glorious is He in His Throne This meditation should not be passed over untill it hath wrought us from wonderment to an holy trembling before Him and a godly feare There is one thing more touching the figure of the earth which offers it self and I cannot passe it by though it is very ordinary and familiar and the sense can make report thereof to the understanding It is this A circular or round figure cannot fill up that which hath corners there will be still an emptinesse It tells us this ordinary lesson That the earth and all the stuffe and lumber there cannot fillup the heart of man no more then wind or ashes can satifie the hungry stomack We may weary out our selves and lay out our stock of time and parts about the encompassing of Capacem Dei non implet minus Deo Tu Deus diligenti Te quantum praecipis oâ—â—endes Te sufficis ei Aug. Conf. 12. 15. some portion here below but it will not be a portion proportionable unto the nature of the soul it will not profit nor give satisfaction That very seale which made the impression will fill up and answer the same impression and no other for it It is only heaven and the great things thereof which give rest and peace which fills up the heart and makes it stable removed there-from the heart is like a needle shaken off from the pole starre in an unquiet trembling posture when it feeles it self like a Meteor tossed with every motion and still in doubtfull suspence f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 12. 29. Behold then The heaven is before us and Christ in our nature hath opened the way thither and There appeares for us And thither-ward must the soul tend if it looks for rest The Lord Christ seemes to speake to every soul as Ioseph to his brethren g Gen. 45. 20. Regard not stuffe for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours Regard not the stuffe and baggage lumber here below ye are borne for higher things Behold the heavens Behold all the good in those spacious mansions is yours This meditation must be followed till it hath set us loose from our spirit of infirmitie bending us down-ward and hath wrought our affections off from things below and raised them upward where the treasure is which only satisfieth thereon to fasten even upon the Lord Christ as the portion to the soul every way proportionable And woe unto us if this meditation doth not work upon us even thus farre for how shall we answer our coveting an evill covetousnesse to our house our increasing that which is not ours h Hab. 2. 6. 9. our heaping up riches or rather as one saith sins i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Isid Pelus lib. 2. ep 135. but all this while contemning the blessing our minding earth and earthly things wherein is such varietie of changes and neglecting house or kingdome rather which cannot be shaken How shall we answer this It is not possible saith the Father k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in Psal 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to expect pardon for so great a neglect for our eager pursuit after and care about the earth and our neglect of heaven and of our right precious souls which live to all eternitie This will be said of us if our care be so preposterous which was said of him l Isid Pel. lib. 2. ep 156. who had built him a sumptuous house which he enjoyed a short time but neglected the chiefe and principall thing which leades to those everlasting doores whereat the King of glory is entred in In the one he proclaimes his covetousnesse in that other his great neglect his extreame folly rather So much in way of resolution to the first enquiry What figure the earth hath and what use there-from 2. Whence its dependance or how born up It is Gods question So He demands of Iob m Job 38. 45. 6. Where wast thou when I layed the foundation of the earth who hath layed the measures thereof whereupon are the foundations fastned c. And as it was the Lords question so must it be His answer for there is not a man upon earth nor ever was clothed with sinfull flesh that can shew the Kings matter What then is the Lords answer If we know the Scriptures we know what it is for thus they say He hath founded the earth upon the Seas and established it upon the floods n Psal 14. 2. Vpon the seas and upon the floods what finite understanding faith the Father o Chrysost in Gen. Hom. 12. Neere the middle Ad Pop. Ant. Hom. 9. Lege Hom. primum S. Basil in Hex can understand or comprehend this when we men lay a foundation so the Father goes on we digge deepe and if we meet with water in our way we goe yet deeper till we see the spring dryed up else we will lay no foundation for a foundation upon water makes a building unstable and tottering it cannot be a fixt dwelling It is against the nature of water to beare up so heavy a body It was not the stick no nor the work of nature though put to the extent thereof which caused so much as the yron p 2 King 6. 6. to swim And it is against the nature of the earth to have its seat or basis upon such a foundation But Gods wayes are not as mans wayes which may be found out and comprehended by reason And yet saith the same Father Why dost thou wonder ô man If thou wilt wonder thou shalt never cease wondring for into whatsoever creature thou wilt pry into thou wilt finde an unlimited and boundlesse power much more then in the bearing up of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 massive body And to this power thou must be brought else thy understanding can never fix but be as unstable as the waters We must be brought to this even to the power of God for hitherto all the answer that the sacred Scripture makes to this great and grave question tendeth He hangeth the earth upon nothing saith Iob q 26. 7. upon nothing nothing can beare up nothing yea but the earth hath pillars so we reade also The r 1 Sam. 2. 8. Cardines Poli. pillars of the earth are the Lords and He hath set the world upon them The meaning thereof is this though some bend the interpretation otherwise to their own end according to the sicknesse of their fansie That these pillars are our North and South poles amidst whereof the earth is s Reade Pol. Virg. lib. 4 ca. 9. Where they would make us beleeve that Anna prophesied of Cardinall Pole or others the Popes Cardinals so making them elder then the Moon placed which confirmes unto us the singular power providence of God saith Trem. and it is as much as is implyed from that text I meane the singular power of God therein for that is intimated
of the Lord Iesus Christ under these signes to nourish and cheere me if I cannot Eagle-like flye up to heaven unto Him and on that carcasse fasten and fixe my faith thence to draw strength and refreshing The soul can presently be one with that it delights in be it profit be it pleasure and it should much convince and ashame us of our flatnesse herein a matter of such concernment And in case Tremenda mysteria we finde no such working then to withdraw our foot being now approaching towards those high and awfull mysteries For if our hearts can open towards the earth and unite with things there but are flat and heavy towards Heaven no working that way where the Treasure is the Lord of Glory then surely we are no fit guests for this table For certain it is That whensoever our soul shall feele its union with God in Christ all things below will seeme base unto it the soul cannot unite with them nor be servant unto them use them she may but she enjoyes God her union there parts unrivets and divorceth her from base unions and fellowships with things below And so much to the second Grace required in the Receiver 3. The third is Love Love to God who loved us first and gave His Sonne that we might not perish Love to to Christ who so dearely bought us a Love as strong as Death which stirres up all the powers of the Body and Soul to love Him again so as we can thinke nothing too much or too hard to do or suffer for Him who hath so abounded towards us The History of His passion is more largely set down then is the History of His Nativitie Resurrection or Ascension and for this reason it is That all the circumstances thereof are so largely set down That our hearts should be enlarged after Christ That we should have largenesse of affection to Him and these steeped as it were in His bloud and crucified to His crosse and buried in His grave And as Love to Him so love to our Brother for His sake * Amâ—cum in Christa inimicâ—â— proâ—ter Christum It cannot be doubted of in Him that tastes of this Love Feast he partakes of that there which is the cement that sodders and joynes us together e Sanguis Christi coagulum Christianorum as the graines in one Loafe or as the stones in an Arch one staying up another or to speake in the Scriptures expression as members of one Body nay which is yet neerer as members one of another we partake in one house at one table of one bread here is a neere Communion and that calls for as neere an union so the Apostle reasons 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. One God one Christ one Spirit one Baptisme one Supper one Faith And all this to make us one That we may keep the unitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace f Eph. 4 3. But above all The Sacrament of the Supper is ordained for Love But our love to our enemies our shewing the kindnesse of the Lord g 2 Sam. 9. 3. first part p. 71. that is returning good for evill This blessing them who curse us this is all the difficultie and the doubt And hard it is to corrupt nature I remember Salvian saith He that thinks he prayeth for his enemy may be much mistaken he speaks he doth not pray h Si pro adversario â—rare se câ—git lâ—quitur non prâ—catur lib. 2. pag. 70. And yet it is much to consider how farre a common and naturall light hath lead some here in this straight way of forgiving an enemy He was an implacable brother who said let me not live if I be not revenged of my brother The other brother answered And let not me live if I be not reconciled to my brother i Plut. dâ— Fratâ—rno amere And they were brothers too betwixt whom we read never any other contention was but who should dye for the other k Maâ— lib. 1. â—â— 37. So strong a naturall affection hath been and so able to endure wrongs and to right them with good which is our rule and contrary to former customes l Isid Pâ—lus lib. 3. epist 126. 1 Cor 4. 12. 13. â—â—ge Chrys ad Pop. Ant. 〈◊〉 Hom. 9. ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pluâ— de Frat. Am. wins the Crown or garland Grace is stronger then Nature it rivets and joynes men together like twin members eyes hands and feet or like twigs on the same root or stalke which stick alwayes together But especially if we suppose two persons communicating together at the Table of the Lord we must needs grant that in this Communion they see that which will reconcile implacablenesse it self for there they see a free offer of grace and peace not onely to an enemie once but to exmitie it self an infinite debt cancell'd a transgressour from the wombe an infinite transgressour since yet accepted to mercy This will beget again a love to God and to the most implacable enemy for Gods sake thoughts of this will swallow up the greatest injuries If our thoughts be upon the Ten thousand talents we cannot possibly think of requiring the hundred pence this Chrysostome m Vol. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Lege Chrysost in cap. 8. ad Rom. Hom. 14. p. 206 presseth very fully and usefully in his first sermon upon that parable or debtor We must remember alwayes that much love will follow as an effect from the cause where many sinnes are forgiven n Luke 7. 47. Matth. â—8 33 We cannot but think on the equitie of this speech and how inexcusable it must leave an implacable man I forgave thee all thy debt shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servants The summe is and our rule I must love my friend in Christ and my enemie for Christ Catechismes are large here and helps many and it is hard to meet with new meditations on so old a subject handled so fully and usefully by many but His good spirit leade thee by the hand who leades unto all truth It remains onely that I give some satisfaction to a question or two these they are But how if I finde not these graces Repentance faith charitie to be in me how then May I go to this Table or go I as a worthy Communicant A weighty Question this of high and universall concernment For he or she that eats and drinks unworthily are guilty of the Body and Bloud of the Lord o 1. Cor. 11. 27. The guilt of bloud lieth upon them Now the Lord ever puts a price upon bloud even upon the bloud of beasts upon the bloud of man much more upoÌ„ that bloud that was shed for man how great a price being the bloud of God and the price of souls So then we must be well advised what we do For if we spill mans bloud as God forbid we should for bloud cries yet if we
accountable too how patient he hath beene under wants how hee hath humblâ—d himselfe under the Almighty Hand And how dependant upon that hand If there bee a straite and the Meale be at the bottome here is an hint of a glorious dependance upon Him that multiplyed the oyle and the meale and the Loaves And with the fewer loaves though the power was the same fed the more And the more was remaining upon Him That doth cloath the Lillies feed the Ravens makes a path in a wildernesse causeth water to flow out of a Rocke or in a parched ground filled the Valley with water when they saw neither winde nor raine a 2 King 3. 17. It is good and safe to depend here Infinite power and goodnesse can never bee at a losse nor faith which lookes thereunto can be at stand Faith makes up a life without the creature It cheeres the countenance without oyle b Famem vera fides non timel Hier. lib. 2. ep 18. p. 221. refresheth the spirit without wine glads the heart strengthens it without the bread of men It is certain a soul that hath such a dependance is never fatter better liking then when his pasture is shortest like a wildernesse It is fattest in the winter as some creatures are when there is no greene thing but ground trees and all are all covered Then this soul can pick meat when the heaven is brasse and the earth iron Then even in such a time the soul can live rejoyce and joy in the Lord the God of Salvation Habb 3. 18. This is the onely way which will lead thee through the snares which are in wants that thou shalt not be intangled with them not put forth thy hand unto wickednesse If thou canst finde no way God can make a way only thy part is if meanes be short to trust the more And to lengthen thy hope Hope we say is an inheritance for a King and this God will provide makes Gods children confident It is good to be in a depending condition then we roule our selves upon God The depending soul can best track the wayes of Gods providence and seeth how wise and admirable they are whereas the fulnesse of outward means obscureth the lustre of that track and draweth the heart unto them from a providence And now I need not bid thee use all lawfull means for dependance on a providence doth establish the means and us in the use of them It is unreasonable to think that God will feed us from Heaven when we may gather our meat from the earth He worketh not extraordinary in a fruitfull land where the plough can go I mean in that place and time when our hands can work As we must not trouble our selves about Gods charge as it is usuall so to do So we must not neither neglect our own charge which is to give all faithfull endeavour and having done it then stand still rest and wait for His blessings who hath said I will not leave thee nor forsake thee And now we are upon thy duty and charge heare some lessons which may be of use for thy better discharge thereof Therefore the chief lesson follows for it makes all easy Let the law of the Lord be never out of thy minde nor His word when houshold employments admit vacation for she that is married careth for the things of the world how she may please her husband be out of thy hand That 's an holy word saith Clemens d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proâ—rept p. 41. which makes holy as He is and like Him Tongues there are but one is enough for a woman and work enough to use that one well Other learning there is too but like nuts e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Strom. 1. 199. I referre to thy sex it nourisheth not This word makes f 2 Tim. 3 â— Lactan. lib. 3. cap. 25 perfect and throughly furnisheth All necessary truths are plain there and nothing dark g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Protrept p. 42 to him or her that will come to the light by earnest h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in Matt. Hom. 25. prayer asking of Him who is the Father of lights who leades into all truth And if He joyn himself to our charriot we shall go on and encrease mightily for it is in the strength and with the encrease of God I can but point at what I would say For thy instruction this is the chief Take counsell from this word and from this Great counsellour then thou shalt be taught indeed to answer thy worthy name worthily and all those relations thou standest in as becometh first to children The chief burden of our charge as they are the chief of our possessions The rules are what was mentioned before I shall not recall 1. Thou must not set thy heart upon them as was said but keep a watchfull eye over them thereby keeping them in awe and begin betimes sit close here children are like a wilde asse colt if thou dost not over-rule them they will overthrow thee and themselves It is a pretty observation I know not how true That great mens children learn nothing by order and rule but to mannage their horse well and the reason why they are so carefull therein is because they know their horse is neither flatterer nor Courtier he will not stick to cast First part p. 253. them as soon as a meaner person if they hold him not strait in and themselves close to his back It is so here if thou doest not sit close upon them upon servants also holding a strait hand neither slacked nor strained if not they will runne headlong What ever honour is due none will be payed unlesse it be honourably commanded I mean with authoritie and with a countenance commanding a respect and a reverence Let this bridle loose once and they will let loose the bridle before thee i Job 30. 11. Essrenatè in me invâ—cti sunt quâ—si immissis vel excussis habenis Trem. first part that is they will speak unreverently and scornfully as if they were not children nor thou their Mother and the order will be inverted the childe will be above and the parent shall be below And therefore hold fast here Thus much or this little rather for I have spoken to it before that thou mayest maintain thy authoritie over them if thou loosest that thou wilt adventure thy comfort in them Covet after the best callings but be not ambitious to make them great here below It had been a good ambition in the Mother if it had been spirituall to be an earnest sutour for the preferment of her children to Christs's kingdome k Hoc praecipuum est uti piè sanclâ—que vivant dixit uxor Calv. epist 101. No preferment in the world comparable Do thy best here Grace is a sure commoditie and however the world go the trade of godlinesse cannot fail Make sure of that for thy self
