in their conversations may pass away a while undiscovered but time will come that their vizards shall be pulled off their faces they may go for a while muffled up in their cloaks of pretended sanctity and zeal for the publique good but all will be revealed at the last if not here hereafter Though the graces of godly Parents cannot avail for bad children yet their good example may prevail with them IT was a custom amongst the Indians after the death of any worthy man to inscribe his name and his act upon the doors of his house for the ennobling of his issue So it was ever esteemed no mean blessing to be well descended to be born of Noble Christian Parents And though the Fathers goodness shall avail thee little if thou beest not good thy self Nihil mihi conducit Martyr pater si malè vixero said Origen What if my Father for the testimony of a good conscience gave his body to be burnt it shall do me no good if I live wickedly yet for all that it availeth much to make a man good there being no way more expedite of instruction to good life than by the knowledge of things past and of the worthy acts of true Christian Parents their Histories being our instruction and their honours our incitements to goodness To look upon every day as the day of death THe Rich man in the Gospel was a bad accomptant when he set down a false summe to his soul saying Thou hast much goods laid up for many years Luk. 12. he sets down years for dayes nay years for hours like the deceitful Trades-man that sets down pounds for shillings Thus many men that would seem to be cunning in the practice of this faculty are out of their reckonings and much deceived they busie themselves in Addition and Multiplication and dream of many years that they are to live whereas they should be careful to practise Substraction and diminution know that every day nay every hour every moment calleth off a part of their lives A contented Christian is a couragious Christian. IT is reported of the Eagle that whereas all other birds make a noise when they are hungry he is never heard to make any noise at all though he be very hungry indeed and it is from the magnitude of his spirit that whatsoever befals it yet it is not alwayes whining and repining as other fowles will do when they want their food it is because it is above hunger and above thirst So it is an Argument of a gratious magnitude of spirit that whatsoever befals it yet it is not alwayes whining and complaining so as others are but goes on still in its way and course and blesses God and keeps in a constant tenour whatsoever thing befals it such things as cause others to be dejected and fretted and vexed and takes away all the comfort of their lives makes no alteration at all in their spirits Many are the troubles of the Righteous IF they were many and not troubles then as it is in the Proverb The more the merryer or if they were troubles and not many then The fewer the better chear But it hath so pleased the Almighty God to couple them both together Many and Troubles in nature troubles in number many that through many tribulations we might enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Hospitality commendable IT is reported of Mr. Thomas Willet a grave Divine and father of the indefatigable Dr. Andrew Willet who also in his younger years was sub-Almoner unto that reverend Prelate Dr. Cox Eleemosynary and Schoolmaster unto King Edward 6 th then England's young Iosiah that having two Benefices Barley in Hertfordshire and Thurkiston in Liecestershire a Living of good value where having provided a sufficient Curat for the place once or twice a year he came and spent the means amongst them relieving some way or other every one of them the better sort of them by hospitality and entertainment the poorer by his almes all of them by his prayers remembring the Apostle's exhortation to be given to hospitality and fearing as Hierom said of himself Nè Maria cum Ioseph locum in diversorio non inveniat c. lest Mary and Ioseph should want room in the Inne or Iesus himselfe excluded might say another day I was a stranger and ye took me not in he refused no guest that came A happy man in making himself so happy a president of piety and pitty to succeeding times But where is the charity the hospitality the tenderness of bowells the largeness of heart in these strait-laced times of ours Here is fasting and prayer amongst us but where are the Almes that must go along with them It was not the prayers of Cornelius alone but the prayers and alms of Cornelius together that went up into the presence of God Let but a despised member of Christ not to speak of common Mendicants whose wants are smothered up in a modest silence whose looks and cloaths and All speak for reliefe let I say but such a one appear what 's the answer I have not for you and I think so too not a heart to do any good â—od bless you God comfort you be warm'd be filled and yet give them nothing This is the charity of these uncharitable times And indeed if men could but eat precepts and drink good counsell they would soon find hospitality in abundance A covetous man good for nothing till death IT is a common saying that a swine is good for nothing whilst he is alive not good to bear or carry as the horse nor to draw as the ox nor to cloath as the sheep nor to give milk as the cow nor to keep the house as the dog but ad solam mortem nutritur fed onely to the slaughter So a covetous rich man just like a Hog doth no good with his riches whilst he liveth but when he is dead his riches come to be disposed of The riches of a sinner are laid up for the just Others Harms to be our Arms. THe Lacedemonians were wont to make their servants drunk and then to shew them to their children that they then beholding their frantick sits and apish behaviour once seeing might ever shun that beastly vice Our sins have made this Land which formerly was our faithfull servant drunk with blood It is to be hoped that our children seeing the miserable fruits and effects thereof will grow so wise and wary by their father's folly as for ever to take heed how they engage themselves in such a civill war again The vanity and danger of 〈◊〉 Repentance IT is an exorbitant course while the Ship is found the tackling sure the Pilot well the Sailors strong the gale favourable the Sea calm to lye idle at Rode carding dicing drinking burning seasonable weather and when the Ship leaks the Pilot is sick the Marrinâ—rs â—aint the storm boisterous and the
take up our lodging in hell to all eternity Christ and the good Christian are companions inseperable IT was the pride of Seneca and he boasted much Ubicunque ago Demetrium circumfero That wheresoever he went he bare Demetrius with him O that we could but say the like of God Ubicunque ago Deum circumfero Wheresoever I go I bear Christ Iesus with me not in a materiall Crucifix or a visible Picture of him wrought in gold or framed in silver but the sweet remembrance of my blessed Saviour that is ever with me the print of his love the example of his vertue the image of his goodnesse the record of his mercy all the miracles that he wrought for my conversion all the miseries that he endured for my liberty all the indignities that he sustained for my salvation the power of his death the triumphs of his Crosse the glory of his rising the comfort of his appearing is that which I lay as Camphire between my breasts that which I hugge with all my soul wheresoever I go whatsoever I do Christ is still with me saith the devout soul as the lot of mine inheritance as the crown of my felicity How the Spirit is said to be quenched in our selves and in others Quench not the Spirit 1 Thess. 5. 19. Nec in te nec in alio saith Aquinas Quench it not in your self by forbearing to hear the Word preached quench it not in others by discouraging them that do preach for so St. Chrysostom understands the place taking an example from the Lamp that burnt by him whilst he was preaching You may quench saies he this Lamp by putting in water and you may quench it by taking out the oyl So a man may quench the Spirit in himself if he smother it or suffocate it with worldly pleasures and profits And he may quench it in others if he withdraw the favour or the maintenance which keeps the Preacher in a carefull discharge of his duty To be carefull in the choice of a Wife IT was the advice of the late E. of Salisbury to his son That as in a project of War to be foâ—led once by the Enemy it would be very hard to recruit so in the choice of a Wife to err but once is to be undone for ever and the rather because as in a Lottery there may be an hundred blanks drawn before one prize many a bad Wife made choise of before one that may become a fit helper is so much as thought on Contemplation and Action are requisite for every good Christian. Noah is commanded to make a window in the top of the Ark and a dore in the side of it a window is for the eye to look out at a dore is for the whole body to go out And he that will ever be a good Christian must not onely make a window for contemplation as Daniel did at which he prayed thrice a day but a dore for action as Abraham did at which he sat once a day At the window of contemplation he must meditate with a very good heart to keep the Word at the dore of action he must go out to bring forth fruit with patience No quietnesse in the soul till it come to Christ. NIcaula the Queen of saba could never be quiet in her own Country till she came to Solomon but when she saw his glory and heard his wisdome then her heart failed her she had enough she could desire to see and hear no more So the soul of a true Christian can never be quiet in the strange Country of this world till it come to Christ the true Solomon the King and Prince of peace eternall The true Christian takes no comfort in this World EDward the third having the King of Scots and the French King his prisoners here in England both together at one time held royall Justs in Smithfield the Just being ended he feasted both the Kings sumptuously at supper after supper perceiving the French King to be sad and pensive he desired him to be merry as others were To whom the French King answered Quomodo cantabimus cantica in terra aliena How shal we sing songs in a strange land If the French King after all this princely pastime and stately entertainment took it so heavily to heart that he was kept prisoner out of his own Country great then must needs be the mourning of every good Christian for his captivity here in this world that he is forced to sojourn in Meseck and live in the tents of Kedar that he must make his abode here below especially seeing that he neither hath such welcome in the world as the French King had in England neither yet is England so far from France as Heaven the place of his desires is from them both Man's nature is altogether sinfull THe Irish History tells us that the City of Waterford gives this Posie in her Armes Intacta manet because since it was first conquered by Henry the 2 d. it was never yet attainted no not so much as touched with treason It is said also that the Isle of Arren in that country hath such a pure aire that it was never yet infected with the plague It cannot be said thus of the Nature of man that it is either so clear from treason as that City or that it is so free from infection as that Island is for our very reason is treason our best affection is no better than infection if it be well sifted in the sight of God In many things we sin all Iam. 3. 2. The Law of God a perfect Law THere is a saying New Lords new Lawes Good Lords make good Lawes Tyrants make cruell Lawes and Fooles make absurd Lawes Inerrability is not tyed to the chair of the best Law-giver Councills though Oecumenicall may and have erred That Law which was suitable to former times is repealed in these and these may not hereafter be approved in those that follow But the Law of God is a perfect Law ever in force unalterable so full that it needeth not to be eeked out by any Traditions or human inventions whatsoever which to do were in effect no more than to add supernumerary limbs to a compleat body The guilt of Innocent blood crying to Heaven for vengeance IT is reported of Philip the 2 d. King of Spain that besieging the Town of St. Quintin and being to make a breach he was forced with his Cannon to batter down a small Chappell on the Wall dedicated to St. Lawrence in reparation to which Saint he afterwards built that famous Chappell in the Escuriall in Spain for workmanship one of the wonders of the world Most sure it is that many Churches and Chappell 's of the God of St. Lawrence have been laid waste by the late Warrs of Christendome and which is more and more to be lamented many living Temples of
