Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	love_n	love_v	soul_n	5,278	5	5.4926	4	true

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15579	Iacobs staffe To beare vp, the faithfull. And to beate downe, the profane. Touching the one's assured, and the others conceited title, vnto God himself, and all his precious promises. VVherin. The saints interest is justified, to be absolutely infaillible, the sinners clayme detected, to be apparantly deceivable, notwithstanding all infernall suggestions of feare, and infidelity in the one, or of presumption, and security in the other. Formerly preachcd [sic] at Hamburgh by Iohn VVing late pastor to the English Church there, as his farewell to the famous followship [sic] of Merchant Adventurers of England resident in that city. And now published, and dedicated, to the honor and vse, of that most worthy Society, there, or wheresoever being.; Jacobs staffe to bear up, the faithful and to beate downe, the profane	Wing, John, of Flushing, Zealand.	1621 (1621)	STC 25846; ESTC S120115	141,154	226

may never enjoy lesse from the hands of the living God who giveth abundantly and vpraydeth no man who sincerely seeketh his face for any present or future favour And soe Jamt 5. now deare Christians fâ—â—hers bretheren sisters from the greatest to the meanest my faithfull affectionate hort bidds you all farewell you are all beloved of me and my love desireth you may every one be blessed of God with me That as while I was present with you I did my best to helpe you forward towards Christs kingdome soe absent I may meete you there when once the time is come and the date out that we must depose this earthly tabernacle O let our cheise care be that we may be sure beforehand that we shall change it for a heavenly I say beforehand because the Lord make's few comfortable exchanges with man at the last day or houre of his dissolution or ot last day of the worlds consummation We never read but of one the good theife that sped well at such a time I am sure there is none that ought to suppose or once sarmize that himself shal be the second man that shall reape the like measure of extraordinary favour You see how I am suddenly slip't into discourse againe and forgotten my ending let your loue pardon this excesse of myne Might my speech be as long as my hart is large or could it possibly be soe when should I surcease these my hartiest benedictions these my kindest valedictions which I neither know how to expresse as I would or to end when I should But I am now resolued to master my selfe wholely and to end instantly not to detayne you longer my last salutations shal be in the gracious words of the holy Ghost inspired into Paul when he was to take his leaue of the Ephesians Act. 20.33 Now bretheren I commend you to God the word of his grace which is able to builde you vp to giue you an inheritance among them that are sanstified of the Thessalonians 1. The. 5.23 Now the very Ged peace sanctify you throught and I pray God that your whole spirit soule body may be preserued blamelesse vnto the appearance of our Lord Iesus Christ. of the Hebrewes Now the God of peace Heb. 13.20.21 make you perfect in every good worke to doe his will working in you that which is pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ to whome by vs all be glorie honour for ever ever Finally I end in all the divine and heavenly deprecations and blessings of all Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles yea of Iesus Christ himself vttered in the dayes of his flesh while he dwelt among vs which I wish the Lord may assigne and make ouer to you that you may feele them in the full fruit and consolation of every particular petition contayned in them all and your soules be filled with the sweetnes of them as with marrow and fattnes and in their fullnes you may rejoyce with joy vnspeakeable glorious And now I will constraine my self silence and muzle my overflowing minde and mouth shutting vp all with sincere suplication of all good to you all from our God who is all in all And to glorify and honor this God let vs for ever joyne our endeovours at present joyne our prayers to him because we know he is able to doe vnto vs exceeding abundantly aboue all that we can aske or thinke All yee that loue the Lord doe this all true harts all vpright spirits confoederate combine conjoyne herin that with one mynde and one mouth we may blesse God even our Father Doe the same all yee that desire to be beloued of the Lord and through his loue to liue with him for ever So shall it assuredly come to passe that God who is loue and who is life it self shall turne all our heavines into Hallelujahs our mortality into life our misery into glory Faith full is he which hath promised who will also doe it in his due time To him be praise glory in all his whole family the Church tryumphaÌ„t in heaven the churshes militant on earth and in all saints apart both now for ever and ever Amen Amen and let all that loue the Son of God the Sion of God their owne soules and the soules of all true christians say againe and evermore Amen Amen even so be it saith my sorrowfull soule once more and evermore breathing out her last and best desires that the Lord may seale all these supplications with an answer and issue gracious to vs and glorious to himself according to the most wise counsell of his sacred will Glory be to God on high

soe over loue either my self or all the wealth vnder heaven but that I coulde have accounted my harte and state incomparably more comfortable in your service then in your kinanes in your spirituall then in mine owne temporall advantage and might I have still enjoyed my libertie among you to have honoured God and done you good I had beene in full contentment to my harts desire But I see it may not be I must out of my paradice I will not say the divell either entises or enforces me out I desire to looke only vpon the hand of God in all things as I taught you all to do doe not long since the greatest heavines of my hart is this that he seeth me not worthy or fit to abide in it because I have honoured him so litle during the time I enjoyed it And soe at his pleasure that shutts and no man opeÌ„s I now passe away as I came in when he did open and no man did shutt my soules desire is and hath beene that the Lord might have his will aboue myne and that his good pleasure might ever be predominant and overule all my desires Let vs all labour to beleeue that that is and must be our best estate which come's vpon vs from him who is God to be blessed for ever who manifesteth and magnifieth himself to be only wyse and infinitely gracious in all things that come to passe vpon his children Faith will thus judge and determine though our flesh would fasten other perswasions vpon vs. And thus considered I dare not but conceit my remoouall to be better then my resting here howbeit nature doth distaste it as a thing exceeding bitter Grace can make that truly good which corruption apprehendeth to be a heavy evill And when once sanctification hoth conquered coruption and got the vpper hand and that the Lord hath taken the scales of ignorrant and erroneous judgment from myne eyes that I may see himself clearely in this thing I know I cannot but be comforted with joy vnspeakable glorious In the meane time I now beholde you with heavines whome I must beholde no more in this heavenly duty and ministration my soule overflowe's with sorrow I am vnspeakeably affucted in my spirit that I shall not thus see your faces any more nor you mine againe in this place and service But our God shall beholde vs both and all of vs in the brightnes of the face of his son Iesus Christ and if we will strive to looke vnto him as we ought the lustre and beames of his most blessed countenance will breake through all these foggs and mist of our naturall perturbations which appeare abundantly in the mournefull teares wherwith now we