THE HOLY PILGRIM, Leading the way to HEAVEN. OR A Divine Direction in the way of Life, containing a familiar exposition of such secrets in Divinity, as may direct the simple in the way of their Christian Pilgrimage. In two Books. The first declaring what man is in the misery of himself. The second, what man is in the happiness of Christ.  
Written by C. L. Nostrum in coelo negotium.  
LONDON, Imprinted by Bar: Alsop for William Barringer, and are to be sold at his shop at the great North door of S. Paul's Church. 1618.   

TO THE WORSHIPFUL, MASTER NEWTON, TUTOR to the Prince, and Deane of Durham▪ Master Murrey, Tutor to the Duke of York, & Master of Sherborne house, and to the Reverend Society of Prebends of the Church of Durham.  
MAy it please you, Charity is the great office of Christianity and humanity: for the laws of God and nature enjoin all men the works of common profit. Therefore is action better than contemplation, because this doth respect our private only, but that doth give itself into the common Treasure of men's prosperities.  
This cause hath made me undertake these pains. For though I am yet unprofest in any particular place of charge, either in the Church or state, whereby I might employ (my little) to more advantage, yet my very being a Christian doth challenge from me the best performance I can, for the common good.  
The reasons of my dedication are these. First, there is none of you to whom I own not some respect of duty, but to you two Principals, principal respects; the whole Kingdom being in debt to your labours, which God make prosperous to his glory; and for the honour of (this our little world) great Britain. Again, I did purpose you a book, which might have done some service to your princely charge, and in whose argument I did profess to be much more able then in this. That being (for a time) stayed from printing, by their authority in the State, that may command me, I have presumed with this (such as it is) entreating you to give it your allowance of favour, because I freely cast it into the common Treasure.  
God make all your labours respect the glory of his name, that you may live in the honour of his service, and obtain the reward of faithfulness.  
Your worships in the double bonds of duty and love, CHRISTOPHER Lever.   

The Preface to the Reader.  
CHristian Reader, the visible Church is compared to a Vineyard, God is the master of it, his Ministers are his Labourers, his people his vines. Our great Master God, giveth his entertainment to none but labourers: yet in this Vineyard are both loiterers and lookers on. The true Labourers are they who in that sacred profession faithfully endeavour their best diligence. And these blessed ones shall receive from God, this happy sentence: It is well done, good & faithful servants, 
Mat. 25. 21, 23.  ye have been faithful in little, I will make you rulers over much: enter ye into your masters joy.  
The loiterers are half labourers. These are like the Scribes and Pharisees, that sit in Moses seat, but walk not in his steps. And their voice is jacobs', 
Gen. 27. 22  but their hands are Esau's: their words are holy, but their works are profane, they can deliver the doctrines of the Gospel, but not live in the duties of the law. And to these will God be terrible in the day of trial, & tell them that though they have cast out Devils, and done wonders in his name; yet he will deny them for his, 
Mat. 7. 22. 23.  & bid them departed (because) they are workers of iniquity.  
The lookers on are of two sorts, they are either nolentes, or non valentes. The first sort are such as can, but will not labour in their spiritual office; these are they that love ●ase, and fat themselves with prosperity, and then (like Acsops' hen) they are so fat they cannot lay, and like that rich fool in the Gospel, that said unto his soul, Soul, 
Luk. 12. 19  thou hast much goods laid up for many years, live at ease, eat, drink, and take thy pastime. But God will deride such folly, and tell them that their life is but a days length. For at night their souls shall be taken from them, 
Verse 20.  & than whose shall all those things be that they have provided?  
The last and lest worthy in God's vineyard, are such as neither will nor can discharge the duties of their place. These idle Priests, are like Idol God's t●at represent those things which (indeed) they are not. And to these will Christ say, as in the Parable of the marriage: 
Mat. 12. 12  Friends how came ye in hither, which have no wedding garment? And doubtless it cannot but be a very desperate presumption to undertake this charge without some convenient proportion of sufficiency. Now if any man ask me how came these things thus to pass? I will answer with the Gospel. The envious man hath done this. 
Mat. 13. 28.  The Devil that wretch envying the prosperity of the Gospel, 
Verse 30.  hath sown his tars among God's wheat, which must grow up together, until the day of the general harvest.  
By this little of muc●, mayest thou understand (Christian Reader) in what fashion the world is now suited: the greater number of men, turning their eyes of care from God and Religion, to look to things of this world, with affectation. But be thou persuaded, that whatsoever he be, of what estate, degree, or condition soever, that doth not respect God, and the common cause of religion, more than his own private, he may haply have the name of a Christian, but doubtless, he hath the mark of a reprobate, and God will both despise and judge him in the general day. For in this case are men disposed as jobs cattle were: His Oxen were ploughing, 
job. 1. 14  and his Asses feeding. So the better sort of men do ever travel the common cause, but the worse their own particular only, and therefore worthy a worse comparison than jobs asses. This knowledge have I thought fit to give thee by way of admonition, that thou mayest pity the common cause, and be zealously affected in thyself with a desire of thy own reformation. God succeed thee in all thy works of holiness, and may it be his pleasure that these poor labours of mine may be some cause of thy reducing.  
Amen.   

The Contents of the Chapters contained in this Book.  

The first Book.  
OF God. Chap. 1  
Of the creation of the World, Chap. 2  
Of the Angels, their nature, their fall. Chap. 3.  
Of man his first beginning, & the state of his innocence. Chap. 4  
Of the state of man's innocence before his fall. Chap. 5.  
Of original sin, the fall and apostasy of man. Chap. 6.  
Of the moral law of God, the ten commandments. Chap. 7  
Of the accusation of conscience. Chap. 8   

The second Book.  
OF the Gospel, the new covenant, or the covenant of grace. Chap. 1▪  
Of Christ jesus, the sum of the Gospel. Chap. 2  
Of repentance, the sorrow of the soul for sin. Chap. 3  
Of Mortification. Chap. 4  
Of Regeneration or now Birth. Chap. 5.  
Of justification. Chap. 6.  
Of the temporary death, and of the several estates of salvation and damnation. Chap. 7  
Of God's glory. Chap. 8.    

OH happy life when vain affections die,  
And when our hearts can holy works desire:  
And when our souls with meditation fly  
To God, who did them in our flesh inspire,  
How base is earth to heaven that is above?  
How wild we value all, when God we love?  Potest miser dici, qui non potest esse. Seneca.  
THE FIRST PART OF DIVINE DIrection, declaring the variable state of man, from the time of his Creation, to the time of his Regeneration.  

Of God. Chap. 1.  
WHen I first began to understand of GOD, I had this imagination: that God was a general power, 
The general knowledge of God.  within whose Circle all things are, without whom nothing; by whom all things were made, and to whom all men own their service.  
This learning was taught me by the wisdom of my Natural soul, and by the common example of Christians: for all men acknowledge a God, and all Christians this duty. This is the common knowledge, but not the profitable; more commendable in Philosophers than Christians: being without use, 
How to know God, with use.  without application. I have therefore better endeavoured myself, and studied to know God my God: to know him in his Divine nature, in the Trinity of persons, and in their offices; for thus to know, 
To know God's nature.  and then to apprehended and apply, is salvation. To know GOD in his nature, 
His attributes.  we must know his attributes; all which may be reduced to these two generals, justice and Mercy: in all which we must consider him to be infinite; infinite in wisdom, infinite in favour, 
The Trinity.  infinite in power, infinite in time. The Trinity is the distinction of persons without dividing the substance or nature of God: the Father, Son, and holy Ghost, though they be three distinct in Name, they are one in power, without division, without inequality. The Son begotten as ancient as the Father; the holy Ghost proceeding from both, equal with both; no priority in their omnitencie; but all of them being alike able in all things, always conspiring one end without discord. 
The foundation of Religion.  This divine mystery is the foundation of Christian religion, without which there is no faith, no salvation.  
It is further necessary to know the Trinity in their several offices; for though the Godhead be so undivided, 
The several offices in the Trinity.  as that no one person in the Trinity doth work without cooperation, the Father, Son, and holy-Ghost conspiring in every act of every several person; yet in the wisdom of their own Decree, they have determined to the several persons of the Trinity, 
The Trinity conspire in every work.  several executions of Offices: wherein though the whole TRINITY conspire, yet some one Person in the Trinity hath the name of Principal: 
The Creator.  therefore we say, GOD the Father made the World, the Son redeeemed it, 
The Creation ascribed to God the Father, the Son, and holy Ghost, cooperating.  the Holy Ghost doth govern it. The Creation of the world is ascribed to God the Father, yet he made the world, and the works therein by his Word. This Word was God, the second person in the Trinity, who did cooperate & work with God in the Creation. The holy Ghost also moved upon the Waters, to divide the Seas and distinguish light: all of them jointly and severally executing the Decrees of their own divine council. 
Redemption ascribed to God the Son.   
The work of Redemption is properly ascribed to Christ, the second Person, who descended his Majesty, and in his own person came to make a conquest, of Sin, 
The Father and the holy Ghost cooperating The holy Ghost doth govern the Word.  Hell, and Death: Yet in this most gracious work, the Father and the holy Ghost were not absent, but gave divine assistance to our Blessed Saviour JESUS. Christ when he ascended, left the holy Ghost to be a patron to the Catholic Church, the which in all occasions doth support every member of the same; yet the Father and the Son have their hands of providence, 
The Father and the Son assisting.  at all times working with the holy Ghost, in this divine government. Therefore howsoever they have several assignments, by themselves appointed, 
One labour, one honour in the Trinity.  yet they all conspire in every work of holiness, all of them participating one labour, one honour.  
Thus to know God is needful for every soul that desireth happiness, or that coveteth to have part in the righteousness of JESUS CHRIST, without whom there is no Salvation.  

The Use.  
GOD being then of a Nature infinitely good, 
The use.  infinite great, it aught to move in every soul a double affection, love, and fear: to fear him because he can destroy: to love him, because he will not. It aught also to provoke all men to an imitation of GOD: that such to whom God hath given greatness, 
Men must live in God's imitation.  they use it with the moderation of mercy, which only is able to make the great good, and the honourable in place, honest of condition. For as GOD is, so good men, their souls are his Images, and their actions, his imitations.  
Again, 
Use 2.  GOD is a power, distinguished in three persons; the power is not divided; every Person in the Trinity, having the Deity equally, and in just comparison; all of them but one God▪ and every person GOD, all of them conspiring the same ends from Eternity to Eternity. This aught, but is not the condition of men. Princes and the great on Earth, are called Gods; these aught (like God) to combine themselves in holy action, 
Psal, 82. 6.  and to bend their power against the enemies of God and man, sin and the sinful; and not with implacable displeasure to destroy themselves, 
Such as are merely politic, and respect greatness without goodness.  their estates with civil disagreements. For though God say, they are Gods, he saith, they shall dye like men: and if evil men, they are then no Gods, but devils, enemies to God, enemies to the good. And as in the nature of God, mercy doth triumph and hath pre-eminence: so in all the godly, there is a gracious pity, with which they are most affected, 
Mercy the best proof of goodness.  and God himself best pleased.   

Special Application.  
When I had thus considered the nature of God, 
Special application.  his omnipotency, his mercy, and other attributes, 
This care is every man's duty.  it caused me to question my own life, and search the records of my own actions; whereby I understood the truth of my misery; that I was guilty, 
Man's deserrs.  and deserved death and torment, and that the justice of God would give sentence against me. Than was the knowledge of God's Majesty a terror to me, 
The effects of a guilty conscience.  I conceived in my fear the very forms of his indignation, and I began to feel in my soul the very torment of condemnation; as if God had given sentence, and my soul in the sense of execution. In this astonishment I remembered mercy, 
Mercy gives hope in greatest extremities.  and that God was so delighted in the use thereof, as that he carefully watcheth cause and opportunity to give it. I did therefore acknowledge and submit myself to favour: God did descend his greatness, 
Acknowledgementmost necessary.  accepted my acknowledgement, and gave me the allowance of his mercy; then I reduced to memory what my Saviour had done for the redemption of mankind, what he had promised the Faithful, what the penitent. I believed, received strength, and had my Hope established: 
The promises that belong to the faithful, and penitent only.  and growing bold with these encouragements, I desired & obtained the Son of God, to restore me the Spirit of God, to continued me restored, reform. Than could my soul receive content in Divine meditations; then I could despise the earthly profits, and the vain pleasures of men: 
How to understand the world.  call them, and esteem them as dung, filthy, and that maketh filthy. Than I could justly value the honours off this life, weigh them with Vanity, and esteem them lighter. Than I could discern Virtue in Poverty, 
How to judge of good and evil.  and Holiness in a contemptible degree of Fortune. I could see the Patient bear their load with alacrity, and secretly scorn at the base estimation of Earth. 
The benefit of patience.   
Thus a reformed judgement can teach to know and love, know and hate: let me love, 
To love & hate.  and be beloved of GOD: let me hate, and be hated of the world.    

¶ Of the Creation of the World. Chap. 2.  
THe creation 
The Creation.  of the world hath been the admiration of all men that knew not GOD, 
The reason why the Creation is not believed of the-infidels.  neither believed Scripture: the reason was, because their understandings (wanting Divine light,) were not able to comprehend the knowledge of so high a secret. Therefore the Philosophers have vainly and diversly disagreed in their several constructions of the beginning of the World: 
The vain opinions of Philosophers.  Some denying that the World ever had beginning, but that it was derived (by the power of Nature) from all Eternity, 
Their fond arguments. Epicures.  and had eternal perpetuity. To maintain which absurdity, they would demand how GOD made the World; what instruments he used in the building of so wonderful a frame, 
The answer.  etc. Wherein may appear their gross misunderstanding of God his Nature, that he (like man) could not work without the help of means and instruments: others more learned, more true, concluded that of necessity the world must have beginning, and that there was a power Eternal, which made, moved, and governed all things, and that the world was not eternal: they had this sufficient argument, that the World did suffer detriment, and decay in itself: the Elements had lost the purity of their Nature which they had in the beginning: the movings of the Spheres and Celestial bodies, (which of all worldly things are most constant) had endured some alteration; 
All worldly things subject to alteration.  so that nothing in the world but did suffer and change, which could not be if it were eternal. This grounded reason did convince the common opinion of the World's eternity: and did prevail with them that could not be persuaded but by the power of Reason. This I writ, not to persuade Christians, but Insidels and Epicures: that they, who deny the judgement of Divinity, may be judged by Reason, and the wisdom of Nature; 
The judgement of Reason.  which alone is able to Convince all opposition. But to Christians I will only writ what GOD saith: 
How to satisfy & persuade Christians.  for that may serve to inform and satisfy every one that is Faithful. Moses the servant, the witness of Almighty God, being inspired by the holyghost, hath left recorded to all posterity, the manner of the Creation of the World: 
The Scripture able, and only able to satisfy  to which authority, (not only myself) but every Faithful Christian doth confidently adhere, 
Gen. 1.  disclaiming all contradiction, all diversity.  
In the story of the Creation, is principally considered the Creator, GOD; and the Creatures, the work of God's creation. In the Creator is considered his power, 
A compendious understanding of the creation.  his purpose; his power in being able by his Word to finish a work of such admiration. His purpose (not that he needed any thing that he had made, to supply any defect in his Divinity) but for the use of a creature which afterwards he was to make, even man: to whom he gave the Heavens, 
The World was made for man, & man for God.  the Earth, and all the host of them for servants, reserving man for the service of himself only. In the Creatures is considered their original or matter of their Creation: and the order wherein they were created. 
The matter of the creation, nothing.  This Original was nothing: for God created all things by the power of his Word, without matter, there being nothing, whereof to make anything. 
The order God observed.  The order observed in the Creation was, that God determining the World and the works therein for the service of man, would (before he made man) store the world (man's house) with every needful providence, 
The World man's house.  that man (at the very instant of his being) might know himself to be in the fullness of God's favour: nothing wanting which might either administer to his pleasure or necessity. 
The several days work.  Again, in the Creatures themselves, 
1. Light:  God observed a special order. First, he created Light, without which the works of his greatness had not been visible. Secondly, he created Heaven, 
2. Heaven.  giving that priority for the excellence and dignity of the place. 
3 The separation of waters.  Next, he made a separation of the Earth and Waters, and gave the Earth a generation of all Plants, and Trees bearing seed. Than he placed in the Firmament, the Planets, and Fixed Stars, 
4. He sto storeth the Firmament  the which serve not 〈◊〉 for Light, and to distinguish seasons, but also (by their influence) for the generation and government of living creatures. Than God furnished the two Elements of Water and air, 
5. Fish and Birds.  with creatures of that kind. Last of all, he stored the Earth with the Creatures which live on that Element; 
6 Creatures living upon the Earth.  and when he had finished the Creation of all things, he then made Man after his own similitude, and gave him the possession of the World, 
When and how man was made.  and the creatures he had made: giving him interest in all, and power over all, 
The power God gave him.  without exception. This knowledge of the Creation, is necessary in the understanding of every Christian of careful conscience; with which knowledge, the less Learned may satisfy themselves: 
The evil of curiosity.  avoiding the curious search of such nice questions, as may distracted the simple, and avail not to salvation.  

The general Use.  
The Knowledge of the power of God, in Creating the World doth admonish and remember all men: 
The Use.  that seeing GOD created all things, by the power of his Word, therefore the main interest, and principal claim to all things created, remaineth to God only; he being the absolute owner without competitor; 
The main interest of all things is in God.  and that man hath only the use and communication of God's creatures, and that only with condition and limitation of time. Secondly, it doth persuade a reverence to the Majesty of God, and a fear of his displeasure: for that GOD, who is able by his Word to created of nothing any thing, is able also by his Word to destroy any thing, and make it nothing, or worse than nothing.  
The purpose of the Creation of the world by God, 
The purpose of Gods creating the World.  being for the use & service of man, doth remember all men, that the measure of the love of God to mankind, is infinite, who of his own election, did please to make a Creature of such nobleness, 
The infinite measure of God's love.  as to be called his Resemblance and Image; giving him a soul of such Divine nature, as nothing but God can be more: for whose sake God made the world, & stored it with the plenty of all things which might be fit either for use or Ornament: all which God hath given man, 
Every thing Created, is either for use or ornament.  only requiring acknowledgement and thankful service; which condition if a man perform, God will then a thousand fold double his favours. And whereas these are but transitory & passable pleasures, God will make them eternal and unexpressible, both in number and worth: For he that proveth a faithful servant, God will make him a Son, & crown him with the glory of his Saints, 
God, will make his servants his Sons.  in the Kingdom of glory, where there is a perpetuity of all happiness.  
Secondly, 
Secondly.  the purpose of Gods creating the World, for the use of man, doth admonish all men to use the Creatures of GOD with moderation and Christian judgement; 
How to use God's creatures.  not to despise them because they are Gods creatures, not to adore them, because they are but Creatures: but so to use them, as they may supply that purpose for which GOD created them.  
Thirdly, 
Thirdly.  seeing GOD created the world for mankind, it doth remember us not to appropriate the Creatures of God to our own private ends, but to communicate their use with all such as shall need them: 
All men have propriety in all God's creatures.  for God gave not the world to Adam only, but to his posterity also: therefore every man is lawfully interested in the enjoying of God's creatures, if by lawful and allowable means he can attain them. Again, if a Christian man's necessity require relief, and favourable supportation, 
Note.  he hath a righteous claim to some part of the superfluous possessions of others: and he that shutteth up his compassion against such necessity, is guilty of injustice, and must answer the fault at the bar of Death. For God he maketh his Sun to shine upon all indifferently, 
God gave the world to mankind and not to any particular.  and he hath given the World and the Creatures therein to mankind generally, and not to one man, one Family or one kingdom. This may reach and judge the merciless, who can see and not relieve the extremities of men, of Christian men.   

Special application.  
The meditation of this power, of this love of God, in craving a World of creatures for the service of man, 
Special application.  and seeing it hath pleased him to make me a reasonable soul, and a sharer of these infinite blessings: I have advised with my soul to declare myself in all dutiful demonstrations to my God: and to use the creatures he hath given me, with that moderation he hath commanded: I have made a Covenant with my soul, 
We aught not to appropriate that which God hath made common.  that I will not appropriate that to my private, which God nath made common. If God give me abundance, I will open my liberality, I will give as God doth, to all, but carefully to the wants of faithful men. I will remember that what I have, I must use, what I use not I must bestow, lest God's talents be without employments, and so God discharge me of trust. If God give me wisdom and knowledge more than others, I will not be silenced, 
How to employ God's talents.  I will not obscure the grace and gift of God, I will not deny God, I will not deny the world my service, but in whatsoever God shall enable me, in that I will be industrious. If I can do nothing of desert, or common profire, yet I will waste my hours in holy meditation. 
A holy life is a continual travel.  I have vowed I will still travel in holy exercise. When I cannot profit generally, I will pray generally. We are all the creatures of one God, the word of God gave form to every creature: therefore every thing that presents my eye, shall move my holy meditations. 
How to occasion an holy meditation.  When I behold the wonderful frame of heaven, I shall revise on the creation, and admire God his mercy, his majesty. I shall remember the happiness of heaven, and refresh my adversity with hopeful confidence. When I consider the earth, 
Where to repose our hope.  I shall remember the baseness of my beginning, what I was in sin, what I am in grace. This shall teach me to deny myself, 
To deny ourselves is to gain ourselves.  and wholly to depend on the favour of God. When I see unreasonable, noisome, or evil creatures, I shall have cause of acknowledgement: for God might have made me so, or worse. Lastly, when I shall see wicked men proud themselves in their vanities, I shall both pity and glory: 
Pity can respect our enemies.  pity the misery of their souls, & glory the Fortune of my own. And thus with these and such meditations my soul shall breathe content.    

¶ Of the Angels, their Nature, their fall. Chap. 3.  
THat the angels were created is most certain: 
The creation of Angels is supposed to be the first day of the Creation.  the time of their creation is not certain, but doubtful & diversly believed: many men spend their judgements in conjectures: all such are more curious than Wife, because the truth thereof cannot certainly be determined: neither if it could, were the knowledge thereof necessary, or material to salvation: for whatsoever knowledge is necessary for the happiness of our souls, 
Note.  is by God himself taught in the testimony of holy Scriptures. This knowledge of the time of the creation of Angels, being not taught by God, doth make the search thereof unprofitable, 
Ignorance is better than unprofitable knowledge. God's denying is a forbidding.  unlawful: for God doth nothing at peradventure, but all things in judgement, and with the advise of his divine wisdom. God then having denied this knowledge, doth forbidden the search of this unknown, unprofitable knowledge. That which I desire to know, which I desire to teach, is contained in the testimony of holy Scripture; the which denying me this knowledge of the creation of Angels, I forbear to search the knowledge of God's secrets; 
All necessary knowledge to salvation is contained in the scripture.  and be content rather to be thought ignorant, then audaciously bold with forbidden knowledge.  
That which is needful to be known of Angels, 
The nature, the office of Angels. The nature of their substance, Their quality. Power. Their office.  is their nature, their office. In their nature must be considered what they are in substance, what in quality. Their substance is of the nature of our souls; pure and spiritual, eternal (in respect of ending) and without corruption. In their quality is considered their power; being at all times, and upon all occasions able for the execution of God's service. Their office is, that they are Gods messengers; their employment is either in judgements or mercies. This compendium is the knowledge of them all in general before the fall and apostasy of Angels; all of them, 
The good and evil Angels were all created in one nature.  the Angels and those that now are Devils, being at their first creation, of one quality, one power, and one excellence of nature. After the fall of Angels, who for their unsupportable pride, were cast from the presence of God into enternall darkness & damnation, the Angels divided themselves. The better part keeping their first estate, 
How the Angels were divided from the Devils.  kept their entertainment with God, and continued his favour and service. The worse dividing themselves, left the service of God, 
●●at the devils la●our.  and the fellowship of good Angels, bend their whole endeavour against God, against his blessed● Angels, and against the Saints that love and serve him. This apostasy and division of Angels, hath divided them in their natures, & in their offices: 
The care of ●ood angels  the good angels ever labouring the good of men: the evil angels to hinder and prevent the goodness of God, and good angels; labouring by all means to bring mankind to their own condemnation. In their offices likewise they disagrce; 
The full opposition of he good & ●ill angels.  for God doth commonly employ his good Angels in his works of mercy, and favourable protection. The Devils he employeth in his judgements and corrections, not that he needeth their service, but that he forceth them against their wills to his obedience: these several employments of the good and evil angels, are not always of necessity though very common: for God doth often make his good angels destroy and inflict vengeance: and the Devils he can use in his works of greatest mercy. And this the Devils do not with content, 
God can apply the Devils in the work of his own glory.  but are either forced by the unresistible power of God, or else they deceive themselves in the end of their own workings, God making that which they intent for evil, to reach an end far beyond, 
In his works of mercy.  and contrary to their expectation and purpose.  
There is this difference also in the executions of their several offices; 
The difference in the. liberty of good and evil angels  the good Angels have both liberty and pleasure in the service of almighty God; and they labour with content & alacrity. The devils have neither liberty nor pleasure, but being fettered with limitations, cannot do what they would, 
And as good and evil angels, so good and evil men.  but what they are only licensed. The angels are Gods servants, the devils are his slaves: both labour in his work, but with great inequality. Now to prove the substance of this doctrine by the testimony of Scripture, I might enlarge myself with the number of authorities; the which because they are frequent, I will produce only somefew, such as may satisfy doubt. In the 104. Psalm, the Prophet admiring and praising God for his wonderful creating and governing the Word, in the fourth vers. 
Psal. 104. 4.  he saith: God made the spirits, (that is, the Angels) Messengers, and a flaming fire his Ministers. This verse is again alleged by the author to the Hebrews: who to prove the pre-eminence of the Son of God, 
Hebr. 1. 6.  saith: that all the Angels worship him, and proveth by the testimony of the Prophet David, 
Hebr. 1. 7.  that Angels are but Messengers, or Ministers: & that they are of a substance like fire or pure air. By which testimony is proved both the nature and the office of Angels: their nature, that they are spirits like fire; their office, that they are Ministers of Messengers. Their office is again repeated in the 14. verse: Are they not all Ministering Spirits, 
Verse. 14.  sent forth to minister for their sakes, which shall be heirs of salvation; by which is declared the purpose of their ministration & service: that is, for the benefit of God's Elect, both to prevent the enemy, and to further them in their holy exercise. To prove the power of Angels, we may remember what God by an Angel did for the Israelites in Egypt; 
Exod. 14.  what he did when he brought them out by an Angel. 
2. King. 12. 35.  God destroyed of saneherib's Host in one Night 185000. 
Dan. 6. 16.  An Angel preserved Daniel from the Lions: 
Act. 12. 7.  delivered the Apostles out of Prison: 
Dan. 3. 23.  the three Children from the Furnace: the Scripture is full of the demonstrations of their powerful acts, God working his admirable effects by the service of his Angels. Again, if we reduce to memory, the most memorable of all God's mercies, we shall find that in the execution, his Angels are either Ministers, or Messengers, and often both.  
To omit all other particulars, that most worthy, most meritorious and happy: the Redemption of mankind, by the birth, and by the death of jesus Christ; were not the Angels continual workers in that ministration? God sent his Angel Gabriel to bring the first news thereof, 
Luk. 1. 26. etc.  to the most blessed Virgin Marie. 
Luk. 29.  Secondly, 
Luk. 2. 13.  as soon as Christ was borne of the Virgin, the holy Angel did publish and preach it to the Shepherds; multitudes of Heavenly Soldiers praising and magnifying God for so great a benefit. How often did the Angels visit and comfort our Saviour? The Devil could acknowledge that God had given his Angels charge to provide, 
Luk. 4. 10. 11.  that his Son should not hurt his foot (that is) should not perish in the lest particular. Christ being in his agony upon the mount, there appeared an Angel to him, comforting him. At his resurrection the Angels attend, and are the first publishers of that blessed news. 
Luk. 22. 43. 44.  Lastly, 
Luk. 24. 4.  at his ascension the holy Angels attend to bring him to the bosom of his Father, 
Act. 1. 10. 11.  comforting the Apostles with the promise of his return. Thus we see by testimony of Scripture, what the Angels are, what their office is, 
The gracious disposition of good Angels.  and how they are affected; of so gracious a disposition, & so inclinable to the good of men, that they have joy and consolation in Heaven among themselves at the Conversion of a sinner. 
Luk. 15. 7. 10.  Therefore in all respects of nobleness and excellency, they are the most Sovereign of all creatures, whom God hath ordained to be continual waiters in his holy presence.  
It is by many doubted, 
A question.  by some demanded, whether men may not lawfully implore the favour and assistance of angels: for in their reasons it doth seem equal, that seeing God hath given his Angels the charge of his elect, & hath made them ministering Spirits, 
Heb. 1. 14. The angels have a charge of holy men.  for their sakes which shall be heirs of salvation, that therefore they implore their gracious protection, give some acknowledgement of thanks to the holy Angels, by whom they have help & supportation, in the passage of their Christian pilgrimage. 
The answer. First.  To answer this, there is a double doubt to be resolved. First, I doubt whether every faithful christian man & woman, have one particular Angel assigned them, and whether that Angel he at all times continually present. Secondly, 
Secondly, These doubts cannot be satisfied.  whether the Angels of God not present, can hear the prayers of men directed to them. The first, that every man hath his Angel assigned him, was never yet substantially proved: and that angels absent should be able to hear our prayers present, is dangerous to acknowledge; jest thereby we take divinity from God, 
We must not take from God to give his Angels.  and give it to his Angels. And whereas they reinforce this argument with some examples in the Scripture, as in the 48. of Genesis, the 16. verse, 
Gen. 48. 16.  where jacob blessing the sons of joseph, saith: The Angel which hath delivered me from all evil, 
An answer to an objection.  bless the children, etc. It is answered, that by Angel, jacob here understandeth God. Again, if the words will not bear that construction, but that it must be granted to be an Angel, the messenger or Minister of almighty God; 
God gives his special favour to special and choice particulars.  it is not therefore granted, that every Christian hath the like degree of favour as jacob had; he being a special select, by whom God would declare himself to be wonderful, giving him extraordinary degrees of favour, and extraordinary protection. Therefore the Angel of God did oftentimes assist him, 
Quaere.  both in his grief, and hopes; the Angel presenting himself to jacob in a visible form; and jacob wrestling with the Angel, the which familiarity hath not been granted but to some choice particulars only. And jacob doth not direct his prayer to the Angel, 
We may pray to God, for the protection of angels, but not to the angels for God's protection.  but to God, that the Angel might protect his grandchilds; and in praying for this extraordinary blessing for his children, he doth not conclude that therefore every Christian man hath the like extraordinary favour. They are therefore dangerously deceived, who for giving the holy Angels their demonstrations of thanks, give them adoration and divine worship; & so coveting to please, displease the holy Angels that attend them.  
This is one extremity; there is another, 
Another extremity.  and that is a remissness: when men acknowledge no reverence, no respect to the dignity of holy angels. The holy men of all ages at the sight of an Angel would use extraordinary respect of humility & reverence. 
A reverence due to holy angels.  Abraham he bowed himself in reverence to the ground and called the Angel Lord: 
Gen. 18. 2. 3.  so likewise in the example of all the godly. 
Objection.  And though men object that in these times the angels do not present themselves, (as in the old world) in visible forms; and therefore they need no reverence, 
Answer.  there being no knowledge of their presence. I answer, that though they appear not in forms, 
The angels often present with us in their spiritual nature.  yet they are notwithstanding, often present in their spiritual natures: which though our corporal eyes cannot discern, yet a spiritual judgement and holy meditation will remember us. And this is answerable to the judgement of Saint Paul, who would have men and women use decency and respect, even because of the angels. 
1 Cor. 11. 10.  Therefore (saith he) aught a woman to have power on her head (that is to be covered) because of the Angels: for if there be a duty of reverence to men, with whom we converse, there is doubtless a reverence also due to the holy angels that converse with us.  

