Zach. 12.12 VVe must set against our sinne in our priuate meditation before we can cast it off in company Other sweete benefit of meditation 2. Thes 3.4 Meditation a stranger to many The lets of meditation are diuers The first let and the remedie thereof VVant of matter Luk. 16.2.3 The second let and the remethereof The third let and the remedie thereof Luk. 10.42 Two abuses of meditation The first to vse it sleightly and so to make a ceremonie of it The remedie we must be perswaded that it is worthie to be delighted in Esai 29.13 The second when we be clogged and fraught with phantasies and cares Heb. 3.12 The remedie we must carefully set our selues against the corruption of our hearts Psal 91.11.12 13.14 Ioh. 16.33 Ioh. 15.19 VVe must haue our conuersation heauenly Phil. 3.10 Men lose a great part of their sweete and blessed liuing here seeing they will not vse meditation It is vtterly vnbeseeming that the weightiest matters should be slightly regarded The former remedie more fully and cleerely set downe Rules and examples of meditation follow Foure rules to direct vnto meditation 1 Rule Ierem. 17.9 Psalm 55.17 2 Pro. 4.21 c. 3 4 Ioh. 14.15.16 Prou. 27.7 Particulars to muse on Psal 73.25 Reioycing Christian life Watchfulnes Of falles Priuiledge of a godly life in trouble Reioycing Crosses Worldlines Afflictions Sobrietie Of falles Troubles Conference Calling Col. 3.23 Affliction Luk. 22.39 Ioh. 18.2 Dan. 6.10 Matth. 6.33 Loue of God Godly life Of death 1. Pet. 1.24 1. Cor. 7.29 1. Ioh. 2.13 VVatch and pray Nehem. 2.4 Priuiledge A good estate Psal 119.16 Priuiledge Faith Fulnes Sight of our miserie Luk. 21.38 Iam. 5.5 Phil. 3.14 How needfull it is to set our selues to goe on through difficulties Heb. 13.13 Col. 1.11 Deut. 33.18 Perseuarance Depend on God There must be growing daily One sinne or other commonly trouble vs. Subtiltie in our liuing doth most deceiue our selues 2. Cor. 1.12 Iob. 31.13 To lose grace Cant. 2.7 Ioh. 14.22 Reuel 3.20 a 1. Pet. 1.15 Psam 39.1 Ephes 5.15 b Ephes 5.16 Col. 4.5 c Col. 4.2 d Luk. 14.15.16 Heb. 10. e Deut. 4.9 6.7 Genes 18.19 f Prou. 31.27.28 g Col. 3.2 h Heb. 13.16 Gal. 6.10 i Col. 3.5 Ephes 5.3.4 k Matth. 16.24 l Dan. 9.3.4 c. 20. Lament 1.1 m 1. Cor. 1.7 Tit. 2.13 n Iam. 5.16 o Eccles 7.4 Phil. 1.23 Reuel 22.20 p Deut. 17.19.20 Iosh 1.8 Psam 1.2 Dan. 9.2 q Nehem. 9.38 2. Chro. 34.31 r 1. Pet. 1.14 2. Pet. 2.20.21.22 Å¿ Matth. 11.8 1. Thes 5.22 t Reuel 2.4 u Iam. 1.19 w Iam. 1.22 Rom. 2.13 x Eccles 4.17 y Ephes 5.20 Psal 116.12.13 118.15 z Phil. 1.23 2. Tim. 4.7.8 Perswasions to vse meditation Just cause to complaine of the want of meditation in all sortes of men Luk. 23.28 Ierem 8.6 1. Tim. 4.15 Especially in the minister Obiection Answere We should not beheld from meditation by worldlings example Luk. 14.30 Foure points to be considered touching the Christian armour The first point sheweth what the armour is 2. Cor. 10.4 Ephes 6.14 The parts of the armour VVhat sinceritie is Psal 32.2 Matth. 5.8 Prou. 20.6 Ierem. 13.23 What righteousnes is Prou. 28.1 Psalm 7. Phil. 1.11 Iob. 31.35 Shooes of peace Rom. 5.1 Luk. 22.57 Luk. 22.33 Phil. 4.7 Ioh. 16.33 Rom. 8.31 Psal 27.1 Faith Rom. 8.32 Col. 1.23 VVhat hope is Rom. 12.12 1. Pet. 1.13 Rom. 8.28 The word of God Psal 119.105 1. Pet. 3.17 2. Cor. 3.18 Prou. 1.6 Prou. 9. Ioh. 13.17 The second point that the Christian life cannot stand without it Ephes 6.13 Shod with the preparation Luk. 2.35 The shield of faith 1. Pet. 5.7 Iam. 4.7 The breast-plate of righteousnes Prou. 3.30 2. Cor. 6.4.5 c. The svvord of the spirit The girdle of truth Prou. 20.6 The helmet of hope The third point is how the armour should be put on 2. Pet. 1.4 Luk. 17.31 Col. 3.13 Ephe. 6.13.14 Obiection Ephes 6.14 Col. 3.13 Matth. 26.41 Ephes 6.18 Iam. 1.6 Gen. 21.16.17 Ioh. 4.10 Ephes 6.14 1. King 3.9 Psal 51.12 77.5 Iam. 1.6 The armour being put on must be kept on Phil. 4.4 Prou. 15.15 1. Thes 5.16.17 Ephes 6.14 2. Pet. 1.5.6 2. Pet. 1.10 Euen the weakest Christian as well as the strongest must weare the armour Reue. 3.11 2. Thess 3.4 2. Cor. 10.4 1. Ioh. 5.4 1. Pet. 5.7 Mark 9.23 Matth. 5.8 Prou. 14.6 Psa 119.11.12 1. Sam. 25.34 Obiection Answere Obiection Answer 1. Cor. 4.8 Iosh 1.8 2. Cor. 10.4 Two obiections The first The second obiection The first obiection answered The second obiection answered Prou. 4.18 Of our owne experience What it is Experience of the fruite of a godly life the best meane to continue it Experience how affliction hath best end and is a rule for euer after Psal 120.1 1. Sam. 17.34 Psal 77.10.11 Psal 37.37 2. Cor. 1.10 Esay 59.1 Rom. 5.5 VVofull that men learne not experience Prou. 14.6 The fourth and fift priuate helpe Of the vse of company in familie exercise and conference c. The sixt priuate helpe Thanksgiuing Three perswasions to moue to thanksgiuing The first 1. Sam. 25.32 Genes 24.27 Luk. 17.15 The second Psal 126.1.2 The third Psalm 116.5 to 16. Luk. 18.11 Three duties required in thanksgiuing 1. Loue of God Psal 116.1 2. A desire to set foorth his glorie 2. Cor. 4.13 Psal 116.12 Psal 111. 