let them stay at Iericho till their beards be grown till they be well principled and enabled for the great work of the Ministry Many seem to be willing yet are loath to die A Gentleman made choice of a fair stone and intending the same for his grave-stone caused it to be pitched up in a field a pretty distance off and used often to shoot at it for his exercise Yea but said a wag that stood by you would be loath to hit the mark Thus many men build their Tombs prepare their Coffins make them death's-headrings with memento mori on them yet never think of death and are very unwilling to die embracing this present world with the greater greedinesse A Minister to be able and well furnished CAleb said to his men I will bestow my daughter upon one of you but he that will have her must first win Kiriath Sepher i. e. a City of Books he must quit himself like a man he must fight valiantly And certainly he that will be one of God's Priests an Ambassador of Christ a true Minister of the Word and Sacraments must not be such a one that runs before he is sent that hath a great deal of zeal but no knowledge at all to guid it But one that is called of God that hath lain long before Kiriath Sepher that hath stayed some time at the University and commeth thence full fraught with good learning such a one and such a one onely is a fit match for Caleb's daughter fit to be a dispencer of God's Word and Sacraments Dangerous to be sed uced by fals-Teachers ARistotle writeth of a certain Bird called Capri-mulgus a Goat-sucker which useth to come flying on the Goats and suck them and upon that the milk drieth up and the Goat growes blind So it befalls them who suffer themselves to be seduced by hereticall and false Teachers their judgment is ever after corrupted and blinded And as it is said in the Gospel If the blind lead the blind both fall into the ditch Tongue-Prayer not the onely Prayer IT is said that David praised God upon an Instrument of ten strings and he would never have told how many strings there were but that without all doubt he made use of them all God hath given all of us bodiâ—s as it were Instruments of many strings and can we think it musick good enough to strike but one string to call upon him with our tongues onely No no when the still sound of the heart by holy thoughts and the shrill sound of the tongue by holy words and the loud sound of the hands by pious works do all joyn together that is God's consort and the onely musick wherewith he is affected The way to have our Will is to be subject to God's Will IT is reported of a Gentleman travelling in a misty morning that asked a shepheard such men being greatly skilled in the Phyâ—iognomy of the Heavens what weather it would be I will be said the shepheard what weather pleaseth me and being courteously requested to express his meaning Sir â—aith 〈◊〉 it shall be what weather pleaseth God and what weather pleaseth God pleaseth me Thus a contented mind maketh men to have what they think fitting themselves for moulding their will into Gods will they are sure to have their will The excellency of good Government IT hath been questioned and argued Whether it were better to live under a Tyrannous government where everâ— suspition is made a crime every crime capital or under an Anarchy where every one may do what he lift And it hath been long since over-ruled That it is much better to live under a State Sub quo nihil liceat quà m sub quo omnia A bad government rather then none So then if the worst kind of government be a kind of blessing in comparision What then is it to be under an able Christian Ruler One that doth govern with counsel and rule with wisdom and under such Judges and Magistracy that do not take themselves to be absolute the Supream Authority but confesse themselves to be dependant that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the Centurion in the Gospel and to give an account not onely to him that is Judge of quick and dead but also to the higher Powers on Earth if they should chance to forget themselves We must learn to live well before we desire to die AS old Chremes in the Comedy told clitipho his son a young Man without discretion who because he could not wring from his Father ten pounds to bestow upon his Sweet-heart had no other speech in his mouth but emori cupio I desire to die I would I were dead But what saies the old Man first I pray you know what it is to live and when you have learned that then if you be a weary of your life speak on Thus they that are so hasty to pronounce the sentence of death against themselves that wish themselves in their graves out of the world must first know what belongeth to the life of a Christian why it was given them by the Lord of life to what end he made them living souls what duties and service he requireth at their hands by that time these things are rightly considered they will be of another mind A negligent Christian no true Christian. IF a man should binde his son Apprentice to some Science or occupation and when he had served his time should be to seek of his Trade and be never a whit the more his Crafts-master in the ending of his years then he was at the beginning he would think he had lost his time and complain of the injury of the Master or the carelessness of the servant Or if a Father should put his Son to school and he alwaies should continue in the lowest Form and never get higher we should judge either great negligence in the Master or in the Scholar Behold such Apprentices or such Scholars are most of us The Church of God is the School of Christ and the best place to learn the Science of all Sciences Now if we have many of us lived long therein some of us twenty some thirty some fourty some fifty years c. and some longer and we no wiser then a child of seven Were it not a great shame for us What no forwarder in Religion then so O disgrace And may we not be condemned of great negligence in the matters of our salvation Hypocrisie may passe for a time undiscovered MAud Mother to King Henry the second being besieged in Winchester Castle counterfeited her self to be dead and so was carryed out in a Coffin whereby she escaped Another time being besieged at Oxford Anno 1141. in a cold Winter with wearing whitâ— â—pparel she got away in the snow undiscover'd Thus some Hypocrits by dissembling Mortification that they are dead to the world and by professing a snow-like purity
to endure nor lay any more upon him then what he shall be able to bear The Law bringing Mento the sight of themselves THe Swans of Thames and Po beholding with a retorted neck their goodly feathers think themselves Rarae aves interris but when their black leggs and feet are become the object of their sight then they find that they are nigris Cygnts simillimae So when Men behold their lives in what they are commendable or tolerable the Pharisee himselfe is not more proud then they when they hear of the two Tables of Gods Commandements they can carry them as easily as Sampson did the Gates of Azzah But when they look into the glass of the Law of God they find their strength to be but as other Mens then goes the hand to the breast and the word from the mouth O God be merciful to me a sinner Away then as Luther once said with those Antinomian conceits that the Law need not be taught in the times of the Gospel It is confessed That Christ is the end of the Law What end Finis perficiens non interficiens an end not consuming but consummating as himself said I came not to destroy the Law but to teach and do it Mat. 5. 17. The painfull Preachers poverty the idle Impropriators plenty BEes make the honey and drones suck the Hive It is said in Iob ch 1. v. 14. The Oxes were ploughing and the Asses feeding by them What Oxen plough the ground and Asses reap the Harvest This is somewhat preposterous yet so it is That laborious Oxen painful Preachers spend their time in plowing and preaching and lazy Asses idle Impropriators eat up all their labours being alwayes feeding Great revenues belong to the contemplative covent while the devout and active Preacher is a Mendicant the diligent Preacher lives in want of necessaries whilst the lazy Impropiator swells in all aboundance Every Man to be perswaded of his own death TWo Ships meeting on the Sea the Men in either ship think themselvs stand still and the other to be swift of sayl whereas they both sayl onwards toward the Port intended but the one faster then the other Even so Men are as Ships see we an old Man with a staffe in his hand stooping downward Alass poor old Man say we he cannot live long Hear we a Passing-bell toll There 's one going out of the world Visites we a sickâ—friend We think he can hardly live till morning Thus we think all other Men are a dying and we onely stand at stay Whereas God knows it they may go a little before and we are sure to follow after Iohn out-runs Peter to the Sepulchre but Peter is not far behind him Let every Man then be thus perswaded of himselfe that he shall and must dye None can be so sottish as to be perswaded that they shall never dye yet which is a sad thing there is none so old but thinks he may live one year longer and though in the generall he say All must die yet in the false numbring of his own particular days he thinks to live for ever The great danger of any one Sin unrepented of MAny Planks well pinn'd and calk'd make the Ship to float one and but one leak not stopped will sink it One wound strikes Goliah dead as well as three and twenty did Caesar One Dalilah will do Sampson as much spight as all the Philistins One wheel broken spoyls all the whole Clock One vein's bleeding will let out all the vitals as well as more One fly will spoil a whole box of Oyntment One bitter herb all the pottage by eating oâ—e Apple Adam lost Paradise One lick of honey endangered Ionathans life One Acâ—an was a trouble to all Israel One Ionah if faulty is lading too heavy for a whole ship Thus one sinne is enough to procure Gods anger and too much for one Man to commit And if God then take an accompt of one sin let Men have a care of all sin Curses usually fall on the Cursers own head DIogâ—â—es warned the Bastard when he saw him throwing stones at randome among the People to take heed he did not hit his own father Such is the condition of all cursing Men such whose tongues run with great speed on the Devills errand whose Maledictions are shot out of their mouths just like fools bolts not regarding where they light whereas many times they fall upon their friends their children and very often upon themselves or like ill made pieces which while Men discharge at others they recoyl in splinters upon their own faces so that if every curse should stick a visible blister on the tongue as it doth insensible ones on the Soul How many Mens tongues would be too big for their mouths and their mouth sas an open Sepulchre full of rottennesse and putrefaction To be alwayes prepared for Death IT is reported of Sir Iohn Burgh a brave Souldier and a Gentleman of a good Family who receiving a mortall wound in the Isle of Rees and being advised not to fear Death but to prepare himselfe for another world answered I thank â—od I fear not Death these thirty years together I never rose out of my bed in the morning that ever I made account to live till night A religious and Christian-like practise well worthy imitation that every day when a Man awaketh he should commend himselfe to Gods protection whether he live or dye for at the Evening none knoweth whether that nights bed shall be his grave or that nights sleep shall be his death Therefore before his eyes do sleep or his eye-lids take any slumber or the temples of his head takes rest make his peace with God for all his sinnes that whether he live or die he may live and dye to the Lord and Iesus Christ may be to him advantage The sad condition of Man falling away from God COmets and Meteors that hang in the ayr so long as they keep aloft in the firmament of Heaven they glitter and shine and make a glorious and caelestiall lustre in the eyes of all beholders but if once they decline from that pitch and fall down to the Earth as many times they do they vanish and disappeare and come to nothing Such is the case betwixt a Man and his God as long as a Man holds in good tearmes with God and sets his affections upon things above so long will God cast his favour upon him and he shall sbine as a light in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation But if once he decline from that pitch and fall down from a godly conversation into an earthly idle ungodly disposition 't is a venture but his prosperity will fall away and his latter end grow worse than his beginning The madnesse of Ministers Magistrates c. not to be guided by that Counsell they give to others IT is fabled of a
Berengarius So may we say of the Publicans prayer much more of the Lords prayer set in flat opposition to the Heathenish Battologyes and vain repetitions of some that would be held good Christians It is not the length but the strength of Prayer that is required not the labour of the lip but the travell of the heart that prevails with God The Baalites prayer was not more tedious then Eliah's short yet more pitthy then short Let thy words then be few saith Solomon but full to the purpose Take unto you words saies the Prophet neither over-curious nor over-carelesse but such as are humble earnest direct to the point avoiding vain â—ablings needlesse and endlesse repetitions heartlesse digressions tedious prolixities wild and idle impertinencies such extemporary petitioners as not disposing their matter in due order by premeditation and withall being word-bound are forced to go forward and backward just like hounds at a losse and having hastily begun they know not how handsomly to make an end Division the great danger thereof IF two ships at sea being of one and the same squadron shall be scattered by storm from each other how shall they come in to the relief of each other If again they clash together and fall foul how shall the one endanger the other and her self too It was of old the Dutch device of two earthen Pots swimming upon the water with this Motto Praâ—gimur si collidimur If we knock together we sink together And most true it is that if spleen or discontent set us too far one from another or choller and anger bring us too near it cannot be but that intendment or designe whatsoever it be like Ionah's gourd shall perish in a moment especially if the viperous and hatefull worm of dissention do but smite it Desperation the Complement of all sins THere is mention made in Daniel's prophecy chap. 7. of four beasts the first a Lion the second a Bear the third a Leopard but the fourth without distinction of either kind or sex or name is said to be very fearfull and terrible and strong and had great iron teeth destroyed and brake in pieces and stamped under his feet and had horns c. Such a thing is desperation others sins are fearfull and terrible enough and have as it were the rage of Lions and Bears and Leopards to spoil and make desolate the soul of man but desperation hath horns too horns to push at God with blasphemy at his brethren with injury and at his own soul with distrust of mercy Desperation is a complicated sin the complement of all sins The greatest sins are said to be those which are opposed to the three Theologicall Vertues Faith Hope and Charity infidelity to faith desperation to hope hatred to charity amongst which infidelity and hatred the one not believing the other hating God are in themselves worse but in regard of him that sinneth desperation exceedeth them both in the danger that is annexed unto it for Quid miserius misero non miseranti seipsum What can be more miserable what more full then for a poor miserable wretch not to take pitty of his own soul. A covetous man never satisfied IT is said of Catiline that he was ever alieni appetens sui profusus not more prodigall of his own as desirous of other mens estates A ship may be over-laden with silver even unto sinking and yet compasse and bulk enough to hold ten times more So a covetous wretch though he have enough to sink him yet never hath he enough to satisfie him like that miserable Cariff mentioned by Theocritus first wishing Mille me is errent in montibus agni That he had a thousand sheep in his stock and then when he has them Pauperis est numerare pecus He would have cattle without number Thus a circle cannot fill a triangle so neither can the whole world if it were to be compassed the heart of man a man may as easily fill a chest with grace as the heart with gold Non plus 〈◊〉 cor aâ—ro quam â—orpus aura The air fills not the body neither doth mony the coâ—â—â—tous mind of man A true child of God half in Heaven whils the is on Earth TEnorius Arch-Bishop of Toledâ— making question whether Solomon were saved or damned caused his picture to be drawn in his Chappell half in Heaven and half in Hell Now what was painted of Solomon imaginarily may be said of Gods children truly though they dwell upon Earth yet their Burgesship is in Heaven Earth is patria loci but Heaven patria juris just like Irishmen that are dwellers in Ireland but Denisons of England half in Heaven and half on Earth in Heaven by their godly life and conversation in Heaven by reason of their assurance of glory and salvation But on Earth by reason of that body of sin and death which they carry about them having the flesh pressing with continuall fight and oppressing with often conquest Hope in God the best hold-fast FAmous is that history of Cynegirus a valiant and thrice renowned Athenian who being in a great sea-sight against the Medes spying a ship of the Enemies well man'd and fitted for service when no other means would serve he grasped it with his hands to maintain the fight and when his right hand was cut off he held close with his left but both hands being taken off he held it fast with his teeth till he lost his life Such is the hold-fast of him that hopes in God dum spirat sperat as long as there is any breath he hopes The voice of hope is according to her nature Spes mea Christus God is my hope In the winter and deadest time of calamity Hope springeth and cannot die nay she crieth within her self Whether I live or die though I walk into the chambers of death and the doors be shut upon me I will not loose my hope for I shall see the day when the Lord shall know me by my name again righten my wrongs finish my sorrowes wipe the tears from my cheeks tread down my enemies fulfill my desires and bring me to his glory Whereas the nature of all earthly hope is like a sick mans pulse full of intermission there being rarely seen sperate miseri on the inscription but it is subscribed Cavete foelices An account of Gods knowledge not to he made out by the wisest of men THere is a place in Wiltshire called Stonage for divers great stones lying and standing there together Of which stones it is said That though a man number them one by one never so carefully yet that he cannot find the true number of them but finds a different number from that he found before This may serve to shew very well the crring of mans labour in seeking to give an account of divine wisdom and knowledge for all his Arrowes
Grace Iudas carried the bag he was good for nothing else and a rich Man laden with thick clay having outward things in abundance is good for no body but himself so true it is that as Greatness and Goodness so Gold and Grace â—eldom meet together To beware of erronious Doctrine IT is recorded by Theodoret that when Lucius an Arrian Bishop came and preached amongst the Aâ—tiochians broaching his damnable errours the People forsook the Congregation at least for the present having indeed been soundly taught before by worthy Athanasius Thus it were to be wished that the People of this age had their wits thus exercised to distinguish betwixt truth and falshood then false doctrines would not thrive as they do now amongst us and Errours though never so closly masked with a pretence of zeal would not so readily be received for Truths as now they are by the Multitude nor so much countenanced by those that make profession of better things Atheism punished IT was somewhat a strange punishment which the Romans inflicted upon Parricides they sewed them up in a mail of leather and threw them into the Sea yet so that neither the water of the Sea could soak through nor any other Element of Nature earth air or fire approach unto them And certainly every Creature is too good for him that denyes the Creator nor can they be further separated from Heaven or pitched deeper into Hell than they deserve that will believe neither The God they deny shall condemn them and those Malignant spiritâ— whom they never feared shall torment them and that for ever Truth beloved in the generall but not in the particular AS the Fryer wittily told the People that the Truth he then preached unto them seemed to be like Holy-water which every one called for a pace yet when it came to be cast upon them they turned aside their face as though they did not like it Just so it is that almost every Man calls fast for Truth commends Truth nothing will down but Truth yet they cannot endure to have it cast in their faces They love Truth in universali when it onely pleads it selfe and shewes it self but they cannot abide it in particulari when it presses upon them and shewes them themselves they love it lucentem but hate it redarguentem they would have it shine out unto all the world in its glory but by no means so much as peep out to reprove their own errors The confident Christian. THe Merchant adventurer puts to Sea rides out many a bitter storm runs many a desperate hazard upon the bare hope of a gainful return The valiant Souldier takes his life into his hands runs upon the very mouth of the Cannon dares the Lion in his Den meerly upon the hope of Victory Every Man hazards one way or other in his Calling yet are but uncertain venturers ignorant of the issue But so it often falls out that the greedy Adventurer seeking to encrease his stock loseth many times both it and himself The covetous Souldier gaping after spoil and Victory findeth himselfe at last spoiled captivated But the confident Christian the true child of God runs at no such uncertainty he is sure of the Goal when he first sets out certain of the day before he enter the field sounds the Trumpet before victory and when he puts on his harnesse dares boast as he that puts it off witnesse Davids encounter with Goliah Gedeons march against the Midianites and the christian resolution of those three Worthies Dan. 3. 17. To take Time while time serves IT was a curious observation of Cardinal Bellarmine when he had the full prospect of the Sun going down to try a conclusion of the quicknesse of its motion took a Psalter into his hand And before saith he I had twice read the 51 Psalm the whole body of the Sun was set whereby he did â—onclude that the Earth being twenty thousand thousand miles in compasse the Sun must needs run in half a quarter of an hour seven thouâ—and miles and in the revolution of twenty four hours six hundred seventy two thousand miles a large progresse in so short a time And herein though the Cardinal's compute as well as his doctrin in debates Polemicall doth very much fall short of truth yet his experience in this gives some proof of the extraordinary swiftnesse of the Suns motion Is then the course of the Sun so swift is time so passant then let time be as pretious lay hold upon all opportunity of doing good labour while it is day for night will come and time will be no more The Sun was down before the Cardinal could twice read the Psalm Miserere mei Deus and the light of thy life such is the velocity thereof may be put out before thou canst say once Lord be mercifull to me a sinner The workings of God and Man very different THe first and highest Heaven drawes by its motion the rest of the Planets and that not by a crooked but by a right motion yet the Orbs of the planets so moved move of themselves obliquely If you enquire whence is the obliquity of this motion in the Planets Certainly not from the first mover but from the nature of the Planets Thus in one and the same manner Man aimes at one end God at another the same that man worketh sinfully God worketh most holily and therefore they work idem but not ad idem The motion of our wills do exceedingly vary from Gods will and seem to drive a contrary end than that which God aimeth at yet are they so over-ruled by his power that at last they meet together and bend that way where he intendeth A wicked life hath usually a wicked end THere is a story of one that being often reproved for his ungodly and vitious life and exhorted to repentance would still answer That it was but saying three words at his death and he was sure to be saved perhaps the three words he meant were Miserere meî Deus Lord have mercy upon me But one day riding over a bridge his horse stumbled and both were falling into the River and in the article of that precipitation he onely cryed Capiat omnia diabolus Horse and man and all to the devill Three words he had but not such as he should have had he had been so familiar with the devill all his life that he thinks of none else at his death Thus it is that usually a wicked life hath a wicked end He that travells the way of hell all his life-time it is impossible in the end of his journey he should arrive at heaven A worldly man dies rather thinking of his gold than his God some die jeering some raging some in one distemper some in another Why They lived so and so they die But the godly man is full of comfort in his death because he was full of heaven
dead in us much lesse the knowledge of divine Truth that should break out into practice for happinesse is not entitled to those that know but those that do what they know Gods Omniscience PLiny makes mention of a silly Bird that if she can but get her head into a hole she thinks no body sees her and that all 's safe whilst she becomes a miserable prey to her common Adversary And this is the folly of many Men amongst us such as would be counted wiser than indeed they are close Polititians that digge deep in their Counsells and draw the Curtains over their deeds of darknesse subtile Machiavillians that spin their mischievous design as fine as a Spiders web and many times under the veyl of Religion too Painted Hypocrites that under the pretence of gravity think they dance in a Net unseen of all Men Prostitute strumpets that first sacrifice and then commit lewdnesse foul Dissemblers that under the pretence of long Prayers devour Widows houses And such as with demure looks think to deceive Christ Iesus himself But let such know that God can find Ionah in the bottom of the ship and Ieroboams wife in her disguise he sees and knows of the diversity of Weights and Measures in Tradesmens shops and Warehouses the least dash of an erring pen in the matter of Accompts the least sin of loosenesse And on the other side our Alms though perhaps they make no great noyse in the World are in debentur with him he hath a bottle for our teares a book for our deeds whether good or evill The whole world is to him as a Sea of glass Corpus diaphanum a clear transparent body There is nothing hid from his eyes so that find but out a place where he sees not then sinne and spare not Worldly things cannot really help us IT was wittily painted by way of Emblem upon the Dutch Ambassadours Coach A woman sitting in a forlorn posture close to the body of a Tree on the shady side the Sun shining out in the strength of its heat with this Motto Trunco non frondibus intimating thereby that she was more beholden to the Trunk then the leaves of that Tree for succour Thus it is that all good Men make God onely to be their support in the midst of danger their refuge in time of trouble the Rock of defence and their strong Tower whereas others cleave close unto the leavy Creature trust in uncertain Riches put their confidence in an arm of flesh and bear themselves high upon their friends in Court their preferments in the State and such like miserable comforters which will nothing avail them in the day of wrath when they should have most need of them Whether it be lawfull to desire Death IT is written of Martyrius that being on his Death-bed he desired that God would be pleased to release him out of the miseries of this sinful World but his Auditors standing by said What will become of us and our poor souls when you are gone your losse will be a great prejudice to us you cannot conceive what hurt we shall receive by your death Well saies he if my life may be profitable to Gods people I will do any thing that he will have me to do He desires to live so as it may stand with Gods good pleasure And a man may wish to die for it is good or sinfull so to do as the the grounds are whereupon the desires are setled It is an expression of faith to be freed from sin and to have a more neer communion with God Thus it is that the Bride in the Revelation saies Come and the Spirit saies Come and both the Spirit and the Church take hands together and say Come Lord Iesus come quickly No man saies Christ can see may face and live O then saies the Church let me die that I may see thy face But such is the frailty of man that even strong desires and unadvised wishes are to be found amongst the people of God such as wish for death in regard of carnall ends thus Eliah because of Iesabels frownes cries out Lord take away my life c. and Ionah in a pettish humour thinks it better to die than to live not considering that Patience is the daughter of Hope and grandchild of Faith so that he that believeth maketh noâ— haste There is Heaven saies Hope It is mine saith 〈◊〉 Yea but saith Patience I will wait till Gods appointed time come Knowledge in Politicall affairs very uncertain THe Chirurgion that deals with an outward wound can tell whether he can cure it guesse in what time but the Physician that undertakes the cuâ—e of a feavour can neither see the time of his patients recovery nor assure him that he shall be recovered at all The Artizan with his convenient shop tools can make up his daies work if he be not hindered but the Merchant Adventurer can promise to himself no such matter he must have one wind to carry him out of the Haven another to carry him about to the lands end and perhaps another to drive him to the place of traffick so that he can promise nothing neither for the time of his return nor the vending of his commodity but as the wind and the weather and the marriners and the Seas and the time of trade will give him leave Thus the uncertainty of our knowledge in secular and politicall businesse doth appear the most wise God hath hidden from us the event of things Caliginosa morte premit All politick successes are conjecturall not demonstrative they stand in need of the concurrences of many things and causes which are casuall and of many mens minds which are mutable and of many opportunities which are accidentall so that we cannot build upon them There 's no policy so provident no providence so circumspect but is subject to errour and much uncertainty Sacramentall Bread and Wine how differenced from others AN Instrument or Conveyance of Lands from one party to another being fairly engrossed in parchment with wax fastned unto it is no more but ordinary parchment and wax but when it comes once to be sealed and delivered to the use of the party concerned then it is changed into another quality and made a matter of high concernment Thus the Elements of Bread and Wine are the same in substance with the othâ—r bread and wine before and 〈◊〉 the Administration is past the same in quality the bread dry the wine moist the same in naturâ— the bread to support the wine to comfort the heart of man But being once seperated not by any Spells or signing with the signe of the Crosse not by any Popish carnall sensuall Transubstantiation nor any Lutheran Consubstantiation from a common to a holy use when Christs Name is set on them in regard of Institution consecration operation and blessing attending
rain and made great cracks of Thunder Above that was placed a great Throne glistering with all the Art that Nature could afford This might be sufficient for an Heathen that knew no better things But how sad is the condition of a Company of drossy-spirited Men that with that Duke of Bourbon in France who if he might but have his Palace in Paris would not change it for Paradise can be content to take the things of this World for their portion If they had but this or that thing it were Heaven to them It argues they have low thoughts of an Immortal Soul and are ignorant of what an immortal Soul is capable of that can think themselves satisfied in any Creature and have loose thoughts of God as if there were no Treasures in him but onely a few temporary Earthly delights as Meat and Drink and Sports and whatsoever the vanity of this world calls delightfull Afflictions if any thing will make us seek God THe Persian Messenger though an Heathen as Aeschiles in one of his Tragedies observeth said thus When the Graecian Forces hotly pursued our host and we must needs venter over the greaâ— Water Strymon frozen then but beginning to thaw when a hundred to one we had all dyed for it with mine eyes I saw saith he many of those Gallants whom I had heard before so boldly maintain There was no God every one upon his knees and devoutly praying that the Ice might hold till they got over And Pharaoh was at high terms with God but when Extremity came upon him then he was humbled Thus it is that many Men like the Dromedary of exceeding swiftnesse the Female especially run over hill and dale take their whole swing of pleasure and snuff up the ayr of all sensual delights Age death and sicknesse are afar off Youth health and strength possesse them there 's no coming to them then no medling with them till their Month come till Winter come a day of sorrow and distress overtake them then they will seek unto God And herein is Folly condemned even of her own Children and Wisdome justified of her very Enemies That they that greedily seek sin are at last glad to be rid of it and they that merrily scorn Religion at last are glad to be sheltered under the protection thereof Deceipt and Unfaithfulnesse in Trade and Commerce condemned LYsander the Lacedemonian held for a main Principle of his Religion that Children were to be deceived with trifles as rattles and guegawes but old Men were to be gulâ—'d with oaths and held on with fair promises And it is now almost grown a Trade for Men to be so slippery in their dealings one with another that they can find loop-holes to wind out of the most cautelous contracts for advantages break faith promises bonds run away with Mens goods so that Turks and Iews are more trusty then such hollow shifting Christians And hence it is that Gods Iustice and his just revenge on all Trades at this day is such that scarce any prosper in them God having divorced his blessing from them because they have turned their Trades into crafâ—s not for the help but the overthrow one of another The great danger of living in any one known Sin THere have been Prodigalls in all Ages such as having a fair Inheritance have lost it all upon one cast of the dice A man may escape many wounds and shots in the Wars and yet may be kill'd at the last with the stab of a pen-knife or the prick of a pin or needle It is reported of Sir Francis Drake that having compassed the World and being in a Boat upon the Thames in a very rough tide said What have I escaped the violence of the Sea and must be now drown'd in a Ditch Thus many a Man that hath escaped many grosse sins may by some little secret lust be deprived of the glory of the Kingdom of Heaven Moses came within the sight of Canaan but for one Sin not sanctifying Gods Name at the water of Meribah he never set foot within it A great Affliction it was no dâ—ubt uâ—to him to be so near and yet so far off from entring And no lesse will it be to any Man that for one Sin not sanctifying the Name of God as he ought shall come short of Heaven not but that there may be some remainders of sin and yet the Heart be taken off from every Sin but if there be any secret closing with any one Sin all the profession of Godlinesse and leaving all other Sins will be to no purpose nor ever bring a Man to happinesse Rich Men to be mindfull of what they have received at Gods hand ST Gregory confesseth thus much of himself that never any sentence entred â—o deep into his Soul as that Text Fili recordare c. Son remember that â—hou in thy life-time receivedst thy pleasure or good things and likewise Lazarus pains And that as surgite mortui was ever in S. Hierom's ear and non in commessationibus not in surfetting in S. Augustine's by which he was first converted For he sitting in the See of Rome when it was grown rich and of great revenue was as he saith still afraid of this Text Whether his exalting into that chair might not be his recompence at Gods hands and all that ever he should receive from him for all his service mercedem non arrham his portion of Earth not the earnest of Heaven Thus did the good Father And would God his example herein might make a due impression and work the like fear in so many as havâ— in the eyes of all Men received the good things of this life For it is too apparent that divers that have so received and that in a measure even heaped up and running over carry themselves so without remembrance of themselves as if no such Simile were in all the Bible as that of the needles eye no such Example as that of the rich Glutton no such Memento as that of Abraham to him but that they have learned a point of Divinity such as Abraham never knew Balaam'â— divinity it is to be feared to love the wages of unrighteousnesse and yet they must needs into Abraham's bosome dye the death of the Righteous Sin unrepented of heavy upon the Soul at the time of Death A Massy piece oâ— Timber floating upon the water may be easily drawn towards the shore so long as it swimmeth any one may turn it this way or that way at pleasure but if it be once grounded not many Men can move it but with great pains and industry Thus Man's life is the water Death the shore and Sin the piece of Timber Whilest we live in strength and health born up â—y the streams of Worldly pleasure and delight Sin seems but light unto us great Sins appear as little Sins and little sins
