is predestinated and created for this purpose Isa 43.1 and 7. Thou art mine I have created him for my glory I have formed him yea I have made him There is both the author and the end of our creation the author I have created him the end for my glory As man is the most exact piece on which he bestowed most pains Solâ—s homo sapientia instructus est ut religianem solus intelligat haec est hominis atque mutorum vel praecipua vel sola diâ—antia Lact. deâ—ira dei so from him he cannot but expect most praise Lactantius accounteth religion the most proper and essential difference between men and beasts The praises which Beasts give God are dumb their sacrifices are dead but the sacrifices of Men are living and their praises lively God did indeed set up the admirable house of the visible world floaring it with the earth watering it with the Ocean and ceiling it with the pearly Heavens for his own service and honor but the payment of this rent is expected from the hands of Man the inhabitant He was made and put into this house upon this very account that be might as Gods Steward gather his rents from other creatures and pay in to the great Landlord his due and deserved praise Man is made as a glass to represent the perfections that are in God A glass can receive the beams of the Sun into it and reflect them back to the Sun again The excellencies of God appear abundantly in his works man is made to be the glass where these beams of Divine glory should be united and received and also from him reflected back to God again O how absurd is it to conceive that God should work a body so curiously in the lowest parts of the Earth embroyder it with nerves veins variety and proportion of parts miracles enough saith one between head and foot to fill a Volume and then enliven it with a spark of his own fire a ray of his own light an Angelical and Heaven born soul and send this picture of his own perfections this comely creature into the World meerly to eat and drink and sleep or to buy and sell and sow and reap Surely the onely wise God had an higher end and nobler design in forming and fashioning man with so much care and cost The upright figure of mans body as the poetical Heathen could observe may mind him of looking upward to those blessedmansions above Os hominisublime dedit taelumque tueri jussit Ovid. and that fifth muscle in his eye whereby he differeth also from other creatures who have onely four one to turn downward Columb de re anat l. 1. c. 9. another to hold forwards a third to turn the eye to the right hand a fourth to turn the eye to the left but no unreasonable creature can turn the eye upward as man can may admonish him of viewing those superiour glories and exercising himself to godliness it being given him for this purpose saith the Anatomist that by the help thereof he might behold the Heavens thus the blessed God even by sensible demonstrations speaks his mind and end in making man but the nature of mans soul being a spiritual substance doth more loudly proclaim Gods pleasure that he would have it conversant about spiritual things He made it an heavenly spark that it might mount and ascend to Heaven A Philosopher may get riches Arist Polit. lib. 1. cap. ult saith Aristotle but that is not his main business a Christian may nay must follow his particular calling but that is not his main business that is not the errand for which he was sent into the World God made particular callings for men but he made men for their general callings It was a discreet answer of Anaxagoras Clazamenius to one that asked him why he came into the World Coelum mihi patria cuius cura summa est Anaxago Diogen Laert. Vt coelum contempler that I might contemplate Heaven Heaven is my Country and for that is my chiefest care May not a Christian upon better reason confess that to be the end of his creation that he might seek heaven and be serviceable to the Lord of Heaven and say as Jerom I am a miserable sinner and born onely to Repent The Jewish Talmud propounds this question Why God made man on the Sabbath-eve and gives this answer That he might presently enter upon the command of sanctifying the Sabbath and begin his life with the worship of God which was the chief reason and end why it was given him CHAP. VI. Religion is a work of the greatest weight It is Soul-work it is God-work it is Eternity-work SEcondly Godliness ought to be every mans main business because it is a work of the greatest concernment and weight Things that are of most stress call for our greatest strength Our utmost pains ought to be laid out upon that which is of highest price Mans diligence about any work must be answerable to the consequence of the work The folly of man seldom appears more then in being very busie about nothing in making a great cry where there is little Wool like that empty fellow that shewed himself to Alexander having spent much time and taken much pains at it before hand and boasted that he could throw a Pea through a little hole expecting a great reward but the King gave him onely a bushel of Pease for a recompence sutable to his diligent negligence or his busie Idleness Things that are vain and empty are unworthy of our care and industry The man that by hard labour and hazard of his life did climb up to the top of the Steeple to set an Egg an end was deservedly the object of pity and laughter We shall think him little better then mad that should make as great a fire for the rosting of an Egg as for the roasting of an Ox. On the other side the wisdom of men never presenteth it self to our view in livelier colours then in giving those affairs which are of greatest concernment precedency of time and strength Of brutes man may learn this lesson When the cart is empty or hath but little lading the Team goeth easily along they play upon the road but when the burden is heavy or the Cart stuck they pull and draw and put forth all their strength Now godliness is amongst all mans works of the greatest weight The truth is he hath no work of weight but this this is the one thing necessary and in this one thing are mans all things Our unchangeable weal or wo in the other world is wrapt up in our diligence or negligence about this our earthly business be they about food or raiment about honours or pleasures or whatsoever are but toys and trifles but bables and Butterflies to this As Candles before the sun they must all disappear and give place to this Moses a pious and tender Father when leaving them in his Swan-like
in it or the verdict will be to his cost and damage That which boils gently over a small fire may be of use to us which if it should boil hastily and run over it may raise ashes enough to spoil it self The way to lose our requests for temporals is to be as hot and hasty for them as if they were our all even our eternals That incomparable patern of prayers the Lords Prayer which is like a Standard-measure in a Corporation Town for present use and an example for others hath five petitions for Spirituals and but one for Temporals God hath promised spiritual things absolutely therefore thou mayest desire them absolutely For pardon and the image of God and the blood of Christ and fulness of joy in the other World thou mayst be as earnest so humble and reverent as thou wilt And O! what a mercy is it that God though like a wise father he deny us leave to cry for the candle which would burn and the thorns which would prick our fingers yet he giveth us liberty to nay commandeth us to besiege and storm Heaven to follow him up and down to cry day and night to give him no rest to be instant urgent and fervent with him that our persons may be justified our natures sanctified and our souls and bodies glorified eternally Fourthly Thy prayers must be constant Thy duty is to give thy self to prayer as a servant devoted to and at the command of his noble Master This fire like that on the Altar must never go out day nor night Night and day praying exceedingly 1 Thess 3.10 Paul speaks as if his practice had been nothing but prayer he did that so much that he seemed to do nothing else Prayer is a Saints breath which he constantly draweth Ephes 6.18 Praying alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints Those that work in Iron Mills keep a continual fire though they suffer it sometimes to slack or abate yet never to go out A Christians prayer may have an intermission but never a cessation Our blessed Saviour besides his set times for ordinary did pray whole nights David was a good Husband up early at it mine eyes prevent the dawning of the morning Psa 119.147 At night he was late at this duty at mid-night will I rise to give thanks to thee Psa 119.62 this surely was his meaning when he said he should dwell in the House of the Lord for ever he would be ever in the House of Prayer Gregory writes of his Aunt Trucilla that her Elbows were as hard as an horn by often leaning upon a Desk when she prayed Jâ—â—chim the Father of the Virgin Mary used to say that prayer was his meat and drink There is no duty injoyned a Christian for his constant trade so much as prayer Pray always pray continually pray without ceasing pray with perseverance pray evermore But why is all this would God have his people do nothing else but pray must they cast by their callings cast off all care of their children and shut themselves up into some Cell or Cloyster and there be always upon their knees at prayer as the Euchites fancied No I shall therefore give a brief description of this praying without ceasing 1. Thy soul must be ever in a praying frame The Souldier hath his Weapons ready though not always in fight with his enemy Thy heart must be ever in Tune and ready upon the least touch to make heavenly Musick The Churches lips are compared to an hony-comb Cant. 4.11 The hony comb doth not always drop but it is always ready to drop The beleivers spirit is like fire upon the Hearth though it do not blaze yet its ready upon any opportunity to be blown up into a flame 2. No considerable business must be undertaken without prayer Thou art Gods servant and thy duty is to ask his leave in all thou dost Ephes 4.6 In all things let your requests be made known to God When thou risest up or liest down when thou goest out or comest in prayer must still be with thee Prayer is the way to prevent evil The Worlds poison may be expelled with this antidote Joh. 17.11 He that converseth with God by prayer dwelleth in Heaven and to such a one the earth is but a small point Prayer is both a Charm to inchant and a scourge to torment Satan It ingageth Christ in the combat with the Devil and so assureth the soul of conquest When the Saint is fighting and like to be foild either by the World the Flesh or the Wicked one prayer is the Letter which he sendeth Post to Heaven for fresh supplies of the spirit whereby he becometh more then a conqueror Prayer is the way to procure good he that will not speak must not expect to speed It sanctifieth our food raymont sleep callings and all our enjoyments to us The Christian like the Chymist extracteth all good things out of this one body of prayer 3. He that prayeth constantly hath set times every day for prayer The Morning and Evening Sacrifice were called the continual Sacrifice Numb 28.4 The Christian hath his set meals for his soul every day as well as for his body With the Mary-gold he opens himself in the morning for the sweet dews of Heavens grace and blessing and he doth at night though his occasions hinder him in the day like a Lover find some opportunity to converse with his beloved He is most free and fresh in the morning the top of the milk is the cream and he doth not think his best too good for God His evening fare is sometime extraordinary like the Jewish feasts which were at Supper The spiced cup is best at the bottom Prayer is the key of the morning to open the door of mercy and prayer is the bolt at night to shut him up in safety The Jews prayed in the Temple the third sixth and ninth hour of the day our priviledges under the Gospel are enlarged and I know no reason why our prayers should be lessened He that prayeth continually doth upon all occasions in the day time whatever he be about put up his supplication to God He hath his ejaculations his holy Apostrophes wherein he doth turn his speech at least internal and inarticulate â—â—om man to God This liberty is a great priviledge and this practice turnes to wonderful profit When Jacob was blessing his Sons he takes breath with I have waited for thy Salvation O Lord Gen 49.14 Nehemiah when at the Kings Elbow would not open his mouth to the King till he had opened his heart to God Neh. 2.6 When Noah was cursing Cham he had a short ejaculation for a blessing on Japhet God shall perswade Japhet to dwell in the tents of Shem which prayer hath been answered and will be to the end of the World We Gentiles fare the better for that prayer Christ upon the Cross darted up a short
mindes that it hath made them distracted and mad and canst thou trample them as dirt under thy feet without any regard at all Because I would willingly be both faithful and helpful to thee I shall earnestly in the name of the blessed God beâ—eech thee as thou wouldst leave these dying comforts with a lively courage to minde and practice these two particulars without which thou canst never make Religion thy business Make sure that thy heart be throughly changed That building which reacheth up to Heaven must have a strong and sure foundation If the Watch be not of the right make it will never go true He must live in the Spirit who would walk in the Spirit Natural bodies follow the tendency of that body which is predominant in them Stones move downward Fire upward each would be at its Center thâ—t which stoppeth either offereth violence to it So it will be with thee thy life will be according to the tendency of thy heart if that be carnal and the flesh predominant such will thy life be if that be changed and the Spirit be predominant in it thy life will be spiritual also if the Law of God be written in thy affections then and not till then it will be legible in thy conversation O do not rest in Civility Morality Performances Priviledges or any thing short of renewing-grace It is the heart by generation cheifly polluted and it is the heart by Regeneration which must be purified or thou perishest eternally When an error is in the foundation of an house it will not be mended by daubing or rough-cast but must be pullâ—d down and built up anew If any man be in Christ Jesus he is a new Creature Old things are past away and all things are become new 2 Cor. 5.17 O Friend consider that by the irrevocable decree and sentence of the living God None shall he saved but those that are converted and renewed And for the sake of thy precious soul give thy self no rest till this change be wrought I assure thee it concerneth thee for thine everlasting life or death dependeth upon it 3 John ver 3. Mat. 18.3 Heh 12.14 Be much with God in Religious duties Secret praying reading and meditating are great helps to piety The bottom of a Christians building is underground and out of the Worlds sight The greatest part of that trade which a Saint drives with God is unseen and his returns are unknown to the world Christ giveth his sweetest kisses and dearest embraces to his Spouse when she is alone Jacob met with the blessing when he had parted with his company and wrastled singly with the Angel of the Covenant Bread eaten in secret how sweet is it When God meeteth thy soul in a morning or evening prayer communion with his Majestie will be sweet to thee indeed Take heed of omission of duties in the Closet The Amalekite had not eaten in three days who was nigh death It is observed that the places under the Line are not so hot as some places at a further distance because though they have the beams of the sun falling perpendicularly to cause a more intense heat yet the nights there being longer then in some other parts the days are not so hot When the nights are long the days are very cold when there are long omissions of duties godliness will cool Ah didst thou but know what many a Saint hath gained by that hidden calling I am confident thou wouldst mind it what ever thou didst omit Remember how often and earnestly I have urged thee to this duty It is thy priviledge