a little Faith and Love in and to Christ is next to none at all and therefore not easily diserned as they will be when they are strong labor therefore by Prayer for more What thou Doubtest do not Duties INternal Acts of Duty put a Goodness into Externals It is our Faith Fear and Love of God that makes our Duties good The Almost-Christian can Pray but cannot Love God can Teach or Hear but he cannot take delight in God Job 17.10 for Delight arises from a suitableness between the Faculty and the Object Now none more unsuitable than God and a Carnal Heart Also Delight arises from having what we desire and from enjoying what we have How then can he delight in God that neither enjoyeth nor hath nor desireth Good. Delight in God is one of the highest Exercises of Grace and therefore how can he delight in God that hath no Grace Would you be a Christian indeed then be much in the use and exercises of Religious Ordinances but much more on Faith and dependance on Christ and his Righteousness The Profeffor rests in Duties and so is but almost a Christian but ye must be sure to rest upon the Lord Christ This is the way to be altogether a Christian if you believe that you are Abraham's Seed and Heirs according to the Promise Let me Pray now as if I should never have Time to Pray more Hear now as if this were the last opportunity to of Hearing Leave nothing to do till to Morrow that may possibly be done to Day What true Christians should we be if we did not reckon of a Morrow but see what a grand Deceit lies here by putting it off till to Morrow we gratifie our Conscience in this That we intend to do it hereafter but most of all please Corruptions in this That we do it not to day If thou would'st keep thy Heart from vain Excursions realize to thy self by Faith the Holy and Awful Presence of God in Duties Flavel Delays THe Ripeness of the Occasion must ever be well weighed there is surely no greater Wisdom than well to Time the first onset of things If a Man watch too long for Dangers it is ods but he will fall asleep On the other hand to be deceived with too large Shaddow as some have been when the Moon was low and shone on their Enemies Back and so to shoot before the time To teach Dangers to come on by too early buckling to them as another extream Bacon's Essays 195. Disparagement CErtainly he that Disparages another by a Satyrical Wit as he makes others afraid of his Wit so he hath need to be afraid of others Memories Ibid. Dissimulation THe best Disposition and Temper is to have openess in Fame and Opinion secresie in Habit Dissimulation in seasonable use and a Power to feign if there be no Remedy Ibid. 31. Doctrine CHRIST came down from Heaven for this very end namely To teach us the way to Eternal Life and therefore saith of himself I am the Way the Truth and the Life I come to Teach all these things unto you and all the World. B. of Hereford Dignities SOme that lived commendably before they attained to Dignity being set on the Candlestick of the Church turn their Light into Darkness It had been better for such Lights still to have been under a Bushel Drunkenness AS the Clouds darken Heaven so Intemperate Banqueting the Mind As the Violence of Winds and Waves sinks a Ship so Drunkenness and Gluttony sinks our Souls and Bodies into Hell. Chrisologus Qui peccat ebrius luat sobrias If thou Offend when thou art Drunk thou must be Punished when thou art Sober Delights THeodoret says The Delights of the Soul are to know her Maker and to know her own State. Devils Power THe Devils without Christ's leave had no Power over the Gaderan's Swine much less have they Power over GOD's Sheep Tertullian Equity EQUITY without Goodness is Severity and Justice without Piety Cruelty Earthly Things COnsidering the Vanity of Earthly Things Iraeneus saith What is that Honor that is so short lived as that perhaps it was not of Yesterday neither will be to Morrow And such Men that labor so much for it are but like Froth which tho' it be uppermost yet is unprofitable Evidences WHen thou hast Evidences of thy Sincerity which cannot in reason be gain-said hold to them and take Comfort in them yet still endeavor by reviews and diligent searchings to clear it more and more We keep our Evidences by keeping our Graces in lively Exercise Election GOD by his Word calleth all but his Secret Election appointeth who shall hear with Fruit. GOD hath according to the Tenor of his Covenant procured Salvation for all if they will Believe but he hath procured for his Chosen even this condition of Believing Envy OF all other Affections it is most Importune and continual for of all other Affections there is an occasion given but now and then but Envy is ever working on some or other And it is also noted that Love and Envy make a Man Pine which other Affections do not because they are so continual It is also the vilest Affection and most depraved for which cause it is the proper Attribute of the Devil who is called the Envious Man that soweth Tares among the Wheat by Night as it always cometh to pass that Envy worketh Subtilty and in the Dark and to the prejudice of good things such as Wheat Bacon's Essays 49. Prosper saith The Envious Man hath so many Tortures as the Envied hath Praises It is the Justice of Envy to Torment and Kill the Envious Examination THe end of Examination is to bring a Man to such a sight of his Sins as might truly humble him and make him sensible of his own danger that hath provoked so great a Majesty who is able so sadly to revenge himself upon him and that will surely even to the most Carnal Heart appear a most reasonable ground of Sorrow But that is not all It must likewise bring him to a sence and Abhorrency of his Baseness and Ingratitude that hath thus offended so good and Gracious a God that hath made such unkind and unworthy Returns to those tender Mercies of his Whole Duty of Man. Vide herein Humility It 's said of Sir Thomas More That the Government of his Family was exact enjoyning all his Children to take Vertue for their Meat and Play for their Sawce Encouragement ONe Writ to the Duke of Buckingham That Disincouragements would deter Men of Parts whom Encouragements might make Servicable Elegancy SIR Francis Bacon's Axiom was Words should wait on Things and not Things on Words And his Resolution was That all affected Elegance was below the Gravity and Majesty of a publick Discourse FAITH I Have One Definition of Faith which is the best Faith saith Lord Chief Justice Hales is a firm assent to the Sacred Truths whether the Truths relate to things past as that God made the
