The Progress of Saints to Full Holiness, Verse 23 · Part 1

The Progress of Saints to Full Holiness · Verse 23 · Part 1

p. 231That your spirit, soule, and body may be kept blamelesse.

NOw we are by the assistance of God to proceede unto the second petition in this prayer, for full holinesse in speciall by enumeration of parts: Where for the meaning of the Apostle we have considered already,

1. What are these parts.

2. How are they said to be blamelesse.

In that the Apostle prayeth how that they might be kept blamelesse; hence we learne,

That Christians must not onelyonly labour to attaine a full measure of grace, but also to keepe it. So it is as commendable to keep our selves blamelesse as to make our selves blamelesse.Doctr. Christians must bee as carefull to retaine grace, as to attaine it. 1 Tim. 5.22. the Apostle exhorteth Timothy, Keepe thy selfe pure: thinke not all is well when thou hast gotten grace, righteousnesse and holinesse, but keepe thy selfe pure: for know it is no lesse vertue to keepe grace, than to get it. Iude 21. Keep your selves in the love of God: and againe, Keep that thou hast obtained, lest another take thy crowne. And the rather,

p. 232Reas. 1.First, because this is the effect of true religion: for true religion unspotred and undefiled before God is,Iames 1.27.Jas 1:27 to keepe a mans selfe blamelesse and unspotted without just crimes in the world, and this is, to keepe himselfe blamelesse.

Reas. 2.Secondly, no part of man can be kept blamelesse without great care and industry: Adam in innocency could not keepe himselfe blamelesse as hee was created; and much lesse the sonnes of Adam now in corruption. No watch is sufficient against that subtill Serpent, that windes himselfe into us insensibly; every faculty as an eare, and every sense as a window lets him into us, to come in and spoyle us: and therefore it is necessary wee should labour to keepe that we have gotten.

Reas. 3.3. Excellent and precious things are to be kept most charily; mens gold, silver, jewells, and treasures are carefully kept, but their lives much more, because they are precious unto them. But of all treasures, our spirits, soules, and bodies, are of most incomparable value, nothing so worth keeping as this. First, what a precious blood was shed for to redeeme them. Secondly, if these be lost, what price can recover them? what shall a man give for the recompence? Nothing but the blood of Christ; tread that under foote nothing can recover it: a treasure must be kept most carefully: but a godly mans heart is a good treasurie, sending out good things. A worldlings treasure is without him, and that he holds fast: but the godly mans treasure is within him, he layes hold upon faith and grace in Christ, and these hee holdes p. 233worth the keeping; but for the things of the world they are not worth the keeping in safe custody. If they be not kept till the day of Christ, they are lost eternally: there is no time of keeping them but the present; neglect that, there is no salvation.

4. The necessity of keeping our selves blamelesse is exceeding great.Reas. 4. 1. If we looke upon our selves in our naturall inclinations to soyle and blacke our selves: or whether we looke upon our whole, or parts.

First, the whole frame of mans heart is evill, the whole naturall spirit imagineth evill continually, Gen. 6.5.

Secondly, and for the parts: 1. The conscience is darkened, by the blacke darknesse of ignorance; and impured by a thousand sinnes of most ugly hue. 2. The thoughts, which in the day of Gods appearing shall either accuse or excuse, Rom. 2.15. are naturally vaine, roving, and stragling from God. 3. The affections, which are of great force to good or evill. If they be sinfull, they are as wings to carry us as slaves to the most barbarous and unnaturall evills, and ever pulling us aside to the world and lusts: As Cain to hate and murder his innocent brother: Cham to lay open his fathers nakednesse: Iudas to betray the most righteous Sonne of God. But if they bee rightly ordered, they are powerfull instruments of excellent duties, and as wings to carry us to the high pinnacles of Christianity. All excellencies have beene brought out of the strong affections of grace.

p. 234Thirdly, Looke upon our selves in the presence of grace, the cleanest house will gather soyle if it be not daily swept; the brightest vessells take rust, if not often scoured and oyled: enemies chased will turne head againe, trees lopped will grow againe, nature expelled returnes againe, fire quenched will kindle againe: and therefore all watch is little enough.

Fourthly, Looke on our selves in that to which we are called and set apart by grace, to be sonnes of God, Temples of the Spirit of God, mansions for God and Iesus Christ to come into us and suppe with us. How carefull are we to cleanse our houses from all filth, when we are to give entertainment to an honourable friend; whom wee are sure will be ready to pry into every corner, as the Lord will surely doe when hee commeth into us.

Vse 1.This serves to discover the generall errour of men, who, if they had innocency it selfe, could not stand by themselves without watchfulnesse, yet can keepe any thing better than themselves, their horses, their swine, cattle, their money, their wares; but very few thinke they neede to be so carefull to keepe themselves. They keepe no watch over their thoughts, they are free; nor over their words, words are but winde: nor did they ever see their soules, and therefore care not to keepe them. How carefull are wise men to keepe themselves out of the lurch of the law; lest by word or deed they should forfeit any of their outward estate, much more their liberty, lives, p. 235&c? But how carelesse are the same men of keeping themselves out of the lurch of Gods law, and out of the actions which forfeit the whole estate of grace, the liberty and life of their soules. And yet, 1. Is not thy charge straighter to keepe thy soule than any thing else? 2. Is any thing so exposed to robbers and spoylers, so many, so vigilant, so resolutely bent to mischiefe thee? 3. Is any losse so irrecoverable, so irrepairable? 4. Can any thing thou keepest so fast doe thee good, when thou hast lost thy selfe; whatsoever thou most carefully keepest else, that thou receivest not for thy selfe, but for others: and wilt thou fondly save all for others, with the losse of thy selfe? Alas! our folly, that needes so many warnings and motives for the keeping of our selves.

Be we incited to keepe our selves blamelesse.Vse 2. Wherein observe, 1. The generality. 2. The time. 3. The order. 4. The rules.

First, for the generality, our Apostle saith the whole man, consisting of soule, body; and the whole spirit, soule, and body: for bonum est ex causis integris, malum ex quolibet defectu, if any part be blemished, the whole is blamed.

Secondly, keepe all or none: God will have all or none; no polluted part shall get into his presence, hee will have no part of a divided man.

Thirdly, the Saints tooke themselves bound to keepe all. Above all David will looke to his heart, and looke to his thoughts, and hee will have an eye to his will, I have vowed and will performe: p. 236and then to his mouth, he will keepe that as with a bid and bridle: and to his wayes, Psal. 39.1. Then he will lift up his hands to the Law, and then refraine his feete from every evill way.

Fourthly, The danger of not looking to the whole: a thorne in the foote may fester; a gangrene in one part is deadly: one poyson in the body, one part without armour is the ruine of the whole.

22. For the time. We must now keepe our selves. Men thinke they can never be Saints till they come to heaven, and professe they cannot bee blamelesse here: But our Text saith, we must be blamelesse till the day of Christ: Neglect thy selfe for the present, and give thy selfe lost for ever; sowe now to the flesh, and reape corruption.

33. The order. First the inside, spirit, and soule, and then the body. First wash the inside, saith our Saviour; get faith which is a purifier, apprehending Christs righteousnesse: for, 1. Can wee draw a cleane thing from that which is uncleane, Iob 14.4. or sweete fruite from a bitter roote. 2. Satan lyeth closest here, as a serpent in thickets. 3. It is the most compendious way, to damme a streame in the fountaine; to quench the fire in the sparke, else if it live within it will kindle and flame, on tinder or tow: where the disease begins, there must begin the remedie. 4. God lookes out of what treasurie good things come; if not out of the good treasury of the heart, if not from a pure heart, if not from faith, all is sinne: hence the p. 237workes of unregenerate men, as good in shew, and beautifull, are rejected; because they flow not from a pure fountaine, and mites with the heart put to them weigh downe many glorious workes. 5. Distinguish thy selfe from the hypocrite, he washeth the outside, Pilate washeth his hands, not his heart, as if sinne stucke onelyonly in the fingers ends: the harlot wipes her mouth, and it was not shee.

But wee are to know that the Lord is as well angry with intentions, and inward impurity;Vse 3. as with outward enormities. And therefore let us labour to keepe, first, our spirits and soules, and then our bodies unblameable.

Here we will somewhat largely consider certaine directions for each of them.

I. Directions for the Spirit.Rules concerning sanctification of spirit.

First, Labour to have a right spirit renewed within thee, Psal. 51.10. Now to a right spirit there goe five things. 1. Illumination, To a right spirit five things are required.even an heavenly 1light, to discerne and judge aright of things, that it may preferre heavenly things before things of earth, and out of sound judgement forecast and provide for them first, and principally. David joynes it with creating a new heart; for this is not in nature, but a worke of new creating grace. The Agent is God alone, who gives light to the blinde, who takes away the vaile, and makes the scales fall from Paules eyes in his conversion. The companion is sound conversion, 2 Cor. 3.16. the turning of the heart to the Lord, and the remooving of the vaile joyned; and the signe of it is, p. 238a base estimation of the world with the profits, pleasures, and preferments of it, the pursuing of which makes most men so blame-worthy in the day of Christ. 2. Poverty of spirit, which stands in the sense, sorrow, shame, and hatred of sinne, and cannot stand with selfe-wisdome, or high-mindednesse, or a proud spirit puft up with conceites, whom God resists: but a contrite spirit is acceptable, and the poore in spirit are blessed, and blamelesse, Matth. 5.3. 3. Purity of spirit, which is attained by daily bringing in and increasing of the graces of the Spirit, as faith, love of God, sincerity, charity, mercy, meeknesse, &c. these fruites of the Spirit argue cleannesse of spirit, though it were formerly never so foule and blame-worthy: Col. 3.12. Decke the minde with graces. 4. Spirituall worship, Rom. 1.9. Whom I serve in my spirit: not bodily, formally, hypocritically, coldly, but with my whole heart, in sincerity and fervency. This fervency is a motion of Gods Spirit, inflaming the spirit of the beleever with great love of God, and hatred of whatsoever hee hateth. And where this spirituall worship stands up in the Spirit, downe must Dagon goe, and all the idols that men have set up in their hearts, downe goes the externall and carnall worship of civill men, who (what ever they pretend) respect not in their spirit the worship and service of God, but their owne pleasures, ends, and praise, and that in their most slightly duties. 5. The testimony of the Spirit, that thou art the child of God, Rom. 8.16. This testimony is sure, when the Spirit of p. 239God renewes our spirits, and upon firme and unfailing grounds makes us able to call God Father, working sound tranquillity in our conscience through our union with Christ, boldnesse and confidence towards God, fervent love of God, constant obedience, with other fruites, not common or competent to hypocrites. This testimony sealeth up our acceptance, yea the inheritance of children: The spirit that wants any of these is not a right or renewed spirit.

Secondly, labour (as Saint Paul did, Acts 24.16.) 2for a good conscience before God, and before men. To a good conscience are required foure things.Foure things requisite to a good conscience.

1. Clearenesse, 2. Clearing, 3. Peace, 4. Watchfulnesse.

1. It must be a cleare or pure conscience, 2 Tim. 1.3.1. Clearenesse in it selfe▪ This is when the conscience is cleared or purged from naturall impurities, which the Apostle calls dead workes. This purity is not native, as it was in the first Adam, but acquisite, and obtained by the second Adam: for the materiall and meritorious cause of the goodnesse of conscience, is the blood of Iesus Christ, who by the obedience of his death, hath freed us from all guilt and punishment of sinne, reconciled us to God, and become our peace; whereby this and all other faculties are purged through faith in his blood. Heb. 9.14. How much more shall the blood of Christ purge our consciences from dead workes.

