Time Well Spent

In Sacred Meditations, Divine Observations, & Heavenly Exhortations

Ezekiel Culverwell

Monergism Books

This text has been initially updated from EEBO-TCP by Project Puritas.

Further revision and editing done by Monergism.

Copyright Monergism via universal text usage permission from the above.

Copyright © 2024

Published by Monergism Books

P.O. Box 491

West Linn Oregon 97068

www.monergism.com

All rights reserved.

No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

Editor’s Note – During the EEBO-TCP Transcription Process, all the text was hand transcribed according to visual representation; and as such, sometimes the letters s, l, f & t are misconstrued with each other, these letters regularly being almost illegibly similar in the original facsimile script. Though it is rare for these errors to remain post-edit, unfortunately they may remain if uncaught. My sincere apologies in advance where such errors occur. As the Puritan Edward Leigh once said "If thou findest faults and Errata in the book, let love cover them, for to err (as the Satirist saith) is the sad privilege of mortality, and he (of all men) erreth most, who challengeth a privilege from error." Also, the symbol <H&G>, when included, signifies omitted Hebrew & Greek. Lastly, some archaic words may be updated to more contemporary terminology; but changes have been kept to a bare minimum.

Contents

1. PREF. I. To The Right Worshipful.

2. PREF. II. To The Christian Reader.

3. PREF. III. The Authors Prayer.

4. 1. SECT. I. Admonition – Confidence.

5. 2. SECT. II. Conscience – Faith.

6. 3. SECT. III. Falls – Grief.

7. 4. SECT. IV. The Heart – Offences.

8. 5. SECT. V. Parents – Sin.

9. 6. SECT. VI. Slander – Zeal.

PREF. I. To The Right Worshipful.

Right Worshipful and worthy Mistress More:

The Church of God hath not only benefit by exact and just treatises knit together in a Methodical dependency of one part from another, but likewise of sententious independent speeches, that have a general luster of themselves as so many flowers in a garden, or Jewels in a casket, whereof everyone hath a distinct worth of themselves; and this maketh them the more acceptable, that being short they are fitter for the heart to carry, as having much in a little.

This moved this reverend man of God, to spend what spare hours his sickness would afford him about thoughts in this kind. He was many years God's prisoner under the gout and stone, such diseases, as will allow but little liberty to those that are arrested and tortured by them. So fruitful an expense of time, in so weak and worn a body is seldom seen, scarce any came to him but went away better than they came; God gave much strength of spirit to uphold his spirit from sinking under the strength of such diseases. It were a happy thing if we that are Ministers of Christ, would in all conditions and times think of our calling, that our office is not tied to one day in a week, and one hour or two in that day, but that upon all fit occasions we are to quicken ourselves and others in the way homeward, as guides to heaven. We read not of the opening of heaven but to some great purpose. So it should be with the man of God, he should not open his mouth and let anything fall (so far as frailty and the necessary occurrences of human life will permit) but what might minister some grace to the hearers.

The reason why I made choice of you to dedicate them unto, is not that I might discharge mine own debt unto you with another man's coin, but that I could not think of any fitter than yourself, whom this ancient minister of Christ esteemed always very much for eminency of parts and grace, and you him as a man faithful and one that maintained his ministerial authority with good success in his place; God allotting your habitation in your younger years in that part of the country where he lived, and where you first learned to know God and yourself. In those times though those parts were in regard of the air unhealthful, yet that air was so sweetened with the savory breath of the Gospel, that they were termed the holy land. Hereupon I thought meet to commend these sententious speeches by your name, to others. Which though (divers of them) may seem plain, yet what they want in show they have in weight, as coming from a man very well experienced in all the ways of God. The Lord follow you with his best blessings, that you may continue still to adorn the Gospel of Christ in your place.

Yours in all Christian service,

R. Sibbes.

PREF. II. To The Christian Reader.

The Publisher hereof wisheth Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

Christian Reader, Thou hast here offered unto thee (a rare box of precious pearls) on most subjects, many sweet, grave, accurate, wholesome, fit, and choice passages. What the Author was, what his care for God's glory, his delight in God's worship, his desire of the good of others, his hatred of sin, his grief for sin, his zeal and fervency in prayer, his knowledge of the word, his contempt of the world, his experience of Satan's subtle. ties, his compassion towards the afflicted members of Jesus Christ, his skill in exhorting, dehorting, reproving, comforting; his joyfulness in the society and company of God's children, his usual endeavors and employments, his daily meditations, his ordinary speeches, his growth in grace, and measure of sanctification, &c. may be easily perceived, and plainly discerned by this his ensuing Treatise. Well knew he the worth of time, well knew he in like manner how to employ the same to his best advantage. Apparent it is, that he thought that time to be ill spent, wherein he was not doing some good to himself or others, and therefore endeavored always to be thus employed. Was he alone? Then was he either occupied in prayer, reading, meditation, or such like Christian exercise. Was he in company? Then were not his words idle, vain, worldly, unprofitable, but gracious, powdered with salt, tending to edification. Was he at dinner or supper? Then would he take occasion to speak of the use of God's creatures, the thankfulness we owe unto God for the plenty we enjoy, together with the usual abuse of God's mercies by most men and women. Was there a question propounded unto him? In the resolution thereof would he take occasion to dehort from someone or other vice, exhort to someone or other virtue. Did he observe in himself anything defective? How did he labor for humiliation; for a supply? Did he observe sins in others, which were not in himself? How did he pity and pray for them, bless God for himself, yea be hereby persuaded that the Lord loved him, as through whose goodness he was made see and hate such things as are so highly esteemed in the world, and pursued by men of this world, whence he became desirous the more to love the Lord with all his heart, and to be so delighted in him, that he might esteem nothing without him, nor be carried away by anything from him, in whose favor is all fullness of joy for evermore. A faithful Steward he was of the mysteries of God, and who well knew, how to divide the word aright, and give every man his due portion. Thus much no doubt and much more might be said by any of those which entirely knew him, myself having at no time otherwise seen him than in his works, this especially, warranting all that I have affirmed of him. Whatsoever thou art, whatsoever thy condition, thou mayest here have suitable matter which concerneth thy good. Here may parents learn their duty, children theirs. Here may Pastors learn their duty; people, theirs. Here may all learn, both young and old, rich and poor. This will inform thy judgment, this in like manner stir up thy affections. Thou then who wouldst learn to perform thy duty towards God, thy duty towards thy neighbor: Thou who wouldest learn at all times to employ thy time well: Thou who wouldest know with whom thou shouldst converse, and what use to make of good company, &c. come here, and enjoy thy heart’s desire: What is here offered thee, despise not, but bless God for the same, accordingly making use thereof to his glory and thine own good. Farewell.

A. Symson.

PREF. III. The Authors Prayer.

The Authors Prayer at the writing of this Book.

Most gracious God, and loving Father, pardon and forgive all my sins, and write those things in my heart by thine holy Spirit, which shall be written in this book, that as this book shall through thy grace help my memory, so thy Spirit may sanctify my meditations, that thorough this grace I may hear to understand, understand to be moved in my affections, and not for a time, but forever to remember, meditate and practice thy word, with an holy and humble perseverance, thorough thy dear Son, and our only Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

The lips of the righteous feed many. – Prov. 10:21.

He that winneth souls is wise. – Prov. 11:30.

The Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge, yea he gave good heed, and sought out and set in order many proverbs. – Eccl. 12:9.

I will meditate also of all thy works and talk of all thy doings. – Psal. 77:12.

O how love I thy Law! It is my meditation all the day. – Psal. 119:97.

Who so is wise and will observe those things, even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. – Psal. 107:43.

Preach the word, be instant in season, and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort. - 2 Tim. 4:2.

SECT. I. Admonition – Confidence.

ADMONITION.

1. Many can stir up themselves, which cannot admonish others, much less they which admonish not themselves, can admonish others.

2. Having admonished our brother in meekness, and not prevailing, its good to require him to try his conscience after his sleep, what peace he hath in refusing our admonition.

3. To speak to the consciences of others, and to rip up secret sins, a man must mark diligently his own heart, whereby he shall see the secret corruptions of flesh and blood which are in all men.

AFFECTIONS.

1. An excellent trial of our affection of anger, grief, joy, &c. is by this, whether they make us fit to serve God or not.

2. It’s a notable point of wisdom to make our affections known in company as little as may be, as did Joseph, and not to be extraordinary at the table either in joy or sorrow, without special cause, but privately with some godly friend, or only with the Lord to pour out our hearts.

3. Every excessive affection bringeth his own punishment, anger, grief, love, jealousy, and the rest, as daily experience showeth.

AFFLICTION.

1. The only way to moderate and sanctify our earthly and natural sorrow (which in itself is not unlawful, but necessary as a means to make us seek to the Physician of our souls) is this, so oft as we feel the pricks thereof (which be in none continual, but have their fits;) so oft we should consider of the end why the Lord hath sent them and so continueth them, that so by laboring to make the right use of them, not only our minds may be withdrawn from vain discoursing of our loss, but also by making some profitable use of them we may sooner attain to the end why they were sent, which alone comforteth the Christian heart, for otherwise it were a double grief, to suffer these things in vain, yea not to profit by chastisements is and ought to be a fearful terror to our consciences.

2. As for such as have running sores to be without physic is dangerous for festering, so for us that have running sores of sin, to be without afflictions.

3. All outward afflictions serve to work the inward grief for sin, which if it be, the other is needless.

4. An especial remedy in trouble is to be prepared to undergo the same, whensoever it cometh.

5. Our woeful experience daily shows how unwelcome any affliction is unto the outward man, and therefore what need we have to be well armed in the inner man, against greater trials, lest we sink under them.

6. It cannot be denied but that sin is the only deserving cause and occasion, of whatsoever evil befalleth us, and therefore the Lord is just in all the evils he bringeth upon us, howbeit he hath many ends why he layeth them as well on the elect as reprobate. The wicked he plagueth to show his justice on them, to increase their sin and condemnation, as also to make them inexcusable. The elect he chastiseth to turn them from sin, and keep them from damnation: to make them partakers of his holiness, and preserve them from further danger: to exercise their faith, manifest their strength or weakness, and draw them nigher unto himself.

7. When we are in affliction, we are not so witty of ourselves, as to see the cause of it, or if we see the cause, we see not the mercy of God, that his hand which is upon us is not a destroying hand, but a delivering hand.

8. Whereas all God's children be in continual battle against sin more or less, it falleth out for the most part, that as earthly soldiers living at ease in their camp, the enemy hath more vantage, and more prevaileth; so in our prosperity the flesh usually prevails over the Spirit, but when God sends some affliction it’s as a fresh band of men to help the Spirit against the flesh, whereby they daily get more victory.

9. This is a special comfort in all afflictions, when first we believe that God's meaning is to make us better; and Secondly, we find by experience that we be so, and daily hope for more gain thereby.

10. The gain we are to make by our afflictions is to be brought to more sight of our chief sins, and sorrow for the same, to seek more earnestly for pardon thereof, and power to amend: to fight the more against them, whereby they may be the more overcome.

11. When God layeth his hand upon us, it’s that our faith and patience may be the more tried and exercised to his glory, the example of others, and our own comfort.

12. Howsoever God hath divers ends in the afflicting of his, and all are not for the same, yet it’s safer for most Christians to take them as Physic to cure their infirmities, which else would fester.

13. We must take all afflictions as means to pull us near unto God from slothfulness.

14. The visitation of such as grow in grace is not so much to be feared, as their deliverances, lest through unthankfulness and ease they lose the fruit they have so dearly purchased of the Lord.

15. A Christian in the time of his affliction, for the hardness of his heart, cannot judge of himself, no more than a man sleeping of that he did waking, whence it is, that many deceive themselves in looking to fee always the like measure or greater of God's graces in them, for there is some intermission in the work of the new birth though the Spirit never depart, yet must not they be secure herein, for this must humble them, though not dismay them.

16. No affliction so much crucifieth a true hearted Christian, as his own corruptions and temptations.

17. It’s good for afflicted consciences to remember the state to come, that they which sow in tears shall reap in joy.

18. It’s a common fault to be more touched when the cross privately toucheth us, then when the whole Church suffereth.

ANGELS.

How the good Angels of God watch over us, is not curiously to be searched after, but we must pray, that by faith we may feel that they pitch their tents round about our Tabernacles.

ANGER.

Whether our anger be carnal or spiritual may be thus discerned; If it hinder not but quicken our holy exercise of prayer and other religious duties, if it interrupt not our meditations, nor withdraw us from performing our duty to the party offended, neither make us peevish to others, its spiritual not carnal.

ASSURANCE OF GOD'S FAVOR, ELECTION, AND SALVATION.

1. As it is a most blessed estate to be hid under God's wing, that is, to be sure by faith of God's favor and protection, that he will keep us from danger, or preserve us in it, that it hurt us not, and so in the end deliver us, and make it profitable; So it’s hard to come to this, and harder to keep it, whereof amongst others, these may be the causes: We too little think of such matters, or prize them not when we do; yet either we despair, or presume and post off; if we go about them, yet through ignorance or sloth attend not thereon. The remedy is to labor and pray to see the gain which might make our pain, pleasant; till then all will be tedious. Wherein this may further: to consider our present days wherein no small store have been suddenly taken away from all they sore toiled for. And seeing our father hath allowed us sufficient of these things below, what childish folly is it to spend our time in play as it were, and leave our chief duties, wherein we should most please God, and most procure our own welfare, present peace, and eternal happiness.

2. For our comfort in the assurance of salvation, we must consider what work of God's Spirit we do certainly find in ourselves, as in particular, these. 1. A sound knowledge of the doctrine of Salvation. 2. a true belief of it. 3. Joy and comfort in it. 4. desire and care to glorify God for it, in hating and striving to forsake all sin, in loving and endeavoring to do all good, in every of them, being humbled by reason of our weakness, yet comforted through the measure of God's grace in us.

3. As God's children be hindered many other ways so this way not the least, that by reason of our common infirmities in our best actions we have not comfort that God is pleased with us, and so are discouraged, and find not that joy in our profession we might do, for redress hereof know we thus much, that herein we offer great injury to God and ourselves, in thinking God so strait and hard, that nothing will please him which hath infirmity, whereas indeed as he knoweth what we do or can do, so hath he revealed himself to be as ready to be pleased with the meanest endeavors, and to forgive and bear with wants, as ever parents were. Again, if we had not infirmities, what need we Christ one main benefit of his, being to cover our infirmities so then we ought to believe that God in Christ will forgive and accept us.

4. To have a sweet feeling of God's fatherly love and so to know and be assured our names are written in heaven, that we cannot perish, being (as Christ teacheth) the matter of greatest joy, as whereon all other comforts depend, and without which there can be no sound joy, no marvel though so few attain thereunto, it being reserved for such of God's children as be deepest in favor with him, the rest but seldom, and the hypocrite never soundly, but in fancy enjoying the same. Though this be the free gift of God, given to whom, and so long as pleaseth him, yet be there many lets which keep men from it, and means to attain and keep it. Besides the common contemners, even in those that fain would have this assurance, and oft mourn for it, there be many lets. 1. A great part be ignorant how or whereon to build this assurance, the most building their faith on their life, which cannot be sound, and oft faileth and can never be constant; whereas the true building is to build life on faith, and faith only upon God's mercy and truth revealed in his word, not to the righteous and godly, but sinners and ungodly: thus, Seeing the Son of God who hath given himself to work man's redemption hath freely offered himself to save me a wretched sinner void of all grace, and subject to damnation, promising fully to save me, if I will come to him, and wholly cast myself upon him, receive him for my Savior, Lord, and Husband, and giving myself wholly body and soul to be his to serve him forever, therefore knowing and believing that he both can and will indeed fully perform his promise, and desiring to enjoy the same, do faithfully give and betroth myself to him, and thereon do build my assurance, that I in him shall obtain God's favor, and all the fruits thereof, for my present comfort, and eternal happiness. 2. Another great and common let of this spiritual joy and comfort in the Lord even in those that oft complain of the want thereof, is this, that they will not go to the price of it, that is, valuing it above all we can ask or think, therefore to sell all for it, forgo anything for it, and seeing what will keep us from it to put it away, though as dear as our right eye, our gain, credit, ease, and pleasure; and knowing any means that will help us to it, to spare no cost, no time, no labor, but constantly to use all means till we get it, and so to keep it. Now seeing this is tedious to our corrupt nature, many through mere forgetfulness (minding other things too much) let all this care and travel alone, seldom or slightly minding this matter. Others of mere slothfulness neglect to take the pains for it, whereas without much pains it will not be gotten and kept, and none can be too much. Others too much in love with the world, seeing the attaining and keeping of this assurance of God favor, will not stand with the use of any unlawful gain, credit in the world or vain delight, or with the abuse of lawful, therefore the covetous, ambitious, and voluptuous, loath to forgo any part of their wealth, pomp, and state, of their bravery, feastings, pastimes, and the like, can never get or hold this precious treasure of rejoicing in the Lord. Among those may be reckoned such who not so much choked with these, yet seeing that to hold this confidence will cost them sore trouble and many afflictions, of mere fearfulness and over-tenderness, being loath to suffer anything, are discouraged from seeking it, and so content to live without it. Others through mere distrust that they shall never attain or hold it, faint and give over. In some there hath been some foul and reproachful sin which lieth as a thorn in the flesh, that till it be pulled out there is no ease, which they loath to see, and more loath should be seen, and they should bear the shame of, do so hide and smother, that in the end it flameth out to their greater confusion. In all, the Lord hath his stroke, who for these or other most just causes often hideth his loving countenance from his own children, and though he love them, will not let them see it, lest they should abuse it, and to make them set more by it, to seek it earnestly and above all when they want it, and to keep it charily when they have it. The remedies of all the former diseases be the earnest labor for the contrary virtues, more to value this pearl, more to mind it, to spare no pains in prayer, meditation and other good exercises, love and desire nothing in comparison hereof: to hearten ourselves against all discouragements, and to be content to suffer anything for it, and to rest on God's mercy and truth, that as he hath given an heart to seek, so we shall in the end obtain, and therefore to be patient and constant to the end, to pull up any stub in our conscience, by wise means clearing ourselves before God and the world as need requires, and lastly to consider the many tokens we have of God's love though he seem to frown upon us, and to hide his face.

5. He that most denieth himself, and of love yields himself wholly to God, may have most assurance of his effectual vocation and election.

6. He that feeleth his heart fully persuaded of his Salvation must examine whether it breed answerable love, zeal, and care to please God, with grief for offending his Majesty, else may it be but presumption.

ATHEISM.

Atheism is more to be feared then Papism, seeing many renounce Popery, who yet care not for Christianity.

BAPTISM.

1. A Godly man may have his child baptized of a minister though unreverently handling that holy mystery, that being alone the minister’s sin, and which cannot hinder the blessing of God's ordinance: the Apostles being very ignorant, baptized.

2. The Fathers presence is requisite at the baptizing of the child to promise for it; or if he cannot come, to certify the congregation that he would have his child baptized, and make that promise by others which present he ought.

3. Baptism is a seal of the Cross of Christ.

4. The child of a harlot may be baptized, though not for her sake, yet for the forefathers within the same generation.

BENEFITS OR BLESSINGS.

1. In all our mirth’s and rejoicing we are to remember the great benefit of our deliverance from the Spaniards in 88. and from the Gun-powder-treason on the 5. of November, by means whereof we enjoy those blessings we daily partake of.

2. As our hearts must rejoice in God's benefits, so we must be persuaded that the same flow from God's fatherly love in Christ, else can we not give spiritual thanks, but either none at all, or only carnal.

3. Being persuaded that God's benefits towards us proceed from his love, the same should so kindle our love, that we should heat thereby all that come near us, as fire doth, the want whereof shows our great unthankfulness.

4. Whereas the most professors be in nothing more hindered, from growth in grace, yea and most from true happiness, then by the abusing of those earthly blessings they enjoy, health, wealth, beauty, strength, wit, learning, credit, friends, which through their sin further their misery, and shall witness against them, this must be accounted an high favor to a true believer to have grace so to use those, that they all may become his friends to further his happiness, whereby he shall become more assured of God's everlasting favor, and have so many witnesses of the same.

5. This right use stands either toward:

1. God.

1. That they be received thankfully, so as every way they bind us more to him, more to love him, rest upon him, seek to him, and serve him. 2. That they be all used to his glory.

2. Man.

1. Ourselves: 1. Temperately: so as they no way hinder our proceeding, but make us fitter. 2. Providently: 1. Soul 2. Body.

