Seven Treatises, Treatise 2 · Chapter 18
CHAP. 18. Of certaine reaſons, perſwading to the practiſe of a godly life: which is the fourth generall part of this treatiſe.
THus I hauehave after a ſort declared what the Chriſtians, and the beleeuers life is, and in what duties it conſiſteth: and hauehave diſcloſed in ſome ſorte, the ſinnes, which inſteed of this godlines doe poſſeſſe men: The whole I confeſſe hath been large and long: but therefore it muſt be conſidered, that the Chriſtian life is in a manner all the ſubſtance of religion, and that which muſt giuegive light and lend helpe to vsus in all things while we liue: and therefore ſo great a matter containing all duties of all perſons with the right manner of performing them, could not with any playnenes and profit to the moſt, that ſhall reade it (in my iudgement) hauehave been ſet downe more briefly. OnelyOnly this is here to bee looked vntounto: that he may cleerely and ſoundly know, what is good, and what is amiſſe in ſome particular manner, and be the better able to gouerne himſelfe by that knowledge eueryevery day, as he ſhall hauehave occaſion, which as I ſaid, ſhall further be declared in place moſt expedient: And to make this ſumme of a Chriſtian life, his glaſſe (as it is here, and by other writers ſet downe, according to the word of God) whenſoeuer hee ſhall repaire vntounto it, to ſee himſelfe therein: Now heare ſome reaſons, why the beleeuer ſhould leade his life thus.
And firſt I will begin with that, which deſerueth the firſt place,The firſt reaſon▪ why the beleeuer ſhould liue godly, is, that God may be glorified by this aduancing his. and of right, ought to preuaile with vsus: that ſeeing this Chriſtian courſe doth ſo highly honour God, it ought without all exception, to be ſought out and attained of vsus: And how highly God is glorified in it, eueryevery one may ſee, when euen ſinfull and contemptible perſons, who much diſhonored him by their bad conuerſation, yet after being reformed, are made fit to glorifie him? and if this be in their new birth, and regeneration at their firſt comming to God, how much more (thinke we) ſhall it be in their life afterward? A miſerable caytife to be made a Kings ſonne, is admirable: but behold, here is more: for in Chriſtianitie, we finde, that he which was the bondman of the diuell, and of the familie of hell, is aduanced to the honour of the ſonne of God, and made heire and inheritour of the kingdome of heauen. And if this be honour to Princes, that they can giuegive great gifts, what is the Lords honour, in and by them, whom he indueth with other gifts, then all princes hauehave to giuegive?
It was a great part of Salomon his royaltie, that he gaue ſiluer, as ſtones; VVhat honour God hath, by the grace of his.and goodly Cedars, as the wilde figge trees: the Lord giueth graces and poſſeſſions, that neither ſiluer nor golde can purchaſe: and an habitation that neither Cedars nor any Almond trees can make reſemblance of. It is a great honour to God, that hee hath made and faſhioned man ſo excellent a creature of ſlime:Iohn. 6.70. but it is a greater honour, that he hath of a rude, vnbridled and vncleane diuell, made a well ordered, ſober, and meeke Chriſtian: yea a ſanctified perſon;Eſay. 11. as the Scripture calleth him: for by his holy ſpirit through the worke of the Goſpell, he hath made of an extortioner, and oppreſſor, a liberall and bountifull giuer,Luk. 19.7. & 8. as Zaccheus: of an adultereſſe, a penitent woman, reclaimed from the courſe of vncleane life,Ioh. 4.18. & 29. Luk. 7.38. Act. 9.15. as the woman in Luk. 7.47. and of a perſecutor, a preacher: yea himſelfe a perſecuted man, euen Paul the Apoſtle. And how doth ſuch a change (thinke we) when it is ſeene of men, and the reporte of it heard among ſuch as knew them before, cauſe them to ſay:Matth. 5.16. The Lord hath done great things? And ſuch grace doth God giuegive, to them (I meane) that feare him,Prou. 16.7. that he cauſeth by their light which ſhineth among men, The beſt things of Gods ſeruants, are within them.euen their very enemie; to be at one with them: yea to ſpeake well of them, and to glorifie their father which is in heauen. And yet their beautie is (to ſpeake as the truth is) chiefly within, and not ſeene with eye.