The general Use.  
This doctrine of the Creation, the nature, the power, and the office of angels, doth admonish and remember all men to make these and such like profitable uses.  
First, 
Use. 1. The angels are witnesses of God's power.  it doth remember us the mighty power of God, and that in a double respect. First, in being able by the power of his word, to created a Creature of that excellence and power of nature: in nature excellent, in number infinite. Secondly▪ 
God attended by angels.  in being served and attended by this infinite number of powerful creatures, one whereof is able (if God please to command) to destroy the world and all the generations on earth. God then being of such infinite power in himself, in his servants the Angels: it aught justly to move all men to a reverence of so great a Majesty: and to a fear to provoke a power so able and infinite. 
The second use.  Again, the apostasy of those angels that fell from their obedience, and first state of happiness, doth admonish all men, that seeing the Angels, of such power, of such excellence, and so near God in his favour, 
The fall of angels doth dissuade security and presumption.  in his presence, were tempted to fall from so great happiness, that no man therefore be secure or presume in the confidence of his own trust; but daily to beg, and wholly to rely upon the mercy and providence of GOD, without whom there is no safety, no security. The greatest power in the world being but weakness without the strength of his supportation. Secondly, as Saint Peter saith:) If God spared not the Angels that had sinned, 
2. Pet, 2. 4. 6  but cast them down into hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be kept unto damnation: 
Their damnation doth conclude the damnation of evil men.  neither will he spare the transgressions of men, that of knowledge and purpose offend him, For the angels are greater than men, 
Vers. 11.  both in power and might: if God then spare not the better, he will not spare the worse, but cast them likewise into chains of darkness, to be kept unto damnation. 
The third use.  Again, though the angels were of this excellency and dignity of nature, and although many of them did fall from their state of innocence, 
Christ did restore the falling man, not the falling Angels.  as Adam afterwards did: yet the Redeemer of the world Christ jesus, did not vouchsafe to take their nature and redeem them, but left them in the judgement of condemnation, undertaking and finishing the work of Redemption for men and not for Angels. 
Heb. 2. 16. 17. 18.  And this aught to provoke all men to a zealous affection of love towards God, who gave his only begotten, his only beloved Son for the redemption of men, preferring them in his love before the Angels that had offended. Lastly, 
The fourth use.  in that the Angels of God are commonly present with christian men in their spiritual natures, 
Heb. 1. 14.  being sent of God to minister for their sakes that shall be heirs of salvation: It doth remember us first, the wonderful love of God to mankind, in being content that his choice servants the Angels, that wait in his presence, near the person of his Majesty, should be employed about men, in the service of their salvation. Secondly, 
Secondly.  it aught to move men to a precise reverence, 
A respect due to the reverence of Holy Angels.  in the common behaviour of their lives: that they forbear not only the committing of gross and capital sins: but all unseemliness both of words & actions, (as Saint Paul saith) for the reverence of Angels. 
1. Cor. 11, 10.  For as Devils are banished from the possessed by prayer, and holy exercise: so the good Angels than leave our company, 
Note.  when we delight in wicked or unseemly behaviour.   

Special application.  
This knowledge of the mercy, 
Special application.  of the power of God in creating the Angels, and appointing them to minister to all the children of grace, shall bind me in the most assured bonds of duty and thankful acknowledgement to my God. 
To repose in God is assurance of safety.  I will also confidently repose in the trust of God's providence, being assured that himself, that his holy Spirit, that his Angels are my supporters. I will never despayringly fear the evil of men, of Devils, or what evil power soever; because I know whose I am, and in whose company. I will reform the errors of my life, and watch my behaviour, I will endeavour to avoid both sin and unseemliness in all my actions; that thy holy Angels may love and not loathe my fellow ship: I will so endeavour that my conscience may assure me I am thine, appointed to salvation; 
Heb. 1. 14.  and therefore in the protection of Angels I shall also receive content and a pleasure unexpressible; that thy holy Angels have joy in Heaven at the news of my salvation. 
Luk. 15. 7.  Holy and blessed spirits, they are so delighted with the use of mercy, as that they rejoice and congratulate the prosperity of men. OH my God, I will acknowledge thy greatness, and thy goodness in the creation of Angels: I will damn their infidelity that believe it not: thou hast said it, who dare question it? I will therefore believe it, acknowledge thy power, praise thy mercy, 
The Saducees deny that there are Angels  and (with reverence) remember the office and ministration of thy holy Angels.    

¶ Of Man his first beginning, and the state of his Innocency. Chap 4  
WHen God had created the world, & had given being and proportion to all creatures save man; that he mightconclude his labour with a work of extraordinary admiration, 
Man the most excellent of God's work.  he then made man, giving him the possession of the world he had created: In this work of God there are these considerations. First, 
First.  the advise & deliberation of the Trinity, in determining this work: 
Gen. 1. 26.  God said, Let us make man, etc. Secondly, 
Second.  God made man of a pre-existent matter, not creating him of nothing as he did the other Creatures: The Lord also made Man of the dust of the ground, 
Gen. 2. 7.  etc. Thirdly, 
Thirdly.  man was made in the image of God, and according to his likeness. Gen. 1. 26. Let us make man in our image, and according to our likeness. Fourthly, 
Fourthly.  the rule and government God gave man over all creatures; giving him liberty over all, to use them in their kind with moderation: And let them rule over the fish of the sea, 
Gen. 1. 26.  & over the soul of the heaven, & over the beasts, and over all the earth, and over every thing that creepeth and moveth on the earth, vers. 26 Fiftly, 
Fiftly.  is to be considered the end of man's Creation which is for the glory and honour of God that made him. 
Isay. 43. 7.  Every one shall be called by my name, for I created him for my glory, form him & made him. These particulars are most material, and of nearest consideration in the creation of man, and because of their importance, I will somewhat dilate upon every particular. First of the advise and deliberation God used when he form man: God said, Let us make man. 
Gen. 1. 26.  When he created the World, and the Works therein, he said, Let there be, and there were; but when he cometh to make man, he saith, Let us make by whom he putteth a difference betwixt man and every other creature, 
The difference God made between man and his other c●●●tures.  that as man should excel all other in the excellency of his nature, and in the purpose of his end; so God would honour him above all in the manner of his Creation. Let us, that is, the three persons in the Trinity, the Father, Son, and holy Ghost; the which at the making of man, are personally understood: at the creating of the world, they are not personally, but generally understood, in the unity of their Godhead, 
Note.  For so I understand the words of Gods creating, Let there be, to be meant by the Godhead indivisible; the words, Let us make, to be meant by the persons distinguished. And though no man can be able to give a reason of the secret will of God: yet this may be imagined, 
A supposed reason of God's secret will.  that seeing the world and all the creatures therein (save man) have only a general respect to the honour of God, & therefore were they by the general power of God's divinity created: but man (being determined in the counsel of God) that he should be an occasion that the whole Trinity should have divine exercise in the government of his life; 
The Trinity have divine exercise in the government of man.  and every one in their several assignments, as should please themselves to appoint: therefore God (in the Trinity of persons) made man, because afterwards in the Trinity of persons he was to govern him. God he gave man a law, 
God the Father gave man a law.  which he being not able to keep, did condemn him. Christ the second person, moderateth the law, & giveth the Gospel, 
Christ moderateth the law, and giveth the Gospel. The holy Ghost moveth grace.  promising salvation to all that will believe. The holy Ghost he moveth in the hearts of Gods elect, and giveth grace to apprehended by faith, the means of salvation. Thus are they personally busied in the government and preservation of man; thus were they personally at his Creation. 
The matter of man's creation. The difference God made in the creation between man and all other creatures.   
The second consideration, is the matter of man's creation. And this in a double respect is considerable, in the person of God; first, God when he form other creatures, he required no matter, but gave them being by his word. But when he form man, he first prepared his matter, than gave the form, and created man. Wherein God doth use a double care, a double diligence; not that he could not created man of nothing as he had the rest of his creatures, but he did it in the wisdom of his divinity, 
The reason why God made man of a pre-existent matter.  for respect and causeful consideration. First, to express his double, or rather his manifold affection to that creature. Secondly, 
Secondly.  to prevent the proud imagination, man might have of the nobleness of his nature, 
The natural pride of flesh.  it being yet in the pride of our flesh; to boast our descent, and to derive our families from antiquity and greatness.  
The third consideration is the distinguishing form of man, 
The form of man his soul.  his reasonable soul, whereby God doth distinguish him from all the Creatures of earth, giving him reason and discourse to in able him for the government of the world. This is considerable in these respects. First, the order God observed in the creation: God first made the world, afterwards he made man, and gave him the possession. 
The order God used at the making of man.  So when he made man, he first framed the body, than form the soul, He made not the body and soul at one instant, but in their times, and in order: for when he had made the house, he then put in the tenant, & not before. Secondly, is considered the excellency of the nature of our souls. 
The nature of our souls. Gen. 2. 7.  For God neither made nor created our soul, but inspired it by the virtue of his divinity. Gen. 2. 7. The Lord God also made man of the dust of the ground, there is the matter of his body. And breathed in his face the breath of life: there was the nature and excellence of his soul; being the breath of almighty God, divine, spiritual & eternal. And the man was (then) a living soul: 
The soul is the distinguishing form of man.  for before God inspired the soul, was man only framed and not form, his reasonable soul being that which doth distinguish him from all other creatures, being (in respect of his soul) the nearest resemblance to God's divinity. 
Gen. 1. 26 Man is God's image in respect of his reasonable soul.  For so God determining his creation, saith: Let us make man in our own image, according to our likeness. Man's soul, being (in respect of reason & eternity, a resemblance of God's divinity.  
The fourth consideration, 
Fourthly.  is the rule and government God gave man over all creatures. Gen, 1. 26. 
Gen. 1. 26.  And let them rule over the fish of the seas etc. First, it is considered, that God by giving man this authority, 
With what cautions God gave man government.  doth not disenable himself of the government of his own creatures, but doth reserve to himself the Sovereign regality; giving man a stewardship, and superintendance only. 
Psal. 24. 1  The earth (saith holy David) is the Lords, and all that is therein, the round world, and they that devil therein. Secondly, 
Secondly  in that it is said, God gave them rule, etc. there is a double consideration. First, that God communicateth his power to mankind in general, not to this or that particular. 
The general descent of power derived upon all.  For God speaketh in the plural number, He gave them, and not him power, etc. So that the power is derived upon all, and not upon one, or any number of certain particulars. Again, these words, he gave them, have relation to the words, he created them. Gen. 1. 27. 
Gen. 1. 27.  God created the man in his image, in the image of God created he him, he created them male and female. So when he gave man the government of the world, he saith, He gave them that is, 
The man and woman had a like authority in God's creatures.  the man and the woman: for as God did not divide them in their Natures, so he would not divide them in the use and government of his creatures, but whatsoever is lawful to the one, is lawful to the other; both of them having equal and indifferent power in the use of God's creatures.  
Lastly, 
Fiftly.  is considered the end of man's creation, 
The end of man's creation.  which is, that God may be glorified in the service of so noble a creature. I say, 43. 7. 
Isay. 43. 7.  I created him for my glory, form him and made him. God is glorified or honoured in a double respect. 
Note.  First, in acknowledgement. Secondly, in personal service. In acknowledgements, when men have a thankful remembrance of God's mercy in the creation, and in the Redemption of mankind. This acknowledgement is declared in the meditations, prayers, 
How we should declare our thanks to God.  thanksgivings, and reverence of holy men, to the Name, the Memory, and the majesty of God. In the 15. of Exodus, the second verse, Moses acknowledging God's mercy in their deliverance saith: 
Exod. 15. 2.  The Lord is my strength and praise, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him a tabernacle: he is my Father's God, and I will exalt (or honour) him. And the Prophet David hath it common in his holy meditations, that he will honour God in his acknowledgements; and condemneth the hypocrisy of evil men, that honour God with their lips, and have their hearts far from him. And Saint Paul in the heat of his zealous affection, calleth this glory his rejoicing, and disclameth every other object of glory, 
Gal. 6. 14.  but jesus Christ, and him crucified. Secondly, 
Secondly.  God is honoured in the personal services of men, and that is when they carefully travel in the exercise of such Christian duties, as he hath commanded. 
How we should glorify God in personal service.  This hath relation to that conditional proposition of our Saviour Christ: If you love me keep my commandments. For if we neither keep nor endeavour to keep his commandments, we love not; and whom we love not, we cannot honour. And as Christ saith of himself. The works which I do, be are witness of me, etc. So the endeavours of our lives, 
Ouractions witness our affections.  witness what we are, and whether we honour God, and love him or not. These five particulars, are the main considerations to be regarded in the creating of man. In the creator is remembered his deliberation, Let us: in the Creation, the matter and the form; the matter earth, 
A compendium of the chapter.  the form God's breath. In the creature, his rule, his end: his rule, he was Steward, and superintendant Lord over all: his end, the glory and service of his creator God.  

The general Use.  
The general use of this doctrine, 
The Use  is a general acknowledgement of duty that all men own to God their creator, 
Man made noble out of baseness.  who (of his own accord) hath been pleased to make man so noble a creature, of so base a matter; to endow him with a soul so near the nature of his divinity, to give him such rule, to ordain him such an end, equal to the honour of Angels, 
Note.  equal to their happiness This may remember all men what God had done for them, what God doth expect from them. It may remember all, what they were, what they are, what they shall be, what they should be. This knowledge may both remember and admonish; it will also prevail in all their hearts that have the lest movings of Gods holy Spirit in them. For he that knoweth this, considereth it, 
The reprobate only are careless in the state of their salvation.  and is not moved, doth declare against himself, and doth judge himself to be reprobate, who failing in the purpose of a Christian life, doth not only disinherit himself of God's gift, which is earth, but of Heaven, which he would give; and doth by that act of disobedience, both deprive himself of God's favour (which is happiness) and purchase to himself a state of damnation, 
What he gaineth that leeseth God's favour.  infinite in time, infinite in torment. Secondly, seeing man was made of so base a matter, of the dust of the ground, 
The disgrace of ambitious and aspiring spirits.  the basest part of the basest element, it doth disgrace the pride and ambitious spirits of men, who vaunt themselves in the nobleness of their descent, or in the prosperity of their fortunes. For God hath given one and the same beginning to all men; the honourable and the base, the rich and the poor, being all derived from one first matter, a matter so base, as nothing could be more, being the refuse & of-scouring of the earth, which all of us were in our first matter, 
Gen. 3. 19  before our creation; which all of us shall be in our graves, where we shall all be reduced and brought back to our first matter. This being considered, how vain a folly is it for men to proud themselves in their prosperities, 
Pride the vainest folly in man's nature.  and disgracefully to repute men for their difference of fortune? for the best man is but base earth, and the basest man is created in God's image; all of one nature, and in one office, and all to one end ordained. Therefore in a Christian judgement, there is no difference of men, but the difference of good & bad. And this inequality is not in their nature, 
What the true difference of men is.  but in the corruption and defect of nature. And the fasest way to esteem men, is to compare them in their gifts of grace, and not of fortune. For (with God) the least spirit of grace, 
The difference of grace and fortune.  though in the lowest degree of fortune, doth outvalue, and is able to disgrace the greatest state in the world (if not gracious.)   

Special application.  
This knowledge of my creation, 
Application.  shall resolve me in my dutiful obedience to God; that seeing his hands have fashioned me, 
1. Cor. 3. 17 A reformed resolution.  and that his mercy hath made my body a Temple or a Sanctuary for his holy Spirit to devil in, therefore I will carefully keep this body. this temple from the filth of sin, and endeavour myself in such holy exercise, that my soul may have the perpetual fellowship of the Holy Ghost, without which, there is no happiness, no salvation: I will refrain to company with the leprosy of sin, jest I run into their danger, and defile my body, this temple with diseased company. I will hate the imitation of men's vices, I will not be tempted with their Fellowship; because I know that when I profane my body, the temple of the holy Ghost, 
Holy bodies God's temple.  I shall banish that sweet society, frustrate my hope, and wound the quiet of my conscience. (OH my God) of base earth thou madest me a noble Creature; I had no life, no soul before thou inspired it, thou gavest me reason and understanding to enable me fo● thy divine service; thou hast ordained me thy servant; 
God that gave grace, can only continued it.  thou hast given me entertainment: continued me (I besee●h thee) in this service; let my soul, let my body, let every power, let every part thereof, have their employments: I desire no change, I was thine from the beginning, continued me for ever. Thyself (OH my God) inspired my Soul, 
What our soul is.  it is thy breath, and therefore precious, it was thine before I had it, help me to keep it in the time, and in the danger of my pilgrimage, and when thou shall call it home, I will gladly breathe it back, for with thee there is only safety, with thee there is happiness without time, 
How and where to repose our confidence.  without measure. In the mean time keep me from the danger of losing: let me walk in the directions of thy holy Spirit. I am not able to move myself in an holy course, if thy hand lead not, I shall either faint or wander: OH keep me from both; 
A needful care.  that I may travel the passage of my life with alacrity and spiritual profit, that this earth, this body of earth may pass to his grave in hope, and that this breath, this soul may return from whence it came with confidence. This is the happiness for which I will only endeavour, for which I will always pray (OH my God) thou hast made me resolute.    

Of the State of man's Innocence before his fall. Chap. 5.  
THat man was created good, 
Man created innocent.  holy, & innocent is evident by the testimony of Scripture, neither is it doubted of the christian world to whom I writ. Therefore I shall less need to travel in the search of authorities, neither spend time & words to prove a general grant. For when God had ended the work of his creation, the holy Ghost saith, that ●ee viewed all that he had made, 
Gen. 1. 31.  and lo 〈◊〉 was very good. For God being the father and fountain of goodness, 
Nothing but good can be derived from God.  it was ●ot possible that any thing that was evil should be derived from him▪ but ●ike himself, so his work was perfectly good; no blemish, no defect. It is ●herfore generally to be believed, that Adam at his first creation was holy and innocent, no defect of nature, no corruption of sin: and that God gave him the liberty of free will, and power (if so he would) to continued his estate of happiness. 
Ecclus. 15. 14. 15.  From this doctrine of the free-will of man before his fall, 
Free-will.  hath risen much controversy, and strife of words, the knowledge whereof is more dangerous than profitable in the understandings of the simple and unlearned: 
The evil 〈◊〉. of men.  all men being naturally desirous to know or seem to know those intricate and nice questions, and few that have sufficient wisdom either to deliver or judge them. I will therefore sparingly deliver my judgement.  
Adam in the state of his innocence, 
ADAM'S condition in the state of his innocence.  had this condition of happiness: First, he was in the full favour of God, a joy unexpressible. Secondly he had the world & the creatures therein for his use and pleasure, all which were then perfectly good. Th●rdly, he had power given him of God to continued this happiness to himself and his posterity for ever. The first, ●hat he enjoyed the full favour of God is proved in the proof of the ●econd and third; 
ADAM rich in spiritual and temporal blessings.  for the gifts both temporal and spiritual which GOD gave him, do well declare the infinite measure of God's love to him: God giving him all that was created, and ●ore than was created: a divine soul, ●nd with that such induments of grace, ●s made him a creature most excellent ●nd happy: 
Secondly  For the second, that God gave him. the possession of the world, ●oth for his use and pleasure, is already proved. Yet more, God for an extraordinary demonstration of his favour, planted a Garden in Eden, 
Gen. 2. 8. v.  of admirable variety, 
Ver. 9  both for use and ornament: For out of the ground made the Lord God ●o grow every tree pleasant to the sight (that ●as for ornament, 
ADAM had all things needful both for use and ornament. ) and good for meat (that was for use) the tree of life also in the ●iddest of the garden, & the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  
These were there both for the beau●y of the place, and for the trial of ●ans' obedience. And God gave Adan●berty ●berty to eat thereof (freely) of eve●e tree in the Garden, 
ADAM'S liberty and restraint.  only prohibiting him to taste of the tree of knowledge. These benefits, this bounty was large; yet doth God still enlarge himself in his favour to Adam, and deviseth to make him an help fit for him; 
Gen. 2. 18  for he said, It is not good for man to be alone: As if God did labour his invention to devise for the good, and for the help of man. 
Ver. 20.  Therefore he caused all the creatures to come before Adam, but among them all he found not an help meet for him. 
Vers. 22.  Than God made woman, and gave her for the consolation of man. Thus did God derive his blessings by degrees upon man, 
The degrees of God's favour to ADAM.  still enlarging the measure of his bounty and goodness towards him. So as there wanted nothing, which in the Wisdom of God was thought fit for man's prosperity. Lastly, to all these favours, 
Free-will in ADAM before his fall.  GOD yet giveth one, more than all; and that was a free will and power in himself to derive these infinite blessings upon himself and his posterity for ever; no mixture of grief to distaste them, no death to deprive them; but themselves and these pleasures to be infinite and unspeakable. And yet more, that all these and their continuance, 
The easy condition between God and ADAM.  was given upon such easy condition, as (in our imaginations) could hardly tempt a reasonable man to a small forfeit: An apple, perhaps no better, or not so good in taste, as many other in the garden, whereof Adam might have freely eaten, without fear, without forfeit. 
Witnesses of God's love.  All this doth but witness the infinite love of God to his creature man, who gave him so great a power, and had proposed so inestimable a reward for so small a service. Here I might enlarge myself with the contentious opinions of men in this argument, 
Much needless controversy in this argument.  all which of purpose I avoid, because I had rather speak to men's understandings with profit, then be vainly curious  

The general Use.  
This (as doth the former) doth remember all men, 
The Use  how surpassing the love of God was to mankind, who (notwithstanding man was made of a matter so base and unworthy, as nothing like him: yet doth GOD descend his Majesty to dignify his baseness; and did heap such honour, such savour upon man, as made him the most excellent, and the most happy of all the creatures of God; giving him felicity and power to continued it; which of all the blessings and gifts of GOD was the greatest. For that is thought to be the greatest misery to have been happy, 
To have been happy is a misery.  and to be altered: and the greatest happiness is to be able to continued happy. Which power God gave to the liberty of man, to be, or not to be happy for ever. This extraordinary degree of favour to our first Father Adam, doth deserve thankful acknowledgement from all men, because the favour did reach to all the generations of Adam even to us, and to them that shall succeed us for ever. All men being then in Adam, and Adam then a compendium of all men: the honour and the grace being conferred to every man in general without exception of any.   

Special application.  
Seeing God hath thus honoured my father Adam, 
Special application.  enlarging his benevolence to him above the rest of his creatures: and seeing this was not given to Adam only, 
Whatsoever was given to ADAM, was given to every particular.  but to his posterity for ever, even to myself being a son of Adam, and derived from his beginning: I do therefore acknowledge myself in as great a debt of beholding to my God, as Adam my Father, to whom God gave these blessings by name, and in special manner, myself being interested in the benefit, as well as Adam: nor Adam being able to outtrude me from this favour, and continued himself: but as his sin made himself & me both alike miserable, so a constant continuing in his innocency hath made us both eternally happy, without fear, without hazard, no interruption. I will therefore advise with myself, 
A Resolution.  what honour, what thanks, what service is due from Adam unto God: I will compare the infinite greatness of God to Adam's nothing; 
Note.  I will measure them in the infinite distance of their worths; 
God was only moved to favour by himself.  I shall study to know what desert, what moving cause could provoke God to those degrees of favour. I will search this desert in the excellence of man's nature. I shall doubtless fail, though I search there with diligence. I will then resort to the mercy of God, and there inquire; there I shall rightly understand this knowledge. For thyself (OH God) did move thyself to these effects. Thy mercy did move thy majesty, 
Mercy doth move maieiesty.  thy favour thy power. Thy goodness did persuade thy greatness, thy greatness did effect what thy goodness caused. Thus was God tempted by himself, to dignify my Father Adam. Adam could be no cause of his own honour, 
ADAM no cause of his own good.  because it was in God's decree before Adam had being. Therefore had Adam the greater cause of thankfulness; that God did please (without cause) thus to advance him. Adam's honour was mine, Adam's duty is mine. I am as strictly bound in my obligation to God, as Adam my father was. 
Resolution.  I will therefore (with my best diligence) endeavour to be constant in that duty wherein he failed, And though Adam hath disinherited both me and all his posterity, of that power which he had to perform this divine acknowledgements: yet will I strive with my nature, to reform my error, and to come as near as I can in the imitation of Adam's innocence. 
We must contend against our own nature.  Thus let me ever be resolved to contend against the corruption of my nature, and (with an holy ambition) to covet to equal, or exceed the honour and happy state of my Father Adam in his innocence. Again, seeing God did make me so wonderful in my frame, so excellent in my Nature, I will therefore (with modesty and reverence to God) esteem myself. 
How and for what we aught to esteem ourselves.  I will understand, and remember that God hath made me a creature of note, ordained for holy ends, and made the master of infinite other creatures. I will remember that my soul is the divine breath of God, my body a Temple for his holy Spirit. I will therefore bend my endeavour to fashion the government of my life (in some proportion) to this excellence of nature. I will hate the company and imitation of evil, because God hath created me good: I will value the prosperity of my soul, before the possession of the whole world: I will be jealous of myself, and will carefully fear to give entertainment to any evil cause, 
How Christians should be affected.  that may deprive or corrupt me: I will love my own salvation before all but God; because God did honour me above all but himself, in my creation. Thus may I lawfully (with religious modesty) esteem myself. God did grace me in my creation, God will double that grace in my salvation. For this I earnestly expect, I pray.    

