PuritanSearch

CAP. IIII.

Of trust, affiance, and hope in God.

§. Sect. 1 Of affiance in God, & wherein it consisteth; and of the reasons which may move us unto it.

THe special duties, whereby we adhere and cleave unto God with all our hearts, are either principal, or those which arise out of them and depend upon them; the chief and principal are affiance, the love and fear of God. By affiance we adhere and cleave unto him, when as knowing, acknowledging, believing, and remembering the omniscience, omnipotence, all sufficiency, truth, and goodness of God towards us, we do put our trust and affiance in him, for the obtaining of all good, and preservation from all evil, both in the presence and absence of all inferior means. Unto which affiance the Scriptures exhort us. So David, Trust in the Lord, and do good. And Solomon, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not to thine own understanding. Which if we perform, we have diverse gracious promises made unto us: as first, that we shall be greatly rewarded; Cast not away your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward; and be encompassed with all God's mercies and favors; according to that of the Psalmist, He that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about. Secondly, that we shall be sustained and preserved by his providence. Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee; he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. And again, They that trust in the Lord, shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth forever. Thirdly, that we shall have the good things of the earth for the present, and eternal blessedness in the life to come; for he that trusteth in the Lord, shall possess the land, and shall inherit his holy mountain. So Jeremiah, Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. And the Psalmist, O trust and see, that the Lord is good, blessed is the man that trusteth in him. And thus we must trust in the Lord for the obtaining of all good, and the avoiding of all evil: unto the former, David exhorteth, Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass. And of the other, we have him for our example: The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? Though an host should incampe against me, my heart shall not fear, though war should arise against me, in this will I be confident. And again, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble: therefore will we not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be cast into the midst of the sea, &c. And thus must we trust in the Lord, in the presence and absence of inferior means. When we have means, we must put our affiance in him, first, though they be weak and insufficient, knowing that he is able to give virtue and vigor unto them, seeing we live not by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of God's mouth. He is able in the famine to feed us with ravenous birds, which in their own nature are more fit to take away our meat, then to bring any unto us; and to make our small pittance, a few pulse, an handful of meal, and a cruize of oil, as sufficient for our nourishment as the greatest dainties of the worldly wicked. In time of plague he can keep us safe under the shadow of his wings, and though thousands do fall at our sides, and ten thousand at our right hand, it shall not come nigh us. In time of war, he is able to save with few, as well as with many, as Jonathan speaketh; and to give victory, not only to those who have a strong army, but to those also that have no power, as Asa confesseth. Or if our means be many and mighty, yet we must not trust in them, but using them as sent of God to serve his providence in our sustentation and preservation, we must put our whole confidence in him, and rest alone in his blessing upon them, without which they shall never do us any good. For we travail in vain, unless God bless the house; In vain we plow and sow, unless he give the increase. In vain are our Granaries and Store-houses replenished with all plenty, if he break the staff of bread. In vain is the horse prepared against the day of battle, if salvation come not from the Lord. And in vain do God's spiritual Husbandmen plant and water, except the Lord do give increase. Neither must we less trust in the Lord in the utter absence of all inferior means, knowing that he is true of his promise, and will never fail us if we put our affiance in him, and in himself alone, all-sufficient to preserve and defend us in their absence, as well as in the presence of them. And thus did David trust in God, though he walked alone in the vale of the shadow of death; the three children in the fiery surnace, Daniel in the Lions den, Peter guarded with Soldiers, and Paul and Silas when they were in the stocks. And thus Abraham having God's promise, respected not his age, nor the deadness of Sarah's womb, but trusted in him for the obtaining of a son, and as the Apostle speaketh, against hope believed in hope, that he should become the father of many nations.

§. Sect. 2 Of the means of affiance.

Now the means whereby we may attain unto this firm affiance, are these: The first is the often consideration of God's saving attributes, as of his omniscience, whereby he taketh notice of all our wants and dangers; of his omnipotency, and all-sufficiency, whereby he is able to relieve and preserve us; of his providence, which in especial manner watcheth over us who are his sons and children, to dispose of all things to our good; of his mercy, bounty, goodness, and truth of his promises, whereby we may be assured of his good will and readiness to help us. The second means is, to observe God's mercy and goodness in time past, shown both towards others and towards our selves, in freeing us from evil, and procuring our good. We must consider what God hath done formerly to others, assuring our selves that he is ready to do the like for us, if with them we fear and serve him, seeing he is no respecter of persons, but is alike to all. So David confirmed his affiance in God, by remembering his goodness towards their ancestors; Our fathers trusted in thee, they trusted in thee, and thou didst deliver them; they cried upon thee, and were delivered; they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. So when he could with no comfort rest upon God in his present sense and feeling, he remembered God's wonders of old, in delivering his people Israel, and drowning their enemies in the red Sea. And thus he saith, others would confirm their affiance by his example. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. But much more will the experience of God's mercy and goodness towards our selves, in providing for us in the time of want, and delivering and preserving us from former dangers, confirm our trust and confidence in him, seeing he is immutable in his love, and changeth not, though we be changed. And thus David strengthened his affiance in God, that he would give him victory over Goliath, because he had former experience of God's goodness towards him, and power assisting him against the Lyon and the Bear. And the Apostle concludeth, that as the Lord had formerly delivered him out of former afflictions, so he would be a-like gracious still, and deliver him out of like afflictions in the time to come. Lastly, if we would confidently trust in God, we must be such as fear and serve him, and making conscience of our ways, do walk before him in holiness and righteousness; for with such only he hath made his Covenant of grace and protection, and such only may challenge a part in his promises of provision and preservation. So Solomon, The wicked flee when none pursueth, but the righteous are bold as a Lyon. And again, In the fear of the Lord is assured strength, and his children shall have hope. And the Psalmist appropriateth this confidence unto the faithful only; Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord, he is their help and shield. And not only those who are professedly wicked, but the close hypocrite also is excluded from it. For the hypocrites hope shall be cut off, and his trust shall be a Spiders web. His confidence shall be rooted out of his Tabernacle; and it shall bring him to the King of terrors.

§. Sect. 3 Of hope in God, what it is, and wherein it consisteth.

From this affiance in God, ariseth hope; for when knowing and believing God and his saving attributes, we trust in him for the accomplishment of all his gracious promises, then do we by hope expect the accomplishment of them, even when they are deferred with patience and comfort, knowing that God is immutable in his love, and most true of his Word: with which hope we are sustained in all afflictions, that we do not faint under their burden, seeing we hope for deliverance in God's due time, are armed against all assaults of our spiritual enemies with this helmet of salvation, in expectation of assured victory, and stayed with this anchor in our Christian course, notwithstanding all the tempestuous storms and boisterous blasts of trials and temptations. The which anchor is not fastened on the fleeting and failing sands of our own worth, works, and merits, but upon the firm ground of God's immutable love, mercy, goodness, power and truth, which will never fail those that rest upon them; according to that of the Psalmist, They that know thy Name, will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. And thus Abraham hoped against hope, being fully persuaded, that what God had promised, he was able also to perform. And the Apostle exhorteth us to hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, because he is faithful that hath promised. The object of this hope, are future good things which God hath promised; as fruition of good, and freedom and deliverance from evil, which are not yet seen (for then there were no place for hope) but certainly expected in God's good time. But the main and principal object of our hope, is heavenly happiness, which we shall enjoy in soul and body, at Christ's coming to Judgment, whereof it is called the hope of salvation, and the hope of eternal life. The chief properties of this hope are, First, that it be patient. Secondly, that it be certain and assured: of the first the Apostle speaketh; If we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it: and in this regard calleth it the patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. Of which patience, he telleth us that we have need, because God oftentimes delayeth to accomplish his promises, as though he had forgotten both us and them. Secondly, it must be certain and assured, whereof it is compared to an anchor, which if it faileth in a tempest, it putteth the ship in great danger of foundring and perishing. And therefore the Apostle desireth, that the Hebrews might have full assurance of hope unto the end; which if we have, it will make us never to be ashamed, seeing God, upon whom we wait, will never fail to accomplish his promises. And this is that hope unto which the Scriptures exhort us. So the Psalmist, Waite on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord. And again, Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him.

§. Sect. 4 Of the means of hope.

Which that we may labor after, let us consider, that it is most profitable and necessary unto all that will lead a godly and Christian life. For it is not only a part thereof, as being one of the three principal virtues which the Apostle commendeth unto us, but a notable means, whereby we are moved and enabled to labor after all other virtues, and to put in practice all other duties, because we are assured of the fruit of our labor, and hopefully expect the obtaining of it; without which hope we would be utterly discouraged, sit still and do nothing. Again, this hope maketh us not to be ashamed, in midst of all reproaches and disgraces which we suffer for Christ's sake, and causeth us with him to run with patience the race which is set before us, in expectation of that joy which is set before us. It maketh us not only patient, but joyful in afflictions, yea even to glory in our rejoicing, in hope of the glory of God, in all our tribulations. It confirmeth our faith from which it springeth, and maketh us cheerful in all Christian duties. It quickeneth and rejoiceth our drooping hearts, and not only maketh the way of godliness delightful unto us, but us also pleasing and accepted of God. It is an helmet of salvation, to defend us against our spiritual enemies, yea it self saveth us, as the Apostle speaketh, because it moveth God to save us: for as the Psalmist saith, He is the Savior of them that hope in him. Finally, it maketh us blessed in the assured expectation of our blessedness. For happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, and whose hope is in the Lord his God. Whereas contrariwise, without this hope, we are as the Apostle telleth us, of all men most miserable, having neither the comforts of this life, which worldlings enjoy, nor expectation of better in the life to come. Let us therefore labor after this hope, and use carefully all good means whereby we may attain unto it. And seeing it is the gift of God, and grace of his holy Spirit, let us in the first place beg it at his hands, by frequent and fervent prayer, assuring our selves, that he who is the God of our hope, will not deny to give it unto us. Secondly, let us meditate often upon God's saving attributes, of power, mercy, goodness, truth, &c. and so our imperfections and unworthiness will not make us despair, nor weaken our hopes in expectation of his promises. Thirdly, let us often hear, read, and meditate in the holy Scriptures, which were purposely written, that we through patience and comfort of them might have hope. Fourthly, let us, in all the service which we offer unto God, avoid hypocrisy, and serve and worship him in sincerity and uprightness of heart. For the hypocrites hope shall perish, and be cut off like a Spiders web, as Bildad speaketh. Lastly, if we would have hope in God, let us lead a godly life, and serve him all our days in holiness and righteousness; for the flesh of God's holy ones shall rest in hope: whereas when a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish, and the hope of the unjust men perisheth, as the Wiseman speaketh.

CAP. V.

Of the love of God, and diverse virtues which spring from it.

§. Sect. 1 Of the love of God, what it is, and wherein it consisteth, and of the measure and means of it.

THe next main and principal duty is the love of God, when as knowing, believing, and remembering his infiniteness in all goodness, excellency, beauty, and all perfection, and his inestimable love, grace, and bounty towards us, we do love him again with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, above all things, and all other things in him, and for his sake. So that the causes of our love towards God, are his goodness, excellency, beauty and perfection in himself; and his goodness, grace, and benignity towards us. For goodness is the only object of love, neither do we love anything which is not either truly good, or at least appeareth good unto us. And therefore seeing God is the summum bonum, and chief goodness, when his nature appeareth to be so, we should love him chiefly, and place our chief happiness in his fruition. But yet because in this state of corruption we are full of self-love, therefore we cannot love God perfectly and absolutely for himself as we ought, till we be assured of his love towards us, and have it shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost: for we love him, because he loved us first, as the Apostle speaketh. Now the measure of our love, wherewith we are to love God, ought to be without measure, both because he is immeasurable in goodness in his own nature, and also because his love towards us hath exceeded all measure; the which appeareth not only in our creation, whereby he hath given us unto our selves, and made us his most excellent creatures, but also in our Redemption, wherein he hath given himself unto us, even his only begotten and dearly beloved Son, of the same nature with himself, to die for our sins, and rise again for our justification; and that, when we were not friends, but of no strength, strangers, sinners, enemies unto him and his grace, the slaves of Satan, and children of wrath as well as others. And therefore if he thus loved us, when we merited no love, yea when we deserved wrath and hatred, how much more, if it were possible, should we love him who is most lovely, and infinitely deserveth our love? But because our nature being finite, we cannot love him infinitely, we ought therefore to love him as much as is possible for us, with all our hearts, souls, and strength: Or if we cannot thus do, in respect of our corruption, yet at least we must love him in sincerity and uprightness of heart, as much as we can, and be heartily sorry that we can love him no better. We must love him above all things in the world, as house, lands, parents, children, wives, yea our own lives, and be ready with all cheerfulness to lay them down for him, as he hath first laid down his life for us. For if we ought to love all things in him and for him, then ought we to love him much more, preferring his glory even before our own salvation, when as they come in comparison, the one with the other. And this is that love of God, which is to be embraced of us, as being in it self a most excellent virtue, and in diverse respects to be preferred before faith and hope; and to us most profitable, feeing it assureth us of God's love, and remission of our sins, transformeth us, after a manner, into the divine nature (for where is love, there is likeness, and it is the nature of it to change the lover, as much as may be, into the party beloved) and finally weaneth our hearts from the love of the world and earthly vanities, and lifteth up our affections and thoughts unto God and heavenly things; maketh all that we do or suffer for God's sake, easy and tolerable, yea sweet and comfortable: for it seeketh not her own, beareth all things, endureth all things; it enableth us to offer unto God cheerful obedience, and to perform all duties of holiness and righteousness required unto a godly life, with joy and delight, which without it are irksome and unpleasant, yea intolerable and impossible unto flesh and blood. Now the means whereby our hearts may be inflamed with this divine fire of God's love, are, first, that we often meditate upon God's infinite goodness, excellency, beauty, and perfection, which make him worthy of all love, and how he hath exercised these saving attributes towards us, in our creation and preservation, in our redemption, giving his only Son to die for us, and for his sake forgiving us all our sins, and in bestowing upon us all the good things which we enjoy in this life, or hope for in the life to come.

§. Sect. 2 Of the zeal of God's glory, what it is, and wherein it consisteth.

Now the virtues and graces which arise and issue from love, are diverse, as zeal of God's glory, joy, and rejoicing in God, thankfulness and obedience. Zeal is the fruit and effect of our fervent love towards God, and as it were a flame arising from this divine fire, whereby we are made most careful and earnest in seeking God's glory, both in advancing and furthering all means whereby it is furthered, and in opposing, hindering, and removing all the impediments whereby it may be hindered. And this is to be shown in all other virtues, as being the intension of them, and in all duties which we perform unto God. So the Apostle telleth us generally, that it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing. Our love towards God, and hatred of sin, must be zealous and hot, and not cold or luke-warm; our repentance must be joined with zeal; Be zealous and amend. We must zealously worship and serve God, according to that of the Apostle; fervent in Spirit, serving the Lord. We must not only do good works, but be zealous of them. We must pray with zeal exceedingly, and pour out our hearts like water before the Lord; with zeal we must preach the Word, and be inwardly affected with that we speak, that so also we may affect others; and we must with zeal hear the Word, and even hunger and thirst after this spiritual food of our souls, that we may grow up thereby. But yet our care must be, that our zeal be guided with knowledge, and not show it self in all things, but (as the Apostle speaketh) only in a good matter; and also that in advancing of the means of God's glory, and removing the impediments, we keep our selves within the limits of our callings. Now the means to attain unto this zeal, is to consider often and seriously how great things the Lord hath done for us, which will make us think that we can never be too earnest in seeking his glory, nor too intent and fervent in all holy duties of his service. That it is an inseparable property of all grace, to be zealous in them, and therefore there can be no grace at all, where zeal is wanting. That is an undoubted sign of those who are the redeemed of the Lord, to be zealous of good works: & therefore where there is no zeal, there can be no sign of redemption by Christ; finally, that luke-warmenesse is most loathsome unto God, and that those who are so, he will spew out of his mouth.

§. Sect. 3 Of rejoicing in God, what it is, and the means whereby we may attain unto it.

The second virtue arising from love, is joy and rejoicing in God, when being assured of his love towards us, and loving him again, tasting for the present, how good the Lord is, and persuading our selves of the full fruition of him in the life to come, we are exceedingly delighted, and even glory in the assurance and sense of God's favor. For it is the nature of love to make us rejoice in the thing beloved: and as the more excellent anything is in our conceit, the more our love exceedeth, so according to the measure of our love, such also is our joy when we enjoy it. And therefore needs must our joy and rejoicing in God exceed all other joy, because our love ought to be proportioned to his goodness and excellency, and our joy to our love. In which respect, this divine joy swalloweth up all worldly grief, and causeth us to glory, not only in worldly prosperity, but also in persecution and tribulation. And this is that joy unto which the Scriptures exhort us: Rejoice in the Lord always, and again, I say, Rejoice. Rejoice evermore. Delight thyself in the Lord, and he will give thee the desires of thine heart. Which if we attain unto, then have we even in this life, the first beginnings of our heavenly happiness. For as the Apostle teacheth us, the Kingdom of God consisteth in righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy Ghost. Now the means to obtain this joy, is to labor after assurance that we are united unto Christ; for we cannot have it in our selves, but in, and through him: according to that of the Apostle, We joy in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom now we have received the atonement. Secondly, if we would have this joy, we must labor after the assurance of our justification, and remission of our sins; for peace with God followeth our justification by faith, and joy this peace. Thirdly, let us labor after this assurance, that we are the sons of God by adoption and grace, and to have it sealed unto us in our hearts and consciences, by his holy Spirit, that so our assurance of our heavenly inheritance, may uphold our joy and rejoicing in the midst of temporary crosses and afflictions. Finally, let us labor to feel God's love shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost, which we shall best discern, by finding them inflamed with fervent love towards God, approved to be sincere, by our care to flee all sin which is odious unto him, and embracing all virtue and goodness which is acceptable in his sight. And if we enjoy God in this mutual love, we shall in all estates glory and rejoice in it, and in the midst of all worldly extremities, comfort our selves, with David, in the Lord our God.

§. Sect. 4 Of thankfulness unto God, what is required unto it; and the means of it.

The third virtue arising from the love of God, is unfeigned thankfulness: for when in consideration of God's goodness, mercy, and bounty towards us, our hearts are inflamed with his love, and replenished with joy unspeakable and glorious, then do we think, with David, what we may return unto him for all his benefits; and finding no possible means of making the least requital, in regard of our impotency, and God's all-sufficiency, we do at last resolve to remain forever thankful debtors, and to express our thankfulness, both by our words in praising and magnifying, and in all our actions by glorifying him our Benefactour, who hath been so infinitely gracious unto us, seeing we have nothing else to return unto him. So that our love of God, proceeding from his love towards us, is the root of our thankfulness, and our rejoicing in his love and goodness, an inseparable companion of it. For this thankfulness is a virtue, whereby knowing, acknowledging, and rejoicing in the sense and feeling of God's love, goodness, and bounty towards us, we are inwardly thankful unto him for all his benefits, and outwardly express it, by praising and glorifying his holy Name, both by our lips and lives, whereby it appeareth what is required to this virtue of thankfulness. First, that we apprehend God's love, and inwardly rejoice in it, having our hearts thoroughly affected with the sense of his goodness and bounty towards us. Secondly, that we do not ascribe the blessings and benefits which we enjoy, unto any thing else, but only unto God, as our supreme and chief Benefactour, who is the principal Author of all our good. Thirdly, that we do not smother our thankfulness in our hearts, but cause it to break forth, first, in our words, by praising & magnifying God's holy name; for as the Psalmist speaketh, It becometh the righteous to be thankful; and secondly, in our works, by doing those things which are pleasing unto God, in whom our soul delighteth; that so the light of our godly lives shining before men, we may cause them also to glorify our Father which is in heaven. The which ought to be performed of us in all things and at all times, both in prosperity and adversity, plenty and penury, health and sickness; according to that of the Apostle, But be filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves in Psalms, and Hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. An example whereof we have in Job, who blessed the Lord when he was deprived of all his substance; and in the Church grievously afflicted, who in the midst of all her calamities, did acknowledge God's mercies, in that they were not utterly consumed. Now the means whereby we may be stirred up to this duty, and enabled to perform it, are first to consider, that this thankfulness and thanksgiving is good, pleasant and comely; according to that of the Psalmist; Praise ye the Lord, for it is good to sing praises unto our God: for it is pleasant, and praise is comely. Secondly, consider that it is the will of God that we should be thankful unto him for all his benefits, which if we perform, he requireth nothing else at our hands, nor any other requital for all his mercy and goodness towards us. And this reason the Apostle useth, In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Thirdly, that it is most pleasing unto God, and that the sacrifice of the calves of the lips is much more acceptable then of Bulls and Goats. Fourthly, let us continually meditate upon God's manifold and inestimable mercies bestowed upon us in time past, his eternal love, our election, creation, the great work of our redemption by the death of his only begotten and dearly beloved Son, our vocation and effectual calling to the participation of this great benefit, from which innumerable others are excluded; our justification, sanctification, continual preservation, together with our assured hope of glorificatiō, with all special blessings which from day today he bestoweth upon us. With all which, our hearts will be filled with thankfulness, and our mouths with praises & thanksgiving, if we thoroughly meditate on them: especially if withal we consider our unworthiness of the least of God's favors, and according to Jacob's example, compare God's inestimable mercies with our demerits. Lastly, let us meditate and consider what a foul vice ingratitude is, & how vile and odious in the sight of God & mē, that the Lord will never let it go unpunished, nor suffer any to enjoy his benefits, who through their ingratitude will not acknowledge them, nor render the praises which are due unto him.