doe so sorrowfully salute one another which whether they doe more breake or solace my hart is hard to say I cannot but deepely symphathize with your sorrow yet can I not but joy againe to beholde your deare regard of me expressed in these affectionâ—te significations Thus these two doe fight an eager combate within me but greife prevailes I see both in you my seâ—f for this our vnseasonable separation But now it is see that I must goe and according to the good pleasure of his will who here spake vnto Iacob assoone as I heare I desire to obey and to returne into my countrey and I desire nothing seing I must be gone but to depart in true peace as I signifyed to you all the last Lords day when we did all feast with the Prince of peace that it might appeare we parted as the children of peace in his blessing and love whose bread wine of blessing we did louingly eate drinke together I must leaue you but know he will not leaue you nor me nor any of his how soever it be soe that we must live a sunder in this world Stay you here in this land of Labans who receiue you to enrich themselves and affect you litle futher then they finde that you are beneficiall to them Be faithfull in your employments the Lord can send you home with his blessing in abundance though you might at first come over this Iorden but with your staffe or but some slender support portion in externall things My soule doth wish every one of you Iacobs wealth but with Iacobs faith his prosperity with his piety the Lord make you equall to him in greatnes goodnes also Yea the God of Abraham Isaac Jacob d ee you all good bestow his best benedictioÌ„s vpoÌ„ your Society that the body therof may ever inherit her ancient honors and aduantages and the members may share not only these common comforts but every one in particuler his owne welfare and benefit beside Of this one thing you must ever be ceartainly assured and perswaded that you cannot be more happy then Pagans may be but in the prosperity of soule body together if the Lord divide these and doe give abundance only to the owtward man this is his heavy justice these are your vnhappy riches Therefore am I and ever shal be a harty wellwiller to the wellbeing of both Gods law doth command your loue hath bounde me to be an vncessant suitor for this double mercy if accordingly I be not so farre as I may or can let me finde no favor in earth no felicity in heaven And soe I leave you to the love of God whose power guard you against all evill grace guide you vnto all good peace rule in your harts mercy compasse you about in all estates As the church of Christ I leave you to him that is head of the church and saviour of his body As my late flock I leaue you to the great shepheard of your soules As my louing freinds I leave you to him that is the helper of the freindles As christians I leave you to Iesus Christ both your Lord and myne he abide with you his graces abound in you his holy spirit be your comforter on earth your conductor to heaven I cannot make an end or give over the multiplication of my soules wishes of your soules and bodyes good I am full of matter and my spirit within me constraines me to goe on but dolour can keepe no decorum it is an ill orator and you see affection drowne's both matter and methode yet I must conquer my felfe and end vnwillingly and soe I endeavour spite of my longing hart to wish longer desiring only this one thing that what good this time will not permitt me to vtter the Lord of his goodnes may please to expresse vpon you all for ever That soe it may come to passe that in all respects states what soever wherin you are or may be considered you may in every of them be truly blessed that as men you may be faithfull as merchants you may be samous as christâ—aens you may be gracious as saints you may be glorious More then these I cannot pray for and I doe and will pray that you

to vrge any particulers now because we have much to say touching the promises in our next point yet thus much I must say and it concerne's every sincere christian to consent vnto it with his hart that if we have any assurance either of grace or any other good thing in present possession on earth or of glory and all eternall good in future expectation in heaven the assurance we have flowe's from the interest we have none but they that are the Lords shall partake of either Psal 84.11 and they that are his shall have both soe saith David sweetly The Lord will giue grace and glory and no good thing will he witholde from them that walke vprightly 1. Cor. 3.21 and the apostle sumne's vp all within this circuit All things are yours and that not only in generall or in the grosse but more particulerly he come's to a distribution ver 22. whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come ver 23. all are yours and whence is it that all is soe surely ours even hence and yee are Christ's this clause confirme's all that went before and is the reason that ratifyeth the same fally So then if a man would now sit him downe and set himselfe to thinke of all the infinite fullnes and vnspeakable plenty and variety of those good things which the Lord doth either giue on earth or reserue in heaven and having enlarged his hart to comprehend as many of them as he could thinke might make him truly and fully happy to the absolute joy and contentment of his very soule he should now further think why these things are to be had many haue them already many more shall haue them heareafter how may I also come by them and be sure to enjoy them The holy ghost doth readily tell vs the way and meanes which is to become Christs be you sure of that one thing and all these things are sure to you They that are his shall have all these and more then their owne or mans imagination can comprehend heavens fullnes cannot be conceived of any creature Angells are not able to expresse what Gods saints shall inherit and posesse when they come to the consummation of that their happines which is prepared of God purchased by Christ reserued for them and they preserued vnto it by the power and through the fauour of that God in Christ who at the last day shall call all his owne with those sweete words Come yeâ— blessed children of my father receiue the kingdome prepared for you c. It was ordained and intended only to these and all they are as sure to haue it as Christ himself who doth now sit at the right hand of his father And thus we have in some measure opened some of those consolations vnto you which this our interest doth yeeld vnto vs I say some and in some measure because an absolute manifestation of them all cannot be vndertaken by vs or entertayned by you Our assurance is euident and we can declare it but our inheritance is infinite and none can vtter it Howbeit I hope we have sayd enough to make the comfort of this point cleare that it is a most happy thing to have right in the Lord to know him to be ours our selues his The which seing none but the saints of God candoe the benefit and joy herof remayneth only wholy to them and that in all and every of the particulers aforesaid which if we shall breifly summe vp together recall the particulers it will presently most plainely appeare that they are indeed happy by this heavenly truth In a word then is it not matter of much happines that we may goe to God and pray boldely that we be enabled to beare affliction cherefully that we be armed against sin throughly that we may be assured of all good absolutely These as we have heard are the sweete consolations of this sauing truth and in them all and in euery of them may the saints of God solace their soules and refresh their spirtis to know themselues capable of such advantages by the interest they have in the Lord their God who hath founded his favours vpon this truth and it is not more ceartaine and vndoubted that the foundation of God abideth sure 1. Tim. 2.16 and that the Lord doth know who are his then that they