that passed desired his Master to give him the staff that he used to walk withal He gives it to him but on condition that he should give it back again to the next he met with that was a verier fool than himself Nay then said the Fool Here Master take the staffe again for a verier fool than thou art I shall never meet again that didst first send for a physician to strengthen thy body then for a Lawyer to make thy Will and in the last place for the Priest to comfort thy poor soul which should have been the first work of all And such fooles are they that ravell out their pretious time tormented with the cares of the world that lade themselves with thick clay such as sing Requiems to their souls that put the evill day far from them with a Nondum venit tempus till it come to the last pinch that the last sand is dropping in the glasse and their soules except God be more mercifull into the pit of hell for ever Not to continue angry TWo Grecian Bishops being fallen out about some difference in point of judgment parted assunder in great anger but the elder of them for so the wiser is to be accounted sent unto his Collegue a message onely in these two words sol ad occasum The Sun is about to go down The other no sooner heard it but he reflected on that of the Apostle Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath and so they were both friends again How doth this amity of theirs condemn the enmity that is amongst many of us at this time As that deadly feud of the Scots who entailed their Lands on posterity conditionally that they should fight against the party that had offended and never entertain any the least pacification And such wrangling Law-suits as that of the two noble Families Barclay and Lisle which began in the reigne of Edward the fourth and continued to the first year of King Iames full seven score years It cannot be denyed but that a man may with good qualifications go to Law for his own but the length of time in the Suit when the Grandchild shall hardly end that which the Grandfather began may draw on a great suspition in the want of charitable affection The onely comfort of a Christian is his propriety in God THe conceit of propriety hardens a man against many inconveniences and addeth much to his pleasure The Mother abides many painfull throwes many unquiet thoughts many unpleasant savours of her child upon this thought It is my own The indulgent Father magnifies that in his own son which he would scarce like in a stranger and why but because he is his own The want of this to God-ward makes us so subject to discontentment and cooles our delight in God because we think of him aloofe off as one in whom we are not interessed Could we but think It is my God that cheareth me with his presence and blessings whilst I prosper my God that afflicteth me in love when I am dejected It is my Saviour that sits at the right hand of my God in Heaven my Angels stand in His presence it could not be but that God's savour would be sweeter his chastisments more easie his benefits more effectuall unto us Ministers and Physicians of all men not to be covetous LUd Vives that worthy learned man doth wonder at some Physicians that they could possibly be covetous and greedy upon the world in as much as both in their speculative study and their practicall ministrations they behold every day how tickle a thing life is how soon the breath is gon how the strongest die in a moment and the youngest fall on the suddain and so by consequence that the use of riches is uncertain and that all worldly things are transitory And it were to be wished that many Physicians of the Soul were not sick of the same disease they know that all flesh is grasse and the grace of it but a flower that our breath is but a vapour and our life but as a bubble They speak much of mortality and preach other mens funerall Sermons yet in the midst of their studies of contemning the world they are in love with the world and look too much after Mammon The losse of Grace made good again in Christ onely EPiphanius maketh mention of those that travail by the deserts of Syria where are nothing but miserable marishes and sands destitute of all commodities nothing to be had for love or mony if it so happen that their fire go out by the way then they light it again at the heat of the Sun by the means of a burning glasse or some other device that they have And thus in the wildernesse of this world if any man have suffered the sparks of divine grace to die in him the fire of zeal to go out in his heart there is no means under the Sun to enliven those dead sparks to kindle that extinguished fire again but at the Sun of Righteousnesse that fountain of Light Christ Iesus To love our enemies and do them good IT was wont to be said of Arch-Bishop Cranmer If you would be sure to have Cranmer do you a good turn you must do him some ill one for though he loved to do good to all yet especially he would watch for opportunity to do good to such as had wronged him O that there were but a few such leading men of such sweet spirits amongst us how great a blessing of peace might we enjoy Did we but rejoyce in any opportunity in doing any office of love to those who differ from us yea to those who have wronged us things would be in a better posture than they are Plain preaching is profitable IN the building of Solomon's Temple there was no noise heard either of axes or hammers all the stones were prepared squared and fitted in the Quarry 1 King 6. 7. And thus the Minister in the building up of the mysticall body of Christ should make all the noise in his study there he must turn his books and beat his brains but when it comes to Church-work to the Pulpit then it must be in plainnesse not with intricacy and tying of knots but with all easinesse that may be It is confessed that painted glasse in Churches is more glorious but plain glasse is more perspicuous Oratory may tickle the brain but plain doctrine will sooner inform the judgment that Sermon hath most learning in it that hath most plainnesse Hence it is that a great Schollar was wont to say Lord give me learning enough that I may preach plain enough For people are very apt to admire that they understand not but to preach plainly is that which is required The very approaches of afflictions torment the wicked PLutarch telleth that it is the quality of Tygres that if Drums or Tabours sound about them they
giving himself up to God AEschines perceiving every one give Socrates something for a present said unto him Because I have nothing else to give I will give thee my self Do so saith Socrates and I will give thee back again to thy self better then when I received thee So saies God if thou wilt give thy self to me in thy prayers in thy praises in thy affections and in all thy actions I will give thy self back so much mended that thou shalt receive thy self and Me too thy self in a holy liberty to walk in the world in a calling My self in giving a blessing upon all the works of thy calling and imprinting in thee a holy desire to do all things to My glory Excellency of the Robe of Iustice. THere is a story of a certain old woman in the Low-Countries that she being neer her end required her keeper of all loves and in any case to put upon her the Cowle of a Fryer Minorite when she should be ready to give up the ghost which she had prepared for that purpose And said she if death happen to come so suddainly that thou canst not put the whole Cowle upon me yet fail not at the least to put one of my arms into it that by vertue thereof three parts of my sins may be forgiven me and the fourth expiated in Purgatory Thus Meteranus of the old wifes perswasion touching the vertue of the â—ryer's Cowle which perswasion superstition bred covetousnesse tendered and folly entertained It cannot be said so of the vertue of the Robe of Iustice of Equity and square dealing whether distributive or commutative private or publick though all very good that they should have power to forgive sins no The blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth from all sins But this may be boldly said that it is an excellent Robe and a Diadem such a one that yieldeth a sweet savour unto the nostrills of God as Esau's garment upon Iacob's back did to Isaac their father Of all the garments you can put on after Faith and Love there is none to be compared to it Courtiers may have soft cloathingâ— a garment of needle-work is onely for the Queen 's wearing garments of divers colours are suitable for King's Daughters and there was a Babylonish garment which Achan purloyned to his destruction Herod's glittering apparell mentioned by Iosephus garments of gold and silver at which Dionysius jested That they were too cold in the winter and too heavy in the summer Perfumed garments such as were the undoing of Muliasses King of Tunis as Paulus Iovius relateth These were for some persons but not for others for some certain times but not for all But Iustice is a roâ—e for all sorts of men to put on for all times of the year sweet without fulsomnesse pretious without burthensomnesse safe without dangerousnesse indifferent to all degrees to all persons common equall glorious full of majesty and full of good works Miracles why ceased A Gardiner when he transplanteth a Tree out of one ground into another before the â— ree take root he sets stayes to it he powreâ—th water at the root of it dayly but when it once taketh root he ceaseth to water it any more and pulleth away the staies that he set to uphold it and suffereth it to grow with the ordinary influence of the Heavens So the Lord in planting of Religion he put-to the help of Miracles as helps to stay it but when it was once confirmed and fastened and had taken deep rooting he took away such helps so that as St. Augustine hath it Qui expectat miraculum miraculum est He that looketh for a miracle is a miracle himselfe for if the death of Christ will not work faith all the miracles in the world will not do it Other mens harms to be our arms WHen the Lion was sick all the Beasts of the field went to visit him onely the Fox stayed behind and would not go unto him being asked the reason he answered I find the track of many going in but of none comming out and I am not so desperate as to cast my self wilfully away when I may sleep in a whole skin Thus other men's punishments ought to be our instructions nocumenta documenta their harms our arms And that man is a fool whom other men's harms cannot make to beware The â—ootsteps of the Angells that fell may minde us of pride the ashes of Sodom tell us of our filthinesse Absolâ—m's hanging by the hair forwarn us of rebellion c. Encompassed by death on all sides IN the beginning of every Almanack there is usually the picture of a naked man miserably beset on all sides the Ram pusheth at the head the Bull goareth the neck the Lion teareth the heart the Scorpion stings the privy parts another shoots at the thighes c. Every man living is but an emblem of that livelesse Anatomy one dyes of an Apoplexy in the head another of a Struma in the neck a third of a Squinancy in the throat a fourth of a Gough and Consumption of the lungs others of Obstructions Inflammations Pluriâ—ies Gouts Dropsies c. and him that escapeth the sword of Hazael him doth Iehu slay and him that escapeth the sword of Iehu doth Elisha slay Let but God arm the least of all his creatures against the strongest man it is present death and dissolution A rich man had rather part with God than his gold TAke a narrow mouthed botâ—le it will receive the wine or beer that is poured into it without any noise at all but if you turn the bottle upside down the bottom upward it will not let any thing out but with a grâ—at deal of bubling and rumbling Thus it is with every worldly man he would quietly without any noise or reluâ—tation if possible suck in the graces of God's Spirit into his heart but tell him that the bottle must first be emptyed that he must sell all that he hath and giâ—e to the poor durus est hic sermo this is a hard saying how doth he murmuâ— and repine at this choosing with that prophane wretch rather to have his part in Paris than in Paradise the pleasures of sin for a season here in this world than the pleasures which are at Gods right hand â—or evermore How sin is made the prevention of sin WHen children begin to go they use to be so well conceited of the strength of their leggs that they need not any help of their Nurse to let them see their folly the Nurse will leave them to their selves that so smarting by a â—aâ—l they may better be brought to find what need they have of their Nurse The best of us all are but babes in grace yet do we think that we can stand of our selves yea and run the waies of God too now God doth refute us by our own experience and by this
