excuse our present evill the end crownes us what ever my beginning hath beene I shall ever pray and endevour that I may dye the death of the righteous and my latter end may be like unto his for as the tree falls so it lyes Man till hee sinned was naked and was not ashamed clothes are not more our covering than our shame and wee may justly blush every time wee looke on them not bragge the best ornament of the body is the minde and the best ornament of the minde is honesty that best becomes which best beseems not that which is most us'd But most decent I will neither looke what others doe nor what I may doe but what I ought to doe many things are lawfull which are not expedient To doe well and say nothing is Christianly to say well and doe nothing is Pharisaicall if the hands bee not Iacobs as well as the voice wee are but impostors cheats If we are good trees by our fruit they shall know us I will not lesse hate not to doe good than to tell of it my faith is dead if it beare not Eating was the first sinne in the world and it is now the sinne almost of all the world and as before the building of Babel so still in this all the Earth is of one language what shall we eat or what shall we drinke and wherewith c. Eating and Drinking have taken away our stomacks to spirituall things I will never be so greedie as to eat my selfe out of heaven He loves his belly well that with Esau will sell his Birth-right for pottage of the two I had rather beg my bread with Lazarus than my water with Dives Great mens Words are like dead mens shoos hee may goe bare-foot that waits for them I will ever bee a Didymus in these beleeve onely what I see so I shall neither be deceived with others promises my selfe nor deceive others with them The good mans word is his Oath his actions serve only to make good his words He that promises either what he cannot or what hee meanes not is for the first a Boaster and for the last an Hypocrite by such an one I will bee deceived but once Dissimulation is state-policie and wise men set out themselves as Aristotle did his bookes not to bee understood at first sight He that alwayes speakes what hee knowes is not wise but hee that doth not alwayes speake what hee meanes is not honest As I will not have my heart at my tongues end yet I will have my tongue speake from my heart it is not necessary I must be dishonest or a foole Commonly your open eares are open mouth'd and they that are craving to heare are apt to tell I will neither desire to know much of another mans estate nor impart much of my own never any man repented him of saying nothing A Parasite of all Trades is the basest and in two things like an Eccho first that he speakes only what he heares others and that he is nothing but voice words next to an ungratefull man I would not be a flatterer Sinnes grow like Grapes close but in clusters Wee usually say He that will sweare will lye and he that will lye will steale and hee that will doe all these will doe any thing Satan is a Serpent if the head bee once in his whole bodie will not bee long behinde It is better to goe into the House of mourning than into the House of laughter c. Hee is worse than madde that with Herod will part with a kingdome for a dance Hee takes little thought for his sinnes that thinkes to put them out of his head as Cain and Saul did with Musicke Hee that truly considers those joyes which never shall have an end cannot but desire to have an end of these Where the treasure is there will the heart be also Gods promises doe not binde Him to keep us in our wickednesse our sinnes quit Him of His promise and us of His protection when wee leave to be of His Family wee are none of His Charge His Friendship keepes pace with ours If thou doest well shalt thou not bee accepted sayes Hee to Cain doe well and have well such as wee behave our selves towards God such shall wee finde God towards us now if we doe smart thanke our selves Wee have too many that have a double heart in one body but very few that have but one heart to two bodies yet so is it with friends the one cānot laugh when the other weepes one friend is the looking glasse of the other where face answers face when the one smiles the other smiles when the one is sad the other is trobled there is no Amity where there is no Sympathy If I doe not suffer in my SAVIOVR I doe not love Him Can the Head be ficke and the Body not feele it There is a time to laugh as well as a time to mourne we are not deny'd the use of mirth but the excesse it is not forbidden Fruit. Hee who gave Oyle to cheere the Countenance gave Wine also to glad the heart And I will not say whether Salomons draught be not sometimes in season Drinke that thou maiest forget thy poverty yet so as thou remember thy God God never intended religion should make men Stoicks as if to mew up our selves from the World were to single out our selves to God And because He hath forbid the abuse of things not to use them thus we should abstaine from drink because some men have beene drunke If that which is one mans meate proove another mans poyson the fault is not in the meate but in the stomake If they be so easily abus'd the more our thankes our praise if we doe not abuse them wee shall be commended for our temperance we cannot for our want of them GOD makes us but to use them as wee should and wee cannot have too much of them Where should Ioy be but in the Fountaine of Ioy or how doe wee partake of that Fountaine and rejoice not that Ioy must beginne to fill here that will be full hereafter Hee shall never sing Halelujah's that doth not first sing Hosanna's Hee is no sound Christian that is not taken with the glory hee shall have and rejoyce in this that his name is written in the Booke of Life God ever helpes at a pinch when all helpes fail then is He seen when Iacob wants at home then Ioseph is heard of abroad and when the prodigall wants abroad then God makes him thinke of home What if he will not deliver Ionah from the Tempest yet Hee will from the Whale If the danger bee great His Glory shall bee the more never despaire then thou drooping soule why art thou cast down why art thou so disquieted c The goodnesse of thy God endureth yet daily The Contention of Christs time is the contention of all the world who shall be the greatest and most men envy to be out-gone in any
