as unspeakable joyes in Heaven Nor will this be their case alone that are desparately wicked cursing and blaspheming Drunkards and sheders of blood but of all impenitent persons As for instance They who have lived in the fire of lust here must not think much to be scorched in the flames of Hell hereafter Heb. 13.4 Rev. 21.8 22.15 The detractor is a devil above ground his tongue is already set on fire from hell James 3.6 Rev. 16.10 11. which does sadly presage what will be his portion for ever unless repentaâ—ce quench those flames and so of the like offenders Psal. 9.17 Revel 22.12 As what sayes the Apostle Neither fornicators nor thieves nor murtherers nor drunkards nor swearers nor raylors nor lyers nor covetous persons nor unbelievers nor no unrighteous persons shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven but shall have their part and portion in that lake which burneth with the fire and brimstone which is the second death 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Rev. 21.8 which did they well consider they durst not continue in the practise of these sins without fear or remorse or care of amendment Sect. 5. Now what heart would not bleed to see men run headlong into these tortures that are thus intollerable Dance hoodwinkt into this perdition O that it were allowed to the desperate russians of our dayes that swear and curse drink and drab rob shed blood c. as if Heaven were blind and deaf to what they do to have but a sight of this Hell how would it charm their mouths appale their spirits strikâ— fear and astonishment into their hearts Yea if a sinner could see but one glimpse of hell or be suffered to look one moment into that fiery Lake he would rath 〈…〉 sin Nor can I think they would do as they do if they did but either see or foresee what they shall one day without serious and unfeigned repentance feel And indeed therefore are we dissolute because we do not think what a judgment there is after our dissolution because we make it the least and last thing we think on yea it is death we think to think upon death and we cannot endure that dolefull bell which summons us to judgment Lam. 1.9 Deut. 32.29 Oh that men would believe and consider this truth and do accordingly Oh that thou wouldest remember that there is a day of account a day of death a day of judgment coming Heb. 9.27 Matth. 25. wherein the Lord Iesus Christ shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire to render vengeance unto them which obey not his Gospel and to punish them with everlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power as the Apostle speaks 2 Thes. 1.7 8 9. Iude 15. Isa. 33 14. Mat. 25.46 As consider seriously I beseech you whether it will not be worth the while so to foresee the torments of Hell that you may prevent them Or if otherwise will you not one day wish you had when death comes and arrests you to appear before the great and terrible Iudge of all the world Luke 16 23. to 32. Matth. 13.30 38. at which time an Assizes or Quarter-Sessions shall be held within thee where Reason shall sit as Iudge and Satan shall put in a Bill of Indictment as long as that Book in Zechary Chap. 5.2 Ezek. 2.9 10. wherein shall be alleged all the evil deeds that ever thou hast committed and all the good deeds that ever thou hast omitted with their several circumstances that may aggravate them Eccles. 11.9 12.14 2 Cor. 5.10 and all the curses and judgments that are due to every sin Thine own Conscience shall accuse thee and thy memory shall give bitter evidence against thee and thou shalt condemn thy self before the just condemnation of thy Iudg who knows all thy misdeeds better than thy self 1 Iohn 3 20. Which sins of thine will not then leave thee but cry unto thee We are thy works and we will follow thee Rev. 14.13 And then who can sufficiently express what thy grief and anguish will be when the summons both of the first and second death do overtake thee at once Prov. 1.27 And when at once thou shalt think of thy sins past thy present misery and the terrour of thy torments to come and how thou hast made Earth thy Paradise thy belly thy God and lust thy Law so sowing vanity and reaping misery And finding that as in thy prosperity thou neglectedst to serve God so now in thy adversity God refuseth to save thee Prov. 1.24 to 32. Ezek. 23.35 When thou shalt call to mind the many warnings thou hast had of this dolefull day from Christs faithfull Ambassadours and how thou then madest but a mock or jeer at it Prov. 1 25. and think how for the short sinfull pleasures thou hast enjoyed thou must endure eternal pains Luk. 16.24 25. Rev. 6.12.10.18 Which yet thou shalt think most just and equal saying As I have deserved so I am served for I was oft enough offered mercy yea 〈◊〉 to accept thereof but I preferrâ—◠〈◊〉 pleasing of my 〈…〉 and the allurements of Satan than the Word of God or the motions of his holy Spirit Prov. 1.24 c. Mark 16.16 And which I would have thee think upon Hell fire is made more hot by neglecting so great salvation Heb. 2.3 This is the condemnation saith our Saviour none like this that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil Joh. 3.29 Now salvation is freely offered but men reject it hereafter they would accept of salvation but God will reject them Yea then a whole world if thou hadst it for one hours delay or â—â—spite that thou mightest have space to repent and sue unto God for mercy but it cannot be because thy body which joyned with thy soul in thy sinfull actions is now altogether unfit to joyn with her in the exercise of repentance and repentance must be of the whole man Besides death will take no pitty the Devil knows no mercy and the God of mercy will have utterly forsaken thee Then wilt thou say Oh that I had been more wise or that I were now to begin my life again then would I contemn the world with all its vanities yea if Satan should then offer me all the treasures pleasures and promotions of this world he should never entice me to forget the terrours of this dreadfull hour and those worse which are to follow Luke 16.24 c. 13.28 But Oh wretched Caitiff that I am how hath the Devil and my own deceitfull and devilish heart deluded me and how am I served accordingly For now is my case more miserable than the most despised Toad or Serpent that perisheth when it dieth in that I must go to answer at the great Judgement-seat for all my sins that am not able to answer for one of the least of them Eccles. 12.14 Mat. 18.34 that I
who is baptized for in that number we shall find abundance of Hereticks no fewer Hypocrites and innâ—merable ungodly persons some not informed in their Iudgements the rest not reformed in their lives Neither is it enough that we are civil honest men whom none can justly accuse for we are commanded 1 Pet. 3.11 to eschue evil and to do good to eschue evil is the first lesson of Christianity but not all to do good is the second and greater half 2 â—im 2.19 Let every one that calls on the Name of the Lord depart from iniquity that is one step but not high enough We must also do the will of our Father Iohn 7.17 Every Tree that brings not forth good fruit for all it brings forth no bad shall be cut down for the Fire And the servant that doth not imploy and increase his Talent for all he returns it safe and whole to his Master shall be bound hand and foot and cast into utter darkness Matth. 25.30 Thou hast a servant who is neither Thiefe nor Drunkard nor Swearer no none is able to tax him with any vice or unthriftiness yet bacause he sits all day with his hand in his bosom and does nothing thou correctest him Why what harm hath he done Thou canst not charge him with any thing but his not doing of something yet he deserves chastisement So in this case there needs no more to prove thee wicked and to make thee of the number of those Goats which shall be placed at Christ's left hand and to whom he shall say Depart ye cursed then that thou hast not done these works of mercy which are no less commanded then the wickedst actions are forbidden Good deeds are such that no man is saved for them nor without them Indeed Faith is the life of a Christian but the breath whereby he is known to live is Charity 1 Cor 13.3 Faith doth justifie our works do testifie that we are justified Therefore justifie thy Faith that thy Faith may justifie thee There is much Faith talked of but little faithfulness manifested abundance of love but not a spark of Charity Gal. 5.22 But let men pretend what they wil he that hath Grace or the love of God in his heart wil shew it in Works of mercy to the end that God may be honored and others won and edified thereby Blessed are the pure in heart saith our Saviour for they shall see God Matth. 5.8 They must lead vertuous lives on Earth that ever expect in Heaven to see the Lord Iesus Now the inward disposition of the heart is outwardly ingraven in the life Shew me thy faith by thy works sayes Iames Iam. 2.18 That is by thy active obedience which consisteth in doing God's Commandments and passive obedience in suffering his Chastisements Though Faith be alone in Justification yet not in the justified as the Eye though alone in seeing yet not in him that seeth but joined with the Ears Nose Hands and many other members of the body Faith the Queen of Graces hath her Gentleman-Usher before and her Servants following after If you see not Repentance go before Faith nor Works attending on her know that it is not she There is a zeal without knowledge and there is a knowledge without zeal there is a faith without obedience and there is an obedience without faith there is a love without fear there is a fear without love both are hypocrites We are justified by faith sayes Paul Rom. 4.3 We are justified by works says Iames Iam. 2.21 St. Iames dealt with them that stood too much upon Faith without Works S. Paul dealt with them that stood too much upon Works without Faith Wicked men if we mark it are all for extreams and extreams onely bear rule in this World because there is still but one virtue for two vices which cowch so close beside her that the natural man can scarce see her as for instance you shall ever see Pride on the one side Rusticity on the other side and comeliness in the midst Flattery on the one side Malice on the other side and Love in the midst Diffidence on the one side Presumption on the other side and Faith in the midst Superstition on the one side Atheism on the other side and Religion in the midst Ignorance on the one side Curiosity on the other side and knowledge in the midst Carefulness on the one side Carelesness on the other side and Diligence in the midst Covetousness on the one side Prodigallity on the other side and Frugallity in the midst But to these Virtues or to keep the mean Worldlings are always to seek as hereafter they wil be of a blessing Gods Servants are known by this they square all their actions and intentions by the Rule of the Word as knowing that if they do never so much to satisfie anothers Will or their own it avails nothing with God if it be not done for God Therefore David prayes Teach me O Lord to do thy will not my Will for we need not be taught to do our own wills every man can go to Hell without a Guide Now he that wil do Gods Will and live by the direct Rule of his Word must repent and believe the Gospel Mark 1.15 that is joyn with his faith in God's Promises obedience to his Precepts For Faith and Obedience are as inseparable as life and motion the Sun and its light And alâ—beit in our Justification Christ saith Fiat tibi secundum fidem tuam be it unto thee according to thy Faith Matth 9.29 Yet in our salvation Redditur unicuique secundum opera sua Every man shall be rewarded according to his works Matth. 16.27 Neither wil Christ say when he shal sit upon his throne Ye have believed but you have done Come ye blessed Matth. 25.35 and in Matth. 25.21 Well done good Servants not wel known nor wel spoken nor wel purposed but wel done This is the perfect Rule Gal. 6.16 And as many as walk according to this Rnle peace shall be upon them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Again it is not knowing or hearing or preaching or casting out Devils in Christs Name nor praying Lord Lord c. but he that doth his will and when he hath done it accounts himself an uprofitable servant that shal be saved Luke 17.10 And indeed if men were not wilfully blind and did not choose to follow the deceitfulness of their own hearts rather then believe God's Word It were impossible they should ever hope for mercy without filial Obedience since the Scripture thoroughout continually calls for practice as to ad some instances to the former If you ask God who shall dwell in his holy Mountain he saith The man which walketh uprightly Psal. 15.2 If ye ask Christ who shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven he saith Not they which cry Lord Lord though they cry twice Lord but they which do the will of my Father Mat. 7.22 If you ask him again How
a shepheard and of a Wolf a Sheep of Christs fold 4. And lastly If we consider our own future estate we have no lesse cause to contemn their evil words for it is not materiall to our well or ill being what censures passe upon us the tongues of the living avail nothing to the good or hurt of those that lye in their graves they can neither diminish their joy nor yet add to their torment if they finde any There is no Common Law in the New Ierusalem there truth will be received though either plaintiff or defendant speaks it Yea there shall be a resurrection of our credits as well as of our bodies Nay suppose they should turn their words into blowes and in stead of using their tongues take up their swords and kill us they shall rather pleasure than hurt us When Iohn Baptist was delivered from a double prison of his own of Herods and placed in the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God what did he lose by it His head was taken off that it might be crowned with glory he had no ill bargain of it they did but hasten him to immortality and the Churches daily prayer is Come Lord Iesus come quickly Yea what said blessed Bradford In Christs cause to suffer death is the way to Heaven on Horsback which hath made some even slight the sentence of death and make nothing of it It is recorded of one Martyr that hearing the sentence of his condemnation read wherein was exprest many severall tortures of starving killing boyling burning and the like which he should suffer he turns to the People and with a smiling countenance saies And all this is but one death and each Christian may say of what kinde soever his sufferings be The sooner I get home the sooner I shall be at ease Yea whatever threatens to befall him he may answer it as once that noble Spartan who being told of the death of his Children answered I knew well they were all begot mortall Secondly that his goods were confiscate I knew what was but for my use was not mine Thirdly that his honour was gone I knew no glory could be everlasting on this miserable Earth Fourthly that his sentence was to dye That 's nothing Nature hath given like sentence both of my condemners and me Wicked men have the advantage of the way but godly men of the end Who fear not death because they feared God in their life So we see the cudgell is not of use when the Beast but only barks nay tell me how wouldest thou endure wounds for thy Saviour that canst not endure words for him if when a man reviles thee thou art impatient how wouldest thou afford thy ashes to Christ and write patience with thine own bloud CHAP. XXV That their expectation may not be answered 3. BEcause he will not answer his enemies expectation in which kinde he is revenged of his enemy even while he refuseth to revenge himself For as there is no such grief to a Iester or Iugler as when he doth see that with all his jests tricks and â—ooleries he cannot move mirth nor change the countenances of them that see and hear him so there can be no greater vexation to a wicked and malicious enemy than to see thee no whit grieved nor moved at his malice against thee but that thou dost so bear his injuries as if they were none at all Yea he which makes the tryall shall finde that his enemy is more vexed with his silence than if he should return like for like Dion of Alexandria was wont to take this revenge of his enemies amongst whom there was one who perceiving that by injuring and reviling of him he could not move him to impatience whereby he might have more scope to rayl went and made away with himself as Brusonius reports And Montaigne tells us of a Citizen that having a Scold to his Wife would play on his Drum when she brawled and rather seem to be pleased with it than angry and this for the present did so mad her that she was more vexed with her self than with him but when she saw how it succeeded and that this would not prevail in the end it made her quite leave off the same and prove a loving wife that so she might overcome him with kindnesse and win him to her bow by bending as much the other way that so like a prudent Wife she might command heâ— Husband by obeying And whosoever makes the tryall shall finde that Christian patience and magnanimous contempt will in time either drain the gall out of bitter spirits or make it more overflow to their own disgrace At least it will still the barking tongue and that alone will be worth our labour Satan and his instruments cannot so vex us with sufferings as we vex them with our patience It hath been a torment to Tyrants to see that they were no way able either with threats or promises kindnesse or cruelty to make the Christians yeeld but that they were as immoveable as a Rock it being true of them which is but fained of Iupiter namely that neither Iuno through her riches nor Mercury through his eloquence nor Vonus through her beauty nor Mars through his threats nor all the rest of the gods though they conspired together could pull him out of Heaven Neither feared they to die knowing that death was but their passage to a state of immortality But to go on you cannot anger a wicked man worse than to do well yea he hates you more bitterly for this and the credit you gain thereby then if you had cheated him of his patrimony with your own discredit nor do they more envy our grace than they rejoyce is see us sin For what makes God angry makes them merry And they so hunger and thirst after our discredit that should we through passion but overshoot our selves in returning like for like or in doing more than befits us they would feed themselves with the report of it for like flesh-flies our wounds are their chief nourishment and nothing so glads their hearts or opens their mouthes with insolency and triumph Besides what is scarce thought a fault in other men is held in us a hainous crime When they could not accuse Christ of sinne they accused him for companying with sinners and doing good on the Sabboth day When the Rulers and Governours could finde no fault in Daniel concerning the Kingdom he was so faithfull they alledged his praying to God and brought that within compasse of a Premunire Dan. 6.4.13 The World is ever taxing the least fault yea no fault or rather the want of faults in the best men because one imaginary cloud in a just man shall in their censure darken all the starres of his graces yea the smallest spot in his face shall excuse all the sores and ulcers in their bodies so that by answering their expectation or by returning like for like we shall both wrong our selves and pleasure them which
think themselves so but weary and heavy-laden sinnâ—rs to repentance Matth. 10.6 15.24 18.11 9.12 13. 1 Tim. 1 1â— Luke 1.53 Sect. III. Again this is an infallible truth that without repentance there is no being saved and what hope of their serious and unfained repentance For sin must be seen before it can be sorrowed for A man must know himself sick before he will seek to the Physician Yea where is no discovery of the disease the recovery of the health is in vain hoped for Which makes Cyprian say that it is as meer lost labour to preach unto a man the things of God before he is humbled with the sight of his wants as to offer light to a blinde man to speak to a deaf man or to labour to make a brute beast wise Besides if wee look to be saved by any thing that we can do Christ can profit us nothing For the Son of man is come â—o seek and to save only that which was lost the lost sheep of the house of Israel Matth. 18.11 Luke 19.10 1 Tim. 115. even such as utterly despair in regard of all other helps Nor is he any way fit for absolution who findes not himself worthy of condemnation We shall find no sweetness in Christs blood till we feel the smart of our own sins Yea no men under Heaven are in so hopeless a condition as they who think to be saved by their performances or any other thing or means then by the righteousness of Christ alone It faring with them as it doth with unskillful swimmers who when they begin to sink if they catch hold of weeds in the bottom the faster they hold the surer they are to be drowned Sect. IV. Fourthly and lastly there needs no more to condemn these men then their ignorance of such saving truths especially in such glorious times of light and grace as these are wherein they may hear the Word preached every day in the week if they did not slâ—ght and disregard it which aggravates their sin exceedingly For though it be enough that God hath set down his will in his Word most plainly and we may read or hear it read were it at any rate and that the Epitomy of the whole Law is writ in every mans heart whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you even so do ye unto them Matth. 7.12 As it serves not a Malefactâ—rs turn to plead ignorantiam juris he knew not the Law of his Prinâ—â— which he hath broken for if the King have once proclaimed any thing 〈◊〉 the subject after sufficient time of notifying his will be ignorant of 〈◊〉 at his own peril be it Yet to be affectedly ignorant and to shut 〈◊〉 eyes against the light of the Gospel is by far more damnable this is a sin with a witnesse As what says our Saviour Iohn 3.19 This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather then light because their deeds were evil And so on the contrary This is life eternal to know thee the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent Joh. 17.3 Besides without knowledge the mind cannot be good as wise Solomon affirms Prov. 19. 2 A man may know the will of God and yet not do it but he cannot do it except he know it Neither can he be born of God that knoweth him not 1 Ioh. 4.7 not â—an he love God 〈…〉 out thy fury upon the Heathen that know thee not Psal. 79.6 And that other more terrible 2 Thes. 1.7 8. The Lord Iesus shall be revealed from Heaven in flaming fire to take vengeance on them that know not God Whence the Prophet Isaiah is peremptory It is a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercy upon them and he that formed them will shew them no favour Isa. 27.11 Observe these Scriptures you ignorant souls that think your ignorance will excuse you and let not Satan nor your deceitfull hearts so delude you as to think that God is in jest where he saith My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge and because thou hast rejected knowledge I will also reject thee Hosea 4.6 Or if you do you shall one day find him in earnest For as you know not Christ here so when you shall look for entrance into his Kingdome hereafter he shall say unto you Depart from me I know you not Matth. 25.12 41. which will be but a sad saying And far better were it that you were ignorant of all other things which makes St Paul say I desire to know nothing among you save Iesus Christ and him Crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 Sect. V. Now this being the case of millions in this City and so all the Land over what can we other then conclude That few even amongst us shall be saved as our Saviour affirms Matth 7.13 14. 20.16 And that the whole world lieth in wickedness as St Iohn speaks 1 Ioh. 5.19 And that the number of those whom Satan shall deceive is as the sand of the Sea Rev. 20.8 13.15 16 17. Isa. 10.22 Rom. 9.27 VVhich being so I hold my self bound to acquaint them what every one must of neccessity know or they cannot be saved the which I will do in a few lines that all who will may have the benefit thereof VVherefore let all such if they have ears hear what I shall say unto them out of God's Word in laying open those three Fundamental principles before mentioned Sect. VI. Touching the bounty and goodness of GOD in Man's Creation these things would be known 1. That God in the beginning made man in Paradise after all his other works that he might come as to a sumptuous palace ready furnished 2. That he was made a compendium and abridgment of all the other creatures as being a little world of himself for whereas Planets have being not life Plants have life not sense beasts have sense not reason Angels have being life reason not sence Man hath all and contains in him more generality then the Angels viz. being life sense reason 3. That as he was made Lord of and had dominion over all so he did excell all other visible creatures 1. In that he had a reasonable soul 2. In that he hath a speaking tongue 3. In that he was made upright with his face lifted up to heaven-ward 4. In that all things were made subject to him 〈…〉 More especially we are to know that as God made all things else for mans use and service so he created man male and female more immediately for his own honor and service and did accordingly adorn him with gifts and abilities above all other visible creatures For God made us had not we unmade our selves after his own Image endowing us as with reasonable and immortal souls so with perfection of all true wisdome holiness and righteousness writing his Law in our hearts and giving us ability to obey and fulfil the same in every point
will find that they are mockers of all that match not under the pay of the Devil Besides it is the very depth of sin roaring and drinking is the horse-way to Hell whoring and cheating the foot-way but Swearing and Cursing follows Korah Dathan and Abâ—ram And certainly if the infernal Tophet be not for these men it can challenge no guests Again Why dost thou curse thine enemy if he be so but because thou canst not be suffered to kill him For in heart and God account thou art a murtherer in wishing him the pox plague or that he were hanged or damned Nor will it be any rare thing at the day of judgment for Cursers to be indicted of murther For like Shimei and Goliah to David thou wouldst kill him if thou durst thou doest kill him so far as thou canst I would be loath to trust his hands that bans me with his tongue Had David been at the mercy of either Shimei or Goliah and not too strong for them he had then breathed his last Such as would know how witless graceless and shameless even the best are that use to curse for I pass over such as call for a Curse on themselves saying God damn me confound me The Devil take me and the like which would make a rational man tremble to name because I were as good knock at a dead mans grave as speak to them let them read my larger piece entituled A hopefull way to Cure that horrid sin of swearing page 8 c. In the mean time take notice what will be the issue The causeless curse shall not 〈◊〉 where the Curser meant it Prov. 26 2. yea though thou cursest 〈◊〉 God will bless Psal. 109.28 but thy Curses shall be sure to 〈◊〉 back into thine own brest Psal. 7.14 15 16. Prov. 14.30 Cursing mouthes are like ill made Peeces which while men discharge 〈◊〉 others recoâ—l iâ— splinters on their own faces Their words and 〈◊〉 be but whirlewinds which being breathed forth return again to the same place As hear how the Holy Ghost delivers it Psal. 109 〈◊〉 he loved cursing so shall it come unto him and as he loved not blessing so shall it be far from him As he cloathed himself 〈◊〉 cursing like a garment so shall it 〈◊〉 into his bowels like water and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into his 〈…〉 be unto him as a garment to cover him and for a â—â—rdle wherewith he shall alwayes be girded verse 17 18 19. Hear this all 〈◊〉 whose tongues run so fast on the Devils errand you loved Cursing you shall have it both upon you about you and in you and that everlastingly if you persevere and go on for Christ himself at the last day even he which came to save the world shall say unto all such Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Matth. 25.41 where they shall do nothing but curse for evermore And indeed who shall go to Hell if Cursers should be left out Wherefore let all those learn to bless that look to be heirs of the blessing Consider what hath been said and the Lord give you understanding in all things II. To all that in the midst of such plentifull means of light and grace are ignorant of these three main points which every one must of necessity know or he cannot be saved viz. How man was at first Created How he is now Corrupted How he may be again Restored Without knowledg the soul cannot be good Prov. 19.2 This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil John 3.19 If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost whom the God of this world hath blinded c. 2 Cor. 4.3 4. Pour out thy â—ury upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon the Faâ—â—lies that call not on thy Name Jer. 10.25 Psal. 79.6 It is a people of no understanding therefore he that made them shall not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour Isa. 27.11 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledg because thou hast rejected knowledg I will also reject thee Hos. 4.6 The Lord Iesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them which know not God 2 Thes. 1.7 8. Take special notice of these Predictions and Testimonies touching ignorant personâ— for they are a notable proof of the very small number of those that shall be saved set down Mat. 7.13 14. and 20.16 1 Iohn 5.19 Rev. 20.8 〈◊〉 13.15 16 17. Isa. 10.22 Rom. 9.27 For consident I am out of sufficient experience that nineteen of twenty all the Land over are ignorant of the very first principles of Christianity Of which more in a 〈◊〉 â—â—tituled A short and sure way to grace and salvation London Printed by D. M. to be sold by Henry Crips in Popes-head-alley by 〈…〉 The Blemish of Government the Shame of Religion the Disgrace of Mankinde or a Charge drawn up against Drunkards and presented to his Highness the Lord PROTECTOR in the name of all the Sober Partie in the three Nations Humbly craving that they may be kept alone by themselves from infecting others compelled to work and earn what they consume And that none may be suffered to sell Drink who shall either Swear or be Drunk themselves or suffer Others within their Walls By R. Younge of Roxwell in Essex 1. BRANCH of the Charge THat as the Basiliske is chief of Serpents so of sinners the Drunkard is chief That Drunkennesse is of sins the Queen as the Gowt is of diseases even the root of all evill the rot of all good A sin which turns a man wholly into sin That all sins all beast-like all serpentine qualities meet in a Drunkard as rivers in the sea and that it were far better be a Toad or a Serpent then a Drunkard That the Drunkard is like Ahab who sold himself to work wickednesse That he wholly dedicates resignes surrenders and gives himself up to serve sin and Satan That his onely imploiment is to drink drab quarrel swear curse scoffe slander and seducet as if to sin were his trade and he could do nothing else like the Divel who was a sinner from the beginning a sinner to the end That these sons of Belial are all for the belly for to drink God out of their hearts health out of their bodies wit out of their heads strength out of their joints all the money out of their purses all the drink out of the Brewers barrels wife and children out of doors the house out at windowes the Land out of quiet plentie out of the Nation is all their businesse In which their swinish swilling they resemble so many frogs in a puddle or water-snakes in a pond for their whole exercise yea religion is to drink they even drown themselves on the dâ—â—eâ—â—nd That they drink more spirits in one night
do you unto them for this is the Law and the Prophets Matth. 7.12 Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thine heart but thou shalt plainly tell him of his faults and suffer him not to sin Levit. 19.17 And then consider how few there are amongst us and how rare onely here and there one like rich men among the multitude or jewels among other stuff that either do or care to walk by this golden Rule Yea that instead thereof make not the World onely their God and Pleasure or Profit alone their Religion § 2. Secondly Observe ô that we had the grace seriously to observe and mindeâ— but the Predictions touching the paucity fewness of those that shall be saved Strive to enter in at the strait gate for many will seek to enter and shall not be able because strait is the gate and narrow the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that finde it But wide is the gate and broad the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be that go in thereat Matth. 7.13 14. Luke 13.23 24. Again Many are called viz. by the outward Ministery of the Word but few chosen Mat. 20.16 and 22.24 Yea St. Iohn affirmeth that the whole world lieth in wickedness 1 John 1.19 And that the number of those whom Satan shall deceive is as the sand of the Sea Revel 20.8 and 13.15 16 17. Esa. 10.22 Rom. 9.27 And we finde it too true by sad experience for what eyes can but run over to see for the most part how ignorant and erroneous men are and what lives they leads for scarce one of a hundred whose knowledge belief and life is in any degree answerable to the Gospel or the Title that they bear for Christians they are called but no otherwise then the Heathen Images are called Gods because he that is a Christian indeed will strive to imitate Christ and square his life in some measure according to the rule of Gods Word § 3. Thirdly Observe but the Testimonies manifesting how they must be qualified who mean to be saved O that we would but believe them for God expresly tells us That no unrighteous person shall ever inherit the Kingdome of Heaven but that such shall have their part and portion in that lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Gal. â— 21 Rev. 21.8 And that without holinesse no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 And that except our righteousness exceeds the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharisees who yet excelled our formall Hypocrites and civil Iusticiaries we cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Mat. 5. 20. And that he will recompence every man according to his works be they good or evil Psal. â—2 12 Rev. 10.13 22.12 Rom. 2.6 Ier. 2â— 14 and 82. 19. and 50.29 and 51.56 Ezek. 7.4 8 9. and 9.10 and 11.21 and 16. â—â— And that we shall give an account at the day of Iudgement for every idle word we speak Mat. 12.36 And that Christ will come the second time in â—aming fire to render vengeance unto them that know him not and that obey not his Gospel 2 Thes. 1.7 8. Psal. 11.6 Yea the Lord tels us expresly that he will not be mercifull to such as flatter themselvâ—s in an evil way but that his wrath and jealousie shall smoke against them and every curse that is written in his book shall light upon them c. Deut. 29.19 20. And that if we will not regard nor hearken unto him when he calls upon us for repentance he will not hear nor regard us when in our distress and anguish we shall call upon him for mercie but even laugh at our destruction and mock when our fear cometh Prov. 1.24 to 33. See other places to this purpose Hebr. 12.29 Deut. 4.24 Mat. 25.30 41 to 46. and 3.10 § 4 Nor can it indeed consist with his justice to pardon such as continue in an evil course of life neither was it ever heard that any ascended into heaven without going up the staires of new obedience that any have attained unto everlasting life without faith repentance and sanctification of Spirit For even the Thief upon the Crosse believed in Christ and shewed the fruits of his faith in acknowledging his own sin in reproving his fellow in confessing his Saviour even when all denied and forsook him in calling upon his Name and desiring by his means and merits everlasting life Besides we read not that ever he was outwardly called until this very hour Secondly though there was one saved at the last hour that none might despair yet there was but one that none should presume Thirdly the Thiefs conversion was one of the miracles with the glory whereof our Saviour would honour the ignominy of his Cross. Fourthly he was saved at the very instant of time when our Saviour triumphed on the Crosse took his leave of the world and entred into his glory And it is usual with Princes to save some hainous Malefactors aâ— their Coronation when they enter upon their Kingdoms in triumph which they are never known to do afterwards Nor was his sudden conversion ever intended in Gods purpose for an encouragement to Procrastinators And therefore no cause have we to expect that he should deal after a new and extraordinary way with us then he hath with all others and so break the course of his so just and so long continued proceedings Yea he binds it with an Oath that whomsoevr he redeemeth out of the hands of their spiritual enemies they shall worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of their lives Luk. 1.73 74 75. 1 Pet. 2.24 Which Scriptures sufficiently shew that they who in life wil yield no obedience to the Law shall in death have no benefit by the Gospel Nor ought any indeed to proâ—esâ— Christ or once to name him with their mouths except they depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 § 5. The which Scriptures if they be true and they fall short of the Devils that deny it Iam. 2.19 what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse as the Apostle speaks 2 Pet. 3.11 And yet most men live as if the Gospel were quite contrary to the rule of the Law as if God were neither to be feared nor cared for as if they were neither beholding to him nor stood in awe of him both out of his debt and danger yea as if there were no God to judge nor Hell to punish nor Heaven to reward And which mightily aggravates their sin and will add to their torment let some Boanerges be sent unto them with a message from God it fares with them as with the Adder no charming can charm them The strongest command the loudest denunciations of judgements the shrillest and sweetest promuâ—gations of mercies will do no good upon them For while they are in Dalilahs lap and lie sleeping like Drones by the hearth of hell they think themselves
