A Garden of spiritual Flowers. PLANTED BY 

Ri. Ro.  
William Per.  
Ri. Gree.  
M. M.  
and Geo. Web.    
LONDON, Printed for T. Pavier, and are to be sold at his shop entering into the Exchange. 1610.   

A Direction unto true happiness, standing of three parts: published especially for the use of those that have heard the same handled in the course of the ministery.  
Admonition to the Reader.  
I Pray thee (gentle Reader) first learn to understand this direction, examining it in every point, so that thou find it true, & agreeing with the holy Scripture. Than consider how thou likest and allowest of it. Both which if thou dost, thou shalt easily find and feel the whole to work upon thee, as it is to be desired. The first part by diligent meditation, will humble and bring thee low in thine own sight, and raise in thee a true sorrow of heart, by seeing thy deadly misery. The second part, by the working of God's Spirit, shall settle thee in most clear safety and peace, by seeing thyself delivered from the same misery. The third part will show thee how to change thy life, and conform it unto the will of God, and give thee direction how to walk with God daily. If thou dealest not sound with thyself in the two former parts, never set upon the third. And although thou attain to the use of them both, yet shall it be meet for thee to prove thyself daily by them, that thine estate may be found good indeed, and after make the third part instead of a daily direction for thee, until thou see thyself reform, and made like unto it; which is the true use of it. For he that is come to repentance in truth, must make daily▪ use of them all three.   

A GARDEN OF Spiritual Flowers.  

The first part.  
EVery one that will be saved, 
Rom. 5. 12.  must first know and be persuaded in heart of his miserable estate, lay de forth in these eight points following, & be truly humbled thereby.  
1 That we were created happy in the loins of Adam: 
Gen. 2. 6.  which happiness he lost by his fall, 
Ephe. 2. 1. 2. 3.  and we through him, and so are brought to utter misery.  
2 That this our misery consisteth first, 
Rom. 5. 12.  in our guiltiness by Adam's transgression, 
Psal. 5. 5.  & our own both original & actual sins: and secondly, in the desert and punishment thereof, 
Rom. 5. 12.  which is death temporal of the body, & eternal both of body & soul; with all the calamities that appertain to them both.  
3 That our sinfulness is such, 
Gen. 6. 5.  as it continually defileth all our actions, our thoughts, words and deeds; and that the punishment, 
Deut. 27. 27  which is God's curse, is such, as lieth upon us always, and in all places; so that we are nothing but a lump of sin, 
Rom. 1. 18.  and under the wrath of God continually.  
4 That no man is able to satisfy for his sin, 
Mat. 1. 26.  to appease God's wrath, and to come out of this misery, by any thing that he can do, 
Psal. 49. 7. 8. 9  or that may be done by any other man for him. And that none is able to bear and overcome the intolerable weight of that curse of God, 
Psal. 130. 3.  which hangeth over him for his sin.  
5 That they which know not this, still go forwards in it without trouble of mind, thinking their case good enough. They that only know it, being full of poison and rebellion, 
Rom. 7. 8. 9  for the most part rage against the doctrine thereof, & become more greedy to go on in all evil, when they see their sin forbidden; or at lest they abide still in it. 
Act. 2. 37.  But if any be pricked in conscience, and humbled by this, he maketh a right and profitable use of it; as shall be seen in the sixt point.  
6 That seeing it is thus with men; they who have not mourned, and yet see they have cause, must sorrow and weep, 
Act. 2. 37.  turning their laughter into wailing, 
joel. 2. 12. 13.  and their joy into heaviness, till they see themselves delivered from this woe; 
Mat. 11. 28.  for they are not to be ignorant, 
Ezra. 10. 2.  that there is hope.  
7 That to attain this mourning, (which is hardly wrought in us) these means, and such like, are to be used. 1. That we harden not our hearts in hearing the Law, 
Psal. 95. 7.  but suffer it to work upon us. 
Heb. 4. 7.  2. To be willing to examine our hearts and lives for the finding out of some special sins: 
Psal. 4. 4.  and when we see them, 
Lament. 3. 40.  we do not lightly pass them over and confess them, 
1. Sam. 15. 30  but aggravate them to humble us. 
Dan. 9 3. 5.  3 That we consider the greatness of the punishment, with the eternity thereof. 4. An holy despair of any remedy from ourselves, or any other creature. 5. A persuading of ourselves, that many are damned for those sins which we live in. 
Luk. 1. 26. 6.  That we weigh and consider our mortality in this life, & the uncertainty of our death; 
Psal. 90. 12.  and finally, use all the afflictions which God layeth upon us unto this end. 
1. Cor. 11. 32.   
8 That this mourning & sorrowing for sin, 
Heb. 12. 16. 27.  and the woe it hath brought upon us, cannot appease God's wrath towards us: but is required of all unbelievers to break their hearts, and 'cause them to lament after God; not to justify them before God, 
1. Sam. 7. 1.  but to make them fit to receive the Gospel, and prepare them to hear his voice that saith: Come unto me all ye that travel, 
Act. 2. 37.  and are laden, 
Math. 11. 28.  and I will give you rest. For although men can not make account of the remedy, 
Math. 9 12.  except they feel their need and misery; yet if any rest in this sorrow, and seek not the remedy following, in the next part, he shall never be happy: For it shall either vanish and be forgotten in time, leaving no Fruit behind, 
1. Kin. 21.  or drive them to utter despairing. 
Mat. 27. 5.    

The Second part.  
HE must know and be persvaded, 
john. 3. 16.  that he is as fully and clearly restored unto happiness, 
1. Tim. 1. 14. 15. 16.  as he was deeply plunged into misery: 
1. Pet. 1. 18. 18.  which is declared in the eight points following.  
1 That God hath provided a remedy against all this misery▪ 
Mat. 1. 21.  by which we may be set free from it. This remedy is perfect satisfaction, and perfect righteousness; 
1. Ti. 2. 16.  whereby only we may be freed from death, and restored unto life: so as God's justice may be fully answered, all our sins forgiven, and we adopted unto everlasting life.  
2 That this remedy is not to be found but only in Christ jesus, 
Act. 4. 12.  who being both God and Man hath in our Nature, 
Esa. 53. 5.  suffered the punishment due unto our Sins, to deliver us from the same, and fulfilled the righteousness of the Law, 
Rom. 5. 18.  to justify us before God: and so delivering us from sin and death, 
1. Cor. 1. 30. 31.  hath restored us to righteousness and life; being made unto us from God his Father, Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption; that whosoever glorieth, may glory in the Lord  
3 That the only means to receive Christ, and in him salvation, is Faith in the Person, 
joh. 1. 12.  mentioned in the former part of this Direction: seeing Christ hath plainly affirmed, that he is a Physician to such sick ones, 
Luke. 5. 31.  and calleth them to receive; 
Mat. 11. 28.  that is, to believe it. Which Faith, 
Rom. 10. 14. 17.  is a wonderful and supernatural grace of God, whereby we receive Christ & all his benefits, and is ordinarily wrought in men's hearts by the outward Preaching of the word, and the inward operation of the Holy Ghost. 
Act. 16. 14.  Therefore such as seek this, must hear Sermons often & diligently, they must be much moved & drawn by the reports of other Godly; 
joh. 1. 43. 47  as Andrew by Peter, and Nathaniel by Philip. And they must be encouraged to believe, 
Act. 19 ●6.  by the example of others, who were as far off as they: 
1. Ti. 1. 16.  they must use good company, 
Act. 9 26. 27  as Paul when he was cast down, sought to join himself to the Apostles: and reverence God's graces in the Ministers, and in his people. By these means many have been added to the Church and believed. 
1. Cor. 14. 24.   
4 That by this glad tidings, 
Acts. 2. 47.  preached in his name, and the other means, God draweth the hearts of such as shall enjoy it, 
joh. 7. 37.  after they know that there is a remedy, to hunger after it, and desire it above all other things, 
john. 6. 44.  not fleetingly nor hovertly, but fervently and constantly, so as nothing can satisfy them without it; & to prise it above all other things: which grace being a peculiar gift of the Spirit, 
Mat. 13. 46.  is not without Faith in some measure. And though it be not in full assurance by and by, yet so, as they never cease till they can apply it to themselves. Which shall be, when they have felt the sweetness of Christ, when they see they take the yoke upon them, 
Mat. 11. 29.  and be willingly subject to his word and commandment: Than they shall find rest unto their Souls.  
5 That we therefore feeling what great need we have of it, as having been pricked in our hearts for our sin and damnable estate, and been broken hearted, and having this fervent desire after it, & so highly esteeming it, as nothing more, may apply it to ourselves, and do rest persuaded (for all our unworthiness) that it is ours, & freely bequeathed to us of God, 
1. joh. 3. 23.  because Christ is given of God, and hath given himself for such. And for our better encouragement hereunto, we are to know, that Christ commandeth, exhorteth, and beseecheth us to believe in himself; so that we need not fear that it is presumption thus to do.  
6 And seeing we are so fearful at our first calling, that we dare not think we have faith, 
judg. 6. 17.  know that these are sure tokens of it, if we strive against doubting: 
judg. 6. 13.  if we not feeling it, complain bitterly of the want of it; 
1. Pet. 2. 2.  if we seek fervently to be settled in believing; 
Psal. 32. 5.  if we desire to search out the sin which may possibly hinder us, to expel it: and some one of these, or other graces like them, shall ever be seen in the believer by such as can judge, though not always perceived of the party himself: even as by moving breathing, feeling, etc. it is gathered, that life is in the body, which lieth for dead.  
7 That by all good means we confirm this faith in us daily: 
Heb. 10. 38.  the means are partly those which are set down in the third point of the third part, and namely the examples of others, who of weak become strong; 
Heb. 11. 34.  the often and due considering of God's love, that it is unchangeable, 
joh. 13. 1.  and our own experience, who believing the Promise when we thought it impossible, 
Psal. 77. 1. 12.  may much more now be persuaded of it, and of the favour of God, especially seeking it penitently as we did then. But if we grow not, we began but counterfaitly.  
8 That if our Faith be confirmed, and we persuaded of our salvation and God's favour, it will appear in us by these signs, which may be called inseparable companions to it. 
Rom. 5. 11.  First, that we have peace with God, 
1. Pet. 1. 8.  and rejoice for it sensibly. 
Cant. 5. 8.  Secondly, that we love the Lord most dearly, 
1. joh. 3. 14.  and God's People hearty. 
Psal. 77. 6.  Thirdly, 
Psal. 126. 12.  that we have our hearts enlarged to praise God secretly and openly, for so great kindness, as to prefer us before so many thousands. Fourthly, 
john. 14. 22.  to wonder at it in giving thanks▪ 
1. Thes. 5. 14.  Fiftly if we pity, comfort, and strengthen others. Sixtly, if we long to go hence, 
2. Cor. 5. 6. 8  where we are absent from the Lord And seventhly, desire to go home to him. 
jer. 31. 18. 19  And lastly, if we mourn for our unkindness past, 
Rom. 5. 8.  towards God, who was so kind to us, even while we wandered from him.   

The third part.  
He must understand and practise to the end of his life, 
Tit. 2. 11.  that manner of conversation, which GOD hath appointed and commanded every faithful Christian to walk in, 
Ephes. 2. 10.  after he hath once believed; 
1. Pet. 1. 17.  as it is showed in the eight points following. 
Rom. 6. 4. 5. 6.   
1 That he that is saved by Christ, is also by him mortified unto sin, 
2. Cor. 5. 17.  and regenerate unto righteousness & true holiness; and finally is become a new creature, 
1. joh. 5. 20.  and being now by Faith in Christ, made the child of God, doth withal receive of God, a mind to know him, 
Rom. 6. 2. 4. 5. 6.  an Heart to love him, a Will to please him; 
Rom. 6. 25.  and in some measure also Strength and power to obey him: 
Rom. 7. 14.  and although with imperfection, yet with manifest difference from his former estate: and contrarily he doth hate sin, as he loveth goodness.  
2 That the believer being thus sanctified and changed, 
Pro. 4. 23.  must give all diligence to keep his Heart in that estate afterward, & endeavour to practise the godly life in his particular actions; that is, 
Mat. 4. 10.  deny all ungodliness in his behaviour, and worldly lusts in his heart: and contrarily live soberly himself, in moderating his affections in all lawful liberties, righteously towards men, in giving every one their due; 
Act. 26. 18.  and holily towards God, in worshipping and serving him only. In which things standeth our true repentance.  
3 That unto every one that hath Faith, and is truly (though in weakness) reform, God giveth willingness, readiness, and desire to use the means which he hath ordained for the keeping and confirming of himself in this Christian course. 
1. Pet. 2. 2.  Unto which are necessary these two things: 
1. Pet. 2. 2.  a certain direction and order of proceeding in this estate by observing ourselves, that in one thing as well as another, we keep a good Conscience: 
Act. 13. 1.  or if we be overtaken and step out of the way, yet that we lie not still, 
jer. 8. 6. 7.  but return. And that Armour of a Christian set down; the chief parts whereof are these six: Sincerity, 
Ephe. 6. 14.  Righteousness, Faith, Hope, Preparation for afflictions, and Knowledge of God's word to discern the deceitfulness of sin.. For the keeping of these, we must pray often and earnestly, 
Luke. 18. 1.  with watching; adding thereunto Hearing of the Word preached, and the use of the Sacraments, Reading, 
Luk. 22. 17.  Meditation, Conference, Good example of others, God's benefits and chastisements daily meditated of, and rightly used, and our own experience.  
4 That out of all that hath been before set down, and namely in these three former points, we gather out a direction, to guide ourselves every day unto our end: a sum whereof is this. First, 
job. 1. 5.  that every day as we search and find out our sins, we hearty dislike and renounce them, & repent. Secondly, that every day we be raised up in assured hope of the pardon of them, by the promise of God in Christ. 
Heb. 11. 6. Petition. 5.  Thirdly, that every day we keep our hearts in frame, weaned from carnal liberty, and fit to any duty. 
Heb. 3. 12.  Fourthly, 
Act. 24. ●6.  that every day we be strongly armed against any known sin. Fiftly, that every day we endeavour to do any duty commanded. 
Deut. 5. 20.  Sixtly, that every day we pray for all necessaries; and namely that we watch and pray to be strengthened against sin, 
Mat. 26. 41. Petition 4.  and steadfast in our Christian course. Seventhly, that every day our thanks for benefits already received, 
Thes. 5. 18.  and other still certainly hoped for, be continued. Eightly that every day we hold fast and keep peace with God; 
Rom. 5. 1.  and so lie down in it. 
Phil. 4. 4.  These are not so enjoined every day, as though it were enough barely to think of them every day; but that we be accompanied with the most of them through the day, and strengthened with the rest; I mean Prayer and Thanksegiving. So that by the help of them all, we may be made able to pass the day both in company & solitariness; at home and abroad, in afflictions and prosperity; and in all our actions of the day to honour God therein, according to that which is written; 
1. Cor. 10. 31.  Whether we eat or drink, etc.  
5 That we be watchful to withstand and avoid all the lets which may hinder this course, as want of the means, and namely the help of the word preached, slothfulness, carelessness in observing our ways, a yielding to temptation, commonness and boldness in sin, 
Apo. 3. 17.  and a thinking that we are well enough already; weariness in doing good, untowardness, custom in sin, & long lying in it; the using of ill Company, worldliness, profaneness of heart, 
jere. 13. 23.  looseness of the eye, ear, tongue, etc.  
6 That the Lord hath commanded, and doth promise to perform, 
1. Pet. 1. 5.  that every one of his faithful servants, shall persevere in this course, by that power he giveth them by Faith. This persuasion is no small encouragement unto continuance and constancy, in hope, patience▪ and well doing.  
7 That lest we deceive ourselves, we be able to prove & do often indeed prove as we shall see cause, that our repentance is sound, which may appear to us by these notes: First, if our hearts be changed. 
Rom. 12. 2.  Secondly, if we avoid one sin as well as another. 
jam. 2. 10.  Thirdly, if we keep our hearts with all diligence (having so often found them false and deceitful) so that good life may come from thence. 
Pro. 4. 13.  Fourthly, if we labour to please God according to his word, as well in well doing, 
2. Chr. 25. 2.  as in the deeds themselves. Fiftly, 
Prou 4. 18.  if we still go forward in this course without fainting or discouragement, as our knowledge increaseth; and if we fall asleep, & offend against our knowledge that we complain of our corruption, 
Can. 5. 2.  and be not quiet, 
Can 3. 4.  until by relenting for our sin, and earnest suing to God, he return to us again and receive us; which he will do, and then be more careful afterwards against the lest occasions.  
8 That this course bringeth sound Wisdom, Experience, and Comfort; and teacheth us how to carry ourselves in all estates & conditions of life: whether of trouble or peace, and to answer all the ca●elss and quarrels of the Devil and his Instruments. it bringeth us into most inward acquaintance and communion with God and Christ; maketh us ready to die, fit to live, and to find greater gain in both, 
1. joh. 1. 3  then in any other estate. And in one word, happy here, and happy ever. Whereas without it, the beauty and benefit of the Christian life, 
Phill. 2▪ 21.  is smally or not at all enjoyed: 
〈◊〉. 1. 2.  nor after the Kingdom of Glory possessed. 
〈◊〉 19 28. 29.    

The Conclusion.  
I Have set before thee (gentle Reader) a frame of a Christian course, in these three parts. Now when in knowledge, living, and going about the practice hereof, it is entered upon, & thus far raised up; yet it is but an house untiled, & undawbed, without windows, doors, implements and other furniture: and therefore not so to be left. Some never do so much as enter upon it▪ some beginning, do not finish it. And yet the first sort may be long beating about it: The last are grossly deceived to let it stand unperfected, & therefore never reap the benefit of it. Such are they, who having begun in all these three parts, leave off, as though they had done all. But the true Christian, having laid for himself this good foundation, buildeth thereupon proportionably, as the Apostle saith, 
Ephse. 4. 16.  and so reapeth a sure & constant fruit of his labour: notwithstanding all the troubles and dangers that may assail him. And if thou go about to be directed by this, 
Mat. 7. 24.  take heed it wax not loathsome to thee in time; and so used for fashion, and not to govern thee, for than thou losest the benefit of it, (as one that eateth meat with a full stomach, and not for hunger) and it shall lose her beauty with thee. And yet through sloth, 
Pro. 27. 7.  negligence, and love of this world, with the pleasures of it▪ and manifold discouragements, this will come to pass.  
FINIS.  By RICHARD ROGERS.   

Directions how to live well, and to die well.  
IN the Morning awake with God; and before all other things, offer up unto him thy Morning sacrifice of prayer; therein remembering: First, to give hearty thanks unto him for all his mercies, bodily and spiritual; and namely, for thy late preservation: Secondly, make an humble Confession of thy sins: with earnest desire of pardon: Thirdly, ask such necessaries as are requisite for thy soul and body, with fervent request to be relieved in them: and namely, desire his blessing upon thy labours in thy calling in the day to come.  
In what place soever thou art, let this persuasion abide in thine heart, that thou art before the living God: and let the remembrance hereof, strike thine heart with awe & reverence, and make thee afraid to sin.  
Make conscience of idle, vain, unhonest, & ungodly thoughts: for these are the seeds and beginnings of actual sin in word and deed.  
Have special care to avoid those sins which thou findest thy nature most prove unto; and eschew those provocations which were wont most to prevail against thee.  
Fellow with faithfulness and diligence, thy lawful particular calling, in which thou art placed.  
Think evermore thy present estate and condition to be the best estate for thee, what soever it be; because it is of the good providence of God.  
Look well to thy carriage in company, that thou do no hurt by word, or example; nor take any from others: but endeavour rather to do good.  
Use civil honesty towards all men: Good Conscience and good Manners, must go together.  
If at any time against thy purpose thou be overtaken with any Sin, lie not in it, but speedily recover thyself by repentance.  
When any good m●tion or affection doth arise in thine heart, suffer it not to pass away, but feed it by reading, meditating, or praying.  
Esteem of every present day, as of the day of thy death: and therefore live now, even as though thou were now dying: and do those good duties every day, which thou wouldst do if this were thy dying day.  
At the end of the day, before thou lie down in thy bed, call to mind how thou hast spent the day that is passed: thy misdoings repent, and praise God for assisting thee with his grace in the duties which thou hast performed.  
Sleep not at night, before thou hast commended thyself by prayer, into the hands of God: for thou knowest not whether (fallen asleep) thou shalt rise again alive.  
Let Prayer be the Key to open the Morning: and the Bar to shut in the Evening.  Walk as the Children of light. 
Ephe. 5. 8.  
As the just live by faith, so the just live the life of Faith. Now they live the life of Grace; one day they shall live the life of Glory.   

DIRECTIONS HOW TO DIE WELL.  
Think that the greatest work thou hast to finish in this world, is to die well; and to make an happy departure out of this World. They which die well die not to die, but to live eternally.  
Be every day ready to leave this life. That man doth finish his days in best sort, that every day esteemeth the last day of his life, to be present & at hand.  
Endeavour before death come upon thee, to pull out this sting; & take from him his power & strength by humbling thyself in the time present, for all thy sins past; & by turning thyself unto God for the time to come. That man can never die ill, that hath a care to livewel.  
enure thyself by little & little to die, before thou come to that point that thou must needs die. He that leaves the World, before the World leaves him, gives Death the hand like a welcome Messenger, and departs in peace.  
Chief when thou art visited with Sickness, or Old-age, think either of these, a Summoner, warning thee ere long, to appear before the great Lord, judge of all the World; therefore now, prepare to set all things in good order, and make thine accounts ready.  
Make a new examination of thy life and conversation passed. Make a new confession unto God of thy new and particular sins, as God sends new corrections and chastisements. Make new Prayers, and more earnest than ever before, for pardon of thy sins, & reconciliation with God in Christ▪ By all means avoid those sins, which thou findest and feelest to incense the wrath of God against thee.  
Seek reconciliation with thy neighbour, by free forgiveness of them that have offended thee; and earnestly desire to be forgiven of all that have been offended by thee. Set thine House and Family in order, by disposing of thy worldly goods in thy Will and Testament; thereby shalt thou die not the more quickly, but the more quietly; and prevent the brawls and jars that otherwise (when thou art go,) may arise among thine Heirs. Thou partest from earthly possessions, and art going to take possession of Heavenly. In the last agony of Death, when all things in and of the World do fail and forsake thee, rest thyself by Faith, on the favour and mercy of God in Christ, and comfort thyself in the Lord thy God: What shall separate from the love of God in Christ? nor life nor death.  
Let thine Heart and Tongue be still employed in prayer to the Lord: First, for patience in thy trouble: Second, for Comfort in thine affliction: Third, for Strength in his mercy: Fourth, for Deliverance at his pleasure. Yea, endeavour even to die praying. When thou art in the depth of Miseries, and at the gates of Death, there is a depth of God's mercy; which is ready to hear & help thee: Misery must call upon Mercy.  
Be willing and ready to departed out of this world without murmuring or repining, whensoever, wheresoever, or howsoever it shall please the Lord to call thee. For why shouldest thou unwillingly suffer a short Death, that will bring thee to the fruition of eternal joys? Persuade thyself, that if thou live by the mercy of God, thou shalt do well: But if thou die, doubt not but thou shalt do better. And with a free heart speak it: Come Lord jesu.  
Lastly, when thou feelest Death approaching, commend thy departing soul into the holy hands of God: He gave it, to him surrender it again. So, laying thyself down to sleep & rest, God shall make thee devil in everlasting safety.  

The Grave is radie for me.  
A good life till death; 
john. 17. 1.  and a good death after a good life: are the best means to attain an eternal happy life in heaven. As Death leaveth thee, so shall judgement found thee, Christ is to me both in life and death, 
Phil. 1. 21.  advantage.   

To preserve thine heart in cleanness.  
Often meditate of God, & good things.  
Carefully watch over thine outward Senses; chief thine Eyes, and thine Ears.  
Be always doing something that is good.   

To preserve thy Tongue from sin.  
Forethink whether it be lawful and fit to be spoken.  
Avoid all superfluity of words, and needless speeches.  
Affirm no more than thou knowest to be true.   

To keep thy life in holiness.  
Do all things as in God's sight.  
Eschew the company of those that are ill disposed.  
Think daily of thy death; and that last great account.  
FINIS.  By Wil Perkins.   

