Seven Treatises, Treatise 1 · Chapter 10
CHAP. 10. Of the eyght companions of Faith.
NOw I hauehave ſpoken of thoſe, who are weakeſt in faith, and hauehave the ſmalleſt meaſure of it, and hauehave laboured to ſtay them in their temptation: I hauehave alſo ſhewed the cauſes of their conuerſion, the louelove of God the father in giuing his ſonne: the louelove of the ſonne in reconciling them to God, and deliuering them from all their miſerie: the word of promiſe preached to bring them tidings of this: Gods ſpirit, aſſuring them by working faith in them, and perſwaſion thereof: (and to this end I hauehave ſet down theſe, becauſe in the ordinarie comming to eternall life, there is no other way:) yet ſeeing theſe are not ſo eaſilie felt of vsus, as they are ſure and infallible groundes in themſelues, to vsus of ſaluation: therefore I will adde ſome other effects, or rather properties of true faith, which doe accompanie the aſſurance of the louelove of God, and of Chriſt Ieſus in vsus, and are the workes, or fruites of the holy Ghoſt by the Goſpell, which, although they be not of like authoritie with the former; yet are they eaſilier felt to be in vsus. So that both ſorts of euidences laid together, and meeting and concurring in one and the ſame perſon, ſhall giuegive him moſt cleerely to vnderſtand, that as God hath graciouſlie beſtowed it; ſo we may effectuallie receiue and hold it as our owne: and that with more certaintie eueryevery day, as our ſaluation ſhall eueryevery day be neerer, then when we first beleeued. And thus I come vntounto the third generall part of this treatiſe; wherein (ſeeing I hope the weakeſt beleeuers are or may be ſomewhat ſtaied by that which I hauehave ſaid already) I now purpoſe in this laſt part, to ſhew how all ſuch of Gods people, as are ſtaied from ſtrong feare & trouble of mind; may by other cleere euidences, hauehave further proofe and triall of their faith, and be able to preſerue and confirme it, and how much ſuch an eſtate is to be deſired for the benefit it bringeth. And firſt, to teach the beleeuer to trie that he hath this excellent gift of faith, theſe eyght graces being companions of it, and more eaſilie perceiued and diſcerned, then faith it ſelfe, will cleerely teſtifie that where theſe be, there ſhall that be found alſo.
The firſt inſeparable companion of faith, is ioy. 1. Cor. 1.3. Rom. 5.5. 1. Pet. 1.8.This true beleeuer therefore whoſoeuer he be: firſt, as ſoone as he ſhall perceiue that God (farre otherwiſe then he looked for) hath giuen him his ſonne to bring life vntounto him, and to be his wiſdome, righteouſneſſe, ſanctification, and redemption, he muſt needes feele in his heart great ioy and comfort, as we ſee in the example of the Eunuch, when Philip had conuerted him, he went away reioycing, Acts 8.39. and in Samaria, where when he had preached Chriſt there, and had brought them to repentance, there was great ioy in the Citie, Acts 8.8. And what maruaile? for how can a man be perſwaded by good and infallible grounds, that greater happines is giuen him of God then all the world is worth,Pſalm. 126.1. but he muſt needes reioyce with ioy vnſpeakeable, as they which dreame? For is there any naturall man ſo ſenſeles, that if he ſhould vnderſtand that ſome portion of goods, as an hundreth pounds value by the yeere, were befallen him; yet he ſhould not feele his heart made ioyfull thereat? and can this honour befall any (that he is highly in fauour with the Lord of heauen and earth, and thereby of a child of wrath, made heire of heauen for euer) but it muſt needes glad his heart exceedingly, and raiſe ſenſible ioy in him, which cannot be expreſſed? as in him who found the pearle. Matth. 13.44.But doe common profeſſors thus, or worldlings? when they manifeſtly bewray that they are glutted with the tidings of it? So that, as the Eunuch before mentioned, immediatly after he had been inſtructed in this myſterie of faith, went on his way reioycing;Act. 9.17. & 19. and as Paul ſoone after his conuerſion was marueilouſly comforted, although before as farre from it, and as deepely caſt downe as any: ſo let it not be doubted of, but when God hath once inlightened the heart of any (which before ſate in darkenes) to ſee himſelfe vndoubtedly ſaued, but that it raiſeth vp in him ioy vnſpeakeable, and glorious in his meaſure.Rom. 5.1.
Indeede it ſhall not perhaps ſo much be ſeene, or appeare to another, as by good euidence it is felt of himſelfe. Neither ſhall a ſtranger, that is, a man otherwiſe affected, be partaker of this ioy: but that it accompanieth them, who are by faith made aſſured of their election; our Sauiour Chriſt teacheth,Luk. 10.20. ſaying, Reioyce not that the ſpirits are ſubdued vntounto you, but rather reioyce becauſe your names are written in heauen.
