Seven Treatises, Treatise 2 · Chapter 3
CHAP. 3. That for the leading of a godly life, is required faith in the temporall promiſes of God, and hartie aſſent and credit to the commaundements alſo, and threatnings in the word of God, as well as faith to be ſaued.
NOw I hauehave ſhewed, that true iuſtifying faith and a godly life, muſt of neceſſitie goe together, and that the one cannot be without the other: I will goe to the ſecond point in this firſt generall head or part; and proue that it is neceſſarie to the leading of a godly life, to beleeue and giuegive credit to the whole doctrine of the word of God, to be led and guided thereby, as well as to hauehave faith in the promiſes of ſaluation, and forgiuenes of ſinnes. This I ſay therefore,The beleeuer muſt beleeue other promiſes beſide that of ſaluation. 1. Cor. 1.30. that he which beleeueth in Chriſt to ſaluation, muſt not ſtay himſelfe and reſt therein only, as though he were giuen vntounto vsus of his father to be our righteouſneſſe only, and to make for vsus a way to eternall life: but to be our wiſdome alſo, to make vsus wiſe; our ſanctification, to make vsus holy, and alſo our redemption and deliuerance, to ridde vsus in his good time, from all calamities and miſeries, which here befall vsus: This, he that truly beleeueth, muſt be perſwaded of: and that all the promiſes of this life, 1. Tim. 4.8.and of the life to come, which ſerue to confirme him in obedience (whether the great and principall, as of the graces of the ſpirit; or the ſmaller, as of bodily ſafety and preſeruation from dangers, ſo farre as they ſhall be good for him) doe belong vntounto him.
And beſide both theſe, he muſt beleeue,Alſo the threats and commaundements. that both all the commaundements which teach obedience, and the threatnings, becauſe they reſtraine the contrarie, are ſet downe for him particularlie, as well as for any other, to binde his conſcience thereunto: theſe alſo, I ſay, muſt he beleeue,Rom. 15.4. according to that of Saint Paul: Whatſoeuer things are written aforetime (as either promiſes, threats or commaundements) they are written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might hauehave hope. So that he is bound to depend vponupon this word of God, written in the canonicall Scriptures, and to build his faith thereon (in ſuch wiſe, that he dares ieopard his ſoule vponupon the truth and doctrine of them) euen as he is to looke for ſaluation, only by our Lord Ieſus Chriſt: euer counting that for ſinne, which ſhall be found to iarre or iangle with the ſame, either in his heart or life.
But though all, who hauehave hope to be ſaued, ſhould doe this;The beleeuers doe not thus. 1. Cor. 3.1. yet it is manifeſt, they doe not. They make not conſcience of many ſinnes: they looke not to many promiſes; they feare not many threats: all which doe much teſtifie againſt them, that they be not ſo well fenced, as they might be: and by meanes hereof, they holde euen the promiſe of ſaluation it ſelfe more weakely. And this commeth to paſſe the more commonly,The cauſe why. that they be no better ſtabliſhed and rooted in the truth to beleeue it, becauſe theſe things (as they be worthieſt and moſt excellent) ſo they be not plainely, ſoundly, and thoroughly beaten into the people, and that againe and againe, till they that are willing,A ſecond. hauehave them for their owne. And another cauſe is, for that the people, who hauehave ſome taſte of this doctrine, namely, how they ſhould ioyne good life with their faith, take not paine, when they hauehave been well taught them, to call them to minde and digeſt them: onelyonly they hauehave pieces and fragments of many good points, but rarely it ſhall be found, that one Chriſtian among many groweth to ſee this, which I now ſpeake of, by teaching; much leſſe hath it in vſe and practiſe for his owne: that is, to giuegive credit to one part of the word as well as to another; and not eueryevery one to take that which liketh him.
