TWO TREATISES CONCERNING REGENERATION, 

1. Of Repentance,  
2. Of the Diet of the Soul,   Showing,  
The one, how it ought to be sought after, and may be attained unto.  
The other, how it being gotten, i● to be preserved and continued.  Math. 7.7. 
Knock and it shall be opened.  
LONDON. Printed by Thomas Creed, for Robert Dexter, and Ralph jackson. 1597.   

The occasion and argument of of the Treatise following.  
IT is a certain truth, confirmed by experience, and also by the word of God (t●e which are two (being both one in effect) so sure witnesses that no exception can be taken against either of them) that the number of true believers is very small (especially in this last & most corrupt age of the world, wherein as we have it foretold in Scripture, faith is not to be found, but iniquity doth abound) and that most of those, who profess themselves to be Christians, deceive both themselves with a false conceit, and also others with an hypocritical show of religion, when as in truth they know not what it meaneth. For many are so far from having religion in their hearts, that they are altogether ignorant of the doctrine of regeneration, wherein the substance of religion doth consist, and without the which it is as impossible to attain to eternal salvation, as it is for the clear sunshine, and palpable darkness to be together in the same place. For although according to the rule of Christian love, ●ee judge the best of the least appearance of grace, taking for pure gold whatsoever doth glister, yet most men are so estranged from God, having no sense of religion in their minds, nor any savour of it in their words and deeds, being in their whole behaviour so far from the practice of godliness, making no conscience of any duty belonging either to God or man, that we may be bold (having sufficient warrant from the word of God) to think and say of them, that they are carnal and unregenerate men, not as yet called to the knowledge and obedience of the truth, howsoever they may be, according to God's secret counsel in the number of his elect.  
Thus men live, and thus they die in the most fearful state of eternal death: the which thing being duly weighed, would work grief even in the hardest heart, and stir it up to a pitiful desire of amending it. For if we be justly moved to pity by beholding the moment any miseries of men, and the distressed state of their bodies being consumed with sores and sickness, and even at death's door, how much more ought we to be grieved for the eternal misery of their souls, not dying, but being already clean dead in sin, and yet living in that state which leadeth to unspeakable torment, and the hot-burning furnace of the wrath of God? But helpless pity increaseth the evil, communicating it to those who before were free from it: and therefore we are not here to rest, but rather to put to our helping hands, and so both with hand and heart to endeavour the relieving of this woeful and wretched estate. But it there any help for this spiritual misery in the hands of any man? can men work this regeneration in themselves, or in others, and so change a carnal and sinful man into a holy and new creature? No surely: regeneration is the proper work of the omnipotent God, impossible to be brought to pass by man, angel, or any creature: for although many creatures have life in themselves, yet none can give natural, much less spiritual life to another. So then belike, there is not any duty looked for at man's hands in this behalf, but only that he pity and bewail his o●ne, and other men's desperate estate: and the blame of men's sinfulness and damnation, is not to be laid on men, ●ho cannot help though they would, but on God, who keeping this faculty of regenerating men in his o●ne hands, neither himself helpeth man, neither yet maketh it possible for man to help himself. This may seem to follow of the aforesaid ground, but it is not in any case to be admitted: for God doth both himself rene● men by his spirit to eternal life and also hath appointed the meaanes by the which man is to work his own salvation. The which if he will not try and use, who can either deny or doubt, but that the blame is in himself, and not in God: the which if he using cannot prevail, yet the fault is in his own corrupt nature, the which is so dead in sin, that it cannot be recovered, no not by good and sufficient means. For as touching the corruption of nature, the which, we confess maketh it impossible for a man to renew himself, God is not in any wise to be thought the author of it: for he created man in perfect holiness, but man did carelessly & wilfully lose that holiness, which God gave unto him. But as for the neglect and contempt of the means, which God hath appointed for the recovering of holiness, man can not but take that wholly to himself, who although he cannot renew himself though he would, yet if he will he may use the means appointed for that purpose, as will more plainly appear in the particulars. But man, who (for the most part) is careless of eternal salvation, yea altogether unwilling to take that pains in seeking it, which is required of all those, who desire to find it, will allege in defence of this his wilful contempt of God's word, that it were folly for him to seek regeneration, the which it is not in his power to effect. Whereunto we answer, that no man ought to despair of the truth, goodness, mercy or power of God, and make his sinfulness the greater, and his damnation the more just and grievous: but rather do his endeavour in the careful and continual use of the means, as God hath commanded, and so leave both the success of his labour, and ●is own salvation, to the will and good pleasure of God. The which that we may do, it is needful that we kno● and consider, the means whereby regeneration may be attained unto, or at the least ought to be sought after.  
It is not gold or silver, (although Simon Magus supposed, that spiritual graces might be bought with money, as worldly commodities are) that can purchase regeneration, not favour, friendship, or any desert of holiness, but only the using of the means which God hath appointed.  
The means of Regeneration, is the way leading unto it, called in Scripture Repentance, in the Greek tongue Metanoia, that is, an after mind, or a right mind after a wrong mind: for as in other matters it cometh daily to pass, that men being in process of time brought by experience to see their own errors wherein they have done amiss, are displeased with themselves for so doing, with that they had done otherwise, and so are said to repent of this or that action: so a carnal man ●auing all ●is life time lived in vain and sinful pleasures, altogether careless of the service of God, and of his own salvation, at length seethe the vanity of his life past, is grieved for it, and wisheth (although too late) that he had taken an other course. Yea, together with his mind he changeth ●is ●ill, affections, and his whole life, utterly renouncing and disclaiming all those vices and sins, wherein before he delighted and lived, and labouring to frame and enure himself to a virtuous and christian disposition of mind and life. This state we have plainly set do●ne unto us, in the parable of that prodigal young man, who having wasted his money, time & strength in riot, cometh at length to his right wits, and to a sober kind of life.  
This is that state of man, which is betwixt senseless security, or open profaneness, wherein he seldom or never thinketh of God (whom perhaps he thinketh neither to exist in himself, nor to work any way in the world): or of his own salvation, he never dreaming of any other world, than this which he doth presently enjoy, and wherein he placeth his whole happiness. In this first estate (which may truly be called Atheism) man is most wretched as in all other respects, so chiefly, in that he accounting himself happy (as all carnal men do who are free from outward crosses) is for the present without any knowledge, desire, hope, or likelihood of any better estate. In the second estate also (the which in this Treatise we call the state of Repentance) man is as yet not happy but miserable: yet happy in this one respect, for that he knowing himself to be wretched, doth earnestly desire, carefully endeavour, and may well hope to become happy. But in the third estate, to wit, in regeneration, he knoweth himself to be both happy and holy, and laboureth for the perfection of it, & by virtue of that holiness which he hath received from God, to overcome that sinfulness which he hath by nature. The second state, is the way leading from the first to the third, from sin to holiness, from death to life, the conversion of a sinner, not to God (for he is as yet as far from him, as hell, or rather as the earth is from Heaven) but only towards God, and the preparation for grace and regeneration, commanded unto us by the name of Repentance. Thus the ministry of john was the ministry of Repentance, being appointed by God, not so much to teach Christ and the doctrine of the Gospel, or to work faith, as by preaching the doctrine of the Law, to bring men to a sight and sense of sin, that so they might be stirred up to Christ the pardoner of sin. Thus he defineth his office and ministry, Math. 3.3. The voice of a Crier in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, and make his paths strait. And this was the sum of all his Sermons, Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Likewise, in other places of Scripture, the word Repentance is thus taken: although sometimes put for Regeneration or sanctification itself, yet usually distinguished from it, as being but a preparative unto it. As Math. 21.32. You did not repent to believe. Or, that so you might have believed: and Act. 2.38. Repent and be baptised for remission of sin, and ye shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost, and Act. 8.22. Peter saith to Simon Magus, Repent, and pray to God, if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee. And thus we take it in this Treatise for the natural conversion of a man to God, wrought in a man unregenerate, (as it seemeth Nicodemus was, john 3.4. although he did seek salvation) yet being the means of regeneration.  
This way or this ladder, whereby we are to climb up to regeneration, hath four steps, for so we will make a homely and familiar division of it, that it being set down in many several parts, may the more easily be understood and known. The first step which is to be made by this carnal man now repenting, is to get the true knowledge of his o●ne estate, to wit, how sinful and wretched he is in himself by nature, and at t●is present. The second step is humiliation or contrition, wrought in him by the due consideration of his own estate. The third, is a full purpose or resolution of mind to seek for grace and regeneration. The fourth and last part, is the diligent using of the means appointed by God, for the obtaining of grace: the which means are three in number. The first is amendment of life: the second, the hearing of God's word: the third is prayer, or invocation of the name of God.   

Read in the former Treatise.  
Page 80. line. 17. praise for practise. page. 64.3. done but his duty. pa. 61. lin. 24. fainteth, for faintly▪ pag ●3. lin. 24. rejected, for received. pa. 43. lin. 8. great, for grace. pag. 40. lin. 5. words for works. pag. 31. lin. 14. of absolute, for absolute. pag. 26. lin. ●0. humbled for humble. Page 86. Line. 10. liker for better, page. 88 lin. 12. tempted to, for tempted by. page. 90.26. sinfulness for sinful life. page 94.9. in al● the ages. pag. 104.20. required, for requi●ed.  
Read in the latter Treatise, pag. ●2. lin. 23. thus they die. pa. 88 lin. 1●. lying idle, pa. 65. lin. 18. should not, pa. 110. lin. 7. other men's, pag. 112 lin. 27. is not, pa. 113. lin. ●. in a dark, 116.1. blessing like.   

OF THE FIRST part of Repentance, called Repentance, by the name of the whole.  

CHAP. 1.  

Sect. 1.  
THe first thing to be done in Repentance is this, that the carnal man labour to have the true knowledge of his own estate, the which (as it is in all other things) neither could be continued, if it were good, nor can be amended, being now amiss, unless it be fully and thoroughly known. And therefore we must endeavour in the first place to bring this our Nicodemus to know himself, to wit, how he standeth in respect of God and his favour, whereon his good estate doth wholly depend. For as the good estate of a subject or servant consisteth in this, that he living in the favour and good liking of his king, or master, procured by his loyal obedience & faithful service, is free from all evils and injuries, and enjoyeth all things either needful, or pleasant: so the state of man being pure from sin, is good & happy: otherwise, if by sinning, & rebelling against god, he incur his displeasure, most wretched & miserable. But what? doth not man know himself? how can we suppose that he who knoweth all things, is ignorant of his own estate, especially seeing this knowledge is most proper and pertinent unto him, For, none knoweth the things of man, but the spirit of man which is in him. Surely, as the eye of the body, although it behold all other things, yet it can not see either itself, or some other parts of the body, even those which are nearest unto it: so it fareth with the mind of man, the eye of the soul, it rangeth over the whole world, above the highest heavens, and beneath the bottom of the earth, and yet it is a stranger at home, most ignorant of the own estate, as the manifold doubts, controversies, and contentions, which have from time to time troubled the heads, schools, and books, not only of Philosophers, but also of learned Divines, about the original creation, substance, infusion, infection or corruption, and separation of the soul, do plainly testify. Yea, in the soul of man, nothing is so unknown to man himself, as that which both of itself, and to all others is most apparent, and conspicuous, as are the spots in a man's face, to wit, the wants, infirmities, and enormities of it. This cometh to pass; by reason of that self love▪ engraven by nature in man, and in all other things, by the which it cometh to pass, that as he is better affected towards himself, than to any other thing: so, (the judgement following affection) he thinketh better of himself than he ought to do, being unwilling to hear, and unable to conceive any thing, tending to the disgrace of himself, especially of his soul, wherein his excellency doth consist. And therefore, as Philosophers, knowing that men are altogether ignorant of their own faults and vices, set this precept& Nosce seipsum, in the beginning of their moral institutions: so the first lesson, which a divine is to teach, and a Christian to learn is this, know, and acknowledge the sinfulness of thy soul, whereof, of thyself thou art altogether ignorant. And surely so it is: for although the soul of man be so wholly infected with the leprosy of sin, that there is no clean part or piece from the top to the toe of it, yet it seemeth to itself most pure, beautiful and glorious, as by the received opinions of perfect inherent righteousness, justification by works, merit, of pure naturals & free will, doth plainly appear. Revel. 3.17. Thou sayest I am rich, and am enriched, (the one by nature, the other by free-will and industry) and have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. These are the opinions, & conceits which all men have of themselves, thinking far better of themselves in every respect than they should do: yea, the errors before named, as they are natural to man, so they have place commonly in most, if not generally in all carnal men, who, howsoever perhaps for company and fashions sake they make profession of the contrary truth, yet in their minds they hold the purity of man's nature, thinking it no more corrupt, than it was created by god, & then it was in Adam, during the time of his innocency: yea, that it is impossible to show how possibly, either his nature should be corrupted, or his corruption derived to his posterity. Yea, thinking it to be the most excellent nature, or little inferior or different from it: whereof it cometh that they do so usually resemble the divine nature unto it: honouring, fearing, worshipping, trusting & invocating it as god, yea, ascribing to it what soever is glorious in god, making saints of sinful men, & gods of saints, whereas in truth it is not only not most excellent, but even very base and mean: not only corrupt in sinfulness, but even filthy and loathsome, not weak or sick, but dead and rotten, not happy, but of all natures (if we except the the devil & his angels) the most wretched & woeful. Likewise for outward action, he thinketh that those works which have any show of goodness, although they be never so imperfect, corrupt and hypocritical, are meritorious before god, yea, to be a sufficient price of eternal salvation, both for himself, & also for others. For mean & ordinary sins, he thinketh them venial, & light offences, not to be accounted, or avoided: his good meaning is as good as perfect holiness, his own righteousness perfit and absolute: yea, this blindness and ignorance of their own estate appeareth, even in the natural gifts of men, who usually judge themselves of all other the wittiest, most wise, and most worthy of honour, although there be no such cause: yea, although they be most simple, & unlearned, yet they are as stiffly addicted to their own opinions and fashions, as they who have the surest ground for their actions, & course of life. In these & other like respects, our natural blindness is to be considered, and so to be applied to our spiritual estates, in respect whereof, this blindness is greatest and most hurtful.   

Sect. 2,  
But how shall we bring the natural man to see his own sinfulness? Surely, 〈◊〉 by setting before his eyes the glass of the moral law, wherein if he will open his eyes (for of himself by nature he hath some knowledge of good and evil remaining in his mind) he may see himself to be a most ugly and filthy leper, defiled in nature, soul and body, in mind, will and affections, in word, deed, and in all his actions, with all manner of sin. The which exercise of comparing the purity of the law of god, to wit, the obedience commanded in it, with the sinfulness of their own souls, and the sins of their lives, we do earnestly commend unto all those who desire to walk aright in this way of repentance, leading to regeneration, and salvation. And not only to consider the bare words of the ten commandments, the which being of set purpose made short & compendious, for memory's sake, do only mention the principal duties, & forbidden gross and capital sins: but also to learn the meaning of them, by reading, marking, and remembering those manifold expositions which are made of the said commandments, both by Christ himself, the head doctor of the Church. Matth. 6. and also by his Ministers, in their writings, according to the measure of grace received from him. In the which thou (who soever thou art, that takest in hand this happy work of Repentance) shalt see the great variety and multitude of thy sins, thy original sin (which is the total corruption of thy nature, prone to all evil, and abhorring from all goodness) and thy actual sins, thy inward sins, to wit, the wicked, unjust, and filthy motions of thy mind, will, and affections: and thy outward sins, to wit, thy vain, foolish, and filthy talk, thy lewd behaviour, dishonourable to God, and injurious to thy brethren, thy sins of ignorance, and thy wilful and rebellious sins committed with a high hand and obstinate purpose, and a shameless face against God and man. The sins of thy youth, and the sins of thy ripe age, thy small sins (although the least may be counted great, in that it bringeth with it the endless wrath of God) and thy heinous and horrible sins, as are atheism, idolatry, perjury▪ murder, incest, and adultery: all these and many other sorts of sins, thou shalt find in every one of the ten commaundemts, and in every part of thy body & soul, if it please thee to take the pains (for it will be a painful and grievous piece of work, painful indeed for the present, but joyful in the end) to ransack the secret corners of thy sinful soul, and to search even to the bottom the festered sores thereof: yea, to lay open before God and thy own conscience the story, chronicle, & day book of thy life past, by calling to mind the course of life which thou hast followed, and to examine it without flattery or partiality, by the strait line of the law and word of God. In the which examination there must great care be had, that we be not blinded by any means, and so made corrupt judges, as namely by an opinion and conceit of our own good parts, of nature, our virtues gotten by good education and industry, our good works which we have done to God, and to our brethren, how many ways, and with how great charges we have maintained learning, set forward religion, served God, and relieved the poor. These conceits, if they run in our heads, they will blind our eyes, and so overshadow all our sins, that we shall judge and pronounce ourselves not sinful, but holy, just, and innocent. And then especially this cometh to pass, when as we compare ourselves with those who are more sinful, and in some respect notoriously wicked: then the opinion of our own holiness, which before was doubtful, is put out of all controversy, and we not only exempted from the rank and state of sinful men, but even canonised Saints in our own conceits. This delusion of the devil and vanity of our minds, we have notably painted out unto us in the example of the Pharisee Luke. 18.11. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus: O God I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or as this Publican. There is the second delusion, now followeth the first, of good works: I fast twice in the week, I give tithe of all that I possess. But this mischievous error, by the which many men's repentance is nipped in the head & broken off in the beginning, must be removed, by knowing and considering, that other men's sins will condemn themselves, but cannot justify us, that in sinfulness we are as far & further beyond others, than we are short of them, and that our good deeds though never so many & glorious, coming from the corrupt fountain of an irrepentant and unbelieving heart, are accounted sins before God, as the scripture teacheth us, Rom. 14.23. yea, as defiled and filthy clouts, loathsome and abominable in his sight. And further, that they coming (as our own consciences knowfull well, and as others have sufficient ground to suspect) not from any manner of love, either to God or man, but from self-love, pride, and vain glory, we intending & desiring nothing but only to purchase unto ourselves credit & commendation in the world, deserve not to be commended, but to be abhorred even of men.  
This fight of sin consisteth in knowing two things. First ourselves to be so sinful as we are indeed, secondly, that in regard of our sin we are unrighteous in the sight of God. Man's sinfulness is this, that whereas he ought by the law of God to be holy and pure in nature, soul and body, he is in all these respects wholly corrupted & defiled with sin. His natural sinfulness consisteth in this, that he is of himself by nature, without any outward tentation, allurement, or persuasion, inclined to evil, & altogether unable to do good. The inward sinfulness of the soul is, in that all the secret motions of it, which should be only toward God, and the doing of that which is agreeable to his law, are altogether from Godward, and toward sin and disobedience. These (howsoever some think & teach them to be no sins) yet God doth account otherwise of them, & so must this our repentant do. For why? as god is a spirit, so he will be worshipped and served not only outwardly in bodily actions, but also inwardly in the spirit and soul: and abhorreth the secret filthiness of the soul, as much as the outward and apparent filthiness of the body, the one being as apparent & manifest to him as the other. Thus we must esteem the corrupt thoughts, lusts and concupiscences of the soul as sins, that so we may see & acknowledge the multitude of our sins to be greater than the hairs of our heads. And lastly, for our outward actions, that we be not deceived with any opinion of our good works the perfitness, number, excellency, and merit of them, but rather think & know that as savoury water cannot come from a stinking puddle, or sweet fruit from a sour root, no more can any one good work come from an unregenerate man, from a corrupt and sinful soul, who although he give his body to the fire for the profession and maintenance of the truth, and all his goods to the poor, in a tender compassion of their misery, yet he being destitute of faith, love, & the rest of the parts of regeneration, doth not by these works please God, or fulfil his law. For that, where they are few and seldom performed, they should be continual, where they should be done only for God's glory, they are done only in vain glory, and in desire of the applause of men, or which is worse, in a presumptuous opinion of meriting salvation at the hands of God, if not in hypocrisy or in some evil and wicked intent. How much less than can we think that our unlawful actions forbidden and condemned by the law and word of God, are any way venial or justifiable. The other part of the sight of sin, is to know, that by it we are made unjust and unrighteous, not only by a sinful and wicked life, but even by one sinful action: not only by great and grievous crimes, but even by the least offences which we commit: not only by outward sinful actions, but even by the most secret motions of our corrupt mind and will: not only by these actual sins, but even by our natural inclination and proneness to sin, which the youngest infant hath, and bringeth out of his mother's womb. For he that breaketh any one of the commandments by any means, breaketh the whole law, and is as guilty of sin, as he who breaketh all the commandments. So that, to conclude this point, this our Nicodemus, desiring to repent, and so to be sanctified and saved, must in the first place learn what sin is, how many kinds, differences, and degrees are of it, yea, all the doctrine belonging to this head, and secondly so apply it to himself and his own estate, as that he make it as a glass wherein to see and know himself to be sinful.   

Sect. 3.  
Thus we having brought this repentant to the sight of his sin, which is the first part of the knowledge of his estate, we are in the next place to bring him to the sense of sin, which is the second part of it. By the sense of sin, we mean the knowledge of that punishment, which is due unto him for his sin: For most men make so little account of sin, that although they know in their own consciences, and will not stick to confess to others, themselves to be both sinful by nature, and sinners in the whole course of their lives: yet their sins are not a heavy burden or a clog unto their consciences, not as sharp pricks wounding and galling their hearts, but as small and light matters whereof they have no sense or feeling: they think that as they themselves, so also God himself maketh small reckoning of it, and though he have commanded men to live in obedience to his law, and to abstain from committing of sin, yet he is not by the committing of it provoked to anger, or to inflict any punishment upon the offendant, as plainly appeareth by that great patience which he useth towards men, who although generally they go on in all manner of disobedience and wilful breaking of his commandments, adding one grievous sin to another, and open contempt of him, & of hi● word to all, yet they escape unpunished, & live as merrily in the world as the holiest man doth, who dare not suffer an evil thought to enter into his mind. Thus (that we may answer this profane and pernicious error with the words of the apostle, Rom. 2.2) men contemn & abuse the patience and long suffering of God & are by it kept back from repentance, the which they should know and think to lead them to repentance, in that God doth not confound them in their sins, as he might justly do, but suffering them to live, giveth time of repenting: yet they, according to the obstinacy and hardness of their hearts, which cannot, or rather which will not repent heap up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath, and the declaration of the just judgement of God. Thus God speaketh to the wicked person, Psa. 50.21. These sins thou hast committed, & I have held my peace, that is: I did not punish thee as thy sins did deserve, whereupon thou thoughtest that I was like unto thee, that is, that I liked and approved sin, and was as little offended with it as thou thyself: But I will reprove and punish thee for thy sin, & so I will take this error out of thy mind. For so we are to interpret this patience of GOD, esteeming impunity to be the greatest punishment of all other, and that as the water is deepest, where it is the stillest: so where God is most silent in threatening, and patiented in sparing, there he is most inflamed with anger, and purpose of revenge: and lastly, that the fewer judgements are poured forth upon the wicked in this life, the more are reserved in store for them in the life to come. And yet the anger of God, and the punishments of sin, are not so deferred to the world to come, but that they are even in this life felt of the wicked, and may be acknowledged by all men. For beside spiritual plagues, as blindness of mind, hardness of heart, impenitency, the adding of one heinous sin unto another, a reprobate sense, and a desperate outrage in sin (the which howsoever they be lightly esteemed of, yea, not at all perceived by carnal eyes, yet they are of all others most fearful, and grievous) the curses of God do evidently fall & seize upon the bodies, goods, upon the wives, children, and friends, upon the name, memory, and posterity of wicked and ungodly men, as they are at large rehearsed, and most fearfully threatened, Deuter. 28. He shall be cursed in the town, and in the field, in his basket, and in his dough, in the fruit both of his body, and of his land, in his kine, and in his flocks of sheep, in his going out, and in his coming in. And, (for brevity sake, referring the reader to the place itself) the heavy hand of God shall be upon all his actions, endeavours, and enterprises, upon all things whatsoever do any way belong unto him: yea, all the creatures both small and great, weak and strong, good and evil, in heaven and on the earth, shall band themselves together in huge armies against him for his confusion, as executioners of the wrath of God due unto him for his sin. Yea, whilst they are deferred, the expectation of them is more fearful (if more may be) than the suffering of them is grievous, and if (the conscience being seared and benumbed) there be no fear, that state is of all other desperate and fearful.  
This part of repentance (as also all the rest) is usually wanting in carnal men, who pass on their day in mirth, pleasure, and security, and so blessing themselves in their prosperous estate, put far from themselves the evil day: yet sometimes it may be found in them, upon occasion either of some heinous sin committed, or some great cross or misery sustained. For the first, less sins do not trouble men's consciences, or work in them these agonies of horror and desperation: for men seeing them to be committed daily, both by themselves, and also by others, without any punishment, make no reckoning of them. But as for heinous and extraordinary sins, as murder, incest, adultery, oppression, and such others, which all men condemn, and few commit, these are not so easily swallowed over, but do often leave behind them a prick in the conscience, and fear of punishment. But especially this cometh to pass, when as together with any such sin, some outward misery doth concur, the which will easily put a man in mind of his sin, and in fear of further punishment: hereof it cometh that this sense of God's wrath due to sin, is oftenest seen in the time of some dangerous sickness threatening death, in the which many are brought to see and acknowledge, both their sin, and the desert of it, who as long as they enjoyed their health, lived in senseless security, and Atheism. This use we are to make of all those miseries and evils which befall us, gathering by the smart of them, what the anger of God due unto sin is, which bringeth with it, not that only, but all other plagues and torments. And guessing by that sorrow, and those evils and injuries, which we sustain at the hands of men, how fearful a thing it is to fall into the hands of God, and by that pain of body, and grief of mind, wherewith we are afflicted for a short time, what it is to live for ever in pain and grief.   

