come out of that state of sinne then sin begins to hang heavy and hee feeles the great weight of it 67 As a living member is no burthen nor cumbersome to us but a dead one is so as long as Sinne lives in the soule ' it s nothing cumbersome but when it s once mortified it becomes a great burthen to us 68 As the out-rage of Pirats will not cause two States at peace together to enter into warre unlesse the one state consent to and maintaine them in their rapine so ' it s not the rising of lust in our hears that breaks the peace betweene God and us unlesse they be consented to approved of and nourished with some presumption 69 As in a corne field unlesse wee manure and plow and weed it it will waxe fallow and be overcome with weeds so ' it s with our hearts except we plow them and weed them and watch over them they will soone bee over growne with lusts 70 Puntoes formalities and cuts and fashions and distances and complements which are now the darling sins of the upper end of the world shall in the end prove nothing but well acted vanities 71 The adulterating of wares the counterfeiting of lights the double weights and false measures and the courteous equivocations of men greedy of gaine which are almost woven into the very art of trading shall in the end prove the mysteries of iniquity and selfe-deceivings 72 Such as study play-bookes Pasquils Romanses c. Which are the curious needle-worke of idle braines doe but load their heads with Apes and Peacocks feathers in stead of pearles and precious stones 73 The conflict of the godly is with the unholinesse of sinne but the conflict of the wicked is only with the guilt and other sensuall commodities of sinne the first hates sin because it hath filth in it to pollute the other feares sin because it hath fire in it to burne the soule 74 As a noble mans child stolne away and brought up by some lewd begger cannot conceive or suspect the honour of his blood so unable is corrupted nature that hath beene borne in a wombe of ignorance bred in a hel of uncleannesse and enthralled from the beginning to the Prince of darkenesse to conceive or convince a man of that most holy and pure condition wherein he was first created 75 The best wit without heavenly wisedome makes us either the devils instruments to trudge upon his errands to drudge in his service or his implements to weare his coat to make him pastime 76 The workes of naturall men doe neither begin in God nor looke towards God nor tend to God God is neither the principall nor the object nor the end of them 77 The Spirit opens sinne in the soule as a Chrirurgion doth a wound in a close roome with fire friends and remedies about him but the Devill first drawes a man from Christ from the word from the promises and then strips the soule and opens the wound thereof in the cold ayre only to kill and torment not to cure and releeve 78 It is as great a work of the Spirit to forme Christ in the heart of a Sinner as it was to fashion him in the wombe of a Virgin 79 Outward temptation prevented inward corruption in our first parents but inward corruption prevents outward temptation in us 80 Most carry themselves as men to men recompensing love with love againe but as Devils towards God recompensing his love with hatred 81 We make God stay our leisure in turning from sinne therefore hee may well make us stay his leisure in pardoning of it 82 Want of sorrow for sinne is a greater argument of want of love to God then the sin it selfe 83 A Glutton may fill his belly but he cannot fill his lust a covetous man may have his house full of money but hee can never have his heart full of money And an ambitious man may have titles enough to over-charge his memory but never to fill his pride 84 Water mingled with wine doth not take away the substance of wine but weakens it so our smaller sins doe not take away the nature of good deeds but weaken them and make them lesse perfect 85 Blacke besprinkled upon white takes not away the whole colour of white but only darkens it so our good workes are not rooted up by our infirmities but onely defaced and obscured 86 An unadvised practise comming from ignorance is farre more tolerable then wilfull disobedience convicted and condemned by knowledge 87 In Adam and Christ no thoughts were misplaced but though they were as many as the stars yet they kept their rankes and marched in their courses but ours as Meteors daunce up downe in us 88 As in printing let the letters be never so faire yet if not placed in their order and rightly composed they marre the sense so are our best thoughts if mistuned or misplaced 89 Our thoughts at best are like wanton Spaniels who though they go with and accompany ther Master and come to their journies end with him yet do run after every bird and wildly pursue every flock of sheepe they see 90 If wee would but looke over the coppies of our thoughts which we write continually wee should find as much non-sense in them as we find in mad mens