meaning of which expression we must suppose that it must not be understood as if we were obliged in every instant or singular point of time actually to apply our minds to this practice for to doe thus is in it self impossible and therefore can be no matter of duty it is inconsistent with other duties and therefore must not be practised yea will not consist with it self for that we may pray we must live that we may live we must eat that we may eat we must work and must therefore attend other matters so that actual Devotion neither must nor can swallow up all our time and care The deliberate operations of our mind are sometimes interrupted by sleep sometimes will be taken up in satisfying our natural appetites sometimes must be spent in attendence upon other reasonable employments commanded or allowed by God whence there can be no obligation to this practice according to that unlimited interpretation This Precept therefore as divers others of a like general purport and expression must be understood not in a natural but moral sense according as the exigence of things permitteth or as the reason of the case requireth so far as it is conveniently practicable or as it is reasonably compatible with other duties and needs But we must not so restrain it as to wrong it by pinching it within too narrow bounds How then it may be understood and how far it should extend we shall endeavour to declare by propounding divers senses whereof it is capable grounded upon plain testimonies of Scripture and enforcible by good Reason according to which senses we shall together press the observance thereof I. First then Praying incessantly may import the maintaining in our Souls a ready disposition or habitual inclination to Devotion that which in Scripture is termed the spirit of supplication This in moral esteem and according to current language derived thence amounteth to a continual practice a man being reckoned and said to doe that to which he is ever prompt and propense as it is said of the righteous man that he is ever mercifull and lendeth because he is constantly disposed to supply his neighbour with needfull relief although he doth not ever actually dispense alms or furnish his neighbour with supplies for his necessity The words may signifie this they do at least by consequence imply so much for if we do not in this we can hardly perform the duty in any sense without a good temper fitting and a good appetite prompting to Devotion we scarce can or will ever apply our selves thereto If there be not in our heart a root of Devotion whence should it spring how can it live or thrive If the organs of Prayer be out of kelter or out of tune how can we pray If we be not accincti have not the loins of our mind girt and our feet shod in preparation to the service when shall we set forward thereto My heart said David is fixed I will sing and give praise fixed that is readily prepared and steddily inclined to Devotion So should ours constantly be As a true friend is ever ready to entertain his friend with a frank courtesie and complacency as he ever is apt upon occasion for advice and assistence to have recourse to him so should we be always disposed chearfully and decently to converse with God when he freely cometh to us or we have need to apply our selves to him If there be from stupidity of mind from coldness of affection from sluggishness of spirit from worldly distraction any indisposition or averseness thereto we should by serious consideration and industrious care labour to remove them rousing our spirits and kindling in our affections some fervency of desire toward spiritual things otherwise we shall be apt to shun or to slip the opportunities inviting to Devotion our hearts will be so resty or listless that hardly we shall be induced to perform it when it is most necessary or usefull for us II. Praying incessanty may denote a vigilant attendence with earnest regard and firm purpose employed upon Devotion such attendence as men usually bestow on their affairs whereof although the actual prosecution sometime doth stick yet the design continually proceedeth the mind ever so directing its eye toward them as quickly to espy and readily to snatch any advantages of promoting them This is a kind of continuance in practice and is commonly so termed as we say that such an one is building a house is writing a book is occupying such land although he be at present sleeping or eating or following any other business because his main design never sleepeth and his purpose continues uninterrupted This is that which is so often injoyned under the phrase of watching about Prayer Watch ye therefore and pray always saith our Lord. Continue in prayer and watch in the same saith S. Paul Be ye sober and watch unto prayer saith S. Peter Which expressions import a most constant and carefull attendence upon this duty that we do not make it a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or by-business in our life a matter of small consideration or indifference of curiosity of chance to be transacted drowzily or faintly with a desultorious and slight endeavour by fits as the humour taketh us but that accounting it a business of the choicest nature and weightiest moment we do adhere thereto with unmovable purpose regard it with undistracted attention pursue it with unwearied diligence being always upon the guard wakefull and expedite intent upon and apt to close with any occasion suggesting matter thereof That we should doe thus reason also doth oblige for that as in truth no business doth better deserve our utmost resolution and care so none doth more need them nature being so backward and occasion so slippery that if we do not ever mind it we shall seldom practise it III. Praying incessantly may signifie that we do actually embrace all fit seasons and emergent occasions of Devotion This in moral computation doth pass for continual performance as a tree is said to bear that fruit which it produceth in the season and a man is accounted to work in that trade which he exerciseth when-ever he is called thereto This sense is in several Precepts parallel to that in hand plainly expressed Pray saith S. Paul with all prayer and supplication 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Watch saith our Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praying in every season or upon every opportunity Devotion indeed is rarely unseasonable or impertinent we may offer it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in season and out of season that is not onely taking opportunities presented for it or urgently requiring it but catching at them and creating them to our selves when there is no such apparent and pressing need of it But there are some special occasions which more importunately and indispensably do exact it some seasons there are either ministred by extrinsecal accidents or springing from internal
thousand spent otherwhere perceiving that he biddeth us welcome that he treateth us kindly that he sendeth us away refreshed with sweetest comforts and rewarded with most excellent benefits this will not onely reconcile our hearts to Devotion but draw us into a cordial liking and earnest desire thereof such as the Psalmist expresseth when he saith My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God This will engage us into strong resolutions of constantly practising it such as the same Holy person again declareth in those words I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my supplications Because he hath inclined his ear unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live Hence in stead of a suspicious estrangedness a servile dread or an hostile disaffection toward God there will spring up an humble confidence a kindly reverence a hearty love toward him which will upon all occasions drive us to him hoping for his friendly succour longing after his kind embraces So will the frequency of Devotion render it facil and pleasant Whereas on the contrary disuse thereof will make it at any time hard and irksome strengthening and encreasing our natural averseness thereto performing it seldom we shall never perform it well with that attention that affection that promptitude that willingness and alacrity which are due thereto According to so many senses in so many respects may we and should we observe this Precept From thus praying continually there can be no good exception or just excuse The most common pleas that will be alledged for the omission thereof are two one drawn from external avocations the other from internal indispositions obstructing it both of which are so far from being good that being scanned they will soon appear serving rather to aggravate then to excuse or abate the neglect I. I cannot saith one now attend to Prayers because I am not at liberty or at leisure being urgently called away and otherwise engaged by important affairs How much a flamme this Apology is we shall presently descry by asking a few Questions about it 1. Do we take Devotion it self to be no business or a business of no consideration Do we conceit when we pay God his debts or discharge our duties toward him when we crave his aid or mercy when we solicit the main concernments of our Soul yea of our body also and its estate that we are idle or misemployed that we lavish our time or lose our pains 2. What other affairs can we have of greater moment or necessity then this Can there be any obligation more indispensable then is that of yielding due respect and service to our Maker our great Patron our most liberal Benefactour Can there be any interest more close or weighty then this of providing for our Souls eternal health and happiness Is not this indeed the great work the onely necessary matter in comparison whereto all other occupations are meer trifling or unprofitable fiddling about nothing What will all other business signifie what will come of it if this be neglected Busie we may be we may plod we may drudge eternally but all to no end All our care is in effect improvidence all our industry may be well reckoned idleness if God be not served if our Souls are not secured 3. If we survey and prize all worldly businesses which among them will appear so importunate as to demand so greedy as to devour so worthy at least as to deserve all our time that we cannot spare a few minutes for maintaining our most pleasant intercourse and most gainfull commerce with Heaven What are the great businesses of the world what but scraping and scrambling for pelf contriving and compassing designs of ambition courting the favour and respect of men making provision for carnal pleasure gratifying fond curiosity or vain homour And do any of these deserve to be put into the scale against shall all of them together be able to sway down our spiritual employments Shall these images these shadows of business supplant or crowd out Devotion that which procureth wealth inestimably precious pleasure infinitely satisfactory honour incomparably noble above all this world can afford If the expence of time be as the Philosopher said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most precious expence that can be how can it better be laid out then upon the worthiest things such as Devotion alone can afford the purchace and possession of True Vertue sound Wisedom a quiet Conscience and steddy tranquillity of mind the love and favour of God a title unto endless joy and bliss are purely the gifts of Heaven and thence they will not descend of themselves but Prayer must fetch them down If nothing then in the world be comparable to those things how can any time be so well spent as in Prayer which acquireth them which also best secureth what-ever we have and is the readiest way to procure whatever we want 4. Should we not farther honestly comparing things easily discern that it is no such indispensable business but rather indeed some base dotage on lucre some inveigling bait of pleasure some be witching transport of fancy that crosseth our Devotion Is it not often a complemental visit an appointment to tattle or to tipple a match for sport a wild ramble in vice or folly that so deeply engageth us to put off our duty 5. Yea is it not commonly sloth rather then activity an averseness from this rather then an inclination to any other employment which diverteth us from our Prayers Is not I say the true reason why we pray so seldom not because we are very busie but because we are extreamly idle so idle that we cannot willingly take the pains to unscrew our affections from sensible things to reduce our wandring thoughts to compose our hearts into a right frame to bend our untoward inclinations to a compliance with our duty Is it not because we do not feel that favour and satisfaction in these which we do in other trivial and worthless employments nor will be at the trouble to work such dispositions in our Souls Do we not betake our selves to other conversations and commerces meerly for refuge shunning this intercourse with God and with our selves These I fear are oftner the real causes of our neglecting Devotion then any such mighty avocations which we pretend 6. But were there indeed not onely a counterfeit or imaginary but a real competition between Devotion and other lawfull business which in reason should carry it in conscience which of the two should be forborn or suspended Is it not evidently better that the pursuit of our temporal interests what-ever they be should be a little checked then that our affairs of everlasting consequence should be quite laid aside that we should venture a small impairing of our estate then surely endammage our Souls that we hazzard to disappoint or displease a man then
