World that Christ the Messias is come in the Flesh c. Or to Things present as That Almighty God knows all I do and knows all I think or That he is a reconciled Father unto me in Christ Jesus Or Things to come which principally excite those Two great movers of the Soul Hope and Fear in relation to the future Life of Rewards and Punishments Hale Faith worketh by Love consumeth our Corruptions and Sanctifieth the whole Man throughout I come to God by Jesus Christ and as I believe in God so I believe also in Jesus Christ and rejoyce and glory in Him acknowledging my own unworthiness and sinfulness I rest entirely on Him as the ground of my Justification to Life and of all favour and acceptance with God. I most heartily take Christ according to the offers of the Gospel not only to be Justified from my Sins and delivered from the Wrath to come by his Merits but also to be Sanctified by his Word and Spirit and to be Governed by his Law and to be brought by him unto Fellowship with GOD. Corbet 's Self-Imployment Tho' there be not a co-operation of Faith and other Graces to Justifie yet there is a co-existence of Faith and other Graces in the Persons Justified Faith cannot be the Hand to take Christ but Love will be the Warmth to heat our Affections to Christ they always go together like Mother and Daughter Gal. 5.6 Phil. 5. Faith is required as an Hand which we should put forth to receive Pardon for our Sins First At God's Hands as a Free-Gift for he blotteth out our Transgressions for his own sake Isa 43.25 Secondly At Christ's Hands as a purchased Commodity bought for us with his own precious Blood and given to you There is First an Heart mollifying Faith. Secondly An Heart purifying Faith. Thirdly A fruitful Faith. Fourthly An Heart Praying Faith. Fifthly A Victorious Faith. Tho' we are Justified by Faith yet it is by Faith working by Love Gal. 5.6 And he that Loves God keeps his Commandments John 14. Bishop of Hereford 's Legacy 66 67. As to Faith Justifying and the Merit of Good-Works Bishop Cranmer concluded with this That our Justification was to be ascribed only to the Merit of Christ Jesus and that those that are Justified must have Charity as well as Faith but that neither of these is the Meritorious Cause of our Justification When ever we read of our Justification by Faith it is meant of our Justification in a Gospel way and that is by Christ alone Meritoriously and by what he hath done and Suffered Faith being but the conditional means Christ's Satisfaction contrived provided accepted and the Conditions performed then every Saved Person will appear Righteous before God and it will be very apparently a Righteous thing with God to bring such to Glory who have Christ's Righteousness by way of Satisfaction to answer for them in respect of the Law and their own Faith and sincere tho' imperpect Obedience to answer the terms of the Gospel Faith to Live by it IT is an Heavenly and Dutiful committing our whole Persons and of our whole Estates upon God with a Pious dependance on Christ for suitable and seasonable Supplies in all our Exigencies Occurrences and Changes whatsoever When the Soul is in any Exigence and comes to Christ and puts it self upon him and trusts to him for help This is to Live by Faith and this Faith extends it self both to our Spiritual and Temporal Estate The Just shall Live by his Faith Gal. 3.11 speaking of the Temporal State And Live by Faith of the Son of God says St. Paul Gal. 2.2 speaking of the Spiritual State. By reason of the Dignity of Christ's Person his Obedience and Sufferings being performed in our Nature and wholly upon our account God by an Infinite Gracious Statute in Heaven accepts them for us tho' not as done by us and reckons all the Effects and Advantages of them by way of Imputation to us Justification Evangelical We should not try Mens Faith by their Persons but their Persons by their Faith. Tertullian Chrysostom saith As a Rock tho' the Winds blow and the Waves beat against it is Immovable so Faith grounded on the Rock Christ holds out in all Temptations and Spiritual Combats Chrysologus saith Neither in the Steel alone nor in the Flint alone any Fire can be seen nor Extracted but by Conjunction and Collision so nor by Faith alone nor by Works alone is Salvation to be attained but by joyning both together Alexander of Hales saith What the Eye is to the Body Faith is to the Soul it 's good for direction if it be kept well And as Flies hurt the Eyes so little Sins and Ill-Thoughts do the Soul. Says Luther to Melancthon Who feared to Profess the Truth If the Cause be bad le ts revoke it and fly back but if it be good why do we make God a Lyar who hath made us such great Promises viz. Cast thy Care on the Lord and be of good Comfort I have Overcome the World. If Christ be the Conqueror of the World why should we fear it as tho' it would Overcome us therefore be not afraid but Couragious and