should obey will rule 4. Measure all things by the compasse of right reason Sinne never wanted a reason yet we call it unreasonable by reason I say not by opinion a Opinioni insitum lum variare paenitere uâ— Chamaeleon c. Lips cont 1. ep 12. or conceit a fluttering ranging thing it can finde no bottom to settle on it is as changeable as the winde it feeds as they say one doth upon the aire therefore is still gaping but never content Lastly and chiefly for it is the summe of all be assured hereof that outward things cannot inwardly satisfie b Capacem Dei non impleâ— minus Deo This finite requires an infinite He that filleth the earth with His mercies must fill the soul with His goodnesse else there will be an emptinesse Expect then a satisfaction a filling from that hand who alone can give it O farre be it if God shall enlarge thy earthly portion and cast thy lot in a pleasant place to say as an unwise and unthankfull people once did We are Lords that is we have a full portion in a fruitfull land whereof we are Lords and wherein we take contentment we will come no more unto thee c Jer. 2. 31. Look upon outwards as cysterns which cannot fill but from the well-head and being filled empty again How pleasant soever thy lot be in respect of them yet say still But it is good for me to draw neare d Psal 73. 28. unto God and to continue with Him too e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Actâ— 11. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 13. 42. And be restlesse in thy desire untill thou canst say thou art the portion of my soul Thus judgement interposing resolveth and it helpeth much to cure the imaginary grievances of our life for if we be poore we are not the further from Christ nor if rich are we the nearer The like we may say of health and sicknesse of honour and dishonour even the very same which the Aoostle speaks of that wherein the Church of old much gloried in and doted upon They are nothing f 1. Cor. 7. 19. Prov. 23. 4. Things that are not in the wise mans account for indeed he had an eye that could look into and through them And therefore as God made all things by His power of nothing so he having wisdome from God made nothing of all things nothing in reference to that one thing necessary or nothing in reference to heaven our putting forward or backward in our race thither-ward to our crown g He that boasteth in his riches c. is as as if a fellow servant fed from the same Master at the same table should glory over his fellows because his hairs are longer then his fellows so are his nails Crys 1. Tim. â—om 1. And to the same purpose Calvine speaks upon the forenamed Scripture For outward things saith he be not over-carefull or over-troubled look that thy heart be turned and thy life changed then care not for other changes and turnings of things below come wants come sicknesse dishonour disgrace reproach and so forth come what will or can come they make some change or alteration with us on earth below they alter not our state at all they make no change at all with us above in heaven Health is nothing sicknesse nothing riches nothing povertie nothing honour nothing dishonour nothing What then may wee properly call something That the Apostle sheweth in the following words The keeping the commandments of God For in Christ Iesus neither this nor that availeth any thing but A new Creature or Faith which worketh by love h Gal. 6. 15. 5. 6. So much to remedie our imaginary grievances that proceed from the sicknesse and distemper of our fancy which calls things that are not or are nothing as if they were or were something and that which indeed is and is All as if it were not or nothing at all This is the fruit of our distemper And this which thou hast heard may with a blessing from Above give some cure and remedie unto the same A chief remedie also it is against those we call reall grievances whereunto notwithstanding I must say something which now follows There are reall grievances in a married estate not such which we fancy to be so but we know to be so as we know worm-wood is bitter and honey sweet being of the nature of the thing And here I come to the bottom and finde the root of these also it is our foolishnesse our sinne that is it which sowres all and brings a curse upon our blessings As the Father saith i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Châ—ys Tom. 5. ser 32. Where Christ is there is heaven so truly we may say where sinne is there is hell for so we finde it to be even from thence our vexation and pain And therefore if I should speak in a word the way to help these grievances is to pluck out the core of our wound which puts us to all the smart and pain That core is sinne Sinne is it which causeth our sorrowing even sorrow upon sorrow Therefore if we look for an â—ealing-up pluck that core out And then set grace against these grievances so we may be as grieving as sorrowing and yet even then and alwayes rejoycing If Nature teach bees not onely to gather honey out of sweet flowers but out of bitter Shall not grace teach us to drew even out of the bitterest condition something to better our souls Man hath learned to tame other creatures even the wildest Grace will teach a man how to subdue the greatest troubles but this is too generall more particularly thus Learne then sith troubles will meet with thee do thou sit down counting thy cost as was said and go forth