whereof hath been a great inlet to Idlenesse negligence and ignorance in the study of Divinity Blessednesse of the Poor in spirit in the matter of Hearing Gods Word IT is fabled that when Iuno on a day had proclaimed a great Reward to him that brought her the best present there came in a Physitian a Poet a Merchant a Philosopher and a Beggar The Physitian presented a hidden secret of Nature a prescript able to make an old Man young again The Poet an Encomiastick Ode of her bird the Peacock The Merchant a rare hallow Iewell to hang at her ear The Philosopher a book of strange Mysteries The poor quaking Beggar onely a bended knee saying I have nothing that is worth acceptance Accipe meipsum Take my self Thus it is that many come unto God in the hearing of his Word with prescripts of their own they have receipts enow already they care for no more Others like the Poet come to admire Peacocks the gawdy Popinjayes and Fashionists of the time all to be dawb'd with gold and silver Feathers Others like the Merchant present Jewels but they are hallow they come with criticall or hypocritical humours like Carps to bite the net and wound the Fisher not to be taken Some like the Philosopher bring a book with them which they read without minding the Preacher saying They can find more Learning there then he can teach them But blessed are the poor in spirit that like the Beggar give themselves to God Iuno gave the reward to him and God gives the blessing to these It is a poor Reverently devoted heart that carries away the comfort Godlinesse in the humble dust of adoration that shall be lifted up by the hand of Mercy Christ to be our Example and Pattern of Imitation in life and death ST Hierome having read the life and death of Hilarion one that lived most Christianly and dyed most comfortably folded up the book saying Well Hilarion shall be the Champion that I will follow his good life shall be my Example and his godly death my President How much more then should each of us first read with diligence the life and death of Iesus Christ and then propound him to our selves as the most absolute pattern for our Imitation resolving by the Grace of God that Christ shall be the copy after which we will write the pattern which we will follow in all things that he hath left within the sphear of our Activity so also in that necessary duty of Preparation for death He did so Iob. 14. and we must do so For as in shooting there is a deliberate draught of the bow a good aym taken before the loose be given so if ever we look for comfort in death we must look at death through the preparation for it The greatest of things wrought by God without means AS when Gedeon was to fight with the Midianites pretending that his Army was but a few How many hast thou saith the Lord So many thousand They are too many The Lord will not have them all but commands them to be reduced to one half and yet there were too many the Lord would not work by them they were too strong At last he comes to make choyce of them by lapping in the water then they came to three hundred Men to fight against three hundred thousand For it is said they covered the Earth like Grashoppers And now the Lord begins to work by these Men. And how doth he work by Weapons No but with a few broken pitchers in their hands and they had the day of it the Midianites be delivered up into their hands as a prey This was a wonderful act of the great God who not tyed to means wrought out Victory by his own arm It is true that means and second causes he hath much honoured in the World and commands them to be used but when he comes to effect great things such as was the Redemption of Mankind by Christ such as shall be the Resurrection of the dead at the last day then such means and causes as seek to set him forward he rejects them and works not by them but the clean contrary The greater stench the bodies have sustained in the grave shall work it unto greater sweetnesse and the greater weaknesse it had the greater strength shall accrew unto it and wondrous puissance shall God work unto that part that lacked honour according to his blessed dispensation in all things Not to be Angry with our Brother A Railing Fellow fell very foul upon Pericles a Man of a Civil and Socraticaâ— spirit and he left him not all the day long but continued till he had brought him to his own doors in the Evening somewhat late at Night He all this while not returning one unbeseeming word commanded one of his Servants with a Torch to light the brawler home to his house Thus did he by the dim light of Nature And therefore if a brother offend us upon ignorance let us neglect it if upon infirmity forget it if upon malice forbear it upon what terms soever forgive it as we would have God to forgive us It is a saying That every Man is either a Fool or a Physitian so every Christian is either a Mad-man or a Divine A Mad-man if he give his passions the rein a Divine if he qualifie them The Natural Mans blindnesse in Spirituall things WHen Xeuxes drew his Master-piece and Nicostratus fell into admiration of the rarenesse thereof highly commending the exquisitenesse of the work there stood by a rich Ignorant who would needs know what he had discovered worthy of so great applause To whom Nicostratus made this answer My Friend couldst thou but see with my eyes thou wouldst soon see cause enough to wonder as well as I do Thus it is that the dear Children of God have inexhaustible treasure even in the midst of their poverty transcendent dignity in the midst of their disgraces heighth of tranquillity in the very depth of tribulation their pulse and Locusts relish better then all the Gluttons delicious fare their Sheep-skins Goat-skins and Camels hair wear finer then all the Purple and soft rayment the Worlds hate makes them happier then all the applauses of the Capitol Now the sensual carnal Naturalist sees none of all this he perceives not the things of the spirit neither indeed can he for they are spiritually discerned no Man knowes them but he that hath them but had he spirituall sight were but the scales fallen off from his eyes as they did from S. Paul's at the time of his Conversion then he would clearly see and say as the same S. Paul did That though we suffer tribulation in all things yet we are not distressed we are brought into perplexities yet we are not forsaken Negligent Hearing of Gods Word condemned A Servant coming from Church praiseth the Sermon to his Master He asks him What was the
pleaded for her self as well as she could and seeing divers go to the pot before her said Alas I am not worth the killing I have little or no flesh on my back therefore you may well let me go No sayes the Fowler One bird in hand is worth two in the bush The Bird replyes that her notes were more worth then her corps and that she would chant him out three Songs for which he should fare the better all the dayes of his life if he kept them then if he kill'd her The bargain was made and the Bird let fly The Songs were these 1. Strive not beyond thy strength 2. Grieve not too much for the losse of that which cannot be recovered 3. Believe not that which is incredible Now whilest the wise Bird-catcher was conning these Lessons the Bird flying over his head told him that he had lost a great treasure For she had within her head a pretious stone as bigg as an Estridge-egge At this news the Birder began to ply the Nightingale with fair words and told her That if she would come again to his hand he would spare the meat out of his own belly to feed her Then answered the Bird Now I see thou art a Fool indeed that canst make no good use of my Counsel For first Thou labourest for me which thou canst not reach Secondly Thou grievest for that which is irrecoverable And thirdly Thou believest that which no wise Man will that I have a Pearl in my head as bigg as an Estridge-egg whereas all my whole body is not so bigg Thus surely there are many of these Fowlers or rather Foolers in the World such as doate in their reposals setting up their rest in the things of this World where it is not to be found and in the mean time neglect to seek where it is For the World hath no more sufficiency to Mans desire then the Nightingale had the true pearl with in her to give him content All the advantages of outward things being to Mans desire but as sharp sauce to the appetite which doth not satisfie hunger but provoke the stomack to hunger after more A good Man tedious to bad Company WHen an Dearâ— runs for safeguard amongst the rest of the Herd they will not admit him into their Company but beat him off with their horns out of principles of self-preservation for fear the hownds in pursuit of him fall on them also In like manner when a knot of bad-good-fellows perceive one of their Society become a New man they will be shut of him as soon as possibly they can preferring his room and declining his Company lest his goodnesse prove infectious He shall no longer be welcome in their Society then he is able to sing his part in their Joviall 〈…〉 do as they do and then he is a boon-Companion Pride the vanity and sinfulnesse thereof IT is well known that rotten wood and Glow-worms make a glorious shew in the night and seem to be some excellent things but when the day appears they shew what they are indeed poor despicable and base Creatures Such is the Vanity and sinfulnesse of all naughty proud high-minded Persons who though now shining in the darknesse of this World through the greatnesse of their Power place and height of their honour When the Sun of Righteousnesse shall appear and manifest the secrets of all hearts then they will be seen in their own proper colours and appear to be but rotten stuffe and stinking Sâ—pulchers For to have nothing derogates nothing from the worth of true Grace but to have power without Piety greatnesse without goodnesse is a scorn to him that confers it and a sin to him that receives it but both shamefull and sinfull to him that waxeth proud by it Greatnesse of the torture of a Wounded Conscience AS long as Adam did fast in Paradise he stood fast but having once eaten the forbidden fruit he tarryed a while there but took no contentment therein The Sun did shine as bright the Rivers ran as clear as ever they did birds sang as sweetly beasts played as pleasantly Flowers smelt as fragrant herbs grew as fresh Fruits flourisht as fair no punctilio of Pleasure was either altered or abated The objects were the same but Adam's eyes were otherwise his nakednesse stood in his light a thorn of guiltinesse grew in his heart before any thistles sprang out of the ground which made him not to seek for the fairest fruits to fill his hunger but the biggest leaves to cover his nakednesse Such is the torture of a wounded Conscience that it is able to unparadise Paradise and the burthen thereof so importable that it is able to quail the courage and crush the shoulders of the bugest Hercules of the mightiest Maâ—â—upon the face of the Earth Who can bear it Prov. 18. 14. The Proud mans Memento ALexander having compassed and conquered a great part of the World came into an Island of the Brachmans a People that used no habit but breasts skins no houses but caves no Meat but such as Nature produced and demanding the reason of this their strange kind of life they answered We know that we shall dye whether this day or to morrow we know not And therefore why should we take care for power to rule honour to be esteemed or Riches to live in pleasure With which answer he was so affected that he bad them ask what they would and he would give it them they presently demanded Not to dye to which he replying that he could not give that For he himself must dye Why then said they art thou so foolish to live in such Pride seeing thou knowest thou shalt dye Thus if rude barbarous People by the onely meditation of Death could so easily contemn all the thoughts of Power and Honour Is it not more then time that such as professe themselves to be Christians who having so many Noble restraints and retractives to beat down the pride of power and honour should now cease to fall in love with their own shadowes not to doat upon greatnesse and popular applause which will last no longer then the giver pleaseth not to look big or be proud upon the accesse of any preferment whatsoever Patiently to wait Gods time for deliverance COnsiderable are the causes why a broken leg is incureable in a horse and easily cureable in a Man The horse is incapable of Counsell to submit himself to the Farryer and therefore in case his leg be set he flings he flounces and flies out unjointing it again by his misemployed mettal counting all binding to be but shackles and fetâ—ers unto him VVhereas a Man willingly resigneth himself to be ordered by the Chirurgion preferring rather to be a Prisoner for some dayes then a Cripple all his life Thus it were heartily to be wished that Men would not be like the Horse or Mule which have no understanding
Sun go down yet if it be twilight Those small remainders of greater Goods are no small refreshings to a loser It doth a man some good to keep some monuments of his better estate especially when they are pledges of some sparkle of good-will towards us continuing in Him upon whose just displeasure we forfeited all Thus as God in favour gives the holy Spirit so in displeasure doth he take Him away and we cannot guesse better at the measure of his displeasure than by the measure of the deprivation if he take it but in part then he tempers mercy with judgment but if he leave no sparkles of grace that may be kindled again if there be such a rowt made that there is no hopes of rallying then we become Lo-ruhama Hos 1. we are clean shut out of the bowells of his compassion God is the onely object of his Children's delight HE that truly loveth his friend transporteth himself often to the place where he was wont to see his friend he delighteth in reading his Letters and in handling the gages and monuments that he hath left behind him how grateful is the sight of any thing that presents unto him the memoriall of his absent friend And thus the child of God to testifie his love to him transporteth himself often to the place where he may find God in his Sanctuary amongst his Saints he delights in reading his Letters the Scriptures he delights in eating those holy monuments and pledges the Sacraments which he hath left behind him as tokens of his good-will untill he come again A peaceable disposition is a God-like disposition BY the Lawes of England Noblemen have this priviledge that none of them can be bound to the Peace because it is supposed that a noble disposition will never be engaged in brawls and contentions It is supposed that the Peace is alwaies bound to them and that of their own accord they will be alwaies carefull to preserve it It is the base bramble that rends and teares what is next unto it Gentlenesse mercy goodnesse love tendernesse of other's sufferings are the greatest ornaments of a noble spirit and where it is sanctified the grace of God shines bright in such a heart Christâ—s victory over Sathan WHen Mahomet the second of that name besieged Belgrade in Servia one of the Captains at last got upon the wall of the City with his Colours displayed A noble Bohemian espying this ran to the Captain and clasping him fast about his middle asked one Capistranus standing beneath whether it would be any danger of damnation to his soul if he should cast himselfe down headlong with that dog so he tearmed the Turkish Captain to be slain with him Capistranus answered That it was no danger at all to his soul. The Bohemian forthwith tumbled himself down with the Turk in his arms and so by his own death onely saved the life of all the City Such an exploit as this Christ plaies upon the Devill the Devill like the great Turk besieged not onely one City but even all Mankind Christ alone like this noble Bohemian encountered with him And seeing the case was so that this dog the devill could not be killed stark dead except Christ died also therefore he made no reckoning of his own life but gave himself to death for us that he onely dying for all the People by his death our deadly enemy might for ever be destroyed Propriety in God is the onely comfort EVery man naturally loves that which is his own and if the thing be good it doth him the more good to look upon it Let a man walk in a fair medow it pleaseth him well but it will please him much more if it be his own his eye will be more curious in prying into every part and every thing will please him the better so it is in a corn-field in an orchard in a house if they be ours the more contentedly do they affect us For this word Meum is suavissima amoris illecebra it is as good as an amatory potion So then if God the Lord be lovely how much more lovly should he be in our eyes if he be our Lord God and doth appropriate that infinite good that he hath unto us And who would not joy to be owner of that God which is independent He is what heart can desire and who can but rejoyce in having Him in having of whom we can want nothing Killing of men heretofore made ordinary THe Romans at the first used to set wild Beasts upon the Stage to kill one another and after this they came to be delighted to see Gladiatores and Fencers kill one another and thirdly they were much affected to see men cast upto the wild beasts to be devoured and torn in pieces so that from the sight of killing of Beasts they delighted to see Men killed And was not this our case by swearing and lying we came at last to killing Thus were we broken out and blood touched bloods blood in the plurall He that hath killed one careth not to kill an hundred a dogg's neck was formerly cut off with more reluctancy than the pretious life of man was taken from him Killing of men was but sporting like that of the young men at the pool of Gibeon Fooles make a sport of sin and so did men of the crying sin of murther But if the Sword had thus plaid Rex any longer it would have been bitternesse in the end which God in the greatnesse of his mercy hath of late years prevented Reverence to be used in the service of God VAlerius Maximus tells a story of a young Nobleman that attended upon Alexander while he was sacrificing this Nobleman held his Censer for Incense and in the holding of it there fell a coal of fire upon his flesh and burn't it so as the very scent of it was in the nostrills of all that were about him and because he would not disturb Alexander in his service he resolutely did not stir to put off the fire from him but held still the Censer If Heathens made such a do in sacrificing to their Idoll-gods that they would mind it so as no disturbance must be made whatsoever they endured what care should we then have of our selves when we come to worship the high God Oh that we could mind the duties of Gods worship as matters of high concernment as things of greatest consequence that so we might learn to sanctifie the name of our God in the performance of duty more than ever we have done The condition of Temporizers IT is observable that the Hedghog hath two holes in his siege one towards the South another towards the North now when the southern wind blowes he stops up that hole and turns him northwards and then when the north-wind blowes he stops up that hole likewise and turns him southward again Such Urchins such
prayers the blessed Spirit draweth them up and Iesus Christ the Son of God presenteth them to his Father Without all doubt great is the comfort of that poor soul that can by prayer have two or three walks a day upon this Mount Tabor and with holy Moses converse with God in three Persons on the Horeb of fervent Prayer for then with Iacob he sees the sweet vision of Angelis ascending and descending climbing up and down that sacred Ladder which stands betwixt Heaven and Earth at the top of it is the Father the whole length of it is in the Son and the Spirit doth firmly fasten it thereunto Christ's government is a peaceable government DIvus Nerva saith Tacitus duas res olim insatiabiles conâ—unxit Imperium Libertalem He spake with the most that ascribed so much to Nerva as that he should joyne two such inconvertible things as Government and Liberty the one calling for subjection the other intending nothing but disorder But it may be truly said of Christ that his Kingdom is a Kingdom of peace his service perfect freedom that where he reigns there is peace and free liberty for every subject so sweetly so freely so comfortably are all things carried where the Scepter of Christ is set up in the hearts of men Almes given to the Poor are the Giver's gain THeir ordinary form of begging in Italy is not after the manner of our English I pray you bestow something on a poor man c. but Fate ben per voi Do good for your own sakes So those that are courteous and tender-hearted towards others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they gratifie themselves saith the mouth of Truth The Lord that fed five thousand could alwaies have fed Himself and his Disciples but he would be relieved by the hands of Women that so their charity towards him might be an occasion of benefit to themselves And so it is with us we pleasure not the poor so much by our giving as we do profit our selves by their receiving Officers to be honest in their places ISocrates an Athenian Orator in his counsell to Demonicus a young Gentleman like to be called to a great place saith unto him thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That he should depart from a Place or Office conferred upon him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not more rich but more honourable then when first he undertook it The instruction given by this Heathen may shame many Christians some Officers in these daies regard not with what dishonour or dishonesty they keep or leave their Places so they may be rich never fear though they tread their wine out of other men's grapes reap their corn out of other mens fields so they may store their own houses with provision so they may make their children great and turn them into Gallants they take no care make no scruple though they turn their own souls into hell Prosperity of wicked men destructive IT is said of the Locusts that came out of the bottomlesse pit that they were like unto Horses and on their heads were as it were Crowns of gold and their faces were as it were faces of men and their hairs as the hair of a Woman and their teeth were as it were the teeth of Lions c. Here are quasi Horses quasi Crowns of gold quasi faces of Men c. Just such are all the comforts and prosperity of wicked men their gold and their silver but as it were gold and silver their prosperity and plenty but as it were prosperity and plenty their victories and successe but as it were victories and successe But when the blessed Evangelist comes to set down a description of the Locusts tailes he doth not say There were as it were stings in their tails but in plain downright positive terms There were stings in their tails râ—all true not imaginary stings And such is the evill that attends upon the thriving and prosperous estate of wicked men there is a sting in the tail of it such as is not quasi but realiter what it seems to be No peace to the wicked THere is no peace unto the wicked saith my God Esa. 57. He compares them to the Sea still raging and foaming casting out their own shame And Solomon unto vanity adds vexation of spirit It may be seen in the particular case of all wicked men that surely they have no rest no rest ab intra they never can light on that which doth sistere appetitum which makes them range in their desires in their endeavours never finding where to settle and ab extra too they are unquiet for the whirlwind of God drives them like chaff and like a floud it drives them down the stream And indeed how should they be quiet that are compared to the Sea which when there is no storm cannot stand still but hath his flux and reflux and no wonder for it is the subject of the Moon than which nothing is more changeable A fit emblem of the World upon which whosoever dependeth cannot be stable when the world it self is so unstedfast And such is a wicked man too unstable uncertain disquieted distracted in all his waies Rulers actions exemplary IF the mountains overflow with waters the vallies are the better and if the head be full of ill humours the whole body fares the worse The Actions of Rulers are most commonly rules for the People's actions and their Example passeth as currant as their Coin If a Peasant meet luxury in a scarlet robe he dares be such having so fair a cloak for it The common People are like tempered wax easily receiving impressions from the seales of great mens vices they care not to sin by prescription and damn themselves with Authority And it is the unhappy priviledge of Greatnesse to warrant by example as well other's as its own sins whilst the unadvised Vulgar take up crimes on trust and perish by credit Peace of the Church pretious SAint Ambrose writeth that Theodosius the Emperour when he dyed had a greater care of the Church than of his sicknesse his life was not dear unto him so the Church might flourish after his death so peace might be within her walls and prosperity within her palaces Such ought to be the care of every good Christian to pray for the peace to act for the peace to contend for the peace of the Church But so it is that if men may enjoy health and obtain plenty for the back and belly wax rich and great and live like Emperours no matter which way Religion turneth no matter how the Church fareth either for the future or the present how it goeth with the Church they respect little so themselves and their Families may go on nay which is yet a worse symptom and bewrayeth the great power of Sathan over them what scruple at all do they make to pill and
suspected that he would cousen him and sought to entrap him If any talked roughly to him then he thought that he contemned him If meat were given to him in any plentifull sort This is but to fat me as a sheep or an ox to be slaughtered Thus his sin did lie upon him and ever remember him that some vengeance was to follow from God or Man or both And this is the case of all wilfull bloody presumptuous sinners that though there be some struglings and wrestlings to the contrary yet their hearts and consciences are greater than themselves and will put them in mind that nothing but destruction waiteth on them if they walk abroad sonus excitat omnis suspensum they are afraid of every leaf that wags if they stay at home nothing but horrour attends them In the day they are struck with variety of sad apprehensions and in the night they are tormented with fearfull dreams and strange apparitions Such and so great is the hell of a guilty conscience Love of Gods children is a sincere love THe Son of a poor man that hath not a penny to give or leave him yields his father obedience as chearfully as the son of a rich man that looks for a great Inheritance It is indeed love to the father not wages from the father that is the ground of a good child's obedience If there were no heaven God's children would obey him and though there were no hell yet would they do their duty So powerfully doth the love of the Father constrain them Ministers to be men of merciful dispositions THe Lord Ellesmer sometimes Lord Chancellor of England a great lover of mercy was heard to professe That if he had been a Preacher this should have been his Text A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast A merciful man and a merciful Text well met But oh the Prophetical incendiaries of the late fearful un-natural civil vvar how far were they from this sweetness of disposition how far from thoughts and bowels of mercy how far from a desire to preach mercy when it was a common course with them by Viperine glosses to eat out the bowels of a merciful Text when nothing was more usual amongst them than to alleadge the words of the Scripture against the meaning than to wrong and wring the Scripture till it bled again but they would misconstrue and misapply it one way or other to stir and incite men to such actions as little became the profession of the Gospel Election known by Sanctification IF any man would know whether the Sun shineth or not let him go no further but look upon the ground to see the reflection of the Sun-beams from thence and not upon the body of the Sun which will but the more dazle his fight The pattern is known by the Picture the cause by the effect Let no man then soar aloft to know whether he be elected or not but let him gather the knowledge of his Election from the effectualness of his calling and sanctification of his life the true and proper effects of a lively faith stamping the Image of Gods Election in his soul. Men commonly are loath to die though seemingly willing thereto IT is but Aesop's fable but the Morall of it is true A poor desolate old Man returning home from the vvood with a burthen of sticks on his back threw them down and in remembrance of the misery which he sustained called often for death to come unto him as if he would live no longer But when death came to him in earnest and asked him what he should do the old Man presently changed his mind and said That his request unto him was that he would help him up with his wood This most commonly is our case vve would find some other business to set death about if he should come to us when vainly we have wished for him we dismiss him with a Nondum venit tempus bid him call to morrow we are not yet at leisure How do men vainly wish for death and how mercifully doth the Eternal deal with them who oftentimes in his love denyeth that which they so earnestly desire and which if they should presently enjoy they would prove of all men most miserable for being removed hence it is to be feared the accounts betwixt God and their own souls would fall short of what they should be A special Sacrament-duty to bless God for Christ's death THe Jews in the celebration of the Passeover did sing the 113. Psalm with the five following Psalms which they called The great Hallelujuh it was always after that cup of wine which they called Poculum hymni or laudationis The cup of praise And thus it should be with us At all times upon all occasions in all places we should sing Hallelujahs to God and praise his holy name but at the Sacrament in that Eucharistical action we should sing a great Hallelujah No time but we should blesse God for the work of our Redemption but at the Sacrament we should have our hearts greatly inlarged in a more special manner to bless God for the benefit of Christ's death and the sweet comforts that we receive therby in the use of the Sacrament Not lawful to fight for Religion WHen Mahomet was about to establish his abomâ—nable superstition wherein he had mingled the Laws and doctrines of Heathens of Iews false Christians and Hereticks with the illusions and inventions of his own brain he gave it forth for a main Principle how God at the first in his love to mankind sent Moses after him Jesus Christ who were both of them endued with power to work miracles but men gave small heed to them Therefore he determined to send Mahomet a man without miracles a Warrior with a sword in his hand that whom miracles had not moved weapons might compell Thus they may derive their authority perhaps by a long descent from Mahomets pretended Charter but most sure it is they can find no syllable of allowance in the great assured sacred Charter of Gods word who seek to set up Religion by the sword fire and faggots are but sad Reformers The Church therefore was wont to be gathered by the mouths of Ministers not by the swords of Souldiers It was well said of one Let Religion sink to Hell rather then we should call to the devill for help to sâ—pport it The weight of sin to be seriously peized POrters and Carryers when they are called to carry a burthen on their shoulders first they look diligently upon it then they peize and lift it up to try whether they be able to undergo it and whether they shall have strength to carry it when it is once on their backs And thus should every man do that for a little pleasure hath enthralled himself to carry the burthen of sin he should first prove and assay what a weight
better way then to come to him with Christ in our armes to present our suits by him We have so far provoked the Almighty by our sins that he may justly fall on us with a back-blow that we never yet dreamt of And who in Heaven or Earth can or dare treat for our peace but Christ our Peace-maker Ille oculus est per quem Deum videmus c. saith Ambrose He is our eye with which we see God our hand by which we offer to him and our mouth by which we speak unto him The Vanity of heaping up Riches IT is a great deal of care and pains that the Spider takes in weaving her web she runneth much and often up and down she fetcheth a compass this way and that way and returneth often to the same point she spendeth her self in multitudes of fine threads to make her self a round Cabinet she exenterateth her self and worketh out her own bowels to make an artificial and curious piece of work which when it is made is apt to be blown away with every pusse of wind she hangeth it up aloft she fastneth it to the roof of the house she strengthneth it with many a thread wheeling often round about not sparing her own bowels but spending them willingly upon her work And when she hath done all this spun her fine threads weaved them one within another wrought her self a fine Canopy hanged it aloft and thinks all 's sure on a sudden in the twinckling of an eye with a little sweep of a Beesom all falls to the ground and so her labour perisheth But here is not all Poor Spider she is killed either in her own web or else she is taken in her own snare haled to death and trodden under foot Thus the silly Animal may be truly said either to weave her own winding sheet or to make a snare to hang her self Just so do many Men wast and consume themselves to get preferment to enjoy pleasures to heap up riches and encrease them and to that end they spend all their wit and oftentimes the health of their bodies running up and down labouring and sweating carking and caring And when they have done all this they have but weaved the Spiders web to catch flyes yea oftentimes are caught in their own nets are made instruments of their own destruction they take a great deal of pains with little success to no end or purpose The way to God is a cross-way to the World A Man that walks by a River if he follow the River against the stream it will at length bring him to the Spring-head from whence it issueth but if he go along with the stream it will drill him on to the salt Sea So he that is cross-grained to the humours of the World that swims against the stream of sensual delights and pleasures that well improveth these outward things to God's glory shall at the length be brought to God the sweet fountain of them all but if he sail with wind and tide in the abuse of the good Creatures of God they will carry him down like a Torrent into the mare mortuum of perdition How to know God's dwelling-place Heaven WHen in our travel we chance to cast our eye upon some goodly structure of inestimable value we presently conceive it to be the pallace of a Prince So when we see the frame of Heaven so full of wonders where Stars are but as dust and Angels are but servants where every word is unspeakable and every motion is a miracle we may safely conclude it to be the dwelling of him whose name is Wonderful The dissolution of all ages past is to be a Memento for Posterity ONe Guerricus hearing these words read in the Church out of the book of Genesis Chap. 15. And all the dayes that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years and he dyed All the dayes of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years and he dyed And all the dayes of Enos were nine hundred and five years and he dyed And all the dayes of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years and he dyed c. Hearing I say these words read the very conceit of death wrought so strongly upon him and made so deep an impression in his mind that he retired himself from the world and gave himself wholly to devotion that so he might dye the death of the godly and arrive more safely at the haven of felicity which is no where to be found in this world And thus should we do when we look back to the many ages that are past before us but thus we do not Like those that go to the Indies we look not on the many that have been swallowed up by the waves but on some few that have got by the Voyage we regard not the millions that are dead before us but have our eyes set on the lesser number that survive with us and hence it comes to pass that our passage out of this world is so little minded National knowledge of God no true knowledge LOok upon a common beggar he knows the road-way from place to place can tell you the distance from Town to Town nay more can inform you of such a Noble-mans such a Knights such a Gentlemans house though it stand a great way off from the Road of such a Farmers and such a Yeomans house though it be in never so obscure a Village yet all this while hath no setled home no abiding place of his own Such is the knowledge of every Christian except a true Christian he can tell you of the pleasures that are at the right hand of God in the highest Heavens can talk and prate of God discourse of goodnesse but all this while is not good himself nor can make our unto himself any assurance of Interest in those heavenly things which he so much talketh of A formal specious Christian no true Christian. RAchel was very fair a goodly Woman to see to beautiful to the eye O but she was barren that mar'd all So there are many in the world such as make specious shews of Religion such as vvould seem to be Saints O but they are barren they are fruitless sap-less leave-less Christians they would seem to honour God but not with their substance they would seem to be religious but they will not refrain their tongues they would seem to be charitable but they will not part with a penny they have all form but little or no power of gâ—dliness many goodly blossoms of profession no râ—al fruits of confession appearing outside specious not true not real Christians Order both in Church and State commanded and commended GOd is not the God of confusion but of order Confusion is from the Devil Order is from God especially in the Church which St. Paul resembles to our body wherein the parts are fitly disposed and every one keepeth his place The eye