Chearful solicitous for nothing the Lord is at hand to help us Calvin saith With all my Heart I embrace the Mercy which God hath used towards me for Jesus Christ 's sake recompencing my Faults with the Merits of his Death and Passion that Satisfaction may be made by this means for all my Sins and Crimes and the remembrance of them may be blotted out I have not lived so that I am ashamed to live longer neither do I fear to Die because I have a Merciful Lord in that a Crown of Righteousness is laid up for me Christ is my Righteousness Father let thy Will be done thy Will I say and not my own which is imperfect and depraved This Day let me see the Lord Jesus c. Jewel Fall of Man. Anselm saith O hard hap What did Man lose What did he find He lost the Blessedness to which he was made and found Death to which he was not made Fortune SIR William Saint James was wont to say That none Fought well but those that did it for a Fortune Fortune saith Sir Ralph Winwood may begin a Man's Greatness but Vertue must continue it Friendship Friendship saith my Lord Bacon easeth the Heart and cheareth the Vnderstanding making clear Day in both partly by giving the purest Council or partly from our Interest and Prepossessions and partly by allowing opportunity to Discourse and by that Discourse to clear the Mind to recollect the Thoughts to see how they look in Words whereby Men attain to the highest Wisdom which Dionisius Aeriopagitus saith is the Daughter of Reflection Forgiveness IF a Man saith Sir David Brooke wrongeth me once God forgive him If he wrong me the second time God forgive me O God Forgive me my Ten Thousand Talents I come to Jesus Christ who
are ever holding Holy things without feeling Bacon If Atheists say The World or its Materials were Made they must grant a GOD that made it If they say They were not Made they then assert an Eternal Being of it self that is they allow the Difficulties for which they pretend to deny a GOD. Cares WHen Men Believe weakly and Love GOD but little they can scarce find whether they Believe or Love at all and therefore remain in doubt To Remedy which follow your Duty till Grace be encreased ply your Work wait upon God in the use of his prescribed Means and he will undoubtedly bless you with Increase and strength of Grace If you would lay out those serious Affections in Praying and Seeking unto Christ and for more Grace you would in time Believe strongly and Love fervently and thereby put it out of doubt whether you Believe or Love or not Mrs. B. If by moderate and due Care we would resign up our Selves and Concernments into the Hands of God He would charge himself with us but if we will Immoderately Care and be so peremptory in our Designs and will not submit them to him then God is discharged and we must look to our selves You need not fetch the Misery of another Day and put to this it hath enough for its own Let them consider that fear Want that they want nothing so much as Faith A little more trusting in God and a little less sinful Foresight and needless Care would do well Our daily Defects and Disappointments procure Misery and Vexations He that would make Earth sure must first of all make Heaven sure Shall I by taking thought what I shall Eat and what I shall Drink here never fear Wanting or Begging a drop of Water hereafter Shall I be Solicitous for Cloaths and do not know but my Soul and Body may lie naked in the scorching Flames of the Wrath of God to all Eternity Besides that I have a Promise of God for outward things if I make it my business to look after Heavenly It s a very needless Care God provides Meat for me that I may not be taken off my Work to seek those things that are Heavenly Mat. 6.33 Christ Crucified the knowledge of it IT is a kind of Catholicon of universal Use and Conveniency in reference to this Life Am I in Want in Prison in Contempt in Banishment in Sickness in Death this Knowledge gives Contentedness Patience Chearfulness Resignation of my self to his Will who hath Sealed my Peace with him and Favor from him in the great Covenant of his Son I could live upon this tho' I were ready to Starve when I am assured that it is for my Good and the glory of his Name I shall be delivered if not I can be contented if my Jewel the Peace of God and my own Conscience by the Blood of Christ be safe if not in Wealth Honor greatness in Esteem in the World. This Knowledge teacheth me Humility as knowing of whom I have received it Fidelity as knowing to whom I must account for it and in all it teacheth me not to over-value it nor to value my Self the more by it or for it It makes Death not Terrible because a most sure Passage to Eternal Life Here I find a way to get my Sins Pardoned whereas all the World without this cannot contrive a Satisfaction for me I find such a Way to obtain such a Righteousness as is valuable with God and perfect before Him even the Righteousness of God in Christ and