day-labour will helpe him to heauen and serue his turne for saluation And if any of these sottish cauillers be questioned challenged for the vnsoundnesse of his spirituall state he will be ready with absurd rudenesse and irkesome clamour to breake out into such brags as these What tell you mee of these high points or trouble mee with this new learning I was neuer asked thus much before in all my life and yet the time is to come that euer our Parson threatned to keepe me from the Communion I doe no man wrong I pay euery man his owne I am neither thiefe nor drunkard nor whoremaster I liue peaceably amongst my neighbours c. I know as much as the Preacher can tell me though he preach out his heart That I must loue God aboue all and my neighbour as my selfe and that I hope I doe c. whereas poore blinded soule hee is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pride ignorance prophanenesse and impenitencie as the skin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is â—…moothly carried hoodwinckt by the diuell to hell without all noyse or any contradiction 7. The worke of Gods restraining Spirit Which sometimes by its power and terrour keepes in and confines a mans inward corruption that it breakes not out into such open outrages and outward villanies as in some other wicked Ones And that for the good and quiet of his owne people or some other secret ends seene and seeming good to his heauenly Highnesse Now this restraint by the delusion of the deuill and deceit of a mans owne heart may bee apprehended as a great conquest ouer corruption and so a conuersion thence vainely concluded 8. Education in a religious family thus Some in such a place being onely outwardly warmed with the heate of holy exercises about them and by custome and for company growne conformable to religious duties with some contentment depart thence with a â—…aineglorious conceit and vnsound perswasion that they are also of the right stampe because they were so long amongst spirituall tooles and at the fire which might indeed haue truly melted their yet too frozen and flinty hearts Put a Sow into a greene medow and shee will keepe her selfe as faire as the Sheepe but let her breake out and she will wallow againe in the mire as filthily as before so it is with too many such 9. Much knowledge and noble defence of that blessed Orthodoxe Truth which wee professe without a kindly sauing impression of goodnesse and grace in the heart Many great men and great Schollers more is the pitie are empoysoned with this conceit they are selfe conceited that if they be zealous Patrones and protectours of true Religion they are safe enough for saluation though alas they be meere strangers nay too many times opposites to the power and practise thereof 10. The benefit of a better nature and a constitution not so precipitant and prone to some corruptions For instance A man hereby may see others lâ—…e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most abominable beastly sinne of drunkennesse when his heart riseth against such swinish filth others transported with furious and fiery passions when as his milder temper knowes no such rage others hunting after high roomes with the hazzard of their soules and certaine ship wracke of a good conscience when as his solitary disposition affects retirednesse and home Thus when it is many times the infirmity impotencie or deformity of nature or at best but the naturall moderation of a better complexion that dis-inclines and disables him from the acting of some grosser euils hee fondly conceiues that it is the power and soueraignetie of grace which makes the difference betwixt himselfe and other sons of Belial who by natures impetuousnesse are more prone and prouoked thereunto 11. The heartlesse effects of slauish feare which sometimes will curbe some kinde of men from committing some notorious sinnes and spurre them forward to the outward performance of some holy duties yet they not marking the motiues manner or end nor taking to heart at all the grosse exorbitancy of any of them but onely eying the worke wrought may causlesly bee too well conceited of themselues and so coozen their owne soules But let no true-hearted Nathaneel heere mistake I know some of Gods dearest Children who make conscience of all sinne and to please God in all things yet in darkenesse of their melancholy or heate of temptation may feare all is naught with them because they feare they doe all for slauish feare But their feares iealousies hearty complaints and holy desires to the contrary may minister comfort enough if they will be counselled vntill they come out of temptation 12. Euen the blessed Word of God misunderstood and wretchedly abused to the deuils aduantage and damnation of mens soules For instance Some sucke poyson out of that heauenly flower Rom. 10. 13. Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued collecting and concluding thence that if they can say Lord Lord though they bee meere strangers to the life of Grace yet they shall liue for euer But such should know that euery one who in that sauing sence calleth vpon the Name of the Lord must depart from iniquity 2. Tim. 2. 19. and must sauingly beleeue Rom. 10. 14. Now such a fruitfull faith euer purifies the heart Acts 15. 9. and is inseparably attended with a glorious traine of heauenly graces vertue knowledge temperance patience godlinesse brotherly kindnesse charity 2. Pet. 1. 5 6 7. I haue heard with mine owne eares that place Rom. 12. 1. sottishly peruerted to the maintenance of lukewarmenesse coldnesse in Religion and goodfellowship When purity in heart holinesse of life vniuersall obedience and other requisites to saluation haue beene pressed it hath beene replyed in good earnest I pray you why are you so hote what needs all this what needs so much adoe when a reasonable thing will serue the turne Is it not said which is your reasonable seruice Now I often wonder what such men as these meane who are Proctors and pleaders for this Leodicean reserued mediocritie and politike moderation in matters of heauen what worship and seruice they would proportion out for the All-powerfull God Doth any man of braine conceiue that the mighty dreadfull Lord and Iudge of all the world who offers vnto vs by the Ministerie in the meane time his owne deare Sonne with all the rich purchases of his hearts blood and would giue vs the full fruition of himselfe heereafter with all the glory and endlesse felicities aboue will be bobd off if I may so speake with an heartlesse formall outwardnesse with a cold rotten carkasse of religion It cannot be He is a Spirit and must be worshipped in Spirit and truth If men will needs harden themselues in bitternesse and blasphemies against the purity and power of godlinesse if they will still browbeate and beare downe their brethren for their zeale and feruencie in the affaires of God let them teare those sacred leaues out of Gods blessed Booke that sparkle out vnto vs
forgerer and murtherer I would little doubt but to get the day It is proportionably so in this present point I meane betweene my regenerate illightned conscience and Satan Nay in this case should all the Deuils in Hell sweare the contrary did carnall reason naturall distrust or any other aduersary power cauill and contradict with neuer such irksome tediousnesse yet by the mercy of God I will not withstand that heauenly light standing in my conscience like an armed man I will neuer take away mine innocency from my selfe vntill I die But how do you know that you truly beleeue We may know perhaps that we haue some kind of faith but not that we haue the true liuely faith which will serue the turne for saluation I answer Saint Paul bids vs try and prooue our selues whether we haue that Faith by which Christ dwelleth in our hearts which is the faith of such as are accepted with God 2. Cor. 13. 5. Now it were strange if the blessed Spirit should bid vs examine and search for that which could not possibly be found out Againe if a man cannot be certaine that he beleeues with all his heart that is truly and sincerely Philips interrogatorie to the Eunuch Act. 8. 37. had beene in vaine and the Eunuchs reply rash and vnaduised Austin was cleerely of this mind that a man may be acquainted with the sincerity of his faith There is saith he a kind of glorying in the conscience when thou knowest thy faith is sincere thy hope certaine thy loue without dissembling But many say they beleeue and are deceiued thinking they haue that which they haue not How then can a man be certaine Answer So thousands amongst vs by the false spectacles of presumption making the bridge of Gods mercy broader then it is and larger then his truth which confines it onely to broken hearts are wofully deluded and ready euery moment to be drowned in the dungeon of fire and brimstone must therefore those few who are sincerely humbled for their sinnes truly beleeue and vpon good ground haue part in it be also deceiued Because mad men and men asleepe know not well that they are asleepe and rage must therefore men truly waking and wise not know certainely they are awake and in their wits The common people generally conceiue of the Sunnes magnitude that it is not past a foote round must therefore the certainetie of knowledge that it is many times bigger then the Earth be denied to the skilfull Astronomer Some men dreame that they are rich tumble themselues amongst their golden heapes and it is not so indeed when they awake doth no man therefore certainely know whether he be rich or no Conceiue proportionably of repentance an inseparable companion and effect of true faith which is then sauing when it is serious sincere and without hypocrisie and that may be manifest and cleerely discerneable to the heart that hath it Doe you thinke the seriousnesse of the Niniuites repentance was not certaine vnto them We haue receiued the Spirit of God saith Paul that we might know the things that are freely giuen vs of God which are not onely life euerlasting c. but iustification sanctification and such like I say sauingnesse of repentance as of faith consists not in the measure and muchnesse but in the sincerity and truth of which the true penitent may bee certaine as well as of his sorrow But now whereas the Popish Doctors being blind guides leade their hoodwinkt followers into such perplexed mazes of vncertainties and indeed impossibilities about contrition in respect of extension intension appretiation equiualence to sin no maruell though they pleade pertinaciously for the point and purgatory of doubting 3. By the effects and fruits growing from the roote of grace in the heart But there may be in the hypocrite an exact outward conformity and obedience I answer true it is that for the outside and carkasse as it were the workes of vnsactified men may be like to those of the godly but they are without the soule life and spirit which is in the worke of a true beleeuer to which he is no lesse priuy in his heart then to the outward worke which passeth thorow his hands And wee hold that workes done in vprightnesse of heart onely are they which truly testifie in this case Let euery true-hearted Nathaneel then comfortably conclude pardon and peace vnto his owne soule from all such fruits so qualified For instance in one Wee know that we haue passed from death to life because wee loue the Brethren 1. Ioh. 3. 14. I loue the Brethren therefore I am translated from death to life But is it possible for a man to know that he loues his Brethren as he ought and as the Apostle requires Saint Iohn makes it a signe of our being so translated therfore it may be knowne For signes manifesting other things must themselues be more manifest And Austin tels vs that a man knowes more the loue with which he loues then his brother whom he loues Thus may the Christian infallibly collect the sanctifying Spirit iustifying Faith sauing Grace to dwell in his heart by all good deeds holy duties inward or outward fruits springing from an vpright heart For as it followes and may be inferred infallibly and demonstratiuely from the effect to the proper cause in other things For example It is day therefore the Sunne is risen because day cannot be caused but by the Sunnes rising so in this point also explained as before If wee pursue and ply with true hearts the whole Trade of Christianity If we be sincerely exercised in the workes of holinesse iustice mercy and truth and walke humbly with our God we may build vpon it that we are truly blessed All such sound fruits of Faith are euident signes and demonstrations of our spirituall safety and standing fast for euer If ye doe these things saith Peter yee shall neuer fall 4. By the testimony of the Spirit which sometimes as in the time of more feruent prayer holy retyrednesse of mind heauenly meditation or in some quickning exercises of extraordinary humiliation or after some speciall important seruice done to God and his Church with humble sincerity and in true zeale or vpon the soule-searching passage of some well grounded Sermon of comfort and seasonable application of mercy or in the beginning of spirituall and end of naturall life as most needfull times or in the time of martyrdome and sincere sufferings for the Name of Christ c. I say at such times the Spirit may suggest and testifie to the sanctified conscience with a secret still hart-rauishing voice thus or in the like manner Thou art the Child of God Thou art in the number of those that shall be saued Thou shalt inherit life euerlasting And that as certainely and comfortably as if that Angell from Heauen should say to thee as he did to Daniel Greatly beloued And why should any Popish cauiller contradict this sith
meane time his Royall Throne here vpon Earth Isai. 57. 15. what can Man or Deuill or any distrustfull heart say against it And why shouldest thou being such an one be so vnmannerly and vnthankfull nay so vnnecessarily cruell to thine owne heauy heart as not to open the euerlasting doore of thy soule by the key of Faith to let the King of glory knocking with his hand of mercy come in and crowne it with grace and glory with comfort and euerlasting peace II. But alas sayes hee my sinnes are moe then any mans Now when I am searching into the sinke of them I can finde neither banke nor bottome Vnnumbred swarmes of grosse impieties and iniquities thorow my whole life of abominable impurities and pollutions which haue continually defiled my mind heart and affections armed with seuerall stings of terrour doe so restlesly presse vpon my wounded conscience and oppresse it that I cannot I dare not thinke vpon or looke towards any comfort Let them bee what they are and adde thereunto all the sinnes which haue are and shall bee committed by all the sonnes and daughters of Adam from the Creation to the end of the World excepting sinne against the holy Ghost and yet in an hart truly humbled vnder them heartily hating them all cōming with a sincere spirituall hunger at Christs Call to bee disburdened of them they can make no more resistance against the mercies of God then a little sparke of fire against the mighty Sea rhrowne into the midst of it nay infinitely lesse For all these sinnes would still be finite both in nature and number but Gods mercies are euery way infinite Now betweene that which is finite and that which is infinite there is no proportion and so no possibilitie of resistance Whence it is that the Prophet inuiting his people to repentance Esa. 55. 7. by assuring them of Gods sweet mercifull and gracious disposition lest any too fearefull and deiected spirit vndervaluing Gods mercy should thinke thus within it selfe Bee it so yet alas my sinnes are so many and such a sonne of Belial haue I been and so endlesly prouoked the glory of his pure eye that I can expect no mercy the pollutions of my youth haue been so prodigious and infectious that I haue no face to presse vnto his Throne of Grace c. God himselfe doth there purposely preuent the obiection and speaking to our capacitie which cannot comprehend infinity replyes to this sence Oh say not so Stay all such despairefull thoughts doe not cast the incomprehensiblenes of my mercy in the narrow mould of thy finite shallow conceite doe not so vnworthily abridge and confine the vnlimited and boundlesse compassion of the mighty Lord of Heauen and Earth For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your wayes my wayes For as the Heauens are higher then the earth so are my wayes higher then your wayes and my thoughts then your thoughts Many a bruised reede would not exchange the comfort which the weakest faith may extract out of this sweetest place for all the Kingdomes of the earth For he saith not that his wayes and thoughts of knowledge and wisdome but his wayes and thoughts of mercy are as farre aboue ours as the Heauens are aboue the Earth Indeed as himselfe is aboue man which is infinitely But take notice by the way that the mercies of God doe exercise this infinite vnresistable power onely in truly humbled beleeuing soules heartily hating and sincerely set against all sinne I say so lest any impenitent should peruert this precious point or trample vpon this Pearle For as in such a soule no sinnes either for number or notoriousnesse can possibly withstand or stand before Gods infinite mercies so not one drop of all those infinite merceis belongs vnto any that goes on willingly and delightfully hating to bee reformed in any one knowne sinne or that he might know and wilfully forbeares to bee informed As the vnualuable blood of Christ turnes the very scarlet sinnes of the truly broken beleeuing heart into whitest snow so it will neuer wash away the least sinfull staine from the proud heart of any vnhumbled Pharise Let none therefore that goes on still in his trespasses take vp any vaine confidence or mis-grounded conclusion of false comfort from hence by misconceiuing thus Is it so that the infinitenesse of Gods mercy cannot bee resisted by the greatnesse or multitude of sinnes being euer finite both in their number and nature how is it possible then that I should misse of those infinites mercies Why may not I comfortably hope that my sinnes also shall be swallowed vp in that bottomlesse Sea I will tell thee why As the power of God though it be infinite yet is limited by his will so the mercies of God though they bee infinite are regulated by his truth He is able to make millions of Worlds moe but yet wee see his Will was but to create one His mercies transcend with immeasurable distance the height of Heauen and depth of Hell and are indeed as Himselfe infinite but his Truth hath told vs that none shall haue part in them but those alone who repent and beleeue Gods Truth reuealed in his Word must euer confine the current of his compassions and is the touchstone to try and qualifie those to whom his mercies belong See then what kind of people are partakers of Gods infinite mercies by the testimony of that Word of Truth by which we must be iudged at the last Day Prou. 28. 13. Luke 4. 18. Isai. 61. 1 2 3. Psal. 15. Ezek. 18. 21. Psal. 147. 3. Isai. 55. 7. Psal. 34. 18. Salomon saith in the cited place Hee that confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes shall haue mercy How then can he expect any mercy who takes them not to heart but lyes in them still III. Of the pardonablenesse of my other sinnes saith another I could bee reasonably well perswaded but alas there is one aboue all the rest which now vpon discouery and remorse I finde to be full of ranke and hellish poyson of such a deepe and damnable die to haue strooke so desperately in the dayes of my lewdnesse at the very face of God himselfe and farre deepelier into the heart of Iesus Christ then the speare that pierced him bleeding vpon the Crosse and thereupon at this present stares in the eye of my newly awaked and wounded conscience with such horror and grieslinesse that I feare mee diuine iustice will thinke it fitter to haue this most loathsome inexpiable staine rather at length fired out of my soule with euerlasting flames if it were possible that eternall fire could expiate the sinfull staines of any impenitent damned soule then to bee fairely washed away in the meane time with His blood whom I so cruelly and cursedly pierced with it Oh! this is it that lies now vpon my heart like a mountaine of Lead farre heauier then Heauen and Earth and enchaines it with inexplicable terrour to the dust and
not in respect of degrees yet in respect of parts Euery part and power of body and soule must haue its part of sanctification though no part his full perfection and all degrees before the dissolution of our earthly tabernacles Proportionably in the present point though some mixture of infirmities and imperfections will cleaue vnto the face of the fairest action an absolute and vnstained purity is incompatible with this vnglorified state of mortalitie yet notwithstanding euery seuerall ingredient must bee attended and tempered with its owne particular goodnesse and honestie and seasonable conformitie to the whole or else the whole action howsoeuer right in other respects is vtterly robd and disroabed of all true splendour acceptation and grace A little heauen sowres the whole lumpe one noxious hearbe brings death into the pot The goodliest deed or dutie is quite peruerted and empoysoned by the enormitie of any one particular requisite We say truely in the Schooles The conclusion euer followes the worst part Semblably in morality the iniquitie defect and exorbitancie of any one ingredient denominates the whole action naught In euery one of thine actions and vndertakings looke euer if thou looke for comfort that euery concurrent bee iustifiable that euery ingredient be gracious 〈◊〉 bring his probatum est For instance 1. It must be good in its owne nature and warrantable out of the Word by which all things must be sanctified vnto thee 1. Tim. 4. 5. as a good seruant will venture vpon nothing but what he knowes will please his Master Otherwise let the person be neuer so pleasing vnto God his intention neuer so good his heart neuer so zealous the meanes circumstances and end neuer so excellent yet all is naught Worshipping Christ in a Crucifixe is naught in its owne nature abominable idolatrous condemned in Gods Law Exod. 20. 4 c. And therefore bee it done with neuer so great deuotion and good meaning with neuer so much Popish dawbing or goodly pretence whatsoeuer it is still cursed and damnable 2. The obiect whereabout the action is exercised must be qualified according to the rules of Religion Almes-deeds and Doles of charitie are sweet and acceptable sacrifices vnto God But amongst other cautions and considerations to season them the parties that are to be made partakers thereof are to bee singled out with all godly discretion 1. The true wants of a religious Professor should in the first place bee the principall and most moouing obiect to draw bounty from a truely charitable heart according to that Galat. 5. 10. As we haue therefore opportunitie let vs doe good vnto all men especially vnto them who are of the houshold of faith 2. In the next place the lame the blind the sicke the aged the trembling hand or any that God hath made poore 3. Any whosoeuer in a case of true necessitie and extremitie whatsoeuer the partie hath been before for there not the man as it were but the common state of humanitie is relieued But now if for such a purpose thou makest choise of a sturdy begger idle rogue canting companion the shame and plague of this noble Kingdome thou doest not only depriue thy selfe of the comfort and honour of a truely charitable deed but thereby incurrest a great deale of guilt by incouraging and nourishing idlenesse filching many strange vnknowne villanies nay euen an execrable irreligious Paganisme in such lewd lazy drones vnprofitable burdens of the earth and intolerable caterpillers of the Common-wealth For such saith a worthy Diuine as turne begging into an Art and occupation they are by order to be compelled to worke for their maintenance which is the best and greatest almes The obiect of thy speciall intimate and dearest loue must bee the Christian euen the poorest professour of Religion not the compleate Carnalist or most magnificent Worldling 3. Thou must also looke vnto the matter else all may bee mard For instance The matter of thy bounty and beneficence must bee thine owne goods got lawfully not formerly hoarded by Vsury and wrong otherwise it will but prooue in respect of diuine allowance but an abominable sacrifice for many times that which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God Luke 16. 15. 3. The person must bee pleasing the actor acceptable vnto God Otherwise his best and most bountifull deeds are at the best but beautifull abominations Seruices most sacred in their owne nature as Prayer hearing the Word receiuing the Sacrament c. are from him and the altar of his vnsanctified heart but as the offering of Swines blood If thou be not iustified by faith and accepted through Christ all thy actions naturall ciuill recreatiue religious whatsoeuer is within thee or without thee the vse of the creatures all thy courses wayes and passages are turned into sinnes and pollutions vnto thee enlarge and aggrauate thy woe and damnation Euen the sacrifice and whole way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord Prou. 15. 8 9. The Pharise Luk. 18. was not a button better for all his prayers fastings c. nay by accident more accursed I meane in respect of any gracious entertainment with God who was not pleased with Him in Him in whom Hee is well pleased 4. The heart must be sincere else euen the noblest duties of Religion are nothing Iudas gaue his name to Christ preached and wrought miracles and yet all the while was a desperate hypocrite a very incarnate deuill because his heart was rotten drencht in the gall of bitternesse and snared in the bond of iniquitie The Israelites humiliation seeking God returning and inquiring earely after him bespeaking him with all termes of dearenesse and dependance our Rocke our high God our Redeemer was all but temporarie and vnsound because their heart was not vpright When hee slew them then they sought him and they returned and inquired dearly after God And they remembred that God was their Rocke and the high God their Redeemer Neuerthelesse they did flatter him with their mouth and they lyed vnto him with their tongues For their heart was not right with him Psal. 78. 34 35 36 37. 5. The meanes must be good Otherwise be the end neuer so excellent let there bee neuer so exact and absolute concurrence of all other causes yet the glory and comfort of the action is quite darkened and desperately empoisoned to the man that willingly and against the cry of an illightned conscience imployes and puts his hand to any wicked meanes for the atchieuement Suppose that by a lie thou couldest saue a mans life his soule the soules of all the men vpon earth nay winne thereby vnto God as much glory as accrewes vnto him by all his creatures yet for all this on thy part all were naught For it is a sacred Principle sealed vnto by Truth it selfe We must doe no ill that good may come Rom. 3. 8. 6. The circumstanes must bee seasonable For instance Personall and priuate prayer is a
iudgements and the spirit of the Prophets I conceiue that a sanctified man may be assured of his spirituall safety and sound estate to Godwards diuers wayes 1. By the euidence and single act of internall Vision Wee haue receiued saith the Apostle not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that wee might know the things that are freely giuen to vs of God that is to say say our Country-men of Rhemes Christs Incarnation Passion presence in the Sacrament and the incomprehensible ioyes of heauen But it is cleare in the Text that the Apostle speakes of all the gifts generally that are giuen vs of God whither serueth the argument of comparison that as a mans spirit teacheth him to know all his thoughts that are in him at the least in some measure so also the Spirit of God teacheth the Beleeuers to know all that God hath giuen them Hee doth not say that we know Gods gifts but that we know the gifts that God hath giuen vnto vs. See further to this point and purpose 1. Ioh. 5. 13. 2. Tim. 1. 12. By a secret and sacred irradiation of the Spirit of faith the sanctified soule is ascertained of its personall and particular dependance and reliance vpon the promises of life and Gods mercies through Christ by which it knowes it hath eternall life Ioh. 3. 36. As certainely as he that hath a corporall eye knoweth that he sees so certainely he that is illuminated with the light of faith knowes that he beleeues The glorious splendour of such an orient and heauenly Iewell cannot but shew it selfe and shine clearely to the heart wherein it dwels Like a bright lampe set vp in the soule it doth not onely manifest other things but also it selfe appeareth by its owne light when I see and rely vpon a man promising me this or that I know I see and rely vpon him shall I by faith behold my blessed Redeemer lifted vp as an Antitype to the brazen Serpent for the euerlasting cure of my wounded conscience and rest vpon him and yet know no such thing Heare how cleare learned Austin is for this internall vision Our faith saith hee is conspicuous to our owne minde Faith it selfe is seene in the minde although that which is beleeued by faith is inuisible A man holds his faith by most certaine knowledge and plaine attestation of conscience Euery man sees his Faith in himselfe c. Euen Durandus taking vpon him to expound one of those passages in the fore-cited place of Austin tels vs That he which hath faith is so certaine that hee hath it as hee is of any other thing for hee that beleeues feeles that hee beleeues and by consequent that hee hath faith and there is nothing more certaine then experience c. * Vegaes words also in the Councell of Trent sound this way As hee that is hote is sure he is so and should want sense if he doubted so he that hath grace in him doth perceiue it and cannot doubt yet it is by the sence of the minde not by diuine reuelation Ob. But if these things be so how comes it to passe that Gods dearest children complaine sometimes that they haue neither sight nor sence of their faith Answ. I speake of that which is ordinary not euer The Sunne in a cleere sky discouers and manifests it selfe with a witnesse though sometimes it bee ouercast with clouds or eclipsed with the Moone This heauenly lampe of Faith shines and shewes it selfe clearely enough to the sanctified heart in the calmenesse of a Christian course and serenitie of the soule especially freshly cleared and purged with showres as it were of penitent teares though in the dampe of spirituall disertion darkenesse of some stronger temptation eclipse of earthly-mindednesse it may lye hid and obscured for a time And yet for all this if Christians would bee counselled and beleeue the Prophets if they would not vnderualue Gods infinite mercie by looking vpon him through a slauishly deiected and melancholike humour which is wont to represent him as terrible fierce and inexorable whereas in his owne nature and sweetest disposition hee is indeed euer most compassionate tenderhearted and melting ouer the bleeding miseries of a truly broken heart I say if they would not thus mistake but conceiue aright of that most adored mystery and bottomlesse depth of his free loue Hos. 14. 4. Ezek. 16. 8. Ier. 31. 3. Cant. 2. 4. Ioh. 3. 16. 17. 23. they might euen in times of desertions temptations spirituall afflictions of soule sweetely vphold their hearts with assurance of Adherence though for the present they want the assurance of Euidence For such an assurance is intimated Psal. 22. 1. 42. 5 11 43. 5. For instance many a faithfull soule making conscience of all sinne sincerely following the best things resolued without reseruation to doe or suffer any thing for Christ would giue a world to be sensibly assured of Gods fauour and fully perswaded that his sinnes were pardoned By reason of the want of sence and feeling whereof hee slauishly languishes vpon the racke of tormenting feares and terrours vtterly without all cause neither onely so but thereby also gratifying the deuill dishonouring Gods free mercy disabling himselfe for a comfortable discharge of both his callings and that which he little thinkes on lying in the sinne of not receiuing comfort and of not accepting his owne proper legacie which Christ left him Ioh. 14. 27. For in the meane time his heart doth cleaue vnto Christ as to the surest rocke Hee cries and longs after him and would not part with him for all the world Hee would infinitely rather haue his body rent from his soule then his soule from his Sauiour Aske his affection and resolution this way and for all his feares and sorrowes he will tell you that he will still rest and relye vpon his Lord and euer-blessed Redeemer let him doe with him as hee please hee will trust in him though he kill him Now the internall vision consciousnesse reflexed act that I may speake in the phrase of the Schooles of this sincere adherence vnto Christ and those exceeding precious promises of life sealed with his Blood might and ought to assure him of the euerlasting safetie and happinesse of his soule and so by consequent to comfort him infinitely more then if hee had the Crowne of the whole worlds soueraigntie set vpon his head Iustifying faith which giues infallible interest to eternall life is not to speake properly and punctually to be assured of pardon but to trust wholly vpon the mercy of God through Christ for pardon If there arise question in thy fearefull heart about thy spirituall state sence and feeling is no substantiall ground whereon to build being a separable accident to the graces of saluation but the truth and tender heartednesse of Christ in the promises which can neuer faile being as sure as God himselfe If some