§. Sect. 5 Of obedience unto God, what it is, and wherein it consisteth; and of the properties of true obedience.

The fourth and last virtue arising from the love of God, is obedience; which is a fruit of our love, and thankfulness, whereby in all things we submit our selves, our wills and actions, wholly unto God's good will and pleasure, both in doing all that he requireth, and in patient suffering whatsoever he imposeth. So that this obedience is of two kinds. First, our active obedience to God's Law, whereby we conform our whole man unto the revealed will of God. The which is an inseparable fruit of our love towards God, and an infallible note whereby we may discern that which is sound and sincere, from that which is false and counterfeit; for if we love God, we will keep his Commandments; And this is the love of God, if we keep his Commandments, and his Commandments are not grievous. The properties of this obedience are these: First, that it be absolute unto whatsoever God requireth, and admit of no discourse of reason when we know his will; but whether profit or disprofit, honor or disgrace, the favor or displeasure of men do follow upon it, we are to do the things that he enjoineth. Secondly, it must be total, both in respect of the object and subject. In respect of the object, we must obey God in all his Commandments at all times, neither adding nor detracting, nor declining therefrom on the right hand or on the left. Neither is it sufficient that we obey God in some things, and neglect others, or in many and most things, and not in some few: for he that thus sinneth in one thing, is guilty of all; but we must propound unto our selves the whole Law of God for the rule of our lives, observing one table as well as another, and worship him both in holiness and righteousness, and that not only for some small time, but all the days of our lives. In respect of the subject, our obedience must be with the whole man, and like our love from which it springeth, it must be performed with all our hearts, souls and strength. But especially the Lord requireth the inward obedience of the heart, wherein he chiefly delighteth; we must worship him in spirit and truth, in sincerity and uprightness of heart, as before his face, and in his sight and presence; neither is it sufficient that we do that which is right, unless we do it uprightly. It must be voluntary with cheerfulness and delight, as the Saints and Angels do the will of God in heaven. For love maketh every burden light, and the Commandments of God not to be grievous. Yet this internal obedience is not sufficient, unless the external be joined with it. For God will be worshipped with the whole man, with our bodies, as well as with our souls; with our outward actions, as well as with our inward affections.

§. Sect. 6 Of the means of obedience, whereby we may be enabled to perform it.

Now the means which may move and enable us to yield this obedience, are these; first, we must consider that the Lord hath created us to this end, that we should serve him, and to the same purpose, when we were by sin utterly lost, hath redeemed us with the inestimable price of his Sons most precious blood, that we should worship him in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our lives, that being freed from sin, we should become the servants of righteousness; and from the slavery of Satan, that we should spend our days in God's service. Secondly, let us meditate on the riches of reward, and that liberal wages which the Lord hath freely promised to give unto those who faithfully serve him; in which respect we may justly say of our active obedience, as the Apostle of our passive, that all our service in this present world, is not worthy the glory which shall be reueyled; for it is slight, short and imperfect, but shall cause unto us a far more excellent and eternal weight of Glory. Thirdly, let us consider, that though our best service be mingled with many imperfections, and stained with our corruptions, yet God in Christ will accept of it, and not only pardon our wants, but reward our wills and works. For he will spare us, as a man spareth his son that serveth him, accepting of our will for the deed, and of our sincere affections, as of perfect actions. Fourthly, let us consider, that hereby we shall be assured of all God's promises: for Godliness is profitable for all things, having the promises of this life, and of that which is to come. Neither doth God require our obedience for his own sake; (for he is most absolute in perfection, and our righteousness doth not profit or extend unto him) but for our own good and benefit, that he may crown our obedience with eternal blessedness. For he that keepeth the Law, happy is he; and he that heareth Christ's Word, and keepeth it, is by him pronounced blessed. Lastly, let us often propound unto our selves the examples of God's Saints and Servants, that have gone before us, and set before us their obedience as a pattern for our imitation: For more cheerfully may we travail in this way of holiness and righteousness, if we see a plain path beaten by those that have gone before us. But especially let us set before us the never-erring example of our Savior Christ, who took more delight in doing his Fathers will, then in his meat and drink, and in all things was obedient unto him to the death, even the bitter death of the Cross, as the Apostle speaketh.

§. Sect. 7 Of passive obedience, and patience in afflictions.

The second kind of obedience is passive, and is called patience, which is a fruit of our love and thankfulness towards God, whereby we submit our selves meekly and constantly to bear all those crosses and afflictions, which it shall please God to lay upon us. The causes of which patience are diverse; the first and principal is the Spirit of God, of which it is a fruit. Secondly, a lively faith, which not only apprehendeth the promise of eternal happiness, with which our temporary afflictions are not to be compared, but God's special promises of strength to endure all trials, and of help and deliverance in God's due time. Thirdly, trust and affiance in God, who hath promised to be with us in all our afflictions, and never leave us to our own weakness, or to the malice and fury of our enemies, upon which we conclude, that though he kill us, yet we will trust in him. But the love of God is the next and immediate cause of our patience, which maketh us meekly to suffer whatsoever he imposeth, who so loveth us, and whom we so love. For love endureth all things, and the greatest difficulties are not hard unto it. It is stronger then death, the waters of afflictions cannot quench it, and the floods of calamities cannot drown it. The object of this patience is afflictions, which the Lord imposeth for the trial or correction of his children; for all, whom he loveth, he chastiseth: and whosoever will be Christ's Disciple, must deny himself, take up his Cross, and follow him, that is, that cross and measure of afflictions which God himself imposeth upon him: Neither are we to take upon us burdens of our own making, but such only as the Lord allotteth unto us; which are those alone that we cannot by lawful means avoid, or without falling into sin. The manner how we are to bear these afflictions, is first voluntarily, with a meek, quiet and contented mind, as being sent of God for our good, yea cheerfully and joyfully, as they are signs and seals of our adoption, and special means to further and assure our everlasting salvation. Secondly, we must bear them constantly, so long as it shall please God to continue them upon us, that is, till he giveth us honest and lawful means to be freed and delivered from them; not thinking it enough that we have borne some few, or many afflictions, but holding out unto the end: for he is not crowned who hath fought well for a time, but he that never giveth over, till he have obtained the victory, according to that of our Savior; Be faithful unto the death, and I will give thee the Crown of life. But of these points, as also of the means whereby we may be enabled with patience, comfort and joy to endure afflictions, I have written largely elsewhere, and therefore will content myself thus briefly to have touched them in this place.

CAP. VI.

Of the fear of God, and humility which ariseth from it, joined with his love. And of God's external worship with the body.

§. Sect. 1 Of the fear of God, what it is, and the causes of it.

THe fourth and last main virtue required in this Commandment, is the fear of God; whereby I understand, not that servile and slavish fear which is in wicked men, and the very devils themselves, in the apprehension of his justice, wrath, and power, in punishing sin; but that filial and son-like fear, whereby knowing, believing, and remembering not only God's Justice, truth, majesty, power and dominion our all creatures, but also his infinite love, goodness, and mercy towards us in Jesus Christ, we fear his displeasure, who is so glorious and gracious, as the greatest evil. In which description is expressed the grounds and causes of the true fear of God, namely, the knowledge, belief, and remembrance of God's attributes; As first, that he is a just God, and will not let sin go unpunished; with which consideration our Savior inciteth us to God's fear, because he justly casteth into hell those that sin against him. Secondly, that he is true of his Word, in his promises to those that serve and please him, and his threatenings against those that displease and sin against him. Thirdly, his majesty and glory, in that he is the supreme Lord, and most glorious King of heaven and earth, which is alone sufficient to strike an awful fear of God in the hearts of all creatures. Fourthly, that he is a most powerful and mighty God, and so able to execute all his judgments, and not only to kill the body, but also to cast both body and soul into the everlasting fire of hell, as our Savior speaketh. Lastly, his dominion over all creatures, whereby they are obnoxious and liable to his justice and punishments, is effectual to strike fear into the hearts of all men; according to that of Malachi, If I be a master, where is my fear? and that of Jeremiah, Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for unto thee doth it appertain. For howsoever the faithful being in Christ, can receive no hurt from these attributes; for his justice is satisfied for their sins, and there is no condemnation unto them, his threatenings do not belong unto them, but contrariwise his sweet and gracious promises; his majesty, power, and dominion, are arguments of joy and comfort, seeing they are wholly for their protection and preservation: yet do the children of God fear, in respect of these attributes, when they consider them in their own nature, and see the effects of them in wicked men, even as the son feareth his father, when he seeth him punish his slave, though he be sure that he shall never taste of the same stripes, and reverenceth him in respect of his power, justice, gravity, and authority over him, though he expecteth nothing from them but all good. So the Apostle Peter useth this argument: And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons, judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your soiourning here in fear. And the Apostle Paul useth God's severity to the rejected Jews, as a reason to make us to fear God; and exhorteth us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Besides, being partly flesh as well as Spirit, and therefore full of infirmities and corruptions, it is profitable for the unregenerate part, which is a slave, and not a son, to be contained in duty, and restrained from sin, by the fear of God's Justice, power, and punishments. For our love being imperfect, our fear cannot attain in this life to filial perfection, but so far forth as we are unregenerate, is servile and slavish. And to this end are God's judgments denounced, and punishments inflicted, in the hearing and sight of the godly, that they may fear to offend so just and mighty a God, and so escape these fearful punishments. But the chief grounds and causes of God's fear in the hearts of his children, are saving knowledge, and a lively faith, whereby being assured of God's love in Christ, we love him again, and are above all things afraid to do anything which is displeasing in his sight; either in the omission of any duty, or commission of any sin, which our gracious and loving Father either commandeth or forbiddeth.

§. Sect. 2 That this fear of God is commended unto us in the Scriptures, and of the great profit of it.

And this is that fear of God, which in the Scriptures is so much commended unto us, and causeth those, who in their hearts embrace it, to be happy and blessed, according to that of Solomon, Blessed is the man that feareth always: which blessedness that we may attain unto, let us labor after this fear, and to this end let us consider the excellency and profit of it, that our hearts being inflamed with the love of it, we may carefully use all good means whereby we may obtain it. The excellency of it herein appeareth, in that it compriseth in it all other duties, and is usually put for the whole service of God, wherein the whole man is to be employed, according to that of Solomon, Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter, Fear God and keep his Commandments, for this is the whole of man. Secondly, it is called in this respect, the head and beginning of wisdom, that is, of all godliness and true Religion. Thirdly, it giveth grace and virtue unto all other duties, and maketh them acceptable in God's sight: For our whole conversation must be a constant walking in God's fear. In it we must worship and serve God. Serue the Lord with fear. And in thy fear will I worship towards thine holy Temple. By it our sanctification is perfected, and our salvation wrought out and finished. The profit of this fear of God is also inestimable; for it restraineth us from all vice and sin, according to that of Solomon, A wise man feareth and departeth from evil; and of David, Stand in awe, and sin not. As we see in the example of Joseph, who had his ears and heart stopped against the unchaste allurements of his mistress by the fear of God. And of the Egyptian Midwiues, who by the fear of God, were kept from obeying the wicked edict of the King. Whereas contrariwise, the want of this fear is the cause of all disobedience and sin, as Abraham implieth in his speech to Pharaoh; and the Apostle plainly expresseth: for having set down a Catalogue of many sins, he concludeth with this as the cause of all the rest; There is no fear of God before their eyes. Secondly, it is a fountain of life, making us to depart from the snares of death. Thirdly, it incites and enables us to the performance of all good duties; and therefore the Lord having delivered his Law, wisheth that the hearts of his people might be always fraughted with his fear, that thereby they might be moved to obey it: and the Preacher in this respect, compriseth in it alone all other virtues and duties, because it moveth us to the embracing of them all. Fourthly, it delivereth from all other fears; and causeth them to give place when it is present, as the Sun all other inferior lights. For if we fear God, we will not fear the threatenings of men; if we fear him that can cast body and soul into hell, we need not fear them that can only, and that by his permission, kill the body, as our Savior implieth. Fifthly, it maketh us partakers of all good things promised in this life, for he that feareth the Lord, wanteth nothing which is good; but God is present with such, to take notice of all their wants; and his ears are open to hear their prayers and grant their desires. Finally, it bringeth with it everlasting blessedness; For blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that walketh in his ways. And happy is the man that feareth always: but he that hardeneth his heart, shall fall into mischief. Which promises belong not alone to those that fear God, but also to their posterity after them; for their seed shall be mighty upon earth, and their generation blessed, as the Psalmist speaketh.

§. Sect. 3 Of the means of obtaining this fear of God.

Now the means of attaining unto this fear of God are diverse. First, to consider and meditate of God's nature and attributes, as of his omnisciency, whereby he seeth all things, even the secret corners of our hearts; of his omnipotency, whereby he is able to reward us if we fear him, or punish us if we neglect him; of his Justice, whereby he impartially judgeth all men without respect of persons; of his truth, which never faileth in his promises or threatenings: But especially of his mercy and goodness towards us in Christ, which will inflame our hearts with his love, and out of this love cause us to fear his displeasure as the greatest evil; according to that of the Psalmist, There is mercy or forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. The second means, is the consideration of God's Judgments executed on the wicked, which are so many instructions unto us, to fear God and avoid his displeasure, that we be not partakers with them in their punishments. So the Psalmist saith, that the righteous seeing the destruction of the wicked, should fear God, and deride their folly; and the Apostle telleth us, that the former examples of God's Judgments were written for our learning, that they might admonish us to take warning by their harms, lest we fall into the same evils. The third means, is the diligent reading and hearing of the Scriptures, which are called, The fear of God, because they work his fear in us. And thus the Lord enjoineth the King to have the Law with him, and to read therein all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God. For in them are contained many Commandments, enjoining many exhortations moving, and many reasons persuading to this fear. Fear the Lord with reverence, and rejoice with trembling. Let all the earth fear the Lord, let all the inhabitants of the earth stand in awe of him; for he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. O fear the Lord, all ye his Saints, for there is no want to them that fear him. The fourth means, is to deny our selves and our own wisdom, and when God commandeth anything, not to ask counsel of carnal reason, unto which the more we incline, the more the fear of God abateth in us, as we see in the example of Eve, who following sense and reason, obeyed the devils advice, and cast off the fear of God. And this the Wiseman implieth: Be not wise in thine own eyes, but fear God, and depart from evil. The fifth means, is, to meditate often on our own infirmities and weakness, and of the malice and might of our spiritual enemies; which will make us work out our salvation with fear and trembling, and whilst we stand, to take heed of falling. The sixth is, to remember our end daily and continually; as first, the day of our death, which will work our hearts to God's fear, as the Psalmist implieth: and secondly, the day of Judgment and end of the world, which is called, The terror of the Lord, because it is a notable means to work his fear in our hearts. The last and chief means, whereby all the rest are made effectual, is fervent prayer. For it is no natural faculty or habit, but the gift of God, which he promiseth to put in the hearts of the faithful, that they may not depart from him: and is to be obtained by faithful and effectual prayer: As we see in the example of the Psalmist, who prayeth the Lord to knit their hearts unto him, that they might fear his Name.

§. Sect. 4 Of humility, what it is, and the causes of it.

The last virtue required, is humility, whereby knowing and acknowledging God's power, justice, majesty, goodness, mercy, and infinite perfection, and our own vileness, and unworthiness, imperfections, and sinful corruptions, we do renounce all glory and praise, as not belonging unto us, and ascribe it wholly unto God, unto whom alone it rightly appertaineth So that it is the nature of humility, to vilify and abase our selves in our own sight, even to the ground, as the word importeth, to cast off all opinion of our works and worthiness, and in the sight and sense of our sins and corruptions, to acknowledge our selves worthy of God's most heavy punishments in this life and the life to come; and contrariwise, to ascribe all glory and praise unto God alone, even of all the good we have in us, or is done by us, from whom alone we have it; according to that of the Psalmist, Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give the glory: And of Daniel, O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, because we have sinned against thee. The causes of this humility, are first, the knowledge and acknowledgement of God's infiniteness in all excellency, goodness, and perfection; in which he is so incomprehensibly glorious, that when we come in his presence, it maketh us to vilify and abase our selves, what opinion soever before we had of our own worth and excellency, even as the light of a Glowworme is quite dazzled, when the glorious beams of the Sun do shine upon it. Thus in the sight and sense of God's glory and majesty, Ezekiel was cast to the ground; Manoah concluded that he should die; Esayas crieth out, Woe is me, for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, &c. for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. And Job having seen the Lord, abhorred himself, and repented in dust and ashes. Especially if we consider that this God, mighty and glorious in himself, is so infinitely gracious unto us, in conferring upon us so innumerable benefits, and above all, that inestimable gift of his only Son, to work that great work of our Redemption. The consideration whereof, will make us to humble our selves with Jacob, and to confess that we are less then the least of God's mercies, and to say with David, Who am I and my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? wherefore thou art great, O Lord God▪ for there is none like thee, &c. Secondly, the knowledge and acknowledgement of our own vileness and unworthiness; both in regard of our bodies, which are but dust and ashes, as Abraham acknowledgeth; and in respect of our souls, which howsoever they were created according to God's Image, in wisdom, holiness, and righteousness, yet through the fall of our first parents, and the corruption derived from them unto us, they are wholly defiled in all the powers and faculties of them, with original corruption, and loaded with the guilt of innumerable numbers of actual transgressions, whereby we are made subject to the wrath of God, the curse of the Law, the plagues and punishments of this life, and eternal death and condemnation in the life to come. In which regard we have just cause to humble our selves with the prodigal son, and to say with him; Father, I have sinned against heaven and earth, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. And if there be any good thing in us, or done by us, to acknowledge with the Apostle, that we have it of God's free grace, seeing of our selves, we are not able so much as to think a good thought, but it is God alone that worketh in us both the will and the deed.

§. Sect. 5 Of the excellency and utility of humility.

And this is that humility, which as it is in it self most excellent, so unto us most profitable, and therefore of us to be much esteemed, and earnestly desired. It is most excellent, as being the most beautiful ornament, which maketh us appear glorious in the sight of God, in which respect, the Apostle exhorteth us to decke our selves with it. Yea it adorneth all other virtues, making them (as the foil, the Jewel) being in themselves rich and beautiful, much more precious and glorious in the sight of God and men. It is most profitable also: for when we humble our selves, and become even with the earth, we are thereby preserved from falling, and when we judge our selves, we shall not be judged of the Lord. Yea if we humble our selves, the Lord will exalt us: and if with the poor Publican we acknowledge our sins, we shall depart justified, and find God faithful of his promise in forgiving us our sins. So the Apostle James, Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. And the Apostle Peter, Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. And thus the Lord exalteth the humble, by enriching them with all his gifts, both temporal, spiritual, and eternal. With temporal benefits, for by humility and the fear of the Lord, are riches, honor, and life. With spiritual graces; for he resisteth the proud, but giveth his grace to the humble. He filleth the hungry with good things, but sendeth the proud empty away. For he teacheth them his ways, and revealeth unto them the secrets of his Kingdom, making them thereby wise unto their salvation. He giveth them the grace of justification, and the forgiveness of of all their sins. He maketh them thankful in prosperity, acknowledging themselves with Jacob and David, less then the least of God's mercies, and that all the good which they have, they have received it from God; and not only patient, but also thankful in greatest afflictions; acknowledging that it is the mercies of the Lord that they are not utterly consumed. He blesseth them with his presence, taking delight to dwell with them, that are of an humble heart and contrite spirit; and so with his power and providence safegardeth them from all evil. Finally, in the life to come, he crowneth humility with eternal glory and felicity, according to that of our Savior; Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. So that, humility is not only it self a most excellent grace, but the chief means also of obtaining all other graces, seeing God giveth them only to the humble. For they only shall have the riches of God's best and most precious gifts, who will be thankful unto God for them; those only are thankful, who highly esteem them; and they alone make this estimate, who have felt the want of them, and earnestly desired them; and they and no other have thus done, who are thoroughly humbled in the sight and sense of their own poverty, emptiness, and nakedness.

§. Sect. 6 Of the means whereby we may attain unto humility.