Sect. 4.  
THe last thing, which this repentant is to learn, and know, as touching his own estate, is this, how unable he is of himself, or by any means which he can use, to free himself, either from his sin, or from the anger of GOD due unto it For there is no condition so miserable, but that the hope of amending it (if there be any) will assuage the pain and grief of it. But in this case, there is no hope, and therefore no comfort left to man, to whom it is altogether impossible, if he respect himself, or any thing that any creature can do in his behalf, either to shake off his natural sinfulness, or to escape the punishment of eternal death belonging unto it. For the former of these two, a carnal man may foster in his mind what conceits he will of his own excellency and natural strength, supposing himself to be, although perhaps for the present, both outwardly wicked, and inwardly sinful, outwardly filthy, and inwardly unclean, yet able at his own pleasure to purge himself both from the natural corruption and from the outward act of sin: but the truth of God's word teacheth the contrary, to wit, that sin being by the fall of Adam made natural to man, cleaveth unto him as unseparably, as the skin doth to his body, and as the spots to the skin of the leopard, which having their original in the bones, marrow and most secret parts, cannot by any force or devise be gotten out. He may indeed by his natural strength repress the rage of it: he may prune and lop it, cutting off the superfluous boughs and branches of it, yet the root, yea, the whole body of it will remain unmovable in the secret parts of his soul, & send forth plentiful fruit in all the parts and members of his body at one time or other, as occasion is offered, as hath been declared more at large else where. Likewise, for the punishment due unto sin, that can no way be avoided, not by hiding ourselves in some secret place from God, for whether shall we go from his presence who is every where? he is in heaven, and in hell, in the town, and in the desert, he seethe as well at midnight, as at noon day. Psa. 139. If we say to the hugest mountains, fall upon us, and cover us from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne, & from the wrath of the Lamb. reve. 6.16. yet the eyes and hands of God will pierce thorough the highest hills and the hardest rocks, for they laid the foundations of them. But we hope perhaps to escape punishment, yea, though we cannot eschew his presence, & that by means of the great mercy and indulgency of God, who delighteth not in the misery, anguish, and confusion of men, but in their salvation and happy estate, and therefore will no doubt be easily entreated by the humble suit and pitiful moan of men, to pardon their sins, and if not to bestow upon them the crown of eternal glory, they having not deserved it, yet to remit the punishment due unto their sins. Thus do many men imagine of God, and thus they imagine him not to be God, who as he is merciful, so also he is just: yea, he is as just as he is merciful, being in both respects infinite, and therefore equal. And therefore it is no less impossible that GGD should remit the punishment due unto sin, then that he should do that which is contrary to his own nature. If it be here asked, how then doth God show mercy on the elect: we answer, that he doth it not by remitting the punishment of their sin, but by taking it upon himself, even by punishing their sin in his own person: and therefore there is no hope of impunity left for the carnal man, but a fearful expectation of wrath, the which although perhaps it be in part deferred for a time, yet assuredly the day of judgement, and of vengeance will come at length. Thus we have brought this unregenerate man to the sight or true knowledge of himself, and of his own estate, to wit, the knowledge first of his sinfulness: secondly, of the punishment due unto his sin: and thirdly, of his impotency, or inability, of mending this his evil estate. This is the first part of Repentance, and may fitly be called by the name of the whole, to wit, Repenting, forethinking, or rather after thinking, and an after mind. For, in stead of that fond conceit, which he had of his own purity, righteousness, and happiness, he now seethe himself to be sinful, guilty of eternal death, and subject to all manner of plagues, miseries, and curses, both in this life, and for ever in the life to come. So that now he is in the same case with the jews, Act. 2.37. who being pricked in their consciences by a sight & sense of sin: asked Peter what they should do: the answer followeth in the next verse, amend your lives, and be baptised for the remission of sin, and ye shall receive the holy Ghost.    

CHAP. II. Of the second part of Repentance, called Humiliation.  
THe second lesson, which a penitent person is to learn and practise, is Humiliation, the which will even of itself follow the former: for that the affections following the temperature of the mind, it can not be, but that as the conceit of holiness, and happiness, doth puff up a man in pride, presumption, joy, and confidence: so the sight of his sinful and wretched estate, should cast him down in shame, sorrow, and fear: of the which three the first respecteth sin itself, the other two the punishment of it. The first, the time past: the second, the time present: the third, the time to come. The first ariseth of the due consideration of the filthy and loathsome nature of sin: for as Adam by coming out of the state of holiness, into the state of sin had his eyes opened to see the filthiness of sin. and his own nakedness, whereupon he being ashamed, desired to hide and cover himself: so a carnal man coming out of the state of senseless security, wherein he neither knoweth nor considereth what sin is, into this state of repentance, wherein he conceiveth of sin, as it is in deed, judgeth himself in regard of it, the most abject man of all other, unworthy of their company, or to come in their sight: and therefore he declineth it, wherein this shame doth consist. Yea, when as this humiliation is vehement, he judgeth himself the most vile creature on the earth, the most grievous sinner that ever lived, although there be no such cause, he having lived as orderly, & honestly, as usually men do. For now he hath his eyes fully bend upon his own sins, he hath fresh remembrance of them, and of all the circumstances aggravating the heinousness of them, and knoweth the particulars of them, the which he doth not in other men's sins. This shame is not so proper and necessary a part of humiliation, as are the other affections of sorrow and fear, for that it hath place in those only, who before their repentance were given to great and notorious sins, such as are not usually found in the lives of men, and therefore are reproved and condemned by all: as for ordinary sins, which may be daily seen in men, and from the which few are free, they do not work this shame: for men are ashamed in regard of them only, who are less sinful, and therefore more excellent than themselves: yea, they are ashamed more in respect of men, then of God, because the presence of men is sensible, whereas they ought to be so much the more ashamed in respect of God, and of his holy angels, as they are more excellent, pure, & more abhorring the filthiness of sin, than any man is or can be: as we know that Adam and Eva were ashamed of their nakedness, (or rather of their sin, which made their nakedness shameful, which of itself was glorious) when as there were not any other men to see it. And therefore, howsoever the Atheism of men be so great, that they are not persuaded, and therefore not ashamed of the presence of God, yet all they who have any dealing with God, or do any way seek unto him, must be more ashamed of their sins in respect of god than men: and yet to nourish this shamefastness in regard of their brethren, as being good and profitable, for the more that they are humble towards men, the greater will their humiliation be in respect of God.  
The second part of inward humiliation is sorrow, which is a grievous sense of some present evil, as fear is of some evil to come: both which affections cannot but be great and vehement in this repentant, for that his eyes being now at length opened, he seethe and feeleth himself to be in a most miserable estate, to be for the present in slavery to sin and Satan, altogether destitute of grace & of all the means of attaining it, beside many temporal crosses wherewith he is afflicted, and for the time to come in the very gnaws of the devil, and in the unquenchable furnace of the wrath of God.  
It is not needful that we should insist in declaring how great and just cause he hath of sorrow & fear: yea, rather it is not possible for us to declare it in any measure. If we suppose a man living in health, wealth, and all manner of pleasure, to have this of a sudden made known unto him, that he is condemned of treason committed against his Prince and country, and that therefore he is forthwith to be deprived of life, and all those pleasures which he doth enjoy, there being no hope of pardon which can not possibly be procured by himself or any other, it depending wholly in the gracious favour & free inclination of the prince, who useth to be greatly inflamed with anger against all such offenders, & not to spare one of a thousand of them: can we fully conceive in mind or express in word, the greatness of his grief, sorrow, and fear? How much more grievous and fearful a thing shall we then think it, to incur the displeasure of God, the loss of eternal joy and happiness, together with those endless pains, which are prepared for the wicked. And therefore when as we see men labour and groan under this burden of their sins and the anger of GOD, we are not (as usually men do who have no sense of these things) to judge them as men subject to foolish and melancholy passions, but rather to think and confess that there is good cause why they should be thus affected. Yea, this repentant is to give himself to the daily and serious consideration of these things, that so this humiliation which is of great use, and very needful in regard of his salvation, may be procured. For, as it is often needful for the preservation of the bodily life, that the patiented be by detraction of blood brought to a swoon, and so even to death's door, so it is needful for the procuring of this spiritual life of the soul, that the repentant be by sorrow and fear cast down, even to the gates of hell, as one forlorn, and being in a most wretched estate. Thus the apostle writeth 2. Cor. 7.8. I do not repent me that I made you sorrowful by an Epistle, yea, I am glad, not that ye were sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance, not to be repent of: for worldly sorrow bringeth death. But as this humiliation is carefully to be procured, in regard of the great commodities which it bringeth, which are afterward to be declared: so it is to be moderated, lest that it drive to desperation, as in the place before named he warneth the Corinthians, that they do not use too great severity toward the incestuous person, lest that he be swallowed up of excessive sorrow. For it may easily come to pass, that men entering into a serious consideration of their sins, & of the judgements of god denounced and executed against sinners, do plunge themselves into the gulf of horror and desperation, out of the which they are hardly recovered: so fearful a thing is the wrath of God, that even one blencke of it is able to drive a sinner out of his wits, and utterly to astonish him. And what marvel is it, that a sinful man, who in respect of the anger of God, is even as hay, stubble, or flax, meeting with fire, be soon overcome, and faint under this heavy burden lying on his conscience, when as even Christ himself, who in himself was free from sin, and whose human nature was upheld by the Godhead, to bear the burden of God's wrath, due unto the sin of man, was by the sense of it so amazed, and confounded, that all the faculties, both of his body and soul, were shaken and loosed: as, for the one, those drops of blood which he sweat, and for the other, those words uttered in human weakness and fear, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? do plainly witness. So that if a short consideration and apprehension of the wrath of god could work such a strange effect in him, who knew no sin, what marvel is it if in sinful men, it stir up the very flame of hell fire: as to let all other examples pass, we read of one Francis Spira, in whom we may behold the very picture of that spiritual torment of a gnawing and terrifying conscience, which is prepared for the wicked in the world to come. But it must be prevented by having in the midst of the view of our wretched estate, the other eye set on the merciful promises of God, made as touching the pardon of sin, whereof although this penitent cannot have any assurance that they belong unto him, in that he feeleth not as yet grace wrought in his heart, which is the only earnest penny & pledge of salvation, and of the love of GOD, yet he may hope for it in time to come, it being like enough that GOD, who hath begun this repentance in him, will also work regeneration in his good time. And therefore there must in this case a mean be kept, so as we be neither secure and senseless in regard of our sins and the wrath of GOD (much less puffed up in pride and vain confidence, supposing our state to be good and happy, whenas it is woeful and miserable) nor yet swallowed up of excessive sorrow and fear, as if there were no hope of help left unto us, as many have been to whom the burden of this sorrow and fear hath been so intolerable, that despairing of any other remedy, they have by murdering themselves sought for ease in death and in hell itself, thinking that no state could be so evil, and therefore that any change would be good.  

Sect. 2.  
NOw further in this humiliation of a sinner, we are to declare these two points: first whether it be a work of grace or of nature, and secondly whether it be absolute necessity for regeneration and salvation, or no. For the first, although it may seem a work of God's spirit to have a broken and a contrite heart, contrary to that obstinacy, atheism, and hardness of heart, which is in the wicked, yet it is a work of nature, coming of that knowledge of good and evil, and that conscience of sin, which remaineth in man since his creation. For we are not to think that this humiliation is that true contrition and softness of heart, which hath place in those who are regenerate, and whereby they do easily without any resistance or delay, yield to the word and will of God, being at the first moved by his promises & blessings to love him, by his threatenings and judgements to fear him, and by both to obey him: only it is a servile fear of punishment and of the anger of GOD, wherewith obstinacy in sin may easily and doth often concur. But why, will some man say, if this humiliation be natural, is it not, if not in all, yet in most men, as nature is the same in all? yea, why is it in so few as we see, that it is not to be found in one of a thousand, and that almost all generally live in pleasure and in senseless security, without any conscience of sin or fear of punishment? We answer, that the ground of this humiliation is, the light of nature, not being neglected & suffered either to lie dead, or to decrease daily, as it doth in most men (for then it is not able to send forth this fruit, but is at length clean extinguished and turned into mere Atheism) but augmented by the written law and word of God, and stirred up by the judgements of God. Otherwise this light of nature cannot work this sorrow and fear in respect of sin and the anger of God: for how can they have a troubled conscience, who have no conscience: or fear of God, whom they do not know to exist, at least not to do either good or evil? Hence it cometh that this humiliation is so seldom found even among those who profess the faith, for that they have no sound knowledge and settled persuasion of God, but a slight and wavering opinion, & therefore no great or vehement humiliation, but only are sometimes disquieted in ●heir minds, in their miseries, and in the committing of notorious sins, as even the very Heathen are sometimes, of whom we read, that they have been strangely stung in their consciences by heinous sins, and driven by a fearful sense and expectation of God's revenging hand, into madness, horror, and desperation. And yet we are so to esteem this humiliation, as that which although it be not a proper work of God's sanctifying spirit, nor any part of regeneration, yet it is a step toward it, and far to be preferred before t●e contrary, Atheism and contempt of God.  
In the next place we are to inquire of the necessity of this humiliation, whether it may be spared, or be so absolutely needful, as that without it no regeneration or salvation may be hoped for. We answers, that it is needful: for that no man can seek to be eased of the burden of his sins by Christ, unless he feel the weight of them, or to be healed by him, unless he know himself to be wounded and bruised: yet it is not in the same measure, and alike vehement and manifest in all: neither is it needful that it should so be. It is sufficient that the repentant have a sight and sense of his sins, and so be, as he cannot but be, affected with sorrow and fear in respect of them, although there be not those horrible pang● of horror, which are in the repentance of some. The degrees of humiliation arise of these three causes: first, of the diversity of sinfulness in the repentant: for as the heavier the burden is, the more it presseth down so, the more, and the more heinous that the sins of the repentant be, the greater is his humiliation: whereof it cometh that those fearful agonies of sorrow and desperation are not usually seen, but where many heinous sins have gone before. Secondly, it ariseth of the diversity of those outward afflictions and iugdements, wherewith the repentant is punished: the which being of themselves grievous unto him, and some times such as can not be borne by flesh and blood, without great perturbation and anguish of soul, and so being added to the inward burden of his sins, and of a troubled spirit (whereof the wise man asketh who is able to bear it) maketh this humiliation very great. Thirdly, it ariseth of the delay of grace, the which the Lord vouchsafeth to some far sooner than he doth to others, who being kept a long ●ime in suspense, and not feeling that work of grace in their hearts, which they desine and expect, have less hope of obtaining pardon of their sins, and so consequently greater fear in respect of the anger of god due to sin: whereas otherwise being soon (some suddenly without any sensible humiliation, or time of repentance given unto them) received into favour, have not the like cause of this excessive sorrow and fear. Lastly, the degrees of humiliation arise of diverse apprehensions of the nature of sin, and of the anger of God, For as the repentant thinketh the one more or less heinous, the other more or less intolerable: so is his humiliation less or greater: yet always (as it hath been said) it must be in some measure, otherwise we have just cause to suspect ourselves, that we are not yet in the state of grace, and regeneration, into the which there is entrance but through this narrow gate, of shame, sorrow, fear, and anguish of soul: and therefore he that cannot remember himself to have been in this low estate of humiliation, cannot think that he is as yet exalted by the remission of his sins, to the favour of God: but must now at length labour to be thus humbled under the hand of God: not putting far out of his mind the evil day, and all things whatsoever may any way vex or trouble him, as usually and naturally men do, but rather laying this corsive of the wrath of god, and his sins committed, to his conscience, & suffering it, there even to eat and fret away his heart and soul, till God in mercy take it away. Thus we leaving this poor distressed soul out of conceit with himself, esteeming himself the most vile and and forlorn caitiff in the world, & saying with himself: O miserable man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of sin, and of death? we go on to that which followeth.   

Sect. 3.  
THus much of the inward humiliation of the soul required in repentance: unto the which the outward behaviour must be correspondent, as we see that the apparel of men is agreeable to their condition, degree, and kind of life: and therefore we must now put on this repentant a black mourning weed, that so his outward behaviour may be suitable to the inward disposition of his mind: that as he is in soul and conscience cast down by the sight of his sin, & the sense of the wrath of god: so he may behave himself accordingly, and express his inward humiliation in all his words, deeds, and in the whole course of his life. But what needeth this, will some man say, considering that God regardeth not the outward, but the inward man, & will accept a broken and contrite heart without these outward shows and ceremonies? Yea, we are flatly forbidden by Christ: Mat. 6.16. to wear this hypocrites weed, of outward humility and holiness. When thou fastest, look not sour as hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces, that they may seem to men to fast. But when thou fastest, anoint thy head, & wash thy face, that thou seem not to men to fast, b●● to thy father in secret. We answer, confessing that outward humiliation being destitute of the inward contrition of the heart, is not acceptable, but abominable to god. Yea that sometimes it may be omitted: as namely, when by using it, we shall incur the suspicion of hypocrisy, and a desire of vainglory, in the which sense this prohibition of it, which Christ maketh, is to be understood, yet it is a thing which God both liketh and requireth, yea, which is many ways profitable for him that useth it. For God will be served, both by the soul, and by the body, and will have the inward holiness of the one expressed and professed by the outward obedience of the other: yea it is a thing pleasing and acceptable in his sight, that there be an agreement and conformity in all things belonging unto us: and therefore he did in the judicial law forbidden the jews, from sowing diverse seeds in the same field, or from making their garments half linen, and half woollen: from mourning in a festival time. Nehe. 8.9. or from joying and feasting in a time of mourning. joel 2.16. How much more undecent than will he think this repugnancy betwixt the soul and the body, that when the one weary, the other should laugh: when the soul is humbled with sorrow and fear, the body should he puffed up, and swell in joy and pleasure: yea, this outward humiliation is very needful and profitable in respect of the repentant himself: for as it is in all other parts of holiness, the more they are practised by the body in life and action, the more they are confirmed and increased inwardly in the soul: so the more that a man giveth himself to the use of all the outward exercises of humiliation before men, the more doth he humble himself in the sight of God. Beside, this outward humiliation will be a great furtherance to another part of repentance, to wit, amendment of life, and a very effectual means of mortifying the flesh, with all the corrupt lusts thereof. For it requireth an abstinence from the use of worldly pleasures, by the which we know, that the flesh being heartened, is made to rebel, yea, to prevail against the spirit of God in the regenerate, and in all motions tending to holiness, which can be in a carnal man.   

Sect. 4  
THis outward humiliation must stretch itself over the whole behaviour and life of this repentant, and must have place in all his works and deeds, for so we make it of two sorts, verbal and real: verbal humiliation is commonly called confession, which is a ready and voluntary acknowledgement of sin, and of deserved wretchedness, to God, and to man. It is a notable effect and sign of the true and unfeigned humiliation of the heart. For every man by nature, is chary of his own credit and estimation, very unwilling to hear or admit from another, any thing tending to the impairing of it, but nothing goeth more against his stomach, then that he himself should utter any thing any way tending to his own disgrace, and so as it were throw mire on his own face. Whereof it cometh, that men do by all means cover and co●ceale their own faults and infirmities, and although they cannot stop other men's mouths, yet they will be sure to keep their own counsel: so that whensoever a man is brought to a true, plain and voluntary confession of his sins, it is unfallible argument of great humiliation: and therefore god threatening Levi. 26.40. extreme misery (in which the greatest humiliation hath place) unto the people, saith, that the remnant of the people shall pine away in the land of their enemies, and shall confess their sins.  
In this respect confession is required, and hath always been performed in true repentance, Pro. 28.13. He that hideth his sin shall not prosper, but he that confesseth and forsaketh it. Thus Nehem. 9.2. in that public repentance, the people were assembled together in fasting, sackcloth, and earth upon them, and they stood and confessed their sins, and the sins of their forefa-fathers'. And likewise in the ministery of john, which was the ministry of the law and of repentance, more than of the Gospel and regeneration, the people that were baptized, confessed their sins, Math. 3.6, This confession is to be made first and chiefly unto God, against whom all sins are committed, and that for the illustration of his glory: for by the sin of man the purity & holiness of his nature is illustrated. Thus the Prophet David confesseth Psal, 51. I know my iniquity and my sin is ever before me. Against thee O Lord, I have sinned and done evil in thy sight, that thou mayest be justified in thy sayings, and found pure when thou judgest: behold I was borne in sin, and in iniquity hath my mother conceived me. Yea, this confession must be made simply, plainly, and fully, all excuses, pretences, and shifts being laid aside, without concealing either any sin, although never so great and heinous, or any circumstance whereby the heinousness of it may be aggravated. Secondly, this confession of sin must be made to men, whereunto our repentant will much more unwillingly yield, who although he should be much more afraid and ashamed to confess his sin in the presence of God, who is purity itself, uncapable of any manner of pollution, yet he is more ashamed of his sin in the sight of men, because he is not so fully persuaded of the presence of GOD, which is not sensible. But how unwilling soever he be, it must be done, and that even for that end chiefly, in regard whereof he is so unwilling to do it. For GOD knowing that nothing is more against the mind of a carnal man, then by laying open his grievous sins and offences before the eyes of men, to incur shame and ignominy with them, with whom he hath daily conversation, and to abject himself, his credit and estimation (which is dearer to him then his life) at their feet, with whom he hath continual emulation for credit, doth (to bring down his lofty stomach, and to have an infallible testimony of his grace and unfeigned humiliation) enjoin this confession of sin to men.  
Besides, this confession is profitable and often needful in respect of his good that doth repent: for so by imparting to others the particulars of his state, and of those sins whereunto he is most subject, he may receive at the hands of his brethren a greater measure of comfort, edification, and strength to resist the said sins, than otherwise he could do, and be freed from many doubts and errors which do greatly trouble & hinder him. And yet in making this confession to men, divers things are to be considered. First it must be private, unless the repentance be public, that is, enjoined by the public authority of the church, for the removing of some public offence. Secondly, there is no necessity imposed by the word of God of confessing sin to any one man, more than to another, it being left free unto the repentant to make choice of him, or them whom he thinketh fittest for that purpose, of what calling or profession soever they be. For if men have this worldly wisdom, that they will not commit their bodies, & the curing of their bodily diseases, to any but unto those, who are known to be learned, expert, faithful, diligent, loving, and secret (knowing that otherwise they should hazard their health, life goods, and (in some case) their credit, how much more circumspect aught they to be in choosing this spiritual Physician of the soul. And therefore choice must be made of such as have knowledge and experience in these spiritual cases, & chiefly of those that have themselves been most humbled and cast down by the sight of their sins, and have drunk deepest of the cup of God's wrath: as we know that Physicians have happiest success in thos● cases, wherein they have oftenest dealt, and most of all, if that they themselves have had experience of them in their own bodies. Thus the Apostle writeth, 2. Cor. 1.4. God d●ot● comfort us in all tribulations, that we may be able to comfort others with the same comfort wherewith we are comforted of him. Again, this spiritual Physician, must be gentle, tender, and indulgent toward his patient, lest that by unneedfull, and unseasonable severity, he break quite in sunder the broken reed. And lastly he must in any case be endued with such wisdom and moderation, as that he be able to conceal, yea, to cover from the eyes of men, the secret infirmities which he spieth in his patient, wherein if he be wanting, he addeth one grief and cross to another, and is to be accounted a miserable comforter. To such men sin is to be confessed: otherwise no man is bound to disclose his secret faults and sins to any: yea rather to be careful in covering them, as all men are and aught to be, in covering the shame and nakedness of their bodies. Lastly, this confession made to man, need not be so exact, but that many things may be concealed, even whatsoever may be any way hurtful, either to the confessor himself, or to any other.   

Sect. 5.  
AS in word, so in deed, and in the whole life and all the actions of it, this outward humiliation hath place: the which having once overcome the soul, will easily bring under the body and all the members and faculties of it, as the King being once taken, the subjects yield without making any resistance. This real humiliation consisteth in abstaining from the use of all earthly pleasures, the which do any way cherish the body, or refresh the mind. As namely gay, gorgeous, and soft apparel, in steed whereof we know, that the Church and children of God in their public and private humiliations, did use to put on rough sackcloth, a garment very unpleasant either for the wearer to feel, or for others to behold: not that a Christian ought to use any strange or insolent attire, and so to make himself the common by word of of the people, and his private repentance public, but only that as much as may be, without any public note, he abstain from brave and costly garments, by the which his mind might be puffed up with pride, and tickled with vain and foolish pleasures, and rather use that grave and mean garment, which may put him in mind of that woeful estate wherein he standeth. Secondly, he ought to abstain from the ordinary use of merry and joyful company, yea, to be more sparing, and to take less pleasure in the company of his dearest friends, the which all men do account great pleasure, and some the greatest of all others. So we read joel 2.16. that in public humiliation (unto the which private must be answerable, though not alike in all respects) GOD commandeth the bride and the bridegroom to come out of their marriage Chamber, and to break off that society, which of all other is the nearest, and most pleasant: As also the Apostle counseleth us, 1. Corinthians 7.5. But especially this abstinence must have place in meat and drink, the which coming nearest the body, or rather piercing into the midst, yea into the most secret parts of it, do most affect the soul, putting it beside all moderation & due regard of that estate wherein it is, yea, driving it as a mighty tempest doth a silly ship hither and thither, from one extreme to another. For so we know that a dainty and full diet, as at the first entrance, by heating the body, it inflameth the soul stirring up in it excessive joy, pleasure, boldness, confidence, & presumption, so soon after it putteth it into a new temper, lulling it asleep in senseless security, and even drowning it in a drowsy forgetfulness both of God and of itself: as Christ forewarneth, Luk. 21.34. Take heed that ye be not overcome with surfeiting & drunkenness, and so that day come upon you unawares. And therefore, as all other Christians, so especially this repentant aught to beware o● filling the belly, and pampering the flesh, of being too diligent in nourishing it within, and cherishing it without: otherwise it cannot be that this his humiliation should be effectual, and either acceptable to God, or profitable to himself.  
Thus much of outward humiliation, the which although it will follow even of itself inward humiliation being vehement (for as the fountain so are the streams: yea, the greatest joys and sweetest pleasures, even life itself is bitter to the distressed soul) yet for so much as it is seldom vehement in carnal men, therefore it is carefully to be preserved by these outward means, as by continual watch and ward, lest otherwise it escape away from us. Yea, it is of great force (coming from a broken and contrite heart) to move the Lord to pity, and to procure a blessing at his hands: for if the hypocritical humiliation of Achab did prevail, how much more forcible will it be, when it is joined with the inward contrition, whereunto god hath made this promise, I will resist th● proud, and give grace unto the humble.    

CHAP. III. Of resolution to repent, and the hindrances thereof.  

