Ten Sermons Upon Matthew 6:1-4, Sermon 2
THE II. SERMON.
2. Point.NOW we are to see which way, or by what meanes it may be auoyded, and the way to auoide vaineglorie, in giuing of almes, or in any other action is to take heed of it. So sayth the text. Take heede that you giuegive not to be seen of men, that is, watch ouer your affections narrowly, and examine eueryevery affection and eueryevery cogitation: eueryevery affection what it chiefly desireth, and eueryevery cogitation what it museth vponupon, and deuiseth to effect.
Mar. 13. Mat. 26.Take heed (saith our Sauior Christ in another place) watch and pray, lest ye fall into tentation: to shew that there is no true heedfulnesse without watching and prayer; and without such kind of heede taking, we soone fall into tentation.
This watchfull heedinesse, and heedie watchfulnesse, is that which S. Paul calleth circumspect walking: Ephe. 5. and the prophane persons of the world by a nickename call precisenesse and Puritanisme. Well whatsoeuer the world doth call it or account of it, it sufficeth the godly wise, that wisedom it selfe hath both commended and commanded it. It is the thing that in eueryevery place of the Scripture is vrged vntounto vsus for our good▪ One Scripture calleth to those that go to the holy assemblies, and saith, Looke to thy feete when thou entrest into the house of God. Eccles. 9. Luke 8.Another Scripture crieth to men, when they are set at a sermon: Take heed how ye heare. Another Scripture calleth to those that go to the Communion,1. Cor. 11. Let eueryevery man examine himselfe before he eate of that bread, and drinke of that cup. Another Scripture crieth out to the whole campe of Israel saying:Heb. 2.12. Take heede lest there be in any of you an euill heart to depart away from the liuing God: that is, from your soueraigne Lord and Captaine, to a Forraigner, to a Rebell, to the Diuell. Another Scripture crieth out to those that are planting, and setting, and weeding in the Lordes garden, Take heede and beware of couetousnesse, for that is the root of all euill, Another giueth warning to those that are at their deuotions,Luke 12.1. and seruing God, Take heede of the leauen of the Scribes and Pharises, which is hypocrisie. And eueryevery Sripture almost commeth to vsus with a friendly watchword, whatsoeuer we are about, & biddeth vsus take heed▪ and they stand like Sea marks whereby Mariners are both warned of rockes and sandes, and directed rightly and safely into their desired hauen. And surely if we would well consider that we are alwayes in danger of enemies both visible and inuisible, and those not a few but many, not weake but mightie, not simple but subtile, and that our owne false hearts within vsus are the readiest to betray vsus, we we would easily confesse, that this is a friendly watchword, and no more then is needfull: Take heed vntounto your affections, watch ouer your cogitations, and pray against tentations. The ground that we go vponupon is slipperie as yee, our knees are weake, we are soone downe, and being downe do hardly recouer our selues, and therefore we had neede take heede. Sinne is subtill and impudent, it will easily deceiue vsus with false colours, as Drapers do with false lights, and it will not be said nay; but with often and resolute resisting the Diuell is driuen away. I am manhood saith malice, and for thy credit: thou needest not feare me. I am good husbandry saith Couetousnesse, and for thy profite, thou needest not feare me; I am good fellowship saith Prophanenesse and Filthinesse, and for thy pleasure: thou needest not feare me. I am handsome cleanelinesse saith Pride, and will make thee to be admired: thou needest not feare me, Gloria calcar habet saith Vaineglorie, glorie and praise is a spurre to encourage men in well doing: true saith another of the same humour, Virtus laudata crescit, and the maisters euge is the seruants auge in vertue and good seruice, the praise of vertue is the increase of vertue. And this is true, but now a friend with a friendly caueat were very necessarie, and Take heede will serue for all if they be wise. Take heede, ô man, that thy manhood be not malice, that thy good husbandry be not greedy couetousnesse, that thy goodfellowship be not beastlinesse, that thy vnitie be not conspiracie, that thy louelove be not wanton lust, that thy cleanelinesse be not Sodomiticall excesse, that thy glorious spurres of vaineglorie and praise, be not poisoned by thy desiring of them. Oh master how shall we know these things, wilt thou say? I can giuegive thee no better counsell then God hath giuen thee, & that is Take heede. But how shall I take heede? Surely by watching and praying. Alas sir, three things hinder my watching, and that is drowsines, and darknesse, and fearefulnesse: I would watch saith one, but sleepe oppresseth me: and I would watch saith another, but darknesse troubleth me, that is, I am an ignorant simple man, not knowing the right way from the wrong, nor vice from vertue, nor a subiect from a rebell, nor truth from errour. And