a mans selfe is his soule Hence whereas in Matth. 16. 26. it is said What shall it profit a man if hee gaine the whole world and lose his soule it is said in another Evangelist Luke 9. 25. What shall it prosit a man if hee gain the world and lose himselfe Surely spirituall excellencies are the highest excellencies as First these spirituall excellencies have this propriety in them they make a man a better man wheresoever they are which bodily excellencies doe not nor all the riches nor honours in the world A man is not the better man because he hath money cloaths honours better dyet than others these are but outward things added to him no intrinsecall excellencies Secondly these spirituall excellencies are the beginnings of eternall lise the same life we shall have in heaven and hence the work of Gods Spirit in the soule is called The Earnest of the Spirit not a pawne but an Earnest for a pawne is to be returned againe but an Earnest is part of the whole summe that is to follow That which we have of Gods Spirit is part of the same glory we shall have fully in heaven it is not onely an evidence unto us that there is glory comming but it is a beginning of the glory the fulnesse whereof is to come afterward Such a spirit as hath this life lives a life farre above the common life of the world even the life of heaven the same life that Angels and Saints do live in heaven the life of those blessed spirirs there Wee mistake if wee thinke eternall life is only in heaven eternall life is in this world in the excellent frame of the spirits of Gods servants 1 Iohn 3. 15. Life is the chiefe excellency communicated to the Creature and the highest life the highest excellency There is more distance between the excellency of the meanest weakest godly man in the world and the most eminent man for parts common gifts onely than betweene the meanest and weakest godly soule and the most eminent glorified Saint in the highest heavens the weakest godly man excels him that is most eminent in common gifts more than the most eminent Saint in heaven excells him for the glorified Saint is onely higher in some degrees in the same excellency which in the principles yea and in some lustre the meanest Saint on earth hath hee hath that which will at last grow up to heavens glory but the distance betweene him and the man who onely hath the excellencies of parts learning common gifts it is essentiall All parts and common gifts in the world can never grow up to this Thirdly yea this is not onely the life of Angels the life of heaven but the life of God himselfe for so it is called by God himselfe Ephes 4. 11. Seneca sayes of Reason that it is part of the Divine Spirit in mans body it is much more true of Grace it enables the soul in some resemblance to come the nearest that can be to live as God lives to work as God works it represents God in his highest glory and therefore it is called The lynage of God This shewes more to the world what God is than all the frame of Gods creation besides It is not as an Image which hath only the dead lineaments drawne though there be some beauty in this but as the Image in a glasse which presents the motion as wel as the lineaments yea and not only so but as the sonne that beares the Image of the father and this represents the life or as if a glasse had life in it and so could enjoy the sweetnesse the good of that Image it represents unto it self This Spirit is such a living glasse of the blessed God that it enjoys the good and sweetnesse of that Image of God it hath in it Yea one degree higher it is called the very Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. as if it were nothing else but a sparkle of the Deity it selfe Seneca has a strong speech concerning mans soule What can we call the soule sayes he but God abiding in an humane bodie If a soule that hath only naturall excellencies comes so neare God how neare then comes it to him when raised by those spirituall and supernaturall excellencies we have spoke of Yea yet there is an higher degree than this It is called the glory of the Lord Rom. 〈◊〉 3. yea a higher degree than all the former the excellencie of this spirit is such as it is one spirit with God himselfe 2 Cor. 6. 17. He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit It was the excellencie of Ioshua that hee had the spirit of Moses upon him of Elisha that hee had the spirit of Eliah what is it then to have the Spirit of God himselfe yea to be one spirit with him Put all these then together godlinesse by which this other spirit is raised higher than common spirits it is the life of God the Image of God the divine Nature the glory of God yea one spirit with God and is not here an high and glorious excellencie Fourthly this makes him wheresoever it is fit to glorifie God in the world and so the soule thus endued is not onely a glasse to represent a living glasse to enjoy the comfort of what it doth represent but as a glasse to reflect upō the face of God himself the glory of his own Image and that by a principle within it self Other glasses can reflect upon the thing whose image it hath if acted by a hand externally but this by an inward living principle and so gives God his glory actively which no other creature can doe but Angels and mens soules who have these spirituall excellencies in them Were it not for a few of these spirits what glory would God have in the world how little would he be minded or regarded But these are they who have high thoughts of God who have trembling frames before him who do reverence feare adore love cleave to trust in magnifie the Name of the great God in the world these sanctifie his Name in his worship they worship him as a God they worship him in spirit and truth and such worshippers God seeks Ioh. 4. 23. as these he highly esteemes of and much rejoyces in these take notice of him in all his creatures in the wayes of his providence and use the creatures for him from whom they are the glory of God is deare and pretious to these this is the excellencie of their spirits they are not sunke in the dregs of the world but being kept in some measure in their purity they worke up to God doe as it were naturally flow to God as to their Center Fiftly these are such as are fit to stand before the Lord to have converse and enjoy communion with him Dan. 1. 4. we reade that those that were judged fit to stand in the Kings pallace before King Nebuchadaezzar they must have no blemish they must
them Although God takes it well at the hands of those whom hee hath raised in the things of the world higher than others when hee seeth them forward in setting out his praise yet he would not have them thinke that he is beholding to them as if the honour of God depended so upon them as it would faile did not they put to their helpe No God can raise his honour by other meanes he can glorifie himselfe and get himselfe a great name by low meane and contemptible things It is not because God hath need of honour from you but because he delights to honour you that he is pleased to use you in his service It is an advancement to whatsoever greatnesse you have in the world to bee imployed for God were it but in the meanest service he hath to doe Where the heart is right even in that it gloryeth more than in all the dignity that earth can put upon it But yet the greater Instruments the Lord raiseth up for his glory the greater services he cals them unto the greater things may wee hope he intends for his Church When S. John saw the Elders casting downe their crownes before the Throne saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power Apoc. 4. 10. soone after S. John heard every creature in heaven and on earth and sea saying Blessing honour glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lambe for evermore cha 5. 13. And soone after that hee saw Christ with his Crowne upon him going forth conquering and to conquer Chap. 6. 2. What great mercies might we expect did we see God raysing up truely noble and generous spirits more generally in the great ones of the earth did we see the Elders and Nobles casting downe their Crownes before the Throne of the Lambe willing to deny all their glory and excellencies and estates for the raising up the glory of Iesus Christ Certainly God hath great things to doe in this latter age of the world and hee is a God with whom there is as great abundance of spirit as ever when his time comes how soone will such a thing bee as the raising mens spirits to higher and more noble designes than now we can imagine The observing the frame and work of your most pretious noble spirit Right Honourable put mee upon the thought of this Argument The chiefest book that I made use of for the inlarging 〈◊〉 Meditations in it next the Scripture was that which I joyfully beheld in you 〈…〉 selfe and your Noble and much honorred Lady highly honoured and lov 〈…〉 and that deservedly in the esteeme and hearts of all who know her and the truth John Ep. 2. ver 1. Such gracious principles appeared in your spirits such divine rules by which yee were guided those high and noble employments in which yee delighted those blessed qualifications which as so many Diamonds in their lustre and beauty sparkled that light that freenesse that strength that publikenesse that holinesse c. Those comsorts of a higher nature than the common drossie comforts of the world that yee chose to your selves to satisfie your spirits in and found contentment in the enjoyment of that caused the dilating of my thoughts about these things and now making knowne themselves publikely they crave patronage from your Lordship who have beene the originall from whence they came And here I humbly present them to your Honour and to your vertuous and noble Lady as a glasse wherein your selves and others may see the frame and workings of your spirits I dare say that all who know you and know that I had the happinesse to bee so neare unto you and to have excited to look about thee if false Art thou indued with such a spirit as here thou maist find nothing in the world in hell or in thy flesh shall be able to conquer thee as Christ himself thou shalt indure such crosses and contradiction of sinners as these times are big with thou shalt despise the shame and be able to resist to bloud if God should call thee to that honour What excellency of spirit was in S. Paul when he took it ill that they diswaded him from going up to Jerusalem where he was to meet with sharp afflictions What mean you to weepe and break my heart saith he for I am ready not to be bound only but also to die at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus Moses refuses to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter though himselfe or some of his posterity might happily have come to the Kingdome by it and chuses afflictions rather with the people of God c. He would not become an Egyptian though of the Royall Stem but abide an Hebrew who were abomination to the Egyptians He knew that the reproach of the Members did redound to the Head and would bee well recompenced by him and therefore he will suffer afflictions and esteeme the reproaches of Christ above all the treasures of Egypt a greater patrimony saith Ambrose So base are many spirits in this age that they had rather censure than trace his practice Scaliger tels of a Tree to which when a man cometh Ramos constringit but when he departs ramos pâ—dit Too many are like this tree when any Ministers or Christians that have the reproach of Christ upon them come neare them and have to deale with them let relations promises ingagemeÌ„ts be what they wil they shrink up themselves are troubled sadded and perplexed thinking it disgrace unto theÌ„ to have to do with such but when they are gone then their hearts dilate again their faces grow pleasant such an adulterous generation there is that are ashamed of Christ in any of his poore reproached despised Members not only ashamed but like that Plant called the Tartarean Lamb which in shape and proportion answers the Lambe but grazeth and eateth up the grasse round about it suffering no green thing to be neare and these men are Lambes in shape but eating up every green thing that is neare unto them Psa 14. 4. They eate up my people as bread they are the food their malice feeds upon It is observed the Pope was so busie and hot against Luther that he neglected to look to all Christendome against the Turk such basenesse was in a Popes brest that he could easier have digested Mahumetisme than Lutherdnisme may we not think the Alcoran would be welcome to those Confessors who have enjoyned their burthened in conscience to burne their Bibles for Pennance this some living know to be a truth There is much basenesse in the spirits of men and upon little occasion it vents it selfe Doeg haead 〈◊〉 malicious murderous spirit in him spared not those that ware the Linnen Ephod The rich man Luk. 12. 19. was all for earth nothing for heaven A great man finding his sicknesse encreasing caused his bed to be made between or upon his Coffers
