to mee Want what I can ô my Soule if IESVS loue mee well is mee I want that Honour that Wealth that Health those Pleasures which sometime I enjoyed yea I am depryved by death of a loving Father of kynde Brethren of true Friendes of deare Companions alwayes IESVS loveth mee IESVS is with mee and therefore well is mee And must I not bee well ô my soule having Him who was the sole solace and desire of that holie man David who was a man according to the heart of GOD For can hee not treading all Want under foote and triumphing as one possessing all Wealth crye out thus Whome haue I in the Heavens but Thee And I haue desired none in the Earth with Thee But O my Soule Psal 73.25 how hapned I to bring in David before thee when I was speaking unto thee touching the happinesse of that man who possessed IESVS Was not IESVS was not IESVS not onelie with GOD His Father but the verie daylie delight of His Father Prov. 8.26.27.30 2. Sam. 19. when Hee praepared the Heavens and made the Earth Mephibosheth hath a worthie Speach unto David after hee returned to Hierusalem Let Ziba take all seeing my lorde the King is come home in peace And wilt thou not gladlie bee contented to say ô my Soule O LORD my GOD let all that I haue bee taken from mee seeing my Loue and LORD IESVS is come to mee even Hee in vvhom Thou O LORD my Father art vvell pleased with me even Hee Matt. 3.17 Iohn 8.12 And 14.6 O LORD who is my Life my Light and my Salvation This loue vvherewith IESVS hath loved thee O my Soule is intimate to thine eares is sprinkled as it vvere on thy bodie is put into thine handes is presented to thy mouth Yea is as it were eaten drunken and digested by thee It is intimate to thine eare by the sweet voyce of the Gospell preached unto thee It is sprinkled as it were upon thy bodie by that Sacrament of Baptisme vvhereby thou wast entered into the House of GOD It is put into thine hand presented to thy mouth eaten drunken and digested by thee as it vvere by and in that Sacrament of the LORDS Supper administrate in broken Bread and Wine powred out Telling thee ô my soule that blessed IESVS being that cleane and wholesome Wheate was heartfullie contented to bee ground betwixt the Mil-stones of His Fathers wrath to the ende that He might become sweet and pleasant Bread to feede thee Yea that blessed IESVS being that true vine full of heavenlie sappe and juyce would bee pressed in the Wine-presse of His Fathers indignation to the ende that He might be made a quickening refreshing and comforting Drinke to quicken thee O my Soule beeing deade to refreshe thee ô my Soule beeing wearied and to comfort thee O my Soule being cast downe Thou mayest be perswaded O my soule that IESVS loveth thee if thou lovest Him for hee never loved GOD who was not first loved of GOD. 2. Iohn 4.10 Iohn 8.47 And 14.15 Psalm 15.4 Now thou shalt know that thou lovest IESVS if thou lovest His Worde if thou be carefull to keepe His Commandements and if thou delight in in the societie of such who loue Him and walke in His wayes ALbeit Sinne which is thine onelie Enemie O my Soule be a most alluring sweet Potion yet Sinne is a deceiving and destroying Traytor and no wonder it being the Arrow of that evill one who is not onlie a subtill Foxe but also a bloodie Lyon O! how easilie suffer vilde men themselves to be perswaded that Sinne may be committed yea that Sinne is committed behinde backe albeit there was never anie sinne committed but in sight It may be that sinne be committed behinde the backe of blinde man who seeth nothing and of sand-blinde man who seeth little yet is it ever committed in His sight Psalm 94.8.9.10 who made the eye of man to see and who knoweth his thoughtes a farre off And so in the eyes of that holie One Revel 1.14 whose eyes are like a flame of fire Yea who is all eye as Augustine speaketh Knowest thou not O my soule that Abell was slaine behinde backe and yet in sight behinde the backe of Adam Genesis 4. the father of his flesh yet in the sight of GOD the father of his spirit Vriah was slaine by David being farre from David 2. Sam. 11. behinde the backe of all Iudah yea and of Ammon by whose sworde hee fell David and Ioab onlie beeing excepted yet Vriah was slaine by David in his sight who filleth the Heavens and the Earth and from whom none can hide himselfe in secret place Ier. 23.24 and this I thinke David vvas compelled afterwardes to knowe notwithstanding of all his policie Who in all Israel coulde possiblie thinke That Naboth was cruellie put to death and so 1. King 21.17.18 that Ahab and Iezebel who should haue prooved his Protectors were his fierce Persecuters even unto death seeing hee was convicted by a formall Assize having Witnesses testifying that hee had blasphemed GOD and the King And yet that blessed GOD vvho searcheth the heartes and vvho judgeth not according to the outward appearance but righteous judgement can both accuse Ahab of Oppression and Murder and punish him for the same Oh! ô my soule When shall the blinde men of this dead Age learne to hearken unto and to belieue that blessed Spirit of Trueth vvho cannot lie teaching us clearlie That no sinne can bee committed in secret Came never that Sentence ô my Soule to thine Eares Vnderstand yee unwise amongst the People And yee Fooles when will yee bee wise Hee that planted the Eare shall Hee not heare Or Hee that formed the Eye shall Hee not see Psal 94.8.9.10 Or Hee that chastizeth the Nations shall Hee not correct Or Hee that teacheth man knowledge shall Hee not know Hath that come to thine Eares O my soule Whither shall I flee from Thy Spirite If I ascende unto Heaven Thou art there If I lye downe in Hell Thou art there Let mee take th◠Winges of the Morning Psal 139.7.8.9.10.11.12 and dwell in the uttermost partes of the Sea yet thither shall Thine Hand leade mee and Thy Right Hand holde mee If I say Yet the Darknesse shall hyde mee even the Night shall bee light about mee yea the Darknesse bydeth not from Thee but Night shyneth as the Day the Darknesse and Light are both alyke Came ever that unto thine Eares ô my Soule Woe unto them that seeke deepe to hyde their counsell from the LORD for their workes are in darknesse Esai 29.15 and they say Who seeth us And who knoweth us I haue seene thine Adulteries and thy Lyinges the filthinesse of thy Whoredomes Ier 13.27 upon the Hilles in the Fieldes and thine Abominations O my Soule knowest thou not Him who saw Nathanael before Philip called him when hee was under the Figge Tree Iohn 1.48
