to His greatnesse so wâ— should honour Him that whatsoever He hath commanded whether it seeme weightie or little all our obedience should be streight unto it These are Mr Dearings words i Heb. 1. vers 3. Lect. 2. Tranquillus domâ—â—us tranquillâ—â— omnia quietum assâ—â—ere quâ—escâ—re est Cal. â— adde this All the winds without though never so raâ—ing and boisterous shake not the earth which is of ordinary use If a man have peace within no matter what troublesome blasts without they shall not remove him 2. Here likewise is the kingdome of the winged Creatures where they have more scope then the greatest Monarch on the earth and more aire-roome then the ship hath sea-roome when it rideth on the widest Ocean And more secure these creatures are then we for their provision though they sow not neither do they reape nor carry into their barn for your heavenly Father feedeth them And doth He so even the young râ—ven a foâ—saken creature thrice mentioned in the sacred Scripture the more firmly to establish us in a providence for the Naturalists say the old raven forsaketh her young till they be feathered but our heavenly Father feedeth them how much more then those who trust in Him and roule themselves upon Him for provision They are of more worth then the ravens How great should be the securitie of the Righteous that the Lord will provide He will take care for their provision as He doth for their protection Oh be thou saith Chrysostome as secure as the birds k Aves sine paâ—â—iâ—onio vivâ—â—â— M. Faeâ—ix in sol p. 25. lin 1◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys ad â—op Ant. Hom. 12. are that thy heavenly Father will feed thee too Here also I mean in the aâ—rie regiment we see the great vessels of water rouling over our heads and it should be wonderfull in our eyes for we cannot understand the ballancing thereof He that upholdeth all things by His mighty power upholdeth the clouds and divideth a course for their rain making small the drops thereof so as they distill upon man abundantly and in a way of mercy He it is who maketh strong the bond of the cloud who gives it a retentive facultie whereby the water is bound up within it as with a swadling cloth for so we must resolve the Lords question Who l Job 36. 16. and 36 27. hath bound the waters in a garment Even thou â— Lord hast done it we know Thy Name and Thy Sonnes Name for thou art wonderfull m Prov. 30. 4. Isa 9. If the Lord should unloose this bond of the cloud this retentive facultie then would the water fall as through a floud-gate or from a spoute not breaking into drops but in one body with a resistlesse violence as sometimes our countrey-men have observed it when the violence of the waters fall hath laid the ridges of their land equall with the furrows But more ordinary the rain falls so amongst the Indians who call the falling thereof in that resistlesse manner The spoutes n Hist lib. 1. c. 7. § 6. So writeth Sr Walter Raleigh but the Scripture calleth it I think the great rain of His strength o Job 38. 6. And if it fall with such violence who then can abide the violâ— of Gods wrath Who can stand under the spoutes of His displeasure The wicked shall be driven before the tempest as the chaffe before the winde But to the matter in hand certain it is This clotheing the heavens with blacknesse and making sackcloth their covering p Esay 50. 3. This ballancing the clouds and binding the waters within them as within a garment thence making the water distill by drops all this must be taken notice of as the wonderous work of Him Who is perfect in knowledge q Job 37. 16. And upon the power of this Mighty Hand doth the faithfull soul stay it self Faith can never be at a stand for whether the Lord gives rain or restraineth it because of our back-slideing r Jer. 14. yet behold a glorious dependance faith limits not the holy One of Israel nor bindes Him to naturall meanes Å¿ Leg◠〈◊〉 Hex Hom. 5. p. 47. Who did make the earth to bring forth before He set the Sunne in the firmament or made it to rain and filled the valleys with water when there was neither winde nor clouâ— t 2. Kings 3. 3. Hence it is that the thunder is heard whereat the heart trembleth and is moved out of its place Job 37. 1. but the heart soon setleth again when the noise ceaseth for it hath learnt the reason thereof And yet it posed the heathen and almost made him cease from his own wisdome when he heard it thunder but saw no cloud x Hâ— â—arâ— 1. â—â— 3â— then it was the voice of the Lord sure and is it not the same voice though the cloud appeare and appeares never so thick and dark His voice it is and acknowledged so to be when it hath astonied the mighty Potentates of the earth as His lightenings have made their hearts to tremble like a needle removed from the loadstone or leafe in the forrest tosâ—ed with the winde For God thundereth wonderfully with the voice of His excellency great things doth He which we cannot comprehend Out of the midst of water the Lord fetcheth fire and scatters it into all the parts of the earth astonishing the world with the fearfull noise of that eruption And hard stones out of the midst of thin vapours y D Hall contemp creat I can say no more to it but some have trembled at the roaring of this voice and some have mocked but the mockers have been strook down dead in the place to teach us That with God is terrible Majestie and touching the Allmighty we cannot finde Him out But let us heare attentively the noise of His voice and the sound that goeth out of His mouth He directeth it under the whole heaven and His lightning unto the ends of the earth after it a voice roareth z Job 37. 23. 4. And here we may take notice of snow the a Voâ—a communâ—â— sunt nives diutiâ—as sedere tellus illo modo sementâ—scu Plin. nat Hist lib. 7. cap. 2. muck of the earth and of the hail which pruneth without a knife b Job 38. 22. but we cannot enter into their treasures even that is a knowledge too high for us c Dâ— Baâ—â— 2 day but this we know for the Lord hath spoken it He hath reserved these against the day of battell and warre d Verse 23. For more have been consumed by the fall of hailstones then by the dint of the sword e Jâ—sh 10. 11. that we may acknowledge touching the Almighty He is excellent in power and in judgement and in plenty of justice f Job 37 23. All these the lightning and the thunder the snow and the hail do whatsoever He commandeth them upon the
imployment the serving of God as becommeth with reverence and feare and then our selves and our brethren in love These are the services which must take up the whole day But more especially in the morning we are fittest for them when we are wholly our selves as the saying is The powers and faculties of the outward and inward man being awakened and refreshed But first we must addresse our selves to God and set our soules in order before Him that we may strengthen and perfume our spirits with some gracious meditations specially of the chiefe end and scope wherefore we live here and how every thing we do may be reduced and ordered to further the maine This is first to be done and a necessitie there is that it be done first else that which follows to be done will be done to little purpose It follows now That we consider briefly how we stand ingaged to this principall service even to â—all upon all to awake as the Prophet saith All without us and within us to return unto the Lord according as we have received and to give praise unto His Name for now praise is comely †1. It is He that kept us when we could not keep our selves He kept our houses which the watch did not keep from those who y Job 24. 16 17. marked them forth in the day-time Our security is as Noahs was in Gods shutting our doores He it was who preserved that spark of mankinde alive in the midst of the waters as the Father z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Tom. 5 Ser. 6. in medio elegantly for so we reade And the Lord shut him in a Gen. 7. 16. The Lord shut in our doores upon us also kept us in safety kept out danger else we had not been alive The destroying Angel I mean danger in any kinde waiteth but his commission from the Almighty and when he had it we heard what havock he makes From this destroyer the Lord kept us though our hearts were not so besprinkled as they should have been nor did we keep our selves according to our b Exod. 11. 22. See Mr Ainsw charge under the safe and secure protection of that Bloud as we should have done yet notwithstanding the Lord kept us The Lord is the great wing of our protection our castles towers houses doores chambers c. but the small feathers thereof These nothing without Him He All without them We may reade of c Athanasius Cenâ— 4. one who had a safe convoy himself alone through a troop of enemies five thousand in number all and every one appointed for his destruction And of another d H. 3 Charâ—oâ— we may reade murdered by a Monk when he lay entrenched with an Army of friends about him 40 thousand strong Safety is from on high from the Highest is our protection He is our Sun and shield He kept us this night which is now past But behold His goodnesse yet further He hath renewed the face of the earth unto us given us a new resurrection with the day lengthened and stretched out yet further our span of time renewing our strength and making us fresh like the Eagle crowning us with loving kindnesse and tender mercies such mercies as whereby our hearts are â—heered to see the light which thousands cannot say great reason we should call upon all to praise the Lord and this right early for now praise is comely †2. We must now every one to his work in his lawfull calling or to that which fitteth for the same if children we are not made as it is said of the Leviathan to take oâ—r pastimes in the world and to passe our dayes in vanity The Sun riseth and man goeth to his labour every man his severall way and in those severall wayes so many snares great cause to fence and guard our hearts and as was said to perfume our spirits from above that we may avoid these snares from below e The first fruits of our lips and hearts are to be offered unto God Am◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Why wilt thou suffer thine adversary to surprise thy castle or strong holds first in the morning Basil de jejunio p. 285. for we shall meet with them it is not possible to be otherwise We draw along with us such a concaâ—enation a chain of businesse as that we must needs be fettered and puzled with them if a gracious hand leade us not the way into them and help us out of them In the commerce betwixt man and man which drives the great trade of the world There sinne sticks as close as a naile sticketh betwixt the joyning of the f Ecclus. 27. 2. stones which consideration engageth us to feare alwayes and to walk close with God that our wayes may be established lest going beyond our brother in bargaining we exchange the favour of God for some poore advantage from the world †3. Now that we are going every man his way as the way of our calling leads us now we must know that God and He onely openeth our way to all our occasions leades us unto them and gives us an issue out of them we labour in the fire if God restrain His influence from above we may be early up and never the neare as the proverb is we may gather and put our gatherings in a broken bag Therefore as in all our gettings we must get wisdome so in all our wayes we must seek â—o and for wisdome so shall our wayes be established g Endeavour without prayer is presumption prayer without endevour is temptation It is the strength of the Almighties hand that inables us It is His wisdome that instructs us His blessing that crowns all with successe To Him we must go in all conditions of life for direction and guidance And in all our necessities for supply as being the fountaine and spring-head of every good and perfect gift Iam. 1. He that would obey well must seeke to God He subdueth the spirit and makes it subject He makes the mountaine â— valley and the rough way smooth He that would governe well must seeke to Him He gave Salomon an understanding heart 1 King 3. 12. He that would carry himselfe valiantly in a just quarrell must seek to God as that victorious h Ante bellum in oratione jacuit ad belâ—um de oratione surrexit priusquam pugnam manu capesseret supplicatione pugnaâ—it Salv. dâ—gâ—bâ—â— lib. 7. p. 251. Commander did who alwayes rose from off his knees to go to fight for He teacheth our hands to warre and our fingers to fight Psal 18. 34. He that would have understanding and knowledge in his Trade must binde himself a servant unto God for He enableth us this way Exod. 31. 3. And this we must know for our incouragement That there is no greater glory no not to His Angels then that they serve before Him If the husband-man would k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Strom. lib.
Maâ— lib. 1. â—â— 37. So strong a naturall affection hath been and so able to endure wrongs and to right them with good which is our rule and contrary to former customes l Isid Pâ—lus lib. 3. epist 126. 1 Cor 4. 12. 13. â—â—ge Chrys ad Pop. Ant. 〈◊〉 Hom. 9. ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pluâ— de Frat. Am. wins the Crown or garland Grace is stronger then Nature it rivets and joynes men together like twin members eyes hands and feet or like twigs on the same root or stalke which stick alwayes together But especially if we suppose two persons communicating together at the Table of the Lord we must needs grant that in this Communion they see that which will reconcile implacablenesse it self for there they see a free offer of grace and peace not onely to an enemie once but to exmitie it self an infinite debt cancell'd a transgressour from the wombe an infinite transgressour since yet accepted to mercy This will beget again a love to God and to the most implacable enemy for Gods sake thoughts of this will swallow up the greatest injuries If our thoughts be upon the Ten thousand talents we cannot possibly think of requiring the hundred pence this Chrysostome m Vol. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Lege Chrysost in cap. 8. ad Rom. Hom. 14. p. 206 presseth very fully and usefully in his first sermon upon that parable or debtor We must remember alwayes that much love will follow as an effect from the cause where many sinnes are forgiven n Luke 7. 47. Matth. â—8 33 We cannot but think on the equitie of this speech and how inexcusable it must leave an implacable man I forgave thee all thy debt shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servants The summe is and our rule I must love my friend in Christ and my enemie for Christ Catechismes are large here and helps many and it is hard to meet with new meditations on so old a subject handled so fully and usefully by many but His good spirit leade thee by the hand who leades unto all truth It remains onely that I give some satisfaction to a question or two these they are But how if I finde not these graces Repentance faith charitie to be in me how then May I go to this Table or go I as a worthy Communicant A weighty Question this of high and universall concernment For he or she that eats and drinks unworthily are guilty of the Body and Bloud of the Lord o 1. Cor. 11. 27. The guilt of bloud lieth upon them Now the Lord ever puts a price upon bloud even upon the bloud of beasts upon the bloud of man much more upoÌ„ that bloud that was shed for man how great a price being the bloud of God and the price of souls So then we must be well advised what we do For if we spill mans bloud as God forbid we should for bloud cries yet if we would we have another bloud to cry unto which cries for mercy but if we spill this Bloud and tread it under foot what then whither then shall we flie for mercy when with our own hands we have plucked down our Sanctuary We spill we cast away our right pretious medicine We must then be well advised what we do and be humbled very low for what we have done even to girding with sackcloth and wallowing in dust p Jer. 6. 26. For who is he that may not say even in this case Deliver me from bloud guiltinesse O Lord the God of my salvation q And blessed be God even the God of our salvation that we can in His Name go to bloud for pardon of this crimson sinne even the spilling of His Bloud for so three thousand did before us r Acts 2. And written it is for our example For when the stain of This Bloud was fresh on their hands and hearts too yet being pricked at their hearts for it even for the shedding of that Bloud they cryed to that Bloud and were pardoned And so having premised this I come to the question which hath two branches and so shall have a double answer briefly first to the first branch Quest 1 If these graces be wanting may I go Answ It is not safe If thy case be so wanting upon the ballance thou mayest more safely go to other ordinances for supply others there are appointed by God to cast down the loose and presumptuous as this serves to raise up the humble to nourish the faithfull Soul For tell me what communion hath a proud haughty person with an humbled Lord What hath an unbroken heart to do with a broken Christ What relish can a dead man take in the sweetest dainties What pardon can an implacable man expect from the Lord who paid our debt to the utmost farthing What comfort can that soul fetch from seeing bloud poured out for him who cannot at least poure out his soul in confessions before Him Answer thy self at this point for if I answer I must needs say though to the confusion of my own face that certainly there is required of every communicant that there be some Analogie proportion conformitie or agreement betwixt our hearts the frame of them and the great duty or imployment we are upon I mean thus That we bring mortified lusts before a crucified Lord a bruised spirit before a broken Body a soul fitly addressed to such a feast Some drops of mercy in a free and full forgivenesse of trespasses against us before such an Ocean of mercy swallowing up the guilt of so many trespasses against Him And surely though I define nothing at this point yet truth there is in what I say For I remember Chrysostome saith Å¿ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Disciplâ—â— onely are to come to this holy Table such who are taught from Christs mouth and live according to what they are taught And the danger of not being such an one and yet coming to this feast is certainly very great too for the Father addes in that same place t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he would rather suffer his own heart bloud to be spilt then that he would give the bloud of Christ to a man of unclean hands of an impure life and known so to be to an unworthy Communicant and discovered to come unnworthily u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If the danger be such in giving then much more is the danger great in Receiving though indeed an impenitent person cannot be said properly to receive Christ but rather to reject Him But yet in proprietie of our speech we say he receives whereas so none can do truly and properly but a Disciple Therefore the Father resumes it again saying he must be a Disciple that comes to this feaâ—t If not I give and he receives but it is a sharp sword in stead of bread x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mâ—tt 26. Hom 83. â—â— Quest 2. Answ So
strong windy night kept from being extinct when as we often see in many that a little cold comes but in at a little cranney and blowes their Candle out as Iob speakes Thus hath God kept thee and as it were in His hand carryed thee And in thy way how hath He crowned thee with His goodnesse and filled thy yeares with comforts so as they are more innumerable then are the Minutes of thy life Only thus thou must summe them up in the grosse That whatever comfort thou hast had in thy life time from Him thou receivedst it who puts in all the Sugar and delight we finde in or from the Creature as Ayre lights not without the Sunne nor wood heats without fire so neither can any condition comfort without God and with Him every condition is comfortable though seemingly never so discomfortable for He moderateth the discomfort it is like thou hast found it so so as we are not swallowed up of sorrow and He fashioneth the heart to that disconsolate condition and that condition to the heart so much it is very likly thou hast found also and it requires thy sad and serious consideration But more especially this thou must consider what have been the effects and fruits of all this goodnesse What thou hast returned to the Lord for all these All these what are these Nay it is not possible to reckon them up They that keepe a Register of Gods mercies some doe cannot set downe all the Receits of one Day much lesse of all their dayes so great is the summe of every particular day that we cannot reckon up the specialties thereof and call them by their names as God doth the Starres But put it to the Question and let thy heart make answer before him who tryeth the heart and searcheth the reines and will bring every secret thing to judgment The Oyle and radicall Balsome of thy life we spake of hath it been fuell to thy Thankfulnesse or hath it increased the fire of thy lusts Thou hast been preserved and delivered so long and so miraculously as thou hast heard and seene How hath Gods patience and longsuffering wrought upon thee Hath it brought thee nearer to repentance and so nearer to God Or hath thine heart been hardned thereby because sentence against an evill worke is not presently Eccles 8. 11. executed So as with that stubborne people whose sonnes and daughters naturally we are thou mayst say I have been delivered to doe more abominations Ierem. 7. 10. Thou hast had mercies upon mercies they have been new unto thee every morning and for thy Sorrowes they have been mitigated too and so mixed that there was much mercy in them many ingredients of comfort to take of the sharpnesse and allay the bitter relish thereof What strong workings hast thou found herefrom How hast thou been inclined to love the Lord for His goodnesse to feare Him for His Mercies How hast thou been melted thereby to obedience and engaged upon his Service Aske thy selfe againe for in that Method we went Thou hast two hands another hath but one or perhaps none what more worke hast thou done Thou hast a Tongue and the use of the same there is another thou knowest who hath a Tonguâ— but speakes not wherein hast thou glorified thy Maker more then the other hath done Thou hast two eyes thy Neighbour is darke Aske the same question over againe For as it was said of him who was borne blind So it was that the workes of God Iohn 3. 9. should be made manifest in him So we may say we have our eyes eares tongues hands which others have not That we might the more ptaise the Lord for His goodnesse and declare His workes toward the children of men These are the questions but upon the point it is but this single question and the very same and to the same purpose which the King makes to that I doe allude touching Mordecay What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecay Esther 6. 3. for this So let this be the question What honour what service hath been done to the Lord He hath so honoured thee he hath so served thee he hath so and so preserved thee from the Paw of the Lyon and jaw of the beare so delivered thee Through his strength thou didst leap over such a wall He brought thee out of such a strait He supported thee in such weaknesses He supplyed thee in such a Wildernesse He gave successe to thee in such businesses What shall I say for we are confounded here He is the God not of some but of all consolations the Father of mercies And we can no more number them then we can the drops of the raine or of the dew or the Treasures of the snow and haile but we know who is the Father of them and out of whose Bowels these mercies come whereby thou hast been fed all thy life long and redeemed from evill we know the price of them too the very least of them is the price of bloud What honour hath been done for all this What peculiar Service that 's the single question If now thy heart make answer as we read in the foregoing place There is nothing done no peculiar service at all instead of being the Temple of His praise thou hast been the grave of His mercies They have been buried in thee they have brought forth no fruits if this be the answer of thy heart and so it condemne thee the Lord is greater then our hearts He will condemn much more And therefore it is high time to look into the Register of Gods mercies into the books of record And if these mercies have laine as things cast aside and of no account as dead things out of minde if so long and to this day forgot then now it is high time that thy rest should be troubled and sleep should not come into thy eye till thou hast looked over this Register and recorded the mercies of the Lord and so pressed them on thy conscience That it may answer out of a pure heart that something at the length is done some sacrifice of praise and thanks is returned to the Lord for all this This is the first thing to be done now and it is high time to do it Considering the season It is supposed that gray haires are upon thee here and there they are sugared now and like the hoary frost The Almond tree flourisheth thou art in the winter of thine age It is high time now to look about thee and to consider That is the first ground of consideration 2. That time is hasting whose portion and burden from the Lord is but labour and sorrow And then though we have time for our day lasteth while life lasteth yet no time to do any thing in it to purpose for then the Grasse hopper is a burden So I make two periods of this age And each a ground to presse on unto a timely consideration The one I call