to meet with k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Before the storm come be we humbled as in a storm so when â—t comes we shall finde a calm peace Chrys Tom. 6. vet Test 7. â— p. 99. them then thou wilt be better provided and fore-armed It is no point of wisdome to let an enomie to surprize us on our own ground in our own home Troubles will come prepare for them leave some room to entertain them as was also said And when they are come there is an art to bear them as there is to poise a burden and well to fit it to the back that it may be carried if not without burden yet with more ease But now this Christian-like bearing of troubles this carrying our burdens patiently and as we say lightly and merrily away it supposeth two main things 1. That through his strength by whom we are able to do all things we have made a through work in the great and necessary businesse of mortification delicate and dainty flesh will startle more at the scratching of a pin then mortified â—â—esh upon the gridiron They that have hungred and thirsted after righteousnesse can endure
ye may be accepted of the Lord that ye may live for ever with Him Oh it is good to strive here and not to faint It is for eternitie and for a crowne lasting so long and unlike other crownes still flourishing even to everlasting Gird up your loines That is put to all your strength and the Lord strengthen your hands to lay hold hereon and strengthen you the more the more feeble Age hath made you and the nearer you are to the putting it on Be as ye have been and be more abundant Eies h Job 29. 13 to the blinde feete to the lame that the blessing of them that are ready to perish may come down upon you as the Dew upon the grasse and your praiers may ascend as Incense coming up in remembrance before the Lord. But above all look to the root of all Faith Gods great work i John 6. 29. and gift restore that renew that the fruit k See the Book pag. 46 47. will be and be alwaies greene like a Watered garden which doth not fear the yeer of drought l Jer. 17. 8. Quicken the Mother-grace it will quicken you and every grace that ye cannot be unfruitfull ye cannot but adde one grace to another so building upwards stil towards heaven where we hope to see our Parents againe our yoak-fellows againe our children againe c. This is somewhat quickning but where we shall see our Lord Christ againe even as He is m John 3. 2. Lord what a joyfull vision will this be Thou knowest we know not nor know how to expresse it for it passeth all understanding Be abundant therefore in the work of the Lord in the labour of love work of faith patience of hope none of this can be in vaine in the Lord. In vaine more is understood then spoken An Abundant recompense there shall be pressing down running over For Temporalls eternalls for a sprinkling of mercy a weight of Glory for respecting His Christs here ye shall be ever with Christ and with His Christs hereafter where there shall be All peace and peace is all passing understanding where ye shall see the glory of His Inheritance and partake with the felicitie of His Chosen When all the Crannies of your right precious soules shall be filled with joy unspeakably glorious Our thoughts are too short to reach here much more short are our words Their scope is to set your hope before you and to make it precious in your eies that in this earthly Tabernacle ye may have your conversation in the highest heaven from thence looking for a Saviour Who shall change this corruptible body to make it like to His glorious body in that blessed Time which shall scatter away all afflictions and seale within you the happy assurance of immortalitie therewith cloathing a weake body and recompensing a few sorrowfull daies with everlasting peace In which hope say now and alwaies Lord encrease in us our faith and hope that in assurance of Gods love our consciences may be at peace and in the revelation of Gods glory our hearts may be filled with joy in the Lord. Yee see now the full scope of my words even to leade you to hopes on high for they will send your thoughts on high they will purge quicken stirre up they will elevate and advance the soule to a wonderfull height And now that my words have attained this end as I hope they have even to set your affections hearts heads hands all a work ye labour to be accepted of the Lord my words shall here end also so soone as I have onely mentioned the Apostles fare-well I commend you to God and the word of his Grace n and have subscribed my selfe Your worships in a double obligation EZEKIAS WOODVVARD THE PREFACE PREPARING THE EARE OF him or her who is a Childe in understanding My deare Childe HItherto thou hast been an hearer onely growing up as my papers fill'd and as an accession of yeers through Gods goodnesse gave some addition to thy growth and capacitie so did I to the strength weight of my Instructions I suppose thee now growne up and thy knowledge answerable to thy yeers for though a Childe is made a patterne yet we must not be like it in understanding When we were Children we did and we spake as children and all was comely but when we out-grew Childe-hood we out-grew Childishnesse a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex Strom. p. 51. We had need of Milke and not of Strong Meate for we were as Babes unskilfull in the Word of Righteousnesse but now our stature is increased it were a sname that we should be Dwarfes in the Inward man the man indeed They can have no Apologie or excuse for themselves who are growne up to full yeers yet have a Childes understanding b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Tom. 4. quod nemo laedit c. I suppose thee then of full Age even such an one as I would have thee who by reason of use hast thy Senses exercised to discerne both good and evill c Heb. 5. 