to eate with such men not to bee companions of such men But wherefore 1. Cor. 5.11 Ephes 5.7 O my Soule shouldest thou bee loath anie of these wayes to communicate with Sinne Remember O my soule GODS Threatninges and besides that GODS Execution according to His Threatninges so sure I am thou shalt bee easilie scarred from attempting to communicate aniewise with Sinne unlesse unhappilie thou resolue even with vilde Lameth to The Moste High GOD. Are not GODS Children ô my soule thus counselled by their Father Goe out of Babel my People that yee bee not partakers in her sinnes and that yee receiue not of her plagues Revel 18.4 That lying Murderer ô my soule perswaded my Grand-mother Evah That if shee woulde communicate with him in transgressing of GODS Commaundement she should finde a shining precious Pearle But that Spirit of Trueth who delighteth to haue thee living for evermore assureth thee That if thou joyne with a man in his sinnes thou shalt not bee severed from him when hee is plagued for his sinnes But will not our GOD prooue as good as His Worde and so execute as Hee threatned especiallie when Hee findeth that His Threatninges are mocked That will Hee doe undoubtedlie O my soule Corah Dathan and Abiram are sent downe as thou knowest to the Pitte quicke for attempting to rise up against Moyses and Aaron Vpon the morrowe all the multitude of the people of Israel alace communicating with them in their sinne will gather themselues together against Moyses and Aaron crying loudlie Numb 16.41.42.43.44.45.46 and peartlie Yee haue killed the People of the LORD Alvvayes alwayes came there not foorth such a fearce vvrath frō the LORD that before Aaron can come to them albeit he ranne vvith all his force to make an Attonement for them there died of that Plague fourteene thousande and seaven hundreth While the Wife of the Levite vvas villanouslie abused at Gibea a Citie of Benjamin to the death the whole Tribe of Benjamin alace vvill communicate with this Villanie For when the other Tribes their Brethren besought them to deliver unto them the committers of that wickednesse to the ende Iudges 20. And 21. that that evill might bee put away from Israel not onelie would they not obey the voyce of their Brethren but they gathered themselues together to fight against them Alwayes turned not this O my Soule at length to the verie over-throwe of Benjamin Nowe what must thou doe in this respect O my Soule for thine owne praeservation Hearken hearken I pray thee vvouldest thou vvith that valiant Religious Champion Ioshua stand by thy GOD with anie man and fall from thy GOD vvith no man lifting up thine head aboue all thinges earthlie all living on earth towardes the third Heavens in the feare of thy GOD and by the especiall grace of His Spirit conclude thus with thy selfe I will seeke and I will serue my GOD with anieman but I will sinne against my GOD with no man Let the King with his Subject and Subject with his King seeke and serue GOD as Davids Subjectes with him and hee with them did But if all the Subjectes of the Land forsake GOD let the King say with Ioshua I and mine house will serue the Lord. Ios 24.15 1. Sam. 21.17 If the King will fall away from GOD let the Subjectes with Saules Courteoures looke to him and refuse to followe him And if hee attempt to command them to forsake their GOD let them answere couragiouslie vvith the Apostles Whether it bee better to obey GOD or Man judge yee Acts 4.19 Let the Husbande vvith the Wife and the Wife with the Husbande seeke and serue GOD as the Shunamitish Ladie with her Husbande did 2. Kinges 4. But if the Wife vvith Lots Wife vvill looke over her shoulder to Sodome let the Husband vvith Lot keepe his heart and his eye straight upon that Mountaine of Glorie Genes 19. towardes the vvhich the LORD hath directed him If the Husband with Nabal vvill prooue prophane and ungrate let the Wife with Abigall remaine religious and thankfull 1. Sam. 25. Let the Parent with the Childe and the Childe with the Parent seeke and serue GOD as Abraham and Isaac served Him joyntlie and sweetlie together But let the Parent vvith Iaakob learne Gen. 22.6.7.8.9 not to sinne with the Childe for when Simeon and Levi fell into vilde murder vvho were both his sonnes can hee not crye Simeon and Levi Brethren in evill Gen. 49.5.6 the instrumentes of crueltie are in their habitation into their secret let not my Soule come my Glorie bee thou not joyned with their assemblie If the Father will fall away from GOD vvith Saul yet let the Sonne sticke constantlie unto Him vvith Ionathan Yea if the Mother which brought thee foorth fall away from GOD not onelie suffer her not but if GOD haue cloathed thee with Authoritie see that thou take order vvith her 2. Chron. 