Seuen treatises containing such direction as is gathered out of the Holie Scriptures, leading and guiding to true happines, both in this life, and in the life to come: and may be called the practise of Christianitie. Profitable for all such as heartily desire the same: in the which, more particularly true Christians may learne how to leade a godly and comfortable life euery day. Penned by Richard Rogers, preacher of the word of God at Wethersfield in Essex.

CHAP. 3. Of the second Priuiledge: namely, That God is with his alwaies after he hath assured them of his fauour. [ K]

BVt to passe to the second: if they might onely know, that they shall be saued after they depart out of this world, and should in the meane while be neglected and left as orphans, desolate and exposed to all iniuries and discomforts, the priuiledge, which I haue spoken of, should be the lesse (although nothing is to be

[ A] compared vnto it:) but God hath promised ouer and beside that,* 1.1 to haue a fa∣therly care ouer them, euen in this life also, and to testifie his loue plentifully vnto them many other waies: which special care he hath not of other, though he suffereth them to liue. 1. Tim. 4.10. Also he is their shelter from tempests and stormes of troubles; and keepeth them safe vnder his protection, as the hen doth the chickens vnder her wing: yea, he keepeth them as the apple of his eie; and counteth them his friends, communicating with them his se∣crets,* 1.2 and declaring and making knowen to them the hidden treasures of his kingdome, and in euery estate will saue and vpholde them by his prouidence: [ B] so that they may prosper and be well liking in respect of other, though they haue all outward abundance. And if God who is rich in all good things and hath all power in his hands, be their shepheard, what can they want?* 1.3 if he be with them (as he is) who can be against them? if he honour them,* 1.4 whose dis∣gracing of them can hurt them? yea, if he make them blessed, who can de∣priue them of it?

But when I haue said what I can of their estate, I must confesse I haue said little, so great and precious are the particular prerogatiues which they haue bequeathed vnto them. And yet beholde,* 1.5 in this high account they are with God alwaies, when his anger is kindled against other which are his enemies. [ C] And what comfort may be conceiued by the beleeuing, considering and ap∣plying of all these unto the faithfull heart? And that I may the easilier per∣swade the weake Christian, that these things are not little, consider if any one of these commodities, which I haue said, doe, by Gods free grant, pertaine to the beleeuers, that by some one they may value and esteeme the rest: consider therefore, first the honor that they haue in being called The seruants of God (than the which title and name the angels haue no greater) to declare the ho∣nour that goeth with it: which partly may appeare by another comparison, and that also more familiar to vs. For looke, how high and honourable the office and place is, that is inioyed vnder a Prince (whither it be L. Chancellor, [ D] Treasurer, or the like) more than the same is vnder an inferior person:* 1.6 euen so by many degrees, the honour of being seruant vnto the most high, is farre greater than all other which here may be attained.

And yet as though this were not enough to be called The seruants of the Almighty, Christ himselfe setteth out their estate to be yet more glorious, when he saith: I haue not called you seruants but friends, to whom I haue communi∣cated my secrets and minde, vnto the which a seruant is not commonly admit∣ted. And yet euen this is not so admirable, if it be laied with that which in an∣other place is written: That God hath adopted vs to be his sonnes and heires, yea fellow-heires with Christ himselfe. Not much vnlike hereunto, is that which is [ E] written in another place: If ye will keepe my commandements, ye shall be to me the most precious of all the earth, though all the earth be mine. If the godly be his precious treasure, how can they but be delighted in of him, safely kept al∣so, and preserued from all that might annoy them? and being so deare vnto him, how will he suffer them to want any thing that is good? And therefore Kings for their honour they are called, though not earthly, inferior to the an∣gels indeed; but yet, through hope, the most precious people among all nati∣ons,

though all the earth be his:* 1.7 whereby they rule ouer Sathan the prince of [ F] this world, by faith, and tread vnder their feet the kingdome of darknesse and sinne, and so become conquerors ouer him and the world. For the Scripture teacheth them this wisdome, the spirit giueth them this grace, and witnesseth this to be true,* 1.8 that he which hath faith, ouercommeth the world: that is, ma∣keth that, which is in it, as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, to be subiect to him. An honour which Kings and Princes, for the most part, attaine not vnto: for many of them aswell as of others, worship the beast, and offer to him their crowne, and willingly submit themselues to his slauery. And this honour which he bequeatheth to his faithfull ones, is one [ G] commodity and fruite of his provident care and fatherly regard that he hath over them.