OF THE CHILDS PORTION viz GOOD EDUCATION By E. W. OR The Book of the Education of Youth that hath for some yeers lain in obscurity but is now brought to light for the help of Parents and Tutors to whom it is recommended BY Will Goudge D. D. Edm Calamy John Goodwin Joseph Caryll Jer Burroughs William Greenhill Psal 34. 11. Deut. 12. 28. Come ye children hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord that it may go well with you and with your children after you for ever when thou dost that which is good and right in the sight of the Lord thy God Chrysost As our Seminaries or seed-plots are such are the Land and Nation As the Parents house and school are such are the Town and City Printed at LONDON and are to be sold by Tho Vnderhill at the signe of the Bible in Woodstreet 1649. VVEE whose names are under-written well acquainted with the scope and purpose of this Book Tending to an orderly proceeding in a well-Timed Reformation of our selves first and our children betimes do give our attestation thereunto heartily and in all faithfulnesse Edm Calamy John Goodwin Joseph Caryll Jer Burroughes Will Greenehill THE PREFACE SHEWING the necessitie and worth of a vertuous education and may serve as an introduction to Dutie OUr great Advancer of Learning noteth an opinion of Aristotle which is this a Lib. 7. p. 375. In English Book 2. p. 263. That of those things which consist by nature nothing can be changed by custome using for example That if a stone be thrown up tenne thousand-times it will not learne to ascend and that by often seeing and hearing we doe not see or heare the better That Noble Scholler noted this for a negligent opinion so he cals it I know not why because the Philosopher doth instance in Peremptory nature and he took pains to informe us touching the same It is true saith he In things wherein nature is Peremptory Man cannot make massie bodies to hang in the Aire like Meteors he cannot make an Oxe to flye That which is crooked saith the wise man b Eccles 1. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man cannot make straight There is a Peremptory bent of nature which man cannot turne no more then he can turne back a Spring-tide or a Rushing winde This is a worke for Him and peculiar to Him Who turned Iâ—rdan back Who made the Iron Swimme Makes the Clouds those massie bodies to hang in the Aire as if they had no weight Who makes Mountaines Vallies and rough things even Raiseth children of stones stony hearts and made dry Bones live And the Parents worke in this case is to sit still I meane not any slacking of their endeavour that is to goe into his closet and spread this Peremptory bent of nature he sees in his Childe or not subdued in himselfe as the King the Letter before the Lord c â— King 19. 14. and to say it is Luthers Counsell d Poenitendum mihi praecipis sed talis sum ego miser quod sentio me nolle â—eque posse quare tuis prostratus pedibus c. Concio de poentent Anno Dom. 1518. Here is an Heart that cannot turn that will not turne turne it Lord it is Thy Worke Thine onely Turne it as Thou didst the Rivers in the South Thus where Nature is Peremptory and what we are to do in that case Nothing but look up to Him Who caused the Sunne to goe back and so the shadow in the Diall But it is otherwise in things wherein nature admitteth a latitude for we may see that a straight glove will come more easily on with use And that a wand will by use bend otherwise then it grew and by use of the voice we speak lowder and stronger and that by use of induring heate and cold we indure it the better e See a Treatise of Vse and Custome p. 26. and 39. and 69. And here in the God of Nature Who onely can change Nature and supply what man cast away and is wanting would have Man active and stirring and admits him as a fellow-worker with Himselfe By this I would gaine but thus much That I might evince the necessitie of a vertuous education and inhance the worth of the same I meane that we might set a price upon it and no ordinary one neither It were an easie taske here to enter into a common place and to give a Laudative hereof which would fill the margent and the lines Sufficeth it to know first f Reade Hist of the World first Book 4. Chap. Sect. 11. p. 14. Quint. de claris Oraâ— Isocrat Areopag 217. in sol That Nothing after Gods reserved power doth so much set things in or out of Square and Rule as education doth Secondly That we have no other means to recover our sickly and crasie nature I know my words are too short but I mean not in things that are high concerning God for in them she is not sick but dead no other meanes to pull it out of the Rubbish of Adams and of our own Ruins and to smooth over the face of it againe beautifying the same and making it comely no other means I say left us then to apply the Georgicks g p. 236. of the minde as that Noble Scholler Phraseth it he means the husbandry and Tillage thereof The effects we see in the husbanding our grounds and they are great and admirable The good Tillage of the minde produceth as great effects and concerneth man more as he thinks himselfe of more worth then a clod of earth It hath such a forcible operation as hardly any length of time or contention of labour can countervaile it afterwards we remember the old saying the truth whereof is more ancient then is the verse Ingenuas didicisse fideliter artes c. This Culture and manurance of the minde taketh away the wildnesse and barbarisme and fiercenesse of mens mindes it subdueth savage and unreclaimed desires But then as the great Scholler noteth also The accent had need be upon fideliter h p 82 that is The Culture and manurance of the minde must not be superficiall We deale not so with our ground but it must be laboured in faithfully heartily coÌ„tinually so the husbandman doth in his ground it findes him work all the yeer long And he doth his work throughly he doth not plant here a spot and there a plat of ground but he tils the ground all over that what he can and as the nature of the ground is capable he may make all fruitfull And so we must intend this businesse as we would that thing which concerns the Parent and the Childe more then anything in the world besides yea more then a World is worth Being confident of this That all things by labour and industry may be made better then Nature produced them And that God so ordained it That the industry of man should concurre in all things with
have any thing else what it will it is at its own choice and then we know What it will chuse that which will most hurt it self in the end so provident the childe is ever carelesse of to morrow prodigall of the present And yet it is commonly left to such a self-pleasing humour that it is sensible of every restraint so that it goes neere to think its girdle and garters to be bonds and shackles It s palate is better instructed also then its mouth so that it can make better choice of dishes then of words 2. And now we may easily reade without the book what hurt this fondnes doth this strange cockering of children It is a strange expression I shall use but the experience of twenty yeers tells me it is true the devill doth not so much hurt I know he will do as much hurt as he is suffered to do to the very utmost extent of his chain but so much hurt he doth not to poore children as doth this fond indulgence It choaks their naturall parts otherwise very Corperis cura mentem obruerunt Quintâ— l 1. ca. 11. good and hopefull so that no more can reasonably be exspected from them then from a marish ground we know what grows there It undoes the family Town and City A foolish pity may we call it rather a cruell pity like yvie it kils and makes barren the tree that it embraceth or like the ape it killeth the young with hugging them it lets the childe rather sink under water then it will hold it up by the haire of the head for fear of hurting it Indulgence is the very engine of the Devill like that I have read of made See Hist of the world B. 5. Ch. 4. Sect. 10. p. 532. onely to torment poore creatures with those very Arms which opened towards them as it were for embracement The experience of all ages tells us that this indulgent cockering hath turned many children up the hill or the Caus de â—loq li. 3. ca 8. hedge to beggery or worse And hence their complaints the same now as we reade they were in Cyprians dayes a Parentes nostros sensimus paâ—ricidas Illud grave quod iâ— aeternitate jugulabit Salv. ad â—â—cl li. 2. â— Our Fathers and Mothers have proved our murtherers soul-murtherers worse then they who murther the body as Chrysost saith usefully in his 3. book of Monastick life Chap. 4. 3. We have seen this strange humour of cockring what it is and whence it groweth what mischief it causeth These considerations following may help and fortifie us against so destroying an evill The first is 1. Then parents take aready way to rob themselves of their children when they idolize them and dote upon them The heart shoâ—ld be kept as a chaste Virgin espoused to one husband That should lie closest there which can satisfie the creature cannot there is a vanity upon it no more then ashes or the East-winde can satisfie the stomack till the soul be pointed to God as the needle to the North Pole it is still in a shaking trembling posture much like an inhabitant in the Land of Nod still as the waves of the sea in agitation Gen. 4. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrys Ibid. Agitatio vexatio Trem. tossed between hope and fear for being turned from God to the creature it lies open as a faire mark for every incomfortable accident to strike it at the heart for from thence the heart shall finde the sorest griefes where it placed its chiefest joy and contentment being not placed where it should be in God that which we make our God besides the true one that will prove our tormentor the heart and the creature do close together too well and agree they do as two friends too inwardly as if they could fill up and satisfie each other whereas the better agreement there was and the more compleate riviting of the one with the other the more falling out and bitternesse there will be when the parting day comes which we must look will be quickly if we set up the gift in our heart instead of the giver certainly if God loves us He will hide from us this idoll which we so much dote upon He feeleth the pulse of our affection where it beateth most strongly and to what part the humour is carried most fully and eagerly and there we shall certainly bleed for He can strike us in the right veine If a Parent be inordinate in his affection if his Ioseph and his heart lie like a bundle close wrapt up together then it is very likely that Ioseph must leave his Father that the Parent may learn to sacrifice the childe in affection which is the readiest way to keep the childe for commonly it fals out that the Lord snatcheth away that comfort which we made such store of locking it up too close Peter saw the glory of Christ in His transfiguration It is Luk. 9. 33 34. very observeable that while Peter was speaking of building Tabernacles for some continuance a cloud over-shadowed them and they feared If God shew us that which doth content and please us we would presently build Tabernacles upon these outward comforts I meane the heart would settle and fix upon them it is so good being with these comforts but now while we are projecting and providing for this continuance then commonly comes some cloud and over-shadows this comfort and sometimes then when we are but speaking and thinking of it then the cloud comes and then follow feares In the story of Ionah it is read That the Lord God prepared a Gourd that it might be a shadow over Ionahs head and deliver him from his griefe So Chap. 4. Ionah was exceeding glad of the gourd Exceeding glad marke that I pray you and that which follows But God prepared a Worme the very next morning and it smote the gourd that it withered The Lord is graciously pleased to grant unto us some comforts here whereby to sweeten our sorrows and to refresh us in our weary pilgrimage But if we shall be exceeding glad of them being but of the same nature and constitution as was Ionahs gourd then look we to it for then commonly the Lord is preparing a worme which will quickly smite that gourd so that it shall wither and then which is next to be considered †2. We shall be troubled as much at the withering of our gourd as we were joyed before in the having of it which was Ionahs case exceeding glad of our gourds exceeding Quicquid mirabere pones invitus Hor. epist lib. 1. 10. sorrowfull and disconsolate at the smiting and withering of the gourds It ever follows by the rule of proportion b Ipse ut lâ—titiae ita maeroris immodicus egit Tacit. Of Nero burying his beloved daughter Augusta An. 15. Psal 30. 6 7. We are apt to thinke that our gourds do cast a greater shadow then indeed they do
or can And answerable is our delight in them and our sorrow for them when they wither Therefore we should know what ever our mountaine or gourd is I meane our comfort in what kinde soever it is Gods favour His influence through it that gives strength unto it and us comfort in it And if He withdraw His favour and restraine His influence as doubtlesse He will if we are too confident of our setling and firme standing thereon as if we could never be mooved then trouble follows and the more our trouble will be the stronger our confidence was and our contentment in the same It is the greatnesse of our affections which causeth the sharpnesse of our afflictions They that love too much will alwaies grieve too much a The presence of a comfort is not more comfortable then will be the absence thereof grievous If we suffer the childe that is the creature we are now upon to shoot too farre into our hearts when the time of severing cometh we part with so much of our hearts by that rent Oh how good is it and how great a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz epist 125. point of wisedome to carry the creature as we do a loose garment apart and loose from the heart easily parted with That when God calls for it as He may with more libertiâ— then we may fetch our childe from nurse yet we take libertie there we may willingly part with it saying here Lord thou gavest it to me Thou maist fetch it from me Blessed be thy name in taking as in giving The Heathen gives a Rule and it is of easie construction Love so as thou maist hate Ama tanquam osurus That is Love your friend so that if hatred should grow betwixt you yet no hurt can follow for you have not so unbrested and opened your self unto him that he can hurt you It is a good rule for a Parent Love thy childe so as one Amatanquam amissurus that is parting with it That is love thy childe so that if thou losest it yet thou doest not lose thy treasure nor thy heart Thou hast not so opened thy self towards it nor is it laid up so close Then thou canst be content with thy losse and submit to His mightie hand That tooke it from thee He was a wise Heathen and one instruction from him comes double to a Christian I kisse my childe to day and then I think it may M. Aâ—â— Aâ—â— Med. lib. 11. 21. 30. p. 148. be dead to morrow It is ominous some will say No that remembrance keeps it loose and apart from the heart and the surer in our possession whereas the common conceits and opinions that our comforts shall not be taken from us nor we moved are as one saith the common lamiae or bug-beares of the world the cause of our trouble and sorrow That we may not be carried by conceits and opinions our desire should be the same that Agurs was That God Prov. 30. Soules conflict pag. 48. would remove from us vanitie and lyes That is from a vain and false apprehension pitching upon things that are vaine and lying and promising that contentment to our selves from them which they cannot yeeld Confidence in vaine things makes a vaine heart and fills it with sorrow for vexation ever follows vanitie when vanitie is not apprehended to be where it is This the second consideration The third this †3. That childe whom we do inordinately set our hearts upon doth seldome or never answer our wished for expectations no not in any measure As the Parent hath widened and opened his heart towards it in a largenesse of expectation and hope so doth that childe commonly contract straiten and close up it self towards the Parent God doth often strike that childe of whom we fondly conceive the greatest hope with the greatest barrennesse Cain proves lighter then vanity and Abel a possession I have observed and much I have observed when the parent hath carelesly neglected one childe and like the ape hugged and fondly cockered another I have observed too that the hated childe proved fruitfull and the fondling barren and withall that childe which the parent did tender most regarded the parent least God ever shortens our account when we reckon without Him and as He commonly blasteth our bold and confident attempts so doth He wither extraordinary hopes in earthly things That we may open our mouthes wide towards Him that can fill them We may note the connexion we finde Gen. 29. 30 31. Iacob loved Rachel more then Leah When the Lord saw that He made Rachel barren The more love the more barrennesse To make differences betwixt childe and childe is not safe a Gen. 37. 3 4. Accedebat invidia quod mater promptior Neroâ—â— esset Tacit. An. 4. 13. It causeth great differences and to make fondlings of any is a dangerous presage That this fondling is the childe who will prove as a barren soile like a parched heath or a salt land I could wish that were the worst It is commonly much worse for which is the last consideration 4. It commonly falls out That the childe we so doted upon proves the heaviest crosse That 's the childe commonly which like a backe winde hastens the Parent to the pit making him speake in very bitternesse of soule Why dyed Job 3. 11. it not from the wombe c. They whose experience is but as yesterday can tell us That the bloudy knife it is Mr. Boultons expression of Parents unconscionable and cruell Direct p. 19 20. negligence in training up of their children religiously doth stick full deepe in their souls Nay they can tell us more then so even that these childreÌ„ so loosely train'd up have cut their parents hearts with sorrow yea and their throats too they have stuck the knife in their own parents bowels such bloudie and unnaturall acts might be instanced in and urged I shall onely relate three examples two whereof fell under mine own observation I could relate two and twentie so ordinary they are as we in our way finde them the third example is extraordinary and yeelds a sad story The first was the mothers onely childe therefore her darling as fondly handled by her and disordered as we need imagine To schoole he came that he might be out of the dirt So the rod was spared the mother had her desire and expectation The childe proved accordingly not answerable to the mothers hope but very answerable to her manner of breeding About a yeere after the childe angred the mother and the mother struck the childe he runs to the fire and up with the fire forke and at the mother he makes at least he threatned The mother hastens to me as much displeased with the childe as ever before she was pleased with it It was well for the childe for it made him stand in awe though in no great feare of the mother More depends on it but I must
not set it down we have as much from it as we need to make use of The mother would not have her childe struck with a rod to let out his folly the childe offers to strike the mother with a fire forke Such was the Retaliation and so just 2. Another there was and the mother had the same humour and much like was the issue at the first but since much worse for she would have sent this sonne to the remotest Ilands any where so he were on ship-board that would keep him in compasse which a prison did not or out of her sight But of him no more for he did not live out halfe his dayes his intemperance kill'd him and they say he dyed penitent We have enough from this example also whereof to make much use which is this That childe the Parent so dotâ—th upon that he would not have it out of his sight nor willingly suffer the winde to blow on it is the childe that will be an eye-sore and the hearts griefe unto whom the Parent is most likely to say Stand out of my sight thou art a griefe unto me the greatest that can be thought of 3. The third is as followeth a short relation but full of bitternesse as I finde it in Austin Sermon 33. Where thus we reade There was one Cyrillus a man mightie both in word and work but a very indulgent father One son he had and but one Ad fâ—atres in Eremo and because but one he must have his will he must not feele the rod he must not be crossed He might have what he would and do with it what he listed he tooke his libertie and more More then an inch was given him he tooke an â—ll as Indulgent sibi latiùs Iuven the manner of youth is that will not satisfie which the Parent allowes though that may be too much He might have money and he might spend it how he listed Plautus tells us we may more safely put a knife into a childes hand then money And he that allowes the childe money least the childe be put to base shifts will allow the Parent to stint the childe and to call it to account where and how it spent its allowance But this childe gave no account either of his purse or time he might go forth and return when he pleased such libertie he had and so left to himselfe We Prov. 24 15. read on in the story That he brought his mother to shame But those words are too short We read more then so even that the Divell did rule mightily in that childe of disobedience for thus we read This childe came home drunke and in the day time he violently and shamefully abused his mother great with childe he killed his father out right and wounded two sisters mortally Hereupon so it is related a great assembly was called That all Parents hearing so sad and weeping a Tragedy might for ever beware of this loose and sottish indulgence which breeds the childes ruine and the Parents woe These are the considerations and because they are of such importance we will give the summe of them which is this 5. If our affections be too in ordinately set upon any earthly thing it commonly causeth a losse of the thing so doted upon if Ioseph lye to close to the Parent Ioseph shall be hid from the Parent 2. Then the sorrow will be as much in losing as the comfort was in possessing in an even proportion 3. Or if the childe be not hid yet comfort shall be hid There will be barrennesse 4. And then a crosse follows perhaps a curse we may make a recognition of what was last said in these words God provideth some Gourdes to refresh us in our Pilgrimage we must not be exceeding glad of them That were to set up the Gift as an Idoll in the heart and to shut forth the Giver and if so then God prepares a worme He withers the Gourd and then that very root which yeelded so much sweet before yeelds so much sower after for as our gladnesse did exceed so will our trouble be exceeding when the thing we tooke so much comfort in is withered Or if not so then worse theâ— so for that so indulged comfort proves commonly a crosse it is the very root of gall and bitternesse the very stock on which commonly the Lord doth graft the sorest misery and sharpest sorrow Look we then to our affections that they be not too exceeding and exorbitant Remembring still That affections set at liberty are like children left to themselves they will make us ashamed and worke our sorrow I conclude with Mr. Boltons words if they be well considered they will be as Banks to turn our affections back and hold them in that they do not over-flow their just bounds Our Righteous and holy God when He sees the current of His Direct p. 216. creatures affections to be carryed inordinately and preposterously from the Fountaine of living waters upon broken cisterns that can hold none from the bottomlesse treasury of all sweetest beauties dearest excellencies amiable delights upon painted shadows from the Rock of eternitie upon a staffe of Reed I meane from the Creator upon the creature He wisely and seasonably in the equitie of His justice and out of the jealousie of His own Glory Nay it may be said in the sweetnesse of His mercy also takes away that earthly Idoll that the occasion of such irregular affection removed He may draw the heart in which He principally takes pleasure to his own Glorious selfe the onely load-starre of all sanctified love and boundlesse Ocean of happinesse and blisse So much to the first extreame but too little to make it know a measure The Lord teach us here for to Him we Joel 2. 25. looke who can restore the yeers that the Locusts have eaten the Canker-worme and the Catterpillar So can He also all the harmes and losses which we have caused to our children by our extreame folly or bloudy negligence Assuredly these harmfull Beasts that Northern Army do not so much Joel 2. 20. hurt and prejudice the field as our indulgence doth our harvest of hopes which yet we looke to reape from ours The Lord pardon our iniquitie and adde more grace The other extreame follows hurtfull also but not so hurtfull 2 There is a fiercenesse in our nature as farre from knowing a meane as the other for it is another extreame Whence it ariseth for I follow the same method as in the other needs not our enquiry A fruit of corrupted nature it is and a distemper thereof and in distempers we neither know a meane nor can distinguish of persons We fling about us in distempers whether childe or servant is before us all are one while we are in the drunkennesse of passion It is not to be doubted but this distemper is to be found in Parents And we may note That they who are most indulgent are if provoked as they
of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vallum aut claustrum dentium thy teeth imploying thereby and teaching That our teeth are set not so much to chew our meat as for a trench wall or double pale of Ivory about our tongue to restrain compresse and stop our words lest we utter them rashly before right reason and judgement have given a worthy passe unto them †5. We must consider also that we must give an account Esi aliquid quod ex magno viro vel tacente proficias Aliquis vir bonâ—s eligendus ante oculos habendus ut sic tanquam illo spectante vivamus Seâ— Epis 11. leg Cl. Alex. Pâ—d l. 3. c. 5. â— Strom. l. 7. 523. 2. Chro. 16. 9. count of every idle word and that to Him who seeth not as man seeth therefore set we our selves still as in His presence the maine and chief help The Heathen man would say It were good for a young man to think some sage and grave Cato were at his elbow over looking his actions and hearing his words that would awe him How much more then should the eye of the Lord awe us which runnes too and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalfe of them whose heart is perfect towards Him That 's very moving which Laban said to Iacob we are now upon parting no man is with us here is none to witnesse what hath passed betwixt us but this heap and that is but a dead remembrancer but the Lord watch between me and thee when we are absent one from another if thou shalt do so and so no man is with us see God is witnesse betwixt me and thee Nothing should so much awe us as that God is witnesse of our words if we consider he doth watch over us we will make our watch strong and not lightly offend with our mouth And so much to teach us silence till we know how to speak The brief of that which concerns the instruction of the child is but this short lesson Suffer not thy childe to speak vainly much lesse wickedly where-to it is very prone Loose words will quickly produce loose actions a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cl. Pâ—â—d l. 2. c. 6. Therefore give not liberty to much babling there will be much folly a sea of words as the proverbe is but not one drop of reason b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stro. l 1. p. 205. and it leadeth to a very bad custome Remember the Preachers lesson Speak * Eccles 327. young man if there be need of thee that 's the Rule to judge when speech is better then silence and yet scarcely when thou art twice asked If then it be a daughter let her words be answers silence d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paed. lib. 2. is a womans virtue and there is no danger * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sâ—rom l. 2. p. 285. there So she may learn to open her mouth with wisedome e Prov. 31. 26. and then she shall have joy by the answers of her mouth for a word spoken in due season how good is it f Prov. 15. 23. 7 A parent must look to it that an oath be not heard from the mouth of a childe he will learn it sooner then he will his prayers From his mouth it is like a word clothed with g Eccles 23. 1â— death Here the Father is as he is in every thing very exemplary the childe must honour the father and the father owes a reverence to the childe h Maxima debetur puâ—ris reverâ—ntia Juven the elder sort must carry themselves reverently before youth and in this point very circumspectly or else there is no hope but that the childe will practise as he heares and sees Therefore our Lords prohibition must hold in the parent else the childe will be loose and runne out Sweare not at i Matth 5. 34. all not at all willingly but forced by k Vel authorâ—â—ate dâ—ferentis vel dâ—â—iâ—ie non credeâ—tis authority or incredulity not at all rashly or lightly not at all by the creature we cannot make the least that is and if we use any thing in a vain and light manner whereby God hath made Himself known to man we take His name in vain and we know what follows I cannot but remember how often that golden-mouthed Father warnes the people of Antioch That they sweare not that they beware of oathes It is the close almost of every Homily And in one place he speaks very plainly and to a childes capacity Away away with this wicked custome of oaths and let us give but so much honour to Gods Name as we do unto our best clothes it is our manner to reserve them for solemne times for speciall service Good friends let us not so farre contemne our own souls and their everlasting welfare as that we use the terrible Name of God more dishonourably then we will our clothes So that Father All meanes must be taken whereby Hâ—m 9 â— the childe may conceive the Name of God aright to be as it is dreadfull and terrible And lesser things must be avoided though they were not evill in themselves to prevent an evill whereto they lead Our Lords following words yeeld us our lesson Let your communication be yea yea nay nay I think of the Fryars note here it is a good one When the heart saith yea then the tongue must say yea that is yea yea and when the heart saith nay then the tongue must say nay that is nay nay a Quod â—ffiâ—matis nude â—ffirmâ—tis quod negatis nudè negeâ—â—â— Bezaes note is to that very purpose What ye do affirme ye must affirm heartily clearly without reservation a Popish sleight b Latebra perjurio Cic li. 3. pag. 143. Quae dixeris jurasse puta in all sincerity and what ye do deny deny it so too An c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isid Pâ—lus l. 2. Ep. 146. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. 7. p. 527 528. honest mans word is as good as his oath of more credit For a man to use his faith and troth two ordinarie words sheweth a man hath no credit for he sets his jewels to pawne if he had faith indeed or truth either or knew how pretious they were he would not be so lavish of them Yea. yea must be enough Nay nay sufficient unlesse the cause be weighty and before a Iudge as was said and if so to a parent much more to a childe Assuredly for Christ hath said it Whatsoever is more then these cometh of evill †8. And here I do not hold it any impertinency to teach the childe for the Fathers sake as before to hold his tongue till he hath examined his words and their errand so here to give words their weight that being spoken they meant what they said A wise man lookes * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. Iliad â— before he