15.16 as King Aza tooke order vvith his Mother and her Groue otherwayes bee assured that GOD whom thou shouldst not onlie loue better than thy Mother Luke 14.16 but for whose cause thou shouldest hate all that belong unto thee shall take order with thee OH O my soule when shalt thou finde eye-salue to enlighten thee to the ende that thou mayest once see sinne in the own vilde colour of it When shall that Dew come downe from Heaven which may happilie soften thine heart and make it so delicatelie tender that thou mayest once feele sinne in the owne heavie weight of it and so be made now at length to know it in the owne horrible nature with all it drawes after it with all it hath joyned with it and all to the ende that I before I bee made to lay downe this earthlie tabernacle may bee mooved to scarre with it yea to hate it and vvith the verie hazard and losse of all I haue to arme my selfe against it Stoppe thine eares ô my Soule against Satan and close thine eyes upon him also when he speaketh to thee touching sinne when he bringeth thee before sinne or sinne before thee for belieue mee hee will tone it so hee will fairde it so that he will make thee take it for some sweet pleasant wholesome Apple while it is that onlie bitter and destroying poyson which slayeth bodie and soule Open thine eares O my Soule to heare thy GOD enlarge thine heart O my Soule to belieue thy GOD when Hee speaketh unto thee touching sinne for Hee will tell thee that sinne is an uglie defiling thing that sinne is a monstruous uglie defiling thing yea that sinne is a cruell monstruous defiling thing Sinne is an uglie defiling thing making the sinner foule yea even foule in His eyes before whom alone he hath speciall neede to bee cleane and so in the eyes of GOD his Maker and Iudge Sinne is a monstrous uglie defiling thing for none can possibilie wash away that filth which it draweth
which may grieue GOD and please his Father that hee may obtaine his Fathers favour If an Husband finde that hee is wronged by his Wife let him not doe that which may grieue GOD and please his Wife to the ende he may obtaine his Wiues favour If a Wife finde that shee is wronged by her Husband let her not doe that which may grieue GOD and please her Husband to the ende shee may obtaine her Husbandes favour But let them all sticke constantlie unto GOD doing that alwayes which is good in His Eyes so bee sure that GOD shall eyther mooue King Husband Child Wife and so foorth to doe that which they shoulde doe or else strengthen Subject Childe Husband Wife c. to beare out with contentment the greatest wronges that can bee done unto them Wilt thou not then ô my Soule loue this GOD seeke this GOD serue this GOD with all men and against all men whether hee clappe thee or kuffe thee heale thee or wound thee quicken thee or slay thee TRue Saving Prayer O my soule may justlie be styled That Royall Ambassadour Prudent and Couragious Who lodging alwayes in a cleane Cabinet is directed from that Greatest King towardes that Greatest Monarch and who can no wayes upon anie condition bee mooved to stay from journeying forwardes till he come before Him to whome hee was sent discharging that Commission which hee carrieth in his Bosome and besides Him neyther to Mineon nor Courteour or anie of his Subjectes whatsoever Tell mee ô my Soule can anie in Heaven anie under Heaven teach thee to pray to thy Salvation besides that Great King even the Spirit of the Father and of His Dearest Sonne And therefore that Great Teacher of the Gentiles can resolue thee thus Roman 8.26 The Spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee know not what to pray as wee ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh request for us with sighes which cannot bee expressed This Ambassadour of Prayer comming from the Spirit cannot lodge but in the quickened Soule and renewed heart of GODS Childe Reprobates I confesse may possesse manie Delicates but this Delicate of Saving Prayer they cannot haue And therefore the same Great Teacher of the Gentiles can marrie as it were Prayer and Salvation after an unseparable manner together saying Rom. 10.13 Whosoever calleth upon the Name of the LORD to wit being ledde by the Spirite of Adoption the onelie Anker of Heavenlie Supplication shall bee saved Saving Prayer besides this is so prudent and couragious that beeing sent by this Spirite from the honest heart of GODS renewed Childe towardes that onelie Super-excellent Monarch GOD his Father it will not giue so much as a looke let bee a God-spcede as it were unto anie Angel unto anie Sainct in Heaven unto anie Man on earth beeing so directed by that Spirit by whome it was sent till it come in before that Great Majestie of the GOD of Heaven with whome onelie it hath to doe and there in His Bosome powre foorth the selfe O my soule Art thou not thus charged by GOD thy Father Psal 50.15 Call upon Mee in the day of thy trouble Art thou not thus charged by GOD thy Saviour When yee pray pray thus Our Father which art in Heaven Matth. 6.9 c. Art thou not thus charged by GOD thy Redeemer thy Comforter and Keeper If anie man aske Wisedome let him aske it of GOD. Iames 1.5 Search search ô my soule the whole Olde Testament the whole New Testament and trye if there thou mayest forgather eyther with Praecept directing thee to pray unto anie in Heaven or under Heaven besides thy GOD or with anie Promise That if thou prayest unto anie besides His Majestie thou shalt come speede or lastlie with anie practise shewing thee that ever anie of GODS Children ever sent up their Prayers to anie besides that Blessed GOD in whome they believed Vnderstande understande heerefore O my Soule that the ignorant prophane vaine bablinges of the blinde superstitious Papistes can bee no Saving prayers indyted by the blessed Spirite of GOD but windie foolish effectlesse words comming from their owne deceived Braynes and fonde imaginations For if they come from GOD His Spirit they would bee directed unto God onelie but since they bee drawne up unto creatures they cannot come from the true Spirite of that Creator blessed for evermore but from the lying spirites of base cursed creatures THE blinde blooddie restlesse Seminarie compassing the Earth to and froe with Satan sowing alwayes where hee commeth anie occasion being offered unto him his poysoned and