graue Gods strict Tribunall the last Iudgement and endlesse miseries of the other world the sting poyson and terrors of which he shall neuer be able either to auoide or abide I say Shall such a fellow fleere in the face And shall not a true hearted Nathanael to whom Iesus Christ hath bequeathed a legacy of peace whom the Spirit of God bids reioyce euermore and who which way soeuer he lookes if he open his eye of faith shall see nothing but matter of sweetest contemplation infinite cause of truest ioy and spirituall rauishment If he looke backward vpon the time whilest he yet lay vnder the â—…yranny of the Diuell and dominion of the first death hee shall see the Catalogue of all his former sinnes should it be as blacke as hell as soule as Sodom as red as scarlet fairely and for euer washed away in that fountaine opened for sinne and for vncleannesse euen the precious blood of that immaculate Lambe Iesus Christ the Holy and the righteous If hee looke vpon his present state he shall finde himselfe preserued as a Iewell most safe in the precious Cabinet of Gods dearest prouidence enuironed with a glorious guard of mighty Angels kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation ready to be reuealed in the last time If hee looke forward hee shall see death indeed but the stâ—…g taken out of it by the death of Christ the graue perfumed to his hand by his Sauiours blessed Buriall wherein hee may lye downe as in a bed of Downe fenced with the omnipotent arme of God for the glory of the Resurrection the Throne of grace in Heauen standing vpon pillars of mercy and loue where Iesus Christ sits as Iudge who shed his hearts bloud for him and is his Aduocate while he yet abides in this vale of teares the bosome of Abraham the armes of God Almighty wide open and stretched out to receiue him at the end of his Pilgrimage into his Masters ioy I say shall such a happy soule not haue an Heauen in his heart but be heauy-hearted Shall a vassall of the Diuell laugh and an hâ—…ire of Heauen looke heauy Monstrous absurditie 2. Euery Christian after his new creation hath euer incomparably more matter of mirth theÌ„ mourning infinitely greater cause to bee rauished with spirituall ioy then to bee deiected by griefe Though this may seeme a paradox to the clearest eye and best apprehension of worldly wisedome yet in truth it is a true principle in the mysterie of Christ. I doe thus manifest it and make it good to the saddest mourner in Sion if hee doe not giue more care to the lying malicious dictates of the Diuell and distrusts of his owne heart then to the well-grounded counsell of the Prophets and impregnable truth of Gods blessed Word In the right estimate and valuation all the afflictions and sufferings of this life whether of soule bodie outward state or any way are but dust in the ballance in respect of that exceeding excessiue eternall weight of glory purchased and prepared for him by the bloud of his dearest Lord. In the originall it is as a worthy Diuine sayes well a superlatiue transcendent phrase of speech which farre passeth the height of all humane Oratory and all the Râ—…toricke of the most eloquent Heathens because they neuer treated vpon such a Theame they were not inspired with such a spirit Whereupon saith the Apostle in another place Ireckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall bee reuealed in vs. Whence it followeth that a very fore-imagination of that most vnconceiueable happinesse to bee had hereafter to wit the shining splendour and sun-like glory of our bodies the vnspeakeable perfections and excellencies of our soules the admirable beauty of the place the glorious comfort of our heauenly company the beatificall fruition of the most blessed Trinity c. and that which crownes our blisse with impossibility of further addition endlesnesse of all these I say a serious preconceit hereof illightened and strengthened by saith is able to hold vp the Christians heart with infinite strength and to refresh it with a secret vnutterable gladnesse euen amidst varietie and extremiâ—…ie of all worldly troubles and doth minister as farre more matter of reioycing then these of mourning as that forementioned exceeding excessiue euerlasting weight of glory is to bee preferred before a little momentany light affliction Hence it is that the holy Martyrs of Iesus were so merry and sweetly contented in the middest of all their outward miseries pressures persecutions and Martyrdome it selfe I was in prison saith one of them till I goe into prison I feele no more paine saith another in the fire then if I were in a bed of Downe it is as sweet to me as a bed of Roses I beleeue saith a third there is not a 〈◊〉 heart in the world at this instant then mine it To One obiecting to a fourth Christs agâ—…ny and sadnesse to his cheâ—…refulnesse Yea saith he Christ was sad that I might be merry He had my sinnes and I haue his merit and righteousnesse But specially let vs looke vpon Paul a blessed and precious patterne for vs to imitate in this point He was troubled on euery side Without were fightings within were feares He was in stripes aboue measure in prisons more frequent in deaths â—…t Of the Iewes fiue times receiued he forty stripes saue one Thrice was hee beaten with rods Once was hee stoned Thrice hee suffered Shipwracke A night and a day was hee in the deepe In iourneying often in perils of water in pâ—…ils of robbers in perill by his owne countrymâ—…n in perils by the heathen in perils in the Citie in perils in the Wildernessâ—… in perils in the Sea in perils amongst false brethren In wearinesse and painefulnesse in watchings often in hunger and thirst in fastings often in cold and nakednesse He was called a pestilent fellow He was accounted as thâ—… filth of thâ—… world and off scouring of all things And yet for all this he professeth of himselfe that hee tooke pleasure iâ—… infirmities in reproches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christs sake Nay which is more and more punctuall for my purpose hee saith in another place That he was filled with comfort and exceeding ioyfull in all his tribulation Now euery sincere-hearted Professor is bound to ouer-abound exceedingly in this ioy as well as Paul Not so saith the weake Christian for Paul had a stronger faith then I and more grace It is true but yet thy faith is as true as his And it is not so much the muchnesse as the truth of faith which giues right and interest to a Crowne of life comfort in all afflictions and euerlasting lightsomenesse Therefore well said a worthy witnesse to the truth Paul and Peter were more honorable members of Christ then I but I am a
Fatlings ready prepared and now reuealed to the Beleeuer by the Spirit For the third Heare the voice of sweetenesse and peace Esa. 27. 2. Sing vnto her A Vineyard of red Wine Sing sounds nothing but ioy lightsomnesse and mirth Unto her the sexe of more amiablenesse tendernesse and loue A Vineyard Vineyards Orchards Gardens and such inclosed Plots are as it were the flowers starres and Paradises of the earth Of Wine as though the Vine-trees of this Inclosure brought not foorth the grosser and vncrushed Grapes but more immediately the refined and pure blood of the Grape Red The most generous sparkling delicious wine A Vineyard is as it were the Diamond of the Ring wine the sparkle red the splendour of the sparkle all excellencies sweetenesses transcendencies where God opens expresses his heart and loue to his Church or any of his Chosen For the fourth Let thy faith peruse with enlarged Meditations those precious passages of gracious inuitation and bountifull entertainement Mat. 22. 3 4. Isa. 55. 1 2. Pro. 9. 2 3. Cant. 2. 3 4. Thou shalt sucke and be satisfied euen with the brests of consolations Thy dearest and most glorious Mother which is clothed with the Sunne treads vpon the Moone and weares on her head a Crowne of twelue Starres shall sweetly and tenderly beare thee vpon her sides and handle thee vpon her knees Isa. 66. 11 12. For the fifth It is compared to a wedding Feast and that of a Kings sonne which is woont to be honoured and crowned with height and variety of all magnificence and Maiestie ioy and triumph mirth and musicke When an humbled soule is first made sure to the Sonne of God the ioyfull harmony of all good hearts that heare of it and the triumphant Halleluiahs of the blessed Angels in heauen concurre in consort as it were of congratulation for so happy a match in gladnesse and ioy for so holy a change This Feast begins at thy first betrothing when thou receiuing a Ring as it were beset with fiue precious stones 1. Righteousnesse 2. Iudgement 3. Louing kindnesse 4. Mercies 5. Faithfulnesse It is afterward continued with many gracious passages of loue and sweetest entertainements on both sides euen in this life as appeares in Solomons Spirituall Loue-song It shall at last be crowned with an euerlasting Iubilee and pleasures moe then the Starres of the firmament in number when the Lambe receiues his wife into his neerest and dearest embracements euen into full possession of the most blessed neuer-ending Kingdome of heauen bought for her full dearely with his owne hearts blood Then our Feast of grace ends in the endlesse fruition of Glory How merry then ought wee to be in the meane time who are admitted and enrighted to this gracious and glorious Feast Of expressing which to the life the finest fare and most exquisite delicates of all earthly feasts come as farre short as the dull earth comes short of the glistering heauen a grosse mortall body of the preciousnesse of an euerliuing soule An inch of time of the length of eternity For corporall dainties fat a fraile body for a span of time with earthly food accompanied with a little poore vanishing delight of sence But spirituall food fills an immortall soule with heauenly Maâ—…na out of the mysterie of Christ attended with purest ioy and sincerest pleasures through all eternity 6. As thou doest honour Gods Iustice in trembling at his threats and throwing thy selfe into the dust as extremely vile and fewell for hell vnder his mighty hand and the piercing Maiesty of his pure Word representing clearely vnto thy conscience and pressing terribly vpon it the hainousnesse of all thy lusts iniquities abominable prouocations of the eyes of his glory and diuine indignation flaming against them so when thou findest and feelest thy heart truly wounded by the sword of the Spirit with remorse and sorrow for thy sinnes weary with the heauy weight and burthen of them possessed with sincere hatred and lothing of euery euill way thou oughtest and are bound in conscience and by the commandement of the holy Ghost to glorifie Gods truth in his promises of mercy by throwing thy selfe into the blessed armes and bleeding embracements of the Lord Iesus dying vpon the Crosse in whom they are all yea and Amen with much assurance and peace with vnspeakeable and glorious ioy And the rather because the speciall season and onely opportunity of thy magnifying and honouring the sweet influence of Gods dearest mercies tender-heartednesse and truth vpon humble soules through the precious promises of life is in this life In the world to come they shall all bee accomplished vpon thee to the vtmost and crowned with a cleere vision and full fruition of that euer-blessed and most glorious Maiesty Then faith for euer expires and we see face to face These things being so and most sure let euery true-hearted Nathaneel be heartily intreated nay iustly charged in the name of Iesus Christ by the blessed Spirit the fountaine of all comfort as hee will answer it at the glorious Throne of Mercy erected in heauen vpon purpose to make him euerlastingly merry that hee henceforth most resolutely and for euer cast out of his conscience sprinkled with the Blood of the Lambe and out of the Kingdome of Christ ouerflowing with Peace and Ioy now comfortably established in his soule those intruding vsurpers Tyrants onely naturall Lords ouer naturall men I meane horrours of guiltinesse false feares slauish terrours damps and droopings all vncomfortable pensiuenesse deiections and feare And leauing such Harpies as these and heart-eaters onely to the grumbling and guilty consciences of all those that hate to be reformed and Satans slaues as their proper furies let him with an holy violence against the deuils cruell assaults and contradictions of his owne distrustfull heart and with a cheerefull spirit lay hold vpon his iust inheritance and euerlasting portion purchased for him by the bitter and painefull sufferings of the Sonne of God euen floods and fresh successions of sweetest ioyes shed and showred downe continually from the Throne of Grace vpon his vpright heart in great abundance if hee will but onely vouchsafe to open the doore by the hand of faith that the blessed beames of such lightsomnesse and comfort shining from the face of Christ may come in Let his soule full fairely arayed with its heauenly roabes to which the beauty of the morning brightnesse of the Moone and glory of the Sunne are but a shadow and listning sweetly to that melodious Song composed all of Peace and Ioy Pleasures and Pardon of finne which the mercy of God makes in the eare of its faith fall to and fill it selfe at the Wedding Feast of the Kings Sonne with those euer-springing riuers of spirituall refreshing out of the bottomlesse depth of Gods free loue reuealed in the mysterie of Christ by the ministery of the Word and Sacramentall grace as with marrow and fatnesse Let it sucke aboundantly and be satisfied with the
SOME GENERALL DIRECTIONS FOR A COMFORTABLE WALKING with God DELIVERED IN THE LECTVRE AT KETTERING IN NORTHhamptonshire with enlargement By Robert Bolton Preacherof Gods Word at Broughton in the same County The second Edition corrected and amended with a Table thereunto annexed AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Edmund Weauer and are to be sold at his shop at the great North doore of Pauls Church 1626. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND TRVLY NOBLE EDWARD Lord Mountague of Boughton a fruitfull increase of all heauenly graces and all watchfull preparation for the Glory that shall be reuealed Much Honored and Noble Lord ALthough the eminency of your other personall worth great Wisdome and noble parts a sufficient attractiue to euery honest heart by reason of the particular interest it hath in the common state of goodnes or your speciall bounty to my selfe which ought to stir vp an ingenuous minde to apprehend any opportunity of due and deserued acknowledgement or your publike deportment in the face of our Country so worthy and Honorable and managed with such true honesty graue moderation and noblenesse of spirit which cannot but draw from euery heart truely sound to our great Lord in Heauen and His Royall Deputy our highest Soueraigne vpon earth a great deale of reuerence loue I say though any of these seuerally might exact from me a more exact and able demonstration of the thankefull deuotions of my heart yet my Lord and you may beleeue mee there is another thing besides all these which was the strongest and most predominant motiue to quicken mee to this Duty and Dedication euen your sincere and inuincible affection to the Gospell of Iesus Christ His faithfull Ministers and most precious Wayes And this to tell you the truth is farre the fairest and most orient flower in the Garland of all your goodnesse and incomparably aboue all your Greatnesse were you aduanced euen to desert nay to the highest top of all earthly felicities and mortall honour For howsoeuer the world euer beside it selfe in point of faluation and starke blind in the right apprehension of Heauenly things doth ◅ote vpon guilded miseries stinging vanities golden setters and wickedly deemes pursuite of purity the height of folly yet I can assure you in the Word of life and truth the richest and rarest con◅luence of all humane happinesses the most exquisite excellencie and variety of the greatest worldly pompe and splendour that euer the Sunne saw since the first moment of its creation or shall looke vpon while it shines in Heauen is but dust in the ballance to one graine of grace it is but dung to an humble minde sauingly illightened with a forecast but of the least glimpse of that incomprehensible endlesse glory which shall shortly be reuealed It is all in the true valuation but as a vaine smoake which doth not onely vanish as it riseth and vtterly looseth it selfe at the highest but also drawes teares frō a mans eyes nay at last wrings the very heart-strings of euery impenitent soule with that extremest euerlasting horrour which would burst ten thousand hearts seriously and sensibly to thinke vpon before-hand It is not onely vanity but also vexation of spirit Let worldly wisdome say what it will and hold them melancholike and madde who by the helpe of the holy Ghost hold a constant counter-motion to the course of the world and corruptions of the time that they may keep a good conscience the richest treasure and dearest Iewell that euer the heart of man was acquainted with who infinitely desire rather to be religious then rich to bee good then great to enioy the fauour of God then the soueraignty and pleasures of all the kingdomes of the earth yet assuredly when all is said and truely summed vp it is onely the true feare of Gods blessed Name a zealous forwardnesse for his glory goodnesse and good causes at this day vnhappily and to the ruine of infinite soules called by the world pragmaticalnesse and Too much precisenesse which can truely beautifie and adorne both all other personall sufficiencies and indeed sanctifie and blesse all publike imployments and seruices of State For the first A Professor euen something Popish doth yet truely teach that Heroicall nobilitie is an illustrious eminency shining in a man by the heauenly infusions of supernaturall grace whereby he is made by adoption the sonne of God the Spouse of Christ the Temple of the holy Ghost without which all other Nobilities are nothing not worth a button Suppose a faire and goodly horse to the eye as exquisitely featured colourd paced as that fained by Bartas to be managed by Cain yet if he wāted mettle he were worth nothing to a man of spirit Giue me the most magnificent glorious Worldling that euer trod vpō earthly mould richly crowned with all the ornaments and excellencies of nature art policy preferment or what heart can wish besides yet without the life of grace to animate and ennoble them hee were to the eye of heauenly Wisdome but as a rotten carkasse stucke ouer with flowers magnified dung guilded rottennesse golden damnation And that which is more dreadfull when the sunne of his short Summers day is set the hot gleame of transitorie prosperity past and the bitter tempestuous winters night of death approacheth from which all the Gold and Pearle of East West can no more deliuer him then can an handfull of dust I say then shall bee powred vpon his head that terrible showre of snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest His soule sinkes immediatly in a moment into the depth of remedilesse misery and is desperately plunged for euer into the bottome of the burning Lake His body descends into the graue as into a dungeon of rottennesse horror arrested as it were by the second death in the deuils name and at length haled and dragged vnto the terror of that great and last Day where no creature can rescue him no mountaine couer him from that vnquenchable wrath neuer-dying Worme which shall euer lastingly day and night feed vpon his soule and flesh Wheras now on the other side that poore neglected One who hath in truth giuen his name vnto Christ and his gainefull seruice perhaps by the World most disdainfully and contemptuously trampled vpon euen into the dust with the feet of cruelty and pride at least most certainly euer made extremely vile and contemptible by the villany of tongues and cruell mockings yet is such an One as the World is not worthy of in the meane time in the meaning of the holy Ghost a Crowne of glory in the hand of Iehouah as beautifull and amiable as the bloud of Christ and his righteous roabe can make him crowned full gloriously with Gods owne comelinesse which hee hath put vpon him designed from all eternitie in due time for so his sanctification now assures him to weare an euerlasting Crowne of blisse And when his pilgrimage is past
right hand Which may for euer with sweetest peace and freedome from slauish trembling assure vs of our rootednesse in Christ constancie in grace and euerlasting abode with him in the other World Hee that will rent vs from Christs mysticall Body being once implanted into Him by a liuely fruitfull Faith and blessedly knit vnto Him by His Spirit as fast as the sinewes of His precious Body are knit vnto His bones His flesh to his sinewes and his skinne to His flesh must pull Him out of heauen and remoue Him from the right hand of His Father What so furious or infernall power can or dare lay a finger on vs in this kinde Hee hath taken the poisoning power out of euery thing that should hurt vs or hale vs backe to hell He hath conquered captiuated carried in triumph and chained vp for euer all the enemies of our soules and enuiers of our saluation They may exercise vs in the meane time for our good but they shall neuer be able to execute their malicious wils or any mortall hurt vpon vs either heere or in the next life 3. The irreuocable obsignation of the blessed Spirit Eph. 1. 13 14. 4. 30. And who or what can or dare reuerse the Deede or breake vp the Seale of the holy Ghost Heere then as you see the blessed Trinity is the vnmooueable ground of our going on in grace 4. The lasting and immortall power of the Word once rooted in a good and honest heart Luke 8. 15. 1. Pet. 1. â—…3 5. The certainety and sweetnesse of promises to this purpose Ier. 32. 39 40. Zech. 10. 12. Ioh. 8. 12. 2. Sam. 7. 14 15. Psal. 89. 31 c. 6. The force and might of Faith 1. Pet. 1. 2 3 4 5. 7. The efficacie of Christs Prayer Luk. 22. 32. Ioh. 17. 15 20. Rom. 8. 34. 8. The durable vigour of sauing graces Ioh. 4. 14. Rom. 11. 29. 9. The inabilitie nay impossibilitie of all causes or creatures to plucke out of Gods hand Ioh. 10. 29. or to draw any of His to a totall or finall falling away 1. It is not the Diuell himselfe can doe it 1. Iohn 5. 18. 2. It is not the world 1. Ioh. 5. 4. Ioh. 16. 33. 3. It is not the concurrent fury and vnited forces of all the powers of darknesse Math. 16. 18. 4. It is not sinne 2. Sam. 7. 14 15. Psal. 89. 31 c. 5. It is not weakenesse of Faith and other graces Mat. 12. 20. Esa. 42. 3. 6. It is not the imposture of false prophets Matth. 24. 24. 7. It is no creature or created power Rom. 8. 38 39. Vses 1. This Point thus confirmed doth confound that forlorne Tenent of the Popish Doctors which tels vs that a iustified and sanctified Man may fall finally and totally from grace In which I haue heretofore vpon other occasion in your-hearing punctually refuted those which I conceiued Bellarmines best Arguments I wil not then trouble you now with his Sophistry againe 2. This sweet and precious Truth may crowne the hearts of all those that are truly Christs with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious Let new Conuerts and Babes in Christ who are woont to bee very fearefull and much troubled lest they should not hold out because vpon their first entrance into the wayes of Christianitie they are cunningly and concurrently encountred with so many oppositions From the Deuill which then rageth extraordinarily From the World which then tendereth moe and more alluring baites From the Flesh which naturally is very impatient of any spirituall snaffle From carnall Friends who cannot endure their forwardnesse From their old Companions who cry out They are turning Puritanes From the Times which lowre and looke fowre vpon their zeale Sometimes from the Father which begat them from the Mother which gaue them suck from the Wife which lies in their bosome from a world of enemies to grace I say in such a case let them graspe in the armes of their Faith the proofes and promises in the present Point and ride on because of the Word of Truth Let them sweetly with full assurance and vnconquerable resolution repose vpon that euerlasting encouragement for the finishing of their spirituall building which Zerubbabel receiued from the mouth of God Himselfe for successe of the materiall a Type of this Not by might and power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts Who art thou O great mountaine before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plaine and hee shall bring foorth the head stone thereof with shoutings crying Grace grace vnto it And that they may more comfortably and constantly go on let them cast their eyes betime vpon these and the like cautions at their very first giuing their names vnto Christ. 1. Propose such interrogatories as these to thine owne heart Art thou content to abandon thy bosome sinne the sensuall froth of former pleasures hereafter to delight in God as thy chiefest ioy Canst thou take vp thy crosse and follow Christ His Truth and holy tracke amidst the many by-paths that leade to hell and different opinions of multitudes of men Art thou willing to suffer aduersitie disgrace and discountenance with the righteous and contemned godly Ones Canst thou endure to haue things laid vnto thy charge thou neuer didst thoughtst or dreamdst on To become the Drunkards song a By-word to those that are vilâ—…r then the earth musicke at the feasts of those that sit in the gate c In a word for Christs sake to deny thy selfe thy worldly wisdome naturall wit carnall friends old companions pleasures profits preferments ease excellency of learning acceptation with the world outward state liberty life or what else thou canst name dearest vnto flesh and blood If thine heart answere not affirmatiuely I meane out of the resolution of a well-aduised regenerate iudgement for I know the flesh will grumble and reclaime thou wilt certainly fâ—…ll away or end in formality 2. Looke to thy repentance that it be sincere vniuersall constant from the heart-roote for all knowne sinnes to thy dying day 1. If some worldly crosse be the continued principall motiue 2. Or the humour of melancholy 3. If it bee confusedly onely for sinne and in generall 4. Or for some one speciall notorious sinne onely 5. Or for some lesser sinnes with neglect of greater as for tything Mint c. 6. If it be onely legall 7. But for some sinnes of what kinde soeuer leauing but so much as one knowne sinne not taken to heart 8. Or but for a time All will come to naught A foundation of godly sorrow leasurely aduisedly and sincerely laid at first will be for euer after a comfortable encouragement to Faith spirituall ioy well-doing and walking with God 3. Take the touch-stone of fruitfull powerfull and speciall markes to discerne and difference iustifying sauing Faith from all false and insufficient faiths For a temporarie may goe farre 4. Let knowledge and affection like two indiuiduall twins grow vp together in thee and mutually
transfuse spirituall vigour into each other Presume not vpon any knowledge without an humble inflamed affection neither build too much vpon the heate of zeale without the light of knowledge Either of these may be single in some and that in singularitie who after may fall away shamefully 5. Aboue all looke vnto thy heart If thy change were Angelicall in words actions and all outward carriage and yet thy thoughts still the same and reserued thou art but a guilded Tombe and cannot bee saued Let a man take a Wolfe beate him blacke and blue breake his bones knocke out his teeth cut away his clawes put vpon him a Sheepes skinne yet still hee retaines his Woluish nature Let a man become neuer so harmelesse outwardly yet without a new heart all is naught 6. Incorporate thy selfe into the company of Gods people by all engagements and obligations of a profitable intimate and comfortable fellowship in the Gospell There is a secret tie vnto constancie in the communion of Saints Hee is not like to walke long that walketh alone especially if he might enioy good company Shunning society with the godly is too shrowde a signe of a temporarie 7. Consider well for the contrary is a notable discouerie of counterfeits that thy calling to grace must settle thee more surely in thine honest particular calling and make thee therein more faithfull conscionable and painefull Let Christians also of longer standing and more strength in their assaults about perseuerance haue recourse vnto this Tower of Truth and labour to preuent that which they feare 1. By constancie in a carefull vse of all the meanes the Word Prayer Conference Meditation Sacraments c. To which let them preserue appetite and practise that they heare without omission or delay Hee that giues way to a heartlesse neglect or customarie hardnesse of heart in the vse of the Ordinances may iustly suspect his neerenesse to some fearefull sinne or fierce temptation to some heauy iudgement or dangerous Apostacie 2. Assoone as they discouer any spirituall weakenesse or decay assault or temptation let them complaine betime vnto the Throne of Grace and mightily oppose with the feruentest prayers of extraordinarie priuate humiliation 3. Let them keepe perfection still in their eye and aime and towards the attainment thereof acquire and acquaint themselues with Rules of holy life daily directions courses of most mortified men c. 4. Let them watchfully decline all occasions of falling backe Spirituall pride knowne Hypocrisie desire to bee rich vnder-valuing declining the most searching meanes forme and perfunctorinesse in religious duties discontinuance of intimatenesse with the godly neglect of distractions vpon the Lords Day c. 5. Let them consider that all is lost which is past if they fall off 2. Ioh. 8. This former Point of constancie in grace did arise from consideration of blessed Noahs continuance in goodnesse through so many ages Now in that hee did not conforme to the iniquities of the times but did stand vnstained amidst the wickedst generations that euer dwelt vpon earth I collect the necessitie of another constancie and that is in respect of opposition to the corruptions of times Doct. The seruant of God must not serue the times Or thus The true Christian ought to stand at staues end with the corruptions of the time Reason Hee is bound vnto it by his Baptisme Of such as prophaned themselues being Christians with irreligious delight in the Ensignes of Idolatry heathenish spectacles showes and stage-playes Tertullian to strike them the more deepe claimeth the promise which they made in Baptisme Hee is not of the world Ioh. 15. 19. His life is hid with Christ in God Colos. 3. 3. There is a secret heauenly vigour infused into euery gracious Soule by the sanctifying Spirit which deads it to the world and makes it delight in God He ought to shine in the world as a light in the midst of a crooked and peruerse nation Phil. 2. 15. Light and darknesse cannot endure one another neither the power of Grace those workes of darknesse in which the world lyes drowned Hee is by no meanes to bee conformed to this world Rom. 12. 2. nor to runne with the wicked to the same excesse of riot 1. Pet. 4. 4. He is now new-borne and become a Child of Eternity whereby his heart is falâ—…e in loue with new and euerlasting delights and the eye of his soule turned from the dung of this world towards the glory of the second Life As the worldling cannot rellish the sweet ioyes of gracious exercises so neither can the Christian the frothy pleasures of good-fellowship You can as hardly draw the sound Professor to a Conuenticle of swaggering companions as a good-fellow to a day of humiliation Vses 1. Howsoeuer then thou mayst seeme to stand on Gods side by an artificiall acting of some affected formes in Religion by countenancing the Ministerie if thou beest a great Man and outwardly conforming to the Ordinances yet if in thy practise thou beest plunged into the corruptions of the present and thine heart hanker still and hunt in secret after youthfull delights the lusts of men most applauded fashions of the greater part thou art not a Christian in truth but a true counterfeite Assure thy selfe if thou swim downe the current and saile with the tide of the time thou mayest iustly looke euery moment to fall vpon the sudden perhaps in the height of thy temporall happinesse and hottest gleame of thy worldly glory into the irrecouerable and euerlasting Lake of brimstone and fire c. 2. Let euery one who hath giuen his name vnto Christ euer hold it his Crowne and comfort to hold a strong and vnconquerable counter-motion to the courses of the world Let him still discouer the true noblenesse of his Christian spirit and of a mind spiritually generous by gathering vigour and growing inuincible from the very oppositions of the wicked and villanies of the time See Psal. 119. 126 127. 1. King 19. 14. 1. Thes. 2. 2. It was the saying of a morall Heathen That to doe well where was no danger was a common thing but to doe well where was both perill and opposition was the peculiar office of a man of vertue much more say I of a man of God And Noah walked with God Walking with God is the top and flower of all Noahs excellencies and spirituall felicities vpon earth Whence note Doct. That walking with God is the Crowne of the Christians character It is the dutie and propertie of euery true Christian to walke with his God By walking with God I meane a sincere endeauour punctually and percisely to manage conduct and dispose all our affaires thoughts words and deeds all our behauiours courses carriage and whole conuersation in reuerence and feare with humilitie and singlenesse of heart as in the sight of an inuisible God vnder the perpetuall presence of his All-seeing glorious pure eye and by a comfortable consequent to enioy by the
assistance and exercise of Faith an vnutterable sweete communion and humble familiarity with his holy Maiestie In a word to liue in Heauen vpon earth Proofes Gods Couenant and commandement to Abraeham and in him to all the faithfull vnto the Worlds end requires it Gen. 17. 1. The practise and protestations of the Saints and seruants of God seale vnto it Enochs walking with God chap. 5. was an happy preparatiue to his extraordinary translating to glory The Lord before whom I walk saith Abraham chap. 24. 40. will doe thus and thus I will walke before the Lord in the Land of the liuing saith Dauid Psal. 116. 9. O Lord God of Israel saith Salomon 2. Chron. 6. 14. There is no God like thee in the Heauen nor in the Earth which keepest couenant and shewest mercy vnto thy seruants that walke before thee with all their hearts I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart saith Hezechiah 2. King 20. 3. And herein doe I exercise my selfe to haue alwaies a conscience voyde of offence toward God and toward men saith Paul Acts 24. 16. which sounds the same way Let their money perish with them who esteeme all the gold in the World worth one dayes societie with Iesus Christ and his holy Spirit said that Noble Marquesse of Vico well skilled and experienced in an heauenly conuersing with his God Reas. 1. And it must needs be so For howsoeuer naturall men and worldlings out of their obnoxiousnesse and secret terrors slauishly retyre doe not willingly neither dare they draw neere to that God which to them is a consuming fire yet all those who haue truly tasted how gracious and glorious he is shall find their hearts out of a secret sence of Gods loue vnto them first kindlily inflamed with infinite desire to liue vnder the comfortable influence of his pleased countenance to enioy his holy Maiestie with constant peace and an humble spirituall accesse and acquaintance continually His spirit of Prayer infinite loue exercise of repentance temptations and troubles from Satan pressures and oppressions from the World losse of inward peace faintnesse of Faith want of spirituall strength assault of some speciall sinne sweetnesse of meditation daily fauours showred downe vpon him without number and aboue measure sore-thought of the great and last Account motions of the blessed Spirit spirituall desertion c. but aboue all the inexplicable blessâ—…dnesse goodnesse and excellency of that highest Maiestie it selfe driues him to his God many times a day 2. All Gods loues vnto vs His louing kindnesses protections preseruations bounty patience diuine illuminations spirituall blessings in a word euery linke of that golden chaine of Mercy Grace and Glory farre thicker set with sweetest blessings in all kinds then the Heauen with Starres which our happy Soules haue doe or shall enioy from the first springing of it vp if euerlasting could haue any beginning out of the adored Fountaine of his free Grace to the last moment of eternitie in highest heauenly blisse if eternitie could possibly euer determine should be so many keene spurres deepest oblâ—…gations strongest chaines to draw our hearts most greedily to this infinite delight in him and thus with an humble familiaritie to conuerse with his holy Maiestie 3. Consciousnesse of our former walking comfortably with God sanctified by the life of Faith will mightily and incredibly support our spirits and courage in the times of confusions and feare The hearts of sensuall worldlings for want of reconcilement and acquaintance with God in calme and comfortable times sinke and tremble in the Day of distresse and Gods dreadfull visitations as the heart of a woman in her pangs and fall asunder in their brests like drops of water But that happy One who in his prosperity hath made God his portion and walked humbly in his presence shall in the time of trouble stand like a strong vnmoueable mountaine impregnable against the rage of wind and weather against the cruell incursions of all aduersarie power when the wicked shall tire the Mountaines with bootelesse cries to couer them he shall be able to say with Dauid The Lord is my refuge and my strength c. therefore will I not feare though the earth be moued and the Mountaines fall into the midst of the Sea He shall by the mercies of God and humble dependance vpon his omnipotent Arme encounter and entertaine the terrours euen of the euill day of the houre of temptation of the King of feare and last Iudgement with confidence and peace 4. Thy walking with God will make thee extraordinarily powerfull and mightily preuaile in prayer one of the greatest blessings and sweetest comforts which can be named or enioyed in this life As the Kings Fauourite who stands still in his presence and vnder the immediate and gracious influence of his Royall eye doth farre sooner and much more easily obtaine both his owne and friends suites then those who are more estranged from the Court So it is in this case 5. But aboue all that which should most quicken and keene vs to this duty is that particular interest we haue by Iesus Christ in Iehoua himselfe blessed for euer A mysterie which if I should offer to open and enlarge I should be endlesse and yet come infinitely short Oh then let vs infinitely loue and learne exactly the most sweete and heauenly Art of walking with God! For a more comfortable illightning and guiding vs wherein before I come to giue some generall instructions giue mee leaue to premise these quickning preparatiues 1. Looke that thou lyest not in any one knowne sinne against thy conscience hating to be reformed do not cherish allow or goe on in any lust corruption or lewd way in thine heart life or calling suffer not any worke of darknesse or seruice of Satan to reigne and domineere in thee For if so thou art so farre from abilitie or possibilitie of walking with God or delighting in him that thou wearest the Diuels brand and art yet most certainely one of his See and search the true meaning of such places as these 1. Ioh. 3. 3. 6 8 9. Iames 2. 10. Ezech. 18. 21. Psalm 66. 18. and 119. 6 101. Ezech. 18. 30. Matth. 18. 8 9. 2. Cor. 7. 1. Sutable hereunto is the concurrent iudgement and doctrine of our best Diuines and worthiest Writers graciously instructed vnto the Kingdome of Heauen These are their seuerall assertions to the same sense in their owne words 1. A man can haue no peace in his conscience that fauoureth and retaineth any one sinne in himselfe against his conscience 2. A man is in a damnable state whatsoeuer good deeds seeme to be in him if he yeeld not to the worke of the holy Ghost for the leauing but of any one knowne sinne which fighteth against peace of conscience 3. So long as the power of mortification destroyeth thy sinfull affections and so long as thou art vnfainedly displeased with all sinne and doest