And whereas it may be obiected, that it is ſore ſhaken and ſlaked by afflictions, let that trouble none: for no affliction for the time preſent is ioyous, but grieuous: and yet we reioyce euen in them through hope, that maketh not aſhamed, Rom. 5.4. Beſides, we hauehave it here but in part, as we hauehave all other graces: and yet affliction (after we hauehave been exerciſed with it aright) ſhall make our ioy the greater in the end;Hebr. 12.11. when Gods former graces ſhall be reſtored to vsus, which we were wont in him to finde: therefore Saint Peter ſaith,1. Pet. 1.8. Though ye hauehave not ſeene, yet ye louelove him: in whom (though ye ſee him not) yet ye beleeue in him, and reioyce with ioy vnſpeakeable. Now ſeeing it muſt needes be thus, it may well proue to vsus, that the common opinion of faith, which moſt hauehave where the Goſpell is preached; namely, that they beleeue in Ieſus Chriſt, deceiueth them, and is nothing leſſe then true. For were they perſwaded of their happines, how could they chuſe but feele withall, their ſoules more ioyfull and glad within them, then all the commodities of this life could make them? For we no ſooner know our ſelues iuſtified before God by faith; Rom. 5.1. Iohn 14.27. & Philip. 4.7.but we are at peace with him: and ſuch peace as paſſeth all vnderſtanding. Which after we know how ſweete and pretious it is, we will by no meanes forgoe againe: although for want of ſtronger faith and ſounder knowledge, it is more flitting in ſome: and yet euen that maketh them complaine, vntill they be inlarged: and he that hath not this witneſſe within him, ſhall not doe beſt to ſooth vp himſelfe with a vaine confidence. Thus I conclude, that ioy and peace are inſeparable companions of faith.
But here me thinkes, I heare ſome obiecting thus. If you zealous folke, who glorie ſo much of the aſſurance of ſaluation, and for that very cauſe be ſo ioyfull, ye agree not within your ſelues: for ſome which are of your mind, are euer ſad and ſorrowfull? To this I anſwere, that many deſire to be ſure, and grone for it, in the Lords eares; and in time, ſhall be comforted, being already pronounced to be bleſſed: and ſometime they are aſſured for a ſeaſon,Matth. 5.4. and then are cheerefull: and before this, they cannot be ſo, as they, whoſe hearts the Lord hath opened more cleerely to behold that excellent myſtery. But further I ſay, that it ſhould trouble no wiſe bodie to ſee them mourne for a while after that, which ſhall (being atteined) make them merrie for euer after. And it is a meere cauill in them, that twit Gods weake ſeruants for that which giueth ſo iuſt cauſe of mourning, namely their doubting, ſeeing they deſire nothing more then to be aſſured. And if they doe not mixe their feare and heauines with melancholy paſſions, they offend not in lamenting after God, while they long aboue all things, to behold Gods louing countenance towards them: But if their heauines make them waſpiſh, tuchie, froward, vnquiet, & raſh in cenſuring them who are not in their eſtate; I ſay theſe as mad and frantike paſſions are to be condemned. But theſe obiecters ſay, that this ſad countenance and behauiour in them, who are more religious than the moſt part of others, cauſeth many to ſhun religion, and to be afraide to ioyne themſelues to their acquaintance and company, and to meddle with muzing on the Scriptures, or on Sermons, more then to heare and reade them, and ſo trouble themſelues no further. To this I ſay, that we are not ſo to looke to exemples, that we hurt and hinder our ſelues thereby from that benefit, which the Scriptures doe moſt certainely direct vsus vntounto. But if men would weigh things indifferently, they who are ſo ready to challenge many good Chriſtians for their heauines (which yet they know tendeth to the ſeeking of comfort) might ſee their owne fault greater, whoſe mirth for the moſt part is ioyned with lightnes and profanenes, holding goodnes and grace out of the company,Ierem. 9.23. Luk. 10.20. Eccleſ. 7.8. and not a reioycing for that they know God to be their moſt louing father; without which, their ioy is but follie, yea madnes; as Salomon ſpeaketh of laughter, which teſtifieth ſuch ioy. But to end this in few words, let ſuch as hauehave true hope in God, though weakely, moderate their heauines, that they may offend as few as they may: and they that finde fault with them for that, let them know, that they ought rather to pitie and pray for them, and interpret all in the beſt manner, and looke that their owne mirth and cheerefulnes be well warranted them, or elſe it were farre better for them to hauehave part in the others heauines. And for anſwere to this, thus much.
