The Happiness of Practice, Title page – Dedication

The Happiness of Practice · Title page – Dedication

THE HAPPINESSE OF PRACTICE. BY SAMVEL VVARD, Bachelour in Diuinity, and Preacher of Ipswich▪

LONDON, Printed for Iohn Marriot, and Iohn Grismond, and are to be sold at their Shops in Saint Dunstans Church-yard in Fleetstreet, and in Pauls Ally, at the Signe of the Gunne. 1621.

Dedicatorie.

Scriptures I hauehave handled among you, endeuoured to acquaint you with the whole Counsell of God: and what is now the top of all my ambition, but to make you Doers, of what you hauehave beene Hearers? Wherein consists the delight of Husbandman? not in his plowing, sowing, or carting, but to see the Furrowes crowned, and Barnes filled with the fruit of his labours. **Quū desideria bona concipimus, semen in terram mittimus; quum verò opera recta incipimus, herba sumus; quum ad profectum boni operis crescimus, ad spicam peruenimus; quum in eiusdem boni operis perfectione solidamur, bonum frumentum in spica proferimus Greg. in hom.When we preach, we sow the seed; when we see good desires, then the corne sprouts vp; when people begin to doe well, then it blades: but when they are abundant in good workes, then are the eares laden with corne; when stedfast and perseuering to the end, then are they ripe for Gods barne. It was pride in Montanus to ouerweene his Pepuza, foreign. Euseb. l. 5. c. 17.and Tymium, two pelting parishes in Phrygia, and to call them Hierusalem, as if they had been the onelyonly Churches in the world. But this is the commendable zeale of eueryevery true Pastor, to adorne his owne Lot, and to wish his Garden as the Eden of God. Such shall you be, if GOD shall please to water the meanes you hauehave, with the dew of his Spirit, to continue and increase your louelove to hearing and doing; to the muzzling of the mouthes of all scoffers and scorners at profession, to the ioy, crowne, and eternall happinesse of your owne soules, and such as God hath made watchmen ouer them, and of mee the vnworthiest of the rest.

Samuel Ward.

p. 1THE HAPPINESSE OF PRACTICE.

IOHN 13. 17.

These things if you know, happy are you if you doe them.

THE fastening Nayle of the chiefe Master of the Assemblies, the great Shepheards Pegge, driuing home, and making sure, all his former counsels, p. 2chosen as as a farewell cloze, making and leauing a deepe impression of all his deedes and sayings, as the last strong and loud knole of a Bell, that ends all the Peales going before: A Text that puts life into all other Texts, vrging the life of them, which is the practice of them, and is therefore aptly and duly pronounced by many at the end of their Sermons: A Sermon, vponupon which Text, the world hath as much neede of, as of any one yet extant; the multitude of them, as Statutes and Proclamations wanting yet one to enforce the obseruation of the rest. The necessity of doing, was the scope of our Lords last solemne and vncouth action, of girding himselfe with a Towell, rising from his Magisteriall Seate, washing and wiping his Disciples feete. Hee had indeede two other by-ends one mysticall, intimated in his Dialogue with Peter, typifying the great end of his descent from heauen, and begirting himselfe with our flesh, p. 3viz. that hee might totally wash our soules in the Bath of Iustification once for all,foreign. and partially in the Lauer of Regeneration so often, as wee soile our feete in the mire of this world by dayly sinnes of infirmity. The other Morall, to set his Disciples a patterne of humility and louelove, stooping to the meanest Offices of mutuall seruice, without emulation or affectation of priority, which hee foresaw, would else bee the bane of their sacred function. But his third and most principall ayme, was by this his both verball and reall strange kind of lesson, to learne them not so much what they knew not, as the vse of doing that they knew, else would words onelyonly hauehave serued the turne, and not so much adoe hauehave needed, but he first does the things, and then expresses his intent, These things if you doe, &c. In this conditionall benediction obserue, first, the obiect, on which Happinesse is conferred, and to which it is confined. These things: p. 4Secondly, the 2. acts required hereto; If you know: If you do: chiefely, the chiefe of them is, If you do: to which happinesse is foreannexed specially: Happy are you, if you doe.

These things.] The knowledge and practice of these things onelyonly, blesseth, these maine Arch-mysteries of Faith, and these diuine & cardinal vertues of louelove and humility, symbolized in their ablution, and not the doing or knowing of all the naturall, morall, or manuall Sciences in the world besides.

