tryumphed over his enemies when most they seemed to tryumph over him Col. 2.15 And the Martyrs who are said by the holy Ghost to overcome the great Dragon that old Serpeut called the Divell and Satan in that they loved not their lives unto the death Rev. 12 11. Their conquering was by dying not by killing and can the back of Charity now bare no load are the sinews of Love grown so feeble And holy David who when he had Saul at his mercy in stead of cutting off his head as his servants perswaded him only cut off the lap of his garment and after thought that too much also And at another time when the Lord had closed him into his hands finding him asleep in the Fort in stead of taking away his life as Abishai counselled him he took away his Spear and in stead of taking away his blood from his heart he takes a pot of water from his head That this kinde of revenge for a man to finde his enemy at an advantage and let him depart free is generous and noble beyond the capacity of an ordinary man you may hear Saul himself confesse 1 Sam. 24.17 to 23. Again when the King of Syria sent a mighty Host to take Elisha and the Lord had smote them all with blindnesse and shut them into Samaria what doth the Prophet slay them No indeed the King of Israel would fain have had it so his fingers itcht to be doing but Elisha commanded bread and water to be set before them that they might eat and drink and go to their Master 2 King 6.22 So a Christian truly generous will omit no opportunity of doing good nor do evil though he have opportunity for to may and will not is the Christians laud. Which yet is not all for besides that it is the most generous noble valiant wise divine and Christianlike revenge to passe by and forgive injuries our Saviour Christ in whom is the fountain of all wisdome and knowledge as all the senses are in the head Zach. 4.12 allowes none for magnanimous but such as together with forgiving blesse those that curse them and do good to such as hurt them Matth. 5.44 The case of Moses Steven and many others as I shall shew in Chapter 31. which is true generosity indeed But how contrary is the opinion of the World to the judgment of God and the wisest of men concerning valour For should the greatest and gravost Divine in the Land preach this our impatient Gallants would not beleeve but that it consists in a brave revenge and that an humble patience is an argument of basenesse and that every wrong or disgracefull word is quarrell just enough to shed blood And lest there should want offences or they give place unto wrath as the Apostle adviseth Rom. 12.19 they will strive for the way or contend for the wall even to the death which proves them to be as wise as a wall for they come short of the wisedom of beasts Pliny tells us of two Goates Mutianus being an eye-witnesse which meeting on a straight and narrow bridge that the one could not passe by the other nor turn aside to return back again neither made his way by overturning the other but the one lay down that the other might go over him I pray God their too much turning to the right hand before man cause them not to be set at Christs left hand with those Goates which are destined to everlasting fire But certainly if they amend not their course God shall condemn them for invading his office for vengeance is his and that they call courage he shall judge outrage Woe is me into what unhappy times are we fallen and how hath the devill blinded and bewitcht our Gallants that the wretchedest and basest cowardise should ruffle it out in the garb of valour while the truly valiant passe for and are reputed cowards And how great is the corruption of mans heart which is not ashamed of things shamefull and yet ashamed of things wherein they ought to glory Is this courage to kill one another for the wall as though either of their honours were of more worth then both their souls Yea suppose they overcome is not this power of theirs the greatest infirmity for whether they thus die or kill they have committed murther if they kill they have murthered another if they die they have murthered themselves Surviving there is the plague of conscience dying there is the plague of torments if they both escape yet it is homicide that they meant to kill O that they would take notice of this and lay it to heart But what 's the reason of this their mistake what makes them judge Iob a fool and count David a coward for their humble patience this is the difference there was the faith and patience of the Saints here is the infidelity and impatience of sinners whom the Devill hath bewitcht to glory in their shame or in plain English a reprobate judgment is the only cause for with them every vertue is counted a vice and every vice a vertue as their own words witnesse in nicknaming each vice and grace with opposite titles But as when it was objected to a Martyr that his Christ was but a Carpenters sonne he answered yea but such a Carpenter as built Heaven and Earth so we grant we are Cowards as they tearm us but such cowards as are able to prevail with God Gen. 32.26 28. Exod. 32.10 And overcome the World the Flesh and the Devill 1 Joh. 5.4 Gal. 5.24 1 Joh. 2.14 which is as much valour and victory as we care for CHAP. XIX That suffering is the only way to prevent suffering 3. BEcause suffering is the only way to prevent suffering Revenge being one of those remedies which not seldom proves more grievous than the disease it selfe When once Xantippe the wife of Socrates in the open street pluckt his cloak from his back and some of his acquaintance counselled him to strike her he answers You say well that while we are brawling and fighting together every one of you may clap us on the back and cry Hoe well said to it Socrates yea well done Xantippe the wisest of the twain When Aristippus was asked by one in derision where the great high friendship was become that formerly had been beâ—ween him and Aeschiâ—es he answers It is asleep but I will go and awaken it and did so lest their enemies should make it a matter of rejoycing When Philip of Macedon was told that the Grecians spake evil words of him notwithstanding he did them much good and was withall counselled to chastise them he answers Your counsel is not good for if they now speak evil of us having done them good only what would they then if we should do them any harm And at another time being counselled either to banish or put to death one who had slandered him he would do neither of both saying It was not a sufficient cause to condemn him and
intervening between the soul and that which it suffers saves the heart whole and cheers the body again And therefore if you mark it when you can passe by an offence and take it patiently and quietly you have a kind of peace and joy in your heart as if you had gotten a victory and the more your patience is still the lesse your pain is for as a light burthen at the arms end weigheth heavier by much than a burthen of treble weight if it be born on the shoulders which are made to bear so if a man set patience to bear his crosse the weight is nothing to what it would be if that were wanting In a word Patience is so soveraign a medicine that it cures and overcomes all it keeps the heart from envy the hand from revenge the tongue from contumely the whole body from smart it overcomes our enemies without weapons finally it is such a vertue that it makes calamities no calamities But what needs all this men commonly say in necessitated sufferings what remedy but patience therefore patience is a confessed remedy Wherefore saith one Being unable to direct events I govern my self and if they apply not themselves to me I apply my self to them if I cannot fling what I would yet I will somewhat mend it by playing the cast as well as I can O that all implacable persons who double their sufferings through long study of revenge would learn this lesson and bear what they must bear patiently then would they finde that patience can no lesse mitigate evils than impatience exasperates them A profitable prescription indeed may some say but of an hard execution Hard indeed to an impenitent sinner that hath two burthens on his back at once viz. his affliction and his sin which adds weight to his affliction to carry them so easily as he that hath but one namely his affliction Yea it is altogether impossible to flesh and blood for our hearts are like the Isle Pathmos in which nothing will grow but on earth which is brought from other places If the will be ours the good will is Gods Wherefore if thou art only beholding to nature and hast nought but what thou broughtest into the world with thee well mayest thou envy at it but thou canst never imitate it for to speak the truth Faith and Patience are two miracles in a Christian. A Protestant Martyr being at the stake in the midst of furious and outragious flames cried out Behold ye Papists whom nothing will convince but Miracles here see one indeed for in this fire I feel no more pain than if I were in a bed of Down yea it is to me like a bed of Roses and Cassianus reporteth that when a Martyr was tormented by the Infidels and asked by way of reproach What Miracle his CHRIST had done he answered He hath done what you now behold enabled me so to bear your contumelies and undergo all these tortures so patiently that I am not once moved and is not this a miracle worthy your taking notice of Indeed what have we by our second birth which is not miraculous in comparison of our naturall condition It was no lesse than a miracle for Zacheus a man both rich and covetous to give half his goods to the poor and make restitution with the residue and all this in his health It was a great miracle that Ioseph in the arms of his Mistresse should not burn with lust It is a great miracle for a man to forsake Houses and Lands and all that he hath you to hate Father and Mother and Wife and Children and his own life to be Christs Disciple It is a great miracle to rejoyce in tribulation and smile death in the face It is a great miracle that of fierce and cruell Wolves Bears Lyons we should be transformed into meek Lambs harmlesse Doves and all this by the foolishnesse of preaching Christ crucified Indeed they were no miracles if Naâ—uro could produce the like effects but she must not look to stand in competition with Grace St Paul before his conversion could do as much as the proudest naturall man of you all his words are If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh much more I Phil. 3.4 Yet when he speaks of Patience and rejoycing in tribulation he sheweth That it was because the love of God was shed abroad in his heart by the holy Ghost which was given unto him Rom. 5.5 of himself he could do nothing though he were able to do all things through Christ which strengthned him Phil. 4.13 Hast thou then a desire after this invincible patience seek first to have the love of God shed abroad in thy heart by the holy Ghost which love of God is like that Rod of Mirtle which as Pliny reports makes the traveller that carries it in his hand never to be faint or weary Wouldst thou have the love of God ask it of him by prayer who saith If any of you lack in this kind let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him Jam. 1.5 Wouldst thou pray that thou mayest be heard Ask in faith and waver not for he that wavereth is like a wave of the Sea tost of the winde and carried away vers 6. Wouldst thou have faith be diligent to hear the word preached for Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10.17 Unto him therefore that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think I commend thee CHAP. XXIII Because our enemies are ignorant 2. Reasons in regard of our enemies are three 1 Because They are ignorant 2 Because They are rather to be pitied than maligned or reckoned of 3 Because Their expectation may not be answered 1. HE well considers the ignorance of his enemies who being carnall fleshly unregenerate cannot discern the spirituall Objects at which they are offended Father forgive them saith our Saviour of his enemies for they know not what they do Luk. 23.34 Alas poor ignorant souls they did but imitate Oedipus who kild his Father Laius King of Thebes and thought he had killed his enemy Socrates being perswaded to revenge himself of a fellow that kicked him answered If an Asse-had kickt me should I have set my wit to his and kicke him again or if a Mastiff had bitten me would you have me go to Law with him And when it was told him another time that such an one spake evill of him he replied Alas the man hath not as yet learned to speak well but I have learned to contemn what he speaks Diogenes being told that many despised him answered It is the wise mans portion to suffer of fools Aristotle being told that a simple fellow railed on him was not once moved but said Let him beat me also being absent I care not we may well suffer their words while God doth deliver us out of their hands for if we go on in a silent
may work in us some flashes of desire and purposes of better obedience but we are constant in nothing but in perpetual offending onely therein we cease not for when we are waking our flesh tempts us to wickednesse if wee are sleeping it sollicites us to filthinesse or perhaps when we have offended thee all the day at night we pray unto thee but what is the issue of our praying First we sin and then we pray thee to forgive it and then return to our sins again as if we came to thee for no other end but to crave leave to offend thee Or of thy granting our requests we even dishonor thee and blaspheme thy name while thou do'st support and relieve us run from thee while thou do'st call us and forget thee while thou art feeding us so thou sparest us we sleep and to morrow we sin again O how justly mightest thou forsake us as we forsake thee and condemne uâ— whose consciences cannot but condemne our selvs But who can measure thy goodnesse who givest all and forgivest all Though we be sinful yet thou lovest us though we be miserably ingrateful yet thou most plentifully blessest us What should we have if we did serve thee who hast done all these things for thine enemies O that thou who hast so indeared us to serve thee wouldest also give us hearts and hands to serve thee with thine own gifts Wherefore of thy goodnesse and for thy great Names sake we beseech thee take away our stony hearts and give us hearts of flesh enable us to repent what we have done and never more to do what we have once repented not fostering any one sin in our souls And because infidelitie is the bitter root of all wickednesse and a lively faith the true mother of all grace and goodnesse nor are wee Christians indeed except we imitate Christ and square our lives according to the rule of thy Word Give us that faith which manifesteth it self by a godly life which purifieth the heart worketh by love and sanctifieth the whole man throughout Yea since if our faith be true and saâ—ing it can no more be severed from unfained repentance and sanctification then life can be without motion or the sun without light give us spiritual wisdom to try and examine our selvs whether we be in the faith or not that so we may not be deluded with opinion onely as thousands are Discover unto us the emptinesse vanity and insufficiencie of the things here below to do our poor souls the least good that so we may be induced to set an higher price upon Jesus Christ who is the life of our lives and the soul of our souls considering that if we have him wee want nothing if we want him wee have nothing Finally O Lord give unto us and increase in us all spiritual graces inlighten our minds with the knowledge of thy truth and inflame our hearts with the love of whatsoever is good that we may esteem it our meat and drink to do thy blessed will Give us religious thoughts godly desires zealous affections holy endeavours assured perswasions of faith stedfast waiting through hope constancy in suffering through patience and hearty rejoicing from love regenerate our minds purifie our natures turn all our joies into the joy of the Holy Ghost and all our peace into the peace of conscience and all our fears into the fear of sin that we may love righteousnesse with as great good will as ever we loved wickednesse and go before others in thankfulnesse towards thee as far as thou goest in mercy towards us before them Give us victory in temptation patience in sicknesse contentment in poverty joy in distresse hope in troubles confidence in the hour of death give us alwaies to think and meditate of the hour of death the day of judgment the joies of heaven and the pains of hell together with the ransome which thy Son paid to redeem us from the one and to purchase for us the other so shall neither thy benefits nor thy chastisements nor thy Word return ineffectual but accomplish that for which they were sent until we be wholly renewed to the image of thy Son These things we humbly beg at thy fatherly hands and whatsoever else thou knowest in thy divine wisdome to be needful and necessary for our souls or bodies or estates or names or friends or the whole Church better then we our selvs can either ask or think and that for thy Names sake for thy promise sake for thy mercies sake for thy Sons sake who suffered for sin and sinned not and whose righteousnesse pleadeth for our unrighteousnesse in him it is that we come unto thee in him we call upon thee who is our Redeemer our Preserver and our Saviour to whom with Thee and thy blessed Spirit be ascribed as is most due all honour glory praise power might majesty dominion and hearty thanksgiving the rest of this night following and for evermore Amen A Praier to be used at any time O Almighty Eternall most Glorious and onely wise God giver to them which want comforter of them which suffer and forgiver of them that repent whom truly to know is everlasting life Wee they poor creatures acknowledge and confess unto thee who knowest the secrets and desires of all hearts that of our selvs we are not worthy to list up our eyes to heaven much less to present our selves before thy Majesty with the least confidence that thou shouldest hear our praiers or accept of our services but rather that thou shouldest take these our confessions and accordingly condemne us to the lowest place in Hell for our continually abusing thy mercy and those many means of grace which in thy long suffering thou hast affoarded for our reclaiming Wee are the cursed seed of rebellious Parents wee were conceived in sin and born the children of wrath And whereas thou mightest have executed thy fierce displeasure upon us so soon as thou gavest us being and so prevented our further dishonouring thee wee have instead of humbling our selves before thee our God and seeking reconciliation with thy Majestie done nothing from our infancy but added sin unto sin in breaking every one of thine holy Laws which thou hast given us as rules and directions to walk by and to keep us from sinning Yea there is not one of thy righteous precepts which we have not broken more times and ways then we can express so far have wee been from a privative holiness in reforming that which is evill and a positive holiness in performing that which is good which thou maist justly require of us being wee had once ability so to do if wee had not wilfully lost it for thou did'st form us righteous and holy had not wee deform'd our selves whereas now like Satan wee can do nothing else but sin and make others sin too who would not so sin but for us for we have an army of unclean desires that perpetually sight against our souls
