which hee shall rain upon him in stead of his meat Thus then it is cleere that mans life and good estate dependeth not upon the abundance of outward things but onely upon the blessing and providence of God Prov. 10.12 For his blessing onely maketh rich and it doth bring no sorrow with it Psal 37.16 For better is a little to the just then great abundance to many of the wicked Prov. 25.26 Better is a little with the fear of the Lord then great treasure and trouble therewith Better is a little with righteousnesse Prov. 16.8 then great revenues without equity Thus then I conclude this point Man liveth not by bread but by a blessing on bread not by outward means but by a blessing upon meanes For how can bread being a dead thing and having no life in it selfe give life to others Phil. I do not well understand the meaning of these words By every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Theol. Thereby is meant the decree ordinance and providence of God which upholdeth all things even the whole order of nature For the Scripture saith Hee spake Psal 33.9 and it was done hee commanded and they were created In which words wee plainly see that God doth but speake and it is done hee doth command and all creatures are preserved For God doth all things 〈◊〉 a word Hee created all with his word hee preserveth all with his word hee speaketh and it is done His words are words of power and authority Whatsoever he saith whatsoever hee calleth for it must be done presently without any delay there is no withstanding of him Hee calleth for famine and behold famine Hee calleth for plenty and behold plenty Hee calleth for pestilence and behold pestilence He calleth for the sword and behold the sword All Angels all men all beasts all fishes all fowls all creatures whatsoever must obey him and be at his beck He is the greatest commander his word commandeth heaven and earth and the sea All creatures must bee obedient to his will and subject to his ordinance This is the cause why all things both in heaven earth and the sea doe keep their immutable and unvariable courses times and seasons even because hee hath charged them so to doe And they must of necessity alwayes at all times and for ever obey for the creatures must obey the Creator This â—ct of Parliament was made the first week of the world and never since was or can be repealed Phil. But to call you back againe to the point wee had in hand Resolve mee I pray you of this whether many of the deare children of God doe not in this life sometimes want outward things and are brought into great distresse Theol. 1 Kiâ—g 17. Yes certainely For Elijah did want 2 Câ—r â— 8 2 Cor. 11.25 and was in distresse Paul did want and was in many distresses The holy Christians mentioned in the Hebrewes did want Heb. 1â— 3â— and were in marvellous distresses Many of Gods dear ones have in all ages wanted and at this day also doe want and are greatly distressed But this is a most infallible truth that howsoever Gods children may want and be low brought yet they are never utterly forsaken but are holpen even in greatest extreâ—iâ—ie yea when all things are desperate and brought even to the last cast To this point most notably speaketh the Apostle saying 1 Cor 4.8 We are affl cted on every side but yet wee despaire not wee are persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but wee perish not The Prophet Jeremie also saith Lâ—â— 3. The Lord will not forsake for ever but though hee send affliction yet will hee have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies For hee doth not punish willingly or from his heart nor afflict the children of men The kingly Prophet saith Psal 94.4 Surely the Lord will not fail his people neither will hee forsake his inheritance The Lord himself saith For a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee Iâ—a â—5 8 but with everlasting mercy have I had compassion on thee So then wee may fully assure our selves and even write of it as a most undoubted and sealed truth that Gods children shall never be utterly forsaken in their troubles Phil. Sith the care and providence of God is so great for his children as you have largely declared what then I pray you is the cause why God suffereth his to bee brought into so many troubles and necessities Theol. Their profit and benefit is the cause and not their hurt For he loveth them when hee smiteth them Hee favoureth them when he seemeth to be most against them Hee aimeth at their good when hee seemeth to bee most angry with them He woundeth them that hee may heale them Hee presseth them that hee may ease them Hee maketh them cry that afterward they may laugh Hee alwaies meaneth well unto them hee never meaneth hurt Hee is most constant in his love towards them If he bring them into necessities it is but for the triall of their faith love patience and diligence in prayer If he cast them into the fire it is not to consume them but to purge and refine them If he bring them into great dangers it is but to make them call upon him more earnestly for help and deliverance He presseth us that wee might cry wee cry that wee may be heard wee are heard that we might be delivered So that here is no hurt done we are worse scared than hurt Even as a mother when her childe is way-ward threateneth to throw it to the Wolfe or scareth it with some poker or bul-begger to make it cling more unto her and be quiet So the Lord oftentimes sheweth us the terrible faces of troubles and dangers to make us cleave and cling faster unto him and also to teach us to esteeme better of his gifts when wee enjoy them and to bee more thankfull for them as health wealth peace liberty safety c. So then still we see here is nothing meant on Gods part but good as it is written Rom. 5. All things worke together for good to them that love God For Heb. 12 10. Heb. 12.14 even the afflictions of Gods children are so sanctified unto them by the Spirit 1 Thes 1.6 that thereby they are made partakers of the holinesse of God Gal. 6.14 Phil 3.10 Thereby they enjoy the quiet fruit of righteousnesse Thereby they attaine unto a greater measure of joy in the holy Ghost 2 Cor. 11.32 Thereby the world is crucified to them and they to the world Rom. 5.3 4. Thereby they are made conformable to the death of Christ Thereby they are kept from the condemnation of the world Thereby they learne experience patience hope c. So that all things considered Gods children are no losers by their afflictions but gainers It is better for them to have them than to