here I find the means the only means to avoid the Wrath to come the Terror of the Judgment of the Last-Day Everlasting Life to all Eternity which the blessed God and the Lord Jesus Christ all the blessed Angels and the Spirits of Just Men made perfect The knowledge of Christ above all other Knowledge and Christ Crucified above all other Knowledge of Christ being the highest manifestation of his Love. J. Hale With all my Heart saith Calvin I embrace the Mercy of God which he hath used towards me for Jesus Christ's sake recompencing my Faults with the Merits of his Death and Passion that satisfaction being made by this means for all my Sins and Crimes and the remembrance of them may be blotted out I witness also and profess that I humbly beg of him that being washed and cleansed in the Blood of that highest Redeemer shed for the Sins of Mankind I may stand at his Judgments-Seat under the Image of my Redeemer Had Christ been God only he could not have Suffered had he been Man only he could not have Merited Christ's Blood was shed as well for Oblution as for Absolution Diffidence of ones Self and Dependance of Christ is the Motto of a Christian Counsel THe greatest Trust between Man and Man is the Trust of giving Counsel For in our Confidences saith our Lord Bacon Men commit the parts of Life their Lands their Goods their Children their Credit and some particular Affairs but to such as they make their Counsellors they commit the whole by how much the more they are obliged to Faithfulness and Integrity There is no such Flattery as of a Mans self and there is no such Remedy against that Flattery as the Liberty of a Friend Counsel is of Two sorts The one concerning Manners the other concerning Business For the first The best Preparative to keep the Mind in Health is the faithful Admonition of a Friend The calling of a Man's self to a strict Account is sometimes too piercing and corroding Reading good Books of Morality is a little Flat and Dead Observing our Faults in others is sometimes improper for our Case but the best Receipt best I say to work and best to take is the Admonition of a Friend Conviction IF you be troubled for Sin observe whether your trouble for it be inward as well as outward and reaches not only to open Sins but to secret Lusts to Inward and Spiritual Sins such as Hypocrisie Formality Lukewarmness Deadness and Hardness of Heart and if so this is a sure sign of the Work of the Spirit because the Trouble occasioned by these Sins bears a more immediate Relation to the Holiness of God who only is offended by them they being such that none else can see or know Covetousness HE that is Covetous when he is Old is as a Thief that Steals when he is going to the Gallows Bags of Gold to us when Saints will be but as a Bag of Pebbles when Men. Alexander of Hales says That Covetousness deserves the Hate of all for these Reasons First It is a Sin against Nature making the Soul Terrestrial which should be Heavenly Secondly For the many Curses against it in the Scripture Wo to them that joyn House to House c. Thirdly For the many Evils it subjects them unto It is the Root of all Evil. Fourthly It makes a Man a Fool O Fool this Night c. Fifthly It canses Strifes from whom are Strifes Sixthly It
in the Blood of Christ whereby we are fully and throughly Purged and it gives a full Interest in the strength and power of Christ whereby we shall be perfectly preserved Mead. To quicken your Graces you must first quicken your Humility by considering your many Sins repeated Secondly you must quicken your Faith by Meditating on the Promises to all Penitent Sinners Thirdly by quickening your Love to God by considering his Mercies especially those remembred in the Sacrament his giving Christ to Die for us and your Love to your Neighbour nay to your very Enemies by considering that great Example of his Suffering for us when we were Enemies to him You must know that it is not gifts but Grace that makes a Man a Christian a Man may Preach like an Apostle and Pray like an Angel and yet have the Heart of a Devil It is Grace only that can change the heart a graceless Professor may have more gifts than the most sound Believer he may out-Pray out Preach and out-do them but they in Sincerity and Integrity out-do him Good and Wicked Men and Hypocrites THey are like True and Counterfeit Money the one seems to be good and is not the other both seems and is good Ignatius Goodness GOod things of this life if they be our only Portion we are in a sad Condition so Gregory the Great thought for he could never read those words Son remember thou in thy life time received thy good things without Horror and Astonishment least having such Dignities and Honours as he had he should be excluded from his Portion in Heaven The signs and parts of goodness are these If a man be Courteous to Strangers it shews he is a Citizen of the World and that his heart is no Island cut