Of peace and contentment of minde. By Peter Du Moulin the sonne. D.D.

OF THE PEACE OF THE SOULE AND CONTENTMENT OF MINDE. (Book 1)

THE FIRST BOOK. Of Peace with God. (Book 1)

CHAP. I. Of the Peace of the Soul.

THe Gospell is called a Testament, be∣cause it is the declaration of the last Will of our Lord Jesus Christ. By that Will, he leaves his peace to his Disciples, and being neere his death tells them, Iohn 14.17. My peace I leave unto you, my peace I give unto you. For since Jesus is called the Prince of Peace, Isaiah 9.5. his proper legacy to his heires, is peace.

How comes it to passe then that such as beare themselves as Christs heires by Will, yet will not

take his legacy? & that Peace is no where a grea∣ter stranger then in the Christian Church, to whom it was left by an especiall title?

It is true indeed, that the peace which our Sa∣viour left to his Disciples is not the temporal but the spirituall, which is the peace of man with God, & with his owne conscience; wherefore he tells them, that he gives it not as the World gives it. But it is true also, that the want of that spirituall and inward peace brings outward war, as Saint James teacheth us, James 4.1. VVhence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that warre in your members? He that is well with God and himselfe, and keeps his affec∣tions in order, quietly brought under the rule of the feare and love of God, will neither lightly provok quarrells, nor be easily moved with provo∣cations. He will be little concerned in publique contentions, and gently get off from particular.

This is the roote of the evill, that we seek not to be invested in the possession of that peace of God, which the Lord Jesus left us by his Will, & now so graciously presents unto us by his word and spirit, and that wee disturb the work of that good spirit the spirit of peace, siding with our tur∣bulent and vicious passions against him.

When we lose that peace, we lose all other goods, for in peace all good is comprehended. It is the extent of the word peace in Hebrew, that philosophical tongue. That soul, where the peace

of God dwelleth, doth sincerely relish his ble∣ssings, and turneth evill into good. But a vicious unquiet spirit doth not taste how the Lord is gracious 1 Pet 2.3. And turneth good into evill, as a liver inflamed with a burning Fever, is worse inflamed by nourishing meats.

The objects that moves desire and feare in this world, are for the most part indifferent in their na∣ture; good to him that useth them well, evill to him that knoweth not how to use them; So that good and evill lye within a mans self, not in things without Pro. 14.14. A good man shall be sa∣tisfied from himself, saith Salomon. This is a beaten subject though never sufficiently considered. If it were, it would frame the soule to piety & tran∣quillity, and make a mans spirit free, clearesight∣ed, master of all things, and (which is more then all) master at home.

The way to attaine to that command of our in∣ward State, is to yield it to God, who being our great principle and our original being, imparts his freedome, & a beame of the soverainty of his sub∣lime nature, to the soule that draweth neer unto him from whom it is descended. God being the so∣veraigne of the soule as of all creatures, the soule cannot have any rule at home but from him, nor enjoy it under him without a free subjection to his will.

That peace and liberty of the soule whereby a man having all his interest in heaven, is disinte∣ressed

to all things in the world, walketh confi∣dent among dangers, and entertaineth with an e∣qual and serene face good and evill successe, is ea∣sier described then obtained. Yet we must not be discouraged, but study to describe it, that we may obtain it in some measure, for it is gained by me∣ditation. And the best kinds of meditation upon that peace, is, to lift up our soule unto God the in∣exhaustible fountain of peace, which he makes to flow upon those that draw neer unto him.

We shall never fully injoy that peace, till wee be fully united with the God of peace; A perfec∣tion unsuitable with this life, where the best are often drawn aside from God, by the wandring of their thoughts, and the disorder of their affec∣tions, which made St Paul to say 2 Cor. 5, 6. that while we are at home in the body wee are absent from the Lord. Yet so much as a faithfull man enjoyes of the peace of God, vvhile he lives in the flesh, is as much above the most florishing peace of the grea∣test Kings of the vvorld, as Heaven is above earth. And vvhere it is vvanting, the highest earthly glory, vvhich dravves the envy of men, ought ra∣ther to move their pitty. Without it, the garish shew of honours and treasures is like a richly im∣broidered night-cap upon a head tormented with a violent meagrime. And all that worldly pompe is not only uselesse but hurtfull, sowring the mind with cares, and firing the appetite with temptati∣ons, which afterwards teare the conscience with

remorse, or benumme it into a deadly lethargy. Whereas the peace of God is a Paradice, the mo∣derator of passions, the Schoole of vertue, the king∣dome of God within the soule. Blessed and holy is he that hath it. and to him is next in happinesse and holinesse, he that sincerely endeavoreth to get it, and to that end yeelds to God the raines of his affections, brings his will under Gods will, and humbly invites him to fixe his dwelling, & beare rule within his breast.

It is the end that I aim at, in this worke. And I beseech the God of peace, so to blesse and honour it, as to make it an instrument to work His peace in the souls of his servants, beginning at my soule.

To that work every Christian ought to put his hand as he loveth God and himselfe. To which wee are the more induced and in a manner com∣pelled by the contrariety of the Time. While the storme of warre or intestine dissensions is raging in all parts of the world, not leaving one safe cor∣ner for peace, the wise Christian must take sanc∣tuary in that inward peace, that peace of God, which though it passe all understanding, yet will dwell in the understanding and the affections of those that faithfully seek it, and keep both hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God through Jesus Christ. Get once God within you, you have a shelter at home against all injuryes a∣broad; as he that in a tempestuous raine flyes in∣to

a Church, and in Gods house finds peace and safety, whilst the whole aire abroad is enflamed with lightnings, and roaring with thunder; and the land floods are hurling down houses, drown∣ing sheep and shepheards, and destroying the long hopes of the Husbandmans labour. For the faithfull soul is Gods Temple, which he graceth by his presence, and blesseth with his peace, not suffering it to be removed though the earth be re∣moved, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea.

This peace at home, in which our duty and our happinesse are concentred, is an inviting subject for a diligent contemplation. Let us examine wherein consisteth the true peace of the soul and contentment of mind, and how wee must keepe peace with God, with our selves, with our neigh∣bours, in adversity, in prosperity, and in all the occurrences of life.

CHAP. II. Of the Peace of Man in his integrity, and the losse of that peace by sinne.

THe fundamentall rule of great reformations is to bring things to their beginning. By that rule, that wee may know the true peace of God and how wee may get it, wee must cast back our sight upon the beginning, how God gave it to man, and how he lost it soone after. And here

wee must use that which the Spirit sayd unto the Churches, Rev. 2.5. Remember whence thou art fal∣len, and repent.

Man newly created after Gods likenes was in perfect peace with him: for God, making an image of himselfe, would not have made it dis∣senting from him; and peace is a prime lineament of Gods Image. That first human soule, recently breathed out of Gods mouth, followed with delight the fresh and pure traces of his divine production; and man, finding in himselfe the likness of his Creator, tooke a great joy and glo∣ry to compare that copy with the original. That moving image of God did imitate his actions, as doth the image of our body in a glasse. And whereas in the worke of regeneration, St Paul saith, that the new man, is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him, and that he is created after God in righteousnes and true holines, it followes, that the first man was created such, since wee learne that such must be the renewing of man, to be created againe after the image of God.

These lively expresses of the image of God, knowledge, righteousnes, and holines, could not be in that first man, without an entire peace and conso∣nance with his Creator. And having peace with God, he had it also with himselfe; His desires were not at variance with his fears, nor his knowledge with his actions; His thoughts belyed not his words; His cupidity did not draw against his

conscience, & his conscience layd no accusation a∣gainst him. From that good intelligence with God and with himselfe, he could not but reape a great content in his mind; that content also being a lineament of the image of God, to whom, as holines, so happines is natural and essential.

For that contentment of mind he got no smal contribution from the beauty and plenty of Na∣ture smiling upon him, and the willing submission of all animals flocking about him, as loving sub∣jects, meeting to wellcome their new Soveraign. For his peace with God kept all creatures in peace and obedience under him: Abroad, the clemency of the aire, and the pleasantnes of a garden of Gods planting delighted him. And at home, his familiarity and free accesse to his Maker filled him with joy and confidence. And his original righteousnes (if he could have kept it) would have perpetuated that blessed peace unto him; for peace is the most proper effect of righteousnesse, as it is exprest by Isatah, The work of righteousnesse shal be peace, and the effect of righteousnesse quietness & assurance for ever. Isa. 32.17. Truly, God forbid∣ding him to eat of that excepted fruit upon paine of death, did intimate that as long as he kept in o∣bedience, death could take no hold of him, nor a∣ny of the appurtenances of death: for such are all the infirmities of the body, all the griefes of the mind, and all the crosses of this life. Ezekiel in the eighteenth Chapter is copious upon this demon∣stration

that life is inseperable from righ∣teousness, and mortality from sinne.

This last was justified by wofull experience; for man going from his righteousnesse forfeited his life and his peace: And presently, a dark cloud of confusion and misery troubled his golden sereni∣ty: The voyce of God which was the joy of man, suddenly became his terrour; Gods presence which was his life, became so formidable to him, that it went for a currant truth, Judg. 13.22. Wee shall surely dye, because wee have seene God. Man be∣ing fallen off from God, most part of the creatures fell off from him, and that rebellion continued e∣ver since. Those that have sense and motion open∣ly deny to yeeld subjection unto him, flee away from him when he will come neere them, or flye upon him with open hostility: And to get service from them, he must tame them young, before they be able to resist him. Other Creatures destitute of sense, yet seeme sensible enough to let him know, that they yeeld to him a forced service. Neither can the earth be wonne to doe any good for him, but by great labour and long expectation: Diseases enter into his body with the meate that he eateth, and the aire that he breatheth. Stormes beat upon him, Summers scorch him, Winters chill him. Foxes have holes, and birds of the aire have nests, their garments are natural, warme in winter, light in summer: To man onely, Nature gives not where to lay his head; nor so much as a skinne ca∣pable

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

to abide his native ayre. He is ashamed to see his person, and robbes his subjects of their ve∣sture to hide himselfe under the spoyle.

And yet that discord between man and nature is lesse then the discord between man and man. For generally, men advance themselves by their mutual ruine, and seldome get any of the goods of this world, but by the evill of another; Warres, lawsuits, envies among Neighbours, and domesti∣que quarrells, make the face of the world like un∣to a wild rugged field, full of thorns & bryers; if not liker unto a stormy Sea, where the waves break one another continually. It is the raigne of discord and confusion.