behoveth us abide under a continual sense of our natural impotency and penury of our dependence upon God and obligation to him for the free collation of those best gifts that by some difficulty of procuring them we may be minded of their worth and induced the more to prize them that by earnestly seeking them we may improve our spiritual appetites and excite holy affections that by much conversing with Heaven our minds may be raised above earthly things and our hearts purified from sordid desires that we may have a constant employment answerable to the best capacities of our Souls worthy our care and pain yielding most solid profit and pure delight unto us that in fine by our greater endeavour in religious practice we may obtain a more ample reward thereof For the same reason indeed that we pray at all we should pray thus with continued instance We do not pray to instruct or advise God not to tell him news or inform him of our wants He knows them as our Saviour telleth us before we ask nor do we pray by dint of argument to persuade God and bring him to our bent nor that by fair speech we may cajoul him or move his affections toward us by pathetical orations not for any such purpose are we obliged to pray But for that it becometh and it behoveth us so to doe because it is a proper instrument of bettering ennobling and perfecting our Souls because it breedeth most holy affections and pure satisfactions and worthy resolutions because it fitteth us for the enjoyment of happiness and leadeth us thither for such ends Devotion is prescribed and constant perseverance therein being needfull to those purposes praying by fits and starts not sufficing to accomplish them therefore such perseverance is required of us Farther V. Praying incessantly may import that we do with all our occupations and all occurrences interlace devout ejaculations of prayer and praise lifting up our hearts to God and breathing forth expressions of devotion sutable to the objects and occasions which present themselves This as it nearly doth approach to the punctual accomplishment of what our Text prescribeth so it seemeth required by S. Paul when he biddeth us pray always 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in spirit and to sing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the heart that is with very frequent elevations of spirit in holy thoughts and desires toward Heaven with opportune resentments of heart directing thanks and praise to God We cannot ever be framing or venting long Prayers with our lips but almost ever our mind can throw pious glances our heart may dart good wishes upwards so that hardly any moment any considerable space of time shall pass without some lightsome flashes of Devotion As bodily respiration without intermission or impediment doth concurr with all our actions so may that breathing of Soul which preserveth our spiritual life and ventilateth that holy flame within us well conspire with all other occupations For Devotion is of a nature so spiritual so subtile and penetrant that no matter can exclude or obstruct it Our Minds are so exceedingly nimble and active that no business can hold pace with them or exhaust their attention and activity We can never be so fully possessed by any employment but that divers vacuities of time do intercurr wherein our thoughts and affections will be diverted to other matters As a Covetous man what-ever beside he is doing will be carking about his bags and treasures an Ambitious man will be devising on his plots and projects a Voluptuous man will have his mind in his dishes a Lascivious man will be doting on his amours a Studious man will be musing on his notions every man according to his particular inclination will lard his business and besprinkle all his actions with cares and wishes tending to the enjoyment of what he most esteemeth and affecteth so may a good Christian through all his undertakings wind in devout reflexions and pious motions of Soul toward the chief object of his mind and affection Most businesses have wide gaps all have some chinks at which Devotion may slip in Be we never so urgently set or closely intent upon any work be we feeding be we travelling be we trading be we studying nothing yet can forbid but that we may together wedge in a thought concerning God's Goodness and bolt forth a word of praise for it but that we may reflect on our sins and spend a penitential sigh on them but that we may descry our need of God's help and dispatch a brief petition for it a God be praised a Lord have mercy a God bless or God help me will nowise interrupt or disturb our proceedings As worldly cares and desires do often intrude and creep into our Devotions distracting and defiling them so may spiritual thoughts and holy affections insinuate themselves into and hallow our secular transactions This practice is very possible and it is no less expedient for that if our employments be not thus seasoned they can have no true life or savour in them they will in themselves be dead and putrid they will be foul and noisome or at least flat and insipid unto us There are some other good meanings of this Precept according to which Holy Scripture back'd with good Reason obligeth us to observe it but those together with the general Inducements to the practice of this Duty that I may not farther now trespass on your patience I shall reserve to another opportunity The Seventh Sermon 1 THES 5. 17. Pray without ceasing WHAT the Prayer here injoyned by S. Paul doth import and how by it universally all sorts of Devotion should be understood we did formerly discourse How also according to divers senses grounded in Holy Scripture and enforced by good Reason we may perform this duty incessantly we did then declare five such senses we did mention and prosecute I shall now adde two or three more and press them VI. Praying then incessantly may imply that we do appoint certain times conveniently distant for the practice of Devotion and carefully observe them To keep the Jews in a constant exercise of Divine worship God did constitute a Sacrifice which was called Tamidh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the continual sacrifice And as that Sacrifice being constantly offered at set times was thence denominated continual so may we by punctually observing fit returns of Devotion be said to pray incessantly And great reason there is that we should doe so For we know that all persons who would not lead a loose and slattering life but design with good assurance and advantage to prosecute an orderly course of action are wont to distribute their time into several parcells assigning some part thereof to the necessary refection of their bodies some to the convenient relaxation of their minds some to the dispatch of their ordinary affairs some also to familiar conversation and interchanging good offices with their friends considering that otherwise they
compass of obedience to the Divine commands and to reduce them from their idolatrous and wicked courses yet without correspondent effect Our Saviour by the example of his holy life continual instruction and vehement exhortations assayed to procure a belief of and submission to his most excellent Doctrine yet how few believed his report and complied with his Discipline Yea Almighty God himself often complains how in a manner his designs were defeated his desires thwarted his offers refused his counsels rejected his expectations deceived Wherefore saith he concerning his Vineyard when I looked it should bring forth grapes brought it forth wild grapes And again I have spred out my hands all the day to a rebellious people And again I have even sent unto you all my prophets daily rising up early and sending them yet they hearkened not unto me Wherefore there is no good cause we should be disheartned or vexed when success is wanting to well-advised purposes 'T is foolish and ill-grounded intentions and practices unwarrantable by good reason that make the undertakers solicitous of success and being defeated leave them disconsolate Yea farther VI. Wisedom makes all the troubles griefs and pains incident to life whether casual adversities or natural afflictions easie and supportable by rightly valuing the importance and moderating the influence of them It suffers not busie fancy to alter the nature amplifie the degree or extend the duration of them by representing them more sad heavy and remediless then they truly are It allows them no force beyond what naturally and necessarily they have nor contributes nourishment to their increase It keeps them at a due distance not permitting them to encroach upon the Soul or to propagate their influence beyond their proper sphere It will not let external mischances as poverty and disgrace to produce an inward sense which is beyond their natural efficacy nor corporeal affections of sickness and pain to disturb the mind with which they have nothing to doe The region of these malignant distempers being at most but the habit of the body Wisedom by effectual antidotes repells them from the heart and inward parts of the Soul If any thing sin and our unworthy miscarriages toward God should vex and discompose us yet this trouble Wisedom by representing the Divine Goodness and his tender mercies in our ever-Blessed Redeemer doth perfectly allay And as for all other adversities it abates their noxious power by shewing us they are either meerly imaginary or very short and temporary that they admit of remedy or at most do not exclude comfort not wholly hindring the operations of the mind nor extinguishing its joys that they may have a profitable use and pleasant end and however neither imply bad Conscience nor induce obligation to punishment For VII Wisedom hath always a good Conscience attending it that purest delight and richest cordial of the Soul that brazen wall and impregnable fortress against both external assaults and internal commotions that continual feast whereon the mind destitute of all other repast with a never-languishing appetite may entertain it self that faithfull witness and impartial judge whoever accuses always acquitting the innocent Soul that certain friend in no streight failing in no adversity deserting that sure refuge in all storms of fortune and persecutions of disgrace Which as Solomon here notes renders a man's sleep sweet and undisturbed with fearfull phantasms his heart light and his steps secure and if any thing can make the Stoical paradox good and cause the Wise man to smile in extremity of torment arming his mind with an invincible courage and infusing a due confidence into it whereby he bears up chearfully against malicious reproach undauntedly sustains adversity and triumphs over bad fortune And this invaluable treasure the Wise man is onely capable of possessing who certainly knows and heartily approves the grounds upon which he proceeds whenas the fool building his choice upon blind chance or violent passion or giddy fancy or uncertain example not upon the steddy warrant of good reason cannot avoid being perplexed with suspicion of mistake and so necessarily is deprived of the comfort of a good Conscience VIII Wisedom confers a facility expert readiness and dexterity in action which is a very pleasant and commodious quality and exceedingly sweetens activity To doe things with difficulty struggling and immoderate contention disheartens a man quells his courage blunts the edge of his resolution renders him sluggish and averse from business though apprehended never so necessary and of great moment These obstructions Wisedom removes facilitating operations by directing the intention to ends possible and attainable by suggesting fit means and instruments to work by by contriving