own person Can hee abide any to spet at his Scepter or to throw a stone at it No surely hee will not Therefore the holy Ghost saith Hee that despiseth Moses lawes dieth without mercy under two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall hee be worthy Heb. 20.28 which treadeth under foot the Sonne of God and counteth the bloud of the Testament as an unholy thing wherewith hee was sanctified Heb. 2.5 and doth despite the Spirit of Grace And againe If they were punished which obeyed not the word spoken by Angels how shall wee escape if wee neglect so great salvation Heb. 1â— If they escaped not which refused him that spake on earth how shall wee escape if wee turne away from him that speaketh from heaven Therefore our Saviour Christ saith That it shall be easier for Sodom in the day of judgment Luke 10.12 than for the contemners of the Gospel Moreover hee saith The Queene of the South shall rise up in judgement â—gainst all froward despisers of his word Mat. 12. For shee came from the uttermost parts of the earth to heare the wisedom of Solomon and behold a greater than Solomon is here For Christ is greater than Solomon his doctrine and wisedome far more excellent And therefore their sinne is the greater which contemne it They shall never be able to answer it For the Spirit saith Prov. 13.13 Hee that despiseth the word shall bee destroyed S. Peter also telleth us 1 Pet. 3.9 that the old world and men of the first age are now in hell-fire because they both despised and were disobedient to the doctrine of Christ 1 Pet. 5.10 which though not personally yet in his divine Spirit he spake by Noah So then wee see cleerly God will never take it at our hands that his glorious Gospel should be so universally and openly contemned as it is Phil. You have spoken most truly and also shewed it out of the Scriptures that the contempt of the Gospel is a most hainous sinne yet for all that it is most lamentable to consider how little men esteeme it and how light they make of it Many regard it no more then an egge-shell they thinke it not worth a galley halfe-penny they will not goe to the doore to heare it they take it to bee a breath from us and a sound to them and so the matter is ended They esteeme it but as a noise or empty sound in the aire or as a voice a farre off which a man understandeth not they never felt the power of it in their hearts Therefore they preferre their sheep their farmes their oxen their profits their pleasures yea every thing before it they know it not to bee any such precious jewell as it is Although our Lord Jesus himselfe compare it to a hid treasure and a most precious pearle yet these filthy swine of the world tread it under feet for they know not the price of it Though Solomon the wise Prov. 3. saith All the merchandise of gold and silver pearle and precious stones are not to bee compared to it yet these beasts these dogs and hogs of the world contemne it They esteeme a cow more then Christs most glorious Gospel They are like Esops cocke which made more account of a barley corne then all the precious stones in the world they are like little children that esteeme their rattle more then a bagge of gold they are like the Gadarens which esteemed their hogs more then Christ and his Gospel they make nothing of it they thinke it not worth the while Many of them sit idle in the streets even upon the Sabbaths while the Gospel is preached in their Churches many are at cards and tables in the Ale-houses Many on the Sabbath sleep upon their beds all the Sermon while in the afternoon Many will heare a Sermon in the forenoon and they take that to be as much as God can require at their hands and that hee is somewhat beholden to them for it but as for the afternoon they will heare none then they will to bowls or tables These men serve God in the forenoon and the devill in the afternoon Some runne after whores and harlots on the Sabbath some runne to dancing and bear-baitings some sit upon their stalls some sit in their shops some by the fire side some sit idle in the streets some goe to the stole-ball and others look on O miserable wretches O cursed caitiffes O monstrous hell-hounds which so grosly and openly contemne the Gospel of Christ What will become of them in the end Assuredly their damnation sleepeth not A thousand deaths wait for them they lie open on all sides to the wrath of God And we may wonder at his marvellous patience that hee doth not throw downe balls of wilde-fire from heaven to consume and burne up both them their shops and houses and even make them spectacles of his vengeance for so notorious contempt of such sacred holy and high things Theol. You have spoken very truly zealously and religiously and I doe greatly commend you for it And I must needs affirme the same things for they cannot bee denied And for mine owne part I thinke the Gospel was never so openly contemned in any age of a people living under the profession of it and under a godly and Christian Prince as it is in this age For howsoever some make a shew of religion yet they have denied the power thereof They turne the grace of God into wantonnesse Jude 4. as St. Jude saith They make the Gospel a cloak for their sinnes They receive it and embrace it as it will best stand with their profits and pleasures their lusts and likings their credits and policies and not a jot further They will practise it at their leasure Tit. 1.16 These men professe they know God but by their works they deny him and are abominable disobedient and to every good worke reprobate This age is full of such carnall Protestants Phil. This age indeed aboundeth with many hollow-hearted hypocrites dissemblers and time-servers which howsoever they make a face and beare a countenance as though they loved the Gospel yet their heart is not with it Their heart is with Atheisme their heart is with Popery they have a Pope in their belly they bee Church-papists Howsoever now and then they come to the Church and heare a Sermon and shew a good countenance to the Preacher yet their heart goeth after covetousnesse The Lord complaineth of this by the Prophet saying Ezek. 33.32 This people will sit before thee and heare thy words but they will not do them For with their mouthes they make jests and their heart goes after covetousnesse God complaineth of this also by the Prophet Jeremie saying Will you steal murder Jer. 7.9 and commit adultery and sweare falsly and stand before me in this house whereupon my name is called and say Wee are delivered though wee have done
the old byas and as a Hare to her old fourm and hee old covert For this is the very covert and thicket of the world wherein they would hide covetousnesse but I will doe what I can to hunt you out of it by the Scriptures Prov. 11.14 First Solomon saith Hee that spareth more then is right shall surely come to poverty So then you see that covetousnesse bringeth poverty Thus therefore I reason That which bringeth poverty is no good husbandry but covetousnesse and too much sparing bringeth poverty therefore it is no good husbandry The same Solomon saith Hee that is given to gaine troubleth his owne house That is the covetous man is an occasion of many evils in his estate and family From Scripture I doe thus reason That which troubleth a mans house is no good husbandry but covetousnesse troubleth a mans house therefore it is no good husbandry Last of all the old Proverb saith Covetousnesse bringeth nothing home And therefore it is no good husbandry For oftentimes wee see that men for covetousnesse of more lose that which otherwise they might have had One of the wise Heathen saith Hesiodus Evill gaine is as bad as losse But the covetous man doth seek after wicked gaine and therefore seeketh losse and consequently is no good husband Another saith Phocilides Unjust gain bringeth forth losse and misery And therefore it is far enough off from vertue and all good husbandry Thus then I hope you are so hunted both by God and men that this covert cannot hide you And therfore you must out of it and seek some other shelter for this will not serve your turn Phil. Now I must needs say you have fully stopt his mouth and throughly ferreted him out of his