If one knew all the Circle of learning, and knew, as was said of Beringarius, all that was knowable, all the rules of Policy, secrets of State, mysteries of trading, & could execute them all; yet in his such knowing and doing he might not blesse himselfe, were not happy, nor so to bee reputed of Christians. The right placing or misplacing of Happinesse, is the Rudder of a mans life, the Fountain of his well or ill doing; according to which, p. 5men take their markes, and shoote right or wrong, all the actions of their liues. He that admireth in his heart, and blesseth with his mouth, any other Idol of Good, in stead of this only true good, must needs misse of his end, & be a miserable man, grosly mistaking his markes, as silly country people, that oftentimes giuegive termes of Honours and Maiesties to meane persons. So doe most people, when they transferre this transcendent word, and stately thing, Happinesse, vntounto any shadow of skill, saue of these things, to which it is perpetually restrained in Scriptures, Psalme 1. Luke 11. Iames the 1. Insomuch that Christ himselfe was displeased when they bestowed it on the Paps & Wombe of his Mother, in comparison of hearing and keeping his Fathers will: Heere then, and heere only is to bee found the lost Iewell of Happinesse, which well may we likened to a Stake set vp in the middest of a Field, which blinded men groape p. 6after, to make the beholders sport at their wandrings.

Augustine tels of a Mountebank, that vndertooke in a City of great trading, to tell eueryevery man his wish, which was in his fallible coniecture, to buy cheape, and sell deare. But here, he who hath made, and knoweth the hearts of all, tels eueryevery man the end of his desire; and that which is more, shewes him the way of attaining them. Those things if you know, and if you doe them, happy are you.

This first, If, prouidently premixed, and cautelously presupposed by Christ, intimates, that knowledge must be the Pilote, Guide and Vsher of Practice, else superstitious deedes done by roat and randome, the blind Whelpes of ignorant deuotion, God regards not. Good workes, the fruits of faith, & children of a Beleeuer that knowes what he does, such are only pleasing in his sight. Christ diuinely foresaw the diuelish policy of subtill p. 7worldlings, that would cry vp practice, to cry downe knowledge, as cunning Papists wil extol S. Iames, to disparage Saint Paul, praise good meanings, & works, with an euill eye to hearing Sermons, and reading good bookes, and carnall Protestants be euer commending reading, to disgrace preaching; and another sort euer talking of a good heart, a good meaning, and the power of Religion, euer disliking all shew and profession of it; which, if well obserued, are the least and worst doers in a Conntry. Which Satanicall Sophisme, Saint Iames deepely preuents; who, though the chiefe aime of his Epistle, was, to vrge Hypocrites to bee Doers, and vaine boasters of iustifying faith, to iustifie their Faith by their workes: yet forelaid this Caueat, Be swift to heare; Needfull euen in these hearing and knowing times, wherein though knowledge couer the earth, as waters the Sea, yet may the Lord hauehave iustly a controuersie with the p. 8Land, or a great number at least in it, like dry Rocks in the middest of this Sea, who hauehave not a dramme of sauing, and well grounded knowledge. But this is but a pre-requisite to the maine thing heere required, which happinesse is intendedly fore-placed, knowledge▪ being but a step to this turret of Happinesse: Happy are you, if you doe them.

Here's the labour, here is the difficultie, here is the happinesse, in the coniunction of doing with knowing, to practise that wee know; to performe the duties prescribed in the Gospell; to beleeue the things to bee beleeued, and to doe the things to be done; the summe of Faith and LoueLove, sweetly coupled in this significant ablution of his Disciples feete.

Three noble ends Diuinitie propounds to her followers: the first and greatest, Gods Glory; the second next to that, mans owne content heere, and saluation hereafter: the last like to the former, the edification, p. 9and conuersion of our neighbours. In the attainment of these, is a Christians perfection, and happinesse, none whereof, bare Theorie shall euer more then come neere. All three, practice ioyned thereto, fully apprehends.