are ever holding Holy things without feeling Bacon If Atheists say The World or its Materials were Made they must grant a GOD that made it If they say They were not Made they then assert an Eternal Being of it self that is they allow the Difficulties for which they pretend to deny a GOD. Cares WHen Men Believe weakly and Love GOD but little they can scarce find whether they Believe or Love at all and therefore remain in doubt To Remedy which follow your Duty till Grace be encreased ply your Work wait upon God in the use of his prescribed Means and he will undoubtedly bless you with Increase and strength of Grace If you would lay out those serious Affections in Praying and Seeking unto Christ and for more Grace you would in time Believe strongly and Love fervently and thereby put it out of doubt whether you Believe or Love or not Mrs. B. If by moderate and due Care we would resign up our Selves and Concernments into the Hands of God He would charge himself with us but if we will Immoderately Care and be so peremptory in our Designs and will not submit them to him then God is discharged and we must look to our selves You need not fetch the Misery of another Day and put to this it hath enough for its own Let them consider that fear Want that they want nothing so much as Faith A little more trusting in God and a little less sinful Foresight and needless Care would do well Our daily Defects and Disappointments procure Misery and Vexations He that would make Earth sure must first of all make Heaven sure Shall I by taking thought what I shall Eat and what I shall Drink here never fear Wanting or Begging a drop of Water hereafter Shall I be Solicitous for Cloaths and do not know but my Soul and Body may lie naked in the scorching Flames of the Wrath of God to all Eternity Besides that I have a Promise of God for outward things if I make it my business to look after Heavenly It s a very needless Care God provides Meat for me that I may not be taken off my Work to seek those things that are Heavenly Mat. 6.33 Christ Crucified the knowledge of it IT is a kind of Catholicon of universal Use and Conveniency in reference to this Life Am I in Want in Prison in Contempt in Banishment in Sickness in Death this Knowledge gives Contentedness Patience Chearfulness Resignation of my self to his Will who hath Sealed my Peace with him and Favor from him in the great Covenant of his Son I could live upon this tho' I were ready to Starve when I am assured that it is for my Good and the glory of his Name I shall be delivered if not I can be contented if my Jewel the Peace of God and my own Conscience by the Blood of Christ be safe if not in Wealth Honor greatness in Esteem in the World. This Knowledge teacheth me Humility as knowing of whom I have received it Fidelity as knowing to whom I must account for it and in all it teacheth me not to over-value it nor to value my Self the more by it or for it It makes Death not Terrible because a most sure Passage to Eternal Life Here I find a way to get my Sins Pardoned whereas all the World without this cannot contrive a Satisfaction for me I find such a Way to obtain such a Righteousness as is valuable with God and perfect before Him even the Righteousness of God in Christ and here I find the means the only means to avoid the Wrath to come the Terror of the Judgment of the Last-Day Everlasting Life to all Eternity which the blessed God and the Lord Jesus Christ all the blessed Angels and the Spirits of Just Men made perfect The knowledge of Christ above all other Knowledge and Christ Crucified above all other Knowledge of Christ being the highest manifestation of his Love. J. Hale With all my Heart saith Calvin I embrace the Mercy of God which he hath used towards me for Jesus Christ's sake recompencing my Faults with the Merits of his Death and Passion that satisfaction being made by this means for all my Sins and Crimes and the remembrance of them may be blotted out I witness also and profess that I humbly beg of him that being washed and cleansed in the Blood of that highest Redeemer shed for the Sins of Mankind I may stand at his Judgments-Seat under the Image of my Redeemer Had Christ been God only he could not have Suffered had he been Man only he could not have Merited Christ's Blood was shed as well for Oblution as for Absolution Diffidence of ones Self and Dependance of Christ is the Motto of a Christian Counsel THe greatest Trust between Man and Man is the Trust of giving Counsel For in our Confidences saith our Lord Bacon Men commit the parts of Life their Lands their Goods their Children their Credit and some particular Affairs but to such as they make their Counsellors they commit the whole by how much the more they are obliged to Faithfulness and Integrity There is no such Flattery as of a Mans self and there is no such Remedy against that Flattery as the Liberty of a Friend Counsel is of Two sorts The one concerning Manners the other concerning Business For the first The best Preparative to keep the Mind in Health is the faithful Admonition of a Friend The calling of a Man's self to a strict Account is sometimes too piercing and corroding Reading good Books of Morality is a little Flat and Dead Observing our Faults in others is sometimes improper for our Case but the best Receipt best I say to work and best to take is the Admonition of a Friend Conviction IF you be troubled for Sin observe whether your trouble for it be inward as well as outward and reaches not only to open Sins but to secret Lusts to Inward and Spiritual Sins such as Hypocrisie Formality Lukewarmness Deadness and Hardness of Heart and if so this is a sure sign of the Work of the Spirit because the Trouble occasioned by these Sins bears a more immediate Relation to the Holiness of God who only is offended by them they being such that none else can see or know Covetousness HE that is Covetous when he is Old is as a Thief that Steals when he is going to the Gallows Bags of Gold to us when Saints will be but as a Bag of Pebbles when Men. Alexander of Hales says That Covetousness deserves the Hate of all for these Reasons First It is a Sin against Nature making the Soul Terrestrial which should be Heavenly Secondly For the many Curses against it in the Scripture Wo to them that joyn House to House c. Thirdly For the many Evils it subjects them unto It is the Root of all Evil. Fourthly It makes a Man a Fool O Fool this Night c. Fifthly It canses Strifes from whom are Strifes Sixthly It
