of true Faith rewarded 230 406. Christ to be entertained in our hearts by Faith 253. Without Faith impossible to please God 261. Faith the root of all Graces 262. Faith though weak rewarded and why so 341. How it is that Faith is the first act of Repentance 343. Faith to be preserved as the head of all Graces and why so 344. True saving Faith though never so weak is all in all 359 590. How it is that Faith challengeth superiority over all the Graces 386. The force of justifying Faith 518. Directions for the strong and weak in Faith how to demean themselves as to the matter of Gods providence 383. Faith not alwaies sensible 511. A sure anchor-hold in time of distresse 550. Faith and Repentance to be daily renewed and encreased 555. The appropriation of Faith is all in all 599. The several degrees of Faith 601. Men to be careful in the triall of their Faith whether it be found or not 641. The Faithfull servants of God well rewarded 273. God rewarding the least of Faithfull service done unto him 285. Faithfull servants of God the paucity of them 292. The Faithful soul and an unbeliever their difference in relying upon God 634. How it is that Faith is said to be made perfect by works 644. The Court Favourites condition 208. The Godly Man is Gods Favourite 227. A Man to be clear of that fault he condemneth in another 448. The apprehension of Fear and courage mans mistaking of the object spoyles all 624. Fears and jealousies the danger of them 94. God to be feared in his Judgments 307. Gods dwelling in the Soul that truly fears him 65â— He that truly feareth God passeth not for the affronts of Men 412. The sad condition of the fearlesse heart-hardned sinner 674. There 's no fighting against God 673. Flatterers to be avoided 439. A Caveat for Flatterers 615. Flesh and Spirit their opposition 185. The danger of Fleshly lusts to be avoided 330. 476. Flesh and bloud not to be hearkned unto 430. Forgivenesse of others an argument of Gods forgiving us 49. Injuries not onely to be forgiven but forgotten also 97. Forgivenesse of one another commanded and commended 114. The great diffiâ—ulty of forgiving one another 153. A Formal specious Christian no true Christian 100. Outward Formality onely in the service of God condemned 187. The Formal Christian described 403 450. The deaths of Friends and acquaintance not to be slighted 264. The hasty unexpected death of Friends not to be made matter of excessive sorrow 282. A Faithful modest Friend very hard to be found 371. Few or no Friends to be found in time of Adversity 432. God a sure fast Friend 610. Friendship to be made with God in Christ Jesus 300. True reall Friendship very hard to be found 372. Friendship tryed in the times of Affliction 433. G. God loveth a chearfull giver 482. Excellency of the crown of Glory 499. Glory to be given to God onely and why so 15. God is to have the glory of all things 83. 225. 288. The sad effects of not giving unto God his glory 553. Gluttony reproved 444. How it is that God is to every one of his children alone 642. God alone more powerfull then all the Enemies of the World 561. God working the greatest of things without means 485. God in wisdome ordering all things to work together for the good of his children 242. The workings of God and Man very different 244. An account of Gods knowledg not to be made out by the wisest of Men 318. God's Immutability 464. Gods omniscience necessarily demonstrated from his omnipresence 379. Watchfulnesse over his people forgood 496. Consideration of Gods omnipresence a strong motive to Christian confidence 380. To be a disswasive from sin 381. 436. God a mercifull God 234. 510. Gods speciall love to his children 112. God slow to anger 115. God a jealous God of his honour 535. The great goodnesse of God in sending Jesus Christ to save Sinners 167. Gods omniscience 577. Gods care over his children notwithstanding their many aberrations 171. God onely to be served 584. God a mighty God 190. The onely searcher of Man's heart 498. Gods Justice what it is and how defined 231. How it is that the proceedings of God in his Justice are not so clearly discerned 231. The several expressions of God in his mercies And why so 235. The generality of Gods knowledg 236. Gods great patience notwithstanding Man's provocation 382. God onely to be worshipped as the great Creator c. 661. God onely to be seen in Christ Jesus 3. God and his Graces go together 22. The manifestation of God in severall respects 26. God is All in all 42 Gods Eternity 44. Omnisciency 52. 266. The certainty of Gods Will and promise 69. The fulnesse of God 70. God the proper Agent in all things 85. God and his Attributes are answerable 97. Gods two hands of Mercy and Judgment 130. God onely wise 144. The onely searcher of the heart 577. God slow to anger and of great patience 146. God both powerful and merciful 185. God a just God as well as a mercifull God 274. God to be feared in his Judgments 307. God's Judgments the causes of them to be considered 409. God brings good out of evil for his Peoples good 22. To make good use of good Men while we have them 43. A good Man is the prop and stay of his Country 43. Carnal and spiritual Men their difference in doing good The good Man's life preserved for the good of others 158. The great difference of both good and bad Men in life and death 158. To do good for evill 501. Good Men as the Pillars both of Church and State to be preserved 200. The good Man rejoycing in death 464. The falls of good Men presage the Nations ruine 221. 662. Goodnese not greatnesse that holdeth out to the last 525. Goodnesse and greatnesse seldome meet together 108. The beginnings of goodnesse to be encouraged and why 150. Goodnesse or godlinesse the best Friend 214. The wayes of Godlinesse more comfortable then Worldly Men can imagine 431. Godlinesse a great mystery and why so 453. Godlinesse a very gainful Trade 457. Fears of the losse of Gospel light more at home then from abroad 14. 95. To joy in the light of the Gospel 20. Gospel-promises are the poor Man's supporters 117. How the Gospel propagateth it self 193. Christ seen more clearly under the Gospel then under the Law 258. How it is that the preaching of the Gospel is of a double and contrary operation upon different persons 372. The different effects of the Gospel preached 481. Gospel invitation to comfort 558. Powerfull preaching of the Gospel 670. Government of Christ a peaceable government 31. Popular Government popular confusion 49. The happinesse of good Government 51. 587. The excellency of good Government 65. Licentious Libertines impatient of Government 77. The good of Government 122. Who fit for Government in point of remporal estate