who are his may know all these good things to be theirs And thus much for the first use of this point vnto the saints of God Now we will set forward to the second Vse 2 Reprehension and that concerne's wicked and vngodly men whose impudency presumption in entitleing themselues to God is equall if not beyond the infidelity and feare of the faithfull who are so backward herin It hath ever beene the practise of that olde serpent the aiuell to withdraw Gods people from all their priueledges that they might not clayme them to encourage vngodly persons to whome they pertaine not to challeng them that soe he might draw them both vnder heauy jmpiety the one to rob themselues in refusing their right the other to rob God and his children in seizing vpon that which the Lord intended only to his owne The divell knowe's too well what he does The haynous euill of vngodly men in making claime to God oh that themselues did know it well when he abetts jmpious persons either to conceit that God is theirs or to call him soe it being such an jmpiety as scarce any is more insufferable or provoking and because he foresee's how it will anger and incense the Lord therfore is he so busy to set sinfull men about it Satan vnderstand's what damage it is to God what daÌ„ger to vngodly men and what advantage to himself And to the end they may also vnderstand it let vs ponder and particulate the evill of it so plainly as they may see it and seing it either shan and surcease it or make their sin by occasion of this discouery out of measure sinfull if they continue to commit it And this we will the rather endeauour because I am perswaded many a wicked man never jmagine's it sinfull but think 's he may safely yea that it is duty to call God his father and therfore in commiseration of their estate and desire of their information and reformation we will doe our best to make declaration of the monstrous impiety herof And first Euill 1 it is an vnspeakable indignity jnjury to the Lord a greater dishonor cannot be done against him for why it is a plaine putting of God into the diuells place For wheras he is avouched to be the God of this world that is 2. Cor. 4.4 of all those that are of the world and by Christ he is called the father of all prophane impious persons these vngodly wretches Job 8.44 doe father themselues vpon God and make the

world beleeue that he is their father their God who are wicked wheras he hath revealed his wrath from heaveÌ„ against them and doth from his very soule abhorre them as the base brood of Belzeebub and the loathsome spawne of Satan by reason of their sin Thus is the Lord thrust from his throne of glory and his honour layd in the dust and what an egregious abuse and abasement this is we may measure by our owne if the like to it were offered to any of vs. Suppose some base varlet the knowne bastard of some notorious strumpet should thus fawne vpon a man of approved honesty and honour admit he were a Prince and wheresoever he came be still calling him his father and laying challeng and clayme vnto him were it not an infamy and an iniury not to be borne would any man endure it that had power to punish it were it not such a wound in a Princes good name as might enrage him to send such a villane to the executioner rather then to suffer him to live daily to disgrace him in calling him his father Surely the greatest patience vnder heaven would be overcharged with this reproach we cannot dreame that ever this fellow should be endured to make any request or if he did that he might hope of any acceptation but instead of being graciously answered he might expect to be fearfully punished for abusing him whome he did soe beare himself vpon For what would the world thinke of him that should let such a fellow alone but that sure he is foule and hath lived basely seing such a base companion is suffred to challeng him as his father And beloued if such a thing would thus iniure and anger us let vs thinke how it will affect the Lord who is so jealous of his honour and sensible of his dishonour as he hath revealed himself to be and whose glory and fame is soe infinitely aboue ours he being the king of glory and king of saints the father only of his naturall son Christ and of so many as in him he adopteth to be his children by grace let vs I say bethinke our selves how this wil be taken that our father which is in heaven should by Satans suggestion and these mens appellation become the father of all those infernall helhounds and lyms of Satan whome he for the honour of his justice hath cast into hell to their perpetuall shame and contempt The divell can tell though he will not tell it you yee wicked one 's that this is a ready way to enreage the Lord against you and to provoke him to powre out the feircenes of his greatest fury vpon you there cannot be a quicker course to fill Satans kingdome and cast men into hell fire then by suborning vngodly men to call God father for in setting them on in this manner to call God theirs he make's them thereby seaven times more his owne then they were before Now is it not bydeous I had almost sayd vnpardonable jmpiety to vnthrone the Lord of heaven and thrust him into the base condition of his cursed vassall to rob him of this honour to be the God of all his elect and holy ones and become the father of all prophane person Thus doth every godles man when he call's God father for if he may be in any sence a father to such he can in no sence be sayd to be the same to his owne Secondly Euill 2 this evill doth not end though it begin here for as the Lord is abased soe is the diuell exalted and put into the place of the most high For if God be the God of vngodly men to whose right must Gods people belong It is impossible that both should appertaine to one party if therefore the wicked have God to be theirs the interest of the saints must needes be in Satan and soe he is set vp and the most high made vile The Diuell himself and all that tooke part with him in that accursed practise was banished heaven as it is supposed for aspiring into Gods place but this is to giue away the glory of the euer-liuing God put his most professed adversary into the actuall possession of the same And if heauens infinite justice were so exceeding neauy vpon him only for the attempt what will it be vpon these for the act Oh that their soules could throughly consider this who thus speake ah they litle dreame what high treason it is against the majesty of God to utter that which at once dishonour's the Lord and advanceth the divell But I leave them to the Lord by whome I desire they may be awaked that they sleepe not in this sin to death yea to damnation Thirdly Euill 3 this is a wonderfull and a wofull hardening of wicked men in their evill wayes and an vtter dishartening of such as would vndertake the things that be good What jmpious person or vngodly miscreant will take his sin to hart or thinke it worth any such sorrow as is required to repentance if in this his sinfull estate he may beare himself vpon God who would come out of that condition wherin he may clayme God to be his owne Againe what comfort can he have that is now comming on to religion to goe on and make a proceeding in piety a progresse in grace and holines to strayne towards a more holy exact pure and precise estate wherin he may more sanctify the Lord and subdue himselfe when he shall observe such sinfull persons as savour of noe grace to make as bolde with the Lord as the best of his owne saints So that this divelish jmpudency of vngodly persons doth cause them to comit two cutlls at once to wit to appale all piety and applaud all prophanes hindering some from entring on the former and hartening many to run on in the latter till they be past all recovery This is to make sad the hart of the righteous and to make glad the soule of the sinner and both these the Lord doth deepely abhorre Fourthly and lastly to make vp the measure of this euill or rather to make it out of measure euill Euill 4 let vs know that the Diuell himself was never soe vile as in this particuler to dare to entitle himself to God or once in any place to call the Lord his Where doth or may it appeare in all Gods booke that ever he offred it Others interest he hath indeede acknowledged as when he confessed Christ to be the son of God I know who thou art Mar. 5.7 thou art Iesus the son of the liuing God and when he gave testimony to the Apostles these are the seruants of the most high God c. Act. 16.17 but where did he ever challeng any right or make any claime of his owne to call God his is any man able to shew it no sure why then for a wicked man thus to doe is an offence more foule then the divell will be founde guilty off And who can