And yet the discord of man with his own kind, is not so grievous as his disagreement with his owne selfe; I mean the naturall and unregene∣rate man. For reason, which bore a peaceable and uncontrouled rule within mans soule, before he was estranged from God, finds no more that rea∣dy obedience of the facultyes and affections. His general inborne notions of goodnesse and wise∣dom, are now and then darkned with the parti∣cular violent suggestions of the appetite, casting a thick cloud before the eye of the understanding: Reason her self studieth her own delusion, putting a disguise of good upon evill; Many times also a man knowing and condemning evill, followeth it at the same time; being alike unable to blind his judgment, and rule his passion. Then, as passions

are pulling against Reason, they will also pull one against another; as when subjects nave shaken off the yoke of their King, the State breaketh into factions, and every one is pulling for himselfe. Wrath and lust, wil fiercely bustle the one against the other, as two land flood torrents falling from two opposite mountains. The like between feare & desire, covetuousnesse & ambition, love and je∣lousie; or if one passion raignes alone, it doth ty∣rannize over the heart. To teare a mans soul, and bring him to slavery and misery, there needs no more but lust or envy, or impatience of revenge.

In a heart lying under that tyranny, and hel∣ping his own slavery, when God by his spirit be∣gins the worke of regeneration, then begins ano∣ther kind of discord; of which St Paul speakes, Gal. 5.17. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the Flesh, and these two are contrary the one to the other, so that you doe not the things that ye would. This is a more irreconcilable quarrell then the other betweene the vicious passions, which many times will agree to do evill, and yeeld one to another by turnes, as the occasion serveth; But between the flesh and the spirit, that is, be∣tweene the feare of God and the corruption of our nature there can be neither peace nor truce; Vice must fall and break his neck before the fear of God, as Dagon before the Arke, unlesse that God irritated by a pertinacious resistance, with∣draw his feare and knowledge from a stubborne

heart; and then it is not God but man that is over∣come, for while he shakes off the free yoake of pi∣ety, he puts on the slavish yoak of his unruly ap∣petite, and becomes a drudge to feed the greedi∣ness of an imperious and insatiable master. Isa. 48.22. There is no peace saith the Lord for the wicked. The case is deplorable of a conscience destitute of the feare of God and faith in his promises, where the heady untamed passions have snatcht the rains from the hands of reason. It is the fable of Phaeton turned into a story; for reason, too weak for the head-strong appetite is overturned from his seate, the celestial light is quencht in the soule, the fire of cupidity is kindled in the heart, the unruly pa∣ssions runne wild their severall wayes, and the man is cast headlong into perdition.

That perdition is the final seperation from God and the endless discord with him, which begins in this very life. Yet as long as a man liveth upon earth, he hath a share in that generall love of God to his creatures, and the goodness and patience of God inviteth him to repentance. But after this life is done, God is an open enemy to those that have lived in emnity against him, and abused his grace & long patience. To describe that mise∣rable state, the Lord Jesus calls it outward darkness; worme that dyeth not, a fire that is not quenched, where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth. Imagine if you can, what it is to be shut out from God the father of light, and driven away from him for ever; Af∣ter

that, a hideous darkness, a worme gnawing, a fire burning, wailing and gnashing of teeth, late remorse, despair, hatred of ones selfe, and all ima∣ginable distresses are but consequences of that misery of miseryes, to be hated of God and hate him for ever.

Of that incomprehensible misery the suburbs are the torments of conscience in this life, to which the racks, the wheeles, and the fires, are not comparable. How grievous those torments are, many forsaken wretches have sufficiently exprest it, who being tortured by their conscience, and un∣capable to conceive any deliverance from the dis∣mal expectation of hell, have chosen rather to leape into hell, by a desperate selfe-murther, then to endure any longer the angry face of God pur∣suing them. And the miserable soules find there, what they seek to avoid; Amos 5.19. as if a man did flee from a Lion, and a Beare met him.

The examples are frequent of those whom the secret lashes of conscience have forced to make an open declaration of their hidden crimes, shew∣ing thereby, that they were upon Gods rack. But truly the examples are yet more frequent of seared and benummed consciences, which by pastimes, companyes, businesses, and the deceitfulnes of ri∣ches, divert their mind from that formidable thought of the quarrell, that is betweene God and them; cosening themselves, as farre as they can, with a vaine opinion that the way to scape Gods

justice, is, not to think of it; and, that they may not think of it, they enjoine their reason not to beleeve it.

But that numnesse is unworthy of the name of peace: There is great difference betweene safety and security, betweene having peace and not thinking of warre. Such men are like passengers sleeping in a ship that is sinking; or like that wee have heard with horrour and compassion, that bestial souldiers condemned to death, would drink lustick, and goe drunk to the gallowes; This I say is the behaviour of most part of the world, who bearing their condemnation in their conscience, make them-selves drunk while they are going downe into perdition; sometimes with strong drink, but continually with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, and with worldly cares and projects, being of opinion that it is needlesse to think of death, because it comes without thinking.

But in that carnal lethargy, conscience will start up by intervalls and pinch drousy hearts: Especially when adversity lyeth heavy upon their persons and familyes, and when sud∣den dangers overtake them. Then doe they see the angry countenance of Gods justice; Their owne crimes take them by the throate, and they seeme ready to say as Ahab to Eliah 1 Kings 21. hast thou found me mine enemy? And God saith to their heart with anger, I have found thee, because thou hast

sold thy selfe to worke evill in the sight of the Lord. There is no conscience so sunk in a deepe sleepe of sinne and worldlines, but will now and then awake, and cry out in a sudden fright. So did Fe∣lix, though a Pagan, an extortionner, and a man every way infamous; for, as St Paul reasoned of tem∣perance and righteousnes and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Goe thy way for this time, Act. 24.

Whosoever hath read bookes and men, may have observed what unquietnes, crimes will bring to the criminal; That tyrants continually ima∣gine a naked sword hanging over their head; That the wicked flee, when no man pursueth; That murtherers and perfidious men have a bro∣ken sleepe, and their mirth is interrupted with parentheses of frownes and grimme lookes; That when they excuse themselves of a foule fact, of which their conscience accuseth them, their con∣science many times gives the lye to their words, and they are contradicted by the inconstancy of their lookes, and the stammering of their tongue. And conscience will double these terrours, when their end draweth nigh. Many know who he was that started up often in his mortal drouzines on his death bed, commanding that his men should give over slaying.

But suppose that the wicked, that have the world at will, had as much rest within as with∣out, yet ••••dons saying to Craesus ought to be ob∣served,

Never to pronounce any man happy be∣fore his death. But the Christian ought to give to that sentence a longer terme, if he hath bin with David in the Sanctuary of God, and there hath under∣stood the end of the wickd, and found that God hath set them in slippery places, to cast them into de∣struction.

CHAP. III. Of the reconciliation of man with God, through Jesus Christ.

Such being the enmity betweene God and sin∣full man, which is followed with the discord of man with nature, & with his kind, & with him∣self; How welcome, how precious to him must the blessed newes be of Gods reconciliation with him? Esa. 5.27. How beautifull upon the mountaines are the feet of him, that bringeth good tydings, that publi∣sheth peace, that bringeth good tydings of good, that pub∣lisheth salvation, that saith unto Sion, Thy God reigneth? the chief ambassadour that anounceth that peace with God, is he that made it. It is the eternal sonne of God, who by an infinite mercy towards man guilty and miserable, was pleased to allye himself with him, by a personal union of the divine nature with the humane. He hath taken our nature and imparted his unto us. He hath made himselfe Man to take upon himself the debt of man. For seeing that man was indebted to Gods iustice, it

was requisite that a man should give satisfaction. Which because mans nature was not able to find, Christ joyning to the Nature and Obligation of man the Nature and Vertue of God, and both in one Person, hath fully satisfied the justice of his father, which required a perfect obedience, and death for punishment of disobedience.

He hath then presented to God a most accom∣plisht obedience, of which the most eminent act was to have readily undergone a shameful & bit∣ter death at his Fathers command for the sins of mankinde, of which he was the pledge and the re∣presentative; An obedience of infinite merit, more powerfull to obtaine pardon, yea and reward, at Gods hands, then all the disobedience of the world to incense his just wrath to punishment. 1. Pet. 2.24. His owne selfe bare our sins in his owne body on the tree. Isa. 53.5. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes wee are healed. For it pleased the father that in him should all fullness dwell, and having made peace through the bloud of his cross; by him to reconcile all things unto himselfe. Col. 1.19.

All that have recourse to that infinite love of God and that ransome of inestimable value, the merit of his sonne, embracing it with a true faith, (which cannot act, nor subsist, without a true re∣pentance) find their peace made with God; their iniquity is pardoned, they have received of the Lords hands double for all their sinnes. Isa. 40.2. It is a double satisfaction, both because it is twice grea∣ter

then all the sins of the world; and because it worketh a double effect, the one to get pardon for sins, the other to obtain a reward for imputed righteousness. And that satisfaction represented to God in our faithful prayers makes them accep∣table and of sweet favour, as the incense put upon the sacrifices,

It is much to be lamented that these tydings of grace and glory are but coldly entertained by car∣nal eares, as now growne stale and vulgar. And that there is more joy for prevailing in a Law∣suite, and for a Peace that opens the markets and the freedome of commerce after a civil broyle, then for our peace with God through Christ, in whom wee have free accesse unto the throne of grace, that wee may obtaine mercy and finde grace to help in time of need. Heb. 4.16. But he that in the fright of his conscience hath seen hell open, gaping for him, and hath once lost his thoughts in that bot∣tomelesse gulfe of misery and horrour to have his creatour his enemy; if upon that he embrace by faith that great and heavenly message, not onely that his sinnes are forgiven him by the merit of Christ, but that by the same merit, of an enemy and a child of wrath he is become the sonne of God and heire of his Kingdome, his heart will melt with joy love and admiration, and the sad∣der his sense was of his deplorable condition, the greater will his thankfulnesse be for his gracious restoration O the depth of the riches both of the

wisedome and the goodnesse of God, who hath found a way to set forth together his justice and his mercy, and to pardon sinne by punishing it! O the infinite love of the Father, who so loved the world that he gave his onely Sonne for them! O the infinite love of that onely Sonne, that so loved his enemyes that he delivered himselfe to a most bitter death to give them life and immortality, yea and his own kingdome! O the infinite love of the holy Ghost, who so loved the world as to an∣nounce unto them this excellent piece of newes by his word, and seale the promises of God in their hearts by faith in Jesus Christ, that whosoe∣ver beleeveth on him should not perish but have life eternal.