the hand the foot one usurpeth not the function of another In answerableness whereunto the Apostle telleth us That all are not Prophets all are not Apâ—stles and exhorts all men As God hath called them so to walk A good rule for these unruly times wherein the hands yea and the feet too play Rex and take up the room of the Head and every man thiâ—keth himself fit to be a Teacher both by his pen and tonguâ— whose place notwithstanding is amongst the learners Security in time of danger condemned IT is said of Archimedes that when Syracuse was taken all the people being as it were distracted the Souldier doing all manner of out-rage he was found sitting at home securely drawing circles with his compass in the dust And do not we see men now a-dayes when there is Hannibal ad portas a popular sword playing Rex within and a Royal sword enraged without even when the eternal salvation of their souls is in question handling their dust and stretching themselves to their farthest compass set upon the tenter-hooks as it were and distracted with Law-suits with money matters and wordly businesse that shall profit them nothing at the last Eternity is a thing they never think on or else very slenderly for a snatch and away as dogs are said to lap at Nilus c. An ungodly life will have an ungodly end A Philosopher asking one Which of these two he had rather be either Croesus who was one of the richest but most vicious in the world or Socrates who was one of the poorest but one of the most vertuous men in the world his answer was That in his life he would be a Croesus but in his death a Socrates So if many in these dayes were put to their choice they would be Dives in their life but Lazarus in their death they would with Balaam die the death of the righteous but live the life of the wicked but that cannot be for death is a kâ—nd of truck or Exchange here it is that the Israelites make the briâ—ks and the Egyptians dwell in the houses but hereafter St. Iohn Baptist's head will become a Crown as well as a platter and he that hath had his consolation his Heaven in this world shall at the time of death meet with torments and Hell in that which is to come A child of God is restless till he come to Heaven LOok upon a silly poor Country-lad coming to be an Apprentice in the City how doth he hone and mourn after his Father and Mother How doth he grieve because he is far from his friends and acquaintance he is never quiet till he hath been at the Carryers to hear from them and fain would he be with them again though he be at that very time in a very good service and placed with an honest loving Master And thus it is with a child of God though he have a competent measure of grace to support him in this life and the hope of Heaven in that which is to come yet he is restless till he comes to Heaven he groans and mourns because he is absent from his heavenly Father and from his friends and acquaintance the blessed Saints and Angels The use of the Creatures is conditional A Tenant that holdeth land from a Lord may not use it otherwise then according to the Covenants agreed upon if he do the Premises are forfeited Even so it is betwixt God and us the grant which he maketh to us of his Creatures is conditional we may take convenient food for our sustenance decent cloaths to shrowd us from the injury of the weather and we may bestow our money to supply our own and other folks necessities to these ends we may use Gods creatures but we may not riot with our meat and drink we may not be fantastical in our apparel neither may we with our wealth grinde the faces of the poor we have no Covenant that warrants any of these and therefore the doing of any of these is a forfeit to the Proprietary And how often might Christ re-enter upon our goods if he would take advantage of our daily abuses nay he daily doth re-enter had we but grace to see it What multitudes of Inhabitants hath drunkenness spued out of their possessions What goodly Patrimonies hath pride and oppression brought to nought It were to be wished that the World did as much take notice of it as almoste very place doth give them occasion so to do Vnpreparedness for death very dangerous IT was a good answer that one Messodamus gave one inviting him to feast the next day My friend saith he Why dost thou invite me against to morrow I could not for these many years so secure my self that I should live one day for I am in dayly expectation of the time of my departure And indeed no Man can be sufficiently armed against Death unless he be ready to entertain it VVhat rashness and folly is it then for a man to lie down in â—ase upon a Feather-bed to sleep securely â—norting and snoring and all this while to lodge an Enemy a deadly Enemy all the while Sin in his bosom sudden deaths are common How many have we heard of that went well to bed over night for ought a man could tell and have been found dead in the morning and it is much to be feared have gone impenitently to bed it may be dead-drunk and have found themselves awake in hell the next morning Unpreparedness for death must needs therefore be dangerous I. S. 1648. H. S. 1657. The wisdom of Christ above all earthly wisdom even to admiration DIonysius the Tyrant sent to Plato that he might come to see him one of his fairest Gallies with store of dainty provision and well accompanied And at the Haven where he was to land had provided a Coach with four horses to be ready to receive him that he might come in the greater pomp to his Pallace and all this honour he was willing to do him for that he was a wise man Now if such men as he shall cause admiration in the vvorld vvhat admiration then must he raise in mens minds vvho is wisdom it self and in vvhom all the treasures of God's wisdom are laid up for evermore Not to be malicious in the exercise of holy duties IT is said of the Serpent that he casts up all his poyson before he drinks It vvere to be much desired that herein vve had so much Serpentine wisdom as to disgorge our malice before vve pray to cast up all the bitterness of our spirits before vve come to the Sacrament of Reconciliation Special places of Scripture marked with Gods special Authority MOrtal Princes use not to sign Bills or Petitions the contents whereof are trivial matters many things are done by vertâ—e of their Regal authority whereunto their signature is not used Even so ordinary matters pass
in the Word of God without any special urging of his Supream power but when it comes with a sic dicit dominus then the point is of great regard and if it be often ingeminated it giveth us to understand that we must take special notice of every clause of it In all our doings we should have our eye upon Eternity ZEuxis the famous Painter was observed to be very slow at his work and to let no piece of his go abroad into the World to be seen of men till he had turned it over and over this side and that side again the again to see if he could spie any fault in it And being upon a time asked the Reason why he was so curious why so long in drawing his lines and so slow in the use of his pensil he made this answer I am long in doing what I take in hand because what I paint I paint for Eternity As for our parts we write we read we sing we pray we labour whatsoever we say whatsoever we do whatsoever we think all is transmitted to Eternity all to be viewed by a most judicious and all-seeing eye so that no fault can escape and being viewed and considered they are to be committed either to be eternally punished or eternally rewarded VVe must labour therefore to be perfect so to live to God that we may live with God so to live on Earth that we may live in Heavan so to live for Eternity that we may live to all Eternity At the time of death to be mindful onely of Heaven CHrist perceiving his death to be neer at hand withdrew himself and would walk no more openly among the Jews And David being at the last cast of his life saith Remitte mihi ut refrigerer c. Give me leave O Lord to dispose of my self and to render thee an account of my life before I go hence and be seen no more These are Lectures of Mortality read to all of us in this world That when we are about to die we should have nothing else to do but to die we should bid these sublunary things Adieu and sequester our thoughts from the VVorld and retire into our selves to see how the case stands betwixt God and our own soules A tongue nimble to evil slow to goodness is reproveable PLiny in his Natural History maketh mention of a certain people in the Indies upon the River Ganges called Astomi that have no mouth but do onely feed upon the smell of herbs and flowers c. The truth of this may be uncertain but most sure it is that there is such a generation amongst us that when they should speak well they are like men possessed with a dumb devil they have no mouth no lips no tongue at all but if it be to blaspheme God and the King to backbite and slander their Neighbour they have tongue enough and to spare A Minister is to distinguish his Auditors SChool-masters range their Scholars into forms and though themselves be never so learned yet they read unto their several forms no deeper points then they are capable of if they should do otherwise well might they shew their learning they would shew no discretion neither would the Scholars be the better for that which they should teach them Even so Ministers must remember to distinguish their Auditors to feed some with milk some with strong meat to catechize the youth plainly and briefly to build on those that are elder and riper in years and judgement with more learning and more full instruction Hopes of Heaven are the good mans encouragement SYmphorianus a Christian young man after that he was almost scourged to death as he was dragged to death at Augustodunum met his mother upon the way But how not tearing the hair from her head or rending her cloaths or laying open her breasts or making grievous lamentation as the manner of foolish women is to do but carrying her self like an heroick Christian Lady called to her Son and said Son my Son I say Remember life eternal look up to Heaven lift up thine eye to him that raigneth there Life is not taken from thee but exchanged for a better At which words of his Mother the young man was so exceedingly animated that he went willingly to execution and cheerfully laid down his head upon the block and was decolled This is the case of every man living we go not so fast as Symphorianus did we are not yet under the fiery tryal but we are fair for it we are all going and we have not far to it Now the noble Army of Martyrs which are gone before us they call unto us from Heaven and say as the Christian and couragious mother said to her Son Remember life eternal look up to heaven see who is there the Judge of all the world that will do righteous things The brevity of our life may moderate our life IF a company that are bound out for some long Voyage should strive who should be Master and who Masters mate and who should have this or that Office they were not too much to be blamed But vvhen they are almost at home vvithin sight of Land vvhen they shall begin to strike sail to tack in all and go ashore then if they shall fall a quarrelling for places and use all the means they could make it vvere a ridiculous thing and folly So it is vvith us Time vvas vvhen the world vvas in beginning and then vvhen a man came into the world by the course of Nature he might vvell say I have a matter of six or seven or eight hundreth years to go on in my Pilgrimage before I shall end my journey and then if a Man should bestovv a little time to think vvith himself Well if I can but live to see my self the â—ather of a thousand children and so might come to people a Country c. then if a man should greet the VVorld he might be excused But novv since God hath contracted the time of our age so that as soon as vve begin our Voyage vve are ready to strike sail presently that vve have but a little time to continue here and a great deal of work to do for hereafter and novv to stand striving vvho shall be greatest vvho shall rule all to cry out of afflictions just vvhen vve are going ashore vvhen vve have as it vvere one foot in our graves is extreamly folly and madnesse Sacramental bread and wine better then ordinary THere is much water in the VVell or Spring-head it comes to us in leaden pipes or woodden troughs Now what is the leaden pipe or woodden trough more then another Nothing at all It is the water in the pipe or trough that makes them esteemed above others It is true they can do more then others but if you look upon them in the use i. e to convey the water into us then they
those times when the Roman Common-wealth was almost consumed with mutuall and civill jars he would have built a Temple Iovi positorio wherein men should have deposited and layen down all heart-burnings all quarrells before they entred the Senate How necessary were such a place for the Magistrates Ministers and People of these times For Magistrates before they come into any places of publique judicature where they may meet and lay down all private thoughts all prejudicate opinions that so Iustice and Iudgement may be duly and conscionably administred For Ministers before they preach in publique where they may teach themselves the lessons of self-denial and self-seeking that so the Kingdom of Iesus Christ may be advanced For People before they touch the Mount before they come to hear the word preached or to partake of the blessed Sacrament where they may lay aside all carnall and worldly thoughts all prejudices of the Ministers and Ordinances that so the word of God and the professors thereof be not evil spoken of That Magistrates Ministers and People may be so peaceably minded that the God of peace may delight to dwell amongst them How it is that we may hate our Enemies IT was a true Norman distinction that William the first made when he censured one that was both Bishop of Bayens and Earl of Kent And his Apology to the Plaintiffe Pope-ling was this That he did not medle with the Bishop but with the Earl Thus in the matter of hatred and envy We must hate our enemies as David did his How is that Odio perfecto with a perfect hatred love their persons but hate their vices medle not with them as they are friends or acquaiutance but abhominate their uncleannesse c. Riches ill gotten never prosper SAlis onus unde venerat illuc abiit saith the Latin Proverb The burthen of Salt is returned thither from whence it came The occasion was this A Ship laden with Salt being torn by wrack let the Salt fall into the Sea from whence it was first taken So for the most part Goods gotten by spoil or plunder are usually lost in the same way Vespasian's Officers that by rapine and exaction filled themselves like spunges after they were full were squeezed by the Emqerour And it is dayly seen that the spoiler is himselfe spoiled and that which was gathered by the hire of a Whore returneth to the wages of an Harlot Mich. 1. 7. The excellent connexion of the Scriptures of God THe Heathen said That there were three things impossible to be done Eripere Iovi fulmen Herculi clavam Homero versum to pull Iupiters Thunder-bolt out of his hand Hercules Club out his hand and a Verse from Homer for they thought there was such a connexion between Homers Verses that not one Verse could be taken away without a great breach in the whole Work But this may much more be said of the Scriptures of God there is such a coherence such a connexion such a dependance that if you take away but one Verse the whole will be marred all the Books of Scripture being like a chain linked together except the Book of Solomons Proverbs which is like a bag full of gold Rings every verse being one entire and distinct sentence God the onely delight of his children LEt Iacob but hear that Ioseph his son is yet alive he hath enough If the King come home with freedom honour and safety Ziba may keep the Land let him take all Mephiâ—oshtch is satisfied Could but the son of Hamor match with Dina his Circumcision shall be endured and though the daughters of the Country be denyed him yet shall he be well contented Give but Rahell children and she will not dye And let Simeon see his Saviour and he will dye Thus let God's children enjoy but him the subject of their affections tide life tide death come what can come whatsoever befals them they are contented he is the onely object of their love and he it is in whom their soul principally delighteth wherefore in the enjoyment of him they have all they would have A faint-hearted Christian described SOme freshwater Souldier standing upon the shore in a fair day and beholding the Ships top and top-gallant in all their bravery riding safety at Anchor thinks it a brave thing to go to Sea and will by all means aboard but being out a league or two from the Harbour and feeling by the rocking of the Ship his stomack begin to work and grow sick and his soul even to abhor all manner of meat or otherwise a storm to arise the wind and the Sea as it were conspiring the sinking of the Vessel forthwith repents his folly and makes vows that if he but once be set ashore again he will bid an eternal farewel to all such Voyages And thus there be many faint-hearted Christians to be found amongst us who in calm dayes of Peace when Religion is not over-clouded by the times will needs join themselves to the number of the people of God they will be as earnest and as forward as the best and who but they yet let but a Tempest begin to appear and the Sea to grow rougher than at the first entry the times alter troubles raised many cross minds of opposition and gain-saying begin to blow they are weary of their course and will to shore again resolving never to thrust themselves into any more adventures they would have Christum but not Christum crucifixum Christ they would have by all means but Christ crucified by no means if the way to Heaven be by the gates of Hell let who will they will not go that way but rather sit down and be quiet Diligence in our callings commendable PLiny relateth of one Cressinus who from a very little piece of ground gathering much wealth and much more then his neighbours could from a greater quantity of land was thereupon accused of Witch-craft But to defend himself he brought into the Court his servants and their instruments of labour and said Veneficia mea Quirites haec sunt My witch-crafts O ye Romans are these these servants and these working tools are all the witch-craft that I know of I say not to my servants go and do this or that but come let us go do it and so the work goes on Well it is the deligent hand that maketh rich It is diligence and industry that makes any man excellent and glorious and chief in any condition calling or profession Seest thou a man diligent in his way he shall stand before Princes Different measures of Grace in different persons AS Abimelech's Souldiers some cut down greater branches some lesser according to the proportion of their strength And as St. Paul's Mariners some were saved on boards some on broken pieces of the Ship Even so amongst Christians some in their approaches unto God carry a greater some a lesser confidence
and some arive at the Port of Heaven with one measure of trust some with another For as the members of the body are knit unto the head but some neerer some further off So in Christ's body all draw grace from him yet in difference of grace in difference of hope yet all have anchor-hold enough to stay by for their better support Drunkenness condemned THe use of drinking is now so taken up in England that the Germans 't is probable are like to lose their Charter There was a street in Rome called Vicus sobrius the sober street because there was never an Ale-house in it which is hard to be said of any street in England The Emperor Aurelian was ill troubled to find out one Bonosus to quaffe with the German Ambassador who yet was derided for his labour and commonly called Non homo sed dolium not a man but a Tub of swill yet our time affords store of these like the German mentioned by Pontanus who hearing a solemn Tilting at the Court applauded by the loud ecchoes of the people cryed out O valeant ludi quibus nemo bibit farewel the game where there is no drinking but let all men remember this before they pour in their mornings draught Wo be to them that are strong to drink and to such as give their companions drink that they may see their nakedness God's time the best time THe case of Monica the Mother of St. Augustine is famous she grieved that her son was spotted with the heresie of the Manichees and she prayed that the Lord would bring him to the knowledge of his truth she prayed and prayed still yet he as himself confesseth continued for nine years together so infected It fell out afterwards that he would needs go and travell out of Africa into Italy his Mother being loath to part with him being the staffe of her age earnestly prayed that God would hinder him of that purpose yet Augustine went and coming to have his ears tickled had his heart touched and got Religion in to boot with the eloquence of St. Ambrose at Millane whereupon not long after he broke out into this Confession Bone Deus c. Thou O good God deep in Counsel and hearing the substance of my Mothers desires didst not regard what she then asked that in me thou mightst do that which she ever asked Thus the Almighty God dealeth with other of his servants working all things to the best but it is at such times as he himself thinketh best for our friends and children the Lord knoweth better what is good then we our selves can desire yet we must pray and beg with this condition Thy will be done That which vve think is most dangerous turneth oft-times to our good and thence vvhence vve expect our undoing God raiseth our greatest comfort and when it is our greatest extremity then it is his best opportunity If it be in him to blesse and protect us it is in him to do it when it seemeth good to himself Truth seeks no corners LUcullus a Noble Roman being told by one that he vvould build an house for him in such a manner that none should see vvhat he did and yet he should have a good prospect out of it and see all men the ansvver vvhich Lucullus made vvas this That he had rather he could make him such a house wherein all might see what he did and so know what he was and most certain it is that Truth though naked seeks no corners vvherein to hide it self and they onely dwell in such houses mentioned by 〈◊〉 all vvhose actions being done in truth and sincerity of heart are as it vvere so many windows vvhich openly shew and make known to all the world vvhat they are indeed To beware of the lusts of the flesh WHen the Oyster openeth himself to the Sun being tickled with the warmth thereof then his enemy the Crab-fish stealeth behind him and thrusteth in his claws and will not suffer him to shut again and so devoureth him The like is written of the Crocodile that being so strong a Serpent as he is and impregnable yet when he is gaping to have his teeth picked by the little bird called â—rochil his enemy the Ichneumon creepeth into his body and ceaseth not to gnaw upon his entrails till he hath destroyed him Think upon the Urchin and the Snail whilst the Urchin keeps himself close in the bottom of an hedge he is either not espyed or contemned but when he creeps forth to suck the Cow he is dogged and chopped in So the Snail when he lies close with his house on his head is esteemed for a dead thing and not looked after but when in liquorishness to feed upon the dew that lyes upon the grass or upon the sweetness of the Rose-bush he will be pearking abroad then the Gardiner findeth and pasheth him The lesson is we must not yeeld to the sweet baiâ—s of the flesh but we must rather mortifie our members upon the earth and ever beware that we seek not our death in the error of our life otherwise if we wilfully offer our selves to be led as an Ox to the slaughter and as a sheep to the Shambles What marvel if we have our throats cut or be led away captive by Sathan at his will Ministers to cry down the sins of the time IT is observable that our Saviour never inveighed against Idolatry usury Sabbath-breaking amongst the Iews not that these were not sins but they were not practised so much in that age wherein wickedness was spun with a finer thread and therefore Christ principally bent the drift of his preaching against spiritual pride hypocrisie and traditions then predominant amongst the people Thus it ought to be with the Ministers of the Gospel in this thing they are to trace their Masters steps they are chieâ—ly to reprove the raging sins of the time and place they live in yet with this caution that in publique reproving of sin they ever whip the vice and let the person go free No Appeal from God's tribunal AMongst the Iudges of the earth upon motion made by Councell a man may have Order for a hearing and re-hearing of his Cause hearing upon hearing a first and a second hearing But with God it is not so there 's no such Rule in the Court of Heaven The Motto that is written over that Tribunal is Ampliâ—s non ero I shall be no more For we may not dye twice to amend in our second death the errors of our first life There is no reversing of Iudgement no Appeal from this Iudge to that or from one Court to another How doth it then concern us to condemn our selves before God condemn us and that we kill sin in our selves before God kill us in our sins Corrections Instructions I Had never known said Martin Luther's wife what such and such things meant
cause quoth he wherefore your fellow was condemned to death and therefore you must dye and to the third You Centurion because you have not learned to obey the voice of your General shall dye also for company Excogitaverat quomodo tria crimina faceret c. He devised how he might make three faults because he found not one But the just Iudge of all the world needs not do so with us no beating of his brains to invent an accusation against us he needs not draw three faults into one or find one where there is none there 's matter enough within us to condemn us our thoughts our words our deeds do yield him cause enough to pronounce the sentence of death upon us The giving up of our selves an acceptable Sacrifice to God IT is reported of Aeschines when he saw his fellow Scholars give great gifts to his Master Socrates he being poor and having nothing else to bestow did give himself to Socrates as confessing to be his in heart and good will and wholly at his devotion And the Philosopher took this most kindly esteeming it above all other presents and returned him love accordingly Even so the gratious disposition of our heavenly Father taketh in far better part then any man can take it the laying down of our souls the submitting of our selves unto his direction the melâ—ing of our wills down into his Will The Widows two mites were welcome into his Treasury because her heart was full though her purse were empty He accounteth that the best sacrifice which is of the heart External things do well but Internal things do far better Heaven worth contending for IF a man were assured that there were made for him a great purchase in Spain Turkey or some other parts more remote would be not adventure the dangers of the Seas and of his Enemies also if need were that he might come to the enjoyment of his own Well behold Iesus Christ hath made a purchase for us in Heaven and there is nothing required on our parts but that we will come and enjoy it Why then should we refuse any pains or fear any thing in the way nay we must strive to get in It may be that we shall be pinched in the entrance for the gate is strait and low not like the Gates of Princes lofty roof'd and arched so that we must be fain to leave our wealth behind us and the pleasures of this life behind us yet enter we must though we leave our skins nay our very lives behind us for the purchase that is made is worth ten thousand Worlds not all the silks of Persia â—ot all the spices of Egypt not all the gold of Ophir not all the Treasures of bot\â—h Indies are to be compared to it Who therefore would not contend for such a bargain though he sold all to have it Adoption of God's children known by their Sanctification FIre is known to be no painted or imaginary fire by two notes by heat and by the flame Now if the case so fall out that the fire want a slame it is stil known by the heat In like manner there be two witnesses of our adoption or sanctification Gods spirit and our spirit Now if it so fall out that a man feel not the Principal which is the spirit of adoption he must then have recourse to the second VVitness and search out in himself the signs and tokens of the sanctification of his own spirit by which he may certainly assure himself of his adoption as fire may be known to be fire by the heat though it want a flame The danger of Worldly mindedness IT is seen by experience that a man swiming in a River as long as he is able to hold up his head and keep it above water he is in no danger but safely swimeth and cometh to the shore with good contentment but if once his head for want of strength begin to dive then shaketh he the hearts of all that do behold him and himself may know that he is not far from death So is it in this wretched world and swimers of all sorts if the Lord give us strength to keep up our heads i. e. to love God and Religion above the world and before it and all the pleasures of it there is then no danger but after a time of swiming in it up and down we shall arrive in a firm place with happiness and safety but if once we dive and the head go under water if once the world get the victory and our hearts are set upon it and go under it in a sinful love and liking of it O then take heed of drowning Gods delight in a relapsed Sinners repentance AS a Husbandman delights much in that ground that after long barrenness becomes fruitful As a Captain loves that Souldier that once fled away cowardly and afterwards returns valiantly Even so God is wonderfully enamoured with a sinner that having once made shipwrack of a good Conscience yet at last returns and swims to Heaven upon the plank of Faith and Repentance Vnworthy Communicants condemned CHildren when they first put on new shooes are very curious to keep them clean scarce will they set their foot on the ground for fear to dirty the soles of their shooes yea rather they will wipe them clean with their Coats and yet perchance the next day they will trample with the same shooes up to the ancles Alas childrens play is our earnest On that day we receive the Sacrament we are often over-precise scrupling to say or do those things which lawfully we may But we who are more then curious that day are not so much as careful the next day and too often what shall I say go on in sin up to the ancles yea our sins go over our heads Psal. 28. 5. A sense of the want of Grace a true sign of Grace IT is the first step unto Grace for a man to see no Grace and it is the first degree of Grace for a man to desire Grace as no man can sincerely seek God in vain so no man can sincerely desire grace in vain A man may love gold yet not have it but no man loveth God but is sure to have him Wealth a man may desire yet be never the neerer for it but grace no man ever sincerely desired and missed it and why It is God that hath wrought this desire in the heart and he will never frustrate the desire that himself there hath wrought Let no man say I have no Faith no Repentance no Love no fear of God no sanctifying no saving grace in me Doth he see a want of these things in himself yes that is it which so grieves him that he cannot love God stand in awe of him trust in his mercy repent of sin as he should yea but doth he seriously and unfeignedly desire to do thus yes he desires it above all
making but set in a plain frame not gilded And a deformed man is also his Workmanship but not drawn with even lines and lively colours The former not for want of wealth as the latter not for want of skill but both for the pleasure of the Maker and many times their Souls have been the Chappels of Sanctity whose bodies have been the Spitals of deformity Profession and Practice to go together THe Prophet Esay chap. 58. 1. is willed to lift up his voyce like a Trumpet there are many things that sound lowder than a Trumpeâ— as the roaring of the Sea the claps of Thunder and such like yet he sayes not Lift up thy voyce as the Sea or lift up thy voyce as Thunder but lift up thy voyce as a Trumpet Why as a Trumpet Because a Trumpeter when he sounds his Trumpet he winds it with his mouth and holds it up with his hand And so every faithfull heart which is as it were a spirituall Trumpet to â—ound out the prayses of God must not onely report them with his mouth but also support them with his hand When Profession and Practice meet together quà m benè conveniunt What a Harmony is in that Soul When the tongue is made Gods Advocate and the hand Executor of Gods will then doth a Man truly lift up his voice like a Trumpet All men and things subject to Mortality VVHen the Emperour Constantius came to Rome in triumph and beheld the Companies that entertained him he repeated a saying of Cyneas the Epirote that he had seen so many Kings as Citisens But viewing the buildings of the City the stately Arches of the Gates so lofty that at his entrance he needed not to have stooped like a Goose at a barn-door the Turrets Tombs Temples Theaters Aquaeducts Baths and some of the work so high like Babel that the eye of Man could scarcely reach unto them he was amazed and said That Nature had emptied all her strength and invention upon that one City He spake to Hormisda the Master of his works to erect him a brazen horse in Constantinople like unto that of Trajan the Emperour which he there saw Hormisda answered him that if he desired the like horse he must then provide him the like stable All this and much more in the honour of Rome At length he asked Hormisda What he thought of the City who told him that he took no pleasure in any thing there but in learning one lesson That men also dyed in Rome and that he perceived well the end of that Lady City which in the judgement of Quintilian was the onely City and all the rest but Towns would be the same with all her Predecessors the ruines whereof are even gone to Ruine this is the doom that attendeth both Men and Places be they never so great and stately The consideration whereof made a learned Gent. close up that his admirable History of the World in these words O eloquent just and mighty death whom none could advise thou onely hast perswaded what none hath dared thou hast done and whom all the world hath flattered thou onely hast cast out out of the world and despised Thou hast drawn together all the far-stretched greatness all the pride cruelty and ambition of Man and covered it over with these two narrow words HIC JACET Faith in Christ the onely support in the time of Trouble IN that famous battle at Leuctrum where the Thebans got a signall Victory but their Captain Epaminondas his deaths wound It is reported that Epaminondas a little before his death demanded whether his Buckler were taken by the enemy and when he understood that it was safe and that they had not so much as laid their hands on it he dyed most willingly and cheerfully Suâ—h is the resolution of a valiant souldier of Christ Iesus when he is wounded even to death he hath an eye to his shield of faith and finding that to be safe out of the enemies danger his soul marcheth couragiously out of this world singing S. Paul's triumphant ditty I have finished my course I have kept the faith Henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse 2 Tim. 4. 7. 8. Nothing but Christ to be esteemed as of any worth AS the Iewes use to cast to the ground the book of Esther before they read it because the Name of God is not in it And as St. Augustine cast by Tullies works because they contained not the Name of Christ. So must we throw all aside thâ—t hath not the Name of Iesus on it If honour riches preferment c. come not in the â—ame of Iesus away with them set them by as not worth the taking up give them no entertainment further than as they have reference to Christ and Eternity Humility the way to Glory WE say in our Creed that Christ descended into hell descendit ut ascendat He took his rising from the lowest place to ascend into the highest And herein Christ readeth a good lecture unto us he teacheth us that humility is the way to glory and the more we are humbled the more we shall be exalted Adam and those once glorious Angells were both ambitious both desired to climb but they mistook their rise and so in climbing both had grievous falls If we then would climb without harm we must learn of Christ to climb so shall we be sure to tread the steps of Iacob's ladder which from earth will reach even to the highest heavens A Kingdome divided within it self cannot long stand MElanchton perswading the divided Protestants of his time to peace and unity illustrateth his argument by a notable parable of the woolves and the dogs who were marching onward to fight one against another The woolves that they might the better know the strength of their adversary sent forth a master-woolf as their scout The scout returns and tells the woolves That indeed the dogs were more in number but yet they should not be discouraged for he observed that the dogs were not one like another a few mâ—stiffs there wâ—re but the most were little currs which could onely bark but not bite and would be affraid of their own shadow Another thing also he observed which would much encourage them and that was That the dogs did march as if they were more offended at themselves than with us not keeping their ranks but grinning and snarling and biting and tearing one another as if they would save us a labour And therefore let us march on resolutely for our enemies are their own enemies enemies to themselves and their own peace they bite and devour each other and therefore we shall certainly devour them Thus though a Kingdom or State be never so well provided with Men Arms Ammunition Ships Walls Forts and Bulwarks yet notwithstanding if divisions and heart-burnings get into that Kingdom that State or that City like a spreading gangreen they will