Of Original sin, the fall and apostasy of Man Chap 6.  
WHen man was in the height of his prosperity, having all things requisite to make him both happy and great, and wanting nothing that might administer the fullness of content to his desire: he is then suddenly (by himself) cast from these pleasures into a state most miserable, 
Man did degrade himself.  depriving himself and posterity, not only of the pleasures, but of the useful necessaries of this life, and that which is infinitely more worth than the rest, the favour & presence of God, which of itself (without addition) is able to make the enjoyer most absolute in his felicity. 
God's favour the highest benefit.  Thus in a trice, was Man (the glory of God's workmanship) by sinful disobedience spoiled of his innocence; which when he wanted, his very nature then endured alteration; 
A strange alterarion.  and he that but lately was made Lord of all the World, is now made subject to all extremities. This one touch of sin, being of that infectious nature, that (like a leprosy) it spreads over his whole nature; his body, 
A general decay.  his soul, his works, nay his very affections are infected with this venom, his holiness, innocence, and all his divine graces abandon his nature, not deigning to comfort in the fellowship of sin. God (also) who had made him so wonderful, and had so wonderfully enriched him with benefits, 
What bitter effects sin causeth.  takes off the majesty & ornanaments he had given him, investing him with poverty, and extremities of fortune. And whereas before he had made him immortal, he now makes him subject to the stroke of death, and in this array, thus altered, he excludes him his sacred presence: 
ADAM being a compendium of all, brought destruction on all when he sinned.  this sin, branding not only Adam with this disgrace, & these deformities, but himself and his posterity for ever, being all disgraced from their innocence, and degraded from their excellence of Nature. Now would I challenge the best invention in the World, to describe Adam in the grief of this alteration. It is not in the power of any man's invention to do it, 
An unutterable measure of grief.  there are not words, nay imagination hath not thoughts to conceive it. For to fail in the search of prosperity, i●●n admirable degree of grief; but to be deprived is a torment, and doth require extraordinary patience. Thus much in general.  
In the fall and Apostasy of man, 
Considerations in this argument.  is principally considered these particulars. First, from whence he fell. Secondly, to what he fell: the infinite variety of questions depending necessarily upon these two particulars; the which (of purpose) I contract, for order, and for the easy understanding of the simple. 
First from what ADAM fell.  First, is to be considered, from what he fell; and that was from the favour of God, considered in the excellence and innocence of man's nature: in his large induments of grace, in his power, and in his possession of pleasure: 
ADAM had an absolute measure of pleasure.  in all which respects, Adam (the first man) was so abundantly favoured, as that his soul could desire no enlargement: God having given him so many and so great demonstrations of his love, as made him distinguished from all other creatures. This doctrine is abundantly proved in the Chapters before of the Creation of man, 
Gen. 2.  and of his innocence: I will therefore forbear to multiply arguments in so plain a proof, 
Secondly. To what ADAM fel.  For the second, to what estate he fell, this is familiarly known in the experience of every man's life; the most fortunate of every man's life, being full of the marks of this misery For to understand ourselves, is rightly to understand what Adam was in his sins; 
The miseries of this life.  and the miserable change he endured by the alteration of his Fortunes, doth give us particular knowledge in the misery of our own condition. Adam our Father by generation, was the Father also of our corruptions; 
ADAM, the parent of our corruption.  and we his generation, deriving our Substance and Natures from him, have with them derived his sin, and the punishment thereof; 
How we are guilty by ADAM.  the which as they were inseparable in the nature of Adam, at, and after his fall: so are they necessarily descended down upon us his posterity: ●he trespass being in him from whom we are all derived, makes that we are all guilty of the sin of Adam, and all deservers of the like punishments. This is Saint Paul his judgement. 
Rom. 5. 12  Rom. 5. 12. Wherhfore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death went over all men: for as much as all men have sinned. As Adam was, so are we: such a father, such children. To know him, we must view ourselves, and to know ourselves we must view him. The ●est way to understand our nature, is ●o consider it in Adam; but to understand his fall and the misery thereof, 
ADAM'S misery is palpable in our calamity.  it ●s palpably evident in the knowledge of our own particulars, the torments of our transitory life are sufficient arguments to persuade and resolve us. Here I might spend much time in the repetition of much misery, and rip up ●he wounds and sorrows of our mortal life: 
The variable turnings of fortune.  the knowledge is necessary, but not in this place, being commonly taught in the common experience of our lives, where the extremities of fortune, and her variable turnings, remember all men the miserable condition of sinful man; there being no man but doth sometime taste the bitterness of mortal life: all men being at all times subject to all extremities. In the book of Ecclesiastic. 40. there is a catalogue of the miseries of man's life, 
Ecclus. 40 from the 1. verse to the twelfth.  all which happen to us for the sin of Adam, because we are his sons, and were with him at the committing of his sin. And this to Adam might justly be one torment in his misery, that by his sin, he did not only deprive himself of the inestimable worth of God's favour: 
ADAM'S torment.  but also brought the like condemnation upon his seed, and their seed for over, by his one sin overthrowing the blessed estates of many millions of people, as if at one blow he would have cut off the heads of a world of people. And doubtless but the sorrow for losing the favour of God, Adam could not have a greater than this, 
Note.  because there is nothing doth more move grief and pity in gentle minds, than a compassion of general calamities, 
The nature or compassion.  especially then when they are caused by their misfortune, that have the grace to pity them.  
If I should undertake to rank the calamities of our sinful life, and report them in order as they are inflicted on man for the sin of Adam, I should both overcharge myself with much business, and but writ that which is nayly taught in the fortunes of every man's life. I will therefore omit the great number, and insist somewhat upon that which is the greatest in the number: and that is the displeasure of God, 
God's displeasure the greatest calamity.  which is damnation, a misery infinite in time, infinite in torment; a judgement denounced against all men for the sin of one man, because at the committing of sin, all men were then personally present in Adam, and with him did both combine ●nd conspire in the trespass. 
1 Cor. 2. 15. 22.  By sin men did Adam bring a general destruction on his nature, and made himself and all men not only subject to death, but to an everlasting death, causing an everlasting damnation to inflict eternal and unexpressible torments on the bodies; on the souls of men. It is not in my power to describe the torments of damnation; for as they are infinite in time, they are infinite also in their number & greatness, 
No man can describe at full the torment of the damned  there is misery without hope torments without number, without measure, without end: they are above our strength, above our patience to bear them: they are not utterable for number, not sufferable for torment: the very soul though eternal, 
How the soul is said to die.  is continually wasted with that affliction, neither could it last in such extremities, but that God hath made it eternal. Again, it is not only infinite & eternally great in personal sufferings; but also in grief & spiritual discontents & vexations, 
Discontent the sickness of the soul.  the soul that is damned grievously afflicting itself with rage & intestine displeasure, when it considereth from what dignity it is fallen, and the honour and felicity it might have had, if it had continued in the favour and presence of Almighty GOD: 
The nature of our envy.  it will also (enviously) remember the prosperity of others, what glory, what happiness they enjoy for their constancy and holy travel: and that itself, and the damned should have had the same degrees of happiness, if (like them) they had been constant and faithful in their duty and service to God. 
Note.  And this is a greater torment to the damned then that which they shall endure in their personal afflictions; the remembrance whereof doth so distracted the very powers of their souls, 
The damned souls inflict upon themselves.  as that (desperately) they inflict their own vengeance, and execute upon themselves the punishments of their condemnation. 
Note.  For (in our natures) we have less patience, and more affliction, when by our own default we lose prosperity, then when for our desert, we endure any personal punishment. 
The reward of disobedience.  This is the reward of Adam's disobedience, that himself and his posterity did by sin, disinherit himself and his of the infinite treasure of God's favour, and did thereby purchase a life, whose days are consumed in vexations and miserable change, and whose end doth not end his misery, 
Death is the life of torment to the damned  but renew and enlarge it with addition and perpetuity of torment.  
This is the plain and necessary knowledge of the fall of man from the state of innocence, in which argument the over-curious wits of men have traveled in the search of many intricate questions; 
Unnecessary knowledge is unlawful in divine directions.  the which because they are not necessary in the knowledge of the unlearned Reader, I thought them necessary to be avoided: for it is often seen that in discussing such secrets in Divinity, as are not apparently proved by direct testimony of Scripture, but by a consequence of reason, 
Note.  and obscure argument, that all such travel, doth rather occasion strife and doubt, 
A dangerous inconvenience.  then give satisfaction to the modest and indifferent Reader. It is dangerous (also) in them of weak and slender judgements to enter the search of such things as are not necessary to their salvation, because it is easy to deceive their judgement: for they grossly apprehended what is proposed them, and often mistake themselves in their opinion of reason, and then (like him that looketh against the Sun) blind themselves with their presumption. I will therefore forbear to report the number of men's opinions, only this may seem of necessary importance, that whereas God did created man so excellent, and gave him uprightness and innocence, a free will and power also to continued his innocence and happiness, it is doubted whether Predestination and the decree of God, 
Predestination.  did (necessarily) lead men to this apostasy, 
Object.  because all things that are and shall be, are in God's decree, neither can any man do any thing contrary to the pleasure of Almighty God. 
Answer.  To this I answer, it is true that nothing is done against the will of God, he being able to command all occasions. The will of God (therefore) must be thus understood; 
God's will how it is to be understood.  his will is either secret or revealed: his revealed Will is the Scripture, his secret will is his decree or secret council, and in this will, are all things that ever were: are or shall be. This will is again distinguished: for in God's secret will, there is God's act, 
God's act.  there is also his consent: God doth personally in his own Nature decree all goodness, 
God's consent.  as his own act. God doth also consent, and suffer that evil be done: but he himself is not the doer: yet can he glorify himself in the sufferance of evil, 
God can receive honour from men's evil action.  and make it work the purpose of his holy will. To apply this Doctrine to our purpose, before GOD created man, he had decreed every circumstance, both in his Nature and Life: he also did foresee the fall of man, and was content (for the secret work of his glory) it should be so. So that whatsoever was good in man, was in God's decree as his act: whatsoever was not good, 
How to understand God's decree.  was in God's decree, as his permission. If it be demanded, why God foreseeing the fall of man, would not prevent it, and give Adam divine grace to support him: to such a question I would answer with Saint Paul 
Rom. 9 20. 21.  Who art thou that pleadest against God? shall the thing form, say to him that form it: Why hast thou made me thus? verse 21. Hath not the Potter power of the clay? etc. and shall not God be as powerful as the Potter? 
jer. 18. 6.  If he make us for honour, we can not boast it, if for dishonour we can not judge him. This is the answer that the Scripture giveth such questions. If God do any thing, it should silence all question, and satisfy all doubt. Therefore, whosoever shall hear the justice of God called in question, 
Gen. 18. 25.  let him confidently answer with holy Abraham: Shall not the judge of all the World do right?  

The general Use.  
This Doctrine of the fall of Man, from his first state of innocence, 
The use.  doth remember all men, what the miserable condition of our nature is, what glory we have left, & into what degree of adversity we are fallen: we that were the most excellent of God's creatures, are now the most miserable; provoking (not only) God to be our enemy, but the creatures of God also, to hate and dread us, 
By sin, not only God, but his creatures are made enemies.  because (for our disobedience) God did curse them: and that for our annoyance, God did suffer the goodness of their nature to be altered, insomuch as they that before sin entered our nature, were our servants, are now become our enemies, & we that then were their Lords, and had power to command them, are now in the bondage of fear, 
A miserable alteration.  and dread their power. For that supremacy and power & government, which Adam had over all the world, was conferred to us that are of his posterity. He had it and lost it by sins, we should have had it, but are prevented by sin: sin being the cause both in him and us, why we are degraded from our dignity, and cast into this contempt and disgrace of fortune. Whensoever therefore God shall please to punish any man's prospetity, and to tempt his patience with the burden of adversity, his care must be to search the cause of his affliction, 
Sublata causa, tollitur effectus.  and when he hath found the cause, to labour by all means to remove it: for diseases are not cured before their cause be both known and removed; and as the diseases of the body are not engendered without their corrupt cause, no more our spiritual afflictions are not inflicted without their evil cause, which is sin, the original and continual cause of all our evil. 
Sin the cause of evil.  Thus aught Christians to judge themselves, and to understand the miseries of their life, to inquire at their own hearts, and to search their own actions, and their own transgressions: for there (and but there) they shall find the true cause of all misery. And not as do the wicked and foolish, who when as they have extraordinary discontents, 
A false and foolish order.  or misfortunes, blame their Nativities, and search the motion and conjunction of the stars and celestial bodies, as if by their influence and constellation, their grievous alterations were occasioned. Such fondness is ridiculous, and to little purpose, & they are much deceived, who seek for that far off, which is to be found (only) at home, even in their hearts; in their sinful natures, and in their sinful actions. Again, the fall of Adam from his innocence, because of sin, doth instruct every man in the knowledge of GOD'S divine nature; 
The nature of holiness.  for GOD is so respectively holy, that he will not entertain familiarity and dearness with any Creature that hath the lest touch or spot of sin Therefore did he banish the Angels out of his presence, 
The Angels damned for sinning but in thought.  though they offended (as some think) but in thought. 
ADAM'S tempters.  Adam also though it was his first sin, and not of his own election, but doubly tempted by his wife and the Devil; yet could not the holy presence of God endure him, but cast him out of paradise into misery and tribulation. Therefore aught all men to make conscience of all sin; and to fear the committing of the lest; because there is no sin, (be it never so little) that GOD will dispense withal: 
All sin is in God's hatred.  but as himself, so is his affection, he is holy without stain, without imputation, and his favour towards them only, that with all their power endeavour themselves in all the works of his commandments.  
Lastly, 
Lastly.  seeing the sin of Adam did so deface the excellence and innocence of our Nature, as that the corruption thereof did descend from him to all posterity, this aught to abate the pride of all men, that no man dignify or exalt himself in the pride of his nature: for all men are of one and the same nature; 
A general condemnation.  and all men in one, and the same condemnation: there being no power in any man's Nature to raise himself to the dignity of God's favour; 
God only powerful in man's restoring.  that being only in the power of him that first created us holy and innocent, who (again) will restore us, when we faithfully spend our endeavours in holy action. Again, it aught to move all men to bear indifferent favour to all the Children of God, 
How to value men.  and not to despise any, either for the defect of nature or fortune, but to pity and commiserate common calamities; because there is no judgement or punishment inflicted on any man, 
How to judge calamities.  but it is generally caused by all men, all men having offended God with Adam, and all men (for that sin of Adam) being subject to all misery. For those calamities (and greater) are due to us, 
God's favour is given, and not deserved by any man save Christ jesus only.  though other men endure them; and those benefits which we enjoy, and others want, we have them not of desert, but of benevolence from the favour of God, who giveth them according to the pleasure of his will, without respect of person.   

Special application.  
Seeing that Adam, who had such extraordinary induments of grace, and whose nature God had so adorned with excellence, as that he delighted his company, and seeing that he was innocent, & his nature unstained with corruption or infirmity; did notwithstanding run in contempt of God's commandment, and thereby did purchase God's indignation: I will therefore be extraordinary careful to withstand all provocations that may tempt me to any sin. For my nature is much more easy to be tempted then his, his being in innocency holy, mi●e in corruption stained: 
We more easy to be tempted then ADAM  he having power in himself to withstand his tempter; I having no power in my nature to resist, but rather an appetite and affectation to evil, (naturally) neglecting that grace which should make me able to resist temptation. And because my nature is thus depraved, 
The depravedness of nature.  and that my own blind directions would but lead me to condemnation; I will therefore (with humble confidence) implore the favour of God, 
How to prevent the power of temptations  that his Spirit may give me directions; and that his hands may support me against the power of all temptations. For I know that my strength is but weakness; and if God take his hand of favour from me, I shall fail in the conquest of my tempters, 
We must first deny ourselves, before we can affy in God.  and remain their spoil: for (if Adam in his innocence) was vanquished, I (in my sin) cannot be able to prevail. I will therefore deny myself; and repose my confidence in the strength of thy arm, for it is thou (OH God) that savest us from our enemies, and puttest them to confusion that ha●e us. Thus I shall practise against my spiritual tempters, thus I shall prevail.  
Again, seeing God hath not spared Adam nor the Angels that sinned, 
2. Pet. 2. 4.  who (in their natures) were much more excellent than myself, but (for their sin) gave them over to condemnation: how much less will he spare me, if I continued in the committing of sin, and endeavour not myself with all diligence in godly exercise? This (assuredly) shall make me fearful to commit any sin with consent or knowledge, but I will fly sin, as I would death: because the service of sin is certainly rewarded with death: sin and death being inseparably united in fellowship: 
The wages of sin is Death.  for the soul that sinneth must dye the death; and no soul dieth but the sinful. Therefore (OH my God) I will resort in my prayers to thy holy presence, 
Resolution.  I will earnestly entreat that thy providence may direct me in a holy course to an holy end; I will avoid all acquaintance with sin, I will hate it in myself, 
Charity will pity misery wheresoever it be.  I will hate it in others, pity their misery, & pray for their conversion: I will profess myself a vowed enemy, and practise in that profession: thus I persuade, thus I am resolved. Lastly, seeing Adam and his posterity were not cast into condemnation without hope, 
Man was not condemned as the Angels without hope.  without mercy, as the Angels that sinned were; 
An admirable witness of God's love.  but had a hope given him to be again restored to the favour and blessed presence of God, by the righteousness of jesus Christ, the Son of God: this admirable degree of the love of God to mankind, shall keep all my actions in awe, and make me carefully fear to offend my God, who hath so far exceeded to me in the favours of his Love. I will now (not only) fear him because he hath power to destroy me: 
A filial. fear.  but I will fear him for the reverence of his love; and prefer his love (even) before my soul, My meditations cannot present to my soul, a greater heaven of joy, then to understand myself to be beloved of God, 
To meditate God and his favours.  neither can I have more delightful action, then to meditate his love, and to love him again. For to love him for the safety of our own souls, is necessary: but to love him for his love (only) is more commendable, and declareth a notable degree of Christian zeal. Thus did Moses love the Israelites; 
Exod. 32. 32.  thus Saint Paul the jews: and thus will I my God, by whom I was created, by whom I am restored.    

Of the Moral Law of God, the ten Commandments. Chap. 7.  
THe law of God, 
The moral law of God and the law of nature is all one.  though it was not given to man with solemn promulgation, before the time of Moses, yet was there a general sense thereof given to Adam in his creation. For when God gave him his nature, & endued him with the use of reason & discourse, he gave him capacity to understand his duty, the which duty is nothing else but the observation of the law of God. And therefore when Adam had transgressed the commandment of God, and eaten the forbidden fruit; 
Conscience can preach the law to them that know it not.  the reason of his natural soul could tell him his offence; and then his conscience judging him, he was afraid, and hid himself from God's presence. If we compare his sin with the commandments of the Law, we shall found it to be a direct breach of some, & a consequent breach of all. God's first commandment saith: 
Exod. 20. 〈◊〉  Thou shalt have none other Gods but me: Adam's sin doth contradict God's commandment, and saith: nay, but my wife and I will both be Gods for with this persuasion the Devil tempted them, 
Gen. 3. 1.  and they did eat. Again, Cain the second man, he committed murder, 
Gen. 4. 13.  and thereby directly broke the sixt commandment: which when God and his conscience made him to understand, he made a desperate acknowledgement of his sin. So that the law being nothing but a reasonable duty, which the Creature oweth to his Creator: there was therefore a general knowledge of this law in the reasonable nature of man at his creation, and so in the succession of them of the old world, unto the time that the Law was given to Moses by the ordinance of angels. The old world (then) from Adam to Moses, 
Gal. 3. 19  were not lawless & free from the service of law; but had the law of nature for their direction, 
The law of nature, the same with the law of the x. commandments.  which being grounded upon reason. was even the very same with the law of the x. commandments. The law then of the x. commandments before it was given to Moses, was in the ages before going commonly transgressed, and that law did both judge & condemn them: the which law God gave man when he gave him his nature, every man having the knowledge of this law in the natural use of his reason. This was the state of the old world before Moses, 
The state of the old world.  all sinned, and all were judged by the law of nature, the moral law, even before the promulgation thereof in mount Sina, condemning the transgressions of men that were directly against the several commandments.  
Now when iniquity began to be strong in the hearts of men, 
The promulgation of the law.  and that their consciences become senseless of sin, neither would admonish, & judge their transgressions, 
Reasons why.  than God thought convenient to publish to all mankind this law, binding the consciences of men to a dutiful observation of every particular statute in that law, 
Deut. 23, 10.  denouncing the judgement of condemnation to all them that transgress against the lest branch 
Baruch. 4. 1.  or particle of those commandments. 
2. Reasons.   
A second reason why God ordained the law, was that men might rightly understand themselves, & thereby know in what degree of holiness they were, because that men are often partial in their own judgement, & willingly blind them selves in the view of their own calamity. Wherefore then serveth the law? 
Gal. 3. 19  it was added because of the transgressions, that by the law men may know wherein they have transgressed.  
A third reason of the ordination of the law, 
3. Reason.  is to provoke men to endeavour themselves with all diligence to travel in godly exercise, & to avoid both evil action and idleness; the laws giving every man sufficient matter of employment, wherein he is bound to suspend his hours, his days, nay his life in careful sernice, 
2. Esd 9 31.  2. Esd. 9, 31. For behold I sow my law in you, that it may bring forth fruit in you, & that ye may be honoured by it for ever  
A fourth reason of the Law, is, that by the severity thereof, we might be disciplined, and made fit for the mercy of the Gospel; 
The use of the law.  for the judgement of the law will humble us, make us understand our misery, and provoke us to implore mercy. Therefore is the Law said to be a Schoolmaster, by whose directions we are led to our salvation jesus Christ. Gal. 3. 24. 
Gal. 3. 24.  Wherhfore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ that we might be made righteous by faith.  
Lastly, 
4. Reason.  the law was given for the glory and majesty of God, that all the world might be judge of his infinite mercy to mankind: In this respect, that notwithstanding, all men are judged, and condemned by the law of nature, and by the law of his commandments: yet in the greatness of his love, 
God's admirable mercy.  he is content to forgive the trespass, and the judgements; and finally to entertain these transgressors his enemies, into the bosom of his mercy; giving them mercy for justice, and life when they deserved death with extremity. Rom. 5. 20. 
Rom. 5. 20.  Moreover the Law entered thereupen that the offence should abound, nevertheless where sin abounded, there grace abounded much more, Verse the 21. That as sin had reigned unto death, so might grace also reign by righteousness unto eternal life, through jesus Christ our Lord And this is an admirable degree of love in the person of God, 
Vers. 21.  that he will descend his Majesty to miserable, wretched, nay, sinful creatures, and exercise his mercy, in restoring and advancing us, 
Note.  that have abounded in transgressions. For these causes was the Law delivered, God commanding every man's absolute obedience upon the forfeiture of his soul to the pains of everlasting condemnation. 
Deut. 27. 26   
In the law of the ten commandments, is to be considered the substance which is the matter of the law; and the circumstance, which is the manner of delivering it. The matter is contained in ten commandments, the first four directly instruct us in our duty to God; 
The matter of the commandments.  the six latter our duties to men. This learning of the commandments, how to understand, and how to divide them. is in the knowledge of every Child of careful education, it being commonly taught at the catechizing of Christian children. I shall therefore spare the large travel this Argument requireth, and refer the desirous Reader to the learned expositions of other men. In the manner of giving the Law, we may principally consider these circumstances. First, the principal giver of the law, God. Secondly, the servants attending this office, the Angels. Thirdly to whom it was given, Moses. Fourthly, for whom, for the children of Israel, than the people of God; and by consequence to every people that profess themselves his servants. These are the main particulars in the circumstance of giving the law. First, God he was the principal author of this work, 
1 God the giver of the Law.  to give it countenance and authority: for who dare quarrel his Work, and the operation of his hands? Therefore did God himself speak all the words of the commandments; he also spoke in a terrible and fearful manner, 
Exod. 20. 1.  to gain the business reverence, 
Exod. 19 19  and a fearful estimation he spoke in the hearing of the people, that they might know it was Gods own act: 
Exod. 19 9  and to prevent the distrust they might have of his servant Moses. 
Secondly, The angels attend at the giving of the law.  Secondly, the Angels they attend this holy service, to declare the most excellent Majesty of God, who in all his occasions is served and attended by an infinite number of that excellent Nature. Again, the Angels were there, because they are most desirous of the good of mankind: 
Heb. 1. 14.  and do willingly attend the service of our salvation: Having joy amongst themselves in heaven, 
Luk. 15. 7. 10.  at the conversion of a sinner. They were there also to be witnesses between God & his people, that the covenants might remain established for ever. And therefore sayeth Saint Paul, 
Gal. 3. 19  The law was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediator: not that the Angels did principally give the Law, and appoint the covenant, but that the service was only attended by their holy Ministration. Thirdly, 
Thirdly, The law was given by MOSES.  the Law was given by Moses; that is, God gave it Moses to give the Israelites, because the spirit of God had so sanctified Moses, that he was able to stand in the presence of God: the which the host of the Israelits could not do, but become astonished, and exceedingly afraid at the voice of God's thunders. And therefore they desired Moses that he would negotiate for them, 
Exod. 20. 19  betwixt God and them, they being not able to endure the presence of his Majesty. Again, it was given by Moses, because God would honour him above the rest of his brethren: 
Note.  he having been most industrious & constant in the service of God. And therefore as God had given them deliverance out of Egypt, by the hand of Moses, so would he give them by the hand of Moses the covenants of his everlasting love, 
The promises of the law are now gained by the Gospel.  and deliverance from the bondage of sin: all which grace was promised unto them that would live within the compass of these laws, and is now given to them that faithfully endeavour, though they fail in the main performance: For the Law was given by Moses, 
joh. 1. 17.  but grace and Truth came by jesus Christ. john. 1. 7. Lastly, 
Fourthly, The Law was given Israel.  the Law was given (by name to the Israelites; but in the purpose of God to all men, all men being under the bondage of the Moral law of God, and the Law being able to judge and condemn all men. It was (by name) given to the Israelites, because than they were the choice and select people of God; for whom he had done his wonders, and to whom he had promised a fair inheritance. It is also derived down upon us, 
The Law was derived down on us, & not to the jews only.  and upon all posterity, all men having entered covenant with God, to endeavour themselves, in the faithful keeping of the commandments of the law. All these circumstances, are necessarily considered in the manner of Gods delivering the law. From this may be generally observed, 
Observations in the Law.  that God in all his actions hath principal respect to holiness, and that no profane circumstances assist him in his actions, but as himself is most holy, so his delight is in holy actions, and hateth all profanation both of matter and circumstance. In the law may be generally observed, 
1 An impossibility in the strict performance.  first an impossibility in the precise performance thereof, no man being able (without favour) to make an even reckoning with the Law: the Law being able to conclude us all under sin. It is an Argument of Saint Peter, Acts. 15. 10. 
Act. 15. 10.  Now therefore why tempt ye God, to lay a yoke (that is the performance of the law) on the Disciples necks, which neither our father nor we are able to bear? Saint Paul also to the Galath. 
Gal. 2. 16.  concludeth an impossibility to be justified by the law: By the works of the Law (saith he) no flesh shall be justified. So that no man aught to repose his justification in the law, yet every man aught to endeavour his utmost performance. Secondly, 
Secondly.  Men are judged by the law to be guilty, 
Gal. 3. 22  and deservers of eternal damnation. This general judgement of the Law against all flesh, 
All men are judged by the Law.  doth conclude all men in the state of damnation, no man being able to deliver himself from this judgement, before the Law be fully satisfied: which could not be done by other means, 
Gal. 4. 5.  then by the righteousness and death of jesus Christ the son of God, and the redeemet of the world.  

