abominable and beastly wretches that wee were wee set our selues with sensuall rage against the very face of heauen lay in actuall high Treason and bore Armes in open Rebellion against that dreadfull Maiestie which might most iustly euery moment of that wofull time haue arrested vs with death arraigned vs at the Barre of his Iustice and throwne vs down into hell What manner of persons then I pray you ought wee to be in the short remainder of those few and euill dayes which are behind Euen to imploy and improoue the vtmost possibilitie of all our naturall acquired and gracious parts our credit calling outward state all our power means occasions aduantages to win and worke out glory vnto God enlargement of Christs Kingdome confusion to the deuils dominion conuersion of others comfort vnto our owne poore soules against our ending houre A fellow that hath loytered a great part of the day in his iourney or businesse and yet must needes reach home and finish his taske will toile and sweat at it towards night double his paines and put all his strength vnto it so we hauing not only been slacke in our businesse about Gods seruice and slow in the way to heauen but euen for many yeeres perhaps runne in a quite contrary course and done the deuils worke must now towards the night of our naturall life and the conclusion of the short span thereof spare no paines double our diligence presse hard to the Price of the high calling quit our selues like men and be strong with an holy violence lay hold vpon the Kingdome of heauen with all zeale courage and resolution labour to redeeme the time past for the dayes are euill and our particular doome for eternitie of ioyes or woes pleasures or paines drawes on apace and is euen at the doore And as consideration of former time cursedly misspent so a fore-conceit also of dreadfull times to come may iustly cause vs to make much of and husband well euery moment wee haue presently in our hands for treasuring vp an heauenly hoard of grace comfort patience and courage against the euill day Though the times as yet bee faire and calme happy and Halcyonian and the Candle of God shines still vpon this Kingdome with extraordinary prosperitie and peace there is no carrying into captiuitie or crying in our streets but euery man is quietly reposed vnder his owne Vine and there refresheth himselfe with the riches and comforts of a good and pleasant land yet as sure as the night followes the day a change will come If the glorious and Triumphant times of the daughter of Ierusalem that men called The perfection of beauty The ioy of the whole earth The glory of all lands were turned into a day of trouble and of treading downe and of perplexitie by the Lord God of hosts in the valley of vision breaking downe the walles and crying to the mountaines what may wee of this Land looke for if we still turne the grace of God into wantonnesse but at length to bee turned out of our houses of peace as the vnthankfullest and vnworthiest people that euer the Sunne of Heauen saw or the Sunne of Christs glorious Gospell did shine vpon so faire and so long But howsoeuer the Kingdome fare and God deale with vs in publike Onely let me tell you by the way that in the meane time wee stand by a miracle of Gods mercy and a prop of his extraordinarie patience yet euery one of our particular day and doome cannot bee farre off As yet perhaps the Almighty is with vs his prouidence protects our habitations no remarkable affliction hath taken hold vpon vs so that there is no mourning or spectacles of miseries in our families no crying O my father Abraham and O my sonne Isaac O my sonne Absalom my sonne my sonne Absalom O Absalom my sonne my sonne And these houses of flesh it may be wherein wee dwell for a few and euill dayes are as yet in reasonable good repaire and it is euery way with vs as it was with Iob in the dayes of his youth when he washed his steps with butter and the rockes powred him out riuers of oyle yet wee may build vpon it as a Principle which neuer failed sinfull mortalitie that dayes of danger and distresse will haue their turne and time also Sorrow and sicknesse perplexitie and feare temptation disertion trouble of conscience the destroying Sword a fierie triall striuing vnto blood Marian times of most abhorred memory or some dreadfull visitation in one kinde or other may seize vpon vs we know not how soone But howsoeuer we escape in the meane time sure I am these fraile bodies of ours after a short while will fall in funder and moulder away into rottennesse and dust and our naked soules must stand at the iust Tribunall of the euerliuing God countable with exactnesse and truth for all things done in the bodie Farre bee it from vs then and euery one that at that last and great Day would not cry to this Rocke and that Mountaine to couer him like sonnes and daughters of confusion to trifle away time in this heate of our spirituall haruest but rather with doubled and extraordinarie resolution let vs gird vp the loynes of our mindes and with all fruitfulnesse and power improoue euery houre of this faire Day of our gracious visitation to treasure vp peace to our poore soules against the stormy winter night of death towards which euery winde driues vs and both sleeping and waking we are posting apace though we perceiue it not 4. Wee must bee countable for time At the dreadfull Barre of that last Tribunall as wee must bee exactly answerable euen for wandring vaine imaginations idle words and euery the very least errour of our whole life nay for not improouing all our gifts goods and graces to the best aduantage for Gods glory for misimployment of our wit vnderstanding memory affections health strength courage learning libertie authoritie policie or any other power or possibilitie which God hath put into our hands so must wee also giue vp a strict account for the expence of euery moment of time Now tell mee at that great and generall Audit whether of these two summes will sound more sweetly in our eares Item so many dayes in Recreation or so many dayes in Humiliation so many houres in Prayer or so many houres in playing at Cards so many weekes in Iouiall reuellings and merry meetings or so many weekes in watching ouer our wayes and walking with God c. A serious fore-conceit of the vnconceiueable comfort of the one and how cold the other will strike vnto our hearts might make vs easily grow into blessed Bradfords care and practise this way of whom it is reported That he counted that houre not well spent wherein he did not some good either with his pen study or in exhorting others c. and not to rush vpon recreations vnseasonably without necessity and warrantable calling 5. The holiest hearts of