to all men once to dye death is a punishment of sinne not sinne itselfe yet sure it is the height of punishment when it is suddaine I doe not desire not to dye at all but not all at once I know I must dye and I thinke of my death yet is it not alwayes in my thoughts the best of us all may be taken napping I will ever pray God when he doth fell me not to doe it at a blowe that I may see my selfe falling and bethink me in the fall and thus it is a comfortable thing to fall into the hands of the living God He that knowes his masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes and yet I cannot say whether shall bee worse beaten hee that may know it and will not or hee that doth know it and doth it not the one sinnes against his knowledge the other sinnes because hee will not know and shall one day not be knowne God made this world not barely to looke on but to contemplate on and of Him in it here the Christian the Philosopher part they are led by reason we by faith they argue we beleeve they enquire the manner how all were made the Christian why He is not curious in the manner but lookes at the end for the glorie of God and the way to our glorie and useth them not for spectacles but motives to the glorifying of him of whom he hath them and if wee enjoy these as we should we shall one day enjoy him from whom we enjoy them This World is oft compar'd unto a sea our life is the Shippe we are the passengers the grave is the common haven Heaven is the shore and well is the grave compar'd unto a haven for there wee unload the things of this world are neither borne with us nor doe dye with us we goe out of this world as we came into it naked why are wee so covetous of those things which are so hard to get and so certaine to be lost If I enjoy them all I shall not enjoy them long or if enjoy but some I shall shortly have use of none I will comfort my selfe against the want of them with the assurance that I shall one day not have need of them Who can but once look backe upon his creation and dares distrust God for his preservation whether is it easier to give or to continue life to keepe thee or to make thee If He have given thee the greater why dost thou distrust Him for the less Or if thou distrust Him for earth how will you take His word for Heaven Oh God they have forgot of whō they live that distrust thee for their life This life is a race and wee doe not live but travell but we have another race beside this of our soule as well as of our bodie since both must bee runne and the one will not tarrie for the other I will trie who can runne fastest if I have finished my life not my course I have made more haste than good speede Every thing else hath a beginning it is onely Gods title Which was and is and is to come Eternity is only there our glory must be not that wee have liv'd ever but shall doe so If wee looke but out into the World we shall see almost as many miracles as things that trees and plants should every yeare dye and recover that the Sunne should only lighten and warme the earth and not burne it that the heavens should distill its raine in drops and not in rivers full and drowne us where they do but wet us God is not lesse miraculous in preserving the World than in making it and as His mercie so His glorie is over all His workes Religion with some men is but a matter of fashion Many are of Agrippa's Religion almost Christians such men shall be saved as they doe beleeve almost God will never owne such halfe-fac'd followers The hypocrisie of a Pharisee would have shamed thee into an outside of Christianitie and unlesse your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharisees you cannot enter c. It is not onely want of grace but wit to dissemble where we may be discernd if I will needs bee a Christian I will be one to some purpose I heare men cōmended now adaies as the Lord did the unjust steward because they deale wisely not honestly 't is held no crime to deceive but to be seene to be discovered that 's a foule fault he is a novice that doth that the care of many is not to live innocent but close they cast how to go as Saul to Endor to the Divell in a disguise but they cosen onely mens eyes Gods they cannot and since they will not be knowne for what they are now they shall not be knowne for what they would be one day God shall say unto them Depart from me yee workers of iniquitie I know you not To dissemble sinne was never the way to be pardon'd it only he that confesseth his sinne shall finde mercie never be asham'd to say what thou wer't not asham'd to do blush to commit them but not to tell of them it is better that the world note thee for a sinner than God for an hypocrite Some there are that heare onely to tell and many times make differences where there were none meant it is not good alwaies to tell all wee heare many a man speaks that in his anger which in coole bloud he would not owne and we doe a double wrong by relating that which the one is sorrie to heare and the other to have spoken when he is himselfe I will heare all and report onely the best he that makes debate betweene others layes a baite for himselfe it is safe and honest to compose discords but sowe none I will labour what I can to set others together but not by the eares When wee behold for who can choose such a world of sinnes in every corner of the world buyers and sellers in the temple and not whipped out selling our soules for the provision of their bodies others with Zimri Cosbi out-facing judgement how doe we not wonder and blesse our selves that we enjoy so good so much some thing any thing that Pharaohs leane kine are not seene amongst us and the metamorphosis of famine of the heavens to Brasse and the earth to Iron that either the clouds are not shut to with-hold their raine or that the windowes of heaven are not opened to raine not water but fire and brimstone It is admirable where the fact is so foule that the reprive is so long Oh Lord we have nothing to say for our selves but acknowledge it is thy mercie that wee are not consumed Good natures are wonne rather with intreatie than curstnesse if wee doe not more love God for His goodnesse that He doth preserve us then feare Him for His power that He can destroy us His mercies are ill bestow'd and worse
share of that glorie thou hast yet to give In some cases and some things a man may know too much It is not good to be prying into the privie Counsailes of God I doubt whether some mens overboldnesse with the hidden things of God have not made them an accursed thing to them and pressing before their time or leave into the Holy of Holy's have barr'd themselves from ever comming thither at all why should we call for light where God will have none make windowes into heaven I will admire God in Himselfe and be content to know Him no farther than in His word where this light leaves me I will leave enquiring and boast of my ignorance What I have alreadie done was done long before and what I am yet to do is alreadie done before God this shall be my comfort that I can neither doe nor suffer any thing without His knowledge and leave God hath given man charge of His other creatures and His Angells charge over Him and they are now our keepers that shall be one day our companions great is His love to us in their care and great should our care be to continue this love and since we are alwaies in His sight and theirs why doe wee at all that which we would not have seene My care shall be not to shunne His sight but not to provoke His anger what I doe He sees and I will doe it as I would answer it Those that honour me will I honour is a bargaine of Gods owne making Gods honour is the way to ours wee cannot but be blest if we will but bee observant I will care onely to serve Him and I am sure I shall serve my selfe Never any man lost in Gods service He who dwells not in tabernacles made with hands will dwell in tabernacles which His owne hands have made