ut â c We have stricken one good blow there resteth another yet better and greater then that which is that we overcome our selves forbearing to risâ—e and kill said Frederick the Emperour to his German Soldiers after he had defeated the Hungarians Camerarius Hist Meditat. pecunia voluptatibus metuquè sit inexpugnabilis That none shall lie so low in Hell as those that have been nearest Heaven in the enjoyment of the powerfull means of grace and that have had the gracious tenders of Gods choicest and most precious mercies in Christ frequently and earnestly offered unto them if they live and die barren hard dry or profane under them and wilfull undervaluers neglecters or despisers of them And lastly consider that a frequent serious and pious meditation of Gods mercy the love of Christ Mans duty the misery of sin excellency of grace necessity of Christ vanity of the creature emptinesse and deceitfulnesse of the world felicity of heaven torments of hell the frailty of life certainty of death and of the dreadful day of judgment is and will be found by all those that will carefully and conscientiously use and practise it a most soveraign excellent fruitful means both to awaken humble melt and inflame a secure proud hard frozen heart Meditatio est soror lectionis nutrix orationis directrix operis omniumque pariter perfectio et consumatrix Lege crede ora time dilige disce Age. Vale. To his Worthy Friend Mr. THO. GODDARD Learned Sir HAving perused your Miscellanea and Character both which you diminish in your title page by naming them an Essaie I fell upon the consideration of Country Gentlemen semblable to the three Regions of the Air. In the middle Clouds and Vapours and Meteors apt to condense into plagues or drie and fiery Exhalations which unrestrain'd by providence divine fall down in oppressions and violences Among these we may rank divers of our dull Grands who lapping warm their Dura Maters in a fat velume of some old colledge or Cathedrall leases or later easier purchases like Mushrooms or Fuzzes of noisome earth grow able to dimme both learned Witts and nobler Originalls In a lower Region we discern some that having contented themselves for a dozen months to wear a gaudy gown in the Vniversity and only to play with a few books finely strung and guilded return with that Library whence streams of learning flow up to their lips and clusters of choise sentences hang dangling ore their beds and shelves while they like Tantalus so set cannot sip nor reach what is indeed above their heads Who oft in their estates of Land become the prey of Sycophants or crafty Servants and their Souls hardly escaping the book and thraldome either of our professors or the popish confessors are frighted out of their old witts by new Illuminists or by that Bull of Ecclesia Catholica Romana so charm'd that they dare not leap that pale out of which they are made to believe that God hath no Dear nor they any hope of Salvation But Sir As in the supreme Region is Limpid Air and calm and pure Serenity preservd So have we some beaux esprits rare and elevated Souls who having tasted profoundly the fountains both of morall aud divine knowledges cannot rest till from their own full thoughts they impart as the Sun his raies a fostering and blessed contagion to the Souls of their darker brethren Here I would willingly exemplifie in words at length and tell the happinesse of Chesh in their pious noble and learned Sr. G. B Of Lincoln the like in Sr I. M. And of Northam in Sr. I. I. my most honoured Maecenas and I am hardly withheld from mentioning our famous and learned countryman Dr. T. N. Physitian on whom might worthily be bestowed the Panegyrick or Pindarickâ—odes even of that incomparable Poet of Leicest Mr. I. Cl. But as the well-known modesty of these so yours also imbars encâ—mions other wise I might justly boast a Bee of generous race and extraction From Bee Bee in this County who by industrious draughts from various Flowers in divers languag'd books hath fram'd a composure of Nectarian sweets and imparts them thus not only to that voisinage whereof he is a double ornament in learning and in conversation but with enlarged Beneficence the crown of good mens actions exposes his laborious collections to the use of all that are able to understand him Wherein I professe for fear of sacriledge I dare not use my Deleatur nor what you call for an Index expurgatory Believe me Sir when I say as Trebatius to his Horace Equidem nihil hinc diffindere possim and adde nec ausim and yet will boldly affix this short charm to your most observant Readers This page right set should be the last behind In this are all th' Errata they can find Leicest Janu. 19th 58. Your Servant S ir Tho. Pestel To my worthily honoured AND Very good Friend Mr. THOMAS GODDARD Dear SIR I Have at length so far befriended my self as to read over your serious and savoury Meditations wherein me-thinks elegance and piety like friendly rivals strive for mastery and that with such equall skill and strength that either both which is not lawfull or neither which is pity since both deserve it must have the Crown Sir the honour of the work if you le be so benign to the churlish ungrateful world to make it publâ—que will be your own the profit and pleasure the Readers For exâ—ruditione fructus ex elegantia voluptas et ex authoritate summus honos conciliatur You have done many Heathen Authors the honour to make them speak like Christians and you le make those whom you vouchsafe to favour with the Reading of your papers to live as such if they be read with the same spirit they were written if they find not the reader good they le make him good as was said of Plato philosophia Platonem non accepit nobilem sed fecit Sir I received them when I was in a hurrey of businesse and could but cast an eye upon them but at a little more leisure reviewing them I see if I could but take in a little more and digest what as yet I have but tasted I should be forc't to say more without danger of being taxed by malice it self of flattery rashnesse or ignorance for nec irrisio in istos moresnec adâ—latio câ—dat then your modesty will bear Who minde what he reads will see your mind in what you have written to be well composed and gathered up within it self and I wish both mine and yours too could keep under the command of those apprehensions you had when you so well imployed your self Were they to be publique I would desire Cyprian to spare that Ornament for you to be put into the Epistle to your Book which Erasmus bestowed on him viz. Pectus ardet evangelica pietate pectori respondet oratio loquitur diserta sed magis fortia quà m diserta And
with wonder love and thankfulnes◠meditate of and acknowledg the unparallel'd unspeakable * Solus pro nobis suscipit sine malis meritis paenam ut nos per illum sine bonis meritis consequeremur gratiam Aug. affection and compassion of Jesus Christ in dying not only to redeeme Captives but which is much more to purchase pardon for those who were implacable enemies to him and bloudy Rebells in armes against him And lastly they will abhorre and loath all sin and express their detestation thereof by never committing delighting or living in those impieties transgressions and abominations which Jesus Christ hates which cost him so much anguish griefe trouble and which brought him to so horrible so painfull and so ignominious a death They being those Jewes that crucified him that Crown of Thorns which wounded his head who is the head of his Church and members those hands and whips that scourged him those nails that fastned him to the Crosse and that speare which pierced his very heart and kill'd the Lord of life Nor yet is this all the duty we are to performe all the tribute we are to pay or all the gratitude or praise which wee must express and return to Jesus Christ for we are most justly and strongly obliged not only to avoid carefully to oppose resolutely to strangle impartially and to hate implacably all sin though never so dear sweet or profitable to us but we must also carefully conscionably sincerely constantly strive and resolve to tread in the steps of Christ to make him our rule and to measure our conversation by the straight line of his most holy †life it being the summe of all religion to imitate him whom we worship * Matth. 11. 29 Et frustra appellamur Christiani si imitatores non simus Christi qui ideo se viam dixit esse ut conversatio magistri esset forma discipuli et illam humilitatem eligeret servus quam sectatus est Dominus If he be not our Exemplar he will not be our Saviour If we will not learne of him here we shall not live with him hereafter Besides the great the unavoydable danger which we incurre and the insupportable miseries which we are sure to bring upon our selves by refusing to walk in those paths of piety and Righteousnesse which Christ hath chalked out for us we have many and great incouragements to follow him in those blessed waies which he hath troden before us For we can never ingage with such a Captaine nor choose such a Husband nor follow such a Guide nor serve such a Master nor imitate such a pattern as Jesus Christ Because he is a Captain invincible a Husband most rich wise faithfull great honourable a guide infallible a most munificent loving bountiful master and a pattern unmatchable Verbi verba sunt nobis documenta Verbi facta sunt nobis exempla The words of this word who is * John 1. 1. God the Word are our instructions and the actions of this Word are our examples This glorious this gracious Jesus is the good the great Shepherd of our soules he speaks to his flock his people as * Judges 7. 17. Gideon did to his little Army looke on me and do likewise and his sheepe will not only hearken to his voyce but obey him also This King of Saints saith to his Subjects as i Edward the 3d. g Speed Cronic p. 704. King of England did to his souldiers when he entred into a Foord in the River Some notwithstanding a thousand horse and ten thousand foot were sent thither by the French to impeach his passage over it he that loves me let him follow me they will cheerfully couragiously march after him for they are such Cordelyons that the greatest dangers cannot affright them nor Enemies though Anakims Gyants both in power might malice and cruelty discourage or dispirit them nor sufferings and torments though never so sharp bitter or painful disswade or deter them Nay death it self though presenting it selfe in its grimmest hue and most ghastly shape cannot dismay or appale them for their Captain is their Bridegroome and rather then they will not injoy him they will meete and celebrate their Nuptials to him in a flame They will embrace him with hands and armes burning for him as well as with hearts fired with Love unto him Yea they will welcome both miseries and death when they are the messengers to invite them unto and the means to hasten effect and solemnize their longed for marriage to Jesus Christ h Fox book of Martyrs vol. 3 p. 140. As Mr. Sanders did who being brought to the stake to be burned kissed it saying Welcome the Crosse of Christ welcome everlasting life i idem vol. 2. p. 554. and as Anthony Person did too who being brought to the place of Execution with a cheerfull countenance he embraced the post to which he was to be bound in his armes and kissed it saying Now welcome mine own sweet wife for this day shalt thou and I be married together in the love and peace of God And rather then they will either desert or dishonour their Captain or his Cause they will freely constantly undauntedly sacrifice their lives in it and prefer death for Christ before life yea and all the world too without him as another faithful Souldier of his k Fox book of Martyrs vol. 3. p. 200. Stephen Knight did who being come to the place where he was to be burned he kneeled down and said Thou seest O Lord that where I might live in worldly wealth to worship a false God and honour thine enemies I choose rather the torment of the body and losse of this life and have counted all things but vile dust and dung that I might win thee which death is dearer to me then thousands of gold and silver And which is yet more they not only have and will meekly willingly invincibly carry the crosse of Christ but like the blessed * Mercatura est quadam amittere ut majora lucreris Tertul. Apostles they have heretofore * Acts. 5. 41. do at present and wil◠hereafter rejoyce also that they were and are counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ But that which is more then all that which I have yet said or these have done or suffered for their husband and Generall is this some of them have exalted yea sung in the midst of such tortures torments and miseries as have caused palenesse to sit upon the faces trembling to seize upon the joynts and sighs terrors griefe amazement and horrour to fill and wound the hearts of their Spectators persecutors Executioners even whilst they were joyfully suffering of them l Fox B. of Martyrs vol. 3. p. 390. Master Denley sung a Pslame in the midst of the fire when it was kindled and he was burning in it and having a Faggot thrown at him by one of the tormentors at the command of cruel Doctor Storie