taking off from the hardness of the Law given to Adam which was Never to commit the least Sin upon pain of Damnation and requiring of us only an honest and hearty Endeavor to do what we are able and where we fail accepting of sincere Repentance Secondly By sending his Holy Spirit into our Hearts to Rule and Govern us to give us strength to overcome Temptations to Sin and to do all that He requires of us And in this He is our King to Govern Rule and Subdue our Enemies Our Duty in this particular is To give up our selves Obedient Subjects of His to be Governed and Ruled by Him to Obey all his Laws not to take part with any Rebel that is not to cherrish any One Sin but diligently to Pray for his Grace to enable us to Subdue them all and then carefully to make use of it to that purpose Lastly He hath purchased for all that faithfully Obey Him and Eternal and Glorious Inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven whither He is gone before to take Possession for us Our Duty herein is First To be exceeding careful that we forfeit not our Parts which we shall certainly do if we continue Impenitent in any Sin. Secondly Not to fasten our Affections on this World but to raise them according to the Precept of the Apostle Col. 3.2 Set your Affections on things above and not on things below longing to come to the Possession of that Inheritance of ours in comparison of which all things here below should seem Vile and Mean. Whole Duty of Man. Christ indeed hath freed us from the Impossibilities of the Covenant of Works and from the Burthen and Yoke of the Legal Ceremonies but not from the Difficulties and Pains of Gospel Duties Baxter's Rest Comforts FEtch thy Comforts from Heaven and not from Pleasures or Hopes here below De Kempis What profit can it be for thee to bewail that Sin which thou wilt not forsake What Reward canst thou expect for that Obedience which so soon fainteth What Comfort in that Joy that is but Temporary How truly sweet says St. Austin is the loss of those Earthly Sweetnesses those Transitory Joys which I was formerly afraid to lose and rejoyce now to Banish It is Thou O Lord who arâ— entred in who art sweeter than aâ—â— Sweetness c. As thou hast raised me by thy Power so Rule me by thy Providence that thy Grace may be far sweeteâ— with my Sufferings than my Pleasures with my Sins Mr. Corbet When I walk in Darkness and see no Light in outward Comforts Human Helps and visible Means I will Trust in the Name of the Lord and stay my self upon my GOD. Ibid. Contentation BE not troubled if this Man lives in Tranquility and thou in Tribulation God will have it so He puts thee in the Combat thou therefore must Sweat before thou comest off with Victory whereas he that comes forward in the World goes back in Grace His Estate is miserable that goes Laughing to Destruction As the Fool in the Stocks for Correction Theophilact He that sets his entirest Love on God yet hath Liberty to Issue a Subordinate Portion of Love to other good things as Health Peace opportunity to do Good Wife Children Friends and in these he may be crossed and disappointed but the predominant Love of God delivers the Soul from Discontent and Impatience even under these Losses because the Soul is still assured of what it most values the Love of God returned to the Soul which compensates and drowns those other Losses and the Discontent that may arise upon it Trouble makes every sad Accident a double Evil Contentedness none at all When we lose our Estates let 's not lose our Constancy and Chearfulness If thou hast lost thy Health do not lose thy Patience also If thou Die a little sooner than thou expected'st do not Die unwillingly If thou have no Friend be not also thy own Enemy If others Vex thee do not withal Vex thy self If thou be Ill to Day be not solicitous for to Morrow sufficient to the Day is the Evil thereof Despair FRancis Spira about the Year 1548. saith this of himself I was excessively Covetous of Money and accordingly I applyed my self to get it by Injustice Corrupt Judgment Deceit Inventing Tricks to delude Justice Good Causes I either defended Deceitfully or Sold them the Adversaries perfidiously Ill Causes I maintained with all my Might I willingly opposed the known Truth and Trust committed to me either Betrayed or Perverted And for the Inordinate Love of the things of this World I wholly Wounded my Conscience by an Infamous Abjuration of the Blessed Truth which I formerly Professed upon the serious Consideration of what I had done in cold Blood acknowledging my self utterly undone for ever This poor Man became a Spectacle of such Spiritual Misery and Woe to the whole World that there is not any thing left to the Memory of Man more Remarkable his Spirit was suddenly smitten with the dreadful Sence of Divine Wrath for his Apostacy and splitting in pieces as it were by so grievous a bruise his Heart fainted fearfully and failed him quite and fell asunder in his Breast like drops of Water Hear some ruful Expressions out of his Desperate State from his own Mouth O that I were gone from hence that somebody would let out this weary Soul of mine I tell you there was never such a Monster as I am never was there a Man alive such a Spectacle of exceeding Misery I now feel God 's heavy Wrath that burneth like the Torments of Hell within me and afflicts my Soul with Pains unutterable Verily Desperation is Hell it self the gnawing Worm of unquenchable Fire Horror Confusion and which is worst of all Desparation continually Tormenting me And now I count my present State worse than if my Soul were separated from my Body with Judas The Truth of it is never had Mortal Man such experience of God 's Wrath and Hatred against him as I have The Damned in Hell I think endure not the like Misery If I could conceive the least spark of Hope in my Heart of a better State hereafter I would not refuse to endure the most heavy Wrath of the great God yea for Two Thousand Years so that at length I could get out of Misery O that God would loose his Hand from me and that it were with me as in times past I would scorn the Threats of most Wicked Tyrants bear Torments with Invincible Resolution and Glory in the outward Profession of Christ till I were choaked with the Flame and my Body turned into Ashes Discression IT 's more Discression to hold the Stile of Miserable which begets an Infamy without Hatred than to desire that of Liberal which being maintained by necessitous Courses procures an Infamy with Hatred Machiavil Death THe Young-Man hath Death at his Back the Old-Man before his Eyes That 's the more dangerous Enemy that Pursues thee than that which Marches before