even the hearts of men and we enjoy Him though wee doe not see Him for no man hath seene God at any time He is invisible but not insensible Our blessednesse consists here in feeling of Him in heaven in seeing of Him whom yet I doe not see and shall one day see as I am seene in the meane time I will doe nothing which I would not have Him see or may rob mee of His sight I have read of the Hart that hee weepes everie yeere for the shedding of his head though to make roome for a better thus I see the worldling goe away sorrowfull at that saying Goe sell all that thou hast though it be for treasure in Heaven men do not look at what they are to have but what they are to part with and are for one bird in the hand above five in the bush but he that consults with his body for the saving of his soule will never bring it to heaven Let me sowe in teares so I may reape in joy I will be contented with the heaven I shall have Many a man is therefore sinfull because it is gainfull By Diana wee live that shall bee their god that they can live by but he trafficks ill for his soule that loseth it to fill his coffers I had rather be poore than wicked it is not thy poverty but thy sins that shut thee out from God it is better going to heaven in ragges than to hell in purple It is with the growth of our soule as with the creation of our bodie we come up by degrees First with Nicodemus we must be borne againe and then we must dwell a while at the sucking-bottle from strength to strength which the Eunuch from reading the Scriptures to understanding them from understanding to applying from applying to practising of hearers we become knowers of knowers doers of the Word from perfection to perfection or rather from imperfection to perfection from persecuting the Church with Paul to preaching to it till we come from Dives doore to Abraham's bosome from eating and drinking from marrying and giving in marriage to be as the Angells in heaven Many live as if they came but into this world to make merry and away and after some yeares of quaffing with Nabal die of a drunken fit it were well for such men as they have liv'd like beasts if they could die like them too never to live againe but alas they cannot her 's their miserie that they only leave their pleasures behinde them and not their sinnes I will labour to leave my Sinnes behinde mee and have my repentance goe before me and my good workes follow after me and I shall meet with pleasures that never shall have an end The eares are the doores of the soule without these we were but artificiall creatures men onely in shew hence we know we discourse we beleeve we learne to speake to God and heare God speake to us without these we could not speake not know not understand in a word by these under God we are what we are but some ther are that cannot heare others that will not heare It is a lesse judgement to want the power of hearing than the will to be borne deafe than to become so they that cannot heare are the more excusable but they that will not heare it were farre better for such if they had no eares Every envious man is a mad-man for he will starve himselfe to see another thrive he needs no other lent than his neighbours well-fare other mens prosperitie is his gallowes where hee will hang himselfe a hundred times over and at last with Achitophel once for all I will not so dedesire of God to have much as not to cover much hee that can but thinke his owne enough will never think anothers too much I will never grudge any mans going before me but to Heaven Most men look for the theefs Paradise to meet with CHRIST upon His crosse Heaven upon his death-bed and reserves his repentance as the best bit for the last and meane to goe out of the world and out of their sinnes all together But how shall God then heare them that before could not be heard of them In this case it is good being formost why should'st thou put off repentance till to morrow when for ought thou know'st thy soule is going to hell this night without it God give thee of the dew of heaven and of the fatnesse of the earth was Isaaks blessing to mistaken Iacob First of the dew of heaven and then of the fatnesse of the earth for alas what is earth without a blessing from heaven but of Esau quite contrarie first of the fatnesse of the earth and then of the dew of heaven your Esau's preferre earth before heaven and therefore have their heaven upon earth God gives them as much as they care for Ishmael shall be made a great nation and that 's enough but hee goes a wrong course for his soule that thinkes preferrement is the way to happinesse My indeavour shall bee not to leave a name behinde me upon earth but to finde it written in heaven The Sun
and more care for the heaven they shall have than the earth they must part with this world will not last alwaies Our life is but a day it is now noone who knowes how soone it shal be night I have a great way to goe and but a little to spend a little time I meane my care shall be to make it hold out As we doe not gather so wee doe not looke for grapes on thornes or figgs on thistles such as the seed is such will the fruit bee and such as the fruite is so will the Harvest be and one day if not now God will reward every man according to his workes and ill shall be ill requited Sinne and punishment are like the shaddow and the body never apart like Iacob and Esau they follow one at the heeles of another Never sinne went unpunished the end of all sinne if it be not repentance is hell if I cannot have the first to be innocent I wil labour for the second to repent next to the not committing of a fault is the being sorry for it That which we usually say of men is sometimes true of Christians foule in the cradle and faire in the saddle an unhappie boy may make a good man he that should have seene Saul killing would little have thought ever to have heard him preaching we may not judge of the future by the present He runs farre that never turnes 'T is not with God as with men to say I will forgive it but I will ne're forget it with Him sins repented of are as not done as a broken bone well set is the faster ever after God lookes not at what we have beene but what we are Repentance makes us frends with God re-intailes us in the inheritance and by I know not what strange heavenly slight of hand doth what you would have it If we would but downe on our knees and aske forgivenesse all should be forgotten Our life is but a walke wee come hither but to take a turne or two and away and all our life we are going to our home and we doe not live but travaile Some gallop it over others goe a foot pace The poore man curseth the houre hee was borne while he lives because he goes no faster the rich worldling curseth the houre hee was borne when he comes to dye because he can live no longer it is a like ungodly to bee loth to dye because we are happy to desire to dye because we are miserable I have ill learned Christ if I have not learn'd to be content Humility is good to all best to it selfe I doe not heare it said hee that boasteth of his good workes but he that confesseth his sinnes shall finde mercy the