the King having gotten a wound by a poysoned Dagger she sets her mouth to the wound to such out the poyson venturing her own life to preserve her Husbands Such is the strength of a true Christians love to Christ that were it to suck poyson out of Christs wounds it would be contented so to do as when Christ his Church his cause his people are smitten and wounded by the poysonous tongues of blasphemers the rayling tongues of licentious libertines the hellish fiery tongues of a rebellious generation and a good Christian is willing to draw it all upon himselfe to take it off from Christ and that Christ may have the glory he careth not what he undergoeth Self-tryall smoothes the way to all other tryals BIlney a Martyr in Q. Maries dayes tryed his finger by himselfe in the Candle before he tried his whole body in the fire at the stake If thou hast run with the footman faith God by the mouth of the Propheâ— and they have wearied thee then how canst thou match thy self with Horses Jer. 12. 5 How shall our faith abide the â—iery triall by others if it have never been put to the fiery trial by our selves How shall that faith try a match with horsemen smile at torments stare a disguised death in the face that never yet tried a match with footmen that never tried it selfe in private that never strugled with naturall corruptions Surely selfe tryal will pave the way smooth to all other tryals And that man will never abide to be tryed at a bar or stake that is loath to be tryed in his Closet or his Chamber Adversity seeks God IT is reported that when on a time the City of Constantinople was shaken with a terrible Earthquake many Houses were overthrown and with the fall many people perished The whole City is hereupon so amazed and every one so remembred to think on God that they fall to their publique devotions the Churches were thwack'd full with people all men for a while were much amended Justice commutative and distributive both advanced the poor relieved Justice exalted Lawes executed no fraud in bargaining it was become a very holy place but when God held his hand from punishing they held their hearts from praying when his wrath ceased their Religion ceased also And was it not alike in the civill Wars of France after the putting forth of that Act or Edict Ianuary 1561. and in the second and third years of those Wars such as were of the Religion then groaning under the heavy cross of poverty oppression and war how devout were they towards God very carefull in their waies glad to hear any preach the Word and glad to receive the Sacrament any way but when the third peace was concluded which seemed a very sound peace and the Rod was now thought to be removed afar off such carelesnâ—sse and security overgrew the hearts of all and in the Protestants there was so cold a zeal Tanta erat Religiosorum taediosa curiositas c. and that within less then two years that a Sermon plainly made with good grounds of Divinity was not thought to be worth the hearing unlesse it were spiced with Eloquence or flourished over with courtly expressions Nomine mutato dâ— nobis fabula The case is ours witnesse that Marian persecution when so many of the dear children of God mounted like Elias to heaven in fiery Chariots What prayers were made within the Land and without and what coldnesse benummed some hot ones of that time not long after Call to mind that miraculous year of 88. How did the piety of our Land exceed at that time young and old then came together into the Courts of the Lord Sabbaths were then sanctified week-dayes well spent How did the people flock to Church It might have been written in golden letters over every Church-door in the Land Cor unum via una such was the unity such was the uniformity of their devotions at that time but with the cold of the winter their devotion grew cold too and many moneths had not passed but as in few things some were the better so in many things a great deal worse To come yet downwards Anno 1625. to omit others The chief City of our Kingdom being struck with the plague of Pestilence seemed no other then a dreadful dungeon to her own a very Golgotha to others What then The King commands a Nineveh-like humiliation with what eagerness were those fasts devoured What loud cryes did beat on all sides of the Gates of Heaven and with what inexpectable unconceivable mercies were they answered Suddainly those many thousands were brought down to one poor unite not a number then was all the fasting and mourning turnd into joy and laughter To come yet lower to this very year this very day How hath the Sword devoured and whilst it did so how did the people unite and associate but when it seemed to be but a little sheath'd what remisness what divisions were found amongst us It is so and it is not well that it is so It is a reproach to some No Penny no Pater-noster it is a shame to us No Plague no Pater-noster no punishment no prayer Carnall and spirituall men their difference in doing good AN Organ or any other wind-instrument maketh no Musick til there be breath put into it but a stringed Instrument as the Lute or Viol yeeldeth a pleasant sound even with the rouch of a finger And thus a carnal man that is dead in sins and trespasses must have a new life breathed into him by the blessed spirit of God before he be able to set forth the praises of his Maker whereas one that is spiritualized one that is furnished with the graces of the spirit doth good and receiveth good upon the least touch of the spirit is a Trumpet of Gods glory upon the least occasion that can possibly be offered Faith makes us partakers of every good thing in Gods Ordinances LOok but on a Conduit that is full of water now a man that would fill his vessel must bring it to the Conduit set it near the Cock but yet that is not enough if that be all and he do no more he may go home again with an empty vessel and therefore he that would fill his vessell when he hath brought it to the Conduit and set it under the Cock he must also turn the Cock and then the water runs forth and fills his vessel So Christ is the Conduit of all grace and goodnesse the Fountain of living waters he that would be spiritually filled must come to him his Ordinances the Word and Sacraments are the Cocks of this Conduit so that a man that would be filled must not onely go to Christ but to Christ in his Ordinances and that is not enough neither when he is come to them he must turn them But how must that be done the Well is deep and I
you which he applying to himself besought St. Augustine to strengthen him in the Truth as Christ commanded Peter Tu conversus confirma fratres which task he so well performed that with a little travell in a short space two twins were brought forth to the Church at one time Thus the VVord of God whether heard or read Non ut sonus non ut litera not as it is ink and paper not as it is a sound or collision of the Air but as it is an Instrument of God and the power of God unto salvation Rom. 1. 16. maketh the man of God perfect 2 Tit. 3. 