poysoning Popple eyther to impede the receiving or to hinder the grouth of the good Wheate of GODS Worde to the ende that hee may perswade Man and Women of all Rankes even with some Greedinesse readilie to imbrace his lying Doctrine touching the Invocation of Sainctes hath verie highlie here-to-fore and doeth verie farre as yet advaunce that effectlesse Comparison taken from the Courtes of Earthlie Kinges And this Comparison hee hath hatched to the ende he may the more subtillie advaunce the Grandour and augment the Wealth of that Vylde Court of ROME And with this not onelie draw away poore simple people from beeing truelie courteous with that KING OF GLORIE Blessed for ever but also to stirre them up albeit hee abhorreth to confesse this to kythe themselues grosse and avowed Traytors against His Majestie O shamelesse Papist Is not this thy fonde alleadgeance as Subjectes considering the Grandour of their Princes and their owne basenesse are accustomed to goe unto their Kinges by Noble-men and Courteoures So the Children of GOD considering the Excellencie of that Majestie wherewith their GOD is cloathed beeing sensible in the meane time of their owne vildenesse by reason of those sinnes wherewith they are clogged should not attempt to goe to their GOD but by those Saincts which bee in heaven Hadst thou ô effronted Papist hearkened unto that answere now neareby twelue hundreth yeeres agoe given to this purpose by that famous Bishop of worthie memorie Ambrose thou wouldest haue beene affraid from kepping so greedilie without anie shew or reason Ambrose on Rom. 8. this effectlesse comparison from keeping it so pertinaciouslie even to this day without anie kinde of shame For this cause men and women are mooved to goe unto Kinges by Noble-men and Courteoures because Kinges bee but men and know not to whom they should commit the governament of their Countrey but while a man hath to doe with his GOD from whom nothing can be hidde for all men are knowne by Him wee haue neede of no such mediator but of a devoate humble holie heart for whensoever such an heart shall speake GOD shall loving lie answere it But O deceived and deceiving Seminarie to what purpose will this thy comparison serue thee in that countrey where the King with whom thou hast to doe hath by a speciall Edict under His great seale and publicke Proclamation raised thereupon authorized His eldest Sonne to bee
Gospellers who professe That they know and loue that CHRIST who hath dearelie loved them if they had heartes to perceiue His loue towards them The first sort of loue is most corrupt in the corrupt heart of corrupt man whereby man loveth himselfe and beside himselfe nothing hunting after nothing while hee liveth but that which may profite or please himselfe yea not reguarding suppose the whole worlde were overthrown with Sodome after that his eyes were closed by death The sesend loue is corrupt also in the corrupt heart of corrupt man whereby man seeing and considering that hee is not of himselfe sufficientlie able eyther to procure unto himselfe such thinges as hee accounteth to bee good or to defende or deliver himselfe from such thinges as hee holdeth to bee evill he is mooved not onelie to loue himselfe but to loue his GOD also And yet while hee loveth GOD thus hee loveth not GOD for GODS cause but GOD for his owne cause and so as Demetrius loved Diana Acts 19.25 who lived by making Silver Shrines unto her The thirde sorte of loue is holie and renewed in the new sanctified and softened heart of the regenerate Childe of GOD whereby he having happilie through the effectuall working of CHRISTES Spirit dwelling in him tasted the Sweetnesse of the bountie and of the goodnesse of his GOD beginneth to loue GOD even for GODS cause that with a more fervent loue than he loveth Father Mother Wife Childe or anie other whosoever The fourth sorte of loue is altogether Spirituall and Heavenlie transporting even with exceeding joye and alacritie the Soule of man from all thinges heere beneath towardes the third Heavens whereby the Childe of GOD is not onelie mooved to loue GOD for GODS cause but to loue himselfe for GODS cause and all other thinges beside himselfe no otherwayes but in GOD and for GOD. This was that loue O my Soule where-with Moyses loved his GOD when hee forsooke the Court of Aegypt and choosed to suffer trouble for CHRISTES cause This was that loue where-with Paul loved GOD vvhen hee sayde My life is not deare unto mee so that I may fulfill my course vvith joye I am readie not to bee bound onelie but also to die at Hierusalem for the NAME of the LORD IESVS And this sorte of loue vvhich is begun onelie heere shall bee fullie perfected in the Heavens Oh LORD GOD vvhen shall I beginne to loue no Honour but that vvhere-by I may honour Thee No Pleasures but those which may please Thee No Wealth but where-with I may haue my Soule enritched by Thee and with Thee for the better seeking and finding of Thee Yea vvhen shall I begin onlie to loue to liue to the ende that Thy Majestie mayest liue in mee and mayest bee glorified by mee Yea ô LORD GOD let me steppe one Steppe higher VVhen shall I beginne to delight to bee shamed to the ende that Thou mayest bee glorified to delight to bee grieved and pained to the ende that Thou mayest bee pleased to delight to bee stripped mother-naked of all the earthlie thinges vvhich I possesse or can possesse to the ende that I may possesse Thee Yea vvhen shall I long and desire to die to the ende that I may liue with Thee And yet could I doe all this vvhat should I doe vvhat could I doe I could doe nothing but prooue myndfull but prooue thankfull and that not through anie grace in mee vvhich is from mee for alace ô my Soule forgettest thou not thy GOD fearfullie art thou not unkinde to thy GOD grosselie but through thine undeserved favour onelie Would not that