The ſecond companion of faith; holy admiration.But to goe forward; as the due conſideration of the greatnes, and perſwaſion of the certaintie of his benefits, will raiſe this ioy in the heart of him that poſſeſſeth it: ſo likewiſe it will cauſe him to maruaile with reuerence, to ſee his ſtate ſo changed; himſelfe to be brought from ſo lowe a depth of extreame miſerie, to ſo high a degree of honour and glorie: and ſo to be enriched by this fauour of God, that he ſhall oft feare on the ſuddaine, leaſt it ſhould not be ſo, wondring at the greatnes of the ſame: as Iudas the good Apoſtle did, who conſidering the great kindnes of Chriſt, brake forth into theſe words:Iohn 14.22. Lord, what is the cauſe, that thou wilt reueale thy ſelfe to vsus, and not to the world? Yea, and the woman of Samaria, which had long lien in blindnes and ſuperſtition, and in the fruites of both, that is, in cauilling and mocking; yet when our Sauiour had ouercome her euill with good, and conuerted her, her heart was ſo ſet on the benefit which ſhe receiued by him, that ſhe forgat her water-pot (which in her, who ſauoured before only of the earth, was a great matter) and went, admiring at her owne change, to tell her neighbours of that welcom newes, which had befallen her, and was a meane of their conuerſion alſo, Ioh. 4.28.29. But Sauls conuerſion did ſo cauſe him to wonder at Gods worke therein, that it cauſed alſo them that beheld it to admire it & to be amazed, when they ſaw him preach the doctrine, which he before purſued, with the imbracers of it, Act. 9.21. So great admiration doth this precious faith worke in them that obtaine it. And yet if this holie and reuerent admiration at ſo great good things befallen thoſe, or other ſuch, ſhould but then onelyonly immediatly after the receiuing of them be felt, the benefits might ſeeme the ſmaller: but it is farre otherwiſe, if it be duly nouriſhed and maintained: for they are ſo ſweete, and ſo farre aboue all that they can aske, or looke for, that except it bee through mens owne default, they are eueryevery day new and freſh, and ſo farre from bringing tediouſnes, that the oftner they be daily conſidered, and the longer they be inioyed,Gods ſauour the longer it is inioyed, the ſweeter. the more they will cauſe wondring at the louelove of the giuer, and what ſhould moue him to beſtow ſo great a portion (euen more then the whole world) vponupon ſo vnworthie an one, as would hauehave thought a little before, that it had been an happie eſtate, not to hauehave been at all. The Sunne in the beautie and ſtrength thereof, doth not more cauſe the eye to dazle, then the viewing and beholding of this glorie, which God communicateth with his beloued ones, doth aſtoniſh and abaſh the heart to thinke of it: which is ſo true that Dauid the man of God, did many yeeres, after hee felt himſelfe beloued of God, fall into this holie admiration, as that God ſhould doe ſuch great things for his ſoule, Pſal. 116. v. 8.139.34.as deliuer him from the neathermoſt graue, by which he meant hell.
And therefore it cannot be without groſſe bewitching of many profeſſors by Sathan, that if they hauehave, at the hearing of this tidings publiſhed, meruailed a little, they thinke they hauehave receiued this benefit with that reuerent account, that it deſerueth, though after it waxeth a common thing with them: for this they ſay, it were fooliſh daily to bee wondring at one thing, as when we firſt heard of it.
Full well all ſuch declare what fruite they reape by it: but if they did daily conſider their vnworthines, they ſhould ſee more cauſe to wonder eueryevery day, then at the firſt, if compariſon may bee made in ſuch a caſe: It is to be wondred at, that God pardoneth ſinnes daily, in that his merciemercy continueth daily to pardon them, and for that it being ſo great,Pſal. 118.4. ſhould bee ſo induring alſo. For who can thinke vppon his ſlippes, and rebellions (I ſpeake of the beſt of vsus) which breake foorth from him daily, for the which the wrath of God is iuſtly prouoked againſt him; and what might bee feared thereby, and how notwithſtanding them all, hee may come to God for refuge by Chriſt, and bee without feare, as if hee had not ſinned:1. Ioh. 2.2. yea and hold faſt his confidence, that God yet loueth him: who (I ſay) can conſider this, but hee muſt needes bee aſtoniſhed at the inioying of ſo great kindnes; when a curſed man, no better then ourſelues, muſt be ſued vntounto, and intreated by vsus, and all the friends that we can make, and being diſpleaſed, muſt be pacified with gifts, and yet hardly holden from vexing, impriſoning, and purſuing vsus to the death, and may not be intreated? Therefore magnifie the louing kindnes of our God for euer, euen as it indureth for euer, Pſalm. 118.4. For though naturall reaſon, euen fleſh beare a great ſtroke in this matter: yet wee are not debtters to it: and we hauehave great cauſe whiles we liue, to doe this.