right methods and courses of process the mind by it being stored with variety of good principles sure rules and happy expedients reposed in the memory and ready upon all occasions to be produced and employed in practice IX Wisedom begets a sound healthfull and harmonious complexion of the Soul disposing us with judgment to distinguish and with pleasure to relish savoury and wholsome things but to nauseate and reject such as are ingratefull and noxious to us thereby capacifying us to enjoy pleasantly and innocently all those good things the Divine Goodness hath provided for and consigned to us whence to the Soul proceeds all that comfort joy and vigour which results to the Body from a good constitution and perfect health X. Wisedom acquaints us with our selves our own temper and constitution our propensions and passions our habitudes and capacities a thing not onely of mighty advantage but of infinite pleasure and content to us No man in the world less knows a fool then himself nay he is more then ignorant for he constantly errs in the point taking himself for and demeaning himself as toward another a better a wiser and abler man then he is He hath wonderfull conceits of his own qualities and faculties he affects commendations incompetent to him he soars at employment surpassing his ability to manage No Comedy can represent a mistake more odde and ridiculous then his for he wanders and stares and hunts after but never can find nor discern himself but always encounters with a false shadow in stead thereof which he passionately huggs and admires But a Wise man by constant observation and impartial reflexion upon himself grows very familiar with himself he perceives his own inclinations which if bad he strives to alter and correct if good he cherishes and corroborates them he apprehends the matters he is fitting for and capable to manage neither too mean and unworthy of him nor too high and difficult for him and those applying his care to he transacts easily chearfully and successfully So being neither puft up with vain and over-weening opinion nor dejected with heartless diffidence of himself neither admiring nor despising neither irksomely hating nor fondly loving himself he continues in good humour maintains a sure friendship and fair correspondence with himself and rejoyces in
he may he ought to discharge all his cares and burthens It consequently doth engage all creatures in the world to be our friends or instruments of good to us according to their several capacities by the direction and disposal of God All the servants of our great Friend will in compliance to him be serviceable to us Thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee So Job's friend promiseth him upon condition of Piety And God himself confirmeth that promise In that day saith he in the Prophet will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowls of heaven and with the creeping things of the ground And again When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee And The sun shall not smite thee by day nor the moon by night Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under foot They shall take up scorpions and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them so our Lord promised to his Disciples Not onely the Heavens shall dispense their kindly influences and the Earth yield her plentifull stores and all the Elements discharge their natural and ordinary good offices nor onely the tame and sociable creatures shall upon this condition faithfully serve us but even the most wild most fierce most ravenous most venomous creatures shall if there be need prove friendly and helpfull or at least harmless to us as were the Ravens to Elias the Lions to Daniel the Viper to S. Paul the Fire to the Three Children But especially Piety doth procure the friendship of the good Angels that puissant hoast of glorious and happy Spirits they all do tenderly love the pious person they are ever ready to serve and doe him good to protect him from danger to aid him in his undertakings to rescue him from mischiefs What an honour what a blessing is this to have such an innumerable company of noble Friends the Courtiers and Favourites of Heaven deeply concerned and constantly vigilant for our welfare It also engageth the blessed Saints in glory the Spirits of men perfected the Church of the first-born to bear dearest affection to us to further our prosperity with their good wishes and earnest prayers mightily prevalent with God It rendreth all sorts of men our friends To good men it uniteth us in holy communion the communion of brotherly charity and hearty good will attended with all the good offices they are able to perform to other men it reconcileth and endeareth us for that innocent and inoffensive courteous and benign charitable and beneficent demeanour such as Piety doth require and produce are apt to conciliate respect and affection from the worst men For Vincit malos pertinax bonitas men hardly can persist enemies to him whom they perceive to be their friend and such the pious man in disposition of mind and in effect when occasion serveth is toward all men being sensible of his obligation to love all men and as he hath opportunity to doe good to all men It assureth and more strictly endeareth our friends to us For as it maketh us hearty faithfull constant friends to others so it reciprocally tieth others to us in the like sincerity and fastness of good will It reconcileth enemies For when a man's ways do please the Lord he maketh his enemies to be at peace with him It hath a natural efficacy to that purpose and Divine blessing promoteth it By it all conversation becometh tolerable gratefull and usefull For a pious man is not easily disturbed with any crossness or perverseness any infirmity or impertinency of those he converseth with he can bear the weaknesses and the failings of his company he can by wholsome reflexions upon all occurrences advantage and please himself In fine Piety rendreth a man a true friend and a good companion to himself satisfied in himself able to converse freely and pleasantly with his own thoughts It is for the want of pious inclinations and dispositions that solitude a thing which sometimes cannot be avoided which often should be embraced is to most men so irksome and tedious that men do carefully shun themselves and fly from their own thoughts that they decline all converse with their own Souls and hardly dare look upon their own hearts and Consciences whence they become aliens from home wholly unacquainted with themselves most ignorant of their own nearest concernments no faithfull friends or pleasant companions to themselves so for refuge and ease they unseasonably run into idle or lewd conversation where they disorder and defile themselves But the pious man is like Scipio never less alone then when alone his solitude and retirement is not onely tolerable but commonly the most gratefull and fruitfull part of his life he can ever with much pleasure and more advantage converse with himself digesting and marshalling his thoughts his affections his purposes into good order searching and discussing his heart reflecting on his past ways enforcing his former good resolutions and framing new ones enquiring after edifying truths stretching his meditations toward the best and sublimest objects raising his hopes and warming his affections toward spiritual and heavenly things asking himself pertinent questions and resolving incident doubts concerning his practice in fine conversing with his best Friend in devotion with admiration and love contemplating the Divine perfections displayed in the works of nature of providence of grace praising God for his excellent benefits and mercies confessing his defects and offences deprecating wrath and imploring pardon with grace and ability to amend praying for the supply of all his wants All which performances yield both unconceivable benefit and unexpressible comfort So that Solitude that which is to common nature so offensive to corrupt nature so abominable is to the pious man extremely commodious and comfortable which is a great advantage peculiar to Piety and the last which I shall mention So many and many more then I can express vastly great and precious advantages do accrue from Piety so that well may we conclude with S. Paul that Godliness is profitable for all things It remaineth that if we be wise we should if we yet have it not ingraffed in us labour to acquire it if we have it that we should endeavour to improve it by constant exercise to the praise of God the good of our neighbour and our own comfort Which that we may effectually perform Almighty God in mercy vouchsafe by his grace through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom for ever be all glory and praise Amen The Fourth Sermon 1 SAM 2. 30. For them that honour me I will honour THE
in Geometry of all lines or surfaces contained within the same bounds the straight line and the plain surface are the shortest so it is also in morality by the right line of Justice upon the plain ground of Vertue a man soonest will arrive to any well-chosen end In this way there are no bewildring intrigues and mazes no crooked windings and turnings no occasions forcing men to dance hither and thither to skip backward and forward to doe and undoe which courses do protract business and commonly do hinder from ever dispatching it But a man acting justly and fairly doth continually proceed on in the direct open road without retreat excursion or deflexion not turning aside as the phrase is in Holy Writ to the right hand or to the left To clamber over fences of Duty to break through hedges of Right to trespass upon hallowed enclosures may seem the most short and compendious ways of getting thither where one would be But doth not a man venture breaking his neck or scratching his face incurring mischief and trouble thereby Is he not liable to the fate to which the Preacher doometh him He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it and whoso breaketh a hedge a serpent shall bite him For instance to grow rich fraud extortion corruption oppression over-reaching and supplanting may seem the readiest and most expedite ways but in truth they are the farthest ways about or rather no ways at all for that which is got by those means is not our own nor is the possession of it truly wealth but usurpation or detention of spoil or rapine which we ought to disgorge And however to the getting it there are often mighty difficulties occurring from men there are commonly insuperable obstacles interposed by God who hath expresly condemned and cursed those ways declaring that Wealth gotten by vanity or cozenage shall be diminished that He that oppresseth to encrease his riches shall surely come to want that He who thus hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him that As the partridge sitteth on eggs and hatcheth them not so he that getteth riches and not by right shall leave them in the midst of his days and at his end shall be a fool Whereas the plain way of honest harmless industry joyned with a pious regard to him who is the dispenser of all good things how slow soever it may seem is the most speedy because the onely safe way to thrive having beside all secondary advantages the security of those Oracles The hand of the diligent shall make rich He that gathereth by labour shall increase By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honour and life V. The way of Uprightness is in it self very safe free of danger tending to no mischief according to those sayings of the Wise man There shall no evil happen to the just In the way of righteousness is life and in the path thereof there is no death He who designeth onely that which is just and reasonable who innocently and fairly prosecuteth his intent can run no great hazzard cannot fall into any extreme disaster cannot irrecoverably sink into miserable disappointment He probably will not receive much harm from men or trouble from the world for as he meaneth innocently as he dealeth inoffensively not violently assailing not fraudulently circumventing not any-wise injuriously or maliciously abusing any man as he doth yield no just provocation or urgent temptation to oppose him so he is not very likely to meet with obstructions or crosses thwarting his designs He can hardly raise up adversaries at least such as will prove very formidable or very fierce and implacable toward him He may be sure that few wise men and no good men will trouble him but that such rather will afford their countenance and furtherance to his undertakings But assuredly he shall have the favourable protection of Almighty God who throughly knowing