losse in the principalls A consideration which may assure us that we are buâ— men fraile decaying men and minde us of that state where is constancy and to seek Him who is fulnesse and onely satisfies Here below our comforts and refreshments lie scattered some here some there some in this some in that we go to the fire for some to the cup board for other some to the â—isterne of water for other but they are indeed but cisterns quickly suckt up and emptied and then are we as before God is the ever springing-fountain All comforts are summ'd up in Him as the drops in the ocean They are divided here below but united in Christ get Him and we have all in Him Oh say then Give us evermore from that fountain That though we do come to these cisternes to draw yet we may know them to be but cisternes and Him to be the Fountain from whom we may receive fullnesse and satisfaction and so wait for His appearance when we shall be ever with the Lord where we shall hunger no more nor thirst any more c. 3. And this instructs also that we have no true right to the Creatures before us a kinde of right there is y All are yours 1. Cor. 3. 21. 22. that is the churches in order to comfort and happiness but for proprietie so all things are not ours Religion takes not away the distinction of master and servant And therefore it takes not away distinction of goods which is the lesser Doctor Sibs on that Text. Non fundatur dominium nisi in Imagine Dei. Imago â—â—c quid â—st aut quomo lo deletâ—â— Respondebunt spiritus 〈◊〉 Imaginem Dei esse puritatem id autem quod delet esse peccatum Verùm hoc ad eversionem imperii omnis spectaâ— Interpretes igitur saniores â—anc imaginem interpretantur esse rationem naturalem Quae si in toto aut maximâex parte deformetur juâ— imperii extinguitur L. Veâ—ul de bello sacro p. 3. 345. In Engl. p. 122. 123. Lege Clem. Alex. Ad Gentes pag. 44. which is not here a place to dispute but no true nor comfortable right but in our Head the Lord Iesus Christ By sinne we have forfeited them all and more then so we have brought a curse upon them and a vanitie In Christ they are restored and through Him the curse taken off I will cite Mr Dearings words here on Heb. the first chapter verse 2. They are these and yeeld us profitable instruction We must learn of our selves we have nothing but being ingrafted in Him we are owners of all things In mine own right I am naked and void of all I have no meat to feed my hungry body no drink to comfort my faint and thirsty spirit no clothes to keep me warm no house to harbour me c. for the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof I may have from man my warrant here in earth that my house is mine and my land is mine and he is a thief and a robber that taketh it from me But all the men in the world cannot give me my possession before the living God but onely his Sonne Christ who is Heire of all Then that our lands may be our own our goods our own yea and our meat ours let us be Christs that in Him we may have the good assurance of all our substance Take not thy meat but as the gift of Christ who hath sanctified it unto thee nor any thing thou hast but with thanksgiving to Christ that hath sanctified it for thee †4. And the consideration hereof should be a meanes to lift up our hearts as well as our hands and eyes to Him that spreadeth our table prevents the snare feeds us with the finest wheat when others are fed with the bread of affliction and water of affliction or if our bread be course or not that but pulse instead of bread yet He can nourish by it and make the countenance z Dan. 1. ruddy whereas the more daintie fare may tend to leannesse So the parent must teach the childe not to eat with common hands or mouth that is not before the hands be lifted up and the mouth opened to Him Who opened His hand to the parent first before the parent could open his to the childe And now onely commands a blessing and gives the bread power to nourish making it a staffe of bread both to parent and childe which must minde the parent that it is not a childes work to blesse the table but according to the ancient custome the masters duty to pray for a blessing who should best understand that all things are sanctified by the word of God and prayer And so much to raise our hearts before we take our meat towards Him who onely commands a blessing upon our meat and strengtheneth with strength in our souls Psal 138. verse 3. 5. And now that we suppose we are set down to feel and taste how good the Lord is who hath so furnished our table we must consider well what is set before us else we are as he who puts a knife to his throat a Alioquin Trem. Prov 23. 2. Lege Clem. Alex. paed lib. 2 cap. 1. saith the wiseman What meaneth he by that If we do not moderate our selves in a sober temperate use of the Creatures as men not given to our appetites we do then turn that which was ordained to maintain life and to refresh the spirits the clean contrary way as a meanes to destroy life and to suppresse and damp the spirits which is a great provocation for thereby we fight against God with His own blessings and against our selves with our own weapons and so are as they who instead of putting their hands to their mouthes to feed them put both to their throat to cut it For by intemperance this way in meat and drink by feeding without fear we transgresse the set bounds b Chrysostâ—mes observation touching the use of wine is very usefull for it telleth us the use of all the creatures given for our nourishment wine glads the heart there you have the use of it saith he gladâ—â—ng and refreshing is the very bound and lâ—mit set unto us in the use of the creatures if we transgresse that bound we abuse them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad Rom. 15. â—om 28. â— and our heart thereby is made as heavy as a stone our spirits quite flat and dead whence the proverb is An intemperate man digs his grave with his fingers so that although life be within him yet his body is his prison and the grave of Gods mercies and his life serves him to little other purpose then to dishonour that God who hath provided so bountifully for him And this kinde of intemperance I mean this lifting up the heel in our full pasture and exalting the heart this unkinde requitall of the Lord puts man that reasonable creature one degree below the c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Alex very likely will walk and do like beasts n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paed 2. 11. wants to such are more disrellishing then dead beer after the sweetest banket They that live in pleasure and lie at ease cannot endure a change o We are hardly brought to change from soft beds to hard boards Hist of the World 4. 2. 11. p. 158. And therefore as we expect the support of the Almighties Hand in our fainting time when we have nothing to support us from without we must look up humbly and thankfully to the same Hand now that we have plenty And we must accustome our selves now that our tables are spread to a sober temperate use of the creatures and to all fitting abstinence holding command over our spirits in His strength we are able to do it who over-powered the lion that we be not brought under the power of the Creature The body hath some preparatives before a purge and when we would come out of a sweat kindely we cast off first one cloth then another so should we do in the ranknesse and sweat of our prosperity p Vitia longae pacis opulentae securitatis Salv. And now the time calls upon us famine and the extremities thereof we have q Chap. 4. § 14. read and heard of and what hath it taught us Our tables are as full of excesse as before and fuller of surfeit So the fool goes on and is punished he cannot lay things to heart but they that are wise do heare the voice of the rod and do fear before it walking humbly with the Lord They have got command over their spirits and are got from under the power of the Creature by denying themselves a little in this and a little in that Now in this lesser thing so making way for greater so as when the rod of their affliction shall bud out again which they expect nay when the Lord shall turn the former rod which wrought no reformation into a serpent so that it stings like a scorpion they may feel the smart thereof but the poyson thereof shall not be deadly And so much to teach us abstinence and to get command over our selves that we be not brought under the power of the creature which will help us much to possesse our souls in patience in the day of trouble They that have not learnt to wait are not fitted to receive the fruits from the r James 5. 7. earth or the accomplishment of the promise from heaven Now touching our children the lesson is this we must not give them alwayes when they aske nor so much as they would have let them feele sometimes the want of it and the biting of an hungry stomack It sweeteneth the creature when they shall have it and puts a price upon the same when it is in their hand It is rare amongst those that are grown up to finde a stomack full of meat and an heart as full of praise The emptie stomack feeles the comfort and is in likelihood more enlarged Let the childe abstain from all sometimes but not often it is their growing time yet sometime altogether from all at all times from part They must not taste of every dish nor look so to do it is not good for the Å¿ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cl. Al. Paed 2. 1. pag. 103. parent lesse wholsome for the childe there is a drunkennesse t Plures cum sâ—t vino sobriae ciboâ—um largitate sunt â—briae Hiâ— lib. 2. â—p 17. in eating as in drinking Accustome children to waite now they will waite with more patience hereafter But more specially teach them a fit and reverent behaviour both before and at the table Though they sit at a common table yet it is Gods table He spread it for the parent and the childe Though there we receive common blessings yet we must not put upon them common esteeme nor return for them common thanks children must not by their rude and uncivill deportment before and at the table make it a stable or an hâ—gs-stye nor must they drown themselves there in an eager fulfilling their appetite like beasts u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cl. Mex Pop. 2. 7. pag. 127. at their manger or swine in their trough like beasts I say that have their manger before x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Loâ—â— laud. pag. 128. them and their dung hill behind them hereof Clem. of Alex. makes very good use and that is all I tend to here 6. And now that we have eaten we must remember to return praise Our great Master is our great example Before He gave common bread He gave thanks and when He administred the Sacrament of His blessed body and bloud He concluded with an Hymn * Matt. 26. 30. y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Hearken to this saith Chrysostome y upon those words all ye that goe from your common table like swine whereas ye should give thanks and conclude with a Psalme And hearken ye also who will not sit out till the blessing be given Christ gave thanks before He gave to His disciples that we might begin with thanks-giving And He gave thanks after He had distributed and sung a Psalme that we might do so likewise so Chrysostome Now then that we are filled it is the very season of thanksgiving saith the y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Châ—s de Lâ—z Ser. 1. Tom. 5. Father And he that is now to addresse himselfe to return thanks is supposed to have fed temperately and to be sober They that have fed without feare and are filled with their pasture are more like to kick with the heele then to return praise and in so doing are worse then the most savadge creatures who to shew their thankfulnesse will be at the beck of those that feed them We must remember that with us men every favour requires a z Omne beneâ—icium exigit oâ—â—icium Lege Chrysost in Gen. cap. 12. Hom. 32. Man must not be like his belly what it receives to day it forgets to morrow and when it is full it thinks of temperance Translated out of Basil de jejunio p. 281. Psal 154 10. returne much more when we receive these comforts of meat and drink from Gods hand we must return in way of homage our thankfulnesse If it should be thrice asked as one in another case what is the speciall dutie or grace required in a Christian I should answer thrice also supposing the season Thankefulnesse Thankfulnesse at our sitting down Thankfulnesse at our receiving the blessing Thankfulnesse when we are refreshed Thankfulnesse is as good pleading in the Common Law the heart string a Lord Cooke Pref. Littlet thereof so of Religion It is the very All of a Christian if it be with all the heart And heartie it should be for as it is for beasts to eate till they be filled so is it beast-like to look downward when they are filled If God
had made me a Nightingale I would saith on have sung as a Nightingale doth but now God hath made me a man I must as a man sing forth His praise All Thy works blesse Thee and Thy Saints praise Thee Now that we have received mercies we must think to make return else every bit we have eaten will be an inditâ—ment against us There is a vanitie in our natures for sometimes we stand upon exactnesse of justice as one saith in answering petty D. 5. 563. courtesies of men and in shewing our selves thankfull for favours received there when yet we passe by substantiall favours from God without taking notice of them But we can easily consider that if it be a sinne in civilitie carelesly to passe by the favours from men much more in Religion to receive from Gods hand and not to returne our thanks b Iâ—a semper cemedendum est â—t cibâ—m oratio sequatur Lâ—câ—io Hier. epist lib. 1. cp 35. pag. 47. And if it be a rude and uncivill fashion to rise from our common tables where we receive common bread to play much more then so to rise from our seat at Church where the bread we are fed withall is so much more precious as the soule is above the body We suppose then we are now rising from our common table where every man hath put in his thanks as into a common stock and so joyntly offered unto God Cyprians words are seasonable here I finde them in Vrsinus touching the order and connexion of the fourth with the fift petition After our supplication to God for supply of food and sustenance Give us we say forgive us that is we pray for pardon of sinnes and offences That He who is fed by God may live to God c Vâ— Ã Dâ—o pâ—stâ— in Deum vâ—vaâ—t Thankfulnesse and that is the spring of a kinde obedience must presently follow the receipt of mercies It is good to take the advantage of the freshnesse of a blessing He will not be thankfull anon who is not thankfull now he hath newly felt and found the sweetnesse of a mercy what we adde to delay we take from thankfulnesse If the heart be closed now that the Lord hath so newly opened His hand toward it it is like it will be as hard and dry as a flint afterwards And what an unkinde requitall is it when in stead of being Temples of His praise we become graves of His benefits They lye buryed in us It is an old tradition but instructs very much which is That every creature hath a three-fold voice to man take returne beware In more words the meaning is this when we take the creature into our hands be it bread or be it water d Isa 33. 16. Calv. under these two all is contained saith Calvin we must remember that it speaks thus unto us 1. Take the benefit and comfort which the Lord hath ordained thee from me 2. Returne the duty of praise and thanks which is due to the Lord for me 3. And beware thou forget it not least the Lord deprive thee of me or curse His blessings Our goodnesse e Job 35. 6 7 8. is nothing to the Lord nor can we adde unto His glory by making returne of our thankfulnesse any more then we can give to the fountaine f Aug. de civit 10. 5. where at we drinke or to the Sun whereby we see but yet we must note That there is a taxation or impost set upon every thing we enjoy which is this God the supreame Lord must have His tribute of glory out of the same And from man who hath these things to trade withall God must have the tribute of thankfulnesse It being the easie taske tribute or impost which the supreame Lord of All layeth upon all the goods we possesse and blessings we receive and if we be not behinde with Him in this tribute of our lips He will see that all creatures in heaven and earth shall pay their tributes unto us But if we keep back His homage we forfeit and endanger the losse of all Man will not sow his best seed but in a fruitfull ground God intends His glory in every mercy g Lâ—ge S. Basil in Heâ— Hom. 7 â— and he that praiseth Him glorifies Him Remember then we must when we receive Gods mercies what we reade Deut. 10. 12. And now O Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee All errors saith one h Bp. And. who said much in a little are tolerable save two about the first beginning and the last end we erre against the first when we derive things amisse not acknowledging all to come from God Against the second we erre when we referre things amisse when we returne not all to Him giving Him the tribute of praise I must remember here-with the memorable words of Clemens which are these Behold O man i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Protrept p. 53. for how small a matter the Lord doth give thee land to till water to drink another water whereby to send forth and to returne thy commodities ayer wherein to breath A house to cover thee from the injury of the weather fire whereby to warme thee and where at to imploy thee A world wherein to dwell all k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loâ—o laud. these things so great so many Thy Lord hath as it were rented out unto thee at a very easie rate a little faith a little thanks so it be true so they be hearty And most unkinde thou if thou denyest Him that rent The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof if then thou dost not acknowledge thy Lord being compassed round with His blessings He will then say unto thee l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. loco laud. p. 48. Get thee out of my land and from out of my house Touch not my water partake not of my fruits If I have rented these out unto thee for so small a matter a little thanks and thou dost deny me that little thou hast in so doing forâ—eited the whole and I shall require the forfeiture at thy hands So usefully spake Clemâ—ns of Alexandria worthy all mens knowledge This Theame is large I will conclude it with a story which I finde related by Mr. Downâ—m in his Guide to Holinesse m Lib. 3. ca. 24. pag. 281. which is this If the Lord curse His blessings for our ingratitude we shall either have no power to feed upon them or in stead of nourishing us they will be the cause of weaknesse sicknesse and death it selfe of the former not long since my selfe with many others saw a fearefull example in one whom I visited in his sicknesse of which he dyed whose strength being little abated and his appetite very good to his meat would often and earnestly desire to have some brought unto him but no sooner did it come into his sight but presently he fell into horrible shaking
approve Himself the God of all power and able to abase the proud heart hath a thousand wayes and meanes whereby to do it He can by a gnat a fly an haire stop the breath and by the weakest means destroy life and lively-hood We have often read these words and there is much comfort in them to such who are fearers of the Lord Thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field and with the creeping things d Job 5. 23. Hos 2. 18. c. I remember what an old Preacher said upon these Texts It was this What great matter is it will some man think to be at league with the stones of the field or in covenant with creeping things of the ground he feares no danger from these No said the Preacher he doth not and therefore being out of covenant with his God his danger is the greater because not feared He that feares not God hath cause to feare every thing and that he least feares may most hurt him That stone which lieth before him may dash out his brains by such a meanes as no man possibly could suspect and the beast that is in his hand and knows not his strength nor shall put it forth yet may occasion his fall I knew a man for he lived amongst us who had a Barbary horse to present to his great friend and stroaking the back of the beast and there feeling it crushed with the saddle was presently in a great rage with his man and in that rage stamped with his foot the heel of his boot being after the fashion high slipt within the crevice of the stones it was on a causie-way and he plucking his heel out again with some heat and choler fell down forward where a sharp stone standing above the rest met with his fore-head and his brains and dashed them out A great mercy to be at league with the stones and in covenant with the beasts and creeping wormes which we cannot be if out of covenant with God So much to the works of God on the earth and to the instruction therefrom which in this cursorie way and view of them we may take along with us They serve to refresh and comfort to instruct and humble God is great in the very least and to shew Himself the God of all power He can and doth bring to passe great works by the weakest and simplest persons and meanes It follows now that we take a view of the great Waters II. for they with the earth make up but one Globe In the view of this subject leaving more subtile enquiries for a fitter place I behold first their surface secondly their barres and bounds thirdly their weight fourthly the Creatures therein 1. The surface thereof it is as the windes and weather is if calme the sea is very pleasing and in some places like a table if stormy then troubled and raging casting up mire and dirt It sheweth us the common errour and mistake we have when we commend a person for we say he is a very good man unlâ—sse he be stirred or e Multi nonnullam man suctudinem prae se fâ—runt quans diu blanda omnia amabilia experiuntur at verò qui eundem sâ—rval modestiae tenorem ubi pungitur irritatur quotusquisque Cal. Inst lib. 3. cap. 7. § 4. movâ—d Vnlesse he â— stirred So is the sea also a comely pleasing creature in her calmes but rough and dreadfull in her stormes If the winde stirre the sea mouâ—ts if they bluster it roares I know not a consideration that may sooner calme a man if in a commotion as winde enough he shall finde to cause it But surely a good man findes a calme or makes it even then when there is much stirring about him The windes and stormes properly taken tell us what the sea is and metaphorically taken they tell us what the man is Our passions are elegantly called tortures f Et vino tortus ira Hâ—r Tortures upon the body many times make the minde more secret or opens the mouth against judgement as said a Lawyer honest and learned for rackings stood not with his law g Fortescue chap. 22. But tortures upon the minde tell us what the man is they discover a man If passion hath puâ— the minde upon the rack and the person now suffer no wracâ— in the storm of his passion he is a man of a sound constitution we cannot doubt of it For our h Pâ—etâ— perturbationes non inscitè appellat torturas quod ab iis secreta c. Augment l. 8. p. 252. passions try what a man is indeed as the stormes and windes what wood the ship is made of how firme and sound it is how well compact and set together and so forth for the use hereof is large 2. The surface of the waters shews us how the Lord deales with His ransomed ones conducting them to their haven For with those travellers prisoners sick men we see sea-men joyned Psal 107. All those conditions fitly resembling the condition of those that seek the Lord but none of all more fitly then the latter He findes stormes as well as calmes doubts and feares as well as refreshments He seeth the works of the Lord and His wonders in the deep According to this resemblance or sea-faring condition the Lord deales with His servants they are like that ship tossed with windes and almost covered with waves and they may continue so high till the fourth watch but the end shall be a calme for out of these great waters they shall be delivered and through those barres they shall break though they seem as strong as iron and brasse and over the wall they shall leap in His strength through whom they do all things for the sea and the winde obey Him so do all temptations and feares at His rebuke they flie if He say Be still The stormes and waves of temptation are calme and still also which leades me to the second enquiry that is 2. What their bounds and barres Hereunto the Lord Himself Jer. 5. 22. answers Feare ye not me saith the Lord Will ye not tremble at my presence which have planted the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetuall decree that it cannot passe it and though the waves thereof tosse themselves yet can they not prevaile though they roare yet can they not passe over it There we reade what boundeth the raging sea and sets unto it its limits The Lord hath saith the Father walled k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in Cor. Hom. 4. about the sea with the sand He hath bridled and held in the strong raging hâ—reof with a very weak thing it is the sand thereof and that a worme can creep over But yet when the Lord hath decreed it so That thitherto the water shall come and no further l Job 38 10. 11. 12. and here shall thy proud waves be stayed then shall those sands to be to the sea