contempt of the world resolute hatred of sinne in approouing our hearts in Gods presence a sweete communion with him comfortable longing for the comming of the Lord Iesus c. Yet mistake me not thou must make a shew professe and talke if thou wouldest haue Christ Iesus to owne thee at that last and dreadfull Day Mark 8. 38. It is therefore an idle and brainelesse cauill of some lewd ignorant Lozels to say We can by no meanes endure these shewes Cannot a man bee religious to himselfe except he hang out his flag and let all the world know it For where the power of Religion is there will bee the shew also Painted fire shines not ascends not heates not but true fire is euer inseparably attended with these properties We cannot put a Candle in a Lanthorne but the light will shew it selfe thorow the hornes if true grace bee planted in the heart it will shine forth in our words gestures actions all carriages and our whole conuersation He that will take shewes from the substance of Religion let him take brightnesse from the Sunne glistering from Gold breathing from a liue-body Shew and profession of Christ before men is commanded as well as the substance and soundnesse of heart Rom. 10. 9 10. Thou must bee a patrone and in some good measure a practiser of precise points if euer thou wilt haue true peace and assurance of walking in the narrow path that leades vnto life as of walking precisely Ephes. 5. 15. Being feruent in spirit Rom. 12. 11. Striuing to enter in at the strait gate Luke 13. 24. Selfe-deniall 14. 26. Surpassing the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises Mat. 5. 20. Laying violent hands and hold vpon the Kingdome of Heauen Mat. 11. 12. In a word of the way which is called holy and yet so spoken against euery where Act. 28. 22. For I meane only that precisenesse which is commended vnto vs and commanded by the blessed Spirit in Gods pure and holy Word I know all passages of sanctification are too precise and paradoxes intolerable and burdensome to flesh and blood and in the interpretation of worldly wisedome which notwithstanding are easie and sweet to mortified men Thou must stand at the staues end against the sinnes of the times and like the Eagle prune vp thy selfe against a storme or else thou art a temporizer Outward exercises of Religion are as it were the bodie without which the soule of Christianitie hath no existence Thou must be content to abridge and confine thy Christian liberty at any time according to opportunities and exigents for the enlargement of Gods glory the building vp of thy brother and snaffling thine owne rebellious nature Thou mayest and must iudge by the fruits It is Christs Rule Matth. 7 16. If therefore thou seest the abominable and vnsauory fruits of lying swearing drunkennesse Sabbath-breaking vsury scoffing at Religion c. hanging out in the fight of the Sunne thou mayest iustly censure the tree to be rotten and for the present fewell for the fire of Hell Thou mayest iudge no man rashly nor of his finall estate If we see a malefactour cast and condemned for some grieuous crime yet reprieued vnto the next Assize no man can say he shall be certainely hanged because a pardon may be procured and come from the King in the meane time it is so in the present case But thou mayest call a spade a spade a drunkard a drunkard an vsurer an vsurer Otherwise if thou dawbe and dissemble how shalt thou euer be able to escape liablenesse to that abomination Prou. 17. 15. He that iustifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the iust euen they both are abomination to the Lord And to the sting of that woe Isai. 5. 20. Woe vnto them that call euill good and good euill that put darkenesse for light and light for darkenesse that put bitter for sweete and sweete for bitter Yet know that speaking the euill thou certainely knowest by another must be seasonable charitable and discreete not out of humour spleene imperiousnesse at thy pleasure but for Gods honour the good of the party thine owne discharge vpon a warrantable calling c. according to those Rules I shall hereafter deliuer for guiding the tongue My meaning then in this point is that those greater matters be dearliest prized and principally plied proportionably to their worth and waight and yet these lesser things not neglected It is too true that those who are more fierce and forward about the ceremonials and circumstantials then truly hot and zealous in the essentials and substantials of Christianity prooue too often vaine-gloriously and proudly mounted vpon that foule hellish fiend Hypocrisie and posting apace towards some fearefull Apostacy or Anabaptisticall phrensie VI. Let thy spirit mindfull of its owne heauenly birth immortall nature and euerlasting home euer generously fortifie it selfe with victorious resolution against worldlinesse the canker and cut-throate of all heauenly-mindednes and hearty conuersation aboue Of all the foule fiends that haunt the hearts of carnall men there is none that holds a stronger opposition and counter-motion to walking with God then couetousnesse Ambition sensualitie and other wayes of death cut off their slaues with an accursed disacquaintance and estrangement farre enough from all comfortable accesse vnto the Throne of Grace but affections nailed and glued to the Earth haue this pestilent precedency that they hold the remotest point of declination from the warmth and influence of any sweete communion with the Sunne of righteousnesse and Gods glorious face All earthly-minded men ordinarily howsoeuer they may be outwardly restrained and reserued are secret deriders of the power of godlinesse holy strictnesse of the Saints and mysteries of Grace And the Pharises also saith Luke chap. 16. 14. who were couetous heard all these things and they derided him euen mockt and made themselues merry with the searching and heart-piercing Sermons of the Sonne of God Their hearts and hopes are wholly anchored vpon the Earth and lockt vp in their chests and therefore they dreame of no other heauen then their golden hoards heapes of wealth and present temporall happinesse Whereas notwithstanding one refreshing glimpse shining and shed into our hearts from Gods pleased face and well-grounded assurance of being His is infinitely more worth then all the Gold that euer the Sunne made or shall make while it stands in Heauen VII Let thy holy affections bee euer thorowly warmed and rauisht extraordinarily with the loue of God To which there are infinite inflaming motiues and Obligations 1 Hee being absolutely considered is immeasurably louely The most attractiue obiects of insatiable loue and al amiable excellencies are eminently and transcendently triumphant in him eternally Beauty Glory Worth Wisedome Greatnesse Goodnesse Holinesse Puritie any thing euery thing that is any wayes admirable and loue-worthy 2. Or consider Him in relation to thy selfe and shouldest thou euery moment thorow an interminable time lay down ten thousand liues for His sake thou couldest
neuer come neere the requitall of the least inch of His infinite loue towards thee which reacheth from euerlasting to euerlasting 1. He bore thee in the bosome of this His free loue from all eternitie and that so dearely that from the same eternity He decreed that His owne deare Sonne should die for thee 2. Hee brought thee out of the abhorred state of being nothing into the ranke of his reasonable and noblest creatures 3. Hee bought thee againe when thou hadst wilfully lost thy selfe with the hearts-blood of His onely Sonne 4. He preserues thee euery day from a thousand dangers a thousand deaths which might seize vpon thee both from within and from without 5 He will shortly crowne thee with euerlasting life fulnesse of ioy and pleasures at his right hand for euermore 3. Thirdly confider the vnquenchable impatiencie of Christs inflamed loue vnto thee now washed with His Blood and beautified with His grace Cant. 4. 9. Thou hast rauished my heart saith He to the Church and by consequent to euery true Christian my sister my spouse thou hast rauished my heart with one of thine eyes with one chaine of thy necke Now loue is of that alluring nature that many times it will draw loue from a man when there is no louely part in the partie louing What a deale of loue then doth the Soueraigne Lord of all goodnesse the well-spring of all beauty excellencie and sweetnesse exact at our hands especially sith wee are his meere creatures in respect both of our naturall being outward state gracious state and state of glory See how His spirituall amiablenesse is shadowed by outward beauties Cant. 5. 10. VIII Prize the fruition of Gods pleased face a neerer communion and acquaintance with His blessed Maiestie the loue and light of His countenance and thereupon a free and frequent accesse with an humble boldnes vnto the throne of Grace at a far higher and more vnualuable rate than heauen and earth as a very reall fruitfull fore-taste of eternall ioyes For to say no more at this time If thou hold an holy familiaritie with thy God and He looke pleasedly vpon thee thou shalt graspe Iesus Christ more sweetly and feelingly in the armes of thy Faith partake more plentifully of the ioyfull freedome presence and communication of His comforting Spirit be garded more strongly and narrowly by His glorious Angels sucke more sweetnesse and heauenly Manna out of the Ministerie and other His blessed Ordinances walke in safetie amongst the creatures like an vnconquerable Lyon Thou shalt bee in a league with the stones of the field and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee when thou goest thy gate shall not be straite and when thou runnest thou shalt not fall when thou sleepest thy sleepe shall be sweet thou shalt dwell safely and none shall make thee afraid Thou shalt neuer more be afraid of any euill tidings or of destruction when it commeth when thou passest thorow the waters thy God shall bee with thee and thorow riuers they shall not ouerflow thee when thou walkest thorow the fire thou shalt not bee burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee c. And if at any time thou bee seized vpon with any crosse or calamitie from any of the creatures any trouble or temptation from man or Deuill any lowring or crueltie from the iniquitie of the times or persecuters of the Truth yet the refreshing beames of Gods pleased face shining vpon thy heart through the darknesse of such discomforts will sweetly mitigate reuiue and infinitely make amends for all The poyson and curse of them shall neuer come neere thy soule The Lord in the meane time like an Eagle flutttering about her nest will most tenderly defend and protect thee Esa. 31. 5. and at length most certainly come like a yong Lyon roaring on his prey for thy rescue and glorious enlargement Isa. 31. 4. IX Labour by a constant watch to keepe thy heart in a spirituall temper still and still sweetly content and fruitfully conuersant in the Mystery of Christ and Secrets of His Kingdome which thou shalt more easily doe If thou first reioyce in God his Word Graces as thy chiefest ioy and greatest aduantage 2. By all earthly things be drawne to the loue of heauenly For though God hath appointed but one Sabbath in seuen dayes for his more solemne publike worship yet to a Christian euery day is sanctified to be a rest from all the deeds of the flesh wherein he is to walke with his God and shew forth the religious keeping of his heart and good conscience in euery action of his whole life so making euery passage of his particular Calling a part of Christian obedience and dutie vnto God 3. Let the noblenesse of thine inlarged Spirit as infinitely disdaine to be any wayes vpon any termes in bondage to the corruptions of the times so finde a farre sweeter rellish and take incomparably more contentment in the seruices of thy Lord and his holy Ordinances then in all his outward benefits and fauours of this life For as the best of these abused will most certainly at the Barre of God turne scourges and Scorpions to the worldling conscience and in the meane time there is no man so assured of his honour of his riches health or life but that hee may be depriued of either or all the very next houre or day to come so the other will prooue vnto the Christian hauing beene conscionably and constantly exercised in them as a rich stocke to bring in comfort patience and inward peace in his most neede and greatest extremity 4. Assoone as thou discouerest any spirituall weakenesse or decay any extraordinarie assault temptation deadnesse c. complaine betime cry mightily vnto God giue him no rest neither giue ouer seeking vntill hee returne vnto thy soule with power and life againe If ordinarie meanes will not preuaile presse vpon him with extraordinary if then he doe not reuiue thee with woonted quickning vigour waite with a patient wakefull longing of all the powers of thy soule and then all this while thy soule is still in its true spirituall temper and a most blessed state See Isa. 30. 18. 5. Decline watchfully all occasions of falling from thy first loue feruencie and heauenly-mindednesse as spirituall pride knowne hypocrisie desire to be rich discontinuance of thine intimatenesse with the godly neglect of thy particular Calling or dayly watch ouer thy heart vngodly company forme in religious duties coldnesse and customarinesse in the vse of the meanes c. 6. Suffer not thine affections to bee chained downe and set too much vpon those things which the common sort and greatest part of men seeke after insatiably and slauishly sinke vnder praise profit credit acceptation with the world fauour of great Ones mirth pleasures ease feare sorrow earthly contentment preferment wealth long life or any worldly thing but debase and dis-esteeme all other delights in respect of doing Gods will
furious and filthy proiects in outward acts and vpon obiects abroad their abominable desires rebounding as it were with an impetuous and vnsatisfied rage vpon their heated and enuenomed passions act and execute any kinde of villany vpon the inuisible forge of a cursed contemplation It is strange to consider how many who carry a counterfeit heauen in their outward behauiour should harbour such execrable hells in their hearts 3. Let not passe such a golden opportunitie for thy spirituall good without some sweet comfortable conference with thy God in secret Call and cry out towards Heauen for some speciall Graces by which thou mayest bee most inabled to glorifie God most and to keepe in thy brest a chearefull and heauenly spirit as for precious and incomparable iewels to be purchased with the losse of ten thousand Worlds but not to bee parted with for as many Worlds as thou hast haires vpon thy head Begge with greatest earnestnesse and extraordinarie intention of spirit mortifying grace and spirituall strength for the crushing and conquering of those speciall lusts and vnruly passions that most hant thee and hurt the peace of thy conscience Let a sorrowfull suruay of all thy sinnes draw from thee some hearty groane and feruent eiaculations for mercy and pardon or a summary view of Gods blessings and fauours towards thee fill thy heart with many ioyfull lowly and most thankfull thoughts c. Thus or in the like manner let some part of thy solitarie time be sure to be seasoned with holy musings and talke with God IV. Concerning company I aduise I. That thou neuer cast thy selfe into wicked company or presse amongst the profane especially vpon choice voluntarily and delightfully and abide no longer with them at any time vpon any occasion then thou hast sound warrant and a calling thereunto It is vncomely and incompatible with good conscience it is not for the honour or comfort of Gods children to keepe company or familiarly conuerse with gracelesse men In which point to preuent misconceits and mistakings consider there is a double fellowship 1. Common cold and more generall In treading bargayning buying selling saluting eating and drinking together and in other passages of humanity and entercourse of ciuill society to which charity nature necessity or the exigents of our generall or particular calling doe warrantably lead vs. 2. Speciall deare intimate In consultations and counsels about matters of speciall secrecy greatest weight and highest consequence In spirituall refreshments religious conferences prayer marriage all manner of neerest engagements In a free vnreserued communication of their soules mutuall exchange of the thoughts of their hearts faithfull reuelations of the spirituall state of their consciences one vnto another and in such like blissefull pangs and passages of Christian loue and ardent sanctified affection The former of these the Christian must of necessitie entertaine and exercise sometimes with the men of this world except he will goe out of the world 1. Cor. 5. 10. But the second fellowship is the Saints peculiar The Christian is bound out by the Booke of God the Law of heauen vpon his alleageance to his Lord and Soueraigne and by the common Charter of Gods children from conuersing with delightfull intimatenesse and from the exchange and exercise of those speciall passages of dearest acquaintance with profane men children of darkenesse and enemies of God For these and the like reasons 1. He thereby incurres a double hazard The one of infection with sinne the other of infliction of punishment 1. He that toucheth Pitch saith the Wise man shall be defiled therewith and hee that hath fellowship with a proud man shall be like vnto him Can a man take fire in his bosome and his clothes not be burnt Can a man goe vpon hot coales and his feete not be burnt Prou. 6. 27 28. Neither can any familiarly and intimately conuerse with a profane man but he shall be corrupted There is a strange attractiue and imperious power in ill company to empoyson and peruert euen the best dispositions 1. By holding familiar correspondence with lewd companions there first steales vpon a man a secret and insensible dislike of his former sober courses Hee begins within himselfe to censure and renounce his former wayes of innocency and harmelesse conuersation as too restrayning and distastfull to the ordinary liberty of youth and common frailty of flesh and blood and as too much dissweetned and straitned with vnnecessary strictnesse and abridgement 2. Secondly there slyly insinuates into his heart a pleasing approbation and delightfull assent to the sensuall courses and sinfull pleasures of his lewd companions 3. Thirdly there followes a resolued and habituall change of affections and conuersation a transformation into the manners and conditions of those with whom he doth so familiarly conuerse 4. Fourthly he growes ill-affected and disconceited towards good men and godly exercises because in their prophane boysterous and furious conuenticles of good-fellowship hee heares them dayly rayled vpon iested at belyed and slandered and not a man amongst them to take their parts and to stand on Gods side And therefore by little and little hee himselfe is also transformed into a scoffing Ishmael a breathing-Deuill and so becomes at last as much the child of hell as any of that gracelesse company and damned crew Thus and by such steps and degrees as these many many times especially in the Uniuersities and Innes of Court of good nature honest disposition and perhaps religious education are by little and little caught and fearefully corrupted and at length brought to horrible and vtter confusion both of reputation and outward state both of soule and body by the infectious villanies of lewd and naughty companions But ordinarily Gods children are not in such danger from notorious sinners and from men of such desperate and reprobate conuersation For who in his right wits will runne vpon a man which he cleerely sees hath the plague sore running vpon him What Christian in his right minde spiritually hauing any feare of God in his heart life in his soule or tendernesse in his conscience will delightfully thrust himselfe into the company of swearers drunkards scorners filthy talkers prophane iesters or any fellowes of such infamous ranke especially sith the soule is a thousand times more capable of the contagion of sin then the body of any infectious disease The hurt which the Christian doth take in this regard is most from meerely ciuill men as such as onely professe in forme who being more tolerable and plausible comp anons and yet disacquainted with the great Mystery of Godlinesse vnseasoned with the power of inward sanctification and vnpractised in the wayes of sincerity doe secretly and insensibly infuse if not a notorious infection with some scandalous sinne yet many times a fearefull defection from zeale forwardnesse and feruencie in the wayes and seruices of God Throw a blazing fire-brand into the snow or raine and its brightnesse and heate will bee quickly put out
time there must bee betwixt them an endlesse diuorce and an vnpassable distance through all eternity it is best for the Christian to begin this separation and disacquaintance in time and not to repose his speciall loue the sweetest and noblest of all his affections vpon an obiect where it must not eternally rest nor intimately conuerse with him whose company he shall not haue heereafter in heauen euerlastingly Let him euer onely affoord the dearest pangs of his kindest affection vnto Gods Children and conuey the swetest meltings of his heart and the most passionate embracements of his soule into their bosomes alone for he shall be sure to meete them in heauen and there the lesser streames of their former Christian loue shall grow into a mighty torrent and falling into the great and vniuersall confluence of the vnited zeales and Seraphicall feruours of all the Saints and Angels runne with a sweete and euerlasting current into the bottomlesse and boundlesse Sea of all loue and louely excellencies God himselfe blessed for euer 3. Thirdly a good man conuersing with those which be gracelesse doth very foully distaine and obscure if not quite lose his Christian reputation and credit with good men for a man is still reputed to bee of their humour and conditions with whom he doth ordinarily and intimately conuerse All flesh saith the Wise man consorteth according to kinde and a man will cleane to his like What fellowship hath the Wolfe with the Lambe so the sinner with the godly Now it is a most disgracefull and discomfortable thing to bee iustly cast out of the conceits and good opinions of iudicious and vnderstanding Christians I would haue a Christian neuer much trouble himselfe or labour with too much curiositie and intrusion too anxiously vexingly and sollicitously to giue the world satisfaction for the vniust censures and disconceites of witlesse and worthlesse prophanenesse only he may thence take occasion to examine his heart more narrowly to walke more warily to liue more holily and pray more heartily Let prophane men rage and swell and burst in despight of gall I would haue him sweetely and calmely to enioy those blessed comforts which Gods compassionate hand hath put into his heart But me-thinks he should much take to heart and be very sorry for the iust dislike and disconceit of true Christians or for any scandall taken vpon good ground from vnaduisednesse and aberration in his carriage and conuersation As the Christian then desires to be dearely esteemed of the godly and tenders the preseruation of his good name with good men which is rather to be chosen than great riches Prou. 22. 1. than precious Ointment Eccles. 7. 1. and maketh the bones fat Prou. 15. 30. which indeed is the most inestimable Iewell he possesseth in this life next vnto his owne Crowne of Christianitie I say as he would maintaine and vphold a good opinion and conceit of him in the hearts and consciences of Christians let him flye the company of prophane men for there is no reason hee should bee reputed Gods friend who conuerses familiarly with his profest enemies 4. No prophane man can heartily and directly loue and affect a Christian for his zeale and spirituall graces nay naturally and ordinarily he disconceits and hates all holy impressions wrought vpon him by Gods sanctifying Spirit 1. Partly by reason of that euerlasting vnreconcileable and implacable enmitie and antipathy betweene the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent betweene light and darkenesse Christ and Belial Grace and prophanenesse 2. Partly also because euery vnregenerate man though furnished with the best perfections and excellencies attaineâ—…ble in that state thinkes that his lukewarmenesse and formalitie is censured and condemned by the zeale and forwardnesse of the true Christian and that if those gracious endowments and holy strictnesse be reall and necessarily required they plainely proclaime the damnablenesse of his estate which he securely reposes vpon as sufficient for saluation Dauid a man after Gods owne heart and of a sweet and louing disposition yet was most heauily prest and pursued with much causelesse spite and this hatred euen for his goodnesse They that hate me without a cause saith he are more then the haires of my head They that would destroy mee and are mine enemies falsely are mighty so that I restored that which I tooke not Psal. 69. 4. And in another place saith hee They that hate me wrong fully are many they also that reward euill for good are mine aduersaries because I follow goodnesse But yet vnderstand this further in the point The expression and exercise of this hatred of the forwardnesse and zeale in the Christian which naturally and ordinarily lurkes in the heart of euery prophane man may bee sometimes restrained for aduantage and in policy by accident and for by respects The sting and furie of it may be weakened and lessened by the ingenuousnesse of the vnregenerate man or by other good naturall and morall parts in the Christian. Nay I doe not see but that sometimes it may bee as it were quite dasht and confounded by the extraordinary innocency and heroicall height of spirituall excellencies in a good man As Moralists say of vertue that though it be ordinarily attended by enuy as the body with a shadow yet it may grow so incomparable and glorious that enuy is glad to hide its head and flie away like a weake mist from the Sunne shining in his strength Assoone as vertue say they is growne out of ignorance she entreth by and by into enuy till mounting aloft as the Sunne being verticall abateth all shadowes so she in the top and height of perfection all enuie Why may it not be so in zeale and pietie that though it be ordinarily persecuted with extreme hatred yet sometimes it may attaine that extraordinarinesse incomparablenesse and excellency that hatred may euen hate it selfe for opposing such vnreprooueable sanctitie But to my purpose If it bee so that a prophane man cannot possibly loue a Christian heartily for his Christianitie and Grace but rather maliciously and mortally hate him what heart can a Christian haue to conuerse intimately and delightfully with a prophane man Who would euer vouchsafe his company and afford the best of his time and dearest of his affections to a fellow which disdaines and despises the most precious Iewell hee beares about him I meane his religious zeale and labours powerfully though insensibly to dimme the brightnesse and distaine the glory of it either by the contagion of his notoriousnesse or at least by his formalitie coldnesse and vnzealousnesse 5. Fiftly no Christian ought to enter league or entertaine fellowship with the enemies of God It is absurd that a member of Christ should exercise familiaritie and intimate passages of loue with a limbe of Satan What earthly Prince could endure with patience to haue one of his neerest seruants and of chiefest trust to bee conuersant continually amongst profest Rebels and open Traitors to his Crowne
euer since 2. Resist and crush euery exorbitant thought which drawes to sinne at the very first rising Encounter it with this dreadfull Dilemma Say vnto thy selfe If I commit this sinne it will cost mee vnvaluably more heart-breake and spirituall smart before I can purchase assurance of pardon and peace of conscience then the sensuall pleasure is worth If I neuer repent it will bee the death and damnation of my soule See what a world of misery man brings vpon himselfe by giuing way to the first wicked thought Disc. of true Happinesse pag. 150. 3. Entertaine euer with all holy greedinesse and make exceedingly much of all good motions put into thy heart by the blessed Spirit howsoeuer occasioned whether by the Ministery of the Word mindfulnesse of death Christian admonition reading some good Booke some speciall crosse extraordinary mercy any way at any time Feede enlarge and improoue them to the vtmost with Meditation Prayer and Practise So thou shalt preserue thine heart in a soft holy comfortable temper and heauenward which is a singular happinesse 3. Eleuation and often lifting vp of the heart towards heauen What Christian heart can indure to discontinue its sweet familiaritie and humble entercourse with God for one day Let thy broken heart therefore euery day besides solemne and ordinarie eiaculations Euening and Morning and vpon other speciall occasions bee sure 1. To bathe it selfe deliciously in the blisfull depths of Gods boundlesse mercies in Christ that it may bee happily kept spiritually merry thankefull and in heart to all holy duties 2. To kisse sweetly the glorified Body of our crucified Lord with the lips of infinitely dearest and vnexpressably affectionate loue though the distance bee great yet the hand of Faith will bring them easily together that it may be preserued in peace puritie and reuengefull opposition vnto sinne for as the application of his meritorious Blood is a soueraigne Plaister to heale the wounded conscience to turne Crimsin and Scarlet into snow and wooll so me-thinkes a serious and compassionate commemoration of the deare effusion thereof should bee both a precious corrosiue to eate out the heart of corruption and a speciall preseruatiue to keepe from sinne sith sinne was the principall in slaughtering the Lord of life 3. To cast the eye of hope vpon the glory euerlastingnesse and vnutterable excellencies of that immortall shining Crowne aboue which after this life and this life is but a bubble a smoake a shadow a thought shall be set vpon thy head by the hand of God a very glimpse of the goodly splendour and rauishing beauty whereof is able both to sweeten the bitterest villanies and basest wrongs from the world and wicked men and to dispell those mists of fading vanities and hurtfull fumes of honours riches and earthly pleasures which this great dunghil of the world heated by the fire of inordinate lusts is wont to euaporate and interpose betwixt the sight of mens soules and the blisse of Heauen VI. Be very watchfull ouer thy most predominant and troublesome passion whether it be feare sorrow loue anger c. All of them are vnruly and raging enough but yet commonly one ouer-rules all the rest and playes Rex as they say in the vnregenerate man nay too often offers to rise in rebellion euen against the most sanctified soule Whatsoeuer it be 1. In thy priuate morning sacrifice be sure to lay on loade of deepest groanes and strongest cries for mortifying grace against it and comfortable conquest ouer it Let that period and passage of thy prayers bee enforced and enlarged with an extraordinarie pang of feruencie and feelingly sealed as it were with the most Seraphicall Selah 2. Cut off all occasions whatsoeuer it cost thee which may any wayes stirre awaken and kindle it Withdraw the fewel that ministers food vnto that passionate flame though it should bee as painefull vnto thee as the plucking out of thy right eye or the cutting off of thy right hand Assuredly the pleasures of inward quiet and sweet spirituall calmnesse of thy so vnderstanding Soule will infinitely recompence any paines in oppositions and resistances in that nature 3. Consider seriously before-hand what a deale of disturbance and vnsettlednesse the visible exorbitancy and breaking of it out will breede and bring vpon thy inward man It will be like a dead Flie in a boxe of precious oyntment disgrace all thy graces and full foully darken the glory of thy profession It will be like fire in the Thatch and for the while cast into combustion as it were the whole frame of thy spiritual building and turne the heauenly peace of thy appeased conscience into a bitter tempest Tell mee whether after a lawlesse transgression of those bonds of moderation to which thy Christian resolution hath confinde it and that it hath preuailed against thee with any notorious excesse I say whether at night thou finde not thy spirit quite downe and much deaded to the exercise of prayer or any other euening duty And if vpon thy waking in the night there should be any terrible winde dreadfull thunder or other affrighting accident whether thy heart would not smite thee vpon that occasion with much more feare and apprehensions of horrour I will suppose thy raigning or rather rebelling passion for I speake to the Christian to be choler and anger and then first listen to the counsell which the very morall Sages minister against this spirituall maladie and to the rules and remedies which the light of reason leades vs vnto 1. Cut off say they the causes and the effect wil vanish Quench the firebrands which enrage this fury and thou shalt be at quiet They are such as these 1. Weakenesse of spirit vnmanlinesse of minde Hence it is that old men infantâ—… and sicke folkes are commonly more cholericke then others Impotency and excesse of passion euer argues the disgrace and inferiority of the vnderstanding part the noblest power of the soule And therefore if we would be armed against the sallies and assaults of this domineering raging distemper we must suffer the hiest and heauenliest part of our soule to know and exercise its place and strength Wee must not make our vnderstandings vnder-lings but giue reason his right and regiment 2. Selfe-loue a foolish doting vpon and adoring our selues which springs from the cursed root of Selfe-ignorance and quite puts out that light of Natures law in our consciences Doe as thou wouldest be done by If before thou lose the reines to that short phrensie thou wouldst suppose and set thy selfe in the place of the party with whom thou art angry and then say and doe no more then if thine owne person were the patient it would bee a notable meanes to curbe thy choler and keepe the credit of dipassionatenesse and moderation and make thee patiently suffer that which perhaps thou hast often confidently offered to others 3. An ouertendernesse and delicate nicenesse in bearing wrongs an impetuous impatiencie for being abused Whereas insensibilitie and
