spiritual Crosses and been prepared for the worst of times that could be Mans Extremity Gods Opportunity PHilo the Iew being employed as an Ambassador or Messenger to Caius Caligula then Emperor of the Romans his entertainment was but sleight for he had no sooner spoke on the behalf of his Country but was commanded to depart the Court Whereupon he told his People That he was verily perswaded that God would now do something for them because the Emperor was so earnestly bent against them And certainly Gods help is then nearest when Man 's is furthest off the one's extremity made the otâ—er's opportunity Ubi desinâ—t Pâ—ilosophus incipit Medicus c. Where the Philosopher ends there the Physitian begins and where the Physitian endeth there the Minister beginneth and where Mans ayd endeth there Gods beginneth Deliverance is oft nearest when destruction seemeth surest Parents not to be too much dejected for the death of an onely Sonne or Child ABraham was ready to have sacrificed his onely son Isaac And God gave his onely Sonne Christ Iesus to death for our salvation It is most true that the death of an onely Sonne must neeâ—s be grievous and the cause of great heavinesse and lamentation But let all disconsolate Parents take notice what Elkanah said to Anna Am not I better to you then ten Sons So doth God say What though I have taken away your onely Sonne the child of your delight there is no just cause of complaint I have taken but my own I will be better then ten hundred sons to you and you shall one day find that he is but gone before as your Feoâ—â—ee in trust to take possession and keep a place for you in Heaven How it is that Men may be said to learn of little Children dumb shews c. SExtus Tarquinius the sonne of Lucius being suborned by his Father pretending to be banished fled fraudulently to the Gabii where having screwed himself so much into their bosomes as he thought was sufficient for his design sent secretly to know his Fathers pleasure who leading the Messenger into the Garden walked a while and not speaking one word with his staffe strake off the heads of the Dazies which grew there the Messenger reports this to his Son who thereupon put the chief Noble-men of the Gaâ—ii to death and so by force and Injustice usurped a power over that Common-weal Such was the tacite Counsell that Periander the Corinthian gave unto Thrasibulus the Tyrant of Athens when pulling the upper ears he made all the standing corn equall intimating thereby what a Tyrant must do that would live safe and quiet Thus it was but in a better way and a far better sense that when the Disciples were building Castles in the ayr quaerentes non quaerenda seeking who should be highest in Heaven when they should rather have been enquiring how to get thither Christ sets a little Child before them who neither thinks great things of himself nor seeks great things for himself conâ—uting hereby their preposterous ambition and affectation of Primacy And thus it is that dumb shews may be said to speak out much to the purpose and speechlesse Children read many a significant Lecture to the Sons of Men as of simplicity humility innocency ignoscency c. not of childishnesse peevishnesse open-heartednesse c. Non praecipitur ut habeant aetatem sed innocentiam parvulorum not of their age but innocency Whereupon some mis-understanding the Text in a Nichodemicall way as one Goldsmith an Anabaptist and Masseus a Franciscan Fryer to abundance of more then childish folly Gods Judgments the causes of them to be considered LAy a book open before a Child or one that cannot read he may stare and gaze upon it but he can make no use of it at all because he understandeth nothing in it yet bring it to one that can read and understandeth the language that is written in it hee 'l read you many stories and instructions out of it It is dumb and silent to the one but speaketh to and talketh with the other In like manner it is with Gods Iudgments as S. Augustine well applyes it All sorts of Men see them but few are able aright to read them or to understand them what they say Every Iudgment of God is a reall Sermon of Reformation and Repentance every Iudgment hath a voice but every one understands not this voice as Paul's companions when Christ spake to him they heard a voyce and no more But it is the duty of every good Christian to listen to the Rod and him that sent it to spell out the meaning of Gods aâ—ger to enquire and find out the cause of the Crosse and the ground of Gods hiding his face Why it is that he dealeth so harshly with them and carrieth himself so austerely towards theâ— The Love of God the onely true Love EVery beam of Light proceeding from the body of the Sun is either direct broken or reflex direct when it shineth out upon the Center in a lineary motion without any obliquity broken when it meets with some grosser body so that it cannot shine out-right but is enforced to incline to one part or other and therefore called a collaterall or broken light reflex when lighting upon some more grosse body it is beaten back and so reflects upon its first principle Thus let the Sons of Men pretend never so much to the Love of God their Love is either a broken or reflecting Love seldome direct broken when it is fixed upon the things of this World reflex when it ayms at self-Interest Whereas the Love of God is the onely true Love a direct Love without obliquity a sincere Love without reflexion such a Love as breaks through all impediments and hath nothing in Heaven but God and desireth nothing on Earth in comparison of him such a Love as looketh upon the World by way of subordination but upon God by way of eminency The Active Christian object of the Devil and Wicked Mens malice LUther was offered to be made a Cardinal if he would be quiet He answered No not if I might be Pope and defends himself thus against those that thought him haply a proud Fool for his pains Inveniar sane superbus c. Let me be counted Fool or any thing said he so I be not found guilty of cowardly silence The Papists when they could not rule him rayl'd at him and called him an Apostate He confesseth the action and saith I am indeed an Apostate but a blessed and holy Apostate one that hath fallen off from the Devil Then they called him Devil But what said he Prorsus Sathan est Lutherus c. Luther is a Devill be it so but Christ liveth and reigneth that 's enough for Luther So be it Nay such was the activity of Luther's spirit that when Erasmus was asked by the Elector of Saxony Why
