Directions for a Comfortable Walking with God, Religious treatise (1 of 9)

Directions for a Comfortable Walking with God · Religious treatise (1 of 9)

p. 1SOME GENERALL DIRECTIONS FOR A COMFORTABLE WALking with God.

GEN. 6. 8, 9.

8.But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

9.These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a iust man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

IN this dreadfull and dismall story of the old Worlds degeneration and destruction, falling away, and final ruine, here stands in my Text a right orient and illustrious Starre, shining full faire with aaCogita hîc obsecro, quantae virtutis fuerit ille iustus, quomodo in tantâ multitudine, quae multo impetu in malum tuebat, solus ipse diuersâ ambulauit viâ, virtutem malitiae praeferens. Neque enim aliorum consensus, & tanta frequentia reddebat eum segniorem ad virtutis iter: sed iam priùs implebat, quod beatus Moses olim dicturus erat: Ne sis cum multis in malitiâ. Et quod magis admirabile, multos habebat, imò omnes, qui ad malum, & ad praua opera inhortabantur, & nullus erat, qui ad bonū induceret, Chrys. Hom. 22. in c. 6. Gen.singularitie of heauenly light, spiritual goodnes, and Gods sincerer seruice, in the darkest midnight of Satans vniuersall raigne, and amidst the horriblest hell of the strangest confusions, idolatrous corruptions, cruelties, bbFeruente impietate contra primam tabulam, secuta est corruptio, de quâ Moses in hoc cap. quod se primùm polluerunt libidinibus, deinde orbem terrarū repleuerunt tyrannide, sanguine, & iniurijs. Lu….oppressions and lust, that euer the earth bore. Noah I meane, a very precious Man, and Preacher of Righteousnesse, to whose Family alone, the true worship of God was p. 2confinde, when all the world besides lay drowned in Idolatrie and Paganisme, ready to bee swallowed vp into an vniuersall graue of Waters, which was already fashioned in the clouds by the angry, vnresistable hand of the all-powerfull God, who was now so implacably, but most iustly prouoked by those rebellious and cruell generations, that Hee would not suffer His Spirit to striue any more with them; but inexorably resolued to open the windowes or floudgates of heauen, giuing extraordinarie strength of influence to the Stars, abundance to the Fountaines of the great deepe, commanding them to cast out the whole treasure, and heape of their waters; & taking away the retentiue power from the clouds, that they might powre downe immeasurably; for the burying of all liuing creatures which breathed in the ayre: Noah and his family excepted. From whence by the way, before I breake into my text, take this Note.

Doctr. The seruants of God are men of singularitie: I meane it not in respect of any fantasticalnesse of opinion, furiousnesse of zeale, or turbulencie of faction, truely so called: but in respect of abstinence from sinne, puritie of heart, and holinesse of life.

Reasons: 1. Gods holy Word exacts and expects from all that are new-borne, and heires of Heauen, an excellency aboue ccQuàm multos Philosophorum & audiuimus, & legimus, & ipsi vidimus castos, patientes, modestos, liberales, abs…inentes, benignos, & honores mundi simul & delicias respuentes, & amatores …ustitiae, non minus quàm scientiae! - Quod si etiam sine Deo homines ostendunt quales à Deo facti sunt: vide quid Christiani facere possunt, quorum in melius per Christum natura & vita instructa est, & qui diuinae que que gratiae iuuantur auxilio▪ August. Epist. 142.ordinary, Pro. 12. 26. Matth. 5. 20. & 47. Being taken forth as the precious from the vile, Ierem. 15. 19. by the power of the Ministerie, they must not onelyonly goe beyond the hiest ddQuae non tormenta patiemur, qui eum iubeamur iustici… superare Ph…risaos. Gentilibus quoque inferiores iaceamus? Quemadmodum igitur, responde quaeso, videbimus regnum futurum? Chrysost. Hom. 18. in cap. 5. Matth. As for those vertues that belong vntounto morall righteousnesse, and honesty of life, we d…c not mention them, because they are not proper vntounto Christian m…n, as they are Christian, but doe concerne them … me…, Hooket lib. 3. of Ecclesiast. Politie.ciuill perfections of the exactest morall Puritane amongst the most honest Heathens, Heb. 12. 14. but also exceed the righteousnesse, and all the outward religious conformities of the deuoutest Pharises, whose sufficiencies, Luk. 18. 11, 12. many thousands in these times come short of, and yet hope to be saued: or they can in no case enter into the Kingdome of p. 3Heauen. But lest any bee proudly puft vp with sence of this singularitie, and excellencie aboue his neighbour; let him know, that humilitie is euer one of the fairest flowers in the whole garland of his supernaturall and diuine worth; and that selfe-conceitednesse would impoyson euen Angelicall perfection.

2. They must vponupon necessitie differ from a world of wicked men; by a sincere singularitie of abstinence from the eeEphes. 2. 2.Eph 2:2course of this world; the ff1. Pet. 4. 2.1 Pet 4:2lusts of men; the **Rom. 12. 2.Rom 12:2corruptions of the times; ggProu. 4. 14, 15. Ephes. 5. 11.Prov 4:14Prov 4:15Eph 5:11familiaritie with gracelesse companions; the hhColoss. 4. 6. Sicut qui Diabolum sequitur, Sanctorum collegium affectu, & opere aspernatur: ita qui Deo perfectè adhaeserit, impiorum consortium nequaquam admittit. Gregor. in Psal. 6.Col 4:6Ps 6worldlings language, prophane sports; all wicked wayes of thriuing, rising, and growing great in the world, &c.

3. They make conscience of those duties and diuine commands, which the greatest part of men, euen in the noonetide of the Gospell, are so farre from taking to heart, that their hearts rise against them. As, to bee hot in Religion, Reu. 3. 16. To be zealous of good workes, Tit. 2. 14. To walke **foreignprecisely, Ephes. 5. 15. To bee feruent in spirit, Rom. 12. 11. To striue to enter in at the straite gate, Luke 13. 24. To plucke out their right eyes; that is, to abandon their bosome delights, Matth. 5. 29. To make the Sabbath a delight, Isa. 58. 13. To louelove the Brotherhood, 1. Pet. 2. 17. With an holy violence, to lay hold vponupon the Kingdome of Heauen, Matth. 11. 12.

4. Experience, and examples of all ages, from the creation downeward clearely prooue the point. At this time, as you see, the Saints of God were all harboured vnderunder one roofe, and yet not all sound there. Suruey the ages afterward: The time of Abraham; who was as a brand taken out of the fire of the Chaldeans: The time of Elijah, when none appeared to that blessed man of God: The time of Esaiah, who cryed, chap. 53. 1. Who hath beleeued our report? The time of Manasseh, who built altars for all the host of Heauen, in the two Courts of the House of the Lord: The time of Antiochus, when he commanded the Sanctuarie, and holy people to bee polluted with Swines-flesh, and vncleane beasts to be sacrificed, the abomination of desolation to bee set vp vponupon p. 4the Altar: That darksome time, when the glorious Day-Star, Christ Iesus himselfe, came downe from Heauen to illighten the earth: The time of Antichrist, when all the world wondred after the Beast: Our times, wherein, of sixe parts of the earth, scarce one of the least is Christian. And what a deale of Christendome is still ouer-growne with Popery, and other exorbitant distempers in point of Religion? And where the Truth of Christ is purely, and powerfully taught, how few giuegive their names vntounto it? And of those who professe, how many are false-hearted or meerely formall?

5. Me thinks worldly wisdome should rather wonder that any one is wonne vntounto God; then cry out, and complaine; Is it possible, there should be so few? Sith all the powers of darknesse, and eueryevery diuell in hell oppose might and maine the plantation of grace in any soule: sith there are moc snares vponupon earth, to keepe vsus still in the inuisible chaines of darknesse and sinne, then there are starres in heauen: sith eueryevery inch, eueryevery little artery of our bodies, if it could, would swell with hellish venome to the bignesse of the greatest Goliah, the mightiest Gyant, that it might make resistance to the sanctifying worke of the holy Ghost: sith our soules naturally would rather die, and put off their immortality and euerlasting being, then put on the Lord Iesus: In a word, sith the new creation of a man is holden a greater worke of wonder, then the creation of the world.

6. Lastly, let vsus set aside in any Country, Citie, Towne, Family: First, all Atheists, Papists, and distempered exorbirants, from the blessed Truth of doctrine taught in our Church: Secondly, all Whoremongers, Drunkards, Swearers, Lyers, iiG…at. 5. 21.Reuellers, Worldlings, Vsurers, and fellowes of such infamous ranke: Thirdly, all meerely ciuill men, who come short of Cato, Fabricius, and other honest Heathens, and wanting holinesse, shall neuer see the Lord, Heb. 12. 14. Fourthly, all grosse Hypocrites, whose outsides are painted with superficial flourishes of holinesse and honesty, but their inward parts filled with rottennesse and lust; who hauehave their hands in godly exercises, when their hearts are in hell. Fiftly, p. 5all formall Hypocrites, who are deluded in point of Saluation, as were the foolish Virgins, and that proud Pharise, Luk. 18. 11. Sixthly, all finall back-sliders, of which some turne sensuall Epicures, and plunge themselues into worldly pleasures, with farre more rage and greedinesse, by reason of former restraint by a temporarie profession; others become scurrill deriders of the holyway; some, bloody goads in the sides of those with whom they hauehave formerly walked into the house of God, as friends. Seuenthly, all vnsound Professors for the present, of which you would little thinke, what a number there is: I say, let these and all other strangers to the purity and power of godlinesse be set apart, and tell mee how many true-hearted Nathaneels wee are like to kkNon possumus negare plures esse malos, & tam plures, vt inter cos prorsus non apparentgrana in areâ. Nam quisquis aream videt, potest putare, quòd pales sola sit, August▪ in Psal. 47. p. 528.Ps 47finde?

Vses: 1. Trie then the truth of thy spirituall state by this marke of a sober and sincere singularitie. If thou still holdest correspondence with the world, and conformitie to the fashions thereof; if still thou swimmest downe the current of the times, and shiftest thy sailes to the sitting of eueryevery Winde; if thine heart hanker still after the tastlesse fooleries of goodfellowship, and follow the multitude to doe ill; if thou be carried with the swinge and sway of the place where thou liuest, to vphold by a boisterous combination, lewdnesse and vanity, to prophane the Lords day, to scorne Profession, oppose the Ministerie, and walke in the broad Way; In a word, if thou doest as the most llSi tur bam imitari volueritis, inter paucos angustam viam ambulantes non eritis, August. de Temp. Serm. 64.doe; thou art vtterly vndone for euer. But if with a mercifull violence thou bee pulled out of the world, by the power of the Word, and happily weaned from the sensuall, insensible poison of all bitter-sweet pleasures; and fellowship with vnfruitfull workes of darknesse; If by standing on Gods side, and hatred of all false wayes, thou art become the Drunkards song, as Dauid was, and a by-word amongst the sonnes of Belial, as was Iob; If the world lowre and looke sowre vponupon thee for thy looking towards Heauen, and thy good-fellow companions abandon Thee, as too precise; If thy life be not like other mens, and thy waies of another fashion, as the Epicures of those times p. 6charged the righteous man, when the booke of Wisedome was written; In a word, if thou walkest in the narrow way, and be one of that little flock, which liues amongst Wolues,Luk. 10 3. Isa. 11. 6, 7.Luke 10:3Isa 11:6Isa 11:7 and therefore must needs bee little; so that by all the Leopards, Lions, and Beares about thee, I meane all sorts of vnregenerate men, thou art hunted for thy holinesse, as a Partridge on the mountaines, at least by the poison and persecution of the tongue; I say, then thou art certainly in the hie way to Heauen.