some others if they have been faire and ingenuous if you have beene of sweet natures and tractable dispositions you have cause to blesse God in some respects so much the more for the change hee hath wrought in them for his mercie towards you that you did not rest in those naturall excellencies and mistake them for saving graces as many doe with much danger to their soules and when you see the base corrupt spirits of other men as those who have any thing to doe in the world shall meet with exceeding vile corrupt spirits not onely in the worst sort of men but in those who seeme to be faire in whom a man would never have thought to have met with such base workings of spirit that would make a man wonder Oh Lord what are the spirits of men Then I say when you see this blesse the Lord let your spirits and all that is within them blesse his name who hath put such difference betweene your spirits and theirs as you cannot but acknowledge except you should be exceedingly injurious to the grace of God in you Cap. IX Communion and converse with men of such excellent spirits is a most blessed thing IF the godly be of such excellent spirits then converse and communion with them is a most blessed thing no greater heaven upon earth than this for here you may see the beauty and lustre of Gods graces shining the brightnesse of which darkens all the beauty and glory of the world to a spirituall eye Seneca saw so much excellency that Moralitie put upon a man that hee sayes that the very looke of a good man delights one The very sight of such servants of God who walke close with God who are carefull to keep their spirits clear and shining truly it is very delightfull it hath much quickening in it the uprightnesse holines spirituall enlightnings that their soules have will guide them to advise for God in safe and good wayes The advise of godly men in things concerning God is much to be prized It was a good speech of Shechaniah to Ezra Chap. 10. 3. Now therefore let us make a Covenant with our God c. according to the counsell of the Lord and of those that feare the Commandement of our GOD. It was good to follow their counsell The spirits of these are favory in their discourse in their duties in all their carriage their example exceeding powerfull and profitable The blessing of Abigail upon David was The Lord binde up his soule in the bundle of life Enjoyment of communion with Gods people is the binding up of our soules in the bundle of life for every one of them hath life in him Doctor Taylor the Martyr rejoyced that ever he came into prison because he came there to have acquaintance with that Angel of God Iohn Bradford as he cals him If the society of one sweet heavenly spirited man bee enough to make a prison chearfull what a blessing then is the enjoyment of cōmunion with many All my delight saith David is in the Saints in them that excell in the earth It is the blessing of the Gospell to come to the spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12. 23. when we are amongst them we may in the beholding the worke of their spirits come to see many failings in our own that we saw not before and so be humbled for them and be put on to seeke helpe We may see the same graces shining in them that we feele in our owne hearts and so be strengthened and encouraged in them and stirred up to blesse God for them and the sutablenesse betweene their spirits and ours if ours be right will cause such a closing and mingling as from thence there will arise an unspeakable delight and incomparable sweetnesse No society under heaven hath that pleasantnesse sweetnesse in it as the society of the Saints no mens spirits close so fully one with another as theirs no mens spirits bound so firmly by such indissoluble bonds together as theirs they know the excellency of one anothers spirits so as they can freely open themselves unbosome their hearts one to another and venture their lives one upon another and it is the most honourable society in the world for it is the association of the most excellent and glorious creatures God himself delights to joyne himselfe with them to be amongst them as 2 Cor. 6. 16. I will dwell among them saith the Lord and walke there and I will be their God and they shall be my people But the words are more significant in the Originall they expresse Gods delight not onely to dwell among them and walke with them but to dwell in them and walke in them And hence that expression of Tertullian that wee made use of before in another case is very pertinent for our purpose here likewise When good men meet sayes hee when godly men are gathered together this is not to bee called a faction but a Court What place is accounted so honourable and excels in more delights than the Courts of Princes The society of Gods Saints communion with Gods people hath more honour is filled with more delights than any Court in the world where this is wanting the society of the wicked that is unsavory and tedious because their spirits are so vile and corrupt like the slime and filth there is congealed when many Toades and venomous filthy creatures doe joyne together How abominable is their breathings together to a gracious spirit how loathsome is the mixture of their spirits Zach. 13. 2. we have a promise that God will in his due time take away the uncleane spirit out of the Land and oh what a blessed time will that bee How happy would Gods servants thinke themselves if they might bee delivered from the noysomnes of corrupt unclean spirits Let us keep our selves what we can now from mingling with them wee shall within a while be for ever delivered from them CAP. X. That all those whose spirits God hath thus differenced should improve this Mercy by walking not as other men IF God hath beene mercifull to you in giving you another spirit improve this mercy shew in all your wayes that you are acted by another spirit let the renewed spirit guide you let the beauty and excellency of it appeare If wee live in the spirit let us walke in the spirit sayes the Apostle Gal. 5. 25. The works of the flesh are manifest Gal. 5. 19. Why should not the works of the spirit be so too God hath beautified your spirits with his owne Image in this hee hath honoured you that you might honour him in holding forth the beauty and excellency of his Image he hath made you a peculiar people to that end that you might shew forth the vertues of him who hath called you out of darknes into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2. 9. It is a dishonor to a parent or any special friend to hang his picture in some
all the workings of God in the waies of his Providence they are mercy unto such they work mercifully for their good And further observe they are not onely mercy but mercy in truth God hath ingaged his truth that they should thus worke for them God hath tyed this mercy to them by his truth See here the difference between Gods mercy to his people and his mercy to other men First some of Gods pathes may be mercy to other men but not all or some particular acts of God rather than his pathes God doth not ordinarily goe on in a track and course of his mercies with them as hee doth with his people As their obedience is onely in some particular acts and no continued course so Gods mercy to them which comes from his generall bounty is manifested onely in some particular acts of his and not in any constant course But it is otherwise in his dealings towards his people they goe on in a constant course of obediēce they make Gods Commandements their pathes and therefore God goes on in a constant course of loving kindnesse towards them hee makes his mercy to them the ordinary pathes wherein hee walkes As Psalm 36. 10. O continue thy loving kindnesse to them that know thee and thy righteousnesse to the upright in heart The word in the Originall is Draw out thy loving kindnesse Gods mercies to his owne are a continued Series they are drawne out from a constant Spring they come forth from a never-failing Fountaine there is a connexion betweene one mercy and another but as for others God now and then onely casts his favours on them And observe a second difference all Gods paths are mercy to his people not some few there are none of Gods dealings but ayme at good towards them if God should cause one favour to follow another towards some wicked man out of the fulnesse of his bounty yet it cannot be said of any wicked man in the world that all the pathes of God are mercy towards him God hath his pathes of wrath and judgement wherein he is comming towards him though hee bee little aware of it But this blessing of all the pathes of God being mercy is a peculiar blessing to such as follow the Lord fully in the uprightnesse of their hearts in all the pathes of service and obedience And thirdly observe yet a greater difference than the former All the pathes of God are not onely mercy but mercy and truth to his people though God may shew mercy to others yet he hath not tyed his mercy to them by his truth they cannot challenge mercy from him by vertue of his truth if they have mercy it is more than they could have expected they cannot be sure of the continuance of it one houre they have nothing to shew for their mercy they doe not hold their mercy upon that Tenor of Gods truth which his people doe Nay when God comes to make good his truth to give his truth the glory of it then there is an end put to their mercy it is cut off from them but there is a blessed connexion between Mercy Truth in the good which Gods people doe enjoy according to the like expression in the forenamed 36. Psa 10. the loving kindnesse and the righteousnesse of God are put both together as the portion of an upright heart And hence the mercies they have are no other than such as they may expect as they may build upon before they come such as are made over to them by the truth of God and when they are come they may bee sure to hold them because they hold them upon such a blessed Tenure as GODS owne truth And hence the Scripture calls them sure mercies See how confident David was of holding Gods mercies Psalm 23. 