imposeth a necessitie on him to loue the one and hate the other to lose the one and to gaine the other Therefore as much as wee retayne of this corrupt felicitie so much doe we abate of true Happinesse and the roome that is giuen to the one is denyed to the other And surely too true it is that euen after our Regeneration there abides a great remnant of our proud corruption It is of kin to the Serpent which perswaded it when the head of it is broken in pieces the tayle will still bee moouing And in what degree this corruption remaineth in that degree is grace abated but in what degree this swelling euill is abated in the same degree is Grace increased Therefore if we be much proud wee are much gracelesse if we be much humble we be much gracious Wherefore let vs take vp Humilitie which as a Corrosiue will fret away the proud flesh make way for the prosperitie of the liuely and quickning Spirit Towards this let vs consider that the Naturall Man being stuft vp with himselfe and not regarding any thing beyond the Lust and Law of his owne heart sits downe in himselfe and takes vp his rest Sabbath and felicitie in his owne imagination But while God is vnregarded and vnsought he also as little regardeth these vnregarders yea hee beholdeth the proud a-far-off He knowes the weight and end of their swelling that it is Nothing that ere long it shall come to Nothing and that at last these swellers must come before him as a Iudge who refused him here for a Sauiour and happinesse On the other side the spirituall Man plainly seeth that this imaginarie happinesse of pride is true miserie since Man the more hee stands vpon himselfe without God the more weakly wretchedly he stands and the fuller Man is of himselfe the fuller is he of Corruption Vanitie and Miserie Therefore desireth hee to goe out of himselfe into God to vnlade himselfe of himselfe that hee may be filled with God hee purgeth his heart of the tree of false knowledge that he may satiate it with the Tree of Life And Humilitie hauing thus fulfilled her Worke then enters Grace into the Soule so swept and trimmed for the same God who resisteth the Proud giueth Grace to the humble God will be a welcome and not a fulsome Guest he loues not to come when there is no neede of him he desires not to thrust vnnecessarie Happines vpon Men sufficiently happie But the hungrie soules hee filleth with good things he guideth the meeke humble in his wayes and the poore in Spirit are allowed only to receiue the Gospell These haue set open their doores to the King of Glorie they haue forgotten their Fathers house euen their naturall condition and therefore the LORD hath pleasure in their beautie His Light takes pleasure yea gets Glory in comming into confessed Darknesse his Grace is delighted and magnified by pardoning and sanctifying an acknowledged corruption and his blessednesse reioyceth in blessing apparant and desperate miserie Wherefore let vs striue for a practicall skill of this profitable humilitie that by not louing our selues wee may loue our soules best by the greatest emptinesse we may purchase the most true happy fulnesse To this end let vs euer be pricking the tumours of our nature that we die not of a spirituall Timpany Let vs striue to make our selues nothing that hee which made all things of nothing may make some-thing of vs. Let vs willingly walke downe into the Vale of humilitie from whence God calls for all whom hee exalteth vp to his holy Mountaine And for the furtherance of this holy vertue let watchfulnes vndertake as a speciall part of this taske to marke the first swellings of the heart that they may bee abated as soone as lifted vp Let no degree bee allowed to that which so much as it is so much euill so much losse it is so much haue wee offended God and so much haue wee abated his Grace But still let vs be paring and fretting off the proud flesh with meditations of our owne naturall miserie and miserable condition with the asperitie of the exercises of Humiliation with feruent and violent Prayer sent vp to the Giuer of perfect gifts Let vs intreate him that hee will discouer vnto vs our selues himselfe our owne vilenesse his Glory that so wee may rightly glory in Gods true Glorie not like Fooles in our owne shame In our Meditations let vs fasten our eies on the wickednesse of Man the wretchednes deseruedly annexed to it In our wicked corruption let vs first see our owne blindnes and bring our darknesse into the light There shall we see that we see little or nothing yea in the mayne matters of our life such as are our beginning and end whence we come and whither wee goe wee are naturally blind Therefore our life is but a thing at randome without knowing what it doth and wherefore it is And if we haue gotten a little knowledge then let vs behold our filthinesse How doe wee defile our selues in the things which wee know how weake are our resolutions of Pietie Vertue they are like a Mist or the Morning dew blown away and dryed vp with euery blast of Temptation So that they seeme to be set vp only for shewes and to stand no longer then nothing toucheth them But the motions of our concupiscence are strong and continuall The flesh of Man is powerfull vpon the Soule and in Man that opinion is verified that the Earth runs round and the Heauen stands still For there breatheth vp from the defiled bodie euen the Earth of Man a continuall and mightie Venom which by perpetuall motion changeth the aspect and influence of the heauenly Soule as it selfe lifteth But the whiles it fastneth and nayleth the Soule that shee cannot stir about her owne businesse of Immortalitie but shee must wholly fixe and employ her selfe in a carefull studie how to execute fitly the lusts of this beastly dust And if at any time the Soule lothing the filth and mire wherewith shee hath sullied her selfe euen to vglinesse lay downe a plot for repentance euen for the clean washing of her face how soone doth the old dirt of sinne spowt into her visage again so that her businesse in this life if it be a life of penitence seemes to be nothing but a washing of that which is fouled and a fouling of that which was washed and if wee turne our eyes from this filthines vnto the bordering wretchednesse we shall find our selues subiect to a thousand infirmities Miserie Vanitie haue both liuerie and seisin in vs and we are their Tenants for terme of life One trouble calleth to another as the waues of the Sea and miseries like Beacons giue notice one to the other vntill the whole life of man bee set on fire The sound of the old is but newly gon out of our eares but there is a new which presently