upon it Neither let Satan perswade you to defer your repentance no not an hour lest your resolution proves as a false conception which never comes to bearing Besides death may be suddain even the least of a thousand things can kill you and give you no leasure to be sick Thirdly If thou wilt be safe from evil works avoid the occasions have no fellowship with the workers of iniquity neither fear their scoffs for this be sure of if your person and waies please God the world will be displeased with both If God be your friend men will be your enemies if they exercise their malice it is where he shews mercy But take heed of losing Gods favour to keep theirs Beda tels of a great man that was admonished by his friends in his sicknesse to repent who answered He would not yet for that if he should recover his friends and companions would laugh at him but growing sicker and sicker they again prest him but then his answer was that it was now too late for I am judged and condemned already A man cannot be a Nathaniel in whose heart there is no guile but the world counts him a fool But Christ saies Verily except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 18.3 Again Satan and your deceitfull heart will suggest unto you that a Religious life is a dumpish and melancholy life but holy David will tell you that light is sown to the righteous and joy to the upright Psal. 97.11 Isa. 65.14 And experience tells that earthly and bodily joys are but the body or rather the dregs of that joy which Gods people feel and are ravished with As O the calm and quietnesse of a good conscience the assurance of the pardon of sin and joy of the Holy Ghost the honesty of a virtuous and holy life how sweet they are Yea even Plato an Heathen could say That if wisdom and virtue could but represent it self to the eyes it would set the heart on fire with the love of it And the like of a sinners sadnesse as hear what Seneca saies if there were no God to punish him no Devil to torment him no Hell to burn him no man to see him yet would he not sin for the uglinesse and filthinesse of sin and the guilâ— and sadnesse of his conscience But experience is the best informer wherefore take the counsell of holy David Psalm 34.8 O tast and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him To which accordeth that of holy Bernard Good art thou O Lord to the soul that seeks thee what art thou then to the soul that finds thee As I may appeal to any mans conscience that hath been softned with the unction of grace and truly tasted of the powers of the world to come to him that hath the love of God shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost whether his whole life be not a perpetual halellujah in comparison of his natural condition Whence they are able to sleight all such objections as he did you tell me that scrupling of small matters is but stumbling at straws that they be but trifles When I know your tongue can tell nothing but truth I will believe you Fifthly Beg of God that he will give you a new heart and when the heart is changed all the members will follow after it as the rest of the creatures after the Sun when it ariseth But without a work upon the heart wrought by the Spirit of God it will follow its own inclination to that which it affecteth whatsoever the judgment shall say to the contrary That must be first reformed which was first deformed It is idle and to no purpose to purge the channell when the fountain is corrupt Whence the Apostle orderly bids us first be renewed in the spirit of our minds and then let him that stole steal no more Eph. 4.23 24. Yea it is Gods own counsell to the men of Ierusalem Jer. 4. Wash thine heart from wickedness that thou maist be saved ver 14. It is most ridiculous to apply remedies to the outward parts when the distemper lies in the stomach To what purpose is it to crop off the top of weeds or lop off the boughs of the tree when the root and stalk remain in the earth as cut off the sprig of a tree it grows still a bough an arm still it grows lop of the top yea saw it in the midst yet it will grow again stock it up by the roots then and not till then it will grow no more Whence it is that God saith Give me thine heart Prov. 23.26 Great Cities once expunged the dorpes and Villages will soon come in of themselves the heart is the treasury and store-house of wickedness Mat. 12.34 such as the heart is such are the actions of the body which proceed from it Mat. 12.35 Therefore as Christ saith Make clean within and all will be clean otherwise not Mat. 23.26 Therefore Davids prayer is Create in me a new heart O Lord and renew a right Spirit within me Psal. 51.10 do thou the like importune him for grace that you may firmly resolve speedily begin and continually persevere in doing and suffering his holy will desire him to inform and reform you so that you may neither misbelieve nor mislive to change and purifie your naure subdue your reason rectifie your judgment reform and strengthen your will renew your affections and beat down in you whatsoever stands in opposition to the Scepter of Iesus Christ. Sixthly and lastly If you receive any power against you former corruptions forget not to be thankefull yea study all possible thankfulness For that you and I are not at this present frying in Hell flames never to be freed that we have the offer of grace here and glory hereafter it is his unspeakable goodness And there is nothing more pleasing to God nor profitable to us both for the procuring of the good we want or continuing the good we have than thankfulness He will sow there and there onely plenty of his blessings where he is sure to reap plenty of thanks and service but who will sow those barren sands where they are sure not only to be without all hope of a good harvest but are sure to loose both their seed and labour Consider what hath been said and the Lord give you understanding in all things And so much for the Second Part. An Appendix followes wherein you have instances of all sorts how sin besots men THE TRYALL OF TRUE WISDOM WITH How to become Wise indeed OR A Choice and Cheap Gift for a Friend both to please and pleasure him Be he inferior or superior sinful or faithful ignorant or intelligent By R. Younge of Roxwel in Essex Floreligus Add this as an Apendix or Third Part to The Hearts Index And A short and sure way to Grace and Salvation Section 41. LUcian tells of an Egyptian King
who had Apes taught when they were young to dance and keep their postures with much art these he would put into rich Coats and have them in some great presence to exercise their skill which was to the admiration of such as knew them not what little sort of active nimble men the King had got And such as knew them thought it no less strange that they should be trained up to so man-like and handsome a deportment But a subtile Fellow that was once admitted to see them brought and threw amongst them a handful of Nuts which they no sooner spied but they presently left off their dance fell a scrambling tore one anothers rich Coats and to the dirision of the beholders who before admired them they discovered themselves to be meer Apes These ensuing Notions which I have purposely taken as a handful out of the whole sack to squander away amongst my acquaintance are such Nuts as will discover not a few who are men in appearance and their own opinion to be as wise and well affected as Aesops Cock that preferred a barley Corn before a Pearl or Plinies Moal that would dig under ground with great dexterity but was blind if brought into the Sun Or Diaphontus that refused his mothers blessing to hear a song Or the Israelites who preferred Garlick and Onions before Quails and manna Men no more differ from Beasts Plants Stones in speech reason shape than some differ from others in heart in brain in life Whence the very heathen Poets usually most fitly compare some men to stones for their hardness and insensibleness others to plants that only fill their veins a third sort to beasts that please their senses too a fourth to evil Angels that only sin and cause others to sin a fift to good Angels that are still in motion alwayes serving God and doing good yet ever rest Again Experience teaches that mens judgements and censures are as various as their pallats For what one admires another slights as is evident by our Saviours Auditors of which some admired others censured a third sort wept a fourth scoft a fift trembled a sixt blasphemed when they heard him And how should it be otherwise when the greater part are as deeply in love with vice and error as the rest are with vertue and truth When mens conditions and constitutions vary as much as their faces As the Holy Ghost intimates in comparing several men to almost every several creature in the Universe Nor is the Epicure more like a swine the Lustful person a Goat the Fraudulent man a Fox the Backbiter a barking Dog the Slanderer an Asp the Oppressor a VVolf the Persecutor a Tyger the Church-robber a wild Bore the Seducer a Serpent yea a Devil the Traytor a Viper c. 2 Tim 4 17. Luk. 13.32 Phil. 3.2 Psal 22.12 13 16 20 21. 74.13 14 19. 80.13 Matth. 23.33 Dan. 7.4 5 6 c Zeph. 3 â— 4 c. Cant. 2.15 17 c. then every of them is unlike another Amidst such a world of variety I have chosen to set forth how one man differs from and excels another in brain and to prove that to be wise indeed is the portion but of a few even amongst us And this discovery alone as I deem will be richly worth my pains and each mans serious Observation Sect. 42. NOw all sorts of men may be comprised under one of these three Heads The Sensual The Rational The Spiritual For if you observe it some men like the Moon at Full have all their light towards earth none towards Heaven Others like the Moon at VVaine or Change have all their light to Heaven wards none to the earth a third sort like to the Moon in eclipse as having no light in it self neither towards earth nor towards Heaven Touching these three degrees of comparison you shall find that the one exceeds the other in wisdom as the stars exceed one another in glory Of which particularly First There is no less difference between the Rational and sensual the wise and simple the learned and unlearned than there is between men and beasts as Menander speaks Or between the living and the dead as another hath it And yet the Rational do not so far excel the sensual as the spiritual excel the rational Sensual men are so be-nighted and puzled with blindness that they know no other way than the flesh leads them It is the weight that sets all their wheels a going the horses that draw their chariot the very life of their corruption the corruption of their life without which they do nothing The minds of brutish men that have been ill bred are so drowned in sin and sensuallity and their spirits so frozen and pitifully benumed with worldliness and wicked customs that they cannot judg aright either of spiritual matters or rectified reason Yea in matters experimental they are of as deep a judgement as was Callico who stuft his pillow a brass pot with straw to make it soft Or that Germain Clown who under-took to be very ready in the ten Commandments but being demanded by the Minister which was the first made answer Thou shall not eate Or that simple Fellow who thought Pontius Pilate must needs be a Saint because his name was put into the Creed They are like the Ostrich Job â—9 17 whom God hath deprived of wisdom and to whom he hath given no part of understanding Which men also are so far from receiving instruction that they will scorn and scoff at their admonisher As they have no reason so they will hear none Nor will they believe any thing but what they see or feell and he that learns of none but himself hath a fool to his teacher Yea such as refuse admonition are by wise Solomon branded for the most incorigible Fools alive so that their knowledge is ignorance their wisdom folly their sight blindness They neither consider what reason speaketh or Religion commandeth but what the will and appetite affecteth For will is the axeltree lusts and passions the wheels whereupon all their actions are carried and do run Appetite being their Lord Reason their servant and Religion their slave Whereas Religion should govern their judgement judgment and reason their wills and affections as Adam should have done Eve They that are after the flesh do minde the things of the flesh The carnal minde is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8.5 to 9. And which leaves them without all hope of being wiser they had rather keep conscience blind that it may slatter them than inform it that it may give a just verdict against them counting it less trouble to believe a favorable falshood than to examine whether it be true So that it is impossible for fleshly minded men to believe what sots they are touching the good of their souls Wherefore when we see the folly and misery of those that serve sin and Satan and
so important a 〈…〉 First If the Sun which is but a creature be so bright and glorious that no mortal eye can look upon the brightness of it how glorious then is the Creator himself or that light from whence it receives its light If the frame of the Heavens and globe of the Earth be so glorious which is but the lower house or rather the foot-stool of the Almighty as the Holy Ghost phraseth it Isa. 66.1 Matth. 5.35 Act. 7.49 how glorious and wonderfull is the Maker thereof and the City where he keeps his Court Or if sinners even the worst of wicked men and Gods Enemies have here in this earthly pilgrimage such variety of enjoyments to please their very senses as who can express the pleasurable variety of Objects for the sight of meats and drinks to satisfie and delight the taste of voyces and melodious sounds to recreate the hearing of sents and perfumes provided to accommodate our very smellings of recreations and sports to bewitch the whole man And the like of honour and profit which are Idols that carnal men do mightily dote upon and take pleasure in though these earthly and bodily joyes are but the body or rather the dregs of true joy what think we must be the soul thereof viz. those delights and pleasures that are reserved for the glorified Saints and Gods dearest darlings in Heaven Again Secondly If natural men find such pleasure and sweetness in secular wisdom lip-learning and brain-knowledg For even mundane knowledg hath such a shew of excellency in it that it is highly affected both by the good and bad As O the pleasure that rational men take therein It being so fair a Virgin that every clear eye is in love with her so rich a Pearl 〈◊〉 at none but Swine do despise it yea among all the Trees in the Garden none so takes with rational men as the Tree of knowledg as Satan well knew when he set upon our first Parents insomuch that Plato thinks in case wisdom could but represent it self unto the eyes it would set the heart on fire with the love of it And others affirm That there is no less difference between the Learned and the Ignorant than there is between the â—â—â—ing and the dead or between men and beasts And yet the pleasure 〈◊〉 â—atural and moral men take in secular and mundane knowledg and leaâ—â—â—g is nothing comparable to that pleasure that an experimental Christian finds in the Divine and Supernatural knowledge of Gods Word which makes David and Solomon prefer it before the honey and the honey-comb for sweetness and to value it above thousands of gold and silver yea before Pearls and all precious stones for worth How sweet then shall our knowledg in Heaven be For here we see but darkly and as it were in a glass or by moon-light but there we shall know even as we are known and see God and Christ in the face 1 Cor. 13.12 Thirdly if meer Naturians have been so taken with the love of Vertue that they thought if a vertuous soul could but be seen with corporal eyes it would ravish all men with love and admiration thereof yea if the very worst of men drunkards blasphemers and the like though they most spitefully scoff at and backbite the people of God yet when they know a man sincere upright and honest cannot choose â—â—◠〈…〉 touching Iohn and King Agrippa touching Paul Sect. 2. Or rather if Gods own people are so ravished with the graces and priviledges which they enjoy upon earth as the assurance of the pardon of sin the peace of a good conscience and joy of the Holy Ghost which is but glorification begun what will they be when they shall enjoy the perfection of glory in Heaven As see but some instances of their present enjoyments here below First if we were never to receive any reward for those small labours of love and duties we do to the glory of God and profit of others we might think our selves sufficiently recompenced in this life with the calm and quietness of a good conscience the honesty of a vertuous and holy life That we can do and suffer something for the love of Christ who hath done and suffered so much to save us That by our works the Majesty of God is magnified to whom all homage is due and all service too little For Godliness in every sickness is a Physitian in every contention an Advocate in every doubt a Schoolman in all heaviness a Preacher and a comforter unto whatsoever estate it comes making the whole life as it were a perpetual Halleluja Yea God so sheds his love abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost that we are in Heaven before we come thither Insomuch that as the fire flyeth to his Sphere the stone hastens to the center the River to the Sea as to their end and rest and are violently detained in all other places so are the hearts of Gods people without their Maker and Redeemer their last end and eternal rest and quietness never at rest like the Needle touched with the Loadstone which ever stands quivering and trembling until it enjoyes the full and direct aspect of the Northern Pole But more particularly How does the assurance of the pardon of sin alone clear and calm alâ— storms of the mind making any condition comfortable and the worst and greatest misery to be no misery To be delivered of a child is no smal joy to the mother but to be delivered from sin is a far greater joy to the soul. But to this we may add the joy of the Holy Ghost and the peace of conscience otherwise called the peace of God which passeth all understanding These are priviledges that 〈◊〉 Paul happier in his chain of Iron than Agrippa in his chain of gold 〈◊〉 Peter more merry under stripes than Caiaphas upon the Iudgment-seat and Steven the like under that shower of stones Pleasures are ours if we be Christs whence those expressions of the Holy Ghost The Lord hath done great things for us whereof we rejoyce Be glad in the Lord and rejoyce ye righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart Let all that put their trust in thee rejoyce let them even shout for joy Rejoyce evermore and again I say rejoyce rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience Your heart shall rejoyce and your joy shall no man take from you c. So that it is a shame for the faithfull not to be joyfull and they sin if they rejoyce not whatever their condition be The Eunuch no sooner felt the pardon of sin upon his being baptized into the faith of Christ but he went on his way rejoycing Act 8.39 He then found more solid joy than ever he had done in his râ—cheâ— honours and great places under Candace Queen of the Aethiopians 〈◊〉 same time when the Disciples were persecuted they are said to be filled with