6. Surely goodnesse and mercy shall follow mee all the dayes of my life And further all that God hath is for their good the heavens and earth and all Creatures are theirs and worke continually for them Hosea 2. 21. 22. I will heare the heavens and they shall heare the earth and the earth shall heare the Corne and the Wine and the Oyle and they shall heare Iezreel 1 Cor. 3. 22 23 The world life death things present things to come all are yours and yee are Christs and Christ is Gods Rom. 8. 28. And we know that all things worke together for good to them that love God This is a mysterie that the world is not acquainted with but we know it saith the Apostle The world may thinke that things worke against us yea all things in the world seeme to work against us but we know that all things doe work for good they work together for good though some particular things considered apart may worke for good to other men yet take all together and they worke their ruine but altogether workes for good to us although the good doth not seeme yet to come forth yet it is a working for us stay but till the worke bee done and it will appeare Good it will bee though it may bee not the same good that wee thinke of yet a good that will bee better for us a greater good than we imagined or desired Now then if all that is Gods bee for thee and workes thus fully for thee is there not reason then that all that is thine should be for God and worke as fully for him Thine did I say the truth is there is nothing thine for all is Gods God hath a greater propriety in and right to whatsoever thou art and hast than thy selfe but God is pleased to let it bee called thine that thou maist freely give it to him and if it bee his owne why should hee not have it fully If he thus inlargeth himselfe towards thee how unequall is it that thou shouldest be scant in thy service to him and in thine honouring of him Fifthly wicked men doe fully follow after that which is evill an infinite shame confusion then would it be to us an infinite dishonour likewise unto God if wee should not as fully follow the Lord in that which is good Ecclesiastes 9. 3. The heart of the sonnes of men is full of evill and Chap. 8. 11. The heart of the sonnes of men is fully set in them to doe evill The Seventy translate this The heart of man hath a Plerophorie to evill it is set upon it without any doubt or suspition there is a plerophorie of boldnesse to sinne in them why should there not bee a plerophorie that is a full perswasion of faith in Gods servants to that which is good Micah 7. 3. the Scripture saith that wicked men doe evill with both hands earnestly Esay 57. 5. Idolaters there are said to inflame themselves with their Idols and Ieremy Chap. 8. 2. they are said 1. To love their Idols 2. To serve them 3. To walke after them 4 To seek them 5. To worship them all these 5. expressions together in one
one riding on with strength in his journey hindred by the barking of whappets at his horse heeles hee rides on and minds them not and as for railings and revilings at the wayes of God by which many are discouraged the spirit of a godly man can shake them off as St. Paul the Viper that hung upon his hand and feele no hurt it beares off many hardships that are like to bee very grievous to flesh and bloud that it is like to meet with which discourages the hearts of many both from beginning to enter upon Gods ways and from continuance in them after some entrance made as the other Spies that were sent with Caleb and Ioshua their hearts fainted they tell of great difficulties are like to bee met with The land indeed is good but there are children of Anak there and walls that reach up to Heaven but this was the brave heroicall spirit of Caleb and Ioshua their spirits were undaunted they would goe up and possesse the Land let what ever could bee stand in their way Thus many have convictiōs of conscience that the wayes of God indeed are good but the great hardships that they are like to suffer in those ways keep them off But a true godly spirit is willing to embrace Religion with all the hard terms annex'd unto it it is a poore meane spirit that must indent with God a forehand If I were sure to hold out to have at last that which I desire then I would venture upon the wayes of godlines but I am afraid it will never be and so sinks and hath no mind to set upon the work But this spirit will set upon the worke with all the hazards as Ester If I perish I perish this was a brave spirit indeed If she had had such a base cowardly spirit as many to think Alas what good shall I do I may hazard my selfe and bring my selfe into trouble but no likelihood of any good will come of it she is content to venture all upon a meere possibility of good To breake thorow armies of difficulties as Davids Worthies shewed the excellency of their spirits in breaking thorow an Hoste to gratifie their Lord. If the Worthies of God in former times had stood upon every difficulty what had been done in Gods cause No this spirit sets upon that which God cals it to doth what it can and leaves it self and the issue of its work to God as Ioab 2 Sam. 10. 12. Let us play the men for our people and for the Cities of our God and the Lord do that which seemeth him good It was a brave speech of him that shewed an excellent brave spirit in him A poor low spirit thinks every difficulty an impossibility but this spirit will not easily entertain thoughts of impossibility in services that are noble and worthy of choice spirits it will rather thinke with it selfe Was there never any such thing done before or was there never any thing that had as much difficulty as this in it that was as unlikely as this to come to a good issue and yet was at last accomplished why may not this then be done and so sets about it without any more objectings against it with this resolution Quic quid sieri potuit potest That which hath been done may be done Such a spirit as this is ashamed to see and heare reade what great things have beene done by others and what poor things it hath all this while been imployed in Suetonius reports of Iulius Caesar that seeing Alexanders Statue he fetched a deepe sigh because he at that age had done so little Yea so farre is a true heroicall spirit from being discouraged by difficulties as it s raised by difficulties thus it s said of a true godly man that hee stirres up himselfe against the hypocrite that hee holdes on his way and growes stronger and stronger Iob 17. 8 9. When a difficulty when any opposition or danger comes in Gods wayes now it sees an opportunity offered of shewing so much the more love to Iesus Christ so much the more sincerity and power of grace to bring so much the more honour to God and his cause and in this it rejoyces this was the reason why the Apostles and Martyrs rejoyced so much in their sufferings for Christ When Ignatius felt his flesh and bones begin to bee ground betwixt the teeth of wilde beasts now sayes he I begin to be a Christian When Alexander saw an apparant great danger neare him his spirit workes on this manner Now sayes he here 's a danger fit for the minde of Alexander to encounter withall When David at first heard of being the Kings sonne in law he was troubled at it 1 Sam. 18. 22. But when he knew what a difficult and hazardable service hee was to undertake for it then saies the Text in the 26 Verse It pleased David well to be the Kings sonne in law that which would have discouraged others who would gladly have had the preferment that raised the spirit of David and made him like the offer the better and surely this was not an ordinary common spirit it was the true magnanimity of the spirit of David Tenthly A solid serious spirit other spirits are sleight empty vaine frothy rash spirits which are exceeding great evils in the spirits of men sleightnesse of spirit makes men almost uncapable of any good what ever judge ment the Lord laies upon mee in this world yet the Lord deliver me from a vain sleight frothy spirit how doe the blessed glorious truths of God which are of infinite consequence passe by such and are never minded nothing sticks by them nothing abides with them that may be usefull for their everlasting good but this spirit is put into a serious solid frame it examines the ground of actions compares one thing with another looks much at the issue of things this must needs bee because the feare of the great God and the feare of eternity is fallen upon it Esay 11. 2. These are joyned together the spirit of knowledge wisedome the spirit of counsell and the fear of the Lord it converses so much with serious things of high and infinite consequence that it must needs be put in a serious frame Eleventhy It is an active lively spirit serious but not sullen not heavy dull solid but not stupid 1 Pet. 2. 5. The godly are called lively stones stones because of their solidnesse lively because of their activenesse God is himselfe a pure act and these spirits have some likenesse to him and nearenesse with him the higher things are the more active water more than earth aire more than water fire more than all these spirits are raised to the highest excellencies of any creature in this world They are of quick understanding as Esay 11. 3. And ready prepared to every good work as 2 Tim. 2. 21. The most noble excellent activenesse is from life and the more noble excellent the