17. It frameth and mouldeth the heart it printeth it like a stamp melteth it like wax bruiseth it like a hammer pricketh it like a nail and cutteth it asunder like a sword A good mans life preserved for the good of others RIvers of themselves would run the straightest and directest way to the Sea as being greedy to pay tribute unto their great Master the Ocean but God in his wise disposal of all things hath set here a Mountain there a hill in the way that so by turning and winding now this way now that way and going further about they might enrich the earth as they pass along with fertility and abundance Thus a good man and a good Christian man having but once tasted of Gods love O how he desires to be dissolved and to be with Christ he prayes but still with reference to Gods will that his hope may be turned into fruition his faith into vision and his love into perfect comprehension but God in his providence hath resolved upon the negative that his dayes shall be prolonged to do good unto others that he may be serviceable in his place to him and his Country The great difference of both good and bad in life and death THe Hawk flies high and is as highly prized being set upon a pearch vervel'd with the gingling bells of encouragement and carryed on his Master's fist but being once dead and picked over the pearch is cast upon the dunghill as good for nothing The Hen scrapes in the dust not any thing rewarded when she is alive but being dead is brought as a choice dish to her Master's Table Thus wicked men are commonly set in high places and prosper in this life and good men lye groveling with their mouths in the dust as the very underlings of the world but being once dead the one is cast into the dungeon of Hell the other advanced to the Kingdom of Heaven the one is into Abrahams bosom whilst the other is tormented with the Devil and his Angels Opportunities of sin to be avoided ST Augustine in his Confessions maketh mention of his friend Alipius that having resolved with himself never to look upon the Fencers prizes was up on a time through the importunity of his friends drawn along to the Theater where these bloody sports were performed protesting that he would keep his eyes shut all the while and not so much as once open them yet it so fell out that upon a sudden great shout of the people be looked about to see what the matter was whereupon he became another man and altered his former course so that his hatred to the sport was turned into love and liking of it It is opportunity we say that makes Thieves Look what a clear fountain is to the thirsty what a shade to the scorâ—hed Traveller such is occasion to a man that is accustomed to do evil He that walketh in the Sun is suâ—e to be tan'd he that toucheth Pitch shall be defilâ—â— Physitians may converse with sick men and cure them but if their diseases be dangerous contagious they will not easily adventure on them lest that in curing others they should kill themselves Vices are of the same nature and vitiouâ— persons and places are alike dangerous and therefore to be shunned How the good and the bad look upon death in a different manner A Child at School when he seeth one riding Post through the streets as if he would run over him or tread upon him cryeth out But when he perceives that it is his Father's man sent to bring him home from School all the feaâ— is past then he laugheth and rejoyceth So whilst men are in the state of nature they look upon Death as an Enemy as a spoyler as one that would bereave them of all their worldly delights but being once the sons and daughters of God by adoption then they apprehend Death as their Heavenly Father's man riding on the pale horse sent to bring them home from a prison on Earth to a place of perfect liberty in Heaven The confidence of much knowledge an argument of no knowledge THales sent the golden Tripos which the Fisher-men took up in their Net and the Oracle commanded to be given to the wisest to Bias Bias to Solon and then they had but seven wise men and if you will but believe the times there are now hardly so many fools to be found If such a thing were now to be had we should all fight for it as the three Goddesses did for the golden apple we are so wise We have now women Polititians women Preachers Preaching Souldiers Teaching Tradesmen Children Metaphysitians every silly fellow can square a Circle make perpetual motions find out the Philosopher's stone interpret the Revelation of St. John make new Theoricks new Logick dispute de omni scibili Town and Country are now so full of deified spirits divine souls that you may sooner find a God than a man amongst us we think so well of our selves and that is an ample Testimony a sufficient demonstration that there is a great deal of folly much ignorance much indiscretion to be found amongst us Afflictions follow the godly man close in this world HE that goeth towards the Sun shall have his shadow follow him but he that runneth from it shall have it flie before him So he that marcheth with his face towards the Sun of Righteousness that setteth himself to do the things that may be without offence to God and Man shall be sure to have afflictions close at his heels as for him that hath his back upon Christ that maketh a Trade of sin his sorrows and vexations of spirit like the shadow are still before him in this world but they will be sure to meet him in another How to read the Scriptures and books Apocryphal WHen Moses saw an Egyptian and an Israelite striving together he killed the Egyptian and saved the Israelite Exod. 2. 12. But when he saw two Israelites striving together he laboured to reconcile them saying Ye are brethren why do ye strive So when we read or see the Apocryphal books or Heathen story or Popish traditions contradicting the Scriptures As for instance Jacob cursed Simeon and Levi for murthering the Sichemites Gen. 49. 7. And Iudeth blessed God for killing
apparelled So let all such as are advanced in the worlds eye such as are arrived at great estates such as heretofore not worthy to sit with the Doggs of the flock are now seated with Princes consider the simple weeds perhaps that were once upon their backs and now God hath given them change of Apparell What a small stock they had once to begin withall and how God hath conveyed unto them hidden Treasures What Minums they were once in the World and what Grandees they are now become That whilst others have poverty they have prosperity Whilst others are empty they are full whilst others have a narrower border theirs is enlarged whilst others have neither means nor meat their portion is fat and their meat plenteous When therefore they eat in plenty and are satisfied let them praise the name of the Lord their God which hath done wonderfully for them and say with David All that we enjoy cometh of thine hand and all is thine own 1 Chron. 29. 6. Sloathfulnesse and luke-warmnesse in Religion forerunners of evill to come IT is said of Alexius Comnenus that when upon the day of his Inauguration he subscribed the Creed in a slow trembling manner it was an ominous sign to all What a wicked Man he would prove and how nigh the ruine of the Empire was at had And when Philip the last King of Macedon a little before the great battle which he fought with Flaminius stepped up upon the top of a Sepulchre to make an Oration to his Souldiers it foretold a sad event of the issue of the battle Thus we which have violated the faith and are come to such a sloathfulnesse and lukewarmnesse in performance of Religious duties it doth presage that our very inwards are corrupted and the foundations of our Welfare shaking We that have trod upon the heads of so many famous Martyrs which first conveyed unto us our faith and worship it is a kind of Prediction that this at last will be fatall to our Church There is time yet to amend but how long God knows It is to be hoped that our sinnes have not yet made God to abhorre the excellencies of Iacob nor left us naked before the Lord We have yet much in our keeping all is not gone let it be our care to preserve what is left and be thankfull for what we have in