Of these three that must needs be the noblest, which God primarily intended in the Reuelation of his will to mankinde, and Moses oft tels vsus is, that wee might obserue to doe them: For if (as Wolphius reasoneth by a distribution) hee had giuen vsus his Lawes to preserue onelyonly, he safelier might hauehave committed them to iron Coffers, and Marble Pillars; if onelyonly to talke and prate of them better to Geese and Parrats; if onelyonly for Contemplation to Owles in Iuywoods, or to Monks in Cloisters, and not to all sorts of people. His scope sure was not to make triall of the wits of men, who could sharpeliest conceiue; nor of their memories, who could faithfulliest retaine; of p. 10their eloquence, who could roundliest discourse; but of their wils, who would most obediently doe them. This being his chiefe honour to hauehave his Throne and command not in the Head, and Braines, but in the strong holds of their hearts▪ and liues. For what shall God reward thee, O man, but for that which men praise God for in thee? Now for admirable gifts of Science and Learning, men may admire thee, but they giuegive God thankes onelyonly for the good they receiue from thee. The Sunne it selfe if it did not shine & giuegive warmth vntounto the creatures, were the glorious hiew of it ten times more then it is none would halfe so much blesse God for it. The men for whom our heauenly Father is glorified, are such vvhose workes shine afore men, who warme the loynes of the poore, and with their knowledge are an eye to the blinde. I can hardly beleeue, that God euer made any creature only to behold, neither Starre, Pearle, p. 11Flower, or feathered fowle, onelyonly to shew their glorious outsides; but to hauehave influence, vertues, and qualities, beneficiall to mankinde: much lesse a man to know onelyonly, or an Art onelyonly to bee knowne, but all to his glory, and mans seruice: which to effect, is all the glory of men, and Arts. Some Sciences, I know, in comparison of others more operatiue, are tearmed speculatiue: but not one of these, whose speculation tends and ends not in some operation, by which man is profited, and God honoured; specially Diuinitie, vvhichwhich makes vsus his workmanship, not to knowledge, but to good workes, to the praise of his grace. Who commends a Schoolemaster, vvhose Schollers can say and vnderstand their Rules, but speake not, and write not any good stiles by them? A Captaine, vvhose Souldiers can skill of Militarie termes and orders, vnlesse their Acts and exploits of Warre be sutable? Who praiseth an horse that p. 12feedes well, but is not deedy for the race, or trauell; speed, or length. Little saies the Scripture of the learning of the Apostles, but much of their Acts. These are the richest, and vsuall stiles of commendation in Scripture. Moses a man mighty in words and deeds: Cornelius, a man fearing God, and giuing much almes: the Centurion, vvorthy of fauour, for hee hath built vsus a Synagogue: Dorcas made thus many coats for the poore: Gaius the Host of the Church, &c. such benefactors their workes shall follow them, and praise them in the gates heere, yea at the great Day obtaine that Come you blessed of my Father: for I was naked, and you cloathed mee: For such men God is blessed of men, and such men shall bee blessed of God in their deeds: and as the more knowing vvithout doing shall procure the more stripes, because God for them is the more blasphemed: So the more doing with knowing, shall hauehave double honour, p. 13because God was doubly honoured in them. Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is in mine hand, to giuegive eueryevery man according to his deedes. Blessed are they that doe my commandements. If you know them, and doe not, miserable are you; but these things if you know, and doe them, you are the happiest men liuing.

The second branch of happinesse, vvherein doing hath the aduantage of knowing, is in the personall benefit, consisting in the present sweetnesse, and future gaine accrewing thereby: some luscious delight, yea, a kinde of rauishing doucenesse there is in studying good Bookes, ruminating on good notions, not vnlike that which is in tasting and swallowing sweet meates, vvhichwhich made the Epicure in Aelian, wish his throate as long as the Cranes, but all the benefit is in the strength, and nourishment, it breedeth after cōcoction, when thoughts breed workes, and studies turne into manners; p. 14vvhen the fatte pasture is seene in the flesh and fleece of the sheepe. One Apple of the Tree of Life hath more sweet rellish, then ten of the Tree of Knowledge of good and euill; vvhichwhich yet vve fondly preferre in our longing, euer since our first Parents teeth vvere set on edge therewithall. For instance, thou findest thine eare tickled vvith an elaborate discourse of temperance, but try the practice of it, and tell mee if it bring thee not in sundry reall commodities to body and minde, beyond a poore auricular transient titillation. Were it not for the different energie, and efficacie in the heart and life, there might be well-neere as much pleasure in reading the witty commendations of folly, or pride, as in the sound Tractate of wisedome, and humilitie, I had almost said in the language of fooles, in the reading of Sir Philip, as Saint Peter.

