the soule with comfortable cheerefulnesse and fill the whole body with a liuely vigour bee it selfe wounded with vexation and terâ—or how comfortlesse is that man Iâ— his strength were the strength of stones and his flesh of brasse yet would the torment of a bitter afflicted soule grinde him to powder and melt as the dew before the sunne whatsoeuer hee accounteth strongest and most powerfull to relieue his heauinesse it would turne all his choisest and dearest pleasures into worme wood and bitternesse And this vâ—xation with which riches honours or what other vanitie desirable in this life doth afflict the vnregenerate heart is twofold In the verie pursuit of them is much anguish many greeuances feares iâ—alousies disgraces interruptions discontentments But after the vnsanctified enioying of them followes the sting of conscience that will euerlastingly vâ—xe the soule which is the very earnest of the fire of hell by which a man doth expect with vnconceiueable horrour the consummation of the wrath of God which burneth farre hotter and more vnquenchably then any fire though augmented with infinite riuers of brimstone to be powred vpon his body and soule for euermore in the world to come How then possibly can there be any happinesse in these vexations Wherefore Salomon hauing proued the negatiue part of my doctrine concludes the positiue in the last chapter That to feare God with reuerent regard to keepe his commandements is the onely way to be possest of true happinesse to find peace of conscience and assurance of the fauor of God For let a man while he will in this world of vanity either sport himselfe in the soft and greene way of fading pleasures or please himselfe in the glorious miseries of honours and high places or tire himselfe in the toyles of vnsatiable greedinesse or braue it in his othes blasphemies and strength of powring in strong drinke or tread the fearefull and desperate path of contempt of the power of religion the truth of God and sincerity of his saints all the while when he is at the best hee is but as the raging sea that cannot rest For so Isaiah compares the wicked Chap. 57.20 The sea you know is not onely many times tossed and tumbled vp and downe with windes and tempests but euer inwardly disquieted euen with her owne motions casting vp continually mire and dirt vpon the shore and breaking into some her proudest waues against the rockes Euen so the heart of that man which hath reposed his affections vpon the glory of this life is not onely many times disquieted and cast downe with outward crosses and occurrents as with losse of friends discountenance of great ones disappointment of his hopes and preferments with wrongfull railings and disgraces with looking vpon the day of his death and vengeance vpon the wicked with all disturbers of his security in his pleasures and dignities but is also besides the restlesse torture of his conscience euer from within foaming out his owne shame the dishonour of God and the vexation of his brethren But it is not so with him that holds the feare of God for his surest sanctuarie that hath resolued to resigne vp himselfe in holy obedience to the will of God His heart is like the vpper part of the world which is euer full of serenitie constancie and brightnesse be the aire below neuer so troubled with stormes and thunders or the earth with commotions and tumults For let there be about him the deuouring sword of the Tyrant the consuming flames of persecution the keene razours of lying tongues the mouthes of Lions the cruell combinations of his enemies nay let the earth be moued and let the mountaines fall into the middest of the sea yet his heart is ioyfull patient resolute and contented But to descend more specially to the particulars of the negatiue part of my Doctrine let me adde to the many and strong reasons of the ancient Philosophers and late Schoolmen against pleasures riches and honours these three which will for euer vtterly disable them for claiming any shew of interest in mans happinesse First they cannot possibly fill the vnlimited desire of the soule For although the treasures the greatnes the delights of all men liuing were in the present possession of one yet somewhat besides and aboue all this there would still bee sought and earnestly thirsted for Nay it is certaine if one man were not onely crowned with the soueraignty of all the kingdomes of the earth but besides were made commander of the motions of the sunne and the glory of the starres yet the restlesse eye of his vnsatisfied vnderstanding would peepe and prie beyond the heauens for some hidden excellencie and supposed felicity which the whole compasse of this created world cannot yeeld So vnquenchable is the thirst of mans soule vntill it bathe it selfe in the riuer of life and in the immeasurable Ocean of goodnesse and wisedome So impossible is it that this materiall world with all her perfections should be a proportionable obiect to so pretious a nature or that so diuine a sparkle should cease rising and aspiring vntill it ioyne it selfe to that infinite flame of glory and maiesty from whence it first issued Secondly they cannot secure the conscience distressed with the apprehension of the wrath of God or preuent his iudgements Memorable is that horrible amazement that surprised the heart of Belshazzar 〈◊〉 his greatest iollities Melting hee was in pleasures and deliciousnesse solacing himselfe amongst his wiues and concubines carousing in the golden and siluer vessels of the Temple But when there appeared fingers of a mans hand which wrote ouer against the Candlesticke vpon the plaister of the wall a remembrancer vnto his conscience how contemptuously and sacrilegiously he had dishonoured the highest Maiestie and that the vials of Gods heauie vengeance were ready to bee powred vpon his head all the ioyes of his royall pompe vanished as the smoke For then the Kings countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the ioynts of his Ioynes were loosed and his knees smote one against the other And now one pang of his wounded conscience did much more torment him then the kingdome maiestie glory and honour which he receiued from his father Nabuchadnezzar could euer comfort him So I doubt not but many times the hearts of many glorious Ones in this life that are not in trouble like other men but spread themselues as greene bay-trees when they heare the certaine iudgements of God denounced out of his booke by his Ministers against those sinnes to which by long custome and vowed resolution they haue fastned their affections because thereon depend their pleasures honours states reputations contented passing the time or the like I say that many times except their consciences be feared vp with an hote iron against the day of vengeance and then their case is vnspeakably wofull their hearts tremble euen as the trees of the forrest that are shaken with the wind Amid their laughing their hearts are