deepe burrow And it is most certain that you say that the wise Heathen hath condemned covetousnesse and all unjust gains which we both practice and defend and therefore shall they rise up in judgement against us But now let us leave this caviller and proceed in our matters There is one thing yet remaining wherein I desire to be satisfied Theol. What is that Phil. I would gladly know which be the speciall remedies against covetousnesse Theol. There be two speciall remedies against covetousnesse to wit contentation and the meditation of Gods providence Phil. Let us hear somewhat of contentation out of the Scriptures Theol. The Apostle saith 1 Tim. 7.9 Having food and raiment wee must be therewith content 1 Tim. 7.9 For wee brought nothing into this world and it is certaine wee shall carry nothing out The Spirit also saith Heb. 12.5 Let your conversation bee without covetousnesse and bee content with your present estate Againe the Apostle saith Phil. 4. Hee had learned in what estate soever hee was therewith to bee content Note that hee saith He had learned for hee had it not of himselfe For contentation is the singular gift of God Prov. 13 25. as it is written The righteous eateth to the contentation of his soule Cyril in Joan 12. but the belly of the wicked shall want An ancient Father saith Wee ought to accustome our selves to live of a little and to be content that wee may doe no wicked or filthy thing for lucres sake Chrysost hom 51. Another saith Hee is not poor that hath nothing but hee that desires much Neither is hee rich that hath much but hee that wanteth nothing for contentation never wanteth There is no griefe in lacking but where there is immoderate desire of having If woe will live after nature we shall never bee poor if after our owne appetite we shall never be rich Well therefore said the Poet Euripides Wax not rich unjustly but justly Be content with thine own things abstaine from other mâ—ns Thus then wee see that both God himselfe the fountaine of all wisedome and men also both in the state of nature and grace doe all joyntly advise us to strive for contentation and then we shall have a soveraign remedy against Covetousnesse Phil. Let us hear somewhat of the second remedy against Covetousnesse Theol. An earnest thinking upon the providence of God is a present remedy against the most foolish and pining carefulnesse of men for this life For if we would seriously weigh and deeply consider the provident care that God hath had for his children in all ages touching food and raiment and how strangely hee hath provided for them it might suffice to correct this evill in us and minister unto us a notable preservative against Covetousnesse We read how wonderfully the Lord did provide for his Prophet Elijah in the time of the great dearth and drought that was in Israel 1 King 17. Did not the Lord command the Ravens to feed him by the River Cherith Did not the Ravens bring him bread and flesh in the morning and bread and flesh in the evening and he drank of the River What should I speak how miraculously God provided for Hagar and her infant Gen. 12.25 when they were both cast out of Abrahams house and brought to great extremity even both of them ready to give up the Ghost for want of food Did not God help at a pinch as his manner hath alwayes been Exod. 15.5 Did he not send his Angel unto them and both comfort them and provide for them What should I speake how strangely God provided for his Church in the wildernesse Did hee not feede them with Manna from heaven Exod. 17.6 Psal 78. and gave them water to drinke out of the rock Hath not our heavenly Father made many royall and large promises that hee will provide necessaries for his children Shall wee not think that hee will be as good as his word Psal 34.1 Doth hee not say The lions lack and suffer hunger but they that seek him shall want nothing that is good Psal 84.11 Doth hee not say Fear him all yee his Saints for nothing is wanting to them that feare him Doth hee not say No good thing shall be withheld from them that walke uprightly Doth hee not say Matth. 6.33 Our heavenly Father knoweth that wee have need of these things and that all these things shall bee cast upon us if wee earnestly seeke his kingdome 1 Pet. 5.7 Did hee not bid us Cast all our care upon him for hee careth for us Luke 1â— Doth hee not bid us Take no thought what wee shall eat or what wee shall drink or wherewith wee shall be cloathed Meaning thereby no distracting or distrustfull thoughts Doth hee not say Heb. 13.5 Hee will not leave us nor forsake us Doth hee not say The Lord is at hand Phil. 4.5 in nothing be carefull Are not these large promises suffiâ—ient â—o stay up our faith in Gods providence shall wee thinke God jesteth with us shall wee think hee meaneth no such matter shall wee imagine hee will not keep touch Oh it were blasphemie once to thinke
promise that as long as wee live we shall never want Let us therefore rejoyce and be merry For heaven is ours earth is ours God is ours Christ is ours All is ours As the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 3.21 All is yours and you are Christs and Christ is Gods The world clap their hands and crow long before it be day saying All is theirs but the children of God may say and say truly All is ours For they have a true title and proper interest through Christ in all the creatures Many are their priviledges great are their prerogatives They are free of heaven and free of earth They are the onely free Denizens of the world Christ hath purchased them their freedome Christ hath made them free and therefore they are free indeed They are free from sinne free from hell free from damnation They are at peace with God Men and Angels They are at peace with themselves They are at peace with all creatures They are young Princes Angels fellowes descended of the highest house of the bloud royall of Heaven States of Paradise and heires apparent to the immortall Crowne Therefore God hath commanded his Angels to guard them being such young Princes as they are yea hee hath given a very strait charge to all his creatures to looke to them to see to them that they want nothing that they take no hurt so jealous so chary so tender is he of them Gen. 3.2 Jonah 2. 1 King 17. Jos 10. The Angels must comfort Jacob The Whale must rescue Jonas The Raven must feed Elias The Sun and Moone must stay for Joshua Exod. 14. The Sea must divide it selfe that Moses and his people may passe thorow The fire must not burne the three Children The Lions may not devoure Daniel Dan. 3. 