hath it with the Creature with the whole order of nature with his armies celestiall terrestiall seeing all depend vpon his pay taketh the watch word from him who guideth their blowes and directs them as it pleaseth him even those which would seeme vnto thee mortall to be for thy health and for thy salvation Peace with the Elements for he bridleth the Sea moderateth the fire so as he who lodgeth vnder the shaddow of the Almightie Psal 91.1 needes not feare any thing which terrifieth by night or flyeth in the day which destroyeth at noone tyde Peace with the beasts of the field for he muzzells the mouth of the hungrie Lyon Out of the eater he giues meate and out of the strong he bringeth forth sweetnesse Iudg. 14.14 Peace with men though worse one to another then Lyons for sayth the Prophet Ps 56. God is on my side what then can man or flesh doe vnto mee Peace with death Psal the 3. so that although thousands should set thēselues in battayle array against mee I should not sleepe a whit the worse because he is on my side Peace with the graue and with hell for is it not he that bringeth to the graue and rayseth vs vp againe and what can death bring vnto mee but life Death which is but for a moment life eternall 1 Cor. 15. the 54.55 Death is swallowed vp into victory Our Lord Iesus hath not he triumphed for vs O death where is thy victory Henceforth where are thy triūphs Hell where is thy sting The power of sinne being now abolished by grace And therefore wee haue peace with all seing al their might and weapons turne to our peace all their curses into blessings all their gashes how terrible soever they may be are turned into balme their tempests into safe havens All these things I say and all others whatsoever worke together as sayth the Apostle vnto our good and that because of the loue of God which is purchased for vs by Iesus Christ for in steade of a judge he is now become a father and of a iust revenger a gracious protector disposing all against the haire to our victory to our peace to our glory and salvation Peace also amongst our selues with our brethren though some be hardly and not easily to be reconciled yet when we come to consider what and how many offences God hath forgiven vs and doth also daily forgiue vs even that God who is judge soveraigne Lord of all the world not sparing his owne Sonne for the ransome of our sins what offence then ought there to be so grievous vnto vs that should make vs to beare malice in our hearts against our brother or what pardon should seeme hard or difficult vnto vs be it to require be it to graunt to keepe backe or recover friendship with them But there is yet more for will they nill they thou hast peace with them though it be wanting on their part whilst thou giuest not place to wrath whilst thou renouncest revenge in doing good for evill Rom. 12.20 When thou holdest thy selfe for revenged by doing them good A glorious revenge and of a high straine farre more glorious then any other for ther by though they make not vse of it thou heapest coales of fire vpon their heads And such was that peace which David that valourous Prince had who overcame a Lyon with his strength a Goliah by his prowesse who had both given and also wonne so many battayles who fasted and put on sackcloth for his enemies who in the middest of the ruine which they plotted against him begged of God their life having them in his full power was contented with the skirt of his garment Lord sayth he if I haue not kept him who wrongfully oppressed mee let the Enemie pursue mee and take me let him treade my life vpon the ground and lay my honor in the dust Psal 7. A true figure of him who here leaues vnto vs his peace and yet more liuely in his owne example who prayed for those that crucified him and was crucified for them that offended him This Philosophy nay rather Chivalry how farre remote is it from that of the world Moreover he tells vs hereafter that hee leaveth it not vnto vs as the world doth Now peace in our selues behold the principal peace for in vaine will it be for vs to haue peace without vs if wee haue warre within vs health in the Cittie if the Plague be in our bosome if our conscience accuse vs if our sinnes warre against vs But is it possible to smoother sin in our selues Let vs if we can But who can doe it and who is it that doth not every houre kiddle it Yea rather giue fire as it were vnto it We would faine still the sting of Conscience Alas the remedie is worse then the disease What will it be but a gangrene in stead of an vlcer Let vs then imbrace that grace which God offereth vnto vs in Iesus Christ by a liuely faith Let vs