2. Neighbors: 1. Justly, Psal. 15:2. 2. Mercifully, Prov. 14:21

6. Whereas there is no one thing which more hinders our spiritual life, then our care for earthly, it’s the special favor of our Lord Jesus, to free us from this care, and to show us a way how we may be abundantly provided for of all things necessary for this present life, that so we may more seek spiritual: this he doth by teaching us thus to pray, Give us this day our daily bread, whereby he puts as it were a privy key into our hands, to open all God's treasures that by prayer of faith we may fetch from God.

7. Many times the Lord above all means doth bestow a blessing upon his children, even more then they could look for, that they should not stay too much upon the means, but acknowledge every good gift to come from him, and therefore stay themselves on him, and to the same end also many times he crosseth them in the means, that either they cannot use them, or using them they prevail not, even to humble them that he may be God above all.

8. When God bestoweth any good gift upon us its good to feel some cross to seal and season it in us.

9. We often want outward blessings, because we so little esteem inward graces.

10. It’s a common thing with the Lord to bless before he punish.

BIRTH-DAY.

The celebration of a man's birth-day may be used of some and at sometimes, without pomp, superstition or carnal pleasure.

BUYING AND SELLING.

1. In buying and selling we must be careful that everyone may have benefit; and in selling rather to be under the market, then otherwise.

2. In buying and selling this may be a good rule to guide us, to do as we would be done unto, for example, when we sell consider we whether knowing the marketable price, and goodness of the thing, we would gladly give so much as we demand, if we would not, we deal not justly; so in buying: but herein take we heed that our hearts deceive us not, whereto we be very prone.

3. It’s a sore disease common and dangerous among the best professors, that they for love of gain, do many ways injure their neighbor, and allow themselves many practices contrary to love, as buying a thing dear to sell for more than its worth, when they sell it, and so casting their loss on their neighbor.

4. In buying and selling this is a sure rule, to be sure our neighbor gains by us.

CALLING.

1. If earthly men in earthly things do swallow up great troubles, and with cheerfulness undertake and accordingly undergo many hard travels for the satisfying of their desires in pleasure or profit, how much more ought we which be Christians, especially Ministers to cheer up our hearts with the hope of our gain, that with glad hearts we might study, pray, preach, and perform the like exercises.

2. They who have double allowance of food and wages, should do double service, therefore the rich should more pain fully labor in their vocations.

3. No troubles unless they be in case of mere ungodliness may make us forsake our callings, which are never free from trouble.

4. Whensoever we be out of our calling Satan hath fit occasion of tempting us.

CHRIST.

1. Two things are necessarily required to espouse us to Christ, the one, to use the pure means, the other to use these means with pure hearts.

2. The only way to come to and receive Christ, is upon good knowledge of his excellency to desire him, and by the free offer and faithful promise of himself to us poor sinners, to give credit to his word, taking him for our Lord and Savior, to give ourselves wholly body and soul to him to be his faithful Spouse and servants forever.

3. By this among many other notes, may one know whether he indeed hath received Christ, If he find such affection to Christ in heaven, as is in a betrothed virgin to one whom she dearly loveth being beyond sea, thinking the time long till she enjoy his sweet fellowship. This is too too rare.

CHRISTIAN.

It were a very profitable labor for ourselves and others, to have the whole Anatomy of a Christian, laid forth distinctly in all the virtues pertaining to him, in all the corruptions cleaving to him, with all the promises of God, and privileges both in this life, and the life to come, for encouragement: as in like manner all the threats and miseries of the wicked here and hereafter, to enforce abstinence from sin; every of them gathered clearly out of the Scripture with the quotations.

CHRISTIANITY.

1. It may be justly complained, that if the whole course of our best professors (except very rare men, ministers and people, here and there one) were rightly examined, that they are so far off from that course which is by precept and example laid out to us in the Scriptures, that the most have need to begin all again, and to lay a better foundation in the assurance of their salvation, for want whereof woeful effects follow, generally such a contentedness in their estate, because of some conscience of duty remaining in them, that there is no sighing after a better life, and therefore no great endeavoring for it, which breeds an uncomfortable reckoning in the end, and indeed from hence it comes that the secret ways of the Lord are not known nor sought after, but so it is for the most part, that if a man have any grace more than is in the common multitude, he is highly reckoned of, though he come more short of the true Christian course which he should attain to, (and some careful Christians do) then he goes beyond the multitude, and to such a pass is our Christian profession come, that if any should step beyond this common coldness and backwardness, he is thought worse of; as if in godly grief, too melancholic; if in zeal, too heady and undiscreet; if in humility, too silly and foolish; if in love and liberality, too careless of his estate; and so in other particulars.

2. Christianity seems a bondage, that a man may not do what he list, but is forced, yet indeed it’s the only liberty to the re generate, who would not do otherwise: to whom only sin is a bondage. Those having within them a good conscience, (which is a continual feast) do find here even in this life no small pleasure in the service of God. Besides their joy in the assurance of the reward to come, which is unspeakable. Contrarily, there is no peace to the wicked, though to outward appearance they live pleasantly, yet are they Satan's bondslaves, and after this life shall be tormented with him and his angel’s world without end.

A CIVIL LIFE.

Many living a civil honest life, (as its termed) and yet lying in some secret sins, do at or before their death often detest the same, and shame themselves, which is God's goodness, to show the truth of his threatening, to stop the rage of the wicked, and keep his from security.

COMFORTS.

1. It’s much to be lamented that God having provided that his children might live merrily in him, few find this more than in prosperity as worldlings do, which comes by our ignorance, or light regard, or want of faith of obtaining those sweet comforts the Lord hath provided for us.

2. They be few that have good assurance they be in Christ, which comes by our mere negligence in making sure our calling and Election, no marvel though such feel small comfort in their profession, contrarily, who so hath this assurance, it must needs be great ignorance or sloth which deprives them of the same.

3. To an afflicted conscience this is comfortable, that although it come to pass after some travel in the new birth God's graces be not so sweet, nor sin so grievous as it was at our first entrance into regeneration, but we are now weaker in the less assaults, then at the beginning in our stronger temptations, yet are we not to despair, considering that gracious proceeding comes from God, who showed himself more favorable in our first beginning, lest he should discourage us, and for that we wholly rested on him, even in our least temptations, denying ourselves, and now hides himself for a season, to make and give us try all of our strength when as we less forsake and suspect ourselves; no not in greater temptations, that we taking the foil might be humbled, and acknowledge the continuance of our health to come only from him.

4. Many hinder themselves from true comfort in seeking it from their own worthiness, which they do in being without hope because of their unworthiness, when as all true comfort comes from God's rich mercy with whom is plentiful redemption.

5. As its dangerous to persuade ourselves of comfort, when there is no feeling of inward corruptions, so it is perilous to refuse all comfort when our sincere purposes are defiled with many corruptions in our practices, and therefore they from whom Satan laboreth to steal away the sincerity of their hearts must take heed they be not still complaining and grieving for their corruptions, as that they obscure the work of God's spirit (which must encourage us against our manifold fainting’s) and make them to walk uncheerfully in their callings, seeing that the glorious bloodshed of Christ is not so impotent, as being of force to save the greatest sins and sinners, it should not be able to purge the smaller infirmities of the Saints, and if any think their prayers and obedience all but in fashion, this sense with grief showeth that it is not altogether in fashion, and the sense of this imperfection doth more please the Lord, then the imperfection doth displease him.

God's children often see no comfort in their life though they have had true comfort, and have forgotten it, or suspect it, who though they should die, without that sense of comfort they desire, yet their salvation is not to be doubted of, seeing they shall not be judged according to the instant of their death, but the course of their life. We are not therefore to mistrust God's mercy in death, be we never so uncomfortable, if so be it hath been before sealed in our vocation and sanctification.

COMMUNION.

1. For sitting or kneeling at the communion it’s good to seek the peace of the Church, lest the remedy of evil be worse than the evil itself.

2. A good minister will take great care to prepare his people for the Communion, both privately and publicly, marking their proceeding thereafter.

3. These promises are fit to be taken of them who first are received to the communion, and that in the sight of God, and presence of some faithful witnesses, that they would labor, 1. To grow in knowledge of the word. 2. To depart from their former sins, and to lead a holy life. 3. To keep the Sabbaths in godly exercises as much as may be, and come to be instructed publicly and privately. 4. If they fall into any sin to abide the censure of the Church, yea not profiting in knowledge to be suspended from the Sacrament.

4. After we have partaked of the holy communion, we are to examine ourselves, whether we received the same worthily, and that whether we had Christ, the trial whereof is by our comfort of all good from him, and our conscience to yield ourselves wholly to be his, and to serve him; Oh the happiness of such as have received him, they watch and pray lest they enter into temptation.

THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS.

It’s a principal part of the communion of Saints to be most careful either to be doing or receiving good, therefore when we joy to see our friends, this must humble us, that we want this Communion.

COMPASSION.

We must learn to pity them that being grieved with themselves, and find no peace with God, are grieved with others and impatient, for this was in David and others of God's dear servants.

COMPLAINT.

1. We complain of many things amiss, but see not, nor search for the cause, much less labor to remove it, and so make little use of our complaints.

2. It cannot be but a most dangerous estate, to be ever complaining of our weakness, and yet therewith to please ourselves, though we find no prevailing against the same.

CONCUPISCENCE.

To avoid concupiscence, continually examine thyself by the law; meditate with reverence on the word; walk painfully in thy honest calling, shame thyself before thy friends; use temperate diet, sleep, apparel; watch over thine own eyes, ears, and other parts of thy body; have a zealous jealousy of places, persons, and all occasions, to avoid the evil, and seek the good; humble thyself with shame of sins past, grief of sins present, and fear of sins to come, with a diligent use of fasting, prayer, and watching as need requires.

CONFERENCE.

1. It’s too commonly seen even among dear friends and those also true Christians that in much talking even about good things also, there fall out diversities of opinions, which commonly (if great care and conscience be not had) breed contrary reasonings, in which most offend by stiffness in maintaining thereof, and hard it is not to let slip some inconsiderate speech, which if it be ill taken makes breach of love, and falling out many times when no ill was meant, whereupon considering me thinks the greater fault is in the ill taking of anything spoken or done, rather than in doing or speaking, for this proceedeth rather from temerity and inconsiderateness, upon a sudden motion, which a right good man may offend in against him whom he dearly loveth, and proceeds not simply from so great want of love, as might be thought; even as we may see in a loving mother to her child. But ill taking proceeds from more deliberation and reasoning of the matter, and more manifestly bewrays want of love to take anything worse than is meant in either party. It’s a sin to speak inconsiderately that which may offend, a greater to take that speech in ill part, and the greatest for the first to take in ill part that his speech was ill taken.

2. Being to confer of any weighty matter, we are to prepare ourselves by prayer both to speak and hear.

3. The viewing, touching, or familiar talking with a woman, especially religious, either without necessary occasion, or then without prayer for holy affection is dangerous.

CONFIDENCE.

1. It’s a sinful fearfulness in any sound Christian, not to profess his confidence in the Lord, and not to glory in his portion, and to have no comfort that he glorifieth God. This is found very dishonorable to God, unprofitable to themselves, and hurtful to good and bad.

2. It seemeth that of all the gifts of the Spirit, our confidence and comfort in God, should especially be called our crown, as every way the chiefest for ourselves.

3. Herein may we be confident, that God hath provided a way, whereby we may be assured either to escape the judgment which falls upon others, or at least to be bettered thereby, that it do us no hurt.

SECT. II. Conscience – Faith.

CONSCIENCE.

1. The testimony of a good conscience may, ought, and doth breed joy, because it confirmeth to a man that he doth believe, and ought not make him believe who did not. So the accusation of man's conscience, that his life shows no sound fruit of faith, may, ought, and doth oft breed sorrow and fear, for that it bewrays the want of faith, and ought not hinder him from believing, who doth not at all, or very little; whereupon follows, that all such as be so careless in their life, ought to doubt whether they truly believe, and so be grieved for it, that they rest not, till they by application of God's promises unto them do soundly believe, that thereby their life may be amended, and their hearts soundly rejoiced; by all which appears that true Godliness increaseth not faith, but showeth faith, and so makes more sure of salvation then bare faith: neither ought any ungodliness decrease our faith, but rather show the want of faith, and thereby drive men to seek more soundly to believe, lest they perish.

2. In affliction especially when the conscience (though persuaded that the Lord's intent hereby is to make us better) can hardly find comfort of God's love that he is not offended, it’s good to apply this comfort, that, being in Christ nothing shall be laid to our charge, neither anything condemn, seeing God in Christ is fully satisfied.

CONSENT.

If once we give consent to sin, we are made ready to fall into more and many sins, and making no conscience of one sin, we shall not make conscience of many and great sins, and so being once enwrapped in sin, it’s a hard thing to get out of the claws of the devil. Lord give us grace to see and resist the very first sin.

CONTEMPT OF GRACE.

1. Though it be wonderful that any sinner knowing pardon and life to be offered to him, should at least not embrace it, yet both Scripture and experience daily show it to be so, even as in many earthly cases is to be seen: let a Prince offer pardon to many rebels, or a father reconciliation to his disobedient son, or a Physician healing medicines to his diseased patients, not a few of them reject the same. The causes of this contempt may be many; some men of mere ignorance know not the excellency of the benefit, and therefore neglect. Other would be glad of it, but judge it would cost them too dear, too much travail and pain to come by it. Others through infidelity (naturally running in all, till God give more grace) do distrust they shall never have it, and so deprive themselves of it: by all which and the like means it comes to pass, that though grace in the Gospel be offered to all, and many know so much, yet very few truly embrace it, even such alone whom God draweth.

2. Such is the corruption of our nature that the best things wax vile by the commonness of them, no marvel then that the Gospel have no such credit, and be so loved, reverenced, and embraced now, as it was at the first entrance thereof amongst us.

CONTENTATION.

1. Unless a man be persuaded by faith that he discharging his duty for his maintenance, that portion which God sendeth is fittest for him, and that he can be content to be poor, he can never use this world well.

2. To breed contentment with our condition whatsoever; weigh we, 1. That nothing comes to pass without God's decree and providence. 2. That the same is not only good in respect of God, but also for the best to all God's children, wherewith therefore we ought to be contented.

CONTRACTS.

1. Contracts before they be published by the Minister are to be known of him, and therein this is a good orderly proceeding before some honest witnesses to demand, 1. How near or far off in consanguinity they be. 2. Whether they together or either of them to other have been precontracted. 3. Whether they have their parents consent, without the knowledge whereof he is not to proceed. 4. Whether they purpose to solemnize their marriage in the congregation. These being granted before the parents or their vicegerent to proceed to prayer, and exhortation to some general duties of men and women, and so to contract according to the common Liturgy in the sight of God with prayer. The exhortation (after the defense of this duty belonging to the Minister) may be briefly a discourse of the doctrine of the law and faith applied to their estate of marriage, and so their special callings, and most need.

2. They which contract themselves without their governors or parents consent, if they be alive, are to confess their fault publicly before they be married, that others may hear and fear.

CORRUPTION.

1. Such is the corruption of our nature that though we be wonderfully delighted with God's graces, yet when we abound with them, we less esteem them, then when we begun to enjoy them.

2. Our corruption is like to the wantonness of children, who either will do as they list, or else leave all undone.

3. It’s a common corruption so to grieve at evils present, that unthankfully we forget former mercies.

4. It’s too common a corruption that we can disclose many of our infirmities, and keep the greatest close.

GOOD COUNSELS.

Believe to be saved, as a Publican; live as a Justiciary: Pray as idle beggars who live by begging: Labor for grace, as worldlings toil for wealth: Provide for thy soul as thou doest for thy body, rest, food, apparel, and such like necessaries; feed to be fitter to labor: so labor, as to get a stomach to thy food.

HOLY DAYS.

In those, we must redeem the time in resting from our callings.

DEATH.

1. This amongst others ought often to be thought on, to have all things in a readiness against our departure out of this wretched world, and therefore not only to set our outward estate in order (which natural wise men do) for the good and peace of our posterity, but especially to set our spiritual state in such a readiness, that we may with continual care and comfort, wait for our change, and our Savior's second coming, and withal to leave to our posterity some testimony of God's fatherly dealing with us, and fidelity in performing his promise to us, the seed of faithful parents, that our posterity may be hereby stirred up to serve the Lord God of their fathers.

2. We can better away to meditate on death which Satan covereth with eternity following; then on the day of judgment where we all must make our accounts.

3. The bare meditation of death doth so far move us from suffering with delight to dwell on earthly things, as reason dissuadeth us to make any cost about a tenement, where we know we shall dwell but a while, yet such imaginations of death build up in the meantime the kingdom of pride in us. Wherefore it shall be more available, when we meditate of putting off this Tabernacle, we think also of putting on the Tabernacle of Righteousness, and how without that we shall never stand with comfort before Christ in his Kingdom.

4. As we are so to think of life that we be content to die, so we are to think of death, that we be contented to live. The fear of death is no more to be disliked, then not to fear, for both may be with good conscience, and in faith, if they exceed not; for its allowed by grace and nature to fear God's judgments.

5. To call to mind old sins of them which are a dying is necessary to be done of those which visit them, for if they have truly repented them, then are they not guilty of them, and others may profit thereby. If they be guilty, the trouble of their mind shall turn to their good, in that they find their judgment in this world, and escape the everlasting judgment to come.

DECAY IN GRACE.

1. A most grievous judgment of God it is (though secret and therefore not to us so sensible) that having many excellent helps for our spiritual nourishment, yet God's curse seemeth to be thereon, in that we thrive so little thereby, wherein notwithstanding the Lord is to be cleared, who (giving his grace ordinarily by means) doth most justly keep it from us, partly for our unworthiness, either for some old sin unrepented of, or some present corruption not resisted, and partly for our contempt of it, in that we setting so little by it, have so slightly sought it, and having received it in any measure, were no more chary and careful in keeping it, but through our carelessness lost it, and through our pride and presumption provoked the Lord to take it from us, let our earnest purpose and prayer be, for the better obtaining of it, to avoid the lets, and to use more carefully and constantly all good helps, and particularly holy conference, which by experience we shall find to be exceeding profitable.

2. The causes why many decrease in godliness be diverse, as namely the neglect of those means which before they used especially of the private dealings with themselves, and brotherly conferences in such strict manner as before, whereof we be soon weary, in that by nature we seek our ease, and through custom grow cold, and through security and pride wax blind and see not our need thereof. So also that we by Satan's suggestion and our own corruption do privily fall into a good liking of our estate in regard of former grace received, whereby it comes to pass, that we feeling ourselves to be freed from the danger of sin and condemnation, do not so fear it, neither are terrified with the sight of it in us, but through a privy presumption of our safety, we easily pardon ourselves, and deal not so straitly with ourselves as before, and thus sin creeps sore upon us to our great hurt. Some there be, though the fewer, who more then they ought torment themselves for their little growth. Others (and those the greater sort) who have and do continue in a careless peace, whom indeed it much concerneth to be humbled for their little growing in grace. The mean wherein a man may with some comfort stay himself must partly arise from a wise judging of himself by comparing his former and present estate both in the use and profit received by the means: wherein this may fitly be considered, that a young plant doth more sensibly show his growth, then an old tree, but the old tree brings forth more sound fruit in his season; the decay or want whereof we must thus remedy, even by calling ourselves to a strait account, to see upon what warrant we enjoy our peace, and so to fear our hearts with such testimonies of Scripture as do tell us that this life is not the life of a Christian, who must be a new creature, and must walk in the spirit, and must mortify the deeds of the flesh, that so we may withdraw peace from our consciences till we see some change of our troubled state, and recovery thereof.

DELAY.

Many times when we have used all good means the Lord deferreth the success, that we being the more humbled, may be the fitter to receive comfort.

DELIGHT.

Who so delighteth in the Lord, in him doth the Lord delight.

DEVILS.

1. By creation good Spirits; by their fall damned and wicked spirits changed into evil: finite, immortal, invisible, adversaries to man's salvation, exceeding many, of great power, Lions, able to do anything not above nature; in respect of their malice, compared to Dragons; their subtlety, Serpents; their experience, termed old, using secret ambushes with shows of good; tempting the profane, never to mind salvation; the civil to rest in common honesty, as the carnal protestant in outward holiness; the weak believer either to be scrupulous, or to take vice for virtue through ignorance; the strong to sin against knowledge and presume, to hinder a greater duty by a less, to use good actions to bad ends, to do evil that good may come thereof, to grieve so for one sin as to neglect others; so running into extremities; yea to wink at sin, to think it tolerable, to taste it, to commit it, to continue in it, to defend it.