but God but willeth and desireth him as the onely felicitie when the will toward the attaynment of this felicitie dependeth trusteth and leaneth on no other meanes but Christ Iesus but on Christ it resteth fully as the onely Mediator of happinesse when the will toward the attaynment of Christ and the vertues of his mediation yeeldeth it selfe vp to no other humane inuention but fully and wholly surrenders it selfe to the holy Ghost regenerating newbegetting then is Christ sealed in thy heart hee is come into thee and his feet tread on the very bottome of thy soule Thou hast taken vp thy rest in him and hee hath taken vp his rest in thee and this is the inward Sabbath of this life and an earnest beginning of the eternall Sabbath Accordingly hee calls out vnto Man My sonne giue mee thy heart for in the hearts of men is the Throne of his Kingdome and except hee raigne in our hearts wee cannot raigne in his glorie Thy knowledge of God in Christ must not bee dead but effectuall and working and the worke thereof must be the kindling of a seruent loue dependance and affiance in thy will and affections Thy will againe must worke by this dependance and loue and the worke thereof must be a dedication and resignation of all vnto God in Christ taking possession of thee by the Spirit Till thou commest to this point thou art short of happinesse For this is the Centre of descending to the Spirit of Christ and in the very ground of the hart doth the Spirit onely fasten his rootes Wherefore giue the inmost of thy heart to the Spirit of blessednes and know that in giuing thou dost rather receiue then giue For thy gift is but the gift of a sinfull heart that which belongeth to it and serueth it But thy receit is the receit of the Spirit of Life Ioy eternal Wherefore it concernes thee not to be niggardly to thy own soule for as much of thy soule as thou keepest so much of it thou losest and as much as thou giuest so much dost thou crowne with happines Thou maist perchance thinke it inough to beleeue he is thine but if thou haue no better warrant then such a thought hee may not bee thine For thou beleeuest that hee is thine too soone if thou beleeuest it before this worke of faith hath in some measure wrought home vpon thee It is not a rash presumption nor a bare thought that can snatch at Christ make him thine it must cost thee thy selfe before thou haue him The getting of Christ is by the way of traffike thou must not thinke wholly to gaine vpon him but as much as wee would haue him to bee ours so much must wee striue to yeeld our selues to bee his CHRISTS Kingdome is a Kingdome of power and hee will enter into thee as a King of power and it is not a bare imagination that makes way for this Kingdome but an affiance of the heart which actually and effectually surrenders vs vp to his Scepter and Rule Therefore the best way is hereby to get him first into thee and after to beleeue he is thine Many haue lost Christ because not hauing him they thought they had him For they sought not him whom they thought they had and so lost him who is found by seeking But on the other side if thou hast felt the depth of this faith though in a narrow breadth know that Christ is thine for whom thou hast ceased to be thine owne As much as thou hast gone out of thy selfe to possesse him so much hath he entred into thee to posesse thee so much as thou leauest to Christ yeeldest thy selfe to the renew ing of his Spirit so much dost thou knit Christ vnto thee and so much thou drawest yea suckest his Spirit into the innermost part of thy soule Hee who is Goodnesse it selfe and dyed for vs when we were sinners cannot restraine his Spirit from vs when with a full trust wee haue cast our selues wholly vpon him and with a whole resignation haue giuen vp our selues fully vnto him Hee who is Loue cannot resist loue but hee is ouercome and taken by the feruour of our hungrie and thirstie soules giues vs to drinke freely of the waters of Life Christ is the Phisician of our soules and to be cured by him we must deale with him as with a Phisician Now to be cured by a Phisician it is not inough only to beleeue that the Phisician can cure vs nor that hee will cure vs but this confidence in the Phisician must worke in vs a willingnesse and resolution to take and admit his receits by which he may cure vs. Euen so it is betweene Christ and our sicke soules it is not inough barely to think that Christ can cure vs or that hee will cure vs but our beliefe must open the mouth of our soules to receiue his medicines giuen vs in the Cup of saluation This Cup of saluation is the Spirit by which he communicates to vs his Redemption his Holinesse his Eternitie Therefore must we so belieue that we receiue Christ for such onely as receiue him haue the prerogatiue to bee the sonnes of God so must we beleeue that we bee baptized with the holy Ghost for those onely who are so baptized shall bee saued And if we thus beleeue hee who neuer sent away any vncured of their corporall infirmities that sought him here on earth surely hee will not denie his sauing health to any beleeuing soule that thus heartily thirsts after him sitting in heauen For the spirituall phisicke was Christs truest most proper profession and the cure of bodies was especially to draw our faith thereby to behold beleeue receiue his cure of soules Therefore especially yee sicke soules bee of good comfort for you the Master calleth especially But when yee come to him remember that yee desire to bee cured of the whole spirituall maladie euen of sin and of sinfulnesse of the corruption of sinne as well as of the guilt and miserie that follow it For Christ will enter into none to cure the death of sin but withall hee will giue death vnto sinne neither will he by his Spirit giue any one the Life of glorie to whom by the same Spirit hee doth not first giue the life of Pietie CHAP. II. How a Man may get this facultie which vniteth Man to God BVt Man is brutish and sensuall both in vnderstanding will and so it is impossible for him while he is such to discerne a spirituall happinesse and the meanes of attayning it and much more hard it is to esteeme and loue the one or other Hee beleeues that which hee sees he loues that which he tastes and feeles but his grosse palate doth not rellish this celestiall and vnpalpable happines Therefore Man must bee lifted vp aboue this low estate of sensuall and carnall knowledge and to effect this there needes a second hand of the first