inauguration in Constantinople had severall sorts of stone presented to them by a Mason out of which they was to choose one to make them a Tomb to be buryed in o Joseph of Arimathea had his Tomb in a Garden and so had their great men also Mat. 27 60. 2 Kings 21. 18. The Jewes had their Sepulchers in their Gardens that so in the the midst of their delights they might remember their mortality And others have had a Deaths head served up to their Tables that they might in that perspicuous mortifying glasse behold their own frailty in the midst of their mirth pleasures jollity And certainly serious frequent and pious meditation of death will beget in us a vigilant continual expectation of death expectation of it will p Vivere in in tota vita discendum est Quod magis mirum est in tota vita dissendam est mori Seneca de brevitate vita ad Paulinam perswade and spurre us on to preparation for it so that we shall be able not only to look it in the face with comfort but triumphingly to say O Death where is thy sting c. It being nothing to such as have the Lamps of their Souls filled with saving Grace and their Garments washed white in the bloud of the Lamb but the Death and period of all their sins sorrows fears dangers troubles enemies yea and of death it self Mors vita duello conflixere mirando Rex mortuus regnat vivuâ— In hoc duello mors et vita in arenam descenderunt sed tandem vicit vita et gloriose exiit e sepulcro de morte triumphans Irrideamus ergo mortem cum Apostolo dicamâ—s Vbi mors victoria For q Quid ipsa mors quam timemus g Lips Epist p. 75. Requies gaudium et vera vita aut siquid in ea mali malis tantum What is that death which we so much fear and at the very name whereof we tremble 'T is rest joy and life or if there be any evill in it 't is only so to those that are evill And indeed 't is very sad yea wofull to all ungracious persons who have this punishment In dying they forget themselves because in their life time they forgat God But besides this grievous punishment and heavy judgment most justly inflicted by the Lord upon them because when he came to them in their health prosperity life and offered them mercy they refused with equall madnesse and cruelty to their own souls to hear and imbrace the tenders of love and salvation when their Life is lost and ended all hope comfort help all means of Grace and seasons of mercy all possibility of pardon together with the society of the Glorious Angels and glorified Saints the beatificall vision and blessed fruition of the thrice blessed Trinity and those ineffable pleasures which are prepared for all that love God will then be lost for ever Deus amissus est mors animae anima amissa est mors corporis The Death of the body is but the body of death therefore disce non metuendum existimare quae metuenda finit But the death of the Soul the losse of God and his favour is the Soul of Death Fear therefore by sin to provoke that God who can and for sin unrepented of and continued in will inflict eternal death both upon the body and soul and make all impenitent transgressors ever living objects of his never-dying wrath I shall conclude all with presenting and commending the Lord Gabriel Simeons Glasse to your view and perusall Beauty is deceitful money flyeth away Rule-bearing is odious victory doubtfull peace fraudulent old age miserable the fame of wisdome everlasting Life short death to the Godly * Mark the perfect man behold the upright for the end of that man is peace happy Psalm 37. 37 The Prayer O LORD Man hath but one Door to let him into the World by Life but there are a thousand Posterns Wickets and Passages to let him out of it by Death We are born both Mortall and Miserable O give us blessed God so to live that at the end of our daies we may be immortally happy we came into the World Sinners O grant that we may go out of it Saints We were unclean at our birth O let us be pure and holy at our dissolution The hand of every moment winds off some of the little clue of Life The string and plummet of our daies creep and descend every minute nearer and nearer to the ground our Graves The Sunne of this naturall Life never stands still but moves or rather flies from the East and morning of our birth and infancy to the South and noon of Youth and Manhood and then hastens to the West the evening of old Age. Grant therefore holy God that when this Sunne shall set in the night of Death our Soules may rise and shine with the Sunne of Righteousnesse in Glory That as we grow older we may grow holyer every day then other That we may passe the time of sojourning in these Tents of flesh in thy way and Fear that so the Conscience Evidence and Comfort of a wel-spent Life may both Antidote and Arme us against the Sting and Power of Death before it comes and free us from the Horreus and Misery of it when it doth come O let it be no Stranger to our thoughts and then it will be no terrour to our Hearts O let us get death into our mindes and that will put life into all our Actions O grant good God that our Lives may be pious and then our Death will be peaceable joyfull welcome unto us and precious in the sight of the Lord. And give us I beseech thee most mercifull Father some clusters of Grapes of the good Land of Canaan here even the Graces of thy holy Spirit and some fore-tasts of thy speciall Love in Christ while we continue in the Wildernesse of this World that when we die our Souls may enter into and for ever possesse the spirituall Canaan of Heaven Grant this O Lord for Jesus Christ his sake Amen Amen Diu vixit qui pie moritur Fructus est laboris finis operis placere melioribus FINIS Soli Deo Gloria THE CHARACTERS OF A True Beleever IN PARADOXES AND Seeming Contradictions AN ESSAY By THO. GODDARD Gent. Vetera legendo et metitando nova invenimus Quintil. Placere cupio prodesse precor laboro LONDON Printed by E. C. For Thomas Williams at the Bible in Litle-Brittain and William Thompson at Harborough in Leicestershire 1661. THE CHARACTERS OF A True Beleever In PARADOXES AND Seeming Contradictions 1. HE beleeveth that which he cannot comprehend because it is above reason That there are three distinct Persons in the Godhead yet but one God that God is the Father of Christ that the Holy Ghost proceedeth from them both and yet that they are all three Coeternall and but one in substance 2. He beleeveth that Christ who was
for givenesse because he sins willingly even at that very time when he seems earnestly to beg of the Lord the pardon of his sins and so doth not please or serve but mock God For the God of love and life doth infinitely hate and will not hear those that love hatred and live in it But he will avenge himself severely upon all those that desire and delight to revenge themselves implacably upon others 64. 'T is midnight with an impenitent transgressor when he hath the brightest noontide of prosperity And 't is a serene a shining Noontide with a Saint when he is in the cloudiest midnight of adversity 65. A Saint is a great gainer though he lose all that he hath in the world But a wicked man is a great loser though he gain all that the world hath in it 66. He is mercifully cruell to his own Soul that spares the lives of those Amalekites his Sinnes But he is both cruelly merciful and merciful without any cruelty to his soul that kils them all without mercy 67. He that would live when he dies must kill by mortification all his deadly sins in his life And he that would never die * Mortibus viâ—imus Senec. must die daily 68. The sins of others will increase his sorrow that doth not sorrow for others sins 69. He that would be married to Jesus Christ must get his heart divorced from an inordinate love of worldly things because Christ Jesus will give him a Bill of Divorce that loves the things of the world inordinately For he that makes earth his Heaven or Paradise by suffering a sinful love thereof to enter into his Soul his Soul shal never enter into the Paradise of Heaven 70. He that hath a saving interest in Christ shall be full and rich even when he is empty wantful and deprived of all creature-comforts But he that wants a saving interest in Christ will be poor and empty in the midst of his fullest injoyments and greatest plenty 71. His Soul is sick to death that neither is nor ever yet was heart-sick with grief for the sins of his Life which will be without true repentance the death of his Soul nor love sick for the great and good physitian of the soul Jesus Christ who is both lovely and loving to those only that are sick of love for him 72. His sins are most both odious and hainous that after he hath repented of them returns again with delight to the commission of his hainous sinnes Because he hath laid God in one and put the Devill into the other Scale of the ballance and suffered the Devill to weigh down the Lord. He hath also heard God and the Devill argue and plead and after a full hearing he doth deliberately by wilful relapsing decree for Satan against his Saviour And so he doth both undervalue dishonour and provoke God and also repent that he did repent God will therefore most certainly judge him for his sins without mercy that gives so sinful a judgment against the God of mercy 73. It 's reported that when Caesar saw M. Brutus come running upon him amongst those that murdered him he said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thou my son The sins of Gods Children do grieve and offend Christ more then the iniquities of his Enemies Because a contempt or an injury from a friend doth both dishonour him more highly and wound him more deeply then an affront or an abuse from a professed Adversary 74. He is a bad Magistrate that is not good for nothing And as pious Governors do clothe a Nation with the Robâ—â— of Joy and gladnesse So wicked Rulers do put it into Sackcloth and mourning 75. He that undermines the Church of God doth at once labour sweat and weary himself to dig a hole down to hel for his Soul to fall irrecoverably into the bottomlesse pit And he that persecutes the people of God by shedding their innocent crying bloud puls up a sluce to let in a crimson deluge to drown him 76. Never did any wicked men attempt to pull down God from his Throne by setting up themselves their lusts interests and idols above him or his glory but the God of glory pulled or rather tumbled them down headlong for that wicked attempt Either by humbling their proud presumptuous hearts or else by destroying their persons or blasting their cursed designes or which is yet more dreadful by damning their rebellious Souls 'T is then a fearful thing not to fear falling into the omnipotent Arms and the angry hands of that terrible God who both can and will with one irresistable blow kil and confound the offender and with one frown or stroke send him at once both to his Grave and Hâ—ll 77. A pious Christian though he hates no mans person is yet the worst most inexorable and invincible enemy of all mortall creatures to the ungodly whose works and waies his Soul doth loath and detest For by his faithful prayers he can prevail with God to infatuate their Counses dispirit their stout hearts blast their designs wither their flourishing hopes to break the Arme of their power and to rescue himself and those that fear God out of the Jawes of Enemies dangers and death 'T is therefore a stupendious astonishing madnesse in wicked men to hate those whom God loves to destroy those for whose sakes themselves are preserved to hope to build themselves houses upon earth by pulling the pillars thereof to condemn them that shall one day be their Judges and to plot and presume to plant themselves or their Posterities in the World by supplanting and rooting out the upright * Prov. 2. 1. who shall dwell in the Land whereas the * Prov. 3. 33. wicked * in whose house the curse of the Lord is shall be cut off from the earth †Prov. 2. 22. For if Cedars vinâ—â— olive and orenge trees be cut down then brambles briers and barren Fig-trees will certainly suddainly miserably be cursed burned and consumed 78. He is the worst malignant and Incendiary in a State that is a wicked man For he not only hates goodnesse and good Christians but he also both kindles the fire of Gods wrath against it and keeps it burning and flaming by casting continually the oyle of sinne upon it 79. Those Governours and great ones who are so bewitched with the fading dying and killing glories of this World as for the Love of them to slight Heaven neglect the great Salvation offered them and to reject Jesus Christ their pomp will end in pain their honour in Infamy and their Glory in eternal misery 80. He that slights opposes robs and wrongs the Ambassadours of Jesus Christ Gods faithful Ministers doth dishonour displease and bid defiance to their Master the Lord of Hosts He must therefore without repentance restitution and submission expect to receive neither peace pardon nor quarter but death without mercy that steals from or fights against the God of bounty Justice and Mercy and