2. This is much to be lamented, that in time of superstition men were more feared with the devil when they heard of his horns, claws, hollow voice, and such like, then now in the Gospel when they hear of his privy working and fighting against men's souls, which is much more dangerous, and yet is nothing feared, and yet we can never believe and feel the gracious help of God's holy Angels, till we believe and feel the hidden assaults of Satan and his Spirits.

3. As God and his good Angels are about us, so is the devil and his evil spirits; and as good Angels have been seen, so have and may be the wicked spirits, not souls of men, but devils in the air; and the knowledge hereof is greatly for our comfort in well-doing, that being in great danger void of all help of man, yet God is with us, and his Angels, for our humbling in evil doing, that though no man see or can hurt us, yet the devil and his spirits be about us.

DISCERNING.

1. Many are outwardly well, that is, rich in this world, which are inwardly ill, that is, poor in God's account, and many hate outward evil things, which for want of spiritual knowledge, or the spirit of discerning, see not the corruptions of the heart.

2. Wisdom must be desired in discerning of men, but charity in judging and praying for them.

3. They with whom we would converse may be tried by these three notes, 1. Whether in professing godliness, they speak upon grounded knowledge. 2. What feeling they have of their inward corruptions. 3. How loving they are to others in being ready to do them good, and wary to speak of their infirmities, and that with grief.

DISCIPLINE.

1. We are bound to be thankful to God for that discipline we have, (though there be great want of it) for its the Lord's will to advance his glory hereby, in taking that to himself, which if we had stricter discipline we would attribute to it, for besides that he doth that by his word and prayer which may be done by discipline, it may be discipline would hide many hypocrites, which now are discovered, and cover many a Christian heart which now are known, for they that be godly now, be godly of conscience, being a discipline to themselves, but many may seem godly under discipline which do it for fear rather than for love.

2. This is a good order of discipline, first generally to declare that, 1. Sin is broken forth. 2. To name the sin. 3. The party offending, after to admonish him, then to suspend him, lastly to leave him to Satan.

DESPAIR.

1. It’s a fearful and dangerous policy of Satan to make men continue in sin without care of recovery, in taking from them all hope thereof, which he doth by persuading them that their sins be so great, so many, and of so long continuance that they cannot be forgiven.

2. A dangerous policy of Satan it is to provoke men to despair in persuading them they have no faith at all, because they have it not in this and that particular: again in provoking to presumption to persuade them thus, I hope I have faith in general, and therefore my faith is sound in every particular.

DISTRUST.

1. Distrust is a doubting of God's help in our need: it’s a capital sin above others, robbing God of his truth, power, wisdom, mercy, and his other attributes, drawing others by our example to distrust, which in like manner robbeth man of his chief comfort in all distresses.

2. How prone we are to it may appear in our trials of pain, debt, and the like, wherein we trust to means.

3. We fall into this by resting too much on means, neglecting to meditate on God's truth.

4. To trust on God is the special remedy to cure this malady.

5. It’s a common temptation to afflicted consciences to persuade themselves after some few deliverances that they can look for no more, because the Lord hath been so liberal, but these must know that God is not like man, for his gifts are without repentance, and when he begins to show mercy he will never cease.

DOCTRINE.

When there is a doctrine general or equity in the word, the examples though particular may be generally applied.

DOUBTING.

1. What manner of doubting may stand with faith, though it weaken faith, and what doubting quite shuts out faith, is not easily seen, and more hardly uttered to the sight of the weak.

2. Although this be by the wise providence of God that many of God's true children, who therefore have had sound comfort in Christ, do especially in their infirmity oft greatly waver and doubt and so become uncomfortable, which the Lord for good cause disposeth, lest by their sudden change from so damnable State and uncomfortable, to so happy and joyful, they should be lifted up, made conceited and secure, and so presumptuous, the forerunners and causes also of a fearful fall; yet this is certain, that this is their sin, a weakness which must be withstood and overcome, for the attaining whereto, the cause of this doubting must be searched and so removed, which ordinarily is our own infirmities, neglect and weakness in good duties, too great proneness and strength in sin, whereupon the tender conscience feareth his former comfort was vain, and so doubteth of his estate; for the right removing hereof, this is duly to be considered that as the root of our comfort in Christ is not the strength of our Christian life, so the weakness herein ought not to breed doubting of our salvation by Christ. But for so much as all our comfort stands in this that God who justifieth the ungodly hath freely given his Son, and in him is reconciled to us being his enemies, and hath by his Gospel called us, and by his spirit wrought faith in our hearts to receive Christ so given unto us, whereby we being dead in sin and having no goodness in us, were made alive to God, and so were new born, and then do begin to be changed first in affection, and then in conversation by little and little, from a child growing to a riper age in Christ. Therefore if we have this assurance of our new birth, though we feel much weakness of the spiritual life, yet we ought not to doubt whether we be God's children, seeing he that is so new born as aforesaid, can never die; but rather we are to remember, 1. We are but children, and therefore weak. 2. We are very subject to many spiritual diseases, some such as take away sense of life, and therefore must seek to be cured and not despair of life seeing we cannot perish. This cannot breed security in sin to any, for he that seeing himself miserable doth believe to be saved by Christ, cannot but love God, and for love study and travel to obey him, no more than fire can be without heat, so that they who say they thus believe and live not Christianly, are liars and the truth is not in them. If any tender conscience, ignorant and weak (for so must they needs be) should say, I am such a one, because they feel so little grace in them, they may manifestly be disproved by the true effects of faith, which no faith can be without, true love of God, his Word, his Saints, desire to please God, grief for former and present sins, and such like. If any hypocrite will say he thus believeth, and in some measure thus liveth, let him try his inward affections why he doth all duty, it will be found not in love to God and recompense of his kindness, but either for the credit of the world, or mercenarily for obtaining God's favor, whom his security, jollity, presumption, and want of sense of his infirmities and of an holy fear of falling and care to please God in secret will descry.

3. A true believer falling into sin, ought (if he can) hold his confidence, though he be foully fallen, and rather lament that he God's child should so dishonor his father; for the doubting of God's favor cannot raise him from his fall, but the beholding of it, is that alone which will breed holy and acceptable sorrow for sin and conscience of amendment.

4. It’s evident that many of the carefullest Christians seeing their infirmities, do most doubt whether they have faith, who yet for the most part in time of trial find more than others who be more secure and confident, but yet this is their fault, that they look too much to effects and not to the cause of their justification, and in beholding the effects through ignorance and fear, judge amiss, not seeing the true effects of faith in them, being blinded with their wants.

5. This is found in many true Christians, that they oft doubt of their salvation, and fear they be not God's children, because they see such sins and wants in themselves, and hereupon be oft moved to greater care of an holy life thinking that other ways they may not believe; and on the other side, that if they see more mortification of their corruptions, and more strength to good duties, that they may boldly believe: wherein they pitifully deceive themselves many ways, 1. That they often obtain not their desire in mortification. 2. That if they by this means prick themselves to more care for a season, yet so soon as their fear is slacked their care is ended. 3. That if their care should continue, yet this is not that which can either cause them first to believe, or else any way increase their faith, only this can more certainly prove, that they have and do indeed believe, and so may comfort them; for there is nothing that can beget or increase faith, but God's promise, and seals thereof truly applied. They therefore who doubting do thus think to increase faith by leading a better life, do take a wrong course, and plainly show that in their holy life, they seek themselves and not the Lord, and are not moved thereto by the true love of God, which is the chief mother of true obedience, whereas they ought rather, (having good cause to doubt whether they have soundly believed, seeing they find in themselves no comfortable fruits of their faith) to labor more steadfastly to believe, that so their faith, as fire increaseth by the heat of it, may send forth more fervent effects of love to God and obedience, which shall then effectually comfort them, seeing such fruits of such a root.

6. In the deepest thoughts of our salvation this oft riseth up to weaken our faith, that God having ordained some to destruction, and yet (to make the sole cause of man's perdition to be in himself) prepared a remedy for all, and in his testament bequeathed it to all, and publicly proclaimed it to the world, though for his part determining to give grace to receive it only to his chosen, and to leave the other to themselves, what warrant we have to believe, that we are of them to whom God hath determined to give his grace, and who indeed shall receive it, and not of those who herein deeply deceive themselves, whereunto the soundest answer is this, that, the secret determination of God is to himself, and not to be inquired into of us, who cannot know our election till we know our effectual calling; who to this end must attend to his revealed will, wherein he certifieth all to whom the Gospel cometh, that he would have none perish, but believe, and therefore inviteth all of them, exhorteth, entreateth then by his ministers to be reconciled unto him, and sore threateneth if they believe not. Upon all which this may be concluded, that its great sin and folly for him to whom the Lord hath revealed his will concerning his salvation, and by many means prepared him thereto (as giving him sight and sense of his misery, knowledge of, and unfeigned desire of Christ the only remedy, calling and commanding him to receive him, together with clear knowledge that he in his word hath promised this remedy to him) for him I say it’s great sin notwithstanding all this (upon no ground, but only a suspicious fear) to doubt that God will not yet save him, but doth this to his farther condemnation, whereof there is no fear, but to such as contemn this grace, or receive it in vain, not being drawn thereby in truth to love and seek God's honor by unfeigned obedience to his will, whereas all they who knowing the benefit by Christ in respect of the greatness of it, and their own great unworthiness do fear they shall never obtain it, though they above all desire it, they I say ought to be bold and count it no presumption to give credit to God in his word, that he will according to his promise bestow his Son, and in him eternal life upon them; for such doth Christ expressly call unto him, Matth. 11:28. yea hereupon ought they boldly without fear to adventure their souls health and eternal happiness, that by this persuasion they may be drawn to love and obey God, and so be confirmed, yea more to fear their hearts from this horrible sin of unbelief (the greatest of all other) whereby they knowing what God hath said, yea unto them, do yet in not giving credit to him that he will be as good as his word, make him a liar, and so a false God; much more such as have received the earnest of God's Spirit renewing their hearts and lives, ought to be of good comfort and shake off such doubts. The cause of this distrust is in many their own unworthiness, which bewrayeth great ignorance and error, that God giveth his Son to the worthy, though not of merit (which no Protestant holdeth) but of mere mercy to those that truly repent them, (which is petty Popery) whereas the truth of God is, that he having given his Son to none but such as had no grace nor repentance in them, that they by receiving Christ by faith, might receive grace to begin to repent, and so daily to grow therein, therefore as none ought to believe because they have repented, so none ought to be afraid to believe because of his unworthiness, the sense whereof doth make him most fit to believe, and receive Christ. The want of knowledge and due regard of this one point is a principal cause of distrust on the one side, and vain presumption on the other, both works of perdition.

7. For removing of our doubts of God's favor either generally or in some particular actions, there must be, 1. A sound judgment to direct when we ought to doubt or not, and 2. A daily labor according to our judgment to doubt and believe as cause is.

DREAMS.

Of dreams which make some deep impression in us, and abide longer, its good to make some profit, and they may be thought to come from God or the devil, according to their divers ends and effects. An evil dream shows an evil heart, in some sin either committed, or whereto we be subject, and may shortly follow. If they be terrible, they may forewarn of some evil to come, that we may avoid it by good means, yet so as we neither fear them too much, nor quite contemn them: so for the good, that we persuade not ourselves of having it, nor yet neglect it. The same may be said for the event of witcheries and slanders.

DULLNESS AND DEADNESS.

1. A common thing it is in God's children after their greatest joys to feel great dullness and deadness of mind. When the same seizeth upon us, 1. We ought to search the cause, whether doing some evil, leaving off some good to be done, neglecting the means of salvation, not seeing or not repenting some sin seen, or not repenting so soundly; or for unthankfulness for former graces. 2. We must use the remedy, not pleasing ourselves in this deadness, but stirring up ourselves as from slumber, calling to mind God's special mercies on us, and our unworthy receiving and using of them, using all good means to quicken us. 3. In using the means to offer ourselves to God, waiting patiently for his help, esteeming neither too little nor too much our affliction.

2. It falleth out that God's children are sometimes more dull with the public means, then without, which may arise from hence, that either they are too remiss in the use of the private, or else fall to loathing the public, because they have them so often, or put too much confidence in such places, which the Lord correcteth by denying the use, and such like.

DUTY.

For infirmities sake to leave a duty undone is to cover sin, not to overcome it.

EARNESTNESS.

In our earnestness its necessary to search our hearts, whether it be of the Spirit, or of the flesh, and if we cannot see the depth of our hearts, it argueth want of prayer and travailing with our affections to know them.

EASE.

Long ease will bring either superstition, profaneness or heresy through our corruption.

ELECT AND REPROBATE.

A Reprobate of knowledge lying in despair, may believe that both Christ can and would ease him, if he could believe and come unto Christ to be eased, but distrusting this, comes not, turns away from God. But the elect believing that Christ will ease all comers to him, is drawn by God's Spirit to apply this to himself, and make reckoning he coming shall be eased, and therefore indeed seeketh with faith to Christ, and is eased; to come to Christ is not simply to believe, but (believing Christ will be as good as his word) in spirit to go unto the throne of grace, and desire the same, as a beggar invited comes for relief.

EVILS.

These be two evils very dangerous: To pretend great comfort, and make small conscience in our life, and to confess our faith is weak, and yet to be content therewith.

EXCUSE.

When we are unwilling to do good, an excuse is too ready, its good therefore earnestly to strive to overcome this, and then to take opportunity to do the same.

EXAMPLES.

Particular examples may be made general instructions, when the cause of them is general.

EXERCISE.

As God hath given great variety of heavenly exercises, and matters to be exercised in, so we shall find such irksomeness in our nature, that we care not to use this variety for our relief.

FAILINGS.

When we see wherein we have failed in any part of our daily practice, we are not to make slight thereof, or favor ourselves therein, but labor speedily to recover, lest we grow hardened and incurable.

FAITH.

1. Such as by hearing of witches and fearful practices of Satan be sore frighted, are to know their faith is weak and comfort small (for the sound believer shall not fear for any evil tidings) and therefore they must never cease striving for faith and comfort, till they find a sweet and bold resting in the Lord their father who will preserve them.

2. Faith being the band of our union with Christ, we do thereby enjoy peace with God, are favorably accepted of him, joy in the hope of happiness, have comfort in affliction, patience, experience, hope, boldness to pray, love to God and delight to serve him, we please God, long for heaven.

3. The way to increase faith is to apply to ourselves God's promise in his word and Sacraments, by hearing the word, praying, meditation, conference, and the like, and to this end also everyone who desires to find strong comfort in the Lord, and thereby good encouragement unto all godliness is daily to consider deeply, 1. His own miserable estate by nature, that thereby he may be stirred up to cry with the Apostle, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? And 2. he is no less to regard the remedy here of in Christ, that beholding the singular benefit thereof, he may more incessantly desire it: and so 3. the truth of God's promise, that he may be more and more assured that Christ is his and he the Lord's, that this may comfort and encourage him in all godliness.

4. There is great difference between knowledge and faith, for a reprobate may know by the word of God, and so believe that God hath promised his Son to him (as well as to others) and yet not lay hold on this promise, which is true faith, which he only doth who so receiveth God's promise that thereby he is certainly persuaded that he shall have the thing promised, which makes himself stay for his salvation hereon, and patiently to wait and look steadfastly for the same.

5. The true doctrine of faith is a stranger, much more the practice of it, that men seeing themselves most cursed wretches, yet should be assured that God hath given them his Son, and in him eternal life, for he that hath this assurance, cannot but have much comfort even in afflictions; and this only is it, which will make a man willing to deny himself.

6. It’s a matter very weakly known, much more weakly practiced of most Christians to do everything in faith, which must needs deprive them of much comfort, if they live not securely, contenting themselves with opus operatum, for remedy hereof this is to be known and labored for of him that doth anything in faith, 1. That he know the thing he doth in omitting or committing be commanded of God, and therefore endeavor to please God therein. 2. That he know and remember God's promise made in Christ to such obedience. 3. That he give credit to this promise, that God for Christ's sake will accept his true though weak obedience. 4. That he with this persuasion do offer up his service to God in the name of Christ. How infinitely in all we all do fail is lamentable to consider, especially that we do not the things we do in faith, and therefore no marvel it is, though God withhold many sweet comforts, which otherwise we might find.

7. True faith in my judgment is never so quenched, that neither the owner nor any other can see any life thereof, but there is ever some fruit of the Spirit to be seen if we mark it.

8. A holy life cannot make any unbeliever to believe, neither properly increase faith, but only as fruits prove the tree good, and show in what sort we believe: so no iniquity ought to hinder any from believing, but only showeth who believe not.

9. Hinderances from faith are these, 1. Security, making no reckoning of it, or too small, or both, either of ignorance, neglect, or contempt, and therefore either never go about it, or too slightly, using some means, not all, or not constantly to the end. And 2. in such as make reckoning of it, either presumption, (that they have it when they have it not, or may and shall have it without such means used, as without which it cannot be looked for) or discouragements, 1. That it is impossible for any, or for them either so weak, that they shall never hold out, or so unworthy that God will not give it them. 2. That it is over tedious to attain to, will cost too much pains, or bring too much trouble, by forgoing all delights and gain, or falling into many dangers and persecutions. To remedy which, 1. we must make chief reckoning of it, as the pearl for which we will sell all. 2. Consider the difficulty, that we suspecting our false hearts, and weak strength, may use all means to attain it. 3. Comfort our hearts by the word of the Lord, that it’s not only possible but easy, even for us in our own eyes most unworthy, through him who is able to perform what he hath spoken, and is more willing to grant, then we to seek, as appears by his inviting us, who seek not after him.

10. Faith is well likened to fire, whereof if a man have a spark covered in the ashes, if he shall content himself therewith, not laboring to increase it, in time it will go out, and if not, he shall yet have but small use of it, and oft have much to do to find it; So they who find some faith in them, and therewith content themselves shall soon lose it, or be so to seek of it, that they have small use of it in their lives, either to comfort them they are the Lord's, or to guide their lives; whereas everyone ought to kindle his little spark, so that he might always have the heat of it, and warm others.

11. Whosoever arms not himself with faith, shall live securely or fearfully, not comfortably.

12. Quest. Whether is this speech, I will go to my father, of faith, or may it be before faith? Answ. The parable is to be understood of professors such as the Jews were, who were in profession the children of the covenant, and had God for their father, and therefore the ungodly among them and us, are like the prodigal child who returns to his Father.

13. It seemeth strange that a man being fully persuaded that God is true in all that he saith, should yet not believe some things which he knoweth God doth say, and so make God a liar, which is yet the sin of all men who know God, and his word. The cause hereof is not easily seen, and therefore so hardly removed: indeed if God speak anything which our judgment cannot object against why it should not be, we do readily believe, as of all things past, and many to come, that our bodies shall rise, and we come to judgment, the wicked be damned, the godly saved; but that we being ungodly shall be justified by Christ, this is hardly believed, not only because we be naturally moved to fear that God for sin will condemn us, but also because we measure God by man, that he will not love such as hate him, and do good to his enemies.

14. Our most holy faith is worthily compared to a noble princess, who hath ever harbingers, going before to prepare for her, and a goodly train after, so faith hath knowledge, sorrow, fear, desire of pardon, going before it, as all the honorable Ladies of virtue; peace of conscience, love of God and men for his sake, and such others follow after.

15. The easiest trial whether our faith be alive and burning, not half dead and cold, is by the temper of the heart; for if faith be lively, then shall we find our hearts cheered and ready to serve God in any duty, prayer, hearing the word, and the like, yea then will our zeal burn to be thankful to God, and willing to die, ready to forsake all: but if the heart be dull, drowsy, or dumpish, then is faith cooled; For how can any have feeling of God's love, and not be quickened in love to God again, which will constrain us to deny ourselves, and to seek his glory, and to please him in all things.

16. We do in nothing more deceive ourselves then thinking and quietly resting, herein, that we have faith, when indeed if we saw the want thereof it could not but shake us.