I would watch saith another, but I see the enemies so many and so terrible, that I dare not set my selfe against them, I will put out my light, that I may see no more such fearefull sights, and lay downe my weapon, and let them do as they will, and fall asleepe in my sinne, as men do in their beds when it thundreth: but to be safe against all daungers, they will first blesse themselues, and say their Auie Marie, and so commit themselues to the weather. This is good plausible counsell to flesh and bloud, that sauoureth any thing, sauing the things of Gods spirite: but how lothsome soeuer you take it to be, for certaine it is not very wholesome: therefore my brethren let it alone, and take better aduice: and that is this. If you be in darknes and ignorance, get you lights both within you and without you, and that good store too. For the enemie cannot abide the light, but will put out as many as he can come handsomely by: these lights that thou must set vp without thee, must be first the holy word of God diligently read, orderly preached, and duly frequented: that shall be a lanterne vntounto thy feete, and a light vntounto thy pathes: that shall descrie vntounto thee the right way that thou must walke in: by that thou shalt discouer all false and counterfeit colours: and by that touchstone, thou shalt trie all drosse from gold. Hauing that as the great Sunne-light of the Church, neglect not to reade if thou canst, or at least to heare the good workes and writings of godly and learned men: especially hauehave conference with them, both soberly, and with a holy purpose to be reformed by them: for they are lights too, not to be neglected nor despised, no more then the Moone is, whose light is nothing in comparison of the Sunne light, and is altogether borrowed too of the Sunne: but it is borrowed for thy good. With these lights set vp also before thy eyes, the good works and godly examples of humilitie, & of patience, and of lowlinesse, and of zealousnesse, and of constancie, and of sinceritie, and of louelove, and of charitie, and of true deuotion, which thou hast seene or heard of in the Saints and holy men, and women of God: for euen they are lights, and comfortable lights too▪ when Christians meane to keepe Christs watch ouer their hearts and affections. But all these are to no purpose to thee, except thou hauehave one light within thee, as well as without thee. When God hath bestowed these outward lights vponupon thee, then pray thou for the gift of the holy Ghost, that he being in thy heart, may open thy eyes of vnderstanding and iudgement, to see the wonderfull things of Gods lawe: as he opened the heart of Lydia when Paule preached: and also to frame thy will and affections to take pleasure and delight in the Saints and their examples, who excelled in vertue vponupon earth: and so much for thee that sittest in darknesse. Now to those that hauehave lights, that is, preaching inough, and good bookes inough, and good knowledge inough, and can discourse of good examples inough, but are oppressed with sleepe, and a spirit of deadnesse and drowsinesse: that is, are carelesse of that they heare, and forgetfull of that they both heare and reade, and make no conscience of any thing longer then it is rung into their eares. I cannot tell well what to say vntounto them: to discourage them I am loath, and to incourage them, as they are I am afraid, but let vsus see: is there no way to make them vigilant? that they may take heed of the enemy when he commeth? verily yes. First, they must desire their fellowes and neighbours to call vponupon them by exhortation, and awaken them: as men do that meane to ride a iourney together: then if they fall asleepe againe, they must cause the watchmen of the streetes, that is their publicke teachers and pastours to smite them and pinch them, euen with speciall application of the doctrine vntounto their owne hearts and consciences: then they must resolue to be patient and contented that they be often and loud so called vponupon, as Christ did often call vponupon his Disciples when they were heauy: and therefore often and loud, because they were heauy. To which ende the congregation should not be pestred with an ignorant nor a cold teacher, nor a strawbury Sermon man, that either cannot or will not, or will but coldly, and seldomly rouze vp mens drowsie consciences, but such as shall be instant in season and out of season, that is: vppon all occasions, to lift vp their voices like trumpets, and to tell the Lords people of their sinnes, both in generall, and also in particular. And lastly, they must take heede of eating and drinking such things as are like sleepy and drowsie meates: that is, that they delight not in such carnall company, and fleshly pleasures, as will in time both breed a consumption of Gods graces in them, and also harden, and besot them so in their sins, that in time they may grow past all feeling, for consuetudo peccandi (saith Augustine) tollit sensum peccati: the custome of sinne taketh away the feeling of sinne.