And yet in that there is no end of this, but that he will continue it towards them throughout their life,* 1.9 and that in more certainty and assurance, it is so much the more to be had in admiration: whereas in the meane while, they who are none of his, nor nourtered in his family, which is his church, cannot inioy the least part of this liberty, they cannot beleeue nor be perswaded of any such thing at any time, neither dare they promise to themselues, that he will be with them, and be a shelter vnto them; but for want thereof they smart, being hardened in their hearts, and let loose after their owne desire, to com∣mit [ H] any sinne that their heart lusteth after, euen with greedinesse; and that, be∣cause the lord hath not that especiall care ouer them, that he hath ouer his owne beloued ones to keepe them from it.

This prerogatiue (I say) the wicked men of the world, and vnregenerate, not onely haue not while they remaine in that estate,* 1.10 neither doe so much as fervently and constantly desire it, nor cannot; being no more able, then the blind man is to see, or the new borne child to walke: and therefore in stead of these liberties they are still in bondage, and for the most sweet dainties of gods children, they are fedde with draffe, euen with fancies, dreames and deceiuable pleasures. But contrariwise, that which was spoken to Mary the mother of [ I] Iesus,* 1.11 thou being freely beloued of the lord, he is euer with thee afterwards, to preserue thee whom he hath loued: the same may be verified of all gods chil∣dren; after he hath once receiued them into fauour, forgiuing them all their sinns,* 1.12 he is with them euer after, to watch ouer and care for them; that so they may be presented safe before him, when he shall appeare for their euerlasting deliuerance.

By which it may be seene, how excellent and how much to be desired, the estate of the poorest of Gods children is,* 1.13 aboue the flourishing youth that liueth at hearts case, or the mightiest monarch or prince that is vnreformed. It might seeme therefore, that euen this honour that God giveth to his ser∣vants, [ K] which I have already spoken of, were enough. And I confesse, that if I might haue had my choise, when I was in the depth of hellish anguish and mi∣sery, I should not haue asked the tenth part of it: the lord hath therefore giuen more, then we could haue asked or thought: yet these are not all the priui∣ledges, which God hath bestowed vpon his beloued ones, as shall be seene. For heereby they walke in greater safety, then if they were guarded with an ar∣my

[ A] of men: yea, if whole armies of enimies came against them, as against Elisha, yet have they more with them, then against them.* 1.14 For the angels of God doe pitch their tents about them to keepe them.* 1.15 And how great a pre∣rogatiue this is, they can best tell who beleeue it, although they must needs commend it who doe but heare the report of it. For they know and haue ex∣perience of it, who receive these promises into their hearts by faith, and be∣leeue that God will performe the same vnto them, who are not at any time de∣priued of them but onely through their vnbeliefe.

I graunt, that all gods children inioy not this, neither say I any such thing: [ B] but this I say and affirme freely, that to every age in Christ, both the weake,* 1.16 the strong and the middle age, there is more granted by God, then is inioied of them: not that God doth in words seeme to offer that,* 1.17 which he meaneth not to performe, but because men either know not, or beleeue not through sa∣thans malice, what their liberties are: or if they doe,* 1.18 yet it is so faintly belee∣ued, that they are holden backe by euery occasion almost, to forgoe and be dispossessed of them. Which all must grant to be through their owne fault, which may easily appeare to him who is willing to see it, thus: whereas the spirituall riches, which beautifie the soule, are the greatest riches, and therefore should most be sought after, esteemed and delighted in: many euen of good [ C] hope, which will grant this with vs, will not yet bestow any more trauell for the same (be they neuer so great priuiledges which god offereth them) then they did in times past; that is, with lesse delight and feruency, then they shew in fol∣lowing and looking after their earthly commodities. They cannot (I say) be brought to set an higher price vpon the graces of God, and the heauenly li∣berties, which belong to Christians, then vpon transitory things, which soone passe away.

And this in few words is the chiefe cause, why not only earthly minded men attaine to nothing, but euen some such as haue receiued the first fruites of the spirit, grow not to any great experience what the excellent estate of a christi∣an [ D] is, and how great priuiledges God granteth many of them to inioy. Alas,* 1.19 if men tast but a little of beliefe that their sinnes shall be forgiuen them, they hardly goe any further to daily proceedings in their faith (though they are taught that they should grow from faith to faith) and so to liue by it,* 1.20 but stand at a stay for the most part, euer ready to call into question, whether they haue it or no. What are such the better for the infinit good things, which God hath in store for his, which also diuers of their brethren inioy already, in respect of that which they may attaine to? but rather as though they were no such, they walke either heauily, nothing able to beare off the discouragements which they meet with, by spirituall helpes and incouragements which they haue not; [ E] or rather in worse case, that is, not seeing, when they are hindred at all. I deny not, that the diuill doth subtilely and vigilantly seeke to blindefold them, wea∣ken their faith, and set manifold stoppes in their way: but wherefore haue they beene taught this, that the scripture giueth greater grace,* 1.21 but that the eie should beleeue it, and finde it so then? And againe the greater is he which is in them, namely the spirit of god, then he that is in the world, that is the diuill?