his heart and observing the righteousness of his intentions and proceedings will not suffer him to incurr any notable destructive remediless calamity His prayer dictated by good conscience Let integrity and uprightness preserve me will certainly be heard God having passed his word for it in numberless places of Scripture particularly in those remarkable words of Isay He that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly he that despiseth the gain of oppressions that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes that stoppeth his ears from hearing of bloud and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil He shall dwell on high his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks his bread shall be given him his water shall be sure That is A man who is constantly upright in his dealings shall by the Divine Providence be infallibly and impregnably preserved from any grievous mischief from any sore want from any extreme distress The way of Uprightness is ever guarded with Angels ready to promote the affairs of the honest person or at least to protect him from evil He may hopefully say to himself as Abraham did to his Servant The Lord before whom I walk will send his Angel with thee and prosper thy way or he confidently may apply to himself that of the Psalmist He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways They shall bear thee up in their hands lest thou dash thy foot against a stone However the sequele will be tolerable what-ever the success of his undertaking be it can be no ruine no slurr no heart-breaking to him His Conscience is safe his credit is ent re his hopes are good he is perfectly secure from being tainted with foul guilt from being exposed to due reproach from being stung with vexatious remorse from being plunged into a gulf of desperation or disconsolateness For VI. The way of Uprightness is fair and pleasant He that walketh in it hath good weather and a clear skie about him a hopefull confidence and a chearfull satisfaction do ever wait upon him It is joy as the Wise man saith to the just to doe judgment Being conscious to himself of an honest meaning and a due course of prosecuting it he feeleth no check or struggling of mind no regret or sting of heart being thoroughly satisfied and pleased with what he is about his judgment approving and his will acquiescing in his procedure as worthy of himself agreeable to reason and conformable to his duty He therefore briskly moveth forward with alacrity and courage there being within him nothing to controll or countermand him to pull him back to make him halt to distract or disturb him Nor hardly can any thing abroad dismay or discourage him For he may reasonably hope for the good will of men and cannot hugely dread their opposition He may strongly presume upon the propitious aspect and favourable succour of Heaven which always smileth and casteth benign influences on honest undertakings
himself bountifull and mercifull toward us when we so palpably are injust and ingratefull toward him No Surely he scorneth the scorners and Whosoever despiseth him shall be lightly esteemed so he expressely hath threatned and seeing he is both infallibly true and invincibly able we may reasonably presume that he will accomplish his word VIII Lastly Praying incessantly may import at large a frequency in Devotion This the words at least do exact or necessarily imply however expounded For doing incessantly cannot imply less then doing frequently in no tolerable sense can we be said to doe that continually which we doe seldom but it is an ordinary scheme of speech to say that a man doeth that always which he is wont to doe and performeth often As of the pious souldier Cornelius it is said that he gave much alms to the people and prayed to God always and of Anna the Prophetess that she departed not from the Temple but served God with prayers and fastings night and day that is she frequently resorted to the Temple and served God with an assiduous constancy As the words may bear and do involve this sense so doth the reason of the case inforce it for very just very fit very needfull it is to practise thus There is ever at hand abundant reason for and apposite matter of Devotion therefore no large space of time should pass without it there be perpetually depending many causes thereof whence there is not to be allowed any long vacation from it As every moment we from God's mercy and bounty partake great favours so should we often render thanks and praise for them for perpetually to receive courtesies and rarely to return acknowledgments is notorious ingratitude and iniquity We frequently and in a manner continually do fall into sins often therefore we are obliged to confess sins we are concerned to deprecate wrath and beg mercy otherwise we must long croutch under the sore burthen of guilt the sad dread of punishment the bitter pangs of remorse or the desperate hazzard of stupid obduration What-ever we design or undertake toward the good management and happy success thereof we being ignorant and impotent creatures do need the guidance the assistence and the blessing of God so often therefore it is requisite that we should be seeking and suing for them if not we do not onely transgress our duties but fondly neglect or foully betray our own concernments The Causes therefore of Devotion being so constant the Effects in some correspondence should be frequent Such frequency is indeed necessary for the breeding the nourishment the growth and improvement of all Piety Devotion is that holy and heavenly fire which darteth into our minds the light of spiritual knowledge which kindleth in our hearts the warmth of holy desires if therefore we do continue long absent from it a night of darkness will overspread our minds a deadning coldness will seise upon our affections It is the best food of our Souls which preserveth their life and health which repaireth their strength and vigour which rendreth them lusty and active if we therefore long abstain from it we shall starve or pine away we shall be faint and feeble in all religious performances we shall have none at all or a very languid and meager Piety To maintain in us a constant and steddy disposition to obedience to correct our perverse inclinations to curb our unruly passions to strengthen us against temptations to comfort us in anxieties and distresses we do need continual supplies of grace from God the which ordinarily are communicated in Devotion as the chanel which conveyeth or the instrument which helpeth to procure it or the condition upon which it is granted Faith Hope Love spiritual Comfort and Joy all Divine Graces are chiefly elicited expressed exercised therein and thereby it is therefore needfull that it should frequently be used seeing otherwise we shall be in danger to fail in discharging our chief Duties and to want the best Graces It is frequency of Devotion also which maintaineth that Friendship with God which is the soul of Piety As familiar conversation wherein men do express their minds and affections mutually breedeth acquaintance and cherisheth good will of men to one another but long forbearence thereof dissolveth or slackneth the bonds of amity breaking their intimacy and cooling their kindness so is it in respect to God it is frequent converse with him which begetteth a particular acquaintance with him a mindfull regard of him a hearty liking to him a delightfull tast of his goodness and consequently a sincere and solid good will toward him but intermission thereof produceth estrangement or enmity toward him If we seldom come at God we shall little know him not much care for him scarce remember him rest insensible of his love and regardless of his favour a coldness a shyness a distast an antipathy toward him will by degrees creep upon us Abstinence from his company and presence will cast us into conversations destructive or prejudicial to our friendship with him wherein soon we shall contract familiarity and friendship with his enemies the World and the Flesh which are inconsistent with love to him which will dispose us to forget him or to dislike and loath him It is in fine the frequency of Devotion which alone can secure any practice thereof at least any practice thereof duly qualified so hearty so easy so sweet and delightfull as it should be We have all a naturall averseness or indisposition thereto as requiring an abstraction of thoughts and affections from sensible things and a fastning them upon objects purely spiritual a rearing our heavy spirits above their common pitch a staying and settling our roving fancies a composing our vain hearts in a sober and steddy frame agreeable to Devotion to effect which things is a matter of no small difficulty and pain which therefore without much use and exercise cannot be accomplished but with it may so that by frequent practice the bent of our heart being turned the strangeness of the thing ceasing the difficulty of the work being surmounted we shall obtain a good propension to the duty and a great satisfaction therein This will render the way into God's presence smooth and passable removing as all other obstacles so particularly those of fear and doubt in respect to God which may deterr or discourage us from approaching to him God being most holy and pure most great and glorious we sensible of our corruption and vileness may be fearfull and shy of coming near unto him But when coming into his presence we do find that such as his Majesty is such is his Mercy when we do tast and see that the Lord is good when by experience we feel that in his presence there is fulness of joy being abundantly satisfied with the fatness of his house having our Souls there satisfied as with marrow and fatness finding that a day in his courts is better then a
the least homage we in gratitude owe and can pay to Almighty God to avow our dependence upon and obligation to him for the good things we enjoy to acknowledge that his favours do deserve thanks to publish to the world our experience of his goodness to proclaim solemnly with the voice of thanksgiving his most deserved praise resembling him who abounds in such expressions as these I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever with my mouth will I make known his faithfulness to all generations I will publish with the voice of thanksgiving and tell of all his wondrous works I will speak of the glorious honour of thy Majesty and of thy wondrous works I have not hid thy righteousness in my heart I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation I have not concealed thy loving-kindness and thy truth from the great congregation Thus if a gratefull affection live in our hearts it will respire through our mouths and discover it self in the motion of our lips There will be a conspiracy and faithfull correspondence between our mind and our tongue if the one be sensible the other will not be silent as if the spring works the wheels will turn about and the bell not fail to speak Neither shall we content our selves in lonesome tunes and private soliloquies to whisper out the Divine praises but shall loudly excite and provoke others to a melodious consonance with us We shall with the sweet Singer of Israel cite and invoke Heaven and Earth the celestial quire of Angels the several estates and generations of Men the numberless company of all the Creatures to assist and joyn in consort with us in celebrating the worthy deeds and magnifying the glorious name of our most mighty Creatour of our most bountifull Benefactour Gratitude is of a fruitfull and diffusive nature of a free and communicative disposition of an open and sociable temper it will be imparting discovering and propagating it self it affects light company and liberty it cannor endure to be smothered in privacy and obscurity It s best instrument therefore is Speech that most natural proper and easie mean of conversation of signifying our conceptions of conveying and as it were ttansfunding our thoughts and our passions into each other This therefore glory of ours and best organ that we have as the Psalmist seems to call it our Tongue we should in all reason devote to the honour and consecrate to the praise of him who made it and who conserves it still in tune And the farther to provoke us we may consider that it hath been the manner prompted by Nature and authorized by general practice for men of all nations and all times and all ways by composed Hymns and panegyrical Elogies to express their gratitude for the gifts of Nature and for the Benefits indulged by Providence in their publick Sacrifices and solemn Festivities extolling the excellent qualities of their imaginary Deities and