found himselfe there And it is true that omnis homo Hypocrita every Man is an Hypocrite Hypocrisie is a lesson that every Man readily takes out it continues with age it appeares with infancy the wise and learned practise it the duller and more rude attain unto it All are not fit for the Wars Learning must have the pick't and choycest wâ—â—s Arts must have leasure and pains but all sorts are apt enough and thrive in the mystery of dissimulation The whole throng of Mankind is but an horse-fair of Cheaters the whole world a shop of counterâ—eit wares a Theater of Hypocriticall disguises The justice of God what it is and how defined IN the Raign of King Edward the first there was much abuse in the alnage of all sorts of Drapery much wrong done betwixt Man and Man by reason of the diversity of their measures every Man measuring his cloath by his own yard which the King perceiving being a goodly proper Man took a long stick in his hand and having taken the length of his own arm made Proclamation through the Kingdom that ever after the length of that stick should be the measure to measure by and no other Thus Gods Iustice is nothing else but a conformiâ—y to his being the pleasure of his Will so that the counsell of his Will is the standard of his Iustice whereby all Men should regulate themselves as well in commutative as distributive Iusâ—ice and so much the more Righteous than his Neighbour shall every Man appear by how much he is proximate to this Rule and lesse Righteous as he is the more remote Iustification by Christ the extent of it AS the Sun by his beams doth not onely expell cold but works heat and fruitfulnesse also Thus in the Iustification of a sinner repenting there 's a further reach then â—ollere peccata the taking away of sin there is also infusion of grace and virtue into the sinners heart The father of the Prodigall did not onely take off all his Sons rags but put on the best he had and a Ring on his finger And to say truth our Iustification doth not consist onely in the taking away of sin but in the imputation of Christs Righteousness and obedience for though the act be one yet for the manner it is two-fold 1. By privaâ—ion 2. By impâ—tation How is it that the proceedings of God in his Justice are not so clearly disâ—erned TAke a streight stick and put it into the water then it will seem crocked Why because we look upon it through two mediums air and water there lies the deceptio visus thence it is that we cannot discern aright Thus the proceedings of God in his Iustice which in themselves are streight without the least obliquity seem unto us crooked that wicked men should prosper and good men be afflicted that the Israelites should make the bricks and the Egyptians dwell in the houses that servants should ride on horse-back and Princes go on foot these are things that make the best Christians stagger in their judgements And way but because they look upon Gods proceedings though a double medium of Flesh and Spirit that so all things seem to go cross through indeed they go right enough And hence it is that Gods proceedings in his justice are not so well discerned the eyes of Man alone being not competent jugdes thereof Resolution in the cause of God very requisite IOhn Duke of Saxony who might have had the World at will if he would not have been a Christian resolved rather to pass by much difficulty nay rather death it selfe then â—o desert the cause of God which afterward he did heroically maintain against all opposition in three Imperiall Assemblies And when it was told him that he should lose the favour of the Pope and the Emperour and all the world besides if he stuck so fast to the Lutheran cause Here are two wayes said he I must serve God or the World and which of these do you think is the better And so put them off with this pleasant indignation Neither would he be ashamed to be seen which way he chose to go for when at the publique Assembly of the States of the Empire it was forbidden to have any Lutheran Sermons he presently prepared to be gone and profest boldly He would not stay there where he might not have liberty to serve God Thus must every good Christian be throughly resolved for God and for the truth which he takes up to profess Resolution must chain him as it did Ulisses to the Mast of the Ship must tye him to God that he leap noâ— over-board and make shipwrack of a good Conscience as too too many have done It is Resoluâ—ion that keeps Ruth with her Mother it makes a Man a rocky promontory that washes not away though the Surges beat upon him continually Resolution in the waies of God is the best aggioâ—ta of a Christian and a resolved Christian is the best Christian. To be carefull in the censure of others IT is reported of Vultures that they will fly over a Garden of sweet flowers and not so much as eye them but they will seize upon a stinking carrion at the first sight In like manner Scarabs and Fâ—yes will passe by the sound flesh but if there be any gall'd part on the horses back there they will settle Thus many there are that will take no notice at all of the commendable parts and good qualities of others but if the least imperfections shall appear there they will fasten them they will be sure to single out of the croud of Virtues and censure but let such know that Aquila non capit muscas the Eagle scorns to catch at flyes so that they discover what dunghill breed they are come of by falling and feeding upon the raw parts of their brothers imperfections without any moderation at all Prejudice in Judgement very dangerous THe mad Athenian standing upon the shore thought every Ship that came into the Harbour to be his own Pythagoras Schollars were so trained up to think all things were constituted of Nombers that they thought they saw Nombers in every thing Thus prejudice in judgement and prejudicate opinions like coloured Glass make every thing to seem to be of the same colour when they are looked through And it is most true that when Men have once mancipated their Iudgements to this or that error then they think every thing hits right whether pro or con that is in their fancy all the places of Scripture that they read all the doctrinall parts of Sermons that they hear make for their purpose and thus they run into monstrous absurdities and dangers inevitable The Hypocrite Characteristically laid open HYpocrites are like unto white Silver but they draw black lines they have a seeming â—anctified out-side but stuff'd within with malice worldiness intemperance like window cushions made up of
Phocion or Pythagorean to speak briefly to the point or not at all let him labour like them of Crete to shew more wit in his discourse then words and not to power out of his mouth a flâ—ud of the one when he can hardly wring out of his brains a drop of the other How to read with profit AS it is not the best way for any that intendeth to make himselfe a good Statesman to ramble and run over in his travells many Countries seeing much and making use of liâ—tle for the improving of his knowledge and experience in State-policy but rather stay so long in every place till he have noted those things which are best worthy his observation So is it also in the travels and studies of the mind by which if we would be bettered in our judgements and affections it is not our best course to run over many things slightly taking onely such a generall view of them as somewhat encreaseth our speculative knowledge but to rest upon the points we read that we may imprint them in our memories and work them into our hearts and affections for the encreasing of saving knowledge then shall we find that one good Book often read and thorowly pondered will more profit than by running over an hundreth in a superficial manner The severall expressions of God in his Mercies and why so AS Lawyers in this captioâ—s age of ours when they draw up any Conveyances of Lands or ther writings of concernment betwixt party and party are fain to put in many aequivocall terms of one and the same signification as to have and to hold occupy and enjoy Lands Tenements Hereditaments Profits Emoluments to remise release acquit discharge exonerate of and from all manner of actions suits debts trespasses c. and all this to make sure work so that if one word will not hold in Law another may Thus God when he shews himselfe to his People in love he varies his expressions as he did to the Israelites Exod. 34. 6 7. The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gracious long suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercies for thousands forgiving iniquiâ—y transgression and sin c. Here 's an homonomy of words all Synonymaes And why so to raise up the drooping soul to bind up the broken-hearted that if it chance to stumble at one expression it may be supported by another if one word will not reach another may his mind is that the poor soul may rather leave then lack when it comes to draw comfort out of the breasts of Mercy Love to Christ how to be recovered when it is once lost A Man upon the way having accidentally lost his Purse is questioned by his fellow-Travailler where â—e had it last O saies he I am confident that I drew it out of my pocket when I was in such a Towâ— at such an Inne Why then saies the other there 's no better a way to â—ave it again then by going back again to the place where you last had it This is the case of many a Man in these loose unsetled times they have lost their love to Christ and his truth since their corn and wine and oyl have encreased â—ince outward things are in abundance added unto them they have sleighted the light of Gods countenance the love of Christ is defective in their souls but when they were poor and naked of all worldly comforts then they fasted and prayed then they sought Gods face both early and late nothing was more dear and precious unto them than the truth of Christ O how they loved him What then is to be done to recover this lost love of Christ back again back again directly where you last had it to the sign of the broken and contrite heart there it was that you drew it out into good words and better works and though it be since lost in the croud of worldly imployments there and no where else you shall be sure to find it again The generality of Gods knowledge IT is said of King Edward the sixth that he knew all the Ports Havens Harbours and Creeks in and about the English coasts together with the depth and shallowes of the water as also the severall burthens of every ship that could ride therewith safety yet this was but a puny knowledge in that young King when we look upon the general knowledge of God He knows all things all Creatures nothing is hid from his knowledge he knowes the thoughts of Man afar off he knowes what he will think many years hence if he live to it he knowes the stars by their names whereas our eyes are dim they small the distance great yet his infinite essence is a vast Nomenclator of them all such and so general is the knowledge of our all-knowing God that he knows all things also Simul semel uno intuito all at once both things past present and to come Gods goodness and Mans ingratitude IT is storyed of a certain King that fighting a desperate battle for the recovery of his daughter injuriously stollen from him found but ill success and the day utterly against him till by the valour of a strange Prince disguised in the habite of a mean Souldier that pittied his loss and bore love to his daughter he recovered both her and victory Not long after this Prince received some wrong in the point of houour which he deservedly prized He made his complaint to the King desires Iustice the forgetfull King puts him over to a Iudge The Prince replyes Know this O King when thou wast lost I stood betwixt thee and danger and did not bid another save thee but saved thee my selfe Ecce vulnera behold the scars of those wounds I bore to free thee and thy state from ruine inevitable And now my suit is before thee dost thou shuffle me off to another Such was our case Saâ—han had stollen our dear daughter our Soul in vain we laboured a recovery Principalities Powers were against us weakness and wretchedness on our side Christ the Son of God took pitty on us and though he were an eternall Prince of peace disguised himselfe in the habit of a common Souldier Induens formam servi putting on him the likenesse of a Servant undertook the War against our too strong Enemies set himselfe betwixt us and death bore the wâ—unds in his own person which should have light upon us Now his glory is in question his honour much concerned in the transactions of these times We stand by and behold it he appeals to our censure remembers us of the wounds passions sorrows he endured for us we put off from one another and let the cause of him that saved us fall to the ground Wâ—o shall plead for our ingratitude Heaven and Earth Sea and Stars Orbs and Elements Angels and Devills will cry shame upon us The right use that is to be made of Dreams THere
like the light in Goshen when all Egypt was dark besides or like Gideons fleece onely watered with the dew of Heaven whilst the rest of the earth was dry and destitute of his favour Great cause of thankfulnesse indeed Perjury attended by Gods Iudgments ULadislaus King of Hongary one that professed Christ covenanteth with Amurath Emperour of the Turks Articles are drawn up betwixt them a Peace is concluded for ten years Uladislaus swears to the agreement signes it as his act and deed and delivers it to the Emperour But the Pope Eugenius not well liking the businesse dispenseth with the Kings oath Whereupon provision is made for war the Turk is met with a great Army the Battle is joyned the service grew hot on both sides and the Turk is worsted at the first which Amurath their Emperour perceiving drawes the Articles out of his bosom spreads them in the face of Heaven with these words O Iesu Christ these men call themselves Christians and they have sworn in thy Name not to have war upon us for ten years If thou be Christ as they say and we dream shew thy self upon this People in the breach of their Covenant Whereupon the Battle turned and there were eleven thousand Christians slain upon the place in that day Thus it is that perjury hath ever been attended with Gods judgments who will not part with his honour though it be in the midst of a company of Infidells Can a perjured man prosper Was it ever neard that any false forsworn perjured wretch did prosper and if he did all that he got by it was put into a bag with holes witnesse Zedechiah Where was it that the flying Role of curses light where where but in the house of him that swearesh falsly Perjury may be carried off smoothly here in this world and walk up and down with an impudent face but yet for all that judgment dogs it at the very heeles so that one may casily read the fathers fault many times in the sons punishment even to the ruine of posterity Swelling big words of wicked men not to be regarded AFter the defeat of that great Armado in 88. the Duke of Ossuna presented himself to the King of Spain with a distaff at his side and a spindle at his back in stead of a sword and dagger the King hereby understanding that Dux foemina facti a Woman had foil'd them hastily stept to the Altar and taking a silver candlestick up in his hand swore a monstrous oath That he would waste all Spain yea his whole Indies to that candlestick but he would be revenged on England But praised be God those high words were but the effects of his