So that, although I confeſſe, that in nature it is otherwiſe, that a man cannot alwaies admire the greatnes of ſome rare deliuerance, or fortunate eſtate befallen him by his friend, which at the firſt raiſed great admiration; yet it ought to be farre otherwiſe with the ſpirituall man being a beleeuing Chriſtian: he, I ſay, hauing the louing countenance of God ſhining daily vppon him as before, which is a treaſure vnualuable, ſhould wonder at the continuance of it; eſpecially ſeeing he prouoking the Lord with his ſinnes daily renued, might therefore feare that ſuch former comforts as had been inioyed, might hauehave been turned into as great ſorrowes, and his light into darknes, rather then be continued and multiplied. And this he ſhall do, vnles through vnthankfulnes (the corruption of nature leading him thereto) hee burie the ſame in obliuion, and begin to affect too much, and to bee ouer neere glued to things preſent and temporarie, ſetting the creature before the Creator, and the gift before the giuer. For thereby, he ſhall (no doubt) ſlacke his meruailing at that kindnes of God, that hath neuer end, although it be moſt precious: whereas otherwiſe, he ſhall be able from day to day, to beare downe all tranſitorie things before him, with the eſtimation and high prizing of it. And this of the ſecond companion of faith, namely, holy admiring the greatnes of Gods kindnes.
The third companion of faith, louelove.But that I may not dwell vponupon this matter, who hauehave purpoſed but in brief manner to ſhew what a traine of heauenly companions do attend vponupon this faith, and certaintie of Gods eternall fauour, and to leaue the meditation of and vponupon it, to the reuerent and deuout reader: Another therefore is heartie and vnfained louelove, in him (who feeleth this louelove of God ſhed into his heart) returned to him againe. The which although in hollownes and hypocriſie, the moſt affirme boldly to be in them towards God, before they hauehave found and felt themſelues to be beloued of him; yet the Scripture teacheth vsus that it is farre otherwiſe,1. Ioh. 4.19. Ioh. 15.16. ſeeing we hauehave not loued him, but he hath loued vsus firſt. But when we ſee indeed what great things God hath done for vsus, from what dreadfull bondage he hath deliuered vsus, vntounto the which in all our life we were in danger, and to what gracious liberties and priuiledges he hath reſtored vsus, by forgiuing vsus all our ſinnes; then we ſee iuſt cauſe to ſay with the Prophet: I louelove the Lord, Pſal. 116.1 Luk. 7.47.becauſe he hath done ſo great good things for my ſoule: and with the woman to be thus affected, that ſeeing many ſinnes are forgiuen vsus, therefore wee muſt needes louelove much. So that although before this we were louers of pleaſures, more then louers of God, as others are: yet now that we know Gods bountifulnes towards vsus, and the vanitie of our fond delights, we hauehave our harts more ſet vponupon God, then vponupon the beſt pleaſures which we inioy.
The true beleeuers feele ſenſibly the louelove of God to ſhadow the louelove of other things.And although ſometime before this wee loued father, mother, friends, goods, more then God, when wee were meerely naturall: yet now that wee know God, yea rather are knowne of God, we hauehave our hearts ſet on him, as being our chiefe treaſure. For this our ſpirituall kindred with Ieſus Chriſt, hath knit vsus to him with a farre more neere bond of louelove: and therefore wee reſt in him, ioy in him, and ſatisfie our ſelues with him; for there ſhall be euer cauſe ſo to doe, and that without wearines. There is no end of his bountie and kindnes, his merciemercy indureth for euer: and who doth not ſee that ſuch infinite louelove of God to vsus, may prouoke and raiſe vp in vsus, truth of louelove to him againe, that we be euer filled with the fulnes of him, as it is ſaid of the ſpouſe in the Canticles: I am full of louelove yea ſicke, chap. 5.8? And yet they who ſhall ſay to vsus for thus doing: What is thy welbeloued more then another welbeloued? We may anſwere them, that know not the louelove of our welbeloued: Our welbeloued is the chiefeſt of ten thouſand: wholy delectable: his head, as fine gold: &c. Cant. 5.10. But indeede, I muſt ſay: except wee hauehave taſted of this, our louelove ſhall be cold enough towards him, as may be ſeene too commonly, euen in many who worſhip God with vsus, that all the louelove and merciemercy of God which they boaſt of, cannot make them forſake their vile luſts.