it is much to be feared that there are many at this day thus affected that they had rather be Kings though it were but of a Mole-hill then to be in subjection unto any yea such is the heat of their Ambition that the intemperancy of Nero's Mother may seem to be revived again who being very desirous that her Son might be Emperour And being certified by the Sooth-â—ayer that if he were so he should kill her she brake out into this unstayed and outragious speech Occidat dum imperet Let him kill me and spare not so he may be Emperour so they stick not to say Let us perish so we may but bear rule and sway over others Dead Men soon forgotten IT is a memorable Example amongst many others that we have of William the Conquerour's Successor who being unhappily kill'd as he was hunting in New-Forrest all his Nobles and Courtiers forsook him onely some few that remained laid his body in a Collyer's-Cart which being drawn with one silly lean beast through very foul and filthy way the Cart broke and there lay the spectacle of Worldly glory both pitifully goared and all to bemired Now if this were the portion of so mighty a Prince whom immediately before so glorious a troop attended What then must others of meaner rank expect and look for but onely with Death's closing up of their eyes to have all their Friends excluded and no sooner gone but to be as sodainly forgotten Hence is it that Oblivion and neglect are the two Hand-maids of Death and her Kingdom where she principally tyrannizeth is Terra oblivionis the Land of Forgetfulnesse Psalm 87. 8. Man by Nature lawlesse and ill-advised ORpheus in the Poet had no sooner tuned his Instrument but all the birds and beasts assembled and forgetting their several appetites though some were of prey some of game some of quarrel yet they stood all together in a sociable manner listning unto the sweetnesse of the Musick the sound whereof was no sooner ceased or drown'd by some lowder noyse but every beast returned to his Nature ready to devour and to be devoured one of the other Such is the Nature and condition of Man lawlesse and ill-advised full of savage and unreclaimable desires of profit lust power and Revenge yet as long as he gives ear to Precepts Laws and Religion sweetly touched with Eloquence and divine perswasions so long is Society and peace maintained but if these Instruments be silent or that sedition and tumult make them not audible then all things dissolve into Anarchy and meer confusion God the onely object of his People's trust in time of distresse THe Fish distressed slides into the Water and is relieved The bird flyes to the Dam and is shrowded under her wings The Child runs to its Parents strike the Dog and he runs to his Master Wound the Souldier and he flyes to the Aâ—my And by way of Antiperistasis cold makes the heat retire into the Fire and the force thereof is greater Thus if meer natural causes whose goodnesse is finite do cherish their effects How much more shall God whose goodnesse is infinite It is he and he onely that is the object of his Peoples trust in the midst of their distresse he is the first cause of all things and all things have recourse unto him Psal. 145. 15. How it is that God is more powerfull then all the Creatures IT is a Rule in Philosophy That that is most active which is most separated from Earthly parts most elevated à materia The Physitian distills his simples into waters he makes his extractions and quintessences that the more they be elevated à materia the more they might be active and work the better hence is it that Water is stronger then Earth Fire stronger then Water Angels stronger then Men God stronger then them all And why but because he is actu purus above and over all so full of activity that none is able to inflict the least of passion upon him In the apprehension of Fear and courage Mans mistaking of the Object spoils all HE that stands below and looks up to the top of St. Pauls London or some such high place they that are upon the top of the steeple appear to be out of small stature though in themselves they be tall and great and they that are at hand upon the same flat seem to be great and all this by reason of the distance of the one and the nearness of the other But è contrario if a Man stood upon the top of S. Pauls and should look down then they that are above would seem great and they that are below would seem little So it is with Men in time of trouble if their eyes be fastned upon the Earth their Enemies will appear to be great and mighty and God which is higher then the highest Heavens small and impotent but if their eyes be in Heaven as Iehosaphats were and that they look down from thence upon their Enemies then God will appear strong and mighty and the Enemy weak and withered It is the misapprehension of the Object that makes many living Creatures here below do and suffer many things more then they need to do The Sheep at the first sight of the Woolf apprehends him for a terrible object of fear whereas the Lyon passeth by him and all other beasts of the Forrest with an honourable scorn and disdain As for Men the three spies that were sent out to discover the Land of Promise having a sheeps eye spied out more danger then they needed Whereas Caleb having a Lyons Heart apprehended no terrour at all The Nobleman upon whom the King leaned in the siege of Samaria had so base an eye that looking upon the present miseries he took them to be greater then God and perswaded himself that although God should rain Victuals out of Heaven the Famine could not speedily be removed But Elisha had his eyes in Heaven and looking down from thence despised the present calamities in respect of the present help of God that by next day would make the price of Corn to stoop so low at the gates of Samaria that it should be there at a very easy rate and the siege removed And there was a flattering Courtier that looking upon the Royall person of the King held a Paradox That the King is the strongest thing in the World But the good old Prophet saw no such great matter in Kings and Princes when they be compared with God they were in his esteem but as so many Grashoppers skipping and leaping up and down the Field By all which may be easily concluded That in the apprehension of Fear and courage Mans eye mistaking of the Object spoyls all Ministers to be Men of Knowledg and Understanding THe Archer first takes a view of his mark then considers the distance of the ground after that