joy and with the Holy Ghost Acts 13.52 And as their afflictions do abound so their consolations abound also 2 Cor. 1.5 For these are comforts that will support and refresh a Child of God in the very midst of the flames as the Martyrs found for maugre all their persecutors could do their peace and joy did exceed their pain as many of them maniâ—ested to all that saw them suffer Sect. 3. Where observe before we go any further what sots they are that cry out It is in vain to serve God and unprofitable to keep his Commandments as it is in Malachy 3.14 For had these fools but tasted the sweet coâ—forts that are in the very works of piety and that Heaven upon earth the feast of a good conscience and joy of the inward man they could not so speak Yea then would they say there is no life to the life of a Christian. For as the Priests of Mercury when they ate their figs and honey cryed out O how sweet is truth So if the worst of a Believers life in this world be so sweet how sweet shall his life be in that Heavenly Ierusalem and holy City where God himself dwelleth and where we shall reign with Christ our Bridegroom and be the Lambs wife which City is of pure gold like unto clear glass the walls of Iasper having twelve foundations garnished with all manner of precious stones the first foundation being Iasper the second Saphir the third a Chaleedony the fourth an Emerauld the fifth a Sardonyx the sixth a Sardius the seventh a Chrysolite the eighth a â—eryl the ninth a Topaz the tenth a Chrysoprasus the eleventh a Iacinth the twelfth an Amethyst having twelve gates of twelve Pearls the street â—hereof of pure gold as it were transparant glass In the midst of which City 〈◊〉 a pure River of the water of life clear as Cristal and of either side the â—ree of life which bears twelve manner of fruits yielding her fruit every moneth the leaves whereof serve to heal the Nations Where is the Throne of God and of the Lamb whom we his servants shall for ever serve and see his face and have his Name written in our foreheads And there shall be no night neither is there need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God doth lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof Into which nothing that defileth shall enter but they alone which are written in the Lambs Book of life As is exprest Rev. 21 22 Chap. The Holy Ghost speaking after the manner of men and according to our slender capacity for otherwise no words can in any measure express the transcendency of that place of pleasure Onely here we have a taste or earnest penny one drop of those divine dainties of those spiritual supernatural and divine pleasures reserved for the Citizens of that heavenly Ierusalem some small smack whereof we have even in the barren desert of this perillous peregrination God letting out as it were a certain kind of Manna which in some sort refresheth his thirsty people in this wilderness as with most sweet honey or water distilled from out the Rock As what else are those â—ubilees of the heart those secret and inward joyes which proceed from â— good conscience grounded upon a confident hope of future salvation 〈…〉 do these great clusters of grapes signifie but the fertility of 〈…〉 Land of Promise Sect. 4. True it is none can know the spiritual joy and comfort of a Christian but he that lives the life of a Christian Joh. 7.17 As none could learn the Virgins Song but they that sang it Rev. 14 3. No man can know the peace of a good conscience but he that keeps a good conscience no man knows the hid Manna and white Stone with a new name written in it but they that receive the same Rev. 2.17 The world can see a Christians outside but the raptures of his soul the ravishing delights of the inward man and joy of his spirit for the remission of his sins and the infusion of grace with such like spiritual Priviledges more glorious than the States of Kingdoms are as a covered messe to men of the world But I may appeal to any mans conscience that hath been softned with the unction of grace and truly tasted the powers of the world to come To him that hath the love of God shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost in whose soul the light of grace shines whether his whole life be not a perpetual Hallelujah in comparison of his natural condition Whether he finds not his joy to be like the joy of harvest or as men rejoyce when they divide a spoil Isa. 9.3 Whether he finds not more joy in goodness than worldlings can do when their wheat wine and oyl aboundeth Psal. 4.7 53.17 Yea he can speak it out of experience that as in prophane joy even in laughter the heart is sorrowfull so in godly sorrow even in weeping the heart is light and cheerfull The face may be pale yet the heart may be calm and quiet So St. Paul as sorrowing and yet alwayes rejoyceing 2 Cor. 6.10 Our cheeks may run down with tears and yet oâ—â— mouthes sing forth praises And so on the contrary Where O God there wants thy grace Mirth is onely in the face 2 Cor. 5.12 Well may a careless worldling laugh more as what will sooner make a man laugh than a witty jest but to hear of an Inheritance of an hundred pounds a year that is faln to a man will make him more solidly merâ—y within Light is sown to the righteous and joy for the upright Psal. 97 1â— My servant saith God shall sing and rejoyce but they shall weep c. Isa. 65.14 Indeed we are not merry enough because we are not Christians enough because sin is a cooler of our joy as water is of fire And like the worm of Ionah his gourd bites the very root of our joy and makes it wither Yea sin like a damp puts out all the lights of our pleasure and deprives us of the light of Gods countenance as it did David Psal. 51 1â— 4.6 So that the fault is either First in the too much sensuality of a Christian that will not forgo the pleasures of sin or the more muddy joys and pleasures of this world which are poysons to the soul and drown our joyes as Bees are drowned in honey but live in vinegar Men would have spiritual joy but withall they would not part with their carnal joy Yet this is an infallible Conclusion There is no enjoying a worldly Paradise here and another hereafter Or Secondly The fault is in the taste not in the meat in the folly of 〈…〉 To taste spiritâ—al joyes a man must be spiritual for the Spirit relisheth onely the things of the Spirit and like loveth his like Between a spiritual man and spiritual joyes there is as mighty an appetite and enjoying as
cause the Earth to swallow down a third quick while they are blaspheming him they would be as far from beleeving as they were before as the examples of the old world the Sodomites Pharaoh Balaam Ahab Belshazzar Malchus and those great Clerks the Scribes and Pharisees together with thousands of the Iews sufficiently manifest Yea it is easier for a man possest with many Devils to be dispossest to raise one from the dead or to turn a stone into flesh in which God should meet with no opposition then perswade an habituated Swearer to beleeve these ensuing prâ—â—pts predictions testimonies of the Gospell or any other saving truth Mat. 5.20 12.36 25 30 to 46. 2 Thess. 1.7 8 9. 2.12 Heb. 12.14 29. Rev. 20.12 to the end Deut. 29.19 20. Prov. 1.24 to 33â— 14. § Well may they beleeve what the World the Flesh and the Devil suggests unto them As Satan that he may make smooth their way to perdition will perswade the most impudent and insolent sinners Drunkards Adulterers Blasphemers Sabbath-breakers Bloodthirsty Murtherers Persecuâ—ters of the Godly and contemners of Religion that they may take liberty to continue their sensuall lusts by a testimony of â—cripture and apply Christs passion 〈…〉 head his drum of Rebellion with his pardon they live as if the Gospell werâ— quite contrary to the rule of the Law or as if God were neither to 〈◊〉 feared not cared for Hence they exercise their saucie wits in prophâ—â—â— scoffs at Religion and disgrace that bloud whereof hereafter they would givâ— a thousand worlds for one drop hence they tear heaven with their blasphemieâ— and bandie the dreadfull name of God in their impure and polluted mouths by their bloody oaths and execrations hence they are so witlesse graceâ—lesse and shamelesse as to swear and curse even as dogs bark Yea the have so sworn away all grace that they count it a grace to swear and at so far from beleeving what God threatens in his Word against sin anâ— what is affirmed of his justice and severity in punishing all wilfull and imâ—penitent sinners with eternall destruction of body and soul that they presâ—sume to have part in that merit which in every part they have so abused to be purged by that bloud which now they take all occasions to disgrace to be saved by the same wounds and bloud which they swear by and so often swear away to have Christ an Advocate for them in the next life wheâ— they are Advocates against Christ in this that heaven will meet them aâ— their last hour when all their life long they have galloped in the bearer rode toward hell And that though they live like swine all their life long yet one cry for mercy at the last gasp shall transform them into Saints Anâ— this is the strong faith they are so apt to boast of viz. presumption not confiâ—dence Or rather Hope frighted out of its wits For not withstanding al this in beleeving the Scriptures they fall short of the Devils themselves For the Devils doe really beleeve that God is no lesse true and just then he â—word â— mercifull as his Word declares him to be and thereupon they tremble a S. Iames hath it Iames 2.19 whereas these men beleeve not a word thaâ— God speaks so as to be bettered by it 15. § And no marvail for their wont hath been to beleeve Satan raâ—ther then God as did our first parents Gen. 3. Therefore now afteâ— they have rejected all means of grace when they are so crusted in their vilâ—lanie that custome is become a second or new nature God that he may puâ—nish their hardnesse and excesse in sin with further obduration not onlâ— delivers them up to Satan the God of this world who so blindes their mindes and deludes their understandings that the light of the glorious Gospell of Chrisâ— shall not shine unto them 2 Cor. 4.3 4. Eph. 2.2 2 Thess. 2.9 But he giveâ— them up even to a reprobate judgment to the hardnesse of their hearts and tâ— walk in their owne connsels Psal. 81.11.12 Rom. 1.21 to 32. And betteâ— be given up to Satan as the incestuous Corinthian was then thus to be given up For he was thereby converted and saved as God used the matter making the Scorpion a medicine against the sting of the Scorpion the Horseleecâ— a means to abate the vicious and superfluous bloud so ordering Satans crafâ— and malice to ends which himself intended not Whereas these are given over as a desperate Patient is given over by hiâ— Physitian when there is no hope of his recovery As thus Because they wilâ— not receive the truth in love that they mights be saved for this cause God give 〈…〉 damned who beleeve not the truth but take pleasure in unrighteousnesse they are the very words of the holy Ghost 2 Thess. 2.10 11 12. If any would see more touching to wofull condition of a deluded worldling and how Satan guls wicked men with a world of misprisions that he may the better cheat them of their souls Let them read The Drunkards Character and The Cure of Misprision for in this I study all possible brevity being loath either to surfeit or cloy the Swearer who is commonly short breath'd in well-doing and lâ—st adding more should hinder him from hearing this for Satan and his corrupt heart will not condescend he shall hold out to hear his beloved sin so-spoken against MEMB. 5. 1. § Only I will insert a few notions aphorisms or conclusions touching the former point of Gods forbearing to punish the most stagitious sinners when they so horribly provoke him together with some pregnant examples of some that he hath executed Martiall Law upon even in this life Cornelius Gallus not to mention many nor any that every Author sets down dyed in the very act of his filthinesse as Plutarch well notes Nitingall Parson of Crondall in Kent was struck dead in the Pulpit as he was belching out his spleen against religion and zealous professors of the Gospel It was the usual imprecation of Henry Earl of Schuartzbourg Let me be drowned in a Iakes if it be not so and such was his end You may remember one Lieutenant of the Tower was hanged it had wont to be his usuall imprecation as he confessed at his death Earl Godwin wishing at the Kings Table that the bread he eat might choke him if he were guilty of Alphreds death whom he had before slain was presently choked and fell down dead Yea his lands also sunk into the Sea and are called Godwins sands where thousands since have made shipwrack It was usuall with Iohn Peter mentioned in the book of Martyres to say if it be not true I pray God I may rot ere I dye and God saying Amen to it he rotted away indeed A Serving-man in Lincoln-shire for every trifle used to swear Gods precious bloud and would not be warned by his friends to leave it insomuch that hearing the bell tole in the very
proclaimed a War enmity and strife between the wicked and the godly Did you never read that Scripture Gen. 3.15 where God himself saith to the Serpent I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed he or it shall bruise thine head and thou shalt bruise his heel Where by the serpentts seed are meant the whole generation of wicked men and by the womans seed Christ and all his members as all Interpreters conclude and other Scriptures make cleer where wicked men are called serpents a generation of vipers and children of the Devil Matth. 23.33 John 8.44 1 John 3.10 And as this war was proclaimed in Paradise even in the beginning of time original sin being the original of this discord so it shall continue to the end of all time When time saith One began this malice first began nor will it end but with the latest man It 〈◊〉 everlasting Act of Parliament like a Statute in Magna Charta Which 〈…〉 thing I would commend to your serious consideration And that you may be the better confirmed therein see how according to the Lords prediction or proclamation there hath been a perpetual war enmity and strife in all ages past is now and ever shall be between Satan and Christ and their Regiments the wicked and the godly For proof whereof I could produce testimonies and examples innumerable there being scarce a page in the Bible which doth not express or imply somewhat touching this enmity But that I may be brief and because examples give a quicker impression then arguments I will onely give you an instance in every Age. As First to begin with the first Age viz. the old World before the flood We read of this mortal enmity and strife between Cain and Abel 1 John 3.12 Secondly after the Flood before the Law between Esau and Iacob first in the womb the more plainly to shadow out this enmity Gen. 25.22 23. and after they were born Gen. 27.41 Thirdly After the Law before Christ between Doeg and the 85. Priests which he slew with the edge of the sword 1 Sam. 22.18 19. Fourthly Since the Gospel in the time of Christ and his Apostles this enmity so manifested it self not only in the Gentiles but in the Iews Gods own people who first raised those persecutions against Christ and his members that having beheaded Iohn Baptist his harbinger and crucified himself the Lord of life We read that of all the twelve none died a natural death save only S. Iohn and he also was banished by Domitian to Patmos and at another time thrust into a Tun of seething oyl at Rome as Tertullian and S. Hierome do report See Acts 7.51 to 60. and 12. 1. to 5. Rom. 8.36 Iohn 21.18 19. Fifthly After the Apostles if we consider the residue of the ten Persecutions raised by the Romans against the Christians which was for three hundred years till the coming of godly Constantine we finde that under Dioclesian seventeen thousand Christians were slain in one moneth amongst whom was Serena the Empress also Yea under him and nine other Empereâ—s there was such an innumerable company of innocent Christians put to death and tormonted that S. Hierom in his Epistle to Chromatius and Heliodorus saith There is no one day in the year unto the number of five thousand Martyrs might not be ascribed except only the first day of Ianuary Yea there was two thousand suffered in the same place and at the same time with Nicanor Acts and Monuments page 32. who were put to the most exquisite deaths and torments that ever the wit or malice of men or devils could invent to inflict upon them and all for professing the faith of Christ and being holy which makes S. Paul cry out I think that God hath set forth us the last Apostles as men appointed to death 1 Cor. 4.9 CHAP. VI. SIxthly From the Primitive times and infancy of the Church hitheâ—to 〈◊〉 Turk and the Pope have acted their parts in shedding the blood of 〈◊〉 Saints as well as the Iewes and Roman Emperours touching which I will ofer you to the Book of Acts and Monuments and Revel 17. The Babylon was drunk with the blood of the Saints and with the blood of the 〈…〉 Iesus ver 6. Which in part was fulfilled in England under the reign of 〈…〉 Mary and in France where before many late bloody 〈…〉 more then two hundred thousand who suffered Martyrdom about Transubstantiation See Ecclesiastical History lib. 6. cap. 4 5 16. But Seventhâ—y To come to these present times wherein we live Is it possible for a man to live a conscionable and unreproveable life abstain from drunkennesse swearing prophaning the Lords day separate himself from evill company be zealous for the glory of God admonish others that do amisse c. without being traduced calumniated hated slandered and persecuted for the same no it is not possible for if our righteousnesse doe but exceed the righteousness of a swearer or a drunkard we are sure to be persecuted for our righteousness as Abel was persecuted of Cain because his Sacrifice was better then his If a man walke according to the rule of Gods Word he is too precise if he will be more then almost a Christian he is curious phantastical factious and shall be mocked with the Spirit as if the Spirit of God were a Spirit of dishonour and shame Yea in these times not to be an Atheist or Papist is to be a Fanatick as how common a thing is it to wound all holiness under the name of Fanatick a name so full of the Serpents enmity as the egge of a Cockatrice is full of poison What should I say the World is grown so much knave that 't is now a vice to be honest O the deplorable condition of these times Even the Devil himself durst not have been so impudent as to have scoft at holiness in those ancient and purer times but now I could even sink down with shame to see Christianity every where so discountenanced Our very names come into few mouths out of which they return but with reproaches Amongst the rest of our sins O God be merciciful to the contempt of thy Servants Eightly For the time to come It is like not only to continue but the last remnants of time are sure to have the most of it because as in them love shall wax cold Matth. 24.12 so as love groweth cold contention groweth hot More expresly the Holy Ghost foretells that in the last dayes the times shall be perâ—lous and that toward the end of the world there shall be scoffers false accusers cursed speakers fierce despisers of them that are good and being steshly not having the spirit thâ—y shall speak evill of the things which they understand not and that many shall follow their damnable ways whereby the way of truth shall be evill spoken of And that as Iannes and Iambres withstood Moses so these also shall resist the truth being