2. If the Saints of God bee men of singularitie, in the sence I hauehave said; then away with those base, and brainelesse cauils, against those who are wise vntounto saluation: What? are you wiser then your fore-fathers? then all the mmCùm vndique mal… pe…strepant, & dicant, Quare sic viuis? Tu solus Christianus es▪ Quare non sacis quod faciunt & alii, &c? Et tu dicis, Christianus sum, vt repellas istos nescio quo…: sed aduersarius premit, vrget, quod peius est exemplo Christianorum suffocat Christianos. Sudatur, astuatur, tribulatur anima Christiana, &c. Ideo vide quid dicat. Respondet enim, Quid mihi prodest, quia modò mihi facio remedia, & luc…or paucos dies? Exeo hinc de isto seculo, & vado ad Dominum meum, & mittet me in ignem, quia praeposui paucos dies vitae futurae, mit…et me in gehennas—Et hoc fortè non in plateâ tibi dicit amicus, sed in domo vxor, aut fortè maritus vxori fideli, bonae & sanctae deceptor ipsius, Si mulier marito, Eua est illi: Si vir vxori, Diabolus est illi. Aut ipsa tibi … est, aut ru illi serpens es. Aug. in Psal 93. p. 201.Ps 93Towne? then such and such learned men? then your owne Parents? Are you wiser then your Head, may the Husband say, &c. nnNon igitur dubium est, quin generatio praua infensissi… cum odetit, & variè exercuerit, insultantes ei: Num t… solus sapis? Num solus tu Deo places? Num nos reliqui omnes erramus? omnes damn abimur? Tu solus non erras? Solus non damnabe…is? Haec magna virtus fuit. Nobis enim hodiè impossibile esse videtur, vt vnus se opponat toti orbi tetrarum, reliquos omnes damnet, tanquam malos, qui tamen Ecclesiam, verbum & cultum Dei iactant, se autem solùm statuat Dei filium, & Deo acceptum esse, Lutherus. Ne que paru…m est despicere irridentes & oppr… bantes, & salibus incessentes: at iustus ille non tantùm decem & viginti, & centum homines, sed & omnem hominum naturam & tot myriades despexit. Verisimi…e enim omnes illos ridere, reprehendere, subsannare, & debacchari: & fortè etiam, si possibile fuisset, dilacerare voluisse. Chrysost. Hom. 23 in cap. 6. Gen. Tam domestica illi erat strenuitas, vt viam diuersam à vulgati, quam omnis multitudo ina…bulabat, iret: & neque timeret, neque suspicaretur aliquid tale, quale verisimile est, ignauis accidere: qui si qu…ndo viderint, multos simul con…pirate, hoc velamen, & hanc occasionem suae ignauiae pretexunt, ac dicunt: Quid ego no…um, & singulare post illos omnes facturus essem aduersarius tantae multitudinis, & cum tanto populo bellam susceptu…us? Numquid illis omnibus ego admirabilior essem? Quae vtilit…s foret tantarum inimicitiarum? Quod commodum tanti odij? Nihil talium cogitabat, neque in …nimum …, Id…m ibid. Hom. 22.Nay further, to Noah it might hauehave been said by the wretches of those times, Art thou wiser then all the world? (He out of the height of his heroicall resolution, easily endured and digested the affronts and indignities of this kinde from millions of men.) But take thou these spitefull taunts, and binde them in the meane time, as a Crowne vntounto thee, and aduance forward in thine holy singularitie with all sweete p. 7content and vndauntednesse of spirit, towards that glorious immortall Crowne aboue; and let those miserable men, whose eyes are hood-winkt by Satan, and so blinded with earthly dust, that they cannot possibly discerne the inuisible excellencies and true noblenesse of the neglected Saints, follow the folly of their worldly wisdome, and sway of the greater part, to endlesse woe; and then giuegive losers leaue to talke.

3. Let eueryevery one, who in sinceritie of heart seekes to be saued, euer hold it a speciall happinesse, and his hiest honor, ooTo walke with God, is a precious praise, though xone d…e it but my selfe, and to walke with man, with the world, with a Towne or Parish, in wicked wayes, is a deadly sia, though millions doe it, B. Babington vponupon Gen. 6. vers. 8.Gen 6:8to be singled out from the vniuersall pestilent contagion of common prophanenes, and the sinfull courses of the greatest part; and to be censured as singular in that respect. Neither is this a singular thing, that I now suggest; but it hath been the portion of the Saints in all ages, to be trod vponupon with the feete of imperious contempt, as a number of odde despised vnderlings, whereas indeed they are Gods Iewels, and the onelyonly excellent vponupon earth. Behold, saith Isaiah, chap. 8. 18. I and the Children whom the Lord hath giuen me, and for signes and wonders in Israel, I am as a monster vntounto many, saith Dauid, Psalm. 71. 7. I am in derision dayly, eueryevery one mocketh mee, saith Ieremy, chap. 20. 7. We are made, saith Paul, a spectacle vntounto the world, and to Angels, and to men, 1. Cor. 4. 9. We are made as the filth of the world, the off-scowring of all things, v. 13. In ppSunt multi malè viuentes Christiani, inter quos qui voluerit benè viuere, & inter ebriosos sobrius esse, & inter fornicatores castus esse, & inter consultatores Mathematicorum Deum sinceriter colere, & nihil tale requirere, & inter spectatores nugacium theatrorum noluerit ire nisi ad ecclesiam, patitur insultores ipsos Christianos, & patitur verba aspe…a, & dicunt, Tu magnus, tu iustus, tu es Helias, tu es Petrus, tu do coelo venisti: insultant quo cunque se verterit, audit hinc atque inde verbum asperum. Quod si time…, recedit à via Christi Dei.—Quando audit verba aspera, vnde sibi habet facere solatium, vt non curet verba aspera, &c. Dicat, Qualia verba audio, seruus peccator? Dominus mens audiuit, Daemonium habet. August. in Psalm. 90.Ps 90Austins time, those that made conscience of their waies, durst not plunge into the corruptions of the times, and play the good fellowes, were scornefully pointed at, not onelyonly by Pagans, but euen by vnreformed Professors, Professors at large, as we call them, as fellowes that affected a precisenesse and purity aboue ordinary and others: They would thus insult and scoffingly fly in the face of such an holy one: You are a great man, sure, you are a iust man, you are an Elias, you p. 8are a Peter, you come from Heauen, &c. In qqSi simplex aliquis, si castus, aut frugalis in Collegio aliquo vel conuentu, latam & lubricam perditorum viam non sectetur, fabula, & ridiculum caetetis efficitur. Insolens quoque, & singularis, insanus aut Hypocrita continuo appellatur. Vnde & multi, qui ad bonam frugem deuenirent, si cum modestis & bonis degerent; hac ratione abstracti per malorum consortia ad malum trahuntur, dum talia inter suos contubernales nomina subire verentur. Nicolaus d… Clymenges, de vitijs Minist. Eccl. apud Ioan. de Gersonno. Tom. 2.after-times, if a man were but meerely ciuill, ingenuous, chaste, temperate, hee was made a by-word and laughing stocke to those about him. They presently said; Hee was proud, singular, beside himselfe, Hypocrite, &c. Thus it was, is at this time, and will bee to the worlds end, that eueryevery stigmaticall Whoremonger, beastly Drunkard, ignorant Lozell, scoffing Ismael, and Selfe-guilty wretch will hauehave a bitter gird, a dry blow, as they say, a scurrill gibe, to throw like the Mad-mans fire-brand into the face of Gods people, as though they were a company of odde humorous fellowes, and a contemptible generation. This, I say, euer was, and euer will bee the worlds opinion of the wayes of God. The children of darknesse euer harbour such conceits, and peremptorily passe such censures vponupon the children of light.

It is strange! men are content to be singular in any thing, saue in the seruice of God, and saluation of their soules. They desire, and labour too, to be singularly rich, and the wealthiest in a Town; to be singularly proud, and in fashion by themselues; to be the strongest in the company to powre in strong drinke. They would with all their hearts be in honour alone, and adored aboue others. They would dwell alone, and not suffer a poore mans house to be within sight. They affect singularitie in wit, learning, wisedome, valour, worldly reputation, and in all other earthly precedencies; but they can by no means endure alonenesse, and singularity in zeale, and the Lords seruice. In matters of Religion, they are resolued to doe as the most doe, tho in so doing they certainly damne their owne soules, Math. 7. 13. Basest cowardlinesse, and fearefulnesse fit for such a doome! Reuel. 21. 8. They are afraid of taking Gods part too much; of fighting too valiantly vnderunder the Colours of Christ; of being too busie about the saluation of their soules; lest they should bee accounted too precise, fellowes of an odde humour, and engrossers of more grace than ordinarie. It is one of Satans dreadfull depths, as wide as hell, and brimme-full with the blood of infinite soules: To make men ambitious, and couetous p. 9of singularitie in all other things; but in godlinesse, and Gods seruices; not to suffer it in themselues, and to persecute it in others.

Now in this Story of Noah, so highly honoured with singularity of freedome from the sinfull contagion of those desperate times, and happily exempted from that most generall, and greatest Iudgement vponupon earth that euer the Sunne saw, an vniuersall drowning; gloriously mounting vp vponupon the wings of saluation and safety, both of soule and body, when a world of Giant-like Rebels sunke to the bottome of that new Sea, as a stone, or lead, I consider,

1. The cause of such a singular blessed preseruation; which was the free grace and fauour of God: But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, vers. 8.

2. The renowne, and honour of Noahs name: in that he stands heere as the Father of the rrPereunte mundo, vnus Noē seruatur, quasi stirp… incorrupta, vt noui mundi sit origo, & nouorum ho minū seminarium, Ambros.new world, holy seede, and progenitors of Iesus Christ: These are the generations of Noah, verse 9.

3. The description of Noahs 1. Personall goodnesse: 2. Preseruation: 3. Posteritie. These two latter follow. His personall description stands in the end of verse 9. Noah was a iust man, and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. Where wee finde him honoured with three noble Attributes, which make vp the Character of a compleate Christian: 1. Honestie. 2. Vprightnesse. 3. Pietie. And they receiue much excellency and lustre from a circumstance of time: In his generations: ssAt que hae virtutes Noachi circumstantiâ temporum, personarúmque amplificantur, cùm ita fuisse dicitur, non aetate vná, sed multis, non conuersatione cum bonis, sed cum hominibus corruptissimis, & seculo corruptissimo. Iun. in A…. c. 6. Gen.which were many and mainly corrupt.

Without any further vnfolding my Texts coherence and dependance vponupon either precedent or following parts, (for Historicall passages are plainer, and doe not euer exact the length and labour of such an exact resolution, as other Scriptures doe,) I collect from the first point, wherein I finde Gods free grace to bee the prime and principall cause of Noahs preseruation, this Note:

Doct. The free grace and fauour of God is the first moouer and fountaine of all our good. Consider for this purpose such p. 10places as these, Ier. 31. 3. Hos. 14. 4. Deut. 7. 7, 8. Rom. 9. 11, 12, 13. Ioh. 3. 16. Ios. 24. 2, 3. Ephes. 1. 5.

And it must needs bee so. For it is vtterly impossible that any finite cause, created power, or any thing out of Himselfe, should primarily mooue and incline the eternall, immutable, increated, omnipotent will of God. The true originall and prime motiue of all gracious, bountifull expressions and effusions of louelove vponupon His Elect, is His foreign. His merum beneplacitum: The good pleasure of His will. And therefore to hold, that election to life is made vponupon foresight of faith, good workes, the right vse of free-will, or any created motiue, is not only ttSicut Deo nihil potest esse causa vt incipiat velle: ita & ipsi Deo nihil potest esse causa vt ab aeterno aliquid velit, sicut nihil potest ei esse causa, vt ab aeterno sit, Driedo Tom. 3 lib. de concor lib. Arb. & praedest. diui. cap. 3. Non enim Deus monetur abaliquâ re àd extra, ad aliquid agendum; alioquin ipsius voluntas ab alio in volendo dependeret, quod repugnans est. Rubeus in 1. Sent. dist. 40. Diuinae voluntatis non solùm nulla est causa finalis, & moriua per mo… obiecti; sed etiam nullum est obiectum creaturae, quod possit Deo esse ratio volendi aliud, sed sola sua bonitas, Vasq…z … 1. p. disp. 91. q. 23. Art. 5. cap. 1.false, and wicked; but also an ignorant and absurd Tenent. To say no more at this time, it robs God of his All-sufficiencie, making Him goe out of Himselfe, looking to this or that in the creature, vponupon which His will may bee determined to elect. The Schoole-men tho otherwise a rotten generation of Diuines, yet are right in this.

1. That distinction which I learne from my **That most worthy, wise, holy, …nd learned Minister …of God, Iohn Ran dall, Ser. 2. vponupon Rom. 8. pag. 44.Rom 8Master, in his heauenly Sermons published since his death, doth leade vntounto aright, and truely inlighten this Head-spring of all our good. 1. Some actions of Gods louelove vntounto vsus, saith he, are so in Christ, that they are wholly suspended on Him, and His merits are the onelyonly procuring cause of them: For example, Forgiuenesse of sinnes, is an action of Gods louelove vntounto vsus, and yet this wholly depends vponupon Christ, and his merits; so that His precious Blood must either procure this mercy for vsus from God, else they will neuer bee forgiuen; and this, and the like louelove of God, is both in Christ, and for Christ. 2. There are some other actions of Gods louelove, which arise meerely and onelyonly out of the absolute will of God, without any concurrence of Christs merits; As the eternall purpose of God, whereby Hee hath determined to chuse some men to saluation; this is an action of Gods louelove meerely rising out of His absolute will, without Christs merits. For Christ is a Mediatour, and all his merits are the effects of his louelove, not the cause of it. And yet this louelove, though it be not for Christ, yet is it in Christ, Ephes. 3. 11. According to p. 11the eternall purpose, which hee wrought in Christ Iesus our Lord: that is, in regard of the execution of it; for euen this eternall purpose, and all the actions of Gods louelove, which arise from his absolute Will, are effected, and brought to passe in and through Christ.