that though thou canst not every day have the showres of publick Ordinances yet mayst thou have the watering-pots of secret duties to make thy soul fruitful Let no day pass without thy morning and evening Sacrifices Fasting is bad for some bodies I am sure to fast from spiritual food is exceeding injurious to thy soul He that runneth into enormities as a Drunkard or Swearer or Adulterer c. he stabbeth his soul he that omiteth daily duties he starveth his soul Now what great difference is there between the death of the soul by stabbing and by starving If thy soul dye eternally it will be little comfort to thee to plead that thou didst not drink or swear as others O Friend let no day pass without secret duties if thou risest in the morning and followest thy calling all day and liest down at night and never desirest Gods company or askest his blessing I would know wherein thou dost God more service then the Ox or Ass For shame Friend do not thus play the beast any longer I have in this Treatise endeavoured to assist thee by discovering the Nature and Necessity of making Religion thy business I cannot but think that the Reasons which I have laid down for this duty will move any man who is not resolved to make himself eternally miserable It is no mean mercy that thou mayst adopt all thy natural and civil actions into the family of Religion that though like cyphers they signifie nothing of themselves yet having the figure of Godliness put before them they may signifie much and stand for thousands I shall Reader onely acquaint thee with some particulars which I treat of in the book and then leave thee and it to the blessing of God I am very large in directing thee about the immediate Worship of the Lord as knowing that is of greatest weight and worth No preparation can be too great for No devotion can be too gracious in Religious Actions Amongst many other Rites and Ceremonies of the Jews â—nt Margarit le R tibus lulaeoâ—um it is related that before the doors of their Synagogues they have an iron plate against which they wipe and make clean their shoes before they enter and that being entred they fit solemnly for a season not once opening their mouths but considering with whom they have to do Truly Friend it concerneth thee to be full of reverence when thou appearest solemnly in Gods presence Think of it He is a jealous God and will not be mocked they that dally with him undo themselves Serious piety will abundantly profit thee but careless service will highly provoke God Spiders cobwebs may better be suffered in a Cottage theâ— in a Kings Palace In the next place I proceed to Natural Actions and then to Recreations about both which thy care must be that they exceed not their bounds and that they taste and savour of Religion Mandrakes if duly taken is good physick but if immoderately it casts into a dead sleep and congeales the spirits It requireth much piety and prudence not to abuse those things whilst thou art using them Satan catcheth many a soul with these baits and then throweth them into the fire But if Religion be thy business that which is poison to others will be nourishing food to thee After these I speak to Particular Callings that they might be managed so as not to
so dreadful but its certain and therefore calls for the more caution 2. By the season of it In the latter times When the world groweth old it will dore and decline when it comes to the bottom it will run dregs Its last days which should be best will be its worst days 3. By the causes procuring it Seducing spirits and Doctrine of devils Satan and his Emissaries will like Sampsons Foxes carry firebrands abroad to set the world in a hellish flame Secondly The Remedy is prescribed in reference to himself Something he must forbear Refuse prophane and old wives fables 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rejice Piscat Beza Excommunica alii If thou wouldst not swim down with the tide of those apostatising times take heed of steering thy course by prophane though ancient customs Refuse them with scorn reject them with anger let thy spirit rise and thy stomack turn at the very sight of such sins One way to prevent Apostacy is to refuse ungrounded antiquity The will of the Father of spirits not the ways of the fathers of our flesh is to be the rule of our walking It is well observed that God in no command but the second which forbids his Worship in any way not appointed by his Word threatneth to visit the sins of the fathers upon the children because superstitious Worshippers are of all men most strengthned by the Traditions of their Fathers They will tell us Shall we be wiser then our Fathers Now because they are resolved to sin with their Fathers God is resolved they shall suffer for their Fathers They that will follow their forefathers in sin for ought I know must follow their forefathers to hell If Timothy would not share in others declensions he must forbear others traditions Refuse prophane and old wives fables Something he must also follow after Exercise thy self unto godliness This is the special help which the skilful physician appointeth his beloved patient in those infectious times to preserve his soul in health As a pestiferous air is very dangerous to the body yet for a man to get and make it his work to keep a sound constitution will be an excellent means to prevent infection So an Apostatizing place or people is very dangerous to the soul spiritual diseases are more catching and killing then corporal but a spiritual habit of a real sanctity with a constant care to continue and increase it will be a soveraign means to preserve it in safety Bodies without life quickly corrupt and become unsavory not so living creatures Running waters are sweet and clean when standing ponds putrifie and abound in vermine He that is ever trading and thriving in godliness need not fear that he shall prove a bankrupt Carts overthrow not going up hill Timothy is considerable in his twofold capacity 1. As a Minister of Christ or in his particular calling in this respect he must exercise himself to godliness Non tan tum sana doctrina sed etiâ—m pia religâ—ola vita mâ—â—iâ—ri verbo opus â—st Beza in loc A Pastor must not onely some days give precepts but every day give a pattern to his people he must not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely divide the word rightly but also order his conversation aright He must as Nazianzen said of Basil thunder in his doctrine and lighten in his life Singular holiness is required of those that minister about holy things as Painters they must teach by their hands by their lives as well as by their lips Ministers must exercise themselves to godliness that is do their duties with the greatest diligence They are sometimes called the Salt of the earth Matt. 5 13 14 because they must waste themselves to prevent corruption in others Sometime the light of the world they must consume themselves to direct others in the way to heaven Greg in 1. cap. lob Gregory observeth that the Spirit of God appeared in two shapes in the shape of a Dove signifying innocency in the shape of Fire signifying activity The zeal of Gods house not the rust of idleness must eat the Minister up he must be a burning shining light if ever he would thaw the frozen hearts of his hearers Quic quid dâ—cit Lutherus quicquid scribit id in aâ—in as peâ—etrat mirificos relinquit aculâ—os in cordibus â—o minum Melch. Adam in vit Luther our Chappels must not be turned into Chappels of ease Christ neglected his food spent his strength wrought so hard that he was thought to be beside himself We are called Fishers Labourers Souldiers Watchmen all which are laborious callings We are compared to clouds the clods of the earth lye still but the clouds of heaven are ever in motion and dissolve themselves to refresh others But alas how many fleece their flocks Sacerdotum nomiâ—a acceâ—imus non ad quietâ—nâ— sed ad laboreâ—â— ut inver amuâ— in operâ— qâ—od sigâ—amur in no mine Greg. l. 4. ep 8. but never feed them as if their Benesices were Sine cures The Green-sickness is the maids and laziness many Ministers disease Who is instant in season and out of season It was a notable speech of Boniface the Martyr to one that asked him whether it was lawful to give the Sacramental wine in a wooden cup. Time was when we had wooden cups and golden Priests but now we have golden cups and wooden priests CHAP. II. The opening of the Text and the Doctrine 2. TImothy is to be considered as a member of Christ or in his general calling and so this Exhortation belongs to every Christian In it we may observe these three parts 1. The act Exercise 2. The subject of that act Thy self 3. The object about which it was to be conversant Vnto godliness Exercise thy self unto godliness I shall briefly open the terms in the Text and then lay down the Doctrinal truth Exercise The word signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exercei semetiâ—sem ad pietatem qui diligerter intambit action bus qui bus deus servitur Est in loc strip thy self naked it s a metaphor from Runners or Wrestlers who being to contend for the prize and resolved to put forth all their strength and power lay aside their cloaths which may hinder them and then bestir themselves to purpose as if Paul had said O Timothy let godliness be the object of all thy care and cost Follow thy general calling with the greatest industry pursue it diligently do not loiter but labour about it lay aside what may hinder lay hold of what may further and mind it as the main and principal work which thou hast to do in this world Thy self A Christians first care must be about his own spiritual welfare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Religion commands us to be mindful of and helpful to our neighbours and relations The Sun rayeth out his refreshing beams and the Spring bubleth up her purling streams for the
The derivation of the word will somewhat help to the explication of the thing the Latin word Religio from which our English word comes Câ—â—er â—b 2. de 〈◊〉 dâ—â—r â—â—â—â—h â—on â— lib. 1. de relig cap. 13. Some derive a Relegendo because men by serious reading come to be Religious grace sometimes findeth a passage through the sight into the soul The eye as in Austin and Junius hath affected the heart Zanchy derives it a Religendo or rather a re-eligendo from chosing again or a second time because a Religious person chuseth God for his chiefest good and portion His first choice was carnal of the flesh and the creature but his second choice is spiritual of God and Christ and this choice is Religion Austin and Lactantius to whom I rather incline derive it a Religando from binding or knitting Aug. Tom. 1. lib. de vera relig Lact. lib. 4. Divin inflit c. 18. because it is the great bond to joyn and tie God and man together As the parts of the body are knit to the head by the nerves and sinews so man is knit to God by Religion Sin and irreligion separate God and man asunder your iniquities have separated between you and your God Isa 59.2 Godliness and Religion unite God and man together I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people 2 Cor. 6.16 Atheism is a departing or going away from God Eph. 4.18 Heb. 3.12 Religion is a coming or returning unto God Heb. 10.22 Jer. 3.1 The great misery of man by his fall is this He is far from God And the great felicity of man by favour is this He draweth nigh to God Psa 73.2 ult Jam. 4.8 Irreligion is a turning their backs upon God but Religion is a seeking the face of God and a following hard after him Psa 2.3 Psa 27.8 Psa 63.8 By ungodliness men wander and deviate from God by godliness men Worship and are devoted to God Psa 119.150 and 38. verses The Grecians call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza thinks Beza in Col. 2.18 from Orpheus a Thracian who first taught the Mysteries of Religion among his Countrymen Ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hene vel recte 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 colo The word in the Text is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in a Word signifieth right or straight worship according to which I shall describe it thus Godliness is a Worshipping the true God in heart and life according to his revealed Will. In this description of Godliness I shall observe four parts First The Act it is a Worship Secondly The Object of this Act the true God Thirdly The Extent of this Worship in heart and life Fourthly The Rule according to his revealed Will. First Cultus religiosus est obsequium supremum illi soli debitum qui est principium autor tam creatio is quam beatificationis nostrae Daven Determ For the Act Godliness is a Worship Worship comprehends all that respect which man oweth and giveth to his Maker it is that service and honour that fealty and homage which the creature oweth and tendereth to the fountain of his being and happiness it is the Tribute which we pay to the King of Kings whereby we acknowledge his Soveraignty over us and our dependance on him Cultus corporis cultus conscientiae Give unto the Lord the Honour due unto his Name Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness Psa 29.2 To Worship God is to give him the Glory which is due to him It is a setting the Crown of Glory on Gods Head to render him due honour is true Holiness To deny this is Atheisme and Irreligion All that inward reverence and respect and all that outward obedience and Service to God which the word injoyneth is included in this one word Worship This Worshipping God is either external or internal God is to be worshipped with the body Joshua fell on his face and Worshipped Josh 5.14 Moses bowed his head and Worshipped Exod. 4.32 Jesus lifted up his eyes to Heaven and Prayed Joh. 17.1 David lifted up his hands to God Psa 63.4 The bodies of Saints shall be glorified with God hereafter and the bodies of Saints must glorifie God here Phil. 3.21 Rom. 12.1 Inward worship is sometimes set forth by loving God Jam. 2.5 sometimes by trusting him Psa 16.1 sometimes by delighting in him Psa 37.3 sometimes by sorrow for offending him Psa 51.3 because this Worship of God as one peice of gold containeth many peices of silver comprehendeth all of them All the graces are but so many links of this golden chain As all the members of the natural body are knit together and walk always in company so all the parts of the new man are joyned together and never go but as the Israelites out of Egypt with their whole train If there be one Wheel missing in a Watch the end of the whole is spoiled if one grace should be wanting in a Saint he would be unsainted There is a concatenation of graces as well as of moral vertues Those that Worship God give him their hottest love their highest joy their deepest sorrow their strongest faith and their greatest fear as Abraham gave Isaac he gives God all What Moses cals fearing God Deut. 6.13 our Saviour quoting calls Worshipping God Mat. 4.9 10. by a Synecdoche because the former is both a part and a sign of the latter As when the guard are watching at the Court gate or on the stairs and examining those that go in it s a sign the King is within so when the fear of God stands at the door of the heart to examine all that go in least the Traytor Sin should steal in slily it s a sign that God is within that he sits upon the Throne of the soul and is worshipped there Secondly The Object the true God All Religion without the knowledge of the true God is a meer notion a very empty nothing Divine Worship is one of the chiefest jewels of Gods Crown Cove ne quâ—cquam vel mente agnoscas vel corpore colas ut Deum praet r me Ienovam Deum iuum Calv. in 1. mand which he will by no means part with God alone is the Object of the godly mans worship Exod. 20.2 His hope is in God Psa 39.7 his dependance is on God Psa 62.8 His dread is of God Psa 119.122 His love is to God Ps 18.1 God is the onely object of his prayers Psal 5.3 and 44 20. and of God alone are all his praises Psal 103.1 God alone is to be worshipped because he alone is worthy of worship Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honor and power for thou hast created all things Rev. 4.11 To hold any thing in opinion or to have any thing in affection for God which is not God is Idolatry to worship either men as the Samaritans did Antiochus Epiphanes stiling