And thus, when our hearts are enlarged with that love of this excellent and profitable grace, let us in the next place carefully use all good means, whereby we may be decked and adorned with it. And first we must often and seriously meditate upon God's excellency and infiniteness in wisdom, glory, power, justice, and goodness, and then the opinion of our own worth will vanish, like the light of a candle, when the Sun shineth in its full brightness, and our seeming perfection which much pleased us, when we beheld it alone, or compared it with others who come short of us, will appear to be nothing but imperfection, and we vile and of no worth in our own eyes. Secondly, let us compare our state as it is, with that it was in our creation, and there will be great cause of humiliation, in the best gifts and graces in us, seeing they are but the ruins of an old building, and like base worn-out rags of sumptuous apparel. Thirdly, let us compare our virtues and duties, with that which the Law requireth, and so we shall have good cause to be cast down in the sight of our imperfection, when we see what perfection, even upon the penalty of the curse it exacteth of us. Fourthly, let us meditate on the matter whereof we are made, and into which we shall again be resolved; and then may we in all humility say with Job to corruption, Thou art my father, and to the worm, Thou art my mother and my sister; yea with David, that we are worms and no men: And acknowledge with Abraham, that we are but dust and ashes, unworthy to appear in God's presence, or to make any suite unto him. Fifthly, let us set our many and grievous sins before us, our original corruption, which is the root of all wickedness, and our actual transgressions, both of omission and commission; and withal, the wrath of God, and curse of the Law due unto them; and this will make us with the Publican to cast down our eyes, and smite our breasts, and with broken and contrite hearts to cry out, God, be merciful unto me a sinner. Sixthly, with our graces and virtues, let us compare our vices and corruptions, and so our few grains of gold will be covered with such a mass of dross, our small quantity of good corn mixed with so much chaff, that our good parts will not so much lift us up, as our ill will pull down and humble us, if we weigh them in the balance of an impartial judgment. Seventhly, let us remember that we have nothing but what we have received, and that by the grace of God we are that we are; and therefore let us not boast, as though we had not received them, but retaining the joy and comfort of God's graces unto our selves, let us return all the praise and glory unto him whose gifts they are; and not carry our selves as proud owners, but as humble and thankful debtors. Eighthly, let us consider, that what good things soever are in us, they are the Lord's talents, of which we must give an account at the day of Judgment, and that we are Stewards, and not absolute owners of the gifts which we have received; and so our greater gifts will work in us greater humility, seeing they are but receipts, and consequently debts, for which we shall be accountant unto God, how we have employed them. Ninthly, let us remember, that though we have never so many virtues and graces, yet if pride be mixed with them, it will spoil them all; seeing it is the poison of all virtues, a small portion whereof will infect a great quantity of wholesome meat and drink. Whereas humility is such an ornament, as will add much to their native beauty, and make them truly glorious in the sight of God and men. Tenthly, let us set before us the examples of God's servants, who as they have excelled in all other graces, so also in humility, as of Abraham, Job, David, Paul; but especially of our Savior Christ himself, the most perfect pattern of humility, who being the Sovereign Monarch of heaven and earth, disdained not to wash his Apostles feet; and being equal with his Father in all glory and Majesty, yet made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and being made like unto men, humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Lastly, if we would attain to true humility, we must not content our selves with the sparing and seldom use of these means, but exercise our selves daily in them, because pride will not easily leave his hold, and though it be once or twice, or many times repelled, yet will it recover new strength, and make against us fresh assaults, yea it will spring sometimes from the root of virtues, and even like the Phoenix, when it is consumed with the fire of God's Spirit, it will re-enliue it self, and out of its own ashes recover birth and being.

§. Sect. 7 Of external worship with our bodies.

And thus much concerning those virtues whereby we have God inwardly in our hearts. Besides which, there is also required, that we have him outwardly in our bodies and external actions; and that is, when as with the outward man we serve and worship him. The which also we owe unto God, seeing he hath created and redeemed both our souls and bodies, that we should in both perform service unto him. And though alone it be of small value, for as the Apostle saith, Bodily exercize profiteth nothing, yet doth the Lord require it with the other, and that with the sweet incense of the heart and mind, we offer our bodies also a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto him: which Daniel thought to be a matter of such moment, that he chose rather to be cast into the Lions den, then to neglect it for the space of a few days. Our Savior also requireth, not only that we have in us the heat of spiritual graces, but that also that we cause their light to shine out before men, that they seeing our good works, may glorify our Father which is in heaven. For as natural fire doth retain its virtue and strength, when as it hath some outward vent, and when that is stopped, is choked and presently dies; so do our inward graces and virtues live and flourish, when they have the outward vent of corporal obedience, and external works of piety and righteousness, but soon languish and are extinguished, if they never put forth themselves in these outward exercises. Now this external honor, is either in outward signs or actions. Of the former sort, is religious adoration in external signs and gestures, as prostrating the body, uncovering the head, bending the knee, lifting up the hands, which being considered as religious gestures, are proper and peculiar to God alone. Of the other sort is the outward service of God, in calling upon him, vowing unto him, swearing by his Name, celebrating feasts to his honor, and all outward obedience to the Law, which, in respect of the person to whom they are to be performed, namely, God alone and no other, are all required in the first Commandment.

CAP. VII.

Of the duties which are required in the second Commandment, as Prayer, hearing the Word, and administration of the Sacraments.

§. Sect. 1 Of the things generally required in the second Commandment.

WEE have shown that the first Commandment requireth, that we serve and worship Jehovah, the only true God. In the three other Commandments of the first Table, is shown how he is to be worshipped, and the time when. The manner of his worship is, how he is to be served in his solemn and set service, required in the second Commandment, or how he is to be glorified at all times in the whole course of our lives in the third. The time when he is principally to be worshipped, is upon his Sabbaths, required in the fourth Commandment. In the second Commandment, God requireth that we worship him the true God, after a right and lawful manner, and by such means as are agreeable to his nature, and which in his Word he hath prescribed unto us, unto which we ought not to add, from which we ought not to detract anything, as hath before been shown. For this is our reasonable service, to worship so great a God, not after our own phantasies, but according to his own will, and with such a service in which he delighteth. Now he delighteth in such a worship as is agreeable to his nature; which being spiritual and true, yea Truth it self, it followeth, that we must worship him by spiritual and true means, and after a spiritual and true manner, that is, we must conform all the service which we offer unto God, according to the prescript rule of his Word. And thus we are to worship God, both inwardly with our souls, and outwardly with our bodies; Priuately by our selves, in our families, and publicly in the congregation, in which we are to perform all our service, with unanimity and joint affection, as if we all worshipped God with one heart and mind; and with uniformity in all outward rites and actions, as if we had all but one body. Contrariwise, the Lord in this Commandment, forbiddeth both the contempt and neglect of his worship, which is the sin of Atheists and profane persons; and also worshipping him by false means, and after a false manner; as first, all will-worship and superstition, which is devised by men's brain, and out of a good meaning and intention offered unto him instead of his true service: of which sort is the making of any Image to represent God thereby, or any other for religious use; the worshipping of these Images, or of anything else besides the true God; by offering unto them any part of that religious service which is proper and peculiar to him alone: As religious adoration, Invocation, dedicating Churches, and consecrating of festiuals to their honor and such like. Secondly, all irreuerence in God's service: As when the external worship is performed without the inward, with deceitful lips, and not with the heart, and in spirit and truth, which is the service of Hypocrites. Lastly, when as the public service is performed without any vnanimity of the heart, or uniformity of external rites and ceremonies, or with such as are uncomely, apish, light, and opposite to the use of edifying.

§. Sect. 2 Of prayer and invocation.

And these are the things which generally are commanded or forbidden in this Commandment. The special duties which are here principally required, are three, Invocation, preaching and hearing the Word, and the administration of the Sacraments. In respect of the first, there is first required that we pray, and the neglect hereof condemned. Secondly, that we pray according to God's will, performing those things therein which in his Word he requireth. And these are either essential unto prayer or accidental. The things essential, respect either the person unto whom we must pray, which is God only and no other; or the person in whose name alone we must pray, namely, Jesus Christ, and not in the mediation or intercession of any creature. Thirdly, by whose help, to wit, the holy Ghost, who helpeth our infirmities, and teacheth us to pray as we ought. Fourthly, After what manner, that is, before prayer with due preparation, and in prayer in respect of our souls, that we pray in the spirit, and not with the lips alone, nor with wandering thoughts. In our minds, that we pray with understanding, and not in an unknown tongue, nor in ignorance, not conceiving what we utter with our mouths. In our hearts, that we pray with reverence in respect of God, and humility in respect of our selves. In our bodies there is required, that we use such voice and gestures, as are most fit to stir up our affections and devotions to the religious performing of this duty. Lastly, there is required, that we pray for those things which are good and lawful, having all our suites warranted by the Word of God. The things accidental required in prayer, are the circumstances of persons, place or time. In respect of persons, prayer is either public in the Congregation, or private. In respect of the place, prayer is not limited, but we have liberty in all places to lift up pure hands unto God. In respect of the time, we must pray without ceasing, as often as any fit opportunity and occasion is offered. The kinds of prayer, are either petition or thanksgiving. In all our petitions there is required, 1. A sense of our wants. 2. Feruent desires to have them supplied. 3. A special faith, that our requests shall be granted, grounded upon God's promises. After our petitions made, we must quietly rest upon God, persuading our selves that we shall obtain them in due time. Secondly, we must carefully use all good means, which may serve God's providence in conferring these blessings upon us. Thirdly, If we do not presently obtain, we must persevere in prayer without fainting or weariness. The other part of prayer is giving of thanks, whereby we praise God for all his benefits, either received or promised, unto which the same things are to be fitted, which were generally required in prayer, as that they be rendered to God alone, in the name of Christ, by the holy Ghost, with understanding in our minds, and reverence and humility, with thankfulness and cheerfulness in our hearts.

§. Sect. 3 Of the duties of God's Ministers.

And so much of the duties respecting prayer. Those that respect the ministry of the Word, are of two sorts; the first respect God's Ministers that preach it. The second, the people that hear it. In respect of the Minister, it is required first, that his person be qualified and fitted for this high function, in which regard he ought to be once lawfully called to this office inwardly by God, and outwardly by the Church. Secondly, he is to have his calling approved and sealed unto him by his sufficiency of gifts, both in knowledge and utterance; and willingness of mind to employ them to God's glory, and good of his people. Secondly, for the matter which he preacheth, it is required, that he deliver nothing but that which is grounded upon the pure Word of God, and that he rightly expound the Scriptures by the Scriptures; and divide the Word of God aright, both in observing profitable doctrines out of the Text, and in applying them to his hearers, for instruction in the truth, confutation of errors, exhortations to duties, reproof of offenders, and consolation of the weak and afflicted. Thirdly, for the manner, there is required that he speak in the evidence of the Spirit, as if God by him did speak unto the people. Secondly, in simplicity without any impiety of human inventions, or affectation to show his own learning & gifts. 3. in integrity and uprightness as in God's sight and presence, chiefly aiming to please God and men. 4. In fidelity, having in his ministry no respect of persons; but delivering God's message impartially to the noble and base, rich & poor, friends and strangers all alike. Fifthly, with authority & power, according to the example of our Savior, not fearing the face of any gainsayer or opposer. Sixthly, with all gravity, as becometh the weightiness of his Ambassage. Seventhly, with all liberty and freedom of speech and spirit, taxing and reproving sin wheresoever he finds it. And finally, with fervent zeal of God's glory, and the salvation of the people.

§. Sect. 4 Of the duties of hearers, and such as respect their preparation.

The duties which respect the hearing of the Word, are of three sorts. The first, such as are to be performed before we hear, which are two principally. The one, that we fit and prepare our selves, before we presume to approach into God's presence to perform this holy duty; the which is done, partly by removing those impediments which might hinder us, as infidelity, impenitence, carnal security, worldly distractions and earthly-mindedness, profaneness and small esteem of the Word, excessive eating or drinking, conceit of our own knowledge, as though little or nothing could be added unto it, prejudice and forestalled opinions of our teachers, hypocrisy, curiosity, itching ears, factious affections, whereby men have the truth of God in respect of persons, hearing or not hearing, according to that opinion which they have conceived of him that speaketh. And partly, this preparation consisteth in using all good helps and means, which may enable us to the careful and conscionable hearing of the Word. As to consider the weightiness of the action which we are about to perform, namely, an high and holy service unto God, which will further and seal up unto us our salvation or condemnation, and be either the savor of life unto life, or of death unto death, soften us like wax, or harden us like clay, and make us one step nearer either to heaven or hell. For God's Word shall never return void, but accomplish what he pleaseth, and shall prosper in the thing whereto he sends it. Secondly, to meditate on the ends for which we hear, which are, to glorify God in the means of our salvation, to be built up in all saving grace, knowledge, faith, obedience, love of God, zeal, patience, and the rest. Thirdly, we must examine our selves to find out our sins, that we may gather strength for the mortifying of them; and our spiritual wants, that we may have them supplied in this spiritual market of our souls. Fourthly, we must renew our repentance, that we come not in our sins; and our faith, without which our hearing will not profit us. Finally, we must use faithful and fervent prayer, that God will so assist with his holy Spirit, the Minister in speaking, and us in hearing, and sanctify to our use his holy ordinances, that they may be effectual to build us up in our most holy faith, and more and more enrich us with all sanctifying and saving graces. And being thus prepared, our next duty is, that setting aside all worldly impediments, we resort unto the holy assemblies, to be made partakers of God's holy Word, that we may profit thereby.

§. Sect. 5 Of the duties required in hearing, and after we have heard.

The second sort of duties respect the action of hearing it self, unto which is required, that we set our selves in the presence of God, and hear the Word preached, not as the word of mortal man, but as the Word of the everliving God; with all fear and reverence, with all diligence and attention, with alacrity and cheerfulness, humility and a good conscience, avoiding (as much as lieth in us) all distractions, wandering thoughts, private reading, dullness, drowsiness and carnal weariness. Finally, with hungering and thirsting after the food of our souls, and earnest desire to profit by it. To which end we must apply and fit our selves to everything which is spoken to profit by it, whether it be doctrine, confutation, reproof or consolation, receive the Word into good and honest hearts, and there reserve it as a precious treasure for our use in the whole course of our lives and conversation. The third and last sort are those duties which are to be performed after we have heard; which are, First, to meditate on that which hath been delivered unto us, that we may imprint it in our memories, and work it into our hearts. Secondly, conference with others, that we may be mutual helpers for the understanding, remembering, embracing and practicing of that which we have heard. Thirdly, that we sanctify the Word unto our use by effectual prayer, desiring that God will give a blessing unto it, and make it effectual by his Spirit for the enlightening of our minds, the sanctifying of our hearts and affections, and the reforming and amending of our sinful lives. Lastly, we must on every fit occasion call to mind what we have heard, that we may bring it unto use, and conscionably practice what we have learned.

§. Sect. 6 Of the administration of the Sacraments.

The third sort of duties required in this Commandment, respect the administration of the Sacraments, which are only two, Baptism, and the Lord's Supper. Unto both which it is generally required, that they be administered. First, by a lawful Minister and no other. Secondly, only to those which are in the Covenant, either the faithful or their seed. Thirdly, that they be administered according to Christ's institution, without the mixture of human inventions. More especially unto the receiving of the Lord's Supper, there is required, that we receive it worthily, to which purpose, diverse duties are required before, in, and after the Communion. Before, that we duly prepare our selves for this holy action, which consisteth, first, in an examination of our selves, how we are qualified with such saving graces as are necessary to the worthy receiving of the Lord's Supper, the which, are an hungering and thirsting after Christ and his benefits, as after that spiritual food, which alone is sufficient to nourish us to life everlasting. Secondly, knowledge of the main principles of Christian Religion, respecting either God or our selves, without which we cannot discern the Lord's body, no more then a blind man can by his bodily sight discern the outward signs of bread and wine. Thirdly, faith in Jesus Christ, approved to be true and lively by the fruits of it, in the inward sanctification of our hearts, and in our outward works of piety, mercy, and righteousness. Fourthly, unfeigned repentance, consisting in an hearty sorrow for our sins past, springing out of faith, and the apprehension of the love of God towards us, and a settled purpose and resolution, not only to leave them for the time to come, but also to serve the Lord in the contrary duties of holiness, righteousness, and sobriety. Fourthly, love and charity towards our neighbors, approved by our willingness and readiness to give unto those that want, and to forgive those that offend. Secondly, after this examination there is required unfeigned humiliation in the sight and sense of our wants and weaknesses, especially in these saving graces before spoken of. Secondly, an hungering after the means whereby they may be supplied, especially the Sacrament which was purposely ordained to supply our wants, and strengthen our weakness in these graces. Thirdly, humble confession of our sins in general, and especially of those which have come to our mind in our examination, wherein we renewed our faith and repentance. Fourthly, a steadfast resolution in our hearts, and faithful promise to God, that if he will in Christ accept of us, though not prepared according to the preparation of the Sanctuary, but full of imperfections, and weak in those graces which are necessary unto the worthy receiving of this holy Sacrament, we will in that part of our lives which remaineth, strive after more perfection, and conscionably labor in the use of all good means, whereby we may increase our knowledge, faith, repentance, and charity towards our neighbors. And lastly, earnest and hearty prayer unto God for the remission of our sins, for the assistance of his Spirit in our intended action, for a new supply of sanctifying graces, and for his blessing upon his holy Ordinances, the Word and Sacraments, that they may be effectual for the renewing and increasing of them in us, and for the strengthening of us unto the duties of a godly life. In the action of receiving, we are to be exercised both by meditation and action. We are to meditate on the outward signs, Bread and Wine, and the things signified by them, the precious Body and Blood of Christ; as also of the Analogy and relation between them. When we see the Bread and Wine set apart from a common, to an holy use, we are to be put in mind thereby, that so Christ was set apart and sealed to the office of Mediatorship, that he might be our Prophet, Priest, and King, and so work that great work of our Redemption. When we see one Bread and one Wine, consisting of many Graines and Grapes, we are to be put in mind thereby, that there is but one Mediator between God's us, even the man Jesus Christ, and that he hath but one body, the Catholic Church, consisting of many members. When we see the Bread broken, and the Wine poured out, we are to call to mind, that so the body of Christ was broken and crucified, and his blood shed for our sins, that it might be spiritual food for our souls, to nourish them to life everlasting. When we see the Minister give and deliver the Bread and Wine, we are to remember that so God offereth the Body and Blood of his Son, to be received spiritually by faith of every worthy receiver. The actions to be performed, are first, to receive the Bread and Wine at the hands of the Ministers, and to eat and drink them with our bodily mouths. Secondly, to perform an inward action answerable thereunto, namely, by the hand and mouth of faith, to receive and feed upon Christ's Body and Blood for our spiritual nourishment. Thirdly, to remember the infinite love of God and his Christ to us, the one, in giving his dear Son; the other, his precious Body and Blood for our Redemption; and being truly thankful unto them in our hearts, for these inestimable benefits, to set forth their praises, both by our lips and lives, songs of Thanksgiving, and holy conversation. After the receiving of the Supper, we are to perform these duties. First, to be perpetually thankful unto God the Father, Son, and holy Spirit, as for all his benefits, so especially for that great work of our Redemption, and for deriving and assuring unto us the fruit of it by his Word, Sacraments, and holy Spirit. Secondly, we must examine how we have profited by receiving of the Supper, for the satisfying of our spiritual hunger, and the replenishing of our empty souls with the gifts and graces of God's holy Spirit, which were the main ends for which we came to the Lord's Table. Lastly, we are to perform carefully our purposes and promises made unto God and our selves, that we will conscionably and diligently use all good means, for the furthering of us in the duties of repentance and a godly life.

CAP. VIII.

Of the duties required in the third and fourth Commandment.

§. Sect. 1 Of the sanctifying of God's Name, which is taken diversely in the Scriptures, &c. and how it ought to be done.