Nec propter deum haec res coepta est nec propter deum â—inietur c. This businesse was neither begun for God nor shall be ended for him Not to serve Time but Eternity VVHen the Master of the House failes the Family is out of order and at the point of dissolution So miserable will be the condition of base Time-servers when their great Master is taken from them and the Angel hath sworn That Time shall be no longer Rev. 10. 6. It is best therefore serâ—ing of him who is Eternity a Master that can ever protect us Gods tryal of his Children by Afflictions THe manner of the Psylli which are a kind of People of that temper and constitution that no venome will hurt them is that if they suspect any child to be none of their own they set an Adder upon it to sting it and if it cry and the flesh swell they cast it away as a spurious issue but if it never so much as quatch nor be the worse for it then they account it for their own and make very much of it In like manner Almighty God tryes his children by enduring crosses and afflictions he suffereth the old Serpent to sting them and bring troubles and sorrows upon them and if they patiently endure them and make good use of them he offereth himself to them as to his own children and will make them heirs of his Kingdom but if they fall a roaring and crying and storming and fretting and can no waies abide the pain he accompteth them as bastards and no children Heb. 12. 8. Cares and Crowns inseparable THe Emblem of King Henry the seventh in all his buildings in the windows was still a Crown in a bush of Thornes wherefore or with what historicall allusion he did so is uncertain but surely it was to imply thus much That great places are not free from great cares that no man knows the weight of a Scepter but he that swayes it This made Saul hide himselfe amongst the stuffe when he should have been made a King Many a sleepless night many a restless day and many a busie shift wil their ambition cost them them that affect such places of eminency besides Aulae culmen lubricum High places are slippery and as it is easie to fall so the ruine is deep and the recovery difficult God wills not the death of a sinner SHould a prisoner led to execution hear the Iudge or Sheriff call to him and say Turn back put in sureties for thy good behaviour hereaâ—ter and live would he not suddainly leap out of his fetters embrace the condition and thank the Iudge or Sheriff upon his bare knees And what can be thought if God should send a Prophet to preach a Sermon of repentance to the devills and say Knock off your bolts shake off your fetters and turn unto the Lord and live would not Hell be soon broke loose and rid before the Prophet could make an end of his exhortation Such a Sermon the Prophet Ezekiel now maketh to all sinners As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that he turn from his waies and live Turn ye turn ye from your evill waies c. Ezek. 33. 11 18 30 31. Shake off the shakles of your sins quit the company of the prisoners of death and gally-slaves of Sathan put in sureties for your good behaviour hereafter turn to the Lord your God and live yea lâ—ve gloriously live happily live eternally Married men better Common-wealths-men than Batchelers 'T Is the policy of the Londoners when they send a ship into the Levant or Mediâ—erranean sea to make every Marriner therein a Merchant each sea-man â—â—venâ—uring somewhat of his own which will make him more wary to avoid and more valiant to undergo dangers Thus married men especially if having posterity are the deeper sharers in the State wherein they live which engagetâ— their affections to the greater loyalty And though Batchelers be the strongest stakes yet married men are the best binders in the hedge of the Common-wealth One foul sin spoyleth a great deal of grace WOuld it not vex a Scrivener after he had spent many daies and taken much pains upon a large Patent or Lease to make such a blot at the last word that he should be forced to write it all over again Yet so it is that one foul and enormous crime dasheth and obliterateth the fairest copy of a vertuous life it razeth all the golden characters of divine graces printed in the soul. As one drop of ink coloureth a whole glasse of clear water so one sinfull and shamefull action staineth all the fâ—rmer good life All our fastings and prayers all our sufferings for righteousnesse all the good thoughts we ever conceived all the good words we ever uttered all the good works we ever performed are lost at the very instant of our recidivation The benefit of keeping close to good Principles HE that intends to meet with one in a great Fair and knowes not where he is may sooner find him by standing still in some eminent place there than by trâ—versing it up and down Thus having taken thy stand upon some ground in Religion and keeping thy station in a fixed posture never hunting after the times to follow them 't is a hundred to one but they will come to thee once in thy life-time Do but fear God and reverence thy Superiours stick close to the principles of obedience to the one and â—â—â—pect to the other and it is more then an â—even lay that such as are given â—aâ—rdâ— châ—nge such as have betaken themselves to new lights in the waies of God 〈…〉 dispence with their engagement to him that is set over them will come abouâ— and begin to see at the last how they have been deluded The sinner's Memento BAlthazars quaffing in the Church-plate proved a fatall draught unto him Korah Dathan and Abiram had no sooner opened their rebellious mouths against Moses but the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up quick Ananias and Saphira had no sooner told a lie and stand to it but they are struck dead to the ground Herod had scarcely made an end of his Oration to the People and received their applause but the Angel of the Lord smote him and made an end of him On that â—iâ—ners of all sorts blasphemous swearers bloody murtherers unclean adulterers and sacrilegious Church-robbers when the devill egges them on to any impiety or villany would but cast this rub in their way and say to themselves What if God should take me in the manner and strike me in the very act and cast me into the dungeon of hell there to be tormented with the devill and his angels for evermore Do I not provoke him to it do I not dare him hath he not threatned as much hath he not done as much That which is one mans case may be any
science of all things is now grown sottish and senseless not onely as Calvisius forgetting those things which he was well acquainted withall but even losing the knowledge of himselfe he that to whom before all the beasts of the Forrest and every living Creature came as the Queen of Sheba to Solomon to admire his wisdom must now go to the beasts and birds and creeping things to learn severall lessons for instruction to the Pisemire for providence Prov. 6. 6. to the Stâ—rk and to the Swallow for to make a right use of time Jer. 8. 7. to the Oxe and to the Ass for knowledge c. Esay 1. 3. to the Fouls of the Air for confidence Matth. 6. c. The sloathful Christian reproved MAjor Lepidus a loose Roman whilst his Camerades upon a very hot day were exercised in the Army he laid himselfe down in the shade saying Utinam hoc esset laborare I would this were all the duty that I were to do So it may be said of many idle sloathfull Christians amongst us such as with Balaam wish to dye the death of the Righteous but they will not take any care to live the life of the Righteous they would fain enter in at the straight Gate but they would be loath to croud for it they have longing desires to be in the Church triumphant which is in Heaven but care not whether they ever make a step or nor into that which is militant here upon earth Prosperity of the wicked destructive PRosperity to the wicked is as wind to a bladder which swels it untill it burst like a Ship when she is top and top gallant soonest cast away like a Spider in a Kings house soonest swept down When a wicked man is at the highest then he is nearest his fall and usually when he is in the ruffe of all his bravery God so orders it that he is humbled on a suddain Gods acceptance of Sinners through Christ. THemistocles on a time having highly offended K. Philip and not knowing how to regain his favour goes and takes young Alexander his Sonne in his arms and so presents himlsef before the King which when he saw and perceiving the young child to smile upon him his wrath was soon appeased towards him Thus we have all of us highly offended and provoked the King of Kings God himselfe What shall we do to regain his favour No way so ready as to take his Son Christ Iesus in our arms and upon the bended knees of our hearts to prostrate our selves before him and then we shall find to our comfort that as one looking through a green or red glass all things will seem to be of the same colour so God looking through his Sons Righteousness upon us will for his sake accept us for Righteous and so be reconciled unto us The Christians heart never quiet till it be in Christ. THe Needle 's point in the Seamans Compals never stands still but quivers and shaks till it come right against the North-pole The Wisemen of the East never stood still till they were right against the Star which appeared unto them and the Star it selfe never stood still till it came right against that other star which shined more brightly in the Manger then the Sun did in the firmament And Noahs Dove could find no rest for the soal of her foot all the while she was fluttering over the floud till she returned to the Ark with an Olive-branch in her mouth So the heart of every true Christian which is the Turtle-dove of Iesus Christ can find no rest all the while she is hovering over the waters of this world till it have silver wings of a Dove and with the Olive-branch of faith fly to the true Noah which signifieth Rest till Christ put forth his hand out of the Ark and taking it in receive it to himself Christ the proper food of the Soul EVery kind of living Creature hath a kind of food proper to it selfe offer a Lion grass and he will have none of it but give him flesh and he ears it Fodder is for the heards and the flocks of the field but flesh for the beasts of the Woods that hunt for their prey Thus offer a Christian heart all the Kingdoms of the world and the glory thereof which is but as the flower of the grass they will not down there is no relish in them but give it Christ who saith My flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed then it falls to very eagerly and makes a comfortable meal thereof Prayers of the wicked ineffectuall IT is said of the precious stone Diacletes though it have many excelling Soâ—eraignties in it yet it loseth them all if it be put into a dead mans mouth And certainly Prayer which is the onely Iewel of a Christian though it have many rare vertues in it many excellencies belonging to it yet it loseth them every one if it be put in a Mans mouth who is dead in sins and trespasses The ingratefull Christian reproved WE would think that begger intolerably impudent that coming to our doors to ask an Alms and when we have bestowed on him some broken bread and meat yet like those impudent persons the Psalmist speaks of that grudge and grumble if they be not satisfied if they have not their own will and their own fill he should not hold himselfe contented unlesse he might have one of our best dishes from the Table But this is the case of very many amongst us We come all as so many beggers to Gods mercy seat Quantumvis dives dives Dei mendicus est Annon mendicus qui panem petis saith S. Augustine And God gives us abundance of many good things as life liberty health of body c. yet we cannot be quiet nor think our selves well unless we be cloathed in Purple and fare deliciously every day as such and such do not considering in the mean time many that are below us and above us too wanting those things which we comfortably enjoy The great danger of little Sinnes A Little rope sufficeth to hang a great Thief a little dross abaseth much Gold a little poyson infecteth much wholsome liquor a little Heresie corrupteth much sound doctrine a little fly is enough to spoil all the Alablaster box of ointment So the smallest sin the least peccadillo without Gods mercy is sufficient to damn our souls to all eternity A worldly minded Man no heavenly minded Man THe Lark as long as she sits on the ground is very silenâ— and still but being once mounted up into the air hovering in the golden beams of the delightful Sun then she seâ—s up her pretty little throat and chants it out merrily It is just so with worldly minded Men whilst their thoughts and affections are leâ— out upon the things of the world they are faint and dull and as even dead to all good
in his life The telling of Truth begets batred AS the Turk taunted some Christians at Constantinople who said That they came thither to suffer for the Truth tells them That they needed not to have come so far for that for had they but told the truth at home they could not have missed suffering for it Telling truth needs not travell far for enmity enmity will encounter it at home wheresoever it be Hence is that definition that Luther made of Preaching Praedicare nihil est quà m derivare in se furorem c. That to preach and preach home as he did was nothing else but to stir up the furies of hell about their ears Mr. Dering telling Queen Elizabeth in a Sermon that it was once Tanquam ovis but now it was Indomita juvenca was never suffered to preach more at Court Tell a Polititian Papinian's truth that That 's the best reason which makes most for Religion that the best policy that makes most for piety Why this truth crossing his projects and purposes the teller may take his bill and sit down quickly and write enmity Tell a covetous man St. Pauls truth that the love of mony is the root of all evill you offer him losse you touch his freehold y' are a trespasser to his trade an enemy Tell the luxurious man that Theorem of truth that Temperance is the razor of Superfluities and the rule of necessaries and that this whole lifâ— ought to be a kind of a Quadragesimal abstinence Away with your thred-bare Scholars posies what do you bring us into the Wildernesse to starve us You are an enemy Thus let the truth-teller never dream of comfits and sweet-meats but make account to eat his Passeover with sour herbs let him never feed himself with vain expectation that the trade of truth-telling is a plausible winning welcome profession An expectas ut Quintilianus ametur Let him rather account himself to be born as Ieremy a contentious man one that striveth with the whole earth a troublesom companion an enemy Men not repairing to the Church of God reproved THe renowned Captain Huniades when he felt himself in danger of death desired to receive the Sacrament before his departure and would in any case sick as he was be carried to the Church to receive the same saying That it was not fit that the Lord should come to the house of his Servant but the servant go rather to the house of his Lord and Master Davids desire was to dwell there and Nicodemus though a Ruler did not send for Christ but go unto him Whose modesty condemns many amongst us who will not vouchsafe to come to Christ if he will be served Christ must come to them the Supper of the Lord must be brought to their table the Ministers of Christ must Church their wives at home baptize their children at home vainly imagining that they do God a great favour when they tread in his Courts and a grace to his Ambassadours when they lend their ears to an hours audience Grace seemingly lost in the Soul THe two Disciples talked with Christ yet knew him not Mary with her blubber'd eyes mistakes Christ for the Gardiner Hagar in the very midst of her distresse had a fountain of water before her yet could not see it till God was pleased to open her eyes Gen. 21. 19. Thus the least cloud of Gods displeasure may as it were an Ecliptick liâ—e seem to darken the splendour of his graces within us Christ may so hide himself from our hearts that knowledge or faith shall not be able to reach him and much of the Spirit may be so darkned that though a man have Christ in the promise O strange detention yet he shall not be able to discern him Men not to run themselves into trouble THere is mention made in the Ecclesiasticall story of a silly woman that must needs spit in the Emperour's face that so she might suffer Martyrdom And it is said of the Lion that to provoke himself to anger when there is none to hurt him he beateth himself with his own tail But thus must no good Christian do we must take heed that we do not wilfully run our selves into troubles but rather use all lawfull means to prevent them before they come and to be freed from them when they are come For he shall have sorrow that loves it and he that runs into danger shall perish in it and he that voluntarily laies a crosse upon his own shoulders when he needs not hath no promise that God will take it off It is true that we must drink of this biâ—ter cup but we must stay till God put it into our hands otherwise we cannot say that we are chastised by him but that we scourge our selves with whips of our own making How to behold our selves in the Glasse of Gods Law ONe of the Persecutors in Queen Mary's daies pursuing a poor Protestant and searching the house for him charged an old woman to shew him the Heretick She points to a great chest of linnen on the top whereof lay a fair Looking-glasse He opens the chest and asks where the heretick was She suddainly replyed Do you not see one meaning that he was the Heretick and that he might easily see himself in the glasse And thus God's Law is the glasse that shews us all our spots let us hold it right to our intellectuall eye not behind us as the wicked do they cast Gods word behind them not besides us like the rich worldling that called to Christ not to turn the back-side of the glasse towards us which is the very trick of all hypocrites nor lastly to look upon our selves in this glasse when we are muffled masked or cased for under those vails we cannot discern our own complexions But let us set the clear glasse before our face and our open face to the glasse and then we shal soon perceive that the sight of our filthinesse is the first step towards cleannesse Men of all sorts to stand up for the Truth IT was the great praise of learned Fulgentius upon young Donatus that being set upon by the Arrians though he had not the skill to defend the truth with his tongue yet he had a will to maintain the truth in his heart though he could not unloose all their cunning tricks he could yet hold fast the conclusion Truth And he that for he could neither write nor read could not clerkly subscribe his name to Truth 's confession could yet manly draw blood of himself wherewith to set his mark to it And he that for want of learning could not dispute Christ's cause could yet be content to die for it And were every hair of my head a man I would burn them all said a third rather then go from Truth Thus it is to be wished that as this was the first Nation that
that at the noyse of Thunder they are oft-times even terrified unto death insomuch that they which keep them use to beat a drum amongst them that they being accustomed to the softer noyse of the drum may not be daunted with louder claps of Thunder Thus it is with incorrigible sinners of all sorts they are so affected with the whisperings of wordly pleasures so taken up with the jingling noyse of Riches so delighted with the empty sound of popular applause and secular preferments so sottish and besotted are they that they are not sensible of Gods anger against them the very custome of sinne hath taken away the sense of sin that they do not so much as hear that which all the world besides heareth with trembling and amazement the dreadful voyce of Gods wrathful and everlasting displeasure Regeneration the onely work of Gods spirit IT is said of the Bear that of all Creatures she bringeth the most ugly mishapen whelps but by licking of them she brings them to a better form yet it is a Bear still Thus all of us are ugly and deformed in our inward man 'T is true good breeding learning living in good Neighbourhood may lick us fair and put us into a better shape but shall never change our nature without the operation of the blessed Spirit A Man may be able to discourse of the great mysteries of Salvation yet not be changed may repeat Sermons yet not renewed pertake of the Ordinances yet not regenerated not any of these nor any of all these put together will stand in stead till it hath pleased God to square them and fit them and sanctifie them unto us by the blessed assistance of his holy Spirit Scripture-comforts the onely true comforts IT is storyed of an ancient and Reverend Rabbi who that he might by some demonstration win the People to look after Scripture-knowledge put himselfe into the habit of a Mountebank or travelling Aqua-vitae man and in the Market-place made Proclamation of a soveraign Cordial or Water of life that he had to sell Divers call him in and desire him to shew it whereupon â—he opens the Bible and directs them to several places of comfort in it And to say truth there is the greatest comfort to be had being the word of the everliving God The waters of life which are to be thirsted after whereby we may learn to live holy and dye happy The deaths of friends and others not be sleighted THe Frogs in the Fable desire a King Iupiter casteth a stock amongst them which at the first fall made such a plunge in the water that with the dashing thereof they were all affrighted and ran into their holes but seeing no further harme to ensue they came forth took courage leapt on it and made themselves sport with that which was first their fear till at length Iupiter sent a Stork among them and he devoured them all Thus it is that we make the death of others but as a Stock that somewhat at firstâ— affecteth us but we soon â—orget it until the Stâ—rk come and we our selves become a miserable prey Do they who close the eyes and cover the faces of their deceased friends consider that their eyes must be so closed their faces thus covered Or they who shrowd the Coarse remember that they themselves must be so shrowded Or they who ring the knell consider that shortly the bells must go to the same tune for them Or they that make the grave even while they are in it remember that shortly they must inhabite such a narrow house as they are now a building Peradventure they do a little but it takes no deep impression in them Prayers to be made unto God in Christs name JOseph gives strict command unto his brethren that if ever they looked for him to do them any good or to see his face with comfort they should be sure to bring the lad Benjamin their brother along with them Thus if ever we expect any comfortable return of our Prayers we must be sure to bring our elder Brother Christ Iesus in our hearts by faith and to put up all our requests in his Name They of old called upon God using the names of Abraham Isaac and Iacob three of Gods friends Afterwards they entreated God for his servant Davids sake Others drew up Arguments to move God drawn from the Creation of the World and from his loving kindnesse These were very good wayes then and very good to engage the great God of Heaven to us But unto us is shewed a more excellent way by how much the appellation of an onely begotten Son exceeds that of friend and servant and the benefit of Redemption excells that of creation and favour Dulce nomen Christi O the sweet name Iesus Christ no man ever asked any thing of God truly in that Name but he had his asking To be mindfull of Death at all times THere was once a discourse betwixt a Citizen and a Marriner My Ancestors sayes the Marriner were all Seamen and all of them dyed at Sea my Father my Grand-father and my Great-grand-father were all buried in the Sea Then sayes the Citizen what great cause have you then when you set out to Sea to remember your death and to commit your soul to the hands of God yea but sayes the Marriner to the Citizen Where I pray did your Father and your Grand-father dye Why sayes he they dyed all of them in their beds Truly then sayes the Marriner What a care had you need to have every night when you go to bed to think of your bed as the grave and the clothes that cover you as the Earth that must one day be thrown upon you for the very Heathens themselves that implored as many Deities as they conceived Chimaera's in their fancies yet were never known to erect an Altar to Death because that was ever held uncertain and implacable Thus whether it be at Sea or Land that Man is alwaies in a good posture of defence that is mindfull of death that so lives in this World as though he must shortly leave it that concludes within himselfe I must dye this day may be my last day this place the last that I shall come in this Sermon the last Sermon that I shall hear this Sabbath the last Sabbath that I shall enjoy the next Arrow that is shot may hit me and the time will come how soon God knows that I must lay aside this cloathing of Mortality and lie down in the dust Scripture-knowledge to be put in practice MUsicall Instruments without handling will warp and become nothing worth a sprightly horse will lose his Mettall by standing unbreathed in a Stable Rust will take the sword that hangs by the walls The Cynick rather then want work would be still removing his Tub Thus it is not Gods meaning that any Grace should lie
such occasions as this seldom fall out And certainly for women in Masks and Shewes to be apparel'd as men and men as women hath been alwaies a thing distastfull to them which are more sober minded as Tertullian condemneth it directly Nullum cultum à Deo maledictum invenio c. I find no apparell saith he cursed of God but a womans in a man according to that of Deut. 22. 5. especially in Showes and Plaies further adding out of another place Non amat fâ—lsum Author veritatis c. The God of verity loves not falsity every thing that is counterfeit before him is a kind of adultery Sorrow that is true is for the most part silent ST Bernard bewailing Gerhardus the Monk and his dearest brother saith At his death my heart failed me sed feci vim animo with much ado I dissembled my griefe lest affection should seem to overcome religion and whilst others wept abundantly Secutus ego siccis oculis invisum funus my self followed with dry eyes the happy Hearse by-standers with watry cheeks admiring whilst they did not pitty him but me that lost him Indeed whereas tears and words fail the blood leaveth the cheeks to comfort the heart and speech giveth place to amazement They are small miseries when he that hath them can presently tell the world of them Sorrow that is true is for the most part silent That observation of St. Peter is good Flevit sed tacuit he wept but was silent as if his eyes would in some sort tell what his tongue could in no sort utter The known Law of any Nation to be the rule of Obedience IT was the observation of a wise but unfortunate Peer of this Nation at the time of his Triall before an honourable Assembly That if a man should passe down the Thames in a boat and it be split upon an Anchor and a Buoy being not set as a token that there is an Anchor there that party that owes the Anchor should by the Maritime Law give satisfaction for the dammage done But if it were marked out then he must come upon his own perill And thus it is that the known Lawes of a Nation are made the rule of obedience to the People the plain Law and Letter of the Statute that tells where and what the crime is and by telling what it is and what it is not shewes how to avoid it For were it under water and not above skulking onely in the sense of some musty record and not divulged no human providence could avail or prevent destruction No true cause of Rejoycing in this world THere is a story of a certain King that was never seen to laugh or smile but in all places amongst all persons at all times he was very pensive and sad His Queen being much troubled at his melancholly requested a brother of his that he would ask him what was the cause of his continuall sadnesse He did so The King put him off till the next day for an answer and in the mean time caused a deep pit to be made commanding his servants to fill it half full with fiery coals and then causeth an old rotten board to be laid over it and over the board to hang a two edged sword by a small slender thread with the point downwards and close by the pit to set a table full of all manner of delicacies His brother comming next day for an answer was placed on the board and four men with drawn swords about him and withall the best musick that could be had to play before him Then the King called to him saying Rejoyce and be merry O my brother eat drink and laugh for here is pleasant being But he replyed and said O my Lord and King how can I be merry being in such danger on every side Then the King said Look how it is now with thee so it is alwaies with me for if I look about me I see the great and dreadfull Iudge to whom I must give an account of all my thoughts words and deeds good or evill If I look under me I see the endlesse torments of hell wherein I shall be cast if I die in my sins If I look behind me I see all the sins that ever I committed and the time which unprofitably I have spent If I look before me I see my death every day approaching nearer and nearer unto my body If I look on my right hand I see my conscience accusing me of all that I have done and left undone in this world And if I look on my left hand I see the creatures crying out for vengeance against me because they groaned under my iniquities Now then cease hence forward to wonder why I cannot rejoyce at the world or any thing in the world but continue sad and heavy Thus did but men consider their estates then would they find small cause to rejoyce at any thing which the world shall present as a thing delectable but rather employment enough for Argus his eyes yet all little enough to weep for the miserable estate wherein they stand by reason of sin and wickednesse Controversies especially in matters of Religion dangerous ON the Tomb-stone of the learned Sr. Henry Wotton late Provost of Eaton Colledge it is thus inscribed Hic jacet hujus sententiae Author Pruritus disputandi fit scabies Ecclesiae Here lies the Author of this sentence The itch of Disputation becomes the scab of the Church And very true How is Religion in a manner lost in the controversies of Religion For who is there that had not rather seem learned in the controversies of Religion then conscionable in the practice of Religion and that sets not more by a subtle head then a sanctified heart that had not rather disputare quam bene vivere dispute well than live well So that distraction in Religion becomes destruction of Religion Daily Examination of our selves the comfort of it SEneca tells of a Roman that kept his soul as clean as the best housewife keeps her house every night sweeping out the dust and washing all the vessells examining his own soul Quod malum hodie sanâsti qua parte melior es What infirmity hast thou healed what fault haste thou done and not repented in what degree art thou bettered Then would he lie down with O quà m gratus somnus quà m tranquillus With how welcome sleep and how quiet rest do I entertain the night And it were to be wished that all men would do the like to keep a day-book of all their actions and transactions in the world to commune with their own hearts and not to sum up all their words and works in the day passed with an Omnia bene as Church-wardens were wont to do when they gave up their presentments then would their nights rest be quiet and then might they lie down in safety for God himself would keep them Repentant tears
mad-man that talking with a lean meagre Cook he understood from him what dainty dishes he dressed for his guests and hearing that they were all fat and fair liking and thrived with it he asked him Why he did not feed on those meats himself that he might be fat too The Cook answered That for his part he had no stomack But the mad-man replies Take heed how thou come near Bedlam if the Corrector find you your punishment will be very sharp for certainly you are madder then ever I was Thus it is no better then madnesse for Ministers Magistrates and others in place of eminency to give light to others and walk themselves in darknesse to distribute portions of meat to the Family and starve their own souls to rescue others from the enemy and suffer themselves to be taken to forwarn others of the pit whereinto themselves run headlong to give good counsell to others and not to be guided by that counsell themselves Christ nothing but Love all over IT is the observation of Sr. Walter Rawleigh that if all the pictures and patterns of a mercilesse Prince were lost in this world they might all again be painted to the life out of the story of K. Henry the eighth But on the other side the Iewes had such an high esteem of Esdras that if mercy love and knowledge had put out their candle at his brain they might light it again Behold yet a greater then Esdras Christ Iesus himself If all our love were extinguished at his love we might easily rekindle it Not a word that he spoke not a work that he did not a passion that he suffered but was an argument a character of his love He brought love he bought love he exercised love he bequeathed love he died in love He is all love Needfull Requisites to make up a profitable Hearer of Gods Word IT is said of that Princely Iosiah King Edward the sixth that his carriage in the publick service of God was such that he constantly stood up at the hearing of Gods Word took Notes which he afterwards diligently perused and wrought the Sermon upon his affection by serious meditation Thus it is not a bare sitting under the Ordinance a meer formall hearing of the Word thinking as too many do that when the Sermon is ended all is done But there must be attention of body intention of mind and retention of memory which are indispensably required of all Wisdom's schollars and are the most needfull requisites to make up a profitable hearer of Gods Word Friendship to be made with God in Christ Iesus THe men of Tyre and Sidon two rich and antient Cities of Phoenicia on the costs of Syria when they heard that Herod was displeased with them and intended to make war upon them they made friendship with Blastus the Kings Chamberlain and sought by all means possible to get into favour with him again And why Becâ—â—se said they our lanâ—s are nourished by the lands of the King And this is our case our lands our lives our liberties and all that we have are nourished and sustained by the King of Heaven therefore when we know that he is displeased with us as justly he may for as David saith we provoke him every day then let us do as they did as they made a friend of Blastus so let us make friendship with Jesus Christ and desire him to help us into Gods favour and protection Heaven Men desirous to be there but will not take pains to come thither SAbellicus in his History brings in C. Flaminius playing upon Philoxomenes that he had pulchras manus pulchra crura sed ventrem non habuit he had goodly arms and strong thighs but he had no belly He meant that Philoxomenes had brave and valiant souldiers fair Troops of Horse and foot but wanted that which is the sinews of War he had no money to pay them It may be inverted upon us for we are all belly full of appeâ—iâ—e and desire to happinesse but we have neither hands nor feet we will neither move nor labour to attain to that happiâ—essâ— we have fat desires but lean endeavours fain we would be in Heaven but we will take no pains for it nor seek the way to it we make account to go up to Heaven in a whirlwind or as Passengers at Sea be brought to the Haven sleeping to win Heaven without working to be crowned without striving to dine with the Devill and sup with Abraham Isaac and Iacobin the Kingdom of Heaven by all means we must die the death of the righteous but by no means live the life of the godly nay if death do but offer to prefer us to Heaven we will none of it we thank him heartily we refuse him with deprecations and fortifie our selâ—es against him with antidotes and preservatives So that it may very well be put to the question Where is our desire for Heaven when we rather die necessitatis vinculo quam voluntatis obsequio instead of looking for it we look from it and then onely preâ—end a faint desire to it when we can make no other shift but that we must needs ventâ—â—e on it To be Charitable to the poor and needy THe Iewes at this day though outed their own Country and destitute of a Leviticall Priesthood yet those that will be reputed religious amongst them distribute the tenth of their increase unto the poor being perswaded that God doth blesse their encrease the more for their usuall proverb is Decima ut dives â—ias pay thy Tithes that thou maist be rich Nay saies Philo the Jew They came so willingly to give up their Tithes unto God as if they had been to have received a gratuity from men If then there be such devout Iewes that having neither house nor home Priest or Temple and without Christ in the world so charitable to the poor then how much more suitable will it be for Christians that live in Gospell-times to relieve the poor members of Iesus Christ to honour the Lord wiâ—â— their substance freely expending it in pious and charitable uses whereby their barns shall be filled and they made great gainers in the end Why God suffereth the dearest of his Children to want outward things IT is written of the Pine-tree that if the bark be pulled off it will last a long time else it rots So God sees that many a man if he had his bark 〈◊〉 him if he had the wealth of the world about him a penny in his purse and a friend at Court it would rot him corrupt him and make him worse therefore God is fain to bark him and peel him to keep him naked and bare and poor that his soâ—l may prosper the better For indeed many times it so falls out and a man shall find it so that his soul prospers best when his body prospers â—orst Men to be