who would not say were he not his neere freind or his father he would never refuse such offers suffer such oppressions as he doth for his sake By the same reason is our nearenes vnto God concluded And this conquering power of his spirit wherby we prevayle against all things in this kinde is not communicable to any but such who have received the same as their earnest penny and seale that they are the Lords And these three among many others which we might speake of are sufficient assurances vnto vs that we have received this spirit which spirit doth assure vs that we are the children of God And thus we see the signes of our interect in the Lord our God whervpon we have the more largely and somewhat the longer insisted because it is much materiall to every man to know well and be stedfastly setled in the assured evidence and true tryall of this point wherin soe many wicked men doe deceive themselues by secure presumption and soe many of Gods owne children are deceived in themselues through their owne ignorance weaknes for want of due information We have now no more to say touching this vse of the point but by these aforesayd signes to set every one a worke even a searching of himself whether he can finde them within him or noe And therin let every one in the feare of God and as he tender's the favour of God deale soundely and vnpartially with his owne soule sift himself as in the sight of God before whome he must appeare one day and be judged acording to this word which hath from him beene spoken herin He that cannot discerne them in himself let him haste to the Lord of whome they may be had cease clayming any right in the Lord till he have obtayned them and begin to greiue in his owne soule for that he hath beene soe seduced all this while thus boldely to abuse the Lord being none of his not thinking themselves a litle judebted to his patience who hath rejourned that justice which even for this sin might long since have seized vpon them and sent them to Satan whose vassalls all such are as by him are set on thus blindely to challeng the Lord to be theirs without any sight or sounde assurance of these signes in themselves And to them that have obtained received them who doe see them in themselues and can shew them to others wherevnto come's all this that we have sayd but vnto their wonderfull consolation the confirmation wherof flowe's naturally from the possession of these peculiar loue-tokens which the Lord giveth to none but to such as to whome he giveth himself that they that have them might also know that they have him And what a happines that is who can imagine for what can a man have more to make him most happy he that rightly knowe's what God is may give some guesse at the absolute and vnspeakable advantages of that man who hath right in the Lord and from the glimpse of them for that is all that can be gotten in this life their infinite fulnes is reserved till we come to glory may learne to give some prayse even with his soule vnto him for the most gracious recovery of this interest vnto vs which once we razed out by our owne rebellion he hath raised vs into it againe out of the riches of his grace Who shall not laude him and loue him for this that when we were soe wicked that we would not be his but gaue or solde our selves to Satan he will yet be soe loving that he will give himself to be ours and redeeme and purchase vs againe though it cost deare to become his Oh that we could magnify him according to this mercy but it being beyond measure we are not able to attaine to such a strayne of thankfullnes yet let vs dearely beloued straine the utmost we can and doe our best to breath out his honour who hath made vs soe jnestimably happy The saints of God haue abounded in times past and both blessed God because he is the God of his people blessed those people who are the people of God Moses thus blessed Israell Deut. 33.29 1. King 8.55.56 c. Psa 33.12 Psa 144.15 soe did Solomon too David exceedes all other in this subject and is soe oft vpon it both for himself and for the people as if he could never say enough to the point Soe we finde Blessed is that nation whose God is the Lord and the people that he hath chosen for his inheritance and the same in another psalme yea in many other psalmes is repeated And in the name of all the saints he speake's all thy workes shall praise thee o Lord Psa 118.28 and thy Saints shall blesse thee And for his owne part Thou art my god and J will praise thee thou art my God and I will exalt thee And last of all Psa 100.4 on the behalf of all lands Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise be thankefull unto him and speake good of his name and why even for this that we are his people and the sheepe of his tasture Now goe we and endeavour to doe likewise seing he hath shewed the like loue vnto vs that our whole man soule and body may blesse him all our dayes As also seing it is such a marueillous mercy to be the Lords let vs by all meanes make our vse and benefit therof so often as we goe to him by supplication and soe often as Satan sett's vpon us by temptation let vs help our selves herewith for it is both a singuler jnducement to moue the Lord to shew vs mercy and it is also an excellent sheild against Satans fury The Lord cannot witholde his favours from his owne neither can the Divell fasten his fiery darts vpon them To proue our selves Gods is armour of proffe against him he cannot peirce it or wounde vs soe long as we have it well gyrt about vs. But if we leave it off or let it hang loose we may soone be hurt Let vs looke to it then and be carefull herin that we damage not our selves and give our enemy aduantage against vs. If herin we acquite our selves well and can follow the Lord with this fruit of his loue his hart is open to vs for good if not Satan will follow vs we lye opeÌ„ to him for evill It is good then to make our best of this our interest and to plead it vncessantly before the God of heaven from whome we have it Whensoever we speak to him let him heare of vs as of those that have right in him Whatsoever we beg let this be remembred I am thine for this hath beene vrged by all the people of God when they have prayed for any thing for illumination I am thine oh give me vnderstanding for preservation I am thine oh saue me for confirmation or compassion I am the son of