other succeeding Ages CAP. IV. The Reason why the men of the world and the Godly can never agree HEnce wee see the Reason why the men of the world and the godly can never agree they are men of another spirit Where there is difference of spirits there can be no agreement Water and oile cannot mingle no agreement betweene light and darknesse they looke at them as men whose lives are after another fashion That Apocryphall Authour in that book of Wisdome hath an excellent expression to this purpose Chap. 2. 12. he brings in wicked men saying of the godly He is cleane contrary to our doings he is grievous unto us to behold his life is not like other mens his wayes are of another fashion wee are esteemed of him as counterfeits he abstaineth from our wayes as from filthinesse he commendeth greatly the latter end of the just Verse 19. Let us examine him with rebukes and torments c. Let the relation and the ingagements be what they will yet so long as of different spirits they cannot close What a differeÌ„t spirit was there betweene Iacob and Esau who lay in the same wombe at the same time 〈◊〉 There may be outward peace fo 〈…〉 while betweene Gods people and some wicked men but inward closing of spirit there can never bee The spirit that is in you the world cannot receive sayes our Saviour Iohn 14. 17. Antipathies are irreconcileable no arguments no meanes ever used can cause an accord except there be a change in nature Nothing in the world puts mens spirits in such a distance as Grace when that comes and therefore where the most eminent grace there the greatest disagreement betweene them and wicked men How many wicked men cannot but be convinced of some godly who live with them that they are better than themselves that they are conscientious men whose Principles are truly godly and that they walke close to them they are not able to charge them with any ill carriage towards them they seeke to doe them all the good they can and yet their spirits cannot close but as they were wont to say in former times Caius Seius was a good man but hee was a Christian so now such are good men but they are too strict this enough to keepe a perpetuall breach betweene them CAP. V. Learne to have a right esteeme of such pretious spirited men IF the godly be of such excellent spirits learne wee then hence to have a right esteeme of them they surely are worthy of pretious account of most honorable esteem who are men of such excellent spirits Let them bee what they will in regard of their outward condition though never so meane and poore No matter what the Ring bee if the Pearle in it be pretious Many most pretious spirits have very mean outsides The Tabernacle was beaten Gold within but the out side covered with Badgers skines If the treasure be rich what though the vessell be earthen Surely these are the excellency of the earth the very light and beauty of the world the glory of Gods Creation they give a lustre to the places where they live to the families in which they are especially if they walke close and faithfully with God indeed manifesting the excellency of their spirits in their wayes so that when they are taken away the very places where they lived are darkened This other spirit of the godly makes a Iob scraping his soares on the dung-hill and a Ieremy sticking in the myrie dungeon more glorious than Kings and Princes sitting crowned upon their Thrones these are glorious within God is a Spirit and he looks on men to see what they are in their spirits and he esteems accordingly of them and so should we What doth brave cloathing what doth money what doe titles of honour raise the dignity what are these to the excellency of mans nature No certainly the excellency of man must bee that which mustmake the most excellent and noble part truly excellent which is the spirit of a man If a man would know the excellency of any thing as of a sword or of any other instrument he judges it not by the Hilt or the inferour part but by what excellency the principle part hath There is a spirit in man and the inspiration is from the Almighty a spirit inspired by the Almighty and beautified with his heavenly graces this innobles a man indeed it is the ornament of the hidden man of the heart the glorious cloathing of that which makes truely beautifull and glorious How did many of the Heathen highly prize those in whom they saw any naturall excellency of spirit differing from other men Those amongst the Romanes who were called the Curii and â—abritii they lived very poorly and meanly yet being perceived to have more excellent spirits than other men they were taken from their dinner of Turnips and Watercresses to lead the Romane Armie How much more should we honour men in whom we may see Divine spirits the lustre of heavenly graces shining in them But to shew more particularly that godly men are to be highly prized in regard of this other spirit as they have received a spirit differing from other men so they are to have esteem and honour differing from other men not to bee looked at as common men for First this difference of their spirits from other men is a certaine signe of the eternall love of God unto them it comes from the treasure of Gods everlasting love of that choyce speciall love of God from the bowels of Gods deepest mercies it is a most infallible argument that God hath set his heart upon them for good as for other favours a man may have them more than other men yet they are no such but may stand with Gods hatred and with his eternall wrath and this is a great difference betweene spirituall mercies and outward mercies which sets an exceeding high prize upon spirituall mercies aboue all others these are the distinguishing mercies which others are not But Secondly the spirit receiving these spirituall excellencies from Gods choyce everlasting love receives likewise all other mercies from the same fountaine though in their owne nature they bee common mercies yet where this other spirit is there they are received from another Fountaine than other men receive them which addes much sweetnesse and excellencie to the mercies we have they come as fruits of the common bounty and generall goodnesse of God to ordinary men but to men thus differenced from others they come out the spring of the rich treasures of Gods grace tending to the furtherance of eternall mercies Thirdly The Lord hath an especiall eye upon and delight to dwell with these who are of choice and excellent spirits Hee will dwell with the contrite heart to revive the spirit of the humble Esay 57-15 Hee hath a speciall care of these spirits that they doe not faile before him hee puts under his hand to support comfort revive
David Gideon Barak others who through faith subdued Kingdomes Hebr. 11. 32 33. That is basenesse of spirit and want of valour that makes a man a slave to sin and the Devill so a slave as he hath no heart to any worthy service to free himselfe from it but lies down under it and carries the fetters and yoake of his bondage about with him withersoever he goes That is cowardly basenesse that brings conscience into a servile subjection that cowardly basenesse that will suffer the cause of God to be betrayed rather than venture any thing for it what greater argument that men want true spirit than this Godlinesse puts a spirit of fortitude into men that will not suffer them to bee thus debased and where appeares the like courage in any as in these when they are called to stand for the truth Though all the Tiles of the houses in the City of Wormes were Devils yet thither would I goe to testifie to the truth saith Luther Againe it is not a turbulent spirit for turbulency of spirit makes men cruell and malicious this spirit causes men to love their enemies to do all the good they can to them turbulent spirits seeke onely their own ends they care not what becomes of others so it bee that they may but warme themselves they care not what house bee on fire They are boysterous in things that concerne themselves But the Saints of God in whom this other spirit rules they are meeke and gentle and yeeldable in their owne cause ready to put up wrong in all quietnesse take them in things that onely concerne themselves and you shall find none so readily so freely so chearfully denying themselves as they And againe turbulent spirits doe not love to examine things by rule to call things to account but follow their owne fiery humour and set upon their own will with violence but godlinesse takes off men from this ruggednesse and turbulency of spirit makes them gentle and peaceable let them bee never so active never so forward never so zealous in any thing yet if you wil call them to examine things by rule they will meekly and patiently heare you yea a childe shall leade them Esay 11. 6. And yet further turbulēt they are not for none more obedient to authoritie than they none see that Majestie of God in Autority as they doe none obey Authority out of conscience so as they doe If the will of men in authority rather than authority shall require any thing that the authority of Heaven forbids that they do not because they cannot obey for conscience sake And so sacred do they account Authority that they would have no obedience performed to it but obedience for conscience sake Blind obediēce the Church of God hath long agoe exploded as too servile for Christian spirits this were more servile than selling mens bodies in the Market for slaves which Christianity abhors It were too uncharitable a conceit of Christian Magistrates to thinke that they should require of or expect from any other obedience than in and for the Lord and in this obedience those who are godly are so forward as they are judged turbulent for being over-forward to maintaine the honor of Authority as some think when according to their places they promote the execution of laws made by authority and that of those lawes which are of the highest consequence for the furtherance of Piety and Peace Againe factious spirits they are not because they seeke above all things to keep to the maintenance of obedience to the Primitive truth that is faction that sides against that Tertullian hath a notable expression in his Apology for the Christians against the Gentiles to cleare Gods people from being men of factious spirits it seemes that aspersion was cast upon them then which was about 1400 yeares agoe his expression was this When good men when honest men meet together when godly men are gathered together it is not to bee called a faction but a Court and on the contrary the name of faction sayes hee is to bee applyed to them who conspire to the hatred of good and honest men And thus much of the first branch of the Vse which was the reprehension of the vile cōceits that men had of this other spirit Now the second followes which is the rebuking of the men of the world for the ill use they give to men who are of such excellent spirits The excellencies of the spirits of the godly do challenge all the good use that can bee but it is little they meet withall they are for the most part abused by the men of this vile world as if they were the vilest scurfe and filth of the earth yea so indeed they account them so saith S. Paul 1. Cor. 4. 13. We are made as the filth of the world and are the off-scouring of all things unto this day Why what was S. Paul and what were those that were with him who was so accounted of were they not men of most excellent and admirable spirits S. Paul was one of the most excellent spirited men that ever lived upon the earth and did as much service for God as ever any meere man did since the beginning of the world and yet how vilie was he thought of how contemptibly was hee used put into stocks and whipped wanted cloathes and victuals And for the others that were with S. Paul they were men of whom the Holy Ghost gives this witnesse that they were the very glory of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 8. 23. Oh unworthy world that ever they should have such men live amongst them Those who are the delight of Angels yea of God himselfe how are they abused in this wicked world as if they were dogges or the basest scumme and filth of the earth What scorne and contempt is cast upon them the most abject of men think themselves good enough to reproach and abuse them Were it not a grievous sight to see some base drudge to have power over the body of some noble Prince to abuse it by stripes or any other contumelious sordid manner but a more grievous thing it is to see the vile and base spirits of the world who are nothing but sinks of filth themselves to abuse men of such noble and excellent spirits as if they were more vile than dirt It was the bitter complaint of Ieremy Lament 4. 2. that the pretious sonnes of Sion comparable to fine gold were esteemed as earthen pitchers Such as blessed spirits would honour if they had them with them yet here they are cast out as filth What griefe sufficent to lament the seeing of such filthy swine to trample under their feet such pretious pearles in all ages thus it hath beene Those who were indeed the true honourable upon the earth such pretious and excellent spirited men as of whom the world was not worthy and yet they have beene most vilely abused and are so still by this wretched world