17. Musing what is the chief cause why we so hardly believe, and put not such confidence in God's word and seals, as we do in man's, I observe these, 1. That this is our feeble nature, that we can hardly but fear so long as there appears any danger, that may fall on us, though we have great security against it, as a man at sea, or on an high scaffold or tower, when we look downward we cannot but fear though there be great safety. Howbeit as they who have had oft experience and be acquainted with these do fear less, so in matters of the soul some are hardened and desperate, others remain quaking and fearful, the best keep the mean between both, so fear the danger as that they are made careful to avoid it, and that with hope of escaping. 2. That this also is in all by nature till it be defaced, that sin condemns and drives from God, and it’s as much against nature for a sinner to look for favor from God, as fire to be cold; we more easily may believe that shall be, which God hath said shall be, though it be above nature, as our bodies to arise, but in matters concerning ourselves if they be contrary to nature, we ever fear that evil will come, which we have deserved, and we shall not have that benefit, which we are unworthy of, though God by his word and seals give us great security to the contrary. And this I note the main error, that we measure God's goodness by some worthiness in us, whereas his truth should be set against all in us whatsoever. Although I doubt not but that there be divers measures of faith in diverse men, and in one and the same at diverse times, yet there is no faith without some certainty, and none with all, but the best faith hath fear and doubting, when we look upon our vile unworthiness.

18. Faith to our spiritual life is in many things like to fire in the natural, then which what is more necessary, for without it, what comfort can we have? It is it which maketh our prayers, and all our Christian endeavors acceptable. As fire will go out, so faith, therefore it must be daily repaired as the Levites holy fire, which else will be hardly recovered. The way is, to lay on matter enough, oft to renew the fire, this is by oft meditation on God's goodness promised and performed.

19. The way to get faith, (whether yet none or but weak) is this, that knowing what true faith is (namely to know by God's word that God is our Father in Christ) 1. We examine whether we have any, and then how weak: which may be most soundly known by causes and effects, among all, the purging of the heart by faith the surest. 2. Finding either no faith or weak, deeply weigh the great misery of want of faith, and benefit of true faith, as whereby all grace, and whatsoever is to be desired, without it none, that this may breed an insatiable desire of faith, and daily increase of the same. 3. Being thus desirous of faith, but having no ability to get it, (it being the gift of God) run to God's word, and see there to whom God promiseth to give it, where you shall find, God hears the desires of the poor, Psal. 10:17. and satisfieth the hungry with good things, and bids us ask and we shall receive, whereupon all that feel a true desire of faith may take hold even upon God's word, that he will give them faith, which is indeed a beginning of faith. 4. Hereby they must be moved to use these two means, prayer, and labor to get true saving faith, they must pray to God to work it in them by his word and spirit, meditating on God's mercy in free offering Christ to all sinners, and on his truth in bestowing Christ on all that come to Christ with a true heart in assurance of faith; both which being continued, will certainly obtain faith in the time and measure which God seeth most meet.

20. It’s without question many be deceived whether they be in the faith, most presume, some few mistrust. The surest proof is by the causes and effects both joined, otherwise no certainty: under causes we comprehend all works of God's Spirit, by which he leads men by faith, which principally be these three, 1. True humiliation. 2. Earnest desire of Christ. 3. True believing in him: in all which many be deceived with shadows instead of substance, or at best with tastes for full feeding. The best evidence we can think of that all those be sound be these; for humiliation, if a man carry about with him a true feeling of his wretchedness. Rom. 7:24. For his desire of Christ, if he be not full, but having tasted, hunger more after Christ. For his drawing to Christ by the spirit, if after all storms to draw him from belief, he yet finds God's word and spirit causing him to rest on God's faithfulness. Now for the effects which be many, the principal is the receiving of the Spirit, not as a stranger to do a work and so away, but as an inhabitant to dwell forever, which spirit is as the sap which comes from the vine Christ to the faithful the branches, this spirit compared to fire hath two effects, light and heat, joy and love, comfort and conscience: many times when the fire is covered there appears no light, but if you come near there will be some heat; So is it with weak believers, they have still some love, though joy be covered, not felt: as in the causes so in these effects many be deceived, with false fire in both. There be comfortable notes of soundness in both, which though a deceived person will dream to be in himself, yet where they be indeed it will not be hard to find, and therein we may rest quietly. 1. One special mark of a sound heart is a fear of being deceived, which breeds care to search well ourselves, and to be glad to be tried by God and men. 2. Upon sight of ourselves that we have some grace, that we have a sight also of our poverty; a mourning for it, and mean judging of ourselves with better esteeming and love of those, which have more grace, and a hunger after more. 3. In our whole life to approve prove ourselves to God more than unto men. 4. Not to rest in the deed, but to have more care of the right manner how we do anything. 5. To make conscience to be the same in secret by ourselves, which we be before others. 6. To make conscience of leaving our dearest sins, and doing such duties as the flesh most shuns.

21. This is the exceeding mercy of God, with increase of temptation to increase our faith, as with decrease of faith, to decrease also the temptation.

22. Experience showeth that we prove ourselves to have faith, when we mourn for want of it and thirst after it: and then our faith may be least when we seem to have most, for then we least fear and suspect ourselves, and so are in greatest danger, lying open to Satan's temptations; this is an excellent comfort for such as are grieved through want of faith, which groweth partly through feeling of the word and humble thanks, and by humbling ourselves before God.

23. Though sometimes we feel small or no faith in us, yet we must retain a reverend estimation of God's mercy, and most vile account of our sins, and wretchedness, for to him that thinks nothing more vile then his sin, nothing so precious as God's mercy, assuredly there is no sin, but is pardonable.

24. When God afflicteth our minds, if we have received knowledge, then must we be thankful for it, and pray for faith, and though we have no feeling, yet must we wait for it, and that long time, for in the end God will surely send it to those that wait for it, which cannot be without great faith, for the greatest faith is, where there is least feeling; for it is more easy in glorious feelings to believe.

SECT. III. Falls – Grief.

FALLS.

1. No man can promise unto himself but he may fall foully, and be so sore shaken from his comfort; which soonest befalls them that least think of it, therefore fear, watch, pray always.

2. Seeing the Lord in these our days exerciseth his displeasure in so grievous manner upon many who have seemed long sincere professors, that many are given up to adultery and other grievous sins, yea even to Apostasy, and sundry to madness, and so to woeful ends, it ought to be an earnest admonition to us all to look to our state, that we deceive not ourselves, nor provoke God to humble us so low being his.

3. Seeing the dear children of God, Noah, Moses, Hezekiah, and many other excellent men did fall in their later days, every Christian ought to use all means, most carefully, and be admonished hereby, lest he in like manner fall.

4. There is no man so good, but that the Lord sometimes letteth him slip, that he may be humbled; nor so evil, but that sometimes the Lord conveys goodness into him, that his condemnation may be the juster.

5. It hardly falleth out, that a Christian effectually called and of sound knowledge should fall twice into one gross sin.

FAMILIARITY.

1. The familiarity with sin bringeth punishment of sin; for this ought to fear us, that if the wicked which be without the tuition of God, and stand only upon his longsuffering, and every minute of an hour lie open and subject to God's curse and vengeance, be our companions, that when they are punished, we shall not escape.

2. We may have familiarity with some, in whom though there be no great love of religion, yet there is no misliking of religion, nor love of heresies, yet must our acquaintance be in outward things, and we be wary lest theirs draw us from our familiarity with God.

FASTS.

1. We must not come to fast until the Trumpet be blown, the bell be rung, but we must fall down at the trumpet of God's word, at the bell of our guilty conscience, for without this private exercise we are but hypocrites in public fasts.

2. By fasting though we have not obtained all our desires, yet have we had some mitigation of those evils which have been laid upon us; and if no reformation, yet continuance of the Gospel, and especially to ourselves a recovery of our loss in grace.

FEAR.

1. Fear and mistrust of our false hearts is painful, but safe, presumption of our care to be good, is pleasant but dangerous.

2. The children of God often fear those things, which never come to pass, the which is very profitable, for thereby God gives us to see our hearts, as if the things feared came to pass indeed, and hereby we have experience of his graces, and of our own corruptions, and hereby we are prepared to suffer the like when they come, which will not so much afflict us when they were before feared, so that we are not to account those frivolous fears which have not their event, but to regard the use of them seeing that by these the Lord humbling his children before hand, keepeth many times the plague away which was feared, and on the other side, he often both more suddenly and more violently bringeth punishment upon those who never feared them: yet herein we must beware of the other extreme immoderate fear, which rather hinders faith then beats down security, and the mean is to be embraced, that is, to fear and forethink of evil to come, not of necessity to fall upon us, because either God could not or would not deliver us, but acknowledging our just desert thereof do humbly submit ourselves to God's hand resting in his fatherly love, that as he is able so he is most willing, even then to succor us, when we most fear, for as a wise father doth the Lord make his hand heavier in correcting according to the stubbornness of his child.

FEASTS.

At such meetings we ought to consider the bountifulness of God towards us in comparison of many of his dear Saints, neither when we are fed must we kick against our owner, Lord and master, but be more thankful and obedient, considering we partake of those and all other blessings in the right of Christ for the comforting of our hearts.

FEELING.

We must not cease to pray against want of feeling, but stay ourselves by faith on Christ till he send feeling, seeing that God maketh the sense of sin by degrees; they are to be suspected which are much moved with every little sin.

FELLOWSHIP WITH THE WICKED.

1. The nature of the wicked is, that there grows their love, where they be not gainsaid, and reproved for sin, and where they be admonished there groweth their hatred.

2. Great inconveniences follow the joining of ourselves in affinity with the wicked, as appeareth by Jehoshaphat who made affinity with Ahab.

3. The friendship of the wicked is such, that to save themselves they will endanger their friend, so did Ahab with Jehoshaphat. 2 Chron. 18:29.

THE FLESH.

It’s our great corruption that we so much savor the flesh; to which we are not debtors, wherein we injure ourselves, and in savoring the flesh quench the Spirit, whereas otherwise in daily beating down the flesh, that is, all motions of sin, we provide much for our safety and comfort and so kindle with much increase the Spirit in us.

FLOCK.

Being demanded of the welfare of those committed to our charge, it’s good to take occasion to pray for them, to be thankful for them, and to examine our hearts, what means we use present and absent for them.

FRIENDS.

1. A common fault it is in friends meeting, so to rejoice therein, that the spiritual fruit in edifying one another is lost.

2. The best way to have comfort of our friends is to pray continually and earnestly for them.

GIFT.

1. A Gift of thankfulness after our labor may be received.

2. When we bestow any spiritual gift upon any we must watch what success it hath, and to be comforted when our travail findeth a blessing, and to be humbled when it wanteth.

GOD'S FAVOR.

A sore evil it is in our nature that we are so much affected with the favor of mortal men who may pleasure or annoy us; and make so small reckoning of God's favor wherein is life (Psal. 63:3.) as in his anger, death, (Psal. 2:12.) which cometh to pass especially by not considering those particulars, for then should we labor more to get in and to keep ourselves in God's favor then in any man's.

GOD'S GOODNESS.

To think oft and deeply on God's goodness to us will stir up in us faith and love.

GOD'S GLORY.

1. It’s a matter much to be bewailed of us that whereas the honor of God ought to be the most precious treasure in our eyes, and above all desired, it is so horribly defaced in the world, and lightly regarded even of God's children, who do not so burn in zeal after it as were meet. It shall be therefore highly needful for us deeply to weigh our sin, to fear and shame us, that we poor wretches should more greedily seek ourselves then the honor of God, which should be so in request with us, that if the Lord should grant us, but one thing at request, it should be that one thing which above all we desire.

2. When we think that our chiefest care is to glorify God, we indeed seek our own glory.

3. It cannot be expressed how little conscience is made to make God glorious in the world, and therefore in all our speeches of God we must as well for manner, as matter, yea and to such end, so behave ourselves as may most further the same.

4. God is glorified both in private and public, when we do acknowledge his goodness, confess our sins, seek of him all good things, and so exercise ourselves in his word, prayer, and the like, wherein if there be a willing mind to please God, it shall be accepted, though accompanied with many wants. This is much more when it is in the great congregation so as to excite others. And herein this is a great encouragement, that in those we do feast the Lord, who is more delighted in our poor service which is presented in faith, then we can be in the best graces he bestows upon us, which is his love and praise, but our great blame: yet this should exceedingly move us to bring the Lord the fattest of our flock, and as to be humbled we have no better, so to be comforted that being in truth, the same shall be accepted.

GOD'S MERCY.

It is not with the Lord as it is with men, who for one displeasure will not remember the former obedience of their servants, but cast them off, such is his mercy that for one sin or offense he will not cast us off.

GOD'S PATIENCE AND LONGSUFFERING.

1. It’s exceeding necessary often to remember, why the Lord hath reserved us, and given us a longer time of repentance, even that we may labor to make such gain hereof as the Lord would, in making us fitter for the Lord, wherein we must think how short this time is.

2. If we play with our own affections, sin in the end from sport will spur us to confusion, for though we are given to flatter and presume of ourselves that being twice or thrice spared we dare sin again, yet we must know that the Lord will recompense his long tarrying with wrath.

GOD'S PROVIDENCE.

1. An excellent practice of Christianity it is for every Christian duly to weigh the wise providence of God, as towards others, so especially in himself and those that appertain to him, both in his blessings, and chastisements; that in every of then we may see the end of all God's works, and so make that right use of them, for which God hath sent them, registering the special: by which practice a good Christian shall not only be able readily to see the proper end of all God's dealings, but with all have plentiful store of heavenly matter at any time fit both to humble him and raise him up.

2. The providence of God may be highly regarded even in the abrupt speeches of our enemies, which to a diligent observer will bring their profit, though presently none be seen, as Pharaoh's to Iosia.

GOD'S WILL.

The secret things are for the Lord; the revealed belong to us. In the conversion of a sinner this is most manifest, for herein we are to look to God's revealed will, in which we shall see how he would have all men saved, and hath prepared a remedy, and freely offered it, and invites all to receive it, which makes much to set out God's mercy so proclaimed in the Scriptures as to make all to believe, which is so comfortable to the elect, and which shall make all refusers inexcusable.

GODLY.

The godly are in many things like children. 1. As suckling’s they feel unquietness in the want of the milk of the word, are contented and quieted with it, yea and desire to lie at it. 2. As weaned children (though naturally corrupted) not so much to be devisers of sin; as to sin by imitation, as it were violently drawn unto it. 3. Being grown to man's state to leave childishness both in knowledge and manners. Again, as children be brought to good and withheld from evil, either being won with fair words, or allured with trifling benefits, or awed with a check, or feared with a frowning look, or stilled by seeing another beaten before them, or quieted by the rod, so must God's children, else it’s to be feared they are no children or babes in Christ, but more carnal then spiritual, or degenerated. And further, though they be most liberal children which are easily reclaimed with fair means and more moved with promises to serve God then drawn by threats, yet are they children also, which not profiting so much by God's ways, are reclaimed by his corrections.

GODLINESS.

1. Whereas everything hath his time of growing, and his growing in time, its most unreasonable that any godliness should be so straitened, that no growing is to be looked for in it, yea also its a gross error that in knowledge of the truth there may be a stay and rest, in true zeal too great a fervency, in holiness of life too great preciseness, when as our knowledge shall always be in part, our zeal too cold, our conversation too much corrupted, be we never so precise.

2. This is a good comfort to any Christian heart never to be quiet or liking his state when he feels not some readiness and cheerfulness in the practices of godliness.

3. That we may be furthered in the practice of piety, consider we these particulars. 1. That the enjoying of earthly treasures is uncertain and dangerous, the dealing with them great hindrances, the great delight most hurtful. 2. That the unchangeable purpose of a godly life is a continual consolation. 3. That the bold reprehension of sin in others is a notable bridle to ourselves. 4. That the daily use of all holy exercises, prayer, meditation, reading, conference, are the only nurses of a Christian life, and of much comfort and assurance of God's favor to our salvation. 5. That seeing the Lord is at hand we must not be weary of this course, but labor so to hold out to the end, that we may be found thus occupied. 6. That the daily consideration and use of these will make our battle against sin more easy and fruitful, for our very hearts will be better kept in order then otherwise. 7. That if we well behold what exceeding comfort and joy through the assurance of salvation we find in this godly life, and what heaviness in the neglect thereof, its reason sufficient to persuade us to hold on to the end, yea this present sense and further hope of the unspeakable reward to come makes Christ's yoke easy.

4. He hath most profited who spends most time in this practice of godliness, denying himself, and taking no thought to satisfy his carnal mind.

5. Except we keep this in the purpose of our hearts, and resolutely bind ourselves hereto, it cannot be we should stand fast: but many things, as the rareness of this course in others, and our own dullness, will beat us from it, and sore shake us.

6. We have great need to take heed of leaving off seeing so many fearful examples, who harkening to the world, seeking themselves, and waxing weary of this strait way and practice of repentance have given over their diligence in teaching, fervency in exhorting, zeal in prayer, painfulness in private instructing, and readiness in conference for the edifying of others in meetings, and daily meditation, lamenting their own and other men's sins, earnest desire of forgiveness, daily purpose of amendment, meekness, patience, liberality, great rejoicing in God, with earnest thanksgiving and the like. The oft perusing of those will awaken us, when we are fallen asleep.

GOSPEL.

1. The letter of the Gospel, that is, the bare history thereof being received without the Spirit thereof, that is, the true use thereof applied unto us by faith, doth no less kill then the Law, for what comfort can it bring to a wounded conscience, to know Christ died, &c. nay it woundeth them more if by faith they apply it not to themselves.

2. Nothing more strange to reason, then the Gospel of salvation by Christ.

GRACE WITH THE GROWTH THEREIN.

1. This may be justly complained of by many good ministers and people of our times, that exceeding much more grace of wisdom and strength to every duty and experience for guiding others, might have been obtained under so long peace, and many helps, had they not trifled out much time unprofitably, and been as slothful in pains taking as afraid to be ill occupied.

2. It’s our shame and ought to be our grief, that we having had so many helps above others, are so far behind them, that hardly we can follow them, whom we should have gone before, for what is it but our own sin that we are not as patterns for others to follow. A principal cause hereof is this, our too great respect of all earthly things which must needs hinder this godly proceeding, as also that we are not capable of such a lifting up being too much conceited for the little grace we have, and not humbled sufficiently with our many wants.

3. Considering with myself what the cause should be why almost all Christians do very little grow since their first calling though they use ordinarily the exercises of religion, and many of them dwell under a profitable ministry; me thinks this may be said, that either they use not a full, but a half diet, or else by some ill means hinder the same. There is no Christian who useth not some means whereby he maintains life; and by God's blessing on his ordinance all holy means have their profit, therefore the more is our sin, in not using all whereby we might be fat and flourishing in Christianity. But as it fareth with crazy bodies, they must have a diet prescribed, and rules to order their whole life, else can they not long holdout but weakness and diseases will oppress them, whereas otherwise by precise keeping their diet in all points they be much preserved, and freed from much grief and pain. So for all the world it is with our souls, the best whereof is so crazy that without a good direction precisely followed, long health and peace cannot be held, but our lives will be filled with many griefs and troubles. And if these be not felt at first, the longer they fester inward, they will cost the more pain and grief before they be cured. It shall be our wisdom therefore never to rest till we have a good direction fit to preserve our souls in peace, and good estate, and then precisely to keep it in all parts, lest the neglect of one mar another and so we much hinder ourselves. At least this care must be had, that we do not as men sold to their appetite, who to please their taste will leave that which is wholesome, and take that which is poison to their nature, who therein for a short pleasure bring long and tedious pain, which makes repent too late: when this yet is more, that some be so far spent that they having once or twice broken their diet and finding no present pain, do willfully proceed, saying, As good be sick for something as for nothing; and in the end cast off utterly all care, and so bring upon themselves incurable diseases, horrible pains, and certain death. That this former advice may be the more profitable, that is, that we may see what good cause we (who be God's children) have to seek after and precisely keep a holy diet and direction for our lives, these things are most needful to be thought on. 1. How crazy and feeble souls we have, how seldom in any good temper, how soon distempered, how hardly recovered to any good plight, all which may be seen by looking back into our lives, and considering how our lives have been much out of frame, seldom a good stomach, ever weak unto any good duty, and ever some diseases breaking out upon us, some sores ever running, never long without pain, without some deadly palsies benumbing our senses, ever in fear of death and such like. 2. How unpleasant an estate this is, and little to be desired, is duly to be weighed, that hereby we may be much more quickened to seek the remedy aforesaid.

4. How empty of God's grace we be, and how full of noisome thoughts and lusts, how negligent and unprofitable in all heavenly exercises, may we ourselves perceive; as in like manner our barrenness in all good works, that few are moved to bless us and God for us, doth appear unto others; as likewise our many and strong corruptions no less to be seen in our profession, then spots in our face, such as our apparent negligence and drowsiness in all holy duties, our overmuch lightness and mirth, our vain talk, pride, covetousness, frowardness, hastiness, impatience, and such like.