further considered Motiue 4 how notably the divell doth abuse us and how notoriously we being thus abused by him doe dishonor greiue God Both these doe appeare in this one thing wherin he prevailes with vs namely to make many a childe of God to misapply the curses terrors threatings of God against themselves which God himself never intended should trouble them or in the least belong vnto them If you reade or heare from any preacher in publike any person in private any thing that soundes heavily and tendes to the terresying of the soule or to the discovery of the damnation due to some jmpious and impenitent wretch that can you snatch to your selves and lay it vpon your poore harts though the Lord that revealed it and the party that spake it never had any meaning it should ever come there such a sentence as appertaine's only to a castaway is catcht after as eagerly and applyed as closely as if God himself had set it on This can the divell make vs doe But doe we know what we doe in thus doing Doe but marke and we shall see a multiplication of sin in this very thing you would litle thinke what a bundle of impiety is here lapt vp together and how many offences lye within this one when herein weare ruled by Satan Is not this to be ruled by Satan in that which is evil and to rebell against God in that which is good Is not this not only not to apply the scripture which belongs to vs but also to pervert that which belongs not to vs in misapplying of it Is not this to let all the world see that the God of this world can doe more with vs and in vs then the God of heaven Is not this to curse where the Lord curseth not wherin we are worse then Balaam and to make sad that hart which the Lord would not haue made sad Is not this to be open enemyes to our owne soules when we will none of that which is good to edify vs but eate that poyson which may destroy vs and soe bring our selves as much as in vs lyeth to eternall consusion In a word is not this to greive the Lord to gratify the divell and wilfully to wound our selves I wonder what evill it is which might not be brought within the compasse of this practise This that we see in it and say vnto you is apparant but it is the least part of that which the God of heaven could aggravate against vs if he should come to scan the length and breadth and height of this offence it would exceede all dimension and draw vs in the severity of divine justice vnder everlasting damnation And will we thus sin when we haue received knowledge of this truth and heape so many jnpietyes one vpon another in this miserable manner will the Lord endure it or can he suffer this jniury from his owne or shall any that are his offer it when once they vnderstand the evill of it I hope not think think I say that it was not a litle patience in the Lord that hath borne it thus long and that it is not a litle kindnes that we are borne with in an evill of this extent and quality well let vs thinke it enough nay too much that we have beene faulty and seing such a masse of jnquity in it let vs meete the Lord with vnfayned repentance for it and smite our owne blinde and rebellious harts who have beene lead into and made to lye downe vnder such a heavy yea hellish loade of transgression without any vnderstanding of the state of the sin or our owne soules by the guilt therof This is our fourth motive let vs goe forward to a fift Fiftly then Motive 5 be it alsoo further remembred and well marked of vs that our adversary the divell doth vs yet more mischeife then this by making vs to put away Gods precious promises from vs and the mischeife that herin may be noted is double to wit in regard of wicked men and also in regard of himself First in regard of wicked men VVicked men apply scripture in drawing vs to doe thus he make's vs worse then many of the most vngodly that Gods booke doth mention whome we finde to have applyed and taken home to themselves what the Lord said to them by himself or sent to them by others It were easy to abound in naming persons of both sorts but we will content our selves with a few Cursed Cain the first castaway of all mankinde the prime reprobate of the world the Lord spake much to him touching his sin and punishment did he refuse to apply any of those perticulers which were spokeÌ„ to him either before his sin comitted or after did he not give God the hearing of all that he sayd though it is too true that much of it never did him any good nay did he not vnderstaÌ„d all those fearfull comminations of himself which the Lord breathed out against his barbarous fact and soe take them as intended to himself as that his hart was wounded with them and he cryed out desperately because of the doome which was passed vpon him The whole current of the story shewe's he acknowledged all to be his that was sayd to him yea even that which was harshest and hardest of digestion Wretched and reiected Saul did not he soe too when Samuel told him his owne from God in regard of his state temporall and eternal and gaue him to vnderstand that God had cast him away from his owne kingdome on earth and from the kingdome of heaven too doth it appeare that he cast off any thing spoken by Gods prophet to this purpose nay the contrary is cleare that he did conceiue God meant all to him and soe he tooke it as the sequell shewe's Impious Ahab that vngodly person who was soe foule both injdolatry jniustice and cruelty who was noted for a slaue of Satan one that had solde himself to worke wickednes when he was to receiue his sentence for these sins from Eliah howsoever before he had storm'd and raged in his madd sit yet now he hearkeneth to the message of God and that in such manner that he makes a sorry shift to be humbled after a sort and cryes and is something deiected the speech of the man of God sticks by him he cannot he doth not shun it How many more of this rout might I reckoÌ„ vp who with Foelix have trembled at some divine doctrines and have not attayned such a straine of sin as to betake themselves to a vniversall and perpetuall denyall of all that the Lord hath spoken to them and shall we be worse then these wicked ones shall Satan leade vs to more jmpiety in this particuler then he brought them who were his vassals shall they be honester men herein then we who would not blush and be abasht to see such prophane and forlorne servants of sin to overgoe the saints and servants of the living God

dealeth with many of his owne is not to be discerned by any of these things alone neither can be You see how the son of his loue our Lord Christ fared in these owtward earthly respects should any thing be concluded against him vppon this grounde and if not against Christ why against Christians Besides what should I tell you of the sanctification and sweetening of the worst that the world can doe to the Lords beloued ones how the Lord doth invert their courses deceave the world miserably in their expectation that way how the Divell by Adam in intending to doe all the elect much evill God by Christ hath done them infinitely much more good then the evill could amount vnto when Satan had done his worst Thus wee see that every way wee are satisfyed in this branch of the obiection And it matters nothing now what construction men make of any thing done by men to the Saints of God the question is only of that which God himself doth and of that good which he produceth out of that evill which men doe vnto vs and let vs looke well vpon either or both of these and wee shall finde our text and the doctrine therof most true Now touching the other branch of wicked mens prosperity it is a thing to be much pittied not to be at all envyed and that wee may not either jdlely or ignorantly wonder at it let vs wisely consider these ensuing particulers First Answer to the 2 branch that the happy estate of wicked men here on earth is all the heaveÌ„ the poore soules are ever like to have and therefore who can grudge them any good they can catch here or thinke much at any temporall contentments they attaine considering that after they are gone hence they must never hope or looke for more no not for on drop or dram of any delight but endles easeles and remediles misery for ever and ever Did not Abraham tell the rich man soe in the parable Sonne rememler that thou in thy life time haâ—st they pleasure and Lazarus payne but now he is comforted and thou art tormented This world is all the heil Gods people shall have here they meete with all the miseryes they shall ever feele all their weeping wayling is in this earth And the same is the heaven of vngodly persons all whose joyes and comforts as they may much abounde here soe here they must have an end also Secondly whatsoever they have or can have