Sect. 1.  
Whosoever desireth to have that spiritual regeneration (without the which there can be no hope of salvation) wrought in his soul by the spirit of God, must in the first place set himself to seek it with all care and diligence, by all means possible. For so it hath pleased god to save men, not as dead and senseless creatures, unable to move, or to do any thing for themselves, but rather to make them the workers of their own salvation, by enjoining them this task, to use what means they can of renewing and saving their own souls. Wherein God hath not dealt hardly, but most reasonably & lovingly with man▪ for if the lest commodity in the world be worth the seeking, and he altogether unworthy of it who scorneth or irketh to take pains in seeking it: what is more meet than that spiritual regeneration, and eternal salvation be sought for, before they be had. Again, we know, that God and man being now separated by sin, and as far distant the one from the other, as the heaven is from the earth, it is unpossible for them to meet, unless the one move towards the other. And therefore, as it is meet and needful that the inferior seek to the superior, the beggar to him who is rich and liberal, the sick man to the Physician, the offendant to the merciful Prince: so it is the duty of man to seek for remission of sin, for spiritual life, health, and wealth at the hands of GOD, the only giver of all good things. To this duty the Scripture doth every where exhort us. Amos 5.6. Seek the Lord and live. Matth. 6.5. Seek the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof. Matth. 11.28. Come unto me all ye that are weary, and laden, and I will ease you. And yet it is generally neglected of men, who contemning this counsel and commandment of God, and being altogether careless of their own salvation, spend all their time, strength, and wit, in seeking and enjoying worldly pleasures: but as for this spiritual life of their souls, they never think or dream of any such matter, as Christ witnesseth of the jews. john. 6.26 That they sought him not for his miracles or doctrine, but because he had filled their bellies with bread. But that we may be stirred up to the performance of this so needful a duty, which we own both to god & to our own souls, we will first set down briefly a few motives or reasons persuading thereunto, and in the second place, remove hose hindrances by the which men are usually kept back from this seeking of regeneration & salvation at the hands of God. For the first, we shall not need to go far for arguments, if that we would but consider our present estate in this world, the which for the most part is so full of troubles, griefs, crosses and miseries, that it maketh men weary both of it, and also of themselves, yea, to desire at one time or other to be rid of it at all adventures, although they know not of any better, or of any other estate▪ Yea, a little pain of body, or sorrow of mind (from the which no condition can be free) marreth a great feast of pleasure and happiness, making us forget it quite, yea, making it bitter and unpleasant unto us. And if we should suppose an earthly paradise, having in it the perfection of worldly pleasures, yet we must needs acknowledge the vanity of them, in that we are not sure to enjoy them for the space of one hour, not knowing how near our bodies and lives draw to their end: and if they continue long, they will of themselves wax loathsome unto us. And therefore, as we account that man very unprovident and foolish, who having things needful for one or two days, therein resteth altogether careless of the time to come: so we may well judge all carnal men more than mad, who having no certain state of life in this world, no not for one quarter of an hour, do not seek for it at the hands of god (yea, they reject it being offered) an everlasting and unchangeable state of life, joy, glory and happiness in the world to come. Let us therefore give ear to that good counsel which Christ himself giveth unto us john. 6.23. Labour not so much for the meat which perisheth, as for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life. And Mat. 6.19. Lay up f●r yourselves treasures, ●ot on earth, where the moth & canker will corrupt, yea, where the worms will consume yourselves, but lay up treasure in heaven, where there is no corruption to be feared,   

Sect. 2.  
NOw we come to the hindrances, by the which men are stayed from seeking for regeneration, and salvation: the which although they be many and diverse, as men do diversly conceive amiss of the truth, yet the most usual of them are errors or false conceits about this doctrine of regeneration. To this head we are to refer, first the ignorance of spiritual regeneration: secondly, despair of attaining it, as being a supernatural, and an impossible thing. For the first. The doctrine of this supernatural, and miraculous regeneration, hath been in all ages, and is at this day received by many living in the church, who confess indeed that man is sinful, & must be holy & righteous before that he can please God, and attain to salvation: yet they think that this sinfulness is not so deeply imprinted into th● nature of man▪ as are the spots into the skin of the leopard, as the scripture speaketh: but rather that it may be easily shaken off, and laid aside as a lose upper garment, a● man's pleasure: that it cometh rather by imitation of those with whom we live, then by propagation from the fall of Adam, by the particular default & wilfulness of several men, who might be holy and pure if they would, then from any general corruption of the nature of mankind: and lastly, that it is not a total spreading itself over all the faculties of man's soul and body, but only in this, or that part, as men are by nature or custom given to this or that vice, some to one, others to another, & as they think of man's sinfulness: so they do, & must of necessity think of the contrary holiness, to wit, that man hath it in part by nature, & may have it wholly at his pleasure by good education, moderation, & such other means as he may use, without any supernatural work of God. Hence cometh, or rather followeth of necessity that grievous error of justification by works, inherent holiness, & man's own righteousness, wherewith the church hath been hitherto, & will be always hereafter infected, as with a common plague & popular disease. For that it was a received opinion among the jews before the time of the gospel, it appeareth plainly both by that confutation of it which the apostle maketh. Rom. 2. & by the open profession of that nation in all ages since the time of the Gospel Likewise, that it is maintained of infinite multitudes of christians at this day, it is so manifest that it needeth no proof. The common belief & confession of ●earned and ignorant men is this, that they hope to be saved by their good meaning, and good works, but they never think or speak of any such regeneration as the scripture teacheth: & many of those who do according to the word of God ascribe man's sanctification & regeneration to the grace of god, mean the natural operation of man's will inclining itself to good, the which in some sense they do truly think & call the grace & gift of god. Of this opinion was Nicodemus a great Rabbi in Israel, who was amazed; when he heard Christ teach this doctrine of regeneration as having never heard of any such matter before And therefore when Christ taught that unless a man were born again, he could not possibly enter into the kingdom of heaven, he maketh this carnal reply: must men return into their mother's wombs, and so be borne again. This ignorance of regeneration is the most common hindrance, why men do not seek after it: for how can they desire (much less seek) that which they do not know? neither is it any great marvel that so many are ignorant of it, considering first that the self-love which is in man by nature, maketh him to think far better of himself, of his own nature, strength, and faculties, than he should do. And secondly, that the natural reason of man will hardly admit any supernatural or miraculous work, resting itself in itself, that is, in the inherent virtue, and ordinary course of natural causes. But we are to think far otherwise of these things, and renouncing these grievous and damnable errors, to learn and hold out of the word of God, that it is no less impossible to make the corrupt nature and natural faculties of man clean and pure, his sinful life and actions good and holy, or his person being guilty of sin and eternal death, just and righteous, by any means which either man or any creature can use, than it is to make an Ethiopian white by washing him with water. Yea further, that no service of God, though never so solemn and devout, no good works, though never so many and excellent, no good meaning, though never so simple and innocent, no uprightness and integrity of life and conversation, though never so great; no worldly prerogative whatsoever, can make a man acceptable to God, much less partaker of eternal glory, both which belong only to those, whose natures, minds, wills, and affections, it pleaseth him according to his eternal will and counsel to change and renew by the mighty power and miraculous operation of his spirit. To conclude, we are to look for salvation by no other means, but only by regeneration, and to seek for regeneration, not in ourselves (for that were to seek heaven in earth, or rather in hell) or by any virtue, power, or quality in ourselves, but only at the hands of God, to whom only the glory both of the first and of the second creation is to be given, and to beware lest that we be deceived with this common error, esteeming sin and holiness to be nothing but as moral virtues and vices, spiritual regeneration nothing but good education or philosophical institution, godliness nothing but honest behaviour, christianity nothing but civility, the which differ as much, as do the shadow and the substance of any thing. Otherwise we shall seek God where he is not to be found, and so without all question lose our labour.   

Sect. 3.  
THe second hindrance, whereby men may be, and are kept back from seeking for regeneration is another false opinion, and conceit of it, whereby men despair of attaining unto it, considering either themselves to be so wholly dead & rotten in sin, that they cannot imagine how they should ever be restored to the spiritual life of holiness, or else this doctrine of the supernaturalnesse of regeneration, as being a divine and a miraculous work. This hindrance is contrary to the former: in the one, man thinketh better, but in the other he thinketh worse of his natural estate than it is indeed: in the one he presumeth of his own strength, in the other he despaireth of the goodness and power of God. in the one he thinketh regeneration more easy, in the other he thinketh it a more difficult matter than it is. This hindrance is not so common as the other, for there are very few that do either know or acknowledge the doctrine of supernatural regeneration. Yet it will easily follow of that doctrine for men will soon be put back from seeking and despair of attaining to that which they hear to be miraculous & contrary to nature. For so we read joh. 6 66. that whereas Christ taught That no man could come unto him, & be i● truth his Disciple, unless it were given unto him of the father: And as he saith v. 44. except the Father draw him, that many of his disciples went back & walked no more with him. But the truth of this whole doctrine we have plainly set down Math. 19.23.24.25.26. Where Christ having said that it is hard, ●ea impossible for a rich man (and so for all sorts of men, although the rich, who abound in worldly pleasures are further off) to enter into the kingdom of heaven, driveth his Disciples to this desperate conclusion, who then can be saved? or to what purpose then should any man go about to be saved: whereunto Christ maketh this answer. Indeed with man it is impossible, but not with God. That is, although it be impossible for any man to regenerate either himself, or any other, yet to God it is not only possible, but also easy: & therefore no man ought to be discouraged from seeking or despair of attaining it, but account it an easy thing) as the Apostle doth Rom. 10. where he preferreth the Gospel before the Law, in this respect, for that it teacheth a most ready and easy way of attaining to salvation, namely the belief of the heart, and the confession of the mouth, whereas the Law requireth perfect obedience, which no man living is able to perform. The which dissimilitude is not in the conditions themselves, (for they are both alike hard, both being altogether impossible, it being as easy a thing for a carnal man to fulfil the moral law, as it is for him to work in himself true faith and confession, the which two are all one in effect) but in this, that God accompanieth and asisteth the ministry of the Gospel with the miraculous operation of his spirit, whereof the ministery of the Law being destitute, is but a dead letter, unable to save the hearer. So then, regeneration, which in respect of the strength of man is altogether impossible, is easy in respect of GOD, who is no less able to restore the souls of men to their first purity, than he was in the beginning to create both body and soul: But all the doubt is in the will of God, whether that, as he is able, so he be willing to work regeneration in every one that seeketh it. If he be willing, then surely either every one may attain to regeneration: which is undoubtedly false, or else very few do seek after it: the which may be greatly wondered at, that most men should be so careless of their own salvation, as not to think it worthy the seeking. If he be not willing to grant it to all that seek it, than regeneration remaineth as impossible a thing for man to attain, as if it were impossible to God to work it in man: and men have cause to abstain from that, which neither themselves are able, nor God willing to bring to pass. We answer, first that it is not so easy and ordinary a matter as it may be supposed, for a carnal man to seek for regeneration and grace, the which is contrary to his nature. Secondly, if (as it cometh sometimes to pass) he do in some sort desire it, and set himself to seek it, yet he doth not persever in this mind and desire as he ought, but faintly in well doing, and so returning to his old bias, ceaseth from seeking, and looseth his labour. But let us suppose that, which although it be very rare, and scarce to be found in a whole age, yet it is not impossible, to wit, that a carnal man doth set himself with a resolute purpose of heart to seek for regeneration, and that in the careful and painful using of all the means of attaining it, he spend and end his days: whither is he sure to obtain his desire, or may happily lose all his labour? we answer, that although God have appointed, that the careful seeking of regeneration, should be the ordinary means of obtaining it: yet he hath not so tied himself to the means, that it should always, & of necessity bring forth the effect, but hath left it free to himself, whither to give good success and a happy issue or no. Whereby it may come to pass, that a man may desire and seek for regeneration, and yet die a carnal man, out of the state of grace and life. Yet we are both in ourselves, and also in others to hope the best. And in that hope both to begin without despair, and to continue without fainting in the careful seeking of grace, leaving the event to the will and good pleasure of the almighty God. Yea further, we are to take heed, that no wrong opinion arise hereof in our minds, as it cometh usually to pass in men carnally minded, who in this case will not stick to say, that God dealeth both unfaithfully in withholding grace, having made this solemn promise in his word: Whosoever seeketh, shall find, and whosoever knocketh, shall have the door of grace set open unto him: and also, unjustly both in punishing him for the want of it, whom he knoweth to have done what so ever is in the power of man for the attaining of it, and also in not recompensing his painful endeavours, by granting his requests, and giving grace. We answer, that God in withholding his regenerating spirit, the worker of grace from men, doth them no manner of wrong: for his graces being his own, it is lawful for him to do with them what he list. He was not bound in the beginning to create man in natural life and holiness, how much less than is he now bound to restore those blessings unto him, having so unthankfully, wilfully, & rebelliously deprived himself of them. As for God's promise (the which we confess is to be performed to those who are unworthy of favour, for otherwise man's unthankfulness should make God unfaithful) howsoever they are propounded in general terms, yet they be●ong to the elect only to whom God doth perform them to the full. As for the reward due unto the painful seeking of grace, man when he hath taken the greatest pains in this behalf, hath done but duty, nay he hath not in any measure done his duty: for one regenerate (much less a carnal man) cannot seek for grace, so as he ought, and therefore when he hath done all that he can, he is but an unprofitable servant. But besides all this (so endless is the mercy, goodness, and equity of God, yea, so great is his desire to make himself manifest to all men in these respects) that it pitieth him to see any thing made frustrate of the expectation in any good endeavours, that rather than he will not do good, he will do it to those who are evil, and that rather than he will seem unjust in not rewarding that which men do falsely think to be good, and to deserve good, he will (in some sort, not in truth, for it is lawful for him to bestow his blessings on whom he will, even on the wicked) be unjust in rewarding men for that which he knoweth to be sinful.  
Thus this carnal man in seeking grace, doth not either lose his labour, or lack his reward: for by this means, he doth not only purchase unto himself temporal blessings at the hand of God: but also escapeth those fearful plagues, which are powered on wilful and obstinate sinners in this life; as we read. 1. King. 21.28.29. that Achab. did by his hypocritical humiliation, yea, that grievous damnation, which abideth them in the life to come. As for the guilt of eternal death, it is madness to imagine, that it should by this means be avoided, seeing it is procured by these, and the best actions of a carnal man, the which coming from a corrupt fountain, cannot but be sinful and impure.   

Sect. 4.  
ANother hindrance of seeking regenetion is another erroneous opinion conceived of it, to wit, presumption of the power & goodness of God. It is to be seen in all those, who think that God will in his good time work grace in them, although they themselves take neither care nor pains about any such matter, yea, although they go a clean contrary way, living in all manner of sin, and altogether careless of the means of their regeneration and salvation. To this we answer: first, confessing that god, as he always can, so sometimes doth, work ●●●e●eration without any means, even in ●l●●se whenever think nor dream of any such matter, and have not so much as either the knowledge, or yet a desire, either of grace, or of salvation, being, as we read, R●. 10.20. found of those who did not seek him, and made manifest unto those, who did not so much as once ask for him, as we may see plainly in the said Apostle, who found God, & grace, when as he did not only not seek or follow them, but also fly as far off from them as he could. Thus regeneration is compared to a treasure, lying hid in the field, and being found by him who looked for no such thing in that place. And thus we need not doubt, but that many coming to hear God's word, for fashion's sake, or in a wicked desire of hindering it, and hurting the professors of it, have been of a sudden wonderfully converted, and effectually renewed. Thus it pleaseth God sometimes to work regeneration without any means, that it may be seen to come, not from any virtue inherent in the means, but from the powerful operation of his spirit: yet this is not his ordinary, and usual manner of working, according to the which he doth nothing without some kind of means, no not in miraculous and supernatural actions, wherein the means doth not help forward the matter any jot, but only is used for a show or colour, to hide the immediate working of God, whose glory it is to ke●pe himself, his counsels, judgements, and manner of working, secret and hid from the eyes of men, as we read. Pro. 25.25. Thus he healed N●aman by washing him in jordan, and the sick in the primitive church, by anointing them with oil. And thus he raised the widows son, 2. King. 4, 35. from death, by laying the warm body of Elizeus upon his dead and cold body: and thus he healeth the sicknesses of the soul, yea, restoreth it from death to life, by the preaching of the word: in all which miraculous actions, the means are not in any respectable to bring forth the effect, yet they have in them a virtue tending to that end, whereto the effect may easily be ascribed by carnal and ignorant men. So that although GOD can always, and doth at some times work regeneration without means: yet ordinarily he useth means, the neglect or contempt whereof, is an impious tempting of God, and presuming of his goodness. Henc● it is that regeneration hath place, and is to be found, not among the jews, Turks, Moors, and other Infidels, but only in the Church of God, wherein his word is preached, his Sacraments administered, and all other means of beginning, and continuing grace daily used: yea, of Churches professing the name of Christ, as some are more pure and sound in doctrine, more diligent and zealous in serving God, and in using all Christian exercises: so they have oftener experience of this miraculous work of God, putting his helping hand to the godly endeavours of his servants. Yea, of Christians, those who are careful and painful in seeking and serving God, are far liker to attain to grace, than they who are otherwise: even as they are liker to retain and recover their health, who are careful in using a competent diet of meat and medicine, than they who do carelessly distemper themselves in sickness, and in health, nor regarding what things are wholesome or hurtful for them.   

Sect. 5.  
THus much of the fals● conceits, or errors conceived of regeneration, by ●he which men are hindered from seeking it: the first, being the ignorance of spiri●● all regeneration: the second, despair of obtaining it by any means: the third presumption, or a persuasion of getting it without means. Now we come to the other hindrances, whereof (to let the rest pass) these three are most usual: the first is infidelity, & Atheism: the second, worldly cares and pleasures: the third, is offence taken at those who profess this regeneration. For the first, although it may seem a thing not to be named in the Church of God, yet many of those who profess themselves to be Christians, have in their hearts and minds no other religion than Atheism, no God, but their own bellies, no hope of any other world, than this which they presently enjoy. They say in their hearts, that there is no God nor devil, no heaven nor hell, no reward for the godly, nor punishment appointed for the wicked, no truth in the scripture, and that it is but folly to serve God: or at the least, they do so doubt of the truth of these things, that they are not by the consideration of them, either moved to any good, or restrained from any evil: as the apostle writeth to the Corinthians, among whom the doctrine of the resurrection from death was called in question, that some of them were ignorant of god, that is, were mere Atheists. That this is the religion of many christians, it appeareth both by their lives & dealings, which are altogether void of conscience, and the fear of God, and also by the plain and voluntary confession of the simpler sort, being by sickness, fear, hope, love, or any other means, made to declare their conscience in this behalf. These men cannot possibly seek for regeneration, seeing that they make no account of eternal salvation, whereunto it leadeth. And therefore this hindrance cannot be taken away, but by proving that there is a God, who hath promised (and will certainly perform it) eternal salvation unto all those that seek for it, as they ought to do. But we are not here to take in hand the demonstration of the principles of religion, the which requireth many several tractates. Yet as touching this ignorance of GOD (the which containeth in it all errors whatsoever) it may be refuted by as many arguments, as there are creatures in the world, all which jointly and severally do preach and make manifest the Deity, power, wisdom, and goodness of GOD, to all those who are not wilfully blind, and do not put out their own eyes: not only to Christians living in the Church, as in the clear light of the word of God: by even to Infidels remaining in darkness, and in their natural blindness, as we read Roman. 2.20. The godhead, that is, the eternity, and power of God, may be beheld in the creatures. For we must of necessity suppose some infinite power by the which they were made, and are continually ordered and preserved: and some great king and monarch having authority over the whole world, and who will one day call all his subjects to account, and give unto every one according to their works.  
The greatest objection which the mind of man maketh against the godhead, and the most forcible motive to this infidelity, is the invisibility, and insensible secrecy of GOD, and of his actions, in that he doth not continually show forth his omnipotency in new and strange miracles, his justice in punishing sin, and rewarding good deeds, his presence in hearing those that pray unto him, but suffereth all things to go according to the ordinary course of Nature, yea, (as if he had laid aside the administration of the world) the wicked to prospe●, and the godly to be afflicted. A● for the creation of the world, although in itself it be the greatest miracle that can be, yet it being daily and continually behold, ceaseth to drive men to admiration, or to acknowledge the power of God, as the common provet be saith, that a wonder lasteth but nine days. Yea, this secrecy of God is greater now in the time of the Gospel, and in these last ages of the world, than it was in former times, as God hath revealed himself in his word far more clearly than he did at any time before, and as the last judgement doth more and more approach: whereas before he did reveal himself by many means, as namely by visions, dreams, apparitions, miracles, temporal blessings & punishments: but now in these last ages of the world, god doth not show himself to men in any such manner, but doth hide himself from their eyes: whereby it cometh to pass, that many carnal men believing nothing, but that which is sensible & palpable, come to this extreme blindness of mind, as to think that there is not a God in the world, or at the least to doubt whether there be one or no: and no marvel that this secrecy of God move the carnal man to atheism, when as the godly themselves ha●e often their faith shaken with this 〈◊〉. But both carnal and regenerate are to take heed that this root of infidelity do● not spring up in their hearts, and make them departed from the living Lord: and that by considering that God doth of set purpose in great wisdom keep he secret, as in diverse other respects, so especially for the trial of men both elect and reprobate. For as a wise master of a family desiring to know the disposition of his servants, hideth himself in a corner, or behind a cloth, and there both beholdeth the unruliness and misdemeanour of some, & also perceiveth the virtues of others of them, the which they would never have showed in his presence: so God doth in a manner absent himself from the world, that both the faith of his servants, and the outrage of sin in the wicked ones, may be made manifest.   

Sect. 6.  
ANother hindrance, by the which men are withheld from seeking regeneration, are the cares and pleasures of this present world, by the which they are so entangled and even wholly possessed, that they have not leisure so much as once to think on their salvation, or any means of attaining unto it. The cares of the world hinder those, who have not attained to so good and settled estate as they desire, who think that they may lawfully defer to provide for their souls, until they have provided sufficiently for their bodies, about the which they are so continually busied, and employed, that they cannot afford any time to think (at the least not seriously as they ought to do) on God and godliness.  
Thu● men excuse themselves for not coming to Christ Luc. 15.17. One cannot come because he hath bought a farm, the which he must of necessity go and see. Another, because he hath married a wife. The third, because he hath bought Oxen: but these men take a wrong course, and as we say, set the Cart before the horse: For they should First seek the kingdom of GOD and the righteousness thereof, and then all these things would be easy unto them: that is, gotten with great facility and in great abundance, Math. 6.33. and that by the secret and wonderful blessing of GOD, who giveth temporal blessings also to those that seek for spiritual graces at his hands, as he gave to Solomon not only wisdom and knowledge, which he asked, but also great riches, honour, and worldly glory, as amends, yea as a reward, because he had in his cho●se preferred wisdom before earthly blessings. We do not deny but that men may lawfully, yea must of necessity, have care of their temporal estate, yea so much the greater, as it is worse and more unsettled: For if the body perish for want of things needful for it, how shall the soul be endued with the life of holiness? seeing that as the tree falleth, so it lieth, and he that dieth a carnal man, cannot rise spiritual. But this is our meaning, that we do not (as usually men do) so suffer ourselves to be overwhelmed with the cares of the world, that we neglect and forget to seek after God, but that in all wants, miseries, and troubles, in all conditions whatsoever, our chief care, study, desire, and endeavour be set upon those things which concern our eternal salvation. For if we be in good estate, in respect of temporal things, we may the more freely serve God, if distressed we have the more need to seek to him. Yea we are to suffer rather our bodies to pine away for want of food, than our souls to continued in the state of sinfulness and of death. For what profiteth it a man to win the whole world, if he lose his own soul. But if the soul be once endued with the life of holiness, the body may well sleep for a season, but it cannot possibly die for ever. And therefore let us always remember those heavenly sayings uttered by Christ Luke 10.14. Martha, Martha, thou carest and art troubled about many things but one thing is needful: Marie hath chosen the better part, which shall not be taken from her. Likewise for worldly pleasures, as the seeking so also the enjoying of them being now got, is a hindrance to the seeking of regeneration: For although in all likelihood, men having the world at will, and being even glutted with the abundance of worldly pleasures, should learn by experience that which reason could not teach them, to wit, the vanity, uncertainty, and loathsomeness of them, and so be driven to seek for some pure and permanent happiness, yet they make no such use of prosperity, but the more they have, the more they desire, enlarging their appetite, and inventing daily new and fresh pleasures, as the Prophet describeth them. Amos 3. They put far from themselves the evil day, and approach to the pl●ce of iniquity, they lie and stretch themselves upon ivory b●ds, eating Lambs from the flock; and Calves out of the stall: They sing to the sound of the Viol, and invent to themselves instruments of music, like David: they drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the best ointment, but never think on the affliction of joseph, or yet on their own salvation: Thus doth adversity and prosperity, want and and abundance hinder men from seeking after God, whereas miseries and crosses should drive men to God, the only giver of all good things: and temporal happiness, should put them in mind of true and eternal happiness in heaven.   

Sect. 7.  
THe last let, by the which men are hindered from seeking regeneration, is offence taken at those, who do profess themselves to have attained unto it, and to be those in whom this supernatural and miraculous work of grace is wrought by the power and finger of God. These men do often incur the mislike, anger, and hatred of others, insomuch that not only their persons, but also their profession becometh odious unto them. The causes of this offence are these. First, the diversity in judgement, affection, disposition, in words, deeds, behaviour, and whose coarse of life, whereby they differ from others, sometimes of necessity as in matters of conscience and importance, sometimes in light and indifferent matters, wherein they might much better agree and join with them. Another cause is the contempt either true or supposed of vnregenerat men, as of those who are in a most wretched estate. For often they who profess this regeneration, do either think too hardly, and uncharitably, or else utter unseasonably and indiscreetely, what they truly think of others. Yea although they do not offend in these respects, yet men of lewd behaviour, and dissolute lives will (& not without cause) think that those who live justly and uprightly, have a base opinion of them: by the which means, it cannot be but that their affection should be alienated from them. Lastly, even those who have received grace from God (much more they who make profession of that grace, which they have not) have in them many wants and infirmities, yea sometimes great vices and sins, by the which they do justly incur the offence of men. By these and such other means, it cometh often to pass, tha● carnal men conceive such a mislike of those that profess regeneration, that they cannot abide to hear of it, or of any means tending unto it. For the removing of this hindrance it is the part of all those, who have received this great favour at the hands of God, to be renewed by his spirit, to use all diligence in not giving offence either to jew or Gentile, to Christian or Infidel, to one or other, and so not to make so excellent a thing as regeneration is (it being the only miraculous work of God which hath continual place in the Church) to be evil spoken off. But forsomuch as when they have done all that they can, offence will be taken where it is not given, and for that we have not to deal in this treatise with men already regenerate, that we should show how they may live without giving offence: therefore leaving them, we will come to the vnregenerat man, who is offended by them, and by this offence hindered from seeking regeneration. To whom we are to commend that wisdom, which stayeth men from being carried headlong in affection, against any person or cause whatsoever but especially against those things which have in them any likelihood of religion, as Gamaliel appeased the jews. Act. 5, 38.39. yea, that wisdom which teacheth us to 〈◊〉 a difference betwixt the persons and ●he causes of men, and not suffer our judgements 〈◊〉 weighing the goodness of the one, to 〈◊〉 blinded and forestalled by anger, love, hatred, or any other affection, which we bear unto the other. Yea, we are to consider that men whilst they live here on earth, are subject to many infirmities, vices, and grievous sins, yea, even they whom GOD hath made partakers of his grace and spirit. And therefore we are not in these respects to condemn or reject that religion which any man doth profess, but to give to men that gentle reproof which their sins do deserve, and to give to the grace of God in men that reverence and practise which belongeth unto it.   