SOME GENERALL DIRECTIONS FOR A COMFORTABLE WALKING with God DELIVERED IN THE LECTVRE AT KETTERING IN NORTHhamptonshire with enlargement By Robert Bolton Preacherof Gods Word at Broughton in the same County The second Edition corrected and amended with a Table thereunto annexed AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Edmund Weauer and are to be sold at his shop at the great North doore of Pauls Church 1626. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND TRVLY NOBLE EDWARD Lord Mountague of Boughton a fruitfull increase of all heauenly graces and all watchfull preparation for the Glory that shall be reuealed Much Honored and Noble Lord ALthough the eminency of your other personall worth great Wisdome and noble parts a sufficient attractiue to euery honest heart by reason of the particular interest it hath in the common state of goodnes or your speciall bounty to my selfe which ought to stir vp an ingenuous minde to apprehend any opportunity of due and deserued acknowledgement or your publike deportment in the face of our Country so worthy and Honorable and managed with such true honesty graue moderation and noblenesse of spirit which cannot but draw from euery heart truely sound to our great Lord in Heauen and His Royall Deputy our highest Soueraigne vpon earth a great deale of reuerence loue I say though any of these seuerally might exact from me a more exact and able demonstration of the thankefull deuotions of my heart yet my Lord and you may beleeue mee there is another thing besides all these which was the strongest and most predominant motiue to quicken mee to this Duty and Dedication euen your sincere and inuincible affection to the Gospell of Iesus Christ His faithfull Ministers and most precious Wayes And this to tell you the truth is farre the fairest and most orient flower in the Garland of all your goodnesse and incomparably aboue all your Greatnesse were you aduanced euen to desert nay to the highest top of all earthly felicities and mortall honour For howsoeuer the world euer beside it selfe in point of faluation and starke blind in the right apprehension of Heauenly things doth ◅ote vpon guilded miseries stinging vanities golden setters and wickedly deemes pursuite of purity the height of folly yet I can assure you in the Word of life and truth the richest and rarest con◅luence of all humane happinesses the most exquisite excellencie and variety of the greatest worldly pompe and splendour that euer the Sunne saw since the first moment of its creation or shall looke vpon while it shines in Heauen is but dust in the ballance to one graine of grace it is but dung to an humble minde sauingly illightened with a forecast but of the least glimpse of that incomprehensible endlesse glory which shall shortly be reuealed It is all in the true valuation but as a vaine smoake which doth not onely vanish as it riseth and vtterly looseth it selfe at the highest but also drawes teares frō a mans eyes nay at last wrings the very heart-strings of euery impenitent soule with that extremest euerlasting horrour which would burst ten thousand hearts seriously and sensibly to thinke vpon before-hand It is not onely vanity but also vexation of spirit Let worldly wisdome say what it will and hold them melancholike and madde who by the helpe of the holy Ghost hold a constant counter-motion to the course of the world and corruptions of the time that they may keep a good conscience the richest treasure and dearest Iewell that euer the heart of man was acquainted with who infinitely desire rather to be religious then rich to bee good then great to enioy the fauour of God then the soueraignty and pleasures of all the kingdomes of the earth yet assuredly when all is said and truely summed vp it is onely the true feare of Gods blessed Name a zealous forwardnesse for his glory goodnesse and good causes at this day vnhappily and to the ruine of infinite soules called by the world pragmaticalnesse and Too much precisenesse which can truely beautifie and adorne both all other personall sufficiencies and indeed sanctifie and blesse all publike imployments and seruices of State For the first A Professor euen something Popish doth yet truely teach that Heroicall nobilitie is an illustrious eminency shining in a man by the heauenly infusions of supernaturall grace whereby he is made by adoption the sonne of God the Spouse of Christ the Temple of the holy Ghost without which all other Nobilities are nothing not worth a button Suppose a faire and goodly horse to the eye as exquisitely featured colourd paced as that fained by Bartas to be managed by Cain yet if he wāted mettle he were worth nothing to a man of spirit Giue me the most magnificent glorious Worldling that euer trod vpō earthly mould richly crowned with all the ornaments and excellencies of nature art policy preferment or what heart can wish besides yet without the life of grace to animate and ennoble them hee were to the eye of heauenly Wisdome but as a rotten carkasse stucke ouer with flowers magnified dung guilded rottennesse golden damnation And that which is more dreadfull when the sunne of his short Summers day is set the hot gleame of transitorie prosperity