here admit it be as much or more then their harts could wish and desire all and every whitt of it is throwne vpon them by the Lord in his justice and indignation and they have it and keepe it meerly as a mischeife vnto them to further their fearfull and finall confusion Pro. 1.32 All their contentments doe but helpe to kill them Soe saith Solomon ease slayeth the foolish and the prosperity of fooles destroyeth them Give an vngodly man what he would haue or craue I thinke it would be ease and prosperity that he would seeke after why eveÌ„ this kills and destroye's him saith God And the same saith the prophet Isajah as we heard before when he tell 's vs that the Lord would have them made fatt it is only for slaughter that they might not be saued but cast away and comdemned for ever Thirdly no good thing any wicked enjoye's in this world be it he had never such abundance of all good things can truly properly be called good to him but all such particulers as he doth posesse though they may be good blessings in themselves yet to them they are no better nor no other then so many curses cast vpon them by the Lord for evill This doth Moses most manifestly witnes and declare when he tell 's all the world from God that all rebellious and disobedient persons who are not ruled by the law of the Lord shal be accursed in every respect both in what they are Deut. 28.15.16 c cursed shalt thou be in thy body and in what they haue cursed shalt thou be in thy cattell corne and all encrease and in what they doe cursed shalt thou be in all that thou puttest thy hand vnto Note well they are not cursed in the want of these things every body would thinke it a curse to be deprived of them and to have no children cattell friut or encrease but they haue them yet are accursed in them and with them even while they doe enjoy them as Malachie once tolde the wicked preists that God would curse their blessings nay that he had done it already that albeit they had blessings yet as blessings they had them not but in the nature and state of curses And is it not a most hydeous and heavy judgment that a man should have blessings and be without the blessednes of them and not only soe but to be baned poysoned and vtterly overthrowne by them Thus bad and no better is a wicked mans state when it is at the best in all the benefits this world can bestow vpon them Fourthly and lastly whatsoever happines doth befall wicked persons here it is only to harden their sinfull harts and to multiply their sins against the Lorde It was ever the vse or rather the abuse that prophane men made of Gods mercies to flesh and harten themselves by them in their wretched courses For thus they by the divells asistance doe discourse and argue within themselves God doth thus and thus blesse me with such and such abundance I haue soe much soe much of this and of that why shoulde I not think my estate such as he is pleased withall and soe good as content's him I heare these hott preachers take on against such and such sins I cannot tell but I see those sinners as they call and account them thriue better then themselves or any of their disciples that are soe eager after other religious matters And wherefore should I not beleeue that God think 's well of vs when he deale's so well with vs Thus on goe they by occasion of the good things they have to be well conceited of their evill state and soe gather conclusions to continue in the same that must needes adde to the number and measure of their sins and make the weight of them absolutely in supportable and the vengance of God due vnto them infinitely insufferable This is all when it is wel summ'd vp that a wicked mans blessings come to to harden his harte to heape to his sin to helpe on Gods speedy indignation and his owne swift damnation Thus we have proved the truth of the point and freed it from falshood and it being fully confirmed cleared we are now to passe vnto the vses of the same which are such as concerne all sorts of persons good and bad holy and prophane joyntely and severally And first it is exceeding comfortable to all Gods saintes vse 1 that have receaued such harts from God that they

doe and can submitt themselves freely to the Lords wisdome and guidance in every thing Never any lost by this master that ever did any of his worke and was ruled by him therin noe he hath ever shewed himselfe to be the best master to appoint the best worke to allow the best wages For why such as have beene the servants of this Lord have ever had good pay for the performance of any thing where about they have beene employed for him Good pay did I say nay that worde is not great enough it ha's beene more then good eveÌ„ the best that this world could yeelde and better then the best that vnder heaven is to be had many of them I am sure have sped better then ever they made any account off and have had more happines then their harts could desire or ever thought off witnes Abraham both in his posession and posterity he that call's him out of his owne land gaue him both much more land and which was more heyers to enjoy it after him and both these were more then he made account off or could reckoÌ„ vpon Ioseph whose rare fidelity and piety patience humility and honesty was recompenced with wonderfull and I dare say on his parte vnexpected prosperity doubtles he never once did dreame to be the second in the kingdome the greatest Peere and next in place to the King himself assuredly he looked for no such issue of exaltation yet the Lord gaue it him as the reward of his obedience to him and being ruled by him Iacob here who when he fled to this Laban as himselfe saith was in meane condition poore state as verse 12. but now is opulent rich exceeding abundant in all kinde of stocke and store How many more witnesses were it most easy to produce to the attestation of this consolation Dauid who met with a kingdome and being faithfull in that which was lesse was put in trust over that which was greater even the greatest power vnder heaven to be the soveraine prince of Gods owne people Mary who abiding and mourning at the sepulcher and desiring but to finde the dead body of Christ there founde him aliue speaking most graciously to her soe that she was made the first happy messenger of his most glorious and triumphant resurrection The saints Heb. 13. who got Angels to be their guests in being harborours to the poore members of Christ Multitudes more might be multiplied to make good the joy of this truth to every soule that is subdued vnto it resolued to doe as the Lord will haue it Eph. 3.20 The Apostle saith enough that he is able to doe exceeding abuntdantly beyond all that we can aske or thinke Even in this lyfe so graciously doth he deale with vs and doth thus vnto vs. But in that which is to come he infinitly exceedes this doth assure vs thoroughly that to him that worketh shal be given reward beyond all not only more then can be desired but more then can be imagined mans hart cannot conceiue how happy he shal be in this matter that the doth sincerly serue his God what sweete senteÌ„ces doe we finde Enter into thy masters joy Ro. 2.7 Receaue the kingdome prepared for you To them that by continuance in well doing seeke and they shal be sure to finde honour glory jmmortality eternall life note no lesse then all this and I will deale wel with thee and is not this good dealing for wel-doing If it be not what is or can be if it be who can but be comforted and cheered that hath got a hart to doe well according to Gods will seing such a hart is attended with such happines as wee haue seene In the next place our second vse meeteth with all such whome the Lord ruleth not vse 2 but in whome the God of this world even the divell is praedominant powerfull to carrie them to every corrupt and finfull practise against his law his loue his whole reuealed will such I meane as not being subdued vnto him rebells against him and therfore