Sect. 8.  
THus we have in some sort removed the hindrances of regeneration, which keep men in their natural sinfulness and security wherein they were before: and made this our carnal Nicodemus desirous of grace, whereof before he was altogether ignorant and careless. It remaineth that he put this his desire in execution, and that without delay, not deferring it from one day or time of his life to another, knowing that there is an appointed season as fo● all other actions so also for this: the ●hich if he let slip, he shall either not desire to have it, or not have it, although he do desire it. But men will here object and say, may we not at any time both seek and find grace? hath not God said ●n his word, that At what time soever a sinner repenteth of his sins, he will put them all out of his remembrance: We answer, that God indeed may always be found, if he be sought as he ought to be, but he cannot always be sought, and therefore not found. For first we know that this our purpose of seeking God, may be prevented and made frustrate by death, the which is the full and last period of all the desires, and endeavours of men. God indeed is in the lowest hell, as much as in the highest heavens, but in the grave there is no remission of sin, yea no hope, or desire of grace.  
Besides, let us suppose that this carnal man that deferreth his repentance in this sort (as he maketh his account, although sometimes he come short of his reckoning) doth by the long suffering of God, prolong his days, how knoweth he that he shall always have the word of God, & the means of regeneration, without the which God doth not use to work it. Yea if he have life and all other things needful for this purpose, is he so foolish and ignorant of his natural disposition, as to imagine that this desire of grace and resolution of seeking God, will continue for ever, or for any time if it be not put in practice? This is in no wise to be supposed: for this is an undoubted truth, that men generally and naturally as they grow in strength, wit, and worldly wisdom, so they grow in sinfulness, atheism, infidelity, and hardness of heart, being every day further and further off from seeking God. For as drunkards do by drinking not quench their thirst, and satisfy their appetite, but increase the burning thirst of their bodies, and the insatiable intemperance of their minds, so all other worldly pleasures, the longer they are enjoyed, the more greedily they are desired, and more obstinately preferred before God, and spiritual graces, as the Prophet saith, jere. 13.23. That it is as easy for an AEthiopian to change the colour of his skin, or for a Libard to shake off the spots of his skin, as for those to do good, who are by a long custom taught the ways and wiles of sinning.  
Yea, there is far less hope of their repentance and regeneration, who having sometime this purpose of turning to God, do neglect and lose it, then of theirs who never once thought of any such matter. For it is a very unlike matter, that a man will in his age set his affection on spiritual things, which he rejected and condemned before, when as he was less addicted to the world and to sin. We do not deny but that in any age (except infancy) both God may work regeneration in man, and man repentance in himself: yet as the bough of a tree being by the growth of many years become stiff and strong, is now far more easily broken then bowed, so for the most part, men of age, experience, and worldly wisdom do sooner lose their lives then leave their carnal desires, which they have so carefully nourished, and strengthened all their life time. And therefore we are to know and consider, that as all other things under the sun, so also this repentance hath an appointed season, which is in no case to be neglected of him, who desireth and intendeth to walk in this way, leading to spiritual regeneration and eternal salvation.    

CHAP. FOUR Of the means of attaining regeneration.  
NOw that we have brought this repentant to an unfeigned desire of regeneration, and a resolute purpose of seeking it, we are to show the means by the which it is to be sought and may be attained, the which he is to use, not as putting any confidence in them, or thinking himself able by them to bring his purpose to pass without all fail, but relying himself wholly on the goodness, power, and promise of God, who hath promised that he will be found of those that seek him, and draw near to them, that draw near to him. The means of seeking regeneration are three. The first is, that reformation which may be in a natural man. The second is, the hearing of God's word. The third is, prayer or invocation. Natural reformation is a show, shadow, and resemblance of true regeneration, the which an unregenerate man may work in himself by the natural strength of his free will, without any supernatural and extraordinary operation of God's spirit. It is that natural decrease of sinfulness, when as a carnal man by virtue of such means as are in his own power to use, doth not only repress the outward act of sin in his life, but also changeth in some sort the inward disposition of his mind, and of his will, from ignorance to knowledge, and from vice to virtue, as we know that many both Christians and Heathen, especially those who were called Philosophers, have done. This reformation is the first means of attaining to true regeneration: not that by it (or by any other means whatsoever) a man can merit grace at the hand of God, or yet make himself more capable of grace, for his nature remaineth corrupt, as it was before, because God hath appointed and commanded, that men should do what they can in renewing themselves, and should approach as near unto grace as they can, although they cannot by any endeavour or labour, without the work of God's spirit attain unto it. The whole matter may be made plain by this similitude: A certain King maketh this proclamation, that of a company of rebels or malefactors, those, who coming into his presence have his sceptre reached out unto them, shall live, the rest shall have the law to pass on them. Yet he keepeth himself within a strong castle, the gates being fast shut. Hereupon many of these malefactors casting off their old and filthy apparel, address themselves in the best manner they can to come before the king. When they come to the place of his abode they find no entrance (save only a few of them) yet they that stand excluded, are better to be admitted, than they who contemning the King's offer, never look towards him, and yet in truth, they that stand nearest to the gates, do no more deserve life, neither are any more capable of it, or any nearer unto it, for aught that they themselves can do, than they who be a hundred miles off. So God biddeth all cast off their sins, their corrupt dispositions & lives, and to come & seek to him for grace: yet they do not by this means deserve, nor can by any means compel God to admit them into his favour, & to touch their hearts with his spirit. All should use this means & hope to obtain grace: yea none can hope to obtain grace, who do not use this means, yet some use the means, and do not obtain, and others obtain not using the means: yet the means is carefully to be used, necessary to be known, & therefore now to be declared.  

Sect. 2.  
THe first step in this reformation, is the amendment of outward life, at the which this repentant must begin. For although the nearest & the surest way were to begin at the soul, in changing the vicious disposition of it, as at the fountain or root, whereunto the streams and the fruit will easily conform themselves, yet as men deal with children and young scholars whom they teach that in the first place which is most easy to be conceived, although it be not most needful or profitable to be known, so we must propound to our repentant in the first place, reformation of life, as being far more easy than the changing of his inward disposition, lest that otherwise he being discouraged by the hardness of the work, faint and give all over. For the which cause he must in the first place labour to purge himself from those sins whereunto he is given, and then enure himself to the performance of all the contrary christian duties: he must lay aside his old filthy rags, before he put on new and fresh apparel, and first cease from doing evil, before he can do good. First therefore he having considered what sins he is given unto, must make this resolution with himself, utterly to forsake them for ever, although they be (as no doubt they are) most sweet unto him, whither they be fornication and adultery, or drunkenness and gluttony, or theft, oppression, and deceit, or lying, swearing, and perjury, or any other whatsoever. For the which purpose he must carefully avoid all manner of occasions, and provocations leading to these sins, by the which he is either put in mind of them, or tempted by the committing of them: by the which means the weakest man that is most subject to any sin, may get the mastery over it, even as he that is furthest from that sin, may easily be overtaken, if he be careless in avoiding the occasions of it. I● the sweetness which he feeleth in it, make him loath to part with it, let him set against that, (to let pass the shame of the world, the obloquy, infamy, and dishonour, which he incurreth, being not able to lead● his life in civil honesty as others do▪ 〈◊〉 also the particular hurts and discommodities following of several sins, 〈◊〉 let these arguments pass, as being of little force in respect of that which followeth) that sense of the wrath of GOD, that fearful expectation of all manner o● plagues. both bodily and spiritual, both temporal and eternal, that torment of a terrifying and gnawing conscience, wherewith he is at this present distressed and cast down, and then perhaps he will account the sweetest sin to be bitter and unpleasant.  
Thus he having gotten the victory over hi● sin: insomuch as he is now able to abst●ine from it, must in the next place set himself to do those good works and Christian duties, which are contrary to his sin, that he may have the full conquest over it. This counsel Daniel giveth to Nebuchadnesar, in the fourth Chapter of Daniel the four and twentieth verse, that he should break off his sins by righteousness, and by showing mercy to the poor: that is, that he should not only abstain from evil, but also do good, as before he did, not only abstain from doing good, but also do evil: not that we can pay the debts of our sins to god by good works (for a thousand good works will not countervail the least sin before God's judgement seat) but that as by our sins heretofore committed, we have disobeyed and dishonoured God, so now we are to obey and glorify him by our good works, and Christian lives: yet in regard of our brethren, we may and must, to the uttermost of our power, make full recompense.  
Thus doth Zacheus in his repentance. Luke. 19.8. promise Christ, that he will first give half his goods to the poor, in a testification of his obedience, thankfulness, and faith which he had toward god, and then for satisfaction of men, restore four fold to every one from whom he had injuriously taken any thing. Thus we see the first part of this renovation, to wit, amendment of life, to the which john exhorteth the jews in his ministery of repentance, saying, Matth. 3.8. Bring forth fruits worthy repentance, or such as beseemeth them who profess themselves to have changed their course of life, and to be conuer●ed from sin to God. But our repentant must not stay here, for than he playeth the hypocritical Pharisie, making the outside of the cup clean, but leaving it foul and filthy within: and therefore we must desire him to try what he can do in mending the corrupt and sinful life of his soul, and of all the faculties thereof. This is, no doubt, a hard piece of work, passing the cunning of any creature, and belonging to God only, yet man may in some sort change his soul, although not from sinfulness to holiness, yet from vice to virtue, and from ignorance to knowledge. Wherein our repentant is to labour, using all good means of getting knowledge and virtue. He is to give himself carefully to the reading and studying of the Scripture, and of all other books containing sound and true doctrine, gathered out of the word of God. Yea, although he meet with many points of doctrine, which he cannot possibly understand, conceive, or believe, yet he is not to give over, but rather to ascribe the hardness of them to his own dullness, and the impossibility of others of them, to his own incredulity, not considering the power of God. Likewise he is to labour in changing the inward disposition of his will and affections, framing and bending them from evil to good, by reasons and persuasions taken both out of the scripture, and also out of profane writers, in whom we may find notable pattern, of all virtues, by the examples of Christians, and also of Infidels, of whom many have so profited in these exercises, that they may seem to have attained to the perfection of virtue. Yea, he is to use great severity toward himself, in repressing the perverseness and rebellion of these headstrong faculties, and that by denying unto them the lawful use of things, that so they may be far from unlawful desires. To be short, he who doth desire and seek for regeneration must by all means endeavour not only to purge himself from all open and gross sins, by leading a life unblamable before men, but also from small and secret sins, by keeping a good conscience in all his ways, in the sight of God: yea, not only to abstain from evil, but also to perform all Christian and honest duties, both to God and man. Yea, he must purge not only his life and actions from sin, but also his mind from ignorance, using all good means to be instructed in Religion: yea, his will and affections from all vices, lusts, and corrupt desires, and so, as much as lieth in his power, to renew himself. And yet when he hath done all that he can, he is but where he was, to wit, a carnal man, as dead in sin, as any man is in his grave. Yet he hath used the first means of obtaining grace, and eternal glory, and hath done that whereby that grievous condemnation which is appointed for the wicked, is avoided, and the favour of God procured, at least for temporal blessings.   

Sect. 3.  
THe second means of attaining to regeneration, is the ministery of the word, the which is the ordinary means by the which God worketh regeneration in his elect. We say ordinary, because some time it pleaseth God to work without it by other means, as namely by private reading, instruction, and exhortation, by miracles, by crosses, and great humiliations, yea, sometimes by temporal blessings, plentifully and strangely bestowed on men: yet the usual and appointed means is the public ministery of his holy word, performed in a plain and simple manner, as we read. 1. Pet. 1.23. Being borne again, not of mortal seed, but of immortal, by the word of God enduring for ever. If it be asked, what needeth any means in regeneration, it being an immediate work of God? why this means more than some other? why the public ministery of the word, rather than the same doctrine privately taught? We answer, to the first question, that as in all others miracles, so also in this, God useth some show of natural causes, that so he may conceal his own extraordinary working, as it is, Proverb. 25.1. It is a glory to God to conceal his doings: So in regeneration (as great a miracle as any other, yea, the only miracle in this time of the Gospel, continuing in all ages of it) GOD useth ordinarily the means of his word preached, in which respect it is a mediate work of GOD: yet because this means hath not this power inherent in itself, in truth it is an immediate work.  
To the second question we answer, that God for the end mentioned, to wit, the concealing of his miraculous working, useth to use a means, having in it a virtue, although not able to bring forth the effect, yet helping towards it, and of some force for that purpose, even in the judgement of a natural man. And so in regeneration, it is plain, that the ministery of the word seemeth to have (for most men think that it hath indeed) the power of renewing men inherent in itself. For thus they reason: men being endued with reason, may by teaching be brought to knowledge, by force of argument they may be persuaded to virtue and moderation, whereof a virtuous and honest life will easily follow: yea, there is no doubt, but that God doth ordinarily prepare men after a sort for grace, drawing them nearer to himself then other carnal men are: and therefore the ministery of the word is a fit means of regeneration.  
The third point may very well be made a question among those who think that the ministery of the word, hath the faculty of regenerating inherent in itself: for why should not a man learn and be persuaded, as well by himself, as with others, as well at home as in the Church? Otherwise it is no question, neither is there any other answer to be made unto it, but only this, that so it pleaseth God to work by public, and not by private means. And yet no man can deny, but that it is more meet, that regeneration being so wonderful and glorious a work of God, should be wrought rather in the public body of the Church, in the assembly of those who are already sanctified, then in, in this or that corner. So that the second means of attaining to regeneration, is the word of God, publicly & purely preached: not as it doth by a natural faculty inherent in itself, work in men knowledge, obedience, and that reformation and amendment of life mentioned in the former Chapter, to the which it is to be referred in this respect, but as it doth by the supernatural power of GOD work true regeneration in the elect. And therefore it standeth every one in hand, who hath any care and desire to attain to eternal life, to be diligent in hearing the word of God, whensoever occasion serveth. As the wise man exhorteth the good husband to be sowing his seed at all hours, times, and seasons, because he knoweth not whether this or that will prosper: so must this repentant take all occasions of hearing gods word, for that he knoweth not but that God will even at that time which he would bestow on worldly profits or pleasures, bestow this unspeakable blessing of regeneration upon him. God may indeed call him wheresoever he strayeth: but (that we may use the similitude above mentioned) as that offendant is liker to obtain mercy at the hands of his prince, who standeth at his very gates in his presence, attending when he will beckon or call unto him, than he who having addressed himself to come before the king, keepeth himself aloof of, far out of his sight, so it is liker that God will behold him with the eye of mercy, who is in his presence, hearkeneth to his voice, & attendeth his pleasure, then him who is out of his sight, and employed about other matters.   

Sect. 4.  
THe third and last means to be used in seeking regeneration, is prayer or invocation of the name of God, whereby this repentant seeing himself to be as yet but carnal & hard hearted, as he was before, and that no means, either devised by himself; or appointed by God will prevail, renounceth himself, as being most desperately miserable, & all means in the world, as being unable to effect that which he desireth, and so flieth to the only mercy and goodness of God, desiring him for his mercy's sake, and for Christ's sake, in whom all the mercy and goodness of God, as the great Ocean overflowing the earth, doth show forth itself, to vouchsafe unto him, the most wretched and unworthy creature in the world, one drop of his grace, to mollify his stony heart, and to quicken his soul, being now clean dead in sin. This must be done, not seldom, coldly, negligently, and for fashion's sake, as men use to pray, for so men ask those things which are of no account, and which they care not greatly whether they obtain or no, but in all vehemency of spirit and affection, yea, with all importunity, we giving no rest, night nor day, either to ourselves, or to God, till we obtain our desires. This prayer will be of great force, as we are taught by the Parable of the importunate widow. Luk. 18.5. and therefore we are not to be weary, or faint in performing this duty to GOD, and to our own souls, but rather to prepare ourselves by all means (as by abstaining from the superfluous and unnecessary use of meats, drink, sleep, worldly affairs, and whatsoever may hinder us in this behalf, and by considering the incomparable excellency of the thing we labour to attain for the right performance of it. The which if we do, we shall see and find, that prayer is the most wonderful thing in the world, able to work miracles, yea, stronger than the strongest that is, than God himself, who (as the scripture teacheth, or rather speaketh) is by prayer forced and compelled to do that which otherwise he would not do. No man can by force wring any thing out of the hands of God, whose weakness is stronger than men: yet, prayer in that it renounceth all force of means, relying itself wholly on the goodness of God, is of greatest force, and that by the which if we wrestle with God, we need not doubt of overcoming of him. If men of great and lofty spirits (who to God are as silly worms, creeping on the earth) stand so much upon their reputation, that (as it is recorded of the Senators of Rome in old time) they think it a great disgrace unto them, that any man should say that he had in vain asked help at their hands, shall not God the great King of Heaven and earth, who is as able as the richest, and as willing to give as the frankest, yea, and hath as great care, (and not without cause) of his glory, as any man hath of his worldly worship and renown, think scorn that any man should say, there is no help for me in GOD, I have in vain afflicted my soul, humbled myself at his footstool, cleansed my ways in his sight, repaired to the place of his presence, and called upon him: there is nothing to be hoped for or gotten at his hands.  
Yea further, as this exercise of prayer is the most ready and effectual means to procure this, or any other blessing at the hands of God:, so often it pleaseth God to grant grace to men, even whilst they are ask it, to touch men's hearts by his spirit in the very instant wherein the heart and the soul of man is in vehement and earnest prayer in a manner separated from the body and lifted up into heaven. For even as the smith striketh the iron while it is hot, and and fit to receive any form or impression: so God, although he could imprint his grace in the coldest, hardest and flintiest disposition of the heart, yet he rather doth it, when as the affections of men are stirred up, and inflamed either by the ministery of the word, and public prayer (during the which regeneration is ordinarily wrought in men) or else by some private Christian exercise, as reading the scripture and serious meditation, but especially by praying and singing Psalms to god, in the time of the which actions, it pleaseth God sometimes to send his spirit into the hearts of his elect. But it may be here objected, that we suppose an impossible thing, to wit, that an unregenerate man should pray, especially with that vehemency, and perseverance, which we require, as appeareth by those words of the Apostle. Rom. 10.14. How shall they call on him, on whom they have not believed? We answer, that this is to be understood of Infidels, who know not the Gospel: not of Christians, who may be endued with knowledge, yea, who may pray, although not as they ought, and as the faithful do.  
Thus we have commended to this repentant the means of attaining to regeneration, whereof the first is that reformation and amendment of life, which may be in one as not yet regenerate. The second is, the diligent hearing of God's word. The third, earnest and continual prayer. By the first, he addresseth himself to come to God, casting off his filthy sins, and putting on the new garment of a religious, just, upright and honest life: by the second, he standeth waiting at the gate of God's mercy, where usually men are received into favour: by the third, he becometh a little more bold, presumeth to knock and rap at God's gate, where we leave him prepared, waiting and knocking till it please God to open and let him in.   

Sect. 5.  
ANd yet there remaineth one point to be briefly declared, to wit, how this repentant being now (as we are to hope, judge, and suppose) of a carnal, made a spiritual man, may know himself to be, in the state of grace. For although regeneration being so great, and a total change be usually so evident, especially to him in whom it hath place, that he can not doubt of it, yet it cometh often to pass by the temptation of Satan, and that natural infidelity which remaineth in them, that even the faithful are brought to this pass, that they know not what to make of themselves: but either think or at the least suspect themselves to be in the midst of a troublesome and tempestuous Sea, when as in truth they are arrived in the Haven.  
This controversy must be taken away by comparing our present estate with our former, and by considering that change which we feel to be of a sudden wrought in ourselves, in the earnest performance of some Christian exercise tending to regeneration. For we are not to look for it in our banquets, pastimes, sleep, recreations, or while we are busied about worldly affairs, but while we hear the word of GOD, while we pray unto him publicly, or (perhaps) privately alone, or with others, while we humble ourselves in fasting, and unfeigned sorrow for our sins. In the performance of the which Christian duties, GOD is by his mighty power able to turn the hearts of men which way he lifteth, to change the natural disposition of his soul, whom he then calleth, making it look toward himself, which before did frowardly abhor from all good, and up to heaven, which before had the eyes fixed in earthly things. Whereupon this repentant (for we will yet give him his old name, because he doubteth himself to be still, not a new, but the old man) feeleth all the faculties of his soul, his mind, will, and affections strangely changed. For whereas before he felt himself so hard hearted, that although he saw his sins, yet he was not grieved for them, unless it were for the punishment of them, now he poureth out of his eyes Rivers of tears, in respect of the dishonour, which he hath by his sins b●ought to the name of God. Whereas before he doubted of God's favour, and the pardon of his sin, now he is undoubtedly persuaded of both: and so he is now replenished with unspeakable joy, & heareth the spirit (not of bondage, and fear, wherewith he was possessed) but of adoption crying in his heart, Abba father. He now feeleth himself able to withstand those sins whereunto before he yielded continually at the first: to have a delight in praying to God, and in all Christian exercises whereunto before he was drawn by fear of the displeasure either of men, or perhaps in some conscience of sin in fear of the wrath of God, and a desire to avoid it. And to conclude, he feeleth all those parts of holiness wrought in some measure in his soul, which are requited in the faithful.  
FINIS.     

The Argument of the Treatise following.  
AS it is not sufficient for the good estate of man's body that it be brought into the world, in the natural perfection of it, which consisteth in the equal temperature and just proportion of the several parts of it, for that it being left here, would soon perish and come to noug●t: and therefore it must of necessity be continually both nourished with meat and drink, and also preserved from all hurtful things, yea carefully restored to the former state of health, if by any inward or outward means it fall into sickness, or be any way hurt, wounded, or distempered: no more will it serve for the good estate of the soul, that it be both prepared by repentance for regeneration, yea actually regenerated by the spirit of God: but it likewise must continually be tended, fed, and cherished, yea healed of all those maladies which by any means happen unto it. This we call the right dieting of the soul, resembling the soul to the body, that both the doctrine may be plain and easy, being illustrated & declared by sensible & familiar similitudes, and also, that the continual care and pains which we take about our bodies, t●e ordering & dieting of them, may always be putting us 〈◊〉 mind of performing the same duty unto our souls, for the which we ought to be so much the more careful, as eternal happiness is better than this short and miserable life.  
This spiritual diet hath two parts, conservative, and restorative, the former continueth and keepeth in the soul that measure of grace and of holiness, which it hath received from God, the other restoreth it when it is lost, and repaireth it being decayed. Again, conservative diet hath two parts, nutritive and preservative: consisting, the one in the right use of those things, by the which the soul is nourished, the other in the careful avoiding of all things, which are hurtful unto it: spiritual nourishment consisteth in two things, food and exercise, whereof the one is the matter, the other the means, manner or form of nutrition.  
Further, we are to consider how the soul hath resemblance to the state of the body, and how it being of itself simple and spiritual, can be subject to alterations, distempers, and diseases, which have place in the body, by reason of the contrariety of qualities prevailing, or yielding one to another: to wit, that as in the body heat and moisture, so in the soul, holiness & sinfulness do continually fight together, the one labouring to consume and expel the other, the sinfulness of the flesh labouring to quench all the good motions of the spirit, and the spirit striving to crucify the flesh, with all the corrupt lusts thereof: Gal. 5.17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other. This is the composition & temperature of the soul, having place only in the state of regeneration, wherein the soul hath in itself both holiness and sinfulness: but not in the state of innocency, or yet since the fall of Adam in carnal men: when as t●e soul being altogether either holy or sinful, cannot be said to have this composition or temperature.  
These points of doctrine may profitably be considered. But first we are to know, that the pains and care taken in dieting and ordering the soul, aught to be continual without any intermission, for that as the body being neglected for a small time, becometh weak and distempered, yea soon falleth into sickness and doth perish, so is it with the soul, the which being neglected but a little, there will a decrease of holiness be plainly felt, yea perhaps seen by others. The reason whereof is manifest: to wit, because both outward occasions and temptations, and also t●e inward corruption of sin, never ceaseth from oppugning this holiness: and therefore as the body must continually be repaired with nourishment, because it is continually consumed by our natural heat, so must the soul by a good diet daily used, be preserved. Thus the scripture doth every where exhort us to a continual use of all spiritual exercises, as namely of prayer, Eph. 6.18. Pray always with all manner of prayer and supplication in the spirit. And 1. Thess. 5.16. Rejoice evermore, pray continually: not as if (as some have fond imagined) we ought to give ourselves so wholly to spiritual exercises, as that we neglect our bodies & this present life, as most men bestow all their time, care and labour, about their bodies, without any regard had to their souls. For as God hath given unto us both bodies and souls, so it is his will that both be carefully preserved, and that both for the maintenance of this present life, we labour daily & diligently in some lawful calling, & for the preserving of the life of our souls we use that spiritual diet which we are about to declare. Yet as heavenly, spiritual, and eternal things are far more excellent and more to be desired then earthly things, so we ought to have greater care of the one then of the other, and so to frame the course of our life, that we entangle ourselves in no more worldly duties than are needful. Thus the Apostle counseleth, 1. Cor. 7. that the servant should not neglect any duty which his master enjoineth him, under pretence of serving God but yet desire a free life, because in it he may have greater opportunity and leisure to serve God: and like wise, that we should prefer a single life before marriage, which (usually) bringeth with it many cares & troubles. According to this rule they whom God hath blessed with riches and abundance of worldly things, aught to give more time, care and labour to the service of God, them they who are in poverty, and want things needful: and to say with themselves, soul thou hast goods laid up for many years, and therefore (not take thy ease and make thyself drunk with the superfluity of worldly pleasures) but, take time as much as thou wilt to serve God, and to cleanse thyself from the filthiness of sin, which maketh the abominable to God. But usually men, as it were adding thirst to drunkenness, the more they have, the more they desire to have, and are more careful in seeking worldly things, than they who are in greatest want.  
Besides, it is needful for the right dieting of the soul, that w● know and consider the present state or constitution of it, ●hether it be in infancy, or in ripe age, in the increase or decrease of holiness, in strength or in faintness, in temptation or not: that so we may use that diet which is most convenient, in regard of the present state of it. Otherwise we cannot but err in dieting it, yea even in the careful use of the most wholesome meats and sovereign remedies. For as it is impossible to order the body aright, either in sickness or in health, without the certain knowledge of our complexion, age and strength, and unless we mark in what parts it is most weak or strong, that accordingly choice may be made both of meats in health, and of remedies in sickness, so the foundation of the right ordering of the soul consisteth in this, that we know our age and strength in Christ, whether we be ripe and strong men, able to digest solid meats, or but babes and weaklings, who must be fed with milk: and also our infirmities, what sins we are most subject unto, that so we may avoid all occasions of them.   