6. All the creatures must change their nature rather then Gods children should not be holpen and delivered Oh therefore how great is the happinesse of Gods chosen Who can expresse it who can utter it They know not their owne happinesse it is hid from them Afflictions doe cloud it troubles doe over-shadow it crosses doe dim it and there is an interposition of the earth betwixt their sight and it But this is most certaine and sure that the best is behind with the children of God all the sweet is to come Their happinesse doth not appeare in this world 1 John â— 2â— Their life is hid with Christ in God When Christ shall appeare then shall they also appeare with him in glory It doth not yet appeare what they shall be but when he cometh they shall be made like unto him Col. 3.3 4. Their names are already taken and entred into the booke of life and one day they shall be crowned One day it shall be said unto them Come yee blessed c. One day they shall enjoy his presence where is fulnesse of joy Psal 16. and at whose right hand there is pleasure for evermore Therefore let all Gods secret ones rejoyce sing and be merry For howsoever in this world they be contemned troden under the foot made no-bodies walk as shadowes being counted as the very rags of the earth and the objects of the world yet the time will come when their happinesse and felicity shall be such as never entred into the heart of man it is endlesse unspeakable and unconceivable Phil. I doe now plainly see that there is no cause why Gods people should be too heavie and dumpish in their afflictions I see that though they be not free from all afflictions yet are they free from all hurtfull afflictions For no rod no crosse no chastisement is hurtfull unto them but all in the conclusion cometh to a blessed issue Theol. You have uttered a great and a most certain truth For there is no affection or triall which God imposeth upon his children but if they endure it quietly trust in his mercy firmly and tarry his good pleasure obediently it hath a blessed and a comfortable end Therefore the people of God may well be merry in the midst of their sorrowes They may with patience and comfort submit themselves to their Fathers corrections taking them patiently and even kissing his holy rod and saying in themselves Sith my Father will have it so I am content seeing it is his mind I am willing withall As old Eli said It is the Lord 1 Sam. 3.18 let him do what he will And as David in like submission said in a certaine case Behold here am I let him doe to mee as it seemeth good in his owne eyes 2 Sam. 15.16 And againe hee saith I was dumb Psal 29. and opened not my mouth because thou Lord hast done it Behold here then the patience of Gods Saints and their humble submission unto his most holy will They know all shall end well and that maketh them glad to thinke of it I conclude then that the children of God are happie in what state soever they are happie in trouble Deut. 28. happie out of trouble happie in poverty happie in plenty blessed in sicknesse blessed in health blessed at home likewise and abroad and every way blessed But on the contrary the wicked are cursed in what state soever they are cursed in sicknesse cursed in health cursed in plenty cursed in poverty cursed in prosperity cursed in adversity cursed in honour cursed in dishonour For all things work together for their destruction Nothing doth them any good They are not any thing the better either for Gods mercies or judgements All weathers are alike unto them They are alwayes the same in prosperity and adversity they are no changelings And as we say A good yeer doth not mend them nor an ill yeer pair them Phil. You have long insisted upon this point Now proceed to the fourth sign of a mans damnation which is the contempt of the Gospel and lay open both the greatnesse of the sin and the danger of it Theol. This sinne is of another nature then the former It is a sinne against the first Table It toucheth the person of God himselfe For to contemne the Gospel it is to contemne God himselfe whose Gospel it is If to contemne the Ministers of the Gospel hee to condemne God and Christ as our Lord Iesus avoucheth how much more then Luke 10.10 to contemne the Gospel it selfe Therefore it is dangerous meddling with this sinne It is to meddle with edged tooles to meddle with Princes matters to touch the Ark to come neer the holy Mountaine which all were things full of great perill and danger Yea it is to spill the Sacrament It is Noli me tangere It is to raile at a King It is to spet God in the face It is high treason against the King of glory Therefore this sinne of all other can never be endured and may at no hand be borne withall For can a mortall King endure the contempt of his lawes Can he put up the contempt of his
externall provocations to evill The third is the want of teaching in many congregations in the Land by reason whereof many know not sin to be sin The last reason is the corruption and negligence of some such as are in authority Phil. Doth nor this inundation and over-flowing of sin with the impunity of the same prognosticate great wrath against us Theol. Yes undoubtedly as it hath in part been shewed before And there be divers other presages of wrath though not of the same kind which are these Vnthankfulnesse for the Gospel Nine predictions or sore-signes of wrath The abuse of our long peace Our secret Idolatries Our generall security Our ripenesse in all sin Our abuse of Gods mercy Our abuse of his long patience The coldnesse of Professors Our not profiting by former judgements as pestilence famine death and the shaking of the sword Phil. This last I take to be a speciall token of approaching vengeance that wee have not profited by former warnings Theol. True indeed For it is an ordinary thing with GOD when men will not profit by milde corrections and common punishments then to lay greater upon them And when a former trouble doth us no good we are to feare a finall consuming trouble For so we reade in the Prophecy of Hosea Hos 3.12 that at the first God was to Ephraim as a moth and to Judah as rottennesse but afterward when as they profited not by it he was to Ephraim as a Lion and to Judah as a Lions whelp So the Lord saith in another place that if they will not come in and yeeld obedience at the first call of his wrath then he will punish them seven times more Lev. 26.18 but if they continue in their stubbornnesse then hee threatneth to bring seven times more plagues upon them Ver. 21. according to their sins If by all these they would not be reformed but walke stubbornly against him then hee threatneth Ver. 24. yet seven times more for their sinnes Ver. 28. and the fourth time yet seven times more The proofe hereof we have in the booke of the Iudges where wee reade how the people of Israel for their sins were in subjection to the King of Aram Naharaim eight yeares afterward Judg. 3.8 because they profited nothing by it but returned to their old sinnes therefore they served Eglon King of Moab eighteen yeares Judg. 3. After that againe for their new sinnes and provocations the Lord gave them up into the hands of Midian seven yeares After all this Judg. 6.1 for the renewing of their sins the Lord sold them into the hands of the Philistims and the Ammonites Judg. 10.7 which did grievously vexe and oppresse them for the space of eighteen yeares Last of all wee reade that when neither famine Psal 103.3 nor pestilence could cause them to returne unto him then he delivered them up to the sword of their enemies and held them in bondage and captivity threescore and ten yeares After all this when they were delivered out of captivity and returned home safely to their owne Nation and enjoyed some good time of peace and rest yet at last they fell to the renewing of their sins and therefore the Lord plagued them most grievously by the divided Greeke Empire even Magog and Egypt Ezek. 3â— Seleuciae and Lagidae and that by the space almost of three hundred yeares And this is it that the Prophet Hosea did fore-tell Hos 3.4 that the children of Israel should remaine many dayes without a King and without