All discourses of Faith, and Hope, p. 15are but dry things, in comparison of the acts and practice of them, which are delicate aboue the Hony and the Hony-combe, sweeter then the taste of any Nectar. Some say, the study of the Law is cragged, that if the gaine of practice did not sweeten it, few would plot vponupon Ployden. But I beleeue, few would study Saint Paul, and preach as Saint Paul did, instantly in season, out of season, (quaintly and rarely they might for credit and preferment) but painfully, and profitably, I hardly beleeue they would; feruently and feelingly they cannot, except the sweetnesse of their practice driue and constraine them. Of all men I hold them fooles, that bend their studies to Diuinitie, not intending to bee Doers, as well as Students, and Preachers; not much vviser, such as will be professors of Religion, and not practicioners. The Parables in the Talmud fits their folly well, resembling them to such as plowe, p. 16and sow all the yeere, and neuer reape; to the Grashopper that sings all the Summer, and wants in the Winter: to vvomen euer conceiuing, and euer making abortion, neuer comming to the birth; and best of all, to that of Christ distinguishing Hearers into foolish, that build on the Sand of Hearing, and professing, blowne downe vvith eueryevery puffe of Trouble; and the wise, that build on the Rocke of Doing, vnshakeable. Search all the Scripture, and see, if any Couenants, or Grants, vvere made to Knowing, and not all to Doing. Is not the ancient tenour of the Law, Doe this, and Liue? and the Gospell, Beleeue, and liue: which implies an act to be done; and that act implying sundry cōsequents & fruits of it. Hee that doth my Fathers will, hee is my Brother and Sister: Not eueryevery one that saith, Lord, Lord; but hee that the doth my Fathers will. To him that doth ill, shall be tribulation and anguish to eueryevery soule, of Iew and p. 17Grecian: to him that doth well, shall bee honour and peace, vponupon all the Israel of God. VntoUnto whom shall that Euge be giuen at that great Day, but to the doer? and in what forme? but, Well done, thou good Seruant, that hast not buried thy Talent in a Napkin. Hee himselfe expresseth the manner: Behold, I come quickly, my reward is in my hand, to giuegive eueryevery man according to his workes. Blessed is eueryevery one that doth my Commandements, that hee may eate of the Tree of Life, and enter thorow the gates into the City. In all which, happinesse in this life, and that to come, is conferred vponupon the liuing acts and exercises, not vponupon the dead habits of any grace whatsoeuer. In all labour there is aboundance, but in the conceits of the braine, and talke of the lippes, nothing but emptinesse and misery. If one could doe as much as Master Stoughton prints, and many credible witnesses report of the young Gentlewoman of nine yeeres p. 18old, that can say eueryevery sillable of the new Testament by heart, and vponupon triall, not faile in returning a line without the right Chapter & verse, & yet practice neuer a iot nor tittle of it, happy were such if they had neuer heard word of Gods Word. If one should take paines to get together a great number of songs, curiously set, artificially composed, yea, and knew how to sing or play them, and yet neuer heard them sung or plaid, what pleasure had hee of them? The practice and vse of all operatiue Arts is all in all, in Diuinity, the chiefe of all: which else is as the Vine, excellent only in the sweet iuice of it, otherwise fit not so much as Pin or Pegge.