3. Wee may take an estimate of the absolute, and infinite frankenesse of this vnconceiueable louelove of God to his, which reacheth from euerlasting, to euerlasting, by looking vponupon that goodly, faire, sweete, amiable creature described, Ezechiel 16. In the beginning of the Chapter, shee lies most filthy and foule, tumbling in her owne blood, pittied by no eye, abhorred of all; which loathsomnesse should rather hauehave begot loathing, then louelove: auersion and hate, then affection, and liking: yet God Himselfe doth there professe, out of a melting pang, and ouer-flowing abundance of His free grace, that, that time was vntounto Him the time of louelove: Hee spred his skirt ouer her, and couered her nakednesse. In a word; after she was dressed, and adorned with Gods most skilfull mercifull hand, she became a most louely thing: First, washed with water, cleansed from blood, anointed with oyle; then cloathed with broidered worke, shod with Badgers skinne, girded about with fine linnen, couered with silke, decked with ornaments of siluer and gold; with bracelets vponupon her hands, a chaine on her necke, a iewell on her forehead, earerings in her eares, and a beautifull Crowne vponupon her head; fedde with fine flower, honie and oyle; so that she became exceeding beautifull, and renowned through the whole World, for her perfect comelinesse, euen mine owne comelinesse, which I put vponupon her, saith the Lord God.

Uses: 1. All praise then is due vntounto Iehoua, the Author of all our good, the Fountaine of all our blisse, the Wellspring of immortalitie and life, whereby we liue, and moue, and hauehave our being; our naturall being, the beeing of our outward state; our gracious being, the euerlastingnesse of our glorious state. Were the holiest heart vponupon earth enlarged, to the vast comprehension of this great Worlds widenesse; p. 12nay, made capable of all the glorious and magnificent Hallelu-iahs, and hearty praises offered to Iehoua, both by all the militant, and Triumphant Church; yet would it come infinitely short of sufficiently magnifying, admiring, and adoring the inexplicable mysterie, and bottomles depth of this free, independant mercy, and louelove of God, the Fountaine, and first Moouer of all our good! We may, and are bound, to blesse God for all the meanes, instruments, and second causes, whereby it pleaseth God to conferre, and conuey good things vntounto vsus: but we must rest principally, with lowliest thoughts of most humble and heartiest praisefulnesse, at the Well-head of all our welfare, Iehoua, blessed for euer. Wee receiue a great deale of comfort, and refreshment from the Moone and Starres; but wee must chiefly thanke the Sunne: from the greater Riuers also; but the maine Sea is the Fountaine. Angels, Ministers, and Men may pleasure vsus; but Iehoua is the principall. Let vsus then imitate those Lights of Heauen, and Riuers of the Earth; do all the good wee can with those good things God hath giuen vsus by his instruments; and then reflect backe towards, and returne all the glory and praise vntounto the Sunne of righteousnesse, and Sea of our saluation. The beames of the Moone and Starres returne as farre-backe to glorifie the face of the Sunne, which gaue them their beauty, as they can possibly, vntill they be reflected, or determine by necessarie expiration, the Sunnes eiaculatorie power being finite: Let vsus semblably euer send backe to Gods owne glorious Selfe, the honour of all His gifts, by a fruitfull improouement of them, in setting forth His glory, and by continuall feruent eiaculations of praise, to the vtmost possibilitie of our gracious hearts.

And here I cannot hold, but must needs most iustly complaine of the hatefull, intolerable vnthankefulnesse of vsus in this Kingdome, the happiest people vnderunder the Cope of Heauen, had we hearts enlarged to conceiue aright of Gods extraordinary louelove, and such miraculous mercies, as neuer Nation enioyed! Walke ouer the World: Peruse the whole p. 13face of the Earth, from East to West, from North to South,I speake not thus, to beget securitie, which is ready to blow vsus vp; but to stirre to thankfulnesse, wherein, I know, we are wofully wanting. I tell you not here, how we behaue our selues towards God, which is most wretchedly; but how his blessed Maiestie beares himselfe towards vsus, which is most bountifully. which is aboue one and twenty thousand miles about both wayes; and from one side of Heauen to another; thou shalt not finde such another illightned Goshen, as this Iland, wherein we dwell. Of sixe parts of the Earth, fiue are not Christian; and in Christendome, what other part is so free from the reigne of Popery, the rage of Schisme, or the destroying Sword? Or where besides doth the Gospell shine with such glory, truth and peace? Or in what nooke of the World are there so many faithfull Soules, who cry vntounto God day and night, against the abominations of the times; for the preseruation of the Gospell; that Gods Name may bee gloriously hallowed, His Kingdome come, His will bee done in eueryevery place, and themselues serue him with truth of heart? And yet we are too ready, if wee hauehave not the height of our desires, and our wils to the ful, in stead of patience, teares, and prayers, which best become the Saints; to embitter all other blessings, and to discouer most horrible vnthankefulnesse for them, by repining, grumbling, and discontent; I am sure, by not reioycing (as we ought) in eueryevery good thing, which the Lord our God hath giuen vntounto vsus; and by not improouing the extraordinarinesse of His mercies, to our more glorious seruice of Him, and more humbly and precisely walking before Him. GiueGive me leaue therefore in short, to reuiue and refresh your memories, with representation of some generall heads onelyonly of those innumerable speciall fauours, with which Gods mercifull hand hath crowned this Kingdome, for the stirring vp, and enlarging our hearts, to the entertainment and exercise of this most necessarie, and most neglected dutie of praising Iehoua. And here, wee of this Nation may a great deale more iustly, and rightly say, then the French Chronicler, in the Preface to his Story, That we hauehave liued in a time of Miracles: our Posteritie will hardly beleeue the wonders done in our dayes. Was it not a miraculous mercy, that such a glorious noone tide of the Gospell, as wee hauehave enioyed all our life long, should spring out of the darkest mid-night of damned Popery, which vnhappily seized p. 14vponupon the face of this Kingdome, in the time of Queene Marie; especially watched extraordinarily, and most strongly guarded by all the policie of hell, and power of the Pepe? that the blood of those blessed Martyrs should bring forth since, such a world of Gods sincere worship, and so many thousands of gracious Soules, who are alreadie crowned with euerlasting blisse? That Queene Elizabeth, that matchlesse Princesse, and Pearle of the World, should in those fierie times bee preserued in safetie, as a sweete harmelesse Lambe, amidst so many mercilesse Romish Wolues, who implacably thirsted for her precious life? Was it not a wonder, that the sacred hand of that selfe-same crowned blessed Lady, next vnderunder Gods Almightie One, should in despite of all the Powers of Darknesse, and Popish rage, raise our true Religion, as it were by miracle from the dead, a thing which the World so little hoped to see; that euen they, which beheld it done, scarcely beleeued their owne senses at the first beholding? That afterward, the Siluer line of her much-honoured life should be hid in the endless maze of Gods bottomlesse mercies, from the fierce assaults of so many Popish Bulls, such a prodigious varietie of murdrous complotments against her sacred Person; and all those desperate Assasins of Rome, who all her life long hunted full greedily after her Virgin blood? **The excellency of Gods prouulence and power for the Gospell, was extraor…ly improoued in the m…ra▪ … lous preseruation of that …essed Lady from so many attempts, so many enemies, so many mischiefes, P…iols, …, Persons, Threatnings, Insurrections, Inu…sions. Curses, Excommunicatious, and all the vtmost malice of Hell and Pope.And was not our deliuerance in Eightie eight a Miracle, when the Sea fought for vsus, and her proud waues enlarged themselues, to swallow vp quick their prouder burden? There was a day, as many of vsus may remember, which the Papists called, The long-lookt-for Day; the Day which should pay for all: They meant the Day, when Queene Elizabeth should die. About which, their false prophets were so confident and hopefull, that they expected vponupon the blood of that Day, to hauehave built their Idolatrous Babel againe: For they would needs foretell, that it would bee a bloody Day. yyAnswer to the Libel of Engl…ust. pag. 176. & 185.By the vncertaintie of the next Heire (said one of them in the late Queenes dayes) our Countrie is in the most dreadfull, and desperate case; in the greatest miserie, and most dangerous termes, that euer it was since, or before p. 15the Conquest; and farre worse then any Countrie of Christendome, by the certainty of most bloody, ciuil, and forren warres: all our wealth and felicitie whatsoeuer, depending vponupon a few vncertaine dayes of Queene Elizabeths life. Clouds of blood (saith zzNon vos late… modò grauis, & senecta Principis aetas, cuius sepulchrum, veluti totius regni voraginem & naufragium fermè sub oculis contemplamini.—Caeterùm insupèr aduertente… cogitationes ad Reipub licae membra tam varijs concilijs distracta, ingentes moles tempestatum & turbationū, cruentorum imbrium conglomeratas nubes vestris impendere ceruicibus despicietis.—Vndequaque proh dolor, Anglia in praedam expetitur & expectatur. Westonus de triplici hominis offici… in peroratione ad Academicos.another) hang in the Aire, which at the death of Queene Elizabeth will dissolue, and raine downe vponupon England, which then is expected as a prey to the ambition of neighbour-Nations. I am sure, the false prophet spake to this sense. And what comes of all this, when the Day came? God, euen wrought a miracle of mercy for the comfort of this Kingdome, and further confusion of such tellers, and foretellers of lyes: For the Sunne set, and no night followed: the same mercifull hand at the same time crowned Queene Elizabeth with immortall glory, and set the earthly Crowne of this Kingdome vponupon King Iames his head, without sheading so much, as one drop of blood. And was it not a miraculous mercy to hauehave such a King, after such a Queene? who hath alreadie, next vnderunder that mighty God, by whom Kings reigne, continued the Gospell vntounto vsus, and preserued vsus from the destroying Sword now full twenty yeeres: And what do you thinke, were twenty yeeres Peace, and the enioyment of the Gospell, worth, were it to be bought? Who hath ennobled this Kingdome for euer, by his excellent Writings, in the cause of Religion against Antichrist, which would hauehave created a great deale of honour to a priuate man, minding nothing else: How illustrious then doe they make our King? The child vnborne will blesse King Iames, for his premonition to all the Princes, and free States of Christendome; and that Royall Remonstrance, against the rotten, and pestilent Oration of the French Cardinal, to the vtter, and triumphant ouerthrow of it; penned in that stile, that none can possibly reach, but a learned King: his Golden pen hath giuen such a blow to that beast of Rome, that hee will neuer be able to stand vponupon his foure legs againe: hee hath shot out of his Royall bow such keene arrowes, taken out of the quiuer of Gods Booke, which will hang in the sides of that skarlet Whore, and make her la…e as long as she liues. Did hee not p. 16seale vsus an Instrument of his hand, as it were, to testifie his inuincible cleauing to the Truth, which he hath so excellently, and vnanswerably defended with his Pen, the same day hee gaue the Noble Princesse, a second Elizabeth, to the Palatine? Hath he not most happily and seasonably stopped the hasty torrent of the Arminian Sect, & the domineering rage of bloody Duels, &c? And was not the discouery and deliuerance from the Powder-plot, that great astonishment of Men and Angels, one of the most vnparalelled and mercifull Miracles, that euer the Church of God tasted? Is it not admirable in the eyes of all Christendome, that the only Daughter of our King, vnworthily hunted vp and downe like a Partridge in the Mountaines, should with such Heroicall height of spirit passe thorow so many insupportable dangers, difficulties, and indignities, impossible to be forced vponupon Ladies by generous spirits, and as impossible to bee borne and ouercome, but by an inuincible spirit; and that Shee and all her Royall little Ones should bee still safe in the golden Cabinet of Gods sweetest prouidence? And to crowne all with a wonder of greatest astonishment, doe not we all, that are the Kings faithfullest Subiects, almost feare still, lest we be in a dreame, that Prince Charles, the Flowre of Christendome, should returne home so! To say no more: Away then with all sowre, melancholike, causelesse, sinfull discontent. And, Praise ye the Lord, sing vntounto the Lord a new song, and his praise Psal. 149. …. 1. 2. 4, 5.Ps 149in the congregation of the Saints. Let Israel reioyce in him that made him: let the children of Zion be ioyfull in their King. For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people: Hee will beautifie the meeke with saluation. Let the Saints be ioyfull in glory: let them sing aloud vponupon their beds. In a word, let vsus of this Iland, as we hauehave iust cause, aboue all the Nations of the earth, and aboue all Ages of the Church, from the very first creation of it, praise Iehoua most heartily, infinitely, and for euer.

2. Neuer hit any in the teeth with deformity of bodie, dulnesse of conceit, weaknesse of wit, poorenesse in outward state, basenesse of birth, &c. For who makes thee to differ from 1. Cor. 4. 7.1 Cor 4:7another? Either,

p. 17In naturall gifts, as comelines of body, beauty, feature, stature, wit, strength, &c. See Iob 10. 10, 11. Psal. 139. 13, 14, 15.

In ciuill endowments, or any artificiall skill; vntill it come euen vntounto matters of Husbandry: See Esay 28. 26.

In outward things, see Psalm. 127. More particularly, in preferment, and promotion, see Psal. 75. 6, 7. In children, 1. Sam. 1. 27. Psal. 127. 3. In a good wife, see Prou. 19. 14.