himselfe in darknes but that in his cold blood and more sober consideration will acknowledge and confesse that the state of notorious sinfulnes is the state of wretchednes and of death And that there is no hope for the Drunkard the Swearer the Lier the Vsurer the vncleane person the Sabbath-breaker the Sacrilegious Simoniacall and sinners of such infamous ranke but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and without repentance and forsaking their sinnes an eternall separation both from al possibilitie of grace and sound comfort in this life and from the fruition of the ioyes and blessednes of heauen hereafter I therefore endeuour and desire to come neerer and closer to mens consciences and to tell them that out of a conceit of their morall honestie and outward religiousnes they may perswade themselues that they are rich and encreased in spirituall store and haue need of no more for the attainment of heauen when in deed and truth as concerning the power of sauing grace and sincere exercise of religion they are wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked In these luke-warme times many there are who with the fruites of a temporarie faith and some light of the generall graces of the Spirit make a faire shew and win good reputation for their spirituall state both with their owne hearts and with the world abroad when to the eie of heauenly wisdom and in truth they are but only Blazing-stars and earthly minded not fixed in the same firmament with the Sunne of righteousnes nor of an heauenly stampe And if they rise not higher in their affections and conuersation from earth and earthly vanities when their rootlesse graces shall be withered and wasted away their fall will bee sudden and fearfull and their former vanishing flashes of vaine hope for future happinesse will be turned into horror and extremest miseries of despaire Most behooffull then is it for euery man in time to search and examine himselfe whether Christ Iesus be in him or no. And it is one of the worthiest and noblest imployment of the soule to reflect vpon it selfe and with an vndazeled and vndissembling eye thorowly to trie and descrie cleerely it owne state whether it be already washed with the blood of Christ and enliued with a supernaturall vigour and life of grace or yet lie polluted in it owne blood and vnder the power of the first death I wonder how any man can bee at rest and quiet vntill he be assured and secur'd in this point sith vpon it depends his euerlasting estate in another world Nay sith euen in this world euery vnregenerate man let him be otherwise neuer so great or adored aboue others neuer so absolute in all other excellencies and perfections whatsoeuer yet being out of the state of grace is a very limbe of Satan a child of darknesse and one of the familie of Hell The wrath and vengeance of God all the furie of the kingdom of darknesse the rage of all the creatures though hee little thinke vpon it are euerie houre readie and addrest to seize vpon him as a traitor and rebell to the highest Maiestie and to dragge him downe into the bottome of Hell Whereas the state of true Christians and Gods faithfull Ones is most comfortable and glorious euen in this life in this vale of teares and in these Tabernacles of clay For their comforts are not fading and earthly springing out of the sinfull pleasures transitorie glorie of the world not fastned vnto honors greatnes and possessions to the encrease of Corne and Wine and Oyle but they are of a right noble and heauenly temper framed and emplanted in the sanctified soule by the spirit of all comfort and therefore euerlasting and vnconquerable able to keepe a man in heart and resolution against the malice and cruelties of all aduersaries of all creatures They only are truly and soundly perswaded by the sweet and secret testimonie of the spirit and by the euidence and experience of their own holy life that after the approching and much longed for period of a few and euill daies they shall raigne with God almightie the holy Angels and glorified Saints in vnutterable and endlesse pleasures for euer and euer and therfore easily and resolutely with much indignation contempt ouer-looke and throw out of their hearts all worldly thoughtfulnes all excessiue desires of earth and earthly vanities all restlesse aspirations after transitorie honors the noble miseries of this wretched life They alone haue fastned the eye of their mindes illightned from aboue with sauing faith vpon the vnualuable pretiousnes and lasting beauty of their immortall crownes in heauen and therfore all the glittering and golden representations with which the flattering world hath formerly deceiued and dazled their eyes appeare to be nothing but darknes and desolations Their glorie indeed heere vpon earth doth not consist in outward pompe and state it doth not shine to carnall eyes it is vndiscernable to the sharpest sight of worldly wisedome and policie but inwardly and with spirituall fairenes their diuine graces make them so truly honorable and louely that somewhere in Scripture they are called the Glory of God and are as deare vnto him as the pretious ball and apple of his owne eye They are in so high esteeme and account with Angels that those excellent creatures with much ioy alacrity become their Guardians and seruiceable vnto them with extraordinarie care and tendernes All the creatures groane and desire to bee deliuered into their glorious libertie and in the meane time with a secret and insensible reuerence they adore the sacred character of diuinitie that is stampt vpon them All the Saints acknowledge them to bee more excellent then their neighbours of the household of God and heires of heauen Nay the wicked themselues many times are confounded and stand amazed at the height of spirit and resolution that possesseth their hearts and at the sober vndanted maiestie that shines in their faces This and a thousand times more then this is the blisfull state of Gods children euen in this life Howsoeuer they be neglected and trampled vpon by the world and wicked men yet in the iudgement of God himselfe the blessed spirits and all men of true worth indeed they are the only Angels vpon earth and the royall citizens of this kingdome of Grace The prosecution of this point would bee comfortable but so I should be more tedious No more but this therfore at this time Certaine it is if a man were crowned with the royall state and imperiall command of all the kingdomes vpon earth if his heart were enlarged to the vtmost of all created capacitie filled with all the exquisite and vnmixed pleasures that the reach of mortalitie and most ambitious curiositie could possibly deuise and might without interruption and distast enioy them the length of the worlds duration they were all nothing to the enioyment of the pretious and peereles comforts of the state of Grace but euen for an houre