past and the bitter tempestuous winters night of death approacheth from which all the Gold and Pearle of East West can no more deliuer him then can an handfull of dust I say then shall bee powred vpon his head that terrible showre of snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest His soule sinkes immediatly in a moment into the depth of remedilesse misery and is desperately plunged for euer into the bottome of the burning Lake His body descends into the graue as into a dungeon of rottennesse horror arrested as it were by the second death in the deuils name and at length haled and dragged vnto the terror of that great and last Day where no creature can rescue him no mountaine couer him from that vnquenchable wrath neuer-dying Worme which shall euer lastingly day and night feed vpon his soule and flesh Wheras now on the other side that poore neglected One who hath in truth giuen his name vnto Christ and his gainefull seruice perhaps by the World most disdainfully and contemptuously trampled vpon euen into the dust with the feet of cruelty and pride at least most certainly euer made extremely vile and contemptible by the villany of tongues and cruell mockings yet is such an One as the World is not worthy of in the meane time in the meaning of the holy Ghost a Crowne of glory in the hand of Iehouah as beautifull and amiable as the bloud of Christ and his righteous roabe can make him crowned full gloriously with Gods owne comelinesse which hee hath put vpon him designed from all eternitie in due time for so his sanctification now assures him to weare an euerlasting Crowne of blisse And when his pilgrimage is past
was and a by-word amongst the sonnes of Belial as was Iob If the world lowre and looke sowre vpon thee for thy looking towards Heauen and thy good-fellow companions abandon Thee as too precise If thy life be not like other mens and thy waies of another fashion as the Epicures of those times charged the righteous man when the booke of Wisedome was written In a word if thou walkest in the narrow way and be one of that little flock which liues amongst Wolues and therefore must needs bee little so that by all the Leopards Lions and Beares about thee I meane all sorts of vnregenerate men thou art hunted for thy holinesse as a Partridge on the mountaines at least by the poison and persecution of the tongue I say then thou art certainly in the hie way to Heauen 2. If the Saints of God bee men of singularitie in the sence I haue said then away with those base and brainelesse cauils against those who are wise vnto saluation What are you wiser then your fore-fathers then all the Towne then such and such learned men then your owne Parents Are you wiser then your Head may the Husband say c. Nay further to Noah it might haue been said by the wretches of those times Art thou wiser then all the world He out of the height of his heroicall resolution easily endured and digested the affronts and indignities of this kinde from millions of men But take thou these spitefull taunts and binde them in the meane time as a Crowne vnto thee and aduance forward in thine holy singularitie with all sweete content and vndauntednesse of spirit towards that glorious immortall Crowne aboue and let those miserable men whose eyes are hood-winkt by Satan and so blinded with earthly dust that they cannot possibly discerne the inuisible excellencies and true noblenesse of the neglected Saints follow the folly of their worldly wisdome and sway of the greater part to endlesse woe and then giue losers leaue to talke 3. Let euery one who in sinceritie of heart seekes to be saued euer hold it a speciall happinesse and his hiest honor to be singled out from the vniuersall pestilent contagion of common prophanenes and the sinfull courses of the greatest part and to be censured as singular in that respect Neither is this a singular thing that I now suggest but it hath been the portion of the Saints in all ages to be trod vpon with the feete of imperious contempt as a number of odde despised vnderlings whereas indeed they are Gods Iewels and the onely excellent vpon earth Behold saith Isaiah chap. 8. 18. I and the Children whom the Lord hath giuen me and for signes and wonders in Israel I am as a monster vnto many saith Dauid Psalm 71. 7. I am in derision dayly euery one mocketh mee saith Ieremy chap. 20. 7. We are made saith Paul a spectacle vnto the world and to Angels and to men 1. Cor. 4. 9. We are made as the filth of the world the off-scowring of all things v. 13. In Austins time those that made conscience of their waies durst not plunge into the corruptions of the times and play the good fellowes were scornefully pointed at not onely by Pagans but euen by vnreformed Professors Professors at large as we call them as fellowes that affected a precisenesse and purity aboue ordinary and others They would thus insult and scoffingly fly in the face of such an holy one You are a great man sure you are a iust man you are an Elias you are a Peter you come from Heauen c. In after-times if a man were but meerely ciuill ingenuous chaste temperate hee was made a by-word and laughing stocke to those about him They presently said Hee was proud singular beside himselfe Hypocrite c. Thus it was is at this time and will bee to the worlds end that euery stigmaticall Whoremonger beastly Drunkard ignorant Lozell scoffing Ismael and Selfe-guilty wretch will haue a bitter gird a dry blow as they say a scurrill gibe to throw like the Mad-mans fire-brand into the face of Gods people as though they were a company of odde humorous fellowes and a contemptible generation This I say euer was and euer will bee the worlds opinion of the wayes of God The children of darknesse euer harbour such conceits and peremptorily passe such censures vpon the children of light It is strange men are content to be singular in any thing saue in the seruice of God and saluation of their soules They desire and labour too to be singularly rich and the wealthiest in a Town to be singularly proud and in fashion by themselues to be the strongest in the company to powre in strong drinke They would with all their hearts be in honour alone and adored aboue others They would dwell alone and not suffer a poore mans house to be within sight They affect singularitie in wit learning wisedome valour worldly reputation and in all other earthly precedencies but they can by no means endure alonenesse and singularity in zeale and the Lords seruice In matters of Religion they are resolued to doe as the most doe tho in so doing they certainly damne their owne soules Math. 7. 