The companions of this purity of conscience are two. First, a frameing of conscience to the rule of the word, which is a torch-light for the p. 240direction of it: for, the conscience being the eye of the soule, must be lightsome, not erronious, blinde, or doubtfull. Secondly, a studie to preserve the purity, and himselfe unspotted before God and man, and no man hath purity of conscience that wanteth this care.

2. Clearing his master.2. It must be a clearing conscience, taking the Masters part against all accusers. It selfe is not blamelesse, unlesse it can justly pronounce the Master blamelesse. And this is,

First, when it beares witnesse concerning our sinnes: 1. That there is no sinne we have committed but we have repented the same. 2. There is none committed, but wee hate it, wee purpose against it, and keepe a watch that it be never committed any more.

Secondly, when it witnesseth concerning our persons, that we are now righteous and justified by faith in Iesus Christ: of uncleane blackmores we are washed and made white in his blood, and sonnes of God; who of an enemy is become a friend and Father to us.

Thirdly, when it witnesseth concerning our graces; that as by the former wee are freed from the guilt of sinne, so we are now freed from the power of sinne, and are no more servants of unrighteousnesse, but now our conscience tells us we are in part sanctified: that the evill wee doe, wee hate; and love the good wee doe not: and that in the inner man we delight in the Law of God.

Fourthly, when it witnesseth concerning our course and actions, that now they are wrought p. 241according to God, by the warrant of his word, and because he hath commanded so to doe them. Happy is that man that his conscience tells him, that his will is now framed to Gods will; and in regard of Evangelicall obedience, which stands in true purposes and endeavours, hee may say, since the time of his calling unto the grace of the Gospell, with the Apostle, Acts 23.1. I have lived in all good conscience untill this day.

3. It must be a peaceable conscience, in that hee hath done or not done: it is at peace with God,3. Peaceablenes and with it selfe. This is when it excuseth the person aright both for his person, and for his actions. First, for his person, as now reconciled, justified, accepted. Secondly, his actions, as having a true desire and endeavour to please God in all things. Now the conscience being truly peaceable, it riseth up to be truly joyfull, which makes the heart merry and cheerefull, as a continuall feast: neither wants he any good cheare that hath it, Prov. 15.15. Nor wants hee good company that hath a good conscience, he can rejoyce alone, without all other company or comforts. The heart is held up in absence of all worldly comforts, and in presence of all worldly evills, and none can take away the joy of it.

4. It must be a watchfull, 4. Watchfulnesnot a sleepy conscience, a waking, not a remorslesse conscience. 1. It watcheth against all sinne, both to be committed, and as a faithfull monitor, pulls the Master backe: As also for sinne already committed, and smites with remorse and biting, as David, I have done very foolishly.

p. 242Object. But doth not a bad conscience shew some remorse after sinne: what else did Iudas?

Answ. Yes, but with this difference: 1. A bad conscience hath some scratch on the outside, and sometimes a deeper gash, and an incurable wound, but it never goes on to godly sorrow, as a good conscience doth. 2. It seekes not to the remedy, but sinkes under the burden, the wound bleedes to death, as in Iudas.

Secondly, a good conscience watcheth to all good duties, and occasions, desirous to please God in all things, and at all times, according to the conscience enlightened. This pure, clearing, peaceable and waking conscience, is necessary to an unblameable and renewed spirit.

3Thirdly, seeing the true evidences of the purenesse and holy temper of the spirit,To purenesse of spirit are required holy thoughts. are holy and well guided thoughts, wee must carefully looke to our thoughts and cogitations. Here 1. Choose them so as thou be sure thy heart be a receptacle of holy thoughts:1. Chuse them. examine them, whence they come, and whither they goe, and by examination thou shalt finde some vaine and evill thoughts; these thou must hate all of them, Psal. 119.113. And if thou hatest them, put away the evill of your thoughts: and Ier. 4.4. Let the wicked forsake his thoughts, knowing that evill thoughts are as damnable as evill actions: Acts 8.22. pray if thy thoughts may be forgiven; which implies guilt. Some thou shalt finde wandering, roving thoughts, which must be taken up as vagrants, and corrected, lest as Dinah thou be defiled and p. 243corrupted with fleshly lusts; passe them away quickly. Some other thou shalt find idle thoughts but unnecessary: send them away, harbour no idle thoughts, nor yet cast them out without censure and disgrace. Some are perhaps lawfull, but lesse necessary, put these of till another time, that the more necessary may take up the roome. Some are unruly thoughts rising up against against God or men, thoughts of infidelity, of revenge, dishonourable thoughts against Gods servants and ordinances: all such disordered and proude thoughts must be brought into the subjection of God, 1 Cor. 10.4.

2. Watch them well, being so infinite,2. Watch them. so quick and nimble, and in so secret a place; being also so slippery, so soone interrupted and corrupted by idlenesse, by society, loosenesse of senses, roving of affections, unallowed objects; therefore set a sharpe eye upon them: and seeing that will not serve, bring them under Gods eye, keepe them close to God: for as the husbands eye and presence is the best way to preserve the wives chastity; so the heart betrothed to God, carrying it selfe in his sight, is not easily polluted with strange and uncleane lusts.

To enforce this watch, know, it differenceth from an hypocrite: First, an hypocrite can watch over words and actions in respect of man, but a godly man watcheth over his thoughts; onelyonly the true sanctified man makes conscience of the tenth commandement, for the government of his thoughts and desires. Secondly, it differenceth p. 244from a wicked man, who dare not act many evils, but none so foule, but hee dare insatiably minde and contemplate them. Here is a difference; whereas wicked men are most carelesse of their thoughts; the godly have most complained of them, Rom. 7. and then have beene most truly comforted in them, whiles the conscience of thoughts hath beene a true triall of their sincerity.

3. Labour to feede thy thoughts, 1. with the sweetest,3. Feede them. 2. with the most necessary objects. First, the sweetest objects are heavenly things: Col. 3.1. Seeke the things which are above, Iesus Christ and his merits, the happinesse of heaven, and the chiefe good which is God himselfe. O how might the minde be fed and ravished with these contemplations! what sweetnesse might a man sweeten and season the dayes of his vanity withall, if he would minde heavenly things, and thinke on the way thither? Is it not a description of ancient beleevers, to thinke on his name? Mal. 3.16. Secondly, the most necessary & profitable thoughts are, 1. to thinke often of our sinnes, both to call to minde some sinne past unrepented; as also to prevent some sinne thrusting in. 2. To thinke on good duties, to excite to some duty neglected, and to apprehend occasion and season of some offered unto us 3. Of the vanity of this life, and our departure hence. 4. Of Gods comming to judgement, and our finall account and reckoning. Prov. 14.22. To them that thinke on good things, shall be mercy and truth.

p. 245Now whereas some thinke thoughts free; and others conceit liberty, and impossibility, and most no necessity of this guiding the conscience and thoughts: To them I say, First, as thoughts be so are words, and actions: out of the heart commeth thefts, adulteries; therefore rectifie these. Secondly, good thoughts are evidences of the Spirits presence, being his immediate motions, wee of ourselves not able to thinke one good thought, 1 Cor. 2.5. Thirdly, God will call them to strict account, and in judgement make inquisition after them, their thoughts shall accuse or else excuse one another, Rom. 2.15. Fourthly, even good thoughts are recompenced: David had but a thoughts to build the house of God, and God rewarded it with building him an house, and stablishing him a kingdome, 2 Sam. 7.16. and Psal. 32. I thought I would confesse my sinne, and thou forgavest me all. The Prodigall thought to returne, and his father thought to meete him. Thus carry thy thoughts, begin the day with holy thoughts and meditations, which is a sweete seasoning. In the night call them in to thinke of God and holy things: adde prayer to keepe them in temper, 2 Chron. 18.29.

Fourthly, The memory must be made and kept 4unblameable. And that is two wayes:To a pure spirit is required a sanctified memory. 1. When we keepe in fresh memory our sinnes and declinings so farre as to be humbled for them: A corrupt memory is the corruption of the whole man: Deut. 9.7. Remember, and forget not how thou provokedst the Lord to anger in the wildernesse. The p. 246memory is Gods register and officer; and though now there be none in office, yet in the day of Christ it will bring forth the records which seemed to be lost: a prelude and taste whereof wee see in such as are distressed in conscience. 2. When we keepe good lessons in our memory: Rev. 3.3. Remember how thou hast received, and heard, and hold fast, and repent.

II. Directions to keepe the soule unblamable. Every man may holde himselfe bound in conscience, and charged by God with the safe custody of his owne soule under God: Deut. 4.9. Take heede to thy selfe, and keepe thy soule diligently. A man would be loath to forfeit a joynt of his body by heedlesnesse: how carefully doe men looke to their eyes, heads, hands, and every member, and the least part of the body, and yet more carefully to the whole body; and this nature teacheth every man: But is not the soule that better part, that calls for so much more care and circumspection; and this grace teacheth us to keepe our soule above all; for if a man lose his soule, what recompence shall he give for it?

Now because that in the soule is included, 1. the heart, 2. the will, 3. our affections, all these faculties in the soule must be kept safe as the soule it selfe, and layes upon us a necessity to watch them narrowly.

First, for the keeping of thy heart the precept is,Prov. 4.23.Prov 4:23 …eep thy heart with al diligence, for thence issueth life or death the chiefe part of the body is heart, the fountaine of life, and the chiefe care is to p. 247keepe that sound; so the soule, the heart, desires, and choyces, are to be chiefly intended, for thence are the issues of life or death. And indeed according to the well tending or neglect hereof the constant course of holinesse is either furthered or hindered. Besides, nature in the framing of mans body begins with the heart, and the liver, and other inward vitalls, and comes last to the face and other outward parts; teaching us the method in grace where to begin our frame: keepe the heart well and unblameable,Rules to the keeping of the heart. and all will be well. And for this end observe some rules.

Fist, I. Keepe it humble.therefore if thou wilt keepe thy heart unblameable, thou must keepe it humble, it must be an humble and contrite heart that God will not reject, and a broken heart is a sacrifice of Gods delight: the soundnesse of the heart is the through breaking of it; the plow of the law must rend up the fallowes of our hearts, and fit it for seede: this must helpe both the rotting and rooting of the weedes, Ier. 4.4. This is called a melted heart in Iosiah: for as golde can never be approoved and purified before it be melted, no more can the heart till it be a melted heart. It is called the circumcision of the heart, with circumcision not made with hands, Col. 2.11. wherein the foreskinne of the heart is removed, sinfull flesh, and beloved lusts are wounded, the party put to paine, and made sore as the Sichemites, in parting with a peece of his owne flesh.

This exercise of painefull mortification of sinne is the entrance into possession of a good heart, and p. 248the grounds of all soundnesse in religion, whereas they onelyonly prove unsound and rumous in religion who never were soundly humbled, nor traded in selfe-deniall, as that building, when the foolish builder would not be at paine to diggge deepe whereby to lay a firme and sure foundation.

