The Churches Security Together with the Antidote, Part 8
THe third note and marke of faith and grace, is a setled and a continued course in all the duties of godlinesse.The 3. note. Constant and vniuersall obedience. And herein is Christian wisedome, fortitude, and resolution seene. For the proofe and demonstration of this point, the Scriptures are plaine and plentifull, Dauid saith; I hauehave respect vntounto all thy commandements. I hauehave chosen the way of truth, Psal. 119. v. 6.and thy iudgements hauehave I layd before me; teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes, and I will keepe it unto the end: And seuen times a day doe I praise thee, v. 30. & 33.because of thy righteous iudgements. Prou. 4. 18.The way of the righteous shineth as the light that shineth more and more vntounto the perfect day; that is the noone-tide, when the day is most cleere and bright. And the meaning is, that the godly do daily profit in wisdome, and the feare of the Lord, and goe from strength to strength, vntill they ascend to that perfection which may be attained vntounto in this life. Luke. 1. v. 7. ….This is one maine end of our redemption, viz. to serue the Lord in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life. Againe we are perpetuall subiects and seruants vntounto God (albeit otherwise his freemen and children) and we expect an eternall reward, namely eternall life purchased for us, and promised vsus, therefore our obedience must be perpetuall also. But that wee may the better keepe this continued and resolued course in goldlinesse; we must alwayes remember, and doe our vtmost endeuour, to repaire, and renue our faith and repentance: for as we sinne daily, so wee must repent dailie, and as wee slip daily and loose some-thing (especially in the euill day and the time of any speciall temptation) so it is most requisite that wee bee carefulll to confirme and strengthen our …aith, and to renue our repentance. For recouery of bodily health and strength decayed, we vse Physicke, good dyet, exercise, and all other good meanes, and shall not wee bee much more studious and prouident by all meanes, for the recouerie and repaire of our spirituall strength and health that is any wayes impaired, and diminished. This was the practise of Dau…d who saith I hauehave considered m… waies and turned my feete vntounto thy testimonies. Psal. 119▪ 59.Hence it is that our Sauiour teacheth and commandeth vsus daily to confesse our sinnes, and craue pardon of them at Gods hands saying, forgiue vsus our trespasses as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vsus. Hence it is that before wee receiue the word wee are to prepare our selues,Ecles. 4▪ 17. and to take he…de to our feete, that is, to our affections, when wee enter into Gods house, and bee more neere to …eare them to giuegive the sacrifice of Fooles, that is wee must vseall diligent endeuour that wee heare the voice of GOD, and frame our life thereafter, and not to offer such sacrifice as fooles doe, who hauing sinned, imagine that they can satisfie the Lord with their ceremonious Worshippe, when their life notwithstanding is not amended.Psal 2▪ 66. Dauid s…ith th…t hee will washe his hands in innocencie and (so) compasse Gods alter. Likewise before the receyuing of the Sacrament of the bodie, a…d bloud of CHRIST; a man must trie, 1. Cor. 11. 28and examine himselfe, and by consequence renue his faith, and repentance, and so eat of the bread and drinke of that cuppe. And (to knit vp all in a word) the Church of Corinth must expell that leauen the incestuous person:1. Cor. 5. 7. the Church of Ephesus must recouer her first louelove: the Church of Pergamus must repent of that sinne for tollerating them amongst them that mainta…ned the doctrine of the Nicolaitans.Apo. 2. 25 The Church of Sardis must awaken, and strengthen the thing that remaine, that are read…e to die. Apo. 3. 2.The luke-warme Church of Laodicae… which was neither hote nor cold (which is now the common sinne of our time and the maladie of most Churches) must bee zealous, and amend.vers. 19.
Vse. 1. The vse of this doctrine, is to cond…mne them that either vse no holie and Religious exercise at all, and hereby discrie and bewray themselues to bee meere Atheists, and Nullifidians, or els if they doe performe any dutie of pietie, religion and louelove, they doe it vponupon fits, brunts, passions; for a time, and that in some things onelie like Iehu, and their goodnesse (like that of Ephraim and luda… ) is as a morning cloude, and as a morning dew it goeth away, Hosea. 6. 4.they are soone hote and soone cold, and they are farre from any stedfast resolution, and continued practise, which onelie is proper to a true iustifying faith: whereas hipocrites, temporizers, and wordlings may (for a time and vponupon suddaine motions) formally performe all the forenamed duties.
Vse. 2. The second vse is for consolation. Dost thou notwithstanding thou now and then deuiate, and digresse a little out of the way for a time with Noah, Lot Dauid, Peter, Ezechias &c, trauaile daily foreward to heauen? dost thou purposely, and ordinarily walke in the narrow way that leadeth to eternall life? Dost thou not long continue in thy by-pathes, nor please they selfe in them; but vponupon notice of thy errour, reduce thy selfe into the waie againe, and then by more speede and hast make amendes for thy former straying and slouthfulnesse? comfort thine heart, thine infirmities shall neuer bee laid to thy charge, and thou shalt at length attaine to the ende of thy iorney and hope, namely the port and hauen of euerlasting happinesse, For GOD, chiefely respecteth the heart, and resolution: And that which Paul saith of almes, and contribution;1. Cor. 8, 12. we may truely affirme of all other holy duties: if there be first a willing minde, they are accepted according to that a mā hath, & not according to that a mā hath not, and (to conclude) for this constant practise, continuance, and perseuerance in holy duties and Godlinesse: …osua, Dauid, Iehoshaphat, Aza, Ezcch: as, Iosias, &c. are commended and eternized in scripture, for that they serued GOD with a perfect and vpright heart, and did (in generall) that which was acceptable in Gods sight.
And thus much of a continued course in Godlinesse.