from the common sort of the world for my praise If you had loved them prized them and honoured them as the choice of the earth if if you had followed their example I had not slain you but now you shall perish everlastingly CAP VII No dishonor to be singular Seven notes to discover that godly mens differing from other men proceeds not from proud humourous singularity but from the choicenesse and excellencie of their spirits IF godly men be men of another spirit and this be their commendation why then should any account it to be a dishonour to be singular from the world Singularity is cast upon Gods servants as their disgrace but certainly it is their glory they are singular and their wayes are singular it is true and they avouch it they rejoyce in it and blesse God for it it is impossible but that it should be so for they are of another spirit a peculiar people separated from the world set apart for God their separation is a wonderfull separation Exod. 33. 16. So shall we bee separated sayes Moses I and thy people from all the people that are upon the face of the earth the word is in the Originall We shall be wonderfully separated No marvell then though their singularity bee such as the world who knowes not their principles wonder at it Their wayes are different from other men I that is true indeed who can thinke otherwise Their principles their estates their dignites their hopes are raised higher then other mens Would Saul have been offended if his former acquaintance had complained Oh now Saul hee mindes other things goes on in other waies lives after another fashion then we doe I that is true indeed for his condition is altered his estate is raised higher then yours he hath an other spirit To complaine of Gods servants that they are singular from others is all one as if you should complaine of Pearles that they are more glistering than dirt and gravell Their way their lives are singular Why how would you have them live would you have them live according to the common course of the world they cannot for they have not received the spirit of the world but another spirit When the Spirit of God would set out the greatest misery of men when they are the children of wrath without God in the world without hope it is that they lived according to the common course of the world Ephes 2. 2. And those two are joyned together living according to the common couse of the world and according to that spirit that rules in the children of disobedience So long as they were acted by that spirit they did live so but now there is another spirit that they are acted by and would you have them live so still as they did before Certainly it cannot be You cry out of dissimulation and that justly But what is dissimulation if this be not where there is not a sutablenesse between the inward principles the inward frame and disposition of the spirit and the outward actions Now if Gods people should not live singular lives certainly their outward actions would not be agreeable to the inward principles frames and dispositions of their spirits for they are singular differing from other mens As there may be dissembling for a man to seeme better than he is so there may be dissembling to seeme worse than we are Is there not as much evill in a life differing from the spirit as in a spirit differing from the life If a man seemes to be godly and is not it is an argument the man is vile who will thus play the hypocrite but it is a commendation to godlinesse that men will account the very seeming of it to be honourable but if a man hath godlinesse in his heart and yet his life be no other than other mens this would argue that a man were ashamed of godlinesse it selfe here godlinesse it selfe would suffer as if it were such a dishonourable thing as would bring shame to a man if it did appeare as if though indeed it must be reserved in the heart for necessity sake yet it must be kept downe not suffered to appeare in the life for feare it be a disgrace to men Is not here then as great an evill in this way of dissimulation as in the other Better all the men of the world had shame cast upon them than that godlinesse should have the least staine Surely then where the spirits of men be other spirits singular choice spirits their lives ought and must needs be other lives singular from other men Their conscience witnesse to them that their spirits are changed that they are other from that they were yea and witnesses for them that their lives are other lives singular from other men and in this witnesse their soules rejoyce But is there not a proud phantasticall singularity may not pride sullennesse and fancie carry men on in singular wayes differing from other men conceiting themselves to be wiser than others loving to satisfie some odde humours of their own If it were any choicenesse or excellency of their spirits it were another matter we would not speake against them but it is this proud hypocriticall humorous singularity we speake against To this I answer If you indeed should do as they doe if you should live after a different manner from the common course of the world having no other principles than those you have it would certainly bee singularity pride hypocrisie and humour in you and thus your consciences would tell you and that because you had not principles to carry you out in this way you have not spirits sutable to it and you judging of others by that you seele in your selves this makes you to thinke the different wayes of Gods servants is onely from pride and humourous singularity yea and they themselves know that there was a time indeede where in if they should have done as now they doe it would have beene no other in them then that you now accuse them of namely when their spirits were as other mens spirits are but now they know they have other principles other qualifications of spirit then formerly they had But surely you doe not thinke indeed that their different lives doe come from proud and humourous singularitie for if you did why doe your consciences so well approve of them when you lie on your sicke beds when you apprehend your selves going before the great God then you could wish it were with you as it is with them But what say you if you thought it were not from this pride and conceitednesse you speake of then you would thinke it were well then you would joyne in justifying of them if you were sure it were from a choyce excellent spirit in them Well then let Gods servants rejoyce in this that they know it is not from pride that it is not from humour that they run not into excesse of riot as others doe but from the worke of
dark hole in some obscure contemptible place it is expected we should make it conspicuous that we should hang it in some eminent place so as to manifest that wee rejoyce in it as an ornament to us It is a great evill to obscure the Graces of Gods Spirit to keepe in the work of God upon our spirits in which hee hath set out the glory of his owne Image to that end that he might be glorified in us before men Angels Every man delights in the expression of that wherin he esteems his excellency to consist be it Eloquence Wisdom or any Art wherin he hath attained any eminency yea if he accounts his excellency to consist in his riches in his honor in his beautie he loves to make them appear before others as the Prophet in another case Esa 60. 1. Arise and shine for the light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee If God hath shined upon your spirits by his grace let your lights shine before men that the world may see there are men of other spirits who can doe such things as they cannot Oh what beautifull convincing cōversations would men live if they were onely acted by this renewed spirit As it was said of Steven they could not resist the Spirit by which he spake so it would be true here men could not resist that spirit by which you live What doe you more than other men sayes Christ to his Disciples Matt. 5. 47. Men of other spirits must manifest in their lives that they can do more than other men Let me in the name of the Lord plead with you for more honour and service for the Lord than he hath from others First your birth is from him you are borne of God in another manner than others are and therefore it must not be with you as it is with others Men of high birth will not live as other men doe Hence we read of a custome amongst the Heathen they were wont to derive the pedigree of their valiant men from their gods to this end though the thing were not true yet they beleeving themselves to be a Divine off-spring they might upon confidence there of undertake higher attempts than others with the more boldnesse Much higher things should those endeavour after who are indeed borne of God Secondly God hath put forth an other manner of power out upon your spirits than upon other men other men have but a generall common influence of Gods power let into their spirits but he hath manifested the exceeding greatnesse of his power in you as Eph. 1. 19. observe the gradation there the Apostle speaking of the power of God put forth upon those that doe beleeve expresses it in a sixfold gradation 1 It is his power onely the power of a God could doe it 2 It is the greatnes of his power 3 It is the exceeding greatnesse of his power 4 It is the working of his power 5 It is the working of his mighty power 6 It is the same power by which he raised Christ from the dead and set him at his right hand in the Heavens farre above all Principality and Power and might Now God doth not use to put forth great power but for great purposes he uses not his extraordinary power for ordinary things when supernaturall power is put forth it is that it might raise to supernaturall operations 3 Againe God doth put other abilities into you that others have not that grace with which hee hath endued your spirits is a sparke of his owne divine nature as you have heard it hath a divine power with it and a divine activity in it that is expected from you that none can doe by an inferiour power as by the strength of parts education morall principles if your lives bee not beyond the highest of those who have none other principles than such to raise them you dishonour God and his grace and your holy profession Fourthly your spirits have beene made acquainted with more truths God hath revealed to you the secrets of his Counsels of his Kingdome he hath showne you himselfe his Glory his Majesty Soveraingty Holinesse he hath showne you the reality beauty excellency equity of his blessed wayes Hee hath made known to you the certainty the infinite consequence of the things of eternitie the vilenesse pollution poyson danger of sin he hath given you experiences of the things of heaven the sweetnesse of his wayes the distresse of conscience for sinne Fifthly he hath separated you for himself he hath takē you into a near communion unto himselfe though God is to be feared by all yet more especially in a higher degree hee is to bee feared in the assembly of his Saints and to be had in reverence of them that are about him Psa 89. 