II. Keepe it clean.Secondly, then see thy heart be not onelyonly an humble heart, but a cleane heart: Blessed are the pure in heart, Matth. 5. striving after inward purity as well as outward: For these an hypocrite can resist, an hypocrite can wash the outside, and may seeme to others to be pure and blamelesse: But an heart desirous to free it selfe from blame, deadly hates naturall pollutions, filthinesse of heart, vile thoughts and lusts; and because it cannot be cleane without faith, which is an inward purifier, it labours for the increase of faith in the meanes, to apprehend Christs merits and holinesse. And because the word is a meanes of purifying and cleansing the heart, as Psal. 119.9. and Christ saith they are all cleane by the word, he will shew himselfe in embracing the word, in heeding of it, and framing himselfe according to the rules of it, and apply his heart unto it. And because a fusty vessell is not fit for sweete waters, he will still and still be cleansing his heart, that it may be capable of the word. And because by nature the heart is foule, and doth every day contract some filthinesse, wash it with the blood of Christ, and get neare unto Christ to have part in his holinesse, and get the beesome p. 249of the Law to sweepe it daily; and by the exercise of repentance and mortification, daily part with the uncleannesse of flesh and spirit.

Thirdly, see it be a single and sincere heart, called a true heart, Heb. 10.22.III. Keep it sincere Let us draw neere to God with a true heart, void of guile, of deceit, of dissimulation: with such an heart as Nathaniels was, commended by Christ, a true Israelite in whom was no guile. This is the heart of Gods delight, 1 Chron. 29.17. Now you shall know the singlenesse of it

1. By this, it is not one heart, in one estate,To know a single heart. in one company, and another in another; but the same in sicknesse and health, on the Saboth and on the weeke day, the same in tryall as in peace: but if there be any difference, a single heart will be better in a bad age, and most carefull among a most carelesse generation: true grace is like light, it shines brightest in the darkest roome, and like fire hottest in the coldest and sharpest weather.

2. You shall know a good heart by this, it cares rather to bee good than seeme so, it is more carefull to have grace than seeme to have it, it doth not onelyonly abstaine from evill but abhorre it, Rom. 12.9. True godlinesse and soundnesse of heart consists in the power of godlinesse, it doth not onelyonly forbeare the sinne it loved, but loathes it, as the sicke stomack-doth loathe that meate most, that it once surfeited on, and what once cast up, it ever hateth it.

p. 2503▪ It will be religious alone, and if it cannot get company it will be singular, … good heart will walke to heaven alone if it cannot get company; it would rather have company, but if it cannot it will rather goe alone to heaven, than any where else with company. Ioshuah saith, I will goe my way, if you will not goe with me I will not goe yours:Iosh· 24. As for me, I and my house will serve the Lord. And Lot in the midst of a naughty generation did not follow that patterne, but walked alone in his owne way. Eliah stood alone for the worship of God: and in Iohn 11. Mary desired that her sister would come and sit with her at Christs feete; but she will sit downe alone if Martha will not: so a good heart will if it can get company to heaven, and be glad of it, but if it cannot it will goe alone: But a false heart will looke at rulers, at rich men, at safety among men, at lawes, at multitudes, and cannot abide the reproach of singularity.IV. Keepe it well watched, how.

Fourthly, see thy heart be well watched, for it will soone be bowed away from God.

11. Suspect the deceit of it, for it is deceitfull above all things, Ierem. 17.9. therefore thou must looke well to it, and to the flipperinesse of it, it will deceive thee else, deale with it as with an untrusty fellow, set a watchfull eye over him to keepe him from his flippery trickes.

22. Watch it in the first motions of sinfull thoughts, for these being admitted defile the man, and make him justly blameable, Matth. 15.18. Consider that a godly man is said to have right thoughts, Prov. 12.5. and that his desires are onelyonly p. 251good, chap. 11.23. not that his heart is quite empty of evill motions and desires, but hee resists and fights against them, he hates them and repents of them, and God imputes them not.

3. Watch it in the least sinnes as well as in the greatest, for he that is unjust in the least, is unjust in much, a pilferer will easily purloyne a greater booty. Yea watch it well not onelyonly in sinnes that bring no benefit, but in those that are somewhat beneficiall, not onelyonly in things our inclinations or occasions carry us not unto, but those which run with the streame of nature. Herod will doe many things, but leaves not Herodias: Iehu destroyes Baal, but not the calves, for that was now dangerous, hee feared the people, and walked for all this in Ieroboams sin that set them up.

4. Because thy watch is not sufficient, set it under Gods watch, keepe thy heart in Gods presence, 4set thy selfe still in his sight, and thou shalt not sinne. Shall I doe this (saith Ioseph) and sinne against God? Walke with God as Henoch did and avoid blame.

Fifthly, let thy heart be a right ordered heart,V. Bound it within Gods limits, how carried in the wayes of God, and this will leade the whole m…n in the same way. To this purpose, 1. Get the law written in thy heart, Psal. 119.3. Blessed are they that keepe his testimonies, they 1worke no iniquity. Ierem. 32.40. I will write my law in their hearts, and they shall not depart from it. Keep the word, and it sh…ll keepe thee. The Lord having written his Law in Tables, made choyce of the Arke to lay up the same in, Exod. 25.1…. but p. 252this Arke must be laid with pure golde within and without; signifying, that the proper place to lay the word in is a sincere heart both within and without: any other but this will shut it out one time or other.

22. Thou must see thy heart holde and hide all the commandements: Psal. 119.6. Then shall not I be confounded, when I have respect to all thy commandements. It is a generall sinne of men, they desire to have the word framed and fitted to their desirable and unprofitable lusts; but thou must come to the light as one carefull to get a word for every action, and as one submitted to the whole forme of doctrine delivered.

33. Frame thy heart to the word, and never seeke to have the word framed to thy heart: So Ely, 1 Sam. 3.18. The word of the Lord is good: it was not fitted to his heart, being a lamentable prediction of his owne ruine, and the ruine of his posterity: But yet he fitted his heart to it. And so did Abraham to the difficult commandement, Goe and sacrifice thy sonne. So Hezekiah, 2 Kings 20.19. Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken, when he was threatned by the Lord for his pride: he frameth his heart unto the word and acknowledgeth it good.

2 The will of man must be framed to Gods.Now for the second faculty, and that is the will. And because a perverse will upheapeth the measure of sinne and blame, and there is no sinne we commit, which is not a preferring of our owne will before Gods; therefore it is impossible that any man should keepe his soule without p. 253blame, unlesse hee set a narrow watch round about his will, to keepe it in some order and frame with the most righteous will of God.

For which end, our wills 1. must be denied,To this they must be 2. renewed, 3. freed, 4. framed unto God.

1. Our wills by nature are crooked and rebellious,1. Denied. the naturall will is not subject to God nor can be so long as it is naturall. Now the cure of the crooked will is to deny it, and captivate it to the will of God in all things: let our wills loose to themselves, they will be sure to approove, improove, chuse, and refuse, cleane contrary to God. And therefore as he that must set up a frame must carry away the rubbish; so must hee deny his owne will, that must frame to Gods, who commandeth, Honour mee by not doing your owne wills.

2. They must be renewed, 2. Renewed.else shall a man still fulfill the will of the flesh. And it is not in us to will, till the Lord worke first the will and then the deede; so that grace now must guide thy will as nature hath formerly swayed it.

3. They must be freed. Voluntas est libera quatenus liberata: 3. Freed.They are chained to unrighteousnesse: and when the Sonne sets us free we are free indeede, and till this time we are servants of sinne, whose wills are not their owne, but their masters; we must every day seeke more freedome to good, and get grace against the bondage under evill, Rom. 7.25.

4. They must be framed, that there may be but one will betweene God and us,4. Framed to Gods. that wee may p. 254say feelingly, Thy will be done. This is when the will determines every thing with God and for God, both in matter of faith and obedience.

First, in matter of faith and repentance. If the will of God in the Gospell require repentance of sinne, and to beleeve in Iesus Christ; let thy will determine now with and for God: bewaile thy sinne, beleeve the promises, cast thy selfe upon Iesus Christ; claspe the promises against reason, as Abraham did, in receiving his sonne.

Secondly, in matter of obedience both active and passive.

1. Active, If the Law require duties to be done to God or man, there God expresseth his will: frame now thy will to such duties, be they never so difficult, as Abraham in sacrificing his sonne; never so dangerous, as Daniel in praying to the God of heaven, even under the sentence of death.

2. Passive, in any crosse or affliction upon thy selfe, or others: when God reveales his will, determine thy will with his, as David, Psal. 39.9. I held my tongue, and spake nothing, because thou (Lord) didst it. There must be but one will betweene God and a faithfull soule, betweene Christ and a Christian.

Quest. How may I know my will thus denied, renewed, freed, and framed to God?

Notes of a renewed …ill.Answ. The signes of it are, 1. in respect of it selfe, 2. in regard of sinne, 3. in regard of good duties.

1. In respect of it selfe: it will not runne before, p. 255but will waite upon sanctified knowledge, and renewed reason; it will not inthrall the light of the minde to inordinate desires: it will be prooving still what is the good and acceptable will of God. It will resolve and purpose that so long time as it is in the flesh, to walke after the will of God, 1 Pet. 4.2.

2. Thou shalt know it in regard of sinne. 1. It is resolute in resistance of sinne, and the occasions: for although the will renewed admit sinne, in respect of corruption, yet it selfe is in great part set against sinne, that it willeth it not fully, it purposeth not to sinne: as David, I vowed I will keepe thy judgements; it hath a fast purpose to cleave to God: Psal. 119.104. and hates all the wayes of falshood. 2. When it yeelds to sinne, it is with griefe, it doth not sleepe in sinne so but that the heart waketh. So the Apostle, Rom. 7.15. he even hateth sinne while he is a doing of it, I hate that I doe. 3. After sinne it riseth timely by repentance: if he fall into sinne he hardens not his heart, Prov. 28.14. he wills it not neither before nor after, there is a strugling and a reluctation in him against it: and thus you may know the will rightly framed.

3. In regard of good duties: it will not onelyonly be well-doing, but chearefull in well-doing, he doth good duties willingly, freely. There is a difference in doing one and the same action betweene a good man and a wicked man: the worke of the will renewed is not onelyonly to take opportunity to doe good, but seeke opportunity to doe it; it p. 256will not doe good of constraint, but will doe it with willingnesse; he will doe it cheerefully, as a good Pastour feedes his flocke not by constraint, but of a willing minde, 1 Pet. 5.2.

Quest. Why should wee thus looke to our wills?

Answ. First, the state of Christianity is rather a willing, than a doing the will of God: thou that canst doe no more, wouldst thou doe lesse? Secondly, no greater plague can befall a man, than to be given up to his owne will, the holding to a mans owne will, is the losse of the will and soule too. Thirdly, as thy will is pleased with the sinne, so it shall be revenged in the sorrow of it: that will of thine that will not be compelled to obey, shall be compelled to suffer: all the plagues of sinne by a just recompence are laid upon the will, as his sinne was a resistance, and renouncing of the will of God: for in hell no sinner shall ever obtaine what hee would, but shall ever sustaine what hee would not. Thus God brings the wayes of the wilfull sinner upon his owne head, Ezek. 11.21.