Publican not the Pharisie goes away justified God never thinkes well of him that thinks so of himselfe and what he doth they that scorne to bee humbled cannot complaine to be scorned All men would come to heaven but they doe not like the way they like well of Lazarus in Abraham's bosome but not at Dives doore they love heaven well but they would not pinch for it silly wretch al the wealth in the world cannot buy thee into heaven or out of thy punishment and this thy glory shall adde to thy torment that thou are now so well shall one day be the worse for thee I had rather wait for my happinesse than smart for it God preacheth to us no lesse in His judgements than His word when He strikes offenders Hee would warne the standers by and beats some upon others backes when I see another shiprack'd before mine eies it bids me look well to my tacklings Every man sees himselfe fall in his neighbour Others harmes threaten me and say with the Apostle What makes thee to differ from another where the sinnes are the same Oh God it is thy mercy that thy judgements are not 'T is not an easie matter for men to beleeve that which they know what-ever they doe whereever they are they are seene but because GOD is invisible they thinke they are so too and hee sees not because hee is not seene GOD is inclusively in no place and yet hee is in every place and heares and sees what is said and done if we did but consider this wee would neither doe nor speake what wee would not have seene and heard Consideration would tye mens hands and if they did but deliberat they would not sinne It is no lesse sinne to bee over earnest in purveying for the Body than over prodigall in pampering it as well Saint Lukes foole as his glutton Nabal as well as Balthazar is condemn'd of folly and I heare Israel chid not for eating but for laying up their Manna Make not hast to bee rich and make not waste of thy riches I will neither feare povertie nor seeke it Our Eye extends but to the out-side the skin the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies will quit any of the censure of men Hee that fasts prayes gives goes for current among us I may not thinke him otherwise in his heart that is not so in his behaviour with us every man goes for what he seemes wee dare not pronounce any man a Leper till we see the scabbe It was the evidence our SAVIOVR left us by their fruit you shall know them Hypocrites while they keepe their owne counsell doe not onely grow among the wheat but goe for wheat None but God or a Prophet God in a Prophet could give Gehezi the lye and see his sinne through his demurenesse only He who knowes all things knows who are His and shal one day gather the wheat into His barne but shall burne up the chaffe with unquenchable fire To how many under God doe wee owe our selves for being to the sheepe the silke-worme for food rayment when wee are at our finest wee are but like Aesop's Crow in stollen feathers and if every creature should claime his owne wee must be glad of fig-leaves againe or ashamed of our nakednesse Why are wee more proud of our embroyderies than our Grandfires were of their Aprons Since both are but borrowed and what hast thou that thou hast not received Now if thou hadst received it Why dost thou glory as if thou hast not received GOD made all the World for man man for himselfe other creatures to serve themselves and us us to prayse and give thankes to Him and He who prepar'd a dwelling for us on earth is gone to prepare a place for us in Heaven let us take heede lest by our disobedience wee loose our second PARADISE as our Fathers did their first The Covetous man hath his eyes in his feete ever poring on the earth all his care is to lay up for many yeares like spiders men spend their bowels to catch flyes trifles toyle and sweate and all that they may leave a little behind them when they dye if they have but somewhat to leave behinde them 't is no matter whether they have any thing
to carrie with them All are for the present is it not good if there bee peace in my dayes Hee that truly remembers what hee hath lost cannot be so delighted with what hee hath then onely mayest thou say to thy Soule Take thy rest when thou hast wealth layd up not for many yeeres but for ever I usually see Parents most affect those Children that most resemble them I am sure it is so with God they are best lik'd that are most like him nothing shall ever be able to separate Christ from him that will not be seprate from Christ. It is with the soule as with the graine that which wee sowe pure wheate comes up with chaffe and straw there is no fruit but hath it's core its kernell its stone in vaine doe wee thinke while wee live heere to be at our best It is not look'd wee should bee Angells upon earth the best have their faults happie is hee that hath least and fewest our prayer must bee Lord keepe us from presumptuous sinnes for sinnes of infirmitie like ill weeds grow apace Tares there will be well is it with us if we be not overgrowne with thornes and briars surfetting and drunkennesse c. and the Day of the Lord come upon us unawares At usuall things wee lesse admire While Moses doth onely what the Magicians can hee is slighted men are taken with something that is not ordinary All Samaria will runne out to see a man can tell them all that ever they did and I doubt whether the Apostles drew not more after their miracles than their doctrine when they beginne to heale and cast out Divels once Simon Magus will bee one too I will admire GOD for His power but I will love Him onely for Himselfe Two things our SAVIOVR commends to us from His other creatures Wisedome and Innocencie from the Serpent and the Dove The wisedome of the one may stand with the innocency of the other nay it cannot well stand without it Innocency without Discretion will make us too forward with Peter and wrong our selves Againe Wisedome without Innocency will make us unjust stewards and wrong our Master both doe well and onely both doe well The poor man is Gods lottery cast in earth and yee shall draw heaven cast in a mite and ye shall draw without measure for God returnes not tenne in the hundred but a hundred for tenne I will bee an Vsurer only to GOD. Give and it shall be given to you He that commands the one promises the other Almes never made their owner a bankerupt Charitie is not so ill a servant as to leave the master a begger That cruse and meale shall never waste that the Prophet hath a Cake of It is an easie matter not to desire that which we have not to complain when wee have no cause scarce speakes us men muchlesse Christians but when all failes to stand our ground and looke to heaven for a handfull of supply speakes our faith At a Lions denne or a firy furnace not to turne tayle is a commendation worthy a Prophet It is no honour to overcome when it is no danger to fight Adversity best speakes a Christian in prosperity it is as easie a matter to finde friends as not to neede them but when wee have nothing left not to leave GOD nor so much as whimper but chide downe our distrust with a Deus providebit My Sonne God will provide tryes our temper