As all was not heard of Salomon a farre off, which was to be ſeene at home: and yet not all ſeene, that might be knowne to be in him. The faithfulnes, innocencie, and rare continence of Ioſeph, with other graces which were in him, when they brought him into ſuch fauour, credit and admiration amongſt men, how (thinke we) was God honoured, who was the giuer of them?1. Sam. 2.30. Thus doth God honour them, that honour him, that he may be all in all, and by them ſhewed, to be moſt honourable. And to ſpeake of our owne time, wherein we liue,God is not without honor euen in this our age. notwithſtanding it affoord not ſo many examples of ſo excellent gifts and graces of holy life (though in learning and knowledge few hauehave gone beyond it) as ſo long libertie vnderunder the Goſpell might iuſtly challeng (which ſinne (I pray God) be not laide to our charge, but ſpeedily repented of:) ſo yet we will not be aſhamed to affirme, to the great praiſe of God, that both many gratious and godly people, ſince the raigne of our moſt noble Prince, hauehave been alreadie gathered to their fathers, who in the dayes of their fleſh, did honour God highly; and many remaine (God be bleſſed) amongſt vsus, who hauehave, and doe, and to their end ſhall (we doubt not) to the great comfort of many weake ones, commend the power of the Goſpell preached amongſt vsus, and cauſe that vnfained thankes be giuen to God by many for them. And that both of the miniſterie (though nothing be more ridiculous to the Papiſts our aduerſaries) the Lord hath raiſed vp many, who both preach ſincerely, and diligently, and walke warily and worthie the Lord, Col. 1.10. and vnoffenſiuely ſeeking to pleaſe him in all things: and of the people, he hath drawne not a fewe, who doe beautifie their profeſſion, and carrie themſelues vnrebukeable, among them who can iudge aright, and are free from reprochfull and daungerous euils. In ſuch (as I hauehave ſaid) is the Lord made admirable: As it is written: In Sion (his Church) ſhall God be praiſed: and why? becauſe for them he hath done great things.
The Lord maketh the weake ſtrong, the ignorant prudent, and ſuch as ſate in darkenes to ſee great light: holy and glorious is his name: Yea further the Lord teacheth his beloued ones in their proſperitie,How God graceth his children. to count themſelues but ſtrangers in this world: he cauſeth the things of greateſt price, to be little ſet by of them in compariſon of his treaſures, which are not ſeene: This honour hauehave many of his Saints. The Lord giueth ſtrength in tribulation aboue hope, and maketh anguiſh and ſorrow to become comforts:Note. falſe accuſations, and contumelious reports, to be crownes to their heads and chaines of golde to their neckes which beare them. And to be ſhort, he teacheth his, to ſucke ſweetenes out of ſowernes, and to make good vſe of all eſtates: and they are able to doe all things through him that maketh them able;Phil. 4.13. yea perſecution it ſelfe he maketh tolerable, and ioyfull; and (when our weakenes can ſee ſo farre) the greateſt aduancement.
If theſe gifts of God with other ſuch, doe not greatly honour the Lord in the congregation of the righteous, and if they which inioy them, being gratious and of high eſtimation, doe not moſt highly commend the giuer, which is God, where will men ſay, that God is honored at all? And ſo doth the Apoſtle require, that it ſhould be with Gods people:1. Pet. 2.12. The peace and ioy of the godly. HaueHave your conuerſation honeſt among the Gentiles, that they which ſpeake euill of you as of euill doers, may glorifie your father which is in heauen. And yet I hauehave ſaid nothing of their peace of conſcience, which Salomon ſaith, is as continuall banquetting to them: Prou. 15.15.Saint Paul ſaith, it paſſeth all vnderſtanding: euen in this one thing,Iohn. 14.27. Phil. 4.7. which the vngodly (becauſe they hauehave not) they therefore know not (for the ſtranger is not partaker of the childrens ioy) know not (I meane) as it is felt and knowne of them which hauehave it:Prou. 14.10. In this one thing (I ſay) doth God get himſelfe great glorie: For they beleeuing in their hearts, they cannot chooſe but vtter with their mouthes, their deliuerances, and the wonderfull things that he hath done for them. And though they be for the moſt part contemptible in the world, yet is the meaneſt of them more happie,Pſal. 84.11. then the greateſt of the world.