malice without Englands ruine And had not a seasonable Peace not many years after been concluded he might for all his far streich'd greatnesse have been reduced to a Kingship of Oranges and Lemons And thus the swelling big words of wicked men are not to be regarded It were no living for any good man if the hands of foul mouth'd men were as bloody as their hearts Men and devills are under the restraint of the Almighty neither are their words more high or their designes more lavish than their atchievments be vain and their executions short like the reports of Ordinance they blaze and crack and smoak and stink and vanish away Men of self-ends condemned IT was a sweet and savoury saying of Oecolampadius Nolui aliquid loqui vel scribere c. I should be loath to speak or write any thing that Christ should dsiallow he is that Master to whom every man must stand or fall one good look from him is beyond all vulgar acclamation according to that of the Apostle Not he that commendeth himself nor he whom the world commends is approved but he whom the Lord commendeth Reprovable then are the Gnosticks of old who gloried in themselves and our modern Iesuits who vaunt that the Church is the soul of the world the Clergy of the Church and they of the Clergy And many amongst our selves that have as our English Seneca said Eve's sweet tooth in their heads would be more then they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or â— the man or some body such as are never well but when they are setting their good parts a sunning to gain the applause and admiration of the world such as turn the Perspective-glasse see themselves bigger others lesser then they are sacrificing to themselves as those Babylonians and setting up and serving themselves of Christ and his service as Iudas and his successors that rob him of his rents and run away with his glory Good Christians alwaies thankful unto God IT was an ancient custome amongst us though now much sleighted upon every New-years day mutually to give and receive Gifts as lucky pledges of an hopefull year to come according to that of the Poet Mos vetus est Iani dare mutua dona Calendis Annus ut auspicio prosperiore fluaâ— yet good and faithfull Christians are not contented to give thanks unto God onely on the first day of the year the first moneth of the year the first week of the Moneth the first day of the week or the first hour of that day but alwaies at all times upon all occasions they do but Think and Thank God lades them â—ayly with benefits and they press him dayly with thanks Be it Prosperity they look upon it as a pledge of his favour be it Adversity they entertain it as a tryall of Patience still thankfull Parents to be carefull what they say in presence of Children ELiah was taken up to Heaven in a fiery Charior and having left Elisha behind him in his room there was no want of mockers and jeerers in Israel that were ready to laugh at any goodnesse such as made themselves sport with the Prophets of God saying that Elisha should be taken up into Heaven too and this they did in the hearing of their Children No sooner was Elisha come to Bethel but a company of Children meet him saying Goup thou bald pate go up thou bald pate do as thy Master did thou must be in his room forsooth then thou mayst mount as he did The Propher hearing this turned back and looked on them it had been better for them if he had looked another way and cursed them whereupon there came forth two she-bears out of the woods and tore forty two of them asunder 2 King 2. 24. Here was a company of ill-bred Children Their Fathers had in their hearing abused the Prophet and they like ready Schollers were not long in taking our such a lesson though they paid very dear for their learning Let Parents therefore be carefull what they say or do in presence of their Children it cannot be imagined what large ears such slender pitchers have how apprehensive how imitable they are especially in that which is bad To
purging the Heart from pollutions of Sinâ— e. THere is mention made of a certain King that had an Oxe-stall which had not been cleansed in many years and at last was grown so foul that it was thought all the industry of Man could not clean it in a life time The King perceiving that considered with himselfe that if he could bring the River which ran hard by his house to run through it that then it would quickly be emptied No sooner was this conceived thus in his mind but he sets upon the worke and after much expence both of labour and money brought the River to run through the Ox stall with a very swâ—ft currenâ— so that in three dayes the house was cleared and all the filth removed Thus the heart of Man like that Augaean stable is filled with rottennesse and pollution but if true repentant tears do but run through it with a forcible current they will drive down all putrefaction and uncleanness before them they are of such a purging nature that as Rain distilling from the clouds clarifies the air so they purifie the Heart insomuch that if the Men of this world were truly perswaded of the great benefit of true Repentant tears they would not by any means be hindred from weeping Scandalous and seditious Books and Pamphlets fit for the fire Agesilaus when he saw the Usurers bonds and bills set all of a light fire said Nunquam vidi ignem clariorem I never saw a brighter or a better fire in all my life And it were heartily to be wished that of all such scandalous blasphemous seditious Books and Pamphlets that are dayly vended amongst us such as are fraught full of nothing but pestilent and bitter malice and the most shamelesse desperate untruths that the Devill the father of lyes can help to invent there were a fire made of them as was of the Books of curious Arts Act. 19. the flames whereof perhaps might expiate some part of the Authors offences which otherwise would one day help to encrease their torment in Hell fire Men easily drawn by their own Naturall corruption CAlista the Strumpet thus bragged against Socrates All thy Philosophy cannot alienate one of my Lovers from me but my beauty can fetch many of thy Schollars from thee He made her this answer No wonder for thou temptest Men to the pleasing path of perdition but I perswade them to the troublesome way of virtue And it is observed that Philosophers of divers sects turned to the Epicures but never did any Epicure accept of any other sect of Philosohpy Thus it is that Men are easily drawn by their own natural corruption Men are naturally disposed to be evill to be holy and good is the difficulty We are all of us born sinners there is much ado to make us Saints For corrupt Nature to adhere unto a doctrine that holdeth out carnall liberty facilis descensus there 's no more wonder in it then for stones to fall downward or sparks to fly upward but to mortifie our Earthly members to deny our selves to forsake this present world and cleave unto God hic labor hoc opus est this goes against the hair fain we would be Saints but we are loath to be holy To be affected with the falling of others into Sin St. Bernard makes mention in one of his Homilies of an old Man who when he saw any Man to sin wept and lamented for him Being asked why he grieved so for others answered Hodie ille cras ego He fell to day I may fall to morrow Thus if Men could be but affected with the falling of others into sin it would rather draw blood then joy from their hearts not knowing how soon God may withdraw his Grace from them and suffer them to fall as foul as any other besides there is no greater sign of a Reprobate then to laugh at sinne and sinners for he that can make wickednesse his chiefest pastime and the faults of othâ—rs his grâ—atest joy is no better then the Devill that rejoyceth at the failings of Gods children The World to be contemned in regard of Heaven THe Eagle a Princely bird of a piercing sight a swift and lofty flight mounts upwards setting light by the things that are below never condescending to any of these inferiour things but when Necessity compells not when superfluity doth allure Such an Eagle was Zacheus that left his Extortion Matthew his Toll-gathering Peter all such as used this world as if they used it not wherewith to supply their necessary wants and no further O happy change when Men leave all for him that is worth more then all though Riches encrease yet they set not their hearts upon them though their Estates be changed yet they are not changed their desire is not to be rich unto this world but unto Gâ—d their bodies are be low but their hearts are above their lives here but their Conversaâ—ions in Heaven Christian Modesty commendable IT is a worthy observation what Paulinus a good Man answered to Sulpiâ—ius Severus when he wrote unto him to send him his Picture Erubesco pingere quod sum non audeo pingere quod non sum modestly dispraising his own feature I must blush said he to picture my selfe as I am and I scorn to picture my selfe as I am not Here was a modest Man and a modest disposition well met And it were heartily to be wished that the like frame of spirit were in the pâ—ffe-paste Titulado's of our times rather to confesse the unworthinesse they have then arrogantly to boast the worthinesse they have not pretending sanctity at the root of the Tree when no fruit but wickednesse is seen on the branches flattering themselves that their garments are of the holy fashion their goings of the holy pace their language of the holy style and their hair of the holy cut whilst their heart is all this while of an unholy metal Not to be daunted at Afflictions IT is related of that valiant Commander Sr. Hâ—race Vere late Baron of Tilbury that when in the Palatinate a Councell of War was called and there being debate whether they would fight or not some Dutch Lord said that the Enemy had many pieces of Ordinance planted in such a place and therefore it was dangerous to fight he replyed My Lords if you fear the mouth of a Cannon you must never come into the field Thus it is that in the service of God Men must not shrink or give back because of difficulties in the way and though it oftentimes so falleth out that Men fall into divers Temptations and those great ones too as to dispair of Gods mercies and so to lay violent hands upon themselves yet a Christian courage must not be daunted at any crosses or afflictions but endure constant to the end for God is faithfull and just and will not suffer any Man to be tempted above what he is able
Heroicall mind in him but sooner praised then followed and as St. Bernard said in another case exemplum alterius sâ—culi an Example fitter for a lesse corrupt age than this wherein we live It is well now if nothing be given or promised before hand The Rulers love to say with shame Bring ye Hos. 4. 13. The Iudge asketh for a Reward Mich. 7. 3. Many are the Gehezies that run after Rewards Many like Samuels two Sons turn aside after lucre and takes bribes to pervert Judgment 1 Sam. 8. 3. But where is the Man that like Samuel can say Whose Oxe have I taken or whose Ass have I taken or whom have I defrauded whom have I oppressed or of whose hands have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith 1 Sam. 12. 3 Commendable silence IT was the wisdom of Sulpitius Severus who being deceived by the Pelagians and acknowledging the fault of his loquacity was carefull of silence afterwards unto his death and good reason too saies St. Ierom Ut peccatum quod loquendo contraxerat tacendo penitus emendaret That the sin which he had committed by over-speaking might be amended by holding his peace ever after Thus it may be often is the infirmity of the wisest to be too hasty in speech to be somewhat too forward in their expressions it must therefore be their wisdoms to shut the doors of their lips to be wary of what they say and to be more silent and watchfull over themselves for the time to come The distemper of Sin not easily cured IT is said of Nero's Quinquennium that it was such that in the excellency thereof as to the point of Government few of his Predecessors did ever equal him yet at last that which glistered so much did not prove to be true Gold He fell into courses most exorbitant and amongst the rest so shamelesse in his bribery and extortion that he could not passe an Office but he must be well pay'd for it before the Seal was gotten and then as a Trumpet of his own basenesse cry out to the party Scis quibus sit opus Thou knowest what I have need of And thus it is that when Men are distempered with sin habituated and as it were rooted in sin they are not very easily cured It is a difficulty to be weaned from the sweet breasts where Sin hath a long time sucked or to be divorced from those criminall courses to which a Man hath once espoused his affections Vices oft-times become Usages and a practised sinner is even incorrigible Ier. 4. 14. Ezck. 13. 