reciting the famous atchievements of their Heroes and supposed Benefactours to whose favourable help and blessing in their conceit they owed the fruits of the earth the comforts of life the defence and patronage of their countries being indeed mistaken in the object but not transgressing in the substance of the Duty paying a due debt though to false creditours And I wish we were as ready to imitate them in the one as we are perhaps prone to blame them for the other For certainly acknowledgments of the Divine Goodness and solemn testifications of our thankfull sense thereof what-ever the abused world may now imagine was always is now and ever will be the principal and most noble part of all Religion immediately addressed to God But moreover 6. This Duty requires endeavours of real Compensation and a satisfactory Requital of Benefits according to the ability and opportunity of the receiver that we do not onely verbally dicere and agnoscere but really agere and referre gratias that to him who hath by his beneficence obliged us we minister reciprocal assistence comfort and relief if he need them and be capable to receive them however by evident testimonies to discover our ready disposition to make such real returns and withall to sute our actions to his good liking and in our carriage to comply with his reasonable desires For as the earth which drinketh the rain often coming upon it and having been by great labour tilled and manured with expence yieldeth yet no meet herbage or fruit agreeable to the expectation of him that dresseth it but is either wholly barren or produceth onely thorns and briars is as the Apostle to the Hebrews tells us to be reprobated and nigh unto cursing that is deserves no farther care or culture to be employed on it and is to be reputed desperately worthless so is he that we may apply an Apodosis to the Apostle's comparison who daily partaking the influences of Divine Providence and Bounty affords no answerable return to be accounted execrably unthankfull and unworthy of any farther favour to be shewed toward him 'T is true our righteousness or beneficence so the word there signifies doth not extend unto God His Benefits exceed all possibility of any proportionable requitall He doth not need nor can ever immediately receive any advantage from us we cannot enrich him with our gifts who by unquestionable right and in unalterable possession is Lord and Master of all things that do actually or can possibly exist nor advance him by our weak commendations who already enjoyeth the supreme pitch of glory nor any way contribute to his in it self compleat and indefectible Beatitude Yet we may by apposite significations declare our willingness to serve and exalt him we may by our obsequious demeanour highly please and content him we may by our charity and benignity to those whose good he tenders yield though not an adequate yet an acceptable return to his Benefits What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits saith David in way of counsell and deliberation and thereupon resolves I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord I will pay my vows unto the Lord. Seasonable benedictions officious addresses and faithfull performances of vows he intimates to bear some shadow at least some resemblance of compensation And so did his wise Son likewise when he thus advised Honour the Lord with thy substance and with the first-fruits of thy encrease Almighty God though he really doth and cannot otherwise doe yet will not seem to bestow his favours altogether gratis but to expect some competent return some small use and income from them He will assert his rightfull title and be acknowledged the chief proprietary by signal expressions of our fealty and the payment of some though inconsiderable quit-rent for our possessions derived from him he will rather himself be seemingly indigent then permit us to be really ingratefull For knowing well that our performance of
duty and respect toward him greatly conduceth to our comfort and happiness he requireth of us such demonstrations of them as we conveniently are able to exhibit he appoints services expressive of thankfulness exacts tributes and customs demands loans and benevolences encourages and accepts free-will-offerings from us Thou shalt not appear empty before the Lord was a Statute to the Jews qualified and moderated by certain measures The First-fruits of their Lands the First-born of their Cattel and of themselves the Tenths of their annual encrease and a certain allotment from the Spoils acquired in wars did God challenge to himself as fitting recompences due for his bounty to and care over them Neither did the Gentiles conceive themselves exempted from the like obligation For the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the top or chief of the Corn-heaps they were wont to consecrate unto him who had blessed their fields with encrease and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first and best of the prey they dedicated to the adornment of his temple by whose favourable disposal they had obtained the victory Neither would they sooner begin their meal and partake of their necessary refreshment then by pouring forth their gratulatory libation they had performed some homage to Heaven for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was the custom it seems in Homer's time I shall not insist upon their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their anniversary or their casuall Sacrifices but onely observe what if seasonable might by many sufficient testimonies be evinced that those men at least the most intelligent of them were not so senseless as to imagine that the Gods to whom they performed those services and devoted those oblations did any-wise need or were truly benefited by them but that they esteemed it a comely thing by the most significant means they could invent to declare their gratefull sense of the Divine goodness and indulgence toward them And though we are perhaps disobliged now from the circumstantial manner yet are we no-wise freed from but rather more strongly engaged to the substantial performance of this sort of Gratitude We are to offer still not dead bulls and goats but as S. Paul saith our own bodies living sacrifices holy and acceptable to God We are excused from materiall but are yet bound to yield 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritual sacrifices unto God as S. Peter tells us We must burn incense still that of fervent Devotion and send up continually to Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thank-offering of praise which the Apostle to the Hebrews mentions We must consecrate the first-born of our Souls pure and holy Thoughts and the first-fruits of our strength our most active Endeavours to God's Service We must slay our impure desires mortifie our corrupt affections and abandon our selfish respects for his sake We must give him our Hearts and present our Wills entirely to his disposall We must vow to him and pay the daily oblation of sincere Obedience We must officiously attend his pleasure and labour to content him by an innocent and unblemished conversation With these things Almighty God is effectually gratified he approves of and accepts these as real testimonies of our Thankfulness and competent returns for his Benefits Especially our Charity and Beneficence our exhibiting love and respect to good men his faithfull servants and near relations our affording help and succour to persons in need and distress he accounts a sutable retaliation of his kindness acknowledges to be an obligation laid upon himself and hath by settled rules and indispensable promises obliged himself to requite them For He that hath pity on the poor lendeth unto the Lord and that which he hath given he will pay him again and God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love which ye have shewed toward his Name in that ye have ministred to the Saints and do minister and To doe good and communicate forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased and I desire fruit saith S. Paul to the Philipians that may abound to your account But I have all and abound I am full having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable well pleasing to God And Inasmuch as ye have done it to that is fed and cloathed and comforted the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me saith our Saviour manifestly declaring that the good we doe and the respect we shew unto good and needy men God reckons it done unto himself And this point I shall conclude with the sayings of the wise Hebrew Philosopher Ben-Sirach He that keepeth the Law bringeth offerings enough he that taketh heed to the Commandment offereth a peace-offering He that requiteth a good turn offereth fine flower and he that giveth alms sacrificeth praise To depart from wickedness is a thing pleasing to the Lord and to forsake unrighteousness is a propitiation To these I shall onely adde this one particular 7. That true Gratitude for Benefits is always attended with the Esteem Veneration and love of the Benefactour Beneficence is a Royal and God-like thing an argument of eminent Goodness and Power conspiring and necessarily therefore as in them that perceive and duly consider it it begets Respect and Reverence so peculiarly in those that feel its benign influence it produces Love and Affection like the heavenly Light which to all that behold it appears glorious but more powerfully warms those that are directly subject to its rays and is by them more vigorously reflected And as to those that are immediately concerned therein it imports more particular Regard and Good will so if they be duly sensible thereof it engages them in mutual correspondence to an extraordinary esteem and Benevolence such as David upon this account professes to have been in himself toward God and frequently excites others to I will love thee O Lord my strength I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised The Lord liveth and blessed be my rock and let the God of my salvation be exalted I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my supplications And in the Gospel Because her sins being many were forgiven therefore she loved much So true it is that sense of favour indulged is naturally productive of love Thus have I plainly and simply presented you with what my meditations suggested concerning the Nature and Substance of this Duty with the several branches sprouting from the main stock thereof I proceed now to that which will exceedingly enlarge the worth and engage to the performance thereof II. The Object and Term to which it is to be directed we are to give thanks to God To God I say that is to Him unto whom we are obliged not for some small and inconsiderable trifles but for the most weighty and valuable Benefits from whom