speeches 91 Whereas men should draw crosse lines over their sinnes and blot them out through faith in Christs blood they rather coppy and write them over againe in their thoughts with the same contentment as they first acted them 92 Thoughts are the first begotten and eldest sons of originall sin yea and the Parents and begetters of all other sins their brethren the first Contrivers and Achitophels of all the treasons and rebellions of our hearts and lives the bellowes and incendiaries of all inordinate affections the panders to all our lusts and the disturbers in all good duties 93 If we have not mine of precious truths hid in our hearts no wonder if our thoughts coine nothing but drosse frothy thoughts for better materials which should feed the mint are wanting 94 As to prevent wind which ariseth from emptinesse men use to take a good draught in the morning so to prevent those vaine windy thoughts which the heart naturally engenders and which arise from emptinesse bee sure every morning first to fill thy heart with thoughts of God 95 Heauen hath a Pillory whereon Pia fraus her selfe shall be punished 96 He that surpriseth truth with an ambush of equivocation is as bad an enemy as he that fights against her with a flat lye in open field 97 A lye once set on foot besides the first Founder meets with many Benefactors who contribute their charity thereunto 98 Slender and leane slanders quickly consume themselves but he that is branded with a great crime though false when the wound is cured yet his credit will bee killed with the scarre 99 Slanderers slay no lesse then three at once with one blast
from him an act of patience the mind quietly contenting it selfe till God doth come and of submission if he should not come 198 Wee would so beleeve in God as if we used no meanes and yet as diligently use the meanes even as if our confidence were to be in them 199 Thistles are il weeds but the ground is fat where they grow so doubting in a child of God is a thing that resists faith it is bad but it is a signe that the heart is good where it is 201 Faith should bee in the soule as the soule is in the body which is not there in vaine but is still stirring and shewing it selfe by motion and action 202 As wine which is turned to vineger ceaseth to be wine So ineffectuall faith hath the shaddow and name of faith only but it is not faith and therefore not accepted of by God 203 As exercise begets health and by health wee are made fit for exercise So assurance grounded upon the promise enableth enlargeth and encreaseth sanctification and sanctification encreaseth assurance 204 The Saints that ascend high in obedience are like men gone up high upon Ladder the higher they are gone up the faster they hold and they are not without some passages of feare to slip downe 205 There is no darkenesse so desolate no crosse so cutting but the splendor of a sound faith and cleare conscience is able to enlighten and mollifie 206 In prayer it is faith that must make us successefull in the word its faith must make us profitable In obedience its faith must make us cheerfull In afflictions its faith must make us patient In trials its faith must make us resolute In desertions its faith must make us comfortable In life its faith which must make us fruitfull and in death its faith which must make us victorious 207 What we cannot beleeve by understanding we should labour to understand by beleeving 208 Downewards a mans eye hath something immediatly to fix on all the beauty and fruit of the earth being set on the outside of it to shew how short and narrow our affections should be toward it but outward the eye scarse finds any thing to bound it all being transparent and Diaphanous to note how vaste our affections should be towards God how endlesse our thoughts and desires of his Kingdome and how present to our faith heavenly things should be even at the greatest distance 209 As Husbandmen cast some of their corne back into a fruitfull soyle wherby in due time they receive it back again with encrease so should wee doe with worldly blessings sow them in the bowels and backs of the poore members of Christ and in the day of harvest we shall find a great increase 210 Charities eys must be open as well as her hands though she giveth away the branches yet not to part with the root 211 Almes in Greeke comes from a word that signifies to piety because they should proceed from a mercifull and pâ—tifull heart and in the Hebrew and Syriack it s called righteousnesse as being by right due to the poore 212 In workes of charity our scattering is increasing no spending but a lending no laying out but a laying up Prov. 11.24 Pro 19.17 213 Nothing can more effectually deliver a man from need then to be liberall to them that be in need 214 Duties must be discharged whatsoever difficulties wee meet withall 215 Christs obedience was meritorious for the redemption of his Church ours only ministeriall for the edificatioÌ„ of his church 216 