27. Men to stand up for the credit of their places LEwis the 11th of France desiring to thrust an Abbot injuriously out of his place commanded him Cedere to give up his Right and to yeeld up the possession to one that he should nominate the Abbot thinking the King to have no absolute power to dispose of Church-rights without some high crime or the Parties voluntary consent resolutely told him That he had been forty years learning the two first letters of the Alphabet A. B. that is how to be made an Abbot and he should be forty years longer before he should learn the two next letters C. D. by which he meant C E D E that he could not understand how to yield up an Abboâ—ship so easily Thus it is that the greater Men are the greater care ought they to have in keeping up the credit of their places be as great as their Parentage and Pedigrees Ties and Titles be as great as their great Creaâ—or hath made them to be and as God hath had the bringing of them forth let not the Devill have the bringing of them up as they tender their dignities leave them as dignities lose not a cubit of their stature embesell not their stock lose their birth-right nor be inferiour to themselves as some in these dayes are that have such a Lethargy Vertigo or palpitation of the heart that they have forgotten every thing that should be near and dear unto them and even tremble to be their own Propugnators The great mystery of the Hypostaticall union in Christ shadowed out by way of Similitude MAny are the similitudes used by both ancient and modern Writers to illustrate the mysterious Union of God and Man in one Person of Iesus Christ our Mediator As that of the Body and Soul making but one Man Of the primordiall light in the first Creation and of the body of the Sun in which that light was afterwards seated both making one Luminary Of a sword fired and enflamed Of one Man having two accidentall formes or qualities as skill in Divinity and Physick Of a Cion or branch grafted into a Tree But these and some others have been long since noted as defective in one part or other That therefore of the Misletoe in the Oak or in the Apple-tree seemeth to hold out the best For First The Apple-tree and Misletoe are two perfect and different Natures in one Tree the Misletoe wanting no integrall part that belongs to Misletoe So the God-head and Manhood are two perfect and different Natures in one Person in one Christ our Lord. Secondly The Misletoe never had a separate and distinct subsistence of its own but onely subsistâ—th in union with the Apple-tree which susteyneth and mainâ—aineth it So the humane nature of Christ never had any distinct and separate subsisience of its own but from the first conception subsisted in union with the divine subsistence Thirdly The Apple-tree and Misletoe are so one Tree that their two different Natures are neither confounded together nor changed one into another to make up a third Nature but are so individually unitea that retaining their different Natures they are but one Tree So the two Natures of Christ are without confusion or commutation united in one person and yet still retain they reall differences Fourthly The Apple-trce and Misletoe though one Tree yet having different Natures bear different fruits as Apples and berries So the God-head and Manhood of Christ though but one Person yet being different Natures perform disinct actions peculiar to each of them Lastly As we may truly say by reason of this union This Apple-tree is a Misletoe and this Misletoe is an Apple-tree and consequently This Misletoe beareth Apples and this Apple-tree beareth Berries So we may truly say by reason of the personall union in God and Man in Christ This Son of Mary is the Son of God and this Son of God is the Son of Mary the Son of God was crucified and the Son of Mary created Heaven and Earth Rich men to consider their beginnings and be thankfull IT was the saying of Chrysostome to Gaynas the Arrian Bishop Cogita quo cultu transieris Histriam quibus nunc utaris vestibus c. Bethink thy selfe in what poor attire thou didst once pass through Histria and how richly thou art now
c. or such as it may be are driven to and fro by Sea and Land as having no abiding place of rest or safety where to repose themselves yet here 's their hope here their comfortable assurance that maugre the malice of Men and Devils they shall be either in Heaven or under Heaven though they have no abiding place on Earth below yet they have one prepared for them eternally in the Heavens above The not growing in Grace reproved LOok but upon a company of Ants or Pismires how busie they are about a Mole-hill how they run to and fro and weary themselves in their severall movings yet never grow great but as to the slender proportion of their bodies are still the same And such are many Christians in these dayes many Professors in our times who go from one Ordinance to another and yet make little progresse or encrease in Religion such as run from one Church to another from one Preacher to another and it may be from one opinion to another but never grow up to the true Grace and in the true knowledge of the Lord Iesus Whilst we are here in this World to provide for Heaven hereafter THere is mention made of a Nation that use to chuse their Kings every year and whilst they are in their annuall government they live in all abundance of State have all the fulnesse their hearts can wish but when the year is once over all their pomp and glory is over too and they banished into some obscure remote place for ever One King hearing this being called to rule over that Nation made such use of his time that in the year wherein he raigned as King he was not lavish in spending his Revenues but heaped up all the Treasure he could get together and sent it before him to that place whither he should be banished And so in that year of his Goverment made a comfortable provision for all his life time afterwards Thus it is that God hath given to every one of us a time to live here in this world and but a little time at the most it may be not a week not a day not an hour It will be then the greatest part of our wisdome that whilst we are here in the way to salvation and suck at the breasts of those Ordinances that may feed us to eternall life and draw at those Wells called in Scripture The wels of Salvation now to lay up for the time of our banishment before we go hence and be no more seen and be sure that whilst we are in this world to provide for Heaven hereafter As we are called Christians to bear up our selves like Christians ALexander the great when he was invited to run a Race amongst the common Multitude He gave them this answer Were I not the Son of a King I did not care what company I kept but being the Son of a Prince I must employ my selfe in such company as is sâ—table to my birth and breeding Thus stood he then upon the honour of his Family and would not disgrace his Princely nature so farre as to be familiar amongst the vulgarrabble And thus must every one of us do We have each of us a race to run for so the waies of Christianity are called We are as Alexander was Kings and Princes in all Lands Now so it is that Sin as a Vagabond and loose Companion would seek to converse with us The Devills aim is that we should mixe our selves with such lusts and such sins as he presents unto us Lust would have our hearts and Sin would have our affections both of them strive to be familiar with us But let us answer them from a noble and generous mind as Alexander did That we will not so abase and dishonour our selves as to mix or joyn our selves with the base and common things of this World but stand upon the honour of our spirituall birth and do nothing that may any way be dishonourable to the excellency of our high Calling in Christ Iesus To take especial care for the Soul's safety IT is observable that if Merchants venture a great or most part of their Estates at Sea where there may be hazzard in the voyage they will run speedily to ensure a great part of their Commodities And thus should all of us do â—his bodie of ours is the ship the Merchandize and freight in this ship is no lesse then our most precious soulâ—s Glory caelestiall is the Port whereat she would arrive but many dangers there are in the way storms and Tempests of Temptations are on every side she may chance to run upon the Rocks of Presumption or sink into the quick sands of â—ispair What is theâ— to be done By all meanes go to the ensuring Office let us run to the Testimony of Christs spirit in our own spirits by the Word to evidence and make it out clear unto us That the Ship shall be safe the Commoditie brought secure to the Haven that ship body and soul and all shall anchor safely in Heaven there to rest with Christ in glory for evermore Idlenesse the very inlet to all Temptations IT was the speech of Mr. Greenham sometimes a painfull Preacher of this Nation That when the Devill tempâ—ed a poor soul she came to him for advice How she might resist the Temptation and he gave her this answer Never be idle but be alwayes well employed For in my own experience I have found it when the Devill came to tempt me I told him that I was not at leasure to hearken to his Temptation and by this means I resisted all his assaults Thus must all of us do when the Devill comes to tempt any of us say I am not at leasure to lend an ear to thy Temptation I am otherwise employed I am in the work of my God busied in the work of my lawfull Calling and taken up with the thoughts of Gods blessings thereupon then he will never be able to fasten upon thee for so it is that he never gets advantage of any Man or Woman but either when they are out of Gods way or idle or have their hands in some sinfull action then it is that they do even tempt the Tempter to tempt them and lay themselves open to a world of sinne and wickednesse Action the very life of the Soul WHilst the stream keeps running it keeps clear but if it comes once to a standing water then it breeds Frogs and Toads and all manner of filth The Keyes that Men keep in their pockeâ—s and use every day wax brighter and brighter but if they be laid aside and hang by the walls they soon grow rusty Thus it is that Action is the very life of the Soul Whilst we keep going and running in the wayes of Gods Commandements we keep clear and â—ree from the Worlds pollutions but if we once flagge in our diligence
If otherwise his own phrases will rise up in Judgment against him Ministers are called the Spiritualty as though the People were carnal in comparison of them whereas the truth is Many are spirituall Mad men being nothing lesse then what they professe to be spiritual Men in a mockery such as prophane ones call a spiritual Pig that is the poorest of all the ten such a one as hath no substance in it so no substance no goodnesse no holinesse at all in them whereas they should exceed all others Fatherly Counsel hath and ought to be prevalent with Children ARistotle that great Philosopher tells us of Archilocus who being desirous to give some prevalent Counsell and effectual advice to Lycambes whose Father was dead did while he was writing his admonitions by an elegant Prosopopeia bring in his Father and as it were so put the pen into his Fathers hand that Lycambes might receive those Instructions from one who by his very Relation was much more probable to prevail than himself The like passage is also in Cicero that Prince of Oratory and Eloquence as the former was of Philosophy that he being to read a lecture of Modesty and Temperance to his Friend Clodia raised up her Father Appius Caius from the grave and in his name delivered his directions to the daughter Both of these in this practise of theirs intimating thus much to all succeeding ages that it is neither the Philosophers wisedome be it never so deep nor the Orators eloquence be it never so winning is so effectual in the hearts of Children as the voice of Fatherly Counsell being as it ought to be more perswasive and powerfull then any other Argument or Rhetorick whatsoever Ministers to be earnestly Zealous in Preaching Gods word IT is a pretty story of Demosthenes when one told him that he was beateâ— and abused by such a Man It seems he told it very dreamingly and coldly shewing no affection at all Why saith Demosthenes Hath he beaten thee I do not believe it No saith the Man and so grew into a very great passion I am sure thus and thus he did to me And do not you call this beating Nay saith Demosthenes Now I believe that he hath beaten thee indeed now thou speakest as if it were true what thou saydst So when a Minister preacheth unto People in a dreaming manner standing in a Pulpit as though he were saying of his lesson though the things he saith be never so weighty yet the People will not believe him but when he is earnestly zealous in Gods message when he preacheth as one having Authority then it is that the Peoples hearts may be said to burn within them Luke ult How far Self-safety may be consulted THere is an Apologue of an Asse which a certain silly King did love so dearly that he had a great mind to have her to speak they told him it was a thing impossible and against Nature but he being impatient and not enduring to have his desire crossed slew them because they told him the truth At last trying about what others could do one who was made wise by their example being required to do it he undertook it but withall he shewed him the greatnesse of the charge and difficulty of the work The King being eager to have it done told him he should have what allowance he pleased and bade him spare for no charges and that besides he would reward him liberally The Physitian also told him that it would be a long cure and could not be done in a day ten years were the fewest that could be allotted to perfect a work of that Nature so they agreed and the Physitian began to fall to work about his Asse His Friends hearing of it came to him and asked him What he meant to take in hand a thing so utterly impossible He smiled and said unto them I thought you had been wiser then to ask me such a question If I had sayes he refused to have taken it in hand he had put me to death presently now I have gained ten years time and before that he expired Who can tell what may happen The King may die the Asse may die or I myself may die and if any of these happen I am in freedome and safety Thus in the midst of temporal dangers whether imminent or incumbent self-safety may and ought to be consulted if a Man be persecuted in one City he may lawfully fly into another but with this Proviso that if the cause of God and Religion be therein concerned then farewell life and liberty and all for in such a case he that layeth down his life shall preserve it he that loâ—eth all shall find all Matth. 