CONSOLATIONS For all troubled Consciences.  
Written in manner of a Dialogue.  Sinner. 
GOOD Sir, 
Esa. 50. 4.  I know the Lord hath given you the tongue of the Learned, to be able to minister a word in time, to him that is weary: therefore I pray you, help me in my misery.  Minister. 
Ah my good Brother! What is the matter with you? and what would you?  Sin. 
I lived a long time (the Lord he knoweth it) after the manner of the world, in all the lusts of my filthy flesh, and then I was never troubled; but it hath pleased God of his infinite mercy, to touch my heart, and to sand his own Son that good shepherd jesus Christ, to fetch me home to his own fold, even upon his own neck: and since that time, it is a wonder to see, how my poor heart hath been troubled, my corruption so boils in me, and Satan will never let me alone.  Min. 
Your case is a blessed case: for, not to be troubled of Satan, is to be possessed of him; 
Col 1. 13.  that is: To be held captive under the power of darkness, and to be a slave and vassal of Satan. For as long as the Strong man keeps the Hold, 
Luk. 〈…〉  all things are in peace. Contrariwise, he that hath received any true sparkle of Faith, 
Mat. 16. 18.  shall see the gates of Hell (that is) the Devil and all his Angels, in their full strength to stand up against him, & to fight with an endless hatred, for his final confusion.  Christian. 
But this is my trouble of mind, hath made me oftentimes fear, lest God would reject me, and utterly deprive me of the kingdom of heaven.  Min. 
But there is no cause why it should so do: for why, or how should Heaven be your resting place, if on Earth you were not troubled? How could God wipe away your Tears from Heaven, if on Earth you shed them not? You would be free from Miseries: You look for Heaven upon Earth. 
Bradford.  But if you will go to Heaven, the right way is to sail by Hell. If you will sit at Christ's Table in his Kingdom, you must be with him in his temptations. You are as God's Corn; you must go under the Flail, the Fan, the Millstone, and the Oven, before you can be Gods Bread. You are one of Christ's Lambs, look therefore to be fleeced, and to have the bloody Knife at your throat all the day long. If you were a Market-sheepe brought to be sold, you should be Stalled and kept in a fat Pasture: but you are for Gods own occupying; therefore you must pasture on the bore Common, abiding storms, tempests, Satan's snatches, the world's wounds, contempt of Conscience, and frettes of the flesh. But in this your misery, I will be a Simon unto you, to help you to carry your Cross; so be it you will reveal your mind unto me.  Chr. 
I will do it willingly: my temptations are either against my faith in Christ, or against repentance for my sins.  Min. 
What, is your Temptation as touching Faith?  Chri. 
O woe is me! I am much afraid lest I have no Faith in Christ my Saviour.  Min. 
What causeth this fear?  Chri. 
divers things.  Min. 
What is one?  Chr. 
I am troubled with many doubtings of my salvation; & so it comes into my mind to think, that by my incredulity, I should quite cut off myself from the favour of God.  Min. 
But you must know this one thing, that he that never doubted of his salvation, never believed; and that he which believeth in truth, feeleth many doubtings and waver, even as the sound man feels many grudgings of Diseases, which if that he had not health, he could not feel.  Chr. 
But you never knew any that having true Faith, doubted of their salvation.  Min 
What will you then say of the man that said; 
Mat. 9 24.  Lord, I believe; Lord help my unbelief? And of David, who made his moan after this manner: Is his Mercy clean go for ever? Doth his Promise fail for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be Merciful? Hath he shut up his tender Mercy in displeasure? 
Psal. 77. 9  Yea (he goeth on further) as a man in despair. And I said, this is my death. Hereby it is manifest, that a man endued with true Faith, may have not only assaults of doubting, but of desperation. This further appeareth, in that he saith in an other place: Why art thou cast down my soul? Why art thou disquieted in me? Wait on God, for I will yet give thanks: he is my present help, and my God. 
Psal. 42. 11.  And in very truth, you may persuade yourself, that they are but unreasonable men that say, they have long believed in Christ, without any doubting at all of their salvation.  Chr 
But David hath more in him then I have: for me thinks there is nothing in this wicked heart of mine, but rebellion against God: nothing but doubting of his mercy.  M. 
Let me know but one thing of you: These doubtings which you feel, do you like them, or do you take any pleasure in them? and do you cherish them?  Chr. 
Nay, nay; they appear very vile in mine eyes, and I do abhor them from my heart; and I would feign believe.  Min. 
In Man, you must consider his estate by N●●ure, & his estate by Grace: In the first, he and his flesh are all one, for they are as Man and Wife; 
Rom. 7. 5.  therefore one is accessary to the doings of the other: When the flesh sinneth, the man also sinneth, that is in subjection to the flesh: yea, when the flesh perisheth the man likewise perisheth, being in this estate with the flesh a loving couple, they live and die together. But in the estate of Grace, though a man have the flesh in him, yet he and his flesh are divorced a sunder. This divorcement is made, when a man gins to dislike and hate his flesh, and the evil fruits of it. This separation being made, they are no more one, but twain; and the one hath nothing to do with the other. In this case, though the flesh beget sin, & perish therefore; yet the Christian man shall not endure damnation for it. To come more near the matter: You say, the Flesh begets in you waverings, doubtings, and distrustinges: what then? it troubleth you, but fear not, remember your estate; you are divorced from the flesh, and you are new married with Christ. If these sins be laid at your door, accounted them not as your Children, but renounce them as Bastards: Say with Paul, I doubt indeed, but I hate my doubtings: and I am no cause of these; but the Flesh in me, which shall perish, when I shall be saved by Christ.  Chr. 
This which you have said, doth in part content me. One thing more I pray you show me concerning this point, namely how I may be able to overcome these doubtings?  Min. 
For the suppressing of doubtings, you are to use three meditations. The first, That is God's commandment, that you should believe in Christ. So S. John saith: 
john. 1. 3. 23.  This is his Commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son jesus Christ. Thou shalt not steal, is God's Commandment; & you are loathe to break it, lest you should displease God, and pull his curse upon your head. This also is God's Commandment; Thou shalt believe in Christ, and therefore you must take heed of the breach of it, lest by doubting & wavering, you bring the curse upon you. Secondly, you must consider, that the promises of salvation in Christ, are general; or at the lest indiffinite, excluding no particular man; as in one for all, may appear; God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  
Now then, so often as you shall doubt of God's Mercy, you exclude your own self from the promise of God, whereas he excludeth you not. And as when a prince gives a Pardon to all thieves, every one can apply the same unto himself, though his name be not set down in the Pardon: So the King of Kings hath given a general Pardon for free remission of sins, to them that will receive it. Believe therefore that God is true in his Promise, doubt not of your own salvation, challenge the Pardon to yourself. Indeed your name is not set down or written in the Promise of Grace; yet let not any illusion of Satan, or the consideration of your own unworthiness, exclude you from this free Mercy of GOD: which he hath also offered to you particularly; first in Baptism, then after in the lords Supper; and therefore you are not to waver in the applying of it to yourself.  
Thirdly, you are to consider that by doubting and despairing, you offend God as much almost, as by any other sin: 
Rom. 4▪ 18.  You do not above hope, believe under hope, as you should do. Secondly, you rob God of his glory, in that you make his infinite Mercy to be less than your sins. Thirdly, you make him a liar, who hath made such a Promise unto you. And to these three meditations add this practice: When your heart is toiled with unbelief and doubtings; then in all haste draw yourself into some secret place, humble yourself before God, pour out your heart before him; desire him of his endless mercy to work Faith, 
Rom. 10. 12.  and to suppress your unbelief; and you shall see, That the Lord over all, is rich unto all that call upon his name.  Chr. 
The Lord reward you for your kindness; I will hereafter do my endeavour to practise this your counsel. Now I will make bold to show an other, that makes me to fear, lest I have no Faith: And it is, because I do not feel the assurance of the forgiveness of my sins.  Min. 
Faith standeth not in the feeling of God's mercy, but in the apprehending of it: which apprehending, may be when there is no feeling: for Faith is of invisible things. 
Heb. 11. 1.  And when a man once cometh to enjoy the thing believed, 
Rom. 8. 23.  than he seizeth to believe: and this appeareth in Jobs example, 
job 13. 15, 16.  when he sayeth: Lo though he slay me, yet will I trust in him, and I will reprove my ways in his sight: he shall be my salvation also: for the hypocrite shall not come before him; he declareth his Faith: Yet when he saith presently afterward: Wherhfore hidest thou thy face, and takest me for thine enemy▪ he declareth the want of that feeling which you speak of.  Chr. 
Yet every true believer feels the assurance of Faith: otherwise Paul would not have said: Prove yourselves whether you be in the faith or not.  Min. 
Indeed sometimes he doth, but at some other times he doth not: as namely at that same time when God first calleth him, and in the time of temptation.  Chr. 
What a case am I in then? I never felt this assurance: only this I feel, that I am a most rebellious wretch, abounding with a whole sea of iniquities. Me thinks I am more ugly in the sight of God, than any Toad can be in my sight. OH then what shall I do? Let me hear some comfort from thy mouth, thou man of God.  Min. 
Tell me one thing plainly? You say you feel no assurance of God's mercy.  Chri. 
Not indeed.  Min. 
But do you desire with all your heart to feel it?  Chr. 
I do indeed.  Mi. 
Than doubt not, you shall feel it.  Chr. 
OH blessed be the Lord, if this be true.  Min. 
Why? It is most true, for the man that would have any grace of God tending to salvation, if he do truly desire it, he shall have it: for so Christ hath promised: I will give to him that is a thirst, 
Reve. 2. 6.  of the Well of the Water of life freely. Whereby I gather, that if any want the Water of life, having any appetite after it, he shall have enough of it: and therefore fear you not; only use the means which God hath appointed to attain Faith by, as earnest Prayer, reverent hearing of God's word, and receiving of the Sacraments; and than you shall see these things verified in yourself.  Chr. 
All this which you say, I find in myself, by the mercy of God; my heart longeth after that Grace of God which I want. I know I do hunger after the Kingdom of Heaven, and the righteousness thereof: and further, though I want the feeling of God's mercy, yet I can pray for it, from the very root of my heart.  Min. 
Be careful to give honour to God, for that you have received already: for these things are the motions of the spirit of God dwelling in you. And I am persuaded of this same thing, that God which hath begun this good work in you, will perfect the same unto the day of jesus Christ.  Chr. 
The third thing that troubles me, 
Phil. 1. 6.  is this: I have long prayed for many Graces of God, and yet I have not received them: whereby it comes often to my mind, that God loves me not, that I am none of his Child: and therefore that I have no Faith.  Min. 
You are in no other case than David himself was, 
Psal 69. 4.  who made the same complaint: I am weary of crying; my throat is dry, mine eyes fail, whiles I wait for my God.  Chr. 
But David never prayed so many years without receiving an answer, as I have done.  Min. 
Good Zachary weighted longer on the Lord, before he granted his request, than ever you did. It is like he prayed for a Child in his younger years, yet his prayer was not heard, before he was old. And further, you must note▪ that the Lord may hear the Prayers of his Servants, and yet they be altogether ignorant of them: For the manner that God useth in granting their request, is not always known; as may appear in the example of our Saviour Christ: 
Heb. 5. 7.  who in the days of his flesh, did offer up Prayers and Supplications, with strong crying and tears unto him, that was able to save him from death, & was also heard in that which he feared: and yet we know that he was not freed from that cursed death, but must needs suffer it: How then was he heard? On this manner. He was strengthened to bear the death: He had an Angel to comfort him: He was afterward freed from the sorrow of death. And so it is with the rest of Christ's body, as it was with the head. Some being in want, pray for Temporal blessings: God keeps them in this want, and yet he hears their Prayers, in giving them patience and strength, to abide that want. Some being in wealth and abundance, pray for the continuing of it, if it be the will of God: The Lord flings them into a perpetual Misery, and yet he hears their Prayers, by giving them blessedness in the life to come. You pray for the increase of Faith, and Repentance, and such like graces: you feel no increase after long prayer; yet the merciful God hath (no doubt) heard your prayer, in that by delaying to perform your request, he hath stirred up in you the spirit of Prayer, he hath humbled you, and made you feel your own wants, the better to depend on his mercy, for the beginning & increasing of every particular Grace.  Chr. 
the fourth thing that troubles me, is that I can not feel Faith purify my heart, & to work by love, in bringing forth lively fruits.  Min. 
If this be so continually, that Faith brings forth no fruit, it is very dangerous, & argueth a plain want of Faith: yet for a certain time it may be so. Faith hath not only a Spring time, and a Summer season, but also a Winter, when it beareth no fruit. And there is many a true Christian, like the bruised Reed, that is overturned with every blast of Wind: and like the Flax that hath Fire in it, which by reason of weakness, gives no heat nor light, but only a smoke.  Chr. 
Thus much shall suffice for my first temptation, wherein I take myself satisfied. Now if you please, I will be glad to rehearse the second.  Min. 
I am content, let us hear it.  Chr. 
I am afraid lest I have not truly repent: and therefore that all my profession is only in hypocrisy.  Mi. 
What moveth you to think so?  Chr. 
Two causes especially: The first is. They which repent, leave off to sin: but I am a miserable sinner, I do continually displease God by my evil thoughts, words, and deeds.  Min. 
You need not fear: for where Sin aboundeth, (that is, the knowledge and feeling of sin, 
Rom. 5. 20. ) there Grace aboundeth much more.  Chr. 
I find not this in myself.  Min. 
But yet you find thus much in yourself: Those corruptions which you feel, and those sins which you commit, you hate them, you are displeased with yourself for them, and you endeavour yourself to leave them.  Chr. 
Yea that I do with all my heart.  Min. 
Than how miserable soever you feel yourself, by reason of the mass of your sin, yet you are not subject to condemnation: But shall most certainly escape the same. 
Rom. 8. 1.  Take this for a most certain truth, that the man that hates and dislikes his sins, both before & after he hath done them, shall never be damned for it.  Chr. 
I am even heartsick of my manifold sins and infirmities; and those good words which you speak, 
Cant. 2 5.  are as Flagons of Wine, to refresh my weary, laden, & wealtring soul. I have begun to leave sin and wickedness, and to detest it long ago. I have been often displeased with mine infirmities and corruptions. When I offend God, my heart is grieved; I desire to leave sin, I fly the occasions of sin: I would feign fashion my life to God's word: and I pray unto God, that he would give me grace so to do: and yet (which is my grief) by the strength of the flesh, by the sleight and power of Satan, I am very often overtaken, and fall marvelously both by speech and by deed.  Min. 
Have courage (my good brother) for whereas you have an affection to do the things that are acceptable unto God, it argueth plainly, that you are a member of Christ, according to that of Pau●. They which are of the spirit savour the things of the spirit. 
Rom. 8. 5.  Well then, if Satan ever object any of your sins to you, make answer thus: that you have forsaken the first husband the flesh, and have espoused yourself to Chri●● jesus: who as your head & husband, hath taken upon him to answer your debts: and therefore if he urge you for them, refer them over unto Christ: for there is no suit in Law against the wife, the husband living. Yea I add further. If you be overcarried with Satan's temptation, and to fall into any sin, you shall not answer for it, but Satan; it shall surely be reckoned on his score at the day of judgement; for he was the author of it. If you fall by the frailty of your flesh, it shall perish therefore; but you shall still have Christ your advocate.  Ch. 
Indeed (as you say) I have in me an aflection to please God; but when I come to perform my obedience, there I fail.  Min. 
Therefore mark this further, as long as the Children of God are in this life, God regardeth more the affection to obey, than the obedience itself. And they shall be unto me, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day I will do this for a flock, and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own Son, that serveth him. The Father when he shall set his Child to do any business, 
Mal. 3. 17.  though he do it never so untowardly, yet if he show his good will to do the best he can, his Father will be pleased: And so is it with the Lord toward his Children. You look to have some perfection in yourself, but in this life you shall receive no more but the first fruits of the spirit: 
Rom. 8. 25.  which are but as a handful of Corn, in respect of the whole Cornfield: And as for the accomplishment of your Redemption, you must wait for it after this life. You would be kissed with the kisses of Christ's mouth: but here in this world, you must be content, if you may with Mary Magdaline, kiss his feet; for the perfection of a Christian man's life, stands in the feeling and confession of his imperfections: And (as Ambro●e saith,) That the obedience due unto God, stands more in the affection, then in the work.  Chr. 
But why will God have those whom he hath sanctified, labour still under their infirmities?  Min. 
The causes are divers. First, hereby he teacheth his Servants to see in what great need they stand of the righteousness of Christ, that they may more carefully seek after it. Secondly, he subdueth the pride of men's hearts, and humbleth them by countervailing the graces which they have received, with the like measure of infirmities. Thirdly, by this means, the godly are exercised in a continual fight against Sin, and are daily occupied in purifiing themselves.  Chr. 
But to go on forward in this matter: There is an other cause that makes me fear lest I have no true repentance.  Min. 
What is that?  Chr. 
I oftentimes found myself like a very Timberlog, void of all grace and goodness, froward and rebellious to any good work; so that I fear, lest Christ hath quite forsaken me.  Min. 
As it is in the strait Seas, the Water ebbs and flows; so is it in the Godly: in them, as long as they live in this World (according to their own feeling) there is an access and recess of the Spirit. Otherwhiles they be troubled with deadness and dullness of heart, as David was, who prayed to the Lord; 
Psal. 1●9. 88  To quicken him according to his loving kindness, that he may keep the testimony of his mouth. And in an other place he saith, 
Psal. 119. 5.  that God's promises quickened him. Which could not be, unless he had been troubled with great dullness of heart. Again, sometime the spirit of God quite withdraweth itself, to their feeling, as it was in David: In the day of my trouble (saith he) I sought the Lord, and my soul refused comfort: I did think upon God, and was troubled. I prayed, and my spirit was full of anguish. Again: Will the Lord absent himself for ever, and will he show no more favour? 
Psal. 77. 2. 3. 7.  Hath God forgotten to be merciful, etc. The Church in the Canticies complaineth of this: 
Cant. 3. 1.  In my bed I sought him by night, whom my soul loved; I sought him, but I found him not. And again: My Well-beloved put in his hand by the hole of the Door, and my heart was affectioned towards him: I rose up to open to my Well-beloved, & my hands did drop down Myrrh, my fingers pour Myrrh upon the handles of the Bar. I opened to my Well-beloved, but my Well-beloved was go and passed: Mine heart was go when he did speak. I sought him, but I could not find him: 
Cant. 5. 4. 5. 6.  I called, but he answered me not. Contrariwise, God at some other times, 
Rom. 5.  sheds abroad his love most abundantly in the hearts of the faithful. 
Cant. 1. 13.  And Christ lieth between the Breasts of his Church, as a Poesy of Myrrh giving a strong smell.  Chr. 
But how can he be a Christian, that feels no grace nor goodness in himself?  Min. 
The Child which as yet can use no reason, is for all that, a reasonable creature: and the man in a swounde, feels no power of life, and yet he is not dead. The Christian man hath many quames come over his heart, and he falls into many a swounde, that none almost would look for any more of the life of Christ in him: yet for all that, he may be a true Christian. This was the state of Peter, 
Luk. 22. 31.  when he denied our Saviour Christ with cursing and banning: his Faith only fainted for a time, it failed not.  Chr. 
I have now opened unto you the chief things that trouble me, and your comfortable answers have much refreshed my troubled mind. The God of all mercy and consolation, requited you accordingly.  Min. 
I have spoken that which God out of his holy word hath opened unto me; if you found any help thereby, give God the praise therefore, and carry this with you for ever: 
Act. 24. 22.  That by many afflictions both in the body and the mind, you must enter into the kingdom of heaven. Raw flesh is noisome to the stomach, and is no good nourishment before it be sodden: And unmortified men and women, be no creatures fit for God; and therefore they are to be soaked and boiled in afflictions, that the fulsomeness and rankness of their corruption may be delayed, & that they have in them some relish acceptable unto God. And (to conclude) for the avoiding of all these temptations, use this sweet Prayer following, which that godly man M. Bradford made.  

A comfortable and godly Prayer, for a troubled Conscience.  
O Lord God, and dear Father, What shall I say, that feel all things to be (in manner) with me as in the wicked; Blind is my Mind, crooked is my Will, & perverse Concupiscence is in me as a Spring of stinking puddle. OH how faint is Faith in me; How little is my love to thee, or thy people? How great is my selfelove self love? How hard is my heart? By reason whereof, I am moved ●o doubt of thy goodness towards me, whether thou art my merciful Father, and whether I be thy Child or no: Indeed, worthily might I doubt, if that the having of these were the cause, and not the fruit rather of thy Children: The cause why thou art my Father, is thy merciful goodness, grace, & truth in Christ jesus; which can not but remain for ever. In respect whereof, thou hast borne me this goodwill, to bring me into thy Church by Baptism, and to accept me into the number of thy Children, that I might be holy, faithful, obedient, and innocent: and to call me divers times by the ministery of thy word, into thy Kingdom: beside the innumerable other benefits always hitherto powered upon me. All which, thou hast done of this thy good will, which thou of thine own mercy bearest to me in Christ before the World was made. The which thing as thou requirest straightly that I should believe without doubting, so wouldst thou that I in all my needs, should come unto thee as to a Father, and make my moan without mistrust of being heard in thy good time, as most shall make to my comfort. Lo therefore to thee dear Father, I come through thy Son our Lord, our Mediator, and Advocate, jesus Christ, who sitteth on thy right hand, making intercession for me. I pray thee of thy great goodness and mercy in Christ, to be merciful to me a sinner, that I may in deed feel thy sweet mercy as thy Child. The time (OH dear Father) I appoint not, but I pray thee that I may with hope still expect and look for thy help: I hope that as for a little while thou hast left me, so thou wilt come and visit me, and that in thy great mercy, whereof I have great need, by reason of my great misery. Thou art wont for a little season in thine anger, to hide thy face from them whom thou lovest: but surely (OH Redeemer) in eternal mercies thou wilt show thy compassion. For when thou leavest us, OH Lord, thou dost not leave us very long, neither dost thou leave us to our loss, but to our lucre and advantage, even that thy holy Spirit with bigger portion of thy power and virtue, may lighten and cheer us, that the want of feeling of our sorrow, may be recompensed plentifully, with the lively scent of having thee to our eternal joy: And therefore thou swearest, that in thine everlasting mercy thou wilt have compassion on us: Of which thing, to the end we might be most assured, thine Oath is to be marked; for thou sayest: As I have sworn, that I will never bring any more the Waters to drown the World; so have I sworn, that I will never more be angry with thee, nor reprove thee. The Mountains shall remove, and the Hills shall fall down; but my loving kindness shall not move, and the bond of my peace shall not fail thee: Thus sayest thou the Lord our merciful redeemer. Dear father therefore I pray thee remember, even for thine own truth and mercy's sake, the promise & everlasting covenant, which in thy good time, I pray thee to writ in my heart, that I may know thee to be the only true God, and jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent, that I may love thee with all my heart for ever: that I may love thy people for thy sake: that I may be holy in thy sight through Christ; that I may always not only strive against sin, but also overcome the same daily more and more, as thy Children do, above all things desiring the sanctification of thy Name, the coming of thy Kingdom, the doing of thy will on Earth, as it is in Heaven, etc. through jesus Christ our Redeemer, Mediator, and Advocate. Amen.  
FINIS.    

Short Rules sent by M. Rich. Green-ham, to a Gentlewoman troubled in mind, for her better Direction and Consolation, as also very necessary for every Christian to be exercised withal.  
THose temptations shall be laid to your charge whereunto you yield, etc. Yield not therefore, but resist, as Saint I●mes biddeth.  
2 No motion shall hurt you whereunto you give not consent in heart: You have no sin which in heart you long to be freed from; you want no goodness, which in heart you covet to have.  
3 Where Sickness is at the highest, there is hope of diminishing: so likewise in temptation.  
4 It is a great mercy of GOD, to discern a temptation, in time of temptation.  
5 When you would do any good, or receive any good, offer up your endeavours, actions, and means, in a Sacrifice to God in Christ: beseeching God to give his holy Spirit to sanctify his own Sacrifice.  
6 If you have received but a little release of temptation, give thanks, and you shall have more.  
7 It is a sin aswell to deny God's gifts▪ as to presume of them.  
8 Temptations smoothereth as fire: burns more inwardly.  
9 Be persuaded always you are in the presence of God & his Christ: and frame your actions accordingly.  
10 Be more afraid of secret sins, then of open shame: lay this foundation sure, that there is mercy with Christ jesus.  
11 Remember the former mercies you have received, and think your present estate, to be none other than the estate of God's Children: if you be grieved, pray to God: if relieved praise him: there is a vicessitude of grief and comfort, as of light and darkness.  
12 Beware of a discontented mind in any case: yea, be contented to have your desires denied you of God: and if your Prayer be not heard of God, vex not yourself too much; neither vehemently covet, nor be grieved for any thing, saving the having, or loss of the favour of God.  
13 Labour for meekness & patience, and be ready to kiss the Rod, and to offer up all to him, of whom you have received yourself: for if you struggle, it will far with you as with a Bird in a Grin, the more she striveth, the faster she is. We must use the Word in troubles & temptations, as a sick man doth his meat, which though he eat against the stomach, and presently feeleth no benefit of it, yet we know by experience, it doth him good, and himself afterwards shall perceive it.  
14 The patiented bearing of Misery, is an acceptable Sacrifice to God; for when the Goldsmith putteth a piece of Gold into the fire to make better use of it, it seemeth to the unskilful, that he utterly marreth it. So the Children of God in affliction, seem to the judgement of the natural man, undone and brought to nothing: but spiritual things, are spiritually discerned.  
15 Believe always your estate to be the work of God; and vary not therein: for your humiliation, your consolation, is the glory of God, and the good of many others.  
16 Beware that you do not often altar your judgement of your estate: as saying sometimes, It is God's work, sometimes Melancholy, sometimes your Weakness and simplicity, sometimes Witchery, sometimes Satan: for the divers thoughts will much trouble you: You may think Melancholy to be an occasion, but no cause; & so of the rest. Therefore look steadfastly to the hand of God surely trusting on this; that he not only knoweth thereof, but that whatsoever is done directly or indirectly, by means or immediately, all is done and governed by his Divine providence, for our good.  
17 Say not you cannot be helped: for that may hinder the work of God. Say not, If I were in such a place, and such a place, I should be well; for God is infinite, and therefore every where: aswell where you are, as where you would be.  
18 Whereas in consideration of the falling away of many, excelling you both in the ages and graces of the new birth, you fear you shall not persevere unto the end: your meditating and collection is good, so long as it preserves you from the carelessness of the flesh: but it is evil when it would dissolve the assuredness of your Faith. Indeed so long as you look upon yourself, you have cause to fear, because you are unable to prolong, as you are to begin new birth: but if you look to God, you have nothing but matter of Faith; for that when he once loveth, he loveth for ever. Again, as a man swimming in the deep of Waters, is never in danger of drowning so long as his head continueth above the Water: so though you swim in deep seas of dangerous temptations, yet are you sure and secure, because Christ jesus your head, is still above all your troubles; and therefore able to draw you his Members to the Shore of Salvation, without all peril of perishing.  
19 Believe that GOD the Father doth govern your temptation, that the holy Ghost shall and doth assist you, that jesus Christ was tempted to overcome in you, that the Saints on earth do pray for you; even those which never knew you; but do pray for the tempted ones.  
20 None can judge of the work of the Spirit, but by the light of the Spirit: as none can judge of the Sun, but by itself.  
21 Dispute not with God, lest you be confounded: nor with Satan, lest you be overcome.  
22 Be ever persuaded, your punishment is far beneath your sin.  
23 In such multitudes of God's mercies as you enjoy, marvel not you have some crosses, lest we should despair: likewise crosses with blessings, lest we should presume.  
24 In any outward blessing which you see you can not have, beseech God you may never be vexed for it.  
25 Not shame, grief, or sorrow, pleaseth the Lord, which goeth altogether separated from a sweet persuasion of his favour. Again, our pleasing ourselves in the assurance of pardon, is not acceptable to God, which altogether respecteth the care of espying, bewailing, and avoiding of sin. Wherhfore let this be the bar and bond of your affection in these cases: so long as Christ goeth with you, so long as the Mercies of God accompany you, so long as the Grace of the Spirit shineth upon you, be dealing with your sins, & condemn them unto death. Likewise while you are tender of Conscience, afraid of Sin, reverently persuaded to walk holily with your God, laugh at Satan's accusation, despise destruction's, set at nought the terrors of Hell. You never err, but by failing of one or both these points, that is; either in your griefs, you are grieved without comfort; or in your joys, you rejoice without reverence: and as in unnecessary griefs, you found no spiritual pleasure; so in unadvised joys, you can find no spiritual profit.  
26 It is the policy of Satan, to blind and besot with a quiet possession of an unjust mirth, thereby to keep them from the true sight of their sins, so to oppress the sweet flock of Christ, with false and causeless fears, thereby to keep them from the glorious feeling of their Redemption. He knoweth (to his grief) that joy may be temporally interrupted, but not finally or eternally be denied you. Therefore he plieth himself, though he cannot extinguish it; yet to diminish your just and royal right in your Christ: In regard whereof you stand guilty of not maintaining the lords royalty given to the Elect, if in the lest measure you yield to these slavish fears of the adversary. This subtle Serpent is not ignorant that by these pensive practices, he doth wear to a dullness the edge of your prayers, & that he draweth from you with an uncomfortable tediousness, the fruits of your faith; and consequently by these means, you are deprived of the fruit of a more comfortable service to your God. The weak ones fearing also by your example, the profession of Christ to be strict and comfortless.  
17 A strait course of Religion is somewhat an uncomfortable companion; but blessed be that mortification which so far estrangeth us from the world▪ that it changeth us to the similitude of Christ; to whom we must be confirmed in sufferings, that we may be like him in glory: Suffer not your heart to be strait, narrow, and uncomfortable in heavenly thniges, this draweth away both the breath, blood, and life of true godliness: the Lord keep you from evil. The Lord satisfied you with gladness. The Lord give you the spirit of prayer, and hear your prayers. The Lord be your teacher, and your comfort: O pray, pray, pray, It is the best sacrifice to God, and the most comfortable duty you can do: I am not loathe to put you in mind of these things, you have many careful for you in other things. O pardon me if I be bold in this one thing: I trust I rejoice more in the good of your soul, then ever I should rejoice in the fruit of mine own body. It should be a thousand deaths; yea a thousand hells unto me, to see your soul miscarry. O let me be accepted more than a civil Friend, more than a Friend of the world. Give me this benefit, to be thought further than a friend of the flesh.   