Creator If the bodily sight be extinguished He which made the first sight can only make a new and when the eye of the soule is so farre put out that it seeth not him that made it He that made it only can giue it a new sight whereby himselfe may bee seene Wherefore if thou which readest thus farre yet beleeuest not what thou readest I wonder not for I know what thou art I looke not that blindnesse should see or carnalitie should sauour spirituall ioyes Thou art bounded with thy owne flesh which is thy Horizon limit of discerning Thy candle cannot see thorow the thicke Lanterne of thy bodie to perceiue the mysterie of the blessednes of Spirits nor the glorie that is aboue the vaile of this visible heauen But perchance thou wilt aske If the opening of the eyes be from God alone to what purpose shall aduice begiuen to thee in a matter that lyeth not in thee and which is not effected by aduice but by supernaturall operation To this I answere That although the power that must inlighten thee doth descend from aboue yet vsually it doth communicate it selfe vnto vs by the seruice of certaine meanes left with vs here below Againe when grace doth first breathe vpon vs it worketh by degrees which degrees being by some neglected or misconstrued it hath bred vnto them a greater difficultie hardnesse of trauaile in the new birth but being perceiued and duely entertayned they turne into Testimonials vnto vs yea to incouragements vnto farther degrees of grace But if thou aske mee againe how thou shalt like or vse the meanes when thou neither seest nor likest the happines intended by the meanes To this I must reply That without God thou canst not so much as loue the meanes yet as a naturall man thou mayest consider these things following first If thou looke into the best sort of heauenly Philosophers thou shalt see among them Men wise and vnderstanding iust righteous inioying both wealth and honour and if thou talke with those Men they will tell thee seriously that they most certainly see and feele an estate of happinesse and that they came to the sight of such an estate by frequenting the meanes left with vs here on earth Secondly if thou wilt search some special works of men thou shalt finde Writers of vndeniable worthines who by Miracles Prophesies Oracles Successe and Victorie against oppositions haue proued the veritie of Christian learning it being impossible that a Doctrine mainly contrarie to flesh bloud should be aduanced so much among men whose very frame is flesh bloud without the maintenance of an Omnipotent LORD Thirdly doe but consider what this Doctrine which is the instrument meanes of Life proposeth to thee and requireth of thee It proposeth to thee an eternall felicitie it requireth of thee Pietie and Puritie things of themselues desireable excellent But thou wilt say that this puritie will cost thee deare for it is sure to cost thee all thy sinfull pleasures and may cost thee much paine yea thy life it selfe But to this I may answere That though it may cost thee something yet vpon the matter it loseth thee nothing for whatsoeuer pleasures of sinne thou canst inioy being inioyed they dye and come to nothing yea life it selfe comes at last to nothing that for nothing so the condition required of thee is onely this That what shall be nothing if it be may be nothing by not being and to incourage thee herein thou hast for aduantage an aduenture for Eternitie In summe thou art required at the most but to lose that which will bee lost for an happinesse which may and shall be found for euer Yea for these grosse pleasures euen in this life thou shalt haue ioyes vnspeakeable Howsoeuer whether thou receiue the meanes of happinesse or refuse it certaine it is that to all those that receiue the Life of blessednesse the Doctrine of God left vnto vs in writing and vnfolded by his seruants properly deputed to this office is the vsuall conueyance of this life God alone inuented and conceiued the remedie of Mans miserie and a way from miserie vnto felicitie The same God who onely knew it could only tell it and only by telling can men know and beleeue it and only by knowing and beleeuing can men striue toward it and so finally attaine it So wee see that men must know and beleeue happines to obtain it and happinesse must bee taught if they will know beleeue it and to teach this happinesse there needeth a word of Reuelation and to reueile this GOD himselfe must speake vnto vs who alone was the Founder and Knower of this mysterie Therefore must we esteeme this Word highly as a great second Mercy by which the first great Mercy is de liuered to vs. Before this Doctrine our happines was lockt vp in Gods vnsearchable purpose but by this Doctrine happinesse is reached out to vs and issueth from the heart of God into the heart of Man Wherefore let vs be farre from accounting it a vaine Word for it is our life and the length of our dayes and by it wee receiue eternall Life from the Ancient of daies For while it is taught vnto vs without the Vertue and Spirit of God entreth into vs within and makes vs capable of that happinesse which is taught vnto vs. Now the degrees by which this Spirit vsually worketh vpon vs are these First it causeth vs somewhat to discerne allow the truth of this Word And next it moues a desire of more knowledge and of a greater taste of the Word of Life which is also made knowne to God in Prayer And at length the heart is moued with so seruent a loue vnto it that it desires to be