10. 38. The World not to be trusted unto THere is a facetious story of a Copyholder dwelling on the Sea side near Plimouth who perceiving that divers of his Neighbours trading to Sea came home gallant and rich and lived in a plentiful manner would by all means to Sea too He puts off his stock makes money of all that he had and leaves his Wife and Children with Friends his trading was into Spain the fraight return'd was in Figgs A great flaw of Wind comes the Ship was in danger she must be leightned over-board go the Figgs the poor Man cryes out O there goes my Oxen my Sheep and all that I have in the World Home he comes poor his Neighbours pity his folly one lends him an Ox another a Horse after some few years he picks up his crums again and being at Plow on a very fair day cryes Hoe to his boy that did drive and standing still looks on the Sea and seeing it very calm said A wannion on you How is 't you look so smooth now you long for more Figgs do you your fair looks shall never deceive me again I warrant you drive on boy Thus the World is like unto the Sea very uncertain there 's no trusting to it like that Sea mentioned in the Revelation a glassy and Crystalline Sâ—a Chap. 4. v. 6. brittle as glasse Ubi splendet frangitur where it is most shining and resplendent there it soonest cracks and breaks asunder gulling with its transparency ebbing and flowing according to the influence of its Lunary Mistresse one while lifting up to Heaven upon her billows and anon sinking down her Favourites as it were to Hell Psal. 107. 27. Wherein the true Valour of a Captain or Souldier in Warre consisteth IT was the saying of Scipio that warlike African who being reproached by a certain Man that he was not so forward a fighter as he could have wished That his Mother had born him to be a Commander not a Fighter intimating that a Captain 's chief place was to command all and to choose fit times places and means for fighting not that he should account it his honour to fight upon the request of his Enemy but as he found most expedient
Weak ones his little ones sins of weaknesse and infirmity which if once admitted will soon unbolt the dores of the heart let in all the rest of their Company and so make a surprisall of the Soul and endanger it to all Eternity Not to admit of delayes in Religious performances EXcellent is that comparison of St. Ambrose If saith he I should offer thee gold thou wouldst not say I will come to morrow and fetch it but thou wilt be sure to take it out of hand yet Redemptio animae promittitur nemo festinat the Redemption of our pretious Souls more worth then thousands of gold and silver is daily offered and no man hastneth to lay hold thereon How true may this speech of the Father be returned upon the cunctators such as procrastinate in the matters of Religion For Earthly things no Man will take time till to morrow but is very hot in the pursuit never resting till he have one way or other compassed them yet for spirituall things such as accompany salvation most Mens states are Weak and like Men ready to break are taking order for two three four six Monthes time and so as far from making satisfaction as ever Humility appeaseth the wrath of God incensed IT is recorded of an English King Edward the first that being exceeding angry with a servant of his in the sport of Hauking he threatned him sharply The Gentleman answered that it was well there was a River betwixt them Hereat the King more incensed spur'd his horse into the depth of the River not without extream danger of his life the water being deep and the banks too steep and high for his ascending yet at last recovering land with his sword drawn he pursues the servant who rode as fast from him but finding himself too ill-horsed to out-ride the angry King he reyned lighted on his knees and exposed his neck to the blow of the Kings sword The King no sooner saw this but he puts up his sword and would not touch him A dangerous water could not hold him from Violence yet satis est prostrâsse his servant's submission pacified him Thus whilst Man flies stubbornly from God he that rides upon the wings of the wind posts after him with the sword of Vengeance drawn but when poor dust and Ashes humbles it self and stands to mercy the wrath of God though ever so much incensed is soon appeased A faint-hearted Christian described A Certain Colliar passing through Smithfield and seeing some on the one side hanging he demands the cause answer was made For denying the Kings supremacy on the other side some burning he asking the cause was answered For denying the reall presence in the Sacrament Some quoth he hanged for Papistry and some burnt for Protestancy Hoyte on a Gods name â—hil be nere nother Such an one is every timerous faint-hearted Christian another Gallio a new Nichodemus that would fain steal to Heaven if no body might see him one that owes God some good will but dares not shew it his Religion is primarily his Prince's subordinately his Landlord's Whilst Christ stands on the battlements of Heaven and beckens him thither by his Word his heart answers Lord I would fain be there but that there is a Lyon or a Bear some trouble in the way All his care is for a ne noceat let him but sleep in a whole skin then omnia bene whether right or wrong all 's one to him The Devills hard dealing with the ensnared Sinner IT is not unknown how the Spanish Index deals with Velcurio who commenting on Livy saith That the fifth age was decrepit under the Popes and the Emperours The Index favourably takes out the Popes and leaves the Emperours wholly obnoxious to the imputation Thus the Devill winds out himself at the last from the wicked refusing to carry the burthen any longer but leaves it wholly to their supportation he that flattered them before with the paucity of their sins now takes them in the lurch and over-reckons them he that kept them so long in the beautiful Gallery of Hope now takes them aside and shews them the dark Dungeon of despair and ingrossing all their iniquities in great text-letters hangs them on the curtain of their beds feet to the wracking amazement of their distracted and distempered Souls The great Folly of costly Apparel LOok upon a Man that dwels but in a borrowed house expecting every hour when he shall have warning to avoid he doth not trouble himself to bestow any cost either in repairing or trimming up thereof because he hath no time in it no Lease for tearm of years to come Such is the condition of every living Man his body is but as it were an House lent unto the Soul from whence it looketh daily and hourly to depart Why should he then be so carefull to cloath this body with rich and brave Apparell when God knows how soon it must be laid down in the Earth there to rot and perish and in the mean time neglect to adorn and beautify his pretious Soul with Heavenly graces which is immortal How the wounded Sinner is to be cured THere is a story nothing worth but for the Morall of a great King that married his daughter to a poor Gentleman that loved her But his grant had a condiâ—ion annexed unto it that whensoever the Gentlemans side looked black or he lost his Wedding Ring he should not onely lose his Wife but his life also One day pursuing his sports he fell into a quarrel where at once he received a bruise on his left breast and lost his Ring in the scuffle The Tumult over he perceived the danger whereinto his own heedlesnesse had brought him and in bitternesse of Soul shed many tears In his sorrow he spied a book which opening he found therein his Ring again and the first words he read was a Medicine for a bruised side it directed him to those hearbs whereof a plaister applyed would not fail to heal him He did so was cured was secured Thus applied The great King of Heaven marries to Man poor Man hiâ— own daughter Mercy or eâ—eâ—lasting kindness but threatens him that his side musâ— not look black his heart must not be polluted with spiritual Idolatry nor must he lose his wedding Ring love to God and his Saints least he forfeit both Gods mercy and his own salvation Man in pursuit of Worldly affairs quarrels with his Neighbours and scuffles with Contention So his heart gets a bruise looks black with hatred And Charity his wedding Ring is lost in these willfull turbulencies and Vexations What should we do but mourn Lo God in his goodnesse directs him to a book the holy Gospell then the spirit helps him to his Ring again his former love and to heal his bruise prescribes him these speciall herbs of Grace Repentance Thankfulness and Meekness which being well applied will keep his Ring of
ornament What a most unreasonable thing were it in this Man to murmure because the wind blows a few leaves off the Trees though at the same instant of time they are fully laden with fruit Thus if God take a little and leave us much shall we be discontent If he take an onely Son and give us his own Son if he cause the Trees to bring forth fruit shall we be angry if the Wind blow away the leaves Shall we murmure and repine at light and momentary afflictions when God at the same time is preparing for us a far more exceeding weight of glory A great exceeding mercy to be one of Gods dearest Children IT is observeable in Scripture that God hath alwaies had Saints be severall degrees and sizes and that some of them have had more communion with him then others From among the multitude he chose twelve to be with him from among the twelve he chose three Peter Iames and Iohn which were è secretioribus of the privy Councell from among the three he chose out John as his peculiar darling and bosome Favourite of whom it 's said five times that he was the Disciple whom Jesus loved So now to this day God hath his babes who eat milk and nothing else his Children who know their Fathers will and are assured of his love his young Men who go out to war and the Fathers in Israel whose gray-headed experience and wisedome abounds for they knew him from the beginning But is it not a great mercy to be one of Gods though but one of his little ones yea the least of all to be a Star though not of the first magnitude to be a Disciple though not a John nor one of the three nor one of the seventy but to be a John a darling to lean on his breast to lye in his bosome O how great a mercy 't is mercy to be new born though one be but newly and as one newly-born but to grow up to a perfect stature to be a Man in Christ Iesus O how great a mercy Removall of Good men by Death a Forerunner of Judgment EVen as a carefull Mother who seeing her child in the way when a company of unruly horses run through the streets in a full carrere she presently wâ—ips up the child in her arms and takes him home Or as the Hen seeing the ravenous Kite hovering over her head she clocks and gathers her chickens under her wings Even so when God hath a purpose to bring a lingring heavy calamity upon a Land it hath been usuall with him to call and cull out to himself such as are his dearly beloved When some fatall Judgment hovers like a flying fiery scrole over a Land or people he gathers many of his choice servants unto himself that he may preserve them from the evill to come Thus was S. Augustine removed a little before Hippo wherein he dwelt was taken Paraeus dead before Heidelberg was sacked And Luther taken off before Germany was overrun with war and bloud-shed Nay what else can be the meaning that of late so many lights so many eminent ones have been extinguished in this Nation but to fore-signify the great darknesse that without Gods great mercy is inevitably coming upon us Worldly-minded-Men little think of Heaven And why so THere is a fable how that a Wools being exceeding hungry came into a Tanners yard and there espying raw hides in the pit had a great mind to have eaten of them but being covered with water could not tell how to come at them at last he resolves to drink up the water but after a while his belly was so full that he had no mind at all to the hides This is the case of all Earthly-minded-Men that being filled with the things of this World they have no stomach to the things that are more Heavenly having dined with all the dainties as Earth can present such as honours riches and the like they have no appetite to the supper of the Lamb Christ Iesus at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore Christ ready to revenge himself upon the Enemies of his Church IT is said of Lions that as they are mindfull of courtesies received witnesse the story of Androdus that fugitive servant of Rome so they will be sure to revenge injuries done to them They will prey on them that would make a prey of them When Iuba King of the Moors march't through the desart of Africa a young Man of his Company wounded a Lyon but the year following when Iuba returned the Lyon again meets the Army and from among them all singles out the Man that hurt him and tears him in pieces suffering the rest to passe by in peace and safety Thus it is that Christ Iesus that Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah is alwaies ready to revenge the cause of his Church and take Vengeance on all that have wounded him or his People such as will prey on them shall be made a prey to him And though they wound them in their passage through the Wildernesse of this World yet certainly when he comes again to judg the World he will single out all that shoot their arrows at him or his or him in his Members and will without mercy tear them in pieces But as for the peaceable peace be to them and the whole Israel of God Christ the Saints wonder and admiration THe Sun is gazed on by all the World with admiration yea it is so admired that by many it is adored and worshipped for a God as by the Persians at this day And many insensible Creatures some by opening and shutting as Marigolds and Tulips others by bowing and inclining the head as the Solsequy and Mallow flowers are sensible of its presence and absence there seems to be such a sympathy that if the Sun be gon or clouded they wrap up themselves or hang their heads as unwilling to be seen by any eye but his that fills them Thus it is and that in a far more larger sense that Christs name is Wonderfull Angels and Saints for love the World and Devills for fear wonder at him The Saints duly and truly adore him for their God and were there ten thousand Suns the Saints would admire Christ ten thousand times more then them all He doth so attract and ravish their hearts by the beaming forth of his love-rayes on them that they seem to be sick and dying if they be not with Christ they open when Christ comes and shut when Christ withdraws and will not be kiss'd by any lips nor embraced by any arms but his Cant. 5. 8. Christ's Watchfullnesse over his People for Good IT hath been a tradition that Lyons are insomnes that they sleep not It may be they sleep not so much as other Creatures do yet that they sleep not at all were absurd to think however their eye-lids being too