MISCELLANEA OR Serious Useful CONSIDERATIONS Moral Historical Theological Together with the CHARACTERS OF A True Believer In Paradoxes and Seeming Contradictions AN ESSAY ALSO A little Box of Safe Purgative and Restorative Pils to be constantly taken by all those that desire either to get their Souls into or to keep them in an healthful holy heavenly frame and temper Or A wholesome Diet-drink for Châ—istians By THO. GODDARD Gent. Lips de Constant lib. 2. cap. 4. Pulcra haec laudatio O virum doctum sed illi melior O virum sapientem ista optima O virum bonum August Ep. Veritas dulcis est amara quando amara curat quando dulcis pascit Medicamen est animo pabulum LONDON Printed by E. C. for Tho. William at the Bible in Little-Britain and Will. Thompson at Harborough in Leicester-shire 1661. To the Right Honourable ROBERT Earl of SVNDERLAND and BARON of Wormleiton MY LORD I That in our late dangerous dismall deadly dayes of War was a man of peace am now prest And therefore I must not only expect but in prudence prepare to encounter with such enemies as are resolved and prepared to charge me both with sword and Pistol censure and detraction With the first for presuming to set up my dim candle amidst such shining Tapers whose every where diffused brightnesse is sufficient to dispel a midnight yea an Aegyptian darknesse without the assistance or contribution of my faint Ray. Yet whether the light warmth influence of some of those flaming torches do most resemble the beautifull comfortable suns or a blasting mischievous dreadful prodigious comets we are at this day sadly able to determine For not a few Books are diseases rather then medicines and of so infectious so venimous a nature that a Heylin Geo. p. 717. like the people called Psylli they are able to poyson Serpents to corrupt those and to render them much worse who are too erroneous already Besides instead of affording solid safe and good nourishment they do too often fill the readers stomachs with hurtfull crudities and their heads with aiery false abstruse turbulent truculent yea blasphemous notions principles and opinions either not fit to be published ventilated and b Dispudanti pruritus est ecclesiarum scabies Wottoâ— ad Reg. controverted or else not only unprofitable but also very dangerous if not mortall to be imbraced since by wofull experience we find that poysoned instead of wholesome pils are too frequently and greedily swallowed because they are either roled up in and covered with the pap of Flesh-pleasing delights or else because they are guilded with gain learning eloquence or seeming piety Whereas the innocent ends of my unpolished papers are to level the high to blunt the keen to rectifie the erring and to straighten the crooked thoughts which too many have of pleasure honour profit the worldly mans only c Haec tria pro trino numine mundus habet And yet an Heathen could say of them omnia ista bona quae nos speciosa sed fallaci voluptate delectant pecunia dâ—gnitas potentia aliaque complura ad quae generis humani caeca cupidetas obstupâ—scit cum labore possidentur cum invidia conspiciuntur â—osquè ipsos quos exoâ—â—ant premâ—â—t plus minantur quam prosunt lubrica incerta sunt nunquam bene tenentur nam ut nihil de tempore futuro timeatur ipsa tamen magnae felicitatis tuâ—cla sollicita est â—enec de Brevit vit Ad Pauâ—â—num Trinity to unedge their teeth to sharpen their appetites and to inflame their cold desires after the best things that so they may no longer feed upon Husks or delight in dung but that they may hunger and thirst after the bread and water of Life and by a justifying Faith both feast fill and fat their empty lean yea almost famished Souls with the Manna of divine promises And lastly to perswade Christians not only to store inrich and adorn their understandings with knowledge but also to turn and digest their knowledge into practise without which Christian care and pious both indeavour and resolution the noblest wisest richest greatest persons in the world are but living Tombs possessed with evill spirits glorious stately beautiful shâ—ines and walking Sepulchres carrying dead souls up and down in them For wilfull ignorance and learned profanenesse are the Scilla and Charybdis of the Soul The one leads men hood-wink't seiled tamely and securely unto Hell The other makes them walk or rather run and leap with their eyes wide open into the bottomlesse pit of eternal destruction 2 I am sure also to be shot at with the pistol of detraction because nothing hath the happiness to be approved much lesse then the favour or Crown to be applauded that doth not please And amongst all those things which are most offensive none are either so sowr or so distasteful to almost all as the speaking or writing of truth to them and the decrying undervaluing contemning or endeavouring to take away their Diana from them since a sincere love of Holinesse a pious contempt of the infatuating deluding world self-denyall and mortification are both the hardest rules and the harshest Lessons in all the Grammar of Christianity to like learn and practise Besides it 's a custome no lesse common then both unreasonable and unjust to condemn the work-man if the work be innocent and when they cannot deservedly accuse the picture to blemish bespatter and reproach the painter For it 's not only the bloudy policy of Satan to perswade but t is also the desperate madness of sinners to think and strive to ward and guard themselves and their Dalilah's against the down-right blows of truth by sleighting reviling them that speak it And like ignorant or impudent Sophisters when they cannot answer the arguments of their opponents with their wicked wit to jeer or slander them as if their wisdome safety and felicity consisted in evasions detraction or a wilfull opposition of truth And as if Davids Harp were not sweet compared with the murdering melody of the Sirens ' tongue of sin or error The Honesty and Lawfulnesse of my designs are such that as I am assured they will not only Alarum but exasperate and multiply my adversaries or rather the enemies of plain-dealing and godlinesse into an enraged numerous Army against me The most being ready and resolved to run unto that standard which is set up against honesty vertue sanctity heavenly mindednesse contempt of the world and all it 's vanished vexing vanishing ensnaring deceiving destroying vanities So I am fully perswaded that the best will both favour own assist me And amongst all them I have resolved to fly only to your Honour for relief and safety well knowing that your Lord-ships entertaining of me and siding with me will be not only my security incouragement honour but also an hopeful smiling presage of a prosperous victorious issue in these my weak yet wel-meant undertakings For truely my
Lord it 's my own as well as others Joy and wonder that your Lordships dawning is a serene Meridian That you came out of the Mine refined gold and a polished Jewel from the Rock That your equally amiable graces and eminent accomplishments do honour your honour and ennoble your Nobility That your green years and blooming youth have those gray hairs snowed upon them which are at once the Ornament Comfort Crown and Glory of venerable age I mean Learning Wisdome and Vertue That these equally beautifull and fragrant flowers should be full blown in your Lordships January when they scarce peep out but are very rarely â—udded in the May of others and that you are not only fair and flourishing but also both sweet and ripe in the very Blossome when the most are either foul or blasted deformed or withered or both with ignorance and vices in their youth This I say being really true and without an Hyperbole Flattery or fram'd Idea of what might or should be in a Christian or a Person nobly descended 't is both an happy Prodigie and a most auspicious Omen that your Lordship will grow up prosper rise shine and live to be the Glory of your Noble Family the honour of your Nation the darling happinesse and triumph of your Countrey and like the Sun a great choyse blessing to all those that do or shall live under your cherishing comforting reviving influence by being so happy as to have any relation unto or dependance upon your Honour My Lord that is the right the true Nobility indeed that is inlaid with vertue and piety for he is the Noblest peer in the World that is sincere religious There is no creature on this side Heaven either so glorious or excellent as a Godly great man The purest Gold is but shining clay the most precious and resplendent Gemms are but common and dushkish Stones all the sparkling stars are but dim candles set in dark Lanthorns and the refulgent eye of Heaven is but a glimmering Gloworm or Taper compared with his worth and brightnesse He 's a Phaenix whom the other Birds of Honour cannot but applaud esteem and admire though they will not imitate him A Titus Vespasian the love and delight of mankind the Loadstone joy and jewel of all honest gracious hearts He 's one of Gods most honourable Privy Counsellours A Prince of the most truly Royall bloud the richest Heir and the greatest the happiest Monarch in the World for Heaven is his Inheritance and Kingdome These these my Lord are the prerogatives priviledges and portion of those that are great and good My Lord it s a custome in some places when a Tenant dyes for the next that injoies the lease of the deceased to pay his Land-lord an Harriot viz. The best of all his quick goods and Cattle My Fore-fathers who for an hundred years were Tenants to your Lordships noble Progenitors lye all of them in their beds of dust I succeed them in that Relation they had to your Honorable Family I humbly hope therefore that it will not be interpreted a breach of Covenants though I pay that service in lieu of a Harriot to your Lordship which I confesse I doe most justly owe and therefore in Duty and Gratitude ought also to pay unto that mirrour and honour of her Sex Family and Name your Lordships truly noble Mother But yet I dare not tender this Homage to your Honour without this most humble Supplication That your Lordship will be pleased to pardon my very high criminal presumption in thus daring to setan orient Jewel in a leaden Ring to stamp your Lordships beautiful image upon a copper medal and in offering to pay or rather to acknowledge a little of my great debt in leather instead of silver But truly my Lord besides a faithful heart and fervent prayers for your felicity this is the best of all my goods and the chiefest of all my treasures that I have to lay at your Lordships feet And this is also the liveliest the truest portraiture that I am able to draw Either of your Honours merits which to expresse fully or to speak elegantly silence is both the best Orator and the most eloquent Panegyrick Or of your Honourable Family's favours Nobleness and Goodness to their Tenants who did both know and consider that the faint and sickly sweats the naked backs empty bellies crying wants complaining sufferings and the inevitable beggery of Tenants and their Families impoverished famished and undone by being unmercifully racked in their rents were both bloudy gain sinful providence cruel thrift and also a sure way to canker and lessen yea to consume their estates And therefore your Lordships Noble Progenitors so far as I do either know or could ever hear have carefully wisely constantly shunned scorned and abhorred those fatal shelvs of oppression and exaction upon which so many great avaritious worldly greedy Land-lords have wrack't and ruin'd their estates honour consciences and posterities Lastly this is the exactest draught that I can make of my own thankfulnesse and obligations Be pleased therefore my most Noble Lord once more I earnestly beseech you to pardon both my uncivil prolixity and my unmannerly injurious boldnesse in presuming to beg of your Lordship not only that you would condescend so much below your self as to alight and stay in so mean a Fabrick but also that you would deign to lodg in such Sheets as are both very course and black This honour and favour if your Lordship will vouchsafe to confer upon me then these rough-hewn stones which I have set up as columns of my faithfulnesse duty gratitude will become and continue in spite of the iron teeth and the insatiable appetite of devouring time that eats and consumes without fulnesse surfeiting or satisfaction even flinty pillars as well as feeble persons a double monument of your Lordships noblenesse and goodnesse to succeeding ages These these my Lord are the Forces and weapons wherewith you have do and will easily certainly gloriously not only conquer but indear all reall vertuous hearts These are the fetters too wherewith they will be not only chained most strongly and kept most securely but also wherein they will be both willing joyful and ambitious to follow the Triumphal Chariot of your transcendent worth And amongst all those happy Captives who thus adorn your Lordships victories none will or can more cordially honour you then he who with his most ardent prayers for the temporal Spiritual and eternal prosperity Felicity and glory both of your Honour and your Noble relations on earth and in Heaven takes the boldnesse to subscribe himself My LORD Your Honours most Humble and most faithful Servant Tho. Goddard TO THE Christian Reader BOOKS are a Feast or Banquet to which the invited guests all that can read understand do come with various appetites and palats Some do hunger after and like best that meat which is most unwholesom and dangerous corrupt principles Others do desire and delight