3. To keepe the soule blamelesse the affections must be narrowly watched.Thirdly, to keepe the soule blamelesse we must narrowly watch all our affections, wherein the soule moves it selfe every where: for man by his fall hath lost, not his affections, but the holinesse and rectitude of them; for now man naturally hateth the Lord and his image, in his word, in his servants, and graces, he feares and flies what hee should most joy and delight in, that is, God himselfe; he joyes in swallowing the pleasures of p. 257sinne, the baytes of his perdition; hee is angry and impatient at God himselfe, as Ionas, and carried with a rageing madnesse causelesly and intemperately on any occasion. And therefore we must fly to the grace of regeneration which doth not abolish affections, but the disordered motions of them, and restores them towards their originall rectitude and goodnesse. Where this worke of grace is not, and where the spirit hath laid no bridle upon the affections, no marvaile if that soule runne riot into all unruly lusts, and make it selfe blame-worthy, and guilty every moment of foule sinnes. Yea where this grace is, care must be to preserve it even in every affection, the least disorder of any of which is enough to impure the soule and leave it under blame.

Now the rules of keeping the affections unblameable: and then for the reasons.How to keepe the affections unblameable. Rules.

I. To keepe thy affections unblameable, thou must labour (seeing they cannot be unblameable if they be not good in the rise) to get a good rise for thy affections, a good motion must be from a good mover, labour to see who is the mover of thy affections, whether the Spirit of God, or the wicked spirit, or thine owne carnall spirit. Excellent are those affections that are moved by the Spirit of God, as when feare, anger, love, joy, griefe, are 1. grounded on just causes, 2. guided by the rule of renewed reason, for the Spirit never moves but according to the word: 3. tempered in ordinate measure, now they become servants of grace. Whereas if thy owne carnall p. 258spirit move them, contrary to the word, for their subject, object, manner, or measure; now they turne enemies to God, and to thine owne soule.

II. Be sure they be carried upon right objects onelyonly, set thy affections where Gods Spirit would set them.

Right obiects of affections.Here first, the proper object of love is God himselfe; and not for his gifts but for himselfe: and of Iesus Christ, whom if any man love not, let him be accursed; and that not as a Iesus onelyonly but as a Lord: And then the things of God, wee must covet the most excellent gifts, and with Mary choose the better part, even our part in the Gospell and word of Christ: and then entirely love the friends of God, all our delight must be in the Saints that excell in vertue.

Secondly, the object of our anger is sinnes, not persons, nor so much the sinnes of others, as our owne which are nearer us.

Thirdly, the object of our joy, is pardon of sinne, Gods favour and countenance, Psal. 4. It is wrong placed when it is in the creature, not in the Creatour, when in the gift, not in the giver.

Fourthly, the object of our patience, is evills of punishment which we must patiently suffer, but not evills of sinne as Moses.

Fifthly, of our feare the true object is God, more for his goodnesse than greatnesse; more for his mercy than justice: Mercy is with thee to be feared, Psal. 130.4. more lest we offend him than p. 259be offended by him: And so in the rest. What a businesse now is it to keepe our affections upon allowed and warrantable objects?

III. In these best objects, see they be most vehement and intense. To doe this observe these rules.

First, bestow on the best things the best affections: thou must love the Lord thy God with all thy soule, all thy heart and strength; nay more, thou must delight thy selfe in the Lord, which goes beyond love, Psal. 37.4. delight thy selfe in the Lord, make him thy chiefe, seeke God himselfe, the peace of God, the favour of God, the glory of God with most fervent affections.

Secondly, love and affect all things in God, and for God, and God onelyonly for himselfe; thou must love nothing like him, much lesse above him, and least of all against him: in all his creatures, in all his actions, in all his gifts labour to taste his sweetnesse, Psal. 34.8. true love of the word is to love God in his word, the true love of our neighbour is to love God in our neighbour, &c.

Thirdly, get your affections more to heaven than earth, as an higher and more noble object, Col. 3.2. it is not enough to affect heavenly things unlesse thou doest it with the chiefest of thy affections. Set your affections on things above, and not on things below, that is, comparatively: for two Masters cannot be served with like affection, we must seeke spirituall and heavenly things simply and absolutely, as being simply good, and to be affected and asked, whatsoever become of other p. 260things; but temporall and earthly with condition and limitation, as being but conditionally good at the best.

IIII. Hate the worst things most. The worst thing of all is sinne, it is simply evill, and so is nothing else: wee must then hate sinne more than punishment; sinne simply and directly resisteth Gods glory, so doth not punishment, makes for it it in the manifestation of his justice. A wise man should rather chuse hell than Gods offence. Sorrow for nothing so much as thy owne sinne, count nothing so shamefull as that, and thy selfe for it; feare the evill of sinne more than the evill of torment, because evill of sinne is more evill.

V. Rejoyce in nothing so much as in the pardon of sinne, the righteousnesse of Christ, the favour of God, and that thy name is written in the booke of life, Luk. 10.20. Get Gods image into thy affections, frame thy affections to God, for matter, manner, and measure, to love or hate most where God loveth and hateth, for so doth the man after Gods owne heart.

First, God loveth his Sonne Iesus Christ above all men and Angels, so must then the Christian esteeme Iesus Christ above ten thousand.

Secondly, God loveth his word dearely as himselfe, being a resemblance of himselfe in all his Attributes; so must thou love the word as God himselfe, nothing so dearely, nothing in comparison: Psal. 119. Oh how love I thy word, all the day long it is my delight.

Thirdly, God loveth the congregation and assemblies p. 261of his people, the places of his worship, he layeth the gates of Zion above all the habitations of Iacob, Psal. 87.2. so must thou dearely love his house, and the place where his honour dwelleth, esteeming one day there better than a thousand elsewhere.

Fourthly, God loveth his Saints so dearely that he will not dwell in heaven without them, so must thou love the Saints dearely for the image, and in imitation of God.

On the contrary, the Lord hateth every sinne with an infinite hatred, yea his soule abhorres it; so must thou avoid and hate every evill way, even all the wayes of falshood, yea the appearance of evill, and the very garment spotted by the flesh.

2. He hateth the society and congregations of wicked men, they shall not come into his presence; so must we hate the company and society of wicked men, Psal. 26.5.

3. Hee hates wicked and false doctrine: Revel. 2. Thou hatest the doctrine of the Nicholaitans which I also hate.

4. Hee hates the wicked manners and fashions of men, though never so much approved and applauded amongst men: so must thou hate the works of them that fall away, they must not cleave to thee, Psal. 101.3. Thou that lovest the Lord, must hate all that is evill, Psal. 97.10.

VI. Bring thy affections often before God, appeale to God and his word for the right carriage of them, Ioh. 21.15. Lord, thou knowest I love thee. thou knowest I love thy word, thy servants, p. 262thy house, thy glory: So Lord thou knowest I feare thee; as Ioseph feared to sinne against God: and Nehemiah, I feare God. Lord thou knowest I hate sinne, and sorrow for nothing so much as sinne: and then bring them often to the rule of the word to confine and bound them. The word teacheth that the measure of our love to God is without measure, but the measure of all our love to other things is, so farre as it may stand with the love of God in summo, that is above all, it teacheth that all earthly joy is with reference to God our chiefe joy. The word will measure our anger, and confine it to a small time, the Sunne must not goe downe on our wrath, Eph. 4.26.Eph 4:26it alloweth us to be angry, but not to mingle our sinfull corruption with it. Doe this the rather, because our affections must be presented before God one day.

Examination of our affections by the former rules.Now let us examine our selves, and try our affections by these rules before named.

First, Aske we our selves, what it is wee love or hate, whether our affections are set on the right objects, and carried towards God, or against evill as they ought to be.

1. Hath the Spirit carried us not to a dislike, but to an utter hatred of all sinne: none is so bad but hateth some sinnes. The prodigall hates covetousnesse: The Iew can hate a Samaritane, and mixt worship: The Pharise can say, I thanke God I am no extortioner, no adulterer: But just hatred excited by the Spirit is generall of whole kindes against all that is called sinne; as the lambe hates all wolves, and we hate all serpents none excepted. p. 263The Law bound the Iew to hate all uncleannesse, to touch none, but that defiled onelyonly the body: the least of this uncleannesse impureth the most precious soule of man.

2. The Spirit never raiseth hatred of evill, but out of the love of good to which it is contrary. Aske we our selves then, whether doe we love or hate that which we may lawfully love or hate because God loveth or hateth it; for many can dislike many foule evills, and yet be farre from good. Many can forbeare evill because the law of nature proclaimes against it, the law of men condemne it, rulers punish it, shame attends it, a gracelesse man can doe it. So to love religion, love the truth because the law favours it, the kingdome embraceth it, and for the present it is the safest; all this is but pollicie, an Atheist can doe it. But grace embraceth truth, because it is so, & because the Truth himselfe honoureth, promoteth and prospereth it, and commendeth it to our love and trust.

3. For the manner, doe wee love and hate as God loveth and hateth, as he loves not vices for persons sake, so hee hates not persons but vices. Wee know what workes are hatefull to God, but not whose persons belong unto him; therefore wee must hate the workes of them that fall away, but shew all love to their persons still.

All which discovers a great deale of corruption in our affections.

First, Many hate sinnes in another, and not the same sinnes in themselves, and this is the p. 264hatred of the person and not of the sinne.

Secondly, many seeme to hate evill, but not out of love to goodnesse, some say they hate Popery, but are farre from the love of the truth; they dislike grosse profanesse, drunkennesse, adultery, but have no affection to true godlinesse, hatred of evill is joyned with cleaving to good.

Thirdly, many hate most where God most loves, as persons for grace sake: and two sorts of men are the butts of the hatred of this age.

1. Zealous and godly Ministers, because their 1life and doctrine reproove evill mens workes: Ahab hateth Eliah, Hast thou found mee O mine enemy? the more they love, the lesse they are loved: for a Minister to hate mens sinnes, or to speake the truth, doth it deserve such hatred? If we should love mens sinnes, wee should hate their persons, and if we hate not our brothers evill, we could not wish his good.

2. A generation of men who are so precise, 2they will not sweare, nor be drunke, nor game away their time, they are Iewishly strict in keeping the Saboth; so zealous as they cannot abide the sent of Popery; they repeate sermons, pray in their families, cleave to the Scripture, in all things so curious and nice, they will touch nothing that is uncleane. But are these hated of God? Nay are they not in singular favour with him? 2. Are not their workes objected against them, the workes of God imposed by God upon all Christians upon paine of damnation? as to p. 265hate swearing, to be strict in the Saboth, to detest Popery, to be frequent hearers of the word, to set up Gods worship in the family, to cleave to the Scriptures, and get out of the way of evill men? In this way which they call heresie, must we worship God. 3. All this zeale against zeale is kindled not with a coale from the Altar, but fired with a flame from hell, Iohn 15.19. Because I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

4. How generall is the hatred of grace, by gracelesse men that pinch and reproach good affections? zeale they call distemper, sorrow for sinne is but melancholy, and next to madnesse; love of the word is but precisenesse, and more than needes; love of good men but faction and partiality; hatred of every evill worke but singularity; holinesse a kinde of heresie, purity, hollownesse, and all that is nought. How unlike is the world to God and Christ, who commended shewes of goodnesse in the young man; never quenched smoking flaxe, but kindled it and enflamed it: and whosoever hateth grace in another, first hates it in himselfe.

5. How generally doe we love and cherish in our selves what the Lord hateth?

First, hath hee not specially manifested his hatred against an outward forme of religion, severed from the power and life of it? Esay 1.14. My soule hateth your feasts and new Moones, his owne institutions, because they were severed from faith, truth, and inward holinesse? p. 266But how generall is the profession of religion without power? prayer of words not of spirit? hearing without conscience of doing? washing the outside when all is foule within?