trumpet r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That they are as grasse and the beautie of them as the fading flower vanitie or lighter then so if ought can be and such things are the very best this deceiver can give us but he takes away such things as we heard and as we must conceive them to be if we behold the out-court or pavement of that Holy of Holies This large use the Father makes upon this contemplation as we may better understand and more enlarge it if we peruse his 14 Homily upon the Epistle to the Romanes towards the end And so much in a generall way and view of the firmament and the great works of God there which He hath set out unto open view to shew us what is within and what manner of persons we ought to be who look to enter into that Holy place And withall which is the chiefest of all to stirre us up to presse towards the mark And forgetting things behinde in our earnest pursuite thitherward and expectation thereof to reach out as with necks stretched forth after those high and great things such they are as the eye hath not seene nor the eare heard nor the heart can conceive But such they are unutterable and glorious which the righteous Lord will give to all that feare Him and waite for his appearance Onely shew we our selves men not children who for an apple will part with a pearle and thinke they have no losse by that exchange So much to the contemplation of the firmament of His power the height and glory thereof I descend now unto that creature which the Lord hath divided unto all nations and with which our sense is more acquainted but deceives our sense exceedingly for though it discover unto us things below yet it locks up with the clearnesse of its light and lustre the things above Our eye if we marke it will discerne much higher in a cleare night then it can in the clearest day In the night we see as high above the Sun as the Sun is above us but in the day we have no cleare discerning of any thing that is above the Sun because of the clearnesse of that mightie Body which dazleth the eye if we look upon it and puts it out if we stand and gaze And thus the heathen did and so that light darkened v Leg. Clem. Alex ad Genâ—es pag. 31. them that-they could not rise to a glory above the creature but where they terminated their sight their they terminated their worship Therein like the countreyman who looking for the King at his Court thinks that he must need be the King who first comes forth in most gorgeous apparel x Reade Plut. in the liâ—e of Pericles Morneus de Verit. Rel. Sol quasi solus c. Cic. de divin though the Kings honour sets him forth and sets up his head above others and the glory of apparell those who have least honour But I have digressed I began my morning instructions with the Sun and with that creature I will end my instructions from the creatures It is called a solitary y Leg. Basil Hex Hom. 6. creature because it shines alone obscuring all other lights with his clearnesse and being the fullest in our eye I observe 1. the motion of the Sunne 2. the beames 3. his brightnesse And some short instructions from all Then I shall be at the end of our walk And conclude the instructions there-from 1. Behold if we can the Suns motion we cannot see it stirre but we can see it is passed then by what hand it moves and with what strength and quicknesse no motion so quick except that which is like lightning in an instant Then behold we the magnitude thereof how massive a body it is for it may enter into our conceipt And beholding all this we shall be filled with wonderment and be forced to acknowledge that Wonderfull is the Creator thereof a mightie God Behold again its constancy in moving The Sun never yet rose nor set nor more then once stood still since first it was created to run its course though to us it seemes to do both which makes our morning and our night It still moves to teach us constancy in our holy profession and still in its own sphere and within its own limits and bounds to teach us the decency of order for when it hath touched those limits which we call Tropicks it is retrograde and turnes back again Some have taught that the Sun moves neerer to the earth now then in former times but they who teach so would be taught by stripes and their writing blotted out with spunges saith the learned Scalâ—ger z Exercit. 99. 3. The Sunne never transgresseth his set bounds So much or so little rather to the Suns motion which we see when it is past but the full understanding thereof is too high and wonderfull for those who are clothed with flesh Man cannot finde out the hand of God herein unto perfection 2. The beames of the Sun are as Wonderfull also we know their Father we understand not their production so wonderfully are they begotten How then can reason carry us into a more secret mystery The proceeding of the Holy Ghost which some whom I have known have searched into with their own light and lost themselves in the search Secret things belong unto the Lord our God but things revealed belong unto us a Deut. 29. 29. First then This we finde revealed The wonderfull power and universall efficacy of those beames for this is the conclusion from the sacred Scripture and from experience That nothing is hid from the heate thereof b Psal 19. 6. And if these beames d In solem in 〈…〉 coelo affixus sed terris omnibus sparsus est pariter praesens ubique interest miscetur omnibus nusquam 〈◊〉 cla 〈…〉 dâ— violattâ—â— Quanto magis Deus c. a qâ—o nullum potest esse secreâ—â— tenebris interest c. M. Min. Felic pag. 27. in sol are so piercing so searching Whither then Lord shall I goe from thy spirit or whether shall I flie from thy presence c â—sal 139. 7. See Chrysol Ser. 2. pag. 5. 6. where shall I hide my self or my sin If I say surely the darknesse shall cover me even the night shall be light about me yea the darknesse hideth not from Thee but the night shineth as the day the darknesse and the light are both a like to Thee I cannot hide my self nor my sin from Thee but I may hide both my self and my sinne in Thee Christ is that hiding place a sure sanctuary for my person and a certaine cover for my sinne There is no flying from Thee for we shall be found out but it is safe flying to Thee for with Thee is mercy So Austin speaks This meets with a known dotage and concludeth against it That God doth see sinne in His children if nothing be hid from the heate
of those beames what then can be hid from the Creator of them He hath not beheld iniquitie in Iacob neither hath He seene perversenesse in Israel e Num. 23. 21. No He beholdeth them in His beloved Sonne in whom He is well pleased and for His sake with them He doth not behold sinne in them to condemne to punish them for it for by His sonnes stripes they are healed And this is that rich mystery of grace f Mysterium opulentumgratiae admirabile commercium peccata nostra non nostrae sed Christi sunt justitia Christi non Christi sed nostra est Ex nanivit c. Quomodo in peccatis nostris dolet conâ—unditur hoc modo nos in illius justitia laetamur gloriamur c. Luther in Psal 22. So Luther spake who spake out of experience that admirable exchange when Christ took our sins and gave us His righteousnesse emptied Himself that He might fill us stript Himself that He might invest us sorrowed Himself and was confounded with our sins that we might rejoyce and glory in His righteousnesse An admirable exchange indeed a rich mystery which magnifyeth the riches of Gods love giving His Sonne to the world and of Christ giving Himself for the world of beleevers But this doth not take off from Gods knowledge what He seeth not to condemne and punish He doth see even in His Israel to reprove and correct And when He shall correct for sinne His Israel shall confesse against this vanitie tossed to and fro Thou hast set our iniquities before Thee our secret sins in the light of thy countenance g Psal 90. 8. 2. From the different operations of the beames I note That the diversitie of subjects the Sun worketh upon diversifies the effects And this is but a conclusion of experience also how unclean soever the place is where they come they alter not but work diversly according to the matter they work upon If upon clay it is hardned If upon waxe it is softned if upon a dung-hill the stinking vapours more offend if upon a garden of sweet herbs the sweet savour more refresheth if upon good fruits they grow for the use of man if upon weeds they grow to humble him The alteration is here below in sublunary creatures the Sunne changeth not Hence we learn how unreasonable that dealing is which the Wise-man telleth us of The foolishnesse of man perverteth his way and his heart fretteth against the Lord h Prov. 19. 3. This should not be so but clean contrary For when a man perverteth his own way and then fretteth against God It is as if the dung-hill should blame the Sun from whence nothing can come but light as from a dung-hill an unsavoury smell which is the more sensible and offensive the clearer and more piercing that light is or as if a man through inconsideratenesse taking a fall should fret against the stone If God leaveth us to walke in our own wayes or recompenseth our wayes upon us we ought not to charge Him foolishly but to charge our selves with folly and if we have learnt so much we have learnt a short but a great lesson For it will make us continually to walk humbly with our God and a continued humilitie is a continued adoration of His Majestie and the ground-work of an holy life which is a continued prayer i Vera humilitas perpetua adoratio pia vita perpetua oratio 3. We may note again That these beames of the Sun in its circuit do passe through many pollutions and yet not polluted therewith but remaine pure and cleane The Sun worketh upon inferiour bodies and cherisheth them by light and influence yet is not wrought upon by them but keepeth its owne lustre and distance The Father maketh this use hereof How much more then saith he could the Sun of righteousnesse dwell with flesh and pitch His tabernacle with us k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 1. 14. and yet not be polluted by us Howmuch more could that Son of righteousnesse communicate with man and take unto Him the infirmities of mankinde I mean such which accompany the whole nature As hungring thirsting wearinesse griefe paine and mortalitie yet without any touch or tincture of sinne from all these because what ever were the effects here-from were in Christ like the stirring of Chrystall water in a Chrystall glasse whereof we have no sedament no dregs in the bottom l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Tom. 5. Ser. 31. Chrys â— This shews us also who are heavenly and the beautie of a well ordered soul It thinks nothing in the world of sufficient worth to put it out of frame such a soul is instructed what it should be It should rule over things beneath and not be ruled by them like the Sunne it should be under the power of nothing beneath it self But this intire estate this freedome from pollution is reserved for an higher place where all corruption shall be done away for now the soul having so much earth about it and so much of earth within it which is the cause of defilement it cannot mixe with things of the earth and not be polluted it cannot but receive some tainture there-from But yet still the soul that is heavenly striveth after perfection and in desire would be in some proportion like the Sun in his race which works upon inferiour things but is not wrought upon by them It desires to carry it selfe like the Sunne above formes and stormes in an uniforme way in a constant course and tenour like it self sutable to its own dignitie and keeping its distance Thus we are instructed by the Sun-beames 3. The brightnesse and splendour of the Sun instructs also for it is admirable and the more admirable it is the lesse my eye is able to behold it But such is his brightnesse which I do see that I have a fulnesse in my vision and from thence comfort and satisfaction if I behold it wisely and as I am able But if I should be prying into it and gazing on it I shall then see nothing at all The Sun is the cause that I do see but it will not give me leave to see into it The clearnesse of that great eye will darken mine and put it cleane out m Solem qui videndi omnibus causa est videre non possâ—mus radâ—s aâ—â—â—s submovetur obtutus inâ—uentis hebetatur sidiutiâ—s in spicias omnis visus extinquitur M. Minuâ— Felic pag. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clâ—m Alex. ad Gentes p. 39. We must not measure an infinite God by a finite understanding Lege Cal. Inst lib. 1. cap. 13. sect 21. And this leads me into a great secret and high and commands me not to search it out nor to stand and gaze thereon for thus I reason from that I do see How little a part of the Sun is it which I see yet is it so bigge as we have heard and yet
personall and particular respects so I must be understood whom I more honour then your selves or who have more deserved honour in your private and particular waies then your selves have from all that know you And this I speake clearely without the least shew of flatterie which I hate as I doe that my stomack most loatheth Besides all this there are vertues pointed at here which claime acquaintance with you and say ye have an interest in them for they are yours When I come to the Middle-Age you shall finde the Parent Advising about A match for the Childe and so on where ye shall reade these particulars pointed at for though I am verie long in the whole I am short in the parts pointing at things in passage briefly So giving the Reader an hint for further inlargement pointed at I say a discreet Parent a vertuous Wife a grave Matron an honourable Age. And in the shutting up of the book a closing of the â—ie yeelding up all into the hands of Death which yet is to such as Iosephs wagons serving onely to convey those who are such To the place of rest where they would be And such ye are I think and an interest ye have in those vertues before mentioned ye may lay claime to them and call them yours else I know not where to finde a vertuous woman a True wife a grave Matron an honourable Age. Therefore I conclude such ye are And that your departure out of this life will be joyfull for ye go to the God whose ye are and whom you serve c Acts 27. 23. the strongest ground for comfort that ye can stand on And now that I have concluded so I have excluded none from partaking with you in the same vertues and reward and wish that all were even so and more abundant So it puts you on to strive to improve to grow to increase It is the Apostles inocuragement often none more often and to those who had gone verie farre even to perfection where note our perfection here is our strife after perfection And after this ye strive too as the Apostles wish was even your perfection d 2 Cor. 13. 9. O how good and blessed a thing it is to stirre up to encourage one the other the husband the wife the wife the husband the Parent the Childe the Childe the Parent c. Let us go on to perfection Heb. 6. 1. ye doe I doubt not but ye doe strive after this ye doe labour it is a grave word but it f 2 Cor. 5. 9. looseth of its weight in our Language for it implieth such paines as a man will take to climbe up to the pinnacle of honour g See the Book page 9. lesse labour will not serve for we intend an higher place so ye strive That ye may be accepted of the Lord that ye may live for ever with Him Oh it is good to strive here and not to faint It is for eternitie and for a crowne lasting so long and unlike other crownes still flourishing even to everlasting Gird up your loines That is put to all your strength and the Lord strengthen your hands to lay hold hereon and strengthen you the more the more feeble Age hath made you and the nearer you are to the putting it on Be as ye have been and be more abundant Eies h Job 29. 13â— to the blinde feete to the lame that the blessing of them that are ready to perish may come down upon you as the Dew upon the grasse and your praiers may ascend as Incense coming up in remembrance before the Lord. But above all look to the root of all Faith Gods great work i John 6. 29. and gift restore that renew that the fruit k See the Book pag. 46 47. will be and be alwaies greene like a Watered garden which doth not fear the yeer of drought l Jer. 17. 8. Quicken the Mother-grace it will quicken you and every grace that ye cannot be unfruitfull ye cannot but adde one grace to another so building upwards stil towards heaven where we hope to see our Parents againe our yoak-fellows againe our children againe c. This is somewhat quickning but where we shall see our Lord Christ againe even as He is m John 3. 2. Lord what a joyfull vision will this be Thou knowest we know not nor know how to expresse it for it passeth all understanding Be abundant therefore in the work of the Lord in the labour of love work of faith patience of hope none of this can be in vaine in the Lord. In vaine more is understood then spoken An Abundant recompense there shall be pressing down running over For Temporalls eternalls for a sprinkling of mercy a weight of Glory for respecting His Christs here ye shall be ever with Christ and with His Christs hereafter where there shall be All peace and peace is all passing understanding where ye shall see the glory of His Inheritance and partake with the felicitie of His Chosen When all the Crannies of your right precious soules shall be filled with joy unspeakably glorious Our thoughts are too short to reach here much more short are our words Their scope is to set your hope before you and to make it precious in your eies that in this earthly Tabernacle ye may have your conversation in the highest heaven from thence looking for a Saviour Who shall change this corruptible body to make it like to His glorious body in that blessed Time which shall scatter away all afflictions and seale within you the happy assurance of immortalitie therewith cloathing a weake body and recompensing a few sorrowfull daies with everlasting peace In which hope say now and alwaies Lord encrease in us our faith and hope that in assurance of Gods love our consciences may be at peace and in the revelation of Gods glory our hearts may be filled with joy in the Lord. Yee see now the full scope of my words even to leade you to hopes on high for they will send your thoughts on high they will purge quicken stirre up they will elevate and advance the soule to a wonderfull height And now that my words have attained this end as I hope they have even to set your affections hearts heads hands all a work ye labour to be accepted of the Lord my words shall here end also so soone as I have onely mentioned the Apostles fare-well I commend you to God and the word of his Grace n and have subscribed my selfe Your worships in a double obligation EZEKIAS WOODVVARD THE PREFACE PREPARING THE EARE OF him or her who is a Childe in understanding My deare Childe HItherto thou hast been an hearer onely growing up as my papers fill'd and as an accession of yeers through Gods goodnesse gave some addition to thy growth and capacitie so did I to the strength weight of my Instructions I suppose thee now growne up and thy knowledge answerable to thy
teach But now to instance in a creature most familiar with us and of the very lowest ranke A Dogge And not to speake of his logick which they say he hath and the Hunts-man discernes that so it is This we must note because it is so usefully noted to our hands A Dog will follow m Sâ—e Hist of the World 1 Book cap. 11. sect 6. Lege Lipsium Cent. 3. Ad. Bel. epi 56. c. Cent 1 epist 44. Cic. lib. 2. de natura deor paper 323. Scal. exerci 202. 6. his masters foot he will keep of the theife and the murtherer he will defend his master if he be strong enough if not and his master be slain for so we reade it hath faln out he will stay by the carkasse till he pine away with hunger or he will pursue the man of bloud and single him forth as if he would tell the beholders That is the man that kill'd my master All this a Dog will do and more then this though this is most strange as experience hath told us And why all this why because he hath received a dry-bone from his masters hand and sometimes a bit of bread Therefore will this Dog put forth his strength to the utmost in way of requitall for his masters peace and securitie Hearken unto this all ye that forget God hearken Will the Dog do all this for a dry-bone and an hard crust n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hex Hom. 9. What will they say for themselves who love not the Lord Jesus what excuse can they finde who forget their Good Master in heaven who feeds them and doth cloth them every day who doth preserve them every moment of the day from whose hands they receive all good and nothing but good nothing which they can properly call evill What will they say so St. Basill reproves unthankfull man so like a swine and fish so untameable so unteachable so farre faln even below a Dog I know not what some may thinke when they spie a Dog here and that he is here for this purpose to instruct his Master we may thinke him too low a servant very faithfull though he be for that purpose But what ever is thought this I think nay this I know and am sure of That there is not a Creature in the World which doth so mightily convince reprove ashame mans ingratitude as the dog doth how so Because he doth so much for so little And man doth so little for so much And let us observe it well and make this as familiar with us as our dog is for we shall have no excuse for the neglect of our service to that Lord who gives us to reape where we sowed not and to dwell were we builded not we shall have nothing to say why we are unmindfull of such a Master The dog hath led me a little beyond my mark but not out of my way my scope here is but this to shew that so we are degenerated so low are we falne the Beasts exceed man in their Naturals and men in their pure Naturalls make not that improvement of their senses for their Masters service their owne safety and mutuall comfort each with other as the Beasts doe no cause we should be proud of our Naturals And for Intellectuals being without that which the Apostle saith our speech should be seasoned with the Salt of Grace they may prove and ordinarily doe like Absoloms haire deadly So I remember a Knight that suffered upon Tower-hill acknowledged who had not returned his gifts to the glory of the Giver Nay more for wee hope better of him they make a man more miserable then the beasts that perish Achitophel is a sad example hereof so is Machevil who say the Italians so I learne out of Bishop Andrews rotted in pÌ„son Reason and speech they are the chiefe properties Ratio Orâ—tiâ— differencing man from a Beast Reason is the Crowne of a man his tongue his glory the same word in the sacred Tongue signifyes both But if man shall depose reason taking from it Hersoveraignty I mean in earthly matters then will a man be carryed like a horse that hath cast his rider and he will abuse his Tongue also vilifying that which should have honored him and in so doing he will liken himselfe to the most stinking place that we can passe by and to the most odious name that is named under the Sunne and so in the end will fall lower then a Beast can A Beast can fall no lower then the Earth nor doth it apprehend any evill till it feele the same and when it comes it is soone over and there 's an end Which remembers me of Pyrrhoes Hog that did eate his meate quietly in the Ship almost covered with waters when all the men there were halfe dead with feare But now reasonable Creatures are sometimes perplexed with unreasonable fears A mans apprehension may present evils that are not as impendent which may make his knees smite together and with all the apprehension of the time that is past and of that which to come may torment him too before he come to the place of his torment Bee not like the horse and mule then which have no understanding for then thy condition will bee much worse and lower then theirs in the latter end It may be I shall never call thee to an account nor live to see how thou hast thriven But consider this first what an Heathen Plut. de fraterno amore spake it is very worthy a childs consideration We are charged that we doe ill to none much lesse to a parent but it is not enough for a child not to hurt his parents he must doe them all the good he can his whole deportment must be such such his words and deeds that thereby he may glad the heart of his parent else it is wicked and unjust Marke it for thus much it implyes It is not enough that the child doth not actually or positively give the parent cause of sorrow that were monstrous he or she must not privatively rob them of their comfort or stop them of their rejoycing even this were impious and unjust It is not enough not to grieve the parent not to give them matter of sorrow the childe that doth not more doth not his dutie he must give them matter of comfort and gladding of hearts This a childes dutie let a childe thinke of it and that an Heathen spake it from whom a lesson comes double to a Christian Consider again what the Lord saith It is a people of no understanding therefore He that made them will not have mercy on them p Esa 27. 12. Consider with that Scripture what the Apostle saith q 2 Thes 1. 8. In flaming fire taking vengeance of them that know not God c. If this and that be considered Thou wilt cry r Prov. 2. 3. after knowledge and lift up thy voyce forunderstanding wisdome is the principall
thou maist be very good upright in thy wayes hot fervent in prayer zealous of good workes else better thou wert cold key cold for a middle Temper as it is most deadly so it is most abominable Thus as a learned man writeth to his great friend I could have written unto thee things more pleasing nothing more profitable But what I have or shall write nothing will profit unlesse the feare of God awes the heart and inclines it unlesse He teacheth inwardly words cannot outwardly Waxe takes an easie impression from Iron Iron not so but very hardly an Adamant takes no impression at all by all our force because of its hardnesse so Nazianzen Epist 130. And such hearts we have understand but so much and it will humble thee it will hide pride from thine eyes and then thy eare is prepared and heart too And so much as a preparative to the eare but the Lord bore it and to incline thy heart to understanding but the Lord open it This is all the parent can doe and his maine duty at this point even to spread this peremptory bent of nature as was a Preface to the first part said before the Lord whose worke it is to turne the heart and to open the eare to instruction which now followes THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. GOds Goodnesse in framing us in the wombe in bringing us thence ascribed to His hand though yet the sore pain of childe birth no whit lesse engageth the Childe to the Mother how great that engagement is to pag. 5. duty to the Father enforced by a pressing-speech out of Luther and from two very great examples who brake that sacred bond and were remarkably punished to page 9. Gods patience in sparing and reprieving us His goodnesse in ranking us in the highest forme of His Creatures here below how that engageth and teacheth to page 13. His mercy in giving us all our parts or members and proportion in all a great engagement A recognition thereof and use therefrom to page 20. CHAP. II. OVr frame of spirit how depraved A glasse to look our selves in What seeds of corruption within us how it humbleth those that can look into it to p. 24. How to bottom our corruptions where its strong hold how we may fathom the depth of miserie The law of the leper to pag. 28. The love of the Father and the obedience of the sonne how figured out unto us to page 30. CHAP. III. BAptisme Outward Inward The secret work of the Spirit to page 31. We must not pry into this His secret if that work be not wrought Luthers counsell is to be followed Gods will holy and just Man willeth his own destruction to page 34. at this point reade the first part page 139. c. Lips de Constant lib. 1. cap. 20 c. lib. 2. cap. 15 c. Cent. 1. Ep. 58. Two things figured in Baptisme 35. 36. Our engagement from both How sacred our Christian name how strait our covenant 37. A feeling expression we are members and mighty to engage us that we are sons daughters heirs Solders who our enemies what their strength 39. A paradox against all conceit and reason Basil's complaint 40. A great question proposed and usefully answered 43. who the great tempters We must keep our watch strong 44. Our covenant Gods covenant Christ His obedience hath not abated an ace of ours Gods law broad and perfect The use a true Christian makes thereof One Root of grace and but one fruit to page 47. CHAP. IIII. THe root of sinne remaineth How the branches are kept from spreading 48. § 1. Pride why called the womans sinne whence it is that clothes haire c. do pusse up Whence we may fetch help against this â—ympany or swelling disease What considerations most prevalent and abasing from page 48 to page 61. applyed to the childe The grace of humilitie to page 64. § 2. Our darling sinne why so called what a snare it is and how it becomes so How we may keep our foot from being taken in that snare Beginnings must be withstood Chrysostome's words very notable thereupon to page 67. Occasions must be prevented a watch kept over our senses Over our fancy That it may be ordered and must else all will be out of order to pa 73. What may awe our thoughts 74. What the soveraigne help next to the awfulnesse of Gods eye to page 79. the summe and use thereof to the Childe to page 81. § 3. Of profit how unsatisfying what doth satisfie indeed to page 82. § 4. Anger What it is whence it ariseth who most subject unto it How we may be armed against this passion and overcome it Chrysostome's note notable and Melanchthons practise Gods patience towards us mighty to perswade us thereto Abraham and Isaac how meek and yeelding this way of the tongue from page 83. to page 92. § 5. Of Censure Charities rule her mantle how largely we may stretch it according to Chrysostomes and Mr Perkins rule A rule in Herauldry of great use to pag. 95. § 6. Affections sometimes the stormes of the soul sometimes the sweet gale or winde thereof like moist elements Who boundeth them Considerations of use to moderate our feare sorrow c. to page 100. § 7. Of Discontent how unreasonable it is Considerations teaching us content in present things Chrysostomes short story very notable so are the Philosophers words with Mr Bradfords concluded to page 107. CHAP. V. THe Sacrament of the Lords Supper Graces required in those who present themselves at that Table If wanting what is to be done Note Chrysostomes words and Dr Luthers at that point The close of the chapter very notable so is Mr Raynolds meditation to page 121. CHAP. VI. MAriage A solemne ordinance I. Our well and orderly entring into that honourable estate Abuses very many and great touching that point in young and old Whose abuse most notorious and how justly punishable c. to page 125. Our rule in treating about a match application thereof to the childe A childe no match-maker A notable story to that purpose to page 127. The duty of every single person threefold of infinite concernment to page 131. The Parents or overseers duty at this point five-fold The last of the five least thought on and worse answered but of infinite concernment page 138. II. Our well ordering our selves in that state as becometh the honour thereof Affections at the first strongest how to guide their streame in a right channell sinne hath put all out of frame Chrysostomes note notable Page 140. Good to count our Cost and forecast trouble Page 142. Equality inequality hard to draw even The man the leading hand how he stands charged the weight of the charge If the head be surcharged or so headlesse it cannot lead or drawâ—s backward what the wives duty The head hath a head a grave consideration 148. A consideration which may helpe to make up all breaches and silence all differences betwixt man and