THE DIET of the Soul: Or A Treatise, showing how the Soul of man being renewed, or endued with holiness, is to be ordered and preserved in that estate.  

CHAP. 1.  

Section. 1.  
THe first part of the Diet of the Soul, is that whereby the spiritual life of holiness, and that measure of grace wherewith God doth endue it in regeneration, is maintained and continued, as we know that Physicians prescribe a diet for continuance of health, as well as for the removing of sickness. For whereas Christ sayeth, Mar. 2.17. The whole have no need of the Physician, but the sick, and that therefore he came to call, not just men but sinners to repentance: he meaneth not, that any man is so holy, as that he needeth not both his own continual care in watching over his soul, as also the continual assistance, of God's spirit: but that they who are sick, or rather dead in sin and impenitency, have more need of help, than they who are already endued with the life of holiness. For, as it is truly said in other things, Non minor est virtus, quam quaerere parta tueri: so is it true in respect of spiritual health, the which cannot possibly be kept without continual care, although in exact comparison it be easier to continued either bodily, or spiritual health, where it is already, then to procure it where it is as yet wanting. Here it may be asked, what this spiritual health is, and how any man can be said to have it, when as all are sinful: we answer, that although no absolute perfection of holiness, yet a state of spiritual health may be attained unto, even in this sinful life, and is then attained, when as a faithful man leadeth a holy and vnblam●ble life, performing (although in weakness & imperfection, yea in some corruption of sin) all duties belonging either to God or man, and being irreprovable in regard of any great sin. For as most men living are truly said to have their health, howsoever that exact temperature, ad pondus, whereof Physicians dispute, cannot be found in any man, or in any age: so, absolute perfection of holiness is not required to spiritual health. But, as it is sufficient for bodily health, that the distemperature be not so great and manifest, as that it hinder any of the natural faculties from their functions: so if the corruption of sin be so bridled, a● that it hinder not the performance of any christian duty, there is spiritual health: yea, although this corruption of sin be so strong, that it doth sometimes bring forth some sin, and hinder in part the performance of some Christian duty, yet if for the general course of life the grace of god's spirit do prevail, so that it represseth that sin, & performeth all duties, sometimes faintly, & imperfectly,, at other times fully, & courageously, yet here is health. For so as in the body: so also in the soul we are to distinguish betwixt health and strength, betwixt sickness and infirmity: many have their health who are not strong, and many whole men have many infirmities. For example. Many are thick of hearing & sight, yet they can both hear & see, & therefore are to be accounted whole, not maimed, or sick, as we are to declare more at large hereafter. Yet it is the part of every faithful man to preserve himself not only in health, but also in spiritual strength and vigour of holiness, yea, to increase his strength from one degree to another: the which three effects come of this first part of spiritual Diet. For first it preserveth the life of holiness, gotten by the first act of regeneration: secondly, it continueth that strength or measure of grace whereunto we have attained in the progress of it: and lastly it increaseth strength and grace. The which divers effects or degrees of holiness, a●ise of the divers use of this spiritual di●t, as it is more or less carefully and diligently used. For as the natural life of man may (if no outward violence come) be preserved with the least care, cost, and pains that can be: but if a man desire to keep his body in strength and vigour, there must choice of diet be made, and care used, and most of all, if he go about to augment either his stature in his young years, or afterwards his strength or flesh, he must be yet more careful, yea curious in his diet, bestowing all his time, yea great care and cost in it: So it is in spiritual life, the which being once put into the soul of man by the hand of God, will continue there ever by itself, although (as it cometh often to pass) the owner of it be negligent in maintaining it, yea in a manner careless of it. Whereas he that desireth to continue a whole and strong man in Christ without any sickness or decrease of grace, must make account to bestow great care in this work, a●d far greater, if (as he ought) he desi●e to increase in grace.   

Sect. 2.  
THis preservative Diet consisteth in two things: the first i●, to avoid what soever is any way hurtful to t●e soul in respect of holiness: the other is, to use aright whatsoever is good and agreeable to the nature of it. In the fi●st kind, we are to avoid first and chiefly, the committing of actual sin, especially of those which are great and heinous. These are to be accounted as very poison to the soul, many ways impairing the holiness of it: first, in that they seldom come alone, but accompanied with some other sin, as Lot's drunkenness brought forth incest, and David's adultery, horrible murder. This cometh to pass diverse ways: for as he who taketh a taste of honey, is easily drawn on by the sweetness of it, to eat of it to his great hurt: so the pleasure of sin being once felt and enjoyed, will not afterwards be easily rejected, & contemned: yea, as the Merchant venturer having received a great loss by sea, or the soldier a great wound in battle, often become desperate, and careless of their own estate: so, oftentimes a Christian by committing some grievous sin is brought to this pass, that he layeth aside the care and study of holiness, and letteth all go at six and seven. Thus one sin drawing on another, and two, twenty, the soul is at length wholly possessed and overcome by sin, and, even as a city or castle being taken by the enemy, yieldeth without resistance. And if by the grace of God supporting him in this temptation, he be not brought to this desperate pass, yet the committing of any one sin taketh from him, or doth greatly diminish diverse particular graces, especially affiance, hope, spiritual joy, and the peace of conscience: and in stead of these, bringeth a fearful expectation of the wrath of God, and of those judgements which he usually poureth upon sinners. Yea, it hindereth him from calling on god by prayer, with that confidence & alacrity which is meet, for that now he cannot come to him as an obedient son to a loving father, but as a rebel or fugitive to an angry master: yea, sometimes the committing of sin worketh the contrary effect, taking away or diminishing the fear of God, who although seldom, for that this most fearful punishment of impunity belongeth to the reprobate ones, yet sometimes suffereth the sins of men to go unpunished for a time: so as it were letting the reins lose unto them, that he may see, or rather, let themselves, and the whole world see, whither they would go, and what corruption is in the heart, and what infirmity in the nature, even of regenerate men. In these and many other respects the committing of sin is hurtful to the soul, and therefore with all care to be avoided, by him, who desireth and endeavoureth to diet his soul aright. Sin is to be avoided, first, by considering the loathsome nature, the horrible parentage, being come from Satan that foul spirit, the ugly and monstrous shape being clean contrary to the image of God in man, yea, to the nature of GOD himself, the fearful fruits which it bringeth forth, the anger of the great GOD of Heaven, and earth, which being kindled but a little, maketh the hard stony Mountains to melt away like wax: the dishonour of the glorious name of God, the unthankful and ungracious disobeying of so gracious and good a Father, the slander of the Gospel, and name of Christ, the grieving and snubbing of the holy Spirit of God, by whom we are sealed up to the day of redemption, the horror of an accusing conscience, and that which the Apostle, Ram. 6. maketh the only fruit of it in respect of men, shame and ignominy. These things being duly considered, cannot but stay the most violent and raging motions of sin: yea they are of such weight, that if they be put in the balance wi●h all worldly pleasures whatsoever, (the which are the only proctor's of sin, pleading vehemently for it before the judgement seat of man's free will) they will, unless the balance be strangely false, and the judge palpably blinded and perverted, weigh them down as a mountain would do a molhill, without any controversy or comparison. Sin is indeed as pleasant in the mouth as is the honey comb, but it is vain and momentany, yea, it rotteth the bowels, body and soul. Secondly, sin is to be avoided by avoiding all occasions, and provocations of it: for as he who would not have his house set on fire, will not willingly bring fire into any room where there is powder, flax or any other thing, which will readily take fire, so he that would not have the lusts of firm kindled in his heart, must carefully avoid all outward objects, which stir them up, and do in a manner entice men, and even lead them by the hand to the committing of them. The places of Scripture, which give this good and wholesome counsel are well known, job. 3.1. I have made a covenant with mine eyes, and why then should I regard a maiden? And Prou. 23.31. Look not on the wine when it is red, when it showeth his colour in the cup: for in the end it will bite as a Serpent: thy eyes shall look on strange women, and thy heart shall speak froward things. By keeping this rule, a weak Christian shall go on with a strait foot in the way of a Christian life, when as one endued with a far greater measure of grace, neglecting it, in confidence of his own strength, shall stumble and fall into grievous sins. Yea, as one having a weak constitution of body, being in safety, and as we say out of gun-shot, is liker to live, than the strongest man being in battle in the midst of his enemies: so a weak man being out of temptation, and avoiding occasions of sin, is liker to stand then he who rashly rusheth upon the pikes, and hath many occasions of sinning, although in his mind, affection, and purpose, he do more abhor from sin, & so have a greater measure of the contrary grace, than the other. Lastly, this care in avoiding sin, by considering the nature and effects of it, and by eschewing the occasions of it, aught to be exercised chiefly in regard of those sins: & the occasions of them whereunto we know ourselves naturally inclined, to the which we are oftenest tempted, & have oftenest yielded: even as men do most fortify by art, those places of their towns & cities which are weakest by nature, & flock thither apace to defend, where they see the enemy most busy in assaulting.   

Sect. 3.  
TO this head, of the occasions of sin, we are to refer the company of wicked and godless men, who of all other are the most forcible tentation and allurement to sin. Other occasions are dumb, and cannot plead for their selves, but by our own tongues, and therefore no further than we ourselves think good, but these will be importunate suitors, yea, if they have any power over us, insolent and tyrannical compellers and commanders, for so we are to know that those tempters have divers means by the which to draw us from the obedience of God, to the committing of sin. First, their bare example, the which although it ought not to be regarded, (but only as a spectacle of the filthiness of sin, as we see in drunken men, the beastliness of that sin, more plainly than we can have it any way described unto us) yet it doth often prevail with those who are weak, especially when as the persons of those wicked men are honourable & to be had in account, for their wisdom, learning, riches, dignity, authority, or in any other worldly respect. But we are to be forewarned, and to take heed of this, knowing that not the actions of sinful men, but the word of God is the rule according to the which all our actions are to be squared: and that of men, for the most part not the wisest and mightiest, but the simplest and basest are chosen by God to be partakers of his spirit, and precedents of godliness unto others. Neither do these tempters stay here, being content with those who are moved by their example to tread in their steps, but (as every one thinking best of himself and his own ways, desireth to have all other like to himself) they add to example persuasion, entreating, importunity, yea, if it be in their power, by force and violence. But all these temptations may & must be resisted by the power of God's spirit, that so we may preserve our souls without spot till the day of Christ. Yea though we be compassed in on every side with example's of sin and wickedness, having no step free from grievous offences & stumbling blocks, a● it cometh often to pass, that the godly man liveth in the midst of a wicked and perverse generation, as Lot lived in Sodom, yet we must not suffer ourselves to be carried away with these streams of wickedness, from the obedience of the will of God, nor follow the multitude to evil but rather manfully strive against all, in the profession and practice of a godly life: and as the Apostle Peter exhorteth us, Act. 2▪ 40. Save ourselves from that froward generation. Wherein (no question) we shall find great difficulty▪ yea, when we have done all that we can great hindrances, & even an impossibility of attaining that high degree of holiness, which otherwise were not impossible, for that the full practice of godliness cannot be had, but would be unseasonable and inconvenient. This Christ teacheth Math. 24. 1●. Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many will wax cold: and 2. Tim. 3.1. The Apostle saith, that the abundance of sin there mentioned, will make Perilous times, in the which it shall be hard for God's children to keep faith and a good conscience, and themselves free from the sins reigning everywhere. For as in a general distemperature and corruption of the air, it is hard even for him that hath a healthful & strong constitution of body, to avoid sickness, so it is in corrupt ages and places, very ha●d to live unspotted of the world. But there is nothing hard or impossible to god, who by his grace is able to preserve us from being overwhelmed with these floods of wickedness, as he did Lot in Sodom, & hath done many others of his servants in the midst of infidels and open idolaters.   

Sect. 4.  
ANother thing hurtful to the soul, and the holiness of it, and therefore carefully to be avoided in this spiritual Diet, is licentiousness, which is the unnecessary use of worldly pleasures, when we are not content with meat, drink, and apparel, and other things needful: but lust after superfluous things, as the people of Israel being filled with manna, did after the flesh pots of Egypt: the which although they may be sometimes lawfully used, for that the creatures of God serve and are created not only for necessity, for then infinite things are in vain, for a few are needful, but also for the pleasure & solace & delight of the faithful. Yet the daily and ordinary use of them is hurtful and not to be granted or taken. First, in that it taketh away our time & care, which should be given to the service of God, to the study and practise of godliness, and all Christian duties from these things, and bestoweth them on vain and momentany pleasures. For although we may after a sort do both, to wit, sometimes with Mary sit at Christ's feet hearing his word, & anon with Martha give ourselves to worldly matters: yet we shall find, that this superfluous use of worldly pleasures, will be a great hindrance to those other duties, and make us altogether unfit for the performance of them. We do not deny, but that a Christian may have in some measure, that care for his soul which is meet, and withal not only perform all the necessary duties belonging to his calling and the good estate of his body, yea, and sometimes walk forth and make a vagary into the gardens of pleasure, thereby both to satisfy the infirmity of his flesh and frail nature, and also to make himself more joyful and cheerful in serving, thanking, and praising God: but if he have his daily conversation, and make his continual abode in them, he may indeed serve God there in some sort, but he shall find it dangerous in respect of spiritual life and health: yea, as unwholesome for the soul as it is pleasant for the body. The mind and affections of a man may indeed be set on divers things, on earthly and heavenly pleasures: but that which is given to the one, is taken from the other: and the more we are affected to the one, the less delight we shall have in the other: for that there is a kind of contrariety between the flesh and the spirit, between fleshly and spiritual pleasures, studies, and exercises, arising not of their own nature: according to which the sense of worldly pleasure is even as bellows to strire up in man, love, obedience & thankfulness to God: as we know that God placed Adam in his creation in Paradise, a place of pleasure, but by reason of the corruption of man's nature, which cannot use them moderately and in due times, it cannot taste of them, but it will drink of them, it cannot drink of them, but it will be drunk with them: yea, it will add thirst unto drunkenness, even an unsatiable appetite, to the greatest, surfeit, yea, when it having overcharged itself is constrained to unload itself, and abstain for a season, it will afterwards more greedily than ever it did return to the vomit, and so wallow continually in all sensual pleasure. By this means have many of the servants of God been overtaken: yea, it is the usual means, by the which satan worketh in them a decrease of holiness, making them to drink so deep of this cup of worldly pleasures, that straitghway they fall into sleep or slumber, and so forgetting themselves, neglect their souls. Besides, this licentiousness is the next neighbour, and cousin german to sin itself, which for the most part consisteth in the use of forbidden and unlawful pleasures: and therefore to be avoided as very dangerous, as it is the part of a wise man not to walk too near the brink of a deep river, where into if he chance to slip, there is danger of drowning, but rather to keep a loof off, and so to be in safety. So that in these respects a good dietary of the soul must carefully avoid this licentiousness & too free use of worldly pleasures, as we are in many places of the Scripture counseled & commanded. Luc. 21.24. Take heed least at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfeiting & drunkenness, & the cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares: and the Apostle writeth to the Corinthians. 1.6 That howsoever all things are lawful, yet all things are not expedient, in respect of spiritual edification. Yea, he propoundeth unto them himself as an example to follow, in abstaining from the use of all unnecessary pleasures, saying. 1. Cor. 9.27. I beat down my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that otherwise I myself, who preach salvation to others, should be rejected. So that we are to hold as a most plain and certain truth, that as for the body, so also for the soul, a strict & sparing diet is most safe and wholesome, and therefore to enjoin it to ourselves, as necessary for our salvation, & that which may not be broken without offence both to god & to our own souls. For, howsoever many do flatter themselves in the doctrine and knowledge of christianity, and so give themselves over to the use of worldly pleasures, yet we are to know, that it is no less displeasing in the eyes of god, to use those lawful things, which we know to be hindrances to our salvation, then to do that which is simply and in nature unlawful. For as we read, 1. Sam. 15.23 Rebellion (in what thing soever it be) is as the sin of witchcraft, and transgression as idolatry.    

CHAP. II.  

Section. 1.  
THe second part of conservative diet, is in the use of those good things, which are agreeable to the soul, and appointed by God for the preservation of it: they are two in number, food and exercise, by the which two, as the body, so also the soul is nourished. As for sleep and natural rest, the which is needful for the nourishing & preserving of the body, it hath no place in this spiritual diet: for the flesh is frail, and would soon be consumed with labour, if it had not some rest & intermission in the time of sleep: but the soul cannot be wearied by doing good, but contrarily getteth strength by continual labour, and is made faint and weak by rest, as the body is refreshed by it. Only it requireth these two things, food and exercise, of the which two, the one is the matter, the other is the form of nutrition: or thus, spiritual food, is that whereof holiness is made: spiritual exercise turneth the said food into holiness, first of the food, then of the exercise of the soul. But why is food more needful for the soul, than rest or sleep? and why can it not continued as well without the one as without the other? It needeth no rest, because it cannot be wearied, but it must be nourished, both because it is imperfect in regard of holiness, and therefore must be increased, till it come to the full stature and perfection: and also because it is daily diminished by the corruption of sin, and therefore must be daily repaired by convenient food. Even as we do daily feed our bodies, for these two ends, first, to augment them as long as they are in growth, then after that they have come to their pitch and natural bigness, to restore so much of the substance of them, as is daily wasted away by the force of natural heat. But what shall we make to be the food of the soul? Surely, no bodily meat, though never so fine and dainty: for if we eat we do not therefore abound in grace: and if we eat not, we are not diminished: neither any earthly thing: for the food of the soul is that whereof holiness is made, the which hath the original, not from earth, but from heaven, whither we must lift up our eyes, and thence look for this spiritual and heavenly Manna: not from any creature that is in heaven, the which although it may be holy in itself as are the angels, yet they are not the fountain from the which holiness is to be derived to others, and therefore we must seek for this food at the hands of God, not in his nature, whereof the soul is not capable, but in some thing proceeding from him, even in the word of God, by the which as this spiritual life of holiness is begotten, so it is nourished, and continued, as it is in natural things, the which, Ex quibus oriu●tur, ex i●sdem nutriuntur. 1. Peter. 1.23. Being borne not of corruptible, but of incoruptible seed, to wit, by the word of the everliving God, which endureth for ever: and this is the word which is preached among you, and therefore a● new borne babes desire the sincere milk of the word (as it may be translated) that you may grow thereby. The word of GOD is the revealed will of God: for as men do by speech make known to others their mind, counsels, and intents: so GOD hath many ways made known unto man, what he would have done: so that as the soul of man doth more or less conform if self to the will of God: so doth it more or less increase in holiness. This word or revealed will of God, is contained and declared, first, in the creatures: secondly, in the books of holy Scripture: thirdly, in the actions of God, or his continual administration of the world, out of all which this spiritual food must be gathered and gotten. But especially out of the Scripture, wherein God hath fully and plainly revealed his will, and which maketh the other two fields, the one of the creatures, the other of the actions of God, to yield plentiful fruit for the nourishing of our souls, whereas without it they are altogether barren and fruitless. For it is impossible that he who hath not the eyes of his soul opened and enlightened by the word and spirit of God, should pick out any matter of spiritual edification, either out of the creatures, or the actions of God.   

Sect. 2.  
THe will of God, as it is contained in th● Scripture, creatures, and actions of god, is as mere undressed, and therefore it must be prepared and made fit for our use, as we daily see meats to be dressed infinite ways. This preparation is made by searching and finding it out, which of itself lieth hidden, and it is prepared, either by ourselves, or else by others, as namely by the Ministers of the word, who in the Church (which is the house of God) are both as Stewards to provide, and as Cooks to prepare meat for the children and servants of GOD: the which they do, when as they gather out of the word of God sound and wholesome doctrine, and apply it to the several conditions of the hearers. This public food, which the public ministery of the word yieldeth, is th●t wherewith chief God hath appointed that our souls should be nourished, and therefore we are carefully to consider how it ought to be received. For we are not here to declare how this public preparation should be made, for that belongeth not to this Treatise: yet as all men know, that the good estate of the body doth chiefly consist herein, that the meat wherewith it is nourished be well dressed, and made fit for the receiver, not raw, offensive, or mingled with any hurtful thing: so, without question, the health of the soul doth chief depend on the ministry of the word, that it offer to the Church nothing but that which is both in itself good and sound, and also made fit for the present estate of the hearers. And surely it is to be wished (and the contrary greatly to be wondered at) that men were as careful in providing for themselves, wise and cunning Cooks, able to prepare a right the sacred word of the everliving GOD, wherewith their souls are, or aught to be fed to eternal life, as they are curious about the dressing of their bodily meat, which is soon turned into filth, and so cast away, as a most loathsome thing: yea, which together with the belly, for the which it is prepared, shall be abolished: as in the first to the Corinthians the sixth Chapter and thirteenth verse. But men spend their whole care, time, and substance about the one: to wit, the filling of their bellies, and the feeding of their bodies, and are altogether careless of the other, thinking no cost sufficient for the one, and every penny that is bestowed on the other, clean lost. But to leave these godless epicures, serving their bellies which are their God, it is the part of every Christian that hath care of the health of his soul, after that he hath done his endeavour in providing a cunning and faithful Cook, for the preparing of meat for his soul, to prepare himself for the receiving of it, by procuring in himself an appetite to this spiritual food, that so, as it cometh to pass in feeding the body, it being earnestly desired, may be happily digested. This is done fi●st by unloading our stomachs from all sinful cares, cogitations and desires, the which being of nature contrary to the pure and heavenly word of God, will not suffer it to have entrance: for it is impossible that a man should both earnestly desire the word, and cherish sin: and therefore he must resolve himself to yield hearty obedience unto it, by casting away whatsoever is in his mind, heart or life, contrary unto it. This counsel we have given us. 1. Pet. 2.1. Wherefore laying aside all maliciousness and guile, all dissimulation, envy, and evil speaking, as new borne babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby, And likewise: james. 1.21. Wherhfore laying aside all filthiness, and superfluity of maliciousness, receive with meekness the word engrafted in you, which is able to save your souls. Secondly, this appetite of the word, is to be procured by a due consideration of the necessity, of the profitableness and excellency thereof: for who will not desire that which he seethe to be both most needful and profitable for himself, and most excellent in itself, it being the only matter of spiritual nourishment, and so the means of attaining eternal life. Psal. 19.7. The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul, the testimonies of the Lord are sure, and give wisdom to the simple, the statutes of the Lord are right & rejoice the heart, and therefore they are more to be desired then gold, yea then much fine gold, sweeter also than the honey and the honey comb: Moreover by them thy servant is made circumspect, and in keeping them there is great reward. Again, the excellency of the word is so great as cannot be expressed: It is indeed contemned by carnal men, as base and simple, and as having in it no matter of importance, but a bare story of Christ crucified, as we read 1. Cor. 1. The Grecians and other wise men of the world reject the Gospel, as being destitute of that deep wisdom wherewith they know themselves to be endued. But what marvel is it, that he who is blind think it to be dark when the sun shineth most clearly, or that a natural man, who in regard of heavenly things, is as blind as a buzzard, can see no wisdom in the word of God, in the which all the treasures of the endless wisdom of God are contained. The Queen of Saba thought it worth her labour to travail into a strange country to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and counted his servants happy in that they lived in his company & presence, where they did daily see and behold his wisdom how much more shall we account ourselves happy, when as we are in the company, house, & presence of God, beholding the wonderful mysteries of his wisdom laid open before our eyes, the which passeth the wisdom of Solomon, and of all the men in the world, further than the great Ocean doth a drop of water. And surely whosoever can, and doth by the grace of God, seriously consider the dealing of God with his Church from time to time, the tragical end of the reprobate, living here for a time in all jollity and pleasure, the happy estate abiding the godly, who in this world are miserably afflicted, the fall of man coming of his own wilfulness, the salvation and regeneration of the elect proceeding from the mercy & love of God: He that compareth the law with the gospel, the babish estate of the Church of the jews with the Churches under the Gospel, being come to ripeness and perfection, the agreement of the types with the bodies, the wisdom contained in the judicial laws of Moses. And lastly, he that considereth the incarnation, death & resurrection of Christ, with the ●est of points of christian religion, shall undoubtedly see, & will confess that all the wisest laws, the deepest devices, & counsels of the greatest and most subtle politicians that ever lived, the learnedest works of the wittiest philosophers and schoolmen, are but mere foolery & silly shifts: yea, he shall be compelled to cry out & say with the Apostle, Rom. 11. O the riches of depth of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgements and his ways past finding? And 1. Tim. 3.16. Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness. God manifested in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the gentiles, believed in the world, and received up in glory Neither can any man answer & say, I confess indeed that there are notable points of wisdom to be seen in the word of God, in the hearing & considering whereof I have taken great delight: but I have heard them so often reiterated, that now it is irksome to me to hear the word preached: for as the wise man saith, even the honey comb, the sweetest thing in the world is loathsome to the full stomach. But we cannot be thus affected toward the word of God and the wisdom of God therein contained the which is so infinite, that it can never be sounded to the bottom, and fully comprehended by the mind: and therefore it cometh forth every day new and fresh, not cloying the hea●er, but inflaming him more and more with a desire of hearing and learning. Of other things it is truly said, that a wonder lasteth but nine days, for that nothing happeneth so strange, but that the cause of it at length will be found out: but the wonderful things of the law of God do more amaze him that hath spent all his time in the se●ious contemplation of them, then him who i● a novice in the school of Christ. Thus we are to think of the word of God, and thus we ought to stir up in ourselves a greedy and unsatiable appetite of it: yea, great care and attention in hearing it, yea, they wh●m God hath endued with most excellent spiritual gifts, and the greatest measure of knowledge, ought not to think themselves exempted from this duty of continual & attentive hearing of god's word: as no man is so strong in body, that he may abstain from meat, because he is by the word of God, both to restore that spiritual strength, which is daily weakened by the corruption of sin, and also to increase his strength till he come to some ripeness in Christ. But contrarily, he is with great care, joy, and pleasure, to give himself to the hearing of God's word, when soever just occasion is given.   