3. A further proceeding in obedience Deut. 6.10 11 12. Psal 50.16 1. Thess 5.19 Confession of sinnes another helpe to a Christian life 1. Ioh. 1.8.9 Psal 32.5.6 Foure things in confession 2. Sam. 12.13 Psal 51.4.5 Dan. 9.5 Luk. 18.13 Luk. 15.17 Vers 21. Vers 19. 21 1. Sam. 12.20 Obiection Answere Request another helpe to liue godly What request is 1. Sam. 1.15 The first thing in request Luk. 18.13 Matth. 5.3 Psal 145.19 Matth. 15.28 Luk. 18.1 The second thing in request 1. Ioh. 5.14 Ioh. 13.14 15.7 16.24 The third thing in request Iam. 16. Ioh. 16.24 Three effects of prayer The first Iam. 4.8 Ioh. 16.26 Reuel 3.10 The second The third Matth. 7.7 The fourth thing in request Prou. 28.9 Psalm 7.4 Iam. 4.8.9.10 1. Sam. 7.7 The seuenth helpe is reading Rules about reading in generall The first rule The second rule The third rule about reading Eccles 12.14 The 4. rule Rules more particularly about the manner of reading Rom. 15.4 Ioh. 5.39 Act. 17.11
haue receiued the Gospell with ioy and been much cast downe by the force of the lawe But as their humbling hath been a bowing of themselues for a short time like a bulrush with the wind so their ioy hath been a suddaine flash of fleeting mirth not well grounded in them and an inlightning of them with the generall knowledge of saluation rather then a sealing of the assurance of their owne in their hearts for continuance Oh how many haue after the report made by others what great change the Gospell had wrought how many I say haue resorted to the hearing of it and giuen good and commendable hope of their owne change also and repentance who yet were soone wearie of the Lords yoke and of being subiect to his holy gouernment how many haue forsaken the fountaines of the water of life which could haue refreshed their soules in their necessitie with sound comfort and haue digged to themselues broken pits which can hold no water to comfort them And so haue started aside like a broken bowe and haue returned shamefully to their vomit and as the sowe which was washed to wallow againe in the mire Which I speake not as though God had not both called out of this life many amongst vs within these yeeres in her Maiesties raigne of singular hope and left a comfortable companie amongst vs still with others dailie comming on but to cast their shame as dung in their faces who haue fallen from that feruent desire of the sincere milke of the word which once they had to the world to prophanenes and to carelesnes These as the Scripture saith of Iudas went out from vs but they were none of vs for if they had been of vs they would haue continued still with vs. For when either prosperitie hath been graunted them they haue waxen wanton and haue turned the grace of God into loosenes or when affliction hath followed them they haue growne wearie of their profession saying as we reade in Eccles 7.12 That the former dayes were better and wished againe for the merrie world which they inioyed and the pleasant life as the Israelites did their flesh pots which they passed in ignorance of God and the lusts thereof in superstition and such like and so haue fallen from the grace of God and haue departed from him to whom yet they had professed themselues to haue been infinitly indebted as for his other benefits so especially for his Gospell in the which they seemed to take no small delight for a season But these when I consider their falsehood towards God and their double dealing that they would not giue their hearts to him to beleeue his mercies to be their onely treasures and so hold fast their confidence in him who would sufficiently haue recompenced their forsaking of the world I cease meruailing at them although they are fallen from an high account and estimation among the seruants of God vnto a vile and reprochfull estate to be reckoned with the vnbeleeuers some of them making this their chiefe religion rather to be iudges and censurers of their brethren then to hold and retaine loue and fellowship with them For whom yet I will not cease to intreate the Lord dailie that if any of them belong to him it would please him to awake them and to bring them home with the prodigal sonne in the sight of those who haue seene their reuolt that so not onely themselues may be saued though they take shame in the world but others also who were imboldened to sinne by their example may be reclaimed Thus the loue of these men hath constrained me a little to go aside in lamenting their miserie because I haue knowne many of them who hauing shined as lights for a season are become mistie cloudes to hinder light from others whom I