off from other Lands but a continent that joyns to them If he be Compassionate towards the Afflictions of others it shews his Heart is like the noble Tree that is Wounded it self when it gives the healing Balm If he easily pardons and remits Offences it shews his Mind is planted above Injuries so that it cannot be shot If he be thankful for small Benefits it shews he weighs mens Minds and not their Trash But above all if he have St. Pauls affection That he could wish himself Anathematized from Christ for the Salvation of his Brethren it shews much of a Divine Nature and a kind of Conformity to Christ himself Bacon's Essays 70. Grandees It is said that Great Men are the first that find their own Griefs and the last that find their own Faults The Lord Rich was quick in both and hath taught us this that certainly Men of great Fortunes are strangers to themselves and while they are in the puzzle of Business have no time to attend the Welfare either of Body or Soul and that they must withdraw from this World before they retire to another Happiness THe way to attain to it in short is by the constant and sincere endeavours of a holy Life in and through the Merits of Jesus Christ Christ indeed is the Author of Eternal Salvation but Obedience is the Condition of it so the Apostle tells us That Christ is the Author of Eternal Salvation to them that Obey him Heb. 5.1 I long to enjoy thee O Lord most inwardly but I cannot attain unto it my desire is that I may be given up to Heavenly things but unmortified Passions and Temporal things weigh down my Mind I would be above all things but with the Flesh I am forced to be subject against my will. Thus unhappy Man that I am I fight against my self and am grievous to my self Whilst my Spirit seeks to be above my Flesh seeks to be below Say not that we are unable to set our Hearts on Heaven this must be the Work of God and therefore all your Exhortations are in vain for I tell you though God be the chief disposer of your Hearts yet next under Him you have the greatest Command of them your selves and a great power of ordering your own thoughts and determining your own Wills in their choice tho' without Christ you can do nothing yet under him you may do much and must do much or else it must be undone and you undone thro' your own neglect Do your own Parts and you will have no cause to Distrust whether Christ will do his Do not your own Consciences tell you when your Thoughts are abroad that you may do more than you do in the restraining of them and when your Hearts be flat and neglect Eternity and seldom mind the Joys before you that is most wilful If you be to study a set Speech you can force your Thoughts to the intended Subject If a Minister be to Study a Sermon he can force his Thoughts to the most saving Truths and that without any special Grace Might not a true Christian then mind more the things of the Life to come if he did not neglect that Authority over his own Thoughts which God hath given him especially in such a work as this where he may more confidently expect the Assistance of Christ who useth not to forsake his People in the work he setteth them upon Mr. Baxter 's Rest Part the Fourth 53. Heavenly Sayings Robert Rollock saith I bless God I have all my Senses entire but my Heart is in Heaven and Lord Jesus why should'st not thou have it It hath been my Care all the Day long to Dedicate it unto thee I pray thee take it that it may live with thee for ever Hooper Martyr said Imprisonment is painful but Liberty upon Evil Conditions is worse The Prison stinks yet not so much as sweet Houses where the Fear of God is wanting I must be alone and Solitary it is better be so and have God with me than to be in the Company of the Wicked Loss of Goods is great but the loss of Grace and God 's favour is greater I cannot tell how to answer before Great and Learned Men yet it is better do that than stand Naked before God 's Tribunal I shall Die by the hands of Cruel Men He is Blessed that loseth his Life and finds Life Eternal There is neither Felicity nor Adversity in this World is great if it be compared with the Joys of the World to come Bilney the Martyr being going to be Burnt was by a Friend Exhorted to take his Death patiently to whom he said I am Sailing with the Mariner thro' a boisterous Sea but shortly shall be in Heaven help me with your Prayers Bishop Ridley Writing to Mr. Bradford said Blessed be God notwithstanding our hard restraint and the Evil Reports raised of us we are Merry in God and all our Care is and shall be by God 's Grace to please and serve him from whom we expect after these Temporary and Momentany Miseries to have Eternal Joy and Felicity with Abraham Isaac and Jacob c. And Writing to Mr. Latimer in Prison he said Good Father let me have