resembles the highest Region of the aire where there is no ouer-shadowing clouds nor tempestuous thunders but perpetuall fairenesse serenity and peace I haue the longer insisted vpon these morall instructions purposely to make Christians ashamed who besides the honest extractions of purerreason haue also rules of Religion heauenly remedies and yet are too often ouertaken with this mentall drunkennesse as some call it For you must know that all this while I meane hasty vniust and exorbitant Anger which misses in measure Obiect end season ablenesse or other circumstances For there is a sinlesse and holy Anger and therefore saith Paul Ephes. 4. 26. Be yee angry and sinne not Vpon the describing and limiting of which it is neither incident nor seasonable for me at this time to insist Now then in a second place for religious directions and more immediately drawne from diuine learning consider 1. That all thy wrongs and vnworthy vsages all thy iniuries and indignities crosses and vncomfortable accidents that shall euer any way befall thee are fore-appointed ordered and disposed by Gods wise and mercifull prouidence and that to thy spirituall and euerlasting good This very one thought that God is euer the principal Agent kept fresh and on foote in thy mind will be of soueraigne power to coole and beate backe any intemperate heate which might either rise in thine heart or rage in thy tongue against his instruments and cause thee many times when thou art chaâ—…ing ripe and ready to raue to lay thy hand vpon thy mouth and say vnto God sweetly with Dauid Psal. 39. 9. I was dumbe I opened not my mouth because thou didst it And not like a child to beate the place that hurt it but rather to walke more heedfully or a foolish Curre to snarle and snatch at the stone neuer looking after the thrower or a mad man to bite the sword that sticks in his flesh but rather to pull it out softly and get to the Surgeon There was matter and malice enough in the mouth of Shemei to haue made Dauids royall heart naturally to rise with implacable indignation against that dead dogge vnkindnesse and crueltie enough in the hearts of Iosephs brethren to haue made him for euer vnreconcileable wrong and villany enough in the carriage of the Caldeans to haue set Iob on fire with rage and reuenge against them But these holy men by practise of the present point and from the strength of this consideration which I now commend for the restraint of choler procured a great deale of sweete peace and patience to their owne hearts pleasednesse and acceptation with God admiration and example to posteritie For they glanced by the meanes and the men and fastened their eyes vpon their Maker and the first Moouer Ioseph lookt beyond his Brethrens barbarous dealing with him and said The Lord sent me before you Iob beyond the Caldeans lawlesse outrages and said The Lord hath taken away Dauid beyond Shemeis dogged rancour and said The Lord hath bidden him Iesus Christ Himselfe blessed for euer looked beyond the Pharises Priests Iewes Iudas and the Souldiers to his Fathers Cup Ioh. 18. 11. This Cup which my Father hath giuen me shall I not drinke when he commanded Peter to sheathe his sword This Christian counsell passeth that which was giuen to Augustus when the obiects and occasions of choler are in thine eye or eare when thou art any wayes wronged belyed rayled vpon spurned at or trampled vpon by the feete of honoured insolency or dunghill malice before thou inwardly fret or break out into any impatient behauiour say first seriously and feelingly in thine owne heart This is from God for my good or with old Eli It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good 1. Sam. 3. 18. And let it for euer snaffle nay sweetly compose the hastinesse and sowrenesse of thy corrupt nature in case of choler â—… Let the wonderfull patience of that mighty Lord of Heauen and Earth who is able with one word to cast all the creatures in the World into Hell nay euen with the breath of his mouth to turne Hell and Heauen and Earth and all things into nothing I say let his patience against the infinite intolerable and endlesse prouocations of his owne most obliged creatures who like so many desperate traitours liue and lye continually in open rebellion against so great a Maiestie bee a Patterne and Precedent vnto thee a silly worme dust and ashes earth or any thing that is naught of proportionable forbearance if there could be any proportion betweene infinite and finite towards thy fellow-creatures How many blacke and blasphemous mouthes are vncessantly open against his blessed Maiesty With what damned oathes doe they teare and re-crucifie the precious Body of his glorious Sonne which sits at his owne right hand With what lyes and slanders doe they reuile his Ambassadours and vilifie his Chosen How many gracelesse wretches doe wilfully and obstinately prophane his Sabbaths pollute his Sacraments and turne their backes vpon his Word How many doe dayly turne themselues into beasts by their swinish drunkennesse to the great reproch of mankinde and dishonour of their reasonable nature How many inclosing Nimrods and cruell Landlords doe grind the faces of the poore Nay plucke off their skins teare their flesh breake their bones and chop them in pieces as for the pot and eate the flesh of Gods people In a word How many incarnate Deuils doe march vp and downe the earth with hearts and hands as full as Hell with all manner of mischiefe lewdnesse and rebellion So many and with such extreme insufferable audaciousnesse and impudency that as a learned Diuine speakes If but any tender-hearted man should sit but one houre in the Throne of God Almighty if it be fit so to suppose and look downe vpon the earth as God doth continually see what abominations are done in that houre he would vndoubtedly in the next set all the World on fire and not suffer his wrath to be pacified or the fire to be quenched And yet for all this our gracious God in the meane time though hee be armed with his owne vnresistable omnipotencie and a thousand Charets in the Whirlewinde though he haue euer in a readinesse all the Angels in Heauen all the Diuels in Hell all the Creatures in the World nay the very hands and consciences of prophane wretches and all that prouoke the eyes of his Glory with their pollutions to be the instruments and executioners of his iust wrath vpon their sinne yet I say our gracious God opposes his infinite patience against all these restlesse outragious prouocations Hee sweetly and fairely tempers and moderates in the meane time his most iust causefull indignation to see if the bountifulnesse of his forbearance long-suffering will leade them to repentance Be thou then for euer ashamed to take on for euery trifle to breake patience vpon euery triuiall prouocation to turne Lyon in thine owne house and
which is common in carnall worldlings to rage with extreme folly and basenesse against thy wife children seruants cattell or any thing that comes in thy way for euery crosse accident worldly losse domesticall miscarriage nay many times to torture thine owne heart and trouble others in this kinde vpon meete mis-takings groundlesse surmizes and misconstructions but rather take this gracious lesson from the Lord Iesus his owne mouth Math. 11. 29. Learne of mee for I am lowly of heart and an example of patience from his first Martyr Act. 7. 60. Lord lay not this sinne to their charge 3. Let the sweet experience of Gods patient and mercifull dealing with thee soften thine heart with a compassionate sence of other mens weakenesses and a melting forwardnesse to forgiue If hee out of the riches of his mercy hath remitted vnto thee ten thousand Talents what a base wretchednesse were it to fly in the face of thy fellow-seruant and to take him by the throat for an hundred pence If he intreated thee of all loues and with all long-suffering to come into his stretched out armes of mercy when thou layst wallowing abominably in the gore-blood of thy many scarlet and crimsin sinnes foughtest on the Deuils side to the losse of the very life-blood of thy soule and euery time thou camest to the Lords Supper shedst the precious blood of his blessed Sonne what a shame is it vnto thee to fall a raging and swell with anger for the meere ouer-sight many times vnwilling miscarriage and vnpurposed errour of those perhaps which otherwise obserue thee with obsequiousnesse and loue 4. If a man will not bee mooued with more faire and ingenuous motiues to master and mortifie this Bedlam rage I speake in this passage to him that hates to be reformed let him bee amazed and amend for shame sith the holy Ghost hath charged euery man not to meddle or make any league of friendship with him while he nourisheth and giues the reines to this bosome-Rebell Make no friendship with an angry man and with a furious man thou shalt not goe Pro. 22. 24. What a monster is a man of anger that Salomon should set such a brand vpon him whereby euery one is warned to beware of him and fly from him as from a nettling dangerous vnsociable creature A word or two of another passion before I passe out of the point and that is Feare which I had not toucht at this time had it bin only a Rack wheron the hearts of couetous ambitious and carnall men are wofully rent and torne tortured all their life long and not also a cruell engrosser of too much golden time euen from Gods children not without impressions of much fruitlesse sadnesse and vnnecessarie discontent The vanitie and tyrannie of this passion is specially seene and exercised 1. In putting all reall stings into imaginarie euils and drawing true and bitter sorrowes from supposed sufferings 2. In an ouer-greedy apprehension and anticipation of sorrowes to come so that a man by too much forethoughtfulnesse and painefull preconceit doth suffer them many times before they seize vpon him 1. For the first who feeles not the phantasticalnesse of opinion to forge and fasten vpon him many dreadfull obiects which of themselues haue no vigour to vexe because no reall being and existence yet truely torture and afflict by the onely strength of imagination Thus one eates his owne heart with griefe for losse of those riches and that superfluous wealth which if hee had euer still possessed hee would neuer haue vsed Another lies vnder the continuall slauerie of restlesse feare lost fire or robbery some alteration in the State or desolation of warre should disperse his hoard or hazard his temporall happinesse One is haunted with much thoughtfulnesse and carking what shall become of his children after his death what men will say of him when hee is gone lest his wife should marrie after his departure For naturally our minds are so vaine that besides the abundance and burden of present cares they will transport our desires and affections beyond our selues and being Another frettingly feares that hee shall be vndone in a deare yeere or the next Rot of sheepe and tires himselfe with varietie of plots for commings in for many yeeres to come when many times he dies in the meane time Some take vp too much precious time from present and more profitable meditations by troubling their hearts lest if the times turne they should not be able to endure the fierie triall whereas afterward perhaps they end their life in the peacefull noone-tide of the glorious Gospel Others vpon thought or talke of death are ready to entertaine fearefull apprehensions lest they should disgrace their Christian life with an vncomfortable end and by some extraordinarie temptation rauing furious carriage lye open to the worlds interpretation sinister censures misconstructions of their former courses when as after it may be they conclude their dayes calmely in good memory to the last gaspe without any storme or cloud of feared horrour and discomfort except former distrustfull feares iustly bring vpon them that which they feared For sith euery one whose life hath been consecrated to Gods glory with truth of heart doth certainely passe thorow those dreadfull pangs and last paine into pleasures endlesse and vnspeakeable hee ought also to submit with all patience and quiet to glorifie him and to be seruiceable to his secret ends with what kind of death he please whether it be 1. Glorious and vntempted 2. Discomfortable by reason of bodily distemper and by consequent interpretable by vndiscerning spirits 3. Mingled of temptations and triumphs 4. Or ordinarie and without any great shew or remarkeable speeches after extraordinarie singularities of an holy life which promised an end of speciall note and obseruation 2. For the second besides these vtterly vnnecessarie and meerely imaginarie miseries many fearefull spirits especially haunted with the humour of melancholy will not suffer also certaine and ineuitable euils which at length must needs befall them to sleepe and keepe in their stings vntill the time appointed but many times awake them by the cry of Feare like so many sleeping Lyons and cowardlily prouoke them with timorous expectation to rent their hearts and sting terribly before the time Thus our vaine mindes torment vs more with the feare of euils then with the euils which we feare spurre vs on with much vnmanly folly to meete in the mid-way nay to ouertake out-run sorrowes to come and make vs a thousand times miserable with one indiuiduall misery For instance Thou hast a child and perhaps but one which thou louest most dearely for that affection which would be seuerely strong towards ten or how many soeuer is vnited in it alone Thou enioyest a wife whose death would be vnto thee as the losse of halfe thy heart and so proportionably of any worldly comfort Now certaine it is thou must at length part from all these or what else soeuer most deare and
vnconscionable Criticke and cenfurer Hee reprooues Gods faithfull Ones for reproouing when himselfe full often amongst his companions out of a pang of imperious choler and implacable hatred to holinesse condemnes for Counterfeits without all ground or truth those whom the Lord himselfe iustifies for true-hearted Nathaneels and passes sentence of guiltinesse and grosse hypocrisie after they bee cast by a iury of Ale-knights vpon those whom the Highest Tribunall doth mercifully acquit To illighten a little and rectifie thy iudgement in this point of priuate iudging conceiue with me 1. First that all iudging and censuring is not censurable and condemned But that when a man with an euill minde iudgeth amisse and vncharitably of others for some euill end We may iudge the tree by his fruit If wee see a fellow constant and incorrigible in his lewd rebellious courses euidently infamous for rotten fruits hanging out in the open fight of the Sunne as drunkennesse swearing vsury whoredome persecuting the power of godlinesse scoffing Religion vnrighteous dealing c. Wee may leauing his finall doome to the Searcher of all hearts iudge and censure him for the present to be Gods enemy and in a most wretched estate But in such cases besides iust cause be sure of a warrantable calling conscionable end and no beame in thine owne eye 2. Secondly let vs take notice of some differences betweene the true Professours and prophane mans censuring It differs in respect 1. Of the Obiect The principall aime and obiect of carnall mens cruell disconceits and bitterest censures is the zealous Professour Dogged they are enough many times amongst themselues about worldly affaires and maliciously enter-teare one another like wild beasts mutuall brawlings about earthly things wrongs encrochments vnderminings coozening ouer-reaching ambitious contentions c. fill their hearts with much gall and greedinesse of reuenge their mouthes with mutuall barking at and byting one another But to the people of God in their Bedlam fits they are not only Dogs but euen enraged Deuils and swell with the very venome of Hell the ouerflowing whereof doth drowne all priuate discords Herod Pilate behaued themselues before like two angry Mastiues one against another but when opportunitie was offered they pursued Christ with reconciled malice and vnited forces Put vp an hare before two Greyhounds snarling about a bone and they will both doggedly concurre in the pursuite of that harmelesse beast It is iust so with gracelesse men against Gods Child and euer the more forward he is in the narrow way the more furiously is he persecuted by the spite of tongues The most resolute for Gods glory and in good causes is ordinarily most rayled against and reuiled The foule spirit of good-fellowship as they call it is still foaming out against Gods chiefest Fauourites the foulest censures That they are hypocrites humorists factionists traitors pestilent fellows and all that naught is Dauid was so charged by Saul and his Courtiers Ieremie by the prophane Nobles the godly Iewes by Haman Nay Christ himselfe by the Scribes and Pharises Paul by Tertullus the Primâ—…tiue Christians by the Heathens and all that will liue godlily in Christ Iesus must looke for the same portion the same persecution amongst the men of this world euen to be most vile and contemptible in their conceits and construction There is no creature that euer God made not Satan himselfe excepted which is more maliciously set against and censured then good men Neither should any haue so bad a name as they could the hellish mists of virulent tongues obscure and staine the glory of their reputation If sentence should passe vpon the godly at that last and great Day according to the verdict of them that are not friends or parties wee should certainly all be cast and condemned not a man freed and acquit But blessed be God the Searcher of all hearts the Almightie Protectour of all innocencie who to the shame and confusion of all spitefull opposites will witnesse for vs at that highest Tribunall and then at the furthest before men and Angels will bring forth our righteousnesse as the light and our iudgements as the Noone-day Oh that I had some to heare me saith Iob Behold my signe that the Almightie will witnesse for mee though mine aduersaries should write a booke against mee c. And in this itching humour of mis-censuring the seruants of God the wicked are so wilfull and eager that rather then they will want matter they will most basely and vnworthily snatch it from the enuenomed tongue of a Tale-bearer from the slanderous folly of some seurril Iester the frothy rauing of a greasie drunken Ale-house-haunter nay rather then faile forge it out of a suspicious selfe-guiltinesse in their owne prophane fancies and suck it as they say out of their owne fingers But let them know that when a son of Belial censures a sincere Professor it is as if the darkest nooke in Hell should finde fault with the Moone that great Light of Heauen for those little spots in her face whereas otherwise shee is a faire and goodly creature as if the most loathsome dunghill should challenge the fairest garden for vnsauourinesse because there is here and there a weed amidst varietie of other frâ—…grant flowers as if a worthlesse lumpe of drosse should censure an angell of gold for want of a graine or two in weight as if a fellow almost eaten vp with the filthy French disease should cry out of the danger of a growing Ague in another For in this case hee who as yet is nothing but an accursed lumpe of sinne and lust damnation and hell loades with censorious lyes that happy soule which in the fountaine of Christs meritorious blood is made farre whiter then the Snow in Salmon and fairer then the wooll of the sheepe comming vp from washing though some spots and staines of infirmities and frailties cleaue vnto it while it yet dwels in an house of flesh and tabernacle of clay But now on the other side the ordinarie obiect of the Christians Censure is according to Christs rule those trees which discouer themselues to be stark naught by the rotten fruits which hang vpon them in the sight of the Sunne And yet that also must bee seasoned with charitie discretion seasonablenesse freedome from spleene humour passion personall hatred insolencie or any other exorbitant distemper Those professours prooue too often either vtterly vnsound or not so thorowly humbled who vnmercifully insult either ouer the damnable estate of those which are without or vncharitably blaze abroad the infirmities and failings of the brethren which they ought to conceale and as the hand 〈◊〉 a salue vpon any sore part of the body and then couers it so to apply a plaister of a gentle and milde reproofe that it may secretly heale and the World be neuer the wiser Ordinarily so farre as some men are fierce boysterous and master-like in searching out censuring and secret insulting ouer the falls fraileties difference from them
by-standers to conceiue that howsoeuer they bee not so precise and forward or make so great a show as others yet they are fully as honest men as they and may perhaps step into heauen before them 3. To wreake their spite vpon the children of Light who are euer eye-sores and heart-sores to all sorts of sinners Hee meaning the righteous man saith the Author of the Booke of Wisdome though Apocryphal yet ancient is grieuous vnto vs euen to behold for his life is not like other mens his wayes are of another fashion And it angers them at the very heart-roote to consider that whereas they hope and hold themselues sufficiently qualified for Heauen yet the righteous mans forwardnesse zeale and liuing of another fashion if ingenuousnesse dispell the mist of preiudice clearely remonstrates to their owne consciences and proclaimes aloud to all spiritually vnderstanding men that in truth and vpon tryall they are in the state of wretchednesse and of the family of Hell Hereupon it is that they labour might and maine with many disgracefull censures to dimme the glory of his goodnesse and if it were possible by publishing their owne malicious surmises others slanderous tales or spitefully aggrauated frailties to pull him backe at least in opinion of their fauourites and dependants to the same measure of infirmities and pitch of impietie with themselues But now the ends which humble Christians propose vnto themselues of iust dislikes and seasonable censures of vnsanctified men are briefly such as these 1. To preserue their thoughts innocent from accessarinesse to sinne by a secret inuisible allowance of it in other men and their tongues from cowardly silence when they haue a calling to disgrace it 2. Left a Knaue goe for an honest man and hypocrites deceiue true-hearted Nathaneels 3. Left the power of Christianitie wherein Gods glory is highly interessed suffer and be vnderualued For instance Thou hearest sometimes a fellow notoriously branded with some infamous sinne yet so spoken of by some dawbers with vntemperate morter or at least by ignorant worldlings as though his present condition were tolerable towards God and hopefull in respect of saluation by reason of some other good parts for which they praise him In this case if the vnderstanding Christian hold his peace the by-standers may be so farre scandalized and mistake as to conceiue and collect that a man may lye in a sweet sinne and yet liue in Gods fauour that the pleasures of the World and peace of conscience may consist together which are as incompatible as Heauen and Hell And why should not that silence be sinful which suffers an open knowne prophane man to carry away the reputation of one in the right way if there be time and place for a seasonable wise and charitable contradiction as well as that which suffers one which is true of heart to bee charged with hypocrisie 2. Secondly be silent from slandering backbiting falsaccusing Heere I will say nothing of downe-right forging and fastning a false crime vpon an innocent which is the most pestilent and palpable and other grosse kindes of this very foule sinne for so it is indeed howsoeuer to a carnall eye looking vpon it painted with the colours of commonnesse and selfe-loue thorow the false glasse of these corrupt times it appeares not so ougly The very Casuists and Schoolemen none of the precisest Diuines I am sure doe deseruedly vilifie it with a brand of hainousnesse farre aboue theft as they may well both for a greater breach of loue preciousnesse of obiect vnrecompensablenesse of losse difficultie of restitution concurrence of many sinnes consequence of much ill c I say I will bee heere silent of the grosser sorts of slander because of them Gods children are for the most part more easily sensible and ordinarily watchfull but let mee a little aduise and awake thee to further inspection of the present point lest sometimes euen in telling the truth thou bee intangled in the briars of this base sinne and iustly incurre the fault of a false accuser which thou maist many wayes For detraction to speake Logically doth not formally consist in the diminution of the truth but in the denigration of a mans good name 1. By discouering secret infirmities which loue that couereth a multitude of sinnes would haue concealed It is a base ambition and most vnworthy the noble magnanimitie of a Christian heart to hunt after and purchase an opinion of precedencie in graces and zeale by the disgrace of another perhaps euery way saue onely in the censurers owne ouer-weening conceit better and more worthy then himselfe When thou hearest a man worthily magnified for eminencie of parts and spirituall worth bee it farre from thee or any that euer tooke sinne truely to heart to come in with a But onely because out of a pang or rather predominancy of priuie pride thou wouldest gladly bee noted for a None-such and passe for the matchlesse Professour Let it euer bee the property and veine of vaine-glorious Pharises to raise their reputations and sometimes themselues but with execrable villany vpon the imaginary ruines of good mens innocencies and to hold euery insolent detraction from other mens sufficiencies and addition to their owne 2. By drawing out of other mens words actions and behauiours vpon the suspicious racke of a busie wit aimes insinuations and intentions which the Author neuer dreamed on and by fathering vpon them such enforced sinister sences and wrested crooked constructions which an ingenuous impartiall Expositour could neuer possibly extract It is the easiest thing of a thousand for a malicious minde to soile the glory of the brauest and most beautifull actions with ill and wrong interpretations and surmises of By-ends For the pride of a mans owne disdainefull nature and the deuill himselfe are ready mid-wiues at such monstrous conceptions and bastard births There is some truth in that hyperbolicall speech of him who said Let any man present mee with the most excellent and blamelesse action and I will oppose it with fifty vicions and bad intentions all which shall carry a face of likelihood Vpon this very point Tribunals of Iustice which hold more vpon policy than piety especially of priuate spleene embitter their Iudiciary power against the party too often strangely blinde the common peoples eyes and doe a great deale of wrong A wicked wit and wide conscience mounted on horsebacke amongst a number of Princes walking like seruants vpon the ground the Epidemicall disease of these worst and most vlcerous times vpon this aduantage many times worke a world of reuengefull villany But how soeuer it bee easie and too ordinarie for blacke tongues to blast and staine by wresting and wier-drawing the beauty of the best actions with malicious misconstructions yet it is villanous and base To let lawes of diuine loue alone euen the light of Reason led wise men to this resolution as appeares by their rules of Law That in doubtfull things we must euer pitch vpon the more
of endlesse reuolutions to beget and giue vs time I say vs who for the sinne of euery moment in it deserue eternity of punishment But that our hearts may bee more sensibly wrought vpon and more effectually affected with the dearenesse and preciousnesse of it let vs suppose that the Lord by diuine and extraordinarie dispensation should giue leaue to a damned soule to come into this life againe and would vouchsafe him but one houre of a new triall as it were and a second time of gracious visitation Oh how highly would hee prize how eagerly would hee apprehend with what infinite watchfulnesse endeauour and diligence would hee improoue that little short golden season And if therein he might haue but the happinesse to heare a Sermon Oh with what affectionate inflamed attention would hee listen vnto the Word of Life how would his heart breake and bleed within him and fall asunder in his brest like drops of water to heare Gods iust wrath and holy indignation thundred out and threatned against sinne With what insatiable grasping and deare imbracement would he labour to lay hold vpon Christ Iesus and his gracious promises In a word he would think that in demonstration of thankefulnesse for Gods fauour might hee be so happy as to haue it the spending of euery moment of all that great body of time which lies betweene the Creation and the worlds end if hee might liue so long in as holy pure strict precise heauenly manner as euer did the most mortified Martyr vpon earth were farre too little Shall we then triflingly passe and play away the time that is so precious And in my supposition the damned soule should bee sure of an houre But none of vs can possibly purchase securitie for very one moment after I haue spoken this word The time present is our onely time wee haue no more power and command ouer the time to come then ouer the time past Euen the next minute thou mayest be cut off by the stroake of death from all further time of repentance acceptation and grace for euer Nay yet further were it possible that any vncomfortable passion were incident to a glorified Saint in heauen he would be sorry and transported with extreme anger and indignation against himselfe That hee was not a more greedy ingrosser as it were and improouer of time for doing excellently vpon earth and that euery houre after his cōuersion was not crowned with some rarer and more remarkable exploit with some more speciall and noble seruice for the glorifying of that most bountifull and euer-blessed God who hath now honoured him with such vnspeakeable glory and that Crowne of ioyes so infinitely transcendent to the vtmost expectation of the most enlarged heart Howsoeuer therefore men of this world for the most part except they be continually exercised in variety of pleasing imployments and still entertained with fresh successions of new pleasures are sore troubled with time and tediously perplext how to passe it which is the reason that they deuise so many passe-times with much sollicitous and sensuall forecast plot and proiect to themselues aforehand many and many a merry meeting idle visitations feastings mutuall entertainments of meere complement and vanitie iouiall reuellings as they call them c. that they chaine together as it were by the Art of Epicurisme and with linkes of liberty continued occasions of company keeping and good-fellow meetings from the one end of the weeke to the other For solitarinesse and selfe-conuersing is a very torturing racke and the tide-time of melancholy to the waking consciences of gracelesse and guilty men Though I say this bee the custome and carriage of Satans Reuellers yet all Christians ought to haue time in deare and high esteeme in euery moment whereof should they lay downe ten thousand liues for His sake that pardons their sinnes and also doe him all the glorious seruice of all both the militant and Triumphant Saints it were infinitely too little for his loue Wherefore no marueile though well-aduised and watchfull they feele themselues rather pincht with want then prest with plenty of her golden offers and opportunities to doe good and bee euer addrest to entertaine and welcome euery houre with speciall attendance as a gracious Indulgence of his patient loue and long-suffering and suffering them to doe him yet more honour for which cause alone they long to liue before they goe downe into the pit and be seene no more And they should be so farre from being afraid of solitarinesse as to hold their time alone the only time for sweetest contemplations heauenly commerce neerer conuersing and communion with God 3. We that are earthly Angels by the noblenesse of Creation though by voluntarie degeneration incarnate deuils were put into and planted within the compasse and comforts of this great and curious Frame round about vs the goodly Workmanship of Gods owne Almightie hand wherein we haue the Sunne to serue vs and wee of this Kingdome by matchlesse and incomparable fauour the heauenly and healing beames of the Sunne of righteousnesse to shine vpon vs through his glorious Gospel I say we were placed in this world not to serue our owne turnes to please our owne hearts to follow our own wayes to eate drinke and sleepe to temporize reuell or roote in the earth to play the Epicures Libertines Machiauelians to climbe into high roomes by all meanes lawfull and vnlawfull by briberie simonie flatterie base insinuations following the times or some fouler meanes and thereto domineere and tyrannize In a word to serue the deuill for a few and euill dayes to die and so to be damned No no a nobler taske and more excellent end is appointed and apportioned for the Prince and principallest of all earthly creatures Our being vpon earth this little inch of time is for businesse of another nature and for a farre more important affaire and of dearest consequence euen with humblenesse and truth to know obey our God to serue our brethren in loue and to saue our owne poore soules in the Day of Christ. This is that One necessarie thing in respect of which all other things though otherwise honest and excellent are but respectiuely necessarie and so farre as they further and are warrantably and comfortably subordinate and contributary to this end Nay to this the exquisite Quintescence and concurrence of all other the dearest and most desireable things vnder the Sunne are to be accounted but drosse and dung And yet for all this many of vs while wee yet abode in the darknesse and damnation of our naturall state spent many yeeres some twenty some thirtie some perhaps fortie wholly vpon hell in base and vnblessed courses quite crosse to the end of our Creation All that time a misery to be lamented euen with teares of blood was vtterly cast away vpon the kingdome of darkenesse fearefully lost vpon our owne lusts sinfull fashions and pride of life slauishly and wofully wasted in the deuils seruice Nay all that while