earthly minded fellow that preferres a little transitorie trash before the pretiousnesse of his owne soule and the lasting treasures of immortalitie why he can easily prouide a golden wedge and cast in his way to enrich him he can compasse for him though by bloudy meanes and mercilesse enclosure a Naboths vineyard to enlarge his possessions For all is one to him so he keepe him his owne whether by want and pouertie he driue a man to impatiencie murmuring and independencie vpon the prouidence of God or by heaping vpon him abundance of wealth and filling him a full cup of temporall happinesse he cast him into a deepe sleepe of carnall securitie and a senselesnesse in al matters of sanctification and saluation But whereas Satan hath found by much experience that such as are fenced with riches and honours doe many times falsely assume vnto themselues a conceit of greatnesse and goodnesse of protection and immunitie from dangers so that they are more fearelesse of the iudgements of God because they are not plagued like other men more carelesse of storing themselues with spirituall comfort against the day of visitation because they are in the meane time plentifully encompassed with worldly contentments more regardles and neglectiue of the ministery of the word because they would not willingly be tormented before their time therefore I say hee followes with more hope and better successe this temptation by prosperitie And the rather because crosses afflictions and heauie accidents are many times liuely instructions and compulsions to bring a man to the knowledge of God and himselfe to abandon all confidence in earthlie things and to embrace the most comfortable and heauenlie state of true Christians Wherefore if any man be content to stand for Satans kingdom either by open and profest impietie or by close conueiances and secret practises and conniuencie he will be sure to prepare incline and dispose all occasions meanes and circumstances for his aduancement into reputation with the world And how potent he is in these cases yâ—u may conceiue sith he swaies the corruptions of the time sith he rules and raignes in the hearts and affections of the most men and is euer the arch-plotter in all Simoniacall indirect corrupt and vnconscionable consultations and compacts The second reason of the flourishing of the wicked in this life is their large and vnlimited consciences For if a man once haue so hardned his heart by often grieuing the good spirit of God and repelling his holy motions if he haue once so darkned the eie of his conscience by offering violence to the tendernesse and neglecting the checks thereof that hee can now entertaine and digest without scruple or reluctation any meanes though neuer so indirect any condition though neuer so base any aduantage though neuer so vnconscionable or dishonourable it will be easie enough for him to thriue in the world and raise himselfe For what I pray you were not the Papists now able to do who haue enlarged their consciences like hell nay they haue stretched them beyond the whole compasse of all hellish darkenesse euen into a vault of their owne what I say were not they able to do except they were countermanded by that irrefragable eternall and particular decree of God that Babylon must now downe as irrecouerably as the great milstone in the Reuelation cast with violence into the sea Why certainly they were able by their policies principles not onely to reestablish their former Antichristian tyranny but to cast the whole Christian world nay this and the other world and the whole frame of nature into combustion darknesse and confusion And no maruell for these fellowes consciences can without â—emorse digest euen the sacred bloud of Kings and swallow downe with delight the ruines and desolations of whole kingdomes Their bloudie superstition hath so quite and fearefully extinguisht all sense of common honesty and put out the light of natural equity and the common notions of right and wrong that they broch with bold faces the cursed poison of equiuocation the diuels old imposture in Oracles a very straight passage to damned Atheisme and the dissolution of all humaine society that to them the breach of the lawes of God of nature and nations is meritorious and worthie canonization if it serue any way to the aduancement of their execrable idolatrie to the repairing of their decaying Babylon and to reare their Italian Idoll the Priest of Rome yet a little higher aboue all that is called God In this respect then that the wicked dare enlarge their consciences to the vtmost bounds of any pleasure gaine or preferment they haue great aduantage for the ingrossing of all worldly happinesse and may easily purchase a Monopoly of earthly prosperity Out of this widenes of conscience proceed much mincing and excusing many interpretations fauourable constructions and distinctions of sinnes As for example that Vsurie is of two sorts biting and toothlesse when all kind of Vsurie is pestilent and most certainely damned in the booke of God That Symonie is either buying the gifts of the holy Ghost or buying Church-liuings as though this latter were not so soule and enormous when it is able in short time to bring a curse and confusion vpon the most glorious and best setled Church in the world That of lies some are pernicious some are officious and for a greater good whenas euen the learneder sohoolemen who are far enough from precisenes hold euery kind of lie to be a sin indispensable whenas Aâ—stinâ— that worthy father great disputer admits not a lie for the saluation of a mans soule which is farre more worth then the whole world Nay when a man is not to tell a lie for the glory of God as it appeareth Iob 13. then which there can be no greater good Of Oaths that some are greater and more bloody some are lesser ordinary and more tolerable as though custome and commonnesse made these latter excusable and vnpunishable when as the plague of God hangs continually ouer the head of what swearer soeuer ready euery houre to seaze vpon him and sinke him downe into the bottome of hell The flying booke of Gods curse and vengeance shall enter into the house of the swearer and shall not onely cut him off but shall consume the very timber thereof and the stones thereof Neither doth this plague rest within priuate walles but it wastes the glory and prosperitie of whole kingdomes Because of Oathes saith Ieremie the land mouâ—neth and the pleasant places of the wildernes are dried vp nay if it were possible that the breath of the swearer should reach vnto the heauens it would euen staine the glory of the starres and rot those faire and immortall bodies it is infected with such a canker and pestilencie and so immediatâ—ly strikes at the face of Almightie God Many other such leaud distinctions of sinnes there are framed and followed by the sensuall greedy and ambitious affections of prophane men that they may more
