The Exposition.

THe wickednesse of mans nature, and the depth of hypocrisie is such, that a man may and can easily transforme himselfe into the counterfeit and resemblance of any grace of God. Therefore I put downe here a certen note whereby the gifts of God may be discerned, namely, that they grow vp and increase as the graine of Musterd-seede to a great tree, and beare fruit answerably. The grace in the heart is like the grain of Musterd-seed in two things. First it is small to see to at the beginning: secondly, after it is cast into the ground of the heart, it increaseth speedily, and spreads it selfe. Therefore, if a man at the first haue but some little feeling of his wants, some weake and faint desire, some small obedience, he must not let this sparke of grace goe out: but these motions of the spirit must be encreased by the vse of the word, sacramēts and prayer; and they must daily be stirred vp by meditating, indeuouring, striuing, asking, seeking, knocking. The master deliuering his talents to his seruants, saith vnto them, occupie till I come: and not hide them in the earth, Math. 25.26. Paul vseth an excellent speech to Timothie: I exhort thee to stirre vp the gift of God which is in thee, namely, as fire is stirred vp by often blowing, and by putting to of wood, 2. Tim. 1.6. As for such motions of the heart that last for a weeke or moneth, and after vanish away, they are not to be regarded: and the Lord by the Prophet Osea complaineth of them, saying, O Ephraim, thy righteousnes is like the morning dewe.

Therefore considering, grace vnlesse it be confirmed and exercised, is indeede no grace; I will here adde certaine rules of direction that we may the more easily put in practise the spirituall exercises of inuocation, faith, and repentance: and thereby also quicken and reuiue the seedes and beginnings of grace.

• 1 In what place soeuer thou art, whether alone or abroad, by day or by night, and whatsoeuer thou art doing, set thy selfe in the presence of God, let this perswasion alwaies take place in thy heart, that thou art before the liuing

God, and doe thy indeauour that this perswasion may smite thy heart with awe and reuerence, and make thee afraid to sinne. This counsell the Lord gaue Abraham, Gen. 17.1. Walke before me and be vpright. This thing also was practised by Enoch, who for this cause is saide to walke before God.

• 2 Esteeme of euery present day as of the day of thy death: and therefore liue as though thou were dying; and doe those good duties euery day, that thou wouldest doe if thou wert dying. This is Christian watchfulnes and remember it.

• 3 Make catalogues and bills of thine own sinnes, specially of those sinnes that haue most dishonoured God, and wounded thine owne conscience: set them before thee often, specially then when thou hast any particular occasion of renuing thy repentance, that thy heart by this doleful sight, may be further humbled. This was Dauids practise when he considered his waies and turned his feete to Gods commandements, Psal. 119.57 and when he confessed the sinnes of his youth, Psal. 25. This was Iobs practise, when he saide he was not able to answer one of a thousand of his sinnes vnto God, Iob 9.1.

• 4 When thou first openest thine eies in a morning pray to God, and giue thanks heartily: God then shall haue his honour, and thy heart shall be the better for it the whole day following. For we see in experience, that vessells keepe long that tast of that liquour wherewith they are first seasoned. And when thou liest downe let that be the last also: for thou knowest not, whether falne asleepe, thou shall euer rise againe aliue. Good therefore it is that thou shouldest giue vp thy selfe into the hands of God, whilst thou art waking.

• 5 Labour to see and feele thy spirituall pouertie, that is, to see the want of grace in thy selfe, specially those inward corruptions, of vnbeleefe, pride, selfe-loue, &c. Labour to be displeased with thy selfe: and labour to feele, that by reason of them thou standest in neede of euery droppe of the bloode of Christ, to heale and clense thee from these wants: and let this practise take such place with thee, that if thou be demaunded, what in thy estimation is the vilest of the creatures vpon earth? thine heart and conscience may answer with a loud voyce, I, euen I, by reason of mine own sinnes: and againe, if thou be demanded, what is the best thing in the world for thee? thy heart and conscience may answer againe with a strong and loude crie, One droppe of the blood of Christ to wash away my sinnes.

• 6 Shew thy selfe to be a member of Christ, & a seruant of God, not onely [gap]n the general calling of a Christian, but also in the particular calling in which thou art placed. It is not enough for a Magistrate to be a christiā man, but he must also be a christian magistrate: it is not enough for a master of a family to be a christian man, or a christian in the church, but he must also be a christian in his family, & in the trade which he followeth daily. Not euery one that is a cōmon hearer of the word, and a frequenter of the Lords table, is therefore a good Christian, vnles his conuersation in his priuate house, & in his priuate affaires, and dealings be sutable. There is a man to be seene what he is.