awaken our Conscience to find out her sinnes to search her wounds to the bottome being assured that in confessing them it shall besayd vnto vs goe in peace and in laying them open it shall become our healing And which is more wee shall be strengthened in spirit to wrestle against flesh and bloud against all spirituall powers and wickednesses so that the flesh striving within vs against the spirit wee may notwithstanding say with the Apostle Gal. 2.20 In that I liue now in the flesh I liue yet by the faith of the Sonne of God who hath loved me and given himselfe for mee Though I fight and the Combat be sharpe yet the quarrell is just and the issue certaine I haue kept the faith sayth S. Paul therefore the Crowne of righteousnesse is layd vp for me 2 Tim. 4.8 These things haue I sayd vnto you sayth our Lord vnto his Apostles that you might haue peace in mee in the world you shall haue affliction yea he foretold them of all sorts of afflictions Whence then is this peace He addeth but be of good courage I haue overcome the world and am now about to giue it the last deadly blow for you principally as for my selfe it is alreadie overcome the victory is yours which obtaines for you perfect peace that is your reconciliation with God and the consequent thereof a freedome from all perills and feare For if whilst we were enemies there being nothing in vs nor ought that could proceede from vs which did not provoke his anger wee were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne Rom. 5.10 being now reconciled his good favour being restored againe vnto vs shall wee not then much more be saved by his life He living in vs raigning for vs who vouchsafed to dye for vs Is not the Kingdome of God within vs to wit righteousnesse as the Apostle sayth peace and ioy Rom. 14.17 Hence it is that the Apostle amongst the fruits of
as pietie makes vs receiue it all from God and as from a father makes vs to take sicknesses afflictions of the body as a purgation for the health of the soule for as much as but one dramme of the loue of God manifested vnto vs by his spirit is of power to dissolue a sea of griefes there needing but one sparke of the spirit of God to cōsume all Of such as are learned In a word art thou learned I will further instruct thee for know thou that whatsoever thou knowest is not the thousand part of that whereof thou artignorant for he who was most expert in the knowledge of the matters of this life acknowledged that all his knowledge was but vanitie yea vanity more apt to puffe vp then to fill to make thee proud rather then truely glorious A learned ignorance There is also a certaine learned ignorance that one who is truly learned would preferre before all thy learning And therefore in praysing God for his graces referring them to their right end namely vnto pietie to the service of God without the which they are nothing be not then I pray thee too wise in thy selfe But art thou ignorant Of such as are ignorant or esteemest thou thy selfe to be so who darest not speake before others and art ashamed of thy selfe Be not therefore troubled I am about to teach thee how to be both better learned and wise if thou wilt beleeue me nay if thou wilt but beleeue even that great learned Apostle who 1 Cor. 2.2 determined among his Corinthians to know nothing but Iesus Christ and him Crucified was notwithstanding rapt vp into the third heaven into Paradice where he both heard and sawe things not to be vttered and yet of all that he makes no reckoning in respect of this onely knowledge the knowledg of this one thing which is onely necessary on which they are all either grounded or confounded Let vs see then how pietie suffers not riches to make vs proud nor to turne favour into oppression greatnesse into violence health into disorder knowledge into vanitie but extracting these from it as it were poyson from Vipers to make thereof good Treacle turning it into the medicine of humaine societie being without this both dangerous and deadly to meddle withall It supplies also all our wants poverties infirmities afflictions and necessities as onely necessarie like vnto that hearbe Tobacco so much extolled in the New-found-Landes which alone is sufficient for meate and drinke for Clothes and for Physicke Wee say like to that Manna in the Wildernesse according to the Iewish Rabbines which fitted every mans taste whatsoever he desired else were there never so little of this drugge it would convert to it selfe and into it selfe every other thing See another Example in Saint Paul Phil. 4. ver 11. I haue learned sayth he to be content with that I haue I know how to want and how to