malice most sauage and vile that is discharged vpon the body or good name of the dead so I would haue also a charitable conceit follow the soule of the departed so farre as spirituall wisdome a good conscience diuine truth the glory of God the safetie of the soules of the liuing will giue leaue But no further Thirdly neither doe I mislike or condemne Funerall Sermons I could rather wish that as the death of his Saints is precious in the sight of God so that it might be glorious in the eyes of men I could rather desire that the iust prayses and true sincerity of the child of God were published euen by some Seraphicall tongue that both the glory of his graces might passe along and shine bright to all posterity and that such a fire of zeale for imitation might be enkindled in the hearts of all the hearers especially the present occasion making their minds more capable of persuasion that they passing thorow the same course of holinesse might at length be made partakers of the same happinesse with the Saints of God Only in these cases I would haue that spirituall discretion truth and conscience vsed that neither the godly be iustly grieued and offended the wicked heartned and hardened in their courses false conceit of happines nor the faithfulnes and sincerity of the ministery disgraced and scandalized Thus farre I haue laid open vnto you the state of formall hypocrisie in which may concurre immunity from notorious sinnes all naturall and morall perfections admirable variety of learning policy and all other acquired ornaments of the mind an outward performance of all duties of religion some measure of inward illumination a resemblance and shadow of the whole body of true regeneration and a persuasion as you haue now last heard of being in state of grace Euen thus farre a man may goe in the profession of Christian religion and yet be a stranger from the power of faith and from the life of godlinesse I now come by reasons and arguments to disable it in those points which haue not beene touched for challenging any interest in the true happinesse of a man And first to proue that a performance of outward duties of religion without the power of grace vpon the soule and an vniuersall sanctification in all the faculties thereof cannot produce any sound comfort in the heart or acceptation with God My first reason is that Principle generally receiued with all schoole Diuines and very sound and Orthodox in true Diuinity The iniquitie defect or exorbitancie of any particular of one circumstance maketh an action euill but an absolute integritie of all concurrents is required to make a good worke acceptable to God comfortable and profitable to a Christian The end must be good the glory of God the action it selfe in it owne nature must be iust warrantable the circumstances honest and seasonable the meanes direct and lawfull the fountaine the hart sincere and sanctified If this last be wanting especially though otherwise it be neuer so gloriously conucied neuer so wisely managed of neuer so goodly a shew to the eyes of the world yet it is not only mard and defaced and no action of grace but odious and abominable in the sight of God The Moralists by the light of nature saw a truth proportionable to this euen in the actions of vertue The truth and worth wherof they did censure and esteeme not by the bare outward action but by the inward free and independent vprightnesse of the mind And therefore to an action truely vertuous they required a resolued knowledge an irrespectiue and aduised freedome of spirit a constant and easie habit of the mind an entire loue to the fairenesse of vertue So that whatsoeuer honest actions sprung from passion humour scare respect ambition or the like they accounted vertuous and good onely by accident and occasion not inwardly and essentially whereupon they hold that many great and honourable atchieuements of ancient Worthies amongst the Heathens howsoeuer they were admirable in the eyes of men and beneficiall to the publicke State for sometimes out of some sudden eleuation of spirit or pang of vaine-glorie they were euen prodigall of their liues and blood for the good and deliuerance of their countrie yet to the authours and actors themselues they were not the true workes of vertue but of ambition and a desire of immortall fame It is euen so in the higher actions of grace and religion Besides the outward performance God requires sinceritie of heart and truth in the inward parts to make them gratious and acceptable And howsoeuer otherwise they may purchase them a name amongst men prosperity in the world some lesse torment in hell and procure good vnto others yet except they proceed from a faith vnfained and a pure conscience to the Christians themselues in respect of all heauenly happinesse they are fruitles and vnprofitable My second proofe is out of the 5. of Matth. Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies ye shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen The outward righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies was famous in those times and much admired So that if God did not principally respect the heart if that were not true in the 16. of Luke That which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God they might not onely haue carried away the garland for piety on earth but haue iustly seemed to haue beene the onely heires to a crowne of immortality in the heauens For besides their forbearance and protestation against grosser sinnes Murther Theft Adulterie Idolatrie and the like they were frequent and solemne in prayers fastings almes-deeds and that with farre greater strictnesse and deuotion then the religious actions of formall hypocrisie are performed in these times of the Gospell Besides I doubt not but many of them were persuaded that their way was the way of life and that they were in the state of true happinesse And yet for all this except wee exceede their righteousnesse the speech is peremptorie we shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen For we see in the 23. of Mat. what a chaine of curses out of the mouth of our blessed Sauiour did iustly draw them into the bottome of hell Thirdly this truth is manifest out of the Doctrine of the Prophets Esai 1 Mich. 6. Hag. 2. Psal. 50. and many other places Whence ariseth this conclusion That the principall and holiest exercises the most solemne and sacred actions of religion without sinceritie and sanctification of heart are but as the cutting off a Dogs necke and the offering of swines blood Their sacrifices oblations and incense Their nâ—w Moonâ—s their Sabbaths and solemne feasts were things commanded by Gods ownâ— mouth yeâ— where they were performed with impure and propâ—ane hearts he telâ— them that his soule hated them that they were a burthen vnto him and that he was wearie of them For if the Lords contentment had finally rested in