employ great Parts on unwieldy Projects as many do to the disturbance of others and their own ruine vast Knowledge would cause us to over-value our selves and contemn others enjoying continual Health we should not perceive the benefit thereof nor be mindful of him that gave it A sutable mediocrity therefore of these things the Divine Goodness allotteth unto us that we may neither starve for want nor surfeit with plenty In fine the advantages arising from Afflictions are so many and so great that had I time and were it seasonable to insist largely upon this subject it were easie to demonstrate that we have great reason not only to be contented with but to rejoyce in and to be very thankful for all the crosses and vexations we meet with to receive them chearfully at God's hand as the medicines of our Soul and the condiments of our fortune as the arguments of his Good will and the instruments of Vertue as solid grounds of Hope and comfortable presages of future Joy unto us 6. Lastly We are obliged to thank God not only for Corporeal and Temporal Benefits but also and that principally for Spiritual and eternal Blessings We are apt as to desire more vehemently to rejoyce more heartily in the fruition and more passionately to bewail the loss of temporal good things so more sincerely and seriously to express our gratitude for the reception of them then for others relating to our Spiritual good to our everlasting welfare Wherein we misjudge and misbehave our selves extreamly For as much as the reasonable Soul that goodly Image of the Divine Essence breathed from the mouth of God doth in dignity of nature and purity of substance excel this feculent lump of organized clay our Body as the blissful ravishments of Spirit surpass the dull satisfactions of Sense as the bottomless depth of Eternity exceeds that shallow furface of Time which terminates this transitory life in such proportion should our appetite unto our complacence in our gratitude for spiritual Blessings transcend the affections respectively engaged about these corporeal accommodations Consider that injunction of our Saviour to his Disciples In this rejoyce not that the spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoyce because your names are written in Heaven Rejoyce not that is be not at all affected with this although in it self very rare accomplishment eminent priviledg glorious power of working that indeed greatest of Miracles subjecting Devils that is baffling the shrewdest craft and subduing the strongest force in nature in comparison of that delight which the consideration of the Divine Favour in order to your eternal Felicity doth afford We are 't is true greatly indebted to God for our Creation for that he hath extracted us from nothing and placed us in so lofty a rank among his creatures for the excellent Faculties of Soul and Body wherewith he hath endued us and for many most admirable prerogatives of our outward Estate but much more for our Redemption and the wonderful circumstances of unexpressible love and grace therein declared for his descending to a conjunction with our Nature aad elevating us to a participation of his for dignifying us with more illustrious Titles and instating us in a sure capacity of a much superiour Happiness Our daily Food deserves well a Grace to be said before and after it but how much more that constant Provision of Heavenly Manna the Evangelical Verity those savoury delicacies of Devotion whereby our Souls are nourished to eternal Life 'T is a laudable custom when we are demanded concerning our health to answer Well I thank God but much more reason have we to say so if our Conscience can attest concerning that sound constitution of Mind whereby we are disposed vigorously to perform those vertuous functions due from reasonable nature and conformable to the Divine Law If for the prosperous success of our worldly attempts for avoiding dangers that threatned corporal pain and dammage to us for defeating the adversaries of our secular quiet we make Te Deum laudamus our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our song for victory how much more for the happy progress of our Spiritual Affairs affairs of incomparably-highest consequence for escaping those dreadful hazzards of utter ruine of endless torture for vanquishing Sin and Hell those irreconcilable enemies to our everlasting peace are we obliged to utter triumphal Anthymns of joy and thankfulness This is the order observed by the Psalmist inciting his Soul to bless God for all his benefits he begins with the consideration of God's mercy in pardoning his Sins then proceeds to his goodness in bestowing temporal Favours Who forgiveth all thy sins leads the van Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things brings up the rere in the enumeration and acknowledgment of God's Benefits That our minds are illustrated with the knowledg of God and his glorious Attributes of Christ and his blessed Gospel of that streight path which conducteth to true Happiness that by Divine assistence we are enabled to elude the allurements to withstand the violences of temptation to asswage immoderate desires to bridle exorbitant passions to correct vicious inclinations of mind requires more our hearty thanks then for that we were able by our natural wit to penetrate the abstrusest Mysteries or to subjugate Empires by our bodily strength The forgiveness of our Sins doth more oblige us to a grateful acknowledgment of the Divine Goodness then should God enrich us with all the treasures contained in the bowels of the Earth or bottom of the Ocean One glimpse of his favourable countenance should more enflame our affections then being invested with all the imaginable splendour of worldly glory Of these inestimable Benefits and all the advantageous circumstances wherewith they are attended we ought to maintain in our hearts constant resentments to excite our thankfulness to kindle our love to quicken our obedience by the frequent contemplation of them Thus have I though I confess much more slightly then so worthy a subject did require prosecuted the several particulars observable in these words I should conclude with certain Inducements persuasive to the practice of this Duty whereof I have in the tenour both of the former and present Discourse insinuated divers and could propound many more but in compliance with the time I shall content my self briefly to consider only these three very obvious ones First therefore We may consider that there is no disposition what-ever more deeply radicated in the original constitution of all Souls endued with any kind of perception or passion then being sensible of Benefits received being kindly affected with love and respect toward them that exhibit them being ready with sutable expressions to acknowledge them and to endeavour competent recompences for them The worst of men the most devoid of all not only piety but humanity and common ingenuity the most barbarous and most wicked whom neither sense of Equity nor respect to Law no promise of reward or fear of vengeance can any-wise
exemption from common restraints their continual distractions and encumbrances by varieties of care and business their multitude of obsequious followers and scarcity of faithful friends to advise or reprove them their having no obstacles before them to check their wills to cross their humours to curb their lusts and passions are so many dangerous â—nares unto them wherefore they do need plentifull measures of Grace and mighty assistances from God to preserve them from the worst errours and sins into which otherwise 't is almost a miracle if they are not plunged And being they are so liable to sin they must consequently stand often in need of God's mercy to bear with them and to pardon them They therefore upon so many accounts needing special help and grace from Heaven do most need Prayers to derive it thence for them All Princes indeed do need them Good Princes need many Prayers for God's help to uphold and confirm them in their Vertue Bad Princes need deprecations of God's wrath and judgment toward them for offending his Majesty together with supplications for God's Grace to convert and reform them the most desperate and incorrigible need Prayers that God would over-rule and restrain them from doing mischief to themselves and others All Princes having many avocations and temptations hindring them to pray enough for themselves do need supplemental aids from the Devotions of others Wherefore if we love Them if we love our Country if we love our Selves if we tender the interests of Truth of Piety of common Good we considering their case and manifold need of Prayers will not fail earnestly to sue for them that God would afford needful assistance to them in the administration of their high Office in the improvement of their great talents in the conduct and management of their arduous Affairs that he graciously would direct them in their perplexed Counsels would back them in their difficult Undertakings would protect their Persons from dangers would keep their Hearts from the prevalency of temptations would pardon their Failings and Trespasses Again 9. Whereas God hath declared that he hath special regard to Princes and a more than ordinary care over them because they have a peculiar relation to him as his Representatives the Ministers of his Kingdom the main instruments of his Providence whereby he conveyeth his favours and dispenseth his justice to men because also the good of mankind which he especially tendereth is mainly concerned in their welfare whereas I say it is he that giveth salvation unto Kings that giveth great deliverance to his King and sheweth mercy to his Anointed that hath the King's heart and his breath and all his ways in his hand even upon this account our prayers for them are the more required For it is a method of God and an established rule of Divine Providence not to dispense special Blessings without particular Conditions and the concurrence of our duty in observance of what he prescribeth in respect to them Seeing then He hath enjoyned that in order to our obtaining those great Benefits which issue from his special care over Princes we should pray for it and seek it from his hands the omission of this duty will intercept it or bereave us of its advantages nor in that case may we expect any blessings of that kind As without praying for our selves we must not expect private favours from Heaven so without praying for our Prince we cannot well hope for publick blessings For as a profane person who in effect disavoweth God by not regarding to seek his favour and aid is not qualified to receive any good from him so a profane Nation which disclaimeth God's Government of the world by not invoking his Benediction on those who moderate it under him is not well capable of common benefits It is upon all accounts true which Ezra said The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him If therefore we desire that our Prince should not lose God's special regard if we would not forfeit the benefits thereof to our selves we must conspire in hearty Prayers for him 10. To engage and encourage us in which practice we may farther consider that such Prayers offered duly with frequency and constancy with sincerity and zeal do always turn to good account and never want good effect the which if it be not always easily discernible yet it is certainly real if it be not perfect as we may desire yet it is competent as expediency requireth or as the condition of things will bear There may be impediments to a full success of the best Prayers they may not ever prevail to render Princes compleatly good or extreamly prosperous For some concurrence of their own will is requisite to produce their Vertue God rarely working with irresistible power or fatal efficacy and the state of things or capacities of Persons are not always fitly suted for prosperity Yet are not such Prayers ever wholly vain or fruitless For God never prescribeth means unavailable to the end he never would have commanded us particularly to pray for Kings if he did not mean to bestow a good issue to that practice And surely he that hath promised to hear all requests with faith and sincerity and incessant earnestness presented to him cannot fail to hear those which are of such consequence which are so agreeable to his will which do include so much honesty and charity In this case surely we may have some confidence according to that of S. John This is the confidence we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us As the good Bishop observing S. Austin's Mother with what constancy and passionateness she did pray for her Son being then engaged in ways of errour and vanity did encourage her saying It is impossible that a Son of those devotions should perish so may we hopefully presume and encourage our selves that a Prince will not miscarry for whose welfare many good people do earnestly solicit Fieri non potest ut Princeps istarum lacrymarum pereat You know in general the mighty efficacy of Prayer what pregnant assurances there are and how wonderful instances thereof occurre in Holy Scripture both in relation to publick and private blessings How it is often promised that All things whatsoever we shall ask in prayer believing we shall receive and that whoever asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened How the prayer of Abraham did heal Abimelech and his family of barrenness how the prayers of Moses did quench the fire and cure the bitings of the fiery Serpents how the prayer of Joshua did arrest the Sun how the prayer of Hannah did procure Samuel to her as his name doth import how Elias his prayers did open and shut the heavens how the same Holy Prophet's prayer did reduce