chiefly or only in such dainties and delicates as are curiously cook't and served up either in the China-dishes or silver plates of wit and eloquence And some will feed liberally upon such provision as is both course and common when it is laid in the savoury sauce of truth The first of these I would not entertain if I could procul hinc procul ite for I have neither a bit nor a drop for you unlesse like spiders you will suck poyson out of sweet flowers The second I cannot though I would For I have no rare or generous wines no Rhetorical streams flowing from the pure and limpid fountain of ravishing Oratory to invite tempt or delightfully to inâ—briate your Lady-appetites or thirsty minds withall Nor have I the Mine of a rich invention or the necessary Magick of a lofty towring fancy either to furnish and cover my Table with sweet meats or to confine you within the circle of Approbation My pen cannot drop Nectar or life-honey nor are my lines either studded with pearl and Jewels choise and refined conceits or enamelled with elegant indearing melting phrases Only the last sort then are my yea and their own true friends They are heartily welcome to my poor dinner of green herbs If any thing please them I desire them to eat freely much good may it do them But as for them and God knows there are too many such nominall Christians in the world that like those who are surfeited sickly breeding or dying do nauseate and abhor almost every thing and usually those things most that are most nourishing necessary safe and proper for them that will scarce touch tast or sip of the best potion or Pharmacon to save their lives I do advise them either to change their minds or to forbear my table because truth and holy Counsells will like Physick either help or hurt cure or kill them I have run and rushed I confesse into that crowd which doth not only presse and oppresse the presse but surfeit it too Otherwise such filthy unsavory loathsome impostumated matter would not be vomitted up by it as we either do or may too frequently behold I know verie well also that this is a quaint a queasie a criticall a very inquisitive and a peevish Age. I shall therefore that I may not offend it more it being alreadie too apt to be angry with truth and plainesse and in order to the satisfying of such whose reason is not in their wils whose heaven is not in their Lusts whose brains are not quartered in other mens heads whose learning and religion doth not consist in opinion detraction profession temporizing or faction who do not doâ—e upon deformity live on poyson and idolize their very diseases Acquaint the world why I have exposed my self to the danger and run the hazard of being esteemed what it shall please the many or any to account me First then negatively It is not Reader I assure thee a tympanied ambition to be known to the world For he is certainly very strangely distempered in his head that will knowingly and deliberately make and set up himself a common But to receive all those forked and piled arrows which wit learning pride envy malice and ignorance will be sure to shoot at him Nor a desire or design to blow a gaudy Hemisphere upon a Nutâ—shel or to perch upon a weather-cock to hunt I mean for a vulgar applause or to sit upon the good or rather giddy opinions of the reeling multitude Nor is' t the midwifery of others importunity that Hackney bald thred-bare lean and wondrous old apology for printing and common pimp to the presse that hath delivered me of these little weak and scarce breathing children Nor is it either the wealth or beauty of these sisters unlesse you will be so kind as to account them fair and rich because they are neither deformed nor diseased that hath prevailed with me to offer them unto the love acceptance and imbraces of the world Nor is it levity of mind or a lascivious Genius that makes me prostitute them to the eys and hands of all Nor are a desire of praise from the vertuous and judicious or an opinion of any excellency in themselves the wings that have carried these callâ—w birds out of their warm nest into the cold unkind and dangerous world Nor is it any confidence that these helplesse infants will find either civility curtesie or charity abroad since the most are friends only to the wealthy but Momus's and Nabals to books and Authors Nor yet is it because I am perswaded that others have not done much better then my self herein For I well know and freely confesse my self to be but a dwarf to those Gyants a mole-hill to those mountains and but a little winking candle compared with those great and bright Sunâ— of learning by whose polished exquisite structures these my unhewen stones are set up Affirmatively or positively then my reasons and end why I suffered these doves to fly abroad are these First because as our Talents though but few or little must not be profusely wasted so neither must they be parsimoniously buried in the napkins either of idleness or silence 2. Secondly because it 's both my prayer and hope that with some of these smooth stones taken out of that crystal brook the holy Scriptures put into and thrown out of the sling of truth though by a little weak assailant that great dangerous mischievous deadly and really dreadful Golâ—ath sinne through the guidance blessing and assistance of Gods omnipotent arm who can when and where it pleaseth him give both birth and successe to this design and encounter will be overcome in some of those that shall seriously and impartially peruse my papers And also that those uncircumcised Philistins honour pleasure profit which have manacled the hands and put out the eyes of so many Samsons chained corrupted yea deaded the affections and blinded the minds of so many millions of men and women will be either vanquished or weakened in them 3. Thirdly because though the thin web of my work be through an unskilful hand very course spun yet since the warp is truth and the oufe profit I do not despair but it may yea will not only invite but also delight and benefit some of my chapmen my Readers since I know that there are many both so ingeâ—â—ous and so ingenuous that I am perswaded a Cord twisted and made up of Divinity Reason Experience and History will both hold them please them and become not only an acceptable but an amiable ornament unto them although the workman want both art and elegancy 4. Fourthly because though I am very far from presuming or pretending to be fit or able either to teach those scholars that are deservedly preferred into the upper School Or to add any light of knowledg to those bright stars in the high Oâ—bs of Learning yet I hope I may without offence yea and with some advantage to them also immind and
his people yet he hath declared * Esay 55. 7. promised * Ezechiel 33. 11. yea sworn that if by true repentance sound humiliation and a through reformation of their hearts and lives they will mourn for and turn from their sins enter into a Covenant to walk holily closely uprightly before him keep it and by servent prayer beg for mercy and forgivenesse heartily * Prov. 28. 13. acknowledge their crimes that then he will pardon them be reconciled unto them and not destroy them d Don Anthony de Guavara Diall of Princes Fol. 200. Darius to mock Alexander the great sent to him to know where his treasures were for such great Armies Alexander answered Tell Darius he keeps his treasures in his coffers and that I have no other treasures but the hearts of my friends He that hath God for his friend shall be sure to be rich he shall want no good thing the Lord will give him both grace and glory he will make him both holy and happy And he that makes God his Treasure esteeming loving seeking his favour a sweet holy Communion with him and a stock a hoard of vertue and all heavenly graces above all earthly enjoyments shall be sure to find all precious substance here and to be crowned with eternal felicity hereafter e Rainold Oâ—as p 484. When Caesar had commanded Pompeys Statua's to be erected M. Cicero said thus to him Statuas Pompeii statuisti stabilisti tuas He that sincerely indeavours to honour God shall certainly by it but not for it because all yea more then we can either do or pay is both debt and duty to him * honour himselfe Non reputes magnum quod Deo servis sed maximum reputa quod ipse dignetur te in servum assumere sibi f 1 Sam. 2. 30. Julian commanded by an Edict all the Christians in his Army to sacrifice to his Gods g Spee Chroâ—â—â— p. 171. 173. or else they should lose their places and Honours whereupon Flavius Valentinianus chose rather to forsake the Camp then Christ his Conscience and his Religion but God did eminently abundantly reward him for afterwards he became Emperour of Rome Amongst the Ancestors of the Rhodians it was a Law that if a Father had many Children the most virtuous should inherit and if he had but one virtuous child that then he should be the sole heir of his goods and Estate Only they who art obedient pious gracious men and women shall be Heirs of glory and enjoy the inheâ—itance of the Saints in light It is therefore our wisdome duty interest and will be our comfort peace happinesse to get cleare evidences that this God is our God for unlesse we have a propriety in him and can truly beleevingly experimentally say with Thomas My Lord and my God although he be aboundlesse bottomlesse Ocean of mercy not so much as one drop thereof will ever flow out from him to refresh our souls It s no advantage or comfort to an Esau that the Lord loves a Jacob. Quid mihi profuerit Deus alienus Vae illi qui non habet Deum de proprio The Ark preserved none but only those who were in it from perishing Let us therefore do to God as i Senec. de Benef. lib. 1. Cap. p. 385. Aeschines did to Socrates his Master resigne and give up our souls and selves freely sincerely intirely to him saying with him Nihil dignum te inveni quod dare tibi pâ—ssim hoc modo pauperem me esse sentio Itaque dono tibi quod unum habeo Me ipsum Such is O Lord my poverty that I have nothing worthy of thy acceptance or answerable to my desires to present unto thee and therefore I doe cordially give thee my selfe and then the Lord will answer us as Socrates did him Accipio sed ea lege ut te tibi meliorem reddam quam recepi I do not only accept thee but I will also make and return thee to thy self better richer holier happier then I received thee For if we will be his people then the Lord will be our God and in and with him we shall enjoy all good things but without him nothing Because Quicquid praeter te est Domine non reficit non sufficit si ad Corpus sufficit non tamen perpetuo satiat quum adhuc amplius quaeratur qui autem te habet satiatus est finem suum habet non habet ultra quod quaeratur quia tu es supra omne visible audibile adorabile gustabile tangibile sensibile In a word what King Henry the 5th promised to his Souldiers when he said to them h Speed Chroâ— p. 796. Whosoever desires Riches Honor and Rewards here he shal find them Ni mirum haec medio posuit Deus omnia campo the Lord of hosts makes good to his people who are sure to find life in his favour to receive grace with every good thing here and eternal glory hereafter This is the portion pay and promotion of all that faithfully serve that truly love God The Prayer MOST High most holy most gracious and most glorious God since thou art both the Lord of Hosts and the King of Saints the Father of Mercy and the fountain or rather the inexhaustible never-failing every fully sweetly and freely satisfying Ocean of all true felicity heavenly Joyes heart-reviving supporting Graces and thirsty soules Let all those I beseech thee that know and professe thy name fear love trust obey thee and delight in thee Let them know thee savingly fear thee filially love thee cordially obey thee sincerely and delight in thee chiefly yea infinitely more then in Corn Wine Oyle pleasure profit honour and all sublunary enjoyments Let oh Lord nothing please quiet or content them till they have gotten comfortable evidences of thy special Love and untill they enjoy an humble holy sweet communion with thee Let them not account the choysest rarest most endearing things in the whole world worth either desiring seeking or possessing without thee since they all are if they do not flow from thy Love in Christ as well as come or streame from thy common thy general providence but shels without kernels Bones without marrow Combes without honey and Huskes without fruit to those that receive them that so being sensible and perswaded of their Creators All-sufficiency the Creatures emptinesse deceitfulnesse insufficiency their own nothingnesse unworthinesse wretchednesse loathsomnesse and spiritual misery by reason of their Originall pollution actual Rebellions and crying abominations committed against thee they may beg earnestly heartily constantly to thee who alone canst and wilt hear help heal them for spiritual Mercy for hearts to abhor sin humiliation for sin pardon of it strength against it and victory over all sinne for mindes to know thee holinesse to be like thee sincerity to please grace to glorifie thee and for thy Favour which is at once like a Cabinet of Pearl full of most precious unvaluable