to that renowned Captain Bellizarius It was yet worse which Popilius shewed to Cicero which Lycaon shewed to his stranger guests that came to him for relief It was worst of all in the Iews to scourge and crucifie Christ who did them good every way for he healed their diseases fed their bodies enlightened their mindes of God became Man and lived miserably amongst them many years that he might save their souls though in killing him they did their utmost to sink the onely ship that could save them But all these fall far short of our ingratitude to God for his maintenance we take and live on the bread we eat the air we breath the cloaths we weare all are his § 3. That we are out of Hel there to fry in flames never to be freed That we have the free offer of grace here and everlasting glory hereafter in Heaven where are such joyes as eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath entred into the heart of man to conceive 1 Cor. 2.9 we are beholding to him Yet we not onely deny this Lord that hath bought us as every one does that prefers Mammon or any other thing before him but we hate him as he doth hate and not love God that loves what he hates or hates what he loves but most spightfully and maliciously fight on Satans and sins side against him and persecute his Children and the truth with all our might perswading and enforcing others to do the same even wishing that we could pull him out of his Throne rather then to admit him our just Iudge And all this against knowledge and conscience after illumination I wish men would a little think of it and then if this will not melt their hearts no hope that any other means should do it but perish they must § 4. I confess I have small hope that what hath been said of Gods love and our odious unthankfulness his goodness and our ingratitude which being seriously considered were enough to bring the whole world upon their knees should make them any whit ashamed or the better because their blockishness is such that they think themselves good enough and that to doubt of it or strive to be more holy were but a foolish and needless scrupulosity Yea they prefer their condition before other mens that are so consciencious A thing strange yet it is so For although there be not a leaf in the sacred Volume but hath matter against a voluptuous life none for it For â—o please flesh and blood is the Doctrine of the Devill Yet how do a woâ—ld of men stifle their consciences and force themselves to believe if it were possible that in case men will not swear drink drunk conform to their lewd customes and the like they are over-precise and that God will like a man the worse for his being the better or for having of a tender Conscience And that he looks for less fear reverence and obedience from his servants then we do from our servants and yet hold that a servant can never be too punctual in his obedience to his Masters lawful commands They think it not enough for themselves to prefer the pleasing of their senses before the saving of their souls and to venture tasting the forbidden fruit at the price of death eternal but they account them fools that do otherwise CHAP. VII § 1. O My brethren it is not to be believed how blinde and blockish men are that have hardened their hearts and seared their consciences with accustomary sinning for albeit I have informed them how dangerous their estate is that they might plainly see it truly fear it and timely prevent it yet I have very little hope to do any good upon them For first These lines to them are but as so many Characters writ in the water which leave no impression behinde them as being like one that beholdeth his natural face in a glass who when he hath considered himself goeth his way and forgetteth immediately what manner of one he was James 1.23 24. of like some silly Fly which being beat from the Candle and hundred times and oft singed therein yet will return to it again until she be consumed Prov. 23.35 All those Beasts which went into the Ark unclean came likewise out unclean Secondly Though these sparks of grace may kindle piety in others yet not in them for they are out of all hope of being healed For what is light to them that will shut their eyes against it or reason to them that will stop their ears from hearing it and men of their condition do on purpose stop their ears and wink with their eyes lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and so should be converted as our Saviour shews Matth. 13.15 and St. Paul Acts 28.27 yea it 's well if they do not carp and fret against the Word and persecute the Messengers as Herod did Iohn Baptist Demetrius Paul and the false Prophets Ieremiah And how should not that patient perish who after he is launced flies from the Chirurgion before the binding up of his wound Or how should not that sin be past cure which strives against the cure certainly salvation it selfe will not save those that spill the potion and fling away the plaister O if these Adders had not stopt their ears how long since had they been charmed I grant they have reason so to do such as it is For will a Leper take pleasure in the searching of his sores and Satan the like for if they could clearly see the loathsomnesse of their impieties it were not possible not to abbor them not to abhor themselves for them but their blindnesse makes them love their own filthinesse as Ethiopians do their own swarthinesse § 2. And to tell you the truth though I speak against my self had I not a further reach in it it were an unreasonable motion in me if I should request mindes propossest with prejudice to hear reason Since the World and the Devil hath so forestalled their judgements therewith against Gods people and goodnesse it self that they resolve never to be better then they are And where Satan hath set this his porter of prejudice though Christ himself were on earth that soul would make an ill construction of whatsoever he did or spake as we see in the Scribes and Pharisees who when he wrought miracles reputed him a sorcerer when he cast out Devils thought it to be by the power and Prince of Devils when he reproved sinners he was a seducer when he received sinners he was their favourer when he healed the sick he was a Sabbath-breaker and the like yea they counted him the greatest offender that offended not once in all his life which would make a wise man suspect his own judgement or the common â—ame and to examine things throughly before they condemn one whom they know no evil by Yet this is the case of these men of most men for
serve God as our servants serve us of which many have too good cloaths others too much wages or are too fine fed to do work as â—sops Hen being over-fed was too fat to lay or perhaps too many under them as a Gentleman having but one servant thought him over-burdened with work and therefore took another to help him but having two one of them so trusted to the others observance that oft-times they were both missing and the work not done then he chose a third but was worse served them then before whereupon he told his friend When I had one servant I had a servant when I had two I had but half an one now I have three I have never an one Few men can disgest great felicity Many a man hath been a loser by his gains and found that that which multiplied his outward estate hath abated his inward and so on the contrary David was never so tender as when he was hunted like a Partridge 1 Sam. 26.20 Ionah was at best in the Whales belly Stevens face never shone so fair as when he stood before the Council Acts 6.15 Whilest the Romans had wars with Carthage and enemies in Affrick they knew not what vices meant in Rome Now if the winter of the one is found to be the spring of the other and the corruption of prosperity the generation of piety who will esteem those things good which make us worse or that evil which brings such gain and sweetness Before I was afflicted saith David I went astray but now I keep thy commandement Psal. 119.67 These evils do press us but it is to God and to holiness Yea how much lower our afflictions weigh us down on Earth so much the more earnestly our affections mount up to Heaven An Egge will swim in sâ—lt water but sink in fresh so we King David among so many publick and private calamities and disasters kept his head above water and stood upright in his heart to God But King Solomon his son even sunk in the midst of delights and pleasures Too much rankness layeth the Corn and Trees over-laden with Fruit are their own ruine Happy was he Iohn 9. in being born blinde whose gain of bodily sight made way for the spiritual who of a Patient became an Advocate for his Saviour who lost a Synagogue and found Heaven who by being abandoned of sinners was received of the Lord of glory God rarely deprives a man of one faculty but he more then supplies it in another The defect of corporal sight hath not seldome mended the memory for what is taken from one sense is divided amongst the rest When Zachary was dumbe Iohn Baptist the voice was a breeding Hannibal had but one eye Appius Claudius Timelon and Homer were quite blinde So was Mulleasses King of Tunis and Iohn King of Bohemia but for the loss of that one Sense they were recompensed in the rest they had most excellent memories rare inventions and admirable other parts Or suppose he send sickness the worst Feaver can come does not more burn up our blood than our lust and together with sweating out the surfets of nature at the pores of the body we weep out the sinful corruption of our nature at the pores of the conscience Yea the Authour to the Hebrews saith of Christ himself that though he were the Son yet as he was man He learned obedience by the things which he suffered Heb. 5.8 As in humane proceedings Ill manners beget good Laws so in Divine the wicked by their evil tongues beget good and holy lives in the godly Whence Plutarch adviseth us so circumspectly to demean our selves as if our enemies did alwayes behold us Nothing sooner brings us to the knowledge and amendment of our faults then the scoffs of an enemy which made Philip of Macedon acknowledge himself much beholding to his enemies the Athenians for speaking evil of him for saith he they have made me an honest man to prove them liars even barren Leah when she was despised became fruitful So that we may thank our enemies or must thank God for our enemies Our souls shall shine the brighter one day for such rubbing the cold winde cleanseth the good grain the hot fire refines the pure gold Yea put case we be gold they will but try us If Iron they will scowre away our rust I say not that a wicked heart will be bettered by affliction for in the same fire that gold is made bright and pure dâ—oss is burnt and consumed and under the same flail that the grain is purged and preserved the husks are broken and diminished Neither are the Lees therefore confounded with the Wine because they are pressed and trodden under the same press or plank but I speak of affliction sanctified and of the godly Yet let not the wickedest man be discouraged for as when Christ called the blinde man the Disciples said Be of good comfort he calleth thee so I may say to thee that art burthned with any kind of affliction Be of good comfort Christ calleth thee saying Come unto me by repentance and amendment of life and I will ease thee of thy sins and sorrows here and hereafter only as the blinde man threw away his garment and followed Christ so do thou answer him I will forsake my sins and follow thee For if God like a prudent Prince makes offers and fames of war it is but to mend the conditions of peace But farewel I am for the already resolved to whom I say if the needle of affliction be drawn through us by reason of wicked mens malice it is but to convey with it the threed of amendment and their worst to the godly serves but as the thorn to the brest of the Nightingale the which if she chance to sleep causeth her to warble with a renewed cheerfulness For as blowes make balls to mount and lashes make Tops to go which oâ— themselves would fall so with their malice we are spurred up to duty and made persevere in it for commonly like Tops no longer lasht no longer we go Yea these very tempestuous showers bring forth spiritual flowers herbs in abundance Devotion like fire in frosty weather burns hottest in affliction Vertue provoked ads much to it self With the Ark of Noah the higher we are tossed with the flood of their malice the neerer we mount towards Heaven When the waters of the flood came upon the face of the earth down went stately Turrets and Towers but as the waters rose the Ark rose still higher and higher In like sort when the waters of affliction arise down goes the pride of life the lust of the eyes In a word all the vanities of the World But the Ark of the soul ariseth as these waters rise and that higher and higher even neerer and neerer towards Heaven I might illustrate this point by many observable things in nature We see Well-waters arising from deep Springs are hotter in Winter then in Summer because the outward
cold doth keep in and double their inward heat And so of mans body the more extream the cold is without the more doth the natural heat fortifie it self within and guard the heart The Corn receives an inward heat and comfort from the Frost and Snow which lieth upon it Trees lopt and pruned flourish the more and bear the fuller for it The Grape when it is most pressed and trodden maketh the more and better Wine The drossie gold is by the fire refined Windes and Thunder clears the Air Working Seas purge the Wine Fire increaseth the sent of any Perfume Pounding makes all Spices smell the sweeter Linnen when it is buckt and washt and wrung and beaten becomes the whiter and fairer the Earth being torn up by the Plough becomes more rich and fruitful Is there a piece of ground naturally good Let it lie neglected it becomes wilde and barren yea and the more rich and fertile it is of it self the more waste and fruitless it proveth for want of Tillage and Husbandry The Razor though it be tempered with a due proportion of Steel yet if it pass not the Grindstone or Whetstone is never the less unapt to cut yea though it be made once never so sharp if it be not often whelted it waxeth dul All which are lively emblemes of that truth which the Apostle delivers 2 Cor. 4.16 We faint not for though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed daily Even as a Lambe is much more lively and nimble for shearing If by enmity and persecution as with a knife the Lord pareth and pruneth us it is that we may bring forth the more and better fruit and unless we degenerate we shall bear the better for bleeding as Anteus every time rose up the stronger when Hercules threw him to the ground because he got new strength by touching of his Mother O admirable use of affliction health from a wound cure from a disease out of grief joy gain out of loss out of infirmity strength out of sin holiness out of death life yea we shall redeem something of Gods dishonour by sin if we shall thence grow holy But this is a harder Riddle then Sampsons to these Philistims CHAP. 6. That it stirs them up to Prayer 3 THirdly because they quicken our devotion make us pray unto God with more fervency Lord saith Isaiah in trouble they will visit thee they poured out prayers when thy chastening was upon them Isay 26.16 In their affliction saith Hosea they will seek thee diligently Hosea 5.15 That we never pray so feelingly fervently forcibly as in time of affliction may be seen in the examples of the children of Israel Judges 3.9 15. Elisha 2 Kings 6.18 Hezekiah 2 Kings 19.15 16. Stephen Acts 7.59 60. And lastly in Iehosaphat who being told that there was a great multitude coming against him from beyond the Sâ—a out of Aram it follows That Jehosaphat feared and set himself to seek the Lord and proclaimed a Fast throughout all Judeah Yea they came out of all parts and joyned with him to enquire of the Lord 2 Chron. 20.3 4 13. Neither doth it make us alone which suffer earnest in prayer but it makes others also labour in prayer to God for us 2 Cor. 1.10 11. Acts 12.5 12. As what true members participate not some way of the bodies smart It is only a Nero can sit and sing while Rome burns Whence we are taught to pray in the plural number Our Father and certainly he cannot pray or be heard for himself that is no mans friend but his own No prayer without faith no faith without Charity no Charity without mutual intercession But I proceed Crosses are the files and whetstones that set an edge on our Devotions without which they grow dull and ineffectual Ionah sleeps in the Ship but prays hard in the Whales belly Prayer is the wing of the soul wherewith it flies to Heaven as meditation is the Eye wherewith we see God But our hearts are like flint-stones which must be smitâ—en ere they will send out these sparks of devotion Christ never heard of the Canaanitish woman until her daughter was miserably vexed with a Devil but then she comes to him and doth not speak but cry need and desire have raised her voice to an importunate clamour The God of mercy is light of hearing yet he loves a loud and vehement solicitation not to make himself inclinable to grant but to make us capable to receive blessings And indeed the very purpose of affliction is to make us importunate he that hears the secret murmurs of our grief yet wil not seem to hear us till our cries be loud and strong as Demosthenâ—s would not plead for his Client till he cried to him but then answered his sorrow Now I feel thy cause Prayer is as an arrow if it be drawn up but a little it goes not far but if it be pâ—ll'd up to the head flies strongly pierces deep if it be but dribled forth of careless lips it falls down at our feet the strength of our ejaculations sends them up into Heaven and fetches down a blessing The Childe hath escaped many a stripe by his loud crying and the very unjust Iudge cannot endure the widows clamour So unto fervent prayer God will deny nothing Whereas heartless motions do but teach us to deny Fervent suites offer violence both to Earth and Heaven So that if we ask and miss it is because we ask amiss we beat back the flame not with a purpose to suppress it but to raise it higher and to diffuse it We stop the stream that it may swell the more and a denial doth but invite the importunate as we see in the Canaanitish woman Matth. 15. Our holy longings are increased with delayes it whets our appetite to be held fasting and whom will not Need make both humble and â—loquent If the case be woful it will be exprest accordingly the despair of all other helps sends us importunately to the God of power but while money can buy Physick or friends procâ—re enlargement the great Physician and helper is not sought unto nor throughly trusted in It is written of the children of Israel that so soon as they cried unto the Lord he delivered them from their servitude under Eglon King of Moab yet it is plain they were eighteen years under this bondage undelivered Iudges 3.14 15. Doubtless they were not so unsensible of their own misery as not to complain sooner then the end of eighteen years the first hour they sighed for themselves but now they cried unto God They are words and not prayers which fall from careless lips if we would prevail with God we must wrestle and if we would wrestle happily with God we must wrestle first with our own dulness Yea if we felt our want or wanted not desire we could speak to God in no tune but cries and nothing but cries can pierce Heaven The best mens zeal is but
like a fire of green wood which burneth no longer than whiles it is blown Affliction to the soul is as plummets to a Clock or winde to a Ship holy and faithful prayer as oars to a Boat And ill goeth the Boat without Oars or the Ship without winde or the Clock without plummets Now are some afflicted in reputation as Susanna was others in children as Eli some by enemies as David others by friends as Ioseph some in body as Lazarus others in goods as Iob others in liberty as Iohn In all extremities let us send this messenger to Christ for case faithful and fervent prayer if this can but carry the burthen to him he will carry it for us and from us for ever Neither can we want encouragement to ask when as the sick of the Palsie but asked health and obteined also forgiveness of sins When Solomon but desired wisedome and the Lord gave him wisedome and honour and abundance of wealth When Iacob asked but meat and cloathing and God made him a great rich man When Zacheus desired only to have a sight of Christ and was so happy as to entertain him into his house into his heart yea to be entertained into Christs Kingdom We do not yea in many cases we dare not ask so much as God is pleased to give Neither doest thou ô Saviour measure thy gifts by our petitions but by our wants and thine own mercies True if the all-wise God shall fore-see that thou would'st serve him as the prodigall son served his father who prayed but till he had got his patrimony and then forsook him and spent the same in riot to the givers dishonour as too many use the Ocean of Gods bounty as we do the Thames it brings us in all manner of provision cloaths to cover us fuel to warm us food to nourish us wine to chear us gold to enrich us and we in recompence soil it with our rubbish filth common shoares and such like excretions even as the Cloud that 's lifted up and advanced by the Sun obscures the Sun In this case he will either deny thee in mercy as he did Saint Paul 2 Cor. 12.8 9. and our Saviour himself Matth. 26.39 or grant thee thy request in wrath as he did a King to the Israelites and Quails wherewith he fed their bodies but withall sending leanness into their souls Psal. 106.15 And well doth that childe dâ—serve to be so served who will lay out the money given him by his father to buy poison or weapons to murther him with Wherefore let thy prayers not onely be fervent but frequent for thy wants are so And be sure to ask good things to a good end and then if we ask thus according to Gods will in Christs Name we know that he will hear us and grant whatsoever petitions we have desired 1 Iohn 5.14 15. CHAP. 7. That it weanes them from the love of the world 4 FOurthly our sufferings wean us from the love of the world yea make us loath and contemn it and contrariwise fix upon heaven with a desire to be dissolved Saint Peter at Christs transfiguration enjoying but a glimpse of happiness here was so ravished and transported with the love of his present estate that he breaks out into these words Master it is good for us to be here he would fain have made it his dwelling place and being loath to depart Christ must make three tabernacles Mat. 17.4 The love of this world so makes us forget the world to come that like the Israelites we desire rather to live in the troubles of Egypt then in the Land of Promise Whereas S. Paul having spoken of his bonds in Christ and of the spirituall combate concludeth I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all Phil. 1.22 23. Yea it transported him to Heaven before he came thither as Mary was not where she was but where her desire was and that was with Christ. Prosperity makes us drunk with the love of the world like the Gadarens who preferred their swine before their souls or him in the Parable that would go to see his farmâ— and lose Heaven or the Rich Gluâ—ton who never thought of Heaven till he was in Hell and thousands more who if they have but something to leave behinde them 't is no matter whether they have any thing to carry with them But as sleep composeth drunkenness so the cross will bring a man to himself again for when the Staff we so nourish to bear us becomes a cudgel to beat us when we finde the world to serve us as the Iews did Christ carry us up to the top of the hill and then strive to throw us down headlong Luk. 4.29 When the minde is so invested with cares molested with grief vexed with pain that which way soever we cast our eyes we finde cause of complaint we more loath the World than ever we loved it as Amnon did his sister Tamar yea when life which is held a friend becomes an enemy then death which is an enemy becomes a friend and is so accountted as who having cast Anâ—hor in a safe Road would again wish himself in the storms of a troublesome Sea Yea in case we have made some progress in Religion and found a good conscience sprinkled with the blood of Christ the marrow of all comforts and resolved with Ioseph to forsake our coat rather than our faith yet if the World make new offers of preferment or some large improvement of profits and pleasures we begin to draw back or at least we know not whether to chuse like a horse that would and yet would not leap a ditch And after a little conflict having half yielded to forsake that with joy which cannot be kept but with danger we resolve thus The same God which hath made my crosses chearful can as well make my prosperity conscionable Why then should I refuse so fair an offer but alas having made choice it is not long ere these pleasures and honouâ—s these riches and abundance prove as thorns to choak the good seed of Gods Word formerly sown in our hearts as it is Matth. 13.22 For prosperity to Religion â—s as the Ivy to the Oake it quickly eats out the heart of it yea as the Misselâ—o and Ivy sucking by their straight embraces the very sâ—p that only giveth vâ—getation from the roots of the Oake and Hawthorn will flourish when the Trees wither so in this case the corruption of the good is alwayes the generation of the evil and so on the contrary crosses in the estate diseases of the body maladies of the minde are the medicines of the soul the impairing of the one is the repairing of the other When no man would harbour that unthrift son in the Gospel he turned back again to his Father but never before Lais of Corinth while she was young doted upon her Glass but when she grew old and withered she loathed it as much which made
her give it up to Venus When Satan is let loose upon us to shew us our sins and the danger we are in then farewel profit farewel pleasure treasure and all rather then I will endure such a rack such a hell in my conscience Whereas if we should only hear of misery or read what is threatned in the Word though it might a little fright us it would never amend us Birds are frighted at first with the Husbandmans scar-crowes but after a while observing that they stir not are bold to sit upon them and defile them Thus as harmonious sounds are advanced by a silent darkness so are the glad tydings of salvation The Gospel never sounds so sweet as in the night of persecution or private affliction When Vertue came down from Heaven as the Poets feign rich men spurned at her wicked men abhorred her Courtiers scoft at her Citizens hated her and being thrust out of doors in every place she came at last to her sisters poverty and affliction and of them found entertainment When it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of the World she conceived Isaac so when it ceaseth to be with us after the manner of the Worlds Favourites we conceive holy desires quietness and tranquillity of minde with such like spiritual contentments Yea we make faith our only option whereas before we kept open house for all vices as the States are said to keep open house for all Religions or if not it fares with piety as with holy water every one praiseth it and thinks it hath some rare vertue in it but offer to sprinkle them with the same they shut their eyes and turn away their faces and no marvel for we never taste this Manna from Heaven until we leave the leaven of this Egypt Now better the body or estate perish then the soul though we are too sensual to consent unto it Plùs Pastor in vulnere gregis sui vulneratur The loss of a graceless childe cannot but grieve the father though the father him self were in danger of mischief by that childe as David mourned for Absalom that would have cut his throat True prosperity is hearty meat but not digestible by a weak stomack strong wine but naught for a weak brain The prosperity of fools destroyeth them Proverbs 1.32 So that all temporall blessings are as they hit but if the minde do not answer they were better mist. The more any man hath the more cause he hath to pray Lord lead us not into temptation for we cannot so heartily think of our home above whiles we are furnished with these earthly contentments below but when God strips us of them straightwayes our minde is homeward Whiles Naomies husband and sons were alive we find no motion of her retiring home to Iudah let her earthly stays be removed she thinks presently of removing to her Countrey a delicious life when every thing about us is resplendent and contentful makes us that we have no minde to go to Heaven wherefore as a loving mother when she would wean her childe from the dug maketh it bitter with Wormwood or Aloes so dealeth the Lord with us he maketh this life bitter unto us by suffering our enemies to persecute oppress us to the end we may contemn the World transport our hopes from Earth to Heaven he makes us weep in this veil of misery that we may the more eagerly long for that place of felicity where all tears shal be wiped from our eys Our wine saith Gregory hath some gall put into it that we should not be so delighted with the way as to forget whither we are going And this is no small abatement to the bitternesse of adversities that they teach us the way to Heaven for the lesse comfort we finde on earth the more we seek above and the more we esteem the best things and we are very ungratefull if we do not thank him for that which so overcomes us that it overcomes the love of the world in us Experience shewes that in Countreys where be the greatest plenty of fruits they have the shortest lives they do so surfet on their abundance Sicily is so full of sweet flowers if we believe Diodorus Siculus that dogs cannot hunt there and it is questionable whether the enjoying of outward things or the contemning of them be the greater happinesse for to be deprived of them is but to be deprived of a Dye wherewith a man might either win or lose yea doth not a large portion of them many times prove to the owner like a treacherous Dye indeed which flatters an improvident Gamster with his own hand to throw away his wealth to another Or to yield it the uttermost gold may make a man the richer not the better honour may make him the higher not the happier and all temporal delights are but as flowers they onely have their moneth and are gone this morning in the bosome the next in the Besome The consideration whereof made the very Heathen Philosophers hate this world though they saw not where to finde a better Yea it made Themistocles so under value transitory things in comparison of vertue that seeing rich Bracelets of precious stones lie in his path he bade his friend take them up saying Thou art not Themistocles And indeed it is Heaven onely that hath a foundation Earth hath none God hath hanged it upon nothing and the things therein are very nothing Nothing feeds pride nor keeps off repentance so much as prosperous advantage 'T is a wonder to see a Favourite study for ought but additions to his Greatnesse God shall have much ado to make him know himself The cloth that hath many stains must pass through many larthers If Musk hath lost its sweetness there is no way to recover it except you fling it into the sink among filth No less then an odious leprosie will humble Naaman wherefore by it the only wise God thought meet to sawce the valour dignity renown victories of that famous General of the Syrians If I could be so uncharitable as to wish an enemies soul lost this were the only way let him live in the height of the worlds blandishments for how can he love a second Mistresse that never saw but one beauty and still continues deeply inamoured on it Why is the Lapwing made an Hieroglyphick of infelicity but because it hath a little Coronet upon the head and yet feed◠upon the worst of excrements The Peacock hath more painted Plumes yet is the Eagle accounted the Queen of Birds because she flieth neerest heaven We often see nothing carries us so far from God as those favours he hath imparted to us 'T is the misery of the poor to be neglected of men 't is the misery of the rich to neglect their God The Badger being wounded with the prickles of the Hedghog his invited guest whom at first he welcomed and entertained in his Cabbin as an inward friend mannerly desiring him to depart in kindnesse
brought men into Campania but carried women out again Yea the more deliverances David had the greater was his faith for after the Lord had delivered him often out of extream exigents namely from this great Goliah the cruelty of Saul the unnatural insurrection of Absalom and the unjust curses of Shimei he was able to say I trust in God neither will I fear what flâ—sh can do unto me Psal. 56.4 And in Psal. 3. I will not be afraid for ten thousand of the people that should beset me round about Vers. 6. And in Psal. 18.29 By thee I have broken through an host and in thy Name I will leap over a wall His experience had made it so easie to him that it was no more then a skip or jump We men indeed therefore shut our hands because we have opened them making our former kindnesses arguments of sparing afterwards but contrarily God therefore gives because he hath given making his former favours arguments for more It is Davids onely argument Psal. 4. Have mercy upon me saith he and hearken unto my prayer Why Thou hast set me at liberty when I was in distresse Vers. 1. I might likewise here shew from 2 Chron. 20.29 Phil. 1.12 13 14. how the delivering of some increaseth the faith of others but I passe that That we may live by faith and not by sense he first strips us of all our earthly confidence and then gives us victory and not before lest he should be a loser in our gain his help uses to shew it self in extremity he that can prevent evils conceals his aid till dangers be ripe and then he is as careful as before he seemed connivent Daniel is not delivered at the beginning of his trouble he must first be in the Lions den and then he findes it Those three Servants Dan. 3.26 are not rescued at the Ovens mouth in the Furnace they are That is a gracious and well tried faith that can hold out with confidence to the last Like Abraham who is said to hope against hope Rom. 4.18 which with God is a thing much set by Yea such he accounts his Champions and Worthies Whence it is many are trained up in trouble all their dayes as it fared with David for as a Beare came to David after a Lion and a Giant after a Beare and a King after a Giant and Philistines after a King and all to make him more hardy and confident in his God so when they that are intended for Christs Champions have fought with the Devil and their own lusts they shall fight with envy when they have fought with envy they shall fight with poverty when they have fought with poverty they shall fight with infamy when they have fought with infamy they shall fight with sicknesse and after that with death Like a Labourer that is never out of work and this not only proves but mightily improves their faith And indeed till we have been delivered out of a lesser trouble we cannot trust God in a greater Resembling that peasant who would trust God upon the Land but not upon the Sea where should be but an inch-bord between him and death To hear a man in his best health and vigour to talk of his confidence in God and assurance of divine favour cannot be much worth but if in extremities we can believe above hope against hope our hope is so much the more noble as our difficulties are greater For Iairus to believe that his sick daughter should recover was no hard task but Christ will scrue up his faith to believe she shall again live though he sees with his eyes she is fully dead When we are in heavy Agonies and feel a very hell in our conscience then to apprehend mercy when with Ionas in the Whales belly we can call upon God in faith and see one contrary in another in the very depth of Hell Heaven in the very midst of Anger Love When with the woman of Canaan Matth. 15. we can pick comfort out of the reproachful name of Dog and when nothing but war appears in Gods face then by faith to pierce through all the thick clouds and behold the sweet sun-shine of Gods favour and grace in Christ Heb. 11. 1. we are believers indeed And he saith Saint Bernard is to be reputed constant whose minde taketh fresh courage in the midst of extremities Like the Palm-tree which groweth so much the higher and stronger and more fruitful by how much the more weight it hath hanging upon it Not that the strongest faith is free from doubting for let a man look down from the top of the strongest steeple admit the Battlements be brest-high and he is sure he cannot fall yet a kinde of fear possesses him And well is it for us that our assurance is mixed with doubting Since the one makes us live as though there were no Gospel the other to die as if there were no Law The Lion seems to leave her young ones till they have almost kill'd themselves with roaring and howling but at last gasp she relieves them whereby they become the more couragious When the Prophet could say Out of the depths have I cried unto thee instantly follows and not till then the Lord heard me the Lord saw him sinking all the while yet lets him alone till he was at the bottom Every main affliction is our Red-sea which while it threats to swallow preserves us now when it comes to a dead lift as we say then to have a strong confidence in God is thank-worthy Hope in a state hopeless and love to God under signes of his displeasure and heavenly mindedness in the midst of worldly affairs and allurements drawing a contrary way is the chief praise of faith to love that God who crosseth us to kiss that hand which strikes us to trust in that power which kils us this is the honourable proof of a Christian this argues faith indeed What made our Saviour say to that woman of Canaan ô woman great is thy faith but this when neither his silence nor his flat denial could silence her Matth. 15. It is not enough to say God is good to Israel when Israel is in peace and prosperity and neither feels nor wants any thing but God will have us believe that he is good when we feel the smart of the rod and at the same time see our enemies the wicked prosper It best pleaseth him when we can say boldly with Iob Though he kill me yet will I trust in him When our enemies are behinde us and the Red-sea before us then confidently to trust upon God is much worth When we are in the barren Wilderness almost famished then to believe that God will provide Manna from Heaven and water out of the Rock is glorious when with the three Children we see nothing before us but a fiery Furnace to believe that God will send his Angel to be our deliverer this is heroical Dan. 3.20 And those which are acquainted with