• 7 Search the Scriptures, to see what is sinne, & what is not sinne in euery action: this done, carrie in thy heart a constant & a resolute purpose, not to sin in any thing: for faith and the purpose of sinning can neuer stand together.

• 8 Let thine indeuour be sutable to thy purpose: & therefore exercise thy selfe to eschew euery sinne, and to obey God in euery one of his commandements, that pertaine either to the generall calling of a Christian, or to thy particular calling. Thus did good Iosias, who turned vnto God with all his heart, according to all the law of Moses, 1. King. 25.25. & thus did Zacharie & Elizabeth, that walked in all the cōmandemēts of God without reproof. Luk. 1.6.

• 9 If at any time, against thy purpose & resolution, thou be ouertaken with any sinne litle or great, lie not in it, but speedily recouer thy self by repētance, humble thy selfe, confessing thy offences, & by praier intreating the Lord to pardon the same, and that earnestly, till such time as thou findest thy conscience truly pacified, and thy care to eschew the same sinne encreased.

• 10 Consider often of the right and proper ende of thy life in this world, which is not to seeke profit, honour, pleasure, but that in seruing of men, we might serue god in our callings. God could, if it so pleased him, preserue man without the ministerie of man, but his pleasure is to fulfill his worke and willing the preseruation of our bodies, & saluation of our soules, by the imploiment of men in his seruice, euery one according to his vocation. Neither is there so much as a bondslaue, but he must in and by his faithfull seruice to his master, serue the Lord. Men therefore doe commonly profane their labours and liues, by aiming at a wrong ende, when all their care consisteth onely in getting sufficient maintenance for them and theirs, for the obtaining of credit, riches, and carnall commodities. For thus men serue themselues, and not God, or men: much lesse doe they serue God in seruing of men.

• 11 Giue all diligence to make thy election sure, and to gather manifold tokens thereof. For this cause obserue the workes of Gods prouidence, loue, and mercie, both in thee and vpon thee, from time to time: for the serious consideration of them, and the laying of them together when they are many and seuerall, minister much direction, assurance of Gods fauour and comfort. This was the practise of Dauid, 1. Sam. 17.33. Psal. 23. all.

• 12 Thinke euermore thy present estate whatsoeuer it be, to be the best estate for thee: because whatsoeuer befalls thee, though it be sicknes or any other affliction, or death, befalls thee of the good prouidence of God. That this may be the better done, labour to see and acknowledge a prouidence of God as well in pouertie, as in aboundance, as well in disgrace as good report, as well in sicknes as in health, as well in life as in death.

• 13 Pray continually, I meane not by solemne and set praier, but by secret and inward ejaculations of the heart, that is, by a continuall eleuation of mind vnto Christ, sitting at the right hand of God the father, & that either by praier or giuing of thanks, so often as any occasion shall be offered.

• 14 Thinke often of the worst and most grieuous things that may befall thee either in life or death for the name of Christ: make a reckoning of them, and prepare thy self to beare them; that when they come, they may not seeme strange, and be borne more easily.

• 15 Make conscience of idle, vain, vnhonest, & vngodly thoughts: for these are the seeds & beginnings of actuall sinne in word and deede. This want of care in ordering & composing of our thoughts, is often punished with a fearfull

tempt[gap]tion in the very thought, called of Diuines, Tentatio blasphemiarum, a ten[gap]tion of blasphemies.

• 16 When any good motion or affection riseth in the heart, suffer it not to passe away, but feede it by reading, meditating, praying.

• 17 Whatsoeuer good thing thou goest about, whether it be in word or deede, doe it not in a conceit of thy selfe, or in the pride of thy heart, but in humilitie, ascribing the power whereby thou doest thy worke, and the praise thereof to God; otherwise thou shalt finde by experience, he will curse thy best doings.

• 18 Despise not ciuill honestie: good conscience and good manners must goe togither: therefore remember to make conscience of lying, and of customable swearing in common talke: contend not either in deede or word with any man: be courteous and gentle to all, good & bad: beare with mens wants and frailties, as hastines, frowardnes, selfe-liking, curiousnes, &c. passing by them as beeing not perceiued: returne not euill for euill, but rather good for euill; vse meate, drinke, and apparell in that manner and measure, that they may further godlines; and may be as it were signes in which thou maiest expresse the hidden grace of thy heart. Striue not to goe beyond any, vnlesse it be in good things: goe before thine equalls, in giuing of honour, rather then in taking of it: make conscience of thy word, and let it be as a band: professe not more outwardly then thou hast inwardly in heart: oppresse or defraud no man in bargaining: in all companies either doe good, or take good.

FINIS.