grow no more Great Cities once expunged the Dorpes and Villages will soon come in of themselves Wherefore as the King of Syria said unto his Captains Fight neither against great nor small but against the King of Israel 1 Kings 22.31 So especially we must set our selves against our mother and Master sinne the King being caught the rest will never stand out The heart is originally evil that is the treasure and storehouse of wickednesse As in generation so in regeneration Cor primum vivit life begins at the heart Yea the heart is the first in our Creation which is formed the first by reason of our fall by sinne which is deformed and the first in our regeneration that is reformed And whensoever God does savingly shine upon the understanding he giveth a soft and pliable heart For without a work upon the heart by the Spirit of God it will follow its own inclination to that which it affecteth whatsoever the judgment shal say to the contrary That must first be reformed which was first deformed Out of the abundance of the heart saith our Saviour the mouth speaketh Mat. 12.34 Yea out of the abundance of the heart the head deviseth the eye seeth the ear heareth the hand worketh the foot walketh A man may apply his ears and his eyes as many blockheads do to his Book and yet never prove Scholar but from that day which a man begins to apply his heart unto wisdome he learneth more in a moment after than he did in a year before nay than ever he did in all his life As you see the wicked because they apply their hearts to wickednesse how fast they proceed how easily and how quickly they become perfect Swearers perfect Drunkards cunning Deceivers c. The heart is like the fire which kindleth the sacrifice 1 Kings 18.38 And indeed if the tongue or the hand or the ear think to serve God without the heart it is the irksomest occupation in the world But as the Sunne riseth first and then the beasts arise from their dens the fowles from their nests and men from their beds so when the heart sets forward to serve God all the members will follow after it the tongue will praise him the foot will follow him the ear will attend him the eye will watch him the hand will serve him nothing will stay after the heart but every one goes like Handmaids after their Mistresse Such as the heart is such are the actions of the body which bringeth forth good things and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth evil things Matth. 12.25 Therefore as Christ saith Make clean within and all will be clean Matth 35.25 26. So see your hearts be sincere and single and then all your actions will be holy to the Lord. If we would be rid of noysome fowles the only way is to destroy their nests in every place A vain and lost labour it is to stop the current of a stream if you go not to the fountain Whence it is that God saith Give me thine heart Prov. 23.26 As though he would teach us the pleasantest and easiest way to serve him without any grudging or toyl or wearisomenesse As let but the heart be changed and we shall attend the Ordinances and perform all duties with delight cheerfulnesse and alacrity Whereas to a carnal heart holy duties as fasting praying hearing is so tedious and irksome that it thinks one Sabboth or Fast-day more tedious and burdensome than ten holy daies as their consciences will bear me witnesse Whereas the gracious soul is more delighted therewith than his body with a well relished meal Touch but the first linke of a chain and all the rest will follow so set but the heart a going and it is like the poyse of a clock which turns all the wheels one way such an oyl is upon the heart that it makes all nimble and current about it but without the heart all is mute and dumb As the tongue will not praise because the heart doth not love the ear doth not hear because the heart does not mind the hand does not give because the heart does not pitty the foot will not go because the heart hath no affection All stay upon the heart like the Captain that should give the onset Nor is any service we can do accepted without the heart and affections flowing thence Therefore Davids prayer is Create in me a new heart and renew a right spirit within me Psal. 51.10 The Scribes and Pharisees did fast and watch and pray and hear and read and give and do all that we can do and yet Christ rewarded all their works with a wo because they wanted a good heart and true affections flowing thence They honoured God with their lips but their hearts were far away from him Whence he also calls them hypocrites Mark 7.6 The Disciple that betrayed Christ heard as much as the Disciples that loved him CHAP. XIII But here least I should be mistaken let me joyn to what hath been said and what shall be further said by way of caution Expect not that this should be done by any power of thine own for except God give thee repentance and removes all impediments that may hinder thou canst no more turn thy self than thou couldst at first make thy self We are not sufficient of our selves to think much lesse to speak least of all to do that which is good 2 Cor. 3.5 We are swift to all evil but to any good immoveable We can lend no more active power to our conversion than Adam did to his creation than the Child doth to his conception than the dead man to his raising from the grave 〈…〉 16.14 the ears of the Prophet to hear well Isa. 50.4 the eyes of Elishaes servant to see well 2 Kings 6.17 and the lips of David to speak well Bid a man by his own strength do the least good or bear the least trouble you may with as good successe stand in the street and bid a chained prisoner come out of his dungeon St Paul before his conversion could do as much as the best accomplished moralist of them all his words are If any man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh much more I Phil. 3.4 Yet when he speaks of his doing or suffering he sheweth that it was because the love of God was shed abroad in his heart by the holy Ghost which was given him Rom. 5.5 Of himself he could do nothing though he were able to do all things through Christ and by the Spirits assistance who strengthened him Phil. 4.13 Man is like an Organ-pipe that speakes no longer then wind is blown into it Wherefore as when David came to fight with Goliah he cast away Sauls armour so let us in this case cast away all trust and confidence in our selves and only set forward in the Name of the Lord God of Israel If we trust to our own resistance we cannot stand
we cannot miscarry if we trust to his Yet this is to be considered that God does not work upon us as upon blocks and stones in all and every respect passive but converts our wils to will our own conversion He that made thee without thy self will not justifie nor save thee without thy self Without thy merit indeed not without thine endeavour When those deadly waters were healed by the Prophet the outward act must be his the power Gods he cast the salt into the spring and said Yhus saith the Lord I have healed these waters there shall not be from thence any more death or barrennesse Elisha was the Instrument but far was he from challenging ought to himself Wherefore be sure to use that power which Christ shall give thee and then my soul for thine he will not be wanting on his part And amongst other thine endeavour exercise Prayer Omit not to beg of God for the grace thou wantest and praise him for what thou obtainest Abhor to attribute or ascribe ought to thy doing trust only to Christs obedience in whom only what we do is accepted and for whom only it is rewarded Now you are to know that as no Sacrifice was without Incense so must no service be performed without Prayer And Prayer is like the Merchants Ship to fetch in heavenly commodities It is the Key of Heaven as St Austin terms it and the Hand of a Christian which is able to reach from earth to Heaven and to take forth every manner of good gift out of the Lords Treasury Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name saies Christ believing he will give it you John 16.23 Matth. 21.22 Unto fervent Prayer God will deny nothing It is like Sauls Sword and Ionathans bow that never returned empty Like Ahimaaz that alwaies brought good tydings It is worth the obseâ—ving how Cornelius his serious exercise of this duty of Prayer brought unto him first an Angel then an Apostle and then the Holy Ghost himself Hast thou then a desire after that happinesse before spoken of seek first to have the asistance of Gods Spirit and his love shed abroad in thine heart by the Holy Ghost Wouldst thou have the love of God and the asistance of his Spirit ask it of him by Prayer who saith If any of you lack in this kind let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him James 1.5 Wouldst thou pray that thou maist be heard Ask in faith and waver not for he that wavereth is like a wave of the Sea tost of the wind and carried away Vers. 6. Wouldst thou have faith be diligent to hear the Word preached which is the sword of the Spirit that killeth our corruptions and that unresistable Cannon-shot that battereth and beateth down all the strong holds of sinne and Satan Rom. 10.17 Unto him therefore that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think I commend thee CHAP. XIV Lastly For conclusion of this point Wouldst thou be a contented and Happy man then strive to be a Thankefull man and when God hath the fruit of his mercies he will not spare to sow much where he reapes much Wouldest thou become thankefull then bethink thy self what cause thou hast by calling to mind and considering what God and Christ hath done for thee As first That he is the Authour of thy natural life For in him we live and move and have our being Act. 17.28 Secondly Of thy spiritual life Thus I live saies Paul yet not I now but Christ liveth in me Gal. 2.20 Thirdly Of thy eternal life 1 Joh. 1. He is the way the truth and the life John 14.6 The resurrection and the life John 11.25 Or more particularly thus In the first place He gave us our selves and all the creatures to be our servants yea he created us after his own Image in righteousnesse and holinesse and in perfect knowledge of the truth with a power to stand and for ever to continue in a most blessed and happy condition and this deserves all possible thankfulnesse But this was nothing in comparison For when we were in a sad condition when we had forfeited all this and our selves when by sinne we had turned that Image of God into the Image of Satan and wilfully plunged our souls and bodies into eternal torments when we were become his enemies mortally hating him and to our utmost fighting against him and taking part with his only enemies Sin and Satan not having the least thought or desire of reconcilement but a perverse and obstinate will to resist all means tending thereunto He did redeem us not only without asking but even against our wils so making of us his cursed enemies servants of servants sons of sons heirs and coheirs with Christ Gal 4.7 Here was a fathomlesse depth a wonder beyond all wonders 2. But that we may the better consider what an alms or boon God gave us when he gave us his Son Observe that when neither Heaven Earth nor Hell could have yielded any satisfactory thing besides Christ that could have satisfied Gods justice and merited Heaven for us then O then God in his infinite wisdom and goodnesse did not only find out a way to satisfie his Justice and the Law but gave us his Sonne his only begotten Son his only beloved Son out of his bosome And his Son gave himself to die even the most shamefull painfull and cursed death of the Crosse to redeem us That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life John 3.16 The very thought of which death before he come to it together with the weight and burthen of our sinnes put him into such an Agony in the Garden that it made him to sweat even drops of blood A mercy bestowed and a way found out that may astonish all the sonnes of men on earth and Angels in Heaven Wherefore O wonder at this you that wonder at nothing That the Lord should come with such a price to redeem our worse than lost souls and to bring salvation to us even against our wils The Lord Iesus Christ being rich for our sakes became poor that we through his poverty might be made rich 2 Cor. 8.9 Even the eternal God would die that we might not die eternally O the deepnesse of Gods love O the unmeasurable measure of his bounty O Son of God! who can sufficiently expresse thy love Or commend thy pity Or extol thy praise It was a wonder that thou madest us for thy self more that thou madest thy self man for us but most of all that thou shouldest unmake thy self that thou shouldest die to save us 3. And which is further considerable It cost God more to redeem the world than to make it In the Creation he gave thee thy self but in the Redemption he gave thee himself The Creation of all things cost him but six daies to finish it the Redemption of man cost him
brought men into Campania but carried women out again Yea the more deliverances David had the greater was his faith for after the Lord had delivered him often out of extream exigents namely from this great Goliah the cruelty of Saul the unnatural insurrection of Absalom and the unjust curses of Shimei he was able to say I trust in God neither will I fear what flâ—sh can do unto me Psal. 56.4 And in Psal. 3. I will not be afraid for ten thousand of the people that should beset me round about Vers. 6. And in Psal. 18.29 By thee I have broken through an host and in thy Name I will leap over a wall His experience had made it so easie to him that it was no more then a skip or jump We men indeed therefore shut our hands because we have opened them making our former kindnesses arguments of sparing afterwards but contrarily God therefore gives because he hath given making his former favours arguments for more It is Davids onely argument Psal. 4. Have mercy upon me saith he and hearken unto my prayer Why Thou hast set me at liberty when I was in distresse Vers. 1. I might likewise here shew from 2 Chron. 20.29 Phil. 1.12 13 14. how the delivering of some increaseth the faith of others but I passe that That we may live by faith and not by sense he first strips us of all our earthly confidence and then gives us victory and not before lest he should be a loser in our gain his help uses to shew it self in extremity he that can prevent evils conceals his aid till dangers be ripe and then he is as careful as before he seemed connivent Daniel is not delivered at the beginning of his trouble he must first be in the Lions den and then he findes it Those three Servants Dan. 3.26 are not rescued at the Ovens mouth in the Furnace they are That is a gracious and well tried faith that can hold out with confidence to the last Like Abraham who is said to hope against hope Rom. 4.18 which with God is a thing much set by Yea such he accounts his Champions and Worthies Whence it is many are trained up in trouble all their dayes as it fared with David for as a Beare came to David after a Lion and a Giant after a Beare and a King after a Giant and Philistines after a King and all to make him more hardy and confident in his God so when they that are intended for Christs Champions have fought with the Devil and their own lusts they shall fight with envy when they have fought with envy they shall fight with poverty when they have fought with poverty they shall fight with infamy when they have fought with infamy they shall fight with sicknesse and after that with death Like a Labourer that is never out of work and this not only proves but mightily improves their faith And indeed till we have been delivered out of a lesser trouble we cannot trust God in a greater Resembling that peasant who would trust God upon the Land but not upon the Sea where should be but an inch-bord between him and death To hear a man in his best health and vigour to talk of his confidence in God and assurance of divine favour cannot be much worth but if in extremities we can believe above hope against hope our hope is so much the more noble as our difficulties are greater For Iairus to believe that his sick daughter should recover was no hard task but Christ will scrue up his faith to believe she shall again live though he sees with his eyes she is fully dead When we are in heavy Agonies and feel a very hell in our conscience then to apprehend mercy when with Ionas in the Whales belly we can call upon God in faith and see one contrary in another in the very depth of Hell Heaven in the very midst of Anger Love When with the woman of Canaan Matth. 