this nothing Yea others bleed we sleep others beg we abound others starve we surfet others groap in the dark our Sun still shines and shall not we rejoyce and be thankful Bless saith our Saviour when ye are cursed and shall not we bless when thus blessed Yet wo is me we forfeit many of Gods favours for not paying that easie Rent of thankfulness like those nine Luk. 17.12 to 19. we are more apt to pray then to give thanks because we are more sensible of our own wants then of Gods glory We can open our mouthes when we want any thing either to pray or at least to murmur and why should not our thanksgivings be as frequent as our blessings are The Lâ—pers voice was not more loud in his suit then in his thanks It were happy for us Christians if we could but learn of this Samaritan And thus we see that good things then appear of most worth when they are known in their wants When we have lost those invaluable comforts which we cannot well be without the minde hath time to recount their several worths and the worths of blessings appear not till they are vanisht No wonder then that our estates and conditions are so variable like the face of the Heavens or the Sea or like the weather about Michaelmass which is now fair and presently again foule or rather the hard Winter which for one fair Sun-shine day hath oftentimes ten â—oul For God sees that it is very good for us for as seeds that are deepest covered with snow in Winter flourish most in the Spring or as the winde by beating down the flame raiseth it higher and hotter and as when we would have some fires flame the more we sprinkle water upon them even so when the Lord would increase our joy and thankfulness he allayeth it with the tears of affliction misery sweetneth joy yea the sorrows of this life shall like a dark veil give a lustre to the glory of the next when the Lord shall turn this water of our earthly afflictions into that wine of gladness wherewith our souls shall be satiate for ever We deceive our selves to think on earth continued joys would please Plenty of the choicest daintie is no dainty When Pearls grew common at Rome they wore them on their shoes and they had much ado to save themselves out of the dirt as Tertullian speaks Nothing would be more tedious then to be glutted with perpetual jollities were the body tied to one dish always though of the most exquisite delicates that it could make choice of yet after a small time it would complain of loathing and satiety and so would the soul if it did ever Epicure it self in joyes I know not which is the more useful Ioy I may chuse for pleasure but adversities are the best for profit I should without them want much of the joy I have Well then art thou vexed persecuted and afflicted by some cruel and malicious Saul and is it grievous to thee for the present Why that which hath been hard to suffer is sweet to remember at last our Songs shall be louder then our cries CHAP. 15. How it increaseth their spiritual Wisdom 12 OUr sufferings make us teachable and increase in us spiritual Wisdom He delivereth the poor in his affliction and openeth their ear in trouble Job 36.15 And again He openeth the ears of men even by their corrections Job 33.16 We are best instructed when we are most afflicted Pauls blindness took away his blindness made him see more into the way of life then could all his learning at the feet of Gamaliel And what saith Naaman upon the cleansing of his Leprosie Now I know there is no God in all the Earth but in Israel O happy Syrian that was at once cured of his Leprosie and his misprision of God The prodigal son regarded not his Fathers admonition so long as he enjoyed prosperity when we smart not we believe not God is not feared till felt but that which makes the body smart makes the soul wise It is good for me saith David that I have been afflicted that I may learn thy Statutes We grow wise by evils whereas prosperity besots us Even to lose is some ways profitable it makes a man wary Yea St. Basil calls want penury the inventor of all Arts And St. Augustine the Mistress of all Philosophy The best wisdom is dearest bought Algerius the Martyr could say out of experience he found more light in the dungeon then without in all the World The Scottish King prisoner in Mortimers hole learnt more of Christ then in his Palace he could all his life Gaspar Olevianus a Germane Divine sayes I never learned how great God was nor what the evil of sin was to purpose till this sickness taught me There is a great deal of difference saith Luther between a Divine in outward pomp and a Divine under the cross neither could he understand some Psalmes till he was in affliction the Christs-cross is no letter yet it taught him more learning then all the letters in the rowe The cross opens mens eyes as the tasting of honey did Ionathans Yea what will not affliction teach us when even the savagest Beasts are made quiet and docible with abating their food and rest or by adding of stripes That Beef-brain'd Fellow in Scaliger had his eare bored with thunder when nothing else would do it Yea saith Molineus Bonifacius his silly reasons for the Popes Supremacy did well enough being propounded with a sword in the hand Even as the Clay with Water and the Iron with fire are made pliable and apt to receive impression from the workman even so when we are soaked in the floods of sorrow and softened in the fire of affliction we are aptest to receive the impression of Gods Law into our hearts when he speaks unto us by his Ministers If the Lord breaks us in pieces with the Plough of his Iustice then let the Seedsmen his Ministers sow the seed of his Word we shall receive it through the surrows of our eares into the ground of our hearts and grow up in wisdome and saving knowledge Or when the hard heart is grown'd to powder between the upper and the nether Milstone of the two Tables it will see and imbrace that counsel which before it slighted We heare and read much of the corruption of our natures odiousness of our sins necessity of a Saviour sweetness of Gods love in Christ c. but we never fully apprehend these things or taste how good the Lord is till some sharp affliction comes A man knows not where his house is ill covered tâ—ll Winter Crosses are like pinching Frosts that will search us we learn to know our selves by that wâ— suffer Yea Affliction so brings down our stomachs that we can see even matter of thankfulness where our former pride sound matter of complaining And that which formerly had no more taste then the white of an Egg viz. the
Yea let death happen it matters not When a Malefactor hath sued out his pardon let the Assises come when they will the sooner the better But to this is added the peace of conscience the marrow of all comforts otherwise called the peace of God which passeth all understanding and surpasseth all commending and never did man finde pleasure upon earth like the sweet testimony of an appeased conscience reconciled unto God cleansed by the blood of the Lamb and quieted by the presence of the holy Ghost Yea hadst thou who most dotest upon the world but these comforts thou wouldest not change them for all that Satan once offered to our Saviour and are now accepted by many O good life saith an Ancient Father what a Ioy art thou in time of distresse And another Sweet is the felicity of that man whose works are just and whose desires are innocent though he be in Phaleris Bull. For these are priviledges which make Paul happier in his chain of Iron than Agrippa in his chain of Gold and Peter more merry under stripes than Caiphas upon the Iudgment-seat and Steven the like For though he was under his persecutors for outward condition yet he was far above them for inward consolation Neither had wealthy Craesus so much riches in his coffers as poor Iob had in his conscience Yea how can he be miserable that hath Christ and all his merits made sure to him that hath his Name written in Heaven yea that is already in Heaven for where our desires are there our selves are And the heavenly-minded live not so much where they live as where they love that is to say in Christ Surely his soul must be brim full of brave thoughts that is able to refresh himself with this Meditation God is my Father the Church my Mother Christ the Iudge my elder Brother and Advocate the holy Ghost my Comforter the Angels mine attendance all the Creatures mine for use the stock of the Churches Prayers mine for benefit the world mine Iune Heaven my home God is alwayes with me before me within me overseeing me I talk with him in Prayer he with me in his word c. Sure if these be the accustomed meals of a good soul it cannot chuse but keep naturall heat from decaying and make it happy But behold yet a greater priviledge These comforts do not only support and refresh us and so supply our losses in common calamities but even in the midst of tortures and torments which otherwise were intollerable The naturall mans stomack cannot of all enemies endure hunger yea a prison where he must alwayes lie under hatches makes him all amort but worthy Hawkes could clap his hands for joy in the midst of the flames And Vincentius as Luther reports made a sport of his torments and gloried when they made him go upon hot burning coales as if they had been Roses And another that I read of say My good friends I now finde it true indeed he that leaveth all to follow Christ shall have in this world centuplum a hundred fold more I have it in that centuplum peace of conscience with me at parting And this made Ignatius say he had rather be a Martyr then a Monark Nor did he ever like himself before he was thus tryed for when he heard his bones crush between the wild beasts teeth he said now I begin to be a Christian. And Anaxarchus being laid along in a Trough of stone and smitten with Iron sledges by the appointment of Nicocreon the Tyrant of Cyprus ceased not to cry out strike smite and beat it is not Anaxarchus but his vail you martyr so And a Child in Iosephus being all rent to death with biting snippers at the commandment of Antiochus could cry with a loud assured and undaunted voice Tyrant thou losest time loe I am still at mine ease what is that smarting pain where are those torments which whilome thou didst so threaten me withall my constancy more troubles thee than thy cruelty me And how many more of those Martyrs in Queen Maryes Raign were even ravished before they could be permitted to die so great and so passing all expressing is the peace and comfort of a good conscience Now as the Priests of Mercury when they eat their figgs and honey cried out O how sweet is truth so if the worst of a Beleevers life in this world be so sweet how sweet shall his life be in Heaven but I le hold you no longer in this A man that hath his sins pardoned is never compleatly miserable till conscience again turns his enemy whereas on the contrary take the most happy worldling that ever was if he have not his sins pardoned he is compleatly wretched though he sees it not suppose him Emperour of the whole world as Adam when he was in Paradise and Lord of all what did it avail him so long as he had a tormentor within a self-condemning conscience which told him that God was his enemy and knew no other then that hell should be his everlasting portion Certainly this like a damp could not chuse but put out all the lights of his pleasure so that Paradise it self was not Paradise to him which is the case of all wicked men be they never so great never so seemingly happy True wicked men think the godly lesse merry and more miserable than themselves yea some that mirth and mischief are only sworn brothers but this is a foundationlesse opinion For first no man is miserable because another so thinks him Secondly Gods word teacheth and a good conscience findeth that no man can be so joyfull as the faithfull though they want many things which others may have St Austin before his conversion could not tell how he should want those delights he then found so much contentment in but after when his nature was changed when he had another spirit put into him then he sayes O how sweet is it to be without those former sweet delights Indeed carnall men laugh more but that laughter is only the hypocrisie of mirth they rejoyce in the face only and not in the heart as the Apostle witnesseth 2 Cor. 5.12 or as another hath it Where O God there wants thy grace Mirth is onely in the face Yea their own consciences bear me witnesse as that Spanish Iudge well considered who when a murther was committed in a tumultuous crowd of people bared all their bosomes and feeling upon their brests discovered the guilty Author by the panting of his heart And Tully who makes it an argument of Roscius Amerinus Innocency that he killed not his Father because he so securely slept Yea as in prophane joy even in laughter the heart is sorrowfull so in godly sorrow even in weeping the heart is light and cheerfull The tears of those that pray are sweeter than the joyes of the Theatre saith St Augustin for our cheeks may run down with tears and yet our mouthes sing forth praises the face may be pale yet
the heart may be quiet and cheerfull so St Paul as sorrowing and yet alwayes rejoycing 2 Cor. 6.10 Neither can it be solid comfort except it hath his issue from a good conscience Indeed we therefore are not merry enough because we are not Christians enough Now if all our sufferings are thus counterpoysed and exceeded with blessings have we any cause to be angry and impatient What saith Iob Shall we receive good at the hand of God and not evill He was content to eat the crust with the crumme Indeed his wife like the wicked would only have fair weather all peace and plenty no touch of trouble but it is not so with the godly who have learnt better things Who will not suffer a few stripes from a Father by whom he receiveth so much good even all that he hath Diogenes would have no nay but Antisthenes must entertain him his Scholer insomuch that Antisthenes to have him gone was forc't to cudgell him yet all would not do he stirs not but takes the blowes very patiently saying Use me how you will so I may be your Scholer and hear your daily discourses I care not Much more may a Christian say unto God Let me enjoy the sweet fruition of thy presence speak thou peace unto my conscience and say unto my soul I am thy salvation and then afflict me how thou pleasest I am content yea very willing to bear it Yea if we well consider the commodity it brings we shall rather wish for affliction than be displeased when it comes Col. 1.24 For it even bringeth with it the company of God himself I will be with you in tribulation saith God to the disconsolate soul Psal. 91.15 When Sidrack Mishack and Abednego were cast into the fiery furnace there was presently a fourth came to bear them company and that was God himself Dan. 3.23 to 27. And his presence makes any condition comfortable were a man even in hell it self Yea as when St Paul was rapt up to the third Heaven he was so ravished with the joy thereof that he knew not whether he had his body about him or not 2 Cor. 12.2 Whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth So Gods presence so ravisheth the soul that while a man suffers the greatest pain he knows not whether he be in pain or no. Yea God is not only with them to comfort them in all their tribulation 2 Cor. 1.4 but in them for at the same time when the Disciples were persecuted they are said to be filled with joy and with the holy Ghost Acts 13.52 And as our sufferings in Christ do abound so our consolation also aboundeth through Christ 2 Cor. 1.5 And lastly he doth comfort us according to the dayes we are afflicted and according to the years we have seen evil Psal 90.15 So that a Christian gains more by his losses and crosses than the happiest worldling by all his immunities as it was said of Demosthenes that he got more by holding his peace than other Lawyers did by their pleading And if so our sufferings require patience with thankfulnesse as it fared with Iob. Object But what ever others finde thy sufferings are not thus counterpoysed and sweetned Answ. What 's the reason get but the light of grace to shine in thy heart thy prison shall be an Heaven thy Keepers Angels thy chains thy glory and thy deliverance salvation Grow but heavenly minded and thou shalt be able to extract gain out of losse peace out of trouble strength out of infirmity out of tears joy out of sin holinesse out of persecution profit out of affliction comfort For godlinesse in every sicknesse is a Physician in every contention an Advocate in every doubt a Schoolman in all heavinesse a Preacher and a comforter unto whatsoever estate it comes making the whole life as it were a perpetuall hallelujah Besides we look for a Crown of glory even that most excellent and eternall weight of glory to succeed this wreath of Thorns but if we are never tryed in the field never set foot to run the race of patience how can we look for a Garland Ten repulses did the Israelites suffer before they could get out of Aegypt and twice ten more before they could get possession of the promised Land of Canaan And as many did David endure before he was invested in the promised Kingdom many lets came before the Temple was re-edified All men would come to Heaven but they do not like the way they like well of Abrahams bosome but not of Dives door But God seeth it 〈◊〉 for us to tast of that Cap of which his Sonne drank so deep that we should feel a little what sin is and what his love was that we may learn patience in adversity as well as thankefulnesse in prosperity while one scale is not alwayes in depression nor the other lifted ever high while none is so miserable but he shall hear of another that would change calamities with him CHAP. XXII That they are patient because patience brings a reward with it 6. BEcause Patience in suffering brings a reward with it In reason a man would forgive his enemy even for his own sake were there no other motive to perswade him for to let passe many things of no small moment as that if we forgive not we can do no part of Gods worship that is pleasing to him for we cannot pray aright 1 Tim. 2.8 We cannot communicate in the Sacrament but we make our selves guilty of Christs blood 1 Cor. 11.27 Matth. 5.24 We cannot be good hearers of the Word Iames 1.21 and that it makes a man captive to Satan Ephes. 4.26 27. and many the like If ye forgive men their trespasses saith our Saviour your heavenly Father also will forgive you but if you forgive not men their trespasses neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses Mat. 6.14 15. So he that will not be in charity shall never be in Heaven And why should I do my self a shrewd turn because another would Yea we desire pardon as we give pardon and we would be loath to have our own lips condemn us When we pray to God to forgive us our trespasses as we also forgive them that trespasse against us and do not resolve to forgive our brethren we do in effect say Lord condemn us for we will be condemned whereas he that doth good to his enemy even in that act doth better to himself It is a sigular sacrifice to God and well-pleasing to him to do good against evill and to succour our very enemy in his necessity but we may perchance heap coals of fire upon the others head Rom. 12.20 though we must not do it with an intent to make his reckoning more but our reckoning lesse Again Blessed is the man saith St Iames that endureth temptation viz. with patience for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of life James 1.12 And this made Moses not only
committed it to him that judgeth righteously 1 Pet. 2.23 And the Prophet David of himself I return not reviling for reviling for on thee O Lord do I wait thou wilt hear me my Lord my God meaning If I call to thee for a just revenge Psal. 38.13 14 15. If the Lord see it meet that our wrongs should be revenged instantly he will do it himself as he revenged the Israelites upon the Aegyptians and so that all standers by shall see their fault in their punishment with admiration Now I know saith Iethro that the Lord is greater than all the gods for as they have dealt proudly with them so are they recompensed Exod. 18.11 And as once he revenged Davids cause upon Nabal For about ten dayes after the Lord smote Nabal that he died saith the Text and it followes when David heard that Nabal was dead he said Blessed be the Lord that hath judged the cause of my rebuke at the hand of Nabal and hath kept his servant from evill for the Lord hath recompenced the wickednesse of Nabal upon his own head 1 Sam. 25.38 39. And that insolent and intolerable wrong of railing Shimei being left to the Lord he did revenge it in giving Shimei up to such a stupidity that he ran himself wilfully upon his own deserved and shamefull death Or if God do it not himself by some immediate judgement nor by the hand of the Magistrate yet he will see that some other shall do it though the wronged party be willing to put it up as for example Sampsons Father in Law for taking away his Wife and she for her falshood though they were not punished by him that received the wrong yet the Philistims burnt both her and her Father Judg. 15. Again though the Philistims were not punished by the Timnite or his daughter whom they burnt with fire yet they were by Sampson who smote them hip and thigh with a mighty plague Iudg. 15. From which examples we may draw this argument If the Lord thus revenge the cause of mens particular and personall wrongs much more will he revenge his own cause for in this case I may say to every childe of God which suffereth for Religion sake as Iehaziel by the Spirit of God said unto all Iudah the inhabitants of Ierusalem and King Iehosaphat The battell is not yours but Gods wherefore you shall not need to fight in this battell stand still move not and behold the salvation of the Lord towards you 2 Chron. 20.15 17. Yea it stands upon Christs honour to maintain those that are in his work And Gods too to defend such as suffer for his sake and he that traduceth or any way wrongs thee for thy goodnesse his envy strikes at the Image of God in thee because he hath no other way to extend his malice to the Deity it self as is apparent by these Scriptures which will be worth thy turning to Psal. 44.22 69.7 83.2 to 10. Prov. 19.3 Rom. 1.30 Matth. 10.22 25.45 Luk. 21.17 Zach. 2.8 1 Sam. 17.45 Psal. 74.22 23. Acts 5.39 Psal. 139 20. Isa. 54.17 1 Thes. 4.8 Ioh. 15.18 to 26. Numb 16.11 Saul Saul saith Christ seeing him make havock of the Church why persecutest thou me I am Iesus whom thou persecutest Acts 9.4 5. and Iesus was then in Heaven Cain imbrews his hands in the blood of his own brother because he was better and better accepted than himself God takes upon him the quarrell and indeed it was for his sake that Abell suffered Now if we may safely commit our cause and our selves to God in the greater matters much more in petty things as are evill words I but saith the weak Christian I am so wronged reviled and slandered that it would make a man speak like Aeagles that famous wrestler that never spake before in his life Answer There is no such necessity For first Who ever was that was not slandered Secondly Let him speak evill of thee yet others shall not beleeve him or if the evill and ignorant do yet report from wise and good men shall speak thee vertuous Yea thirdly Though of some the slanderer be beleeved for a while yet at last thy actions will outweigh his words and the disgrace shall rest with the intender of the ill The constancy of a mans good behaviour vindicates him from ill report Fourthly There 's no cause of thy answering innocency needs not stand upon its own justification for God hath undertaken to vindicate it either by friends as when Ionathan and Michol both son and daughter opposed their own Father in his evill intents to take Davids part and vindicate his reputation 1 Sam. 19 4 5 11 12. Or by enemies as when Pilate pronounced him innocent whom he condemned to die which shewes that innocency cannot want abetters and when Caiaphas was forc't to approve that Christ in the Chair whom he condemned on the Bench. And when Iulian was compelled to cry out O Galilean thou hast overcome And when Balaam was forc't to blesse those for nothing whom he was hired to curse They that will speak the evill they should not shall be driven to speak the good they would not Or by strangers that stand by as when young Daniel stept up to clear Susanna of that foul aspersion Or lastly by himself as he often vindicated Mary O holy Mary I admire thy patient silence thy Sister blames thee for thy piety the Disciples afterwards blame thee for thy bounty and cost not a word falls from thy lips in a just vindication of thine honour and innocency but in an humble taciturnity thou leavest thine answer to thy Saviour How should we learn of thee when we are complained of for well doing to seal up our lipps and expect our righâ—ing from above And how sure how ready art thou O Saviour to speak in the cause of the dumb Martha Martha thou art carefull and troubled about many things but one thing is needfull and Mary hath chosen the better part What needed Mary to speak for her self when she had such an Advocate she gave Christ an unction of thankefullnesse he gave her an unction of a good Name a thing better then oyntment Eccles. 7.1 Again the Lâ—per praiseth God Christ praiseth the Lâ—per True ill tongues will be walking but we need not repine at their insolency why should we answer every dog that barks with barking again But admit God should omit to revenge thy cause yet revenge not thy self in any case for by revenging thine own quarrell thou makest thy self both the Iudge the Witnesse the Accuser and the Executioner only use for thy rescue Prayer to God and say as Christ hath enjoyned Lead me not into temptation but deliver me from evil Matth. 6.13 and it sufficeth Yet if thou wilt see what God hath done and what he can and will do if there be like need hear what Ruffinus and Socrates write of Theodosius in his wars against Eugenius When this good Christian Emperour saw
or suffered was either to purchase fame to themselves or to merit reward by it their aym and end was not Gods glory but their own honour and glory and vertues are to be judged not by their actions but by their ends Yea they called vertue Bonum Theatrale as if a man would not be vertuous if he had not spectators to take notice of him but it is false for vertue will be as cleer in solitudine as in Theatrâ— though not so conspicuous only it may grow more strong by the observation and applause of others as an heat that is doubled by the reflection But O the difference between these naturall and meer morall men and a true Christian the Christian loves goodnesse for it self and would be holy were there no Heaven to reward it he does all and suffers all out of sincere affection and a zeal of Gods glory and the Churches good Matth. 5.16 to the end his Name may be magnified and others won and edified 1 Pet. 2.12 as most fit it is that the profit being mans the honour should be Gods And this his sincerity the rather appears in that he holds out maugre all opposition disgrace persecution c. whereas the other like wind-mills would not turn about to do any good service but for the wind of mens praises Now it is one method to practise swimming with Bladders and another to practise dauncing with heavy shooes We read of some that in the Monastery could fast whole dayes together with ease but in the desart they could not hold out untill noon but their bellies would be craving presently 4. The one doth it in faith which only crowns good actions for whatsoever is not done in faith is sin Rom. 14.23 and therefore cannot please God Heb. 11.6 the reason is this If our best actions be not the fruits of a lively faith they spring from ignorance and infidelity as herbs may do from a dunghill And its evident they have not faith for how should they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard Rom. 10.14 And it were well if all that are meer civill and morall men would look to the Rock where-out their works are hewn and to the Pit where-out they were digged for God looketh at no action further than it is the work of his Spirit but the spirit is no where but in the sons of God Gal. 4.6 and no sons but by faith in Christ Gal. 3.26 So that obedience without faith is but as the shell without the kernell the husk without the corn the carkasse without the soul which the Lord abhors as the sacrifice of fools Isa. 66.3 Whence it is that all the vertues of the Heathen are called by Divines splendida peccata shining or glistering sinnes sinnes as it were in a silken Robe 5. The sum of all Morall Philosophy is included in these two words sustain and abstain and a wicked man may restrain evill as do the godly but here is the difference the one keeps in corruption the other kills corruption 6. The Philosopher and so all civill and morall men can forbear the Christian forgive they pardon their enemies we love ours pray for them and return good for evill and if not we no whit savour of Heaven For if you love them that love you saith our Saviour what thanks shall you have for even the sinners do the same such as see not beyond the clouds of humane reason But I say unto you which hear Love your enemies blesse them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which hurt you and persecute you Matth. 5.44 Luk. 6.27 32 33. shewing that if we will ever hope for good our selves we must return good for evill unto others In which words you may note a triple injunction one to the hâ—art the treasury of love another to the tongue loves interpreter the third and principall to the hand which is loves Factor or Almoner Wherein our Saviour seems to set man like a Clock whose master wheel must not only go right within nor the bell alone sound true above but the hand also point straight without as for the motion and setting of the wheel within he sayes to the heart love your enemies for the stroke and sounding of the bell above he saith to the tongue blesse them that curse you and for the pointing of the hand or Index without he saith to the hand Do good to them that hurt you Now well may naturall men sayâ— with the winde of their naturall passionâ— and corrupt affections in rendring evill for evill but Christ the Master and Pilot of his Ship the Church hath charged all passengers bound for Heaven the Haven of their hope and Harbour of their rest like Pauls Mariners Acts 27. to sayl with a contrary wind and weather of doing good for evill and like the Disciples on the Lake of Genazereth Râ—â— through the raging waves of their enemies reproaches with a contrary breath not rendring rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise to blesse 1 Pet. 3 â—â— And the better to teach us this lesson he practised it himself adding example to precept for his word and his work like mercy and truth were together his precept and his practise like righteousnesse and peace kissed each other for when they in devilish malice sought nothing but his condemnation he in great love went about the work of their salvation when they shed his blood to quench their malice he swet water and blood to wash their souls Yea when the Iews were crucifying of him he at the same time though the torments of his passion were intollerable incomparable unconceivable solliciteth God for their pardon Luk. 23.34 Now his prayer could not but he efficacious and a pardon for such murderâ—rs was no mean good turn And this likewise is the practice of the Saints who strive to imitate their Master in all things which he did as man St Steven at the instant while his enemies were stoning of him kneeled down and prayed Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Acts 7.60 Where is one thing very remarkable he stood when he prayed for himself but kneeled when he prayed for his enemies hereby shewing the greatnesse of their impiety which easily could not be forgiven as also the greatnesse of his piety And indeed as to render good for good is the part of a man and to render evill for evill the part of a beast and to render evill for good the part of a devill so to render good for evill is only the part of a Saint Be mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull Luk. 6.36 It were easie to abound in examples of this kinde How often did Moses return good unto Pharaoh for his evill in praying to and prevailing with God for him to the removall of nine severall plagues notwithstanding his cruell oppression And David what could he have done for Saul that he left undone notwithstanding he so cruelly persecuted him and hunted after his life