hath made satisfaction and lay this heavy Reckoning to his Account Lord forgive me mine Iniquity for it is very great Vid. Pag. 70. Frugality Frugality is the Left-Hand of Fortune and Diligence the Right Fasting FAsting and other Holy Revenges upon our selves for our Sins are very acceptable to God yet we must not think that either those or any thing else we can do can make satisfaction for our Offences for that nothing else but the Blood of Christ can do And therefore upon that and not upon any of our Performances we must depend for Pardon yet since that Blood shall never be applied to any but Penitent Sinners we are as much concern'd to bring forth all the fruits of Repentance as if our Hope 's depended on them wholly Duty of Man 126. Fear THe Man that Fears GOD is the Wisest Man and he that upon that account departs from Evil is the Man of greatest Understanding Hales's Contemplations 15. When Trembling is the Fruit of a Spirit broken for Sin and the Law in its own Eyes there God will look Mead. 72. How great a Madness is it to Fear Man will soon appear if we do but compare what Man can do unto us and what God can do And First It is sure it is not in the Power of Man I may say Devils too to do us any hurt without God permit and suffer them to do it So that if we do but keep him to be our Friend we may say with the Psalmist The Lord is on my side I need not fear what Man can do unto me for let their Malice be never so great he can restrain and keep them from hurting us Nay He can change their Minds towards us according to that of the Wise-Man Prov. 16.7 When a Man's Ways please the Lord he can make his very Enemies to be at Peace with him A notable Example of this we have of Jacob Gen. 32. Who when his Brother Esau was coming against him as an Enemy God wonderfully turned his Heart so that he met him with all the loving Expressions of Brotherly kindness as you may read in the next Chapter But Secondly Suppose Men were left at liberty to do thee what Mischief they could alas their Power goeth but a little way they may perhaps rob thee of thy Goods it may be they may take away thy Liberty or thy Credit or perchance thy Life too but that thou knowest is the utmost they can do But now God can do all this when he pleases and that which is infinitely more his Vengeance reaches even beyond Death it self to the Eternal Misery both of Body and Soul in Hell in comparison of which Death is so inconsiderable that we are not to look upon it with any dread Fear not them that Kill the Body and after have no more that they can do saith Christ Luk. 12.4 and then immediately adds But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear fear him which after he hath Killed hath Power to cast into Hell yea I say unto you fear him In which words the Comparison is set between the greatest Ill we can suffer from Man the loss of Life and those sadder Evils God can inflict on us And the latter are found to be the only dreadful things and therefore God only to be Feared Duty of Man. 20. Let your Fear of Men stir up an Holy Fear of GOD. Grace and Merits CArdinal Pool was wont to say tho' a Papist We cannot give too much to God 's Grace nor too little to our own Merits He said when he returned into England I came hither not to Condemn but to Reconcile not to Compel but to Desire God's People THey are a small part of lost Mankind whom God hath from Eternity Predestinated to the Glory of Heaven for the Glory of his Mercy and given to his Son to be by him in a Spiritual manner Redeemed from their lost Estate and advanced to this higher Glory all which Christ doth in due time accomplish accordingly for them and by his Spirit upon them But this is but a piece of their Description concerning God's Work for them and upon them Le ts see also what they are to do in regard of the working of their own Souls towards God and their Redeemer again viz. These People of God are that part of the Externally called who having been by the Spirit of Christ throughly tho imperfectly Regenerated and hereby Convinced and sensible of the Evil in Sin that Misery in themselves that Vanity in the Creature that Necessity Sufficiency and Excellency of Jesus Christ that they abhor that Evil bewail that Misery and turn their hearts from that Vanity and most affectionately accepting of Christ for their Saviour and Lord to bring them to God their chief Good and present them perfectly just before him Do accordingly enter into a Cordial Covenant with him and herein persevere to their lives end Baxter A Godly Man is one of those whose Conversation is in Heaven his Hopes and Heart are likewise there for his Riches his House and his Relations are in Heaven a Godly Man 's All is there ask him what he hath on Earth and he will tell you nothing or less than nothing Ask him then wherein are his Blessings he will tell you where his Father is there are my desired Blessings there are my hopes there is my All there I wish that I my self were with them Wadsworth on Phil. 12. I would not only have God hereafter but in this World for my chief good for as far as I am able to discerne my heart and ways I have chosen the Lord for my Portion I take my rest in him and not in the Creature to Love Fear Admire and Bless him and to have my Communion with him is my Joy an Eternal Vision and Fruition of God is my great hope he is even now better than the whole World. Mr. Corbet's Enquiry pag. 6. Lactantius says Godliness Enriches the owner Grace GRace flowing from the Spirit of God makes the Soul like a Fountain whose Waters are pure and wholesome for Grace Beautifyeth Cleanseth and Saveth the whole Man. Ignatius When a Man desires Grace from a right sence of his natural State when he sees the vileness of Sin and the woful defiled and loathsome condition he is in by reason of Sin and therefore desires the Grace of Christ with uncessant earnestness to renue and change him this is Grace Mead 68. Grace is a comprehensive Word and includes in it not only favour and acceptance with God but also those other accessaries of the Gifts of Bounty and Goodness which comes from the great Giver of every good and perfect Gift as Wisdom Righteousness Purity of Heart and the like Hales Grace is precious it suffereth not it self to be mingled with External things nor with Earthly Comforts thou oughtest therefore to cast away all hindrances of Grace if thou desire the Infusion thereof De Kempis The least Grace gives a full Interest