15. we can pick comfort out of the reproachful name of Dog and when nothing but war appears in Gods face then by faith to pierce through all the thick clouds and behold the sweet sun-shine of Gods favour and grace in Christ Heb. 11. 1. we are believers indeed And he saith Saint Bernard is to be reputed constant whose minde taketh fresh courage in the midst of extremities Like the Palm-tree which groweth so much the higher and stronger and more fruitful by how much the more weight it hath hanging upon it Not that the strongest faith is free from doubting for let a man look down from the top of the strongest steeple admit the Battlements be brest-high and he is sure he cannot fall yet a kinde of fear possesses him And well is it for us that our assurance is mixed with doubting Since the one makes us live as though there were no Gospel the other to die as if there were no Law The Lion seems to leave her young ones till they have almost kill'd themselves with roaring and howling but at last gasp she relieves them whereby they become the more couragious When the Prophet could say Out of the depths have I cried unto thee instantly follows and not till then the Lord heard me the Lord saw him sinking all the while yet lets him alone till he was at the bottom Every main affliction is our Red-sea which while it threats to swallow preserves us now when it comes to a dead lift as we say then to have a strong confidence in God is thank-worthy Hope in a state hopeless and love to God under signes of his displeasure and heavenly mindedness in the midst of worldly affairs and allurements drawing a contrary way is the chief praise of faith to love that God who crosseth us to kiss that hand which strikes us to trust in that power which kils us this is the honourable proof of a Christian this argues faith indeed What made our Saviour say to that woman of Canaan ô woman great is thy faith but this when neither his silence nor his flat denial could silence her Matth. 15. It is not enough to say God is good to Israel when Israel is in peace and prosperity and neither feels nor wants any thing but God will have us believe that he is good when we feel the smart of the rod and at the same time see our enemies the wicked prosper It best pleaseth him when we can say boldly with Iob Though he kill me yet will I trust in him When our enemies are behinde us and the Red-sea before us then confidently to trust upon God is much worth When we are in the barren Wilderness almost famished then to believe that God will provide Manna from Heaven and water out of the Rock is glorious when with the three Children we see nothing before us but a fiery Furnace to believe that God will send his Angel to be our deliverer this is heroical Dan. 3.20 And those which are acquainted with
or suffered was either to purchase fame to themselves or to merit reward by it their aym and end was not Gods glory but their own honour and glory and vertues are to be judged not by their actions but by their ends Yea they called vertue Bonum Theatrale as if a man would not be vertuous if he had not spectators to take notice of him but it is false for vertue will be as cleer in solitudine as in Theatrâ— though not so conspicuous only it may grow more strong by the observation and applause of others as an heat that is doubled by the reflection But O the difference between these naturall and meer morall men and a true Christian the Christian loves goodnesse for it self and would be holy were there no Heaven to reward it he does all and suffers all out of sincere affection and a zeal of Gods glory and the Churches good Matth. 5.16 to the end his Name may be magnified and others won and edified 1 Pet. 2.12 as most fit it is that the profit being mans the honour should be Gods And this his sincerity the rather appears in that he holds out maugre all opposition disgrace persecution c. whereas the other like wind-mills would not turn about to do any good service but for the wind of mens praises Now it is one method to practise swimming with Bladders and another to practise dauncing with heavy shooes We read of some that in the Monastery could fast whole dayes together with ease but in the desart they could not hold out untill noon but their bellies would be craving presently 4. The one doth it in faith which only crowns good actions for whatsoever is not done in faith is sin Rom. 14.23 and therefore cannot please God Heb. 11.6 the reason is this If our best actions be not the fruits of a lively faith they spring from ignorance and infidelity as herbs may do from a dunghill And its evident they have not faith for how should they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard Rom. 10.14 And it were well if all that are meer civill and morall men would look to the Rock where-out their works are hewn and to the Pit where-out they were digged for God looketh at no action further than it is the work of his Spirit but the spirit is no where but in the sons of God Gal. 4.6 and no sons but by faith in Christ Gal. 3.26 So that obedience without faith is but as the shell without the kernell the husk without the corn the carkasse without the soul which the Lord abhors as the sacrifice of fools Isa. 66.3 Whence it is that all the vertues of the Heathen are called by Divines splendida peccata shining or glistering sinnes sinnes as it were in a silken Robe 5. The sum of all Morall Philosophy is included in these two words sustain and abstain and a wicked man may restrain evill as do the godly but here is the difference the one keeps in corruption the other kills corruption 6. The Philosopher and so all civill and morall men can forbear the Christian forgive they pardon their enemies we love ours pray for them and return good for evill and if not we no whit savour of Heaven For if you love them that love you saith our Saviour what thanks shall you have for even the sinners do the same such as see not beyond the clouds of humane reason But I say unto you which hear Love your enemies blesse them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which hurt you and persecute you Matth. 5.44 Luk. 6.27 32 33. shewing that if we will ever hope for good our selves we must return good for evill unto others In which words you may note a triple injunction one to the hâ—art the treasury of love another to the tongue loves interpreter the third and principall to the hand which is loves Factor or Almoner Wherein our Saviour seems to set man like a Clock whose master wheel must not only go right within nor the bell alone sound true above but the hand also point straight without as for the motion and setting of the wheel within he sayes to the heart love your enemies for the stroke and sounding of the bell above he saith to the tongue blesse them that curse you and for the pointing of the hand or Index without he saith to the hand Do good to them that hurt you Now well may naturall men sayâ— with the winde of their naturall passionâ— and corrupt affections in rendring evill for evill but Christ the Master and Pilot of his Ship the Church hath charged all passengers bound for Heaven the Haven of their hope and Harbour of their rest like Pauls Mariners Acts 27. to sayl with a contrary wind and weather of doing good for evill and like the Disciples on the Lake of Genazereth Râ—â— through the raging waves of their enemies reproaches with a contrary breath not rendring rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise to blesse 1 Pet. 3 â—â— And the better to teach us this lesson he practised it himself adding example to precept for his word and his work like mercy and truth were together his precept and his practise like righteousnesse and peace kissed each other for when they in devilish malice sought nothing but his condemnation he in great love went about the work of their salvation when they shed his blood to quench their malice he swet water and blood to wash their souls Yea when the Iews were crucifying of him he at the same time though the torments of his passion were intollerable incomparable unconceivable solliciteth God for their pardon Luk. 23.34 Now his prayer could not but he efficacious and a pardon for such murderâ—rs was no mean good turn And this likewise is the practice of the Saints who strive to imitate their Master in all things which he did as man St Steven at the instant while his enemies were stoning of him kneeled down and prayed Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Acts 7.60 Where is one thing very remarkable he stood when he prayed for himself but kneeled when he prayed for his enemies hereby shewing the greatnesse of their impiety which easily could not be forgiven as also the greatnesse of his piety And indeed as to render good for good is the part of a man and to render evill for evill the part of a beast and to render evill for good the part of a devill so to render good for evill is only the part of a Saint Be mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull Luk. 6.36 It were easie to abound in examples of this kinde How often did Moses return good unto Pharaoh for his evill in praying to and prevailing with God for him to the removall of nine severall plagues notwithstanding his cruell oppression And David what could he have done for Saul that he left undone notwithstanding he so cruelly persecuted him and hunted after his life
the Cistern my Bowels the Sink my Lungs the Bellows my Teeth the Chopping knives except you divide them and then they are the 32 points of the Sea-card both agreeing in number Concoction is the Caldron and hunger the Salt or Sawce my belly is the lower Deck my Kidneys Close Cabbins or receptacles my Thighs are long Galleries for the grace of the Ship my Arms and Hands the Can-hooks my Midriffe is a large Partition or Bulk-head within the circumference of my head is placed the Steeridge-room and chief cabbins with the Round-house where the Master lieth and these for the more safety and decencie are inclosed with a double fence the one Dura-mater something hard and thick the other Pia-mater very thin and soft which serveth instead of hangings The Ears are two doors or Scuttles fitly placed for entertainment the two Eyes are Casementâ— to let in light under them is my Mouth the Stowidge or Stewards-room my Lips are Hatches for receipt of goods my two Nostrils serve as Gratings to let in air at the one end stands my Chin which is the Beak-head my Forehead is the Upper-deck all which being trimmed with my fat instead of pitch and hair instead of Ockham are coloured with my skin The fore-deck is humility the stoarn charity active obedience the sayls which being hoysed up with the several Yards Halliars and Bow-lings of holy precepts and good purposes are let down again by sicklenesse faintings and inconstancie Reason is my Rudder experience the Helme hope of salvation my Anchor passive obedience the Capstain holy revenge the Cat and Fish to hawl the sheat-Anchor or last hope fear of offending is the Buâ—y virtues are the Cables holy desires and sudden ejaculations the Shrouds the zeal of God's glory is my Main-mast premeditation the Foremast desire of my own salvation the Mizzen-mast saving-knowledge the Boltsprit Circumspection a Sounding-line my Light is illumination Justice is the Card God's Word the Compasse the meditation of life's brevity a four-hour-glasse Conâ—emplation of the creatures the Grosse-staff or Iacob's Staff the Creed a Sea-grammer the life of Christ my Load-star the Saints falls are Sea-markes Good examples Land-marks Repentance Pumpes out the sink of my sins a good Conscience keeps mee clean imputative righteousness is my Flag having this Motto BEING CAST DOWN WE PERISH NOT The Flag-staff is sincerity the Ship is victualled afresh by reading hearing receiving Books are Long-boats Letters are little Skiffes to carry and re-carry my spiritual merchandise Perseverance is my speed and Patience my name my fire is lust which will not be clean extinguished full feeding and strong drink is the fuell to maintein it whose flame if it be not supprest is jealousie whose sparks are evil words whose ashes is envie whose smoke is infamy lascivious talk is as flint and steel concupiscence as tinder opportunity is the match to light it sloath and idlenesse are the servants to prepare it The Law of God is my Pilot Faith my Captain Fortitude the Master Chastity the Masters-mate my Will the Coxen Conscience the Preacher Application of Christs death the Chirurgion Mortification the Cook Viviâ—â—cation the Calker Self-denial is an Apprentice of his Temperance the Steward Contentation his Mate Truth the Purser Thankfulnesse the Pursers-mate Reformation the Boat-swain the 4 Humors Sanguine Choller c. are the Quarter-masters Christian vigilancie undertakes to supply the office of Starbord and Larbord waâ—ch Memory is Clerk of the Check Assurance the Corporal the Armour Innocencie the Mariners Angels Scismaticks are Searchers sent aboard my understanding as Master-Gunner culls out from those who Budg-casks of the New and Old Testament certain threats and promises which is my onely Powder and Shot and with the assistance of the Gunners-mate holy anger against sin chargeth my tongue which like to a Piece of Ordinance shoots them to the shame and overthrow of my shirituall Adversaries My Noble Passengers are joy in the Holy Ghost and the peace of conscience whose retinue are divine graces my ignoble or rather mutinous Passengers are worldly cogitations and vain delights which are more than a good many besides some that are arrant thievs and traytors namely pride envie prejudice but all these I 'le bid farewell when I come to my journies end though I would but cannot before Heaven is my Country where I am registred in the Book of life my King is Iehova my tribute Almsdeeds they which gather it are the poor Love is my Countries badge my language is holy conference my â—ellow Companions are the Saints I am poor in performances yet rich in Gods acceptation The foundation of all my good is Gods free Election I became bound into the Corporation of the Church to serve him in my baptisme I was inrolled at the time when hee first called mee my freedom is Justification it was purchased with the blood of Christ my evidence is the earnest of his Spirit my priviledges are his sanctifying Graces my Crown reserved for mee on high is Glorification My Maker and owner is God who built mee by his Word which is Christ of earth which was the materiall hee fraught it with the essence of my soul which is the Treasure and hath set mee to sail in the Sea of this world till I attain to the Port of Death which letteth the terrestriall part into the harbour of the grave and the celestiall into the Kingdom of Heaven in which voyage conveniency of estate is as Sea room good affections serve as a tyde and praier aâ— a prosperous gale of wind to help forward But innumerable are the impediments and perills for here I meet with the proffers of unlawfull gain and sensuall delights as so many Syrens the baits of prosperity as high banks on the right hand or weather-shore and there with evill suggestions and crabbed adversity as Rocks on the left hand or Lee-shore ready to split mee the fear of Hell like quick-sands threaten to swallow mee Originall sin like weeds clog me and actuall transgressions like so many Barnacles hang about mee yea every sin I commit springs a new leak my senses are as so many storms of rain hail and snow to sink me lewd affections are roaring billows and waves self-confidence or to rely upon any thing but divine assistance iâ— to lose the bolt sprit Restitution is heaving goods over-board to save the Ship Melancholly is want of fresh water the Scoffs of Atheists and contempt of Religion in all places is a notable becalming the lewd lives and evill examples of the most a contagious air Idleness surs it and is a shrewd decay both of Hull and Tackling Moreover sailing along and keeping watch for they that are Christs friends you know must look for all they meet to bee their enemies wee no sooner look up but presently wee ken a man of war and then wee must bee for war too and provide for a skirmish Now the Gallion that hath our Pinnace in chase and always watcheth for