we do see We cannot give answer nor make report thereof I do not wonder that Paul whom the Father elegantly calls an earthly Angel Å¿ Chrysost Tom. 1 de poenit continent and an heavenly man that he being caught up into the third Heaven could not utter what he heard there for it was unutterable He whose eye is but upon the outside of that paradise beholds such great things there that we cannot utter nor comprehend what we see There I see the heavens stretched over me like a curtain thence it hath its name in Hebrew but in Greek and English a firmament because it is firme and fast This I see because it seems to terminate my sight but I know not what I see nor know I how He buildeth His stories spheres in the heaven t Amos 9. 6. but I know it is fully called the firmament of His power u Psal 150. 1. And that is all I can say of it for the out-spreading of that Canopie is unutterable and unconceiveable There I see those fierie Globes each of them many degrees bigger then the earth yet in comparison with that out-spreading firmament each of them but as a diamond on the ring or point in a circle If I think upon the the glory of the Creator as I should do for if these be so wonderfull how much more wonderfull is the Creator hereof This thought thereof swallows me up as a drop in the ocean How farre beyond the scant compasse of mans understanding is it then to conceive of the glory of His Saints for it is said They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousnesse as the starres for ever and ever x Dan. 12. 3. nay it is said They shall shine forth as the Sun y Matt. 13. 43. nay more They shall be like unto Him at His appearance z 1. John 3. 2. And surely though this glory be incomprehensible yet our understanding may conceive and comprehend that so it is for if the Lord hath beautified the outside of their palace or heavenly mansions with so much glory what is the inside and the glory there within a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Basil Hex Hom. 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I cannot think that strange which followeth that he who hath this hope purifieth b 1. John 3. 3. himselfe for certainly none but the the pure in heart can enter in there I see now how necessary it was and that so it must needs be That Christ should give Himselfe for His Church that He might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word That he might present it to Himselfe a glorious Church not having spot nor wrinckle or any such thing But that it should be holy without blemish c Ephes 5. 26. 27. For the conclusion is peremptory and certain There shall in no wise d Rev. 21. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enter into the heavenly Jerusalem any thing that defileth c. And me thinks when I reade that Elias e 2. Kings 2. was carried up into heaven in a fierie charriot it shews me in a figure that in the act of dissolution f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Tom. 5. de resur serm 33. in that moment of time when the soul is departing out of the body sanctification is compleate and perfected and all remainder of corruption is as by fire purged away for none but the pure and the clean and undefiled can enter in here into this Holy of Holies whose out-court or out-covering or pavement of that Court is so glorious And do I see all this and do I beleeve it too What and yet go I on in an evil course and yet do I take the Name of God in vain If so I do but as the devil doth he beleeves and yet continues as he is g Esse Deum credunt tamen in perversitale perdurant Sal. de Prov. 4. p. 100. subjungit ad pudorem c. Sal. Ibid. But if I do not feare before this power and tremble too I am short of the devil for he doth both We may think hereon when we behold the firmament of His power and the glory thereof which is as we have heard though we have not heard the half thereof And yet though thus outwardly glorious this out-court is it must be dissolved and by fire What confidence can we then put in any thing we call flesh or in these vile bodies of ours If the firmament that firme and fast thing shall not still continue of how small continuance is man and the things of this earth which we dote upon But to leave that and to raise our thoughts higher where they should fix we should make the same use of the glory of the third heaven which is the Saints city and countrey where they shall be glorious and crowned with life and for ever with the Lord of life whose Majestie shall shine in perfect beauty before them the same use I say we should make hereof which the holy Apostle makes touching the dissolution of this out-court or firmament seeing we look for such an heaven wherein dwelleth righteousnesse what manner of persons â— 2. Pet. 3. 11. ought we to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse Chrysostome maks a larger use of this contemplation and it is of use indeed His eyes were fixt upon that out-court beholding the excellent beauty thereof upon which contemplation thus he speaks and this the philosophy he gives If these parts of the heaven turned toward us are so bright and glorious what are those upward and inward parts How exceeding glorious that heaven of heavens i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aâ—l illuâ— coelum coeli etiam terrae nostrae coelum terra est Aug Conf. l. 12. caâ— 2. And yet as if this glory were not worth the seeking after we stand greedily k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gaping and catching at the shadow of things and let go great things of a durable substance So he goes on and that which follows is yet more notable When I think on the beauty clarity glory of this heaven I finde my thoughts can fetch a wide compas yet I have not a thought to measure this glory withall my thoughts are infinitely too short here but this effect I finde they cause not more wonderment then mourning In the thoughts hereof I must needs weep bitterly and my spirit must mourn within me l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For when I rise to that height I am presently as low again in the thought of my fall When I behold that Glory with the same eye I must reflect upon my miserie O from what excellent things are we fallen from what happinesse are we estranged m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I say well estranged for we carry our selves as strangers to that city of rest and happinesse We exceedingly busy
duty it is no excuse for the failing of both how both are instructed and from what time Other duties there are but they have beene already intimated in the first part What may more particularly concern thy self child whose instruction I specially intend now briefely followeth Every estate is subject to grievances more specially the married To speak briefly of them and as briefly to give some provision against them I rank them under two heads feare of evills future sense of evills present Touching both these the only troublers of our life and peace some few directions 1. There is but one thing which is evill indeed which truly and properly is the troubler of our peace and quiet But one thing And that is sin It hath so much malignitie in it that it can put a sting and set an edge upon crosses That it can make our good things evill to us can turn our blessings into curses can make our table our bed c. all snares to us It will leaven our rest and peace whereby others are edified walking in the feare of God and in the comforts of the holy Ghost r Act. 7. 31. This rest and peace a comprehension of all blessings through sinne will slay our soules and be our ruine which was as we heard the building up of others so malignant so destroying sinne is more malignant more destroying this sinne is this evill work then is the mouth of a Lion as the Apostle intimateth very usefully 2 Tim. 4. 17 18. Therefore more to be avoyded therefore we should more desire to be delivered from it then from that devourer For as there is but one thing properly evill so but one thing to be feared as evill Feare not wants nor disgrace by wants turn thy feare the right way feare sinne and avoid an evill work So Isid Pelus writeth to his friend Å¿ Lib. 3. ep 101. And it is but the conclusion or a case long since resolved by Chrysostome t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost â—om 4. epist â—limp See Hom. 5. ad Pop. Ant. Sinne is the onely thing to be feared whereof he makes a full and cleare demonstration thus Suppose saith he they are those three great and sore evills famine sword and pestilence which threaten us he names them and many more why these are but temporary and but the Fruit and effects of sinne they continue but their time and shall have their end nay suppose they are those two great winding sheets v L. Ver. Essaies 58. 330. Lege Sen. naâ— quaest lib. 6. c. 1. of the world as one calleth them and as the floud of ungodlinesse doth threaten an inundation of water or an earthquake plagues threatned and inflicted to wash a way sinne and as a punishment thereof Then yet still sinne is to be feared not those It is foolish to feare the effect and to allow the cause Consider also so the Father reasons the case or to that purpose will x See Chrysâ—st de terrae motu Tom. 5. ser 6. Lege Sen. Ibid. it be terrible to see the earth totter like a drunken man and threatning confusion in an instant and men flying before it but they know not whither how dreadfull then will be the wrath of God which will be heavier then the heaviest mountain and shall be manifested from Heaven as the just portion of sinners sinking the soul under the same to all eter-Nitie how dreadfull will that be and sinne makes it so if it were not for sinne though the earth shake we could not be moved what ever evill come upon the face of it yet would it be good to us it could not hurt therefore fear not the earthquake that is most terrible and affrighting but feare sinne the cause that makes the earth to reel I adde and flie from it as Moses before the Serpent and as they fled before the earthquake y Zach. 14. 5. and flie to Him who is the propitiation for sinne if we so do as we must needs do if we apprehend sinne to be so evill for we will avoid poyson when we know it to be so This will take away the trouble and sting of feare and prevent the shaking fit thereof I have told thee a great lesson now and to make it yet plainer I will reade it over again Sinne onely is to be feared I mean that sinne I am not humbled for I have not repented of that onely is to be feared for it makes every thing fearfull Death they say is terrible of all things most terrible It is not so to him who hath repented of his sinne and is at peace with God he can die as willingly as we can fall asleep when we are weary The prison sword fire fearfull things all an earthquake very terrible not so to them who have made God their rock and refuge to whom they can continually resort feare nothing but sinne and the hiding of Gods loving countenance from thee for the lightsomenesse thereof is better then life Feare the least eclipse of His light and every thing that may cause it for it is more refreshing to the soul then the Sun beames to the earth Mark this still when sinne sheweth its full face we see but the half now and in a false glasse too and when God hideth His face there will be to say no more a fainting The servants of the Lord have been under heavy pressures yet then they fainted not they have been in prisons and there they fainted not thence they have been brought to the stake there they fainted not fire was put to and flaming about their eares and then they fainted not but when sinne shews it self and God hides Himself then the next news is ever The spirit faileth Zophars counsell is the close hereof If iniquitie c. Iob 11. Verse 14. 15. c. Now touching our present grievances incumbent and upon us These are either imaginary or reall and the imaginary as one saith are more then the reall we make some grievances to our selves and we feel them so because we fancy them so we call for them before they come because our imagination a wilde and ungovernd'd thing leades us and misleades he was led with a conceit and troubled with it who complained of a thornie way when it was not so but he had one in his foot The way to help this is to take a right scale of things and to weigh them by judgement which interposing thus resolveth and assureth 1. As thou shalt shorten thy desires thou shalt lengthen thy content the poorer thou art in the one the richer in the other 2. Bridle thy appetite not accounting superfluous things necessary 3. Feed thy body and clothe it z Cultus magna cura magna virtutis incuria ex Caâ—one Cal. Inst lib. 3. cap. 10. ser 4. but serve it not that must serve thee If thou shalt pamper or pride it the order will be inverted and all out of order that which
not in giving him too much ease or feeding him too daintily Let it appeare thou hast laid up store against thy yeares come and now they are come thou canst welcome them and art glad they are come but doe not make too-much of them in giving them too much ease I may warne thee of it againe for Old Age is very craving very importunate that way though they may be importunate If thou yeeldest to a lithernesse and a listnesses whereto Old Age inclineth us very much and so to spare thy body thy activenesse will decay more in one moneth then otherwise it would in twelve It s observable what the Heathen y Nos sumus qui nullis annis vacationem damus canitiem galea premimus c. Senec. de otio sapientis cap. 29. said and it may instruct Christians We allow no vacation to our long tearme of yeares we can put an head-peice upon our hoary scalp We will rest when we are dead life is for action Keep then thy body in breath and in ure with exercise else it will quickly grow unprofitable and a Burden Vse strength and have it it is a sure proverbe and if ever we will use expedition it is then seasonable when gray haires are upon us It is dangerous to burne the Day-light and to trifle out this pretious time The putting off this day and the next and halfe a day cost the poore Levite and his Concubine very deare as we may read Iudges 19. The evening hasteth on a pace and the Sun is neare the setting now put on the more earnestly because night is comming and thou must to Bed in the darke now gather twice as much I meane now pray heare read twice as much For the great Sabbath is comming when thou lookest for ever to Rest for ever to be with the Lord. This Sabbath Day is comming which shall never have night Now gather spirituall Manna thy Homer full twice as much as formerly If in thy youth thou didst by hearing reading conference c. gaine thirty-fold now gaine sixty Now bestirre thy selfe and put to all thy strength for the laying in store of provision in this thy day that thou mayst rejoyce in that great Day the Day of the Lord or the particular Day of thy Death Let it appeare thou art going out by the clearnesse of thy light and that the night is comming by the hasting of thy pace It is strange to consider what old men have done and how fit they have been for the best actions I meane of the minde I know outwards must decay because they kept their minde like a bow so they said alwayes bent I forbeare to put them down here The holy Scripture Heathen Authors our own observation doth reckon up not a few But remember still that there are none recorded in the sacred Register after the terme of life was shortened for old men but their old age was a crown unto them being found in the way of righteousnes z Senibus vita productior à dâ—o â—â—ibuta est in eum finem ut insiginum aliquâ—rum operum in Ecclesiae suae emolumentum â—gâ—na essent Mardochaeus ad liberaudam Ecclesiam sub Artaxerxe vixit annos 198. Jehoshua ut populum è Babylone â—um Esdra Zorobabele reduceret vixit annos 130. Philo Ammianus in breviario temporum Tobit senior ut populi calamitas sub Salmanasaâ—e â—evaret vixit annos 158. Eâ ipâ—â de causa Tobit junior vixit annos 127. Judith ad libeâ—andam patriam sub Holoferne vixit annos 105. Sâ—â—â—us Senensis Bibliothec. lib. 8. They that are planted in Gods house bring forth much fruit in their age He that is fruitlesse in his latter yeares may be much suspected how he spent the former But I am sure there can be little comfort in it It is a sad thing to be an old man in yeares and a childe in understanding To grow like a Leeke greene fresh and lively towards the earth â—â—ag and saplesse upwards towards heaven To have the eye of the body dim and the eye of the soule as dim To have the body bending towards its earth and the spirit no more elevated To have one foot in the grave and the other tending to the place of utter darknesse To have the outward man quite decayed and the inward dead or fainting To be hasting toward the pit and to have the heart within like a stone A dying spirit in a dying body what a woefull conjunction is this I consider thy sex childe and thy charge but whatever it be thou wast never so fit as now thou shouldest be to serve it Now admonition correction instruction counsell all are in season before they might be suspected Now thou hast the advantage of all thy former past dayes and every following day is the disciple of the preceeding day a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pâ—â—d ol od 1 Here is Master after Master and lesson upon lesson thou art a very bad proficient if thou art not now an old Disciple b Acts 21. 16. I shall never examine thee upon this point but be assâ—red He that numbers out thy yeares unto thee will take an account of thee how thou hast spent them what provision thou hast laid up for their coming what store thou hast treasured up against a deare yeare against a time of spending Old-age is like our winter a time of expence we must get and lay up in youth what we must use and lay out in age c Juveni parandum Seni utendum Senec. And here we must use the more diligence because it is not with man in his winter as with the earth the trees and fruits thereon in theirs If they look dead and saplesse in their winter the Sunne will return unto them and renew their face they will spring out again but man decayeth and reneweth not he must not look in a naturall way to renew his youth like an eagle If the Lord hath lengthned out thy span and thread of life unto old-age thou must needs say the Lord hath been gracious and full of patience to thee ward and then thy heart must needs answer Render again praise and obedience to Him that is so good unto thee So thou wouldest expect from thy childe from thy servant so a Prince from his Subject Great favours are great engagements between man and man betwixt God and man much more for He is the fountain and well-head of mercies The mercie which man sheweth is but as a drop derived to us from that fountain Gods mercies are all strong cords to binde unto obedience which ever is the fruit of true thankfulnesse David said very much in a few words against Nabals churlishnesse Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow had in the wildernesse d 1. Sam. 25. 21 So David argued or rather reproved Nabals churlishnesse And had not Abigail seasonably stopped David in his way Nabal had heard more touching his
CHILDES PATRIMONY LAID OVT VPON THE GOOD CVLTVRE OR TILLING OVER HIS WHOLE MAN The first Part Respecting a Childe in his first and second Age. Whom thou hast borne unto me Ezek. 16. In the feare of the Lord is strong Confidence and his Childrâ—â— shall have a place of refuge Prov. 14. 26. Filium pater c. A Parent must offer his Childe to thâ— Lord he must not deferre that as he hath bâ—â—n a means to give it a life here he may conferre something toward the obtaiâ—ing for it a better life hereafter Chrysolog Serm. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazianz. orat 20. p. 323. London printed by I. Legatt 1640. Imprimatur Tho. Wykes June 28. 1639. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL AND MUCH HONOURED Knight Sr. ROBERT PYE. SIR ATriviall Businesse hath made an Intrusion upon yours of weight A very Schoole point so in account but worthy a very Wise Mans Consideration even yours I need say little of it it is big-enough and can speake for it selfe An old and ordinary subject it is but newly handled and in no ordinary way I will say no more of it but this and it is enough It but seldome or never when the Elder are disinherited Your hand was put forth to uphold this pillar that was not Substantive enough to stand of himselfe nor had so much wisdome as to cleave to a Nother so though he had your hand yet he stood not he is falne So it must needs be sooner or later with every man who hath not a single eye to that invisible Hand who is the Great Supporter of a Man and onely makes the house a Blessing The low Cottage as well as the high Throne is established by Righteousnesseb it is spoken more then â—rov Chap. â—vers 12. â—vers 28. â—vers 5. â—vers 14. â—n 41. 32. once nay Twice doubled as the c Dreame for the thing is certaine Since he fell we have been in our Ruines and in them some of us having recourse to your selfe found you as ready and active as you were able you said you would doe it and what you said was done your word was your deed This and more whereof none can speake more then can my selfe renders you honoured I think of all that in a faire and cleare way else you will not heare of it have had occasion to use you And my intendment here is but to tender my acknowledgement thereof and you cannot be offended that I shew my selfe thankfull I could give you Titles of respect c. and not flatter neither as the manner is and as some doe who feare not their Maker d Job 32. But what are Mans eulogies in a wise Mans esteeme Nothing They whom the King of Kings will honour are honoured indeed and they who honour Him shall be so honoured that 's certain You will give me leave then to leave the common way of complements a way I could never comply with and to be your Remembrancer in two things they are very grave and weighty both 1. God hath given you a rich portion in things below It is a point of your excellent wisdome not to think these The portion It was and is the Righteous Mans Sinne e He received his good things not as he should as a pledge of Gods further favour but as a full and compleate reward as a propriatory not as a Steward and an Accountant he accounted his life as his and as if there had been no other Bish Andr. pag. 316. either during or satisfying not During of such portions it will be said as once it was In the Time-past Thou had'st them pleasures profits honours They were now they are not And when they were and thou had'st them They were not satisfying They filled They wearied thee They did not satisfie no more then the East winde doth satisfie an hungry stomack There are three markes upon the Rich-mans folly which makes it very remarkable 1. He said to his soule Thou hast much goods That was a great mistake They were the goods of the Body not of the soule Barnes full and Coffers full and yet the soule not the fuller not the richer perhaps the poorer the leaner The more emptinesse the more of that fulnesse 2. Laid up for many yeers A cleere mistake that too for that Night the soule was pluckt away But grant a continuance for many yeers a thousand twice told yet an end comes at last They must be eternall good-things which an eternall soule can relish and enjoy being sutable and proportionable thereunto 3. Take thy ease That was a third deceit exceeding all for suppose The soule continue with the Body and the Body with the Goods Soule with Body Body with Goods wife children riches health honours all continued together there were no parting suppose it so yet we know for so we read that the Mountaine it contains all the fore-mentioned may be strong yet the Man weake upon it The Mountaine may continue yet the Man may be troubled It was Davids case All is in Gods face towards us if that shine upon a Man all is well and Lightsome if that be clouded or hid all is nothing The Man will be troubled God can without Taking the soule away or goods away He can put the Spirit of a Man into such a condition of darknesse as that all those comforts shall be to a Man but as the white of an egge no more relishing As there be joyes the world gives not so are there afflictions the world inflicts not saith a Learned Divine f Mr. G. Childe of Light 6. There is a breaking of the bones whereof David complained when there is not a bone in the body out of joynt The soule may be broke with sorrows vvhen there is a confluence of vvorldly comforts round about us And this requires our Marke for mighty reasons for it is as difficult a thing to goe-out of our selves to God a-alone for comfort as to goe-out of our selves to Christ alone for Righteousnes The Rich-mans Tower is as strong now as ever it was in his conceit g â— Prov. 18. 11. and he is as firmely bottomed upon his Mountain and he speaks as confidently now to his soule Take Thy Ease as ever he did for though the History be old the practice is new But this is our wisedome and for this we shall be counted understanding Men if looking for ease and Comfort we look up to God with a single eye and trust perfectly on Him for enquire from one end of the heaven to the other Aske of the Barnes and Winepresses they are the fullest and fattest places under the Sunne aske them or any Creature else whether they can give ease to the soule They will answer no it is not in them though yet they can contribute a great deale But then the light of Gods countenance must shine through them if not they contribute Nothing That He may be known and acknowledged to be the God of all comfort and