the present enjoyment Mans great Vanity in proposing to himselfe long life WHen God revealed to Nehuchadnezar how little a while his Empire was to last he shewed him a statue of divers mettals the head of Gold the breast silver the belly brass the leggs iron the feet clay and a little stone descending from the Mountains dash't the Statue in pieces But instead of taking this as a fore-warning of his end and to have it still before his eyes he made another statue of Gold from top to toe which is held to be a durable and lasting mettal so that the more God fought to undeceive him the more was he deceived with his vain hopes And this is a fit resemblance of that which daily hapneth unto us for God advising us that in the midst of all our magnificent structures and costly edifices that of our body our best building is but rear'd up of a little dirt an house of clay that daily moulders away and will be ere long reduced to little or nothing yet our idle thoughts and vain hopes imagine it to be of gold to be built of strong and lasting materialls which cannot be when as mans life is so short that it is no more then to go out of one grave into another out of the womb of our particular Mother into that of the earth the common Mother of us all Dust we are and to dust we must return Gen. 2. How it is that a prudent man may lawfully comply with the Times IT is said of the Yeale a certain wild beast in Aethiopia that he hath two horns of a cubit long which he can in fight move as he list either both forward to offend or both backward to defend or the one forward and the other backward to both uses at once So should wise men apply their counsells and actions to the times and either to put forth the horns of their power or pull them in as occasion offers yet with this caution that as the Marriner changeth his course upon the change of the wind and weather but still holdeth his purpose of getting into the harbour so should all prudent men States-men especially as upon every new occasion they alter their sailes and veer another way they should still make their course to the point of the publick good and safety not once minding their own private benefit or advantage The difference betwixt a good and bad Memory AS the stomack is the storehouse of our corporall food and keeping therein our present meat the body takes from thence its sustenance whereby its life and being is maintained So the memory is the stomack and magazine of the soul and sets before our eyes the obligation wherein we stand the good which we lose and the hurt which we gain and representing thereunto the species and shapes of things past they sometimes work that effect as they would have done had they been present themselves whence is ingendred the love of God which is that good blood wherewith the soul is nourished And then again as from the disorder and disagreement of the stomack painfull diseases do arise and divers infirmities hang upon the body so from the forgetfulness of our memories rise those manifold disorders and distempers in the soul such as deaden the graces of the Spirit and flat the motions thereof bringing the soul into a labyrinth of perplexity untill God be pleased to bring such things into mind again as may relieve it Oath or Covenant-breakers not to be trusted THe Lawes divine and human have left no such bond of assurance to tie and fasten one to another as that of an Oath or Covenant which are to be taken in sincerity and kept inviolably But seeing the deprivation of our nature hath perverted these Lawes and abused this lawfull act by equivocations and mentall reservations making it like a Gipsies knot fait or loose at their pleasure or like a Tragedian buskin equally fitting each foot The Law of State prescribes us this remedy to trust no man of noted falshood and duplicity but upon good caution and good reason too For he that hath passed the bounds of modesty and made no Religion of Oath or Covenant for his proper advantage never after makes scruple in his cauteriate conscience to offend in like sort as often as like occasion shall be offered The unresolved mans inconstancy THe River Novanus in Lombardy at every Midsummer Solstice swelleth and runneth over the banks but in mid-winter Solstice is clean and dry Such is the nature of men
they serve them to little other purpose then as Salt to keep their bodies from stinking Honour and Greatnesse the Vanity of them IT was foretold to Agrippina Neroe's Mother that her Son should be Emperour and that he should afterward kill his own Mother to which Agrippina replyed Occdat modò imperet Let my Son be so and then let him kill me and spare not So thirsty was she of Honour Alas what are swelling Titles but as so many rattles to still Mens ambitions And what is Honour and Greatnesse in the World Honour is like the Meteor which lives in the Ayre so doth this in the breath of other Men It 's like a gale of Wind which carries the Ship sometimes this Wind is down a Man hath lost his Honour and lives to see himself intombed sometimes this Wind is too high How many have been blown to Hell while they have been sailing with the Wind of popular applause So that Honour is but magnum nihil a glorious fancy Acts 25. 23. It doth not make a Man really the better but often the worse For a Man swel'd with Honour wanting Grace is like a Man in a dropsy whose bignesse is his disease Present Time to be well husbanded AS it is observed of the Philosopher that fore-seeing a plentifull year of Olives he rented many Olive-yards and by that demonstrated that a learned Man If he would aim at worldly gain could easily be a rich Man too It is noted as an excellent part of Wisedome to know and manage time to husband time and opportunity For as the Rabbi said Nemo est cui non sit hora sua Every Man hath his hour and he who overslips that season may never meet with the like again The Scripture insists much upon a day of Grace 2 Cor. 6. 2. Heb. 13. 15. The Lord reckons the times which passe over us and puts them upon our account Luk. 13. 7. Rev. 2. 21 22. Let us therefore improve them and with the impotent persons at the pool of Bethesda to step in when the Angel stirs the water Now the Church is afflicted it is a season of prayer and learning Mic. 6. 9. Esay 26. 8 9. Now the Church is inlarged it is a season of praise Psalm 118. 24. I am now at a Sermon I will hear what God will say now in the company of a learned and wise Man I will draw some knowledg and counsell from him I am under a Temptation now is a fit time to lean on the name of the Lord Esay 50. 10. I am in place of dignity and power Let me consider what it is that God requireth of me in such a time as this is Esth. 4. 14. And thus as the Tree of life bringeth fruit every Moneth Rev. 22. 2. so a wise Christian as a wife husbandman hath his distinct employments for every Month bringeth forth his fruit in its season Psalm 1. 3. Frequent Meditation of Death the great benefit thereof IT is said of Telephus that he had his Impostume opened by the dart of an Enemy which intended his hurt Roses they say are sweetest which grow near unto Garlick so the nearnesse of an Enemy makes a good Man the better And therefore the wise Roman when Carthage the Emulous City of Rome was destroyed said Now our affairs are in more danger and hazard then ever before When Saul Davids Enemy eyed and persecuted him this made him walk more circumspectly pray more trust in God more He kept his mouth with a bridle while the wicked were before him Psalm 39. 