5. A principal cause of the little growth of most Christians do I find to be this that whereas all the strength of a Christian cometh from his food Christ, and this food is received by faith only, in such sort that the more strongly we believe, the more we receive Christ, be nourished by him, and so on the contrary: yet few they be who so much as know how to edify themselves in their most holy faith, more then to hear and pray, which are found insufficient, as if a man in a ditch should cry for help and use no other means, or pray for meat and seek none, and how then can they resume the shield of faith as the Christian Soldier is exhorted, yet many take a wrong way which brings little help, namely to increase their faith by repentance, whereas there is no sound repentance which comes not from faith, and therefore rather we must by our faith increase our repentance, which as the fruit shall justify the tree good. The only right way that I can conceive of to increase faith is to remember, and duly weigh all God's promises general and particular, that beholding what the God of truth in the word of truth doth say unto us, we may give credit unto it, and so be assured of receiving whatsoever he hath promised; which cannot but singularly comfort a Christian, and so encourage him to all cheerful obedience. This being so, the chief cause I speak of, of our little growth in Christianity is this, that of all matters in the Scriptures, God's promises are least remembered and regarded in our private meditations or conferences, yea I may say in our public ministry; whereas these above all other as the nurses of our faith, and so of all Christianity, are daily to be meditated on and dealt with: and for this cause I do commend it to every true Christian as a singular means of bettering his whole course, that he labor by all means to have in memory store of God's promises general and particular, that whatsoever he take in hand, to hear, read, pray, confer, fast, give alms, admonish, correct, exhort, and the like, yea also in all his outward and earthly affairs, that, I say, before he set on any of these, to lay before him God's promises, that so he may do all in faith, and therefore with comfort of God's blessing therein: the practice whereof what change it will bring let experience show, sure I am it will be great.

6. Forasmuch as we know but in part, and believe in part, and therefore even they who are regenerate must grow up in Christ, therefore it is a duty belonging to them also, as well as to the unregenerate, daily to desire more and more to be partakers of Christ, that they may be more cured.

7. That which even the best are to strive against, be vain wanderings of the mind about needless matters, and a slothful neglect of good meditations, and other private exercises the nourishers of all grace.

8. The earnest panting and desire after grace is fitly compared unto the breath of the natural body, which is always in him that hath life, though weaker at one time then another, yea sometimes in a swoon seeming quite gone.

9. All graces are like to tender plants, whereof many will so go into the ground, that all their life is in the root, which in time will spring out again; and others, if they be not cherished, and have the sun to shine on them, wither.

10. We pray oft for many graces but either know not or use not the fit means to obtain and increase the same, as 1. For knowledge to read, hear, study and confer. 2. For having God in due remembrance, to stir up our minds often to think of him in all things. 3. To meditate on God's greatness and glory for reverence. 4. On his promises for faith. 5. On his power and truth for trust and hope. 6. On his Wisdom and Righteousness for patience. 7. On his love to us for love. 8. On his glory for zeal. 9. On his truth and justice for fear.

11. Our growth in grace doth in nothing more show itself then in our continual care to please God in all things, for they that seldomest look to their ways how they please God, show they least love God: and they be forwardest, and may have most rejoicing who most care to please him, wherein as many be ignorant how to please God, so even of them the fewer have such regard as were meet.

12. A great enemy of our growth in grace is a light regard of our disease, as in the bodily, if we think it small we look not for help, but if we fear it is deadly we use all means for recovery.

13. There can be small joy to any of their life if they gain not grace, yet nothing harder: It’s so contrary to nature and hath so many hindrances, yet there be means which well used we shall surely grow, else not, but indeed either we use the means too seldom, or too slightly, a special gift of God it is to keep a constant delight in them.

14. It’s not enough for the comfort of a Christian that he is persuaded he is new born, but he must see that he grow up in Christ, and be increased in grace, for its a sore token he is not in Christ, who grows not, but is well contented, for they that have tasted how sweet the Lord is, cannot but desire more, howbeit this is very hard and rarely seen; therefore few true Christians. As all trades some more some less be not easily learned to become skillful in, so that we allow seven years to be apprentice thereto, so much more the Christian trade wherein we see many botchers, sew cunning to make the wedding garment meet, wherein to grow is not seen of most who look not after it. The Scriptures oft sum all to these two heads, faith and love: more particularly. 1. Our growth must be in clearer sight of our own vileness and herein specially what most hinders, which cannot be but by a tracing out the ways of our hearts and lives, and to this end to take the glass of the Law, and not as blind, but having the light of knowledge to examine ourselves, and that particularly in everyone, so shall we see matter more to humble us, and drive us to Christ. 2. Spread before us, and deeply and often meditate on God's promises to heal the wounds of the Law, and to comfort us, that we may rest on God, for this life and that to come. 3. In thanks and obedience studying to please God in all things both to know and do his will.

15. It’s a common and just complaint of many true Christians, that oftentimes they see their whole course is far out of frame and such as yields them small comfort, though they be well thought of by their neighbors, which as they grieve at, so they have many purposes to do better, but in the end these come to nothing, and they never the better, and so go on from year to year with little growth, much less, such as their profiting might appear to others: which is especially to be observed of us Ministers: casting with ourselves what might be the best remedy hereof, we searched what might be the causes which chiefly hinder the profiting of such, who saw and sorrowed for their wants, and purposed a better course, which we found these three, besides that common, that men see not in particular their chief defects. 1. That being thus pricked and wounded we did suffer this to close up, and quickly let this purpose die, and so we fell to our old course again, and so the longer the worser. 2. That we neglect or carelessly use the means, whereby our course might be better, and grace increased; as specially, private prayer, reading, meditation. 3. That we harbor some master sin which robs us of all our gain, and keeps back God's grace and blessing from us. The remedy then is, 1. To keep the wound open by thinking oft what will be the fearful end of this course, continual uncomfortableness, and some foul fall. 2. While the wound is open to ply carefully all good means to cure our souls, and to perform our holy purposes. 3. To search out what special sin spoils us, and to strive most to keep it down.

16. We have so lost our time, and neglected the means that we are like to die beggars, and never attain to such grace as others do, and we might: the principal use whereof is, to keep down our pride, and quicken prayer.

17. It’s an excellent care of a good Christian that his after fruits of the Spirit exceed the former, that he may answer to the good opinion conceived of him.

18. The care for inward graces and obtaining of them will breed a godly neglect of outward commodities.

19 Many be barren in grace, because they be barren in prayer.

20. Knowledge, Faith, feeling, joy, and practice do not always succeed one another.

21. The graces of God are sweetest in our new-birth, because we fall again somewhat to the flesh, otherwise it is not so, and it’s the work of God's Spirit, when and in what measure; although in respect of ourselves, that we differ from the world, that they think that their present pleasures are sweetest, we that the present feelings of the Spirit, always least, whereas on the other side we think our present temptations and corruptions ever greatest, though in both we may be deceived.

GRIEF.

1. If we will truly lament the sins of others, we must first be touched for our own, and as touching others so to lament as the sin requireth, and with love not contempt of the person, and pray for him.

2. When we have no fear or grief, we can hardly profit in any godliness.

3. In cares of extremity by bodily pains and griefs, and fears of the mind, we must make this use, to try our hearts, wherein particularly we have deserved this chastisement, and so to humble ourselves: or having no such particular accusation, to prepare ourselves for the Lord's trial; who forewarneth us of his coming to us, or that he will pass by us, and therefore we must arm ourselves especially with prayer, the effect whereof is exceeding great: but we must take heed in such cases, lest we make hast to end our prayer, as desirous to be rid out of it, and so commit ourselves to God.

SECT. IV. The Heart – Offences.

THE HEART.

1. It’s vain to control the outward senses without rebuke of the heart.

2. The Lord is best pleased with their intents which prepare their hearts to seek him.

3. A true token of a hard heart, when the consideration of all God's mercies cannot bend us to duty.

4. Hardness of heart is the sorest plague, common, infectious and deadly, if it break not, or stop up again: our remedy is to take the opportunity of this time and helps we have, to deal more effectually then before, to search our sin, mourn for it, seek to God in Christ by prayer of faith for pardon and amendment, and then shall we with more boldness and comfort of speeding pray for the poor sheep that so perish.

HELP.

Then is the fittest time for God to help, when all hope of help is gone, for this most sets out God's glory and nurtures our faith in resting upon him who is above all means.

HERETICS AND HERESIES.

1. We must humble ourselves to see heretics do more for vain-glory and for their sect, then we will do for God's glory and for his truth.

2. As there were in the books of the father’s dispersed sentences, which as a seed did lurk in them, and by an evil spirit being gathered together did make a heresy, so in the writings of others. For the family of love hath drawn their sects out of writers new and old: As the Gospel first began in simple men and after came to the more learned sort, so heresy beginning now in the simple people, may for so little love of the truth, invade the best learned, and a lying spirit may as soon through God's judgments fall upon 400 learned men (such as Ahab's priests may be thought) as on the common Israelites.

A HOLY LIFE.

1. Considering what the Scriptures in sundry places witness, of all those that be the members of Christ, namely that they be dead and buried unto sin, but alive to God, I cannot but wonder how any can so securely assure themselves to be in Christ, who be so living to sin, that they serve it; so dead to God, that they are far off from all obedience.

2. A principal hindrance to a holy life, is a presuming of God's fatherly affection that he will spare us, whereof this may be the remedy, to have oft before us the terror of his judgment, to nourish a continual fear of provoking his anger, a nurse of a holy life.

3. The commodities of a godly life be such as will enforce any, that knows them, thereto, namely liberty, tranquility, pleasure, and such like; whereof whosoever truly tasteth he will think no pains too much to bestow therein.

HOPE.

1. True waiting must be 1. Outward as well as inward. 2. On the word, for many wait rather for hope of some profit then for God's glory. 3. Continual, though God defer long. 4. Without weariness and vehemently.

2. We are not to be without hope of any that hath sometimes showed effectual works of God's child, till all be blotted out.

HUMILIATION.

1. Among many frailties of our nature remaining in God's children, this is a very dangerous and grievous one, that when we have by much travail gotten strength to one duty, we forget or neglect another as needful as the former, whereby our comfort is much abated, and we are or ought to be much humbled, which in measure the Lord leaveth in his dearest Saints, to exercise them in true humility for their wants, in faith to depend upon him for grace, and in prayer to seek it from him continually.

2. Such ought to be humbled after an especial manner, which having through God's blessing on their travels in Christianity, attained unto some graces and conscience of discharge of duty in some things, specially, common and ordinary, such as private prayer, conscionable dealing with men, and the like, do so content themselves with these testimonies of their faith, that they inquire not after others to grow up into full holiness in the fear of God, whence it cometh to pass, that haply they are very zealous, yet very much wanting in love, very just dealers, but hard hearted, having little mercy or liberality, not so forward in some, as backward in other duties.

3. We cannot obtain God's mercies in special measure, unless we use to humble ourselves in special means.

4. Though danger work in a man much, yet it never prevaileth more than when it cometh with the word of God, which may both give a more lively and clear sight of sin, and show us the mercies of God withal, to deliver us from our evils, the profit whereof is so great, that we prevail more by humbling our Souls, then by all chastisements of the Lord whatsoever, for Jehoshaphat was more humbled by the speech of Jehu the Seer, then he was being compassed with an host of enemies. 2 Chron. 19:2.

5. This fruit of humbling ourselves is to be looked for, even to enter upon a far better course of Christianity, to be more like the faithful in former ages, in comfort of faith, in mortification, in love, in zeal, that so we may shine as lights in this dark world.

6. To be touched with the sense of sin in particular is a note of true humiliation.

7. This is a note of a man truly humbled, when he is ready to shame himself that God may be glorified.

HUMILITY.

A true trial of humility is this, to be content to be taught of our inferiors, and admonished of our faults.

HYPOCRISY.

It’s hypocrisy, in public to dispraise one’s self, seeking thereby a secret praise.

IGNORANCE.

1. It’s to be lamented that after so long preaching of the Gospel, the most, yea many true Christians, are yet so ignorant of, and therefore so much wanting in the practice of many special duties, and indeed so far off from that strait course not only which God requires, but the faithful in times past and some too now a days do carefully and constantly walk in: for example, to go to the public assemblies as to a feast, with such hunger, and careful trimming of our souls, as we use for our bodies, and to come from them so cheerfully, as men refreshed with good cheer.

2. By oft proof this is found a chief means, to pierce the hard skin of the heart of the ignorant sort to set before them the joys of heaven and pains of hell, as forcibly as may be, and then showing that they when they die (which is like to be sooner then they be aware of) shall go into one of these, to ask them what warrant they have, God will have mercy on them, and so to strip them of all vain confidence, to teach them that they can never have the least hope, that God will save them, till they feel such a fear of hell, and desire of heaven, as moves them above all to seek how to be saved, and therefore so long as they go on as they have done, with no more care for their souls, they can have no hope of mercy.

THINGS INDIFFERENT.

1. Whatsoever is neither forbidden nor commanded in the word, may sometimes be done for maintenance of love, and sometimes be undone for avoiding of superstition.

2. Where the Scriptures give general rules, the Church may give particulars; keeping order, decency, and edification: so that hereby a man of authority may have his assistant a Chaplain, and the father in Baptism may have an helper to witness and promise for his child, and afterwards to help him in his education, being such a necessary duty of love; and gloria patri may be used to show our Church an enemy to Arianism, so we may to avoid Anabaptism have witnesses to testify to the Church that we are Christianly baptized.

INFIRMITIES.

1. It’s to be labored after that the sense of our infirmities and many wants may abase us before God, and bring us nearer to him.

2. It were not possible for us to continue in a good course, if God did not give us to see ourselves, and so abased to come to him.

3. Particular infirmities do not hinder the preparing of our hearts for the Lord, if we have a true love of his word, as Jehoshaphat had, and Hezekiah.

4. This will teach us to speak charitably of others infirmities, when as we remember the like may befall us, and to be often teaching it to others and to remember the reason of the thing, if we would remember the thing itself.

5. God's children cover many infirmities under one good gift in another, the wicked contrarily bury good gifts in another under one infirmity, and that a small one.

JOY.

1. We read in Scripture of two chief causes of rejoicing for a Christian, One that he is by faith made God's child without any righteousness of his own: the other, that he hath received the grace of God's spirit, to lead an holy life; either of which alone can give no sound rejoicing, but both must go together. Rom. 5, 2 Cor. 1:12, Gal. 6:14.

2. No Christian professor can have any sound comfort of his faith, if he find no such matter in the remembrance of Christ's coming as doth rejoice his heart, and so in some measure stir up in him a longing after his appearance; for howsoever a true faith may be without some other effects, yet this being the very principal of all, cannot be wanting, the want whereof showing the want of faith is the cause of that little profiting, and so of that little comfort which is to be found in many, whereas if this were more labored for, and so more attained to, it would soon cause a great change in any man's profession, and hereby indeed the face of our profession would be even almost renewed, the alteration would be so great in all respects public and private.

3. There is no well-ordered course in Christianity, where godly sorrow and joy be not continual companions, for severed we run into some extremity.

4. Whatsoever is the matter of true joy ought to be a matter of thanksgiving to the Lord.

5. This is much to be lamented, that even among such as make some good profession, very few find that comfort in the Lord as to serve him with delight and so rejoice in their portion, as might draw others to desire the like. This comes to pass by our security, contenting ourselves with our course of living without open reproach, and our slothfulness loath to strain ourselves any further. The remedy must be by considering better our state how short we come and be wanting as in many duties, so in many comforts, and find not that full contentment in the Lord for this life, and that to come, which others do, and so lose the sweet, and have the sour of our profession.

JUDGE.

1. It’s not safe to judge of ourselves or others for one action, but to wait God's leisure in revealing the truth.

2. For the most part hard judging and false is the fountain of all breaches between Christians.

JUDGMENTS.

1. The Lord will spare his judgments in them in whom he seeth a true love of true religion, for they that love religion, will hear, and hearing the word will not lie long in any known sin.

2. It’s the greatest judgment that can be to thrive in sin.

3. Let the wicked rebel as they will, and think how by their subtleties they may escape God's threatened judgments for a while, yet they shall be pursued from far, and shall taste the heavy hand of God both fearfully and wonderfully, as came to pass in Ahad. 2 Chron. 18:33.

4. In denouncing God's judgments against any, we ought to be so affected that we earnestly pray for them, that they may be delivered from them.

5. The careful beholding of God's judgments on others is very profitable, as whereby observing the causes thereof, we may warily avoid them, lest the like fall on us.

6. The not observing of God's judgments maketh so little either to fear them, or love his mercies.

7. Who so maketh not conscience to walk uprightly, I will not free him from poverty, from sickness, from heresy, for as well can and will the Lord punish the mind as the body.

KNOWLEDGE.

Knowledge must go before obedience, obedience must follow knowledge apace.

LAW.

1. The Law is often taken for the moral Law of God, his precepts for the ceremonial, his judgments or righteousness for the sanctions of the Law, whether the Lord either accomplish his promises to his children, or executeth his wrath on his enemies.

2. In these days of security, the preaching of the Law is the nearest way to draw men to Christ out of themselves.

LEARNING.

The greatest Scholars have often most unstable minds, fullest of doubting, and least staid in that they know, and not able to keep themselves from foul fallings, or being fallen to comfort themselves or others. Therefore the greatest Divinity is in teaching or learning the word of God as the word of God, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things.

LOVE.

I. All our travail in Religion, to know God, to believe in him, to love and fear him, and all our prayers, exercises in the word, and the like, are referred to this, to do all good to our neighbor in our several callings, agreeable to that, He that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law. Rom. 13:8. and Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father, is to visit the fatherless, &c. Jam. 1:27. Therefore as we are to be careful of all those duties we owe to ourselves, so to others, good or bad: for all zeal in God's service, and profession of our love to God is vain, unless it make us careful for the salvation and bodily preservation of our neighbor.

2. There are no stronger means to make man and wife, or two brethren or sisters living together, in peace and love, then to join together often in prayer and Christian conference.

3. By musing upon that which often the Scriptures do teach us concerning love, that it is the fulfilling of the Law, and, to give all we have to the poor without love is nothing, and especially, that when our faith and hope shall cease, love shall remain and most flourish in the life to come, I do grow to an admiration of the excellency thereof, the sense whereof I most feel, when as by some good means (as some sweet conference) my affection is enlarged to any of God's Saints, me thinks I taste of the happiness to come, then which, what more delectable? How great therefore is our folly and sin, who provide no better for ourselves by increasing this pleasure.

4. The Lord doth often so work that the good affection we bear to others doth breed the like love in them to us, and so the contrary, they of whom we think hardly, have in like manner a heart burning against us.

5. We must beware that we never further sin, but if we love God, we must love them whom God loveth, hate them whom God hateth, Psal. 15:3 & 139:21,22, how dare they then in whom are some good things, hand over head be friends with God's enemies? Prov. 29:27.

THE LORD’S DAY.

1. Seeing by the appointment of the holy Ghost the Apostles did change the Jewish Sabbath on the seventh day, unto the next day, for the memorial of the Resurrection, therefore we are bound especially on that day to keep a memorial of Christ's resurrection, with thanks unto God for the same.

2. There be two things especially needful to be much every Lord’s Day in our minds to uphold us in a conscionable sanctification thereof.

1. The gain to be gotten thereby, which is glory to God, grace to ourselves and others.

2. The sweetness of the duty, to be all day sucking honey.

MAGISTRATE.

A Magistrate having a thing privately told him may upon some occasion keep it close.

MAN.

It seemeth to many men a wonder that man in the whole frame of his soul and body excelling all the creatures upon earth, and in most wonderful manner expressing the image of his Creator should yet in highest measure dishonor him, and be thereby most loathsome unto him, yet this is most just with the Lord seeing he preferred man by creation above all earthly creatures, for his rebellion to take away all grace from him, for whereas he was most able above all other earthly creatures to glorify his maker, his sin must be the greater, and by God's justice his punishment answerable for so willful disobedience and this commonly is seen among men, the more excellent natural gifts any man hath, if they be not sanctified, the viler that man is in God's sight above others, and his sin more grievous: for armed iniquity is more dangerous then naked.

MARRIAGE.

Such as find themselves unfit for this condition are to use all lawful means, and that a good while, and so not prevailing to submit themselves to God's ordinance.

MEANS.