the Father not of some but of all consolations What ever outward comforts we have the comfort of our spirits is from God So then we are driven to this conclusion God onely makes the soule to Rest and gives it ease and that is never till He deales bountifully with it h Psal 117. 7. till He satisfies it with Himselfe a sutable and proportionable-good both During and Satisfying The soule is scattered and lost when it is parcelled-out to variety of things It cannot fixe now It doth but roule like a Ship at Anchor in a Tempest It must be brought to the Vnity of one Desire and one love Till then it will be as unstable as the water as restlesse as a Meteor still tossed and in doubtfull suspence So Truth it selfe Assureth by that very Metaphor i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 12. 29. Psal 9. 112. But ô the peace the securitie of that person whose heart is fixed trusting in the Lord he hath left Cisterns Creature-comforts and is gone to the Fountaine where he shall be satisfied he is got to the Rock of his salvation where is an abiding and now he shall stand fixed and firme upon his foundation like the Rock against which the raging waves may beat but shall be broken Nay more fixed is he then so faster he stands then the hills or mountaines yet because of their setled standing are they called perpetuall hills everlasting Mountaines k â—â—b 3. 6. So fixed is this person and it must needs be so for he findes underneath the everlasting Armes l Deut. 33 27. I know I have transgressed my Rule at this point for I have been too long upon it Yet I pray you doe not think so because it is an high point and I should say yet more unto it because it is so high and of such mightie concernment for this is it which being well observed will hold-up a mans Spirits when the body must fall asunder from it selfe and make the heart rejoyce when the eie-strings must break But I consider your person and place therefore I wil winde up all and your thoughts together in one word which you often meet with I will onely annex Selah here a word which sounds high and gives an elevation to the minde answerable to the matter so your thoughts are raised now reaching after good-things which shall endure as long as Eternitie is long for ever And this is to be Truely exalted This in a True sense to be high-minded II. God hath given you a Name upon earth He hath given you to know too and you blesse His Name for it that herein is the least degree of your glorie A Name upon earth is nothing though it should endure while the earth endures Nothing that to eternity after which the soule is Biased You may reade of one who had a Crown set upon his head consisting of many Crowns for he was an Emperour m Aug. de Civ deâ—i lib 5. 26. yet he would not make that the Crowne of his rejoycing but this was it That the Name of Christ was called upon him that he accounted his honour An honour indeed which reacheth from earth to heaven there to be perpetuated and such honour have all His Saints And this Name you account your chiefe honour also for it is called upon you And you must count it your chiefe work too For I must tell you this with it and then I have told you all It is the hardest thing in the world To be a Christian indeed and Indeed to answer that Name for it is an hard thing for selfe to crucifie selfe To offer a holy violence to ones selfe even to the plucking out or cutting off that which is most pleasing to Nature yet so we must doe saith one n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Clâ—m Alex. Stro. li. 7. pag. 500. if we wil be Christians Indeed And we must believe him for he assureth us so from the mouth of Truth it selfe The violent take it by force We must labour here if we look to rest hereafter if any think other wise he is deceived We cannot think to goe-in at a narrow gate and finde no straitnesse A harder matter it is to tread the way of vertue then to keep a narrow path in the darkest night o Book of providence chap. 4. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The flesh must not live now that it may live hereafter It must die now that it may not die Chrys on Rom. 8. Hom. 13. These are Chrysostomes words englished and they make cleare demonstration That though it be a matter of ease and no labour to be a Christian In Name yet it is a point of difficultie requiring labour and strife both to be such an one Indeed Herein then is your strife and work wherein you will be Abundant because of the Abundant reward to answer this worthy Name worthily And I pray heartily to the God of power to lead you by the hand and strengthen you in the work for it is a Mighty work But if He put forth His hand and your eye be upon the recompence of reward you will breake through all difficulties as is said of Abraham p Chrys upon Gen. Chap. 12. Hom. 31. like Spiders web's for you are called not as was he from one Land to another but from earth to heaven yet he plucked up his feet and so ranne That you may doe so even so runne that you may obtaine the end of your race your Crown is the prayer of him whom you have engaged St. to print my selfe Your much obleiged kinsman EZEKIAS WOODVVARD To the Reader THis Treatise tendeth to the erecting of faire Edifices to the Lord which are the children of children of men The Author sheweth himself herein a skilfull builder in that he first layeth a sure solid foundation and then reareth thereupon his goodly edifice This the Lord Himselfe noted to be the part of a prudent builder Luk. 6. vers 48. He wisely sheweth when and by whom especially this foundation is to be laid even by Parents so soone as their children attaine any competent capacitie Young and tender yeares are flexible and may easily be bowed this way or that way They are like a Argillâ quidvis imitaberis udâ Hor. the moist potters clay which may readily be fashioned into any shape and like soft waxe which soone receives any print Nor so only but also long retains what it first receiveth like b Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit odorem Testa diu Idem a vessell which long holds the savour which it first tooke while it was new Old men are said to remember in their elder yeares what they learned in their younger I shall not need to presse this further it being so plentifully and pithily pressed by the Author himself who layes his foundation very deep even in the mothers wombe and goeth along from infancy to childhood thence to youth
hands They will spill more then they eate how to teach Children to prize the good creatures pag. 59. 15. Children delight in the pain and vexation of those weake creatures that are in their power A great evill to be looked unto and prevented betimes considering our natures what they are page 61. 16. Nature fruitfull of evills more then can be pointed at or prevented but that is the true and genuine order of nature to prevent the evills thereof first pag. 62. 17. Teaching by examples the best way of teaching and the shortest they make the deepest impression pag. 64. CHAP. V. THe implanting of good the order therein The foure seasons in the day seasonable therefore 1. How uncomfortable darknesse is how comfortable the light A notable lesson there-from wherein our light and the true light differ to pag. 67. The Sun knoweth his appointed Time what that teacheth The Sun is glorious in his rising and refresheth how that instructeth pag. 68. Sin and sorrow will sowre the sweetest earthly Blessings where the root of our comfort pag. 69. The Sun a publique servant teacheth man so to be even to serve his brother in Love and to shew to him the kindnesse of the Lord what the Idol of the world what makes man an abomination from pag. 69. to pag. 71. The Morning the first fruits of the day our season what a Mercy to have it but a greater to take it what our first work and with whom what our engagements to set about it what may be instilled by continuall dropping from pag. 71. to pag. 77. CHAP. VI. VVE eat bread at Noon What that implieth how fraile our bodies what our use therefrom pag. 78. Our right to the Creatures how lost how regained pag. 79. In eating we must use abstinence Intemperance how provoking to God how hurtfull to man and unbeseeming the Lord of the Creatures to pag. 81. When the fittest season to teach and learn abstinence how necessary a grace specially in these times when so much wrath is threatned What use a Parent must make hereof to Children Their lesson before and at the table to pag. 85. When we have eaten we must remember to return Thanks The threefold voice of the Creatures what the Taxation or Impost set upon every Creature If we withhold that homage we forfeit the blessing The memorable words of Clemens Alexandrinus A strange punishment upon one who seldome or never returned thanks so concluded pag. 90. CHAP. VII THe Method in reading the Book of the Creatures Foure Objections with their Answers out of the Lord Verulam to pag. 93. How to reade the Book of the Creatures Extreames corrected and accorded Two primitive Trades An Apocrypha Scripture opened and made usefull to pag. 97 How to teach the Childe to spell the Book of Nature What is the compendious way of Teaching to pag. 100. Essayes or Lectures upon the creatures beginning at the Foot-stool Three enquiries touching the earth 1. What form or figure 2. Whence its dependance 3. What its magnitude Instructions therefrom very grave and usefull all from pag. 100 to pag. 107. A view of the Creatures In their variety delightfull and usefull Two Creatures onely instanced in From a little Creature a great instruction What a mercy to be at peace with the stones and creeping things From pag. 107. to pag. 114. The Waters their Surface barres or bound Their weight II. The Creatures therein the ship thereupon Great lessons from all from pag. 114. to pag. 122. repeated and mans ingratitude convinced 123. The Aire The wayes and operations thereof admirable III. Whence changed and altered for mans use sometimes for his punishment The windes Their circuit Their wombe to pag. 125. The winged Creatures Their provision and dependance greatly instructing man and reproving his distrust to pag. 126. The Clouds the ballancing of them The binding the waters within them The making a course for the Rain out of them All these three the works of Him that is wonderfull in working to pag. 127. Of Lightning But the Thunder of His power who can understand Job 26. 14. The Snow and the Haile and where their Treasure to pag. 128. The wonderfull height of the starrie Heaven Of the Firmament IIII. Psal 150. Why so called and why the Firmament of His power The eye a curious Fabrick of admirable quicknesse How excellent the eye of the soul when cleared with the True eye-salve The heavens outside sheweth what glory is within Chrysostomes use thereof and complaint thereupon to pag. 134. Of the Sunne Why I descend again to that Creature Three things in that great Light require our Mark. Grave and weighty lessons from all three Concluded in Mr Dearings and Basils words to pag. 144. CHAP. VIII THE Day and Night have their course here But after IIII. this life ended it will be alwayes Day or alwayes Night A great Instruction herefrom to pag. 147. Our senses are soon cloyed We are pleased with changes What Darknesse is The use thereof A little candle supplies the want of the Sun How that instructeth How we are engaged to lie down with thoughts of God to pag. 153. CHAP. IX A Great neglect in point of education Mr Calvines Mr Aschams Mr Perkins and Charrons complaint thereof The ground of that neglect to pag. 156. The Parent must fix upon two conclusions Of the School Whether the Childe be taught best abroad or at home 157. The choice of the Master Parents neglect therein The Masters charge 159. His work His worth if answerable to his charge to pag. 160. The Method or way the Master must take How preposterous ours Who have appeared in that way to pag. 164. The School must perform its work througly The childes seed-time must be improved to the utmost before he be promoted to an higher place The danger of sending Children abroad too soon When Parent and Master have promoted the Childe to the utmost then may the Parent dispose of the Childe for afterwards to pag. 165. CHAP. X. OF Callings Some more honourable as are the head or eye in the body But not of more honour then burden and service Elegantly pressed by a Spanish Divine and in Sarpedons words to Glaucus to pag. 169. The end and use of all Callings pag. 171. Touching the choice of Callings How to judge of their lawfulnesse To engage our faithfulnesse No excuse therefrom for the neglect of that one thing necessary Our abiding in our Callings and doing the works thereof How Nature teacheth therein The designing a Childe to a Calling Parents too early and preposterous therein 177. Parents may aime at the best and most honourable calling The Ministerie a ponderous work 178 But he must pitch upon the fittest In the choice thereof the Parent must follow Nature and look-up to God A CHILDES PATRIMONY Laid out upon the good Culture or tilling over his whole man CHAP. I. Wherein the Parents dutie doth consist and when it begins Of Infancy A Parents
fire hammer and anvill that is as he expounds it by reproofs threats blows and all this may be done and must if done well in termes of mildnesse and pleasing accent with force of reason rather then hardnesse of blows and if it might be in the spirit of meeknesse remembring still Mr. Tindals Letter Martyr pa. 987. words As lowlinesse of heart shall make you high with God even so meeknesse of words shall make you sink into the hearts of men I have observed a childe more insolent and stout under a rigorous and rough hand but calmed after the heat was over on both sides with a milde gentle perswasion that workt force and violence hardens when as a loving and gentle perswasion wins upon the heart thaws and melts the same Harshnesse loseth the heart and alienates the affections 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Hom. 26. in 1. Cor. 11. but mildnesse gaineth all Proud flesh as experience tells us is taken down by lenitives the most gentle and soft applications So the pride and roughnesse of our nature is subdued by lenitives and not by another roughnesse as the Father speaketh elegantly We may note too the more rigour the childe apprehends and the more the rod is threatned which is the onely thing a childe feares the more the childe will hide it self like that unwise man who standing at the entry of an unlawfull but too much frequented place and finding himself eyed by a friend whom he would not should see him there shrunk in his head and in he went If a man had a Non sum adeò aetatum imprudens ut instandam teneris protinus acerbè putem c. Quint. lastit l 2. cap. 1. no more wit what expect we from a childe He was ashamed to be seen at the doore he helpt himself well to go within the doores then as his friend said he was within indeed and the further he was so much the more within so a childe will do he will hide himself in the thicket at least he thinks so further and further if he apprehend much rigour there is much wisedome to be used here and mercy also and great reason there is to incline us to both as we shall hear in due place For the present that which hath been said may assure us that fiercenesse helps not in the unrooting of evill it hinders much the implanting of good There it hurts very much which is the second 2. If ever mildnesse gentlenesse calmnesse and sweetnesse of carriage do good and do become then more especially when we would winne upon the affection and sink into the understanding when we would lodge some precepts in the minde draw the heart and set it right Now while we are instructing handle the childe freely and liberally in a sweet and milde way speak kindly to it we must now and then we may have its heart for ever if we be rough and harsh now we fright away our game The instruction which we inforce into the minde by a kinde of violence will not long continue there but what is insinuated and fairly induced with delight and pleasure will stick in the mind the longer Trem. Preface before Iob. If Moses be to instruct he is commanded to speak not to smite and it teacheth us That a sweet compellation and carriage wins much upon the heart but we suppose we are dealing with children It is a mad behaviour and no better to suffer the hand to move as fast as the tongue and to strike at the head too the seat of understanding The head is to our little world as man is to the great world the verie abridgement or epitome of a man spare the head of any place else you may drive out that little which is and stop the entrance for coming in of more The Lord make all teachers understand this truth and pardon our failings herein and the Lord teach parents also whose duty more peculiarly we are upon to correct and instruct their children in all meeknesse That we may all learn I will set down some considerations which may calm the parent and take off from his hastinesse when he would unroot evill a great enemy to that good he ows and doth really intend the childe 3. I suppose now such a parent who hath beene fierce and eager upon the childe striking flinging kicking it as the usuall manner is because of its stomack towards the parent which he will pluck down and because it stands in a lie which he is resolved to fetch on t such a Parent I suppose for such there are and this I would have him consider it may make him wiser against the next time First †1. Who is that upon whom he hath bestowed so many hard blows both from hand and foot too I tell but my own observation who is it he hath used so disgracefully with such contumelious words It is no other then the image and glory of God A strong consideration to cause the 1. Cor. 11. 7. parent to carry himself comely and reverently before the childe which he may do and yet make the childe both to know and keep its distance else it cannot know its dutie A Parent cannot conceive the childs condition to be more Maxima debetur pueris Reverentia Iuv. Major è longinquo Reverentia Tacit. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. de prosper Adver Hom 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deplorable then was the Rich-mans in the Parable yet saith Chrysost and he makes it very useful Abraham called him Sonne a compellation still befitting a Father so also words and actions well becoming that sweet name a Jud. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and most likely to winne upon and to convince the childe whereas bitter and vilifying words become not though we did contend with the Devill a Kinde words make rough actions plausible The bitternesse of reprehension is answered with the pleasingnesse of compellations Sonne let that be the name for so he is though never so bad And as a childe hath no greater argument to prevail with a Father then by that very name of love so nor hath a parent any stronger argument whereby to prevail with his childe then by that very name of dutie whether we respect his Father on earth whose childe he is or in heaven whose image and impresse he beares though now much defaced This is the first †2. And it is his own image too that 's the second consideration his very picture even that childe whom in the rage and rore of his anger he hath thrown and battered so He is a mad man that will kick and throw about his picture specially if the picture doth fully and lively shew forth his proportion This childe is the parents picture right and never so fully the parents image as now that it is in a stubborn fit It is a certain truth a parent never sees his own revolting and stubborn heart more expressed to the life then