Behold then the onely foundation of the peace of the soule and contentment of mind! It is that peace made for us with God by his onely sonne, who hath taken our sinnes upon himselfe and in consequence the punishment; giving us in ex∣change his righteousnesse, and consequently the reward of it, since by it wee appeare righteous be∣fore God. This is the summary of the Gospell, This is the onely comfort of the faithfull, That being justifyed by faith wee have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 5.1. Without that persuasion all the moral precepts and all the reasons of Philosophy cannot set the mind at rest, much lesse the riches, honours, pleasures and pa∣stimes of this world, for who can have peace with

himselfe while he is in dissention with God? And who can have peace with God, but by the medi∣ation of his beloved sonne Jesus, there being no o∣ther name under heaven by which wee must be saved?

The chiefe impediment of the tranquillity of minde being the remorse for sinne against God, and the apprehension of this just and terrible threatning, Cursed is he that continueth not in all the words of Gods law to doe them. Whosoever embra∣ceth the merit of Jesus Christ by faith is fenced against all the threatnings of the law, and all the accusations of his conscience: For to them he will answere, As Gods threatnings are just so are his promises; now, he hath promist that if wee judge our selves wee shall not be judged of the Lord. 1. Cor. 11.31. That he that heareth the word of the sonne of God and beleeveth on him that sent him hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is past from death to life. Joh. 5.24. That the blood of Jesus Christ the sonne of God clenseth us from all sin. 1. Joh. 1.7. That he hath blotted out the hand writing of ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way nailing it to his crosse. Col. 2.14. Wherefore these threatnings, that God will bring every work to judgement, and that even for one idle word account must be given, reach not to those evill workes of which belei∣vers have repented and embraced the remission by faith in Jesus Christ.

Those threatenings of judgement doe not reach me, since I have already past judgemont upon myselfe by a serious contrition, and have received my Absolution by the merit of him that was judged and condemed for me. If account must be given for my sinnes, Christ must give it, who charged himselfe with them But that account is discharged, My sins are put out of Gods score; The curse of the law to a soule that beleeveth in Christ, as I doe, is a handwriting taken out of the way, a Bond torne and nailed to the crosse of Christ; God is too just to make use of a bond vacated to proceed against me: the merit of his Sonne which he re∣ceived in payment for me, is of too great value to leave me in danger to be sued, for the debts which he hath payd; for himself was arrested by Death, the Sergeant of Gods justice, and put in that jayle whence there is no comming out till one hath payd the utmost farthing; and being come out of that jayle by his resurrection, he hath made it ma∣nifest that he hath payd the whole debt which he was bound for in our behalfe unto Gods justice.

What though my sins be great? yet are they lesse then the merit of Jesus Christ. No sinne is so great that it ought to take away the confidence in Gods promises. No sinne is so great that it may damme a soule beaten downe with contrition, but toge∣ther raised by faith and washt in the blood of the sonne of God, Indeed the remembrance of my sins must be bitter unto me, yet that bitternes must be

drowned in the joy of my salvation, & my repen∣tance must be a step not a hinderance to my confi∣dence. So I will say to God every day with a con∣trite heart Forgive us our trespasses: And at the same time I will remember that I make that prayer unto our Father which is in heaven, who commands me to call him Father, to assure me that he will spare me as a man spareth his owne sonne that serveth him, Mal. 3.17. & to stile him heavenly father to whom the kingdome and the power and the glory belongeth, to lift up my hope to that celestial glory which he fully possesseth, and which he will impart to his children in their measure. I will walke before God with humility and feare, thinking on my sins past and my present weakenes and sinfulnes; but together I will goe in the strength of the Lord and make mention of his righteousnes. The righte∣ousnes of God that frighteth sinners, comforteth me, and his justice is all mercy to me: For the in∣finite merit of his Sonne being mine, he is now gra∣cious unto me in his justice. Hereby the peace and assurance which I enjoy through faith, is advanced to a joy of heaven upon earth, and to this song of triumph. Isa. 61.10. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord, my soule shall be joyfull in my God; for he hath cloathed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousnes, as a bridegroome decks himselfe with ornaments and as a bride adornes herselfe with her jewells. This is the peace and contentment of the faithful soule that feeleth and relisheth her

blessed reconcilation made with God through Jesus Christ. For he that hath peace with God hath peace also with himselfe. And the love of God powerfully growing in his heart by the con∣sideration of the bounty of God (whose sweetnes wee may taste though not conceive his greatnes) breeds there together the peace of God which passeth all understanding, banisheth tumultuous and unlawfull affections, and brings the lawfull under its obedience; so that all the affections of the regenerate soule meete in one, and make but one, which is the love of God, as many brookes that lose their names in a great River.

When the love of God brings not that great peace to the soule, and the absolute empire over the passions, it is because love is as yet imperfect; and the cause of that imperfection is the deficiency of faith, which doth not yet embrace aright the reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ; and faith is deficient when it is not maintained by good workes, her food, without which it pines a∣way, and falls into a shaking palsie; and when that foundation is shaking, all that is built upon it cannot but be tottering: This then must be our first and earnest taske, to make our selves sure of our peace with God by a lively faith, whereby our hearts may be purified from evill workes, and made fertile to all fruits of holinesse. For hereby we shall have peace with our selves and shall be masters at home.

Hereby also wee shall have peace with Gods creatures, receiving temporall blessings as testi∣monies of Gods reconciliation with us, and in e∣very bit of bread wee shall taste his love; Prospe∣rity and adversity will prove equally good unto us, being dispensed by his fatherly care. If God multiply our afflictions it will be onely to multi∣ply our deliverances. He will never put us to the tryal but to refine our faith, weane our hearts from the world, and make his heavenly comforts more welcome to us; Truly the faithfull soule, that knoweth how to make the right use of good and evil, shall find experimentally the truth of St. Pauls sentence that all things are for our sakes. 2 Cor. 4.25.

Also this peace with God brings us peace with our neighbours. For he that hath a comfortable seeling in his conscience that God is reconciled with him, will easily be reconciled with his bre∣thren, holding it a point of equity, generosity, and gratefulnes, after that his Master hath forgiven him ten thousand talents, to forgive his fellow ser∣vant an hundred pence. If all men had the peace of God in their hearts, there would be no discord in the world. But because most men want that good peace, and they that have it, have it but im∣perfectly, therefore peace between men can hard∣ly be well cemented. When you see men profe∣ssing piety and sound doctrine, tearing and devou∣ring one another with warres or lawfuites, you

may be sure that the peace of God rules not in their hearts, surely not in the hearts of the au∣thors and fomentors of discord, though they should pretend the zeale of Gods glory, who hath no need of mens turbulent passions to advance his kingdome, which is all peace. In heaven where the peace of God abideth in its fulness, and filleth the hearts of every one of his Saints, there is also of necessity a perfect peace between them, for they must needs have all one love, since they have all but one interest, which is the glory of him that loveth them, and for ever glorifieth them with himselfe.

CHAP. IV. Generall meanes to preserve that peace with God: and first to serve God purely and diligently.

HAving spoken of the true and onely founda∣tion of the peace of the soule and content∣ment of mind, which is the confidence that God is appeased to us through Jesus Christ; Let us now use the meanes to preserve that peace and stand firme upon that solid ground, beginning by the more general.

The first is to serve God with purity and dili∣gence, for which this consideration is essential, that our reconciliation with God was made by way of purchase, and that when wee were lost and estranged from God, he was pleased to re∣deeme us by his Sonne: Wherefore as they that

bought servants expected service from them, God also hath bought us to be served by us. That end of our redemptiō is thus set down by St. Paul, Tit. 2.14. Christ gave himself for us that he might re∣deeme us from all iniquity, and purifie unto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes. It was the custome over all the world in S. Pauls time to buy & sell servants: As then servants could not expect the favour of them that had bought them, unlesse they did them good service; we that are purchased by God with such a great price must not expect to enjoy his peace and gracious countenance, if wee doe not serve him according to his will; Where∣in our utility meetes with our duty, for of the service which wee yeeld unto God the whole be∣nefit results unto us.

Before all things wee must looke well that our service to God be pure and such as he requireth; for without that purity all our diligence to his service would be not onely unless but hurtfull. One cannot goe to God turning his back to him; The more we labour to serve him otherwise then he hath commanded, the more wee offend him. The pure way of Gods service is set down in his written word, wherein although many places are too high for the understanding of the most wise and learned, yet the things necessary for the duty and salvation of man, are so clearely exprest, that this commendation is justified by experience which David giveth unto Gods word, The en∣trance

of thy Words giveth light, it giveth understan∣ding unto the simple. Thy word is a lamp unto my feete and a light unto my path. It is one of the chief du∣ties of Gods service to reade and carefully medi∣tate that good Word, & lend a devout attention to them that announce it. For by it God speaks to us as a father to his children, and none but un∣natural children refuse to hearken to the voyce of their Father. This duty brings its recompence, for the holy word of God is the glad tydings of the peace of God with men, and the onely doctrine that frames that peace within us. For which reason the Prophet would heare it, Ps. 85.5. I will heare what God the Lord will speake; for he will speake peace unto his people and to his Saints. To that holy word, as to a sanctuary, troubled consciences must have recourse to get the peace of God. Yet the faithfull soule ought to be more studious to learne in it, how to please God, then how to get comfort. Those Christians are yet up∣on the lower degrees of their regeneration, that practise the duties of Gods service only to work their salvation. Wee must read and hear Gods word for a higher end, even to conforme our wills to the rule of his declared will, and wee must think more of his glory then our felicity. If faith in his promises make us say joyfully with David, Ps. 32 1. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered, the zeale of his glory must make us say with more joy and affection, as

the same David, Ps. 119.1. Blessed are the unde∣filed in the way who walke in the law of the Lord. Bles∣sed are they that keepe his testimonies and seek him with the whole heart. v. 5. O that my waies were directed to keepe thy sttatutes? v. 7. I will praise thee with upright∣ness of heart when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. And all along that great Psalme he ut∣tereth the unspeakable joy that he took in medi∣tating and doing Gods commandements; one may see that he cannot say enough to expresse how heartily he was affected to it. If wee love the holy word of God for its own sake, and con∣verse often with it with reverence and affection, because it is the word of our heavenly father, and the declaration of his nature and will, wee shall finde our peace in it, though wee seeke it not, and get a satisfaction not to be parallelled by any joy for the things of this world.

To this duty of hearing God speaking to us in his word, the next is to speak to him by prayer, whether it be to implore his grace, or to thank him for his benefits, or to praise him for his infi∣nite perfection. By these two duties of hearing God and speaking to him, we begin in this world that good intelligence and holy communication with God, in which the heavenly peace and so∣veraine felicity of man consisteth.