they are longer lived they preach when the Author cannot and which is more when he is not Sights as they come sooner to the eye than sounds to the ear so they abide longer Audible words are more transient visible works more permanent the one may make the ear more attentive but the other the memory more retentive both in themselves excelling Princes and Governors to be prudetinally qualified BE wise now therefore O Kings Psal. 2. Two kinds of wisdom are required in Kings and Princes wisdom or knowledge in God's matters otherwise called Divinity and wisdom or knowledge in worldly matters otherwise called Prudence or Policy Both are not onely like the two pillars that Solomon put in the porch of the Temple for ornament but also for special use like the hands of Aaron and Hur which did support the hands of Moses for the discomfiture of the Amalekites And good reason too for if they be pious onely in God's matters and be not otherwise prudent then they are fitter for the Common-weal of Plato then for the corrupt estate of Romulus for the Cloyster then for the Court again if they be prudent or politick onely and be not pious then they are fitter to be Kings of Babel where dwelleth confusion then of Jerusalem where Gods glory is seen and more rightly to be called the children of this world which goeth to nought and perisheth then the children of God who love truth in the inwards and care for none but for such as worship him from a pure heart with a good Conscience A sad thing to lose both soul and body at one and the same time DUdithius relates a sad story of one Bochna a Woman which had but two sons and whilst she was walking with the one towards the River she heard the other crying out and hasting back she found a knife sticking in his side which killed him immediately then she made haste to the other child but he in her absence was fallen into the River and drowned both lost at once This is our case every one of us hath two children a soul and a body a life temporal a life eternal What a heavy loss would it be to lose both these at once yet such is the sad condition of many that whilst they busie themselves to catch at the shadow and to set up a rest for their souls here in this world they lose both shadow and substance soul and body the rest of their souls here and the true souls of their eternal rest hereafter both together A good Magistrate or Minister is the support of the place where he lives MEn use to fence and defend to keep watch and ward over their corn-fields whilst the corn and fruits are in them unreaped ungathered but when the corn is inned and safe in the Barn then is open-tide as they say they lay all open throw in the fence and let in beasts of all kind nay sometimes they set fire on the stubble Thus every zealous Magistrate every godly Minister every good Christian is as it were a fence a hedge to that place that parish where they live and when they are once plucked up when they are taken away by death or otherwise removed that Kingdom that place that parish lyes open to all manner of ruin and destruction The certainty of Faith IN the midst of a tumultuous Sea the Nodes of the Compass remain unmoveable because they govern themselves not according to the winds but according to the influence of the Heavens And so the faith of the faithful remaineth firm amongst the rude agitations and distracted variations of the VVorld because it governeth it self not according to the instability of the affairs of this world but according to the promises of God which are from all Eternity The danger of unworthy Communicating IT is reported of Mr. Bolton a famous Divine and Minister of Kettering in Northampton-shire that calling for his children on his death-bed after some speech to them he concludes thus And I hope there is none of you will dare to meet me at Christ's tribunal in an unregenerate estate intimating the great and inevitable danger that must needs attend such a condition And it were to be wished that none would dare to meet at the Lord's Table in a sinful state which if they do and will with unhumbled and unhallowed hearts come unto that tent and as Sisera Iudg. 4. 19. take the milk and the butter the bread and the wine let them know that there is a nail and a hammer for them they eat and drink their own damnation A Minister to be careful in the delivery of God's message EArthly Kings and Magistrates are offended and good reason too if their subjects or servants shall do from them or in their names such messages as they send not or if their Ambassadors being limited by advertisements what they shall do and what they shall not do should negotiate to the contrary Then should all Ministers of Jesus Christ whose Ambassadors they are be careful in a very high degree that they deliver the whole counsel of God that they speak nothing but what they have in Commission otherwise they shall offend a Lord of more dreadfull majesty who is more jealâ—us of his glory and more able to punish then any earthly Kings or Magistrates whatsoever Graces lost in the soul are to be made up onely in Christ. THe Virgin Vestals of the Pagans from whence proceeded those many Cloysters of Nuns at this day had a continuall fire which if it hapened by any mischance to go out they might not give it light again but onely from the Sun Thus our natural clearness and purity of life being quite extinguished by the sin of Adam there 's no meanes under heaven to renew it we cannot kindle it again but at the Sun of Righteousness Christ Iesus our Lord to whom belongeth that which is said in Psalm 3. 6. The fountain of life is in thee c. Gods speciall love to his Children LOok upon the Sun how it casts light and heat upon all the World in his general course how it shineth upon the good and the bad with an equall influence but let its beames be but concentered in a burning-glass then it sets fire on the objectonely and passeth by all others And thus God in the Creation looketh upon all his Works with a generall love Erant omnia valdâ— bona they pleased him very well O but when he is pleased to cast the beams of his love and cause them to shine upon his Elect through Christ then it is that their hearts burn within them then it is that their affections are inflamed whereas others are but as it were a little warmed have a little shine of common graces cast upon them The strength of a true Christians love to Christ. IN our English Chronicles we read of the rare affection of Elianor the wife of Edward the first
the King having gotten a wound by a poysoned Dagger she sets her mouth to the wound to such out the poyson venturing her own life to preserve her Husbands Such is the strength of a true Christians love to Christ that were it to suck poyson out of Christs wounds it would be contented so to do as when Christ his Church his cause his people are smitten and wounded by the poysonous tongues of blasphemers the rayling tongues of licentious libertines the hellish fiery tongues of a rebellious generation and a good Christian is willing to draw it all upon himselfe to take it off from Christ and that Christ may have the glory he careth not what he undergoeth Self-tryall smoothes the way to all other tryals BIlney a Martyr in Q. Maries dayes tryed his finger by himselfe in the Candle before he tried his whole body in the fire at the stake If thou hast run with the footman faith God by the mouth of the Propheâ— and they have wearied thee then how canst thou match thy self with Horses Jer. 12. 5 How shall our faith abide the â—iery triall by others if it have never been put to the fiery trial by our selves How shall that faith try a match with horsemen smile at torments stare a disguised death in the face that never yet tried a match with footmen that never tried it selfe in private that never strugled with naturall corruptions Surely selfe tryal will pave the way smooth to all other tryals And that man will never abide to be tryed at a bar or stake that is loath to be tryed in his Closet or his Chamber Adversity seeks God IT is reported that when on a time the City of Constantinople was shaken with a terrible Earthquake many Houses were overthrown and with the fall many people perished The whole City is hereupon so amazed and every one so remembred to think on God that they fall to their publique devotions the Churches were thwack'd full with people all men for a while were much amended Justice commutative and distributive both advanced the poor relieved Justice exalted Lawes executed no fraud in bargaining it was become a very holy place but when God held his hand from punishing they held their hearts from praying when his wrath ceased their Religion ceased also And was it not alike in the civill Wars of France after the putting forth of that Act or Edict Ianuary 1561. and in the second and third years of those Wars such as were of the Religion then groaning under the heavy cross of poverty oppression and war how devout were they towards God very carefull in their waies glad to hear any preach the Word and glad to receive the Sacrament any way but when the third peace was concluded which seemed a very sound peace and the Rod was now thought to be removed afar off such carelesnâ—sse and security overgrew the hearts of all and in the Protestants there was so cold a zeal Tanta erat Religiosorum taediosa curiositas c. and that within less then two years that a Sermon plainly made with good grounds of Divinity was not thought to be worth the hearing unlesse it were spiced with Eloquence or flourished over with courtly expressions Nomine mutato dâ— nobis fabula The case is ours witnesse that Marian persecution when so many of the dear children of God mounted like Elias to heaven in fiery Chariots What prayers were made within the Land and without and what coldnesse benummed some hot ones of that time not long after Call to mind that miraculous year of 88. How did the piety of our Land exceed at that time young and old then came together into the Courts of the Lord Sabbaths were then sanctified week-dayes well spent How did the people flock to Church It might have been written in golden letters over every Church-door in the Land Cor unum via una such was the unity such was the uniformity of their devotions at that time but with the cold of the winter their devotion grew cold too and many moneths had not passed but as in few things some were the better so in many things a great deal worse To come yet downwards Anno 1625. to omit others The chief City of our Kingdom being struck with the plague of Pestilence seemed no other then a dreadful dungeon to her own a very Golgotha to others What then The King commands a Nineveh-like humiliation with what eagerness were those fasts devoured What loud cryes did beat on all sides of the Gates of Heaven and with what inexpectable unconceivable mercies were they answered Suddainly those many thousands were brought down to one poor unite not a number then was all the fasting and mourning turnd into joy and laughter To come yet lower to this very year this very day How hath the Sword devoured and whilst it did so how did the people unite and associate but when it seemed to be but a little sheath'd what remisness what divisions were found amongst us It is so and it is not well that it is so It is a reproach to some No Penny no Pater-noster it is a shame to us No Plague no Pater-noster no punishment no prayer Carnall and spirituall men their difference in doing good AN Organ or any other wind-instrument maketh no Musick til there be breath put into it but a stringed Instrument as the Lute or Viol yeeldeth a pleasant sound even with the rouch of a finger And thus a carnal man that is dead in sins and trespasses must have a new life breathed into him by the blessed spirit of God before he be able to set forth the praises of his Maker whereas one that is spiritualized one that is furnished with the graces of the spirit doth good and receiveth good upon the least touch of the spirit is a Trumpet of Gods glory upon the least occasion that can possibly be offered Faith makes us partakers of every good thing in Gods Ordinances LOok but on a Conduit that is full of water now a man that would fill his vessel must bring it to the Conduit set it near the Cock but yet that is not enough if that be all and he do no more he may go home again with an empty vessel and therefore he that would fill his vessell when he hath brought it to the Conduit and set it under the Cock he must also turn the Cock and then the water runs forth and fills his vessel So Christ is the Conduit of all grace and goodnesse the Fountain of living waters he that would be spiritually filled must come to him his Ordinances the Word and Sacraments are the Cocks of this Conduit so that a man that would be filled must not onely go to Christ but to Christ in his Ordinances and that is not enough neither when he is come to them he must turn them But how must that be done the Well is deep and I