That Man may thankfully receive, patiently bear, and joyfully overpass the cross of Sickness: it is profitable for him to meditate principally (among others) of those points following.  

1 Who is the author and sender of Sickness.  
THe Scriptures doth teach us, that all Sickness of body, proceedeth from God: as appeareth by these places.  
The Lord shall make Pestilence to cleave unto thee, 
Deut. 28. 21. 22.  until he hath consumed thee from the land whither thou goest to possess it.  
The Lord shall smite thee with the Consumption, and with a Fever, and with a burning Ague, and with fervent heat.  
The hand of the Lord was against the City with a very great destruction: 
1. Sam. 5. 9  and he smote the men of the City both small & great; and they had emrod's in their secret parts,  
1 In that God is the author of Sickness, we may learn these Lessons.  
1 We must not ascribe our Sickness to Chance or Fortune: for it is the will of God.  
2 Look not too much to the means of thy Sickness: as to Cold, Surfeiting, infected Houses, etc. But lift up thine eyes to Heaven, remembering that the Lord hath sent it.  
3 Storm not against Sickness with murmuring or impatience: for thou canst not resist it: 
Rom. 9 19  The Lord hath sent it, and who hath resisted his will?  
4 In Sickness seek to the Lord for remedy: for he sent it, & he must take it away: 
Host 6. 1.  so it is written; Come and let us return to the Lord; for he hath spoiled, and he will heal us: he hath wounded us, and he will bind us up.  
We must not therefore either, 
2. King. 1. 3  

1 Seek ease by unlawful means, as by Witchcraft, Conjuring, Charming, etc. For Ahazia is rebuked for that in his sickness he sent to ask counsel concerning his recovery, of Beelzebub the God of Ekron.  
2 Depend too much upon the lawful means: as upon the Physician, 
1. Chro. 16. 12.  etc. It is noted for the sin in Asa, that being diseased in his feet, he sought not the Lord in his disease, but to the Physicians: that is, the Physicians only.     

2 What provoketh God to strike man with Sickness.  
The Scripture doth teach us, that the Sin of man, is commonly the cause why he is smitten with sickness.  
If you will not obey me, 
Levit 26. 14, 15, 16.  nor do all the commandments, etc. then will I also do this unto you: I will appoint over you fearfulness, (or a hasty Plague,) a Consumption, and the burning Ague, to consume the eyes, and to make the heart heavy.  
David's mistrust in numbering the people, 
2. Sam. 24. 15.  was scourged with a Plague of three score and ten thousand men.  
Of the Plague, we have among the rest these particular sins set down, as the causes of it.  


1 The neglect of God's service.  
Moses and Aaroa desire Pharaos' leave to go and sacrifice to the Lord in the Desert, 
Exod. 5. 3.  lest for want thereof, he bring upon them the Pestilence.   

2 The abuse of the Sacraments.  
For this cause (saith Paul) that is, 
1. Cor. 11. 30.  for abusing the Lords Supper, (as is before in that Chapter) many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.   

3. Disobedience to Governors.  
The Israelites for rebelling against Moses and Aaron, 
Num. 16. 49.  died of the Plague, fourteen thousand, and seven hundred.   

4 Murmuring against God. 
Numb. 14. 3. 12.   
The Israelites murmured against God, because he led them no sooner into the Land of Canaan; and because the Land was no better: therefore threatened to smite them with the Pestilence, and to destroy them.    
And no doubt these sins and offences principally, are among others: the most sensible & apparent causes of the Plague among us.  

1 The contempt of the hearing of the Word.—  
2 The neglect of the communication of the Sacraments.  
3 Our unruliness, and disobedience to Magistrates.  
4 Our murmuring against God in the late time of Famine.   
In that Sin is commonly the cause of Sickness, learn these Less●nss.  
1 Look not too much on the means whereby, or the manner how thou art afflicted: but look especially to thy Sin, as the principal cause of it. We say commonly, I took my Sickness by such a journey, by such a Surfeit, in such an infected House, etc. True, those were the outward means: but it was thy Sin within thee, which provoked God to offer those means to thee, and to make them strong and effectual to afflict thee.  
2 When thou art visited with Sickness, enter into examination of thine own Heart, what Sins do principally reign in thee, and do provoke God to smite thee in that manner.  
3 By Fasting, and Prayer, & Repentance, turn to the Lord thy God, that he may in mercy forgive thy sin; and consequently, take away thy affliction.  
4 Learn thereby to loathe & avoid Sin, which so incenseth God, and afflicteth thee.  
But note by the way, that, 

1 Sin is not always the cause of the cross; 
john. 9 2. 1.  as may appear by the answer of Christ to his Disciples concerning the man which was borne blind.  
2 Those that are afflicted, 
Luk. 23. 1. 2. 3.  are not always greater sinners than others; as appeareth by the answer of Christ to those which showed him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their own Sacrifices.    
Therefore when thou seest thy neighbour afflicted, neither judge him rashly to be worse than thyself: nor excuse thyself presumptuously, to be better or more righteous than he.   

3 To what end God smiteth man with Sickness.  
God which is infinitely good, seeketh nothing in afflicting his children, but their good: as namely, he doth visit us with Sickness for these causes.  
1 To draw us to repentance & amendment of life; 
1. Cor. 11. 32.  lest our sin be our destruction, when we are judged: we are chastened of the Lord, because we should not be condemned of the world.  
2 To humble the pride of our hearts, by the feeling of our own frailty and misery: 
Psal. 107. 12.  when he humbled their hearts with heaviness, they fell down, and there was no helper.  
3 To try & examine us, whether we still stand as fast to God in the time of adversity, as we seemed & promised to stand to him in the time of prosperity. Christ when he suffered, 
Psal. 21. 18.  is said to be tempted: And they that suffer, are said to be tempted; that is, tried and proved in affliction, as Gold is tried in the Furnace.  
4 To shake off from us carnal security: for prosperity maketh us careless.  
In my prosperity I said, 
Psal. 30▪ 6.  I shall never be moved, for thou Lord of thy goodness, haddest made my mountain to stand strong: but thou diddest hide thy face, and I was troubled.  
Therefore this must teach us to apply our sickness unto the right end: Not the more the hand of God is upon us, the more to harden our hearts (as Pharaoh did in Aeg●pt.) But our visitation must make us better: namely, it must make us more penitent for our sins, more humble in heart, more steadfast in faith, and more watchful over our souls; lest that if we profit not by so effectual a means, our sickness be unto us but the beginning of evils.   

4 How a man may gather comfort to himself in Sickness.  
1 Let the Sick man consider that his visitation is sent of God, 
Ephes. 2. 4.  who is rich in mercy, 
Exod. 34. 6.  & abaundant in goodness and truth, 
Heb▪ 12. 7.  and loveth him in Christ. 
1. Cor. 10. 13   
From thence he shall gather, that, 

1 God correcteth him of love, as a Father; and punisheth him not as a judge.  
2 God will lay no more upon him, than he will make him able to bear.  
3 God will give an issue to the temptation in due time, as shallbe best for him.    
1 Let the sick man consider how little his pain is, 
job. 2. 7.  in respect of that which God could sand. Doth thy Head ache, or thy Heart pant, or thy Foot or Belly grieve thee? Is one member distressed? Yet is not thy case like jobs: all his members were afflicted at once. He was smitten with boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. Is thy whole body afflicted? yet is not thy case like David's, when being distressed in soul, he cried out saying: 
Psal. 55. 4. 5.  My heart trembleth within me, 
Mat. 12. 50.  and the terrors of death are come upon me: 
Luk. 16. 24.  Fear and trembling are come upon me, and an horrible fear hath covered me.  
Is thy soul distressed? yet is not thy affliction like those which lie yelling in Hell in fire inquenchable, weeping and wailing, and gnashing their teeth; and have not so much as a drop of cold Water to cool their tongue.  
Than think thus with thyself: Is one member grieved? GOD could smite all. Am I heart sick? God could enlarge mine heart, and therewith, all my pain sevenfold more. Am I distressed in soul? 
Luk. 12. 5.  God could give me over into desperation. Am I distressed both in body and soul? God could throw both body & soul into Hell fire. Thus mayest thou gather comfort in thy greatest pain, by considering how much less thy pain is, than God is able to inflict.  
3 Let the Sick man consider, 
Psal. 14. 3.  how much less his pain is, 
jam. 2. 3.  than he deserveth. 
Rom. 6. 23.  All are go out of the way: And in many things, 
Deu. 27. 26.  we offend all. Now the reward of sin is death: that is, the curse of God, hell-fire, utter confusion both of body & soul. The damned in Hell would gladly suffer the pangs of death for ever, that they might be eased of their torments but for a while. Thus mayst thou gather comfort to thyself, by considering how sparingly the Lord scourgeth thee, when as for thy desert, he might utterly confounded thee.  
4 Let the sick man consider, that the best Saints of God have been subject to the like distress; and have been visited with the like cross of sickness.  
Jacob wrestled with God, 
Gen. 48. 1.  and prevailed with men: yet subject to sickness.  
Job an upright man and a just; 
job. 27.  yet was he smitten with Ulcers, from the head to the foot.  
Elizeus an holy Prophet, 
2. kin. 13. 14.  the spirit of Elias was double upon him: yet he sickened and died.  
Hezekiah, 
2. kin. 20. 1.  an holy King, there arose none like him, either before or after him: yet was he sick to the death.  
Jesus loved Lazarus; 
joh. 11. 15.  yet he sickened and died of it.  
Of this Meditation, the sick man may gather this comfort.  
Surely, notwithstanding my sickness, my part may be among the holy patriarchs, 
Heb. 12. 6.  Prophets, and Saints of God, beloved of jesus Christ; for thus were they visited. Yea, this argueth that I am of their number: for God scourgeth every Son that he receiveth.  
5 Let the sick man consider how great the joys of Heaven are, 
1. Cor. 2. 9  which are laid up in store for him, if he patiently abide the lords visitation, even such as the eye hath not seen, neither hath the ear heard, neither is the heart able to conceive; so will he say with Paul, 
Rom. 8. 28.  I count that the afflictions of this present time, are not worthy of the glory which shall be showed to us. Thus will the hope of the joy to come, assuage the pain of the present malady.  
6 Let the sick man consider, 
Luk. 24. 26.  that such things Christ himself suffered, 
Heb. 4. 15.  and so entered into his glory. And now being in his glory, he seethe, feeleth, and pitieth the distress of his members. For we have not an Highpriest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all things tempted in like sort; & therefore knoweth the better to pity us.  
From this Meditation will arise this comfort. Doth he which redeemed me, both see and feel mine afflictions? Surely then will the same my Redeemer, comfort me in measure sufficient, & release me in time convenient.   

5 How a man should hehave himself in the time of Sickness.  
Concerning spiritual things, let the sick man thus exercise himself.  
Let him be occupied in prayer: In which prayer, let him crave of God, 

1 The sight of his sins.  
2 Sorrow for his sins.  
3 Forgiveness of his sins.  
4 Faith to believe that his sins are forgiven.  
5 Patience and constancy in his trouble.  
6 Deliverance in good time, which way it pleaseth God.    
So are we commanded to do, and so have the Saints left us an example.  
Is any man afflicted? 
jam. 5. 13.  let him pray.  
Is any merry? let him sing Psalms.  
Ezekiah being sick, 
2 king. 20. 2  turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the Lord  
2. Let him be occupied in reading of the word, for he shall found, 

1 Examples of God's mercy, showed upon the afflicted.  
2 Comfortable promises of strength and deliverance made to the Saints.  
3 Instruction how to bear, and what use to make of his visitation.    
All these (and more than these) shall he found in the Word: whereof David said.  
Thy Word is sweeter than Honey, 
Psal. 19 10.  and the Honey comb.  
Except thy Law had been my delight, 
Psal. 119. 92.  I should have perished in mine affliction. 
Esa. 66. 23.   
3 Let him meditate of the other life which he is passing unto, where he shall have Saboth upon Saboth: 
Reve. 21. 4.  that is Rest for evermore. Where the Lord shall wipe away all tears from his eyes: and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, neither crying; neither shall there be any more pain: for the first things (that is, the worst things) are there passed over.  
Concerning temporal things, let the sick man observe these points.  
1 Let him seek the help of the Physician; & all other lawful means of recovering health. 
Eccle. 38. 1.  Honour thy Physician for thy necessity's sake, for God hath created him.  
The Lord healeth not now either miraculously (as he did Peter's wives mother) or contrary to means, 
Mat. 8. 15.  (as he did Hezekiah, 
2. kin. 20. 7.  with a cluster of Figs, or the eyes of the blind with Clay.) But he smiteth by means, 
joh. 9 6.  and he healeth by means. To that end hath he given to man the knowledge of the secrets and properties of natural things: and to that end also hath he put that nature and strength into Herbs, Spices, Roots etc. that they may be sovereign to our Diseases. So that whosoever despiseth in sickness, the lawful means which God offereth for recovery, that man is guilty of his own blood in the presence of the Lord  
2 Let him dispose the goods of this world which God hath given him, by his Will and Testament.  
Isaiah the Prophet willeth Hezekiah to put his House in order, 
2. king. 20. 1.  because he should die and not live. Of this so doing, will follow this good.  
1 He may dispose of his Goods which God hath lent him, as they may most glorify God (which gave them,) after his decease.  
2 He shall cut off much occasion of contention and strife among those whom he leaveth behind him.  
3 His mind shall be the quieter, and the more hearty bend to God, and to an other world: when he hath set at a stay, the goods of this life, according to his William  
So●i Deo Gloria.  
FINIS.  By M. M.   

A short Direction for the daily exercise of a Christian, both on the Saboth day, and also on the week days.  

And, Hear first, what Exercises are to be done upon the week day, unto the daily practice of a Christian life.  
EVery Morning so soon as thou hast broken off thy sleep, though presently thou do not arise; yet presently remember so soon as thou dost awake, thou do awake with God: that is, enter into holy and divine meditation; and let thine heart be taken up about heavenly things: As for example. 1. To meditate of God's kindness and love towards thee. 2. To meditate upon the great refreshment which by that nights rest thou hast received, 
Psal. 5. 3. 4.  and the manifold dangers of the night which thou hast been preserved from, by the which many have miscarried; and so mightest thou, had not the Lord defended thee from it. 3. To meditate upon thy sins, thy deliverance from the guilt and punishment thereof by Christ: As also upon the changes and alterations in the World, 
Psal. 119.  upon the pains of Hell, & the joys of the World to come. These, & such like meditations, will keep thy mind from idle and wandering wicked thoughts, they will revive thy soul, and take order for the better keeping of thy life in a godly and religious course all the day after.   

The second Exercise.  
For Morning prayer.  
AFter thou art risen, let it be the first work thou takest in hand in the Morning, to betake thyself to Prayer unto Almighty God, that throughout the whole day following, 
Dan. 6. 10.  God may bless thee in thy labours, 
Host 14. 2.  & thou mayest be in safety under his protection. 
Psalm. 3.  And let this be done solemnly upon thy knees, 
Psalm. 116.  (and not as many do, lazing upon their Beds) that it may be done with an humble, pure, and sincere devotion. If thou be an Householder, or Master of a Family, let it be thy care to be stirring with the earliest, and so call together thy Family; and there with them, solemnly and upon thy knees, offer up to God the sacrifice of Prayer & Thanksgiving, either in that form of Prayer which in the latter end of this small Treatise I have set down, or in some other, tending to the same effect.   

The third Exercise.  
Employment in our calling.  
AFter Prayer ended, 
Gen. 3. 19  betake thyself to thine ordinary Calling and Vocation, 
Ephe. 4. 28.  or do that whereunto thy ordinary business calleth thee; 
2. Thes. 3. 6. 10.  and so that thy Family do the like: 
1. Cor. 7. 20.  remember that thou must give account for the time idly spent; 
Pro. 20. 4.  and yet in thy labour take heed that thou do not mind thine own profit in such wise, 
Colos. 3. 14.  as that thou cool any Grace thereby, 
Dan. 12. 3.  or quench holy affection in thee.    

Rules for the behaving of thyself Christianlike, in employment about thy worldly business, and enjoying the benefit of the same.  

1  
Keep a narrow watch over thy heart, words, and deeds, continually; and see that thy time be not idly, carelessly, or unprofitably spent: follow thine own business, shun meddling in other men's matters: be not a talebearer, nor a tale-receiver: deal justly and uprightly with all men: let thy conversation be without covetousness, and without prodigality: serve the Lord in singleness of heart: be doing good, and abstain from all appearance of evil.   

2 How to behave ourselves in company.  
IN all companies, whether it be of thine own Family or strangers; 
Pro. 20, 5.  be they superiors, 
Col. 3. 12.  equals, or thy inferiors, have a special regard so to carry thyself, 
jud. 20.  as to be harmless and free from giving any evil example, 
1. Sam. 23. 16.  either by word or deed: 
james. 3. 6.  but carefully mark and shun the occasions thereof, 
Heb. 10. 24.  and provocations thereunto.   

3 How to behave ourselves in solitariness.  
WHen thou art free from company, and in solitariness alone by thyself, 
1. Tim. 6.  have a care that thou do not spend that time ill; 
Ephes. 5. 16.  that is, that in thy behaviour thou attempt none evil and unlawful thing; 
Mat. 13. 8.  and that thy thoughts be not ranging or wandering, 
Psal. 19 14.  but keep within compass: 
Psal. 119.  Be frequent at such time, in divine meditations and soliloques unto God, 
Soliloque. Aug aph. 5.  redeeming the time to the best uses that thou canst.   

4 How to use Prosperity.  
IF thou be in prosperity, 
jer. 9 23.  and hast store of this world's good, 
Luk. 6. 29.  be circumspect and wary, 
Luk. 6. 23.  that thou dost neither swell and be insolent; 
1. Tim. 4. 8.  neither idly or loosely abuse the same to carnal liberty: 
josh. 15. 9  but 
Psal. 3. 2.  use them soberly, and to the good of God's Children: 
How to carry ourselves in adversity.  and be so much the more fruitful in good works, by how much the more thou hast received them. 
Psal. 37.  If thou be in misery, affliction, or calamity, 
james. 1. 2.  fret not, neither be impatient in them; 
1. Pet. 1. 6.  but receive it meekly, & make good use thereof.   

The fift Exercise.  
Giving thanks both before and after meals.  
WHen thou adressest thyself to Dinner, or to Supper; or when thou receivest any good blessing at the hands of God, remember that thou be still thankful unto him: put not a morsel of any thing into thy mouth in thy meal, 
Ephes. 5.  before thou hast desired God's blessing upon it; 
H●b. 13.  and after that tho● hast received it, 
Psal▪ 1●3.  & fed thyself with it, 
Psal. 11.  forget not to return thanksgiving unto the Lord for it: And think not this sufficient if thou thyself perform this duty, but have a care to 'cause thy Children, thy Servants, and all thy Family, to do the same.   

The sixt Exercise.  
Evening Exercise of Reading, catechizing, Singing, etc.  
IN the Evening, when thou makest an end of thy bodily work, be not thou unmindful to separate some time, for the putting in practice of the exercises of Religion in thy Family: 
Gen. 18. 19  cause thine Household to come together; 
2. Ti. 30. 15.  then either read thyself, 
Col. 3. 16.  or 'cause some of thy Family to read something either out of the Bible, 
Psal. 55. 17.  or out of some godly Book, 
Dan. 6. 10.  expounding the same: 
josh. 24. 13.  Examine thy Family in that which they hear read, 
Act. 10. 2.  Catechize them in the principles of Religion, 
Deut. 6. 7.  sing Psalms together with them▪ 
1. Pet. 3. 5.  to Gods glory. So shalt thou found the Evening thus spent, in this kind of exercises, will bring much more joy & comfort to thine heart, then spending of the evening in Cards, Dices, & other kind of Gaming; wherein worldlings do take their felicity.   

The seventh Exercise.  
Evening Prayer.  
AS thou begannest the day, 
2. Thes. 9 17  so end it with Prayer: cause thy Family to come together, meekly upon your knees, let hearty Prayer be made unto Almighty God. And suffer none of any understanding in thy Family to go to their Beds (unless Sickness, or some other extraordinary necessity move them to it) before this Exercise be performed.   

The eight Exercise.  
Meditation in our Bed.  
IN thy Bed before thou fall asleep, look back unto the former works of the day; call thy soul to a scrutiny, to give up an account how thou hast spent the day past, 
joh. 5. 14.  how thou hast passed it over: 
Ephes. 4. 26.  And how far thou hast walked with God, 
Heb. 3. 12.  and wherein (as thou art able to remember) thou hast 
job. 1. 5.  offended, and then craving pardon for those sins whereunto thou art privy, and entering into a resolution (as much as possibly thou mayest) for the time to come, to abandon and forsake them. Commit thyself, both body and soul, into the hands of God; who after these exercises thus spent, will give unto thee an holy and sanctified rest and sleep.  
Wisdom shall common with thee when thou wakest, & guide thee when thou walkest.    

Saboth Exercises; or a short Direction how that day, may be best sanctified and kept Holy.  

The first Exercise.  
Early sanctifying the Saboth day.  
AS every day a true Christian so soon as he is waking, should awake with GOD; so specially upon this day, which the Lord commandeth so straightly to be kept Holy unto himself: And therefore upon the Saboth day early, thou must awake with God, and separate thine affections from all earthly things; 
Psal. 92.  and thou must have a care to be stirring somewhat more betimes upon this day, 
Levit. 23. 23  then upon the other days; 
Act. 20. 27.  That so thou mayest begin to keep it holy, even at the very beginning of the day.   

The second Exercise.  
Private Prayer.  
BEing risen, 
1. Thes. 5. 16, 17.  assemble thy Family together, jointly upon your knees, with humble & sincere devotion make your prayers unto him; humbly thanking his divine Majesty for all his benefits, particularly for his protection over you the night past, desiring pardon of your sins, etc. and craving his assistance to direct you for the better keeping of the Saboth holy.   

The third Exercise.  
Private exercise before the public meeting.  
THe time before the public Exercise, spend with thy Family in reading, Catechizing, singing of Psalms, etc. preparing thyself and them, against the public Exercise.   

The fourth Exercise.  
Timely coming to Church.  
WHen the time is come for the public assembly, 
Act. 10. 33.  to meet there together at the public Exercise, 
Pro. 8.  so that both thyself, 
Psal. 110.  and those which do belong unto thee, assemble timely, there to be with the foremost; that so thou be not wanting at any part of the Exercise performed there by the assembly. Being there assembled, learn to demean thyself after this manner.  

Reverence in behaviour in the Church, and at the entering into it.  
1 When thou art entering into the House of God, into the Church the place of public meeting, look unto both thy feet (saith Solomon,) 
Eccle. 4. 17.  that is Consider whither thou art going, and what to do; 
Isa. 6. 9  for the place thou art going into, 
Gen. 28.  is God's House, there thou goest to hear God speaking unto thee by his Minister; and to speak unto him by Prayer. And therefore look that thou come thither, with a zealous and godly preparation.  
2 When thou art thither come, if the public Exercise be not yet begun, then as soon as thou comest into thy Seat, fall down upon thy knees, and make this, or some such like oratory Meditation.   

A Prayer to be said before the public Exercise do begin.  
OH Most mighty and eternal GOD, before whose presence, together with the rest of this Congregation, I vile and sinful wretch, at this time, do present myself to hear thy holy Word: and to offer up the sacrifice of Prayer and thanksgiving unto thee: bless (I beseech thee) this our meeting; sanctify and prepare my heart, that it may be apt and fit for this Exercise, which now we have in hand: inflame my heart with zeal, and teach me how to pray: open mine ears, that I may hear; and mine heart, that I may understand that which shall at this time, out of thine holy Word be taught unto me. Take from me all wandering and by-thoughts, and grant that now and ever, I may hear thy Word effectually, and pray unto thee sincerely, through jesus Christ.   

How to pray in the Church.  
THis preparation made, and the public Exercises beginning, in the public Prayer of the assemble, be not rash with thy mouth, 
Eccle. 5.  to utter a thing before God; for God is in the Heaven, and thou art on Earth, therefore let thy words be few. Think not that the mumbling over a few Prayers doth merit at God's hands; or that thou shalt be heard for thy much babbling; but let thy prayer come from thine heart. When the Minister prayeth in the behalf of the whole Congregation, let thine heart join with him. Often times stir up thyself in Prayer, and rouse thyself up from thy natural dullness and backwardness in this kind, by inward sighs and groans; and take heed that thy heart be not tossed about with vain imaginations and fantasies, when thou shouldest lift up pure hands and heart (as the Apostle speaketh) unto God. 
1. Tim. 2. 8.  The like observe in the singing of Psalms, which is a kind of Prayer.   

How to carry ourselves in Sermon time.  
THen after public Prayer, in time of the Sermon, when the word of God is preached before thee, remember the counsel of the Wise man: 
Eccle. 4. 17.  Be near to hear; that is, be attentive, hearken with reverence to that which shall be delivered: which that thou mayest the better do, observe these Directions: have thine eye fixed most commonly on the Preacher, that so thou mayest keep it: and thy thoughts from idle wandering; mark the Text, observe his Division, mark how every point is handled, quote the place of Scripture which he allegeth for his doctrine proof, fold down a leaf in your Bible, from whence the place is recited, that so at your leisure, after your return from the Church, you may examine it: apply that which is spoken, to thyself; and endeavour to be bettered by it. Continued in thy attentive hearing, without weariness, from the beginning unto the end of the Sermon; and see that thou departed not (unless infirmity of health, or some other very necessary occasion call thee away) before with the rest of the Congregation, by after Prayer and singing of Psalms, thou hast rendered thanks, for the comfort and instruction which thou hast received.    