father so I invert the order for this time and that thou mayest not set light by either so shalt thou escape the curse and as was said be as one that layeth up a treasure And now having digress'd a little that thou mightest the better learne thy dutie at the wombe and see how thou art engaged unto it I returne againe to Him to whom all honour and praise and thanks are due for there we left § 2. Thou must yet take further notice of Gods good hand towards thee and of the wonderfulnesse of His work for the goodnesse of God must interveine all along which way soever our method leadeth but while we are upon this point it must be wonderfull in our eyes It is not necessary nor is it my care to set my words in such an exact order or posture as figures stand in Arithmeticke whereof iâ— one be Quis artem quaerit ubi affectus dominatur out of order all are out of tale it is not so in words Consider then He that gave thee roomth in the world and bid thee stand out when there was no need of thee might have refused that any should have been at further cost and trouble with thee save only to wrap thee up in a winding-sheet instead of swadling thee in a blanket He that took thee from the wombe might the same moment of Time have sent thee to the grave and from thence to thine own place the Acts 1. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nethermost parts of the earth where it is I know not but the farthest off from Him who prepared it of old and our Deus non expectabat Angelos Amb. own place it is the proper and just inheritance of a sinner Thus He might have dealt with thee thus quick and short as He was with those who were once farre more excellent Gods patience to a sinner is the purchase of blood the fruit of the Gospel then thou art now and yet salling from God the chiefe good they fell from their happinesse into a bottomlesse gulph of irrecoverable misery and both at one instant In the same moment of Time they sinn'd they also fell and so fell that they shall never rise again Take notice then thou must of Gods exceeding goodnesse and patience towards thee in sparing and repreeving thee yet longer And despise not his patience and rich goodnesse but account that the Long-suffering of the Lord is salvation and 2. Pet. 3. 15. sith he hath graciously spared thee thus long Labour thou it is the Apostles word but too short of his meaning losing 2 Cor. 5 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much of its weight in our tongue flat and dead to his understanding make it thy greatest ambition and account it thy chiefe honour the top and height of thy preferment for so much the word doth import so labour so contend to be accepted of Him Acceptance with the Lord is the height of a Christians preferment as it will be the Crown of his rejoycing and is the ambition of my Heart concerning thee the very butt and scope where-to tend all my endeavours § 3. Consider again as the riches of His goodnesse so the wonderfull worke of His hands He that gave thee a being might have given a being only and no more or He might have given thee life and stay'd there Thou mightest have been such a creature which now takes the bone from thy hand and licks the dish and gathers the crums that fall from thy table thereby to sustaine life and when that life is gone which serves but for salt to keep the body sweet is laid in the ditch such thou mightest have been for in reference to our owne demerits so vile as a dogge have the most excellent of sinfull men accounted themselves And it was the lowest expression of humilitie and abasing amongst the Hebrews and so low did the sense of their vilenesse depresse the excellent and honourable of the earth Such a creature thou might'st have been or a croaking Frog or a loathsome Toad It is amongst Austins Confessions Thou might'st Lord have made me even such an one or a worme or a flea or a sâ—ie which now thou canst fillip and crush to death at pleasure So thy Lord might have dealt with thee and have done thee no wrong at all He might have given thee the stamp and outward impresse of a reasonable creature and yet have wounded thee in thy crown I mean He might have strucken thee in thy reason and understanding-part the dignitie excellency crown of the outward-man So He might have done thou wast in His hands as the clay in the Potters yet so He did not deale with thee But according to His goodnesse He vouchsafed more grace more honour He stamp'd upon thee an excellent image and then admitted thee not into the lower ranke of His creatures which lick the dust and feed upon it No He hath made thee but a little lower then the Angels and hath crowned thee as we read one was in the wombe with this honour That thou should'st be Lady-Princesse over the creatures before mention'd even over all the works of His hands And God said unto them c. Thus Gen. 1. 26. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost Hom. 10. in Gen. 1. Chron. 17. 17. honourably hath the Lord dealt with thee so as though thou art the meanest of many yet may'st thou take the words of Him whom God exalted and speake them out to His praise For they are proper and fit well because so He hath exalted thee Thou hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree ô Lord God Oh that I could advance and elevate thy thoughts now according to the excellency that God hath stampt upon thee That as thy stature is erect and up-wards thy minde also that yet more excellent part might not be low and downwards groveling to the earth as if thou couldest finde rest In imo c. Lact. lib. 1. cap. 1. Lib. 3. cap. 12. 26. 27. Boet. lib. 5. Meâ— 5. unto thy soule That chiefe good in the bottom and underneath where the worme creepeth and the serpent eateth dust This is the great mistake The Lord discover it to our hearts It is the veyle spread over us the Lord pull it off for nothing more evidenceth the wonderfull deordination and disorder which is brought upon mans nature then this which I am speaking doth Man abhors misery yet he loves it in the cause thereof he desires happinesse but he seeks it in the place and in the things much inferiour to and below himselfe Look up man as one said it is not there it is higher Thy very stature tells thee That thou seekest for is not under thy foot a Thy stature is erect and upward thy eye can behold the things above whensoever now thou shalt minde earthly things and fix upon them then thou makest thy self like the beasts
we have it or have it not Ezek. 16. a fit glasse it is to see our selves in If we could lay our selves cloâ—e up on it as the Prophet applyed himself to the child the proud heart would fall the haughtie looks would down And therefore That thou mayst take shame to thy self as thy just portion and the more advance God and the riches of His goodnesse m Here is ground of coÌ„fort and for firme resolution said Staupitius to Luthâ—r in that you stand for that Doctrin which gives All to God to Man nothing at all for this is according to the Truth of the Gospel And in sure confidence hereof I shall set my faceâ—â—kâ— a flâ—nt said Luther Com. â—â— Galâ—â— 1 12. ch 2. 6. according to the doctrin of the Gospel God is never exalted till man is laid low nor is Christ precious till we are vile Consider thy selfe well and begin there where thou tookest thy beginning There thou shalt finde the first Corner-stone in thy foundation was laid in bloody iniquities in which thou wast conceived The very materialls of soul and body whereof thou dost consist were temper'd with sinne like the stone in the wall and beame out of the timber so as they cryed out even the same moment thou wast born rase this building rase it even to the ground And the cry had been heard and thou hadst been sent before this time to thy own place but that mercy came betwixt even the cry of that bloud which speaks better things then the bloud of Abel And that cry was heard so thou wast graciously spared and behold what riches of grace here are shew'd unto thee for thou wast then as wholly naked and stript of all goodnesse as thy body was being newly born and as wholly invested with the worst filthinesse for it is expressed by such things which are not comely to name as thy body was with skin and thy bones with flesh So thou camest in n Tanâ—â—llus pâ—â—r â—aâ—â—us peccâ—â—or a very little childe but a very great sinner not after the similitude of Adams transgression for sinne was actuall in him breaking a Commandement Originall in thee for thou brougâ—t'st it into the world with thee And a world of wickednesse it is defiling thy Body sâ—tâ—ing on fire not tâ—inâ— owâ— only but the whole â—ourse of nature â—or thou haâ—st an hanâ— to â—se Mr. Boltons words in that fire-work which blew up all mankinde he means in Adams transgression in whose â—oâ—â—s thou wast as a branch in a common stock which brought forth such a bloudy sea of sinne and sorrow into the world I will hold thy thoughts at the wombe so may'st thou the better know thy selfe for ever after From thence thou cam'st into the world a finke a Sodome of all filth and impuritie Thou hast inherent in thy bowels secret seeds and â—mbred inclinations of all sinne The principles of Hazaels bloudy cruelties of Athaliahs treasons and Iâ—zebels lusts The wombe the seed of all the villanies that have been acted in the world which Saint Paul hath sum'd up together in his first chapter to the Romanes 1 Tim. 1. 2 Tim. 3. Thou hast within thee the spawn the somenter the formative vertue of all that hellish stuffe All those flouds of ungodlinesse have no other originall fountain from which they issue then this sinne thou art now taking a view off Thy Heart is the Treasury of all that wickednesse and if the Lord shall rip up the foundations of thy nature as He may and in mercy also then wilt thou know I do not speak parables But if thou canst not follow sinne to its first originall if thou could'st so do thou would'st feare it more and flie from it faster then Moses from the serpent for more active it is and hurtfull if thou hast not learnt so much yet then learne now and follow the streames they leade to the Spring-head Know then whatsoever vanitie ignorance or darknesse is in our minde whatsoever swarmes of foolish thoughts whatsoever insensiblenesse in our conscience whatsoever disabilitie or enmitie is in our Will whatsoever unfaithfulnesse o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—eb 2. 1. leaking or running out in our memory whatever leaven or corruption in doctrine or manners whatsoever bitternesse dissentions wars devouring words To conclude whatsoever we have found in our selves or observed from others to breake out of the mouth at the eye like the purging of a corps now the soule is out All this is but the issue of this body of sinne which thou carryest about thee All that hath no other originall fountain from which they issue then this sinne When we let our tongues and eyes and eares loose and at libertie keeping no watch over the one nor making no covenant with the other when I say we doe thus set the doores windows and all open we then commonly excuse our selves thus That though we speake merrily yet our minde is good And though our eyes wander yet ouâ— heart walkes not after our eyes p Job 31. 7. And though we let in vanitie by the â—are as the wooll sucks in water yet we can keepe the inwâ—rd man cleane and pure this is our excuse and we would be pardoned But the excuse is worse then the fault for we must know That the tongue the eare and the eye these doores and windows of the soule The feet and the fingers there is a q Prov. 6. 13. speaking with the one and a teaching with the other All these are but as a little Comentary upon the great Text of the heart they do but serve to make plaine so as he that runs may read what lewdnesse and frowardnesse lyes in that depth involved there in more hid darke and obscure characters Or to use a plainer metaphor and according to the sacred Scripture The heart is the treasury the ever going mint wherein our thoughts r Fabricatur Prov. 6. 14. hammer mischiefe Out of that aboundance the mouth so of the rest filleth and emptyeth it selfe If there be a little vanitie upon the tongue we must conclude there is much in the heart if the eyes be full of adultery then the measure of the heart * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is pressed down running over That vanitie which is shewed openly by the outward members is but like the money a rich man carryes in his purse to be laid forth upon all occasions compared Chrysost Tom. 6. Relâ—g p. 597. What wickednesse will they stick at in sâ—cret who pâ—oclâ—ime thâ—ir folly openly â—â— saith Isâ—â— Pelâ—sit lib. 2. p. 153. with that which is in the bag or chest there is the store The mouth is but as the cistern the heart is the well that fills it The aboundance is in the heart there is the treasury And this thou carryest about thee Nay it is within our earth more inwrapped within our nature then the Ivy within the wall as fast as with a band of Iron
Sacrament we must look over what was said touching our inward frame of spirit Where we behold from what a dignitie we are falne into what a depth of miserie That the Scripture speaks not in vain The o Jâ—r 17. 9. heart is desperately wicked It is for hardnesse like the nether mil-stone the Rocke the Adamant It is in point of conversion or turning unto God as dead as a doore-naile as unchangeable as the spots of a Leopard It is in point of that poyson malignity and rage that is in it a Lyon a Dogge an Adder a Dragon an Aspe a Viper in point of uncleannesse like a Leper from head to the foot polluted All this and much more That we may remember and be confounded and never open our mouth any more b Ezek. 16. â— but in acknowledging our selves unclean vile lothsome and in magnifying the abundant treasures of grace and riches of mercies in and through Christ freely offered and secured unto us in Baptisme which now comes to be treated of c. CHAP. III. Baptisme the outward the inward the secret and mysterious working thereof BAptisme wherein sacramently is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pretium Redemptionis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lavacrum bloud to justifie and water to sanctifie even all Christ in that signe of water to quicken to renew to sanctifie He bids us in this Sacrament wash and be clean as in the other eat and live There we put off the old man with his lusts and we put on the new man with his righteousnesse here we are made one with Christ as a branch with the vine as a member with the body we are Christs and Christ is ours we are as truly united unto Him as is my hand to my arme my arme to my shoulder both to my head as truly I say but more strongly and firmly for these may be parted though my outward sense gives me not a feeling of it but such a neere union there is and it is sealed unto us in Baptisme I meane not that as was said of circumcision outward in the flesh made with the Hand sprinkling the face which doth but tye us to the body in an outward profession as a graft to the stocke from whence it hath neither life nor nourishment it doth not put us into Christ nor will it in the day of visitation and separation difference us from the Heathen b Jer. 7. 19. but exposeth us rather to more wrath And this outward Baptisme which without an inward work cleanseth not is as much as the Baptist that is deputed by the Church can administer Iohn who was the greatest that was born of women c Matth. 11. 11. could reach his hand no further then to the outward water and dipping therewith It is the Baptisme made by fire and the holy Ghost which reacheth to the heart which cleanseth and purgeth indeed He or she who have received this washing who are purged from their old sinnes may glory in their fountain opened for sinne and for uncleannesse d Zech. 31. 1. and in their priviledges worthy to be gloried in as we read a great Emperour did more then in his Imperiall Crown Aust de Civit. Dei l. 5. c. 26. for what greater glory is there then to be of the off-spring of God to receive the adoption of sonnes and daughters and to have that worthy name to be called upon us and such honour have all thy Saints And now we are come to a great secret The way how the Lord works and upon whom He works is more secret then is the winde which bloweth where it listeth c. and as indiscernable to sense as is the knitting of the bones in the wombe and covering of them with flesh What we cannot conceive pray that we may admore what we cannot understand pray we that we may experimentally finde and feel that though we cannot comprehend we may be comprehended The Lord knoweth who are his and it is a great secret yet His secret is with them that fear Him I mean not alwaies and with all that fear Him they know that they are His though yet all know it not nor some at all times and this they know as not by extraordinarie revelation so nor by prying into his secret Decree how there He hath disposed of them This will as by fixing our weake eye upon a strong object blinde us with light It is a ventrous and a bold coming unto God and most dangerous also for if we climbe up unto His Decree we shall fall into the gulfe of despair because we come unto Him without a Mediatour f Hic sine m dâ—ctore â—es agitur disputatur de Dei benâ—pâ—icito ac voluntale in quam sese Christus resert Luther Psal 22. In doubts of Predestination begin from the wounds of Christ p. 337. that is from the sense of Gods love in Christ we should rise to the grace of election in Him before the world was It was Luthers counsell and he found it of force against the devises of Satan g De praedestinatione diâ—putaturus incipe à Christi vulnâ—ribus statim Diabolus cum suis tentationibus recedet Mel. Ad. in Staupicii vita p. 20. The way to melt our hearts into a kinde repentance for sinne is to begin from the love of righteousnesse and of God all figured out in Baptisme as well as in the Supper And this also was Staupitius counsell to Luther whereby he made the practise of repentance ever sweet to him whereas before nothing in all the Scripture seemed so bitter h Vera est ea poenitentia quae ab amore justitiae Dei incipit dixit Staupitius Quae vox ita aliè in animo Luthâ—i insedit ut nihil dulcitos facrit deinceps ei poenitentia cum aâ—tea eidem in totâ Scripturâ nihil esset amarius Mel. Ad. ibid. vita Staup. But now suppose our case to be this and it is most likely to be so that we finde no work of the Spirit upon us no change wrought by His renewing grace we are as we were not cleansed from our old sinnes we have passed over this Iordan we have gone into this water and we are come out as unclean as before our hearts are not sprinkled We see a price paid for us and no lesse then the price of the blood of God yet we have not consecrated our selves to Him who hath so dearly bought us yet we have not accepted Him for our Lord though we are His purchase i Rom. 14. 9. and for this end He died and rose again but other Lords rule over us And though we be called by His name yet we walk in our own wayes serving divers lusts as if we were our own and not peculiarly His who bought us with a price If I say this be our case then Luthers counsell is observeable which is this To enter into our closet there to spread our selves
before the Lord in humble confessions as followeth k Oportet nos esse tales scilicet verè poenitentes non possumus esse tales Quid hic faciemus Oportet ut cognito te tali non neges te talem sed in angulum vadas juxta consilium Christi in abscondito ores patrem tuum in coelis dicens sine fictione ecce optime Deus poe â—itendum mihi praecipis sed talis sum ego miser quod sentio me nolle neque posse quare â—â—is prostratus pedibus c. Concione de poenitentiâ An. 1518. Lord thou hast set a fountain open but to us it is sealed Thou hast bid us wash and be cleane we cannot we are no more able to wash our selves then we can take out the seeming spots in the Moon Thou hast said When will it be c. we say it will never be no not when the Rocks flie in pieces and the earth shall be no more but then it shall be when thou giving that thou commandest art pleased to make us as thou wilt the heavens and the earth all new Thou hast commanded us to come unto Christ that we might live we cannot come no more then Lazarus could by his own power cast off his grave-clothes and turn up the mould from over his head and stand up from the dead We are bound up in unbelief as within gates of brasse and barres of iron Thou hast said Turn ye every one from his evill way we say we cannot turn r Lay down thy heart under the Word yeeld it to the Spirit who is as it were the Artificer can frame it to a vessell of honour Mr. Reynolds on Psal 110. pa. 42. no more then we can turn that glorious creature which like a Gyant runnes his course so gyant-like we are and so furiously marehing on in our own wayes of sinne and death This is but part of our confession 2. We must acknowledge also that righteous is the Lord in commanding what is impossible for man to do Because the Lord did not make things so at first He gave us a great stock to deale and trade with but like unfaithfull stewards we have wasted the same and so have disinabled our selves Our inability was not primitive and created but consequent and contracted our strength was not taken from us but thrown from us This is the principall point of confession our inabilitie comes out of our own will Å¿ Read and observe with all diligence Mr. Dearings words on the third Chapter to the Hebrews ve 8. Lect. 15. Sentio me nolle neque posse I finde that I neither will nor can before D'S S. p. 215. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. To be feverish is not voluntary but my intemperance which causeth a fever is voluntary and for that I am deservedly blamed pained No man chuseth evill as evill Transl out of Clem. Alex. Stro. l. 1. p. 228. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sin is my voluntary act Loco laâ—d l. 2. p. 294. Cesset voluntas propria non erit infanus originally we will not be cleansed as Thâ—â— * Joh. 20. 25. so say we in effect not we cannot but we will not we 〈◊〉 deny the Lord that bought us we will not come unto 〈◊〉 that we may live so stiffe are our necks and so hard our hearts that we will not turn for though out of the very principles of Nature we cannot but desire happinesse and abhorre miserie yet such a deordination and disorder lieth upon our Nature that we are in love with eternall miserie in the causes and abhorre happinesse in the wayes that lead unto it our will is the next immediate cause of sinne it puts it self voluntarily into the fetters thereof Necessity is no plea when the will is the immediate cause of any action Mens hearts tell them they might rule their desires if they would For tell a man of any dish which he liketh that there is poyson in it and he will not meddle with it So tell him that death is in that sinne which he is about to commit and he will abstain if he beleeve it to be so if he beleeve it not it is his voluntary unbelief and Atheisme If there were no will there would be no hell as one saith And this is the confession which goes to the core of sinne and it must not be in word and in tongue but in deed and in truth for it is the truth And if we can thus spread our selves before the Lord if we can willingly and uprightly t Read our second Reinolds on Rom. 7. p. 262. own damnation as our proper inheritance to that the heart must be brought and it is the Lord that meekneth it so farre if we can willingly resigne our selves for nothing is left to man but duty and resignation of himself it is not u Oportet pium animum velle nescire Dei secre tum superse c. Impossible est cum periro qui Deo gloriam tribuit eum justificat in omni opere voluntate suâ Lut. Psalm 22. Christus faciet poenitentes quos jubet poenitere supplebit de suo quod dâ—est de nostro Lut. de Poenitent 1. Pet. 1 8. possible then that we should perish He will make supply of His strength what is wanting in ours He will give what he commands He will give clean waters He wil create peace He wil strengthen our hand to lay hold on rich and precious promises And then we cannot possibly be barren or unfruitfull in the knowledge of the Lord Iesus Christ we cannot but gird up the loins of our minde giving all diligence x 1. Pet. 1. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Shew me a man that ever learnt an ordinary Trade or lived upon it with ordinary diligence point me to a man that was bad yet laboured to be good or who was good yet took no pains to be better Chrysost in 1. Ep. Ad Tim. cap. 1. Hom. 1. About ordinary things very easie matters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we take extraordinarie paines but great and extraordinary things we think we may attain sleeping Chrysost 4. Tom. de Vita Monast cap. 7. ordinarie diligence will not get ordinary preferment much lesse will it a Crown The Scripture saith Giving all diligence waiting the sealing and testimony of the Spirit and walking in all the wayes of righteousnesse whereto the Apostle presseth at the end of everie Epistle for whom the Lord justifieth He sanctifieth and if we finde no fruits y For the certaintie of faith search your hearts if you have it praise the Lord. But if you feele not this faith then know that Predestination is too high a matter for you to be disputers of untill you have been better schollers in the School-house of Repentance and Justification I wade in Predestination in such sort as God hath opened it Though in God it be first yet to us it is last