Next to Gods glory, and a mans owne good, a Christian placeth much happinesse in winning and edifying others: to which purpose, a speechlesse life hath more life in it, then a liueles speech.In 1. Cor. 1. 10 foreign.1 Cor 1:10 I rrisistable is the Suada of a good life, aboue a faire profession. Chrysostome calls good p. 19works, vnanswerable Syllogismes, inuincible Demonstrations, to confute and conuert Pagans: withall, tells vsus they hauehave a louder language then the Sunne and Moone, whose sound yet goes ouer all the world, publishing Gods glory, not in Hebrew, Greeke, or Latine, which many barbarous Nations vnderstand not, but in an oratory they can better skill of. An Archer puts not more force into an Arrow he shoots, then the life of the speaker into his speech: whence it comes, that one and the same Sermon, or counsell, in seuerall mens mouthes differ, as much as a shaft out of a Gyants, or Childs shooting. Miracles (sayes hee) are now ceased, good conuersation comes in their place: the Apostles might hauehave preached long enough without audience or acceptance, had not their miracles, as Bells, towled to their Sermons, and as Harbengers, made way into mens hearts for their doctrine: by such weapons they conquered p. 20the world, as Gedeons souldiers,Theodo. in Iud. foreign the Midianites carrying in one hand the burning Lampe of a good life, and in the other, the loud shrill Trumpets of preaching: otherwise plaine men will answere as Iouinian, to the orthodox and Arrian Bishops, contending about the faith: Of your learning and subtill disputations I cannot so well iudge, but I can well marke and obserue, which of your behauiours is most peaceable and fruitfull, and as one Moses, renowned for piety to Lucius, reputed an Arrian Bishop, tendring the confession of his faith to cleere himselfe:Ruffinus eccles. hist. lib. 2. c. 10. Tush, sayes he, What telst thou mee of the faith of the eares? Let me hauehave the faith of the hands: I will rather goe without my installment, then take it of hands imbrued in bloud, bribery, and iniustice, as all know, and report thine to be. Arguments are darke, and perswasions dull things, to liues and actions, and most people are like Sheepe, easilier following example, p. 21then led or driuen by preceps and rules. Let any man make proofe of both. Let a Gentleman or Minister perswade Parishioners to contribute liberally to a Briefe, and set a niggardly example, and see how much lesse will come of it, then if hee said lesse, and gaue more. What else mooued Christ, and the Prophets so frequently to vse that potent figure, which Rhetoricians, from the speciall vsefulnesse of it call foreign, that is, when the Orator seconds and enliues his speech with some action: as Christ, when heere in my Text, hee girts himselfe with a Towell; and elswhere, when hee tooke the Child, and set him in the middest of the Apostles; the Prophet, when hee tooke Pauls Girdle; and the old Diuine in Dorotheus, that bad his Auditor pluck at a great old Tree, which hee could not stir, and at a young Sprout easily pluckt vp; to shew the difficulty of rooting out an old habit, in comparison of the beginnings.

p. 22The reason is, words are but wind, and vanish into the winde, leauing no print or impression, more then a Ship in the Sea, in comparison of actions which men take markes and notice of. This same inartificial argumēt of examples, though Schollers lesse regard it, as hauing lesse art in it, yet is it all the country-mans Logike, as the Martyr that answered Bishop Bonner, My Lord, I cānot dispute, but I can dye for the truth, mooued the spectators as much, as many learned discourses. By this, Christ demonstrated to Iohns Disciples, his Messiasship, Goe and tell, not what you heard mee preach, but saw me doe, how the blind receiue sight, &c. If I doe not such workes as none other hath done before mee, I desire not men to beleeue in mee. By these courses, Peter would hauehave Christians winne their Neighbours; and Wiues their Husbands, rather then by tutoring of them. Then would Neighbours follow one another to the right Religion p. 23and true Church, as Tradesemen doe to those Markets where they see them gather wealth, yea imitate their liues, and bring forth fruits as Iacobs Sheepe, if they saw their rods speckled with works, as well as with words. Thus Monica, Aug. Confes. lib. 9. cap. 9.Saint Augustines famous Mother, taught one of her neighbour Gentlewomen, complayning of her churlish Nabal, and wondring how shee wonne her peruerse husband. Why, sayes she, I obserued his mind, pleased him in all indifferent things, forbore him in his passions, gaue him all content in dyet, attendance, and so hauehave made him first Gods, and then mine by degrees. These are the arts & charmes that if now vsed by Preachers and professors, would conuert multitudes of people, and couer multitudes of sinnes, and cause themselues to shine as starres. These things mind and exercise. These things, if you know, and doe, you shall saue your selues, and those you liue withall, and so p. 24bee eueryevery way happy men.

Thus in all these 3 references, you see, that Doing, onelyonly brings in the happinesse; without which, all our Knowing makes and leaues vsus, but dishonourable to God, vncomfortable to our selues, scandalous to others in no neerer termes to happinesse, then Balaam, Iudas, and the Diuell himselfe, who the more they know, the worse for them: the more sin, & the more punishment: they doe but teach God how to condemne them. If knowing made vp happinesse,1. Vse of reproofe. England were an happy Nation, our times as happy as euer any: but if doing bee required, great is the felicity of both. Of which shall I complaine in the words of Seneca? Malint disputare quàm viuere.Men now adayes chuse rather to discourse, then to liue, study stiles, rather then deeds;Scire vt sciantur. or in Bernards, Men desire knowledge, to be knowne by it: or as Anacharsis taxed the Athenians for vsing their money,Nummis ad numerandum, scientia adsciendum. to count withall; and knowledge, to know withall: or as p. 25Tully of the Philosophers,Cum Philosophorum vita miserabiliter pugnat oratio. that their liues and their discourses miserably crossed one another: the truth is this, a plethory, and dropsie there is of hearing, and reading; a dearth and consumption of doing; most euer gathering, neuer vsing: not vnlike some old Vniuersitie Droanes, euer in studying, and learning, neuer preaching, or venting their studies. Like tedious Musicians, euer tuning, & neuer playing; or like the Changeling Luther mentions, euer sucking, neuer battling; or like dying men, and sicke of apoplexies, hauing their senses, memorie & speech: but no facultie Loco-motiue, no power to stirre hand or foote. Few (I confesse) troubled in these times with the deafe and dumbe spirits, but most hauing withered hands, and dryed armes, and lame feete.