In spirituall things, see Ezech. 16.**Isa. 43. 25. Rom. 11. 5. 2. Tim. 1. 9. Phil. 1. 29. Rom. 3. 24. Eph. 2. 10.Isa 43:25Rom 11:52 Tim 1:9Phil 1:29Rom 3:24Eph 2:10 In any thing thou canst name. We are all framed of the same mold, hewed out of the same Rocke, made as it were, of the same cloth, the sheares, as they say, onelyonly going betweene; it is therefore onelyonly the free louelove and grace of God, which makes all the difference.

Whereupon, it was an excellent speech of the last French King, as his Chronicler reports: When I was borne, there were In the Historie of his life and death, pag. 93.a thousand other soules more borne: what hauehave I done vntounto God, more then they? It is his meere grace and merciemercy, which doth often bind me more vntounto his iustice: for the faults of great men are neuer small.

Let none then, I say, ouer-looke, disdaine, or brow-beate their brethren, by reason of any extraordinarinesse of gifts, eminency of parts, singularitie of Gods speciall fauour, or indulgence towards him in any good thing, which he denies to others. Especially, thy selfe being vouchsafed the mercy of conuersion; neuer insolently and imperiously insult ouer those poore soules, who are beside themselues in matter of saluation, who like miserable drudges, damne themselues in the Deuils slauery, and suffer their corrupt nature to carrie them to any villanie, lust, or lewd course. Alas! our hearts should bleed within vsus, to behold so many about vsus, to imbrew their cruell hands in the bloud of their owne soules, by their ignorance, worldlinesse, drunkennesse, lust, lying, scoffing at profession, hating to be reformed, &c. What heart, except it be hewed out of the hardest rocke, or hath suckt the brests of mercilesse Tygers, but would yerne, and weepe, to see a man made of the same mold with himselfe, wilfully, as it were, against the Ministery of the Word, a thousand warnings, and Gods many compassionate inuitations, to cast p. 18himselfe body and soule into the endlesse, easelesse, and remedilesse miseries of Hell? And the rather should we pittie, and pray for such an one, who followes the swinge of his owne heart, to his owne euerlasting perdition, because, as I said before, there went but the sheares betweene the matter whereof we were all made; onelyonly the free mercy, goodnesse and grace of God makes the difference. If he should giuegive vsus ouer to the vnbridled current of our corrupt nature, wee might be as bad, and run riot into a world of wickednesse, as well as he: if the same God visit him in mercy, he might become eueryevery way as good or better, then we.

3. If the free louelove of God, bee the fountaine of all our good; away then with that fained fore-sight of faith, right vse of free-will, good workes, which should mooue God to elect before all eternitie; and that Luciferian selfe-conceite of present merit, aaThes. 2. 4.fit monstrous broode of that Beast of Rome, who opposeth and exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God. For workes meritorious fore-seene, are equally opposite to Grace, as workes meritorious really existing. Here you must cal to mind those eight considerations, which I opposed against that wicked Tenent of Merit, which doth iustly merit neuer to taste of Gods free mercy.

From the second point in these words; These are the generations of Noah] whereas the fame and memoriall of all the Families vponupon Earth besides, lay buried and rotting in the gulfe of euerlasting obliuion, as their bodies in the vniuersall graue of Waters; the family of Noah, a righteous and holy man, is not onelyonly preserued in safetie from the generall Deluge; but his generations registred and renowned in the Booke of God, and conueyed along towards the Lord Iesus, as his Progenitors and precedent Royall Line; I obserue this point:

Doct. Personall goodnesse is a good meanes to bring safety, honour, and many comfortable blessings vponupon posteritie: see Deut. 5. 29. Exod. 20. 6. Psal. 37. 26. Prou. 20. 7. and 11. 21. Psal. 112. 1, 3. Act. 2. 39.

Reas. 1. Parents professing Religion in truth, make p. 19conscience of praying for their children, before they hauehave them, as did aaGen. 25. 21.Gen 25:21Isaac, bb1. Sam. 1. 10.1 Sam 1:10Hannah: When they are quicke in the wombe, as did ccGen. 25. 22.Gen 25:22Rebeckah: When they are borne, as did ddLuk. 1. 64.Luke 1:64Zachariah: In the whole course of their life, as did eeIob 1. 5.Job 1:5Iob: At their death, as did ffGen. 27. 4.Gen 27:4Isaack. And prayers, we know, are for the purchasing of all fauour at the hands of God, either for our selues, or others, the most vndoubted soueraigne meanes we can possibly vse.

2. Godly Parents doe infinitely more desire to see the true feare of God planted in their childrens hearts, then, if it were possible, the Imperiall Diadem of the whole Earth set vponupon their heads. And therefore their principall care is, and the Crowne of their greatest ioy would bee, by good example, religious education, daily instruction, louing admonitions, seasonable reproofes, restraint from wicked company, the corruptions of the times, &c. by all dearest meanes, and vtmost endeauours, to leaue them gracious, when they goe out of this world. And Godlinesse, saith Paul, hath the promise 1. Tim. 4. 8.1 Tim 4:8of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. It giues right and full interest to all the true honour, blessings and comforts which are to be had in Heauen, or in Earth.

3. Children are ordinarily apt, out of a kindly instinct of naturall louingnesse, from many and strongest motiues, to imitate, and follow their Parents, either in basenesse, or better carriage, to Heauen, or Hell.

4. A father that truly feares God, dare not for his heart heape vp riches, or purchase high roomes for his children, by wrong-doing, or any wicked waies of getting; whereupon, both he and his fare farre the better, and happily decline the flaming edge of those many fearefull curses denounced in Gods Book, against all vnconscionable dealers. Such as that, Ecclesiast. 5. 13, 14. There is a sore euill which I hauehave seene vnderunder the Sunne, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. But those riches perish by euill trauell, and he begetteth a sonne, and there is nothing in his hand. And Habac. 2. 9, 10. Woe to him that coueteth an euill couetousnesse to his house, that he may set his nest on hie, that hee may bee deliuered p. 20from the power of euill. Thou hast consulted shame to thy house, by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soule.

Vses: 1. Wouldest thou then hauehave thy little babes thou louest so dearely, blessed vponupon earth, truly noble, Gods fauourites, meete thee in heauen? Be holy thy Selfe. Men are very carefull and curious to hauehave their seed-corne, and breed of cattell choise, and generous; and will they not endeauour to nurture, manage, and conduct the immortall soules of their children with grace, by godly education, to the highest aduancement of which those noble natures are capable, euerlasting blisse, fruition of all heauenly ioyes, world without end?

2. This may also serue to reprooue, and correct those couetous Bedlams, that labour more to hauehave their children great, than good; rich, than religious. It is a madnesse of that kinde, which wanteth termes to expresse it: That a Man should goe to Hell himselfe, and fit his children to follow him, in seeking to establish his house, and raise his posteritie, by Sacriledge, Simony, Bribery, Vsury, Oppression, Depopulation, or any other course of cruelty, and wrong. For so they lay their ggQuae nam que dic ot… aliena rapere necessitas?—Paupertas inquis hoc facit, & inopia necessariorum. Atqui proptereà non debe… rapinam exercere. Nam tales diuiti… incertae sunt: T… verò tales congregans, non alite… facis, quàm si qui… rogatus cur in arenam aedificij sui fundamentaiaciat, respondeat, Propter frigoris, ac pluuiae metum. At ob idipsum non debebat fundamentum in arenam loca…i. Nam ita ventus, ac nimbi mox illud subuertunt. Itaque si ditescere voles, neminem circum…enias. Si liberis tuis voles diuitias tradere, iustas acquire. Illae quippe manent, ac firmae persistunt. Quae verò tales non sunt, confestim pereunt, ac corrumpuntur. Si verò omninò ditescere cupis, (res enim ista necessaria non est) quibus tandem diuitijs magis frui voles? An vitae longioris? At qui … d. tescunt, modico plerumque …empore durant. Nam saepenumerò rapinae & imposturae poenas da…t, mortem videlicet immaturam, idque ita, vt possessis, nisi breui momento frui non liceat, & abeuntes … sottiantur. Fit verè & hoc saepè, vt ex delicijs, laboribus & curis aegritudines sibijpsis consciscant & per…ant, Chrysost. Ser. 2. in 1. ad Eph.foundation in fire-workes, which is able to blow vp themselues and their posterity, body and soule, roote and branch.

3. Let this fill the heart of the dying Christian with sweetest peace. For whereas the bloody knife of prophane mens vnconscionable and cruell negligence in training vp their children religiously, doth sticke full deepe in their soules; and leauing this life, they bequeath vntounto them the curse of God, together with their ill gotten goods: he haply finds his conscience, by reason of his former thirsty desire p. 21and sincere endeauour to doe his children good spiritually, freed from the horrour of such bloud-guiltinesse, and leaues them to that comfortable outward estate, which no iniury or vsurie hath impoysoned, and to that neuer-failing prouidence of our heauenly Father, which then is wont to worke most graciously, and bountifully for vsus, when wee, renouncing the arme of flesh, the fauour of man, riches of iniquitie, and all such broken staues of reede, depend most vponupon it. If wee will needs bee our owne caruers for things of this life, either by right or wrong, fraud or faire dealing, all is one, so that wee may thriue and grow great in the world; then are we iustly cast off from all mercifull care ouer vsus, and exposed to ruine and curse. But if wee rest sincerely for our selues and ours vponupon the all-powerfull Prouidence, it will neuer faile, nor forsake vsus, but euer exercise, and improoue its sweetnesse and wisedome, for our true and euerlasting good.

In the third Point, a description of Noahs spirituall state, which is the compleate Character of a true Christian; consisting of three Attributes: 1. hhforeign sonat vi…um probum, aequum, iustum, ac bonum, aequi videlicet ac iusti studiosum.Iustnesse. 2. iiforeign significat hominem integrum, simplicem, candidum, ac sincerum, non versutum in quo nullus dolus deprehenditur, sed omnia & factis, & ore, & corde interse consonant. Musc. Nec foreign sonat perfectum, vt noster interpres vertit, sed integrum, sincerum, non fucatum. Merc. in hunc locum, foreign Som…times i… the same that, non fraudulentus confilijs, non varius, sed simplex, apud Pagn. foreign non perfectionem absolutae sanctitaris, sed sinceritatem cordis & pietatis significat, qua… solam Deus à nobis nunc exigit: sicut dicitur, 1. Tim. 1. 5. Finis mandati est, &c. ….1 Tim 1:5Sinceritie. 3. Piety. I collect from the first this note:

Doct. EueryEvery truely religious Man, is also a righteous, and true-dealing man. From the second, this:

Doct. Sinceritie is the sinew, and Touch-stone of true Christianitie.

But these two, I hauehave so often pressed in the course of my Ministery, that I will p…sse by them at this time.

Looke what kinde of honestie to men that is, which is not accompanied with Religion towards God; the same is that Religion towards God, which is not attended with honestie to men. Unhonest religion, irreligious honesty, vnsincere religion and honesty, are all in one predicament, as they say, and all out of the right path. If thou hauehave respect onelyonly to the commandements of the first Table, and outward p. 22performance of religious seruices; but neglect duties of the second, and conscionable carriage to thy brethren; Thou art but a Pharise, and formall Professour: If thou dealest iustly with thy neighbour, and yet be a stranger to the mysterie of godlinesse, canst not pray, sanctifie the Lords Day, submit to a sincere and searching Ministerie, &c. which the first Table enioynes; Thou art but a meere ciuill man: If thou put on a flourish, and outward face onelyonly, of obedience and conformitie to both, and yet be true-hearted in neither, as did the Pharises, Math. 23. 14, 23. thou art but a grosse Hypocrite. Beare thy selfe holily towards God, honestly towards Man, and true-heartedly towards both, or thou art no Body in Christs Kingdome, but still in the gall of bitternesse, and bond of iniquitie. Put on righteousnesse, and true Ephes. 4. 24.Eph 4:24holinesse in this life, or thou shalt neuer put on a Crowne of glory in the life to come.

In His generations] which were many, and mainely corrupt. In that then Noah stood out, and stucke vntounto God thorow so many kkNon à verisimilitudine abhorret aetatis dixisse Mo…en plurali numero, quo meliùs exprimeret, quàm strenuus, & inuictus athleta fuerit Noa…h. quem tot saecula non mutârunt, Cal… ▪ in cap. 6. Gen. v. 9.Gen 5:9ages; and against so llMirabile fuit constantiae exemplum, quod vndique scelerum soe…ore circundatus, contagionem inde nullam contraxit, … ▪wicked a world; we may learne,

Doct. That constancie is euer an inseparable Attendant vponupon true Christianitie. But because a double constancie is heere implyed: 1. One in respect of continuance of time: 2. Another in respect of opposition to the corruptions of the times; I may obserue two points.

Doct. 1. Grace once truely rooted in the heart, can neuer be remooued. See for this purpose, Rom. 11. 29. Mat. 24. 24. 1. Ioh. 2. 19, 27. Ioh. 10. 28. Rom. 8. 35. Luk. 22. 32. 2. Cor. 1. 21, 22. Ephes. 4. 30, &c.