By prayer wee seeke and meete that peace of God which is announced to us in his word and whoso seekes it well, will be sure to meete it, for

to this seeking is the promise made Math. 7.8 Every man that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

When this direfull remembrance sinkes into a conscience, how man was put out of Paradice, and Cherubims were placed at the gate with aflaming sword to keepe him out that he may not finde the way to the tree of life, it is enough to sinke one downe with feare and anguish, and make him cry out standing upon the brink of despaire, Must I be driven away from God for ever, and what way is left for me to returne to the tree of life without which I cannot shunne eternal perdition?

Upon that perplexity Prayer comes and offers her helpe, saying, I will bring thee thither, and will goe with thee, without any let of the flaming sword; for I know a way to the tree of life, where the terrour of the law doth not keep the passage; the sonne of God who is the way the truth and the life, hath made me way unto the throne of grace, to which I goe with full assurance to obtaine mer∣cy and finde grace to helpe in time of need.

This freedome of prayer to approach unto God was in some sort represented by the sacrifices. That they were figures of prayers wee learne it out of the Psalme 141 where David beseecheth God that his prayer may be set forth as incense, and the lifting up of his hands as the evening sacrifice, Ps. 141.2 As then the smoake of the sacrifices did mount up toward heaven, which is a way which

cannot be stopt, likewise faithfull prayers have at all times a free passage to heaven: and although Satan be called the Prince of the aire, he cannot disturbe them in the way; But, that they may reach to heaven, the incense of the merit of Christ must be layd over the sacrifice of prayer.

To that holy duty wee are encouraged by Gods commandement and promise. Both are in this text, Ps. 50.12. Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shall glorifie me. And so in this, Come unto me (saith Gods eternal Sonne) all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I will ease you. Math. 11.28. None that prayeth to the father through the merit of the Sonne returnes empty; For either he giveth us what we do aske, or what wee ought to aske, and that which is fit for us. He that keepeth that holy correspondence with God is never dejected with sorrow, or perplexed with feare, for he finds in that divine communica∣tion a plaister to all his sores, and an inexhaustible well of life and joy. David had found it so when he sayd, Ps. 16 I have set the Lord allwayes before me, because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved, Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoyceth, my flesh also shal rest in hope. By prayer wee ground our soules in faith, raise them with hope, inflame them with charity, possesse them with patience during our life, and yeeld them to God with joy in our last breath.

To reape these benefits by prayer, wee must un∣derstand

well the right use of prayer which is double; It serveth to aske of God our necessities both of body and soule; for since in him wee live and moove and have our being, wee must conti∣nually seeke to him by prayer of whom wee con∣tinually depend. But the noblest and most proper use of prayer is to glorifie God, and converse with him because wee love him, and because he is most perfect and most worthy to be beloved; coming to that holy duty, not as a taske, but an honour, the greatest honour and delight that a creature can be capable of in this world, stealing away from af∣faires and companies to enjoy that pleasant and honorable conversation; as lovers will steale away from all employments to entertaine their best be∣loved. For what is sweet in the world in compa∣rison of this sweetnes? what is honorable com∣pared to this honour to have familiarity with God and be admitted to his presence at any time, to be received of him as his children, and when wee lift up our affections to heaven the habitation of his glory, to finde that himselfe is come to meete us in our heart, and hath made it another heaven by his gracious presence?

In that meditation a faithfull man will call Gods benefits to minde; and to conceive their excellency to his power, he will from the consi∣deration of Gods grace reflect upon that of his owne naturall condition, sometimes criminal, miserable, and Gods enemy; but now through

Gods preventing love and unspeakable mercy changed into the quality of child of God and heire of his kingdome. He hath bin provoked to pity us by the depth of our misery, wherefore in all rea∣son wee must be provoked to thankfulness by the height of his mercy; And this is the chiefe employ∣ment of prayer, an employment which paying our duty brings our felicity, and though wee have payd but what wee owe, and scarce that, giveth us a present payment for the duty which wee have payd.

O what a heavenly delight it is to lose ones selfe in the thought of Gods mercyes, which are beyond all reckoning and above all imagining? and to say to him after David, Ps. 40.5. Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderfull workes, and thy thoughts which are to us ward, they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee; v.8. If I would declare and speak of them they are more then can be numbred. I de∣light to doe thy will O my God, yea thy law is with in my heart, Ps. 86.11. Teach me thy way, O Lord, I will walke in thy truth, unite my heart to feare thy name. I will praise thee O Lord my God, withall my heart, and will glorifie thy name for evermore, for great is thy mercy towards me, and thou hast delivered my soule from the lowest hell. Such a conversation with God to rejoyce in his love, praise him for his graces, and crave the leading of his spirit to walke be∣fore him unto all pleasing, is an imitation of the perpetual imployment of Angels and glorified

Saints. It is a beginning of the Kingdome of hea∣ven in this life. In it consisteth the true peace of the soule and the solid contentment of minde.

CHAP. V. Of the love of God.

BEing entred into the meditation of the love of God, let us stay upon it. It is good for us to be here, let us make here three tabernacles. And more reason have wee so to speak in this occasion, then St. Peter when he saw Christ transfigured in the Mount. For by planting his abode there, he could not have made Christ to doe the like, nor given a settled continuance to that short bright lightning of glory: But by our meditation upon the love of God, wee make him to stay with us, and our soul is transfigured with him, being filled with his grace and his peace, and already enlivened with a beame of his glory.

Now because the ground the spring and the cause of the love that wee beare to God, is the love that he beares to us, wee must before all things study to conceive as well as wee may, of the great love of God to us-ward. Behold what manner of love the father hath bestowed upon us that wee should be called the sonnes of God. 1 John. 3.1. This is the principall point of his love, where all other testimonies of his love doe beginne and where they end. Without this none can say, that

he is beloved of God; For to be the work of Gods hands and maintained by his providence, is com∣mon to all creatures, and to be made after Gods image, and by his liberality to enjoy the plenty and service of nature, is common to all men good and evill: But because creatures without reason, and men without goodnesse beare no love to God, it cannot properly be said that God loveth them, though he be their maker and preserver. Love be∣ing the bond of perfectnesse Col. 3. Gods love would not be the bond of perfectnesse, if he loved those things that never return him love; For, that love may be a bond, the two ends must meet & knit to∣gether: now these two ends knit, when a creature beloved of God beares a reciprocal love to him. For thereby not onely the man that feareth God joyneth with him, but the whole nature also and all the creatures are re-joyned with their princi∣ple and Origine. And whereas some creatures cannot, others will not love God, the true child of God, because he gets some utility out of them all, yea of those that are Gods enemies, loveth him and gives him thanks for and in the name of all; and so by this meanes love proveth a true bond of perfectnesse, which proceeding from God and knitting with God againe, embraceth and holds fast together the whole creation, and brings it back to its Creator: A consideration, which cannot but bring a singular content, and a great peace to the soule. Being perswaded of the love of

God to us whereby we are called the sonnes of God, we looke upon all creatures as the goods of our fathers house, prepared for us. And though others which are none of Gods children enjoy them also, yet they are for us; since the wicked are for the good, either to exercise their vertue by tryals, or even to serve and sustaine them; For as the angry waves roaring and foaming about the ship where Christ was with his disciples, yet were bearing the ship; likewise, the enemyes of God and his Church while they are beating and storming against it, beare it up in spite of their hearts. The agitations of the great sea of the world, make Gods children more sensible of the great love which the Father hath bestowed upon them, to have given them his beloved sonne to be in the ship with them to keep them safe in the storm; and the dangers that overwhelme others, are helps for good unto them that love God. All the deliverances that God sends them, all the blessings that God powreth upon them, they take them as productions of the fatherly love of God who hath adopted them in his Sonne. They taste that love in the enjoyment of present goods, they breath that love in the enjoyment of future & e∣ternall goods, they rest upon that love when they sleepe, they leane upon that love when they walk, they find that love in all the occurrences of their life; with what face soever the various accidents of the world looke upon them, they see through

them the evident love of God, being certaine that nothing happens to them but is directed by the good hand of their loving Father.

These pleasant rivers of the love of God con∣duct our meditation up the streame to the great Source, that love which passeth knowledge, that mysterious deepe love which the Angels desire to looke into; whereby of his enemyes that wee were, he hath made us his children, giving for us, even to death, his owne precious Sonne; entitling us, by him, to his eternal glory; and giving us the ear∣nest of it by his good Spirit crying in our hearts Abba Father. O incomprehensible love! which hath undergone & overcome death to give us life, and that he might have from us an immortal love!

That immortal love ought to be the effect of this meditation. So that having conceived to our power how much God loves us, wee may also to our power apply our heart to love him; acknow∣ledging that all our heart, all our soule, and all our understanding, is yet too little to returne him love for his love.

It it true, that this is a debt from which we can never be acquitted, and wee owe it even after wee have payd it: But as this debt must be payd con∣tinually, the continual payment yeelds a con∣tinual satisfaction to him that payeth it & oweth it still. For whereas pecuniary debts make the heart sad, this debt of love makes it glad, when our duty meetes with our inclination, and when

wee most desire to dok that which wee are most obliged to doe. Besides, this debt is of that nature that when wee pay it wee make together an ac∣quisition; for although the love began by God he takes it upon him to repay us the love that we pay him, Ps. 91.14. Because he hath set his love upon me (saith the Lord) therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high because he hath knowne my name. Pro. 8.17. I love them that love me, and they that seeke me early shall finde me.

But love is due to God, not onely for the love that he hath done us, and for the good that wee hope from him, but for the good that is in him, and because he that is the soveraigne beauty and goodnes must be beloved in the chiefest & high∣est manner. All that is beautifull and good in Nature, the glory of the celestial bodies, the fer∣tility of the earth, the shady greene of trees, the fragrancy of flowers, the variety and utility of animals, the rational inventive vivacity of intel∣lectual natures, the admirable order of the Uni∣verse both in disposition and conduct; All these are so many productions of the great bottomlesse depth of beauty, bounty, power and excellency; and who so wisely considereth them, presently conceiveth that the Authour is possest of an infi∣nite perfection onely worthy to be beloved for his owne sake, and that all the good and beautifull things that he hath done must be beloved onely in relation to him and for his sake. To which if you

adde two other points, of which Nature cannot sufficiently informe us, and wherein the Word of God supplies the deficiency of Natures teaching, which are the justice and the mercy of God to∣wards sinners. O who would not love that infi∣nite love and excellency, though he had no inte∣rest of his owne in it?