But to proceede: where theſe before mentioned are found,The 4. companion of faith, is thankefulnes. how can there be but vnfained thankfulnes, and acknowledging of this gift of God to his great praiſe, when we ſhall weigh what he hath done for our ſoules, and what ſolace he hath filled our liues withall, which otherwiſe muſt needs be full of deadnes, or deceiueable and vnſauourie follie? They muſt of neceſſitie worke the ſame affections in vsus which were in the man of God, mentioned in the Pſal. 116.12. What ſhall I giuegive vntounto the Lord for all his mercies? I will praiſe his name before his congregation, and commit my ſelfe wholy to his gouernment hereafter, who heretofore hath regarded me ſo gratiouſly: yea and we ſhall be prouoked daily, to this honouring of him, euen to ſing a new ſong of praiſes to him, Lamen. 3.23.who will renew his kindnes, and goodnes daily vponupon vsus ſtill: ſo that we ſhall ſay that his firſt receiuing of vsus, was but the beginning of our happines. So it ſhall follow, that our hearts being daily exerciſed in praiſe and thankſgiuing, the more wee doe it, the more wee ſhall ſee cauſe to doe it ſtill, and ſo ſhall waxe thankfull ſtill in all that God ſendeth, and ſo in all parts of our life, euen in our troubles, as it is written, In all things be thankfull. 1. Theſſ. 5.18.And although the world ſee none other cauſe, but to murmure and rage in their afflictions, yet ſhal we ſee Gods fauour to vsus euen in them, and knowing that they turne, as well as benefits, to our good; wee ſhall praiſe God, euen for them alſo: for it becommeth well the righteous (who know how greatly they be occaſioned hereto) thus to be thankfull. It is the louelove of God that conſtraineth vsus, and inlargeth our harts to Godward, and giueth vsus matter and occaſion of ſinging and making melodie to the Lord, and of praiſing him, alone, as well as in the aſſemblie of the righteous: and no meruaile (whereas without that ſweete ſmell of his louelove, wee ſhould be vtterly lumpiſh, and farre from all cogitation of any ſuch matter.) And I ſay, it is no meruaile that continuall and oft thinking on Gods kindnes ſhould make vsus thankfull: for how ſeruiceable, yea how ſlauiſh ſhall ye ſee a poore man to a benefactor to him in his bodily neceſſities, though it be but a little? when he can be content to loſe his life for him, Rom. 5.7. and the very borrower is a ſeruant to the lender.
Theſe formentioned affections, which accompanie faith in vsus,The 5. companion of faith, is a deſire of an holy communion with God. 2. Cor. 5.1. doe take ſuch taſte and ſweetnes in God (he making vsus ſo acquainted with his fatherly kindnes and bountie) that we finding no ſuch welfare in any eſtate beſide, doe now deſire to be with him, that we may ſee his glorie, and ſo long after his bleſſed preſence, that we deſire nothing more then being vnburdened of this earthly tabernacle, and priſon of our bodies, euen to be with Chriſt to ſee his glory. For thus wee reſolue with our ſelues vponupon deepe conſideration, and certaine triall, that if we might hauehave our choiſe, whatſoeuer we ſhould wiſh: one day in ſweete communion with God, and ſo paſſed and beſtowed in his ſeruice (as our frailtie is able to attaine to) is better then a thouſand in all varietie of earthly pleaſures.Pſal. 84.11. Gods preſence in heauen to be preferd before it on earth.And if his fauour be ſo much to be deſired here, where we ſee but as in a glaſſe; and his benefits, which he beſtoweth vponupon his beloued ones ſo ſweete, where we are but ſtrangers: what thinke wee ſhall they appeare to vsus, when we ſhall ſee him, in his maieſtie, as he is? and when we ſhall inioy the pleaſures of his houſe in fulnes for euer? Yea, I ſay, if here, where we liue but in a vale of miſerie, God doth ſo ſhew his bountie towards vsus; what (thinke we) ſhall our eſtate be,Reuel. 14.13. Pſal. 16.11. Reuel. 22.20. when we ſhall reſt from our labours, and hauehave fulnes of ioy with God at his right hand for euermore? The beleeuing and weighing of this, hath cauſed Gods deare ſeruants to ſay, Come Lord Ieſus, come quickly: And againe, I deſire to be diſſolued, Phil. 1.23.and to be with Chriſt.
And this (if wee be not groſſely deceiued) ſhall cauſe vsus, euen when our daies ſhall be at the beſt, to receiue, and hold faſt this minde and heartie deſire to go home, and be euer with the Lord. And if this heauenly affection, & holie deſire be a companion to true faith, it might be meruailed, where their faith is become, and where it lieth a ruſting, who make ſo little haſte home, and hauehave ſo ſmall deſire to be with Chriſt, where he is in his fathers houſe, that they may ſee his glorie (and where there are many manſions, euen for vsus as well as for him) that they cannot abide to heare of departing thither,1. Sam. 25.37. no more then Nabal: who when hee heard of his death, he was as a ſtone: and who are ſo beſotted with that which is viſible, that they hauehave no longing after that which is not ſeene with eye but eternall: when yet all ſhould know this, that the preſence of God in heauen is farre to bee preferred before his preſence here on the earth, yea when our eſtate is at the beſt.