blessings were things so incredible and beyond all expectation You know a little before the Queenes death the wisest were at their wits ends and euery one stood amazed and astonished for the feares his heart did feare The Iesuites from beyond seas insolently insulted ouer vs and told vs in their bookes that this kingdome would shortly become a prey to the greedie ambition of all the neighbour nations that huge clouds of blood hung ouer our heads and would melt and dissolue at the Queenes death But it was neither so nor so They are the false prophets of the Beast in the Reuelation no maruell though they lied For he that dwels in the heauen laughed them to scorne our gratious God had them in derision And when diuels and Papists looked and wished that this land should haue beene clothed euen with blood and fire as with a garment out of the infinite depth of his vnsearchable mercies he couered it with peace ioy and happinesse euen as the seas are couered with water In the Gunpowder Treason the necke of our whole State both of Church and Common-wealth the glory of this famous and flourishing kingdome the hope of posterity was laid as it were vpon the blocke The instrument of death was lifted vp by the damned instrument of the Popes malice and cruelty he was euen ready to giue the mortall stroke and had not the Angell of the Lord stepped in in the verie nicke had not our mercifull God by his most miraculous and immediate prouidence put to his helping hand when our case was desperate and all hope past he had cut off from vs the roote and the branch the name and the remnant the son and the nephew Our land that before was as the garden of Eden had bin by this time a desolate wildernesse Our Church which was before a harbour of Saints had been by this time a poole of snakes I meane an habitation of Papists The faire body of this citie that before was enliued with matchlesse glory and worth should by this time haue bin a rent and dismembred carcase and that which is worst of al the neglected and forlorne lims inspired with the doctrine of diuels Let vs then examine our selues in this point Haue these incomparable blessings melted our hearts into teares of repentance thankfulnes Haue these cords of loue drawn vs neerer vnto our God in all knowledge loue and obedience Why then we may assure our selues of a good testimony that our soules are seasoned with grace But if it be quite otherwise If these great and vndeserued mercies haue bred in vs a more frozen coldnesse in the seruice of God a more presumptuous securitie and a sounder and sweeter sleepe in sin If since our miraculous deliuerance vnparalleld by all Nations times and stories there hath bin amongst vs no lesse prophaning of Gods Name and Sabbaths then before no lesse pride and drunkenesse no lesse oppression and vsurie no lesse vncleannesse and vnconscionablenes in our callings no lesse ignorance in the word of God and backwardnesse in the waies of holinesse no lesse contempt of godlinesse and godly men Nay if all these gather head and heart more ripenesse and readinesse to receiue the flame of Gods fierce and last wrath If there bee rather a sensible decay of the feare of God of zeale and true sinceritie amongst vs If Prophanenesse Atheisme Poperie and a luke-warmenesse in religion like a mightie Torrent rush in violently vpon vs daily more and more and fearefully preuaile and domineere in most places Why then you are a people of vnderstanding I leaue it to your owne consciences to consider what must needs shortly befall vs except we gather our selues before the decree come foorth vnlesse by speedy humiliation and vnfained repentance wee preuent so great and fearefull iudgements And the rather because wee may assure our selues while the Diuell is in hell and the Pope at Rome the Priests and Iesuits those notorious and transcendent instruments of blood and death will be working in the Vaults of darknes for the confusion of the children of light the subuersion of the Kingdome of Christ and by consequent the ruine of our Church and Common wealth Little know we what fearefull and hellish plot may be euen now in hatching and hammering or how neere it is to the birth while we are most secure And for vs in the meane time without repentance and rooting out Idolatrie to depend still vpon immediate and miraculous discoueries and deliuerances is at the least an vnhallowed and desperate presumption I cannot follow distinctly at this time any more differences betwixt the state of sauing grace and formall hypocrisie For conclusion therefore onely I will acquaint you more fullie with the effects of sauing grace and follow in few words the trace and steps of the Spirit of God in the great worke of regeneration that thereby euery man may examine his conscience iudge himselfe and trie what his state is The working and propertie of this sauing grace and true godlinesse vouchsafed peculiarly and onely to Gods children which doth translate them from darkenesse to light from the corruption of nature to a state of supernaturall blessednesse you may thus conceiue and vnderstand It is like leauen for so the power of Gods word is compared in the Gospell it is of a spreading nature First it seates it selfe in the heart after it is dispersed ouer all the powers and parts both of soule and body ouer all the actions and duties of a man whatsoeuer It softneth and changeth the heart It purgeth the inmost thoughts It awakes the conscience and makes it tender and sensible of the least sinne It sanctifies the affections It conformes the will vnto the will of God It illightnes the vnderstanding with sauing knowledge It stores the memory with many good lessons for comforts instructions and directions in a godly life It seasons the speech with grace It so rectifies and guides all a mans actions that they proceed from faith they are warrantable out of Gods word they are accomplisht by good meanes and wholly directed to the glory of God Nay yet it spreads further and kindles a desire and zeale for the saluation of the soules of others especially of all those that any way depend vpon vs So that the child of God doth euer embrace all meanes and opportunities for the communicating of his graces and comforts and the bringing of others to the same state of happinesse with himselfe Let then I beseech you euery mans conscience goe a little along with me and secretly but faithfully answere to these few interrogatories which I shall propose very briefly and plainely that euery man may easily-vnderstand Hast thou felt by thine owne experience this great worke of regeneration and change wrought vpon thy soule Hath the powerfull word of God by the inward speciall and effectuall working of his spirit broken and bruised thy hard and stonie heart Hath it pierced and purged the very closest and most