13. 14. Childehood and youth are the Parents seed-time when they must look to their dutie The after-Age is the season of fruit when Parents expect an harvest of their paines Children then must look to their dutie that Parent and Childe may rejoyce together But alas how many Parents are deceived here even they who have not neglected their seede-time They think upon the Instructions they have given the Intreaties they have used what my son and the sonne of my wombe and what the sonne of my vowes d Prov. 3 l. 2. These they think on but how many are quite lost how few or none take what may make for ease and delight that Children learne quickly so will the Horse the Mule the Asse and the Oxe put any of these to the Wheele they will quickly finde out the number of their Rounds and never after can be deceived in their Account e Charron of wisdome This is nature still and her field is fruitfull But no Earth there is that requires more labour and is longer before it yeelds fruit then Mans nature so decaied and wilde it is growne and so rightly compared to the Sluggards field as the person is to a Colt an Asse-Colt a wilde Asse-Colt The Philosopher reasons this case very pithily f Plut. de amore prolis pag. 157. He that plants a Vineyard quickly eates the Grape So in other graines some few Moneths bring them to our hands againe and the fruite of our labours to our Eie and Taste Oxen Horses Sheepe c. they quickly serve for our use and much service they doe in Lieu and recompense for a little cost But Mans education is full of labour and cost The increase is slow the fruite and comfort farre off not within Eieshot perhaps the Parent may kenne this comfort perhaps he may live to see it and to rejoyce perhaps also he
our example It is a vain beliefe a conceit only To think we are Christians Our works tell the world what we are for those the world sees and heares and by them we either glorifie our Father in heaven or give cleare evidence that we have denied the Lord That bought us d 2 Pet. 2. 1. Redeeming from a vain conversation e 1 Pet. 1. 18. Chrysostome speaks usefully to this point where he speaks concerning the title of Lukes f Tom. 5. second Treatise Thus he speaks It will not profit though we could say In thy name we have prophesied cast out divels cleansed Lepers wrought miracles c. neither this nor that commended the Apostles but their Acts their Doings And these are To be chaste modest temperate meeke gentle kinde pitifull To bridle our anger to subdue our passions to mortifie our affections In a word to exercise all grace This is Action this Doing this tells us we are Christians in deed living Christians And it takes of that great objection which is put in our way saith the same Father and it is of infinite use when we stirre up our people to follow Paul as he followed Christ we say unto them ye must imitate Peter ye must follow Paul ye must be like Iohn and ye must doe as Saint Iames did What even so just to that Coppy will our people say We cannot it is not possible we should there is no strength in us to do as they did They made the lame to go They raised the dead cleansed the lepers so they did we cannot do so we cannot follow them Say not so replyes the Father say not that we perswade to impossibilities things above all strength we tell you not That you must restore the sick worke miracles c. If so you could do it would do you no good it could give you no boldnesse before the Lord in that day A miracle doth not bring unto Heaven but a conversation heaven-ward Imitate the conversation of the Apostles and ye shall have no lesse then the Apostles did receive Follow peace with all men and holinesse go about doing good abounding in the worke of faith in the labour of love in the patience of hope g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c Nazianz. Orat 3 p. 77. So the Apostles did do so and ye shall have an Apostles reward For signes and wonders made not the Apostles happy but a pure life The summe is and this our great lesson we have a worthy name our conversation must be answerable we must live act do worthily We must by a good conversation build up our selves and others If we answer our name we will to our power do worthily in Ephrata and be famous in Bethlehem h Ruth 4. 11. I conclude with a short prayer and a short exposition on the same It is Hierom's prayer for his friend and his exposition upon it too i Hier epist l. 1. ep 35. p. 47. My prayer and heartie desire is That the Lord would in that day acknowledge the childe amongst those his children who are very good k Ier. 24. 