The 6. companion of faith, to forſake the vvorld. 1. Pet. 2.10.But to ioyne the next companion of faith to this, from which it cannot be ſeparated. This maketh vsus ſigh oftentimes, and to deſire to goe hence, and (that which we thought would neuer hauehave been) to become ſtrangers and pilgrimes here, and ſo to hauehave no more to doe in this world, then we needes muſt. And this I may truly ſay, is more then was like euer to hauehave been, if it be conſidered,A great grace not to be tied to the vvorld. how exceedingly we hauehave been tied to the world, what pleaſure it hath been to vsus, to thinke what we hauehave here, and may hauehave: how we hauehave ſought to fulfill the luſts of our heart, the luſt of our eye, and what pride, and what glorie we hauehave had in the things which we hauehave loued beſt: yea and how like vntounto mad men, wee hauehave neſtled, and delighted our ſelues here (where yet we hauehave had no certaintie of abiding til to morrow) as though we ſhould hauehave continued alwaies: and yet who ſeeth not, that euen then when we ioyed moſt in our life, we were but as the bankerupts, which flouriſh in their kinde, and occupie with other mens goods? So that, in which we gloried, was not our owne: goods, and glorie which wee tooke ſuch pleaſure in, they were anothers,Luk. 16.12. they were but borrowed: In which times, God was not knowne of vsus, nor the daily courſe of his liberall dealing with his faithfull ones, was not once dreamed of. And therefore we being earthly minded, could not ſauour of heauenly things, but onelyonly of the earth.
But ſince that the Lord hath by faith perſwaded vsus of his fauour, and granted vsus to ſee, what varietie of holie & heauenly delights may be inioyed of vsus in this our Chriſtian courſe, in compariſon of the pleaſanteſt eſtate, that euer we liued in before, we hauehave (as I hauehave ſaid) determined with our ſelues to renounce our former courſe: to hold all things here, as tranſitorie, vaine,Matth. 13. and ſoone flitting away, and beleeuing that we our ſelues are with al other things, daily drawing to our end; we deſire to hauehave nothing to hold vsus here, rather then to abide here in the fleſh, which ought to admoniſh vsus, that we keep faſt a willingnes to die, and when wee hauehave gotten it, that wee loſe it not againe:A great liberty to be vvilling to die, ſuch only are fit to liue. and the rather, ſeeing it is that alone which maketh vsus fit to liue, while we remaine here, as we ought. Euen this grace accompanieth faith in vsus, after that it is effectually wrought in vsus: I ſay not,1. Cor. 7. that wee loath the benefit of life which God hath giuen vsus here, neither doe we forſake our particular callings in the which we are commaunded to abide, The forſaking the world, is not to leaue neceſſarie duties.neither condemne wee the moderate care of maintaining our ſelues and ours, and prouiding for our outward eſtate, retaining (in all theſe) heauenly mindes: but we renounce the corruption that is in the world through luſt, 2. Pet. 1.4. and prophane abuſe of earthly affaires and dealings, which will not ſtand with the practiſe of Chriſtianitie, nor with the word of God.
Which I ſay for two cauſes: The one, becauſe in ſome reſpects it is lawfull, yea holie, to deſire to liue; namely, to doe good in the Church:Phil. 1.20.21. and wee may and ought to ſay with Dauid, I will liue and not die, to ſet foorth the praiſe of the Lord. The ſame I ſay of dealing in our earthly affaires,Pſal. 119.17. to the end we may not be burdenſome to others, and of performing the duties of our particular callings: in the which actions, we may hauehave proofe of the grace that is in vsus; I meane patience, righteouſnes, hope, faith, louelove; that ſo our whole conuerſation may bee well ordred, and proportionable to other holie duties: and therefore in theſe reſpects we may be willing and content to liue, while God will hauehave it ſo, that wee may ſhew foorth the vertues, which he hath giuen vsus, amongſt men: which otherwiſe ſhould be hidden, and it could not otherwiſe be ſeene of men, that any can poſſibly liue godly, who hath an hand in the world; when in the meane while God forbiddeth not the actions mentioned, but commaunds them: only he chargeth, that in doing of them,Luk. 21.34. we be not tainted, neither hauehave our conſciences defiled.
The 2. cauſe, why I ſay, that we ſhould not contemne life, and other lawful liberties, is, becauſe vponupon this principle falſely grounded, and as falſly vnderſtood (that wee ſhould forſake the world) diuers hauehave troubled many weake people & abuſed them; ſaying and teaching (and that vnderunder a great pretence of godlines) that when we begin to be deuout, and to ſauour of religion, wee ought to leaue the world: that is to ſay, depart from our earthly callings, and dealings, and alſo from the ſocietie and fellowſhip of men who are occupied therein. And to the end that greater deuotion and pietie may be bred in vsus,Cloyſtring and ſuch like no point of godlines. we are (ſay they) to goe aſide into Abbeyes, Frieries, Armetages, and Cloyſters, where we may neither heare nor ſee any ſuch dealings. And as the opinion is plauſible to the ignorant and vnſtable, though palpable to them that are ſtaied in iudgement: ſo it hath deceiued many,2. Cor. 10.14 and the diuell hath ſhewed himſelfe as an angel of light in perſwading, that ſuch a kinde of life is the higheſt degree of holines, although it hath been and eaſily may be proued to be the denne and depth of abomination.