THe third Commandment requireth that we sanctify God's Name, and glorify him out of his public and solemn service, in the whole course of our lives and conversation. The Name of God signifieth diverse things in the Scriptures, as first, God himself and his attributes, which are his Essence. Secondly, his Glory. Thirdly, his Titles, as Jehovah, Elohim, Yah. Fourthly, his Word. Fifthly, his Religion. Sixthly, his Works. And to take it in vain, is to use it in our thoughts, words, and works, rashly, lightly, and without judgment, or in vain, and to no end, or falsely, wickedly, and contumeliously to his dishonor, which is here forbidden. Contrariwise in this Commandment, God requireth that we sanctify and glorify his holy Name: and as it is Holy, Reverend, and Glorious in it self, so to use it holily and reverently, in all our thoughts, words, and actions. And on the other side he forbiddeth us to use God's Name, that is, his attributes, Titles, Word, Religion, and Works vainly, that is, rashly, irreverently, and lightly, upon no just cause, or else profanely, falsely, and contemptuously to God's dishonor. The main duties required of us, are first, that we effectually know, believe, and remember God and his attributes, and also often think and meditate on them, holily and reverently, that we make profession of God and his attributes, and upon all occasions speak of them in like manner; and that we walk worthy such an holy knowledge and profession in our lives and conversations. Secondly, that we desire God's glory in our hearts, and endeavor to set it forth by all means; making it the matter of our speech, and glorifying him by our praises and thanksgiving, and the end also of all our words and actions. Thirdly, that we use God's Titles and Names iudiciously, in matters of weight and importance, after a serious and reverent manner, and to a good end. Fourthly, that we use God's Word religiously and holily, reading, meditating, and conferring of it with a desire, study, and endeavor to know, remember, and practice it. That we make it our Schoolmaster, to teach and instruct us in all truth, our chief guide for the directing and reforming of our hearts and lives, and the squire and rule, according to which we frame all our words and actions. Fifthly, that we walk worthy our high calling, and by our holiness and righteousness adorn the Religion which we profess; carrying our selves in all things uprightly, in respect of God, and inoffensiuely in respect of men. Sixthly, that in our thoughts, words, and actions, we make an holy and religious use of all God's works, both of creation and government, and both meditate and speak of them so, as it may redound to God's glory, knowing him by his works, and glorifying him in them, by acknowledging them his workmanship, and his wisdom, power, and goodness shining in them. And also to our own good, imitating in them that which the Scriptures propound, as good for our imitation, and avoiding the contrary. And finally, that we receive them with thanksgiving, and sanctify them to our use by the Word and Prayer. So also here is required that we make an holy use of the creatures in respect of God's government and providence; as first, for the determining of doubts and controversies (which can no otherwise be cleared and decided) by casting of lots, in the use whereof we are to use prayer unto God, and sometimes, (when the occasion is weighty) fasting, desiring of him, that by his good providence he will direct them to the right end, for which we use them. And as before they are cast, we are to refer our selves wholly to God's determination; so after, we are to rest contented and well pleased with his sentence. Secondly, we are to make an holy use of God's providence, first, in conferring rewards and blessings either upon our selves or others. In respect of our selves we make a right use of God's blessings and benefits: When as in our hearts we be unfeignedly thankful unto God for them; when in our words we praise and magnify his bounty and goodness towards us, and tell what great things he hath done for us, and when in our works and actions, we refer them wholly to God's glory, and both our own and others good, taking occasion of his mercy and goodness to fear him, and to turn unto him from our sins by unfeigned repentance. In respect of God's blessings bestowed upon others, we carry our selves holily, when as we rejoice with them in God's bounty and goodness, and join with them in praises and thanksgiving. The like holy use we are to make of God's providence in respect of punishments and afflictions, whether they be inflicted upon our selves, or upon others. As when God layeth his hand upon us by his judgments and chastizements, we are to be humbled in the sight and sense of our sins, and bear them with patience and thankfulness, acknowledging God's mercy, in that we are not utterly consumed, and profit by them both for the mortifying of our sins, and for our spiritual quickening unto new obedience. So when we see God's Judgments upon others, we are to take warning by their example, and communicate with the faithful in their sorrows, bearing a part of their grief; and magnifying God's Justice, which hath found out the wicked to inflict upon them deserved punishments.

§. Sect. 2 Of the sanctifying of God's name in lawful oaths.

More especially, there is required in this Commandment, that we glorify and sanctify God's name by our oaths and vows. First, by our oaths, unto which is required, first, that we honor God's name, in swearing by it upon a just and necessary occasion, acknowledging thereby God's infinite wisdom, from which nothing canly hid; his Truth, which abhorreth all lies and falsehoods; his Justice, which when he is called to be a witness and Judge, will neither suffer truth and innocence to go unrewarded, nor untruth and guiltiness unpunished without respect of persons. Secondly, that we swear only by the name of God, either directly or indirectly, and by no creature in heaven or earth. Thirdly, that we swear after a lawful manner, unto which is required that we swear in truth, that is, to that which is true, and truly, according to the persuasion of our minds; In righteousness, binding our selves thereby only unto things lawful; and in judgment, whereby we discern the necessity of it, in regard that we can no otherwise clear the truth, nor be believed in a matter of importance, which much respecteth God's glory, or our own or neighbors good. And so come to the performance of this high and holy action with all reverence as in God's presence, duly weighing and considering the conditions and circumstances of our oath, according to the Scriptures. Lastly, that we swear unto a right end, namely, to the glory of God, by revealing and ratifying a necessary and unknown truth, which could no otherwise be made manifest; and to the good of our neighbors and our selves, that they may be satisfied, all controversies and strifes ended, all doubts and suspicions removed, and our own truth and innocence declared and cleared.

§. Sect. 3 Of the sanctifying God's name by making and performing our vows.

The second special thing here required, is lawful vows, whereby we cheerfully promise unto God something which may be acceptable unto him, either because we have already found him gracious and good unto us, which moveth us to do this duty out of love and thankfulness, or because we expect his mercy and goodness for some benefit to be received, or punishment to be avoided or removed; out of our faith and hope grounded upon God's promises. Unto which vows, that they may be lawful and acceptable unto God, there are two things required, namely, that we make them lawfully, and truly to perform them. Unto the making of a lawful vow is required, First, that it be performed as a religious act to God and none other. Secondly, that it be done after a religious and holy manner. 1. In truth, with a sincere and cheerful heart. 2. In righteousness, unto which is required, in respect of the person, that he have power in himself to vow that thing, or have the consent of his governors. Secondly, that the thing vowed, be lawful and acceptable unto God, as being good and commanded, or of an indifferent nature, but in respect of us, good and profitable, and therefore to be used, or hurtful and inconvenient and therefore to be avoided. Thirdly, that we vow in judgment, whereby we discern that our vow is in the former respects lawful, and very profitable either for the advancing of God's glory or our own good. The last thing required, is, that we make it to a right end, as namely, to the glory of God, the good of our neighbors, and our own benefit; for the exercising of our temperance and sobriety, or the renewing and furthering of our repentance, or for the strengthening of our faith, and our good purposes and resolutions about the performance of good duties. In respect of performance of our vows, there is required, that it be done at the time appointed, and without delay, and also without any diminution or abatement in quantity or quality, of that which we have vowed. Especially our care must be of performing our common vow in baptism, in renouncing all our spiritual enemies, and in consecrating our selves wholly unto God's service, in performing unto him the duties of holiness, righteousness, and sobriety all the days of our lives.

§. Sect. 4 Of the sanctifying God's Sabbath, and what things are required unto it.

In the fourth Commandment, the Lord appointeth a special time, wherein all the former duties both public and private, are principally to be performed, which whosoever do neglect, they manifestly show that they are destitute of the power of all true Religion. The main duty required, is, that we remember to sanctify the Sabbath: In which two things are to be considered: 1. that we must sanctify the Sabbath: 2. that we must remember to do it, that is, be mindful and careful to sanctify it. To the sanctification of the Sabbath two things are required: First, the rest. Secondly, the sanctifying of it. The rest consisteth partly in an outward rest from bodily labors and worldly affairs, and in our inward resting from the servile works of sin. The works from which we must rest, are bodily labors, and all worldly employments, so far forth as they are distractions and hindrances to the spiritual Sanctification of the Sabbath; As buying and selling, all manner of works of our ordinary callings, travailing, feasting of friends with meats not easily cooked, and such like. For all kinds of bodily labors on the Lord's day are unlawful, except they be referred to the sanctification of the Sabbath, as the means of it, of which sort are the labors of the Minister in the duties appertaining to his ministry; and of the people travailing to the places of God's worship. Or secondly, the works of mercy, which are duties of the Sabbath, as giving of alms, visiting the sick and prisoners, healing diseases and sores, by applying fit medicines and salves. Or lastly, works of necessity, which are of importance, and cannot, without great inconvenience, be done afterwards, nor could have been done before. For as for that necessity, which ariseth from our negligence and careless oversight, it is sinful, and in the first word of this Commandment forbidden and condemned. And among these works of necessity, we are to reckon labor in providing convenient food for our bodies, tending of cattle, when it is done rather in mercy, which respecteth their necessity, then for our own gain: Labors of Mariners begun before the Sabbath in their Nauigation at Sea: Fight in a lawful war against our enemies; labors of servants and subjects imposed upon them by their governors as necessary, and not apparently discerned by them to be otherwise. The inward and spiritual rest, is our resting from sin, as at all times, so especially on the Sabbath. For these works of darkness, are above all other most servile and slavish, seeing thereby we make our selves the vassals of Satan.

§. Sect. 5 Of the spiritual sanctification, & the outward rest.

And this is the rest required on the Sabbath; the sanctification of this rest is either by using the means, or doing the works of sanctification. And this is done both publicly and privately; publicly, by using the public means of sanctification in the service of God. And this is done, First, of the Ministers, by public praying in the congregation, preaching and reading the Word, and administration of the Sacraments. Secondly, the people, by frequenting the assemblies in the beginning, and continuing to the end of divine service; and being there, by carrying and behaving themselves religiously, diligently & uprightly, in calling upon God's name, hearing the Word, and in the right use of the Sacraments. The public works of sanctification, are almsdeeds and collections for the poor. Priuately the Sabbath is sanctified, by our preparation to God's public service, which chiefly consisteth in meditation and prayer; and after the public service, by meditating on the Word heard, and applying it to our own use, and by holy conferences with others. Unto which duties, respecting the public worship, we are to add and use these other means of sanctifying the remainder of the Lord's day; Reading of the Scriptures or other religious & holy writings; meditation on God's Word and works, especially of creation, preservation and redemption; Invocation by prayer; thanksgiving and singing of Psalms: and finally, godly conferences upon some fit subject, which best forteth to the present occasion, and tendeth to the use of edification: unto which means we must add the private works of sanctification, which are the works of mercy, and appertain chiefly either to the body, as the giving of alms, visiting the sick and prisoners, curing diseases, &c. or else to the soul, as, teaching the ignorant, reclaiming those who are seduced by error, admonishing those who fail of their duty by frailty and infirmity, rebuking the scandalous and willful offender, exhorting the backward and sluggish, comforting the distressed, counsailing them for the good of their souls that need counsel, and reconciling those whom we know to be at variance. But we must not only sanctify the Sabbath, but also as a special help and means hereof, we must remember to do it, that is, use all providence and care, devotion and diligence about these duties of sanctification. Before the Sabbath we must so forecast our business, and dispose of all our worldly affairs, that we be not distracted in performing of holy duties, by having our minds, tongues or actions exercized and taken up by them. And on the Sabbath we must remember to sanctify it, by having our whole man taken up in the service of God, both publicly and privately, and by performing the duties required with all diligence and attention, sincerity and uprightness, cheerfulness and delight.

CAP. IX.

Of the sum of the second Table.

§. Sect. 1 Of the duties of righteousness towards our neighbors.

WE have spoken of the duties of piety contained in the first Table. And now we are to entreat of the duties of righteousness, and sobriety required in the second: under righteousness, comprehending all duties which we owe to our neighbors; and under sobriety, all those which belong to our own persons. By righteousness, we understand a virtue or habit which ordereth the whole man to the good of our neighbors; as the mind and understanding, to think; the memory, to remember; the will, to desire; the affections and passions, to covet and affect; the whole body, to act and perform all things which we know good and profitable both for their souls, bodies, name and state, for their temporal welfare and prosperity in this world, and their everlasting happiness in the world to come. The general rule of which righteousness is, that we do all that, and that only unto others, which we would have others do unto us; and consequently, seeing we desire that our neighbors should with all the powers of their mind and body advance, as much as in them lieth, our good in all things respecting our souls, bodies and states; Justice and righteousness requireth the same at our hands towards them; namely, that to the uttermost of our power we be ever ready to do all things which tend to their good, and to the preservation of their honor, person, life, purity, chastity, wealth and good name, not so much as entertaining a thought, or first motion in our minds or hearts, which in any of these or other respects may tend to their hurt and prejudice. Of which Justice or righteousness there are two parts; the one distributive, whereby we do give unto everyone their due, and that which of right appertaineth unto them; in which is to be observed a geometricall proportion, which hath respect in this distribution unto every man according to their place, person and such other relations and circumstances, and is in all things carried with due regard of equity and moderation. The other is commutatiue, which is usually exercized in commerce and mutual dealings and trading one with another, as in changing, borrowing, lending, buying, selling, letting, setting, and such like affairs of this life; The general rule whereof is, that we keep from no man his right, but pay every man his debt and due. In which is to be observed an Arithmetical proportion, performing all these duties of Justice in a strict equality, without any respect of place or person.

§. Sect. 2 Of the duty of sobriety towards our selves.

The other main duty is sobriety, which comprehendeth under it all duties which respect our own persons; the which in a general sense, as it is to be here understood, signifieth soundness of mind, which ordereth all things to the good and safety of our persons and state. And thus the word, which is translated sobriety, is taken in the Scriptures for a sound mind; so it is said, that the demoniacke was by our Savior Christ restored to his right mind. And the Apostle saith, that he was not mad, but spake forth the words of truth and soberness, that is, of a right and sound mind, which tended to the safety and salvation of himself and others; and exhorteth all men to be wise unto sobriety, or to think soberly, not straining their wits above the measure of their gifts, which is the next way to crack and lose them. And thus elsewhere he opposeth these two, the one against the other, to be sober, and to be besides our selves. Sobriety therefore is a virtue or habit proceeding from a sound mind, spiritual wisdom and judgment, whereby we are enabled to rule and order our selves, with all our powers and faculties of mind and body, and all things else about which they are exercised to our good, safety and salvation. First, it ruleth and ordereth the mind to the using of all good means, whereby it may be more and more enlightened with saving knowledge; the memory, as a faithful register to retain good things; the conscience, to perform its office rightly in excusing and accusing; the will, to choose the good, and refuse the evil, and in all things to be conformable to the holy will of God; the affections, to covet after spiritual and heavenly things with unlimited desires, and temporal good things with moderation, temperance and purity; and the body in all holiness and honor, that it may be a fit temple for the holy Ghost, and a ready instrument unto the soul for all good actions. And thus it ruleth the whole man and every faculty and part of him, as they are exercised about their several and particular objects, causing the mind to approve or condemn; the memory to retain or cast out; the conscience to accuse or excuse, the will to choose or reject; the affections, to love and desire, or to hate and contemn; the body, to do, or leave undone all things good or evil, when they are propounded unto them. And in respect of these several sorts of objects, this virtue of sobriety hath place, and is commanded in every precept of the second Table. For as it ruleth and ordereth us about the preservation of our honor and authority, it is required in the first Commandment; as about the good, preservation and salvation of our lives, our souls and bodies, in the sixth; as about our chastity, purity, temperance, and sobriety in the use of meats, drinks, and apparel, in the seventh; as about our goods and possessions, either in getting or using them righteously and justly, in the eighth; as about the preserving of our good name, in the ninth; as about withstanding the first motions and suggestions unto sin, and the recovering of original righteousness, and holy concupiscence in our minds and hearts, in the tenth and last.

§. Sect. 3 Of the duties of charity.

But seeing our Savior hath comprised both these duties of righteousness and sobriety under charity, and hath made love the whole sum of the Law, our love towards God, of the first Table, and our love towards our selves and our neighbors, of the second Table: I will consider of them both under this one, first generally, and afterward more specially in every several Commandment. For charity and true love towards our selves, moveth us out of a sound and right mind, to perform, in thought, word, and deed, all good duties which tend to our safety and salvation; and charity towards our neighbors, as it moveth us to love them as our selves, so to perform all duties of righteousness and mercy, which we do unto our selves, or would have others do unto us. Now this charity is a gift or grace of God, infused into our hearts by his holy Spirit, which out of the sense of God's love towards us in Christ, working true and fervent love towards them again, doth move us to love our selves, and all men as our selves, and as Christ hath loved us for God's sake, and in obedience to his Commandment. It is a gift of God, and no natural habit; for naturally, as we are haters of God and men, so even of our selves, neither is any hatred of an enemy so hurtful and pernicious unto our souls and bodies, as carnal self-love, which is a chief cause and means of depriving us here of all grace, and of glory and happiness in the life to come. And therefore the Apostle exhorting us to love one another, telleth us where we must have this gift; Let us (saith he) love one another, for love is of God. Neither is it a common gift of God, but a sanctifying and saving grace of his holy Spirit: for as the love of God towards us, as the cause, so our love towards God, as the effect of it, is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost, as the Apostle testifieth.

§. Sect. 4 Of the means and manner of working charity in us.

The means and manner of working this grace in us, is, first by persuading us that God in Christ loveth us, and will give unto us the remission of our sins, his grace here, and glory hereafter: with the lively heat of which love, our hearts are inflamed with fervent love towards God again, from which springeth an holy affection towards our selves, who are thus beloved of God, members of Christ, and Temples of the holy Ghost, whereby we seek the fruition of our chief goodness, and consequently of our own salvation and eternal happiness, which whilst we were destitute of the love of God, and were poisoned with hatred of God and carnal self-love, we neglected and contemned. And from hence also ariseth the like affection towards our neighbors, whom we love for God's sake, not only as God's creatures, and bearing his image, but also in obedience unto his Commandment. So that it is impossible to love either our selves or our neighbors as we ought, and for our own and their good, unless we love God in Christ Jesus first and chiefly, from whose sincere love the other springeth and floweth. But when we sincerely love God, and so yield our obedience unto the first Table, our love towards our selves and our neighbors, which is the sum of the second Table, will necessarily and inseparably follow. For as our love towards God is exercized immediately in religious virtues and holy duties of piety which we perform in his service, so mediately by performing (in obedience to his Commandments) the duties of a true and Christian love towards our selves and our neighbors. For when our little goodness, bounded in narrow limits, will not reach unto God for the manifestation of our love towards him, we extend it as far as we are able, and do what good we can, our of a holy and sanctified affection to our selves and our neighbors, to show our love towards God, in yielding obedience unto his Commandments. As we see in the example of David, who being ravished with the apprehension of God's love, and desiring to show his love towards him again, could no otherwise do it, then by taking the cup of salvation, and praising the name of the Lord, and by causing his goodness to extend to God's poor Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, which, in respect of its smallness, and God's all-sufficiency, could in no sort reach unto him. Where, by the way we may note, that if we love our selves and our neighbors out of our love towards God, and in obedience unto his Commandments, performing these duties of the second Table, in and for him; then do we, when we do most good to our neighbors and our selves, show most love towards God, and perform unto him such acceptable service as he requireth of us, and will richly reward in this life and the life to come. For he hath sworn, that all those whom he hath redeemed, shall serve him as well in righteousness as in holiness all the days of their lives. And his grace appearing, hath taught us to deny not only all ungodliness, but also all worldly lusts, and to live as well soberly and righteously, as godly and religiously, in this present world.

§. Sect. 5 What charity is, and the properties of it.

But let us come to speak of this duty of charity, as in our Savior Christ's words it is propounded unto us out of the Law of God; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Wherein we are to consider two things: the duty commanded, and the manner of doing it; In the duty, we are to consider the act of loving, and the object of our love, which is our neighbors and our selves, the first plainly expressed, the other necessarily implied in the manner, when as we are commanded to love them as we love our selves. The duty of love containeth in it, First, an affection or motion of the heart, wherewith we are affected and inclined towards that we love. Secondly, an earnest and longing desire that we may enjoy it, by being (as it were) united unto it. Thirdly, joy and delight in the fruition of it, and a contentation, whereby we rest according to the measure of our love and fruition, satisfied with it. The properties of it are principally two; the first, that it be sincere and unfeigned. So the Apostle requireth that our love be without dissimulation, and unfeigned; and the Apostle John dissuadeth us from lip-love, which is only in profession, but fruitless and ineffectual in action: Little children (saith he) let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth. The other, that it be fervent and effectual, according to that of the Apostle, Above all things, have fervent charity among yourselves. And this is that sincere and fervent love, which is so much and often commended and commanded in the Scriptures. So our Savior Christ; This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. And again, A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. The Apostle likewise, Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us, &c.

§. Sect. 6 Of the object of charity, which is our neighbors.

The object of this love plainly expressed, is our neighbors, whereby we are not with the Pharisees to understand our friends only, nor, according to the vulgar use of the word, those that dwell near unto us alone, but all men, without exception, who are of the same nature with us, consisting of a reasonable soul and body, whether they be strangers or acquaintance, friends or enemies unto us. For all men are of the same flesh, and created according to the same Image of God, and also our brethren, as they have all alike descended from the same first parents. And this is implied in the Law, where that Commandment, which is given for the helping of our enemies Ox or Ass, being repeated in another place, is rendered thy brothers Ox or Ass. And the Prophet Isaiah maketh it a work of mercy to cover the naked, without any exception of stranger or enemy, because he is of our own flesh. But our Savior plainly presseth this duty both by precept; But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you; propounding the example of God himself for our imitation, that you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven, for he maketh his Sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. And also by his Parable of the man which fell among thieves, who being a Jew, was relieved by a Samaritan, though an enemy to that nation, and therefore approved as a neighbor unto him. All men therefore being our neighbors, they are all, in respect of their persons, to be loved of us, with such love, in respect of the quality, as is sincere, unfeigned, and fervent, even as we love our selves; although in respect of the quantity, we may and ought in our love to observe diverse degrees. For seeing we love others, in, and for God, therefore we must love those above others which are of the household of faith, and our kindred in the Spirit, brethren of the same heavenly Father, and fellow members of the same body, in whom the Image of God most brightly shineth; so the whole Church and Common-wealth, more then a private man, and among private men, our parents, children, kindred, familiar friends, and benefactors, more then strangers or ordinary men.

§. Sect. 7 The means of loving our neighbors, namely, as our selves.