Now for those that are discouraged through fearfulnesse of their owne abilitie, and affrighted with the fearfull sights of their enemies, like Elisha his seruant at the sight of the Aramites: there be of two sorts, which hauehave need of good instruction, and great incouragement. The first sort are dismayed at that which is past; the second is affraid of things to come. The first are such as hauehave bene in the battell, and hauehave beene foiled, and ouermatched with rebellious thoughts, and vnsanctified affections: and these like a weake porter at a gate, hauing opened the doore to some one whom he had a mind vntounto, were not onelyonly so troubled by that one sinne of theirs, whom they meant not to keepe alwayes, that they could not tell how to be rid of him any more; but also by that same one false and fained friend hauehave bene betrayed, in letting in a presse of many other sinnes, which they neuer thought of, to the spoiling of all that was within: which they thought to keepe out, but finding themselues ouermatched with the preasse without, and wanting strength within, hauehave euen in a kind of desperate manner sit downe, and let all alone, to come in and do what they will: wishing when it is too late as they imagine, that in time they had taken heede of that one false and deceitfull affection which they entertained. To these men a man cannot say, obstate principijs, withstand the beginnings: for that the fray is already begunne, and they almost, nay altogether put to the worse. But the best counsell for such a one is, redime te captum quam queas minimo, get out of their hands so soone as thou canst: and as Christ said to the woman taken in adulterie, go and sinne no more, least a worse thing happen vntounto thee: that is, take better heede another time. But how shall I get out of their hands? wilt thou say: verily of thy selfe a thing impossible: thou must craue helpe of a stronger then thy selfe, or then the enemie that hath thee in possession, and that is Iesus Christ, the victorious Lion of the tribe of Iuda, who hath alreadie dispossessed the strong man of his hold, and purchased the possession to thy vse: if thou sue to him by earnest prayer, and embrace him by a holy faith, thou shalt recouer thy hold againe. And without these two weapons, it is not possible for thee, by all thy heede taking to auoide the sleights of Sathan. And what though thou carrie a scarre, and weare some shakles of the vnregenerate part: yet be content, and thanke God for thy victorie by Christ. Iacob could not get the blessing without wrestling, and in wrestling he was smitten, and being smitten, he halted, and continued lame euer after: and thus was it with Israel, that is he that preuailed with God. And so shall it be with eueryevery true Israelite and member of Christ, while the world standeth. But what of all that? Gods power is made manifest in the weakenesse of his children: and so thou may in the end preuaile with God for his blessing, be content to receiue with the blessing of God many a blow, knowing that it is better to go lame and blind into heauen, then otherwise after all ease and carnall pleasure to go into hell.