gemms Joy Peace Honour Riches Comfort Light Life and Blisse O let us all-blessed God make thee our end our Center and Rest our Portion Our Treasure and our All and let us never be quiet till we know and experience thee to be a reconciled God and our merciful Father in and through thy dear Son Jesus Christ that so we may both enjoy thy Love O God which is better then life whilst we sojourne upon earth and live Crowned with the God of Love in glory when these Mud-wall'd Cottages of our fraile Bodies shall be crumbled and resolved into Dust by Death Grant this O God for Jesus Christ his sake Amen Sine Deo nec Gratia Gaudium Bonum nec Coelum II. Of Jesus Christ and A Christians Duty unto Christ HEE is truly really both God and man God that he might satisfie the Lords justice appease his wrath justifie and acquit guilty condemned man * Propter hominem homo Deus factus est man that he might die for sin purchase life for those who were spiritually dead and redeem them both from their woful slavery and from eternall misery He put off those Royall robes of Majesty and Glory and put on in his Incarnation the course rotten Garments or rather rags of flesh and frailty and so became like us in all things sin only excepted Behold here infinite astonishing miraculous debasement Compassion Condescension The Creator of the world became a mortall man the King of Kings a subject Man sins and his God willingly dies to expiate his Crimes The Actions and passion of this blessed Jesus are a continued series of miracles a golden chain let down from heaven to earth all whose links are love mercy goodnesse pity wonder a Dio Cassius Trajanum ferunt suorum vulneribus medicam manum adhibuisse cum fasciae dificerent nec fuaelquidem vesti pepercisse sed eam totam in ligamenta fomenta discidisse But this and ten thousand times more Compassion affection charity is not so much as a drop to the Ocean a beam of light to the Sun or a dust in the ballance to the whole earth compared with the love of Christ to undone man For never did the most tender hearted Soveraign do that for a wounded Souldier nor yet the most faithful lover for his dearest friend which Jesus Christ did for his deadlyest enemies What Prince did ever give his Throne Kingdome to his chiefest Rebells What Physitian did ever let the bloud out of his own heart to cure a most malitious unthankfull Patient What Judge did ever freely sacrifice his own life to save a condemned malefactor who did not only desire and resolve but indeavour to murther him upon the Bench What Generall or Commander did ever suffer willingly himself to be mortally wounded to cure the hurts or save the lives of those Souldiers who conspired to betray him Yet Jesus Christ did all this and infinitely more for he left heaven descended out of the Chariot and came down from the Throne of his Glory to sit upon his foot-stool the earth He willingly indured a close imprisonment in that dark Dungeon the womb of his both Mother and Creature for a time and afterwards he removed himself into that greater Gaole the world into which he was no sooner entred by his birth but disregard dishonor contempt dangers attended on him saluted him and was the best entertainment the chief Rent and Homage which his Tenants Subjects Creatures afforded presented paid unto him their Lord King Creator Immediately yea constantly after this cold uncivil unkind ingrateful usage till his death bloudy enemies hunted this Royal Lion of the Tribe of Juda to destroy him cruell Eagles pursued this harmlesse galless Dove to prey upon him Malitious cunning Foxes attempted to catch this innocent meek Lamb of God whom they should have worshipped to worrey him some openly persecuted others secretly combined against him some impudently affronted others subtilly by questions varnished with Religion and gilded with pretence of conscience laboured to insnare him some scorned and derided others blasphemed him This golden Ball was continually bandied and tossed up and down in the Tennis Court of this world by wicked men with the Rackets of Implacable malice inraged ignorance blind ambition and barbarous persecution till he was stricken into the hazzard of his Grave by the hand of death And yet all this was kindnesse Comdie to those injuries to that Tragedie which he received and soone after acted for they consulted apprehended accused buffeted derided reviled undervalued insulted slandered crowned with thornes at once to mock and wound him arraigned condemned and then crucifi'd him And yet all this too was love ease pleasure mercy to that ineffable yea unconceivable misery which their own and the sins of the whole world burthened and afflicted him withall in that bloudy violent terrible conflict of his upon the cross with sin Satan and the wrath of God the dreadfulnesse weight horror and fiercenesse whereof was such that it amazed affrighted nature and almost unhinged the whole Creation * Matth. 27. For the sun of heaven whilest the son of God was suffering upon earth hid his resplendent face under a pitchy cloud at once blushing grieving and fearing to behold so sad a spectacle The heavens put themselves into mourning wore a sable garment and gave a black livery to the world when that prodigious fact was committed that so they might both weare an habite sutable to the crime and apparell heaven aâ—d earth in a dresse fit to attend their maker withal to his grave expressing their sorrows in showers of tears The very Rocks to upbraid his more then flinty hearted Enemies to teach them and us compassion when others especially those who are innocent do suffer and compunction when we by sinning do crucifie our Saviour did relent yea break and because man was dumbâ— or rather silent and would not they clave themselves into mouths and tongues to proclaim and preach his Majesty mercy Divinity torments funerall The senselesse earth seemed to apprehend grew aguish and falling into a cold fit she did quake and tremble as if shee had both understood and been terrified with those wofull dismall dreadful calamities plagues and judgments with her equally stupid cruell and rebellious Children were then with both hands deliberately diligently certainly pulling downe upon their own wicked heads and by that fearfull bloudy prevailing Imprecation * Matth. 6 25. his bloud be upon us and our Children importuning an omnipotent just and highly offended God to intail upon their unborne posterity The vail of the Temple rent from the top to the bottome in twain and by that Sympathizing mysterious Act did declare assure and publish both to them and all the world 1. That the vail of ignorance and superstition which had so long covered and blinded the minds of men should be immediately taken way and torne in pieces by the promulgation of the glorious precious comfortable Gospell
those that are darkened with Ignorance and benighted in Superstition with the glorious Beames of saving knowledge Let it guide all those that wander in the by paths of Errour and Wickednesse into the safe way of Verity and Holinesse And let it quicken such as are dead in Trespasses and Sins that those dry bones those stinking Lazarusses may rise live and praise thee Let it O Lord convince convert humble purifie and regenerate those that are secure profane carnall and unclean that so being sanctified by the Spirit of Christ they may be comfortably assured they are justified by the Merits of Christ Let good God thy Holy Spirit excite perswade inable Christians to try discern and judge which is the true Spirit the Spirit of Truth that so they may not be deluded but infallibly directed by it to choose and to walk under the Câ—nduct thereof in the way of Holinesse that leads to happinesse And do thou O Lord who art the Father of Spirits give us all thy Holy Spirit whereby we may be inabled to cry Abba Father for thy Sons and our alone Saviours sake Jesus Christ Amen Sine Spiritu Sancto nec lux pax puritas Sanctitas nec gloria IV. Of Sinne and Sinners T is the true and fruitfull mother of miseries A Pandoras Box full of all reall deadly plagues and curses T is the poyson of the soul rack of Conscience the Bellows fewell oyle that blow kindle and continue the fiery wrath of God burning against all obstinate perpetrators thereof a Ho 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 632. Like Homers Thersites it's ugly without as well as within having like the subtile cruell Panther a deformed head as well as a destructive deadly paw Like Judas it kisses and betrayes us Like Ioab it embraces stabâ— and kills at once b Quint Curtius lib. 8. p. 154. Sin is like to the River Nilus whose streams do cause and produce a fruitfulnesse even to wonder but yet it abounds with crocodiles wickednesse is sometimes prosperous but it s always dangerous and without Repentance deadly It 's like the Caspian Sea which affords the sweetest waters but breeds the greatest Serpents The Preface of sin may be pleasure its Exordium delight but the Finis thereof will be punishment At sins table the first course may be contentment but the second will be death It may appear to our dim eyes a Dove but if we once lodge it in our bosomes or imbrace it we shall finde it a serpent that will both sting and kill us T is a Siren which allures us to our ruine a Thiefe that robs us of our chiefest treasures our choycest mercies Gods favour a saving interest in Christ pardon of sin peace of Conscience grace glory It 's the souls both Leprosie and murderer Like the stone by the river Maeander called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sober stone which put into a mans bosome would make him mad it distracts us Like that deaf-stone which I have read is in Scotland that one standing at one end of it can not hear what another saith standing at the other end thereof it stops the ears of the Lord that our Prayers cannot find audience or acceptance with him * Esay 59. 1. 2. Behold the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear But your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear c Plutarch in ejus vitâ— What Phociâ—n the Athenian once said to the people of Athens viz. All that ever you say and do dislikes me God * Prov. 15 8 9. 26. saith and declareth to all wicked persons whose both prayers wayes and thoughts are abominable to him yea and their civill actions too †for the ploughing of the wicked is sin * Prov. 21. 4. Sin it blots out all the characters of beauty comelinesse and amabilitie which God at first engraved upon the soul it covers also the face of the soul which was most fair and lovely till sin did spoil blast and soil it with a black vail of deformity and renders it loathsome and ugly in the pure eye of God It defaces yea ruins the rarest piece of the whole Creation the Epitome of the Universe the wonder of Nature the miracle of the world Man It not only poysons the lower springs of earthly injoyments turns blessings into curses but like Pharaohs lean kine it devours consumes those sat ones riches health greatness peace plenty and all * Read Deut. 28. chapt worldly prosperity It also which is a mischief infinitely greater then the other dams up the current of those upper springs grace mercy speciall love salvation so that the soul like the mountains of Gilbea hath no celestiall showres of holinesse or reall happinesse rained upon it It turned Paradise into a wildernesse and makes the world a Pest-house when that too pregnant womb the heart hath conceived Sin by the Devill who is the true Father thereof it nourishes seeds and keeps it till it falls in travail of those cursed dreadful monstrous Twins Guilt and Misery and then it 's carried and laid down by death and judgment in a bed of fire and attended only with Devils and Reprobates without all possibility or hope of ever being delivered It grieves Heaven but makes Hell triumph It 's a tree that bears no other fruit but shame sorrow wrath and death Doe but wipe your eyes and behold the ugly face of sin in the Crystall glass of Gods word and also in those red mirrors the fearfull judgements the dreadful vengeance of the Lord upon those pillars of salt those miserable standing monuments of Gods hatred and detestation erected both in his word and in the world Impenitent transgressors And lastly in the bloudy sufferings of Jesus Christ and then if your hearts be not harder then an Adamant or like the * Job 41. 24. Leviathans as firm as a stone yea as hard as a piece of the nether milstone they will relent and you will mourn confesse forsake yea loath all sin †Numb 32. 23. It 's the souls bloud-hound which will hunt pursue overtake and as Acteon was killed by his own dogs as Haman was hanged upon his own Gibbet as Holofernes was beheaded with his own sword destroy it T is that Jonas in the ship of the soul which raises a terrible tempest of divine wrath against it whereby it will be not only restlesly tossed upon the briny bitter Billows of fear anguish dejection and perplexity but also before the stone cease unlesse it be thrown over board cast out of the heart and life by godly sorrow and unfained repentance it will most certainly and miserably be wrackt and perisht without hope or help in a boyling Sea of fire and brimstome which hath neither banks nor bottome For as d Leigh choyce observat in the Life of Claudius p. 102.