Reasons may be taken, from

1. The dearenesse, strength, constancie, inuiolablenesse of God the Fathers louelove vntounto His Children. It is dearer then a Mothers to her sweetest Babe, Isa. 49. 15. It is stronger then the mountaines, Esa. 54. 10. It is as constant as the courses of the Sunne and Moone and Starres; of the day and of the night, Ier. 31. 35, 36. and 33. 20, 21. It is as sure, as God Himselfe, Psal. 89. 35, &c.

p. 232. Christs triumphant session and intercession at His Fathers right hand. Which may for euer, with sweetest peace, and freedome from slauish trembling, assure vsus of our rootednesse in Christ, constancie in grace, and euerlasting abode with him in the other World. Hee that will rent vsus from Christs mysticall Body, being once implanted into Him by a liuely fruitfull Faith, and blessedly knit vntounto Him by His Spirit, as fast as the sinewes of His precious Body are knit vntounto His bones, His flesh to his sinewes, and his skinne to His flesh; must pull Him out of heauen, and remoue Him from the right hand of His Father. What so furious or infernall power can or dare lay a finger on vsus in this kinde! Hee hath taken the poisoning power out of eueryevery thing, that should hurt vsus, or hale vsus backe to hell. He hath conquered, captiuated, carried in triumph, and chained vp for euer all the enemies of our soules, and enuiers of our saluation. They may exercise vsus in the meane time for our good; but they shall neuer be able to execute their malicious wils, or any mortall hurt vponupon vsus, either heere, or in the next life.

3. The irreuocable obsignation of the blessed Spirit, Eph. 1. 13, 14. & 4. 30. And who or what, can or dare, reuerse the Deede, or breake vp the Seale of the holy Ghost?

Heere then, as you see, the blessed Trinity is the vnmooueable ground of our going on in grace.

4. The lasting and immortall power of the Word, once rooted in a good and honest heart, Luke 8. 15. 1. Pet. 1. …3.

5. The certainety and sweetnesse of promises to this purpose, Ier. 32. 39, 40. Zech. 10. 12. Ioh. 8. 12. 2. Sam. 7. 14, 15. Psal. 89. 31, &c.

6. The force and might of Faith, 1. Pet. 1. 2, 3, 4, 5.

7. The efficacie of Christs Prayer, Luk. 22. 32. Ioh. 17. 15, 20. Rom. 8. 34.

8. The durable vigour of sauing graces, Ioh. 4. 14. Rom. 11. 29.

9. The inabilitie, nay, impossibilitie of all causes, or creatures to plucke out of Gods hand, Ioh. 10. 29. or to draw p. 24any of His to a totall or finall falling away.

1. It is not the Diuell himselfe can doe it, 1. Iohn 5. 18.

2. It is not the world, 1. Ioh. 5. 4. Ioh. 16. 33.

3. It is not the concurrent fury, and vnited forces of all the powers of darknesse, Math. 16. 18.

4. It is not sinne, 2. Sam. 7. 14, 15. Psal. 89. 31, &c.

5. It is not weakenesse of Faith, and other graces, Mat. 12. 20. Esa. 42. 3.

6. It is not the imposture of false prophets, Matth. 24. 24.

7. It is no creature, or created power, Rom. 8. 38, 39.

Vses: 1. This Point thus confirmed, doth confound that forlorne Tenent of the Popish Doctors, which tels vsus that a iustified and sanctified Man may fall finally and totally from grace. In which I hauehave heretofore vponupon other occasion in your-hearing, punctually refuted those which I conceiued Bellarmines best Arguments. I wil not then trouble you now with his Sophistry againe.

2. This sweet and precious Truth may crowne the hearts of all those that are truly Christs, with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious. Let new Conuerts and Babes in Christ, who are woont to bee very fearefull and much troubled, lest they should not hold out, because vponupon their first entrance into the wayes of Christianitie, they are cunningly and concurrently encountred with so many oppositions: From the Deuill, which then rageth extraordinarily: From the World, which then tendereth moe and more alluring baites: From the Flesh, which naturally is very impatient of any spirituall snaffle: From carnall Friends, who cannot endure their forwardnesse: From their old Companions, who cry out, They are turning Puritanes: From the Times, which lowre and looke fowre vponupon their zeale: Sometimes from the Father which begat them; from the Mother which gaue them suck; from the Wife which lies in their bosome; from a world of enemies to grace: I say, in such a case let them graspe in the p. 25armes of their Faith, the proofes and promises in the present Point, and ride on, because of the Word of Truth. Let them sweetly, with full assurance, and vnconquerable resolution, repose vponupon that euerlasting encouragement, for the finishing of their spirituall building, which Zerubbabel receiued from the mouth of God Himselfe, for successe of the materiall, a Type of this: Not by might and power, but by my Spirit, Zech. 4. 6, 7.Zech 4:6Zech 4:7saith the Lord of Hosts. Who art thou, O great mountaine? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plaine, and hee shall bring foorth the head stone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace vntounto it.

And that they may more comfortably and constantly go on, let them cast their eyes betime vponupon these and the like cautions, at their very first giuing their names vntounto Christ.

1. Propose such interrogatories as these to thine owne heart: Art thou content to abandon thy bosome sinne; the sensuall froth of former mmDelicatus es, Christiane, si & in seculo voluptatem concupiscis, immò nimium stultus, si hoc existimas voluptatem, Tertul. de spectas. cap. 28.pleasures, hereafter to delight in God, as thy chiefest ioy? Canst thou take vp thy crosse, and follow Christ His Truth and holy tracke, amidst the many by-paths that leade to hell, and different opinions of multitudes of men? Art thou willing to suffer aduersitie, disgrace, and discountenance with the righteous, and contemned godly Ones? Canst thou endure to hauehave things laid vntounto thy charge, thou neuer didst, thoughtst, or dreamdst on? To become the Drunkards song; a By-word to those that are vil…r then the earth; musicke at the feasts of those that sit in the gate, &c? In a word, for Christs sake to deny thy selfe, thy worldly wisdome, naturall wit, carnall friends, old companions, pleasures, profits, preferments, ease, excellency of learning, acceptation with the world, outward state, liberty, life, or what else thou canst name dearest vntounto flesh and blood? If thine heart answere not affirmatiuely, (I meane, out of the resolution of a well-aduised regenerate iudgement; for I know, the flesh will grumble and reclaime:) thou wilt certainly f…ll away, or end in formality.

2. Looke to thy repentance; that it be sincere, vniuersall, constant; from the heart-roote, for all knowne sinnes, to thy p. 26dying day. 1. If some worldly crosse be the continued principall motiue: 2. Or the humour of melancholy: 3. If it bee confusedly onelyonly for sinne, and in generall: 4. Or for some one speciall notorious sinne onelyonly: 5. Or for some lesser sinnes, with neglect of greater, as for tything Mint, &c. 6. If it be onelyonly legall: 7. But for some sinnes, of what kinde soeuer; leauing but so much as one knowne sinne not taken to heart: 8. Or but for a time: All will come to naught. A foundation of godly sorrow, leasurely, aduisedly, and sincerely laid at first, will be for euer after a comfortable encouragement to Faith, spirituall ioy, well-doing, and walking with God.

3. Take the touch-stone of fruitfull, powerfull, and speciall markes, to discerne and difference iustifying sauing Faith, from all false and insufficient faiths. For a temporarie may goe farre.

4. Let knowledge and affection, like two indiuiduall twins, grow vp together in thee; and mutually transfuse spirituall vigour into each other. Presume not vponupon any knowledge, without an humble inflamed affection; neither build too much vponupon the heate of zeale, without the light of knowledge: Either of these may be single in some, and that in singularitie, who after may fall away shamefully.

5. Aboue all, looke vntounto thy heart. If thy change were Angelicall, in words, actions, and all outward carriage, and yet thy thoughts still the same and reserued: thou art but a guilded Tombe, and cannot bee nnIer. 4. 14.Jer 4:14saued. Let a man take a Wolfe, beate him blacke and blue, breake his bones, knocke out his teeth, cut away his clawes, put vponupon him a Sheepes skinne, yet still hee retaines his Woluish nature: Let a man become neuer so harmelesse outwardly, yet without a new heart, all is naught.

6. Incorporate thy selfe into the company of Gods people, by all engagements and obligations of a profitable, intimate, and comfortable fellowship in the Gospell. There is a secret tie vntounto constancie in the communion of Saints. Hee is not like to walke long, that walketh alone, especially, if he p. 27might enioy good company. Shunning society with the godly, is too shrowde a signe of a temporarie.

7. Consider well, (for the contrary is a notable discouerie of counterfeits) that thy calling to grace must settle thee more surely in thine honest particular calling; and make thee therein more faithfull, conscionable, and painefull.

Let Christians also of longer standing, and more strength, in their assaults about perseuerance, hauehave recourse vntounto this Tower of Truth, and labour to preuent that which they feare:

1. By constancie, in a carefull vse of all the meanes; the Word, Prayer, Conference, Meditation, Sacraments, &c. To which, let them preserue appetite: and practise that they heare, without omission or delay. Hee that giues way to a heartlesse neglect, or customarie hardnesse of heart, in the vse of the Ordinances, may iustly suspect his neerenesse to some fearefull sinne, or fierce temptation; to some heauy iudgement, or dangerous Apostacie.

2. Assoone as they discouer any spirituall weakenesse, or decay; assault, or temptation; let them complaine betime vntounto the Throne of Grace, and mightily oppose with the feruentest prayers of extraordinarie priuate humiliation.

3. Let them keepe perfection still in their eye, and aime; and towards the attainment thereof, acquire and acquaint themselues with Rules of holy life, daily directions, courses of most mortified men, &c.

4. Let them watchfully decline all occasions of falling backe: Spirituall pride, knowne Hypocrisie, desire to bee rich, vnderunder-valuing & declining the most searching meanes, forme, and perfunctorinesse in religious duties, discontinuance of intimatenesse with the godly, neglect of distractions vponupon the Lords Day, &c.

5. Let them consider that all is lost which is past, if they fall off, 2. Ioh. 8.

This former Point of constancie in grace, did arise from consideration of blessed Noahs continuance in goodnesse through so many ages: Now in that hee did not conforme to p. 28the iniquities of the times, but did stand vnstained, amidst the wickedst generations that euer dwelt vponupon earth; I collect the necessitie of another constancie, and that is in respect of opposition to the corruptions of times.

Doct. The seruant of God must not serue the times. Or thus: The true Christian ought to stand at staues end with the corruptions of the time.

Reason. Hee is bound vntounto it by his Baptisme. Of such as prophaned themselues, being Christians, with irreligious delight in the Ensignes of Idolatry, heathenish spectacles, showes and stage-playes, ooLib. de spectat. cap. 24▪Tertullian, to strike them the more deepe, claimeth the promise which they made in Baptisme. Hee is not of the world, Ioh. 15. 19. His life is hid with Christ in God, Colos. 3. 3. There is a secret heauenly vigour infused into eueryevery gracious Soule, by the sanctifying Spirit, which deads it to the world, and makes it delight in God. He ought to shine in the world, as a light in the midst of a crooked and peruerse nation, Phil. 2. 15. Light and darknesse cannot endure one another; neither the power of Grace, those workes of darknesse in which the world lyes drowned. Hee is by no meanes to bee conformed to this world, Rom. 12. 2. nor to runne with the wicked to the same excesse of riot, 1. Pet. 4. 4. He is now new-borne, and become a Child of Eternity; whereby his heart is fal…e in louelove with new and euerlasting delights; and the eye of his soule turned from the dung of this world, towards the glory of the second Life. As the worldling cannot rellish the sweet ioyes of gracious exercises: so neither can the Christian, the frothy pleasures of good-fellowship. You can as hardly draw the sound Professor to a Conuenticle of swaggering companions; as a good-fellow to a day of humiliation.

Vses: 1. Howsoeuer then, thou mayst seeme to stand on Gods side, by an artificiall acting of some affected formes in Religion, by countenancing the Ministerie, if thou beest a great Man, and outwardly conforming to the Ordinances; yet, if in thy practise thou beest plunged into the corruptions of the present, and thine heart hanker still, and hunt in secret p. 29after youthfull delights, the lusts of men, most applauded fashions of the greater part, thou art not a Christian in truth, but a true counterfeite. Assure thy selfe, if thou swim downe the current, and saile with the tide of the time, thou mayest iustly looke eueryevery moment, to fall vponupon the sudden, perhapsPsal, 11. 6. in the height of thy temporall happinesse, and hottest gleame of thy worldly glory, into the irrecouerable and euerlasting Lake of brimstone and fire, &c.

2. Let eueryevery one, who hath giuen his name vntounto Christ, euer hold it his Crowne and comfort, to hold a strong and vnconquerable counter-motion to the courses of the world. Let him still discouer the true noblenesse of his Christian spirit, and of a mind spiritually generous by gathering vigour, and growing inuincible, from the very oppositions of the wicked, and villanies of the time. See Psal. 119. 126, 127. 1. King. 19. 14. 1. Thes. 2. 2.