Luther said that God loves curristas not quaristas wee must not reason but run 217 Wee bewray our love more by griefe in parting with any good then by our joy in partaking of it 218 Reward hath an attractive and punishment an impulsive but Love hath a compulsive faculty Reward drawes Punishment drives but love hales a man forward to the discharge of his duty 219 Love unto Christ is an holy affection of the soule carrying of us with full desire to the enjoying of him and making us to preferre our communion with him before all things in the world that may challenge our dearest respect 220 If God write a law of love in our hearts and shed abroad his owne love to joyne therewith it will worke so strongly that one graine of it will have more force to purge out sinne and to constraine and strengthen to obedience then a whole pound of terrors 221 How can God but love them that love him seeing he loved them when they loved him not 222 There is no affection freer then love as there is nothing more forcible so nothing that can bee lesse forced 223 As Rackets at tennis make the ball live in a perpetuall motion so doe repulses in love and reflect it stronger into one anothers bosome the best temper of it is that the communication of it bee neither too forward to coole desire nor too froward least it cause despaire 224 God delights more in his countrey cottage of a godly heart then in his courtly pallace of heaven 225 The triangular heart of man was intended for a mansion for the blessed Trinity and if wee could but looke into our owne heart we should find chalked upon the doore For God as the Kings Harbingers doe for the lodgings of the Courtiers 226 Nothing is difficult with God for his word is his will and his will is his worke 227 We can see no more then the back parts of God and live wee need see no more that we may live 228 Where God is absolute in threatning he will be resolute in punishing 229 God is the most glorious and most alluring object our minds can fasten on and therefore the thoughts of him should swallow up all other as not worthy to be seene the same day with him 230 Gods power is as much seene in pardoning sinne and over comming his wrath as in making a world Num. 14.17.18 231 A poore soule is not contented with ease pardon knocking of his bolts till hee enjoyes communion with God and sees his face in his ordinances 232 As the sunne is the fountaine of all light so that whatsoever the ayre hath it s derived from the sunne so whatsoever comfort is in the creature it s derived from God 233 As the fire that makes any thing hot must needs be hotter it selfe so the Lord since all that is in the creature is taken from him himselfe must needs have an al-sufficiency he must be full of al things 234 An host may entertaine strangers with better food then he gives his children yet hee keeps the best portion for his children so God may do much for those that are strangers to him yet he keeps the best portioÌ„ for his children which they shal have in the end though they fare hard here 235 We must principally love God for his excelleÌ„cies not for our own advaÌ„tages 236 When wee guidâ— our hearts to God hee gives them backe to us againe much better then
being creatures use to fayle but Gods name and his sonnes name rested on by us will never faile us 367 As a Fountain hath alwayes an aptnesse to powre forth water but stones and mud may so stop it for a time that it cannot breake out so a regenerate man hath an aptnesse to prayer though sometimes it bee hindered by carnall impediments which being removed by the Holy Ghost they poure out their spirituall prayers to God in Christ 368 Such Prayers as are the expressions of our own spirit have nothing but flesh in them and therefore are not regarded by God 369 A man may be willing that another should passe through his ground but hee will have leave asked that the property may be acknowledged so God will have his children aske what they want that they may acknowledge the property he hath in those gifts that hee bestowes upon them 370 As acquaintance growes among men by speaking and conversing together so when wee are frequent and fervent in Prayer to God we grow acquainted with him as without it wee grow strangers 371 That which we win with prayer we wear with thankefulnesse as that wee got without Prayer wee spend unthankfully 372 As sleepe composeth drunkennesse so Prayer composeth the affections so that when a man is drunke with intemperate passions hee may pray himselfe sober againe 373 Hee that omits prayer altogether is a profane man he that performes it zealously and to the purpose is an holy man but an hypocrite goes between both hee will doe something at it but not throughly 374 God requires no other tribute from us for all that hee gives but that wee attribute all to him 375 Thanksgiving is the most effectuall forme of Prayer being as a little water powred into the Pumpe when the spring is low that brings up a great deale more