Now for those that are afraid to stand vponupon their spirituall watch, for feare that they should be foiled and spoiled, they are to be encouraged and admonished. Great cause of encouragement they hauehave, for that if God once open their eyes they shal see more with them, then be against them, as the seruant of Elisha did. God himself hath an eye ouer the righteous, and an eare alwaies open to their prayer. Therefore let them watch and feare not, Gods Angels are charged to pitch their tents about them, therefore let them watch and feare not. With their hands they shall hold thee, that thou dash not thy foote against a stone: therefore watch and feare not. Christ himselfe both God and man, thy Mediator doth plead for thee, doth pray for thee, doth pay for thee, therefore watch and feare not. Christs Ministers without are readie to awaken thee with their siluer trumpets of knowledge and wholesome doctrine, if thou chaunce to fall asleepe, therefore watch and feare not. Gods spirit within thee as Lord deputie for Christ Iesus, is ready to do all his offices for thy sanctification and consolation here, and for thy saluation and glorification hereafter, therefore watch and feare not. As Lord priuie seale he is readie to set vponupon thee the stampes of regeneration, and marks of mortification, as dying to sinne, liuing to vertue, with increase of faith, and charitie, and patience, and temperance, &c. These are his markes, by which thou shalt know that thou art sealed vp to the day of redemption. As Lord comforter of Gods elect, he shall speake peace vntounto thy soule, when thou art cast downe vnderunder thy sinnes: and say, Sonne be of good comfort, thy sinnes are forgiuen thee. If thou receiue any wounds in thy inward man, whereby thy zeale, and faith, and repentance, &c. may grow into a consumption, yet watch stil and feare not: for he with his quickening vertue, and soueraigne oyle of heauenly assurance shall restore vntounto thee againe the ioy of thy saluation, creating in thee still a cleane heart, and renewing a right spirit within thee: and therefore keepe thy watch and feare not. And if thou dye, he shall chaunge thy death into life, and thy mortalitie into immortalitie: yea if the boisterous windes of persecution and trouble chaunce to arise, and driue thee either into prison, or to the stake, or to the gallowes, or to banishment, or to the vncomfortable coasts of contempt, reproch, or any other crosse whatsoeuer, he can quench the fire, or stoppe the lions mouthes, or open the prison doores, or raise thee vp new friends, or take away thy hunger, or giuegive thee strength to beare all if he will, or else make all these as meanes to driue thee sooner into heauen then thou wouldest be: and therefore take heede, watch and feare not.
But now thou must take heede, that those things which are spoken for thy consolation and encouragement, do not make thee carelesse and remisse: but be admonished in standing vponupon thy watch to take heede of two things. First, that thou post not off thy watching vntounto other men. Secondly, that thou driue it not off vntounto another time. If thou post off this dutie to other men, thou deceiuest thy selfe: for thou hast no more priuiledge then other men hauehave, thou art in no lesse danger then other men are, thou art subiect to the same passions, the same corruptions, the same lawes, the same iudgements, that other men are subiect vntounto: and therefore if other men must take heede and watch ouer their affections, thou must: if some must, all must: and therefore, lest any man should thinke he were more priuiledged then all men, Christ saith,Mar. 13. Mat. 24. That which I say vntounto one, I say vntounto all watch. It is a subtiltie of Sathan to make men beleeue that they are exempted, but others are not: that ministers had neede watch ouer their affections, and looke to their waies, but not other men; as in Poperie they say, that Friers, and Monkes, and Nunnes must be more holy, and more deuout then other men. And therefore we say as the disciples said, when they heard Christ say, one should betray him: Is it I? Is this to me? Doth this doctrine concerne me? Whom doth he meane? As though Christ had said here; but one of you must take heede and watch. And when we see, or heare of any other man that is come to reape the shame of his vaineglorious and ambitious attempts, or of others their lasciuious or couetous attempts, what is our saying? Alas it is pittie, this was for want of heede taking: but yet we take no more heede then they, for we think it concernes vsus not. But this is our great folly. Other men that hauehave fallen before vsus, are like ships that are sunke before our eyes, and cry out vntounto vsus; looke you to your selues, and come not after vsus, for if you do, you shall all likewise perish. Let other men be our warnings, and not our deputies in these cases. For do man shall go to hell by his deputie, but eueryevery man that hath bene carelesse in his watch, without repentance shall in his owne person die the death.