light and the glory thereof we have seen as the glory of the onely Sonne of God upon us who dwelt in the shadow of death hath this light shined Oh happy are the people then that are in such a case how blessed are they to whom the Sun of righteousnes hath appeared they are children of the day and of the light it is day with them alwayes day though neither Moon nor Starres appeare that is though they finde no influence from the earth or regions bordering thereupon But clean contrary it is with them to whom this Sunne of Righteousnesse appeareth not or against whom they shut their eyes as some will do though as the proverb is we should shew them the n Lact. 7. 1. Nec si Solem in manibus gestemus fidem commodabunt ei doctrinae Sun in our hands seeing but will not see How miserable are the people that are in such a case they sit in darknesse as they do on the other side of the globe when the Sun is with us nay worse then so they dwell in a land dark as Aegypt was even in the land of the shadow of death For though they have the Moon and Starres upon them I mean the confluence of all outward things yet they sit in darknesse in deep darknesse For as the Sun is to this outward world so is the Lord Christ the Sun of Righteousnesse to the world of beleevers without Him it is all dark with Him it is still light like the land of Goshen happy are the people that are in such a case blessed are the people whose God is the Lord Send forth thy truth Lord and thy light and through the tender mercy of our God let the Day-spring from above visit us This may take up our thoughts very seasonably when the darknesse of the night is past and the comfort of the day is come And it may set an edge upon our desires after the principall thing o Eccles 2. 13. 14. knowledge wisdome understanding For wisdome excelleth folly as light excelleth darknesse And the wise-mans eyes are in his head but the fool walketh in darknesse Knowledge in the minde is as the eye in our little world or as the Sun in the great Thus much by way of Analogie or agreement betwixt the eye or great light of the world and the true light Note we now wherein they disagree and their operation is contrary for it yeelds a great lesson The great eye of the world doth lighten those who have eyes and by a naturall power can apprehend that light They whose eyes are dark have no benefit by it But the true Light lightneth them p Lege Cal. Inst 2. 2 25. who have no principle of light within them them and them onely who are all darknesse and know themselves so to be and for such who think themselves lightsome and seeing men they are left to the vanitie of their own thoughts If q John 9. 41. ye were blinde ye should have no sinne but now ye say we see therefore your sinne remaineth It is of high g use and specially requires our consideration 2. The day is come and the sunne appeareth so the Creatour thereof hath appointed that it should know its rising and thereby to renew and and refresh the face of things The instruction is touching the might of His power and the riches of His grace creating light in the Soul who at the first brought it out of the wombe of darknesse and causing the light of comfort to arise unto His servants in the darkest night of affliction for it is He also that turneth the shadow of Death into the Morning r Amos 5. 8. And this affordeth a righteous people an hint for a glorious dependance they know that as sure as the morning follows the night so the Sun of righteousnesse will appeare with healing under his wings for if the Sun know his appointed time much more the Lord knoweth His and the Sun of righteousnesse His season when and how to comfort those that wait for Him as they that wait for the morning 3. The appearance of the Sun instructs us touching the glory of His appearance and the exceeding joy the righteous shall be filled with all at that Day For if it be so comfortable to see the light how comfortable will it be to see Him that is the Light of that light If this elementary Sun be so glorious and full of light what then is the Sun of Righteousnesse And if it be so comfortable to see this light how ravishing ſ Lege Basil Hex Hom. 6. will that joy be in beholding His face in that Day when we shall know Him as He is the Lord of glory But for the wicked it is not so with them for the morning is now unto them as the shadow t Job 24. 17. of death what then will be the morning of their resurrection when the hidden works of darknesse shall be brought to light and the secrets of all hearts opened and made cleare before all Israel and before the Sunne 4. We learne againe how sinne and sorrow can sower our blessings and make us disrelish the greatest earthly comforts Amongst them the chiefest is the light yet to him that is hurried or oppressed with his sinne this light is grievous And to him that is in paine the day is dolesome as he is wearyed with tossings in the night so is he tyred in the day complaining thereof for In the u Deut. 28. 67. morning he shall say would God it were evening God can cause the Sunne to go down at noon and darkens the earth in a cleare day Amos 8. 9. That is as the x Chrysost Ad Pop. Ant. Hom. 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Father expounds the place He can so cloud the spirit of a man with sorrow that it cannot see the light or if he see it it shall not be lightsome to him Our cisternes of comfort are below but they are filled above All my springs of my life saith David Psal 87. 7. are in Thee Some fruits of comfort we gather from the earth but the root of our comfort is in heaven And this That our heart may have no dependance but on Him and that we may feare before Him Who can turn our y Amos 8. 10. feasts into mourning and our songs into lamentations A pleasant morning into a bitter day And a day of mirth into a night of sorrow as He can also turne the shadow of death into the morning 5. The Sunne though it be in an infinite distance from us to our finite understanding yet doth it send its influence downward cleane contrary to the nature of light or fire unto the lowest of creatures Thus This great light doth as if the Great Creator thereof had charged it thus to do Send forth thy light against the nature of the same cast thy beames down towards Man to guide and direct him there do so
sheweth us the eagernesse of our appetites and how peremptory the demands of an hungry stomack are which a man can no more rule then he can his tongue but He who restrained the ravenous lion from tearing the asse and the Carkeise mark it can restrain our eagernesse this way and give us the command of our selves for the better performing His command in cases extraordinary and in suffering great matters when He shall call us unto it I think now of the extremities which famine drives unto and they are scarce utterable by them that never felt them I think also how soon our very necessaries which we have riotously abused and carelessely cast at our feet may be taken from us But then I think withall that in these extremities wherewith Gods dearest children may be exercised and pressed they do so look up to Gods hand and so rest upon it that they certainly finde the same hand as gracious towards them in sustaining them as it was powerfull in holding the mouth of the lion in the forementioned case So as though the extremitie be great yet they do not put forth their hand to wickednesse not to such horrid and bloody dishes as we reade and heare that some in their extremities have done If God take away the meat He can take away the stomach also as the Martyr said or restrain the rage of it so as it shall not touch the carkeise or such unclean things But we cannot tell what delicate wanton persons may do in their straits nor how far our unmortified lusts may carry us If we are in no part crucified to the world and have the world in no sort crucified to us the extremitie may prove unsupportable want of necessaries will presse sore upon those who alwayes have lived at the full and fed themselves without feare and could never part with so much as any of their superfluities They who feed themselves like beasts saith Clem. Alex very likely will walk and do like beasts n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paed 2. 11. wants to such are more disrellishing then dead beer after the sweetest banket They that live in pleasure and lie at ease cannot endure a change o We are hardly brought to change from soft beds to hard boards Hist of the World 4. 2. 11. p. 158. And therefore as we expect the support of the Almighties Hand in our fainting time when we have nothing to support us from without we must look up humbly and thankfully to the same Hand now that we have plenty And we must accustome our selves now that our tables are spread to a sober temperate use of the creatures and to all fitting abstinence holding command over our spirits in His strength we are able to do it who over-powered the lion that we be not brought under the power of the Creature The body hath some preparatives before a purge and when we would come out of a sweat kindely we cast off first one cloth then another so should we do in the ranknesse and sweat of our prosperity p Vitia longae pacis opulentae securitatis Salv. And now the time calls upon us famine and the extremities thereof we have q Chap. 4. § 14. read and heard of and what hath it taught us Our tables are as full of excesse as before and fuller of surfeit So the fool goes on and is punished he cannot lay things to heart but they that are wise do heare the voice of the rod and do fear before it walking humbly with the Lord They have got command over their spirits and are got from under the power of the Creature by denying themselves a little in this and a little in that Now in this lesser thing so making way for greater so as when the rod of their affliction shall bud out again which they expect nay when the Lord shall turn the former rod which wrought no reformation into a serpent so that it stings like a scorpion they may feel the smart thereof but the poyson thereof shall not be deadly And so much to teach us abstinence and to get command over our selves that we be not brought under the power of the creature which will help us much to possesse our souls in patience in the day of trouble They that have not learnt to wait are not fitted to receive the fruits from the r James 5. 7. earth or the accomplishment of the promise from heaven Now touching our children the lesson is this we must not give them alwayes when they aske nor so much as they would have let them feele sometimes the want of it and the biting of an hungry stomack It sweeteneth the creature when they shall have it and puts a price upon the same when it is in their hand It is rare amongst those that are grown up to finde a stomack full of meat and an heart as full of praise The emptie stomack feeles the comfort and is in likelihood more enlarged Let the childe abstain from all sometimes but not often it is their growing time yet sometime altogether from all at all times from part They must not taste of every dish nor look so to do it is not good for the ſ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cl. Al. Paed 2. 1. pag. 103. parent lesse wholsome for the childe there is a drunkennesse t Plures cum sint vino sobriae ciborum largitate sunt ebriae Hier. lib. 2. op 17. in eating as in drinking Accustome children to waite now they will waite with more patience hereafter But more specially teach them a fit and reverent behaviour both before and at the table Though they sit at a common table yet it is Gods table He spread it for the parent and the childe Though there we receive common blessings yet we must not put upon them common esteeme nor return for them common thanks children must not by their rude and uncivill deportment before and at the table make it a stable or an hogs-stye nor must they drown themselves there in an eager fulfilling their appetite like beasts u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cl. Mex Pop. 2. 7. pag. 127. at their manger or swine in their trough like beasts I say that have their manger before x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Loco laud. pag. 128. them and their dung hill behind them hereof Clem. of Alex. makes very good use and that is all I tend to here 6. And now that we have eaten we must remember to return praise Our great Master is our great example Before He gave common bread He gave thanks and when He administred the Sacrament of His blessed body and bloud He concluded with an Hymn * Matt. 26. 30. y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Hearken to this saith Chrysostome y upon those words all ye that goe from your common table like swine whereas ye should give thanks and conclude with a Psalme And hearken ye also who will not sit out
man to swell for nothing can fill much lesse extend the soule of man but God and the contemplation of God c. for he goes on very usefully There is such a capacitie and receipt in the minde of man so as there is no danger at all in the proportion or quantitie of knowledge that it should make it swell or out compasse it selfe no but it is meerely the qualitie of knowledge which be it in quantitie more or lesse if it be taken without the true corrective thereof hath in it some nature of venome or malignitie and some effects of that venome which is ventositie or swelling This corrective spice the mixture whereof maketh knowledge Haec Antidotus sive aroma c. so soveraigne is charitie and so he goes on in answer to the second objection 3. And as for the censure of Salomon concerning the anxietie of spirit which redounds from knowledge It is certaine That there is no vexation of minde which resulteth thence otherwise then meerely accidentall when men fall to framing conclusions out of their knowledge so ministring to themselves weake feares or vast desires whence groweth that carefulnesse and trouble of minde for then knowledge is not a dry light but steeped and infused in the humours of the affections This is the sum of the answer to the third objection 4. For the Apostles caveat it must not lightly be passed over for if any man shall think by view and inquiry into these sensible and materiall thinges to attaine that light whereby he may reveale unto himself the nature or will of God then indeed is he spoiled by p The soul hath no more nourishment from this kinde of philosophy then the body hath from nuts transl out of Clem. Alex. Strom. lib. 1. p. 199. vain Philosophy For the contemplation of Gods creatures and works produce having regard to the works and creatures themselves knowledge but having regard to God no perfect knowledge but wonder which is broken knowledge And therefore it was most aptly said by one of Platoes School That the sense of man carrieth a resemblance of the Sun which as we see openeth and revealeth all the terrestriall Globe but then again it obscureth and concealeth the Starres and celestiall Globe So doth the sense discover naturall things but it darkeneth and shutteth up Divine And hence it is true that it hath proceeded that divers great learned men have been Hereticall whilest they have sought to fly up to the secrets of the Deitie by the waxen wing of the senses So he goes on in his answer and thus concludeth Let no man upon a weak conceit of sobriety or an ill applied moderation think or maintain that a man can search too farre or be too well studied in the book of Gods word or in the book of Gods works Divinitie or Philosophie But rather let men endeavour an endlesse progresse or proficience in both onely let men beware that they apply both to charitie and not to swelling to use and not to ostentation and again that they do not unwisely mingle or confound these learnings together So farre the answers which serve to deliver this kinde of knowledge we call naturall from the misconceits and exceptions against the same This pointeth us the way to the second thing How we may make our walk profitable and subservient to higher matters That though we walk low and upon the ground yet we may be raised in our thoughts to heaven like the wise and skilfull pilot whose hand is upon the rudder but his eye upon the starre to apply this then to our present purpose thus 2. There are in this our walk I mean in the view of the creatures two extremes and two sorts there are who fall foule and stumble at them The one sort are they who think to rise higher by the sight of the creatures then the creatures can carry them and so by prying too farre with their own light they make their philosophy vain and become vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart is darkened nature cannot rise above nature it cannot elevate herself above herself Though yet if we track and eye her well if we q Advancement 106. hound her as the noble Scholler phraseth it she can leade us and must needs do so from the foot-stool on earth to the Chaire in heaven but when she hath done so and when in our curious pursuit and disquisition our understanding is wound up so high yet is it but a naturall understanding still so as we do in this search and enquiry tumble up and down like a ship at anchor in the waves of our own reason and conceits for it is not possible as the same Noble scholler saith for us to make a perfect discovery of the more remote and deeper parts of knowledge standing the while but upon the flat or levell of this naturall knowledge There is another sort and they are the most who stumble at the other extreame They behold the creatures the works of nature of God rather but do no more but behold them they stay and dwell upon the superficies or out-side of the work further they passe not either to what is within or to what it tends unto There are two most simple and primitive trades of life ancient and once honourable trades both though now as was said * Presace pag. 21. Cooks are of more esteem because the old simplicitie of life and livelihood are out of fashion Two trades I say and they maintain the state of the world The one of shepheardie the other of husbandrie They who are versed herein should be if they are not truants well instructed men for their books which are full of instruction are still in their eye and they are still poring upon them They live still in the view of heaven and of the earth the one tending his sheep the other driving his oxe and horse and yet though thus they do yet have they gained no more true understanding from their observations in either then the sheep or oxe have which they tend and drive Experience tells us that the shepheard and the husbandman are the most ignorant persons in the world Though yet I know very well that both these do know what sheep and which ground yeelds them most profit and the way they know how to make them most serviceable that way and all this they may know and yet remain most ignorant notwithstanding as for the most part they are no more understanding have they in those chief things and lessons which the beholding the earth and the heaven might yeeld them then the oxe or the horse have which they follow which was Mr Dearings complaint long since And whence this stupiditie or grosse ignorance There can be no other reason hereof but this that they do behold the creature and no more as so saith the proverb An oxe looketh on a gilded gate Their senses report no more to the minde but that they have seen it no