1. There is a corruption of nature which maketh us most dull when we have most means, which ariseth from hence, that when we have the means publicly, we esteem less of them then when we wanted them, using the private means, likewise more sparingly, yea because we put too much confidence in the outward, the preaching of the word, not so earnestly seeking the inward and principal, which is the blessing of God's most holy Spirit.

2. It’s not safe to tie the working of God's Spirit to any one particular mean, seeing all must be used.

MEDITATIONS.

1. Christians must often meditate and consider what blessings and what afflictions they have in private and in common, and how they undergo both, and what use they make of them, likewise, to what corruptions they be most carried, and what means they use against them, and what profit they find by them, also how constant or unsettled they be in a good course, and what be causes of either.

2. What infinite store of heavenly matter is to be meditated on, seeing every doctrine in the Scripture contains more than ever we can sufficiently consider, and yet so unexpert are most professors in this exercise of meditation, that they are empty of any fit matter to meditate on. A principal cause whereof is, they savor the things of the flesh, and very little the things of the Spirit.

3. Those things we hear and read are other men's, until by applying them unto ourselves by meditation, they be our own.

4. Matters fittest for daily meditation be such as every man in his condition hath daily most need of, as to humble or breed sorrow in us, to comfort us, to awake us being asleep, and when we think ourselves senseless or benumbed, to soften our hardness, to pull us back from any evil way, to weaken any corruption, to strengthen such graces as be weakest in us, to wean us from the love of this world, to teach us a sober use of our prosperity, to arm us against and uphold us in adversity, and such like.

5. Meditation is a study to get grace, whereby upon all occasions we make some good use of all that comes to our mind, whereof the frequentest use shows the most heavenly soul, as contrarily the neglect thereof the carnal.

6. We are to meditate at set times, and on special occasions, the oftener the better, but hard to do it well.

7. To have our meditation tied to the word we must occupy it upon some particular matter, and reverently consider that we as it were draw near the Lord's privy chamber.

8. To read, and not to meditate is unfruitful, to meditate and not read is dangerous for error, to read and meditate without prayer is hurtful.

MEMORY.

Whereas many complain of ill memory in good things, thinking thereby to cover many wants, this is found the only remedy, that we must first reform our hearts, and bring them to affect such heavenly doctrines, and then valuing them as they be, they would as well remember, as a worldly man hearing of a good bargain, whereby he is assured he may have great gain, will hardly forget the same, yet hereto let this be added, an hiding of God's word, and treasuring of it up in our hearts, which oft recounting with ourselves and others, the same shall not be forgotten.

MERCIES.

1. In speaking of any of God's mercies towards us, its profitable to think upon our sins, lest we be too proud, and rob God of his glory; and also a fit opportunity in respect of others must be chosen, lest the same be not believed, and so edify not.

2. Of all the mercies of God this is a principal, not to be left without some favorable exercise of conscience, (though it be grievous to the flesh) thereby to be drawn nearer to God, if for Paul it were so necessary, how much more for us?

MINISTERS OR PREACHERS.

1. It’s a matter whereof we that are God's ministers may justly complain, that in teaching others we do not so carefully teach ourselves, but too often bind heavy burdens upon others, which we ourselves will not set our hands unto, urging the people to many excellent practices of Christianity, and not so carefully urging ourselves to the practice of the same, that we might by experience commend the excellency of such heavenly medicines, and so persuade by our practice as well as doctrine, which is in our days most necessary, seeing men look most to our lives. A chief cause of this evil is, that through our corruption we deal with the word as merchants do with their wares, they seek after the best wares, not to use them themselves, but to utter them to others, so we seek out most heavenly instructions not to use ourselves, but to commend to others. The remedy whereof is, when we first find out some precious matter which we like of, then to make use of it ourselves, and as it were try the medicine on ourselves so shall we better commend it.

2. To content ourselves with preaching profitably to others, and not to practice those things ourselves, is very dangerous, and cannot be free from hypocrisy, and must needs breed hardness, and so a very bad course, the end whereof is miserable and woeful. In any hand therefore we are to be disquieted with such an estate, else no amendment: and it must fear us that we be not disquieted, when as we hear God's children profess that they have no longer peace, then they themselves be ready to every Christian duty, and have some delight therein: and therefore we must by all means in such an estate before said, deny our pleasures, and provoke ourselves to humiliation till God reform us (this being indeed a just cause of fasting) and generally not to rest in any exercise of religion whereby the heart is not bettered.

3. We should so esteem the benefit of preaching the Gospel, that we should redeem it with our loss, travels, grief, as St. Paul, 2 Thess. 3:8, and therefore be far from refusing to preach to those that would, but cannot relieve us for want of living.

4. That we may be occupied in this high service of the ministry with the greater delight, and so rejoice therein, we are to remember that it’s a most high honor to be admitted and used of God as his instruments in saving souls; that no work is more profitable; that hereunto the Lord himself called us, not we intruded ourselves; that the Lord in some sort blesseth our labors, bestowing upon us not a few encouragements therein.

5. The external ministry must proclaim salvation by Christ to all without exception, and compel all, but it’s the inward operation of the Spirit, to draw and incline any one to apply by faith the general to himself.

6. They that teach not themselves cannot teach others

7. Where the people heartily desire by prayer the ministry of the word, the Lord will send them faithful ministers, and will multiply his graces in them, but if the people be careless, they shall have a minister which for ability either cannot, or for affection will not deliver the truth unto them.

8. Although the Lord hath promised a special blessing to the public ministry of his word, yet we must not tie his wisdom to the ordinary means either of begetting or increasing our faith; but if any shall at any time have more effectual feelings by private conference, let him neither contemn nor neglect the public ministry, but with all holy and humble thankfulness yield this sovereignty to the Lord, that he is to dispose his gifts, when, to whom, by whom, and where it pleaseth him.

9. It is not to be doubted but that God hath pardoned the sin of rash entrance into the ministry, unmeet through want of gifts, when as he blesseth the minister both with able gifts and a pure mind, and also giveth a blessing thereby unto his people. Therefore though one have no assurance for his first calling, yet from hence may he gather that God now accepteth thereof.

10. A minister must be like a wise tills-man, who having sown his feed, long after looks for the fruit of his labor.

11. Two things especially may warrant both the speakers and the hearers of their doctrine; If their calling be good and godly, and if the general course of their doctrine be sound and pure, Jer. 16:17.

12. When there is no vision the people perish, those then only to whom the feet of them which bring glad tidings of salvation be precious, shall be saved, others that neglect them, neglect salvation.

13. In bringing men to God, first show them that there is certain salvation for them if they will, then that there is a way thereto, which is by the fight of sin, wherein they must be humbled as low as may be.

14. A minister coming in a new place ought first to preach the truth, thereby to win credit in the consciences of the people, then to envy against corruptions, which may breed man’s hurts to himself and others.

15. In examining a man's conscience a minister is thus to proceed; by the law to try whether he hath a knowledge, feeling and misliking of his sins, or not: whether he hath any fear of God's judgments for sin, or faith in his promises: whether by particular applying of these things to himself he can show any effects by prayers, Sacraments, new birth and repentance.

16. It’s a greater thing in a Pastor to deal wisely and comfortably with an afflicted soul, and soundly and discreetly to meet with an heretic, then to preach learnedly.

17. It’s a fault of our time that too hasty trial is made of a man's gifts in the ministry to the great hurt of the Church.

MIRTH.

We must be merry in the Spirit, not in the flesh.

MISTRUST.

In mistrust, it’s good to set before us God's ways upon others; in our presumption God's judgments.

MORTIFICATION.

It’s very profitable to quicken us in mortification to set our old sins often before us, and to search the bottom of our corruptions in day sins, night sins &c. that shaming ourselves we may be humbled, and seeing the height length, and depth of sin, we may the nearer comprehend the same measures of God's mercies to us in Christ.

MOTIONS.

1. When good motions are stirred up in us, its good as soon as may be to draw them to practice lest either we forget them or want opportunity to do them; and for help of memory to set them down in writing.

2. The cause of much weakness in mind and body comes not from Satan always, but from ourselves in wandering after the motions of the flesh.

A GOOD NAME.

These be two effects of godliness, and notably maintain one another, favor and a good name, which be better than riches, as at all times, and in all persons may be seen, without which all gifts help little.

2. We ought in no case to hurt the good name of our brethren, as whereby he is more wronged then by the loss of goods.

3. We ought to be most careful by all good means to maintain our own good name, and therefore learn how it may be gotten and preserved, as also if we be discredited what profit to make thereof.

4. Seeing a good name ariseth of a good life, without this to be well reported of, is a fierce punishment of God, being a great hardening of the heart in sin and hindrance from repentance.

5. The first step to a good name is to avoid carefully and continually all evil outward and inward, and especially whereunto we be by nature most inclinable: for as one dead fly corrupteth an whole box of ointment, so doth someone sin often crack the credit of a man of good report before. God's children are especially to be careful herein, because of the hatred of the world, who will commend their own though never so profane, if there be but any natural gift, but contrariwise if any of God's children be never so full of grace, if he have but one infirmity or be once overtaken with some sin, the world will count him a wicked man, and thereby take occasion to speak evil of their profession. As open, so secret sins and corruptions of the heart do bring out of favor with God, who will soon detect us, and make our secret sins come to light, as he often hath, for he can make his dumb creatures reveal them: or our friends to fall out with us, and so reveal them, to whom before we made them known: or our own mouth to confess them, either at unawares, or in sleep by dreams, or in sickness by raving, or in frenzy to vomit out thine own shame, or else the torment of thy evil conscience shall wring it out, yea if all these should, fail the Lord is able to raise a strong suspicion in the hearts of others that thou art such a one, and thereby discredit thee: as this is a good means to provide for a good name, so is it a good rule of all godliness to be afraid of secret evils, yea in heart and thought. A second step of procuring and keeping a good name is to have a godly jealousy over all our doings that they give no occasion of suspicion of evil, though we do not that which is simply evil, procuring things honest, following and seeking after things of good report, so also to be plentiful in good works, one or two being insufficient, our light must shine before men. Matth. 5.

6. In doing good, we must look that it be with a sincere affection, and 2. with discretion: the want of either takes away the credit of well-doing by God's just punishment; so that a simple soul shall see the shifts wherewith the wise worldlings blear men's eyes.

7. When we are ill reported of for well doing its good first before we clear ourselves, to examine our hearts in what manner we did it, and finding wickedness therein, to be humbled for it before the Lord, and receive it as God's correction to amend us: if we find our heart upright, then let us learn that God trieth us whether we will leave doing well for ill report, and therefore with patience to endure this trial, and commend our innocence unto him who maintains good and honest hearts.

8. They which are so past shame that they care not for the Church discipline for their open sins, little profit by the Magistrate.

9 Many that are put to open shame are sorrowful therefore, but not aright, for it is not because they sin against God: others are sorrowful for their sin which wrought them shame, but the devil bewitcheth them that their sin is not so great, and many do worse; and this shame will not continue long, prove a wonder but of nine days continuance, whereby they be hindered from repentance, and though at the first they without dissembling promised amendment, yet neglecting the means to further their repentance, thus bewitched they fall to their sins again. They that will profit by such discredit, are to labor that as their faces blush before men, so their souls may be confounded before the Lord, that being humbled by godly sorrow, it may please God to raise them up. Now to try godly sorrow these be two rules, 1. If we can with contented minds take the punishment as correction from the Lord, and yet mourn for our sin, and that in such manner, as giving place to God's justice in punishing, we can labor for forgiveness of sins. And 2. if when we can conceal our sin, yet we freely with David confess it: when a sin is committed, yet so closely as none can probably suspect him, the offendant may conceal his sin, if it can be done without another sin, but if an oath be lawfully required, the truth must be told.

NURSERY FOR THE CHURCH.

It were an happy nursery for the Church if every grounded Pastor would train up in life, learning, doctrine, discipline, some toward Scholar to make him more fit for the Church as Moses did Joshua, Elias Elisha, Jeremiah Baruch, Christ his disciples, Paul Timothy.

OFFENCES.

In private offenses a man may go to his private prayers before he be reconciled, till opportunity be had.

SECT. V. Parents – Sin.

PARENTS.

1. When children have infirmities their parents are to see whether they have not received such sins from them, if they have, they are rather to pray for their children, then too much to correct them, lest they persecute their own sins in their children.

2. The Lord often in his children correcteth the immoderate love of parents to their children, for natural causes, as Abraham with Ishmael, Isaac with Esau, David with Absalom and Adonijah; so of husbands to their wives.

3. If a maid may not perform her vow to the Lord without her father’s consent, much less her contract to man.

PATIENCE.

1. In greatest troubles there is no greater ease then patience and sufferance: as a great cause of madness is impatiency of mind, or God's sudden wrath for sin against conscience.

2. Patience then possesseth the soul when our outward wants are thereby supplied.

PEACE AND JOY.

1. It’s not to be marveled though so few attain to the joy in the holy Ghost, and to such sweet rejoicings in God's love which is the height of our happiness here, so that the more this is felt and kept, the more heavenly is the life and death. 1. The worser sort have no knowledge nor care whether God like or dislike their ways, but blindly hope all is well till evil come; and some of these though they fear, God is angry with them, yet shake it off and forget it, at least slightly appease him. 2. A second sort be grieved hereat, and this takes away their joy as it ought, but seldom come they to sound comfort and less rejoicing, though fearful to offend. 3. A better sort be warned by their harms, and so more wisely keep their peace, not willingly angering God by leaving undone their duty or presuming to do contrary, but indeed to please God, those usually walk with much peace, and can come boldly in God's presence, and so sometimes find a glorying in the Lord, and exultation in the Spirit, best of all. The way then to maintain our peace and so rejoice, is to consider how we please God: if not, then 1. not to be quiet, but mourn, 2. not to languish in sorrow, but seek reconciliation. 3. to be chary in maintaining peace, which in time will breed rejoicing, for which labor we by due meditation on God's love: for infirmities ought not to break our peace, so as there be a true bewailing and striving against them, but presumptuous sins; and God much more will bear with many faults where there is a care to do better.

2. Although the love of God be the original cause of our salvation, yet in respect of us the grace of Christ is the first to work assurance thereof in our hearts; for this cause in blessing the people that is set in the first place (The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,) which they first conceive to be the beginning of their blessing.

TO PLEASE GOD.

1. It’s a common and a sore evil, that there is so little care whether God be pleased or not, and therefore so little labor to please him, without which there is no fruit or comfort of prayer.

2. That we may please God, there must be first an endeavor to pray according to his will. 2. when we do best, yet to dislike our works as unworthy the Lord. 3. a belief that God will pardon our wants and accept us in Christ's worthiness; not one of many thus please God, most few in prayer.

3. The true means to please God, is true religion, and a true heart in religion which join us to God, for if either our heart be unclean, which is abominable before God, or religion be corrupted, which is loathsome in his sight, we cannot please the Lord, how glorious soever we be in the sight of the world.

4. Who so would please God must both in deed, and manner of doing endeavor to obey him.

5. The chiefest thing that God is pleased with, is to be truly religious, to love the truth with singleness of heart and a prepared mind, to be obedient to it: without the which though a man could live an Angels life in outward show, yet by how much the more it is praised of the world, by so much it is the more abominable in the sight of God.

POOR.

1. For relieving beggars at the door or by the highway side, I judge this a good course, seeing the law hath well provided who should be relieved and who not, for many great damages to the land by relieving such, and therefore hath set a penalty on such relievers, therefore to relieve such as be allowed by law in a godly discretion according to their necessity, unless we can on some good ground avouch them to be counterfeits, and then as we may to see them punished: as for the other not licensed, not to relieve them, except we be assured of their present necessity, which is also by law excepted.

2. In our lawful labors whatsoever we get, it’s good to give the tenth to the poor.

POPERY.

1. Many think it religion enough to leave popery, and stand on faith without fruits, so hard is it for flesh and blood to admit a continual struggling, a going on forward.

2. The mystery of iniquity began even straight upon the Apostles times; by this means, that holy men and the fathers of the Church were not so wary in delivery of the truth, but gave advantage to Satan, someone way, some another, whereby out of all their errors joined together was at length raised up the Kingdom of Antichrist.

PRAISE AND DISPRAISE.

It’s our corruption as well to praise some too much, especially such of whom we have received some good things, as to dispraise some too much, especially of whom we have been some way hurt.

PRAYER.

1. As it is dangerous when we like well our prayers to be therefore persuaded God liketh them, seeing they have their spots which not seen defile our prayers, so contrarily when we dislike them.

2. How few prayers are there made in faith? Not one of many; for besides all cold and careless prayers, even then when we see and feel our wants and earnestly desire grace, yet hardly can we be persuaded that God so loveth us, and liketh our prayers, that he is well pleased and will accept thereof: It’s true, when we please ourselves and feel not our wants, we easily rest, and say, God is with us, (which for the most part is either security or pride and presumption) but when we feel our unworthiness and have our conscience accusing us of many wants, then we fear, the Lord regardeth us not, but abhorreth our service, which likewise for the most part is mere unbelief, although I say not but in either of those there may lie covered some spark of faith not seen: but in our best prayers to see our wants, to abhor them, and in our greatest defects to see God's Spirit to comfort us therein, and so in both truly to be persuaded that God will for the merit of Christ pardon our wants, and accept the work of his Spirit, this is true faith, seldom seen in our prayers.

3. Prayer is as the pulse showing the state of the heart. If the spiritual life be weak, such will our prayers be, and contrarily, whosoever is very godly hath great life in prayer.

4. As a sick body feels no relish in good meat and drink: so the sick soul in prayer, whereby, who so findeth sweet taste, comfort and strength, is in good case.

5. We often pray more for custom and company then drawn by our wants, yet it’s good to keep a constant course, that as in meat one morsel may get down another, so by praying we may get more stomach to pray.

6. The unregenerate may come to God in prayer, with knowledge that he is a merciful God to his enemies, specially to all that seek to him, and so may desire and sue with fear, for some favor; but the faithful are to come as to their father with joy and comfort of favor.

7. The Lord our God tendering our good, hath among many means, commended unto us prayer to be a help at hand in all our necessities, Phil. 4:6. and because we by nature be altogether unapt to it, it being so heavenly and we so earthly, he hath by all arguments commended it to us, as 1. from his own precept, Psal. 50:15, Matth. 7:7. 2. from its nature, a most heavenly work of the Spirit. Eph. 6. 3. that it’s a chief means of God's glory. Psal. 50. last, 4. that it’s the most gainful trade. Jam. 5. 5. that it hath great promises. ibid. 6. that its most practiced of the most godly, and may be had when all other means be taken away.

8. There be two common evils, either we know not how to pray, or we want conscience to use our knowledge.

9. Prayer is a speaking to God in Spirit according to his will, or a crying of the heart to God, which sets out the matter and manner, not cold but fervent.

10. The voice is but a help sometimes, not of the nature of prayer, yea its more than a minding what we say or hear, for the heart must be occupied, else no prayer.

11. These three affections must be specially occupied in prayer, joy in God's mercies, sorrow for our sins and punishment thereof, desire of mercy.

12. Pure prayers are sweet melody.

13. As one man excels another in music, so in skillful prayer.

14. There is a double gift in prayer, one of speech effectual for edification of others, which so far forth is to be labored for, but this may be in a reprobate. The other, in Spirit, whereby specially ourselves be inflamed, and so do heat others with whom we pray, which is rare and proper to the elect: this God likes.

15. As they who would be skillful in anything must be much exercised therein, so in prayer.

16. It’s a matter of singular comfort to a true heart that God seeth our meaning Rom. 8:27, as of terror, that God seeth our corruptions in prayer: both must breed conscience.

17. As it’s a rare mercy to pray in faith, which God gives to none but to his children, and not always to them, but when he is well pleased with them, so this is hardly got and kept, and therefore such as will enjoy it, must spare no cost for it, and be careful not to displease God.

18. It’s not meet in variety of God's dealings, to have always one form of prayer, but upon occasion to vary the same.

19. Repetitions in prayer are not unlawful, when as they arise upon some great sense of sin, or our wants, or seeing ourselves to have prayed before in fashion, would now desire to pray in truth, or if it be through forgetfulness of what we prayed for before, else they are vain.

20. To avoid tediousness in prayer it is good to pray briefly and often, as our Savior did in the garden, yet as in long prayer we must take heed of custom, superstition and ambition, so in short of profaneness and carelessness.