5. That 's the prayer his exposition this The Lord loveth those who are upright in their way who are hot that is who are burning and shining lights who are seething hot fervent in prayer zealous of good works such He loves in such He rules with such He dwells and delights And He turns not away from those that are cold sinners of the Gentiles publicans notorious sinners key cold dead in trespasses and sinnes from such cold wretches such we were all He turnes not away But there are middling persons of a middle temper halting betwixt two or like a cake halfe baked neither good nor bad neither hot nor cold such the Lord hates He speweth them out that is they are an abomination His eyes can be no more towards such then ours towards our vomit which our overcharged stomacks have cast up and now our eye doth loath x Bright on Revel cap. 3. 15. 16. Mediocritas hic est pessima Nihil in te mediocre esse contentus sum totum summum totum perfectum desidiero Hier. Lib. 2. Epist 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 187. My prayer is thou maist be very good upright in thy wayes hot fervent in prayer zealous of good workes else better thou wert cold key cold for a middle Temper as it is most deadly so it is most abominable Thus as a learned man writeth to his great friend I could have written unto thee things more pleasing nothing more profitable But what I have or shall write nothing will profit unlesse the feare of God awes the heart and inclines it unlesse He teacheth inwardly words cannot outwardly Waxe takes an easie impression from Iron Iron not so but very hardly an Adamant takes no impression at all by all our force because of its hardnesse so Nazianzen Epist 130. And such hearts we have understand but so much and it will humble thee it will hide pride from thine eyes and then thy eare is prepared and heart too And so much as a preparative to the eare but the Lord bore it and to incline thy heart to understanding but the Lord open it This is all the parent can doe and his maine duty at this point even to spread this peremptory bent of nature as was a Preface to the first part said before the Lord whose worke it is to turne the heart and to open the eare to instruction which now followes THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. GOds Goodnesse in framing us in the wombe in bringing us thence ascribed to His hand though yet the sore pain of childe birth no whit lesse engageth the Childe to the Mother how great that engagement is to pag. 5. duty to the Father enforced by a pressing-speech out of Luther and from two very great examples who brake that sacred bond and were remarkably punished to page 9. Gods patience in sparing and reprieving us His goodnesse in ranking us in the highest forme of His Creatures here below how that engageth and teacheth to page 13. His mercy in giving us all our parts or members and proportion in all a great engagement A recognition thereof and use therefrom to page 20. CHAP. II. OVr frame of spirit how depraved A glasse to look our selves in What seeds of corruption within us how it humbleth those that can look into it to p. 24. How to bottom our corruptions where its strong hold how we may fathom the depth of miserie The law of the leper to pag. 28. The love of the Father and the obedience of the sonne how figured out unto us to page 30. CHAP. III. BAptisme Outward Inward The secret work of the Spirit to page 31. We must not pry into this His secret if that work be not wrought Luthers counsell is to be followed Gods will holy and just Man willeth his own destruction to page 34. at this point reade the first part
and power from both to cast us in and mould us thereto for if in the dayes of His flesh there went virtue out from even the edge of His garment to do great Cures then much more from His owne self and from these most principall and powerfull actions of His own self His death and resurrection there issueth a Divine power from His death a power working on the old-man or flesh to mortifie it from His resurrection a power working on the new-man the spirit to quicken it a power able to roll back any stone of an evill custome lie it never so heavy on us a power able to drie up an issue though it have runne upon us twelve yeers long these are Bp. Andr. words not one grain too light We see in that Element the price paid for us and the eqâ—ity hereof that we should glorifie Him whose purchase we are How should we live in sinne that lay so heavie upon the soul of Christ and could not be purged but by the bloud of God And how should we not be wholly consecrated to that Lord who so dearly bought us in whose Name we were all baptized and that is to consecrate our selves up as not our own but anothers and whose Name is called upon us It is b Râ—atus impii est pium nomen Salv. 4. de Gber p. 145. See li. 3. p. 95. The Church is a choice people picked out and paled up from those whom the Apostle placeth wâ—thout but there is yet a more choice and peculiar people as Clemens a calletâ— them after whom we must walke more peculiarly which we cannot do but by offering violence b to our sâ—lves that we may walk worthy of His calling a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sâ—r. lâ—b 6 p. 485. b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 500 a worthy and honourable Name indeed and it must be honourably answered It was a sad and wise reproofe which the Father gives to one who walked not decently nor in order Why doest thou defile that good and honourable name of Christianisme c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But I must not insist upon this though nothing except Him who leads into all truth can be more flexanimous more perswading then is this worthy Name which is call'd upon us we who carry Gods Name how exactly should we carry our selves what manner of persons ought such to be choice persons for we have a choice Name There is not a more naturall request then what we would be such to be what we would be in Name such in deed that is that having obtained so excellent a Name we would be even what our Name importeth even such That the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ may be glorified in us and we in Him 2. Thes 1. 