This same want of doing what wee know, what does it else but make common people blaspheme God? doubt vvhether all Diuinitie bee p. 26but Policy, & the Scriptures a Fable? Verily, the Atheisme of the times hath this for the principall fountaine and pretext. There was a woman lately liuing, much spoken of in some parts of this Land, liuing in professed doubt of the Deity, after illumination, and repentance hardly comforted; vvho often protested, that the vicious and offensiue life of a great learned man in the Towne where she liued. occasioned those damned doubts. This opens mens mouthes, and giues the hint of all blasphemies, scornes and scoffes of Religion. Such as he broke vponupon the Iesuites, whom in forraine Nations they call Apostles. The old Apostles, indeed, shewed the world Heauen, left the earth to earthly men, got Heauen themselues: but vvee are more beholding to our new ones, they shew vsus Heauen, leaue it to vsus to purchase, and coozen vsus onelyonly of earthly possessions in the meane time. This made Linacre reading vponupon the New Testament, p. 27the 5. 6. and 7. Chapters of Saint Matthew; and comparing those rules vvith Christians liues, to throw down the Booke, and burst out into this protestation, Either this is not Gods Gospell, or wee are not Christians, and Gospellers. Questionlesse, the more any men know, or professe to know, and the lesse they doe, the more doe they dishonour God.

And vvhat are such themselues the better for their knowledge, but as the Preacher experimentally speakes: Hee that increaseth such knowledge, addeth sorrow. Their folly I cannot better expresse, then Erasmus in his Dialogue of a carnall Gospeller, whom he cals Cyclops Euangeliophorus, a swaggering Russian, affecting yet the name of a Gospeller, vvhom hee describes, hauing by one side hanging a bottle of rich Sacke, and by the other a Testament of Erasmus his Translation, richly bound & boffed, the Leaues gilt ouer as faire as his life vvas foule, and conditions base. p. 28This man hee discouers by certaine Interrogatories, to hauehave no inward knowledge or affection to the Gospell, nor better proofe of his louelove thereto, then that hee carried it alwaies about him, and had laid it vponupon the pate of a Franciscan, that had railed on Erasmus, and the new Gospellers. To conuince him; hee askes him, What if he vvere tyed euer to carry the bottle at his Girdle, and neuer to taste of it; or but to taste only, and neuer to drinke it downe: His answere is, that vvere but a punishment Tantalus-like. But vvhat if hee did, as his manner was, drinke deepely of it? He then answeres, It vvould vvarme his heart, refresh his spirits, cheere his countenance: So sayes he, would that little Booke, if thou diddest eate it downe; concoct, digest, and turne it into nutriment in thy life, and practice. My meaning is not in this Relation to taxe Biblecarrying, vvhichwhich I hold a better grace then Rapiers, or fans of Fethers, but p. 29onelyonly to shew the foppery of them that carry them in their hands, or in their memories or vnderstandings, as Asses do dainty burdens, & taste not of them, hauehave no fruit of them themselues. Verily, a man knowes no more rightly then he practises. It is said of Christ, he knew no sinne, because hee did no sinne; and in that sence, hee knowes no good, that doth no good; he that vvill obey, shall know my Fathers will; and such as vvill not doe vvhat they know to bee good, shall soone vnknow that which they know, and become as if they neuer had knowne any such matter: it beeing iust with God to punish shipwracke of a good conscience, with losse of the fraught of knowledge; according to that imprecation of the Hebrewes, that if they should abuse their skill in musicke, their right hand might forget his cunning, and their tongue cleaue to the roofe of their mouthes. From which iust Iudgement I perswade my selfe, it comes to passe, that p. 30many become in matters of Religigion, meere skepticks, because they vvould not bee practicks, and that the commonest Religion of our times, is Socrates his vncertainty. Men know nothing now a dayes. It is become a disputable probleme, Whether the Pope be Antichrist, Rome a good Church; whether a man may worship God before pictures, play vponupon any part of the Sabbath, as well as vponupon the Weeke dayes; whether election be of foreseene faith; whether the True Beleeuer may Apostatize? Shortly, I thinke, whether the Scripture be Scripture; and vvhether there bee a God, or no? To conclude, a good vnderstanding hauehave all they that doe thereafter: and cursed are all such as know these things, and doe the cleane contrarie.