compassionate one towards another IT was an act of Licinius one of the Roman Tribunes whether more cruell or foolish let the world Judge that when Christians were put to their torture he forbad all the lookers on to shew the least pitty towards them threatning the same pains to them that did shew it which the Martyrs then suffered His malice was greater then his power for he could not hinder those from suffering with them that daily suffer in them And this is the way that all good Christians are to walk in if they cannot through disability relieve others with their goods which is the mercy of contribution yet what can hinder their confortable words to them which is the mercy of consolation or their prayers and tears for them which is the mercy of intercession or their pitty and sensible sympathy of their grief which is the mercy of compassion The impartiality of Death IN the reigne of K. Henry the sixth there is mention made of Henry Beaâ—â—ord that rich and wretched Cardinall vvho lying on his death-bed and perceiving his time to be but short expostulated with himself thus Wherefore should I die being thus rich If the whole world were able to save my life I am able either by policy to get it or by riches to buy it Fie fie said he will not death be hired will mony dâ— nothing No such is the impartiality of death that ready mony will do nothing there 's no protection against the arrest of death So true is that which one writeth vvittily of the Grammarian of every son of Adam that being able to decline all other Nouns in every Case he could decline Death in no case Never vvas there Oratour so eloquent nor Monarch so potent that could either perswade or withstand the stroak of death vvhen it came Unhappy prosperity of the wicked IT is Davids observation that the vvicked are in great prosperity and flourish like a green bay-tree vvhich is vvell knovvn to be green all the vvinter long vvhen Oak-trees and Apple-trees and all other far more profitable and fruitfull trees do wither decay and shed their leaves stand naked and bare and look as if they vvere rotten and dead then it is that the Bay-tree looks as fresh and green as it vvere in the midst of the Spring So fares it with all wicked men in such vvinter-times of the vvorld as vve are novv in they prosper and God sends them no crosse nor disease nor judgment to interrupt them but lets them take their svving in the very height of their rebellions against him vvhen many a â—oor Christian is fain to fast and fare hard and go with many a hungry meal to bed then it is that God suffers a company of flagitious villains such as arâ— Mercatores humanarum calamitatum that make merchandise of poor mens miseries to have their will without controle and to thrive and have a great deal of outward unhappy prosperity Heaven the way to it through tribulation JOnathan and his Armour-bearer being upon their march against the Philistins were to passe betwixt two rocks the one called Bozez which signifies dirty the other called Seneh which signifies thorny a hard passage But on they went as we say through thick and thin and at last gained the victory The Israelites were first brought to the bitter waters of Marah before they might taste of the pleasant fountains or the milk and honey of Canaan And in vain shall any man expect the River of Gods pleasures before he hath pledged Christ in the cup of bitternesse When we have pledged him in his gall and vinegar then he will drink to us in the new wine of his Kingdom He that is the Door and the Way hath taught us that there is but one way one door one passage to Heaven and that a strait one through which though we do passe with much pressure and tugging having our superfluous rags torn away from us here in the croud of this world yet we shall be happy He that will be Knighted must kneel for it and he that will enter in at the strait gate must croud for it a gate made so on purpose narrow and hard in the entrance yet after we are entred wide and glorious that after our pain our joy may be the sweeter The Scriptures not to be plaid withall IT was simply done of Cardinall Bobba who speaking in commendation of the Library at Bononia which being a very spacious room hath under it a victualling house and under that a wine-cellar thought he had hit it in applying that text Wisdom hath built her house hath mingled her wine and furnished her table The rudenesse of this application did not in the least become the gravity of a red Hat But let all such know that non est bonum ludere cum sanctis there 's no jesting with edge-tools no playing with the two-edged sword of Gods Word Is there no place but the Font for a man to wash his hands in no cup but the Chalice to drink healths in Certainly they were ordained for a better use and the Scriptures pen'd for a better end then to be plaid withall Vncertain prosperity of the wicked A Man that stands in lubrico in a slippery place as on Ice or Glasse shall have much ado to keep himself upright though no body touch him but if one should come upon him unawares and give him a suddain justle or a suddain rush he hath no power in the world to uphold himself but must fall and that dangerously And this is the case of wicked wealthy men such as are laden with ease and honour such as are blest like Esau with the dew of Heaven and fatnesse of the Earth Such gracelesse Ruffians as feast without fear drink without measure swear without feeling live without God thinking that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unmovable and fastned on a Rock that never shall be moved But they are deceived God that knowes their standing tells us he hath set them in slippery places and it will not be long ere he send some death some judgment some evill Angell or other to give them such a suddain justle such a suddain rush that without great mercy on â—is part and great Repentance on their part they must fall irrecoverably into the pit of Hell for ever Atheism will unman any Man TAke a Dog and marke what a generosity and courage he will put on when he is maintained by a Man who is to him instead of a God or at least melior Natura whereby it is manifest that the poor Creature without the confidence of a better Nature then his own could never be so couragious Thus it is with Man when he roleth himselfe upon God and resteth on his divine protection then he gathers a force and ability which humane nature it selfe could never attain But when
kind of moving 〈◊〉 body that he bended too much forward and stood not upright that he was nothing ripe and ready in his delivery that he could be no Scholar because he was so plain spoken that almost any man might make as good a Sermon that it differed little from ordinary talk that he enforc'd nor followed his exhortations with vehemency and earnestnesse of spirit and that his words had no life in them to stir up the attention or move the affections of the hearers that none of them would give a penny for his maintenance and that they would have another kind of Preacher than he or they would have none Here now was the same Sermon preached but here not the same People that heard it the first Sermon Cryed up the second cryed down yet still the same Sermon the Preacher much commended at the first delivery and as much discommended at the second yet still the same Preacher Hence is it that the generality of the people are not to be looked on as fit and competent judges of the Preacher and his Doctrin for they are usually led by passion not by discretion so that oft-times they commend they know not what and discommend they know not whom How it is that at the second comming of Christ to Judgment the frame of the World shall not be consumed but repairednew AS when that gold or silver is cast into the furnace and so tryed in the fire the substance remaineth but the drosse is that which onely perisheth So in the last day the fire of the Iudgment shall consume and abolish the corruptible and drossy quality of the Creature but the substance being subtilized and refined shall abide and continue What though that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fashion of the world passe and be skowred away by the fire of that generall conflagration yet the matter and substance shall remain The heavens indeed shall passe away with a noise or rushing or shrink together like a skroul of parchment the Elements like lead shall melt with heat and the earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt up Yet the World shall not be consumed to nothing but onely trans-changed into a new form and converted to a Sabbaticall and better use God out of the very ashes of it will produce a new world even a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein shall dwell righteousnesse 1 Pet. 3. 13. To be warned by the miseries of others AS some School masters have used that disciplin to correct the children of great persons whose personall correction they finde reason to forbear by correcting other children in their names and in their sight and have by this means so wrought upon good natures that they have amended what was amisse at present and taken more care for the future Thus the Iewes were by God corrected in the punishment of the Egyptians for the ten plagues of Aegypt were as Moses ten Commandements to Israel And so it is that other mens harms ought to be our arms Every judgment that falls upon a another should be as Catechism to us by way of instruction When Iudgements are abroad in the world shall not the People learn Righteousnesse Shall the Lion roar and the beasts of the Forrests not tremble Shall Gods hand lie heavy upon others and we stand by as idle spectators nothing at all minding what is done Shall our very next Neighbours house be on fire and we look on as Men unconcerned in the danger It cannot it must not be there is without all doubt the same combustible stuffe the same if not greater sins lodged in our hearts and the same punishments hovering over our heads it is therefore high time to look about us Repentance not to be put off till old Age. WInter-Voyages are very dangerous and uncertain by reason of the North-wind which is then let loose upon the Earth And sure he were not wise that might take his journey in the Summer yet by delaying his opportunity would expose himselfe to the durty deepnesse of the way and inclemency of the weather in winter Now so it is that old Age is mans Winter witnesse that Snow which covers his head more cold lasting then the Russian frosts which the raging Dog-star can scarcely thaw And Youth is his Summer wherein the better temper of the ayr the clearnesse of his sky wherein are fewer clouds lesse storms to hinder his prospect to Heaven promise a successfull voyage Can it be thought then that God who preceded all time will take it well at our hands to be put back unto the last minute of time How can he that requires the first fruiâ—s of our Lands be content with the latter harvest of our lives How can he that expects a sacrifice of sweet smell but distaste our unsavory zeal when for a fragrant flower we present him with a dry stalk and withered branch the lees of our old age for the vintage of our youth yet by the way this is not to prejudicate a gray-headed Repentance though the younger must needs be preferred That may be true but this more safe A Man may hope well of the one but believe better of the other In all Deliverances spiritual and temporall to give God the Glory THeodosius being told of the wonderfull over-throw of the Usurper Iohn his Adversary he and all his followers resorted to the Temple where they passed over the day with praise and thanksgiving acknowledging that God by his arm had cast down that Tyrant And Fl. Heraclius being delivered from Cosâ—oe the King of the Persians and Kingdom freed from Tyranny did in the heighth of his Triumph at Bizantium openly praise God for his delivery And the more to shew his thankfulesse did cause to be stamped on his coyn with his own Image these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Glory be to God in Heaven because he hath broken the Iron doors and hath delivered the holy Kingdom of Heraclius And thus must all of us do if we be freed from persecution from a sword-power from a Government Tyrannicall let us confesse with David that Salvation is of the Lord If we be brought from the jawes of death and the gates of the grave or recovered from some mortall disease let us say with Hezekiah The Lord was ready to save me Or if like so many brands suatch'd out of the fire we be brought from the deep of destruction the very gulf of Hell let us acknowledge with Ionah That Mercy and Salvation is of the Lord In all deliverances spirituall and temporall let God still have the glory Self-conceitednesse in matters of Religion condemned IT was in the Leviticall Law so ordered by God that he which had a blemish of white in his eye was debarred from the Priest-hood and compared to the Owl of whom the Naturalists yield the reason that she cannot see in
no other is the estate of Man either weeds or flowers and both wither whether Trees good or bad both die as dyeth the wise so the fool Rich Men dye and poor too Death is unavoydable life and death take turns each of other the Man lives not that shall not see death be he a King with Saul a Prophet with Ieremy a wise Solomon a foolish Nabal a holy Isaac a prophane Esau be he of what rank soever he must dye Nay let there be a concurrence of all in one let Samuel both a good Man a good Minister a good Magistrate have as many priviledges as are incident to a Man yet can he not procure a protection against Death his Mother may begge his life but none can compound for his Death so sure it is that all must lie down in the dust and dye Why it is that we must be Charitable to all Men. IT is written of that Moses Atticissans that when he did give Alms to a poor profligate wretch his friends were much admired that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato the great divine Philosopher would take pitty on such a wretched Miscreant but he like himself in such misty dayes as those were made answer Humanitati non homini I shew mercy on the Man not as he is wicked but as and because he is a Man of my own nature His answer was good and warrantable for if we consider our first Parents we shall find our selves bound though â— longinquo by the same obligation to do good unto all men There is neither Iew or Graecian bond nor free Male or Female but all are one in Christ Iesus neither Indian whether of the East or West neither Barbarian of Morocco nor Inhabitant of Monomotapa but all are brethren whom as we have opportunity we must embrace with Charity such as are true Saints with joy for their Sanctification those that are not such in the judgement of Charity with hearty and earnest supplications to the great God of Heaven and Earth for their true and timely conversion to the faith that is to be found onely in the Lord Iesus Not to grieve or be troubled at the worlds discourtesies And why so SUppose a Man by birth Noble and by revenues Rich that as travailing home-wards through a forraign Country he should be way-laid fall into the hands of Thieves and villains and by them be robbed of his Mony and stripped of his rich and Courtly apparell and besides that have many indignities and base unworthy affronts put upon him and yet should passe by all as little or nothing concerned in the businesse And why so but because he considers that he is not in his right Ubi he hath no long time to abide with such wretched People and that if he can but make some shift for a time till he came to his own Country and place of aboad there he should have his friends about him monies and all things necessary to supply his want and necessities The same is our case Why should any of us grieve and be troubled at the worlds discourtesies at the Reproaches and wrongs that are put upon us by the World and worldly Men For have we but so much faith as to believe it we have an Heavenly home and an eternall life by Câ—rist prepared for us at the which when we once arrive we shall be sure to meet with friends enough even God his blessed Saints and Angells who will honour us Riches and treasures inestimable that will store us joy and glory unspeakable that will for evermore refresh us To regulate our Wills by Gods Will. IF a Man lay a crooked stick upon an eeven levell ground the stick and ground ill suit together but the fault is in the stick And in such a case a Man must not strive to bring the even-ground to the crocked stick but bow the crooked stick eeven with the ground So is it between Gods will and ours there is a discrepancy and jarring betwixt them But where is the fault or rather Where is it not Not in the will of God but in our crooked and corrupt affections in which case we must not like Balaam seek to bring Gods will to ours but be contented to rectifie and order the crookednesse of our Wills by the rectitude and sanctity of the Will of God which must be the Ruler and Moderator of our wills for which cause we are to cry out with David Teach me O Lord to do thy will and with the whole Church of God in that pattern of wholsom words â—iat voluntas tua Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven never forgetting that too of Christ Iesus himself in the midst of his agony and bloody sweat Non mea sed tua siat voluntas Father Not my will but thine be done Luk. 22. 42. To appear before God in all humility how high soever our condition be IT is observable of Rebecca that all the way of her journey she was mounted on a Camell and rode amongst the Servants but when she had once set her eye upon Isaac then she lighted down from the Camell and put her self into a posture of all humble and low obeysance So must the men of this world do however it be that many of them bear up their heads on high stand upon the upper ground of riches and preferment and are therefore bold and carelesse not so much as once minding those that are below them yet when they come into the Lords presence and are to deal with the great God of heaven and earth then they are to come down from their Camells fall down and kneel before the Lord their maker and be as humble lowly and vile in their own eyes as possibly may be How it is that Faith is the first act of Repentance AS a prisoner that lies in hold for debt if a man should come unto him and promise him that he would take order to pay his debt and thereby discharge him of his imprisonment he first believes that he is both able and willing so to do it then he hopes for it and lastly he is as it were dissolved into love ravished with the thoughts of such an unexpected reliefe and therefore seeketh to do all things that may please him So is it with a repenting Convert he first believes that God will do what he hath promised that is pardon his sins and take away his iniquities then he resteth that what is so promised shall be performed and from that and for it he leaves sin forsaketh his old course of life which was displeasing and for the time to come maketh it his work to do that which is pleasing and acceptable in his sight The comfortable art of spiritualizing the severall occurrences of the world and observing God's providences therein IT is storied of Mr. Dod a painfull Preacher in his time that intending to marry but
tormented The great danger of not reconciling our selves unto God SIr Thomas Moor whilest he was a Prisoner in the Tower would not so much as suffer himself to be trimmed saying There was a controversie betwixt the King and him for his head and till that was at an happy end he would be at no cost about it Let us but scum off the froth of his Wit and we may make a solemn use of it For certainly all the cost we bestow upon our selves to make our lives pleasurable and joyous to us is but meer folly till it be decided what will become of the Suit betwixt God and us what will be the issue of the Controversie that God hath against us and that not for our heads but Souls whether for Heaven or Hell Were it not then the wisest course to begin with making our peace and then we may soon lead a happy life It is said He that gets out of debt growes rich Most sure it is that the pardoned soul cannot be poor For as soon as the Peace is concluded a Free Trade is opened between God and the Soul If once pardoned we may then sail to any Port that lies in Gods dominions and be welcome where all the Promises stand open with their treasure and say Here poor Soul take full lading in of all pretious things even as much as thy Faith can bear and carry away Ringleaders of Faction and Schism their condition deplorable VVHat would the Prince think of that Captain who instead of encouraging his Souldiers to fall on with united Forces as one Man against the Common enemy should make a speech to set his Souldiers together by the ears amongst themselves surely he would hang him up for a Traytor Good was Luther's prayer A Doctore glorioso à Pastore contentioso et Inutilibus quaestionibus liberet Ecclesiam Deus From a vain-glorious Doctor a contentious Pastor and nice questions the Lord deliver his Church And we in these sad times have reason to say as hearty an Amen to it as any since his age Do we not live in a time when the Church is turn'd into a Sophister's School where there is and hath been such a wrangling and jangling that the pretious truths of the Gospel are lost to many already whose eyes are put out with the dust these contentions have raised and they have at last fairly disputed themselves out of all their sober Principles as some ill husbands that light among cunning Gamesters and play away all their money out of their purses Woe then to such vile Men who have prostituted the Gospel to such Divellish ends God may have mercy on the cheated Souls to bring them back to the love of the Truth But for the cheaters such as have been the Ring-leaders into Faction and Schism they are gone too far toward Hell that we can look for their return When it is that a Man is said to thorowly forsake his Sin EVery time a Man takes a journey from home about businesse we do not say he hath forsaken his house because he meant when he went out to come to it again No but when we see a Man leave his house carry all his goods away with him lock up his doors and take up his abode in another place never to dwell there more this Man may very well be said to have forsaken his house indeed Thus it is that every one of us are to forsake sin so as to leave it without any thought of returning to it again It were strange to find a Drunkard so constant in the exercise of that Sin but sometimes you may find him sober and yet a drunkard he is as if he were then drunk Every one hath not forsaken his Trade that we see now and then in their Holy-day Suit then it is that a Man is said to forsake his Sin when he throwes it from him and bolts the door upon it with a purpose never to open any more unto it Ephraim shall say What have we to do any more with Idols Hos. 14. 8. Mortification the excellency thereof THere is mention made of one of the Cato's That in his old age he drew himself from Rome to his Country-house that he might spend his elder years free from care and trouble And the Romans as they did ride by his house used to say Iste solus scit Vivere This Man alone knowes how to live What art Cato had to disburthen himself by his retirement of the Worlds cares is altogether unknown But most sure it is that a Man may go into the Country and yet not leave the City behind him his mind may be in a crowd while his body is in the solitude of a wildernesse Alas poor Man he was a stranger to the Gospel had he been but acquainted therewith it could have shewed him a way out of the crowd of all Worldly employments even in the midst of Rome it self and that is by mortifying his heart to the World both in the pleasures and troubles thereof And then that high commendations That he alone knew how to live might have been given him without any hyperbole at all For to speak truth He onely knowes aright how to live in the world that hath learnt to die to the World such is the excellency of Mortification Consideration of the brevity of life to work the heart of Man to Contentment IF a Traveller hath but enough to bring him to his journeys end he desires no more We have but a day to live and perhaps we may be now in the twelfth hour of that day And if God give us but enough to bear our charges till night it is sufficient Let us be content If a Man had the Lease of an House or Farm but for two or three dayes and he should fall a building and planting would he not be judged very indiscreet So when we have but a short time here and Death calls us presently off the stage to thirst immoderately after the World and pull down our Souls to build up an estate were it not extream Folly Therefore as Esau said once in a prophane sense concerning his birth-right Lo I am at the point to die and what profit shall this birth-right do to me So let us all say in a Religious sense Lo I am even at the point of Death my grave is going to be made and what good will the World do me If I have but enough till Sun-setting I am content The Scripture discovering Satan and Sin in its colours IT is reported That a certain Iew should have poysoned Luther but was happily prevented by his picture which was 〈◊〉 to Luther with a warning from a Faithfull friend that he should take heed of such a Man when he saw him by which he knew the Murtherer and so escaped his hands Thus it is that the Word of God shews us the face of those lufts which
therefore be a scandal to our Calling not a reproach to our own Names but let us be mindfull of our Vow and duty so oft as our Names are mentioned and as ready to answer to our Faith as to our Names Negligence in the wayes of God reproved THere is mention made of a Prince in Germany who being invaded by a more potent Enemy then himself yet from his Friends and Allies who flock't in to his help he soon had a goodly Army but had no money as he said â—o pay them but the truth is he was loath to part with it For which cause some went away in discontent others did not vigorously mind his businesse and so he was soon beaten out of his Kingdome and his coffers when his Pallace was rifled were found to be thwack't with treasure And thus was he ruin'd as some sick Men dye because unwilling to be at cost to pay the Physitian Now so it is that few or none are to be found but would be glad their Souls might be saved at last but where is the Man or Woman that makes it appear by their Vigorous endeavour that they mean in earnest What Warlike-preparation do they make against Satan who lyes between them and home Where are their Arms where their skill to use them their resolution to stand to them and conscionable care to exercise themselves daily in the use of them Thus to do is a rarity indeed if woulding and wishing would bring them to Heaven then they may likely come thither but as for this diligence in the wayes of God this circumspect walking this Wrestling and fighting this making Religion our businesse they are far from these as at last in so doing they are like to be from Heaven No way to Happinesse but by Holinesse ONe fitly compares Holinesse and Happinesse to those two sisters Leah and Rachel Happinesse like Rachel seems the fayrer even a carnal heart may fall in love with that but Holinesse like Leah is the elder and beautifull also though in this life it appears with some disadvantage her eyes being bleared with tears of Repentance and her face furrowed with the works of Mortification but this is the Law of that Heavenly Country that the younger sister must not be bestowed before the Elder We cannot enjoy fair Rachell Heaven and Happinesse except first we embrace tender-eyed Leah Holinesse with all her severe duties of Repentance and Mortification If we will have Heaven we must have Christ If Christ we must like his service as well as his Sacrifice there 's no way to Happinesse but by Holinesse Men deluded by Satan in not taking the right notion of Sin IT is with men in sinning as it is with Armies in fighting Captains beat their Drums for Voluntiers and promise all that list pay and plunder and this makes them come trowling in but few consider what the ground of the War is or for what Thus Satan enticeth Men to Sin and giveth golden promises of what they shall have in his service with which silly Souls are won but how few ask their Souls Whom do I sin against What is the Devills design in drawing me to Sin Shall I tell thee Dost thou think 't is thy pleasure or profit he desires in thy sinning Alas he means nothing lesse he hath greater plots in his head then so He hath by his Apostacy proclaimed war against God and he brings thee by sinning to espouse his quarrel and to jeopard the life of thy Soul in defence of his pride and lust which that he may do he cares no more for the damnation of thy Soul then the great Turk doth to see a company of his slaves cut off for the carrying on of his design in the time of a siege If therefore thou wilt not be deluded by him take the right notion of Sin and labour to understand the bottome of his bloudy design intended against thee Gods love to his Children in the midst of spirituall desertions And how so AS Ioseph when he spake roughly to his brethren and made them believe he would take them for spyes still his heart was toward them and he was as full of love as ever he could hold he was fain to go aside and weep And as Moses his Mother when she puâ— her child into the Ark of bul-rushes and went a little way from it yet still her eye was toward it The babe wept I and the Mother wept too So God when he goes a side as if he had forsaken his children yet he is full of sympathy and love towards them It is one thing for God to desert another thing to dis-inherit How shall I give thee up O Ephraim Hos. 8. 11. This is a Metaphor taken from a Father going about to dis-inherit his Son and while he is going to set his hand to the deed his bowels begin to melt and to yearn over him though he be a prodigall child yet he is a child I will not cut off the entail So saith God How shall I give thee up though Ephraim hath been a Rebellious Son yet he is my Son I will not dis-inherit him Gods heart may be full of love when there is a vail upon his face The Lord may change his dispensation towards his children but not his disposition So that the believer may confidently say I am adopted and let God do what he will with me let him take the rod or the staff 't is all one to me so long as he loves me The day of Death becomes the good Mans comfort And how so THe Persians had a certain day in the year which they called Vitiorum interitum wherein they used to kill all Serpents and venemous Creatures Such a day as that will the Day of Death be to a Man in Christ this day the old Serpent dyes in a believer that hath so often sâ—ung him with his Temptations this day the sins of the Godly these venemous Creatures shall all be destroyed they shall never be proud more they shall never grieve the Spirit of God more the death of the body shall quite destroy the body of death so that Sin which was the Midwife that brought Death into the World Death shall be the grave to bury sin O the priviledg and comfort of a true believer he is not taken away in his sins but he is taken away from his sins and death is made unto him advantage Heavenly happinesse not to be expressed NIcephorus tells us of one Agbarus a great Man that hearing so much of Christs fame by reason of the Miracles he wrought sent a Painter to take his picture and that the Painter when he came was not able to do it because of that radiancy and divine splendor which sate on Christs face Whether this be true or no penes sit authorem but to be sure there is such a brightnesse on the face of Christ glorified and that Happinesse which