his Word Christs blood saith Zanchie was shed as well for ablution as for absolution as well to cleanse from the soil and filth of sin as to clear and assoil from guilt of sin Rom. 6.5 6. God hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Ephes. 1.4 They therefore that never come to be holy were never chosen He is said to have given himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purge us to be a peculiar people unto himself zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 Luke 1.74 75. Yea the Lord binds it with an oath that whomsoever he redeemeth out of the hands of their spiritual enemies they shall worship him in holiness and righteousnesse all the dayes of their life Luke 1.73 74 75. 1. Pet. 2.24 and Tit. 2. The grace of God which bringeth salvation teacheth us that we should deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and that we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world vers 12. By all which it is plain that as Christs blood is a Charter of pardon so withal it is a Covenant of direction and he that refuseth to live as that covenant prescribes may perish as a malefactor that is hanged with his pardon about his neck Sect. XXI But alas say what can be said carnal men who love their sins better then their souls will answer all yea confute whatsoever can be al 〈…〉 with God is mercifull Or in case that will not serve yet they have another shift or rather the enemy of mankinde will furnish them with an evasion telling them that they have a strong faith good hearts and mean well they repent of their sins have as good wishes and desires as can be are elected hope to go to heaven as well as the best c. But to every of these I answer First true faith purifieth the heart and worketh by love consumeth our corruptions and sanctifieth the whole man throughout so that our faith to God is seen in our faithfulnesse to men our invisible belief by our visible life Faith and holiness are as inseparable as life and motion the Sun and light fire and heat ice and coldnesse the spring and greenness the rose and sweetness steel and hardness crystal and clearness pitch and foulness honey and sweetness Again faith believeth the threats of the Word together with the promises Now thou who pretendest belief in the promises shew me thy belief in the threatnings For didst thou believe the truth of those menaces which God hath denounced against unclean covetous ambitious unjust envious malitious persons and such like sinners how durst thou then so wallow in these sins that if God instead of Hell had promised Heaven as a reward unto them thou couldest not do more then thou doest Why shouldest thou deceive thy self with an opinion of faith when indeed thou believest not so much as the Devil does for he believes namely the threatnings of the VVord and trembles for horror Iam. 2. but thou goest on in sin even mocking at the menaces and in the infidelity of thy heart givest them the lye saying no such thing shall befall thee But Invadunt urbem somno vinoque sepultam when they shall say peace and safety then comes on them sudden destruction 1 Thes. 5.3 Though those Persecutors of Christ and murtherers of the Lord of life were the Devils children as they were plainly told by truth it self Ioh. 8.44 yet they most confidently believed and stiffly maintained that God was their father verse 41. And so will the worst of men in these dayes such as do nothing but sin and make others sin such as glory in and maintain their sins Again as faith is wrought by Gods spirit so where it is wrought it brings forth the fruits of the Spirit mentioned Gal. 5.22 23. whereas presumption as it is of the flesh so it brings forth the fruits of the flesh verse 19.20 21. But it is very easie to believe thinks the sensualist yes but why Satan troubles not such for then he who begot this presumptuous faith in him should be divided against himself Nay Satan confirms him in this his deceit Besides this is a sure rule that that perswasion onely which follows sound humiliation is faith that which goes before it is presumption And as Ambrose speaks no man can repent of sin but he that believes the pardon of sin nor none can believe his sins are pardoned except he hath repented Besides how easie a matter soever thou thinkest it is to believe he that goes about it shall finde it as hard a work to believe the Gospel as to keep the Law and onely God must enable to both and yet so far as we come short of either so far forth we have just cause to be humbled if we consider how God at first made us and how wofully we have unmade our selves But Sect. XXII Secondly as for their good hearts and meanings they may think what they will but every wise man knows that the outward actions declare the inward intentions A good conversion is proved by a good conversation There is no heart made of flesh which at some time or other relents not even flint and marble will in some weather stand on drops Men may flatter God with their mouths and with their tongues dissemble with him when their hearts are not upright with him Psal. 78.36 37. and indeed they whose words and deeds are faulty and evil and yet plead the gooodness of their hearts toward God are like malefactors who being convicted of theft or the like naughtiness by plain evidence to their faces do appeal to the testimony of such persons for their purgation as they know cannot be found And in case the hearts of such men could be seen of others as their works and words are their hearts would appear worst of all as they do to God who seeth them Nor is any evil in the mouth or hand which was not in the heart first of all as the stream in the fountain And let a vicious man boast never so much of his good heart I will as soon believe him that saith he hath the Philosophers stone and yet lives like a begger which two hang together like a sick mans dream VVe have good hearts and mean well alas poor ignorant souls for every drop of wickedness that appears in the life there is an ocean in the heart The heart of man is deceitfull above all things and while he thinks there is no deceit in it even in that he is most of all deceived Sinners are like that peremtory Sexâ—on that said howsoever the day goes I am sure the clock goes right So that the Spanish Proverb does every way please me defienda me dios de mio God defend me from my self Carnal men are apt to boast of the goodness of their hearts but a mans heart is as arch a Traitor as any he shall
my own holiness and thought my moral honesty would be sufficient to save me Nor did I know wherein I had offended And whereas the Law is spiritual and binds the heart from affecting no lesse than the hand from acting I was so blind and ignorant that I thought the Commandement was not broken if the outward gross sin be â—orborn Whence these were my thoughts I never brake the first Commandement of having many gods for I was no Papist nor Idolater nor the second for I worshipped God aright nor the third for I had been no common swearer only a few petty oaths nor the fourth for I had every Sabbath gone duly to Church not the fifth for I ever honoured my â—arents and have been a loyal subject not the sixth seventh eighth ninth or tenth for I never committed murther or adultery never stole ought never bare false witness nor could I call to mind that I had at any time coveted my neighbours wife servant estate c. And nothing more common with me than to brag of a good heart and meaning of the strength of my faith and hope of my just and upright dealing c. And because I abstained from notorious sins I thought my self an excellent Christian if God was not beholding to me for not wounding his name with oaths for not drinking and playing out his Sabbaths for not railing on his Ministers for not oppressing and persecuting his poor Members c. Sect. XXX And yet had it been so as I imagined admit I had never offended in the least all my life either in thought word or deed yet this were but one-half of what I owe to God this were but to observe the negative part of his law still the affirmative part thereof I had been so far from performing that I had not so much as thought of it And to be just in the sight of God and graciously accepted of him these two things are required the satisfactory part to escape Hell and the meritorious part to get Heaven And the true method of grace is Cease to do evil Learn to do well Isa. 1.16 17. The Fig-tree was cursed not for bearing evil fruit but because it bare no good The evil servant was not bound hand and foot and cast into prison for wasting his Masters goods but for not gaining with them And those Reprobates at the last day shall be bid depart into everlasting fire not for wronging or robbing of any but for not giving for not comforting Christs poor Members Mat. 25. So that my case was most desperate For though with that Pharisee Luk. 18.11 I was apt to thank God and brag that I was just and paid every man his due yet I never thought of being holy and of paying God his dues as his due of believing or repenting of new obedience his due of praying hearing conferring meditating on his word and works sanctifying his Sabbaths and instructing my Children and Servants teaching them to fear the Lord. His due of Love Fear Thankefulnesse Zeal for his Glory charity and mercy to Christs poor Members and the like I should have served God in spirit and according to Christs Gospel as all that are wise hearted do live and believe and hear and invocate and hope and fear and love and worship God in such manner as his word prescribes I should have been effectually called and become a new Creature by regeneration being begotten and born anew by the immortal seed of the Word I should have found an apparant change wrought in my judgment affections and actions to what they were formerly The Old man should have changed with the New man worldly wisdome with Heavenly wisdome carnal love for spiritual love servile fear for Christian and filial fear idle thoughts for holy thoughts vain words for holy and wholesome words fleshly works for works of righteousnesse even hating what I formerly loved and loving what I formerly hated But alas I have heard the Gospel day after day and year after year which is the strong arm of the Lord and the mighty power of God to salvation That is quick and powerfull and sharper than any two edged-sword and yet stood it out and resisted Instead of submitting to Christs call even refusing the free offer of grace and salvation I have heard the word faithfully and powerfully preached for forty years yet remain'd in my natural condition unregenerate without which new birth there is no being saved as our Saviour affirms Ioh. 3.5 I had not troden one step in the way to conversion for the first part of conversion is to love them that love God 1 Joh. 3.10 11 14. I should daily have grown in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ but I was so far from growing man shall see the Lord Heb. 12 14. I was all for observing the second Table without respect to the first or all for outward conformity not at all for spiritual and inward holinesse of the heart Sect. XXXI Either what I did was not morally good for the matter or not well done for the manner nor to any right ends as out of duty and thankfulnesse to God and my Redeemer and out of love to my fellow members Without which the most glorious performances and rarest virtues are but shining sins or beautifull abominations Gods Glory was not my principal end nor to be saved my greatest care I was a good civil moral honest hypocrite or Infidel but none of these graces grew in the Garden of my heart I did not shine out as a light by a holy conversation to glorifie God and win others Now only to refrain evil except a man hates it also and does the contrary good is to be evil still because honesty without piety is but a body without a soul. All my Religion was either superstition or formality or hypocrisie I had a form of godlinesse but denied the power thereof I often drew near unto God with my mouth and honoured him with my lips but my heart was far from him Isa. 29.13 Mark 7.2 to 14. Matth. 15.7 to 10. All which considered viz. the means which God had afforded me and the little use I had made thereof left me in a far worse condition than the very heathen that never heard of Christ. So that it was Gods unspeakable mercy that I am not at this present frying in Hell flames never to be freed God hath sent unto us all his Servants the Prophets rising up early and they have been instant in Preaching the Gospel both in season and out of season but my carnal heart hath ever been flint unto God wax to Satan you shall dye if you continue in the practice of sin I heard but you shall not dye as saith the Devil I believed Sect. XXXII Besides all this suppose I had none of these to answer for neither sins of Commission nor sins of Omission yet Original sin were enough to damn me no need of any more and yet my actual
know what it is by effect and experience To have as expert a tongue and as quick a memory as Portius a perfect understanding great science profound eloquence a sweet stile To have the force of Demosthenes the depth of Thesius the perswasive art of Tully c. if withal he wants Grace and lives remissely With the Astronomer to observe the motions of the heavens while his heart is buried in the earth to search out the causeâ—f â—f many effects and let pass the consideration of the principal and most necessary With the Historian to know what others have done and how they have sped while he neglecteth the imitation of such as are gone the right way With the Law-maker to set down many Lawes in particular and not to remember the common Law of nature or Law general that all must die Or lastly with Adam to know the Nature of all the Creatures and with Solomon to be able to dispute of every thing even from the Cedar to the Hyssop or Pellitory when in the mean time he lives like Dives dyes like Nabal and after all goes to his own place with Iudas Alas many a Fool goes to hell with lesse cost less pains and far more quiet that is but raw knowledge which is not digested into practice It is not worth the name of knowledge that may be heard only and not seen Ioh. 13.17 Deut. 4.6 Good discourse is but the froth of wisdom the sweet and solid fruit of it is in well framed actions that is true knowledge that makes the knower blessed We only praise that Mariner that brings the ship safe to the haven What sayes Aristotle to be wise and happy are terms reciprocal And Socrates that learning saith he pleaseth me but a little which nothing profits the owner of it either to vertue or happiness And being demanded Who was the wisest and happiest man He Answered He that offends least He is the best schollar that learns of Christ obedience humility c. He is the best Arithmetitian that can add grace to grace he is the best learned that knows how to be saved Yea all the Arts in the world are artless Arts to this Sect. 45. THe best knowledge is about the best things and the perfection of all knowledge to know God and our selves Knowledge and learning saith Aristotle consisteth not so much in the quantity as in the quality not in the greatness but in the goodness of it A little gold we know is more worth than much dross a little diamond than a rocky mountain So one drop of wisdom guided by the fear of God one spark of spiritual experimental and saving knowledge is more worth than all humane wisdom and learning yea one scruple of holiness one dram of faith one grain of grace is more worth than many pounds of natural parts And indeed Faith and Holiness are the nerves and sinews yea the soul of saving knowledge What saith Aristotle No more than the knowledge of goodness maketh one to be named a good man no more doth the knowledge of wisdom alone cause any person properly to be called a wise man Saving knowledge of the truth works a love of the truth known yea it is a uniform consent of knowledge and action He only is wise that is wise for his own soul he whose conscience pulleth all he hears and reads to his heart and his heart to God who turneth his knowledge to faith his faith to feeling and all to walk worthy of his Redeemer He that subdues his sensual desires and appetite to the more noble faculties of reason and understanding and makes that understanding of his to serve him by whom it is and doth understand He that subdues his lusts to his will submits his will to reason his reason to faith his faith his reason his will himself to the will of God this is practical experimental and saving knowledge to which the other is but a bare name or title A competnet estate we know well husbanded is better than a vast patrimony neglected Never any meer man since the first knew so much as Solomon many that have known less have had more command of themselves Alas they are not alwayes the wisest that know most For none more wise and learned in the worlds account than the Scribes and Pharisees yet Christ calls them four times blind and twice fools in one chapter Matth. 23. And the like of Balaam 2 Pet. 2.16 who had such a prophetical knowledge that scarce any of the Prophets had a cleerer revelation of the Messiah to come And the same may be affirmed of Judas and Athitophel for many that know a great deal less are â—ar wiser Yea one poor crucified thief being converted in an hours time had more true wisdom and knowledge infused into him than had all the Rulers Scribes and Pharisees It is very observable what the High Priest told the Council as they were set to condemne Christ Ye know nothing at all he spake truer than he meant it for if we know not the Lord Iesus our knowledge is either nothing or nothing worth Rightly a man knows no more than he practiseth It is said of Christ 2 Cor. 5.21 that he knew no sin because he did no sin in which sense he knows no good that doth no good These things if ye know saith our Saviour happy are ye if ye do them Joh. 13.17 And in Deut. 4.6 Keep the commandements of God and do them for this is your wisdom and understanding before God and man What is the national sweetness of Honey to the experimental taste of it It is one thing to know what riches are and another thing to be Master of them It is not the knowing but the possessing of them that makes rich Many have a depth of knowledge and yet are not soul-wise have a liberary of divinity in their heads not so much as the least Catechisme in their consciences full brains empty hearts Yea you shall hear a flood in the tongue when you cannot see one drop in the life Insomuch that in the midst of our so much light and means of Grace there be few I fear that have the sound and saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and him crucified which was the only care and study of St. Paul 1 Cor. 2.2 Sect. 46. ANd that I am not mistaken the effect shews For if men knew either God or Christ they could not but love him and loveing him they would keep his commandments Ioh. 14.15 For hereby saith St. John It is manifest that we know him if we keep his commandments 1 Joh. 2.3 But he that sayeth I know him and yet keepeth not his commandments is a lyar and there is no truth in him ver 4. What saith our Saviour This is life eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Joh. 17.3 But how shall a man know whether he hath this knowledge Answ. St. John tells you in those last words mentioned