Then is our valour commendable when wee can endure to bee Iobs When our Saviour would put to silence the distrusters of his time He points them to the Lilies and the Crowes the Lilies of the field not of the garden which are digg'd and dung'd but of the field which have no gardiner but the Sun no watering pots but the clouds and your heavenly Father sayes He clothes these Doth my Father provide for others and will he see me goe naked What will He thinke too much for His sonnes that is so bountifull to strangers How will Hee cloath them that so cloathes the grasse If Salomon in all his royalty was not arrayed like one of these the Sunne in all his height shall not shine like one of us when He shall have chang'd our vile bodies that they may be like unto His glorious body Distrust is a sinne which custome hath almost made commendable Every man layes up Manna for to morrow forgetting that if that be not wormes they themselves may be so As if there were no heaven but pleasure and abundance no other hell but affliction and want if their purse grow light their heart grows heavy their mirth ends with their store and they think no man can say to his soule take thy ease that hath not wealth layd up for many yeares but we are not yet what wee should bee if wee cannot be content to be what we are what ever it be Beggers must not be chusers 'T is not for us to teach God which way He shall bring us unto heaven let us thanke Him that we come thither any way and if He will have us suffer before we shall raigne downe on our knees kisse the rod and not a word not a sob Whereever God is there are these two increase and multiply Abraham and Lot cannot dwell together while they dwell with him and I see Israel once to bigge for Goshen that is now too little for Bethlehem give a man God and throw him into the Sea with Israel Ionah and he sinkes not needs must he swim that is held up by the chin In apparell we are not to respect meerly necessity but decency God never meant religion should make men slovens or Stoicks as if a man could not weare good cloathes and goe to heaven or a Christian were ever bound in conscience to be out of fashion We are not tyed to wander or to weare sheep-skins and goat-skinns because the Apostle tels us some did some of whom the world was not worthy God meant that those holy men should bee patternes of piety not of fashions I will never be niggardly of another mans purse deny my selfe that which God hath not There may be pride in the meanest things in the world no lesse the Cynick of his tub than Alexander of all the world besides Sackcloth and Ashes in the same bill with purple and fine linnen both condemn'd of pride to fast and to fare deliciously is strange but true and so much worse is that pride than this by how much it hath a better face small drinke and Camels haire goes away Sainted though but counterfeited when open pride is cryed downe of all hands and of the two the least suspected is the more intolerable I am sure the more incurable A knowne disease is every mans cure which when it lyes hid is never medled with There is lesse hope of an Hypocrite than an Atheist Afflictions are Gods mould in which He casts His Children spare the rod and spill the child is as true in grace
Ioseph had never beene a Courtier had hee not first beene a prisoner Gods children are ever the better for being miserable and end in that It is good for mee that I have been afflicted let God use me how Hee will on earth so I may have what Hee hath promised to those that love Him in heaven Who would not be a Lazarus for a day that hee might sit in Abraham's bosome for ever Gods Church must be a lillie among thorns and while I am a member of the Church I must not looke to fare better than the whole Body if they have call'd the master of the house Beelzebub well may it be endur'd to those of the household my comfort is if I am reviled for His sake I shall be blessed Prosperity is like Vinum merum all wine it makes drunke the soule and therefore God mingles it that He may keep us sober feeds His children with a bit and a knocke ever dishes His sweete meate with sowre sause if wee did alwaies abound wee would grow proud and forget our selves and if not sometimes wee would despaire and forget our God I will pray with Salomon give me neither wealth nor poverty but a meane or if wealth grace to imploy it if poverty patience to endure it Afflictions are the medicines of the minde if they are not toothsome let it suffice they are wholesome 't is not required in Physicke that it should please but heale unlesse we esteeme our pleasure above our health let me suffer so I may reigne be beaten so I may be a son Nothing can be ever too much to endure for those pleasures which endure for ever There was never good but was hard to get the prison and the hatchet sores and crums leade to Abraham's bosome and the way thither is by weeping-crosse if many tribulations will carry me to heaven on Gods name let me have them welcome the poverty which makes me heire to those riches that never shall have an end I will deale for my soule as for my body never refuse health because the Phisicke that should procure it is bitter let it distast me so it heale me There are in the world that thinke it too great sawcinesse to be our owne spokes-men to God and therefore goe to St. Some-body to preferre their petitions for them I shall ever hold it good manners to goe of my owne errants to God He that bids me Come will bid me welcome God hath said Come unto me c. It is no unmannerlinesse to come when I am call'd All consciences like all stomacks are not alike how many doe we see digest those sinnes with ease which others cannot get downe with struggling one straines at a gnat when another swallowes a camell hee that will keepe cleere of great sinnes must make conscience of all I will thinke no sinne little because the least endangers my soule and it is all one whether I sell my SAVIOVR for thirty pence with Iudas or for halfe I am worth with Ananias whether I goe to hell for one sin or for many This life is but a journey unto death and every day we are some spannes neerer the grave how is it that wee which are so neere our death are so farre from thinking of it Security is a great enemy to prevention and a presumption that wee shall not dye yet makes men that they doe not prepare to dye at all it is good taking time while time is if it come suddenly and find thee unprepared miserable man that thou art who shall deliver thee from the body c Therefore hath Nature given us two eares and but one mouth that we should heare twice as much as wee should speake with all thy secrets trust neither thy wife nor thy friend hee that is thriftie of his owne tongue shall lesse feare anothers There are that affect not so much to have true friends as to have many and whisper to that friend what they heare from this and againe to this what from that and glory to have it knowne how much they are trusted whereas they were therefore trusted that it might not be knowne I have ever thought it a maxime in friendship that he which will bee intimate with many is entirely nones