And yet al these & other such excellent priuiledges which appertaine unto

them,* 1.22 are no more then God did see they should stand in need of to helpe [ F] them beare the burden of tribulation, reproch and other discouragements which heere of necessity must meet with them: which would shake them so, as they would make them to faint vtterly, if they were not vpholden with props and staies most mighty. Consider this yee that forget God and aske not af∣ter him: but especially, yee seruants of his who desire to doe his will. For these things doth God indeed: I meane, he bequeatheth many goodly and sweet liberties to his, and many of his beloued ones find them and feele them; and you that doe not so, behold what yee loose and goe without. Claime therefore with reuerence that which is your due, I meane which god hath be∣stowed [ G] vpon you; and beware, lest through your default, the priuiledges of Christians should not be thought as great as the Lorde in his word affirmeth them to be, whiles you inioy them not, as though they were no such.

* 1.23The Lord hath done great things for vs, as it is written: Honorable things are reported of thee, O thou citty of God. And if it were not so, and if the loue of God were not sweetly shed in our hearts through the holy ghost; yea, if we were not perswaded that the Lord is a plentifull rewarder of them that seeke him,* 1.24 and that all the afflictions of this life are not worthy the glory which shall be shewed vpon us, we might soone be caused to cast downe our counte∣nance and be discouraged:* 1.25 who are not onely strangers heere and therefore [ H] not knowen nor regarded, but we are among professed enimies, who, the more we differ from them, the more we are hated of them, and therefore in feare of continuall and infinite dangers by reason of them and their captaine; and, but for that the Lord hath promised to be with vs and guide vs, we should vtterly faint and be discouraged.

Notes

• * 1.1

  God hath a spe∣ciall care of his, euen in this world. Rom. 5.5. Ps. 30.6.7. Luc. 13.34. Deut. 32.10.
• * 1.2

  1. Tim. 4.10. & Mat. 10.30. Ps. 1.3.
• * 1.3

  Ps. 23.1.
• * 1.4

  Rom. 8.31. 1. Sam. 2.30. Ps. 1.1.
• * 1.5

  And in this safety they are, when his anger is kindled a∣gainst others.

  Ps. 2.12. Beholde the greatnesse of this priuiledge in one part of it:

  Hebr. 1.14. Namely, the honour that they are in thereby.
• * 1.6

  The greatnesse of this priuilege is set forth also by this title that Christ giueth them, of being called not ser∣uants but friends.

  Ioh. 15.15. Also in that we are sonnes, heires & fellow heires with Christ. Rom 8.17. Exod. 19.5. Furthermore, the godly are the treasure of the Lord, and therefore the delight of his heart.
• * 1.7

  The godly are also called kings for their honor. Exod. 19.5.
• * 1.8

  1. Ioh. 5.4.
• * 1.9

  God will conti∣nue this honour to them.
• * 1.10

  The wicked haue no part in it.
• * 1.11

  Luc. 1.28.
• * 1.12

  Whom God once loueth, he loueth vnto the end.
• * 1.13

  The estate of the poorest child of God, is farre better that the best of the vn∣godly.

  Experience tea∣cheth the trueth of these things. Eph. 3.19.
• * 1.14

  2. King. 6.16.
• * 1.15

  Psal. 34.7.
• * 1.16

  Why they inioy not this con∣stantly.
• * 1.17

  Note.
• * 1.18

  Men not know∣ing, or but faintly belee∣uing the liber∣ties of the chil∣dren of God, depriue them∣selues of much comfort that they might con∣stantly enioy.
• * 1.19

  Note.
• * 1.20

  Rom. 1.16.
• * 1.21

  Iam. 4.6. 1. Ioh. 4.4.
• * 1.22

  All the priui∣ledges of the godly are no more then God saw needfull for them. 1. Pet. 1.6.
• * 1.23

  Psal. 87.3. Rom. 5.5.
• * 1.24

  Heb. 11.6.
• * 1.25

  1. Ioh. 3.3. Reuel. 2.13.