reserved to his wrath and iustice to be punished by him Those I meane whome the world may rule the divell may rule who to each other in any vanity or jmpiety are at as much command as the Centurions servants were to him as he tolde Christ to come and goe and doe they being ready to come to goe to doe or not doe this or that or any thing at his pleasure These men neede no more miserie then the priuation of the joy wee haue spoken off howbeit the losse of that is not all their sorrow but the least part of that heavy condition which shall ceartainly befall them noe noe over aboue the absence of the sweete joy and consolation of the saints they have assurance of miserie and vengeance compleatly opposite to our happines and that being vnspeakable their mischeife must needes be insufferable A man is in dreadfull state when he cannot be sure God will deale well with him nay when he cannot but be sure he will deale not gratiously but righteously not mercifully but miserably with vs according to the strict and exquisite tearmes of absolute justice and exasperated wrath Oh who is able to abide it when God wil be exact or can any possbility be conceaued that any flesh may either stand it out or shun it no no it is an absolute impossibility to conceit either He that will not be ruled by God must and shall rue it when the time is come of the Lords visitation and recompence to be rendered to every rebellious person So saith our Lord Christ The wrath of God abideth on him Joh. 5.2 The. 1.7.8.6 So the Apostle when the Lord Iesus shall appeare in flaming fire rendering vengeance to them c. which shal be punished with everlasting perdition And doth not the same Apostle conclude the quite coÌ„trary to vngodly one's Ro. 2.9 to that which wee noted out of the same chap. saying Tribulation anguish shal be vpon every soule that doth evill Now if vnto these scriptures we shoulde enquire after instaÌ„ces we might soone furnish our selves with more then a few Sodome Gomorah would not by ruled by God when the Lord saw that he coulde not prevaile with them how dealt he with them fire and brimstone came from heauen vpon ther bodies their soules were cast into the lake of fire and brimstone that burneth for ever in hell The olde worlde was also most wicked and rebellious against the Lord Noah coulde haue no audience from God among them how dealt the Lord with them why he drowned their bodies besides what may be conceiued of their soules though I will not affirme they were all eternally rejected And what should I neede to produce particular persons when wee have the whole worlde to witnesse it I could name Pharaoh Saul Ahab and many other accursed caytiffes and most miserable miscreants who would not doe

propunded we have accordingly given such satisfaction as we have received from God whether in positiue diuinity to explane and confirme a proposition or in textuall to interpret words or phrases or in polemicall to decide a controversy or in scholasticall to vnsolde a nice distinction or in case-divinity to releive a conscience or lastly in that which is mysticall to vnty knotts and reveale obscurities In each of these something we have had sometimes to doe and as the Lord enabled me I have endeavoured to the best of my weake vnderstanding to informe and satiffy you If our discourse were humane then as for your edification before soe for your delight now you will beare me recorde that I have done my best to speake to your contentment in any kinde of learning wherewith I have beene accquainted whether in any of the arts or in history or in poesy or in mythologie in every of which especially in the last I have taken many occasions to report vnto you such things as I have taken notice off out of the Iewish Rabbines and Thalmud and out of the Popes legend wherin are contayned millions of matters wherof many are blasphemous many ridiculous many monstrous many frivolous almost all so foulely fabulous and incapable of truth or creddit that the bookes might well be entituled a very fardle of fables and falshoodes taking their denomination from the farre greater part inasmuch as they swarme with such incedible narrations as no man can judge them to be other then notorious lyes These I have frequently and abundantly related in your hearing not that you should beleue but abhorre the storyes and thinke with commiseration of those miserable soules both Iewes and Papists who are led and fed with this froth and filthy scumme of infernall inventions and have them read instead of the Gospell to giude them As also that we might hence be the more moved to magnify the great name of our good God who hath not dealt soe with vs that we should beleeue lyes but be nourished with his owne word of truth which is his power to our salvation If any were soe weake as once to conceit these things or any the like reported out of other writers were spoken for truth he or they must ever know that what we relate out of our reading must evermore carry creddit according to the authors not the relators creddit It would much disharten schollers and kill the proffit of much pleasant discourse if we should be so grossly mistaken Nay it become's vs to make vse of all kinde of learning as any occasion is offred to vs to vent what we know in any particulers It was a good rule and well given to all men by one bene loquuta quae sapienter audita those things are well spoken which are wisely taken Discretion in hearing doth minister much delight to vs in speaking Not only what we speake but from whome must be well heeded when we have any opportunity to discover things of this nature And as thus it hath beene in our table talke when we have had much sweete society and conference together soe when the Lord hath giveÌ„ me any occasion of private and secret passage with any of you by way of counsell or admonitton in any case of conscience I cannot say but my or rather Gods words have found such entertainement and acceptance as I can safely truly report and leave vpon perpetuall recorde to the praise of this place the peace and happines of those persons the commendation of your society the consolation of all that may succeede me in this ministery who may hereby conceive comfortably how hopefully they may sowe how happily they may reape and that their labours shall not be in vaine in the Lord. Concerninge my publike ministration it pleased you first to chuse me as an assistant to your Pastor in your weekely lecture some seruice of the sabbath your favour in this was much but it was much more when not long after vpon his departure you tooke me totally into your service and by a lawfull free election put me into the Pastorall charge and functioÌ„ and vnder God committed your soules to my ministrey A greater trust cannot be cast vpon a creature And how I would have watched over you the watchman of Israel doth well know and how farre I have actually endeavoured it this publike place I hope doth witnes in part out of which I have not failed to teach you all that I could in my best vnderstanding judge profitable for you I have shewed the whole counsell of God so farre as it pleased him to send it to my knowledge I have not willingly purloyned or witholden any part of his truth that might concerne either the reprehension of your sins or thee in formation of your judgments or the reformation of your lives or the consolation and saluation of your soules And all this in singlenes of hart in sincerity howbeit in much infirmity without partiality flattery which may be called high treason in a Preacher because it betrayeth both the honour of God and the soules of men into the handes of Satan Besides that private inspection which as I was able I carried with a wakefull eye vpon you in particuler that not one of you might wander or be lost for want of looking to And how you have received and embraced these my ministeriall endeavours my coÌ„science your carriage doe both most