Sect. 3.  
further as it is not sufficient for the feeding of the body, that meat be received into the stomocke: for that if by any infirmity thereof it be straightway voided, it doth not any jot nourish the body: no more will it serve for the feeding of our souls, that we hear the word with great joy & delight, yea, with care and attention, unless also we remember, and so keep it in our souls. This point of spiritual Diet is necessarily to be regarded, for that many fail in it, who do in some measure hear aright, as many have an insatiable appetite in devouring meat, who cannot keep it for any space of time. This we see both in the parable of the seed, Luke 8.13. and also in daily experience, whereof the one saith, that many hear the word with joy, but it taketh no root in them, the other showeth us by the unfruitful and barren professions of many Christians, that be daily and attentive hearers of the word, that they let it soon slip out of their minds, for that otherwise it could not possibly but bring forth some fruit in their lives. The means of remembering the word preached are these: first, careful attention, for nothing can be remembered which is not first minded & marked: secondly, to repeat with others, either with our friends in way of conference, discussing every point severally, to see what is doubtful or manifest, what singular, and excellent, or usual (for as in the word of God, so in the sayings of men, some are more notable than others) or with those, who are any way committed to our charge in way of examination, as our wives, children, servants, scholars, and such others. But of all other, the surest way to remember the word, is application, when as both in and after the hearing of it, we consider how it concerneth ourselves or any other, what experiments we have had of the truth of it, and how it will make for our spiritual edification: whereunto if practice be joined, than we make it our own for ever. Thus we being carcful in receiving the food of the word of God preached, and as Christ warneth us, taking heed how we hear, it cannot be but that by the blessing of God we shall continue and increase the spiritual health of our souls.   

Sect. 4.  
IN this public banquet which God maketh in his church, for the refreshing, strengthening, and feeding of the souls of his children, besides the ministery of the word, which hath the first & the chief place, there is a second service, to wit, the sacraments appointed for the same end, & being the word of God, as the other, although in another form, and is as it were prepared after another manner. They nourish the soul in that they increase in us knowledge, faith, mortification of sin, and all the parts of new obedience, when as the true use, end, and signification of them is duly weighed, as namely in Baptism, which is the sacrament of the law, and of death, the mortification both of our souls for the guilt of sin, and also of the corruption of sin inherent in our souls, signified by dipping and drowning the body in water. For when as we receiving the sacrament in our own bodies, or else beholding it administered unto others, feel a sense of the guilt of eternal death due unto us for sin, & a mortification of thinherent corruption of sin coming from thence, them do we feed our souls by this Sacrament, & that no less when we see it administered to others, then when we feel it in our own bodies: and therefore the custom which hath prevailed in most places, of neglecting & contemning this part of the food of our souls, is to be condemned and sharply reproved. Likewise in the other Sacrament of the Lords Supper, the bread and the wine received in it, feed both our bodies and souls: the one by their natural virtue, the other by their mystical and sacramental signification, working in us a fresh remembrance, and a lively sense of the death of Christ, represented unto us by the breaking of the bread in pieces, and the pou●ing forth of the wine.   

Sect. 5.  
THus much of the public food of the soul: besides the which we have other means appointed by God to be used privately. For Christians must not be as babes, unable to feed themselves or to take any nourishment unless it be put into their mouths by others, but must, as they receive the meat prepared by others, so also dress some for themselves, and that by gathering the word of God, the only food of the soul where it is to be had, even there where the public food is had, to wit, in the Scripture, in the creatures, and in the actions of God. In these fields the word of God groweth, and therefore a Christian is to be continually conversant in them, and so to make his soul strong, fat, and lusty. First therefore he is to give himself to the reading, studying, understanding, and meditating of the scripture. For the profitable reading of the word of God, divers things are to be considered: first that we read it with this intent and purpose, to edify ourselves in the knowledge and obedience of Christ, making our spiritual edification the end of our reading. Otherwise we may spend all our days, yea, although they were as many as the days of Methuselah, and yet receive no more increase of holiness, than they who never heard tell of the word of God. For why? it is impossible that any man should find this spiritual food, but he who doth hunger after it, and seeketh it with all care and diligence. Indeed God sometimes is found of those who do not seek, nor yet so much as ask after him, and doth by his spirit renew those, who do not once think of regeneration or salvation: but here we do not speak of the extraordinary and immediate working of God in regenerating men, but of that ordinary continuance and increase of holiness which every faithful man may and aught to work in himself by such means as God hath appointed. This he that seeketh findeth, he that seeketh it not, shall never find it. Hence it is that many have been very painful readers of the scripture, who never found in them any spiritual fruit or comfort, because they read them not to that end, but for some sinister respect. The jews took great pains in reading, or rather in learning without book the books of the old testament: yea, so great as may make christian's (who cannot find in their hearts to bestow so much time and pains in seeking or keeping Christ, pardon of sin, & eternal glory, as they do in seeking an earthly king & earthly glory, the which only they look for by their Messiah) and yet they find not Christ nor any spiritual grace, because they seek not for such things. So, many other have read the scriptures for other sinister ends, some to get the knowledge of curious and unprofitable questions and controversies of endless genealogies, yea, some for confirmation of their erroneous & heretical opinions, some for mere knowledge & vain ostentation. But he who desireth to be a good physician of his own soul, must, laying aside these and all such respects, propound to himself the confirmation and increase of his faith, love, patience, temperance & of all other spiritual graces. These things must be continually in his mind, yea, he must apply to these purposes, all the precepts, examples and doctrines, wherewith he meeteth, minding only points of spiritual edification, and especially those whereof he most doubteth, and would be resolved, and which belong most to his present use. This rule and counsel we have given by Eliphas. job. 5.27. who after that he hath declared at large both the justice of God in punishing the wicked, and his goodness in sparing, saving and blessing the godly, he addeth this notable conclusion. Lo, thus we have inquired of it, and so it is: hear it and know it for thyself, that is, do not content thyself with the general knowledge of this doctrine, but apply it to thy own special state. Not as if it were unlawful for a Christian, in reading the Scripture, to observe and study those things which do not directly tend to spiritual edification, for it is good and commendable, if he can give so much time to the study of the word, as that he know all the circumstances of th● story, all questions which can be moved about any place: but that when as all cannot be had, (as it is seldom seen, that any giveth or can give himself so wholly to this study who hath any other calling) choice be made of that which is most needful, profitable, and excellent. In the which respect, he is also to make choice of those books of Scripture, for his daily reading, studying and meditating, in the which this spiritual food doth most plentifully grow, and may most easily be had. For although whatsoever is written, be written for our comfort and edification, and that no part of the Scripture ought to be accounted barren and unprofitable, yet some parts are more excellent, and more effectual for spiritual edification than others are, in that they handle those points wherein the good estate of the soul consisteth, more fully and plainly then others do. Thus the writings of the Prophets are to be preferred, before the books of Moses, to the which they are as Commentaries: and the writings of the Apostles before the writings of the Prophets, for that all the mysteries of our salvation are now in the time of the Gospel plainly revealed, which before were covered with types and ceremonies. Yea, of the books of the new Testament, the Epistles written by the Apostle Paul, and others, do more didirectly aim at this mark, than the story of the lives and acts of Christ and his Apostles. But of all the books of Scripture, it seemeth that the book of the Psalms doth most excel in this behalf, the which consisteth wholly of spiritual meditations, observations, precepts and experiments, insomuch that it may truly be called the Christian man's Garden, wherein all manner of wholesome herbs, and sovereign medicines may be had. And therefore a Christian, although he ought not to be a stranger in any part of the book of God, yet he ought to be most conversant in this, and such other, as that he scarce ever lay them out of his hands. Yea, in these books some sayings and sentences are more excellent than others, and therefore more specially to be regarded and remembered.   

Sec. VI  
THus our Christian is to read the scripture: but what availeth it to read that, that is not understood? or how can we suppose that every Christian can understand the scripture which is so hard, that even they who give themselves wholly unto the study of it, cannot with any pains or means which can be used, sound the depth of it?  
We answer, that as it is not possible, so it is not needful for any man to attain the true sense of the scripture in every place: and again, that it is both possible and easy for any Christian to understand so much of it as will serve for his spiritual edification in all respects. Yea, it hath pleased God in great mercy and wisdom so to provide for the salvation of his elect, as to make those things which are most effectual to edification, most easy to be understood, and so to meet with the carnal curiosity of men, as to make unnecessary questions and quiddities most intricate, and even as labyrinths, into the which it is easy to enter, but impossible to get forth. And therefore no man ought to be kept back from reading the scripture, by considering the difficulty of them, but rather to be persuaded, that by prayer to God who can open the eyes of the blind to behold the wonderful things of his law, by acquainting himself with the phrase & manner of speech which the holy Ghost useth, by conferring one place with another: and lastly, by using the help of those who have laboured painfully and faithfully in searching out the true meaning of the scripture, he shall understand so much of it, as shall be abundantly sufficient for his edification and salvation. Thus the scripture being painfully read and truly understood, will yield unto us plentiful food for the confirmation of our knowledge, faith, love, patience, temperance, and of all spiritual graces. We shall enter into these fertile fields and pleasant gardens, in ignorance, doubting, distrust, impatience, and sorrow, but shall come out of them full of faith and of the holy Ghost, and replenished with all spiritual joy. With this reading of the scripture, we must join the reading of the writings of those who have gathered the doctrines & exhortations contained therein to their proper heads, in form of catechisms, sermons, commentaries, treatises, disputations, common places, and prayer, and so have prepared spiritual food for others, who have not the like opportunity of doing it. The benefit and profit, which the Church reapeth by this means, is very great. For by this means many points of singular use are gotten, and as it were digged out of the scripture, which otherwise would lie in them, as in the bowels of the earth, hidden and unknown, especially they who are not endued with so great a measure of knowledge and judgement, as that they are able of themselves to understand the scripture, & thereout to gather whatsoever is needful for them. And therefore they are to be red both thankfully, in respect of god, the giver and author of them: and also carefully, in regard of our own profit & edification, yet not with that reverence, estimation, and confidence, which is to be used in reading the scripture. For that which man saith may be false, but whatsoever God speaketh, is undoubtedly true. For the which cause, we are not to rely and depend wholly upon the writings & authority of any man, of what learning & account soever he be, as it is the custom of many, who not content to acknowledge, & admire the excellency of gods gifts in men, do so addict themselves to all their sayings, opinions, and fashions, that they take for undoubted truth, without any further enquiring of it, or examining it by the word of god, whatsoever proceedeth from them, whereof many inconveniences follow. For first, as no man is without his errors, wants & infirmities, so by this means it cometh often to pass, that in stead of sound and wholesome food, they receive into their souls corrupt errors infecting them. Yea, as for those sound doctrines which they have from them, they do not examine them by the rule of god's word, but take them hand over head upon their words, and so have no firm & settled persuasion, and resolution of them in their minds. Thirdly, by this partial conceit, which men have of some one teacher or writer, they are brought to contemn all other men with their gifts and and labours, and so deprive themselves of that great fruit & edification which they might reap by them.   

Sect. 7.  
BEside the scripture, which is as Paradise, the Garden of God, where●n grow all manner of trees bearing fruit for the sustentation of the soul of man, we have other pastures wherein we are to feed, to wit, the creatures, and the actions of god. The creatures serve for the use & sustentation, as of the body: so also of the soul, the which may clearly see in them the goodness power and wisdom of God, and so be stirred up to love and praise God. He shall see the wonderful power of god, by the which the heavens and the earth were created, the one in continual motion, the other unmoveble: he shall see the wisdom of God in framing every creature so curiously, in regard of the workmanship, in contriving every part so fitly, in regard of the natural use of it, as no wit or imagination of man can come near, or almost imitate. With these Meditations, the holy men of God have continually fed their souls. Psalm. 8.4. When I behold the heavens the work of thy hands, the Sun and the Moon which thou hast created. What is man that thou shouldest vouchsafe him this honour, to be the Lord of these, to have the fish in the Sea, the beasts of the field, at his commandment. Hitherto the Scripture doth often send us, to learn the doctrine of God's providence, who if he deck the Lilies of the field: if he feed the Ravens, Luke 12.24. yea, the young Ravens not able to shift for themselves, how much more will he give to his servants all needful and good things, yea, diligence and care in providing for ourselves. Pro. 6.6. Sluggard go to the Emmet, yea, whatsoever beside is needful to be known and practised by us.. For so we are to account the whole world, and all the creatures therein contained, to be even as a storehouse of food: wherein as carnal men do fill and fat their bellies with that infinite variety of creatures, which GOD hath made: so the spiritual man may have even for the taking up, all manner of spiritual instruction, consolation, and edification. For if the heathen, who have no spiritual eyes, wherewith to see, can observe the power and goodness of God in these creatures, as we are taught Rom. 1. how much more shall the spiritual man find in this field plentiful food for the feeding of the soul.   

Sect. 8.  
THE last field wherein this spiritual food of the word of GOD doth grow, and is to be gathered, are the actions of GOD: for as in the creation so also in the administration of the world, God is to be seen and sought, as in the one, the power, wisdom, and goodness of God, so in the other, his providence, justice, and mercy, do manifestly appear, or rather clearly shine. His providence, by the which all things, all the actions and faculties of all creatures are disposed, ordered, directed, restrained, upheld, as that they all severally and jointly tend to those ends for the which he appointed them, and the effecting of those things which he will have brought to pass, as namely, first principally, and generally, the setting forth of his glory, which is the last end both of the creation, and also of the administration of all things: and secondly the execution of his justice upon the reprobate for their sins, and of his love and mercy in the salvation of the elect. His justice appeareth in that he recompenseth every one according unto his doings, and that without favour or respect of person, laying fearful judgements even upon his elect for their sins, and rewarding the good deeds of the reprobate with temporal blessings: but most of all he doth daily pour forth the treasures of his goodness, love, & mercy, toward his faithful servants, in preserving them from all evil, and in providing for them whatsoever is needful. These things may profitably, and are diligently to be observed in all the ages and stories of the Church: but they are especially to be observed in the age and time wherein we ourselves live, for that we give greater credence, & are more affected with those things which we behold with our own eyes, which we have noted ourselves, knowing the persons in whom they befell, and all the circumstances of the said actions, then with those which we have at the second hand by the report of others, and which in all respects are strange and unknown unto us. Thus the Prophet David mentioneth Psal. 37.25. one of his own observations the which he had been all his life time, even a whole age in gathering, of the gracious providence of God over his servants, saying: I have been young and now I am old, yet did I never see the righteous forsaken or his seed beg their bread. Of these observations concerning the blessings of God bestowed on the righteous, and his fearful plagues poured on the wicked, the books of job and of the Psalms are full: yea, it is in many places made a sign of godliness to mark the doings of God, as the neglect of it is of an ungodly man, as Eccl. 2.14. The wise man hath his eyes in his head, but the fool walketh in darkness. And Es. 57.1. The just man is taken away from the plague that is coming, and no man regardeth: that is, carnal men who are not acquainted with God's dealings, nor exercised in marking them, know not this, that the untimely death of righteous men, is a forerunner of some grievous plague which God is to bring upon that City or country where they dwelled. And more especially, we are carefully to observe those actions of God which concern ourselves, as namely how he hath from time to time provided for us all things needful, even in our greatest wants, when as all men did forsake us: how he hath preserved us from great dangers, how he hath chastised us for our sins, how he hath heard our prayers and granted our requests, how he hath comforted us in our afflictions, how he hath rewarded all our good works & godly endeavours, how he hath assisted us by his spirit in time of tentation, how he hath sometimes let us remain in sin, irrepentance, and hardness of heart, & at other times hath given us soft hearts, melting at his promises and threatenings, as wax before the fire, & sending forth rivers of the tears of true repentance, how he hath plagued for our sins, or blessed for our sakes, our friends, acquaintance, wives, children, kinsfolk and servants, how he hath revealed himself, his will and truth unto us, and in short, how he hath in every respect dealt with us, since we first knew or served him   

Sect. 9  
THus we see the right manner of feeding the soul with the heavenly manna the word of God, contained in the scriptures, creatures, and actions of God: beside the which, there is required in the right nourishment of it, spiritual exercise. For it fareth with the soul as it doth with the body, the which although it be fed to the full, and daily filled with meat, yet it cannot be preserved, much less increased in health, strength and vigour, unless it be exercised, that so the meat received into the belly, may be drawn and fastened to the other parts of the body, which otherwise will not nourish, but soon passeth away without any profit: so, for the preservation of spiritual health and strength, exercise is no less needful than food: the truth hereof appeareth plainly in many, who although they feed their souls with all are and diligence, being continually conversant in studying, hearing, reading, meditating, and regarding the word: yet they are not nourished by this food, because they do not join exercise unto it.  
This spiritual exercise is the practice of christianity, or of spiritual graces, or the performance of Christian duties, belonging either to God or man: and therefore it must of necessity be of divers kinds, as there are many kinds of spiritual graces, and of Christian duties. The first and chief kind of spiritual exercise, is prayer or invocation of the name of God, both public & also private, by the right use whereof, we shall feel all the graces of God's spirit to be stirred up in us, yea, confirmed and increased: yea, all drowsiness and heaviness of soul to be shaken off, as will easily appear by considedering the several parts of it. For, the more that we confess our sins, and the multitude and heinousness of them, as it were painting them out in their natural shape, and in lively colours, the more we loath and abhor: them: the oftener and more seriously that we consider the judgements of God either present, or which are like enough to be shortly poured upon us for our sins, and also the benefits temporal and spiritual, received at the hands of God, the more we increase in fear and love, and all dutiful thankfulness towards him, and therefore whosoever desireth to preserve his soul in health and strength, must have special regard to this, that he give himself to the daily & continual use of prayer, the necessity and efficacy whereof is so great, that it may truly be called the soul of the soul, that is, that whereon the life and good estate of the soul doth depend, it being impossible that either that Christian who is diligent in prayer, should be weak in grace, or that grace should abound where there is neglect of prayer. But what shall we account diligence in prayer, or how often ought a Christian to perform this duty? The answer we have in many places of the scripture, as namely, Thessalonians 5.17. Pray without ceasing. And Ephesians 6.18. Pray in the spirit with all perseverance, in all manner of prayer and supplications at all times. And Luke. 18.1. He told them a parable to this end, that they should pray always, and never be wearied. This general commandment is thus to be understood and restrained, pray at all seasons upon all occasions: think not this exercise to be needless unprofitable, or unseasonable at any time, in the night, or in the day, in the morning, or at noon: in the town, or in the field: in business, or in leisure. Thus have the servants of God lived, and thus they have passed on their days in continual invocation of the name of God. Thus did Paul. 1. Thes. 3.10. Night and day without measure I pray, etc. And David. Psal. 55.18. In the evening, in the morning, and at noon day, I will meditate, I will make a noise in prayer, and the Lord shall hear my voice. And we read of Daniel. Dan. 6.10. That it was his custom to pray unto God thrice every day. Out of the which precepts and examples, we may easily gather, how much time and care ought to be allotted, and bestowed upon this exercise, and that it is continually to be performed. For it is not with our souls in this respect, as it is with our bodies, the which may easily surfeit, of meat▪ or of exercise, for that they being of mean strength, can not bear much of either, but are soon overcharged and hurt: whereas the soul hath not any pitch or set limit either of holiness, but is to grow on further, even when as it is at the highest, or of the means by the which it is attained: and therefore we cannot exceed in this behalf: unless perhaps we (as very few do) fall into the practice of that heresy which giveth all the time of a man's life to prayer, and none to the preservation of life, in following the works of our callings, the which is in no case to be admitted. And therefore that it may be known what is required at the hands of a Christian in this behalf, and what is needful for the right dieting of the soul, we will consider this point more at large, and in particular, in this manner. As bodily, so also spiritual exercise is either ordinary, or extraordinary, the one is to be used daily, the other at some times only, as occasions require. For as sometimes the body requireth long and vehement exercise, the which is not to be admitted in ordinary diet, for that it would soon dry up and consume the body, so it is sometimes needful, that a christian use extraordinary prayer, and that for the better performance of this exercise, he lay aside for a time all other duties, cares and encumbrances whatsoever, the which he may not do ordinarily, as the Apostle teacheth. 1. Cor. 7. That when as it is so needful in any respect, as for the avoiding or removing of any great afffliction, or heavy judgement, which he hath by his sins pulled upon his own head, for the obtaining of some needful grace, or temporal blessing, he may omit for a season the duties of marriage, and give himself wholly to prayer. But ordinary prayer may stand with the performance of all other duties, neither hindering them, nor yet being hindered by them: so that a Christian may both serve God by prayer, and also do whatsoever his calling, although it be laborious, and troublesome, doth require.  
This ordinary prayer is performed after two sorts, either at set and certain times, or else upon occasion: as we know that it is an ordinary thing with men to eat, drink, and exercise themselves, both at times appointed for these purposes, and also as divers occasions do offer themselves: so a Christian is to pray as the Apostle willeth Timothy to pr●ach, both in season, and out of season, at set times, & of a sudden. Set prayer is to be performed in full and ample manner: the other kind which we will call sudden prayer, briefly in few words: even as we know and see that men at their set meals take a greater quantity of meat and drink, than they do at other times. For why? set prayer must have in it all▪ the parts or kinds of prayer, as the Apostle writeth, Ephe. 6. Pray in all manner of prayer and supplication, to wit, confession of sins committed, deprecation of judgements, present or imminent, requiring of graces needful, thanksgiving for benefits received, intercession for others. Set prayer must consist of all these parts: yea, which is more, the particular (at least the chief) sins, judgements, graces, blessings, benefits, persons ought to be rehearsed and mentioned: whereof it cometh, that this kind of prayer containing in it so many diverse matters, cannot be contained in a few words, or uttered in a short time, whereas sudden prayer, conceived upon some particular occasion, and having but one matter, may be dispatched in one word.   

Sect. 10.  
THe uses of set prayer are manifest, for they are many, even as many as are the necessities of the soul, all which are supplied by means of it. But wherefore then serveth sudden prayer? Surely for sudden uses happening beside a man's expectation, and necessarily requiring this duty of prayer. As when a Christian committeth any sin, in thought, word▪ or deed, straightway he desireth God to pardon his sin: likewise, when he receiveth any blessing from God, he giveth thanks without any delay: and likewise in all other parts of prayer, as we know that the church in these latter ages hath generally taken up this custom of praying, at the taking of meat, the which of temporal blessings is most needful, & most often received. This kind of prayer may be performed at any time, and in any place: for of it the apostle writeth, 1. Tim. 2.8. I will that the men pray in every place, lifting up pure hands, yea, in the midst of other affairs whatsoever, & in the company of others: but for set prayer, choice must be made of a secret place, & of such a time wherein we are freed, & as it were loosed from all other business, that so we may have our minds & affections wholly set upon it. Mat. 6.6. When thou prayest, enter into thy chamber, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to the Lord in secret. And therefore we are to accounted some part of the night the fittest season for this work, because than we are freed from all other duties, belonging either to our callings, or to our brethren, and so may without being interrupted or any way hindered, set ourselves to pray unto God, as we read Psal. 119.61, even at midnight will I rise to praise thee, and to think of all thy judgements, or at the least, to sequester ourselves in the day time from the company of others, as we read, Gen. 24.63. That Isaac in the evening did walk forth into the fields, to meditate and pray. And Mat. 14.23. That Christ when his time of prayer was come, sent the multitude away, and went up to the mountain alone to pray, and was there alone, as also Mark 1.35. That very early in the morning before day, he went into a desert, or solitary place, and there prayed. But as for sudden prayer, he did often perform that, in the midst of other affairs, and in the company of others, even of the whole multitude. Thus he prayed. john 11.41. upon occasion of the miracle which he was about to work, in raising Lazarus from death. Whereby it appeareth, that what with extraordinary and ordinary, what with set and sudden prayer, the life of a Christian is a continual exercise of praying, to the daily and diligent performance whereof, he whosoever desireth to have his soul in good estate, is to look carefully, lest that by any means he be drawn away, and become negligent in this behalf, as we see it often to come to pass, that Christians do so entangle, and even overwhelm themselves with worldly cares, and affairs, that they can scarce spare any time, either for extraordinary, or for ordinary, either for set, or for sudden prayer. Yea, if there be no outward hindrance, yet the slothfulness of the flesh unwilling of itself to take pains, in this or any other spiritual exercise, is a sufficient hindrance, and maketh many cold, negligent, yea, & at length altogether careless of this duty, as we read, Mar. 14.37, that the disciples of Christ, when as they had this duty imposed upon them by the express commandment of Christ, were by drowsy sluggishness hindered from the performance of it: the which so far prevailed with them, that they could not get the upper hand of it, no not when they were sharply reproved by Christ, & stirred up to prayer, for so he saith, Peter sleepest thou? couldst thou not watch one hour? Watch and pray lest ye fall into temptation: the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. And therefore Christ speaking of praying, Luc. 8.1. addeth this caveat, that they should pray and not be wearied with it. So that we being forewarned by Christ, are to take heed lest that by these or any other means, we be either altogether hindered or made negligent in this exercise, wherein, as hath often been said, the welfare of the soul doth consist: as no doubt we shall, if we consider and weigh the unspeakable fruits and comfort arising of it. What ought to be less irksome, or more pleasant to a Christian soul, then to have daily company, conversation, conference and talk with God, his saviour and redeemer, his protector and mediator, his Lord and his God, the fountain and full treasure of all blessings, the giver of all good things? What ought to be more carefully performed then that which procureth pardon for all sins, which removeth all evils, which supplieth all temporal and spiritual wants, which increaseth all graces, and preserveth the soul in sound and perfect health, even as bodily exercise doth the body. And therefore as men feeling their bodies any way heavy, distempered and out of course, straightway they fly to this remedy of exercise, not doubting but that it will soon put it away. So whensoever we feel ourselves prone to sin, and untoward and sluggish in the service of God, if we give ourselves to this exercise of prayer, & stretch out the joints of our souls before God, we shall no doubt feel a great change in our souls, and that now they are light and able to lift up themselves to heaven.   