And the like I might shew in that man of God to Ieroboam and they that went to Heaven by that bloody way of Martyrdom who prayed for others even their persecutors and murtherers an easier passage to Heaven Yea Gods people account it a sinne to â—ease praying for their worst enemies 1 Sam. 12.23 But what do I tell them of these transcendent examples when I never yet heard or read of that Philosopher which could parallel Dr Cooper Bishop of Lyncolne in an act of patient suffering who when his Wife had burnt all his Notes which he had been eighty years a gathering least he should kill himself with overmuch study for she had much ado to get him to his meales shew'd not the least token of passion but only reply'd Indeed wife it was not well done so falling to work again was eight years more in gathering the same Notes wherewith he composed his Dictionary which example I confesse more admires me than any that ever I heard of from a man not extraordinarily and immediately inspired and assisted by the holy Ghost and sure he that could endure this could endure any thing whether in body goods or good name for of necessity there must be in that man that can patiently bear such a losse somewhat more than man I know there are some men or rather two legged Beasts that esteem no more of Books and Notes than Esops Coeâ— did of the Pearl he found and these accordingly will say this was nothing in comparison of what they suffer as when once a Hotspur was perswaded to be patient as Iob was he replied What do you tell me of Iob Iob never had any Suits in Chancery Yea indeed the meanest of Christs royall Band for patience puts down all the generation of naturall men as even their enemies will confesse Consalvus a Spanish Bishop and Inquisitor wondred how the Protestants had that Commandement Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self so indelibly printed in their hearts that no torture could blot it out and make them confesse and betray one another And indeed how should it be otherwise For First If Morall Principles cherished and strengthened by good education will enable the soul against vicious inclinations so that though some influence of the Heavens do work upon the aire and the aire upon the spirits and the spirits upon the humours and these incline the temper and that inclines the soul of a man such and such wayes yet breeding in the resineder sort of evill persons will nauch prevail to draw them another way what may we think of grace and faith and Gods Spirit which are supernaturall Secondly Every Christian suffering for Christs sake and for righteousnesse sake hath Gods mighty power to support him and Christ to suffer with 〈◊〉 and bear a part in his misery whereas the naturall man suffers all himself as a delinquent or malefactor whose guilty conscience adds weight â—o his punishment A woman called Faelicitas whom St Austin much praiseth being brought to bed in the time of her imprisonment for the truth and by reason of the great pains she had in her labour that she could not forbear screeâ—hing one of the Officers hearing her cry out tauntingly mockt her thus Ah woman if thou canst not bear these sorrowes without such cryings how wilt thou endure when thou shalt be burnt or cut in pieces or torn asunder what thou now sufferest is but sport but the Tragedy is to follow whom she answered Now said she I suffer for my self and for sinne but then Christ is to suffer in me and I for him And it fell out as she said for when she was thrown to the wild beasts she neither sent out schreeings nor so much as a sigh or groan but entertained death with so merry and cheerfull a countenance as if she had been invited to a Feast And thus you see in the first place that Nature hath but a slow foot to follow Religion close at the heels that grace and faith transcend reason as much as reason doth sense that patience rightly so called is a Prerogative-royall peculiar to the Saints It is well if Philosopâ—y have so much wisdome as to stand amazed at it 2. That it is not true Christian patience except 1. It flow from a pious and good heart sanctified by the holy Ghost 2. Be done in knowledge of and obedience to Gods command 3. That we do it in humility and sincere love to God 4. That it be done in faith 5. That we aim at Gods glory not at our own and the Churches good in our sufferings 6. That we forgive as well as forbear yea love pray for and return good to our enemies for their evill Which being so what hath the Swashbuckler to say for himself And what will become of him if he repent not who can afford no time to aâ—gue but to execute Yea what hath the more temperate worldling to say for himself who hath some small piece of reason for his guide arguing thus I would rather make shew of my passions than smother them to my cost which being vented and exprest become more languishing and weak better it is to let its point work outwardly than bend it against our selves and in reason Tallying of iâ—juries is but justice To which I answer it is not reason especially carnall reason but Religion which all this while hath been disputed of which is Divine and supernaturall and that teacheth how good must be returned for evill and that we should rather invite our enemy to do us more wrong than not to suffer the former with patience as our Saviours words do imply If saith he they strike thee on the one cheek turn to him thâ— other also If they sue thee at the Law and take away thy coat let them have thy cloak also Matth. 5.39 40. He speaks comparatively as if he should say Rather suffer two wrongs than do one Indeed the difficulty of the duty the seeming danger and want of faith in carnall men weakneth the force of the strongest reasons for no more among Ruffians but a word and a blow among civill men but a word and a Writ can you expect But as thrice Noble Nehemiah said to that false Belly-god betraying-Priest Shemaiah Should such a man as I flee So the true Christian will encounter all discouragements and frighting alarms thus Should such a man as I fear to do that which my Master King and Captain Christ Iesus hath commanded me which is of more necessity than life it self Yea seeing Heathens could go so farre as to subdue their passions for shame let so many of us as would be accounted Christians go further even to the mortifying of ours or if we go not before Publicans and Sinners in the Kingdom of grace Publicans and sinners shall go before us into the Kingdom of Heaven And seeing the duty of the Childe is the Fathers Honour let us that are Christians be known from worldlings by our practice as
man was ever so desirous to save his life as Christ was to lose it witnesse that speech I have a baptisme to be baptised with and how am I pained till it be accomplished Luk. 12.50 His minde was in pain till his body and soul came to it And to him that disswaded him from it he used no other termes than avoid Satan And thirdly With what patience he suffered all let both Testaments determine he was oppressed and afflicted yet did he not open his mouth he was brought as a sheep to the slaughter and as a sheep before the shearer is dumb so opened he not his mouth Isa. 53.7 His behaviour was so mild and gentle that all the malice of his enemies could not wrest an angry word from him Yea when his own Disciple was determined to betray him I see not a frown I hear not a check from him again but what thou doest do quickly O the admirable meeknesse of this Lamb of God! Why do we startle at our petty wrongs and swell with anger and break into furious revenges upon every occasion when the pattern of our patience lets not fall one harsh word upon so foul and bloody a Traytor When the Jews cried out Crucifie him as before they cried out His blood be upon us and upon our Children he out cries Father pardon them being beaten with Rods crowned with Thorns pierced with Nayls nayled to the Crosse bathed all his body over in blood filled with reproaches c in the very pangs of death as unmindfull of all his great griefs he prayeth for his persecutors and that earnestly Father forgive them Pendebat tamen petebat as St Augustine sweetly O patient and compassionate love Yee wicked and foolish Iews you would be miserable he will not let you His ears had been still more open to the voice of grief than of malice and so his lips also are open to the one shut to the other Thus Christ upon the Crosse as a Doctor in his chair read to us all a Lecture of Patience for his actions are our instructions and the same that Gideon spake to Israel he speaks still to us as ye see me do so do you And no man be he never so cunning or practised can make a strait line or perfect circle by steddinesse of hand which may easily be done by the help of a Rule or Compasse Besides is Christ gone before us in the like sufferings what greater incouragement When we read that Caesars example who not only was in those battels but went before them yea his very Eye made his Souldiers prodigall of their blood when we read that young King Philip being but carried in his Cradle to the Warres did greatly animate the Souldiers Besides what servanâ— will wish to fare better than his Lord Is it meet that he who is not only thy Master but thy Maker should passe his time in continuall travell and thou in continuall case When a lewd Malefactor being condemned to die with just Phocion rayled at the Iudge the Law his Accusers and looked on Death with terrour and amazednesse he thus cheered him with encouragement Dost thou grudge to die with Phocion so say I to thee Dost thou grudge to suffer with thy Saviour O blessed Iesus O thou Co-eternall Sonne of thine Eternall Father why should I think strange to be scourged with tongue or hand when I see thee bleeding what lashes can I fear either from Heaven or Earth since thy scourges have been born for me and have sanctified them to me True It is Satans policy to make men beleeve that to do and suffer as a Christian is so extreamly difficult for them that it is altogether impossible wherein he deals like the inhospitable Salvages of some Countreys who make strange fires and a shew of dismall torrours upon the shores keep passengers from landing But if Christ be gone before us in the like and it is for his sake that we smart then we may be sure to have him present with us even within us by his spirit 1 Pet. 4.12 13 14. to assist us and prevent our enemies and is not he able enough to vindicate all our wrongs Learn we therefore from him to suffer Innocently Patiently Wilt thou saith one look to reign and not expect to suffer Why Christ himself went not up to his glory until first he suffered pain Or wilt thou saith Saint Cyprian be impatient by seeking present revenge upon thine enemies when Christ himself is not yet revenged of his enemies Do thou bear with others God bears with thee Is there a too much which thou canst suffer for so patient a Lord But to go on wilt thou follow Gods example Then note whereas Christ hath in many particulars commanded us to follow his example yet in no place saith Saint Chrysostome he inferreth we should be like our Heavenly Father but in doing good to our enemies And therein resemble we the whole three Persons in Trinity God was only in the still winde Christ is compared to a Lamb the holy Ghost to a Dove Now if we will resemble these three Persons we must be softly Lambs Doves but if on the contrary we be fierce cruell and take revenge so using violence we resemble rather the devil who is called a roaring Lion and the wicked who are termed Dogges Wolves Tygers c. 3. To adde to the precept of God and the practice of our Saviour the example of Gods people they are patient in suffering of injuries that they might imitate the Saints in all ages They were so and we are likewise commanded to follow their steps as in all things which are good so especially in this Take my brethren the Prophets saith Saint Iames for an example of suffering adversities and of long patience Jam. 5.10 â—â—ethren saith Saint Paul to the Thessalonians Ye are become followers of the Churches of God which in Iudes are in Christ Iesus because ye have also suffered the same things of your own Countreymen even as they have of the Iews 1 Thes. 2.14 And to the Philippians Be ye Followers of me Brethren and look on them which walk so as ye have us for an example Phil. 3.17 And see how he followed his Masters example for who amongst us so loves his benefactors as Saint Paul loved his malefactors He would do any thing even he rased out of the book of life to save them that would do any thing to â—ell him Amongst many examples recorded for thy imitation and mine Behold the patience of Iob. Jam. 5.11 of Abraham Gen. 20.17 18. of Isaâ—c Chap. 26 1â— of Ioseph Chap. 3â— 32 33. who notwithstanding his brethren hated him for his goodnesse and could not speak peaceably unto him conspired to kill him stript him of his Goat cast him into a pit sold him for a slave recompenc'd them good for evil when he was armed with power to revenge for when these his enemies did hunger he fed them when they were thirsty he gave
when the seventy years are accomplished I will visit the King of Babel and that Nation for their iniquities and will make it a perpetual desolation c. Ier. 25.11 12. and 30 16. even the greater sinners may punish the lesse and prosper for a time Ezekiel 7. I will bring the most wicked of the Heathen and they shall possesse their Houses vers 24. When iniquity hath plaid her part vengeance leaps upon the Stage the Comedy is short but the Tragedy is longer We use rubbish to scoure our vessels when those vessels are cleared we fling away the rubbish Bridges that help men over the stream at last themselves rot and sink in When Balaams Asse had done speaking humana voce she lived an Asse and died an Asse So when God hath sufficiently afflicted the righteous by the rod of the wicked he will fling the Rod into the fire which is unquenchable Isa. 33.1 And it stands with the strength of reason for if God saith Saint Gregory strike so smartly those whom he spareth how heavie will his blows be on them whom he condemneth and with what severity shall Cast-awayes be pâ—nished when his own children are so visited and afflicted If Gods own Children who are as dear and near to him as the Apple of his eye or the signet on his right hand suffer fo many and grievous afflictions here what shall his adversaries suffer in Hell undoâ—btedly when the Patient is made whole he shall be preserved but the Plaister shall be thrown away For as God doth tâ—rn evil to good to them that love him so â—e turnes good to evil to those that hate him Again secondly if the wicked are punished for doing wrong to the wicked much more for wronging the just and innocent But wee have many examples of the former as that of Adonibeâ—eck who having cut off the Thumbs and great Toes of Seventy Kings 〈◊〉 were wicked like himself had also hiâ— his own Thumbs and Toes cut off Iudg. 1.5.7 And Moab of whom the Lord saith hee hath burnt the bones of the King of Edom into lime therefore will I send a fire upon Moab and it shall devour c. Amos 2.1 2. If the greater Serpent devours the less there is a Dragon to devour him therefore the enemies of Gods Church have no hope to escape The everlasting punishments of the ungodly are deferred not remitted But all the evill thou doest to the godly is with thy tongue Answ. That 's bad enough the Serpents hissing betrays his malice and Ishmael's tongue made him a Persecuter as well as Doeg's hands hee did but stout Isaac yet Saint Paul saith hee persecuted him Gal. 4 2â— â—ham onely scoft at Noah yet it brought upon him his Fathers curse and Gods upon that The Athenians but scoft once at Silla's wife and it had well nigh cost the razing of their City he was so provoked with the indignity And whatever thou conceivest of iâ— let this fault bee as far from my soul as my soul from Hell For assuredly God will one day laugh you to scorn for laughing his to scorn and at last despise you that have despised him in us CHAP. 35. Other grounds of comfort to support a Christian in his sufferings And first that God is specially present with his servants in their afflictions takes notice of their sufferings and allayes their grief THis rub being removed and the pâ—ssage made clear proceed wee to other grounds of comfort which the Word of God affords in this case for the better upholding and strenghtening of a weak Christian in his sufferings Wherein that wee may not exceed I will select out onely five because instructions if they exceeâ—â—â—re wont like nails to drive ouâ— one another First wee shall bear the Cross with the more patience and comfort if wee consider that God is specially present with his servants in their afflictions takes notice of their sufferings and allays their grief The troubles of a Christian are very great for number variety and bitterness yet there is one ingredient that sweetens them all the promise of God I will bee with thee in trouble and deliver thee Psal. 91.15 And thou shalâ— not bee tempted above thy strength 1 Cor. 10.13 Again fear not for when thou passest through the water I will bee with thee and through the floods that they do not over-flow thee When thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not bee burnt neither shall the â—lame kindle upon theâ— Isa. 43.1 2. Lo here are promises like Flaggons of Wine to comfort the distressed soul. Wherefore as Câ—sar said to the trembling Marriner 〈◊〉 not afraid for thou carriest Caesar so O Christian bee not afraid for hee that is in thee for thee with thee that guides thee that will save thee is the invincible King Iehova And upon this ground David was so comforted and refreshed 〈◊〉 his soul Psal. 94.19 that hee was able to say Though I should walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evill Why For thou art with mee thy Rod and thy Staffe shall comfort mee Psal. 23.4 Yea our Enemies can no sooner assault us with their tongues but God coms in to our rescue If yee bee railed upon for the name of Christ saith Saint Peter blessed are yee for the Spirit of God resteth upon you 1 Pet. 4.14 God is never so much injoyed of us as when we are in the deep with David Psal. 130.1 and when wee are worst of all bestead with Iehosaphat a Chron. 20.12 When did Iacob see a Vision of Angels but when hee fled for his life making the cold earth his bed and a stone his pillow or when was his heart so full of joy as now that his head lay hardest When was Paul wrapp'd into the third heaven to hear words from Christ not fit to bee uttered 2 Cor. 12.2.4 but as some of the learned conceive when hee was bereaved of his sight Stephen saw great happiness by Christ in his peace but under that shower of stones hee saw heaven it self open Act. 7. When wee are slain all the day long for his sake with the Martyrs then wee are given to see him with our eyes as Iob did who till that time had onely heard of him by the hearing of the ear Then wee come to know that the Lord hee is God with Manasses 2 Chron. 33.13 and that he is our hope and strength and refuge and a very present help in troubles ready to bee sound of all that seek to him 2 Chron. 15.4.15 Psal 9.9 10 and 46.1 The Israelites never fared so well as when they lived at Gods immediate finding and at night expected their morrows break-fast from the clouds When they did daily ask and daily receive their daily bread Yea even when they were wandering in a forlorn wilderness how did God as it were attend upon them in their distress to supply their wants They have no guide therefore God himself goes before them in a
forth her fruit Yea as all Samsons strength lay in his hair so all our strength lyeth in Praier Praiers and tears are the Churches Armour Praiers and patience her weapons and therefore when Peter was imprisoned by cruel Herod the congregation joined their forces to pray for him and so brake his chains blew open the Iron Gates and fetch'd him out Act. 12.4 to 18. Arma Christianorum in adversis alia esse non debent quam patientia precatâ—â— saith Salmeron Yea praier is so powerfull that it commandeth all things in Heaven and Earth It commandeth all the four Elements Air Iam. 5.17.18 Fire Ecclesiasticus 48.3 Dan. 3.27 Water Exod. 14.21 and 15.25 Earth Num. 16.31.32.33 Nay the Praier of one devouâ— man is able to coâ—quer an host of enemies in battell Exod. 17.11 What shall I say it hath made the Sun stand still in the Firmament one while go back another fetch fire and hail-stones from heaven thrown down the walls of Iericho subdued Kingdoms stopt the mouths of Lyons quencht the violence of fire c. Yea Praier is so potent that it raiseth the dead 1 King 17.21 overcometh Angels Gen. 19.22 casteth our Devills Matth. 17.21 and that which is yet more wonderfull overcometh him that cannot be overcome and mastereth even God himself for doth not the Lord say to Moses let mee alone And Moses would not let him alone till he had obtained his petition Exod. 32.10.14 And again to Iacob wrestling with him let mee go and Iacob would not let him go untill he had prevailed Gen. 32.16 Wherefore Pray upon all occasions and that without doubting say not to God as the Leper said to Christ If thou wilt thou canst make me clean for hee both can and will as that very text Matth. 8.2 3. proves Yea I would to God wee were but so willing as hee is for hee desires to bee desired Neither hath hee his own will except wee have ours Christ doth ask no more of us but onely that wee would vouchsafe to ask him True the fainting heart that hath waited some time may with the Psalmist mutter out some such speech as this Hath God forgotten to bee gracious Psal. 77.9 But if hee forgets any of his he hath lost his old wont for who can nominate one that ever came to Christ with any lawfull suit that received a repulse Who ever asked any thing of him which was profitable for him to receive and did not obtain his suit Did not the sick ever receive their health The lame their limbes the blind their fight Did ever any sinner implore the forgiveness of his sins which did not receiv full remission and pardon Yea did not this our gracious King and Redeemer prevent his poor miserable subjects with his grace in giving before â—hey had the grace to ask or more then they desired The sick of the Palâ—â—â— asking but cure of his disease received not onely that but the remission of his sins also Matth. â— Zacheus desired but to see his face he became his guest and gave him salvation to boot Luk. 1â— The Woman of Samaria requested but elementary and common water hee offered unto her the water of life Ioh. 4. The people followed him to bee fed by miracle with corporall food hee offered unto them the bread of life Ioh. 7. The poor blind man desired but his bodily sight Christ illuminated the eye of his soul Ioh. 9. Neither hath honours changed manners with him as is usuall amongst men for hee is a God immutable in goodness and without change or shadow of turning Iam. 1 17. so that if thou speak hee will hear and answer thy suit in supporting thee so that thou shalt bee sure to persevere and hold out unto the end Section 11. Object But I have no evidence of divine assistance nor can I pray for it to purpose Answ. Wee have the presence of Gods Spirit and grace many times and feel it not yea when we complain for want of iâ— as Pilate asked Christ what was truâ—h when the truth stood before him The stomach findes the best digestion even in sleep when wee least perceive it and whiles wee are most awake this power worketh in us either to further strength or disease without our knowledge of what is done within and on the other side that man is most dangerously sick in whom nature decays without his feeling without his complaint To know our selvs happy is good but woe were to us Christians if wee could not bee happy and know it not As touching Praier every one is not so happy as Sâ—even was to bee most fervent when they are most in pain yea many in time of sickness by reason of the extremity of pain can hardly pray at all whence Saint Iames wisheth us in affliction to pray our selvs but in case of sickness to send for the Elders that they may as those in the Gospell offer up the sick person to God in their praiers beeing unable to present their own casâ— Iam. 5.13.14.15 Yea it were miserable for the best Christian if all his former Praiers and Meditations did not serve to aid him in his last straights and meet together in the Center of his extremity yielding though not sensible relief yet secret benefit to the soul whereas the worldly man in this case having not layed up for this hour hath no comfort from God or from others or from himself Besides thou art happy in this there is not the poorest and meanest of Gods Children but as hee hath the benefit of Christs intercession in heaven Rom. 8.34 Ioh. 16.26 so hath hee also the benefit of the Praiers of all the Saints on Earth wee have the graces and gifts each of other in common Yet because thine own Praier is most proper and seeing it is the mindes Embassadour tâ— God and never faileth of success if it bee fervent as if our prayers want success they want heart their blessing is according to their vigor pray that thou mayest pray better If thy Leg â—â—e beâ—â—â—mâ—d go upon it a little and it will come to it self again To which if thou join fasting thou shalt do well for prayers are made â—at with fasting as Tertullian speaks Yea pray oft though thy prayers bee the shorter weak 〈…〉 which cannot digest large 〈◊〉 feed 〈◊〉 and lâ—â—tle O! saith holy Bernard most sweetly How oft hast thou meaning praier found mee lamenting and despairing and lest mee rejoycing and triumphing And what though thou canst not powr out thy soul in a flood of words The Woman diseased with an issue of blood said but within her self shee did not speak to bee heard of others and yet Christ heard her and answered her request Matth 9.21.22 The Lord esteemeth the will for the deed and the affection for the action Man sees the countenance God the heart man the deeds but God the meaning Hast thou but thoughts and desires and canst thou onely express them with sighs and groans these speechless
and that he would raise up evill against him out of his own lâ—ins here were as many Arrows as words Again the child which he had by Bathsheba was no sooner born but it died there was another Arrow Tamaâ— his daughter being marriageable was deslowred by his own Son Amnon there was two moâ—e Amnon himself being in drink was kill'd by Absalom at a Feast there was another This Absalom proves rebellious and riseth in Aâ—ms against his own Father makes him fly beyond Iordan there was one more He lieth with his Fathers Concubines in the sight of all Israel there was another And how much do you think did these Arrows wound the Kings heart and â—ierce his very soul Lastly lock upon Lazarus though Christs bosome fâ—iend Ion. 11. thou shalt see him labour under a mortal disease c. though many soulâ— were gained to the Gospel and cured by his being sick Si amatur saith Saint Aâ—â—in quomodâ— infirmatur Thus it were easie to shew the like of Ioseph Ieremy Daniel Iohn Baptist Peter Paul and all the generation of Gods Children and servants For as the Apostle giveth a generall testimony of all the Saints in the Old Testament saying That some endured the violence of fire some were 〈◊〉 others were tried by mockings and scourgings bonds and imprsonments some stoned some hewen in sunder some slain with the sword some wandred up and down in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins being destitute afflicted and tormented some forced to wander in Wildernesses and Mountains and hide themselvs in Dens and Caves of the earth being such as the world was â—ot worthy of Heb. 11. So Ecclesiasticall History gives the like generall testimony of all the Saints in the New Testament and succeeding ages foâ— we read that of all the Apostles none dyed a naturall death save onely Saint Iohn and hee also was banished by Domitian to Pathmos and at another time thrust into a Tun of seething Oil at Rome 〈◊〉 Tertullian and Saint Ierome do report As for other beleevers there was such a multitude of them suffered Martyrdom for professing the Gospel whereof some were stoned som crucified som beheaded some thrust through with spears some burnt with fire and the like for wee read of twenty nine severall deaths they were put unto that Ecclesiasticall History makes mention of two thousand which suffered the same day with Nicanor And after that in the time of the Ten persecutions were such an innumerable company of innocent Christians put to death and tormented that Saint Ierome in his Epistle to Chromatius and Heliodorus saith There was not one day in the whole year unto which the number of five thousand Mâ—rtyrs might not bee ascâ—ibed except onely the first day of Ianuary who were put to the most exquisite deaths and torments that ever the wit or malice of Men or Devills câ—uld invent to inflict upon them Since which time the Turke and the Pope have acted their parts in shedding the blood of the Saints as well as the Iews and Roman Empeours as appears in the Book of Acts and Monuments and Rev. 17. where the holy Ghost hath foretold that the Whore of Babylon should fight with the Lambe and they that are on his side called and chosen and saithfull untill shee were even drunk with the blood of the Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Iesus which in part was fulfilled in England under the Raign of Queen Mary when in one year a Hundred seventy six persons of quality were burnt for Religion with many of the common sort and in France where before these late bloody Massacrâ—â— there were two Hundred Thousand which suffered Martyrdom about Transubstantiation And it is well known that our Saviour Christs whole life even from his Cradâ—â— to his Grave was nothing else but a continued act of suffering yea hee was the person upon whom as upon one Center all our sorrows met Hee that had all possessed nothing except the punishment due to our sins which lay so heavy upon him for satisfaction thâ—â— it pressed his soul as it were to the nethermost â—â—ll and made him cry 〈◊〉 in the anguish of his spirit My God My God why hast thou forsaken mee So that there is nothing befalls â—â—s bâ—â— hath befaine our betters before us and to bee free from crosses and afflâ—â—tionâ— is the priviledge onely of the Church triumphant For qui non est Crucianus non est Christianus saith Luther there is not a Christian that carries not his Cross. It is onely Heaven that is above all windes storms and tempests Nor hath God saith Bernard cast man out of Paradice for him to think to find out another Paradice in this world Now the way not to repine at those above us is to look at those below us we seldom or never see any man served with simple favours It is not for every one to have his soul suck'd out of his mouth with a kiss as the Iews tell of Moses It is a great word that Zazomen speak of Apollonius that hee never asked any thing of God in all his life that hee obtained not This is not our Paradiâ—e but our Purgatory not a place of pleasure but a Pilgrimage not a Triumph but a Warfare Wee cannot say of this world as Tully reports of Sir acuse in Sicily and others of Rhodes that not one day passeth in which the Sunshines not clâ—aâ—ly on them Yea wee shink hee speeds well that lives as it were under a perpetuall Equinoctiall having night and day equall good and ill success in the same measure for these compositions make both our crosses tolerable and our blessings wholesom Wee that know not the afflictions of others call our own the heaviest every small current is a torrent every brook a River every River a Sea wee make our selves more miserable than wee need than wee should by looking upon our miseries in a multiplying glass wee measure the length of time by the sharpness of our afflictions and so make minutes seem hours and days months If wee bee sick and the Physician promises to visit us tomorrow with his best relief with what a tedious longing do wee expect his presence Our imagination makes every day of our sorrows appear like Ioshua's day when the Sun stood still in Gibeon The Summer of our delights is too short but the Winter of our affliction goes slowly off Wee are so sensible of a present distress and so ingratefull for savours past that wee remember not many years health so much as one days sickness it is true former meals do not relieve our present hunger but his cottage of ours ruins straight if it be not new daubed every day new repaired What then shall to-days Ague make us forget yesterdays health and all Gods former favours if hee do not answer us in every thing shall wee take pleasure in nothing Shall wee slight all his blessings because in one thing hee câ—osseth us whereas his least mercy is beyond our best
merit But if wee think of our deliverance from the fire of Hell â—his is cause enough to make us both pâ—tient and thankfull though the trifles weâ— delight in bee taken from us Lord take away what thou pleasest for thy glory and my good so long as thou savest mee from the fire of Hell and thy everlasting wrath Neither is there a better remedy for impatience than to cast up our receipts and to compare them with ouâ— deservingâ— if thou lookest upon thy sufferingâ— thou shalt find them far easier than thy sins have deserved nothing to what thy fellow Saints and Christ thy elder brother hath suffered before thee at a Lyons den or a fiery furnace not to turn tâ—ile were a commendation worthy a Crown do but compare thy own estate with theirs and thou shalt find cause to bee thankfull that thou art above any rather than of envy or malice that any is above thee to domineer and insult over thee Yea compare thine own estate with thine enemies thou shalt see yet greater cause to bee thankfull for if these temporary dolors which God afflicts his people with are so grievous to thee how shall thine and Gods enemies though they suggest to themselvs that God is all mercy as if hee wanted the other hand of his justice endure that devouring fire that everlasting burning Isa. 33.14 Psal. 68.21 Doth he make bloody wayls on the backs of his Children and shall bastards escape doth hee deal thus with his Sons what will hee do with his Slaves cannot all the obedience of his beloved ones bear out one sin against God as wee see in Moses David Zachary c. Where will they appear that do evill onely evill and that continually The meditation whereof may bee of some use to thee Thales beeing asked how adversity might best bee born answered By seeing our Enemies in worse estate than our selves CHAP. 39. That the more wee suffer here so it bee for righteousness sake the greater our reward shall be heareafter 5 FIâ—thly wee shall bear the Cross with more patience and comfort if with Moses wee shall have respect unto the recompence of reward which is promised to all that notwithstanding what they shall suffer persevere in well doing Great are our tryals but salvation in heaven will one day make amends when we shall have all tears wiped from our eyes when wee shall cease to grieve cease to sorrow cease to suffer cease to sin when God shall turn all the water of our tears into the wine of endless comfort Yea when our reward shall bee so much the more joyous by how much more the course of our life hath been grievous First see what promises are made to suffering Blessed are they which mourn saith our Saviour for they shall bee comforted Matth. 5.4 Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousness for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven ver 10. They that suffer here for well-doing shall bee Crowned hereafter for well-suffering Blessed shall you bee when men revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evill against you for my sake fasly Rejoice and be glad for great is your reward in heaven ver 11.12 And nothing wee suffer here can bee compared either with those woes wee have deserved in Hell or those joyes wee are reserved to in Heaven When Maâ—cus Marcellus who was the first that saw the back of Hanniball in the field was asked how hee durst enter into battaile with him hee answered I am a Romane born and a Souldier and by him I shall make my â—â—own everlasting How much more should the hope of life immortall wâ—â—ch is the life of our lives mortall whet our sortiâ—ude and encourage us in the Christian warfare And so it hath done with thousands Origen was so earnest to suffer with his Father when hee was but sixteen years of age that if his Mother had not kept his cloaths from him hee would have run to the place where his Father suffered to profess himself a Christian and to have suffered with him which was a common thing with the Martyrs making all hast lest they should miss of that noble entertainment Yea it hath not onely been common for men in a bravado to encounter death for a small flâ—sh of honour but you shall see a hired servant venture his life for his new master that will scarce pay him his wages at the years end And can wee suffer too much for our Lord and Master who giveth every one that serveth him not Fields and Vineyards as Saul pretended 1 Sam. 22. Nor Towns and Cities as Cicero is pleased to boast of Caesar but even an hundred-fold more than wee part withall in this life and eternall mansions in Heaven Iohn 14 2. Therefore Bazil when hee was offered money and preferments to tempt him answered Can you give me money that can last for ever and glory that may eternally flourish And certainly nothing can bee too much to endure for those pleasures which endure forever Yea if the love of gain makes the Merchant refuse no adventures of Sea if the sweetness of honey makes the Bears break in upon th hives contemning the stings Who would not get heaven at any rate at any cost or trouble whatsoever But to go on Behold saith God it shall come to pass that the Devill shall cast some of you into prison that yee may bee tried and yee shall have tribulation ten days yet fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer For be but thou faithfull unto death and I will give thee the Crown of life Rev. 2.10 And again Blessed is the man that endureth temtatation for when hee is tried hee shall receive the Crown of life Jam. 1. veâ— 12. A Crown without cares without rivals without envy without end Now if you consider it The gain with hardness makes it far less hard The danger 's great but so is the reward The sight of glory future mitigate the sence of misery present For if Iacob thought not his service tedious because his beloved Rachell was in his eye what can be thought grievous to him that hath Heaven in his eye Adrianus seeing the Martyrs suffer such grievous things hee asked why they would endure such misery when they might by retracting free themselvs to which one of them aleadged that text Eye hath not seen nor ear heard c. the nameing whereof and seeing them suffer so cheerfully did so convert him that afterwards hee became a Martyr too Lastly not to enlarge my self as I might in promises of reward Whosoever shall forsake Houses or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my name sake he shall receive an hundred-fold more and shall inherit everlasting life Matth. 19.29 This is â— treasure worthy our hearts a purchase worth our lives Wherefore eye not the stream thou wadest through but the firm Land thou tendest to And indeed who is there that shall hear these promises and compare