weakness because tho' the Believers hand is weak yet his Heart is right the Hypocrite may have the most active Hand but the Believer hath the most faithful and sincere Heart Our applying to God through Jesus Christ id est our address to the Father through his Son begetting in us a sense of that Love which our Saviour had for us cannot but kindle returns of Love suitable to it and that must needs reform the inward Man upon which purity and holiness of Life will certainly follow Right Obedience to Christ First It must be Evangelical 1st For the Matter of it Ye are my Friends if ye do whatsoever I command you John 15.14 2ly To the manner of it according to what God requires of us God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth John 4.24 3ly The ground of it This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the World to save Sinners of whom I am chief 1 Tim. 1.15 Secondly It is an Universal Obedience Numb 14.24 But thy servant Caleb because he hath another Spirit with him and hath followed me fully him will I bring into the Land c. Psal 119.6 Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments Thirdly It is a continual Obedience Psal 119.112 I have enclined my Heart to perform thy Statutes always even unto the end God is never absent tho' the wicked have him not in their Thoughts where he is not by Favour he is by Punishment and Terror Greg. the Great Painting of Faces THey that love to Paint themselves in this World otherwise than God hath made them may justly fear that at the Resurrection their Creator will not know them Cyprian Passions IT is the greatest Slavery in the World to be subject to ones own Passions Justin Martyr Patience OTher Graces are but the parts of a Christians Armour but Patience is the whole Armour of the Man of God the Enemy foils us without it but we foil him with it Ignatius O that I could live says Mr. Corbet by Faith in this time of Affliction I endeavour to press upon my Soul those Arguments which the Scripture affords with Patience and Long-suffering with Joyfulness but this will not do the Work except the Spirit of Faith and Patience be given from him from whom comes down every good and perfect Gift I do pray I do cry to my Father that he would give me the gracious Spirit according to his Promises that I may shew forth the Power of his Grace and that I may not Dishonour him A Soul patient when Wrongs are offered him is like a Man with a Sword in one hand and a Salve in the other could wound but will heal Alexander of Hales Do not promise to thy self that which God never promised thee This heals the evils that arise from vain hopes and cools the anger of those Sores that are caused by frustration of our Expectations It is lawful to desire several things which are uncertain if God sees them good for us but let us not promise to our selves any of them Do not entertain thy thoughts with promises of Contentment in such a relation in such a condition nor success in such an Enterprise no tho' thou goest about it wisely but promise to thy self pardon of Sin and Eternal Life if thou do thy Duty and the Grace of God to do it if thou pray for it and wilt use it for this our Merciful Father hath promised And if we will hope for any thing let it be as I said before in the days of our Sorrow and Adversity to support our Heaviness but not in the days of our Prosperity to please our Fancies Parents PArents ought to offer these things to their Children as Instructions both in God's Word and Human Arts which preserves them from Idleness and Folly gives them Wisdom and learns them Subjection and Obedience to their Superiours Justin Martyr Peace WHat will it avail thee to Dispute soundly of the Trinity if thou be void of Humility and art thereby displeasing to the Trinity high Words surely never make a Man neither Holy nor Just but a Vertuous Life makes him dear to God I desire rather to feel Compunction than to understand the Definition thereof If thou dost know the whole Bible and the Sayings of all the Philosophers by Heart what would that profit thee without the Word of God Vanity of Vanity all is Vanity but to fear God and him only this is the highest Wisdom by contempt of the World to attend the Kingdom of Heaven It is Vanity then to tend after Perishing Riches to hunt after Honors to climb to high Dignities and to labor after that for which we afterwards suffer more grievous Punishments Vanity it is to wish to live long and carelessly to live well Vanity it is to mind only this present Life and not to foresee these things that are to come Vanity it is to stay and set thy love on these fading and Perishing things here below and not to hasten thither where everlasting Joy is permanent Call often to mind that Proverb The Eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the Ear with hearing endeavor therefore to withdraw thy Heart from these Visible things and turn thy self to the Invisible for they that follow their Sensuality shame their own Consciences and lose the favor of God. Thou must labor to break thy Will in many things if thou wilt have Peace and Concord with others It is no small thing to live in Chistian Communion It is no small thing to dwell in Religious Communion and to converse therein without Complaint and persevere therein faithfully till Death Blessed is he that hath then lived well and persevered therein till Death The Kingdom of God is within you saith the Lord turn thee with thy whole Heart to God and forsake this wretched World and thy Soul shall find rest Learn to despise Exterior things and to give thy self Inferior and thou shalt perceive the Kingdom of God to come into thee for the Kingdom of God is Peace and within the Holy Ghost which is not given to the Wicked Christ will come unto thee and shew thee his Consolations if thou prepare for him a worthy Mansion within thee All his Beauty and Glory is within and there he pleaseth himself the Inward Man he often Visiteth and hath with him sweet Discourses much Solace much Peace and wonderful Familiarity O faithful Soul make ready thy Heart for this Bridegroom that he may vouchsafe to come into thee and dwell within thee If any love me he will keep my Words and we will come and make our Abode with him Give therefore admittance to Christ and deny entrance to all others When thou hast Christ thou art Rich and he will suffice thee he will be thy faithful and provident Helper in all things so that thou shalt not need to trust in Men for Men are quickly