The fift Exercise.  
How to carry ourselves after our departure from Church.  
AFter the return from Church, revive thy memory with a brief repetition in thy mind, of that which thou hast heard, before thy sitting down to dinner: 
Luk. 24. 13.  & then with thanksgiving▪ receiving the blessing of God to thy bodily comfort, 
Deut. 6.  be mindful to season the same with good and godly talk, to the glory of God, the comfort of thy soul, and the edification of those which are about thee.   

The sixt Exercise.  
Mixed Exercises to be done between or after the public Exercises.  
Between the public Exercises, 
Deut. 6. 6.  as also when both of them are finished, 
Act. 17.  use meditation, 
Psal. 147.  and conference about heavenly things; 
Heb. 6. 1.  assemble thy Family together, confer with them what they have learned at the Sermon; instruct and catechize them; read or cause to be read somewhat of the Bible, or some other godly Book unto them; sing Psalms together with them, and keep them in from idle and vain Exercises.  
And withal, remember upon this day especially, 
1. Cor. 16. 1.  the works of Mercy As God hath blessed thee with earthly things, 
Nehe. 8. 10.  so remember to help the poor and those which are in misery. 
Acts. 36.  If any of thy neighbours be sick, 
james. 3.  visit him: 
job. 31.  if any be at ●arre, endeavour as much as in thee lieth, to be a make-peace between them.  
And so with godly Christian exercises, conferring, reading, and singing of Psalms, with private Prayer also, and calling thyself to accounted how that day hath been spent, continued the residue of the day; that so after an holy keeping of the lords day, the Lord may give thee an holy & quiet rest: and prospero thee the better the week following; yea, the whole residue of thy life.   

For the Sacraments.  
How to use the Sacraments.  
AS concerning the Sacraments; when the Sacraments of Baptism is to be administered; haste not forth of the Church (as many do) but continued thy presence, that there thou mayest aright (unto thy comfort) consider with thyself thine own receiving heretofore into the visible body of Christ's Church and Congregation: as also that thou mayest offer Prayers unto God for the Infant which is to be baptized, like as others did heretofore for thee. And for the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord so prepare thyself according to the direction in the Catechism, as to be ready to receive it (if it may be) even so often as thou shalt perceive it to be administered. And when thou approachest to the Table of the Lord to receive it, come with all reverence; and let thine heart be rapt with heavenly meditation: when thou seest the Bread & Wine delivered, let thine heart within thee meditate so zealously & fervently upon the Passion of our blessed Lord and Saviour for thy redemption; as if with thine own eyes thou didst then behold his Body nailed on the Cross, and his precious Blood shed for thy sake: let this, and such like meditations, enter into thy mind; and be not found unthankful.   

Rules as concerning Reading.  
IN reading, first; Take heed what Book thou dost read; that they be not lewd and wanton, nor needless and unprofitable, not savouring of Popish superstition. But either the holy Scriptures, or other sound and godly Authors. In reading of the Scriptures, read not here, and there a Chapter, (except upon some good occasion) but the Bible in order throughout, and that as often as thou canst, that so by little and little, thou mayest be acquainted with the whole course and History of the Bible.  
3 In reading of other good Books, read not here a leaf of one, & a Chapter of an other (as idle Readers use to do for novelties sake) but make choice of one or two sound and well pend Books; which read again and again, for confirming of thy memory, and directing of thy practice.  
4 Before reading, pray unto God to bless thee in that action.  
5 In reading, settle thyself to do attention.  
6 After reading, apply it to thyself for thy instruction, in thy practice and imitation.   

A Prayer to be used before reading.  
OH Lord, whose word is a two edged sword, to cut down all things that shall rise up against the same, bless me, I beseech thee, in the reading of this thy holy and heavenly Word; prepare me with reverence to read it, enlighten mine understanding to understand it; work in me, work in me, true obedience to submit myself unto it; that I may lay it up in the closet of my heart, and bring it forth in life and conversation, through jesus Christ, etc.  
This Prayer is to be made, before the reading of the Bible: which holy Book of God (beside other private readings of it) it shall be very good if thou read it after this manner, in thy house before thy Family; one Chapter in the morning, an other at meals, an other in the evening before Prayer: Beginning at the beginning of the Bible, & continuing to the end.   

Of singing of Psalms.  
How to carry ourselves in singing of Psalms.  
OFten sing unto the Lord, 
Col. 3.  and to thy Souls comfort, 
james. 3.  in Psalms, Hymns, 
1. Cor. 14.  and spiritual Songs: behave thyself reverently in that action, bore headed, and with all due reverence, as in the presence of the Lord: remember to sing David's Psalms with David's spirit; sing with spirit, and sing with understanding; regard that, more than the tune. All the Psalms be very good and comfortable; yet more especially thou mayest use this choice.  
Sing 

In the Morning. Psal. 3. 5. 16.  
In the Evening. Psal. 4. 92.  
In time of heaviness. Ps. 6. 13. 31. 91.  
After benefits, 

public. 80. 90. 137.  
private, 28. 126.    
Commonly at all times, Psalms 1. 8. 12. 15. 23. 25. 26. 30. 34. 46. 47. 67. 84. 100 101. 103 116. 119. 146. etc.     

A thanksgiving before meat.  
OH Lord our God & heavenly Father, which of thy unspeakable mercy towards us, hast provided Meat and Drink for the nourishment of our weak bodies; Give us grace to use them reverently, as from thy hands, with thankful hearts: Let thy blessing rest upon these thy good creatures to our comfort & sustentation: and grant we humbly beseech thee, good Lord, that as we do hunger and thirst for this food of our bodies, so our souls may earnestly long after the food of eternal life, through jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, Amen.   

A thanksgiving after meat.  
TO thee OH Lord, OH God, which hast created, redeemed, continually preserved, and at this present time fed us, be ascribed all honour, glory, power, might and dominion, now and evermore. OH Lord preserve thy Church universal, this Church in which we live, the King's Majesty, the Queen, the Prince, and the Realm: Grant thy Gospel a free passage; confounded Antichrist and all Heresies; finish soon these days of sin, and bring us to everlasting peace, through thy Son our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ. Amen.  
Whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God.   

A Prayer for Morning.  
OH Lord prepare our hearts to pray.  
OH Most mighty and eternal GOD, who art the creator, guider, governor, and preserver of all things, both in Heaven and in Earth, vouchsafe we humbly beseech thee, to look down with the eye of pity and compassion upon us, miserable & wretched sinners; who at this time are prostrate here before thee, to offer up this our Morning Sacrifice of Prayer and Thanksgiving unto thee. And although we be unworthy, by reason of our manifold transgressions, to present ourselves before thee: yet we humbly beseech thee, for thy Son Christ jesus, our blessed Lord and saviours sake, to accept of us, and to grant these our Prayers and petitions which we do make unto thee.  
We tender unto thee Lord, most mighty and most merciful, humble and hearty thanks for all thy Blessings, and thy Benefits from time to time bestowed upon us; for our Election, Creation, Redemption, justification, Vocation, that measure of Sanctification in this life, and the assured hope of Glorification in the life to come: As also for our Health, Wealth, Peace, and Prosperity: for the free passage of thy glorious Gospel; for sparing us thus long, and giving us so large a time of Repentance; as also for all other thy Benefits, whensoever or howsoever bestowed upon us: We give thee humble and hearty thanks more particularly for thy gracious protection of us this night past, and delivering us from all the perils and dangers of the same. And seeing thou hast brought us to the beginning of this present day, we humbly beseech thee Lord, to protect and keep us in the same: watch over us with thy providenc; Shelter & defend us from all the assaults of the world, the Flesh, & the Devil. Keep us from all sin, especially from those sins whereto by nature we are most addicted; Make us sorrowful for our sins past, and seal unto our hearts, we humbly beseech thee, full assurance of the forgiveness of them, in thy Son our Saviour jesus Christ: Increase our Faith, our Zeal, and our Knowledge, and make us daily more and more to increase in piety, and true holiness. Set a watch OH Lord, before the door of our Hearts, that they think not; before the door of our Lips, that they speak not; before all the parts of our body, that they do not any thing which is amiss, or may breed offence. Bless us also we beseech thee, in our calling wherein thou hast set us: prospero that which thou hast given unto us, and which in thy fear we set our hands unto. Stir us up to employ ourselves faithfully, religiously, and industriously, in our calling: give us all things needful for this present life; and grant that we may so pass through things temporal, that our affection by them may not be withdrawn from things eternal.  
Neither do we pray for ourselves alone, but for thy whole Church, and every particular member thereof. Comfort o Lord them that are comfortless, strengthen the weak, uphold them that stand, raise up them that are fallen, sand help, comfort, and consolation in thy good time, to all thy Children that are in need, misery, sickness, trouble, or adversity. Bless this Church and Commonwealth wherein we live: enter not into judgement with the great and crying sins of this Land, but first remove from us our Sins, and then take away thy heavy judgements, which either already are fallen upon us, or shortly we must needs fear that they will befall us. Give thy Gospel a free passage daily more & more: convert, or else confounded those which repined and hinder the propagation of the same. Reform those things which are amiss, and grant that thy glorious Majesty may be exalted in this Nation evermore in sincere, pure, and holy worship: power down all thy Blessings both spiritual & temporal upon our dread Sovereign Lord the King, the Queen, the Prince, & all their royal issue: grant them a long, happy, prosperous, and religious life here in this world, and in the world to come, life everlasting. Bless (good Lord) with all blessings the Nobility of this Land, the Magistracy, Gentry, and Commonalty of the same: be merciful unto all those whom thou hast made near and dear unto us; send forth painful Labourers into thy Harvest, and bless those whom thou hast already sent; particularly, good Lord in mercy behold thy Serueant whom thou hast ordained to break the bread of life unto us; give to him OH Lord, the Door of Utterance, let thy blessing rest upon his labours; assist him in his Mediation, and in his Studies, that both by life and doctrine, he may be a guide unto us in the way which leadeth to eternal life. These things, and all other, which thou knowest meet and requisite for us, for thy whole Church, and every particular member thereof, we humbly crave at thy hands, in the name of thy Son our Lord and savionr jesus Christ, concluding these our Petitions with that form of Prayer which he himself hath taught us, saying. Our Father which art in Heaven, etc.   

A Prayer for Evening.  
OH Eternal God, and in Christ jesus, our loving and merciful Father; We poor, wretched, and miserable sinners, do prostrate ourselves before thy divine Majesty, humbly acknowledging, & from the bottom of our hearts confessing our manifold sins and wickedness, which from time to time we have committed against thee. OH Lord we have sinned, we have sinned; our sins are more in number then the Sands of the Sea, or the Hairs of our Heads; neither do we know whither to fly for comfort and help against the same, but only by appealing from thy justice, to thy Mercy. To thee therefore do we come, in the name and meditation of our Lord and Saviour Christ jesus, humbly beseeching thee for his sake, to pardon and forgive us all our sins, whether they be sins of omission, sins of commission, sins of ignorance, or sins of wilfulness; whether in thought, word, or deed, committed against thy divine Majesty. OH Lord throw them out of thy remembrance, that they may never hereafter rise up in judgement against us to condemn us. And grant unto us, we beseech thee, the assistance of thine holy spirit, that we make a better conscience of our ways, and walk more zealously and sincerely before thee then heretofore we have done. OH make us hearty sorry as becometh thy children, for that we have offended thee so merciful and loving a Father. Frame us daily, and fashion us to the likeness of thy well-beloved Son Christ jesus our Lord and Saviour, that in knowledge and true holiness we may glorify thee before the world, and by the fruits of piety and righteousness, may be assured & certain of thy spirit, and of thy love wherewith all thou lovest us: work in us a certain Faith & an assured Hope of thy Promises, the true fear of thy Majesty; a perfect hatred & detestation of all sin and wickedness: work in us a sincere love toward thy children, and amongst ourselves Patience, Knowledge, Virtue, Love, Compassion, with all other graces of thy Kingdom, that in all our behaviour, thou our good God, mayest be glorified by us, and in us.  
Stir up, OH Lord, our dull and sluggish nature to call upon thee continually: Frame us wholly unto thy will, and make us to be content in what estate soever it shall please thee to set us; that so we living here in this world, in thy fear, and dying in thy favour, in the end, may attain to a joyful resurrection unto eternal life.  
In the mean while, good Father, be merciful unto us, in the things of this life even so far forth as thou shalt see it most meet and requisite for us. Grant us, if it be thy blessed will, the continuance of the blessing of Health, Peace, & Maintenance; and together with them, we beseech thee, let us have thy holy Spirit, to instruct us in the true and lawful use of them, that we may more earnestly and seriously labour in our places and callings wherein thou hast set us, to the promoting & increase of thy Kingdom, and to the benefit and comfort of thy Children. Be merciful, good Lord, unto thy Church universal, scattered abroad upon the face of the whole Earth; sand help & comfort to all our Brethrens wheresoever, which are in need, affliction, or misery: beaten down the fury and rage of Antichrist, and his Kingdom, and daily more and more increase the number of thy faithful flock.  
And forasmuch as it hath pleased thee in mercy, above all other Nations of the earth, to power down the sweet stream of thy blessings upon this little Island in which we live, by promoting of thy Gospel, & overthrowing of Idolatry. We beseech thee, to continued towards the same, and to establish in this thy Church a pure, perfect, and sincere Regiment thereof, that in the same, thy most glorious Majesty may be exalted in sincere, pure, and holy worship; and that this thy Church may flourish and increase, being through thy safe protection aided, supported, and miraculously defended. Guide and rule, we beseech thee, with thy holy Spirit every part and member thereof, especially thy gracious Servant our dread Sovereign Lord and King; grant unto him, OH Lord, a pure and perfect zeal above all things to promote thy glory; give unto him the spirit of Wisdom, Discretion, and Government, that with all equity and justice he may see this whole Realm peaceably and quietly governed: Deliver him, OH Lord, as hitherto most wonderfully thou hast done, from all foreign, and homebred Traitors; and grant unto him, if it be thy will, a long and quiet reign over us, to the benefit of thy Church, and the advancement of thy glory. Bless also, we beseech thee, with abundance of blessings, both spiritual and temporal, the Queen's Majesty, the young prince, with the rest of the King and Queen's royal issue, and make them worthy instruments of thy glory, when time and occasion shall serve thereunto. Bless OH Lord, the Nobility, the Gentry, the Commonalty, all the Estates of this land. Comfort all them that be comfortless; and remove thy heavy judgements from those places on which they are fallen: lastly, for ourselves, we become again humble petitioners unto thy divine Majesty. Bless us OH Lord, and this whole Family with thy grace and peace; make us thankful for all thy blessings from time to time bestowed upon us; forgive us the sin which this day passed we have committed against thy divine Majesty. And as thou hast brought us to the beginning of this present night, so protect, guide, and defend us we beseech thee in the same. Deliver us, and all that doth belong unto us, from Fire, Robbery, or any other peril or danger, which this night may befall us: give unto our bodies quiet rest & sleep, that they may be the better enabled to undergo those places and callings, wherein thou hast set us: watch over us, over our souls, & keep them from all sin and uncleanness, from all evil motions, idle fantasies, vain dreams, and sinister imaginations, and prepare us daily more & more against the coming of thy Son Christ jesus. And now, OH Lord, we have commenced our suits unto thee; our Understanding is weak, our Memory is frail, and we are not worthy to pray unto thee; more unworthy to receive the things we pray for: and therefore we commend ourselves and our prayers unto thee, in the name and mediation of thy Son our Saviour, humbly begging and craving both these our former Petitions, and all things else needful for us, in that form of prayer which he hath taught us, saying: Our Father which art in Heaven. etc.  
FINIS.  GEORGE WEBBE.   

Good Counsel.  

1  
Do nothing but by good advise, take counsel of the Wise:  
So that the clouds of ignorance may vanish from thine eyes.   

2  
Whose hap it is to have a friend, that faithful is indeed,  
Is worth much more than kinsmen are, that fail when we do need.   

3  
For Kinsmen gape for Kinsman's death in hope to reap the gain  
Of that they never labour for: by any kind of pain.   

4  
The company of him that's wise, although he be but poor,  
Is better than the Fool that's rich, who lays up craft in store.   

5  
Spare not to spend thy Gold and wealth for meat & drink, & cloth:  
For Wisdom, Learning, & for health, or else to spend, be loath.  
And ten times blest the man is thought, that from lewd Women flies:  
And can correct his Ear sometime, and Eye, from what he sees.   

7  
The Wisemen seeks unto the Rich, The Rich not to the Wise:  
And why? because that worldly folks good Science do despise.   

8  
He that hath Wit & Learning both, and cannot guide the same.  
Is like a Bell that wanteth sound, or Cripple that is lame.   

9  
Lose not thy Friend for slender cause, but keep his friendship still:  
For if thy Foe thee friendless know, then will he work his will.   

10  
Sigh life is short, then live at rest, love quietness always:  
For he that is alive to night, may die within a day.   

11  
Do good with riches while they last lest when thou wouldst, thou want:  
A little thing doth help them much, with whom all things are scant.   

12  
The greatest wisdom in thy wealth is for to watch thy Foe,  
For every man is not thy Friend, that like a friend doth show.   

13  
When Markets barren be of Corn and Victuals to be sold,  
There hunger is: so is there grief with him that hath a Scold.   

14  
Thy secrets seem not to impart, not to thy only Child:  
We see by proof, where men have trust that often they be beguiled.   

15  
Make of men, that be more worth than any Gold or Treasure:  
In bragging Dolts no wise man can take any kind of pleasure.   

16  
The Covetous Man is never rich, but still he scrapes for more:  
To see his Neighbour live at ease, doth make his eyesight sore.   

17  
The Patient have ever praise; the Proud doth reap disdain:  
And jacke will be a Gentleman, if Office he obtain.   

18  
The liberal man he covets not the thing that is not his:  
For still in wishing others goods, no liberal dealing is.   

19  
A wise man learned may knowledge give, and minish not his store:  
The Rich man if he give his goods, receivers make him poor.   

20  
The sickness sore is perilous, when men be sick for Richeses:  
It spoils them of their sleep by night, and them from conscience twitches.   

21  
He that will call upon thy cost so fast for Wine and Beer;  
Will be full loath to thee or thine, to make but half the cheer.   

22  
Thy trencher neighbour ever mark▪ he loves thee for his paunch:  
Of thanks to grow tenth part again, from him there springs no branch.   

23  
Likewise the godly meaning man, which doth the others good:  
Those that do taste thereof (we see) desireth most his blood.   

24  
But if thou give, give them that want that shalt thou have again:  
To give to them that needeth not, thy gift is lost in vain.   

25  
Let no Man weep for him that's slain, but weep for him that slew:  
The danger of the one is passed, the other doth ensue.   

26  
Beware thou keep not company with such as be too stout;  
Nor with such men as quarrel much, the end is bad no doubt.   

27  
Nor to be angry with the man that's prouder than thyself:  
For Pride consisteth not in birth, in goods, in land, or wealth.   

28  
Ten times unhappy is the man, that dwells in malice still;  
For he shall never live in rest, that looks to have his will.   

29  
Before thou sleep, call thou to mind what thou hast done all day:  
And if thy Conscience be oppressed, to God for mercy pray.   

30  
Led such a life that still thy soul may stand in state of joy,  
Although the world a thousand ways, thy careful conscience noy.   
FINIS.   

A godly Meditation to be had in mind at our going to bed.  

BEware, let not the sluggish sleep, close up thy waking eye,  
Until such time with judgement deep thy daily deeds thou try.   

He that one sin in conscience keeps when he to quiet goes,  
Moore venturous is, than he that sleeps with twenty mortal foes.   

Wherhfore at night, call well to mind, how thou the day hast spent:  
Thank God if naught amiss thou found if aught, betime repent.   

The frisking Flea resembleth well the crawling Worm to me:  
Which in the Grave with me shall dwell where I no light shall see.   

The nightly Bell which I hear toll, when I am laid in Bed,  
Declares that Bell which for my soul, shall sound when I am dead.   

And sith my Bed a pattern is of Death, and fatal Hearse;  
Beware, it shall not be amiss, thus to record this Verse.   

My Bed is like my Grave so cold:  
And Sleep, which shuts mine eye,  
Resembles Death: clothes which me fold, declares the Mould so dry.   

The rising in the Morn likewise, when sleepy night is past,  
Puts me in mind how I shall rise to judgement at the last.   

I go to Bed as to my Grave,  
God knows when I shall wake:  
But Lord, I trust thou wilt me save, and eke to mercy take.    

THE SOLACE OF THE SOUL.  

WIth fiery wings sublime thyself my sprite,  
Mount to the throne where never change shall be:  
The Earth despise, in that take no delight,  
Where naught but change, presents itself to thee:  
Low shadows here, true substance reigns above:  
Than scorn the worst, and learn the best to prove.   

Let not Conceit, deluded with Vaine-showes,  
Transport thy doom, to fix assured trust  
In brittle stuff, by course which ebbs and flows,  
And must dissolve in end, to rotten dust.  
Such subject base, and matter vile by kind,  
Should not subdue the force of heavenly mind.   

From living Fire, thou first eternal came,  
Not thrall to Death, a vassal to thy good,  
A Lamp of light with ever burning flame,  
Infused with Grace, and nursed with Angel's food:  
Stain not thy birth, nor worth of so high price,  
Nor bastard prove, to follow cursed vice.   

Great be thy gifts, and virtues, if thou please,  
To know, to judge, to rule all things at will:  
The World was made for thine aspect and ease,  
And naught therein, might breed thee harm or ill:  
In lieu of these, there is required but this.  
To love and fear the Lord of joy and bliss.   

Than wake my soul, exalt thyself on high,  
Be blind no more, but use thy force and might:  
Let Follie sink, let painted Pleasure die:  
Shun Darkness deep, and seek the blessed Light:  
For Earth yields toil, care, discord, pain, and grief:  
But Heaven gives rest, peace, comfort, and relief.   
FINIS.   

A GARDEN of Spiritual Flowers.  
2 Part.  
Yielding a sweet smelling savour in the Nostrils of each truehearted Christian.  
LONDON: Printed by T. S. for T. Pavier, dwelling at the sign of the Cat and Parrots near the Exchange. 1613.   
A GARDEN OF Spiritual Flowers.  

A Threefold Alphabet of rules concerning CHRISTIAN practise.  

A  
1 AWake with GOD in the morning, and before all things give him your first fruits and calves of your lips, 1. in Confession of sins: 2. Petition of necessaries for body and soul. 3 Thankfulness for mercies received, 
josh. 24. 15.  especially your late preservation, rest, and protection of you and yours.  
2 Accounted it not enough that yourself serve GOD, 
Gen. 14. 14. and 18. 19  unless you see all in your charge do the same.  
3 Arm yourself against whatsoever the day may bring forth, and upon all occasions think on your happy redemption, with much thankfulness for so happy conjunction of justice & mercy.   

B  
CITIZEN BEware of occasions of sin, and wisely enure yourself in subduing the least, that at length the greater may be foiled.  
2 Believe all that God speaketh unto you out of his word, 
1 Sam. 10. 16.  but not all that man telleth you: nor tell to another all that you hear; but only the truth, and that neither all nor always.  
3 Before you do take in hand any thing, 
2 Sam. 2. 1  counsel with God's word if it be lawful, & then perform it with prayer, that it may be as successful as lawful.   

C  
1 CArefully set yourself in God's presence all the day long, that setting him at your right hand you may not fall.  
2 Carry yourself unto all as the weak may be won, 
1 Cor. 10. 32.  the strong comforted, and the wicked ashamed.  
3 Consider the dignity of your soul, 
Mat. 15. 18.  how beautiful it is to God and his Angels, so long as you keep it unspotted; that so you may cleanse your heart from the first motions of sinful thoughts, as Lust, Anger, Envy, Pride, Ambition, Covetousness, and the rather because the lest sin deserveth death.   

D  
1 DAily, Morning and Evening at lest, solemnly on your knees make confession & requests with thanksgiving: first, preparing your heart to seek the Lord In the Morning think that that day may be your last day: and when you go to bed you know not whether you shall rise, unless it be to judgement. It is safest therefore to use prayer, as a key to open the Morning, and as a bar or lock to shut in the Evening.  
2 Delight to do all the good you can to God's children; 
Gal. 6. 10.  and to receive all the good you can from them.  
3 Distrust not God's providence in any matter, 
2 Chr. 16.  although you see the means wanting; neither when you have them let them be relied on more than GOD himself; but let him be prayed unto for the prosperous use of them.   

E  
1 EXercise your mind in meditating often on the works of 
jer. 12. 2.  God, as his creating and governing of the world, his prospering and punishing the wicked, his blessing and correcting his children, his preparing of unspeakable joy for the one, and unutterable torment for other. But especially on the Sabbath add to these meditations the holy exercises of prayer, preaching, Sacraments holy conference, & such like.  
2 Esteem of every one better than yourself, 
Rom. 12. 16.  and the more you excel another, be so much the more humbled.  
3 Examine your thoughts well whither they tend before you fulfil your own desires; 
Rom. 14. 23.  if you find them unprofitable, curious, vain, or such as you cannot yield a sufficient reason to God or man for, kill them in the shell, let them not live or breath longer in you.   

F  
1 Fear GOD and keep his commandments: 
Eccles. 12. 23.  for, this is the whole duty of man.  
2 Fly and avoid places and persons infectious, 
Pro. 5. 8. & 6. 27. 28.  wanton, idle, unthrifty and bad company, which are to the soul as poisoned and infected air to the body.  
3 Fellow with faithfulness & diligence your own business in the lawful & particular calling wherein God hath placed you; 
Eccles. 1. 13.  only be careful in your earthly business to carry an heavenly mind.   

G  
1 GRow up daily in the practice of every commandment, and in the faith of every promise of God; seeing God would have the planted in his house thrive, well liking & more fruitful in their age. He that is not best at last may seat whether ever he were good.  
2 Give no offence justly unto any man whether within or without: 
1 Cor. 10. 32.  for woe to them by whom offences come.  
3 Grieve for nothing in the world so much as for your own sins, 
Rom. 7. 8.  and in them for nothing so much as for offending so loving a God; and that not only in committing of evil, but also in omitting of good.   

H  
1 humble yourself for your sins, 
2 Cor. 11. 31.  that the Lord may raise you up; for he that judgeth himself aright, shall never be judged of the Lord  
2 Honour all men in their places; 
1 Pet. 2. 17.  but no man so much for his greatness as for his goodness: and thus shall you imitate the Lord himself, who accepteth not persons; 
Act. 10. 35.  but in every nation accepteth him that feareth him.  
3 Have special care to avoid the sins which you have found yourself most inclined unto, and which have in times past most prevailed: for sin is loath to be said nay, and Satan seeketh re-entry.   