But how can we barely consider Gods excel∣lency in it selfe with an abstraction of our in∣terest? Certainly the consideration of our concernment will go along, though unsent for, with the contemplation of Gods supreme vertue and goodnesse. And it is impossible to consider God as the onely worthy object of love, with∣out conceiving, even with the same thought, that our soveraigne good consisteth in loving him; reputing what a height of honour and content it is when that great Creator, who is all bounty, all beauty, and all perfection, is pleased to con∣tract amity with the creature.

For in this consisteth the great and only excel∣lency of man, that God hath given him a nature capable to entertain freindship with his Maker: A capacity which being obscured by sin is resto∣red to him by grace: And God, who as the only absolute Soveraigne is above all Laws, conde∣scended so farre to us as to binde himselfe to the Laws of friendship with man, which Laws on his part are most inviolably kept; the whole de∣fect in that mutual love is from man.

As then friends disjoyned in place are joyned by love, so are God in heaven and man upon earth. God indeed is every where, yet God and man are more remote in degree of nature then any two can be in place: But they are joy∣ned in a way farre more excellent & real, for the thoughts of two mortal persons make no mutual impression, when they are without the line and reach of communication; whereas God is never remote from the faithful soul, and they may com∣mune together at any time. God makes his love sensible to the faithfull soul, and saith to it by the presence of his spirit, Soul I am thy salvation; and the soul saith to him, Lord thou art my God, I am thine, save me & teach me to do thy will. God commu∣neth with the soul by his word and spirit, and the soul communeth also with God by her word and spirit; that is, by prayer and holy aspirations.

It is also a law of friendship that friends bear the one with the other, and that the strong sup∣port the weake. Wherefore God all perfect, ha∣ving knit a friendship with the creature, subject as yet to much imperfection, supporteth her de∣fects with his love, and covereth her sins by his righteousnesse: Man also for his part must pati∣ently bear, what chastenings God layeth upon him, taking all kindly at his hands; for as he must be assured of his love, he must also be cer∣tainly perswaded of his wisdom, and beleeve that Gods dealing with him, is all love and wis∣dome.

It is a law of perfect freindship that friends declare their secrets one to another: So God deals with his freinds; and Jesus Christ useth this for a reason, why he calls his Disciples his friends: John 15.15, Henceforth I call you not ser∣vants, for the servant knows not what the Lord doeth, but I have called you friends, for all things that I have learned of my Father, I have made known unto you. And Daniel saith that the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, [not the secret of his Councel, but that of his Good will towards them, in that which concernes their duty and their salvation, which is the sence of the following words, and he will shew them his Covenant.] We then to shew our selves true friends to him that honoureth us with that title must also disclose unto him the secrets of our hearts: It is true they are open to his all-seeing eyes, and if we would hide our se∣crets from him we could not. But God takes a de∣light that we give him an account of our selves, not that He may be better informed, but that we may be better and happier: for they that disguise themselves before him are incapable of his grace, and dissembling is a violation of the lawes of friendship. It is the comfort of the god∣ly, that while they confesse their sinnes to God as unto their clear-sighted Judge, they discharge together a duty of friendship, declaring to their supreme friend their private infirmities and se∣cret diseases, to call upon his help. What benefit

we may expect by that free dealing with God, we learn out of Davids experience, who speakes thus to God. Psalm 32.5. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid; I said, I will confesse my transgressions unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin: For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee, in a time when thou mayest be found; surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him. Into the bosome of that friend we must powre our secret sighes; to him we must lay open our most intimate de∣sires and feares, that we may say to him with David, Psalm 38.9. Lord all my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee. Which as it is true in regard of Gods all-seeing knowledge let it be true also in regard of our sincere un∣bosoming of the secrets of our souls before God.

Now that the secrets of our soules and the me∣ditations of our hearts may ever be acceptable in his sight, and because the heart of man is so close and full of windings of hypocrisy, that man himself cannot finde the bottom of his own inside, let us call upon God to assist us in that search by his good spirit, saying. Psalm 139.23. Search me, O Lord, and know my heart, try me and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Be∣fore we have sincerely laid open before God all that is within us, we have no reason to expect the blessing of serene and innocent peace in our soul:

For God, who is jealous of his glory, takes it as a high contempt when his creature will offer to avoid the all-seeing eyes of the Creator; & be∣sides, he is jealous of our love, taking it as a de∣rogation to the love due to him, when we go a∣bout to conceale our thoughts our affections and our projects from him. Wherefore the sence that the conscience hath of this jealousy of God, holds her in continual anxiety.

Whereas he that is true to a resolution to call God to witnesse of his most secret actions and in∣tentions (as he is whether we will or no) gets two benefits that way: The one, that finding himself obliged to impart all that he hath in his heart to God his eternal friend, he will take heed of doing, yea and thinking, any thing that is displeasing unto him, and by his uprightnesse will prevent the shame of opening many impu∣rities before that holiest of Holies. The other that by this free and open dealing with God he shall get a great tranquillity in his conscience. For, if in humane friendships we presume that by dis∣closing the secrets of our hearts to a generous friend, we oblige him to love and fidelity, and after that action of freedom we find our heart much eased; how great must our ease and con∣tentment be when we have poured all our heart into Gods bosom, that perfect friend, who is truth and sincerity it self? It is a wise part to conceale nothing from God. The only way to possesse our

soul with peace and confidence, is to make God our Confident.

It is also a great point of mutual friendship to yeeld to the interesses and desires one of another: Herein God hath shewed the way to men, having so farre condescended to the condition and neces∣sity of men, as to have put on their nature and ta∣ken their debt upon himselfe, yea and to have dis∣charged it: He is dead like men, and for men. And being the soveraigne incomprehensible wisdome, he descends to our capacity to declare himself to us, and draw us to him He calls us indeed to denye ourselves that wee may give ourselves unto him, but yet how much doeth he yeeld to our desires and feares? And with what wisedome and sweet∣nes doeth he sort his tryals with our strength? And where is the godly man, that hath not found in his forest afflictions that kinde usage that St Paul speaks of, 1. Cor. 10.13. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; But God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to e∣scape, that ye may be able to beare it.

Since then God who is so great doeth accom∣modate himselfe with us who are so little, the law of reciprocall love requires that wee accom∣modate our selves with him who is so great; that wee diligently informe our selves of his will to make it our will; that wee observe the things which he loveth that wee may love them, and the

things which he hateth that wee may hate and avoyd them; that all our interesses bow under his, that the end of all our ends be his glory, seeking not our owne things but the things of the king∣dome of God. Wee shall never be our owne, till wee have wholly resigned our selves unto God. Wee shall never have a true peace and content within, till our affections be altogether subjected to his love, and conformed to his will. But then shall wee be peaceable, contented, and masters at home, when God shall reigne within us, and when wee shall know no more difference be∣tweene his interest and ours.

Finally, the highest point of love being an entire union, and to have all things common, it is also the purpose and in the end the efficiency of Gods love to us, yea so farre that by his great and precious promises wee are made partakers of the divine nature, 2. Pet. 14. and that Christ is in us and we in him Ioh. 17. What hath God reserved to himselfe that wee may not call ours? Heaven and Earth are for us, His providence is our purveyour, His Angels are our keepers, His kingdome our inheritance: He gives us his good plenty, his word, his Sonne, his Spirit, his owne selfe. Can any be persuaded of this beneficence of God, and refuse to give him his body, his soul, his intentions and his affections? Shall wee use reservations with God who keeps no good from us? Would any poore man refuse to have community of goods with a rich man?

Now God who is the plenty and felicity it selfe will have community of goods with us. Let us embrace the condition readily: Let us give our selves, to God, and God shall be ours; Or rather say wee, God is ours, let us render our selves to him: for he prevents us in that Covenant; since God is ours, good reason wee should be his. Blessed we! that wee may say with the Spouse I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine, for by that union of persons and community of goods with God, the soul finds her selfe arrived to the soveraigne degree of riches, peace, glory and delectation.

CHAP. VI. Of Faith.

Faith is a Christian vertue, whose most proper and natural office is, to embrace that peace made for us with God by Iesus Christ. And by it wee signe and seale for our part the Agreement made betweene God and man, This expression is borrowed of John the Baptist speaking of the Lord Iesus, He that hath received his testimony hath set to his Seale that God is true. Joh. 3.33. All that we said be∣fore of our reconciliation with God by Christ, & how that reconciliation is applyed to our consci∣ences, is an explication of the duty and benefit of faith; Yet we must speake of it againe as a conse∣quence of Love. For the principal & most natural fruit of the love of God is to put our whole trust in

Thus St Iohn having sayd much of the love of God to us, and of the love that wee owe him for it, addeth, 1. Ioh. 4.18. There is no feare in love, but perfect love asteth out feare, because seare hath tor∣ment; he that feareth is not made perfect in love. Faith as the mother of all vertues brings forth the love of God, but Love is soone eeven with faith, and brings forth her owne mother; For as wee love God because wee trust in him (as certainly per∣suaded of his wisedome, power and fidelity in his promises) so wee trust in him because wee love him, for in all our friendships our trust in the belo∣ved person followes the measure of the love that wee beare to him. He then that loveth God sin∣cerely, trusts in him; And when calamity tempts him to unbeleeving fears, he will observe Saint Peters exhortation, 1. Pet. 4.14 Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in welldoing as unto a faithfull creatour.

It is impossible to love well without a good opinion of the person wee love, especially of his fidelity and righteousnes: Seeing then, that God hath promised to pardon sins to those that confesse them with a serious repentance, if wee love him wee shall trust in his promise, that if wee confesse our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnes, 1 Joh. 1.9. grounding our trust in his mercy upon his fidelity and righteousnes: for since he promist it, certainly he will doe it, he is too faithful to breake his

word, and too just to punish us for those sins of which Christ hath borne the punishment in our name. This gracious declaration he hath made, Luk. 12.32. Feare not, little flock, for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdome. Shal wee have such an ill opinion of him, as to think that he hath promist more then he was willing or able to per∣forme; or that, since the promise made, his will is altered, or his power diminisht? Let us be sure that he that loved us from all eternity will love us to all eternity, Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect? It is God that justifyeth, who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that dyed, yea rather that is risen agnine, who is even sitting at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. And if upon this safe ground we trust in God for the things of the life to come, wee must upon the same ground trust his love for the things of this life. He that spared not his own sonne but delivered him up for us all, how shal he not with him freely give us all things? He that saved our soules from death shall he not deliver our bodies from the dangers of this world? Certainly, he that hath prepared for us eternal delights at his right hand will not denie us our temporal daily bread.