also counsell to consider that they haue not been driuen away from their holy profession by persecution which if they had been might haue giuen better hope of them to their brethren that meere weakenesse had hindered them but they haue gone away from their first loue and broken off their fellowship with their brethren euen in the time of the Gospell flourishing and preached in some places with more power then when they were in the beginning most earnestly stirred vp to imbrace it yea and some of them then forsooke their good beginnings not when Moses was gone aside from them for the space of fortie daies but whilest he was amongst them and in the middest of their tents calling vpon them to be sound and constant and to goe forward as he had done long before and himselfe also to Gods glorie be it spoken of some with great courage and cheerefulnes of good example going before them And therefore seeing their sinne is the greater they are to be aduised to looke for better assurance of their saluation and whom they haue offended that so they may repent and now take surer hold of eternall life with the hand of their faith rather than by so weake and small occasions to let it goe For if they had in the feeling of their sinne feare sorrow and other distresses for the same been vnfainedly humbled their hearts mollified and they resolued to seeke the forgiuenes thereof and righteousnes thereby and that through the free imputation thereof by Iesus Christ they should soundly haue had their diseases healed their sorrow and doubtes expelled and true comfort ministred from their faith in him which would so effectually haue wrought in them and haue raised such an vnfained loue to God againe that they would for no cause haue been withdrawne but rather haue set themselues to growe in godlines with their brethren then in the least manner to haue returned to their former lusts of their ignorance from which they professed themselues to haue been purged This I haue written for their causes who haue been content to be deceiued with an opinion of happines and yet to be voide of it who because they haue had some light in the beholding of their sinnes and haue been wounded in conscience for the guilt of them and punishment due to the same haue therefore perswaded themselues that they haue been effectually called when yet they haue not seene nor found this that their sinnes haue been pardoned to them and in token thereof that they themselues haue been changed in will affection and conuersation and so haue become new creatures For though they alleage and that iustly that in the conuersion of Paul the people mentioned Act. 2.37 the returning of the people of Israel to God in the time of the Iudges and in the dayes of Samuel and in such other examples the holy Ghost setteth downe their trouble of minde their pricke of conscience and their great abasing of themselues which I graunt are wrought in such as haue been truly penitent yet there hath been ioyned also with these an earnest hungring
after Gods mercie an vnfained faith the spirit of adoption sealing vp their saluation vnto them and the liuelie fruites of the same They haue beleeued that God hath become their most louing father through Christ Iesus who was before their fearefull iudge and they haue hereby been inforced to loue him therefore and to seeke now to please him with all their hearts and these graces haue set them forward in a godly life to bring forth fruites beseeming their profession But these men furnish not themselues with faith a pure heart a good conscience change of their life through the louing of God but they let time end their griefe of mind and their woundes of conscience are healed outwardly with opinion that it is sufficient repentance onely to be sorrowfull some not abiding the gripes of griefe and yet not finding sound comfort against them haue cast them off and therefore in affliction are from time to time vexed with the returning of them againe because they were neuer driuen away kindly nor aright If they shall further defend themselues this way that they thought their course was good to be thus cast downe seeing the lawe was preached to them which constrained them thus to doe and if they will aske why we preached the iudgements of God to them if we saw it not meete for them to be humbled I answere first the law was neuer preached alone by any discreete teacher who himselfe was skilfull in the doing of his dutie but the Gospell with it Secondly the law was not nor is not preached to hold men vnder with the yoke of feare and bondage but to cause men to see their sinne more cleerely and thereby their punishment to be due that so they might come to themselues in truth and set more store by Gods mercie and Christs merits which onely can saue their soules and minister them comfort Thirdly we haue not