1. An hard knot in the Wood drives a Man to the use of his Wedges A malitious Enemy that watcheth for our halting will make us look the better to our wayes And so it is that Death by the nearnesse thereof and by the frequent meditation thereupon makes us more carefull of our great accompt more sollicitous to make our peace with God to wean our hearts from Worldly and perishing comforts to lay up a good Foundation for the time to come that we may obtain eternal life to get a City which hath Foundations whose builder and maker is God The great difference betwixt life naturall and life Spirituall THe ordinary Manna which Israel gathered for their daily use did presently corrupt and breed worms but that which was laid up before the Lord the hidden Manna in the Tabernacle did keep without putrefaction So our life which we have here in the Wilderness of this World doth presently vanish and corrupt but our life which is kept in the Tabernacle our life which is hid with Christ in God that never runs into Death Naturall life is like the River Iordan empties it self into the dead Sea but spirituall life is like the waters of the Sanctuary which being shallow at the first grow deeper and deeper into a River which cannot be passed thorow Water continually springing and running forward into eternall life So that the life which we leave is mortall and perishing and that which we go unto is durable and abounding Joh. 10. 10. Men not to hasten their own Deaths but submit to the Will of God And why so IT is observeable that when of late years Men grew weary of the long and tedious compasse in their Voyages to the East-Indies and would needs try a more compendious way by the North-West passage it ever proved unsuccessefull Thus it is that we must not use any compendious way we may not neglect our body nor shipwrack our health nor any thing to hasten Death because we shall gain by it He that maketh hast even this way to be rich shall not be innocent Prov. 28. 20. For our times are in Gods hands and therefore to his holy providence we must leave them We have a great deal of work to do and must not therefore be so greedy of our Sabbath day our rest as not to be contented with our working day our labour Hence is it that a composed frame of Heart like that of the Apostles Phil. 1. 21. wherein either to stay and work or to go and rest is the best temper of all Assurance of Gods Love the onely Comfort IT is commonly known that those who live on London Bridge sleep as soundly as they who live at White-Hall or Cheapside well knowing that the Waves which roar under them cannot hurt them This was Davids case when he sang so merrily in the Cave of Adullam My heart is fixed my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise Psalm 57. 7. And what was it that made him so merry in so sad a place He will tell you vers 1. where you have him nestling himself under the shadow of Gods loving wings of Protection and now well may he sing care and fear away Thus it is that a Man perswaded and assured of Gods love unto him sings as merrily as the Nightingale with
but the work made him had quite lost him the Kings favour Thus it is that God is jealous of his honour he cannot endure that the Creature should have any share primarily therein but as derived and participated onely let every Man then especially such whose greatnesse makes them too apt to take too much unto them selves ascribe all unto God give all the glory to God and when they begin to give unto God never give over giving till they have given all that they are all that is his due all honour and glory praise power and dominion for evermore Man to be thankfull unto God upon consideration of the Creatures IT was a divine saying of Epictetus that Heathenish Philosopher admiring the singing of birds Si luscinia essem c. If I had been made a Nightingale I should have sung like a Nightingale now that I am made a Man a reasonable Creature shall I not serve God and praise him in that station wherein he hath set me Thus he an Heathen and thus we Christians are to consider the Creatures leading the way unto the duty of thankfulnesse First what they are mutually to each other and then what they are to us and lastly what they are to God in their kind ever thankfull so that it is conceived that one of the foulest and shamefullest things that the Creatures shall lay to mans charge at the day of Judgment is that all other Creatures from the Creation have been obedient to God without the least digression onely Man for whom and for whose service all else were made hath failed in his service and proved rebellious and unthankfull Riches the danger of them being not well used IN an Artichock there is a little picking meat not so wholesome as delicious and nothing to that it shews for more then the tenth part is unprofitable leaves and besides there 's a core in the midst of it that will choak a Man if he take not good heed Such a thing is Wealth that Men so covetously desire It is like some kind of Fish so full of bones and unseen that no Man can eat of them without great danger The Rich Mans Wealth is very troublesome to the outward Man like a long garment that is too side if he tread upon it he may chance to catch a fall a fall into much discontent and envy of the World But to the Soul Riches if not well imployed prove very pernitious making a Man vainly confident thinking that he is so walâ—'d and moated about that he is out of all Gunshot when he is more open to danger then a poorer Man then they make him proud And Pride saith S. Bernard is the Rich mans cosen it blows him up like a bladder with a quill then he growes secure and so falls into suddain ruine Mortification the great necessity thereof SOme Physitians hold that in every two years there is such store of ill humours and excrementitious matter ingendred in the body of Man that if not by Physick purged out a vessel of one hundreth ounces will scarce contain them so that according to this accompt in a short time the whole body would be morbus complicatus nothing but diseases If it be so then in the Body What shall we think of the Soul Certainly there 's a World of Wickednesse and superfluity of naughtinesse even a bed of spirituall diseases daily gathered and got together in the Sin-sick Soul purged therefore it must needs be by the practice of Mortification according to that of the Apostle Mortiâ—ie therefore your Earthly members not as those Religious Roman Bedlams that whip and lash their bodies but to dead that body of Sin that it may not have dominion over us nor reign in our mortal bodies The excellency of Vnity in Church and Common-weale PLiny writes of a certain stone called Lapis Tyrrhenus that grandis innatat comminutus mergitur While it is whole and entire it swims aloft but if it be broken into pieces every piece and parcel sinks to the bottom So the Church and Common-weal by Unity float and swim aloft and are supported and kept above water but if they crumble into sects and factions and divide into parts and parties like those that fled to Franckford in