omit prayer either for their meat or labour Grace as well as nature teacheth a godly man not to neglect either his Family or body but it teacheth him also to prefer his soul and his God before them both Seneca though an Heathen could say I am greater and born to greater things then to be a drudge to and the slave of my body A Christians Character is that he is not carnal or for his body but spiritual or for his soul Rom. 8. It was a great praise which Ambrose speaks of Valentinian Never man was a better servant to his Master then Valentinians body was to his soul This is the godly mans duty to make Heaven his Throne and the Earth his foot-stool It s the exposition which one gives upon those words Subdue the Earth Gen. 1.28 that is thy body and all earthly things to thy soul Our earthly callings must give way to our Heavenly we must say to them as Christ to his Disciples Tarry you here while I go and pray yonder and truely godliness must be first in our Prayers Hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdom come before give us this day our daily bread and first in all our practices seek first the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof and all other things shall be added to you Mat. 6.33 Secondly to make Religion ones business containeth to pursue it with industry in our conversations A man that makes his calling his business is not lazy but laborious about it what pains will he take what strength will he spend how will he toil and moil at it early and late The Tradesman the Husbandman eat not the bread of Idleness when they make their callings their business if they be good Husbands they are both provident to observe their seasons and diligent to improve them for their advantage they do often even dip their food in their sweat and make it thereby the more sweet Their industry appears in working hard in their callings and in improving all opportunities for the furtherance of their callings 1. Thus he that makes Religion his business is industrious and laborious in the work of the Lord. The heart of his ground the strength of his inward man is spent about the good corn of Religion not about the weeds of earthly occasions He makes hast to keep Gods Commandements knowing that the lingring lazy Snail is reckoned among unclean creatures Levit. 11.30 and he is hot and lively in his devotion knowing that a dull Eo quòd pigrnns tardum aniâ—◠〈…〉 est â—ellarm drou sie Ass though fit enough to carry the image of Isis yet was no fit sacrifice for the pureand active God Exod. 13.13 He giveth God the top the cheif the cream of all his affections as seeing him infinitely worthy of all acceptation He is not slothful in business but fervent in spirit when he is serving the Lord Rom. 12.11 He beleiveth that to fear God with a secondary fear is Atheism that to trust God with a secondary trust is Treason that to honour God with a secondary honour is Idolatry and to love God with a secondary love is Adultery therefore he loveth and he feareth and trusteth and honoreth the Lord his God with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength Mat. 22.36 37. His love to God is a labour of love as strong as death the coals thereof are coals of Juniper which do not onely burn long some say twelve moneths together but burn with the greatest heat His measure of loving God is without measure The Samseans in Epiphanius were neither Jews Gentiles nor Christians yet preserved a fair correspendency with all An Hypocrite is indifferent to any never servent in the true Religion It is reported of Redwald King of the East Saxons Cambd Brittan the first Prince of this Nation that was baptized that in the same Church he had one Altar for the Christian Religion another for the Heathenish Sacrifices The true Beleiver doth otherwise he that makes Religion his work gives God the whole of his heart without halting and without halving Set him about any duty and he is diligent in it In prayer Innuit certamen quasi luctam cum deo ipso Epis Dav. in loc he laboureth in prayer Col. 4.12 he cryeth to God 1 Sam. 7.9 he cryeth mightily Jonah 3.8 he poureth forth his soul Lam. 2.19 he strives in supplication with God Rom. 15.30 stirs up himself to lay hold on God Isa 27.5 and even wrestleth with Omnipotency Gen. 32.14 When the mill of his prayer is going his fervent affections are the waters that drive it There is fire taken from Gods own Altar not the ordinary hearth of Nature and put to his incense whereby it becomes fragrant and grateful to God himself His fervent prayer is his key to Gods Treasury and his endeavour is that it rust not for want of use When he goeth to the Sacrament he is all in a flame of affection to the Author of that feast With desire he desires to eat of the Passover He longs exceedingly for the time he loves the Table but when he seeth the Bread and Wine the wagons which the Lord Jesus hath sent for him oh how his heart revives When he seeth the Sacraments the Body and Blood of Christ in the elements who can tell how soon he cents how fast this true Eagle flyeth to the heavenly carkass At hearing he is heedful he flyeth to the salt-stone of the Word with swiftness and care as Doves to their columbaries Isa 60.8 As the new born babe he desires the sincere milk of the Word and when he is attending on it he doth not dally nor trifle but as the Bee the flower and the childe the breast suck with all his might for some spiritual milk Isa 66.11 Deut. 28.1 he hearkneth diligently to the voyce of the Lord his God let him be in company taking notice of some abominable carriage he will rebuke cuttingly Tit. 1.13 If he gives his bitter pill in sweet syrrup you may see his exceeding anger against sin whilst you behold his love to the sinner he is though a meek Lamb when himself yet a Lion when God is dishonoured his anger waxeth hot when men affront the most High Exod. 32.19 If he be counselling his child or friend to minde God and godliness how hard doth he woo to win the soul to Christ how many baits doth he lay to catch the poor creature you may perceive his bowels working by his very words How fervent how instant how urgent how earnest is he to perswade his relation or acquaintance to be happy He provokes them to love and to good works Set him about what religious exercise you will and he is according to the Apostles words zealous or fiery fervent of good works like spring water he hath a living principle Plin. lib. 5. cap. 5. and thence is warm in winter or like Debris in Cyrene is seething hot
must like soft showrs sink deep into our affections and command all our actions Ah did but man know what it is to be eternally in Hell fire and what it is to live eternally in Gods Favour he would do any thing were it never so hard to arrive at Heaven The Romans build their Temples round and the rule of Pythagoras was When men worshipped they must turn themselves round Those Heathens had confused notions of Eternity and represented it by round things because such had neither beginning nor end If they by the light of Nature saw a little of it and thence would have their Temples and Worship suitable to it then much more we who have clearer apprehensions by the light of Scripture must have our conversations answerable CHAP. VII The necessity of makiâ—g Religion our business both in regard of the opposition a Christian meets with and the multiplicity of business which lieth upon him THirdly Godliness must be made our principal business our main work because otherwise we shall lose our reward We say As good never a whit as never the better Piety without much pains will redound to little or no profit How foolish is that builder who in setting up an house hath been at much cost and yet loseth all because he will be at no further charge Many lose what they have wrought 2 Joh. 8. Their works because not their business are not perfect and so to small purpose The sloathful roasts not what he took in hunting Prov. 12.27 He was at some labour to catch the Beast but was loath to be at any more in dressing it and so all was lost laboriousness to godliness is as the soul to the body which being separated from it godliness dyeth and quickly becomes unsavoury The reward of Godliness is of infinite worth the end of Holiness as of Hope is the salvation of the soul the eternal and immediate enjoyment of God in Heaven Now who can think to atrain the place of such ravishing pleasures without much pains Iter per angusta ad augusta Things that are most delicate cannot be had without the greatest difficultie they that will enjoy large Diadems must run through many deaths and dangers and use much diligence Nature her self will not bestow her precious treasure without much unwearied labour Dust and Dirt lye common in Streets but the gold and silver mines are buried in the bowels of the earth and they must work hard and dig deep that will come at them Ordinary stones may be had in every quarry but pearls are secret in the bottom of the Sea and they must dive low and hazard their lives that will fetch up the Oysters in which they breed and enjoy them When did we ever find Nature so prodigal of her gifts as to bestow skill and excellency in any art or science without industry and diligence Doth she not force her students to beat their brains to wast their bodies to break their sleep to burn up their strength before she will permit them to pry into her secrets to pick the lock of her curious Cabinet and gain any considerable knowledge of her Wealth and richness And can we think the God of Nature will give men to know him as they are known of him will bestow on them the unspeakable gift the pearl of price the holy of holies such things as eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither mans heart conceive while they lie lazing on the bed of Idleness Heaven is not unfitly compared to an Hill among Heathen to Olympus among Christians to Mount-Sion They that will climb up to it must pant and blow and sweat for it Elijahs Translation to the place of bliss was much more speedy and facile then ordinary We see no pâ—nting heart no trembling hands no quivering lips no ghastly looks to be the forerunners of his passage into Eternal life Where the union is neer and natural there the separation is hard and painful but behold here the Marriage knot betwixt body and soul is not untied Those loving Relations like Husband and Wife ride triumphantly together in a stately Chariot to the Heavenly Court yet even in this rapture God would teach us that the Virgin inheritance must be ravished There appeared a Chariot of fire and horses of fire and Elijah went up by a Whirle-wind into Heaven 2 Kings 2.11 Why a Chariot of fire but to note that Heaven must be stormed and taken by force Fire is the most active inanimate Creature hereby is figured that laborious action is the way to the beatifical vision The Chariot is made of fire the Wheels upon which it runs are a whirlewind Activeness and violence are the onely way to the blessed inheritance Who ever entred into Heaven with ease They that will be knighted must kneel for it they that will wear the Crown must win it A man is not crowned except he strive lawfully that is strenuously 1 Tim 2.25 He that will be saved must work out his salvation and that with fear and trembling Legitime certare est ad pugnam se preparare animose adversarium aggredi Bald. Phil. 2. Christ who first bought the purchase hath already set the price upon which and no other the Sons of men may come to the possession There is indeed a twofold price of a thing a natural price when so much is layd down as is commensurate or proportionable to the thing bought so the price of Heaven was the blood of Christ Heb. 10.19 A pactional price when so much is laid down though inferiour to the commodity upon which the seller is contented that you enjoy the thing desired so labour knocking working is the price of Heaven Isa 55.3 This price is made of mans future felicity and Christ is resolved not to abate the least farthing Strive saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conamini omnibus virib us Extremas summatque vires velut agonizantes exerite quass provita si vincitis pro morte si vincimini luctaturi A Lapid in Loc. to enter in at the straight gate for many will seek to enter in and shall not be able Luk. 13.24 As if he had said there will be many Seekers Many that will both cheapen Heaven by a profession and bid somewhat by performances but they shall miss the place for want of more pains they shall not be able if ye therefore have any love to your souls be not onely seekers but strivers do not onely cheapen and offer a little but come up to the price Put forth all your strength as Wrestlers do that strive for Masteries as ever ye would enjoy those eternal pleasures Men were as good bid nothing as not come up to the sellers price All run in a Race but one receiveth the prize Sicnotat diligentiam celeritatem Cor. A. Lapid So run that ye may obtain 1 Cor. 9.24 They that intend for the Crown do before hand diet themselves breath their bodies and when they run for
of it to consume the cedar of their souls The Heathen have admired and bemoaned mans industry about earth Sen. lib. 6. nat cap. 26. they have wondered what made man who is of an erect countenance looking up to Heaven Tertal de corona militis thus to bow down and bury himself alive in the earth Tertullian stood amazed at the folly of the Romans who would undergo all manner of hazards and hardships to be Consul which he fitly calls One years fleeting joy The Prophet tells such that they rejoyce in a thing of naught Amos 7. Nay the forementioned Moralist tels us that such worldlings operose nihil agunt Take a great deal of pains to do nothing That their whole life is but a laborious loytering or at most a more painful kind of playing their account will be nothing but ciphers like children they run up and down and labour hard to catch a gaudy Butterflie which when caught will foul their fingers and flye from them O mortal men how long will ye love vanity and follow after leasing Psa 4. Is it not sad that so noble a being as mans soul should be wholly taken up with such mean sordid things That phrase in Psa 24.5 That hath not lift up his soul untovanity is read by Arius Montanus He that hath not received his soulin vain O how many receive their souls in vain making no more use of them then the Swine of whom the Philosopher observes Cujus anima pro sale their souls are onely for salt to keep their bodies from stinking Who would not grieve to think that so choice a piece should be employed about so vain a use Reader If one should be intrusted with the education of a great Prince who was descended of the blood royal and heir to a large Empire and should set him onely to rake in Dungils or cleanse Ditches thou wouldst exceedingly condemn such a governour Wouldst thou not think It is pity indeed that so Noble a person should be busied about such low unworthy projects God hath intrusted thee with a precious soul descended highly even from God himself claiming kindred with the glorious Angels and capable of inheriting that kingdom to which the most glorious Empires of the World are but Muck-heaps Art thou not one of them that employ this Princely soul altogether about unsutable and earthly practices and causing it as the lapwing though it have a coronet on its head to feed on excrements It was one cause of Jeremiahs sad lamentation that the precious Sons of Sion comparable to fine gold should be esteemed as earthen Pitchers the work of the hands of the potter that they which were brought up in Scarlet should embrace Dunghils Lament 4.2 5. Have not we more cause of sorrow that mens souls the precious sons of God should be put to no better use then earthen pitchers that they which should be brought up delicately in the nurture and admonition of the Lord should be busie about dross and imbrace Dunghils that thy precious soul should thus lacquey after earth and vanity when it should like an Angel be always standing and waiting in the presence of God Who can read the stories how Domitian the King spent his time in catching Flies Solyman the Magnificent in making Arrow-heads Achmat the last in making strings for Bows Harcatius the King of Persia in