and liberty to edâ—fie our selves in the most holy Faith This was the Churche's care Act. 9. 31. and this must be ours while our Ship is in the Haven to mend it there when it is out at Sea in a storm it will be too late then there is yet some hope but how long there will be God knowes let us provide for worser times that we be not surprised on a suddain when they come upon us Mercies of God in Christ Jesus to be sought while they may be found HEE that intends to speak with any one in a well fortified Castle must come by day whilest the draw bridge is down otherwise being once up there will be no entrance at all Thus many a Man loseth Mercy as Saul did his Kingdom by not discerning the time Esau came too late and the foolish Virgins did not lay hold upon the first opportunity He therefore that resolves for Heaven must in the time of this life make good his passage strive to enter whilest the bridge of Mercy is let down For if it be once drawn up there 's no by-ward no loop-hole to creep in at And that Soul must needs then be exposed to the Iustice of God where Mercy hath shut up her tender bowels of compassion A great fault in Women not to nurse their own Children IT is reported of Gracchus a Noble-man of Rome that when the Nurse brought home his Child he gave her a pearl of very great price and another of far lesser valew to the Mother And being demanded Why he respected the Nurse so much and the Mother so little answered That the Mother bare the Child but nine moneths in her womb and the Nurse bare him above thirty moneths in her arms It was otherwise with Anthusa the Mother of that Golden-mouth'd Father she was able to draw Arguments to disswade her sonne from leading a Monastick life by his drawing of her breasts when he was an Infant But now it is much to be feared that very few Women can make out any such Reason to perswade or disswade their Children which is the cause many times that as Parents have shewed little love and affection in the nursing of their Children so their Children in like sort do perform little regard and obedience to the honouring of their Parents The implacable malice of Wicked Men against Professors of the Gospel FElix Earl of Wartenburgh one of the Captains of Charles the fifth swore in the presence of divers at Supper That before he dyed he would ride up to the spurs in the blood of Lutherans but God soon cool'd his courage For that very night he was choked and strangled in his own blood After Iohn Hus was burnt his Adversaries got his heart which was left untouched by the fire and beat it with their staves And the bones of Martin Bucer and Paulus Fagius were taken up and burnt after they had a long time been buried in silence O the desperate madnesse and malice of all Persecutors such as burn in anger against the Godly It was S. Paul's prayer that he might be delivered from unreasonable and wicked Men the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absurd Men such as put themselves upon wayes of opposition against all Reason and common sense nay such is their rage and bitternesse of spirit that it makes them break all bonds of humanity and go against Lawes or any thing so as they may but torment the dear servants of God The Multitude not to be guided by them IT is reported of a certain Duke of the Saracens and he none of the wisest that being almost perswaded to be a Christian would needs be baptized but being brought to the water side and having one foot in before he would wet the other he demanded of the Baptizer Where his Father Mother Kindred and Friends were that dyed without Baptisme It was answered That they were all in Hell with a Multitude of Unbelievers besides But whither shall I go sayes he when I am baptized To Heaven sayes the Priest if you live a good life Nay then sayes he pulling his foot out of the water Take your Baptism to your self let me go to that place where the many not where the few where my Friends and acquaintance and a great number of others of all sorts are I love see my Friends about me And this is just the fashion of this present wicked World Men are much taken with the Many they choose rather to follow the Multitude to do evill then to close with the remnant that shall be saved to do any good A sad choyce God wot to be so far taken with the common rabble that know not God and run headlong to Hell rather then to joyn with the little flock of Christ that shall be assuredly saved Every Man to think the best of his own Wife XEnophon being demanded if his Neighbour had a better house then himself and that he might have his choyce of them which would he have his or his own he answered His so being demanded the like question of his horse of his Field and the like he still answered His But being asked if his Neighbour had a fairer or a better Wife then himself Which of them he had rather have Hic Xenophon ipse tacuit he either said His own or said nothing silently concluding That she was the best Thus it is that every Man must think his own Wife to be the fairest and the faithfullest that he could find esteeming of her as of the best treasure he hath loving her above all others not like the Egyptian Frogs croaking in other Mens chambers but as the Adamant turns onely to one point so keeping to his own Wife so long as they both shall live To be ready to suffer persecution by Christs Example THere is mention made of a Roman servant who knowing that his Master was sought for by Officers to be put to death he put himself into his Masters cloaths that he might be taken for him and so he was and put to death for him Whereupon in memory of his thankfulnesse to him the Master erected a brazen Statue with this Inscription Servo fideli To the trustly servant Thus Christ who was not a Servant but our Lord and Master yet when he saw we were like to die he took upon him the form of a Servant he came in our likenessâ— that he might die for us and he did so Now he requires not of us to â—rect any brazen Monument in memory of him or in honour to him but that we should be ready and willing to suffer for him when he calls us thereunto Certainly his Example in humbling himself so much to suffer for us should be mightily prevalent with us that if he empâ—ied himself so much to become the Son of Man how much more should we having so fair a Copy to write by be much more