I  
1 IVstifie God's wisdom in all his proceed concerning yourself and others, his power in sustaining, his providence in maintaining, his justice in punishing, his love in correcting, his bounty in promising, his faithfulness in performing, his grace in giving, his mercy in taking away: and in all things from the heart, bless the name of the Lord  
2 In every company receive some good, and do some also to your power; leave no ill savour behind, you, neither do hurt by speech, silence, countenance or example. In your praises be discreet in saluting courteous, in admonishing brotherly; and wise in moving and entertaining speech or conference.  
3 It is fearful to sin, 
Psal. 15. 3.  but more to live in it; & therefore register all your sins daily, bewail them all times, pray for pardon of them and strength against them; contemn none as counting it little, because God hath condemned it, & Christ hath died for it, or else must you eternally.   

KING  
1 KNow GOD in Christ, 
job 17. 3.  which is life everlasting: kiss the son of GOD, jest he be angry; and know yourself to be a believer, and that Christ is in you and you in him.  
2 Keep as your vows with God, 
Psal. 15. 4.  so your lawful promises with men; for faith and truth must kiss each other in Christian conversation.  
3 Keep out wandering and worldly thoughts as much as possibly may be, 
Prou. 4. 23.  narrowly watching your heart; for such as you suffer that to be, such will be your words, deeds, and whole conversation.   

L  
1 Love all things for God's sake, & GOD only for his own; and look you make him your friend, whosoever be your enemy for it: this you shall do, if as an obedient child you live in the eye of your heavenly father.  
2 Look upon the lives and behaviours of the wicked, to avoid them, of the godly to imitate them, upon the life and death of them both, as also your own not far off; to make you loath this world, and long after the life to come.  
3 Let your meat, 
Luk. 24. 34.  apparel, recreation be lawful, needful, and moderate.   

M  
CITIZEN MAke no mention of God, 
Deut. 28. 58.  or any word or work of his, but with fear and reverence; nor of any man but with love, and carefulness, using his name as you would have him to use yours.  
2 Mark other men's profiting in religion to provoke yourself, their slips to make yourself more wary, their rise to be thankful to God for them.  
3 Meditate often upon the four last things, 1. Death, 2. judgement, 3. Heaven, 4. Hell.   

N  
1 Never make show of more holiness outwardly, 
Rom. 12. 11.  then inwardly you have in your heart, which GOD seethe, in which he desireth truth: nor please yourself with your unprofitableness, unfitness, or unwillingness to good.  
2 No man is owner but steward of that he hath: you must therefore impart of the blessings you have to those that stand in need, wisely, hearty, and in due season.  
3 Note your own special corruptions, 
1 Cor. 11. 28.  whether they grow strong or weaker, and how yourself can resist them; & if any assault you more strongly, pray and make the matter known to God. The best way for a woman solicited to folly, to be rid of the tempter, is to tell her husband.   

OH  
1 OFten speak to the praise of GOD, never of yourself; 
Prou. 17. 27. & 10. 19  for other things, because many words want not iniquity, speak as few as you can, or rather none then unprofitable.  
2 Open not your mouth to speak 
Psal. 15. 3.  of other men's infirmities especially behind them, nor before them without grief and sorrow.  
3 Of every idle word, 
Mat. 12. 36.  account must be given, and much more of every wicked word: and therefore let your speech be gracious, powdered with salt, and tending to edification.   

P  
CITIZEN PRaise the Lord for every new benefit bestowed, 
1 Thes. 5. 18.  and then by it promote his glory, the Churches good, and your own salvation; esteeming of graces given as spurs to godliness, and pledges of eternal life.  
2 Prevent anger before it kindle, 
Eccles. 7. 11.  it is wisdom to quench the first sparkle of fire before it begin to flame. Consider, 1. The original of anger, being pride or self-love: 2. The cursed fruits, by giving place to the Devil: 3. God's patience: 4. God's image in your brother: 5. Your own weakness in the same kind: 6. The wrong is not remedied by revenge, but enlarged; nor the wrong doer amended, but imitated.  
3 Prepare yourself for death, and pull out his sting: 
1 Cor. 15. 56.  first by bewailing sins past: 2. turning to God in time to come: 3. purposing a new life. None can die ill that bath had a care to live well. Persuade yourself, if you live well you shall do well; but if you die well, doubt not but you shall do better.   

Q  
1 Quiet your heart and be still under the correcting hand of God; 
Psal. 39 9  because, 1. he doth it: 2. for your best: 3. he will moderate it: 4. supply strength: 5. seasonably deliver out of it.  
2 Question not whether others should do you good, 
Math. 5. 39  or you them first; it is praise worthy to be first in well doing: and if you do good to your enemies, your reward is with God.  
3 Quench not the spirit, 
1 Thes. 5. 19  nor suffer any godly motion arising in your heart to pass away, but feed it by reading, meditation, prayer and practice.   

R  
1 Read daily something of God's book for the increase of knowledge and conscience; 
Psal. 1. 2.  and add hereto meditation and prayer: for these three, saith Luther, make a divine: all time thus spent is well redeemed. As for lascivious and idle books, shun them as rocks.  
2 Rejoice in the good you know by another; praise God for it, pray for the increase of it. But if you know any evil by any, mourn for it; and if you can, by brotherly admonition amend it.  
3 Refrain your ears, 
job 31. 1.  eyes, mouth and hands, from hearing, seeing, speaking, or performing any wicked and vain things; knowing that death often entereth in at the windows.   

S  
1 Stick to God as well in adversity as prosperity, 
jam. 1. 2.  the one being as necessary as the other. If you want necessaries, humble yourself for them: if you have them, be humble with them; and use them well jest you forfeit them.  
2 Seek reconciliation with your neighbour, 
Mat. 5. 23.  freely forgiving those that have offended you, and earnestly desiring to be forgiven of all that have been offended by you.  
3 Study to approve both your heart to God, 
Mat. 23. 26.  and your life to God's children in your particular calling, and especially to such as to whom God hath joined you: as if a servant, in obeying; if a Master in ruling; if an husband in loving; if a wife in reverencing: for a good conscience, a good name, and good manners must go together.   

T  
1 TAke heed of performing holy duties for fashions sake, 
Heb. 3. 12.  or without feeling and profit, for this is hypocrisy or profaneness.  
2 Thankfully requited, 
Rome 1. 12. 16. &. 1. 12.  at lest with, 1. acknowledgement, 2. hearty affection, 3. prayer, the good you get by any man; for there is no member of the body but standeth in need of other men's gifts.  
3 Think it the greatest work in the world to dye well: which to do you must invre yourself to die before hand; 1. by dying to your sins: 2. leaving the world in affection, before it actually leave you: 3. in your last leaving of it, do it willingly, yea joyfully, whensoever, wheresoever, or howsoever God shall call you.   

V  
1 VOw to God and keep it, 
Eccles. 5. 3. 4.  especially strive in performing the solemn vow of your baptism, and the covenants which you renew in the Lord's supper.  
2 Variance and discord with men will not stand with your peace with God. 
1 joh. 4. 20.  If you love God you will love men also, for God's image, or else for his Commandments sake.  
3 Use the world as not using it, 
1 Cor. 7. 31.  and your prosperity and liberty to be bettered by them. That is not gained which is gotten with the loss of your soul: and then is the soul exchanged with an handful of the world, when it is not gotten and held: 1. in Christ restoring it: 2. with Christ the chief gain: 3. for Christ the Lord of it.   

W  
1 WAit upon the Lord and he will direct your way, 
Psal. 37. 34.  become his servant, for this is the way to attain your truest liberty.  
2 Weep with them that weep, and fellow-feele the afflictions of the brethren that are in the world. 
Ezech. 9 4.  Christ in heaven accounteth the sufferings of his Saints his own: and we his members upon earth must do the same. Religion and mercy are well matched by God, and must not by man be divorced. As for the miseries and sins of the age wherein you live, mourn also for them, and pray to God for remedy.  
3 Wish not a long life so much as a good life. He hath lived long who hath lived well. A short life in grace setteth into the everlasting life of glory.   
Finis.   

Five Rows of Precepts, both for the inward and outward ordering of a CHRISTIAN life.  

The first ROW, concerning our thoughts.  
1 THat I be careful to keep a better watch over my thoughts, 
1 Cor. 6. 20.  words, or deeds, than heretofore I have done, to do them more warily, for God's glory, mine own comfort, and my brethren's benefit.  
2 That I cleanse my heart from the very first motions of all sinful thoughts as of lust, anger, envy, pride, covetousness, malice, stubborness, evil suspicion, knowing that the lest sin deserveth death, and doth deprive me of part of the comfort of my salvation.  
3 That all my lawful affections be moderate and without excess, 
Ephes. 4. 1.  and greater always upon heavenly things then on earthly.  
4 That I fulfil not my mind in all things: for than shall I often sin. I must therefore consider whether that be lawful which I do desire, and for the glory of God.  
5 That I bestow no more care or thought upon the world than I must needs, for the moderate maintaining of myself, 
1 Tim. 6. 8  and those that belongs to me, jest my thoughts be too much distracted from heavenly things.  
6 That I suffer not my mind to be occupied with unprofitable cares, or vain meditations, for which I cannot give a sufficient reason to God or man, if I were asked.  
7 That I think better of my brethren 
Rom. 12. 16.  then of myself: and the more that I excel in any thing, the more humble I be before God and men.  
8 That I take some time every day to meditate upon the word of God, 
Psal. 69. 9  or some other good books, and the rather for the miseries of the time, and the inquiry of the age wherein I live, and pray to God for remedy.  
9 That I think often on the vanity of my life, 
Tit. 2. 3.  upon my departure hence, daily looking for my Saviour in the clouds, and wishing rather a godly life then a long.  
10 That I carefully meditate and remember every good thing that I hear or learn, 
Acts 17. 11  that I may readily practise it when time and occasion shall serve.   

The second Row of Precepts, for our SPEECHES and WORDS.  
1 THat I remember, that such as my speech is, such is my heart: for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. And that both my heart and mouth go together.  
2 That my speech be gracious, 
Col. 4. 6.  to the edification, good, and benefit of them with whom I speak, and not to their evil or sinning.  
3 That my speech be always more and more joyful, earnest, and comfortable when I speak of heavenly things, then earthly things and matters.  
4 That I remember I shall answer for every idle word.  
5 That multitude of words be often sinful: 
jam. 1. 16.  let me speak therefore as few as I may; yea to be rather silent then to speak unprofitably.  
6 That my words be no greater or any more than my matter deserveth, nor bear a show of vice in me, or of any excessive affection.  
7 That as I believe not all things that are told me, 
Luke. 2. 19  so I tell not all I hear, but tell the truth only: though not always.  
8 That I delight not to speak of other men's infirmities, especially behind their backs, and speaking before them with grief and wisdom.  
9 That I speak not of GOD but with reverence, 
Rom. 9 5.  knowing that I am not worthy to take his name in my mouth.  
10 That in praises I be discreet, 
Gal. 6. 1.  in salutations courteous, in admonitions brotherly.   

The third ROW, concerning actions respecting God.  
1 THat I use daily prayer to God every Morning, 
Psal. 55. 17.  Noon, and Evening, that he would guide me in my affairs, for his glory and mine own comfort.  
2 That I register up all my sins committed against him in every matter, and with grief bewail them at fit time, craving pardon for them, and strength against them.  
3 That every day something of God's word be read, 
Psal. 1. 2.  and meditated on, that I may thereby increase in godliness.  
4 That whatsoever I take in hand, I first take counsel at GOD'S word, whether it be lawful or not, be it for my profit, or pleasure, and then that I do it with prayer, at lest in my heart.  
5 That I give thanks to God for every benefit I receive, and then dedicated the same for promoting of his glory and the benefit of his Church.  
6 That I sanctify GOD'S Sabbath duly, 
Exod. 20. 8.  in using the holy exercises of prayer, preaching, meditating, and receiving the Sacraments at their time.  
7 That any means that God hath appointed for any matter, be not more relied upon then God himself: but that he be first prayed unto for the prosperous use of the means.  
8 That I stick to God as well in adversity, 
Psa. 65. 11.  as in prosperity, knowing the one to be as necessary for me as the other: yet let me pray for my necessaries, and be humble when I have them, that I use them well that I loose them not.  
9 That I mark my profiting in religion, prepare myself to hear God's word, attend when I am there, consider and meditate of it after my departure.  
10 That I love all things for God's sake, 
Psal. 3. 8.  and God only for his own: that I make God my friend, and then nothing can be mine enemy, and covet in all things to serve God sincerely.   

The fourth ROW, respecting our LIVES.  
1 THat I refrain my ears from hearing, 
Exo. 23. 1.  my eyes from seeing, my soul and body from fulfilling, any vain or wicked thing.  
2 That my apparel, 
Eph. 5. 1. 6. 1.  meat, and recreation be needful, lawful, & moderate.  
3 That with all care I redeem the time, knowing that I shall answer for every idle hour.  
4 That I be as sorrowful for the good deeds I have omitted, as I am joyful of the good deeds I have fulfilled.  
5 That my especial sins and corruptions be inquired into, 
1 Cor. 11. 28.  and thought upon with grief, whether they are weakened in me, or remain still in their old strength, and whether I resist them with more & more faithfulness every day.  
6 That I remember with humility, all the good motions: and actions God worketh in me, that they be pledges of my salvation, spurs to godliness, and comfort against temptations.  
7 That I suffer not myself to be pleased with unprofitableness, that is, with unwillingness toward good.  
8 That I follow my lawful calling so carefully for the good of God's Church, 
Gen. 3. 19  or Commonwealth as feeling my misery by Adam, I be humble thereby.  
9 That I take revenge of myself for my slippery sins, or sinning, beating down my body that I sin not again.  
10 That I never make more show of holiness outwardly, 
Esay 58. 5. 6.  than I have inwardly in heart.   

The fift ROW, concerning our actions towards others.  
1 THat I remember, that whatsoever I have which may be used toward others, God hath bestowed the same upon me for others benefit.  
2 That I count it not sufficient that I myself serve God only, 
Gen. 18. 17.  but also that I 'cause all that are in my charge, by all means, to do the same.  
3 That I consider that I am but God's steward in his benefits he hath lent me, & therefore I aught to employ them wisely, to those that need, hearty & entirely.  
4 That I behave myself toward all so sincerely, 
1 Cor. 10. 32. 33.  that I may win the weak, comfort the strong, and make ashamed the wicked.  
5 That as I receive good in company, so I do them some good to my power.  
6 That when I know others to sin I mourn for it, 
1 Cor. 5. 2.  and amend it if I may, by brotherly admonition.  
7 That I rejoice and praise the Lord for any good thing that he sendeth unto men, acknowledging it is for mine and other godlies sake, through Christ, that God upholdeth the world.  
8 That I strive not whether they should do good to me, 
1 Thes. 5. 15.  or I to them first: but that I benefit even mine own enemies; knowing my reward is with God.  
9 That I be careful to use the good I can receive by any man, knowing I am but a member of the body, and stand in need of other members.  
10 That I carefully crave the prayers of other brethren, 
Rom. 15. 16. 30.  and their praises to God also, for the gifts I have received: and so shall I feel my fellowship in the body more effectually.  
FINIS.    

An order for the government of Householders' and their families, according to the word of God.  
THe word of the Lord teacheth us, that it is not only required of Masters, Parents, and Householders', that they themselves have a care to live in the fear of God: but also they aught to see their whole families to do the same. And that this charge is laid on them, note these places of Scripture following.  Exod. 13. 8. Thou shalt show thy Son in that day. Deut. 4. 9 Deut. 6. 7. Deut. 11. 9 Thou shalt rehearse my will and commandments to thy Children. 
For as we are Masters and Fathers in earth, and look to be served and obeyed: So I acknowledge for mine own part, that I have a Father and Master in heaven; whose will I must obey, in governing the people committed to my charge, according to his will. This did faithful Abraham, called the Father of the faithful (Genes. 18. 19) whose example (by God's assistance) I intent in some measure to follow, to show my dutiful obedience, that the Lord may show his mercy on me and mine, as he promised and performed to Abraham; And therefore have taken this order for the government of my house as followeth.  

FOR THE SABBATH.  
1 FIrst, because our God hath sanctified one day to himself, that is, the Sabbath: I ordain & command that all my people shall repair to the church, accompanying me both forenoon and afternoon; there to stay & abide, during the exercise of the word of GOD read and preached; prayers, and partaking of the Sacraments: And shall behave themselves there reverently, as those that come to appear before God's Majesty.  
None shall travel on the Sabbath without urgent necessity, nor absent themselves from the Church, without just cause made known before to me.  
None shall use at that day running to Revels, haunting of Alehouses, etc. But spend the time after the public exercise of the word, in such godly manner, as God teacheth in his word; as reading the Scriptures, 
jam. 5. 12.  singing of Psalms, talking of his Commandments, 
Dent. 6. 7.  and meditating of GOD'S creatures, 
Isa. 85. 13.  to his glory.  
Again, seeing the Sabbath is the market-day, or day of preparing food for our souls: every one shall (being demanded) give an account of some thing that he hath learned, as well in the Church to the Minister, as also in my private house when I myself, or some other by mine appointment, shall examine him, that I may know how he hath spent the Sabbath, and profited in knowledge.  
2 SEcondly, I ordain and take order, that every Morning there be a general meeting of my servants, before they go about their ordinary business, (all excuses set apart) joining themselves together, and commending themselves to God by faithful and hearty prayer & blessing, without which our watching and labour is in vain, 
Psal. 127. 2  as David noteth.  
Also our rest and sleep being a gift of God, for the obtaining whereof, I appoint in like manner, that there shall be every Evening the like assembling of all my people (worldly excuses put apart) to bestow together some convenient time in Prayer, singing of Psalms, and reading the Scriptures, or some other godly matter.  
3 THirdly, seeing the creatures of God are sanctified unto us by the word of GOD and prayer, and that we aught not to receive them without giving thanks to GOD for them, as SAINT Paul teacheth: 
1 Tim. 4. 4. 5.  Therefore I command that some one (in the behalf of the rest) both before and after meat whensoever they receive it, do with all reverence praise GOD for the same, the residue yielding consent by their reverent silence.  
4 FOurthly, concerning the common behaviour of my people every where; I straightly forbidden to swear in vain by the reverend name of GOD, or otherwise to use it vainly and unreverently: I utterly forbidden all jesting and scoffing at Gods most sacred word, his true religion, the Preachers and the professors of the same, all cursing, lying, slandering, and filthy and unclean talking: I utterly forbidden all maintenance of Popery and Superstition, and what else soever may offend the Majesty of God.  
If any offend against these or any of these orders above mentioned, through weakness and not of malice, he shall be once gently admonished, Mat. 18. 17. If he offend the second time, to be more sharply reproved: 1 Timoth. 15. 20. But if he offend the third time, he shall confess his fault before the whole household assembled together, showing himself sorrowful for his fault, craving pardon of God, and reconcile himself to the household whom he hath offended.  
But if there be any of my family that obstinately refuse to bear this the Lords yoke, and to be subject to his ordinance, he shall not continued in my house, but I learn of David, (Psal. 101. 6. 7.) a man chosen after Gods own heart, to drive such wicked ones out of my house and sight, and seek for such as fear God, and will make such my servants; lest entertaining and nourishing the wicked into my house, my negligence be punished as was Elies; who being a householder & a Father, was said to have honoured his children more than God; because he entertained them without punishment, he was deprived of both his sons in one day, and himself broke his neck, etc. 1 Sam. 2. 31. 1 Sam. 3. 13. 1 Sam. 4. 17. 18. And Solomon saith, 
Pro. 3. 33.  that the curse of God is in the house where the wicked are, but he poureth his blessings upon the habitation of the righteous.  
Therefore I further add, that such guests as repair to my house, refusing to be subject to these ordinances of the Almighty, and will not join with me and my people to serve the Lord I refuse to be companion with such, or to receive him to be my guest, (for such procure God's wrath, as afore is said,) but I will say with David, Psalms 119. 63. Those shall be my companions that fear God, and keep his commandments: and those shallbe my guests that be godly, just, and fear God. And as for the wicked and rebellious against the ordinance of God, seeing they are darkness, with whom light hath no communion, and seeing they are as pitch, very likely to defile a man, I will say to such, as our Saviour said of the like: away from me ye workers of iniquity. And with that godly housekeeper David; 
Psal. 119. 115.  Away from me ye wicked, for I will keep the commandments of my God.  
jos. 24. 15.  I, and my house will serve the LORD. 
Hest. 4. 16.  I, and my maids will serve the Lord 
Cornelius with his household feared God. 
Act. 10. 1.     

A Scoare of wholesome Precepts, or Directions for a Christian life.  
1 Account not of yourself better than you are, for the more base you are in your own conceit, the more glorious are ye in the sight of God; for God regardeth a lowly mind, as the poor Publican that did deny himself had more favour in the sight of GOD, than the proud Pharisie, that boasted of himself.  
2 Speak not of God but with reverence, knowing that we are not worthy to take his name in our mouth, much more we aught not to take it vainly.  
3 Hold fast to God, aswell in prosperity, as in adversity; for in adversity we come to God, but in prosperity we forget ourselves often: Also, if you be in adversity despair not, but weight upon God for deliverance, and he will sand it when there is no hope of it, to the glory of his own name, and for the good of his children, as Daniel from the Lions.  
4 Buy and redeem the time passed with repentance; look to the time present with diligence, and to the time to come with providence.  
5 Let not malice make you to reveal that which friendship bond you once for to conceal.  
6 In Praising be discreet: In saluting courteous: and in admonishing brotherly, not hastily and angrily.  
7 Read something of God's word daily, and do not only count it sufficient that you serve God truly yourself but also look that all your charge and household do the same truly.  
8 Whatsoever blessings ye crave of God, ask them in the name of Christ. For no man cometh to the Father but by me, 
joh. 14. 6.  saith Christ.  
9 Whatsoever you take in hand, before you do it ask counsel of God, whither it be lawful, and then do it with peace of heart, if it be lawful.  
10 Look that Meat, Apparel, & Recreation, be needful, lawful, & moderate.  
11 Take heed of presumptuous sins, for though many presume that God is a God of mercy, yet though he be a God of mercy to the penitent, yet he is a God of justice also.  
12 Forsake the World, & fly to God; for it is unpossible, that a man loving the World, should have any comfort from God, for the love of the World is enmity with God; besides keep not any thing of the World to you, that may draw you from God; for God will not have part of the Man, but the whole Man  
13 Be always armed against temptations, for those that belong to CHRIST must look for temptations always: and think not if that ye have overcome any temptation, once or twice, or often, that then you are freed: for Christ was tempted often, so were the Apostles, they had one time peace and then persecution; and then peace and after persecution, so always an intercourse: and when they were in peace, they made ready to be armed for temptation, knowing that they should have temptation: therefore this life is called a Christian warfare.  
14 Besides, if ye are tempted and tried, it showeth manifestly that ye belong to God: for God scourgeth every Son that he receiveth: Besides, those that have no temptation or trial, it showeth manifestly they belong to the Devil: for what need hath be to tempt them whom he hath already in bondage?  
15 Fly from all sins in general, endeavour, and then God will accept your endeavours though weak and imperfect, through the perfection of Christ; and stick to no darling sins; for the Devil can as well hold a man insubiection by one sin, as by all sins.  
16 Let the words that you speak proceed from the good Spirit, and not from the flesh, for if they do, GOD abhorreth them.  
17 As God doth abound in mercy and goodness towards you, so be you enlarged to him in obedience.  
18 When ye are tempted at any time by the Devil, or his Ministers, be sure to have the word of God to answer him: for the word is compared to a twoedged sword, that doth not only defend us, but also offend our enemies.  
19 Christ, he used Scripture to repel the devil, he could have driven the devil away with the breath of his Nostrils, but he did answer him with Scripture, to show us example, that if we were tempted at any time, we should with Scripture repel him And that every one may know them the better, they must read them often, use conference, and marking the true meaning of the words, and conferring one place of Scripture with another, and praying to God for to give them the blessing of understanding it truly, and the like.  
20 Fellow your Betters, observe and mark the Wise, accompany the honest, and love the godly.  
FINIS.   
PSALM 90. 31. Lord teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. 
THE Text is a Prayer of Moses, and it hath three parts.  

1 A Lesson.  
2 Scholar.  
3 Schoolmaster.   
1 The Lesson, to number our days, which may be numbered four ways.  
1 The account which Moses maketh: the days of our life are threescore years and ten, this number every child can tell.  
2 By comparison of three times:  
1 Past, which being once go and and past is nothing now it is past, were it a thousand years it is but a thought.  
TWO Future, which being to come, it is not yet certain whether it will be to us or no.  
III Present, which is but at the instant.  
3 Deduction, or Abstraction: thus, take from 70. years 35. spent in sleep, and fifteen years of our childhood, the time of our vanity; and ten years allowed for eating, recreating, idle talk, journeys, etc. then there will be found but ten years remaining well spent: whereof Lord how little is spent in thy service? These three ways of numbering may be taught us by men: the fourth way God only can teach.  
4 By a Christian and heavenly Arithmetic, that is, so to number as we may by due consideration of the shortness and uncertainty of our life, apply our hearts unto wisdom.  
The Lesson contains an eleven points of wisdom, to be learned from the vanity of our life: for if by God's Spirit we be persuaded that every hour may be our last, it will 'cause us:  
1 To set our house in order, that is, to have our last Will always ready, as God charged Ezechia, Esay 38. 1. jest death prevent us.  
2 To repent speedily: with haste to turn from all our sins, jest hereafter it be too late: 
Psal. 95.  while it is called to day hearken.  
3 To bear all affliction with quiet and patiented mind, seeing they cannot be long; 
Phil. 4.  Patient, the Lord is at hand.  
4 To redeem our time having misspent much, 
Ephes. 5.  and the remnant being so little and uncertain: as harvest-men and travelers which have loitered the forepart of the day, the more bestir themselves the latter part.  
5 To be fruitful in all good works, and constant in well-doing, without weariness: seeing the time is short, and there will be an end, and the hope shall not perish, and that we shall find all our good works in life eternal.  
6 To esteem wisely of the things of this life which tarry with us but a while, as comforts of our pilgrimage, and testimonies of God's love, and pledges of better things laid up in heaven for his.  
7 So to use the world, as if we did not use it, fixing our delight on GOD, and the things of heaven, which whither not.  
8 To be more studious of holy Scripture, seeing the things which we are to learn are many and weighty, and our space to learn in so little.  
9 To busy ourselves much in the religious education of our children, seeing we are shortly to leave them, and religion is the best inheritance we can leave them, and we to leave them to a wicked world.  
10 To be full of good counsel toward others, and ourselves to be more capable of counsel.  
11 To think every word of God to be sweet and comfortable to ourselves, and to fear God.  
2 The Scholar, Moses, who had learned the wisdom already; yet desireth to be taught: how much more cause have we so to do?  
3 The Schoolmaster, God, by his spirit, to whom we must therefore pray in faith, & submit by our obedience.  
Finis.   

