Seven Treatises, Treatise 2 · Chapter 1
CHAP. 1. The ſumme and order of this ſecond Treatiſe.
HItherto I hauehave ſhewed, who are they whom the Scripture calleth beleeuers, and the ſonnes, and daughters of the Lord Almightie. Now, it is neceſſarie, and followeth in order, to ſhew what the life of the true beleeuer is: and how he, who hath faith, muſt behaue himſelfe throughout his whole conuerſation: for as yet nothing hath been ſaid of that. But that treatiſe; namely, what the life of the true beleeuer is, was reſerued to this place, for auoiding confuſion: and without it, a man could neither well ſee the excellencie,Iames 2.26. and beautie of faith, which without workes is dead: neither could the beleeuer know how to occupie himſelfe throughout his life, but muſt of neceſſitie be idle and vnprofitable: who yet muſt ioyne with his faith, 2. Pet. 1.5, 6, 7vertue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godlines, brotherly kindnes, and louelove, &c.
This (I ſay) is the argument and matter to be handled in this treatiſe. And ſeeing there is much difficultie about this point, as about the other, in the former treatiſe; and ſeeing it is of greateſt weight and moment of all other, except that:Diuers opinions about godlines. Matth. 27.3. it muſt with like care be looked into and laid forth. For ſome thinke, that repentance and godlines, is nothing elſe, but griefe for ſome offence committed: and ſo Iudas might hauehave been godly. Some thinke, that to amend ſome thing which was amiſſe, is godlines, eſpecially, if they alſo doe ſome good therewith; and ſo Herod that cauſed Iohn to be beheaded, might hauehave been godly:Mark. 6.20. For he reuerenced Iohn, and when he heard him, he did many things. Some thinke, that if they hauehave been well moued at the hearing of the word of God, and doe bowe themſelues before God, for the time, in outward ſignes of repentance only; that then they be godly in deede: but ſo might Ahab hauehave been godly. Some, if they can ſhut vp all their vaine talke, bad dealings, fooliſh ieſtings, with ſuch other merriments at their meetings, in this manner [Lord hauehave merciemercy vponupon vsus, we are all ſinners] that then they hauehave repented: and ſo the common ſort of wicked ones, may be ſaid to repent and to be godly. And laſtly, popiſh contrition, auricular confeſſion, and ſatisfaction, is thought in poperie to be good repentance: which (as they vnderſtand them) are as farre from it as any of the former. Theſe are ſome few, of a great many opinions about this matter; all which are moſt dangerous and erronious: It is therefore very neceſſarie,Jt is neceſſarie to vnderstand wherein a godly life conſiſteth. that we may vnderſtand the will of God aright concerning this, and what to leane vntounto, that we be not deceiued.
My purpoſe is therefore in this treatiſe, to ſet downe at large what a godly life is, and wherein it conſiſteth, that he who deſireth it, may ſee,The neceſſarie connexion of this treatiſe with the former. whether his courſe and behauiour be ſuch or no: and the triall of this muſt be made of him, who hath tried himſelfe by the former, that the one may be ſeene to goe with the other, and both together as twinnes; ſo that he who hath not both, may be truely ſaid to hauehave neither. And in laying forth this matter, I will follow this method and order: to referre all that ſhall be ſpoken about it,Faith and a godly life, are as twinnes, and goe together. The heads of this treatiſe are foure. to foure generall heads or parts. The firſt, that a godly life muſt of neceſſitie goe with the faith before ſpoken of: and that it is the foundation and ground thereof, whereby we receiue and giuegive credit, not only to the promiſe of our ſaluation; but alſo to all other promiſes of temporarie benefits appertaining to this life, and alſo to the whole word of God, with a mind to relie vponupon it, and to be guided by it. This is the firſt head of this treatiſe. The ſecond, that there muſt be a pure heart in him who muſt lead a godly life: a pure heart, I ſay, renued and changed from that it was before, as Ezekiel ſpeaketh,Ezek. 36.26. I will take away your ſtonie or hard heart from you, and put a new heart in you: This muſt of neceſſitie be in him who ſhall liue godly, and ſo conſequently, that the whole man be changed. Thirdly, I will ſet downe the firſt part of a godly life; and ſhew that it is a renouncing and forſaking of all ſinne, both inward and outward. And fourthly, I will adde the other part of godlines, declaring that it conſiſteth in a full purpoſe of the heart, and a true indeuour of life, to obey God in all things, euen vntounto the end. By which alſo may be gathered a ſhort deſcription of this life of the beleeuer; that it is ſuch a conuerſation, as being grounded on faith in a ſanctified perſon, renounceth all euill, and practiſeth good duties, though weakely, yet conſtantlie afterward. And to theſe foure ſhall be annexed reaſons to perſwade to a more cheerefull practiſing of this godly life (ſeeing the beſt need ſpurres) and the anſwering of obiections, which might with-hold and hinder from it. All which conſidered, it ſhall not be hard for him that will learne, to vnderſtand plainely and cleerely, what the life of the beleeuer is, and withall, whether he which profeſſeth himſelfe to hauehave true faith, be alſo in his life and conuerſation reformed, and how he may be ſo. So that although there be many meaſures of grace, and ſome are in many degrees before other in this eſtate and condition of liuing godly: yet eueryevery one in whom theſe things ſhall be found, may proue himſelfe godly, howſoeuer he wanteth ſomewhat, which many others hauehave. And of the ſumme and order of this treatiſe in generall, thus much be ſaid.