we are speaking of it can make no report of it to the minde The spirit of the childe as I may say is fashioned and moulded to the pattern and modell of that it looks upon And note we then the childe goes on with ease and delight when the understanding and the tongue are drawn along like parallel lines not one a jot before another It is Comenius his rule the ablest man in that way that yet the world hath taken notice of And this also the parent shall the more easily effect and with quicker dispatch if when he hath laid the book of the Creatures before the childes eye and is reading the lecture from thence he shall put the lecture into questions and make the childe not an hearer onely that is the old manner but a party in the businesse It will much enliven and quicken the childes fancy to see it self joyned as a party in the work though its little it can do A parent must question his childe and in a faire way take an account of him speaking wholly is lost labour The Tutour in Xenoph. a Lib 1. de Inst p. 34. for a lecture to his scholler Cyrus proposeth this question A great youth having a little coat gave it to one of his companions of a lesse stature and took from him his coat which was the greater upon which he demanded his judgement Cyrus answered that it was well because both of them were thereby the better fitted But his master sharply reprehended him for it because he considered onely the fitnesse and convenience thereof and not the justice which should first and especially be considered that no man may be enforced in that which was his own And this no doubt is an excellent manner of instruction saith Charron and it is probable this was the manner which the Iewes took for the instruction of their children b Deut. 6. 20. And when the childe shall aske thee thou shalt say thus and thus But how if the childe did not ask then sure enough the parent did ask the childe or help the childe how to ask If the childe did not question the parent the parent did question the childe We would have the childe ask and enquire for it is a true rule He that doubts and asketh most he profiteth most And he that enquireth after nothing he knowes nothing saith another But the parent will finde the childe very slack and backward this way Few children there are who make any further enquiry but When is the next holy day Therefore here the parent must help and give the hint of a question As it requireth some sense to make an answer not absurd so it asketh some knowledge to demand a question not impertinent it exceeds the skill of a childe Therefore there is no question but the parent must help and give the hint of a question at the least and that will give an hint to further instruction It is past all question that it is an excellent way in teaching to put the lecture into questions We have our great Lord and Master a president unto us whom they found in the Temple sitting among the Doctors both hearing them and asking them c Luke 2. 46 questions It is then no novel way but ancient and authentick though now as the best things are grown out of use and fashion And it sufficeth to point onely at this way of questioning the childe so making it a party which will help it very much to reade in the volume of Gods works and to profit by reading which was the third thing 4. The fourth follows which is To give some essay herein and reade a short lecture out of this great volume of the Creatures that lieth open before us And I begin at the footstooll where we had our beginning At the Earth for it is saith the Father d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in Gen. Ser. 1. our countrey I. our mother our nurse our table our grave An effect it is which in a measure may be perceived by mans understanding but the manner of production cannot be concieved by any spirit compassed with a mortall body Here I enquirefirst 1. What Forme or figure it hath 2. Whence its dependance 3. What its magnitude c. How farre a childes sense will help in all three Something hereof the sense will report to the understanding but it will leave the understanding of old and young in a wonderment and that as was said is but the effect of a broken knowledge The use hereof we shall see anon The first 1. For the Figure of it It is circular or round we must not look for corners in it Our sense doth not report it so if we look downward upon the convex surface of the same for the curvature or bending thereof appeares not to the eye nor is it possible it should being but a foot or there abouts in fifteen miles yet something it is But the Globe representing the same which with the earth and sea makes but one tells us what the figure of the earth is so do the waters in compassing the same and the Sun or the Heavens rouling round about But more clearely the fabrick of the heavens declares the figure of the earth whose concave we behold and see it like an Arch or Furnace over us which plainly sheweth the Fornace slammco same figure to be of the earth And that which is demonstrated in a little circle no part of the surface thereof is uppermost and lowermost in respect of it self but lyeth in a full aspect to heaven though it seemes otherwise to us who live on this side of the Globe as it doth likewise to them who are on the other side in the South Which also clearly concludes That there are e Antipodes though they tread not See Plin. nat Hist lib. 2. c. 65. Aug. de Civit. Det. lib. 16. Cap. 9. Lact. lib. 3. cap. 23. in a direct opposition to us which so posed the Ancients I meane a people for the word is improper who inhabite that other side of the Globe so clearly I say concludeth this truth and so universally that now to phrase it as one doth it scornes defence This is wonderfull to sense It is so and it must be granted to be so both to young and old for it leaves us all to wonder and no more It leaves us with our light in the darke Note it There is enough in the greatest portion of knowledge to humble us very low And enough in the least portion thereof for there is the greatest danger to puffe us up and make us swell so needfull it is to know the imperfection and shallownesle of our knowledge but more especially to know our selves to be but men And if we conceive so small a part of God here about the earth how little little is that we conceive of Him when we go higher If He be wonderfull in His foot-stoole thinke we and thinke seriously How
by those words past all question Another sacred Scripture saith thus t Fundavi terram super bases ejus Trem. Psal 104. 5. He hath founded the earth upon her own Basis that it should not be moved for ever That is till there be a new heaven and a new earth And this answer comes neerest to our sense and is most sutable to our understanding though farre exceeding both sense and reason That the Lord hath given such an occult and hidden propertie to the earth that it should beare up and poyse it self with his own weight that it should be as the Philosopher said a place u Tcrrae in se locus est Psin Hist 2. 65. to it self and it is as impossible that it should leave its place as for a stone to tend upward But still in our search and enquiry here our reason leaves us in the darke we must referre this to the head of that boundlesse power before mentioned and there leave it amongst the wonders v Inter Arcana naturae Alsted de Terra and secrets of nature or rather of His Art which is beyond our skill to finde out Only this every childe knows and he it is whom we would instruct That every building must have some pillars whereon to depend and beare it self up this the childe knows If then the childe be asked what or where are those pillars that beare up the earth It must needs answer That pillars it hath none as other buildings have to support the same and support it self it cannot an invisible hand there is made bare of flesh that gave the earth at first a being and ever since a subsistance poysing it with his own weight and so as the Prophet of himself bearing up the pillars x Psal 75. 3. thereof so the childe will answer and from thence he learnes that that is of the greatest force and strength which is least exposed to the eye In earthly things we finde it so we heare how the thunder Gods voice roareth we see it not we heare how the wind renteth our houses and stocks up trees we see it not we heare our y Lact. lib. 7. cap. 9. M. Faelix p. 22. in fol. See Hist of the World lib. 1. cap. 10. sect 10. Lactant 2. 2. voice and a sound that which poseth all the naturalists in the world we see it not The more remote from the senses any thing is the more divine and admirable Nay if a naturall eye could perceive it there were no divinitie in it at all That is best seene which is not seene z Magis videtur quod non videtur B. Juel artic 8. pag. 402. That is as our Iewel interprets it we see more certainly with our faith then we can see with the eyes of our body they may deceive the eye of the soul cannot But I am too high if as children in knowledge we understand not earthly things how can we heavenly The arme of flesh is too short here nature is at a stand I give but an hint only to helpt it out for here nature will ever stick till an invisible hand I meane an Almightie power helps it out and raiseth nature above it self For by faith we understand c. Heb. 11. 3. I would aske one question more and it is according to a childish supposition but best agreeing with his understanding and conceit Suppose the earth did hang like as our deceived sense presents the Sun at its setting popping down behinde the nexthill or like a stone still dropping into the water suppose it so I would then aske whether should the earth fall It must needs be answered according to the same conceipt That it must fall into the lap and armes of heaven And this is as if we should say That the creature falls into the armes of Him who holds it up which secureth the stabilitie of the same That there are as the sacred Scripture saith everlasting hills and perpetuall mountaines Habb 3. 6. It secureth also and it is a principall thing The stabilitie and firme foundation of the Church and the true members thereof They are an everlasting foundation also they stand fast like Mount Sion fast for evermore The gates of hell power and policie shall not prevaile to remove and unbottom them so fast they stand for how should they fall or which way which way soever they fall they fall into the armes of Him who supports them They may be turned by the gyants of the world as Mr. Dearing calls them from post to pillar as the proverbe is and from the pillar separated to the foure winds and yet they are upon their basis and bottom still All their shocks cannot put them off thence How so They are in the same hand that holds up the earth in Gods hand He loveth His people All Hie Israels Saints are in thy hand a Deut. 33. 3. Trem. And we must all grant That what is in Gods hand cannot by force or fraud be throwne out Oh how sure how secure that building which God heares up and the Corner stone whereof the Lord Christ is how sure and certaine is their dependance who having nothing can yet root themselves upon Him who hangs the earth upon nothing So much to the second enquiry and the use there-from 3. The third is touching the magnitude thereof And this our sense reports to be a massive body according to all demensions but therein exceeding both sense and our finite understanding And yet we must needs conceive also That this is as it is absolutely considered and in it self for if we take the earth comparatively with respect to the heaven it is and our sense reports it so but as that center or point where the foot of the compasle stands to the compasse or circumference round about the same point So as if the earth could be beheld down ward from the highest starre which may be supposed though it cannot be through a double impossibilitie the opacitie of the earth and the contrarietie to sense it would seeme as little and lesle unto us there above then the starre doth seeme to us below The scoffing b Lucian Icaro Menippus Ridentem dicere verum c. Philosopher makes this consideration very usefull for what hinders but that a scoffer may in some things speake the truth and make the same truth usefull But this is certain They who are risen with Christ whose affections are upon their treasure which can be no where but in the heavens for there Christ sitteth they are filled with the beautie and glory thereof filled I say as we read the house was The priests could not stand to minister for the glory c 2 Chron. 5. 13 14. of the Lord filled the house of God so is their house filled their soul I meane with the glory of the things of Christ that the world can finde no roome within their house so filled with glory The world is indeed as it is but
and appeares never so thick and dark His voice it is and acknowledged so to be when it hath astonied the mighty Potentates of the earth as His lightenings have made their hearts to tremble like a needle removed from the loadstone or leafe in the forrest tossed with the winde For God thundereth wonderfully with the voice of His excellency great things doth He which we cannot comprehend Out of the midst of water the Lord fetcheth fire and scatters it into all the parts of the earth astonishing the world with the fearfull noise of that eruption And hard stones out of the midst of thin vapours y D Hall contemp creat I can say no more to it but some have trembled at the roaring of this voice and some have mocked but the mockers have been strook down dead in the place to teach us That with God is terrible Majestie and touching the Allmighty we cannot finde Him out But let us heare attentively the noise of His voice and the sound that goeth out of His mouth He directeth it under the whole heaven and His lightning unto the ends of the earth after it a voice roareth z Job 37. 23. 4. And here we may take notice of snow the a Voâ—a communia sunt nives diutiras sedere tellus illo modo sementiscit Plin. nat Hist lib. 7. cap. 2. muck of the earth and of the hail which pruneth without a knife b Job 38. 22. but we cannot enter into their treasures even that is a knowledge too high for us c Dâ— Bart. 2 day but this we know for the Lord hath spoken it He hath reserved these against the day of battell and warre d Verse 23. For more have been consumed by the fall of hailstones then by the dint of the sword e Jâ—sh 10. 11. that we may acknowledge touching the Almighty He is excellent in power and in judgement and in plenty of justice f Job 37 23. All these the lightning and the thunder the snow and the hail do whatsoever He commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth g Verse 12. Fire and hail snow and vapour stormy windes fulfilling His word h Psal 148. 8. And now our eyes are in this ascending line as the minde IIII. of a truly wise-man who delighteth himself in the Lord rideth on the high places of the earth is fed with the Heritage of Iacob i Esay 58. 14 His minde is above the windes and stormes and clouds where all things are calme serene and quiet And I know not how high our eyes discerne but this is not the least wonder That our visive facultie can ascend so high and not be tyred is the wonder indeed The foot is quickly tyred not so the eye Good reason for that saith the Father k Chrysost Hom. ad Pep Ant. but a gracious providence in it too because of all our members or servants none so necessary upon all occasions as is the eye And therefore that must not feel a wearinesse as doth the other faculties that it may be quick and expedite upon all services The eye can through this large perspective of the aire by which medium I can shew a childe and make it understand what is a diaphan or transparent body the eye can behold the highest starres and in the twinckling of an eye that short moment of time the eye can do it And this is an height that cannot be measured For for ought I can learn the highest starres are as high above the Sun as the Sun is above us and how high that is we may judge by what the Sun and starres seem to us below It is a mathematicall conclusion that hath the certainest grounds of any art that the Sun for quantitie and bignesse thereof would make an hundred sixty earths being so many degrees bigger and yet it seems to us at this vast distance l If that ascending line could be drawn right forwards some that have calculated curiously have found it five hundred yeares journey unto the starrie heaven Dr Hall contemp no larger then a sieves bottom and the least of those starres is fifteen times bigger then the earth yet by reason of that great gulf betwixt the starre and our eye it seems but like the apple in our eye or the pearl and diamond in our ring Thus high can our eye ascend and in a moment of time how then can I think any thing unpassable or impossible to the eye of faith It findes a way or as it was said of one it makes a way through all difficulties If God hath given such a power or quicknesse of elevation to our bodily eye this little candle of the body that it shall light us through this vast gulfe and void space unto such a distance and with such speed what then is the power of the souls eye when it hath received an anointing from above How much beyond those starres can that eye pierce The Saints shall stand and wonder with admiration m 2. Thes 1. 10. but they can never be at a stand they know whom they have trusted and that to Him nothing is impossible Nay He that did make the eye was He who gave a greater power yet to the eye of flesh even to see as farre above the starrie heaven as it is for ought I know to that heaven even to the heaven of heavens and to see them opened and the crown of our glory there n Acts 7. 55. This the Lord can do to show the might of His power and to assure His o Bright Revel 2. 13 p. 33. Antipasses all His faithfull Martyrs by the first that they shall not look to Him or wait for Him in vain their expectation shall be satisfied to the full and beyond For though that was an extraordinary case yet this is ordinary and secured unto the faithfull that whosoever is full of the Holy Ghost who looks up stedfastly into heaven who sets his face thither-ward p Luke 9. 51. he that girds q 1. Pet. 1. 13. up the loines of his minde they are the strength and Basis of the body r Chrysost in cap. 6. ad Eph. Hom. 23. and do imply the strong resolution and activitie of the soul I mean then He who is strong in his God and hath his hope and his heart fixed on Him s Chrysol serm 24. de servo vigili pag. 81. He shall see though his outward eye have not the same clearenesse of vision he shall see as great things as Stephen did he shall see heaven opened the glory of God and the great things that Christ hath done for him for which he shall be admired of all the Saints in that day So much to that which seemeth not the least wonder that God hath given our outward eye such an elevation of sight And now that our eye is thus elevated what and how great are the things which
our selves and unnecessarily in our Thorough-fare as if there were our abiding and our place of rest and no countrey above no glory there Yet such a Glory it is as no tongue can expresse it no thought can reach unto it Tell not me now so the Father goes on of hell and what the damned feel there n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. tell me of heaven if thou wilt move me and the exceeding glory there For I tell thee that the pain of sense as the learned call them the pain the body shall feel in hell will not be so keene sharpe and fretting though sharp and fretting they will be past all expression yet not so fretting as will be the pain of losse losse of heaven and the exceeding glory there This losse this will be most tormenting Thoughts thereof will sinke the soul into that pit like a stone or lead in the great waters This I say will be the fretting worm the tormenting thought what I have lost what happinesse I have falne from More tormenting it will be then the lowermost hell and the utmost wrath there o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this thought will adde much to our torment For what a toy a trifle a thing of naught we have forfeited this exceeding weight of glory so small a thing it was that it will be justly said of us we despised our birth-right For this great deceiver be it Satan or our own heart deceivers both he gives us small things p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a puffe of honour short pleasure transitory riches poore base emptie shrunken things he takes from us great things q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a weight of glory it contains all an exceeding excesse of glory it cannot be exprest but all this he takes from us He gives us dyrt he depriveth us of the pearle he presents us with a shadow he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 robs us of the substance And here we are without excuse for hereof we cannot plead ignorance it being the daily voice of all the creatures under the Sun sounding lowder then the loudest trumpet r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That they are as grasse and the beautie of them as the fading flower vanitie or lighter then so if ought can be and such things are the very best this deceiver can give us but he takes away such things as we heard and as we must conceive them to be if we behold the out-court or pavement of that Holy of Holies This large use the Father makes upon this contemplation as we may better understand and more enlarge it if we peruse his 14 Homily upon the Epistle to the Romanes towards the end And so much in a generall way and view of the firmament and the great works of God there which He hath set out unto open view to shew us what is within and what manner of persons we ought to be who look to enter into that Holy place And withall which is the chiefest of all to stirre us up to presse towards the mark And forgetting things behinde in our earnest pursuite thitherward and expectation thereof to reach out as with necks stretched forth after those high and great things such they are as the eye hath not seene nor the eare heard nor the heart can conceive But such they are unutterable and glorious which the righteous Lord will give to all that feare Him and waite for his appearance Onely shew we our selves men not children who for an apple will part with a pearle and thinke they have no losse by that exchange So much to the contemplation of the firmament of His power the height and glory thereof I descend now unto that creature which the Lord hath divided unto all nations and with which our sense is more acquainted but deceives our sense exceedingly for though it discover unto us things below yet it locks up with the clearnesse of its light and lustre the things above Our eye if we marke it will discerne much higher in a cleare night then it can in the clearest day In the night we see as high above the Sun as the Sun is above us but in the day we have no cleare discerning of any thing that is above the Sun because of the clearnesse of that mightie Body which dazleth the eye if we look upon it and puts it out if we stand and gaze And thus the heathen did and so that light darkened v Leg. Clem. Alex ad Gentes pag. 31. them that-they could not rise to a glory above the creature but where they terminated their sight their they terminated their worship Therein like the countreyman who looking for the King at his Court thinks that he must need be the King who first comes forth in most gorgeous apparel x Reade Plut. in the life of Pericles Morneus de Verit. Rel. Sol quasi solus c. Cic. de divin though the Kings honour sets him forth and sets up his head above others and the glory of apparell those who have least honour But I have digressed I began my morning instructions with the Sun and with that creature I will end my instructions from the creatures It is called a solitary y Leg. Basil Hex Hom. 6. creature because it shines alone obscuring all other lights with his clearnesse and being the fullest in our eye I observe 1. the motion of the Sunne 2. the beames 3. his brightnesse And some short instructions from all Then I shall be at the end of our walk And conclude the instructions there-from 1. Behold if we can the Suns motion we cannot see it stirre but we can see it is passed then by what hand it moves and with what strength and quicknesse no motion so quick except that which is like lightning in an instant Then behold we the magnitude thereof how massive a body it is for it may enter into our conceipt And beholding all this we shall be filled with wonderment and be forced to acknowledge that Wonderfull is the Creator thereof a mightie God Behold again its constancy in moving The Sun never yet rose nor set nor more then once stood still since first it was created to run its course though to us it seemes to do both which makes our morning and our night It still moves to teach us constancy in our holy profession and still in its own sphere and within its own limits and bounds to teach us the decency of order for when it hath touched those limits which we call Tropicks it is retrograde and turnes back again Some have taught that the Sun moves neerer to the earth now then in former times but they who teach so would be taught by stripes and their writing blotted out with spunges saith the learned Scaliger z Exercit. 99. 3. The Sunne never transgresseth his set bounds So much or so little rather to the Suns motion which we see when it is past but the full