let me love and be lov'd of all I will bee inward onely with a few I had rather have one meane friend that I may call my owne than the most potent where I must share with others He that provides not for his owne is worse than an infidell 't is not the blame of charity that it begins at home it is that it ends not abroad I am not borne all to my selfe somewhat to my friend to my neighbour I will so care for my owne as I may relieve others and so doe for others as I wrong not my owne Much knowledge not much speech Emblem 's a wise man I shall ever hold it neither safe nor wise alwaies to speake what I know of my owne affaires nor what I thinke of others a man may speake too much truth Pleasures like the Rose are sweet but prickly the hony doth not countervaile the sting all this worlds delights are vanity and end in vexation like Iudas while they kisse they betray I would neither be a Stoick nor an Epicure allow of no pleasure nor give way to all they are good sause but naught to make a meale of and were given not to fill the belly but to relish the meate I may use them sometimes for digestion never for food In crosses these two things must be thought on first whence they come from God Hee strikes thee that made thee next wherefore they come for thy good either to try thee or to mend thee if they bee harsh yet they be gainfull I shall ever count it a good change to have the fire of persecution for the fire of hell who would not rather smart for a while then for ever let me rather have that fire which is rewarded with heaven than these pleasures which shall be rewarded with fire Salomon's Rejoyce oh young man in the dayes of thy youth were the finest thing in the world if it were not for that which follows for all this thou shall come to judgement to goe well lye soft sleepe hard if there were noe after-reckoning who would not say out of delight what the Apostles did out of amazement It is good for us to be here but when I have a stewardship to account for and God knowes how soone my master returning and my talent to seek the Bridegroome entering and my oyle to buy I have more reason to care how to redeeme my time past than to spend the present To grow heavy or lumpish with crosses argues not so much want of courage as grace nothing more soyles the reputation of a Christian than to have his minde droope with his Mammon what if health friends meanes have all forsooke thee wilt thou lose thy wittes together with thy goods all the
imploy'd wee have not receiv'd the spirit of bondage to feare I will love God and honour Him but I will be affraid onely of offending Him God loves timely holinesse remember thy Creator in the daies of thy youth Nature ever begins at the wrong end layes in and layes up indeed but for the theefe and the moth With Absalom the first care is taken to leave a monument behind and when they are setled upon earth they will see if God have any thing to say to them for Heaven the best part is the last provided such shall one day have their heaven to seeke because they will not have it to seeke now He that will not when he may c. You know the Proverbe He that doth not seeke the Lord while He may be found cannot complaine if he do afterward seek and not finde All sinnes are forbidden trees to us and wee are so much ADAMS sonnes in nothing as in our disobedience ever reaching after that wee should not to do good there is a lion in the way like Salomons sluggard but to evil how swift are our feet So then it is not going fast that carries us to Heaven but going right I will care rather to set my foot down sure than to take it up quicke What am I the neerer to goe a great pace and the wrong way Every man is his own worst foe and his greatest enemies are those of his owne house we may thanke our selves that we live at no more ease than we doe In the sweat of thy browes thou shalt eate thy meate was of our own procuring We had never known so much evill if we had not desired to know too much good our ambition hindered our preferment we were at first made happie and we made our selves miserable now we are miserable God hath chalked out a way to our happinesse now if we love misery rather than blisse it is fit we should have enough on 't A good man still the longer hee lives the better he dyes men should grow better as they grow older not like a dead hedge the longer it stands the rottener To see a man white in his leprosie leaving the world and not his avarice and with S. Lukes foole dye thinking of his barnes is horrible I had rather have no portion on earth than buy it with that I shall have in Heaven I will not with the Curre in the fable part with my flesh for its shadow The way to sweeten death is to thinke of it every day I live I will remember I might dye and I will not desire to live a day longer than I growe some drammes better What will it benefit me that I have liv'd some houres which I cannot answere for Worldly minds mind nothing but Worldly things Laban and Nabal think of nothing but their sheep-shearing and making merry when they have done their businesse is thought on not their salvation for they make that no part of the businesse onely matter of course grudge God His service and in His service the length of it and pay God His due as Laban did Iacob his wages with an ill wil and would fetch it back again if they could tell how and yet these men that will steale time from God for their profit and their businesse will steale time from their businesse for their pleasure He that will breake the Sabbath for an houres work will breake off his work for an houres drinking Thus they prefer the humoring of their soules to the saving of them I will never sell Heaven for company it is better being a good Christian than a good fellow Every man would be thought to bee in love with heaven and yet most men are loth to shake hands with earth here is the difference betweene the heavenly Language and ours they cry how long Lord how long and we crie how soone they think He stayes too long and we thinke He comes too fast I will labour to bee a follower of those with whom I would be partner he hath not yet enough conn'd Heaven that is doth to goe to it that voice onely is worthy an Apostle I desire to be dissolved and to bee with CHRIST The just man shall live by his faith and others live by his charitie true faith is seene in its workes he that sayes he beleeves and doth not shew it beleeve him not To make shew of beleeving and not in thy workes is to shew thy Hypocrisie but not thy saith Not every one that eats his meat in the sweat of his browes shal eat bread in the Kingdome of Heaven and yet it is not eaten but with sweating neither but 't is such a sweat as will make thy heart ake and not thy lims prizes are not had but with hazard hee that will drink of the water of the Well of Bethel with Davids Worthies must thorow his enemies the water of life is not had but with hazard of our lives My comfort shall be that though I lose my life for CHRISTS sake I shall not lose my labour Or who would not lose this life which he is ever looking to leave for that which he is sure ever to enjoy Oh Lord wee