1â— This is our engagement and by the solemnest vow that ever was taken And therefore it is called The answer of a good Conscience towards God for then we entred into covenant as God with us of grace and salvation so we with Him of faith and repentance as He to be our God all-sufficient so we to walke before Him and be perfect We have by Christ a right to an interest in a much better covenant and now we must looke to ours we cannot thinke that God is bound and we loose Religion is nothing else according to the denotation and meaning of the word but a gathering-up and binding of us fast to God If we look that God should stand fast to us we must cleave to Him If we breake our bands and cast away our cords we must look to be broken There was never any covenant more solemnly made and ratified then this in Baptisme nor in breaking whereof there is more danger And yet an oath despised and a covenant broken with man hath been severely punished as we reade Ezâ—k 17. 15 16. And as the whole Christian world feeleth at this day for it smarteth yet for that breach of league long since made with the Turke whereby they both lost the day and their honour in both an irrecoverable losse And can we think to prosper or escape that do such things or shall we breake the covenant of our God and be deliver'd keep we covenant here through Christ we can and if we do it in sinceritie that mantle will cover many defects And we are the more likely to do it the more we see how false our hearts are how ready to breake all bands and to cast away all cords for this our impotencie truely apprehended will make us feare alwayes and cleave the faster to Him in whom our strength is keeping our selves as the Apostle counselleth in the e Jude 20. love of God building up our selves in our most holy faith praying in the Holy-Ghost Such a prayer will as the Horsleech sucks out corrupt f Prâ—ces pâ—râ—inacissima curarum hirudo M l. vit Lâ—th p. 139. c. bloud it is Luthers comparison consume our cares our feares our sorrows oâ—r sins This by the way My chiefe scope is here to put to our consideration what a straight and binding cord Religion is and better we cannot see it then in Baptisme wherein we are wholly consecrated g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Proâ—rept pag. 30. to the Lord that bought us 1. There we professe our selves made the members of Christ How can the thoughts thereof but stirre us up to give our members weapons of righteousnesse unto holinesse shall we take the member of Christ and give it to our lust There is great weight in those words And if members of Christ then members one of another h Eph. 4. 25. And then we suffer as members when we suffer not in our own bodies we suffer in compassion as others in their passions such a sympathy and fellow-feeling there is In Saint Pauls i Heb. 10 13. Heb. 13 3. Lege Chrysost in 1 Cor. c 8. â— in ep Ad Câ—los cap. 4. Hom. 12. remember my bonds Verse 18. Perniciocissimâ— labâ—ntur quòd fratrum insâ—â—mitatem nullius peâ—si habent Caâ— Iâ—st lib 3. c. 1â— sect 10. construction it is ever thus If this brothers back be pinched it is my back I am pinched too If his eye be offended it is as the apple in mine I am offended too If his heart is sadded it is my heart I am sadded too ye are members one of another and then ye are pitifull and mercifull As we have received so we must return according to our measure mercy for mercy blessing for blessing nay blessing for cursing knowing that we are thereunto called that we should inherit a bâ—â—ssing k 1 Pet. 3. 9. I know said Luther l Ignâ—râ—ntâ—am meam facilè feret ignoscet mihi Ecclesia Dâ—i Regina illa misericordiae cujus viscera sunt merae remissiones peccatorum Luth. Praefatio in postillas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysâ—â— Act. Apâ—st ca. 21. Hom. 44. â— my ignorance the Church will beare with and my faults
she will pardon being the Queen of mercy and nothing â—lse but bowels and forgivenesse of sins so like the Body is unto her Head for she hath the Spirit of Christ And so we know the true distinguishing property of the true Church In this are the children of God known They love the Brotherhood They shew bowels of mercy towards all 2. In Baptisme we are made the sonnes and daughters of God and inheritors of the Kingdome of Heaven Behold saith the Apostle what manner of love m 1 Joh. 3. 