377. Riches the grâ—at danger of them if not well used 401. The great danger that attends them 497. Very dangerous in getting of them 583. Riches honours c. the different use that is made of them 570. The uncerâ—ain comfort of Riches 601. Riches their uselesnesse in point of calamity 646. The dangerous use of Riches 651. Riches of Christ inexhaustible 652. A Rich Man had rather part with God then his gold 39. A Rich Fâ—ol described 71. A vain Rich Man 125. A Rich Man is Gods Steward 129. Rich poor Men 165. The unprofitable Rich Man 242. Rich Men to consider their beginnings and be thankfull 334. The wicked Rich Man's sad condition at the time of death 376. Rich Men to be mindful of what they have received 456. How to be made truly rich and truly Honorable 463. An uncharitable Rich man no Heavenly-minded 482. Better to be honestly then hastily rich 496. A Rich Man pleading poverty condemned 531. Riot and excesse condemned 291. Rulers and Governors are the supporters of a Common-wealth 29. Rulers actions exemplary 32. Rulers sins hasten the ruine of a State 38. A good Prince or Ruler no advantage to a bad People 106. Rulers and Men in Authority subject to many failings in Government 405. Rulers Magistraâ—es c. to be men of publique spirits 651. S. SEven Sacraments of the Papists not of divine Institution 27. A special Sacrament-duty to blesse God for Christs death 76. Sacramental Bread and Wine how better then ordinary 104. How to receive benefit from the Word and Sacraments 149. How to benâ—â—â—t by the Sacraments 152. Worldly thoughts to be set aside before the Sacrament 171. Sacramental Bread and Wine how differenced from others 267. The great danger of Sacriledge 51. 438. Sacriledge never thrives 60. Sacriledge cursed with a curse 61. Sacriledge condemned by the example of Cyrus 70. 588. Sacriledg justly rewarded to take heed of it 311. Sacrilegious persons condemned 671. The safety of Gods people 480. A singular Saint is a pretious Saint 14. Saints in glory what they hear and see 189. Invocation of Saints and Angels condemned 554. Salvation is the Lords 172. No salvation but by the mercies of God in Christ Jesus 423. Sanctification not perfected all at once 94. Sanctification not wrought all at once And why so 144. Sanctification wrought by degrees 181. The Schismaticks abuse of Scripture 59. The excellency of the Scripture in its fulnesse 70. Scripture-knowledge the onely necessary knowledg 89. Speciall places of Scripture marked with Gods speciall authority 103. Harmony of the Scriptures 116. The excellent connexion of the Scriptures 138. The holy Scriptures not to be jested withall 145. The power of Gods Word the Scriptures 158. How to read the Scriptures and Books Apocryphall 160. The Scriptures Rhetorick 160. Manna the Heavenly food of Gods Word how to relish it 114. Severall varieties to be found in Scripture 220. The Scriptures are but a dead letter without the operation of the Spirit 220. The Papists abuse of Scripture by Traditions c. 223. Scripture-comforts the onely true comforts 264. Scripture-knowledge to be put in practice 266. 283. Excellency of the Scripture-phrase 280. The great usefulnesse of Scripture-phrase 282. Scriptures not to be plaid withall 302. True comfort onely in the Scriptures 325. The holy Scriptures to be made the rule of all our actions 373. To be valued above all other writings 436. How it is that so many deceive themselves in their not rightly searching the Scriptures 384. The Scriptures discovering sin and Satan in their colours 392. The Scriptures onely to be rested on 510. The Books of Scripture to be preserved above all other books 535. To blesse God for the revelation of himself in Scripture 537. To keep close to the Word of God especially in troublous times 549. And in seeking after Christ 643. Men and Women to be knowing in the Scriptures 605. The great danger of not keeping close to the Scriptures 625. The praise-worthiness of reading and enquiring into Scripture 653. Scholers not to be unthankful to the University that bred them 78. Scholers to mind their books 40. No personal Security to be had in the time of publique danger 9. 170. Security in time of danger condemned 101. The great danger of security in times of danger 116. God chastiseth his Childrens security 142. Carnal security reproved 249. Security the cause of all calamity 570. The Secrets of Gods Counsâ—ls not to be pry'd into 27. Dangerous to pry into Gods secrets and Counsels 162. Not to consult with Gods secrets but his râ—â—vealed Word 335. Curious inquisitors into Gods secrets deservedly punished 554. The Sectarian schismatical seducers to be avoided 629. Sectarian subtiâ—ty Diabolicall delusion 630. The doctrine of seducers dangerous 227. Selfishnesse condemned 33. Self-praises condemned 35. Self-examination required 53. Self-tryal smooths the way to all other tryals 112. Self-conceited Men blame-worthy Men 129. Self-conceitednesse condemned as dangerous 151. The giving up our selves an acceptable sacrifice unto God 154. The folly and danger of self-conceitednesse 180. The benefit of Self-examination 207. The danger of self-confidence 275. Self-seeking Men reproved 277. 375. Men of self-ends condemned 278. How it is that the self-conceited vain-glorious Man deceives himself 336. Self-conceitednesse in matters of Religion condemned 340. How far Self-safety may be consulted 543. Self-denyall the excellency thereof 635. No Man a loser by giving himself up to God 645. Men to be careful in the choyce of servants 483. God hardly accepting of late service done him And why so 678. Men created for the service of God 652. Backwardnesse in the service of God reproved 398. No worldly thing must hinder the service of God 575. How it is that Men fail so much in the service of God 626. Service performed unto God must be personal 589. Service to God must be like Himself 58. Rash inconsiderate service of God condemned 340. Service of God is persect freedome 378. The Ministers repetition in Sermons warrantable 82. The difference betwixt Sermons preached and Sermons printed 110. 639. A Sermon preached many years before may be the means of Salvation many years afâ—er 115. A good Sermon not to be so much questioned as practised 183. A Sermon not done till it be practised 253. How to recover spirituall sight 82. Sicknesse immediately inflicted by God 506. Commendable Silence 332. 668. The Silent Christian is the sound Christian 23. Silence in the cause of Gods honour condemned 478. The Simonist discovered 627. Slandering of our brother the danger thereof 134. Slanders of Wicked Men not to be regarded 238. Slanderers discovered 286. Not to be â—econciled to God before we sleep is very dangerous 83. The great danger of sleeping out Sermons 552. The sloathfull Christian described 217. Sloathfulâ—esse and luke-warmnesse in Religion fore-runners of evill to come 334. Spiritual sloath in the wayes of God reproved 398. Man to be a sociable communicative Creature 316. The different conditions of Men in