The general Use.  
This doctrine of the severity of the law of God, 
The use.  hath this double general use. First, in the person of God, it declareth what wonderful desire he hath for the good of his people, in that he daigneth in the power of his Majesty to present himself with man, whom before he had (for his sin) cast out of Paradise, and from the favour of his presence, and to constitute such ordinances, and such laws as might direct them that were desirous to please God, the way and means of his favour. For howsoever no man can so observe the ordinance of the Law as thereby to be righteous, 
Gen. 3. 11.  and to deserve the promise; yet did God accept the faithful endeavours of men, and supply their defects by the grace and operation of his holy Spirit. And therefore at the delivering of the Law, when the Israelites promised Moses, that they would do whatsoever GOD should command them: 
Deut. 5. 2.  God seemeth to express a passion of his love, & to require less than the law; for the law commanded a precise performance upon pain of damnation, but God promiseth the blessing of his favour to all them that zealously endeavour to keep the Law: Therefore saith God to Moses, 
Deut. 5. 29,  OH that there were such an heart in them. to fear me, and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their children for ever. And this doth prevent and objection, which all men might make that are dis-obedient against God and his law: for else they might thus object; 
Objection.  that seeing the law of God doth require a greater duty than is in any man's performance, and that seeing the law doth condemn all them that fail in the lest particular duty of the law: 
God is mecifull, in his severest justice.  therefore God might seem to be merciless in the severity of his justice; and their labour fruitless to attempt that which was unpossible. Both which are wickedly false 3 for though the law condemn every man, 
Answer. God is above the law, because he made it.  yet God that made the law is above the law, and doth often grant his dispensation, and pardon them whom his law condemneth. Secondly, though no man can perform the law, yet all men may endeavour it, the which endeavour (being faithful and industrious) is accepted of God, as if it were performance. And this doth take from all men, all matter of argument, whereby they would excuse their disobedience, 
He that endeavoureth the law, hath the promise.  and neglect: for (as I have said) though no man be able to do the law, yet all men are able to endeavour it. And this doth necessarily admonish the christian people of these times, 
Men may not presume on the liberty of faith.  who presume overboldly on the liberty of faith, that because Christ jesus the Saviour of the world, hath satisfied the Law, and wrought righteousness to all them that shall faithfully believe, and apprehended his merits, therefore they despise the works of the Law, (holy and charitable exercise) & repose themselves on the bore confidence of faith only. 
A fruitless faith profiteth nothing.  The which being altogether fruitless in the works of the law, is but presumption and a vain confidence, & will (dangerously) deceive all them that affy therein. For though Christ jesus hath abolished the ceremonial Law, & satisfied the justice of the moral Law (the which is available to all them that shall be heirs of salvation) yet his righteousness in observing the Law, doth not destroy the substance of the law, 
Christ hath not destroyed the law, but qualified.  and make it useless; but doth rather command our imitation; that as he hath performed the law in all righteousness and sincerity, so we should endeavour a strict imitation of his virtuous doing: 
Works the testimony of faith.  for such faith only hath the benefit of the righteousness of jesus Christ, as is approved by the testimony of holy life, and hath the witness of virtuous living. Therefore it doth needfully behove all men carefully to endeavour in the exercise of the law of God: for though no man can be justified by the works of the Law: 
Note.  so no man can declare and approve himself to be justified, but by the works of the law. Again, the knowledge of the law of God, may give every man a true understanding in the state of his life, 
By the sentence of the law we may judge ourselves.  whereby to know in what condition he standeth, whether in the favour or displeasure of almighty God: for the law is God's revealed will, to which all men own conformity upon grievous forfeit. And therefore whosoever shall examine the behaviour of his life, and compare his several committing and omitting with the duties of the Law, (for so aught all do) shall be well able to understand, and judge himself: for the law is the pattern of our lives, to which we aught to square our actions: so that when we find a dissimilitude betwixt the Law and our lives, 
The Law a pattern of a Christian life.  we can not but judge ourselves disobedient, and rebellious to God and his law, and (consequently) to forfeit our souls to the state of condemnation. This judgement aught to 'cause a humiliation; and so it will in them whom God shall make gracious. Who when they know their souls to be in the disease of sin, and that the Law doth wound them with guiltiness, 
How the Law doth humble us.  and that themselves have a natural proneness, rather to 'cause then to cure their infirmities: this maketh them to deny themselves, and their own power, which is but weakness; and with humbleness to resort to the mercy and merits of jesus Christ the Son of God, 
Christ, the Physician of souls.  and the Physician of our souls, who only hath been able to satisfy the justice of the Law, and who only hath been able to work the redemption of Mankind: and to repossess them of God's favour, who had lost it by their transgressions. And this our Redeemer hath done by assuming our nature, bearing our sins, satisfying our contempts, 
Christ hath fulfilled the law for us.  and finishing our neglects: who (in our nature) hath fulfilled the law for us, that could not: who hath victored sin, and made a conquest of hell, and by his death hath slain death, which (but for him) had seized our souls into everlasting condemnation. Thus will the knowledge of the Law admonish, thus remember us.   

Special application.  
This knowledge presents my soul with matter of serious Meditation: 
Special application.  wherein I may have a full view of the miserable condition of my life: what strength is in my nature, what endeavour in my actions: for when I find an impossibility of my dutiful & strict obedience to the law, I shall then acknowledge my defects, & the corruption of my nature: when I examine the particulars of my life, and compare them with my duty, I shall acknowledge the neglects of my endeavours: and that I have failed, not only in the main performance of the law of God; which my nature could not, but in my desires and careful endeavours to do well, which my nature might. 
The effects issuing from the meditation of the law. In the reprobate.  And from this meditation doth (necessarily) follow, one of these two effects. In the reprobate and graceless, it causeth desperation and a hopeless distrust of their salvation: for when the devil and their Consciences expose before them the justice of GOD, the severity of his Law, and the infinite measure of their offence, the extreme terror and sense of their wickedness, doth so confounded their understandings, that often they execute upon themselves torment & death, despising & despairing of jesus Christ; in whom if they had reposed trust, and had believed and apprehended his righteousness, their sin had not been imputed, neither had their souls perished. 
In the regenerate.  But in the children of grace, this meditation doth produce a contrary effect: for when they (by the law) understand the misery whereinto their sins have brought them, it causeth a wonderful degree of fear, but not desperate. For though the devil present their sins in most ugly forms, and urge them to a desperate apprehension: 
God supporteth his elect against temptations  yet the Spirit of God (in them) doth withstand this temptation, and giveth them holy motions to devise the means of their salvation; presenting them (in their spiritual sorrow) with jesus Christ as he was crucified; then giving them grace to understand the mystery of his death, and the promise of the imputation of his righteousness: which when the grieved sinner understandeth, he allayeth his sorrow, & affyeth in the merits & mediation of jesus Christ his Redeemer. 
The di●or effects of the Law.  Thus the law produceth a contrary effect in contrary spirits it damneth the reprobate without hope; the elect it condemneth, but instructeth also and giveth hope: them it judgeth without mercy, these it admonisheth, and is their Schoolmaster, to bring them unto CHRIST. Therefore, though the law condemn me, it shall not condemn my hope▪ 
Resolution.  for though I cannot myself perform the righteousness of the law; yet there is one hath done it for me, my Lord and my saviour jesus, in whom I repose hope, 
The work of faith.  and respire new life, because I know that his righteousness is mine by imputation: and that my sin was nailed to his Cross, and suffered death (with him) when he wrought my redemption. I will therefore enlarge my love (without limits) to this my Saviour, who for my salvation hath been pleased to undergo so great a travel. I will admire the admirable degree of his love, that for my sake did descend his Majesty to take (and dignify the baseness of my nature. I will with unspeakable joy meditate his most holy sufferings, 
Christ hath freed us from the judgement of the law.  whereby I am released from the condemnation of the Law. I will despise myself and my own unrighteousness, & apprehended him the staff of my confidence. 
To whom repentant sinners should resort.  I will never despair hope, because I know that my salvation liveth; but in all the extremities of my life, and in all the sorrows of my conscience, I will resort to jesus the Physician of my soul, I will inquire for him at the mercy of his Father, 
Where to found Christ.  I will inquire at his own righteousness, I will seek him in his holy sufferings, I will seek him on the cross of his death; 
How to implore his favours.  and when I have there found him, I will expose my grief and implore his favour, I will show him what the law hath done unto me, what wounds, (and how dangerous) it hath given my soul; I will confess my sin, and profess my faith. I will promise' also to correct the errors of my life, I will carefully endeavour every circumstance he hath commanded: and being thus rectified in my resolution, 
How to apprehended him.  I shall reach my hands of faith to my salvation, apprehended him, and apply him to my wounded soul, and by this blessed means satisfy the law, and restore my Soul.    

Of the acousation of Conscience. Chap 8.  
EVery man that would prevent the dreadful danger of God's general judgement, must in this life while he hath time, arrest his own soul, examine his particular actions; 
Conscience  and by the evidence of his conscience, judge himself and his transgressions against the law of God: for as God's judgement doth begin at his house, 
1. Pet. 4, 17.  because his principal care is for his own; 
Prou. 11. 3.  so should men judge themselves, and have principal care to examine their own particulars. And as S. Paul saith, 
1 Cor. 11. 32.  1. Cor. 11. 32. When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord, because we should not be condemned with the world: so likewise we must judge ourselves, jest we be condemned with the world For as the Israelites, 
judg. 27. 8.  because they wanted judges, become Idolaters: so our lives when they are not examined and judged by our consciences, we become remiss, disobedient, and Idolatrous, and desperately run on with lawless appetite, in the common and curious committing of sin.  
And this necessary judging of ourselves, is well known to our reasonable souls; who, when we have committed sin) provoke our consciences to accuse and judge us, 
By judging ourselves, we prevent Gods heavy judgement.  as if without this judging of ourselves, we could not prevent the judgement of God: which would prove much more terrible. The manner of this judgement is thus: 
The manner of judging ourselves.  when the spirit of God shall move in any man's heart, a desire to understand themselves, the soul assembles the powers of his understanding, and exerciseth the several faculties in several assignments, and within himself (by meditation) can frame the order of a Court. The man, body and soul, he is the Prisoner at the Bar: he is also the witness and the judge, 
Conscience our accuser.  the matter of his indictment is sin: his conscience is his accuser, his memory doth produce the witness, his judgement doth denounce the sentence, and the Devil attends the execution. Thus are the faculties of the soul disposed in judging of itself: the soul against the soul producing the Law, proving the forfeit, and urging the penalty.  
Now that which hath most busy care in this spiritual & most serious examination and judgement of our selves, is the conscience, by which the soul hath true understanding in what condition it is; and by whose authority the judgement of that spiritual Court is swayed: the conscience giving testimony of all our actions, good and evil, whereby our judging part is directed (without error) to make a just proceeding without all partiality. And therefore saith the Wiseman. Blessed is he that is not condemned in his own conscience: 
E●clus. 14. 2.  for if there be any just matter of condemnation against us, there is no favour can bribe our conscience, but that will to our selves accuse ourselves of every sin, and reduce to memory, many of our sinful actions, which but for our conscience we could not remember. And therefore the Scribes & Pharisees that brought the woman taken in adultery, 
john. 8. 9  to Christ, and demanded what judgement she deserved, were remembered and accused by their consciences of their incontinence (whereof they seemed to be innocent or ignorant) when as Christ said: Let ●im that is without sin, 
Ver. 7.  cast the first stone at her. So that they that were so busy in the condemnation of another, were condemned themselves by the testimony of their own consciences: their consciences making them apply their accusations to themselves, which but then they had urged against another. 
The spiritual power of the conscience.  And doubtless it is a wonderful degree of power the conscience hath in the spiritual trial of our souls, in these two respects. First it knoweth all our sins, no man being able to hide from the knowledge of his conscience, any sin, not not his most secret sins. Secondly, 
Secondly.  it spareth no man, neither any sin, but without respect of any it urgeth all sin, against all men, our very thoughts having no privilege, but even their sins are both in the knowledge and in the hatred of conscience. Therefore, saith Saint Paul: 
Rom. 2. 15.  Their conscience bearing witness, and their thoughts accusing one another, or excusing, Rom. 2. 15. And Almighty God when he shall gather together all flesh to judgement, and expose before the Angels and Saints the several actions of every man's life, whereby they may be judged (accordingly) either to mercy or justice, he hath devised (in his wisdom,) that every one shall have a witness in himself, 
Our consciences shall reprove us in the day of judgement.  (which is his conscience,) the which in our life time doth register both our good and evil actions, and at our judgement doth witness & declare them. And therefore the Holy Ghost calleth the conscience a Book, every man and woman having one, wherein is writ a true story of every circumstance, of every particular action, of every man's life. And these books, these consciences are they that give evidence for, and against our souls at the bar of God's general judgement, Revel. 20. 12. And I saw the dead both great 
Reu. 20. 12.  and small stand before God, and the books were opened, that is, all men's consciences, wherein was writ the report of all their actions. Thus we see what the office of our conscience is, both in respect of our own spiritual iudginges, which is our reformation; and in respect of the general judgement of GOD, which must be to every one, either eternal salvation or damnation. 
The manner of the accusation of conscience.  Now the manner that conscience useth in this ministration is worthy of our consideration; and to understand this, we must remember first this general doctrine; that all men generally have a conscience, the which GOD hath united inseparably to our reasonable Natures. And therefore not only they that are of christian belief, 
All men endure or shall endure the grief of conscience.  and have the rules of religion to teach them; but men merely natural, and ignorant of divine Worship, suffer the affliction of their offended conscience, which though it be in a far inferior degree to that of understanding Christians; yet doth it (in some proportion) exercise a judgement on the soul, and doth both remember and terrify them that grossly offend against the law of nature; which to them is the law of reason and religion. This is proved by that place of Scripture I before alleged: 
Reu. 20. 12.  That the Books of all the dead were opened; the word (all) excluding none from the accusation of conscience, All then are afflicted by conscience, but not all alike, nor all alike effectually. The Infidels that know not God, but only as they are taught by the wisdom of nature, 
The difference in the conscience of Christians and Infidels.  have a conscience; but it remembers the offender his great sins only, and that sparingly and with favour. A christian conscience is more severe, for it remembers all men, all sin, without favour, without exception. There is this difference also; that of Infidels and wicked men doth often remember the offendor his sin; but afflicts him not, neither provokes him to repentance: but the conscience of Christians doth fearfully remember sin, 
A Christian conscience ever hath grief.  and doth wound the soul of the offender, with sorrow and spiritual grief; making him pursue the means of his own reformation, and hate the cause for which his conscience doth so afflict him. And this is the difference between the conscience of a Christian and an Infidel. 
The difference of conscience among Christians.  Among Christians also, there is great difference of Conscience: For as in the common number that profess the Christian religion, the greater part is (by much) the worse; the true worshippers of God being only a few choice particulars, 
God's number the less.  drawn out from an infinite number of people: so also, though all that have Christian name, profess to have a Christian conscience, yet their conscience is no better than their Christianity: only a bore name, 
The conscience of a reprobate.  whereof they have no spiritual comfort nor use. Conscience in the Reprobate is either silent or outrageous: the silent conscience of the Reprobate is, when custom and long continuance of sinning, doth dull the sense of conscience; and this is when men give over themselves to commit sin with affectation and appetite, and oppress their consciences with the multitude of their committing, so that such conscience doth not remember us our sin; but when it is assisted by external demonstrations. Such a conscience had Saul the reprobat king, who prosecuted his sinful intentes against holy David with all his endeavour: yet when David gave him that notable demonstration of loyalty, showing him by direct evidence, 
1. Sam. 24, 12.  that God had shut him up in his power; and notwithstanding he had saved the life of his enemy, that sought his destruction, This notable testimony of David's good conscience, 
Verse 18.  did stir up the dead spirits of saul's evil conscience to acknowledge his sin, 
The outrageous conscience of the reprobat  and (for a time) to forbear and repent his unjust vexations: The outrageous conscience in the reprobate is when the conscience hath (for a time) been silenced, and hath given the sinner an unchaste liberty in his ungodliness; yet so, as that once apprehending the knowledge of his sin, and knowing the state of condemnation wherein it is, it breaketh out into a violence which wanting moderation, 
Desperation caused by a violent conscience.  urgeth the sinner to execute upon himself some desperate vengeance. Such was the conscience of judas the traitor, 
judas.  which slept all the time he was plotting and practising his treason: but when his sin was brought into act, than his conscience (though evil) did upbraid his sin with such violence, as made the grief unsupportable: and the Traitor (not able to endure the torment of his conscience) thought (as Cain) 
Caine.  that his sin was greater than the mercy of God, and so despairing mercy, 
Mat. 27. 3. 4. 5.  he desperately hanged himself. Such are the consciences of the reprobate: their conscience is sleepy, and doth reprove but seldom: yet when it doth reprove, it is then most terrible, and without all comfort. And though in this life they never afflict for sin, but seem senseless and dead in their appointed offices: yet at the day of judgement, 
Reu. 20. 12.  when the book of every man's conscience shall be opened, then will their consciences that in this life have been most silent, be most loud and terrible in their accusations, denouncing judgement, and inflicting a greater torment on the soul, than the damned can have patience to bear: This is the office and end of an evil conscience. 
Wisd. 17 10.   
Now the conscience of the child of grace is in full opposition to the conscience of a reprobate: 
A good conscience.  For when God shall please to call his servants to a knowledge of himself, and to a detestation of sin; the grace of his holy Spirit moveth in the heart of such a one, and first awaketh the conscience, and giveth it sense to understand the calamity of the Soul; and Spirit, to reprove and admonish it in needful directions. And this grace of God, 
How God moveth the conscience.  giving the conscience sense to understand sin, and Spirit to reprove it; is the first degree of our reformation, and the preparation to our spiritual conversion: GOD himself being the prime and principal Author thereof. This beginning of the grace of God spreads itself into very large proceed; 
When God doth stir our conscience, it continueth that holy motion to our reformation.  for when our conscience is once touched with this godly desire to examine the errors of our life, God doth not there leave us, but giveth us a continual assistance, to finish that needful care, without despair; without fainting. The manner may be thus considered. The conscience (being instructed by grace) understandeth that the soul is in danger of God's judgement: this knowledge causeth a desire in the soul to examine the particulars of our life: 
The manner how a good conscience worketh.  then doth it compare our several actions, with the several duties of the law, and thereby is made evident the many and great defects of our life, and that therefore our souls and bodies are guilty, and stand in the danger of condemnation. From this knowledge doth arise the grief of a wounded conscience: 
The cause of the grief of conscience.  for the Statute laws of God condemning us for the trespass of our lives; the conscience then (whose office is to accuse, or excuse) upbraideth our sin, and denounceth the judgement of the law against us, which is eternal damnation. And in this case we may compare our souls to felons at the Bar, who having pleaded guilty, and received the sentence of the Law, 
Note.  abandon all hope, and only prepare themselves for the stroke of execution: yet the sovereign judge, being pleased to descend mercy to these poor condemned Prisoners, offers them the benefit of their Clergy, promising mercy to all them that shall be able to read the lines proposed them. So our souls being arrested for sin, and standing at the bar of our own judgement, 
The guilty soul like a condemned felon.  being accused by conscience, and having the Law against us, to condemn us; we are then in a much more grievous condemnation than felons, because they fear but a temporal death, but we eternal. Neither can we (more than they) free our souls from these extremities, until GOD (who is the judge of all the world) shall please to offer mercy, and the benefit of his Clergy; which is nothing else but the story of the meritorious sufferings of JESUS the Lamb of GOD, 
Christ the book of life.  which story is written in spiritual Characters, upon the Cross of his death. And this book (the spiritual cross) being writ with the blood of the most righteous, 
How to quiet the trouble of a grieved conscience.  God presents to all the world, all the world (in respect of themselves) being guilty, and condemned: promising Remission of sins, (a general Pardon,) to all them that with their eyes of Faith, shall read this book of life, and apprehended and apply (JESUS) the contents thereof to their salvation.  
Thus (and but thus) is it possible to quiet the trouble of a grieved conscience, the conscience being never satisfied for sin, before the justice of God be satisfied, by the apprehensive righteousness of jesus Christ.  
And therefore saith Saint Paul; 
Rom. 5. 1.  (Being then justified by Faith,) we have peace towards GOD, through our Lord JESUS CHRIST. Rom. 5. 1. 
The conclusion of this first part.  And thus far I have proceeded in the first part of this Tract, viz. the death of man: for the whole passage of the old Testament, from the Creation of man, to the incarnation of the Son of God, doth only humble us with the knowledge of our own unworthiness, & thereby make us fit to apprehended and apply the righteousness of jesus Christ: for before we can live to God, we must dye to ourselves: neither is there a spiritual regeneration, where there is not first a spiritual mortification, And where grace would enter, sin must void, for he that would follow Christ, must deny himself. And therefore let no man presume to apprehended the mystery of the righteousness of the Cross of Christ, before he hath reform his actions, 
No man can be able to apprehended Christ before his conscience hath thus prepared him.  quieted the clamour of his conscience, and utterly denied the strength of his own nature. For how shall he bear the Cross of Christ, that is laden with his own infirmities? or how shall he be benefited by the promises of the Gospel, that doth not first judge himself by the commandments of the law? For he that knoweth not his disease, seeketh no physic; and Christ came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.  

The general Use.  
This doth admonish all men carefully to watch the behaviour of their lives; 
The use.  for if the conscience of every man be 
Reu. 20. 1. 2  a book, wherein is writ the records of all his actions, good and bad; and that seeing this book must be read at the day of judgement in the audience of all the world, before God, and before his holy Angels and Saints, what manner of men aught all to be in godly conversation? This aught to move in every one a double care. First, 
First.  that they avoid (carefully) all ungodliness, both in thought and action; whereby they may suffer disgrace before GOD and all his Creatures, at the general judgement, when the book of their 
Secondly.  conscience shall be opened to every one's eye. Secondly, it doth persuade a a diligence in all godly exercise; and that all men contend (with an holy emulation) to exceed in godly action▪ whereby they may receive applause, and general reputation in the general assembly of God and all Creatures. For as in the affairs of earth, men covet most desirously to gain reputation & general name, because it argueth an extraordinary degree of desert in him that hath it: so in contending for this spiritual Garland (Heaven,) it cannot but be an extraordinary degree of content, 
There is no ambition lawful, but the covetous desire of heaven.  and spiritual pleasure, to be named in the rank of best deservers. And as malefactors that suffer public punishment for their offence, esteem the shame more than the pain of their corrections: so aught all men to fear the shame they must endure, if their conscience disgrace them before so great a presence, as will be at the general judgement. For let all men be persuaded, 
The book of co●cience cannot be defaced but only by the precious blood of Christ.  that all their faults are so writ in the book of their consciscience, that there is no means to obscure their knowledge, & to raze them out; neither will the conscience (though it be our own) be corrupted, to connive and dissemble with God, but (even to our own faces) it will produce all our sins, whose memory is not blotted by the righteous blood of the Son of God. Again, seeing the witness of our conscience is that evidence, whereby we are all judged either to life, or death, 
Not to offend our conscience.  we all aught most carefully avoid the doing of aught that may offend our conscience: but rather to live in fear and awe of conscience, because our eternal state dependeth upon the report of our own conscience. This aught to prevent all unconscionable actions, & to have a detestation of every sin; because when we have committed sins, we have hired against our own souls, so many witnesses to urge our eternal condemnation. Lastly, 
The silent ●onscienre will be most loud at the day of judgement.  seeing that that conscience which in this life is most silent, will notwithstanding at the day of judgement be most terrible & clamorous; it admonisheth all men not to rebel against their conscience, & to run on without check in the committing of sin; but rather to yield themselves to the correction of their consciences, jest by their customary sinning, they dull the sense of conscience, 
Customary sinning dulleth conscience.  and so run on in the race of all unlawfulness: for though the reproof of conscience be very terrible to him that rightly understands it, yet aught it to be carefully apprehended, and respected as a moving cause to repentance, and reformation. And let no man encourage himself with common example, 
Evil examples aught not to move us from the duty of conscience  that because the common sway of men's actions respect greatness more than goodness; and craft more than conscience, that this can warrant any one's imitation; but rather wheresoever we see unconscionable dealing, if in our friends, we ourselves aught to be their conscience and admonish them; if in our enemies, we must hate the sin, but pity the sinner, and labour (not his imitation,) but if it be possible, his conversion. And this direction is both Wisdom and Charity: 
The office of charity.  for he that is wise, will be armed, and not harmed by ill example: and he that is charitable, will do the good he can, and wish the good he cannot do.   

Special application.  
I will therefore constantly endeavour to reduce to memory the several actions of my life past: 
Special application.  I will then compare them with the duty of my conscience, and thereby understand in what degree of sin I am, what my conscience shall approve, I will continued; what it condemneth I will hate: 
Good conscience is in hatred with all sin.  be it my pleasure, be it my profit, be it my nearest or my dearest sin, if my conscience call it sin, I will despise it. There is nothing shall make me altar or suspend this resolution, I am constant in the love of conscience; what I have done I will reform by conscience: what I have to do, my conscience shall judge it lawful before I do it. If my occasions present me profit, I will despise it if it be not honest, if pleasure, & not lawful, I will loathe it. I will undertake no action, 
To consult with conscience.  entertain no ●avour, but I will consult with conscience in every judgement, and in all actions, I will be led by the voice of conscience, If the world commend a sin, and my conscience condemn it, I will condemn the world, and commend my conscience: I will credit my conscience more than common example, because my conscience must judge me, and not example. If my conscience secretly accuse me of sin. I shall certainly know there is cause; I will therefore then examine, and as my conscience shall direct, I will rectify. I will not silence my conscience from all reproofs. I will only avoid the cause of reproof (sin) and that carefully; when my conscience shall urge me the law, my sins, and the condemnation I have deserved. I will not therefore despise my conscience, nor despair mercy; but direct my eyes of faith to jesus the strength of my salvation: by whose favour I shall satisfy both the law and my conscience. The hope and comfort I have in his righteousness, will quiet the trouble of my conscience and he that hath reconciled God and 
Rom. 5. 1.  me will also reconcile me to my conscience, 
Conscience that did accuse will comfort.  and make it that was my accuser, my Comforter This direction I propose myself, and persuade all men as I propose and purpose, that in all our actions and consultations, we judge nothing convenient that is not lawful, and that nothing may be thought lawful, but that which hath the warrant of good conscience.    

THE SECOND PART OF THE HOly Pilgrim, leading the way to new jerusalem. OR A Divine direction in the Way of life, declaring the order and causes of man's happiness, attained by the imputation of the righteousness of jesus Christ.  
LONDON, Imprinted by B. A. for William Barrenger. 1617.   