blessed Sonne of GOD yea that verie GOD of Glorie thy Saviour IESVS ô my Soule bee shamed to honour thee bee pained to please thee bee grieved to grace thee bee made poore to make thee rich Yea would Hee not die to quicken thee And so ô my Soule vvhen thou hast shamed thy selfe to whome Shame is due for Sinne vvhen thou hast grieved thy selfe to whome Griefe is due for sinne vvhen thou hast depryved thy selfe of all thinges to whome nothing is due because of sinne yea vvhen thou hast layde downe thy lyfe vvhome sinne must bereaue of lyfe having death for its Wage vvhat hast thou done considering that Hee who never sinned beeing that GOD of Glorie unto vvhome all Honour all Pleasures all Wealth and onelie lyfe did belong depryved Himselfe of all these thinges and cloathed Himselfe willinglie with the contrarie evils and that for thee Bee myndfull of these thinges ô my Soule and forget not to beg Grace from thy GOD to prooue thankefull for them FOolish Man pittying manie cannot alace pittie himselfe yea hee cannot so much as dreame that hee is to bee pittied and yet what creature is to bee pittied as man who should prooue GODS best creature heere beneath is to bee pittied Oh LORD GOD howe manie men lay downe their lyues daylie and so are remooved from this Earth by death before they know by whom and wherefore they were gifted with lyfe and placed on this Earth And if man in this respect bee not to bee pittied let all such who be sensible of humane miserie judge O my soule if living heere I knowe not of whome I haue my lyfe for vvhome I haue my lyfe and so vvho is Hee unto whome I shoulde looke after whome I shoulde seeke studying alwayes to serue and to please Him even in the whole course of my life had it not beene better for thee ô my Soule that I had never tasted of lyfe That man who never was who never shall bee shall never indeede taste of that sweetest Milke and moste wholesome Honey which is to bee founde in that Heavenlie Canaan which is aboue But with that hee shall never bee tormented with that ever-burning Fire which cannot bee but found in that deepest Gulfe out of the which there is no redemption But as for that man ô my soule who lives and knoweth not Him from whom and for whom hee hath his life bee sure die he before his minde be enlightened to see his GOD before his heart bee mooved to loue Him to belieue in Him and his life bee so sanctified that in some measure hee may serue and please Him not onlie shall hee bee depryved of that immortall Heavenlie Inheritance but also adjudged to remedilesse and comfortlesse condemnation Oh oh when shall the Inhabitantes of this Earth hearken to that wise advise given by that wise Preacher Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth while the evill dayes come not Eccle. 12.1 nor the yeares approach in the which thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them When shall they suffer that great Conclusion to bee brought to their heartes which vvould quicken the deadest and waken the most secure which the same Preacher bringeth to our eares in the same place Let us heare the ende of all Feare GOD and keepe His Commandements for this is the whole duetie of man for GOD will
contented that the dead corpse of her dearest childe even within some few houres bee put foorth of her doores But heere ô my foule Wonderest thou not that a more vilde stinke that a more loathsome flewar over-taketh and floweth from the verie dead corpse of GODS Children than from the dead Carions of other creatures as of Fowles of Fishes and of Beastes O my Soule cease to wonder at this and learne to thinke upon that loathsome spring wherefrom this proceedeth I must tell thee O my Soule that the bodie of the holiest man that ever lived on earth heere that Glorious Sacred Bodie of blessed IESVS beeing excepted lodgeth a more vilde guest a more stinking guest onelie loathsome to GOD and His Angels than ever the bodie of anie Fowle Fish or Beast did lodge I must confesse indeede that the bodies of those creatures doe lodge corruption yea much corruption as may easilie bee perceived while they doe liue and especiallie when they bee dead Alwayes that stinking loathsome guest of Sinne they doe not lodge which the verie bodies of Abraham Isaac Iaakob Peter Iames Iohn Paul could not but lodge And therefore no wonder that a more noysome stinke flow from the verie dead bodies of GODS Saincts than from the Carions of those reasonlesse creatures But will Sinne stay heere O my soule albeit this be a deepe stroake No no for Sinne will haue that dead stinking body in the which it lodged sometimes couched under the earth under the seas and there returne into dust out of the which is was taken Genes 3.19 Eccles 12.7 But vvill Sinne stay heere albeit this would seeme to bee that dead stroake beyond the vvhich none can goe in the chide of GOD No no for telleth not Historie us that out of the dead stinking corpse of men and women there ariseth most monsterous and noysome beastes Yea uglie Toades and cruell Serpents Augustine in his fourtie eight Sermon to his Brethren the Heremites affirmeth That Toades are bredde in the braines of the dead corpse and That Serpents are bredde in their Neares Yea writeth not Augustine That hee being at Rome saw a Toade in the Brainpanne of one of their Emperours Dare I here forget the like uncouth spectacle by GODS speciall providence I doubt not for my better resolution anent the veritie of the thinges alleadged presented to mine owne eyes beeing in the Kirke yarde of LEITH in the Month of Iune a thousand sixe hundreth and fifteene yeares for beeing there delightning to attend for a while those honest men building for the time our Steeple I behelde within a grassie bush the heade of some dead corpse having in the outmost part of it a little voyde while I haue a purpose to cause the Kirke Officer put