7. Sixthly God hath put other dignities upon you that hee hath not put upon other men he hath made you Citizens of the new Ierusalem favorites of heaven heires co-heires with the Lord Jesus Christ God hath raised you above the condition of men and therefore you must not walk as men The Apostle 1 Cor. 3. 3. blamed the Corinthians that they did walke as men Hee hath redeemed you from the earth Revel◠4. 3. Therefore you must not walke as the men of the earth God hath not dealt thus with other people they know not what these things meane Therefore well may the Lord expect from you other manner of service and honour than he hath from other men Seventhly more depēds upon you than upon others the waight of many services depends all upon you which are no wayes expected to bee performed by others What shall become of Gods Name his Glory the fulfilling his will in the world if men whose spirits are fitted for his service should not live in a higher way of holinesse and doe more for him than others God expects great things from you Esay 63. 8. I said surely they will not lie When others are base unfaithfull and vile in their wayes yet God rejoyceth in this that hee hath a generation in the world a choyce company of other spirits pretious excellent spirits and hee shall have other dealings from them Eighthly your sinnes goe nearer to the heart of God than others Other men may provoke God to anger but you grieve his Holy Spirit God tooke it very ill at Salomons hand that hee dealt ill with him after hee had appeared twice to him 1 King 11. 9. How often hath God appeared to your soules What gracious visitatiōs have your spirits had from him It is a shamefull thing indeed for you to fall as other men doe It was an aggravation of the fall of Saul 2 Sam. 1 21. That the shield of the mighty was cast downe the shield of Saul as though he had not beene anoynted with oyle for you to fall as though you had not beene anoynted as others which have no such oyntment powred upon them this is
all rationall men approve of and if God would require a man to follow him in no other duties but these it were fine but there are some others that will make him to be observed some in which if he followes the Lord hee shall be reckoned amongst such kind of men of whose number hee doth not like to bee accounted one hee knowes they are discountenanced and despised and this hee cannot beare and therefore those are duties hee hath no minde unto and then thinketh with himselfe Why may not my obedience in other things serve the turne 3 And yet further one that is willing to follow God fully in all duties hee will follow him in those where he sees no reason but the â—are command of God it is enough to him that they are commanded of God it is not for the Lord to give account of his wayes to his creatures it is enough for us that hee bids us follow him absolute obedience is that which is our dutie there is alwayes reason enough in Gods will but whether we see it or see it not if we can but see the Commandement it is enough for us we take too much upon us to dispute about the reason of things with God wee must not be Judges of the Law but doers of it Saul could see no reason why he might not spare the best of the cattle especially when he did it to keep them for sacrifice but it cost him his Kingdome God rejected him for it and told him Obedience was better than sacrifice Luther saith He had rather obey than work miracles And Cassianus reports of one Iohannes Abbas who when hee was young was willing for a whole yeare together to fetch water every day neare two miles to water a drie sticke because hee was commanded so to doe hee thought it reason enough to doe things unreasonable to shew his obedience unto man whose will is many times unreasonable how much more reason is there then that we should shew our obedience to God in duties where through our weaknesse we cannot see the reason when we may be sure that there is alwayes reason enough if we were able to see it Fourthly and yet further the soule that is willing to follow God in all duties wil follow him in Commandements that are accounted little Commandements God expects faithfulnesse in little things God prizes every tittle of his Law more worth than heaven and earth howsoever wee may sleight many things in it and think them too small to put any great bond upon us Christ saith that Heaven and earth shall passe away but not one jot or tittle of his Word As if he should say If Heaven and earth were in one ballance and any jot or tittle of my Word in another and if one of them must needs perish I had rather that Heaven and earth should perish than that one jot or tittle of my Word should faile The Authority of Heaven puts weight on things that are never so little in themselves If mans authority doe this how much more Divine Man cannot beare disobedience in little things though the things be very small in themselves yet if commanded by Authority it is justly expected that they should be much regarded Shall mans authority make small things to be accounted great and shall Gods Authority doe nothing Obedience in small things is due to Magistrates much more to God Give to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods Matth 22. 21. It is observable in that place the Article is twice repeated in the Greeke Text when hee speaks of God more than when he speakes of Caesar shewing that our especiall care should be to give God his due Fiftly and lastly not to instance in more particulars the soule that followes God fully in all duties is willing to follow him in duties wherein it must go alone it is willing to follow God in folitary paths Many men were it that they might have company in the way in following the Lord they would be content but to go all alone in such solitary wayes wherein they can see none goe before them wherein they can have none along with them few or none are like to follow after them this is tedious But a childe of God thinkes he hath enough in that he hath God with him that he walkes along with God this is company enough let the way be what it will be As David Psal 23. 4. Though I walke through the valley of the shadow of death yet thou art with me God promises that he will goe before his people that is enough though there be none else It is true company in Gods wayes is delightfull and it is a sad thing that there is so little a tract in Gods paths It was the complaint of Gods people Lam. 1. 4. that the wayes of Sion did mourne because none came in them But if company cannot be had it is enough we have the Lord. 2 Tim. 4. 16. At my first answer saith S. Paul no man stood with me but all men forsook me notwithstanding the Lord stood with me Elijah thought he was left alone he could see no man goe that way hee did yet he continues in his fervour and zeale following the Lord. Indeed we should the rather follow the Lord because we see so few follow him What shall he have none to follow him as Christ said to his Disciples when many forsook him Will you also forsake me Thus you see by these severall instances in difficult duties in discountenanced duties in duties wherein we can see no reason but a bare command in duties that seeme to be small and little and in duties wherein if we follow God we must follow him alone that the soule that followes God fully will follow him in these and so by the same reason in all other duties that God shall require to follow him in And this is that pretious choice spirit we spake of before which shewes it in this that it is thus willing to follow God fully You know it is requir'd of us to be perfect as God himself is perfect to bee holy as God is holy yea this the Gospell requires of us but how can that be Yes thus Gods perfection and holinesse is made known to us in his will in his Commandements now look how large they are set forth to us in these so large must our obedience be though we cannot attaine to the degree yet our hearts must inlarge theÌ„selves to the things to what ever part of Gods will God makes knowne his perfection and holinesse by Thy Commandement is very broad saith David yet godlinesse inlargeth the heart to every duty it cals for there is a grace within the soule sutable to every duty the law requires It may be this is indeed may some thinke in those who are eminent in grace upon whom God hath bestowed a great measure of his Spirit but is this in
if David should have said I am resolved to walke before thee in a perfect way and yet I have not thy gracious presence with mee oh when wilt thou come unto mee but still whatsoever becomes of mee I am determined to continue walking within my house with a perfect heart The like place we have Psal 119. 8. I will keepe thy statutes oh forsake me not utterly As if he should have said O Lord thou hast in some degree forsaken mee thou seemest as if thou wouldest forsake mee yet Lord I am determined that I will keep thy Statutes Thus the upright heart resolves Though I should perish everlastingly yet I will perish following the Lord and if I cannot follow him I will cry after him and if I cannot cry after him I will look towards him yea though he appears to bee angry yet will I follow him as â—ob Though hee kils me yet will I trust in him Though there be much guiltinesse upon the spirit so that the devill and an unbeleeving sullen heart would much discourage from following after the Lord yet still it will not leave off but it labours to encourage it selfe as Samuel did the people 1 Sam. 12. 20 21. Samuel said unto the people Feare not ye have done all this wickednesse yet turne not aside from following the Lord but serve the Lord with all your heart and turne you not aside for then should you goe after vaine things which cannot prosit nor deliver for they are vain Thus the soule that followes the Lord reasons with it selfe Though it is true I have sinned mine iniquities are great God may justly be provoked and for ever reject me yet I will not turne aside from following him I know there is no good to be got els-where though I be unworthy of mercy yet God is worthy of honour and therefore what ever I can doe I will that God may have honour though I perish yea this soule though it receives many a repulse yet still it will follow As the woman of Canaan though Christ called her Dogge yet she leaves not off she acknowledgeth her selfe to be a Dog yet still she seekes Yea though God seems to go crosse wayes quite contrary to that the soule expected yet still this soul will follow him even in those wayes As when the Lord called Abraham to follow him into a Land that should flow with milke and honey Gen. 12. 