It was the saying of a morall Heathen; That to doe well, where was no danger, was a common thing; but to doe well, where was both perill and opposition, was the peculiar office of a man of vertue: much more, say I, of a man of God.

And Noah aaQ. d. Noah ita sanctè & piè vixit, quasi Deum semper praesentem prae oculis haberet, & reuereretur, ideóque in omni opere cautissimus, modestissimus, religiosissimus, semper incedebat, erátque Deo, Dei que voluntati per omnia consentiens, perinde vt homo cum homine amico, vel Domino suo, vbique & indiuulsè inambulans, illi per omnia consentit, illi in omnibus se conformat.walked with God.] Walking with God, is the top and flower of all Noahs excellencies, and spirituall felicities vponupon earth. Whence note,

Doct. That walking with God, is the Crowne of the Christians character.

It is the dutie and propertie of eueryevery true Christian, to walke with his God.

By walking with God, I meane, a sincere endeauour, punctually and percisely to manage, conduct, and dispose all our affaires, thoughts, words and deeds; all our behauiours, courses, carriage, and whole conuersation, in reuerence and feare, with humilitie and singlenesse of heart, as in the sight of an inuisible God, vnderunder the perpetuall bbOpus est ergo, vt hic timor mentes obsideat, opus est, vt ille, qui peccare non vult, praesentem sibi cogitet, non in publico solùm; sed etiam in domo; non in domo solùm, sed & in cubiculo, in …octe, in lectulo, in corde suo, August. Tom. 10. Hom. 27.presence of his All-seeing, glorious, pure eye; and by a comfortable consequent, p. 30to enioy by the assistance and exercise of Faith, an vnutterable sweete communion, and humble familiarity with his holy Maiestie: In a word, to liue in Heauen vponupon earth.

Proofes. Gods Couenant and commandement to Abraeham, and in him, to all the faithfull vntounto the Worlds end, requires it, Gen. 17. 1.

The practise and protestations of the Saints and seruants of God, seale vntounto it. Enochs walking with God, chap. 5. was an happy preparatiue to his extraordinary translating to glory.

The Lord, before whom I walk, saith Abraham, chap. 24. 40. will doe thus and thus.

I will walke before the Lord in the Land of the liuing, saith Dauid, Psal. 116. 9.

O Lord God of Israel, saith Salomon, 2. Chron. 6. 14. There is no God like thee in the Heauen, nor in the Earth; which keepest couenant, and shewest mercy vntounto thy seruants, that walke before thee with all their hearts.

I hauehave walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, saith Hezechiah, 2. King. 20. 3.

And herein doe I exercise my selfe, to hauehave alwaies a conscience voyde of offence toward God, and toward men, saith Paul, Acts 24. 16. which sounds the same way.

Let their money perish with them, who esteeme all the gold in the World, worth one dayes societie with Iesus Christ, and his holy Spirit, ccThe life of Galearius. chap. 28.said that Noble Marquesse of Vico, well skilled and experienced in an heauenly conuersing with his God.

Reas. 1. And it must needs be so: For howsoeuer naturall men and worldlings, out of their obnoxiousnesse, and secret terrors, slauishly retyre, doe not willingly, neither dare they draw neere to that God, which to them is a consuming Heb. 12. 29.Heb 12:29fire; yet all those, who hauehave truly tasted how gracious and glorious he is, shall find their hearts, out of a secret sence of Gods louelove vntounto them first, kindlily inflamed with infinite desire to liue vnderunder the comfortable influence of his pleased countenance, to enioy his holy Maiestie with constant peace, and an humble spirituall accesse and acquaintance p. 31continually. His spirit of Prayer, infinite louelove, exercise of repentance, temptations and troubles from Satan; pressures and oppressions from the World, losse of inward peace, faintnesse of Faith, want of spirituall strength, assault of some speciall sinne, sweetnesse of meditation, daily fauours showred downe vponupon him without number, and aboue measure; sorethought of the great and last Account, motions of the blessed Spirit, spirituall desertion, &c. but aboue all, the inexplicable bless…dnesse, goodnesse, and excellency of that highest Maiestie it selfe, driues him to his God many times a day.

2. All Gods loues vntounto vsus; His louing kindnesses, protections, preseruations, bounty, patience, diuine illuminations, spirituall blessings: in a word, eueryevery linke of that golden chaine of Mercy, Grace and Glory, farre thicker set with sweetest blessings in all kinds, then the Heauen with Starres, which our happy Soules hauehave, doe, or shall enioy from the first springing of it vp (if euerlasting could hauehave any beginning) out of the adored Fountaine of his free Grace, to the last moment of eternitie in highest heauenly blisse, (if eternitie could possibly euer determine) should be so many keene spurres, deepest obl…gations, strongest chaines, to draw our hearts most greedily to this infinite delight in him, and thus with an humble familiaritie to conuerse with his holy Maiestie.

3. Consciousnesse of our former walking comfortably with God, sanctified by the life of Faith, will mightily and incredibly support our spirits and courage in the times of confusions and feare. The ddSi ei qui voluptatibus se dedide…it, hac vita sit excede…dum, p…ae horrore quodam & metu vel ante constitutum obeat mortem. Item si futuram aegritudinem suspicetur, si contumeliam, si paupertatem, seu aliud istiusmodi quippiam ex inspera…o affuturum praeuiderit, perit illicò & consumitur. Chrysost serm. contra Gu…am & caeteras corporis voluptateshearts of sensuall worldlings, for want of reconcilement, and acquaintance with God in calme and comfortable times, sinke and tremble in the Day of distresse, and Gods dreadfull visitations, as the heart of a woman in her pangs, and fall asunder in their brests like drops of water. But that happy ccContra verò qui Spiritu vixerit, nulla e…it simili calamitate obstrictus, sed sine timore, moestitia, discrimine e…it, & quauis rerum mobilitate superior: neque …ò victor euad…t, quod …il si: auersi perpessus: sed quod maiu… vtique est, aduersos omnes fortunae casus contemnere, Chryfost. ibid.One, who in his prosperity hath made God his portion, and walked humbly in his presence, p. 32shall in the time of trouble stand like a strong vnmoueable mountaine, impregnable against the rage of wind and weather, against the cruell incursions of all aduersarie power: when the wicked shall tire the Mountaines with bootelesse cries to couer them; he shall be able to say with Dauid, The Lord is my refuge and my strength, &c. therefore Psal. 46. 2.Ps 46:2will I not feare, though the earth be moued, and the Mountaines fall into the midst of the Sea. He shall by the mercies of God, and humble dependance vponupon his omnipotent Arme, encounter, and entertaine the terrours euen of the euill day, of the houre of temptation, of the King of feare, and last Iudgement, with confidence and peace.

4. Thy walking with God, will make thee extraordinarily powerfull, and mightily preuaile in prayer; one of the greatest blessings, and sweetest comforts, which can be named, or enioyed in this life. As the Kings Fauourite, who stands still in his presence, and vnderunder the immediate, and gracious influence of his Royall eye, doth farre sooner, and much more easily obtaine both his owne and friends suites, then those who are more estranged from the Court: So it is in this case.

5. But aboue all, that which should most quicken, and keene vsus to this duty, is that particular interest we hauehave by Iesus Christ, in Iehoua himselfe, blessed for euer. A mysterie, which if I should offer to open and enlarge, I should be endlesse, and yet come infinitely short.

Oh then, let vsus infinitely louelove, and learne exactly the most sweete and heauenly Art of walking with God! For a more comfortable illightning, and guiding vsus wherein, before I come to giuegive some generall instructions, giuegive mee leaue to premise these quickning preparatiues.

1. Looke that thou lyest not in any one knowne sinne against thy conscience, hating to be reformed: do not cherish, allow, or goe on in any lust, corruption, or lewd way in thine heart, life, or calling: suffer not any worke of darknesse, or seruice of Satan to reigne, and domineere in thee. For if so, thou art so farre from abilitie, or possibilitie of walking with p. 33God, or delighting in him, that thou wearest the Diuels brand, and art yet most certainely one of his. See and search the true meaning of such places, as these; aaMistake not the place. I know from hence, the Pelagians, …, Caelesti…s, Donatists, Anabaptists, Libertines dream… of, I know not what, Ph…risaicall, phantasticall, and Vt…i an perfection. But it is true which Austin saith, Qui ambulant in vijs Domini, non operantur peccatum; & tamen non sunt sine peccato: In Psal. 118. C…nc. 2. Non peccare, v. 6. idem est ac puri…icare se, v. 4. siue, peccato repugnando, puritati st…dere, Beza.Ps 1181. Ioh. 3. 3. 6, 8, 9. Iames 2. 10. Ezech. 18. 21. Psalm. 66. 18. and 119. 6, 101. Ezech. 18. 30. Matth. 18. 8, 9. 2. Cor. 7. 1.

Sutable hereunto is the concurrent iudgement, and doctrine of our best Diuines, and worthiest Writers, graciously instructed vntounto the Kingdome of Heauen. These are their seuerall assertions to the same sense, in their owne words:

1. A man can hauehave no peace in his conscience, that fauoureth and retaineth any one sinne in himselfe against his conscience.

2. A man is in a damnable state, whatsoeuer good deeds seeme to be in him, if he yeeld not to the worke of the holy Ghost, for the leauing but of any one knowne sinne, which fighteth against peace of conscience.

3. So long as the power of mortification destroyeth thy sinfull affections, and so long as thou art vnfainedly displeased with all sinne, and doest mortifie the deeds of the body by the Spirit, thy case is the case of saluation.

4. A good conscience stands not with a purpose of sinning; no, not with an irresolution against sinne.

5. The rich and precious boxe of a good conscience is polluted, and made impure, if but one dead Flie be suffered in it. (He meanes, any one knowne sinne, lyen and delighted in impenitently.)

6. Where there is but any one sinne nourished and fostered, all other our graces are not onelyonly blemished, but abolished, they are no graces.

7. Most true is that saying of Aquinas; That all sinnes are coupled together, though not in regard of conuersion to temporall good; for some looke to the good of gaine, some of glory, some of pleasure, &c. yet in regard of auersion from eternall Good, that is God; So that he that lookes but toward one sinne, is as much auerted, and turned backe from God, as if he looked to all. In which respect Saint Iames sayes, He that offendeth in one, is guiltie of all.

8. EueryEvery Christian should carry in his heart, a constant and p. 34resolute purpose, not to sinne in anything: for faith, and the purpose of sinning can neuer stand together.

Thou seest then, if Satan keep possession, but by one reigning sinne, it ggIn animâ in quâ peccatum regnauerit, non potest Dei regnate Regnum. Quae enim participatio iustitiae & iniquitati? Quae communicatio luci ad tenebras? Qui consensus Christo, & Belial? Et putamus nos Regnum Dei consequi, si à for…catione, idololatriâ, & ven…sicijs immunes simus. Ecce inimi…itiae, contentio, ita, rixa, dissentio, ebrietas quoque & caetera, quae parua arbitramur, excludunt nos a Regno Dei. Nec refert vno quis à beatitudine excludatur, an pluribus: cùm omnia similiter excludant, Hieron. tom. 9. Com. in cap. 5. ad Galat. ad ve…ba illa, Manifesta sunt opera carnis.] Austin hauing named sacriledge, murther, false witnesse bearing, thest, rapine, pride, ent…r, coue…usnesse, ange…; …runkennesse, saith; Ex quibu…cun que qui in se vnum habere cognoscit, & poenitentiam non egerit, sine reinedio in gehènnae igne ardebit, Tom 9 pag. 14…8. (Thorow the whole Treatise, I still quote Austin in octau…, printed …, 1573) Sicut ad corporis sanitatem, n…n est s…is, vt peste quis, vel pleuritide c… reat, sed ab omnibus in vniuersum morbis immunem esse opor…er: sic ad animae sanitatem requiritur, sordium ac vitiorum omnium in vniueisum abdicatio, Spin. de iust. Christ. Vbi regnat in corde propositum peccandi, ibi …ducia misericordiae exulat. Sicut miles, si toto corpore fuerit armis vestitus, & vnam partem habuerit nudam; nihil ei prodest, quòd totus fuerit ferro vestitus, si per illam vnam partem cum …gitta percusser…t, sed sic cadit quemadmodum si totus fuisser nudus: Sic & Christianus, quamuis omnem iustitiam fecerit, in vno peccauerit, similiter peccator statuitur, quemadmodum si semper peccasse…. Sicut ait Iacobus, Si omnem legem adimpleas & in vno transgrediaris, similiter praeuaticatores Legis, Chrys. tom 2. in cap. Matth. 20. Hom. 35. Tam vno morbo aliquis moritur, quam alius multis. Zanch. in cap 3. ad C…loss.Matt 20will be thine euerlasting ruine. Thou shalt then bee so farre from euer enioying any humble holy acquaintance with our God, that thou art gone body and soule for euer. One breach in the walles of a Citie, exposeth it to the surprize of the enemy: one leake in a ship neglected, will sinke it at length into the bottome of the Sea: the stab of a penknife to the heart, will as well speed a man, as all the daggers that kild Caesar in the Senate-house: If thou hedge thy Close as high as the middle Region of the Aire in all other places, and leaue but one gap, all thy grasse will bee gone: If the Fowler catch the bird, either by the head, or the foote, or the wing, she is sure his owne. It is so in the present case: If thou liue, and lye with allowance and delight, in any one knowne sinne, without particular remorse, or resolution to part with it; thou as yet carriest the Diuels brand, he hath thereby markt thee out for his owne. As obedience is vniuersall and Catholike, if sincere; so repentance, if true, is also generall. It s…rips vsus starke naked, as a worthy Diuine saies well, of all the garments of the old Adam, and leaues not so much as the shirt behind: in this rotten building, it leaues not a stone vponupon a stone. As the flood drowned Noahs owne friends and seruants: so must the flood of repenting teares drowne our sweetest, and most profitable sinnes.