Q. Maries dayes or that uncommunion-like Sacramentarian difference that made Strigelius wish himself in his grave they are near unto destruction For Unity is the life and Soul of both Church and State Daunum et Populus est tolle unum et turba est a disgregation rather then a Congregation Confusion rather then Order or Government Love the great want thereof to be deplored AS in the dayes of Deborah there was neither Spear nor Shield As in the dayes of Saul there was no Smith in Israel As in the dayes of Solomon there was no Manna to be found As on the Mountains of Gilboa no rain In Gilead no Balm No flowers in Bashan in Sichem no corn being sowed with salt In Tyrus no ships In Cimmeria no light So in England no Love or which is to be deplored but a little We have plenty of all things but of Love If there be an hundred Men in a Town or place scarce two love together and agree as they should and in this worse then Devills seven of them could agree in Mary Magdalen and a Legion in another which is seven thousand six hundred twenty two as Vegetius and Varro affirm but scarce seven Men of seven hundred love as brethren It cannot be said with S. Paul As touching brotherly love you need not that I write unto you For most Men in our dayes are either brethren and not good fellowes or else good fellowes and not brethren The composition is rare there be few Philadelphians in the World Schismaticks are all for the brotherhood and nothing for Fellowship on the contrary wicked Atheists are all for Fellowship and nothing for Brotherhood So that such are the divisions that are to be found in the midst of us not as Labans sheep into three Companies some white some black some speckled but into threescore if possible into more so that there is little Love and lesse agreement but God it is to be hoped will make us Friends in Heaven where all Injuries shall be forgotten Alms-giving how to be regulated SElymus the great Turk as he lay languishing his incurable disease still increasing leaning his head in the lap of Pyrrhus the Bassa whom of all others he most loved I see said he O Pyrrhus I must shortly die without remedy Whereupon the great Bassa took occasion to talk with him of many great matters And amongst others that it would please him to give order for the well bestowing of the great wealth taken from the Persian Merchants in divers places of his Empire perswading him to bestow the same upon some notable Hospital for relief of the Poor
not for Cateline but for thy Country And indeed too too often it falls out that Parents may be said to get Children for the Devill rather then God for the ruine rather then the raising of their Countrey they must therefore look to it that they be well educated religiously trained up that they may appear to be Gods Children as well as theirs How the Devil is said to know our thoughts AN Angler having baited his hook the Fish having espyed the bayt after two or three vagaries about it nibbles at it and after a while swallows down the bayt hook and all The Fisher sees none of all this but by the sinking of the cork he knowes that the Fish is taken Thus the Devil though a most cunning Angler knowes not the thoughts of Men such as are meer pure thoughts that 's Gods peculiar it is he that seâ—rcheth the heart and tryeth the reins but if we write or spâ—ak if the cork do but stirre if our Countenance do but change he is of such perspicuity and so well experienced withall that he will soon know what out thoughts are and suit his temptations accordingly Faithful and seeming Servants of God diffeferenced by way of Reward GReat Men have usually two kinds of Servants some that they hire by the day or the moneth or the year and they shall have so much or so much wages paid unto them every night or it may be every week Other Servants there are that are not paid off presently but that which they seâ—ve for is the expectation of some great Office or some reversion of Laâ—ds that should fall unto them after a certain time expired and thereupon they go on in doing faithfull service though there come nothing of it at present This is the difference of Faithful and seeming servants of God in reference to the matter of Reward They who live the best lives such as Morall civill honest Men who cannot yet be called truly gracious though in some measure they may be said to do God some service it is but such as poor labouring Men do that are paid for their dayes labour and so they have their daily pay of meat and drink and cloaths such comforts as the Creature can afford But God hath other manner of Servants better qualified such as are Godly and true Christians indeed who though they have not so much present pay as the other yet there are Reversions and some glorious things that they expect hereafter Hence is it that they go oâ— not envying them that have their daily pay in outward things but wait patiently for better Wicked persons may be in a godly Family ST Augustine writing to the Clergy and Townesmen of Hippo saith Although the discipline and government of my house be strict and vigilant yet as I am a Man and live amongst Men I dare not arrogate to my self that my house should be better then the Ark of Noah the house of Abraham Isaac Jacob and of Christ Thus may it be also with many a good Man yea there have been no worse Men in the World then they that have had the best means of Grace in Christian Families As in Adam's there was a murthering Cain In Abraham's a persecuting Ishmael In Noah's a scoffing Cham In Isaac's a prophane Esau In David's an undutiful Absolon In Mephibosheth's a Faithlesse Ziba In Elisha's a lying Gehezi And in the Colledg of Christ a treacherous Iudas And no wonder For Religion is not hereditary yea Religion is the Work of God and he hath other enâ—s in means of Reformation then conversion as may be â—â—en in Pharaâ—h and in Eli's sons The Soul of Man pretious in the sight of God A Skilfull Ieweller having taken a great deal of pains to make up some exquisite piece of Art cannot choose but be much troubled when he sees his Workmanship fallen into the hands of children and fools that have no understanding such as cannot value what work is and therefore sleight it Such a rare piece is the Soul of Man framed by God after his own divine Image so pretious and transcendent in the estimate that the Spirit of God is as it were at a stand to find any thing to equal it What shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul Now to speak after the manner of Men How is the holy Spirit of God grieved when that which he hath made a Temple for himself to dwell in shall by sin be made a den of dragons a cage of unclean birds a harbour for impure thoughts to see that sleighted which himself holdeth so near and dearly beloved unto him Christians having an eye upon the Heavenly Rewards not to be daunted at any outward troubles JUlius Caesar that great Roman Emperor when he was at any time sad upon the thoughts of some disaster that besell him in the way of his dominion was wâ—nt to say Cogitate esse Caesarem Think that thou art Caesar and that was it that put him into a more joyous temper And memorable is that place of holy Writ When Ionadab said to Amnon Why art thou lean from day to day being the King's Son Intimating that he could have no