dissent from him but it is as the fairest and justest so the surest and likeliest way of reducing things to a firm composure without more a-do letting the world alone to move on its own hindges and not impertinently troubling our selves or others with the conduct of it simply to request of Almighty God the Sovereign Governour and sole Disposer of things that he would lead his own Vicegerents in the management of the charge by himself committed to them Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God is a rule very applicable to this case As God's Providence is the only sure ground of our confidence or hope for the preservation of Church and State or for the restitution of things into a stable quiet so it is only our hearty Prayers joyned with a consciencious observance of God's Laws whereby we can incline Providence to favour us By them alone we may hope to save things from sinking into disorder we may asswage the factions we may defeat the machinations against the publick welfare 12. Seeing then we have so many good arguments and motives inducing to pray for Kings it is no wonder that to back them we may also allege the practice of the Church continually in all times performing this duty in its most Sacred Offices especially in the celebration of the Holy Communion S. Paul indeed when he saith I exhort first of all that prayers be made doth chiefly impose this Duty on Timothy or supposeth it incumbent on the Pastours of the Church to take special care that Prayers be made for this purpose and offered up in the Church joyntly by all Christians and accordingly the ancient Christians as Tertullian doth assure us did always pray for all the Emperours that God would grant them a long life a secure Reign a safe family valiant Armies a faithful Senate a loyal people a quiet world and whatever they as Men or as Emperours could wish Thus addeth he even for their Persecutours and in the very pangs of their sufferings they did not fail to practise Likewise of the Church in his time S. Chrysostome telleth us that all Communicants did know how every day both at even and morning they did make supplication for all the world and for the Emperour and for all that are in authority And in the Greek Liturgies the composure whereof is fathered on S. Chrysostome there are divers Prayers interspersed for the Emperours couched in terms very pregnant and respectful If the Offices of the Roman Church and of the Churches truckling under it in latter times shall seem more defective or sparing in this point of service the reason may be for that a superlative regard to the Solar or Pontifical Authority as Pope Innocent III distinguished did obscure their devotion for the Lunar or Regal Majesty But our Church hath been abundantly careful that we should in most ample manner discharge this Duty having in each of her Holy Offices directed us to pray for our King in expressions most full hearty and lively She hath indeed been charged as somewhat lavish or over-liberal of her Devotions in this case But it is a good fault and we little nead fear over-doing in observance of a Precept so very reasonable and so important supposing that we have a due care to joyn our heart with the Churche's words and to the frequency of Prayers for our Prince do confer a sutable fervency If we be not dead or meerly formal we can hardly be too copious in this kind of Devotion reiteration of words can do no harm being accompanied with renovation of our desires Our Text it self will bear us out in such a practice the Apostle therein by variety of expression appearing solicitous that abundance of Prayers for Kings should be offered in the Church and no sort of them omitted There are so many General Inducements to this Duty at all times and there are beside divers Particular Reasons enforcing it now in the present state and posture of things Times of trouble of danger of fear of darkness and perplexity of distraction and distress of guilt and deserved wrath are most seasonable for recourse to the Divine help and mercy in Prayer And are not Ours such are they not much like to those of which the Psalmist saith They know not neither will they understand they walk on in darkness all the foundations of the earth are out of course or like those of which our Lord spake when there was upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity mens hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which were coming on the earth Are not the days gloomy so that no humane providence can see far no wisdom can descry the issue of things Is it not a very unsettled world wherein all the publick frames are shaken almost off the hindges and the minds of men extremely discomposed with various passions with fear suspicion anger discontent and impatience How from dissentions in Opinion do violent factions and feuds rage the hearts of men boiling with fierce animosities and being exasperated against one another beyond any hopes or visible means of reconcilement Are not the fences of Discipline cast down is there any conscience made of violating Laws is not the dread of Authority exceedingly abated and all Government overborn by unbridled licenciousness How many Adversaries are there bearing ill will to our Sion how many turbulent malicious crafty spirits eagerly bent and watching for occasion to subvert the Church to disturb the State to introduce confusion in all things how many Edomites who say of Jerusalem both Ecclesiastical and Civil Down with it down with it even to the ground Have we not great reason to be fearful of God's just displeasure and that heavy judgments will be poured on us for our manifold hainous provocations and crying Sins for the prodigious growth of Atheism Infidelity and Profaneness for the rife practice of all Impieties Iniquities and Impurities with most impudent boldness or rather with outragious insolence for the extream Dissoluteness in manners the gross Neglect or contempt of all Duties the great Stupidity and coldness of People generally as to all concerns of Religion for the want of Religious Awe toward God of Charity toward our Neighbour of Respect to our Superiours of Sobriety in our conversation for our Ingratitude for many great Mercies and Incorrigibleness under many sore Chastisements our Insensibleness of many plain Warnings loudly calling us to repentance Is not all the world about us in combustion cruel Wars raging every-where and Christendom weltering in blood and although at present by God's mercy we are free who knows but that soon by God's justice the neighbouring flames may catch our houses In fine is not our case palpably such that for any good composure or re-instatement of things in good order for upholding Truth and sound
Doctrine for reducing Charity and Peace for reviving the spirit of Piety and bringing Vertue again into request for preserving State and Church from ruine we can have no confidence or reasonable hope but in the good Providence and merciful succour of Almighty God beside whom there is no Saviour who alone is the hope of Israel and Saviour thereof in time of trouble we now having great cause to pray with our Lord's Disciples in the storm Lord save us we perish Upon such Considerations and others whereof I suppose you are sufficiently apprehensive we now especially are obliged earnestly to pray for our King that God in mercy would preserve his Royal Person and inspire his Mind with Light and endue his Heart with Grace and in all things bless him to us to be a repairer of our breaches and a restorer of paths to dwell in so that under him we may lead a quiet life in all godliness and honesty I have done with the First Duty Prayer for Kings upon which I have the rather so largely insisted because it is very seasonable to our present condition II. The Other Thanksgiving I shall but touch and need not perhaps to do more For 1. As to general Inducements they are the same or very like to those which are for Prayer it being plain that what-ever we are concerned to pray for when we want it that we are bound to thank God for when he vouchsafeth to bestow it And if common Charity should dispose us to resent the Good of Princes with complacence if their Welfare be a publick benefit if our selves are interested in it and partake great advantages thereby if in equity and ingenuity we are bound to seek it then surely we are much engaged to thank God the bountiful Donour of it for his goodness in conferring it 2. As for particular Motives suting the present Occasion I need not by information or impression of them farther to stretch your patience seeing you cannot be ignorant or insensible of the grand Benefits by the Divine Goodness bestowed on our King and on our selves which this day we are bound with all grateful acknowledgment to commemorate Wherefore in stead of reciting trite stories and urging obvious reasons which a small recollection will suggest to you I shall only request you to joyn with me in the practice of the Duty and in acclamation of praise to God Even so Blessed be God who hath given to us so Gracious and Benign a Prince the experiments of whose Clemency and Goodness no History can parallel to sit on the throne of his Blessed Father and renowned Ancestours Blessed be God who hath protected him in so many encounters hath saved him from so many dangers and snares hath delivered him from so great troubles Blessed be God who in so wonderful a manner by such miraculous trains of Providence did reduce him to his Country and re-instate him in the possession of his Rights thereby vindicating his own just Providence declaring his salvation and openly shewing his righteousness in the sight of all people Blessed be God who in Him and with Him did restore to us our antient good constitution of Government our Laws and Liberties our Peace and Quiet rescuing us from lawless Usurpations and tyrannical Yoaks from the insultings of Errour and Iniquity from horrible Distractions and Confusions Ever blessed be God who hath turned the captivity of Sion hath raised our Church from the dust and re-established the sound Doctrine the decent Order the wholsome Discipline thereof hath restored true Religion with its supports advantages and encouragements Blessed be the Lord who hath granted us to continue these sixteen years in the peaceable fruition of those Blessings Praised be God who hath not cast out our prayer nor turned his mercy from us Praised be God who hath turned our heaviness into joy hath put off our sackcloath and girded us with gladness Let our mouth speak the praise of the Lord and let all flesh bless his holy Name for ever and ever The Lord liveth and blessed be our Rock and let the God of our salvation be exalted Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who onely doeth wondrous things and blessed be his glorious Name for ever and let the whole earth be filled with his glory Amen and Amen Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting and let all the people say Amen Praise ye the Lord. The Eleventh Sermon PSAL. 64. 9 10. And all men shall fear and shall declare the work of God for they shall wisely consider of his doing The righteous shall be glad in the Lord and shall trust in him and all the upright in heart shall glory IF we should search about for a Case parallel to that which we do now commemorate we should perhaps hardly find one more patly such then is that which is implied in this Psalm and if we would know the Duties incumbent on us in reference to such an Occasion we could scarce better learn them other-where then in our Text. With attention perusing the Psalm we may therein observe That its great Authour was apprehensive of a desperate Plot by a confederacy of wicked and spitefull enemies with great craft and secrecy contrived against his safety They saith he encourage themselves in an evil matter they commune of laying snares privily they say who shall see them That for preventing the blow threatned by this design whereof he had some glimpse or some presumption grounded upon the knowledge of their implacable and active malice he doth implore Divine protection Hide me saith he from the secret counsel of the wicked from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity That he did conside in God's Mercy and Justice for the seasonable defeating for the fit avenging their machination God saith he shall shoot at them with an arrow suddenly shall they be wounded That they should themselves become the detectours of their crime and the instruments of the exemplary punishment due thereunto They added he shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves all that see them shall flee away Such was the Case the which unto what passage in the history it doth relate or whether it belongeth to any we have recorded it may not be easie to determine Expositours commonly do refer it to the designs of Saul upon David's life But this seeming purely conjecture not founded upon any express words or pregnant intimations in the text I shall leave that inquiry in its own uncertainty It sufficeth to make good its pertinency that there was such a mischievous Conspiracy deeply projected against David a very great personage in whose safety the publick state of God's people was principally concerned he being then King of Israel at least in designation and therefore in the precedent Psalm endited in Saul's time is so styled from the peril whereof he by the special Providence of