VVant of this faith worketh much inconuenience.And therefore when they hauehave ſome work of true faith in them; yet they ſee not how to ſet vponupon repentance, and a godly life: how to begin, and how to proceede therein, but are off, and on, now forward, then backward, and ſcarcely at any time ſetled and ſtaied: the which although it be ſo, in great part through their owne weaknes, yet is it alſo in reſpect of their ignorance: I ſpeake of the better ſort of people, and ſuch as hauehave receiued the firſt fruites of the ſpirit. Whereas, if they were perſwaded that they ought to make conſcience of all ſound doctrine that they heare, and to giuegive aſſent to eueryevery part of the word of God, and ſubmit themſelues thereto, promiſes, threats and commandements; they ſhould hold more firmely the perſwaſion of their ſaluation, and alſo be better prepared how to flie euill, and how to doe dutie, and how to truſt God in all kindes of his promiſes. Therefore it is ſaid to the Hebrues:Heb. 4.2. To vsus was the Goſpell preached as alſo vntounto them: but the word that they heard, profited not them, becauſe it was not mixed with faith in thoſe that heard it. Againe,Heb. 11.6. Rom. 14.23. Without faith, it is impoſsible to pleaſe God. With the which agreeth that which is written by S. Paul to the Romanes: Whatſoeuer is not of faith, is ſinne: that is, whatſoeuer we doe, not being perſwaded in our conſciences, that we pleaſe God in doing of it, we ſinne againſt him. Now then, when our iudgements be not ſetled in this doctrine and truth, and conſequently, we follow no ſuch rule in our actions, muſt wee not needes wander vp and downe the more vnprofitably and heauily; or, when we be at the beſt, muſt we not needs be doubtfull and vncertaine, whether wee pleaſe God or no? whereas our chiefe care ſhould be, leaſt we doe any thing which might craſe or cracke our faith: eſpecially, when it is tender and weake, and like the bruiſed reede, which is eaſily broken.
The beleeuer muſt beleeue that he ſhall be ſanctified.Therefore if any beleeue to be ſaued, let them beleeue alſo that they ſhall be ſanctified (for with one and the ſame faith we beleeue both) and that they ſhall receiue grace from God to bring foorth fruites of amendment of life, and that they ſhall be made able by him through the hearing of the holie Scriptures, to caſt off their old conuerſation. This faith much auaileth to the furthering of the deare children of God in a godly courſe, euen at their firſt comming vntounto God, as it doth alwaies after, to liue by it. And although God by the ſame ſpirit regenerateth them, by the which he aſſureth them of their adoption: yet is it wrought in them much more hardly, and in greater feare, when they doe not firſt know and be perſwaded in their iudgements, that it ſhall be ſo. And though it can be but weake in any, at their firſt conuerſion to God,And particular promiſes of benefits and deliuerance. yet ſhall they ſooner wade through their doubts, and grow out of their feare, if they hauehave this faith as a foundation to vphold them, and incourage them to goe about it: But otherwiſe, they ſhall faint and feare oft times, and be without hope (nothing is more cleere then this, if we obſerue it in weake chriſtians.) And thus muſt they be perſwaded alſo concerning all bleſſing, good ſucceſſe, deliuerance out of troubles, or patience and meekenes to beare them, as well as to beleeue the forgiuenes of ſinnes: and finally, whatſoeuer God ſaith in his word, either the forbidding of any ſinne, or the requiring of any dutie, they are bound to beleeue it as the truth of God; to depend vponupon it, and to be built vponupon it: and to truſt him vponupon his bare word,And precepts and threats, euen the word it ſelfe. Rom. 1.5. and to ſuffer themſelues to be led by it (and that becauſe it is his word) hauing in them alwaies a ſetled purpoſe to doe ſo: and this is called by the Apoſtle, the obedience of faith. For they muſt be reſolued of this, that to whom God giues Chriſt, to them alſo he giues all things needfull for this life, and the life to come, in and by Chriſt.
And thus Noah did not only beleeue that he was made heire of righteouſneſſe;Examples of ſuch as did ſt. Hebr. 11.8. but alſo, that he and certaine of his houſehold ſhould be ſaued in the flood: and Abraham likewiſe beleeued not only, that he was iuſtified, but alſo went to a place which he knew not, only ſeeing God commaunded; and abode in the land of promiſe, as in a ſtrange countrey; and beleeued, that he ſhould hauehave a ſonne in his olde age. And they who beleeued among the Iſraelites in the Sauiour which was to come, of whom Moſes, though darkely, had taught before:Iohn 5.46. the ſame beleeued other promiſes, as that the walles of Iericho ſhould fall downe, Ioſ. 6.10.after they had bin compaſſed about ſeuen daies. Many other ſuch examples, who ſhewed themſelues not only to beleeue the promiſe of forgiuenes of ſinnes, and of eternall life, but alſo other temporall promiſes; yea and precepts alſo and threats, which God had ſet downe in his word, very profitable for vsus, to this purpoſe: many ſuch (I ſay) both thoroughout the Scriptures; and namely, in that eleuenth chapter to the Hebrues, are ſet downe vntounto vsus. And this generall faith, (ſo called, for that it giueth aſſent and credit to the word of God, in the elect, as well to one part as to another, with an honeſt heart ready to obey it) euen this faith (I ſay) muſt be planted in them, as well as faith to be ſaued, becauſe by it, as well as by this, Gods people muſt liue afterwards, and be vpholden.