Cursed (I say) are they, because they lay a stumbling blocke before others both vveake ones within, and bad ones vvithout, such I say, as p. 31know God, and yet deny him in their liues, and are reprobate to eueryevery good word and worke; such as buy by one ballance, and sell by another,Orig. in. Deut. hauehave a forme of knowledge, which they prescribe to others, and liue themselues by contrary Rules. Of such I vvould I could speake with as much detestation, as Paul writes of them: friends in shew,Phil. 3.Phil 3 but enemies in truth to the crosse of Christ. Vncleane beasts, for all their chewing of the cud, repeating of Sermons, because they diuide not the hoofe; walke vvithout all differences, and iudgement; as if GOD had giuen them their lights to tread in puddles, and gutters withall, to vvalke and wallow in the myre of all filthinesse; vvhichwhich makes men mislike, not onelyonly their persons, but the very Religion which they retaine too: Some few wise & grounded Christians vvill doe as they say, and not as they doe: heare them, because they sit in the chaire p. 32of Moses; but the greatest number will loath their sayings, for their doings; as men the good light of a Candle, for the ill sauour the stinking tallow yeelds, resoluing as the Indians of the Spaniards, whateuer their Religion bee, they vvill bee of the cleane contrary; if such goe to Heauen, they will goe to Hell. I wonder vvith vvhat face such can call themselues Christians,Greg. Nyssen. de nomine Christiani. or vvith vvhat eares heare themselues of called. Does any man looke to bee called a Carpenter, that neuer squared Timber, or erected frames? What if neuer so skilfull? I say of all such skill, as Cato of superfluous vselesse trifles, They are deare of a farthing, that are good for nothing.

Oh rather let vsus al lay claime to that honorable name, doe the workes of Christians, and thereby approoue our selues to God and man, as the Angell to Manoah, who being asked of his name, made answere, It was p. 33wonderfull, and did wonderfully, ascended in the flame, and made good his name by his action. Heere is the labour, and heere lies all the difficulty, the Maximes and Sanctions of things to be done, and beleeued, are but few, conteyned in briefe Summaries, but the incentiues, motiues, directions, repoofes,Sic Epicttetus de Philosophia. and such like appurtenances of practice: these make volumes swell, these lengthen Sermons, and multiply bookes. The art of doing, is that which requires study, strength and diuine assistance. Do the sinnes that swarme in our times, proceede from ignorance, or incontinence rather, and wilfulnesse? It were happy if men had that Plea, if the light were not so great, the times and the Nation had not sinne. May wee not vse the Apostles ordinary increpation and exprobation? Know you not, that Idolatry, Swearing, Sabbath-breaking, Drinking and Whooring, are sinnes? Know you not that for these things comes the anger p. 32of God? Is any so simple, that he knowes not the tenne Commandements, and the summe of the Gospell? yet how desperatly do men rush vponupon these Pikes, carelesly, wittingly, and willingly, seeing the Gulfe, and yet leaping into it? Many condemning themselues in Medeas termes, see the better, and yet follow the worse, hauing no heart to leaue that they see to be euill: as if men thought that ignorance only should condemne, as if God should onelyonly come in flaming fire, to render vengeance vponupon poore Pagans, Sauages, and Indians, or Heretikes, that know not the truth, and not much more vponupon his owne seruants, that knew and refused to doe his will.