13. Basest cowardlinesse and fearefulnesse fit for such a doome Reuel 21. 8. They are afraid of taking Gods part too much of fighting too valiantly vnder the Colours of Christ of being too busie about the saluation of their soules lest they should bee accounted too precise fellowes of an odde humour and engrossers of more grace than ordinarie It is one of Satans dreadfull depths as wide as hell and brimme-full with the blood of infinite soules To make men ambitious and couetous of singularitie in all other things but in godlinesse and Gods seruices not to suffer it in themselues and to persecute it in others Now in this Story of Noah so highly honoured with singularity of freedome from the sinfull contagion of those desperate times and happily exempted from that most generall and greatest Iudgement vpon earth that euer the Sunne saw an vniuersall drowning gloriously mounting vp vpon the wings of saluation and safety both of soule and body when a world of Giant-like Rebels sunke to the bottome of that new Sea as a stone or lead I consider 1. The cause of such a singular blessed preseruation which was the free grace and fauour of God But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord vers 8. 2. The renowne and honour of Noahs name in that he stands heere as the Father of the new world holy seede and progenitors of Iesus Christ These are the generations of Noah verse 9. 3. The description of Noahs 1. Personall goodnesse 2. Preseruation 3. Posteritie These two latter follow His personall description stands in the end of verse 9. Noah was a iust man and perfect in his generations and Noah walked with God Where wee finde him honoured with three noble Attributes which make vp the Character
Duels c And was not the discouery and deliuerance from the Powder-plot that great astonishment of Men and Angels one of the most vnparalelled and mercifull Miracles that euer the Church of God tasted Is it not admirable in the eyes of all Christendome that the only Daughter of our King vnworthily hunted vp and downe like a Partridge in the Mountaines should with such Heroicall height of spirit passe thorow so many insupportable dangers difficulties and indignities impossible to be forced vpon Ladies by generous spirits and as impossible to bee borne and ouercome but by an inuincible spirit and that Shee and all her Royall little Ones should bee still safe in the golden Cabinet of Gods sweetest prouidence And to crowne all with a wonder of greatest astonishment doe not we all that are the Kings faithfullest Subiects almost feare still lest we be in a dreame that Prince Charles the Flowre of Christendome should returne home so To say no more Away then with all sowre melancholike causelesse sinfull discontent And Praise ye the Lord sing vnto the Lord a new song and his praise in the congregation of the Saints Let Israel reioyce in him that made him let the children of Zion be ioyfull in their King For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people Hee will beautifie the meeke with saluation Let the Saints be ioyfull in glory let them sing aloud vpon their beds In a word let vs of this Iland as we haue iust cause aboue all the Nations of the earth and aboue all Ages of the Church from the very first creation of it praise Iehoua most heartily infinitely and for euer 2. Neuer hit any in the teeth with deformity of bodie dulnesse of conceit weaknesse of wit poorenesse in outward state basenesse of birth c. For who makes thee to differ from another Either In naturall gifts as comelines of body beauty feature stature wit strength c. See Iob 10. 10 11. Psal. 139. 13 14 15. In ciuill endowments or any artificiall skill vntill it come euen vnto matters of Husbandry See Esay 28. 26. In outward things see Psalm 127. More particularly in preferment and promotion see Psal. 75. 6 7. In children 1. Sam. 1. 27. Psal. 127. 3. In a good wife see Prou. 19. 14. In spirituall things see Ezech. 16. In any thing thou canst name We are all framed of the same mold hewed out of the same Rocke made as it were of the same cloth the sheares as they say onely going betweene it is therefore onely the free loue and grace of God which makes all the difference Whereupon it was an excellent speech of the last French King as his Chronicler reports When I was borne there were a thousand other soules more borne what haue I done vnto God more then they It is his meere grace and mercie which doth often bind me more vnto his iustice for the faults of great men are neuer small Let none then I say ouer-looke disdaine or brow-beate their brethren by reason of any extraordinarinesse of gifts eminency of parts singularitie of Gods speciall fauour or indulgence towards him in any good thing which he denies to others Especially thy selfe being vouchsafed the mercy of conuersion neuer insolently and imperiously insult ouer those poore soules who are beside themselues in matter of saluation who like miserable drudges damne themselues in the Deuils slauery and suffer their corrupt nature to carrie them to any villanie lust or lewd course Alas our hearts should bleed within vs to behold so many about vs to imbrew their cruell hands in the bloud of their owne soules by their ignorance worldlinesse drunkennesse lust lying scoffing at profession hating to be reformed c. What