This assurance in his love will sweeten our afflictions and lay downe our feares, for being persuaded that God as he is infinitely good is also infinitely wise, wee must in consequence beleeve that all the evills which he sends us are so many

remedies to other evils; that our most smarting dolours are corrosives applyed by that wise Phy∣sician to eate the proud flesh of our corrupt nature; that he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men, Lam. 3.33. especially when he chastiseth his children, but is in a manner forced to that course by their necessity, as when a man is pincht by his best friends, to awake him out of a deep lethargy.

And since that eternal friend is every where present by his al-seeing knowledge and almighty power, and hath promised besides, his gracious presence to his friends, saying I will not leave thee nor forsake thee; what reason have we of joy & con∣fidence at all times, in all places, and in all the occurrences of this life, having God with us all∣wayes, observing us with his eye, upholding us with his hand, protecting us with his providence, guiding us with his wisedome, and comforting us with his love?

The last good office that Faith doeth unto us, is in the approaches of death; for then especially it doth represent the promises of God unto the faith∣full soule, and sealeth them afresh, knitting that bond of perfectnes the mutual love between God and the conscience faster then ever: By it God speakes peace unto the soule aspiring to heaven, and makes it spread the wings of holy desires, to passe with a swift flight from the combat below to the triumph above.

Faith, bearing up the soule in that last flight,

changeth name and nature in the way, and be∣comes love; to embrace him for ever in glory, in whom we have believed in infirmity.

CHAP. VII. Of Christian Hope.

THe proper action of Faith is to embrace Christ and ground the soul upon him; But it hath another action common to it with hope, which is to embrace the benefits obtained to us by Christ. Of these benefits, the present grace is proper to faith, which is justification, otherwise the Reconciliation of God with the conscience; the future glory by the contemplation of Gods face, is more proper to Hope.

Both faith and hope bring a sweet peace and solid content to the soul that loveth God. But it is peculiar to hope to adde to that peace a beam of glory; much like those spies of Israel that entred into the Land of Promise before the rest of the people, to whom they brought some of the fruit of the Land; For it entreth into hea∣ven beforehand, and from thence brings us a taste of the promised inheritance.

Hope is the onely thing that puts some value upon the life of this world, for all the good of this life consisteth in this, that it is a way to a better, and that the earth is the tyring-room of the godly soul where she makes herselfe ready

for the wedding of the Lamb. But for that, what were this life good for? It would consist but in two things; to do evill and to suffer evill. The very goods of this life without that hope would be evill; for none among the Pagans, and all o∣thers that were not sustained by Christian hope, was ever made happy. The wisest of them have sought the soveraigne good out of the objects of the senses, not finding any solid content in sen∣suall things or actions. Solomon wiser then them all, had found that all under the Sun was vanity and vexation of spirit, and under all he comprehended intellectual as well as sensual things. Neither could any give a more judici∣ous verdict of all than he, for he had tryed all things. Where then shall we find any thing worth the paines of living, but in Hope? For if in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 1 Cor. 15.19. Hope not keeping within the limits of the poor goods of this life liveth already with the life to come, for it looks for the Kingdom of Christ which is not of this world as himself teacheth us: where although he reigne as a soveraigne, he reigneth not as a redeemer; and so here is not the reigne of his redeemed. We find it by experience.

Who so then will enjoy the peace of the soul and contentment of mind must have his hope and his spirit in a better place; for why should we expect of the world more then it hath? Can

one gather grapes of thornes or figs of thistles? May one expect peace of a perpetual agitation, or a durable content from things of short conti∣nuance? For the soul of man being created for permanency, is contented with nothing lesse then a permanent good; which is the essential reason why no man could ever find satisfaction in the world, there being such a disproportion between mans soul, and the objects that the world presents to her: for all worldly things are finite, but the soul though finite in her sub∣stance is infinite in her desire, which nothing lesse then infinity can satisfie. Now it is by hope that the soul enjoyeth in this finite world an in∣finite good. It is by hope, that we rise from the dead before we dy, being advanced to a degree of grace that hath already a streak of glory. Of which St Paul giveth this high expression. Col. 3.1. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. When Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall we also appeare with him in glory.

Worldly hopes flatter us and then disappoint us. But though they did performe all they promise, the present possession of the best things of the world is nothing comparable to the hope onely of heavenly things, even that lively hope unto which God hath begotten us again by the resur∣rection of Jesus Christ from the dead; To an inheri∣tane incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth

not away, reserved in heaven for us. 1 Pet. 1.3.

O holy and glorious hope, which already makes us partakers of Christs resurrection, and followers of his ascention, even to the right hand of God! already living with the life of Christ & animated by his spirit: Blessed hope, by which we are preserved from the general corruption as with a soveraigne antidote, and by which we subsist yea and triumph in afflictions, Heb. 10.34. taking joyfully the spoiling of our goods, knowing in our selves that we have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. It is by hope that we look joyfully upon our bodies decaying with sicknesse and age, 2 Cor. 5.1. Knowing that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan earnestly, desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from heaven. It is by hope, that the Martyrs & all that suffer for righteousnesse see the crown layd on the top of their crosse, and rejoyce in this pro∣mise of their Saviour, Matth. 5.11. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evill against you falsly for my sake: rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven. By hope we behave ourselves wisely in prosperity, 1 Cor. 7.31. using this world as not abusing it, for the fashion of this world passeth away. Hope beats down pride, refraines lust, and weans our hearts from the world.

Worldly hope disordereth the soul and makes a man go out of himself, depending of the future, and losing the present, and is alwayes wave∣ring and feaverish: But heavenly hope, although it transport the soul above herself, and make her depend upon future goods, sets her neverthe∣lesse in a quiet steady frame; because the soul rising to God receiveth God, who makes her his home; so that a man by hope, enjoyes beforehand part of the goods which he aspires unto. Hope groweth like rivers more and more as it draweth neerer the end of its course: And when it hath brought the godly soul into the Ocean of felicity, there it loseth the name of Hope, and becomes Enjoyment.

CHAP. VIII. Of the duty of Praising God.

SInce wee already embrace eternal goods by hope, as wee desire to beginne now the joyes of heaven, we must resolve to beginne the dutyes of that blessed Estate. To seeke the first without the second, would be an ungenerous disposition, and an impossible undertaking. If wee apprehend aright that the felicity of man consisteth in his duty, and that the glory of the blessed Saints in heaven consisteth in glorifying God, we will seeke in that great duty our felicity, and delight to sing our part, even, in this life, in the hymnes of those

glorious spirits. Nothing gives to the soule so great a peace, Nothing elevateth the soule to such a Paradice, like Joy. The love of God is preferred before faith and hope, because these seeke their owne good, but that seeketh Gods glory; Which to a godly soule being much more considerable then her owne happines, yet is found to be the soveraigne happines of him that seekes it before his owne good; Neither is there any more certaine and compendious way to get glory to ourselves then to seeke Gods onely glory.

In this then the godly man must delight, and can never want matter for it, all things giving him occasion to praise God, either for his mercy to his children, or his justice to his enemies, or his power and wisedome eminently shining in all his workes, or the infinite perfection that abideth in himselfe. God hath made all creatures for his praise; and none of his material creatures can praise him but man onely; And of all men, none but the godly praise him: Or if others doe it for company, it becomes them not, neither are their praises accepted. Then upon the godly lyeth the whole taske to praise God for other creatures that cannot or will not praise him. But that taske is all pleasure; as nothing is more just, so nothing is more delightfull then that duty.

Look about upon the fields richly clad with the plenty and variety of nature: Looke up to heaven and admire that great light of the world, the Sun

so wonderfull in his splendour vertue and swift nesse: When he is set, looke upon the gloryes of the night, the Moone and the starres like so many bright jewels set off by the black ground of the skie, and setting forth the magnificence of their maker. See how some of them keep ea cer∣taine distance among themselves, marching toge∣ther without the least breaking of their ranks, some follow their particular courses, but all are true to their motions, equal and infallible in their regulated periods.

Then being amazed and dazelled with that broad light of Gods greatnes and wisedome, let every one make this question to himselfe, Why doeth God make me a beholder of his workes? Why among so many different creatures hath he made me one of that onely kinde, to whom he hath given reason to know and admire the work∣man, a will to love him, & a tongue to praise him? Is it not that I might render him these duties in the name of all his other workes? And to this duty I am obliged by the lawes of thankfulnes, since all these other workes are for me; good reason then that I should be for God, lending my tongue and my heart to the whole universe to love praise and blesse the great and good authour of this rich and beautiful Nature. O the greatnes, the goodnes, the wisedome of the incomprehensible Creatour? And among all his attributes manifested in this admirable workmanship, O how his tender mer∣cies

are over all his workes? How every part of this great work is compleat? How all the parts are well sorted together, helping and sustaining one another with a wise Oeconomy? O if the worke be so perfect what must the workman be? If the streames be so cleare what must the source be? Upon these if wee fix our meditation with a holy attention wee shall heare that speech which St John heard being rapt up in spirit. Rev. 5.3. I heard (saith he) every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, saying, Blessing, honour, glory, and power, unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lambe for ever and ever.

From Nature looking to Providence, let us ob∣serve how notwithstanding the opposition of spi∣ritual malices and the preversnesse and blind∣nesse of men, yea and by these very things, God advanceth his glory, maintaineth his truth, and formeth a secret order in confusion. For the ex∣ecution of his decrees a Million of engines are set on work subordinate or co-ordinate among them∣selves, wherby things most remote yet meet in the order of causes to produce the effects appointed in Gods counsel. Where the chief matter of wonder is, that many of these causes are free agents, which doing what they will, bring forth most part of the time that which they will not, and by the uncertainty of their giddy agitations ar∣rive to the certain End determined by God. Who

can comprehend the innumerable multitude of the accidents of the world, all written in Gods Book, and dispensed by his providence, that infinitely capacious and ever watchfull wisdom, ever in action, though ever at rest; which by the order he gives to the greatest things is not distracted from the care of the least? He makes the heavens to move, and the earth to bear, and disposeth of peace and warre in the world, and of the subsistence and revolution of Empires. Who would beleeve, that at the same time he tels the number of our hairs, and that not so much as one sparrow falls to the ground with∣out his speciall appointment, but that we are told it by his own mouth, and that our experi∣ence assureth us of his care of the least of our actions and accidents of our life? Here wee must rest amazed, but not silent; for our very ignorance must help us to admire, and extoll that depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God, whose eye and hand is in all places, whose strength sustaineth, whose providence guideth all things, and taketh as much care of each of his creatures as if he had nothing else to looke to.