Secondly, how great indignation hath he testified against people unfaithfull in the covenant, as a jealous husband hates the wife of his bosome that playeth false with him? Ier. 12.8. yet how universall is our unfaithfulnesse to God? the contempt of grace? the slighting of the meanes? the Apostacy and turning backe of the kingdome from God? So as we see how our affections are swerved from the rule, and what great neede we have to be stirred up to a more carefull watch over our affections.

I. Mischiefe of disordered affections.Consider therefore and see the mischiefe of disordered affections.

First, how powerfully they draw us from Christian duties; as, how they interrupt prayers,1 Pet. 3, 7.1 Pet 3:7 which was the Apostles argument betweene man and wife: an heart troubled with passions cannot be familiar with God, nor behold his face no more than a man can see his owne face in a troubled water. Consider how they hinder the powerfull working of the word, 1 Pet. 2.1. Therefore lay aside all malice, envie, &c. and then receive the word: A full vessell can receive no liquor; sweete water in a fusty vessell is but lost: seede cast among thornes commeth to nought: how they unsettle the heart in grace, pulling it off from confidence in God, love of the truth, from exercise of grace, from the joyes and consolations p. 267of the Spirit: For as no man can see the beames of the Sunne when the heavens are covered with clouds; so cannot the soule discerne the shining beames of Gods love when it is clouded with passion.

Secondly, how potent are unruly affections to draw us from our duty, so suddenly and violently doe they carry us into many sinnes; how suddenly are great professours snatched into the love of the world, and so become Apostates as Iudas and Demas? How doth the love of the world draw on a number of sinnes, and drowne men in lusts and perdition? How suddenly was David snatched into foulest sinnes not watching his affections? How was Peter pulled from his purposes and promises by inordinate selfe-love to the deniall of his Master?

Acquaint thy selfe with the difficulty of guiding the affections aright,II. Difficult to guide the affections aright for though the common errour thinke it the easiest thing in the world, yet the whole power of nature cannot reach it: for what a divine wisdome is required, holily to temper the affections, and keepe them even: To temper faith and feare, that they enterfeare not: to mingle love and hatred, that they entrench not one another; to holde the ballance even betweene Moses zeale, and Moses meeknesse: to contend for faith, and not be contentious: to be couragious and bolde, and yet suspitious and alwayes fearefull: to be christianly patient, and not stoically insensible: The same Spirit must afford this wisdome that appeared in the shape of a dove and of fire.

p. 268III. Necessity of well ordering our affections.Consider the necessity of this care and carriage of our affections: 1. In beholding the numbers of occasions which daily thrust in upon us, to thrust them besides their right objects, and enthrall us in pride, unjust anger, envie, wantonnesse, carnall love, feare, &c. And were there no such outward occasions, who feeles not the spirit in him lust after envie, and after the world, and after all forbidden fruites? so as all care is too little wisely to watch and prevent the continuall disorder of the whole man by his affections. 2. What great necessity is it that wise Christians difference themselves from common men: it is a great weaknesse to corrupt our affections by the provocations of wicked men; to shoote in their bowe, to doe as they doe. But the godly must be different from them, not feare with their feare, nor joy with their joy, nor kindle anger by theirs, nor curse when they curse, but blesse and pray, nor walke in their way: for as wilde beasts cannot hurt him that keepes out of their walke, so wicked men cannot seize on us to wrong us, if we enter not into their way and walke.

IV. Comfort in affections well guided.Consider the praise, the comfort of all religious duties. Yea, First, that the practise of all religion it selfe stands in affection and desire, Christian perfection is in affection, not in action, much lesse speculation and contemplation; and hence receives his denomination, Iob 28.28. The feare of the Lord is wisdome. All wise and religious walking is included under the affections: of the feare of the Lord to the duties of the whole law are all comprized under the affection of Iob.Rom. 13.8, 9.Rom 13:8Rom 13:9

p. 269Secondly, the comfort of these duties riseth out of the affection rather than action. Art thou a Minister? whether is thy comfort more to speake of good things than to affect them? what if thou hast Angelicall abilities to discourse of faith, love, zeale, hatred of evill, and thy selfe scorne and hate these things when and where thou seest them? If I had all gifts and want love, (saith Paul) I were nothing; knowledge puffeth up, but it is love that edifieth. Art thou a hearer, and wouldest have comfort of hearing, what doest thou affect in hearing? to censure the Preacher, curiously to feede thy judgement, or to enable thy discourse, this will not doe it: But to heare with pure intentions, of feeding the soule, of doing duties to get our hearts sanctified, our affections whetted, our obedience bettered, and to get the power of godlinesse, and the power of the life to come within us, all which the Lord knowes is the intent of a very few.

Thirdly, the acceptance of these duties is more by the affection than the action; and the action without the affection is as a body without a soule: yea where the action was gloriously performed, the Lord still wanted some proportion of affection; as in many of the Kings of Israel. Such a one did such and such good things, but not with all his heart and affection; and then all the labour is lost, the reward perisheth, and thy expectation is frustrate. And in the feeblest actions of his children the Lord sees a good compensation made of the defect, by the sincerity of the affection.

p. 270V. The sweet fruit of diligence in this duty.Consider the fruite of this care worth all our labour in it: for, First, As one disordered affection drawes on another, pride begets anger, anger begets envie, and envie begets hatred, and so murther: So one good affection begets another, love begets feare, feare begets humility, and humility is a fruitfull mother of many vertues: So good affections beget good actions, good actions good habits, good habits a good unblamable life.

Secondly, this care settles and fastens the affections upon solid objects and comforts, if the matter of our joy, love, feare, desire and delight be God, the fruite is internall and eternall, this joy none shall take away. But the wicked mans heart in laughter is sorrowfull, and for continuance is as of thornes crackling under the pot, and so are all affections displaced on wrong objects, so they lose both affections and objects.

Thirdly, looke what way we will, the well guiding of our affections seasons our lives with much sweetnesse.

1. Looke at God, it holds Gods affection to us: how well is the Lord pleased when our desires and affections are conformable to his? How acceptable is our obedience to him when wee are holy as hee is holy, mercifull as hee is mercifull; when we walke in love as he hath loved us? when his affections are the rule of ours, and so are framed to his will, for all his affections flow from his righteous will.

2. It holds Gods presence with us in his ordinances: Rev. 2. the Church of Ephesus had fallen p. 271from her first love, and yet a little sparke was left, shee hated the doctrine of the Nicholaitans which he hated, and therefore the Lord will not remove the Candlesticke, at least if shee recover her affection. And this is our case, the Church of England is wonderfully fallen from her first love; and why doth the Lord spare our Candlesticke, and holde up our light, and peace, and the Gospell, above all Countries about us? surely though wee are fallen from our first love and zeale, yet a little sparke of love is left in some poore despised ones, which holds life and soule in us; and some hatred of Romish Nicholaitans: for by the blessing of God, the body of the kingdome, the lawes, and doctrine of the kingdome, hates the doctrine and workes of the Nicholaitans; and for this weake affection yet God spares our Candlesticke. But let us quicken our hatred more, for as our first love is in great part gone, so if our hatred of evill goe to, all is gone, God shall see nothing to spare our Candlesticke.

3. It holds us with God in the sweete fruition of his ordinances, it kindles and keepes in us love, feare, zeale in his service, which is the life of our service and soules: and in all these the affection is more respected than the action. It holds us fast to the truth. What is it but zealous affection that will make us buy the truth at any rate; what is the truths keeper but love; what else but love makes us labour for it, suffer for it, die for it?

4. Strong and earnest affections to God make p. 272us profitable to men, provokes us to mercy, compassion, beneficence, helpefull to all that neede us.

5. It makes us enjoy our selves, by patience wee possesse our soules, love holds God in possession; charity makes us possesse our brethren, and patience puts us in possession of our selves. Sanctified affections uphold the heart with joy unspeakable and glorious, and leade a man happily to an happy estate.

6. The well guiding of affections begins the life of heaven upon earth; for the life of heaven is when the soule so cleaves unto God, as to become like him, when wee shall never love any thing but what he loveth, nor hate but what hee hateth, and this perfection wee must begin even here upon earth.

III. Now after the spirit and soule, we are to consider these directions by which the body and outward man may be kept blamelesse. All of them may bee reduced to that precept in the 1 Tim. 4.12. Be examples unto others in conversation, and in communication: the outward man must exercise inward grace.

First, for conversation, that is, either private or publicke, and in both, a Christian must set himselfe a patterne of godlinesse: 1 Pet. 1.15. Be holy in all manner of conversation, in Gods house, thine owne house, in thine owne closet and privacy, Psal. 101.2. David walked wisely in the midst of his house. Isaac in the field alone meditates and prayeth, Gen. 24.63. yea the women must be in such p. 273behaviour as becommeth holinesse, 2 Tit. 2.3. Rules for conversation are

1. Generall.

2. Particular.

The generall rules are five.

Glorifie God in your bodies and spirits, God must be glorified in our bodies.for they are his, 1 Cor. 6.20. And then we glorifie God in our bodies.

First, when we consecrate them to his service, leading an holy and godly life, that as he is holy we be also holy in all manner of conversation, 1 Pet. 1.11. Ephes. 1.4.6. to be holy to the praise of the glory of his grace.

Secondly, when wee outwardly acknowledge and publish the glory and majesty of God, offering him the calves of our lippes, the sacrifices of praise, and telling what hee hath done for our soules, Psal. 50.23. he that praiseth me glorifieth me.

Thirdly, when by our holy conversation wee invite others to glorifie God, when men seeing our good workes glorifie our heavenly Father, Matth. 5.16.

And the reasons of the precept are strong.Reasons

1. Our bodies they are his, by creation, redemption 1and preservation; and should not every workmanship serve to the use of the workeman? should not the thing bought with a deare price be usefull to the buyer?

2. They are not onelyonly his, but his Temples. 2The law of nature commands the Temples of God to be kept pure and cleane: the Heathens would with great charge decke the Temples of p. 274their gods; though some that would goe for Christians care not how Gods house lieth: their kitchins and stables shall lie handsomer than Gods house, if they can hinder it in themselves or others. Now our bodies are the Temples of the holy Ghost; and where should God be glorified and praised, and receive oblations, but in his owne Temple?

33. To sinne against our owne bodies is to commit sacriledge against the house of God, and profanely to spoile Gods Temple of the holy treasures and vessells that were laid up in it: And he that destroyes the Temple of God, him will God destroy, 1 Cor. 3.17.1 Cor 3:17and one way or other will the Lord testifie his wrath against his owne sacred Temple so profaned: Christ will whippe buyers and sellers out of his Temple; and if they returne hee will overthrow the Temple it selfe, and a stone shall not be left upon a stone. How suffered the Lord Ierusalem the holy City to be burnt, the Arke the most holy place to be carried captive when they were profaned? Doe thou robbe God of that glory which he expecteth in the Temple of thy body, his hand will be against thee in severity. And as the more holy the place profaned, the more wrath brake out: so the more profession of holinesse thou makest, if thou glorifie not God in body and spirit, the more severe shall bee thy ruine.