And if theſe things be well weighed, which hauehave been ſaid of this matter, it ſhall not be marueiled at, that the Prophet thus ſpeaketh in the Pſalme: Glorious things are ſpoken of thee, O thou citie of God! Yea glorious indeede,Pſal. 87.3. as we here inioy them (though we hauehave but a ſmall part of our glorie in this life) and ſo glorious, that if they could be ſeene with eye, they would ſo inflame men with the beautie of them, that they would force them to ſet all their louelove vponupon them. And thus by the graces, which are in the life of Gods ſeruants, and which are not to be found in other men, it may be ſeene, how God is honoured of them; the contrarie whereof, is done moſt apparently by the vngodly, as much as lyeth in them. Therefore to conclude this firſt reaſon, except we can like to ſee Gods name ill ſpoken of, his Goſpell lightly accounted of, and his perſon diſhonoured, and that by our ſelues (the recompence whereof cannot be borne nor abidden of vsus) let vsus not onelyonly come out from the vncleane conuerſation of the vnbeleeuers, but let vsus ſo lay hold on eternall life, that we preſſe hard vntounto the marke, for the price that is ſet before vsus, and let the words of the wiſe be as goades to pricke vsus forward, Eccleſ. 12.11.out of our ſlouthfulnes; and as nailes to faſten vsus ioyntly and cloſely to Chriſt our head without hypocriſie, that we faint not neither fall away, but grow vp vntounto the perfect age of Chriſtians: that ſo we may giuegive good teſtimonie that God is truely honored of vsus, when our conuerſation ſhall be ſuch, as his word laieth foorth to vsus.
The ſecond reaſon.Another reaſon, why men ſhould with full reſolution addreſſe themſelues to paſſe the time of their dwelling here in reuerence and feare, is; becauſe it is the only eſtate wherein they can proſper, and be in ſafetie:The proſperitie and ſafetie of Gods ſeruants thereby. Heb. 12.28. 1. Pet. 1.17. and when they are ſtripped of this heauenly robe, they are naked and expoſed to infinite falles, ſhamefull reproches, and dangers, out of the which they ſhall finde it no eaſie matter to deliuer, and free themſelues againe. For this, conſider what Salomon ſaith:Prou. 2.10. When wiſedome once entreth into thy heart, and knowledge delighteth thy ſoule, then ſhall vnderſtanding keepe thee, and counſell ſhall preſerue thee, from eueryevery euill way, and from the ſtraunge woman, and from thoſe which leaue the way of righteouſnes, They which delight in Gods ſeruice, finde the ſweete benefit of it. Iob. 31.35. Pſal. 91.11.to walke in the waies of darknes. When a man ſetteth himſelfe to ſeeke the Lord, and is willingly weaned from vnlawfull liberties, and hath made it his paſtime to be well occupied, hee ſhall not feare the accuſations of his aduerſaries; for he hath made innocencie his defence: neither ſhall he fall iuſtly into the reproch that other doe. For why? he hath ſetled himſelfe againſt it: when thouſands ſhall fall on eueryevery ſide, yet ſhall he ſtand, and not be remoued: Yea the longer hee is acquainted with this eſtate, the better hee ſhall like it (howſoeuer to the worldly man it be moſt irkeſome and vnſauourie) and be much grieued, when through naturall corruption and vntowardnes, hee ſhall feele and perceiue himſelfe to be any whit weakened or cooled.