want lives to lose I cannot endure enough to come to Heaven This life as if it would never be done is ever providing for Eternall life as if it would never begin is never preparing for I will care for this life but not dote on it I will remember I shall live ever but not here The love of the earth is the disease of the world and that gulfe betweene Abrahams bosome and us to forsake house and land c that they do not like of if Christ would but leave out that same leave all men would doe well enough with Him they would enjoy this world but not with the losse of a better Againe they would enjoy that but not with the losse of this they would have their Canaan but they would have their flesh-pots they love the blessing but they would not lose their pottage with Naaman they will worship no other god but yet the Lord be mercifull c. when I enter into the house of the god Rimmon They would so please God as they might neither displease others nor themselves would part stakes with God let such juglers in religion look upon Saul in the Old Testament and Ananias in the New and read their judgement what society hath light with darknesse The Arke Dagon were never friendly householders thou canst not at once have two such guests as GOD and the divel If one heaven could not hold them both how shall one heart No man is so provident for his owne good as God is for every mans every sinner is an Absalom to Him and He doth not only wish Would God I had dyed for thee c. But dyed indeed we doe not so desire our owne salvation as He doth all ours promiseth perswadeth begges our obedience He leaves no way untried
that He may leave us inexcusable wash His hands of us and say perditio tua ex te c. Our destruction if it do come is from our selves if wee could but wish well to our owne soules we could not but do well and yet it is not wishing but doing well that doth the deed I will do what I can and I will desire to do what I should and cannot God accepts a willing mind and if I am willing beyond my ability He will either make me able or accept my wil. O God thou that workest in me both to will and to do work my will to thine and my power to my will that I may not onely will or desire but do thy wil. God doth not looke for every thing from every one for ten talents where He left but two onely Hee there exacts much where He hath given much if the seed of thorny or stony ground bring forth no fruit or withered it is no marvell but where He hath dung'd and gooded to expect a crop is but reasonable The more I have the more I have to answere for the greater my trust the greater my account Let others care how to get more my care shall be how to pay for that I have already All lands do not yeeld the same things and the same land doth not yeeld all things thus God divides His blessings to us as He doth to these to some strength of body to another strength of wit to one health to another knowledge c. He hath distributed to no man all things yet to every man some thing he is strangely miserable that hath nothing but this doth not please if every one have not all they growe surly What wilt thou give me since I go childlesse could the best of the Patriarkes say It is hard and rare to see that in others which we want our selves and would have and be still Whil'st I am in this world I shall ever behold this inequalitie and if I cannot make a covenant with mine eyes I will with my heart Since I cannot but see it I will learn not to repine at it it is the Lord let Him do whatsoever He will God calls some men to martyrdome when others would startle at a stake and yet good Christians too all men as all trees are not fit for fewell that are fit for use every one cannot hold out against the prison and the hatchet It is an easie matter to dare affliction before it come and when it doth come run away from it We know not of what spirit wee are what metall we are made of our prayer must be first not to meet with persecutions and next to endure them but not meet them Earth is but our rode to Heaven and the things of this world like high-way fruit are common to all the sunne shines and raine falls alike upon the just and upon the unjust lest they should bee thought evils they are given unto the good and least they should be too well thought of they are afforded to the evill There is another good which is wholly the Godly's and wholly to be sought for the kingdome of Heaven and the righteousnesse thereof they whose kingdome is not of this world can see the kingdomes of this world with their SAVIOVR from the pinnacle and contemn them or at least not fall downe and worship them It shall not trouble me that I am out-bid in these things by others I will bee contented to excell them in better things the comfort I have and the glory I shall have The covetous man never hath enough like Pharaohs leane kine eates but is never the fuller toiles and sweats wakes and wants for all this it is a greater miserie to desire much than to have nothing of no man can it be better said all is vanitie and vexation of spirit he is his owne tormentor and doth at once make himselfe a hell here and provide himselfe one hereafter he is never at rest till hee rest his last which yet is the beginning of a worse torment so he robs himselfe both of the pleasure of this life and of a better It is good to bee covetous of good things and labour for the food which perisheth not of this I will never have enough but pray Lord give me ever more of this bread ever and more All that God made at first was good He made them so He left them so if they be not still so the dishonour may be His the smart will be ours their goodnes consists in their good usage and our sinne in the abuse of them God make us but to remember why they were made and we cannot be to seek how they should be used Our Saviours commendation of Iohn Baptist was that hee was a burning and shining lampe the hypocrit like a glow-worme shines but burnes not others like hell fire burne but shine not and must looke to have their portion in the fire they resemble We are not excusable if we doe onely shine and not burne or burne and not shine the one we see condemned in the Laodiceans because they wanted heate the other in the foolish virgins because they wanted light Hee must first shine one earth that will after shine in heaven and burne on earth that will burne in hell Rest is the whetstone of labour And that which we usually say of hope is true of this if it were not for rest the heart would breake wherefore God hath given for every day a night to rest in and for every seven a day and a night We could not live if wee had not this yet this must not be our life to live at ease he shall never enter into Gods rest that so loves his owne Every one almost with the Iewes is weather wise and prognosticates without booke when you see a cloud arise out of the west ye say there comes a showre c. hypocrites that can discerne the face of the weather and not of the times how vainely are men inquisitive for the provision of their bodies and let their soules shift you will not plant or graft without consulting with your neighbours and your almanack but in the point of salvation huddle on and the Minister and Gods Word is not intended How ill holp up art thou to know the state of the heavens and not of thy soule If thou wilt needs contemplate it behold it as thy home not as thy Calendar to better not thy knowledge but thy life or thy knowledge of a better life and thy desire of that place where the Father of life is and where thou desirest to live God made not death neither delights He in the destruction of the living ôh God suffer not that which thou diddest not make to prevaile over that which thou hast made and redeemed Man is the glory of His maker and thy glorie thou wilt not give to another and suffer not us to sell that glorie thou hast allreadie given that we lose not our