Ierom in an Epistle to Paulinus tells him that from the time of Adrian to Constantine the great, those most famous and priviledged places above p. 275all other were most profaned and rejected by God. So as in the very place of Christs resurrection there was erected an image of Iupiter: On the hill where the Crosse was set up was erected a marble statue for Venus, goddesse of lust. In Bethlem famous for Christs birth, was set the grove of Adonis, where the women at a set time every yeare were wont to lament Adonis the Parramour of Venus. Even these places of the resurrection of Christ, of his passion and his birth, the Lord makes them eye-markes of his judgements. If God spare not the most holy places, if profaned; upholde his glory in the Temple of thy body, else his jealousie will not spare thee.

The second generall rule, is, in Rom. 6.13. Take IIheede thou give not up thy members weapons of unrighteousnesse to sinne, but of righteousnesse to God. The Apostle speaketh to those that are regenerate, who are said to doe that which Gods grace makes them able to doe: And first, drawes their eyes backe to the state of nature and corruption in which lately they were, while sinne reigned in their mortall bodies: to which as to an Emperour, 1. they yeelded obedience, 2. tooke up weapons: that is, their owne members, and powers of body and minde in the defence of sinne, as resolute subjects to that commander. Secondly, and then drawes them to doe as much now for grace, unto which they are called, as they did for corruption while they went freely after the motions and commands of sinne. Give up your members weapons of righteousnesse. The Apostle p. 276implies that every regenerate man stands in a pitcht field, wherein the Commander or Generall is grace or righteousnesse, the quarrell is for God, his glory, his cause joyned with our salvation: the weapons are our owne members, which we must give up to righteousnesse. That is, First, we must take new commandements from grace, as the souldier depends on the mouth of his Generall for his direction. Secondly, we must frame to ready obedience, be the service never so difficult or dangerous. Thirdly, stoutly and couragiously fight against sinne, as formerly before regeneration we did for sinne, and acquit our selves like men. And good reason: for, 1. Kings are maintained and held up in their throne, First, in peace, by the ready obedience of their subjects: Secondly, in warre, by their willingnesse to fight for them: If subjects will doe neither of these, the King must fall. So whatsoever profession we make of grace, if thus we withdraw our members from the rule, from the quarrell of grace; grace is deposed from his reigne, and sinne stands in his state and power. 2. Weapons and Armes are used in defence of the King and Country, and the friends of the King and Country, but not against them; it is high treason for a subject to take up Armes against his Prince, none will doe this against the King or his friends, but robbers and common enemies: So it high is treason for a man to imploy the members of his body against Grace his Generall and Commander; and therefore the Apostle exhorteth us to give up our bodies and p. 277members as weapons of righteousnesse, being called unto grace, let the whole outward man follow the commands of grace.

Thirdly, in our whole course and conversation IIIlabour to expresse Gods Image, not contenting our selves to get it into our nature onelyonly, but also into our conversation. Rom. 8.1. Walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit. Men deceive themselves while they content themselves with a supposed presence of the Spirit, while there is no walking after the Spirit, which is a going after the Spirit as a guide and leader of their speeches and actions: for that man who must be freed from the condemnation of sinne, must be freed also from vaine conversation, 1 Pet. 1.18. The power of sinne must be beaten downe in the life, and vanities of life and pleasure must be suppressed, which still thrust in upon them that professe the teaching of grace, who sometimes are carried after carnall delights, strange apparell, lightnesse of carriage, dancing, gaming and excesse of pleasures which the spirit should have mortified, and brought in a cleane contrary course prescribed in the word, and exemplified in the examples of the Saints; but especially in that unerring patterne Iesus Christ himself, who was led by the Spirit in every motion, even the least. For thinke we that the Spirit renewes us onelyonly within and not without? doth he make us beleeve as Christians, and not live as Christians? doth the sappe and juice of a tree onelyonly quicken it within, and not cause it produce fruites outwardly? Thou hast not received p. 278the Spirit of Christ, if it be not unto thee life unto righteousnesse, Rom. 8.10. that is, make thee lively and active in all the wayes of godlinesse. Faith is not as a light under a bushell; therefore shew mee thy faith by thy workes. Grace is as a light in a cleare lanterne which from within enlighteneth without.

Now the rather must we labour for renovation without as well as within: 1. Because flesh and blood unrenewed shall not enter into heaven. 2. The disorder of the outward man and members argue a sinfull and disordered soule, seeing the body is but a servant of the soule, and doth nothing but by the Masters direction and appointment; an evill eye issueth from an evill minde, and a corrupt tongue moveth according to the abundance of the heart. 3. No outward deformity is comparable to this of sinne in the members, which makes the body to God indeed vile and contemptible, as a dead and loathsome corpes is to man.

IVFourthly, to keepe the outward man blamelesse beware of all unchastity and impurity of body; and on the contrary, watch unto chastity and civill honesty. 1 Cor. 6.13. The body is not for fornication, but for Christ the Lord; and the Lord for the body: That is, the body is ordained for the Lords use, and ought to be imployed to his glory. And the Lord for the body: to redeeme and sanctifie the body as well as the soule; and consequently to rule the body and command that as well as the soule, being the Lord of the body as well as of the soule.

p. 279And the same Apostle saith, the body is a member of Christ as well as the soule: Shall I take a member of Christ and make it a member of an harlot, verse 15? Can any thing be more opprobrious unto Christ than to transforme him into an harlot? Can any thing derogate more from his glory and majesty, or be more contrary to his most holy nature?

Againe, Christs body was Gods Temple, Ioh. 2.21. Destroy this Temple, because the Deity dwelt in it foreign, bodily; and of this Temple Salomons Temple was but a type. So thy body is Christs Temple, in which he dwells by his Spirit foreign, virtually. Now the light of nature teacheth to preserve Temples pure and cleane, but grace much more to preserve spirituall Temples cleane and holy. And therefore as Christ when he went into his Fathers Temple, made a whip, and whipped out buyers and sellers, and money-changers, who had made his house a denne of theeves; so doe thou in Christs Temple, which is thine owne body, beate it downe, 1 Cor. 9. ult.1 Cor 9and overthrow the wanton and stragling corruptions of it; whip out those roving lusts, which make the house of Christ as a denne of harlots and filthinesse. Coloss. 3.5. Mortifie your earthly members, fornication, uncleannesse, and all inordinate affections. Eph. 5.3. But fornication and all uncleannesse, let it not once be named as becommeth Saints.

The fifth Rule. Magnifie Christ in thy body Vboth by life and death: this was the Apostles care, Phil. 1.20. As alwayes so now Christ shall be p. 280magnified in my body. Thy body is mortall, fraile, fading, yea a vile body, Col. 3.21. yet in this body Christ will and must be magnified.

How Christ is magnified in our body.Quest. How? Answ. 1. By keeping the heavenly treasure of the knowledge of God, and the attendant graces in these earthly vessels: as Paul, 2 Cor. 4.7. We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power might be of God. 2. By holding out the word of life,By profession. and carrying the name of Christ in an holy undaunted and constant confession and profession in the place where thou livest, as Paul did through the world. 3. By expressing in this frail body,By action. not the doctrine only but the life of Iesus Christ, conforming thy selfe to his blessed example, in humility, holinesse, charity, piety, patience, and other vertues; that all men may see and say, surely this man is a member of Christ, he lives the life of Christ, he resembles the patterne. 4. In this weake body of thine carry about the mortification of Christ Iesus,By passion. 2 Cor. 4.10. suffer afflictions for the name of Christ, and beare in thy body, as Paul did, the markes of the Lord Iesus, Gal. 6.17. fulfill in thy body the rest of the sufferings of Christ, carry the badge of a true Disciple, yea if God call thee, offer up thy body and life a thankfull sacrifice, not in life onelyonly but unto death, if thereby thou maist magnifie Iesus Christ. Thus did the faithfull Saints and Martyrs, offering themselves, the sweetest sacrifice of all others: Yea our Lord himselfe comming into the world, Heb. 10.5. said, Burnt offerings thou wouldest not have, (that is, now after p. 281the comming of Christ) but a body hast thou given me, that in this my body I might offer that expiatory sacrifice, of all which the other were but shadowes: Even so say thou, Burnt offerings God calls not for, but he hath given me a body to offer unto him, and give up unto him in life and death, in way not of a Propitiatory, but of an Eucharisticall sacrifice of praise, thereby to magnifie his name. 5. Thou magnifiest him in thy body, when thou magnifiest him in his body; as when thou admirest the graces of his servants, honourest his members, delightest in them that excell in vertue, helpest and releevest the poore Saints; all which he taketh as done to himselfe.

These are the generall Rules, now of the speciall, for speciall parts.

To keepe the severall parts of the body blamelesse, the word is plentifull in severall precepts,Rules to keepe speciall parts of the body unblamable. but especially injoynes a strait watch over the senses which are the windowes of the soule. But that the discourse may not swell beyond a reasonable proportion, I will onelyonly cull out, 1. two principall senses, and 2. two principall organes and members of the body, and give some short rules concerning them; and in them we shall see it is no easie thing to keep the body blamelesse, neither in them nor in the rest which I must be silent in. The two senses are the sight and hearing, the senses of discipline: and the other two members are the hand and tongue, the which being well ordered by the word, much blame would be cut off from the lives of men, which they now stand guilty of.

p. 282IFirst, for the eye to keepe it unblamable: We must watch it well; for you must know that of all the sciences there is none so quicke a messenger to the heart and soule as the eye, by reason whereof it requireth a strait watch. God hath given to the eye power to see every thing, but cannot looke into it selfe, and therefore hee hath given to man understanding that he may looke into himselfe by the directions the Scripture doth afford us, which be of two sorts, and both of them within that in Iob 31. that because the eye is a most swift messenger unto the soule, and most slippery, as Iob, make a covenant with thine eyes not to behold vanity. Covenant must be made with the eye.And because all thy watching is too little for so quicke a member, pray the Lord that he would turne away thine eye from beholding vanity, Psal. 119.37.

Wherein is this watch?

I. To pull away thine eyes from unallowed objects. First, beware of an hypocriticall & deceitfull eye, as in Prov. 6.12. there is one that twinkleth with his eye, this is an eye quick-sighted to deceive his brother. See thine eye be single, as Christ teacheth, that is, such an eye as may discerne to doe that thou doest, that it be just, 2. by just meanes, 3. doe it with all thy heart uprightly: 4. within compasse of thy calling: and if thou canst get this single eye, the whole body will be likewise single.

II. There is a lustfull or an adulterous eye: 2 Pet. 2.19. we reade of unchast persons that have eyes full of adultery. First, there be them that have p. 283eyes full of spirituall adultery, gazing upon Popish pictures and images which they hang up in their houses as alluring harlots, corrupters of the heart, which is an opening of the doore to idolatry, and a signe of a man willing to be deceived. But the eyes of the Church are as doves eyes, Cant. 1.14. chast and pure not gazing upon idolatrous pictures. Secondly, corporall adultery, that delight in lascivious pictures & filthy portraitures of naked men and women in whole or such parts as may incite the corruption of heart, and feede it with contemplative adultery: we neede bring no oyle to this flame: the more lamentable it is that the Divell hath got such pictures into request in this wanton and unclean age; for where can a man goe where he may looke off them, which a manifest signe of adulterous eyes. 2. Such are their eyes, who are adulterous living pictures, that so attire and disguise themselves to lay open their nakednes beyond all modestie to ensnare the eyes & senses of others: say not thou thinkest no hurt in it, except thou be sure others thinke no hurt by it. 3. Such are their eyes that reade lascivious and wanton bookes, teachers of adultery and lewdnesse; that frequent stage-playes, with their beastly acts and actions, wherein all gates and walls are cast open to the Divell: beware of this eye by which death and poyson enters into the heart.