they who watch best have enough to do to dâ—fend themselves what do you think will become of wretchlesse persons but that they should be entirely overcome We must then keep our watch and keep about us our armour and keep close to our strong-hold we must give all diligence to avoyd those great enchanters whereby our enemy bewitcheth us and overcometh so many These enchanters are 1. The glory pompe or lusts of the world from without 2. The lusts of our own flesh from within The one as he once shewed in the twinckling of an Eye so it passeth away in the like moment of time It is fitly called a fancy and as fitly translated pompe d Acts 25. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for as a thought or fancy this pompe passeth away and by us even like castles and steeples on a pageant and so it is gone but the glory of the next life is the pleasures at His right hand for evermore 2. The lusts of the flesh are the great tempters All the hurt Satan and the world do us is by correspondence with our selves All things are so farre under us as we are above Te vince tibi mundus victus est our selves Satan for the most part boweth us to what the weaknesse of our nature doth encline he sails ever with the winde he fitteth such temptations as are most agreeable to our humours and desâ—res Our nature helps to act Satans part he doth buâ— set the bias stronger Nature hath a supply of wickednesse as a Serpent of poyson from it self thence a spring to feed it Great cause we should fear alwayes for alwayes we meet with snares and alwayes ready to be caught with them and the devill watcheth the occasion And great cause Semper imminet occasioni we should winde up our hearts to God that we may be wise in His wisedome strong in His strength Lastly in the day we were baptized we avouched e Deut. 26. 17 19. the Lord to be our God to walk in His wayes and to keep His Commandments And the Lord hath avouched us that day to be his peculiar people The Lord Christ hath obeyed and suffered to make our bonds of obedience the stronger not to abate us an ace of duty He hath vindicated His Law from the vain glosses of the Pharisâ—es from that which was said of old whence we have learnt That His Law puls out the verie core Å¿ See Hist of the world lib. 2. chap. 4. sect 7. p. 232. sect 11. p. 237. of sinne and that whereas mans Law doth but binde the hand and the tongue Gods Law binds the heart and orders the secret motions of the same The Philosophers g Angusta est juslitia ad legem justum esse See Isid Pelâ—s lib. 2. â—p 138. Love constraines more under the Gospel then feare restrained under the Law Ibid could say It is but a narrow and scanty justice which extendeth no further then mans Law Few offenders there are which come within the Magistrates circuit and they that come are not all taken some and they not a few break out of the cob-webbe by force and some by favour But the Law of God is perfect and exceeding broad it reacheth to all persons and to the words and actions and thoughts too of all the sonnes of Adam not a syllable can passe not a thought stray not a desire swerve from the right way but it falleth within danger and is lyable to the penalties Thence it is that the greatest and hardest work of a Christian is least in sight which is the well-ordering of his heart And a good Christian begins his Repentance where his sinne begins in his thoughts which are the next issue of his heart God counts it an honour when we regard His All-seeing eye so much as that we will not take liberty to our selves in that which is offensive to Him no not in our hearts wherein no creature can hinder us It is an argument that we feare as we ought before the God of Heaven when we forbear the doing of that which if we should do it were not possible that man should understand or condemne it as h Lev. 19. 14. is the cursing of the deafe which the Deafe man heares not and the putting a stumbling block before the blinde which the blinde perceiveth not But the Lord heares and He sees for He made the Eare and the Eye and Him shalt thou feare for His eyes behold His eye-lids try the children of men i Psal 11. 4. And this is the Law which stands charged upon us and through Him by whom we can do all things we can keep the fame Law with our whole heart in an acceptable manner checking the first motions of sin discerning not beams onely but moats also light and flying imaginations and abasing our selves for them and by degrees casting them out as hot water the scum and as the stomack doth that which is noysome And because they presse upon the true Christian as Flies in Summer incumbring alwayes over powring him sometimes therefore is he moved to renew his interest daily in the perfect righteousnesse of His Saviour The deceitfulnesse of his heart still inciting and drawing back from God and His perfect Law and his readinesse to break covenant makes him the more watchfull over his heart and carefull to binde himself daily as with new cords To k Jude 2 â— build himself up in his most holy faith to pray in the holy Ghost and to keep himself in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ unto eternall life for it is a standing Rule That Gods commands are not the measure of our power but the Rule of our duty the summe of our debt the matter of our prayers the scope of our strife l Mousine Seâ— Hist of World B. 2. Ca. 4. Sect. 13. p. 240. But we must ever note this which is that there is in the heart of every true Christian a disposition answering every Iota and tittle of Gods m Salv. dâ— Eccles Cathol â— Law They have the same Spirit in their hearts which is in the Law so soone as that Spirit made a change in them they could not but then exceedingly love the Law and where love n Chrys in Rom. cap 4 â— Si amor est vincit omnia c. Chrysost de past bono Seâ—m 40. Haec omnia dura videbuntur â—i qui non amaâ— Christum Amemus Christum facile videbitur omne difficile Brevia putabimus universa quae long a sunt Nâ—si vim fecâ—ris coeâ—orum regna non capies Hier Ad Eustochium Ep. 17. l. 2. p. 207. Prima regula in cultu Dei ut ipsum diligamus non potest Deus verè dâ—ligi quin sequatur hunc affâ—ctum membra omnia omnes partes c. Cal in Dan. c 9. v. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in c. 29. Gen. Hom. 55. is that
and honoured him the more he suppressed goodnesse and dishonoured God Turning his gifts so bountifully bestowed of nature liberall maintenance grace all against the Giver to the satisfying of his own lusts for judgement causing oppression and for righteousnesse a cry Is it likely I say but that mans reckoning will be very heavy v Isa 5 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at this point Again how unreasonable a conceit is it That our Lord Christ taking upon Him the form of a Servant for us and humbling Himself so low as the Crosse should yet with patience long endure a proud servant lifting up himself in the pride of his thoughts before an humble and for his sake an humbled Lord And how unreasonable also and altogether unbeseeming c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 defato erat 5. is it That Man poore silly man should in all things seek himselfe a 〈◊〉 Prov. 25. 27. hunt after his own repute his own glorie when as the Lord of Glorie coming down from Heaven to seek Man that was lost sought not his own Glorie b John 8. 50. Certainly this is an iniquitie which greatly provoketh and hath been and is accordingly punished for hence it is That the sword is upon the right eye and arme hence it is that a man proud of his knowledge is become blinde with light proud of his vertue is poyson'd with the Antidote Blown up with his Authoritie and height of his place and power findes his rise hath proved his downfall and his ladder his ruine Certainly for men to search their own glorie is not c Prov. 25. 17. glorie it tends rather to ruine examples whereof are written before us as in Capitall letters But of this before and anon after †8. Is it strength of Bodie or comelinesse of parts which is the beauty of the same Is it this or that which makes us think better of our selves then is meet This also is but a false valuation a vanitie d Prov. 21. 6. tossed to and fro If our strength lift up our heart it will be to our e Chron. 26. 16. destruction Which is to be considered so is this also That that is the f Lord Ver. Essayes 43. pag. 252. true comelinesse the best beauty which a picture cannot expresse yet no cause we should be proud thereof for the outward comelinesse as it is Gods work and hath His Stamp and Superscription we must prize it and put an honour upon it too but I must not be proud thereof what I dote upon will prove my sorrow and what I am proud of my snare For the most part as one notes it makes a Dissolute Youth and an Age a Ibid. little out of countenance though yet if it light well it makes Vertues shine and Vices blush But however It is not a thing to be proud of for it is as Summer fruits which are easie to corrupt and cannot last We cannot say of it IT IS g Hist of the World 2 book 3. 4. c. Preface p. 20. It may change if not vanish in a very short time in a night one fit of a fever of feare of sorrow may in one night so quaffe up our spirits that we cannot easily be known to be the men witnesse a Noble-man in Charles the fifth his Court as we reade in Lemnius h Lemn de complex page 147. Oh saith one i Dr Sibbs S. c. p. 141. That the creature should dare to exalt himselfe against God who need not fetch forces from without to trouble and molest us if He let out the humours of our body or the passions of our minde against us we shall be an astonishment or wonder unto others a terror and torment to our selves man in his best estate is but vanitie If we could reade our selves and the principles we consist of if we could look down towards our feet and see what our foundation is then certainly our plumes our high thoughts would fall flat down I remember how Pliny instructs the great men of the earth by occasion of a childe smothered in the wombe with the snuffe of a candle And thou saith he who art so proud because thy bloud is fresh in thy veines and thy bones full of marrow thou that art so puffed up because of some fulnesse or some great estate falne to thee may'st purchase thy death at as low a rate as that childe or lower a rayson stone may choake thee as it hath some others so may a haire in the milke He therefore weigheth his life in a right ballance who truly considereth how fraile he is so he concludeth a little chapter with a great lesson k Plin. Naâ— hist lib. 7. cap. 7 sâ—e cap. 50. It is a common Theame yet worthy to be insisted upon for if we did know our selves to be but men we should have wiser and sadder thoughts Therefore it is good to reade our selves Our vile body and the foundation it stands on speaks out plainly that fall it will we know not how soon I knew a man saith l Aug. de Civit. 22. 22. St. Austine and one of a strong constitution too his legge slipt and with that slip a joynt out of place so it laid him on the ground and could not be cured till he was laid underneath Sitting in a chayre saith the same Father is a safe posture but we know who fell out thence and brake his neck as we remember one did out of his bed that retyring and refreshing place The case was extraordinary for he was full of yeares and as full of sorrows And the news of the Arke weighed lowest But it tells us the ordinary lesson That death may meet us when and where we lesse look for it A m Judges 3. 20. Summer parlour seemes a safe place for repast and quiet And a brothers feast n 2 Sam. 23. hath no shew of danger And yet the hand of justice hath met with the sinner at both these places which tells us That He who hath his breath in his nostrils should not be proud for there is spare enough and in all places at all times and by the unlikeliest meanes to let it forth I remember a proud Conquerour demands in a bragge what he should feare o Victor timere quid potest quòd non timet Sen. Agaâ— Act. 4. And it was answer'd in a breath That which he feared not which he found true for soone after that he least suspected damp'd his spirits and quite put them out What I feare not and thinke not off is likely soonest to fall upon me As he is likelier to spoyle me in my house which he hath mark'd out in the day time Then that person whom I am warned of before my doore and whom my eye is upon Oh That silly man should lift up himselfe in a windy conceit of that which is not who before the next morning may be laid upon his sick bed and in a
him low d Acts 12. 23. Worms have consumed them They have with the Serpent e Dan. 4. Reade Hist of the world book 3. § 11. p. 17. licked the dust Nebuchadnezzar is a great example hereof so is Herod He also who was a great f Zâ—ch 4. 7. Mountain before the Lutherans and quickly made a plain He bent his hand against the Apple oâ— g Zâ—ch 2. 8. Gods-eye and he both commanded and armed that hand which thrust forth the Apple of his hereon a story depends which for some reason I relate not here he that can may reade it at large or very little abridged Epitomies h Advanc 2 p. 3 are as the Noble Advancer saith but mothes corruptions and cankers of Historie by O sâ—aander cent 16. lib. 3. cap. 34. But we may look into a place nearer hand and a fitter looking glasse for a woman where we may see how the Lord did retaliate those proud dames Esay 3 proportionating their punishment to their sinne and to the severall parts wherein they offended verse 24. Thus childe I have been more particular touching this sinne The causes The workings of it The remedies against it That in something or other some instruction or other may take hold and perswade with thee That thou mayest take heed of pride and vain glory as all is vain that is in and of the Creature That glory is not good Glory belongs to God Souls i Anima sâ—xum non habet have no sexes in the better part male and female they are both men to man shame and confusion God will not give His Glory to another if man do take it it will be his destruction Thankfulnesse must be our return to God for His blessings whether of body minde or goods If they lift us up we provoke God highly fighting against him with His own weapons which will be as a sword in our bones Consider again by what hath been spoken how true it is and what reason there is for it That the proud the fool and the sinner are convertible terms through the whole sacred Scripture The Lord make us wise by it purge out all pride in self-pleasing and self-seeking That in whatsoever we do and in whatsoever we have in all and for all we may give all the honour and glory to the onely wise God to whom all honour belongs and is due Take heed of taking from God to set up thy self put not that to thy account which belongs to Him take heed of sacrificing to thy strength or parts acknowledge that all the excellence of all thy actions is of Him God is very jealous of His honour and oftentimes leaves His people to feel their own weaknesse because they honoured not His strength If the faculties of thy soul bring in willingly and plentifully offerings unto God say with David when so much store with much freenesse was brought-in by the people to build the Temple Now k 1. Chron. 29 14 16. Lege Cal. Inst 2. 21. sect 11. our God we thank Thee for all things come of Thee and of Thine own hand have we given Thee All things come of Thee we give-back but what Thou gavest first Without Thee nothing we have and nothing we can do This acknowledgement befitteth us who have spent and cast away all our stock and do sit now at the receit of a free-mercie And this debasing of our selves so low that we can go no lower even to a l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caâ— â—â—st 2. 5. 13 â— nothingnesse in our selves is farre from being a base thing This abasement if it be in truth and sinceritie is an excellent grace the very root of grace springing-up and so setting-out and adorning the whole man All the parts powers faculties of all But a root it is which groweth not in our own soil No As every good and perfect gift so this comes down from above God gives it and to such He gives it it is Avila's m Spir. ep pag. 201. note Who digge deep in their own dung taking up and rumating upon their faults and frailties amongst those poverties and miseries is this pretious jewell to be found for prying narrowly thereinto a man shall see cause enough not onely to be humbled but even confounded And then he that before could not live with any body no nor with himself in peace can now live with all the world keeping the unitie of the Spirit in that bond for he hath learned mercy and judgement and to walk humbly with his God And this humble walking is the very note and character of a good and holy man It was the mark whereby the Anchorite n Beda lib. 2 c. 2. reade our Jewell 3. Art pag. 186. would have his countreymen judge of Augustine Englands supposed saint If saith the Anchorite he be gentle and lowly of heart he carrieth the yoke of the Lord and offereth to you to carry the same But if he be disdainfull and proud so they found him then it is certain he is not of God you need not regard him Such a distinguishing qualitie Humilitie is O then be clothed with humilitie let it come within thee as water and like oyl into thy bones it will soften and mollifie thee It will make thee fruitfull like a garden watered from the clouds It will beautifie the whole outward man setting it and keeping it in good frame and order The eye will be low thy spâ—ech soft meek and gracious thy gate comly thy whole deportment as befitteth a Christian exalting the dignitie of that Name as pride doth folly for certain it is as was pointed at before The more true grace comes into the heart the more as it is in the filling of vessels the aierie and windie conceits go out The higher indeed and in truth the lower in our own appearance the viler in our own eyes and yet we are content to be more vile that God may be the more glorified The Trees of righteousnesse are just like that tree we reade of whose root was just so much beneath the earth as the top * Virgil. A Eâ— â— The higher in vertues the more lowly in minde c. Isid Pelusit lib. 2. ep 151. was in height above it The higher they grow up to perfection the deeper they take root downward in * â—umilitie considering they have nothing of their own but sinne and it were foolish and impious to be proud thereof I conclude this with that of the Wise man * Prov. 16. 19. Better it is to be of an humble spirit then to divide the spoile with the proud Better indeed for with such an on the high and loftie on doth dwell o Esay â—7 15. 1. 2. 66. So little for it is little which man can say or do to the plucking up this root of bitternesse which so defileth and the planting in the contrary grace that root of holinesse which so beautifyeth and adorneth §. 2. Our
of meeknesse so shalt thou honour thy brother but thy self more Chrysostome n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. In Gen. 13. Hom. 34. â— gives us a good note The truest signe of a man honoured with reason is to be gentle meek courteous mercifull as one that would obtain mercie for consider we our selves or others we are vessells of earth all which could not be cleansed with water they must be broken o Levit. 11. 3â— reade Mr Answ or like bell-mettle once broken never sound again till new-cast and that will not be till the morning of our resurrection There be faults in all make the best of all It is good for a man nay it is his wisdome to pudder much in his own dung as a devout Spaniard p Avila's spirit Epist 24. p. 200. phraseth it To pry well into his faults and frailties and with great diligence there for from thence that bitter-root springeth that excellent and sweet grace humilitie but to pudder in another mans dung is Beetle-like q Scarabaeum aiunt 〈◊〉 sepultum vivere apobalsomo immersumemori a creature we know which lies covered in dung and findes sweetnesse there but put it amongst sweets and there it dies I will shut up this in the words of the Learned Knight changing but a word They who have sold the bloud of others good name of others at a low rate have but made the Hist of the World preface markets for their neighbours to buy of theirs at the same rate and price But Chrysostomes words upon those of our Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. In 8. Gen. Hom. 40. Iudge not that ye be not judged will serve better to stitch upon our lips How darest thou set thy self in Gods Throne by judging thy brother If thou wilt be a judge judge thy self and thy own wayes so mayest thou mendon But if thou sittest and judgest thy brother thou shalt but make thy own judgement the heavier § 6. Affections So much to the master passion and the subduing thereof and to order the tongue too that disordered member Affections are the next which may be called passions also when they come like sudden gusts for then they are the stormes of the soul and will overturn all if they be not suppressed and the heart steer'd aright by the interposing of judgement and right reason Our Affections set at libertie are like a Multos dominos habet qui unum non habet childe set loose and left to himself which will cause our shame and our sorrow both To instance our affection of feare not ordered and pointed right will make us like a Roe before the hunter or like a leafe shaken with the winde The Apostle speaks much in one word where feare is there is torment c. It slayeth without a sword Thy b Esay 22. 2. reade Edmunds upon Câ—sars Comment p. 17. p. 38. 39. slain men â— 1 John 4. 18. are not slain with the sword nor dead in battell How then were they slain for it is not proper to say slain with famine with c Exanimantur inctu Trim. A man that had his eyes covered to receive his death and uncovered again that he might reade his pardon was found stark dead upon the scaffold Char. chap. 16. p. 69. feare that surprised them before the battell and did the part of an executioner before the sword came Such an astonishing affection feare is if not fixt upon Him whom onely we should feare The like we may say of Love d Furori 〈…〉 mus 〈◊〉 Tacit. 〈◊〉 lib. 11. Ioy e Joy and sorrow have a contrary working but being immoderate they drink and quaffe up the spirits quickly and sometimes suddenly Sorrow if not plac'd aright but immoderately set upon the Creature they will swallow us up as a ship in the quicksands In a word The excesse of our affections do cause the greatnesse of our afflictions But contrary when our affections are well ordered they are the winde of the soul carrying it so as it is neither becalmed that it moves not when it should nor yet tossed that it moves disorderly They are the very wings of the soul A prayer without them so we may say of any other performance is like a bird without wings If I cared for nothing said Melancton I should pray for nothing They are the * Fear is worse then the thing feared as is prooved by the communication of Cyrus and Tygâ—anes Xenop Cyri. paed l. 3. p. 192. springs of all our services to God we are dry cold and dead without them They set the soule and heart on worke and then we seeke the Lord. David had prepared much for the house of his God and the reason was which himself gives Because I have set my affection to the house of my God We are as a dead Sea without our affections and as a raging Sea if they exceed the bounds And exceed they will if they are not held in order by His voyce who said to the Sea Be still Å¿ Oratio sine malis avis sine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nihil oratem 1. Chron. 22. 29. i 1. Chron. 28. 3. pâ—s meus affectus meus eo seror quocunqueseror They are as it is said of the body like a curious instrument quickly out of tune and then we as quickly have lost the mean between too much and too little They are just like moyst elements as Aire and Water which have no bounds of their own to contain them in but those of the vessell that keeps them water is spilt and lost without something to hold it so it is with our affections if they be not bounded by the Spirit of wisdome and power And if so they will answer all Gods dealing to His children As He enlargeth so they are enlarged as He opens so they open if evills threaten the more feare fixeth where it should and then feareth no evill tidings h Feare hath torment when it is out of place but if placed right upon God it quieteth and calmeth the heart it makes a mane fearelesse his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord Psal 112. The more tokens of displeasure the more sorrow yet ordered not without hope not a sorrow swallowing up the heart in despaire but a godly sorrow putting on to obedience These well ordered affections put the soul into a sutable plyablenesse that they answer the Lord in all His calls to joy when He calls for it to mourn when He calls for that But this sweet harmony and temper in the affections is never but when the Lord sets them in tune and keeps them so when His spirit watcheth over ours which should be our prayer for then look how many affections so many graces Love is turned to a love of God Ioy to a delight in the best things feare to a feare of offending Him more then any creature sorrow to a sorrow for sinne And
wait under Gods Almighty hand shall be lifted up in Gods good time In the mean time having knowledge of Gods excellencies and his own vilenesse He looks upon mercies and counts himself lesse then the least of them He looks upon afflictious and under the greatest can say right humbly It is Gods mercie I am not consumed Are his pressures many he sees mercie in is that they are not yet more Sees he little light of comfort he praiseth God he can see any at all nay discerneth he none at all yet he stayeth himself upon his God and submits x I can be abased Phil. 4. 12. If we can onâ—c take out this lesson it will bring with it such a Christian perfection that we shall nor be to seek almost in any point of Christianitie Dr Airay's lectur Object Yea but how if this person now under the rod is not perswaded that God is his Father though he cannot but know that He correcteth every childey As many as I love I chasten y Heb. 12. 6. Revel 3. 19. Answ If so yet he doth know that God is his Lord and thence an humble submission must follow As Labaâ— z Gen. 24. 50. and Bethuel in another case This thing is proceeded of the Lord we cannot therefore say either good or evill So whatsoever the affliction be be it in body goods or good name yet he must say for he is better instructed then they This is proceeded of the Lord we must say good of it Let His will be done so we pray His will is done let us submit Woe be to these crosse wills a Vae oppositis voluntatibus they struggle strive and tugge to pluck the neck out of Gods yoke and so put themselves to more pain Thus still we must resolve the case God is a debter to no man He may do what He will with His own And they that deserve nothing should be content with any thing But this is not all there must not be only a submission unto Gods hand but a bettering by it we must gaine by our wants and be bettered by our afflictions It is not gold that comes not purer out of the fining pot he that doth not learn by affliction will be taught by nothing We reade but of one whose heart did not somewhat relent under the blow and one there was that did not That was King Ahaz b 2 Chron. 28. 22. In his affliction he sinned more but we must be made more wise by it else we lose the utilitie c Perdidimus utilitaâ—â—m calamitis miserrimi factâ—â—sâ—is pessimi permansistis Aug. de civit ib. 1. cap 33. and benefit of our affliction which is not little to a good heart We must in patience submit and learn thereby to search in particular what the sins are in our souls which God pointeth at and would kill by the smart in our bodies If we have worldly losses we must search then was not our sinne covetousnesse bottoming our selves on things below If disgrace was not my sinne ambition If scarcitie was not my sinne the abuse of Gods good creatures vainly needlessely unthankfully And if pains or aches did'st thou not offend in sinfull pleasures d Lege Chrysost â— Psal 3. Thus shall we speak good of the affliction and submit yea and be thankfull That is a dutie of a Christian to be thankfull for afflictions for corrections It was good for me that I have been afflicted e Psal 119 71. if it was good for him then doubtlesse he spake good of it and was thankfull I remember saith Chrysostome f Hom. 10. in Coloss 3. a very pious and holy man was used to pray thus We give thee thanks O Lord Thanks was his first word for all thy mercies from the first day to this present day bestowed upon us Thy unworthy servants for those we know for those we know not c. for our tribulations and for our refreshments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. for our hell here and our Fatherly punishments as for our Heaven hence and our hope of rest He puts afflictions c. into the Catalogue or register of Gods mercies and in the first place Indeed it is no hard matter to open the mouth in way of thankfulnesse for the good things of this life as we call them but to be thankfull for the evills that is an hard task but yet the dayly work of a true Christian The Heathen Philosopher could say g Mar. Aur. Aâ—t medâ—â— 12. â— sect 2. p 197. A wise man should be fitted for all estates and conditions like Empedocles his Allegoricall Spheare or like a square body Throw it you cannot overthrow it cast it down if you can it will stand as upright as before losing nothing at all of its heighâ— h Lege â—p 168. Basâ—â—i And such a man saith he hath gained unto himself great rest and â—ase for he hath gâ—t his minde loose from outward intaâ—glements and that manifold luggage wherewith we are round about incumbred We may discern our selves as we do our metalls best by our falls or casting down if when we are thrown our sound is flat and dull murmuring-wise it argues a leaden spirit * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nâ—zâ—â—â—rz â—at 18. When there is a storm with cut he keeps his minde cleare within pag. 302. which sinks under trouble like lead into the watâ—rs But if our sound be silver-like cleare and pleasing it argues we are of better metall That is not silver which comes not clearer out of the fining pot nor is that gold which doth not shine in the fire i Prospeâ—itie doth best discover vice but adversitie doth best discover vâ—â—tue A good eye is for any colour though all colours are not equally lightsome A good eare for every sound though every sound hath not the same gratefulnesse Good teeth are for all meats that are wholesome though all be not alike toothsome so a sound understanding is fit for whatsoever shall happen though every thing which happens is not alike pleasing He that cannot receive evill as we call it from Gods hand as well as good shews that hâ— is of a crazed temper in the Inward man as an eye that seeks after green colours or as teeth after that which is tender which argueth saith the same Philosopher Sore eyes and unsound teeth k Mar. Aur. lib. 10. sect 37. p. 177 I have been long upon the point the longer that I might perswade to a contentednesse in every condition and that we might finde use and pick good out of all But it is the Lord who perswades the heart and He doth it else no condition will please seem it to others never so pleasing To possesse our souls in patience we lose them else is the readiest way to be eased and in time to be exalted The Lord teach thee the wisdome of His people and give thee content in present things understanding in