carried along with addition of the fresh comforts from the Word and Sacraments thorow a fruitfull current and course of a Christian life is at last entertained into the boundlesse and bottomlesse Ocean of the endlesse ioyes of heauen 4. Of vnconquerablenesse against all created 〈◊〉 and assaults of earthly discomforts An oâ—…ce of sorrow 〈◊〉 a whole sea of worldly mirth The boisterousnesse and brauery of all carnall ioy vanisheth quite away and expires euen as a flowre when the heate riseth that is sent vpon it vpon the very first approach or presence of any either outward trouble or inward terror A prick of a needle much more a pang of the Stone or fit of the Gout is able to depriue a man of the pleasure of the worlds Monarchy One serious thought of death or the sight of one finne armed with Gods anger will put the proudest Niâ—…rod the greediest engrosser of all earthly delights into Belshazzars shiuering But now let the Christian whose heart is sweetly reposed vpon the Rocke of eternity be vtterly stript of all outward comforts let heauy accidents fall vpon him as thicke as one waue in the necke of another which befell blessed Iob yet he is still where hee was he hath made God his portion his onely Iewell and Ioy which he hath in Heauen or on Earth his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord and therefore when all earthly stayes and staues of reede shrinke in the wetting and are shattered to nothing he cleaues with an vnshaken and triumphant tranquillitie of minde to his Sunne and shield Psal. 84. 11. To his light and life Ioh. 8. 12. To his strong Tower of defence and exceeding great reward Gen. 15. 1. heare his sweete and noble resolution in this case Hab. 3. 17 18. Although the figtree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Oliue shall faile and the fields shall yeeld no meate the flocke shall be cut off from the fold and there shall bee no herd in the stalles yet I will reioyce in the Lord I will ioy in the God of my saluation While Iehoua is in Heauen his heart is in the Hauen though neuer so many stormes or tempests of the troublesome sea of this World beate vpon his house of clay Rob him of all earthly refreshments and lightsomnesse of this life and let but the light of Gods countenance shine vpon him which no darknesse nor dungeon nor Deuill in Hell can intercept and he is incomparably more merry then the Worlds choisest Minion Pleasures dearest fauourite or the brauest Belshazzar vpon earth in the very top and ruffe of his most iouiall reuellings and swaggering sensuality But it is not so with the earthly-minded man For howsoeuer he may digest with reasonable patience and carry well enough away all crosses and contradictions to his other worldly comforts while he doth yet wallow without interruption and disquiet in the sinfull pleasures of that selected way of death vpon which the more headstrong current of his corrupt nature hath cast him and the naturall bent of his carnall affections hath singled ouâ—… and made speciall choise of to follow and feede vpon with greatest delight which the Fathers call peccatum in delicijâ—… a mans bosome sinne yet cut him once short of the free and full enioyment of this his sensuall idoll and earthly god and you kill his heart quite and plunge him presently into desperate distractions For instance The couetous man while his heart may nessle securely vpon his golden heape will passe by without any great wound or passion the curses of the poore the grumblings of his conscience the comminations of the Ministry the cry of the whole Country against his oppressions vsury sacrilege and sinfull wayes of hoarding When hee comes home and finds his bags and bonds safe he blesseth himselfe in his heart against all threatned iudgements horrors curses confusions Thogh Iesus Christ himselfe should preach and presse them vpon him Luke 16. 14. with his golden wedge hee easily cuts asunder all scruples doubts exceptions reasons arguments obiections which any wayes oppose his couetous and cruell courses Hee pleases and applaudes himselfe against all censures and contradictions whatsoeuer to the contrary But let Gods angry hand in his iust iùdgement by fire robbery or some secret consumption snatch away his wealth and he is likely enough to goe out of his wits and in great hazard of hanging himselfe While the ambitious man is proudly mounted fits fast vpon the Seate of honour and is Idolized as it were and adored aboue others hee can easily enough ouerlooke with an imperious disdaine the indignation of good men emulation of great Ones the reproaches of the multitude and all other petty and priuate crosses but throw him downe from his high place turne him out of his offices and honours and how weary is he of the World how irâ—…esome to himselfe how prodigall of his life how impatient of the company of men While the wanton wallowes in the brutish pleasures of his abominable filth hee beares well enough away the weakening of his bodie the wasting of his goods the shame of his sinne losse of friends staine of reputation but beate him backe and bâ—…rie him from the house of the strange woman and you breake his heart banish him from his Minion and hee is ready to make away himselfe Woe sorrow contentions wounds without cause rednesse of eyes vndoing of wife and children houting at in the streets will well enough downe with the dâ—…unkard while hee may domineere vpon the Ale-bench but cut off the new wine and strong drinke from his mouth crosse him in his swaggering course confine him from his good-fellow meetings and you take away the very life of his life Thus euery vnregenerate man secures himselfe in some one sensuall Hold or other wherein the crowne of his carnall ioy consists of which bereaue him and you shall leaue him ioylesse heartlesse hopelesse and helpelesse But take from the true Christian if it were possible both Heauen and Earth and all the creatures and comforts of both yet you cannot take away his ioy God is the strength of his heart and his portion for euer Surely he shall neuer bee mooued his heart is fixed and beleeueth in the Lord. Which sith it is so that spirituall ioy is such an vnualuable Iewell and carnall so cursed a vanity let euery Christian bee exceedingly carefull not to suffer the froth and filth of this to staine or lessen the glory and sweetnesse of the other But if he once perceiue any company or kind of recreation begin to steale away his heart from communion and comfort in his God let him abandon it as a canker and cut-throate of his spirituall happinesse and euer prize and preferre the ioy of the soule delights of Grace refreshings of the holy Ghost infinitely before all worldly pleasures carnall contentments ease or any earthly thing Thus much of recreations II. Let me adde a word or
satisfaction to its expectation and large capacitie Hence it is that giue Rome to Caesar as they say and he will ambitiously pursue the Soueraigntie of the whole earth Let Alexander conquer the world and he will aske for moe let those be subdued he would climbe vp the staires of his vast desires towards the starres if hee could aspire thither hee would peepe beyond the heauens c. No rest vnto mans soule but in Gods eternall rest 3. That there being no proportion betweene spirits and bodies thou maiest aswell vndertake to fill a bag with wisedome a chest with vertue as thine immortall soule with gold siluer riches high roomes this whole materiall world or any earthly thing See Eccles. 5. 10. 4. I say Besides these three causes of vnsatisfiablenesse God himselfe doth iustly put that property and poyson into all worldly things doted vpon and desired immoderately that they shall plague the heart that pursues them by filling it still with a furious and fresh supply of more greedinesse longings iealousies and many miserable discontentments So that they become vnto it as drinke vnto a drunkard a man in a dropsie or burning feauer serue onely to inflame it with new heate and fierie additions of insatiable thirst and inordinate lust No maruaile then though the working heart of euery naturall man vnreconciled to God be like the raging sea that cānot rest That roaring Element to which the Spirit of God resembles a wicked man must needes bee a much troubled and very restlesse creature sith it is continually tossed turmoyled with variety of contrary and confused motions that of estuation reuolution reflectiō descension and agitation by the windes semblably if thou couldest see the inside of the greatest gracelesse Monopolist and ingrosser of all the most desireable excellencies vnder the Sunne glistering in the highest Emperiall Throne vpon the earth thou shouldest behold his heart for all that rent asunder with many raging distempers and tempestuous whirlewindes of contrary lusts a very hiue of vnnumbred cares sorrowes and passions boyling incessantly with irkesome suspitions false feares insatiable longings secret grumblings of conscience torturing distractions and tumultuations of hell By the way let me tell you that this immoderate desire inordinate delight which I speake of glued to some speciall sensuall obiect which naturall corruption singles out and makes chiefest choice of to follow and feed vpon with greatest contentment and carnall sweetnesse become the parents of euery mans bosome sinne If it fall in loue with honours and greatnesse it breeds and brings forth ambition which is an vnquenchable thirst after visible glory and a gluttonous hunting after high roomes As it inhabiteth the highest and haughtiest spirits and is superlatiue and transcendent in its obiect and aspirations so of all the stormy perturbations which rent and rage in the heart of man it is most tempestuous and desperate Ventrous it is to climbe vp any staires of basenesse bribery blood to tread vpon the ruines of the noblest innocency vpon the mercilesse desolations of dearest friends and neerest kindred to domineere for a while though it be damned euerlastingly afterwards as it is too cleere in the Turkish Emperors and in that great Master of mischiefe and Machiauelisme Richard the third of this Kingdome who with a bloody hand pressed out the breath of those two orient Princes in the Tower his Nephewes and naturall Lords It is victorious ouer all other affections and masters euen the sensuality of lustfull pleasures as appeares in the greatest Warriours and ancient Worthies amongst the Heathen who tempted with the exquisitenesse and variety of choisest beauties yet forbore that villany not for conscience sake and feare of God whom they knew not but lest they should interrupt the course and stop the current of their warlike reputation ambitious designes and atchiuements of state But whatsoeuer other pestilent properties empoyson it it neuer failes to ingender in the heart which harbours it as its proper Thunder-bolt and blasting feares cares iealousies enuies enraged thirst of rising still impatiencie of competition vncapablenesse of satiety which is most for my purpose For the proud and ambitious man enlargeth his desire as hell and is as death and cannot bee satisfied Hab. 2. 5. Who can fill the bottomlesse pit of hell or stop the vnsatiable iawes of death neither can the greedie humour of an haughtie spirit the aspiring insolencie of a boisterous Nimrod be possibly stayed or stinted no not with the top and variety of highest honours though hee should alone and absolutely be crowned with the Soueraignitie of the whole earth and command the felicities of this wide world If it fall in loue with riches it breeds and brings forth couetousnesse the vilest and basest of all the infections of the soule in the most contemptible and dunghill disposition For this kyte-footed corruption wheresoeuer it seizeth and domineeres blasts and banisheth all noblenesse of spirit naturall affection humanity discretion reason wisedome manlinesse mutuall entertainements entercourse of kindnesse and loue and turnes all euen the soule it selfe into earth and mudde It drawes by a cunning reserued basenesse all occasions circumstances aduantages witte policy euen friends and acquaintance nay religion conscience and all to bee seruiceable and contributary to a greedy wolfe and raging gangren of hoarding vp Gold and worldly pelfe In a word it makes a man with a Bedlam cruelty to contemne himselfe body and soule for a little transitory trash wilfully to abandon both the comfortable enioyment of the short time of this present mortality and all hope of the length of that blessed eternity to come And as the obiect of it is most earthly base and incompetent so of all other vile affections it is most sottishly and senselesly vnsatisfiable For how is it possible that earth should feed or fill the immateriall and heauen-borne spirit of a man It can not be and the Spirit of God hath said it shall not be Eccles. 5. 10. 4. 8. He that loueth siluer shall not be satisfied with siluer The eye is not satisfied with riches Hence it is that the deepelier and more eagerly the dropsie heart of the couetous man doth drinke of this golden streame the more furiously still it is inflamed with vnsatiable thirst nay certaine it is that if he should purchase and possesse a Monopoly of all the wealth in the world were he able to empty the Westerne parts of Gold and the East of all her Spices and precious things should hee enclose the whole face of the earth from one end of heauen to another and heape vp his hoard to the starres yet his heart would be as hungry after more riches as if he had neuer a penny and much more If it fall in loue with beauty and the swaggering brauery of good fellowship it begets lust and sensuality which make their minions madde with bitternesse and malice against the very least glimpse of holinesse or any religious restraint enrage them
worldly additions as a comfortable accessory considerable onely in a second place Let the world say what it will to a mind truly generous ennobled with grace the absolutest concurrence and quintessentiall exquisitenesse of beauty gold birth wit or what else besides may be found most remarkable and matchlesse in that sexe should be nothing nor hold scale with the lightest feather vpon any Ladies head in respect of a gracious disposition godly heart Religion and the feare of God as it is generally the foundation of all humane felicitie so must it in speciall be accounted the ground of al comfort and blisse which man and wife desire to find in the enioying each of other There was neuer any gold or great friends any beautie or outward brauery which tied truly fast and comfortably any marriage knot It is onely the golden linke and noble tye of Christianitie and Grace which hath the power and priuiledge to make so deare a bond louely euerlasting which can season and strengthen that neerest inseparable societie with true sweetnesse and immortalitie 2. Let coniugall loue warme thine heart at least in some measure with affectionate contentment and some more speciall repose vpon the partie as one with whom thou canst heartily and comfortably consort for the husband all concurrents and ordinary possibilities considered ought to settle his affections vpon his wife as the fittest that the world could haue afforded him and the wife should rest her heart vpon her husband as the meetest for her that could haue been found vnder the Sunne By a constant entercourse of which mutuall contentment in each other the husband will be to the wife as a couering of her eyes that she lift them not vp amorously vpon any man and the wife to the husband the pleasure of his eyes that he may still looke vpon her with sober and singular delight Otherwise they will find but cold comfort in that counsell and commandement of Salomon Prou. 5. 18 19. Reioyce with the wife of thy youth Let her bee as the louing Hind and pleasant Roe let her brests satisfie thee at all times and be thou rauisht alwaies with her loue Without this mutuall complacency that I may so speake and louing contentment each in other I doubt whether I should encourage any to proceed And yet why should not a comfortable concurrence of grace on both sides consent of Parents meetnesse in state stature birth yeeres and all other requisites besides create in a mortified heart matrimoniall affection And yet I would by no meanes causelesly confine and ensnare any And yet I would not haue an inuincible Antipathy and I cannot loue but I know not why pretended when as perhaps indeed and truth it is only carnall curiosity which breakes a conuenient match 3. In going about such an important businesse plie the Throne of Grace with extraordinary importunitie and feruency of prayer presse vpon and wrestle as it were with God in dayes of more secret and solemne humiliation for a blessing in this kind and with that sinceritie that thou doe heartily desire him whatsoeuer thy conceits and expectation of future comforts and conueniences may be yet if it bee not with his liking and to his glory he would bee pleased to dash it quite A good wife is a more immediate gift of God House and riches saith Salomon are the inheritance of fathers but a prudent wife is from the Lord. And therefore such a rare and precious Iewel is to be sued sought for at Gods Mercy-seate with more extraordinary earnestnesse importunitie zeale And methinks that wife child or what other good thing is procured at Gods mercifull hand by prayer should bring with it euen in our sence and thankefull acknowledgement a thousand times more sweetnesse and comfort then that which is cast vpon vs by Gods ordinary prouidence without any suite at all vnto his heauenly Highnesse 4. Let the parties deale plainely and faithfully one with the other in respect of their bodies soules and outward state I meane it thus That they should not deceiue and coozen one the other by a craftie cōcealement of some foule disease speciall deformity naturall defect c. in body especially which they thinke in their consciences and impartiall consideration if it were their case would breed intolerable distaste and discontentment or of some secret maime and cracke in their outward state which neither the other partie or friends do either expect or suspect For so they may bring a great deale of after-misery and too late repentance vpon the match For naturally we hate them which beguile vs. And a man or woman is most impatient of failing and being disappointed of their hopes and expectations in so great and waighty affaire as Marriage is And therefore it were very conuenient and much better to disclose the one vnto the other the materiall infirmities and wants in either of their bodies or goods though with hazzard of missing the match rather then the one to obtaine the other with guile cunning and after-discomfort I said also in respect of their soules by which I meane that for the time of Wooing onely as they call it they should not put on a visour flourish and shew of Religion conuersion and grace when in deed and truth there is no such matter For this execrable imposture also is sometimes villanously practised to the infinite preiudice and perpetuall hearts-griefe of the deluded partie And not onely some parties are cunning reserued and faultie this way but euen Christian friends are too often too forward peremptory and audacious in giuing testimonies and assurances in such cases Now this is the greatest guile and most cursed coozenage of all when one conceiues by the present cunning carriage of the partie and partiall information of friends that he or she hath met with a soule beautified with grace whereas when it comes to the tryall hath iust none acquaintance with God at all Now I come vnto the second Point A religious and comfortable continuance in the Marriage-state For the happy attainement whereof let vs take notice of and to heart first some common Duties which are mutually to be performed on both sides I. Louingnesse Which is a drawing into action and keeping in exercise that habit of coniugall affection Matrimoniall loue mentioned before It is a sweet louing and tenderhearted powring out of their hearts with much affectionate dearenesse into each others bosomes in all passages carriages and behauiours one towards another This mutuall melting-heartednesse being preserued fresh and fruitfull will infinitely sweeten and beautifie the Marriage state For an vninterrupted preseruation of this amiable deportment on both sides let them consider 1. The wise hand of Gods gracious prouidence guided all the businesse and brought it to passe And he commands constancie in this louing lightsome carriage Pro. 5. 18 19. Reioyce with the wife of thy youth Let her be as the louing Hind and pleasant Roe
both by ancient and moderne Diuines no better then plaine adultery before God Two ancient worthy Fathers Ambrose and Austin speak thus What is the intemperate man in marriage but his wiues adulterer The resolution of the rest sound to the same sence As a man may be a wicked drunkard with his owne drink and a glutton by excessiue deuouring of his owne meat so likewise one may be vncleane in the immoderate vse of the marriage bed Euen Popish Casuists discouer and detest aberrations and exorbitancies of married couples in their Matrimoniall meetings But reade such passages with much modestie and iudgement Nay heare what a very Philosopher saith of the point In the priuate acquaintance saith he and vse of marriage there must be a moderation that is a religious and a deuout band for that pleasure that is therein must be mingled with some seuerity It must bee a wise and conscionable delight A man must touch his wife discreetly and for honesty c. Another thus Marriage is a religious and deuout bond and that is the reason the pleasure a man hath of it should bee a moderate stayed and serious pleasure and mixed with seuerity it ought to be a delight somewhat circumspect and conscientious We may conceiue what moderate reuerent and honourable thoughts Antiquity entertained of the Marriage state and coniugall chastity by Euaristus words Epist. 1. ad omnes Episc. Aphri Let new-married couples saith he for two or three dayes ply Prayer that they may haue good children and please the Lord in their marriage-duties Now all intemperate excessiue or any wayes exorbitant pollutions of the marriage-bed though Magistrates meddle not with them because they lie without the walke of humane censure yet assuredly Gods pure Eye cannot looke vpon them but without repentance will certainly plague them Methinkes therefore if the feare of God awfulnesse to his All-seeing Eye loue of purity c. will not restraine from immodestie and immoderation in this kind yet that slauish horrour lest God should iustly punish them therefore with no children mis-shapen children idiotes or prodigiously wicked children or some other heauy crosses should fright them from such abhorred filth In the next place let vs take a view of and to heart duties peculiar and proper to each seuerally I. To the Husband 1. Let him behaue himselfe as an head to the body 1. Cor. 11. 3. Eph. 5. 23. 1. The head is as it were the glory and crowne of the body So let the husband shine and shew himselfe in a kind of eminencie excellencie and authority ouer the wife To be an head implies and imports a preeminence superiority and soueraignty as appeares by the Apostles gradation 1. Cor. 11. 3. Man is the womans head Christ is mans head God is Christs head For procuring and preseruing which Let the husband bee manly graue worthy not light vaine contemptible Let him not be bitter wayward passionate Let him not bee base-minded vicious vaine glorious Let him not bee a drunkard a gamester a good-fellow Dissolutenesse and a disordered life in the Man doth much abate and diminish the wiues respectfulnesse and reuerence vnto him Maiestie authority venerablenesse in any Superiour is not any wayes more lessened or sooner lost then by light behauiour personall worthlesnesse or vnworthy deportment in his place Whereas true worth goodnesse grace shining from within doth beget a more louing reuerence and reuerent loue then all outward formes of pompe and state then any boysterousnesse or big looks can possibly produce 2. The Head is the seate of vnderstanding wisedome discretion forecast Out of which consideration Let the husband stirre vp quicken and inlarge his manly spirit to comprehend and rightly conceiue all affaires prouisions occasions offers ingenuous deportment and worthy vsages which may any wayes procure and promote his wiues true contentment honour and happinesse It is his necessary and noble charge with a speciall and punctuall care and casting about to prouide for her soule body comfort and credit with all meekenesse and loue to instruct and informe her in all passages of her duty and procurements of her good 3. The Head indeed hath the precedency and prerogatiue of noblest operations and the soules diuinest acts by the benefit of its natiue temper and constitution seate of the sences and other proper instruments fitted for such high imployments and challenge of that excellency yet notwithstanding the body and other parts are animated and enlyued with the very same soule both for substance faculties immortality actiuenesse euery way So that if the foot for instance had an eare an eye an animall spirit and an organization as the Philosophers speake apted for such functions it would heare and see and vnderstand as well as the head And therefore the head by a naturall instinct as it were and sympathie doth continually tenderly with fresh successions of a liuely and quickning influence cherish and refresh other parts as well as it selfe The husband by the benefit of a more manly body tempered with naturall fitnesse for the soule to worke more nobly in doth or ought ordinarily outgoe the wife in largenesse of vnderstanding height of courage stayednesse of resolution moderation of his passions dexterity to manage businesses and other naturall inclinations and abilities to doe more excellently yet notwithstanding let him know that his wife hath as noble a soule as himselfe Soules haue no sexes as Ambrose saith In the better part they are both men And if thy wiues soule were freed from the frailty of her sexe it were as manly as noble as vnderstanding and euery way as excellent as thine owne Nay and if it were possible for you to change bodies hers would worke as manlily in thine and thine as womanly in hers Let the husband then bee so farre from insulting ouer contemning or vnderualuing his wiues worth for the weakenesse of her sexe that out of consideration that her soule is naturally euery way as good as his owne onely the excellencie of its natiue operations something damped as it were and disabled by the frailty of that weaker body with which Gods wise prouidence hath clothed it vpon purpose for a more conuenient and comfortable but ingenuous seruiceablenes to his good that I say he labour the more to entertaine and intreat her with all tendernesse and honour to recompence as it were her suffering in this kinde for his sake 4. The Head is the well-spring of all quickning motion and sence liuelinesse and lightsomenesse to the body If the deriuation of animall spirits from the braine were restrained and intercepted for a while the body would bee presently surprized with a sencelesse dampe and dead palsey The wife for the husbands sake hath forsaken her natiue home fathers house father mother and many comforts in that kind And therefore good reason shee should expect now and receiue from her Head new matter and a continued influence of lightheartednesse comfortable enioying
was the bloody knife of our owne deare parents vnconscionable and cruell negligence that all our life long stuck full deepe in our soules and hath now strangled them with euerlasting horrour That this must needes bee so ordinary obseruation common experience doth too often confirme Wee heare many times many miserable malefactours bitterly complaine at the place of execution against parents and masters carelesse and consciencelesse in this kind and saying If they had had care and conscience to haue taught and restrained vs betime wee had neuer come to this Dogges death and shamefull end How much more will they cry out against them with endlesse yellings when they shall feele the flames of hell II. To the wife 1. Let her be in subiection to her head 1. By a reuerent and humble perswasion of his precedency and authority ouer her grounded and ingrauen in her resolution principally 1. By vertue of diuine ordination Gen. 3. 16. Ephe. 5. 24. Though 2. The very law of nature 3. Her husbands headship 4. Womanly infirmity may also bee powerfull motiues to this purpose For if her heart begin to swell and be lifted vp with an ouerweening conceit of a sufficiency aboue her sexe so that she grow discontent and impatient of contradiction and command shee brings a world of vnnecessary misery and molestation into her owne house and lies in a grand transgression and grieuous sinne against the institution and honour of the marriage-state It is no noblenesse of birth greatnesse of portion nimblenesse of tongue pregnancy of wit or any other excellency incident to her sexe which can giue her any right or priuiledge to seize vpon the soueraignty and take the raines into her owne hands Some seruants also may be wiser then their masters some subiects more politicke then their Prince but that giues them no warrant nay for all that it were monstrous and vnnaturall villany for any seruant thereupon to domineere or priuate man to rush into a Royall Throne No sufficiency of gifts or singularity of worth must iustle vs out of that ranke and station wherein Gods wise prouidence and all-seeing wisedome hath placed vs. A man may bee a superiour in power and place to his superiour in parts and personall endowments No pretence then or plea on the womans part can possibly procure any dispensation against God and nature of vnwomanly domineering and deposing her head 2. By an hearty and cheerefull submission 1. To all his lawfull and honest dictates and directions For her personall behauiour and carriage that it may be fashioned and addrest with an ingenuous and louing accōmodation of her selfe to doe him all the honour and giue him all the contentment she can possibly with good conscience for educating ordering and disposing her children seruants and other domesticall affaires wherein notwithstanding there are some passages more proper and natiue to her sexe in which except she be witlesse gracelesse and strangely weake it will be very vnmanly dishonourable and vnworthy for him to be too medling prying and pragmaticall But aboue all for guiding her aright in the sweete and glorious path of Christianity that after their neerest and dearest comfort and communion in the best things and spirituall blessings which onely can allay the smart of al crosse accidents sweeten the bitternesse of a few euill daies in this vale of teares they may for euer be crowned together in heauen 2. To all his reasonable and Religious restraints not onely from wicked haunts and customes sinfull fashions and passions◅ but in case of inconuenience dishonour or iust displeasure for the abridging or abandoning of her ease wil desires delights this or that company conformity to the times in her attyre c. For the Spouse for Christs sake soueraignty and loue doth deny her selfe her owne reason and wisedome her naturall wit and wilfulnesse her passions pleasures and profits her ease and liberty c. And the wife is charged by blessed Paul to bee subiect to her husband as the Church is to Christ Eph. 5. 24. 3. To all his motions admonitions counsels comforts reproofs commands countermands euen in euery thing only in the Lord. So we see the body to rest vpon the heads motion eyther for rest or motion In a word she ought like a true looking glasse faithfully to represent returne to her husbands heart with a sweete and pleasing pliablenesse the exact lineaments and proportions of all his honest desires and demands and that without discontent thwarting or sowrenesse For her subiection in this kind should be as to Christ sincere hearty and free 2. Let her bee an helper Genesis 2. 18. and doe him good all the dayes of her life at all times vpon all occasions in all estates of aduersity or prosperity acceptation or disgrace sicknesse or health youth or old age c. and that with kindnesse and constancy A most memorable and famous patterne for this purpose is recorded by Uiues A yong tender and beautifull maid was matched as he reports to a man stricken in yeeres whom after shee found to haue a very fulsome and diseased body yet notwithstanding out of sence and conscience as it seemes that now by Gods prouidence she was become his wife she most worthily digested with incredible patience and contentment the languishing and lothsomnesse of an husband continually visited and vexed with variety and new successions of most irkesome and contagious diseases And though friends and Physicions aduised her by no meanes to come neere him for feare of danger and infection yet for all this shee passing by with a louing disdaine and contempt these vnkinde disswasions plied him still night and day with extraordinary tendernesse and care with obsequiousnesse and seruices of all sorts aboue her strength and ability or possibility as the Author saith had not her dearest coniugall affection supplied and supported her weake body with fresh accessions of vigor and vnweariednesse Shee was to him friends physicion husband Nurse These are nothing She was Father Mother Brother Sister daughter euery thing any thing to doe him good any manner of way Nay had there bin one exquisite quintessence of tendernesse dearenesse affectionatenesse and loue collected and extracted from all these it would hardly haue matched her mercifulnesse and melting affections towards him In case of want by reason of extraordinary expence and excessiue charges about him she sold her Rings chaynes and richest attire she emptied her cupbord of plate her cabinet of chiefest and choycest Iewels to doe him good And when hee was dead and friends came about her rather to congratulate her happie riddance then to bewaile her widdowhood shee did not onely deprecate and abhorre all speeches tending that way but protested if it were possible she would willingly redeeme her husbands life with the losse of her fiue dearest children And though as yet the flower and prime of her beautifullest and best time was not expired yet she strongly resolued against a second
match because said she I shall not finde a second Ualdaura for so her husband was called Whence it appeares that this worthy woman was wedded to her husbands soule not to his body no infirmity or deformity whereof could coole or weaken the manlinesse and feruency of her loue Such choyse as this were the way to make wiues neuer weary of their husbands Whereas affections fastened onely on a mans outside are subiect to the tedious misery of inconstancy and change and torture of many wicked and impossible wishes according to the vanity and vexation of its transitory obiect Against which heare the indignation of an ancient Father But thy husband saith he is growne vnhandsome and homely Hee once pleased thee wouldest thou euer bee choosing an husband The Oxe and the Horse like their mate And if the one be changed the other knowes not how to draw but wants as it were halfe of himselfe But thou refusest thy yoke-fellow and wouldest often change Helpefulnesse to her husband must bee vniuersall apprehending and improouing with all readinesse and loue all opportunities to doe him any good in soule or body name estate c. In a speciall manner she must learne and labour with all meekenesse of Wisedome and patient discretion to forecast contriue and manage as her more proper and particular charge household affaires and businesses within dore as they say For which see a right noble glorious patterne Prou. 31. For the pride vanity idlenesse and luxury of these last times wherein there is so much hell vpon earth such an impetuous raigne and rage of sinne in all sorts hath transported also that sexe into many monstrous degenerations So that our great women in these daies would bee very loth to worke after this sample though set by the holy Ghost himselfe Yet heretofore right Noble Princesses and daughters of mighty Kings made conscience of a particular Calling and disdayned not to put their hands to huswifery See Gen. 18. 6. And 27. 14. 2. Sam. 13. 8. But aboue all let here be assistant to him in setting vp and forward the rich and Royall trade of grace in erecting and establishing Christs glorious Kingdome both in their owne hearts and in their house This is that one necessary thing without which their family is but Satans seminary and a nurcery for hell And therefore let her be so far from drawing a contrary way a cursed villany of some wicked wiues abroad in the world or dead-heartednesse this way which is the graue of all spirituall graces that in case of negligence slacknesse she should labor by all wise modest seasonable insinuations to stirre vp and quicken her husband to constancy and seruency in religious exercises of prayer reading catechizing conference daies of humiliation and other household holy duties As the two greater lights of Heauen doe gouerne this great world with their naturall so let the husband and wife guide the little world of their family with the spirituall light of diuine knowledge and discretion When the Sunne is present in our firmament the Moone out of a sence as it were of a naturall reuerence to the fountaine of all her beauty and light doth vaile her splendor and retire her beames But when he is departed to the other Hemisphaere she shewes her selfe and shines as a Princesse amongst the lesser lights When the husband is at home let the wife onely if need be serue as a louing remembrancer to him to keepe his turnes and times of illightning and informing the ignorant darke and earthy hearts of their people But in his absence comes her course when her graces of knowledge and prayer c. ought to shew forth themselues and shine vpon them to preserue them from coldnesse and that dreadfull curse which hangs ouer the head of those that know not God and shall certainely fall vpon those Families that call not on his Name See Ierem. 10. 25. For conclusion of the point crowning of the marriage-state with sound and lasting comfort in the meane time and with euerlasting peace pleasures at last Let man and wife ioyntly labour to sweeten and sanctifie their mutuall carriages both common and seuerall duties each to other with often and constant meeting together in prayer For perswasion to which practise Consider such places as these Gen. 25. 21. 1. Cor. 7. 5. 1. Pet. 3. 7. That precise passage in Ambrose You must both speaking of married couples rise in the night to prayer and God is to bee intreated of you with ioynt supplications Continually saith Chrysostome teach her profitable things and pray together If besides Family-prayers wherein the more generall affaires of the household are to bee commended vnto God man and wife make conscience also of this more priuate duty betweene themselues wherein many particulars are to be petitioned onely proper and indiuiduall to that neere society I say if they set themselues vnto it with sincerity of heart it may be a notable helpe and by Gods blessing prooue a soueraigne antidote against any roote of bitternesse heart-rising dissention or discontent betwixt them wrath and ill-will towards any lurking in the heart doth vtterly dampe and empoyson the power and comfort of prayer much more towards one tyed vnto thee with so many deare and perpetuall bonds so that prayer together will make them leaue iarring or iarring will make them leaue praying against all immodesties dishonours and defilements of the marriage-bed against want monstrousnesse and miscarriage of children against wearinesse saciety and light esteeme one of another against plunging themselues insensibly into the gulfe of worldly-mindednesse the canker and cutthroate of all grace comfort and noblenesse of mind c. This priuate morning and euening sacrifice offered to the Throne of grace with heartinesse and life will spiritualize that I may so speake their loue and renew it daily vpon their hearts with fresh ardent and heauenly embracements It will marueilously sweeten all reproaches and contumelies cast vpon them for their profession by enuenomed tongues when they shall come together in priuate and complaine vnto God and begge at his mercifull hands patience and Christian fortitude to take them in submission to his will and conformity to his Sonne as so many crownes of glory to their heads and of ioy vnto their hearts Acts 5. 41. 1. Pet. 4. 14. Iob 31. 36. It will sweetly seale vnto them in the meane time their assurance of meeting together hereafter in Heauen and when the time of sorrow shall come and stroke of death diuorce them for a time consciousnesse of their former blessed communion in prayer will not onely serue as a counterpoyson against all slauish bitternesse of immoderate griefe incident to hopelesse worldlings but crowne their hearts at parting which is a precious thing with incomparably more true inward lasting contentment then if they two had couetously hoarded and heapt together all the wealth both of this and the other golden world Thus much