Sect. 11.  
THus we see what singular force and virtue in preserving the soul in the grace of God's spirit, this exercise of prayer hath: and that not only by the extraordinary blessing of God, who according to his gracious promises granteth, whatsoever his children ask by prayer according to his will (in the which respect prayer is as profitable for the body as for the soul, for it procureth temporal blessings, as well as spiritual graces) but also by a proper virtue inherent in itself. For if we set aside the extraordinary work of God in pouring his spirit and grace into their hearts, who ask it by hearty prayer: the very action of prayer doth, although not merit, yet both confirm and increase grace. In the which respect it is not of force for temporal blessings, for no man can by praying enrich himself: only it procureth the blessing of God upon the labours and endeavours of a Christian, and so bringeth riches: but as for spiritual graces, it worketh not the beginning, but the continuance and increase of them, not only from God, but also by itself, as hath been noted before, and will more plainly appear by that which followeth. For first for prayer in general, whosoever giveth himself to a diligent use of it, he doth of necessity daily enter into a serious consideration of his spiritual state, and of all things appertaining unto it, the which cannot but work in him a great measure of grace. For as the careless neglect and forgetfulness of heavenly things coming from a greedy seeking, and a sensual enjoying of earthly pleasures, bringeth a daily decrease: so the serious and continual meditation of them, bringeth increase of grace, the which in scripture is called watchfulness, as the contrary neglect is drowsy sleeping: and therefore these two are usually joined together, Watch and pray. As Mar. 13.33. Look, watch and pray: and Math. 26.41 Watch and pray, lest ye fall into temptation: that is, give yourselves to prayer, and so consequently to a serious consideration of your own estate (such as useth to be not in drowsy heads, but in men given to much waking) that by this means you may be strong in grace, and so enabled to resist the force of sin. This appeareth more evidently in the particulars: for it is impossible that a man should make a full and plain confession of his sins before God, desiring him for his mercy sake in Christ to pardon them, promising and vowing unto him that he will never again so displease and so dishonour him, and not be made (even) by this confession far off from committing of sin. And if we suppose that the corruption of sin is so strong in him, and doth so much prevail, that notwithstanding his diligent praying, he still falleth into sin, yet that will stand true which we affirm, to wit, that diligent prayer, and the committing of sin, will not stand other, for if prayer cannot make him cease from sinning, yet his sinning will make him leave off praying, and be ashamed to open his mouth to God, or lift up his eyes to heaven, with whom it will seem that he doth nothing but dally & dissemble, promising obedience, and straightway performing rebellion, yea, to tread down under foot the blood of Christ as a vile thing, by the which he was a little before washed and cleansed from his sins. Likewise for thanksgiving, which is another part of prayer, what heart is there that is so flinty, and so ungraciouslye unthankful, as not to be by the consideration of the unspeakable love and mercy of God showed toward him, stirred up to love, obey and glorify God in all things. By these means and many other, which may easily be gathered by these, prayer continueth and increaseth spiritual strength, and therefore it is to have a chief place in these spiritual exercises which we endeavour to describe.   

Sect. 12  
TO this head of prayer we are to refer singing, which is a kind of praying, for prayers and psalms have the same matter, only they differ in manner of uttering, which in the one is plain and natural, in the other tuned and artificial. The use and end of it, is to stir up by the pleasant harmony, and agreement of the sounds, spiritual joy and cheerfulness, and so to remove the heavy lumpishness of the soul, as we read jam. 5. Is any of you afflicted, let him pray, is any merry, let him sing. For the which purpose it is of notable force, as the experience of many of the servants of God do teach us, of whom many do (and many more might truly do it) testify thus much of the exercise of singing, that it hath usually strangely altered and affected their minds, that it hath replenished their souls with heavenly delights, & even made their hearts to melt away in tears of unfeigned repentance, the which before the use of this exercise were so hard and dead in impenitency, that neither the ministery of the word, nor private prayer (the which two have the greatest force and the fi●st place in this spiritual Diet, the one for food, the other for exercise) could pierce into them, or any jot move them. Thus it pleaseth God by weak means, to bring to pass strange things, and by this pleasure of the sense, for so it is, although it be not so gross as the other kinds are) to kindle in the hearts of his servants, spiritual joy, love, zeal, and obedience, even as we read 2. Kin. 3.15. that Elizeus being about to prophesy, called for a minstrel, and so prophesied by the means of his playing, the which stirred up the heat and zeal of his affection to speak the word of God. This exercise of singing (yea, and that with an addition of the harmony of musical instruments) was daily and familiar with the Prophet David, as those most excellent songs which he made and hath left behind him to the Church, as monuments of the surpassing zeal and joy which he had in serving GOD, do plainly witness, Psalm one hundred and fifty: Praise the Lord in the sound of the trumpet, praise him upon the viol and harp, praise him with the timbrel, flute, and with all sorts of sweet Instruments, As also the Apostle exhorteth. Ephe. 5.18. Be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the spirit, speaking to yourselves in Psalms, and songs, and spiritual hymns, making melody in your hearts to the Lord. The which spiritual delight of singing with a loud and tuned voice, yea, with the sweetest instruments of music increasing the pleasure, and even ravishing the soul with surpassing delight, ought not to be accounted light or unseemly for a christian to use, who in this case may say with David, skipping before the Ark, I will yet be more light in serving & praising God. 2. Sam. 6.23.   

Sect. 13.  
TO the second head of spiritual exercises, are to be referred all those whereby a Christian edifieth others, in the knowledge & obedience of Christ: for by edifying other, he edifieth himself, by imparting his spiritual graces to other, he doth not only not lose them, but also confirmeth and increaseth them to himself. This we are taught by the parable of the Talents, the which being put forth to use, brought forth, or rather brought in as many more. In the which respect the public ministery of the word is accounted a very effectual means of increasing all manner of grace in the heart of the teacher, not as it is made by the supernatural & miraculous work of God, the ordinary means of begetting grace, but as hath been said of prayer, by a virtue inherent in itself, agreeably to common reason: the which teacheth us that by all likelihood, as they who dress much meat for others, taste some themselves, and as nou●ses who chew meat for young children, suffer some to slip down into their own bellies, so the ministers of the word, who study day and night how they may be setting before the eyes of the people the ugly and filthy shape of sin, should themselves be greatly enamoured with it, that they who labour to affright others with the fearful judgements of God, should stand in some awe, and that they who inflame others with the love of God, should heat themselves, and in brief, that all the doctrines, exhortations, threatenings, and promises which they propound to the people in the name of God, should redound to their own profit and edification. All men know and we confess, that often that comes to pass Rom. 2.20. He that professeth himself to be a guide to the blind, a light to the ignorant, himself blinded with the deceit of sin. And many, although they teach others, that they should not sin, yet they themselves commit most heinous sins: yet it is not possible, but that one endued with faith, and the spirte of God, should by the diligent and careful preaching of the word, be wonderfully strengthened, and increased in all manner of grace. In this sense the Apostle writeth. 1. Tim. 4.15.16. These things exercise, and give thyself unto them, that it may be seen among all men how thou profitest in them: take heed to thyself, and unto doctrine, for so doing thou shalt save both thyself and them that hear thee. Thus we are to account, that all they who are any way called to the expounding or any kind of handling of the scripture, have a good means of profiting in godliness: as also they who having the charge and government of others committed unto them, as husbands, parents, and masters, they are by private teaching, catechizing, and instructing of their families, wives, children, and servants, to exercise, and so to confirm and increase those graces, which they have received. Yea, no man is altogether destitute of this spiritual exercise: for if he have no public function, nor yet by his private calling any subject unto him, yet in that he is a Christian, this duty of exhorting and edifying others, and so of exercising his gifts, doth belong unto him.   

Sect. 14.  
THe last kind of spiritual exercises, is the practice of Christian duties, or a Christian life, consisting not in a bare and naked profession, or in word only, but also in deed and action, when as every grace of God's spirit lurking inwardly in the heart, sendeth forth fruit in life, according to the nature and kind of it. For, as it cometh to pass in our bodies, both in the whole, and also in the several parts and members of them, that the more they are exercised, the more they are both confirmed in strength, and augmented in quantity, and contrarily, the more they cease from performing their natural functions, the less able they are to perform them, yea, by this means it cometh to pass, that they are littl● and weak: even so it cometh to pass in the soul, the graces whereof as they are more or less put in practice in the doing of of good works, and the performance of Christian duties: so they do either increase, or decay. For example, a Christian is diligent in practising the duties of love towards his brethren, he imparteth his goods, and whatsoever he hath unto them, for the relieving of their necessity, and the supply of their wants: this Christian by this means increaseth love in his own soul: by giving, he becometh more liberal, by showing mercy on the distressed, more pitiful, the more he giveth to his brethren of his temporal goods, the more he getteth to himself of spiritual love: the more we suffer afflictions, the more we learn patience, as it is said of Christ in the fifth to the Hebrews, and the eight verse, That he learned patience by his sufferings, and as it is said in the fifth to the Romans, That afflictions work patience: the more the body is tamed and kept under by fasting & such other means, the more the soul is strengthened, and so it cometh to pass in all other graces. Fo● by practi●e they are kept and increased, by the want of practice, they are diminished and lost. Whereby it appeareth how necessary good works are, in regard of the good estate of the soul, and that as they take their being from inward graces: so they give back again unto them strength, and increase. Thus Christ, Mat. 7. in the parable of the wise and foolish builder, maketh the practice of Christianity, to be the foundation of Religion in the heart of a man, even that without the which it cannot stand and continue, but will decay by little and little, and at length fall to the ground: in like manner Paul, 1. Tim. 6.17. maketh good works the foundation of godliness, although in truth, and in proper speech it be the fruit of it. And jam. 1.22. Be ye not only hearers, but also doers of the law: otherwise ye deceive yourselves: for that all your Religion will soon vanish away, and come to nought. For the faculties both of body and soul are lost by idleness, as they are strengthened by use and labour: and therefore we are not to doubt, but that good works howsoever little esteemed by many, and seldom to be found in the lives of any, have a necessary and notable use in this spiritual Diet. And surely whosoever considereth the lives, and professions of many Christians, yea, even of those of whom we are to think no otherwise but that they are truly endued with faith, how fruitless and altogether barren of good works they are, need not marvel why most men either decrease or stand at a stay in godliness, but may easily see and acknowledge, that the graces of God are lost for want of use, and the practice of Christian duties. For now a days christians being too much addicted to the world and worldly pleasures, content themselves with the performance of those Christian duties, which belong to God, as are prayer, hearing the word, receiving the sacraments, leading an unblamable life. But as for the duties of love and mercy, which cannot be performed without cost, the impairing of our worldly state, and diminishing of our earthly pleasures, these are not to be found among men, but clean laid aside as things of no necessity, nor of any great use in regard of salvation. But the truth is, that the more they are neglected, the more the graces from the which they should proceed, are diminished. For as good children are to their parents, so good works are to inward graces, they cherish and maintain them, as they came from them, and so are in respect of them both as causes and as effects. And therefore that we may be stirred up to the daily practice of good works, we will briefly consider in how many other respects they are good and needful.   

Sect. 15.  
THe first motive, and that which ought to be of greatest force to persuade us to good works, is the setting forth of God's glory, for the which purpose we● were both created in the beginning, and recreated in regeneration. 1 Cor. 6.20. You are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your bodies and souls, which are Gods. For that God is greatly glorified by our good works, we know both by the scripture and by common reason. Mat. 5.16. Let your light so shine before men, that they seeing your works, may glorify your father who is in heaven. And joh. 15.8. Herein is my father glorified, that ye bring forth much fruit, and become my Disciples. And 1. Pet. 2.12. Have your conversation honest among th● Gentiles, that they beholding your good works may glorify God in the day of their visitation. Yea, this is agreeable to reason itself, for by this means it appeareth, that the God whom we serve, is not evil or unjust, or any approver of evil, but of purity, justice, uprightness, and goodness. Again, by obeying God's commandments we show and profess to the whole world, that we acknowledge, love, and fear him, that we believe his word, promises, and threatenings, that we hope and trust in him, whereas by neglecting those Christian duties which God requireth, we show indeed (whatsoever we profess in word) that we make small reckoning of him or of his word. Secondly we ought to abound in all good works, that so we may give both to others, and also to get to our own consciences many arguments and pledges of true regeneration, the which cannot be known by any other means. But shall we go a little further, and say that good works are some cause of our salvation, as being in part the matter of our justification. It is not good or lawful to speak or lie in the cause of God, or to persuade good works by an untruth, yet, thus much we may safely say, that look what is to be given to renewed holiness in the matter of our justification and salvation: So much may and must be granted to good works, which are a part thereof, to wit, the holiness of the outward action. For holiness is exercised by good works, especially by those which are most costly and troublesome unto us. For whosoever doth any thing contrary to his temporal commodity, he doth it in all likelihood in some spiritual respect, and for conscience sake. Notable for this purpose is that saying and pratise of David. 2. Sam. 24▪ 4. who when as he might have had the threshing floor & the oxen for sacrifice of free gift at the hands of Araunah, he would needs give him the full price for them, saying: I will not offer a burnt offering to the Lord my God which shall cost me nothing: as if he had said, if I serve God at another man's charges, how shall it appear that I do it in love, obedience, and conscience toward him. In like manner ought every Christian to say with himself, I know that many hypocritical reprobates, and proud Pharisaical heretics have given all their goods (even a thousand times more than I have) to the relief of the poor, the maintenance of learning, and other good uses: that God regardeth the heart and not the hand: that my best wo●ks are sinful, & (in themselves) abominable in his sight: yet for the manifestation of the sincerity of my faith and love, I will labour to abound in all good works towards all men, to the uttermost of my power: yea, my service which I offer to God, shall be costly and chargeable unto me, although I know this will be grievous to flesh and blood. There shall no day pass me without some good work, no more than there doth without prayer, and other spiritual exercises.   

Sect. 16,  
THus we have in some sort declared that part of spiritual Diet, by the which the soul is preserved in health, and strength, yea, augmented in these respects, from one degree of grace to another, till it come to the measure or stature of the fullness of Christ, that is, toward that absolute perfection of holiness which is in Christ, in whom there is nothing either imperfect, or wholly wanting. This perfection can not be attained unto in this lif●: for as long as the soul remaineth in this sinful tabernacle: so long it shall have in it infirmities, wants, and relics of sin, which keep out the perfection of grace: yet we must endeavour to come as near it as we can, daily rising up from strength to strength. In the which respect, the soul differeth from the body, the which hath a short time of life, but far shorter of growth, and an appointed limit or period of stature, beyond the which it cannot be brought, but there standeth at a stay. But as for the soul, although it also have a set pitch, beyond the which it cannot go: yet because it cannot be attained unto in this life, therefore it is to grow continually. Yea, it being of so subtle a nature, and so quick motion, is seldom or rather never made to stand at a stay: but if it do not increase, it doth decrease in grace. For although sometimes Christians do so frame the course of their lives in a safe, quiet, and prudent kind of mediocrity, that there is not in them any sensible change, in respect of godliness, but as they were minded and affected, and as they lived many years ago, so they go on and do still continue: yet without all question, there is some inward change, either to the better, or which is liker, to the worse. For, as when the bodies of men, or rather of children, do not grow up to their full and natural stature, it argueth some secret distemperature, and some natural infirmity in them: so when Christians do not grow on from one measure of grace to a greater, it doth of necessity infer an evil constitution of the soul. And therefore no man ought to count it sufficient, and as much as is required at his hands, that he doth not decrease in grace and godliness, but rather to think, as it is indeed, needful that he grow on from grace to grace, as we are often taught and exhorted in the scripture, Ephesians the fourth chapter and fifteenth verse, Following the truth in all things, let us grow up in Christ who is the head in all things. And in the second Epistle of Peter third chapter and nineteenth verse: Let us grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ. This is to be brought to pass by the same means, by the which the health and that measure of grace whereunto we have already attained, is preserved: for as the holiness of the soul is nourished by the same thing by the which it is begotten, so it is increased by the same Diet, by the which it is nourished. For, as there is required a greater virtue and force both of nature, and of diet, to augment the body in stature, then to keep and continue it in life and health: so he that desireth not only to continue, but also to go on in grace, must indeed use this conservative Diet of spiritual food and exercise, which hath been in part described, yet in a greater measure, with greater care and diligence. Here is required a free kind of life, not entangled▪ much less overwhelmed with worldly affairs, cares and encumberances, in the midst whereof, although a Christian may serve God, and work his own salvation, and maintain that measure of grace, which he hath received from God, yet he cannot give himself so wholly to the use of those means, which are effectual for this purpose, as is needful. This free kind of life being got, he is, (that we may use the words of the Apostle, in the first Epistle to the Corinthyans', the seventh Chapter, and five and thirty verse) to cleave to GOD, to his service, and to all spiritual exercises, without separation or intermission, to wit, to the hearing, reading, and studying of the word of God, to the considering of his works, and observing of his actions, to prayer, singing of Psalms, to the exhorting horting and instructing of others in the ways of godliness: and lastly and summarely to the daily performance of all Christian duties, and the exercising of all those graces which he hath received.  
The last use and commodity of good works (the which is also the least, and i● truth, little to be esteemed in comparison of the other, and yet that which perhaps will prevail with those with whom we have to do more than the other) is temporal retribution: for so it pleaseth GOD, for the encouragement of his servants, to reward their good works with temporal blessings, as also he requiteth their sins with temporal punishments. By this argument the Apostle stirreth up the Corinthians, 2. Cor. 9.6. to make a libeberall contribution to the Church which was in jerusalem. He that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly, and he that soweth liberally shall reap liberally: for God is able to make you abound in all blessings, that you having sufficient may abound to every good work: and so no doubt it is, for howsoever men of carnal minds judge it a loss and damage to do the works of love and mercy, yet sure it is, that he that aboundeth in them, doth heap up for himself, for his children and for his friends, treasures of blessings, which he shall certainly meet with, when as he himself little thinketh of any such thing: as we read Eccle. 11.1. Cast thy bread on the waters, and after many days thou shalt find it: By this argument which God in mercy hath given unto us for the helping of our weakness in this behalf, we are to be encouraged to go on in a daily and liberal practice of Christian duties towards our brethren, and not to spare for any cost: for we do not lose it, but only lend it to the Lord, who will assuredly pay us our own with advantage, we shall receive a hundred fold in this life, and a far better reward in the world to come. For GOD i● not unjust, that he should forget the good works, the painful love of those who minister unto the Saints: yea, although it be but a cup of cold water given to a Prophet or any of God's servants, it shall not be forgotten, but have a reward.  
This Motive to good works God hath given unto us, not that we should rest in it, or that it should have the chief place in this consultation: for then Satan may object, against us, as he did against job, Doth job serve God for nought? hast thou not compassed him in with thy blessings? And so to us, thou dost not serve God, or perform these Christian duties in love, either of him or of thy brethren, or for conscience, but in a greedy desire, and a carnal hope of advantage. And therefore it is better, if so be that we can contemn and pass by this argument, not mistrusting the truth of God's promise in this behalf, but preferring simple obedience, the sincere love of God, and the reward of eternal glory, before any reward that God can give unto us in this world. So that, to conclude this point, by these and such other motives which the word of God doth plentifully afford unto us, we are to stir up ourselves, to the daily performance of all Christian duties of love, thankfulness, compassion and mercy: and to account this kind of spiritual exercise, no less needful to be daily performed, than any other.    

CHAP. III.  

Sect. 1.  
HItherto we have declared how the soul of man being by God endued with the spiritual life of holiness, and also with health & strength, whereby it is able to perform all the actions belonging unto it, is to be ordered and preserved in that estate. The which thing, if as it ought to be desired, and endeavoured by all Christians: so it might be brought to pass, than were this our labour brought to an end, there being nothing else needful to be declared as touching the welfare and good estate of the soul But as for the welfare of the body, it is not sufficient that we have learned and do know the art and means of preserving health: for that notwithstanding all our knowledge, cunning and care in this behalf, infirmities and diseases may happen, as we know by daily experience that many notable Physicians have fallen into dangerous and mortal sicknesses, and by them be brought to untimely death: so, it is not sufficient for our spiritual welfare, that we know how to diet and order our souls as long as they are in health and strength, it being also required, that we know how by a convenient and meet diet to recover them out of sickness, and to heal all the maladies happening unto them. For why? No man as (we remaining in these earthly & corruptible bodies) can promise unto himself continual and certain health, because both our knowledge, and also our care in practising is unperfit. For if no man can attain so exact knowledge of his body, which is sensible, but that there may be hidden in it corruption and secret sicknesses, never perceived till that they cannot be amended, as it cometh often to pass in impostumes, plurifies, and such other inward diseases, what marvel if we cannot attain to so perfect knowledge of the state of our soul (the nature whereof is far more subtle, and therefore much more hard to be thoroughly known) especially by him, who is fallen into some special sickness, wherein men are far less able to order themselves aright, than they are in health. And therefore as we have in the former part of this treatise showed how the health of the soul is to be continued, when it is present: so now we are to declare how it is to be procured where it is wanting, or recovered when it is lost. It is indeed the part of a wise man, to be careful in keeping the health, both of his body, and of his soul, and not presuming of his cunning in recovering it to be careless of it. No man is so foolish as to cast himself into the sea, although he think that he may escape by swimming: to wound his body, because it may be healed: to take poison, because he can counterpoise it by the contrary: & therefore no man ought to make this use of this Treatise, to let his soul fall into any spiritual meladie, because he knoweth where to have a remedy.  
It is so much easier to keep sickness out of the body and soul, then to get it out after that it hath gotten entrance, as it is more easy for a whole and strong man, then for a sick and weak man, to withstand or resist his adversary: for possession is of great force▪ And therefore this restorative, or rather curative diet, which now we take in hand, ought not to be to any man an occasion of sin, and of negligent ordering of his soul, but to be accounted the last refuge, whither we must fly, when as by the force of sin, we are driven from the former diet of preserving health, But how cometh it to pass, that the soul which is of a spiritual and so pure a nature should be subject to infirmities, and diseases? Surely by the corruption of sin in it, the which where it hath the whole place and rule (the contrary holiness being altogether wanting) as it is in carnal men, is the death of the soul, as holiness is the life of it: where it is and worketh, yet kept under and overruled so that it cannot prevail, it is an infirmity: and lastly, when it having in this wrestling prevailed and gotten the upper hand, doth reign and rule, it is a sickness of the soul: so that sin in the carnal man is death, in the regenerate soul it is either an infirmity, or a disease: further it cannot go, it being impossible that it should wholly expel holiness out of the soul of the regenerate man, as it were heat out of the body, and so bring death. For as Abraham is brought in, speaking to the rich man. Luke 16.26. as betwixt heaven and hell, so between carnality and regeneration, there is such a gulf set, that they who would cannot without the miraculous work of God's spirit, pass from the state of sin to regeneration, nor from regeneration to the state of sin, by that or any other means. Yet as long as the soul is out of that resting place, which in that place is called Abraham's bosom, or rather as long as it is but in the way towards it, it doth often look back to sin, yea, return and go back again, even till it come to death's door, and the gates of hell: but there it stayeth, having no entrance granted yea, in truth desiring none. And that we may return to our accustomed similitude, the soul of man hath in it two contrary qualities, sin, and holiness: of the which, as the one prevaileth against the other: so is the soul in weakness, or in strength, in sickness, or in health, in death, or in life.   