are Knowledge Faith Remembrance Love and Fear by all which the Scriptures express the Whole Duty of Man Now why these are put for the whole of Religion is Because Remembrance Love and the Fear of God are such Powerful Instruments for to make them Religious that where any one of these really is all the rest together with the true and genuine Effects are supposed to be The Earl of Leicester in Queen Mary's Days although allowing himself in some things very inconsistent with Religion came at last to this Resolution That Man differed not from Beasts so much in Reason as in Religion and that Religion was the highest Reason nothing being more Rational than for the supream Truth to be Believed the highest Good to be Embraced the first cause and Almighty Maker of all things to be Owned and Feared and for those that were made by God and live wholly upon him to Improve all for him and live wholly to him according to the Apostle Give up your Souls and Bodies to him which is your reasonable Service It is a great Deceit to measure the Substance of our Religion by the Bulk of our Profession and to judge of the strength of our Graces by the length of our Duties The Scripture speaks of some that having a form of Godliness deny the Power that is do not live in the Practise of those Graces they pretend unto in their Duties He that pretends to Godliness by a specious Profession and yet doth not Practise Godliness by an Holy Conversation he hath the form of Godliness but denies the Power 2 Tim. 3.5 Repentance IF thou be backward in thoughts of Repentance be forward in the thoughts of Hell the burning Flames whereof only the Tears of a Penitent Eye can extinguish Tertullian When Gold is offered to thee thou usest not to say I will come again to Morrow and take it but art glad at the present Possession but Salvation being offered to our Souls few Men hast to embrace it Ambrose Remember that God promised Forgiveness to Repentant Sinners yet he doth not promise that he shall have time till to Morrow to Repent Aquinas Mr. Corbet was wont to say That upon the best Judgment I can make of the Nature of Sin the frame of mine own Heart and course of Life I know no Sin lying upon me which doth not consist with Natural Repentance and with the hatred of Sin and with an unfeigned consent That God be my Saviour and Sanctifier and with the loving of God above all I have done what in me lies to call to remembrance all my remarkable Sins from my Childhood and Youth till now and as far as I can judge I have repented of them generally and particularly and now repent of them all from the bottom of my Heart with a self Abhorrency if I know my own Heart and by the strictest and most Impartial search that I can make What profit can it be to thee to bewail that Sin which thou wilt not forego What Reward can'st thou expect for that Obedience which so soon fainteth What Comfort in that Joy that is but Temporary Vid. Sorrow Righteousness THe Righteous doth follow the Lamb because they are washed in the Blood of the Lamb Rev. 1.1.17.14 1 John 17. for as soon as we are united with Christ our Sins are upon him and his Righteousness upon us c. Dier 153. Isa 61.10 That he may present to himself a glorious Church Eph. 5.21 There is but one Sun in the World and but one Righteousness and one Communion of Saints If I were the most Excellent of all Creatures in the World If I were equal too in Righteousness to Moses Isaac and Jacob yet had I reason to confess my self a Sinner and that I could expect no Salvation but by the Righteousness of Jesus Christ for we all stand in need of the Grace of GOD. I would fulfil all Righteousness says Mr. Corbet and owe nothing to any Man but Love I had rather an hundred-fold suffer Wrong than do Wrong As Baptism is said to save us so other Duties too our Righteousness which the Law of Works requires and by which it is satisfied is wholly in Christ and not one grain in our selves nor must we dare to think of patching a Legal Righteousness of Christ's and our own together that is that our Doings can be the least Satisfaction for our Sins or proper Merit yet our selves must perfectly fulfil the Conditions of the New Covenant and so have a Personal Evangelical Righteousness Baxter's Rest Revenge COnsider how you daily wrong God and you will not be easily enflamed with Revenge against others that have wronged you Keep down thy Heart by this Consideration that by Revenge thou can'st not satisfie a Lust but by Forgiveness thou can'st Conquer a Lust Flavel 123. Resignation I Will Trust God in his Way I will strive against an over-timerous Solicitation for my Salvation and will commit my self to God who is the Infinite Goodness and Love and I will lye down and take my Repose therein Mr. Corbet 's Enquiry I will labor in the Work of Resignation that my Will may be confined to and included in the Will of God. Ibid. It will never be well with us till we Cordially resign up our selves and all our Relations yea and all our Interests and Concerns to God's dispose and say Not my Will but thy Will be done Lay thy Heart to rest in the Will of God for there is no other rest for the Soul to be thought of It is not fit or likely that our Wills should be the Rule of GOD's Actions Reward MY Alms-Deeds shall be Graciously Rewarded not for my Works sake but for thy Promise sake not for my own sake but for my Saviour's sake Lord I can Merit nothing at thy hands but by thy own Mercy Vid. Tit. Fasting Riches OF Riches there is no real use unless it be in the distribution the rest is but Conceit so saith Solomon where much is there are many to consume it and what hath the Owner but the sight of it with his Eyes Lord Bacon Remember that thou hast nothing of thy own but all is the Lords and so accordingly use all thou hast to no Carnal Interest but to serve him as being wholly Devoted to him I made it my choice rather to be Poor here and Rich in the Life to come than to be Rich here and Lost in the Life to come As a Boat over-laden sinks so much Wealth drowns a Man in Perdition Chrysostome If a Man wants Wealth it is not to be unjustly gotten If they have it they ought by Good Works to lay it up in Heaven Austin Mr. Bradford answered Gardiner concerning the Sacrament My Lord I do not believe that Christ is Corporally present in the Sacrament but that he is present there to the Faith of the due receiver Satisfaction WE are every where in Scripture said to be Ransomed Redeemed Purchased Bought with a Price and that must