Of the Gospel, the new Covenant, or the Covenant of Grace. Chap. 1.  
THE story of the Bible, from the first beginning to the birth of our Saviour jesus, 
The Gospel.  doth for the most part declare the miserable condition of mankind, how he hath fallen from the innocency of his nature, which God gave him in his first creation; and how he hath continued in sin, and in the curse of God for sin: having no power in himself to satisfy the justice of GOD, or to reconcile himself to his favour. Therefore did God give the law of the ten commandments (the particulars of his revealed will. 
How to use and apply the Scriptures. ) both to provoke men to endeavour in the exercise of all godliness, and also that by the knowledge of the Law, men might know their own defects, and by their humiliation to be prepared, and made fit for the mercy of the Gospel. For though jesus Christ the substance of the Gospel, was (in the counsel of GOD from all beginnings) determined to be the Redeemer of mankind, being also promised to our first Parents, and by whom all the faithful before his incarnation, 
The faithful, before the incarnation of Christ, were saved by Christ. The difference between the Law and Gospel.  had the pardon of their sins, apprehending (by faith) the promise of his righteousness: yet was not this grace declared them in such plain and direct evidence, as now it is in the preaching of the Gospel: it being then delivered only in shadows, Ceremonies, prophecies, and in the mystical sense of Allegories, so that few had capacity and grace (rightly) to understand them. All which difficulties are now vanished in the preaching of the Gospel, the Gospel presenting us (in most familiar and easy demonstrations) the substance without the shadow, and the truth without the figure, withal giving directions and infallible rules, not only to know the means of our salvation; but how to make it ours, to apprehended and apply it to our own particular comfort. And this grace doth the Gospel give with such favour, as that the necessary doctrines exceed not the understandings of men of meanest capacities; but that all that will (without respect or exception) may reach their hands of faith, 
The great favour and liberty of the Gospel.  to the Cross of Christ, and freely apprehended the means of their salvation, which is the Lord jesus, triumphing at the Conquest of his death, over sin, hell, and damnation.  
This is a blessed alteration in the state of the world: 
A happy alteration.  for in the time of the law, when the grace of the Gospel was hid in the clouds of the ceremonies, the observers of the ceremonial law, did seldom understand the mystical sense of the ceremony, which did allude to some particular grace in the Gospel.) 
The ceremonies of the law did allude to the graces of the Gospel.  And therefore though God was pleased to accept their careful endeavour in their religious observing the ceremony, which was but a figure of the truth included in the ceremony; yet they wanted a great part of that spiritual comfort, 
Tit. 2. 11.  which we have in observing the covenant of grace (the Gospel) the grace of God appearing to them as God himself did to the Israelites their Fathers at the delivering of the law in clouds, 
Exod. 19 16.  in fire, in smoke and thunders: but to us he doth appear more familiarly, jesus Christ his Son, and the most lively representment of himself, assuming our nature, and conversing with us, did wound our sin, and heal the wounds sin had made in our souls; in whom God was (personally) present, whose words taught salvation, and whose actions wrought it. This is the difference betwixt the law & the Gospel. The Law commandeth us to do and live, 
What the law commandeth. What the Gospel.  if not, to dye; the Gospel (all mercy) requireth to believe only, and line: and this is a wonderful degree of God's favour, that because we are not able to keep the covenants of his law, is therefore pleased to yield to our infirmities, to altar our obligation, and to enter new covenants with us: 
The covenant of Grace.  the covenant of Grace, whereby God doth indent with man, and binds the justice of his law in the bonds of his mercy, promising salvation to all them that faithfully believe in the merits and mediation of his Son Christ. Thus doth God allure us by easy mean, & fair promises to inherit everlasting life, which the law denieth to all men: no man being able to satisfy the justice of the law. If it be objected then, 
Objection.  that the grace of the Gospel doth destroy the works of the law, because that mercy is given of grace, and not of deserts, I answer, 
Answer.  that the Gospel doth not destroy the substance of the Law, but doth only abate and mitigate the rigour thereof: as God when he preserved Daniel in the lions den, 
Dan. 6. 16.  did not destroy the Lions, but only shut their mouths, and bound their power, that they might not hurt Daniel: So he hath not destroyed the law, but doth only restrain the violence thereof from hurting his Daniels, that is, the faithful.  
And as when Darius took Daniel from the den, 
Dan. 6. 24  and cast in his accusers, the Lions than had the mastery, and devoured them; so the reprobate shall not avoid the condemation of the Law, notwithstanding the promise of the Gospel, and the new covenants of grace; because no man hath the benefit of mercy, but he that (first) is the child of faith. 
The difference of respect GOD hath to his servants, and to his slaves.  And therefore the great King of all the World shall take his faithful Daniels from the power of the Lions (the law,) but leave the reprobate in the state of their destruction. Thus much in general of the Gospel, and of the general difference between that and the law, and between them that lived under the bondage of the law, and us that live now in the Liberty of the Gospel.  
The purpose of the Gospel is the salvation of men. And therefore the Angel that was the first preacher of the Gospel, told the Shepherds that he brought them tidings of great joy: 
Luk. 2. 10.  (indeed) a greater could not be then to bring them the news of their salvation. The matter of the Gospel is the life, 
1. Cor. 15. 1. 2. 3.  the death, & the doctrines of jesus Christ; for they are the only means by which we attain to the favour of salvation: his doctrines were directions, his life examples, and his death was, & is life to all that apprehended him, In the circumstance of the Gospel is principally considered; First God, who of himself & of his own election, 
The circumstance of the Gospel.  without cause in man, did enter this covenant of grace, being moved only by the pleasure of his own will, and by his own gracious love to his creatures. For so saith the holy Ghost: 
joh. 3. 16.  God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believed in him should not perish, 
The love of God, the moving cause of the covenant of grace.  but have everlasting life. Whereby it is evident that the love of God was the only cause that moved him to this effect: for God can glorify himself aswell in the damnation, as in the salvation of men: for he needeth no addition of honour, that is infinite both in greatness and goodness; but as his mercy is most eminent over all his attributes, so in this new Covenant of the Gospel he doth give us the greatest demonstration of his mercy that can be, in giving his only begotten Son to dye on the cross for the redemption of mankind: in every word whereof there is an emphasis or a passion of love (infinitely) beyond all comparison: 
Secondly.  where it seemeth that God doth (as it were,) put off his Majesty, and descend himself in his care to pity, and redress the ruined state of sinful man his enemy. Secondly, in the person of Christ (who is the cause both moving & finishing the covenant of the Gospel) there is matter of most worthy and admirable consideration. For Christ is not only to be understood, 
How to understand Christ in the Gospel.  as the instrumental cause, whereby this covenant of grace between God and man was effected, but also as the first moving cause and deviser of it, it being impossible to assign him offices without his own appointment, he being equal to God the Father, and the holy Ghost: and they all having but one divinity undivided. This the unbelieving jews could not comprehend, and therefore they derided Christ when he said: 
joh. 8. 5. 8.  Before Abrabam was, I am, not knowing that he was God equal and coeternal with his Father, and was begotten before all beginnings.  
It is therefore most wonderful in the person of Christ, that he being God, and the Lord of all the World: that he would leave the bosom of his Father, 
Strong witnesses of the love of Christ.  and (for a time) to put off the presence of his divine Majesty, and to take our nature upon him in humility, and in a base estate, and to undertake (not only) to satisfy the law, & make good our defects, but also to bear the displeasure of his father, and to suffer the malice of wicked men to prevail, even to his death, and that he hath endured all this for the good of man, a creature that by sin had brought himself in disgrace with God. And which is most of all; that he hath done all this by his own appointment, 
Christ suffered of his own will, and not by constraint.  without either command or direction, there being no power above him, by whom he could be commanded. This incomparable love is able to astonish a Christian meditation, and to make it admire & say with holy David: Lord what is man that thou hast such respect unto him, or the son of man; that thou so regardest him? Psal. 144. u 3. Thirdly, is considerable the officers in the holy ministration of the Gospel, 
Psal. 144. 3. Thirdly. The ministers in the office of the Gospel.  by whose endeavour and vigilancy, the spiritual graces of the Gospel are distributed to the children of faith, for whose sakes the covenant of grace is given. The first officers (in this kind) were the twelve Apostles, of purpose chosen by the Lord jesus himself, 
Apostles.  that they might be the faithful witnesses of the whole passage of his life, and that (after his ascension) they might plant in man's hearts a knowledge of this Gospel; and by their prayers, preachings, and godly exhortations, to dispose the holy seed of grace in their hearts, whom God should make capable to entertain it with profit. 
The profit of their labours.  These holy labourers being assisted by the holy Ghost, traveled in God's husbandry, with such profit, as that the Gospel (in their times) spread itself into very large limits. And building upon the foundation of the rock Christ, they have erected such a frame as shall remain to all posterity. These holy Ministers were the conducts, whereby God did confer his spiritual waters of life into all the parts of the world, who spreading themselves (in their painful travel) over all the known world, spread the Gospel as they went; & left in every place where they came, a memory of their Lord and master Christ jesus. After them succeeded others in their example, who both taught the gospel, 
The state of the primitive Church  & confirmed it with the testimony of their death. These are the holy officers in the ministration of the gospel, & all that live in the church of God in their office, & in their example, shall with them receive the wages of faithfulness, 
A question in much controversy  Here is offered a large occasion to dispute a question in controversy, who are they that are the true Ministers of the Gospel. 
The Papist.  The Church of Rome challenge to be only able to derive a true ministry, because (say they) they have continued one and the same succession from the Apostles downwards. 
The Protestant's opinion.  The Protestant's misprove their Ministry, and pled intrusion of ceremony, and corruption of error, and profess to have reduced a Ministry in most near proportion to that of the Primitive Church. The Brownist is peremptory against them both, and fond pleads against the names and titles of the ministry. 
The Puritan and Brownist.  And therefore as these quarrels are unplacable and out of hope to be reconciled, I will leave them in their strife, with this admonition to my reader: That we despise not Christ, because upon his Cross he did hung with thieves; neither that we honour thiefs, because they hung with Christ: for that which is but near truth, 
Truth between two extremities of error. Fourthly.  is no truth, and the best virtue is placed between two extremities.  
Lastly, is to be considered, to whom the benefits of the Gospel appertain; and that is to the elect, namely such as are most industrious in the faithful execution of the law; for as I have said God hath not given the Gospel to destroy the Law, but to preserve and revive it, that men may be alured by the sweet promises of the Gospel to endeavour with alacrity and hope in the exercise of the law. And therefore Christ himself saith: If ye love me, keep my commandments: that is, endeavour to keep them with all diligence: for he that is careless in the service of God, is not to hope that God will be careful of his salvation. This is also approved in the parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard. 
Mat. 21. 1. etc.  The Master of the Vineyard is God, the Vineyard is the world, the Labourers are the faithful and painful Christians, their wages is the benefit of the Gospel. So that not the lookers on, but the Labourers in God's Vineyard shall receive the wages of everlasting salvation.  
These considerations are most weighty in the general understanding of the Gospel, to which I will add this admonition: That all men esteem worthily and reverently of the Gospel of jesus Christ, 
2. Th●ss. 2. 10. 11. 12.  because God doth judge the contemners thereof to be guilty of deserved damnation. And that if God present them the means to communicate with the benefits of the Gospel, that they neglect (rather) all the profits in the world, than the treasure of the Gospel. For that is that one thing which is only necessary, and that pearl of price, for which we are advised to cell all that we have, 
Mat. 13. 45. 46.  that we may purchase it. For he that hath that jewel, hath sufficient wealth; & he that hath all things but that, he hath nothing, if he hath not that. For what will it advantage us to win the whole world, if we lose our souls? and what enlargement can he desire, that hath the treasure of the gospel in his heart, whereby he hath continual comfort; and is led in the path of his salvation.  

The general Use.  
First, this doth generally remember all men the admirable degree of God's favour to mankind; that notwithstanding our apostasy from the service of God, & our continual trade of sinning which might incense the justice of God to destroy us at once, and for ever; yet doth he continued himself in his own kind, a God & a father most compassionate; 
Pity in God is most natural.  who inclineth rather to pity then to punish our infirmities. And therefore did almighty God take from man the burdensome condition of the law, and promise' him everlasting life, upon much more easy covenant: the which grace doth challenge from all men a dutiful thanks to GOD, 
The duty of thanks due to God.  who hath taken from their necks the unsupportable burden of the Law, giving a greater liberty and ease in the work of their salvation. Secondly, 
Secondly.  it doth admonish all men carefully to apprehended the grace of the Gospel, and not to neglect the present and the precious opportunity that GOD hath given them; 
The danger of forfeiting the covenant of grace.  because he that shall break this covenant of grace, shall doubtless forfeit the estate of his body and soul unto eternal damnation. For this new covenant of the gospel, as it is the greatest of all the favours of God, so it is the last; and tha● being neglected, there is not another to hope for.  
Thirdly, seeing the Gospel doth not destroy the substance of the Law, 
The gospel doth not destroy the law.  but only mitigate, and sweeten the severity thereof, by a gracious dispensation from the extremity of justice; it behoveth all men be (equally) as careful in the performance of the duties of the law, as if there were no other covenant but the law to judge us. For there is no man fit for the grace of the Gospel, 
The law doth fit us for the Gospel. Gal. 3. 24.  but he that is first schooled in the law of God's commandments. And therefore is the Law said to be a Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, because it doth humble us in the knowledge of our own infirmities.  
Fourthly, 
Fourthly.  seeing the purpose of the Gospel is the salvation of men, it behoveth all men to respect the Gospel as they would their salvation; and to labour by all means (not only to advance the prosperity thereof, 
Our duty of respect to the Gospel.  but also to avoid every cause that may occasion the slander or disgrace to that sacred profession,  
Fiftly, 
Fiftly, A reverence to the story of the Gospel.  seeing the matter of the Gospel, is the story of the words & works of jesus Christ our Saviour, while he was upon earth, it doth bind every man's conscience to have a reverend and a confident opinion of the truth thereof; and that all men labour by all convenient means to maintain the memory and reputation of those sacred writings, the which are only able to guide us without error in the way of our salvation.  
Sixtly, 
Sixtly.  seeing that God of his own favour did without desert, nay without hate, enter this covenant of grace, binding himself in the surety of his Word to give salvation upon the easy condition of the Gospel: and that seeing that Christ jesus the Son of God, did please to appoint himself, and to descend his majesty in great humility, to establish our salvation in the merits of his holy works: what manner of men aught all of us to be in thanks and godly conversation?  
Seventhly, 
Seven  seeing the officers appointed and chosen by Christ, for the ministration of the Gospel, were the holy Apostles, and after them the reverend Martyrs in the primitive Church, by whose diligence the Gospel spread itself over all the known World; 
A remembrance to the Ministers of these times.  this doth admonish all them that either are Ministers of the Gospel, or that have power to make them, what choice there is to be made of their uprightness and godly conversation, and what diligence is required in their spiritual travels; all which aught to fashion themselves as near as they can to the example of the holy Apostles. 
Eightly. The promises of the Gospel belong to the faithful only.  Lastly, seeing the promises of the Gospel belong to the faithful only, that are industrious in the service of the law; this aught to provoke all men to contend in godly exercise to exceed one another, and to stir up their dead desires with the hope and promise' of the Gospel, and that they think not the law burdensome, being now made easy by the grace of the Gospel, and therefore to travel in the duties of the law with alacrity and spiritual comfort, having their confidence & eyes of faith upon the promise of the Gospel. 
The difference between Sinai▪ and mount Zion.  Thus if men dispose themselves and their affections, they shall find the happy difference betwixt mount Sinai, and mount Zion, the law and the Gospel; in both which the gracious may found comfort, but with great inequality.   

Special application.  
Therefore the Gospel being a covenant between God and my soul, 
Special application.  my first care shall be rightly to understand this covenant, left by misunderstanding & false construction, I break the covenant of grace, and so run my salvation into a dangerous hazard. 
The most needful search of Scripture.  I will therefore search the sense of the mysteries of the holy Gospel; if they exceed my understanding, I will compare them with the holy writings of the Prophets and Apostles: if these exceed my capacity, I will consult with the learned expositions of reverend fathers of the Church. If all these satisfy not, I will then resort to the daily servants of this ministration, 
How to labour to understand them.  and by diligent observing their Sermons, expositions, and spiritual exhortations, I shall both learn what is the Covenant I have entered with God, and the means I must use to keep covenant; when I have attained this forwardness, and hope of better knowledge, I will (carefully) annoyed the dangerous enchantments of Heretics, 
What we must avoid.  Schismatics, and all false Teachers. I will not taste their poison, though they present it in cups of gold, their bait shall make me suspect their hook, and their fair and holy pretence, their fowl and wicked purpose: for having found Truth, (the Lord Christ) who is the s●ale of God's covenant with me, 
Christ the seal of th● covenant of Grace.  I will preserve that truth from all defacing, and laying that for my foundation, I will build thereon the whole frame of my life, and fashion all my actions as the rules of the Gospel, and as the example of my Christ shall command me, that so I may keep covenant with my God, and obtain the promise of the Gospel (which is the salvation of my soul.) 
Gen. 45. 28  And then (with holy jacob) I will boast my fortune, and say unto my soul: I have enough, and desire no enlargement.  
Again, when I meditate the matter of the Gospel, that is, the words and works of our Saviour, 
The delight we aught to have in reading the story of the Gospel.  than it shall move me to a very reverend esteeming of the story of the holy Gospel, and make me delight to exercise my time in the often reading and conferring thereof: for if they that have estates in temporal possessio●ss, be most careful to preserve such evidence and writings, as is delivered them for their security, 
The worldly care.  and oftentimes spend a great part of their wealth and labour to confirm and continued such estates, and such evidence: shall not I then (much more) spend my best diligence and means to understand (rightly) the writings of the holy Gospel, which are the deeds and evidence between God and me, touching the everlasting state of my soul, and carefully to keep such covenants as give me claim and interest in the possession of a Kingdom? 
All wealth is beggarly, in respect of God's favour.  Shall men give their substance to lawyers to maintain their beggarly possessions, in respect of heaven but beggarly, though it were the possession of the whole earth,) and shall I neglect the covenants of everlasting life, and may have law without fee? I will never do it, I will never give such testimony of madness: but I will seem to do good by their evil example; let them labour their earthly possessions, I will labour the possession of heaven: let them waste their substance on Lawyers, I can have law and lawyers much more reasonable: 
Who are a Christian man's lawyers.  the Prophets & Apostles are (and shall be) my Councillors, their hands are not corrupted, their judgements cannot err: I will therefore affix in their confidence, & endeavour as they direct me.  
Lastly, 
Lastly.  when I meditate the particulars of the story of the Gospel, I despise all other histories, 
The difference between the writings of God and men.  in comparison of this and the old Testament. For the writings of men do commonly labour vile and unworthy arguments: and those of them that travel a good cause, yet are they defective either in matter or form; but the Gospel and other holy Scriptures being writ by the direction of God's sacred spirit, they are (not only) holy in their matter, but excellent in their form, able to give the desirous reader infinite variety of content. Therefore, when I desire to read of majesty, 
The variety of delight in the story of the Scripture.  and great action, of Empire, War, Conquest, government, policy, & infinite of this kind that depend on greatness; I can found both stories and examples in the Scripture, many and unmatchable. If I desire the stories of mercy, love, peace, humanity, civil action, and the rest that depend on goodness; every page in the holy Gospel, can furnish me, either with some story, or some example of that kind: if I desire wonders & miracles of most admirable credence, they are in the scripture most frequent, yet most true; in other writings not common, yet commonly false. Therefore the holy Scripture, and especially the holy gospel, which is the covenant of my salvation, 
A Christian resolution.  shall be my continual exercise, I will exercise my pleasure in reading the meditating the excellent variety of matter, and majesty of the phrase, (being the thethorique and eloquence of the holy Ghost:) 
The best eloquence.  I will also exercise my profit in studying (rightly) to understand the covenant of my salvation, to keep which covenant, I shall be often admonished, by promises, threats, and by example. In all which, the knowledge and meditation of the holy Gospel will instruct me. For these respects I will enter covenant with my soul, to be most careful in keeping my covenant with God.    

Of Christ jesus, the sum of the Gospel. Chap. 2.  
Jesus Christ is the sum or compendium of the gospel, 
Christ the sum of the Gospel.  in whose actions & holy sufferings the main execution of the gospel, was (only &) wholly finished: for he being the seal of the covenant of grace; the covenant was only promised, not performed, until Christ himself came in our nature, 
Christ hath paid our debts for us. Why the Gospel is called the new Testament.  who did first discharge the former debts we aught the justice of God; before he did seal and ratify the new covenant of the gospel. Therefore is the holy gospel called the new Testament of our Saviour jesus, because the interest and title of salvation, could not be derived of the children of God, but by Christ the testator his sufferings, & death in his human nature. It is also called the last will of jesus Christ, 
Why the last William  because God hath fully determined that this Testament, this covenant shall remain (unalterable) to all posterity; there being no purpose in God, no power in man to altar or repeal, or change the form of this Covenant: but being determined by the whole Trinity, 
The Gospel the last refuge for men.  from before all beginning, to be the last refuge for sinful men: and the only and most safe means of their spiritual deliverances: it was also in the fullness of time, perfectly finished by Christ, as was before determined in the counsel of the trinity. And from this doctrine doth issue this foundation of Christian religion, that the Covenant of grace was purchased only by the righteousness of jesus Christ, 
A foundation of Christian religion.  who in our nature satisfying our contempts, & in our nature working righteousness, did in our nature, & in our behalf indent with God & enter these covenants; & lastly, to ratify all, he did die in our nature; & with the blood of his sacred hand subscribe & seal his Testament our covenant, whereby it is made unquestionable true, and unalterable to all times. It is evident then that the matter of the Gospel is wholly contained in the only work of jesus Christ, 
The works of Christ. The matter of the Gospel.  and that Christ is a contract compendium of all such particulars as are contained in the covenant of man's salvation. And that therefore the Canons and decrees of Counsels, and ecclesiastical states, nay, the very writings of the Prophets and Apostles, 
How to understand holy writings that interpret Scriptures.  add not any matter to the substance of the covenant of grace: but are rather to be understood as interpretations and plain expositions of such secrets, as the wisdom of Christ jesus thought good to fold in allegories and dark understanding. For Christ left not his work defective and imperfect, whereby it might require correction, but in a most exact performance. 
1. Cor. 3. 11. 12.  Therefore saith Saint Paul, Other foundation can no man lay, then that which is laid, which is jesus Christ: 
Vers. 12. 14. 14.  and he assureth a reward to them that build upon this foundation, & not to them that lay a new foundation, or altar this that is laid. Christ then, 
The words. The works of Christ.  the foundation of christian religion, & the substance of the Gospel did execute his divine office with a double diligence, his word, his work: by his word I understand such spiritual doctrine, as he daily delivered to his hearers, whether it were direction, admonition, reformation or interpretation; in all which our Saviour hath so abundantly traveled, as that not only particular men, 
The words of Christ give all men sufficient divine direction.  but the Catholic Church also may receive ample & sufficient direction, both for divine doctrine and spiritual discipline. By his works I understand every act, & all the passage of his temporal life, from his incarnation to his death on the cross, in all which time he was continually working somewhat that was available & necessary for the redemption of mankind. 
A general understanding of Christ.  Thus is Christ generally to be understood, as he was the principal matter of the Gospel, and the only working means of our salvation. To make this doctrine familiar and profitable to Christian men of easy understanding I will subdivide this double care of Christ into particulars. The words of Christ, the time of his Incarnation did instruct us the duties of our soul, and the duties of society; the duties of the soul, 
The duties of the soul  are all those things that are needfully required in the state of Christianity, whether we respect the necessary faith of the Church, the necessary orders in the Church; or the necessary obedience to the Church. The duty of society is civil action, 
The duty of society.  and humanity; that is▪ a loving, charitable and orderly conversing of Christian men. And this Christ jesus hath called the great commandment; great indeed, and of great consequence, because without this duty of humanity, we can not perform our duty of divinity: for he that first loveth not his neighbour whom he hath seen, cannot love God whom he hath not seen. And these duties of the soul, and society, comprehend generally the substance of such doctrines as Christ jesus himself hath delivered. The works of Christ are also of the matter of the Gospel, and comprehend such things as were necessary to be done by Christ, and necessary to be known and believed of us being the price of our redemption, 
Necessary in respect of his own decree.  without which it was impossible we should be reconciled to God's favours, and by which the covenant of the gospel is both obtained, and confirmed unto us. All which works of Christ I reduce to these three principals; to his birth, 


1. The birth.  
2. The life.  
3. The death of Christ.    to his life, and to his death: what he did by assuming our nature, what he did & suffered by living in our nature, and what he did by suffering, when he died in our nature. 
What he did in being borne.  And this (I take) to be the most orderly understanding of the Works of our Saviour Christ. When Christ did assume our nature, & was borne of the blessed Virgin, he did an act of great love, and of great humility: of great humility, in that he deigned to descend his Majesty, and to take our nature unto his Divinity, whereby he become subject to a temporal death, 
Heb. 2. 9  and in (that respect) A little inferior to the Angels, his own creatures.  
Secondly, it was an act of wonderful goodness, because the end thereof had not respect to any means that might enlarge the honour and felicity of Christ himself, in whom there is (naturally) an infinite measure of all happiness, 
The respect  but had respect only to poor and sinful man, that by this means he might repossess the favour of God, from which he had cast himself by his own disobedience. 
Objection.  Now it may be demanded, that seeing the nature of man is so poisoned with hereditary sin, as that all the descents of mankind have a natural corruption derived on them, the which like a general leprosy deforms the ancient beauty of our nature, & presents us in ugly forms before the majesty of God: how then could Christ take such a nature, so deformed, without imputation of sin, and without fowling the exact holiness and sincerity of his divine nature. 
Answer. Christ took our nature but not the corruption of nature.  I answer that Christ took our nature, nay all our nature; yet not those stains, nor that corruption wherewith sin had deformed our nature. For though sin be derived naturally, yet is it not of the essence of our nature, but a defect or an accidental deformity which happened to our nature not when God first gave our nature, but after it was given. And all those stains and deformities which naturally are bred in us in the womb, and at our conception, were all voided and absent at the Incarnation of our blessed Saviour: the holy Ghost sanctifiing and preparing the sacred Virgin, ordained for that holy office, whereby she was only made able to derive her nature with her issue, immaculate, without sin, without corruption (but not without infirmity.) And this sacred deriving of a sanctified nature from the blessed Virgin, 
The blessed virgin.  is not to be considered, as the act or power of the holy Virgin, but of the holy Ghost; who being God, coequal with the Father & the son, was able to separate our nature from corruption, & so to sanctify the sacred virgin, that her nature might be derived as innocent and spotless, as God had created it. 
The holy Ghost the principal mo●er in sanctifying the blessed virgin.  In which business the holy virgin was merely passive, and the holy Ghost the principal worker, It is necessarily true then, that Christ took not a part or a piece of our nature, but our whole nature, even our infirmities, and avoided only the sin which accidentally did happen our natures; 
Sin not of our nature, but in our nature.  the which being not of our nature, but in our nature it was not necessary that Christ should take▪ sin when he took our nature. And therefore saith the holy Scripture that Christ jesus was like to us in all things, only sin excepted.  
Secondly, 
Secondly. What Christ did & suffered for us.  is to be considered what Christ did and suffered while he lived in our nature: that is, the time of his personal and visible conversing with men here on earth: what he did, is comprehended in this, that he lived (righteously in the duties of the Law, and in exact obedience to God's commandments. And this was necessary in the office of Redemption, which Christ jesus had undertaken; for it was not possible to make good the Covenant of grace, 
How Christ did satisfy our contempt  before the contempts of the Law were satisfied, which Christ di● by his active and by his passive Righteousness, By his active righteousness, when he lived in a precise conformity to the Law of God: by his passive righteousness: when he suffered punishment for the sins that men had committed, whereby both the law and the justice of God had satisfaction for all former contempts. 
The Gospel the only true history of the life of Christ.  I shall not need to report the particulars, what our Saviour Christ did, and what he suffered, the time of his personal conversing with men, the holy story of the Gospel is best able to give satisfaction, wherein is registered not all his life, but so much as the wisdom of God hath thought convenient for a Christian knowledge, where it is evident that Christ had a double continual exercise. First, the exercise of his power. Secondly, the exercise of his patience. 
The power and the patience of Christ.  His power was exercised in doing good, his patience in suffering evil: what he did, it was for man, what he suffered it was from man: Christ both did and suffered, that men might not suffer: men did all they might, that Christ might suffer.  
Thirdly, is to be considered what Christ did by suffering, when he died in our nature. Christ when he died in our nature, did by death, overthrow death, 
What Christ did by suffering.  and by suffering did an act of admirable power and infinite glory: his power and glory were declared in the conquest he made of sin, hell, and death, enemies that had wasted the sons of Adam, now themselves wasted and (for ever) vanquished by one Son of Adam Death and hell are the servants of sin, sin their original or first cause, 
The servants of sin.  whom sin marketh, death destroyeth his body, hell tormenteth his soul; yet is death, hell, and sin, swallowed up in victory by one Christ, 
The victory Christ had of sin and hell.  who in the form of man, offering up himself a sacrifice to God his Father, hath reconciled God and man, by the righteousness of himself, God & man: leading into perpetual captivity the ancient enemies of our nature, sin, hell, and death, sealing the new covenant of grace, with the Cross of his death, whereby he hath opened the gates of heaven, and removed all difficulties, that might let us in the passage to everlasting happiness.  

The general Use.  
The doctrine, 
The Use  whereby to know the two natures of the Son of God, his divinity and his humanity united in one Christ, is most necessary in the knowledge of every Christian, it being in the main foundation of christian Religion, 
The necessity of knowing Christ.  whereupon all piety, and all faith is grounded. For he that knoweth not Christ in his natures, and in his offices, cannot apprehended and apply him for his salvation, because his assuming our nature, and the execution of his offices, are the only means of man's salvation; without which God would not be pleased, neither could the Law be satisfied. And therefore this general knowledge doth geverally belong to all men, and that upon necessity.  
Secondly, 
Secondly.  seeing the Son of God was content for (our sakes) to undergo so great a travel, and for our sakes, to unite our far unequal and most unworthy nature to his divinity, we aught for his sake, to refuse no travel that may advance his honour, or express our thanks; but rather to despise all things in comparison of so gracious a Saviour, by whose only means our souls have deliverance from eternal captivity.  
Thirdly, 
Thirdly.  seeing Christ jesus is the matter of the covenant of grace between God and man, it doth also most nearly concern all men, 
A most needful care  to endeavour all possible means (by their eyes of faith) to apprehended Christ, who is to be apprehended by faith only,) and so to to receive the form and impression of his sacred image, whereby they shall be truly interested in the possession of heaven: when those that want this shall be rejected of God, with this answer, Away from me, for I know ye not: because ye have not the mark and Image of my Son.  
Fourthly, 
Fourthly.  seeing the whole matter of the covenant of Grace, is fully contained in the words and works of jesus Christ, and that all things necessary both to a civil and a Christian life, are contained in the story of the holy gospel, it behoveth all men to give that sacred word pre-eminence: 
All directions must be conformed to scripture.  and that no man, neither any state or fellowship of of men whatsoever, presume to decree, or ordain canons, or statutes ecclesiastical or civil, which may any way prejudice the directions of jesus Christ, delivered in the gospel; but that as Christ, our Priest, our Prince, and our Prophet, hath given us (either by doctrine or example) such needful directions, as are of necessary and lawful use, either in a christian church or state: so no christian Church or State should dare to innovate or altar those directions which Christ our high Priest and great prince hath left established; but in all directions both of church & state, there must be heedful care, that every particular have relation to the truth of holy scripture, 
How to judge the lawfulness of every statute ecclesiastical or civil.  or be conform to the example of Christ: for whatsoever direction, whether it concern the soul or society, if it be not necessarily grounded, & have dependency from the word of God, is altogether unlawful in a Christian church and state, neither can dispensation make it lawful or tolerable. Therefore by the square of the Scriptures all men aught to measure the lawfulness of every action, 
How to square every particular action.  and of every direction: & that whatsoever shall disagree from God and the Scripture, may be judged error & intrusion of disorder: and therefore of necessity to be spewed out of the Church & states of Christian men.   