unmindfull of such a Master The dog hath led me a little beyond my mark but not out of my way my scope here is but this to shew that so we are degenerated so low are we falne the Beasts exceed man in their Naturals and men in their pure Naturalls make not that improvement of their senses for their Masters service their owne safety and mutuall comfort each with other as the Beasts doe no cause we should be proud of our Naturals And for Intellectuals being without that which the Apostle saith our speech should be seasoned with the Salt of Grace they may prove and ordinarily doe like Absoloms haire deadly So I remember a Knight that suffered upon Tower-hill acknowledged who had not returned his gifts to the glory of the Giver Nay more for wee hope better of him they make a man more miserable then the beasts that perish Achitophel is a sad example hereof so is Machevil who say the Italians so I learne out of Bishop Andrews rotted in â—pson Reason and speech they are the chiefe properties Ratio Orâ—tiâ— differencing man from a Beast Reason is the Crowne of a man his tongue his glory the same word in the sacred Tongue signifyes both But if man shall depose reason taking from it Hersoveraignty I mean in earthly matters then will a man be carryed like a horse that hath cast his rider and he will abuse his Tongue also vilifying that which should have honored him and in so doing he will liken himselfe to the most stinking place that we can passe by and to the most odious name that is named under the Sunne and so in the end will fall lower then a Beast can A Beast can fall no lower then the Earth nor doth it apprehend any evill till it feele the same and when it comes it is soone over and there 's an end Which remembers me of Pyrrhoes Hog that did eate his meate quietly in the Ship almost covered with waters when all the men there were halfe dead with feare But now reasonable Creatures are sometimes perplexed with unreasonable fears A mans apprehension may present evils that are not as impendent which may make his knees smite together and with all the apprehension of the time that is past and of that which to come may torment him too before he come to the place of his torment Bee not like the horse and mule then which have no understanding for then thy condition will bee much worse and lower then theirs in the latter end It may be I shall never call thee to an account nor live to see how thou hast thriven But consider this first what an Heathen o Plut. de fraterno amore spake it is very worthy a childs consideration We are charged that we doe ill to none much lesse to a parent but it is not enough for a child not to hurt his parents he must doe them all the good he can his whole deportment must be such such his words and deeds that thereby he may glad the heart of his parent else it is wicked and unjust Marke it for thus much it implyes It is not enough that the child doth not actually or positively give the parent cause of sorrow that were monstrous he or she must not privatively rob them of their comfort or stop them of their rejoycing even this were impious and unjust It is not enough not to grieve the parent not to give them matter of sorrow the childe that doth not more doth not his dutie he must give them matter of comfort and gladding of hearts This a childes dutie let a childe thinke of it and that an Heathen spake it from whom a lesson comes double to a Christian Consider again what the Lord saith It is a people of no understanding therefore He that made them will not have mercy on them p Esa 27. 12. Consider with that Scripture what the Apostle saith q 2 Thes 1. 8. In flaming fire taking vengeance of them that know not God c. If this and that be considered Thou wilt cry r Prov. 2. 3. after knowledge and lift up thy voyce forunderstanding wisdome is the principall thing therefore thou wilt get wisdome and with all thy gettings thou wilt get understanding Å¿ Prov. 4. 7. which only consolidates a man making him like armour of proofe or like a rocke for it fixeth the heart on Him in whom is everlasting strength Thou must consider also That an account must be given and the greater thy receits have been the greater thy accounts must be Line upon line and precept upon precept fills up the score apace A man looks to reape liberally where he sowes liberally And as God did bountifully reward the faithfull servant so did He severely punish the unfaithfull and negligent In the last place consider this and it sufficeth That a worthy name is called upon us even the name of Christ of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth is named t Eph. 3. 15. A name which will honour us if we honour it which will highly exalt us if we exalt it And this we do when our conversation is honourable and as becommeth in heaven though amidst the things of the earth If there be a precise walking a good and suteable conversation worthy that name u The Scripture acknowledgeth them Christians or the anointed of the Lord who live Christian-like according to Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Nazian Oral 21. p 378 then the Christian is the honourable person as the fruitfull vine the best amongst the trees or as those which were very good x Jer. 24. 5. But if we defile y Read page 36. that name by an unworthy conversation then are we the basest of men like the barren vine z Ezech. 15. 4. fit for nothing but the fire or unsavoury salt very bad and to be cast out a Christians are the worse the better they should be the more sacred their name the more accursed their guilt c. Read Salv. de Gubâ—r l 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the end and Li. 4. within two leaves of the end Christiani deteriores sunt c. Reatus impii est pium crimen It is a good conversation which commends a Christian and that only and which proves him so to be not miracles if a man could work them not revelations if a man could see them not signes and wonders if such a power were given from above It is the conversation which is all in all and justifies before men If I do not the works of my Father beleeve me not b John 10. 37. Our Lord said thus of Himself His work should testifie of Him c Luk. 7. 21. and be a foundation of their faith works are the standard by which we must be measured also whether we are in Christ and Christ in us If we do not the works of Christ such as He hath proposed for
nothing in this world is of sufficient worth to put us out of frame This thought set home may carry the soul like the Sunne which worketh upon all inferiour things but is not wrought upon by them above forms and stormes too in an uniform way in a constant course and tenor like it self sutable to its own dignitie and keeping its distance We take a view now of the way we have gone and of the observations in our passage This first that it was the Lord who curiously formed thee in the wombe He brought thee thence and yet thy engagement to thy parents no whit the lesse He gave thee a being amongst the creatures and those of the highest ranke He put thee into an house like a rich Heire ready furnished a See Chrysost Hom 8. in Gen. He crowned thee with honour and gave thee dominion over the works of his Hands In His book were all thy members written thou doest not want one of them and how great is the summe thereof so great that thou art the epitome of this great world the Index of all the creatures which sets deep upon thy score thou hast much to return unto the Lord if thou doest return according to that thou hast received So God hath exalted thee so shouldst thou exalt the Lord and all this from thy outward frame the site and posture thereof And so farre we are gone and before we go further we must take fuller notice of things we have passed briefly over for they are observable § 1. We are Gods workmanship His building wonderfully were we made by b Isa 45. 11. Him accordingly should we strive to live unto Him if we ask more grace He will not deny us it A strong argument it is c Psal 138. 8. We are the workmanship of thy hands and as strong is this Created in Christ Iesus unto good d Ephes 2. 10. works †1. 2. He brought us forth thence where many miscarried because there was no power that our praise might be alwayes of Him And He gave our parents charge over us and them a strong affection to discharge that trust though we were froward and like perverse children which engageth mightily to honour the parents to obey them in the Lord. And to do what possibly we can and all too little for their good if they shall need it and for the promoting their comfort in the childes well-doing the very garland of their hope and sore travell under the Sunne and a very cordiall to their drouping spirits § 2. His exceeding patience to us-ward in sparing us so long and His good providence over us all this time but specially then when we could have none for our selves when we foresaw nothing no not a pit before us For mark I pray you that little thing such an one I was so wast thou and let us not carelesly behold him If now he be out of the cradle and the armes and can do more then creep by the wall we shall see it still in harmes-way now puddering in the fire then in the pot of seething liquour then up the stairs it will creep and down again it tumbles with little or no harm And if it can break the mothers prison we shall see it marching in the streets presently in the Carts way or under the horses heels perhaps as his strength is upon their backs or upon some Ladder or some Tree where he ventreth his necke for an apple or a lesse matter Like a Lapwing it is Squerill headed still skipping into danger not so quicke to get from it Such like and many more dangers attend that silly age So that this is a sure thing which I shall tell you It was not the care of the earthly Father though he was carefull with all his care nor the tender hand and eye of the Mother though both still helpfull and wakefull neither this nor that was it which provided for the childe and secured its safety but the providence of the Almighties eye 2. Kin. 4. 13. His good hand upon the childe that kept it That that was it and to that we must sacrifice that we have been preserved where so many have fallen and escaped those snares and dangers wherein so many have been taken Make this use we must of the casualties And forget we must not the many diseases this vile body is subject to which we have been kept from or delivered in Plinie reckons no fewer then 300. from top to toe I mention but two and they be capitall ones the Evill and the Falling sicknesse very incident to children and makes their life but a death to themselves and friends That we have been preserved and delivered thus and thus what a mercie herein what praise therefore 3. He hath ranked us in His highest form amidst His chiefest creatures that our thoughts should be on high and our wayes on high Noble creatures we are of an heavenly stamp impresse and superscription that our carriage and deportment should be answerable Oh then how is it that the horse and the mule which have no understanding should teach their Lord and this Lord so brutish that he will not be taught by them We put bits in our horses mouths and they obey us The doâ—ge follows our foot and will be struck by our hand the d Jer. 8. 7. Stork the Crane the Swallow know their season The e Isai 1. 3. Ox knoweth his Master and the Asse his Crib but man is become brutish he considers not Every f Jam. 3. 7. kinde of beasts and of birds and of Serpents and things in the Sea is tamed and have been tamed of mankinde But man is the unruly creature the ungoverned person yet hath he reason to guide him Reason I say the crown and dignitie of a person when the naturall powers and noble faculties are entire and sound a great good mercy go to Bedlam else and enquire we there but that we need not do we need but go sit down and hearken there and then we must needs say Oh what a blessing is it what a mercy that we have the use of reason that our understanding-part is sound and perfect He hath reason I say to guide him the fear of the Lord to awe him His word to instruct him and if he be not guided reclaimed taught he will have no excuse no pretext for himself for saith g In Gen. Hom. Chrysostome man tameth the Lion and he leads the Beare and he frays the 9 p. 85. Serpent that he hurts him not thou art unexcusable then O man if thou art an ungoverned creature so the Father reproves man made in Gods image And Elihu to h Job 35. 10. 11. Iob gives us as full a reproofe and concludes the use saying But none saith where is God my Maker who giveth songs in the night Who teacheth us more then the Beasts of the earth and maketh us wiser then the fowls of heaven 4. Lastly he
hand no further then to the outward water and dipping therewith It is the Baptisme made by fire and the holy Ghost which reacheth to the heart which cleanseth and purgeth indeed He or she who have received this washing who are purged from their old sinnes may glory in their fountain opened for sinne and for uncleannesse d Zech. 31. 1. and in their priviledges worthy to be gloried in as we read a great Emperour did more then in his Imperiall Crown e Aust de Civit. Dei l. 5. c. 26. for what greater glory is there then to be of the off-spring of God to receive the adoption of sonnes and daughters and to have that worthy name to be called upon us and such honour have all thy Saints And now we are come to a great secret The way how the Lord works and upon whom He works is more secret then is the winde which bloweth where it listeth c. and as indiscernable to sense as is the knitting of the bones in the wombe and covering of them with flesh What we cannot conceive pray that we may admore what we cannot understand pray we that we may experimentally finde and feel that though we cannot comprehend we may be comprehended The Lord knoweth who are his and it is a great secret yet His secret is with them that fear Him I mean not alwaies and with all that fear Him they know that they are His though yet all know it not nor some at all times and this they know as not by extraordinarie revelation so nor by prying into his secret Decree how there He hath disposed of them This will as by fixing our weake eye upon a strong object blinde us with light It is a ventrous and a bold coming unto God and most dangerous also for if we climbe up unto His Decree we shall fall into the gulfe of despair because we come unto Him without a Mediatour f Hic sine m dâ—ctore â—es agitur disputatur de Dei benâ—pâ—icito ac voluntale in quam sese Christus resert Luther Psal 22. In doubts of Predestination begin from the wounds of Christ p. 337. that is from the sense of Gods love in Christ we should rise to the grace of election in Him before the world was It was Luthers counsell and he found it of force against the devises of Satan g De praedestinatione diâ—putaturus incipe à Christi vulnâ—ribus statim Diabolus cum suis tentationibus recedet Mel. Ad. in Staupicii vita p. 20. The way to melt our hearts into a kinde repentance for sinne is to begin from the love of righteousnesse and of God all figured out in Baptisme as well as in the Supper And this also was Staupitius counsell to Luther whereby he made the practise of repentance ever sweet to him whereas before nothing in all the Scripture seemed so bitter h Vera est ea poenitentia quae ab amore justitiae Dei incipit dixit Staupitius Quae vox ita aliè in animo Luthâ—i insedit ut nihil dulcitos facrit deinceps ei poenitentia cum aâ—tea eidem in totâ Scripturâ nihil esset amarius Mel. Ad. ibid. vita Staup. But now suppose our case to be this and it is most likely to be so that we finde no work of the Spirit upon us no change wrought by His renewing grace we are as we were not cleansed from our old sinnes we have passed over this Iordan we have gone into this water and we are come out as unclean as before our hearts are not sprinkled We see a price paid for us and no lesse then the price of the blood of God yet we have not consecrated our selves to Him who hath so dearly bought us yet we have not accepted Him for our Lord though we are His purchase i Rom. 14. 9. and for this end He died and rose again but other Lords rule over us And though we be called by His name yet we walk in our own wayes serving divers lusts as if we were our own and not peculiarly His who bought us with a price If I say this be our case then Luthers counsell is observeable which is this To enter into our closet there to spread our selves before the Lord in humble confessions as followeth k Oportet nos esse tales scilicet verè poenitentes non possumus esse tales Quid hic faciemus Oportet ut cognito te tali non neges te talem sed in angulum vadas juxta consilium Christi in abscondito ores patrem tuum in coelis dicens sine fictione ecce optime Deus poe â—itendum mihi praecipis sed talis sum ego miser quod sentio me nolle neque posse quare â—â—is prostratus pedibus c. Concione de poenitentiâ An. 1518. Lord thou hast set a fountain open but to us it is sealed Thou hast bid us wash and be cleane we cannot we are no more able to wash our selves then we can take out the seeming spots in the Moon Thou hast said When will it be c. we say it will never be no not when the Rocks flie in pieces and the earth shall be no more but then it shall be when thou giving that thou commandest art pleased to make us as thou wilt the heavens and the earth all new Thou hast commanded us to come unto Christ that we might live we cannot come no more then Lazarus could by his own power cast off his grave-clothes and turn up the mould from over his head and stand up from the dead We are bound up in unbelief as within gates of brasse and barres of iron Thou hast said Turn ye every one from his evill way we say we cannot turn r Lay down thy heart under the Word yeeld it to the Spirit who is as it were the Artificer can frame it to a vessell of honour Mr. Reynolds on Psal 110. pa. 42. no more then we can turn that glorious creature which like a Gyant runnes his course so gyant-like we are and so furiously marehing on in our own wayes of sinne and death This is but part of our confession 2. We must acknowledge also that righteous is the Lord in commanding what is impossible for man to do Because the Lord did not make things so at first He gave us a great stock to deale and trade with but like unfaithfull stewards we have wasted the same and so have disinabled our selves Our inability was not primitive and created but consequent and contracted our strength was not taken from us but thrown from us This is the principall point of confession our inabilitie comes out of our own will Å¿ Read and observe with all diligence Mr. Dearings words on the third Chapter to the Hebrews ve 8. Lect. 15. Sentio me nolle neque posse I finde that I neither will nor can before D'S S. p. 215. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