wholly sauoured salted and seasoned therewith that the naturall Man may no longer liue in the heart but that CHRISTS Kingdome may bee set vp therein And so the Word or CHRIST in and by the Word becomes the Treasure of the heart and therefore from thenceforth the heart is euer thinking on his treasure it thirsts after it it seekes it with eye and eare But that thou maist not be discouraged in thy first beginnings thou must also know in what manner and order the Doctrine and Art of felicitie doth present it selfe vnto thee It will first offer to thy knowledge and meditation the lamentable face of humane miserie so that thy flesh perchance will feare to goe on halfe despairing how thou canst euer come through so great miserie vnto felicitie But feare not the beginning and the end are contrarie Thy naturall estate is indeede very miserable And this Doctrine doth not make it to be so but shewes it to bee so The corruption of nature made thee miserable and hid thy miserie from thee and so made thee contentedly to continue in miserie But this Doctrine sheweth thee thy miserie that by shewing it it may cure it It shewes thee indeede the vgly face of thy
miserie but not to this end onely to terrifie thee but that by terrifying it may make thee runne a-pace from miserie to felicitie Wherefore take courage and come with mee profitably to behold the countenance of miserie which as heretofore hath beene mentioned presents it selfe in a double aspect the miserie of corruption and the miserie of punishment inflicted on this corruption To discouer thy corruption thou shalt finde a strict and seuere Law the Counter-pane whereof is placed in thine owne heart and when thou comparest thy actions with this Law thou canst not choose but say thou art a Creature falne from the dutie of thy Creation for ill doe thy actions become him whom the Creator hath appointed to bee his seruant and the Lord of the World Now if thy deedes bee so vnrighteous in the sight of thy Maker how must not that highest Lord be displeased exceedingly with these lower Lords when hee seeth his perfection and Iustice crossed and contraryed with their imperfection iniustice when hee seeth his Creatures hyred by so many inestimable benefits only to doe him the seruice of Righteousnesse which is a thing of it selfe to bee loued to renounce their allegeance yea to rebell against their Creator with a course of opposition and to loue wickednesse more then a bountifull God commanding Righteousnesse Surely the wrath of the Almightie must needes smoke against such Traytors and rebellious Runnagates And if the Lyon rore how shall not the Beasts of the Forrests bee afraid Hence therefore the miserie of our corruption leades vs to the consideration of the miserie of punishment And that there is such a connexion betweene sinne punishment reason experience Gods owne Word do teach vs. Reason tells vs that hee who hath brought this great frame to an vnitie consisting of disagreeing parts by proportiō weight and measure is himselfe a God of Wisedome Order and Proportion And if he bee such hee must needes expect that Creatures of Reason Vnderstanding should also obserue Order Iustice and Righteousnesse For to say the truth as by this harmonie the Word was founded so by the same is it still preserued But if these Creatures which haue in them a power of resembling pleasing their Maker crosse him with a crosse of contrarie actions it must needes be expected that the Lord being crossed by his seruants in disobedience must also crosse them in punishment and being mightily inraged hee will returne the malice of their owne works on their owne heads Now wee know as the person is so is his wrath and as the wrath is so is the punishment An infinite person an infinite Wrath and an infinite punishment The very instincts of decayed Nature haue inspired the acknowledgement hereof into the terrifyed hearts of guiltie selfe-accusing Heathens who not knowing God but by the knowledge of nature yet because of their wicked liues vpon the hearing of thunder and tempests haue feared and shunned the furie of an Omnipotent Iustice. But now I shall little need to tell thee what experience hath already taught thee For I doubt not but to most that consider the life of Man it hath appeared that the mayne course of humane life is a connexion or succession of vnrighteousnesse and wretchednesse Man liueth as out of the sight of his Maker and Man liueth as out of the cherishing and fostering of his Maker being generally thrust out vnto a warre against brambles and bryers against the barrennesse and staruednesse of a cursed earth which he must resist and ouer-come with the sweat of his browes Yea each man eateth other men though not with the teeth of the body yet with the iawes of a fraudulent ouer-reaching and violent soule And yet there are further miseries wayting vpon Mischiefe for besides visible and palpable examples of sudden iustice executed and sent from heauen vpon diuers eminent and outragious crimes wee see in generall that this sinfull life at the best is but wise vanitie pleasant vanitie or glorious vanitie and at the worst vexation of spirit vexation of body losse of goods and losse of friends Yea Man is but a piece of reasonable miserie He hath reason to fore-see miserie and so to take it to his hart when reason cannot preuent it reason to fore-see death but not to auoid it For as sure as wickednesse is present so sure shal death be present for death and sinne wee see daily are in euery Man vnseparable Now the combining of sin and miserie in this bodily life for this life concernes the body most the soule least and so doth the misery of this life points our expectation to another life euen that there shall bee a pursuit of punishment after sinne in that life which is most proper to the soule that then the bodily miseries of this life shall bee seconded with spirituall torments But if we leaue these darker characters of reason and experience and come to diuine Reuelations there wee may reade running the fall and miserie of Man And these before are described out of the same holy Writings but here again they must be considered by the Learner of the doctrine of