Special application.  
The meditation of this doctrine and those duties, 
Special application.  shall make me serious in my Christian care: I will● not now content myself to have (only) a general knowledge of Christ jesus my Redeemer: but I will labour to understand him in his double nature. For if I consider him in his divinity, as he is God only, it is a terror to my remembrance, when I consider him in his double nature, it gives me hope and alacrity; 
To consider God in his Majesty only is terrible.  for the majesty of God is terrible to sinful man; but his mercy is comfortable, and suporteth the falling spirits of our souls, which would faint and dye in despair, if the grace of God did not supply to such extremities Therefore as God doth most delight himself in the use of his mercy: so will I delight my soul most in the contemplation of his mercy. 
Christ the character of God's mercy.  And as Christ jesus is most lively Character of his mercy; so in the meditation of Christ shall my cares be most busy. He is the book of God's mercies: I have eyes of faith can both see and read the Stories of mercy: therefore I will direct my labour, and endeavour my studies in the most happy knowledge of my Saviour jesus. In him I shall found infinite matter infinite variety (all good:) in him I shall search the cause of my redemption, 
Where to find the cause of man's redemption.  I shall find it in his will, I shall found it in his workings; he did 'cause my good, he did effect it also; in his will was the cause in his work was the effect. This meditation may kindle a dead zeal, & provoke holiness where it is not; a God omniscious, omnipotent, infinite in greatness, in goodness infinite, to compel himself to such a wondered difference of fortune. He that had happiness in the highest degree, breathing inutterable pleasure in the bosom of his Father; he that made the heavons and the earth, should descend from heaven to earth; 
Note.  & there assume the form of wretched man, and in that form work such righteounes as might satisfy God, satisfy the law for the sin of man; and in that form to be borne in poverty, to live in contempt, and to dye in disgrace; and all this to be done by the only begotten Son of God, for the good of man, a creature that was become an apostate, a traitor to God, a rebel to his laws, and the very actor of his disgrace, death & tragedy! OH that I had words to express the imaginations of my soul, what forms of mercy I can see in my Saviour jesus, what scantness (nay what foulness) of desert I find in myself; his good and my evil are both infinite. Therefore I will do as I advise, what I cannot express in words or works, 
We must meditate what we cannot express.  I will devise it in my thought: I will know and believe my Saviour to be infinite good, though I cannot express his infinite goodness: what I can do to his glory, I will endeavour what I cannot do myself, I will persuade others: I will do any thing that may add any thing to the honour of my Saviour: for by gaining his favour, I have all favour, and in losing him, I have naught but tribulation and misery. He is the seal of the Covenant between God and me; if I want my seal, I shall want my assurance, and so forfeit my estate in God's favour and heaven: I will therefore cell all that I have, to buy my saviour, 
A dangerous forfeit.  I will lose all to gain him. If he subscribe not to my pardon, I am but dead; the law hath cast me, and without him there is no grace, no hope of favour; I will therefore direct my eye of faith to him, 
Resolution.  and when I have found him whom my soul loveth. I will resort to him in daily prayer, win his favour by endeavour & careful observing him, and so make him my salvation that hath wrought salutation. Thus I purpose in my own particulars: thus I wish to all in general.    

Of Repentance, the sorrow of the Soul for sin. Chap. 3.  
WHen Christian men have understanding by the Law of God, of their miserable estate (in respect of sin) what they were in innocency, what they are in sin, & what they shall be in judgement, it bringeth a general sadness on the souls of men, 
Repentance  and dulleth the spirit and delight they have had in their prosperous fortunes: 
God giveth the first grace to repentance.  For when God giveth grace to any one to examine his life, and to view his own deformities, the first knowledge & apprehension of his misery is most terrible, because his conscience doth forcibly check the former proceed of his life and violently hale him against the current of his own affection: for as rivers are not forced against their ordinary stream but by the tide which is more forcible than the stream; so our sinful action, (being in all men, 
The difficulty of repentance.  a natural and common motion) is not reform in us, but by the Spirit of God, a power above our nature. Yet is it done, with such contention in our flesh, and in our nature, (as for the time) doth wonderfully distracted the soul of the party repenting. 
The reason.  And needs it must: for he that hath wasted his time in the delicacy of fortune, glutting himself with variety of pleasures, and in the height of this vain prosperity is admonished that he hath fed on poison, and thereby run his life into a desperate hazard, 
The sorrow of a repentant soul.  will (doubtless) endure the extremity of grief that sudden fear and amazedness can lay upon him For so are sinfully men, who not regarding the danger of their souls before God and their conscience admonish them, 
A sudden grief is violent.  are taken unprovided with a sudden grief, which doth always inflict an unexpressible measure of sorrow, and sometimes death and desperation. Now as the Law teacheth us to know our sin, 
What must cure diseased souls.  our miserable condition, and the disease of our souls: so the Gospel teacheth us the cure, both what and how to administer physic to our diseased souls: for else were the knowledge of our sins an extreme misery without profit, if we should not also know the means of our recovery, and know also how to administer and apply them. For virtue hath no virtue but in use, 
The use of virtue.  and that physic which the sick patient receiveth not, cannot profit him, be it never so excellent, or standeth never so near him. But as in corporal, so in spiritual sicknesses, 
The order in curing.  the disease must first be known, the physic then administered; for he that administereth before he knoweth the cause, or knoweth only the cause, and administereth not, can never recover his patient, be he never so industrious. In repentance therefore and sorrow for sin,) which is a sickness of the soul) must be (necessarily) considered these two particulars: The cause, 
The cause of repentance.  the cure. The cause is either the material cause, or the moving cause, the material cause is sin; that being the matter of our offence; for which we so sorrow and grieve all the time of our repentance. This is proved in the examples of all men that have had the grace of true and unfaigened repentance; every penitent Child of grace having sorrow and affliction in his soul, because by his sin he hath provoked his God, and his creator against him. Thus did job and David repent them; 
job. 42. 6.  
2. Sam. 12. 13.  and so do and will do all that would profit by their Repentance. And here is necessarily to be observed that though our repentance have respect to the benefit of our own estates, as being a most necessary service in our salvation: 
Note.  yet the main respect is had to God, whose glory we must prefer, 
God must be respected before our souls.  even before the salvation of our souls, making him the principal and ourselves but secondary respects of our repentance. And herein appeareth the difference between true and false repentance. The false or godless repentance sorroweth for sin, but for this cause only, that for their sin God doth punish and afflict them. 
The difference between true and false repentance.  
Exod. 9 27  
1. Sam. 15 24 25.  
1. King. 21. 27.  Therefore their sorrow is chief for the punishment, & but respectiuly for the sin. Thus did Pharaoh, Saul, Ahab, & judas repent them, and so do all false and feigned repenters, that respect God for themselves, and not themselves for God. A true and godly repentance sorroweth for sin, 
Mat. 27. 3. 4  
For what cause a godly repentant sorroweth.  because it is sin, and not because it deserveth punishment: and here the main respect is had to God, and to ourselves only for God's sake. For though the dread and fear of punishment, be sufficient to move any man's repentance, yet we must not make that the cause of our spirtival sorrow: but much rather because we have offended so gracious a God, who hath declared himself to us in so many, & so great demonstrations of love, this aught to be more sensible to our wounded souls than the horror we have of our condemnation. Thus are holy men moved in the grief & passion of their repentance. The main difference then between true and false repentance is this: True repentance is caused by a reverence we have to the love of God, false Repentance by the fear we have of God's justice: the one is the office of a slave, the other the office of a son: both of them repenting one matter, 
God is the moving cause in every office of grace.  but for divers respects. Sin then is the material cause of Repentance. The moving cause is God who moving his holy Spirit in the hearts of his Elect, presents them the ugly forms of their sins, awakes their conscience, and stirs them to a serious cogitation of their wretchedness; giving them still such proportion of grace, as the degrees of their Repentance and spiritual sorrow shall require. And that God is the first moving cause of godly repentance, is evident by many places of Scripture; by these namely, 2. Tim. 2. 25. where S. Paul advising Timothy to instruct them that are contrary minded, he giveth this reason: 
2. Tim. 2. 25  Because he shall thereby prove if God at any time will give them repentance, that they may know the truth: Here repentance is called the gift of God, which doth utterly bar man from all cause of boasting his ability in this necessatie duty. Also in the 5. of the Act. 31. the Apostles (proving jesus to be Christ & God coequal to his Father) useth this argument before the council of the jews: That God had made him a Prince & a Sautour, 
Act. 5. 31.  to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sin, where the power of giving repentance, is made a proof of his divinity, and interposed between his office of Saviour, and his power of forgiving sins. These places (out of many) sufficiently prove, that God is the first & principal moving cause of fruitful repentance. 
Object.  Now it may be demanded, whether God move repentance in all them that repent for sin, or in them only that truly repent, and are his choose elect. I answer, 
Answer.  that God moveth this grace in his elect only because they only make profitable use of repentance, & that such as Soul and Ahab that repent for private respects, 
Saul and Ahab.  were not moved by the spirit of grace, but by their politic & private regards only. For wheresoever the holy Ghost shall please to move grace, it is not possible that labour should be fruitless: neither doth God ever miss in the purpose of his ends. 
Note.  And therefore that repentance which his holy Spirit causeth, he continueth to maturity & ripeness of perfection, never failing, never fainting in his undertakings. Thus much of the cause of our spiritual sorrow (repentance.) Now of the cure or means of deliverance from spiritual grief. 
The cure.  In the cure is considered, first the preparing & dressing of the wounded soul, whereby it is made fit for curing. Secondly, the matter to be applied to the soul. Thirdly, the manner of applyment. In the preparing of the wounded soul, there are those 4. things necessary. First, a spiritual sorrow for sin, that is, a sense of sorrow in the soul, caused by a cogitation of sin & guiltiness. And this is a necessary preparative in a repentant soul: for that soul cannot desire a spiritual refreshing, that hath not first a sense of sorrow, & a feeling of present calamity. This first preparative to repentance, was in the jews, that were hearers of holy Peter, when he declared to them their sin in crucifying the Lord jesus. For the Text saith: 
Act. 2. 37  When they heard it, they were pricked in their hearts, and said: What shall we do? As if the present sorrow did so astonish them, as they knew not what to do, nor what to advise themselves. The next preparative is humble acknowledgement, that is, an acknowledgement of the soul of the misery it is in, 
Humble acknowledgement.  and an exposing of such particular griefs as we find in the register of our conscience. This also is very necessary in the preparing of our souls: for though God (the Physician of our soul●ss) understand our sins better than ourselves, and can remember them better than conscience; yet is it but reason, that he that desireth the physic of his soul, declare so much of his grief as he can remember: not to instruct or help the knowledge of God, but to acknowledge ourselves and our dut●full desires. This acknowledgement of sin, was common in the custom of holy David, how often doth he confess his sin, and expose his grief before God? 
The example of holy David.  
Psal. 32. 5.  for God is so desirous of our good, as that he then readily helpeth us, when we do but (carefully) desire it. Therefore saith the Prophet David: I said I would confess my sin, and thou forgavest, etc. David did but say he would confess, God taketh his word, and forgave him his sin. And certainly, humble and unfeigned acknowledgement in our repentance, is an undoubted testimony that God doth give us grace, & that he will give us favour. Here is offered occasion to dispute a large controversy touching auricular confession, the which being contentiously disputed, 
Auricular confession.  hath kindled fire in the faith of many, many making that of absolute necessity in all, which is only convenient in some. 
Auricular con●ession rather policy than piety.  For auricular confession (as now it is used) is rather a state policy than religious piety, and therefore I dare not command it, neither will commend it. The third preparative consisteth in holy action, 
The third preparative.  that is, when we endeavour a reformation of ourselves, and declare our Repentance in a conscionable discharge. For though no man can● satisfy the justice of God for sin; that being possible for the Son of God only: 
No man can satisfy God.  yet aught all men to endeavour so much as they have power given them to satisfy men. As for example; he that stealeth or defraudeth, be it by force or by fraud, 
How far every man must satisfy.  is of necessity bound to make restitution (if he be able) and this the reformed Publican Zacheus well understood, who professing before Christ his reformation & repentance, to witness it to be true and unfeigned, he gave this infallible token: Behold Lord (saith he) the half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have taken from any man by forged cavillation, 
Luk. 19 8.  I restore him four fold. And the Text saith in the next verse, that then salvation was come into his house. And so Zacheus by endeavouring that he could not, did at one time entertain both his Saviour and his salvation. Therefore though no man can satisfy, yet every man must endeavour, otherwise his repentance is idle and but vain, neither can he have part in the righteousness and redemption of jesus Christ.  
The last preparative is prayer, that is a lifting up of the heart to God, with faith and hopeful confidence. 
Prayer.  In the exercise of prayer there is a double office. 
Psal. 25. 1.  First, we must expose our grief. Secondly, we must implore favour: for as in the ordinary cures of Surgery, the patient must first suffer his wounds to be ripped, 
Note.  launst and searched before the plaster can be applied to the sore: so must we rip, and search the wounds of our soul, empty the infectious matter; and when we have it out, we must use it as Hezechiah did the blasphemous letter of Rabshaketh, 
2. Kin. 19 14. 15.  spreads all before the Lord; and then with earnest humbleness, implore his favour, point out our sins unto him, and confess that these are they that have wounded our souls, troubled our conscience, for which we grieve, for which we pray. When the soul is thus prepared, there is joy in our repentant tears, pleasure in our grief, and hope in our spiritual sorrow: and then, (and not before) are we made fit to apprehended and apply the salvation of our souls, Christ jesus. The second thing in the care of our souls, 
The matter of the cure of our souls.  is the sovereign matter by which the soul is cured. That is the most sovereign Balsam, the sacred blood of the Lamb of GOD, of the Son of God, shed for the Redemption of mankind: 
1. Pet. 2. 2.  for so saith his holy Apostle Saint Peter, 1. Pet. 2. 24. Who his own self bore our sins in his body on the tree, that ●ee being delivered from sin should live in righteousness, by whose stripes we were healed. Our sins are taken from us, by his bearing them: our wounds are cured by his wounds: our eternal death prevented by his temporal death: for but the Son of GOD (Christ jesus,) there is no Empiricke, 
No physic but the blood of Christ can cure a wounded soul.  no quintessence, no Physic, can cure a wounded soul: so venomous is sin, and so incurable are the wounds of sin: only the blood of the holy Lamb is able to deliver and heal; and that is both so certain, and present in virtuous operation, as that one drop (rightly applied) is sufficient to cure the wounds of a world of souls. The last thing is the cure of our souls, is the manner of applying this most Sovereign medicine Christ jesus, 
The manner of applying Christ.  and that is by a true and a lively faith, 
Heb. 11. 6.  for without faith it is impossible to please God: and without faith it is impossible to apprehended the Son of God. Neither need this seem strange to a Christian judgement, that we should be able by faith to apprehended Christ, and apply him to our repentant souls: for he himself hath taught us, that whatsoever we shall ask in prayer (if we believe) we shall have it. 
Mat. 21. 22.  Where he maketh faith to be the covenant and condition of prayer, and promiseth that such prayer shall only and always prevail, that is directed by a living faith, against which there is no resistance. 
No resistance against a true faith.  Therefore to apprehended Christ jesus, and to apply him to our wounded souls, we must reach our hands of faith to the bosom of his Father, and by faith take him from the altar of his Cross, and by faith apply his blood, (nay, his bloody body) to our wounded souls. For he that doth it faithfully, doth it effectuly, and shall doubtless found assurance in himself, that the wounds of his soul are cured; and that sin is for ever disenabled from doing his soul hurt, that hath jesus Christ his Redeemer faithfully applied unto it. For where he is in his mercy, there is assurance, and the ●afety of divine protection, And this is the order I advise all christians in their repentance and spiritual sorrow. 
Note.  First, that they prepare their souls, and that then they apply jesus Christ their salvation, In whom there is safety, without whom, none. I might here be large in declaring the manner and the causes of Godless sorrow, and false repentance. javoide them for their number and variety: let the true judge the false; and let this true form of Repentance I have prescribed, teach the Christian Reader to avoid all dissimulation, 
hypocritical sorrow in God's hatred.  and hypocritical sorrow for sin: the which he may judge by comparing with this Doctrine I have delivered. And let him remember that Godly sorrow causeth repentance, not to be repent of; but worldly sorrow causeth death. 2. Corinth. 7. 10. 11. 
2. Cor. 7. 10▪ 11   

The general use.  
This doctrine of Repentance, 
The Use.  and spiritual sorrow doth remember all men many very needful admonishments. First, 
First.  seeing that sin is the cause for which we repent us, and by whose poisonsome means our souls are so grievously wounded, and so foully deformed; it aught to move all men to a loathing and detestation of sin, by which we are both grieved in ourselves, & brought in the hatred and displeasure of almighty God. 
Note.  For if we carefully avoid all such annoyances as bring any little taste of grief to our bodies, or to our temporal life, we aught much more carefully to avoid sin, which causeth such extremity of grief in our souls, and doth both deprive us of God's favour, & bring an everlasting destruction upon us. Secondly, 
Secondly.  seeing there is no repentance profitable to salvation, but that which is caused in us, by the moving of God's holy Spirit, it behoveth all men to be serious in their repentance, and not to content themselves with a slender examination of their sins, and then again to return to their former disobedience, and remissness; but to be careful to repent all sin, and to be constant in that care, no alteration, no interruption, and that our repentance respect rather a shame and grief to have offended a gracious God, than any fear of temporal or eternal punishment: jest by such repentance they gain no more than Saul & Ahab; 
saul's and Ahabs' repentance.  the one nothing, 
1. King. 21 27.  the other nothing but a short temporal blessing: both of them losing their souls by their false and feigned repentance. Thirdly, seeing the soul cannot be cured by repentance, neither can apply or apprehended Christ jesus, unless it be first prepared & made fit by the exercise of these duties, it therefore behoveth all men to be carefully precise in the office of these duties, & not to satisfy themselves with the exercise of one or two of them, but to endeavour them all, because they are all necessary in our true repentance for as in the commandments of the law, he that faileth in one, breaketh all: so in these duties of repentanc, he that neglecteth one, profiteth by none, but annihilateth the purpose of his spiritual sorrow. Let no man therefore flatter himself with this presumption, 
The danger of presumption.  that if he have been an extortioner, a thief, or a godless person, that his repentance will suffice him, if he be sorry for his sins, and acknowledge them to God, for those though they be necessary duties, they are not all the duties of our souls in our preparation to repentance. Therefore if he have extorted, or (as Zacheus did, taken by forged cavillation, 
L●k. 19 8.  (that is by any indirect or dishonest means) he must repent as Zacheus did, and make restitution (if he can) and as far as he can: otherwise salvation can never come to his house. Therefore as they are all necessary, so they are jointly necessary, every man being bound to all these duties, as God and grace shall enable him.  
Fourthly, seeing Christ jesus is that Empiric, and that only salve which is able to cure a wounded sinful soul, and that without him there is no working, no cause, no means of spiritual deliverance from sin, and from a wounded Conscience: therefore it most nearly concerneth all men to endeavour all means, 
We must purchase Christ, though we cell all things  to purchase this Christ their salvation, to cell all they have, that they may buy the treasure of his blood, & of his righteousness, nay, and to despise all things in respect of him their Saviour, and the only Sovereign salve for their wounded souls.  
And that seeing we have jesus Christ the Son of God proposed us to be our salvation, who is always ready, and always willing to be apprehended, 
The willingness of Christ to be apprehended.  and to be applied to our souls: by whom only we enjoy the peace of conscience, and the hope of heaven; therefore no man aught to have confidence and affy in pardons, dispensations, and such trash, wherewith the besotted people of this world wonderfully delighted, for such peddling stuff must not be thought to have equal virtue with the blood of Christ, or that they have any power in the cure of wounded souls, 
Note.  but on the contrary they surfeit the conscience, and poison the soul, 
Vile Physic.  enlarging the wounds both in number and grief, and making the soul uncapable of cure, and most unfit to have the precious blood of Christ applied unto it.  
Lastly, 
Fiftly.  seeing there is no means to apprehended and apply this Christ, the physician, and physic of our souls, but only by a true, lively and a justifying faith, therefore it most necessarily concerneth all men, 
Christ can not be apprehended but by a true faith only.  to have this means of apprehending Christ; because (as I have said) the salve though most sovereign) cannot profit the sore, unless it be applied, that being the very main act of our spiritual health, all other duties and offices being but circumstances, to assist and forward this act. Moreourr the faith by which we apprehended Christ, must be more than a common or a general faith. For it profiteth not to our health and salvation, to know only that jesus Christ is the present cure of our souls, unless we also by a confident and lively faith, apprehend and apply him to the sore of our souls. Again, seeing Christ is our only salvation, & seeing faith is the only means of apprehending it, we aught not to appoint other matter of salvation, neither any other manner of applying it. And therefore no man aught to ascribe righteousness to himself, to his own works, 
Note.  or the supererogative works of his friends, but only to jesus Christ, and that this Christ is only apprehended by a saving faith.   

Special application.  
I will often meditate this Doctrine of true Repentance, 
Special application.  what fear, what care, what affliction is in the soul at such occasion. I will practise it in myself, I will pity it in others: I will condemn sin to be the great cause of such misery, I will condemn myself to be the only cause of that sin. When I exercise this spiritual office of repentance, I will be carefully busy in all the duties thereof: 
A necessary resolution.  I will search the wounds of my soul, empty the rottenness & putrefaction thereof, search and dress my wounds; 
How to dress the wounds of a soul.  search them by a serious examination of my sins, and dress them by humble and hearty acknowledgement, I will examine the actions & the particulars of my life, I will compare them with my duties, and those that proportion not, I will call them my errors, my sins, and the wounds of my soul. I will by the means of prayer and faith, refer my defects to be supplied by the most absolute satisfactory righteousness of my Saviour. 
The righteousness of Christ must supply all our defects.  What I found sin, I will call sin: I will not flatter my errors, nor smooth my deformities, I will not pretend health when I am sick, nor safety when I am mortally wounded, I will not favour any sin, whether it be a sin of profit, or a sin of pleasure. 
No sin must be favoured.  In this case I will despise both pleasure and profit: I will therefore be sorry for all, acknowledge all, pray for the remission of all. If I have gained possessions and wealths by theft, extortion, forged cavillation, or any other indirect means, I will restore as my present estate shall enable me. I will be ashamed that Zacheus the Publican, shall restore his extortions fourfold, and I a Christian, not to restore the principal. I will shun all such sin, as a plague or leprosy, because I know that salvation will not come to him that hath such defection. 
All sin of necessity must be cured.  But as (of necessity) all sin must be cured, otherwise there is no cure: so in my repentance I will hate all sin without dispensation of any; otherwise I repent not, but flatter myself in presumption, and vain confidence. And because nothing can apprehended and apply salvation to my Soul, 
Works must try our faith.  but the hands of a saving faith only, I will therefore be sure that my faith be such an one, I will try it by the evidence of my Works: they will testify what it is, and of what Nature. For as my faith in Christ doth justify me in the sight of God, so the works of my faith justifieth my faith in the sight of men, and myself. If the fruits of my faith (then) be good, my faith itself then must needs be good, and available to apprehended and apply jesus Christ my salvation. 
Plentiful in good works and why.  I will therefore be plentiful in the exercise of all good Actions, that my conscience may testify my faith: and that my faith may be able to execute the holy Office assigned it.  
When I have the assurance of this faith, I will then with confidence look up to Heaven. I will seek him whom my Soul loveth, and when I have found him, I will expose before him the calamity of my soul, and my present condition. I will open my wounds, discover my sins, declare my endeavour, and report my faith. When I have thus done, I know what my Saviour will do: he will rejoice at my recovery, and be glad of my return: he will show me his righteousness, show me his wounds, and show me his death upon the cross: he will also willingly yield himself unto my faith, 
Apprehension of Chrst.  and give me free liberty in the use of his righteousness. Than will I busily apply my cares, I will stretch my hands of faith to the altar of his Cross, I will (with reverend boldness) touch his wounds, and take his sacred blood; and with a wonderful degree of comfort, I will apply it when I have it: I will open my wounds wide, and will infuse his most precious blood, and with that blood shall enter the Spirit of health and everlasting safety.  
Thus in an instant shall I find the happy alteration of my soul: 
The happy alteration of a soul  and I that (but then) was in spiritual grief, tribulation, and anguish, shall now find joy and strength in my Soul: and my soul that was wounded, deformed, and full of the marks of sin, shall now have the mark of the righteousness of jesus Christ, whereby I shall be distinguished from unrepentant sinners, and have the seals & assurances of my salvation. Amen.    

Of Mortification. Chap. 4.  
HE that is resolved to endeavour his godly repentance, 
Mortification.  and laboureth the reformation of his sinful life, must labour two things principally, and of necessity; the first is Mortification, the next regeneration. He must first destroy his sinful estate, before he can obtain the state of grace. For God and the gifts of God, 
Note.  are so absolute holy, as that they cannot admit any mixture or cooperation with sin and wicked action. For as in the curing of bodies infected with poisonous diseases, the Physician by severity and strict diet, bringeth down the body of his patient to extreme poverty, and leanness, and then in that extremity, helpeth the weakness of Nature; and by restoratives, and requisite diet, bringeth a new flesh wholesome and without disease, the former diseased flesh being first wasted, and utterly consumed with the extremity of physic. So he that is resolved in his repentance, and hath a loathing and detestation of his sins, and a desire to free his soul from the contagion of sin, must resolve also to endure such bitter Physic and strict diet, 
How to mortify our diseased actions.  as the judgement of spiritual physic doth prescribe him; whereby all the evil, depraved and corrupt affections of his soul, may be utterly wasted, and thereby his soul may have new and fresh indument of grace, without taint, without disease, without grief. This was figured in the manner of Gods calling Moses to his princely and Prophetical office. For when Moses made offer to come near the presence of God in the bush, 
Ex. 3. 5.  God forbade him: Come not hither (saith God,) put off thy shoes of thy feet. That is before thou presume to approach my presence, thou must first put off thy shoes, that is, thy sinful and corrupt affections for he that hath base and vile affections is not worthy, is not fit for the presence of God. It was also in the order of the Ceremonial Law, that they who were polluted (were it but with the touch of any unclean thing) were for a time Prohibited the Sanctuary, and the presence of God: 
Levit. 15. 2. etc.  and had a time limited to cleanse them, before they were admitted and allowed for clean persons. All which Ceremonies do but note unto us the Nature of holiness, how unpossible it is to be reconciled with sin, that as the two contrary Elements, Fire and Water, cannot possibly be in any one Subject without intestine strife: so God and belial, grace and sin, can never conspire in any one particular: but where grace is, 
No peace between God and Belial.  sin cannot be, and where sin is, grace will not be: there being in them a full opposition of Nature, not to be reconciled. Therefore it is necessary, that before we entertain the graces of Gods Holy Spirit, we first discharge our sins, which have had entertainment in us, and before we can be regenerate, and made the sons of GOD, we must mortify our affections, whereby we were made the servants of sin.  
Saint Paul admonishing the Colossians to an imitation of Christ, 
S. Paul's direction.  and his holiness, adviseth first to Mortification, as if without that means, the other were impossible. 
Colos. 3. 5.  Mortify therefore (saith he) your Members which are on the earth, Fornication, uncleanness, etc. And he giveth a reason of this direction, in the Epistle to the Romans, 
Rom. 8. 13.  8. 13. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye mortify the deeds of the body by the spirit, ye shall live. By which place we are taught, what mortification is, and of what necessity it is.  
Mortification is a decay or perishing the deeds of our flesh, 
What Mortification is.  by the grace and operation of God's Spirit. By the deeds of our flesh, is meant not only our evil actions, but our desires and carnal affections also; the which Saint Paul doth particularise in the Verse before alleged: where he calleth their general name members on the earth. Mortify therefore your members which are on the earth, 
Colos. 3. 5  fornication, uncleanness, the inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. In which he comprehendeth (not only) our actions, but affections; nay, the very natural concupiscence, and depravedness of our Nature. Not that any man is able to perform these duties exactly; but exactly to endeavour them, and that our defects may be in our power, 
To endeavour exactly is exactly to perform.  and not in our purpose and endeavour. And this is the meaning of that Apostle, in naming (for the matter of mortification) sins of action, sins of affection, and sins of natural descent.  
Secondly, 
Secondly.  mortification is an office of the spirit, 
Question.  & here importeth a question, whether the word spirit in this place is to be meant of the Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost, or of the Spirit of man our natural soul. I answer, 
Answer.  that the Spirit executing this office of mortification, is principally meant of the holy Ghost, who giveth the first motion of desire in every Godly Act. It is respectively also meant of the care and travel of our own spirits or souls, not that our own spirits can 'cause our own mortification, but being first caused by God's Spirit, it is entertained and continued by the exercise of our own Spirits, our Spirits having no such strength in their own Nature, 
Note.  but as they are prepared by the Grace of the Holy Ghost. For, as in the casting of a stone or running of a Bowl, though the strength of the arm give the first motion to the bowl or stone; yet afterwards is the motion continued a competent time, as well because of the powerful moving of the arm, as also because of the natural fitness of the thing moved. So in the office of mortification, and in all other divine offices of the Soul, 
No soul can move itself to divine action.  though the Soul move not itself to these holy actions; yet by reason of the spiritual nature of our souls, when it is once moved by the Holy Ghost, it than continueth such motion, even to perfection; so that the prime hour of the holy exercise of Mortification (and so of all other spiritual offices) is wholly to to be ascribed to the power of God's holy Spirit, which moveth in our hearts every act, and every purpose of well doing.  
Thirdly, there is a necessary of mortification imposed upon every man, 
Thirdly.  upon the pain of condemnation. This is implied in the words of S. Paul in the place before alleged, Rom. 8. 13. For if ye live after the Flesh, ye shall die, but if ye mortify the deeds of the body by the spirit, 
Rom. 8. 13.  ye shall live. Where the Apostle proposeth life and death before the Romans, admonishing that of a necessity they must choose one, 
Life and death is proposed every man.  either to mortify the flesh and live, or else to pamper the flesh, and die; there being no means, no cause of avoidance of this necessity. And S. Paul hath admiration at their simplicity, that cannot apprehended this mystery, who in the Allegory of seed proving the resurrection of our bodies, proveth also the necessary mortifying of our flesh: 
1. Cor. 15. 36.  OH fool (saith he) that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die: For as the blade of seed corn cannot appear before the grain be first rotten in the Earth: and as there cannot be a Resurrection to Life, before there be first a separation and rottenness by Death: So there cannot be a Regeneration by Grace, before there be a Mortification to sin. 
No regeneration before mortification.  For newbirth is gotten by the death of Sin, and Mortification is the Predecessor, and next Parent to Regeneration, they being necessary Relatives: for where one is, both are; and where both are not, neithe is.  
These things are most material in the doctrine of Mortification.  
First, it is generally necessary, all men being bound to that duty upon necessity.  
Secondly, 
All men, all sin.  it is necessarily general, all men being bound to mortify all sin, without favour or dispensation of any. Lastly, it is moved in us by the spirit of God, but is exercised by our own reformed Spirits, God kindling the fire of zeal in our hearts, which when it is once kindled, burneth of itself, but not without divine assistance.  