And this doctrine, becauſe it is occupied about the promiſes of this life, and the commandements of God, which are to guide vsus to full ſanctification here, I did not therefore ioyne it with my diſcourſe of faith in the former treatiſe; but referred it to this place as the fitteſt, where I teach how to liue godly: to the attaining whereof, the beleeuing, that I hauehave ſpoken of, is a ſpeciall helpe and furtherance. And ſo I wiſh the chriſtian reader to marke well that which I ſay about this matter: for it is one of the hardeſt points in all chriſtianitie to practiſe, and one of the darkeſt to conceiue and ſee into, and to be rightly perſwaded of, and ſetled in: and a point in deed leſſe ſtoode vponupon and taught and made cleere by Preachers themſelues, in their Sermons and Catechizings; and yet our liuing by faith, throughout our whole life, which is the fruit of it, is as plainely taught and brought to light in the Scriptures, as any need to deſire it: and namely in thoſe places to the Hebrues and the Galathians: one, The iust ſhall liue by faith: the other, I liue no longer, Hebr. 10.38. Gal. 2.19.but Christ in me, and the life that I leade is by faith in the ſonne of God. As if they both ſhould ſay; Chriſt by his ſpirit doth draw his faithfull ones to be led and guided by the word of truth which he hath ſet downe to them: and they deſire no other life, then that which there they are moued and perſwaded vntounto, whether we meane the commaundements or promiſes.
This kinde of faith not oft beat vponupon by teachers.I ſaid that this beleeuing which I ſpeake of, is not much laide open in publike teaching, but only this (which is the effect of it) that we ought to be obedient to the word of God: and therefore it is, that the forwarder ſort of good hearers (except ſome few,The leſſe conceiued, and in vſe with the better kind of hearers. who hauehave been throughly made acquainted with it, and exerciſed in it by long experience) doe little ſee into it: namely, that they may vndoubtedly be perſwaded, that God will make them able to obey his will, as they are fit to reach vntounto it: and that he hath promiſed, if they once come to know that they are beloued of him, that he will afterwards be with them (to quicken their will, and draw their affections, and ſtrengthen them to doe their duties:Luk. 1.28.) as it was ſaid by the Angell to Mary, Haile, thou that art freely beloued, the Lord is with thee. Many of Gods deare children, when they are ſomewhat ſtaied about the aſſurance of their ſaluation, after that they hauehave been long labouring about it, and then come to heare that they muſt leade new liues; many of them (I ſay) are willing to goe about it: but they are much diſcouraged, becauſe they ſee not how they ſhall be able. And leaſt any ſhould obiect,Obiection. that Paul himſelfe was ſo troubled, who ſaid, To will, is preſent with me; Rom. 7.18.but I finde no meanes to performe that which is good: I anſwere, he complained not of that which I doe;Anſwere. that is, that he had no hope in God, nor no promiſe of ſtrength from him to performe: for he ſaid the contrarie in ſundry places.Philip. 4.13. I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ which ſtrengtheneth me. And againe, I liue no longer, but Christ in me: but he complained, that for all the hope of helpe that he had, yet the rebellion of his fleſh, and nature that was vnreformed, did mightily reſiſt him. And this hinderance he had, and we all ſhall hauehave while we liue. But what is that to this, that beſides this rebellion of the old man, they hauehave this alſo to hinder them: that they cannot tell, whether they ſhall hauehave ſtrength to make them able, or no: nor whether God hauehave giuen them any promiſe, that their burthen ſhall be made light: and that Chriſt himſelfe will beare the greateſt part of it for them, that ſo it may be made eaſie?