forgiven him Ten Thousand Talents to forgive his Fellow Servant an Hundred Pence Perfection AS to the strict absolute and legal knowledge of Perfection so there is none perfect in this Life for as Prov. 20.9 Who can say I have made my Heart clean and pure from my Sin In this sence there never was in the Earth one perfect Man except Adam before his Fall and that Man Christ Jesus But then there is an Evangelical Perfection that speaks Perfection in a qualified and Gospel sence and thus every good Man is a Perfect Man even whil'st he is here upon Earth Take this in Five things 1. He is Perfect as to his Justification in the first moment of a Sinners Believing 2. He is perfectly Justified 3. His Sins being fully Pardoned 4. His Guilt fully Expiated 5. His Person made compleatly and perfectly Righteous thro' the Imputation of Christ's perfect Righteousness imputed unto him for he that hath perfect Righteousness upon him hath perfect Righteousness Sanctification is a Progressive Act that goeth on by little and little step by step by degrees But Justification is of a different Nature that is a continued but not a Progressive Act We are not Sanctified all at once but are Justified all at once and all the Successive Pardons that we have for Sin are but the effect of one continued Justification as that is particularly applyed and drawn forth Justification is Simul semel altogether at once as the Schools speak Little Grace is perfect in as much as it is continually growing up to Perfection Phil. 3.22 Prov. 4.18 Dr. Jacomb Spencer Compton Brother to the Right Honourable the Earl of Northampton calling to himself Reverend Persons as Bishop Morley and Dr. Earls when he was on his Death-Bed at Bruges he raised himself on his Pillow and held forth his Hands as tho' he were embracing one saying O my Jesus Intimating the Comforts that flowed in and from the Holy Jesus into his Soul. After which holy Extasie composing himself to a calm and serious Discourse he said to the Standers by O! do good and keep close to the Principles of the Christian Religion Publick Good. SIR John Fines said He is High that serves a Princes private Interest He is always so that is Careful of the Publick Good. Parents and Children THree things there are was Sir Anthony Cook 's saying before whom I cannot do amiss 1. My Prince 2. My Conscience 3. My Children Seneca told his Sister That he could not leave her a great Portion but he could leave her a good Pattern Sir Anthony would write to his Daughter Mildred My Example is your Inheritance and my Life is your Portion Prophecy HE that will see what shall be let him consider what hath been As Sir Richard Weston said There is the same desires of Honour and Interest in every Age that were before it So that as Machivel observes It is very easie with him that useth Diligence and examineth past Occurrances to serve himself of those Remedies which were in use among the Ancients or if they fail to devise what is most like them Perseverance EPhraim Sims says That the resolute Traveller knows his Journey to be Long and the Way Dirty yet goes on in hopes to come to his House So let a Christian tho' the way to Heaven be narrow tho' it be set with Troubles and Persecutions yet let him go on till he hath finished his Course with Joy for Heaven is his Home Pleasures WE must deal with Pleasures as we do with Hony only touch it with the tip of the Finger not with the whole Hand for fear of a Surfeit Bead. Poverty Spiritual HE is poor whose Soul is void of Grace and not whose Coffers are empty of Money Contented Peverty is true Riches Greg. the Great Prosperity SIR John Fineux said That no Man Thrived but he that Lived as if he were the First Man in the World and that his Father was not Born before him Protection DEfend me said Luther to the Duke of Saxony with your Sword and I will Defend you with my Pen. Maintain my Power says the Minister of State to his Soveraign and I will Support your Majesty Protestant and Papist SIR Henry Wotton being in a Popish Chappel a Merry Papist that knew him sent a Paper to him with this Question Where was your Religion before Luther Under which he writ Where yours is not that is in the Written Word of God. Preaching and Preachers SIR Augustine Nicols loved plain and profitable Preaching being wont to say I know not what you call Preaching but I like them that come nearest my Conscience The Speech of Julius Caesar is commonly known Oportet eim parutarem stantem mori Which Bishop Jewel alter'd and apply'd to himself Decet Episcopum concionantem stantem mori Pilgrim A Christian at home in his House must think himself a Stranger and that his Country is above where there be no Strangers Austin Providence REmember always that God Rules the World and those things that are Accidents with us are Providence with Him and let this quiet thy Heart The Earl of Arundel when the rest of the Council were for the Dealing with the Queen of Scots underhand at a distance he was to Deal with her plainly and said to the Queen The Wisdom of the former Age was