just cause to pine and fret away himself being the King's son and heir apparent to the Crown whose present condition and future hopes might make him easily dispence with such matters as would be grievous to others besides he was of that power and authority that he might easily remove any obstacle that lay in his way Thus it may very well be said of every true-hearted Christian that having an eye upon the Reward they should not be daunted at any outward thing whatsoever but to think upon their Crown and glory not to have their hearts troubled and to walk dumpishly and heavily in the wayes of God For they are the King of Heaven's Sons Heirs of God Co-heirs with Christ the Children of the Bride-Chamber and therefore to rejoyce and go on with an holy and heavenly chearfulnesse and courage in all the wayes of God The mystery of the blessed Trinity shadowed out in familiar resemblances IN a fiered Coal there is the substance of the Coal the light of the Coal the heat of the Coal and yet but one fiered Coal So soon as the Coal is fiered there are these three substance light and heat So in the divine Essence though in a more transcendent way is there the Father Son and Holy Ghost Again it may be shadowed out in a Man's self Assoon as ever he is born into this World he is a Creature to God a Child to his Parents a Subject to his Prince and yet he it but one So so soon as ever that God is that is from all Eternity he is Father Sonne and Holy Ghost yet but one God How to be truly Rich and truly Honourable THere is mention made of a Painter that having drawn the picture of a
Iohn even Christ himself will begin to preach What if a Sulpitius die at Rome a Tully is left behind What though a good King a good Minister a good Magistrate be removed he chears up himself that as good may succeed however he lies down with patience expecting the event If God take away his estate in this World manet altera caelo he looks for a better in Heaven If he be traduced by Men he shall be cleared by God If he lose his life here he shall find it hereafter Men upon hearing of the joyes of Heaven to be much taken therewith THe Gaules an ancient People of France after they had once tasted of the sweet wine of the grapes that grew in Italy inquired after the Country where such pleasant liquor was and understanding of it they made towards the place and never rested till they came thither where such pleasant things grew Thus when the Minister hath endeavoured to lay open the rich and pretious things of God and brought unto our Souls some of the clusters of Canaan and some of that Wine which is to be drunk in the Kingdom of Heaven let it be our parts to close in with him in the pursuit after such good things and not to let out Hearts rest till we come to taste the sweet and enjoy the benefit thereof Order to be in the Church of God AS there is an Order in God himself even in the blessed Trinity where though the Persons be co-eternal and co-equall and the Essence it self of the Deity indivisible yet there is the first second and third Person And as in God so in the whole Creation Angels have their Orders Thrones and Dominions Principalities and Powers and an Arch-angel that at the last shall blow the Trumpet So it is amongst the Saints the Souls of Just men perfected all of them have enough none of them want yet there 's a difference in the measure of their glory because every one hath his own Reward according to his labour Stars are not all of one Magnitude one differs from another in glory As for things below some have onely a being some being and life others being life and sense and others besides all these have Reason and Understanding All Arts and Sciences before they can be learned must be reduced into Order and Method A Camp well disciplined is a perfect pattern of good Order Nay there is a kind of Order even in Hell it self a place of disorder and confusion And shall then God and Belial Angels and Men Saints and Devils Heaven and Earth be all in Order and the Church out It cannot be The Church is to be as an army with banners to consist of Governors and governed some to teach and some to hear Ordine quisque suo all in decency and in Order How the Humane nature may in some sort be said to excell the Angelical A Chain that is made up of coorse gold may in some sense be said to outvalue that which is made up of â—iner not in respect of the Nature and perfection of the gold but because there is a very rich Iewell fixed unto it So the Angelical nature may in respect of its pure and undefiled quality be said to excell that which is humane yet the humane in another way excells it because there is that sparkling Diamond of the Divine Nature fastned unto it Verbum caro factum The Word made Flesh the Son of God made like unto the Son of Man in all things Sin onely excepted passing by the Angels taking the seed of Abraham Heb. 2. 16. Mention of the joyes of Heaven to be a winning subject upon the Souls of Men. IT is reported of Adrianus an Officer unto Maximinianus the Tyrant that seeing the constancy of Martyrs in suffering such grievous things for the cause of Christ was very earnest to know what was that which caused them so willingly to undergo such exquisite torments One of them there being at that time two and twenty under the Tormentors hands made answer in that text of St. â—aul Eye hath not seen ear hath not heâ—rd neither hath it entred into the heart of Man to conceive what is laid up for them that love God Upon the hearing whereof Adrianus was converted to the Christian faith and sâ—aled the profession thereof with his bloud Thus ought the very mention of the joyes of Heaven to be as a winning argument to work upon the Souls of Men not to â—it down contented with the greatest things in the World if they once appear in competition with the things of Heaven Shall Mens hearts stirre when they hear of Gods wrath and dreadfulnesse of his displeasure against Sin And shall not their hearts burn within them for joy when they hear of the goodnesse of God and of the Riches of the grace of God and of the wonderfull thoughts that he hath for the everlasting good of Mankind Reverence to be used in the Worship of God WHen Moses had received the Law from the mouth of the Law-giver himself and had published the same and finished the Tabernacle of the Ark and Sanctuary he musters up all the Tribes and Families of Israel from twenty years of age upwards The number of the whole Army was six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty Men of War besides Women and Children and strangers that followed out of Egypt these he divides into four grosse and mighty Battailions In the midst of them the Tabernacle as it were a portable Temple was carried being surrounded by the Levites and the Levites by the other Tribes so that not onely the Pagans and Heathens were forbidden accesse unto it but the sentence of death passed upon every Soul of the Israelites themselves that durst be so bold as to approach it such who were not Levites to whom the charge was wholly committed So sacred was it and with such reverence guarded and regarded that two and twenty thousand Priests were dedicated to the service and attendance thereof which was performed with such dutifull observance in the preserving and laying up of the holy vessels the solemn removing together with the prudent and provident defence of the same that it might well procure all due reverence to the holy things of God and encrease zeal and devotion in such as drew near unto him This was their devotion to the Ark of God then and afterwards to the Temple and ought to be continued amongst all good Christians to the house of God the house of Prayer now in times of greater light But which is to be lamented whereas most of our Châ—rches have two doors Superstition crept in long since at the one and Prophanesse hath of later dayes shouldered in at the other so that had there been more fear and Reverence in the hearts of Men towards the worship of God and the parts