this skull under the earth looking on it more narrowlie I behelde through the voyde part of it to my great astonishment a Toade of an hudge bignesse whereupon I called the worke-men to consider the spectacle vvith mee and having made a little discourse unto them upon the Miseries Vanitie Vildnesse and Pride of man we all beganne to consider how vvee might haue the Toade separated from the head but that wee found altogether impossible till the bone was violentlie broken so little was the voyde part of it and so big was the Toade Let the reader judge where this Toade was bred and fostered For He who knoweth all thinges blessed bee His Name knoweth that I saw it lodged as said is O my soule what if those thinges could be considered by men and especiallie by women in this our licentious foolish Age would they take such paines and delight to fat their claye bodies with all sort of pleasures and pleasant thinges as they doe Would they even with the wracke of their estates feede their bellies dresse their heades cover their backes so daintilie so gloriouslie which must be brought so low and bee made a mother to conceiue a nurse to foster yea a lodging to keepe such uglie monsters Yea if this could be considered O my Soule O! with what an hatred would the Childe of GOD hate Sinne O! with what a care would the Child of GOD arme himselfe against Sinne seeing nothing besides Sinne hath brought all these evils upon poore miserable Man IN this last and worst Age of the Worlde alace O my Soule all men almost seeke after Sinne defile themselues with Sinne yea alace delight themselues in Sinne and all because few men alace studie to acquaint themselues truelie with the nature of Sinne. Men now-a-dayes O my Soule miscarried by their owne deceiving Lustes while they fall into Sinne looke unto men yea unto men onelie as if Sinne were committed against man yea against man onelie And out of this false ground blindlinges alace layde by them as they thinke of the man with whome they haue to doe so they thinke of the sinne which they haue committed If that man bee such a one who may grieue and annoy them then they are grieved for their sinne Alwayes not because that Great GOD is abused by them but because a man who may grieue them is grieved by them If that man bee such a man who cannot grieue them who dare not attempt to annoy them by reason of their grandour and credit worldlie and his basenesse and lacke of moyen with men O then O my Soule they can both digest their sinne sweetlie and goe on in their sinne peartlie and pleasantlie For can those men possiblie dreame that anie beside man hath anie intrest to quarrell them for their sinne Alwayes hearken hearken O my Soule would man suffer that good Worde of GOD which is that Worde of Trueth which never deceived any man which never shall deceiue any man to leade him hee should finde that everie sinne committed on earth beneath heere bee the committer of it King or coatter looketh not lower than the Heaven of Heavens and so he should finde that sinne committed beneath heere is committed against none who liveth heere beneath but onelie against that Supreame Majestie who ruling over all thinges hath His Throne set aboue all Thrones even in the highest Heavens I will confesse ô my soule that a Subject may offende and grieue his King that a King may injure and grieue his Subject that a Father may hurt and grieue his sonne that a sonne may hurt and grieue his Father but Scripture beeing well considered will not suffer mee to confesse that a Subject can sinne against his King or that a King can sinne against his Subject that a father can sinne against his sonne or a sonne sinne against the Father Tell mee tell me O my soule vvhat callest thou sinne Sinne I know being taught of GOD is The Transgression of the Law But of whose Law 1. Iohn 3.4 I pray thee Not of the Law of anie pettie King but of the Law of that KING of Kinges who is that onelie Supreame Law-giver who is able to saue and destroy Knowest thou not Iames
Heavenlie Priviledges unto the full fruition and everlasting possession whereof Hee must necessarilie haue us advanced BLessed blessed O my soule beyonde measure be all those whose Father Almightie GOD in His dearest Sonne IESVS hath become And therefore I cannot wonder that that Disciple whome IESVS loved speaking heereof was mooved with a shrill voyce thus to crye foorth resembling some Messenger sounding from a Market Crosse some speciall Proclamation Beholde what loue the Father hath shewed on us that wee should bee called 1. Iohn 3.2 The Sonnes of GOD. Manie Sonnes indeede hath His Majestie yea our GOD blessed for evermore bee that His only beloved Sonne IESVS who at a great rate hath conquished these Sonnes unto Him hath a verie worlde of Sonnes Alwayes Revel 7.9 the Scripture telleth mee O my Soule That GOD our Father will make all these His Sonnes Kinges Revel 1.6 and everie one of them a King not to reigne for a while honoured with a fading Crowne But to reigne for evermore in that Kingdome 1. Pet. 1 3.4.5 which is immortall and undefiled and which fadeth not away What King earthlie ô my Soule having manie Sonnes is able to make all his Sonnes Kinges And yet foolish man dreameth those to bee happie who bee the Sonnes of Kinges yea of great men howbeit none can bee possibly truelie happie but such who being borne over againe Iohn 3.3 by the Spirit and by the Worde of GOD bee made the Sonnes of The Most High and so Kings at length to reigne in despight of all Tyrantes and tyrannie for ever I shall not offende heerefore ô my Soule albeit my Coate now bee course my Bread bee browne my Drinke small my Crowne sharpe and pricking having terroures within and troubles without Knowest thou not ô my soule howe thy LORD and SAVIOVR comming to this Earth by His death to draw thee to Heaven was cloathed was entertayned was crowned here and yet blessed bee His Name in despight of all hellish and earthlie Powers is Hee not crowned nowe in that highest Heavens with that Crowne of incomparable Majestie and everlasting Glorie Mat. 28.18 having all power in Heaven and on Earth given unto Him Yea possessing a Name aboue all names which are named in this Worlde Philip. 