Universities Discharged himself of all publick Affairs and Attendants a quarter of a year before he died Desiring the Bishop of Winchester and Worcester to draw him out of the Word of God the plainest and exactest way of making his Peace with God in this present World adds That it was great pitty that Men know not to what end they were born into this World until they were ready to go out of it My Lord Bacon hath said at the latter end of his Life That a little smattering in Philosophy would lead a Man into Atheism but a thorough Insight into it would lead a Man back again unto a first Cause and that the first Principle of Right Reason is Religion in Reference to which it was the wisest way to live strictly and severely for if the Opinion of another would not be one yet the sweetest thing in this World is Piety Vertue and Honesty If it be true none are so miserable as the Loose the Carnal and Profane Persons who live a Dishonorable and Base Life in this World and are like to Fall into a most woful State in the next The E. of Arundel lying on his Death Bed said My Flesh and my Heart fail me and his Chaplain answered the next Words That God was the strength of his Heart and his portion for ever he would never fail him He answering tho all the World hath failed He will never fail me Sir Tho. Coventry Lord Keeper of the Great Seal hearing some Gallants jesting with Religion said That there was no greater Argument of a Foolish and Inconsiderate Person than to droll at Religion It is a sign he hath no regard of himself and that he is not touched with a Sence of his own Interest who playeth with Life and Death and makes nothing of his Soul. To examine severely and debate seriously of Religion is a thing worthy of a wise Man Whosoever turns Religion into Railery with two or three bold Jests rendreth not only Religion but himself Ridiculous in the Opinion of all Wise and Considerate Men because he sports with his own Life For a good Man saith If Principles were doubtful yet they concern us so nearly that we ought to be serious in the Examination of them Carolopator relateth how the excellent Painter Methoclius Drawing the last day the Heavens black the Earth on Fire the Sea in Blood the Throne of God environd with Angels in the Clouds wrought so upon Bogaris the barbarous Prince of Bulgaria that in a short time he yielded himself to God by an happy Conversion for he dreaming of the whole proceedings of that day amongst other things saw the things he made so light of by speaking thus I am the pleasure thou hast obeyed I am the Ambition whose Slave thou wast I am the Avarice which was the aim of all thy Actions Behold so many Sins that are thy Children Thou begottest them thou belovest them so much as to prefer them before thy Saviour Mr. John Bruen said At his Funeral he would have no Black for I love not said he any proud nor pompous Funeral neither is there any cause of Mourning but Rejoycing rather in my particular Immediately before his death lifting up his Hands he said The Lord is my Help my Portion and my Trust His Blessed Son Jesus is my Saviour and Redeemer Amen For so saith the Spirit to my Spirit Then come Lord Jesus and Kiss me with Kisses of thy Mouth and embrace me with the Arms of thy Love Into thy Hands I commit my Spirit Take me to thy own self Come Lord Jesus come quickly O come O come O come Mr. Brown of Norwich Phisitian entertained one Attribute of God to recreate his Devotion and that is Wisdome In which says he I am Happy for the Contemplation of this only I do not Repent me that I was brought up to Study the advantage I have over the Vulgar with the content and happiness I conceive therein is an ample Recompence of all my endeavours in what part of Knowledge whatsoever Wisdom is his most glorious Attribute no man can attain unto it yet Solomon pleased God when he desired it he is wise because he knoweth all things and he knoweth all things because he made them all Yet his greatest knowledge is in comprehending what he made not Himself and this also is the greatest Knowledge in man for this I do honour my Profession and Embrace the very Council of the Devil himself Had he read such a Lecture in Paradice as he did at Delphos we had better known our selves neither had we need to stand in fear of him I know he is Wise in all things he is Wise in all and Wonderful in what we conceive but farmore in what we comprehend not for we behold him but a squint upon reflex or shadow Our Vnderstanding is dimmer then Moses his Eye we are Ignorant of his Back-parts and his lower-side of his Divinity there to pry into his Councels is not only Folly in Man but Presumption even in Angels like us they are his Servants not his Senators he holds Councel but with that mystical One the Trinity where tho there be three Persons there is but one Mind that decrees without contradicion nor needs he any of his Actions to be begot with deliberation his Wisdom knows naturally what 's best his Intellect stands fraught with the superlative and purest Ideas of Goodness Consultation and Electi on which are two Motions in us make but one in Him his Actions sprung from his Power at the first touch of his Will There are Contemplations metaphysical my humble Speculations have another Method are content to trace and discover those Expressions he hath left in his Creatures and the obvious effects of Nature there is danger to confound these Mysteries no Sanctum Sanctorum in Philosophy the world to be Inhabited by Beasts but Study'd and Contemplated by Men. It is the debt of our Reason to Owe unto God the Homage we pay for not being Beasts without this the World is still as though it had not been or as it had been before the sixth day when as yet there was not a Creature that could conceive or say there was a World. The Wisdom of God receives small Honor from the Vulgar Heads that usually stare about with gross Rusticity admire his works Those highly magnifie him whose Judicious Enquiry into his Acts and deliberate Research into his Creatures return the duty of a Learned and Devout Admiration Therefore search whilst thou wilt and let thy Reason go To ransom Reason even to the Abyss below Rally the Scattered causes and that line Which Nature twists be able to untwine It is thy Makers Will for unto none But unto Reason can he e're be known The Devil knows thee but those Damned Metors Build not thy Glory but confound the Creatures Teach my endeavours so thy Work to read That learning them in Thee I may proceed Give thou my Reason that