catching Moles Caligula the Emperour in playing the Poet Nero the Emperour in Fidling and not admire at their folly that such great Princes should busie themselves in things so infinitely below their places But thy folly Reader if one of them I am writing of is far greater in that thy practices are more below thy spiritual and heavenly principle May I not say to thee as Philip to Alexander when he heard him singing Art thou not ashamed being a Kings Son to sing so well Art thou not ashamed being an immortal angelical substance the off-spring of God and capable of his likeness and love to be glewed as a Toad-stool to the earth to spend thy time and strength venture the perishing of thy mortal body and immortal soul too for that meat which perisheth It is storied of Pope Sixtus the fifth that he sould his soul to the Devil for Seven years enjoyment of the Popedom What fool ever bought so dear what mad man ever sold so cheap yet every worldly person doth implicitly the same with this Pope He selleth what is more worth then all the World for a little Wind. Ah how costly is that treasure which makes him a beggar to all eternity O Lord what a foolish silly thing is man to prize and take pains for husks before bread vanity before solidity a shadow before the substance the Worlds seraps before the costly feast the dirty Kennels before the Christal water of life an Apple before Paradise a mess of Pottage before the Birthright and the least fleeting and inconstant good before the greatest truest and eternal good Their particular callings are but about earth the lowest meanest and vilest of all the elements in these callings they deal but with men and bruits their gains here at best cannot be large because their lives here cannot be long and yet how eagerly are they pursued how closely are they followed how constantly are they busied about them their general callings are about their souls their eternal salvations in these they have to do with the blessed God the lovely Saviour in communion with whom is Heaven upon Earth their gains here are above their thoughts and beyond their most enlarged desires no less then infinite and eternal The profit of godliness is invaluable above price It cannot be gotten for gold neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof It cannot be valued with the Gold of Ophir with the precious Onix or the Saphir The Gold and the Christal cannot equalit and the exchange of it shall not be for Jewels of fine gold No mention shall be made of Coral or of Pearls for the price of Wisdom is above Rubies The Topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it neither shall it be valued with pure gold Job 28.15 to 20. yet how lingringly is this calling entred upon how lazily is it followed and how quickly cast off O foolish man who hath bewitched thee that thou dost thus dislike and disobey the truth I cannot more fitly resemble man then to a silly Hen which though much good Corn lie before her takes little notice of it but still scrapes in the Earth The favour of God the promises of the Gospel the Covenant of Grace the blood of Christ the embroydery of the Spirit the life of faith the hope of Heaven joy in the Holy Ghost are laid before man yet he overlooks them all and lives like a Mole digging and delving in the earth Though men see before their eyes a period and end of all earthly perfections that the beauty bravery of all earthly things is but like a fair Picture drawn on
10.1 2. Exercise thy self to this Worshipping the true God according to his revealed will Do not dally and trifle at it be not cold and careless about it Take heed of the Worldlings politique principles Fair and softly goeth far Too much of one thing is good for nothing It s good to be Religious but not too conscientious A little moderation would not do amiss These men would serve thee as ignorant Montebanks do their Patients that whilst they go about to cool the liver least it should set the blood in a flame kill the stomach and thereby necessarily destroy the body They pretend some fear that thou mayst work too hard even to thy hurt when thou canst never do enough much less too much for thy God and thine everlasting good I must needs tell thee that there is an impossibility of dividing thy service betwixt thy sins and thy Saviour and of parting thy heart and work between the world and the word No man can serve two Masters Mat. 6.24 If like a Meteor thou hangest between heaven and earth haltest between Christ and the flesh as a hunting Dog between too Hares running sometime after this sometime after that thou wilt be sure at last to lose both Those creatures under the Law which did both move in the waters and hover up and down in the Air were unclean in Gods account Lev. 11.10 There is a story of a Bastard Eagle which hath one foot close like a Goose with which she swims in the waters and dives for fish and another foot open and armed with talons with which she soareth in the Air and seiseth her prey but she participating of both natures is weak in either and at last becomes a prey to every ordinary Vulture The am bodexter in Religion who is both for the flesh and the Spirit for Riches and Righteousness is all his time a servant of sin and will at last become a prey to Satan Wherefore I must intreat thee Reader to make godliness thy sole design and delight thy main occupation and recreation If thou find not the golden veins upon the surface or just under the skin of the earth do not throw off thy trade nor cast away thy Tools but delve and dig lower thou shalt certainly at length come to the rich treasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The vertuous man in Greek is denominated from a word that signifieth industrious and diligent Labour is the way to get and increase vertue and the more vertuous thou art the more laborious thou wilt be frequent use must keep thy spiritual arms from rust It is a more worthy thing to abound in work In operibus sit abundantia mea div tiis per me lâ—cet abundet quisquis volue rit then to abound in wealth Melancthon spake nobly Let others take Riches give me Labour They who have been busie about much meaner studies have yet pursued them with incredible pleasure and extraordinary pains Plutarch Endymion spent whole nights on Rocks and Mountains in contemplating the motions of the Stars It is said of Crisippus That he was so intent on his Book that he had starved his Body had not his maid put meat into his mouth Cicer Ep. lib. 9. Cicero profest He would part with all he was worth that he might but live and dye among his Books did they reckon Humane Knowledge that curious piece of vanity at so high a rate that they would trample on their possessions take any pains to procure it to promote it What a price shouldst thou set upon Godliness upon Divine Knowledge which is the very seed of eternal life Joh. 17.3 shouldst not thou undervalue thy estate and strength for it shouldst not thou spend all thy time imploy all thy talents and improve all thy opportunities for the furthering of it O that holy Paul might be thy pattern Herein I exercise my self to keep a conscience void of offence towards God and Men Act. 24.16 Here is Pauls precious cabinet and his care to preserve it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me exerceo laboro â—otus sum in hac re ut inculpate deo serviam nec homines offendam his Cabinet was his conscience void of offence a treasure of inestimable value in this Cabinet were all the jewels of Divine Graces His Faith and Love his Hope and Humility his Patience and Heavenly mindedness were glistering in it gloriously like so many costly and sparkling Diamonds but observe Pauls care of this Cabinet I exercise my self to keep a conscience void of offence Paul knew many subtle theives were abroad and therefore he must make it his business to keep his pearls or otherwise they would be stoln from him He knew if he were robbed he were ruined nay if but a flaw were made in the jewel of his conscience it would be of exceeding ill consequence to him therefore he did exercise himself to keep a conscience void of offence Again Exercise thy self to Godliness make it thy business in the whole course of thy life nay in every passage of thy conversation As the blood runs through the whole body and every vein of the body so Godliness must run through our whole conversation and every particular action of it Godliness must be like the Sun though its scituation be in Heaven and that the main place of its residence enlighten and warm the whole body of the air and all the earth by its influence shine on all thy natural civil and spiritual works nothing must be hid from the heat thereof Reader observe the command Be ye holy in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latin word conversatio for conversation come of a verb that signifieth to turn to note that which way soever a Christian turneth himself he must be holy he must be holy in his closet alone holy among company holy at home holy abroad holy in his shop holy among his sheep holy in the Church holy in his chamber holy at his table holy in his travails holy in prosperity holy in adversity holy in every relation and in every condition in all manner of conversation As oyl is laid over all colours to make them durable so Godliness must be laid on every part and practice of our conversation and thereby they will be permanent to our comfort and run parallel with the line of Eterity We lay gold because excellent on all sorts of mettals Godliness which is more precious then fine gold must be laid on our Naturals Morals Intellectuals all of them must have their vertue and value from it The truth is they all like Cyphers stand for nothing unless this figure be joyned with them and put before them Beleevers are commanded to be holy men Exod. 22. ult In the Original it is men of holiness and ye shall be men of holiness unto me that is all over holy As Christ is called a man of sorrows because his whole man body
have taken upon me to speak unto thee Lord who am but dust and ashes saith Abraham Gen. 18.27 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies which thou hast shewed to thy servant saith Jacob Gen. 32.10 I am a worm and no man saith David So foolish was I and ignorant even as a beast before thee saith Asaph I am more bruitish then any man I have not the understanding of a man saith Agur. O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee for our iniquities are encreased over our heads and our trespasses is grown up unto the Heavens saith Ezra I am a man of unclean lips saith Isaiah They all have learned the same Lesson as Scholars in the same form they all speak the same Language as children of the same Father It is reported of Aristippus the Cynick that he used to fall on the ground before Dionysius when he presented a petition to him O what posture is low enough when we go to the infinite and incomprehensible God in prayer He humbleth himself to open his eyes upon us well may we be humble when we open our mouthes and hearts to him Job 14.3 Reader if thou wouldst have thy prayers heard let them be humble God loves to walk in the low valleys Lord thou hast heard the desires of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart and wilâ— bow thine ear Psal 10.17 Though God behold the proud afar off and disdains so much as to open his eyes or give them a look yet he will be sure to draw near to the humble and vouchsafe to open his ears and his very heart to them Psal 138.6 Isa 66. â—2 He that can have his face shine and take no notice is a fit person to go up into the Mount and converse with God 2. Thy prayers must be hearty Thy tongue and heart must keep time and tune Give ear to my prayer that goeth not out of feigned lips Psal 17.1 If in prayer thou art as Ephraim a silly Dove without an heart and givest God onely the calves of thy lips they will be as unacceptable as Jeroboams Calves at Dan and Bethel which provoked the Lord to anger The Jews have this Sentence written in their Synagogues where they meet to pray A prayer without the heart is like a body without a soul What a deformed loathsome spectacle is a body without a soul truly so is thy prayer without thy heart God respecteth the heart in prayer above any thing men minde the expressions most but God mindeth the affections most Let us draw night to God with a true heart let us lift up our hearts with our hands unto God in the Heavens Heb. 10.22 Lam. 3.41 God looketh not so much to the Elegancy of thy prayers how neat they are nor to the Geometry of thy prayers how long they are but to the sincerity of thy prayers how hearty they are Senec. lib. 1. henefic cap 8. Socrates made more account of poor Aeschines for giving himself to him then of Alcibiades and other rich Scholars who gave him large presents God esteemeth infinitely more of an heart-sprung though broken prayer then of dissembling petitions cloathed with and drest up in the neatest and most gaudy expressions The heart is the mettal of the bell the tongue is but the clapper When the mettal of the bell is right and good as silver such will the sound be if the mettal of the bell be crackt or lead the sound will soon discover it to a judicious ear God can see the diseases and spots of the heart upon the tongue O it is dangerous to do as some Princes with their neighbours who set on foot a Treaty of peace for their own ends but resolve beforehand that it shall never be brought to any period As Jacob said to his mother If I dissemble my Father will finde me out and I shall meet with a curse instead of a blessing So say I to thee if thou dissemblest in prayer thy God will finde thee out and thou wilt meet with a curse a blow instead of a blessing There is no going to God as Jeroboams wife thought to go to the Prophet in a disguise Under the Law Notandum illud est quod quae offeruntur in Holocaustan interiorasunt quod exterius esi Domino no offertur â—tpel li Hom. 5. the inward parts were onely to be offered to God in Sacrifice The skin belonged to the Priests whence Origen inferreth That truth in the inward parts is that which is most pleasing in a Sacrifice Indeed others compass God about with lies and therefore highly provoke him They did flatter him with their mouth and they lyed unto him with their tongue for their heart was not right with him Psal 78.36 37. Hosea 11.12 It is sinful for thee to tell a lye to thy fellow Creature but how abominable is it to tell a lye to the Almighty Creator Thy prayer without thy heart will be Sacriledge not a Sacrifice When the heart is Rector chori cheif leader of the Quire then the voice is pleasant indeed in Gods ear The Lord is nigh to all that call upon him to all that call upon him in truth Psa 145.18 When the Wife giveth the Husband her heart and defileth not the Marriage bed he will if wise bear with many infirmities in her When the heart in prayer is devoted to God he is pleased out of his grace and goodness to pardon and pass by many imperfections in the duty but if that bed be prostituted to any other he gives a divorce to the Sacrifice and putteth it away for he is a jealous God Jacobs small present could not but be acceptable to Joseph because it was the best of the Land The heart of man is but little yet it is the best of man and therefore taken kindly by God The main enquiry at prayer is concerning the heart As Jonadab was asked by Jehu so is the Christian by God Is thy heart right as mine is Then come up into my Chariot then come to the Throne of grace and welcome Thirdly thy prayers must be fervent Prayer is a duty which consisteth not in words or expressions but in the working of the affection therefore it is called a crying to God Out of the depth I have cryed to thee Psa 130. a renting the heart Joel 2.13 as if the heart were by prayer torn in peices and a pouring out the soul as if the body had been left without life the soul being departed and ascended to Heaven in holy petitions The true Beggar is ever earnest for spiritual Almes he will not let God go without a blessing Gen. 32. Paulus Aemilius being to fight with the Macedonians would never give over Sacrificing to his God Hercules till he had some sign of victory The Christian is more urgent with the true God then the Heathen is with his God of clouts When Daniel prayed with what force were his words uttered with