They who hauehave experience, beſt know it.And how much ſuch an eſtate is to be deſired (as they can beſt tell which hauehave any time inioyed it, though ſuch as know it not, finde no want of it) it ſhall better appeare hereafter in place more conuenient, when I ſhall ſpeake of the priuiledges of true Chriſtians: yea and though he be drawne by his calling and neceſſarie occaſions, to affaires and dealings in the world, where no prouocations to breake off this courſe ſhall be wanting; and be occupied amongſt men of all ſorts, which ſhall be a ſtrong coard to draw him after them: yet ſhall he be the more eſtranged from them, and loathe them, by as much as they are differing from that vprightnes, which he hath purpoſed to walke in.Returne again. And if he be vnſetled or broken off at any time, yet ſhall he neuer thinke himſelfe well, nor where he ſhould be: but as the bird which is wandring from her neſt, and as a ſtranger heauie in heart from his owne countrey, vntill he returne to his place againe.
And if any ſhall thinke this little, and of ſmall account, which I hauehave ſpoken, and among the reſt, a man to liue vnrebukeable in the middeſt of a froward and filthie generation (for I reſerue to a further place, as I hauehave ſaid, to ſet down the manifold prerogatiues that accompanie ſuch a life) let ſuch compare it with the liues of thoſe,Theſe are free from many euils, which others fall into. which count it ouermuch ſtrictnes to looke carefully to their waies, and they ſhall finde it by infinite degrees worthie to be wiſhed and preferred: for what is there in the liues of ſuch men, as hauehave but this world in poſſeſſion, to draw one to be in louelove with it, who looketh for a better? I will not ſticke to goe further: that not onelyonly common profeſſors of the Goſpell (who yet lie dead in their ſinne) may bee conſtrained to commend and reuerence them that hauehave attained to it, as knowing how infinitly they be bleſſed aboue themſelues: but euen ſuch alſo, as hauehave receiued ſome likelihood of grace from God, yet ſlenderly going about to nouriſh the ſame, ſhall ſee many outſtrayings, and offences in their liues, which the other ſhall be diſcharged of.
For it is not enough that we purpoſe no wickednes, nor euill,For want of arming many fall where … feared little. but we muſt be ſtrongly armed alwaies with full purpoſe againſt it; eſpecially that, whereto we be moſt prone, and wherein wee hauehave had by wofull trials, experience of our weaknes. For while we doe commit none, yet we make a way for it to enter into vsus a freſh, while we become ſecure, and improuident.1 Examples of this, Peter. Matth. 26.72. This which I ſay, is manifeſtly to be ſeene in Peter, whō no man wil iudge ſo vncharitably of, that he came into the hall of the high Prieſt with any mind or purpoſe to denie his maſter: yet his ſleight regarding of his maſters ſo weightie admonition & watchword a little before, that is (Sathan hath deſired to ſift you:) and that raſhnes of his, neither caſting with himſelfe, what daunger might riſe by occaſion of the place and perſons there (as Chriſtian wiſedome would hauehave moued him) neither weighing his owne weaknes, how eaſily he might bee ſnared, hauing no commaundement to be there: into what lamentable woe and bitter anguiſh did it bring him, by his fearefull denying and ſwearing that he knew him not?
And can wee, in charitie, iudge any leſſe of the old Prophet that dwelt in Bethel, when he hearing of the man of God that came from Iuda,1. King. 13.18. 2. The old Prophet of Bethel. to crie out againſt the Idolatrous Altar of Ieroboam, did curteouſly inuite him to his houſe, as he ſaw his dutie did require: but being anſwered, that he was commanded to eate no bread in that place: at that word he began to ſtomack it, that he being a Prophet of God, ſhould not bee beleeued, and did haſtily replie vponupon him againe, ſaying, that an Angell was ſent to him, who commaunded him to bring him into his houſe to eate: But the Scripture ſheweth vsus that he lied. And the like example is that of Iuda the Patriarke,3. Juda. who went out in the morning to his ſheepſhearers, thinking of no ſuch matter as fell out by the way;Gen. 38. but meeting with a woman in harlots apparell, hauing not ſtrongly armed himſelfe againſt all ſinne, agreed and lay with her.
By all which it appeareth, that when men feare not their frailtie, and arme not themſelues againſt the ſame, they come home men leſſe godly, then they went out: and for that they will take no warning from the Lord of the ſlipperie paths that they walke in here in the world, therefore they caſt themſelues into fearefull daunger. And what is more plainly prooued, then this by daily experience; that as God directeth vsus, when we commit our ſelues to him;Prou. 3.6. Prou. 10.9. ſo when we willingly betake our ſelues from his gouernment, we run headlong into many and daungerous euils?