the Antipodes if the word were proper clean contrary to nature hiding that which should be covered and covering that which should be hid Hence it is That our eyes feet fingers our whole gesture and deportment do make so plain a Commentary upon the heart That if I may apply it so he that runnes may read the present humour and state of the minde and will so great a discovery of our dissimulations the gesture is for that speaks to the e Many have secret hearts and transparent countenances Essayes 21. p 128. eye as the tongue to the eare Hence it is That the inward beauty is so neglected and the outward so set out and highly prized when as beauty and strength will be much wasted by one fit of an Ague yea f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Basil in Hex Hom. 5. quite gone in one night Hence it is That Knowledge doth puff up That Learning makes proud which is not Knowledge indeed nor Learning but our ignorance and going backwards a windie and flatuous conceit of both True Learning the more it is and the truer it is the more it humbles the closer it lies the lesse noise it makes Hence it is That the rich mans wealth is his g Prov. 18. 11. Strong citie and as an high wall for all this is but in his own conceit Hence it is That men in eminency of gifts and place are so taken up with the person for a time put upon them That they both in look and speech and gesture shew that they forget their naturall condition That they must lay aside their persons and dye like men and give account as stewards what they have gained Lastly hence it is That our owne Righteousnesse seemes so lovely in our eyes when as it is but like filthy rags and dung such things we may not otherwise name so filthy they are And were it considered it would help much to cast a spewing upon our glory h Hab. 2. 16. Act. 8. 9. Thus we have seene what it is and whence it is that blows up the vaine heart of man making it think of it selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above what is meet i And thence we may fetch helps and remedies against its pride for if it is but a vaine opinion a flattering conceit a false valuation of things that doth deceave us we must labour to rectifie our judgements and to understand the truth and realitie of things that we may not be deceived Secondly if it be the want of the right knowledge and true understanding of our selves that makes us over-value our selves we must learn to understand and read our selves a great and an hard lesson k An hard thing to know ourselves Not only the eye of the body but of the minde too wants this noble facultie of looking inward c. Translated out of St. Basi Hex Hom. 9. p. 103 and our own principles so as we may know our selves to be but men poore weake men deceitfull upon the ballance and very wanting The summe is we must study how to rectifie reason and to take a true scale and a right estimate of our selves and things not as they seeme and appeare to bee but as they are indeed at first †1. Is it my apparell that would puffe me up because my cloth is of a finer threed then some others is This is a false valuation for the sheepe had it on its backe before my selfe yet was it but a sheep then and the same now so Sr. Thomas More would prick the bladder and let out that windy conceit l Hanc ovis olim gestavit nec aliud tamen interim quà m ovis suit Vtop lib. 2. pag. 166. †2. Is it the gorgiousnesse of my apparell the pompe of the same which would puffe me up That were but a m Act. 25. 2◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fancy and a windy conceit also A poore ornament it is which is put on and off And a windy conceit it is and most unworthy of a man to be taken with the shining or glittering of some Gold-lace or Iewell who can point to the earth below him to the Lilly there And to the heaven above him to the Sun and Starres n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Tom. 6. Religi 601. ◠Mirantur quenquam esse quem exiguaegemmulae aut lapilli dubius oblectet fulgor cui quidem stellam aliquam atque ipsum denique solem licea◠intueri Ibid. ◠Prov. 18. 11. there so the same Author would let out that wind also †3. Is it the portion a man hath in the world above his brethren which bloweth up the bubble What is all that more then in conceit neither a strong citie nor an high wall they cannot deliver in the day of trouble It is but a meere conceit we thinke they can And what is a fat and ful possession of these outward transitory things if there be leannesse in the soule if that be blown up with these vanities As certainly it must be so and can be no otherwise when these outward things have stuffed and cram'd our hearts so that they are made fat and blown up with them An heart filled with this winde o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 ep 18. 52. pag. 781. You may better trust the wind or letters written in water then mans prosperitie And so uncertain it is that we may with a speedier course hasten to God where is certaintie and no shadow of change is as barren of true grace pride and grace are incompatible as the surface of that earth is where these treasures are which is as barren say the naturalists as the parched places of the desart They are great snares and intanglements and impossible they should be otherwise without a great measure of grace from God with whom all things are possible and watchfulnesse over our selves which consideration should rather humble us Better they cannot make a man therefore the Heathen would not have them called Good Things But worse ordinarily they make him more proud against God more insolent and oppressing over those that are below and inferiour unto him And very unsatisfiable they are and therefore disquieting also like thorns to the head we may as well undertake to fill a bag with wisdome a cheft with vertue as our hearts with gold silver riches high room with any earthly things no reason those things should puff us up or if there be reason in it it is from our wisdome which must be ceased from p Pro. 23. 4 5 for why should we let our eyes fly upon that which is not so uncertain and fleeting it is and being grasped after and enjoyed doth presse us below our selves even lower then the place whence it was digged †4. Is it an hairy bush of vanitie let out to spread beyond its reasonable and due proportion that would blow me up That were a monstrous conceit How can that adorne me which hath
with the Swine And what we cannot have an absolute command over we will not cast away our power wholly as who will take no charge over it at all There are many in the world who say they cannot when indeed they will not they question their power when they should their will and they take from their power bestowing it upon their lusts So much to shew we may have power over our imagination if we have not lost the power over our selves Now it follows That we must exercise the said power and charge or else we shall lose our selves in the emptie conceits and Mazes thereof Imagination seemes an emptie windy thing but hath reall effects for there is a mutuall working and reflux between the will and the imagination Imagination stirs up the will and as the will is affected so imagination worketh And therefore they whose will is guided by their fancies live more like beasts then men in whom phantasie is the chiefe ruling power and so we fall lower then the beast For if we roule wickednesse about in our imaginations like a sweet Morsell under the tongue we do in so doing personate these m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Protrept p 30. A spark of wickednesse neglected or dallied with in the fancy may quickly beget a flame of wickednesse in the heart Corpus opere sâ—rdidatur animus voluntate Chrysost in Matt. Lat. tantum Hom. 52. pleasures which we have not opportunitie outwardly to performe which is called speculative wickednesse and greatly defileth the man and dishonoureth God and so answerably provoketh Him even to give us up to our imaginations and to cast us loose into the lap of our Delilahs or lusts which is the greatest judgement in the world for when sinne is let into the soule by the eye and rouled about by the imagination it will quickly like a canker eat out all the grace in the soule and then what follows but a filling of our hearts with Satan and in the end a reaping the fruit of our own wayes If we suffer our fancy to brood upon lusts we shall hatch Cockatrice egges or weave Spiders webbs the issue will be mischiefe or vanitie and so we shall weave the web of our own sorrow and shame Therefore we must watch over our thoughts if we regard our peace whereof watchfulnesse is the preserver They may make a through-fare in our minde they must not get entertainment nor lodging there n From sinne lighting upon our thoughts it is impossible from making a nâ—st there or hatching that we may do and are charged so to do We must keep our heart from resolving and saying content Bp. And. p. 190. And that we may be afraid to think before God what we are ashamed to do before men we must consider first 1. That we have to do with an holy God who specially sees the heart and requires puritie there It is our spirits with whom God who is a spirit hath most communion with all And the lesse freedome we take to sinne here the more argument of â— sinceritie because there is no Law to binde the inner-man but the law of the Spirit of Grace whereby we are a law to our selves But on the contrary the more way we give to wicked imaginations the more we shew what our actions would be if we dared o Vâ—s scelera admissa punitis Apud nos cogitare pecâ—are est Vos conscios timetis nos etiam conscientiam solam M. Minut Fal p. 25. â—n 3. in sol Sâ—mmum praesiduâ—m Regni est justitia ob opertos tumultus Religio â—b occultos Card. de sap lib. 3. for if we forbeare doing evill out of conscience we should as well forbeare imagining evill for both are alike open to God and hateful to Him And therefore oft where there is no conscience of the thought God gives men up to the deed The chiefe lesson then is this As we desire and expect to have communion with God we must addresse our spirits before Him p Incentiva vitiorum slatim in mâ—nte iugulabâ—s parvulos Babylonis allides ad Petram c. Hier. lib. 2. ep 18. p. 216. we must be pure not in body only but in heart also nay we must be in our measure pure and holy as He is if we look to see Him as He is We must consider withall That our unclean spirits make us like that Spirit who though he commits no corporall uncleannesse some tell us of sexes in divels or assumed by them and of their filthinesse that way q Succubi Incubi Zanch. de oper Dei lib. 4. cap. 16. Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 15. cap. 2. yet he is called an uncleane spirit And as he is he is called which tells us That the uncleannesse of our spirits and hearts as it is the greatest defilement so it doth make us most like the divell And therefore if this uncleane spirit or our selves have stirred a sinke in our soules we must not stirre it more by our imagination but as we use to do when a sink is stirred we go into a sweeter roome so we must remove our thoughts and take off our imagination from stirring and puddering in that filth And this we may do by finding it some sweeter more cleanly and befitting work It is certain that the imagination hath a power if it be put forth but that requires an other power to raise it selfe as swiftly and as quick which is the excellency of it to heaven to the high and great things there as it will descend to hell though it be a naturall descent to those black things there And it is certain too that hopes on high will lead to thoughts on high The noblenesse of the soule and thoughts thereof and of great things prepared for it will remember our imaginative facultie of noble work of high and weightie considerations If our affections be indeared to any sensuall delight they will drown our fancies therein and on the other side our fancies quicke and nimble though they be yet will they move heavily and die in their excessive motion to the things below if the soule be taken up with the Love of the best things And this leads me to the last thing which is a more speciall and soveraign vertue to help and fortifie our soule against her sensuall appetites I meane such helps which reason can suggest I know if the Eye of the Lord awe us Job 31. if destruction from God be a terrour unto us if the spirit of holinesse comes into the heart then the work is done 2. In the last place then because our imagination hurteth and betrayeth our succours within by false representations and by preventing reason usurping a censure of things before our judgements try them whereas the office of imagination is to minister matter to our understanding to work upon not to lead it much lesse to mis-lead it sith I say our case is so and so
and unmanly behaviour how it disfigures distorts and deformes him It would help also if refraining his minde in such a distemper he would reflect upon that he was in that transportation of minde about to do or might have done if he can reflect upon it he will see clearely That it was much better for him because he tooke leisure of more consideration Of all things which admit delay there is nothing that receives more advantage by it then our passion nor hazard then our repentance It is certain what repentance gaineth by admitting no delay anger loseth our peace and quiet yet deale we here cleane contrary for where we should not consider not whether we should repent or no there we do and where we should consider there we do not There is nothing that can work us more sorrow then this nor more advantage then if a man would suspend his actions a little and arrest nature in her passionate march A little time would do it and blunt the edge of anger as the saying over the alphabet saith one the Lords Prayer saith another i D. G. But if we gaine not some leisure and time here for our better proceeding we shall for our repentance k The end of passion is the beginning of repentance Feâ—th Res 8. Plut. Mor. de Ira. Phocion advised well to hinder the Athenians from a present resolution upon the hearing of Alexanders death News came that Alexander was dead And the Athenians would the same night meet in Counsell and determine things Forbeare till next morning said he if Alexander be dead to day he will be dead to morrow Be not so hasty this businesse will admit some houres delay and we shall proceed much more warrantably It is very applicable here we must not proceed hastily in any thing for that is to proceed in a passion if it be a fault we are about to punish it will be a fault anon and too morrow and we shall be better able to discerne it and to helpe it We may do nothing while we are angry for then we will thinke we may doe any thing He must not loose the power of himself who hath an other under his He had need have all his wits about him that comes to drive out folly and to understand himselfe very well that would direct another It is the wise mans lesson The discretion of a man deferreth Anger It is a point of wisedome to subdue betimes Prov. 19. 11. the first beginnings of unruly passions which else like an ill nurtur'd childe will grow head-strong here we should meet with the tongue again And this is by giving a check and stop to our selves so giving time for reason to enterpose and to aske this question only What do I For want hereof we observe men dealing unreasonably with senselesse things falling foule upon them misusing the poore beast also that doth better service in his kinde and sheweth more obedience then man doth But very Imperious and domineering over children and servants for our spirits as was said stir as intemperately and raise as great stormes in our little ponds as great persons do in their great seas l Vide dominum saevientem in servos c. Fluctus cosdem c. Lips de cons lib. 2. pag. 25. I passe by them who are so furious upon the Oxe the Horse and the Asse the poore Sheep also all which do after their kinde but he that misuseth them doth against nature I have nothing to say to such their folly may correct them But when a parent is correcting his childe in a passion this may check him if he take so much time as to consider That he is a childe and his own so is its fault also This will stop his eagernesse but of this in the first part So also when I am angry with my servant this may check me That though I may be bold with him or her being my servant yet not so bold as to shame my selfe or hurt them Did not he that made them make me Have we not both the same masters over us on earth and would we not be used kindely and gently by them And have we not all one Master in heaven See the first Part. chap. 4. sect 12. and would we not all finde mercy there Yea but he is thus and thus and doth so and so and so often he hath provoked me I must check my selfe now with this and it will surely calme and coole my spirit how m Chrysost in ep ad Rom. cap. 8. Hom. 14. pag. 206. 2 Pet. 3. 15. Rom. 2. â— much and how long God hath borne and forborn me And can I be impatient now The long suffering of the Lord is salvation It was salvation to Saul waiting till he became a Paul so was it to Peter waiting till he went out To us else we had been before this consumed Marke this and enlarge thy meditation upon it I it will be a meanes to frame upon thee that ornament of a meeke and quiet spirit which in the sight of God is of great price for if I can say to my selfe but thus much how long suffering hath the Lord been to me ward I cannot be short and eager spirited toward my brother I cannot say more which is more pressing and availeable to subdue my passionate spirit and to gaine that constant and comfortable temper which resembles the highest region of the ayre where there is still a perpetuall serenitie and peace Lastly are they the wrongs and unworthy usage from others hands and tongues that have put me out of the possession of my selfe or are they crosses in my estate that trouble and disquiet me Then thus I must check my selfe By looking narrowly into my selfe and up to an higher hand as the children of wisdome have done I must remember the ten thousand talents There is nothing that can be thought of of more force to win upon a passionate spirit and to frame it to lowlinesse lovelinesse calmenesse and unpassionatenesse which is the cement of societie and sweet converse nothing I say of such force as these considerations First of Gods all disposing over-ruling hand who is so good that He would suffer no evill to be were He not so powerfull that out of the greatest evill He can extract the greatest good Secondly The riches of His mercy that forgave ten thousand talents And should I flye at the throat of my fellow servant for a few pence Thoughts hereof will frame us to a setled reposed estate and an unpassionate spirit But the remedy of remedies the most certain and excellent remedy whereby to shoare-up and underprop the soule against the shakings and impetuous blustering of this weake but impotent distemper which bloweth hard and boasteth great things The best remedy I say is To addresse our spirits before the Lord To look to Him who rebuked the winds and Seas and they were still We may say of this fiery exhalation as is said
bonds Colos 4. 18. Lege Chrysost Calamitas illius fores pulsaâ— qui aliorum calamitatibus non movetur I will speake in Hirons words they are to this purpose There is a wedding in that house to day and there they are merry with them I should rejoyce In the other house there is a funerall a beloved yoke-fellow or a deare childe is carrying forth to buriall there are sad hearts we are sure I should weep with them for this is to be like minded to be companions with others as members of the same body I must think again I know not how soone their case may be mine Mirth and sorrow have their turns and I know not how soone they may exchange with me As I shall let my heart loose in the one the lesse command I shall have over it in the other As my sensuall contentment shall dilate and expand my heart so will sorrow compresse and shrink it up If my heart be as light as a feather in the one it may be as heavy as a stone in the other it was Nabals m 1 Sam. 25. case Let me ever finde out something even in the midst of my mirth Christian-like to leaven it so I may more likely finde something in my sorrow to sweeten that also The maine and principall lesson is That we sawce our earthly joyes with godly sorrow so should all our worldly sorrow be mixed with spirituall joy We must not let earthly contentments take up all the roome in the heart for then sorrow when it comes will look for the like freedome commanding there and stopping up the least cranny for comfort to enter in at So much to temper and moderate our mindes in the sudden flushes of joy There is a more constant running out of our affections in a more constant tenour of earthly things which some at sometimes may finde if so and our affections are enlarged beyond their bounds such like sad and sober thoughts as these may call them in if they take place Is my estate prosperous And do I over greedily seeke or highly esteeme or intemperately joy in the comforts which prosperitie affords Let me think now that the wicked have these things too and more abundantly and Gods dearest children often want them And what are they that my heart would close withall Nothing for nothing they avayle in the day of wrath n Prov. 23. and Prov. 10. 10. Trem when we most need them they stand farre from our help Are they pleasures my heart would relish let me consider they are but for a moment but the torment of sinne is everlasting o Breve menlaneum quâ—d delectat aetemum quod cruciat Have I contentments on every side peace round about all things as my heart can wish Then I must stirre up and quicken my self the more standing waters gather mud and dirt wines not racked gather Lees. I must suspect my way that it is not right for in the world ye shall have afflictions we have our Masters word for it and that is as much as the earth and heavens have for their continuance Can I expect two heavens all contentments here and pleasures for ever more hereafter can I expect to triumph in heaven and yet not to performe any worthy service in the Lords Battell upon earth against His and our enemies Can I expect a weight p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tom. 5. Ser. 33. of glory when I go hence and no weight from the crosse here Can I think it reasonable that the Captain should beare all the brunt and endure all the hardnesse and the Common souldier endure nothing These considerations and such like may give some sharp taste to allay the lushiousnesse of our contentments that we may not over joy our comforts § Discontent 7. We are as prone sometimes to overlook our blessings also and overgrieve our crosses when our minde is overshadowed with discontent that great disturber of our peace and quiet It is an unreasonable passion what else to call it in proprietie of speech I know not but this know it makes a man complain he knows not for what and to quarrell with his estate be it never so good Like a thorn in the foot or an arrow in the side it makes all places and conditions uncomfortable It puts a man out of conceit with his own estate which a wise man thinks the best and into a good opinion of an others condition be it farre meaner for what matters it what my condition be if to me it seems bad q Si cui sna non videtur amplissi ma licèt totius mundi Dominus sit tamen mâ—ser est sen cp 9. Sapiens neminem videt cuâ— quo se commutatatum velit Stulitia laboral faslidio sui Quidâ—feâ—t qualis fit stotus tuus si libi videtur malusâ— Sen. ep 9. if so I must needs walk most unquietly with my self and most unthankfully towards God Those sonnes of Eliah enjoyed no small priviledge but yet that seemed nothing unto them Aegypt where they served in clay and brick was now esteemed farre beyond all when their present discontent like dust cast into the eye had taken from them the sight of all their good things r Numb 16. They are a sad example to us that we murmure not as they did and it tels us also how unreasonably a discontented minde will reason It was an answer worthy our marking which a servant gave touching his master he was asked What he left his Master doing I left him said he seeking out cause of complaint many blessings standing round about him the while Å¿ Plut De tranquil Hor. lib. 2. ep 3. it is the case and manner of many and it is saith the same Authour as if a man should seale up his hogshead of good liquour and drink that which is sowre and hurtfull Thus disquieting an humour discontent is the remedies against it are First that we suffer not our minde too much to fix upon our grievance for this were like a foolish patient to chew the pill and then we shall so much taste the bitternesse of one crosse that we shall disrelish the comfort of twenty blessings 2. It is good to look to those below us It is certain no mans estate is so happy but if his discretion be not so much the more he may finde something in it which would sowre all nor is any mans condition so low but he may finde something which will sweeten the meanesse of it Thus then I may reason I live not so high as others do nor am I acquainted with others temptations Great gates give room enough for great cares to enter in at I am sure great temptations I am not so rich as others nor am I disquieted with their cares and feares As the rich have advantage of the poore in possessing so have the poore advantage over the rich in parting I carry not that pomp and state which he or she do