into his presence injoy his Favor and live for the just shall live by his faith him God doth love and will honour but all Vashti's * Esther 1. 11. all unbelievers shall be rejected divorced from Christ though Hypocrisie Morality wealth or greatnesse may make them like her very fair to look on who is the head and Husband of his Church and people for ever Faith 't is a tree that bears those golden Apples those rare sweet pleasant precious fruits love to God and his Saints purity and humility of heart and affections peace of conscience victory over the world charity joy in the Holy Ghost courage and constancy in the confession and profession of the truth c. These are the Daughters that rise up and call their Mother blessed These are the Jewels that adorn and the Royall train which attends the Kings Daughter who is all glorious within yea and makes that Palace that heart where she resides and keeps Court all glorious too for the God of glory the Lord of glory and the Spirit of glory do all take up their abode in a beleeving Soul Faith 't is a Stephen beholding a living Christ in heaven through a thick and violent shower of stones when the body is dying upon earth 'T is a brasse wall a * Ephes 6. 16. shield wherewith a beleever both repelleth and quenches all the fiery darts of the Devill Hostem visibilem feriendo invisibilem vincis credendo Our visible enemies may be subdued by striking and fighting but our invisible Adversary the Devill cannot be conquered but by beleeving 'T is that heavenly David which overcomes that spirituall Goliah Satan and all those uncircumcised Philistins sin the world temptations our carnal hearts corrupt affections filthy lusts and our disorderly unruly passions those wild horses which carry us headlong into sin and run away with the soul towards Hell 'T is a divine Apelles that draws the Image of God defaced by sin to the life again upon the Soul 'T is the salt which maketh all our Sacrifices both savory and acceptable because * Heb. 11. 6. without faith it 's impossible to please God Justifying faith works by love and lover runs down the several Chanels †We must love God above all things Apprenativè 2 Intensivâ— 3. Adâ—quatè First of Love to God Amat enim non immerito qui amatus est sine merito Amat sine fine qui sine principio se cognovit amatum And his love to God he demonstrates by yielding a willing sincere constant and universall obedience to all his Commandements For Quicquid propter deum fit aequaliter fit True obedience doth neither deny nor dispute Gods commands but obeyeth them all both equally and cheerfully 2. Of charity to the poor because he that 's freely through grace made a member of Christ cannot but both pity and relieve Christs members The sense of Gods undeserved mercy and bounty to himself will melt his heart into Compassion and open his hand to distribute unto those that are in want 3. Of praying and sorrowing for those that are profane The wicked like those who are infected with the plague desire and delight to corrupt and destroy others incourage them to sin and accompany them in sin But those that love God do so love their Brethren in the flesh also that they both mourn for their iniquities and earnestly heartily cry to the Lord to convince convert pardon and save them 4. Of forgiving enemies freely cordially fully since no man was ever either so malitious against or injurious to another as man was to his maker and Saviour yet Christ did not only forgive him but dyed also to make an atonement for him and to reconcile God and him and therefore for Christs sake in obedience to his command and to expresse his conformity to his Redeemer he will pardon his worst greatest and most implacable adversaries yea and love even those that hate him 5. Lastly of sympathizing with afflicted Christians If one string on a musicall instrument be but touched all the rest will expresse their fellow-feeling thereof in a sound If the head ake the tongue will complain if a finger be burnt the eye will weep And all those whom God hath comforted in their own sorrows will mourn for others calamities and grieve for the afflictions of Joseph Certainly then those are but dead and rotten members which are not sensible of nor affected with the maladies and miseries of their brethren Love 't is the weight which moves all the wheeles of the soul in duty Amor meus pondus meum Eo feror quocunqne feror said holy Augustine 'T is the spring of all wel-pleasing services to God e Curtius Alexander the great had two Friends Hephestâ—onâ— and Parmento Hephesten loved Alexander Parmenio the King God hath two sorts of Friends good men and bad men A worldly wicked man loves God as a King able to protect promote honour provide for him Nam amici ficti fortunae sunt amici non sui But a true believer loves Christ as a Lord Husband Prophet with a heart not only willing but resolved to be guided commanded instructed by him and to be loyal dutifull obedient chast faithfull unto him The one follows Christ for loaves forbâ—y base low carnal ends aimes designs the other to honour serve please praise him The one because he 's great and bountifull the other because he 's good and holy the one withers shrinks repines forsakes God when he is nipt with the frost of adversitie or threatned with the storms of persecution being like a tree that seeds and loses both its fruit and leaves in the cold sharp winter of tryals dangers and like a Mushroome without root But the other like a Palm-tree is not only green in the winter of Affliction but he will also rather then he will want deny or dishonour Christ goe through flames and flouds to serve obey meet injoy him Faith and Love are like a pair of compasses whilst saith stands firmly fixed with the center which is God nam Circumferentia fidei est verbum dei Centrum fidei deus verbum Love walks the round and puts a girdle of Mercy about the loins There may be a shew of charity without faith but there can be no shew of Faith without Charitie d Rainold Orat p. 320. Cato Vticensis being asked by one Quem maxime amaret Respondit fratrem my Brother Being asked the same question a second and a third time still answered Fratrem my Brother and nothing else Aske a true Believer whom he most really intirely loves both his tongue heart and life will answer My elder Brother Jesus Christ Socrates said often he had rather have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Kings favour then the Kings gold or silver A true beleever had rather injoy the love of God the light of his countenance and a sweet Communion with Christ then ten thousand worlds and saies with e
Melch. Adam in vit Luth. Luther Mallem ego cum Christo ruere quam cum Caesare stare For Christ is the loadstone to which the needle of his heart doth willingly constantly restlesly though tremblingly turn Nothing can keep disswade or withhold him from him neither enemies troubles dangers nor devills for his love is strong as death and love alone over-powers all powers * Genes 8. 9. Christ alone is the Ark wherein his soul like †Noahs Dove in the Deluge can find rest Faith and love are to the soul of a gracious praying Christian wherein Amalek and Israel the flesh and Spirit are up in Arms and will continue fighting all the day during the time of this natural life as * Exod. 17. 11 12 13. Aaron and Hur were to Moses the Servant of the Lord. For although Amalek may yea doth sometimes prevail against Israel Corruption against Grace And although as Moses hands were heavy a Christians Spirit may be faint or weary with so long so sharpe a conflict yet he like Moses being set upon a stone resting trusting and relying upon that chief corner-stone that precious stone cut out of the Mountaine without hands Jesus Christ and being also like Moses hands steady fixt and constant being upheld by faith and love as Moses hands were by Aaron and Hur in crying to and begging of the Lord both strength assistance and victory untill the going down of the Sun till death he obtains under the great Captain of mans Salvation through whom Christians are more then conquerors Jesus Christ a comfortable happy glorious Victory over Amalek and his people Satan temptations sin corruptions and all its deadliest enemies The Prayer MOST Holy Lord God thou hast not only given unto Christians a glimpse of the Felicity and Glory of Heaven by revealing to them what it is so far as they are capable to apprehend it for they can never comprehend it till they enjoy it and are crowned with it But thou hast also chalked them out the way that leads to it offered them an infallible guide to conduct them in it and promised yea assured them if they will accept thy gracious offer to give them both Leggs and strength to carry them unto it Thou O Lord art truth it self inable us stedfastly to believe thee Thou art Goodnesse it self grant that we may ardently intirely love thee And since without these graces in reality we can neither please nor enjoy thee Crown us with them I beseech thee for these are such sweet Flowers as did never grow since Adam by his fatall fall sowed it all over with venemous Weeds in the Garden of Nature that so being regenerated quickened inflamed and inabled by thee we may come boldly unto thee rely confidently upon thee set our Affections sincerely on thee delight chiefly in thee and rest eternally blessed with thee Grant this for his sake in whom thou canst deny thy people nothing Jesus Christ the Sonne of thy Love Amen Per fidem in Christo corona in Caelo XII Of Repentance 'T Is the Souls return from travailing in the foraign Countrey of sin 'T is a Vagabond prodigall * Luke 15. 17. First come to his right mind being before no better then a mad-man out of his wits and then coming home to his Heavenly Father upon the feet of †Idem v. 21. confession and sorrow for it 's not only far more infamous to commit sin then to confesse it because nihil pudori esse debet poenitenti nisi non faterl true penitents should blush at nothing but at the concealing of their crimes but it 's also very dangerous not to acknowledge or to excuse our offences Quicunque enim sibi se excusat accusat deo because either to extenuate our faults or to plead our own innocency will both aggravate our sins and provoke the Lord to punish us for our wickednesse Since the surest way for transgressors to be found guilty and to be condemned * Prov. 28. 13. is to †hide their sins and to justifie themselves for wounds that bleed inward and poyson that is not vomited up are most deadly Repentance is an Augustins a Christians retractation It makes the soul a Solomon wise and happy living as well as speaking or writing an Ecclesiastes 'T is an * 1 Kin. 20. 32. 34. Aramite with importunity submission and supplication begging the Life of Benhadad the soul of the mercifull King of Israel God Almighty An humble hearty particular ingenuous * Prov. 28. 13. confession of all sin a sound humiliation and godly sorrow for all sin a reall detestation of and an irreconcilable hatred to all sin a resolute resistance and constant opposition against all sin an holy jealousie and Christian vigilancie at all times in all places in all company and in all our callings and imployments over our consciences affections hearts tongues lives souls and bodies to fly and decline all occasions of all temptations unto sin a pious care when through frailty temptation corruption or securitie our souls are become black â—oul and deformed by sin to a Gods children fal but it 's the property of the Devils child to lye stil Mr. Philpot. Humanum est cadere â—ace rebelluinum resurgere Christianum perseverare in peecato diabolicum August bath them in and to wash them with tears of godly sorrow til they be white and clean to be afraid of fullying of defiling them again Inanis enim est ista poenitentia quam sequens culpa coinquinat A conscientious care to do no wrong to our neighbors or if we have willingly knowingly injurd any man to give him ful satisfaction for non tollitur peceatum nisi restituatur ablatum b I have read of one Pyâ—rhus that when he perswaded the Sultan Selimus to give the wealth and treasure which he had taken from the Peâ—sian Merchan S unto an Hospital for the maintainance of the poor Nay rather said Selimus let it be restored to the right owners and accordingly restitution was made thereof unto them It would certainly be very much for the glory of God the honour of the Gospel the comfort of those that profess themselves to be Christians and the good of their posterity if they would write after and copy out the honest example of this Turk herein but if this be called or esteemed foul because a Mahomitan set it I shall present them with one equally fair and necessary written by a good Christian I mean pious and conscientious Zaccheus Luke 19. 8. And also with one Royal precedent one noble pattern of our own viz. King Henry 7th who in his last Will and Testament willed that Restitution should be made of all such Moneys as had unjustly been levied by his Officers Speed Chron. p. 993. Go thou then and do like these who ever thou art that art grown rich or great by unjust gain and means and then the Lord wil pardâ—n honor bless thee But if