This it is, that killeth the heart of right good chriſtians, when they are ignorant of it, and when they be not well grounded in it, and throughly perſwaded of it, that God will make them able and fit for ſo great a worke, as the leading of a godly life is: euen like the burthen of the Iſraelites, who were inioyned their taske of bricke that they had made in times past, Exod. 5.11.(which worke was hard enough) and yet themſelues to ſeeke and prouide their ſtrawe. This, I am ſure, hath troubled many,VVhat cauſeth tedious troubles to many christians. who yet were willing and readie to doe any duties required of them, and hath been the cauſe why they hauehave gone about the ſeuerall actions of their life, the bearing of their trouble, and the offering vp of their prayers, the more deadly and vncheerefullie; and therefore the more aukely and weariſomely.
The teſtimonie of good chriſtians.And for the benefit of many good ſoules, I will ſay that which hath been acknowledged vntounto me, by ſundrie well approued chriſtians, when I hauehave in conference ſet downe plainelie to them the point which now I write of: namely, how neceſſarie it is to beleeue in generall, whatſoeuer other promiſes or precepts in the word of God, as well as the promiſes of ſaluation by Chriſt. Oh, hauehave many ſaid, if wee could hauehave holpe vp our ſelues, out of diſtruſt, feare, and vncomfortable dumpes, by applying the promiſes of God concerning grace neceſſarie for vsus, outward deliuerance from daungers, and good ſucceſſe in our lawfull dealings of this life; wee might with much eaſe and peace hauehave ſtaied vp our ſelues, when for want therof, we were ſore plunged, and almoſt fainted: and with halfe the toyle which wee vſed for it, wee might hauehave vpholden our ſelues in hope & with comfort. For many houres, yea and ſometime daies, wee hauehave beate our braines and reaſoned to and fro with heauie hearts, how to wade thorough ſome afflictions, and how to bee contented with ſome accidents which were like to fal out and come to paſſe: and this we did, becauſe we miſſed of the right way of truſting to Gods prouidence, that he would turne all to the beſt: without which reſolution, who can quietly reſt in any vncertainties here below? So effectuall and good a meane it is, to be led by faith, and to hauehave it as a daily companion with vsus. By which wee hauing perſwaſion of the greateſt benefit of all other, namely Chriſt: we might the more eaſily hauehave aſſured our ſelues (we ſee now) of any ſmaller, whether any trouble, to hauehave a good iſſue out of it; or any good thing (as it ſhould hauehave been expedient for vsus) to inioy it. And wee may ſay truly, wee know nothing to hauehave been the cauſe of ſo much and ſo long vnprofitablenes and heauines theſe many yeeres, as this: that we hauehave not been rooted and grounded in faith, as we hauehave had a care to pleaſe God. For wee being ſubtilly vndermined by Sathan to hold in this errour of vnbeleefe (although wee ſee manifeſtly that the ſeede of faith was in vsus) it was the cauſe why in all other good things we went forward the more ſleightly. So that we ſee great cauſe to ſeaſon our hearts with beleeuing throughout our whole life, whatſoeuer labour it coſt vsus. To this purpoſe was the ſpeech of thoſe Chriſtians.
And to goe forward, who doth not know, that when ſome certaintie of ſaluation is attained of men, yet for all that, in as much as it is but weake, that they hauehave many heart griefes for this, that they ſee they hauehave a long weariſome pilgrimage to goe thorough; and little knowledge and perſwaſion of any great guiding of them through all the feares and difficulties of it?An exhortation to the Ministers. Pitie therefore the diſtreſſed eſtate of Gods poore people, ye ſhepheards of his flocke. Although this is but one point of many which ye are to teach them: and arme your ſelues with that minde, which was in the Apoſtle:2. Pet. 1.12. who ſaw it meete as long as he ſhould abide in this tabernacle, to put the people in mind of al things neceſſarie to ſaluation from day to day, though they knew and were ſtabliſhed in them. And let me with your patience, ſay one thing more to you, which if ye will be aduiſed by me, will be much to your owne benefit, and of thoſe that heare you. Aboue all things, ſeeke to hauehave that your owne and effectually wrought in your ſelues, which you teach the people (for you know that the Phiſitions who practiſe by experience, are beſt able to deale with their patients). Eſpecially in this matter of faith, labour to be more exerciſed: how you hauehave vſe of it, in beleeuing for your owne parts, either precepts or promiſes, and content not your ſelues with bare knowledge of the truth. And ſo doing, ye ſhall make good gaine of that which you ſhall teach, if your hearers ſhould not: and yet ſuch teaching, while ye bee ſure that it hath done your ſelues much good, ſhall ſet ſuch an edge on your doctrine by your more liuely, cheereful, and powerfull deliuering of it, that it ſhall farre more eaſily procure an appetite in the people to receiue it, as they did in Iohn Baptiſts time with greedines,Matth. 11. and as it were with violence; and ſo, that if they be not brought to the true practiſe of Chriſtianitie by it, they will not bee brought to it by any other teaching.