The manner of our love towards our neighbors is, that we love them as our selves. In which, the love of our own persons is necessarily implied; for if the love of our selves be the rule of our love towards our neighbors, then must our charity begin at home, and from it, as from the fountain, the streams of brotherly love must spring and flow. And howsoever we have in the Scriptures no direct precept, enjoining us to love our selves, yet it is necessarily implied. First, when we are commanded to love God; for seeing love uniteth us unto him, who is the chief Good and fountain of all happiness, we chiefly love our selves in loving him, in whose fruition consisteth all blessedness and felicity. Secondly, in all those Commandments which require of us that we seek our own good and preservation, both in respect of our souls, bodies, and states, temporal and eternal, both by avoiding all sin which would hurt us, as self-murder, uncleanness, prodigality, exposing of our fame and good name to slanders and imputations, and by embracing all virtues, and practicing all good duties which may further our everlasting salvation. Besides, where our Savior saith, that whosoever loveth his own life better then him, is not worthy of him, he implieth that we ought to love our selves, but with such a love as is subordinate to the love of him, who hath loved us better then his own life. And the Apostle, in pressing a man's love towards his wife, which ought to exceed all other natural love, because of that near union between them whereby they become one flesh, useth this as a reason, that no man ever hated his own flesh; implying thereby, that seeing man and wife are both one, therefore we should love our wives as our selves, and consequently our selves first, according to which rule we are to love them.

§. Sect. 8 That natural and carnal self love is not the rule of loving our neighbors, but that which is holy and spiritual.

But seeing our natural love of our selves is carnal and earthly, plunging us head-long into sin and death, and is no better then true hatred, in respect of those miserable effects and fruits which it produceth both to our souls and bodies; therefore this carnal love ought not to be our rule in loving our neighbors, (although in truth we can love them with no other, whilst this love ruleth and swayeth in us) but first this love must be mortified in us; and instead thereof our hearts must be replenished with a just and holy love, whereby we love our selves in and for God, for the advancing of our temporal and spiritual good, and the eternal salvation of our souls and bodies, in the fruition of him whom we chiefly love, and with him, of everlasting joy and happiness. And when we thus truly love our selves, according to this rule we must love our brethren. So that when we are commanded to love our neighbors as our selves, it is not required that we should so love them, as we love our selves in the state of corruption, with a carnal and earthly love, which would draw them together with us into eternal death and destruction, and is therefore to be esteemed no better then hatred; but as we ought to love our selves in the state of regeneration, with a right, lawful, and holy love, which is always subordinate to the love of God, and loving him first and chiefly, doth cause us to love them, in and for him, and not in such respects as are carnal and sinful. In which regard, as we are bound to love all men, even our enemies; yea the most wicked in the world, in respect of their persons, which are God's workmanship: so, not our dearest friends, in respect of their vices, or their vices together with them; seeing our love must be subordinate to the love of God, and for his sake: and as we love their persons which he also loveth, so must we hate their sins and corruptions, even as we ought also to hate our own, because he hateth and abhorreth them. And we must love our selves and them according to God's will, and not contrary unto it; so far forth as it may stand with God's love, and not when there is any opposition between them. And thus David, who mourned for his enemies, because they kept not God's Law, and prayed for them, in respect of their persons, yet hated them, in respect of their sins, which were hateful to God, as he often professeth.

§. Sect. 9 The properties of lawful self-love.

Now the lawful and right love of our selves hath diverse properties; for first it is unfeigned, and not counterfeit and dissembled; and seated and settled in the heart, and not in the tongue and lips only. Secondly, it is fervent and effectual, and not cold, remiss, and careless. Thirdly, constant and permanent; and not fickle and mutable, alienated and estranged by frailties and infirmities. And such ought our love to be towards our neighbors, sincere and unfeigned, fervent and effectual, seeking by all means their good, not only in word, but in deed and action, doing that unto them, which we would have them do unto us: and finally, we must love them with a constant love, and not alienate our affections from them, in regard of their frailties and imperfections. And thus we are to love our neighbors, either with a common and natural love sanctified by God's Spirit, or with a special and spiritual love. In respect of the former; as every man out of a natural love doth seek his own good, the preservation of his life, the welfare and health of his body, the chastity of himself and his wife, the prosperity of his estate, and his own credit and good name; so ought we with like love to seek by all means the good and preservation of our neighbors, in every of these, and all other respects. The special and spiritual love, whereby a man loveth himself, causeth him chiefly to seek the enriching of his soul with all sanctifying grace, and to further by all means his everlasting salvation; and with such love also we must love our neighbors; doing them all the good we can, both in respect of their bodies and states, but principally in seeking their spiritual good, and the eternal salvation of their bodies and souls.

§. Sect. 10 That we must love our neighbors, as Christ hath loved us.

But because our love of our selves, by reason of our natural corruption, is, whilst we continue in this life, weak and imperfect, and therefore no fit rule for our love towards our neighbors, to be squared by; therefore our Savior hath propounded unto us, a much more perfect pattern for our imitation, even that most admirable and divine love wherewith he hath loved us: This is my Commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. As therefore Christ hath loved us first, before we loved him, or any ways deserved his love, and hereby moved us to love him again; so ought we to prevent one another with our love, and thereby provoke them to return unto us the like duty. Secondly, as Christ loved all his elect, freely without any respect of merit, yea when we were strangers, sinners and enemies, not because of any goodness in us, but that by his Love he might bring us to good; so ought our love to be free, and not mercenary, so far forth as it may redound to our own profit; but we must love strangers, that thereby we may make them our familiar acquaintance; Our enemies, that we may make them our friends, and even those that are now evil and sinners, that we may bring them to grace and goodness. Thirdly, as Christ loved all the elect, without respect of persons, both old and young, rich and poor, base and noble, wise and simple; so ought we to love all sorts and conditions of men, in whom we find already, or may hope to find hereafter, the signs and marks of God's election. Fourthly, as Christ loved us perfectly, in respect of the manner, with a sincere and ardent love, and not in tongue and profession only, but in deed and truth; so as no waters of affliction, nor death it self could drown or damp; so ought we strive to love one another, and to be ready according to his example, when just occasion is offered, to seal and approve our love towards them, even with the shedding of our blood. Fifthly, as Christ loved us, who were in him elected of his Father, in a special and peculiar manner above all others, and out of this love hath given himself for us; according to that of the Apostle, Who hath loved me, and given himself for me: so ought we to love all with a general and common love, but God's elect with a peculiar and special love above the rest, and be ready, as the Apostle speaketh, to do good unto all, but especially unto those who are of the household of faith. Lastly, as Christ loveth us with a constant love, and to the end, and will not reject us for our frailties and infirmities, because in his love he respecteth not his own profit, but our salvation: So ought our love to be constant towards our neighbors, and not to languish and faint upon slight occasions, respecting herein not our own profit, but their benefit, and above all, the everlasting salvation of their bodies and souls.

CAP. X.

Of the reasons which may move us to embrace charity.

§. Sect. 1 Of the excellency of charity.

ANd thus have I shown what is that charity both towards our selves and our neighbors, which is required in the second Table: In the next place I will set down some reasons which may move us to embrace it, all which will reduce unto these their heads, the excellency, utility, and necessity of it. The excellency of this charity herein appeareth, in that our Savior Christ maketh it the sum of all other duties and virtues required in the second Table; so that if we have charity, we have all moral virtues; if that be wanting, we are destitute of them all. Yea, the Apostles, not without the direction of his holy Spirit, do seem to go further, making this charity the epitome and sum of the whole Law; He that loveth another (saith Paul) hath fulfilled the Law. If ye fulfill the royal Law (saith James) according to the Scripture, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well. Where either by a Synecdoche of the whole for the part, we are, as some do, to understand the second Table only, or because true obedience to it, doth necessarily infer our obedience to the first, in that it is an inseparable fruit and undoubted sign of it, it may not unfitly comprehend our total obedience to the whole Law. Secondly, in that the Apostle preferreth it before those chief and fundamental virtues, Faith and Hope, and that both, because if we consider them merely in themselves, it is of a more excellent nature, and also in respect of the extent, both of latitude and time; for whereas they respect our selves only and our own salvation, this extendeth to the good and salvation of many others: and whereas they continue only for this life, charity attaineth to its greatest perfection in the life to come, and shall ever remain as a principal part of our everlasting joys. And thus also the Apostle Peter commendeth charity unto us above all other duties; Above all things (saith he) have fervent charity among yourselves, for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Finally, the Apostle showeth the excellency of charity, whereas he exhorteth us above all things to put on Charity, as being the bond of perfectness, or the most perfect bond, seeing we are thereby united unto Christ our Head, and as fellow-members one with another. For howsoever we are thus united first and principally by the Spirit of God and a lively faith, yet this bond of union is perfected and made more firm and strong, by this grace of charity, which transforming and changing us into the very nature of the things beloved, doth cause us to become one with them, and so inseparably united, that nothing in the world, no not death it self, is of sufficient force to pull us asunder.

§. Sect. 2 Of the profit of charity, in respect of our neighbors.

Secondly, charity is to be embraced of us as the most profitable virtue, both to others and our selves. To others, because it maketh us willing and ready to perform all Christian duties of holiness and righteousness, which we desire of others to be done unto us; for it suffereth with all patience and longsuffering all wrongs and injuries, and seeketh to gain them who are thus injurious, by all duties of love. It is so kind, that being provoked, it seeketh not revenge, but laboreth to overcome evil with goodness. It envieth not the prosperity of those that are above us, but causeth us to rejoice with them in all their happiness. It is not puffed up with pride, nor vaunteth it self above those who are inferior unto us, either in virtues, or in those rewards, with which God in this life crowneth them. It doth not behave it self unseemly, but observeth a just decorum, and a modest and sober course in all conditions. It seeketh not her own, but jointly advanceth our neighbors good, in many things departing from her own right, when greater benefit may redound to others; it is not easily provoked to unjust anger, but beareth with many faults for their better reformation, in consideration of human frailty and infirmity. It thinketh no evil, nor intendeth hurt unto any, neither is it suspicious to take anything in the worst part, which may admit of a more favorable interpretation. It rejoiceth not in iniquity, nor sporteth it self in other men's falls and infirmities, but rather in the sense of human frailty; it lamenteth their sins, and desireth their repentance and reformation, that they may be saved. And contrariwise it rejoiceth, when as they approve their profession of truth in their practice of righteousness. It beareth all things with meekness and patience, and revengeth not injuries, but leaveth vengeance to God, unto whom it belongeth. It believeth all things credible, and easily admitteth all just apologies and excuses, which tend to the manifesting of innocence in others, or at least, less faultiness. It hopeth all things, and when there is no apparance of good in our righteousness, expecteth their reformation and amendment, and despaireth not of their future repentance. Finally, it endureth all things, and covereth a multitude of evils, and is not wearied in well-doing, but continueth constant in doing and suffering all things which may any ways tend to the good of our neighbors.

§. Sect. 3 Of the profit of charity in respect of our selves.

And as it is profitable to all others; so most of all unto our selves. For it replenisheth our hearts with all sound joy and true comfort, as it is an infallible sign of all good in us, and belonging unto us, of all grace in this life, and glory and happiness in the life to come. For hereby we are assured that God loveth us, and hath sent his holy Spirit to dwell in us: If we love one another (saith the Apostle) God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfect in us. Hereby we know that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. It is an undoubted sign, which assureth us of our regeneration and new-birth. Let us love one another: for love is of God: and everyone that loveth, is borne of God. Of our illumination by the Spirit, and of saving knowledge: for every one that loveth, is borne of God, and knoweth God, as it followeth in the same place. And again; He that loveth his brother, abideth in the light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him. It assureth us of faith; for faith worketh by love, as the Apostle speaketh; and that by it we are truly justified before God: for if we be so charitable, as to forgive men their trespasses, then hath the Lord promised that he will forgive us our trespasses. So also it is an infallible note of our adoption; for in this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doth not righteousness, is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother; and assureth us that we are the true Disciples of Jesus Christ, if in this we follow his example, and do his will. For this is his Commandment, that we love oue another, as he hath loved us. And by this shall all men know that we are his Disciples, if we have love one to another. It is an undoubted sign of all other graces dwelling in us, and principally of our love of God; for everyone who loveth him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of him. And if any man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And of the truth of our Religion; for if we love not only in word and tongue, but in deed and truth, we may hereby know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before God. It expelleth all servile fear, and bringeth peace of conscience; for there is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear. Yea it is a notable means also of outward peace with men, whilst it beareth with infirmities, passeth by offenses, and covereth a multitude of sins. Finally, it assureth us of everlasting happiness: for we know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren.

§. Sect. 4 Of the necessity of charity.

Lastly, the necessity of charity may move us to embrace it. For without charity human society cannot subsist and stand, seeing it is the main bond whereby they are combined and knit together. Neither is it alone a chief motive to make men entertain mutual fellowship and intercourse one with another, but also a principal means to make them to continue with delight and comfort in this society. For charity covereth a multitude of sins, and causeth us to pass by many frailties and infirmities, and either not to see and take notice of them, or by extenuating and excusing them, to make them pardonable and easy to be digested. Whereas if charity be wanting, there will easily creep in jealousies, suspicions, sinister interpretations, injuries both offered and revenged, deadly hatred, and implacable contentions; for as the Wiseman saith, Hatred stirreth up strifes, from whence must needs follow divisions, and utter breaking up of all society. For if two cannot walk together, unless they be agreed, (as the Prophet speaketh) with what bond can innumerable multitudes be knit together, if charity be wanting, and instead thereof, heart-burnings and contentions be admitted? And as without charity there can be no communion between man and man, so neither between man and God, which principally consisteth in fruition, and fruition in love; seeing we cannot love God, unless we also love one another, as the Apostle telleth us. We cannot without it have any assurance that we belong to God, or that we are his children by adoption and grace; yea rather we may conclude that we are the children of the devil, seeing the Apostle John maketh the having or not having of charity, a prime mark of difference, whereby they may be discerned the one from the other. Again, all our other graces and gifts, though they make never so glorious a show, yet if charity be wanting, are all of no value. If we could speak with the tongues of men and Angels, and have not charity, we should become as sounding brass, or a tinkling Cymball. If we had the gift of Prophecy, and understood all mysteries and all knowledge; yea if we had all faith (namely, of working miracles) and could remove mountains, and had not charity, we were nothing. And though we could bestow all our goods to feed the poor, and could give our bodies to be burned, and had not charity, it would profit us nothing. Furthermore, where there is not charity, there faith also is wanting, or instead of it, a dead faith, which hath no operation, for faith worketh by love; and if we have a living faith, the Apostle James telleth us, that we may show it by our works: among which, the works of mercy and charity have a chief place: Whereas if these be wanting, our faith is (as he compareth it) like a body without breath, and no better then a stinking carcase in God's estimate. Finally, charity is most necessary, if ever we mean to attain to eternal salvation, or to escape hellish destruction; seeing the sentence of life or death shall at the day of Judgment be pronounced, according to the works of charity, either performed or neglected by us, as being the chief outward evidences, whereby our inward grace of faith, apprehending Christ unto salvation, may, to the justifying of God's righteous Judgments, be unto all demonstrated and declared.

CAP. XI.

Containing in it the duties which are required in the fifth Commandment.

§. Sect. 1 Of the general duties required in the fifth Commandment.

WEE have more largely entreated of charity, righteousness, and sobriety, as those general virtues and duties, which comprize in them the whole sum of the second Table, because we would more briefly touch the particular duties which under them are contained, referring the Reader unto such Catechisms and Common places of divinity as handle them more fully and perfectly, especially to those exact Tables upon the Commandments, lately published by the right reverend, and my most honored and dear brother, from whose full and living fountain, I have in a great part derived these streams: Not that I take any pleasure in doing that again, which was much better done before, but because this Treatise of a godly life should have been maimed, if I had not in some manner handled the main parts and principal duties required unto it; and I could add no more unto that exact abstract in so short a discourse, then light unto the Sun, by setting up a dim shining candle; nor alter the method and manner of it, unless I could have been content for varieties sake to have made it worse, and to go out of the right way, because I would not travail in the beaten path. The duties and virtues then required, and the vices and sins forbidden in the second Table, are either peculiar to superiors and inferiors in the fifth Commandment, or common to all in the five other. The duties and virtues required in the fifth Commandment, are, either common to all superiors and inferiors; or peculiar to the diverse sorts of them. The general duties belonging to all superiors, are first to approve themselves worthy of honor, both in respect of their own virtues and good parts, & also in their carriage towards their inferiors; and as they desire the honor of parents, so to perform the duties which belong unto them. Secondly, to behave themselves moderately, modestly, and gravely towards their inferiors, and not with proud insolency and vain lightness. Thirdly, to go before them, according to knowledge, and to shine unto them in a good example, and the light of a godly life. The duties common to all inferiors, are both inwardly to esteem reverently of them according to their place, acknowledging God's Image in them, & honoring those gifts of excellency which he hath bestowed upon them: and also outwardly to show reverence and respect of them both, in all signs of honor; as rising up to them, putting off the hat, bowing the knee, going to meet them, giving them precedence both in place and speech, and using unto them words of reverence and due respect; and also by our approving of the inward reverence of our hearts, and the outward reverence shown in these signs and complements, in truth and substance by all our actions, when we have any occasion of performing this real reverence.

§. Sect. 2 Of the duties of superiors in excellency, and of inferiors towards them.

The special duties respect the diverse sorts of superiors and inferiors. For men are superior unto others, either in excellency only, or in authority also and government. In excellency, as first, those who are endued with better gifts, whether inward or outward; Inward, as the gifts of the mind, to wit, virtue, wisdom, learning, arts, and sciences; whose duty is, that acknowledging them as talents lent unto them by God, of which they must give an account; they be not puffed up in pride because they excel others, but rather be the more humble, in respect of that straight reckoning which shall be required of them; and also, that with all care and good conscience they employ these gifts principally to the glory of God that gave them, and in the next place, to the good of their neighbors, and furthering of their own salvation. The duties of inferiors, are first, to acknowledge their gifts, to the glory of God, and praising his bounty and goodness towards them. Secondly, to reverence and respect the party endued with them, and to seek to be profited by them, as our need requireth, and opportunity is offered. Superiors in outward gifts and place, are first the aged, whose duties are to be in all their carriage and behavior grave and sober, to counsel and instruct the younger out of their greater wisdom and experience, and to be examples and precedents unto them of all good duties. And the duties of the younger sort towards them, are to reverence them inwardly and outwardly as fathers; to imitate their good example, and acknowledging their wisdom and better experience, to make use of their counsel and instructions for their information and direction. Secondly, superiors in birth and place, as nobility and gentry; whose duty is, that as they are Peers of the Realm and pillars of the Common-wealth, so they above others seek the good and flourishing estate of it, and be as pillars of Marble, firm and strong, to uphold it with their strength, like those pillars, Iachin and Boaz, which Solomon built, and not through luxury, prodigality, and all excess, wasting their estates, and retaining only their titles and honors, become like rotten posts, gilded and painted, which let the building fall when it leans upon them. Secondly, that they approve themselves truly noble and generous, by being like the nobles of Berea, more forward in receiving the Word, and embracing true Religion, then ordinary men. Thirdly, that being placed like stars in this earthly firmament, they do good to their inferiors, both by shining unto them in the light of a good and holy example, and by those vital influences of comfort, in the works of protection, mercy, and Christian charity, unto which, their greater means, high places and dignities do enable them; and not like wandering Planets, which keep nowhere any settled residence, and are so clouded with obscurity, that the poor know not where to find them when they most need them. The duty of inferiors towards them is, that they give unto them that honor and respect which is due unto their places; and not envy unto them their high dignities, knowing that promotion cometh neither from the East nor West, but from God only wise, who pulleth down one, and setteth up another, as it seemeth best to his godly wisdom. Thirdly, superiors in wealth and riches, whose duty is to use them as great and notable instruments of doing good, both publicly in the Church and Common-wealth, and privately to particular persons, as God offereth unto them occasion and opportunity; and not wastefully consume them on their own lusts, nor niggardly hoard them up, doing no good with them, either to themselves or others. The duty of inferiors, and the poorer sort towards them, is, that as God hath advanced them above themselves in these temporal blessings, so in humility acknowledging their preferment, they give unto them that respect which their place and state requireth; and communicate unto them the benefit of their labors, as the other unto them the benefit of wages and rewards. Secondly, that they reverence them, in respect of that ability with which God hath enabled them, to do good publicly to Church and Commonwealth; and privately unto themselves and others. Lastly, among superiors in excellency, we are to number benefactors, whose duty is to give their benefits cheerfully, without grudging and quarrelsome wrangling, which displeaseth more then the gift contenteth. Secondly, to give freely, and not with sordid respect of greater advantage. Thirdly, speedily, whilst there is power in their hands, and not after many delays. Fourthly, discreetly making choice, either in respect of the parties worth, or at least, present necessity, and not rashly and carelessly, which is rather through neglect of the gift, then for love of the party upon whom it is bestowed. Lastly, having bestowed benefits, they must not boast of them to others, nor insult over the party to whom they have done good, which were but to make their benefit as a golden chain to bind them to slavery, nor finally to upbraid them with what they have done upon every slight occasion, which is no more pleasant to the party who hath fed of their favors, then the distasteful upbraidings which follow a surfeit. The duties of inferiors towards their benefactors, are first, inward and hearty thankfulness, whereby they acknowledge them as God's instruments in doing them good, and accordingly love and respect them according to their desert. Secondly, they are not to vilify the benefit, but highly to esteem it, either for its worth, or their necessity and use of it, or the mind and good will of the giver. And outwardly also they are to testify their thankfulness, both by word in thanksgiving, praising their benefactor as opportunity is offered, and magnifying the greatness of the benefit received; and also in deed, both by being always ready to make requital when God shall give ability; and by supplying what is wanting in their power, by their fervent prayers for them unto God, who is all-sufficient to recompense and reward their bounty towards them.