2.9.10 and unto the which everie Knee must bowe O believing Trades man Craftes man Coatter Beggar Canst thou lift up thine Eyes afore-hande to see Canst thou bow thine heart afore-hande to taste the unspeakeable Ioyes which thy Soule shall possesse that incorruptible Glorie which shall compasse thy verie clay Vessell when thou beeing glorified throughlie the Lambe with the Lambe shall goe in and out before the Lambe in that newe Hierusalem which is aboue having on thine head that Crowne of endlesse Glorie cloathed with a long white Robe having Palmes in thine hand and crying joyfullie with a loude voyce Salvation commeth of our GOD that sitteth on the Throne Revelat. 7.9.10 and of the Lambe Let it bee thy Meate then thy Drinke then while thou sojournest heere O my soule absent in bodie from that Lambe of GOD thy Saviour to thinke upon this IESVS to speake of this IESVS to seeke this IESVS to serue this IESVS who hath called thee unto this honour to bee the Childe of GOD and so to be a King for ever to possesse fulnesse of Ioye in GODS praesence and at His Right Hand Pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 KNewest thou O my Soule how farre that blessed wise GOD thy Father hath advanced the flesh of man belieue me thou couldest not offend if I should curse thee if thou attempted but so much as to lust after those evils wherewith alace a verie world of people are nowe grosselie defiled And I could not but bee ashamed to be offended if thou shouldest curse mee if I should prease to giue these members of my bodie unto the committing of those sinnes which thousandes alace doe commit in this our time even with delectation and greedinesse O my soule hath not GOD honoured the flesh of man verie farre in making it to be a Cabinet to lodge that immortal Soule made by His Majestie even of an Heavenlie substance hath not our GOD more highlie advanced the flesh of man in making it to bee the Temple and dwelling place of His Holie Spirit Yea to be that Spirituall Immortall Incorruptible and Glorious plenishing which must fill and keepe the Heavens for ever Yea hath not His Majestie advanced it more than highlie in His blessed and onlie begotten Sonne IESVS that holie One being contented to assume and unite in one personall union with His Godheade the verie flesh of man not onlie for a while walking on earth in that our nature but transporting that our flesh to the highest Heavens so that Hee who is GOD alwayes aequall with the Father and with the holy Ghost is cloathed with the flesh of man And He who is cloathed with the flesh of man is GOD aequall with the Father and with the Spirit ô Coelestiall Spirites and heavenlie Angles who serve your blessed GOD alwayes readilie faythfullie busilie fullie and joyefulâ—ie can ye compare with that man who by a liuelie faith is ingraffed into that God-Man and Man-God IESVS Would that holy One cloathe Himselfe with your nature so that you may say He who is GOD is also an Angell and he who is Angell is GOD Or rather Heb. 2.16 tooke Hee not the Seede of Abraham so that the believing man may say He who is GOD is man also Hee who is man is GOD also ô Coelestiall Spirites said that blessed GOD your and our Glorious Maker ever of anie Angell or to anie Angell The angell Zach. 13.7 My fellow And yet our blessed GOD can speaking to and of His Sonne in whom we are thus beyond measure honoured speake thus of Him The man My fellow Darest thou then ô my Soule attempt to dishonour this GOD who hath so farre honoured thee Yea darest thou attempt to advise me being kitled with anie deceiueable lust to abuse this my flesh or anie member of it since His Majestie hath so wonderfullie advanced it We all thinke that David oversawe himselfe verie grosselie to Mephibosheth the creeple son of dead Ionathan who proved constantlie rarelie kinde to David when having tried the grosse falsehood and seditious treacherie of that villane Ziba hee saide to the poore creeple abused honest man 2. Sam. 19.29 Haue I not sayde Thou and Ziba divide the landes But when shall men who holde themselues for good Christians thinke and confesse that they oversee themselues abusing most grosselie the LORD their GOD when they crye aloude albeit not with their shrill voyces yet with their vilde workes even to the hearing of that GOD to whom they be more than oblieged in all respects but chiefely for advancing their flesh so highly which is the onlie ground of mans whole foelicitie O LORD GOD haue I not said Thou and the Devill divide betwixt
you Offend not O my Soule that I speake thus for if manie professing CHRIST amongst us may bee believed when they speake they haue appointed their hearts for GOD and yet if their lyves shall be narrowlie tryed it shall be clearelie found that they haue dedicated their flesh and so their eyes eares mouth handes feete and that foule member of their bodie for the Devill for alace be those their members imployed in the service of anie beside the devils service Is this to bee thankfull to that GOD who hath beene kinde unto them Is this to honour GOD by their flesh who hath so honoured mans flesh Knowest thou not ô loose Christian that the Devill is the Accuser of the Children of GOD CHRISTS Brethren Rev. 12.10 Who first craftilie entyseth them to sinne against GOD and then maliciouslie accuseth them before GOD for sinning against Him Now O! how fearefull an Accusation shall this bee hearken hearken ô my Soule when Satan thine accuser ô loose Christian presenting himselfe before that great GOD