for our dealing in the world and ciuill affaires V. Now concerning workes of mercy which springing from an heart melting with sense of Gods euerlasting mercy to it selfe quickened with a liuely faith in the Lord Iesus and shining with sauing graces are an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable well pleasing to God Philippians 4. 18. Hebr. 13. 16. Conceiue first there be two sorts of them 1. Spirituall 2. Corporall 1. Spirituall flow from the fountaine of truest mercy and compassion of greatest tendernesse and consequence euen to relieue repaire and refresh the pouerty wants and miseries of the soule 1. By instructing the Ignorant Prou. 10. 21. and 15. 7. 2. By giuing counsell to them that need or seeke it Exod. 18. 19. c. Ruth 3. 1 c. 3. By reducing the erroneous Exo. 23. 4. 4. By labouring the conuersion of others Psalm 51. 13. Luk. 22. 32. 5. By exhorting one another Heb. 3. 13. 6. By reproouing the offendor Leuit. 19. 17. 7. By admonishing them that are out of order 1. Thes. 5. 14. 8. By considering one another to prouoke vnto loue and to good workes Hebr. 10. 24. 9. By comforting the heauy heart and afflicted spirit 1. Thes. 5. 14. 10. By forgiuing from the heart our brethren their trespasses Matth. 18. 35. 11. By chastising delinquents Prou. 22. 15. 12. By raising those which are fallen by infirmity with much meekenesse and tendernesse of heart Gal. 6. 1. 13. By mutuall encouragements against the cruelty and confusions of the times in the way to Heauen Mal. 3. 16. 14. By supporting and mercifully making much of weake Christians 1. Thes. 5. 11. 15. By patience towards all men 1. Thes. 5. 14. 16. By praying one for another Iam. 5. 16. 2. Corporall spring from a compassionate heart and fellow-feeling affection yerning ouer the temporall wants and necessities of our brethren whereby we are stirred vp as occasion is offered according to our ability to succour and support their outward extremities and distresses To feede the Hungry To giue drinke to the Thirsty To clothe the Naked to entertaine the Stranger To visit the sicke To goe to those that are in Prison Math. 25. 35. To put to an helping hand for raising our Brethren fallen into decay Leuit. 25. 35. To lend hoping for nothing againe c. Luke 6. 35. Thus Christians ought to be ready to distribute willing to communicate in all kindes to the outward necessities also 1. First Of those of the houshold of faith the principall and most moouing obiect to draw bounty from a truly charitable heart Gal. 6. 10. 2. In the next place Of the lame the blind the sicke the aged the trembling hand or any that God hath made poore 3. Thirdly Of any whosoeuer in a case of true necessitie and extremity whatsoeuer the party hath bin before For there thou relieuest not his notoriousnesse but his nature though thou abhorre the man for his former villany yet vpon poynt of perishing doe good vnto the common state of humanity Now of these two kindes Fathers Schoolemen Casuists all concurre and conclude that spirituall almes caeteris paribus as they say are more excellent and acceptable then corporall Because 1. The gift is more noble in its owne nature 2. The obiect more illustrious Mans immortall soule 3. The manner transcendent being spirituall 4. The charity more heauenly which aimes at our brothers endlesse saluation Let then euery Christian conscionably and constantly endeauour to improoue to the vtmost vpon all occasions and seasonable offers all his spirituall abilities heauenly endowments illuminations of learning morall wisedome prouidence discretion c. all his skill in the Mystery of Christ Word and waies of God all his experience in temptations cases of conscience spirituall distempers his spirit of counsell comfort courage or what other gift or grace soeuer he is illightened and endowed with to relieue and refresh euery way the soules to procure and promote by all meanes the eternall saluation of others Let the sauing light of thy diuine knowledge spirituall wisedome heauenly vnderstanding or what other excellencies and perfections of the minde shining in thy soule resemble in all fruitfull improouement and free communicating it selfe that bountifull light in the body of the Sunneâ—… That 1. first illighteneth that goodly Creature wherein iâ—… originally dwels and makes it the fairest and beautifulleâ—… thing in the world 2. Next it illuminates and beautifiâ—… all the Orbes and heauenly bodies about it 3. Thirdly bâ—… the proiection of his beames it begets all the beauty glory sweetnesse wee haue here below on the earth 4. Fourthly it insinuates into euery chinke and crany of the earth and concurres to the making of those precious metals which lye in her bowels 5. Fiftly his beames glide by the sides of the earth and illighten euen the opposite part of Heauen with all those glorious Starres we see shining in the night 6. Sixthly it is so communicatiue and greedy of dooing good in its kinde that it strikes thorow the firmament in the transparent parts and seekes to bestow its brightnesse and beauty euen beyond the Heauens and neuer restraines the free communication of its influence and glory vntill it determine by naturall and necessarie expiration Euen so proportionably let the fruitfull light of thy diuine knowledge and heauenly counsell especially be still working shining spreading to doe all possible good 1. Let it First make thine own soule all glorious within fairely enlighten it with an humble reflection of selfe-knowledge with puritie peace and spirituall prudence to guide constantly thine owne feete with all vprightnesse and patience in the path that is called holy 2. Secondly Let it shine vpon thy family and those that are next about thee with all seasonable instructions in conuincing them of the truth and goodnesse of the wayes of God either for their conuersion or inexcusablenesse 3. Thirdly let it bee spent and imployed vpon thy neighbours kindred friends acquaintance visitants of all sorts when they come towards thee to warme their hearts all thou canst with heauenly talke and to winne their loues to the life of grace 4. Fourthly let it insinuate also amongst strangers and into other companies vpon which any warrantable Calling shall cast thee and intimate vnto them especially if it finde acceptation and entertainment That one thing is necessarie That all impenitents shall bee certainly damned That vpon this moment dependeth eternitie c. 5. Nay let it offer it selfe with all meekenesse of wisedome and patient discretion euen to opposites and labour to conquer if it bee possible the contrarie minded if their scornefull carriage and furious visible hate against the mysterie of Christ hath not set a brand of Dogges and Swine vpon them 6. Lastly when vpon all occasions in all companies by all meanes it hath done all the good it can yet let it still retaine that constant propertie of all Heauenly Graces an edge
and eagernesse to doe more good still and rather want matter and meanes then readinesse and resolution to propagate it selfe And this way now may the poorest Christians bee plentifull in workes of mercy and enrich the richest with spirituall almes Which in the meane time may comfort the bountifull hearts of those who are true of heart to whom the Lord out of his best wisedome hath denied this earthly drosse But yet for all this I would haue you know that I know none not the poorest excepted or exempted from seasonable ministring to the corporall necessities also of their brethren We haue a Precept from blessed Paul Ephe. 4. 28. That we must worke with our own hands that we may haue to giue to him that needeth And a noble president in the poore Widdow Mark 12. 44. who cast her two mites into the Treasurie which was all shee had euen all her liuing And if any heere make a counterplea of their pouertie I would know if there bee any so poore which is not able to giue a cup of cold water onely and yet this from a sincere heart shall bee both graciously accepted and certainly rewarded Matth. 10. 42. And therefore in a second place I infinitely desire and intreate and this is that which in this point I would specially presse and perswade with deepest impression that euery one which hath giuen his name vnto Christ rich or poore according to his power and proportion would with singular care and conscience addresse himselfe to a fruitfull affectionate and constant discharge of this much honoured dutie of almes-giuing in this kinde also properly so called 1. For we are bound to abound in this grace also Therefore saith Paul 2. Cor. 8. 7. As yee abound in euery thing in faith c. see that you abound in this grace also There is no religious Professour of any reputation vpon good ground with the Church of God but takes to heart and desires to bee exact in all commanded Christian duties euery day as Prayer reading Scriptures c. Vpon thy secret then and solitarie reuise and suruey of the day past call thy selfe to a strict account as for others so concerning this dutie also of doing good vnto all men especially vnto them who are of the houshold of faith Gal. 6. 10. for the discharge of this dutie ought also to bee daily if thy abilitie will beare and the necessities of the poore shall require In the morning sowe thy seed and in the euening withhold not thy hand Giue a portion to seuen and also to eight Eccles. 11. 6 2. and let the sense and consciousnesse of any omission neglect or sloth in performing it wound thy conscience also humble thy soule and quicken thine heart with new life of resolution and more liuely endeuour to mend euery morning and perfume as it were thine euery dayes walking with God and this sweet smelling sacrifice also of mercifulnesse bounty and loue Phil. 4. 18. Let this duty likewise with the rest fall within the compassâ—… of thy seuerest search penitent melting renued vowes in all thy more solemne selfe-examinations before the Sabbath Sacraments vpon dayes of humiliation c. It is a profitable consideration to thinke that a customary grosse neglect of any one Christian dutie in its season of which the conscience is or may be conuinced may iustly dampe and dead the lightsome and fruitfull performance of all the rest For example A willing knowne omission of priuate Prayer or set reading the Word euery day may intercept and restraine the sweet influence of Gods woonted refreshing mercy and the fructifying beames of his pleased countenance from thine heart in the vse of all the other ordinances an affected idlenesse and dis-imployment of any one grace in the soule when seasonable occasion calleth for improouement may blast the comfortable exercise and sensible comfort of all the rest For example If thou suffer thy patience ordinarily to sleepe when thy disauowed passions begin to breake in vpon thee like a torrent and heate thine heart with their swelling poyson or when some crosse doth nettle thy desire of ease no maruaile though thou finde a faintnesse also to seize vpon thy faith brotherly kindnesse loue zeale ioy and peace in beleeuing c. Why then when thou feelest thine inward man to begin to languish and the whole body of Christianitie to grow as it were towards a consumption amongst other inquisitions why doest thou not also feare out of a godly iealousie and labour to finde out whether the coldnesse of thy charity and too much neglect of releeuing the poore members of Iesus Christ may occasion thy spirituall dampe It is the duty and property of euery true-hearted Nathaneel as to haue respect to all Gods Commandements Psal. 119. 6. so though they cannot in perfection and height yet with truth and sincere endeauour to haue respect to a conscionable vse of all the ordinances to the performance of all holy duties and exercise of all spirituall graces in their due seasons 2. If the world hath locked vp thine heart and congealed the bowels of thy compassions towards the poore let the blaze of thine outward profession shine neuer so faire manage the heartlesse representations of externall holinesse neuer so demurely keepe the times and taskes of daily duties with neuer so great austeritie nay though thou bee able to amuse weaker Christians with some affected straines and artificiall feruency in Prayer for by the meere power or rather poyson of hypocrisie and vaineglory a man may pray sometimes to the admiration of others especially lesse iudicious hauing cunningly collected the most moouing passages for that purpose from the best-gifted in that kinde and then giuing an enforced action and life vnto them in the deliuerie as some in other cases act other mens inuentions to the life I say for all this if the holy heate of brotherly loue doth not warme thine heart and vpon occasion worke affectionately and effectually I dare say thou art rotten at the heart-roote there is no true loue of God in thee no grace no hope of saluation Let that terrible and flaming place against all couetous Pharises 1. Ioh. 3. 17. dissolue thy frozen-heartednesse this way and enlarge the bowels of pitie towards the poore brethren of Christ Iesus or else neuer looke hereafter to looke him in the face with comfort or to finde mercy at that Day Marke it well and meditate vpon it Whoso hath this worlds good and seeth his brother hath need and shutteth vp his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him 3. But aboue all other motiues of mercifulnesse to the poore which in the Booke of God are very many and most quickening methinkes that argument which Paul presseth to this purpose 2. Cor. 8. 9. should melt the most flinty heart For yee know saith he the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ that though he was rich yet for your sakes hee became poore that yee
as vpon the vnblessed grounds of their Antichristian doctrine cannot possibly build any true perswasion of being in Gods fauour so they are bound out by the tenour of their hereticall Tenent from thinking it lawfull to entertaine any vnwauering certainety that way 6. Nay further some out of a Pharisaicall pretence of humility and modesty but in truth from the secret suggestion of a guilty conscience which ministers vnto them more then matter enough of true and iust doubting are notable wranglers for Papisticall doubting Thus you see some there are also who doe not assure themselues of future happinesse either vpon true or false grounds Yet I am perswaded the greatest part of those who liue within the sound of the Gospell are ordinarily confident without cause and secure of their saluation when as in truth triall They haue no surer interest or better claime to the kingdome of heauen then the foolish Virgins and the rest of that deluded ranke which I mentioned a little before Let a Minister of some great Congregation wherein there are very few Professors which is no hard thing to find and where there is no profession especially the Gospell being peaceably preached there can ordinarily be no power of Christianity shewes there may be indeed without substance but not the power of godlinesse without visible appearance as appeares in the Preparatiues I say let him interrogate and aske the rest of his people one after another bee they hundreths or thousands what conceits they hold of themselues for the world to come what they thinke will become of them after this life what their present iudgement is of their spirituall estate And I thinke he shall scarce meet with any who will not in some kinde or other discouer some groundlesse confidence of his wellbeing that way Their answer ordinarily would be to this purpose We thanke God we haue a good faith to Godwards We haue beleeued in Christ euer since we may remember We hope God will be mercifull though we be not Scripture-men nor so forward as others or such followers of Sermons c. yet we looke to be saued aswell as the best of them all c. Vpon the matter and in summe Wee doubt not but wee shall goe to heauen And if their Minister should reply But I pray you tell mee you that are so confident Doe you beleeue and repent and make conscience of all our wayes c Yea would they say with all our hearts else it were pittie we should liue When as God knowes it is neither so nor so their poore frozen flinty hearts neuer yet melted before the Ministery of the Word were neuer truely touched with remorse for their innumerable sinnes neuer warmed with any sauing worke of the holy Ghost but euer thus farre meere strangers to the mysterie of Christ. Those that are true of heart are not woont to contest for the integrity but euer to complaine of the naughtinesse and vntowardnesse of their hearts And therefore if they become not new men in the meane time the vaile of their selfedelusion and vaine confidence will most certainely at last be frighted and fired from their blinded mindes with that terrible and dreadfull doome Depart from me I know you not Chrysostome in one of his homilies to his people of Antioch teaching them not to trust in multitude speakes thus vnto them How many doe you thinke are there in our citie which be in the state of saluation It will vexe which I am about to speake yet I will speake it There cannot amongst so many thousands an hundred bee found which are in that state Nay and I doubt whether all those Now had this good Father at the same time demanded of those many thousands besides what they conceiued of themselues for saluation doe you not thinke he would haue found them all well conceited of themselues Would not they with much bitternesse and heate haue exagitated his censure as too peremptory and vnmercifull and beene ready to retort Howsoeuer you dote vpon the Disciples you draw after you and onely approoue and applaud the Ioanites for so they were called because his name was Iohn yet we hope to doe as well as they and come to heauen as soone as the precisest of those you haue in so high esteeme Heere then let me a little illighten and open in a word as I promised the Mystery of this spirituall Selfe-deceit For which purpose know that Satan first discouers in our corrupt nature and crooked dispositions a very pregnant ground whereupon to practise this notable imposture I meane the originall poyson of naturall presumption whereby we are all apt to bee fearelesse and sencelesse of our present spirituall misery and hand ouer-head to catch at any vaine shadow of counterfeit confidence for our future welfare Secondly hee obserues in the partie he intends to delude the most plausible matter and selfe-pleasing apprehensions which may make the fittest medium to mis-inferre a false conclusion for his spirituall safety Lastly by some flashes of his personated Angelicall light he sets vpon it the glimmering flourish of a presumptuous impression and so seales vp the deceiued soule with the spirit of slumber and groundlesse security Now the insufficient matter rotten grounds false mediums as we call them in the Schooles which Satan by his Sophistry doth cunningly and cruelly abuse to cast many thousands into a pleasing golden dreame of imaginary spirituall safetie and Selfe-deceit and into a fooles Paradise of a soule-coozening conclusion are such as these 1. Measuring a mans selfe by himselfe himselfe perhaps formerly grosly ignorant and notoriously lewd by himselfe now growne ciuill somewhat illuminated with diuine knowledge but yet neither holy nor euer truely humbled 2. Comparing himselfe with others who are Satans outragious reuellers in respect of his morall moderation and something more ciuill carriage 3. Arguing Gods speciall loue and sauing fauour from his outward prosperous state and blessings in temporall things So the fatting Oxe might thinke with himselfe I shall surely liue because I feed in this greene rich Pasture 4. Concluding from crosses that hee is a sonne and not a bastard that he hath his punishment heere as they say c. whereas they are but the iust effects of Gods secret curse blowing vpon his counsels dealings and vndertakings for his couetousnesse vnconscionablenesse hatred to bee reformed and except hee truly turne in the meane time will prooue the very foretastes and pieces as it were of hellish torments 5. Sometimes nothing but selfeloue serues the deuils turne to locke vp a carnall heart in this security and causelesse confidence especially in some extremely ignorant people who easily beleeue that which they desire and haue no other ground of their going to heauen but because they would haue it so 6. Common conceits and corrupt Notions compounded of grosse ignorance and Popish folly that a mans good meanings and good doings as they ignorantly speake nay and as some haue said his
and sauing for it is not 1. A meere morall change from notoriousnesse to ciuility and no further 2. Nor a formall change only which addes to morall honesty outward profession and outside conformity to the ordinances holy exercises most duties of Religion no more 3. Nor meerely mentall I meane it thus for I know true repentance is called change of minde in another sence When the vnderstanding onely is illightened with diuine knowledge guilded ouer as it were with the dazeling splendor of generall graces not without some speculatiue flashes of fleeting ioy swimming in the brayne indeede but not rooted in the heart 4. Not temporary only such as that Matth. 12. 43. 2. Pet. 2. 20 22. when a man discontinues and surceases from the outward practise perhaps of all grosse sinnes for a time out of terrour suddaine fright from some Sonne of thunder or vpon triall whether by his owne strength hee be able to endure and digest a diuorce from his darling pleasure and the holy wayes of those who walk towards heauen without too much discontentment for without too sore a crush to his carnall heart hee could be content to looke after a crowne of life and I wite him not Or for some other by-end But because his heart was not honest and good neither did the Word take an humble roote in it nor himselfe resolue vpon a sincere generall and constant selfe-deniall at first hee falls againe vpon his former vomit and againe wallowes in the myre of his sensuall pleasures with more rage and resolution then before 5. Nor partiall where there may bee an outward reformation in the most things but yet there is still retained a secret resolued reseruation of an impenitent intire enioyment of all the delights and full sweetnesse of the bosome sinne which is vtterly incompatible and cannot possibly consist with a truly religious and regenerate state I say my change I onely and infinitely magnifie admire and adore the free grace and loue of my most holy and euer blessed God for it was not onely morall formall mentall temporary or partiall in the sence I haue said but vniuersall both in respect of the subiect and obiect as they say without all reseruations exceptions sensuall distinctions Pharisaicall imposture partialities hypocrisies selfe-delusion For my teachers haue told me by the touchstone of his pure and holy truth That euery true change is of the whole man from the whole seruice of Satan to the liuing God in sincere obedience to his whole Law in the whole course of our liues That it is discernable and differenced from all partiall insufficient hollow halfe-conuersions By 1. Integrity of change I meane in all parts and powers of spirit soule and body in the vnderstanding iudgement memory conscience in the will affections desires thoughts in the eyes eares tongue hands feet for euen as they were members of the body before imployed wholly for Satan and sensualitie so now are they also become instruments of righteousnesse vnto God God begets no monsters as they say a child new-borne hath all the parts of a man though not the perfection of his growth So a new-borne babe in Christ is throughly and vniuersally changed though not yet a perfect man in Christ. 2. Sinceritie of change as well in heart and inwards parts as in life and outward carriage O Ierusalem saith the Prophet wash thine heart from wickednesse that thou mayest be saued how long shall thy vaine thoughts lodge within thee No externall priuiledges of Religion though neuer so glorious no exactnesse of the worke wrought no Pharisaicall formes of deuotion no outward behauiour be it neuer so blamelesse no cost or contributions in the seruice of God will serue the turne without sincerity of heart Though a man should come before the Lord with thousands of Rammes or tenne thousands of riuers of oyle should be giue his first-borne for his transgression the fruit of his body for the sinne of his soule should he bestow all his goods to feede the poore and giue his body to be burned were he able to comprehend within his braine the whole Booke of God and with the largenesse of his vnderstanding deuoure all that holy sence should hee eate and drinke vp at the Lords Table all the sanctified Bread and Wine were hee plunged ouer head and eares in the Water of Baptisme nay if it were possible washed outwardly from top to toe in the precious blood of Christ yet all this were more then all in vaine and vtterly vnauaileable without vprightnesse of the heart and puritie in the inward parts 3. Spirituall growth Vnregenerate men at the best grow but in the generalities flourishes deuout representations and temporary forwardnesse of formal Christianity Which is like the growth of corne on the house top or the seed springing out of the stony ground but the honest and good heart bringeth forth fruit with patience Spirituall stuntings there may bee and standings at a stay for a time But as good corne in a good soyle being refreshed after a binding drought with a groūd-showre springs vp faster and more freshly so it is with the sound-hearted Christian after a dampe in grace to which he may sometimes be subiect For being rowzed and awaked out of such a state by the quickening voice of a piercing ministery the cutting sting of an heauy crosse or some other speciall hand of God he layes hold vpon the Kingdome of Christ with more holy violence then before and labours afterward by the helpe of God to repaire his former spirituall decay with double diligence in watchfulnesse zeale and heauenly-mindednesse Progresse in Christianitie is resembled to the thriuing of a Child which may fall into sicknesse but it many times prooues a growing ague To a man in a race who may stumble and fall but after his rising takes surer footing and runnes faster To the ascending of the Sunne towards midday which may be ouercast with a cloud but after hee hath recouered a cleare sky shines more brightly and sweetely 4. Selfe-deniall Of which see something before page 52. Hee that would soundly comfort his conscience with the true testimony of a true Conuert must at the first giuing his name vnto Christ and vpon his proclaiming Warre and entering the lists against Satan sound with a sincere heart the depth of that fundamentall principle of Christianitie and Christs own holy rule If any man shall come after me let him deny himselfe c. Assoone as hee resignes vp himselfe to this Royall seruice vnder the colours of the Lord Iesus he must presently in our Sauiours sence make ouer all his interest in liberty life liuelihood all earthly pleasures and treasures without any reseruation or he will certainely faint and fall off in the day of battaile The necessitie of this rule and resolution is intimated vnto vs in two Parables Luk. 14. 28 31. A man that will build must count the cost beforehand and make sure of meanes to
euen Bellarmine himselfe speakes proportionably in another case Vpon a passage in Austin acknowledging the interior efficacy of Gods Spirit giuing testimony to our hearts concerning the truth of that which is contained in the Scriptures saith he This light of faith is a certaine testimonie of God by which it is said to the secret cogitations of our hearts That is true thou needest not to doubt thereof Here is an immediate testimony of the Spirit granted for the confirmation of the truth of the Word why may not the like bee expected for an assurance of the worke of the Word Mighty and remarkeable was the worke of the Spirit this way vpon the heart of that Noble Martyr Robert Glouer vpon the first sight and representation of the Stake so sweetely seasonable is God in all his refreshings For two or three dayes before his death hee was full heauily oppressed with the spirituall miseries of a dead heart and spirituall desertion In which time no doubt hee cried mightily vnto God and often reflected the eye of his renewed conscience vpon a truly beleeuing penitent humble holy and heauenly heart resolued to sacrifice its warmest blood in the mercilesse fire for the testimony of Iesus and yet no comfort would come But in the very nicke and needfull time as you may see in the Story the blessed Spirit did suddenly shine into his darke and desolate soule with the glorious beames of his owne immediate comfort and so sensibly filled it with such ouerflowing Riuers of spirituall ioyes that no doubt they mightily abated and quencht the ragefull fury of those Popish flames wherein hee sweetely fell asleepe It was a speciall and immediate springing of the holy Ghost in his heart which made Master Peacock after many dayes of extremest horrour professe that The ioy which be felt in his conscience was incredible We feele and acknowledge by daily experience that Satan doth immediately iniect and shall not the blessed Spirit after his holy and heauenly manner immediately also suggest sometimes Neither is this to bee reputed an extraordinary reuelation or Enthusiasme without or beside the Word of God I heartily abominate all Anabaptisticall fooleries and phrensies For that which the Spirit so reueiles vnto our consciences we our selues may collect and conclude out of Gods Word vpon the conscience of our faith repentance other sauing endowments and holy graces shining in our soules and vprightly exercised in our whole conuersation When wee by these meanes haue assured our soules that we are the children of God which is the testimony of our owne renewed spirits the Spirit of God as another witnesse secondeth and confirmeth this assurance by diuine inspiration and by sweet motions and feelings of Gods speciall goodnesse and glorious sauing presence and so acording to the Apostles phrase Rom. 8. 16. beareth witnesse with our spirits Wherefore if any man presume vpon or pretend any immediate suggestion or reuelation for his spirituall safetie and euerlasting well-beeing and yet want vtterly the testimony of 〈◊〉 renewed conscience to the same purpose the testimony of vniuersall obedience of not lying willingly and delightfully in any one knowne sin of crucifying the flesh with the affections and lusts c. I can giue him none but this cold comfort hee is cursedly coozened by the Deuils counterfeit glory of an Angell casting into his abused imagination such groundlesse conceits which in time of triall will vanish into nothing and flye away as a dreame By the way let me tell you that though this last manner of assurance bee more immediately from the Spirit yet conceiue that the other also are not effectuall vpon the heart without the excitation illumination and assistance of the same blessed Spirit For the first consider that forecited place 1. Corinth 2. 12. For the second when the conscience through the ministrie of the Law doth testifie to a man his state in sinne and vnder the curse it is through the spirit of bondage that it doth testifie then when it doth testifie to him his state of grace and freedome from the curse it is much rather from the Spirit of Adoption No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost For the third I doubt not but the blessed Spirit as a comfortable Remembrancer refreshed Hezekias memory when he cryed to the Lord Remember now O Lord c. Isai. 38. 3. But how shall a man discerne and difference a true perswasion and the testimony of the Spirit from a groundlesse presumptuous conceit and the Deuils delusion If Bellarmine aske me I will easily stop his mouth First by demanding him how his Saint Francis and S. Antony knew assuredly that their reuelations of the certaine remission of their sinnes were from the Spirit of God especially sith with him they were reuelations quite besides and without the Word For he holds that this proposition Francis is truly iustified Antony hath his sinnes forgiuen and so of other particular men is not to be found in the Word either immediately or by euident consequence which we vpon good ground contradict if the particular men be true beleeuers Secondly by that saying of Ambrose vrged by Catarinus in the Councell of Trent The holy Ghost doth neuer speake vnto vs but doth make vs know that it is Hee that speaketh But if the doubtfull Christian truly troubled about it would be taught and informed in the point or if it be possible that the Pharise the deluded One should heartily desire to be illightened I aduise that they would consider vpon these following markes of difference 1. A sound perswasion vpon good ground by the Spirit is euer agreeable and answerable exactly to the Word The inward testimony of the Spirit and outward testimony of the Word doe alway sweetely accord and one answeres to the other as face to face in water And therefore if that thy present state wherein thou conceiuest thy selfe to bee sure and safe inough for saluation bee disabled and condemned by Gods Word thy confidence is vaine and Satan deludes thee The Scripture tels vs That whosoeuer is borne of God doth not commit sin 1. Ioh. 1. 3 9. which is not to be vnderstood simply of the act of sinning For who can say My heart is cleane But in this sence He makes not a trade of sinning he sinneth not with purpose pleasure and perseuerance he doth not liue lie and delight in sinne he suffers it not to reigne in him If then thou allowest any lust in thy heart or goe on in the willing practise of any one knowne sinne or sensuall course and yet bee well conceited of thy selfe for comfort in the World to come the Deuill coozens thee God will not heare the prayers but wound the hairie scalpe of euery such a one For instance If thou lyest in lying for it s one thing to be ouertaken that way out of feare or ere thou be aware another thing to continue in