1. Abraham was content to leave his owne countrey his fathers house his kindred and all his friends and notwithstanding as soone as he came into that Land he found there was a famine in the land Verse 10. so that he was forced to get into Egypt and that with the perill of his life or else he must have starved Flesh and blood would have murmured much at this and have said What is this that Land that God said hee would shew me is this that fruitfull Land for which I must leave my Country and all my friends and now as soone as I come into it I am ready to starve in it and yet Abraham followed God still in all the wayes he was pleased to lead him in Againe when God promised to multiply his Seed as the Starres of heaven yet for twenty yeares after this Sarah was barren God seemed to neglect his promise and after when he had a childe in whom all the Nations of the earth were to be blessed yet this Child Abraham must kill And here God seemes to goe crosse to his Promise yet Abraham followes God still One who followes God fully indeed lookes up to the goodnesse of God in himselfe and in his Promise not to it as it appeares to sense hee sees more good in the Promise then in all the things in the world though hee sees nothing though hee seeles nothing in himselfe nor in any creature for the present and what worke hee followes the Lord in hee will not leave imperfect he will not give over till hee sees something come of it if he followes God for a broken heart he will pray and meditate and pray and meditate again and again if it were a thousand times and a thousand times over again till the worke comes to some effect And so for power over a corruption and strength in any grace where there is truth of grace there will bee working like fire that never leaves working till it breakes forth and gets the victory Hence that place of our Saviour Matth. 12. 20. where hee sayes hee will not quench the smoaking flaxe nor breake the bruised Reed till hee send forth Judgement into victory If wee observe the place of the Prophet from whence this is taken which is Esay 42. 3 the words are He shall bring forth judgement unto truth noting that wheresoever there is truth there will bee victory Christ will nourish the smoaking flaxe that is the least worke of grace till Judgement that is this worke of sanctification bee brought into victory and overcome what opposeth it If hee brings any beginnings of grace to truth the victory is already gotten It is reported of Master Bradford that he would never leave off when hee was in holy duties till hee found something comming in as in confession of sinne till hee found his heart melt and breake for sinne in seeking pardon till hee found some quieting of his spirit in some intimation from God of his love and so for grace till hee found his heart warmed and quickned It is an excellent thing indeed to resolve to follow the Lord in duty howsoever though nothing should come in by it to our selves but yet the heart that is right will never be satisfied in the performance of a duty till it finde some manifestation of Gods presence in it some worke of God put forth upon it by it it will not rest in duty performed it is not satisfied in good inclinations in good desires it hath nor in gifts it receives nor in comforts it findes in the creature nor in enlargements and more inward joyes but it must have grace and God it must have some impression of God upon it to carry with it as a Seale of that presence of God it did enjoy in the dutie it so strives with the Lord as it resolves not to let him goe till it hath got a blessing It is a very full expression that S. Bernard hath to this purpose in two or three words Oh what a mercy were it continually to enjoy that which he saith Oh Lord saith he I never goe away from thee without thee he meanes he never leaves off duty till hee gets the presence of God and so carries the Lord along with him Oh how often doe we goe from God without God! we thinke it enough that we have beene before him in holy duties though indeed we still abide strangers to him he to us How often doth God send us empty away from his presence which we should account a sore and grievous affliction But
hold on to the end The reason that Philosophers give why the heavens are incorruptible is because the forme of them is so excellent as it wholly fils up the utmost capacity of the matter so the reason of the holding on of the upright heart is the full satisfaction of it the filling up the full capacity of it with contentment and delight in Gods ways Thus you have heard what it is to follow God fully CAP. II. The excellency of this frame of spirit in foure things THe second thing propounded in the point was to shew wherein the excellency of such a kind of frame of spirit lies take it in these foure things First this is truly to honour God as a God except God be honoured as infinite hee is not honoured as God now it is the full following him that onely honours him as infinite where God is followed and not thus hee is followed no otherwise than a creature may bee followed this is not therefore to honour him as a God but rather it is a dishonor to that infinite excellency blessednesse of his whereby he is infinitely above all that creatures are or that they are any way capable of The great thing that God aimed at in the creating of the heavens and earth was that he might by Angels and men bee honoured as a GOD and therefore that which gives him this hath true and much excellency in it Secondly this full following of God doth much honour the work of Grace and the profession of godlinesse it shewes a realitie power excellency and beauty in it it shewes that it proceeds out of the fulnesse of Jesus Christ such as hath high and heavenly principles when there is power proportion and constancy in a mans wayes there must needs bee much beauty in them there is a forcing of conviction from the consciences of evill men by them this takes away all pretences from men that they know not how to speak evill of the wayes of godlinesse they know not how to oppose and persecute them when they can see no flaw when though they watch what they can yet they can see nothing unsutable to their principles The principles of godlinesse for the most part are acknowledged by the consciences of the worst who have any light in them therefore when all a mans wayes are sutable to these it puts wicked mē to a stand they know not what to say against such men nor against their way but their owne thoughts tell them that surely there is something in these men that hath realitie and power and divine excellency in it that is from none other but from God himselfe Thirdly this hath such excellency in it as that God himselfe boasts of such as these are as they glory in the Lord and blesse themselves in the Lord so the Lord seemes to glory in them and to account his name blessed by them as you may see how God rejoyces in and makes his boast of Iob Chap. 1. vers 8. Hast thou considered my servant Iob that there is none like him in the earth a perfect and an upright man And so of David I have found a man after mine own heart which shall fulfill all my will So of those wee read of in Revel 14. These are they which were not defiled and againe These are they which follow the Lambe whithersoever he goeth and again in the same verse These were redeemed from among men being the first fruits unto God and to the Lambe and in their mouth was found no guile Fourthly this following of the Lord fully doth ever attaine its end it prospers in that it workes for in whatsoever thing any soule followes the Lord fully it shall be sure to accomplish that it aymes at and to be satisfied in that it would have As Hos 6. 3. Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord Thus David in Psal 63. where his soule thirsted after God his flesh longed for him his soule followed hard after him he saith himselfe in the same Psalme that Gods right hand did now uphold him and that his soule should be satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse and his mouth should praise the Lord with joyfull lips and the King shall rejoyce in God CAP. III. Rebuke to divers sorts whose spirits are not full in following after the Lord. IF thus to follow the Lord fully bee so excellent if this fulnesse of spirit bee such an honour unto Gods people then justly are those rebuked whose spirits are not full in following the Lord who acknowledge the Lord worthy to be followed but their spirits are slight and vaine their hearts are straitned in the wayes of the Lord they doe not fill up this blessed work of following after the Lord their hearts doe most basely fall and most miserably vanish in it As first some are convinced their judgements and consciences are for God but their lusts carry them violently another way Oh the miserable torment of these mens spirits while their consciences draw one way and their lusts another it is not so great an evill to have wilde Horses tyed to the members of ones body tearing of them by drawing contrary wayes Secondly others rest in their good inclinations their good desires they say they would faine doe better and they hope God will accept the will for the deed they like of Gods wayes and speake well of good men and therefore they thinke their hearts are for God but these desires and good motions are but as little buds and sprigs that come out of the roots of trees or from the middle of their body which come to nothing they never grow up to beare any fruit these are yet farre from following the Lord fully and savingly for 1 Their judgements are not yet inlightned not throughly convinced of the poyson and infinite evill there is in sinne of that absolute infinite necessitie there is in the holy wayes of God they see not the dreadfull Authority of God in every truth they think it were well if things were amended it were good if more were done than this God helpe us we have all our infirmities and though they doe not as others doe yet they hope their hearts are good towards God were it not for some inconveniences they are like to meet withall they could be content to doe more than they doe But what is this to that mighty work of God upon this spirit convincing of the infinite necessity equity beauty of his blessed wayes What is this to that sight of Gods infinite dreadfull authority Those whose hearts the Lord takes off from other things to work fully after himselfe he begins thus with them in the powerfull enlightning and convincing of their judgements 2 These never were made sensible of their inabilitie to have holy desires after God so as to see any need of any speciall worke of the Holy Ghost to raise such desires in their hearts Those who are