upon the sight of thy loose and lewde life shall peartlie say ô LORD it pleased thy Majestie out of thine unspeakeable loue towardes man to cloathe thine owne blessed Sonne with the flesh of man even to the ende that in that flesh He might suffer for man and thereby to advance man to the highest Heavens who having willinglie made himselfe my Companion through sinne should haue beene adjudged to the lowest helles with mee for ever and yet LORD here is a man yea a verie world of men who haue defiled themselues with abominable Idolatries bowing their knees to the worke of mans handes lifting up their handes and sending up their cryes to base creatures forgetting the great and blessed Creator yea defiled in their flesh with fearefull Blasphemies cruell Murthers filthie Incests Adulteries and Fornications with brutish Drunkennesse Covetousnesse and Oppression O LORD will not Thy Majestie being that just judge of the world be avenged upon such grosse unthankefulnesse and adjudge with the soules the bodies of such men to that Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone forevermore seeing they haue so grosselie shamed that their flesh which thou hast so greatlie honoured Thinke upon this ô my Soule Roman 6.12 1. Thess 3.3.4.5 keeping thy selfe from all inward filthinesse Forget not this O my Soule but charge me alwayes In GODS Name to keep this my bodie all the members of it from all outward uncleanenesse EVen the filthiest deboashed liver O my soule offendeth when hee is compared to the Devill and yet everie filthie liver will treade the devils path Cannot the devill O my Soule peartlie praesent himselfe amonst the Children of GOD before GOD And yet no sooner goeth hee from His Majesties praesence but hee can run with speede not onlie to overthrow all that belonged to that just man Iob but also to bereaue him of his health thinking thereby to make him blaspheme GOD. Even the filthiest liver offendeth if hee bee called a Iudas yet as Iudas went from his Masters Table to deliver Him into the hands of His Enemies so manie called Christians can take their Iourney as it were from CHRISTES Chamber to overthrow CHRIST Alace alace O my soule howe manie bee there who praesent themselues with GODS Sainctes in GODS House before GOD to heare His Word and yet comming from it deboash themselues in all uncleannesse O! how manie bee there who going to Prayer and rysing from Prayer thinke never upon that which they haue confessed or bound themselues unto while they were praying till they goe backe againe to their Prayer deboashing themselues betwixt their one prayer and their other prayer even in those same sinnes for the which in prayer they accused themselues they condemned themselues craving GOD pardon and solemnlie avowing to abstaine from them The judgement of Charitie which suspecteth the best of all adviseth mee to thinke that these knowne Murderers Adulterers Fornicators Drunkardes and so foorth when they goe to their prayer doe nowe and then confesse these their sinnes craving pardon for them and promising to amende their liues and yet with the Swine even nowe washen after they haue risen from their knees they can turne to the puddle of their wonted wickednesse Let all such then who doe heare GOD speaking unto them by His Worde and who doe speake to GOD by prayer joyne repentance with their hearing and with their prayer remembering that he onelie is blessed who heareth the Worde of GOD and doeth it And that the prayer of that man Luke 11 28. Prov. 28.9 who draweth away his care from hearing the Law is abomination before GOD. LET mee not bee carefull ô my Soule for my life what I shall eate or what I shall drinke or for my bodie what I shall put on For thy blessed GOD that Great Master-House-holde of His Kirke can wiselie provide for His owne even in their greatest extremitie albeit not alwayes that which they would bee at yet ever that which shall serue them untill His good worke bee accomplished in them The King of Aegypt taketh Straw frō the Israelites which before was furnished unto them the Taske-masters of Aegypt resolue them notwithstanding heereof that the number of their Britkes must bee fulfilled daylie And when they with wearie heartes are carefull to provide themselues of Strawe they can finde none Exodus 5. for the people of the Land will neyther giue them anie for request nor sell them anie for Silver How then shall they come by it and where shall they finde it Blessed bee GOD ô my Soule vvhen the King vvho was a man carrying the same shape which the Israelites carried vvith his Taske-masters and people can refuse all helpe unto distressed Israel can adde affliction to afflicted Israel that senselesse dead hard Earth vvhich they trode upon vvill offer her helpe unto them praying them as it were to pull up her haire before they should perish and so shee propyned them with that Stubble wherewith shee was covered before they should want altogether that wherewith they might make Bricke unto cruell blooddie Pharaoh O David no favour canst thou finde notwithstanding of thine humble carriage and manie good services in the eyes of Saul thy master and father in Law and yet art thou not lovinglie embraced and kyndlie entertayned by that stranger Achis 1. Sam. 27. that uncircumcised King of Gath Ahab and Iezebel doe busilie seeke thy lyfe O Eliah but doe not the verie devouring Ravens entertayne it as carefullie O Nebuchadnezar thou art so fearcelie set against those three Children of GOD 1. King 17.3.4.5.6 who refused to worship that Image vvhich thou madest that thou vvilt not onelie haue them casten into an hote fierie Fornace but thou wilt haue this Fornace to bee hote at that one time Daniel 3. seaven tymes more than it was wont to bee hote Alwayes vvere not these furious fearce fierie flames mercifull unto them Yea so mercifull unto them that not