a Prince without an Offering and without an Image without an Ephod and without a Teraphim Phil. You have very largely laid open this last token of vengeance to wit that God at the first doth but beat us upon the coat but if wee continue in sinne he will whip us on the bare skin and if men will not yeeld at the first gentle strokes then hee will strike harder and harder till hee have broken our stout stomackes and made out great hearts come downe Therefore it is good yeelding at the first for wee shall get nothing by our sturdinesse against him Wee doe but cause him to double his strokes and strike us both side-long and over-thwart for hee cannot endure that wee should gruntle against him with stubborne sullennesse But now to the point Sith there are so many presages and fore-signes of Gods wrath I pray you shew what it is that stayeth the execution and very downfall of the same Theol. The prayers and teares of the faithfull are the speciall meanes that stay the hand of God from striking of us For the prayers of the righteous are of great force with him even able to doe all things S. James saith James 5.11 that the prayer of a righteous man availeth much if it be fervent and bringeth the example of Elias to prove it For saith he Though Elias was a man subject to the like passions that wee be yet was hee able by his prayers both to open and shut the heavens Gen. 18. Abraham likewise prevailed so farre with God by his prayers for Sodome that if there had been but ten just men found in it it had been spared The Almighty God saith by his Prophet Though Moses and Samuel stood before mee Jer. 15.1 yet mine affection could not be toward this people Which doth plainly shew that Moses and Samuâ—l might have done much with him had he not been so fully bent against his people for their sins as he was So likewise hee saith in the Prophecie of Ezekiel Ezek. 14.14 Though these three men Noah Daniel and Job were amongst them they should deliver but their owne soules by their righteousnesse Which also sheweth that if there had been any possible entreating of him for the Land these three men might have done it but now hee was resolutely determined to the contrary In respect therefore that the zealous Preachers and true Professors of the Gospel doe so much prevaile with God by their prayers they are said to be the defence and strength of Kingdoms and Countries of Churches and Common-wealths as it is said of Eliah 2 Kin. 2.12 that hee was the Chariot of Israel and the Horsemen thereof 1 Kin. 6.17 Elisha also was environed with a mountaine full of horses and chariots of fire And sure it is that Eliah and Elisha are not onely the Chariots and Horsemen of Israel but also by their prayers they doe cause God himselfe to be a wall of fire round about it as the Lord saith by his Prophet 〈◊〉 22 30. I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before mee for the Land that I might not destroy it but I found none Which sheweth that if there had been but some few to have stood in the breach hee would have spared the whole Land This also appeareth more plainly in the Prophecie of Jeremy Jer. 5.
the greatnesse and extremity of the torments of Hell As the joyes of Heaven never entred into the heart of man no more did the torments of Hell All the torments and troubles that fall upon men in this life are but the sparkles of the furnace of Gods totall wrath All fires are but as it were pictures of fire in comparison of Hell fire For as one writeth Hell fire is so extremely hot that it will burne up a man seven mile before hee come at it Yet the Reprobates being alwayes in it shall never be consumed of it As the Salamander is alwayes in the fire and never consumeth so the wicked shall be alwayes in the fire of Hell and never consume For Hell is a death alwayes living and an end alwayes beginning It is a grievous thing to a man that is very sicke to lye long upon a feather bed how much more upon a hot gridiâ—on but how most of all to burn alwaies in Hell fire and never be consumed Another extremity of it consisteth in this that the torments of Hell are universall that is in every member at once head eyes tongue teeth throat stomacke back belly heart sides c. All punishments of this life are particular For some are pained in their head some in their backe some in their stomacke c. yet some particular paines are such as a man would not suffer to gaine all the world But for a man to be tormented in all parts at once what sight more lamentable who could but take pity of a dog in the street in that case Thus then we see that the extremitie of Hell torments is greater then can be conceived or uttered For who can utter that which is incomprehensible Wee can goe no further in comprehending that which is incomprehensible then to know it to be incomprehensible Phil. As you have shewed us the extremity of Hell torments so now proceed to the perpetuity Theol. The Scriptures doe set forth the perpetuity of Hell torments in saying they are for ever The wicked shall be cast into the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for ever The fire never goeth out When as many hundred thousand yeares are expired as there be stones by the Sea side yet still there be so many more to come For that which hath no end can never come to an end If all the Arithmeticians in the world were set a worke to doe nothing but number all the dayes of their life even the greatest numbers that they could possibly set downe and should in the end adde all their numbers together yet could they never come any thing neere to that length of time wherein the wicked shall be tormented If the whole circumference of the Heavens were written about with figures of Arithmeticke from the East to the West and from the West to the East againe yet could it not containe that infinite time and innumerable yeeres wherein all unbeleevers shall suffer eternall torture For in things infinite time hath no place For time is the measure of those things which are subject to measure Therefore because hell torments are infinite they cannot be measured by any time neither can that which is infinite be diminished For if you substract from that which is infinite ten thousand thousand millions of millions yet it is thereby nothing diminished or made lesse Put case a man should once in an hundred thousand yeeres take a spoonfull of water out of the great Ocean Sea how long would it be ere he had so emptied it Yet shall a man sooner empty the Sea by taking out a spoonfull once in an hundred thousand yeares then the damned soule shall have any ease Therefore a certaine Writer saith If a damned soule might be tormented in Hell but a thousand yeares and then have ease there were some comfort in it for then there would be hope it would come to an end but saith hee this word Ever killeth the heart O consider this yee that forget God O yee carnall worldlings thinke on this in time For if you will not now be moved in hearing you shall then be crushed in pieces in feeling What availeth it to live in all possible pleasures and carnall delights here for some sixty yeares and then to suffer this eternall torment what shall it profit a man to win the whole world and lose his soule They be more then mad which will hazzard their soule for a little profit and a few stinking pleasures But this is the manner of men they will