comfortably witnes inasmuch as thus much I may truly avouch before the Lord to his praise your approbation that I have never vndertakeÌ„ to lay seige to any jmpiety which had overun all or the most part as a common enemy but the Lord was the conquerour and you yeelded your selves to be subdued to him ordered by his holy word will It were easy for me if it were expedient for you to instance some few perticulers which as the first fruits of my labours I saw reformed among you but I spare to nominate any but caÌ„not spare to notify thus much that all men may see what glory to himself what good to your selves me the Lord meant vs in his mercy This beginning of good made my service my happines this place began to be like a litle heaven to me yea to speake the truth from my hart as before the Lord I much doubt whether out of heauen I shall ever be soe happy againe as I did apprehend my self to be when you like the Apostles hearers began thus to crowne my labours with the timely earnest of such an amendement my hope was I shoulde have beene longer happy with you but it fayleth me howbeit my soules vncessant desire is and shal be that the hope of your happines may never faile you in any that shall come after me Thus were we both entred into a blessed race to the end wherof I know the Lord can bring vs though we may not goe both together as my soule desired yet

if we faile not to meete the Lord we cannot by his grace but meete together in the glory of that kingdome which he hath promised to all that persevere in vprightnes before him The God of heaven knoweth that I did so prize your worthy society in these spirituall respects that I could have abundantly joyed to have beene your servant for Iesus sake all my dayes I did preferre it to all other as most deare and precious to me vnder heaven Had I not reason when I see the Lord himself assimulating vs to each other vnder those representations wherin the partyes are in dearest relation to one another as of father and childe mother infant whence we are sometimes sayd to beget men to God and sometimes to trauell in our birth till Christ be formed in our people Who can be insensible of the separation of these betweene whome the conjunction is soe neere surely none but he alone can support me against the sorrow therof who hath promised to gather all his owne in such an inconceivable kinde of conjunction as shall make vs everlastingly one both with one another and with himself and our saviour where he wil be our father and our king we through his Christ shal be his children and kings too to raigne with him to all eternity Thus have I beene with yow in my poore duties but in all that I haue sayd you and all men must ever except my infirmityes which are not few and my manifolde frailtyes which as I am sinfull flesh and blood could not be wholy hid or vn-obserued We are men sayd Paul Barnabas when the sottish people would have worshipped them as Gods subject to the same passions that you are Elias a man of admired graces was a man subject to the same passions that we are sayd the Apostle Iames. Beholde neither Prophets nor Apostles but have weaknesses with their graces and doe expresse their inperfections with their best actions How much lesse may we hope or you expect we should be free free nay how can you wonder at our farre greater faylings when as you know vs to be of farre lesser graces if their extraordinary measure and power of Gods spirit were accompained with ordinary corruption should our extraordinary miscarriages seeme strange whenas ordinary grace is the most and best we can attaine Be not offended then at vs or at religion for our sakes because you see our evill with our good be humbled rather in your selves feare your one greater danger and thinke with your selves if these men who draw soe neere vnto God who spend their liues as it were in heaven whose liues are or ought to be nothing but a continuall conference and familiarity with the Lord cannot yet be free of frailty offence sure I may doubt my estate least that which appeareth in them will vsurpe over my if they feele soe much I may feare least it will overflow and sincke me Thus meditating you shal be kept from being at all offended at vs the more from offending God your selves you wil be the more compassionate over vs the more circumspect over your owne wayes soe the Lord shall have honour in vs both you will learne to doe to vs as he doth to all his accept vs according to that which we haue not according to that we haue not not despising our ministrey because of our infirmity but rather seing the Lord doth entrust vs over you you should yeelde your selves vnto vs as to Gods guides I beseech you againe that you will neither be offended at our faylings nor draw them into example to cause you to offend we never desire further jmitation from Christians then we take from Christ It is the greife and greatest wound of our soules that we can be no more like our Lord master who hath entrusted vs nor more sitt for the performance of his pleasure O let no man be the worse for our weaknes Al the joy we have is herin that notwithstanding our evill the Lord hath judged vs faithfull and put vs into his service and given vs the seale of our ministrey in causing his worke to prosper in our hand It is his will to put this treasure into earthen vessells that the glory might be his not ours Respect and consider of vs as we are take your part of the treasure which is heavenly take pitty on the vessell which is earthly the father of mercyes shall measure mercy to you as you shall doe to vs whose spirits indeede are willing but our flesh is weake if we can be vpright we are accepted with God perfect we cannot be Thus now in al respects I haue beene with you Now how you haue beene with me I wish I had ability to declare according to myne owne desire and your desert The fore-named favors of my first and second election your christian defence of myne jnnocency against those vnjust calminations which were cast vpoÌ„ me the many sweete encouragements I had from you in my ministration that I might cheerefully serue the Lord in the gospell of his son during the time I was to abide among you your gladnes of my continuance thus long and the desires you have shewed of my longer abode had it beene the Lords pleasure or in your power that soe it should have beene and besides all these a multitude more of kindnesses in one kinde or another continually cast vpon me Know I pray you that all these favours are engraven vpon a most gratefull hart and that as the Lord will not be vnrighteous to forget your labour of love to recompence it so neither can I be soe barbarously oblivious as not to remember both you them to the Lord yea and vnto men that they may see your good workes and glorify him who hath given you harts to doe good and to distribute soe abundantly I must say of you in the time past as Iacob sayd in my text for the future and I cannot but acknowledge and avow that you have performed that to me which was promised to him you have dealt well with me every way The worlde I have founde like a churlish Laban both vnkinde vnjust towards me but you have I founde like the Lorde who giveth over-measure of kidnes beyond justice merit And this hath abundantly appeared aboue all in that double yea treble testimony of your respect to me to wit in that honour you vouch safed me to become an vnworthy member of your most worthy body as also in that liberall support you gave me at my departure which was such as I founde no meane prop to my poore estate which was then falling into a consumption and is not â—â—ed to this day and lapay in that honorable attestation you gave me with vntue sâ—ll consent vnder your seale In all these your love did superabounde towards me yet I doe here before the Lord and you truly witnes and testify that I doe not nor dare not nor cannot

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