tell us that the love of some worldly matter hinders our confidence darkens our knowledge and clouds our understanding so that we cannot see God as he is let us remove it and stand up from the dead that Christ may give us light The Papists abuse of Scripture by Traditions c. IT was a very malicious plot of the Philistines to stop the Wells of Abraham and to fill them up with earth that so the memoriall of them might be quite dam'd up whereby Isaac his Son might not have the least inkling that ever they belonged to his Father and so they make a challenge to them as their own Thus the Papists have as much as in them lies stopped up the veines of the springs of life which flow every where in the sacred word of God with the earth of their own Traditions false glosses and unfit Allegories all this to Monopolize the Bible to their own use shutting up the Kingdom of Heaven neither entring themselves nor suffering others to enter therein Who fit for Government in point of temporall estate VVHen Servius Sulpitius Galba and Aurelius the Consull did strive in the Senate which of them should be sent into Spain against Viriatum the Senators differing amongst themselves and waiting which way Scipio would encline he said I give my voice that neither of them be sent his reason was this alter nihil habet alteri nihil sat est the one hath nothing and the other will never have enough intimating thereby that it was a dangerous thing to put the Government either into the hands of a rich wretch or a wretched poor man And most true it is that the ballance of Iustice whether it be in the hands of a covetous rich man or a man of a low estate it will be very apt to tite on one side Necessitas cogit ad turpia poverty is a great temptation to corruption and Riches an incentive to oppression one therefore qualified like Agur in his prayer that hath neither Poverty nor Riches but a competent estate is fit for the management of great affairs and the most likely to do justice according to the merits of the cause before him The unthankfull Husbandman condemned THe Heathens when they went to plow in the morning they laid on one of their hands to the stilts of the plough and they lifted up the other to Ceres the Goddess of Corne this did they do by the dim light of Nature What a sad thing then is it in such times of light that so many Husbandmen manuring the ground should be but as so many fungi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sprung up out of the ground like Toad-stools affixi glebae filii terrae having their minds fixed to the Earth never elevating them higher then the Oxe which laboureth with them but had they hearts to look up to God and to eye him in the wayes of his providence O beatâ—s Agricolas how happy would they be The providence of God to be eyed at all times WHen Lazarus was dead his two Sisters Martha and Mary came to Christ with a doleful noyse and pittifull complaint Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not dyed saith one Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not dyed said the other Ioh. 11. 21 32. And is not this the note and common language of the world when a Man is dead if such a Phisitian had been here if he had been let blood if he had not taken such a potion or eat of such meat or lived in such a â—oggy air if he had not done thus or thus or so and so he might have been a live man to this day not considering with Iob that the dayes of Man are determined and his bounds appointed which he cannot passe the time the place and every circumstance of his dissolution is decreed from all Eternity that one Man dyes in the field another in his bed one at Sea another on the shore one in this manner another in that this and all this it is fore-ordained in Heaven the hand of God is in all and he it is that having brought us into the World at his pleasure will take us hence at his own appointment To make Christ our Lord and Master IT is said of Mr. George Herbert that divine Poematist that to satisfie his Independency upon all others and to quicken his diligence in Gods service he used in his ordinary speech when he made mention of the blessed name of Iesus to add my Master And without all doubt if men were unfeignedly of his mind their respects would be more to Christ's command to Christ's will to Christ's pleasure could they but lift up their eyes to God to him that dwells in the Heavens then as eyes of servants look unto the hands of their Masters and as the eyes of a Maiden unto the hands of her Mistress so would their eyes wait upon and their hearts be in a dutiful frame of obedience unto the commands of Christ their Lord and Master A wanting Ministery will soon become a contemptible Ministery PLutarch in his Moralls tells us of a Laconian who seeing a Collector going about and gathering the Peoples devotions for the use of their Gods O sayes he I will now make no more reckoning of the Gods so long as I see them go a begging and to be poorer then myselfe And this will be the case of the service of the great God of Heaven if ever we live to see that the Ministers maintenance shall depend upon the Peoples courtesie or that ever the off all 's of any repining Labans revenues or churlish Nabals purse become the stay of the Ministerial function This may be so by Gods permission yet great pitty it is that ever it should be so but if it must needs be so then take another story by the same Author of one Philippus a Priest amongst the Heathen so poor that he begg'd for his living and yet he would go about and tell how happy he should be When quoth one will this be When I am dead saies he Then poor fellow quoth the other thou art too blame thou dyest not quickly that thou maist be happy And thus it will be with the poor despised distressed Ministers of the Gospel of Iesus Christ The Lord is our portion say they and we shall be happy but when sayes the World When we dye say the Ministers Why then sayes the World ye are too blame that yeâ— dye not quickly to be happy in Heaven whom the World hath taken an order with never to he happy upon Earth this will be the voice of the Sons of Belial who have an evill will at Sion and had rather put a Church into their purse then any way empty their purse towards the Churches maintenance God to have the glory of all THat Martial King Edward the third outwent his fame and was accompted to have done
things more commendable then his Victoryes for having vanquished the French King by force of battle he put off from himselfe the whole glory and gave it devoutly to God causing to be sung Non nobis Domine non nobis Domine Not unto us Lord not unto us Lord but unto thy name be the glory given c. Psalm 115. 1. And thus must every one do be his atchievements never so great whether private or publique let God have the glory of all for it is no less then blasphemy in Man to attribute either the strength or the glory of success unto himselfe St. Pauls omnia possum had been over presumptuous had he not added by him that strengthneth me Phil. 4. How it is that one Man censureth another THat divine Spaniard in his pleasant but useful fictions of the life of Gusman makes his Rogue wittily discourse of the unconscionableâ—â—ss of the Genowayes and their prying into and censuring of other mens lives That when they are young and go first to School they play away and lose their Consciences which their Master finding he layes them up carefully in a Christ but because he hath the keeping of so many and they mixed one with another he gives to his Schollers when they go away such Consciences as come first to hand which they take to be their own but are indeed somebodie 's else Whence it comes to pass that no man bearing his own Conscience in his own bosome every Man looks and pryes into that of another Mans The truth of this story may be questioned but the Morall is true without all question and we have need sometimes of such pleasant passages to tell us the truth that we may understand our selves the better There 's hardly the Man to be found that is not curious in other Mens faults blind in his own partial to himself never without matter against others still complayning of the badnesse of the times the decay of Trade the ripenesse of sin but will not be perswaded that he is any way the occasion of the same To be thankfull to God as well in Adversity as Prosperity THemistocles was wont to tell his ingratefull Country-men the Athenians that they used him like a shady Tree under which when a storm happened they would run and take shelter but when the storm was over they would be ready to cut it down and burn it When there were any Tumults or uproares in the Common-wealth who but Themistocles all the People would flock to Themistocles for succour but when there was a calm in the State and all things at peace through his good advice and industry then who more base Who more contemptible then poor Themistocles And is not this the case of many at this day they will pray unto God in time of Adversity but they will not praise God in time of Prosperity While the corn is growing the hedge is well fenced but when it is in'd the fields are thrown open when they stand in need of any blessings then they are all upon the spur somewhat carefull to please God but when they have caught what they fished for then they let the reyns slack are not so forward in the ways of obedience so that it is a great blessing of God that we are kept in want of one blessing or other were it otherwise he were likely to have but a little of our company The doctrine of Seducers dangerous VVE may read of a Woolfe taken in a snare which when a Man went about to kill with his hunting speare the Woolfe breathed in his face and poysoned him in such a manner that he presently began to swell all over his body and was very hardly recovered again Such is the contagion which the soul of the Hearer receives by the poysoned breath of Seducers doctrine if so be that coming near such kind of Vermine a Man do not wind them that is not draw up into his Soul the sweet breathings of the Spirit it is great odds but that he is totally infected thereby to the irreparable loss both of soul and body togeâ—her God seeketh his People more especially in his own House the Church VVHen we receive summons from any supream Authority the Messenger or Offiâ—â—â— of the Court seeks us not in idling places he pursues us not into the fields neither doth he come to our sports to warn us but to our houses and there reads his message as if we were there because we should be there and then without any further enquiry departs fastning the script or writ upon the door In like manner the Ministers of the Gospel are Gods Ambassador and Gods Messengers God supposeth every Man to be at home and so do they because at hours and times set apart for his worship they are presumed to have no houses but his house whom they shall meet no where nor more certainly find than there there it is that more especially when two or three are met together in his name he will be in the midst of them there he will teach them his wayes and there he will give them grace too to walk in his waies nor can a Sermon have any influence upon such as are not there so true is that of venerable Bede That he that comes not willingly to Church shall one day go unwillingly to Hell The sincere Preachers comfort IN a great Festivall when the expectation was not less then the concourse both very great St. Bernard having preached a very eloquent Sermon as that heavenly tongue was able beyond expectation while the People admire and applaud the Abbot walks sadly with a mind not ordinarily dejected The next day he preaches a lively Sermon full of profitable truth plain without any Rhetorical dress whereupon his meaner capacited Auditors went away very well contented but curious itching ears were unsatisfied but he walks cheerfully with a mind more then usually pleasant The people wonder why he should be sad when applauded and when not merry but he returns this answer Heri Bernardum hodiè Iesum Christum yesterday I preached Bernard but to day Iesus Christ It is the same with all Preachers of Gods word There can be no feast within when a Man is conscious to himself of dallying with God Integrity is that which furnisheth out the sweet banquet and heavenly repast of joy That Preacher shall have mâ—st comfort that preacheth most of Christ and so shall he too that lives most to Chrâ—st when a rotten-hearted Wolsey whose Conscience tells him he served the King his Master better then God his Maker shall languish away in discontent and vexation of spirit God afflicts his Children for their good IT is the observation of an excellent Preacher yet living who passing by on a dark night in the streets of London and meeting a youth who had a lighted Link in his hand who being offended thereat because it burnt so dark