Secondly, thou that art to beginne, if thou wilt keepe thy watch wel, post it not off vntill another time, for that is another of the diuels sleights: but remember what Christ saith in the Text: When thou doest thine alms, take heede. He doth not say, when thou hast done it: for then it commeth too late, because that action is past with a theeuish affection alreadie. Take heede after the euill is committed, is like, shut the doore when the horse is stolen If thou wilt take the theefe with the manner, thou must watch him euen at the very same instant, when thou art doing of thy good deeds; for then he commeth and doth his feate, and afterward he lurketh in a corner of thy heart, where thou canst not so well find him: and there he both watcheth his time for the like bootie another time, and in the meane time he doth as it were laugh thee to scorne, for that thou wert so foolish, as to let him rob both God of his honour, and thee of his fauour, while he tickled thee, and flattered thee with faire words. As Nehemiah that couragious magistrate dealt with the Sabbath-breakers, so must we deale with our vaineglorius thoughts. He watched them when the Sabbath day came, and then he found them, hauing found them, he shewed them the law: when that whould not serue, he threatned them: when threatening would not serue, he apprehended them and punished them, and then they came no more vponupon the Sabbath day. So let vsus watch our thoughts and affections, when we are about to do, or are in the doing of our good workes, and then we shall find those theeuish and peeuish thoughts, that go about to rob God of his honour: hauing found them, lay the law of God before them: if that will not serue, threaten them with the iudgements of God: if that will not serue, then lay hands (not vponupon thy selfe) but vponupon them, and take a more straight examination of thy heart where they are, euen before the Lord chiefe Iustice of heauen and earth: then imprison them by restraining them of their libertie, and refraining of thy selfe from such obiects, and sights, and places, and company, as would animate them against thee. Hauing thus restrained them, feede them with fasting, as it were with the bread of affliction, and with weeping mingled among, as it were the water of affliction: and then with the spirit of feruent prayer, correct them zealously and continually, and spare them not: accuse them, arraigne them, endite them, and condemne them, and feare them not, but still pray: for prayer is flagellum diaboli, as Augustine calleth it, the whippe of the Diuell, which he more feareth, then all the coniurations of Poperie, then all holy water, and crossings: yea more then the dog doth the whip: and as when the dogge heareth the bell at the whips end, he runneth out of the house: so when Sathan perceiueth a Christian addresse himselfe to prayer, though it be neuer so weakely and with great striuing: yet he then feareth the rebuke of God, and giueth place. Oh then let vsus pray good brethren, euen then, then when we are about to giuegive almes, or to heare a Sermon, or to preach the word, or to reproue sinne boldly, or to handle doctrine soundly, or to deale roundly with the consciences of men, and in all other spirituall exercises: and not only in them, but also in our ciuill affaires, in buying and selling, if thou meanest to deale truly, and vse plaine and simple dealing, and to be at a word. Oh then pray also in inuiting thy friends and neighbours to thy house, when thou entertainest the preachers of Gods word at thy table, when thou art troubled in making prouision, and to hauehave all things cleane and handsome: oh then pray, when thou callest foorth thy children to shew their wit, their aptnesse and towardnes to learne, their profiting in learning, and such like: oh then pray too, when thou cariest thy friend to shew him thy house, and thy roomes, and thy riches, and the workes of thine owne hands, and thy fine gardens and walkes, and thy fruitfull Orchards, and thy fatte cattell, and thy great dealings, and thy daily expenses, &c. Oh in all these go not without thy whippe of prayer to driue away Sathan, and all his theeuish suggestions, and vaineglorious cogitations: for euen then when thou thinkest to do all for the best thou shalt be circumuented and deceiued of thy reward before thou be aware, if thou then (euen then I say) do not take heede.