what fire was his Sacrifice offered O Lord hear O Lord forgive O Lord defer not for the Lords sake That wine is best which is fullest of these heavenly spirits Winter fruits are sowre and unplesant to men and so are cold petitions to God Dan. 9.13 Reader when thou art praying for pardon how shouldst thou even poure out thy soul Alass when thou considerest if God do not pardon I perish eternally if sin be imputed I am damned how should thy heart cry out Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindness after the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out mine iniquities again Wash me from mine iniquities and cleanse me from my sin and again Hide thy face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities once more Deliver me from blood guiltiness O God thou God of my salvation Psa 51.1 2 11 14. When thou art begging grace and purity with what earnestness shouldst thou pray beleiving how destructive sin is to thy precious soul and how offensive to the jealous just and Almighty God and in what absolute necessity thou standest in of holiness without which thou canst never see God As when the Clock strikes the Wheels within move notably we may hear them run round so when thy tongue is pleading with God for remission of sins and repentance towards God for the Son of God the Spirit of God and thine everlasting Salvation how should thine heart move what work should there be among thine affections to enforce those weighty petitions This fervency is necessary to prepare thy soul for the mercy thou desirest What men get lazily they spend lavishly but that food which a devout woman longeth for she prizeth much and eateth with most delight When one whispered Demostenes in the ear that he was beaten and desired him to plead his cause the Orator would not believe him till at last the man cryed out Now saith he I feel your cause It is the intension of the Spirit which giveth efficacy to our petitions It is not the length of the arm but the strength of it which draweth the bow so as to make the arrow fly fast and far Fervency to prayer is as wings to the Bird by which it mounteth up to heaven The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous prevaileth much James 5.16 When prayers are drivel'd like rhume out of a mans mouth they fall down at his feet The Mother will let the childe alone if it onely whimper and whine a little in the cradle but when it crieth outright then she hasteth to take it up This poor man cryed was not dull and drowsie there is his fervency and the Lord heard him and delivered him out of all his troubles Psal 34.9 here is his prevalency There is no getting to the Indian Mines by the cold Northerz Seas though because it is a shorter cut some have attempted that way but they lost their labour Other duties are a serving God Prayer is a seeking God Now they that seek him early shall finde him Prov. 8.17 A low voice doth not cause a loud eccho neither doth a lazy prayer procure a liberal answer Sleepy requests cause but dreams meer fancied returns Where there is a cushion of ease under the knees and a pillow of idleness under the elbows there is little work to be done When Daniel had been fervent all day at prayer an Angel is sent to him at night with an answer Importunity prevaileth with an unjust Judge much more with a righteous and gracious God Though God be Almighty yet a fervent prayer through his grace hath held his hands Let me alone Exod. 32. Who holdeth the Lord saith Austin Moses earnest cry was the cord which I may speak with reverence fastned Gods hands Prayer is a sword to wound both sin and Satan but fervency is the edge of it doing the execution Zeph. 18.2 Cor. 12. For this I besought the Lord thrice When a man strikes his Enemies with his full strength then the wounds are made The lack of this fervency is the loss of many prayers The lazy petition tires before it comes half way to Heaven indeed it is eaten up as the cold honey of Wasps and Flies of wandring thoughts when fervent prayers like honey boiling over the fire is free from such ill guests An idle prayer like a lazy beggar wandreth and gaddeth up and down and as a rowling stone gathereth no moss The working of the affections in prayer like Davids harp allayeth those Devils which would disturb the Christian in this duty When a man is intent upon the God to whom he prayeth and eager after the mercies for which he prayeth though the World whisper him in the ear he cannot hear though Satan jog him by the elbow he will not heed him But here a caution will be seasonable The fire of thy fervency must be from Heaven not such strange fire as Nadab and Abihu offered to the Lord I mean it must not be the voice of nature an earnest cry for the enjoyment of creatures but the voice of the Spirit an importunate desire for conformity to and communion with the Lord Jesus Christ We read of those that howled upon their beds for corn and wine and oyl Hosea 7.17 Many like children roar are much out of quiet disturb others with the noise they make but it is for clouts for a Babey Who will shew us any good The voice of a Saint must be as of a wise son at full age for the inheritance Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me The Petitioner herein must be very careful he that rides apace had need to be sure that he is in the right way or else the freer his horse is the more he wandreth to his loss The greater the fire is the more watchful we must be that it be kept within the chimney the more earnest our affections are the more we must minde what our petitions be The promises of God must be the foundation of our prayers What he promiseth to give I may pray to receive Remember the word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope Psal 119.49 but its dangerous for the building to jet out upon the Kings high-way beyond the foundation this may cause the house to fall or be taken down Because godliness hath the promise of this life I am bound to pray Give me this day my daily bread Temporal good things must be part of the matter of my prayer but because God promiseth these things conditionally so far onely as he seeth fit for his honor and my comfort therefore I must pray for them conditionally The Apish childe that crieth and squeeketh for the knife to be its own carver and will not be satisfied with its Parents feeding it deserveth the rod our prayers both for the matter and the manner must run parallel with Gods promises Prayer is a putting Gods promises into suit but he that sueth a Bond must minde the condition
render this Engine of the Word fruitless whereby the Strong-holds of his Kingdom have been battered and broken down Therefore as a Jaylor will sometimes let his prisoners have their hands and feet at liberty so long as the doors of the Prison are barred and bolted that they cannot run away So he will let thee have thy hand at liberty for some acts of charity and thy feet at liberty to walk in some path of civility so long as he can but have the doors of thine ear and heart lockt fast that thou canst not get from him He knoweth Christ waiteth at the outward door of the ear that he might thereby come to the inward door of thy heart and deliver thee a poor Captive out of his hands For this cause if it be possible he will keep the street door shut he will hinder thee from hearing as in Gods presence he will finde thee other work to do then to hear it may be he will get thee to play and toy as he doth many great ones or if not to be talking to thy pew-fellows or to be reading possibly somewhat finful at least somewhat unseasonable or to have thy heart in thine own house whilest thy body is in Gods house or as a childe though thou art at thy book he will make thee look off if but a Butter-fly come by he will set thee about some business or other unless thou art serious as in Gods sight that thou shalt never have so much leisure as to hear even when thou art in the Church It is reported of Henry the third King of France that in a solemn Procession at Paris hecould not be without his Jester who walking between the King and the Cardinal made mirth to them both in the mean time there was brave devotion Alas they that hear in jest will finde Hell to be hot in earnest Were not men Indians and Infidels in English habits did they but believe the invaluable worth of their souls the consequence and weight of their unchangeable estates what a searching trying time the hour of death will be and what dreadful terrible things will be seen at the day of Judgement Good Lord how would they hear The Minister need not call to them to attend to the Word of God they would of themselves give it their ears and mindes and hearts and think all too little for it 2. Apply the Word to thine own soul The Word is a salve of soveraign vertue Some talk of the Weapon-salve that it heals at a distance but the Word will not it must be applied to the sore or it will never cure The Word is seed preaching is the sowing of this soed application of it to thy heart is the harrowing of this seed into the earth If the seed be thrown on the ground and not harrowed in we can expect no harvest A good hearer is said to eat the Word Thy words were found by me and I did eat them Jer. 15.16 Eat of my bread and drink of the wine which I have mingled Prov. 9.5 It is not the bread in the cupboard of the Bible or on the table of a Sermon which will nourish thy soul unless it be by application of it to thy self eaten and taken down into thy stomack The glass of wine in thine hand will not make thy heart glad the precious promises in thine ears will not rejoyce thee they must by application be drunk down then they will refresh and comfort thy Conscience Faith is both the mouth to receive in and the stomack to digest this spiritual food It is worthy thy observation how frequently the Holy Ghost attributeth the famous effects and heroick acts of the Word to this Commander in chief under whose couragious and wise conduct it warreth The Word fighteth boldly and worketh miraculously under Faiths banner The Gospel of Christ is the power of God to salvation to them that believe Rom. 1.16 It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe 1 Cor. 1.21 so also 2 Tim. 3.15 Application is the life both of preaching and hearing If the Threatnings and Curses of the Law are preached faith is to them as the powder to the bullet causing them to make grievous havock and to do great execution upon the lusts of a man Faith turneth those stones as I may speak into bread and helpeth the Christian like Sampson to fetch meat out of the eater If the Precepts and Commands of the Law are preached Faith is the eye to see the Equity in them and the Excellency of them and Faith is the hand to put them into practice If the Promises and Comforts of the Gospel are preached Faith is to them as Induction to a Minister it gives him actual possession of them it makes them his own Faith in the Threatnings causeth Humiliation Faith in the Precepts causeth Subjection and Faith in the Promises worketh Consolation If at any time thou goest from hearing dead and undone thou mayest say to Faith as Martha to Christ If thou hadst been here my soul had not dyed The unbeliever like a man in a swoon shuts his mouth against those life-recalling Cordials which are before him in the Gospel Other sins wound the soul but Unbelief like Joab strikes under the fifth rib and kills outright Unbelief spoileth all An Unbeliever is dead he cannot hear Christ in his Word he is blind he cannot see God in the Gospel like Hagar though a Fountain be before him he beholdeth it not Unbelief makes the Word like rain upon Rocks wholly useless and fruitless What is said of the Essential Word is true of the Revealed Word It can do no mighty works because of their unbelief Unbelief is a Bulwark whereby sin secureth it self against all the darts and shot which the Word dischargeth at it What was the reason that the Word was not helpful to the Jews Heb. 4.2 The word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it Unbelief was the crack in the Glass through which this inestimable Water of Life did leak out and so was lost Nay What made the Word hurtful to them This leaven of Unbelief sowred all 1 Pet. 2.8 That Rock on which Faith builds an house which reacheth up to Heaven Unbelief stumbleth at and tumbleth the soul into Hell 3. Let the Word come with Authority and Power to thy Conscience This is one of the chiefest ingredients that goeth to the composition of a Preacher that he speak as Paul did in demonstration of the Spirit and of power 1 Cor. 2.4 By this force wherewith he spake and execution which he did that incomparable pattern of Preachers the Captain of our Salvation was distinguished from the Pharisees who in discharge of this holy Ordinance onely made false fire He taught as one having Authority and not as the Scribes And the people were astonished at his Doctrine Matth. 7.2 ult ver He is the best Souldier who in this Warfare makes
sinking into the boundless bottomless Ocean of destruction and misery through his falseness and treachery When lo on a sudden the Glorious God out of the superabundant riches of his mercy resolving that the Devil should never rob him of the honor of that manifold Wisdom unsearchable Goodness and Almighty Power which had been manifested in the work of Creation did provide and cast out the Covenant of Grace a plank sufficient for his poor shipwrackt Creature to swim safe to shore on As all the Rivers meet in the Sea and all the lines in the Centre so do all the comforts of Mankind meet in this Covenant The whole Scripture is sincere milk but this Covenant is the Cream of it All our mercies are contained in it all our hopes are sustained by it and our Heaven is at last attained through it The blessed God doth not onely enter into a Covenant of mercy but out of compassion to our infirmities hath been pleased to confirm it by his hand and seal By his hand in his word by his seals by the privy-seal of his Spirit and by the broad-seals of the Sacraments that by these immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lye we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us Heb. 6.18 The Lords Supper is a sign and seal of the Righteousness of Faith or the Covenant of Grace Rom. 4.11 When the blessed Saviour was taking a doleful farwel of an ungrateful world as a lively resemblance of his sufferings for his and as an undeniable evidence of his love to his he instituted this Supper 1. As a lively resemblance of his passion for his people A crucified Christ is the sum of the Law and the substance of the Gospel the knowledge of him is no less worth then Eternal life Now as he was crucified by the Jews and Souldiers actually and by unbelieving Gentiles who live amongst us interpretatively so he is crucified in the Gospel declaratively and in the Sacrament representatively This Cup saith Christ is the new Testament in my blood 1 Corinth 11.25 The Old Testament was sprinkled with the blood of Beasts but the New Testament with the blood of Christ Hebr. 9.15 19. This precious blood which was the costly price of mans Redemption which is the onely path to Eternal Salvation which was promised to Adam believed by the Patriarchs shadowed in the Sacrifices foretold by the Prophets and witnessed in the Scriptures is drunk received signified and sealed in the Supper Christ instituted this ordinance also to be a standing evidence of his affection to his The same night that he was betrayed he took bread The dearest Jesus kept his best wine till the last He knew his Disciples would be full of sorrow for his departure he therefore provided his strongest cordial against their saddest fainting fits After the Passover he took bread and instituted the Sacrament After Supper then comes the Banquet the Sweet-meats At the Lords Table Christ kisseth his Spouse with the sweetest kisses of his lips and ravisheth her heart with his warmest love In other Ordinances he Wooeth her in this he Marrieth her In other Ordinances she hath from him the salutes of a loving friend but in this the embraces of an Husband Other duties are pleasant and wholsom food but this is the costly delightful feast In this Christ bringeth his beloved into his Banqueting house a