by which he draweth is Faith which is Gods gift as is Repentance He gives both So then we must examine how provided we come hither else we come to a well of living water but having nothing to draw or we are like a vessell east into the Ocean which hath no mouth or if any it is stopt The outward man can do its part it discerneth tasteth digesteth the outward signes But now what inward principle hath my inward man and what help hath it from all this in the beholding tasting enjoying the spirituall part Christ and the influence of His Grace issuing therefrom This is all the Question and point to be examined what Faith I have whose work is the same about the spirituall part as is the work of the outward man about the outward And yet had we all Faith I mean justifying faith we could not receive all that is offered here and though we have a weake faith if true we shall receive sufficient Our hearts as one noteth cannot comprehend all the wisdome of God in the wind that bloweth how He raiseth it up or maketh it fall again how can we understand this wisdome of our uniting unto Iâ—sus Christ only this we true members can say God hath given us faith in which we may believe it and out of which such joy shineth in our mindes as crucifieth the world unto us how farre our reason is from seeing it it skilleth not it is sufficient if we can beleeve it We beleeve in the Lord our God yet we know not what is his countenance we beleeve and apprehend by hope His glory yet neither eye can see it nor care can heare it We beleeve and see immortalitie yet our heart cannot comprehend the heighth the breadth the length the depth We beleeve the resurrection of the dead yet we cannot understand such excellent wisdome how life is renewed in the dispersed and scattered bones and ashes We beleeve our Saviour Christ is man and we have seen Him and felt Him yet how He was man born of a virgin all men in the world have no wisdome to declare Even so we beleeve that our Saviour Christ and we be one He of us and we of Him He the head we the body really substantially truly joyned together not by joynts and sinewes but by His spirit of which we have all received And this unitie I cannot conceive nor utter till I know God even as He is and His hely spirit which hath wrought this blessing But yet though thus secret and undiscernable this work of faith is we may take some evidence of the life and operation thereof by those things that our understanding part doth here in matters below and of another and much inferiour nature As thus My minde by the velocitie and speed of my apprehension can be many miles off upon the naming of the things I love Then surely my heart is dull and slow and wants the principle of a new creature if by so lively representations of the Lord Iesus Christ under these signes to nourish and cheere me if I cannot Eagle-like flye up to heaven unto Him and on that carcasse fasten and fixe my faith thence to draw strength and refreshing The soul can presently be one with that it delights in be it profit be it pleasure and it should much convince and ashame us of our flatnesse herein a matter of such concernment And in case Tremenda mysteria we finde no such working then to withdraw our foot being now approaching towards those high and awfull mysteries For if our hearts can open towards the earth and unite with things there but are flat and heavy towards Heaven no working that way where the Treasure is the Lord of Glory then surely we are no fit guests for this table For certain it is That whensoever our soul shall feele its union with God in Christ all things below will seeme base unto it the soul cannot unite with them nor be servant unto them use them she may but she enjoyes God her union there parts unrivets and divorceth her from base unions and fellowships with things below And so much to the second Grace required in the Receiver 3. The third is Love Love to God who loved us first and gave His Sonne that we might not perish Love to to Christ who so dearely bought us a Love as strong as Death which stirres up all the powers of the Body and Soul to love Him again so as we can thinke nothing too much or too hard to do or suffer for Him who hath so abounded towards us The History of His passion is more largely set down then is the History of His Nativitie Resurrection or Ascension and for this reason it is That all the circumstances thereof are so largely set down That our hearts should be enlarged after Christ That we should have largenesse of affection to Him and these steeped as it were in His bloud and crucified to His crosse and buried in His grave And as Love to Him so love to our Brother for His sake * Amâ—cum in Christa inimicâ—â— proâ—ter Christum It cannot be doubted of in Him that tastes of this Love Feast he partakes of that there which is the cement that sodders and joynes us together Sanguis Christi coagulum Christianorum as the graines in one Loafe or as the stones in an Arch one staying up another or to speake in the Scriptures expression as members of one Body nay which is yet neerer as members one of another we partake in one house at one table of one bread here is a neere Communion and that calls for as neere an union so the Apostle reasons 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. One God one Christ one Spirit one Baptisme one Supper one Faith And all this to make us one That we may keep the unitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace f Eph. 4 3. But above all The Sacrament of the Supper is ordained for Love But our love to our enemies our shewing the kindnesse of the Lord g 2 Sam. 9. 3. first part p. 71. that is returning good for evill This blessing them who curse us this is all the difficultie and the doubt And hard it is to corrupt nature I remember Salvian saith He that thinks he prayeth for his enemy may be much mistaken he speaks he doth not pray h Si pro adversario â—rare se câ—git lâ—quitur non prâ—catur lib. 2. pag. 70. And yet it is much to consider how farre a common and naturall light hath lead some here in this straight way of forgiving an enemy He was an implacable brother who said let me not live if I be not revenged of my brother The other brother answered And let not me live if I be not reconciled to my brother i Plut. dâ— Fratâ—rno amere And they were brothers too betwixt whom we read never any other contention was but who should dye for the other k
I leave it upon examination and passe to the second branch Thy worthinesse Do I come as a worthy guest No sure But this is the great enquiry what worthinesse If I had such a degree of sorrow such a measure of faith such a length of charitie then I should think I had some worthinesse in me then I could approach with some comfort This is the conceit and deceit too Indeed we must know there is a worthinesse in acceptation But we will make no mention thereof at this time none at all but for thy better instruction of His worthinesse onely for whose sake our unworthinesse is not imputed unto us For suppose thou haddest all Grace Repentance first Thou couldest gird thy self with sackcloth and as the Lord commands wallow in dust so loathing thy self and haddest all faith too even like pretious faith and all charitie which thou canst extend like the heavens as the Father expresseth and I cannot mention it too often suppose all this couldest thou then think thy self a worthy Communicant I trow not If thou wert worthy what shouldest thou do there It is a feast designed for the halt the lame the blinde for the faint for those that have no strength no worthinesse in themselves none at all If thou haddest not wants very many why shouldest thou come thither where is such a fulnesse Thou comest thither as to a well of salvation which never drains it self but into emptyvessels mark that And therefore the more thou art wanting the more likely nay out of all doubt thou shalt be filled He filleth the hungry the empty soul but the rich He sendeth empty away Therefore open not thy mouth mention not thy worthinesse but the worthinesse of the Lord Iesus Christ for He onely was found Worthy I remember Luthers words upon this point of Catechisme they are to this purpose This thought I am not prepared for this Supper I am an unworthy guest for this Table will make a man sit down astonished and keep him off for ever from approaching thereunto When we consider our worthinesse and the excellency of that Good which is offered there at that Table and then compare them together our wrothinesse is like a dark lanthorne compared to the cleare Sun Therefore let this be thy tryall here saith he Thou wantest a broken contrite heart but doest thou not in thy prayer pray * that is pray earnestly y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tom. 6. de oratione a man may but James 5. 17. speak or prate in prayer as was said and so speak he may that he heares not himself and expects he that God should heare him saith Chrysostome doest thou not I say pray earnestly that the Lord would bruise it give thee a tender spirit sensible of all appearances of evill of all that may offend Thou feelest thy heart dedolent and hard the greatest of all evills but is it not thy burden and thy greatest sorrow that oppresseth thee that such a heart thou hast Doth not thy stone in thy heart It is in every ones heart more or lesse lye as a burdensome stone upon thee Thou wantest faith but doest thou not cry out Lord work it Lord encrease it in me Thou wantest love But doest thou not pray Lord spread abroad that Grace in my heart that it may abound and overcome all wrath iâ— placablenesse self-seeking self-pleasing all in me while I am my self being by nature the childe of wrath Hast thou wants I know thou hast and more then thou knowest of but come to Him who promiseth to supply all wants y Phil. 4. 19. No matter how many wants there be so thou art pressed and loaden with them so thou hast a true sense and feeling of them Bring all thy wants hither where is a fulnesse a full Treasury and that ordained I say again for supply of all wants Thou art unworthy thou knowest thou art yes and more unworthy then thou canst think thy self but art thou sensible thereof very sensible Blesse God that thou art so and now come come z Revel 22. 17. The Spirit and the Bride say Come And let him that heareth say come And let him that is athirst come And whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Come then and feare not Come and welcome for though thou art no worthy guest yet thou art an invited guest why I will tell thee in Luthers words And for this very reason because thou art unworthy a Pâ—â—â—sus propâ—â—â—a quia indignus There is a great disproportion a wide difference betwixt Gods thoughts and mans thoughts Man may have high and glorious thoughts of himself and yet be nothing nay an abomination in Gods esteeme b Rev. 3. 17. So may he be low and vile in his own sight even to loathing and be high in Gods account even to a gracious acceptation c Rev. 29. Only then begge entreat cry for the spirit of the penitent who can gird themselves with sackcloth and wallow in dust and finde sweetnesse there even by putting their mouthes into the dust even thence fetching hope d â— am 3. 29. 1 Sam. 14. 4. In lifting up the eye to Christ there is hope none at all in looking downward Breath after Him cleave unto Him Breake through all difficulties as Ionathan did and make way to the rock if it be possible to perish at the fountain of Salvation or to thirst at the head-spring of Life there thirst there die But set thy face stedfastly looking to Christ through all through flesh and grace for grace is but a creature through all and thy salvation is sure This in way of answer which we may finde more at large in Luthers short Catechisme So much for thy provision and to stirre up thy preparation against thy approach to the Lords Table I conclude this as I finde a chapter concluded touching this very subject where I finde a short rule or consideration but of large use to direct us both before and after we have presented our selves at this Table Mr Reynolds Medit. on the Lords Supper Chap. 12 â— How pure ought we to preserve those doores of the soul from filthinesse and intemperance at which so often the Prince of glory Himself will enter in The thought hereof is of high and soveraigne use before we come to this Table and it is of no lesse use after we have been there Certainly we will strive to preserve the doores of the soul those eyes and eares that mouth and that heart also pure from filthinesse and intemperance through which and into which we professe that the Prince of Glory Himself is entred in CHAP. VI. Of Wedlock how sacred that band how fundamentall to comfort I. Our well and orderly entrance into that honourable estate II. Our well ordering our selves therein according to the dignitie and honour thereof IT follows now that we make some provision also against the other solemne Ordinance wherein two are
and for her life let it be with her full consent 4. It is proper to the parents charge and it is a point of their wisdome also to be watchfull herein that the parties have as little sight one of the other as well may be till there be some likelihood of proceeding And then but sparingly too till the match be made up There are two things necessary in all matters of weight That we have Argus his eyes and Briareus his hands b Prima actionum Argo committtenda sunt extrema 〈◊〉 De Aug 6. 41. p. 201. That is that we walk leisurely and circumspectly looking with all our eyes and deliberating with all our counsels before we determine and when so we have done then to dispatch speedily Young folk are good at the latter they will conclude quickly they are quick at dispatch but in point of foresight they are no body They spell the rule backward they dispatch first and deliberate afterwards which causeth so much trouble in the house and sorrow in the world They think not what they do they do to eternitie Parents must balast them here for they are like a ship without it Parents must foresee and forecast with all their eyes and more if they had them before young folk go to farre in this businesse Let this objection be nothing I must eat good store of salt with him or her first whom I would make my friend afterwards There is some use in it but not here betwixt young parties If their affections meet for the present they examine not what may cause a disagreement hereafter Let the parents look to that and judge of their dispositions they may do it and they ought the younger parties cannot their judgement is steeped in affection as was said they have little discerning further then as may fit the present but one or both can so intangle themselves and very quickly that if the match should break the weaker breaks with it and carrieth the trouble of it to the grave I have observed it so also and I tell no more but mine own observations all along Let them have as little familiaritie one with another as possibly may be till the match be made up and then as befitteth Christian modestie 5. And now I suppose the match treated upon proceeded in and concluded in such a way as is most agreeable to Gods will and word for in so doing we may expect a blessing There is but one thing remains as a close to that great businesse The solemnizing thereof according to the same rule And here we require the parents care and circumspection at no point or circumstance more wanting yet at no time more needfull for it is the last and chief point of their duty and evidenceth what their sinceritie hath been in all they did before touching their proceeding in and concluding the match They must remember now and consider with all consideration That they are on this solemne day laying the foundation of a new house or familie now we know what care we take in laying the foundation They are now so joyning two that they make two one and this they can do by joyning hands but there is but One and He onely that can joyn hearts and keep them joyned That marries them to Himself and each to other making them that day and all their dayes of one heart in one house This is a great work and peculair to Him who is one God blessed for ever Therefore a main point of circumspection it is that they do nothing this day whereby to offend His eyes who gave them their childe all that is lovely and comfortable in their childe all the good they have or can expect Who makes a Vnitie and keeps a Vnitie in the bond of peace Certainly I am upon a great point of duty O how carefull should we be that we give no offence here And yet how is this care wanting May we not complain here as Chrysâ—stome in his dayes c In Gen. 24. verse 67. Hom. 48. â— Hom. 56 â— Tom. 5. ser 18. How are marriages solemnized and in a manner how uncomely for Christians in such a manner with such preparations as if the purpose and intent were that the devill should be the chief guest called in thither and a blessing shut out I remember the same Fathers words in another place If the minstrells be within Christ is without or if He doth come in He turns them out d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Coloss cap. 4. Hom. 12. â— I will not say so lest I should strain the Fathers words for I cannot take his meaning so Musick is a science not to be despised and though it be not congruous for mourning yet it is for a feast I suppose there we are now And though we are so yet this I will say and all that have common reason will say so with me where such songs are as are usuall at such feasts there Christ is not that is certain He is excluded and let parents well consider what a guest they have shut forth such a one who hath done all for them from whom they expect all for hereafter And here now thou that art a parent shalt be judge in thine own case supposing it to be thus Thou hast no means whereby to preferre thy childe none at all thou couldest not give it so much as her wedding clothes But a friend thou hast who would do all for thee all to thy very hearts desire and more Tell us now wouldest thou forget this friend on the wedding day no sure that thou wouldest not who ever was forgot he should be remembred sure enough Thy engagement to the Lord Christ is much more and much stronger I cannot tell thee how much more but infinitely more that it is canst thou then forget to invite Christ to the wedding Certainly no if reason or civilitie can prevaile any thing nay before and above all or else it is nothing for He must be chief and Lord where He comes thou wilt as the same Father adviseth call Christ thither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In ep ad Coloss Hom. â— for certainly a marriage feast cannot be well ordered if it be not as once it was even thus And both Iesus was called and His Disciples to the marriage f John 2. 2. Object Suppose it so and the parents have quitted themselves well for things are done decently and in order But now here is a grave question for thus it will be said Great reason we see that we should invite Christ but how can we do it Answ He is in Heaven and we are on earth He is a spirit we flesh That is very true and it is fit ye should know it that ye may keep your distance and answerably addresse your selves And when ye have done so according to knowledge then observe an Analogie or congruitie in this businesse as thus would you know how you may invite Christ As thou doest
word feare helps to feed a man with food convenient for him It cloathes him as with a garment It armes him as with shield and buckler it keeps him in his walk and course as under watch and ward It guards the eye eare hand and foot that all may do their office and keep in order It aweth his very thoughts All this feare doth if it doth its office which is to keep the watch strong for this is certain If I feare death to be in the pot I will not taste of the pottage And thus soveraign it proves to be because it winds up the heart continually to God who promiseth to be a sanctuary to all such who feare before Him The Wise mans counsell is notable Be thou in the feare of the Lord all the day long r Prov. 23. 17. For it is a conclusion of experience A wise man feareth and departeth from evillâ— But the foole rageth and is confident Å¿ Prov. 14. 16. as if there were no snares in his way whence it commeth to passe that his foot is taken like a bird in a snare he is holden by it and cannot be delivered for this is a resolved case also Happy is the man that feareth alway But He that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischiefe t Prov. â—8 14. And so we have enough in one word for the prevention of all these snares which are ever strawed thickest in a full and plentifull state There are snares in wants also O give me not too little saith Augur but feed me with food convenient for me Prov. 30. 8 9. lest poverty be a snare unto me lest I put forth my hand to that which is not mine and take the Name of my God in vaine such a snare there is in poverty Therefore to help thee here and not mention what hath been said though it would fit very well I will reason out this point with thee If God make thy family like a flocke of Sheep and thy pasture be bare if the Mouthes thou hast to feed be many and thy provision of Meale is now toward the bottome if thy charge be increased and thy meanes shortned if so I know here is a straight and a burden Want is a burden x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost de Lazâ—r Conc. 1. saith the Father grievous to be borne they will tell us so that feele it But yet as the same father elegantly saith Wee are all Stewards and we must all give an account what Sermone praecedent pag. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. shall the poore man give an account of who hath scarce any thing to give to his mouth The Father answers The rich Steward must accompt with his Master how bountifull he hath beene according to his Masters appointment And the poore Steward hee must be accountable too how patient he hath beene under wants how hee hath humblâ—d himselfe under the Almighty Hand And how dependant upon that hand If there bee a straite and the Meale be at the bottome here is an hint of a glorioâ—s dependance upon Him that multiplyed the oyle and the meale and the Loaves And with the fewer loaves though the power was the same fed the more And the more was remaining upon Him That doth cloath the Lillies feed the Ravens makes a path in a wildernesse causeth water to flow out of a Rocke or in a parched ground filled the Valley with water when they saw neither winde nor raine a 2 King 3. 17. It is good and safe to depend here Infinite power and goodnesse can never bee at a losse nor faith which lookes thereunto can be at stand Faith makes up a life without the creature It cheeres the countenance without oyle b Famem vera fides non timel Hier. lib. 2. ep 18. p. 221. refresheth the spirit without wine glads the heart strengthens it without the bread of men It is certain a soul that hath such a dependance is never fatter better liking then when his pasture is shortest like a wildernesse It is fattest in the winter as some creatures are when there is no greene thing but ground trees and all are all covered Then this soul can pick meat when the heaven is brasse and the earth iron Then even in such a time the soul can live rejoyce and joy in the Lord the God of Salvation Habb 3. 18. This is the onely way which will lead thee through the snares which are in wants that thou shalt not be intangled with them not put forth thy hand unto wickednesse If thou canst finde no way God can make a way only thy part is if meanes be short to trust the more And to lengthen thy hope Hope we say is an inheritance for a King and this God will provide makes Gods children confident It is good to be in a depending condition then we roule our selves upon God The depending soul can best track the wayes of Gods providence and seeth how wise and admirable they are whereas the fulnesse of outward means obscureth the lustre of that track and draweth the heart unto them from a providence And now I need not bid thee use all lawfull means for dependance on a providence doth establish the means and us in the use of them It is unreasonable to think that God will feed us from Heaven when we may gather our meat from the earth He worketh not extraordinary in a fruitfull land where the plough can go I mean in that place and time when our hands can work As we must not trouble our selves about Gods charge as it is usuall so to do So we must not neither neglect our own charge which is to give all faithfull endeavour and having done it then stand still rest and wait for His blessings who hath said I will not leave thee nor forsake thee And now we are upon thy duty and charge heare some lessons which may be of use for thy better discharge thereof Therefore the chief lesson follows for it makes all easy Let the law of the Lord be never out of thy minde nor His word when houshold employments admit vacation for she that is married careth for the things of the world how she may please her husband be out of thy hand That 's an holy word saith Clemens d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prompt p. 41. which makes holy as He is and like Him Tongues there are but one is enough for a woman and work enough to use that one well Other learning there is too but like nuts e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Strom. 1. 199. I referre to thy sex it nourisheth not This word makes f 2 Tim. 3 â— Lactan. lib. 3. cap. 25 perfect and throughly furnisheth All necessary truths are plain there and nothing dark g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Protrept p. 42 to him or her that will come to the light by earnest h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