heart except it be hewed out of the hardest rocke or hath suckt the brests of mercilesse Tygers but would yerne and weepe to see a man made of the same mold with himselfe wilfully as it were against the Ministery of the Word a thousand warnings and Gods many compassionate inuitations to cast himselfe body and soule into the endlesse easelesse and remedilesse miseries of Hell And the rather should we pittie and pray for such an one who followes the swinge of his owne heart to his owne euerlasting perdition because as I said before there went but the sheares betweene the matter whereof we were all made onely the free mercy goodnesse and grace of God makes the difference If he should giue vs ouer to the vnbridled current of our corrupt nature wee might be as bad and run riot into a world of wickednesse as well as he if the same God visit him in mercy he might become euery way as good or better then we 3. If the free loue of God bee the fountaine of all our good away then with that fained fore-sight of faith right vse of free-will good workes which should mooue God to elect before all eternitie and that Luciferian selfe-conceite of present merit fit monstrous broode of that Beast of Rome who opposeth and exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God For workes meritorious fore-seene are equally opposite to Grace as workes meritorious really existing Here you must cal to mind those eight considerations which I opposed against that wicked Tenent of Merit which doth iustly merit neuer to taste of Gods free mercy From the second point in these words These are the generations of Noah whereas the fame and memoriall of all the Families vpon Earth besides lay buried and rotting in the gulfe of euerlasting obliuion as their bodies in the vniuersall graue of Waters the family of Noah a righteous and holy man is not onely preserued in safetie from the generall Deluge but his generations registred and renowned in the Booke of God and conueyed along towards the Lord Iesus as his Progenitors and precedent Royall Line I obserue this point Doct. Personall goodnesse is a good meanes to bring safety honour and many comfortable blessings vpon posteritie see Deut. 5. 29. Exod. 20. 6. Psal. 37. 26. Prou. 20. 7. and 11. 21. Psal. 112. 1 3. Act. 2. 39. Reas. 1. Parents professing Religion in truth make conscience of praying for their children before they haue them as did Isaac Hannah When they are quicke in the wombe as did Rebeckah When they are borne as did Zachariah In the whole course of their life as did Iob At their death as did Isaack And prayers we know are for the purchasing of all fauour at the hands of God either for our selues or others the most vndoubted soueraigne meanes we can possibly vse 2. Godly Parents doe infinitely more desire to see the true feare of God planted in their childrens hearts then if it were possible the Imperiall Diadem of the whole Earth set vpon their heads And therefore their principall care is and the Crowne of their greatest ioy would bee by good example religious education daily instruction louing admonitions seasonable reproofes restraint from wicked company the
the most worthy Saints are wofully haunted with too many distractions and violent intrusion of idle vaine and impertinent thoughts euen in holy duties religious exercises and solemne vse of the ordinances which without extraordinarie watchfulnesse and wrastling on their parts would vtterly bereaue and robbe them of all the sweetnesse power and profit of those blessed meanes and by little and little quite transforme them into forme and perfunctorinesse If in the best then and heauenliest businesses the vanity of our owne mindes and malice of the Deuill presse vpon vs with such importunitie and restlesse assaults with what furious and impetuous incursions and vastations of conscience are they like to oppresse vs in our idle houres ill spent time and pursuit of pleasures Consideration whereof me thinkes should cause Christians who alone are truely sensible of the interruption and discontinuance of their sweet communion and societie with Christ and smart many times for the estrangement of their thoughts and affections from God onely to haue recourse to recreations in case of true neede for necessitie I say and seasonably euen as they vse physicke so may they expect Gods gracious protection from the hurtfull preuailing of those sensuall distempers and licentious ranging of their thoughts which are wont to enrage and empoyson the mindes and affections of carnall men all the while and to make account so often as they are haled by the cunning ensnarement of old companions the tyrannie of former custome or vnmortified yeeldingnesse of their owne deceitfull hearts to immoderation and excesse in this kinde so often to expose their hearts by Gods iust permission as a prey to temptation and vanitie Whereby they may bee in continuall danger either by little and little to bee drawne backe and drowned againe in the froth and fooleries of their disauowed pleasures which were an horrible thing or else at least to bring vpon themselues from time to time as they transgresse in this kinde much vnnecessarie discomfort and dissettlednesse in their Christian course dis-rellish in Religious exercises deadnesse of heart disacquaintance with heauenly comforts losse of that dearest Thing and earthly Paradise peace of Conscience which perhaps they shall hardly with much adoe recouer a long time after 6. Sixthly consider Chrysostomes precisenesse against wasting time this way The present time saith he is not for melting into 〈◊〉 but for lamentation and mourning And yet doest thou vainely mis-spend it in merry conceits The Deuill gnasheth the teeth roares and foames and flashes out fire against thy saluation and doest thou sit still and Iouially iest it out Doe wee play and sport our selues Beloued Wilt thou learne the conuersation of the Saints Heare what Paul saies Act. 20. 