the seed-time with the Harvest look up from the root to the fruit consider the recompence of the reward and will not choose rather to suffer adversity with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season Heb. 11.25 Who will not bee willing to suffer with Christ that hee may also reign with him 2 Tim. 2.12 Who will not suffer these light afflictions which are but for a moment when they cause unto us a far more excellent end eternall weight of glory 2. Cor. 4.16.17 Was Lazarus for a time extream miserable hee is now in Abrahams bosom Yea blessed Lazarus thy sores and sorrows soon ceased but thy joies are everlasting Now mee thinks if thou but considerest that thy pain will shortly pass but thy joies shall never pass away it should prove a notable soveraign Cordiall to strengthen thee not onely against reproaches which attend thy profession but even against fire and faggot Who would not bee a Philpoâ— for a month or a Lazarus for a day oâ— a Stephen for an hour that he might be in Abrahams bosome for ever nothing can bee too much to endure for those pleasures which endure for ever It is true If in this life onely wee had hope in Christ we were of all men the most miserable as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 15.19 But thou must consider that as this life is our Hell and the wickeds Heaven Ioh. 16.20 So the next life shall bee their Hell and our Heaven ver â—1 33 Prov. 16.4 As Dives was in Abrahams bosome when Lazarus was in torments so Lazarus was in Abrahams bosome when Dives was in torments Luk. 16. ver 23.25 And herein wee fare no worse than Cstrist Did not his Spirit pass from the Cross into Paradice Did not hee first descend into Heâ—l and then had his ascension Suppose thy sufferings bee great what then Assure thy sâ—lf that every pang is a prevention of the pains of Hell and every respite an earnest of Heavens rest and how many stripes dost thou esteem Heaven worth It is true flesh and blood is so sensual that it feels a little pain in the finger a great deal more than the health of the whole body But let us better consider on it and behold at once the whole state of a Christian wee shall see his peace exceed his pain yea wee shall see both the torments present and the glory following Hope makes absent joies present wants plenitudes and beguiles calamity as good company does the way The poor traveller in thinking of his Inne goes on more cheerfully and the bond man in calling to mind the year of Iubilee When the Apprentice calls to mind that his years of covenant will now shortly expire and then hee shall have his freedom confirmed the very remembrance thereof maketh many labour some works seem more light and less grievous unto him neither doth hee afterwards repent it Did it ever repent Iacob when hee came to inherit his Fathers blessing that hee had indured a long exile and tedious bondage Or Ioseph when hee wâ—s once made Ruler in Egypt that he had formerly been sold thither and there imprisoned and hee had never been a Courtier if he had not first been a prisoner Or did it repent the Israelites when they came to inherit the Land of promise that they had formerly been forty years passing through a forlorn wilderness Or which of Gods servants did ever repent that they had passed the apprentiship of their service here and were now gon to be made free in glory If so let us do and suffer cheerfully patiently couragiously what God imposeth upon us knowing that after wee have swet and smarted but six days at the utmost then cometh our Sabbath of eternal rest which will make a mends for all knowing that death ends our misery and begins our glory and a few groans are well bestowed for a Preface to an immortall joy Let then our eyes bee continually on the joys which follow and not on the pain which is present the pain neglected and unregarded cannot bee very discomfortable But that there is reward promised to those which suffer in Christs cause is not all for our reward shall bee answerable to our sufferings the greater our sufferings are here the greater shall our reward bee hereafter Matth. 16.27 The deluge of calamities may assault us but they shall exalt us By our crosses sanctified weight is added to our Crown of Bliss for according to the measure of our afflictions God weigheth unto us of his graces that wee may bee able to bear them and according to the measure of our graces hee proportioneth our glory and future happiness Suffering for the Gospell is no inferiour good work and every one shall bee rewarded though not for yet according to his works Psal. 62.12 Rom. 2.6 Rev 22. ver 12. The Apostles tell Christ wee have left all and followed thee Matth. 19.27 Christ tels them when I sit on my Throne yee shall sit on Thrones with mee ver 28. They that turn many unto righteousness shall shine as the stars in the Kingdom of heaven Dan. 12.3 And they that suffer Martyrdom shall bee cloathed with long white Robes and have Palms in their hands Rev. 6.9.11 Now there bee three sorts of Martyrs Re intentione intentione non re re non intentione in both deed and intention as was Saint Steven in intention not deed as was Saint Iohn in deed not in intention as were the innocents But where the conflict is more hard the conquest obtained shall be more glorious for as Chrysostom speaks According to the tribulations laid upon and born by us shall our retribution of glory be proportioned And persecutors saith Bernard are but our Fathers Gold-smiths working to add pearls to the Crowns of the Saints Yea ever where more work is done there more wages is given and when the sight or conflict is sharper and the victory harder the glory of the triumph is greater and the Crown of reward more glorious Whence it was that those Saints in the Old Testament which were racked and tortured would not be delivered or accept of their enemies fair offers to the end they might receive a betâ—er resurrection and a more glorious reward Heb. 11.35 Neither would we wish our work easier or our burthen lighter if we looked up to â—he recompence of reward for it may bee well applied here which was misapplied in the triall of that holy man Ioh We do not serve God for nothing Though we must 〈…〉 him meerly for reward as hirelings nor for fear as servants but as children for love O that when we suffer most we would but meditate and look upon with the eie of faith the fulnesse of those joies and sweetnesse of those pleasures which having once finished our course we shall enjoy at Gods right hand for evermore Psal. 16.11 being such as eie hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath entered into the heart of man to conceive
Schools of learning and good literature especially the Universities Remember in much mercy all that are afflicted whether in body or in mind of in both whether in conscience groaning under sin or for a good conscience because they will not sin and as thou makest them examples to us so teach us to take example by them and learn wisdome by thy hand upon them These and all things else which thou knowest we stand in need of we humbly crave at thy mercifull hands and that for the alone worthinesse and satisfaction of thy son and the honour of our onely Redeemer and Advocate Jesus Christ to whom with thee O Father and thy blessed Spirit be given as is most due all praise glory and dominion the residue of this day and for evermore Amen A PRAYER for the Morning O Lord prepare our hearts to Pray O Most glorious LORD GOD and in JESUS CHRIST our most merciful and loving Father in whom wee live and move and have our being in the multitude of thy mercies we desire to approach unto thee from whom all good things do proceed who knowest our necessities befoâ—e we ask and our ignorance in asking It is true O Lord if we should consider onely our own unworthiness and how we have heretofore abused thy goodnesse and long-suffering towards us wee might rather despair with Iudas and like Adam run from thee then dare to approach thy glorious presence For we confesse O Lord to the shame and confusion of our own faces that as our first Parents left us a large stock of sinne so we have improved the same beyond measure O that we could have so improved that stock of grace which wee have received from thee But whereas thou gavest us as large a portion we suddenly lost it We were created indeed by thee after thine own image in righteousness holiness in knowledg of the Truth But alas now our understandings are so darkned and dulled our judgmeÌ„ts so blinded our wils so perverted our affections so corrupted our reason so exiled our thoughts so surprised our desires so entrapped and all the faculties and sunctions of our souls so disordered that we are not sufficient of our selves to think much lesse to speak least of all to do ought that is good And yet usually like Bladders we are not more empty of grace than we are blown up with pride whereby with Laodicea we not once see our own spiritual misery and nakednesse but think we are rich and good enough as wanting nothing when as scarce any spark of grace yet appears in us Yea so far have we been from loving and serving thee that we have hated those that do it and that for their so doing And so far have we been from performing that vow which we made to Christ in our Baptism when we took his presse-mony to be his Souldiers and serve him in the field of this world against his and our enemies that we have renounced our vow made to him and fled from his standard yea fought for Satan and the World seeking to win all we could from Christ by tempting to sin and by persecuting such as were better then our selves so that all our recompence of thy love unto us hath been to do that which thou hatest and to hate those whom thou lovest Yea we cannot deny but we have persecuted thee with Paul denied thee with Peter betraied thee with Iudas and crucified thee with those cruel Jews Now Lord it being thus with us how can we expect that thou shouldest hear our praiers grant our requests yea how can wee look for other at thine hands then great and grievous yea then double damnation as most justly we have deserved Yet most most merciful Father being that thou hast given thy Son and thy Son himself for the ransome of so many as shall truly repent and unfainedly believ in him who hath for our sakes fulfilled all righteousness yea suffered on the Crosse and there made full satisfaction for the sins of all thine Elect. And likewise knowing that mercie pleaseath thee and that the sole perfection of a Christian is the imputation of Christs righteousnesse and the not-imputation of his own unrighteousnesse We are emboldened to sue unto thee our God for grace that we may be able to repent and believe Wherefore for thy promise sake for thy Sons sake and for thy great Names sake we beseech thee send down thy holy Spirit into our souls regenerate our hearts change and purifie our natures subdue our reason rectifie our judgments strengthen our wills renew our affections put a stop to our madding and straying fancies beat down in us whatsoever stands in opposition to the Scepter of Jesus Christ and enable us in some measure both to withstand that which is evil and perform that which is good and pleasing in thy sight And because every day which does not abate of our reckoning will increase it and that by procrastinating we shall but heap unto our selves wrath against the day of wrath Good Lord suffer us not we beseech thee to defer our repentance lest the custome of evill makes it altogether unalterable in us or lest we dye before we begin to live or lest thou refusest to hear us another day calling upon thee for mercy because we refuse to hear thee now calling to us for repentance Wherefore if we be not yet converted let this be the happy hour of our conversion that as our bodies are risen by thy power and providence from sleep so our soules may daily bee raised from the sleep of sin and the darknesse of this world that so we may enjoy that everlasting light which thou hast prepared for thine and purchased with the bloud of thy dear Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Give unto us we beseech thee a true lively and justifying faith whereby we may lay hold upon those gracious promises which thou hast made unto us in him and wherewith we may vanquish all our spirituall adversaries Seal up unto us the assurance of our salvation by the teâ—stimony of thy blessed Spirit Give to us thy servants that wisdome which descendeth from above that we may be wise unto our eternall salvation so shall our hearts instead of a Commentary help us to understand the Scriptures and our lives be an Exposition of the inward man Give us grace to account all things in this world even as drosse and dung that we may win Christ Jesus and Heaven and happinesse by means of him Give us single hearts and spirits without guile that wee may love goodnesse for it self and more seek the power of godlinesse then the shew of it and love the godly for thy sake and because they are godly Grant that in the whole course of our lives we may doe unto all others as we would that they should doe unto us considering that whether we do good or evill unto any one of thy members thou takest it as done unto thy self Discover unto us all our
his Word Christs blood saith Zanchie was shed as well for ablution as for absolution as well to cleanse from the soil and filth of sin as to clear and assoil from guilt of sin Rom. 6.5 6. God hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Ephes. 1.4 They therefore that never come to be holy were never chosen He is said to have given himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purge us to be a peculiar people unto himself zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 Luke 1.74 75. Yea the Lord binds it with an oath that whomsoever he redeemeth out of the hands of their spiritual enemies they shall worship him in holiness and righteousnesse all the dayes of their life Luke 1.73 74 75. 1. Pet. 2.24 and Tit. 2. The grace of God which bringeth salvation teacheth us that we should deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and that we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world vers 12. By all which it is plain that as Christs blood is a Charter of pardon so withal it is a Covenant of direction and he that refuseth to live as that covenant prescribes may perish as a malefactor that is hanged with his pardon about his neck Sect. XXI But alas say what can be said carnal men who love their sins better then their souls will answer all yea confute whatsoever can be al 〈…〉 with God is mercifull Or in case that will not serve yet they have another shift or rather the enemy of mankinde will furnish them with an evasion telling them that they have a strong faith good hearts and mean well they repent of their sins have as good wishes and desires as can be are elected hope to go to heaven as well as the best c. But to every of these I answer First true faith purifieth the heart and worketh by love consumeth our corruptions and sanctifieth the whole man throughout so that our faith to God is seen in our faithfulnesse to men our invisible belief by our visible life Faith and holiness are as inseparable as life and motion the Sun and light fire and heat ice and coldnesse the spring and greenness the rose and sweetness steel and hardness crystal and clearness pitch and foulness honey and sweetness Again faith believeth the threats of the Word together with the promises Now thou who pretendest belief in the promises shew me thy belief in the threatnings For didst thou believe the truth of those menaces which God hath denounced against unclean covetous ambitious unjust envious malitious persons and such like sinners how durst thou then so wallow in these sins that if God instead of Hell had promised Heaven as a reward unto them thou couldest not do more then thou doest Why shouldest thou deceive thy self with an opinion of faith when indeed thou believest not so much as the Devil does for he believes namely the threatnings of the VVord and trembles for horror Iam. 2. but thou goest on in sin even mocking at the menaces and in the infidelity of thy heart givest them the lye saying no such thing shall befall thee But Invadunt urbem somno vinoque sepultam when they shall say peace and safety then comes on them sudden destruction 1 Thes. 5.3 Though those Persecutors of Christ and murtherers of the Lord of life were the Devils children as they were plainly told by truth it self Ioh. 8.44 yet they most confidently believed and stiffly maintained that God was their father verse 41. And so will the worst of men in these dayes such as do nothing but sin and make others sin such as glory in and maintain their sins Again as faith is wrought by Gods spirit so where it is wrought it brings forth the fruits of the Spirit mentioned Gal. 5.22 23. whereas presumption as it is of the flesh so it brings forth the fruits of the flesh verse 19.20 21. But it is very easie to believe thinks the sensualist yes but why Satan troubles not such for then he who begot this presumptuous faith in him should be divided against himself Nay Satan confirms him in this his deceit Besides this is a sure rule that that perswasion onely which follows sound humiliation is faith that which goes before it is presumption And as Ambrose speaks no man can repent of sin but he that believes the pardon of sin nor none can believe his sins are pardoned except he hath repented Besides how easie a matter soever thou thinkest it is to believe he that goes about it shall finde it as hard a work to believe the Gospel as to keep the Law and onely God must enable to both and yet so far as we come short of either so far forth we have just cause to be humbled if we consider how God at first made us and how wofully we have unmade our selves But Sect. XXII Secondly as for their good hearts and meanings they may think what they will but every wise man knows that the outward actions declare the inward intentions A good conversion is proved by a good conversation There is no heart made of flesh which at some time or other relents not even flint and marble will in some weather stand on drops Men may flatter God with their mouths and with their tongues dissemble with him when their hearts are not upright with him Psal. 78.36 37. and indeed they whose words and deeds are faulty and evil and yet plead the gooodness of their hearts toward God are like malefactors who being convicted of theft or the like naughtiness by plain evidence to their faces do appeal to the testimony of such persons for their purgation as they know cannot be found And in case the hearts of such men could be seen of others as their works and words are their hearts would appear worst of all as they do to God who seeth them Nor is any evil in the mouth or hand which was not in the heart first of all as the stream in the fountain And let a vicious man boast never so much of his good heart I will as soon believe him that saith he hath the Philosophers stone and yet lives like a begger which two hang together like a sick mans dream VVe have good hearts and mean well alas poor ignorant souls for every drop of wickedness that appears in the life there is an ocean in the heart The heart of man is deceitfull above all things and while he thinks there is no deceit in it even in that he is most of all deceived Sinners are like that peremtory Sexâ—on that said howsoever the day goes I am sure the clock goes right So that the Spanish Proverb does every way please me defienda me dios de mio God defend me from my self Carnal men are apt to boast of the goodness of their hearts but a mans heart is as arch a Traitor as any he shall
meet withall We trust it too much and know it too little as it fared with Leah Gen. 30.18 and Hazael 2 Kings 8.12 13. and Peter Mat. 26.33 Luke 22.32 Mark 14.29 And those Iews Acts 2.36 And all this they will acknowledge in the end yea prove by experience that Heaven is full of good works Hell of good wishes and that the fetters which sin makes it must wear Sect. XXIII Thirdly touching their repentance my answer is True repentance for sin is a turning from every sin to the contrary good In all true repentance is a change both in the judgement from error to truth and in the will from evil to good and in the affections from loving evil and hating good to love good and hate evil in the whole man from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God VVithout which change no repentance no being saved The two main and essential parts of repentance are contrition or humiliation and conversion or reformation It is not true repentance except humiliation and reformation go both together for either of these single make but a half or halting repentance An unreformed sorrow is but deformed and a sorrowless reformation is but a very sorry one Humiliation without reformation is a foundation without a building and reformation without humiliation is a building without a foundation Iudas was grieved for murthering Christ yet no change followed he fell to murthering of himself It is not possible a man should truly grieve and be displeased for his sins and yet continue in them without a change Sect. XXIV Fourthly as for their assurance of salvation it is upon as good ground as all the rest for they slumber and suppose themselves good Christians their faith is but a dream their hope but a dream their charity but a dream their obedience but a dream their whole religion but a dream and so their assurance of salvation is but a dream they have regeneration in conceit repentance and righteousness in conceit they serve God well in conceit do the works of justice and piety in conceit and they shall go to heaven onely in conceit or in a dream and never awake until they feel themselves in the flames of hell Every drunken beast and blasphemer thinks to go to heaven though none shall come there nor once see God without holiness which they abhor One mindes nothing but his cups another nothing but his coyn a third onely his Curtizan yet all these point to meet in heaven but this is not the way thither The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life 1. Ioh. 2.16 is a broad way but not to heaven Micha when he had a Levite in his house thought that God loved him Iudg. 17.13 It is usual with formalists when they have the Sacrament in their belly to think that all is well as the Iews thought we may put away our wives we may swear we may hate our enemies we may kill the Prophets subject the Word of God to our traditions and follow our own wayes Why Abraham is our father Ioh. 8.39 But by their leave Christ calls them bastards and finds out another father for them ver 44. Ye are of your father the Devil and the lusts of your father ye will do Profane Libertines such as account not themselves well but when they are doing ill yea the most covetous oppressors who may say as Pope Leo did I can have no place in heaven because I have so often sold it upon earth every man of them hopes I confess with more confidence then judgment to have benefit by the Gospel when they will not be tyed to the least tittle of the Law But if Christ be not our King to govern us he will neither be our Prophet to fore-warn nor our Priest to expiate Except we forsake our sins God will never forgive them yea he hath sworn by an oath that whomsoever he redeemeth out of the hands of their spiritual enemies shall serve him in holiness and righteousness all the dayes of their lives Neither can it consist with his justice to pardon such as continue in an evil course of life If Christ hath freed us from the damnation of sin he hath also freed us from the dominion of sin If with his blood he hath quenched the fire of hell for us he hath also quenched the fire of lust in us Christs justifying blood is given us by his sanctifying Spirit He being consecrated was made the author of eternal salvation unto all them and them onely that obey him Heb. 5.9 Of whomsoever a man is overcome even unto the same he is in bondage 2 Pet. 2.19 Have ye then no goverment of your passions no conscience of your actions no care of your lives false hypocrites ye do but abuse and profane that name which ye unjustly arrogate Sect. XXV But yet more to convince you you go to heaven when in sundry particulars you fall short of many wicked reprobates recorded in Scripture as do but deal impartially with thy self and tell me thou civil Iusticiary whether thou ever hadst the heart upon hearing the threatnings of the Word to relent and humble thy self with Ahab to confess thy sins and desire the people of God to pray for thee with Pharoah to be affected with joy in hearing the Word and practice many things with Herod to be zealous against sin with Iehu willingly to part with a good part of thy goods with Ananias to forsake the world and all thy hopes in it to follow poor Christ as Demas and others to venture thy life with Alexander the Copper-smith in cleaving to the truth yea it is said of Iudas himself that he repented there is contrition he saith I have sinned there is confession and he restored the money again there is satisfaction which is all the Papists repentance and yet he is Iudas the son of perdition still Now tell me doest thou not come short of these many such as these be wicked reprobates and yet wilt thou please thy self in a false conceit of thine own happiness who comest further behind them then they do behind true Christians If some that have journied in the wilderness to Kadesh-barnea shall yet never enter into Gods rest shall those that never left Egypt Is the stony ground reprobate and can the high-way ground be good There are three sorts of ground mentioned Mark 4.4 5 6 7. and the very worst of them receives the seed yet all damned whither then shall the tempest of Gods wrath drive them that would never yet give the Gospel a religious ear But vicious men think God is all mercy as foggie air useth to represent every object far bigger than it is when the VVord tells us that he is a consuming fire and a jealous God Deut. 4.24 Heb. 12.29 and when we shall find in Deut. 28. thrice as many curses as blessings Doest thou expect to have him mercifull to thee that art unmercifull cruel and
But in praying for Wisdom do not pray for it without putting difference desire not so much brain-knowledg as to be Soul-wise and then you will imploy your wisdom to the glory of the giver Let thine hearts desire be to know God in Christ Christ in Faith Faith in good works to know Gods vvill that thou mayest do it and before the knowledg of all other things desire to knovv thy self in thy self not so much thy strength as thy vveakness Pray that thine heart may serve thee insteed of a commentary to help thee understand such points of Religion as are most needful and necessary and that thy Life may be an Exposition of thy invvard man that there may be a sweet harmony betwixt Gods VVord thy judgment and vvhole conversation that what the natural man knoweth by roat thou mayst double by feeling the same in thine heart and affections As indeed experimental and saving knovvledg is no less felt than knovvn and I cannot tell how comes rather out of the abundance of the heart than by extreme study or rather is sent by God unto good men like the Ram that was brought to Abraham when he would have Sacrificed his son Isaak When Christ taught in the Temple they asked Hovv knovveth this man the Scriptures seeing he never learned them So it is a wonder what learning some men have that have no learning Like Prisilla and Aquila poor Tent-makers who were able to school Apollos that great Clerk a man renovvned for his learning What can we lay to it For no other reason can be given but as Christ said Father so it pleaseth thee For as Jacob said of his venison when his Father ask'd how he came by it so suddenly Because the Lord thy God brought it suddenly to my hands So holy and righteous men do more easily understand the words of God than do the wicked because God brings the meaning suddenly to their hearts as we read Luk. 24. That Christ standing in the midst of his Apostles after he vvas risen from the dead opened their understandings that they might understand clearly the Scriptures and vvhat vvas vvritten of him in the Lavv of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms vers 44.45 Lo how suddenly their knowledge came unto them But see what a general promise God in the Person of wisdom hatâ—h made to all that serve him Prov. 1. Turn you at my reproof and behold I will pour out my spirit unto you and make known my words unto you vers 23. And Psal. 25. The secrets of the Lord are revealed to them that fear him and his covenant is to give them understanding vers 14. These secrets are hid from the wicked neither hath he made any such covenant with them but the contrary As see Dan. 12.10 Unto you it is given to knovv the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven but to othres in Parrables that they seeing should not see and hearing they should not understand Luke 8.10 Mark 3 11 Matth 13 13 Again It is not enough to pray except also it be in Christs name and accrding to his vvill believing to be heard for his sake and that it be the intercession of Gods ovvn spirit in you And being truly sensible of your sins and wants that you chiefly pray for the pardon of sinne the effusion of grace and for the assistance of Gods Spirit that you may more firmly believe more soundly repent more zealously doe more patiently suffer and more constantly persevere in the practice and profession of every duty But above all you must know that as Sampsons companions could never have found out his Riddle if they had not plowed with his heifer so no man can know the secrets of God but by the revelation of his Spirit 1 Cor. 12.8 Mat. 16.17 Yea suppose a man be not inferiour to Portius or Pythagoras who kept all things in memory that ever they had read heard or seen To Virgil of whom it is reported that if all Sciences were lost they might be found again in him To Aben Ezra of whom it was said that if Knowledge had put out her candle at his brain she might light it again and that his head was a throne of wisdome or Iosephus Scaliger who was skilled in thirty Languages Yet if he want the Spirit of God to be his teacher he is a dunce to the meanest and most illiterate believer For one excellent and necessary prerogative of the spirituall man is this he hath God for his teacher he learns the Counsels of God of that spirit which onely knoweth Gods counsels Luk. 21.15 which is no small priviledge for the scholar learns quickly when the Holy Ghost is his teacher the Eye sees distinctly when the Holy Ghost doth enlighten it With the Spirits helpe the meanes can never be too weake without never strong enough Luk. 24.44 45. Pro. 1.23 § 51. Fourthly Thou must get an humble conceit of thine own wisdome The first step to knowledge is to know our own ignorance We must become fools in our own opinion before we can be truly wise as the Apostle sets it down 1 Cor. 3.18 And indeed the opinion of our knowing enough is one of the greatest causes of our knowing so little For what we presume to have attained we seeke not after Yea the very first lesson of a Christian is humility He will teach the humble his way Psalm 25.9 Jam. 4.6 1 Pet. 5.5 And he that hath not learned the first lesson is not fit to take out a new Pride is a great let to true wisdome For God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble Jam. 4.6 1 Pet. 5.5 Whence it comes to passe that few proud wits are reformed Iohn 9.39 And for this cause also did our Saviour propound his woes to the Pharisees his doctrines to the People A heart full of pride is like a vessell full of aire This self-opinion must be blown out of us before saving knowledge will be poured into us Christ will know none but the humble and none but humble souls truly know Christ. Now the way to become humble is by taking a serious view of our wants The Peacocks pride is much abated when she looks on the blacknesse of her legs and feet Now suppose we know never so much yet that which we know is far lesse then that which we are ignorant of and the more we know the more we know we want Pro. 1.5 7. Psal. 73.22 And the lesse sensible we are of our blindness sicknesse deformity c. the more blinde sick and deformed we are Fifthly Thou must labour to get a true and lively faith For as without faith we cannot please God so without faith no man can know God Faith most cleerly beholds those things which are hid both from the eye of sense and the eye of reason Iohn 12.46 Vnregenerate men that want faith are like blinde Sampson without his guide Or like Poliphemus who never had but one eye and that Vlysses
that stone he should have thrown down on Frderick the Emperour at his Devotions Or as Griphus his mother was made to take that draught where-with she intended to poyson him Yea how little was Judas set by of the High Priests when once he had served their turn How did they shake him off in that pittiful distresse with look thou to it And so how poor are the witcâ—es that in confidence of these promises even sell their souls to the Devill See here in these few Examples you have the depth and solidity of our greatest and wisest Politicians and yet lewd men most ridiculously and absurdly call wicked policies wisdome and their successe happinesse But herein Satan makes them of all fools the superlative in mistaking villany and madnesse for the best vertues And what is the summa totalis of all but this Faux-like they project other mens over-throw purchase their owne Neither hath any man been wise to do evill but his wisdome hath had an evill end As ô the multitude of Examples that are recorded to give credit to this Doctrine Was not the wisdome of the Serpent turned into a curse the wisdome of the Pharisees into a woe the wisdome of Achitophel into folly the wisdome of Nimrod into confusion the wisdome of the unjust Steward into expulsion out of Heaven the wisdome of Jezabel into a shameful death c. So that in the issue their case proves but like the spiders that was weaving a curious net to catch the swallow who when she came bore away both net and webb and weaver too Wherefore ô God make me but soul-wise and I shall never envy their knowledge that pity my simplicity Let me be weake in policy so I may be wise to salvation And I cannot but wonder to see how the most are mistaken in them But being thus discovered I hope it will appear that as love lust are not all one so a cunning Politician a wise man are not both one As we have seen some that could pack the cards yet were not able to play well § 54. True if men shall look upon them side-wayes as Appelles painted Antigonus that is upon their strength of brain and parts alone and not consider them whole and together their abilities with their deficiencies they will take them for wise men and so be mistaken But If you would know how to call them they are properly subtle persons as the Holy Ghost stiles Jonadab who gave that wicked and crasty counsell to Amnon 2 Sam. 13.3 5. And the woman of Tekoah 2 Sam. 14.2 And Elimas Act. 13.10 as being rarely gifted to deceive and more crafty and wily then is usual But not wise men for this is rather wisdome back ward and to study the dangerous art of self-sophystry to the end they may play wily beguile themselves and to plor self-treason then which there is no greater when the betrayer and betrayed spell but one man Again admit them the most they are not wise in good though they be wise to do evill Or if you will wise in goods not wise in grace For as that old Serpent seemed to boast that he was richer then Christ when he said All these are mine Matth. 4.9 So the Politician may truly say for the most part I am wiser then my plain dealing neighour by five hundred pounds So that in some sense it may be said of them as one speaks of women though partially that thâ—y are more witty in wickednesse then men Nor can I more fitly compare them then to Bats Night-crows Owles and Cats which can see better in the darke then in the light Their wisdome is like that of the Polipus which is a most stupid and foolish fish yet useth great skill in taking of other fishes Neverthelesse yield them all that hath been mentioned this is the up-shot They are blinde and in darknesse as having their beginning from Satan the Prince of darkuesse and their end in Hell which is the pit of darkness and because they are wise onely to evill their wisdome shall have but an evill end In the dialect of the wise man the greatest sinner is the greatest fool Prov. 1.7 And David thinks there is no fool to the Atheist Psal. 53.1 49.13 And Saint Austin tells us that the wisest Politician upon earth the most ample and cunning Machivillian that lives be he a Doctor in that deep reaching faculty is worse then a foole For if the Holy Ghost saith he termes him a fool that onely laid up his own goods Luke 12. 18 20. finde out a name for him that takes away other mens And though worldly men call the simple fools yeâ— God calls the crafty fools Ier. 8.9 Mat. 6.23 And of all atheists and fools which seeme wise there be no such fools in the world as they that love money better then themselves And so you have the wisdome of Humanists and Politicians desciphered together with the wisdome of Gods servants You see the difference between them and therein as I suppose that neither of the former are so wise as the godly man nor so wise as the world reputes them or they themselves I confesse the one speak Latine Greek and Hebrew the other Statutes History and Husbandry well enough to make their neighbours think them wise but the truth is they seem wiser then they are as is said of the Spaniard whereas the godly like the French are wiser then they seem The former are wise men in foolish things and foolish men in wise things Sharp-eyed as Eagles in the things of the earth but blinde as Beetles in the matters of heaven O that they had but the wit to know that when all is done Heaven is a brave place where are such joyes as eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive the things which God hath prepared there for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 § 55. Now as I have shewn these two sorts of men their folly to the end some of them may be convinced and ashamed and consequently become soul-wise that so they may be saved which is the principal thing I drive at for I take no pleasure in disgracing men purposely So it were as easie to prove that all sorts of sinners are no better then sots and shallow-brains in comparison of the conscientious Christian Nor do I see but it may prove of great and general concernment therefore that others also may have benefit by the same I will briefly touch upon some particulars And the next that I will speak to shall be such as come neerest to these last mentioned that is your Covetous Miserly Muck-worms who though they be neer neighbours to those Ambodexters I last spake of yet they are not the same men Now although you cannot name one property of a natural fool but the Covetous man is in that particular a greater fool Yet I will make the parallel in one onely lest I should