and Men in authority 308. Kings Princes Rulers c. to hearken to good Counsel 520. Kings Princes c. subject to death as well as the lowest of the people 526. The greatnesse of them no protection from death 526. The state of Kingdoms and Common-wealths best known by the administration of Justice 3. A Kingdome divided within it self cannot long stand 195. The Kingdom of Christ a peaceable Kingdome 247. Kingdoms and Common-wealths their successions from God 309. How it is to know whether a Man belong to Heaven or not 4. God knowes his own People however distressed 46. Impossible for a Man to know all his sins 57. Impossible to know God perfectly in this World 96. How to know Gods dwelling place Heaven 100. How to know whether we are more troubled for sin then for worldly sorrow and trouble 356. Knowledg very usefull in the matter of Reformation 4. Gods knowledg and Mans knowledg the difference of them in the event of things 5. Zeal and knowledg must go hand in hand together 15. Difference betwixt a spiritual and carnall Man in point of knowledg 58. The Saints knowledg of one another in Heaven 68. Windy Knowledg and windy doctrine go together 82. Notional knowledg of God no true knowledg 100. Minister of all men to be men of knowledg c. 134. Experimental Knowledg the onely knowledg 156. 437. The confidence of much knowledg an argument of no knowledg 159. Knowledg not to be reserved 168. Knowledg and practice must go together 173. The great danger of concealed knowledg 192. Knowledg without practice reproved 213. Christians and their knowledg to be communicative 227. Man losing himself in the pursuit after knowledg extraordinary 238. True knowledg never rests on the Creature till it center in God the Creator 259. Knowledg in political affairs very uncertain 267. All knowledg but in part 268. The keys of Knowledg much abused by those that keep them 509. To have a perfect Knowledg of God impossible 532. The knowledg of God through Faith in Christ the way to true happinesse 534. Wherein the true Knowledg of Christ consisteth 556. L. LAughter of the Wicked but from the teeth outward 52. How it is that the Law is said to be the strength of Sin 491. How it is that Christ is said to be end of the Ceremonial law 534. The work of the law preceding the work of the Gospel 559. The Law of God abused by Libertinism 487. Law of God a perfect Law 19. The Law Gods Rhetorick in the delivery of it Man's duty to attend it 133. How to behold our selves in the glasse of Gods Law 246. 630. The Law of God bringing Men to the sight of themselves 297. Multiplicity of Law-Sâ—its condemned 588. Good Lawes and good Men are the pillars of State 150. Lex Talionis 157. 416. Good lawes obeyed are the support of a Common-wealth 175. The great danger of Law suits 207. The tedious length of Law-Suits 213. 524. The known laws of any Nation to be the rule of obedience 293. How it is that Men may be said to learn of little children dumb thews c. 409. Practice of the law abused 430. The downfall of piety and Learning to be deplored 118. Not to admire our own Learning or parts 168. University Learning to be countenanced by men in Authority 219. The necessity of humane Learning 240. Learning and honesty to go together 249. A Man of Learning speaks little 263. The Devills plot to root our Learning 276. 576. Excellency of the Knowledg of Jesus Christ above all humane learning whatsoever 363. The commodity and discommodity of learning 366. Knowledg and learning to be owned in whomsoever they be found 412. The right use of humane learning 421. No Man too good to learn 447. No Man so old but he may learn something 471. The right use of humane learning in Divinity 483. 577. The necessity thereof 484. Much learning to be found in few expressions 567. Impossible to arrive at a full perfection of learning in this life 568. Liberty the cause of licentiousnesse 504. Christian liberty abused by the Sectarian party 27. How it is that Men are so much mistaken in the thoughts of long life 375. Consideration of the shortnesse of life to be a Memento for death 430. The Life of Man subject to all sorts of calamity 61. The pretious life of Man to be preserved 62. An ungodly life will have an ungodly end 101. The brevity of our life may moderate our life 104. The life of Man miserable 219. Changing of this life for a better no matter of grief 280. Man's great vanity in proposing to himself long life 334. The great difference betwixt life spirituall and life natural 370. The uncertainty of Mans life 602. Like to like 234. How to be made like unto Christ 260. Likenesse to be a motive to lovelinesse 414. God must be loved for himself onely 16. Love for the most part is but complemental 8. Want of Love is the cause of all our sorrows 36. Love the bond of all perfection 49. The Love of Gods children is a sincere love 75. The wonderful Love of a true Christian to Christ Jesus 106. The strength of a true Christians Love to Christ 112. Want of Love to be deplored 132. 401. Great engagement to love one another 152. Love to Christ how to be recovered when once lost 236. Christ nothing but Love all over 299. Love to be preserved with all Men 313. The abundant love of Christ in dying for our sins 360. Love Peace and Unity the best supporters of Kingdoms Common-wealths c. 375. The Love of God the onely true love 409. The true love of God will cause familiarity with God 447. How it is and why God loves us 536. The exceeding Love of God to Mankind 550. The Love of Riches very dangerous 571. True brotherly love scarce to be found 613. The difference betwixt true and feigned love unto Christ 650. How our love to the Creature is to be regulated 666. Christians ought to be loving one to another 58. No Man a loser by giving himself up to Christ 38. God being once lost not easily found again 185. The losse of a faithful Ministery not to be sleighted and why so 258. Losse of the Soul irrecoverable 505. The good Man's comfort in matter of worldly losse 464. Not to repine at the losse of Friends and children 522. 670. Losse of good Men not laid to heart condemned 659. Simplicity of Men to be more affected with the losse of things eternal 677. Not to mourn for any outward losses because all is made up in Christ 55. A sad thing to lose both body and Soul together 111. Not to mourn excessively for the losse of any Worldly enjoyment and why so 356. To beware of the lusts of the Flesh 141. The lyars reward and punishment 443. M. A Good Magistrate or Minister is the support of the place where he lives 111. The great comfort of such 539.