Sect. 2.  
THe evils of the soul, which are to be cured, are of two sorts, infirmities, and diseases. Spiritual infirmity, is the relic of sin, subdued in a faithful man, working against grace, making him prone or re●die to fall into outward and actual sin, and backward in performing the contrary spiritual duties. This description, which doth in some sort set down the nature of the evil, is to be particularly explained. And first, in that we make it a relic of sin, we distinguish it from human infirmity, the which is the weakness of man's nature, and of all the faculties both of body and soul, being compared with the nature of angels, and which maketh that he cannot serve God in so great measure, that he is not so strong against the temptation of sin, not so far from committing it, or so sure and constant in holiness, but that he may decrease in it, yea, omit for a time some duties, (yet without sin) as the Angels are. To this kind we are to refer, that ignorance, fear, and forgetfulness, and many other infirmities, which had place in the state of man's innocency, & which may be seen in the human nature of Christ. Those natural infirmities are not sins, for they were created in man by God, all whose works are good: neither are they the relics of sin, for they were before sin, and in him who knew no sin: yea, the Angels themselves being compared with God, are more weak, have more and greater infirmities then man hath in respect of them. But these infirmities whereof we speak, are the relics of sin, and sin it self, not lying idle, but working: otherwise the relics of sin are in all men, and cannot possibly be removed.  
But we speak of infirmities, which may be removed, and from the which many Christians are free. For sin may by the power of God's Spirit be so suppressed, that it have not a day he and ordinary work in us, as these infirmities have, in bringing forth actual sins: not outwardly, (which is sin perfected) for then these infirmities were grievous diseases, but inwardly in the mind, will and affections: all which the corruption of sin doth daily work, but it is seldom brought forth into act, being put back and kept down by the power of God's Spirit: yet sometimes it doth prevail even to actual sin. For as that City which is continually besieged and assaulted, can not but be taken at length, at one time or other, as they who have the care and defence of it committed unto them cannot but sometimes remit of their diligence, and be overtaken with sleep, drink, forgetfulness, fair promises and pretences, or by some such means: so where the corruption of sin is continually working in the heart, it cannot be but that it should at one place or other, upon one occasion or temptation or other, burst forth into open sin. For example, a Christian is endued by God, with the gift of continency, by virtue whereof he leadeth a life free from all adultery, fornication, and all such uncleanness. Yet he feeleth inwardly in his min●e that burning whereof the Apostle speaketh. 1. Cor. 7.9. Here are both the gift of God suppressing sin, and also the relic of incontinency, not living idle, but working vehemently, and continually: not in life and action, but inwardly in the soul. Yet where this infirmity is, there sometime the outward sin itself will happen. For although a Christian do ordinarily keep watch and ward over his soul, lest that he do fall into sin, yet sometime he will be somewhat careless, overcome by the force and variety of temptation, and so fall into the sin of uncleanness. another example we have in the said Epistle in the Chapter following. A pagan being converted by the word and spirit of God, renounceth his false gods, & serveth the true god, only in christ. Here is the grace of GOD prevailing against the corruption of sin, and suppressing it. Yet there is a relic of this sin in his mind, whereby he thinketh that his Idols, his old gods are not altogether void of power and excellency, & aught to have some kind of worship given unto them. This is the infirmity and the work of it inwardly in his mind: yet he suppresseth it by the knowledge & grace which he hath received from God, so that he is not an open idolater, but serveth the true God only: yet so as that he may easily be drawn by the examples and persuasions of others to give some outward worship and honour to these false Gods. Many other instances might be brought, but these may serve. Now that we see what a spiritual infirmity is, we are in the next place to see how it is to be healed and removed. Wherein there is great care and diligence to be used: both for that God being a spirit, requireth the inward purity of the soul, as well as the outward purity of life, as also in regard of the great danger of falling into great and open sins, wherein this weak Christian is: Who although for a time he walk uprightly in the ways of godliness, yet he is like enough to stumble and fall, when he meeteth with a stumbling block, to wit, any great occasion and provocation to sin,   

Sect. 3.  
But whither are these infirmities curable or no? Surely there is no question, but that the grace of God's spirit is able to mortify all the corrupt lusts and inclinations of our sinful nature, whatsoever they be. Yea it is like inogh, that God who hath begun the good work of grace in our hearts, will perfect and accomplish it: and that as he hath cut down the body of sin, so he will in his good time, pull the roots out of the ground also. There are indeed some infirmities in the faithful, which are incurable, some which are hardly and very seldom cured. In the first sort, we are to reckon the original corruption of sin, which is an infirmity, yea corrupt, as being the relic of sin▪ and sin itself. This infirmity sticketh so fast in our very bones & marrow that it is altogether impossible to be removed, and therefore no man ought to hope for, or to go about the total healing of it. For although it be not impossible for God to sanctify us fully and wholly, as the Apostle prayeth, 1. Th●ss. 5.23. yet it is contrary to his revealed will and word, who in great wisdom hath left this corruption in the faithful, to exercise them, while they remain here on earth: yea as this infirmity can not be wholly taken away, so it can not be wholly hindered from working: for it sendeth forth some fruits even in the most holy men, who sin often.  
But we do not speak of this infirmity in this place: for although the former part of this definition agree unto it, yet the later doth not. It is indeed a spiritual infirmity, yea the relic of sin, yea working many ways, and striving against the grace of God's spirit.  
Yet it doth not make a faithful man prone and ready to the committing of actual sins, or backward in serving of GOD: For notwithstanding it, many are far off from actual sins, and forward in serving God. But those spiritual infirmities, in the healing whereof we are to labour, do work sensibly and forcibly, yea they do in some sort prevail usually inwardly in the faculties of the soul, and sometimes they prevail in the outward act: original corruption may be so restrained that it cannot work but secretly, and without force or apparent effect: but these do after a sort part stakes with grace, reigning inwardly in the faculties of the soul, at least often, and as it were by course, howsoever they be so subdued and repressed, that they seldom come to the perfection and act of sin. Yet of these infirmities whereof we speak, some are in a manner incurable, to wit: First, those which are grounded upon some erroneous opinion, the which as it is an infirmity in itself, so often it bringeth forth an evil custom in action, and as usually it being inveterat is incorrigible, so is the effect which cometh of it. For example, many think that they may lawfully give themselves to the daily and continual use of all worldly pleasures, being not in nature unlawful, howsoever for use they are inconvenient, and a hindrance to their salvation: this is their opinion, and this is their practice, thus they live, and thus they do.  
The like we are to think of all those infirmities which have their beginning and foundation in an unchangeable constitution of the body, howsoever this unchangeable disposition of the body, came, whither by nature, or by some other accidental means: For example, many are by the distemperature of their bodies uncessantly and vehemently provoked, and even pricked on to carnal lust, to drunkenness, to slothfulness, to anger, impatiency, and to other sins. Hereof it cometh, that the soul following the disposition & temperature of the body, is also thus affected. For the sense of pleasure of sin in the body, maketh the mind to think of it, the will to choose, the affections to embrace and hunt after it. The which motions of the soul, although they be continually withstood by the grace of God's spirit, striving not only to keep them from bursting into actual sins, but also wholly to dispossess them, yet they have too sure footing to be clean taken away But how hard of healing soever they be, we must endeavour by all means to free ourselves from them: both for that we are, as long as they remain in us, in continual danger of falling into open, grievous, and presumptuous sins, as hath been said, that that city which is continually both besieged, and also assaulted, is in continual danger, as also because they are a continual trouble and grief unto us, yea an hindrance to the performance of all duties, belonging either to God, to our brethren, or to ourselves, and our own callings: In the which respect, the Apostle 1. Cor. 12.7. calleth one of these spiritual infirmities a prick in the flesh, and the messenger of Satan, continually buffeting him, that is, greatly troubling and grieving him. The means by the which they are to be removed are these.  
First and chiefly, prayer unto God, from whom only cometh every good and perfect gift, yea fervent, earnest, importunate, and uncessant prayer, as the said Apostle saith, that he desired GOD thrice, that is, earnestly and often, that he would take that infirmity and temptation from him. Where it is added, that GOD made him this answer, My grace is sufficient fo● thee: My power is made perfect in weakness. Whereby it may seem, that his importunity in prayer, was either reproved, which is not to be thought, or else forbidden, which may be admitted, (although it be liker, that he was not forbidden to pray, but only comforted and strengthened in temptation) we are not therefore to be weary of prayer, or to give over, as despairing of victory against it, but rather to call for grace at the hands of God, yea even to the last gasp to continue in earnest prayer. The second means is to remove the causes of it, whither it be in the body, or in some evil custom, and company, or an erroneous opinion. The third is to avoid all occasions, which may provoke us to that sin, or put us in mind of it. The last, is not to suffer it to have any settled place in our minds or affections, as it were coming to composition with it, and giving half unto it. For if it bear rule in the sou●e, it will certainly break forth often in outward actions: but rather to put it far out of our minds, and not give unto it any resting place.   

Sect. 4.  
THus much of the infirmities of the soul, the diseases follow: a spiritual disease is the reigning of sin, or ordinary and habitual prevailing of sin against grace. This definition is to be particularly declared thus. It hath been often said, that in the soul of man there are two contrary qualities, sin and holiness: these two are of contrary natures, continually warring the one against the other. The field wherein this battle is fought, is the will of man, the which is haled now to this, now to that side, at length the one getteth it, and withal the victory. For in this battle the outward action (which proceedeth wholly from the will, for that a man willeth, that he doth) is the victory: which if it be sinful, than sin hath prevailed: if sin take the repulse, and cannot be brought forth, then grace hath prevailed and gotten the victory, there is the infirmity of the soul: but if sin prevail, there is a grievous disease of the soul. Yet not any prevailing of sin, but the ordinary prevailing of it maketh a spiritual sickness. For it hath been said, that even in spiritual infirmities, sin is sometimes brought forth, but not usually or ordinarily: As Noah's drunkenness, Lot's incest, David's murder and adultery were not ordinary, but happened perhaps but once in all the time of their lives, and therefore these sins argued not any diseases, but infirmities in their souls. Thus we see what spiritual disease is: the kinds of it are two, total and particular, the one stretcheth itself over the whole soul of man, making a sensible decrease in all the parts of his holiness, the other resteth in some part, as it cometh to pass in bodily diseases, whereof some go over the whole body, as fevers, consumptions, leprosies: and many other are but in one part, as the pleurisy in the side, the gout in the feet, and such like. Of the former kind, there especially are three: Whereof the first may be called security or impenitency. The second wordliness. The third distrust. For the first, although total impenitency cannot be in a man regenerate (for where faith & repentance are once truly wrought by God spirit, there they abide for ever) yet whensoever he continueth in committing gross sins, contrary to his own knowledge and conscience, as the faithful sometimes do, than he is impenitent in respect of those sins. Indeed usually when he first beginneth to commit sin, he doth strait way by repentance recover his former state, flying to God in humble prayer for pardon of it, and for grace, whereby to resist it. This he obtaineth at the hands of God, who, as the father of the prodigal young man, in the Gospel, is more ready to give pardon and grace, than he is to ask it, and therefore he meeteth, & in a manner preventeth him with it. Yet sometimes afterward it cometh to pass, that he falleth into the same s●n, and remembering how lately he was by the grace of God recovered out of it, is backward and unwilling to go to God for help as before, either being ashamed to ask that again, which he so lately obtained, and so carelessly lost, or perhaps despairing of attaining it, although he should ask it: Or lastly, being so inveigled and besotted with the pleasure of the sin, that he resolveth with himself to continue in it: and so thinketh (and that truly) that it is in vain, or rather impossible for him to repent of that sin, wherein he is resolved to continue. Whereupon he goeth on from day to day, from year to year in his sin, never calling himself to account for it, and scarce once thinking of leaving it, till at length he become so benumbed and hardhearted in it, that he can not repent of it, though he would, he can not power forth tears of sorrow and grief, as he did at the first.  
Thus he affected in his conscience, in respect of his sin, doth in a manner give over all holy and spiritual exercises, as the hearing, meditating, reading and conferring of the word of God, public & private prayer, and all other means serving for edification. Using them not in conscience, but in hypocrisy, & in outward show, being cold, yea heavy, lumpish, and dead in all such actions. If it so fall forth, that his conscience be stirred up by the ministry of the word, by some judgement, or any other means, so that he purposeth and desireth to repent, and to leave his sin, yet he findeth himself so untoward to this work, and so hard hearted, unable to call upon God in hope of being heard, that he giveth it over at the first, and so is further of then he was. This is a kind of impenitency, the which that it is a disease spreading itself over the whole soul of man we can not doubt: it may well be compared to that sickness, wherein men lie for dead for many hours together, so that it can hardly be perceived that they draw breath. It cometh of the committing of and yielding to great and heinous sins, such whereof a man's conscience telleth him, that they cannot possibly stand with the fear and service of GOD, but that of necessity the one must be left off and laid aside.  
The cure of it consisteth in the practice of the whole doctrine of repentance, for in it a man is brought almost to that estate, wherein he was before regeneration, so that now as it is, Hebrues. 6.1. He must lay again the foundation of repentance from dead works. He must enter into a serious consideration of that fearful estate wherein he is: whereof it will certainly follow, that he will never please himself in it, or be content till he find some remedy. The which is to be sought at the hands of God by earnest prayer, by avoiding all occasions of those sins, which have thus prevailed over him, and by forcing himself although most untoward, to the daily use of all holy & spiritual exercises, whereby the graces of God's spirit may be kindled & stirred up in him. An example both of this impenitency, and also of this renewed repentance, we have in the Prophet David, who by committing two heinous sins adultery and murder, fell into this estate, and therein continued for some time, and by the grace of God was recovered out of it, as we read Ps. 51.10. Create in me a clean heart o God, and renew a right spirit within me: cast me not from thy presence, and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore me to the joy of thy salvation, and 'stablish me with thy spirit.   

Sect. 5.  
THe second general disease of the soul is worldliness, which is an immoderate desire of getting, having and enjoying worldly pleasures: it is in the Scripture called covetousness, and said to be the root of all evil, that is, that which worketh in men decrease of all the parts of holiness, and so all manner of sin. For it stealeth away the heart of man from God, making him set all his care, study, and to bend the whole course of his life, on earthly pleasures. 1. Timo. 6.10. They that will be rich, fall into temptations and snares, into many foolish and noisome lusts, which drown men ●n perdition. For the desire of money, is the root of all evil, which while some have lusted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows, as 2. Tim. 4.10. he complaineth of Demas that he had forsaken him, and embraced the present world. This is the common disease of this age, wherein those who fear and serve God, are almost generally far more addicted to the world, then is meet, dividing themselves in a manner betwixt God and Mammon, being far more greedy in desiring, careful in seeking, wretched in keeping, and light in using earthly, pleasures, then in reason they should be, who know them to be vain, and momentany, & who do certainly hope and look for eternal glory and pleasure in heaven. By the which means they become faint and weak, in regard of spiritual strength: For first, the care and time, which should be bestowed in preserving and increasing it, is bestowed in getting worldly pleasures: Secondly, the mind is besotted, and even overwhelmed by the continual and immoderate use of them. Thirdly, it maketh them lay aside the performance of christian duties of love, belonging both to God, & to their brethren, by the diligent use whereof, as the soul is strengthened in godliness, so it is weakened by the neglect of them. And lastly, the greedy desire of worldly things maketh men use many unlawful means for the obtaining of them, and not to be so careful in keeping a good conscience, as they should be.  
This disease of the soul is not so grievous and dangerous, as is the former, to wit, impenitency, wherein the practice and exercises of godliness, are neglected: for this worldly christian serveth God and performeth all good duties although seldom, coldly, and negligently, yet in truth and sincerity of heart. Yet it is more seldom cured then the other, for that it is not so evident and sensible, and therefore not much considered & regarded. Yea it hath a great show and appearance of perfect health and strength, in that there is no christian duty wholly wanting, no gross sin committed, but only such as have a show of Christian liberty, which maketh it lawful for the faith full to seek and enjoy riches, and all other worldly pleasures. Whereof it cometh that men flatter themselves in this state, and rest contented with it, whereas no man's conscience can be so continually dead and blind, but that it will sometimes check him in regard of the other, and even drive him perforce to seek some remedy for it. The cure of it consisteth in this, that we do daily and diligently consider, the vanity and baseness of all worldly pleasures: that in comparison of spiritual things, they are as dung in respect of the most pure and fine gold: that nothing is more unseemly, than that th● soul of man, which GOD by his spirit hath sanctified and lift up to Heaven, there to enjoy his presence, which is perfect happiness, should so much debase itself as to lie wallowing in the puddle of earthly pleasures, or have any sound joy in the use of them, which ought rather to be loathsome and irksome unto him.  
By these and such other meditations, the grace of God's spirit which now is clogged & pressed down with worldly cares, is to be stirred up: the mind and affections to be lift up from earth to heaven, and we enured to a contempt of the world, & a cheerful and liberal practice of all christian duties, especially in giving to our brethren, (or rather in lending to the Lord, for so it is indeed) part of those temporal blessings which we have received: leaving all sensual Epicurism & wretched niggardness to the children of this world, whose God are their bellies, who have their portion in this life, and eternal perdition in the life to come.   

Sect. 6.  
THe third and last general disease of the soul, is distrust, which is a doubting of the truth of God's word & promises made, as touching the salvation and happiness of the faithful. This although in truth it be a particular disease of the mind, yet in that force and effect it stretcheth itself over the whole soul of man, working a decrease of holiness in all the faculties of it, it is to be accounted and may fitly be called a general disease: it ariseth of a supposed impossibility o● God's word, being found contrary to our own experience & to man's reason. Thus the proper David considering the miserable estate of the godly, together with the prosperity of the wicked, was tempted to think and say that it was in vain to serve god. And thus many other godly men feeling and seeing in the beginning of their conversion, the God worketh strange & wonderful things in them, and for them, promise to themselves the like strange experiments of God's power and love towards them, the which when as they do no not come to pass according to their expectation, all going on in an ordinary course, & happening to one as to another, they fall into this doubting and distrust of God's presence, providence, power, and love towards them, and so wax daily more and more slack and backward in all the ways of godliness, and in serving God.  
But this temptation is to be resisted, by considering that God for the trial of the faithful, and the hardening of the wicked, worketh not openly and sensibly, but secretly, till the time come, wherein all things shall be revealed: especially this evil showeth itself in the time of adversity, when as the love of God is overshadowed with crosses, in the which we see not the love, but rather the anger of God afflicting us for our sins and trial. But as touching them, we are to know, that God doth in the● show his love more than in prosperity, and therefore we ought by them to be the more persuaded of his love, and the truth of his word. Yea, sometimes this distrust becometh despair, wherein the faithful man is driven beside his faith and hope, yea, beside himself, and in a manner out of his wit, supposing his sin to exceed the mercy of God, and ●o be altogether unpardonable. He cannot be comforted by remembering his former state of faith and grace wherein sometime he stood, but is by that means confirmed in despair, as thinking his sin to be in that respect the more grievous and unpardonable, it being committed against so great a measure of grace. And so he applying to himself that which is written (Heb. 6.6. It is impossible that they who were once enlightened, and tasted of the heavenly gift, if they fall away, should be renewed again by repentance, seeing they crucify to themselves the son of God, and make a mock of him) languisheth in horror of conscience, and a fearful sense and expectation of the wrath of God. This is the most fearful sickness which can happen to a faithful man, yea it is the state of the wicked spirit● in hell▪ who continually live, or rather die, in a desperate sense of the endless wrath of God. The remedy is to be looked for at the hands of God, who only is able to appease these storms, and in stead thereof, to give a quiet calm: yet the means must be used by ourselves, to wit, the consideration of the examples of many godly men, to whom God hath remitted as many, and as great sins as ours are, yea having bee● committed after a greater measure of grace received. For the which purpose, we must also remember, that there is no proportion betwixt then mercy of God, which is infinite: and our sins, which are as nothing in respect of the sins of the whole world: all which, the mercy of God in jesus Christ is able to do away: that the place of Scripture before mentioned, & such other are to be understood, of the malicious & despiteful oppugning of the Gospel once embraced. And lastly, that where sin, there the mercy of God aboundeth, and his glory is set forth.   

Sect. 7.  
BEside these general disease●, which make a man decrease in all the parts of godliness, there happen to the soul many particular diseases, which contain themselves within one part or faculty of it, the rest remaining whole and sound. These are as many as are the parts of renewed holiness, or the graces of God's sanctifying spirit, the want of any one whereof, maketh a spiritual disease: for where any grace is wanting, there the contrary corruption of sin doth prevail and reign. If it be asked whether that one truly regenerate can be wholly destitute of any grace, & if he may, what difference there is betwixt him and a carnal man? we answer, that regeneration is the root, and the possibility, but not the act of all graces: as a living body, although naturally it be thee subject of sense, yet some one part of it may be benumbed and senseless: so the soul of one regenerate, hath in it at least the beginnings and seeds of all graces, howsoever some of them at some times do not work or appear: whereas a carnal man is altogether destitute, yea, uncapable of them. Among these particular diseases, the first place is given to the diseases of the mind, the which are three in number, conceit, error, and ignoranc● of God's particular providence. Conceit, is a fond opinion which a man hath of his own excellency in respect of others, esteeming himself more just, wise, and holy, than any other, and therefore more highly in God's favour, and more worthy to be honoured among men. This proceedeth from that self love, which is naturally in every man, (yea, in every living thing) by the which he is moved to desire, and to endeavour the advancing of himself, and the bettering of his own estate: for the which purpose he hath his mind continually set and fixed on those things, wherein his excellency doth consist: and so fitting his opinion to his desire and affection, thinketh them to be more and greater, and himself more excellent in respect of them, than he is in deed. Thus are not only carnal men in regard of outward blessings and natural gifts, but even the godly often puffed up in pride, in regard of spiritual graces, seeing themselves to be advanced to so high a dignity, as far passing the common condition of men, as the heaven is higher than the earth, as wisdom is better than folly, light then darkness, holiness then sinfulness, and happiness then eternal misery. Yea, as they have a more certain knowledge of their own gifts and graces, which they feel wrought, and working in their hearts and lives, then of other men, which they but conjecture: and of other men's wants, infirmities, sins and faults, then of their own, whereof they cannot abide to think or hear: so they think far better of themselves, then of others. This corruption doth many ways show forth itself, as namely, in insolent talk and behaviour, in obstinate maintaining of erroneous opinions, and unlawful or unmeet practices, and especially in contempt of our brethren, their company, gifts, opinions, in t●o sparing acknowledging of their virtues and graces. But it is carefully to be resisted and avoided, as being displeasing, yea, odious to GOD, who resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble, and in whose eyes, nothing is more acceptable than a meek and lowly spirit: as also hurtful to ourselves, in that it maketh us obstinate and incorrigible in errors and sins, and depriveth us of that good and comfort, which might be reaped by the gifts and company of our brethren, whereof we may reap great profit and comfort.  
The remedy of this disease, is the consideration, not of our gifts and graces, but of our ways & sins, the which no doubt will pull down these peacocks feathers, and make us base, yea, vile in our own eyes. By this reason the Apostle exhorteth the Romans. Rom. 12.3. not to be drunk and besotted with any great conceit of themselves, but rather to think soberly and modestly of themselves, for that God hath given his graces, not all to any one, lest he should have matter of pride, but some to every one, that none should be subject to the contempt of others. Wherein the great wisdom and goodness of God, is to be considered, praised, and admired, who doth so temper his graces bestowed on the faithful, with their own wants and sins, that neither the one is able to lift up the mind too high in vain conceits, nor the other to press it down too low with disgrace, but supplieth the greatest wants with other most excellent and rare gifts, and qualifieth the abundance of grace, with some great want or grievous sin, as we are taught by the examples of Lot, Noah, David, and Solomon, that the most heinous and horrible sins have been found in the holiest men, and extreme folly in the mirror of wisdom.   

Sect. 8.  
THe second disease of the mind is error, the which usually cometh of conceit, and doth accompany it. Where we do not mean any light errors in matters of small importance, for no man either is, or can be free from these, as long as he is in this world: but such as are near about the foundation and substance of Christian Religion, & which may seem to endanger a man's salvation, as about Christ his incarnation, passion, natures, about the manner or matter of our justification, the Church or Sacraments, or any other weighty point. Yet not any such error maketh a spiritual disease, but only when as it happeneth in a time of light and knowledge, wherein the contrary truth is both plainly revealed by God, and also generally, or at least commonly acknowledged by the Church. Otherwise, if it be a time of ignorance, and darkness, wherein that truth is revealed, the most grievous error that is, doth not argue the distemperature of the soul, or make a spiritual disease: as we know, no man accounteth him either blind or ill sighted, who cannot see and discern things in the night, or in the dark dungeon: or him to be of an evil constitution of body, who is infected with a common sickness or plague. But it cometh often to pass, that the faithful are ignorant, when they might see the truth, it being by others seen and acknowledged. In this case great errors argue an evil constitution of the mind & an unsound judgement: yea they make our regeneration to be doubted of, and called into question: For this is a property of a mind sanctified and enlightened by God's spirit, if not to search and find out the truth, when it is unknown, yet to acknowledge and receive it, when it is offered. But notwithstanding all this, it cannot be denied, (for the experience of all ages doth witness it) that men truly regenerate, may both live and die in great and most dangerous errors, yea when as the truth is both expounded to them by others, and also sought for by their own labour and continual study. The remedy of this disease consisteth in these things. First, that we suspect ourselves in those opinions wherein we disagree from those who are godly and learned: knowing that they have the spirit of God to lead and guide them into all truth as well as we. Secondly, in knowing that God doth often suffer them to fall into gre●u●us errors, to whom he doth show great favour, not only in their regeneration, but also in immediate and extraordinary revelations. So we read Deut. 13. If there arise among you a Prophet, a dreamer of dreams (and give thee a sign or wonder, and it come to pass) saying, let us serve strange Gods, you shall not hearken to the words of that Prophet, for the Lord your GOD proveth you whither you love the Lord with all your heart: this point is to be noted, for that howsoever few or none of the faithful in these days, have occasion given unto them of conceit and obstinacy in error, by extraordinary revelation (the which is not now in use) y●t because the Church of Rome maintaineth all her errors by this means, whereas if it were granted, that many of her children had this gift, yet it would not thereof follow, that whatsoever they held or thought is true and agreeable to God's word.  
The third & last of those diseases which are most usual in the mind, & which we will here mention, is the ignorance of the particular providence of God, & of his rewarding every one, even in this life according to his works: for many Christians although they be persuaded, that God will in his universal judgement reward both the godly with eternal glory, and the wicked with shame and misery, yet they are not persuaded, that he executeth justice and mercy in this life, especially in regard of matters of less moment, either good or evil. This ignorance is a petty Atheism, many ways hurtful to the soul, and therefore by all means to be avoided: it taketh from them the fear of God's judgements, which should be a bridle to restrain them from sin, yea the hope of reward for good works, by the which they should be pulled forward to the cheerful performance of them. Whereas the word of God teacheth (as experience also will without doubt testify to him that will observe the doings of God) that he noteth as it were in a day book, even their least actions both good and evil, yea the most secret motions of their minds, and suffereth none of them to go unrecompensed, yea he recompenseth every work in the own kind, inflicting a punishment like unto the sin, and giving a blessing to the good work, that it may be known, that the one doth belong, and is to be referred to the other.  
The diseases happening unto the conscience are many, but of them all, the most usual is the false testimony of it, excusing where it should accuse. For seeing that it doth manifestly appear, that in the lives of many Christians, there are many things unlawful and contrary to God's word, we must of necessity grant, that either they sin wittingly against the testimony of the conscience, or which is more agreeable to charity, & therefore rather to be thought, that their consciences are false witnesses, affirming evil to be good, and good to be evil. Hereof it cometh, that many christians think it lawful for them to dissemble, lie, and gloze, in their dealings and affairs with their brethren, when as their profit & advantage do so require: that they may give the time appointed, or at the least due to holy exercises, and to the service of God, to eating, drinking, sleep, pastime, company, traffic, and to any worldly pleasure or profit: that they need not practise any duties of love, pity, or thankfulness to their brethren, but in all things regard, and do that only which standeth with their own profit. And lastly, when as they do those things which they know and think to be unlawful, yet this lying witness beareth them in hand, that God will wink at these 'scapes, and in a manner allow them to do so: and so they draw God into the society of their sin, making him as it were the receiver of their theft, and thinking of him that he is like unto themselves.  
This disease is diligently to be searched out, by examining our consciences and lives by the rule of the word, and law of God, which will not lie: And in those cases, whereof we cannot attain to any certain knowledge of the truth, to abstain from action, till GOD give unto us some ground whereon to lean: thinking it far better to abstain from many things, yea although it be to our trouble and loss, then to do any thing in a doubtful & wavering mind: much less then, to sin presumptuously against God, by doing that which we know to be unlawful. We must in this case learn to remove all those props whereon this false witness doth rely itself, as namely: First the privilege of Christian liberty, under pretence whereof, many take unto themselves greater scope than is meet, & make vagaries beyond the limits of the law of God. But we know, or else we are to learn, that the Gospel doth not abrogate any jot or title of the law: that Christ hath freed us from the curse, but not from the obedience of it. Yea that our liberty in things indifferent and lawful, is to be restrained, and kept within the compass of conveniency, and the spiritual edification of ourselves and our brethren in godliness, the which if we do neglect, we transgress the law, even in doing that which otherwise is permitted by the law.  
The second prop, whereon this lying witness leaneth, are the examples of virtuous and godly men, endued with a great measure of knowledge, and of all spiritual graces, and therefore worthy to be made patterns for others to behold and imitate, who have practised, defended, allowed, or tolerated that which we allege against the received opinion and practice of the godly to be lawful. But neither will this serve the turn, for no man's life is a law: the best men do sometimes go astray, yet they must then go alone, and not lead others out of the way.  
Thirdly, this false excuser will bring in way of defence, the manifold commodities which will ensue hereof: the necessary uses redounding to ourselves, and to our brethren, to our souls and to our bodies, and by these plausible pretences, labour to justify that, which is not warrantable by the word of God: but we are strait way to stop his mouth, with that true and known saying, that we must not do evil that good may come of it.  
By these infirmities and diseases of the soul, we may gather the rest, and learn to avoid and heal them, to our unspeakable comfort and eternal salvation.  
FINIS.