If our minds be swallowed up in the depths of Gods wisdome, this one depth calls in another deep, which brings no lesse amazement but gives more comfort, & that is the fatherly love of God to us his children. Eph. 3.18. O the bredth, the

length, the depth, the heighth, of the love of Christ which passeth knowledge! the bredth that embra∣ceth Jewes and Gentiles, having broken the par∣tition wall, to make a large room to his wide love, that his way might be known upon earth, his saving health among all Nations. Psalm 67.2. The length, which hath elected us before the foundation of the world, and will make us live and reigne with himselfe for ever. The depth which hath drawne us out of the lowest pit of sorrow & death; & to effect that, hath drawn him down to that low condition. The height, which hath raised us up to heaven with him, and makes us sit together with him in heavenly places.

With what miracles of mercy hath he pre∣served his Church from the beginning of the world? How many graces doth he poure up∣on the several members thereof, nourishing our bodies, comforting our souls, reclaim∣ing us from iniquity by the gift of repentance and faith, keeping off the malice of men and evill Angels from us by the assistance of his good Angels, delivering our life from death, our eyes from teares, and our feet from falling.

But before and after all other benefits, we must remember that principal benefit never sufficient∣ly remembred. Col. 1.12. Giving thankes unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be parta∣kers of the inheritance of the Saints in light; who hath delivered us from the power of darknesse, and

hath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Sonne; in whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgivenesse of sins. This is the highest top of our felicity, the main ground of the peace of the soul, and the incomparable subject of the con∣tentment of our minds; Yea, if we have such a deep sence of that heavenly grace as to praise God continually for it with heart and mouth. For as we praise God, because he blesseth us, he bles∣seth us because we praise him; and by his praise, which is the eternal excercise of his blessed Saints we become already partners of their imploy∣ment, their peace, and their joy.

CHAP. IX. Of good Conscience.

ALl that we have said hitherto regardeth the Principal causes (both the efficient and the instrumental) of the peace with God. There are other causes which of themselves have not that vertue to produce that great peace, yet without which, it cannot be preserved nor pro∣duced neither; these are, a good conscience, and the excercise of good workes. Not that the re∣conciliation made for us with God by the merit of his Son needs the help of our works, but becaus the principal point of our reconciliation and re∣demption is, that we are redeemed from iniqui∣ty, which is done by the same vertue that re∣deemes us from Hell, and by the same operation:

For it is a damnable self-flattery and self-deceipt for one to beleeve that he is reconciled with God, if he feele in himselfe no conversion from that naturall enmity of the flesh against God, neither can he enjoy a true peace in his soul.

In that reconciliation God makes use of our wil; for in all agreements both parties must concur and act freely. And to make us capable of that freedome, God by his spirit looseth the bonds of our unregenerate will, naturally enthralled to evill. But it will be better to medle but little with the worke of God within us, and looke to our owne; learning the duties which wee are called unto as necessary, if wee will enjoy that great reconciliation.

The first duty is to walke before God with a good conscience, for in vaine should one hope to keepe it tranquil and not good: Conscience is the natural sence of the duties of piety and righte∣ousnes, warning every man (unlesse he be dege∣nerated into a beast) to depart from evil and doe good; And a good conscience is that which obey∣eth that sense and warning. But the ordinary use, which I will follow, by a good conscience under∣stands onely the first part, which is, to beware of evil.

This good conscience is so necessary for the en∣joying of that peace of God applyed to us by faith, that the A postle to the Hebrewes requires it that

wee may stand before God with a full assurance of faith. Heb. 10.22. Let us draw neere (saith he) with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washt with pure water. And St Paul chargeth Timothy 1. Tim. 1.19. to hold faith and a good con∣science, which some having put away, concerning faith have made shipwrack, shewing that faith and a good conscience must goe hand in hand, and that the losse of a good conscience ushereth the losse of faith, which is consequently followed with the losse of inward peace: Whereas a good conscience brings forth confidence, as St John teacheth us, 1. Joh. 3.21. Beloved if our heart condemne us not, then have wee confidence before God.

By a conscience that condemnes us not, wee must not understand a conscience without sinne, for there is none such to be found; Much lesse a conscience that condemneth not the sinner after he hath sinned, for the best consciences are those that forgive nothing to themselves, and passe a voluntary condemnation upon themselves before God, by a free and penitent confession: But the good conscience that condemnes us not, according to St Johns sense, is, that which beares witnes to a man to have walked in sincerity, and cannot ac∣cuse him to have shut up his eyes (since his con∣version) against the evident lights of truth and righteousnes, or to have hardned his heart against repentance after he hath offended God.

The godly man will remember that the peace betweene God and us was made by way of con∣tract, whereby God gives himselfe to us in his Sonne, and we give our selves to him. If then any refuse to give himselfe to God, there is no con∣tract, God will not give himselfe to him, and so no peace, for every contract must be mutual. When the one party offereth to signe and seale, and the other refuseth it, there is no agreement. Whosoever then will covenant with God and enjoy his peace, must to his power keepe his con∣science cleare from all willful violations of the conditions of the agreement; For, since this cove∣nant is often termed in Scripture a mariage, our soule which is the spouse of Christ must give her∣selfe to him as Christ gives himselfe to her, else the mariage is voyd, for it is the mutual consent that makes the mariage.

Whereupon one may say that God is more good then wee are wicked, and that while wee breake the contract, God remaineth faithfull, and leaves us not every time that wee leave him. Truly, there is great need of that, otherwise this spiritual mariage would soon end in divorce: But you know that when the faith of matrimony is violated betweene husband and wife, although they be not divorced, love decreaseth on both sides; what remaines of it, is sowred with jealous grudges, and peace dwells no more in that house.

It fareth so with us when wee violate the faith

and love which wee owe unto God, by doing that which is displeasing unto him; God doeth not presently give us the Letter of divorce, and his constancy stands firme against our ficklenes; but he discontinueth the inward testimonies of his love, and his peace recedeth from us; then wee dare no more seeke our delight in him, and can∣not finde it any where else; pastimes make us sad, and when wee take the aire, and shift place to find ease, we are not eased, because we carry our burden along with us, a sad weight upon our heart, a bosome-accuser within; we come to the duty of prayer against stomack, and re∣turne from it without comfort.

It is certain, that the eternal covenant of God cannot be disanulled by the sins of men, as St Paul saith, that the unbeleefe of the Jewes could not make the faith of God without effect. Rom. 3.3. But I speak not here of the eternal decree of God, but of the offer made of his Covenant unto the conscience, by the word of God, and his spirit, which covenant many lightly embrace and then break it having not maturely considered before, upon what conditions it was offered.

Who so then will keep the peace of his consei∣ence and his confidence with God, must carefully keep himselfe from all things that displease his holy eyes, and turne away his gratious countenance; lest when our need or our duty calls us to draw neere him by prayer, we feele

our selves pulled back by a guilty feare. Let us walk in his presence with such simplicity and in∣tegrity that at all times we may say with David, Psalm 26.5. I will wash my hands in innocency, and compasse thine altar, O Lord; That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works: O Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house. See what serenity, what liberty of Spirit he had got by his innocency: He goeth streight to the Altar of God, he rejoyceth in his praise, he delighted in his house, he will choose it for his habitation. Evill consciences are not capable of such a freedom with God.

David in this Text alluded to the forme of the Sanctuary, which had a Laver in the entry, where the Priests before they came neere the Al∣tar were to wash themselves: We also, that we may keep our free accesse unto Christ our Altar, must wash our hearts in innocency; If we go not through the laver, we misse our way to the Altar: St. Paul regarded this Figure when he said, 1. Tim. 2.8. I will, that men pray every where lifting up pure hands.

It is true, that to lift up our hands pure unto God we have need to wash them in a better inno∣cency then our own, and the purest have need to be washt in the blood of Jesus Christ. David himselfe having said that he would wash his hands in innocency, Psalm 26. and soon after, but as for me I will walke in mine integrity; immediately upon

that prayeth to God to redeeme, and have mercy upon him. Yet God requires our innocency, which he examines as a gratious Father not as a severe Judge; he lookes more to the sincerity of our hearts then the perfection of our actions, give∣ing his peace to the penitent soules void of hypo∣crisy. Psalm 32.2. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile; That walketh before God with feare, knowing his infirmities, and together in confidence knowing Gods mercy and the cer∣tainty of his promises; That hath no evil end, and corrupteth not his good ends by evill wayes; That chooseth rather to miss the advancements of the world then to shrink back from his duty to God, ready to suffer the losse of all things that he way keep him. That lookes upon his tem∣poral goods without remorse, because among them he seeth nothing ill gotten; and upon his neighbours goods without envy, because he hath taken the Lord for his portion who is rich to all that call upon him. Rom. 10.12. His words agree with his heart, and his actions with his du∣ty. He brings his affections captive under the the feare of God, boweth his will under Gods will, and makes all his ends to stoope un∣der the interest of Gods glory. Hee that doth these things shall never be moved: Whatsoever becomes of his temporal condition (which is better settled by integrity then by all the tricks of

the craftiest pates) he shall possesse a firme, se∣rene, equal and tranquil spirit; He shall have peace in warre, and calme in the storme, know∣ing that no evil can befall him so long as he is well with God.

CHAP. X. Of the exercise of Good works.

TO have a holy and tranquill conscience, it is not enough for us not to do evil; we must do good. These two dutyes may be distingui∣shed, but not severed. He that doth no good, of necessity doth evill; for it is ill done, to do no good. God made us not onely that we should not sinne (For that, it would have bin sufficient to have given us the nature of plants or stones) but he hath given us an intelligent active nature, that we might use it to know, and love, and serve our Maker. And since he made us after his image (for which reason Adam is called the Son of God Luk. 3.) if we wil be like our Father which is in heaven we must study to do good, for he doth good continually, even when he sends evill, which he makes an instrument of good, whether it be for justice or mercy. Psalm 26.10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth; and such all our pathes should be.

To this we are more especially called by our redemption whereby we are restored into the

right of Gods children which we had lost, and are purchased to be his servants. God did not adopt us that we should be idle children: Christ did not purchase us that we should be unprofi∣table servants.

Now because the life of man is laborious and allwayes in action, we learne out of Gods ex∣ample to examine all our works severally and joyntly, to see whether they be good, and re∣joyce when we find them so. Thus God said, Let the light be, and the light was, And God saw that the light was good. The like after the workes of every day of the first week. And in the end of the creation God made a review of all that he had done; And behold all was very good; to signifie that God seeing all his works good and compleate took great delight in them, and did remunerate his own actions with the satisfaction which he he took in his owne wisdom and goodnesse. That we may then imitate God, let us do nothing but good; and againe when we have done it, let us see how good it is: Though it cannot be but very defective, yet if we find in it sincerity and an ingenuous desire to do good, we may in our measure rejoyce as God did for doing good, and shall enjoy a sweet peace within representing both in the good that we do and in the delight that we take in well doing, the image of him that hath created and adopted us to expresse his likenesse.