all his politicke States-men then his teachers then the ancient If wisedome were lost me thinks it should bee found amongst Polititians the Oracles of imperiall depthes and secrets of State the pillars of common-wealths and kingdomes amongst profound Doctors and Rabbins the fathers of knowledge and learning amongst the ancient whose age is many times crowned with ripenesse of iudgement with variety of experience and obseruation And yet by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirituall prudence for the same word is vsed there by the Septuagints which the Apostle hath Col. 1.9 Dauid farre surmounted them all in respect of which the flower and quintessence of all their wisedome and policies was nothing but glorious follie and profound simplicitie Hence it is that many a poore soule illiterate and neglected proudly passed by and many times trampled vpon with disgrace and vexation by worldly wisemen yet liuing vnder a constant and conscionable Ministrie is infinitely more wise then the greatest clerkes and learnedest doctours both in giuing counsell and aduise in spirituall affaires and in conducting their owne soules in these strangely prophane and desperate daies thorow the strait way to heauen Hence then you may see a cleere difference The formall hypocrite so farre as naturall wit goodnes of education ciuill honesty morall discretion politicke wisedome can illighten and leade him may manage his actions and affaires with exactnesse and reputation gloriously and without exception in the sight and iudgement of the world Nay besides sometimes by an addition of some inferiour and more generall graces of Gods spirit hee may set vpon them such an outward glistering that they may dazle the eyes of the best discerning spirit and deceiue his owne heart with a false persuasion that they are the true actions of piety and pleasing vnto God But ouer and aboue all these which is neuer to be found in the vnregenerate there is in the vnderstanding of the child of God a more excellent and superior vigor that inspires his actions with a high and more heauenly nature that breathes into them the life of grace that guides them with truth and singlenes of heart and sinceritie in all circumstances to the glorie and acceptation of God the comfort of his owne conscience and good of his brethren There is a farre clearer and brighter eye shining in the soule of euery regenerate man in respect whereof the fairest lights of all other knowledge and wisedome are Egyptian darkenesse which doth euer faithfully descry and discouer vnto him the straite though vnbeaten path to immortality thorow all the passages and particulars of his life It reueales vnto him the wisest and most conscionable resolution in all spirituall debatements the best and fittest seasons of reprouing sinnes and winning soules vnto God many obliquities of actions iniquitie of many circumstances the right vses of his owne afflictions disgraces and infirmities which the formall hypocrite cannot possibly discerne because he is starke blind on this eye Amongst infinite I will giue one instance of the gratious workings and power of this diuine habit Let vs imagine an euill report or false slander to bee vniustly raised and without ground vpon the formall hypocrite though it seldome befall such for commonly prophane men are more countenanced better conceiued and spoken of by the greater part and by great men then they deserue Yet if it so fall out this or the like is his behauiour He perhaps proclaimes and protests his cleerenesse in the case too ambitiously and impotently not with that humilitie and spirituall discretion He pleaseth and applaudeth himselfe in his innocency for this particular boisterously and with clamour which perhaps secretly breeds a more generall Pharisaicall selfe-conceit of the rest of his waies He angerly contests with the iniquitie and ingratitude of the world for casting such base indignities and aspersions vpon goodnesse and vertue He would gladly beare it out brauely and make others think that he passeth it without wound or passion but indeed he inwardly chases and frets and is much grieued and gauled with worldly sorrow for it the reason is his reputation with men is dearer vnto him then the glory of God his chiefest good and comfort in this world is the worlds good opinion of him But in all this he is so farre from working any spirituall good out of it that he rather entertaines a secret encouragement to be that indeed which the world censures him to be then for a bare conceald conscience of his innocency to debarre himselfe of a full fruition of the present times But let vs now on the other side conceiue a child of God to be wickedly and wrongfully slandered for it is properly his lot and portion in this life to be loaden with leaud and lying censures with vniust and odious imputations sometimes to haue many grieuous things and fearefull abominations fathered vpon him without al sense honestie or probabilitie which he neuer did he neuer knew And if once ill reports raised falslie vpon the godly be on wing they flie as swift as the Eagles of the heauens Diuels are speedie Dromedaries to carrie such newes They presently passe thorow Tauernes and Ale-houses Citie and Countrie Gath and Ascalon they run farre and wide as currant and authenticall vnder the Broad-seale of good fellowship neuer more to be controlled and reuerst vntill the matter be brought before that high and euerlasting Iudge But marke I pray you the carriage of Gods child in these cases he doth indeed sweetly and comfortably enioy the consciousnesse of his owne vprightnesse though his aduersaries bee neuer so potent or cunning to threape him down yet vntil he die as Iob speaks he will not take away his innocencie from himselfe When the sharpe and empoisoned arrowes of bitter malice and calumniations come thickest vpon him euen with haile shot his truly noble and diuinely resolued soule is infinitly satisfied with that in Iob Behold now my witnesse is in the heauen and my record is on high Yet he doth labor to cleare himselfe so farre as the honour of God the satisfaction of the godly and danger of iust scandall require But the gracious considerations and holy practise which in these afflictions of his good name spirituall prudence principallie ministers and suggests vnto him are such as these First he considers that howsoeuer he be innocent from the slander yet the finger of God is in it as it was in directing the dogged malice of cursed Shemei vpō the roial person of Dauid therfore he gathers that the Lord would thereby giue him notice that some other things in him are amisse That some secret corruption by which his blessed Spirit is grieued is to be subdued and mortified y t some grace is to be repaired some of his waies to be amended perhaps his languishing zeale is to be reuiued and inflamed his heart much duld with the contagious prophanenesse and formalitie of the times is to be quickned and more enlarged for Gods seruice
