Seven Treatises, Treatise 5 · Chapter 1
CHAP. 1. Of the ſumme and order of this Treatiſe, and how it agreeth well with the former.
AS it is the louelove of God, which conſtraineth and inableth vsus to louelove him, and therefore to indeuour to obey him; ſo the wicked who are not beloued of him, cannot louelove nor ſerue him: therefore it were infinite, and not to my purpoſe here, to make a large diſcourſe of this, What lets hinder them from the ſame, ſeeing it is no one particularly, but many which hold them from a godly life, as alſo from faith. But ſeeing the moſt of the impediments which hinder them altogether, are alſo ſtops and ſtayes to Gods deare ſeruants, ſo that they be not ſo cleare lights in giuing good example as they might, and as were meete for them: therefore for the better furthering of them in the way to a godly life, I will by that occaſion lay foorth ſome of them which hinder both: but chiefly I will ſhew how the poore children of God be holden backe, and ſo become more offenſiue; and giuegive ſuch helpe as I can againſt the ſame: for that is the point which I propound in this Treatiſe to acquaint the Reader with. And firſt to ſay ſomewhat generally before I proceed.
He that faithfully vſeth the daily direction ſet downe before, or the like,He that is guided and directed by the former doctrine is in litle danger. ſhall be furniſhed daily with the munition that a Chriſtian ſhall need againſt his greateſt enemies, and (as I hauehave ſaid) ſhall find reſt to his ſoule daily: which otherwiſe is not to be found nor enioyed conſtantly of any, neither the beautie and felicitie of a godly life in any ſort poſſeſſed as it may. For though I dreame of no perfection in this life, yet he that walketh in this royall way, ſhall not doubt where he is, and whether he be out of his way; as other ſhall from time to time: he ſhall be accompanied throughout the day and from day to day, with faith, hope, louelove, humilitie, meekeneſſe, righteouſneſſe, vprightneſſe, patience, temperancie, ſomewhat armed againſt trouble, hauing the word (according to the meaſure of his knowledge and faith) readie to guide him what to follow and what to refuſe.
Now therefore it might ſeeme needleſſe to ſay any more about this matter. And indeed this I ſay, that he who is ſetled firmely in the practiſe of that which is before ſet downe, ſhall find eueryevery day leſſe to hinder him then other, and the Chriſtian life more eaſie to him. But becauſe we are not ignorant of Sathans enterpriſes (who,But they muſt know what dangers will be in their way. as he is firſt hardly caſt out, and with much ado: ſo he is afterward more fierce and ſubtill to hinder ſuch as hauehave eſcaped his hands) therefore I will not beare the reader in hand, that this direction, or the like, will be as eaſily obſerued and kept conſtantly, as read and learned, leſt he finding it otherwiſe, ſhould be diſcouraged and ſet further backe: but as I hauehave ſaid of the parts alreadie, with how much ado they ſhall be practiſed; ſo I ſay much more of the whole, that ſeeing it is a chaining vp of the vnruly thoughts and deſires of the heart, it will at the firſt ſeeme the more difficult. But although they eſcape that firſt plunge (I meane, not to renounce and caſt off the practiſe of it altogether through the difficultie and hardneſſe which ſeemeth to be in it, but will conceiue hope that God will ſtrengthen them to abide conſtantly therein; which is a great conqueſt:) yet they muſt know, that there will fall out very many lets to hinder and hold them backe one time or other, and one way or other, to make the doctrine which ſhould direct them, without fruite vntounto them. The diuell (as I hauehave ſaid) will lay ſundrie blockes in their way, to hinder them from going forward in and after this courſe of liuing by faith daily.
Beſides theſe, there are ſome which deſire to pleaſe God from their harts though not acquainted with any direction how to be guided, but come farre behind them:The weaker and the ſtronger Christians must be helped. we muſt therefore ſeeke, how to proppe vp and bring on thē which are thus weake, as well as giuegive rules to the ſtrong; and indeuour to bring them by litle and litle to this eſtate, as well as teach the other how to keepe in the good courſe which they hauehave attained to. Finally, we muſt in a wiſe and tender regard of their frailties (as forgetfulneſſe, earthly mindedneſſe,Chriſtians must learne how to returne when they are gone out of the way. coldneſſe, ſlouthfulneſſe, alſo of their ignorance and other wants of experience) teach them (as God hath taught vsus) how to riſe when they are fallen, & to come into the way when by occaſiō they are gone out: that thus they may not be too much diſmayed by their infirmities, but rather ſtrongly encouraged to hauehave better acquaintance with the life of a Chriſtian, ſeeing there are ſo many helpes, meanes and incitements thereto granted to them by God. Alſo to make them better ſee themſelues, the vileneſſe which remaineth in them, and Sathans malice and other of his properties, how many things he layeth in their way to make them ſtumble thereat: that the reading of theſe may hold them from ſecuritie, and from faintneſſe and wearineſſe (in their Chriſtian courſe) whereto they are moſt inclined of themſelues though they were ſet forward thereto by no other.