to the soule but how pleasant then is the fruit when it comes to ripenesse The more fully we follow on in Gods wayes the more full will the testimony of the witnesses both in heaven and earth bee in witnessing our blessed estate unto us Those three witnesses in heaven the Father Word and Holy Ghost and those three on earth the spirit water and the blood of which S. Iohn in his 1 Epistle 5. 7 8. they will all come with their full testimony to that soule which followes God fully By following the Lord fully wee keep our evidences cleare sinne blots and blurs our evidences that oftentimes wee cannot reade them but when the heart keeps close to God and walks fully with him then all is kept faire The Kingdome of God consists in righteousnesse peace and joy the more fully wee are brought into his Kingdome the more fully wee are under his government as there will bee the more righteousnesse so the more peace and joy Es 9. 7. Of the encrease of his government and peace there shall bee no end saith the Text. The more encrease there is of Christs government in the soule the more full it is the more peace will be there Seventhly there is great reason that wee should walke fully after the Lord because the way that God cals us to walke in is a most blessed and holy way In the 21. Revelation 21. verse The streets of Ierusalem that is the wayes of Gods people in his Church wherein they are to walke they are said to bee of pure gold and as it were transparent glasse they are golden wayes they are bright shining wayes Prov. 3. 17. The wayes of wisdome are the wayes of pleasantnesse and all her paths are peace There is not any one Command of God wherein hee would have us to follow him but it is very lovely there is much good in it God requires nothing of us but that which is most just and holy as God is holy in all his workes so he is holy in all his Commands they are no other but that which if our hearts were as they ought wee would choose to our selves A righteous man is a law to himselfe he sees that good that beauty that equity in all Gods Lawes as hee would choose them to himselfe were hee left at his owne liberty What one thing is there in Gods Law that could bee spared What is there that thou couldst bee glad to bee exempted from It may bee in the strength of temptation when some lust is up working the flesh would faine have some liberty but upon due serious thoughts looking into the bottome of things a gracious soule closeth with the Law and loveth it as gold yea fine gold and breakes for the longing it hath not to the reward of obedience to Gods Statutes and Judgements but to the Statutes and Judgements of God themselves as David saith his soule did Howsoever our path in following the Lord may seeme rugged and hard to the flesh in regard of the afflictions and troubles it meets withall in it yet where there is a spirituall eye the way of holinesse appeares to it exceeding lovely and beautifull Though David Psa 23. supposed the worst that might befall him in his way as that he might walke through the valley of the shadow of death yet he cals his way greene pastures and saith Godwill leade him by the still waters It is true the wayes of God are grievous to the wicked but very good and delightfull to the Saints because they are the wayes of holinesse as Esay 35. 8. And a high-way shall be there and it shall bee called the way of holinesse The uncleane shall not passe over it Eightly the consideration of the end of our way should bee a strong motive to draw our hearts fully after the Lord in it the entrance into it is sweet the midst of it more as before we have shewed but the end of it most sweet of all there is that comming that will fully recompence all Consider of the sweetnesse of the end of our way 1 In that period of it that will be at death and 2 In that glorious reward we shall have in heaven That sweet and blessed comfort that the full following of the Lord brings at death is enough to recompence all the trouble and hardship that wee meet withall in our way while we are following of him This hath caused many Saints of God to lie triumphing when they have been upon their death-beds blessing the Lord that ever they knew his wayes that euer he drew their hearts to follow after him in them When Hezekiah received the message of death Esay 38. 2 3 he turned his face to the wall and said Remember O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight and Hezechiah wept sore O the sweetnesse that possessed the heart of Hezekiah which did flow from the testimony of his conscience that hee had fully walked after the Lord with a perfect heart the verbe there I have walked is in that Mood in the Originall that addes to the signification of it It signifies I have continually without ceasing walked Thus Luther who was a man whose spirit was exceeding full in his love unto and walking after the Lord Jesus Christ while hee lived and when hee came to die his spirit was as full of comfort and joy as before it was full of zeale and courage these expressions brake from him O my heavenly Father O God the Father of the Lord Iesus Christ the God of all comfort I give thee thanks that thou hast revealed thy Sonne Iesus Christ to mee whom I have beleeved whom I have professed whom I have loved whom I have honoured whom the Bishop of Rome and the rest of the rout of wicked men have persecuted and contemned and now I beseech thee O my Lord Iesus Christ receive my soule my heavenly Father although my body is to be laid downe yet I certainly know that I shall for ever remaine with thee neither can I by any be pulled out of thy hands The grace of Gods Spirit oftentimes appeares most in the glory of it when death approacheth because grace and glory is then about to meet That soule that hath followed God fully here when it comes to depart out of the body it onely changeth the place nor the company which was the speech of a late reverend holy Divine of ours a little before his death I shall change my place saith hee but not my company meaning that as he had conversed with God and followed after the Lord here in this World hee was now going to converse with him and to follow after him more fully in a better World Death to such a soule it is but Gods calling of it from the lower gallery of this World to the upper gallery of Heaven to walke with him there Here
God than others is more capable of the presence of God than others and God delights to let out himselfe more to him than to others These are filled with all the fulnesse of God according to that expression of the Apostle Ephes 3. 19. Now this fulnesse of God in their spirits must needs carry them on because it so satisfies them as they feele no need of other things Empty spirits are alwayes sucking and drawing of comfort from the creatures that are about them hence it is that their hearts are taken off from God so much Againe a spirit that is filled with God is not so sensible of any evils that are without so as empty spirits are as it is in the body when it is filled with good nourishment with good blood and spirits it is not sensible of cold and alteration of weather as the body is that is empty and filled onely with winde Secondly the choicenesse of a mans spirit raiseth it to converse with high things and so carries it above the rubs the snares and hindrances that are below and being above these it goes on freely and fully in its course and is not in that danger of miscarrying as other poore spirits are who converse so much with the things upon the earth as Birds that flie high are not catched by the Fowler they are not taken by his Lime-twigs by his Net or Pit fall so as others are who are much below upon the ground Broverb 15. 24. The way of Life is above to the wise that hee may depart from hell beneath It is the keeping in his way above that delivers him from the dangers snares that are laid for him below Thunders and Lightnings tempests and stormes make no alteration in the highest Region so the threats and oppositions against the wayes of godlinesse and all the troubles that the world causeth make no alterations in heavenly hearts that keepe above When the tree growes low it is subject to bee bitten by the Beasts but when it is growne up on high it is out of danger The lower the heart is the nearer the earth the more danger but when it is got up on high the danger is past and now what should hinder it from the growing up to the full measure of it in Christ Thirdly the choicenesse of a mans spirit changeth his end and so carries him on fully after the Lord for when the end is changed all is changed when there are but particular changes it is a certaine argument that the highest end is not changed but when that is changed there must of necessity bee an universall change upon these two grounds 1 Because the last end is alwayes loved for it selfe and therefore infinitely loved 2 It is the rule of all other things that are under it the good of all things under it is measured by it and is subordinate to it Fourthly this choicenesse of spirit causeth a suteablenesse a sympathy between the frame of the heart and the wayes of holinesse Now sympathies first are alwayes between the generall natures of things and not individuals not particulars as thus where there is a sympathy betweene one creature and another it is alwayes betweene the whole kind of those creatures wheresoever such Natures are found there will be this agreement Wee may see it more clearely in that which is contrary that contrariety of nature which wee call Antipathy it is not betweene any particulars so much as betweene the whole natures of things as between the Wolf the Sheep there is such a contrariety Now the nature of the Wolfe is not contrary so much to any particular sheep but to the whole nature of sheepe wheresoever the nature of it is found and therefore to all sheep Thus it is in the soule where there is such a kinde of opposition of it against sinne it is not against any particular sinne so much as against the whole nature of sinne wheresoever it is so where there is such an agreement which wee call a sympathie it is not so much with any particular way of holinesse or perticular Act but with the whole nature of holinesse wheresoever it is found and therefore such a soule must needs follow God fully Againe sympathies doe alwayes worke without labour and paine and therefore where there is such an agreement betweene the frame of the heart and the wayes of God the heart must needs worke fully because it workes delightfully and yet further this agreeablenes of sympathie is deepely rooted in the very principles of the creature it is founded in the very being of it and therefore it must needs worke strongly and constantly Vaine reasonings carnall objections subtill arguments strong oppositions can never prevaile against that soule where there is this deep-rooted agreeablenesse betweene the frame of it the wayes of holinesse But that you may see further what a wonderfull agreeablenesse Grace makes betweene the spirits of the godly and the Law of God which is the rule of those wayes wherein God would have the soule to follow him in observe the severall expressions by which the Scripture sets it out First it is written in the tables of their hearts Secondly it is their meditation day and night Psal 1. Thirdly it is the joy of their souls Psal 119. 14 vers and 47. verse Fourthly they love it above gold above fine gold Fifthly their hearts breake for the longing it hath after it Sixthly they lift up their hands to it Psal 119. 48. Seventhly their mouthes talke of it Psal 119. 13. ver 46. ver Eighthly their feet run in it Psal 119. 32. Ninthly their soule keeps it Psal 119. 167. Tenthly they will never forget it Psal 119. 16. Eleventhly they give up their members as instruments of the righteousnesse of it Rom. 6. 13. And lastly to name no more though there be many more expressiōs in Scripture to set this out they apply their hearts to it to fulfill it alwaies even to the end Psal 119. 103. Fifthly This choicenesse of spirit causeth a man to looke to his duty and not to regard what may follow The thing that hinders most in their following the Lord it is want of this it is not want of conviction what should be done but the reasonings of their heart about the hard and troublesome consequences that will follow if the things bee done But a true gracious heart saith onely Let mee know what is my duty let the right bee done though heaven and earth meet together Sixthly The choicenesse of a mans spirit causeth a man that if he doth looke at any consequences that may follow upon his way he lookes onely at the last issue of all what his way will prove in his last conclusion how things will goe with him when he comes to the last triall what will be the ultimate end of all Will it then be peace shall I then be glad of these wayes I now walke in Seventhly The choicenesse of a