Constellation to another he is able to give account of all Thus take a man in his pure naturalls set him in the midst of the Ordinances let the Administrations be never so pure the Dispensations never so clear he sees nothing of God but as it were through chinks and crannies of Nature some glimpse and glimmer onely of divine light O but the child of God having the perspective-glasses of the Old and New Testaments in his hand especially that of the New-Testament a very clear-sighted glass he walks from star to star from one Attribute of God to another he discovers stars of the first magnitude as Faith and Hope and Charity nothing in order to salvation is hid from his eyes Christians ought to be loving one to another ME-thinks Philadelphia the name of one of the seven golden Candlesticks Rev. 1. is a very proper fitting name for a Church which signifies Brotherly love and every Congregation ought to be in a good sense the family of Love breaches and divisions distractions and heart-burnings may happen in other Kingdomes which are without God in the world and strangers to the Covenant of Grace yet let Ierusalem the Church of â—od be alwaies like a City which is at unity within it self Discord in Church or Commonwealth prejudiciall IN the ringing of bells whilst every one keeps his due time and order what a sweet and harmonious sound they make all the neighbour villages are cheared with the sound of them but when once they jarre and check each other either jangling together or striking preposterously how harsh and unpleasing is that noise So that as we testifie our publick rejoycing by an orderly and well tun'd peal so when we would signifie the Town is on fire we ring the bells backward in a confused manner It is just thus in Church and Commonwealth when every one knowes his station and keeps their due ranks there is a melodious consort of comfort and contentment but when either States or Persons will be clashing with each other the discord is grievous and extreamly prejudicial And such a confusion either notifieth a fire already kindled or portendeth it and that of all other must be a dangerous fire that begins in the bed-straw Popular States may ring the changes with safety but the Monarchial government requires a constant and regular course of Rule and inferiority Government and subjection which cannot be violated without a sensible discontent and danger And so in the Church take away Discipline and the Doctrine will not be long after Sin to be renounced as the cause of Christ's death SUppose a Man should come to a Table and there is a knife laid at his trencher and it should be told him This is the knife that cut the throat of your child or your Father if he could now use that knife as any other knife would not one say Surely there was but little love either to the Father or to the child So when there is a Temptation to any sin this is the knife that cut the throat of Christ that pierced his sides that was the cause of his sufferings that made Christ to be a curse Now wilt thou not look on that as a cursed thing that made Christ to be a curse Oh with what detestation should a man or woman fling away such a kniâ—e and with the like detestation it is required that a man should renounce sin for that and that onely was the cause of the death of Christ. Ministers not to be afraid of the faces of Men. POpilius a Roman Embassador sent to Antiochus the great having delivered his message and the King deferring his answer and demurring on it drew a circle round about him with his wand and conjured him to determine and resolve whether he would have Peace or War before he went a foot out of the circle which wondrous resolution and confidence caused him presently to define Peace And do we not see how bold every petty Constable will bear himself upon the higher Power I charge you in the Kings name c. And why then should God's Ambassadors onely be afraid like children of shadows and bug-bears Courage and Resolution becomes them best their Commission is large and will bear them out the penalty great if they faint in the execution Fear not their faces saith the Lord of Ieremy lest I destroy thee The Creature moves not but in and by God THe Creature can do nothing but as it is commanded by God It is the vanity of the Creature that it can do nothing of it self except there be an influence from God As for example Take the hand it moves because there is an imperceptible influence from the Will that stirs it So the Creature moving and giving comfort unto us it is God's will it should do it and so it is applied to this or that action The Artificer using a hatchet to make a stool or the like there is an influence from his Art that guides his hand to the work So the creatures working is by a secret concourse from God doing thus or thus whether it be this way or that way all is from God The Schismaticks abuse of Scripture IT is reported of one Procrustes a notorious theevish Inn-keeper who when any Travellers came to lodge at his house would make his guest's stature equal with his bed either by stretching them out to the length of it if they were too short or by cutting some part of them if they were too long He would not fit his bed to his guests but his guests to his bed Nothing more common shall we find amongst Hereticks and Schismaticks than either with false senses to stretch and enlarge or with loud lyes to mince and mangle the sacred Scripture that so they may frame them to their likings and make them serve their own turnes at all essayes They will either suppress the words or else not express the sense they will either blot out or else blemish the Scriptures rather then they will abolish or any whit alter their own fantasies Of their own opinion and writings they will not abide the least amendment but of the holy word of God they care not what havock they make A fearful Minister is a Soul-murthering Minister MAuritius the Emperor said of Phocas who conspired against him having enquired of his disposition and hearing that he was fearful Si timidus est homicida est said he So it may be said in this case The Cowardice of the Ministery is cruelty he that fears the faces of men he is a murtherer of the souls of Men. Sins in men regenerate and unregenerate the difference REgenerate-men sin yet the Peace is not broke betwixt God and them because their minds never yielded to sin As it is betwixt Princes they are at peace â—hough Pirates of either Nation rob the others subjects yet it breaks not the