§. Sect. 3 The duties of superiors in authority in general, and of inferious towards them.

Superiors in authority are such, as have not only a place of excellency above us, but also of power and jurisdiction as our governors. Whose duty in general is to use all good discipline, both in respect of rule and government, and also due correction and punishment. They ought to govern them in the Lord as his deputies and in his stead, and therefore to do the acts of justice, as if God himself were present, or did but use their bodies, tongues and parts to perform his own will. In which respect their chief care must be, as to do Justice themselves, and administer righteous judgment; so to contain their inferiors in the duties of piety and justice, therein seeking not themselves or their own gain, by corruption, bribery, extorsion, or any kind of wrong and oppression, but the glory of God chiefly, and next unto it, the good of their societies, and of every particular person under their government. In respect of correction and punishment, their duty is, to administer Justice, according to the quality of their inferiors offense, wherein they are to use discretion, rightly judging both of the cause and the disposition of the offender, and correcting lighter faults and infirmities, with rebukes and threatenings, and greater faults committed willfully, with real punishments, proceeding herein with wisdom, judgment, love and patience, seeking either the amendment of the parties if they be corrigible, or of the societies in which they live, by taking away sin and evil, auerting God's more fearful and general judgments, and causing others to fear, and so to avoid the like sins; and not out of passion, choller, and hatred of their persons. And secondly, they must use herein equity and moderation, so mixing and tempering justice with mercy, as that they be in inflicting these corrections and punishments, neither indulgent and remiss, nor over-severe and cruel. The duties of inferiors towards them, are to reverence and stand in awe of them, as standing in God's place, and executing his judgments, and not to contemn them or their government; to obey them in all things lawful, and to submit themselves unto their corrections, without resistance or murmuring; and to testify their love and thankfulness towards them, by their cheerful service, and by communicating their goods unto them, as their own ability, and their necessity shall require.

§. Sect. 4 The duties of superiors and inferiors in the family: And first, of man and wife towards one another.

The special duties of superiors in government and their inferiors, are to be distinguished according to their several sorts. For Governors are either private in families, or public in the Church and Commonwealth. In families, as the husband, who is superior in government over his wife, parents over their children, and Masters and Mistresses over their servants. The duties of man and wife are either common to both, or special belonging to either party. Common duties are first, conjugal love, whereby being one flesh, they love one another above all others, both in respect of their souls and bodies, temporal and spiritual good, and all that belong to either party, as kindred and friends. Secondly, communion and communication, first, of their bodies by mutual benevolence performed by one to the other; and conjugal fidelity, whereby either of them keep themselves proper to the other, and preserve the marriage bond inviolable; and finally, as a means of both the other, there is required cohabitation and dwelling together, unless it be for a time, and upon necessary occasion. Secondly, communion of their goods, labors, endeavors and mutual help for the good and comfort of one another. The peculiar duties of the husband are, to behave himself as an head to the body; to carry himself in his place according to knowledge, governing, guiding and instructing his wife in all good duties; to protect her to the uttermost of his power against all evil and injury; to bear with her infirmities, and to cover her weaknesses and frailties; to cherish her as the more tender part of himself; to provide for her, according to his ability, all things needful and comfortable; admitting her to the joint fruition of all their goods, and finally, to rule her with a sweet and amiable government, so as not only her body, but also her will and heart may be subject unto him. The duties peculiar to the wife, are, to acknowledge her husband to be her head and governor, and accordingly, in her heart to reverence and respect him, in her words to be dutiful, humble and pleasing, and in all her actions and behavior, to be meek, submissive and obedient, as unto her Lord and head. To be amiable and gracious, endeavoring in all lawful things to please him, and not to usurp dominion over him, or to vex him, by being of an unquiet and provoking spirit. To cherish her husband as the better part of her self; and to minister unto him all things necessary and comfortable; to keep his secrets, and preserve his honor; to manage well, as becometh a good housewife, all things committed to her charge, for the good of her husband and the whole family, and to be a fit helper, and no less loving then careful, assistant for the good of his body and soul, and for the well managing of their estate, and the wise government of the whole family.

§. Sect. 5 The duties of husband and wife towards the rest of the family.

And these are the mutual duties of man and wife between themselves. Besides which, there are diverse duties by them to be performed, as they are governors over the family; and those are either common to all the household, or else special, as they are parents over their children, or masters and mistresses over their servants. The common duties are, First, to rule them in the Lord, keeping them in godly obedience: and Secondly, to provide for them. They are to be ruled both by instruction and discipline. By instruction, as by doctrine and example. By doctrine, respecting private catechizing, reading of the Scriptures, and religious writings, and the public ministry, by causing them not only to frequent it, but also by teaching them to use it aright, both by preparation before they go to hear, and examination afterwards. So likewise they must be no less careful to teach them by example, both in their holy profession of Religion, and conscionable practice of all Christian duties; knowing that examples especially of governors, are no less powerful then precepts, either to draw them to good, and withdraw them from evil, or contrariwise: unto which instruction, discipline must be adjoined, both by rewarding those that deserve well, and correcting them that offend, either in words only, as by reproofs and threatenings; or in deeds also, by blows and stripes, to be inflicted in wisdom, love and moderation. Finally, as it is their duty to rule them; so also to provide for them all necessaries, as food, raiment, wages, rest and recreation.

§. Sect. 6 The duties of parents and children.

The special duties of parents towards their children, are, that they love them with parent-like affection, and take singular care of them; and both these, first, in regard of their natural life, in which respect there is required, 1. that they nourish and bring them up: 2. that they fit them for some honest calling according to their own ability, and the disposition and gifts of their children: 3. that they govern and direct them in matters of moment, and chiefly in contracting marriage: and lastly, that they provide and lay up for them, as God shall give honest and lawful means, not wronging others, nor defrauding themselves of things necessary and comfortable. In respect of their spiritual life, their duty is, as they bring them into the covenant of grace, made not only to them, but also to their seed, so to procure for them the Sacrament of the covenant. Secondly, that they bring them up in the fear of the Lord, both by instruction, example & discipline. Lastly, that they pray for them, and give them their daily blessing. The duties of children towards their parents, are first, to be answerable to them in love. Secondly, to reverence them highly, though their state be never so mean, in and for the Lord. Thirdly, to stand in awe of them, and to have respect to their very words and countenance. Fourthly, to obey them in all things lawful and in the Lord. Fifthly, to show themselves thankful to their parents, by helping them, if need require, with their goods or service. Sixthly, to hearken to their parents instructions, counsels, admonitions and rebukes, and to bear with meekness and love their chastizements and corrections. Seventhly, to be contented and willing to be ruled by their parents in matters of importance, as marriage. Eighthly, to preserve their parents goods, good name, and all that belongs unto them. And finally, to love and respect those who are near and dear to their parents, for their sakes.

§. Sect. 7 The duties of masters and servants.

The duties of masters and mistresses towards their servants, are, first, equity and moderation, both in their commandments, which ought to be lawful, possible to them, profitable, proportionable to their abilities, and on the Sabbath necessary; and also in their government, which ought to be mixed with love, and sustaining the place of parents, to use them as children, as brethren in Christ, and children of the same Father, and as fellow-servants of the same heavenly Lord and Master. Secondly, they must use towards them bounty, and liberally reward their well deserving, both by suffering them to thrive with them whilst they are in their service, by preferring and rewarding them when they depart upon good terms and after a lawful manner; and by esteeming them after they are departed, as their friends. The duties of servants towards their governors are, First, that they love them; and out of this love, tender their credit and welfare, and bear all good affection to their children and friends. Secondly, that they reverence, honor and fear them. Thirdly, that they submit themselves to their commandments, and obey them in all things in the Lord; and also to their corrections and chastizements. Fourthly, that they be diligent and painful, not idle and slothful. Fifthly, faithful and true, doing their work not with eye-service, but as well when their governors are absent as present. Sixthly, that they be quiet and patient, being reproved, and not stubborn, giving one word for another. Seventhly, that they be secret, and not discover their masters secrets. Eighthly, that they be thrifty, respecting in all things their masters profit, and not riotous and wasteful; And lastly, that they be ready to please them in all things lawful or indifferent.

§. Sect. 8 The duties of Ministers and people.

And so much for the duties of superiors and inferiors in the family. Public governors and their inferiors, are such as are in the Church or Common wealth. In the Church, superiors governing, are the Ministers, and inferiors governed, are the people committed to their charge. For Ministers are the spiritual fathers of the people, being the ordinary means of begetting them, and of their regeneration and new birth, by the immortal seed of God's Word; and the people are their children, begotten unto God by their Ministry. The which should move the Ministers to carry themselves towards their flock, as it becometh fathers, in all love, care, vigilancy, diligence, in providing for the good of them by all means, especially the spiritual good of their souls, as they desire to have the honor, reverence, and respect, which is due to fathers; and the people to perform all duties of children towards their Ministers, loving, reverencing, and obeying them in all things appertaining to the good of their souls, as they desire that they should receive from them the privileges of children, and the benefit of their Ministry, for their regeneration and new birth. The special duties of Ministers respect either their Ministry, or their life and conversation, in both which, they are to go before the people, both in doctrine and holy example. In regard of his Ministry, he is to preach the Word of God truly, sincerely, diligently, and powerfully, in season and out of season, respecting herein the performance of his own duty to the glory of God, and the furtherance of his own salvation, and the good of the people committed to his charge. In his life he ought to be an example unto his flock. Unto which is required generally, that his life be blameless, and more specially, that it be in respect of God, holy and religious, in respect of his neighbors, just, charitable, meek, courteous, and liberal; and in respect of himself, sober, temperate, chaste, and modest. The special duties of the people towards their Ministers, are first, that they love them dearly. Secondly, that they have them in high reverence and esteem for their works sake. Thirdly, that they submit themselves to their Ministry, and obey them. Fourthly, that they allow them liberal maintenance.

§. Sect. 9 The duties of Magistrates and subjects.

In the Common-wealth political duties to be performed, are either common to all the members of this body, which is, that they love their country, and prefer in their judgments, desires and endeavors the good of it, before the good of all others, or of themselves; or the special duties of superiors and inferiors, as the supreme Sovereign and Magistrates, or subjects and people. The general duty of the former is, that as they desire the honor of parents, so to carry themselves in all things as fathers of their country and subjects. The special duty of Sovereign Princes, is the good, lawful, and commendable exercise of his sovereign power, especially in making good Laws, and seeing them duly executed; in creating and making good Magistrates of State, and containing them in their duty; in showing mercy unto those whom they may lawfully pardon, being obnoxious to the rigor of the Law, and Justice towards those, who by the Laws of God and the Common-wealth ought to die. In hearing of causes of great importance, which respect the good of the Common-wealth, and of particular persons, especially of high and last appeals; in waging wars, and concluding peace, so as they may be just, profitable, and safe for their Country. In all which, he is to aim chiefly at God's glory, and the good of the Church and Common-wealth. Which duties that he may perform, he must be qualified and furnished with many excellent virtues; as piety, religion, and the true fear of God; Justice, clemency, bounty and liberality, wisdom and learning, fortitude and courage, temperance and sobriety, chastity, modesty, and humility. The special duty of Magistrates is, that in executing of their office, they conscionably labor to advance the glory of God, the honor of their Sovereign, and the good of the whole Common-wealth, and of all the particular members of it. Unto which these virtues are required in them, that they be men of ^k courage, fearing God, lovers of justice, haters of wrong and all evil, faithful and true, free from covetousness, and haters of bribes and rewards, wise and prudent, just and impartial, having in judgment no respect of any man's person. The special duties of subjects towards their Sovereign, are first, a singular love of them, approved by their special care of their safety, by their high esteem of them, and frequent and fervent prayers for them. Secondly, to honor and reverence them as the supreme governors under Christ, over all persons, and in all causes. Thirdly, to be obedient and subject unto them in all things lawful, and that in the Lord, and for conscience sake. Fourthly, to be serviceable and helpful unto them, both with their bodies and states. The special duties of the people towards their Magistrates are, to love and reverence them as God's deputies, to submit themselves to their lawful Commandments and punishments, and finally to be thankful unto them, and ready with all cheerfulness to allow unto them such stipends and fees, as are due for their maintenance.

CAP. XII.

Of the duties required in the sixth Commandment.

§. Sect. 1 Of the sum of this Commandment: And of anger and hatred.

IN the four following Commandments are all those common virtues and duties required, which concern all our neighbors in general, and all the contrary vices and sins forbidden; all which concern either their person and life, or the adjuncts belonging to them, as their chastity, goods and fame. Those virtues and vices which respect the person and life, are enjoined or forbidden in the sixth Commandment, in these words, Thou shalt not kill; which hath precedency before the other, because the person and life are of greater worth and excellency then the adjuncts that appertain unto them. The sum whereof is this, that we in all our thoughts, words, and deeds, embrace all virtues, and perform all duties which tend to the good of the person, and preservation of the life, both of our neighbors and our selves, and flee the contrary vices and sins, whether they be inward or outward. And these are either the roots and fountains from whence the rest do spring and flow; as anger and hatred; or the fruits and streams which arise and issue from them. The first duty commanded, is just anger against the sins of our neighbors and our selves; unto which is required, that it arise from just causes, and be directed to good ends, that it be in a lawful manner and measure, and continue a fit and convenient time. And hereunto are required as the means of it, patience, longsuffering, and mildness, goodness, slowness to anger, and readiness to forgive. The contrary vice whereof is here forbidden, of which I will not here speak, having written largely of it in another place. The second virtue commanded, is an holy hatred of our own and our neighbors sins, which is always joined with the love of the persons. Now the fruits of holy and just anger and hatred, are to pass by an offense, freely to forgive wrongs and injuries, and even to forget them; and to requite good for evil to those who have wronged us, by helping and praying for them; and finally, to use all humanity and courtesy towards all men, acquaintance and strangers.

§. Sect. 2 Of the inward duties and virtues here required

Other more special fruits may be distinguished, according to the difference of persons towards whom they are referred. As first, if our neighbors are in prosperity, we are not to envy them if they be our superiors, nor to emulate them being our equals, nor to disdain them being our inferiors; but contrariwise, wish unto them all good things which we have, or they want, and congratulate their well-fare, and communicate with them in our rejoicing at their happiness. If they be in adversity, we are not to contemn, or to be hard-hearted towards them, much less to rejoice at their evils and miseries, but to take pity and compassion on them, and according to our ability, to show mercy unto them. Unto these virtues and duties we may add Christian friendship in the Lord, which ought to be sincere and constant Christian charity, whereby we love our enemies for the Lord's sake, placablenesse and desire of reconciliation, abstaining from all enmity, open hostility, and secret grudge; a desire and forwardness to preserve friendship between others, and to restore it being dissolved, by making peace and amity. Toward those which are under our power, we must abstain from all cruelty, backed either with our authority or might, and use all clemency towards them, as much as will stand with their good; and contrariwise, from indulgence and fond cockering, not bearing with their sins, for foolish love to the parties, but using due and necessary severity, when vices can no otherwise be reformed and amended. Unto those who dwell in the same society, we are to use concord and peaceableness, to which purpose we must resist the beginnings of contention, take away the occasions, and sometimes depart from our own right, to preserve or redeem peace. And towards strangers, our duty is to use good hospitality, especially to the poor and harborless. Finally, as we are to preserve our neighbors person and life, by performing all these inward duties unto them, so are we to show the outward signs of them in our countenance, eyes, gesture, and voice, which must be so mild, sweet, and gracious, that they promise to the beholders and hearers nothing but humanity, brotherly love, and good will.

§. Sect. 3 Of outward duties here required, respecting the person of our neighbors.

The outward duties, tending to the preservation of our neighbors person and life, respect our words or deeds. In respect of the former, there is required, that we have a peaceable tongue, which speaketh all good and no evil, to and of our neighbors. Unto them, we must use loving and courteous speeches, and abstain from all brawling and scolding, railing and reviling, scoffing and scorning, unchristian menacings towards inferiors, and murmuring towards superiors; and cursings and imprecations towards any man. And of them, we must not behind their backs use tale-bearing, and slandering, nor lend our ears to those who offer these wrongs unto them. In respect of our deeds, all our works and actions must tend to the preservation and defense of our neighbors life and person, but especially of his immortal soul, which ought, as it is most precious in it self, so to be most dear unto us. In which regard, we must omit no duty which may defend and preserve the life and person of our neighbors, when we can and may lawfully perform it. We must not by our negligence leave anything undone, nor by our willfulness do anything whereby they may be endangered. Neither must we commit any act which tendeth to his hurt and hazard. But we must have peaceable hands, and not in time of peace, quarrel and fight; and innocent hands, free and clean from blood, neither hurting and wounding the body of our neighbors, nor killing and taking away his life; but contrariwise we must be beneficent, and in all our actions do them all good; using humanity and mercy to all, and brotherly love and kindness towards those who are of the household of faith.

§. Sect. 4 Of the duties which we owe to our neighbors soul.

The duties which tend to the preservation of the life of our neighbors soul, are either natural or spiritual. In the former respect we ought to preserve their lives, in cheering and comforting them by our sweet and Christian conversation; and not unjustly offer unto them any occasion whereby they may be vexed and grieved. In respect of the latter, we are not to hinder by any means the salvation of others, nor to be any ways an offense unto them, neglecting their salvation, as though it were a thing not belonging to us; but contrariwise, use all good means whereby they may be won to Christ, edified in their most holy faith, and furthered in the way of holiness and righteousness, which will bring them to everlasting happiness. To which end, we must not commit any act whereby we may be scandalous unto another, and a cause of his sin, either by provocation, evil counsel, or bad example; but contrariwise perform cheerfully all duties belonging to the communion of Saints in spiritual things, as mutual observation one of another, instructing the ignorant, confuting, convincing and reclaiming him that erreth, that he may be sound in the faith, admonishing and exhorting the negligent and backward, reproving those that offend, comforting the comfortless; and shining before all in the light of a good life and holy example.

§. Sect. 5 Of duties belonging to our own persons.

Besides which duties which we owe to our neighbors, there are diverse others required in this Commandment, which are to be performed to our selves, for the good, preservation, and defense of our persons and lives, and especially for the salvation of our souls. In respect of our bodies and lives here is required, that we use all good and lawful means whereby our health may be preserved, as temperance and sobriety in diet, moderate sleep and labor, honest and moderate recreations of body and mind, cheerfulness and honest joy, rejoicing in the fruition of God's blessings; or if it be lost and impaired, whereby we may recover it, as good diet, physic, &c. Secondly, that we by all good and lawful means preserve our safety, by avoiding unnecessary dangers, or recover our selves out of them, if we be fallen into them; by repelling gross injuries, and avoiding causeless quarrels, and all other means, whereby our lives are needlessly hazarded. But above all, here is required, that we earnestly endeavor in the use of all good means which may further the salvation of our souls, and avoid the contrary whereby it may be hindered. The which must not be delayed, nor posted off from time to time, as it is the practice of those, who from day today defer their repentance; but we must first seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, both in order and time, giving it the precedency; and also in degree, more earnestly in our judgments esteeming, in our affections embracing, and in our practice seeking and laboring after the means of our salvation, especially our effectual calling and conversion, our justification by a lively faith, and sanctification unto holiness of life, then in anything in the world besides; yea contemning and rejecting all earthly pleasures, profits, and preferments, as vain and unprofitable in comparison of them. And with the like care and endeavor, we must avoid all means whereby our salvation may be hindered, especially sin, which is the bane of the soul, and not give way to the committing of it wittingly and willingly, though for hire, the whole world were offered unto us, the gain whereof, will in no sort recompense the loss of our souls, as our Savior telleth us. Or if we be overtaken with it, and by the law of our members, warring against the law of our minds, be led captive unto sin: our next care must be, not to lie in it, no not for an hour, but to rise out of it speedily by unfeigned repentance, and by humble confession and earnest suite for pardon and remission, seek reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ.

CAP. XIII.

Of the duties required in the seventh Commandment.

§. Sect. 1 The sum of the seventh Commandment▪ The duties which it enjoineth, and vices which it forbiddeth.