as from God approued nor wished any to rest in any workes of the lawe or the best actions which they could doe when as yet they had no faith nor perswasion of the remission of their sinnes truly setled in them but to haste from thence with all speede and to trie themselues both by rules and doctrine as well as by their owne experience if Christ were in them that so through him they might become acceptable Now then if they haue heard and receiued one part of our Ministery and not the other if they haue placed happines in the repentance which they haue fancied and not in the knowledge of God through Christ which we haue vrged they haue been deceiued through the subtiltie of the tempter if they haue sought to please God for feare of his vengeance and not because they haue found deliuerance from death by his vndeserued fauour they haue laboured in vaine and been with-holden from the principall fruit of the Gospell preached But no meruaile for many are the sleights by the which the diuell keepeth his possession in such as are not yet escaped his wiles and snares in the which he holdeth them not without their own good liking He discourageth some from hope and confidence that they are the Lords because they haue been more deepely pricked for their sinne and longer holden in doubtfulnes then other of Gods children are and that none haue so great temptations and conflicts as they haue But haue not they these afflictions to bring them vnto God And others he dismaieth and holdeth vnder with the contrarie as that they cannot be Gods children because they haue neuer had that deepe sorrow and long lying in it for their sinne as many of their brethren haue had As though mens examples and not rather Gods word should be their rule to follow So he suggesteth this to some others that their estate could not be good seeing they haue not had their liues full of some outward crosses as some of the godly haue and yet on the contrarie many haue been long holden captiues with these cogitations that they durst not thinke themselues to belong to Gods election seeing they are euery while vnder one crosse or other Thus the diuell whose malice and subtiltie few doe know fewer doe well weigh but fewest of all doe wisely and carefully resist the diuell I say holdeth numbers occupied about these and such like points wherein the triall of their happines and certaintie of their peace doth not consist And because religion and holie doctrine doth affect them and that he seeth they will needes imbrace the same he laboureth to keepe them at this stay to hold themselues contented with that shadow though they be vncertaine of their estate to Godward and remaine in suspence and little hope of their saluation and so hee permitteth them to haue the letter of the Scripture in their mouth and to talke generally about religion or if occasion be offered about some questions and matters concerning the same but they hate vtterly to be reformed Who seeth not that he holdeth these in errour and bondage as grossely as he doth the other before mentioned who trouble themselues about opinions and conceits which are not the chief and maine points to occupie themselues about as though happines consisted in them but may faile of eternall life for all that when they haue all done For neither doth this commend a man to God whether he hath long continued in griefe of minde feare of conscience and doubtfulnes of saluation but that he be well freed and deliuered from such trouble and discharged of his feare I meane that hee can heartily thanke God through Iesus Christ that he seeth and feeleth himselfe set at libertie and by him is made happie for if the truth of God and his promise make him free then he is free indeed Neither is this with a man or against him in assuring himselfe of saluation whether his life be full of afflictions and crosses seeing God keepeth not alwaies an euen hand in these things for they are common both to good and bad but that a man know himselfe though a wretched sinner yet through faith to be iustified and acquitted before God and therefore is at peace with God in himselfe euen such as passeth all vnderstanding whether his crosses bee many or few There are many things of like sort with which Sathan doth blindfold sundrie of good hope as that for hauing some infirmities or falles breaking foorth in them therefore they cannot be beloued of God and when they finde that in some sort they can ouercome them then they think they are the beloued of God in neither of which a man is to place his safetie For both the deare Saints of God may possibly be led out of the way to commit somewhat offensiuely neither is he to promise well to himselfe who sometimes keepeth from sinnes which at other times he hath fallen into for it may be that there is no great occasion offered him that way or he is