And yet when I conſider the courſe of mens liues (and thoſe none of the worſt) how egarly and greedily eueryevery one, for the moſt part, is giuen and ſet about his worldly buſines and commoditie, hauing little thought of heauenly rules, in the meane while, to moderate him therein: this walking with God ſhall be thought ſo needleſſe a companion for them, yea and vnwelcome, that they would willingly hauehave their earthly troubles increaſed,Note. rather then that ye ſhould faſten vponupon them ſuch a burthenſome yoke of commandements, as this is, to walke armed againſt euill. For if ye will force their thoughts with delectation to bee taken vp in fearing, and auoyding ſinne, and in labouring ſtill to bee better, this ſtrict chaining of them, is a taking away of their whole comfort: for it is death to them, to goe about to bridle their thoughts, and vnruly deſires: ſo that ye may perſwade them to any thing, ſaue that which ſhould be in them: and therefore is there ſo ſmall ſhewing forth of the light of the Goſpell in mens liues. Yet doe I nothing doubt, but where men of God doe faithfully (in the pitie they hauehave of their brethrens miſeries) ſhew them the way to this, by doctrine, and liuing, that ſome ſhall growe by little and little to a liking of it. But oh happie they, who hauehave choſen this way of Gods teſtimonies to walke in; Hoſ. 14.6.7.for their ſoules ſhall be bound vp in the bundle of life, and they ſhall flouriſh as the plants, and growe as the Lily: and faſten their rootes as the trees of Lebanon. Their branches ſhall ſpread: and their beautie ſhall be as the Oliue tree, and their ſmell as Lebanon. And thus much of the ſecond reaſon.
The third reaſon: for a godly life no exerciſe of religion without this can profit vsus.And what ſhall we ſay further? for no exerciſe of religion, nor godly meanes of the beſt ſort can doe them any good, who will not reſolue themſelues to come to this faithfull practiſe of true religion and obedience to God his commaundements: nothing ſhall be found more true then this, if we will ſuffer it to come vnderunder triall. For to begin with the Scripture: What did all the priuiledges of the ſtifnecked Iewes profit them, the law, circumciſion,Pſalm. 147.19.20. the couenant, and ſacrifices? There were no greater prerogatiues to any people or nation vnderunder the ſunne: And they alſo did in the outward practiſe of religion,This is exemplified in the Iewes. ioyne with the beſt of their brethren, both in keeping the appointed dayes, and places in the worſhipping of God, and alſo in being readie to offer their extraordinarie ſeruices to him, and that voluntarily: yet what ſaith the Scripture from their firſt comming out of Egypt both in the wildernes and afterward?1. Cor. 10.5. In many of them God had no delight, but ſlew them: Many thouſands of them at ſundrie times periſhed, for their falſe heartednes, that when they had bin deliuered out of their daungers, they did not cleaue faſt vntounto the Lord, as in their afflictions, and anguiſhes they promiſed to doe; but ſtarted aſide like a broken bowe.
And therefore, how doth the Lord take vp this complaint againſt them, Oh that there were an heart in them, Deut. 5.29.that they would feare me and keepe all my commaundements alwaies? Pſal. 78.34. &c.And in the Pſalme: When he ſlew them, they ſought him, yea they turned and ſought God earely: they remembred that God was their ſtrength, and the moſt high God their redeemer: but they flattered him with their mouth, and diſſembled with their tongue: for their heart was not vpright with him, neither were they faithfull with him in his couenant. And after that he ſaith of other generations:Hoſ. 6.4. Oh Ephraim! how ſhall I entreate thee? Oh Iudah! what ſhall I doe vntounto thee, Pſalm. 81.13.which I hauehave not done? And againe: Oh that my people had hearkened vntounto me! and that Iſrael had walked in my waies! I would ſoone hauehave humbled their enemies, and turned my hand againſt their aduerſaries.