The degrees whereby Gods eternal Council proceedeth in the saving of them who are to be saved.  ROMANS 8. 29. 30. 
THE most just and merciful GOD having from everlasting propounded to glorify himself by mankind.  
And to that end decreed to created all men righteous in Adam. 
Gen. 1. 26.   
Also to suffer Adam (for just cause being left to his own will) to fall, and by his will in disobedience to enwrap his whole kind in sin and death. 
Rom. 5. 12.   
Setting all men (being now a lump of corruption) in his sight, 
1 Foreknowledge.  there were some of them in whom he took pleasure: 
1 Pet. 1. 2.  setting his love on them, for no other reason but because he would, and was pleased so to do.  
Being pleased with some he chose them, 
2 Election.  and severed them from the rest, 
Rom. 9 11.  by eternal election.  
Whom he had thus chosen and culled out (as it were) of the whole lost Mass, 
3 Purpose.  them he purposed to save, 
Ephes. 11.  to the glory of his mercy. Vessels of mercy.  
After this he predestinated, 
4 Predestination.  that is, foreordained or appointed afore, to give them a Saviour, even his own son to be incarnate, and dye for their redemption.  
And to give them to him as his peculiar, to be grafted in him as his members, and made partakers of all his graces.  
According to this fore determination 
5 Calling.  and appointment, he called them in time, putting faith into them to receive Christ, being offered in the word and Sacraments.  
Than, 
6 justification.  even at the same time, he justifieth them by faith in his Son.  
He sanctifieth them also by his sp●r●● to live a new life. 
7 Sanctification.   
Lastly, 
8 glorification.  at the end of their life he glorifieth them.  
As a builder coming to a heap of stones. 
Note that four of the former 8. degrees are executed in time, though they were decreed before all worlds.  First, he liketh some: Secondly, he chooseth them: Thirdly, he purposeth to use them: Fourthly, he fore-ordaines with himself to hue them: Fiftly, he sets men on work to square them. So is God's proceeding.  
Those that shall be glorified are predestinated to be like to Christ. First, in the end, which is glory, joy, and dominion in heaven. Secondly, in the means, which be, 1. Holiness of life, 2. Suffering affliction.  
Christ, the first borne, excelleth all his brethren: first, in Nature: 1. Divine, being the only begotten SON of God. 2. Human, his manhood being conceived by the holy Ghost.  
Secondly, in Office: being, 1. that Prophet, to teach the Church perfectly the whole will of God. 2. That high Priest, by Sacrifice and Intercession to pacify God's wrath. 3. That King, mightily to protect and rule his people.  
Thirdly, in Glory, bliss and dominion.  
FINIS.   