happinesse that by the full search and tenting of his miserie his miserie may be cured Briefly therefore to speake what hath beene spoken hee shall finde in Gods Word that wickednesse and sinne is the transgression of the Law that the Law being transgressed and offended is the ministerie of death That this death is both of soule and body in an eternall darkenesse absence from God who is Light yea in an eternall suffering of the fire of the wrath of God For Gods wrath is a Worme a Fire euer feeding on the tormented soules and bodies of disobedient wicked and sinfull men And now when thou hast found thy selfe a sinner and findest also the terror wrath of God against sinners I know thou canst not chuse but thinke thy selfe awhile the child of death and thy estate fearefull Thou wilt cry Wo is mee a man of sorrow and Wretched man that I am and call thy body a body of death But as I told thee before this terror is but thy way and not thy wayes end It is but thy entrance into happinesse yea it is thy aduancement vnto happinesse For the burthen of thy miserie will moue thee to seeke for one to ease and refresh thee The bitternes of thy wretchednesse will make thee more comfortably to rellish the sweetnesse of a Sauiour and the fearefulnesse of the Valley of death will make thee more stedfastly to list vp thy eies to the Hil of God from whence commeth thy saluation And surely this fruit of Humilitie doth God expect before he will exalt Hee will haue vs confesse our miserie to be fearefull and desperate in it selfe he will haue vs to feele it to bee a burthen intolerable we must tell him in wordes and deedes that we are weary and ouer-heauy laden and then is it for his glorie to helpe
of an ill action like a Rule it will presently shew vs the crookednesse of it point vs to the right way from whence we haue straied and if it haue beene too long deferred so that the sinne is past before it was called for then will it bee a Seer vnto thee to tell thee thy sinne and to deliuer thee ouer to the larger meditation of Repentance Secondly if thou art in a good and right action it stands by thee to abet and incourage thee thou art in the path of Gods protection in the way where the Angels gard and watch Goe on valiantly feare not what man nor euill angels can doe vnto thee Thus shall the soule cōtinue her flight towards heauen if euer among shee anoynt her feathers with this Oile of the Spirit For in this respect shee is not vnlike those flying fishes whose wings by flying grow drie and by being drie lose their flying so that still they must haue recourse to the Sea by the moysture thereof still to make good their flight So the soule flying through this world vnto heauen her wings euen her cogitations purposes and conceptions will grow drie by earthly conuersation and therefore must bee new oyled with grace if they will carry her throughly to her iourneys end The cares and temptations of this life quickly dry vp the heauenly Vnction and so the soule is in danger to fall if she doe not often moisten her selfe in the Riuers of Oyle which flow from the eternall Spirit and thither doth this short Meditation direct vs. Lastly we may adioyne hereunto incident occasionall Meditations which will bee very vsefull vpon the receiuing of extraordinary blessings or the suffering of vnwonted chastizements It is fit wee should search out Gods meaning as neere as we may by the light of his Word when he speaketh to vs in his fauors and frownes His blessings should bee esteemed like so many bands of obedience and thou shouldest acknowledge both in heart and actions that each of them calls to thee for more Loue more Thankefulnes more Holinesse Yea thou art by them led vnto Humilitie for when thou lookest on Gods blessings and thy sinfull selfe at once thou must needs cry out I am lesse then the least of thy blessings and what is man that the Lord regardeth and visiteth him yea the bountie of God leadeth thee to Repentance and God is often to vs a patterne of ouercomming euill with good euen our sinnes with his Mercies Hee dresseth and manureth many times a fruitlesse Tree that he may receiue fruit from it Therefore bee thou amended by his benefits and increase thy fruit otherwise blessings made vnfruitfull are the fore-rūners of cursings and dressing if to no purpose is the way to digging vp and casting into the fire Likewise let the chastizements of God be entertayned by Meditation vnto thy profit and aduancement They would haue thee either to examine thy selfe of some neglected sin or they would haue thee repent euen for thy secret sinnes for though thou know nothing by thy selfe yet art thou not thereby acquited or they would haue thee humble thy proud heart vnder the mightie hand of God or they would spurre thee to a speedier and more actiue Zeale or they would teach thee the skill of that excellent vertue Patience and instruct thee to loue God afflicting and to trust in him slaying Some of these are commonly the purposes and ends of affliction and if thou take occasion by chastizements to put them all in execution thou shalt bee the surer to hit the right one and so to bee a gainer by thy sufferings But before wee leaue this subiect if wee would know which is generally the best and fittest habitude of Man for the receiuing of profit by the larger and more leisurable kinde of Meditation Surely it is when the body least burdeneth the soule especially when shee is least clogged with the grosse vapours of fulnesse and repletion It is truely said by the Wiseman That the corruptible bodie weigheth downe the soule and therefore as truely it may be said That the bodie rarified and lessened by abstinence lighteneth the soule when the eyes or eares which see and heare the soule are stopt vp by thick exhalations the soule cānot tel the dul body what the Spirit of God doth tell it But since spirituall things are spiritually discerned surely then are spirituall things best discerned when the bodie is most spirit-like and least bodily When the Lanthorne of the flesh is pared and thinned by Abstinence then the Light of the soule shineth most cleerly through it Saint PAVL spake of the Man that saw Reuelations vnvtterable