Thus we ſee becauſe they did not ſeeke him daily, in the vprightnes of their hearts, all the helpes of religion did them no good, brought them no wiſedome, experience nor comfort: all which, on the contrarie, Gods faithful ſeruants inioy. For Dauid the man of God vttereth this ſweete ſpeech, and the like through the booke of Pſalmes: Thou haſt made me (O Lord) more wiſe then my teachers: Pſal. 119.99. Pſal. 119.67.then mine elders, and men of experience, becauſe I hauehave kept thy commaundements: before I knew thee I went aſtray, but ſince, I hauehave brought my feete into the way of thy teſtimonies. The religious women, of whom we reade in the Goſpell, after that they ſawe the power of the Scriptures,Luk. 8.2.3. and had their hearts humbled and meekned by the wiſdome of them, how did they growe in holy affections, & Chriſtian duties, painefully labouring to attaine more knowledge by hearing Ieſus his ſermons from day to day?
For when the word is receiued into a good and honeſt heart, both it and all other holy exerciſes with it, become profitable to ſingular vſes.The contrary is to be ſeen in the godly. But where men propound not this, with themſelues, to be caſt into the mould of holy doctrine, and to be faſhioned after it in their liues, it is farre otherwiſe. For to ſay nothing of them who from the beginning of the weeke to the latter end, aske not after God (ſo little ſauour they finde in the Scriptures, or ſweetenes in him) yet this is worthie our conſideration: that there are thouſands which come to Church and heare prayers and ſermons, who for all this, are neuer the better to themſelues; and the moſt of them doe more hurt to others by their offenſiue life, nothing faſhioning themſelues after the doctrine of faith and amendment. Of whoſe lamentable condition, what other cauſe can be ſhewed but this, that their hearts are hardened with the deceitfulnes of ſinne; ſo that they walke afterwards, in their olde wayes ſtill: and that they ſee no ſuch beautie in the truth, which ſhineth amongſt them that they will be ſubiect to it: though Chriſt raigneth onelyonly by the power thereof in the hearts of his? Iohn. 18.37.Rom. 1.19. For ſeeing they hauehave not beleeued and reuerenced that which they ſaw and knew, the Lord hath kept backe his grace from them, which he did not owe them, and ſo giuen them into Sathans hands to make them bondmen in euill at his pleaſure. The which people being not renued and changed in their mindes, and ſo brought to a louing and delighting in good things, their lippe-labour in their ſeruing of God, and time which they giuegive to it, commeth to nothing; neither commendeth them any whit to him; neither leaueth any fruite thereof to themſelues.
And yet we muſt know, that there are others of the ſame companie, at the ſame time, and vſing the ſame meanes with much bleſſing of God vponupon their liues, who alſo declare, as I hauehave ſaid, that they hauehave effectually receiued into their hearts the heauenly doctrine, which hath ſounded amongſt them: for why? they hauehave ſet themſelues to ſeeke the Lord. By whoſe gaine in godlines the greater it is (as there is no compariſon betwixt all the pleaſures of the world and it) ſo much we may ſee the other to hauehave loſt. And is it not lamentable to ſee, that any ſhould take ſuch a courſe?All prayers, &c. loſt, yea worſe. that they ſhould beſtow all their prayers, confeſſion of ſinnes, and hearing of ſermons in vaine? I might more rightly ſay, to their iuſt condemnation in the day of the Lord: Men will not be made fooles in any thing ſauing in this: though fooliſhnes in all other things is not to be compared with this.
What man is there to be found, who being deepely in debt and greatly behinde hand, when he hath ſowen his field, will be contented to reape no fruite of it, or being in ſuit of law, wil lend his money to his aduerſary to hold plea againſt him? But ſuch men are amongſt vsus (I ſay not) who take much paine to come to eternall life, and yet are well inough content to goe without it (For being louers of pleaſures more then louers of God, 2. Tim. 3.4.they knowe that they cannot hauehave it:) but as though the diuell were not ſtrong enough to accuſe, and inchaunt them, they doe negligently, yea willingly offer him aduantage by keeping in a bad courſe (though they know how to come out of it) or grow worſe and worſe to their ſpeedie confuſion.