in one house arise families and from them Common-wealths And now we have againe the blocke in our way though we have remooved it before I know well that a family may be so governed as we heard and as it should be It is required that these two in one house should bee one in one house with one soule with one mind with one heart serving the Lord. This blessing and gift from above for a good husband as a good prudent wife are both the gift of God and a speciall favour q Singulari modo Trem. Prov. 19. 14. Chap. 18. 22. my prayer is that thou maist receive But if not thou hast heard thy charge and withall how patient thou must bee under that want Thou must waite when God will give Repentance and use all meanes that may hasten the same as the Common adversary doth our destruction and never dispaireth of it while there is place for hope as the Father sweetly and elegantly shewing the duty of Ministers But it concernes all in these Chrysost de Lazar Conc. 1. â— cases wives especially that the unbeleeving husband may be wonne by the chaste conversation of the wife and so I leave thee now and thy charge in this supposed condition as I would have thee and them under thee found thee sweetly commanding in the Lord and they willingly obeying and in the Lord still I leave thee I say in thy family like a little Common wealth r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. A good housewife is an excellent ornament in an house she is a grace to her husband and her self In that house all rejoyce children in theiâ— mother husbâ—nd in the wife the wife in children and husband all in God Clem. Alex. Pâ—d lib. 3. cap. 11 p. 183. revâ—rencing thy husband ruling thy Children commanding thy servants and all in and for the Lord which will finde thee worke enough to keepe thee waking in the season for it and to imploy the strength of thy parts and most pretious time and so both thy time and parts will be well spent in so behoovefull a service Now passe on to the last stage of our life which is Old-age CHAP. VII Old Age. Two periods thereof pressing to dutie both Comfort in death whence distilled AND now we are come like a ship from out of the maine Sea of the world which lyeth open to stormes and gusts and rideth at Anchor under the Leeside where the passengers may looke out and see their harbour Wee must now doe in the first place as Sea-faring men should doe in such cases they tell what they saw and what they felt even His wonders in the deepe and they declare these workes of the Lord with rejoycing Å¿ Psal 107. 22. So they who are brought safe to this port or stage of time Old-Age must recount and record the Mercies of the Lord and what deliverances Hee hath wrought for them in their way thitherward This is the first thing to be done even to sacrifice the sacrifice of thankesgiving and to declare his works also with rejoycing And Child I began the Register of Gods Mercies towards thee where thou tookest thy beginning and first entrance into the world at thy Birth and Baptisme There I considered thy outward frame of Body and inward frame of minde where I leâ—t off then there I begin now to teach thee to recall to minde and record the mercies of God to thee ever since that time And though this recording of Mercies be proper to every person that is growne up to the yeares of understanding and not to every Age only but to every yeare and month and weeke and day therein yet this is a duty which seemes more to presse upon us the more and the faster yeares doe presse on And therefore though it doth concerne All in generall and every age and person in speciall yet being specially intended because that which is spoken to all is counted as spoken to none I shall bend my words to Thee whom I must suppose now stricken in yeares the Sun of thy day farre passed the Meridian and its shaddow gone downe many degrees towards the place where anon it must set Thou must then consider how wonderfully the Lord hath maintained thy life and preserved the same ever since thy comming into the world and that this consideration may presse the more thou must consider what this life is and that of so small a bottome the Lord should spinne out so long a thred Had he not drawne it out of his owne power as the Spider doth her web out of her owne bowels it had been at an end the second minute The maintaining the Radicall Moysture that Oyle which feeds the Lampe and light of thy life is as great a miracle as was the maintaining the Oyle in the Cruse of the poore widow But He did not maintaine this life only and at His owne proper cost But defended and protected thee also tooke thee under His Wings as the hen doth her chickens to shelter thee from those many dangers thy life hath been exposed to We cannot tell how many but this thou must know that there are principalities and Powers both in the plurall number to shew they are Legions and in the Abstract to shew they are armed with power as they are swelled with malice And to this their malice and power thou wast liable every moment of thy life and thou hadst felt both their malice and their power as quick and fierce against thee as Iob and others have done if the Lord had not charged them concerning thee Touch her not and how canst thou be sufficiently thankfull for this Againe consider how many dangers and casualties thou hast scaped from the Earth the severall creatures on it from the Water from the Fire from the Aire also how often have the Arrowes of Death come whisking by thee Tooke away those next thee and yet have missed thee perhaps thou hast seene some Deare yeares of time as thy forefathers have done When a thousand have falne at thy right hand and ten thousand at thy left When Gods Arrests have seized upon some walking talking and yet have spared thee And if not so yet consider thine owne body and the humours thereof They had every day overflowne and drowned thee as the waters the earth if God had not said unto them stay your proud Waves In a word if thou consider what thy life is and the dangers thou art subject to thou must acknowledge that the preservation thereof is as great a wonder as to see a sparke maintained alive amidst the waters So Chrysostome speakes of Noah t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tom. 5. ser 6. As great a wonder as to see a glasse that hath been in continuall use gone through many hands and hath had many knocks and fals to be kept for forty fifty sixty yeeres whole and unbroken As great a wonder as to see a Candle in a paper lanthorne in a
more elevated To have one foot in the grave and the other tending to the place of utter darknesse To have the outward man quite decayed and the inward dead or fainting To be hasting toward the pit and to have the heart within like a stone A dying spirit in a dying body what a woefull conjunction is this I consider thy sex childe and thy charge but whatever it be thou wast never so fit as now thou shouldest be to serve it Now admonition correction instruction counsell all are in season before they might be suspected Now thou hast the advantage of all thy former past dayes and every following day is the disciple of the preceeding day a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pâ—â—d ol od 1 Here is Master after Master and lesson upon lesson thou art a very bad proficient if thou art not now an old Disciple b Acts 21. 16. I shall never examine thee upon this point but be assâ—red He that numbers out thy yeares unto thee will take an account of thee how thou hast spent them what provision thou hast laid up for their coming what store thou hast treasured up against a deare yeare against a time of spending Old-age is like our winter a time of expence we must get and lay up in youth what we must use and lay out in age c Juveni parandum Seni utendum Senec. And here we must use the more diligence because it is not with man in his winter as with the earth the trees and fruits thereon in theirs If they look dead and saplesse in their winter the Sunne will return unto them and renew their face they will spring out again but man decayeth and reneweth not he must not look in a naturall way to renew his youth like an eagle If the Lord hath lengthned out thy span and thread of life unto old-age thou must needs say the Lord hath been gracious and full of patience to thee ward and then thy heart must needs answer Render again praise and obedience to Him that is so good unto thee So thou wouldest expect from thy childe from thy servant so a Prince from his Subject Great favours are great engagements between man and man betwixt God and man much more for He is the fountain and well-head of mercies The mercie which man sheweth is but as a drop derived to us from that fountain Gods mercies are all strong cords to binde unto obedience which ever is the fruit of true thankfulnesse David said very much in a few words against Nabals churlishnesse Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow had in the wildernesse d 1. Sam. 25. 21 So David argued or rather reproved Nabals churlishnesse And had not Abigail seasonably stopped David in his way Nabal had heard more touching his churlish dealing and answer This instructs us to sobrietie and watchfulnesse that the Lord may not have the same controversie against us when we come to our declining age Surely in vain have I kept this man this woman and all that they have so as nothing is missing of all that pertained unto them In vain have I lengthened out their dayes in vain have I fed them all their life and redeemed them from evill in vain have I preserved their inward and outward faculties both of soul and body all sound and entire for all this have they so and so churlishly requited me for all they have returned evill for good This is a reproof the hearing whereof we cannot endure And such a like reproof must he or she heare even such an one as will make their hearts like a stone within them if being preserved so and so long they have so unkindely requited the Lord if having so long a time of gathering and of exercising their talent they have gained nothing if having passed over so many yeares they have carelesly passed over also the observations which so many yeares would have yeelded very many For this we must still remember That the unthankfull man the better he is the worse he is That is the more good the Lord hath been to him the heavier his account will be and then the worse it will be with him Better the Lord had been a wildernesse unto him then that he should be a wildernesse to the Lord who had so watered him that he might be fruitfull That we may escape this great condemnation labour we to acquaint our selves betime with the Lord and to grow up more and more in the knowledge of Iesus Christ and the power of his grace for according to our increase and growth herein will our strength be for in Christ Iesus the decayes of age are repaired so as there shall be no more an infant of dayes nor an old man that hath not filled his dayes as Mr Calvine expoundeth the place e Esay 65. 20. Let us heare now how sadly Clemens of Alexandria complaineth at this point we will heare his counsell also for that is of use indeed but his complaint first which is this Ye have been infants then children then grown-men after grave-men but yet good men never Now reverence your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. ad gentes pag. 50. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Châ—ysost Tom. 6. in vet Test pag. 543. old-age this is the counsell give this honour unto it of being wise of doing vertuously give it as you would have others give you honour and due reverence You are hastening now towards your grave set your face the more stedfastly towards your countrey which is above Your feet are almost stumbling upon the dark mountains pluck them up now as a Traveller that hath slept out his time and yet hath farre to go and walk on the faster in the wayes of peace so redeeming the time Put that crown upon your gray head upon your declining age the Sun of the day is neare the setting that now at length now you are dying you may begin to live A man cannot be said to live truly till he lives godlily holily till then he is dead though he lives that the end of your life may be the beginning of your happinesse Oh! farre be it that ye should be delivered and delivered again and yet again that you should be spared and spared and yet to commit more abominations Jer. 7. 10. far be it that ye should be i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioâ—d pag. 40. Alex. as some have been by so much the more wicked the more kinde and gracious the Lord hath been You pity blinde men k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ibid. pag. 49. and deaf men because they cannot see the works of God which ye see nor heare the works of God which ye heare O pitie your selves for ye are both both blinde and deaf Ye have seen much ye have observed little ye have heard many things and those great things
but ye understand not what ye heard Now heare and hearken now see and perceive now while it is called to day and know that there is a great deale of mercy l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. p. Ibid. 41. that yet the day is and is yet continued still every day to this present repeated a great mercy this provoke the Lord no longer grieve His good spirit no more lest He swear in His wrath as He will do if we continue to turn grace into wantonnesse m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Iâ—id While it is yet to day heare His voice and turn unto Him This is the counsell I will adde but this to it That He and He onely turns the heart who opened the eyes of Him that was born blinde and made a man every whit whole therefore the Church saith convert me and I shall be converted c. It is He who gives a seeing eye and an hearing earâ— even both these is a speciall mercy from the Lord and greatly to be begged for This then we must note for close hereof that as there may be a childe in n Noli annorum nos aestimare numero nec sapientiam canos reputes sed canos sapiâ—ntiam Hier. ad Paul 14. p. 180. yeares and a man in understanding so also may there be an old man in yeares and a childe in understanding For understanding comes not by yeares but by meditation in Gods law o Psal 119. 99. 100. Noli sidem pâ—nsaâ—e temporibus Ibid. I have more understanding then my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation I understand more then the Ancients because I keep thy precepâ—â— A man may run out many yeares and more houres and yet be never the wiser by all that time because he hath not learnt from whom every good and perfect gift commeth even from the Father of lights He that worketh all our worke in us and for us before whom the Elders fell down and worshipped casting their crowns before His Throne acknowledging themselves to be in point of grace but Almes-men p Exuentes 〈◊〉 propriam bâ—nignitatem se beneficiarios ejus agnoscunt anâ—e cujus thronum coronas abjiciunt Brightman Rev. 4. 10. or sitting at the receit of a free mercy He it is that giveth wisdome not length of yeares nor number of dayes out of His mouth cometh knowledge q Prov. 2. 6. and understanding God iustructs unto discretion r Esay 28. 28. Job 38. 22. The Husbandman can neither sow nor reap c. without assistance and instruction from God much lesse can he sow righteousnesse and reap the same without speciall instruction from His mouth Who knoweth the heart therefore it is said Who teacheth like Himâ— And he that is old and stricken in yeares yet hath learnt so much as hath been said That the Lord giveth wisdome that His word or law instructs to discretion This mans case is not to be despaired of though it be towards the last houre for while breath is within the nostrils for ought we know there is a doore of grace and mercy open But yet this is a very sad and lamentable case For the longer a man walks on in the wayes of ignorance the more unwilling and unable he will be to return and be reformed custome in sinning exercising still more and more tyranny his understanding will be more darkned his judgement more perverted his will more stubborn his memorie more stuffed with sensuall notion his affections will become more rebellious his thoughts more earthly his heart more hardened his conscience more seared And so much considering the season that gray hairs are mingled with the black no time for delay now when before it be long there shall be no more time We must account that the long suffering of the Lord is salvation t 2. Pet. 3. 15. And let the conclusion hereof be an earnest prayer to the God of all grace that as His promise was unto His Church to Joel 2. 25. restore the yeares that the locusts had eaten the Cankerworm and the Caterpiller So he would restore unto us the yeares which the ignorance of childehood the vanities of youth the negligence of age have consumed There is another period of this age the burden whereof is II. labour and sorrow Barzillai lived to those yeares full fourescore and what saith he I x 2. Sam. 19. cannot taste what I eat or what I drink a question in the sacred tongue is a strong affirmation I heare not the voice of singing wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden how long have I to live a question we should often put to our selves which would answer all solicitations from the world and flesh and put them to silence how long have I to live That is how very short is the remnant of my mortalitie yet a very little while y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—eb 10. 37. and I must hence what should I think of now but of my death and of my grave what are pleasures or earthly contentments unto me so feelingly spoke that old man The many decayes infirmities that accompany this age are fully set down by the preacher Eccles 12. Amongst those many one expression there is very full and significant as our English renders it verse 5. The grasâ—opper shall be a burden In the Originall the words imply no more but the curvature of the back which with men of such yeares stands bent like a Grashopper and that makes an old mans gate the more burdensome The words may imply also according to the common construction that every thing even the lightest to an old man is burdensome If he creep up to his bed and down from it though to repaire his decayes yet even this is burdensome even delights to others to him are tiresome he takes no delight in the Grashopper nay it is a burden that is saith Tremellius that pleasant season of the yeer when we heare the Grashopper yeelds no pleasure to him none at all he hath quite lost his taste and relish now in those things which to others are pleasurable c. And yet if the grave meet us not in our way hitherto as commonly it doth before we come so farre and prevent our expectation it is larger in nothing then in the issue of this age and in the account we hope to give up at that time This is our greet folly For how bad stewards soever we have been of our fore-past time yet at this time we hope to lay our reckonings even and so to give up our account with joy Though we have turned from God all our dayes yet we have a sure and certain hope in our conceit that we shall turn unto Him and He will turn unto us at this time when indeed we are not able to turn our selves upon our bed And naturally for it is but Nature seeking its own preservation naturally I say and usually men
do make fair offers essayes and promises this way at such a time as this when they see themselves dropping into the grave But we must note as one before us and for our use B. Andrews on Psal 78. verse 34. that this time is the time when all Hypocrites Atheists tag and rag come in and seek Him For who is it that will not look out for a dwelling when he sees his old house dropping down upon his head Who will not cry out for mercy mercy when he seeth the doore shutting upon him and if he speaks not now he must hold his peace for ever Who will not desire that earnestly to live for ever with the Lord now that he sees he must die So true it is that this is the time when all even the worst of all do seek unto God and will turn unto Him But we must note also that this is not our time nor is it the time when God usually opens unto us 1. It is not our time to seek when we are not in case to seek any thing else It is not our time to turn to Him when we are not able to turne our selves in our bed not our time to rise earely to seek Him so we must if in an ordinary way we look to finde Him when we are not able to rise at all not our time to enquire after Him when breath faileth us and we are not able to speake three words together What ever our words are and â—ow pious soever whatever offers we make towards heaven it will be suspected to be slavish and extorted for feare of the Pale horse and that which follows It is not to be doubted but at such a pinch as this something we would say and something we would do which might do our selves good But what or how can we do to purpose when our strength is gone our spirits spent our senses appaled the shadow of death upon our eyes This time is not our time 2. Nor is it Gods time to heare In the Law the Lord forbad that torne flesh should be offered unto Him it was allotted for the dogs a Exod. 22. 31. Mal. 1. v. 13. But such a like sacrifice are our prayers and our praises at such a time as this as torne flesh broken divided and interrupted they must needs be when our heart within us is as Lead and our sighes beat as thick as a swift pulse The Lord ever refused the torne blind and the lame for a sacrifice It was not beseeming our Governour b Mal. 1. v. 8. a man like our selves In case to Him it was offered he would not accept of the same much lesse will God accept our torn divided sacrifice our refuse our Lees or dregs bottome dotage That which was dogs meat that which our selves and friends are weary of We had a male in our flock that is we had strength of body and minde and then of that best or male we should have offered unto the Lord But now that our best or male is spent now that we have cast away our precious stock of time and parts upon the service of sinne and Satan how can we now thinke that our torne blinde and lame sacrifice can be accepted how can we think the Lord will accept a corrupt thing against which He hath denounced a curse c Mal. 1. 14. It is not the Lords time He heareth not those persons who d Prov. 28. 9. Prov. 1. turn away their care from hearing his Law we must heare God first if we look that God should heare us at the last If He cryeth and He cannot be heard We shall cry and we shall not be heard for the Lord hath spoken it more then once e Zach. 7. 13. Quid enim justius c. Sal. De Gob. lib. 3. pag. 86. Non aâ—divimus non audimur ibidem All our stretching and crying and howling will be in vain We should have stretched and inclined our eares and have lifted up our voice on high when Gods time and ours was I mean the ordinary time that he hath appointed to be called upon and we are commanded to seek Him in What time is that it is called the Day of Salvation the acceptable Day And when is that time The Apostle answers Now is the accepted time now is the Day of Salvation now this present time f 1 Cor. 6. 2. And it is but a day Time is all the yeare long but your sowing time and your reaping time both these have their seasons Time is all the day long but tide-time hath See first Part. pag. 71. its appointed houre and we observe it as the poore man the stirring of the water Now this present time while the male is in the flock while breath is and strength is while the season is of knocking and opening Now is the time when we must seeke Now the time when God usually opens There is a pretty fiction touching the shell-fish and the Serpent And because it instructs us touching a speciall point of practise we thus read it The Shell-fish and the Serpent sometime lived together and conversed the Shell-fish very harmelesly with the Serpent the Serpent very crookedly with the Shell-fish After many faire means and thereby prevailing nothing the Shell-fish watched his opportunitie and while the Serpent slept gave him a blow on the head which is deadly The Serpent feeling himself wounded to death began to stretch out himself it is the manner of all creatures so to do but most remarkable in the Serpent because he lyeth in a ring and goeth in folds or doubles The Shell-fish observing the Serpent so stretching out and straightning himselfe told him Thou shouldest have done so before Thou shouldest have walked even and straight with Me when we conversed together so it might have benefitted thee but now nothing at all This is a fiction but it tels us our folly in good eatnest and instructs us in a speciall point of wisdome we have this property of the Serpent we are content to walk crookedly all our life in the crooked wayes of sinne and Death our owne wayes and we doubt not but to make all straight and even when we dye But ordinarily it profiteth us not our Thoughts deceive us and that is a fruit of our folly Our wisdome is to set all straight and even before hand to put our soules in order and our feete in straight pathes while there is yet Time this hath been the wisdome of the Saints If we read the sacred Register we shall observe all along That they whose yeares are numbred to be many were fruitfull in their lives and faithfull in their Deaths their Old age was their crowne of glory for it was found in the way of righteousnesse And for that great and waighty worke Their setting their house in order Their making all straight and even This was not a worke to be done then when strength and heart and breath faileth but already
done When they came to that point there was no more to be done but to close the eye and fall asleep quietly in the Lord. Remember Lord said that good King when death was in his eye Remember how I have walked in truth g 2 Kin. 20. 3. how I have done the thing which is good in thy sight He assureth and giveth large testimony touching the Time past I have I have It was not large promises concerning the time to come when it was threatned That time should be no more as the manner of the most is I will doe thus and thus hereafter if thou wilt be pleased to spare me now many have said so and so promised and recovered and falne backe strangely to commit greater abominations For that is a Time as the learned Knight noteth h Hist. of the world 2. B. Chap. 3. Sect. 4. pag. 212. When we remember God perforce and when we stand upon no condition with Him It was not what he would doe but what he had done Remember Lord how I have walked how I have done I have sought a good fight I have kept the faith i 2 Tim 4. 6 7. said Paul the Aged when the time of His departure was at hand That is not a time to fight when commonly the heart faints the head is light the backe pained the sides weakned that is the time to have the Crowne put on which we have so long striven after a Time to have our sanctification perfected which before we have heartily laboured in It is not the Time to fight but to overcome and to be more then conquerers I have fought that good fight I have kept the faith When when was Paul such a Champion so valiant for the Truth contending for the Faith and keeping it when was this when his bow abode in strength then he played the Soldier so fighting so contending And hence Pauls ground of confidence Henceforth there is laid up for me a crowne Thus touching the wisdome of the Saints They have understanding of the times And they know what they ought to doe k 1 Chron. 12. 32. that is they doe all in season Two lessons I shall draw hence for the Childs use and instruction and then anend First from hence I would give warning and put in a Caveat against some bold and presumptuous words and for ever hereafter prevent them We heare some and it is ordinary To wish for Death in a Passion before they have well thought of it and prepared for it if we may beleeve them they are well content to dye in a discontent They wish for that which they never before thought of in sobriety and good earnest Know they what they say doe they consider what death is and the consequence of the same when once death hath made its last conquest over the Body in that very instant Time the soule enters into a condition never to be altered it enters into eternity a gulfe of Time which all the figures in Arithmeticke cannot fill up For when we have reckoned a thousand thousand yeares we Read Drexelius 4. 2. have not the fewer remaining We are swallowed up in the thought of Eternity as a drop in the Ocean It is not possible to finde any bottome there we want a thought to measure it but if we should thinke of it to purpose we should be well advised what we doe or say I know there are some who send their prayers and their praises after Soules departed But all helpes no more then doth the crying after a Bowle rub or runne now throwne out of the hand The hand sets the Bias and gives the bowle an impression and where the strength of that impression ceaseth there the Bowle lyeth all our running and calling and crying helpes nothing at all but to evidence clearely as the Anticke and ridiculous trickes of the Bowler so the vanity and unprofitablenesse of our after labours now that the soule is departed For then it is night with the Soule in respect of any further worke the pit is open where there is no praise Then it either rests from his labour or is restlesse in paine There teares are wiped of or else they begin never to have end Weeping for evermore And this I note in passage that when we speake of Death we may be serious It was well answered by a Father to his Sonne who being Crossed in his humor wished hee were dead learne first what it is to live he that so lightly wisheth to dye is as he that flyeth from an yron weapon and a bow of steele striketh him through as Iob speaketh l Job 20. 24. Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord to what end is it for you m Amos 5. 18. â—er 48. 48. â— 43. 44. The day of the Lord is darknesse and not light as if a man did flee from a Lyon and a Beare meet him c. So the Prophet reprooved those who were dispisers of Gods Words and Workes and scoffed at His judgements It may instruct us to sobriety that we doe not for the avoyding of an inconvenience runne into a mischiefe It is dangerous to live in discontent to dye in it or to wish so to do is much more dangerous We ought to wish rather we may live and to count it a great mercy that we are spared till we can give a better account of our Time and are better fitted to dye Death indeed is the Churches portion and part of her joynture All are yours n Cor. 3. 21. 22 23. and amongst those severall parcels Death is yours and therefore it may be wished for and desired as lawfully as a Childe may desire to goe to bed or to his Father For the nature of Death is changed to the godly It is harmelesse now and hath lost its venome It is a passage to a better place a gate to Glory It is the accomplishment of Mortification and the end of labour Thus death is but not in its owne nature so it is a destroying hostile thing and so to our nature the most terrible of all Terribles And therefore not to be desired till we are assured that both the nature thereof and our nature also is changed And then also our desires must not be immoderate we must not long for it nor rejoyce exceedingly when we can finde the grave o Job 3. 21 22. This argueth too much shortnesse of spirit and some impatience under Gods Hand and more unwillingnesse then becometh to waite upon Him any longer we must patiently waite Gods Time remembring Eternity is a space long enough for God to shew mercy unto His when their faces shall waxe pale no more they shall rest for ever And therefore no matter if yet longer they waite His Time and abide His pleasure though with some griefe and paine to the flesh pleasures at His right Hand for evermore will abundantly recompense what ever pressures are from below But whether we dye