with it 376 Thankfulnesse as good seed being bred of Gods blessings doth not preserve only but increase all that bred it 377 As children when they cannot have all they would many times throw away that which they have so when wee seeke to God for that which wee want we are so intent upon that that wee forget the mercies we have received and returne not thanks for them 378 Thankfulnesse is alwayes the badge of a good nature 379 As a Shepherd sets his dogge upon his sheepe to bring them in and that being done rates him off againe so God sets on lusts and sinne and temptations upon his owne children but its only to bring them in unto him and then he removes them 380 God never puts his servants to suffer but hee furnisheth them with spirituall sufficiency to goe through like as a prudent Commander makes not choise of white-liverd souldiers for hot service and high attempts but of those of greatest experience and most approved valour so God singles out his valiantest souldiers for the strongest encounters his best Schollers for the largest lessons his choisest armour for the highest proofe the most couragious Christians for the sorest afflictions 381 Christians should choose to arrive at heaven with tattard sayles rather then to ruffle towards hell with Cleopatra's silken tacklings 382 Even good men and generous spirits are apt to shrinke and shrug when they are put upon dangerous services 383 Humane infirmity is apt to be querulous when it is under danger and therefore there may be true piety where yet there is passion 384 The greatest adventure in Gods service is the best assurance the boldest adventuring the best assuring 385 There are more riches in persecutions much more in the promises and performances of God then in all the treasures of the world 386 Gods children are like torches that shew dim in the light but burn cleare in the darke so they in prosperity and adversity 387 Christians under persecution count that God gives them living enough if he give them their lives 388 Persecution is the bellowes of the Gospel blowing every sparke into a flame and Martyrs ashes are the best compost to manure the Church 389 If we be not encountred with the worlds opposition we shall be the more encumbred with the fleshes corruption 390 Heavy afflictions are Benefactors to heavenly affections that for three respects 1. Because it abaseth the lovelinesse of the world without that might invite us 2. Because it abates the lustinesse of the flesh within that might intice us to follow it 3. Because it abets the spirit in his quarrell to the two former and quest of heavenly wisdome 391 Grace is hid in nature here as sweet-water in rose leaves the fire of affliction must be put under to distill it out 392 The Eagle tryes her young at the sun-beames so if Gods children can out-face the sunne of persecution they are sincere 393 Its part of Gods husbandry to dung his children with reproaches that they may prove a richer soyle for grace 394 Some Christians are like tops that will not goe unlesse you whip them 395 Christs head hath sanctified all thornes his backe all furrowes his hands all nayles his side all speares his heart all sorrowes that can come to any of his children 396 Whosoever wil take Christ truly must take as well his yoke as his crown as well his sufferings as his salvation as well his grace as his mercy as well his spirit to lead as his blood to redeeme 397 Even in those afflictions which Christ as the King over his people inflicteth upon them yet as their head and fellow-member hee compassionateth and as it were smarteth with them 398 As there is no Larke without an heele so no course of life without its crosse 399 As a father will sometimes crosse his child to see his disposition so God dealeth with his children to see how they will take afflictions 400 As trees root themselves the more they are shaken so comforts abound the more sufferings abound 401 As it were to no purpose for the Finer to put his gold into the fire except it lie there till it be refined so were it to small purpose for God to lay crosses on us if so soone as we whine under his hand hee should remove them we not being better therby 402 As water pent in a Pipe shooteth up higher then it would if it had space to disperse it selfe abroad so our thoughts and desires being streightned by afflictions are carried higher heaven-ward then otherwise they would be 403 Impatience under affliction maketh it more grievous as the snare is to the fowl that by fluttering and straining makes the string straiter or as a man in a feaver that by tossing and tumbling exasperateth the disease and encreaseth his owne griefe 404 God threatneth that he may not smite he smiteth that he may not slay yea he slayeth some temporally that others may not be destroyed eternally 1 Cor. 11 32 405 When God is angry with and hides his face from his children Satan watcheth that houre of darkenesse and joyneth his power of darknesse to their naturall