Now although, as oft as a man practiſeth not this or the like daily direction, it is certaine that he is letted; yet eueryevery one ſeeth it not to be ſo by and by, neither how or by what he is letted; much leſſe how to redreſſe it: therefore is this place and treatiſe of the lets moſt needfull, to ſhew what lets will lye in our way to hold vsus from following good direction, and from practiſing of the Chriſtian life daily; that they being knowne, may be preuented and auoided, ſo farre as we may hauehave peace, (which ſhall be, if the rules for directing vsus be carefully obſerued:) or at leaſtwiſe if we be hindred any manner of way, yet we may ſee how, and ſo hauing remedies at hand, we may be glad to repaire ſpeedily vntounto them, and thereby returne into the way againe.
And therefore I hauehave thought it expedient to ſignifie the ſame in this chapter, and that my purpoſe is, to ſpeake in the whole treatiſe following, of theſe and ſuch like matters of purpoſe, for the helpe and comfort of ſuch as cannot yet find the Lords yoke to be eaſie, nor his commaundements pleaſant and ſweet vntounto them at one time as another, in one point as in another, but toileſome and burthenſome. So that although I hauehave in the firſt treatiſe ſaid ſomewhat particularly for their ſakes, as I could take fit occaſion to do: yet becauſe I know that many who are willing to liue well and chriſtianly, do make a toyle thereof, and do not find any great pleaſure in the duties of it; and therefore make queſtion oftentimes (ſeeing they find it ſo hard) whether they were beſt to go forward, or no; eſpecially when they hauehave bene driuen to commit any ſhamefull ſinne: therefore I thinke it very expedient to remoue theſe daungerous thoughts, and ſhew them ſome way to come out of this vncomfortableneſſe.
Now the maine and chiefe lets are, the diuell with all his force, ſubtiltie and malice; and our euill hearts ſo farre as they are vnreformed: and by means of both, all things in the world, though not in their owne nature, but by thē made occaſions to vsus of falling and offending God. Whereby may be gathered, what I meane by lets and hinderances in this treatiſe,VVhat is meant by lets. euen whatſoeuer may hold vsus backe from peace with God. Now all theſe and eueryevery of them is able to breake off our courſe in godlineſſe, that we ſhall not bend our minds otherwiſe then in ſome generall ſort and manner to worſhip God, and liue with men: and although they preuaile not ſo with all, that they breake off their courſe altogether, yet ſome one part or other of the godly life ſhall be neglected; and ſo one day after another, it ſhall continue with them in ſuch wiſe, that their reioycing in the Lord ſhall faile, neither ſhall their light ſhine amongſt men, whereby God might be glorified. In this darkneſſe and bondage the moſt part of Gods people are holden: ſo that although they hauehave ſome litle ſight of redemption, and dimme hope at ſome times that their ſinnes are forgiuen them, yet neither enioy they their part in this any long time, nor their ſweet libertie in godlineſſe, which they ſhould hauehave in all eſtates; both which the Lord hath graunted to enioy, as I hauehave ſhewed before. They muſt therefore learne carefully to reſiſt all ſuch lets, as they ſhall know to ſtand vp in their way to hinder them: of theſe therefore I meane to giuegive a taſt, and of the chiefe and moſt of them, that we may ſee and diſcerne them, and ſhew ſome helpe againſt them.
And firſt generally I will ſet downe the properties of the diuell, as,Firſt, of lets in generall. his malice, ſubtiltie, crueltie and the like, by the which in ſundrie ſort he worketh vponupon the hearts of poore Chriſtians, and deceiueth them infinite wayes: and together with theſe, I will ſet downe the encouragements which God hath giuen them againſt the ſame, which be farre greater then many of them do thinke.
Then after, of the particular kinds of them, and vvhat they be.And ſecondly, more particularly of the ſeuerall kinds of lets and hinderances which Sathan raiſeth vp againſt them; and the kinds of them; and which they be; and how he vſeth their hearts and the world as his inſtruments to ouerthrow them: and the particular remedies againſt the ſame, wherby ſuch as are incumbred with any of theſe lets, may count it no ſtrange thing, neither be diſmayed thereat; and by this which they ſhall reade, may be prouided of ſome helpe and deliuerance.