The general use.  
The necessity of Mortification, 
The use.  doth require in every one an exact diligence in that Christian office: for seeing the hazard of eternal life dependeth upon the death, or not dying of sin, and that necessarily, there is no man of that simple understanding, but will think it expedient, nay, necessary wisdom, 
Either men or their sins must die.  rather to destroy his sin, than himself, for one of the two must of necessity be mortified, suffer death, and die. And if any man think to be able to devise a means to save both himself and his sin, and in the reformation of himself to overleap the duty of mortification, as a duty too precise and of grievous performance; and shall think that mortification is not of necessary substance, but rather a severe circumstance, which may be safely avoided; to him I will say with indignation, as S. Paul saith to the Corinthians with admiration: 
1. Cor. 15. 36.  OH foul, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die. And let him be sure, that if he fail, or faint in his endeavour, there is no endeavour can purchase him the favour of God, 
How to esteem God the soul, and sin.  and the salvation of his soul. Therefore it most nearly respecteth all men, not to esteem their sin, which is their enemy, & would destroy them, more than God that is their friend, and would save them; nay, more than their souls, and their own salvation; but to despise their sins, 
Man must war upon himself.  nay themselves in respect of God, and salvation. And therefore let every man make war upon his own flesh, and let him be valiant to conquer himself; & to triumph in the spoil and death of his sinful actions and affections. For there is no War can gain our Names a greater glory, then to victor ourselves, and he is most redoubted and most valiant, that can conquer his own affections: the which all men must do, before they can have the garland of holy victory from the hands of God. Again, seeing that in our mortificatton there is no respect of favour had to any sin, but that all sin must dye, the sins that have gained us either our profit, 
All sin must die.  or pleasure: for all sin being in hatred with God, all sin is therefore commanded to die, without dispensation, proviso, or exception. It therefore behoveth all to hate as God hateth, even all sin, 
Men must hate as God hateth.  because all sin is in God's hatred; lest they provoke GOD as Saul did, and with Saul declare themselves reprobates; God commanded Saul to destroy the Amalekites, 
1. Sam. 15. 1.  a sinful and Godless people, Saul performed his commandment but in part: For though he destroyed many, he spared some, for the which GOD cast him from his favour, and rend his Kingdom from him. Our sins are those Amalekites, God hath commanded us to destroy them utterly: if therefore any man presume against God's commandment to spare any, God will certainly cast him with Saul, from the hope of salvation. 
Admonition.  This doth admonish all to avoid the common custom, that men commonly hate the sins and infirmities of others, but flatter and feed their own with saturity; The usurer he condemns the prodigal, the prodigal him: the drunkard condemneth gluttony, the glutton drunkenness. Age and youth have particular sins, yet they despise one another, and so every particular, so that many can abhor those sins to which they are not naturally addicted: but few do mortify them that are nearest & dearest unto them. 
Hypocrites.  These our Saviour Christ calleth hypocrites, that point at little sins in others, but flatter main ones in themselves. This evil custom is far short of the duty of mortification, which requireth a detestation (nay a death) not of some sins, and other men's, but of our own sins, and of all our own without exception of any.  
Lastly, seeing the holy Ghost doth move this grace in our hearts and doth give us spiritual power in the office of mortification, it behoveth all men to address their prayers to GOD, that he will give them the direction of his grace, in so needful a performance, and that when they find in themselves a desire to mortify their sins, and sinful affections, that they yield their endeavour with all diligence to do as the holy Ghost doth direct them, 
The holy Ghost the best director  jest by neglecting the admonishments of God's Spirit, they bring upon themselves a greater condemnation.   

Special application.  
Mortification being of such necessity 
Special application.  in the ordinary means of my salvation, as that not myself, or any can be regenerate, before we carefully discharge this office of mortification; I will therefore endeavour this duty with all diligence: I will denounce a bloody and a general war against all my sins, I will entertain favour and correspondency with none; but even those sins that have been my delight shall be my hatred: 
Delights of sins must be in hatred  I will not love them for their profit, because transitory: I will not favour them for their pleasure, because in their pleasure there is poison. I will not fear them for their number, 
Reasons why we should favour no sin.  though infinite many, nor for their valour, though they have conquered myself, and a world of people: because I know whose I am, and who is on my side. When I was victored by them, I was their servant, their slave: now I have victored them, I will make them perpetual slaves: I will bind them in chains, cast them in prison, and for ever destroy their evil power, I will have no pity, no favour, no compassion on sin, because (when I was victored) sin was merciless against me. I will not (as did Saul) spare any for their dignity or worth, 
Sin is most merciless.  but with David, I will mortify and destroy all; in my youth I will hate the sins of youth, and in my age, I will be also impartial, prosperity shall not altar me, neither shall poverty tempt me: but having undertaken to war with sin, 
War is not ended but by victory.  I will be full in my opposition. I will not end my war without victory, I will not interrupt it by truce, but I will be resolute in my purpose, and constant in my resolution. At all occasions, and in every distress I will resort to the Spirit of God: he is my Commander, and the General in this spiritual war. I will consult with that Oracle, and receive direction: I will fight with that arm, and obtain the garland. For having God on my part, 
God's policy cannot be prevented.  whom then shall I fear? His policies cannot be prevented; nor his power (with victory) opposed. What I want of spiritual power in myself, I shall be abundantly supplied by the infinite power of the holy Ghost: For by him, 
Psalm. 18,  I shall be able to overthrow an host of sin; and by the strength of my God, I shall avoid all extremities. He is the main battle of my power, I am but the rear. He is my General, I am his Soldier, his holy Cross my colours, his holy Word my weapons. And being thus appointed, I dare confront all the enemies of my soul, all my sins: and the Devil to help them. 
A christian boldness.  I dare undertake their conquest, spoil their power, discipline their errors; and by the perpetual death of my sin, obtain a perpetual quiet of my conscience, and a perpetual peace in my soul. Amen.    

Of Regeneration, or new Birth. Chap. 5.  
WHen all things were first created, 
Gen. 1. 31.  every thing was perfectly good; no defect, no blemish, no need of correction. The first defection was sin: the first sin was the sin of Angels, the next the sin of man. God punished the sin of Angels in their own particulars only, 
The reason why God did punish the angels in their own particulars only, but man, in himself and posterity.  because they were not to derive their natures to posterity by generation and natural descent; and because they were ordained for the service of God in certain peculiar offices in the government of his Creatures: the Creatures not being ordained for their service. But man for whom all things, (even the Angels themselves) were created, & from whom was to be derived a world of people, when he sinned, God punished man himself, his posterity and the creatures he had made and given him, For as the sin of man had infected the whole house of man (the whole World being then his house) so the curse of God, 
Gen. 3. 17.  and the mark of his displeasure was seated on that house (the world) all things being subject to alteration, & evil change. Fron this cause is the necessity of regeneration, all things being now (in their own nature) in the state of corruption, and death. And therefore saith S. Peter, when shall come to judgement, 
2 Pet. 3. 10.  the heavens shall pass away with noise, & the elements shall melt with heat, & the earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt up: and that there shall be a new heaven, and a new earth according to God's promise, 
Vers. 13.  wherein dwells righteousness. So that nothing shall be able to abide the glory of God's presence, but that which is reform, and regenerate, not the elements, not heaven itself, 
Sin deformed all, Grace reformeth all.  but as all have endured (for sin) the bad alteration, so they must also endeavour (by grace) the good alteration: all were transformed by sin, all must be reform again by grace, or else remain in their deformity. And Saint Paul is peremptory in this opinion, 
Gal. 6. 1●.  For in Christ jesus (saith he) neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature: that is, a regeneration by an effectual faith, is only necessary: all ceremony being insufficient and not effectual. And our Saviour Christ to Nicodemus preached the necessity of regeneration, and affirmeth his doctrine with a double asseveration. Verily, verily I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. If not see the kingdom of God, than not inherit it, And this may suffice to persuade the necessary knowledge, 
No regeneration, no salvation.  and the necessary care of regeneration, being that without which it is impossible to be saved. Now it importeth to know what regeneration is.  
Regeneration is an act of the holy Ghost in Gods elect, 
What regeneration is.  whereby they are admitted or entered into a constant and faithful exercise of a godly life. First, it is an act of the holy Ghost: for, as I have before said, all grace is the gift of God, and every motion to goodness is caused by the spirit of God only; 
jam. 1. 17  ourselves being merely passive in all divine exercise, God himself being the actor, and principal mover. For as he that learneth to writ, 
The Holy Ghost, our spiritual teacher.  hath his hand first led by the direction of his teacher, before he can merit any little commendation: so the holy Ghost (by whose directions we learn the use of all spiritual exercise) doth move both our capacity and power, to understand the knowledge & use of necessary Christian an performance, without which Master, we should never be able to comprehend the rudiments and first elements of divine learning. Regeneration then being a Christian office of most necessary performance, it must needs be caused in us by the holy Ghost; who is the first mover of ever grace. This doctrine Saint Peter concludeth 
1. Pet. 1. 3  in express words: Blessed (saith he) be God, even the Father of our Lord jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of jesus Christ from the dead: So that we are regenerate or new begotten by God in jesus Christ at the motion & instance of his abundant mercy.  
Secondly, this act of Regeneration by the holy Ghost, 
Secondly.  is caused in the hearts of GOD'S elect only. This Doctrine is grounded upon this Conclusion: That GOD'S labour is never fruitless; 
jam. 1. 17.  but what he attempteth is finished, there being no resistance to his power, nor any greater to countermand him. As holy David saith: The Lord hath done whatsoever pleased him. And therefore this grace is moved in the Elect only, because the elect only have the benefit of all grace. And S. Paul chargeth all men that challenge any part in Christ, that they become new and regenerate. Therefore (saith he,) 
2 Cor. 5. 17  If any man be in Christ, let him be a new creature, 2. Cor. 5. 17. As if to be in Christ, and to be a new creature, were reciprocal, all that were in Christ to be regenerate, and all that were regenerate, to be in Christ: the elect being only in Christ, and regenerate only.  
Thirdly, 
Thirdly.  by this act of grace they are admitted and entered into the exercise of godliness. For howsoever before we are regenerate, & come to be made (as it were) the very actual sons of God, 
Regeneration maketh us the sons of God.  by spiritual regeneration, we pass many duties of holiness which may promise' us an extraordinary degree of hope that we are in God's favour; yet have we then our best assurance, when we are adopted his children by regeneration: for than we bring our holy purpose of reformation into act, and faithfully endeavour those duties which (before) we had only determined And (therefore) S. james speaking of this spiritual generation, saith: Of his own will begat he us with the word of 
jam. 1. 18.  truth, that we should be as the first fruits of his creatures, jam. 1. 18. That is, when we are regenerate, and made the sons of God, we are then fruitful, & not before; we are Gods first fruits, because we are then first fruitful.  
Fourthly, 
Fourthly.  the exercise of good works in the regenerate, must have two special properties: first it must be faithful, then constant. It must be faithful because of this ground: 
Rom. 14. 23  Whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Rom: 14. It must be constant because of this: That not those that saint in the race of godliness, but those that run on with hope & alacrity shall obtain the garland: for so saith the holy Ghost by S. john: 
Reu. 1. 26.  He that over cometh & keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over nations. Not he that endeavoureth the beginning, the middle, or a part of his life, but he that endureth to the end, he shall be saved. And the Author to the Hebrews, admoninisheth all men, that they run with patience the race that is set before them, looking unto jesus the Author and finisher of their faith etc. 
Heb. 12. 1. 2  forsaluation by jesus Christ, is that crown of glory for which all run, which none can gain but he that runneth the race of his life faithfully and constantly. 
1. Cor. 9 24  Therefore saith S. Paul: So run that ye moy obtain. That is endeavour your strength with your time to the uttermost, for though ye begin well, it is nothing unless ye also end well. 
Qualis vita finis. 〈◊〉.  For as the tree falleth so it lieth, and as men die, so they shall rise to judgement, for the grave can give no holiness, no perfection; but doth only continued us in the state it found us. Now if any man object, 
john. 3. 4. 6.  as Nicodemus did to Christ, How can these things be? Can a man be borne which is old? Can he enter into his mother's womb again, and be borne? The answer that Christ made to Nicodemus, may answer such questions. First. he saith, that except a man be borne of water & the Spiri, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. 
Verse 5.  That answers the necessity. Secondly, to teach him the manner of regeneration, how the children of God be borne a new, how it is caused by the secret working of God's Spirit in the Children of grace, he maketh a familiar comparison or giveth instance by the moving of the air. That as when we hear the whistling of the wind, we know it bloweth, yet cannot we know from whence: so in the act of regeneration, when we feel in our hearts the motion of God's holy Spirit, breathing salvation into our souls. And when our works, and consciences give us undoubted testimony, 
No man aught to search the secret workings of God's Spirit.  that we are regenerate and borne of God, it is then as vain a care to search the secret workings of God's Spirit, and by what actions and circumstance God hath begotten us by the Spirit, as to enquirc of the wind, whence it came, or whither it would; this thing being not necessary though regeneration itself be most necessary, & not to be neglected without condemnation.  

The general use.  
Regeneration being of such absolute necessity to salvation, 
The use.  as that being not regenerate, 
joh. 3. 34.  and borne a new of water, and the Spirit, we cannot be the sons, nay the servants of almighty God, though we never-so much endeavour in the service of other Christian duties, this doth admonish all men to have principal care, 
Admonition  to labour all means possible to have faithful & sufficient witness from their conscience, that they are the adopted children of God, established in the assurance of their salvation, being known and sealed of GOD with the mark of spiritual regeneration. For it must needs be sufficient to resolve a conscience of God's favour, when we know that we are his children, he our father, when we know that our Father must judge us, and such a Father as loveth mercy above all things. 
God loveth mercy above all things.  It is a grounded cause to make us hopeful, nay, confident in the trust of God's mercy: and safely without presumption to conclude our own joy: that if we be truly regenerate, we shall certainly be saved; it being as impossible to sever salvation from regeneration, as God from his Son. And therefore the holy Scripture concludeth the necessity of their salvation that are regenerate and borne of God: Whosoever (saith S. john) is borne of God sinneth not, for his seed remaineth in him, neither can he sin because he is borne of God. 1. john. 3▪ 9 
1. joh. 3. 9  Saint john saith he cannot sin, that is, not commit sin of purpose, but of infirmity: and such sins God will not impute to his adopted & regenerate children. And of this kind are those sins Saint john meaneth, 
1. joh. 5. 17.  when he saith: All unrighteousness is sin, but there is a sin not unto death: and that is the sin of them that are regenerate, who though they sin, yet they sin not unto death, their sin being only a sin in nature, and not a sin to condemn them.  
This may provoke all men to have a zealous care to be regenerate: for by being regenerate, 
The regenerate cannot sin to death.  he shall have honour with security; honour in being the adopted son of God, security in that he cannot sin to death, or fall from the favour of God: in which respect he shall exceed both the honour and the happiness of Adam (and the Angels) in his innocency; for Adam was but God's servant, he shall be God's son. Adam had power to fall, & did fall from grace; he neither will nor can fall from grace, the Spirit of God supporting him in a sufficient strength of holiness.  
Secondly, 
Secondly.  seeing regeneration is an act of the Holy Ghost, every man aught so to rectify and reform the errors of his life, as that the Spirit of God may not take loathing to enter our souls; but rather that by mortification and holy exercise, we may be prepared to entertain that sacred guest into our hearts; lest when he cometh, he found us as God will found the reprobate in the day of judgement, unprovided, careless, and secure: and so not seal us for the sons of God, but mark us the children of death, and the friends of Antichrist. Thirdly, 
Thirdly.  seeing the Elect only are regenerate, & made the children of God, it aught therefore to be the principal care of every man to be regenerate; because regeneration is the undoubted witness of Election; and S. Peter biddeth us give diligence to make our Calling and Election sure, 
1. Pet. 1. 10.  which can no way be better assured us, then by assuring our Regeneration, which is the certificate & testimony of our election. Fourthly, 
Fourthly.  seeing regeneration is an entrance into holy action, it remembreth all men, that before they be regenerate, all their actions, and all their endeavours are but sin: & that those works which in a regenerate man are ornaments and graces, 
The best actions of the unregerate are sin.  are in them blemishes and sin; because before we be Regenerate and reconciled to God, God hath all our actions in detestation. For so did God in the time of the ceremonial law, and in the first Age: for though Cain and Habel both offer unto God, 
Hahel and Caine.  yet God accepteth Habel, and rejecteth Cain: because Habel was in God's Election, and Cain was not: and so in regeneration, when we have God our friend, our father, than all our actions, though in their nature sinful are accepted for righteous. When God is not our friend and father, than all our actions, 
Note.  (even them we accounted as righteousness) are but sin, and so reputed, & accepted of God. Therefore aught all men to be most careful to be regenerate, because before that time they cannot please God, neither do well. They must also endeavour in all godly action, otherwise they can never be regenerate.  
Lastly, 
Fiftly.  seeing the works of regeneration must be both constant and faithful; (by constancy I mean perseverance; by faithfulness a choice of lawful particulars) therefore every man must be sure to exercise his devotion & zeal in lawful argument; and that he run in the spiritual race which God hath proposed, & not in the by-ways of error, 
Constancy in holiness commanded  and false or self opinion; and that in this course he faint not his spiritual courage, but that he hold out the race of his life, with a hopeful confidence to win the garland of salvation, which all shall both win and wear that constantly and faithfully endeavour themselves in godly action.   

Special application.  
Regeneration then being of excellent worth and of absolute necessity, 
Special application.  I will take of my cares & endeavours from all worldly occasions, and apply them to this holy purpose only: for by being regenerate, I shall both avoid the danger of sin, & live in the favour of God, and be graced with the honourable title of his son, I will remember them that proudly vaunt their pedigree, and their descent from honourable parents, I will pity their error, and despise their vain glory. 
No comparison between the dignity of the sons of God, and the sons of Nobles  I will compare such honour with the honour of Gods regenerate children, I shall find an infinite distance in their worth, that to be transitory passable, of short continuance, vain and full of bitter mixture: this to be eternal and infinite, of infinite worth, & infinite in time, nothing to prevent it, nothing to altar it, I will therefore (to gain this) despise that: I will desire no other honourable title, 
To gain heaven, we must despise earth.  then to be called the child of God, that will give me sufficient reputation. For that (in the lest degree) will out-glory all earthly honour in the highest degree. I will not care how base the world repute it, nay, I will not faint, 
Disgrace & persecution.  though the world persecute it. I know that my saviours kingdom is not of this world, neither is my glory of this world; but he that hath regenerate and new begotten me by the grace of his Spirit, he is my glory, and by him I am made honourable. 
The truly honourable.  This is that honour for which I despise the world, and with which I can disgrace all worldly honour. And for this honour I will spend my hours, spend my actions, my endeavours; nay, I will spend all to make this purchase. I will run my spiritual course with alacrity, seeing this honour is proposed me. And when I have it, I will esteem it precious: I will much rather lose my life then my honour. For this honour being once lost, is not recoverable: it was given by grace, 
Grace cannot be redeemed by nature.  it cannot be redeemed by nature. I will therefore esteem it as it is: and having once got the honour to be the child of God, I will carry that honour to my grave, and with that honour, I will present myself in the day of judgement, before God my honourable Father, and before the honourable company of his Angels & Saints, 
The highest honour.  and then will appear by direct evidence, & before all the world, whether my honour (in being regenerate and made the son of God) which the world despised, or their transitory honour and prosperity of fortune, wherein they gloried & proudly exalted themselves, be of better proof, when God shall call me his son, and bid me enter the kingdom of my joy: and call them slaves, and bid them enter their bonds, prison, and pain perpetual. 
The privilege of the son of God.  This will be the blessed privilege my honour will then give me. And therefore to be regenerate, and thereby to make God my father and my friend, I will not care what neglect, what scorn, & what disgraces the world cast upon us, for as those will vanish with time, 
The honour of God's sons eternal  so my honour will be (as God my father is) infinite, and I will infinitely esteem it. Amen.    

Of ●ustification. Chap. 6.  
Justification is a gracious forgiving of sins, 
What justification is.  by imputation of the righteousness of jesus Christ. S. Paul expostulateth this doctrine with the Galatians, whom he calleth foolish for doubting it: 
Gal. 3. 2.  This only (saith he) would I learn of you, received ye the spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith preached? And in the next verse. Are ye so foolish, that after ye have begun in the Spirit, 
Ver. 3.  ye would now be made perfect by the flesh? Where he admireth their simplicity that seek righteousness in the flesh, or in the law, 
justification is of the spirit, not of flesh.  but rather and only by the means of faith; because our justification is spiritual, & not of the flesh. And this doctrine he concludeth by an invincible argument in the 26. vers. That seeing we are regenerate, & made the sons of God by faith in Christ, we are therefore also justified and made the servants of God by faith. 
Gal. 3. 26,  For (saith he) we are all the sons of God by faith in Christ jesus. And if faith be able to make us sons, it must also be able to make us servants; for that which is able in the greater performance, 
The nearness of justification and regeneration.  is able in the less. Besides regeneration & justification have such relation and dearness to one another, as that they seem to be (almost) but one act, caused and effected at one instant of time. For when we are regenerate, we are then justified, and when we are justified, we are then regenerate, and not before; these two offices in our salvation being distinguished rather by their names, then by any special mark of difference in their several executions. Again, the same Apostle in his Sermon at Antioch, concludeth both the negative and affirmative part of this question: 
Act. 13. 38.  Be it known (saith he) unto you men and brethren, that through this man (that is Christ) is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins, Verse. 39 
Verse 39  And from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses, by him every one that believeth is justified. So that he absolutely denieth the power of justification to the Works of the Law, and doth absolutely ascribe it to the power of faith. 
Gal. 2. 21:  And he giveth a reason of this Doctrine, in the 2. 21. to the Galatians: For if righteousness be by the Law, than Christ died without a cause: So that the very cause why CHRIST died, was, that righteousness might be imputed and apprehended by Faith; seeing by works it was impossible. 
Psal: 32, 1, 2  And therefore saith the Prophet David: Blessed is he whose unrighteousness is forgiven, and whose sin is covered. And blessed is the Man, to whom the Lord imputeth no sin. So that he thinketh them most righteous, that have their unrighteousness forgiving them; and them most holy that have their sins not imputed.  
The fourth to the Romans, the whole Chapter, 
Rom. 4,  is an earnest proof of this Doctrine, where the Apostle laboureth by direct evidence to satisfy all doubt: as if he had foreknown the stiff and unreconcilable Oppositions of these times against his doctrine of justification. 
The controversy of justification   
In which Chapter he maketh Abraham his instance; in whom there was as much righteousness, and as much cause of boasting it, as in any other particular (save Christ jesus only,) yet he there proveth, 
The example of holy Abraham.  that this Abraham, (upon whom GOD had founded his peculiar people) was not justified by the righteousness of his Works: but that his Faith was imputed to him for righteousness: And allegeth Scripture for this proof: 
Gen. 15. 6.  And Abraham believed the Lord, and he counted that to him for righteousness: The word That, having a direct relation to the Word● believed. And this righteousness by faith, he ascribeth not only to Abraham's particular: But to us also, to whom it shall be imputed for righteousness, which believe in him, 
Rom. 4. 24 25.  that raised up jesus our Lord from the dead. Verse 25. Who was delivered to death for our sins, and is risen again for our justification. So that the matter of our justification is the righteousness of jesus Christ only: and the means of apprehending it, is faith only.  
This doctrine, howsoever it is made strong and unresistible by many testimonies of holy Scripture, 
The religions of these times.  and though it be zealously maintained by men of learned and religious judgement, yet hath it endured violence, and suffered disgrace, both by ignorance and envy: this age maintaining such oppositions of error, as the ignorance of former times first occasioned. Therefore is it that the main controversy of the world is at this day in this Argument of justification: the one maintaining justification by faith: the other by works; that defending truth, this opposing it. And though I am most willing to quarrel in defence of faith: 
Eph. 6. 16.  faith being my shield of defence against sin and the Devil, yet know I not how to give addition of strength to them that far exceed me, and whose faithful pains have maintained this quarrel with valour and victory against all opposition. Neither is it in the purpose of this business to dispute questions of truth, 
The purpose of this labour.  but to deliver truth as it is, by admonitions and plain teaching, to men of simple & easy understandings: for whose christian good, these pains are principally undertaken; and whose simplicities might most easily be confounded in the intritate search of cunning Arguments, For these respects, and because all contention and strife of words, is in the hatred of my Nature, I will sparingly deliver myself in a large Argument, and strike only one blow at the enemy of Faith, that I may be known to be an enemy of that enemy: and that by a familiar proof I may instruct the knowledge of him that is less learned. They that deny justification by faith, and approve it by works, would frame this argument from the testimony of Saint james, 
jam. 2.  who speaking of a general faith doth utterly disenable it from the office of justification. 
Vers. 17.  And therefore he saith that faith, if it have no works, is dead in itself, and in the 26. verse: 
Verse 26.  For as the body without the Spirit is dead, even so faith without works is dead. Therefore (say they) that Apostle concludeth in the 24 verse, 
Verse. 24.  That of works a man is justified, & not of faith only. To this I answer, It is most true that a fruitless faith is dead, neither can justify, and that works are the spirit and soul of a living faith, that as the body without the soul is not a living man, but a dead carcase, so faith without works is not living, is not saving, 
Faith without works is no faith, but a bore name only.  nay is not faith, but only a general name, and with Saint james I dare conclude against all such faith. But if there be a faith that hath depending of a necessity of good works, as necessary as the soul to the body, and the fruit to the tree, and that this Faith declare it self to be plentiful in godly action. the fruits of a living faith, I may then with Saint james conclude against them; for he doth not (as they do) disenable all faith in the work of justification; 
Ver. 26.  but that faith only which is dead, and without works, So that both opinions implore a necessity of works, the one as the cause of justification, the other as an effect in them justified. It were easy to be large in numbering authorities, and in reporting such distinctions and shifts, as the deceived use in supporting their opinions: they are but inventions, and therefore without respect, I pass them over: 
No virtue, no truth in extremity.  but advise my Christian Reader to beware of both extremities, and modestly and moderately to understand the means of his justification, that his zeal carry him to no extremity, but to the virtuous mean only; not to ascribe all to faith and naught to Works, but to give them both their necessary respects. For as we are not justified but by Faith, so our Faith is not justified but by works. 
We are justified by faith, our faith by works.  For if our works be not faithful, and our faith working, we are not justified, neither can be saved. And thus may the seeming difference between S. Paul, & S. james be reconciled; 
S. Paul, S. james.  faith doth justify us before God, but such a faith as Saint james meaneth: and works do justify us before men: but such works as Saint Paul meaneth, works derived from a true faith. For as wisdom is justified of her children, and as by our words we shall be justified, 
1. Mar. 1. 19  and by our words we shall be condemned: 
Mat. 12. 37  So by our works we shall be justified, that is, they shall be our witnesses, what we are in heart, and what in faith. But by faith only we are justified, and made righteous in the sight of God. 
Rom. 4. 24.   
Secondly, 
Secondly.  justification is proper unto Gods elect only, so that all profane and godless people are out of possibility to be justified & made righteous in God's sight. This is proved by the witness of Saint Paul, Rom. 8. 30. 
Rom. 8. 30.  Whom he predestinated, them also he called and whom he called, them also he justified.  
Thirdly, 
Thirdly.  justification is a righteousness in the sight of God, that is, such as have a true, a living, and a saving faith, and by that faith do apprehended the righteousness of jesus Christ, God is content to accept such in the righteousness of his son, to obscure their sin, and to make them appear and stand before him, as actually just, by this imputative righteousness, 
Imputative righteousness.  as if they had wrought it personally, and in the practice of their own lives. If any man demand, how can these things be? I answer, 
Rom. 8. 33. 34,  It is God that justifieth, who shall condemn? Rom. 8.  