III. There is a covetous eye, which is not satisfied with riches, Eccles. 4.8. neither doth hee say for whom doe I thus labour: this eye defraudes p. 284the soule of pleasure, and is an evill sicknesse: As Ahabs, who was discontented with a kingdome for want of Naboths vineyard. There be three things that never say enough, the horseleach, the fire, and the grave, and adde the fourth, a covetous eye, which as Iobs Elephant, Iob 40. thinkes hee can swallow the whole flood Iordan: Let a covetous man have but a moate of dust or earth in his eye, what trouble is it to him? yet he thinkes to thrust a whole Country (could he get it) into his eye, and see never the worse. Take heed of this covetous eye, there is no greater an enemy to faith and contentation, or any good exercise than it is.

IV. There is an envious eye, Matth. 20.15. Is thine eye evill because mine is good? such an eye as Satan cast upon the happinesse of man, when hee was fallen from his owne. Take heede of this sore eye that cannot abide the light. Basil saith, that whereas many evills are in it, yet onelyonly one good thing goes with it, it is the greatest plague to him that hath it.

V. There is a sleepy, a dull and a negligent eye, not open or quicke to behold with fruite and profit the noble workes and actions of God: whereas God hath made the eye of a round figure, and of quicke motion, that it might easily move it selfe any way, or every way, in viewing the workes of God, in beholding the afflictions of his people, and the necessities of his brethren.

IIThe second thing wherein we must be carefull in watching the eye,Choyse obiects for the eye. is, to labour to holde and p. 285fixe the eyes upon allowed and profitable objects. As, 1. God made our eyes to looke upward, and hath given mans eye one muscle which the beasts eye wants, that it should not fixe it selfe as theirs upon the earth; yea hath compassed the eyes with browes and lids to fence them from dust and earth, that though we looke sometimes on the earth, yet the least dust or earth should not get into them: Psal. 123.2. to shew that our eyes should be lifted up unto him▪ and in seeing his creatures behold himselfe … …hem▪ Esay 40.26. Lift up your eyes aloft, and behold who created all these things: the invisible things of God, his power, divinity, and eternity were made visible to the very Gentiles by things created, Rom. 1.20. And shall Christians onelyonly looke on these things as they, to make our selves inexcusable? shall we looke upon the Sunne, and not on him that made it?

2. Let us fixe our eyes on the workes of God in and for his Church, for the strengthening of our faith and confidence; as Iohn 2.23. they that saw the workes of Christ, Many of them beleeved in his name, seeing the workes he did. For the Lord doth nothing for or against his Church, but according to his truth revealed in the word; the Lord doth no worke in his Church, either of judgement or of mercy, but they are as it were the very commentaries of the Scriptures: and therefore all the workes of God that wee can behold in or for his Church doe notably stirre up our faith in him.

3. God hath allowed us our eyes to behold our brethren, to behold their graces, to see their p. 286good example, to affect, embrace and encourage them, to imitate them, to glorifie God for them; thus our eyes should imitate the eyes of God which are upō the just,Psal. 34.16Ps 34:16 to affect, protect & reward them. Yea we must holde our eyes upon our brethrens misery to pitty & releeve them, we must not turne our eyes from our owne flesh, as the unmercifull Priest and Levite did from the wounded man, who were condemned by the pittifull Samaritan.

4. Our eyes we… given us not onelyonly to be organes of sight, but to be fountaines of teares, in beholding both our owne sinne and misery, and the sinne and wretchednesse of our brethren. The Iewes eye beholding the brazen Serpent was a watery and mournefull eye, because hee was stung by the Serpent: so ours much more, whose sting and paine is mortall and inward. And can we beholde any creature, and not see in it the expresse prints and markes of our owne sinne, which still must adde to our griefe?

And for others. Good Lot was vexed daily to see the uncleane conversation of the Sodomites: and Davids eye gusht out with rivers of teares, because men kept not the word, Psal. 119.126. These sinfull objects every where should be the griefe of our soules, and as swords piercing our hearts, which we can too easily conceive pleasure in.

5. Our eyes should be ever looking homewards and heavenwards, and towards the end of our way; as quicke travellers gaze not on things before their feet, but hasten to the end of their way. p. 287This is by heavenly conversation, and constant expectation of our Lords returne to take our account; we should long after Christ, and the place of his abode, there should our hearts be where our home is, our house, our husband, our father, our eldest brother, even Christ himselfe is.

Thus to order our eyes, consider first, the 1danger of a neglected eye, in Eve: shee saw the fruite was good, and forgot the commandement. Potiphars wife cast her eye immodestly on Ioseph, and said, Lye with me. Gen. 39.7.Gen 39:7David saw Bathsheba washing, and was all inflamed. It can looke to all things else, but not to it selfe, that thou mightest looke to it so much more: And if the eye spy not nets laid for us, it selfe becomes a net. Ambrose.

Secondly, an evill eye is made a signe of an evill 2heart, Mark. 7.22. out of an evill heart commeth an evill eye: and if the eye be evill, the body is darke, Matth. 6.23.

Thirdly, a man that gives his heart to God will 3give his eye too, for God calls for both, Prov. 23.26. My sonne give me thy heart, and let thine eyes delight in my wayes. And if thou give him not both, he cares for neither; and if thou give him not thine eye as well as thy heart, thou wilt lose thy heart quickly: the adulterous woman will steale away thy heart, though thou seemest to give it to God, if thou watch not thine eye.

Fourthly, know that if thou wilt not looke to thine eyes, hee that made the eye must needes see p. 2884thee, Psal. 94.9. he sees the least unlawfull looke. Lots wife cannot turne her face backward but hee sees and smites. This is Salomons argument to the young man that will walke in the sight of his owne eyes, that God will bring him to judgement, Eccles. 11.9. if thou wilt walke after the sight of thine owne eyes, doe; but know that for thy quicke and nimble and unallowed lookes thou shalt come to judgement.

Directions for the custody of the eare.Now the directions for the eare.

The heart cannot possibly be kept in good state without diligent observation of the senses, no more than a Citty can be defended where the ports and gates are cast open. And as in the keeping of a gate of a Citty, diligent care must be taken whom they let in, and whom they let out: So in keeping this sense we must know, 1. when Ito shut it, 2. when to open it.

First, we must keepe shut our eare against the voice of the tempter, that Satan and sinne enter not by this wicket; Eve not doing this, death entred into her soule and all ours.

Secondly, wee must keepe out the entising and alluring of sinners, which are as the Syrens songs: Prov. 1.10. My sonne, of sinners entise thee, consent not. And take heede of evill rotten and poysonfull communication, let no evill corrupt communication passe through thine eares; for evill words corrupt good manners, and the want of learning this counsell is the bane of all modesty and civility in this age: for this corrupteth first the heart, and then the conversation; it is like p. 289fire cast into a barrell of gunpowder, that sets all on fire presently. A Christian must neither speake filthy language, nor heare it.

Thirdly, keepe out reproaches, slanderous and reviling tales, whisperings against the good names of our brethren: for what difference is there betweene carrying of Satan in the tongue, or in the eare? A good man will not slander with his tongue, nor receive it into his eares. David sinned in the ease of Mephibosheth by meanes of slanderous Ziba, whom he should have driven away with an angry looke.

Fourthly, wee must not heare or give heede to false doctrine, errours, heresies, and libertine opinions contrary to truth received: Deut. 13.3.8. If thy brother, thy owne sonne or thy daughter, or the wife that lyeth in thy bosome, or thy friend, which is as thine owne soule, intice thee secretly, saying, let us serve other Gods, &c. thou shalt not consent unto him, nor heare him, neither shall thine eye pittie him, nor shew merciemercy, nor keepe him secret, but thou shalt even kill him, and thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and then the hands of all the people, &c. 1 Tim. 4.1.7. Beware of this itching eare, which comes to Church rather to censure the Preacher than it selfe: as Herod having Iohn before him, sought some miracles to please his curiosity, but sought not grace for his salvation, and departed and left Iohn as he found him; as the beasts uncleane went out of the Arke, uncleane came they in, and so they went out. They sinne against this rule that desire novell doctrine, forsake the beaten p. 290path and simplicity of received truthes, and runne into new and strange conceits and confused errours, troubling with the faith of men the peace of the Church, and happy proceedings of the Gospell.

Fifthly, especially beware of hearing Gods name blasphemed by oathes and cursed speeches, or his religion or profession, or servants dishonoured without our defence: A godly heart is carefull neither to sinne himselfe, nor communicate in the sinnes of others. In a word, in all the speeches we heare, remember Iob 34.3. The eare tryeth words as the taste tryeth meates, to let no words goe downe into the soule which are not wholesome: else we are justly blame-worthy by neglecting this sence.

IISecondly, we must learne to know when to open the eare. As,

1. To heare the word of God. This is called an hearing eare, and an obedient eare, an eare inclined to heare wisdomes sayings, Prov. 4.20. Remember it is a note of him that is of God to heare his word, hee heares what the Spirit saith to the Churches, Iohn 8.47. hee is swift to heare, Iames 1.19.

2. There is a deafe eare, by which men become like the idols that have eares and heare not: And this being a great plague is followed with a greater; the eare turned from hearing the Law, Gods eare is turned from hearing his prayers, his very prayer is abominable; what then is his person?

p. 291Now would you know whether you have this hearing eare or not; take it thus: It is

Swift,

Patient,Notes to know the hearing eare.

Wise.

First, swift to heare on all good occasions; it 1knowes God hath given him two eares, and on either side of the head, to teach him to apprehend all occasions to gaine instruction.

Secondly, patient in hearing our owne sinnes disgraced, 2the coare of our owne corruptions lanced and let out, our owne duties described; it must be a boared eare, like Christs, signified by that boared eare of the Iewish servant, Exod. 21.6. a painfull signe of perpetuall subjection and obedience.

Thirdly, wise and discreet to heare Gods voice, 3who ever be the speaker, not receiving heavenly treasure for the earthen vessell; nor casting away good corne because it comes out of a course sack; not regard…ng who speakes to us so much, as from whom he speaketh, and what it is that is spoken; as the Virgin Mary, when an Angell spake to her, she considers what is said, and saith, What manner of salutation is this? 2. To keepe our eare open to private admonition, exhortation, and reproofe of godly men, knowing that the rebukes of a friend are better than the kisses of an enemy. 3. To keepe our eare open to the cry of the poore, and their complaints in hard times: Prov. 21.13. Hee that stoppeth his eare to the crie of the poore, himselfe shall crie and not be heard: a mercifull eare is like unto Gods.

p. 292The hand also, so noble and so nimble an instrument of action, must bee kept blamelesse. Whosoever will bee outwardly unblameable, must,Keep the hand that it be not 1. Idle.

1. Beware of an idle hand: Prov. 10.4. A sloathfull hand maketh poore. Ephes. 4.28. Worke with the hands. God hath made the hands to worke that which is good, and to minister to our necessities, as Paules to him, Acts 20.34. by painefull walking in some lawfull calling for the common good of mankinde: not the richest hand, nor the daintiest and softest hand is exempted from faithfull diligence in some profitable vocation. Our Gentry and Nobles, that neede not worke for themselves, ought with good Dorcas to labour in making garments for the poore. This is Gods way of plenty, prosperity and abundance: whereas idlenesse is the Divells anvill, on which hee forgeth infinite mischiefe; he that is not in Gods workes, is fit and active for the Divells worke.