The premonition therefore I tender in the first place, is this: Thou canst neuer possibly be fitly qualified, either for p. 35the right vnderstanding, or sauing practise of this sacred and sweetest Art, of walking with God; except thou resolue, to stand for euer sincerely at the swords point against all sinne. Euen thy bosome sinne must be abandoned, if thou look for any blessing in this kinde: Thou must put off the shirt from thy sinfull soule; for as the shirt is to the body, so is the beloued sinne to the soule; it sticks closest and neerest, and is done off with most adoe.

And because this darling-pleasure, minion-delight, Peccatum in delicijs, as the Fathers call it, is Satans strongest Hold, his Tower of greatest confidence and securitie, when he is driuen out elsewhere, and so by consequent most powerfull and peremptorie to keepe a mans heart estranged with largest distance, and incompatible auersion from all holy acquaintance with God; I will in short labour to illighten, and dis-intangle any one, who vnfainedly desires an vtter diuorce from this bosome-deuill; by telling him, first, what it is: secondly, what his is: thirdly, how he may be deceiued about it.

1. As in eueryevery man, there is one element, one humour, and ordinarily one passion predominant; so also one hhQuemadmodum nemo tam perditus, aut flagitiosus inuenitur, quin ab aliquo vitio magis qnam à caeteris, abhorreat: sic nemo tantae sanctitatis est, quin ad vnum aliquod peccatum, quàm ad caetera propensior sit, Cartw in Prou. pag. 1262. Much more then in his state of nature. The flesh in eueryevery one hath some speciall darling-sinne, wherein she most delight; which is as her right eye, in regard of pleasure▪ or as her righthand, in regard of profit, &c. Dyke, Of repentance▪ chap. 15.worke of darknesse, and way of death. And it is that which his corrupt, and originall crookednesse, vponupon the first electiue suruay, and prospect ouer the fooles Paradise of worldly pleasures, fleshly lusts and vanities of this life, by a secret sensuall inclination, and bewitching infusion of Satan, singles out, and makes speciall choice of, to follow and feede vponupon, with greatest delight, and predominant sweetnesse: afterward, by custome and continuance, growes so powerfull, and attractiue, that it extraordinarily endeares, and drawes vntounto it the heate of all his desires, and strongest workings of his heart, with much affectionate impatiencie, and headlongnesse: and at the height, by an vnresistable tyranny, it makes all occasions and occurrences, friends and followers, the deepest reach of policie, and vtmost proiects of wit, Religion, conscience, credit with the world, the vniuersall possibilitie of body, soule, outward state, seruiceable, and p. 36contributarie vntounto it, as the Captaine, and commanding sin; as to the Deuils vice-roy, domineering in the wasted conscience. In some, it is worldlinesse, wantonnesse, ambition, opposicion to godlinesse, vsurie, pride, reuenge, or the like: In others, it may bee drunkennesse, the swaggering vanitie of good fellowship, gluttony, pleasures of Play-house hanting, gaming, scurrill iesting, &c. obstinate insatiablenesse in allowed recreations, idlenesse, or such like.

2. Thou mayest discouer it by such markes as these:

1. It is that, which thy truest friends, thine owne conscience, and the finger of God in the Ministerie, many times finds out, meetes with, and chiefely checks thee for.

2. It is that, which if it breake out into act, and be visible to the eye of the world, thine enemies most eagerly obserue, and obiect, as matter of their most insultation, and thy greatest disgrace.

3. That which thou art lothest to leaue, art oftenest tempted vntounto, hast least power to resist, and which most hinders the resignation and submission of soule and body, of all thy courses and carriage, heartily and vnreseruedly to the Word and will of God.

4. It is that which God oftnest corrects in thee, euen in the interpretation, and guiltie acknowledgement of thy selfe-accusing heart. It may be, at seuerall times thou hast bin afflicted with some heauy crosse in thine outward state, losse of a child, some fits and pangs of bodily paine, terrours and troubles of mind, or some such proportionable visitations: now in all these, and like afflictions, vponupon the first smarting apprehension, thy conscience, if any whit awaked, on its owne accord seized vponupon that sinne we now seeke for, as the principall Achan and author of all thy misery.

5. If euer thou wast so sicke, as out of extremitie to receiue sentence of death against thy selfe, and despaire of recouerie; if thy conscience was stirring, this sinne afrighted thee most, and gaue the deadliest blow to driue thee to finall despaire. And if thou shouldest die in it without repentance, which God forbid, it would infuse most hellish vigor, p. 37and venome, into the neuer-dying worme, which would thereby more mightily gnaw vponupon thy conscience, thorow all eternitie. If euer the sword of the Spirit shall cleaue it from thy bosome, which is infinitely to bee desired, and strike thorow thy sensuall heart with true remorse, it will cost thee the bitterest teares, most sighes, and deepest groanes.

6. It is that, which thou art lothest, and wouldst least be acknowne of. If it were possible, thou couldest be well content, that no Iohn Baptist should euer heare of thy Herodias. And therefore thou bearest thy braines, and improouest thy wit, to deuise (if it be capable of dawbing) distinctions, euasions, excuses, extenuations, whole cart-loades of fig-leaues, to colour and cloke this soule Fiend, though fauourite to thy bewitched soule.

7. That, which thou art in a bodily feare, the Minister will meddle and meete with, when thou art going towards a conscionable, and searching Sermon. For thou thinkest with thy selfe, If this day he disclose my bosome, I shall both be disgraced amongst my neighbours that know it, and cast also into dumps, and melancholy by his denouncing of terrour against it.

8. Thoughts, plots, and proiects, about it, a thousand to one, ordinarily seize vponupon thine heart, with first and most acceptable entertainement at thy very first waking; if they hauehave not broken off thy sleepe, and troubled thee in thy dreames.

9. The cares, pleasures, and appurtenances of it, are woont to thrust, and throng vponupon thee on the Lords Day, with extraordinary eagernesse, importunitie, and vnresistablenesse. For the Deuill that desires to hauehave thy mind most distracted vponupon that Day, makes choyse of the fittest, and pleasingest baites, to draw away and detaine thy heart, and the most alluring obiects, for diuersion.

10. In the darkenesse, and discomforts of the night, if thou beest suddēly awakened with some dreadfull thunder, lightning, or terrible tempest, the guilt and accusations of thy beloued p. 38duplicate page p. 39duplicate page p. 38sinne is wont to come into thy minde in the first place, and with greatest terrour.

Thirdly, a man may be deceiued, in conceiuing, that hee is vtterly diuorced, and quite deliuered from his bosome sinne, and yet it bee but a meere exchange, or some other mistake. This grosse, affected selfe-imposture, may be seene in such cases as these:

1. He may change onelyonly the outward and visible forme of it. For instance: Whereas the same sinne of couetousnesse doth vtter and expresse it selfe by vsury, simony, sacriledge, bribery, grinding poore mens faces, crushing, and vnmercifully keeping vnderunder the poorer of the same trade, stealing, ouer-reaching by tricks of wit, all manner of wrong-doing, all kinds of oppression, detaining ill-gotten goods without restitution, &c. he may insensibly glide out of one gulph of griping crueltie, into another; he may fall from one of these, being a more notorious, & cursed trade of hoarding, to some other of them lesse obserued, and odious in the world, & yet still abide in the chambers of death, and vnderunder the tyranny of a reigning sinne. The soule sinne of vncleannesse doth actuate it selfe by fornication, adultery, selfe-pollution, brutish, and immoderate abuse of marriage, and such other abborred impurities. Now, hee may passe from one of these pollutions, more crying and abominable, to some other of them, not affrighting the conscience with such grislinesse & horror, and yet still lye in the impenitent and damnable shares of lust.

2. He may surcease, and refraine from the outward grosse acts of such hatefull villanies; and yet his inward parts bee still defiled with insatiable sensual hankerings after them, delightfull reuoluing them in his mind, & contemplatiue commission of them. For instance: He may hold his hand both from the crying violence of oppressions and wrong, and the closer conueiances of cunning and fraud; and yet couetousnesse may still reigne in him, by the earthly exercise of the heart. He may forbeare the externall acts of vncleannesse, and ye… lie and languish abominably in speculatiue wantonnesse, and adulteries of the thought; the visible executions p. 39of reuenge, and yet nourish in his distempered affections, the hellish Vipers of heart-burning hatred, and spite; all indirect ambitious climing into high roomes, and yet be passingly proud, and ouer greedie of precedencie.

3. Nay, he may change the kinde of his bosome sinne, in respect of matter, forme, obiect, eueryevery way; and yet vponupon the matter, it is but the exchange of one foule fiend for another. For instance: wantonnesse may bee his sweete sinne in youth, and worldlinesse in old age: reuelling in his yonger yeeres; downe-right drunkennesse in his declining time: prodigalitie may sway in some part of his life; pinching in some other: Hypocrisie may raigne at one time; Apostacie at another: furious zeale for one while; prophane irreligiousnesse for another.

4. When the blasting frosts and feeblenesse of old age, hauehave with a sott…sh deadnesse and listlesnesse emasculated and wasted the ambitious vigour of his minde, and the boisterous heate of his affections, hauehave dried and drunke vp the milke in his brests, and marrow in his bones; his darling sin may then at length bid him adieu, without any penitent discharge, and he may say vntounto it, I hauehave no more pleasure in thee. Whereupon hee may falsly conclude a mortification, and finall conquest ouer it; a secure deliuerance from the guilt and curse of it.

5. He may vnsoundly please himselfe with an vnuoluntary, and enforced cessation from it; when there is no want of good will, as they say; but onelyonly, of matter, meanes, opportunitie, entisement, company, prouocation, or something for the full and free acting and enioyment of it. So want of money may restraine a man, but full sore against his will, from strange apparell, gaming, Ale-house haunting, buying of Benefices, Offices, high roomes, &c.

6. Hee may for a time pull his necke out of this strongest yoke of Satan, onelyonly out of melancholicke pang of slauish terrour, serious fore-thought of death, and lying euerlastingly in Hell, true apprehension of the impossibilitie of being saued without abandoning it; vponupon some desperate horrour p. 40of bringing againe his beloued sinne in his bosome to the Communion, after so many causefull prouocations of Diuine Iustice; obseruation of some remarkeable vengeance seized vponupon his fellow-delinquents; or sensible smart of some terrible blow from Gods visiting hand in one kinde or other: I say, vponupon some such occasion, he may for a time forbeare his bloudy oathes, vsury, drunkennesse, gaming, Playhouse haunting, selfe-polluting, walking in the blacke and darke night after the strange Woman, or what other sinne soeuer doth reigne in him, and retaine him strongliest in the deuils slauerie. But because it is not the worke of the Word, humbling him soundly vnderunder Gods mighty hand, planting faith, and infusing mortifying power, he is not able to hold out long; but the vncleane spirit returnes, and rules in him againe farre more imperiously, and sensually, out of indignation of its discontinuance, and proportionally to the parties new-collected strength, and eagernesse, to recommit it, after his extraordinary, and impatient forbearance. I know, it is not impossible, but that a man, after his conuersion, by the sudden surprizall of some violent temptation, and cunning traine of Satan, may bee haled backe to commit his sweete sinne againe; especially if it bee of some nature, (though it be a very heauy case, and to bee lamented, if it were possible, with teares of blood:) yet hee neuer doth, nor can returne to wallow in it againe, or allow it. After such a dreadfull relapse, his heart bleeds afresh with extraordinarie bitternesse of penitent remorse, hee abhors himselfe in dust and ashes, as exceedingly vile, cries more mightily vntounto God in a day of humiliation, for the returne of his pleased countenance, repaires and fortifies the breach with stronger resolution, and more inuincible watchfulnesse, against future assaults, and all assayes of re-entry. But now the temporarie I talke of, after his formall enforced forbearance, engulphs himselfe againe, with more greedinesse, into the pleasures and sensualitie of his bosome sinne, lies, and delights in it againe, as the very life of his life, and hardens himselfe more obstinately in it, as a thing impossible to leaue, and liue with any comfort. p. 41VponUpon his returne, the vncleane spirit r…ges more then before.Mat. 12. 45.Matt 12:45

Thus to lend thee some light, for a more full discouerie, and thorow disintanglement out of its pleasing snares; I hauehave intimated briefly what a beloued sinne is; what thine may bee; and how thou mayest bee deceiued about it. For if thou wouldest truely taste how gracious, and glorious the Lord is in a sweet communion with His blessed Maiestie; if thou wouldest be intimately acquainted with the mystery of Christ, wherein are hid infinite heauenly treasures, and such pleasures, as neither eye hath seene, nor eare heard, neither 1. Cor. 2. 9.1 Cor 2:9hath entred into the heart of man; if thou wouldest euer bee fitly qualified to walke humbly with thy God in the way which is called Holy; as thou must fall out for euer with all finne, so must thou principally and impartially improoue all thy spirituall forces, and aide from heauen, vtterly to demolish and beate to the ground the deuils Castle; to dethrone and depose from its hellish tyrannie ouer thee, that grand impoisoner of thy soule, and strongest barre to keepe out grace, all acquaintance, and sweetest entercourse with God; thy bosome sinne.