so Provident that it needed not and so plain that it admitted not Shifts Peter Lumbard said The instruction of Words is not so Powerful as the Exhortation of Works for if they which Teach well neglect to do well they shall hardly profit their Auditors That in a great number of People of several Ages and Conditions who are like an Harp with many Strings it is hard to give every one such a Touch as may please all and offend none Naziansen Preaching LET none Glory in the Gift of Preaching in that they Edifie more by them for they are not Authors of Grace but Ministers It is hard to be Serious in hearing him whom I think is not Serious in himself who Preacheth it if I apprehend he Trifles it is a great Temptation to me to do so too Pride REmember that they that Pride themselves in Silk Apparel cannot lightly put on the Holy Jesus Christ Cyprian Thou boastest thy self of thy Wealth Honour Strength Beautiy consider what thou art by Sin and what thou shalt be in the Grave and thy Plumes will fall for every Proud Man forgets himself He that begins to grow Better let him beware least he grow Proud least Vain-glory give him a greater overthrow than his former Vices Isedore To be Content have a little Esteem of thy self Superbus aracus nunquam quiescunt No Man Whispers but a Proud Man is disturbed whereas the observance of this Rule will make us say when we are Contemned and Dispised that they cannot think so low of us as we of our selves and then we shall not be moved It will help us in Poverty Sickness and all Misfortunes whilst
needs be by a valuable Consideration made Justification Evangelical 88. 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Scripture WHen the Scripture wants a Tongue of Expression we need not an Ear of Attention we may safely knock at the Council Door of God's Secrets but if we go further we may be more Bold than Welcome Cyril of Alexandria Basil when he had read the Bible over he said It was a Physician 's Shop of Preservatives against Poysonous Heresies a Pattern of profitable Laws against Rebellious Spirits a Treasure of most profitable Jewels against Beggarly Elements and a Fountain of most pure Water springing to Eternal Life Sanctification Sanctification and the New-Creature are no less than for a Man to be brought into an Intire Resignation of his Will to the Will of God and to live in the offering up his Soul continually in the Flames of Love a whole Burnt-Offering to Christ And how little says he are many of those who profess Christianity experimentally acquainted with this Work on their Souls Bishop Usher The Work of Sanctification that is true and effectual is a Work of the Spirit of God on the Soul enabling it to the Mortification of all Sin and to the Obeying of every Command to work with God in all well-pleasing Rom. 8.13 1 Pet. 1.2 Heb. 23. Mead. There is an Inward and an outward Sanctification Inward Sanctification is that which deals with the Soul and its Faculties as Understanding Conscience Memory and Affections Outward Sanctification is that which deals with the Life and Conversation both these concur to make a Christian indeed Thes 5.23 The Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ This is my Body by the Word This our Saviour meant This Bread is Infinitely plain to any that is unprejudiced What did he take the Text tells you he took Bread What he took he also Blessed Broke and Gave This he said Take Eat and then adds This is my Body this will be put out of doubt if by the following This in those Words This is my Blood by This be meant This Cup no reason can be assigned why This in Mat. 26.26 should not denote This Cup if This ver 28. denote This Cup It is true that St. Matthew and St. Mark having mentioned the Cup which Jesus Took Blessed and Gave tell us that Jesus said This is my Blood and tho' it be plain from what goes before that by This be meant This Cup Yet we have further proof of it still for whereas St. Matthew and Mark say only This St. Luke and St. Paul say This Cup and having this Warrant for This in the latter words to understand This Cup where lies the Blame when by the former This Bread. But I proceed This Verb IS is Interpretable according to the subject Matter but where it is used of a Sacrament and joyns the sign and the thing signified together and where another sence contended for is destructive to our Senses and against Reason and other Scripture 't is reasonable to understand it to Import the same with the Word Signifie and this is the present Case There are many more Reasons but what hath been here said may satisfie any unprejudiced Person Of the Real Presence acknowledged by Protestants in the Holy Sacrament made appear by a plain and familiar Example viz. A Father makes his last Will and by it bequeatheth his Estate and all the Profits of it to his Child He delivers it into the hands of his Son and bids him to take there his House and Lands by this his