precious a thing peace is that hath felt the extream calamities of War Famine teacheth us the worth of plenty Imprisonment indears liberty darknesse makes the light both more desirable and welcome so the burden of affliction felt and the bitternesse thereof being sweetned by being sanctified unto us will make us both highly to prize Gods great mercy in delivering us from troubles and heartily to praise him for his compassion and goodnesse in giving us songs in the night solace in the midst of our Sorrows and support under our sharpest sufferings since none will either so much value the favour and felicity of a pleasant calm or rejoyce in the security of an earnestly desired Haven as those who have experienced the amazing distracting terrours of a Cholerick furioâ—â— storm and have been exposed to the dreadful dangers 〈◊〉 an inraged Ocean whose angry cruell and remoâ—slesse Billows did seem to quarrell and contend which of them should be their Executioners and first overwhelm ingulf and bury them in the liquid bosome of their merciless Mother Christ is never so amiable dear or precious to any as he is to them who have been sensible of the weight height and smart of sin their own nothingnesse vilenesse and wretchednesse by reason thereof and his infinite undeserved Love in both freely seasonably safely bringing them by the gates of Hell to Heaven And therefore God who is not only wisdome it self but †1 John 4. 6. Love and the father of mercies who doth not willingly afflict the children of men who is grieved as well as fretted at their transgressions would not cut and lanch his people if their festered sores could be cured or the life of their souls preserved by mild unpainfull and mercifull applications He is also * John 1. 15. that husbandman who is Lord of the Vine-yard and he both takes care of it and delights in it He will not therefore cut down with the Axe of vengeance those trees that bear good though but little fruit * Revel 3. 19 but only prune them with the sharp knife of Affliction Deus paternum habet adversus bonos viros animum et illos fortius amat to operibus doloribus ac damnis exagitat ut verum colligant robur Senec. de Divin provident that so they may be more fruitfull He is not like Tyrants pleased with their sufferings for even then when his hand is whipping of them his tender Bowels like an indulgent pityful Mothers yearn toward them while he strikes he loves them yea therefore he strikes because he loves them you have his own word for it as many as I love †These are the Lots which all Kings from the first that ever was to the last that ever shall be shall most certainly draw in their courses Regnabo regno regnavi sum stâ—â—e Regno I rebuke and chasten His blows are Balm his wounds cure his anger is favour his displeasure mercy to them It 's then both the unspeakable felicity of and a prerogative Royal not only peculiar and annexed unto but also inseparable from all the Heaven-born heirs of Christs Kingdome That no condition how sad grievous or calamitous soever it be in this world either shal or can render them miserable * John 10 28. Psalm 103. 17. Because it 's beyond the power both of sin Satan sufferings and death either to extinguish the fire of Gods free love towards them or totally and finally to take away the inward soul-ravishing and reviving comforts of the Holy Spirit from them or to extirpate the root of grace out of them here or to keep them from or to deprive them of that crown of glory which the Lord hath both promised them in this life and prepared for them in the next when Angels shall carry their souls into Abrahams bosome whereas the undoubted immediate Heirs of earthly Princes are often either excluded disinherited deposed or Assasinated and so do not only lose their rights hopes honours lives and glories but become far more miserable by their being formerly so happy either in expectation or fruition We need travail no further then * Our age doth afford us the most bloudy barbarous and impious example of this kind that ever the Sun beheld viz. the horrid murther of King Charles the 1st England to fetch woful instances or examples to confirm this truth * Robert the eldest son of William the Conqueror King Henry the sixth and to name no more Edward and Richard the only Sons of King Edward 4. were disinherited deposed and murdered The first by his younger brethren William Rufus and Henry The second by Edward the 4. The other by their uncle then Duke of Glocester Thus we see that a Christians crosse is a Crown whereas an earthly Crown is but a crosse The statue of Neptune at Messina holds Scilla and Charybdis in chains with this inscription Pergite securae per freta nostra rates The Lord orders all his dispensations both of love and anger to his own glory and his peoples good so that neither prosperity nor adversity shall hurt them k Luther Quicquid enim passus est Christus idem nobis sanctificavit paupertatem ditavit ignominiam glorificavit mortem vivificavit Whatever Christ suffered that he hath sanctified He hath made poverty riches Ignominy honour and brought life out of the womb of death to and for his people l 〈…〉 â—aeom ex Arist lib. 2. Ethic. c. 5. It 's an Axiome in Philosophy Med cinae fiunt per contraria and it 's true in Divinity for the great Physitian of our souls makes miseries medicines sickness health and tribulations * Psalm 119. 71 mercies to his Children yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nocuments are Documents corrections * Psalm 119. 67. instructions calamities cordials and crosses comforts unto them Beleeve me there is no such joy in the World as the people of Christ have under the crosse I speak by experience said pious Mr. Philpot. m Fox B. of Martyrs vol. 3. Guy de Brez being committed prisoner into the Castle of Tournay he was visited by many persons of quality and amongst the rest by the Countesse of Ren who coming into the Prison and beholding the iron chain to which he was fastned Mr. Guy said she I wonder you can either eat drink or sleep in quiet for were I in your case the very terrour thereof would go nigh to kill me Madam said he the good cause for which I suffer and that inward peace of conscience wherewith God hath endued me makes me eate and drink with greater comfort then my enemies can which seek my life yea my chains and bonds are so farre from terrifying me or breaking my sleep that I glory and delight therein esteeming them at a higher rate then chains and rings of gold or any other precious Jewels whatsoever for they yeild me much more profit Yea when I hear the ratling of my chains me
all transgressions pardoned and exiled persons were recalled Whoever cometh to this holy Sacrament clothed with the new and rich apparell of Christs righteousnesse and can with the hand of a justifying faith touch Jesus Christ shall be sure to find and receive comfort favor acceptance a discharge from the debt of sin liberty and inlargement from the slavery of his own Lusts and from the captivity of Satan communion with Christ here and admission into the Kingdome of Heaven out of which man was justly excluded exiled for sin and Rebellion hereafter For when by death a true Christian doth put off the Rags of his mortality God will invest him with the Robes of Glory to all Eternity The Prayer EVer blessed God such are thy tender mercies unspeakeable Love and matchlesse Bounty to thy Children upon earth that as thou hast prepared and provided for them both Mansions and a feast a Supper of Glory with the Lamb in the Kingdome of Heaven so hast thou also provided a spirituall Banquet and furnished thy Table with most exquisite curious precious and delicious dainties to refresh nourish comfort strengthen and unite them in their journey and whilest they are upon their way thither this Blessed Sacrament O Lord let not I beseech thee this Soul-feeding heart-chearing Grace-strengthening and increasing communion and Supper be neglected undervalued contemned or denyed through the corruptions contentions differences carelesnesse or ungrounded scrupulousnesse of Men. â—ut let Ministers O Lord carefully obey thy command and conscientiously discharge their own Duty in rightly and frequently administring of it to their people that thy bitter thy bloudy Death O Blessed Saviour may be constantly and thankfully remembred thy wonderful unparalleled undeserved love pity goodnesse acknowledged and thy great Name praised and glorified And let Christians O Lord come to this Holy Sacrament so qualified and prepared that their Graces may be strengthened their Souls as with marrow and fatnesse satisfied their interest in Christ cleared and confirmed their joyes and comforts multiplied their Affections inseparably united and their mutuall love to one another mightily increased Grant this O Lord for his sake who is both the maker of the Feast and the Feast himself Jesus Christ Amen Coena Domini cibus est Animae alimentum Gratiae Nutrix pietatis solaminis canalis pignus amoris condonationis sigillum et corroborationis Sacramentum XIX Of Preaching THE sacred word of God purely rightly and powerfully preached is that Bethesday wherein Mephibosheths souls lamed in their feet their affections by the fall which they had out of the arms of Adam and Eve are cured and thereby inabled to run the ways of Gods commandements 'T is the * Cantic 4. 16. and 7. 5. Garden the Gallery where Christ meeteth speaks to and walks with his people 'T is the mount of blessings conduit of faith Golden Scepter of mercy and the spirituall seed of Grace and Life 'T is the Chariot in which Christ rideth triumphantly into the Soul 'T is the hammer that breaks open the iron door of the heart the key that unlocks it T is the fire that consumeth all Satans strong holds in the spirit 'T is spirituall eye-salve that gives a blind Bartimeus his sight And 't is the voice that awakens the most drouzy deaf secure sinner a Rainold Orat. 1. p. 41. What the Orator saith de Oratione is true de praedicatione Morbis inquit animi medicinam facere debet praedicatio facit comprimendo quae tument roborando quae languent quae inflammant leniendo coercendo quae diffluunt expurgando quae redundant 'T is an Ark alwaies bringing blessings with it Nathan which wil rouse convince and humble Davids relapsing Saints T is a Peter pricking the hearts of great and grosse sinners to their conversion sanctification Salvation 'T is a messenger sent from God and bringing with it those three wonderfull glorious instimable Jewels and blessings to the soul sense of sin assurance of pardon and a through reformation both of the Heart and life It s the means which God hath promised commanded owned blessed and sanctyfied by the inward powerfull and effectual operation of his holy Spirit speaking home to the conscience stirring those healing waters of the sanctuary and accompanying the outward administration of the word most ordinarily and efficaciously to instruct the ignorant confirm the weak to warm the cold mollifie the hard melt the frozen comfort them that mourn to awaken those that are drowsie resolve those who doubt incourage and quiet such as fear guide them that erre bind up the broken hearted and to quicken those that are dead in trespasses and sins T is a Cornâ—copia of all those excellent spirituall mercies and comforts 'T is the granary of celestial food and Manna the silver trumpet of peace and the white flag of mercy to a people It 's a Nilus that softens refresheth and fructifieth barren hard and languishing hearts T is a Mary with Christ in the womb of it an Angell instructing a Philip a light in the thickest saddest darknesse and a comfortable seasonable rain in a drought 'T is both meat to the hungry water to the thirsty physick to the diseased milk to the weak a Lamp to them that wander and wine to the sorrowfull In Asia it was a custome that the Child which was not nursed by his mother should not have the goods of his Mother Those who are not nursed by that Mother the true Church of Christ with the breasts of Gods word and ordinances faithfully and duly administred are never like to have God for their Father nor to be heires of the Churches estate I mean the love promises protection grace and blessing of the Lord nor to enjoy the glorious inheritance of her Children eternall felicity hereafter The Prayer O LORD thou art so farre from desiring or delighting in the eternall Damnation of the vilest greatest grossest sinners that thou hast commanded the Gospell of Salvation to be preached to every creature both to Jews and Gentiles Yet since even this word of Life is both a dead and a killing Letter without the quickening sanctifying influence and efficacy of thy holy Spirit Grant blessed God that the Holy Ghost may both teach and speak effectually convincingly convertingly savingly to the ears and hearts of unregenerated Sinners that so the dead may both hear and feel the voice and power of the Son of God and live And be thou pleased most merciful God so to own blesse and prosper thine own Labourers in thy vine-yard that the Consciences of those who are enemies to thine own ordinances and Ministers may be convinced their spirits grieved and humbled their mouths stopped their sin and errours discovered to them hated by them and forsaken of them And that the understandings of those who hear and enjoy them may be savingly enlightened their hearts graciously changed their Lives throughly reformed and their souls everlastingly saved Let him who is the Word Jesus Christ be ushered
against her or any part of her be cast over-boord by her vigilant and valiant Pilots pious orthodoxe and zealous Magistrates * O quâ—m beati erunt in illo die judcii Magistratus illi qui subditos non modo honestis legibus judiciis disciplinâ— rexerunt sed etiam omnium maxime in hoc studium incubucrunt ut incorrupta Religio apud suos exculta sit doctrina coelestis per fidos eruditos et constantes Ministros sit tradita ingens hominum multitudo per spiritum et verbum renata in conspectum Christi prodeat quae tali Magistratui aeternas gra ias agat E contra quam infelices qui c. Religionem per varâ—as corruptelas passi sunt adulterare sayes one And an Heathen could say In nauâ—ragio Rector laudandus quem obruit more clavum tenentem Senec. ad Petil. c. 6. and Ministers that Pirates strangers and enemies the profest cruel subtle and secret adversaries opposers and underminers of thy Glory Gospel ordinances and Ministers may neither be inriched by her woful wrack nor pleased with the birth and sight of those grievous miseries and overwhelming calamities which too often proceed from her contentious and disagreeing Children but let the desires and designs O Lord of Sions enemies be blasted and frustrated And let blessed God all those spiritual Merchants those heavenly Mariners thy Saints thy faithful Souldiers and Servants that are resolved or shal resolve to venture all their treasures their souls lives and worldly interests in that Arke thy Church and to imbarque themselves in her for a voyage to the Holy Land to that new and glorious Jerusalem which is above Let them dear God I once more humbly beseech thee be crowned with a calm with quietnesse serenity and safety in their passage over the brackish boysterous dangerous Ocean of life and when they shall put into and cast Anchor in the port of Death then let them find that they are safely arrived at the Isles of Paradise the Kingdome of Heaven Glory and Felicity Amen Qui pugnat sine mandato poenam accipit non mercedem Qui praedicat sine vocatione peccat non prodest XXII Of a good and a bad Conscience A Good Conscence 't is the suburbs of Heaven 'T is the Sanctuary of the Soul when it 's pursued by sin Satan fear or temptation 'T is Heaven in hell riches in poverty honour in disgrace health in sicknesse in bonds liberty and light in darknesse 'T is Balm that healeth all woundâ— A medicine infinitely more precious then all the Benedicta Medicamenta of Physitians for it cures all spirituall maladies and antidotes the mind against all temporall miseries T is the best Mithridate to expell all troubles from the heart T is Gods temple Christs Bed-chamber and the Spirits Mansion for the highest Heavens and the humblest purest holiest heart are the two places of Gods most glorious * Esay 57. 