Or who is it, which being warned out of his houſe, yea and that in earneſt manner, will yet delay, and neglect to ſeeke and prouide for himſelfe, till he be caſt into the ſtreete?
Great woe by prophane life.But concerning the matter which I deale in, if mens prophane liues and ſlouthfulnes, driuing off their repentance from day to day, were but perpetuall beggery, and going about all the dayes of their liues from doore to doore, I would hauehave ſaid nothing (though it were pitifull to ſee any caſt themſelues into ſuch miſery:) but they ſell themſelues bondmen to hell without recouerie, and are as ſtubble before the Lords wrath, which is a fire to burne them, and therefore it requireth more earneſt calling vponupon. The Lord commended the vniuſt ſteward, not for his particular act, but becauſe he had done wiſely: who,Luk. 16.3. when he had warning to be put out of his ſtewardſhip, he prouided elſewhere to be receiued. But ſuch warning will not preuaile, nor ſuch wiſdome faſten vponupon theſe men, vntill, as they hauehave liued in pleaſure and libertie of the fleſh, they die in ſorrow and vtter bondage, and ſo receiuing a iuſt recompence of their liues, they finde, though too late, how true this is, which I ſay.
And if this be the eſtate of many, who yet doe commonly reſort to heare Gods word, who wil reade at home, yea and hauehave praiers in their houſes, (for this I am ſure many of our countrie do; whoſe caſe yet, becauſe I know, I doe heartily bewaile,What ſhall be the ſtate of ſuch as heare not Gods word. for that the Chriſtian life is not for all this, aimed at, almoſt, in many of their actions) good Lord, what ſhall the eſtate of others be, who come as farre behinde them,Note. as they doe behinde the beſt of Gods ſeruants? euen thoſe others (I ſay) who being the greateſt part of the people, are not troubled with any thought of God or diuell, heauen or hell, throughout the weeke? but hauing their heads filled, and their time continually taken vp in matters of the world, and in hearing and telling newes and tales (yet many of them nothing concerning themſelues) and leauing their callings, doe buſie themſelues with other mens matters needleſly, and ſpend many dayes in the weeke in idlenes, prating, vaine games, and paſtimes, and cannot finde one houre in it to bethinke themſelues of any account giuing to their heauenly Lord and maiſter (though to that very end they are ſet here) that once yet at laſt they might begin to returne vntounto him.
But I hauehave taried longer about this matter then I meant: Therefore leauing them who trouble not themſelues greatly with godly exerciſes, I will returne to ſuch, who are in profeſſion, and in ſhew farre before them; and yet becauſe they doe not hartily and faithfully ſeeke to be bettered (I meane) to be ſetled in a Chriſtian life, doe therefore reape no good by the meanes which they vſe. But ſome perhaps may thinke ſome hardnes in this ſpeech, and may obiect thus:Obiect. you diſcourage vsus. doe wee not therefore repaire to the word and vſe good meanes, to the end we may become faithfull and vpright, and get good by them? and hauehave not they, who hauehave moſt profited in godlines attained vntounto it hereby? why then doe ye affirme (they ſay) and that to the diſcouragement of many, that if our hearts be not reformed, the meanes doe vsus no good?
I anſwere,Anſwere. that it is farre from my meaning to raiſe the leaſt diſcouragement to any; in whom, if I knew but the ſmalleſt deſire to be reconciled to God, I would be moſt readie to cheriſh and to ſtrengthen the ſame:The leaſt deſire of good…es in men, is to be cheriſhed. and he that exerciſeth himſelfe in reading, hearing, prayer, God perſwade him ten fold more, if he deſire to profit thereby: neither doe I doubt,Note. but that ſuch ſhall ſee in time to their great comfort, that it is not in vaine to waite patiently on the Lord, for a bleſſing vponupon his own ordinance. But this I ſay, when men either thinke, that they doe as much as they neede, while they ioyne themſelues to the exerciſes of religion, and reſt contented therein, and ſee not that they are enemies to God, vnderunder his curſe, and without faith, and therfore without God in the world, and ſee not their wants and emptines of grace, how they are fraught with many ſinnes vncontrolled, and ſtrong rebellions not reſtrained; let not ſuch looke to glorie in their meanes vſing: their reioycing is not good, their eſtate is wofull, and that in no meane degree. They may be ſaid vntounto, as they of Laodicea were in the Reuelation by the holy Ghoſt:Reu. 3.1…. Thou ſaiſt thou art rich and needeſt nothing, and knoweſt not, that thou art miſerable and blinde, and poore, and naked: I counſell thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, and eyeſalue?