so important a 〈…〉 First If the Sun which is but a creature be so bright and glorious that no mortal eye can look upon the brightness of it how glorious then is the Creator himself or that light from whence it receives its light If the frame of the Heavens and globe of the Earth be so glorious which is but the lower house or rather the foot-stool of the Almighty as the Holy Ghost phraseth it Isa. 66.1 Matth. 5.35 Act. 7.49 how glorious and wonderfull is the Maker thereof and the City where he keeps his Court Or if sinners even the worst of wicked men and Gods Enemies have here in this earthly pilgrimage such variety of enjoyments to please their very senses as who can express the pleasurable variety of Objects for the sight of meats and drinks to satisfie and delight the taste of voyces and melodious sounds to recreate the hearing of sents and perfumes provided to accommodate our very smellings of recreations and sports to bewitch the whole man And the like of honour and profit which are Idols that carnal men do mightily dote upon and take pleasure in though these earthly and bodily joyes are but the body or rather the dregs of true joy what think we must be the soul thereof viz. those delights and pleasures that are reserved for the glorified Saints and Gods dearest darlings in Heaven Again Secondly If natural men find such pleasure and sweetness in secular wisdom lip-learning and brain-knowledg For even mundane knowledg hath such a shew of excellency in it that it is highly affected both by the good and bad As O the pleasure that rational men take therein It being so fair a Virgin that every clear eye is in love with her so rich a Pearl 〈◊〉 at none but Swine do despise it yea among all the Trees in the Garden none so takes with rational men as the Tree of knowledg as Satan well knew when he set upon our first Parents insomuch that Plato thinks in case wisdom could but represent it self unto the eyes it would set the heart on fire with the love of it And others affirm That there is no less difference between the Learned and the Ignorant than there is between the â—â—â—ing and the dead or between men and beasts And yet the pleasure 〈◊〉 â—atural and moral men take in secular and mundane knowledg and leaâ—â—â—g is nothing comparable to that pleasure that an experimental Christian finds in the Divine and Supernatural knowledge of Gods Word which makes David and Solomon prefer it before the honey and the honey-comb for sweetness and to value it above thousands of gold and silver yea before Pearls and all precious stones for worth How sweet then shall our knowledg in Heaven be For here we see but darkly and as it were in a glass or by moon-light but there we shall know even as we are known and see God and Christ in the face 1 Cor. 13.12 Thirdly if meer Naturians have been so taken with the love of Vertue that they thought if a vertuous soul could but be seen with corporal eyes it would ravish all men with love and admiration thereof yea if the very worst of men drunkards blasphemers and the like though they most spitefully scoff at and backbite the people of God yet when they know a man sincere upright and honest cannot choose â—â—◠〈…〉 touching Iohn and King Agrippa touching Paul Sect. 2. Or rather if Gods own people are so ravished with the graces and priviledges which they enjoy upon earth as the assurance of the pardon of sin the peace of a good conscience and joy of the Holy Ghost which is but glorification begun what will they be when they shall enjoy the perfection of glory in Heaven As see but some instances of their present enjoyments here below First if we were never to receive any reward for those small labours of love and duties we do to the glory of God and profit of others we might think our selves sufficiently recompenced in this life with the calm and quietness of a good conscience the honesty of a vertuous and holy life That we can do and suffer something for the love of Christ who hath done and suffered so much to save us That by our works the Majesty of God is magnified to whom all homage is due and all service too little For Godliness in every sickness is a Physitian in every contention an Advocate in every doubt a Schoolman in all heaviness a Preacher and a comforter unto whatsoever estate it comes making the whole life as it were a perpetual Halleluja Yea God so sheds his love abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost that we are in Heaven before we come thither Insomuch that as the fire flyeth to his Sphere the stone hastens to the center the River to the Sea as to their end and rest and are violently detained in all other places so are the hearts of Gods people without their Maker and Redeemer their last end and eternal rest and quietness never at rest like the Needle touched with the Loadstone which ever stands quivering and trembling until it enjoyes the full and direct aspect of the Northern Pole But more particularly How does the assurance of the pardon of sin alone clear and calm alâ— storms of the mind making any condition comfortable and the worst and greatest misery to be no misery To be delivered of a child is no smal joy to the mother but to be delivered from sin is a far greater joy to the soul. But to this we may add the joy of the Holy Ghost and the peace of conscience otherwise called the peace of God which passeth all understanding These are priviledges that 〈◊〉 Paul happier in his chain of Iron than Agrippa in his chain of gold 〈◊〉 Peter more merry under stripes than Caiaphas upon the Iudgment-seat and Steven the like under that shower of stones Pleasures are ours if we be Christs whence those expressions of the Holy Ghost The Lord hath done great things for us whereof we rejoyce Be glad in the Lord and rejoyce ye righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart Let all that put their trust in thee rejoyce let them even shout for joy Rejoyce evermore and again I say rejoyce rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience Your heart shall rejoyce and your joy shall no man take from you c. So that it is a shame for the faithfull not to be joyfull and they sin if they rejoyce not whatever their condition be The Eunuch no sooner felt the pardon of sin upon his being baptized into the faith of Christ but he went on his way rejoycing Act 8.39 He then found more solid joy than ever he had done in his râ—cheâ— honours and great places under Candace Queen of the Aethiopians 〈◊〉 same time when the Disciples were persecuted they are said to be filled with
should we admire the love and bounty of God and bless his Name who for the performance of so small a work hath proposed so great a Reward And for the obtaining of such an happy state hath imposed such an easie task Yea more is Heaven so unspeakably sweet and delectable and Hell so unutterably dolefull Then let nothing be thought too much that we can either do or suffer for Christ who hath freed us from the one and purchased for us the other Though indeed nothing that we are able to do or suffer here can be compared with those woes we have deserved in Hell or those joyes we are reserved to in Heaven And indeed that we are now out of hell there to fry in flames of fire and brimstone never to be freed that we have the free offer of grace here and everlasting glory hereafter in heaven we are onely beholding to him We are all by nature as hell-fire being onely reprieved for a timâ— But from this extremity and eternity of torment Iesus hath freed and delivered us O think then yea be ever thinking of it how rich the mercy of our Redeemer was in freeing us and that by laying down his own life to redeem us Yea How can we be thankfull enough for so great a blessing It was a mercy bestowed and a way found out that may astonish all the sons of men on earth and Angels in Heaven Which being so 〈…〉 can any one in common reason meditate so unbottomed a love and not study and strive for an answerable and thankfull demeanour If a Friend had given us but a thousand part of what God and Christ hath we should heartily love him all our lâ—ves and think no thankâ— sufficient What price then should we set upon Iesus Christ who is the life of our lives and the soul of our souls Do we then for Christs sake what we would do for a Friends sake Yea let us abhor our selves for our former unthankfulness and our wonderfull provoking of him Hearken we unto Christs voyce in all that he saith unto us without being swayed one way or another as the most are Let us whom Christ hath redeemed express our thankâ—ulness by obeying all that he saith unto us whatever it shall cost us since nothing can be too much to endure for those pleasures which shall endure for ever As Who would not obtain Heaven at any rate at any cost or trouble whatsoever In Heaven is a Crown laid up for all such as suffer for righteousâ—ess even a Crown without cares without rivals without envy without end And is not this reward enough for all that men or Devils can do against us Who would not serve a short apprentiship in Gods service here â—o be made for ever free in glory Yea Who would not be a Philpot for a moneth or a Lazarus for a day or a Steven for an hour that he might be in Abrahams bosome for ever Nothing can be too much to endure fâ—r those pleasures that endure for ever Yea what pain can we think too much to suffer What little enough to do to obtain eternity for this incorruptible Crown of Glory in Heaven 1 Pet. 5.4 where we shall have all tears wiped from our eyes Where we shall cease to sorrow cease to suffer cease to sin Where God shall turn all the water of our afflictions into the pure wine of endless and unâ—xpressible comfort You shall sometimes see an hired servant venture his life for his new Master that will scarce pay him his wages at the years end and can we suffer too much for our Lord and Master who giveth every one that serveth him â—ot Fields and Vineyards as Saul pretended 1 Sam 22 7. c. nor Towns and Cities as Cicero is pleased to boast of Caesar but even an hundred-â—old more than we part withall here in this life and eternal Mansâ—ons in Heaven hereafter John 14.2 St. Paul saith Our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth us a far most excellent and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 18. Where note the incomparable and infinitive difference between the woâ—k and the wages light affliction receiving a weight of glory and momentary affliction eternal glory Suitable to the reward of the wicked whose empty delights live and die in a moment but their unsufferable punishment is interminable and endless Their pleasure is short their pain everlasting our pain is short our joy eternal Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of life â—am 1.12 〈…〉 what folly is it then or rather madness for the small pleasure of some base lust some paltry profit or fleeting vanity which passeth away in the very act as the taste of a pleasant drink dieth so soon as it is down to bring upon our selves in another world torments without end and beyond all compass of conceit Fourthly Is it so that God hath set before us life and death Heaven and Hell as a reward of good and evil leaving us as it were to our choyce whether we will be compleatly and everlastingly happy or miserable with what resolution and zeal should we strive to make our calling and election sure nor making our greatest business our least and last care I know well thou hadst rather when thou diest go to reign with Christ in his Kingdom for evermore than be confined to a perpetual Prison or Furnace of fire and brimstone there to be tormented with the Dâ—vil and his Angels If so provoke not the Lord who is great and terrible of most glorious Majesty and of infinite purity and who hath equally promised salvation unto those which keep his Commandments and threatned eternal death and destruction to those who break them For as he is to all repentant sinners a most mercifull God Exod. 34.6 so to all wilfull and impenitant sinners he is a consuming fire and a jealous God Heb. 12.29 Deut. 4 24. There was a King who having no issue to succeed him espied one day a well-favoured and towardly youth he took him to the Court and committed him to Tutors to instruct him provâ—ding by his Will that if he proved fit for Government he should be crowned King if not he should be kept in chains and made a Gally-slave the youth was mâ—sled and neglected both his Tutors good Counsâ—l and his Book so as his Master corâ—ected him and said O that thou knewest what honour is prepared for thee and what thou art lâ—ke to loose by this thy idle and loose carriage Well thou wilt afterwards when 't is to late sorely rue this And when he grew to years the King died whose Councâ—l and Executours perceiving him to be utterly unfit for State Government called him before them and declared the Kings will and pleasure which was accordingly performed for they caused him to be fettered and committed to the Galleys there to toil and tug at the Oaâ—s perpetually where he was whipt and lasht
if he remitted his stroke never so little where he had leisure to consider with himself that now he was chained who might have walked at liberty now he was a slave who might if he would have been a King now he was over-ruled by Turks who might have ruled over Christians The thought whereof could not but double his misery and make him bewail his sorrow with tears of blood Now this hereafter will be the case of all careless persons save that this comes as 〈◊〉 of that as earth comes short of heaven and temporal misery of eternal Wherefore if thou wouldest have this to become thy very case go on in thy wilfull and perverse impenitency but if not bethink thy self and do thereafter and that without delaying one minute For there is no redemption from hell if once thou comest there And 〈…〉 thou canst swallow thy spittle if thou diest this day in thy natural condition Many men take liberty to sin and continue in a trade of sin because God is mercifull bâ—t they will one day find that he is just as well as mercifull There is mercy with God saith the Psalmist that he may be feared not that he may be despised blasphemed c. Psal. 130.4 Yea know this and write it in the Table-book of thy memory and upon the table of thy heart That if Gods bountifulness and long-suffering towards thee does not lead thee to repentance it will double thy doom and encrease the pile of thy torments And that everyday which does not abate of thy recâ—oning will encrease it And that thou by thy hardness and impâ—nitency shall but treasure up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath and the declaration of the just judgment of God Rom. 2.4 5 6. Now this Iudg hath told us that we must give an account for every idle word we speak Mat. 12.36 much more then for our wicked actions therefore beware what thou dost against him Men may dream of too much strictness in holy courses but they do not consider the power the purity and strictness of the Iudg He who briâ—gs even idle words to judgment and forgets not a thought of disobedience How will he spare our gross negligence and presumption How our formality and irreverence in his service much more our flagitious wickedness Heb. 12.29 Sect. 3. Wherefore as you ever expect or hope for Heaven and Salvation as you would escape the tormenting flames of hâ—ll-fire cease to do evil learn to do well For Sanctification is the way to Glorification Holiness to eternal Happiness If we would have God to glorifie our bodies in Heaven we also must glorifie God in our bodies here on earth And now for conclusion Are the Ioyes of Heaven so unspeakable and glorious the torments of Hell so wofull and doloâ—ous then it behoves all Parents and Governours of Families to see to their Children and Servants souls and that they miscarry not through their neglect As tell me Will not their blood be required at your hands if hey perish through your neglect Will it not be sad to have Children and Servants rise up in judgment against you and to bring in evidence at the great Tribunal of Christ saying Lord my Father never minded me my Master never regarded me I might sin he never reproved me I might go to Hell it was all one to him Will not this be sad Secondly If it be so Let Children and Servants consider that 't is better to have lust restrained than satisfied 't is better to be held in and restrained from sin than to have a wicked liberty Be not angry with those who will not see you damn your souls and let you alone they are your best Friends Fear the strokes of Gods anger be they spiritual or eternal more than the strokes of men What 's a setter to a Dungeon a Gallows to Hell fire Give not way to imaginary speculative heart-sins Murther in the beast uncleanness in the eye and thoughts given wâ—y to will come to actu 〈…〉 he get but in he will be to hard for you And let so much serve to have been spoken of Heaven and Hell Upon the one I have stood the longer that so I might if God so please be a means to save some with fear plucking them out of the fire of Gods wrath under which without Repentance they must lie everlastingly And for the other I have like the Searchers of Canaan brought you a cluster of grapes to give the Reader a taste thereby of the plentifull vintage we may expect and look for in the heavenly Canaan Now if any would truly know themselves and how it will fare with them in the end let them read the whole Booâ— out of which this is taken viz. The whole duty of a Christian. Which Book is licenced by Iohn Downame and Thomas Gataker What follows is both to fill up the sheet and to occasion or forewarn Swearers who swarm so in all places and ignorant persons whose number is numberless and who of all others are most confident that they shall do well enough not to forget what they have herein heard of Heaven and Hell And to these their faithfull and impartial Monitor the Book giver presents a few Considerations EVen such is the power of sin that it made God become man Angels become Dâ—vils and men become beasts For each man by nature every one whose heart is not changed by the Loadstone of the Gospel is a very beast in condition as Ieremy affirms Ier. 10.14 and St. Peter 2 Pet. 2.12 But that 's not all for when the custom of sin hath so brawned mens hearts sâ—ared their consciences and blinded their minds that they can Swear and Curse as familiarly as dogs bark When the just and true God hath for their rebellious wickedness in rejecting him and despising all good means of being bettered given them up to their own hearts lusts and to Satan the god of this world to be taught and governed by him even as a just Iudg having passed sentence upon some hainous Malefactor gives him up to the Iaylor or Executioner as you may see by sundry places 2 Thes. 2.10 11 12. 1 Kings 22.20 21 22. 2 Tim. 2.26 Ephes. 2.2 Iohn 13.2 Acts 5.3 1 Chron. 21.1 Gen. 3.1 to 6. Revel 2 10 3 15. Iohn 8.44 12.31 14 30. 2 Cor. 4.4 Then they become so devilized that as Paul being guided by the good Spirit of God could say I live not but Christ lives in me Gal. 2.20 so may they say we live noâ— but the Devil lives in us For he is not onely their Father Gen. 3.15 Iohn 8 44. But their God 2 Cor. 4.4 And their Prince Iohn 14.30 And works in them his pleasure Eph. 2.2 2 Tim. 2.26 So that they are ready and willing to say or do what he will have them as you may plainly read Ioh. 13.2 Acts 5.3 12.1 2 to 12. 1 Chro. 21.1 Gen. 3 1 to 6. Rev. 2.10 And these you may
number of those that by professing themselves Protestants discredit the Protestant Religion Who because they have been Christened as Simon Magus was received the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper like Iudas and for company go to Church also as Dogs do are called Christians as we call the Heathen Images gods yea and being blinded by the Prince of darknesse 2 Cor. 4.4 think to be saved by Christ though they take up Arms against him and are no more like Christians then Michols Image of Goats hair was like David Who make the world only their god and pleasure or profit alone their Religion Who are so gracelesse that God is not in all their thoughts except to blaspheme him and to spend his daies in the Divel's service Who being Christians in name will scoffe at a Christian indeed Who honour the dead Saints in a cold profession while they worrey the living Saints in a cruel persecution Who so hate Holiness that they will hate a man for it and say of good living as Festus of great Learning It makes a man mad whose hearts will rise at the â—ight of a good man as some stomachs will rise at the sight of sweet meats Whose Religion is to oppose the power of Religion and whose knowledge of the Truth to know how to argue against the Truth Who justifie the wicked and condemne the â—ust who call Zeal madness and Religion foolishness Who love their sins so much above their souls that they will not onely mock their Admonisher scoff at the means to be saved and make themselves merry with their own damnations but even hate one to the death for shewing them the way to eternal life who will condemne all for Round-heads that have more Religion then an Heathen or knowledg of heavenly things then a childe in the womb hath of the things of this life or conscience then an Atheist or care of his soul then a Beast and are mockers of all that march not under the pay of the Divel Who with Adam will become Satans bond-slaves for an Apple and like Esau sell their Birth-right of Grace here and their Blessing of Glory hereafter for a messe of Pottage Who prefer the pleasing of their palates before the saving of their souls who have not onely cast off Religion that should make them good men but reason also that should make them men Who waste virtues faster then riches and riches faster then any virtues can â—et them Who do nothing else but sin and make others sin too who spend their time and patrimonies in Riot and upon Dice Drabs Drunkennesse who place all their felicity in a Tavern or Brothel house where Harlots and Sycophants rifle their Estates and then send them to rob Who will borrow of every one but never intend to satisfie any one Who glory in their shame and are ashamed of that which should and would be their glory Who desire not the reputation of honesty but of good fellowship Who instead of quenching their thirst drown their senses and had rather leave their wits then the wine behinde them Who place their paradise in their throats heaven in their guts and make their belly their god Who pour their Patrimonies down their throats and throw the house so long out at windows that at length their house throws them out of doors Who think every one exorbitant that walks not after their rule Who will traduce all whom they cannot seduce even condemning with their tongues what they commend in their consciences Who as they have no reason so they will hear none Who are not more blinde to their own faults then quick-sighted in other mens Who being displeased with others will flie in their Makers face and tear their Saviours Name in pieces with oaths and execrations as being worse then any mad dog that flies in his Masters face that keeps him Who swear and curse even ouâ— of custome as currs bark yea they have so sworn away all grace thar they count it a grace to swear and being reproved for swearing they will swear that they swore not Or perhaps they are covetous Cormorants greedy Gripers miserly Muck-worms all whose reaches are at riches Who make gold their god and commodity the stern of their consciences Who hold every thing lawful if it be gainful Who prefer a little base peâ—f before God and their own salvations and who being faâ—ted with Gods blessings do spurn at his precepts Who like men sleeping in a boat are carried down the stream of this World until they arrive at their graves-end Death without once waking to bethink themselves whether they are a going to Heaveu or Hell Or Ignorant and Formal Hypocrites who do as they see others do without either conscience of sin or guidance of reason Who do what is morally good more for fear of the Law then for love of the Gospel Who fear the Magistrate more then they fear God or the Divel regard more the blasts of men's breath then the fire of God's wrath will tremble more at â—â—e thought of a Bayliffe or a Prison then of Satan or Hell and everlasting perdition Who will say they love God and Christ yet hate all that any way resemble him are slint unto God wax to Satan have their ears alwaies open to the Tempter shut to their Maker and Redeemer will chuse rather to disobey God then displease great Ones fear more the Worlds scorns then His anger and rather then abridge themselves of their pleasure will incur the displeasure of God Who will do what God forbids yet confidently hope to escape what He threatens Who will do the Divels works onely and yet look for Christs wages expect that Heaven will meet them at their last hour when all their life long they have galloped in the beaten Road towards Hell Who expect to have Christ their Redeemer and Advocate when their consciences tell them that they seldom remember him but to blaspheme him and more often name him in their Oaths and Curses then in their Praiers Who will persecute Honest and Orthodox Christians and say they mean base and dissâ—â—bling Hypocrites Who think they do God service in killing his servants Joh. 10.2 Who will boast of a strong faith and yet fall short of the Divels in believing Jam. 2.19 Who turn the grace of God into wantonness as if a condemned person should head his Drum of Rebellion with his Pardon resolving to be evil because God is good Who will not believe what is written till they feel what is written and whom nothing will confute but fire and brimstone Who think their villainy is unseen because it is unpunished and therefore live like beasts because they think they shall die like beasts Considering the swarms Legions Millions of these I say and many the like which I cannot stand to repeat As also in reference to Levit. 19.17 Isa. 58.1 And out of compassion to their pretious souls there are above twenty several Books purposely composed wherein are proper remedies of
that perisheth by Mahomets jugling add to the pilâ— of his unspeakable horrors So if we sow good works succession shall reap them and we shall be happy in making others so Good Report from Bad men no mean disparagement TOGETHER With a Cordial for Christians when they receive evil for well doing BEING An Arrow drawn forth of that Sententious Quiver Intituled A Christian Library or a pleasant and plentifull Paradise of practical Divinity SECT I. Convert REverend Sir when by a providence you heard me swear and curse you gave me a printed Paper to convince me of that fowle audacious provoking and yet unprofitable sin and withall intreated me to read three larger Tracts viz. A short and sure way to grace and salvation The hearts Index with A serious and pathetical description of Heaven and Hell This to me whom you had never before seen seemed no less absurd then strange and having a darke heart in stead of great love and thanks I returned you a most churlish and uncivil answer and accordingly when I met with my drunken consorts I read it with no less scorn then ignorance but before I had done it made me tremble nor could I rest until I had perused the other three Books which have so represented the very thoughts secrets and deceitfulness of my heart unto my conscience that I could not but say of them as the woman of Samaria once spake of our Saviour They have told me all things that ever I did John 4.29 Which made me conclude with that Vnbeliever 1 Cor. 14.24.25 That the hand of God was in the contriving of them Nor could they ever have so done if they were not of God as the young man in the Gospel reasoned with the Pharisees touching Iesus when he had opened his eyes that had been blind from his birth John 9.32.33 Which is such a mercy that no tongue is able to express for till then I went on in the broad way and worlds road to destruction without any mistrust What change they have wrought in me with Gods blessing upon the means and how greatly I have longed to see you again I forbear to mention Onely this when I had read them in reference to Levit. 19.17 and in compassion to their pretious soules who are neither able nor willing to help themselves I have and not without some comfortable success taken up your trade in giving the Papers and mentioning the Books to all that I hear blaspheme my Maker or belch out their spleen against goodness As well considering that one soule is of more worth then the Indies And indeed whose heart would it not make to bleed to see what multitudes there are that go blindfold to destruction and no man offer to stop or check them before they arrive there from whence there is no redemption Matth. 7.13.14 1 Iohn 5.19 Revel 20.8 and 13 16. Rom. 9.27 2 Tim. 2.26 2 Cor. 4.4 Ephes. 2.1 to 4. Iohn 8.44 And certainly it more then behoves me as being my self snatcht out of the fire Jude 23. to do what I can to draw others of my brethren after me in imitation of Andrew John 1.41 and Philip v. 45. and the women of Samaria John 4.28 to 41. and Peter Luke 22.32 Acts 2.41 4.4 c. 3. and of Moses Exod. 32.32 and Paul Rom. 9.3 Neither are we of the communion of Saints if we desire not the salvation of others Yea how could I be thankful to my Redeemer that hath done and suffered so much for me or in the least love God and my Neighbour if I should not thus resolve as by my sins and bad example I have drawn others from God so now I will all I can draw others with my self to God yea what a shame were it If I should not be as faithful a servant to my Saviour As I have formerly been to Sathan Saul converted will build up as fast as ever he pulled down and preach as zealously as ever he persecuted Onely there is a great rub in the way which makes me fear I shall not be able to hold out for I am so scoft and scorned where ever I come both by Parents Friends and Enemies for giving these Papers that they make me even weary of my life as the daughters of Heth did Rebecca Gen. 27 46. And yet I dare not leave off since our Saviour saith expressly that he will be ashamed of such at the latter day who are now ashamed for his sake to bear a few scoffs and reproaches from the World Marke 8.38 Nevertheless I am in a wonderful strait for if I seek to please God and discharge my conscience I displease the world and that will hate and vex me if I seek to please the world I displease God and he will hate and condemn me Now though the case be plain enough for better it is to have all the world mine enemies then my Maker my Redeemer and my Conscience Acts 5.29 Yet it almost beats me off from being religious back to the world And certainly he must be more spirit then flesh that can contentedly make himself contemptible to follow Christ be pointed at for singularity indure so many base and vile nicknames have his Religion judged hypocrisie his godly simplicity silliness his zeal madness and the like malicious and mischievous constructions made of whatsoever he speaks or does For my part I could better abide a stake God assisting me then the mocks scoffs and scornes which every where I meet withall Its death to me to be mockt as it fared with Zedekiah Jer. 38.19 Now could you cure me of my cowardliness as you have of my cursing and swearing I should have cause indeed to bless the time that ever I saw you and why not Since God hath given you the Tongue of the learned to administer a word in season to them that are weary Esay 50.4 Sect. 2. Minister If you would shake off this slavish yoke of bondage and fear in which Satan for the present holds you and be rid of this bashful devil Search the Scriptures and they will both inform your judgement and confirm comfort and strengthen you against the worlds hatred and calumny though there needs no more then Ephes. 6.11 12 James 3.6.2 Tim. 3.12 Matth. 5.10 11 12 and 10.22 and 24.9 Luke 2.34 35. and 4.29 John 15.20 Gen. 3.15 1 John 3.13 1 Pet. 4 1â— 13 14. Luke 14.27 and 6.26 Philip. 1.28 29. Revel 2.13 Do but seriously ponder these few places and consider by whom they were spoken and then certainly you will confess that if there be any nectar in this life t is in sorrows we endure for righteousness And methinks when I hear goodness calumniated I bear it the easier because the servants of vice and none else do it But the better to help and further you in this great work take these ensuing Notions Aphorisms and conclusions which perhaps alone may both imbolden you and stop many of their mouths that scoff you First