Patient it may be impatient of anguish and pain cryes out to have it removed No sayes the Surgeon it must stay there till it have eaten to the quick and effected that throughly for which it is applyed commanding those that are about him to see that nothing be stirred till he come again to him In the mean time the Patient being much pained counts every minute an hour till the Surgeon come back again and if he stay long thinketh that he hath forgotten him or that he is taken up with other Patients and will not return in any reasonable time When as it may be he is all the while but in the next room to him attending the hour-glasse purposely set up till the Plaisâ—er have had its full operation Thus in the self-fame manner doth God deal oft-times with his dearest Children as David and S. Paul The one was instant more then once or twice to be rid of that evil and the other cryes out as fast Take away the plague from me for I am even consumed c. but God makes both of them to stay his time He saw in them as in all others much dead flesh much corrupt matter behind that was as yet to be eaten out of their Souls he will have the Crosse to have its full work upon us not to come out of the fire as we went in not to come off the fire as foul and as full of scum as we were first set on Resurrection of the Just asserted TRees and other Vegetables in the Winter time appear to the eyes and view of all men as if they were withered and quite dead yet when the Spring time comes they become alive again and as before do bring forth their buds blosâ—oms leaves and fruit the Reason is because the body grain and arms of the Tree are all joyned and fastned to the root where the sap and moisture lies all the Winter time and from thence by reason of so â—ear conjunction it is derived in the Spring-time to all the parts of the Tree Even so the bodies of Men have their Winter also and that is in Death in which time they are turned into dust and so remain for a time dead and rotten yet in the Spring-time that is in the last day at the Resurrection of all Flesh then by means of the mysticall Union with Christ his divine and quickning Virtue shall stream and flow from thence to all the bodies of his Elect and chosen Members and cause them to live again and that to life eternall The inestimable valew of Christ Jesus CHarles Duke of Burgundy being slain in battell by the Swissers at Nantz Anno 1476. had a Iewel of very great valew which being found about him was sold by a Souldier to a Priest for a Crown in money the Priest sold it for two Crowns Afterwards it was sold for seven hundred Florens then for Twelve thousand Duckets and last of all for twenty thousand Duckets and set into the Popes triple Crown where it is to be seen at this day But Christ Iesus is a commodity of far more value better then Rubies saith Solomon and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to him He is that Pearl of price which the Merchant purchased with all that ever he had No Man can buy such gold too dear Ioseph then a pretious Iewell of the World was far more pretious had the Ishmaelitish Merchants known so much then all the Balms and Myrrhes that they transported and so is Christ as all will yield that know him To depend upon Gods bare Word THe Earth that we tread on though it be a massie dull heavy body yet it hangeth in the midst of the ayr inviron'd by the Heavens and keepeth its place steady and never stirreth an inch from it having no props or shores to uphold it no beams or barrs to fasten it nothing to stay or establish it but the Word of God In like manner must we learn to depend upon the bare Word of God And when all other ayds and comforts have taken their leaves of us then to rest and relye upon God himself and his infallible unfailable Word of promise not on the outward pledges and pawns of his Providence nor on the ordinary effects and fruits of his favour so shall we see light even in the midst of darknesse and be able to discern the sweet Sun-shine of his blessed countenance through the thickest clouds of his fiercest Wrath and displeasure The day of Death better then the day of life PLato maketh mention of Agamedes and Trophonius who after they had builded the Temple of Apollo Delphicus they begged of God that he would grant to them that which would be most beneficiall for them who after this suit made went to bed and there slept their last being both found dead the next Morning Whereupon it was concluded That it was better to die then to live Whilest I call things past to mind said that incomparable Q. Elizabeth I behold things present and whilest I expect things to come I hold them happiest that go hence soonest And most true it is that Death being aeterni Natalis the birth-day of Eternity as Seneca at unawares calls it And if Death like unto the gathering Hoast of Dan come last into the Field to gather the lost and forlorn hope of this World that they may be found in a better needs must then be the day of Death better then the day of life Therefore as a witty Man closed up a paper of Verses concerning Worldly calamities and naturall vexationâ— What then remains but that we still should cry Not to be born or being born to dye Men to be prepared for Crosses Afflictions Troubles c. IN or about the year 1626 A book formerly printed and entituled A preparaâ—â—on to the Crosse of Christ composed by Iohn Frith Martyr was brought to the Mâ—rket in Cambridge in the belly of a Fish and that a little before the Commencement time when by reason of the confluence of much People notice might be given to all places of the Land which as a late Reverend Divine observed could in his apprehension be construed for no lesse then an Heavenly warning and to have this voice with it England prepare for the Crosse A great work of God it was to be sure and a fair warning to us of this Nation before the sad dayes of trouble came had but Men made good use of it but surdo narratur No Man prepar'd for the Crosse since which time here hath been enough of the Crosse Crosse-doing and Crosse-dealing one with another and much ado hath been about pulling down and defacing material Crosses such as in themselves were but Civill not Religious marks as that Princely Iob defin'd them when they should rather have been busied in pulling down the old Man out of their hearts and so made way for
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
willing to empty our selves that we may be the sons of God Pride the vanity thereof VAlerius Maximus an eminent Observer of Times and Persons sayes That Alexander the Great had three ill qualities First That he looked upon his Father though otherwise well enough qualified as a Man of no dâ—sert at all Secondly Though he was a Macedonian born yet he put himself into the Persian garbe because more rich and costly then his own Thirdly His conquest had so swelled him that he would be no longer a Man but he must be a God forsooth and no lesse then the Son of Iupiter Such is the nature of Pride and natural condition of all proud Men whether it be in relation to things spirituall or temporall that they think no Man good enough to be their fellow Stand further off sayes one I am holier then thou Keep your distance sayes another I am Richer greater c. then thou Let a Man be but once got upon a Foot-cloath how bigg doth he look upon inferiour passengers And if he have purchased a little more Land then his Neighbours you shall see it in his garb if he command it is imperiously if he salutes it is with a surly and silent nod He thinks with the Pharisee he is not like other Men he looks upon himself as a Gyant and upon all the World besides as dwarfs as if made for nothing but to be laughed at when himself is but a Man and God knowes a foolish one too whom a little trash can aâ—â—ect so deeply not remembring that as the King so the beggar as dyeth the wise Man so the fool and that the Rich and the Poor shall both meet together in the grave Eccles. 7. 15. More Teachers then Learners A Certain King desirous to know What Professors he had most in his Kingdom one of his Courtiers answered Physitians That 's impossible said the King But to make it good the King being disguised he went along with him the next day amongst a Multitude of People and feigning himself not well but troubled with such and so many diseases that he could not tell what to do without remedy Then every one began to tell him What was good for such and such a disease some one thing some another none heard his complaint but prescribed a remedy and he was a Fool that was not then a Physitian So it is now amongst us He is no body that is not a Teacher Teaching Coblers teaching Tradesmen teaching Souldiers all Teachers and Preachers all got into the upper form when their place is in the lower they are up in the Mount with Moses when they should stand below with Aaron amongst the People they are teaching others when it is fit they should be taught themselves their foolish heads like over-seething pots casting out the froth of their own shame Prosperity of the Wicked not to be envied at WHen a Souldier was to die for taking a bunch of grapes against the Generaâ—'s command and going to Execution he went eating his grapes one of his Fellows rebuked him saying What are you eating your grapes now The poor Man answers I prethee Friend do not envy me these grapes for they do cost me dear so they did indeed for they cost him his life Thus let no Man envy the Prosperity of the wicked not fret at the Men of this World who live in pleasure and wallow in the sensual delights of this life they know no better they seek after no better things there 's little cause why any Man should grudge what they have for they must give a sad accompt of what they have received and pay dear at the last even without Gods preventing Mercy the losse of their immortal Souls to all Eternity To be Watchfull in the performance of holy Duties IT is said of the Cranes that roosting by the Water-side one of them is alwayes upon the Watch with a stone in her claw so that upon the approach of their Enemy down falls the stone into the water wherewith being awakened they take themselves to flight for farther safety And that natural Musick-Master the Nightingale being to delight her self with her Night-songs and fearing lest that by sleep she should endanger her self to birds of prey le ts her breast against a thorn to keep her waking And thus must we be watchfull over our selves in all things especially in the performance of holy duties whether it be in Prayer when we speak unto God or in Hearing when God speaks unto us or in Sacramental actions wherein God offâ—reth himself freely unto us or when we be about to sing the songs of Sion then it is that we must use all good means to keep us waking because we are every hand-while apt through our sluggishnesse to take a nap and thereby to endanger our Souls to those ravenous and hellish Fowles who take their chief delight in the works of darknesse and are ready to seize upon us if they find us sleeping Magistraâ—es Ministers c. to be Men of courage ELvidius Priscus being commanded by Vespasian either not to come into the Senate or being there to speak nothing but what he directed made answer That being a Senator it was sit he should go into the Senate and being there it was his duty to speak in his Conscience what he thought to be true and then being threatned if he did so he should die further added That he never as yet told him that he was immortal and therefore said he Do what you will I will do what I ought And as it it in your power to put me unjustly to death so it is in my power to die resolvedly for the Truth Here now was a brave spirited Heathen sit for Christian imitation For he can never be a Faithfull Man that is afraid to speak his mind Men of publique employment for the Peoples good must and ought to stand up for the Truth to be Men of courage Men of resolution not fearing the frowns of any whatsoever not ecchoing out the dictates of others but freely speaking their own thoughts without any fear at all To be Temporate in meat and drink DAniel was afraid of taking liberty to his Flesh in eating the Kings meat Mean was the provision of Iohn the Baptist his fare was locusts and wild honey and yet there was not a greater born of a woman before him A few loaves and a little bread was Basil's provision And Ierome reports of Hilarion that he never did eat any thing before the Sun went down and that which he did eat at any time was very mean nay Ierome himself lived very abstemiously with cold water and a few dry'd Figgs for to eat any thing so much as boyled was accompted Luxury And to make up the Messe S. Augustine hath such an expression concerning himself as this Hoc me dâ—cuisti Domine c. Thou
Horse would needs have him foaming at the mouth but could not by any means do it Whereupon in a great rage he took the sponge wherewith he made his pensils clean and thrâ—w it at the picture intending to have utterly defared it but it so fell out that the spunge having sucked in severall sorts of colours effected that by chance which the Artist by all his industry could not compasse Thus it is with them that strive to make themselves great and eminent in the World How do they cark and care flatter lie and dissemble and all to be thought some body amongst their fearful Neighbours But all in vain this is not the way to do it for as Charles and Fifth told his sonne That Fortune was just like a Woman the more you woe her the further she flings off Let every good Christian then take up the spunge of contempt and throw it at these outward eminencies Moses did so and found to his exceeding joy that the abjection of vain glory was the acquisition of that which was true and reall The difference of good and bad Men in their preparation for Death A Wife that hath been faithfull to her Husband and waits his coming home let him knock when he will she is alwayes ready to open the door unto him but another Woman that is false to her husband and hath other Lovers in the house if her husband chance to knock at the door she does not immediately go to the door and let him in but there is a shuffling up and down in the house and she delayes the time till she have go the others out of the way Thus it is when Death knocks at the door of these Earthly Tabernacles of ours here 's the difference A good man is willing and ready to open to Death his Heart is in such an Heavenly frame that he is alwayes prepared for Death and seeing 〈…〉 Death that so he may take possession Whereas the Atheist he dares not die for fear of a Non esse that he shall be no more the prophane Person is afraid of Death because of a male esse to be made miserable and every wicked ungodly Man is loath to die for having espoused himself to the things of this World he shrinks at the very thought of Death and cryes out to his Soul as sometimes Pope Adrian did O my Soul whither goest thou thou shalâ— never be merry more Or as those ten Men Stay us not for we have Treasures in the Field of Wheat and of Barley and of Oyl and of Honey c. Jer. 41. 8. Christ to be the summe of all our Actions THere is mention made of one in the Primitive times who being asked What he was answered A Christian. What is thy name he answered Christian. What is thy Profession He answered Christian. Wâ—at are thy thoughts He answered Christian. Thy words and deeds What are they He answered Christian. What life leadest thou He answered still Christian. He had so digested Christ into his Soul by Faith that he could speak nothing but Christians And thus it is that Christ is to be made the summe and ultimate of all our actions we must labour that Christ may be made one with us and we with him that in all our Works begun continued and ended we may still conclude with that expression of the Church Through Iesus Christ our Lord. Gods Immutability A Man travelling upon the Road espies some great Castle sometimes it seems to be nigh another time afar off now on this hand anon on that now before by and by behind when all the while it standeth still unmoved So a Man that goes in a boat by water thinks the shore moveth whereas it is not the shore but the boat that passeth away Thus it is with God sometimes he seemeth to be angry with the Sons of Men another time to be well pleased now to be at hand anon at a distance now shewing the light of his Countenance by and by hiding his face in displeasure yet he is not changed at all It is we not he that is changed He is Immutable in his Nature in his Counsels and in all his Promises whereas all Creatures have and are subject to change having their dependance on some more powerfull Agent but God being onely independent is as the School-men say omninò immutabilis altogether immutable The Godly Man rejoycing in Death IT is storied of Godfrey Duke of Boloigne that when in that his expedition to the Holy Land he came within view of Ierusalem his Army seeing the high Turrets goodly Buildings and fair fronts though but as it were as so many Skeletons of far more glorious bodies being even transported with the joyfulnesse of such a sight gave a mighty showt that the Earth was verily thought to ring with the noyse thereof Such is the rejoycing of a Godly Man in death when he doth not see the Turrets and Towers of an Earthly but the spirituall building of an Heavenly Ierusalem and his Soul ready to take possession of them How doth he delight in his dissolution Especially when he sees Grace changing into Glory Hope inâ—o fruition Faith into vision and Love into perfect comprehension such and so great are the exultations of his Spirit such mighty workings and shoutings of the Heart as cannot be expressed Sin to be looked upon as the cause of all sorrow IN the course of Justice we say and say truly When a Party is put to death that the Executioner cannot be said to be the cause of his death nor the Sheriff by whose command he doth it neither yet the Iudge by whose sentence nor the twelve Men by whose verdict nor the Law it self by whose Authority it is proceeded in for God forbid that we should endite these or any of these of Murther Solum peccatum Homicidae Sin and sin onely is the cause and occasion of all sorrows It is not the looking upon any accidentals any Instrumentals of our Miseries and vexations but upon the principal the prime Agent and that 's Sin to take a wreak or holy Revenge upon that to send out an enquiry in our Souls after that and having found it to passe sentence thereupon The Good Mans comfort in matter of Worldly losse IT was a handsome conceit of a great Duke of Florence that had for his Arms a fair spread Tree having one branch onely lopped off with this Motto Uâ—o avulso non deficit alter intimating thereby that as long as the Trunk or body of the Teee was well rooted there was no fear though a branch or two were withered Thus a good Man bears up himself in the matter of temporal losse As to the matter of Government if a David be gathered to his Fathers a Solomon may succeed him in his Throne If a Iohn be cast into Prison rather then the Pulpit shall stand empty a greater then
derived to the Rod and thence to the hand of him that holds it whereupon the Party is so benummed and stupified on a suddain that he loseth the use of his limbs Even so when inchanting lusts insinuate themselves into or indeed but barely touch upon voluptuous minds they grow with the Companions of Ulysses not onely bruitish but withall so senselesse that they have not the power to think a good thought or to do any good action The grand impostory of pretended Revelations MAhomet that grand Hellish Impostor often pretended Visions from Heaven And the Story assures us that he cunningly made use of the disease of his body to perswade his Disciples of the soundnesse of his doctrine For being afflicted with the Falling-sicknesse when at any time a fit was upon him he made the People believe that he was in an exâ—asie or ravishment of the Spirit at the appearance of the Angel Gabriel who revealed many mysteries unto him And having by long use and familiarity taught a Pidgeon to feed at his ear he by art prevailed with the People to feed at his poysonous mouth as if his words had been the inspirations of the Holy Ghost who as she affirmed came then to him in the form of a Dove and taught him those secrets Thus it is that when vain Men such as the Apostle calls filthy dreamers would put a new-nothing upon the World as an infallible Truth and have it swallowed down without chewing received without disputing then usually they pretend that it is quid Divinum a Doctrine or Message come down immediately from God and so shaping their own dark conceptions by the light of Divine Revelation do with the more estimation put off either such points of doctrine or such rules of Policy as themselves have onely invented To be favourable in the Censure of our brother IN Freesland there was a false Prophet one George David who called himself Gods Nephew and said That Heaven was empty and that he was to choose some to fill it and none forsooth must come there but whom he liked And we have some amongst us such mad Prophets that will elect and damn whom they please But as themselves say The Pope hath no power to make Saints so we may very well say They have no Authority to make Devils Every Man is to be reputed honest till he be disproved Charity thinks no evil 1 Cor. 13. 5. The Worlds Deceitfulnesse and Treachery IT is said of the City of Athens that it was a goodly place for a Philosopher to passe through for there he should see and hear many things that might better his understanding it being as it were the Nurse and Mother of all Learning but it was not good for him to stay there because he could hardly live in safety So may it well be said of this World that if a Man do but onely passe through it he may behold many admirable works of God to better his knowledg but if he take up his abode here then he is in jeopardy of his life For the World salutes Passengers after a friendly manner and bids them welcome but with that Proviso to his Servants which Iudas gave to his Complices Whomsoever I shall kisse that is he hold him fast treacherously kissing and killing them entertaining them with a Smile but sending them home not by Chearing but by weeping-crosse It gives them for a while the liberty of the house to call for what they list they may have all the deadly sins at their service but they shall have a cutting reckoning in the end Conscience keeps the barre and will make them pay with a Witnesse For in the very height of their Contentments they shall be arrested upon an action of Riot and if Gods great mercy prevent not be cost into Hell without bayl or mainprize for ever Commonnesse of the Death of others taking away the sense of Death IT is said of Birds that build and roost in Steeples being used to the continual ringing of Bells the sound disquiets them not at all or as those that dwell near the fall of the River Nilus the noise of the Water deafens them so that they mind it not Thus it is that the commonnesse of the death of others is made but as it were a formall thing Many have been so often at the grave that now the grave is worn out of their hearts they have gone so often to the house of Mourning that they are grown familiar with Death they look upon it as a matter of custome for Men to die and be buried And when the solemnity is over the thoughts of Death are over also as soon as the grave is out of their sight preparation for the grave is out of their mind then they go to their Worldly businesse to trading and dealing yea to coveting and sinning as if the last Man that ever should be were buried Silence in the cause of Gods honour condemned HErodotus writes of a dumb Son that Croesus had who when his Father was endangered in a battel on a suddain his tongue was loosed and he cryed out Parce Rex est O spare him hee 's the King So when Gods glory is in question what a numbnesse what a dumbnesse is it not to say O spare him hee 's the Lord Luther will be accounted proud passionate Enemy to the Pope or any thing rather then to be found guilty of sinfull silence when the cause of God suffereth To hear Blasphemers wound and tear the sweet and sacred Name of Christ in pieces would make a dumb Man speak though there be a time yet an evill time when a Prudent Man is to hold his peace Amos 4. The deepest Dissembler at one time or other discovering himself XEnophon writes of the Persians that they taught their Children to lye to their Enemies and to speak truth to their Friends but they soon forgot their distinction and so discovered themselves As it is in the Fable A Woolf being crept into a Sheeps-skin went so long to School till he came to the spelling of his Pater-noster And being asked What spells P and a he answered Pa Then what spells t e r. he answered ter Put them together said the Master The Wolf cryed Agnus Ore protulit quod in corde fuit saith the Morall intimating that the deepest dissembler will at one time or other discover himself No Man can personate another long neither can any so transform himself but now and then you shall see his heart at his tongues end The Devill may transform himself into an Angel of light and Men may seem to be zealous in a good Matter when their hearts are ranging after their lusts yet mark them well and at one time or other you shall find that true which the Damsel said unto Peter Thou art a Galilean thy speech bewrayeth thee c. Mark 14. 70.
Wise Men dying as well as Fools IT is observed concerning Paracelsus a great Physitian and a Man exceedingly well verst in Chymical experiments that he bragg'd and boasted that he had attained to such Wisdome in discerning the Constitutions of Mens bodies and studying remedies that whosoever did follow his rules and keep to his directions should never dye by any disease casually he might and of age he must but he would undertaker to secure his health against all diseases a bold undertaking But he who by his art promised to protect others to the extremity of old age from the arrest of death could not by all his art and skill make himself a protection in the prime of his youth but dyed even as one without wisdome before or when he had seen but thirty Thus it is that Wisemen many times do not onely dye as well as Fools but as Fools without Wisdome They who have most Worldly wisdome usually die with the least in not preparing wisely for death they may be said to have had Wisdome but they die as if they never had had any that is they apply not their Wisdome while they live to fit themselves for their death they die before they understand what it is to live or why they live and so dying unpreparedly they die foolishly Neglect of Restitution condemned A Great Lady in Barbary being a Widow called to her an English Merchant trading in those parts with whom she knew her husband had some commerce and asked him if there were nothing owing to him from her deceased husband He after her much importunity acknowledged what and shewed the particulars She tendered him satisfaction yea and after his many modest refusals as being greatly benefited by the dead Barbarian forced him to take the uttermost penny saying thus I would not have my husbands Soul to seek your Soul in Hell to pay his debts Here now was a Fire in a dark Vault great Zeal in blind Ignorance seeing that by the Candle-light of Nature which S. Augustine delivered long since for a doctrinal Truth Non dimittitur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum thus in Master Latimers old English Either restitution or Hell But O the sadnesse of these grasping Times Where is the Man that restoreth what is unjustly taken away what hath been indirectly gotten The estates credits goods and good Names of Men are taken away by exactions and slanders but where is the Man that maketh Restitution Zacheus may very well rise up in Judgment against such a griping and exacting generation as this is Luke 19. 8. Wives to love their Husbands cordially IT is not without some significancy that the Church in the solemnity of Marriage ordaineth that there shall be a gold Ring of gold it must be intimating that Love should abound betwixt the Married couple Love the best of graces and round it must be to shew that Love must continue to the end besides this Ring must be put by the Man upon the fourth finger of the Woman signifying also thereby that as there is a vein in that finger which correspondeth with the Heart so she should be cordially affected to her Husband having no thought in that kind of any other man as long as he lives whom God by his Ministery hath given unto her The Wicked Mans Folly in his Worldly choyce WHen an Heir is impleaded for an Ideot the Judge commands an apple or a counter with a piece of gold to be set before him to try which he will take If he take the apple or the counter and leave the gold then he is cast for a Fool and so held by the Judgment of the Court as one that is unable to manage his estate because he knowes not the valew of things or how to make a true election of what is fittest for him in the way of subsistency This is the case of all Wicked Men thus foolish and much more When Bugles and Diamonds counters and gold are before them they leave the Diamonds and the gold and please themselves with toyes and baubles Nay when which is infinitely more sottish Heaven and Hell Life and Death are set before them they choose Hell rather then Heaven and death rather then life they take the mean transitory trifling things of the World before the favour of God the pardon of Sin a part in Iesus Christ and an Inheritance amongst the Saints in light coelestiall Custome in Sin hardly broken off THere is an Apologue how four things meeting boasted their incomparable strength The Oake a Stone Wine and Custome The Oke stood stoutly to it but a blast of wind came and made it bow the Axe felled it quite down Great is the strength of Stones yet gutta cavat a continual dropping wears them away and a hammer beats them to pieces Wine overthrowes Gyants and strong Men Senators and Wise Men et quid non pocula possunt yet sleep overcomes Wine But Custome invicta manet remains unconquered Hence it was that the Cretians when they cursed their Enemies did not wish their houses on fire not a sword at their hearts but that which in time would bring on greater woes that mala consuetudine delectentur they might be delighted with an ill Custome And to say truth Custome in Sin is hardly broken off When Vices are made manners the disease is made incurable When through long trading and Custome in Sin neither Ministery nor misery nor miracle nor Mercy can possibly reclaim a Man may very truly write on that Soul Lord have mercy on it For Custome is not another nurture but another Nature and what becomes Natural is not easily reduced It is the principall Magistrate of Mans life the guide of his actions and as we have inured our selves at the first setting out in this World so commonly we go on unlesse we be turned by Miracle and changed by that which is onely able to do it the Grace of God Wives to be subject to their Husbands WHen the Sun is down the Moon takes upon her the Government of the Heavens and out-shines the Stars yet not without borrowing her best light from the Sun but when the Sun appears she vailes her light and by degrees vanisheth out of sight So the Wife in her husbands absence shines in the Family tanquam inter ignes Luna minores like the fair Moon amongst the lesser Stars but when he comes in it will be her modesty to contract and withdraw her self by leaving the Government to him onely Cardinall Wolsey's Ego et Rex meus I and my King is insupportable in the Politiques so I and my husband is insufferable in the Oeconomicks For let but the Moon get the upper hand of the Sun the Wife over her husband the glory of that Family must needs be eclipsed The Safety of Gods people PLutarch in the relation of Alexander's Warrs saith That when he came to
God are conditional made up with Provisoes As there is a reward promised so there is a Condition premised It must be our Obedience first and then comes in Gods recompence Our devotion goes before and his Retribution followes after To be careful of Vowes and Promises made in the time of Extremity THeodoricus Archbishop of Colen when the Eâ—perour Sigismund demanded of him the directest and most compendious way how to attain to true happinesse made answer in brief thus Perform when thou art well what thou promisedst when thou wast sick David did so he made Vows in Warr and paid them in Peace And thus should all good Men do not like the cunning Devill of whom the Epigrammatist thus writeth Aegrotat Daemon Monachus tunc esse Volebat Convalâ—it Daemon Monachus tunc esse nolebat Well Englished The Devill was sick the Devill a Monk would be The Devill was well the Devill a Monk was he Nor like unto many now adayes that if Gods hand do but lie somewhat heavy upon them O what Promises what engagements are there for amendment of life How like unto Marble against rain do they seem to sweat and melt but still retain their hardnesse let but the Rod be taken off their backs or health restored then as their bodies live their Vows die all is forgotten Nay many times it so falleth out that they are far worse then ever they were before The good Christian's absolute Victory over Death WHen the Romans had made Warre upon the Carthagenians and often overcaâ—â— them yet still within eight of ten years or lesse they made head again and stirred up new Warrs so thaâ— they were in successive combustion And it hath been the same in all the Nations of the World he that was erst an underling not long afâ—er becomes the Commander in chief and the same thing that the Lord hath now made the â—ayl may be the head in time to come As for Example Cerealis gets a great Conquest over the Cymbrians and the Tutons and shortly after Sylla had the like over him And Sylla no sooner shines out to the World but is eclipsed by Pompey And Pompey the glory of his time is by the conquering hand of Caesar outed both of life and honours And Caesar in the height of all his pompous state falls by the hands of bloody Conspirators in the Senate-house Thus in the course of this World As one Man is set up another is pull'd down the Conquerour is oft-times conquered himself but in the Victory that every good Man hath over Death it is so absolute that it is without any hope or comfort on Death's part and without any fear or suffering on their part For it is so taken away as if it had never been and that which had the greatest triumph the mightiest Trophies in the World unto which all Kings and Princes have bowed their heads and laid down their Scepters as so many morselsâ—o â—o â—eed on shall by the hand of Iesus Christ be turned into nothing shall have no Name or nation and be berâ—ft of all hope of recovery 1. Cor. 15. To be alwaies prepared for Death WHen Harold King of Denmark made Warr upon Harquinus and was ready to joyn battel a dart was seen flying into the ayr hovering this way and that way as though it sought upon whom to rest when all stood wondring to know what would become of this strange Prodigy every Man fearing himself at last the dart fell upon Harquinus his head and slew him Thus Death shoots his arrowes amongst us here he hits one that is Rich there another that is poor Now he shoots over at one that is elder then our selves Anon he shoots short at one that is younger Here he hits one on the right hand our equal another on the left inferior And none of us know how soon the Arrow may â—all upon our own heads our turn will come let it be our care then we be not surprised on a sodain Religion pretended Mischief intended CElsus the Philosopheâ— upon his defence of Paganism setteth an Inscription oâ— the Word of Truth Manicheus that blasphemous Heretick taking in hand to write to the Church his damnable Paradoxes doubteth not to begin thus Manicheus Apostolus Iesu Christi c. Manicheus the Apostle of Jesus Christ The 〈◊〉 Hâ—reticks were alwayes saying Nos rectaâ—fide iâ—cedimus We waâ—k in 〈◊〉 right Faith All of them seeking the cloak and coverture of Religion It is the old Proveâ—â— In nomine Domini incipit omne malum well Englished In my name have they prophesied lies Ier. 23. Thus it was with them and is it not the â—ame â—ay worse considering the abundance of means afforded to be better with us now and but some few years ago Parsons that Arch-traytor when he was hatching misâ—hief against his Prince and Native Country set forth as if he had been wholly made up of devotion that excellent piece of Christian Resolution And now For Sioâ—s sake I will not hold my tongue sayes one c. So sayes another and so a third Sion at the tip of the tongue but Babel at the bottom of the Heart Religion preteâ—ded Mischief intended like Sons of Simon rather then children of Sion writing Pâ—â—rmaca medicines where they should write venena poysons And by this means they do sugar the brims of their intoxicated cups that Men the more grâ—edily and without suspition may suck in their venomous doctrines that are administred unto thâ—m therein Why God suffers his Children to be in a wanting condition SEverus the Emperour was wont to say of his Souldiers That the poorest were the best For when they begun to grow rich then they began to grow naught Hence is that of the Poet Martem quisquis amat C. If you will bring up a boy or young Man to be a Souldier learn him first to endure poverty to â—â—e hard and fare hard and to encounter all the hardship that Necessity can present unto him and then hee 'l deal the better with his Enemies So in the School of Christ the Lord suffers his People to be in a wanting condition not because he doth not intend to supply them not because he cannot provide for them but the reason is to bring them up in the discipline of Warre to train them up as weaned Children lest they should be taken off with the things of this World and as it were drowned in the vanities of this life and so forget God and their own Soul's health which is most of all to be regarded All Men alike in Death LUcian hath a Fable the Moral is good Menippus meeting with Mercury in the Elizian-fields would needs know of him which amongst all thâ— ghosts was Philip the great King of Macedon Mercury answers He is Philip that hath the hairlesseâ—scalp Menippus replyes Why they have all bald heads Merc. Then he with the flat