that whether hee were in the body or out of the body hee knew not so if wee will see Reuelations otherwise inconceiuable wee must striue to goe out of the body so farre by abstinence as wee may with preseruing the bodie For certaine it is That the soule inlightened by Grace if it were not for the cloud of the bodie would shine out to vs in many notable and excellent Truths and therefore hee takes the true course to meete them that goes a little out of his body towards them And surely such soules so walking toward God by going out of the flesh into the Spirit GOD hath often met with heauenly Visions whereas others shutting vp their windows by continuall fulnes haue lost great Reuelations To DANIEL fasting GABRIEL appeared to PETER fasting the Sheete was let downe from Heauen and to CORNELIVS fasting euen to the ninth houre an Angell was sent from God And surely this latter kind of fasting seemes most profitable for Meditation euen the fast of the Morning rather then of the Euening For in the Morning after rest the Spirits are freshest and most capable both of Light and Action they are most lightsome most actiue for Meditation And as fasting kindles the bright flame of Meditation so the true and kindly fire of Meditation sends vp to Heauen the smoke and incense of Prayer For fasting is an excellent Preparatiue to Meditation and Meditation to PRAYER Without abstinence Meditation lesseneth her Light without Meditation Praier lesseneth her might but Meditation ioyned to Abstinence mounteth the higher and Prayer mounted on Meditation pierceth the swifter and reacheth the neerer to Heauen Againe as by Abstinence we are made the fitter to meditate and by Meditation made the fitter to pray so by Prayer wee get a greater fitnesse and ability both for Abstinence and Meditation Such Prayer blesleth the meanes by which it is begotten by going to the Father of blessings and it is of a great power with GOD euen so powerfull that some kind of Deuils go not out but by it Let vs therefore often abstaine that wee may often meditate and when wee haue dwelt awhile in Meditation let vs goe forth into Prayer For Prayer thus inflamed by Meditation is as the Sacrifice of Israel kindled by the fire of Heauen and such a Sacrifice is indeed
of euery winde As continuall as the miserie of Man is so continuall is the distemper of Men impatient and as often as troubles doe happen so often be they lifted vp frō the hindges of their soules and remooued into the habitations of their blinde and vncomfortable flesh Such a one is cleane besides himselfe euen besides his Soule which is the reason that hee can neither aduise nor comfort himselfe For the vnderstanding which should direct is as a Candle put out or couered with a Bushell the will and affections which by the succours of Reason should support and strengthen are drawn away from lending their seruice to Reason and so to Man and are become slaues of Passion and Perturbation And so it comes to passe that in such cases a mans owne will and affections which should sustaine and cherish him doe distract and teare him to pieces And commonly it falls out with the impatient that to the euill of affliction which might haue been turned to good hee addeth two euils more of his owne euill actions and euill passions committing foolish things and doing cruell things against his own Soule and Heart And these two are commonly the greater kinde of euils and which the enmitie of Grace most intendeth and therefore by vs especially should be preuented Satan in spoyling the Flockes in destroying the Children in tormenting the bodie of holy IOB did not so much ayme to make him poore childlesse and full of paine as to make him desperate and rebellious against his Creatour and Sauiour by impatience His greatest Malice is against our greatest Happinesse he knowes wee are still blessed while God is one with vs though we be poore naked and full of sores as LAZARVS who in this life tormented yet was after exalted to ABRAHAMS bosome He values our chiefe Felicitie at a higher and a truer rate then many of vs doe and he values temporall things at a lower rate then many of vs doe Therefore hee will indifferently take or giue temporall things to diminish our eternall ioyes he will assay either by proffers or by plagues to draw vs from our soueraigne Good And wee more foolishly and ignorantly are readie to forsake eternall felicitie whensoeuer Satan will hire vs with temporall commoditie or beate vs from it with momentanie afflictions But it becommeth vs not to bee ignorant of Satans policies where Satans eye is most settled to hurt vs let our eye bee there most fixed for our preseruation Toward this let vs thus farre ioyne with Satan yea learne of him if wee knew it not before that the vnion and agreement of our Soule with God is the vnion of felicitie and therefore whatsoeuer wee lose let vs not part from that If Satan rob vs of a bagge of Siluer let vs not call after him and bid him take a bagge of Gold also If hee afflict vs outwardly yet surrender not to him thy inward and euerlasting Happinesse He is a Prince in this World and so can doe great things in the World He can persecute he can exalt he can torment But hee is a slaue us concerning the other World which is called the Kingdome of Heauen Hee cannot reach to this Kingdome which is in the Soule where GOD is the King Therefore by the things of this life on which hee hath power hee reacheth to the things of the next life on which hee hath no power that by his owne hee may preuaile on that which is Gods But we on the other side as we know the Deuils purpose so let vs know his bounds and then wee shall be safe Let vs know that he can only stretch his power to temporall and outward things and no further and the inward things hee must get by surrender or else he cannot conquer them Wherefore bee carefull to keepe him at his true distance if Satan haue leaue to winnow thee outwardly yet pray to thy Mediator that hee pray that thy faith faile not if hee cause thy outward man to perish bee thou carefull that thy inward man bee renewed daily and take heed that thou giue not more to him then he hath alreadie especially giue not thy eternitie