thy Face Aquinas Set Death into your Minds and it will put Life into your Actions St. Austin saith There 's nothing more abateth Sin than the frequent Meditation of Death He cannot Die Ill that Lived Well and seldom doth he Die Well that Lived Ill. Ambrose saith Death is the Burial of all Vices To be willing to Die consider the harmlesness of Death to the People of God tho' it keeps its Dart yet it hath lost its Sting Thy Heart may be kept from shrinking back in time of Sickness by considering the necessity of Death in order to the Fruition of God 2 Cor. 5.6 Whilst we are at home in the Body we are absent from the Lord. Another Argument to this unwillingness to Die is The immediate Succession of a more excellent and a more glorious Life it is but Wink and you shall see God Rom. 8.10 11. At Death you will be freed from Trouble here and have Communion with God and Communion of Saints Flavel Cardinal Richleu being Tempted to doubt and disbelieve a God another World and the Immortality of the Soul and by that Distrust to relieve his aking Heart but in vain So strong he said was the Notion of God on his Soul so clear the Impression of him upon the frame of the World so unanimous the Consent of Mankind so powerful the Conviction of his own Conscience that he could not but taste of the Powers of the World to come and so Live as one that must Die and so Die as one that must Live Eternally And being asked one day Why he was so sad he answered Monsieur Monsieur the Soul is a serious thing It must be either Sad here for a moment or Sad hereafter for ever Cardinal Mazarine when he came to Die said O my poor Soul Whither wilt thou go saying one Day to the Queen Mother Madam your Favors have undone me and were I to Live again I would rather be a Capuchine than a Courtier Sir Francis Walsingham towards the latter end of his Life grew very Melancholy and Writ to the Lord Burleigh to this purpose We have lived long enough to our Country to our Fortunes and to our Soveraign It is high time to live to our Selves and to our God. In the multitude of Affairs that pass through our Hands there must be some Miscarriages for which a whole Kingdom cannot make our Peace Whereupon some Court Humorist being sent to Divert Sir Francis Ah! said he whil'st we Laugh all things are serious round about us God is serious when he Preserveth us and hath Patience towards us Christ is serious when he Dieth for us the Holy Ghost is serious when he striveth with us the Holy Scripture is serious when it is Read to us the Sacraments are serious when they are Administred unto us the whole Creation is serious in serving God and us they are serious in Heaven and Hell and shall a Man that hath one Foot in the Grave Jest and Laugh Dr. Dunn a Man of as great Parts and Spirit as any in this Nation being on his Death-Bed taking his solemn leave of all his most considerable Friends left this with them I Repent of all my Life but that part of it I spent in Communion with God and doing Good. That Person in a Dying hour shall wish himself not a Man that hath not been a good Christian When Queen Mary Died Mr. Fox that Writ the Book of Martyrs was Preaching Comfort to the English Exiles in Geneva at which time he did tell them That now was the time come for their return into England and that he brought them that News from God for which Words many of the Grave Divines Rebuked him greatly for the present but afterwards excused him by the Event for it appeared that Queen Mary Died but the Day before he so spake to them Judge Nichols used to say That he knew not what they called Puritan Preaching but he said that Preaching which went next his Heart and spake as Attorney General Noy used to say of Doctor Preston as if they knew the Mind of God. Mr. Selden that Universal Scholar being suspected by many to have too little Affection to Religion a little before he Died sent for the Bishop of Armagh and Dr. Langbane and told them to this effect That he had Surveyed most part of the Learning that was amongst the Sons of Men And that he had his Study full of Books and Papers of most Subjects in the World yet at that time could he not recollect any Passage out of those many Books and Manuscripts he was Master of whereon he could rest his Soul save of the Holy Scriptures wherein the most remarkable Passage that lay upon his Spirit was Titus the 2. ver 11 12 13 14 15. Grotius one of the greatest of Scholars concluded his Life with this Protestation That he would give all his Honor and Learning for the plain Integrity and harmless Innocency of Jean Urick who was a Devout Poor Man who spent Eight hours of his Time in Prayer Eight in Labor and but Eight in Sleep and other Necessaries And with this Complaint to another who admired his Astonishing Learning and Industry Ah Vitam perdedi opero se nihil Agendo And this Direction to a Third that desired in his great Learning and Wisdom in brief to shew him what to do who bade him Be Serious Count Gundomer was as great a Wit and Statesman as ever Europe knew and took as much Liberty in point of Religion till drawing towards his latter end he would say as they say of Ansalem I fear nothing more in the World than Sin often professing That if he saw Corporally the Horror of Sin on the one hand and the Pains of Hell on the other and must necessarily be plunged into the One he would choose Hell rather than Sin yea that what liberty soever he had taken he had rather be torn in pieces with Wild Horses than wittingly or willingly run into any Sin. Above all says Sir Philip Sidney at the time of his Death govern your Will and Affections by the Word and Will of your Creator and in me behold the end of this World. Damnation PEter Lumbard says GOD Condemns none before he Sins nor Crowns any before he Overcomes Disrespect IF any despise thee do not bear a grudge against him for it And be not offended with any meerly because they do not Honor thee If any neglect or slight thee care not for it yet observe it Distrust IT is Distrust of God to be troubled about that which is to come Impatience against God to be troubled for what is present and Anger at him to be troubled at what is past Vid. Afflictions and Sufferings Doubting ONe cause of uncomfortable Living is That Christians look more at their present Cause of Comfort or Discomfort than they do at their future Happiness and the way to attain it Another cause of Doubting is The weakness and small measure of your Graces