THe three following Commandments respect the adjuncts of our neighbors persons: for after that God had provided for the life and person of our neighbor and our selves (which is the chief and principal) in the former Commandment he descendeth down lower, to make provision for the good, and preservation of all that belong both unto them and us. And these are either internal or external: internal, as the chastity and purity of our own, and our neighbors persons, in the seventh Commandment: external, as the preservation of propriety in goods in the eighth, and our own and neighbors good name in the ninth. Next unto the Commandment that respecteth life, the seventh Commandment which provideth for the chastity and purity of the person, hath place, as coming nearest unto life in worth and excellency, and to be preferred before all outward things, either goods or good name. For if the persons of men be unchaste, and defiled with unclean lusts, then must also marriage, which is the fountain of life and generation, be defiled; and from such a fountain what can spring, but an unclean and filthy life, which is not to be preferred before death it self? And therefore next unto the preservation of our lives, our chiefest care must be to preserve our chastity and purity, which is the very life of our life, and without which, it would bring no true joy or comfort unto us. The which, the Lord requireth of us in the seventh Commandment, in these words; Thou shalt not commit adultery. In which words, the Lord forbiddeth all unclean lusts, with all the means and signs of them, and also that we should be accessory unto the uncleanness of others; and contrariwise commandeth the preservation of our chastity and purity, with the means and signs of it, and also, that as much as in us lieth, we provide for the chastity of our neighbors. Now this chastity is either inward in the soul and heart, or outward in the body. First then, we must preserve the inward chastity of the soul, from all motions and passions of unclean lusts, and unlawful concupiscence of the flesh, which is the adultery of the heart, that our Savior condemneth, and that concupiscence of the flesh, and evil concupiscence, which the Apostles forbid. Neither is all concupiscence evil and to be condemned; for that is lawful, whereby we desire the propagation of mankind by natural generation, being God's ordinance, and enjoined in the state of innocence; if it be neither immoderate, immodest, nor unseasonable. Secondly, we must preserve our outward chastity, and possess our vessels in holiness and honor. Unto which is required the chastity of our eyes, containing them from beholding wanton and unclean objects; of our ears, stopping them against all rotten, corrupt, and filthy communication; of our tongues, restraining them from all beastly and bawdy speaking; and of our actions, abstaining from all acts of uncleanness, wanton and unchaste pleasures. And thus we are to preserve our chastity, either in single life, which is the gift of continency and pure abstinence, both from unclean lusts, and also from marriage; or in wedlock, unto which is required conjugal fidelity, the moderate, modest, and seasonable use of the marriage bed; and pure abstinence, upon necessary and just occasions, as in time of absence, and of the woman's separation, or that upon fit occasions we may wholly give our selves to fasting and prayer.

§. Sect. 2 The means of preserving chastity.

But whosoever would thus preserve their chastity, they must be no less careful to use all good means of it, and to shun the contrary means and occasions. As first, they must beg it of God by prayer, seeing it is his gift alone. Secondly, they must have no society and familiarity with the unchaste and filthy, wanton and effeminate, drunken and gluttonous persons; but keep company with those who are sober and chaste, modest and temperate. Thirdly, they must use the preservatives of chastity, as sobriety, which consisteth, as it is here considered, in moderating the delights of the taste, in the temperate use of diet, and abstinence from gluttony and drunkenness, or the excessive drinking of wine and strong drinks; and also of the sight, in abstaining from unchaste and immodest objects, as beautiful and wanton persons, obscene pictures, unchaste and wanton Interludes, Plays, and Books. Secondly, diligence and painfulness in our callings and honest labors, not giving way to idleness and sloth; vigilancy and abstinence from immoderate sleep; and finally, modesty in our eyes and countenance, in our speeches and communication, in our gesture and gate, and in our habit and attire. Which means if we find insufficient for the preserving of our souls and bodies in purity and chastity; then are we called of God, to use the lawful remedy, which is the holy and honest estate of marriage, that we may live chastely in wedlock, when we cannot do it in single life.

§. Sect. 3 Of the duties which are required in the right getting of our goods.

THE eighth Commandment, expressed in these words, Thou shalt not steal, enjoineth us to preserve and increase by all good means, as much as in us lieth, our own and neighbors good, respecting goods and possessions; and not only forbiddeth all those vices and sins whereby they are any way hindered or impaired, but also requireth all virtues and good duties, whereby they are preserved and advanced. And these duties are either more general or special. The general duties stand in these degrees. First, that we be not hurtful to our neighbors, in hindering or impairing their estate, by doing them any wrong or injury; or if we have, that we make them satisfaction and amends. Secondly, that we preserve, as much as in us lieth, our own and neighbors goods from all waste and damage. Thirdly, that we be beneficial and helpful to all, as far as we are able, and their necessity requireth, and employ our goods as we ought, to our own and others good. The special duties respect either the just and honest possession of our goods, unto which is required that we both get and keep them in a good manner, & by just and lawful means; or the lawful and laudable use of those goods, which we have thus lawfully gotten. Unto the just getting of our goods, four virtues are required. First, that we do not immoderately love money, which is the root of all evil, nor set our hearts upon riches and the earthly Mammon. Secondly, contentedness with that condition, which God in his wise, just and Fatherly providence hath alloted unto us; for discontent disposeth men to covet and seek more then is needful, though it be by unlawful means; to which vice they make themselves subject, who have not learned to live within their compass. Thirdly, a moderate desire of such things as are necessary and convenient, both for our own maintenance according to the necessity of nature, person and state; and also for the relief and benefit of others, and that both for private persons, and public service of Church and Common-wealth. The which desire ought on the one side to be free from a Frier-like affection of poverty, and on the other side, from covetousness and ambition, whereby men setting their hearts immoderately upon earthly profits and preferments, do resolve that they will compass them by what means soever, good or bad; and make all possible haste to achieve their ends; having, after they have much, an insatiable desire of obtaining more. Lastly, a moderate, provident and wise care to provide those things which are convenient and necessary for us and those that belong to us, by honest and lawful means; so that we be neither carelessly improvident, nor vex and turmoile our selves with an immoderate, diffident and carking care. And these are the things which are required inwardly in our own hearts and affections unto just getting of our goods. Now goods are thus gotten either without contract, and that either by our selves, or received from others. By our selves either accidentally, as by finding things lost, the owners being unknown, though diligently inquired after, or ordinarily by our honest and painful labor in a lawful calling. Or else they are gotten in lawful contracts, the general rule whereof is this, that in all our dealings, borrowing and lending, buying and selling, letting, setting, taking and hiring, &c. we behave our selves uprightly without dissimulation or guile, as in the sight of God, observing in our words, truth; in our promises, faithfulness; in our deeds; justice; and in all things keeping a good conscience towards God and men, not dealing deceitfully with any, nor using any fraud for the getting of our goods, either in respect of matter or manner, quantity or quality, or any other unjust means whatsoever. Or if we have failed in any of these, and gotten any goods by fraud and deceit, we must repute it no better then theft, and therefore hold our selves bound to make restitution unto those whom we have wronged; or in case they cannot be found or known, unto the poor or Church, or good uses; without which we can never approve our repentance for these sins to be found and sincere, so as it will be accepted of God, and bring comfort unto our own souls.

§. Sect. 4 Of the duties which respect the right use of our goods.

And these are the duties which we ought to perform, in respect of the lawful getting and possessing of our goods; the duties which concern the right use of them, respect either our selves, which is the lawful & comfortable fruition of them; or others, which consists in the free and wise communication of them. Concerning the former, having justly gotten goods into our possession, we are comfortably to enjoy them, as the good gifts and blessings of God; unto which, two virtues are required; First, that (shunning niggardliness, which keepeth men not only from the communicating of their goods to others, but also from enjoining them for their own benefit, committing therein a double theft) we do embrace parsimonie, which consisteth in the honest saving and sparing of our goods, that they be not idly and unprofitably wasted and spent. Secondly, that avoiding wastfulnesse, and misspending our wealth to uses either dishonest or above our means and ability; we do embrace frugality, which consisteth in the discreet, sober and moderate spending of our goods, according to our calling and ability, to profitable, charitable and needful uses, in which this rule is to be observed, that our expenses in some reasonable good proportion, be less then our comings in. To the free communication of our goods to the benefit of others, two other virtues are required. First, that shunning covetousness and hardhartednesse, which depriveth us of all pity and compassion towards those that are in want, we do embrace bounty and liberality, whereby we communicate our goods willingly and cheerfully unto those that need our help. And secondly, that avoiding prodigality and riotous wastfulnesse, we do embrace justice and equity, giving only our own, without wronging others, and in such a discreet proportion and moderation, that we dry not up the fountain of our beneficence, so as we cannot be helpful to our selves or others. Now this free communicating of our goods, is either for a time by lending, or forever by giving, either publicly to good uses, civil or ecclesiastical; or privately, as by bestowing benefits upon them who have well deserved, or by giving alms, and relieving the necessities of our poor brethren, of which I have entreated more fully in another place.

§. Sect. 5 Of truth, which is required in the ninth Commandment.

THE ninth Commandment is expressed in these words: Thou shalt not bear, or utter a false, or vain testimony against thy neighbor. Wherein is commanded, that we should think and speak concerning our neighbors, both that which is truth, and also that which is charitable, tendering his and our own credit and good name; and avoiding all speech which is false and uncharitable, especially such as tendeth to the reproach and diffamation of our selves and our neighbors. And consequently, here is commanded the preservation of truth amongst men, and of our own and neighbors fame and good name. Now this truth is an agreement and conformity of our speech with our mind, and of our mind, with the truth of the things themselves; the which in all our speech is religiously to be observed, and all falsehood in speech to be avoided, whether we speak that which is false, or the truth falsely, and with an intent to deceive, whether it be in jest, or in earnest, either to help our neighbor with an officious lie, or to hurt him with a pernicious lie. The manner how the truth is to be professed, is first, that we do it freely and charitably, simply and with discretion; avoiding in the excess, indiscreet and unseasonable profession of the truth, to the unnecessary hurt or danger of our selves or others; and in the defect, the denying or betraying of the truth, out of fear or any sinister respect; as also a double and deceitful tongue. The means of this truth are to be carefully used of us, which are, First, to know it; to which end we must be lovers of it, and docible and teachable in learning and conceiving of it, and not voluntarily affect ignorance, nor embrace untruth out of vain credulity. Secondly, we must preserve and maintain it, using to this end constancy and steadfastness in the truth, and shunning inconstancy and pertinancy in error. Thirdly, profitable speech tending to God's glory and our neighbors good, both spiritual, as tending to his edification, and temporal, serving for his honest delight and profit. Fourthly, that we use the means of entertaining profitable speech, as affability and pleasing communication, and the remedy against unprofitable speech, which is taciturnity and seasonable silence. And contrariwise, we are to avoid all speech which is either vain or hurtful, tending to God's dishonor and our neighbors hurt; as all rotten and infecting communication, scurrility, taunts and disgraces, counterfeit complements, morosity, vain babbling, and smothering of profitable truth by silence.

§. Sect. 6 Of the preservation of our neighbors good name, & the means of it, respecting our inward disposition.

The means of preserving our own and our neighbors fame and name, is to have an inward disposition unto it, and an high esteem and great regard of it. And secondly, an outward professsion of the truth concerning our neighbor, joined with charity and discretion. The inward disposition is a true care of our own and our neighbors fame and credit, with the fruits of it, whereby we tender our own and their good name, out of true love and charity. The fruits of which care are referred either to the fame it self, as to rejoice in it, if it be good, and sorry, if it be bad; or else to our hearing, judging and reporting of our neighbor. In respect of hearing, we are not willingly to hear rumors and reports, tending to the infamy of our neighbors, but to repel talebearers; and contrariwise, with all readiness to hear their praises and commendations. In respect of judging, we are to be charitable; and to show it by the fruits thereof, in not being suspicious, and in repressing the unjust suspicions of others; in not believing, or determining anything rashly against our neighbor; and in interpreting good things well, and doubtful things in the better part. In respect of reporting, we must report no ill of our neighbor, though it be true, unless it be in charity, when as it is either profitable for the party of whom we speak, that he may be reformed; or for the party to whom we speak, for the prevention of danger intended, or infection like to ensue by his company, or else necessary for our selves, when as silence will make us guilty of his fault.

§. Sect. 7 Other duties respecting our outward profession.

And these are the duties which respect our inward disposition: now of those which concern our outward profession; in which respect, our testimony of our neighbor, must be both true and charitable; and neither false simply, nor in show of words true, but false in sense; neither yet uncharitable and malicious; all which ought to be observed of us in all our testimonies, both public and private, being ready in all things, and at all times, to profess the truth concerning our neighbor, with charity, both in respect of his virtues, which (as just occasion is offered) we ought to acknowledge and commend, both in his presence and absence; and also his vices, which we are to tell him of before his face, and not suffer sin to rest upon him; and not to make mention of them behind his back, but upon necessity, as to those that may help to reform him, or to those who may be hurt or corrupted by his company or example, that they may, taking warning hereby, escape these dangers. And contrariwise we ought to avoid flattery, wherein we may offend in respect of the matter of our speech, as when we praise men for their vices; or the manner, in commending, either feinedly or above measure; or the end, either seeking our own profit like parasites, or the hurt of the party whom we flatter. And on the other side we must shun evil and cursed speaking, which any ways tendeth to the impairing of our neighbors credit and good name. The which is used either in his presence, by reviling and contumelious speaking; by deriding and scorning him; or in his absence, by whispering or talebearing, slandering and backbiting.

§. Sect. 8 Of the preserving our own good name.

The duties which every man is bound to perform unto himself, are, first, a care to procure and preserve his good name and credit, and secondly, that he give a true testimony of himself. Our care to procure and preserve our good name, consisteth in using the means whereby it is gotten; as glorifying God, seeking his kingdom and righteousness, walking uprightly, being such as we would seem to be, and in keeping a good conscience. And also in avoiding the means, both of vain-glory; as seeking to please men more then God; hypocrisy, seeking commendation by vanity and vices, loving of flatterers; usual censuring of others, attempting matters above our ability and gifts. And also of infamy, which either arise from our selves, as all sins both open, with all appearances of them, and secret, which God to our shame will bring to light; or else from others, as all disgraceful lies, slanders, and opprobrious speeches, against which we ought (especially if we be public persons) to defend and maintain our credit and good name. The true testimony of our selves is either concerning good; which if it be true, we must upon just occasion confess it with modesty to God's glory; or if false, with modesty and humility to deny it; or else concerning evil, which if it be true, we must confess it both to God with earnest desire of forgiveness, and also to man, when by our confession we may advance God's glory, and either our own or our neighbors good; or if it be false, that we constantly deny it. Contrariwise we are by this Commandment bound to shun the contrary vices to these virtues; as to deny the good things in us to God's dishonor that gave them, and to speak more basely and meanly of our own gifts and good parts then there is cause, or then that which we truly conceive, either to avoid boasting, which is no better then a modest lie; or to draw commendations from others, which is counterfeit modesty, and a cunning kind of arrogancy. And also on the other side, vain and false boasting, wherein we may offend, either in respect of the object, in boasting of that which is not good, but evil, or being good, is not in us at all, or at least in that measure which we assume unto our selves. Or else in respect of the ende, as when we speak of the good things in us, or done by us, for our own glory, especially when it is joined with neglect of God's honor, or the disgrace of others, or else for our gain and advantage. Or finally in respect of evil, when out of pride and self-love, we deny that evil which is truly affirmed, or affirm that evil of our selves wich is false, to gratify others, or to pick a thank.

§. Sect. 9 What is required in this Commandment, to wit, original righteousness, and spiritual Concupiscence.

IN the former Commandments, as we have shown, the Lord forbiddeth all external sins both in word and deed, together with the internal sins of the heart committed against our neighbors, which are joined with consent of the will, and commandeth the contrary virtues: and now in the tenth and last Commandment, that he might show his Law to be spiritual, and of such large extent, that nothing, no not the least motions or first thoughts are exempted, and out of the reach of it, he requireth the inward purity of the mind and imaginations, thoughts and intentions, heart and affections; and the rectitude, orderly and just government of them all for our own and our neighbors good: and contrariwise condemneth and forbiddeth, not only those gross kinds of concupiscence and lusts of the flesh, which are joined with consent of will, but even the first and least motions of evil concupiscence, which go before consent, which are the roots, seeds, and fountains of all other sins, as all evil thoughts, inclinations and desires which are repugnant with charity; yet thought of most, to be no sins, and free from the censure of law, the which the Papists do stiffly defend, making this concupiscence and lust after baptism to be no sin. Now this purity of mind and heart here required, consisteth of two parts, original righteousness, and perfect love of our neighbors and our selves, and the concupiscence of the Spirit. Original righteousness, is both a cleanness from all unrighteousness, and evil concupiscence against our neighbors, and a disposition and proneness to all the duties of charity; the which righteousness, the Lord having in our first creation planted in our natures, doth justly require it of us in his Law, though by our fall in the loins of our first parents we have lost it, and can never attain unto it in any perfection. Yea, he doth it not only in justice towards all, but also in mercy towards his elect, to this end, that seeing hereby their unrighteousness, corruption and misery in themselves, they might be forced to renounce themselves and their own righteousness, and flee unto Christ, that both they might be clothed with his righteousness, and by his Spirit be renewed according to his Image, in wisdom, holiness and righteousness. Contrariwise, here is forbidden evil concupiscence, which is either original concupiscence, or sin, as it is referred against our neighbors; the which is that habitual corruption of our natures, and that evil inclination and proneness to lust against our neighbors, contrary to the Law of God: or actual concupiscences, which are evil motions in our minds and hearts against our neighbors, both hurtful and foolish; which motions are either evil phantasies and thoughts of the mind, or evil affections and perturbations of the heart; all which inclining men to evil, are repugnant to charity.

§. Sect. 10 Of the Spirit lusting against the flesh.

The spiritual concupiscence here required containeth the good motions of the Spirit, and the lusting of the Spirit against the flesh. The good motions of the Spirit, are righteous & charitable cogitations in our minds concerning our neighbors, and like affections in our hearts towards them, which are to be embraced and nourished in us; and contrariwise, evil thoughts are to be shunned, which either are cast into men's minds by the devil, and are called his suggestions; or arise from original corruption and habitual concupiscence; and both of them either sleeping or waking. The lusting of the Spirit against the flesh, whereby we fight against our corruptions, and crucify the flesh with the lusts thereof, is here also commanded, and to be entertained and embraced of us. Of which I have written more fully in another Treatise.

§. Sect. 11 Of the means enabling us unto the obedience of this Commandment.

The means whereby we may be enabled to yield obedience to this Commandment, are of two sorts, first, such as tend to the attaining and preserving of the pureness of the heart, which are, First, to walk with God, seeking to approve our hearts unto him, who searcheth and trieth as well our secret thoughts and inclinations, as our outward words and actions. Secondly, to observe and watch over our hearts and senses, that no evil concupiscence do arise in us, or enter into us, or if they do arise, or be suggested, that we do not admit them, or forthwith extinguish and quench them. Secondly, to watch over our selves, that no evil concupiscence do arise in us, or enter into us, to which end a twofold care is needful, 1. When we are awake, to keep our minds occupied in good and holy meditations, and exercised about lawful things, not suffering them to be idle, or to wander about things vain & unlawful. 2. When we are to sleep, that we commend our souls into the hands of God, desiring him to keep them safe from temptations, and pure from concupiscences. Thirdly, to observe and guard our senses (especially our sight) by whose ministry the objects of concupiscence are represented to the mind. Fourthly, that we put on, and keep fast buckled unto us the whole spiritual Armor of God, which is mighty to cast down imaginations, and to subdue evil thoughts. And finally, that we frequently use fervent and effectual prayer unto almighty God, that he will assist and govern us with his holy Spirit, against all temptations and suggestions of the devil, the world, and our own flesh.

CAP. I.

That the duties of a godly life ought daily and constantly to be performed, and not by fits and spurts only.

§. Sect. 1 That the duties contained in the former Book, are to be performed daily and constantly upon every fit occasion.

AND thus have we entreated of the duties which are to be performed of all those who desire to lead a godly and Christian life. Now we are to show how all these duties of piety, righteousness, and sobriety, are to be daily and continually exercised of us, so far forth as our callings and occasions, means and opportunity will suffer and enable us. Neither is it possible that all these duties should be performed by every man, seeing diverse of them are appropriate to diverse persons, sexes, and callings; in which respect, the subject is not tied to perform the duties of the Prince, nor the Prince of the subject; the husband of the wife, nor the wife of the husband, &c. nor yet that all duties, common to all Christians, should be performed every day, seeing many times we want fit objects to exercise them upon, as also convenient time and leisure, ability and opportunity. But this is required of us, that at no time we commit anything against the holy Law of God, or think that any time, company, or other circumstance, can make sin seasonable; nor yet omit any of the former duties, when God requireth them at our hands, giving us fit objects, occasions, means, and ability to perform them: And that not only some spare time be allotted to these Christian duties, taking liberty to spend the remainder of our days after our own sinful lusts, or in the unlawful and base service of the world, and the prince thereof, for the worthless hire of earthly vanities; but we must be wholly taken up of them, and be still exercised in the practice of someone or other of them, as shall be most convenient, and will best sort with the advancing of the glory of God, and the spiritual and temporal good of our selves and our neighbors, in respect of means and occasions offered unto us. Neither must we think it sufficient unto a godly life to reserve his Sabbaths for God's service, and spend the rest of the week in the service of the world and our own lusts; nor that we serve him in some things, and these in others; nor on some other days besides the Sabbath, or some part only of every day, reserving the rest to live as we list. But we must constantly and continually, in everything, and at every time, perform service unto God in all our actions, and throughout our whole course and conversation; not only in abstaining from all sin which he hath forbidden, but also in performing of some Christian duty of holiness, righteousness, and sobriety, which he hath commanded, or in using the means whereby we may be enabled unto them. Neither is God alone served, when we perform some religious act, as praying, hearing the Word, singing Psalms, or some eminent works of charity and sobriety, but also in the meanest duties of the basest calling, yea even in our eating and drinking, lawful sports and recreations, when as we do them in faith, which not only assureth us that these actions are commanded of God and warranted by his Word, but that we and our works are accepted of him; and so enableth us to do them with cheerfulness and delight, as being not chiefly the service of men but of God. And also when in doing these our ordinary businesses which belong to our callings, we do repose our trust and affiance in God, that he will bless us in them, and give them such success, as shall be most for his glory and our good; and enjoy the fruit and benefit of them, as blessings sent from God with praise and thanksgiving. And when as in them we have an eye and due respect to God, seeking in them chiefly his glory, and doing them in love and obedience to his Commandments; and not for necessity only, praise or profit, fear of punishment, or hope of reward, which though we may respect secondarily and in some degree, in the ordinary actions of our lives, yet not first and principally, if we would be accounted to do God service in them. And in the next place, to our own and our neighbors mutual good, especially the enriching of us with spiritual graces, and the everlasting salvation of their and our own souls.