The general use.  
Seeing that none can be saved, but they that are first justified; and seeing none can be justified, 
The use.  but they that have a true, living, and a working faith, it behoveth all men to have principal care to have the assurance of this faith that so they may be sure to be justified, 
The necessity of faith.  and may be sure that they shall be saved, and because that all men are naturally prove to deceive themselves, 
The nature of men.  with flattery and favourable opinion of themselves, and their own actions, because Saint james (and so the scripture in many places) hath utterly disenabled an idle, 
The Scriptures disable an idle and dead faith.  dead, and a fruitless faith from the office of justification; it therefore nearly concerneth all men, seriously and without private respect to examine their faith, to compare their faith and works together, their works being good, those works may justify their faith to be a living and a saving faith. And that they content not themselves with a commo● historical faith, the which the Devil and damned souls may have, 
The devils faith.  but that their faith may be approved good, by a sufficient testimony of good works, without which it cannot be good. For as the Tree is known by his fruit, 
Works the fruit of faith.  & as it is impossible to gather grapes of thorns; or figs of thistles: so is our faith judged by our works, & so it is impossible that good works should proceed from an evil faith, or that a good faith should not produce good works, good works being a most necessary dependence upon good faith. This aught to provoke all men to an emulation of godly exercise, and to contend to exceed in holy actions, 
A provocation to godly action.  to square and fashion all their works by their faith, and to make every act of theirs a testimony that they are truly faithful. For he that is not with us, is against us; and those works of ours; that witness not for us, will be witnesses against us, and will condemn us in the sight of all men, that our faith is either not good, or not at all: and that therefore we are not justified, 
Note.  neither can be saved. And this may judge all those actions of men, that disproportion a good Faith, and a good Conscience. For though men flatter themselves, and promise' peace to their souls, and think to be justified and saved by a bore acknowledgement of God, and their common historical faith; yet (in a time they think not on) their ungodly works will make war upon their souls, and bring upon them a sure and a sudden destruction.  
Secondly, 
Secondly,  seeing such choice particulars only are justified, as were before in God's election preordained to salvation: this aught to move all men to a thankful acknowledgement of God's infinite love, 
A duty of thanks to God, and why,  who only is the principal and first moving cause in every circumstance of our salvation, and that we acknowledge ourselves in great humility to be altogether defective and unable in the work of our own salvation, 
All men are unable in their own salvation.  that every grace in us, is both caused and continued in us by the power of God: ourselves being merely passive, and moved to divine exercise, by the direction of the Holy Ghost only. And that therefore we ascribe the honour of every good action to God, 
God must have the honour of all our actions.  by whom it is caused; and disgrace ourselves in our own estimation, because Gods first decree doth lead every man to every particular action of goodness.  
Thirdly, 
Thirdly.  seeing by faith in Christ, God doth both cancel our sins, and repute us righteous in his presence, it doth remember all men the admirable degree of God's favour, 
God's favour.  and the powerful operation of faith. First God's favour, he being pleased to forgive the deserts of condemnation; and to give and impute the most absolute rghteousnesse of his Son Christ jesus to all men, upon this easy condition of faith, that such, who have a true faith to apprehended him, shall be accepted in his favour as sons; & shall appear in God's presence equally as righteous, as if themselves had actually performed righteousness in their own particular persons.  
Secondly, we are taught the powerful operation of true faith, 
The power of faith.  that it is able to enter heaven, and to apprehended and apply Christ and his righteousness to reconcile the favour of God; and to satisfy his displeasure, to wash off the spots and leprosy of sin, and to put on the garment of righteousness, even jesus Christ the Son of God, by whom we are justified in the sight of GOD, and by whom (also) we shall be saved, Amen.   

Special application.  
I will therefore carefully endeavour myself in a constant exercise of all godly action; 
Special application.  not that I repose my justification in the virtue of my own works, but that by the Testimony of good works I may approve myself to be faithful, and that my faith is more than a general or a common faith; even a living and a saving faith, which is (& must be) the only means of my apprehending Christ, 
Faith the only means of apprending Ch●ist  who is the sufficient & only matter of my justification. And this shall be the glory and only pride I will have of well doing; that this witness of Works shall gain me the reputation of God's servant, and that Gods faithful children here on earth shall repute me one of their fellow-brethrens, than which I shall never desire a greater cause of boasting. 
A true cause of boasting.  And this judgement of good men. must needs rise from the testimony of good works, because there is an inevitable necessity of consequence, and necessary dependence between Faith and Works, they being as inseparable as heat from fire, and as necessarily depending as the body & the soul. And this shall provoke me to a zealous forwardness in all godly action, because thereby I shall conclude the assurance of my justifying Faith, 
How to assure our justification.  and thereby satisfy the desire of my own Soul, and that doubt which otherwise might justly be had of me in the common opinion. For from this argument must needs follow this conclusion: That seeing I have the fruits of Faith (good Works,) therefore I have also the cause of Works, true Faith: And that therefore this Faith thus working, 
A tree of Gods own planting.  is a tree of Gods own planting which adversity may well shake, but never perish.  
This is that use, that comfort, and consolation, which I will understand in the nature of my best deserving works. Thus I will esteem them, 
How to esteem our works modestly.  and but this. I will therefore avoid that dangerous opinion of meriting▪ by works: because it is better to want honour then to force it from God by violence, 
It is better to want honour then to steal it from God.  nay I will rather disgrace myself then disenable my Saviour jesus. For if righteousness be from ourselves, it is nor from him only, and then would follow that absurd and blasphemous conclusion, 
A blasphemous conclusion.  that he is not the only Saviour, neither hath perfected the work of man's salvation, I will therefore do all the good I can, but I will repute my deed (though good) to be the effect and not the cause of goodness in me: I will also confidently hold, that nothing is able to merit salvation, 
Nothing but Christ can merit salvation.  but the righteousness of jesus Christ only. I will therefore disclaim myself, and my own power, which is nothing but weakness) and ascribe all power, all virtue to my Saviour. For it is safer to give him honour, then to take it from him; and it will better become my Christian modesty to acknowledge my infirmities, then proudly to advance myself above my deserts. If God therefore (by the moving of his holy Spirit) me faith, 
All must be acknowledged as God's gifts:  he will also give me a desire▪ and a power in godly exercise: (which) when it maketh me grow plentiful in the demonstrations of holiness, I will ascribe the glory to God, to whom it is only due, and acknowledge myself to be that instrument only, whereby his holy hand of grace is pleased to work. Amen.    

Of the temporary death, and of the several Estates of salvation, and damnation. Chap. 7.  
DEath is a separation, or absence of the Soul from the Body, 
What death is.  whereby the body is reduced to his first matter Earth, and the soul brought to a sense either of justice or mercy. To understand this better, we must consider death in these respects. 
3. Respects,  First, his original or first being. Secondly, his powerful & general continuance. Thirdly, his end, or the death of Death. The original cause that gave Death life, was sin: 
1 Sin the cause of death.  and therefore when as Adam had eaten the forbidden fruit, & thereby committed sin, than had death his first beginning. For though Adam did not at the instant of the act dye, yet at the very instant of the sin, was he made mortal & subject to the power of death: 
When Adam was made mortal Gen. 1. 16. 17.  for so God foretold him, that whensoever he did eat, he should dye; and from this bad beginning was Death first derived. 
1 King: 17. 18:  So the woman of Sarephath could acknowledge that her sin was the cause of her child's death: & so have all the Children of GOD understood of death, and of the cause thereof. And S. Paul calleth Death the wages of sin: 
Rom. 6. 16.  as if it were a necessary care in the justice of God, that all that have committed sin should have the recompense & wages thereof, Death.  
Now the cause of this cause of death, 
The cause of sin.  was the Devil, who envying the prosperity of our nature, suggested his temptations to our first parents, by whose disobedience we are all made mortal. So saith Solomon: 
Wisd. 2. 24.  Through envy of the Devil came de●th into the world, and they that hold of his side, prove it.  
And from these two Parents, 
The two parents of death.  the Devil and sin, was death derived, from whom he had his being and beginning.  
Secondly, 
Secondly:  we must consider death in the passage of his life. or in his powerful continuance: That is evident in this respect, that Death hath a general power over all flesh, the which he doth execute upon all, without respect had either to the greatness or goodness of any, And therefore is Death called the way of all the World, and the way to our Fathers, 
Gen: 15. 15  because as our Fathers are go the way of death, 
joshua, 23▪ 14.  so must we after them; and our posterity after us, for ever. For though death be but one, and his office the cutting off the lives of all the World; yet it is but an easy performance, having the diseases of our flesh, 
The power of death,  and infinite other occasions to attend him in his deadly office. His power then is general over all, being limited by GOD and time only; who though he bring all flesh to corruption, yet no flesh can corrupt him, or procure favour in the strict execution of his office.  
The end, 
Thirdly,  or the death of Death, is the living righteousness of jesus Christ, which he wrought by his own death, in his own person. And therefore saith the Prophet Hosea, 
Host 13. 14.  Death is swallowed up in victory. 
1. Cor, 15. 25.  And S. Paul saith: that Christ jesus must reign till he hath put all his enemies under his feet, and that the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 
Ver. 26.  Therefore that Apostle insulteth over death: OH death (saith he) where is thy sting? OH grave, where is thy victory? Vers. 55. 
Verse 55,  The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. Vers. 56. 
Verse 56.  But thanks be unto God who hath given us victory through our Lord jesus Christ. 
Verse 57  Wherhfore it is evident that God by his Son Christ, hath given man victory over sin and death. 
By whom we have victory over death.  And whereas before we were all the servants of sin, and the slaves of death, we are now made conquerors, that were slaves; and despise them that did command us. This happy alteration doth reach benefit to all the faithful, but not to all men: therefore is it limited and doth reach to such particulars only, as are in God's election. 
The difference God useth in the giving of his gifts  For though God cast the beams of his Sun upon every man's face alike, and distributes▪ his temporal blessings (scatteringly as it were) without any heedful respect, where they fall; yet those favours that are eternal, and import a perpetuity of happiness, he giveth them to his beloved elect only, barring all the reprobate from spiritual and eternal grace. 
In what respect death is not destroyed, but made immortal  And, therefore though the death of Christ hath disarmed death & blunted his weapons that have wounded holy men: yet are those weapons still sharp, and that Death still living, and made immortal against them that have not received the image of the Lamb of God. For though all men enter their graves alike, yet with different condition, 
Mat. 9 25.  holy and good men enter their graves, as their houses of rest, wherein they quietly sleep, and for a time repose in rest and safety; 
In what case the wicked die.  but the wicked enter their graves as felons do their prisons, to be reserved to a day of much more terrible judgement. Therefore saith the wise man: 
Eccle. 41. 1. 2.  The remembrance of death is very bitter to some, and acceptable to other. For so the godly make it their day of hope, but the wicked their day of fear. 
Death is the day of hope and of fear.  Death then in these divers respects of good and bad men, hath a sting, and wants it; is dead, yet living and by opening the gate of temporary death, 
Death openeth the gate of life.  doth admit the entrance either of eternal life, or eternal death: the one, the happy condition of Gods chosen, the other the most miserable state of the reprobate & damned. And as this life we breath is but a sacrament or little resemblance of that which is to follow: 
This life a resemblance of life eternal.  so the terror of a temporary death, hath no proportion with the torments of everlasting death, 
Death a resemblance of life.  wherein both body and soul shall suffer such ffliction, as is beyond the power of imagination, infinite in measure, 
No man can report those joys, those torments.  infinite in manner. To undertake to report heaven and hell, salvation and damnation, is not in my purpose, or in the power of any man, This I know, that both are infinite, heaven is infinite in time and happiness, hell is infinite in time and torment. 
Heaven & hell are both infinite in time, infinite in measure.  The one (as God's resemblance) is infinite good, the other (as the devils) is infinite evil: the one is hoped, the other feared; to which two all mankind must take their last resort, and by the gate of death pass their temporal life to one of those two eternities.  

The general use.  
First, seeing death was begotten by our sins, 
The use.  and from ourselves had his first original, it aught to humble us in our own estimation, and to acknowledge the great corruption of our nature, which maketh us powerful only in doing us evil, 
Our natural defect.  and in producing such effects, as 'cause our own destruction, And this may correct their proud opinion, that vainly arrogate such power as to be their own means in the cause of their salvation, fond, & falsely thinking, that their eyes of Nature are not blind in spiritual judgement, 
The eyes of nature are blind in spiritual judgement.  but imagine to have that virtue and power, which they only have in imagination. For if Adam by his sin, did produce and give life to such a monster birth as death is, what expectation then can be had of our ability, who are in all respects (but sin) Adam's far inferior, and (by much) less able in the performance of any spiritual duty?  
Secondly, 
Secondly.  seeing death hath universal power over all flesh, and seeing there is no partiality in his executions, no dispensing of favour, no lengthening of time, but cometh most certainly, & not certainly when this may advise all men to godly action, 
Death's general power.  and to a constancy of such action: jest otherwise death come unexpected, & so prevent their good determinations, 
deaths uncertainty  which being determined only, and not done, avail us no other end but grief and unprofitable repentance.  
Again, seeing all must die, and be reduced to earth, 
Thirdly,  it doth control the proud ambitious natures of men, who in this life insult over men of inferior state, and dignify their own estimation, 
Death admonisheth the insolent.  as if God had not made them of earth, or that the grave could not make them earth again. These men that value themselves rich, by having the beggarly gifts of fortune, 
The gifts of grace and fortune,  and despise the most rich treasure of grace: where it liveth in the banishment of poor fortune: these that despise Death most when they live, and fear him most when they die, are here admonished to reform this insolent behaviour, 
The condition of wicked men.  and to remember that themselves, how proud soever, must be humbled in the grave, 
The grave will humble all.  and that the worms and corruption will destroy their pride, and in despite of greatness make them inferior to the meanest beggar on earth. And yet can death heap a greater calamity, open them the passage to everlasting death, and afflict them with the damned, in perpetual and infinite torment,  
Thirdly, 
Thirdly.  seeing Christ hath by death slain death, and hath taken his sting and dart from him, whereby he might be hurtful to Gods elect; 
Christ by death hath slain death.  it doth admonish a zealous duty of thanks to the merit of the Lord jesus our Saviour, by whose means Death is no Death, but rather life and advantage, 
Death is advantage to Gods elect.  by whom we have the door opened to everlasting salvation. For so aught we to understand of death, as of the common jailor of all flesh. 
Death the common jailor.  The world is our prison, wherein we are all shut. Death when he openeth the door, & delivereth from prison, leadeth the parties delivered, either to liberty or judgement: For so are all that die, transported from earth either to heaven which is their liberty, or to hell the place of execution. 
The twofold state of all that die.  Death is that one key that openeth the double passage, the one to heaven, the other to hell: this leadeth to damnation, that other to salvation.  
Lastly, seeing death is a repose, and rest from earthly labours, 
Death a rest from labours.  it aught to sweeten the sorrows of this life, with hopeful confidence, & with alacrity & spiritual comfort, that notwithstanding men repute the professors of holiness but base and abject people, and deride their simplicity in wicked worldly policies, making holiness a note of folly, and their own audacious impudence the only mark of wisdom and deep discretion, 
The insolid behaviour of wicked men.  yet should not this discountenance a good cause, but rather confirm a Christian resolution, and give boldness and Christian courage, to bear off with patience these contempts of evil men, & secretly scorn at their estimation, 
The godly repose hope in death.  having their eyes still fixed on the end of all things, with a settled confidence, that death will not only give them a rest from all adversity, but admit them also into the blessed fellowship of God, the holy Angels and Saints, where themselves shall see their proud enemies cast into disgrace & obloquy, and with miserable desperation, acknowledge their neglects in Christian duties. Thus the meditation of death, 
The use of this meditation.  may give disgraced and afflicted Christians a life of hope, in the height of their extremities.   

Special Application.  
Therefore I will not (as the wicked do) fear to die; but hope to die, 
Special application.  intending the spiritual passage of my life so, as that my end may give me comfort without terror. I will reduce to memory what the holy Prophets, Apostles & Martyrs have done in this case. How careful they have been to preserve their lives in the memory of honest and holy reputation, how careless also they have esteemed their lives for the reputation of the Gospel, being content, nay careful, 
The care of holy men.  not only to give up their lives, but to give them up with torment, for the testimony of jesus my Saviour.  
To these men I will frame my imitation, I will care for my life as they cared, 
A Christian resolution.  I will also care to dye as they cared. In every work of my life, I will remember my end, and at my end I will remember my hope, & in my hope, my God. While I live I shall remember that I am a prisoner, and in the bondage of my flesh: 
All that live are prisoners.  when I die, I know I shall have my freedom. Death that is cruel to others, will be favourable to me; death that will kindle the fire of their affliction, will extinguish mine; I shall (doubtless) find death much more favourable than men: 
Death mo●● favourable than men.  for by men I was injuried, had my Christian profession disgraced, my opinions doubted & opposed, my actions scanned, my endeavours misinterpreted; and my name in odious reputation. Death takes me from all these injuries, lays me in a peaceful grave, 
The mercy of death.  makes me sleep in that bed of rest, protects my body, silences my name, and carries my spirit to his place appointed. I will not therefore be moved by any example to fear death; 
The godly fear not death.  I will have a Christian resolution to abide it with courage, nay with hope. When I see the sons of fortune fear every little sickness (the sergeant of death) I shall see the sons of grace deride such folly, for they never see death, 
The wicked see death in his ugly forms.  but in his ugly form: but to these he appeareth most beautiful and of delightful conversation. 
Death (in divers respects) is both a Lion and a Lamb.  Death is their Lion, but my Lamb: and his action (in their Scene) is tragical, but in mine Comical, and full of heavenly recreations. Whence this? It is my Saviour jesus that hath thus caused it, it is his hand hath done it: he hath tamed death, and taken his hurtful sting from him; 
What Christ hath done for his servants.  he hath shut up hell, that hath gaped against us, and hath reconciled us with our graves, wherein we may safely repose; 
Death doth secure us till the day of judgement.  he hath commanded death that would perish us, to secure us, and to present our full proportion before his judgement seat.  
This hath he done, that is able to do all things, he hath done it also for me, my faith so persuades me; I will therefore acknowledge myself in dutiful thanks to my God my Saviour, and in every time of distress, I will look at Death, 
Hope in the mediration of death.  and (with that meditation) receive a full portion of comfort. Amen.    

Of God's glory. Chap. 8.  
GOd created all things, by his power, 
God's glory the purpose of God's work.  but to his glory: for that was the holy end forwhich he created all things. For as waters that are derived from the sea, are again directed to the sea. So all things that are, being derived from the mighty power of God, return their duty, service & the honour of all their actions to God, discharging every service in the main Ocean of God's glory. ●he which though it receive not augmentation of honour, (being infinite) by the supply of any creature, yet all creatures being his own it doth please him to force every creature to give some proof and testimony of God's justice or mercy, whereby God may receive glory in their acknowledgements. 
God is glorified in a double manner.  God then is glorified in all his works, but in a double manner, he is principally glorified in the works of mercy, 
God is glorified in a double manner.  he is glorified also in his judgements. For the first, that he is principally glorified in mercy, is testified by S. Paul, where he saith, that God, that he might declare the riches of his glory upon the vessels of mercy, which he hath prepared unto glory. 
Rome, 9 23.  By which place appeareth that the riches of God's glory consists principally in the vessels of mercy, 
God is principally glorified in the work of mercy.  and that God doth so love his Saints, that he esteemeth their glory, his glory, and doth dignify himself in their advancements. And therefore did not God choose the Israelites, and made them his peculiar people, 
Why God did choose the Israelites.  that by Gods most powerful delivering them, and by their demonstrations of duty and thankful service, God might be honoured (in the memory of his greatness) over all the world, 
Dut. 26. 18. 19  and receive glory in the report of his admirable protection. 
God is glorified in his judgements.  God is also glorified in his judgements. And therefore the reprobate and damned, though in their lives they rather care to dishonour God their creator, 
God will be glorified by the damned.  yet will God be honoured in the punishment of their lives, & force them to give demonstrations of his justice & holiness: or God can turn their purposes to his own end, and make that set forth his glory which was intended against him. So saith holy David; 
Psal. 66. 10. 11. 12.  that the consultations & determinations of the wicked turn to God's glory. For God will be glorified in all, and those that will not give him glory for mercy, he will compel them to give him glory for judgement: 
Note.  & though God esteem it the greater honour to be glorified in the witnesses of his mercy, (because in God's nature mercy is preheminent, and doth triumph:) yet is it much to the glory of God, that the witnesses of his judgement, shall be prompted by their lamentable experience to acknowledge that God is infinite, 
How the damned set forth God's glory.  both in power and justice. All men than are the Trumpets of God's glory, all give him glory though not all alike: the glory of God being the end for which all things were created. Therefore when the holy Angels (Gods Messengers,) brought the blessed tidings of Salvation, 
Luke. 2. 14.  and a Saviour, the court of heavenly Assistants praised God with this acclamation: Glory be to God, in the high Heavens, and peace in Earth, and towards men good wil 
Glory proper to God,  In which place the heavenly Soldiers commended to men good will, to the world peace; but glory to God, as a service proper & peculiar to God only. And S. Paul admonisheth that every circumstance of our life be directed to God's glory: 
1. Cor. 10. 33.  Whether ye eat or drink (saith he) or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 1. Cor. 10. 31. And God by the Prophet jeremy forbiddeth all men to glory in anything save God; as if God were the only object of all glory: 
Ier 9 23. 24  Let not (saith he) the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor the strong man glory in his strength, nor the rich man glory in his ricbes; but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth & knoweth me, etc. Thus aught we both to glorify God, and to glory in God: for if we glory in any thing but God, we are condemned, & if we glorify any but God, 
To glory in glorifying God.  we are likewise condemned. He is our strength, and the light of our countenance, he hath ordained us for his glory; and if we glorify him here on earth with us, he will glorify us with himself inheaven; but if we neglect to glorify him that is our glory, he will glorify himself in our destruction, and make us (in the feeling torments of our condemnation) 
Those that glorify God shall be graced by him.  glorify him with this acknowledgement that he is a God of most sovereign majesty, and that he is most gracious in his mercy, 
God is honoured in the acknowledgement of Devils & wicked men.  but most terrible in his judgement. And with this acknowledgement will God be honoured of the Devils, and the damned whose unsufferable torments in their condemnation shall be arguments of proof to conclude God's glory.  

The general use.  
The general use is this, 
The Use.  that seeing God hath created all things for his own glory, & seeing that he will be glorified in the several executions of his justice & mercy, in the salvation or damnation of his creature: that therefore all men must earnestly endeavour in this most needful performance, 
A most needful performance.  & that in all the actions of their life, they endeavour to fashion every circumstance by lawfulness & holy rule, 
The rule of lawfulness.  that God may receive the glory of their actions, as S. Paul doth advise the Philippians: 
Phil. 1. 11.  That we may (as he saith) be filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by jesus Christ, unto the glory & praise of God. For in all insensible things there is a special nature, to which they are obedient, 
Insensible things. obedient to nature.  whereby they glorify God in finishing the end of their creation. God hath commanded the motion of the heavens, the influence of the stars the natures of the elements, & the several natures of every several thing. All these continuing their course & nature, give most notable demonstrations of God's glory, by whom they were created, & thus disposed in nature. If these things which are subject to time, and must perish, do notwithstanding discharge the duties of their nature, and so by consequence approve themselves to be instruments of God's glory: shall men whom God hath created for the like end of his glory, & to whom he hath given a soul of excellent understanding, & for whom he hath created the World, the most admirable work of his own hands, shall these be careless in this high duty? and shall the Elements & unreasonable creatures be careful? Shall men be exceeded by beasts, in the execution of their most reasonable service? God hath not threatened their neglect with Hell, nor promised to reward their diligence with Heaven. 
Men less careful than beasts  God doth both promise & threaten men, yet are men less careful than Beasts. This may worthily remember those men, (or rather those beasts) who make a God of themselves, or of their unlawful pleasures: & then dedicated themselves, their labours, 
To what end men▪ commonly dedicated their travel.  and the glory of all their actions, to a profane and licentious trade of life.  
These that will not do it of choice, must do it by force: For the time will come when God will whip these slaves with the rods of his judgements, & make them (in despite of their ungodliness) to glorify God, 
The wounds of hell and conscience.  in suffering the torments of hell and their conscience: and (without profit) to acknowledge God, & the terrible justice of so great a Majesty.  
This may also remember the children of God, 
Secondly.  that in all the cares of their Christian life, 
God's glory the main of all our cares  they have their main respect to God's glory, & that God may have place in their hearts, even before the desire of their own salvation: & that their salvation be desired, rather that God may be glorified, then to desire to glorify God for their own salvation: 
We must prefer it be fore our own salvation.  that so God may be the first in all our cares, that we love him, more than our own souls, and prefer his honour, before our own salvation. For he that will not despise himself (in respect of God's honour) doth but dissemble his love, neither doth willingly glorify God; for though God be in his eyes, he hath himself in his heart, 
We must despise our own selves for the love of God.  and though he pretend to love God, it is for his own private end, not that God may be glorified. And thus to glorify God is to dishonour him, and so to provoke his indignation against us.  
Therefore let all men love God for his own sake; love him for his truth, love him for his mercy, love him for his ius●●ce; 
We must love God for his own sake.  & let this love be so respectless of all by considerations, as that neither heaven, hell, nor our souls, persuade us so much as the reverence & zealous affection we have to the love of God; 
To love God, is to glorify him.  for he that thus loveth God, doth glorify him, and shall be glorified by him.   

Special application.  
I will therefore discharge the shame of all my actions, 
Special application.  into this ocean of God's glory. I will propose, & pursue that end only, I will not respect the vain purposes of men: 
The vain purposes of men.  I will remember that they are transitory, & will leave me, flatterers & will deceive me. I will reduce to memory the mighty monarchs of the world the most admirable induments, the most fortunate in earthly prosperities, when I examine their worth, 
The transitory estate of worldly states.  I shall find nothing but names, & those neglected by the power of time, themselves, and their regards are vanished, all those things perish, & are disgraced with the use of time; because their actions ran not this holy race of God's glory, but had divers & disagreeing ends. 
The power of death over the world.  Death hath deprived their souls, the grave their bodies, the world their estates, and time their names; & such destroying ends do necessarily follow such affections. 
Note.  For when God's glory is not the absolute proposed end of a man's life, there is nothing can happen to such life but extreme misery; even the bounty of Nature, and the treasure of Fortune, are miserable tormentors, that present themselves with friendly faces, 
Resolution.  but bring in their hands dangerous and fearful destructions. Therefore in every work I undertake, I will first propose my lawful end God's glory. And if the work I propose be fitting that holy business, I will then with all possible endeavour, continued my pains and purpose: if not, I will countermand that determination, and despise that practice, how profitable so ever. 
No respect of worldly profits.  For this I know assuredly, that among all the several actions of my life, whatsoever doth not directly intent God's glory, doth then most directly intent my own damnation: and that every particular of my life, shall be a witness, either for me, or against me.  
And therefore I will despise and pity their damnable mis-conceiving, 
Our actions witnesses.  that think to run one course two ways; to serve GOD and belial; that direct their lives partly to God, partly to the world: but rather I will run on the race of my Pilgrimage, 
Resolution.  with Hope and Constancy, never retiring, never staying, till with victory I reach the staff of God's glory; To which happy end I will direct my spiritual course with a constant and faithful Resolution. Amen. Amen.  
FINIS.