2. Beware of a cruell hand, smiting with the fist of violence;2. Cruell. the hand of men that are of a fierce and cruell disposition, men of a word and a blow, yea of a word and a stabbe, like Ishmael, whose hand was against every man, and every mans against him. Remember Prov. 29.22. A furious man, and so a furious woman abounds in transgression: the sinne of rigorous Masters and Parents, whose rage often cares not to maime and wound servants and children, or dull their senses by immoderate punishment, and multiply threatnings, oathes and imprecations, and transgressions: p. 293such fierce and mercilesse men are out of the way of Gods mercy. Therefore let all labour for a meeke and quiet spirit.

3. Beware of a foule hand, a hand soyled with foule iniquity, deceit, fraud, cousenage,3. Foule. and still abides unwashen. Thou canst lift up no hands acceptably to God but pure hands, 1 Tim. 2.8. yea sacrifice and his owne ordinances, if done with hands full of injustice and cruelty, they are rejected. Holinesse becomes the holy God, and that both within and without. Many like the Pharises wash, and wash often, but their hands are never the cleaner, they make a shew and colour of repentance and sanctification, but forget that ever they were washed: Pilate washeth his hands, and presently goes to condemne Christ. Numbers of men contemne Christ in his doctrine, his Ministers and members, and come to Sacrament, and seeme to wash and all is well. This is but to put on a faire glove, the hand is as foule as it was.

4. Beware of a profane hand, seldome lifted up in prayer and praises:4. Prophane. this heavie hand fills the life with blame and sinne. Psal. 63.4. David professeth he will lift up his hands to Gods name: and this is the way to avoid both sinne and judgement; as Moses, Exod. 9.29. I will spread my hands to the Lord and the plague shall cease. And it is just with God to cast him off, and that his plagues should overtake him that neglecteth this duty.

5. Beware of an uncharitable and unmercifull hand, a shut hand,5. Vnmercifull. seldome open to the reliefe p. 294of the poore members of Iesus Christ: Remember the commandement, Deut. 15.7. Thou shalt not shut thine hand from thy poore brother. A number of mens hands are like the dry and withered hand of him on whom Christ must worke a miracle before he could stretch it out as the other. Behold the judgement of God on many withered hands, which never stretched out their hands, nor can, to any mercifull reliefe, or any religious or holy purpose, to uphold the service of God. Men of many thousands scarce cast in two pence to the most needfull contribution: whereas the property of a vertuous woman, (much more of the godly man) is to stretch out the hands to the poore, Prov. 31.21.

Thus wee see how a Christian may be an example to others in conversation, both generally and specially.

Watch warily the tongue an unruly member.Now for the tongue: The rules of direction are;

First, consider to what purpose God bestowed speech upon man,I. God ordained it, and no creature else: As,

1. To glorifie God above them all, in prayers,1. To glorifie him. and praises: with the tongue we blesse God, and make it our glory, by upholding Gods glorie, and resisting that which is contrary to it. How is this perverted? When wee reproach his word, or workes, or speake against his Saboths, his servants, his Ministers, his profession; or sweare idly, vainely, or falsely.

2. To edifie men.2. To edifie men, our speech being a principall instrument of humane society, and in respect p. 295of our brethren, for the communion of Saints: this is one principall end why God hath given us tongues, that we may not onelyonly pray for our selves, but for our brethren. By the tongue wee blesse men, wee pray for them, wee instruct them, comfort them, admonish, and rebuke them.

3. Speech is the instrument of reason and wisdome, and the interpreter of our owne mindes,3. To interpret our owne mindes. and the utterer of the truth of our hearts; and therefore must be moved by reason and wisdome in expressing the grace of our hearts, and the goodnesse of our treasures within: as sweete waters doe argue a sweete fountaine; and wholsome and pleasant fruites a good tree. Salomon calls good speech the fruite of the mouth, Prov. 12.14. comparing a good speaker or tongue to a good tree, farre beyond all other trees in the fruite: they bring forth fruite to others, this to a mans selfe; the good man shall eate good things by the fruite of his mouth: they bring fruite once a yeare, this all the yeare; they bring forth one manner of fruite, this all kindes of tastefull and usefull fruite.

Secondly, avoide all abuse of the tongue,II. Avoid carefully. by which so necessary and excellent an instrument of humane society is perverted.

1. Beware of a swearing and a cursing tongue,1. A swearing tongue. accustomed to impious speeches against God. Shall the same tongue pray to God, and vainely sweare by God? Shall it blesse men, and curse men too? The Heathens could not abide him p. 296that could blow both hot and colde: Much lesse will the God of heaven endure him that out of the same fountaine sends forth both sweete water and bitter.

2. A lying tongue.2. Beware of a lying and deceitfull tongue, uttering crafty and guilefull words: Psal. 52.4. of the wicked man it is said, Thou lovest all words that may destroy, oh thou deceitfull tongue. How did the Divell use a tongue otherwise than in lying and deceiving? for when hee speakes a lye, he speaks his owne, saith Christ. And God will destroy all them that speake lyes, Psal. 12.3. because nothing is more contrary to his nature, being truth it selfe.

3. A flattering tongue.3. Take heed of an oily and a flattering tongue, that can sooth and smooth, and justifie an evill man in his evill: Prov. 29.5. A man that flattereth his neighbour, spreades a net for his steppes, as a fowler layeth in waite, to bring the bird into the net, and holde him in it: implying that this flattery is the Divells invisible net, by which he catcheth and holdeth men fast in the snare. For what man will not delight in any base lust, when hee shall not onelyonly not feare reproofe, but be commended and graced in it?

But of all flatterers, none is so serviceable to the Divell as a flattering Minister, who brings whole flights of foolish birds into the snare, and holds them fast to death.

4. A slanderous tongue.4. Beware of a slanderous and smiting tongue, of which, Ierem. 18.18. Let us smite him with the tongue, because blowes and strokes hurt not, nor p. 297wound a mans body, more than the slanderous words hurt his name. The slanderer is a monstrous creature; for a tongue he hath a sting, for words he carries swords in his mouth; his breath is poysonfull and loathsome as gall of aspes; yea hee carries a fire in his mouth set on fire from hell. One compares the slanderer to the butchers mastiffe, hee lies still in the shambles, hee waites for the blood of the beast, his mouth is ever bloodie.

But especially when he slandereth godly men in their godly wayes, hee lies in the Divells sinne, who is an accuser of the brethren, Revel. 12.

And hee is often paid with his owne coyne, that as hee sits as a moth fretting the names of others, his name is wounded and gnawed on by others: Whereas by the same overruling power of God, a man chary of anothers name comming through his hands, hath his name often defended and tendered passing through the hands of others.

5. Beware of a wanton and filthy tongue, addicted to unseemely and ribauldry speech,5. A filthy tongue. full of corruption, both in the speaker and hearer: the one making no conscience of foule words easily comes on to foule actions; the others good manners easily corrupted by evill speeches, 1 Cor. 15.

Say not with thy selfe, Though I sometimes speake foolishly and merrily, yet my heart is good, I live well and honestly for all that. I assure thee thy heart and tongue are both of one constitution: p. 298and thou that saist thou art so honest of thy body, but neglectest thy tongue, carriest a world of wickednesse about thee still in that little member.

III. Vse meanes to keepe thy tongue unblameable: 4 Reasons.Thirdly, use the meanes to keepe thy tongue unblameable. For, first, it is a little member, but unruly, and as hard to keepe as a Citty without walls. Secondly, by thy words thou shalt be justified or condemned. Thirdly, all thy religion and profession is in vaine, if thy tongue be unruled. Fourthly, a wholesome tongue is the tree of life. How carefull will an husbandman be to preserve a tree of delicate and precious fruite? Such a tree is a well governed tongue. But if a man had the least sprig of the tree of life, by which hee were sure to thrust away diseases, paines, sicknesse, death, and preserve himselfe in an happy, healthfull, undying and immortall estate; oh how carefully would hee tend and charily watch it? But Salomon commends a well ordered tongue to that whole tree of life, Prov. 15.4. for the fruite of a long and comfortable life, 1 Pet. 3.10.

Quest. What are these meanes?

Foure meanes.Answ. First, set a watch before the doore of 1thy mouth, and resolve with David not to offend with thy tongue: Psal. 39.1. I purposed and vowed with my selfe to looke to my wayes, and that I sinne not with my tongue: and that man that will not sinne with his tongue, must set a strong watch before the doore of his mouth. And consider here, first, it is too much for a Christian to lodge corruption and filthinesse in his heart; and yet if some p. 299uncleannesse will still hide it selfe in those deceitfull corners, choake it there, let not the tongue utter it, nor the mouth vent it to the poysoning and infecting of others. Secondly, that a thought may be corrected, but a word once spoken is irrevocable; and therefore wisdome will examine every word first before it passe out of the mouth.

Secondly, take lawes for our lippes from God, 2and put them on our tongue: Prov. 31. the godly woman, the law of grace is upon her tongue, the word of God is the bound of her tongue and speeches, both for matter, manner, measure and end of her speeches.

A man cannot learne a forreigne tongue, Hebrew, Greeke, Latine, French, unlesse he be taught the elements, or observe the rules of speech. Now to speake gracious speech is not our native language, it is the language of Canaan, to which wee are naturally strangers, and can never get it of our selves, unlesse wee acquaint our selves with the rules of it in the word of God. Who can speake familiarly with God, savourly of God, or Christianly with men, without Gods owne teaching in his word?

Thirdly, labour to get a good heart, for out of 3the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, Matth. 15.18. and Prov. 16.23. The heart of the wise guideth the mouth wisely: for as the shop is furnished out of the ware-house, so the mouth with speech out of the heart. Whence it must follow, that the want of good and savoury speech argues a barren and naughty heart. To speake the language of p. 300Canaan, be a Iew within, get a wise, pure, and converted heart, and then thou art one of the people of a pure language, 3 Zeph. 9.13.

Fourthly, accustome thy selfe to good and savoury 4speech, flowing from grace in the heart; that all thy speech may be the issue of knowledge, faith, holy affections of love, joy, zeale, desire of godly sorrow, &c. and tending to the praise of God, and to the exhorting, instructing, counselling and comforting of men: as the damosell to Peter, let thy speech bewray thee a Disciple of Christ, a good Christian: see the matter be good and pertinent, the manner seasoned and bounded with godly discretion, and the end tending to minister grace to the hearers.

The reason of this rule is, First, because corrupt communication slippes in for want of better communication which might have prevented it. Secondly, no way so expedite to breake off a bad habit, than by frequent contrary acts which will grow habituall and familiar.

Thus much of the directions for keeping the outward man blamelesse. If any thinke them not so necessary to be insisted upon, or taken up carefully into his practise, let him remember: 1. That the heart is never renewed unlesse the outward man be reformed. 2. It shall one day be said to him, Why takest thou my law into thy mouth? Psal. 50.16. why professest thou religion and salvation by Iesus Christ, and hatest to be reformed? 3. The time hastens, wherein every soule present shall be judged by that hee hath done in the body, be it good or evill, 2 Cor. 5.10.