abound every where and in all things I am taught as well to be satisfied as to hunger as well to abound as to want But heare how I am able to performe all things in Christ who giues me strength Phil. 4.13 in and by this his onely grace This onely grace of Christ doth furnish all being apt onely of it selfe both to pare away our excesses and to supply our wantes to make vs finde contentment in povertie and glory in shame And therefore sayth he elswhere God forbid that I should glory in any thing but in the Crosse of Iesus Christ A poore glory wilt thou say in one Crucified He is dead indeede but is risen againe ascended into heaven and raigneth there Of which glory of which kingdome hee that is a member of Christ feeles himselfe alreadie partaker of Who thinketh it strange that the head being in heaven the feete should not haue a feeling therewith should not glory therewith though creeping here belowe on the earth And from this glory it commeth that the Apostle stiles himselfe putting it in the front of one of his Epistles Philem. 1. Paul a prisoner of Iesus Christ in bondes for his Name Might hee not rather wilt thou say haue stiled himselfe with a more honourable title namely Rapt vp into Paradise as if he had beene equall to the Angells Note But his pietie this faith in Christ honours him and sanctifies his bondes so that to suffer in Earth for Christ is more vnto him then to be taken vp into heaven this ravishment being of short continuance but his sufferings which assure him of his promise to haue there an everlasting being and to raigne there for ever with him What is meant by this one thing But heere O Christian it may be thou desirest to knowe wherein this one thing properly consistes which hath so many vertues and onely can doe all things but thinkest and fearest that this knowledge is too laborious who seest so many bookes of so long studies written so many degrees to passe through to attaine to so high a knowledge And verily the mystery of godlinesse is great as Saint Paul telleth vs. 1 Tim. 3.16 That God was manifested in the flesh iustified in spirit seene of Angels preached vnto the Gentiles beleeved on in the world and received vp into glory For of every one of these Articles there might Volumes be made The Angels themselues sayth Saint Peter desire to prie thereinto 1 Pet. 1.12 But for all this be not dismayd For God the Creator of man in his mercies would that this mystery should of right belong as well vnto the ignorant as vnto the learned by very Idiottes he hath converted Orators in the netts of poore Fishermen he hath taken Philosophers In one and the same Sea both great and small fish liue and swimme depths for the one and shallownesse for the other thou hast thy part in this mystery or rather thy priviledge though thou couldest not reade Vnder the Law it was sayd doe this fulfill the Commaundements of God and thou shalt liue A lesson proportioned according to that integritie wherein our first parents were created After so great a fall which displaced which bruised all his faculties and ours in him as over-matched For where is the man that ever did or could performe it But Christ our Lord by his perfect obedience not content onely to satisfie for vs but therewithall giues vs a lesson both shorter and easier that is this mystery of faith If thou confesse sayth the Apostle the Lord Iesus with thy mouth and beleevest in thy heart that GOD hath raysed him from the dead thou shalt be saved Rom. 10.9 Wilt thou haue it in other words These things are written sayth S. Iohn these Gospels Ioh. the 20. and last verse that thou mightst beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the sonne of God and that in beleeving you might haue life in his Name And wilt thou make it thine and appropriate it vnto thy selfe say then with S. Paul 1 Tim. 1.15 It is a true
the godly the slaues at the perill of the children the Philistime vnto the shame of the Israelite reprobate Saul vnto the confusion of faithfull David He delivers them into their hands he forsakes them And therefore we are not to thinke it strange if the request of David passeth from a prayer vnto a cry from a cry vnto a hideous noyse from a hideous noyse vnto a tempest Psal 55. 