store-house of all sweet delights of variety of delicacies and his Banner over her is love Cant. 2.4 A certain man made a great Supper Luk. 14.16 I may truely say so of the Sacrament This is a great Supper in regard of its Author The great God is Master of the feast He gave his own Son for the life of the World 2. In regard of the matter of it which is the flesh of Jesus Christ Men set bread and wine on the Table but Christ setteth his own body and blood there In this ordinance we eat not onely Panem Domini sed panem Dominum The bread of the Lord but the bread which is the Lord. The gods say they are come down in the likeness of man behold here God the Son cometh down in the likeness of bread and wine he himself is eat and drunk by faith Is not this a rare banquet 3. In regard of the great price of it Banquets are costly but O what did this feast cost Beasts are slain before they can be food for our bodies but Lo here the Lord of life was put to death that he might be food for our starving souls Cleopatra dissolved a pearl worth 50000. l. in Vinegar and drunk it up at a draught but as costly as her liquor was it was much worse then puddle water in comparison of the precious blood of Christ which the beleiver drinketh at this great Supper 4. In regard of its great effects It sealeth pardon peace and salvation to the Saint it conveyeth the Image and love of God nay God himself into the soul Through the golden pipe of this Ordinance is conveyed the golden Oyl of divine influence There is Manna indeed in this pot Well may it be called a great Supper The Elements are of small value but the Sacrament is of infinite worth A conveyance of land fairly written in Parchment with wax fastened to it is of little price but when it is signed sealed and delivered to the use of a person it may be worth much it may convey thousands A little bread and a spoonful or two of wine are in themselves of very small value but when received according to Christs institution and accompanied with his benediction they will be of unspeakable value they will convey thousands and millions to the beleiver The Lords Supper is indeed like an Elixar which is small in quantity but great in value and efficacy having in it the spirits and substance of many excellent things In prayer all the graces are exercised and so also at the Supper but not onely all the graces but most of the other Ordinances of God are invited to this feast The Word Prayer Singing do all meet at the Table and contribute their help to carry the Christian up to Heaven I premise these things Reader purposely to make thee more wary The corrupting of the best is worst of all Poison in Wine is much worse then in Water Kings expect that their Children should be respected though their officers be refused Surely saith God They will reverence my Son Mat. 21.37 The very work about which he comes will make him welcome Though they refuse my Servants yet they will reverence my Son The Casuists say Sacramentum articulus mortis aequiparantur A man must be looked upon at the Sacramental board as if he were on a bying bed Friend thou shouldst be as serious when thou art going to the Lords Supper as if thou wert going into the other World He that cometh carelesly gets nothing from Christ It
heart to spiritual joy and delight therein Holy alacrity and joy is not onely a crown and credit to but also a special part of Christianity The Kingdom of God consisteth not in meats and drink but in righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 Gods ways are not so bad but that the Travellers in them may be chearful His work is good wages and therefore it s no wonder that his Servants are so joyful Because beleivers have ever cause of comfort therefore they are commanded always to rejoyce Phil. 3. Whether their sins or sufferings come into their hearts they must not sorrow as they that have no hope In their saddest conditions they have the spirit of consolation There is seed of joy sown within them when it is buried under the clods and appears not above ground But there are special times when God calls for this grain to spring up They have some red letters some holy days in the Calendar of their lives wherein this joy as Wine at a Wedding is most seasonable but among all those days it never relisheth so well it never tasteth so pleasantly as on a Lords day joy sutes no person so much as a Saint and it becomes no season so well as a Sabbath Joy in God on other days is like the Birds Chirping in winter which is pleasing but joy on a Lords day is like their warbling Tunes and pretty notes in Spring when all other things look with a sutable delightful aspect This is the day which the Lord hath made he that made all days so especially of this day but what follows we will rejoyce and be glad therein Psa 118.24 In which words we have the Churches solace or joy and the season or day of it Her solace was great We will rejoyce and be glad Those expressions are not needless repetitions but shew the exeuberancy or high degree of their joy The season of it This is the day the Lord hath made Compare this place with Mat. 21.22.23 and Act. 4.11 and you will find that the precedent verses are a prophetical prediction of Christs Resurrection Sic. Arnob. and so this verse foretels the Churches joy upon that memorable and glorious day And indeed if a feast be made for laughter Eccles 10.19 Then that day wherein Christ feasteth his Saints with the choicest mercies may well command his greatest spiritual mirth A thanksgiving day hath a double precedency of a fast day On a Fast-day we eye Gods anger On a Thanksgiving-day we look to God favour In the former we specially mind our own corruptions In the latter Gods compassions therefore a Fast-day calls for sorrow a Thanksgiving day for joy But the Lords day is the highest thanksgiving day and deserveth much more then the Jewish Purim to be a day of feasting and gladness and a good day On this day we enjoy the Communion of Saints and shall we not delight in those excellent ones Psa 16.3 On this day we have fellowship with the blessed Saviour and shall we not fit under his shadow with great delight Cant. 1. On this day we are partakers of the Ordinances of God and shall we not be joyful in the House of prayer Isa 56.7 On this day we have special converse with the God of Ordinances and who would not draw water with joy out of the Well of Salvation Isa 12.3 Surely whilst we are in the midst of so much Musk we must needs be perfumed Who can walk where the Sun shines so hot and not be warmed It is Gods precept as well as thy priviledge to make Gods day thy delight If thou call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord Isa 58.13 Delights Tremel reads it Thy delicate things according to the Septuag Whether thou art meditating on Gods works or attending on Gods Word which are the two principal duties of the day they both call for delight and joy If on this day of rest thou considerest the work of creation and Gods rest it behoveth thee to follow Davids pattern Thou Lord hast made me glad through thy works I will triumph in the works of thy hands Psa 92.4 If thou considerest the work of Redemption and Christs rest surely out of the carcass of the Lion of the tribe of Judah thou mayst get some Honey as may delight thy soul and force thee to sing My soul doth magnifie the Lord my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour Luk. 1.46 47. The babe in the womb leapt for joy of him before he was born The heavenly host sung at his birth and wilt not thou at his second birth his resurrection from the dead O let the Primitive Christians salutations be thy consolation The Lord is risen If thou meditatest on glorification and thine own rest canst thou do less then rejoyce in hope of glory what Prisoner shackled with Satans temptations and fettered with his own corruptions in the dark Gaol of this World can think of the time when his Irons shall be knockt off and he enjoy the pleasant light and glorious liberty of the Sons of God and not be transported with joy What heir in his minority banisht from his kindred and country can think without comfort of his full age when he shall have the full fruition both of his estate and friends doubtless friend the Sabbaths of the holy are the Suburbs of heaven In heaven there is no buying no selling no ploughing no sowing nothing but worshiping God communion with him fruition of him and delight in him There remains a rest for the people of God There they rest from their labours If thou on a Lords day turnest thy back upon the World and goest up into the mount conversing with and rejoycing in the blessed God what dost thou less then begin thine eternal Sabbath here Such a Lords day can be no less then Heaven in a looking glass representing truly though darkly thy future eternal happiness There is no perfume so sweet to a Pilgrim as his own smoak When thou art attending on the word truely that Aquavitae that hot water may well revive thy spirit Thy testimonies are my delight saith David I have rejoyced more in thy testimonies then in all manner of riches Psa 119.24 77. The Word of God is sometimes called a treasure and what beggar would not rejoyce in a treasure sometimes fire and truly Reader thine heart is frozen to purpose if this fire do not heat it Salomon tell us As cold water to a thirsty soul so is good news from a far Country Prov. 25.25 The Word of God contains the best news that ever ears heard Peace on earth good will towards men and the glad tidings of the Gospel come from Heaven a far Country What canst thou say then why they should not be as welcome and refreshing to thee as cold water to a thirsty soul Variety of things that are excellent is not a little ground of complacency in them Variety of choice voices please the ear variety
Arts come from God in making Minerva the Daughter of Jupiter and to have had her generation in his Divine brain but alas the choicest peices of men to the smallest Works of God are but as childrens houses of dirt to the stateliest Courts of Christendom Archites was much extolled for causing a Dove of Wood to hang in the Air being equally poised with its own weight but what is this to the work of God in hanging the earth upon nothing Job 26.7 The earth is the heaviest and lowest Element A little peice of earth held up and let fall will never cease moving till it come to rest upon some solid body and yet behold the great mass of earth with innumerable bodies upon it hangs fast in the midst of the open Air having no visible Pillar nor foundation to rest upon Well might God reckon it to Job among his wondrous works Job 38.4 5 6. Vpon what be the Sockets of it fastened Aristotle himself could not but admire it Archimedes was famous for contriving the motions of the Sun Moon and Stars in his Horology but alass what is this to the glorious heavens themselves which God stretcht out like a Curtain and to the Noble Host of great and glittering bodies keeping their Rank and File and being not onely incredibly swift but also regularly and orderly in their motions The Heavens declare the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy work There is so much of God appearing in the Heavens that many have taken them for God and given them divine worship Naturalists tell us that the head of Nilus cannot be found but many sweet springs issuing from it are discovered Though thy finite capacity can never reach fully the fountain and head Gods infinite Being and Excellencies yet thou mayst finde many refreshing streams which flow from it A little River will lead thee to the Ocean Ohow much of the goodness power and wisdom of God appeareth in the work of creation The Rabbies say that in every Apex of the Law there is a Mountain of sense sure I am that in the smallest Creatures there is abundance of the Creatour How doth the Wisdom of God shine forth in the exquisite workmanship variety order subordination and serviceableness of the Creatures one to another that David might well cry out O Lord how marvellous are thy works in wisdom hast thou made them all Pontanus Scultet Annal. Chancellour of Saxony propoundeth to be viewed and weighed the most beautiful Arch-work of Heaven resting upon no post but Gods power and yet standing fast for ever The clouds as thin as the liquor contained in them behold saith he how they hang and move though weighty in their burden thy salute us onely or threaten us rather and pass we know not whither How doth his goodness appear in furnishing the World so richly for the supply of his Creatures the earth is full of thy goodness Luther in his Colloquia Meâ—s tells us that God is at more charge every day to maintain Sparrows then all the yearly Revenues of the King of France are worth but especially towards man in making him so excellent a Creature and in making so many excellent creatures for him His power is also evident both in creating such great and noble creatures of nothing he used not the least tool or instrument in making the Heavens and earth and in having them all at his beck and bidding at his call and command the greatest do him homage and the smallest do him service The Sun as strong and swift as he is moving as some write every hour 16000 Miles yet he flies back like a Coward if God speak but the word Josh 10.12 Job 9.5 to 10. He armeth Flies and Lice and what Execution did they do upon the Egyptians Cambden tels us the Armes of the Shagburies in Warwick-shire being Stars Camb. Britain are found engraven in the very stones within their Manor of Shagbury Whether that be true or no I know not but sure I am that the Armes of the Infinite God his eternal power manifold wisdom and matchless goodness are so plainly written on his works in the World in that first volume of Creation that he that runs may read them Solomon tels us God hath set the World in mens hearts namely that the skilfulness of the Workman may be admired in the exactness of his works Eccles 3.11 I might draw thee farther and shew thee but that I would not be so large how these glorious perfections of God are Printed in a larger letter in a fairer character in the second volume the work of Redemption This is the object of Angels admiration and ought to be of thy meditation Truly thy duty is to read God in the first book the book of the creatures and more especially in the second in Jesus Christ upon his own day Thy meditation of Gods works as it will give honour to God so it will not a little further thy spiritual good When David considered the work of creation â—a 8.1 to 4 he falls presently upon exalting God and debasing himself When I consider the Heavens the work of thy hands the Moon and the Stars which thou hast made O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the earth and thy glory above the Heavens there he sets God up high but then be casts himself downlow What is man that thou art mindful of him and the son of man that thou dost thus visit him When thine heart is like Wax hardened bring it by meditation to the warm beams of this Sun and they will soften it So when David considered the work of Redemption how doth he magnifie God and vilifie himself What am I and what is my Fathers House that thou hast brought me up hitherto and yet this was a small thing in thine eyes O God for thou hast also spoken of thy servants house for a great while to come 1 Chron. 16.16 17. O Friend as rubbing the Limbs with hot Oyls is a great means to recover them when they are benumb'd so when thy heart is dull and dead on a Lords day if thou wouldst but ply it with the meditation of the infinite love and goodness of God in sending his Son to dye for thy soul it would be a Soveraign means to quicken and revive it Consider also the Word of God which thou hast heard on that day Do thou like Mary ponder it in thine heart Meditation to the word is what fire is to water though water be naturally so cold yet put fire under it and it will make it hot and boyling so though thine heart be cold in regard of affection to the word put but this fire under it and it will boyl with love to it O how love I thy law there is his heat of affection the expression is both by way of interrogation and acclamation shewing the fervency and intension of his love but what was the fire which caused it it is
