The rule and exercises of holy living. In which are described the means and instruments of obtaining every vertue, and the remedies against every vice, and considerations serving to the resisting all temptations. Together with prayers containing the whole duty of a Christian, and the parts of devotion fitted to all occasions, and furnish'd for all necessities.

SECT. I. Of Faith. The Acts and Offices of Faith, are

1. TO believe every thing which God hath revealed to us; and when once we are convinced that God hath spoken it, to make no further enquiry, but humbly to submit, ever remembring that there are some things which our understanding cannot fathom nor search out their depth.

2. To believe nothing concerning God but what is honourable and excellent, as know∣ing that belief to be no honoring of God which entertains of him any dishonourable thoughts. Faith is the parent of Charity, and whatsoever Faith entertains must be apt to produce love to God: but he that believes God to be cruel or unmerciful, or a rejoycer in the una∣voidable damnation of the greatest part of mankinde, or that he speaks one thing and privately means another; thinks evil thoughts concerning God, and such, as for which we should hate a man, and therefore are great enemies of Faith, being apt to destroy charity. Our Faith concerning God must be as himself hath revealed and described his own excellen∣cies: and in our discourses we must remove from him all imperfection, and attribute to him all excellency.

3. To give our selves wholly up to Christ in heart and desire to become Disciples of his

doctrine with choice (besides conviction) be∣ing in the presence of God, but as Ideots, that is, without any principles of our own to hinder the truth of God; but sucking in greedily all that God hath taught us, believing it infinitely, and loving to believe it. For this is an act of Love reflected upon Faith, or an act of Faith leaning upon Love.

4. To believe all Gods promises, and that whatsoever is promised in Scripture shall on Gods part be as surely performed as if we had it in possession. This act makes us to rely upon God with the same confidence as we did on our Parents when we were children, when we made no doubt, but whatsoever we needed we should have it if it were in their power.

5. To believe also the conditions of the pro∣mise, or that part of the revelation which con∣cerns our duty. Many are apt to believe the Article of remission of sins, but they believe it without the condition of repentance, or the fruits of holy life: and that is to believe the Article otherwise then God intended it. For the Covenant of the Gospel is the great object of Faith, and that supposes our duty to answer his grace; that God will be our God, so long, as we are his people; The other is not Faith but Flattery.

6. To professe publickly the doctrine of Jesus Christ, openly owning whatsoever he hath revealed and commanded, not being a∣shamed of the word of God, or of any practises enjoyned by it; and this, without complying with any mans interest, not regarding favor, nor being moved with good words, not fearing dis∣grace, or losse, or inconvenience, or death it self.

7. To pray without doubting, without weari∣nesse, without faintnesse, entertaining no jea∣lousies, or suspitions of God, but being confi∣dent of Gods hearing us, and os his returns to us, whatsoever the manner or the instance be, that if we do our duty, it will be gracious and merciful.

These acts of Faith are in several degrees in the servants of Jesus: some have it but as a grain of mustard-seed, some grow up to a plant, some have the fulnesse of faith: but the least faith that is must be a perswasion so strong as to make us undertake the doing of all that duty which Christ built upon the foundation of be∣lieving: but we shall best discern the truth of our faith by these following signes. S. Hierom reckons three.

Signes of true Faith.

1. An earnest and vehement prayer: for it is impossible we should heartily believe the things of God and the glories of the Gospel, and not most importunately desire them. For every thing is desired according to our belief of its excellency and possibility.

2. To do nothing for vain glory, but wholly for the interests of religion, and these Articles we believe; valuing not at all the r••mours of men, but the praise of God, to whom by faith, we have given up all our intellectual faculties.

3. To be content with God for our Judge, for our Patron, for our Lord, for our friend, desiring God to be all in all to us, as we are in our understanding and affections wholly his.

Adde to these.

4. To be a stranger upon earth in our af∣fections, and to have all our thoughts and prin∣cipal

desires fixed upon the matters of Faith, the things of Heaven. For if a man were a∣dopted heir to Caesar, he would (if he believed it real and effective) despise the present, and wholly be at court in his Fathers eye; and his desires would outrun his swiftest speed, and all his thoughts would spend themselves in crea∣ting Ideas, and little phantastick images of his future condition. Now God hath made us Heirs of his Kingdom, and Coheirs with Je∣sus: if we believed this, we would think and affect, and study accordingly. But he that rejoyces in gain, and his heart dwells in the world, and is espoused to a fair estate, and trans∣ported with a light momentany joy, and is af∣flicted with losses, and amazed with temporal persecutions, and esteems disgrace, or poverty in a good cause to be intolerable, this man either hath no inheritance in Heaven, or be∣lieves none; and believes not that he is adopt∣ed to be the Son of God, the Heir of eter∣nal Glory.