number of those that by professing themselves Protestants discredit the Protestant Religion Who because they have been Christened as Simon Magus was received the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper like Iudas and for company go to Church also as Dogs do are called Christians as we call the Heathen Images gods yea and being blinded by the Prince of darknesse 2 Cor. 4.4 think to be saved by Christ though they take up Arms against him and are no more like Christians then Michols Image of Goats hair was like David Who make the world only their god and pleasure or profit alone their Religion Who are so gracelesse that God is not in all their thoughts except to blaspheme him and to spend his daies in the Divel's service Who being Christians in name will scoffe at a Christian indeed Who honour the dead Saints in a cold profession while they worrey the living Saints in a cruel persecution Who so hate Holiness that they will hate a man for it and say of good living as Festus of great Learning It makes a man mad whose hearts will rise at the â—ight of a good man as some stomachs will rise at the sight of sweet meats Whose Religion is to oppose the power of Religion and whose knowledge of the Truth to know how to argue against the Truth Who justifie the wicked and condemne the â—ust who call Zeal madness and Religion foolishness Who love their sins so much above their souls that they will not onely mock their Admonisher scoff at the means to be saved and make themselves merry with their own damnations but even hate one to the death for shewing them the way to eternal life who will condemne all for Round-heads that have more Religion then an Heathen or knowledg of heavenly things then a childe in the womb hath of the things of this life or conscience then an Atheist or care of his soul then a Beast and are mockers of all that march not under the pay of the Divel Who with Adam will become Satans bond-slaves for an Apple and like Esau sell their Birth-right of Grace here and their Blessing of Glory hereafter for a messe of Pottage Who prefer the pleasing of their palates before the saving of their souls who have not onely cast off Religion that should make them good men but reason also that should make them men Who waste virtues faster then riches and riches faster then any virtues can â—et them Who do nothing else but sin and make others sin too who spend their time and patrimonies in Riot and upon Dice Drabs Drunkennesse who place all their felicity in a Tavern or Brothel house where Harlots and Sycophants rifle their Estates and then send them to rob Who will borrow of every one but never intend to satisfie any one Who glory in their shame and are ashamed of that which should and would be their glory Who desire not the reputation of honesty but of good fellowship Who instead of quenching their thirst drown their senses and had rather leave their wits then the wine behinde them Who place their paradise in their throats heaven in their guts and make their belly their god Who pour their Patrimonies down their throats and throw the house so long out at windows that at length their house throws them out of doors Who think every one exorbitant that walks not after their rule Who will traduce all whom they cannot seduce even condemning with their tongues what they commend in their consciences Who as they have no reason so they will hear none Who are not more blinde to their own faults then quick-sighted in other mens Who being displeased with others will flie in their Makers face and tear their Saviours Name in pieces with oaths and execrations as being worse then any mad dog that flies in his Masters face that keeps him Who swear and curse even ouâ— of custome as currs bark yea they have so sworn away all grace thar they count it a grace to swear and being reproved for swearing they will swear that they swore not Or perhaps they are covetous Cormorants greedy Gripers miserly Muck-worms all whose reaches are at riches Who make gold their god and commodity the stern of their consciences Who hold every thing lawful if it be gainful Who prefer a little base peâ—f before God and their own salvations and who being faâ—ted with Gods blessings do spurn at his precepts Who like men sleeping in a boat are carried down the stream of this World until they arrive at their graves-end Death without once waking to bethink themselves whether they are a going to Heaveu or Hell Or Ignorant and Formal Hypocrites who do as they see others do without either conscience of sin or guidance of reason Who do what is morally good more for fear of the Law then for love of the Gospel Who fear the Magistrate more then they fear God or the Divel regard more the blasts of men's breath then the fire of God's wrath will tremble more at â—â—e thought of a Bayliffe or a Prison then of Satan or Hell and everlasting perdition Who will say they love God and Christ yet hate all that any way resemble him are slint unto God wax to Satan have their ears alwaies open to the Tempter shut to their Maker and Redeemer will chuse rather to disobey God then displease great Ones fear more the Worlds scorns then His anger and rather then abridge themselves of their pleasure will incur the displeasure of God Who will do what God forbids yet confidently hope to escape what He threatens Who will do the Divels works onely and yet look for Christs wages expect that Heaven will meet them at their last hour when all their life long they have galloped in the beaten Road towards Hell Who expect to have Christ their Redeemer and Advocate when their consciences tell them that they seldom remember him but to blaspheme him and more often name him in their Oaths and Curses then in their Praiers Who will persecute Honest and Orthodox Christians and say they mean base and dissâ—â—bling Hypocrites Who think they do God service in killing his servants Joh. 10.2 Who will boast of a strong faith and yet fall short of the Divels in believing Jam. 2.19 Who turn the grace of God into wantonness as if a condemned person should head his Drum of Rebellion with his Pardon resolving to be evil because God is good Who will not believe what is written till they feel what is written and whom nothing will confute but fire and brimstone Who think their villainy is unseen because it is unpunished and therefore live like beasts because they think they shall die like beasts Considering the swarms Legions Millions of these I say and many the like which I cannot stand to repeat As also in reference to Levit. 19.17 Isa. 58.1 And out of compassion to their pretious souls there are above twenty several Books purposely composed wherein are proper remedies of
in the former Part shewn and shall further amplifie in this As tell me may not God justly another day call Heaven and Earth to witness against us that he would have saved us yea did woo us to accept of salvation saying Turn ye turn ye from your evil ways for why will you die ô people of England Ezek. 33.11 But we would not be converted nor saved As thus § 3 Whereas God hath offered us a pardon in tendering Christ unto us upon the condition of faith and repentance even his own Son to be a means of our reconciliation which is such a spectacle of unspeakable mercy as might ravish our souls with admiration We are so far from accepting it thankfâ—lly that we not onely refuse and contemn it but in a manner deride the offer of it our selves oppose the Gospel of glad tydings and persecute Christ in his Members either with hand or tongue or both We are so far from being holy our selves most of us that we hate holiness in â—thers For if any become Religious and conscionable and will not for company grievously sin against God wrong their bodies destroy their own soules and wilfully leap into Hell-fire with us we envy hate censure scoff at nick-name rail on and slander them that we may flout them out of their faith damp or quench the spirit where we perceive it is kindled discourage them in the way to heaven baffle them out and make them ashamed of their holy profession and religious course and consequently pull them back to the World that so we may have their company here in sin and hereafter in torment Nor do we so serve the most sincere onely in whom the graces of Gods Spirit do as apparently shiâ—â—t as the Sun at noon-day to the dazling of their eyes But we condemn all that have more religion then an Heathen or more knowledge of heavenly things then a childe in the wombe hath of the things of this life or more conscience then an Atheist or care of his soul then a Beast That live religiously and will not revel it with us in a shoreless excess for Round-heads and Puritans a name so full of the Serpents enmity as the egge of a Cockatrice is full of poison § 4. And in all which is worst of all we have caused others to do the same abominations by our evil example Yea worse yet then all this our abominable wickedness hath brought such a scandal upon our Religion and the Gospel that it is even abhorred of the Heathen and the great and glorious Name of God blasphemed among them Yea what else but the unchristian-like behaviour of Christians hath caused the Turks and Iews and many among our selves even to protest against their own conversion Or what else hath alienated the Indians from the Christian Religion making them to refuse the Gospel but this that they saw our lives more savage then those Savages themselves yea it hath made those poor souls resolve that whatsoever Religion the Christians were of they would be the contrary thinking it impossible that such beastly and bloody dâ—eds could proceed from any true Religion Or that he could be a good God who had such evill sons Whereas in the Primitive times more of them were won to the faith by the holy lives of Christians then by the Doctrine which they taught for it caused them to say This â—s a good God whose servants are so good CHAP. VI. § 1. ANd thus according to my scantling I have spread before you what God and Christ hath done for us and how we have again required him Though God who searcheth the heart and trieth the reins knows infinitely more by us and sees what strange monsters what ugly odious hideous fiends what swarms what litters what legions of noysome lusts are couched in the stinking styes of every one of our deceitful hearts and findes that if all our thoughts did but break forth into action we should not come far short of the Devils themselves And certainly if we shall compare the numberless number of our great and grievous abominations wherewith our Land is filled from corner to corner with the many means which God hath afforded for our reclaiming it will be found that no Nation under heaven did ever more provoke the Lord. Nor hath he ever strove more with any Nation to reclaim them then he hath done with us for when neither mercies nor any ordinary means would serve the turn he hath at several times visited us with several judgements to try what they would do But we have been so little moved therewith that instead of becomming better we have bin the worse for them as appears at this day and more audacious in declaring our sins as if with Sodom we took a pride in them to the great dishonour of our Redeemer and his Gospel and to the hardening of all that hear of it so that our horrid sins are grown up unto heaven in regard whereof we may justly be confounded and ashamed to lift up our eyes unto him who is a Lord so great and terrible of such glorious Majesty and infinite purity Now he that hath ears let him hear and he that hath wit let him consider and lay it to heart how thankful a people we are And not onely ye ô inhabitants of this our Jerusalem and Judah would I have to judge between Christ and his Vineyard what he could have done for us more then he hath done Isaiah 5.4 to 8. But heare ye also ô heavens and give eare ô earth be astonished at it and horribly afraid that this foolish people and unwise should so requite the Lord Jer. 2.11 c. Isai. 1.2 to 9. and Verse 15 to 25. Deut. 32.6 c. Oh my Brethren Englands unthankfulness hath striven with Gods goodness for the victory as Absalom strove with David whether the Father should be more kinde to the son or the son more unkinde to the Father We have been fatted with his blessings and then spurned at his precepts resembling the Leopard who wrongs them most that give him most fodder § 2. But why do I call it unthankfulness when our sin is many degrees beyond ingratitude it self For not to confesse a benefit is the utmost confine of unthankfulnesse meer ingratitude returnes nothing for good but we return evil yea the greatest and most malicious evil for the greatest and most admired love Argue with all the World and they will conclude there is no vice like ingratitude But we are more ingrateful to God then can be exprest by the best Oratour alive It was horrible ingratitude which the chief Butler shewed to Ioseph Gen. 41.9 which the nine Lepers shewed to Christ Luk. 17. 17 18. which the men of Succoth and Penuel shewed to Gideon Iudg. â— 6 8. which those five spies shewed to Micha Iugd. 18.14 18. It was worse which the Israelites shewed to Gideons seed Iudg. 9.17 18. which Michael Thraulus shewed to Leo the Emperour which Iustinianus shewed
his Kingdom of glory one day to me was better than a thousand unto those who weary themselves in the waies of wickednesse and destruction Now if grace and Gods favour brings such peace and joy what fools are sinners to deprive themselves of it What mad men are Misers As how do their hearts droop with their mammon How do they weary and turmoyl themselves vex their spirits torment their consciences making themselves a very map of misery and a sinke of calamity Whereas it is nothing so with the servants of Christ. Perhaps at their first conversion they are much troubled in mind though it fares not so with all and conscience for their long and grievous offending so good a God but that sorrow is soon turned into joy and abundantly recompenced When the Angel had troubled the waters in the Fool of Bethesda then stept in those that were diseased and infirm and were healed It is Christs manner to trouble our souls first and then to come with healing in his wings Yea the very teares of repentance are sweet whereas the covetous mans heart even in laughing is sorrowfull and the end of that mirth is heaviness Prov. 14.13 An evil life sales Seneca causeth an unquiet mind for as the least moat in the eye hinders the ease and sight of it or as the least gravell in the shooe hinders the traveller in his comfortable going or as the least bone in the throat hinders our eating and threatens to choake us So the least sinne in the soul unrepented of hinders the peace and joy and hope thereof But least which is not likely I should glut you with joy observe with me In the eighth place That there is nothing can be wanting to a man but grace and Gods favour will more than supply it When reverend Calvin was upbraided by the Papists with the want of Children in marriage he could answer That is nothing for God hath instead of such children given me many thousand children of far more excellent kind and of nobler breed through the whole world And surely a man shall see the Noblest works and Foundations have proceeded from childlesse men which have sought to expresse the Images of their minds where those of their bodies have failed CHAP. IX Ninthly Godlinesse hath the Promises not only of this life but also of that which is to come The quintessence whereof consists in these two things freedom from all pain fruition of all pleasure which is the purchase of Christ for his followers For when he sits upon his Throne he shall say unto them and only to them Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from before the foundation of the world where are such joyes as eye hath not seen nor ear heard c. And are there any pleasures like those at the right hand of God for evermore Whereas to those that have not had the grace nor the wit to serve him he shall say Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels And is there any pain like the separation from Christ into everlasting and ever-flaming fire Mat. 25.41 Think of this you that prefer the service of sinne and Satan before that of our Saviours Heaven you will confesse to be best of all yet for Heaven you will use labour least of all For I may boldly affirm it your covetous man takes more paines to goe to hell than do the godly to get to Heaven he riseth early and resteth late and eates the course bread of sorrow and after a great deal of tedious and odious misery goes to the Devil for his labour But look to it this will one day cost men dear For it will be the very hell of hell when they shall call to mind that they have loved their sinnes more than their Saviour or their own souls When they shall remember what love and mercy hath been almost enforced upon them and yet they would by all meanes and that of free choice perish Now I might go on to other Particulars yea I might almost be infinite in these things but having said enough to be thought too much I will mention no more only let me a little apply it Wee see that the shadow does not more inseparably follow the body than all blessings follow grace Bodily exercise profiteth little but godlinesse it profitable unto all things 1 Tim. 4.8 as having the Promises of the life present and of that which is to come Men talk much of the Philosophers stone that it turneth copper into gold of Cornucopia that it had all things necessary for food in it of the Herb Panace that it is instead of all purges and cureth all diseases of the Herb Nepenthes that it procureth all delights of Vulcans Armour that it was of proof against all thrusts and blows Yea Pliny speaks of no lesse than three hundred and sixty benefits that may be made of the Palme tree if we will believe him But whether these things be so or not it much matters not this I am sure of that what they did vainly attribute to these rarities for bodily and transitory good we may with full measure and without any hyperbole justly ascribe to grace and Gods favour for spiritual So that Religion Piety and Holinesse are Mistresses worthy your service Yea all other Arâ—es in the world are but drudges to these Fools may contemn them who cannot judge of true intellectual beauty but if they had our eyes they culd not but be ravished with admiration of the same And men truly wise have learned to contemn their contempt and to pity their injurious ignorance All which being so apparant and undeniable mens wisest and surest way were as one would think to become the Servants of God and be as industrious after grace as they have been after gold For in common reason who would eat huskes with the Prodigal when if he will but return home he shall be honourably entertained by his heavenly Father have so good cheer and banqueting hear so great melody joy and triumph Generally men are very eager and industrious to get worldly wealth yea no pains is thought too much for it but where shall we finde men thus eager after spiritual wealth which alone can make them happy CHAP. X. Objection But will some say How shall we obtain this happy condition It is not so easie a matter to become gracious and to gain the favour of God as you seem to make it I Answer Yes this may easily be helped if thou hast a mind to it For as when a man would have those things to be on his right hand which are now on his left it is but turning himself and the work is done so do but turn your affections from earthly things to things celestial and heavenly the case will be so altered that you will think your self as a blind man restored to sight a mad man to his senses a prisoner set at liberty a begger