And this I wiſh, that ye be not of the minde that ſome hauehave been of (for it is no opinion fit for the Miniſter of God) that is to ſay, that they thinke, though ſome preach by experience, yet no man is bound to do ſo: as though it were in mens choice to doe which they liſt; when wee know, that the good ſhepheard doth go before the ſheepe, Ioh. 10.4.and they follow him: And if he goe before them in example of good life, then he cannot chuſe but teach them by experience, that which he himſelfe doth practiſe in his good example. And ſo, hee that ſhall thinke that he is not bound to teach by experience, as well as by the letter, concludeth that hee is not bound to bee a good man himſelfe, who teacheth.
Let faith and godlines be oft taught.Now I hauehave ſaid what I purpoſed, I will goe forward. In teaching, labour much in this manner, which I hauehave mentioned, to beate into the people, (with making it plaine to them, how they may be aſſured of their ſaluation, as I hauehave taught in the firſt treatiſe) beate in (I ſay) this doctrine of beleeuing, that God will miniſter all helpe to inable them to liue godly. For in both points (if view might be taken throughout this dominion) it ſhould be found that the people are ignorant and to ſeeke; both how to come to the aſſurance of ſaluation, and alſo how they ſhould be rightly taught to leade a godlie and a Chriſtian life. And how commeth this to paſſe, but becauſe men teach not oft (of which all may ſee what neede there is) or els they doe not in commiſeration of the peoples weak capacitie and memorie, beate vponupon theſe things among all other againe and againe.Phil. 3.1. So S. Paul hath left behind him his practiſe for our inſtruction, ſaying: It grieueth me not to write (when hee cannot come to preach them) the ſame things to you, and for you, it is a ſure thing. And we ſhould know, that it is no ſhame to preach the ſame things oft, yea in our owne congregation; but meete and fit (eſpecially if they bee theſe ſpeciall matters) vnleſſe we contend for the vaine praiſe of men, and will ſhew our pride by ſeeking after nouelty,The ſame things without vaine repetition and barbarouſnes. rather then our deſire of the peoples edifying. Yet I nouriſh not barbarouſnes, nor the vttering vnſeaſonably and vnſauourly either of the ſame words and ſentences, or in boſome Sermons, the ſame things: but in the euidence of the ſpirit, and in renuing our labour and paine, euen about the ſame doctrine which we taught before, it ſhalbe ſo farre from being weariſome and tedious, that the beſt hearers ſhall affirme that they cannot heare them too oft, but deſire with all their hearts to heare them againe.Act. 13.42.
And becauſe I am by fit occaſion come to vtter this, I will adde one thing which ought worthily to preuaile much both with Preacher & people. And that is this: that in this long and gracious time of peace and libertie, of free preaching the Goſpell, he is a rare priuate man (that I goe no further) who is able, plainly and ſoundly to ſet downe, how a ſinner may know himſelfe to be in the ſtate of ſaluation, and aſſured that he is the child of God; and when he is ſo, how hee ſhould bring foorth the fruites of repentance, and leade a godly and Chriſtian life. I know it is the holie Ghoſt, who alone can worke this in mens hearts, but I ſpeake of the expreſſing and ſetting down theſame. And though I doubt not but that ſome conceiue it, yet if they did that well, they could in ſome ſort vtter it alſo: as wee are commaunded to take vntounto vsus words to expreſſe that which we conceiue; as well as to hauehave matter in our minds.Hoſ. 14.2. And although the knowledge of this in generall, doe bring men in liking with it: yet who ſeeth not, that the particular vnfolding hereof, by fit coherences knitting one point with another, is the way to make it vnderſtood and conceiued aright? By the which the hearer is farre more eaſily brought to hauehave the effectuall worke thereof in him.