A sound and vndeceiuing perswasion that thou art euerlastingly lockt in the armes of Gods mercy and loue grounded vpon the Word seconded and set on by the Spirit is a most rare and rich Iewell which doth infinitely out-shine and ouerweigh in sweetenesse and worth any rocke of Diamond Cristall Mountaine or this great Creation were it all conuerted into one vnualuable Pearle and therefore is infinitely enuied and assaulted mightily on all sides It is continually hunted like a Partridge on the Mountaines by naturall distrust the policy of Satan and all the powers of darkenesse There is not a wicked spirit but is transported with implacable indignation against that heauen vpon earth and therefore rages and roares about thee still to rob and bereaue thy humble brest of such an heauenly Iemme Besides the two maine ends and generall aimes of all the malice and machinations of those apostated angels 1. the dishonour of God and 2. the discomfort of mens soules In this poynt they are peculiarly enraged with extreme hellish anger to see a mortall man a childe of Adam crowned by Gods mercifull hand euen in this life with right and interest and as it were an earnest penny of the Inheritance with the Saints in light and of those blessed Mansions of glory and rest of which by their Apostacy and pride they haue vnhappily and euerlastingly depriued themselues Neither onely so but they imploy also their Agents enuious to the grace of God and thine owne fearefull heart to charge falsely many times vpon thee Hypocrisie and delusion left that white stone giuen thee by the holy Ghost the splendor and sweetnesse whereof none knoweth but hee that hath it should fairely shine vpon thy sad soule with that lightsomenesse and comfort as it both may and ought Whereupon it must needes follow that if thy perswasion be well grounded and assurance true it will be accompanied and often exercised with feares iealousies doubts distrusts varieties of temptations Satans firiest darts iniected scruples contradictions of flesh and blood cauils of carnall reasons want of comfortable feelign c. which will many times necessarily driue thee to cry mightily to God and complaine at the Throne of grace against all this hellish ordnance and assaults of thy vnbeleeuing heart by the wrastling of faith to warme thy â—…oule with meditation vpon the promises to re examine and reuise thy grounds to confirme thy watch to resort for counsell strength and comfort to the quickening meanes experience of former sweet feelings and motions of the Spirit to truly iudicious Diuines experienced Christians dayes of humiliation bookes of best rellish to a spirituall taste c. But now on the contrary side his presumptuous confidence and groundlesse conceit lyes in the Pharises bosome with much quietnesse and security without doubting difficulty contradiction or any such adoe The reason is his carnall heart is well enough content and meddles not because it still feedes vpon the delights of his darling sinne without disturbance Satan is too subtill to interpose tempt or interrupt in such a case For he well knoweth that his foundation is falsehood his hope of heauen but a golden dreame and therefore in policy he holds his peace that hee may hold him the faster Take notice by the way that that very thing which makes many a truehearted Christian to doubt of himselfe and of the soundnesse of his spirituall state should put him out of all doubt euen often exercise with doubts temptations multiplyed attempts against his faith and assurance of Gods loue prayed against humbly resisted and opposed with cleauing vnto the tenderheartednes of Christ truth of his promises though for the present he hath little or no feeling no such ioy and peace in so beleeuing And that very thing vpon which the deluded Ones doe build and many times boast themselues to wit that they are vntroubled vntempted in point of faith and pretended assurance may returne an infallible remonstrance to their own consciences that they are certainely deceiued For doubtlesse that faith which is neuer assaulted with doubting is but a fancy Assuredly that assurance which is euer secure is but a dreame Many a Pharise stands by the bedside of the sincere Professor visited with affliction of conscience and many heauy temptations secretly and sinfully pleasing himselfe in the vnblessed calmenesse of a groundlesse confidence and in his freedome from such terrors and spirituall troubles when as himselfe is like an Oxe fatting in the greene pastures of impunity and outward prosperity for the day of slaughter But the afflicted party is as precious gold purifying in the Lords refining furnace that hee may afterward come out and shine more gloriously 4. In that heart to which the Spirit of God testifies that we are His children Ro. 8. 16. doth the same Spirit create many feruent eiaculations strong cryes vnutterable groanings verse 26. The testimony of the Spirit is euer attended with the Spirit of prayer That glorious glimpse shining into the soule and assuring it of saluation is so sweete so heauenly so rauishing so transcendent and incomparably aboue all earthly ioy that it warmes the spirit of a man with quickning life liberty to powre out it selfe in the presence of his Lord and his God before the Throne of Grace sometimes in more hearty triumphant and as it were winged prayers at other times in those which are more faint and cold yet edged with infinite desires that they were more feruent and therefore by the way as it were mingled and perfumed with the soueraigne satisfactory incense in the Golden Censer which the Angell of the Couenant holds in his hand are graciously accepted of him which by an excellency and title of highest honour is stiled the Hearer of Prayers or at least with vnexpressable groanes and inward wrastlings for preseruation recouery enlargement of that same comfortable assurance it selfe and of all other holy graces and fruits of the Spirit purity of heart conquest ouer corruption neerer communion with God spirituallmindednesse and such other heauenly guests amongst whom it is woont to dwell with delight and represent it selfe more comfortably But now on the other side euery deluded Pharise is a meere stranger to the power of Prayer His presumption and groundlesse confidence is but a weede which will grow of its owne accord and therefore is not sensible of any necessity neither feeles any want of constant prayer from a broken heart vniuersall obedience or the holy precisenesse of the Saints to support it 5 An assurance of Gods Loue vpon sure ground doth mightily quicken keene and spurre forward the ingenuous Christian to more holinesse hatred of sinne resolution in good causes watchfulnesse ouer his heart walking with God Hauing these promises saith he let me cleanse my selfe from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God Hauing this hope I will labour to purifie my selfe euen as He is pure To
heauenly gifts emplanted in his Childrens hearts and then thereby so enuenomes and blasts them that they lose not onely their owne natiue splendour and gracefulnesse but also their fruitfull communication to others and comfortable acceptation with God I say when he sees a man extraordinarily enriched with spirituall graces hee seekes might and maine to make him swell with priuy pride and to puffe him vp with an ouerweening conceit of his owne worth that so the Christian himselfe may want the comfort of them his brethren the fruit of them and God the glory of them When the strong man can no longer keepe goodnesse out of the soule but the holy Ghost with a mercifull violence breakes in vpon him and dwels there his next endeauour is to abuse euen Grace it selfe as an vnhappy instrument to weaken and wound it selfe nay so subtill is he and endlesse in his attempts that if he cannot make a man proud of any thing else hee will labour to make him proud that he is not proud and to glory vainely because hee is not vaineglorious The originall and breeding of this canker in the sanctified soule I haue discouered in my Discourse of true happinesse page 25. and there made tender of some corrosiues and counterpoysons against it To which at this time I adde these When thou beginnest with an ouerweening conceit to admire thy selfe immoderately aboue that which is meet cast thine eye 1. Vpon the purity and piercing of Gods all-seeing Eye ten thousand times brighter then the Sunne and purer then purity it selfe which sees sinne to be infinitely more sinfull and loathsome then thou canst possibly whereby His holy Iustice is incensed with infinite indignation and vnquenchable seueritie against it Witnesse the turning into Deuils irrecouerable destruction and euerlasting downefall of so many glorious creatures the top and masterpiece as it were of all Gods handyworke shining once so fairely in the highest heauen and neerest vnto his Emperiall Throne The curse which fell vpon Adam and all his posterity for eating the forbidden fruit The confusions which came vpon the first world by the flood The burning of Sodom with fire and brimstone from heauen The fearefull reiection of his owne ancient people The horrours of a guilty enraged conscience which is a hell vpon earth and damnation aboue ground The euerlasting fire which is prepared for reprobate men and angels c. Neither doth this brightest Eye onely see all thy sinnes in their natiue foulenesse but also in their truest number Thou perhaps for want of more spirituall eye-salue beholdest them but as starres in a gloomie euening but assure thy selfe He sees them as moates in the Sunne and as Starres in the clearest winters midnight Methinkes this mortifying meditation should rather make thee grow into further detestation of sinne then admiration of thy selfe 2. Vpon the incomprehensible perfections and absolute purenesse of Gods most holy nature the splendour whereof doth dazle the clearest eyes of the brightest Seraphims doth drowne as it were all Angelicall glory as the Sunnes presence the light of lesser starres much more doth it vtterly darken the materiall beauty of all the lights in heauen Were the Sunne which is made all of brightnesse and the euer-springing fountaine of fresh shining beames presented before that vnapproachable Light which besets Gods sacred Throne it would vanish away as a darkesome moate and lumpe of vanity Where then would a fraile sinfull man in a house of flesh appeare Behold saith Iob hee put no trust in his seruants and his Angels hee charged with folly how much lesse on them that dwell in houses of clay whose foundation is in the dust which are crushed before the Moth chap. 4. 18 19. Behold he putteth no trust in his Saints yea the heauens are not cleare in his sight how much more abominable and filthy is man which drinketh iniquitie like water chap. 15. 15 16. Behold euen to the Moone and it shineth not yea the starres are not pure in his sight how much lesse man that is a Worme and the sonne of man which is a Worme chap. 25. 5 6. A glimpse as it were of that highest glory shining euerlastingly in that purest increated Essence God blessed for euer did make righteous Iob to abhorre himselfe and repent in dust and ashes Holy Isaiah to cry Woe is mee for I am vndone And so if thou also turne thine eye from the vanity of selfe-admiration toward the infinite Sunne of absolute and incomprehensible purity and then reflect vpon thy selfe as he that hath gazed too much vpon our visible Sunne looking downe againe seeth nothing thou shalt behold the nothingnesse of thine ouerweened worth and nothing but darknesse and deformitie and so shalt finde infinite more matter of humiliation and abhorring thy selfe in dust and ashes then of selfe-estimation and conceitednesse 3. Vpon the cleere Cristall of Gods pure Law which can discouer vnto thee the least spot that euer stained so much as any one of thy thoughts shines with that perfect light that it would guide aright euery step which thou makest in the way which is called Holy and is of that latitude for prohibition of sinne and leading to purity and exact pleasing of God that though wee may see an end of all perfection yet it is exceeding broad And therefore though such as hate to be reformed especially if their consciences be waking and working are drawne to a particular and punctuall suruey of themselues and all their wayes in this pure Cristall euen as a Beare to the stake a Bankerout to his counting booke an Elephant to the vnmudded water a foule face to the Looking-glasse They are well enough content to heare the Commandements read restraining their vnderstandings onely to the grosse acts Thou shalt not kill c. and perhaps iustifying themselues Pharisaically thereabouts but come to the holy strictnesse of Christs exposition Whosoeuer looketh on a Woman to lust after her hath committed adulterie with her already in his heart c. and it strikes full cold to their impure hearts and causeth them to cry out against the men of God Why doe you torment vs before our times I say though it bee thus with the vnregenerate by reason of their guilty and gauled consciences yet let it bee thy delight who art blessed with an euerlasting impregnable protection by the blood and merit of Iesus Christ from the curse and rigour of the Law to peruse thy selfe punctually by this heauenly Looking-glasse for the discouerie of thy defects and aberrations and to diue with searching and serious meditation into this adored depth of perfection and puritie to see how farre thou comest short and then thou shalt finde infinite more cause to presse hard towards the marke then to looke vpon that which is behind or proudly to prize any thing that is past Onely I aduise when thou setst thy selfe thus solemnely to rip vp thy conscience and ransacke thy heart to the roote to
vnreseruedly and indifferently for all places times and persons where and when he may bring glory vnto God good vnto others comfort to his owne soule in discharging a good conscience He dares not for his heart either out of humour or for feare he should make himselfe too cheape as they say or any other vaine respect conceale any thing in his heart or braine were it the highest straine of his heauenly skill or any experimentall secret in the mysterie of Christ from the meanest Christian could hee wisely and seasonably thereby doe him any spirituall good Let vs therefore infinitely abhorre by filthy vaine-glory to staine the glory and blast the fruitfulnesse of our graces but rather with all humilitie and watchfulnesse obserue and apprehend all the wayes occasions and callings whereby wee may glorifie God most with them and improoue them best for our Lords aduantage that so we may giue vp our account at the great and vniuersall Audite with more fauour and enter more comfortably into our Masters ioy 7. Let the feare and foresight of the many fearefull effects and much ill that certainely followes and is euer found where this white Diuell spirituall pride haunts hunt it out of thy heart and keepe a continuall narrow watch against all its slie insinuations Besides that it plagues the soule that harbours it with many spirituall miseries distempers disacquaintance with God for Hee is euer most familiar with those who are most humble Pharisaicall swellings inflamations of furious zeale and the like it euer prooues also of pestilent consequence and preiudice to the common state of goodnesse to the honour and acceptation of Christianitie 1. A truely proud professour puffed vp with his gifts and supposed sufficiencies which wickedly aimes more at vaineglory then glorifying God at his owne praise then profiting others is for the most part very irkesome tedious and burdensome to the company of humble wise iudicious Christians For ordinarily hee is ouertalkatiue swift to speake and too full of words farre more forward to ouer-rule and domineere in opposing moderating resoluing then seuen men that can render a reason An itching humour after applause and of carrying away the credit for abilitie to discourse and eminencie aboue others puts him on too often to powre out himselfe indiscreetly and impertinently in all companies to presse and obtrude vpon others with much verball importunitie and vnconquerable stifnesse his master-like conceits without due respect or seasonable obseruation of the humble abilities and sufficiencies of by-standers that many times when he hath neither calling fitnes efficacy of matter or power of the holy Ghost And if a man doe not presently vpon the bare and first proposition accord and accommodate his iudgement to euery circumstance of whatsoeuer he holds and square exactly to his Oracles hee begins to shake the head as though hee were a lost man and is ready ipso facto to excommunicate him out of his conscience I speake not thus to stop the current of comfortable talk edifying discourse and fruitful conference in any true-hearted Nathaneels There is infinitely more need to stirre them vp and quicken them to more forwardnesse and foorth-putting this way at Christian meetings but onely to intimate the vaine-glorious empty opinionatiue talkatiuenesse of such as are possessed with this white Diuell 2. Such an One also is woont to be too austere censorious sowre and imperious in his cariage towards those which are without whereby he becommeth both a stumbling blocke to them in their way to Christianity and brings also an vnnecessary scandalous false aspersion vpon the wayes of God and yoke of Christ as though they were harsh heauy and vnpleasant when as they are most sweet easie and amiable I know full well there is not the wisest holiest humblest discreetest Christian aliue can so possibly beare and behaue himselfe but prophanenesse will plague him with slanderous imputations of any kinde Iesus Christ our Master was not free this way which of his seruants then can dare or will expect and desire exemption Blessed bee God that our good names are oyled so that the inke will not sticke which is cast vpon them There is scarce a religious Professor especially of resolution and spirit to bee found but some men of the world will charge him with surlinesse and pride Whereas many times not only the imputation is misgrounded mistaken misse-imputed fastened vpon him for the most part by reason of his 1. inconformity to the courses of the world and corruptions of the times 2. vnsociablenesse with profane men 3. resolution and vndauntednesse in good causes 4. innocency and independency which beget boldnesse and brauenesse of minde c. but also those fellowes themselues who so slander him because their consciences were neuer illightened with sight sence and acknowledgement of the foulenesse of sinne their own vilenesse the exactnesse of Gods Law purity of his most holy Nature seueritie and certainty of his Iudgements cannot possibly chuse but be passingly proud Yet for all this I would aduise all those who haue in earnest giuen their names to Christ that they would walke warily and so demeane themselues that they giue no iust offence in this kinde For when they haue tryed both wayes they shall finde that mercifulnesse and meekenesse to those which are without humilitie and humanitie affable courteous and louing deportment and so becomming all things to all men in Pauls sence and so farre as wee may with a good conscience is the better way subscribed vnto by the manifold experiences of wisest and worthiest Christians to winne honour to our profession to gaine moe vnto Gods side and to preserue our selues in as much peace amidst a naughty and crooked generation as holinesse will possibly permit 3. God in his iust iudgement giues ouer such an One sometimes to santasticall opinions odde and absurd tenents swaruing brainelessely and senselessely from the holy harmony of confessions and our blessed pure Orthodoxe Articles of Religion the truth whereof euery honest Man if need required ought to seale with his bloud which when superficialnesse and its ordinary consort selfeconceitednesse haue vnhappily brought forth by the midwifery of a kind of spirituall wantonnesse be they neuer so monstrous and mis-shapen yet some giddy heads will hearken and hanker after them so that many times many weake vngrounded vnstable young beginners in Profession are limed and wofully entangled as wee see too often in our chiefest Citie whence ensues an incredible deale of preiudice hurt and hindrance euen to the common state of goodnesse to the honour and acceptation of Christianitie For thereupon is raised a cry in all conuenticles of good fellowship and consistories of worldly wisdome That these forward professours will all turne phantasticall Familists Anabaptists Arrians any thing Which cry awakes the eye of State-iealousie and so by an vnworthy consequent drawes vpon those who are true of heart euen Gods best seruants and the Kings best subiects discountenance suspicions if not
his owne worth doth aboue all other passions blast our minds as it were with lightning and make vs reflect our thoughts vpon our owne seeming inherent goodnesse forgetting the whilest Him to whom we are indebted for our very Being and besides it blowes vpon our gifts with such a malignant humour that they also become vnfruitfull and vnprofitable to others Thus much concerning the first extreme and errour in managing our spirituall estate to wit a proud ouerprizing of our owne graces with a conceited ouer-weening selfe-estimation I come now to the second which is A deiected distrustfull vndervaluing of Gods mercies the promises of life and graces which we possesse And here I cannot hold but must euen with some indignation expostulate and contest with many of Gods hidden Ones about their heauy pensiue and vncomfortable walking for that they are so farre from entertaining and expressing that vnspeakable glorious ioy which vpon their new birth is their natiue portion and patrimonie their iust and due inheritance as certainely theirs by an euerlasting proprietie and right if they would but open their eyes to see it and enlarge their hearts to graspe it being a fruit of that holy Spirit which dwels in them and a price of Christs Kingdome established in their soules as their cloathes vpon their backes their hearts in their bodies and blood that runnes in their veines I say they are so farre from walking in the strength and light of this ioy that they wickedly I dare say if not wilfully abandon and expose their spirits freed for euer by the Lambs blood from the hellish fangs of any slauish horrour to the vnnecessarie racke of much fruitlesse vnworthy and slauish sadnesse Whereby besides their owne needlesse sinfull selfe-created torment 1. They most vnworthily vndervalue abridge and disparage the infinitenesse of Gods dearest and tender mercy who is a thousand times more ready and forward to binde vp any broken heart then it to bleed before him 2. They vnnecessarily disable and indispose themselues for the duties and comfortable discharge of both their Callings 3. They gratifie Satan and satisfie his cruell humor who if hee cannot haue a mans company in Hell hereafter for if he were sure of that he would make him liue as ioyfully and Iouially as hee could possibly he labours might and maine to hold him vpon the racke of slauish distrustfull terrours all the dayes of his life 4. They are thereby many times occasions of discouragement and disheartning to those which are without that they are more loth to enter into the wayes of life preiudging them to be thorny and rough darke and deepe full of dumps and drooping of heauinesse and horrour whereas indeed and truth they are all paued with mercy and loue strowed with Violets and Roses full of fresh springs of spiritual comforts and sweetly illightned euen in the darkest passages with heauenly and healing beames of the Sunne of righteousnesse For whether it bee fit to beleeue the Spirit of all truth and comfort or the scornefull spirit of impure drunkards and Satans Reuellers iudge you This precise and strict walking say they which is pressed vpon vs with such importunatenesse and confidence would not leade vs to mopishnesse and melancholy would enchaine vs to that abridgement of our pleasure restraint from company from crowning our selues with Rose-buds and former courses of good fellowship and mirth of which our generous and Iouiall spirits are most impatient and vtterly vncapable But what saith the blessed Spirit Her wayes are wayes of pleasantnesse and all her paths are peace They giue them occasion to mis-conceiue that the yoke of Christ is burdensome and will gaule their necks whereas in truth and tryall it is easie and light and would prooue a chaine of heauenly Pearles to adorne their soules that after they haue giuen their names to profession they shall neuer haue merry day but must necessarily bid adieu to all delight whereas their ioyes should not be taken away but onely changed as one of the Ancients speakes and that most happily and with an vnualuable aduantage For the filth and froth of their sensuall bitter-sweet pleasures fugitiue follies furious delights which passe away in the act as the taste of pleasant drinke dyeth in the draught should bee turned into that true vnconquerable spirituall ioy which the World cannot giue nor man nor deuill take away Their crashes of loud laughter amid their pots and pastimes which are but as the cracking of thornes vnder a pot the Deuils Wakes and Musicke for Hell should be conuerted into a sweet constant habituall contentment of minde Nay more whereas before in the very height and ruffe of their maddest meetings most roaring outrages and reuellings their hearts vpon remembrance of death their secret impenitent guiltinesse that strict account at Gods dreadfull Tribunall at which they may bee arraigned the next houre c. were full often twitcht and stung with many inward bitter gripings and slauish foretastes of hellish terrour yet vpon their change and change of ioyes euen in the highest tide and torrent of their penitent teares and sorrow for sinne and they should be sad for nothing else their spirits shall be refreshed and rauisht with a Paradise of sweetest peace and heauenly glimpses of eternall light In a word if they would in earnest abandon the Deuils seruice come out of Hell giue their names vnto Christ in truth and try I dare assure them in the Word of life and truth they would not exchange the saddest houre of all their life afterward with the prime and flower of all their former sensuall pleasures might they haue ten thousand Worlds to boot Here then is no losse in the change But in the meane time much to blame are they who being truly Gods yet out of weakenesse want of wisdome wilfull listning vnto the father of lyes will not giue way to the counsell of the Prophets that they may prosper in spirituall hearts-ease and so preuent such occasions Let those that hate to bee reformed hang downe their heads let swaggering Belshazzars countenance bee changed let his thoughts trouble him let the ioynts of his loynes bee loosed and his knees smite one against another let the hearts of all ambitious Nimrods couetous Worldlings swinish Drunkards filthy Whoremasters cruell Vsurers louers of pleasures or whosoeuer liue and lye in any beloued sin against an illightned conscience tremble as the leaues of the Forrest that are shaken with the wind Let a sound of feare be euer in their eares and sorrow seize vpon their hearts as the pangs of a woman in trauaile euen as the torture of her that bringeth forth her first child Let trouble and anguish and the cup of trembling in the hand of the Lord make them afraid and let them euery houre looke to meete their angry God as a Beare bereaued of her Whelps to rent the very cawle of their hearts and to deuoure them
like a Lion Let sadnesse sit vpon their foreheads as its proper seate and furies of conscience affright their spirits still with cryes of blood Let no voyce of ioy or gladnesse bee heard in their habitations but the most griezly apparitions of damned horrour dwell for euer in the eye of their guilty consciences For without repentance this is their lot and this is their euerlasting portion And most happy were they if any thing would fright and fire them out of the armes of darkenesse and snares of the deuill I say let the aspiring Lucifers looke heauily vpon foresight of their dreadfull downfall for though they exalt themselues as the Eagle and though they set their nests among the starres yet thence will I bring them downe saith the Lord. Though their excellencie mount vp to the heauens and their head reach vnto the clouds yet they shall perish for euer like their owne dung Let all couetous worldlings cry out for so the holy Ghost commands them Goe to now ye rich men weepe and howle for your miseries that shall come vpon you your riches are corrupted and your garments motheaten your gold and siluer is cankered and the rust of them shall bee a witnesse against you and shall eate your flesh as it were fire ye haue heaped treasure together for the last dayes Let all impure goodfellow-drunkards hold downe their heads and howle for the horrible Woe which dogs them at heeles Woe to the Crowne of Pride to the Drunkards of Ephraim Behold the Lord hath a mighty and strong One which as a tempest of haile and a destroying storme as a flood of mighty waters ouerflowing shall cast downe to the earth with the hand the Crowne of Pride the Drunkards of Ephraim shall be troden downe vnder feete Let the very heartstrings of all lasciuious wantons tremble at the terrour of that cutting commination Heb. 13. 4. Whoremongers and Adulterers God will iudge Let that stinging But Eccles. 11. 9. strike cold to the hearts of all sensuall Gallants and sonnes of pleasure Reioyce O young man in thy youth and let thy heart cheere thee in the dayes of thy youth and walke in the wayes of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes But know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into iudgement Nay let the heart of euery man whosoeuer he be of what cloth soeuer his coat be made that goes on in the willing allowed practise of any one knowne sinne fall asunder in his brest like drops of water for the day of horrour that is at hand and the sword of vengeance which hangs ouer his head For certainly at length the Lord will wound the hairy scalpe of euery one that goeth on still in his trespasses In a word wayling and wringing of hands woe and alas is the merriest song that any wicked man vpon earth can sing vpon good ground while hee yet abides in his vnregenerate state Who doth not see and acknowledge it except he wilfully shut his eyes or be grosly hood-winkt by the Deuill or a ranke Atheist For there is a cup which is called a cup of Gods fury and a cup of trembling in the hand of the Lord whose little finger is able to beate the greatest mountaine to powder and rent the hardest Rocke in pieces and the wine is red which intimates vnto vs the sharpenesse and fiercenesse of Gods fiery indignation it is full of mixture brimfull of stinging ingredients and he powreth out of the same to stirre vp and quicken as it were the bitternesse and very bottome and all the wicked of the earth shall will they nill they wring out the dregs thereof and drinke them Psal. 75. 8. But now on the other side Let all those of the Brotherhood I vse the phrase of the holy Ghost all those who haue giuen their names to Christ in truth and are true of heart in his holy seruice vpon whose heads euerlasting light doth rest lift vp their heads Let the amiable aspect of sweetnesse and peace euer dwell vpon their foreheads Let heauenly beames of spirituall lightsomnesse and mirth shine fresh in their faces Let neuer vncomfortable dampe of any slauish sadnesse or touch of hellish terrour vexe their blessed hearts Let them neuer more be afraid of any euill tydings or of destruction when it commeth In a word Let them be infinitely and for euer merry and sweetly glad at the very heart roote And good cause why It is the charge and command of the Spirit of all truth and comfort Bee glad in the Lord and reioyce ye righteous and shout for ioy all yee that are vpright in heart Psal. 32. 11. Oh therefore that the Lord would bee pleased so to perfume and sweeten the ensuing passages with the refreshing glimpses of his glorious face and deare infusions of Diuine Ioy that I might bee vouchsafed that honour of being his humble Instrument to raise vp and quicken the drooping spirits of all that are true of heart of all that beare a sincere inuincible affection to the Gospel of Iesus Christ and power of Godlinesse that they would be euerlastingly merry that they would arise and shake themselues from the dust and put on their beautifull garments that they would for euer with a resolution neuer to bee shaken with all the powers of hell banish and barre out of their happy soules all their vnnecessary scruples distrusts deiections sad thoughts and heauinesse of heart that they would out of sensiblenesse of their present vnutterable felicity and strength of their truly Heroicall spirits beare and behaue themselues as heires of heauen indeed and as the Fauourites of the King of Kings So should they infinitely more honour the sweetnesse of Gods mercifull disposition the dearenesse of his loue the tendernesse of his compassionate bowels the bottomlesse mysterie of his free grace the preciousnesse and truth of his promises the vnualuablenesse of his Sonnes Blood the pleasantnesse of the wayes of grace and the glorious worke of the holy Ghost vpon their owne blessed soules Let them euer keepe fresh and strong in their mindes for this purpose such causefull considerations as these 1. True ioy the most noble sweet and amiable affection that euer warmed the heart of man is by warrantable proprietie and rightfull interest onely peculiar and proper to honest humble and holy hearts Such gracious and golden Cabinets are onely fit for this heauenly Iewell The beauty and deliciousnesse of it are confined onely to the communion of Saints the sealed Fountaine the Spouse of Christ. The Brotherhood alone is blessed with its refreshments and rauishing influence It neuer did or euer will shine or sparkle out the least glimpse vpon the world or to any earthly heart The most ambitious eager hunters after pleasures the worlds greatest Fauourites and dearest minions haue onely but ingrost and graspt a Bedlam counterseit of it I said of laughter saith Salemon It is mad For the truth is
no wicked or vnregenerate man hath any true cause or good ground at all to reioyce laugh or bee merry I will make it plaine in a word euen to the scorner Suppose a great man conuicted and condemned for Treason going towards the place of execution a mile off and let there a Table all along be furnished with variety of dainties let him tread vpon Violets and Roles cloth of Arras cloth of Gold or what you will all the way let him bee attended on both sides with most exquisite musicke and honourable entertainments Doe you thinke all this would make him laugh heartily carrying this in his heart that he must loose his head at the miles end I â—…row not As farre lesse true cause hast thou to laugh whosoeuer thou art that walkest on impenitently in any wicked course or liest delightfully in any beloued sinne as a temporall death is lesse then endlesse torments For he is but going to loose his head but thou as an already condemned man also art posting towards hell Hee that beleeueth not saith Iohn is condemned already Ioh. 3. 18. If we peruse punctually the happiest estate of the most glorious worldling all his wayes we shall finde no matter at all for true ioy either to breed in or feed vpon Let vâ—… walke into his fooles Paradise and suruey all the fâ—…ding â—…owres of his imaginary felicities It may be we shall finde wealth power pleasures honours pompe and magnificence of state perhaps an Imperiall Crowne the top of all earthly happinesse And what of all these Alas Gold and Pearle aâ—… one sayes are but shining dust or excrements of the earth Power is but a flash of lightning â—…hat feares or strikes another and foorth with it selfe is suddenly extinct Pleasure is but a baite and yet passeth away in the act as the taste of a pleasant drinke dieth in the draught Honour is but a breath and yet binds a man in guilded fetters and blasts his spirit with farre more care and feare then when hee was most meane Euen as highest boughs are most shaken by the windes and the points of steeples beaten most with stormes and lightning All worldly splendor and pompe is but a smoake which vanisheth as it riseth and drawes teares from the eyes Euen a Regâ—…ll Diademe in the sence and censure of an Heathenish King is attended with such a weighty irkesome and painfull charge that saith he He who foreknew the weight of a Scepter should he finde it lying vpon the ground he would not deigne to take iâ—… vp And what is himselfe the owner and Lord of all these A little walking earth a coloured piece of clay a warme piece of dirt a very bag of choler fleame and other filth to day a man to morrow none his breath is in his nostrils stop but his nose and he is dead And what is his abode amongst these painted vanities and things of nought For sudden passage and change it is like a Shepheards tent a Weauers shuttle or a water bubble like a hying Poast or a flying cloud like a ship vnder saile or an Eagle on her wings like a fading flower or a falling leafe like foame that is scattered or dust that is driuen with the winde like a vapour a thought a smoake a winde that passeth and commeth not againe like a flying shadow yea the very dreame of a shadow as one sayes and that a morning dreame which is euen as soone ended as begun But let vs looke into his inside and the state of his soule and see if wee can there finde any more peace comfort or constancie No there you shall behold a liuely resemblance of the very restlesse tumultuations of the raging sea the neuer-dying Worme breeding and growing big in the froth of his filthy lusts and rottennesse of his rebellious heart In a word his poore soule bleeding to eternall death Let vs come vnto his death from the ineuitable stroake whereof all the Gold and Pearle of East and West can no more redeeme him then can an handfull of dust and there he shall find despaire and horrour like two euening Wolues enraged with hellish hunger ready to teare his soule in pieces when there is none to help And what followes He must lay down his cold carkasse among the stones of the pit at the rootes of the rocks his name by reason of his former pride luxury oppression opposition to goodnesse shall rot as fast and stinke as bad aboue ground as his body in the graue And lastly the onely forethought whereof should make him tremble all the dayes of his life his immortall soule sinkes irrecouerably by the weight of sinne into the bottome of the burning Lake where there are torments without end and past imagination exceeding not onely all patience but all resistance where there is no strength to fustaine nor abilitie to beate that which there whilest God is God for euer must be borne And when they haue beene endured millions of yeeres yet are no neerer endâ—… then when they began nor the soule neerer out then when it came in Tell me then I pray you in all this is there any roome for reioycing Is there any matter for true mirth No more then taste in the white of an egge then strength in a broken staffe of reede then sweetnesse in the apples of Sodom Why then it is a shame for the weakest Christian that breathes but the spirituall life euen of holy desires â—… not to be infinitely more merry then the most glorious and magnificent worldling vpon earth Shall a gracelesse wretch going towards hell to whom God himselfe hath proclaimed There is no peace no ioy as the Sepâ—…uagints tender it who is a meere Thiefe Robber and vsurper in respect of all the ioyes vpon which he intrudes and which way soeuer hee casts his eyes if hee weare not false spectacles or bee blindfolded by the Diuell can see nothing but the vgly face of horrour and true cause of trembling If hee looke backward vpon the time past hee may see all the abominable lusts of his youth all the sinnes of his former life registred with an iron pen in the booke of his conscience and lurking there like so many sleeping lions who vpoÌ„ the very first touch of Gods visiting hand will awake arise and rent impieces If he looke vpon his present state thorow the cleare Cristall of Gods righteous Law He may see Diuine vengeance dogging him hard at the heeles ready to strike him downe into hell vpon the next riot and rebellion against 〈◊〉 patient Lord That most horrible fiery tempestuous 〈◊〉 Psalm 11. 6. ready to fall vpon his head euen when he is warmest in his wealth and in the hottest gleame of his worldly prosperity sudden destruction ready to seaze vpon him vnauoydably as trauell vpon a woman with childe when hee is singing the securest Requiem to his soule of safety and peace If hee looke forward to future time hee sees death the