Take notice by the way, that sith wee concurrently, and constantly teach, that iustifying Faith doth purifie the heart from the raigne & allowance of any lust, or lewd course, and plants by the power of the holy Ghost, a sincere vniuersall new obedience, and regular respect to all Gods commandements, to all good workes of Iustice, Mercy, and Truth; and that wee neither doe nor dare giuegive any comfort to any man of his being iustified and assured of Gods louelove, that goes on impenitently in any one knowne sinne against his conscience, hating to be reformed; I say, sith it is thus, take notice how vnworthily, & wrongfully, the Antichristian Doctors, hauing receiued foreheads from the Whore of Babylon, deale with vsus in this point. Heare them speake:

So that their iustification, (meaning ours) saith aaP. 1. pag. 537.Fitzh…rbert, may according to their opinion, stand with all wickednesse.

p. 42These words, saith bbSect. 38.Arnoux, (meaning of the French Confession) are set downe to assure the wickedst man that is, of the righteousnesse of the Sonne of God.

By the application of Christs satisfaction by faith, saith ccIn his consultation, Reas. 9. pa. 163. As it is translated in to English by W. I. 1618.Lessius, he (meaning the Protestant) is reputed iust before God, though he finde no change of will at all within.

The skarlet Fathers in the Trentish Conuenticle, ddMist. of the Councell of Trent, lib. 2. pag. 190.say, that Luther from iustification by faith alone, collected, not onelyonly that good workes are not necessarie, but also that a dissolute libertie in obseruing the Law of God, and of the Church, will serue the turne.

Bellar. eeVidentur omninò existimare posse hominem salua…i, etiamsi nulla bona opera faciat, nec mandata diuina custodiat, De iustif. lib. 1. c. 1. Sect. Caeterùm.also comes in, with his videntur. They seeme, saith he, altogether to thinke, that a man may be saued, although hee doe no good workes, nor obserue Gods Commandements. Which hee there onelyonly seemes and assayes to proue, but indeed playes the calumniating Sophister.

The iustifying faith of the Aduersaries, saith ffFides illa specialis, quam aduersarij singuat esse fidem iustificantem, tollit è medio orationem, sacramenta, opera bona, & quicquid aliud ad salutem nostram Deus instituit, De iustif. lib. 1. cap. 10.hee in another place, takes clearely away Prayer, Sacraments, Good workes, and whatsoeuer God hath instituted for our saluation.

The Protestants, saith ggHanc certitudinem adesse volunt, non solùm sine vilo respectu, necessitate, consequentiâ, praesenti…, aut conuenientiâ bonorum operum, sed etiam praesentibus quibuscun que …eccatis, de iustif. lib 9. ca. 3.Stapleton, will hauehave certainty of grace to be in a man, not onelyonly without any respect, necessitie, consequence, presence, or conueniencie of good workes, but also whatsoeuer sinnes being present.

The hhIn cap 2. to the Rom. Sect. 3.Rhemists also most slanderously affirme, that wee condemne Good workes, as vncleane, sinfull, hypocriticall.

iiArnoldus nobis affingit nos docere; omnes homines teneri credere se ad vitam aeternam esse electos: nos iubere omnes sceleratos esse securos, vt qui nullis flagitijs possint excidere à salute. Apagetam abominandam doctrinam, pu…idissimam calumniam, mendacium sesquipedale. Heare … we hold▪ Immò verò docemus, eum qui non vult in Christum credere, nec resipiscere, teneri credere salutem Christi morte partam, ad se non pertinere. Dicimus, dicere; Sum electus, ergo mihi licet esse improbo, sermo est reprobi, qui ideò vult mal…s ess…, quia Deus bonus est, M…lin. Anat. Ar…is, cap. 24. Sect. 40.Arnoldus also swels with malicious Popish poison, and the rancour of a slanderous spirit, when hee fathers vponupon vsus such falshoods as these: as though we should teach, that all men are bound to beleeue, that they are elected to eternall p. 43life: that we bid all wicked men be secure, as those who can fall from saluation by no villanies.

Now the Lord rebuke thee, Satan, who …ittest with such extreme malice & falshood in the foule mouthes of the Popish Proctours, and Rabshakehs of Rome, that they should with such prodigious lies and villanous slanders, reuile the Lords Champions, and traduce the glorious heauenly truth of our most holy and righteous Religion.

But to my purpose, and to conclude the point; Thou must either with a resolute and euerlasting diuorce abandon, and abominate thy bosome sinne, thy darling delight, to the pit of hell, whence it hath formerly receiued much enraged sensuall poison, to the wofull wasting of thy conscience, and the stronger, and longer barring thee from grace; or else thou must continue an euerlasting stranger from all communion and conuersing with God; thou shalt neuer be able to meet him in his Ordinances with true reuerence and delight, or looke him in the face with comfort at the last day.

II. Scorne with an infinite, and triumphant disdaine, toWee may iustly, and vponupon good ground, be frighted, and inuited from si…ne, to the seruice of God, both by consideration of hell fire, and intuition of an immortall Crown, as by inferiour and subordinate motiues: but the principall and most predominant attractiue of our hea…ts to good, ought to be the Soueraigne Good, God blessed for euer, See …. Mart. vponupon cha 1. of Iudges, Fines minùs principales non tolluntur à principali, Keck. cap. de fine. serue the mighty Lord of heauen and earth, seruilely, slauishly, or formally; for by-respects, priuate ends, or any thing, saue his owne sweet, gracious, glorious Selfe. Hate hypocrisie from the very heart-roote: Which foule fiend painting her selfe more vnobseruedly in the warme Sun, and shining prosperitie of the Gospels flourishing estate with an outward gilt, and superficiall tincture, doth with greater varietie, and stronger imposture, deceiue both mens owne soules, and others, in the glorious noone-tide thereof: Nay this great Agent for the Prince of darknesse, is so politicke and pragmatical, that he preuailes too much many times, euen in the declination of that glorious Sunne, in the disacceptation and dampe of profession and forwardnesse. For though at this day, Professours of the gracious Way bee in greatest disgrace with the most; and a drunkard, a swaggering Good-fellow, an Vsurer, a sonne or daughter of Belial, shall finde more fauour, applause, and approbation with the world, then a man which makes conscience of his wayes; so p. 44that it may seeme the greatest madnesse that may bee, to make profession of Religion hypocritically: yet euen in these times there are some causes, in which the deuill takes occasion to cause some to play the Hypocrites notoriously.

1. Some there may be, who being weake and worthlesse,Simon Magus hauing beene famous by his Magicall miracles, now vanishing before the light of the Gospell▪ conformes to the outward worship of God, in receiuing the Sacrament, and …resseth into the company of the Apostles, that he might continue the applause, and admiration of himselfe, by a new way, the form…r failing, euen by the miraculous gifts of the holy Ghost, which he wickedly offers to buy for money. yet vaine-glorious, and ouer-greedy of reputation, finding, that they finde no such acceptation and applause with worldlings, by reason of their worthlesnesse, and that naturall men entertaine them not with that estimation and account proportionable to their proud expectation; and conceiuing also, that by their association, and siding with the Saints, (who in preciousnesse of regard, and dearenesse of louelove, euer infinitely preferre the poorest Christian before the proudest Nimrod) (for one Larke is worth a thousand Kites) they shall be prized aboue vulgar esteeme, and ordinary valuation, purposely put on a vizour of outward conformity to the courses of Christianity, that thereby they may procure and purchase some speciall credit, and remarkable respect, and with some at least, bee accounted some body in the world.

2. Others there are, who seeing they cannot so easily andIudas carrying the bag, for the disb…sment of money for necessaries, and to the poore, did by secret purl…yning to himselfe, f…de his co…tous humour, and that f…re more easily, and vnobseruedly, in the company of Christ and his Apostles, and vnderunder the colour of a religious conformitie, Ioh. 12. 6. and 13. 29.John 12:6John 13:29 excessiuely satisfie and glut their greedy humours, by their commerce, dealings, and mutuall negotiations with naturall men; for such are well able with equall cunning, to counter-mine against their craftie and coozening vnderminings; their consciences will serue them to encouhter & retalliate their vnconscionablenesse, with like ouer-reaching retributions of circumuention and wrong; they can well enough sound and fathome with the crooked line of their owne deceitfull hearts, the inuisible depths of their Machiuellian proiects and plots and knaue…y; I say, others there are, who vponupon such occasion, that they may thriue in the world, and grow in wealth more easily, and vnobseruedly, put on a cloke of outward profession, and in policie onelyonly and hypocrisie draw towards the better side; mixe and ioyne themselues with Gods children, hang vponupon, and adhere vntounto true Christians; because they pitch vponupon them, make speciall p. 45choice of, and single out such vponupon purpose, as those, from whom, by reason of the singlenesse and simplicitie of their hearts, vnsuspiciousnesse of their charitie, the equitie, and conscionablenesse of their dealings, in these coozening, supplanting, and vndermining dayes, they may most fairely and easily sucke out the greatest aduantage, and prey vponupon most plentifully, with the deuouring teeth of couetousnesse and craft, guilded ouer only with a vaile of seeming, and vernish of hypocrisie.

3. Some there may be, whom onelyonly the very terrours, and sting of slauish feare, and fore-thought of the wrath and torment to come, may driue, and restraine from the execution of grosser villanies, excite and enchaine to the outward exercises of holy duties, and many actual religious conformities. For instance, some may repaire to the House of God vponupon the Lords Day, not for any such great louelove vntounto Gods Truth or conscionable Ministerie; but for feare, that being then alone, or walking idlely abroad, their guilty consciences should worke more fearefully and fiercely vponupon them; and that thoughts of their sinnes, death, hell, damnation, and other such terrible considerations would come into their mindes, with affrighting griesly formes, and apparitions of horrour. Some, it may be, for feare they should bee iustly censured, and marked out by men acquainted and experienced in the mysterie of grace, and wayes of God, with the odious deserued brand of Prayerlesse, and Atheisticall **Psal. 14. 4.Ps 14:4wretches; or lest they should bee seized vponupon with some remarkeable iudgement, in their owne persons, families, or goods, by fire, robbery, tempest, ill successe, death, horrour, despaire, or other fearefull accident, dare not for their liues, but continue a course and formall taske of Prayer Euening and Morning in their houses. Some also, in times of trouble and terrour especially, as of extraordinarie thunders, impetuous tempests, dreadfull apparitions in the ayre, &c. flie into the company and communion of Christians, driuen thither by the fearefulnesse of their spirits, and hope to receiue protection of their guiltinesse, and preseruation from p. 46wrath, by the prayers, presence, and acceptation of such holy Ones. Wee see in mens carriages to humane lawes, that euen feare of them restraines many from many lawlesse outrages, and constraines to many ciuill conformities, against which their sensuall hearts and humours doe infinitely rise and reclaime, with much distaste and auersion. Doe you not thinke, that many drunkards would as well liue in murther, and vponupon the spoile, as in their present abominable swinishnesse; did they not hold it a more horrible thing to be hanged, than to pay fiue shillings, or sit in the stocks? Would not many at Sermon time, rather be in the Ale-house, than in the House of God, were not the constitutions of men a curbe vntounto their corruptions? Would not some desperate wretches as well strike thorow at once, and quite dispatch those they hate, as kill them all the yeere long, with their cruell thoughts and bloody malice; were not thought free, and actuall murther death by the lawes of men? Would not many malicious Papists, thinke you, as well speake traiterously of the King, as teare Gods glorious name with their oathes, and blasphemous tongues; were they not terrified with feare of Tyburne? It may be so proportionably in mens behauiours towards diuine Lawes, the holy Statutes of Heauen, and that highest Tribunall. But as in the former we ought to be subiect, not onelyonly for wrath, but also for conscience Rom. 13. 5.Rom 13:5sake: so in the latter much more, not onelyonly for terrour of Gods Iudgements; but also for louelove of His Truth.