he reâ—â—ored all the gains of his injustice made the poor partakers of his riches abandoned all worldlinesse and vvas recovered both in soul and body to the Lord. As this man hath many follovvers in his base avarice so it vvere to be vvished of God that he had some in his gracious repentance Little do gripulous fathers think that vvhat vvas forty years a gathering should be spent in a few daies revelling And so it comes to passe as by daily experience may be seen that vvhen men are over carefull to provide for their ovvn by taking avvay another mans vix gaudet tertius haeres He that buies a Patrimony for his child vvith the losse of his own soul hath but a dear purchase a very hard bargain To be zealous in the cause of God MEmorable is that christian resolution of Martin Luther that he vvould enter into the City of Worms in the Name of the Lord Iesus though there vvere as many devills as tiles to cover the houses And that of Calvin Ne decem quidem maria c. That it vvould not grieve him to sail over ten seas about an uniform draught for Religion And the blessed Apostle vvas not onely ready to be bound but to die also for the Name of the Lord Iesus And thus must ever good Christian do be zealous in the cause of God contend for the truth of his Word spare no cost leave no stone unmoved Ubi de Religione ibi quoque de vita agitur holding even their very lives to hold upon Religion serving God vvith all their might and as is commanded ready to run through fire and vvater for their holy profession Christ to be received into our hearts by Faith IN the Gospels history we find that Christ had a four-fold entertainment amongst the sons of men some received him into house not into heart as Simon the Pharisee who gave him no kisse nor water to his feet some into heart but not into house as the gracelesse swinish Gergesites some both into house and heart as Lazarus Mary Martha And thus let every good Christian do endeavour that Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith that their bodies may be fit Temples of his holy Spirit that now in this life whilst Christ stands at the door of their hearts knocking for admission they would lift up the latch of their souls and let him in For if ever they expect to enter into the gates of the City of God hereafter they must open their hearts the gates of their own City to him here in this world Sermon not done till practised IT is reported of a good man that comming from a publick Lecture and being asked by one whether the Sermon were ended made this answer fetching a deep sigh Ah! it is said but not done And to speak truth the Sermon cannot be said to be done till it be practised But herein the Lord be mercifull to most of us we are apt to think that when a Sacrament day is over all the Sacrament duties are over too when the discourse from the Pulpit is finished the Sermon is finished as if when the Ordinance were at an end there were an end of the Ordinance and of us with the Ordinance also Christ the poor mans Object as well as the rich mans A Low man if his eye be clear may look as high though not so far as the tallest the least Pigmee may from the lowest valley see the Sun or Stars as fully as a Gyant upon the highest Mountain He that stands by may see as far into the milstone as he that picks it Christ is now in Heaven it is not the smalnesse of our person nor the meannesse of our condition can let us from beholding him the soul hath no stature neither is Heaven to be had with reaching If God be but pleased to clear the eyes of our faith we shall be high enough to behold him Ministers to be encouraged and protected against the plots of wicked men and why so PHilip of Macedon besieging Athens sent Legates to the City conditioning with them that if they would deliver into his hands ten of their Oratours such as he should choose whom he pretended to be the disturbers of the Common weal he would raise his siege and be at peace with them But Demosthenes smelt out his plot and with the consent of the Athenians returned him this apologeticall answer The Woolvs came to treat of a league with the Shepheards and told them thus All the feud and discord betwixt you and us ariseth from a certain generation of Doggs which you maintain against us deliver up those dogs and we will be good friends with you The dogs were delivered up the Peace was concluded the shepheards as they thought secure But oh the wofull massacre that was presently made amongst the poor Lambs they were all devoured the shepheards undone and all by parting with their dogs Thus if the Popish or the Peevish party could but once get the Ministers of the Gospell to hold their peace or procure them to be muzzled by Authority or to be delivered over to their woolvish cruelty vvo vvere it to the souls of the poor people errour vvould then play Rex darknesse triumph hell make play-day truth vvould languish and all goodnesse fall flat to the earth As little as they are novv regarded men vvould then misse them and wish for them and be glad to protect them if they had them Meditations of Death the benefit thereof PEter Waldo a rich Merchant of Lyons in France being invited to a great supper where one of the company fell suddainly dead at the table he was so taken with the sight that he forsook his Calling and fell to study the Scripture trading for the Pearl of the Gospell whereby he became an excellent Preacher and the first founder of those antient Christians called Waldenses Such is the benefit that commeth by the meditation of death Let but a man behold the bones of the dead and make a Christian use thereof he must needs fall into a patheticall meditation within himself as thus Behold these legs that have made so many journeys this head which is the receptacle of wisdom and remembereth many things must shortly be as this bare skull and drie bones are I will therefore betimes bid worldly things adieu betake my self to repentance and newnesse of life and spend the rest of my daies in the service of my God and thoughts of my dissolution Away then with that sad and too too usuall expression I thought as a little of it as of my dying day Let Otho think them cowards that think on death but let all good men think and meditate on death what it is unto all men by nature what unto good men what unto bad and great will be the comfort arising thereupon Men to be helpfull one to