31. By the space of three yeeres I ceased not to warne euery one night and day with teares 2. Cor. 2. 4. Out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote vnto you with many teares 2. Cor. 11. 29. Who is weake and I am not weake Who is offended and I burne not 2. Cor. 5. 4. For we that are in this Tabernacle doe groane being burdened And the Apostle desiring that I may so speake euery day to depart this life Doest thou laugh and play Our time here is a time of warre of fight of watch and ward of harnessing of standing in the face and fury of the enemy and doest thou demeane thy selfe like a dauncer Doest thou not see the faces of Souldiers in the fight how sad they are how contracted how terrible with frownes how full of horrour Doest thou not behold the austore piercing intention of their eyes an extraordinarie excitation of heart leaping and panting in their brests c. His meaning imports thus much Doth an ordinarie Souldier in the field against a mortal man earthly enemy recollect and vnite all the spirits and powers of body and soule with all efficacie and earnestnesse for the encounter And shall a Christian Souldier that wrastles not against flesh and blood but against Principalities against Powers against the rulers of the darknesse of this world against spirituall wickednesses in high places who is euery moment furiously assaulted and hunted euen like a Partridge in the Mountaines by the deuils open rage the ambushment of the World and the endlesse treacheries of his owne false heart trifle away his time and turne aside to toyes 4. No incrochers vpon heauenly comforts no diminishers of our delight in God no deuourers of spirituall ioy For this is a very deare and diuine thing to bee prized and preserued as a sweet and celestiall Iewell far more worth then heauen and earth which the world can neither giue nor take from vs neither must any stranger meddle with it Wee may take an estimate of its excellency by casting our eyes vpon 1. The intolerable bitternesse of the contrary I meane spirituall horrour which we see sometimes by wofull experience doth enrage the guilty consciences of some forlorne wretches with such restlesse furies and vnutterable anguish that at length extremest I know not whether madnesse or cruelty they lay violent and villanous hands vpon themselues In which case such an hell vpon earth is horrour of conscience they care not a button for the sweetnesse of life the rufull cries of their owne deare children the heauy lookes of their yoke-fellowes the abhorred infamy they bring vpon their owne names families kindred buriall posteritie Oh how they spurne at with a vile disdainefull contempt Pleasures Riches Honours Crownes Kingdomes Worlds of gold any thing euery thing as miserable comforters Nay it is so stinging that they will rather venture vpon that other Hell to which they are posting in a Coffin of blood a thousand thousand times more horrible then endure it any longer If sence then of diuine indignation taking secret vengeance vpon the guilty conscience of an impenitent Rebell puts him as it were into hellish flames aboue ground what an heauen vpon earth is a sweet feeling of Gods reconciled face and his euerlasting mercies through Christ sealed and set on by the holy Ghost and testimonie of a good conscience And how deliciously doth an humble soule so honoured with a foretaste and first-fruits as it were of eternall ioyes graspe the Lord Iesus in his ordinances and blisfully sunne it selfe in the loue and light of His countenance 2. The practise of the prophane in their insatiable restlesse pursuite of false ioyes and painefull pleasures which at best are but as crackling of thornes vnder a pot and flashes of lightning before euerlasting fire They hunt after them euen into hell and light a candle at the Deuill for lightsoâ—…nesse of heart by haunting Ale-houses Tauerneâ—… Brothel-houses Play-houses Conuenticles of good-fellowship sinfull and vnseasonable sports a thousand kinds of vanities and fooleries which are nothing but the Deuils Wakes and reuellings of Hell And all this little poore carnall mirth is purchased many times with much shame losse misery beggery rottennesse of body discredit damnation At what an high
carried along with addition of the fresh comforts from the Word and Sacraments thorow a fruitfull current and course of a Christian life is at last entertained into the boundlesse and bottomlesse Ocean of the endlesse ioyes of heauen 4. Of vnconquerablenesse against all created 〈◊〉 and assaults of earthly discomforts An oâ—…ce of sorrow 〈◊〉 a whole sea of worldly mirth The boisterousnesse and brauery of all carnall ioy vanisheth quite away and expires euen as a flowre when the heate riseth that is sent vpon it vpon the very first approach or presence of any either outward trouble or inward terror A prick of a needle much more a pang of the Stone or fit of the Gout is able to depriue a man of the pleasure of the worlds Monarchy One serious thought of death or the sight of one finne armed with Gods anger will put the proudest Niâ—…rod the greediest engrosser of all earthly delights into Belshazzars shiuering But now let the Christian whose heart is sweetly reposed vpon the Rocke of eternity be vtterly stript of all outward comforts let heauy accidents fall vpon him as thicke as one waue in the necke of another which befell blessed Iob yet he is still where hee was he hath made God his portion his onely Iewell and Ioy which he hath in Heauen or on Earth his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord and therefore when all earthly stayes and staues of reede shrinke in the wetting and are shattered to nothing he cleaues with an vnshaken and triumphant tranquillitie of minde to his Sunne and shield Psal. 84. 11. To his light and life Ioh. 8. 12. To his strong Tower of defence and exceeding great reward Gen. 15. 1. heare his sweete and noble resolution in this case Hab. 3. 