The Examination and trial of our Christian estate: whereby we may easily discern whether we abide in the state of Nature, or the state of Grace; whether slaves to Sin and Satan, or servants and heirs to Christ and his Kingdom.  
YOu who have walked in this little Garden, and gathered such flowers as may make a Nosegay smelling sweet unto your souls, & to expel such stinking weeds of sin as might bring poison to the same; be not less mindful to apply the sovereign salve of these sacred comforts to the upholding of your souls, than men are used to be for the preserving and curing of their weak and decayed bodies: and for this purpose, behold the carking care of worldly men, who to advance themselves in these outward things, never cease to afflict both soul and body, so they may effect what themselves so much desire. And that they may the better perceive the increase of their laborious toil, who doth not often with a serious eye behold and see into his present estate, whereby they may discern in what estate they stand? If therefore men be thus careful and provident for those things which concern this present life, both which (even life and estate) in a moment may be taken from them, and the enjoying of them bringeth no true comfort, but manifold griefs and sorrows to the soul: how careful then should we be to take an account of our spiritual estate (by considering how much more precious the soul is then the body, the estate of Grace then the state of Nature) how we have grown rich in the graces of God's spirit, which bring not only true comfort to us for this present life, but give assured testimony of eternal happiness in the life to come? And as no man can truly know his profit or loss in temporary things, but by knowing his first and present estate, so no man can well discern his progress and gains in spiritual things, till he truly know his first and natural estate.  
For the better examination and trial of our spiritual estate, let us consider, what we are by Nature. The Apostle Ephes. 2. 3. telleth us, that all men by nature are in the state of condemnation: every man by nature is dead in sin, Ephes. 2. 1. he is as a loathsome carrion, 
Man's misery in the state of nature.  or a dead corpse, lying rotting and stinking in the grave, having in him the seed of all sin. From this estate none are exempted, as job 15. 14. Which woeful estate came upon mankind by the fall of Adam, Rom. 5. 1. we being then in him, and now of him, that is, we are so descended out of his loins, that of him we have not only received our natural and corrupt bodies, but also by propagation have inherited his foul corruptions, as it were, by hereditary right.  
This infection extendeth itself universally through the whole man, both soul and body, both reason, understanding, will, and affections, Ephes. 2. 1. For, First, 
Sin extendeth itself to the whole man, both soul and body.  in the mind there is nothing but blindness and ignorance concerning heavenly matters. Secondly, the Conscience is defiled, being always either benumbed with sin, or turmoiled with inward accusations and terrors. Thirdly, the will of man only willeth and lusteth after evil. Fourthly, the affections of the heart, as Love, joy, Hope, Desire, etc. are moved and stirred to that which is evil, to embrace it; and they are never stirred to that which is good, unless it be to eschew it. Lastly, the members of the body are the Instruments and tools of the mind for the execution of sin.  
In this estate no man can please God in whatsoever he doth: 
Man in the state of nature cannot please God.  for till we be in the state of grace, our best actions are sinful, as Preaching, Prayer, Almsdeeds, and the like: as it is written, job 14. 4. Who can bring a clean thing out of that which is unclean?  
A man in the state of Nature may do those things which are of themselves good, 
A natural man may do that which is in itself good, but not good to him that doth it.  but they utterly fail in the manner of doing them, they do them not as they should be done, that is, in Faith, Love, Zeal, conscience of obedience; neither yet with cheerfulness, delight, or feeling, but even as it were, forcing themselves to do the outward action, as Cain, the Pharisees, Ananias, and Saphira.  
So long as men be merely natural they have no sight of their own miserable estate, 
A merely natural man cannot see his misery.  or of the blessed estate of the godly. For, the natural man understands not the things that be of God: he being at enmity with God, and so deprived of his favour. Consider his estate.  
In the soul of man there are but two faculties, 
A natural man hath a mind that neither sees nor can see the things that be of God.  the understanding and the will: the spirit of God so describes his understanding, that not only he saith the natural man understands not the things that are of God, and as if it were not sufficient to express man's miserable estate, he addeth, neither indeed can he understand them, because they are spiritually discerned: 
A will that neither is nor can be subject to the law of God.  and again, his will he describes it, that it is not subject to the law of God, neither in deed can be.  
Hereby we may perceive the miserable estate of those who are strangers from God; 
This sets forth God's power and grace to be the greater because it restores man's nature being so far perverted.  what an unhappy condition of life it is that a man should live in such an estate, wherein do what he can he cannot please God? Let Cain sacrifice with Abel; let Esau with tears seek a blessing from his father; let the Pharisie pray in the Temple with the Publican, yet all nor any of these shall please God, or go home justified: and for worldly glory let him be never so high amongst men, he is but abominable unto God.  
In this state he is not only an enemy to God, 
The best affections of wicked men please not God.  but in bondage and a slave to the Devil, having him to reign in his heart as God, which may be perceived in that he giveth obedience to him in his heart, 
A natural man a slave to the Devil.  and expresseth it in his conversation: and this appeareth if he take delight in the evil motions that Satan puts in his heart, 
How, to perceive our subjection to the Devil.  and do fulfil the lusts of the devil.  
And in this estate he continueth, neither seeing nor feeling his misery, nor desirous to come out of it, neither can he be persuaded that he is in such a woeful case; as appeareth in the example of the Ruler, Luke 18. 21. and by the Church of Laodicia, which being poor, wretched, miserable, blind and naked, yet she thought herself rich, and wanting nothing. 
None can be saved but the regenerate.  Thus he remaineth under Satan's dominion till he be regenerate & borne again, and so brought into the state of grace: so that man living & dying in the state of nature, for any thing I see, cannot be saved: I speak not of infants and children, whereof some no doubt are saved by virtue of the promise and covenant, through the election of grace.  
Seeing then that the estate of a Natural man is most miserable, and none grown to years of discretion can be saved (for any thing we know) but the regenerte, and such as are in the state of grace, I will therefore) for the better trial of our present estate) show what regeneration is, and the properties of those in whomsoever this new birth is wrought, & such qualities as do usually show forth themselves in those in whom soever the spirit of Christ dwelleth.  
Regeneration is renewing & repairing of the decayed estate of our souls, 
What Regeneration is.  or an act of the holy Ghost in Gods elect, whereby they are entered into a constant and faithful exercise of a godly life.  
As there is a Natural birth of the whole man, so there is a spiritual birth of the whole man, which is, where as the Natural faculties of the soul, as Reason, Understanding, Will, Affection, and the members of the body also, are so sanctified and purged by grace, 
The quality of regeneration.  that we understand, will, and desire that which is good: for till a man be borne again, he can no more desire that which is good, 
Till a man be borne again he cannot desire that which is good.  than a dead man can desire the good things of this life.  
The signs of regeneration are. First, a true touch of conscience for our sins, both original and actual: Secondly, a godly sorrow and grief of heart for offending GOD by our transgressions: 
Signs of regeneration.  Thirdly, an earnest desire after Christ and his righteousness, testified by a constant and diligent use of the means, the word, prayer, and Sacraments, wherein GOD gives grace and assurance of mercy: Fourthly, an unfeigned turning to God from all sin by new obedience in life to please God in all things.  
Further there are eight signs and tokens whereby all men may certainly know that they are sanctified, regenerated, 
Eight infallible signs of regeneration.  and shall be saved. First, a love to the children of God. Secondly, a delight in his word. Thirdly, often and fervent prayer. Fourthly, zeal of God's glory. Fiftly, denial of ourselves. Sixtly, patiented bearing of the Cross, with profit and comfort. seven, faithfulness in our callings. Eightly, just and conscionable dealings in all our actions amongst men.  
In whomsoever this work of regeneration is wrought, 
Where there is regeneration there is also mortification.  there is ever found the action of mortification, for he that is resolved to endeavour his godly repentance, and laboureth the reformation of his sinful life, must labour two things principally and of necessary, Mortification and Regeneration: he must first destroy his sinful estate, before he can obtain the estate of grace: for God and the gifts of God, are so absolutely holy, as that they cannot admit any mixture with sin and wicked actions.  
Mortification is a decay and perishing of the deeds of the flesh by the grace and operation of God's Spirit, 
What Mortification is.  which deeds of the flesh are not only our evil actions, but our desires and carnal affections also: 
Mortification consists in two things.  which mortification of a Christian, consists in two things: first, in subduing by an holy discipline our inordinate lusts, which naturally rebel against the love of God: Secondly, in a patiented bearing of the cross of jesus: except we make some profit in the first, it is certain we shall never proceed in the second: wheresoever Mortification is, there is also Sanctification.  
Seeing that Mortification is the forerunner of Sanctification, 
A trial of Mortification.  hereby we may try how far we have go in the same. Experience teacheth that the nearer a man draws to death, the less motion is in him, but being dead, he moves not at all: so is it with the spiritual man, the farther he goes in Mortification the greater is his progress in Sanctification.  
By which Sanctification try thyself, 
Sanctification a true mark of a living soul.  and see whether or no thou hast gotten life, by the righteousness of Christ: deceive not thy own heart in the matter of salvation; assure thyself so far forth thou dost live as thou art sanctified. As health is in the body, so is holiness in the soul: a body without health falls out of one pain into another, till it die: and so a soul without holiness is polluted with one lust after another, till it die.  
Our Sanctification must be both in Soul and Body: 
We must sanctify both body and soul to the Lord  it is not enough to cleanse the hands, feet, eyes, and tongue, but we must go yet further, and be penitent in heart: for blessed are the pure in heart, such shall receive the blessing.  
We must consider in this work of sanctification, 
What is required to be sanctified.  from the direction of God's word, whether our thoughts, words and works be cleansed from their inward and outward corruptions, and that they be sequestered, and made impropriate to God: so that if we have set our very thoughts apart to God, then there is holiness begun, and then we are meet for a sanctified use: so if we be to serve for a holy use, we must not be for when and for what we list, but taken up in thought, word, and deed, to serve the Lord: we are not to bestow our thoughts on all things, but refer them to the Lord mediately or immediately.  
If our Sanctification be effectually wrought in us, 
Our sanctification must be constant and continual.  it will be constant and continual: so that we shall not deliver an holiness to GOD for a time, or in some causes, or for some persons, but we must thoroughly fulfil the days of our holiness, 
It must not be maimed.  not presenting a maimed holiness. As in the Law it was not permitted to offer a lame or maimed beast, though it wanted but the tail, which was a small thing; yea, even for that defect the Lord refused it.  
There are many professors which would needs be men sanctified, but they are loathe to be cleansed. Others when they cannot away with this strictness to continued say on this manner; Let us prepare rivers of sin, for Christ shed streams of blood, the more we sin, the greater glory will come to Christ. And thus they stand at a stay, their holiness is a standing holiness, it fills not▪ they still lie in their pollutions: their motion is but from the house to the Church, and from the Church home again; and at the years end they are as at the beginning, like a horse in a mill, that makes many circuits, from Morning till Night, and then is but where he was at first.  
From Sanctification ariseth repentance; 
From sanctification ariseth repentance.  for a man cannot hate his sins before he be sanctified, & he cannot truly repent for them before he hate them.  
Repentance is a constant returning from all sin unto God, 
What repentance is.  or an inward sorrowing and continual mourning for sin, joined with faith and humiliation, and both inward and outward amendment: inward, in changing the thoughts and affections of the heart, and outward, in changing the words and works, from evil to good: I say it is a turning, not from one sin unto another, as from whoredom to theft, and the like, neither is Repentance every sorrow, but sorrow for sin: not for some sin, but for all sin: not for an hour but for ever. Every sorrow is not repentance, for so should worldlings repent: every pant for sin is not repentance, so should Pharaoh repent: all weeping and lamenting is not repentance, so should Esau, judas, and Cain, repent: every little humbling of our souls is not repentance, for so should Ahab repent: all good words and good purposes is not repentance, for so should every sick man repent: every cry to God for mercy is not repentance, for so should every fool repent.  
Hereby it may appear what repentance is, 
Many are deceived in repentance.  as also how many are deceived in repentance; and therefore that we may the better try our repentance, let us know that repentance is when a man turns to GOD, 
How to try our repentance.  and brings forth fruits worthy amendment of life.  
This turning to God hath two parts; the first is a purpose of heart and resolution never to sin any more, but to lead a new life: the second is an holy endeavour and labour in man's life and conversation to purify and cleanse himself from sin: for a man must be renewed, and come to an utter disliking of his own sin, before he will turn from them and leave them.  
By this it may appear that there is one manner of sinning in the godly, and another in the ungodly, though they fall both into one sin.  
A wicked man when he sinneth, 
The difference between the godly and wicked in one and the same sin.  in his heart he giveth full consent to the sin, but the godly, though they fall into the same sin with the wicked, yet they never give full consent: for they are in their wills, minds, and affections, partly regenerate, and partly unregenerate, and therefore their wills do partly will, and partly abhor that which is evil, according to that of Paul, Rom. 7. 22. And that the Godly man never giveth full consent to sin, it is evident by three tokens.  
First, 
Three tokens manifesting this difference.  before he come to do the sin he hath no purpose or desire to do it, but his purpose and desire is to do the will of God, contrary to that sin. Secondly, in the act or doing of the sin, his heart riseth against it, yet by the force of temptation, and by the mighty violence of the flesh he is exhaled on, and pulled to do wickedness. Thirdly, after he hath sinned, he is sore displeased with himself for it and truly repenteth.  
A manifest example hereof we have in Peter and judas: Peter before the denying of his Master had no purpose so to do, but rather to dye in his cause: in the act, he had a striving with himself, as appears, by this, that first he answered faintly, I know not what thou sayest, and yet after, when the assault of Satan more prevailed, he fell to swearing, cursing, and banning; after his fall, he repent and wept bitterly for it: all was contrary in judas, who went with a full intent to betray his Master, for the Devil made him yield & fully consent to do it, having long tempted him unto it, and entered into him: afterwards when Christ was betrayed, judas was not sorrowful for his sin with godly sorrow, but in a despair of mercy hung himself.  
Although this which hath been said may be sufficient to prove our repentance, 
Seven signs of true Repentance.  whether true or false, good or bad: yet to make it more apparent, consider seven special signs, set down by the Apostle, 
The first is Care.  2 Cor. 7. 11. The first is, care; Every one that hath a godly sorrow, and true repentance, is not slothful but diligent; not careless, but careful to avoid all sin as well as any one: as also he is most careful to do that which is good, not for fear, but for love; not because man but because God commandeth.  
The second is, 
The second is a clearing of ourselves.  a clearing of ourselves, that is to say, when a man hath the feeling of sin, and shunneth it, and Satan accusing him, he cannot abide and bear that accusation, but is disquieted till he have gotten pardon of his sin, with as much earnestness as for the most weightiest thing in the world, confessing the action and indictment, and desiring the pardon of it, by which he may be able to answer his accusers.  
The third is Indignation, 
The third is Indignation.  making men angry against those sins which before they liked: yea, to be out of patience with themselves, that they were such wretches, and so careless to be overtaken with them, and to take on, as it were, with themselves, that they have slipped into such sins: for true godly sorrow doth ever bring such Indignation.  
The fourth is Fear, 
The fourth is Fear.  that is, an affection fearing sin, because it is sin, fearing to offend God because of his mercy and goodness, and benefits received, not flying or departing from God, but drawing nearer unto him when they have offended him.  
The fift is a Desire, 
The fift is Desire.  which is a fervent affection to God and his word & to spiritual and heavenly things. This is manifest in the example of the jailor, who after he was smitten with sorrow and true repentance, came with this note to Paul, saying, What shall I do to be saved?  
The sixt is Zeal, 
The sixt is Zeal.  which maketh men zealous for God and his worship, zealous of piety and good works, not to do them carelessly and negligently, but it maketh them do (though with great labour and cost, yea danger and hazard) those things which they see they aught to do.  
The seventh is Revenge, 
The seventh is Revenge.  that is, the penitent man is so offended with the sin he hath committed, that he will be revenged of himself for it, as for example, if he have offended in gluttony, he will revenge himself by fasting two or three days after; if he have offended in whoredom, he will be revenged of his lusts by bewailing of them ever after: and so of other sins. By these it may appear what true repentance is.  
In whomsoever true Repentance is thus found, it ever proceedeth from a true and justifying Faith: for none can repent or practise this duty of Repentance, but those who have Faith and Grace: without Faith it is impossible to please God. I will therefore first declare what Faith is: Secondly, the trial of Faith: Thirdly, the fruits of Faith: and lastly, how Faith is kept.  
Faith is a wonderful grace of God's Spirit, 
What Faith is.  whereby the elect do apprehended and apply Christ and all his benefits unto themselves particularly.  
To make trial in ourselves whether our Faith be true and sound or not: 
Try it two ways.  This will appear two ways: first, by the beginning and degrees of the works of the Spirit, which go before a true and lively Faith; which be three: first, a true sight of our sin, with an apprehension of the wrath of GOD for the same. Secondly, a true sorrow and grief of heart for offending God by these our sins: and lastly, an hungering and thirsting after the mercy and grace of GOD in Christ, above all worldly things: where these things are, there is grace; but where these things are wanting, there is no true faith, but presumption.  
Secondly, faith will appear by the work of love; for in love will saith bring forth all the duties of the Moral Law, both to God and man: for faith worketh by love, and love is the fulfilling of the Law.  
Further, 
A further trial.  for the trial of our Faith, Christ tells us that the more we are distracted with worldly cares, the less is our belief in God; for distrustful care comes from unbelief in God's providence, and the less we trust in God for temporal things, the less do we believe eternal mercies, for the same faith lays hold on both: but if we can truly depend upon God for temporal blessings, in the sober use of lawful means, than we shall rely upon his mercy for the salvation of our souls.  
This trial is not made in prosperity, 
The trial of our faith is not made in the time of prosperity.  for when God sends abundance, every one will trust in him, but when want comes then is trial of thy faith: if then thou rely on God, though means fail, thy faith is strong, but if thy heart be oppressed with sorrow and fear, and thou make no conscience of unlawful means, then suspect thyself, thy faith is none at all: for the just shall live by faith.  
Thus much of faith, 
Our union with Christ.  and the trial thereof: now follow the fruits and benefits thereof. By means of this special faith the elect are truly joined unto Christ, 
Three especial benefits had by our union with Christ.  and have a heavenly communion with him, and therefore do in some measure feel his holy spirit moving and stirring in them.  
The elect being thus joined to Christ, 
What justification is.  there ariseth three wonderful benefits from it: justification, Adoption, and Sanctification.  
justificationn is, 
From justification arises divers benefits both outward and inward.  when the elect being in themselves rebellious sinners, and Gods own enemies, yet by Christ they are accepted of the Lord, as perfectly pure and righteous before him.  
From true justification proceedeth many other benefits: the first is Reconciliation, 
Reconciliation.  by which a man justified is perfectly reconciled to God, because his sin is done away, and he is perfectly arrayed with the righteousness of Christ: 
Afflictions are not punishments for sin but fatherly chastisements.  the second is, that afflictions to the faithful are no punishments for sin, but only fatherly and loving chastisements: for the guilt and punishment of sin was borens in Christ; now therefore if a Christian be afflicted it is no punishment: for then God should punish one fault twice, once in Christ, and the second time upon the Christian, which thing doth not agreed with God's justice: the third is, that the man justified doth merit and deserve at God's hands the kingdom of heaven: for being made perfectly righteous in CHRIST, and by his righteousness, he must needs merit eternal life, in and by the merit of Christ.  
Inward benefits proceeding from justification are those which are inwardly felt in the heart, and serve for the better assurance of justification, and they are chiefly four.  
The first is, peace of conscience, arising from this persuasion, 
Peace of conscience.  that his sins are freely pardoned, & the wrath of God fully appeased by the merit and suffering of Christ jesus, by a lively faith applied.  
The second is, entrance into God's favour, 
Entrance with boldness into God's presence.  and a preseverance in it, which is indeed a wonderful benefit, when a man, that is freely pardoned and justified in Christ, doth boldly, approach to God's presence, and they are ready to ask and sue and also to obtain any benefit that is their good.  
The third is, a spiritual joy in their hearts, 
A spiritual joy in the heart.  even then when they are afflicted, because they look certainly to obtain the kingdom of heaven.  
The fourth is, that the love of God is shed in the hearts of the faithful by the holy Ghost, 
Feeling of God's love.  that is, that the holy Ghost doth make the faithful very evidently feel the love of God towards them, and doth as it were fill their hearts with it.  
In whomsoever these singular benefits are thus to be found, 
The graces of God & his spirit are not severed.  there is ever to be found assuredly that the spirit of God dwelleth in them, and in that the spirit of God dwelleth in them, it imports not only a familiar presence, but also a continuance thereof: he dwells not for a month, as a guest for a Night, but for ever: how ever by temporal distractions he humble us, yet shall he never departed from that soul which once he hath sanctified to be his own habitation: and this comfort is confirmed to us by three sure arguments.  
The first is taken from the Nature of God: 
3 Arguments to prove that the regenerate are sure of perseverance.  he is faithful, saith the Apostle, by whom we are called to the fellowship of his son, who will conserve us to the end, and again, saith he, I am persuaded that he which hath begun his good work in you, 
First, from the nature of God, that begets us.  will perform it, until the day of Christ.  
The second argument is taken from the nature of that life which Christ communicateth to his members, 
The second, from the nature of the thing begotten.  it is no more subject to death: we know that Christ raised from the dead, dies no more: this life is communicated to us, for it is not we that live, but Christ that lives in us.  
The third is taken from the nature of that seed whereof we are begotten: 
The third, from the nature of that seed whereof we are begotten.  for as the seed is, so is the life that comes of it: now the seed saith the Apostle is immortal; We are borne anew, not of mortal seed, but immortal; our life therefore is immortal.  
As the first greatest question in religion is concerning the Saviour of the world, 
The second main question in religion is, who are Christians.  Mat. 11. 3. so the second is concerning them who are to be saved: if the judgement be referred to man, every man accounts himself a Christian; if judgement be sought for from the Lord, he gives an Answer to all, If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, the same is not his.  
Hereby every Christian may have a notable rule how to try his own estate: 
A sovereign rule whereby Christians of all sorts must be tried.  for to destroy the pride of all their glory, (with one word) who esteem somewhat better of themselves for the privilege of their estate, when they excel others, here it is said, Rom. 8. 9 If any man, he speaks without exception, be what thou wilt beside, never so noble, never so rich, never so learned, if thou hast not the spirit of Christ, thou art none of his.  
Again, we see that Christ and his spirit cannot be sundered: let no man say he hath Christ, except he have the spirit of Christ: he is not a man who hath not a soul, so he is not a Christian who hath not the spirit of Christ, john 4. 13. And as CHRIST and his spirit cannot be sundered, so cannot the spirit be sundered from the fruits of the spirit. Now the fruits of the spirit, are Love, joy, Peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: if the spirit of Christ devil in us, and if we live in the spirit, let us walk in the spirit: and this may be a conviction to carnal professors, that while they say the spirit of Christ is in them, they declare none of his fruits in their lives and conversations.  
We are to know that the operations of the spirit are twofold; 
The operations of the spirit are twofold.  the one is general, and the common operation which he hath in the wicked, for he illuminates every one that cometh into the world. That Caiaphas, 
external, common to all men.  and Saul can prophesy, and judas can Preach, it is from him: this way he worketh in the wicked, not for any good to them, but for advancement of his own work: the other kind of the holy ghosts operation is special & proper to the godly, by which he doth not only illuminate their minds, 
Internal, proper to the godly.  but proceeds also to their hearts, and works this threefold effect in it, Sanctification, Intercession & Consolation.  
First, 
3 Effects wrought by the special operation of the spirit in the godly.  he is unto them a spirit of sanctification, renewing their hearts by his effectual grace: he first rebukes them of sin, awakes their consciences by the sight thereof, and gives them a sense of that wrath which sin hath deserved; whereof arises heaviness of heart, sadness in their countenance, 
Sanctification.  lamentation in their speech, & such an alteration in their whole behaviour, that their former pleasure becomes painful unto them, and others who knew them before, wonder to see such a change in them.  
From this he leads them to a sight of God's mercy in Christ, he inflames their hearts with an hunger and thirst for that mercy, and works in their hearts such a love of righteousness, and hatred of sin, that now they become more afraid of the occasions of sin, than they were before of sin itself: This resistance of sin, and care to avoid the occasions of sin, are undoubted testimonies that Christ dwells in us.  
This is the first operation of the spirit, but it is not all, he proceeds further by degrees: for the kingdom of God is as if a man should cast seed into the earth, which grows up he cannot tell how: first, it sends forth the blade; secondly, the ears, & then the corn: so proceeds the kingdom of God in man by degrees.  
In the second place, the holy spirit becomes a spirit of Intercession: 
Intercession.  so long as we are bound with the cord of our transgression we cannot pray, but when he looseth us from our sins, he openeth our mouth to God, he teacheth us to pray, not only with sighs and fobs which cannot be expressed, but also puts words in our mouths, such as we ourselves who speaks them are not able to repeat them again.  
And thirdly, he becomes unto them the Spirit of Consolation: 
Consolation.  if he be unto thee a sanctifier and intercessor, he shall not fail at last to be thy comforter: if at first, after thou hast sent up supplications thou find not his consolation descending upon thee, be not discouraged, but be more humbled: for our sin shortens his arm, and the hardness of heart holds out his comforts: we must fall down with Mary, and lie still washing the feet of Christ with our tears, before he takes us up in his arms to kiss us: and if we find these effects of his grace going before the humiliation of the heart, 
That christian who hath God's spirit knows he hath him.  & the grace of prayer, we may be out of doubt that this consolation shall follow after.  
By this it is evident, that he that hath the spirit of jesus knows that he hath him: and herein consisteth the chief glory of a Christian, 
It is the glory of a Christian that Christ dwells in him.  that he hath such a guest to abide with him for ever, whereby unspeakable blessings are vouchsafed unto him.  
First, where this holy spirit comes to devil, 
The benefits that come by Christ's dwelling in us.  he repairs the lodging: man by nature being like to a ruinated palace, is restored by the grace of Christ: as to the soul the Lord stirs up new lights in the mind, restores life to the heart, communicates holiness to the affections, so that whereas before the soul was an habitation for unclean spirits, that is, 
Repairs the lodge.  defiled with all sorts of wild and unclean affections, the Lord jesus hath sanctified it to be a holy habitation to himself: the body is repaired partly when the members thereof are made weapons of righteousness in this life, and partly in delivering them from mortality, which shallbe done in the resurrection. Again by his dwelling in us we have the benefit of provision: he will never suffer us to want any thing that shallbe good for us, 
Provides all necessaries.  he is not burthenable, after the manner of earthly Kings, but his reward is with him.  
We may further consider those excellent benefits that we have by the spirit of Christ dwelling in us: 
3 Three special comforts by Christ's dwelling in us.  first he gives life to the soul, and makes it to live the life of Christ, Gal. 2. 20. secondly, when soul and body are sandred by death, he leads the soul to live with him in glory: and thirdly, he casts not of the care of the body, but preserveth the very dust and ashes thereof till the day of the resurrection: OH what a kindness is it that the Lord will honour the dead bodies of his children!  
Surely there was never a house so well paid for in the world: OH how happy is he who hath such a guest to devil with him: what recompense hast thou to look for? he dwells with thee on earth, thou shalt devil with him in heaven; he a few years with thee, thou with him for ever.  
The second main benefit arising from our union with CHRIST, 
The second main benefit is Adoption.  is Adoption, whereby they which are justified are also accounted of God as his own children.  
From Adoption proceeds many other benefits: 
From Adoption proceeds many benefits.  first, the elect child of God is hereby made a brother of Christ: secondly, he is a King, & the kingdom of heaven is his inheritance: thirdly, he is LORD over all creatures save Angels: fourthly, the holy Angels minister unto him for his good: fiftly, all things, yea, grievous afflictions, & sin itself, turn to his good, though in it own nature it be never so hurtful: and lastly, being thus adopted, he may look for comfort at God's hands answerable to the measure of his afflictions, as God hath promised.  
The inward assurance of Adoption is by two witnesses: 
The assurance of adoption by two notes.  the first, is our spirit, which being often feeble and faint, God hath given us of his own spirit to be a fellow-witnesse with our spirit: this testimony of the holy Ghost is best discerned in the time of trial, & at the hour of death, which a reprobate cannot have at all, though indeed a man flattering himself and the devil imitating the spirit of God, doth usually persuade carnal men and hypocrites that they shallbe saved. But that Devilish illusion, and the testimony of the spirit, may be discerned by two notes.  
The first is, 
The first is, fervent prayer.  fervent and hearty prayer to God, in the name of Christ: for the same spirit that testifieth unto us that we are the adopted children of God, doth also make us cry, that is, fervently, with sighs and groans, pray to God: now this fervent praying, can the Devil give to no Hypocrite, for it is the special work of the spirit of God.  
The second is, 
The second is, a Filial love.  they which have this special testimony, have also in their hearts the same affections to God which children have to their father: namely, Love, Fear, Reverence, Obedience, Thankfulness, and the like: for they call not upon God as upon a terrible judge, but they cry Abba, that is, father: and these affections they have not whom Satan deludeth with a fantastical imagination of their salvation.  
The third main benefit is, 
Sanctification, the third main benefit.  inward sanctification, by which a Christian in his mind, in his will, and in his affections, is freed from the bondage of sin and Satan, and is by little and little enabled by the spirit of Christ to discern & approve that which is good, and to walk in it.  
Now this Sanctification is through the whole man, in the spirit, soul, and mind. 
Sanctification of the mind.  The sanctification of the mind is the enlightening of it with the true knowledge of God's word: it is of two sorts, either spiritual understanding, or spiritual wisdom.  
Spiritual understanding is a general conceiving of every thing that is to be done, 
The difference between spiritual understanding, and spiritual wisdom.  or not done, out of God's word.  
Spiritual wisdom is a special grace of God's spirit, peculiar only to the elect, whereby a man is able to understand out of God's word, what is to be done, or not to be done in any particular things or action, according to the circumstances of the person, time, and place: the principal point of this wisdom is to determine of true happiness, whereunto the whole life of man aught to be directed: which happiness is the love and favour of God in Christ.  
To obtain this heavenly wisdom we must be careful of these two things: 
How to get true wisdom.  first, to get the Fear of God into our hearts: which is a reverent awe of the heart towards GOD, 
What the Fear of God is.  whereby a man is fearful to offend, and careful to please God in all things: & this we shall get if we receive the word of God with reverence, 
How to obtain it.  and apply it to our own souls when we hear it, trembling thereat when it toucheth our consciences, and humbly submitting ourselves unto it, without raging or repining: secondly, we must close up the eyes of our minds, that is, we must deny our own wisdom, and suffer ourselves in all things to be overruled and ordered by the written word of God.  
To walk in the course of our lives by this heavenly wisdom, 
How to walk wisely.  we must in every good action observe these four Rules: first, the thing we do must be just: secondly, the means of effecting it must also be just: thirdly, we must keep ourselves therein within the limits and compass of our calling: fourthly, we must do the thing with an honest and upright heart, and for this purpose we must always hear the word of God, to tell us what is just.  
The sanctification of the Memory is, 
Sanctification of the Memory.  when it can both keep and remember that which is good & agreeable to Gods will, where as naturally it best remembers lewdness, wickedness, and vanity.  
Sanctification of the Conscience may be discerned by this, 
Sanctification of the Conscience.  that it checks for the lest sins, before actual repentance be performed, and likewise approves our upright walking in the whole course of our life: it procures peace with God and with man, so far as it is profitable & expedient, and breeds contentment in the life, in all occasions it procures cheerfulness in the countenance, and readiness in all our business it makes us courageous in the truth, and willing to defend the same, it makes us victorious in troubles, and ready to yield up our lives into the hands of God.  
Sanctification of the Will is discerned hereby, 
Sanctification of the Will.  that it is so far forth freed from sin, that it can will and choose that which is good and acceptable to God, and resist that which is evil: it is further perceived by our cheerfulness in well-doing not by compulsion, but of a willing mind, by resisting as well the occasions, as sin itself, and by yielding to sin with grief, rising by repentance out of the same.  
Sanctification of the affections are known by this, 
Sanctification of the Affections.  that they are moved and inclined to that which is good to embrace it, and in that we can more joy or grieve for spiritual causes then carnal; that they tend to the crucifying of the flesh, and building forward of the new man, and are not commonly affected and stirred with that which is evil, unless it be to eschew it.  
Among these sanctified affections, four especially are to be marked: 
Of our sanctified affections especially four to be marked.  first, Zeal of God's glory, by which a Christian is thus affected, that rather than God should loose his glory, he could be contented to have his own soul damned, as it was with Moses, Exod. 32. 12. and also Paul 
Zeal of God's glory.   
The second is, the fear of God: without it a man cannot be wise: it is the first step to wisdom. In this fear of God their be two parts: 
Fear of God.  the first is, a persuasion of heart that we are in God's presence: the second is, that being in God's presence, we stand in awe of him, which is when a man takes heed to his ways, jest he offend God.  
The third is, the hatred of sin, because it is sin, 
Hatred of sin.  and especially of a man's own corruptions, wherewith a Christian is so turmoiled, that in regard of them, and for no other cause, he desireth to be out of this most miserable world, that he may leave to displease God.  
The fourth is, joy of heart, in consideration of the nearness of the terrible day of judgement and second coming of Christ: 
Rejoicing at the day of judgement.  in regard whereof they shall lift up their heads, because the full accomplishment of their redemption is at hand  
The sanctification of the body is, 
Sanctification of the body.  when all the members of it are carefully kept and preserved from being means to execute any sin▪ and are made the Instruments of righteousness: for every member is to be kept pure and holy.  
To maintain and keep a true and justifying faith (by which we are united to Christ, 
How to keep faith.  and thereby enjoy all blessings) is to maintain true religion, both in life and death, and for this end these rules must be remembered.  
First, we must have in our hearts sincere love to God in Christ, to his Church and true religion: secondly, we must not only know and believe that Christ died for our sins, and rose again for our justification, but we must labour to feel the power and efficacy of his death kill sin in us, and the virtue of his resurrection, raising us up to newness of life: thirdly, we must not content ourselves to know and profess that God is merciful, but withal we must take observation of his loving favour towards us particularly, adding one observation to another, so our hearts may be grounded in the love of God.  
Because there is nothing that doth more evidently distinguish between the regenerate and unregenerate man, than such fruits as each of them do usually bring forth in their lives and conversations, I will therefore show the virtues of the one, and the vices of the other, with their several descriptions: whereby every man may perceive in what estate he stands, whether the child of God, or the child of the Devil, whether in the state of grace, or in the state of Nature.  
The graces of GOD'S spirit ever in some measure appearing in the child of God effectually called, justified, and sanctified, are: Love, Mercy, Meekness, Patience, Humility, long-suffering, Peace.  
Love, 
What love is.  is properly an affection of the heart, which binds us to love God, because he hath loved us, and to do unto men as we would be done unto, or whereby one man is well pleased with another. Now our love to God must appear by the effects thereof.  
First, 
The first property of love, it longs to obtain that which is beloved.  it is the nature of love, that it earnestly desires and seeks to obtain that which is beloved: hereby thou shalt know whether thy affection of love be ordered by Christ, or remain as yet disordered by Satan.  
The affection which Christ hath sanctified will follow upward, seeking to be there where he is: so carnal love will carry miserable man captived to the bottomless pit of hell: but holy love being as a sparkle of heavenly fire kindled in our hearts by the holy Ghost, ascends continually towards God from whom it came not suffering us to rest till we enjoy it.  
The second trial of our love is Obedience, 
The second effect is obedience.  and an holy care in all our callings to serve and honour the Lord  
The third trial of love is Bountifulness: 
The third effect is bountifulness.  experience proves that every lover bestoweth bountifully on that which he loveth.  
The fourth trial of love is readiness to suffer affliction for the cause of God.  
For the farther trial of our love, let us consider what our Saviour Christ saith, Math. 5. 44. I say unto you, love your enemies; bless them that curse you; do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that hurt and persecute you.  
The love here commanded, 
How to love our enemies.  comprehendeth these two things: first, to be lovingly affected in heart towards an enemy: secondly, to be lovingly affected in speech & action. For the first: love in heart comprehendeth all good affections that one man beareth to another, as mercy, compassion, meekness, and desire to do him good: for the second, it is set out unto us in three branches: first, bless them that curse you: where is commended all good speech, both unto, and of our enemies: secondly, do good to them that hate you: where is prescribed all loving usage in action, by affording all the help and comfort we can: thirdly, pray for them that persecute you: that is, for their good estate in this life, so far forth as it serveth for God's glory, and for their conversion, and salvation, in the world to come.  
For the affection of the heart, 
Examples of love.  take Christ's example, who so loved his enemies, that he shed his own heart blood for their salvation. For love in courteous speech, 
In David.  see David's practice towards Saul, his professed enemy, 1 Sam. 24. 7. and Chap. 26. 9 10. For doing good in action read, Exod. 23. 4. 5. If thou meet thine enemy's Ox or his Ass going astray, thou shalt bring him home again: and Pro. 25. 21. If thy enemy be hungry give him bread to eat, if he be thirsty, give him drink: see the practice hereof in Elisha, 
In Elisha.  when GOD delivered them into his hands that did seek his life, he brought them to Samaria, 
2 Kings 6. 14. 19 21.  and when the King of Israel would have slain them, he forbade him; nay, he caused the King to refresh them with water and bread▪ and so sent them away to their own Master. 
In Christ.  For praying for our enemies, we have the example of our Saviour, 
In Steven.  the Prophets, and Steven, who prayed for them that put him to death.  
Mercy, 
What Mercy is.  is an holy compassion of the heart, whereby one man is moved to help another in his misery: first, I call it a compassion of heart, because it makes one man to put on the person of another, & to be grieved for the misery of another, 
The effects.  as if it were his own: secondly, it is called the bowels of compassion, because when a man's heart is touched therewith, his very liver and entrails do stir in his body, and are troubled in him: thirdly, this virtue of mercy moveth the heart to help another that is in misery: for help in misery is a notable fruit of true compassion, neither can they be severed, for in the compassion of the heart, and in the act of relief stands true Mercy.  
The duties of Mercy are answerable to man's misery: 
The duties of Mercy.  now man's misery is either in soul or body: the greatest miseries of man are in his soul as ignorance, impenitency, and trouble of conscience. Man's bodily miseries are sickness, thirst, nakedness, and the like: and to these the works of Mercy are answerable: Mercy towards the Soul is when a man is careful for the salvation of another, using means to bring a man from spiritual darkness unto light, from the power of Satan to God; from the estate of sin and danger of hell-fire, to the state of grace, in true faith & repentance, and so eternal life: and look how far the soul is more excellent than the body, so far doth this work exceed any work of Mercy that concerns the body: Mercy towards the body is called alms, or relief, whereby a man's outward necessity, for food, raiment, or such like, is supplied.  
Hereby it may appear who is a merciful man: 
Who is a merciful man.  namely, such a one as hath his heart touched with compassion towards the misery of another & thereby is moved to help and relieve him in soul and body, according to his estate: and such a man is blessed by the testimony of Christ himself, howsoever in the world he may be despised.  
To move us to this duty, 
Motives to mercy.  let us mark these things: first, the state of the merciful is here pronounced blessed of Christ: secondly, mercy is a gift of the spirit, and the grace of Gods elect, which always accompanieth the happy estate of those that be in Christ: thirdly, hereby we become like unto God our heavenly father: fourthly, hereby we are made Instruments of GOD'S mercy to them that be in misery.  
For the furtherance of us in this so excellent a duty, 
Rules for the exercise of Mercy.  we must observe certain Rules. First, we must exercise three of our Senses: Seeing, Hearing, and Feeling, in other men's miseries. For seeing, Deut. 15. 9 we must be very wary it grieve us not to look upon our poor brother, 
1 Rule.  but we must see and behold his misery & distress, whether it be in soul or body: this is the Lords practise, Exod. 3. 7. 9 Secondly, if we cannot come to see a man's misery, than we must be content to here of it, and give heed and credit to the true reports that others make thereof to us: this was the practice of Nehemiah: Nehem. 1. 3. 4. and Ch. 2. 5. Thirdly, for Feeling, if the Lord shall afflict our bodies with sickness, or our souls with temptations, we must be willing to suffer the same patiently, that thereby we may be fitted to take more compassion upon others in like case, and to comfort them the better, this did Paul and Timothy.  
Secondly, 
2 Rule.  we must make our particular callings wherein we live, the Instruments of mercy, and in doing the duties thereof show forth compassion towards others: first, the Magistrate must rule and govern in mercy: secondly, the Minister must Preach in mercy: thirdly, every private man must make the duties of his calling, works of mercy; the rich man must know himself to be, not a Lord, but a steward of GOD'S blessings, and therefore must employ the same in mercy, by giving & lending unto the poor freely, as God shall minister unto him just occasion. The Trade's man must buy and cell in mercy, dealing justly with the rich, and showing liberality to the poor. The Master must thus in mercy use the labour of his Servant; and the Servant thus in mercy do service to his Master, for conscience towards God: and happy were it with all estates if this rule of Mercy were observed, the want whereof is the bane of all societies.  
Thirdly, 
3 Rule.  for the more cheerful practice of mercy, we must lay aside some part of our goods, for the relief of them that be in misery: many are given to great excess in fare, and attire, but they may do well to abate somewhat thereof to bestow it on the poor: for hereby will the rest be sanctified to their more free and comfortable use. Nay in case of necessity we aught to sequester some part of our necessaries, for the refreshing of the poor; so did the Church of Macedonia give above their power to the relief of the afflicted brethren. 2 Cor. 8. 2.  
Meekness is a gift of God's spirit, 
What Meekness is.  whereby a man doth moderate his affections of anger, and bridle in himself impatience, 
The effects thereof.  hatred, & desire of revenge: it is a virtue, whereby a man is gentle in behaviour towards all persons, both good and bad, it makes a man with patience and a quiet heart to bear GOD'S judgements, and to put up injuries, and to bear wrongs, when occasion of revenge is given him.  
Meekness is not to be showed in the matters of God, 
Wherein meekness must not be showed.  when his glory is impeached: for therein we must have Zeal as hot as fire: but in the wrongs and injuries that concern ourselves. Moses was the meekest man on earth in his time, Numb. 12. 5. 3. and yet when the Israelits had made a golden Calf. Exod. 32. 19 in Zeal of God's glory, he broke the two tables of stone, and put to sword the same day two thousand men that had so dishonoured God: the like we see in David, Psal. 119. 139. and in our Saviour Christ, Math. 21. 12.  
The ground or cause of meekness is affliction and poverty of spirit: 
The cause of meekness.  for, hardly can he be meek and patiented in spirit, that hath not been acquainted with the Crosse.  
To induce us unto this virtue, 
Motives to meekness.  let us first consider Christ's precept and example, bidding us to learn of him, for he is meek and lowly: again, consider Gods own dealing with us, we daily wrong him with our offences, and yet he bears with us: lastly, the fruition and practice of this grace hath the promise of blessedness belonging to it, and therefore as we would be happy, so we must get into our hearts the spirit of meekness, and express the virtue and power thereof in our lives.  
Patience, 
What Patience is.  is a voluntary and continual suffering for the love of virtue and honesty, and therefore whatsoever happeneth a wise man, by this virtue he is prepared to digest & turn it to the best. Or otherwise it is a grace of the spirit, flowing from grace and hope: whereby we so suffer things that are evil, that we forsake not those things that are good, by which we may attain to those that are better.  
Among all the graces of God's spirit, 
Without Patience no grace can be preserved.  this praise may be given to patience, that it is the keeper of the rest; if our patience be not first broken, we cannot be induced to the committing of any sin: sinful concupiscence proceeds from the impatiency of continence; covetousness from this that we are impatient of our sober estate.  
It is the will of God that through manifold afflictions we should enter into the kingdom of heaven: 
How to suffer patiently under the Crosse.  and therefore when any cross befalls us, walking in our lawful callings, we must endeavour to subject ourselves patiently to the will of God: in prosperity we are cheerful and thankful, but when affliction comes our nature will repined. OH remember, we say in all estates. Thy will be done: and therefore in the most bitter Crosses that can befall us we must labour to say with job: the Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh, blessed be the name of the Lord The practice whereof we see in David, 2 Sam. 16. 10. 11. touching Shimei.  
Long-suffering is a virtue, 
Whar long suffering is.  whereby a man doth bear with other men's wants, as morosity and hastiness, and in bearing yields, for the maintenance of peace: thus dealt Abraham with Lot, 
Example thereof in Abraham.  when their herdsmen were at variance, though he were the superior, both for age and place, yet for peace sake, he put Lot to choose the place of his abode whether on the right hand or left.  
Humility is a virtue, 
What Humility is.  whereby one man thinks better of another then of himself: for this makes a man think basely of himself, 
The effects thereof.  in regard of his own sins and corruptions, whereupon he is contented to give place unto others, and to yield of his own right, for the maintenance of peace: when as on the other side, pride causeth men to seek for more than their due, & so causeth contention.  
Peace is a virtue, 
What Peace is.  whereby we have unity and concord with God, and one with another. 
A twofold peace.  Now Peace is twofold, good or evil: good peace is that which standeth with a good conscience and true religion: evil peace is an agreement and concord in evil, as in the praise of any sin against God's commandments, and is such as cannot stand with true religion and good conscience. 
Good Peace threefold.  The good peace is threefold: peace with God, with ourselves, and our Christian Brethrens; this peace hath six heads.  
First peace between man and God, 
True peace hath six heads.  which is properly called reconciliation, whereby GOD, in Ghrist, is at one with man, and man, through Christ, is at one with God: of which when a man is once persuaded in his heart, then comes this peace: secondly, peace with the good Angels, for men being at peace with God, than Angels become Servants and ministering Spirits unto them: thirdly, peace with a man's self, consisting of two things: first, when the conscience sanctified ceaseth to accuse, and assurance of God's favour beginneth to take his part, to excuse and speak for him before God: secondly, when the Will, Affection, & Inclinations subject themselves to the enlightened mind: of which if either be wanting, man is at war with himself, & the peace of God ruleth not in his heart: fourthly, peace of true believers amongst themselves, who before they believe, were as Lions and Cockatrises: but now in the kingdom of Christ have put off that savage nature, and become peaceable: fiftly, peace of the faithful with professed enemies, namely, when they endeavour to have peace with all men: sixtly, concord of the enemies themselves with the true Church, for often the Lord restraineth the malice of his enemies, and inclines them to peace.  
The way to get and keep true peace for ever is this: 
How to get and keep true Peace of conscience  first, we must call upon GOD for the pardon of our sins every day: secondly, we must follow after peace with men in the practice of forgiveness and reconciliation when offences grow: for when we are at one with God and man, we have a blessed peace, and hence will follow peace in our own hearts, which is that peace which the world cannot give, which while we retain, we need not fear any evil, not not death itself: for if God be with us, who can be against us?  
There are many other virtues propounded in the Scriptures, which might here be described: but these may be sufficient to declare in whom the spirit of Christ dwelleth: for where Christ dwelleth by his spirit, there are ever the fruits of the spirit perceived; for the spirit and the effects thereof cannot be sundered: for every thing bringeth forth that which is of his own nature: fire sendeth forth nothing but heat, the fountain nothing but clear water, and the like.  
Now that these virtues may the more apparently show themselves to be the fruits and effects of the spirit in the regenerate man: I will therefore set down and describe such vices as commonly show forth themselves in the wicked, and are the fruits and effects of the unregenerate: for hereby the child of GOD renewed by grace, and the unregenerate remaining in the state of nature, may as easily be distinguished, as white from black being laid together.  
I will first begin with Pride, because, as one saith, it may well stand in the forefront, sith it is a Master Devil, and the very bane of the soul.  
Pride is said to be the timpany of the soul, 
What Pride is.  because it is a puffing up of the heart and mind, proceeding from the opinion of some good thing in us more than in others.  
His companions are Envy, 
Companions of pride, five.  Anger, Impatience, Indignation, Self-will, and Obstinacy. Pride is full of Envy, because the proud man thinketh himself only the worthiest, and that every man's greatness is a hindrance to his: it is full of Anger, supposing himself never so well thought of as he deserves: full of Impatience, in that he will not suffer himself to be reproved, but will have his vices accounted virtues, & looks to be commended for them: full of Indignation, esteeming every man unworthy of any good that befalls him, in comparison of himself: full of Obstinacy, by stiffly holding his own opinion, notwithstanding any proof alleged to the contrary.  
This sin of Pride of all other is the most dangerous, 
Pride of all other sins most dangerous.  because other sins proceed from evil deeds, but Pride is to be feared even in good and virtuous actions.  
Of Pride their be nine branches: 
Nine branches of Pride.  Presumption, Obstinacy, Hypocrisy, Boasting, Ingratitude, Contempt, Disobedience, Ambition, and Curiosity.  
Pride, 
How to detest Pride.  if we consider the cause thereof, is momentary and very uncertain: for if it proceed from Richeses, who knows not, that they may be lost in a moment? If from Nobility or great birth, it may be stained: If from knowledge, it is full of error: If from strength, it may soon decay: If from Honour, it is but a ceremony: If from Beauty, Age may wrinkle it: If from good success, time may altar it: If from dainty food, it may breed surfeiting, which commonly bringeth death: If from clothing, what is it but skins, and wool, nay the very excrements of bruit beasts and stones of the earth? If from health, sickness may destroy it: If from multitude of friends, are they not like to water brooks that in Summer become dry, and in Winter frozen? If from sharpness of wit, there is no man living but is guilty of folly.  
The only and chief remedy against Pride is Humility: 
How to avoid Pride.  for as by Pride we are banished from the presence of God, so by Humility we are recalled to him again; because without Humility no other virtue whatsoever, is acceptable in his sight.  
The second main and capital sin is Covetousness, which we may call the dropsy of the soul, 
What covetousness is.  because the covetous man, the more he hath, the more still he desireth: it is also a kind of bad motion whereby the devil enticeth us unlawfully to withhold our own goods, or unjustly to covet other men's. 
Four sorts of covetousness.   
Of this sin there are four sorts: the first is, to desire that which is another man's, not caring how we get it, by right or wrong: the second is, when we study to get money, wealth or favour by wicked means: the third is, when we will not restore that which we know to be another man's: the fourth is, when we treasure up much wealth and neither use it ourselves, nor employ it to the benefit and relief of others.  
This viper hath nine heads, by which it snatcheth at the trash of the world: Fraud, Unquietness, Perjury, Bribes, Sacrilege, Theft, Usury, Rapine, and Simony.  
Consider that the matter thereof (which is riches) is most vild and abject, 
How to detest covetousness.  or else our Saviour would never have committed the purse to judas: Christ chose not his Apostles and best beloved from amongst Princes, but poor fishermen: that no man can serve two Masters, GOD and the World, no more than he can at one time behold heaven and earth: that riches for the most part are gotten with pain, preserved with fear, and lost with sorrow: that the covetous or most wealthiest man, is but as the Mill-wheele, which though it turn all day about, yet at night is found where it was in the morning: so howsoever we run about this world for wealth, yet at our death we shall be found as poor as we were at our birth: that the covetous men are but as Camels, that all day carry the King's treasure, and at night are turned into a filthy stable, being able to show no sign or appearance thereof but their galled backs.  
The only remedy against covetousness, 
How to avoid covetousness.  is liberality, which is a distribution of those good things that are in our possession, to the benefit of others: for we have nothing which we have not received from God, who hath given them for the good of others, and will require an account thereof at our hands.  
The third Capital sin is Luxury, 
What Luxury is.  which may be called the Leprosy of the soul, and is an inordinate appetite of lascivious and fleshly pleasures.  
There are six kinds of this sin: 
Sorts and kinds of Luxury.  the first is Fornication, which is an unlawful society of one single person with an other: the second is Rape or ravishment, when a Virgin is deflowered, either with her consent or against her will; for although it be with her consent, yet it is counted Ravishment, in respect of the heinousness thereof, by reason it violently breaks the lists of Chastity, and opens a gap many times to further uncleanness: a third is Adultery, when the married body is defiled: and this is of two sorts, either simple, as when the married sins with the unmarried, or double when the married sins with the married: the fourth is Incest, when the abuse of fleshly lust is committed by such as are of one kindred, blood, or affinity, which sin makes men of the nature of bruit beasts: the fift is Sodomy, which is of two sorts, when man lusteth after man, or man after beast: this is a crying sin, calling for vengeance upon the offenders: the sixt is Excess of carnal action, even amongst the married, which although it seem lawful, yet it offends God, if it exceed measure or modesty.  
There are nine forerunners of this sin: 
Nine forerunners of Luxury.  voluptuous eating, scurrilous talk, a discovered dug, a naked breast, frizzled hair, artificial painting, costly Perfumes, a rolling eye, an unchaste foot.  
Consider that the object whereto it tendeth, 
How to detest Luxury.  (which is the corporal fruition of unchaste persons) is though candied with a fair outside, inwardly the receptacle of wild and corruptible baseness: that lust is never satisfied, but always poor, even in plenty.  
That the pleasure thereof is momentany, the punishment eternal, that it defileth the temple of the holy ghost, which is man's body, consecrated unto Christ by his precious blood: that it is no sooner enjoyed, but it breeds annoyed: that it weakens the powers of the soul, and fills the body with many diseases: that it shorteneth the life; and shadoweth good report: that it is a fire whose substance is Gluttony, whose flame is Pride, whose sparkles are corrupt speeches, whose ashes filthiness, and whose end is Hell.  
The best remedy against Luxury is chastity, 
How to avoid Luxury.  which is of four sorts; either of nature, as of such as are borne chaste; or by art, as such as are made chaste by men; or by prayer and industry, as of such as have made themselves chaste for the kingdom of heaven; or by marriage, as of such as live chastened in wedlock.  
Envy, the fourth capital sin, may be said to be the canker of the soul, 
What Envy is.  for that it eats and frets into the inward man, no otherwise then rust doth into iron; it is a rejoicing at another man's hurt, and sorrowing at his good.  
It is of two sorts, 
It is twofold.  good and bad: good Envy is that when beholding the perfections of another we are angry with our own imperfections, and labour seriously to be equal, 
Good envy.  or at lest to imitate the good qualities which we see to flourish more in others then in ourselves: this is called emulation.  
Bad Envy is, when we grieve that the like good qualities are not in us, 
Bad envy, which hath five branches.  or not as well in us as in another, and of this there are five branches, Detraction, Discord, Murmuring, Hatred, Hurt.  
Consider that Envy is the bag and cognisance of the Devil, 
How to detest envy.  for the Devil is not better known then by his envious disposition, and therefore such as give place in their hearts to this vice, are said to be the servants of the Devil, if servants of the devil they are enemies to God, if enemies to God, they become subject to eternal damnation.  
Of all other sins it is accounted the justest, for that it taketh vengeance upon itself, for although it ever levels the dart of mischief against others, yet it wounds itself, and is to the heart of man as the worm bred in the tree, to the wood thereof, by whom at last it is devoured: but say it were pleasing and plausible in itself, yet consider God will be revenged upon it, as by the example of Cain his envy towards Abel, Saul towards David, Haman towards Mordechay▪ it is to be loathed and abhorred, but being so that it consumeth the heart, drieth up the body, vexeth the mind, and endangereth the soul, what can be thought more detestable?  
The remedy against Envy is Charity, 
How to avoid Envy.  or love to do unto others as we would be done unto.  
Gluttony, 
What gluttony is.  the fift capital sin, may be called the deluge or inundation of the soul, because it is a ravenous desire to see & fill the stomach beyond the rule or bonds of nature: 
Two sorts thereof  & there are two sorts of it: the first, consisteth in greedy, often & immoderate desire of delicate meats and variety of dishes: the second is, when instead of refreshing the body with sufficient moisture, 
How to detest gluttony by eleven dangerous effects.  we drown it in the superfluity of drinking.  
Of this sin there are eleven dangerous effects: the first, is dullness of wit, whereby we are made unfit for any duty of good Christians: the second, is Impotency, when through gluttony our bodies are infected with many diseases: The third, is Scurrility, which is an impudent behaviour of the Body, whereby we provoke men to laugh us to scorn: The fourth, is fury, when through this ill disposition of excess we spurn at reason & good counsel: The fift, is superfluous talk, when through the force of Wine, we vomit out detractions, cursings, and horrible oaths, and blasphemies, filthy, idle, & unchaste words: The sixt, is drowsiness, when we are fit for nothing but sleep: The seventh, is Beastly nastines, when our surcharging stomachs bewrays our intemperance, by vomiting, belching, & stinking of the breath: The eight, is lust; for belly-cheer, and drunkenness, are the bellows to concupiscence: The ninth, is poverty, when for abusing of plenty, we are plagued and pinched with penury: The tenth, is the loss of credit & estimation in the world: The eleventh and last, is the wrath and indignation of God, whom of a merciful and loving Father, we make a rigorous and punishing judge.  
Besides the reasons before mentioned, 
Eight circumstances to 'cause a detestation of it.  there are eight other circumstances, inducing us to the detestation of it: First, it hasteneth the desolation of the Body: Secondly, it taketh part with the Flesh in the combat between it and the Spirit: Thirdly, it inureth the body to an evil custom: Fourthly, it plays the hypocrite with us, appearing sweet and pleasant at the first, but in the end it biteth like a Scorpion: Fiftly, it lives continually under the curse of God: Sixtly, it destroyeth the sense: Seventhly, to be subject to the desire of the belly is a perpetual slavery: Eightly, because of the judgements of God inflicted upon offenders in his kind.  
To avoid Gluttony, 
How to avoid gulttony.  we must embrace temperance and sobriety, which consisteth in chastening and taming the body by fasting and abstinence.  
The sixt capital sin is Wrath, which may be called the frenzy of the Soul, 
What wrath is.  and is defined to be a vehement motion of the heart, tending to revenge, whereby the blood boiling exceedingly, sendeth up hot and burning vapours to the brain, so that Reason is smothered, and the will made obedient to the affections.  
Of this sin there are eleven branches: 
Eleven Branches of Wrath.  Malice, Fury, Impatience, Malediction, Blasphemy, Reproach, Revenge, Contention, Threatening, Cruelty, and Murder.  
The means whereby we are taught to detest Wrath and Anger are these: 
How to detest wrath.  First, the example of bruit Beasts, though never so fierce, will always show themselves meek and gentle to them of the same kind: the Lion will not hurt the Lion; nor the Dragon, the Dragon. Secondly, in that we are brought forth naked and unarmed, signifies we aught to loathe cruelty. Thirdly, to remember what Christ hath done for us, & to think that if we expect mercy at his hands, we aught to show mercy to others. Fourthly, so long as we continued in wrath all our actions are abominable to God. Fiftly, the wrathful man lives in a continual Purgatory and Hell of conscience. Lastly, we must not let the Sun go down upon our wrath.  
Anger, or wrath, is to be avoided two manner of ways. 
How to avoid wrath, or anger.  First, in respect of others: Secondly, in respect of ourselves: we shall the sooner avoid the wrath of another man, if either we give place to his fury, or staying by him, use mild and gentle speeches.  
The best way to avoid Anger in ourselves, is patience, in suffering of evil with a quiet mind: thinking whatsoever is laid upon us in this life, whether affliction, persecution, or the like, yet nothing can touch our Soul, and therefore not to be regarded of us. Besides, to bridle anger, consider the party with whom we are displeased: if it be a stranger impute it to his ignorance: if a child, to his folly: if a Master or Father, to his authority: if a Wife, to her love: if a friend, to his care: if a brother, to his boldness: if a servant, to his negligence: if a neighbour, to his rashness; no doubt upon better consideration they will repent them of their oversight.  
Idleness, or sloth, the seventh Capital sin, 
Idleness what it is.  may be called, The Lethargy of the Soul, being a lazy deiecture of the whole man, from the laudable exercise of virtue: for that in a manner he becomes senseless, but in truth, altogether unprofitable.  
Of this sin there are eleven branches: 
Eleven branches of it.  Protraction, Remissness, Negligence, Improvidence, Indevotion, Sluggishness, Persillanimitie, Irresolution, Desperation, Misprision, and Omission.  
Remember that Sloth is a vice which impoverisheth both soul and body: 
How to detest it.  the soul, of natural graces; the body of external goods. Remember likewise, it captivates, and brings us under the slavish tyranny of our worldly and spiritual enemies. Remember, it is the root & nest of many other vices; as by the example of David, who no sooner gave himself to rest, after his painful wars, but he fell into the sins of Adultery and Murder. Remember, it is a vice that the very bruit beasts abhor; as may be seen by the Bee, the Ant, and other small contemptible Creatures. Lastly, consider all other Creatures not having life, are so opposite to sloth, as they continually keep their first course in which they were created, without intermission, un-unlesse it be upon some violent and accidental cause, as we may see by the Sun, Moon, and Stars: by the ebbing and flowing of the Sea, and by the just return of Summer and Winter, Spring and Autumn, and the like.  
Consider that we enter into this world, as it were to run a race: if therefore we run not so as we may get the Goal, we loose the reward. The best remedy therefore against sloth and idleness, is Devotion; which is a ready and willing performance of the service of God, and of all other duties required of us in this life.  
The offspring or branches proceeding from these seven master-sinnes, 
How to avoid sloth.  are severally described in a Book, called, Two guides of a good life: wherein you may see and learn how to avoid sin, and follow virtue, to delight in the one and to detest the other.  
If you should not ask me, (having showed how to detest and avoid some sins in particular) what sin is, and the reward thereof: as also, how to avoid sin in general: I'll tell you briefly, what I have learned from the mouth of a right worthy instrument in the Church of God.  
Sin is every breach of the Law of God; 
What sin is.  if it be no more but the lest omission of what the Law requireth: 
What the punishment thereof is.  and the punishment thereof is plagues in this life, death in the end of this life, and eternal damnation after this life.  
S. james, 
How to resist sin in general.  Chap. 4. vers. 7. saith, resist the devil, and he will fly from thee: in which words is both a precept and a promise: in the precept is two things to be considered, the action and the object: the action is, to resist: the object is, the Devil.  
For the performance of this action, three things are requisite: first, a preparation before the combat: 
What we are to do before the combat with the Devil.  secondly, how we are to demean ourselves in the combat: thirdly how to carry ourselves after the combat.  
First, for the preparation, observe these rules set down in the sixt Chapter of the Ephesians, 
7. weapons wherewith to fight with the Devil.  from the 14. to the 19 verses: which weapons there prescribed, are both defensive and offensive: those defensive are five. First, for this combat we must stand fast, having our loins girt about with verity, which is, to be grounded in the settled truth of GOD'S Word without unconstancy. Secondly, we must put on the Breastplate of Righteousness; which is a settled purpose not to displease God in any thing, though never so seeming good in itself. Thirdly, we must have our feet shod with preparation of the Gospel of peace, which is a constant resolution to profess the truth, even unto death: yea, if it should procure the loss of life, goods, wife, children, and all. Fourthly, above all to take the shield of Faith, which is such a Faith as wholly relieth on GOD in Christ, with particular application, which will quench the fiery darts of the wicked. Fiftly, to take the Helmet of salvation; which is, to stand assured that our salvation is sealed up unto us: which assurance will 'cause us, with confidence, to withstand all Satan's assaults whatsoever. Sixtly, we must get the sword of the Spirit, (which is an offensive weapon) which is the word of God, wherewith our Head and Captain Christ repelled the Devil. Seventhly, and lastly, that we pray with all manner prayer and Supplication in the Spirit and watch thereunto, 
What to do in the combat.  with all perseverance: which two weapons being added to the rest, are of force to strike through the very heart of the Devil.  
The second thing to be observed, is the manner how we must behave ourselves in this combat; 
First, we must kill sin in the very conception.  and herein observe these rules. First, kill sin in the very conception (for it is like a Canker which groweth not to ripeness but by degrees) otherwise it will grow from motion to liking, 
Sin like to a canker.  from liking to consent, from consent to action, from action to custom, from custom to hardness of heart, and from hardness of heart to the height of all sins. If the Serpent once get in his head, he will afterwards wring in all his body. Timothy giveth warning to take heed of covetousness which being once entertained, giveth way to many noisome temptations. Ahab desiring nabaoth's Vineyard, no sooner embraced that evil motion, but presenting it with a further desire, brought forth fearful and evil effects. That man that will first walk in the counsel of the ungodly, will next stand in the way of sinners; and lastly will sit in the seat of the scornful. judas was first a cunning dissembler: secondly, a secret thief: thirdly, an impundent liar: fourthly, a bloody traitor, and lastly, a desperate reprobate. Peter, first denied Christ faintly: secondly, with an Oath: thirdly, 
We must deny our own strength.  with cursing and swearing; wherefore, kill sin in the conception.  
Secondly, be sure to put no confidence in thy own strength, for thereby Peter fell grievously. 
We must not believe the Devil though he speak truth.   
Thirdly, believe not the Devil, although he bring truth in his mouth: our Saviour Christ could not abide the Devil to speak the truth in the maid, having a spirit of divination.  
Fourthly, 
We must make resistance, which is two ways.  be careful ever to make resistance unto it; and this is performed either by weakening the ability of sin, or else by opposing his contrary unto sin.  
First, 
First, weakening the ability of sin.  to weaken the ability of sin, is by taking away all occasions to sin, and by removing all the sustainements thereof, and also making a holy covenant with every member of our bodies and souls, ever to repel it, never to admit it, by which means sin may come to be as a lake, into which the current of no stream runneth, which must needs be dried up.  
Secondly, 
Secondly opposing his contraries.  it is done by opposing his contraries unto sins, as Charity to Melice: Temperance and Sobriety to Gluttony and Drunkenness: Liberality to Niggardice: Vigilance to Security: Confidence to Distrust: Faith to Infidelity: Truth to Lying: Chastity to Intemperance, 
That we compare not the pain of resistance with the pleasure of sin.  and so of the rest: the practice of one particular was in joseph with Potifars wife, How (saith he) shall I commit this evil and sin against God?  
Fiftly, that thou be careful never to compare the pain of resistance with the pleasure of the sin, for sin is sweet in committing; 
If the Devil once be foiled, he is much quailed, & thou more strengthened.  but rather compare the horror and gripings of the conscience, with the pain of resistance, which will be a good means to keep thee from sin.  
Sixtly, be assured, that if once thou give the Devil the foil, he will be afterwards less able to assault thee, & thou more able to resist him, and that with more courage.  
Seventhly, & lastly, thou must be careful and diligent to find out the subtlety, 
To mark the devils subtleties and cunning devices.  devices, and sleights of the Devil, by which he doth assault thee very cunningly; for he hath a near conjecture unto what sins thou art most inclined by nature, 
The Devil fitteth his temptations to our inclinations.  and accordingly he fits his temptations. If thou be inclined to covetousness, he will offer thee Naboths' Vineyard, and rather than fail, he will plot means to slay him, so thou may effect thy desire: If vain glorious, he will make thee thirst after the life of poor Mordecay: If ambitious, he will stir up means to drive David out of his kingdom, that Absalon may enjoy it: & thus he fitteth his temptations to men's natural inclinations: & thus much of the second place, namely, how we should behave ourselves in the combat, when we are grappling hand to hand with the Devil.  
The third and last thing to be considered, 
What to do after the combat.  is what we are to do after the combat, and that is, presently to prepare ourselves for a new combat: 
To prepare ourselves for a new combat.  For, if we shall consider the malice of the Devil, how he ever seeketh our subversion and overthrow, and having once taken the foil, yet is not at rest, but by other means seeketh again to assault us, (for so he did with our head and captain Christ jesus three several times one after another) it should in this case teach us to take heed of careless security, 
Satan's subtlety should make us to shun careless security.  as not to think ourselves safe when we have given the Devil the foil, but ever to stand upon our guard, (for if he dealt thus with Christ our Head, what will he do with the members?) which being conscionably and carefully regarded, we may then expect an happy issue, which is, that the devil will fly from us: whereby we may observe and note Gods especial care over us, who ever gives a happy issue with the temptation, to those that walk in holy Obedience before him: 
A special meditation in the time of temptation.  and if we would always in temptations call to mind God's goodness, his mercy, and kindness, formerly bestowed upon us, it would be as a bulwark of defence against the temptations of the Devil. This did joseph when he was tempted to filthiness by his Mistress, Gen. 39 he instantly considered how God had exalted him to great honour, making him chief of his Master's house, and ruler over all. How (saith he) shall I commit this evil, and sin against my God?  
By this that hath been said we may learn how to avoid sin; as also to repel the Devil, which if (through the blessing of God upon our careful endeavour, through the use of the means) we shall in some measure attain unto; yet we are not to think we have done enough, and there to rest, but we must labour and endeavour to do good, and to bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life: 
It is not enough to avoid evil, but we must do good.  for every Tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire: it is not said, every Tree that bringeth forth evil fruit, or that bringeth forth no fruit, but that bringeth not forth good fruit: now what those fruits are, which the trees of Righteousness do usually bear, hath been formerly declared.  
Now, because we may bring forth such fruit as in themselves may seem to be good, yet for want of knowledge failing in the manner of doing of them, they are displeasing and dishonourable to the Lord: know, that in every action pleasing and acceptable to the Lord, in the doing thereof these five rules are to be observed: 
Five rules specially to be observed in every action that shallbe pleasing to the Lord  First, the person of him must be pleasing to the Lord who performs any action to him. Before Abel's sacrifice was accepted, his person was accepted: It may be demanded, how we shall know when our persons are pleasing unto God. Consider by nature we are enemies unto him, and so long our persons cannot please him, as we be not of Christ, therefore find thyself to be in Christ, and then thou art acceptable unto God: for God saith, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Look how CHRIST is unto God, so is every one being in Christ: If then thou would know whether thou be in Christ, look to thy Faith, whether it be a justifying faith. Secondly, thou must have the word of God for thy warrant, being sure that the action thou dost be such as his word alloweth. Thirdly, the end of the action must be intended to the glory of God. Fourthly, it must be done in love, which respecteth the good of others: & lastly, it must be done within the compass of our callings. It is not lawful for one to do that which another may; every man may not preach, nor every man may not govern: therefore content thyself with thy calling, and know what the duties are that God requireth of thee within the limits and bounds thereof: if these be wanting, either Faith, the Word, the end, or Love, or out of our calling, the action, though never so seeming good, cannot please God.  
If any shall look back to that which hath been said (and considereth the estate of the regenerate, and unregenerate man, as also thereby beholdeth his own present estate) and cannot find in himself faith and the graces of God's Spirit so apparent as hath been showed, and so doubteth whether he be the child of God or not, 
The graces of God's spirit apparent in some, should make us labour to find them in ourselves.  remembering the Zeal of Moses, the faith of David, the repentance of Peter, as also finding in himself that he can power forth tears more abundantly for a temporary loss, as of wife children, friends, goods, and the like, then for committing many grievous sins, whereby God is dishonoured, and himself in danger to incur the loss of his favour for ever; and hereupon remembering, that nothing should be more dear unto him then the honour of God, nothing more precious and delightful than his Word, his Sacraments, and Sabbaths, wherein as yet, he seethe in himself but small delight, and doubteth of his own salvation: therefore yet know this for thy comfort, 
Comforts to the weak Christians.  and be assured, that to doubt of Faith is a testimony of Faith; for he that never doubted, never believed: and although thou hast not the zeal of Moses, the faith of David, the repentance of Peter, inso full a measure as they had. Consider, they had a great measure of God's Spirit, and accordingly the graces thereof appeared in them: For God requireth according to the grace given: and, although thou hast not these appearing in thee, yet if thou dost unfeignedly desire them, and labourest in the use of the means to attain them, thou hast them all in some measure, and they are true in thee. 
Faith and the graces of God's spirit may be true in him who yet desires them not.  The scruple of gold may be perfect gold as well as the whole wedge: so faith though but as a scruple, may be true faith as well as the greatest measure: and whereas thou doubtest of thy Salvation, in that thou canst more grieve for a temporary loss, then for the committing of some sin, whereby thou mayst lose God's favour: consider, to the one thou hast both nature and Grace to help thee; 
Note.  but to the other, Grace only. If then thou findest not this great measure of Grace in thee, be not discouraged: for if any man have a desire to obey God in all his commandments, he hath the spirit, and he who hath the spirit is in Christ and he who is in Christ shall never see damnation: 
He who hath the spirit of Christ dwelling in him shall never see damnation.  and though he fail greatly in the action of obedience, yet God will accept his affection to obey, as obedience acceptable unto him, and will approve of thee for his own work which he hath wrought in thee, and not reject thee for thine. So be it.   