Then shalt thou heare the whispering, & feel the tickling of a number of spirituall and inuisible theeues in thy hart. Oh saith one to him that studeith for a Sermon, when he readeth a trim discourse, or fine simile, that pleaseth himselfe, Oh this will do well to grace thy Sermon withall, oh men will commend thy wit, and thy inuention for this, and thy boldnesse for that, and thy iudgement in that, &c. Oh here is a tickling theefe in the heart: driue him out by prayer: take heed of him: yeeld not vntounto him: but pray then and say: Lord none of all these come of my selfe, thou art the giuer of them, they are thy mercies to me ô Lord, I am not able nor worthie my selfe, to carrie such treasures of thy Spirite to thy people: Lord be mercifull vntounto me, and sanctifie my heart, that I may seeke thy glorie, and not my owne. Oh hallowed be thy name Lord, hallowed be thy name: not vntounto vsus, ô Lord, not vntounto vsus, but to thy name let the praise be giuen. Lord humble my swelling heart with the feeling of my sinne, and my speciall corruptions. Oh Lord driue out these proud though…s, these vaine imaginations, these wicked and sacrilegious affections, which go about thus to rob thee of thy honour, both in me the speaker, and in others the hearers: let them not commend thy gifts in me, or in any man, but alwayes to thy praise and glorie. And thus must we be exercised continually, while we liue. In like sort when thou art about to shew thy reading, and discoursing veine, at the table: pray, for then a theefe within thee will be ready to tell thee that all the company will, and do admire thee for thy gift that way. Yea, or if thou sit still and be silent, and neuer speakest but when thou art required, and then very modestly too, yet then watch and take heede, for euen then commeth a spirituall theefe, & perswadeth thee to thinke with thy selfe, surely men will commend me aswell for my silence and modestie, as such a one for his learning & wit: but where is the Kings Atturney all this while to pleade for Gods right▪ I meane the spirite of sanctification, to perswade thy soule to giuegive the glorie to God, who gaue thee those gifts, and that grace with God and man: where is he? Oh therefore then when thou doest these things, euen then I say take heede: watch and pray, Hallowed be thy name: Lord rebuke Sathan, quench these his fierie dartes: humble my proud heart: make it to affect thee and thy glorie, aboue all things, and in all things. In like sort in doing the parts of a ciuill man, entertaining of preachers, or thy honest friends and neighbours, in shewing them thy faire houses, thy well contriued roomes, thy wealth, thy gaines, thy great expences, thy great reuenewes, thy toward children, &c. doest thou not feele a theefe within thee, tickling and dallying with thy false heart, and telling thee, that thou shalt be highly commended for these things, and thy fame shall be spread farre and neare, and thou shalt be spoken of for it, and reuerenced, and admired? &c. doest thou not feele such a theefe within thee speaking such things? And what is all in effect, but to perswade thee to rob him who hath enriched thee, to disgrace him who hath graced thee: and to wound him who hath healed thee? whereas thou oughtest then to say, I will shew these things, and tell what goodnesse I hauehave receiued of my mercifull God and heauenly father, that men may commend his goodnesse therein, and spread the fame of his name farre and neare, and may reuerence, and admire his wisedome and power, and mercifull workes towards mortall man, and may both feare and louelove his Maiestie for the same. And to this end, let vsus watch & pray, that God in al things, and for all things, may hauehave his due praise and glorie. In like manner, when thou giuest thine almes, or buildest anie hospitall, or giuest any thing to the poore of such and such a parish, &c. if thou doest not take great heed, and examine thy heart, and stand with prayer at the doore, then will Sathan be busie, and a spirituall theefe will stand vp in thy hart and say, Oh now this being knowne, how will the poore commend me? how will the world commend me? I shall now get a name that I am a good man to the poore, I hope to come into the Chronicles for my good deeds one day, &c. Oh then scourge these corrupt and diuelish affections, & chase them away by prayer, let them not dwel in thy heart, giuegive thē no entertainement, desire to giuegive all the glorie to God, and desire others to do the same for thee: for that he hath made thee both able, and willing to giuegive, and