17 18. Although the figtree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Oliue shall faile and the fields shall yeeld no meate the flocke shall be cut off from the fold and there shall bee no herd in the stalles yet I will reioyce in the Lord I will ioy in the God of my saluation While Iehoua is in Heauen his heart is in the Hauen though neuer so many stormes or tempests of the troublesome sea of this World beate vpon his house of clay Rob him of all earthly refreshments and lightsomnesse of this life and let but the light of Gods countenance shine vpon him which no darknesse nor dungeon nor Deuill in Hell can intercept and he is incomparably more merry then the Worlds choisest Minion Pleasures dearest fauourite or the brauest Belshazzar vpon earth in the very top and ruffe of his most iouiall reuellings and swaggering sensuality But it is not so with the earthly-minded man For howsoeuer he may digest with reasonable patience and carry well enough away all crosses and contradictions to his other worldly comforts while he doth yet wallow without interruption and disquiet in the sinfull pleasures of that selected way of death vpon which the more headstrong current of his corrupt nature hath cast him and the naturall bent of his carnall affections hath singled ouâ—… and made speciall choise of to follow and feede vpon with greatest delight which the Fathers call peccatum in delicijâ—… a mans bosome sinne yet cut him once short of the free and full enioyment of this his sensuall idoll and earthly god and you kill his heart quite and plunge him presently into desperate distractions For instance The couetous man while his heart may nessle securely vpon his golden heape will passe by without any great wound or passion the curses of the poore the grumblings of his conscience the comminations of the Ministry the cry of the whole Country against his oppressions vsury sacrilege and sinfull wayes of hoarding When hee comes home and finds his bags and bonds safe he blesseth himselfe in his heart against all threatned iudgements horrors curses confusions Thogh Iesus Christ himselfe should preach and presse them vpon him Luke 16. 14. with his golden wedge hee easily cuts asunder all scruples doubts exceptions reasons arguments obiections which any wayes oppose his couetous and cruell courses Hee pleases and applaudes himselfe against all censures and contradictions whatsoeuer to the contrary But let Gods angry hand in his iust iùdgement by fire robbery or some secret consumption snatch away his wealth and he is likely enough to goe out of his wits and in great hazard of hanging himselfe While the ambitious man is proudly mounted fits fast vpon the Seate of honour and is Idolized as it were and adored aboue others hee can easily enough ouerlooke with an imperious disdaine the indignation of good men emulation of great Ones the reproaches of the multitude and all other petty and priuate crosses but throw him downe from his high place turne him out of his offices and honours and how weary is he of the World how irâ—…esome to himselfe how prodigall of his life how impatient of the company of men While the wanton wallowes in the brutish pleasures of his abominable filth hee beares well enough away the weakening of his bodie the wasting of his goods the shame of his sinne losse of friends staine of reputation but beate him backe and bâ—…rie him from the house of the strange woman and you breake his heart banish him from his Minion and hee is ready to make away himselfe Woe sorrow contentions wounds without cause rednesse of eyes vndoing of wife and children houting at in the streets will well enough downe with the dâ—…unkard while hee may domineere vpon the Ale-bench but cut off the new wine and strong drinke from his mouth crosse him in his swaggering course confine him from his good-fellow meetings and you take away the very life of his life Thus euery vnregenerate man secures himselfe in some one sensuall Hold or other wherein the crowne of his carnall ioy consists of which bereaue him and you shall leaue him ioylesse heartlesse hopelesse and helpelesse But take from the true Christian if it were possible both Heauen and Earth and all the creatures and comforts of both yet you cannot take away his ioy God is the strength of his heart and his portion for euer Surely he shall neuer bee mooued his heart is fixed and beleeueth in the Lord. Which sith it is so that spirituall ioy is such an vnualuable Iewell and carnall so cursed a vanity let euery Christian bee exceedingly carefull not to suffer the froth and filth of this to staine or lessen the glory and sweetnesse of the other But if he once perceiue any company or kind of recreation begin to steale away his heart from communion and comfort in his God let him abandon it as a canker and cut-throate of his spirituall happinesse and euer prize and preferre the ioy of the soule delights of Grace refreshings of the holy Ghost infinitely before all worldly pleasures carnall contentments ease or any earthly thing Thus much of recreations II. Let me adde a word or
canst euer possibly harme thine opposite 5. A great deale of spirituall good doth by accident accrue to the Christian by the malice of his enemies The raging and rayling enemies of Gods people serue as scullions to scowre the Lords Vessels of Honour as Shepheards Dogs to hunt Christs Sheepe into order and to purer pastures 1. Their narrow watching ouer his wayes to take him tripping and prying into all passages of his life vpon purpose to disgrace his profession should make him walk more precisely and to hold a continuall counter-watch ouer all his courses that hee giue no iust cause of offence or any true matter of cauill or calumniation Whence it is that Dauid prayeth Psa. 27. 