2. And yet though he casts not off his burthen may he not be sayd to shake it off Hee shakes it off who to deliver himselfe from affliction makes a Covenant with death and hell takes counsell of flesh bloud trades with the world though it be with losse of the glory of God redeemes himselfe he cares not how from them who persecute him David doth not so for saith he death as a tyrant shall sease vpon them Psal 55.15 But as for me I will call vpon the Lord and he will saue mee Vers 16. Why so Verily because hee knoweth that the Church is Gods building that the faithfull are his true children and are the only living stones therof that amongst these stones some are hewen some polished for the corner-stone for the maister-piece for Corinth c. All that come vnder his hand must endure the mallet the chislell and so much the rather by how much they are destinated to a higher place to wit to stand in the forefront of the building Seest thou any exempted from the hammer then say boldly they are not fit for his building Vpon our corner stone he layeth no other but chosen precious 1. Pet. 2.5 yea himselfe to be layd as the head stone of the Corner by what hammers chislells c. hath he not passed Namely calumnies false witnesses of Pharisies of Priests the cruelties of the Romanes of the Iewes themselues his brethren according to the flesh Vpon this stone thinkest thou vnskilfull builder that there may be set any ruffe ones And thou vntamed member dost thou thinke it strange that to make thee capable thereof he make thee passe vnder the playne makes thee smooth through hacking and hewing Therefore David who had passed through such trials who knew what and how many hewings are needfull for the faithfull to make them fit for this building what were the vses and benefits of affliction which God sends vs is not ashamed to say Psal 119. vers 67. that before he was afflicted he went astray but now it had brought him backe to his Law He casts not off his burden through despaire but cryes vnto the Lord and waiteth for his answere because he assures himselfe that that spirit which cryeth in him Abba Father the same eternall spirit doubtlesse will giue him this answer behold I am with thee neerer vnto thee then thy selfe He knowes that the Lord doth willingly draw neere vnto the broken hearted contrite spirits Psal 34. 18. He delights rather to be in the prison of sorrow then in the wedding chamber in a soule withered with bitternesse then spread out in deliciousnesse And in deede seldome you see such a one powre out his soule before God but presently shee gathereth vp againe her selfe in faith and confidence and her cry is turned into thanksgiving this swounding into a sacrifice of praise Hath David said Psal the 6. vers 3.4.5 9. My bones are vexed and my soule is astonished By and by also followes Depart from mee yee workers of iniquitie the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping And vpon the calumnies of Cusse the Beniamite prayeth he Psal the 7. vers 1.2.11.13 15. 17. Lord I draw neere vnto thee defend mee that he teare mee not in peeces like a Lyon He resolues with himselfe verses 10.11.12 The Lord is my Buckler if he turne not he will whet his sword There he finds both his weapons offensiue and defensiue hee shall travayle to bring forth wickednesse but shall bring forth a lye his travayle shall fall vpon his owne head I said saith he elswhere when I began to slide when I began to be swallowed vp with feare I am cut off in thy sight Psal 31. vers 22.23.24 But thou hast heard the voice of my supplication when I did cry vnto thee glorying therevpon by way of triumph saying Loue the Lord all yee his Saints for he keepeth his faithfull ones be of good courage and he will strengthen your heart And so in this place having felt himselfe discharged of the burthen of his griefes he encourages others saying Cast thy burthen vpon the Lord c. Psal 55. Is he hid in the Desert of Ziph flying from the fury of Saul his King being ready to be delivered vp into his handes by those of that place He hath no sooner sayd Psal 54.13 O cruell people a people that haue not set God before their eyes do even seeke my life But he presently resolues God is my helpe Vers 4. He even burnes with zeale to offer him sacrifice I will sayth he Vers 6. sacrifice vnto thee with a free heart for thou hast delivered me Even thou hast delivered me He holds his deliverance for accomplished he sees it with his faith with the eyes of his soule though a farre off yet most certaine For the holy History tells vs that as Saul and his people went pursuing him a messenger met Saul saying 1 Sam. 23.27 Make hast for the Philistimes are come into thy Dominions Saul presently breakes off his Chase and behold David in an instant beyond all expectation delivered by meanes of the Philistimes And hereunto belongs that of the Psal 57.4 1 Sam. 24. ver 1. at what time he hid himselfe in the caue of Hengedi When Saul also sent to kill him in his house we see him troubled 1 Sam. 19.9.11 He obserues their practises their