in their sins But sith I know not how soone I shall come to iudgement my poore soule shall not appeare before my blessed Sauiour red with the blood of those soules for which his precious blood was shed Therefore I will not be Non-resident You see here a restraint from Non-residencie that bloodie gangrene that with remorselesse greedines eates and deuoures the pretious soules of men This short explication of the nature of conscience thus premised you may easily conceiue with mee thus much that Accordingly as the practicall vnderstanding of a man is furnished with principles and rules for guiding his actions according to the nature of them and soueraignty they hold in the conscience such and thereafter commonly is his life and actions I except the grosse hypocrite for hee sinneth against the knowledge of his heart and light of his conscience Therefore the sound of feare is already in his eares and in his prosperitie the destroyer shall come vpon him Hee beleeueth not to returne out of darkenesse for he seeth the sword before him Affliction and anguish shall make him afraid They shall preuaile against him as a king ready to the battel God shall run vpon him euen vpon his necke and against the most thicke part of his shield because hee hath couered his face with falshood and inwrapped himselfe in a cloud of hypocrisie The point then must bee exemplified in other sorts of men First the notorious sinner by reason of his delightfull conuersing with the wicked and custome in the workes of darkenesse doth obscure smother and in some measure extinguish in his conscience not onely the light of supernaturall truth but of nature too Therefore hee runnes headlong without restraint or bridle into desperate villanies and outragious rebellions He drawes in sinne with cartropes and worketh all maner of vncleanenesse with greedinesse He is bound with his sinnes and couered with iniquities as a field is hedged in with bushes and the path therof couered with thorns whereby no man may trauell It is shut vp and is appointed to be deliuered by fire Secondly The Papist he entertaines and treasures vp for his practicall principles the bloodie Dictates of the Pope of Rome that man of sinne and vicegerent of Satan which are so farre from receiuing strength or warrant either from nature or diuine truth that they hold strong contradiction and eternall opposition to both and therefore his conscience is enlarged like Tophet For it can without scruple or remorse nay with hope of heauen and a brighter crowne of glory digest euen the sacred blood of kings and swallow downe with ease the ruines and desolations of whole kingdomes He can meritoriously butcher his brother in the streets with prodigious cruelty as in that horrible massacre at Parâ—s He can bee dispensed with and discharged from oaths and truth of speech the necessarie and soueraigne instruments of all iustice and society amongst men He may expect canonization for blowing vp of Parliaments and tearing in peeces the royall limbes of the Lords Anoynted and the strong sinewes of the worthiest State vnder heauen and after saile towards the Popish Paradise which is indeed the pit of hell thorow a sea of innocent blood without any checke or counterblast of conscience Thirdly the ciuill honest man hath his conscience informed with rules of naturall honesty and generall notions of right and wrong and therewith contents himselfe And therefore he frames himselfe with sober cariage faire conditions iust and vpright dealing towards men so that he is well spoken of and reputed by the world a good neighbour a sober wise man of harmelesse behauiour no medler a peaceable man and these are excellent if not seuered but seruiceable to true pietie and sauing knowledge Peace is a pretious thing if it may bee purchased and possest without impeach and preiudice to holinesse and a good conscâ—â—nce Follow peace with all mâ—n and holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. Peace and holinesse must goe together If otherwise it is an holy peace to bee at warre with the corruptions of the time and to be at peace with sinne is to war against God and his owne soule But the meerely ciuill honest man by his practicall principles is led no further but to the executions of morall honestie as for instruction in heauenly mysteries and diuine knowledge hee doth not much meddle with care for or seeke after but onely for companie and fashion Fourthly the formall hypocrite besides the direction of naturall light in his conscience doth interesse and acquaint himselfe with practicall principles out of supernaturall truths and the word of God for the performance of religious duties and seruices but hee puts them in practise with reseruation with his owne exceptions and limitations Hee is onely so farre guided by them in his life and conuersation as they are compatible with his worldly happines And therefore in the time of persecution as it is in the parable hee falleth away But by persecution you must vnderstand not onely the fierie triall and striuing vnto blood but also inferiour and not so smarting afflictions and tentations as it is cleere if we compare the three Euangelists in their narration of the parable It is many times disgraces and contumelies for his profession displeasure and discountenance of great Ones the hazarding of some profit and preferment the losse of friends and fauour of the world or the like that makes him slinke and yeeld and desperately to cast himselfe into the current of the times there to swimme with others for a while with full saile of outward prosperitie vntill he drowne himselfe in perdition and sincks suddenly into the gulfe of endlesse woe and miserie Hence it is that Mat. 13.21 he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Temporizer Hee is not thorow sound resolute and true-hearted for godlines good causes and to good men For many times when the honour of God is put as it were in the one scale of the balance and his owne contentment in the other he suffers some worldly profit or pleasure the gratification or satisfaction of some great man the purchase of some Fellowship Benefice or spirituall dignitie for sometimes it proues perhaps as deere as a purchase the greedie desire and pursuit of some vndeserued office or honour the enioyment of prophane company or coherence with worldly wise men the pleasure of some secret and sweet sinne or such like I say he suffers these to weigh downe the exceeding waight of heauenly blisse the vnualuable treasure of a good conscience and the infinit glory of God Which is strangely miserable sith all the worth wisdome power excellencie and whatsoeuer other happinesse of man al the highest and greatest treasures and glory vnder the Sunne without the feare and fauour of God if they were put in the waights with vanitie vanitie would waigh them all downe So thought Dauid Psal. 62. The children of men are vanitie the chiefemen are lies to lay them