And thus to returne againe to that from whence I digreſſed not vnneceſſarily, and ſo to draw to an end about it: Although people profit thus far that they get ſome true taſte of ſaluation by preaching; yet they ſhall very much ſtagger and goe backe, and coldly ſet vponupon the practiſe of godlines, if they be not well grounded in beleeuing, that God will build them vp more ſtrongly from day to day, and perfect the good worke in them which he hath begun, euen to full ſanctification in the feare of God. A ſimile.If a chiefe and maine poſt in a building be wanting, will not the whole houſe bee ſoone ſhaken? ſo if a Chriſtian, who muſt reforme his life, goe about it, not beleeuing that God will make him able; he may be ſure he ſhal want a maine helpe hereto, euen that which will goe nigh to pull downe all that is ſet vp. For if he hauehave not faith, to beleeue that God will ſtrengthen him; what ſtrength hath hee but his owne? which is as fit for ſuch a worke to bring it to paſſe, as a child is to build a great Caſtle by his skill. But if he be well ſetled in this confidence (his heart alſo being purified and chaunged; which (as we ſhall heare afterwards) is neceſſarily required; he ſhall goe about it with cheerefulnes and readines; he ſhall be incouraged to pray as his neceſſities ſhall giuegive cauſe; hee ſhall be kept from fainting and diſmaiednes, when his ſtrength is not very great, and riſe vp againe when he is fallen: all which ſhall be great meanes in ſuch a caſe to vphold him, and ſet him forward to depend vponupon God, without any great vnſetling of him (and yet ſhall he not for all this, be without ſenſe and feeling of his infirmities:) which another as willing to obey God as he, ſhall neuer be able to doe; but eueryevery while caſt downe and diſmaied, vntill hee get the ſame furniture. And this muſt here be marked, that there ſhall be the better proceeding herein, of eueryevery weake Chriſtian, as his knowledge ſhall be greater in the word of God: which before grace came (as fire to the ſtubble to kindle and ſet it a worke to burne) although it were idle and vnprofitable in him, and lay voide, and vnoccupied, as timber lieth by, till the building goe forward: yet it ſhall then helpe much to the leauing of euill, and the doing of good, eſpecially after experience in time, ſhall be ioyned to both. And when all theſe meete together in an vpright hearted Chriſtian, how weake ſoeuer, if he acquaint himſelfe familiarly with the promiſes of eternall life, and treaſure vp in a good conſcience the certaintie of the forgiuenes of ſins from day to day: then this is he who hath laid a ſtrong foundation of a godlie life, vponupon which it ſhall be no hard matter to ſet the building of his life ſutable and proportionable afterwards:Matth. 7.25. ſo that, although the raine fall, and the flouds come, and the winde blow, and beate vponupon that houſe, yet it ſhall not fall; for it is builded on a rocke. But he who laieth not this foundation, but buildeth on the ſand, ſhall ſoone his building turned ouer. And thus the caſe ſtandeth with many in theſe daies, who therefore are caſt downe oft times from their good beginnings, becauſe they had not skill to make them more ſubſtantiall and ſure. And I feare not to affirme (the Lord witneſſing to that which I ſay) that the offenſiue liues of many, with many ſtartings aſide from the good way which they hauehave entred into, and the crooked and halting ſteppes that they make groſſely in the ſight of men, who yet durſt not ſomtime before quench the ſpirit in themſelues, not hurt their tender conſciences ſecretly in the ſight of God: theſe (I ſay) are chiefly from hence, that they laid not the foundation aright, nor made not their firſt entrance into a Chriſtian life, ſound and ſure. Among other things, they hauehave failed for the moſt part in this, of which I doe moſt ſpecially ſpeake in this place, that they hauehave not been builded vp in this faith and perſwaſion, that God will further their weake beginnings, and fortifie their hearts againſt the ſtumbling blockes and diſcouragements, which ſhall ſtand vp in their way. I hauehave now onelyonly ſhewed that this faith ſhould bee in a Chriſtian, when hee firſt ſetteth on a godly life: but how it ſhould accompanie him after throughout his life, that ſo he may liue by it, being the ſame to the whole life that the eye is to the bodie, I ſhall in place fit for it, if God will, declare and ſhew ſo farre as ſhall be expedient.