hath made thee his steward, and deputie to giuegive eueryevery one his portion, that his fatherly goodnesse hath appointed them. The like is to be done of eueryevery one that praieth in publike assemblies, and heareth the word diligently, and turne ouer their Bibles, and sing reuerently the holy Psalmes and praises of God, & confer of that which they heard, and call their families to account for that which they hauehave heard at the Sermon, &c. all most holy actions: but take heed now, when thou doest all these, or any of these, that the messenger of Sathan come not like a cunning companion and poison all these. Take heed I say euen then, when thou art about these seruices, for euen as cut-purses, and pilfering rogues watch their times till they see men busie in buying and selling, or come in a preasse: so do these vagrant affections watch our harts when we are about holy businesse, and in deuout conference with our God, to rob God of his honour, and to poison that which we offer him; and if it be poisoned he will none of it. A strange thing, and a hidden mysterie this is, that a man should then rob the Lord of his honour, when he is honoring and seruing him: that we should take from him that which we giuegive vntounto him. Verily so we do, if we take not heed, and nothing is more common then that euil. Thou art deuout in thy prayer, in hearing, in sighing, in singing, in eleuating eyes and hands to heauen: it is well done: but then take heede of the theefe with the poison that thou seest not: and that is, that affection that maketh thee to cast thy eye aside, perhaps to looke whether such a man seeth thee, or no: and that affection that tickleth thy heart, and saith, now I am a good man, I shall be counted a zealous professor for this, I shall be well esteemed for this, I shall by this meanes get familiaritie, and so commoditie with him & her, and a thousand such odde conceits that come wharting and crossing of thy heart in the best things that thou canst do. All which if thou take not heede of them, euen then at that instant, and pray against them, they will get within thee, and plucke off the garment of puritie, and holinesse, which in Christ Iesus should commend thy action vntounto God. And thus thou seest how God is robbed when he is serued: and therefore euen then without any further delay, or dallying take heed, and watch ouer thy heart: and pray against these vile and vaine affections, desiring God to reforme and correct them, that so thou maiest giuegive him his due, clad in such holy and pure affections as are desirous that all the glorie should be giuen vntounto him, from whom, and for whom all things are, and shall be. And in so doing thou maiest safely shew, what God hath done for thee. Take for example in the old Testament Iacob, and in the new Testament the Virgin Mary, and Zacharie the father of Iohn Baptist. Gen. 32.10.Iacob he sheweth his brother how God had blessed him since his comming ouer Iordan, with onelyonly a poore staffe in his hand: and now had giuen him troupes or bands of children and seruants: and blessed him with flockes of sheepe, beeues and camels: but in all these things his desire was that God might he glorified, and therefore he said, I am not worthy of the least of these mercies: that is, all that I hauehave set forth the great and vndeserued fauour of God vntounto me. So farre was he from seeking thereby to be counted a great man, as the maner of the world is. So when Elizabeth reioyced with her cosin, for the great fauour and goodnesse of the most high, in chusing her to be the mother of the Lord Iesus: and sayd, Blessed art thou amongst women, she was not proud thereof,Luke. 1.46. but presently gaue the glorie vntounto God, and sayd, My soule doth magnifie the Lord, and my spirite reioyceth in God my Sauiour. I shall be magnified indeede, but he that is mightie hath magnified me, and holy is his name: and so made that whole song to set forth the glorious praises of God, in that singular worke which he had done to her. In like sort when Zachary knew that Iohn was borne, to be the forerunner of Christ, he presently gaue the glorie to God, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited and redeemed his people, &c. And thou ô child shalt be called the Prophet of the most high, for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare the way before him, to giuegive knowledge of saluation vntounto his people for the forgiuenesse of their sinnes. But then commeth forth the holy affection, wherein God is delighted and saith, Through the tender mercy of our God, &c.