The Infidell disputes against the faith,Aug. lib. 4. contra Donat. the impious liues against it; the one denies it in termes, the other in deedes; and therefore both shall bee held as enemies to the faith, and neuer attaine saluation: of the two, it is worst to kick against the prick; one p. 33sees, then to stumble in the darke at a block, one sees not. But heere is the chiefe cause of all impiety, illuminatiō is easie, sanctification is hard to flesh and bloud, requires crossing and mastery, yea crucifying of our lusts, wils and affections, which is not done without much prayer and trauell; and therfore men neglect that, & content thēselues with the easier and cheaper worke. VponUpon this therefore do I wish Christians would set prices, & spend their studies, euen about the art of doing. But how shall we attaine this facility and faculty of doing? I answere, to wish it, and heartily to desire it, is halfe; yea, and the best halfe of the work, as Socrates was wont to say, Hee that would bee an honest man, shall soone bee one, and is past the hardest part of the worke. To affect goodnesse aboue cunning, is a good signe, and a good helpe, and step to be such an one, especially when this desire breeds prayer for power to do, knowing that without Christ, wee can p. 36doe iust nothing, but lye becalmed & vnable to moue or promoue, as a Ship on the Sea, a Mill on the Land, without the breath of his Spirit. And this I commend as the best and first generall helpe of practice, that eueryevery morning, and in the enterprize of all thy affaires, thou acknowledge thine owne disability, or rather deadnesse to eueryevery good worke, and commend thy selfe to the worke of his grace, for the will and the deede: for preuenting, and subsequent; operating, and co-operating; perseuering, and perfecting grace: intreating him not onelyonly to regenerate thee, and giuegive thee new Principles of motion, but to renew his inspiration vponupon eueryevery new act of thine, that by Christ, or rather Christ by and in thee, may doe all things, pray as if thou hadst no will, vow as if there were no grace, that is seriously both.

Secondly, in the vse of all meanes of practice, when thou goest to heare, reade or meditate, pray and desire, p. 37thou maist light vponupon profitable and pertinent Themes, Bookes, and Sermons, applicatory, and leuelling at thy selfe and Orations, as if made for thee rather then for any body else: desire not to gather Flowers, but Pot-herbes, and Fruite. Charmes are said to hauehave no effect, vnlesse one goe with a beliefe vntounto them, I am sure no meanes ordinarily will doe thee any good, vnlesse thou goe with a mind to bee bettered by them.

Thirdly, in the vse of these, attend to thy selfe as well as to the matter, hauehave one eye and eare fixed on what is said, and another on thy selfe; lay thy selfe to the rule, and say, What is this to mee? how doe I and that agree? Bee not as little children, who while they are looking in the Glasse, thinke onelyonly it is the babies face, and not their owne: obserue not in hearing a Sermon, the pleasing sound of the Pipe, but how thou dancest thereunto; p. 36in reading of the Scriptures, at the end of eueryevery period, aske thy heart, How doe I practise this? or, How does this reproofe taxe mee? This promise cōfort me? When thou art well perswaded to doe any thing, resolue throughly to doe it; and when resolued, dispatch, and execute it speedily.

Fourthly, after the Sermon is ended, stay not, as the common manner is, Now the Sermon is done: but consider it is not done, till thou hast done it; after reading and hearing, do as men do after dinner; sit awhile, con…oct it by pondering of it, digest it, and after draw it out into action. So doe such as learne Musike, or writing, they play ouer their Lesson, write after the Coppy: this I thinke Paul meant, when he saith, foreign, I exercise my selfe to hauehave an inoffensiue conscience, &c. Most erre grosely in the faile of this, thinking it enough to retaine it in memory, to repeate it ouer, seruing diuinity as absurdly, as p. 37the country-man his Physike, who being bidden to take his bill or receit, tooke it home, and carried it in his pocket, and after, finding no ease vponupon his complaint, being directed to take it in posset-Ale, put the bill in a Cup, but neuer tooke the ingredients prescribed into his body: and looke how much good his Physike did him; so much good will diuinity doe vsus, taken into our memories, and tongues, and no further.

Fifthly, in all thy talke, discourses and counsels to others, lick first thine owne fingers: that wiseman is a foole, that is not wise for himselfe; and yet many such there bee, that can preach and write good bookes, like Tusser, that wrote well of Husbandry, and was the most vnthrifty husband himselfe that euer water wet.

Sixthly, & lastly, in all thy priuy reckonings with thy selfe, which must be duely obserued at the cloze of eueryevery weeke, month and yeere, lesse and more solemnely, obserue what thou p. 40hast done, consider if thou shouldst keepe a Diary or Iournall, as many thriuing Christians doe, what acts it would record, when I goe out of the world; what, shall the world say, hath this man done singular, or memorable? Take such accounts of thy selfe dayly, as Masters of their Iourni-men and Apprentices: as Pharaohs Taskmasters, of the Israelites: Where is the worke done this day? lest thou bee as Huntsmen and Faulconers, that hauehave toyled all the day, and hauehave no quarry or roast at night.