Twelve Steps, which a man may stride towards Heaven; and being in the first step, he may think himself a good Christian: yet except he stride the thirteenth, he shall miss Heaven-gate, and fall into the fire of Hell, for ever.  
1 HE may have a measure of knowledge of the true God, and of his works, and governing the world: also of the Trinity, and that jesus Christ died for the sins of mankind. Which knowledge even the Pagans' had, yea, even so as few Christians attain unto so great knowledge, 
Mat. 4. 3. 6  and yet he may be damned if he go no further; 
Mark 5. 7  for Satan knoweth all this better than any man, being a spirit, and having the knowledge of Angels and of the Scriptures. 
Heb. 4. 2. & 6. 4. 5.  Also the reprobates have the like knowledge.  
2 He may not only know these things before named, 
2 Pet. 2. 20  but also confess them publicly, and believe them to be true. Also he may be able to talk and dispute of any point of Divinity very cunningly, and be so great a maintainer of it, that he may be a public preacher: 
jam. 2. 19  yet if he go no further he may be damned; 
Mark 5. 7. & Mark. 1. 24  for the Devil believeth, and publicly confesseth CHRIST, Agrippa also believed all these things: 
Mat. 8. 29.  also judas was a Preacher and worker of Miracles. 
Act. 26. 26 27.  So shall many reprobates.  
3 Thirdly, 
Mat. 10. 7. 8.  he may come to the hearing of God's word preached, 
Mat. 7. 22.  which few of the world commonly do, or will do; yea, he may receive the word, and that gladly, not scorning of it, or thinking hardly of it or of the preachers: but the cursed ground did so; 
Mat. 13. 20 21.  so Herod also heard john Baptist.  
4 Fourthly, 
Mark. 6. 20  at the preaching of God's Word he may be so wonderfully affected, that he may tremble again, which most men never come unto, desiring to hear it, as a tale, or for news, or for bore knowledge: but even this did cursed Felix; 
Act. 24. 26  And Agrippa cried out that he was almost persuaded to be a Christian, 
Act. 26. 28  both reprobates.  
5 He may have a knowledge of his grievous sins, 
Gen. 4. 13  and a feeling of them, and complain of them to be great and grievous: 
1 Sam. 15. 24. 25. & 26. 21.  but so did damned Caine.  
6 After he hath committed sin, he may be very sorry and troubled before he commit a sin, & use all means not to do it, which few Christians do, committing sin without remorse: yet if he go no further he may be damned. For wicked Pilate did this, striving to set Christ free, 
Mat. 27. 17. 23.  and pleading for him. Also Herod, being to behead john Baptist.  
7 After he hath committed a sin, 
Mat. 14. 9  he may be very sorry for it, yea, mourn and make satisfaction: yet if he go no further he may be damned; 
1 King. 21. 27.  for Achab did this, mourning and fasting. And judas also, 
Mat. 27. 3. 45.  who was so sorry that he hanged himself, and made satisfaction.  
8 He may be accounted so glorious a member of the visible Church, as the best Minister may have nothing to say against him: yea, he may make such a good confession of his Faith, as he may be partaker of the Sacraments, yet a reprobate: 
joh. 13. 2.  for judas was such a one, and Simon Magus. 
Acts 8.   
9 He may lead such a godly outward life, that the true children of God may think him so good as themselves: he may reverently use all holy and Divine exercises: he may make much of Preachers: he may show great Zeal at the beginning, 
Mat. 26. 22.  yet a reprobate, for judas was so thought of by the Apostles: he used all holy exercises with the Apostles and our Saviour, 
Math. 6. 20  Herod made much of john Baptist: 
2 King. 10. 16. 18.  jehu was zealous at the beginning.  
10 He may not only pray publicly at the Church, which most men do for fashion, fear, shame, or company; but also alone betwixt God & himself, which few do, and God may hear his prayers, also he may desire the godly to pray for him, if he go no further he is but a reprobate: for the Pharisees went alone to the Temple to pray: 
1 King. 21. 29.  also God heard Achab, Pharaoh desired Moses to pray for him. 
Exod. 9 28  Also Simon Magus, Peter.  
11 He may think in his own heart that he is a very good Christian and beloved of God, 
Acts. 8. 24.  and thank God for it, and excel in the works of a Christian, move himself to thank GOD, use Prayer, Fasting, Alms, and upright dealing with all men, and yet may be damned if he go no further, for the Pharisees had all these: whom if our righteousness exceed not, 
Luk. 18. 11  we shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven.  
12 After all this godly life led, lying on his deathbed, he may often remember God & call upon him: he may talk of the joys of Heaven, and think them happy that be there, and wish himself there: yea, he may dye like a lamb, and yet for all this be a damned creature: for many shall say, Lord, Lord, and yet not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, 
Mat. 7. 21.  And assuredly, they never said it oftener than when they were sick: and the foolish VIRGINS desired to enter in with Christ, 
Mat. 25. 12  and yet were shut out: fear therefore and tremble till you stride the thirteenth step.  
13 The thirteenth step, without the which no man can enter into Heaven, and be saved, is true repentance, which whosoever hath not is yet no true Christian. And that is a true and unfeigned turning of the heart & soul unto the Lord God from all our sins, and is caused in us by the fearful sight of God's judgement hanging over our heads, moving us to lament our sins from our hearts bitterly: having a steadfast faith in the mercies of Christ jesus: applying them to ourselves, for our agreement with God: and leading a godly life according to God's Commandments till our death: which true repentance when it is in any, hath the seven properties which are before spoken of.  
FINIS.