21. If it come to pass that the Lord cross our fervent prayers, and bless our cold and weak ones as oft he doth, it is not to quench our zeal, and favor our coldness, which is the way to heresy and profaneness, but to teach that on the one side we lean not too much to our prayers, as tying the Lord to them, and on the other side to heat our coldness in prayers, that seeing the Lord heareth our cold prayers, how much more will he hear our fervent and faithful prayers.

PRIDE.

1. If God prefer us and lift us up, take we great heed of pride, lest God cast us down into some foul sin or reproach.

2. The Lord hath suffered many strong, pure, and wise men to have fallen by women, to punish their pride in his graces.

PRIVILEGES OF THE SAINTS.

1. Assurance of salvation, God's protection, a godly life, to be kept from reproachful falls, to enjoy the helps to godliness, to delight in Christianity, to use prosperity well, as also adversity, to increase in grace, persevering therein.

2. It’s a sore evil that we who persuade ourselves to be heirs of salvation, do so little think of, therefore so little know, therefore so little glory in our privileges, and comfort our hearts in the expectation of them, and so by all good means hasten for the possession of them, the want of all which is no small cause of our so little profiting in godliness.

3. The Saints are free: God is their father, loves them, will withhold no good thing from them; will save them, are protected by him, are taught to live godly.

4. They which be in Christ are freed from condemnation being justified by him, Rom. 8:1. They have Christ's Spirit dwelling in them, and guiding them so to live as pleaseth God, whereby their corrupt nature is mortified, and a new nature quickened in them. ibid. 9. By the same Spirit they be boldened to call God their sweet father, ibid. 15. being sure they be his children, and therefore coheirs with Christ, that suffering with him, they may be glorified also. ibid. 17. They be taught also by the same Spirit to sigh waiting for their adoption even their full glory. ibid. 23. and truly hoping for is with patience to abide it. ibid. 25. likewise they be taught so fervently and faithfully to pray as God will accept thereof. ibid. 26 Howsoever God dealeth with them, and whatsoever befalleth them, God disposeth it so, that its better so then otherwise, which comes to pass by the eternal determination of the Lord accordingly effecting the same in every degree. ibid. 28.

PROFESSION AND PROFESSORS.

1. Four sorts there are of Professors, 1. false brethren, great professors but gross hypocrites, knowing they dissemble. 2. such as are choked with worldly cares of honor, riches, and the like. 3. such as are forward in Christian exercises, but neglect the practice of godliness. 4. which so hear, that they do understand, and that do they practice in their words, works, thoughts.

2. If we will have joy in our profession, the word must win ground daily in us, in subduing sin, even in the root of the heart, as well as in the branches, otherwise we do only draw nigh with our lips.

3. This seemeth a sound difference between true and false professors, the true preferring grace before all vanities, and thinking them that have most, most happy, ever complain of their spiritual poverty, thirsting and laboring for grace more and more. The false, they rest in that little grace they think they have, and are drawn to the earnest pursuit of vanity.

PROMISES.

Promises properly appertain to the renewed part, threatening’s to the unrenewed.

PUNISHMENT OF SIN.

When our sins proceed of particular and not of general defects, if we offend of infirmity and not of presumption, the Lord will not punish so straitly in temporal things for the particular sin bringeth not wrath, but the being in that sin, and not repenting for it, which drawing in other sins withal, may draw wrath from the Lord, so that one sinner is said to be spared, five punished, if for his particular sins he being admonished shall be humbled as David by Nathan, 2 Sam. 12. Jehoshaphat by Jehu. 2 Chron. 19. Or being afflicted shall profit thereby, because in this case he seeketh not to draw other sins, but laboreth to put away that one sin punished, when notwithstanding admonitions for mercy, and threatening’s for judgments, he maketh a way for the Lord's indignation: so that we may comfort ourselves for particular offenses, if in the general course of our life we follow the Lord: neither have the wicked here any liberty to nourish sin secretly, who use to sin by degrees: but when they presume to lie still in one sin, thinking that for it they shall not be punished, it is the judgment of God to suffer them to fall from one sin to many, so from little sins to gross offenses.

RECONCILIATION.

1. In reconciliation making, this is the best way that either party weighing their own sin (which shall most hurt them) do chiefly accuse themselves and excuse the other, and withal do profess they will no more so offend, but will love, though they should not be loved again.

2. It’s in vain to speak unto God for others, unless we ourselves be reconciled unto him through Christ.

REDEMPTION.

Unless a man see himself even utterly lost, unable any ways else to be delivered, he never prizeth redemption, whereof this is the power, profit, and praise, that when all helps fail, and all creatures be against us, yet a full ransom is given to our hands, and perfect restitution beyond all hope.

REGENERATION.

In regeneration or dying unto sin, we then come to the trial of our hearts, when we come at those things wherein either nature or custom doth breed delight.

THE REGENERATE AND UNREGENERATE.

It often falleth out by the wise providence of God, that the unregenerate be in outward appearance so like the regenerate that they cannot be discerned one from the other, these falling so low in sin, those rising so high in obedience: which the Lord so disposeth for the good of his children that they should never be so contented with their measure as to cease their travail for increase and so to wax secure, but rather that they might hereby be stirred up to make their calling and election more sure, and so work out their salvation in fear and trembling. In consideration hereof we must not be dismayed when as we hear and see such to fall away, of whom we have thought very well, for the foundation of God remaineth sure; neither must we be disquieted for that beforehand we cannot descry such, who deceive themselves, but charitably judge the best, yet wisely tarrying till the Lord shall descry them. Notwithstanding this is evident by the Scriptures and experience, that there be certain notes and marks so proper to God's children, that every child of God may be led to see them in himself, and no unregenerate person can in truth have, howsoever many of them do fondly dream they have them, and so deceive themselves who for the most part may by wise dealing with them be clearly convinced in their own consciences, though through pride they will not confess it. These marks we speak of, are of divers measures in God's children according to their growth in Christ: we must take the least measure of them (in this question) lest in seeking to shut out the unregenerate, we also shut out many of God's truly begotten children though young and weak, and yet on the other side, lest in letting in the one we admit the other, we must take such as be most special though rarely to be found in professors. Of this sort there be two, the causes of our new birth, and the proper effects thereof: the causes be more certain, the effects more apparent proofs thereof. The causes of Regeneration be these and in this order. God the Father of all the regenerate when he will ordinarily beget any sinner and child of wrath to become his child, doth of his own mercy freely send his word and holy Spirit to effect the same, 1. Working in him the sight of his misery and sound grief of heart for the same, which breeds a fervent desire to be delivered. 2. The knowledge of the remedy with a like desire of obtaining the same. 3. A sound knowledge that God hath given them this remedy, and there with a certain persuasion it is theirs, which they receiving are delivered from their misery, and so made God's children, being now new born. The effects of this new birth be these. 1. A special joy of heart in the benefit received. 2. An unfeigned love of God the sole Author of so great a benefit. 3. Which breeds for the time past a deep displeasure for dealing so wickedly with so merciful a father. 4. For the time to come an earnest desire and care to please God, with 5. True obedience to his holy word, even of mere love. So also 6. A conscionable use of all such means as be known fit to further this obedience. 7. A godly sorrow in the sight of our inability to please God; and a longing desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ: all which are in their measure in every regenerate person, and do at least in some measure grow more and more till he be dissolved. Now if any unregenerate shall fondly dream all these to be in him (for if he be utterly wanting in any of them, then thereby he may be convinced to be unregenerate) he is as narrowly by his life to be searched as may be, and a thousand to one he shall be convinced, but if such cannot descry himself, nor be by others; let him hold his comfort so long as he can, till it shall be manifest he deceived himself. If yet any shall think himself in good estate, when as his life shows the contrary, then is it to be avouched to him that he utterly deceives himself, imagining that to be in him which is not, even as it is with an hungry man, in his dream he thinks he eateth, and when he awakes his soul is empty, Isa. 29:7. even so this worldling rocked asleep, with his present peace, thinks himself in good case, but when he is awaked by God's judgments, then he findeth himself most miserable, such were many of the Church of Laodicea, which said they were rich, &c. and knew not they were wretched. Rev. 3:17. Again, me thinks it fareth with these men, as it is with many in some dangerous disease which hath deprived them of the sense of their pain and weakness, who therefore say, they be well, and fear nothing; so these being deadly sick in soul have no sense thereof, and think themselves in a good estate: or as it is with one that is drunk; They have stricken me, but I was not sick. Prov. 23:35. So these, drunken with the world, feel not the wounds of sin, see not their own misery.

REMEMBRANCE OF GOOD.

1. Seeing there is no action of our life for which we have not learned at some time or other some profitable direction for the same, its much to be endeavored that such matter may be present with us as is fittest for the time, otherwise much danger must needs ensue.

2. The best means to remember the word is to be truly touched with it, either in grief or joy; for they leave strongest impression.

RENEWING.

It’s a happy thing to redeem the renewing of the inner man with the decay of the outward.

REPENTANCE.

A Godly Physician having patients grievously tormented, willed them first to be reconciled to God before they sought his help, which they neglecting, and he knowing them open sinners, dismissed them, saying, The Lord having laid his rod upon you, I dare not take it off you without the show of some fruits of repentance, which they doing were healed.

REPORTS.

1. Men by ill reports raised of them must learn to be forewarned lest they fall into such a sin, and thankfully must receive the correction, that whereas God might have made them suffer for ill, he doth rather for well-doing.

2. This is God's great mercy, that when men have evil thoughts, God doth cause them to be evil spoken of for the act, whereby they ought to be moved to search their hearts, and finding it within, though it never burst forth, they are to profit hereby to correct their hearts, and to be thankful to God, that hath kept then by this means from the act, which otherwise might have broke forth to their discredit.

3. God by false reports doth often correct us for sin long ago committed and yet not fully repented, or for some contrary corruption, or generally he would have us see and amend some sin we saw not before.

REPROOF.

1. It falleth out often that some, grudging at reprehension, profit afterward when their choler is past: others, receiving it well, after neglect it.

2. At a table its good for them whose duty it is, so to rebuke sin that it may be reformed, rather than the person shamed, without there be necessary cause so to do.

3. No reprehension must be but upon good ground, and according to a man's calling, with care not to discredit our brother, and prayer unto God for a blessing thereon.

4. For the most part it’s a note of an uncharitable and unquiet Spirit in those that govern, to admonish, rebuke, or chide as we call it by ironies, questions, and scoffs.

RICHES.

The love of riches or earthly things, hinders us in good things, but the use of them furthers us therein.

SACRAMENT.

I. A Pastor may not debar any from the Sacrament for a secret offense though being admonished he repent not.

2. The Sacraments of the Jews were obligations to bind them; of Christians, to absolve them.

SAINTS.

In comparing ourselves with God's Saints we must not despair in our weakness, because we be not like them, nor presume to be like them.

SALVATION.

Even of those that have knowledge and sense of their misery, and of Christ the only remedy, yea of God's large and free offer of salvation unto them, and faithful promise to save them if they will come to him, not a few never be saved, for that not believing if they go not, or go amiss, not as Heb. 10:22. but some ignorantly, some feignedly, some doubtingly, some profanely, some not constantly, and therefore have no answer or a denial and an heavy answer; who can have no comfort. But besides these, even such as have in their persuasion a gracious answer from God that he will save them, which they shall find by the inward comfort it brings them, are to look whether this be not a lying Spirit, wherewith thousands be beguiled, one sort taking their comfort and building their persuasion that God will save them only and chiefly on this, that their lives be amended; which as it may be true, so it may be false, and is no good ground of our persuasion, but at the best a prop: whereas the true Spirit teacheth us to build all our persuasion on God's goodness freely offered and faithfully to be performed, of both which we are assured by the Gospel the word of truth, the only ground of our assurance. But further seeing how many be beguiled having a good ground, but building loosely thereon, this is to be tried by the effects of the true Spirit, whereof all (though many) may be referred to this one, a conscionable study to please God in all things.

SATAN'S COURSES, SUBTLETY, TEMPTATIONS.

1. Our common adversary Satan never ceasing to seek our destruction doth chiefly labor, 1. to rock us asleep, and so quiet in security, that we may not see the state of our souls. 2. if we be awakened and look about how it is with us, then through our privy pride he draws us to think better of our estate than it is, and by that means gets us asleep. 3. If this prevail not, but our infirmities and many wants do humble us, then doth he with all his power beat us down to discourage us and weaken our profession. In all which several conditions, 1. Some do wholly and long lie, and either asleep see nothing, or are too well pleased and jocund, or else altogether cast down and uncomfortable. 2. A better sort goeth through all these, sometimes asleep, sometimes too much contented and so fall asleep again, sometimes oppressed with grief, and after a while either lifted up or fall asleep again, and thus they spend their days unconstantly, and therefore indeed with little sound rejoicing, and do hereby lie open to many temptations on every side. 3. A third sort, and indeed the best, through the strength of grace received seldom fall asleep, so as they see not how they walk, neither be so lifted up as to forget their wants; nor so cast down as to have no joy in the Spirit; but wisely considering what is the condition of God's true children in this world, and watching over their hearts especially do rejoice in trembling, and go on constantly in their Christian course, though with infirmity, yet rarely or never falling into any offensive trespass or doubting of God's favor.

2. Satan under a pretense of Repentance, brings many unto extreme sadness and strictness in the use of God's creatures, as under a pretense of lawful liberty he stirreth up others to excessive and unsanctified mirth, and an intemperate use of God's creatures.

3. We must pray that the Lord give not out that measure of leave to the devil to tempt us, which we give out to sin to work rebellion in us against his majesty, but that God would make Satan a Surgeon to open our sins.

4. It’s the policy of Satan to hide God's present blessings upon us, that we may be unthankful, and to set before us greater which we want, to make us murmur against God.

5. Satan is most ready to make us unwilling to that which shall be most for God's glory, and the good of his Church.

6. This is a common practice of Satan, whereby he much hindereth God's children from many duties, even both by outward object and inward temptation to draw them to some other thing, (though lawful) than at that time ought to be, and therein to hold them what he can whereby he may keep them from the duty, and also accuse them of neglect of duty, and so at least disturb their quiet, and make them unfit for other duties: it shall be therefore high wisdom for every true Christian, both to discern what is to be done in his time, and to watch straitly that he be not any way pulled therefrom. But if he cannot keep men from doing their duty, yet will he not cease to corrupt then in the manner of doing, either through hypocrisy or carelessness, and so either make then content themselves with that which is naught worth before God, or else oppress them with fear that they have not done their duty in such sort as they ought. The remedy is manifest, To have special care over our hearts that they be sound and fervent, humbling ourselves in our wants, and comforting our hearts in the testimony of a good conscience.

7. Through the subtle malice of Satan working on our corrupted nature it cometh to pass, that if faith be taught, most abuse it to liberty in sin; if obedience be urged, to put confidence therein for justification, they are therefore jointly to be urged, yet faith as the instrumental cause of justification, works as the effects of the man justified.

8. It’s a matter much to be bewailed as cause of great danger to many a soul, that Satan our sworn enemy in every part of our life so annoying us, yet most, seldom or never, see or avoid his assaults but rather like and embrace them.

9. Satan being a Spirit hath a very familiar though secret communion with our spirits.

10. It’s safest in all temptations to keep the mean, neither to be quiet without grief, for then Satan will account we be his without any pains, neither to be too unquiet as without comfort, for then Satan will be the prouder and bolder to take more pain to overcome us.

11. As Satan tempting Adam, overcame him and all in him, so tempting Christ, as he could not overcome him, so neither shall he us in him.

12. Satan's temptations follow our affections: if we lightly account of him he blears our eyes with God's mercies, if we be pricked with conscience of sin, then he ladeth us with the judgments of God making us as ready to aggravate our sins, as by the former to extenuate them.

13 Subtilty, and violence are the chiefest distinctions between the temptations of the devil, and of the flesh.

14. When Satan cannot drive into security he laboreth to discourage that they may have no heart to good exercises, and so make small use of them, for as they who eat with ill stomachs have least strength by their meat; so nothing more hinders our profiting by good exercises than want of comfort in them. This policy of Satan many not observing, do of purpose discomfort themselves, thinking the same best, and so take corrosives for cordials. The remedy hereof is this, that such as be hindered by discouragement should in their meanest discharge of duties feed on these comforts. 1. the nature of God so proclaimed and proved more tender, pitiful and ready to bear with, pardon, and accept our least endeavors (in truth) than parents the frailties of their children. 2. that in our weakest duties, there is some conscience and fruit.

THE SCRIPTURES.

1. Men that dig in mines for any treasure even for the hope of gain labor sore before they find any vein, and many times miss, but when they find the silver vein with what cheerfulness do they labor? It makes them forget their pain though sore, and otherwise tedious: now we who study the Scriptures are even in the vein of heavenly treasure, how much then should we be encouraged?

2. The Scriptures barely read without particular looking into the several doctrines contained therein is like a coming into a treasury, wherein we see many costly things folded up, and some ends appearing out, but when they be all uncovered then doth their glory more affect us for the present, and leave a deeper impression of their excellency: so in the Scriptures by the particular view of the excellent doctrines, our memory is more confirmed, besides our present use thereof.

3. It’s a most worthy travail for Students in divinity to refer all their study first for the true sense of the Scripture, which only will make a man a grounded Divine to teach, and confute all error; and secondly for the right use in himself and others for amendment of life and all godly duties.

4. We must redeem time even from our ordinary callings to read the holy Scriptures.

SELF-LOVE.

This is a dangerous deceit and bewrays an unsound heart, that when our sin is like to be reproachful to us, then we can hold in for our credits sake, but in our private dealings there is no such stay: and indeed if it be observed we shall find that this self-love is a greater cause of leaving much ill, and doing good than the true love of God which ariseth from a sound faith.

THE NUMBER OF SEVEN.

The number of seven is oft used in the Scriptures, for that God foreseeing man's unbelief provided many things to call him to the remembrance of the creation, and so bring him to meditating, believing, and trusting in God.

SICKNESS.

It’s most meet in the time of a contagious sickness that there be one Minister to teach the whole, and another to visit the sick, and that by choice of the people: if people admonished will not take this order, a godly pastor may in wisdom to his power provide for both, speaking to the infected a far off: if any danger come, he is free.

SIN.

1. As he that once could not abide to taste bitter or sour things when he was in health may justly suspect that his stomach and body is out of frame when he can well away therewith: so he that could not once abide any corruption of sin in himself or others, and now can, is to fear his soul is sick; and therefore no man though never so godly otherwise, but is to suspect himself and to be grieved when he can pass over his infirmities, or see sin in others without earnest grief.

2. He that will profit in true repentance, must not by viewing the sins of others, whether preachers or people, be drawn from sight of his own in his particular calling of Magistrate, Minister, Parents, &c. but must so see those, that first he cast out the beam out of his own eye.

3. The Lord punisheth every sin not repented of, either in ourselves or in our posterities.

4. The conscience of God's graces, with the conscience of sin breedeth an hell in the hearts of God's children: when we are given to sin we are blind even in the sight of our own dangers and custom of sin, which preach such iniquity unto us, that neither God's judgments can terrify us, nor his mercies move us.

5. We shall never thoroughly leave sin, until we know and acknowledge sin to be sin, and be truly sorrowful for the same.

6. This above many things is to be lamented in the lives of most professors, that by long custom in sin it is so confirmed, that we shall carry the ach thereof to our grave, as bruised men in their youth.

7. We may comfort ourselves for particular sins, if being admonished we be humbled for them as David and Jehoshaphat; but if being admonished we still lie in sin, and so tie one sin to another, then are we to fear God's wrath, for it is the general falling into sin, not one particular which displeaseth God.

8. There is no sin, whereof every man hath not the seed in himself which without the Lord's mercy would in time break out.

9. A good help to avoid sin is to remember what punishments we have felt for sin, and what are threatened.

10. Though it be very hard to find out our special and secret sins, yet by oft examining ourselves, acquainting ourselves with our own estate, by often prayer that God would reveal them, by often hearing, reading, meditating the word, by marking the checks of our consciences and reproaches of our enemies we may be much helped therein.

11. Some sins against knowledge are of frailty and be remissible; others are not, being of a rebellious and final obstinacy, which is not in those who fear it, and carefully avoid it, rejoicing that it’s not in them.

SECT. VI. Slander – Zeal.

SLANDER.

By well doing to stop the mouths of slanderers is the only remedy of all slanders.

SORROW FOR SIN.