for his vanitie neither giue him an vsurped power ouer the Kingdome of Heauen to which hee is a base slaue and by which he shall be iudged Cast not to him thy soule after thy bodie nor thy soule and bodie after thy goods if the Prince of this World will haue the things of the World yeeld to this Prince what must needes bee giuen to this Prince but the things of GOD giue only to GOD the things of Grace and Glorie reserue for the Author of Grace and the King of Glorie For want of this restraint and limitation of Satans power haue many Saints of God lost the possession of their soules and in those times of extasie haue vndertaken dolefull actions and executions which haue grieued and pined the Spirit within them and haue made worke for a long-after-sorrow and vexation of soule Surely NABALS churlishnesse entred too farre into DAVIDS spirit and the iniurie of the Thessalonians too much deliuered away the soule of THEODOSIVS into furie and the questions of the High Priests Seruants stole away too much of PETERS Courage and Resolution These holy men sometimes by their frailty gaue too much way and yeelded too great aduantage to Satan But some there bee who are perfect in Satans arte of impatience and therefore are his highest and greatest schollers Let the Deuill throw but one crosse to them they will take their soules and throw them to the Deuils head for they breake out either into some cursed rage or into the rage of cursing or into some cursed action Such a one is the Deuils Water-spaniell he goes and brings what the Deuill sends for and if hee bid him bring his owne soule hee carries it many times to him in his owne mouth euen in a mouth of Reuiling Reuenge Curses and Execrations But let vs rather consider that Mankind stands betweene two Spirits the Spirit of Light and the Spirit of Darknes and each of them hath a seuerall doore into Mans heart to possesse and inhabit it The Spirit of Blessednesse comes in by the doore of the Spirit and this is opened vnto him by the Key of Patience The spirit of Hell enters by the doore of the flesh and this is vnlocked to him by impatience Now troubles afflictions knock at both these doores they knock at the doore of the Spirit calling to vs to open to the Lord of Life with the Key of Patience who is now comming by afflictions to nurture and to instruct vs euen to increase vs in the fruits of Righteousnesse But afflictions knock likewise at the doore of the flesh and by the feeling of smart perswade Impatience to open to the prince of darknesse since so griefe may be eased and it seemes a vaine thing to please serue an afflicting and chastizing God But take heed thou open not the
haue set their rest on their Creatour and haue made him the end of their being and the meanes to the end euen a God to rule a Sauiour to redeeme and a happinesse to blesse these arise with the Image of God in their fore-heads God seeth his face in the face of their soules their workes also testifie the same for them These are clothed with pure White the Righteousnesse of Christ and the Righteousnesse of the Spirit with the first the Iustice of GOD is satisfied with the last the Mercie of God is pleased and by the last the first is adiudged to them They haue fed clothed and visited Christ in his hungry naked and imprisoned members these workes are the fruits of Loue and Loue is the fruit of Sanctification and Sanctification is an inseparable companion condition and witnesse of Iustification So by the works of Loue they are proued and approued to bee the sonnes of God who is Loue and if sonnes then also heires if heires they shall for euer dwell in the house of Glorie euen in the presence of God Their right to eternall Glory is by inheritance euen by being heires annexed with Christ but their admittance into their right is by the Euidences and Testimonies of the workes of Holinesse For it is a true Rule That none but the pure in heart can see God and againe None can be pure in heart but he must first be new begotten by God euen a sonne and heire of GOD. And now to these is sounded forth that most blessed voice which openeth the doore of eternall Felicitie a voice that consummateth that Supremest Marriage wherein Man is matched to the highest Essence the chiefest Blisse Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you In this Kingdome the ragged and filthy garment of the body of sinne the diseased infirmities of this sinful bodie the tears of oppression yea all griefe is wiped away And in stead of these Man is infinitely purified sublimated and so fitted for the presence of the highest Being In the Puritie of Holinesse hee is pure without blemish washed from guilt by the bloud of the Lambe and from corruption by the holy Ghost yea there is a new Light as a new Eye plāted in the vnderstanding exceedingly quickened and enlarged to a spacious view of Truth and Glorie Likewise new Vertue anoynteth and bedeweth the Will steeping and seasoning it in a Diuine Nature by which it excellently agreeth in harmonie with the will of God and is holy as hee is holy In the puritie of Substance the Soule shall be highly clarified vntill it be capeable of the vppermost and chiefest Light And the body shall bee lifted vp into a proportion with the Soule for the body shall then bee a spirituall Body euen a Body like a Soule euen so pure shall they both bee that they shall admit into themselues the beames of the Fountaine of Light vntill they bee filled with Light and Glorie God will bee their Sunne and hee will shine into them as into Christall and in his Light they shall haue the fulnesse of Light Then shall the Knowledge of Man ascend into Perfection farre aboue these poore pieced and patched knowledges which we call Arts and Sciences Euen the highest Degree of knowledge which in this mistie time of Ignorance Imperfection iustly holdeth the highest degree of Eminence shall then be the bottome and lownes of this new knowledge and then shall it be knowne that this kind of Learning is of vse much like to that of a Lanthorne It may doe vs seruice in this Night of Mans fall and corruption but in the Orient brightnesse of the Kingdome of Glorie the new light by surmounting it shall