last Will he delivers to him The Son in this case receives nothing but a Roll of Parchment with a Seal to it from his Father But yet by vertue of this Parchment he is Intitled to his Estate performing the Condition of his Will and to all the Benefits and Advantages of it And in that Deed he truly and effectually received the very House and Lands that were conveyed to him Our Saviour Christ in like manner being now about to leave the World gives this holy Sacrament as a final Bequest to us in it he conveys to us a right to his Body and Blood and to all the Spiritual Blessings and Graces that proceed from them So that as we receive the holy Eucharist as we ought to do we receive nothing but a little Bread and Wine into our hands but by the blessing and promise of Christ we by that Bread and Wine as really and truly become partakers of Christ's Body and Blood as the Son by the Will of his Father was made Inheriter of his Estate Nor is it more necessary for this that Christ's Body should come down from Heaven or the outward Elements which we receive be substantially turned into it than it is necessary in that other case that the very Houses and Lands should be given into the hands of the Son to make a real Delivery or Conveyance to them or the Will of the Father be truly and properly Changed into the very Nature and Substance of him Soul. THat which the Soul is in the Body that are Christians in the World for as the Soul is in and not of the Body so Christians are in but no part of the World. Justin Martyr He that feasts his Body but starves his Soul is like him that feasts his Slaves but starves his Wife Ephrahim Cirus As the Soul is the Life of the Body so the Life of the Soul is God When the Soul departs the Body dies when God departs the Soul dies Prosper The reasonable Soul made in the likeness of God may here find much Distraction or no full Satisfaction for it being capable of Good can be satisfied with nothing but God. Austin The Soul of Man says St. Austin is a Spiritual or Incorporeal Substance Sensible Invisible Reasonable Immortal Sinful Absurdities Saint Cyprian observes Twelve Absurdities in the Life of Man. 1. A Wise Man without good Works 2. An Old Man without Religion 3. A Young Man without Obedience 4. A Rich Man without Alms. 5. A Woman without Shamfacedness 6. A Guide without Virtue 7. A Poor Man that is Proud. 8. A King that is Unjust 9. A Bishop that is Unjust 10. A Bishop that is Negligent 11. People without Discipline 12. Subjects without Law. Sin. GOD Condemns none before he Sins nor Crowns any before he overcomes P. Lumbard It is best not to Sin and next that amend upon the Punishment Justin Martyr Our Sins being Sins against the Infinite Majesty of God none but our Saviour who also is an Infinite Majesty both God and Man can make Satisfaction for them Bishop of Hereford's Legacy When Sinners have no sence of their Spiritual Condition it is plain they are dead in Sin the Tokens of Eternal Death are upon them Mead. In Deut. 5.25 28 29. They promise to fear God and keep his Commandments but they wanted a new Heart to perform what an unsanctified Heart had promised There is a strife against Sin in one and the same
wonderfully delivered him from eminent Death so that he was compelled to acknowledg a Divine Providence therein his Father seeing the dangerous ways his Son was led into sent for him home where he carefully and holily instructed him and caused him to read over the New-Testament of which he himself writeth thus When I read over the New-Testament I first lighted on the First Chapter of St. John In the beginning was the Word c. I read part of the Chapter and was suddenly convinced that the Divinity of the Argument and the Majesty and Authority of the Writing did exceedingly excel all the Eloquence of Humane Writings My Body trembled my Mind was astonished and so affected all the Day that I knew not where or what I was Be thou mindful of me O my God according to the Multitude of thy tender Mercies call home thy lost Sheep into thy Fold And as Justin Martyr of Old so he of late professed that the Power of Godliness in a plain simple Christian wrought so upon him that he could not but take up a strict and serious Life Mr. Howard afterwards the learned Earl of Northampton being troubled with Athestical suggestions put them all off this way viz. If I could give any account how my self or any thing else had a Being without God how came there so uniform and constant a Consent of mankind in all Ages Tempers and Educations otherwise differing in their apprehensions about the Being of God the Immortality of the Soul and Religion in which they could not likely come so many or being so many could not be deceived I could be an Atheist And when he was urged that Religion was a State-policy only to keep men in awe he replyed That he would believe it but that the greatest Politicians have sooner or later felt the