And marueile not, that I hauehave ſaid, that ſuch, whoſe hearts are not purged by faith, receiue no profit by the exerciſes of religion, as might further be ſhewed by many more examples of Capernaum, Corazin and Bethſaida: For euen the deare children of God, when they waxe wanton againſt the Lord, Gods children growing careles loſe the fruit of good exerciſes. Pſal. 89 31.and grow ſlouthfull in performing their duties to God, or doe them in a ſleighter manner, then they ſometime had done: as he puniſheth their tranſgreſſions other waies; ſo doth hee this one way chaſtiſe them, that they ſhall feele no ſweetnes, nor finde no ſauour in the beſt things they ſhall doe, or exerciſes of religion which they ſhall goe about.
And this it is, that we heare many, euen good people complaine of, that they cannot profit at a Sermon, their hearts are rouing elſewhere all the time (almoſt) of prayer; reading is irkeſome to them, and they withdraw themſelues euen from good companie: All which with meditating about their eſtate, were wont to bee the things wherein they tooke greateſt delight and comfort: what is the cauſe (thinke wee) that they are now become ſo contrarily minded? Surely this;Note. they hauehave waxen wearie of their reuerent attending vponupon God (as all good things doth the fleſh ſoone turne into wearines) and begin after the manner of men, with whom they liue, to ſeeke their vnlawful libertie ſome way, not being circumſpect enough about ye keeping of the beſt things, in price and eſtimation: and when the Lord ſeeth this, hee taketh from them the priuiledges which they enioyed before; he dimmeth the light of their mindes, that they ſee not ſo cleerely; and ſhutteth vp their hearts, that they delight not in the matters which were wont to be of greateſt account and reckoning with them.
With what ioy (may it be thought) did Dauid performe the duties of religion after his hainous ſinne in the matter of Bethſhabe and Vriah? when it is cleere that he ſlept in it (as it were) all the time before Nathan the Prophet was ſent to awake him, and bring him to repentance. Or what comfort (is it to be thought) had Ionas in thinking of his happines, or vponupon any part of the true worſhip of God, which yet had vſually been his whole delight, after he fled away from the preſence of the Lord? who labouring to forget his ſinne, (as may be gathered by his haſtie paying the hire of the Ship-maſter before hand, that he might be ſure to be caried away frō the fulfilling of the Lords commaundement) ſuch a palpable blockiſhnes was caſt vponupon him, that hee laid himſelfe downe to ſleepe in moſt great daunger,Ionas 1.5.6.7. in which the Heathen marriners fell to prayer, and came to him to awake him: and after, being vrged to examine himſelfe by them, did not very haſtily come to the confeſſing of it.
To omit others, the daily experience that Gods children hauehave of their many complainings, vnquietneſſes, diſcomforts, & ſuch like tediouſnes (which neede not to preſſe them, but for the conſcience and remembrance of ſome treacherie againſt God, and too vnkind and vndutifull dealing with him) do ſufficiently prooue, that God taketh away euen the heart and life (as I may ſay) of prayer, knowledge, and other meanes of religion, and leaueth his children without comfort in the vſe of them, when they waxe wanton againſt his maieſtie, and keep not holie compaſſe, as they hauehave experience, that both they may and hauehave done, and as he in his word hath taught them to doe. By all which it may appeare, that much more they who worſhip him with vncleane hearts neuer waſhed nor purged,Tit. 1.15. cannot receiue into them the ſweet and holeſome liquour of his grace, by what outward exerciſe ſoeuer they preſent themſelues before him. Thus much of the reaſons, why the beleeuer ſhould labour with all diligence to practiſe this godly life.