make it vselesse yea darken and discountenance it For whereas now wee doe but flutter about the branches and extremities of Wisdome then shall we behold Wisdome in the roote The Glorie and Fabrike of the Creature shall be seene in the Originall euen in the Creatour in whom it was first made within before it was made without In him shall wee reade the Resolution of all profitable vnknowntruths and his Wisdome shall bee a most perfect Oracle instructing all glorified and blessed Soules And with this Wisdome shall we also behold an infinite Treasure of Power and Almightinesse The right Hand and holy Arme of the Omnipotent God shall bee reuealed vnto vs and then shall wee wonder at this Power alone and not at the mightie Wonders which this Power hath done for then shal we plainly see that such Power might well worke such Wonders And while wee view and consider this Power the Power of GOD will point vs to the loue of God For so meane a thing as Man may well bee amazed at so infinite Power and Maiestie but that at once with the power there appeares an infinite Loue which tells the Soule that though Power not matched with Loue be a Terror yet tempred with loue it is the very Safetie Rest and Blisse of Soules beloued For as much power as there is in God so much is God able to blesse those whom hee loues and as much loue as there is in GOD so much willing is hee to blesse those whom by his Power hee is so much able to blesse Thus from Gods Wisdome his Power his Loue and his Light issue continuall obiects and spectacles of Ioy. Yet is not this all of that which cannot all be expressed For this whiles there flowes from the Deitie into the Heart of Man a most pleasant streame of the gladding Spirit wherein is the extremest power vertue of reioycing This is the new Wine of the Kingdome of Heauen which makes the Soule drunken with high comforts raptures and extasies which inward comforts meeting and clasping with outward ioyes fill vp a Man with an excesse of Ioy and Happinesse that he shall be euen swallowed vp and ouer-rauished with Ioy. And yet their Happinesse stinteth not for there is an addition of a most delectable and soule-pleasing Harmonie Harmonie is a chiefe pleasure and the most excellent Harmonie is the chiefest of this chiefe pleasure and the most excellent Harmonie is the chiefest of this chiefe Pleasure and the Harmonie of the most excellent Essences is the most excellent Harmonie and the most excellent Essences are Spirits and the Harmonie of Spirits is in the Kingdom of glory This Musike of Spirits exceedingly exceedeth the Musike of mortall voices yea that chiefe Musike of hearts which between men is called Friendship and betweene Man Wife is called Marriage-Loue is but a counterfeit resemblance and carries but some small rellishes of that Diuine and Celestiall Harmony For in the Quire of Heauen the Saints and Angels euen the blessed Spirits agree in a perfect Vnison of Truth and Loue. Their vnderstandings think one thing their hearts euen their wils loue themselues and their companions with one loue They delight themselues each in other especially all in God For as there is between themselues a perfect consent so there is also a true agreement between these Spirits and the chiefest Spirit which is the very top of pleasure and delight What perfection can be higher then that of the highest Creatour And how can a Creature bee more perfect then when he is consorted tuned to this highest perfection God speaketh to the hearts of these blessed Soules and the hearts of these blessed Soules thinke and vtter thoughts agreeable to the heart of GOD. God that saw his Workes of Creation that they were good and pleased himselfe in their goodnesse Now beholdeth his worke of Blessing and Glorification and reioyceth in the rest ioy which he hath giuen to his Beloued The glorified Soules behold and admire the Goodnesse and Mercie of God that gaue not only the workes of the six daies but the rest of the Seuenth to rebellious dust and sinful ashes In the infinite Loue of God their loue still steepeth and drowneth it selfe and the more it seeth the Loue of God the more it loues God and the more it loues God the more it is beloued And out of the feeling of this surpassing Loue of God breake out those Songs of Ioy and Voyces of Exultation Glory and Honour and Prayse bee to him that sitteth on the throne to the Lamb for euermore And Halleluiah For the Kingdome of the Lord God Almightie is come And Let vs be glad and reioyce and giue Glorie to God for the Marriage of the Lambe is come his Wife is readie and shee is arayed in pure and shining Silke And yet this felicitie is not all but that it may bee as long as it is large and as infinite in continuance as it is in extent there issues from the Deitie into the glorified Soules the sap and nourishment of an eternall Life The Tree of Life nourisheth eternally the branches of the same Tree Death is swallowed vp into victory and it selfe dyeth by the Word which is Life But the Soules partakers of God from him who is Eternall doe sucke Eternitie and so become that Kingdome whereof there is no end And yet this is not all of that inexpressible Felicitie but the greatest and chiefest is yet left in silence for that must needs be greatest which cannot enter into the heart of Man But let the transcendence of that which is vnknowne be a double spurre vnto vs in this Race of Happinesse one because it is transcendent another because vnknowne Let the Eminence prouoke our Ambitions the Secrecie our Curiosities Let vs desire and striue earnestly to enter into that which now by reason of wonderfull excellence cannot enter into vs. Let vs indeuour carefully to walke in the light of Grace which will bring vs to the full Reuelation of the yet inaccessible light of Glorie where Happinesse shall at once bee fully knowne and fully enioyed In the meane time it may be sufficient for me to discouer That the Soules seated in Beatitude passe their time which shall neuer bee past in the very top of Blisse and Delectation They laugh at sorrowes past and are secure for infinite ioyes to come God is theirs and they are Gods and in this Vnitie is the fulnesse of Felicitie FINIS