Power of Religion in the grievous lashes of their own Consciences and dreadfulness of their own apprehensions about that State wherein they must live for ever Sir John Mason having been imployed much in State-Affairs said I have learned this after so many experiences that Seriousness is the greatest Wisdom Temperance the best Physitian and a good Conscience the best Estate and if I were to live again I would leave the Court for a Cloyster my Privy Councellors Bustles for a retired Life and the whole Life I lived in the Palace for one Hour Enjoyment of God in the Chappel all things forsake me besides my God my Prayer and my Duty Sir Henry Wotton after so many years Study with proficiency and applause of the University his being a Favorite of Robert Earl of Essex his intimacy with the Duke of Tuscany and James the 6th of Scotand his Embassies into Holland Germany yet desired to retire with this Motto Tandem didicit animas sapientiores fieri quiescendo He was very Ambitious of the Provost-ship of Eaton that there he might enjoy his beloved Study and Devotion saying That that day he put on his Gown was the happiest day of his Life that being the utmost happiness a man could attain to he said to be at leasure and to do good never reflecting on his former years but with Tears in his Eyes he would say How much Time have I to repent of and how little to do it in Charles the Fifth Emperor of Germany King of Spain and Lord of the Netherlands after 23 Pitch-fields 6 Triumphs 4 Kingdoms won and 8 Principalities added to his Dominions and 14 Wars finished he resigned his Empires and Kingdoms retiring to his Devotions in a Moastery and had his own Funeral Celebrated before his Face leaving this Testimony of the Christian Religion That the sincere Profession of it had in it Sweets and Joys that Courts were strangers to Salmasius that excellent French Scholar whom the Learned men of his Time never mention without such Expressions as these Vir nunquam satis laudatus went out of this World with these words in his Mouth Oh! I have lost a World of Time that most precious thing in the World whereof had I but one year more it should be spent in David's Psalms and Paul's Epistles Oh! Sirs said he to those about him Mind the World less and God more all the Learning in the World without Piety and the true Fear of God is nothing worth The Fear of the Lord that 's wholsome and to depart from Evil that 's understanding Robert Rollock said at the time of his Death Haste Lord and do not tarry I am a weary both of Nights and Days Lord Jesus that I may come to Thee break these Eye-strings and give me others I desire to be dissolved and to be with Thee Haste Lord Jesus and defer no longer Go forth my weak Life and let a better succeed Oh my Lord Jesus Christ thrust Thy Hand into my Body and take my Soul to Thy Self O Lord Jesus set my Soul free that she may enjoy her Husband The Earl of Strafford said Oh trust not in man that shall Die nor to the Son of Man as shall be made as Grass there is no Confidence in Princes the only things that stands by a man are the Blood of Christ and the Testimony of a good Conscience An Excellent Person having writ exquisitly for the Christian Religion hath this Discourse of the Nature of it viz. Doth now the Conquest of Passions forgetting of Injuries doing Good Self-denial Patience under crosses which are the expressions of Piety abound to the support of a Luxurious Malitious and Impatient Spirit Is there nothing more becoming Malitious Proud and Impatient Soul of Man in examplary Piety and an Holy and well ordered conversation than in the Lightness and Vanity not to say in Rudeness and Debauchery in them which the World accounts the greatest Gallants Is there nothing more graceful and pleasing in the Sweetness and Ingenuity of a truly Christian-temper and disposition than in the revengeful Spirit of such whose Honour lives and is fed by the Blood of their Enemies Is it not more truly Honourable and Glorious to serve that God that Commandeth and Ruleth the World than to be a Slave to those Passions and Lusts that put men upon continual hard Service and torment them for it when they have done it Is there nothing else to Commend Religion to the Minds of men besides that Tranquility and Calmness of Spirit that Serene and placable temper which follows a good Conscience where soever it dwells it were enough to make Men to welcom that Guest which brings such good Entertainment which it wherefore the Horrors Anxiety and Amazement of Mind which brings at one time or other which prostitute their Consciences to a Violation of the Laws of God and of the Rules of rectified Reason may be enough to perswade any Rational Person that Impiety is the greatest Folly and Irreligious Madness Sir Thomas Smith after he had served Queen Elizabeth as Secretary of State and done many good Services to the Kingdom especially in setling the Corn-Rate for the