plottes their watches he opposeth his integritie and his innocency but with what peace vnto his soule Psal 59. ver 9.12.16 Lord God thou wilt laugh at them and yet Lord slay them not least my people forget it He is now more carefull of their life then of his owne Lord I will sing of thy mercy in the morning I will not loose one houre of my ordinary exercises The like examples wee haue also in the Psalmes 64.69.140 and many the like against those who eyed him watched him in his wayes in his words if they could even to his very thoughts But even in the greatest perill he concludes all in certaine hope of Deliverance saying The iust shall reioyce in the Lord and shall draw neere vnto him and all that are true of heart shall be glad and reioyce as touching his Iustice which he will manifest to the one and will doe to the other The flouds are risen vp even vnto my soule I am afflicted and in griefe but thy deliverance shall lift mee vp on high so high that no waters no not a deluge shall attaine thereto I know that the Lord will execute Iustice for
saying and worthie of all acceptation therefore waver not neither dispute but with him confesse that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners of whom say thou I am chiefe Here thou hast thy part take it home vnto thee it is Maries part which cannot be taken from her Cleaue therefore vnto Christ and cast downe at his feete by her example the pride of thy flesh the opinion of thy owne righteousnesse make thee a seat at his feete by humilitie in seeking his favour which is thy reconciliation with the Father And then say thou but not as David thy Law O Lord Psa 119.98 but rather thy Gospell which is the end of the Law Faith in thy Christ Rom 10.4 hath made mee more learned and wiser then all the learned men in the world Faith if of the right stamp is operatiue But learne also that this faith is not an emptie imaginary or idle opinion but an inward and found perswasion which hath a substance which manifests it selfe by workes makes a deepe Impression in thy soule engraues Christ in thy heart in thy spirit begetting in thine vnderstanding a feeling of the loue of God towards thee in thy will a holy fire of loue towardes God nourished by the same his loue which quencheth in thee all other loues Note that dependeth not thereon but aboue all the loue of thy selfe And therefore even as when thou hast grafted a grift vpon a wilde stocke and a while after commest to see if it hath taken findest the barke greene some budds and a little after both leaues and fruit thou reioycest and holdest it as yâ—â—nne so in like manner wilt thou see if the saith of Christ be rooted in thee and that vnto salvation review thy selfe from time to time if it hath imprinted in thee a hunger after the knowledge of God an ardent desire to please him a feare to offend him to order thy sences thy moovings thy actions thy passions to governe the faculties both of body and soule as instruments of puritie of integritie of charitie of justice to renew thee from day to day in thy inward and outward man casting forth a good savour in thy life and conversation then say boldly that faith hath taken roote in thee and the gift is past the worst but aboue all if shee renounce her first sape to receiue it from Christ this grafting being of another nature then ours are because these turne the wilde sape into them contrarily this conveyeth vs to Christ converts vs into Christ whence wee may then say with S. Paul Galat. 2. and 20. I liue yet not I but Christ liues in mee and whilst I liue now in the flesh I liue in the faith of the Sonne of God who hath loved mee and given himselfe for mee Being readie to cast away whatsoever is in vs and of vs whatsoever seemes to be most precious in our eye to keepe and to preserue this onely even this one onely necessary thing which is worth them all being then every way fit to say vnto Christ with all confidence and boldnesse I haue sinned but I know that thou art my JESVS the Sonne of God my redeemer this onely word sufficeth let vs therefore keepe it pure and without mixture with this Word let vs passe the night of this world let vs passe over his Barricadoes and Watches if we meete with some rubbes though it be with some danger yet let vs goe forward till breake of day even of our day of our rest there wee shall see our IESVS raigning in heaven to liue with him where wee shall raigne gloriously glorifying him for ever to whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be glory for ever AMEN FINIS ERRATA PAge 112. line 21. and 113. l. 2. for amongst read in P. 136. l. 5. for conversest read conversedst