have the present sweet come of it what will though they pay never so deare for it though they goe to the highest price though they lose their soules for it Oh the unspeakable blindnesse and madnesse of the men of this world The Divell hath put out their eyes and therefore leadeth them whither he lists For who cannot lead a blind man whither he lists 1 Sam. 11.2 Nahash the Ammonite would make no covenant with the Israelites but upon condition that he might put out all their right eyes So the Divell doth covenant with all the wicked to put out both their eyes that he may lead them directly into Hell Phil. Now Sir a word or two more of the remedilesnesse of Hell fire Theol. The Scriptures do affirm that as the torments of Hell are extreme so they are without all hope of remedy Psal 4â— 8 as it is written A man can by no meanes redeem his brother hee cannot give his ransome unto God so precious is the redemption of the soule and the continuance for ever To this purpose Abraham said to the rich man Luk. 16.16 being in Hell torments Betwixt you and us there is a great gulfe set so that they which would goe from hence to you cannot neither can they come from thence to us Our Lord Iesus also saith 〈◊〉 19. What shall a man give for the recompence of his soule Where our Saviour doth plainly affirme that there is no ransome or recompence though never so great to be given for a damned soule For the soule being in Hell can never be released it is past remedy no meanes whatsoever can doe any good no gold no silver no friends no riches no power no policy no flattery no bribery no reach no fetch or device whatsoever can prevaile one jot for a man being once in Hell hath no remedy hee is in close prison he is shut up under the hatches for ever there is no getting out againe he must suffer perpetuall imprisonment Hee cannot bring a writ of false imprisonment because he is laid in by the most righteous and just Iudge who cannot possibly doe any wrong but hee must lye by it For being there once he is there for ever If all the Angels of Heaven should intreat for a damned soule if Abraham Isaac and Jacob should make great suit if all the Prophets Apostles and Martyrs should be continuall solicitors to Christ for release if the father should make request
glory and the great peace and comfort of our owne consciences Strengthen us good Father by thy grace and holy Spirit against the common corruptions of the world as pride whoredome covetousnesse contempt of thy Gospel swearing lying dissembling and deceiving O deare Father let us not be overcome of these filthy vices nor any other sinfull pleasures fond delights wherewith thousands are carried head-long to destruction Arme our soules against all the temptations of this world the flesh and the Divell that wee may overcome them all through thy help and keep on the right way to life that wee may live in thy feare and dye in thy favour that our last dayes may be our best dayes and that wee may end in great peace of conscience Furthermore deare Father we intreat thee not onely for our selves but for all our good brethren thy deare children scattered over the face of the whole earth most humbly beseeching thee to blesse all them to cheere them up and glad them with the joy of thy countenance both now and alwayes Guide them all in thy feare and keep them from evill that they may praise thy Name In these dangerous dayes and declining times wee pray thee O Lord raise up nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers unto thy Church Raise up also faithfull Pastours that thy cause may be carried forward Truth may prevaile Religion may prosper thy Name onely may be set up in the earth thy Sons Kingdome advanced and thy will accomplished Set thy selfe against all adversary power especially that of Rome Antichrist Idolatry and Atheisme curse and crosse all their counsels frustrate their devices scatter their forces overthrow their armies When they are most wise let them be most foolish when they are most strong let them be most weake Let them know that there is no wisdome nor counsell power nor policie against thee the Lord of hosts Let them know that Israel hath a God and that thou which art called Jehovah art the onely Ruler over all the world Arise therefore O most mighty God and maintain thine owne cause against all thine enemies smite thorow all their loines and bow downe their backes yea let them all be confounded and turned backward that beare ill will unto Sion Let the patient abiding of the righteous be joy and let the wicked be disappointed of their hope But of all favour wee intreat thee O Lord to shew speciall mercie to thy Church in this Land wherein wee live Continue thy Gospel amongst us yet with greater successe purge thy House daily more and more take away all things that offend Let this Nation still be a place where thy Name may be called upon and an harbour for thy Saints Shew mercy to our posterity deare Father and have care of them that thy Gospel may be left unto them as a most holy inheritance Defend us against forraigne invasion keep out Idolatry and Popery from amongst us Turne from us those plagues which our sins cry for For the sins of this Land are exceeding great horrible and outrageous and give thee just cause to make us spectacles of thy vengeance to all Nations that by how much the more thou hast lifted us up in great mercy and long peace by so much the more thou shouldest presse us downe in great wrath and long warre Therefore deare Father woe most humbly intreat thee for thy great Names sake and for thy infinite mercies sake that thou wouldest be reconciled to this Land and discharge it of all the horrible sins thereof Drown them O Lord in thy infinite mercy through Christ as it were in a bottomlesse gulfe that they may never rise up in judgement against us For although our sins be exceeding many and fearfull yet thy mercie is farre greater For thou art infinite in mercy but wee cannot be infinite in sinning Give us not over into the hands of the Idolaters lest they should blaspheme thy Name and say Where is their God in whom they trusted But rather deare Father take us into thine owne hands and correct us according to thy wisdome for with thee is mercie and deep compassion Moreover wee most heartily beseech thy good Majestie to blesse our most gracious Soveraigne King Charles Queene Mary Prince Charles and the rest of the Royall Progenie We beseech thee also to blesse his Majesties most honourable privie Counsellors counsell them from above let them take advice of thee in all things that they may both consult and resolve of such courses as may be most for thy glory the good of the Church and peace of this our Common-wealth Blesse the Nobility and all the Magistrates of the Land giving them all grace to execute judgement and justice and to maintaine truth and equitie Blesse all the faithfull Ministers of the Gospel increase the number of them increase thy gifts in them and so blesse all their labours in their severall places and congregations that they all may be instruments of thy hand to enlarge thy Sons Kingdome and to win many unto thee Comfort the comfortlesse with all needfull comforts Forget none of thine that are in trouble but as their afflictions are so let the joyes and comforts of thy Spirit be unto them and so sanctifie unto all thine their