For though many hauehave of a good meaning at the firſt, gone apart from ſecular affaires; and betaken themſelues to liue in ſequeſtred places, becauſe they would not be troubled with earthly dealings: yet ſubtile theeues aroſe afterwards, of the popiſh prelacie, who abuſed this to horrible miſchiefes: for we muſt not be ignorant of this, that when men will venture without their warrant, the longer they doe it, the further they fall into the depth of ſinne; as a man once gone out of his way, goeth further aſtray, till he ſeeke to come in againe. Which hath been the cauſe, why much wickednes hath in time broke forth in the Papacy (where the people hauehave been hartned to this monaſticall life, and ſuperſtitious deuotion) as idlenes, whoredome, ſodomitry, hypocriſie, and moſt cruell murthering of the ſoules of many infants which were misbegotten. So that (not to digreſſe too farre) this is the ſecond reaſon, why I made plaine my meaning, in ſaying that the contempt of the world is not, the wearines of our life, the leauing of our affaires in the world, or the forſaking of our particular calling; as though no man may be godly and a beleeuer that vſeth theſe: but to proue that one may be a contemner of the world that vſeth them all; and by conſequent, that he who is ſure of his ſaluation by faith, may hauehave this grace to deſpiſe the world: which I hauehave ſet downe as the ſixt propertie or inſeparable companion of faith.
The ſeuenth companion of faith, is ſhame for our former vnkindnes to God.To proceede therefore, when we ſee that we be thus made rich by the Lord, after that we hauehave faſtened on his promiſes, (whereas we were before ſo vnlike to find the leaſt part of ſuch preferment) we begin to lament our former vnkindnes to our God, which we dailie offered him, when as yet we knew no ſuch thing; and are ready to be reuenged on our ſelues for it: as the woman in Luke bewailed her vnkindnes, which ſhe had ſhewed to her Lord and Sauiour before, and did now witnes it, after ſhe had felt his louelove ſo ſweete,Luk. 7.44. Act. 2.13. by waſhing his feete with her teares, and wiping them with the haires of her head. For we cannot be ignorant, that when he ſought vsus, we fled from him, and refuſed to come: ſuch fruites we yeelded him of all his patience and long ſuffering,Deut. 32.32. whereby he ſought to winne vsus: we were as the vines of Sodome, and our grapes as bitter as Gomorrha: euen as much as if we had offered him the venome of Dragons in a cup, and the poiſon of Aſpes to drinke. It was the vnſpeakeable merciemercy of God, Lament. 3.22. Iob. 21.14.that we were not conſumed, when we regarded not to know him, nor to hauehave acquaintance with his waies: though he ſent his miniſters dailie amongſt vsus,The beleeuers reuenge themſelues for their former ſinnes. to reclaime vsus. We therefore now are aſhamed to thinke what we hauehave done, and are deepely grieued to remember that we ſhould finde him ſo louing and gracious to vsus, who had done all this iniurie vntounto him.
And therefore we ſorrowing thus, hauehave been brought to a greater care of ordering our waies aright,2. Cor. 7.11. and deſire to pleaſe him; yea, to be euen angrie with our ſelues, and to ſeeke an holy reuenge at our owne hands, that thus we may declare, that we doe vtterly condemne our former courſe: of the which who would hauehave ſaid, that the Lord would euer hauehave pardoned it, and hauehave brought vsus to be wearie of it? But thus it hath pleaſed him to get himſelfe honour in this world, by ſhewing himſelfe gratious and kinde to vsus ſo vnworthie ones,1. Tim. 1.16. that we may be examples (as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of himſelfe) to all that ſhall in time to come beleeue in him to eternall life: that they may the more eaſilie be perſwaded, that he will receiue them to merciemercy. Euen this made Dauid ſay, Remember not, O Lord, the ſinnes of my youth: and againe,Pſalm. 25.6. & 130.30. if thou ſhouldest looke ſtreightly, what is done amiſſe; who ſhould abide it? The eight companion of faith, is to conuert and bring on others.And to come to the laſt, we ſeeing and knowing our ſelues thus to be redeemed out of ſo deepe miſerie, we wiſhing the ſame good to our brethren, which we our ſelues hauehave receiued of God, declare vntounto them how we are redeemed, as occaſion is offered, as Philip and Andrew did priuately, Iohn 1. and Paul publikely being called thereto.Acts. 9. For we cannot chuſe but ſpeake the things which we knowe (the louelove of God constraining vsus) as well to them, who knowe the ſame, that we may reioyce together; as to them who know it not, that they, being yet in the eſtate wherein we were, may be perſwaded to make ſpeede out of it.2. Cor. 4.13. And the rather remembring,Luk. 22.42. that as it is our dutie being conuerted our ſelues to ſtrengthen others: ſo alſo becauſe, if we turne any from their euill waies, we hauehave been meanes to ſaue ſo many ſoules from death. Pſalm. 