11. Leade me in a plaine path because of mine enemies or those which obserue mee 2. Their hitting him in the teeth with the reproch of his former sinnes should serue as a remembrancer vnto him to reuise and renew more effectually and feelingly the great worke of his first repentance and to open afresh a fountaine of penitent teares or at least of new griefe hee can grieue no more for those particular sinnes which any dogged Shimei or slanderous Doeg brings into his mind vpon such occasion For it is the woont of ignorant enemies to Gods holy wayes to charge vpon his children euen with much bitternesse and insultation the faults and follies of their vnregenerate time Though God Almighty hath buried them for euer in his mercy yet they will neuer suffer them to dye out of their malice Though the blood of Christ hath couered them euerlastingly from the sight of God and search of Satan yet their base and dunghill spite will euer and anon rake into them againe to their disgrace Thus were Austin and Beza two great Lights of the Church in their times and so are many other moderne Worthies and Champions of Christ dayly dealt with In which case learned Austin sweetly replyed to the Donatists vpbraiding him in such an vnworthy fashion with the impiety and impuritie of his former life Looke said he how much they blame my fault so much I commend and praise my Physicion And blessed Beza to a fellow obiecting vnto him his youthfull Poems This man vexeth himselfe because Christ hath vouchsafed mee his Grace And King Dauid with whom I should haue begun when Shimei rayled vpon him and called him murtherer Let him alone and let him curse for the Lord hath bidden him And yet besides this I doubt not but vpon these occasions Dauids heart bled afresh for his bloody sinne Augustines for his former heresie and sensualitie Bezaes for the vanitie of his youth 3. Their blazing abroad some speciall visible scandalous infirmitie of his and yet to which he is haled and as it were hurried by the impetuousnesse of some sudden passion or violent temptation and which is one of his greatest griefes and much matter of mourning in secret should cause him to strengthen his watch and improoue all his spirituall valour against the assaults and insinuations of it 4. Their malicious fathering vpon him by false reports those faults he yet neuer fell into and yet to which hee may bee naturally much inclinable should furnish him with more then ordinarie care and courage wisdome and watchfulnesse to preuent the scandall of any such guiltinesse 5. Their slanderous laying to his charge the things hee neuer did nor euer like to doe which is also an hellish humour and deuilish tricke of prophanenesse against profession should leade him to a strict enquirie into his heart and life to find out some other sinne of which vpon that occasion God would haue him take notice and mortifie It may be thou art falsely charged with hypocrisie looke that thou bee not earthly-minded with pride looke that thou be not passionate with worldlinesse looke that thou be not luke-warme c. Thus haue I somewhat inlightned and insisted longer vpon this point purposely to stirre vp and quicken the spirits of all Gods people to a fruitfull constant exercise of Christian charitie and bounty towards their poore brethren to bee aswell plentifull in workes of mercy as precise in duties of pietie God loues mercy aswell as sacrifice nay in some cases hee preferres the other before this to be so much more mindfull and apprehensiue of all opportunities for a sincere discharge of this much vrged and honoured duty as the wicked are malicious and Pharises forward to charge vpon them the contrarie For you know that carnall men are extremely greedy of casting aspersions and disgraces vpon the innocencie of religious Professours No excellencie of parts singularitie of worth eminencie of zeale height of holinesse integritie and puritie of life can possibly priuiledge the best man that euer breathed the life of grace in the bosome of the Church from the scourge of tongues The only Worthies vpon earth of whom the world was not worthy were vexed with cruell mockings Paul that precious Pillar of Gods Church was called A pestilent fellow nay Christ Iesus himselfe in whom the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelt bodily was said to haue a Deuill And no marueile though they deale thus with his Children that daily blaspheme the mighty Lord of heauen and earth blessed for euer Daily experience tracts them in fiue pestilent passages this way It is their woont with all their cunning and vpon all occasions 1. To lessen disgrace and disparage all they can the graces worth and good parts of good men 2. To report true things maliciously and vpon purpose to bring them into hatred and disestimation so Doeg dealt with Dauid 3. To charge vpon them with much credulity and confidence things they neuer did neuer knew neuer thought vpon or dreamed vpon 4. With whorish foreheads and very impudencie of hell to fasten vpon them by slanderous imputation those sinnes and vices in the contrary graces and vertues whereof they are many times very eminent and remarkable Elijah was slandered to be a troubler of the State whereas in truth hee was the strongest Pillar of the kingdome the very chariots and horsemen of Israel 5. Nay and which is yet more to father vpon them those faults wherein themselues hatefull hypocrites are grosly and notoriously guilty Tertullus tels Felix that Paul was a very plague for so is the Originall whereas not onely Paul was one of the best men vpon earth but also himselfe a cursed cutthroate of all goodnesse and furious opposite to the glorious Gospell His lewd Mistresse charged Ioseph with an assault vpon her chastitie whereas not onely he was most free that way but also her selfe notoriously naught Ahab called Elijah a troubler of Israel whereas not only that blessed Prophet was the very strength of that State but also himselfe by his abominable couetous Idolatrous villanies brought confusion and misery vpon the whole kingdome Now out of this cunning malicious humour carnall men lye at the catch and are most eager to apprehend any shadow of