Fathers writeth that the Primitive Christians were so holy in their talk at their Table that one would have thought they had been at a Sermon Non tam caenam caenant quam disciplinam Tertul. Apologet cap. 39 not at a Supper Plato gives rules for the writing down the Table Talk of men thereby to make them more serious Luthers Colloquia Mensalia Printed in a large Folio do abundantly prove that he was not idle when he was eating but that his Table was his Pulpit where he read many profitable Lectures There is scarce a meeting of ungodly men to eat but the Devil hath his Dish among them Psa 35.16 The Drunkards have a song of David to sugar their Liquor The Gluttons have some Taunts to fling at Saints as Sauce to their meat At Herods Birth-day Banquet one Dish served in was the Baptists head Should not friend God have his dish at thy Table When thou art eating bread let thy meditation and expression be like his who sat at Table with Jesus Christ Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the Kingdom of God Luk. 14.15 Consider Gods bounty and mercy in feeding thee and cloathing thee when many hungry bellies and naked backs are abroad in the World how many would be glad of thy scraps when thou hast asked God leave for his creatures thou mayst taste his love in the creatures Mayst thou not gather and conclude if the Streams are so refreshing and satisfying what refreshment and satisfaction is there in the well of living waters If bread be so savoury to an hungry body how sweet how savoury is the bread which came down from heaven to an hungry soul Lord give me evermore that bread Do as the Jews They did eat and delighted themselves in thy great goodness Nehem. 9.21 When thou art feeding thy body delight thy soul in Gods great goodness Thus like Mary when Christ was at meat thou mayst break thy box of precious Ointment and perfume the whole room with its fragrant smell 3. In returning thanks when thou hast eaten Thy duty is to begin thy meales with prayer and to end them with praise Thou canst not give God his due price for mercies but thou mayst give him his due praise Though thou art never able to buy them of him yet thou art able to bless him for them If thou didst Dine at thy Neighbours Table thou wouldst think thy self very unmannerly to turn thy back upon him without any acknowledgment of and thankfulness for his courtesie Every meal thou makest is at Gods cost for shame be so civil as to thank him for his kindness Saints are compared to Doves Isa 60.8 especially for their eyes Thou hast Doves eyes Cant. 5. Now Doves after every grain they peck look upward as it were giving thanks When God opens his hand thou mayst well open thy lips When thou hast eaten and art full Joel 2.26 thou shalt bless the Lord thy God Deut. 8.10 Do not like the fed Hauk forget thy Master or like them that go to the Well as soon as they have fild their Buckets at it turn their backs upon it Why shouldst thou forget God when he remembreth thee When thou shalt have eaten and be full then beware least thou forget God Deut. 6.11 12. Let not thy fulness breed forgetfulness you think him a surly beggar who if he receive but a small peice of bread shall fling away from your doors and give you no thanks The Primitive Christians did break bread from house to house and did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart praysing God Some understand it of Sacramental others of Corporal bread Acts 2.46 47. The Lord Jesus was known by his actions or expressions in giving of thanks Luk. 24.31 Nay the Heathen would acknowledge their Dunghil deities in those outward mercies Dan. 5.4 They drank Wine and praysed the gods of Gold and of silver and of brass of iron of wood and of stone Wilt not thou do as much for the true God as they for their false Gods O let him have all thy praise who sendeth in all thy provision God takes it very ill when we do not own and honour him as the Author of our Meat and Drink Because Israel was so prided with her Pronounces Possessives My bread and my water my wool and my flax mine oyl and my drink God turnes them all into privatives For she did not know that I gave her Corn and Wine and Oyl therefore will I return and take away my Corn in the time thereof and my Wine in the season thereof and recover my wool and my flax Hosea 2.5.8 9. Trumpeters love not to sound in those places where they are not answered with a considerable Eccho God delights not to bestow mercies on those persons who will not return him sutable praise those that return things borrowed without thanks must expect the next time they need to be denyed I have read a story in the writings of an eminently pious Minister who was an eye and ear witness of the truth of it of a young man who lying upon his sick bed was always calling for meat but as soon as he saw it was brought to him at the sight of it he shook and trembled dreadfully in every part of his body and so continued till his food was carried away and thus being not able to eat he pined away and before his death acknowledged Gods Justice in that in his health he had received his meat ordinarily without giving God thanks The despisers of Gods benificence have been patterns of his vengeance He hath remembred them in fury who have forgotten his favours Some write of the Jews that in the beginning of their Feasts the Master of the House took a cup of Wine in his hand and began its consecration after this manner Blessed be thou O Lord our God the King of the World Ex P. Fagi in Deut. 8. which createst the fruit of the Vine this they called Bircath hajaiin the blessing of the cup possibly to this David alludeth in Psa 116.13 14. What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits I will take the Cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord after the cup the Master of the House took the bread and consecrated it thus Blessed be thou O Lord our God the King of the World which bringest forth bread out of the Earth this they called Bircath halechem At the end of the Feast the Master called to his Friends Let us bless him who hath fed us with his own and of whose goodness we live and concluded with a large Thanksgiving wherein he blest God First For their present Food Secondly For their deliverance from Egyptian bondage Thirdly For the Covenant of Circumcision Fourthly For the Law given by the Ministry of Moses And then he prayed that God would have mercy On his people Israel Secondly On his own City Jerusalem Thirdly On Sion the Tabernacle of his
who cannot hear what is spoken by reason of the clacking and noise which is made there Christ calleth and the Spirit of God cryeth to them but their eares are stopt with earth that they hear not As we say of fire and water they are good Servants but bad Masters Keep them within their bounds and they are exceeding useful but when they go beyond their bounds how hurtful are they What mischief hath fire done in England what sad work hath water made in Holland The same is true of our particular callings they are faithful Servants but they are dreadful Masters Keep them within their limits and they are helpful to our selves our relations and our neighbours but suffer them once to transgress their bounds and they will make miserable work they will rob God wrong the soul nay often ruine it eternally When those that were born slaves and servants come once to be Kings and Commanders they are ever the worst Tyrants Now if thou wouldst not have thy particular calling to incroach upon thy general take heed that it steal not away thy heart nor thy time 1. Take heed that thy particular calling steal not away thy heart from thy general calling If the Mistris keep her distance and maintain her authority over her maidens she may find them obedient and serviceable but if she grow fond of them and familiar with them they will grow saucy and incroach upon her Reader keep thy inward distance and maintain that authority which God hath given thee over the things of this life and then all will be well butif once thou doatest on them and delightest in them expect to have them thine hinderances in all holy exercises The World may have thy hands but it must not have thy heart Thy actions may be about thy particular calling but thy affections must be above it Set your affections on things above and not on things below Collos 3.2 Thy occupation is as the first Adam of the earth carthly but thy conversation must be like the second Adam the Lord from Heaven heavenly A Christian should follow the things of this World with such a slightness and indifferency of Spirit as Wicked men do the things of a better World The holy Angels behold our earthly affairs but as strangers to them It is happy for him that can carry himself towards his own estate as if it were another mans An heathen could say I do not give but onely lend my self to my business Surely then a Saint should go through th World as one in a deep study Rebus non me trodo sedcousmodo Senec de benef his mind being the whilst intent upon a better object Brutish Horseflies fasten on Dunghils Swallows make their nests of earth They who have no Heaven hereafter may give their hearts to the earth but Christian if thou lovest thy soul though riches increase set not thine heart upon them Love not the World nor the things of the World Psa 62.10 This is a certain truth the hotter thy love is to the World the colder it is to the Lord. When the sap of Worldliness is in a man he will never flame well heavenward The Ship may sail in the water and be safe but when the water getteth into the Ship it sinketh it Thou mayst work about thy earthly affairs and all may be well but if thine affairs once work themselves into thee then thou art in danger Thy God alloweth thee to warm thy self at the Sun of creature comforts but not to turn Persian and worship it The Riviers lightly salute the earth as they pass along and make no stay but pass forward to the Ocean Thy affections should but slightly touch the earth weeping for worldly crosses as if thou wepst not and rejoycing for Worldly comforts as if thou rejoycedst not and so pass on to the Ocean of thy happiness It s said Germanicus reigned in the Romans hearts Tiberius onely in the Provinces Thy general must reign in the City in thy heart thy particular calling onely in the Suburbs of thy hands Reader if the World ever get into the throne of thine inward man fare wel all Religon I have read of a custom among the Germans to know whether their children be bastards or not to throw them in Fluvium Rhenum into the River Rhine If they floated above then they acknowledged them to be their own but if the waters carried them away then they esteemed them as Bastards Truely Reader if thou canst float above the waters of thy worldly imployments thou art a child of God but if that carry thee away by lying near thy affections look to thy self and fear thy condition It is not the greatness of mans estate or employment so much as the nearness of it to his heart which will hinder holiness A small hat held near our eyes will hinder our sight of the Sun which a great mountain a far off will not do A little near the affections will hinder our sight of Christ when thousands far from the heart may as imployed further it Besides the closer we lay the flowers of our earthly mercies to our breasts the sooner they wither A nosegay in the hand will continue fresh and sweet as is generally observed much longer then when it is stuck in the bosome 2. That thy particular calling may not incroach upon thy general be careful that it steal not away thy time Thy piety Reader and thy prudence is so to order thine affairs relating to heaven and earth to God and thy family that they may not interfere or cross each other A wise foreceast will much help thee in this particular As to the winding a skein of silk he that begins at the right end will make quick riddance of it so to the dispatching of Wordly imployments that they may not prove heavenly impediments he that hath discretion to forecast them well may do very much However thy duty is to give the affairs of thy soul and thy God precedency I know the Devil and thy corrupt heart will often justle and quarrel with thy Closet and Family duties by suggesting to thee that they must of necessity be omitted because otherwise such and such concernments of thy calling upon which the welfare of thy self Wife and Children doth depend will be neglected As when Moses spake of the Israelites sacrificing to God then Pharoah spake of work to put them off so when thou art thinking of entring upon the performance of duties whether in secret or private thy back friend the evil one will send thee a message either by thy Wife or friend or thine unregenerate part that some other affairs of weight call for thy company elsewhere and therefore a dispensation must be granted thee at present as to thy solemn devotion Friend if thou lovest Jesus Christ take heed of hearkening to such temptations let the flesh but once obtain such a conquest over thee and thou shalt hear of it again it will pursue its victory to
spirit in faith in purity Phil. 3.17 that I may be able to say to my flock as Paul to his Philippians 1 Cor. 11.1 Brethren be followers together of me and to his Corinthians Be followers of me as I am of Christ and mark them which walk as ye have me for an example I wish that though my labours should prove unfruitful 7 Not to be discouraged for want of success when I in the discharge of my trust am faithful that I may not be discouraged knowing that I shall be a sweet savour to my God as well in them that perish as in them that are saved and though Israel be not gathered by me Isa 6.10 but I spend my strength in vain yet surely my judgement is with the Lord and my work with my God yet O that I might not be sent about that dreadful message to make the hearts of any people fat to make their ears heavy and to shut their eyes lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and convert and be healed but that I may turn many sinners from the errours of their ways save many souls from death and hide a multitude of sins I wish that as Joab when he took the City of Rabbah with Davids Souldiers 8 To give the glory of success to God was willing to have the Crown set on the Kings head so when my God hath enabled me by his spirit to cast down imaginations and high things that exalted themselves against the knowledge of him and to bring into captivity many sinners to the Obedience of Christ that I may set the crown of glory upon the head of God alone and not suffer the least part of his honour to stick to my singers I am but the instrument he is the principal efficient I am but the pipe he is the spring whence the water of life floweth I do but lay on the plaister he made the precious salve of the word and bestoweth also healing vertue on it O that I might never be so ungrateful when he is pleased to honour me as to dishonour him by thinking of my self above what is meet but that all my services may be as so many Scaffolds â—erected purposely for the raising of his his name and the setting up of his praise Finally The conclusion 1 Tim. 4.16 2 Tim. 4.5 I wish that I may take heed to my self to my Doctrine to my life be watchful in all things endure affliction make full proof of my Ministry do the work of a faithful Pastor Mat. 7.21.23 least as they who prophesied in Christs name and in his name cast out Devils I be cast to Devils as a worker of iniquity and find that gate of life which I opened to others shut against my own soul O let me not as Porters in great Houses lodge without my self whilst I let others into Heaven Let it please thee O God of all grace to fill me with the fruits of thy spirit that I may feed thy people with knowledge and understanding Take the oversight of them not by constraint but willingly 1 Pet. 5.2 3 4. not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind not as being a Lord over Gods heritage but as being an ensample to the flock that so when the chief Shepherd shall appear on the great day in which the Sheep shall be separated from the Goats I may receive a crown of glory which fadeth not away Amen CHAP. XXVII How a Christian may exercise himself to Godliness in his Family as the governour thereof IT is thy duty to exercise thy self to godliness in thy Family and relations Fifthly A Christian must not like the Israelites Pillar in the Wilderness be light on one side and dark on the other be diligent in one relation and negligent in another but as a candle in a Chrystial Lanthorn be lightsom quite round it be holy in every Relation in which he standeth Reader I shall consider thee as Governor or Governess of a Family and herein direct thee what thou shouldst do for the faithful discharge of thy trust in that relation Houses under the Law were to be dedicated to God at their first setting up Deut. 20.5 Which was done saith Ainsworth on the place with singing and praising God Psal 30. vide Title as well as feasting Davids Psalm at the dedication of his House is worthy our imitation Hezekias upon the Law touching the fanctifying an house to God Levit. 