imminent but cannot give themselves a supersedeas from Death approaching They are said to be like tumbling Seas whose boyling swelling overflowing waves bring terrour and trouble to all that are near them But God hath said unto them Hither shall ye come and no further here shall your proud waves be staid here in the midst of your march be it never so fierce shall the wheels of your Charriots be knocked off and here in the ruffe of all your greatnesse shall Death arrest you Marriage not to be made for Money onely THere was a Rich Man in Athens which had a daughter to marry and he asked counsel of Themistocles how to bestow her telling him that there was a very honest Man that made suit unto her but he was poor And there was a Rich Man which did also defire her but he was not Honest Themistocles answered that if he were to choose he would prefer Monilesse Men before Masterlesse money Intimating thereby that Marriage is not to be contracted for Money onely yet the question is now with what money not with what honesty the party whom they seek is endowed whether they be rich not whether they be godly What lands they have on Earth not what Inheritance they have in Heaven It is dos not Deus all 's good enough if there be goods enough it is Money that makes the Match But let such know that as their Money wasteth so their love weareth neither is there any Love or Friendship constant but that which is grounded on constant causes such as Vertue and Godlinesse which will hold out to the last The day of the last Judgment a terrible day THere is a story of two Souldiers that coming to the Valley of Iehosaphat in Iudea and one saying to the other Here in this place shall be the generall Iudgment Wherefore I will now take up my place where I will then sit and so lifting up a stone he sate down upon it as taking possession before-hand But being sate and looking up to Heaven such a quaking and trembling fell upon him that falling to the Earth he remembred the day of Iudgment with horrour and amazement ever after And to say truth so fearfull and terrible shall be the appearance of that day that our Saviour in some sort describing the same saith that then the powers of Heaven shall be shaken de Angelis hoc dicit saith S. Augustine Christ here speaketh of the Angels that trembling and great fear shall surprise them so that if those glorious spirits shall tremble at the horrour of that day who being guilty of no sin shall not then be judged How shall poor Martals stand amazed especially the wicked whose Iudgment and condemnation shall then be pronounced The benefit of History LUcius Lucullus being appointed Captain General over the Romane Forces against Mithridates had not great experience or knowledg in War but onely what he had gotten by reading History yet proved a discreet and Valiant Commander and vanquish't at that time two of the greatest Princes in the East Thus it is that History is and may be the director of meanest Men in any of their actions how others have behaved themselves upon several occasions and what hath followed thereupon It is a trusty Counsellour of State by whose advice and direction a Common-weal may be framed governed reformed and preserved an Army may be ordered Enemies vanquished and Victory obtained In it as in a glasse we see and behold Gods providence guiding and ruling the World and Mens actions which arrive often at unexpected events and even some times reach unto such ends as are quite contrary to the Actor's intentions It is a punisher of Vice presenting aged Folly green and fresh to Posterity not suffering Sin to dye much lesse to be buried in Oblivion It is also a Reâ—arder of Vertue reserving worthy deeds for Imitation A good Work though it dye in doing is a Reward to it self yet that some dull Natures might be stirred up the more and all benefited by seeing gratious steps before them this onely is exempted by a firm decree from the stroke of Death to live in History Men usually judging others to be like themselves IT is said of Moses and Ioshua that when they were coming down from the Mountain and heard a noise in the Camp Ioshua said There was a noise of War But Moses said the noise of them that sing do I hear Here was now great difference of these two great Mens Iudgments but the reason was that Ioshua being a Martial man therefore judgeth the noise to be a noise of War but Moses being a Man of Peace judgeth the noise to be a noise of Peace each of them judging according to their several dispositions Hence is that of the Philosopher Qualis quisque est tales existimat alios such as every one is the same he thinketh others to be measuring of other Mens actions by his own bushel The Lascivious Man thinketh others to be lascivious The Covetous person thinks others to be Covetous the Fool thinks every Man to be as arrant a Wise man as himself hoc proclivius suspicatur in alio c. Every Man readily suspects that of another which he findeth in himself Neglect of the Soul reproved THere is a story of one Pambo that on a time looking out at a Window and perceiving a Woman to spend a great deal of time in trimming her self fell a weeping And being demanded the cause answered Have not I a great cause to weep to see yonder poor creeping worm consume so long time in decking and adorning her poor Earthly carcase to the sight of Man and I spend so small time in preparing my Soul for God But were this Man alive now he would do nothing else but lament and take on to see how people of all sorts from the highest to the lowest are taken up with high thoughts of their bodies little thinking of their Souls Men and Women trifling out whole dayes inter pectinem et speculum in finifying of their Fantastical Phisâ—omies and not bestowing one hour in smoothing and rectifying of their most pretious Souls To Compassionate others miseries THere is mention made of some Mountains called Montes Lactarei the milky Mountains on which the Beasts that feed do give such nourishing milk that Mens bodies though much consumed away do thereby not onely receive strength and health but fatnesse also whereas the beasts themselves are exceeding lean so that after a wonderfull manner the beasts do not profit by that grasse by which the bodies of Men come on and prosper they go up and down near the thickets of the Mountains meagre and thin and as it were sustaining the condition of those who are healed by them Like to these beasts should Charity make every one of us that as we comfort the Poor with the milk that we give them the relief that we afford them
back again unto him Evolve librum Platonis et nihil amplius est quod desideres Read saith he but Plato upon the same subject and you will desire no more The Roman returned him answer Evolvi iterum atque evolvi c. I have read it over saith he again and again but I know not whence it is when I read it I assent unto it but I have no sooner laid the book out of my hand but I begin to doubt again Whether the Soul be Immortal yea or no. So it is with all perswasion from Natural principles as to that extent of Doctrine it would perswade us of the perswasion that ariseth from them is faint and very weak It is true that Nature hath principles to perswade the Soul by to some kind of assent As that there is a God and he must be worshipped Look upon me saith Nature I have not a spire of grasse but tells thee there is a God See the variety greatnesse beauty of my work Read a great God in a great Whale or Elephant A beauteous God in a glorious flower A wise God in my choyce of Works Behold a God in the order thou hast seen in me See him in my Law written in thy heart From these and such like things Nature bequeaths a kind of Faith to the Soul and learns it Credere Deum to believe that there is a God but this is far from Credere in Deum Faith in the point of true believing Christ's Humanity asserted AS Alexander the Great however the Popular sort deified him yet having got a clap with an Arrow said Ye style me Jupiter's son as if immortal sed hoc vulnus clamat me esse hominem this bloud that issues from the wound proves me in the issue a Man this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bloud of Man not of God and smelling the stench of his own flesh asked his Flatterers If the gods yield such a sent So it may be said of Iesus Christ our Saviour though Myriads of Angels and Saints acclaim he is a God ergo Immortal And a crew of Hereticks disclaim him to be a Man as the Manichees denying the truth of hiâ— Humanity the Marcionites averring that he had a phantastical body Apeâ—â—es who conceived that he had a sydereal substance yet the streams of bloud following the arrow of Death that struck him make it good that he was perfect Man of a reasonable Soul and humane flesh subsisting Sinners crucifying the Lord of life daily THere is a story of one Clodoveyus a King of France that when he was converted from Paganism to Christianity while Rhemigius the Bishop was reading in the Gospel concerning the Passion of our Saviour and the abuses he suffered from Iudas and the rest of the Iews he brake out into these words O that I had been but there with my Frenchmen I would have cut all their throats In the mean time not considering that by his daily sins he did as much as they had done And thus it is that most of Men all sinfull Men condemn the crucifiers of Christ for their cruelty but never look into themselves who by their daily sins make him to bleed again afresh The proud Man plats a Crown of thorns upon his sacred Head the Sweater nails his hands and feet the Scorner spits upon him and the Drunkard gives him gall and Vinegar to drink Our Hypocrisie was the kisse that betrayd him the Sins of our bodies were and are the tormentors of his body and the Sins of our Souls were they that made his Soul heavy to death that caused the withdrawings of his Father's love from him and made him in the heavinesse of his panged Soul to cry out My God my God Why hast thou forsaken me To blesse God for the Revelation of himself in the Scripture IT is recorded of Ptolomey King of Egypt that however he had then gleaned up two hundred thousand Volumes he sent Demetrius the Keeper of his Library to the Iews to have a Copy of their Law the Book was sent and Seventy learned Men along with it that they might translate the same into Greek Ptolomey sets them to work puts them into severall Cells or Chambers that they might not converse together After some time and large expence every one returned his papers not varying in the least from the truth of the Original Such was the Love that Ptolomey had to the Law of God at that time that he spared no cost or pains till he had it being called the Septuagint at this day But how are we then bound to blesse God that we need not send so far or spend much to have the Book of the Law and the Gospel too the whole Scriptures not onely in our houses but in Gods house where they are read and orthodoxally expounded that it is but opening the casement and light flowes in upon us so that if the height of our thankfulnesse to God and the best of our desires be not thereto to know and to do we are not worthy the name of Christians Ranters Roaring boys c. their conversion not confusion to be endeavoured THeodoret maketh mention of the antient Donatists that they were so ambitious of Martyrdome as they accounted it that many of them meeting with a young Gentleman requested of him that he would be pleased to kill them He to confute their folly condiscended to their desire on condition that first they would be contented to be all fast bound which being done accordingly he â—ook such order that they were all soundly whipt but saved their lives Thus when we hear such as they call Ranters Roaring Dammy-boyeâ— c. wish that God would damn sink or confound them hope that God will be more mercifull then to take them at their words and grant their desires and withall heartily desire that he would be pleased sharply to scourge them and soundly to lash them with the frights and terrors of a wounded Conscience the pain whereof would be so grievous unto them that they would without all doubt revoke their wishes as having little list and lesse delight to â—aste of Hell â—ereafter Christ the true Light THe Rabbines have a conceit concerning Noah that whilest the window of the Ark was shut he made use of some resplendent stone by whose rayes the objects of the sights presented themselves to the Organ of the eye being as it were the light of some Lamp or Candle unto them However the conjecture may be curious yet true it is that Christ is that stone which albeit the builders refused is now become the head of the corner a bright shining stone at whose presence the Moon is darkned and the Stars withdraw their light he is that lux illuminans at whose approach the light of the Moon becomes as the light of the Sun lux innata that true light that light of life not lux
recorded of one Sir William Champney in the Reign of King Henry the third that living in Tower street London he was the first Man that ever builded a Turret on the top of his house that he might the better overlook all his Nâ—ighbours but it so hapned that not long after he was struck blind so that he which would see more then others saw just nothing at all A sad judgment And thus it is just with God when Men of towring high thoughts must needs be prying into those Aâ—cana Dei the hidden secrâ—ts of God that they should be struck blind on the place and come tumbling down in the midst of their so curious enquiry At the Ascension of Christ it is said that he was taken upo in a Cloud being entred into his presence Chamber a curtain as it were was drawn to hinder his Disciples gazing and our further peeping yet for all that a Man may be pius pâ—lsator though not temerarius scrutator he may modestly knock at the â—ounsel door of Gods secâ—ets but if he enâ—er further he may assure himself â—o be more bold â—hen welcome Gods comfortable appearance to his People in the hour of Death MAster Dering a little before his death being raised up in his bed and seeing the Sunshine was desired to speak his mind said There is but one Sâ—n that giveth light to the whole World but oâ—e Righteousnesâ—e one Communion of Saints As concerning Deaâ—h I see such joy of spirit that if I should have pardon of life on the one side and sentence of Death on the other I had rather choose a thousand times to dye then to live And another one Mr. Iohn Holland lying at the point of Death said What brightnesse do I see and being told it was the Suâ—shine No saith he My Saviour shines Now farewell World welcomâ— Heaven the Day-star from oâ— high hath visited me Preach at my Funeral God dealeth comfortably and familiarly with Man I feel his Mercy I see his Majesty whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God he knoweth but I see things that are unutterable Thus it is that the People of God have the comfortable appearance of him self at the time of their dissolution the door of Heaven standing then as it were a charr they are ravished with the very glimpse of those things that are at Gods right hand Whether they look up to God wâ—om they have offended or downward upon Hell which they have deserved backward upon Sins committed forwards upon Iudgments to be feared the Spirit helpeth their Infirmities Christ intercedeth for them and God standeth by with the arms of his Mercy ready open to receive them A good Man denominated from the goodnesse of his Heart IT is one of Aristotles axiomes that the goodnesse or badnesse of any thing is denominated from its Principle Hence it is that we call that a gooâ— Tree that hath a good root that a good house that hath a good foundation that good Money that is made of good Mettal that good cloth that is made of good â—ool But a good Man is not so called because he hath good hands a good head good words a good voice and all the lineaments of his body similar and composeâ— as it were in a Geometrical symmetry but because he hath a good Heart good affections good principles of Grace whereby all the faculties both of Body and Soul are alwaies in a posture of readinesse to offer up themselves a living and acceptable Sacrifice unto God Almighty Faith and Repentance to be daily renewed and encreased AS the natural life of Man doth consist upon that which by the Physitians is called Humor radicalis and Calor naturalis Natural heat and radicall moysture for indeed all life is sustained by motion and motion is between contrarieties So in the life spiritual there must be of necessity two contrary qualities Repentance continually to put off our own Unrighteousnesse and Faith to put on Christ's the one to work upon the other so to preserve life by motion Not to sit down with those Anabaptistical and fanatick spirits that limit a certain time for sorrow and Repentance for the best of us all are but leaking Vessels and we must ply the Pump daily for fear of drowning as long as there is excesse of evill and defect of good within us Repentance must be renewed and Faith increased daily Death onely being the end and complement of our Repentance and Mortification even as our Râ—surrection shall be the period and ultimate of our Faith and Vivificatiâ—n To be much more carefull of the Soul than body IT was provided in the old Law that the weight of the Sanctuary should be double to the ordinary weight and that the shekell of the Sanctuary should be worth as much again as that of the Common-wealth which was valued at Fifteen pence And all this to hint out unto us that God must have double weight in matters that appertain unto him in the salvation of our Souls double care double diligence that is twice as much care of our Souls as of our bodies begging oftner for Spiritual then temporal things hence is it that there is in the Lords prayer but one Petition for Earthly things and two for Heavenly linked as it were together but one for daily bread and two for pardon of sins and Graces to fight against them The Crown of Perseverance S. Chrysostome makes mention of the Women of Corinth who had a custome to set up lights or tapers at the birth of every child with proper names and look what name the taper bare which lasted longest in the burning they transferd that name to the Child But the Lord doth put up a perpetual burning lamp to be as a Monument for all those that shall persevere in well-doing to the end It is not enough to begin in the spirit and end in the flesh It is not for him that runneth but for him that runneth so that runneth to the end that persevereth that the Crown is reserved It is he that shall eat of the hidden Manna he that shall have the white stone and in the stone a new name written which no Man knoweth saving he that receiveth it Rev. 2. 17. How to discover our thoughts in Preparation to Prayer IN the Levitical Law things that crept upon all four were forbidden yet if they had feet to leap withall they were judged to be clean Even so howsoever some of our thoughts are taken up about the things of this World our trades and businesse yet if we have leggs to leap up with that we can raise up our hearts to God and better things when we come to pray and prostrate our selves before him it is not to be condemned they may passe for clean well enough But if they alwayes creep on the ground if never raised higher then the Earth if no good
be entertained therein SCipio being made General of the Romane Army was to name his Questor or â—râ—asurer for the Wars whom he thought fit it being a place in those daies as is now in these of great importance One that looked upon himself to have a special interest in Scipio's favour becomes an earnest suiter for it but by the delay mistrusting he should be answered in the Negative importun'd him one day for an answer Think not unkindnesse in me said Scipio that I delay you thus For I have been as earnest with a friend of mine to take it and cannot as yet prevail with him Intimating hereby that high preferments offices of charge and Conscience are fittest for such as shun them modestly rather then such as seek them greedily And without all doubt he that hunteth after any place or dignity whether in Church or Commonweal that doth omnem movere lapidem leave no stone unmoved no means unattempted no Friend unsolicited doth but declare himself as one byass'd to his own not the publique Interest and so a Man unfitting whereas he that lyes dormant till Preferment awaken him that humbly carrieth an inferiour condition till he hear the Governours voice Friend sit up higher Luk. 14. 10. is the onely Man fit to be entrusted Prayer and endeavour to be joyned together THe Pagans in their fabulous Legend have a story of Hercules whom for his strength they counted a God how a Carter forsooth had overthrown his Cart and sate in the way crying Help Hercules O Hercules help me At last Hercules or one in his likenesse came to him and laid on him with a good cudgel saying Ah thou silly lazy Fellow callest thou to me for help and dost nothing thy self Arise and set to thy shoulder and heave thy part then pray to me for help and I will do the rest Thus in the matter of Prayer unto God we must do somewhat on our parts It is not as we say lying in a ditch and crying out God help us that willâ—bring us out Shall a Scholler pray to God to make him learned and never go to his book Shall a Husbandman pray for a good Harvest and throw his Plow into the hâ—dg No no as a reverend B. said once in a Sermon before Q. Elizabeth It is not a Praying to God but a tempting of God to beg his blessing without doing our endeavour also Men to be ready to die for Christ. IT is reported of an able Ministâ—r now with God that riding with an intimate Friend by Tyburn which he had not know or not observed before demanded what that was and answer being made This is Tyburn where many Malefactors have lost their lives he stopped his horse and uttered these words with great affection O what a shame is it that so many thousands should die here for the satisfaction of their â—usts and so few be found willing to lay down their lives for Christ Why should not we in a good cause and upon a good call be ready to be hanged for Iesus Christ it would be everlasting honour and it is a thousand times better to dye for Christ to be hanged to be burnt then to dye in our beds And most true it is that it were every way more glorious to die for Christ then to live without him such was the Christian temper of the blessed Apostle that he was not onely willing to be bound but to dye for the Lord Jesus And after him those Primitive Christians How ambitious were they of Martyrdome in the cause of Christ And of late in the times of that Marian persecution How many cheerfully and willingly laid down their lives mounting Eliah-like to Heaven in Fiery Charriots And so must every good Christian be ready to do to dye for Christ willingly to endure the Crosse and not to shrink back for any torment whatsoever The generality of Men not enduring to hear of Death DOctor Rudd then B. of S. Davids preaching before Q. Elizab. An. 1596. on Psalm 90. vers 12. O teach us to number our dayes c. fell upon some sacred and mystical Numbers as three for the Trinity three times three for the Heavenly Hierarchy seven for the Sabbath and at last upon seven times nine for the grand Climacterical year but the Q. perceiving whitherto it tended began to be much troubled in her mind which the B. discovering betook himself to treat of some more plausible Numbers as of the Number 666 to prove the Pope to be Antichrist and of the fatal number 88 blessing God for hers and the Kingdoms deliverance not doubting but that she would passe her Climacterical year also Sermon being ended the Q. as the manner was opened the VVindow but she was so far from giving him thanks that she said plainly He should have kept his Arithmetick for himself and so went away for the time discontented though upon second thoughts she was pacified And thus it is that the generality of Men and Women cannot endure to hear of Death or to entertain any thoughts of their latter end you shall have them cry out upon the miseries of this wretched life and yet when Death appears be it but in the bare apprehension thereof they do as little Children who all the day complain but when the Medicine is brought them are nothing sick at all or as they who all the week run up and down the house with pain of their teeth and seeing the Barber come to pull them out feel no more torment Wit how to make a right use thereof IN the Levitical Law there are directions for the usage of a Captive taken to Wife When thou goest forth to ward against thy Enemies and the Lord thy God hath delivered them into thy hands and thou hast taken them Captive And seest amongst the Captives a beautifull Woman and hast a desire unto her that thou wouldst have her to thy Wife Then thou shalt bring her home to thy house and she shall shave her head and pare her nails And she shall put the rayment of her Captivity from ofâ— her and shall remain in thy house and bewail her Father and Mother a full moneth and after that thou shalt go in unto her and be her husband and she shall be thy Wife Thus by way of Allusion this Captive-Woman is Witt as yet unsanctified Witt without VVisdome Wit as they say Whither wilt thou When speeches are witty whilest the behaviour is wicked when deeds are incongruities whilest words are Apothegms VVhat must then be done shave the hair pare the nails take off the abuse of Witt pare off such evils as usually are concomitant 1. Blasphemy as in jesting with the sacred Scriptures 2. Lasciviousnesse as in wanton discourses 3. Insolence as in trampling on Men of weaker parts 4. Contention as in making Policy to eat ouâ— Piety this being done Wit is become Wisdome then marry her and use
with the vicissitudes he had run through being asked by one by what meanes he preserved his fortune he replyed that he was made ex salice non ex quercu of the pliant Willow not the stubborn Oak alwaies of the prevailing Religion and a Zealous Professour Thus it is that the wicked State-Polititian sides with all parties If Religion be fashionable you can scarce distinguish him from a Saint He will not onely reverence Godly Ministers but if need be he will preach himself If cunctation prevail he acts Fabius If the buckler must be changed for a Sword he personates Marcellus If mildnesse be usefull Soderini of Venice was not more a Lamb then he If Severities are requisite Nero's butcheries are Sanctities compared with his Thus like a subtle Proteus he assumes that shape which is most in grace and of most profitable conducement to his ends onely he hath so much advantage of the Camelion that he can turn himself into white For he is often to be found wearing the Vest of innocency to conceal the uglinesse and blackness of his attempts Tyrants raysing themselves by a seeming compliance with the People A Thenaeus tells a pretty story of one Athenion born obscurely who as long as he was private and poor excel'd in a soft and tractable disposition but when by jugling he had obtained the Athenian government there was none more odious for a cruell barbarous covetous Tyrant Nero's quinquennium will never be forgotten not that which is reported of Caligula that there was never a better servant and a worse Master Thus it is by wofull experience made out that Tyrannically-minded Men personate goodnesse till they have accomplished their ends make a shew of all goodnesse till they have wrought themselves into the good liking of all those whom they intend to deceive And then off goes the Vizard of dissimulation and they appear in their native colours what indeed they are bloudy barbarous inhumane True Obedience IT is reported of the old Kings of Peru that they were wont to use a Tassell or Fringe made of red Wool which they wore upon their heads and when they sent any Governour to rule as Vice-roy in any part of their Countrey they delivered unto him one of the threads of their Tassell and for one of those simple threads he was as much obeyed as if he had been the King himself yea it hath so happened that the King hath sent a Governour onely with this thread to slay Men and Women of a whole Province without any further Commission For of such power and authority was the Kings tassell with them that they willingly submitted thereunto even at the sight of one thread of it Now it is to be hoped that if one thread shall be so forcible to draw Infidel-obedience there will be no need of Cart-ropes to hale on that which is Christian Exemplary was that Obedience of the Romans which was said to have come abroad to all men Rom. 16. 19. And certainly Gospell-obedience is a Grace of much worth and of great force upon the whole Man For when it is once wrought in the heart it worketh a conformity to all Gods will be it for life or death one word from God will command the whole Soul assoon as Obedience hath found admittance into the Heart The true improvement of Peace IT is observeable in Scripture that Moses Altar was but five cubits in length and five in bredth and three in heigth but Solomons Altar was much larger Now the reason hereof seems to be this because Moses was in a warfar in an unsetled condition in the Wildernesse in continual travel full of troubles and could not conveniently carry about an Altar of that bignesse But Solomon was on his Throne in a tranquill estate setled in quiet possession of his Kingdome and as his name was so was he a true Solomon that is Peaceable Thus it ought to be with all good Men that when they have more Peace and prosperity then others their service of God should be proportionable Solomons Temple must out-strip Moses his Tabernacle in beauty and glory and Solomons Altar must exceed the bignesse of Moses his Altar In their Peace and plenty their holinesse should out-shine others that are in want and misery when God layes not so much sorrow upon them as upon others they should lay the more duty upon themselves If God send them fewer Crosses and more comforts they are to return more service and commit lesse evill The true Christians confidence and contempt of Death OBservable is that speech of King Agag when Samuel sent for him Surely the bitternesse of Death is past Now the ground of this speech was either his â—alse hope as thinking that the worst was past because he was fetched off the Kings guard of Souldiers and brought to Samuel the Prophet who was Vir togatus a Man of Peace Or else if the Messengers did tell him why he was sent for then he set a bold face upon it and spake out of stomach intimating his resolutenesse and contempt of Death that he was resolved to die bravely and like himself This now was carnall gallantry And thus many a man may Agag-like contemn Death and all Gods judgments out of stoutnesse and stiffness of heart But all true believing Christians may and do gratiously despise Death and say thus from a principle of Faith and cerâ—ain hopes of Heaven Surely the bitternesse of Death is past certainly Christ by his Death hath taken away the bitterness of Death and hath sweetly perfumed our graves by the burial of his own blessed body so that we shall taste nothing but the sweetness of Death and may now couragiously and triumphingly sing and say not as Agag did Surely the bitternesse of Death is past but as S. Paul did O Death where is thy sting c. and to me to dye is gain Phil. 1. 21. Mans Nothingnesse JOsephus Phavorinus a learned Physitian of Italy marvelled at nothing in the World but Man and at nothing in Man but his mind And Abdala the Saracen King of Toledo being asked what he most wondred at upon the stage of the World answered Man One calls God an immortall Man and Man an immortall God Another sets him out as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little World and the World 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great Man Now these Men were not certainly so well-knowing of Gods word and Mans sin and of the matter that Man was made of as they should have been Whereas such as know God in his most excellent glory and Man in his best estate to be but Vanity turn'd from his Innocency to Iniquity must and do acknowledg themselves to be less then the least of Gods mercies such as he created being Nothing recreated being worse then nothing and without great Mercy on his part are like to fall again to Nothing Men of corrupt
her patience her bottle and her hope were both out together O what must she do What Why there was upon the very place and that near at hand comfort enough a Well of water to refresh her had she but had her eyes open to have seen it Gen. 21. 19. Thus it is that in the midst of Aâ—â—lictions and distresse Men whine and repine as if they were quite lost they eye tâ—e empty bottle the crosse that is at present upon them but for want of spirituall sight they see not the Fountain of living waters Christ Iesus with the open arms of his Mercy ready to relieve them they as it were groan under the heavy burthen of oppression but for want of coming to Christ and believing on him they misse of that speedy refreshing which otherwise they might happily enjoy The supernatural workings of the Spirit PHilosophers observe that the ebbing and flowing of the Sea is by virtue of the Moon she flings her fainting beams into the Sea and being not able to exhale them as the Sun doth she leaves them there and goes away and that drawes them and when they grow wet they return again so that the Sea ebbs and flowes not from any principle in its self but by virtue of the Moon Thus the heart of every poor Creature is like the Water unable to move towards Heaven to think a good thought much lesse 〈◊〉 act any thing that is good till the holy Spirit of Grace bring in its beams and leave a supernaturall virtue by them upon the Soul and thereby drawes it up to it self Afflictions Not to be altogether taken up with the sense of them IT is very observable of Iacob That when his Wife dyed in Childbirth she called the child Benoni that is a son of sorrowes But Iacob in all probability thought thus with himself If I should call this Child Benoni every time that I name him it would put me in mind of the death of my dear Wife which will be a continual affliction to me and therefore I will nor have my child of that name but will from henceforth call him Benjamin that is the son of my right hand And this of Iacob may serve to shew us thus much That when Afflictions befall us we should not give way to have our thoughts continually upon them alwayes poring on them ever thinking and speaking of them but rather to have our thoughts on those things that may comfort us or that may stirre up our thankfulnesse to God for mercies even in the very midst of our Afflictions afforded unto us To suffer any thing for the Cause of Christ. IT is said of Hormisda a Nobleman of great eminency in the King of Persia his Court that because he would nor deny Christ he was degraded of all his honours stript out of his Lordly habit cloathed with sordid rags and so turn'a out to keep the Camels After a long time the King seeing him in that base slavish condition and remembring his former estate took pity on him caused him to be brought into his Pallace suited him like himself in rich attire and then perswadeth him to deny Christ at which he rent his silken cloaths and said If for these silly things you think to have me to deny my Faith in Christ take them again I le none of them And so with great scorn and reproach he was the second time cast out Thus it is that all of us should be ready to suffer any thing for the cause of Christ be contented to be made a by-word and laughing-stock for Christ and to bear with willing shoulders the most disgraceful things that can by the malice of Men and Devils be put upon us for Christ nay to bear up our spirits though all the World should frown upon us cast us off scorn us and accompt us as a disgrace unto them The sins of our Religious duties corrected by Christ and then presented to God the Father AS a Child that is willing to present his Father with something or other that might please him as a Poesie or Nosegay goes into the Garden and there for want of judgment gathers sweet smelling Flowers and noysome stinking weeds together but coming to his Mother she picks out the weeds and thus it is that whether we pray unto God or hear God speak unto us in his Word or are otherwise employed in the performance of any Religious action Christ comes and picks out the weeds takes away the iniquity of our holy things observes what evil or failing there is in duty and draws it out and so presents nothing but flowers nothing but what is pleasing and acceptable to God his Father The comfortable sight of Christ Iesus crucified to the poor Repentant Sinner IMagine that you saw some Malefactor led along to the place of Execution wailing and weeping for his mis-spent time for his bloudy acts for his heynous crimes and that his wailings and his weepings were so bitter that they were able to force tears from others and to make all eyes shoot and water that did but look upon him but then if this Man in this case should sodainly see his King running and riding towards him with a pardon in his hand What a sight would this be Surely none like it Thus thus it is with Man sorrowing and repenting for Sin Whilest he is weeping over the sadnesse of his condition and confessing what a little step there is betwixt him and damnation as if he were even dropping into Hell in a maze he looks up unto Christ whom he sees with a Spear in his side with thorns in his head with nayles in his feet and a pardon in his hands this were a sight indeed a most pleasant ravishing Heavenly sight such as all the rich and curious sights on Earth not all those glittering spangles in Heaven could afford the like Heart-Communication the want therof deplorable IT was the ingenuous confession of a learned Divine sensible of his neglect but more especially of the difficulty of the duty of Heart-communication I have lived said he Forty years and somewhat more and carried my Heart in my bosome all this while and yet my Heart and I are great strangers and as utterly unacquainted as if we had never come near one another Nay I know not my own Heart I have forgotten my Heart Ah my bowels my bowells that I could be grieved at the very Heart that my poor Heart and I have been so unacquainted Thus he then in a pious and conscientious manner expressing himself but mutato nomine it is the condition of most Men now in this Athenian age of ours such as spend their time in nothing more then in telling and hearing news How are things here how there how in this place how in that None almost enquiring how things are with their poor hearts few or none debating the matter nor holding