that thou should'st spare somwhat of thine to releeve others It may be thine owne case Every man knowes his beginning not his ending in the meane time thank God that thou art not so and help those that are The barrennesse of the bodie is sometime a curse but the barrennesse of the soule is accursed that is a punishment this a sin and punished with hell We came not into this world meerely to fill up roome but to bring forth fruit not for shew but for use Our chiefe studie must be not for ease for riches or pleasure but fruitfulnesse If we are all for pleasure our fruit is hell and if we are fruitfull our pleasures shall never end Blessed are they which dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours in this world there is nothing but dangers and discontents vanitie and vexation then only shall we be at rest when we cease to bee If wee thought more of this we would not thinke much of our affliction If I am never so beleaguer'd with sicknesse or want or famine or all at once I will remember I came not into this world to take my rest but to prepare for it That ground is verie hard where the travellers foot leaves not impression and that heart 's very stonie where Gods blessing not only takes no roote but leaves no signe as soone forgotten as receiv'd 't is all He askes for all He doth a thankfull heart With what face can wee expect God should give us our asking that deny Him His God made other creatures for mans service man for His owne them for our use and us for His glorie How much O Lord do we owe to thee for our selves and them that hast so abounded to us above them and hast not made them but for us Teach us to give our selves to thee for them who hast given them to us for our selves God is glorified in all His creatures but not in all alike some glorifie Him in their beauty others in their deformity His glorie is not lesse seene in our wants than in our abundance in striking with blindnesse than in our aboundance in striking with blindnesse than in healing the blinde no lesse in Ieroboams arme dryed up than restor'd therefore do we see some want their sight others their feet and yet it may be neither for the childs sinne nor the Parents as our Saviour told the people but that the glorie of God might be seene Againe we see not only by nature but by accident one with Mephibosheth by the negligence of a nurse another with Abimelech by the fall of a stone lose a limme or their life when wee see this in others and not in our selves how are wee not thankfull to God for our selves beyond others Lepers in Soule God knowes and it is His mercy we are not so in Bodie whereby wee should at once neede the helpe and want the companie of friends and not onely bee miserable but shunn'd I will prayse God not only for the good which I have but for the evill which I might have and have not Our SAVIOVR knew what He did when Hee taught us to pray Our FATHER which art in Heaven c. To give us and to forgive us for He onely can doe both none can forgive sinnes or give grace but God alone Yet doth He not alwaies give with His owne hand but reacheth grace and salvation in His Word and Sacraments by the hands of His Ministers and because no man can heare His voice and live Hee speakes in them it is the wonder of His goodnes that He respects not only our wants but our infirmities and would so appeare to us as Hee might teach us but not fright us Thus wee see Him speaking to Moses himselfe to Israel by Moses He proportions the meanes answerable to our strength wee are not like our Maker if we think scorne to stoope to the weaknesse of our brethren I will be all things to all that by any means I may win some A good tree is knowne by its fruit yet all trees doe not beare the same fruit our fruit may bee all good though it bee not all the same all are not workers of miracles 't is not lookt wee should remove Mountaines or walke upon the Sea command the windes or appease the waters there are other fruits of the Spirit that wee must beare Now the fruits of the Spirit are these love peace joy long-suffering c. GOD make us fruitfull in these and we shall have no neede of those The end of all our SAVIOVRS miracles for the most part was see you tell no man It is one lesson in religion not to be seen and yet not precisely not to be seene but not therefore to doe well to be seene our commendations must be to doe and not say or if we say any thing say we are unprofitable servants As the outward service of the body without the inward sinceritie of the heart is unprofitable so the contrary is uncivil Gods service requires reverence as well as holinesse Many go to God as they do to their companions not kneeling but sitting or lolling along as if they were the Iudge not the petitioner or were to grant suites not to begge some and that unreverentnesse which they would not nay which they durst not use to this or that Mr Gentleman they use to God this is neither becomming Christians nor reasonable or at least civill men It is the fault of envie that it sees nothing but injuries but of charitie that it sees none or takes no notice of them but when one cheek is struck it turnes the other and when it can turne no way lies downe under the stroke he that will be righting himselfe of every wrong doth but pluck more fistes about his eares and set God against him too who if hee would but be quiet wold revenge it to his hands unlesse we doubt of His power wee will trust God with our wrongs and stay His leasure that is the fittest time for our deliverance which Hee thinkes so in this case we are like men in a pit the more we stirre the more we are mired I see MOSES in the Mount and with the people with a different face open to GOD veil'd to them GOD would not alwaies have us shew our brightnesse to the world in some cases He loves our talent in a napkin lapt up and hid Let it suffice Hee knowes thee that will reward thee others if they commend thee not it is because they know thee not or if they doe commend thee there 's all and it may bee to thy cost Why shouldest thou lose Heaven for good words or what art thou the better that others commend thee if God do not who therefore doth not because they do I will never care to have my praise ascend up to Heaven but to come downe from Heaven Blessed are the mercifull for they shall receive mercie GOD's promises though they be gracious yet they are confin'd