1. It is observed that even of those that are grieved for sin the cause is in most, for the danger it brings them unto, and not for dishonoring of God whereby it comes to pass that when they gather hope of deliverance from the danger, then the grief and fear for sin decayeth, which if it were otherwise would daily increase: for the more we are assured of God's love the more we love him, and the more we love him the more we desire God's honor, and therefore the more are we grieved with our sin which offends him. This may be a most sufficient answer to that doubt which troubleth many, why divers of those that be true Christians were moved to fear sin and be grieved at it more in the beginning than after.

2. There is no greater bane of sound godliness than to favor and make light of our sin, not being grieved thereat.

3. It is found by woeful experience that a principal cause why many, who hope to be saved by Christ and be indeed true though weak Christians, are so slothful and unwilling to take any pains to lead the strait life of godliness, and to come under and precisely keep the Christian diet, namely that holy direction that prescribeth how we are the whole day long and so all our life long to be well occupied: the cause I say hereof is manifest to be this, that they be little grieved with their diseased estate, and feel not such smart of their sins as should make them never cease till they found some ease by this sovereign diet, which is proved so sufficient to relieve and refresh a true Christian heart. This therefore above others is to be travailed in, that we may feel our sin so bitter and grievous unto us that we may never be at rest till we come under this diet and thereby also may be held to a constant keeping thereof. To this end these things are with all conscience continually to be thought on, 1. that our sins be most dishonorable to God, such as much offend him and grieve his holy Spirit whereby we are sealed. These if they be not grievous unto us we may justly fear that either we be bastards and no true children, or at least that we are fallen into a deadly security, which will hardly in long time be recovered, and will cost us much grief and sorrow to bewail our decay. 2. that they be very hurtful to man, ourselves and others, both good and bad; to ourselves, as which hinder good things from us, earthly and spiritual, bring judgments temporal and eternal; to others, provoking God's wrath on our Land, Church, Congregation, Family, Kindred, Posterity, offending the godly, as whereby they are made sorry; the wicked, making them reproach our profession; the weak also being strengthened in sin by ill example.

4. It is a special sin amongst most professors that by reason of outward prosperity and peace they do not walk humbly with God; so little grief of heart or fear of God is any ways to be found: indeed sorrow is tedious and unwelcome, and therefore except there be great cause and that outward, we put sorrow away and soon ease ourselves of the burthen, whereby it comes to pass that men being loosed as it were from the Lord's bands live securely, and serve God carelessly and spend their days in jollity which is the bane of all godliness and enemy to all heavenly rejoicing, whereas God gives grace to the humble, and he will dwell with those that be of a contrite spirit. In regard hereof I judge it highly necessary for the most of us by all means to turn our laughter into mourning and our joy into heaviness, which that we may do we are to put away and withdraw ourselves from all occasions of carnal rejoicing, as pastimes, merry-meetings, bravery, belly-cheer, foolish jesting, and other such companies as might make the heart light and merry, and instead hereof to occupy our mind much upon our old and late sins, to see how far we come short in grace of others, and more short of that which God requires, and by the means which we have we might attain to, and herein particularly to deal so much as may be. Herewith to consider the terror of God's wrath, hear how many ways he may make our lives bitter unto us, by bodily and spiritual plagues on ourselves, or such as be near us, our wives, children, parents, kindred, families, and acquaintance, and in the world to come the torments of hell how extreme and everlasting and easeless, in what danger hereof we be who have so little or no faith at all, and so little pray to escape this endless woe; how God is angry with us and regards not our prayers, and this is the more that we offend so merciful a father. Besides these causes of grief for ourselves, this should grieve us for others, either the faithful, their infirmities and grievous punishments of God upon them bodily and spiritual, deprived of the means of salvation, and the like; or the wicked that they live so profanely and licentiously persecute the godly and cast away their own souls whose care if we did pity it would move to many tears and prayers for then. In all these this ought to be chief, that the honor of God, which is the most precious treasure that can be, is not only so lightly esteemed, but defaced and contemned.

5. There is a double sorrow for sin, one specially in respect of the punishment, which goeth before faith, and may be in those who never come to faith, in whom it either wears away of itself, or is eased with a false faith; or if it continue, it drives to despair; and this also remains after faith, by reason of the weakness of faith, which is sometimes more or less. The other sorrow for sin ever follows faith, which thus ariseth; that when we consider Christ's love to us (which breeds love in us to him with a desire and purpose to please him) then seeing how by our corrupt nature we fail, it cannot but grieve us accordingly; and this sorrow only is a proof of faith.

6. These be two rules to try godly sorrow, 1. if we can with contented minds take the punishment as correction from the Lord, and yet mourn for our sin, and that in such manner, in giving place to God's justice in punishing, we can labor for forgiveness of our sins: 2. if when we can conceal our sin, yet we with David freely confess it.

7. When many are more grieved with the loss of worldly credit, the motion whereof is sin, than with the sense of their sins and loss of God's glory, the Lord striketh them with the want of that which is most precious to them, when they make no conscience of his honor, which is most precious unto him.

8. If we will truly lament the sins of others, we must first be touched for our own; and as touching others, so to lament as the sin requireth, and with love, not contempt of the person, and pray for him.

9. When we have cause of sorrow it is good not to cast it off, till we see the fruit thereof.

10. Heavenly sorrow it is, to talk of good things which we want, or ill, which we have.

11. We cannot heartily be grieved for that sin in others, whereof we have made no great conscience ourselves.

12. That is a true godly sorrow for sin when no outward pleasure can steal it away, nor continuance of time waste it, but only Christ.

13. This ought to be always in God's children that in the want of affection to any godly exercise when they should have it, that at least they should be grieved thereat.

14. Two notes there are of godly sorrow, 1. that it be for a just cause, and 2. a proportionable measure to the cause: for it is a subtle policy of Satan against tender consciences, to urge them to a continual sorrow, whereby he may more prevail in his accusation against them: for when they sorrow so much for little offenses, he will dismay them in their greater faults, or accuse them of hypocrisy in making no more account of great sins than of common infirmities: we are then, to take heed how we give ourselves to sorrow continually, especially seeing we are commanded to rejoice always, and never to sorrow always, although there be a necessary time of sorrow: and moreover, this ought to be considered, that God will not account of men for one particular defect, but according to his general course and tenor of life.

SOUL AND BODY.

1. It were great wisdom and grace to be more careful to feed and provide for our souls (which even a world cannot ransom) than our bodies, not feeding these till those be fed.

2. There is never any corrupt action in the body, whereof there hath not been first a corrupt motion and affection in the soul, so that the soul is the enemy of the body in using it to sin, and not the contrary, as many falsely complain, and therefore punish their bodies and spare their souls, whereas we ought rather to nourish the body as the friend to the soul for the exercise of repentance, of mortification and of sanctification.

SPIRITUAL DECAY.

It’s high wisdom when we see any plague upon us earthly or spiritual, as loss of our spiritual comfort and cheerfulness in well-doing, or wound of conscience by sin remitted, then to turn to the Lord and crave help of him, both to show us the cause and to teach us truly to remove it, that so humbling ourselves, we may obtain mercy and be freed from the plague.

DISQUIET SPIRIT.

A punished mind is a disquiet Spirit.

GODLY STRIFE.

Seeing we are naturally unwilling to any good thing, it is good to strive to that thing which we are most unwilling to do.

STUDENTS.

This course have I by experience found profitable, and resolved upon, namely to be diligent in reading the holy Scriptures, and of them at the least every day four chapters; in like manner (for the increase of my knowledge) to spend three hours in the forenoon in searching out the sense of the hardest places, as two in the afternoon in the searching out the proprieties of the tongues, and other two in perusing the tracts and commentaries of learned men; one in meditation and prayer; what time remaineth to spend the fame in brotherly conference.

SUFFERING.

They that will suffer great things in persecution and that of Papists, must suffer smaller in peace and that of Protestants.

SELF-SUSPICION.

He that can neglect the private means, and use them without any lively touch, and he that can hear the word without any check of his conscience when the word rebuketh his corruption, or he that hath his heart accusing him of sin, and can be merry, and follow the world, and pass over his sin, is greatly to suspect himself, and to deny comfort to his heart till God truly humble him. The best may accuse themselves, and this is comfortable, if we truly judge ourselves in this case.

TABLE-TALK.

Seeing all are anointed with the same oil and not the Minister alone, all men at a table are to move and further good matters with reverence and discretion.

TEARS.

Howsoever we please ourselves with small grace, yet if we compare ourselves with that we see should be in us, and is in some, we are exceeding short, as in this one thing, that so few tears come from us in any cause; we are too ready to excuse ourselves hereby, that we are not so prone to weep as others, and yet for earthly things we can readily. What was it in Paul that drew so many tears continually from him, but his tender love to God and his Saints? Let this be in us, so shall we weep.

TEMPTATIONS.

1. As it is a great comfort that no temptation invade us, but that which taketh hold of the nature of man, so this ought to make us with profit humble ourselves, that there is no temptation in any man which may not take hold on us in time.

2. We are never the further from temptation for misliking it, but the nearer, unless as in judgment we mislike it, so in affection we humble our souls in fear and prayer before the Lord, as knowing the same in time may invade us.

3. Satan in good causes doth use golden temptations to allure the children of God, as in prayer he affordeth meditation, in meditation prayer, in hearing alms-giving, in reading admonition, and still envieth the good thing whereunto we are called.

4. As there is a vicissitude of the means and comforts of our salvation, so is there of temptations, which being repelled will come again.

5. As some sickness takes away all sense of life, so some temptation may take away the feeling of spiritual life.

6. In any grievous temptation we must flee to prayer, and to reading the word, that part thereof which is fittest: and this not prevailing, to confer with some faithful brother, and be diligent in these means: when if yet we prevail not, then must we follow our callings diligently, and with patience wait the Lord's leisure, not reasoning with our temptation, lest thereby we be made dull or desperate, neither yet wholly contemning it as a trifle, lest we fall into security, and Satan overcome us without wrestling: for if we fear it too much he overcomes us before we fight.

7. All temptations come either of ignorance or want of feeling.

8. As Jacob left not striving though his thigh were loosed till he had the blessing, no more must we faint in our temptation, though we be humbled, till we obtain the victory.

9. As striving against our temptations they soon depart, and for little pains we enjoy longer ease and quietness, so in not resisting the temptation, the same increaseth, and our little pleasure is paid with long grief and bitter.

10. This is a sure experiment whether the sin which often tempteth us shall prevail or not; if the more we be tempted, the more we be grieved for it, strive against it, and labor more for the contrary virtue, it shall not long continue: but if the first coming of sin wrought this care and grief, and the second waxed less, then it will prevail, unless the former course be speedily repaired.

THANKS.

Such are mere mockers of God, and deep dissemblers, which make great profession of thanks in words, but have little or no care by their lives in obedience to testify the same.

THOUGHTS.

1. A man is not to spend his thoughts after the abundance of these earthly things, for the roving of the heart after the world is a wonderful hindrance to a godly course.

2. It is found by many true Christians a very hard thing to keep their minds upon heavenly matters, the reason is manifest, that being by nature earthly, our minds sink down thither as the stone downward, and will not without force be carried upward. Our only help must be, that we do acquaint our minds to ascend upward, that at length they may be acquainted with the path, and so as readily go in it, as in the former.

3. A principal cause why so many be troubled in their holy exercises with by-thoughts is this, that they be not exercised at other times to govern their minds in chasing away vain and evil thoughts, and in holding their minds and hearts to good things, without which travail I see not how the former disease can be cured: on the other side, he that shall bestow good travail this way, shall find the yoke of Christ easy, and no tedious thing to live godly, but shall be freed from many falls, reproaches, sorrows, and discouragements, which many daily meet with, and be filled daily with such comforts, as many professors seldom taste of though they would.

TRIAL OF A MAN'S SELF.

1. Then may a Christian soundly judge his state good, when he finds all heavenly matters a recreation to him, and his earthly affairs his labor.

2. There is nothing more necessary than daily more and more to make sure our calling, which most professors be either ignorant of, or negligent in, deceiving themselves. Let everyone therefore duly examine himself in these points, whereby he shall clearly see his state, as whether he be careless of his state towards God, such not knowing or not regarding how it is, are most miserable; or careful, whether fearful, (either not knowing or not assured how to be saved, both dangerous and damnable to such as die so, Rev. 21:8.) or comfortable, whether upon faith alone, or works alone, both deceitful; or upon faith confirmed by works, which only is sound: for trial whereof, consider, what thou believest, that thou shalt be saved by Christ, this only justifieth, the belief of nothing else: why thou believest, because thou knowing thyself miserable, and Christ as willing as able to ease thee laden coming to him, doth therefore in heart come unto him, with assurance to be eased, seeing he promised. Whether thou have thy conscience bearing thee record, and because the heart is deceitful, if thou seest the effects hereof in the change of the heart, peace in God, love, fear, and the like, and both thyself and others may see thy course hereupon amended and daily bettered.

3. The soundest trial whether we have received Christ is by our comfort and care, 1. such as find neither, must bewail their state, else no hope, 2. such as be in doubt must never give over till they find those. 3. such as find those must increase them, which will not be easy; for prosperity and adversity will quench joy in the Spirit. Thus must we seek for comfort by removing all that may discomfort, and using all means to maintain it, as above all to think oft and deeply on God's goodness to us, which will stir up faith and love.

4. It’s a godly wisdom to suspect and try our willingness and unwillingness to anything, so strong and deceitful are our affections.

5. Many are altogether looking to the outward corruptions, others to the inward, the mean between both is best: as a man is in trial and temptation, such a one is he.

THE TRUTH.

1. The best thing in us is to love the truth, and to hate heresies, and that not because the time doth so serve, as to praise, profit or prefer them that love the truth, though all the world loved heresies and heretics; though all be against us and love them.

2. As for the love of the truth the Gospel proceeded from fishermen to be embraced of the more learned sort, so for want of love thereof it’s to be feared that heresy beginning in the simpler sort, will infect the learned: and if God purpose to punish the blindness of our age, he can as well send a heretical Spirit into 400 of our learned preachers as he sent a lying Spirit in 400 Prophets.

TIME.

1. To have a watchful eye over the expense of our time that no part of it slip away without doing some good, and that especially which most appertains to us, is a notable means to make us walk all the day long with God as the holy fathers did.

2. As the wicked will dearly buy the time to commit iniquity, and that secretly which they dare not publicly; so God's children in the midst of sinners, if they want that strength to profess publicly, yet ought they to redeem all opportunities, for exercise of godliness, prayer, and fasting.

VIRTUE.

As the right way is but one, and by-ways many, so the virtue commanded being one, the sins contrary thereto be many, which as its to be seen in all other, so in true liberality, and that kind of goodness which pertains to the goods of our neighbor; The virtue required is that we have an earnest desire that our neighbor may have a benefit as well as ourselves, and therefore that we procure their good as our own, but the contrary vices be many, not easily seen, for our hearts be deceitful, for when we find ourselves indifferently void of one sort of covetousness, we imagine we are as free from all, when as it is nothing so: for many in buying and selling can deal conscionably, and be worthy commendation who yet in free giving are very backward, who thereby may see their love to the world; others be frank enough in giving, and hard in buying and selling, too much seeking themselves, who may besides their covetousness suspect their hearts be false, and moved to give for some sinister respect, as privy pride to be well spoken of, or secret merit to please God thereby, or that their conscience could not else be quiet but fear God's displeasure, whereas the true root of this grace ought to be faith in Christ love to his needy members, for which cause only freely to relieve is in none but God's dear children. Again some are not so scraping in getting, as pine at their losses, and are miserable in spending; others prodigal, be extreme in getting by hook or crook: so that this love of the world shows itself in many things.

VISIONS.

There may be visions now, but extraordinary, which must have no credit without the word, for Satan will twice or thrice show the truth, that thereby in weightier matters he may seduce.

WARFARE.

He that feels not his life a battle, and so fears his adversary, and is grieved with the wounds of sin, can have small comfort in Christianity.

WATCHFULNESS.

1. Watchfulness is a looking to ourselves for our soul’s health oft required, standing in avoiding all hurtful things, and procuring all good.

2. As security sets open to all danger whereby many fall, as appeareth by the examples of David, Solomon and Peter, so through watchfulness are many upholden.

3. Watchfulness is either general, which must be in every action, or special at set times, and upon special occasions.

WISHES.

We must be careful of our wishes, lest the Lord grant them, when we would not have them, as often falleth out.

THE WORD OF GOD.

1. It is ever best to note the general virtue of the word, and not to use exceptions, but upon particular and constraining necessity.

2. The cause why we profit not in the word is because we pray not to have our hearts stricken therewith.

3. Who so hears the word carelessly, no marvel though he have no delight therein.

4. The word of God of itself doth only as a light reveal God's will, and cannot work on the heart but that is only the work of the Spirit, who by the word, lighteneth, humbleth, feareth, comforteth, persuadeth.

5. This sore evil have I observed among many diligent hearers of whom is to be well hoped for some work of grace in them, as a chief cause why they hear much with little profit, and therefore no growth can be seen in them, yea rather a decaying, namely that they content themselves with such a marking of that which is delivered, as that they can in any measure report what they heard, and approve thereof, which as its necessary, so its insufficient and can little edify the soul in sound godliness, and therefore ought not to pacify the conscience, whereas that only hearing can soundly edify and ought to pacify, when as our hearts be delighted in the knowledge revealed or confirmed, and our consciences pricked with the sense of those sins which be rebuked, in such sort that we can at our most convenient time turn aside and bewail them and labor by prayer with the Lord for forgiveness and power unto amendment, or otherwise be drawn by hearing of our duties to desire and purpose to perform them, and so make new covenants with the Lord hereof, wherein this care is so much the more necessary, for that this fruitful hearing is the principal nurse of all Christianity. Besides this there is another great danger, in that we so soon let slip our hold, forget or neglect our purposes, and so soon wax weary in good courses. But it’s to be hoped that they who have in truth purposed and begun well shall be recovered from their falls, and quickened afresh by new instructions, which especially doth commend the necessity of continual hearing or living under an ordinary ministry.

6. As nothing more concerns our bodily life then food, so for our spiritual life the word.

7. Our chief default in hearing is that we are not so affected with sorrow or comfort, as that we be persuaded to leave the sin, and do the duty spoken of.

8. Touching the hearing of the word on the week days, this may be resolved, that if our work be such as cannot at another time be done, or be for the present well omitted, its lawful for us to stay therefrom. A trial whereof may be had in this, if a man of honor, or great credit with us should require us at such times to come to him, whether we would deny him or not, if we would not deny him, how can we with good conscience deny the Lord our presence in the congregation?

WORLDLY-MINDEDNESS.

It’s a matter much to be lamented that among so many Professors we see so exceeding few, scarce one of a thousand who hath apparently overcome the world by his faith, setting light by these things below, the heavenly having wholly his heart Though it be our desire to have our hearts withdrawn here from, yet so weakly do we labor the same, that with shame we may bewail our want.

WORLDLY-WISDOM.

It’s the shame of our holy profession that the children of the world are in their kind wiser than the children of light. The wisdom of worldlings for this world is admirable, how deep a reach have they to see into their matters? How quick to spy out all advantages, to forecast all doubts, to prevent all that may cross them, and to follow all opportunities to attain their desires, and to make all sure, O but how reckless and babish be most Christians for grace and happiness! Some securely defer all to God, taking no thought what shall become of them: others content themselves with bare shows to have a name of Christianity: others, with small beginnings, as though every little were enough: most deceive themselves with foolish conceit their care is better than it is: few or none match the worldling in prying into the privy commodity of Christianity, and so valuing it aright, in deep reach to compass these, in forecasting all doubts, and preventing all impediments, taking and pursuing all occasions, sparing no cost, time, pains of attaining, and never give over till we be sure, and then with all watch and ward to hold fast that we have gotten and daily to increase the same.

YOUNG CHILDREN.

Young children may be taught things concerning God.

ZEAL.

1. Seeing the most zealous in time do cool, it’s a most necessary prayer that God would keep us in our age from the sins of the time we live in.

2. We are to take heed that the love of men's persons slack not our zeal in rebuking sin in them, and that our zeal against sin slack not our love to the person.

3. It’s a godly zeal to God's glory to fear every least thing in our brethren and yet in love to hope the best.

FINIS.

Table of Contents

PREF. I. To The Right Worshipful.

PREF. II. To The Christian Reader.

PREF. III. The Authors Prayer.

1. SECT. I. Admonition – Confidence.

2. SECT. II. Conscience – Faith.

3. SECT. III. Falls – Grief.

4. SECT. IV. The Heart – Offences.

5. SECT. V. Parents – Sin.

6. SECT. VI. Slander – Zeal.