Cor. 4.12 4. § But this is not one half of thine offence For whom doest thou curse Alas the Creatures that displease thee are but Instruments thy sin is the cause and God the author 2 Sam. 16.11 Psal. 39.9 10. Gen. 45.8 Ioh 1.21 from whom thou hast deserved it and ten thousand times a greater crosse but in stead of looking up from the stone to the hand which threw it or from the effect to the cause as Gods people doe thou like a mastiff â—og settest upon the stone or weapon that hurts thee But in this case Who are you angry withall Does your horse the dice the rain or any other creature displease you Alas they are but servants and if their Master bid smite they must not forbear they may say truly what Rabshekeh usurped Isa. 36.10 Are we come without the Lord and all that hear thee may say as the Prophet did to Senacherib 2 King 19.22 Whom hast thou blasphemed and against whom hast thou exalted thy self even against the Holy One of Israel 5. § Besides why dost thou curse thine enemie if he be so but because thou canst not be suffered to kill him For in heart and Gods account thou art a murtherer in wishing him the pox plague or that he were hanged or damned Nor will it be any rare thing at the day of judgment for cursers to be indicted of murther For like Shimei and Goliah to David thou wouldst kill him if thou durst thou doest kill him so far as thou canst I would be loath to trust his hands that bans me with his tongue Had David been at the mercie of either Shimei or Goliah and not too strong for them he had then breathed his last Nor is it commonly any sin committed or just offence given thee that thou cursest Who could have lesse deserved those curses and stones from Shimei then David Yea did not that head deserve to be tonguelesse that body to be headlesse that so undeservedly cursed such an Innocent as after it fell out For the curses and stones which Shimei threw at David rebounted upon Shimei and split his heart yea and at last knockâ— out his brains and the like of Goliahs curses which is also thy very case For 〈…〉 Curser meant it Prov. 26.2 yea though thou cursest yet God will blesse Psal. 109.28 â—ut thy curses shall be sure to rebound back into thine own brest Psal. 7.14 15 16 Prov. 14.30 Cursing mouths are like ill made Piâ—â—eâ— which while men discharge at others recoil in splinters on their own faces Their words and wishes be but whirlwinds which being breathen forth return again to the same place As hear how the Holy Ghost delivers it Psal. 109. As he loved cursing so shall it come unto him and as he loved not blessing so shall it be far from him As he cloathed himself with cursing like a garment so shall it come unto his bowels like water and like oil into his bones let it be unto him as a garment to cover him and for a girdle wherewith he shall always be girded v. 17 18 19. Hear this all ye whose tongnes run so fast on the Devils errand you loved cursing you shall have it both upon you about you and in you and that everlastingly if you persevere and go on for Christ himself at the last day even he which came to save the world shall say unto all such Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels Mat. 25.41 Where they shall do nothing but curse for evermore for they no farther apprehending the goodnesse mercie and bounty of God then by the sense of their own torments the effects of his justice shall hate him and hating him they shall curâ—e him Rev. 16.11 They suffer and they blaspheme there is in them a furious malice against him being cursed of him they re-curse him they curse him for making them curse him for condemning them curse him because being adjudged to death they can never find death they curse his punishments because they are so unsufferable curse his mercies because they may never taste them curse the bloud of Christ shed on the Crosse because it hath satisfied for millions and done their unbeleeving souls no good curse the Angels and Saints in heaven because they see them in joy and themselves in torment Cursings shall be their sins and their chief ease Blasphemies their prayers Lacrymae their notes Lamentation all their harmony these shall be their evening songs their morning songs their mourning songs for ever and ever And indeed who shall go to Hell if Cursers should be left out Wherefore let all those learn to blesse that look to be heirs of the blessing 7. § But to be in Hell and there continue everlastingly in a bed of quenchlesse flames is not all For this is the portion even of Negative and vicelesse Christians if they be not vertuous Of such as do not swear exexcept they fear an oath That abound in good duties if they do them not out of faith and because God commands them that he may be glorified and others edified thereby Whereas thou doest supererogate of Satan in damning many souls besides thine own Thou hast had a double portion of sin to other men here and therefore must have a double portion of torment to them hereafter The number and measure of thy torments shall be according to the multitude and magnitude of thine offences Rev. 20.12 13. 22.12 Luk. 12.47 Mat. 10.15 Rom. 2.5 6. And those offences if I could stand to aggravate them by their severall circumstances would appear 〈…〉 With thy swearing and cursing thou doest not only wound thine own soul worse then the Baalites wounded their own bodies for thou wilfully muâ—therest thine own soul and that without any inducement as hath been proved But thou art so pernicious that this is the least part of thy mischief for thou drawest vengeance upon thousands by thy infectious and damnable example as how can it be otherwise Thou doest not only infect thy companions but almost all the heaâ— or come near thee Yea little children in the streets have learnt of thee to rap out oaths and belch out curses and scoffs almost as frequently as thy self and through thy accustomary swearing learned to speak English and Oaths together and so to blaspheme God almost so soon as he hath made them And not only so but thy example infects others and they spread it abroad to more like a malicious man sick of the plague that runs into the throng to disperse his infection whose mischief but-weighs all penalty It is like the setting a mans owne house on fire it burnes many of his neighbours houses and he shall answer for all the spoil So that the infection of sin is much worse then the act 8 § Nor wilt thou cease to sin when thou shalt cease to live but thy wickednesse will continue longer then thy life For as if we sow good workâ—
sit on or the stones they tread on There are a generation of Hearers who when a Minister does plainly reprove them for their sins and declare the judgments of God due unto the same to the end they may repent and beleeve that so they may be saved will carp and fret and spurn against the very Word of God for being so sharp and searching and thereupon persecute the Messenger as the Princes and false Prophets did Jeremiah Herodias John Baptist and the Pharisees Christ. 7. § And this God takes as done to himself What saith Paul 1 Cor. 7.10 I have not spoken but the Lord and therefore as the Lord said unto Saul Acts 9.4 that he persecuted him though in heaven so they which resist any truth delivered out of the Word do resist God himself and not his Messenger as evidently appears by these Scriptures Psal. 44.22 and 74.4.10.18.22.23 83.2 5 6. 89.50 51. 139.20 Prov. 19.3 Rom. 1.30 9.20 Mat. 10.22 25.45 1 Sam. 17.45 Isâ—â— 37.4 22 23 28. Acts 5.39 9.4 5. Joh. 9.4 1 Thess. 4.8 Joh. 15.20 to 〈◊〉 Numb 16.11 1 Sam. 8.7 Mark 9.42 Psal. 79. â—2 2 King 2.24 O that the Gospels enemies would but seriously consider these Scriptures and be warned by them For certainly it is neither wise good nor safe either resisting or angring him that can anger every vein of their hearts Yea God hath Messengers of wrath for them that despise the Messenger of his love 8. § But hear why they so mortally hate the naked truth Because it is the Word by which they are condemned they loath as much to hear it as a 〈…〉 if many as we know by experience love not to hear the worst of the temporall causes and cases nor yet of their bodily distempers with why their lives or estates be indangered How much more will wicked men deâ—cline from seeing their hainous abominations and themselves guilty of Hell and eternall damnation though thereof there â—â— an absolute necessity if ever they be saved 9. § Guilty sinners love application as dearly as a dog does a cudgell And no marvail for what Leaper will take pleasure in the searching of his soreâ—â— Nor were Satan his Crafts-master if he did permit them For if they could clearly see the loathsomnesse of their impieties it were not possible not to abhor them not to abhor themselves for them but their blindness makes them love their own filthinesse as Ethiopians do their own swarthiness Besides they love not to have their consciences awakened but would sleeâ— quietly in their sins And he that desires to sleep will have the curtain drawn the light shut out and no noise made Whence as good meates are unwelcome to sick persons so is good counsell to obstinate and resolved sinnerâ— Tell them of their swearing drinking whoring cheating they will fret and chafe and fume and swell and storm and be ready to burst again to hear itâ— But let envy sweat swell and burst truth must be spoken And indeed why should not Gods servants take as free liberty in reproving as the Devilâ— servants take liberty in offending Shall not the one be as loud for God as the other are for Baal and Belzebub 10. § Yea admonish them never so mildly they will say we take too much upon us as Corah and his complices twitted Moses Numb 16.3 not knowing how strictly God commands and requires it Lev. 19.17 2 Tim. 2.25 Ezek. 3.18 to 22. 2 Pet. 27 8. Whence as the Chief Priests answered Iudas What is that to us so they will blaspheme God tear Christ in pieces and more then betray even shed his innocent bloud digging into his side with oaths and say when told of it What is that to us when they might as well say What is Christ to us what is heaven to us or what is salvation to us for to us the one cannot be without the other we shall never inherit part of hiâ— gloâ—y in heaven if we do not take his glories part upon earth And with God it is much about one whether we be doers of evill or no hinderers For iâ— we must not see our neighbours oxe nor his sheep goe astray or fall into a 〈◊〉 but we must reduce him and help him out of it Deut. 22.1 we are much more bound to help our neighbour himself from droping into the bottomlesse 〈◊〉 of Hell And what know we but we may winne our brother and so save his soul Mat. 18.15 11. § They will hisse like Serpents if we trouble their nests never sâ— little And it s a sure sign the horse is galled that stirs too much when he iâ— touched But what are these men like and how are they like to speed â—â— the end they are like the Thracian flint that burns with water and is quenched with oil their souls are the worse for Gods endeavour to better theâ— His holy precepts and prohibitions doe either harden them as the Sun 〈…〉 12. § But to be exasperated with good counsell and in stead of penitency to break into choler when fury sparkles in those eyes which should gush out with water it is an evident sign of one that shall perish Prov. 29.1 Read the words and tremble a man that hardneth his neck being often reproved shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy see more Prov. 1 24 25 26 to 33. Whence â—is the Prophet tells Amaziah I know that God hath determined to destroy thee because thou hast done this and hast not obeyed my counsell 2 Chron. 25.16 20. and that the Holy Ghost speaking of Elyes sons saith that they would not hearken unto nor obey the voice of their father because the Lord was determined to destroy them 1 Sam. 2.25 Yea it is an observation of Livie that when the destruction of a person or Nation is destined then the wholsome warnings both of God and Man are set at nought And in reason that sin is past all cure which strives against the cure Herbs that are worse for watering Trees that are lesse fruitfull for dunging and pruning are to be rooted out or hewn down Even salvation it self will not save those that spill the potion and fling away the plaster When God would have cured Babylon and she would not be cured then she is given up to destruction without further warning 13. § Ignorant Worldlings who will beleeve nothing which comes not within the compasse of their five senses think that because God strikes not be minds not Psal. 50.21 Because sentence against an evill work is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to doe evill as Solomon speaks Eccles. 8.11 They are like the Israelites 1 Sam. 12.15 to 20. they will not beleeve without a miracle and it will be a miracle if ever they be saved For should they see miracle upon miracle should God forthwith strike one dead with a thunderbolt and rain down fire and brimstone upon another and
hear the secrets of his heart made manifest to himself and others he will then be convinced and â—all down on his face and worship God and say This is of God indeed or of a truth Vers. 24 25. and I doubt not but by Gods help I shall shew these ignorant unbelievers from the written Word their very thoughts and the most secret intents of their hearts Heb. 4.12 and so that their own consciences shall bear me witness I belie them not Wherefore lend me your best attentions I beseech you and in reading take notice of what concerns each of you and if conscience plead guilty hearken thereunto § 3. Now that I may speak to all whom it concerns namely those ignorant unbelieving and ungrateful wrethches formerly spoken of and that It may prove of general behoof I will give you the several charaâ—â—â—râ— of seven sorts of men which include the whole number viz. The Loose Libertine The Civil Iusticiary The Formal Hypocrite The Miserly Muck-worm The Profound Humanist The Cunning Politician The False Teacher that flatters sin flowts holiness And in some one of these every natâ—ral man shall read the very thoughts of his heart together with his words and actions For if ought be wanting in the one it shall be supplied in the other which is as much as can be expected For otherwise I can no way avoid Tautologies nor Interfering If it be asked why I seem to forget the character of an ignorant person I answer it were not proper to make him a distinct party for all these that I have mentioned are equally ignorant if unregenerate touching spiritual experimental and saving knowledge though some more fools then others in the things of this life Nor is any Profound Humanist or Cunning Politician or False Teacher so wise but it is through ignorance that he doth so ill and which is as good the ignorant man shall meet with his own thoughts words and actions in every of the seven Characters if he be but wise enough to know the issue of his own heart and brain when he sees the Brats brought before him I shall also occasionally pourtray or paint out the usual cunning Covetousness and Cruelty Of Governours Of Officers Of Iudges Of Lawyers Of Projectors Of Engrossers Of Gripers Of Wasters c. And the better to illustrate or set out the fairness or deformity of each vertue and vice I will give you the lively and lovely Characters of Iustice Thankfulness Contentation Frugality Liberality CHAP. IX § 1. I Begin with the Loose Libertine or openly prophane for he shall lead the Troop as Judas led the Souldiers Thou that art openly proâ—hane dost so manifestly prove and profess thy self to be one of those ignorant unbelieving ingrateful wicked wretches herein coâ—cern'd yea to be one of the children of disobedience whom Satan hath blinded that in respect of others I should think it needlesse to spend time in further proof thereof yet I would gladly say something to shame thee out of thy self wherefore briefly thus Thou art kept by the Devil in a snare and taken captive of him at his will he ruleth and worketh his pleasure in thee as being thy God and Father and Prince and Mâ—ster 2 Tim. 2.26 Joh. 8.44 and 14.30 2 Cor. 4.4 Thy odious qualities are these and the like thou doest banâ—â—h all civility and give thy self over to sensuality and art neither afraid nor ashamed to let thy wickedest thoughts break forth into actions Yea thou thinkest thy self thâ— honester man for it and boastest thou art none of those dissembling Hypocrites that seem to be what they are not Thou art a common Drunkard inâ—tead of quenching thy thirst thou drownest thy senses and wilt leave thy wits rather then the Wine behinde thee § 2. Thou desirest not the reputation of honesty but of good fellowship Thou art a continual swearer and that of bloody oaths One of our Ruffians or sons of Belial who when thou art displeased with others wilt flie in thy Makers face and tear thy Saviours Name in pieces even swearing away thy part in that blood which must saye thee if ever thou beest sayed Yea if thou art neveâ— so little provoked curses with thee strive for number with oaths and lewd speeches with both Thou knowest no other dialect then roaring swearing and banning the language of Hell which thou learnest before thou comest thither and in case thou art reproved for it thou wilt say We take too much upon us as Corah and his complices twitted Mâ—ses Numb 16.3 not knowing how strictly God commands and requires it Levit. 19.17 Heb. 3.11 2 Tim. 2.25 Ezek. 3.18 to 22. 2 Pet. 2.7 8. Whence as the chief Priests answered Iudas What is that to us so thou wilt blaspheme God tear Christ in pieces and more then betray even shed his innocent blood digging into his side with oaths and say when told of it What is that to us When thou mightest as well say What is Christ to us What is Heaven to us or what is salvation to us For to us the one cannot be without the other We shall never inherit part of his glory in Heaven if we do not take his glories part upon Earth And with God it is much about one whether we be doers of evil or no hinderers For if we must not see our neighbours Ox nor his Sheep go astray or fall into a pit but we must reduce him and help him out of it Deut. 22.1 We are much more bound to help our Neighbour himself from dropping into the bottomless pit of Hell And what know we but we may win our brother and so save his soul Matth. 18.15 Again thou art an usual companion of Harlots thy summum bonum is a Punk and thou wilt rather burn in hell then marry All thy felicity is in a Tâ—vern or Brothel-house where Harlots and Sycophants rifle thy estate and then send thee to rob Thou art one of those that St. Peter speaks of thou hast eyes ful of adultery that cannot cease to sin Thou gazest upon every fair face and lustest after every beautiful woman Thy speech is lewd and obscene thy discourse scurrility lascivious thy behaviour Thou art a frequent slanderer of thy Neighbour an open Sabbath-breaker Canst boast of sin and mischief and if need be defend it § 3. Like the Salamander thou art never well but in the fire of contention And art apt to quarrel yea kill a man for every foolish trifle be it but for the wall or refusing to pledge thee as if thy honour were of more worth then thy soul. Yea the Devil hath so blinded and bewitcht thee that thou thinkest every wrong or disgraceful word quarrel just enough to shed blood that true valour consists onely in a brave revenge and being implacable that patience is but an argument of baseness and therefore thou wilt rather suffer a sword in thy bowels then a lie in thy throat I confess thou wilt fight in no
for his sake to bear a few scoffs and reproaches from the world it is evident we are but counterfeits such as Christ will be ashamed of before his Father and his holy Angels at the latter day Mark 8 38. For for the comfort of all that are single and honest-hearted notwithstanding all the scoffs and scorns of Atheists and careless worldlings all their perswasions and persecutions they shall both lose their labours and themselves too in the end Well may they intend and also do their utmost to flout us out of our Faith that so they may slay us with death eternal and speed thereafter As God that regards not so much what is performed as what was intended and measures what we do by what we meant to do as in the case of Abrahams offering up his son and those Iews who only thought they had killed Paul Acts 14 19. but they shall be no more able to hinder the salvation of any one 〈◊〉 God hath chosen to his Kingdome of grace and glory then Saul with his 〈◊〉 could hinder David from attaining the promised Kingdom of Israel 〈…〉 Rev. 13.8 The windes may well tosse the ship wherein Christ 〈…〉 overturâ— it If Christ have but once possest the affections there is no dispossessing him again The League that Heaven hath made Hell wants power to break Who can separate the conjunctions of the Deitie Whom God did predestinate saith Paul them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified Rom. 8.30 They shall sooner blow up hell with trains of powder then break the chain of this dependent truth No power of men or devils is able to withstand the will of God it shall stand firmer then the firmament A fire in the heart overcomes all other fires without as we see in the Martyrs which when the sweet doctrine of Christ had once got into their hearts it could not be got out again by all the torments that wit and cruelty could devise CHAP. III. Convert BUt how should I a novice a punie a white-liver shake off this slavish yoke of bondage and fear in which Satan for the present holds me Minister By well observing what the Scriptures in this case hold forth for the encouragement of all that thus suffer I will commend to your serious consideration only six things and I pray minde them well for Virgil most excellently and profundly couples the knowledge of cause and the conquest of all fears together First observe that grievous temptations and persecutions do always accompany the remission of sins That all men as Austin speaks are necessitated to miseries who bend their course towards the Kingdom of Heaven neither can Gods love be enjoyed without Satans disturbance Yea the world and the devill therefore hate us because God hath chosen us If a convert comes home the Angels welcome him with songs the devils follow him with uprore and fury his old acquaintance with scorns and obloquie as you sufficiently finde Godly men are thorns in wicked mens eyes as Iob was in the devils because they are good or for that they are dearly beloved of God If a mans person and ways please God the world will be displeased with both whence we are so often foretold and forewarned of it that we may be the better forearmed and prepared to entertain it All that will love godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 Ye shall be hated of all men and nations for my Names sake Matth. 10.22 and 24.9 Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves Matth. 10.16 and many the like Wheâ—ce also those many and strong encouragements in the word which may serv◠〈◊〉 so many flaggons of wine to comfort and strengthen us against whatsoever we meet withall in the world Blessed are they that suffer persecution for 〈◊〉 teousnesse sake for theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven Matth. 5.10 Blessed are 〈◊〉 when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evill a 〈◊〉 you falsly for my sake Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your 〈…〉 in Heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you 〈…〉 Rejoyce inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that when 〈…〉 shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy For if ye 〈…〉 ed for the Name of Christ happy are ye For the spirit of glory and 〈…〉 upon you which on their part is evil spoken of but on your part is 〈…〉 12 13 14. Lo here is reward enough for all that men or devils 〈…〉 gainst us which hath made thousands even ambitious to imbrace the flames Your cruelty is our glory said the Martyrs in Tertullians time to their persecutors for the harder we are put to it the greater shall our reward be in Heaven It is to my loss said Gordius the Martyr if you bate me any thing of my sufferings See more Phil. 1.28 29. Rev. 2.13 And so much to shew that he refuseth to be an Abel whom the malice of Cain doth not exercise as Gregory speaks For it is an everlasting rule of the Apostle He that is born after the flâ—sh will persecute him that is born after the Spirit Gal. 4.29 not because he is evill but because he is so much better then himself 1 Iohn 3.12 Because his life is not like other mens his ways are of another fashion Wisd. 2.15 CHAP. IV. SEcondly consider That as we are every where in the word forewarned of it so it is not our case alone for search the whole Bible over and you shall not finde one holy man mentioned without mention of something he suffered from ungodly men as it were easie to instance how Abel Lot Noah righteous men Abraham the father of the faithful Isaac Iacob Ioseph Patriarchs and Fathers of the Church meek Moses upright Samuel Iob that none-such all the Lords Priests Prophets Apostles yea the harmlesse Babes and our Saviour Christ himself did severally suffer from wicked and ungodly men Yea never man came to Heaven but first he past through this Purgatory God had one Son without sin but never any one without suffering Which makes our Saviour say Wo be to you when all men speak well of you that is when evill men speak well of you for so did the Iews of the false Prophets Luke 6 26. Wherefore marvel not though the world hate you as St. John speaks 1 Job 3.13 Neither count it strange as St. Peter hath it concerning the fiery triall which is amongst you to try you as though some strange thing were come unto you 1 Pet. 4.12 For Christ and his Crosse are inseparable Luke 14.27 Whence that distinction of Luther that a Christian is a Crosse-bearer He that will be my disciplâ— let him take up his crosse daily and follow me Luke 9.23 and 14.26 27. CHAP. V. THirdly No hope it should be otherwise since God from the beginning of the Creation hath
〈◊〉 forgive them saith he of his murtherers for they know not what they do And why have the Kings of the earth in all ages banded themselves together against the Lord and against his Christ Psal. 2.2 but because they knew him not Ioh. 15.21 they see no more then the barâ— or outside of spiritual things 2 Sam. 6.16 And the flesh Satans ready instrument will be ever sugesting to them strange surmises touching what the Religious either say or do as is evident by what is recorded of Michal 2 Sam. 6.16 of Nicodemus Joh. 3.4 of Festus Act. 26.24 and lastly of Paul before his conversion 1 Tim. 1.13 It is the nature of ignorant and carnal men that walk after the flesh in the lusts of uncleanness whom Saint Peter calls brute beasts led with sensuality to speak evil of the things which they understand not 2 Pet. 2.12 especially in judging acts of zeal and piety their opinion still lights upon the worst sense like them in Act. 2. who mocked the Apostles when they were filled with the Holy Ghost and hearing them speak languages which they understood not cried out These men are drunk with new wine Until we be born again we are like Nicodemus who knew not what it was to be born again Ioh. 3.4 Until we become zealous our selves we are like Festus who thought zeal madness Act. 26.24 Until we be humble our selves we are like Michal who mocked David for his humility and thought him a fool for dancing before the Ark 2 Sam. 6.16 Yea to such as shall perish or are for the present in a perishing condition all Religion seems foolishness 1 Cor. 1.18 CHAP. XV. THirdly They therefore speak evil of us and do all the evil they dare to us Because we will no longer run with them to the same excess of riot as the Apostle acquaints us 1 Pet. 4.4 When our affections like wild and mad horses are violently galloping to Hell if the Spirit of God by repentance as with a bridle suddenly gives a jerk and turns them another way yea sets them going as fast in the narrow path towards Heaven presently those our companions in the broad way stand marvelling at us that we break off company and envy to see themselves cashiered The Israelites were never set upon by Pharaoh and all his Forces until they were got out of his land So long as S. Paul joyned with the High Priests and Elders to make havock of the Church he was no whit molested by them but when he became a convert and preached in the name of Iesus none so hated and persecuted as he That great Dragon the Devil and his subjects wicked men make war and are wroth with none but the Woman that is the Church and the remnant of her seed which keep the Commandments of God and have the testimony of Iesus Christ. Revel 12.17 The Accuser of the Brethren makes choice of wicked men to traduce thosâ— whom he cannot seduce as he desireth as we may plainly see in our Saviours example who notwithstanding he fulfilled all righteousness and did all things well for in his mouth was found no guile nor fault in his manners nor errouâ— in his doctrine Which of you said he can rebuke me of sin Yet the world traduced him for a Samaritan a Blasphemer a Sorcerer a wine-bâ—â—ber 〈◊〉 enemy to Caesar and what not Thus they deal with the godly as sometimes a lustfull perso◠〈…〉 chaste woman when he cannot take away her honesty he will take away 〈◊〉 credit brag of effecting his will with her when yet he could never have adâ—mittance into her company Besideâ— how should those enemies of holinesse work their will upon us if they did not thus cast aspersions upon and accuâ—â— us How should Naboth be cleanly put to death if he be not first accused of blasphemy 1 Kings 21.13 and the like of Ioseph Eliah Ieremiah Susanna Paul Steven and our Saviour Christ himself Alas they well know and their Consciences spare not to tell them that the men whom they nick-name and asperse are honester men and more righteous then themselves as Pharaoh was forced to confess touching Moses Exod. 10.16 27. And Saul touching David 1 Sam. 26.21 yea I know they are perswaded well of them even when they speak most to the contrary we know Pilate judged Christ guiltlesse but yet he put him to death And Festus acknowledged that Paul waâ— without crime yet he left him in prison I dare say Tertullus knew that he lyed when he called Paul a pestilent fellow c. his conscience could not chuse but answer him thou lyest in thy throat Tertullus Paul is an honester man then thy self and the like of our accusers at this day but malice regards not how true any accusation is but how spightful I grant that in many caseâ— they think as â—ll of us as they speak and the reason is when they want evidence their manner is to judge of us by themselves as it fared with Nero who verily beleeved that all men vvere Libidinists because himself was such an one and indeed their own guiltinesse is a main and usual cause of their censuring and slandring us for most commonly suspition proceeds from a self defect and a bad construction from a bad mind Deceitfull ever will mistrustfull be But no distrust is sound in honestie And it is a rule which seldome fails That as Cham was worse then Noah whom he derided and Ishmael worse then Isaac whom he mocked and Saul worse then David whom he persecuted and Iezabel worse then Naboth whom she defained and murthered and Herod worse then Iohn Baptist whom he beheaded So they that are wont to slander jeer and persecute others have themselves more cause to be jeered and judged by others Experience sufficiently onely acquaints us what they are and the examples before rehearsed And will any wise man stumble at Religion for such mens scoffs and reproaches CHAP. XVI FOurthly Another Reason is They know their glory and credit with the world is greatly eclipsed by such as excell in vertue Their vitious lives are plainly reproved and their persons most grievously shamed by the holy conversation of good men And this makes them smut the face that is fairer blemish honest mens fame by their censuring and â—nspersions that they may mirtigate their own shame with others discredit like Potiphars wife they pretend we are guilty that themselves may be taken for innocent And have they not reason so to do Yeâ— for the whiter the Swan is the more black is 〈…〉 that is by her and how is a vitious person discredited and made 〈◊〉 by the vertuous life of an holy man We know straight lines 〈…〉 câ—ooked And it is easie to guesse that Pharaohs fat Kine 〈◊〉 the lean ones more ill favoured A swarthy and hard featured visage 〈◊〉 not the company of clear beauties It s a plain case if the Gospel should risâ— sin and error must go down Herod thought he could
not be King if Christ should reign And the Pharisees knew that they should be deâ—â—ised if Christ were regarded And this makes them watch for our halting and withall as sharp sighted as Eagles to spy faults in us Briefly They put their own faults in that part of the Wallet which is behinde them but ours in the other part or end which is before them Indeed self-examination would make their judgements more charitable Fifthly They delight in censuring and slandering us because Satan who in their God 2 Cor. 4.4 and their Prâ—nce Ioh. 14.30 and works in them hiâ— pleasure Eph. 2.2 2 Tim. 2.26 is ever prompting them thereunto Acts 5.3 Rev. 12.10 For it is Satan that speaks in and by them as once he did by the Serpent It is his minde in their mouth his heart in their lips Mat. 16.23 And they being his Sons Servants and Subjects thirst to do him what honour and service they can Nor can they pleasure him more it being the hopefullest way to discourage men in the way to heaven quench the good motions of Gods spirit kill the buds and beginnings of grace draw them back to the world and so by consequence damn their souls that can be to see that whatsoever they do or speak base constructions are made thereof Hereupon that subtil Serpent does like Maximinus who set on work certain vile persons to accuse the Christians of hainous crimes that so he might persecute them with the more shew of reason True they poor souls do not know that Satan speaks in and by them As those four hundred of Ahalâ— Prophets in whom this evil spirit spake did not know that Satan spake by them 1 King 22.22 Neither did Iudas know when he eat the sop that Satan entred into him and put it into his heart to betray Christ Iohn 13.20 Neither do Magistrates when they cast the servants of God into prison once imagine that the devill makes them his jaylors but he doth so 〈◊〉 whence that Phrase of the Holy Ghost The Devil shall cast some of you into prison Rev. 2.10 They are his instruments but he is the princâ—pal Author Neither did Ananias and Saphira once think that Satan had filled their heartâ—â— or put that lye into their mouths which they were strook dead for Acts yeâ— the Holy Ghost tells us plainly that he did so ver 3. No Eve in Paradise 〈◊〉 not the least suspition that it was Satan that spake to her by the Serpent nor Adam that it was the Devils minde in her mouth when 〈◊〉 to eat the forbidden fruit Nor did David once dream that it was Satan which moved him to number the people 1 Chron. 21.1 Much lesse 〈…〉 who so dearly loved Christ imagine that he was set on by Satan to 〈◊〉 his own Lord and Master with those affectionate words 〈…〉 self for if Christ had pitied himself Peter and all the world had 〈…〉 yet he was so which occasioned Christ to answer him Get 〈…〉 Satan Matth. 16.22 23. Whence we may argue That if Satan can 〈…〉 the best and wisest of Gods servants do him such service 〈…〉 besides their intention how much more can he make 〈…〉 dren and servants who are kept by him in 〈…〉 at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 and whom he altogether ruleth and worketh his pleasure in Ephes. 2.2 3. as I might give you instances of all sorts Our Saviour tells us that they shall think they do God service in persecuting 〈◊〉 servants as the Jews formerly did in putting his Prophets to death John 16 â—â— and experience shows that thousands in these dayes do so and why diâ— Soul make havock of the Church but in zeal to the traditions of his Fathers Gal. 1.14 There was a Monk poysoned Henry the seventh Emperour of Germany with the Sacramental Bread and thought he did God good service in so doing So did the Powder Traitors when they intended to blow up the whole State Maximinian thought the blood of Christians would be an acceptable sacrifice to his gods So Francis the second of France and Philip the second of Spain thought of the Lutherans blood in their Dominions In the sixth Council of Toledo It was enacted That the King of Spain should suffer none to live in his Dominions that professed not the Roman Catholick Religion Whereupon King Philip having hardly escaped shipwrack as he returned from the Low Countries said he was delivered by the singular providence of God to root out Lutheranism which he presently began to do professing that he had rather have no Subjects then such And how could this be if Satan did not hold the Stern * One that formerly held it not enough to be bad himself except he railed at and persecuted the good hath now given ten thousand of these Books to clear the sight of others who look upon Religion and holiness with Satans Spectacles Wherefore such as will need but call at James Crumps in Little Bartholomews in Well-yard and have them grâ—tis so long as they last and afterwards at Mr. Cripps his Shop 〈◊〉 Popes Hâ—â—d Alley also for pence 〈…〉 * It is the usuall lot of the godly to suffer for speaking of truth but the Divels servants prevail most by telling of lies as when the Jews accused Paul to Agrippa they charged him with many things but proved nothing neither could they well undoe us if first they did not falsly accuse us as it fared with Iezabel touching Naboth and the wife of Potiphar touching Iosâ—ph We read that the Chief Priests Elders and all the counsel sought false Witnesses to accuse Christ of hainous evils that so they might crucifie him by a Law Matth. 26.59 〈◊〉 innocency is no shelter against persecution Again Why do all the Serpents seed censure and in censuring stan 〈…〉 but that they may incite and stir up others to do the like Re 〈…〉 those ancient enemies of the Gospel who clad the Martyrs in the 〈…〉 wilde Beasts to animate the Dogs to tear them Nor will the 〈…〉 multitude be wanting what lyes in them for they like so ma 〈…〉 have not heads sufficient to direct them and therefore do only 〈◊〉 they see others do They are a generation that for matter of Religi 〈…〉 discern between their right hand and their left as 〈◊〉 committing of evill with ignorant persons who are Cisterns to sin 〈◊〉 to grace As in the Sodomites Gen. 19.4 to 12. In Koraâ— and his â—â—0 followers In Demetrius and his fellows Acts 19. c. And the like in our times as how many thousands do censure and blaspheme the godly because they hear others do so for other reason they can give none Thus I might go on in giving you other reasons of their censuring and slandering us as one in regard of Satan who loseth so many of his Subjects or Captives as turn beleevers for every repentant sinner is as a prisoner broke loose from his chains of darknesse And another in regard of the World which loseth a limb