§. Sect. 2 That no time is exempted from God's service, proved first by testimonies of Scripture.

In which general sense if we take the service of God, and thus largely with these references, understand the Christian duties of a godly life, then is there no day, hour, or minute, wherein we are not to be exercised in some of them. And this appeareth both by testimonies of Scriptures and firm reasons. The Scriptures require that our whole lives be spent in the service of God, and that we daily perform unto him the duties of holiness, righteousness, and sobriety. So the Apostle would have us to walk daily, according as God hath directed us, and make his Word the rule of our conversation, from which we must never swerve, neither on the right hand nor on the left; and to keep a continual watch over our selves, lest there be at any time in any of us an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God; and to exhort one another daily, whilst it is called today, lest any of us should be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. The Apostle Peter persuadeth us to pass the whole time of our soiourning here in the fear of God, and not some part of it only, which we can best spare, and that we live no longer, the rest of our time in the flesh, according to the lusts of men, but the will of God, seeing the time past of our lives may be enough, yea far too much, to have walked and wrought after the will of the Gentiles. The grace of God appearing, hath taught us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly, whilst we continue in this present world. And therefore hath the Lord redeemed us, that being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. Of which, we have also examples in the Scriptures, in the Saints and servants of God, who after their conversion, passed their whole time in his fear, and spent their strength, in doing unto him continual service. So Enoch is said to have walked with God, that is, in the whole course of his pilgrimage to have kept him in his sight, and to have carried himself in all his actions as in his presence, that he might be accepted of him. And David, as he maketh it a mark of a blessed man, to meditate and exercise himself in the Law of God day and night, so doth he in many places show that it was his own practice. My mouth (saith he) shall show forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day, for I know not the numbers thereof. Euening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray and cry aloud. O how love I thy Law! it is my meditation all the day. I have inclined my heart to perform thy Statutes always, even unto the end. Every day will I bless thee, and will praise thy name forever and ever. So the Apostle saith of the whole Church of the Jews, that they did instantly serve God day night: and particularly of himself, that it was his continual exercise to have always a good conscience, void of offense towards God and towards men. But the best president of all for our imitation, is our Savior Christ, who spent his whole time in doing the works of him that sent him, in the day time preaching and doing miracles and works of mercy, that he might bring salvation unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and in the night sequestering himself for prayer & meditation in the mount of Olives. Secondly, God hath given his Law, not that we should sometimes observe his Commandments, and sometimes break them, but that we might observe them daily and continually, in all things and at all times; and that it might serve as a rule and squire, according unto which we are to frame our whole lives, and every particular action. For there he prescribeth duties to be performed at all times; on his Sabbath, and on the six days besides, the general duties which belong to all, and those that respect us in our particular callings; the duties of piety, whereby we offer unto him immediate service; and of righteousness and sobriety, whereby we serve him mediately, in doing the duties which he hath commanded towards our neighbors and our selves, because in doing them, we obey him. Whereby it appeareth, that there ought to be no time nor any action of our lives exempted from God's service, seeing he hath given us his Law, to serve for our direction at all times and in all things. Finally, the Word of God giveth unto us directions and rules, according to which we are to frame our whole lives, both in respect of persons and callings, as the duties of superiors and inferiors, fathers and children, magistrates and people, domestical and political, towards God, themselves, and one another; and also in respect of every part of the day, for the well beginning, continuing, and ending of it, and of all states and conditions, whether we be merry and cheerful, or sad and sorrowful, in sickness or in health, in poor or rich estate, prosperity or adversity; to show unto us that there is no time or state, wherein any man is left to his own liberty to live as he list, but that continually and in all conditions, every man is bound to conform his life in every particular action, according to God's revealed will. To which end, we are enjoined at all times to meditate and speak of God's Law and Commandments, to have them in our hearts, to teach them unto our children, at home and abroad, at our lying down, and at our rising up, and to bind them for a sign upon our hands, and as frontlets between our eyes. And so the Wiseman commandeth, that we bind them continually upon our hearts, and tie them about our necks; because when we go, it shall lead us, when we sleep, it shall keep us, and when we awake, it shall talk with us; the Law being such a lamp and light, as is sufficient to guide and direct us in all our ways.

§. Sect. 3 Divers reasons proving the necessity of the daily exercise of a godly life.

Secondly, this daily practice of all Christian duties, in the whole course of our lives, and in every particular action of them, may be enforced with these reasons; first, because the Lord hath created and redeemed, and doth continually preserve us to this end, that we should spend our whole lives in his service, by performing the duties of holiness and righteousness; and not some part only, reserving the rest for the service of the world, and the satisfying of our carnal lusts. Secondly, he giveth unto us the continual wages of his blessings and benefits for the present, and hath promised to give unto us the everlasting reward of heavenly happiness in the life to come, not that we should do our own wills and works, much less of his professed enemies, but that we approve our selves and our service unto him in all things, who hath given unto us this rich wages; and chiefly respect his glory in whatsoever we do, either in his immediate service, or in performing the duties which he hath commanded us towards our neighbors and our own persons; seeing we are bought at an high price, that we might no longer be our own, but his, and glorify him both in our souls and body, by offering unto him that service which he requireth. Thirdly, seeing it is the best wisdom to employ all and every of our actions to the best purpose, and no time is so well employed as in God's service, whether we respect God our chief Goodness, to whose glory all should tend, as unto their supreme end, or our own salvation, which by this and no other means can be assured unto us; and contrariwise, the greatest folly to spend our lives or any part of them in vain, to no purpose or profit, as all that time is, which is not taken up in God's service, by performing some duty of piety, righteousness, or sobriety, seeing those main ends, at which we ought in all things to aim, namely, God's glory in our own salvation, are not hereby advanced and furthered, but crossed and hindered. Fourthly, to be daily exercised in Christian duties, is the best means to keep our souls in good plight and state, by nourishing in them all saving graces; for as it is not enough to keep our bodies in a good case and habitude, that we preserve the vigor and strength of them, by seasonable and convenient food, unless we also digest it, and confirm our strength by fit exercise; so for the preserving of our souls in good state, it is not sufficient that we nourish God's graces in us, by hearing the Word, and feeding on this spiritual Manna, unless we daily exercise them in the performance of all Christian duties. And as it is the best means to preserve our souls in health, when they are well, so also to recover them, when through surfeits in sin, it declineth and is impaired; whereas if we have only some general purposes of living Christianly, or perform these duties but by fits and starts; we shall easily fall into spiritual consumptions of grace, and dangerous sicknesses of sin before we be aware, and when they have by neglect and customable continuing in them taken fast hold of us, we shall either not recover, or at least, with great difficulty.

§. Sect. 4 The many and great dangers which follow the neglect of this daily exercise.

Fifthly, we may be moved to this daily and continual exercise, by consideration of the many and great dangers which do accompany the neglect of it; first, because we shall move the Lord to withdraw from us his graces, when as we are secure & slothful in the exercise of them. For he giveth unto us these spiritual Talents, not that we should wastefully misspend them, or idly tie them up (as it were) in a napkin, and cast them in a corner, where they do no good; but that we should by employing, improve them to the glory of our Master, and good of our selves and our fellow-servants; which when we neglect to do, he will take them from us, and give them unto others, who will use them to more purpose and profit. And thus David growing secure, and beginning through sloth to remit something of his spiritual exercises, in which he had been formerly zealous, was left unto himself to fall into temptation, God withdrawing the assistance of his grace and holy Spirit, and so was overtaken of foul and gross sins. Secondly, without this daily exercise we shall soon fall off from all power of godliness, and grow by degrees from bad to worse, till there be no prints of goodness remaining in us. For our course and proceedings in piety is no natural motion, but against the current and stream, wind and tide of our corruption; and therefore we must at no time intermit our labor, for so we shall in short time be carried further back, then we can recover in a great space and with much labor; but we must be in continual exercise, and (as it were) with unwearied diligence ply the oar, until by death we arrive at the haven of happiness. Our hearts, like the plummets of a clock, draw us with the weight of their corruption downward, till they pitch themselves and rest upon earthly vanities, unless every day, yea many times a day, we pull them up, and give spiritual motion unto them by these Christian exercises. Thirdly, sin is so wily and deceitful, that if we cease from the duties of a Christian life, and intermit the keeping of a straight watch over our selves and actions, it will soon steal upon us, and fortify it self against all virtue and goodness. For though at the first it seemeth content, that we should but for a little space displace good duties, and give but a little way for a small while to the pleasures of it, yet it will increase in strength, coming to live (as it were) in its old home and proper element, and hardly leave its hold, or give way to the re-entry of those virtues and Christian duties which it formerly expelled. In which regard we shall be blessed, if fearing always, we stand continually upon our watch, and not only keep our souls strongly manned with saving graces, but take care that they may be daily trained and exercised in all Christian duties, that so we may not be beguiled and hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Lastly, there is no less danger from outward enemies, the world and the devil, if we neglect the daily exercise of a godly life. For the world, if it once find our hearts Dinah- like, straying from God, will easily ravish and defile them with her filthy pleasures; and when we have been at some time enticed to accompany her favorites in the delights of sin, we shall hardly get out of their embracements, nor purge our selves from that pollution wherewith they have tainted us. The devil also like a malicious enemy walketh about continually, and as a roaring Lyon seeketh to devour us; and if he find us at any time clean swept of God's graces, and garnished with the hellish ornaments of vices and sin, he will enter into us, and taking possession, reserve us for his own use. And therefore it behooveth us with like diligence to prevent his wiles and malice, by keeping our souls continually furnished with God's graces, and our selves exercised in all Christian duties, that so we may never be at leisure to admit of his temptations. And seeing this evil one is ready, even whilst we sleep, to sow his tares of temptations in our hearts (a ground too fruitful for such a grain) our care must be with like diligence, to cast out this hellish seed, that it take no rooting, or if it have, to weed them out as soon as they have sprouted up, and do outwardly appear in our words or actions.

§. Sect. 5 Another reason taken from our calling and profession.

The sixth reason to move us to this daily exercise, is taken from our calling and profession; for we are Citizens of heaven, and pilgrims on earth, and therefore though our bodies are here beneath, yet our conversation should be in heaven, and our minds and affections should be on things above; our speeches should be of those things that concern our own country, and in all our actions we must endeavor to further our journey towards our heavenly home; neither must we one while go forward, and another while backward, or idly sit still; we must not one part of the day go in the right way, and in another part err and wander in the by-ways of sin, but we must be still going forward and holding the right road, never turning out of it, till we come to our heavenly home. We are called to be God's servants, and therefore we must not devide our service between him and the world, seeing it is fit we do only his work from whom we receive so liberal wages; neither can we serve God and Mammon which are of so contrary a disposition: but whilst we incline to the one, we must of necessity neglect the other, as our Savior hath taught us. We are called to be his Soldiers, and therefore we must only fight his battles, and not spend some part of our life and strength in his service, and some part in fighting on the devils side, by quenching the good motions of God's Spirit, and contrary to the light of our own knowledge and consciences, neglect holy duties, and run on in such courses as are displeasing unto God. We are called to be God's laborers; and therefore we must intend our business, that it may prosper in our hand, and not undo in one day, that which we have done in another. We must not, like unskillful husbandmen, sometimes plant, and soon after pluck them up, one while sow good seed, & another while tares; nor like foolish builders, pull down one day, what we have set up in another; nor like unfaithful Watchmen, one while sit in the watch Tower, and soon after slothfully sleep, and give over our charge; nor like careless Pilots, guide the ship one day toward the wished haven, and the next, through sloth and negligence, let it roame whither the wind and tide will carry it, till it run upon the sands, & split it self against the rocks: But we must in the whole & daily course of our lives, give all diligence to make our calling and election sure, by holding a constant and continual course, in the Christian exercises of a godly life.

§. Sect. 6 The last reason taken from the uncertainty of our lives.

The last reason to move us unto the continual and daily exercise of Christian duties, is taken from the uncertainty of our lives, and when by death we shall be called to Judgment; For seeing we know not at what time our Master will come, it shall be our wisdom to keep our accounts always even, that we may be ready at all times without fear, to yield up our reckonings; and to carry our selves continually, like wise and faithful servants, in the exercise of holy, righteous, and Christian duties, that so we may be blessed, when our Lord coming upon the sudden, shall find us so doing: and because we are uncertain when the Bridegroom will come; let us, like the five wise Virgins, have our lamps and oil of faith, and lights of a godly life always prepared, that so we may enter with him into the marriage Chamber of heavenly happiness, and there eternally solace our selves in the fruition of his love; lest coming upon the sudden, in an hour that we think not, and taking us unprovided, without the lamp of profession, or the oil of grace, or the light of an holy conversation; either hunting after worldly profits and preferments by unlawful means, or with immoderate desires, or wallowing our selves in fleshly delights, he shut us out of doors, and utterly exclude us from having any communion, or interest with him in those heavenly joys.

CAP. II.

Of some special duties of a godly life, which are to be performed in our daily exercise: And first, of the renewing of our repentance.

§. Sect. 1 Of the daily renewing of our covenant with God, by the renewing of our faith and repentance.

BY the testimonies and reasons before alleged, we have made it evident, that it is not sufficient to serve God by fits and at sometimes, neglecting his service, and serving the world and our own lusts at another; but that the daily exercise of a godly life, in the continual performance of all Christian duties, is most profitable and necessary. And now it remaineth that we give some directions, for the well-performing of this daily exercise. To which end, we are to know that these duties, wherein we are daily to be exercised, are of two sorts. First, general, which are not only every day necessarily to be in some degree and measure performed, but also to be observed in every part of the day, and in all the particular acts and exercises of it, as occasion serveth. The second more special, and belonging more principally and properly unto the diverse parts and several occasions of every day. The former are more internal and spiritual between God and us, serving to set our hearts in due frame, and to make them constant and resolute to consecrate our selves wholly to God's service, and in all things to please him. The latter more external for the most part, and visible, which are the outward exercises proceeding from the other, and (as it were) the pleasant fruits which spring from those inward and hidden roots. The first main duty, which ought to be of every Christian daily and duly performed, is to confirm, and in some sort to renew the Covenant of grace between God and us in Jesus Christ, wherein God for his part doth of his free grace promise the remission of all our sins, his spiritual graces, his favor and reconciliation, justification and adoption, his holy Spirit with all spiritual and temporal gifts and graces in this world, and everlasting life and salvation in the world to come, in and for his Son Christ. And we for our part do promise and covenant, that we will receive and embrace Christ with all these benefits by a lively faith, and bring forth the fruits thereof in hearty repentance and new obedience. The which Covenant, is the main ground and foundation of all the good things we receive from God in this life, and of all the joy and comfort which we take in them; and of our future hopes and happiness in the life to come. And therefore as Citizens do chiefly look to the preservation and establishment of the grand Charter, that containeth all their privileges: And as Soldiers in time of a siege, do every day look unto their main fortifications and bulwarks, and if they be any way shattered and shaken in the last assaults, do with all care and diligence repair and strengthen them: So must we who profess our selves Citizens of the spiritual Zion and heavenly Jerusalem, use all good means to ratify this Charter, which is the chief assurance of all the good which we either now can have, or hereafter expect; and seeing in the time of our spiritual warfare, Satan with his assistants seek to shake and weaken this chief Tower of our strength, with the engines and Canon shot of their temptations; therefore we must daily have a special eye to this our principal Bulwark, and use continually all good means, whereby the breaches may be repaired and strengthened against the next assault. And howsoever we are after a more principal manner to renew and confirm our Covenant with God at set and solemn times, as generally before we come to the Lord's Table, and specially in the time of thanksgiving, for some singular and extraordinary benefits, or of extraordinary humiliation in respect of some sins, into which, after our conversion we have relapsed; or some grievous afflictions, from which we desire to be delivered; or some dangerous sickness, the usual fore-runner of death and Judgment, as we shall more fully show hereafter: yet seeing we must daily and hourly live by faith; and seeing faith hath no other ground to rest upon, for the applying and appropriating of any of God's benefits, but the Covenant of grace which he hath made with us, the which, though on God's part it be more immooueable then the rocks and mountains, yet is often shaken in respect of our weak apprehension, even as a rock may seem to move, when it is lightly touched with a trembling hand, & a mountain to shake, when as it is beheld with a weak and quiuering eye; who seeth not how necessary it is to use daily all good means, whereby we may make this covenant which is so strong in it self, to be also strong unto us, and a firm foundation whereupon we may build our joy and comfort?

§. Sect. 2 Of the daily renewing of our repentance. First, by recalling our sins to remembrance; And secondly, by humbling our selves before God in the sight and sense of them.

Now the principal means of renewing and confirming this covenant of grace, is, daily to renew the condition on our part, which is a lively faith, approved by the fruits of it in unfeigned repentance. The which latter, because it is the infallible sign and touch stone of the former, and the outward and sensible fruit, which assureth us of the hidden root, that it liveth and groweth, I will in the first place speak of our daily exercise in renewing of our repentance; unto which is required, first, that we call to our remembrance our former sins, together with the cursed root of original corruption from which they spring; but especially the sins, frailties and falls, which have overtaken us since the last time that we performed this exercise, to which purpose it behooveth us to keep a strict and narrow watch over all our thoughts, words and works, that these spiritual enemies of our souls may not slily pass by, or secretly lurk in us vnespied, and consequently unrepented of; and also to take special mark of them, that they do not slip out of our mind and memory. For which end we must look our selves often in the glass of God's Law, & examine our lives by this rule, that so we may take notice of our spiritual spots and deformities, of our errors and averseness to good, & proneness to evil, and so bring them into the Court of conscience, that being thereby, in the presence of God our supreme Judge, accused & condemned, our hearts may be smitten with godly sorrow in the sight and sense of them, and affected with a loathing and mislike of our former evil proceedings; according to the practice of the faithful, foretold by the Prophet: Then shall ye (saith he) remember your former evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loath yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities, and for your abominations. The neglect of which duty is reproved and condemned in the people of the Jews: I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright, no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? everyone turned to his course, as the Horse rusheth into the battle. Secondly, Humiliation is here also required, in which, diverse things ought to concur; first, when we have called our sins to our remembrance, and set them in order before us, we must in the sight and sense of them have melting, relenting, broken, and contrite hearts and spirits, which will truly mourn with bitter grief, because by our sins we have displeased so gracious and good a God, who hath multiplied upon us so innumerable benefits and blessings, both in temporal and spiritual things, especially in giving his only Son to the death for us, when as we were strangers and enemies unto him. Upon which consideration we must, looking upon him whom we have pierced, mourn for him, as a man mourneth for his only son, and be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first borne. We must not slight over our sorrow, but labor with Peter to weep bitterly, and with the Israelites, to pour forth our melting souls before God, like water drawn out of a well; and finally, with David we must labor to bring our mourning for sin into daily practice; Every night (saith he) make I my bed to swim, and I water my couch with my tears. And if through the hardness of our hearts, we cannot thus sorrow for our sins, we must be grieved, because we can be no more grieved, and lament the hardness of our hearts, because we can no more heartily bewail them. Which if it be unfeigned, then will it move us to use carefully the means whereby our grief for sin may be increased; as to meditate on the innumerable multitude, and the grievous heinousness of our sins, the manifold imperfections and corruptions of our best actions, the majesty, power and greatness, the infinite goodness and graciousness of God towards us, against whom we have committed them, our own baseness and vileness, who have provoked to wrath so infinite a majesty, the small and contemptible inducements which have allured and enticed us to offend so merciful a Father, even the base baits of worldly vanities; our continuing in these sins without repentance, notwithstanding that the Lord hath given us so manifold and effectual means of reformation and amendment, as the preaching of the Gospel, admonitions, instructions, reprehensions, the good motions of his Spirit checking us for our sins, and inciting us to holy duties; his promises alluring us to serve him; his threatenings terrifying us that we may not offend him; his mercies and benefits encouraging us to all good; his chastisements and fatherly corrections discouraging and stopping us in our evil courses: notwithstanding all which helps and means, we have impenitently continued in our sins, without any reformation; our dishonoring of God hereby, who hath been so gracious and bountiful unto us, and abusing of his mercies, patience and long suffering, which should have led us to