a straight way yet try it put into it however do but disgest the diâ—â—iculty of the entrance and then thy feet shall not be straitâ—ed thou shalt find more and more enlargement every day more comfort then other Lewdnesse of the Preachers life no warrant to sleight the Ordinance of Preaching IT was an unhappy meaning that Sir Thomas Moor had though he spake it pleasantly when he said of a vitious Priest That he would not by any means have him say the Creed lest it should make him call the Articles of his Faith into question Thus too too many are apt to call the Truths of Gods Word into question because of the lewdnesse of the Preachers life One will not have his children baptized by such a one it goes against anothers stomach to receive the Sacrament from the foul hands of such a one others care not for their doctrine because they say and do not c. A preposterous Zeal God wot Eliah received comfortable food from a Raven as well as from an Angel If God speak to thee as he did to Balaam by the mouth of an Asse thou must have so much Patience saith Luther as to hear him If God will have thee to be saved by one who peradventure shall be damned hear what he saith and look not what he doth if thy Pastor live lewdly that is his own hurt if he preach well that is thy good take thine own and go thy way Good water which passeth into a Garden through a channel of stone doth the Garden good though it do the channell none and so may the Word and water of life conveyed by a bad instrument of a stony heart do good to the Church of God though it work not upon himself And good seed though it be cast into the ground with foul hands will â—ructifie One may be a bad Man yet a good Seeds-man both in the Field and the Church yet woe be to him by whom the offence cometh by whose means the offerings of Eli's sons smoked for this And to many which have prophesied in his Name Christ will say in his just displeasure Away from me ye workers of iniquity Wicked Men made by God instrumentall for the good of his People LEwes of Granada that devout Spaniard maketh mention of a very poor diseased Man dwelling in Italy that was brought so low that he could stir neither hand nor foot and seeking for a skilful Physitian to heal him he found a potent Enemy to torment him who to adde unto his misery cast him into prison and there kept him with a very small allowance of bread and water so much onely as should keep life and soul together But it so happened that there being a new face of Government in that Province he was released from his imprisonment and his disease together For the want of Food intended to take away his life proved the onely remedy to preserve it And thus it is that God makes use of Wicked Men for his Peoples good The Wicked cast them into the Furnace thinking to destroy them but they rise out thence more glorious then before They plow deep Furrowes on the backs of Gods people but that makes them more fruitfull in good works put them to death that proves their advantage vex grieve trouble and torment them yet do what they can do they are still gainers not losers so true is that of the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. All things work together for the best to them that love God How it is that one Man may be said to be punished for another Mans sin A Man that hath fâ—d high for a long time comes to have a plethory of crude and indigested humors in his stomach It so falls ouâ— that this Party riding afterwards in the wet and taking cold begins to shiver and shake and after falls into a durable lasting Feaver If the Physitian be a wise Man one that hath parts and skill ask him What was the cause of this sicknesse and he will tell you The ill humours of the body and the abounding of them yet it is like enough it had not turned to a Feaver so soon if he had not took cold of his feet or been some way troubled in his journey So when God brings punnishment upon People the proper cause is in every Mans self There are personall sins in every Man to make him obnoxious to the curse of God yet may the sins of the Father or Parent or Neighbour be the occasion that God will punnish Sin so that it may be said that the personal Sins of Men are the primary internal antecedent dispositive cause of Gods Iudgments but the Sins of other Men as they are Members of the whole may be the external irritating excitating cause of Gods Iudgments upon a People or Nation The Souls comfortable enjoyment of Christ. IT were a great grace and such as would minister much comfort to a Courtier lying sick at home of the gowt to have the Prince not onely to send to him but in person also to visite him but much more comfort and joy would it be to him to be able being recovered to repair to the Court and there enjoy his Prince's presence with such pleasures and favours as the place may afford How much more then in this case is it a grace and a comfort that God vouchsafeth to visit us here by his Spirit sometimes more familiarly and feelingly but alwaies so effectually as thereby to support us even in the greatest of extremity but how much more exceedingly shall our joy and comfort be encreased when being freed from all infirmities we shall be taken home to him that we may enjoy him for evermore As that Courtier having assurance given him of recovery by such a time would exceedingly rejoyce to think of the joy of that day and count every day a week if not a year to it wherein he should being recovered return to the Court and be welcom'd thither in solemn manner by all his Friends there and by the Prince in a more especiall manner So well may the faithful Soul not a little joy to fore-think with it self what a joyfull hour that shall be unto it wherein by Death parted from the body it shall solemnly be prâ—sented before the face of Iâ—sus Christ and entring into the Heavenly place shall be welcom'd thither by the whole Court of Heaven the blessed Saints and Angels Unhappy Prosperity happy Adversity IT is a Philosophical observation of Turtle Doves and some other birds that use to take their flights into other parts beyond the Seas that if the South-wind blow they will be sure of a good guide to direct them but if the wind be Northward then they venture of themselues without any conduct at all This may note unto us the unhappy Prosperity of the Wicked and the happy Adversity of the Godlâ— He that spreads his sailes before