should obey will rule 4. Measure all things by the compasse of right reason Sinne never wanted a reason yet we call it unreasonable by reason I say not by opinion a Opinioni insitum lum variare paenitere uâ— Chamaeleon c. Lips cont 1. ep 12. or conceit a fluttering ranging thing it can finde no bottom to settle on it is as changeable as the winde it feeds as they say one doth upon the aire therefore is still gaping but never content Lastly and chiefly for it is the summe of all be assured hereof that outward things cannot inwardly satisfie b Capacem Dei non impleâ— minus Deo This finite requires an infinite He that filleth the earth with His mercies must fill the soul with His goodnesse else there will be an emptinesse Expect then a satisfaction a filling from that hand who alone can give it O farre be it if God shall enlarge thy earthly portion and cast thy lot in a pleasant place to say as an unwise and unthankfull people once did We are Lords that is we have a full portion in a fruitfull land whereof we are Lords and wherein we take contentment we will come no more unto thee c Jer. 2. 31. Look upon outwards as cysterns which cannot fill but from the well-head and being filled empty again How pleasant soever thy lot be in respect of them yet say still But it is good for me to draw neare d Psal 73. 28. unto God and to continue with Him too e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Actâ— 11. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 13. 42. And be restlesse in thy desire untill thou canst say thou art the portion of my soul Thus judgement interposing resolveth and it helpeth much to cure the imaginary grievances of our life for if we be poore we are not the further from Christ nor if rich are we the nearer The like we may say of health and sicknesse of honour and dishonour even the very same which the Aoostle speaks of that wherein the Church of old much gloried in and doted upon They are nothing f 1. Cor. 7. 19. Prov. 23. 4. Things that are not in the wise mans account for indeed he had an eye that could look into and through them And therefore as God made all things by His power of nothing so he having wisdome from God made nothing of all things nothing in reference to that one thing necessary or nothing in reference to heaven our putting forward or backward in our race thither-ward to our crown g He that boasteth in his riches c. is as as if a fellow servant fed from the same Master at the same table should glory over his fellows because his hairs are longer then his fellows so are his nails Crys 1. Tim. â—om 1. And to the same purpose Calvine speaks upon the forenamed Scripture For outward things saith he be not over-carefull or over-troubled look that thy heart be turned and thy life changed then care not for other changes and turnings of things below come wants come sicknesse dishonour disgrace reproach and so forth come what will or can come they make some change or alteration with us on earth below they alter not our state at all they make no change at all with us above in heaven Health is nothing sicknesse nothing riches nothing povertie nothing honour nothing dishonour nothing What then may wee properly call something That the Apostle sheweth in the following words The keeping the commandments of God For in Christ Iesus neither this nor that availeth any thing but A new Creature or Faith which worketh by love h Gal. 6. 15. 5. 6. So much to remedie our imaginary grievances that proceed from the sicknesse and distemper of our fancy which calls things that are not or are nothing as if they were or were something and that which indeed is and is All as if it were not or nothing at all This is the fruit of our distemper And this which thou hast heard may with a blessing from Above give some cure and remedie unto the same A chief remedie also it is against those we call reall grievances whereunto notwithstanding I must say something which now follows There are reall grievances in a married estate not such which we fancy to be so but we know to be so as we know worm-wood is bitter and honey sweet being of the nature of the thing And here I come to the bottom and finde the root of these also it is our foolishnesse our sinne that is it which sowres all and brings a curse upon our blessings As the Father saith i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Châ—ys Tom. 5. ser 32. Where Christ is there is heaven so truly we may say where sinne is there is hell for so we finde it to be even from thence our vexation and pain And therefore if I should speak in a word the way to help these grievances is to pluck out the core of our wound which puts us to all the smart and pain That core is sinne Sinne is it which causeth our sorrowing even sorrow upon sorrow Therefore if we look for an â—ealing-up pluck that core out And then set grace against these grievances so we may be as grieving as sorrowing and yet even then and alwayes rejoycing If Nature teach bees not onely to gather honey out of sweet flowers but out of bitter Shall not grace teach us to drew even out of the bitterest condition something to better our souls Man hath learned to tame other creatures even the wildest Grace will teach a man how to subdue the greatest troubles but this is too generall more particularly thus Learne then sith troubles will meet with thee do thou sit down counting thy cost as was said and go forth to meet with k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Before the storm come be we humbled as in a storm so when â—t comes we shall finde a calm peace Chrys Tom. 6. vet Test 7. â— p. 99. them then thou wilt be better provided and fore-armed It is no point of wisdome to let an enomie to surprize us on our own ground in our own home Troubles will come prepare for them leave some room to entertain them as was also said And when they are come there is an art to bear them as there is to poise a burden and well to fit it to the back that it may be carried if not without burden yet with more ease But now this Christian-like bearing of troubles this carrying our burdens patiently and as we say lightly and merrily away it supposeth two main things 1. That through his strength by whom we are able to do all things we have made a through work in the great and necessary businesse of mortification delicate and dainty flesh will startle more at the scratching of a pin then mortified â—â—esh upon the gridiron They that have hungred and thirsted after righteousnesse can endure
herefrom How hast thou been inclined to love the Lord for His goodnesse to feare Him for His Mercies How hast thou been melted thereby to obedience and engaged upon his Service Aske thy selfe againe for in that Method we went Thou hast two hands another hath but one or perhaps none what more worke hast thou done Thou hast a Tongue and the use of the same there is another thou knowest who hath a Tongue but speakes not wherein hast thou glorified thy Maker more then the other hath done Thou hast two eyes thy Neighbour is darke Aske the same question over againe For as it was said of him who was borne blind So it was that the workes of God Iohn 3. 9. should be made manifest in him So we may say we have our eyes eares tongues hands which others have not That we might the more ptaise the Lord for His goodnesse and declare His workes toward the children of men These are the questions but upon the point it is but this single question and the very same and to the same purpose which the King makes to that I doe allude touching Mordecay What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecay x Esther 6. 3. for this So let this be the question What honour what service hath been done to the Lord He hath so honoured thee he hath so served thee he hath so and so preserved thee from the Paw of the Lyon and jaw of the beare so delivered thee Through his strength thou didst leap over such a wall He brought thee out of such a strait He supported thee in such weaknesses He supplyed thee in such a Wildernesse He gave successe to thee in such businesses What shall I say for we are confounded here He is the God not of some but of all consolations the Father of mercies And we can no more number them then we can the drops of the raine or of the dew or the Treasures of the snow and haile but we know who is the Father of them and out of whose Bowels these mercies come whereby thou hast been fed all thy life long and redeemed from evill we know the price of them too the very least of them is the price of bloud What honour hath been done for all this What peculiar Service that 's the single question If now thy heart make answer as we read in the foregoing place There is nothing done no peculiar service at all instead of being the Temple of His praise thou hast been the grave of His mercies They have been buried in thee they have brought forth no fruits if this be the answer of thy heart and so it condemne thee the Lord is greater then our hearts He will condemn much more And therefore it is high time to look into the Register of Gods mercies into the books of record And if these mercies have laine as things cast aside and of no account as dead things out of minde if so long and to this day forgot then now it is high time that thy rest should be troubled and sleep should not come into thy eye till thou hast looked over this Register and recorded the mercies of the Lord and so pressed them on thy conscience That it may answer out of a pure heart that something at the length is done some sacrifice of praise and thanks is returned to the Lord for all this This is the first thing to be done now and it is high time to do it Considering the season It is supposed that gray haires are upon thee here and there they are sugared now and like the hoary frost The Almond tree flourisheth thou art in the winter of thine age It is high time now to look about thee and to consider That is the first ground of consideration 2. That time is hasting whose portion and burden from the Lord is but labour and sorrow And then though we have time for our day lasteth while life lasteth yet no time to do any thing in it to purpose for then the Grasse hopper is a burden So I make two periods of this age And each a ground to presse on unto a timely consideration The one I call declining age when we have lived almost to threescore yeares The other when we are drawing onward to fourescore c. extreame old age of both in their order 1. Both the one as well as the other is an age not more desired then complained of They knew best why that feele the burden of it I have not lived unto it It is likely that person complained not without cause who being willed to hasten her pace told them who were so quick with her That so she could not do for she carryed a great burden on her back And whereas no burden at all appeared to the eye she replyed again that threescore years were passed over her head and that was the burden Plaut And so it may well be with those whose spirits are much spent and strength wasted even at those yeares And then age it self alone is a burden I can speake little here out of experience But this I can say If God be pleased to stretch out my day so long I shall know no cause to complain of the length for that is a blessing Length of dayes is from the right hand Prov. 3. 16. Riches and honour from the left Only we must note here That if the Lord be pleased to shorten the day of this life to any person as sometimes He doth to His dearest and most obedient children their dayes are not long upon earth why yet if He eek out this short day here with an eternitie of dayes and pleasures at His right hand when they are taken hence if so that partie shall have no cause to complaine of a short day on earth so abundantly recompensed in heaven This is a note by the way If I say God be pleased to stretch forth my dayes so long I know no cause why I should complaine of a blessing I may complaine and just cause why I should and that bitterly but not for the accession of yeares If any thing sower them it is of mine owne Leaven and of my owne putting in Complaine of my selfe I may of them I may not Old age is a cal me quiet and easie time if youth have done it no disservice in filling its bones before hand Nor no intemperance hath weakned its head or feete If so Old age hath just cause to complaine of the Man not the man of Old Age. There is no Guest in the world that is more desired and expected and yet when it comes worse welcomed and entertained then Old Age is still with sighes and complaints which we know argues bad welcome I would have my Child make good provision for it against it come and when it is come to give it good welcome Welcome I say I doe not say ease Good welcome doth consist we say in shewing a good and chearefull countenance to our guest
them and getting now a full conquest over them they see it rouling great stones upon the mouth of their Cave as Ioshua upon the five Kings n Jos 10. 18. there reserving them as Prisoners of no hope till the day of their doome when they shall receive that dreadfull but just sentence under execution whereof they shall lye eternally being sent to their own place where like slaves Death shall keep them under perpetuall bondage And there they must taste of it also even such bitternesse as shall be to them as the gall of Aspes within their bowells and the poyson of Vipers Thus they taste it but it is beyond expression and this is the portion of them that feare Him not nor in their season and Day of Visitation call upon His Name even this is their Portion from the Lord saith the Lord Almightie But there is a sweet peace in Death to all such as painfully serve the Lord in life they are the words of him who relateth the last words of that excellent servant of the Lord Mr. Dearing And they were these It is not to begin for a moment but to continue in the A comfortable death ever followes a conscionable life Dr. Ayerâ—â—s Lectur p. 715. feare of God all our dayes for in the twinckling of an eye we shall be taken away dally not with the Word of God blessed are they that use their tongues so every other faculty well while they have it So he spake lying upon his Death bed neare the time of His dissolution and having spoken somewhat touching His Hope and Crowne of rejoycing He fell asleepe This instructs us in this high point of Wisdome more then once pointed at before but can never be sufficiently pressed till it be thoroughly learnt which is to make use of the pâ—esent Time to know the Day of our visitation o Iob 22. 21. to acquaint our selves now with the Lord to number our Dayes God only teacheth the heart that Arithmeticke that is to consider how short how transitory how full of trouble our dayes are And yet such though they are but as a span yet thereon dependeth Eternity The thought whereof might stirre up to the well improovement of them The Hebrewes have a proverbe which they deliver in way of Counsaile Good friend remember to repent one Day before thy Death By one Day they meant the present Time the Day of Salvation So the words tend but to this to perswade to a wise and Christian improovement of that which is our Time the present There is no mans Will but when he comes to that point he bequeatheth his Soule to God But let him see to it that hee set his house in order while there was a fit season that Hee committed His Soule to God when He had perfect memory and strength of minde and well understood what He did which in time of distresse a man doth not q Few men pinched with the Messengers of Death have a dâ—sposing memory saith a great sage of the Law the L. Cokâ— in his tenth epistle where he adviseth to set our house in order while we are in perfect health weighty counsell every way else all is in vaine for we know all is voyde if the Will be forced or if the minde and understanding part be wanting and out of frame The Lord will be as strict in examining our Will upon this point as man is what strength there was of understanding what freedome of Will And therefore the sure and certaine way is to evidence our Will in our health by double diligence as by two sure witnesses else the Lord may answer us as â—epthah to the Elders of Gilead r Iudg. 11. 7. Thou despisest me all thy life why committest thou thy Soule unto mee now in thy distresse at thy Death It is not to begin for a moment but a continuance in the feare of God all our dayes It is not to use our tongue well at the point of death but to use it well while we have it and strength to use it We must not think to leap from Earth to Heaven not think at the point of Death to live for ever with the Lord when all our life time we cared not to be made conformable to Christ in His Death We cannot thinke to Raigne with Christ who when we were living men did not Crucifie one Lust for His sake We cannot think to Rest with Him for ever in Glory who never sanctifyed one Sabbath to Him on Earth We cannot think to shine after Death as the Sunne in his strength yea to be like Him who never tooke paines to purifie our hearts nor to rub off the fully and filth of a vaine Conversation We cannot look for pleasures at Gods Right Hand forevermore who in our life and strength preferred a vaine perishing and now a tormenting pleasure before them But great peace have they that keep thy Law and nothing shall offend them Psal 119. verse 165. Great peace have they in death who painfully served God in life Their hope shall not make them ashamed for they commit their spirit into His hand Who hath redeemed them the Lord God of Truth they go to Him whose salvation their eyes have seen and whose they are and whom they served What can dismay them now can death can the grave No they are both swallowed up in victory They put death on the one side and immortalitie on the other worms on the one side and Angells on the other rottennesse on the one side and Christ Iesus on the other and now they are bold and love rather to remove out of the body and to dwell with the Lord Christ with Him together with the Father and the Holy Ghost to have continuall fellowship and everlasting communion Such honour have all the Saints Death is no other thing to them now then as the flame to the Angell Å¿ Judges 13. 20. for thereby though clean contrary to the nature thereof they ascend to their everlasting mansions there to see the good of His chosen to rejoyce in the gladnesse of His Nation and glory in His inheritance There to take possâ—ssion of that crown of Righteousnesse which the Lord the Righteous Iudge shall give them at that day when with all the Patriarchs t Patriarcharâ—m consortium Propheâ—â—rum societatem Apostolorum germanitatem Martyrum dignitatem c. Calv. Ad eccles cath lib. 2. p. 398. Prophets Apostles all the Antipasses those faithfull witnesses not yet made perfect u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost in ep ad Heb. cap. 11. hom 28. â— â— 1. Pet. 1. 13. they shall be made perfect There to make up that tribute of praise wherein while they lived on earth they were wanting bearing part for ever in that heavenly quire saying Blessing and glory and wisdome and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be unto our God for ever and ever Amen Revel 7. 12. Thus my deare Children I thought