occurrents obseruable with deuotion and reuerence for the good of the soule haue no great power to worke vpon them sacred times or daies of affliction are not wont to make any such impression or to breed extraordinary stirrings and motions in them Let iudgements blast or mercies blesse a kingdome let Gods word find smooth and euen way or rubs and opposition let prophanenesse be countenanced or sinceritie cherished he takes no thought so he may sleepe in a whole skinne and keepe entire his worldly comforts his thoughts continue heauie dull and formall Hee may conforme and consort with the times in his outward gestures words and actions but ordinarily his thoughts admit no change saue onely so farre as his priuate temporall felicitie is endangered by publicke iudgements or enlarged by showers of mercies and blessings from heauen I cannot enlarge this point at this time only I will giue one instance in their difference of thoughts vpon the Sabbath day The Sabbath day is as it were the faire day of the soule wherein it should not onely repaire and furnish it selfe with new spiritual streÌ„gth with greater store of knowledge grace and comfort but also feast with it heauenly friends the blessed Saints and Angels vpon those glorious ioies and happie rest which neuer shall haue end Euery child of God therefore which hath alreadie a reall interest in that eternall rest makes not only conscience of doing his owne waies seeking his owne will speaking a vaine word on that day but also in some good measure makes it the very delight of his heart the loue and comfort of his inward thoughts so that he may consecrate it as glorious to the Lord. He doth not onely giue quiet and cessation to his body from worldly businesse and works of his calling but also empties his head and disburdens his thoughts of al earthly cares that so they may wholly and entirely intend the holy motions of Gods Spirit and spend themselues in godly and extraordinarie meditations fitting the feast day of the soule and the Lords holy day This is the desire longing and endeuour of his heart thus to sanctifie the Sabbath and if at any time he be turned awrie from this vprightnesse by companie or his owne corruptions he is after much grieued and vext with it repents and praies for more zeale conscience and care for the time to come But the formall hypocrite howsoeuer he may on that day forbeare and abstaine from his ordinarie sinnes labours sports and idlenes howsoeuer he may outwardly exercise and execute all duties and seruices of religion though indeed more of custome and for fashion then with heartie and true deuotion nay he may haue other thoughts on that day but onely so farre as the bare solemnitie of the time and the greater Presence can alter them yet I dare boldly say it no formall hypocrite no kind of vnregenerate man can possibly make the Sabbath his delight as is required Isai. 58.13 And which is presupposed to make vs capable of the blessings following in the same place Then shalt thou delite in the Lord and I will make thee to mounâ— vpon the high places of the earth feed thee with the heritage of Iacob thy father for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it He cannot for his life sequester his thoughts at all not euen on that day from worldlinesse and earthly pleasures to diuine and sacred meditations Doe what hee can he cannot beate and keepe them off from worldly Obiects they will not leaue their former hants or be restrained from plotting or pleasing themselues with weeke-day businesses Lord it is strange that the soule of a man so noblely furnished with powers of highest contemplation being so strongly and sensiblie possest with consciousnesse and conceit of it owne immortality and hauing the restlesse and vnsatisfied desires of it wide capacity neuer fild but with the Maiestie of God himselfe and the glory of an immortall crowne should be such a stranger to heauen the place of it birth and euerlasting abode that vpon that day whereon as vpon the golden spot and pearle of the weeke the Lord hath stamped his owne sacred Seale of institution and solemne consecration for his owne particular seruice and speciall honour yet I say vpon that day it cannot settle and continue it owne thoughts and motions vpon those vnmixed and blessed ioyes and the way vnto them without which it shall bee euerlastingly miserable and burne hereafter in that fierie lake whose flames are fed with infinite riuers of Brimstone and the endlesse wrath of God for euer and euer Now I pray you tell mee when wee shall haue raigned hereafter many millions of yeeres in heauen what thoughts will remaine of this little inch of time vpon earth When we haue passed thorow a peece of eternitie where will appeare the minute of this miserable life and yet our thoughts and affections are so glued vnto the world as though eternitie were vpon earth and time only in heauen You are men capable of worthiest and highest eleuations of spirit I beseech you resume this meditation at your leisure methinks it should be able to breed thoughts of a far more noble and heauenly temper then ordinarilie arise and are nourished in the hearts of men But to follow my yurpose Certaine it is not the best vnâ—egenerate men can endure an entire and exact sanctification of the Sabbath it is not a Iubilie to their hearts and the ioy of their thoughts for they cannot abide to haue their minds stay long in a feeling meditation vpon spirituall affaires vpon the examination of their former life the state of the other world the sleights and tentations of Satan the day of death the tribunall of heauen and such like For though the best of them may haue a persuasion of their being in the state of grace as I haue largely proued heretofore yet sith it is wrongly and falsely grounded it cannot abide the search and touchstone Hence it is that of all things they loue not to bee alone They may please themselues well enough in solitarinesse vpon some priuate businesse for the more profound plotting and contriuing worldly matters for a more free but filthie exercise of the adulteries of the heart and contemplatiue fornication to feed vpon dull and fruitles melancholie to let their thoughts wildly range and runne riot into a world of imaginations to diue into the mysteries of nature or depths of State but to be alone onely for this purpose that the mind may more fully and immediately worke vpon the spirituall state of the soule and impartially inquire into the conscience they cannot they will not endure it and therefore commonly cast themselues into one knot of goodfellowship or other that they may merrily passe away that time for an houre of which the time of grace being once expired they would giue ten thousand worlds yet shall neuer bee able to purchase it againe But Gods children when they are alone haue inward