66.16.Neither are we of their mindes, who thinke it both vnciuill, and vnſeaſonable, either among ſtrangers, or their owne neighbours, to acquaint the ignorant and wandring ſoules with this heauenly matter, or to build vp the weake in the more ſound and cleere certaintie of it: but pitying their miſerie, who cannot helpe themſelues, we thinke it meete to benefit them with whom we are conuerſant, 1. Theſſ. 5.14.with that which we hauehave found to be greateſt happineſſe to our ſelues. And although our naturall corruption doth leade vsus another way, and our vntowardnes to good things, doth counſell vsus to refuſe the labour, and to count it toyle and tediouſnes to doe ſo: yet we knowing it to be a manifeſt ſigne of our louelove,1. Theſſ. 5.11. and ſo of our faith, and a dutie commanded vsus of God; we deſire therefore rather to neglect our owne pleaſure which we might inioy in the libertie of other talke, then to let goe ſuch good oportunities, with hope of the fruite which may come thereby. And mee thinkes, ſeeing edifying talke is one meanes to ſeaſon our ſelues with grace, Edifying talke, good for our ſelues and others.and to ſtabliſh our owne hearts more conſtantly in a good courſe, as well as to glad the hearts of others, me thinkes (I ſay) if we hauehave comfort by our beleeuing, and know the benefit of faith effectuallie our ſelues, it ſhould doe vsus the more good, the oftener that we ſhould vſe it, and giuegive hope to vsus thereof alſo towards other. The greateſt diſcouragement is, that men (with whom we are wont to communicate ſuch things) are dull, or earthly minded, or light hearted: ſo that we ſeeme to preuaile little thereby with them: but ſeeing we know it to be a due which we owe to our brethren, we ought to be patient towards them, 1. Theſſ. 5.14. Vſe it, as it may be, though we ſee not preſent fruit of it.bearing with their ignorance, infirmitie; yea, and with their waiwardnes alſo, waiting to ſee if God at any time will giuegive them better mindes: and not tie him to worke when we would, nor to thinke our labours to be ſuch, that if we ſee not preſent ſucceſſe and bleſſing, we may therefore iuſtly leaue off. But the truth is, this grace is rare to be found in the world, becauſe men are louers of themſelues amiſſe, rather than of their brethren, to ſeeke their good: for while they labour themſelues too much, in medling ouer greedilie in the world, or in taking vp their delights ſome other way amiſſe, there is ſmall place left to this dutie: and where they liue with others, vnkindly, and vncharitably, their talke is ſutable to their hearts, that is, vnkinde, froward, and harſh; ſeeing two cannot walke together, if they be not of one mind, Amos 3.3. Or if they conuerſe more familiarlie with them, and turne their meetings and companie to idle, light, vaine, and worldly talke; ſuch can hauehave ſmall part in this buſines, nor conſequently any great teſtimonie of their faith, nor comfort thereby (if they hauehave occaſions offered them to ſhew their louelove) ſeeing ſhe goeth not without her traine:Prou. 10.21. Pſalm. 119.13. whereof this is one, to exhort, and admoniſh one another: and with our lips to feede many. Theſe with ſuch holy affections conſtantly ſetled in our hearts, are inſeparable companions of faith vnfained, as I hauehave ſaid; although it is not to be denied, that a reſemblance of all theſe eight may be in the wicked by ſtarts, and in their good mood, their affections may thus be ſtirred vp to ſhew for the time, ſome likelihood of them (eſpecially, where they are vnderunder ordinarie teaching) which yet otherwiſe, and at other times for the moſt part are vnſauorie, and weariſome to them. And thus to make an end of this matter, theſe are the graces which doe accompanie him which beleeueth, and who holdeth this aſſurance of happineſſe, from the forementioned grounds of Gods promiſes, Chriſts working of our ſaluation, and the vniuerſall publiſhing of this tidings by the Goſpell to all beleeuers: That by theſe infallible grounds to build his faith on, and thoſe graces following and accompanying it, which hauehave been ſpoken of, eueryevery one may proue himſelfe, whether he be the Lords: and if at the ſame time, he find it not ſo, yet how to goe about to recouer himſelfe againe, ſeeing it cannot be, that he who hath had theſe faſt ſetled in him at any time, ſhould be any long time to ſeeke of the true way to happines, (except in temptation, when he is groſſely bewitched, and blindfolded) but he ſhall finde it againe.