afflictions and troubles that they may tend to thy glory and their owne good Give us thankfull hearts for all thy mercies both spirituall and corporall for thou art very mercifull unto us in the things of this life and infinitely more mercifull in the things of a better life Let us deeply ponder and weigh all thy particular favours toward us that by the due consideration thereof our hearts may be gained yet neerer unto thee and that therefore we may both love and obey thee because thou art so kind and loving unto us that even thy love towards us may draw our love towards thee and that because mercy is with thee thou maist be feared Grant these things good Father and all other needfull graces for our soules or bodies or any of thine throughout the whole world for Jesus Christs sake in whose Name wee further call upon thee as he hath taught us in his Gospel saying Our Father which art in Heaven c. A Prayer to be used at any time by one alone privately O Lord my God and heavenly Father I thy most unworthy childe do here in thy sight freely confesse that I am a most sinfull creature and damnable transgressour of all thy holy Lawes and Commandements that as I was born and bred in sin and stained in the womb so have I continually brought forth the corrupt and ugly fruits of that infection and contagion wherein I was first conceived both in thoughts words and workes If I should goe about to reckon up my particular offences I knew not where to begin or where to make an end For they are more then the haires of my head yea far more then I can possibly feele or know For who knoweth the height and depth
of their beards end where they began end with nothing as they began with nothing end with a winding sheet as they began with swadling clouts For what is become of the greatest Monarthes Kings Princes Potentates and Magnificoes that ever the World had Where is Cyrus Darius Xerxes Alexander Caesar Pompey Scipio and Hannibal Where are the valiant Henries and noble Edwards of England Are they not all gone downe to the house of oblivion Are they not all returned to their dust and their thoughts perish Though they were as gods yet have they dyed as men and are fallen like others Who now careth for them who talketh of them who feareth them who regardeth them do not beggers tread upon them Yet while they lived they were the lords of the world they were as terrible as lions fearefull to all men full of pomp and glory dignity and majesty They ploughed up all things they bare all before them and who but they But now they have given up the ghost Job 30.23 and are as Job saith gone down to the house appointed for all the living Their pomp is descended with them and all their glory is buried in the ashes They are now covered under a clod cast out into a vault made companions to toads and the worms do eat them and what is become of their souls is most of all to be feared Thus wee see how all flesh doth but make a vaine shew for a while upon this Theatre of misery fetcheth a compasse about and is presently gone For as the Poet saith Seriùs aut citiùs sedem properamus ad unam First or last wee must all to the grave As You have made a very good speech it doth me good to hear it I wonder all these things considered that men should be so wholly given to this world as they are I think the Divell hath bewitched them for they shall carry nothing with them when they die but their good deeds and their ill Theol. The drudges and snudges of this world may very fitly be compared to a Kings Sumpter-horse which goeth loaden all the day long with as much gold and treasure as he can bear but at night his treasure is taken from him hee is turned into a sorty dirty stable and hath nothing left him but his galled backe Even so the rich Cormorants and Caterpillers of the earth which here have treasured and hoorded up great heaps of gold and silver with the which they travell loaden thorow this world shall in the end be stript out of all let downe into their grave and have nothing left them but their galled consciences with the which they shall be tumbled down into the dungeon of eternall darknesse Phil. Wherein doth the sting and strength of this world especially consist Theol. Even as the great strength of Samson lay in his haire so the great strength of the world lyeth in her two breastes the one of pleasure the other of profit For shee like a notable strumpet by laying out of these her breasts doth bewitch the sons of men and allureth thousands to her lust For if shee cannot win them with the one breast yet shee gaineth them with the other if not with pleasure then with profit if not with profit then with pleasure Hee is an odde man of a thousand that sucketh not of the one breast or the other But sure it is which soever hee sucketh hee shall bee poysoned For shee giveth none other milke but ranke poyson The world therefore is like to an alluring Jael Judg. 4. â—1 which sitteth at her doore to entice us to come in and eat of the milke of her pleasures but when shee hath once got us in shee is ready even while wee are eating with her hammer and her naile to pierce thorow our braines Phil. I see plainely this world is a very strumpet a strong baite and a snaring net wherein thousands are taken It is very bird-lime which doth so belime our affections that they cannot ascend upward It is like the weights of a clocke hanged upon our soules which draw them downe to the earth it naileth us fast downe to the ground it mortereth us into clay it maketh us abominable unto God For I remember God made a law That whosoever goeth with his breast upon the ground Levit. 11. should be abominable unto us How much more these carnall worldlings which are fast sodred to the earth Theol. The Apostle Saint James seeing into the deep wickednesse of this world and knowing right well how odious it maketh us in the sight of God cryeth out against it terming it adultery and all worldings adulterers because they forsake Christ their true husband and whorishly give their hearts to this world James 4. O yee adulterers and adulteresses saith hee know ye not that the amity of this world is the enmity of God whosoever therefore will be made a friend to this world makes himselfe the enemy of God And who dare stand forth and say I will bee the enemy of God who therefore dares be a worldling for every worldling is the enemy of God what then will become of you O yee wicked worldlings Phil. It appeareth then plainely by the Scriptures that the excessive love of this world and unsatiable desire of having is a most dangerous thing and men doe they know not what in seeking so greedily after it Theol. The Heathen man will â—ise up in judgement against us for hee saith Sophocles Unsatiablenesse is the foulest evill among mortall men But many of our sea-gulfes and whirl-pools make no conscience of it They think it is no sinne they devour and swallow up all and yet are never satisfied They will have all and more then a l and the Divell and all The whole world cannot satisfie their mind but God must create new worlds to content them These men are sick of the golden dropsie the more they have the more they desire The love of money increaseth as money it selfe increaseth But the Scripture saith Hee that loveth silver shall not bee satisfied with silver Eccles 5.9 Oh therefore that wee would strive earnestly to get out of this gulfe of hell Apoc. 12.2 and tread the Moon that is all worldly things under our feet as it is spoken of the Church and that wee would set our affections on the things that are above and not on the things that are beneath that wee would flie an high pitch and soare alâ—ft as the Eagles looking downe at this world and all things in it as at our feet contemning it and treading the very glory of it under our feet that it may never have more power over us Phil. O happy and twice happy are they that can do so and I beseech the Almighty God to give us his holy Spirit whereby wee may be carried above this world into the mountaines of spices For how happy a thing is it to have our conversation in heaven that is to have an