shaking hand not the Honourable garter that can ease the gowt nor the Neck-lace of Pearl that can take away the pain of the teeth And a bag of gold will prove but a hard pillow to rest on miserable Comforters are they all onely the usefull Riches of Grace that are to be found in Christ Iesus give ease and refreshment under all pains and torments whatsoever Apparrel whether richer or plainer the necessity thereof AS Crates reproved by the Athenians because to countenance his professorship he wore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a Mantle of Estate being but a Philosopher which Theophrastus before him was never seen to do answered them again that Theophrastus whom they all thought so well of did many times wear a lighter garment The which when the Magistrates would not believe he brought them to a Barbers shop and shewed him unto them all dight as he sate in his pyed napery Intimating hereby that costly Apparrell and other cloathing in themselves are things indifferent but grow often necessitated by the circumstances of time and place as soft cloathing for the Court and that which is courser for the Cart a fine suit for the Citizen a plainer for the Countryman every one wearing that which is fitting for his place and Calling True comfort in God onely GReat was the grief or C. Figulus who to his Friends that came to comfort him about the losse of the Consulship said Omnes consulere scitis Consulem sacere nescitis All can give me counsell but ye cannot make me Counsull And could outward things rid us from the troubles of this life from death the end of this life from damnation after death then said they something worth the hearkning to but this they cannot do they cannot make us happy there 's no true comfort to be drawn out of the standing pools of outward sufficiencies but out of the living Fountains of the All sufficiencies of the Lord Almighty The resolved constant Christian. IN the Salentine Country is mention on made of a Lake brim full put in never so much it runneth not over draw out what you can it is still full Such is the condition of a resolved constant child of God tide life tide death come what can come he is still the same so true to this primitive institutior that if Adversity frown he entertains it as a tryall of his patience if prosperity smile upon him he looks upon it as a blessing extraordinary whether it be peace or war abroad sicknesse or health at home he is resolved Whereas a carnal Man who bears his Prosperity neither with moderation not prudence but is full blown like a bladder with the wind of his own Pride he seldome in Adversity shews either courage or constancy one small prick of distaster empties his swola heart of all hopes and like an unskillfull and dejected Sea-man upon every little storm he cuts Cable and Mast and throws all overboard where but the flaking of a few sails would serve the turn Godly Resolution would do the deed The rage of War in the richest Countries IN natural bodies the longer they subsist in perfect health the more dangerous is the disease when it cometh and the longer in curing as having none of those humours spent which by distemper give foment and force to the approaching malady So it is in bodies politique when War once seizeth on a Country rich in the plenties of a long peace and full with the surfets of a continuall ease it never leaves purging those superfluities till all be wasted and consumed The grace of God is all in all VVE get Aqua-Vitae ready against qualms Bezoar stone and Cordiall against fits It was well said of Reverend Dr. Lake Lake B. of Bath when in the time of his sicknesse a Cordiall was tendered unto him O said he the Cordiall of Cordialls which I daily take is this The bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth us from all our sins And it is true that Art is blind and often posed Nature weak and often foyled like a bow that must not be drawn beyond compasse Onely the Grace of God is all in all helps all get but that and you may sleep in a Dungeon want all and yet have all want that and a Flea may break your sleep and a hand-writing dash all your mirth in pieces Promises without abilities of performance not to be regarded IN the country Carinensis of Spain there is a River that shews all the Fish in it to be like Gold but take them into your hand they appear in their natural kind and colour Such are Promises and specious pretences of love in his mouth that would obtain his purpose bring them to the touch and thou shalt find All is not Gold that glisters Great boast and small roast will never fill the belly He therefore that will engage himself into any great action upon promise of great assistance if he be not as sure of his Friends ability in power as readinesse in Will he reckons without his Hoast and sits down with the losse The workings of God in the deliverance of his People are Various WHen God said to Paul that all the souls with him should be safe there were divers means used all were not able to swim to the shore and the Ship was not able to bring them all to the shore but yet by broken boards and by one means or other all got to the shore So the Lord brings things to passe in a strange manner sometimes by one way sometimes by another if one way do not hold another shall he breaks in pieces many times the ship that we think should bring us to the shore but then he casts us on such planks as we little thought on opens a dore for our deliverance that we little dream't on Kings Princes Governours c. to be regarded by those that are under them ALl the members of the body have care one of the other but especially of the Head and the Heart If the Head do but ake all the humours of the Arms run to the Head and therefore the Arms become small and slender because they want their proper nurture And so if the Heart be sick or in danger or in fear the outward heat retires inward to comfort the Heart so that the body looks outwardly pale yea if the Head or the Heart be in danger periculis se exponunt the other members will hazard limb and life to save them Thus should all subjects do for the King their Head they ought to have speciall care of him They are to care one for another to pray one for another and to do good one for another but especially for Kings and Princes and those that are in Authority they are to prefer their lives before ten thousand of their own as the People of Israel did for if a Member or some
of the inferiour Members be cut off yet the body may live and do indifferently well but if the Head be taken off if the King be set aside actum est de Republica that Kingdome that People cannot long stand Christ the proper object of the Soul THere is no Agent that takes any rest or contentment but in its proper Object If a man had all the Musicall raptures and melodious Harmony in the whole World before him he could not hear it with his eyes because it is the proper object of the Ear If never so triumphant shews or Courtly Masques he could not see them with his Ears because they are the proper Object of the Eye So it is with the Soul of Man if it were possible that all the treasures pleasures honours preferments and delights which the World doth affect were presented and tendered to the Soul yet would they not afford unto it any true satisfaction because they be not the proper Object and Center of the Soul it is the Lord onely or as a godly Martyr said once None but Christ can compasse the Soul about with true content and comfort Sathans aim at those that have most of God and Religion in them PIrats and such as are Robbers at Sea slightly passe by smaller Vessels that are but poorly fraighted whilst ships that are richly laden and furnished with Merchantable commodities become the object of their greedy thoughts at whom they make the strongest opposition and for the gaining of whom rather then fail they will hazard their lives to the utmost of danger imaginable Thus it is that Sathan that Arch-Pirate lets poor silly ignorant Souls alone such as by their own defaults are but as so many empty Vessels floating on the Sea of this World Oh but when he spies out a rich Soul laden with the fruits of the Spirit that hath much of god Christ and Heaven in it there it is that he bends all his Forces and against such a Soul it is that he raiseth all his strength that so if possible he may bring it under his more then miserable subjection Sin to be abhorred as the cause of Christs Death AFter Iulius Caesar was treacherously murthered in the Senate-house Antonius brought forth his coat all bloudy cut and mangled and laying it open to the view of the People said Look here is your Emperours coat and as the bloudy-minded Conspirators have dealt by it so have they also with Caesars body whereupon they were all in an uproar crying out to slay those Murtherers then they took the Tables and stools that were in the place and set them on fire and ran to the houses of the Conspirators and burnt them down to the ground But behold a greater then Caesar even the Lord Iesus himself all bloudy rent and torn for the Sins of the World How then when we look on Sin as the cause of his death and seriously consider that Sin hath slain the Lord of life should our hearts be provoked to be revenged on Sin How should we loath and abhor it as having done that mischief that all the Devills in Hell could never have done the like A lesser Sin given way unto makes way for the committing of greater IT is S. Augustines story of Manicheus that being tormented with flies was of opinion that the Devill made them and not God Why then said one that stood by If the Devill made flies then the Devill made Worms True said he the Devill did make worms But said the other If the Devill did make worms then he made birds beasts and Man He granted all And thus saith the good old Father by denying God in the fly he came to deny God in Man and consequently the whole Creation And thus it is that the yeilding to lesser Sins draws the Soul to the commission of far greater as in these licentious dayes of ours is too too apparent How many have fallen First to have low thoughts of the Scripture and Ordinances of God then to slight them afterwards to make as it were a Nose of Wax of them and in conclusion to cast them quite off lifting up themselves their Christ-dishonouring and Soul-damning opinions above them so that falling from evill to evill from folly to folly and as it is in all other cases of the like Nature from being naught to be very naught and from very naught to be stark naught till God in his most just Judgment sets them at nought for ever Men to prefer suffering before Sinning IT is reported of that eminent servant of God Marcus Arethusus who in the time of Constantine had been the cause of overthrowing an Idoll-Temple but Iulian coming to be the Emperour commanded the People of that place to build it up again all were ready so to do onely the good Bishop dissented whereupon they that were his own people to whom he had formerly preached and who as in all probability any one would have thought might have learn't better things fell upon him strip't off all his cloaths then abused his naked body and gave it up to children and School-boyes to be lanched with their penknives but when all this would not do they caused him to be set in the Sun having his naked body anointed all over with honey that so he might be bitten and stung to death by Flies and Wasps and all this cruelty they exercised upon him because he would not do any thing towards the re-building of that Idol Temple Nay they came so far that if he would give but an half-penny towards the charge they would release him but he refused all though the advancing of an half-penny might have been the saving of his life and in doing thus he did but live up to that principle that most Câ—ristians talk of and few come up unto And thus it is that all of us must chuse rather to suffer the worst of torments that Men and Devills can inflict then to commit the least Sin whereby God should be dishonoured our Consciences wounded Religion reproached and our Souls endangered Discretion a main part of true Wisedome A Father that had three Sons was desirous to try their discretions which he did by giving to each of them an Apple that had some part of it rotten The first eats up his Apple rotten and all The second throws all his away because some part of it was rotten But the third picks out the rotten and eats that which was good so that he appeared the wisest Thus some in these daies for want of Discretion swallow down all that is presented rotten and sound together Others throw away all Truth because every thing delivered unto them in not Truth but surely they are the wisest and most discreet that know now to try the Spirits whether they be of God or not how to chuse the good and refuse the evill The difference betwixt true and feyned
book Thus it is that whereas God hath four especiall books First that of the Creation a large and visible book Secondly that of ordinary providence which is a kind of Chronicle or Diurnal of a God-head and a testimony that there is a God Thirdly that of the extraordinary works reaching upon occasion even to Nations without the borders of the visible Church Lastly the book of Mans Conscience a book that though here by reason of our sinfull blindnesse it may seem to be uncorrected dim printed and written with white and waterish ink so that God is not at present sâ—en distinctly in it yet this book together with the rest are but plaid withall slighted and neglected the most of Men looking upon them but not into them are able to discourse of them but have no mind to be truly informed by them so that if the Heathen be left without excuse What shall become of Christians knowing Christians to whom is shewed a more excellent way Psalm 19. 7 Gods decree of Election not to be made the proper object of Faith SUppose a rope cast down into the Sea for the relief of a company of poor ship-wrack't Men ready to perish and that the People in the Ship or on the shore should cry out unto them to lay hold on the rope that they may be saved Were it not unseasonable and foolish curiosity for any of those poor distressed Creatures now at the point of death to dispute whether did the Man that cast the rope intend and purpose to save me or not and so minding that which helpeth not neglect the means of safety offered Or as a Prince proclaiming a free market of Gold fine linnen rich garments pretious Jewells and the like to a number of poor Men upon a purpose to enrich some few of them whom of his meer Grace he purposeth to make honourable Courtiers and great Officers of State Were it fitting that all these Men should stand to dispute the Kings favour but rather that they should repair to the Market and by that means improve his favour so gratiously tendered unto them Thus it is that Christ holdeth forth as it were a Rope of Mercy to poor drowned and lost Sinners and setteth out an open Market of Heavenly treasure it is our parts then without any further dispute to look upon it as a Principle afterwards to be made good that Christ hath gratious thoughts towards us but for the present to lay hold on the rope ply the Market and husband well the Grace that is offered And as the condemned Man believeth first the Kings favour to all humble supplyants before he believe it to himself so the order is being humbled for sin to adhere to the goodnesse of the promise not to look to Gods intention in a personall way but to his complacency and tendernesse of heart to all repentant Sinners this was S. Pauls method embracing by all means that good and faithfull saying Iesus Christ came to save Sinners before he ranked himself in the front of those sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. Justice moderated IT is observeable that by the place of that sign in the Zodiack which according to the doctrine of the Astronomers is called The Virgin the Lyon is placed on the one side and the Ballance on the other The Lyon bidding as it were the Virgin Iustice be stout and fearlesse the Ballance minding her to weigh all with moderation and be cautious Thus it is that Iustice may be said to be remisse when it spares where it ought to punish and such sparing is Cruelty And Iudgment may be said to be too severe when it punisheth where it ought to spare and rigorous if at any time it be more then the Law requires and if at all times it be so much Extream right often proves extream wrong And he that alwaies doth so much as the Law allows shall often do more then the Law requires Whereas the Righteousnesse of God calls not for an Arithmeticall proportion i. e. at all times and on all occasions to give the same award upon the same Law but leaves a Geometricall proportion that the consideration of circumstances may either encrease or allay the censure Neutrality in Church or State condemned THere is mention made of a certain Despot of Servia which in the Eastern parts of the World is as much as a Governour or Ruler of the Country that living among the Christians kept correspondence with the Turks was a publick worshipper of Christ yet a secret circumcised Turk so that the Turkish mark might save him if need were And such are all Neutralists whether in Church or State such as under pretence of benefactors for Christ drive a Trade for the Devill and Antichrist such as Trade in both India's have a stock going on both sides that so they may save their own stake which side soever win or lose and live in a whole skin whatever become of Church or State and by this means procuring external safety with the certain ruine of their most pretious and immortall Souls The great danger of not standing fast in the Profession of Religion IT is observeable that an heard of Cattel being ship'â— for Sea when the storm doth roll the Ship on the one side the brutish heard run all over to the other thinking thereby to avoid the tosse but their weight soon brings back the Vessel and then they flee over to the old side again and so the ship is oft-times over-set and all are drown'd at last And such is the danger of all those who do not stand fast in their holy Profession that do not maintain their ground keep close to their station and stand upright in the wayes of God For whilst they are not true to their Principles but affected with every novelty in Religion now of this Church or Congregation anon of that and it may be after a while of neither no wonder if being given over to strong delusions they believe a lye and make shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience to their eternall ruine Life liberty estate c. to be undervalued when Religion is in danger of losing IT is storied of Epaminondas that exquisite Theban Commander that having received his deaths wound by a spear in a battel against the Lacedemonians the Spears head remained in the wound till he heard that his Army had got the Victory and then he rejoycingly commanded it to plucked out his bloud and life issuing out both together with these words in his mouth Satis vixi invictus enim morior I have lived enough that dye unconquered And being told a little before his death That however he had lost his life yet his shield was safe he broke out by way of exultation Vester Epaminondas cum sic moritur non moritur your Epaminondas thus dying doth not dye Thus it is that life liberty estate relation of Wife
little to cover their great eyes they do sleep with their eyes somewhat open and shining which hath occasioned it to be supposed that they slept not at all But most true it is that Iesus Christ who is the keeper of Israel neither slumbreth nor sleepeth never shuts his eyes but hath them alwaies open upon the Just he winks not so much as to the twinkling of an eye He alwaies stands Centinel for his People and ever looking about him to see if any danger be approaching he watcheth over his People for good Times redemption THere is mention made of Archias a Lacedemonian that whilst he was riotting and quaffing in the midst of his cups one delivers him a letter purposely to signify that there were some that lay in wait to take away his life and withall desires him to read it presently because 't was a serious businesse and matter of high concernment Oh said he seria cras I will think of serious things to morrow but that night he was slain Thus it is very dangerous putting off that to another day which must be done to day or else undone to morrow Nunc aut nunquam Now or never was the saying of old If not done now it may never be done and then undone for ever Eternity depends on this moment of time What would not a man give for a day when it is a day too late Let every Man therefore consider in this his day to day whilst it is day to do the things of his peace least they should be hid from his eyes and so whilst like a blind Sodomite he grope to find a dore of hope sire and Brimstone rain about his ears from Heaven against which he hath so highly offended Men not easily brought to believe the Worlds vanity A Gentlewoman some piece of Vanity no doubt being told that the World and all the glory thereof was but Vanity Vanity of Vanities all 's but Vanity so said Solomon 'T is true said she Solomon did say so but he tried first whether it were so or not and so will I Thus it is that most of us are very hardly drawn to believe the Worlds vanity as that he Wisedome thereof is but enmity with God the riches thereof nothing available the Honours thereof but dependant and apt to lye in the dust the pleasures thereof but momentany and all of them such whereupon may be truly written Vanity but here 's the misery Men will not take Gods word for it that it is so they cannot believe till â—or scarce when they see The World hath bewitched them before they will believe it to be a Witch neither will they believe it to be a poyson till they are poysoned therewith Every one to strive for eminency in Christianity A Ristides was so famous amongst the Athenians for his Justice that he was called Aristides the just when two came before him said he that accused the other O Aristides this Man did you such an injury at such a time as thinking by such a suggestion to have made him partiall in the businesse Whereunto Aristides made answer Friend I sit not here to hear what he hath done against me but what he hath done against thee O that Christians were so famous for holinesse and Justice that it might be said There 's such an one The humble such an one The meek such an one The holy such an one The just such an one The patient It could have been said so of Noah Abraham Moses and Iob c. And why should not every Man strive to be the like The Will of God to be resigned unto in all things THere is mention made of a good woman who when she was sick being asked Whether she were willing to live or dye answered Which God pleaseth but saith one that stood by If God should refer it to you Which would you choose Truly said she If God should refer it to me I would ee'n refer it to him again Here now was a good Woman and a good resolve well met And it were to be wished that there were many such in these loose licentious times of ours that would not be almost but altogether perswaded to lay aside themselves and their self-will and in all occurrences of time and all occasions of Interest whether publike or private to lye down in the dust and to submit to the good will of God whether it be for good or evill that shall in this life happen unto them The great benefit of Faith truly appropriated IN the Book of Iudges there is mention made of a War betwixt the Men of Gilead and the Ephraimites wherein the men of Gilead had the Victory and pursuit upon the Ephraimites but the men of Gilead having gain'd a passe upon the River Iordan over which the Ephraimites were to run homewards it so fell out that every single Man was forced to beg his way whereupon the men of Gilead question'd their Country Whether they were Ephraimites or not They poor Creatures being struck with fear answered in the negative They were no Ephraimites but the men of Gilead distrusting them commanded that every Man as he passed should clearly pronounce the word Shibboleth which signifies a Foord or passage whereby the Ephraimites were discovered for pronouncing Sibboleth instead of Shibboleth two and fourty thousand of them were put to the sword in that day Thus it is that all of us are to passe through the gates of Death and to give an accompt for what we have done here in the Flesh whether it be good or bad And then he that can clearly pronounce Shibboleth that can say with David Daniel and many others My Lord and my God that can by Faith appropriate the merits of Christ Iesus unto his own Soul and say with holy Iob I know that my Redeemer liveth shall enter into his Masters joy whereas he that lispeth out Sibboleth that with those five foolish Virgins and those other hopelesse Creatures shall without the least sense of Faith barely cry out Lord Lord shall be shut out for evermore True Grace in the Soul may be seemingly but not really at a losse AS it is amongst us in a Court of Record the Seal being once passed is as true a Seal and as good evidence in Law though the print be defaced diminished and not so apparent as any that is most fair fresh full and not defaced at all So it is that the least drop of true Grace in the Soul can never be exhausted nor the least dram of true spiritual joy be quite dryed up or annihilated And why so because that in the Court of Heaven when on a sealing day the Graces of Gods Spirit are stamped on the Soul it may and doth oftentimes so fall out that there may be afterwards a dimnesse of the Seal and the marks as it were may be worn out so that the
torment the Wicked 73. Afflictions if any thing will make us seek God 455. A good Man is bettered by his Afflictions 74. 174. 445. A true Christain the more he is Afflicted the better he thriveth 79. Afflictions and crosses not to be sleighted 84. Afflictions crosses c. a surer way to Heaven then pleasures 85. How it is that afflictions lye oft-times so heavy 632. Afflictions to be looked on as coming from God onely 93. Afflictions lead to Heaven 97. 452. Afflictions add unto the beauty of a Christian 105. God by afflictions drives us to Heaven 114. The thoughts of Gods omnipresence a great comfort in affliction 118. Afflictions follow the godly Man close in this World 159. Gods tryall of his children by afflictions 202. 215. God afflicts his Children for their good 227. Afflictions happen both to good and bad but to severall ends 241. God onely to be eyed in the midst of afflictions 286. Not to be daunted at afflictions 296. Not to rejoyce at the afflictions of others 308. God afflicting his Children for the improvement of their graces 325. Not to be troubled at afflictions because God intends good by them 356. God afflicting his Children to try their sincerity 403. Gods children afflicted to make them perfect 406. Men to be prepared for Afflictions crosses c. 408. When lighter Afflictions will not serve God will send heavier 410. Afflictions the comfortable use that is to be made of them 441. Christ the best shelter in time of Affliction 530. Afflictions Gods Love-tokens 599. Not to wait Gods good time in Afflicting us dangerous 609. Not to be altogether taken up with the sense of Afflictions 633. Afflictiâ—ns though grievous yet profitable 660. Not to murmur under Afflictions and why so 662. Comfort nearest when Afflictions are at highest 669. How it is that Age becomes truly honorable 331. The dissolution of all ages past to be a Memento for Posterity 100. Get but God and get all 47. All things come from God who is therefore to be praised 181. All sin to be repented of and why so 315. Almsâ— giâ—en to the poor are the givers gaâ— 31. Alms-giving how to be regulated 402. Ambition proves its own ruine 41. The poysonous nature of Ambition 82. The great heat of Ambition 622. Anabaptistical spirits their madnesse 416. Angels ministring unto Gods people for their good 322. God is not to be provoked to Anger 16. Not â—o answâ—r one angry word with another 305. Not to be angry with our brother 485. Not to take notice of every angry word that is spoken 547. Not to contiâ—ue angry 72. 165. 196. How God is said to be angry with his children 86. Antinomians compared to Thieves 46. Their madnesse 576. The great danger of Apostacy 619. Wantonnesse in Apparrel â—eproved 167. Excesse of Apparrel condemned 192. 642. Christian Apparrelling 280. Men and Women not to wear each others Apparrel 292. The vanity of gay Apparrel 446. The great â—olly of costly Apparrel 594. Apparrel whether richer or plainer the necessity thereof 646. No Appeal from Gods tribunal 141. The poor distressed Man's comfort by his appeal unto God 198. Gods comfortable appearance to his people at the time of their death 554. The whole Armour of God to be put on 115. The best Christian is the best Artist 137. Not the Assurance but the joy of Salvation gives content 81. Assured Christians must be patient Christians 351. God so ordering it that few or none of his people live and dye without assurance of their salvation 352. Assurance of Gods love the onely comfort 370. Atheism advanced by the distractions of the Church 152. Atheism condemned 243. Atheism punished 242. Aâ—heism will unman any Man 303. Atheisticall wicked men at the hour of death forced to confesse Gods Judgments 476. The great danger of relying upon forraign ayd and assistance 580. B. BAptismal water the power and virtue thereof 186. Bapâ—ism renounced by the lewdnesse of life and conversation 321. Children of persons excommunicate to be baptized 470. How it is that Godfathers and Godmothers undertake for children in Baptism 495. Infant-baptism asserted 557. To be careful of our Vow made in Baptism 605 Better live amongst beasts then beastly-minded Men 161. God to be consulted at all times but more especially in the beginning of all publique concernments 1. The paucity of true Believers 398. Bitter spirits are no gracious spirits 21. Blamelesnesse of life enjoyned 113. The sins of Blasphemy and swearing the commonnesse of them 122. Blasphemous language condemned 230. A good Neighbour is a great blessing c. 6. Governors as they are qualified are a curse or a Blessing to a People 9. A little with Gods blessing goes far 11. Blessings turned into curses 63. The blessing of God more to be eyed then our own endeavours 70. The Ministers blessing after Sermon to be attended 71. Gods blessing upon the means doth all 92. 581. Outward blessings do not alwayes make a blessed Man 107. A blessed thing to have God for our Lord 136. God hath a peculiar blessing for his children 169. Gods spiritual blessing upon a Mans employment in his calling 200. To rely upon the blessing of God notwithstanding all opposition 611. The blessing of God attending on people listning to their own Minister 638. To blesse God for all 453. The Devils aym to strike every Man with spiritual blindnesse 12. The Sinners wilfull blindnesse condemned 281. Spiritual and corporal blindnesse their difference 414. The naturall Man's blindnesse in spirituall things 485. The guilt of innocent Bloud crying to Heaven for vengeance 19. Bloudy-minded Men condemned 130. A Caveat for bloudy-minded Men 611. The greatest boasters the smallest doers 434. More care for the Body then the Soul condemned 11. 552. The Sinner's care is more for the Body then the Soul 171. Deformity of body not to be contemned 193. Young Schollers to mind their books 40. Scandalous and seditious books and pamphlets fit for the fire 295. Books of Piety and Religion testimonial at the great day of Judgment 476. The several books of God sleighted and neglected by the most of Men 656. The bountiful goodnesse of God to his children 606. The exceeding bounty of God 119. The borrowers duty and comfort 612. The sin of Bribery condemned 332. 373. The word Brother how far extended 172. Not to be over-carefull for the place of our buriall 592. Busie-bodies condemned 136. 147. A busie-body described 285. C. THe great danger of taking up a false perswasion of our effectual Calling 353. The certainty not the time of our spirituall Calling to be so much looked into 260. 612. The necessity of Catechising 119. Weak ones how to be catechised and instructed 133. Catechising an excellent way to instruct Youth 422. Distrustâ—ull cares reproved 125. Censurers condemned 20. Not to censure others but look to our selves 46. Censures not to be regarded 69. The Worlds hard censure of the godly Man 128. How it is that one Man censureth another 225. To
surer then the bonds of Grace We call on God our Father we acknowledge or should do one Church our Mother we suck the same breasâ—s of the Old and New Testament we are bred up in the same School of the Cross fed at the same Table of the Lord incorporated into the same Communion of Saints If these and the like considerations cannot knit our hearts in love one to another the very Heathens will rise up in Iudgement against us and condemn us The winning of a Soul unto God very acceptable with God MEmorable is the story of Pyrrhias a Merchant of Ithaca who on a time seeing an aged man captive in a Pyrats Ship took compassion on him and redeemed him and with him bought likewise his Commodity which the Pyrat had taken from him being certain â—arrels of pitch The old man perceiving that not for any service that he could do him nor for the gain of his commodity but meerly out of charity Pyrrhias had done this presently discovered unto him a great mass of Treasure hidden in the pitch whereby he grew exceeding wealthy having not without divine providence obtained an answerable blessing for so good an act of Piety Now if God so bountifully requite the Redemption of a poor old man de servitute corporeâ from a corporal servitude how much rather should every man contend to the utmost of his power Ministers in the Pulpit Magistrates on their benches Masters in their families every one by a good example to win a soul unto God to â—edeem his Brother from the thraldom of the Devil which is to save a soul from death And for which they shall be honoured with the name of Saviours and their reward shall be that they shall shine like stars for ever and ever The great difficulty of forgiving one another IT is worthy observation and such as are conversant amongst little children know it to be true That when they are taught to say the Lords Prayer they are usually out at that Petition Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us The reason is because of the harshnesse of the sound the reiteration of one and the same words the multiplicity of the Consonants and the like It were to be wished that that which they are so often out at we could be more frequently in at that what is not easie for their shallow heads to conceive may not be too hard for our more experimental hearts to practise But it is hard indeed why else did Christ make a Comment on that Petition passing by the other five when he taught his Disciples to pray And hence it is that injuries are registred in sheets of Marble to all Posterity whilst benefits are written in the sand ready to be dashed out by the foot of the next that passeth by Death is the true Christians advantage AS that Ass called Cumanus Ass jetting up and down in a Lions skin did for a time much terrifie his Master but afterwards being descryed did benefit him very much Thus Death by the death of Christ stands like a silly Ass having his Lions skin pulled over his ears and is so far from terrifying any that it benefits all true Christians because by it they rest from their labours and if they be oppressed with cares and troubles of the world perplexed distracted in the midst of a crooked and froward generation let but death come they have their Quietus est and are discharged The great danger of not listning to the Word preached THe Romane Senators conspired against Iulius Caoesar to kill him That very next morning Artemidorus Caoesars friend delivered him a paper desiring him to peruse it wherein the whole plot was discovered But Caoesar complemented away his life being so taken up to return the salutations of such people as met him in the way that he pocketed the paper among other Petitions as unconcerned therein and so going to the Senate house was there slain Thus the World the Flesh and Devil have a design for the destruction of Men Ministers such as watch for their good bring a Letter of advice Gods word wherein all the conspiracie is revealed but who doth believe their report Most men are so busie and taken up with worldly delights that they are not at leisure to listen to them or read the letter but thus alas run headlong to their own destruction Vniversal Repentance WE commend Prisoners for their wisdom who knowing they are guilty more wayes then one desire that all the Indictments may be brought in against them before the Verdict pass upon them that so they might be throughly discharged So he that arraigneth himself before the Bar of God's Iustice should not leave any thing unrepented of whereof he knoweth himself guilty nor conceal any part of his misery that needeth the help of God's mercy Prudence and worldly Policy uncertain THe Chirurgion that dealeth with an outward wound seeth what he doth and can tell whether he can heal it or no and in what time but he that is to make an incision within the body be it for the Stone or the like disease he doth but as it were grope in the dark and may as well take hold of that he should not as of that which he would And the Artizan that worketh in his shop and hath his tools about him can promise to make up his dayes work to his best advantage But the Merchant Adventurer that is to cut the Seas and hath need of one wind to bring him out of the Haven another to bring him out to the Lands end another perhaps to bring him to the place of Traffick where he would be he can promise nothing neither touching his return neither touching the making of his Commodity but as the wind and the weather and the men of War by the way and as the honesty and skill of them whom he tradeth with shall give him leave Juâ—â— so it fareth in matters of prudence and worldly Policy they are conjectural they are not demonstrative and therefore there is no Science of them they have need of concurrence of many causes that are casual of many mens minds that are mutable therefore uncertain not to be built upon Matter enough within us to condemn us PIso one of the Roman Generalls to shew the bloody humour that was in him commanded that a Souldier should be put to death for returning without his fellow with whom he went from the Camp saying that he had killed him The Captain who had the charge to execute this poor Souldier when he saw his fellow coming which had been missed before did spare the first mans life upon this Piso finds matter to take away the lives of all three Hear his worthy reason for it You are a man condemned saith he unto the first my sentence was passed on you and therefore you shall dye then turning him to the second you were the
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