man often but Covetousness is a fine and recovery upon the purchase then he is sure of him as when a Goaler hath lockt up his prisoners safe in a Dungeon he may go play Coveâ—ous men are blinde to all dangers deaft to all good instructions they are be sotted with the love of money as Birds are with their bain yea they resolve against their own conversion The Scribes and Pharisees who were covetous shut their eyes stopt their ears and barriâ—â—â—dâ—ed their hearts against all our Saviour did or said yea they sâ—oft at his preaching Luk. 1â— 24 and of all sorts of sinners that Christ preached unto â—e was never 〈…〉 but by them when he preached against covetousness Christianum dogma vertitur in scomma and what 's the reason but this rich worldlings think themselves so much the wiser as they are the richer These things considered no wonder that our Saviour expresly affirmeth that it is easier for a camell to go througâ— the eye of a needle then for a rich man that is a covetous rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven as well knowing that no Physick can be found strong enough to purg out this humor Well may they gnaw their tongues for sorrow when they shall be tormented with fire and boyl with great heat and blaspheme the God of Heaven for their pains and for their soars but repent of their works they will not as it is Revel 16.8 to 12. only others may make some good use of that evil they see in them at least learn to beware of covetousness I grant that to God who hath commanded us to use the means all things are possible for he is able even of stones to raise up children unto Abraham Mat. 3.9 but in respect of ordinary means it is no more possible for a covetous miserly muck-worm to be converted then it is for a dead man to be raised And therefore though I had rather be a Toade then a Drunkard yet had I rather be a Drunkard then a covetous Miser and should somewhat the more hope to go to Heaven Mat. 21.31 32. CHAP. XXIII AND so much of the tenth plague which God inflicts upon the miserly muck-worm I might give you many more for almost every thing becomes a deadly snare to such men even every thing they see or hear of each thought that comes into their minds yea the very Word of God the mercy of God and the merits of Christ become their bain and shall inhanse their damnation for as all things shall turn together for the best to those that love God so all things shall turn together for the worst unto them that hate God as they do Iohn 15.24 Rom. 1.30 But enough hath been said as I suppose to make good what I promised and to prove that the câ—uell and unmercifull Miser is never the better for his riches but the worse and how God bestows these outward blessings upon him rather in wrath then in love with the reasons thereof but as you have heard what it is not to be Rich and Happy so in the next place hear what it is to be so For to clear mens judgements and for the further and fuller discharge of what I promised in the beginning that also is to be discovered which when I have dispatcht I shall honestly acquaint you how of poor melancholy and miserable you may become rich happy and comfortable now as touching the former of these you are to know That a competency of earthly things is indeed and really the best estate in the world if we had but the wit to know when we are well which makes Agur pray Give me neither poverty nor riches but feed me with 〈…〉 〈…〉 30.8 9. He prayes against riches as well as poverty and that which we are to pray against we may not desire and what is it our Saviour teacheth us to pray but Give us this day our daily bread Maâ— 6.11 We are never so happily fed as when we wait upon God for our daily bread and are therewith content and lest our Saviours words should not be enough he teacheth us this lesson no less by his own practice then by precept for though he was owner of all things in the universe yet he would have no more then just what he needed as when he wanted money to pay tribute he sent for no more then he was to disburse presently Matth. 17.27 he might have commanded twenty pounds as well as twenty pence but he would not to shew that we should desire no more then will serve our turn A competent measure of wealth to retain an honest reputation in the world so that we â—either need to flatter nor borrow is sufficient He is rich enough saith Ierom that lacketh not bread and high enough in dignity that is not forced to serve I would saith another desire neither more nor less then enough I may as well dye of a surfeit as of hunger This worlds wealth that men so much desire May well be likened to a burning fire Whereof a little can do little harm But profit much our bodies well to warm But take too much and surely thou shalt burn So too much wealth to too much wo does turn It is a great skill to know what is enough and greater wisedome to care for no more if I have meat drink and apparrel I will learn therewith to be content if I had the world full of wealâ—h beside I could injoy no more then I use the rest could please me no otherwise then by looking upon as wise Solomon shews Eccles. 5.11 and why can I noâ— thus solace my self while it is anothers It was a dainty disposition of one that followed a great Lord who was often heard to say I bless God I have as much in effect as my Lord himself though I am owner of little or nothing for I have the use of his Gardens and Galleries to walk in I hear his Musick with as many ears I hunt with him in his Parks eat and drink of the same with him though a little after and so of other delights which my Lord enjoys And indeed what great difference is there save in the pride and covetousness of a mans mind for my part let me speak it to Gods glory and out of thankfulness I have no share with either of them in these delights I enjoy neither curious gardens nor delicious musick nor sumputous fâ—re my body will scarce permit me a cup of strong drink I do not know that I have been free from getting cold in my head more or less one whole day this thirty years my means will not afford me to keep either horse or maâ— except with the unjust Steward I should cozen my master yet I would not change my con 〈…〉 sâ—nds of my mind as preferring a retired life spent in conversing with Authors before all the honors pleasures and profits that others enjoy This is the gift of God Eccl. 5.15 to the end
16. 28.1 to 14. 2 King 6.25 to Chap. 7. vers 17. Psal. 34.9 10. 37.26 28 112.3 37.3 4 5. Luke 18.29 30. Mark 4.24 Hag. 1.2 Chapters Mal. 3.10 11 12. But if this weary not the Muckmonger it 's well Now this being the case namely that what God gives is chiefly hereafter little at present yea that we may look to be loosers by him at present whereas Satan and the world out-bid Christ in respect of outward condition and present pay thus it fals out or this is the issue The worldling cryes a bird in the hand is best hugges his money that he hath God he thinks is not so good a customer or he dares not trust him Yet will this man rather accept a reversion of some great Office or Estate though expectant on the tedious transition of seven years or on the expiration of anothers life which may prove to be sixty years or more than at present a summe of farre lesse value But what a strange folly is this rather to take the idle vanities of this world in hand than faithfully to wait upon Gods promise for an eternal Kingdom of glory in Heaven CHAP. IV. Thirdly The rarest of all remedies is Regeneration As what saith holy David Turn my heart unto thy Law and not to covetousnesse Psalm 119.36 As if a man could not be covetous that sets his heart upon heavenly things nor have any leasure to think upon good so long as he is covetous Let them seek after the earth sayes one that have no right to Heaven let them desire the present who believe not the future As Regeneration is the best physick to purge away melancholy so likewise of covetousnesse As may be seen in Zacheus who before he met with Christ knew nothing but to scrape but so soon as Christ had changed his heart all his mind was set upon giving and restoring Luk. 19.8 He was as liberal in almes and restitution when he was become a Convert as possibly he was unjust and unmercifull when he was an usurer And the like of all other sinnes Paul was not a more hot and fiery enemy to Christ when he was a Pharisee than he was a shining burning and zealous Preacher when he was an Apostle When any man is born anew and better never be born than not to be born again there will be new vertues arise in the room of old vices Heretofore thy soul hath been an Idolatrous Temple if the Ark of God that is his Holy Spirit once enter into it Dagon that is the works of darknesse will down and soon moulder away For both cannot stand together 1 Sam. 5.3 especially covetousnesse will be chasheired Yea God hath set Religion and covetousnesse at such variance that they cannot possibly reign in one person No man can serve God and Mam 〈…〉 not in him 1 Joh. 2.15 Wherefore as we desire to have peace in the end let piety be our race 'T was Marcus Aurelius his dying counsel to his Sonne Commodus that if he would live quietly he should live justly if he would dye peaceably he should live uprightly Now if covetousnesse be once cashiered by Regeneration have a man much or little he will not be overmuch troubled at it The godly man hath sufficient though he have no wealth even as man in innocency was warm and comely though without cloathing A small thing unto the just man is better than great riches to the wicked and mighty Psal. 37.16 The reason is the one hath his sight to see clearly his happinesse in having what is best for him and is content to be poor in outward things because his wealth and purchase is all inward The other by a just judgment of God is so blind that he cannot see when he is well but thirsts so after other mens goods that he takes no pleasure in his own His heart is glewed to the world or rather to his wealth and an object too near the eye cannot be seen yea be it but the breadth of a penny it will hide from the sight the whole half heaven at once Covetousnesse is like the Albugo or white spot in the eye that dimmes their understandings and makes fools even of Achitophels leaving them never an eye to see withall according to that of Moses A gift blindeth the eyes Exod. 23.8 And this for certain could the covetous chuâ—l but see what peace and rest and joy through contentation the godly man hath at the same time when he can say with Peter Silver and gold have I none he would be also a suter to godlinesse that he might have the dowry of contentation He would soon see that it is much better to be poor than evil that it is quieter sleeping with a good conscience than in a whole skin and that there is no comparison between want with piety and wealth with dishonesty As what canst thou say against it thou hast abundance of all things yet thou findest small peace joy or content in the world Get but godlinesse and thou shalt have true content of mind great peace of conscience together with joy in the Holy Ghost and Gods blessing upon all thou hast or takest in hand be thy condition in the world never so mean Thou hast hetherto like Satan compassed the whole earth never thought of compassing Heaven thou art as poor in grace and parts as rich in revenues Thy desires about this world have been insatiable but for heavenly things a small scantling hath been thought enough I believe that Christ dyed for me I am sorry for my sinnes I hope to be saved this is sufficient though thou dost all thy devotions more out of custom than of conscience as Simonides reports of Theodoricus But wilt thou prove thy self wise wilt thou do thy self good indeed the only way is to become godly For godlinesse is great gain if a man be content with that he hath 1 Tim. 6.6 And this I may be bold to affirm that if thou canst not say as Paul saith I have learned to be content godlinesse is not as yet come unto thine house For the compaâ—ion of godlinesse is contentation which when she comes will bring you all things Therefore as Christ saith If the Sonne make you free you shall be free indeed John 8.36 So I say if godlinesse make you rich you shall be rich indeed Otherwise have you never so much it will no more satisfie your desire or quench your lust than fewel does the flame Yea as oyl kindleth the fire which it seems to quench so riches come as though they would make a man contented but they make him more covetous CHAP. V. As see how insatiable mens desires are of these transitory things by some examples Give Alexander Kingdom after Kingdom he will not rest till he have all Yea giving credit to that opinion of Democritus to wit that there were worlds infinite and innumerable he even wept to think that he was Emperour but of one only
he should have held Mordecai's stirr up much lesse have changed preferment with him That Mordecai should be lifted up into Hamans favour at Court and Haman should be exalted to that fifty cubits eminency above ground in Mordecais room But go we on Love will cause us to open our hands unto such as are in want and lend or give them sufficient for their need as God commands Deut. 15. 8. It will make us of Iobs spirit who would not eate his morsells alone but invited the fatherlesse to eate with him Job 31.17 It will make a man love his enemies and do good for them that do hurt to him Luke 6. 35. Yea if need so require as in a famine or common persecution it will make us sell our possessions and goods and distribute them to all as every one hath need as did the Christians in the Primitive Church Acts 2.44 45. And lastly which is above all It will make a man to lay downe his life for the brethren 1 John 3.16 Whereas he that hath not this Christian grace feels and is sensible of common calamities just so much as appertains to his own private estate interest and no more It is the want of compassion that takes no compassion of others wants Yea this is an argument that the love of God is not in us 1 John 3.17 Whatsoever we thinke or say it is not at all in us Iohn 3.14 15.17 CHAP. XVIII Again It 's impossible that he who hath love should be ungratefull Mary Magdalen had received much and this made her love much and loving much she thought nothing too much to bestow even upon the most remote members of Christ to expresse her thankfulnesse Luke 7.38 And the like of Naaman when Elisha had done that great cure upon him whose hands were no lesse â—ull of thankes then his mouth Dry and barren profession of our obligation where is power to requite are unfit for noble and ingenuous spirits And so of Iacob If saith he I come again unto my fathers house in safety then shall the Lord be my God and this stone which I have set up as a pillar shall be Gods house and of all that he shall give me I will give the tenth unto him again Gen. 28.21 22. And Hannah who vowed a vow and said O Lord of Hosts if thou wilt looke on the trouble of thine hand-maid and remember me and not forget thine hand-maid but give unto thine hand-maid a man Childe then I will give him unto the Lord all the dayes of his life and there shall no razor come upon his head and she did it accordingly 1 Sam. 1.11.27 28. An ingenuous disposition cannot receive favours without thoughts of return Behold thou hast been carefull for us sayes Elisha to the Shunamite with all this care what is to be done for thee wouldst thou be spoken for to the King or to the Captain of the Host what is there to be done for thee And when he understood that a sonne was the onely thing she wanted and desired her husband being old he obtained of the Lord to fulfill her desire 2 Kings 4.13 to 17. Both Christ and the Angels the Prophets and Apostles were wont to be very beneficial guests to their hostes and hostesses and ever payd a blessâ—ng for their entertainment Elias requited his hostesse with a supernatnrall provision He gave also her owne and her sons life to her for his board Yea in that wofull famine 1 King â—7 He gave her and her sonne their board for his house-room Yea it is storied of Pyrrhus an Heathen that he did exceedingly grieve for that a friend of his hapned to dye before he had required his many favours Those hearts that are truly thankâ—ull delight no lesse in the repayment of a good turn then in the receit and do as much study how to shew their fervent affections for what they have received as how to compasse favours when they want them Their debt is their burthen which when they have discharged they are at ease and not before Resembling Homer who never forgot to requite a benefit received nor could be at rest untill he had done it CHAP. XIX Nor can there be a better signe of true love and â—ound amendment then that we can be content to be loosers by our repentance Many formall penitents have yielded to part with so much of their sinne as may abate nothing of their profit It is an easie matter to say yea and think what they say to be true that they love God and Christ. There is no Dives among us but he thinks scorne to be charged with the want of love What not love God But aske his conscience the next question What good hast thou done for his sake No he can remember none of that no goodnesse no workes of mercy or charity hath come from him all his life long But know this thou wretched rich miserly muckworme that thoâ— artbound to performe these works of mercy to the poore both ouâ— of duty and thankefulnesse to him who hath given thee thy selfe and all that thou hast Yea if thou beest not a meere beast or blocke When thou beholdest them the poor I meane behold how thou art beholding to Him that suffered thee not to be like them Hath God given thee all things and dost thou then thinke it a great matter to give him back something especially seeing thou givest him but of his owne as David gladly acknowledged 1 Chr. 29.14 For shame consider of it and let thy conscience make answer to what I shall aske thee what can be more equall and just then to give a little unto him who hath given all unto us especially seeing he hath granted unto us the use onely of what we possesse reserving still the chief propriety unto himselfe and to spare something unto the poor out of our abundance at his request who hath not spared to give unto us his onely begotten and dearly beloved sonne that by a shamefull death he might free us from everlasting death and condemnation and purchase for us eternall happiness Yea in truth what madnesse is it to deny being requested to give at his appointment some small portion of our goods who by his owne right and authority may take all And what senselesse folly were it to turne away our face from him when he asketh in the behalfe of the poor some earthly and momentaâ—y trifles from whom we expect as his free gift Heavens felicity and everlasting glory CHAP. XX. But to drive home this duty to mens consciences see further what cause we have to extend our liberality to the relief of Christs poore members For here I shall take occasion to slide into a discourse which in the Title page 1 durst not once mention as well knowing how averse most men are and how desperately most rich mens hearts are hardned against the poore whereof I le onely give you an instance Some six years since having taken no small paynes
the other into life eteâ—nall Matth. 25.31 to 47. Where are two things considerable They to save their purses would not be at a little cost for the poore while they lived and what have they got by it Now they are dead bâ—t firâ—t an everlasting separation from Gods blisfull presence and thâ—se unutterable joyes before mentioned and to be for ever confined in a bed of quenchlesse flames For this departure is not for a day nor for years of dayes nor for millions of yeares but for eternity into such paynes as can neither be expressed nor conceived There shall be no end of plagues to the wicked and unmercifull Math. 25.41 Mark 9.44 Their worme shall not dye neither shall their fire be quenched Isa. 66.24 Neither is the extremity of paine inferiour to the perpetuity of it Rev. 19.20 20.14 18.6 2 Pet. 2.4 Heb. 10 2â— Jude 6. The plagues of the first death are pleasant compared with those of the second For mountaines of sand were lighter and millions of yeares shorter then a tythe of these torments Rev. 20.10 Iude 7. The pain of the body is but the body of paine the anguish of the soule is the soule of anguish For should we first burn off one hand then another after that each arme and so all the parts of the body it would be deemed intolerable and no man would endure it for all the pleasures and profits this world can afford and yet it is nothing to that burning of body and soule in Hell Should we endure ten thousand yeares torments in Hell it were grievous but nothing to eternity should we suffer one paine it were miserable enough but if ever we come there our payns shall be for number and kinds infinitely various as our pleasures have been here Every sense and member each power and faculty both of soul and body shall have their severall objects of wretchednesse and that without intermission or end or ease or patience to endure it Luke 12.5 16. â—4 Matth. 3.12 Yea the paynes and sufferings of the damned are ten thousand times more than can be imagined by any heart under heaven It is a death never to be painted to the life no pen nor pensill nor art nor heart can comprehend it Mat. 18.8 9. 25 30. 2 Pet. 2.4 Isa. 5.14 30.33 CHAP. XXXIII Now what heart would not bleed to see men yea multitudes run head long into these tortures that are thus intolerable dance hood-wink'd iâ—to this perdition O the folly and madnesse of those that prefer earth yea hell to heaven time to eternity the body before the soule yea the outward estate before either soule or body These are the worlds fooles meer children that prefer an apple before their inheritance Besotted sensualists that consider not how this life of ours if it were not short yet it is miserable and if it were not miserable yet it is short that suffer themselves to be so bewitcht with the love of their money and their hearts to be rivered to the earth to be so inslaved to covetousnesse as to make gold their God Certainly were they allowed to have but a fight of this Hell they woâ—ld not do thus if they did but either see or foresee what they shall one day without serious and unfeigned repentance feel they would not be hired with all the worlds wealth to hazard in the least the losse of those everlasting joyes before spoken of or to purchase and plunge themselves into those caselesse and everlasting flames of fire and brimstone in hell there to fry body and soule where shall be an innumerable company of Devils and damned spirits to affright and torment them but not one to comfort or pity them But O that thou who art the Sacred Monarch of this mighty frame wouldst give them hearts to believe at least that the soule of all sufferings are the sufferings of the soule that as painted fire is to materiall such is materiall to hell fire That things themselves are in the invisible world in the world visible but their shadowes onely And that whatsoever wicked men enjoy here it is but as in a dream their plenty is but like a drop of pleasure before a river of sorrow and displeasure and whatsoever the godly feel but as a drop of misery before a river of mercy and glory Then would they thinke it better to want all things then that one needfull thing whereas now they desire all other things and neglect that one thing which is so needfull They would be glad to spare something from their superfluities yea if need requâ—re even from their necessaries that they might relieve and cherish the poor distressed members of Iesus Christ. And let so much serve to have been spoken of the reasons that concern our selves in particular and how God hath promised to blesse the merciful man in his soule body name and estate I should now go on to declare that what the liberall man gâ—ves his seed shall inherâ—t But I consider that if for the increasing of their estates for the obtaining of heaven and the avoyding of everlasting destruction of body and soule in Hell will not prevail with rich men to do some good with their goods while they lâ—ve whatsoever else can be spoken will be lost labour and to no purpose I grant there are some of them such desperate doting fools that they can find in their hearts to damn their own souls and go to hell to leave their sonnes rich and therefore it will not be amisse to set down or poynt them to a few of those promises which God hath made to the mercifull or liberall mans seed and posterity after him I 'le alleadge but three places onely CHAP. XXXIV That if we bountifully relieve the poor the reward of onr charity shall not onely extend to us but also to our Off-spring and Progeny the Prophet Esay witnesseth Chap. 58. where he tells us that if we will draw out our soule to the hungry and satisfie the afflicted soule the Lord will not onely satisfie our soules in drought make fat our bones but that those also that some of us sâ—â—ll prosper unto many generations ver 10 11 12. And also the Psalmist Psal. 37. I have been young and now am old saith hee yet have I not seene the righteous forsaken not his â—ood begging bread vers 26â— then gives the reason He is ever mercâ—full and endeth and his seed enjoyes the blessing vers 26. And so Psal. 112. His seed shall be mighty upon earth the generation of the righteous shall be blessed Vers. 2. to 6. Now what better inheritance can we leave to our Children then the blessing of God which like an ever-springing fountaine will nourish and comfort them in the time of drought when as our owne provision which we have left unto them may faile and when the heate of affliction ariseth will like standing waters be dried up Nor is this only probable but God hath set down
before he kneeled for it God's answer will be Let him reward you whom you have served Thou servedst thy self reward thy self if thou wilt for I never reward any service but mine own The Pharisaical giver gives to himself not to God Dat sibi non Domino He aims at his own praise what reward can he look for let him pay himself But our Saviour Mat. 6. makes the case so plain that none can question it Take heed saith he that ye do not your almes that ye pray not that ye fast not to be seen of men otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven ver 1 and in ver 2.5 16 speaking of the Scribes and Pharisees that did give their Alms prayed and fasted to be seen and praised of men he saith affirmatively That they had their reward And that we might the rather be warned he adds to it Verily Verily v. 5.16 Yea in the next Chapter he gives us several instances of such as shall at the last day knock at Heaven Gates as it were and cry out Lord Lord open unto us for by thy Name we have done many good things To whom the Lords answer will be Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity I know you not whence ye are ver 22 23. And the reason of it is Civil mens good works are as a meer Carkase without the soul since Faith is wanting Nor is it any excuse before God to plead that the matter of the Work is good when the end is not so for which see Isa. 66 3 Secondly That the proud and unthankful shal lose the reward of all their performances is not all for as thankfulness and humility are the onely means to enrich us with God's Blessings so pride and unthankfulness is the onely way to make God withdraw and take from us both himself and his blessings yea instead thereof to send his curse and to cross us in all we do as may be proved plentifully When the people became murmurers it displeased the Lord and the Lord heard it therefore his wrath was kindled and the fire of the Lord burnt among them and consumed the utmost part of the Host Numb 11.1 2 Because the King of Assyria said By the Power of mine Arm have I done it and by my wisdom for I am prudent therefore saith the Lord I have removed the borders of the people and have spoiled their treasures and have pulled down the Iuhabitants like a valiant man Esay 10 13 When Nebuchadnezzar and Herod took the praise of their greatness wit worth to themselves which was due to God you know what came of it Dan. 4. Act. 12.21 22 23. Esop's Crow not content with her own likeness went and borrowed a Feather of every Bird and then became so proud that she scorned them all which the Birds observing they came and pluckt each one their feather back and so left her naked Even so does God deal with all proud and ingrateful persons Hanani the Seer tells Asa King of Iudah Because thou hast rested upon the King of Syria and hast not rested in the Lord thy God therefore is the Host of the King of Syria escaped out of thy hand adding thereto The Ethiopians and the Lubims were they not a great Host with chariots and horsmen exceeding many yet because thou didst rest upon the Lord he delivered them into thine hand 2 Chron. 16.7 8. And again being diseased in his feet it is said That he sought not to the Lord but to the Physicians and what follows Asa slept with his Fathers and dyed his Physicians could do him no good without God the same Chapter ver 12.13 CHAP. XLVIII THankfulness for one benefit inviteth another but how worthy is he to perish in the next danger that is not thankful for escaping the former Ingratitude forfeits mercies as Merchants do all to the King by not payment of Custom Because Pharaoh saith the River is mine own therefore God saith I will dry up the River Ezek. 29.3 9. c. Isa. 19.5 6. Tamberlain having overcome Bajazet asked him whether he had ever given God thanks for making him so great an Emperor He confest ingenuously that he had never thought of it To whom Tamberlain replied That it was no mervail so ingrateful a man should be made such a spectacle of misery All which wise Solomon confirmeth Prov. 11.28 and also Iob Chap. 31. ver 24 25 28. Gods glory to him is as the Crown to the King Now there is less danger in stealing any thing from the King then his Crown for if men rob him of his Tribute or clip bis Coyn he may perhaps pardon it though that were much and he is not discreet that will run the hazard But if they go about to take his Crown from him there is no hope of obtaining pardon for that God is very bountiful in all other things his Wisdom he communicates and his Iustice he distributes and his Holiness he imparts and his Mercy he bestows and his onely Son he hath freely given as Paul sheweth 1 Cor. 1.30 31. But his Glory he will not give to another as himself speaks Isa. 42.8 And indeed this is the main fruit and return that comes unto God from all his Works This in the New Testament is as the fat of the burnt-offering was in the Old and we know all the fat was the Lords and he that did eat that was to be cut off from his people Levit 3.16 7.25 If you will see it in an example look upon Herod who in stead of giving the glory of his gifts unto God took it to himself and was cut off from his people by or after a strange and unheard of manner Acts 12. And thus we see by what hath been said that if pride covetousness hypocrisie or any the like springs shall set the wheels of our hearts a moving our Honey will prove but gall and our Wine Vinegar yea if these be the ends of our doing duties such an end will follow it as we had better be without it even such a misery at the end as will know no end of misery Let men therefore beware they rob not God of his glory which he so much stands upon least Satan by God's just permission rob them of their souls which they ought so much to stand upon Again secondly if the Grace of God be the Fountain from which all our endowments flow and that God may be honored by our gifts is the only end of our injoying them let us not so much as share with God in squinting one eye at Gods and another at our own honor Yea if God wil reward no Work nor bless it with his Grace unless it be intended to his glory Let us direct all our thoughts speeches and actions to his glory as he hath directed our Eternal Salvation thereunto Let us make God the Alpha and Omega the first and the last of all our actions and endeavours Let us add
this question What would you give in those scorching flames to be delivered out of them into Abrahams bosom or the Kingdom of Heaven Yea what would you not give if you then had it Let Nabal be but ransomed out of Hell he wil no longer be a Churl Let Dives return from that fiery Lake to his former riches the sensible World shall admire his Charity Let Iudas be ransomed out of Hell he wil no more betray his Master for money Let Esau find the same favour he will never again sell his Birth-right Nabal then would no longer oppress Achitophel then wil be no longer a false-Counsellor nor Ahab a bloody Tyrant Finally if all damned souls could but be admitted to come out of Hell and get a promise of Heaven upon condition of extraordinary obedience for a thousand years how precisely would they live And how would they bestir themselves that they might please God having once tasted of those torments which now many are in doubt of because no man ever saw Hell that returned back to make the relation yea if the offer were but made to these Churls on their death-beds when Conscience begins to accuse God appears to be angry and Satan is ready to seize upon their souls they would then give all they have had they ten thousand worlds for a short reprieve to the end they might have the like possibility As certainly when Pharoah saw the Sea ready to swallow him he was heartily sorry that ever he had wronged poor innocents and oppressed God's own portion How much more when he felt the flames of Hell-fire about his ears And the like of Ahab touching Naboth and all such covetous and cruel men What gained Laban and Nabal or Dives or that rich man in the Gospel by heaping up Riches and ingrossing all to themselves when shortly after by their covetousness and cruelty they both lost their Estates and themselves The foolish Virgins to save or spare a a shilling brought no Oyle but when their Lamps were out and the Bridegroom was come what would they have given Yea what would they not have given for a little Oyle and for entrance with the wise into the Wedding Such will one day be the case of all covetous men Indeed at present none are wise but they for they account poor honesty but a kind of simplicity but then they wil acknowledge themselves to have been of all fools the greatest nor deserve they any pity Who pities that man's death that having the Medicine by him which can help him dyes and will not take it If ever you see a drowning man refuse help conclude him a wilful Murtherer O my Brethren look not for Dives nor Iudas to come out of Hell to warn you since all this that I have said and much more is written for your learning and warning lest it fare with you as it did with the Greeks of Constantinople who had store of Wealth but because they would spare none to the reparation of the Walls and maintenance of the Souldiers they lost all to the Turks which afterwards no money could recover Or as it fared with Hedelburough which was lost through the Citizens Covetousness for being full of Gold and Silver they would not pay the Souldiers that should have defended them Though neither their folly nor loss was comparable to this of yours For what is the Loss of Life or Countrey to the loss of a man's Soul and the Kingdom of Heaven The covetous Iews spoken of by Josephus loved their money dearly when being besieged they did in gorge their Gold for all the night and seek it in their close Stooles the next morning But nothing so wel as these Cormorants I am speaking of who by covetousness and overmuch sparing resolve to lose Life Substance Soul Heaven Salvation and all O wretched wicked and foolish generation CHAP. LIV. FOurthly If there needs no other ground of our last and heaviest doom than Ye have not given Ye have not visited If the main point which Christ wil scan at the day of Judgement is the point of mercy If he wil accuse the Wicked at the last day not onely for taking the meat out of the poors mouths or plucking their apparel off their backs but for not feeding them and putting cloaths upon their backs as is evident by Matth. 25. and as I have made plain then are all Negative Christians in an ill taking It is strange to see how many several ways men have to deceive themselves One thinks it enough that he is of the outward visible Church born of Christian Parents hath been baptized c. Another so confidently hopes for Salvation by Faith that he little regards honesty or true dealing amongst men Another sort flatter themselves with promises of mercy as Christ suffered for all God would have all to be saved At what time soever a sinner repents he shall be forgiven and the like and with these they batten their own presumptuous confidence be their lives never so licentious Yea where is the man that wil not boast of his love to Christ though they even hate all that any way resemble him but of all others such as live harmless Lives and do no hurt think it sufficient and that it greatly matters not for doing good so they do no evil And in these conceits they go on to the end of their lives without once questioning how they shal enter in at the straight Gate Their deceitful hearts serve them as Iael did Sizera who flatteringly said to him Come in my Lord giving him Milk and covering him with a Mantle but withal nailing his head to the gronnd As see how the Rich Glutton flattered himself with hopes until he was in Hel-flames For notwithstanding he had denied poor Lazarus the very crumbs that fell from his Table yet he could challenge Abraham for his Father saying Father Abraham have mercy on me c. Luk. 16 But refused he was because he had not the works nor indeed the Faith of Ahraham though he might seem to profess and pretend it And the like of those Iews Iohn 8. For they could boast to Christ that Abraham was their Father but he gave them a cutting Answer If ye were Abraham's Children ye would do the works of Abraham ver 39. Vainly do they speak of their love to Christ who yet are wanting to his members Neither can there be a truer argument of a godless person then unmercifulness If we know a man unmâ—rciful we may boldly say He is ungodly Iohn 3.17 The lack of Charity is the conviction of Hypocrisie 1 Cor. 13.1 2 c. The righteous is merciful and giveth Psal. 37.21 22. But the Wicked are so far from this that they borrow and pay not again The Father of Mercies hath no Children but the merciful Matth. 5.7 He that is not a feeling-Member of others miseries is not of that Mystical Body whereof Christ is the Head It is not who is called a Christian or