inward conversation with God by much prayer reading meditation and heavenly affections This indeed is to climbe up above the world and to converse in the chambers of peace O therefore that wee would seriously and throughly conceive and consider of this world as it is that wee would well weigh the vanity of it and the excellency of that which is to comâ— that so wee might loath the one and love the other despise the one and imbrace the other love God more then ever wee did and this world lesse For what is this world but vanity of vanities Antil You do exceedingly abase that which some make their god You speak contemptuously of that which most men have in greatest price and admiration You disgrace that which multitudes would grace You make light of that which numbers make greatest account of Let us therefore heare your reasons Shew us more fully what it is describe it unto us Theol. The world is a sea of glasse a pageant of fond delights a theatre of vanity a labyrinth of errour a gulfe of griefe a stye of filthinesse a vale of misery a spectacle of woe a river of teares a stage of deceit a cage full of Owles a den of Scorpions a wildernesse of Wolves a cabbin of Bears a whirle-winde of passions a fained Comedy a delectable phrensie where is false delight assured griefe certain sorrow uncertaine pleasure lasting woe fickle wealth long heavinesse short joy Phil. Now you have indeed described it to the full and layed it out as it were in orient colours And a man would think he were bewitched or stark mad which hereafter should set his minde on it But yet I am desirous to heare a little more of that which I asked you before wherein the strength and poyson of the world doth especially consist Theol. In this lyeth a great strength of the world that it draweth down the stars of heaven and maketh them fall to the earth as it is said of the Dragons taile Rev. 12. which is ambition covetousnesse and the love of this world For wee may wonder and lament to see how the love of these things hath wounded and over-borne many excellent servants of God both Preachers and Professours of the Gospel which thing doth plainely argue the strength of it For it is the strongest and the very last engine that Sathan useth to impugne us withall when none other will prevaile For when no temptation could fasten upon Christ hee bringeth forth this last weapon which never faileth Matth. 4. All these things will I give thee shewing him the glory of the whole world So then hee having experience of this that it never faileth thought to have overcome Christ himselfe with it Here therefore lyeth the very sting and strength of the world and the Divell For whom hath hee not taken with All these things will I give thee whom hath hee not wounded whom hath hee not deceived whom hath hee not overthrowne With this hee enticed Balaam with this he beguiled Achan with this hee overthrew Judas with this hee bewitched Demas with this in these our dayes hee deceiveth many of excellent gifts For assuredly hee is a Phoenix amongst men which is not overcome with this He is a wonderment of the world that is not moved with money Phil. I am now fully satisfied for this matter But one thing cometh often into my mind to wit that these miserable worldlings can have no sound comfort in their pleasures and profits because they have no comfort in God nor peace in their own consciences Theol. You say very true It is impossible that men loving this world should have any sound comfort in God For no man can serve two masters both God and riches Their case therefore is very dangerous and fearfull though they never see it nor feele it as I will shew you by a plaine example Put case one of these great rich worldlings should bee cloathed in velvet and cloth of gold in most stately manner and also should bee set at his table furnished with all the dainties of the world should bee attended and waited upon by many in most lordly and poâ—pous manner should sit in his goodly dining chamber all glittering like gold should have his first second and third service served in with minstrels and instruments of musick in most royall sort hee sitting in his chaire like a King in his throne yet for all this if a dagger should bee held to his heart all this while ready to stab him what pleasure what joy what comfort could he have in all the rest Even so whatsoever pomp and pleasures wicked worldlings have here below yet their guilty and hellish conscience is as it were a dagger held alwayes hard to their heart so as they can have no found comfort in any thing Or let mee give it you thus Put case a man hath committed high treason and were therefore apprehended arraigned and condemned to be hanged drawne and quartered what then can comfort a man in this case can mirth can musick can gold can silver can lands can livings No no none of all these can help him or give him any comfort For the continuall thoughts of death doe so gripe him at the heart that none of all these can doe him any good or any whit mitigate his griefe What then is the thing that can comfort him in this case Only a pardon sealed with the Kings broad seale and subscribed with his owne hand For assoone as hee hath got this his heavie heart reviveth and leaâ—eth for joy This then assuredly is the very case of all profane Atheists and worldlings who are not assured of the King of heaven his pardon for their sinne and then what joy can they have either in their meat drink goods cattell wives children lands revenues or any thing whatsoever For the dreadfull thoughts of hell doe estsoones crosse them inwardly and quite damp and dash all their mirth Their owne consciences will not bee stilled but in most terrible manner rise up and give evidence against them telling them flatly they shall bee damned how merry and jocond soever they seeme to bee in this world setting a good face on the matter For sure it is that inwardly they have many a cold pull and many heart-gripes And all their mirth and jollity is but a giggling from the teeth outward they can have no sound comforâ— within And therefore the wiâ—e King saith Even in laughter the heart is sorrowfull Prov. 14.12 and the end of that mirth is heavinesse Job 27.20 Likewise saith the holy man Job Terrours of conscience come upon the wicked man like waters in the night a whirle-wind carrieth him away secretly Eliphas the Temanite avouched the same point Job 15.20 saying The wicked man is continually as one that travelleth of childe a sound of fear is in his ears c. Thus then we see that howsoever many carnall Atheists and ungodly persons seem outwardly to float aloft in