And this shall we do if we take heed, and still watch ouer our hearts in euerie action, by secret prayer vntounto God, that his name may be hallowed.
This wise course being taken, we shall be able by the grace of God, in a short time to discerne a false harted affection, from a true and a holy affection: a double heart from a single and sincere heart: for in eueryevery man that is regenerate, there is a double motion, the one of the flesh, the other of the Spirite, the one of God, the other of Sathan, and in euerie action if he watch narrowly, he shall find and feele a striuing betweene them. Now here is wisedome, to discerne how much is of God, and how much of Sathan; that we may cherish the one: and crush the other in the head, before he grow to any strength. There will be two fires kindled, and both burning together in one heart, the one must be quenched, and not maintained: the other must not be quēched, but be maintained: for so saith the Scripture, quench and quench not, quench the firie darts of the diuell, but quench not the Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed vp to the day of redemption. Now then seeing the glory of God is set vp for one marke to aime at, and the good of the Church of God for another: let vsus learne by our leuelling and aiming at them, or besides them, to iudge of our affections and cogitations. If thy cogitations be studying and deuising how to auoide vaineglorie, and how to get glorie to God, by casting about to make others to praise God in thy graces, and to louelove and feare him for the same: then is that cogitation kindled by Gods Spirite, quench it not but cherish it. If thy affections be longing and desiring to bring the same to passe, which thy minde by Gods Spirite hath deuised, then is that a holy affection, & of God: quench it not, but maintaine it, & reioyce in God for it. But if one the contrarie, thy mind be deuising what to do, and what to say, and how to bring things to passe to please men, and not God, and to win credit and estimation amongst men, Gods glory being cast behind thy backe: know that those thoughts and affections are fierie darts of Sathans kindling, quench them, and cherish them not, take heede of them in time. In taking this timely heed, thou shalt by the grace of God be able easilie to espie the beginnings of thy speciall sinnes, and all the degrees of them, and the growth of them, and all the shifts and sleights of Sathan, and shalt euer get the victorie ouer them in Christ Iesus. And albeit thou be haunted, and molested, and buffeted with such messengers of Sathan, and pained, and humbled by such prickes and goades in thy flesh while thou liuest, yet here remaineth thy comfort, when death commeth, thou shalt be able to say with the Psalmist, By this I know ô Lord that thou louest me, Psal. 41.because these my spirituall enemies hauehave not triumphed ouer me: blessed be the name of the Lord God for euermore.
But one other side, if thou be carelesse, and put off the matter still from time to time, thinking to repent, and leaue thy sinne when thou art olde, or a dying, as many do, thou doest miserably deceiue thy selfe: for doubtlesse any one sinne that is growne into a custome, will be too hard for thee, before age come, or sicknesse come. And for proofe of that I say, do but try thy strength with one of thy sinnes, which thou hast accustomed thy selfe vntounto, and when thou wouldest leaue it, see how many shifts and delayes, and deuises, and excuses it hath, still pulling thee backe againe, when thy foote is in the stirrop, and thou ready as thou thinkest to ride away from it. Now if it be so with one sinne that thou hast bene familiar withall, what wilt thou do, when all thy sinnes are proued customes? Is it not an vsuall answer of most men, that hauehave vsed swearing, or lying, or prophane mirth, or sluggish seruing of God, &c. It is my custome, I cannot leaue it. Those young men which were Ieroboams companions before his raigne, would be his Counsellors when he did raigne: so those sinnes which are thy companions now, will be thy Counsellors and maisters too hereafter. Therefore say not, thou wilt take heed of them hereafter: for hereafter thou art likely in all common sense and reason, to be eueryevery way more vnfit, and vntoward then thou art now; but when time and occasion serue, watch sinne, and thou take him, and destroy him, which else in time will ouerthrow thee.