and scorne from the World for thy profession which naturally much nettles a noble spirit doe crowne thy head and should fill thy heart with abundance of glory blessednesse and ioy If ye be reproched for the Name of Christ happy are yee saith Peter for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth vpon you 1. Pet. 4. 14. Blessed are yee saith Christ himselfe when men shall reuile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of euill against you falsely for my sake reioyce and be exceeding glad Math. 5. 11. 12. Scurrilities and scoffes all spitefull speeches odious nick-names lying imputations cast vpon thee in this kind by tongues which cut like a sharpe rasor are in their due estimate and true account as so many honorable badges Let no cowardly Christian then decline them with wounding of his conscience of thy Christian magnanimitie and resolute standing on the Lords side and at the Throne of Christ will be certainely reputed as characters of speciall honour and remembrancers of thy worthy seruice whereby thou shalt appeare more acceptable and amiable in the eyes of Almightie God and all that glorious triumphant Church aboue 5. If thou rightly temper and well weigh euen thy sorest sorrow and the very bleeding of thy heart for sinne it should bee so farre from damping the lightsomnesse of thy spirit that it ought to open vnto thee a well-spring of purest ioy For the penitent melting of our affections and kindly mourning ouer Him whom we haue pierced with our sinnes argues infallibly and sweetely assures the presence and sanctifying power of the holy Spirit And what greater comfort or sweeter delight then that which ariseth from a well grounded euidence that the Fountaine of all comfort dwels in our soules Such teares as burst out of a heart opprest with griefe for sinne are like an April showre which though it wet a little yet it begets a great deale of sweetnesse in the herbes flowers and fruits of the earth As euen in laughing the heart of the wicked is sorrowfull so contrarily euen in such mourning the heart of the true penitent is lightsome and comfortable For habituall ioy may not onely consist with actuall sorrow and contrarily but also euen actuall ioy with actuall sorrow This is no strange thing in other cases when wee see a good man persecuted for a good cause stand to it nobly wee grieue for his troubles but reioyce in his resolution and vndauntednes As wee ought then to grieue bitterly for our sinnes so let vs reioyce immeasurably for such ingenuous grieuing Let vs lament heartily ouer him whom we haue wounded with our abominable lusts but let vs also bee infinitely glad at the very heart roote that they are all pardoned by the powring out of his blood Not the most exquisite quintessence and extraction of all manner of Musicke Sets or Consorts vocall or instrumentall can possibly conuey so delicious a touch and rellish to the outward eare of a man as a certificate brought from the Throne of mercy by the blessed Spirit sealed with Christs blood to the bruised heart and grieued soule of an humble sinner in the very depth of his sorrow 6. If thou be troubled with temptations and exercised euen with varietie of them heare the holy Ghost Count it all ioy when yee fall into diuers temptations To let other particulars passe From the very foulest and most griesly suggestions of Satan thou mayst collect this common glorious comfort That thou art none of his For as hee is wont to keepe vnconuerted men in as merry a moode and faire a calme of outward contentment and inward securitie as he can possibly retiring and reseruing his most fiery darts and hideous temptations vntill hee haue them at some dead lift and vnauoidable strait so all that are broke out of his hellish prison by the help of the holy Ghost he ordinarily pursues with deadly rage and all the powers of darknesse Hee hunts them in his fittest seasons like a Partridge in the Mountaines with troubles without and terrours within The lesse peace thou hast therefore from him the more pleasure mayst thou take in thine escape out of his clutches The more restlessely he followes thee with the fury and variety of his temptations the more sweetly and securely if thou wilt giue way to the counsell of the Prophets and the worke of â—…aith mayst thou repose thy wearied soule vpon the comfortable assurance of being certainly Gods 5. Euery one that hath part in Christs death is bound in conscience and bidden by the blessed Spirit to leade a most merry life euen to keepe a Feast a spirituall Holyday as it were from all seruile terrours slauish sadnesse vncomfortable deiections of spirit For euen Christour Passeouer is sacrificed for vs therefore let vs keepe the Feast 1. Cor. 5. 7. The sweetnesse and excellency of this Feast is notably set out and amplified by 1. the beautifull garments wee put on and weare when we are admitted vnto it 2. The matter and magnificent prouision 3. The musicke 4. The franke and bountifull entertainment and plenty 5. The extraordinarie pompe and princelinesse 1. For the first meditate ioyfully vpon that rich attire and those Royall attributes glorifying and crowning Christs blessed Spouse with most admirable and rauishing beauty Cant. 6. 10. Who is she that looketh forth as the morning faire as the Moone pure as the Sunne terrible as an army with Banners And know that all the essentiall glory and fairenesse which is to be found in the whole Church the Woman clothed with the Sunne as that of iustification and sanctification c. belongs to euery member thereof to euery faithfull Christian. As the morning 1. The morning springs out of the greatest darknesse the night is most darke as they say a little before day the illuminated soule arises out of the most darksome and damned graue of ignorance and sinne 2. The beauty of the morning is principally seene in her ruddinesse The soule that is newly deliuered out of the horror of Egyptian darknesse and hands of the hellish Pharaoh is all ruddy with passing thorow the red Sea of Christs blood that is the ground vpon which all its beauty and blessednesse is built 2. The glory of the morning after its first peeping in the East spreads fairer and fairer in all beauty and brightnesse vntill the mid-day and full illustration of the World Grace in the soule after the first plantation growes stronger and stronger shines fairer and fairer vntil it set in the bottomlesse Ocean of endlesse Glory See Prou. 4. 18. Faire as the Moone 1. The Moone receiues all her light and lustre from the Sunne all the graces holinesse inherent righteousnesse shining in a sanctified soule are the image and impressions of the Sunne of righteousnesse 2. The Moone hath some spots in her face but yet is a very beautifull creature by her borrowed light The Christian is somewhat blacke with the remnants of
originall corruption and by reason of his vnauoideable frailties and imperfections but yet comely as the curtaines of Salomon by the glory of his new creation and gracious beames that shine vpon his soule from the face of Christ. 3. The further the Moone is remoued from the Sunne the fairer she is and fuller of light The more an humble soule vpon sight of that holy Maiestie and purest eye ten thousand times brighter then the Sun which cannot look on iniquitie doth retire with lowliest thoughts into himselfe to abhorre himselfe in dust and ashes as most vile and farre worthier to be throwne into the lowest dungeon of the kingdome of darknesse then to bee honoured with the loue and light of his countenance is more beautifull and amiable in the eyes of God Fure as the Sunne The Moone shadowes out inherent fairenesse the Sunne resembles and represents our imputed puritie So that this Royall Robe the Sunne of righteousnesse the vnspotted Iustice of Iesus Christ doth glorifie the soule 1. With an entire vnstained beautie our inherent holinesse hath some spots and staines of imperfection like the Moone but that imputed for our iustification is much more spotlesse and orient then the Sunne 2 Vniuersally Wee are washed as it were from top to toe in the blood of Christ and couered wholly with his perfect righteousnesse 3. Constantly The exercise of spirituall graces and sence of inward comfort may sometimes ebbe and waâ—…e for a time but the Robe of Christs Royall Iustice once put on by the hand of Faith is sure and the same for euer Terrible as an armie with banners Besides this rich and royall attire all this abundance of spirituall fairenesse and beauty wee are to put on also leâ—…t hellish Harpies that I may so speake snatch away our delicious and diuine dainties that glistering Armour thicke seâ—… with heauenly Pearles described Ephes. 6. The glorious splendour whereof is able to dazle the deuils eyes to daunt his courage and driue him out of the field For hee well knowes it to bee tryed and of proofe worne by our Captaine Christ Iesus who foild him by the sword of the Spirit in that great combate in the Wildernesse Mat. 4. And it is that by which the weakest Christians shall shortly by the blessing of the God of Peace bruise Satan vnder their feet The summe is The heauenly attire of a sanctified soule is farre fairer and more amiable then the exquisite concurrence of all earthly beauties and visible glory Were the light of all the starres aboue collected into Sunnes which Astronomers say would make many and added vnto that great bright Body the Prince of all the lampes in heauen nay if besides there were an accession of all the orient splendour of all the Pearles and Iewels of all the Crystall and glistering things in this lower world and all compacted into one beautifull body it would be but as a lumpe of darknesse to the glory and fairenesse of a sanctified soule For the beauty and amiablenesse of an holy soule inflames the heart and affections of the Sonne of God with an extraordinarie pang of spirituall feruent loue Cant. 4. 9. whereas not all the glory of the world though represented to his eye with the fairest lustre and in the most refined forme could moue him euer a whit Matth 4. 8 9 10. Plato was wont to say if morall vertues could be seene with the outward eye they would stirre vp in the heart extraordinary flames of admiration and loue what vnspeakeable rauishments then would Christian graces enkindle were they visible to the carnall eyes They would be able to make Persecutors Professors to turne euen Drunkards into Puritans as they call them the most sensuall Epicure into a mortified Saint For the second Let thy spirituall appetite seed merrily vpon that sweetest place Isa. 25 6. And in this mountaine shall the Lord of Hosts c. Heere is prouided as wee may see a magnificent and glorious feast composed all of marrow and fatnesse of most refined and purified wines which shadow vnto vs spirituall delicacies those golden dainties digd out of the rich myne of the mysterie of Christ by the hand of Faith in the Word Sacraments Prayer Communion of Saints solemne humiliations sweet Soliloquies solitary conferences with our God feeling forethought of infinite ioyes thorow eternity c. Euery circumstance breathes out nothing but sweetnesse In this mountaine It is dressed in Mount Zion The perfection of beautie The ioy of the whole earth The glory of all Lands which represents vnto vs by way of shadow and type the ouerflowing glory of the Christian Church the very Heauen of all humane societies our onely Sunne in this inferiour world which though so much maligned yet were it remooued there would bee a little hell vpon earth and nothing left but a darke Midnight of villany and horror for incarnate Deuils to domineere in A feast of fat things a feast of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the lees well refined Hereby is intimated the matter of the Feast and Royall prouision amplified with extraordinary Emphasis of words elegancy of phrase and iteration of the same sence with variety of expression which also argues its excellency It is not enough to haue said of fat things but there is added of fat things full of marrow and so proportionably of the wines to intimate the most exquisite refined flower of all delicacies and dainties The marrow of the fatnesse as if a man should say the spirit of the quintessence the Diamond of the Ring the sparkle of the Diamond c. And yet all this comes infinitely short of what the holy Ghost would shadow and shew vnto vs by the most sumptuous materials of earthly Feasts But aboue all that which makes the Feast most matchlesse is the Feast-maker Iehouah is the founder and furnisher of it The maker of heauen and earth makes it The Poets describing men of most ambitious appetites after choisest dainties say that they rob all the Elements to please their palates The Master of this Feast the euer-blessed Iehoua tells vs of his store and treasuries this way Psal. 50. 10 11. Euery beast of the 〈◊〉 is mine and the cattell vpon a thousand hills I know all the fowles of the mountaines and the wild beasts of the field are mine But all these being but onely matter of corporall food are yet nothing to the spirituall sweetenesse of this heauenly Banqueâ—… The secret and sacred delight of those diuine dainties intended here by the holy Ghost being vnspeakable and glorious doth infinitely transcend the possibility of all creatures to contribute and the capacity of the largest naturall vnderstanding to conceiue So must be construed as a worthy Diuine sayes truly that Text 1 Cor. 2. Not of the ioyes of heauen which heere the spirituall man himselfe cannot tell what they shall bee but of the Gospels ioy of the Wine and
place of Dragons This alone stings desperately keepes mee from Christ and cuts mee off from all hope of Heauen I am afraid my wilfull wallowing in it heretofore hath so reprobated my mind seared my conscience and hardened my heart that I shall neuer be able to repent with any hope of pardon And why so Is this sinne of thine greater then Manassehs familiaritie with wicked spirits Then Pauls drinking vp the blood of Saints Then any of theirs in that blacke Bill 1. Cor. 6. 10. 11. who notwithstanding were afterward vpon repentance washed sanctified and iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God Then Eâ—…s transgression who opened the floodgate to al the sins which shall bee committed from the Creation to the end of the World and to all those torments which shall flame in Hell thorow all eternitie Then that horrible sin of killing Christ Iesus And yet the murderers of that Iust and holy One vpon their true compunction of heart were saued by that precious blood which they had cruelly spilt as water vpon the ground But be it what it will a scarlet sinne a crimsin sinne a crying sinne and adde vnto it Satans malicious aggrauations and all that horrour which the deiectednesse of thy present afflicted spirit and darkenesse of thy melancholike imagination can put vpon it yet Pauls precious Antidote Rom. 5. 20 holds triumphantly Soueraigne aswell against the hainousnesse of any one sinne as the confluence of many Where sinne abounded grace ouer-abounded It is indeed a very heauy case and to bee deplored euen with teares of blood that thou shouldest euer haue so highly dishonoured thy gracious God with such an horrible sinne in the dayes of thy vanitie and thou oughtest rather chuse to bee â—…orne in pieces with wilde Horses then commit it againe yet if thy heart now truely wounded with horrour and hate of it will but cleaue to the truth and tenderheartednesse of Iesus Christ in his promises and fall into his blessed and bleeding armes stretched out most louingly to â—…ase and refresh thee as the hainousnesse of it hath abounded heretofore His grace will now abound to the same proportion and much more Nay I will shew thee a Pearle In this case by accident Gods mercies shal be extraordinarily honoured in pardoning such a prodigious prouocation because they are thereby as it were put into it and their dearenesse sweetnesse and infinitenesse improoued to the greater height and excellency and the blood of Christ made as it were more orient and illustrious and the honour and preciousnesse of it aduanced by washing away such an hainous hellish spot If we bring broken beleeuing hearts towards his Mercy-seate it is the Lords Name to forgiue all sorts of offences iniquitie transgression and sinne Exod. 34. 7. It is His Couenant to sprinkle cleane water vpon vs that we may be cleane and to cleanse vs from all our filthinesse and from all our Idols Exek 36. 25. euen from Idolatry the highest villany against the Maiestie of Heauen So that a Papist vpon repentance may be saued It is His promise not onely to pardon ordinary sinnes but those also which be as scarlet and red like crimsin Isai. 1. 18. It is his free compassion to cast all our sinnes into the depths of the sea Mich. 7. 19. Now the sea by reason of his vastnesse can drowne as well Mountaines as Molehills the boundlesse Ocean of Gods mercies can swallow vp our mightiest sinnes much more It is his mercifull power to blot out our sinnes as a cloud Isai. 44. 22. Now the strength of the Summers Sunne is able to scatter the thickest Fog as well as the thinnest Mist nay to driue away the darkest midnight the vnresistable heate of Gods free loue shining thorow the Sun of Righteousnes vpon a penitent soule to dissolue to nothing the desperatest worke of darkenesse and most horrible sinne farre more easily But this mysterie of mercy and miracle of Gods free loue is a Iewell onely for truely humbled soules and the sealed Fountaine Let no stranger to the life of godlinesse meddle with it Let no Swine trample it vnder his feete FINIS a Haec iustorum simplicitas deridetur quia ab hâ—…ius mundi sapientibus puritatis virtus â—…atuitas câ—…editur Greg. in â—…ap 12. Iob cap. 16. b Et quid diuitiae perâ—…untes transitoriae facultates nisi 〈◊〉 aeter na diligentibus sunt â—… Greg. in 1 Reg. cap. 2. c Non debet pro magno habeâ—…i honor humanus quia nullius est ponderis fumus August de Ciâ—…it Dei lib. 5. cap. 17. d Cùm coeperit Deo quisque viâ—…ere mundum contemnere iniurias suas nolle vlcisci nolle hîc diultias non hîc quaerere foelicitatem terrenam contemnere omnia Dominum solùm cogitare viam Christi non deserere non solùm à Paganis dicitur insanus sed quod magis dolendum est quia intus multi dormiunt vigilare nolunt à suis à Christianis audiunt Dictum est de ipso Domino quod insaniret August in Psal. 84. e Nobilitas Heroica est eminentia quaedam notabilis c. per quam homo fiâ—… per adoptionem Filius Dei fit Sponsa Christi sit Templum Spiritus Sancti sine quâ nobilitates caetâ—…rae nihil sunt nhiil proficiunt Gers. Tractat. De nobilitate Psal. 11. 6. f Cùm coeperit homo Christianus cogitare proficere incipit pati linguas aduersaâ—…tium Quicunque illas nondum passus est nondum proficit quicunque illas non patitut nec conatur proficere August in Psal. 119. g Heb. 11. 36 38. h Isa. 6. 2 3. i Ezech. 16. 14. zech 13. 11. g Lib. 5. Sect. 1. Prou. 3. 17. a Câ—…los 1. 1â—… b Rom. 12. 11. c 1. Iob. 3. 3. d Phil. 3. 20. Colos. 3. 2. e Ephes. 5. 15. f Iob 30. 8 9. Psal. 35. 15 16. and 69. 12. I am verò illud quale quà m sanctum quòd si quis ex Nobilibus ad Deum conuerti coeperit statim hâ—…norem nobilitatis amittit aut quantus in Christiano populo honor Christi est vbi religio ignobilem facit Statim enim vt quis melior esse tentauerit de eâ—…ioris abiectione calcatur ac per hoc omnes quodammodo mali esse coguntur ne vises habeantur Ita seculum totum iniquitatibus plenum est vt aut mali sint qui sunt in illo aut qui boni sunt multotum persecutione crucientur Si honoratior quispiam religioni se applicueâ—…it illicò honoratus esse defistit Si fuerit splendidissimus fit vilissimus Si fuerit totus honoris fit totus iniuriae Si bonus est quispiam quasi malus spernitur Si est maluâ—… quasi bonus honoratur Nihil itaque mirum si deteriora quotidâ—…è patimur qui deteriores quotidiè fumus Saluianus De verâ—… iudicio prouidâ—… tia Dei Lib 4. pag. 128 129. g
brests of euerlasting consolations And sith hee is incorporated into Iesus Christ and vpon all assayes hath the wings of faith in a readinesse to outsoare the height of all humane miseries let him for euer stand like Mount Zion inexpugnable and vnshaken with the most furious incursions of the floods and tempests of all worldly troubles pressures and persecutions Let all those monstrous and most abhorred iniections filthy temptations and fiery darts pointed with the very malice of hell ordinarily offered to the imagination of the best bee resolutely repelled by the shield of faith and retorted as dung vpon the Tempters face Let all vngodly oppositions from man or deuill or fearefull distrust be but as so many proud and swelling waues dashing against a mighty Rocke which the more boisterously they beate vpon it the more are they broken and turned into a vaine foame and froth But to descend with thee more punctually to some particulars Tell mee truly thou which hast giuen thy name to Christ in truth what it is that troubles thee what is it that still detaines thine heauy heart in the chaines and fetters of horrour and sadnesse and lockes it vp so long from the entrance and entertainement of spirituall lightsomenesse and ioy And if I bee not able to confront and confound it by some well-grounded counter-comfort and Antidote out of the Oracle of truth if I be not able to discouer it to bee a selfe-created crosse and to dissolue it into an imaginary and groundlesse fancie by the light of the Word then walke heauily still Onely beleeue the Prophets and thou shalt prosper Thou must then bee contented to be counselled by the faithfull Physicions of thy soule who can shew vnto man his vprightnesse and are instructed vnto the kingdome of heauen especially fetching all their prescriptions receits and counterpoysons out of the rich Treasurie of the Booke of Life Thou must learne 1. To put a difference betweene nullity of grace and imperfection of grace Many good soules desire sincerely that their hearts were broken in pieces and bled at the root for their many and hainous sinnes grieuing much that they can grieue no more They hunger and thirst for Christs righteousnesse more then for the wealth of the whole world They groane mightily in spirit for Gods fauour pardon of sinne power ouer their corruptions ability to pray better c. But yet because they feele not that measure of sensible smart and anguish of heart in lamenting their former life as they desire because they haue not their wished ioy and peace in beleeuing because they cannot now pray as feruently and feelingly as they perhaps were formerly woont not with that freedome and heartinesse as they would in a word because they are yet but smoaking flaxe and bruised reedes not full shining lampes and strong Pillars in the House of God they will needs haue all to be nought Whereby they I will not say belie the Spirit but most vnworthily deny and in their conceites nullifie his already wonderfull glorious worke vpon their soules to their I know not how great spirituall hurt and hinderance For such intolerable vnthankefulnesse may bee iustly punished and paide home with longer detainement vpon the Racke of distrustfull slauish feare and vnder the bondage of Legall terrours It is a speciall point then of spirituall wisedome and of singular consequence for the soules quiet and welfare to discerne weakenesse of grace from want of grace Christ Iesus declaring in his heauenly Sermon who are blessed doth not instance in the perfections excellencies and heights of Christianity though all that are true of heart sincerely pray for and presse after them but in the least and lowest degrees lest the smoking flaxe should bee quenched and bruised reedes bee broken He doeth not say Blessed are the stong in Faith the full assured Blessed are those that take on for their sinnes as for their onely sonne and for their first borne but Blessed are they which doe hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Blessed are the poore in spirit c. 2. Not alwayes to make sence and feeling the Touchstone for the truth of thy spirituall state A man in a swoone or a sleepe feeles not his life and yet is a liuing man It is one thing to haue grace another to feele grace One thing the life of faith another the life of sence 3. Not to disgrace thy owne graces by casting thine eye too deiectedly vpon other Christians perfections and precedencies Let it not fare with thee in this case as it doth with one gazing too much vpon the Sunne who looking downewards againe can see iust nothing whereas before he cleerely discerned all colours about him Looke vpon them for imitation and quickning not for slauish deiection and selfe-blinding 4. To acknowledge and expect that heauenly graces as Faith c. while they inhabite these earthly houses ebbe and flow waxe and wane faint and flourish by reason of the combate betweene the flesh and the Spirit So that if a man should tell mee that he hath euer prayed alike without temptation or dampes without any sence at any time of deadnesse or spirituall distempers that he hath euer beleeued alike without those doubts and scruples that faintnesse and feare of which most Christians so much complaine I durst confidently reply that then he neuer either prayed acceptably or beleeued sauingly The Fathers fitly resemble the state of the Church to the variable condition of the Moone which sometimes shines more gloriously sometimes not so It is so also with euery true member thereof in respect of the exercise of grace comfort in holy duties sence of Gods fauour spirituall feeling 5. To beleeue the Spirit of Truth the Word of God and voice of Christ before the father of lies dictates of naturall distrust and suggestions of flesh and blood To which methinks thou shouldest be easily perswaded and then all the mists of thy spirituall miseries would be quickly dispersed It is a mighty worke if not a great miracle to get any softnesse at all or true remorse for sinne into the heart of a man it is naturally so stony and impatient of griefe and the deuill such a stirrer against it so that the most are meere strangers vnto it yet for all that when this penitent sorrow is once sincerely on foote in an afflicted soule so endlessely and on euery side are wee prest with the policies of Hell it is too often too forward to feede vpon teares still and still too wilfull in refusing to bee comforted Satan then will bee ready to say Thou seest now thy conscience being illightened thy sinnes are so horrible and haiâ—…ous that they are too heauy a burden for thee to beare there is no way with thee but to sinke into horrour and despaire But what saith Christ Nay now is the season Come vnto me thus weary and heauy laden with thy sinne and I will refresh thee Here now if thou wilt beleeue the
sweete voice of Christ Iesus rather then the murthering sophistry of Satan if in good maners thou wilt come when thou art called and not retire in a sinfull and cruell modesty thou shalt be presently lightened Yea but saith the Tempter thy heart hath been so strangely hardened and soakt in sinne heretofore now such an heâ—…sh cloud of darkenesse hath seized vpon it that there is no hope nor possibility But what saith the Word Seeke him that maketh the seuen starres and Orion and turneth the shadow of death into the morning It is hee alone that can most easily change the dismall midnight of thy present spirituall misery into the glorious midday of sweetest peace and lightsomnesse of heart Yea but saith he further thou hast lien long vpon the Rocke of guilty horrour had much counsell and been vnder the hands of many spirituall physicians and yet no comfort comes And what then Heare what the Spirit of truth tels vs Since the beginning of the world men haue not heard nor perceiued by the eare neither hath the eye seene O God besides thee what Hee hath prepared for him that waiteth for him Isa. 64. 4. Waiting patiently for the Lords comming to comfort vs either in temporall or spirituall distresses is a right pleasing and acceptable dutie and seruice vnto God which hee is woont to crowne with multiplyed and ouerflowing refreshings when he comes See Isa. 40. 31. Nay and shouldest thou die in this state of waiting if thy heart in the meane time sincerely hate all sinne heartily thirst for the mercy of God in Christ and resolue truely vpon new vniuersall obedience for the time to come thou shalt bee certainely saued because the Holy Ghost saith Isaiah 30. 18. Blessed are all they that waite for him 6. That defects distractions failings in our spirituall exercises and vndertakings groaned vnder grieued for and striuen against by an vpright heart are so farre from nullifying grace that they should not bereaue vs of peace of conscience or interrupt our sweet communion and comfortable walking with our God 7. Not to confine vnderualue and extenuate the mercies of God promises of life the holy Spirits sauing worke vpon thy soule and the present graces thou possessest in truth c. These cautions premised let vs come to the examining and answering of some complaints and counterpleas against entertainement of comfort which are wont to arise in troubled consciences out of ignorance and misconceite of the mercifull wayes of God and the mysterie of his free loue through Christ and doe thou conceiue that proportionable soueraigne Antidotes and counter-comforts may bee collected also in abundance out of Gods blessed Booke against the rest or any reply whatsoeuer And to begin with the first cryes of a Christian in the pangs of his New birth I. A poore soule hauing wallowed long in vanity of villanies and vanities of lust and licentiousnesse is now by diuine blessing at this or â—…e other Sermon struck thorow by the Sword of the Spirit with penitent remorse and his heart broken into pieces by the hammer of the Law In this depth of heauiest distresse and bleeding case he casts his eyes vpon Iesus Christ lifted vp in the Ministerie as an Antitype â—…o the brazen Serpent for his comfortable binding â—…p and euerlasting cure Those Messengers of God who are able to declare vnto Man his vprightnesse assure him in the Word of life and truth and charge him in His name who was anointed by the Lord for that purpose and appointed by the Father of mercies to comfort all Mourners in Sion that now being truly cast downe vnder Gods mighty hand thirsting for the blood of Christ and sincerely resoluing vpon a new course for the time to come He would turne his legall terrours into Euangelicall weeping ioy put on beauty for ashes the garment of praise for the spirit of heauinesse That he might be called a Tree of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord that hee might bee glorified Oh no saies he out of the deepe sence of his bottomelesse vilenesse The newes is too good to be true to wit that now the blessed Sonne of God and all the precious rich purchases of his vnualuable passion should belong vnto mee the sinfullest wretch that the earth beares who haue desperately spent my dayes and strength so long in the furious seruice of Satan and mine own sensuall lusts c. whereupon he refuses comfort and chooses rather to sinke againe and languish vnder the horrours of guiltinesse and feare Whereas he should incomparably more honour and please the God of all comfort by trusting his mercy sealing to his truth then by vnseasonable suspecting his iustice and power Here then hee wofully failes and forgets himselfe in a distrustfull vnder-prizing Gods incomprehensible greatnesse Almightie mercy vnlimited liberalitie and freenesse of his loue He is in this case not so much to consider what is fit for him to receiue as conuenient for the ability and bounty of so great and good a God as the mighty Lord of Heauen and earth to giue who as I told you before vpon other occasion doth all things like Himselfe If hee build he makes a world If he be angry with the world hee sends a floud ouer the face of the whole earth If hee goes out with the Armies of the Saints hee makes the Sunne stand still the Starres to fight the Seas to swallow vp the most dreadfull Armadoes If hee loue the precious hearts blood of his owne Sonne is not too deare If he deliuer any man Hee puls him out of the hand of the Prince of darknesse and frees him from euerlasting flames If any become his Fauourite through Christs mediation He wil make him a King giue him a Paradise and set a Crowne of eternitie vpon his head Earthly Princes at their pleasures ennoble those they loue with Dukedomes Marquesdomes Earledomes What then doe you thinke shall be done vnto the man whom the King of Heauen desires and delights to honour Let vs then I say in such cases consider not so much what is fit for vs silly wormes to receiue as for so great a God to bestow If wee can once bring hearts bruised and broken with the burden of our sinnes bleeding and weeping vnto his Mercy-seate Hee will thinke all the meritorious sufferings of his Sonne all the promises in his Booke all the comforts of his Spirit all the pleasures in his Kingdome little enough for vs. If wee looke vpon our selues sinful wretches we might iustly feare the extremest torments fiercest flames and lowest dungeon in hell infinitely rather then expect a Kingdome But Hee loues vs freely Hos. 14. 4. It is his pleasure to giue vs a Kingdome Feare not little flocke saith Christ for it is your Fathers good pleasure to giue you the Kingdom Luk. 12. 32. If it be the good pleasure of the King of Kings to bestow a Kingdome vpon a truely humbled soule which hee makes in the