27.14 15. giveth this Exposition That to dedicate or sanctifie an house to God is for the Governor to be careful for the instruction of his Family and the Religious Conversation of his Houshold that his house may be Gods house and his children Gods children and his servants Gods servants A Family is a natural and simple Society of certain persons having mutual relation one to another under the private government of one head or chief Aristotle calleth Families the first Society in nature and the ground of all the rest Before the Flood the whole form of Civil and Ecclesiastical Government was confined within the Precincts of private Families A Family is the Epitome of a Kingdom and Commonwealth in a little volume The way to make godly Parishes and godly Countreys and godly Kingdoms is to make godly Families When sin as a plague speadeth abroad it beginneth in Families One Atheistical Family defileth and destroyeth many it sendeth a son into one house a daughter into another a servant into a third and every of them like infectious persons poyson those with whom they converse Like a nest of Foxes they destroy and devour all the Countrey over As one House on fire often burneth down many so one prophane Family injureth many one godly Family on the contrary doth good to many As one stock of Bees sendeth forth swarms and honey into many parts of the Countrey so one Religious Familie sending Religious Children and Servants abroad they come in time to have Families of their own may bring much honor to God and be helpful to the eternal welfare of many souls A Godless Family like a Gun or Cannon killeth at a distance as their swearing children and drunken servants come to spread abroad A gracious Family like the Weapon-salve healeth at a distance as the pious Relations in it come to be dispersed in other places Solomon was a Religious House-keeper and it is observable his servants were so seasoned by him with godliness that their children five hundred years after were recorded by the Spirit of God to be the most eminent in their time for Religion Ezra 2.58 Solomon being a godly Governor of his Family did good after he was dead at so great a distance Theodosius being asked how a private person might be a publique good answered By ordering all things well at home The way to make our Orchards good is to look well to our Nurseries It concerneth thee therefore Reader
God will sowre the whole lump of thy family-blessings I have seen the foolish taking root but suddenly I cursed his habitation Job 5.3 The words are not a malediction from Eliphaz private spirit but a prediction from Gods spirit as if he had said I was neither malicious against his person nor envious at his prosperous condition but by the help of the Holy Ghost I foresaw his destruction that though his house was built high yet his unholiness would lay it low Thou mayst possibly presume that though thou livest without God yet thou art beyond the reach of his rod thou canst mote thy house round against the fire of divine fury but thy confidence shall be rooted out of thy tabernacle and brimstone shall be scattered on thy habitation God will unkennel all such foxes and drag them to their deserved destruction When Dioclesian the Persecutor retired from the Empire to a private life Fuseb lâ—b 5. De vit Constant after he had feathered his nest fire rained down from Heaven and consumed his house When Nicephorus Phocas had built a mighty Wall about his Pallace for his defence he heard a voice in the night saying Though thou buildest thy wals as high as heaven sin is within and that will pluck it down The Leprous house must be pul'd down God will have every Brick Stone Tile and piece of Timber down Where is the House of the Prince and where is the dwelling place of the wicked Job 21.28 Atheism in thy house will bring a curse upon thy calling Job 5.2 3. The works of thy hands will fare the worse for the wickedness of thy heart On thy children its ill to be related to a Traytor diseases and so destruction may be hereditary Children may inherit both their Parents riches and ruine Job 5.4 5. Isa 14.20 His seed are far from safety they are crushed When a wicked man pulls down his house upon his head many in it perish with him as when Sampson pulled the house down upon the Philistines The curse of God will be a moth in thy Wardrobe murrain among thy cattel mildew in the field the plague to thy body wrath to thy soul will indeed make thy house a very hell upon earth The highest Family in the World without godliness though never so rich and ruffling is but like Golgatha a place full of frightful skulls and like a Church-yard full of carkasses gilded rotten and golden Damnation I shall now lay down some Directions how thou may exercise thy self to godliness as the Governor of a Family First Be careful whom thou admittest into thy Family Art thou unmarried and to chuse an Husband or Wife Do thy occasions call for a man-servant or a maid-servant Be careful where thou fixest for believe it not onely thy grace will appear in a good choice but also godliness will be much hindred or furthered by thy choice One sinner destroyeth much good Eccles 9.18 One man may pull down that house which many with much care cost and pains did set up We read that wicked men have been the better for taking godly men into their families as Laban and Potiphar but we never read that godly men were ever the better for having wicked persons into their families nay how much have they been the worse and by such been brought to great wickedness As black corn they smut and sully the good corn as rusty armor they injure that which is bright by being near it The Lacedemonians were so sensible of this that they would not suffer a stranger to abide among them above three daies lest by his evil example he should corrupt others And wilt thou Friend take them into thy house to dwell with thee that will bring the plague along with them and thereby probably destroy the bodies and souls of others Canst thou think it safe for a little Worldly advantage to be nigh them who are under Gods fury and next door to eternal fire Shall thy House be as Noahs Ark abounding in Creatures clean and unclean when God commandeth thee to worship him uprightly with thy whole family I hope Christian betthings of thee It was written over Plato's door 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is no man may come hither who is not a Geometer Let it be written over thy door None may expect to dwell here who will not make Religion his business Magnus a Roman Orator complaineth of St. Hicrom Epist Tom. â— Hierom that he brought many uncircumcised Greeks into the Temple and defiled Candorem Ecclesiae sordibus Ethnicorum the unstained chastity of the Church with the impure Sentences of Heathen Authors Take heed that thou dost not defile the Church of God for such thy house should be with Heathen themselves in Christian Habits If thou wantest a Wife consider before thou choosest Take heed whom thou takest into thy bed into thy bosom lest thou meetest with a Yoke-fellow that will draw as strongly towards Hell as thou dost towards Heaven It is rendred as the reason why one of the Kings of Israel was so wicked because he had to Wife the daughter of Ahab There is little work to be done when the second horse in the teem is always drawing back The Devil can make use of Eve to draw thee to undo thy self and posterity He can make use of the rib saith the Father alluding to that part of man out of which the woman was taken to break thy head The Heathen tell us that every man when he marrieth bringeth a good or an evil Spirit into his house and thereby makes his house either a Heaven or a Hell Be sure that wickedness do not woo for thee Do not send the unclean Spirits either of lust or covetousness or pride to make the match When men do as those Sons of God Gen. 6.1 who saw the Daughters of men that they were fair and took them Wives of them Gen. 6.1 hand over head it is no wonder that they are married and marr'd together Consider a Wife or a Husband is the greatest outward comfort or Cross in this World and let prayer be the messenger thou imployest about it A good wife is from the Lord Prov. 19.14 It is Gods special gift and therefore do thou go to him for it Peter Martyr saith That Adam in that deep sleep in which God formed Eve out of him was then praying for a meet help And Isaac went forth to pray when he had sent forth for a Wife He had need to have good counsel who is to take one to be his constant companion When Joshua entred into a League with the Gibeonites and never asked counsel of God how sad were the effects of it If thou entrest into a League with a man or a maid for I know not what Sex thou art of and dost not ask counsel of God expect a sad consequence of such rashness Why shouldst thou as our Proverb is for a little land take a fool by the hand sell the
chamber with Patients about their bodily health and the Tradesmans shop crowded with customers Jesus Christ is left alone Though he offereth wares which are of infinite worth and stretcheth out his hand all the day long yet no man regardeth It is reported of some Spaniards that live near the place where is store of fish P. Pâ—grim that they will rather go without them then take the pains to catch them Heaven and Happiness Saviour and Salvation are near men they are brought to their very doors and yet men will rather lose then labour for them rather go sleeping to Hell then sweating to Heaven All seek their own and none the things of Jesus Christ Offer a crust to a dog and he will catch at it offer him a Crown and he will contemn it offer these men the crusts of vanity and how greedily are they imbraced while the Crown of Glory is most unworthily dispised like beastly swine they trample this pearl under their feet and love to wallow in the mire But possibly you may say that there are many that make Religion their business onely they are so near me that according to the rule of Opticks which requires a due distance between the faculty and the object I cannot behold them they abound in every Country Parish Family All are Christians and make the Worship of God their main work I must answer as he did when he saw the vast Army of Antiochus There are many men but few Souldiers many mouths but few hands there are many nominal but few real Christians many that flourish like fencers beating onely the air but few that fight in earnest the good fight of faith Godliness hath many complemental servants that will give her the cap and the knee a few good words and outward ceremonies but Godliness hath few faithful friends that make her the Mistris of their affections that give her the command of their hearts and that wait upon her and walk with her all the day long Pretenders to her service are indeed like the sand of the sea numerous but practitioners or faithful servants are like the pearl of the sea rare and precious many court her but few marry her for indeed men generally deal with Godliness as the Germans with the Italians or the Dutch with the Spaniards hold a fair out ward correspondency enough to serve for mutual trade and traffick but enter not into a near familiarity they have no great intimacie with Godliness it s rather a stranger to them whom now and then they bestow a visit on for fashion sake then an indweller or constant inhabitant Lepidus Major a loose Roman when his Comrades were exercising themself in the Camp would lay himself down to sleep in the shade and cry out Vtinam hoc esset laborare would this were all the duty I were to do Such Souldiers are many who pretend to fight under Christs Banner when they should be watching their souls and warring with Satan and fin they are sleeping and snoring as if that were the way to work out their salvations Reader I must acquaint thee with the Physicians rule that Spontanae lassitudines morbos loquuntur Weariness without some apparent cause is a sign of a diseased body so thy laziness doth speak a very unsound soul This complaint is urged with a threefold consideration First How eager is the worldling for wealth and earthly things though they loyter about the meat which endureth to eternal life yet they can labour for the meat that perisheth though they are so negligent about the Kingdom of Heaven yet the Kingdom of Earth suffereth violence What pains do the Mariners take for treasure What perils doth the Souldier under go for plunder what labour and industry doth the Husbandman use for profit he riseth early sits up late denieth himself loseth his sleep rides and runs too and fro imbraceth all opportunities is eaten up almost with cares and fears all for the earthly maâ—â—â—â— whilst the heavenly Mansions are like the unknown part of the world which no man regardeth or looketh after They pant after the dust of the earth as greedily as hot creatures do after the air to cool their scorched intrails Amos 2.7 The Serpents curse is entailed on that poysonous brood the dust is their diet they feed on ashes Gen. 3.14 Amos 7. They laugh at dangers and trample upon difficulties they force their way through darkness and the shadow of death through stifling damps and overflowing floods through rocks and mountains in the pursuit of earthly treasures Job 28.9 10 11. It s said of the Dutch they are so industrious at Navigation that if it were possible to sail in ships to Heaven they would not come short of that Haven Ah what pity is it that this jewel should hang in a swines snout which would so well become the Christians finger that this diligence this violence should be exercised about mens earthly and particular which would so well suit their heavenly and general calling The ambitious person like the Panther Pliny nat hist lib. 8. cap 27. is so greedy of the poisonous Aconite hung up by the Hunters purposely in vessels above their reach of air and honour that he never leaves leaping and straining thereat till he breaks and bursts himself in sunder The covetous man saith one that hath more then enough yet perplexeth himself with his own wants look how like a fool he goeth leading his horse in his hand and carrying his saddle on his back till he be pickled in his own sweat and killed with cares when his horse would with ease carry him and his saddle The Voluptuous man like the Drone is busie about the glass of water baited with honey in it he labours and wearieth himself even till he be drowned How do men like the Israelites in the Egyptian bondage travel up and down and even weary themselves to gather straw What pains do they take to hew unto themselves broken cysterns Their chief strife is with the Toads who shall fall asleep with most earth in their mouths who shall leave this world with most wealth in their hands Their parts and gifts their time and talents are all improved to help forward their earthly trade They are wiser in their generation then the children of light Oh how lamentable is it that the oynions and garlick of Egypt are preferred before the milk and honey of Canaan Luthers Colloq Mensal p. 85. Lysippus made Alexanders picture with this posie tupiter asserai terram mihi ta assere coelum Luther tells us of a noble man at Vienna in the time of his abode there which made a great Supper and in the midst of his mirth belched out this windy and blasphemous speech If God will leave me this world to live and injoy my pleasure therein but a thousand years then let him take his Heaven to himself This man spake what most men think the bramble of their bodies reigneth and fire ariseth out