5. S. Iames's signe is the best: [Shew me thy faith by thy works] Faith makes the Merchant di∣ligent and venturous, and that makes him rich. Ferdinando of Arragon believed the story told him by Columbus, and therefore he furnished him with ships, and got the west Indies by his Faith in the undertaker. But Henry the seventh of England believed him not, and therefore trusted him not with shipping, and lost all the purchase of that Faith. It is told us by Christ [He that forgives shall be for∣given] if we believe this, it is certain we shall forgive our enemies; for none of us all but need and desire to be forgiven. No man can possibly despise or refuse to desire such

excellent glories as are revealed to them that that are servants of Christ: and yet we do no∣thing that is commanded us as a condition to obtain them. No man could work a dayes labor without faith: but because he believes he shall have his wages at the dayes or weeks end, he does his duty. But he onely believes who does that thing which other men in the like cases do, when they do believe. He that believes, money gotten with danger is better then po∣verty with safety, will venture for it in unknown lands or seas: and so will he that believes it better to get Heaven with labour, then to go to Hell with pleasure.

6. He that believes does not make haste, but waits patiently till the times of refreshment come, and dares trust God for the morrow, and is no more sollicitous for next year, then he is for that which is past: and it is certain, that man wants faith who dares be more confi∣dent of being supplied when he hath money in his purse, then when he hath it onely in bills of exchange from God: or that relyes more upon his own industry then upon Gods provi∣dence, when his own industry fails him. If you dare trust to God when the case to humane reason seems impossible, and trust to God then also out of choice, not because you have no∣thing else to trust to, but because he is the one∣ly support of a just confidence, then you give a good testimony of your faith.

7. True Faith is confident, and will ven∣ture all the world upon the strength of its persuasion. Will you lay your life on it, your estate, your reputation, that the doctrine of JESUS CHRIST is true in every Article? Then you have true Faith. But he that fears men

more then God, believes men more then he believes in God.

8. Faith, if it be true, living, and justify∣ing cannot be separated from a good life: it works miracles, makes a Drunkard become sober, a lascivious person become chast, a co∣vetous man become liberal: it overcomes the world, it works righteousnesse, and makes us diligently to do, and cheerfully to suffer what∣soever God hath placed in our way to Heaven.

The Means and Instruments to obtain Faith, are

1. An humble, willing, and docible minde, or desire to be instructed in the way of God: For persuasion enters like a sun-beam, gently, and without violence: and open but the win∣dow, and draw the curtain and the Sun of righ∣teousnesse will enlighten your darknesse.

2. Remove all prejudice and love to every thing which may be contradicted by Faith: How can ye believe (said Christ) that receive praise one of another? An unchast man cannot easily be brought to believe that without pu∣rity he shall never see God. He that loves riches can hardly believe the doctrine of po∣verty and renuntiation of the world: and alms and Martyrdom, and the doctrine of the crosse is folly to him that loves his ease and pleasures. He that hath within him any principle contrary to the doctrines of Faith, cannot easily become a Disciple.

3. Prayer which is instrumental to every thing hath a particular promise in this thing. He that lacks wisdom let him ask it of God: and, if you give good things to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father give his Spirit to them that ask him.

4. The consideration of the Divine Omni∣potence, and infinite wisdom, and our own ignorance, are great instruments of curing all doubting, and silencing the murmures of in∣fidelity.

5. Avoid all curiosity of inquiry into parti∣culars, and circumstances and mysteries: for true faith is full of ingenuity, and hearty sim∣plicity, free from suspicion, wise and confi∣dent, trusting upon generals without watching and prying into unnecessary or undiscernable particulars. No Man carries his bed into his field to watch how his corn grows; but be∣lieves upon the general order of Providence and Nature; and at Harvest findes himself not deceived.

6. In time of temptation be not busie to dispute, but relye upon the conclusion, and throw your self upon God, and contend not with him, but in prayer, and in the presence, and with the help of a prudent untempted guide: and be sure to esteem all changes of belief which offer themselves in the time of your greatest weaknesse (contrary to the per∣swasions of your best understanding) to bee temptations, and reject them accordingly.

7. It is a prudent course that in our health and best advantages we lay up particular argu∣ments and instruments of perswasion and con∣fidence, to be brought forth and used in the great day of expence; and that especially in such things in which we use to be most temp∣ted, and in which we are least confident, and which are most necessary, and which common∣ly the Devil uses to assault us withal in the days of our visitation.

8. The wisdom of the Church of God is

very remarkable in appointing Festivals or Holidayes, whose solemnity and Offices have no other special businesse but to record the Article of the day; such as, Trinity Sunday, Ascension, Easter, Christmas day: and to those persons who can onely believe, not prove or dispute, there is no better instrument to cause the remembrance, and plain noti∣on, and to endear the affection and hear∣ty assent to the Article, then the proclaim∣ing and recommending it by the festivity and joy of a Holy day.

Notes

• D••mus D••um aliquid posse qu•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 f••t••a••ur investi••••ro non posse. S. August. l. 2. ca••. 7. de Civitat.
• Dial. adver. Lucif.
• 2 Cor. 13.5. Rom. 8.10.
• In ••ebus mirit summa ••reden••i ••itio es 〈…〉〈…〉 S. Aug.