Children Friends and all must be laid aside when the Cause of God suffers when Religion lyes at the stake bleeding even to death And certainly that estate is well weakened that strengthens the power of Religion and that life well lost that helps to save the life of Truth and yet a life so lost is not lost at all but saved Mark 8. 35. The Churche's Fall the Churche's Rise Suppose a stranger one that never heard of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea should come to some Navigable River as to the Thames side at an high water and should there observe how much it fell in six or seven hours Would he not conclude That after that rate the River would run it self dry in a short time Whereas they that are acquainted with the Tides know for certain that when the Ebbe is at the lowest the tide of a rising Water is upon the return Thus it is with the Church of God it may seem to be at a dead low water and in a sinking condition but even then its lowest estate is an immediate Fore-runner of its raising again As for instance the most raging and violent of those Ten bloudy Persecutions was that of Dioclesian but by the great mercy of God attended by the mild and peaceable times of Constantius the Father and Constantine the Son All Ages from time to time making this out for a Truth that the darkest and saddest night of sorrow that ever befell the Church of God hath been followed with a gladsome and comfortable morning of joy that its worst condition was but as a leading card to bring in dayes of more rejoycing Prayer a spirituall prevailing sword IT is said of Constantine the Great That after God had blessed and honoured him with many Victories whereas the Effigies of other Emperours were engraven upon their loynes in a triumphant manner he would be set in a posture of Prayer kneeling to manifest unto the World that he attributed all his Victories more to his Prayers then his Sword And surely Prayer is a prevailing sword it can give Victory in doubtful battels it can raise the most confident and desperate Siege What was said of the Wicked their tongue is a sharp sword swords are in their lips may be truly said of the tongues and lips of Gods people in Prayer they are as two-edged swords in their hands to execute Vengeance And without all doubt Gods enemies have often found the power of this sword of Prayer and those which are the Lords people may say of this as David once said of that which was Goliah's There is none like that give it me 1 Sam. 21. 9. The losse of good Men not laid to heart condemned AS you may see a silly Hen go clocking and scraping in the midst of her chickens then comes the Kite and snatcheth away first one then another after that a third till all are gone And the Hen brustles and flutters a little when any of them is so snatched away but returns instantly to her scraping and picking as if she had lost nothing Even so do the most of Men God hath in these later times made many great and lamentable breaches amongst us top'd the greatest Cedars in this our Lebanon depriv'd us of many excellent Men both in Church and State and we it may be for a moment bewail their losse in some such like passionate expression There is a brave Man lost I am sorry such a Man is dead c. and then every one goeth on again in his own way presently forgetting the losse but no Man sitteth alone by himself to enquire What God hath done and What he meaneth to do with us or What we have done to provoke him thus far against us We thrust such thoughts far away from us passing by on the other side as the Priest and Levite did by the wounded Man as if it nothing at all concerned us The woful gradation of Sin AS Marriners setting sayl first lose sight of the shore then of the houses then of the steeples and then of Mountains and Land And as those that are way-laid by a Consumption first lose vigour then stomach and then colour Thus it is that Sin hath its wofull gradations None declines to the worst at first Lust having conceived brings forth Sin and so proceeds to finishing as thus Sin hath its conception that 's delight and its formation that 's design and its birth that 's the acting and Custome is the education of the brat then followes a reprobate sense and the next step is Hell to all eternity The great danger of admitting the least Sin As when Pompey could not prevail with a City to billet his Army with them he yet perswaded them to admit of a few weak maimed Souldiers but those soon recovered their strength and opened the gates to the whole Army And thus it is that the Devill courts us onely to lodge some small sins a sin of infirmity or two which being admitted they soon gather strength and sinews and so subaue us How many have set up a trade of swearing with common interlocutory oaths as Faith and Truth How many have begun thieving with pins and pence How many drunkennesse with one cup more then enough How many Lust with a glance of the eye and yet none of them ever dreamt they should be prostituted to those prodigious extremities they afterwards found themeselves almost irrecoverably ingulfed in Destruction is from our selves AS Noah was drunk with his own Wine Goliah beheaded by his own swords The Rose destroyed by the canker bred in it self the breast by a self-bred wolf the apple by the worm the dams belly eaten through by the young Vipers Agrippina kill'd by Nero to whom the gave breath So we are undone by our selves our destruction is of ourselves The cup of the bitter waters of Marah and Meribah that we have and do drink so deep of is of our own mingling and embittering the rods that scourge us are of our own making Sin like a Fryer whips its self Punishment is connate innate to Sin Fools because cause of their Iniquities are afflicted saith David We may thank our own Folly for our own bane Man not to be trusted unto IT is reported of Caesar Borgis one of Pope Alexander's ungodly bastards that having built infinite projects upon his interest in so holy a Father when news was brought him of his sodain death cryed out This I never thought upon now my designs are all lost which fell out accordingly Thus for a certain Whoever it be that looks for much from Men how great how potent how excellent soever will prove like those who go to Lotteries with their heads full of hopes and return with their hearts full of blanks and be forced to lay his hand upon his mouth and say What a Fool was I to expect any great