1. here is our thoughts are too short We are now the sonnes of God and it doth not appeare what we shall be but when He shall appeare we shall be like Him our thoughts cannot reach to this brightnesse our eyes are dazled with the very conceit of this glory so exceeding it is But this is clearly evident He that hath this high prerogative here to be called the sonne of God that hath this hope to be changed hereafter as from glory to glory and to inherit a Kingdome which shall never have end the glory whereof as much exceeds the glory of all other kingdomes as doth the light of the Sunne exceed the light of the smallest rush-candle He I say that hath this hope purgeth himselfe even as He is pure n Verse 3. He cannot think of such a Kingdome but he must have strong motions thither ward and after holinesse for nothing uncleane can enter there Hopes on high will raise the thoughts on high 3. We solemnly promised in Baptisme and received that Sacrament as our presse-money binding us to performe even presently to begin so soone as we could discerne of good and evill to serve the Lord in all well-pleasing who chose us to be souldiers against His and our enemies the Divell and our Lusts which all fight against our soules And through faith in His name that great engine which spoyleth principalities and powers we should do valiantly as good souldiers of Iesus Christ o 2 Tim. 2. 3. But here we take a scale of our misery and looke how low we are falne and what darknesse lyeth over our hearts when the most of us take part even with the adversary that hateth us delighting in nothing more then in the shame and paine of the creature We feare him not he that feares he feares to sinne who made no scruple to tempt our Saviour Christ whom himselfe called the Sonne of God And cannot be terrified though he be in chains therefore restrained else hee would deale with the world as with Iobs house and with us and ours as with Iobs goods children and body from doing ill and all that is contrary to God and Goodnesse no not by the fearfull word of the Almighty How great then is our folly and madnesse who hold communion and faire quarter with such an enemy who delights in proud wrath yet such is our darkenesse so we do It is a paradoxe indeed clean crossing conceit and reason That we should feare a Beare and p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Clem. Alex. Ad Gentes 21. a Lion yet not feare the Divell for then we should feare to sinne q Hist of the world first B. c. 11. sect 8 â— That we should be better and unplacable enemies to our enemies and yet hold a league with Satan yea and account him a familiar so some do who yet is the grand enemy of mankinde r Ibid. sect 6. And now what shall we say to those unworthy wretches who are in a league with this unclean spirit and do thinke they can impale him in a circle a circle which cannot keep out a mouse so insconce themselves against this great monster and think they can terrifie him also whereas in very truth the obedience which the Divell seemes to use is but thereby to possesse himself of the bodies and soules of them who hold such familiaritie with him such it is and so willing a subjection and vassallage it is as if the Lord of the creatures counted it his glory to be in slavery and bondage to proud wrath Å¿ Prov. 21. 24. I cannot but remember here how sadly and feelingly Saint Basil t Tom. 2. p. 418. Regulae fusius disput â—nter 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 complains at this point Thus he speaks Horrour and amazement takes hold of me when I consider how good a Lord and Master we have how great and magnificent a benefactour yet notwithstanding how little He is feared how poorely served how unwillingly if at all obeyed On the contrary how cruell and devouring an adversary the Prince of darknesse is yet how much feared how cheerefully served how willingly o-obeyed We are broken away from our just and righteous Master who created who redeemed us and have sold our selves to a proud Lord whose lusts we do though he doth all against us to the extent of his chaine all the hurt he can all our dayes by all means And which aggravates our defection and base servitude for what a poore reward have we done this For a poore bait of profit or pleasure which is taken with delight but presently will be gravell in the teeth rottennesse in the bowels bitternesse in the latter end For so poore a thing such a scrap as this we are revolted and gone And this is the great condemnation yea more It will be the great reproach scorne and taunt which in that great day the Divell will cast even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon Christ Himselfe and upon man thus beguiled and revolted for this will be the scorne and taunt Here is the man created in Thy Image bought with Thy bloud fed by Thee preserved by Thee all His dayes This reasonable man have I Thine and his professed enemy gained from Thee not with strong wrestlings neither but as easily as one can win a childe with an apple I offered him some profit a poore and shrunken commodity he eagerly ran after it I presented him pleasure but masked and under a vaile he embraced it he greedily swallowed that bait and Hell with it sinne is but Hell disguised as pleasure is but paine unmasked and so was content to be my slave for ever my slave who never wrought him any good or willed him any but all the ill and hurt I could For the love of such a Master was this man content to have his eare boared that he might not depart from me for ever Thus Saint Basil complained and this he adds more which is more then all the rest That the consideration of this reproach and taunt which the Divell will cast upon Christ and the man of His right hand was more astonishing to him then thoughts of Hell it selfe For the thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what a good Lord we neglected and how cruell a Lord we served and what wages we had for our worke will be more tormenting to the damned in hell then will be the paines therein But to