you may come to Heaven he saith Keep the Commandments Luk. 18.20 If you ask him again Who are blessed He saith Blessed are they that hear the Word of God and do it here are none but doers If you ask an Angel who are blessed he saith Blessed are they which keep the words of this Book Revel 22.7 Here are none but doers If you ask David Who are blessed He saith Blessed are they that keep judgement and he that doth righteousness Psal. 106.3 103.18 If you ask Solomon Who are blessed He saith The man is blessed that keepeth God's Law Prov. 29.18 Here are none but doers If you ask Esay Who are blessed He saith He which doth this is blessed Esay 56.2 If you ask St. Iames Who are blessed He saith The doer of the Word is blessed in his deed Iames 1.25 Here is none but doers mentioned Matth. 7 21. Rom. 2.13 So that blessedness and doing go always together For as the works that Christ did bore witness that he was Christ Ioh. 10.25 So the works that we do must bear witness that we are Christians And least any man should look to be blessed without obedience as Christ calleth Love the greatest Commandment so Solomon calleth Obedience the end of all as though without obedience all were to no end Eccles. 12.13 When God created the Trees in Paradice Gen. 1. hee commanded them to bring forth fruit So when he createth a lively faith in any one he commandeth it to bring forth Works And when our Saviour would prove himself to Iohn to be the true Messias indeed he said to his Disciples Tell Iohn what what things you have heard and seen not only heard but seen Matth. 11.4 So if we will prove our selves to be Christs Disciples indeed we must do that which may be seen as wel as heard Iohn was not onely called the Voyce of a Cryer but a Burning Lamp which might be seen Iames doth not say Let me hear thy Faith but let me see thy Faith As the Angels put on the shape of men that Abraham might see them so Faith must put on Works that the World may see it The works which I do says Christ bear witness of me And he alwayes linketh Faith and Repentance together Repent and believe the Gospel Mark 1.15 Therefore that which Christ hath joined let no man separate Mark 10.9 I know the Antinomians preach another Gospel but this is the old Orthodox common received truth They that in life wil yeild no obedience to the Law shall in death have no benefit by the Gospel And though the Law have no power to condemn us yet it hath power to command us Lex datur ut gratia quaereretur Evangelium ut Lex impleretur The Law sends us to Christ to be saved and Christ sends us back again to the law to learn obedience The former is plain The Law is our School-Master to bring us to Christ that we might be justisted by faith Gal. 3.24 The other is as manifest If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments Matth. 19.17 Let our Faith then be seen by our faithfulness and our Love by our Charity and think not to partake of what God hath promised but by doing in some measure what he hath commanded To conclude in a word God's servants are known by humility and charity the Devil 's by pride and cruelty Our Persons are justified by our Faith our Faith is justified by our Charity our Charity by Humility and the actions of a Godly Life And so much of the fourth Use. CHAP. LV. FIfthly if we be but Stewards of what we have and that our superfluities are really the Poors due then let none object when told of their unmercifulness What I have is mine own Or May I not do as I list with mine own for it is neither their own nor at their own disposing their wealth is their Makers and they must do with it as he in his Word injoins them Nor does this argument always hold good in civil matters 'T is a rule in Law No man may use his own right to the Common-wealths wrong or damage The Law provides that a man shall not burn his own corn nor his own house That he shall not drown his own Land nay a man may not bind himself from marriage or the manuring or tillage of his own Land because it is against the good of the Common-wealth Wherefore flatter thy self no longer but look to it thou hast not two souls that thou mightst hazard one of them Lose not thy soul to save thy purse but shew mercy if ever thou lookest to find any And hear the poor if ever thou wilt have God to hear thee For he hath said it that will one day Audit the poor man's complaints and thy Stewardships account that no sin but unkindness to thy Saviour in his suffering members shall bee cast into thy dish to the feeding of the never-dying worm of conscience Sixthly art thou but a Steward put in trust and art thou to give an account unto God how thou hast husbanded thy Master's Goods and wil this be the bill of particulars thou hast to give up Item so much spent in pride so much in lust so much spent upon revenge so much upon dice drunkenness drabs and the like great sums all laid out upon thy self in the pursuance of thy lust But when it comes to a work of mercy as What have you done for God What for Christ What â—or the members of Christ What for the advancement of Religion or any pious work or service Item nothing or as good as nothing Or thus Item received strength and laid out oppression Item received riches and laid out covetousness received health and laid out riot and drunkenness Item received speech and laid out swearing cursing lying received sight and laid out lusting or perhaps Item so many score pounds laid out in malice and suits of Law so many hundreds in lusts and vanities in feasting and foppery So many thousands in building great houses Item to the Poor in my Will to be paid at my death forty shillings to the Preacher for a funeral Oration to commend me ten or twenty shillings Item to beggars when they came to my door or when I walked abroad a few scraps that I knew not what else to do with and sometimes a few Farthings Item so much spent in excess and superfluitie and so little in performing the works of mercy so much laid out upon worldly vanities sinful pleasures and so little for good uses especially for relieving Christ's poore members Will this Bill pass current when God comes to cast it up When thou hast laid out all for thy self either in Apparel or in Feasting Drinking c. for thy self self-credit self-delight and content even amounting to scores hundreds thousands while for pious and charitable uses there comes in here and there onely two-pences three-pences such poor short reckonings not worthy to be summed up
found by ample experience that many have a minde to read good Books yea a zeal such as it is to reclaim others from evil so it may cost them nothing who otherwise have no stomack to either For when the like was to be given about swearing and cursing even the better sort of men and women could fetch them by a thousand a week from all parts of the Kingdome But since they have for some reasons been sold for eight a penny not one of an hundred could finde in their hearts to give that peny were it to save eight of their friends souls which shews both how they love money and what hollow-hearted devotion they have The Lord discover the same unto them There is over against the High Constables short of Shoreditch Church of this first part or division to be given freely together with the cure of cursing and swearing provided they that desire them can read very well for otherwise they will so nick-name words and make it such non-sense that one would rather his lines should never be read then so brokenly And I could wish that men would not fetch them for base ends as one did formerly fetch many hundreds of that against Swearing and Cursing onely to save the buying of waste Paper though he had many fair pretences of sending them to Graves-end Canterbury Dover and all other places where Sea-men resorted which being found out made the Donor with-draw his gift until now It was I think a most wicked act for which he deserves to be stigmatized and made an example to others And let men take heed of abusing things Dedicated to holy uses for they are the sharpest kinde of edged tools and therefore are not to be jefted with Neither will God so be mocked The end of the first Division POSTCRIPT AUgustiâ—e that his ignorant hearers might the better understand him would sometimes speak false Latine and I for my accidental Readers good have and that purposely done as absurdly in another kinde viz. used the same expression in one Tract when I have deemed it weighty and convincing that may be found in another which to many will not be discernable though obvious enough to some Who may if they please censure it and me for it But presuming that the more charitable and ingenuous would not have it otherwise it shall not much trouble me LONDON Printed by R. and W. L. for Iames Crump in Little Bartholomews Well-yard A LEAFE From the TREE of LIFE Wherewith to heal the NATION of all Strife and Controversie and to settle therein PEACE and UNITIE By R. Younge a Roxwell Bee whose sting is as Soveraign as its Honey is sweet and whose Enemies have no less cause to love him then his Friends Sold by Iames Crump in Little Bartholmews Well-Yard and Henry Crisps in Popes Head-Alley 1661. CHAP. I. Reverend Sir SOme time since I heard you upon Ier. 51.9 We would have healed Babilon but she would not be healed c. What change it hath wrought in me I forbear to mention But certainly Satan and the World fear they have lost the one a subject or prisoner the other a limbe or member ever since for whereas they never molested me formerly â— now as if I were rescued out of Satans clutches that Lyon foams and roars and bestirs himself to recover his losse And as for my old acquaintance they so envy to see themselves casheered and so mortally hate me for that I will no longer continue miserable nor run with them as I have done to the same excesse of riot 1 Pet. 4.44 that they make me weary of my life as the daughters of Heth dâ—d Rebeckah Gen. 27.46 Yea I am so scoft at and scorned both by Parents Friends and Enemies that it not only hinders me from doing the good I would or appearing the same I am but it almost beats me off from being religioâ—s back to the world And certainly he must be more spirit then flesh that can contentedly make himself contemptible to follow Christ be pointed at for siâ—gularity endure so many base and vile nick-names have his Religion judged hypocrisie his godly simplicity silliness his zeal madness his contempt of the world ignorance his godly sorrow dumpishness and the like malicious and mischievous constructions made of whatsoever he speaks or does For my part I could better abide a stake God assisting me then the mocks 〈◊〉 â—nd scorns which every where I meet withall It is death to me to be 〈◊〉 â—s it fared with Zedâ—kiah Jer. 38 19. Nor is there above Hell a 〈…〉 â—ishment in my jâ—dgement then to become a Sanâ—â—â— a subject of 〈…〉 â—ampson I doubt noâ— found 〈…〉 â—tion of his goods nor his banishment nor the wounds he received in his body were so grievous to him as one scornful word from his enemy Ctesiphon Yea doubtlesse our Saviours car was more painfully pierced then either his brows or hands or feet It could not but go deep into his soul to hear those bitter and gâ—rding reproaches from them whom he came to save A generous nature is more wounded with the tongue then with the hand CHAP. II. Minister I Grant there is no such rub in the way to Heaven as this Satan hath not such a tried shaft in all his quiver he gets more now by such discouragements and the reproaches that are cast upon Religion then he did formerly by fire and faggot for then the blood of the Martyrs was found to be the seed of the Church Others Phaenix like springing out of their ashes Whereas now multitudes of souls are scoft out of their Religion by wicked men many being apt with Peter to deny their Religion when they come in company with Christs enemies and with David to dissemble their faith when they are amongst Philistines lest they should be mockt have so many frowns and frumps and censures and scoffs be branded with that odious and stigmatical name of an hypocrite c. Yea S. Austin confesseth that he often belied himself with sins which he never committed lest he should be unacceptable to his sinfull companions which makes our Saviour pronounce that man blessed that is not offended in him Matth. 11.6 But for all that a wise man will not be scoft out of his Money nor a just man flowted out of his Faith The taunts of an Ishmael shall never make an Isaac out of love with his inheritance Yea for a man to be scoft out of his goodness by those which are lewd is all one as if a man that seeth should blindfold himself or put out his eyes because some blinde wretches revâ—le and scoff at him for seeing Or as if one that is found of limbs should limp or maim himself to please the criple and avoid his taunts And know this That if the barking of these currs shall hinder us from walking on our way to Heaven it is a sign we are most impotent cowards Yea if our love be so cold to Christ that we are ashamed
for his sake to bear a few scoffs and reproaches from the world it is evident we are but counterfeits such as Christ will be ashamed of before his Father and his holy Angels at the latter day Mark 8 38. For for the comfort of all that are single and honest-hearted notwithstanding all the scoffs and scorns of Atheists and careless worldlings all their perswasions and persecutions they shall both lose their labours and themselves too in the end Well may they intend and also do their utmost to flout us out of our Faith that so they may slay us with death eternal and speed thereafter As God that regards not so much what is performed as what was intended and measures what we do by what we meant to do as in the case of Abrahams offering up his son and those Iews who only thought they had killed Paul Acts 14 19. but they shall be no more able to hinder the salvation of any one 〈◊〉 God hath chosen to his Kingdome of grace and glory then Saul with his 〈◊〉 could hinder David from attaining the promised Kingdom of Israel 〈…〉 Rev. 13.8 The windes may well tosse the ship wherein Christ 〈…〉 overturâ— it If Christ have but once possest the affections there is no dispossessing him again The League that Heaven hath made Hell wants power to break Who can separate the conjunctions of the Deitie Whom God did predestinate saith Paul them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified Rom. 8.30 They shall sooner blow up hell with trains of powder then break the chain of this dependent truth No power of men or devils is able to withstand the will of God it shall stand firmer then the firmament A fire in the heart overcomes all other fires without as we see in the Martyrs which when the sweet doctrine of Christ had once got into their hearts it could not be got out again by all the torments that wit and cruelty could devise CHAP. III. Convert BUt how should I a novice a punie a white-liver shake off this slavish yoke of bondage and fear in which Satan for the present holds me Minister By well observing what the Scriptures in this case hold forth for the encouragement of all that thus suffer I will commend to your serious consideration only six things and I pray minde them well for Virgil most excellently and profundly couples the knowledge of cause and the conquest of all fears together First observe that grievous temptations and persecutions do always accompany the remission of sins That all men as Austin speaks are necessitated to miseries who bend their course towards the Kingdom of Heaven neither can Gods love be enjoyed without Satans disturbance Yea the world and the devill therefore hate us because God hath chosen us If a convert comes home the Angels welcome him with songs the devils follow him with uprore and fury his old acquaintance with scorns and obloquie as you sufficiently finde Godly men are thorns in wicked mens eyes as Iob was in the devils because they are good or for that they are dearly beloved of God If a mans person and ways please God the world will be displeased with both whence we are so often foretold and forewarned of it that we may be the better forearmed and prepared to entertain it All that will love godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 Ye shall be hated of all men and nations for my Names sake Matth. 10.22 and 24.9 Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves Matth. 10.16 and many the like Wheâ—ce also those many and strong encouragements in the word which may serv◠〈◊〉 so many flaggons of wine to comfort and strengthen us against whatsoever we meet withall in the world Blessed are they that suffer persecution for 〈◊〉 teousnesse sake for theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven Matth. 5.10 Blessed are 〈◊〉 when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evill a 〈◊〉 you falsly for my sake Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your 〈…〉 in Heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you 〈…〉 Rejoyce inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that when 〈…〉 shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy For if ye 〈…〉 ed for the Name of Christ happy are ye For the spirit of glory and 〈…〉 upon you which on their part is evil spoken of but on your part is 〈…〉 12 13 14. Lo here is reward enough for all that men or devils 〈…〉 gainst us which hath made thousands even ambitious to imbrace the flames Your cruelty is our glory said the Martyrs in Tertullians time to their persecutors for the harder we are put to it the greater shall our reward be in Heaven It is to my loss said Gordius the Martyr if you bate me any thing of my sufferings See more Phil. 1.28 29. Rev. 2.13 And so much to shew that he refuseth to be an Abel whom the malice of Cain doth not exercise as Gregory speaks For it is an everlasting rule of the Apostle He that is born after the flâ—sh will persecute him that is born after the Spirit Gal. 4.29 not because he is evill but because he is so much better then himself 1 Iohn 3.12 Because his life is not like other mens his ways are of another fashion Wisd. 2.15 CHAP. IV. SEcondly consider That as we are every where in the word forewarned of it so it is not our case alone for search the whole Bible over and you shall not finde one holy man mentioned without mention of something he suffered from ungodly men as it were easie to instance how Abel Lot Noah righteous men Abraham the father of the faithful Isaac Iacob Ioseph Patriarchs and Fathers of the Church meek Moses upright Samuel Iob that none-such all the Lords Priests Prophets Apostles yea the harmlesse Babes and our Saviour Christ himself did severally suffer from wicked and ungodly men Yea never man came to Heaven but first he past through this Purgatory God had one Son without sin but never any one without suffering Which makes our Saviour say Wo be to you when all men speak well of you that is when evill men speak well of you for so did the Iews of the false Prophets Luke 6 26. Wherefore marvel not though the world hate you as St. John speaks 1 Job 3.13 Neither count it strange as St. Peter hath it concerning the fiery triall which is amongst you to try you as though some strange thing were come unto you 1 Pet. 4.12 For Christ and his Crosse are inseparable Luke 14.27 Whence that distinction of Luther that a Christian is a Crosse-bearer He that will be my disciplâ— let him take up his crosse daily and follow me Luke 9.23 and 14.26 27. CHAP. V. THirdly No hope it should be otherwise since God from the beginning of the Creation hath