Our confidence in God by the merit of his be∣loved Sonne is the ground of true peace and con∣tent. But that confidence is fed by works. By faith we beare testimony to our hearts that we are reconciled with God, and by workes we beare testimony to our faith. As, by the respira∣tion we know that a man is alive, and by the same respiration the man is kept alive: So, the exercise of good workes is together the marke of faith, and the way to maintaine that spiritual life.

As God hath wisely ordered that the actions necessary for the preservation of naturall life should be done with delight; likewise, the exer∣cise of good workes whereby the life of faith is maintained gives a singular pleasure unto the faithfull soul. Psalm 40.8. I delight to do thy will, O my God, said David. And the Lord Jesus could say that his meat was to do the will of him that sent him: John 4, 32. Wherefore as healthful bodies eat their meat with appetite, so godly soules ap∣ply themselves with a holy appetite to good workes. In both, it is an inward sence of necessity that provokes the appetite, it being as impossible to live with the life of faith without good works, as to keep the body alive without meat or drink. And, as these satisfy the stomack, good actions give a sweet satisfaction to the soul. But as one cannot live alwayes in the strength of one meale, but must take new food every day, else the body will pine away, and die in a short time; likewise,

the use of good workes must be daily: too much intermission will abate the pulse of faith; trouble will get into the conscience, or a heavy numness, which will end in the extinction of spiritual life, unlesse the appetite of doing good worke 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a∣wakened by repentance, and faith get new strength by good exercises.

For this exercise, the Lord Jesus gave us an ex∣ample that wee should follow his steps; Who did good in the whole course of his life, and more in his death; Who spent the night in prayer, and the day in healing the sick and converting sinners: Who for ill words returned saving instru•••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉; Who overcame contempt with humility, and adversities with patience: Who did good to them that persecuted him to death, healing the eare of Malchus that was come to take him, and praying for them that crucifyed him! Who to obey God his ather despised his owne life, denyed the love of himselfe, and made this free and miraculous submission to God in the terrours of death, Father, not my will but thy will be done.

The joy and glory which he got by that sub∣mission must encourage his Disciples to preferre the obedience to God and the duty of a good con∣science before all interesses; being sure that to forsake them for God is the way to preserve them, and that by suffering for his glory, wee get glory.

The content that accreweth to the soule by tending carefully Gods service and loving nothing

like it, cannot be exprest but by those that feel it. How great was St Pauls satisfaction when he sayd 2 Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisedome, but by the grace of God, wee have had our conversation in the world. And how sweet was his rapture of joy, when he sayd being neere the end of his race, 2 Tim. 4.7. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; Henceforth there is layd up for me a crowne of righ∣teousnes which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me. O what pleasure is comparable to the testi∣mony of a good conscience! The joy of a great con∣querour who hath newly got an imperial crown, is not comparable to St Pauls happines when he rejoyced to have fought the good fight of faith, and stretched himselfe towards the crowne of righteousnes layd up for him. Increase of worldly goods increaseth sorrow. When they are above sufficiency, instead of easing the minde they op∣presse it. Worldly pleasures are shortlived, leav∣ing behinde them an unpleasant fare-well, and often a sting of crime. Worldly honour is winde, which either will blow a man downe, or puff him up with an unsound tumour. But godlines and good actions give a sincere joy, a solid content a lasting peace, a satisfaction penetrating to the inmost of the soule. This is richly exprest by Isaiah in prophetical termes, Isa. 58.10 If thou draw out thy soule to the hungry, and satisfye the afflicted soule,

then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darknes be as the noone day. And the Lord shall guide thee conti∣nually, and satisfye thy soule in drought, and make fat thy bones; and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters faile not.

Although Devotion, and good conscience, and the practise of good workes, were sad things, as the world imagineth them; yet ought wee to un∣dergoe that sadnes in this life of few dayes, to make provision for the other life which is eternal, since this life is a moment on which eternity depends; And wee should sow in teares to reape in joy: But seeing that a good conscience active in piety and good workes gets thereby, even in the present, a serene peace and a heavenly comfort not credible to any but those that feele it; is it not a great incouragement to doe well, That the way to make us happy, is to make us saints?

It is none of the least arts of Satan for turning men away from the practice of godlines and ver∣tuous actions, to represent Devotion and vertue with an austere habit and a sowre face, enough to make children afrayd, and growne men also, many of them having with a gray beard a childish understanding, authoritatem senum, vitia puerorum. But certainly this is a false ugly vizard set upon a handsome and gracious face; there being nothing more serene and pleasant then godlines and a good conscience. A good conscience is that merry heart which is a continual feast. To doe Gods will

with a good will keepes a mans heart cheerefull to God, and pleasant to himselfe. Will you then make your hope sure of an eternal rest, and of those pleasures for evermore at the right hand of God? Doe but take the first course to make your∣selves content and joyfull in this life which is to walke before God unto all pleasing to your power and to be rich in good workes. Was there ever a more winning invitation then this? Make your∣selfe joyful and contented in this life, that you may be eternally joyfull and contented in the next.

CHAP. XI. To redresse ourselves often, by Repentance.

Wee have meditated upon the peace of God and the way how to get it in our souls, and keepe it. That peace brings a golden serenity and a solid content to our hearts. But because the godliest persons in this world are subject to sinne, and by sinning to trouble that peace and serenity, it is necessary to redresse ourselves often by repen∣tance. Of that duty I have spoken in the third chapter of this first booke, as the necessary way to embrace by faith our reconciliation with God, and a maine part of the great worke of our con∣version. But after wee are reconciled and con∣verted, wee are men still. Neither is any con∣version so great in this life as to roote out sinne altogether out of mans nature. Whosoever then

will preserve his integrity and peace (for these two commonly goe together) must have this warning continually in his mind, Lét him that thinks he standeth take heed lest he fall 1. Cor. 10.12. And if he fall, let him take up himselfe presently by a godly repentance. The more he esteemeth himselfe advanced and confirmed in piety, the more let him mistrust himselfe and be∣ware of the temptations of Satan. For after holy, resolutions and elevations of zeale and devotion, great sins very often are committed; because then the conscience is most subject to relent, as over∣confident of her good estare; Much like besieged souldiers who after a brave sallie will remitt of their watchfulnes, despising the enemy whom they have beaten, and in their security are taken by surprise. Conscience will fall asicepe, but Satan never sleepeth, and never misseth to take advan∣tage of our negligence. Heb. 12.1. Sin that doth so easily beset us saith the Apostle to the Hebrewes. By saying us, he comprehends himself acknowledg∣ing that the most perfect are easily beset by sin.

Some sins are presently felt, and leave a sting as the Scorpion doth; To that sting the remedy must presently be applyed by repentance, and a faithfull recourse to Gods mercy through Christ; also the assistance of his Spirit must bee im∣plored, else the venome will spread, and the wound become mortal. Other sins are lesse felt, or creep in undiscerned, yet leave a heavinesse

upon the heart, and make it slower to godlinesse and good workes. Then the businesses of the life intervening, the remembrance of many sins will slip out of our memory, which neverthelesse worke their effect upon the conscience, blunting the sense of piety, and setting the soul further from God.

Wherefore it is the part of a wise Christian often to revisit the state of his conscience, call himselfe to account, and by a pious solicitude of repentance pick and sift out even the least dust that sticks to us of the worlds uncleannesse and our own, scowring out that rust which consci∣ence, like iron, will contract, if it be not often handled.

If the uncleane spirit will not dwell in a mans heart unlesse he find the house empty, swept, and gar∣nisht, Matth. 12. that is, void of all goodnesse and furnisht for his turne; We must not expect that the holy Spirit will dwell in our heart un∣lesse we bestow our best care to sweepe it for him, emptyed of the immundicities of sinne, & to garnish it with holinesse. He will not keep house under the same roofe with the unclean spirit. And unlesse we speedily put that enemy out of doores, God may in his displeasure leave him the whole house. Whereas if you keep it swept for God with daily repentance, he will make it his Temple, and say, Psal. 132.14. This is my rest for ever, here will I dwell, for I delight in it. But

that our hearts may be cleane habitations for him, we have need to call for the assistance of his grace. Psalm 51. Create in us a cleane heart O Lord and renew a right Spirit within us.

Since the Son of God honours us so much as to call us his friends, let us religiously observe the lawes of friendship with him. Even in humane friendships, if we have sometimes the missorutne to give offence to one whom we especially love and respect, we cannot be at rest till we have given him satisfaction. And should we be so im∣prudent as to neglect God our great friend, after we have offended him? Shall we let the Sunne go down upon his wrath and our offence? Let us returne to him without delay, and humbly seeke his peace. The speediest reconciliations are the best.

In this returne to God, which must be every day, let us call to our remembrance all the sins of late date, and others of elder date not sufficiently repented of, confessing them to God with contri∣tion, and craving pardon for them with humi∣lity and faith through the merit of his Sonne, which to all repenting sinners is an exhaustible spring of mercy, open at all times. Zechariah meant this by that Fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleannesse. And becaure many trespasses of ours are out of remembrance, and some we have run into without our knowledge, we must be∣seech

God with David to clense us from secret faults, Psalm 19.12. and that he be pleased to for∣get those sins which we have forgotten.

To that daily returne to God, some extraordi∣nary returnes must be added, where fasting and alms be joyned to prayer. Thereby these clouds shall be cleared off, which trouble the serenity of the conscience, and the soul shall get a great help to rejoyce in the love of God and glory in his bounty.

When one is come to that blessed state of the soul, he must wipe off the teares of repentance and drowne that sadnesse in a thankfull joy. For the sorrow of repentance is good by accident on∣ly, because there is some evill to be healed. It is like a medicine which gives gripings and disqui∣eteth nature, therefore not to be used but to re∣cover health: Although we cannot repent too much to have offended God, there may be excess in the sorrow of repentance. To seek merit or ostentation in penitent sorrow, which is the face that vulgar soules give to devotion, is making a glory of the matter of our shame, as if a fellon had the ambition to weare the halter about his neck with a good grace. The sorrow of repen∣tance is an ill passage which we must of necessity go through, if we will be saved; but we must not make that passage a dwelling place. After we have used it to make our peace with God, we must be comforted and rejoyce in that peace. For

God hath not called us to sorrow, but to peace and content; And the Gospell is the Doctrine of peace and assurance.