God was rescued with the notable disappointment and grievous confusion of those who managed it The which Case at least in kind if not in degree beareth a plain resemblance to that which lieth before us And the Duties which upon that occasion are signified to concern people then do no less now sort to us the which as they lie couched in our Text are these 1. wisely to consider God's doing 2. to fear 3. to declare God's work 4. to be glad in the Lord 5. to trust in God 6. to glory Of which the First Three are represented as more generally concerning men the others as appertaining more peculiarly to righteous and upright persons These Duties it shall be my endeavour somewhat to explain and press in a manner applicable to the present case I call them Duties and to warrant the doing so it is requisite to consider that all these particulars may be understood in a double manner either as declarative of event or as directive of practice upon such emergencies When God doth so interpose his hand as signally to check and confound mischievous enterprises it will be apt to stir up in the minds of men an apprehension of God's special Providence to strike into their hearts a dread of his Power and Justice to wring from their mouths sutable declarations and acknowledgments and particularly then good men will be affected with pious joy they will be incouraged to confide in God they will be moved to glory or to express a triumphant satisfaction in God's proceedings These events naturally do result from such providential occurrences for production of these events such occurrences are purposely designed and accordingly where men are not by profane opinions or affections much indisposed they do commonly follow But yet they are not purposed simply as Events but also as matters of Duty for men are obliged readily to admit such impressions upon their minds hearts and lives from the special works of Providence they are bound not to cross those natural tendencies not to frustrate those wise intents of God aiming at the production of such good dispositions and good practices whence if those effects do not arise as often notoriously they do not in some persons men thereby do incurre much guilt and blame It is indeed ordinary to represent matter of duty in this way expressing those practices consequent in effect which in obligation should follow according to God's purpose and the nature of causes ordered by him As when for instance God in the Law had prescribed Duty and threatned sore punishment on the disobedient it is subjoyned And all the people shall hear and fear and do no more presumptuously the meaning is that such exemplary punishment is in its nature apt and its design tendeth to produce such effects although not ever questionless with due success so as to prevent all transgression of those laws So also When saith the Prophet thy judgments are in the land the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness the sense is that Divine judgments in themselves are instructive of Duty it is their drift to inform men therein and men ought to learn that lesson from them although in effect divers there be whom no judgments can make wiser or better such as those of whom in the same Prophet it is said The people turneth not unto him that smiteth them and in another in vain have I smitten your children they received no correction As therefore frequently otherwhere so also here this kind of expression may be taken chiefly to import Duty To begin then with the First of these Duties I. We are upon such occasions obliged wisely to consider or as the Greek rendereth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to understand or to perceive as our Old Translation hath it God's doing This I put in the first place as previous in nature and influential upon the rest whence although in the Hebrew it be knit to the rest as they all are to one another by the conjunctive parcicle ve and yet we do translate it causally for they shall wisely consider for they shall perceive because indeed without duly considering and rightly understanding such occurrences to proceed from God none of the other acts can or will be performed attentive consideration is needful to beget knowledge and persuasion these to breed affection and practice There are many who in such cases are no-wise apprehensive of God's special Providence or affected with it because they do not consider or do not consider wisely and intelligently Some are very inobservant and careless in regard to things of this nature so drowzy and heedless as not to attend to what-ever passeth or to mind what God acteth in the world such as those of whom the Prophet saith The Harp and the Viol the Tabret and Pipe and Wine are in their feasts but they regard not the work of the Lord nor the operation of his hands that is their minds are so amused by wanton divertisements their hearts are so immersed in sensual enjoyments as no-wise to observe the most notable occurrences of Providence Others although they do ken and regard what is done as matter of news or story entertaining curiosity and talk yet out of sloth or stupidity do little consider it or study whence it springeth contenting themselves with none or with any superficial account which fancy or appearance suggesteth like beasts they do take in things obvious to their sense and perhaps stand gazing on them but do not make any careful reflexion or inquiry into their original causes and reasons taking as a dog when he biteth the stone flung at him or as a child that is angry with the log he falleth on what-ever appeareth next to be the principal cause such as the Psalmist again toucheth when he saith A brutish man knoweth not neither doth a fool understand this and as he doth acknowledg himself on one occasion to have been So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee Others pretend to consider much and seem very inquisitive yet being misguided by vain prejudices or foul affections do not consider wisely or well understand these matters the result of their care and study about them being to father them on wrong causes ascribing them to the meer conduct and agency of visible causes hurried by a necessary swindge or rolling on by a casual fluctuation of things not descrying God's hand in them but profanely discarding and disclaiming it such as those in the Psalms who so reflected on Providence as to say How doth God know and is there knowledge in the Most High The Lord doth not see neither doth the God of Jacob regard it such as have been the brood of Epicurean and profane considerers in all times who have earnestly plodded and strained their wits to exclude God from any inspection or influence upon our affairs Some indeed there have been so very dull and stupid or so perverse and profane
powers of Darkness while Religion retains any sway in the Hearts of Men and Truth possesses any room upon Earth the Priests shall not be left destitute and naked but everlastingly be cloathed with Salvation Which that it may to the Glory of God and Good of his Church more surely come to pass let us convert this Promise into a Prayer and say with Solomon Now therefore arise O Lord God thou and the Ark of thy strength Let thy Priests O Lord God be cloathed with Salvation and let thy Saints rejoice in Goodness Amen THE END Books writ by the late Reverend and Learned Dr. Isaac Barrow and printed for Brabazon Aylmer at the Three Pigeons over against the Royal Exchange in Cornhil 1. TWelve Sermons preached upon several occasions in 8o. 2. Ten Sermons against Evil-Speaking in 8o. 3. The Duty and Reward of Bounty to the Poor In a Sermon much inlarged preached at the Spittal upon Wednesday in Easter-week Anno Dom. 1671. the second Edition in 8o. 4. A Sermon upon the Passion of our Blessed Saviour preached at Guild-hall Chappel on Good-Friday April 13. 1677. in 8o. Also the true and lively Effigies of Dr. Barrow in Folio Against Easter-Term 1679 will be published a Learned Treatise against the Supremacy of the Pope By the same Author Veritatis luce menti hâ—minis nihil dulcius Cic. Acad. 2. Isa. 5. 4. Isa. 65. 2. Jer. 7. 25. Prov. 8. 20. Wised 7. 28. 3. 15. Prov. 3. 13. 8. 35. Prov. 14. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristoph Plut. Prima ferè vota cunctis notissima Templis Diviti ut creseant c. Juv. Sat. 10. Omnes ad affectum atque appetitum utilitatis suae naturae ipsius maâ—isterio atque impulsione ducuntur Salv. ad Eccl. Cath. 2. Mal. 3. 14. Job 34. 9. 35. 3. Psal. 73. 13 14. Job 21. 14 15. Eph. 6. 9. Col. 4. 1. Eph. 6. 5. Col. 3. 22. 1 Pet. 2. 18. Rom. 13. 1. Tit. 3. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 13. 1 Pet. 4. 9. Phil. 2. 14. Eph. 6. 4. Col. 3. 21. 1 Tim. 5. 8. Eph. 6. 1. Col. 3. 20. Eph. 5. 25. Col. 3. 19. 1 Pet. 3. 7. Eph. 5. 22. Col. 3. 18. Tit. 2. 5. 1 Pet. 3. 5. Gal. 6. 2 10. Phil. 4. 8. 1 Thes 3. 12. 2 Cor. 9. 13. Prov. 14. 34. 16. 12. 20. 28. 29. 14. 8. 15. 29. 8. Prov. 11. 10. Prov. 29. 2. Psal. 34. 12. 1 Pet. 3. 10. Scimus amicos Dei ab amantissimo misericordissimo Patre Deo mala ista poenalia recipere non ut poenam seu vindictam iracundiae sed magis ut correctiones medicamenta stultitiae adjumenta virtutis ut malleationes sive fabricationes tunsiones sive ablutiones candidationes Guil. Par. de Sacram. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb. 5. 1. Mart. Lugd. Prov. 15. 6. Sen. Ep. 90. Prov. 12. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristor Eth. 3. 3. Prov. 12. 8 4. Tantum quantum vult potest qui se nisi quod debet non putat p sse Senec. Ep. 90. Prov. 16. 32. 25. 28. Vide Sen. de Ben. 5. 7. Psal. 16. 11. Rom. 15. 13. Heb. 3. 6. Phil. 4. 4. Psal. 43. 4. Psal. 112. 1. 1. 2. 119. 16 24 47 70 77 92 143 111. Psal. 100. 2. 21. 6. 94. 19. Isa. 29. 19. Joh. 16. 20 c. 1 Pet. 1. 8. Rom. 14. 17. Quid enim jucundius quà m Dei Patris Domini reconciliatio quà m veritatis revelatio quà m errorum recognitio quà m tot retro criminum venia Quae major voluptas quà m faflidium ipsius voluptatis quà m seculi totius contemptus quà m vera libertas quà m conscientia integra quà m vita sufficiens quà m mortis timor nullus c Tert. de Spectac 29. Psal. 17. 8. 36. 7. 57. 1. 61. 4. 91. 4. Psal. 37. 24. 119. 117. Psal. 37. 23 31. 119. 133. Psal. 66. 9. Psal. 119. 45. Jam. 1. 25. Joh. 15. 14. Joh. 8. 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys. ad Theod. Matt. 11. 28. Isa. 26. 3. Ps. 119. 165. Prov. 28. 5 7. Trismeg Job 28. 28. Prov. 9. 10. 1. 7. Ps. 111. 10. Ps. 119. 34 99 104 130. Sen. Ep. 59. 1 Thess. 5. 3. Prov. 10. 29. August Prov. 25. 28. Isa. 57. 20. Prov. 3. 15. Psal. 37. 16. Prov. 10. 6. Deut. 28. 8. 30. 9. Psal. 84. 11. Eccles 8. 12. Isa. 3. 10. Ps. 128. 1 2. Prov. 8. 35. Prov. 12. 21. Rom. 8. 28. Prov. 10. 3. Prov. 13. 29. Ps. 34. 9 10. 33. 19. 37. 3 19. Psal. 33. 18. 34. 20. 112. 7. 37. 28. Ps. 91. 10 11. Ps. 37. 23 c. Prov. 3. 6. Prov. 11. 3 5. 16. 3. Psal. 37. 5. Psal. 1. 3. Joh 22. 28. Deut. 28. 8 12. Prov. 23. 18. Psal. 128. 2. Prov. 10. 24. Psal. 37. 4. Psal. 145. 19. Isa. 32. 17. Ps. 119. 165. Jam. 3. 18. Psal. 97. 11. Prov. 29. 6. Psal. 147. 3. Psal. 31. 24. 27. 14. Psal. 34 19. Psal. 37. 39. Psal. 37. 24. Psal. 37. 34. Prov. 22. 4. Ps. 112. 1 3. Prov. 28. 10. Job 36. 7. Job 36. 11. Prov. 14. 11. Prov. 10. 27. 9. 11. Prov. 3. 1 2 16. Prov. 10. 7 25. Psal. 37. 26. 112. 2. Exo. 20. 6. Prov. 12. 3. Prov. 11. 31. Deut. 28. 1. 7. 12. 11. 13. 2 Cor. 4. 17. Rom. 8. 18. 1 Pet. 5. 7. Phil. 4. 6. Heb. 13. 5. Matt. 6. 25. 1 Tim. 6. 17. 2 Pet. 1. 3. Matt. 6. 33. Rom. 8. 32. Rom. 8. 28. 1 Cor. 10. 13. Luk. 12. 33. 1 Pet. 1. 4. 2 Cor. 4. 17. 1 Pet. 1. 8. 4. 13. 1 Cor. 2. 9. Luk. 16. 8. Eph. 5. 8. 1 Thess. 5. 5. Joh. 12. 36. Matt. 5. 16. Eph. 5. 11. Ps. 119. 105. Isa. 59. 10. Job 5. 14. Deut. 28. 29. Prov. 4. 18 19. Prov. 13. 6. 11. 3 5. * Vid ennti aliquid extremum est error immensus est Sen. Ep. 16. Nihil est tam occupatum tam multiforme tot ac tam variis affectibus concisum atque laceratum quà m mala mens Quint. 12. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. Eth. 9. 6. Deut. 10. 12 13. Neh. 9. 13. Rom. 7. 12. Plut. in Sol. Prov. 18. 4. Chrysoft in Rom. 1. Or. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 27. 24. Prov. 27. 20. Eccles 10. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nâ—n tempestate vexor sed nauseâ Senec. de Tranq an 1. Rom. 14. 17. Matt. 11. 28. Isa. 26. 3. Mala mens cùm insidiatur spe curis labore distringitur jam cùm sceleris compos fuerit solicitudine poenitentiâ poenarum omnium exspectatione torquetur Quint. 12. 1. Nulla major poena nequitiae est quà m quòd sibi ac suis displicet Sen. Ep. 42. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat. de Leg. 5. Isa. 48. 22. 57. 20. Deus jussit it à est Sibi poena est omnis inordinatus animus Aug. Conf. Nisi sapienti sua non placent