15. Residence 'T is the souls soft Bed whereon it resteth quietly and sweetly with a pillow of Gospel promises and the left hand of Christ under its head his right hand also imbracing it when it 's either troubled dejected or distressed T is an admirable Soveraign Balsome against the stinging perplexing fears and all the dreadfull dismaying apprehensions of sin Gods wrath Satan Death judgment and Hell 'T is an Ark that keepeth the Soul safe and preserves it from sinking under the heaviest burden of sin or sorrow in the greatest deluge of inward or outward troubles 'T is a ship with Christ in it Heaven in a little volume 'T is divine love and speciall mercy printed usually upon the soul by the Spirit of God in the presse either of Gods ordinances or afflictions in great and golden characters with notes of choicest favour tenderest mercies and free grace upon it T is a Kingdome of fortified rich safe and happy 't is the daughter of faith and repentance and the Mother of all reall ineffable endlesse Joy comforts pleasures 'T is a serene skie with the Sun and Moon of Faith and repentance fixed and shining in the â—irmament of the Soul together with the brightest sparkling stars of all other saving graces which beautifie bespangle it and make a glorious constellation therein 'T is a feast in a famine an haven in a storm life in death 'T is an invincible fort in a Leaguer when the outworks City and Castle of health riches liberty are taken 'T is a Paradise with a tree of Life in it 'T is the Vialactea in a Laetitia bonae conscientiae paradisus est â—nimarum gaudium angelorum hortus deliciarum ager benedictionis templam Sclomonis aula Dei habâ—tac ulum spiritus heavenly heart The vena porta of * 2 Corinth 1. 12. gladnesse joy and a consolation to the spirit here and the beginning of that matchlesse felicity which will out-live time and run parallel with the longest line of eternity 'T is a Dove that brings an Olive branch of peace to a Noah a righteous person in the greatest inundation of perplexity and sorrow of heart 'T is the way to a life without fear or trouble 'T is a John lying in the bosome of Jesus 'T is a transcript a true copy of eternall felicity 'T is a consolatory epistle written with the bloud of Jesus Christ by the finger of the Holy Ghost sent by love and read by faith to a languishing mourning drooping bleeding Soul 'T is ipsum coelum saith Augustine a continuall feast saith Solomon Yea it is a Goshen in Aegypt an Angell in a Dungeon an harbour in a Tempest an Heaven upon earth and the day-star of Glory 'T is an immarcescible Crown A treasure which once got can never be lost for what that b Cicere parâ—dâ—x ad sinem Prince of Orators saith of vertue is most true of a good conscience Nec eripi nec surripi potest â—nquam Neque naufragio neque incendio amittitur nâ—â— tempestatum nec temporum permutatione mutatur But a bad conscience it 's the souls inquisition and strappado It 's the epitome or abridgment of eternall torments 'T is the gloomâ—e evening to the black day of Damnation 'T is the terrible Harbinger of that dreadfull furious cruell train and troop of dismall intolerable unconceiveable woes and plagues which are marching â—ay at the door to take up their everlasting Quarters and abode in the miserable Soul 'T is secretum ftagellum an hell in the soul before the Soul be in Hell 'T is the lightening of those horrors which the thunder of that confounding â—â—ntence Goye cursed into Hel-fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels c. will suddainly inflict upon the for ever undone impenitent sinners Perillus his brasen Bull when hottest was a Down-bed warmed to the scorching anguish of an evill Conscience Nam urit caedit lancinat et eo gravius quia sine morte The stinging of the most venemous Serpent is pleasure and delight to the agonies
before all time and created the world was yet born in the fulnesse of time and became man in the world That he who fils both Heaven and earth and can neither be included nor excluded any where was shut up and confined within the narrow womb of a Virgin That he who is the Omnipotent and can do whatever pleaseth him could neither go nor stand That he who is Wisdome it self could not understand That he who is the Word could not speak That Christ was killed before he was alive and slain before he was born That he who is Almighty was held in the Arms and bound in the hands of a weak Woman That the Mother of Christ was both his Daughter Creature Spouse and a pure Virgin even after her Son was born And that if Jesus had not been slain for her from the beginning of the World Mary had not lived 3. A true beleever is both a Pebble and a Diamond a Pillar and a Troubler of the World He is both the honour and scorn the love envy and hatred of men In the Arithmetique of the wicked he standeth but for a Cypher but in the account of an holy God he is a Summe In the scales of the World he is drosse but in the Ballance of the Sanctuary Gold 4. A true Beleever is a merry mourner one cheerfully sorrowfull And as sometimes the clouds and Sun do rain and shine together So while Rivers of penitent griefe and tears spring up in his heart and run out at the floud-gates of his eyes celestiall beams of unknown joy comfort gladnesse dart upon irradiate and revive his dark troubled drooping Spirit 5. He riseth by falling Humiliation is his exaltation He goeth to Heaven by Hell And is never so high and precious in Gods eyes as when he is vilest and lowest in his own 6. A true Beleever is cured by sicknesse being never so well as when he fainteth is even ready to die of love for Christ Affliction is his physick Julip happinesse He is saved by ship-wrack landed by stormes and deeply rooted by winds and shakings 7. He beeleveth God to be most just and yet that the Lord from all eternity decreed that the innocent should be condemned and suffer to acquit the guilty And also that the greatest sinners should be saved by one should dye for sin and yet never committed any sin He beleeveth himself to be freely pardoned and yet knows that a price was paid for his redemption worth more then ten thousand Worlds He beleeves God to be most mercifull most loving and yet knows that God delivered up his own his only Son and suffered him to suffer not only the most bitter painfull and cruell but also the most shamefull Death And likewise that the Lord poured out upon him the fullest vials of his fiercest wrath and that all this was done endured and suffered for those who were both Enemies and Traytors to God and his Son 8. A true Beleever hateth all the World yet is no mans Enemy He is implacable yet without malice inexorable yet easy to be perswaded He prayeth for and heartily forgiveth his very Murderers His worst enemies are friends to him and do him good He sinneth least when he is most angry Taketh revenge on no body but himself And never pleaseth God more then when he is most offended and displeased with himself 9. A true Beleever is the most ambitious man in the World For nothing can satisfie or bound his aspiring mind but a Kingdome and Crown yet he is the most Loyall Subject and the greatest contemner of all sublunary things He wageth and maintaineth with courage resolution delight and constancy perpetuall Warrs and yet he is the greatest lover of peace lives in peace is the most quiet man and dies in peace He is victorious yea invincible yet fights without men against both men and Devills And though he be plundered beggered and lose all yet he groweth rich and great by wars without pay or pillage 10. He is born both alive and dead He dies twice and lives a threefold life of Nature Grace Glory He hath one resurrection before another after he is dead 11. He studieth with delight and diligence to know that which he is assured will both grieve and trouble him being known He is never so wise as when he knoweth himself to be a Fool. He is never so likely to get safe to shore as when he is most fearful of being cast away He is never beautifull untill he see and acknowledge himself to be ugly and deformed and the more he loaths himself the more God loves him 12. He is born of mean and base Parents and yet he is the only truly noble Man For he hath the Royallest bloud greatest alliances and relations highest titles choycest honours honourablest Attendants and the best estate of any man For God is his Father Christ is his Husband Heaven is his mansion Saints are his Brethren Angells are his Servants and Glory is his inheritance 13. A true Beleever is born both a Begger and an Heir He often lives poor yet is alwaies Rich and dies wealthy though without Lands money goods He keepeth his estate by sending it away and increaseth it by spending of it when others not only lessen but lose theirs by sparing and saving it And he taketh his treasure with him to his Grave and beyond it 14. He is never whole till he hath been broken He is never rightly throughly cured until he hath been deeply wounded He is never on earth more really happy then when he seemeth to be truly miserable Injuries are favours to him losses gain calamities mercies afflictions consolations The breaking of his bones setteth them and makes them both straight and strong 15. A true Beleever liveth in Heaven whilest he sojourns upon Earth he speaketh in company without being heard receives answers which no man can either intercept demurre or perceive enjoyes the best company though alone He walks while he lies still and is not there where men behold him 16. He hath a continuall feast without flesh and eating A Banquet without sweet meats melody without musick and Joy in the middest of sorrow He is dear beloved owned when he thinks himself despised rejected hated He beleeves he shall find pleasure in pain honey in gal life in death and doth so 17. He hath all things in the midst of his extreamest wants yet is beholding to the World for nothing for he fetcheth his meat drink clothes mercies comforts and whatever he possesseth from Heaven He sends by faithful frequent fervent prayers to Christ for them bids patience wait and appoints hope to bring him an answer which believing he shall receive it cometh indeed either according to his desires and expectation or beyond them He alwaies speeds and obtains even when his suit is denyed He hath what he will because he will have but what he may and therefore he sits down both contented and thankfull though he be crossed 18. A
sins that they have committed 37. He that runs from Christs colour that great Captain of mâ—nâ— Salvation to serve Satan hath no colour why he should serve Christ so treacheroâ—sly as to run from him to be Satans Servant For Christ shed his bloud and died to save him but Satan doth both restlesly and implacably plot and desire to kill and damn him 38. His breath stinks the worst and is the most offensive infectious and unsavory that smels of lies oaths obscene filthy and rotten speeches instead of being perfumed with prayers and praises unto that God who gives him his breath 39. He that never tasted the bitternesse of sin did never relish the sweetnesse either of Grace or a Saviour 40. The way for men to please God when he is offended is to be displeased with themselves for offending God And the way for them to offend God is to please themselves in doing those things that they know do displease God 41. He that doth not fear continually hath just cause to live in continuall fear 42. He that doth only professe Religion for vain and sinful ends will in the end be found to have been only a vain and sinful professor 43. He that refuses to draw nigh to the God of Mercy in duty will find that the God of Justice will draw nigh to him in vengeance and fury For he that doth not pray to God to pardon and love him provokes God to hate plague and damn him 44. He that Rebells against the God of peace deprives himself of that peace of God which passes all understanding And without being wise penitent and Loyall he shall never injoy the consolations of that God who is the God of all consolations 45. Never envy the wicked though they be great rich and prosperous with a wicked envy Had not they need to have a few Holy daies here that must never rest hereafter Had not they need to have a few warm gleams of mirth and pleasure while they live that when they die must live without all possibility of dying in devouring fire and everlasting burnings 46. His condition is very fearful that never feared his condicion For their danger is certainly the greatest that never was sensible of nor affected with the greatnesse of their danger 47. Every sincerely pious Christian find experimentally that to be most true of God which Varius said of Caesar viz. That they who durst speak to him were ignorant of his greatnesse and they who durst not speak to him were ignorant of his goodnesse He knows that the Lord is Almighty and most dreadfull as well as most loving and mercifull he therefore comes into his presence and prayes unto him both with faith and fear reverence and confidence joy and trembling 48. He that loves God truly hates all sin implacably because he knows that the God of love hates all sin perfectly 49. Jesus Christ never was nor ever will be either precious or gracious to any but those only to whom all things in the World in respect of Christ are vile and contemptible The way then for Christians to be liked and beloved of Christ is to love and prize Christ above all things and to strive to be like unto Christ 50. He to whom wickednesse is sweet and but like cork or feathers in this life to him his most pleasant Sins will one day be bitter as gall and the lightest the least of them will then be found in finitely heavier then lead milstones and mountaines 51. A Saints outside is course and dark but his inside is very rich and glorious In the eyes of carnall men he is but like an unpolished Jewell which to the ignorant seems no better then a despicable stone But in the sight and account of God he is even then both amiable orient and precious 'T is better to be plain and pious then â—gorgeous and vitious And to be beloved and honoured of God and hated and despised of the world then to be beloved and honoured of the world and hated and despised of God who created the world 52. He that is false and treacherous to himself will never be true or faithfull to another He may really desire the goods of his friend but he will never desire really his friends good He will love a man till he needs him but when a man hath need of his love he will rather betray then bestead him Only he is a good friend that is really a good Christian For piety is the right root of Amity and holinesse is the only spring of faithfulnesse both to God and man 53. Nothing can satisfie the godly desires of him that is Gracious and heavenly but the eternall fruition of that gracious God in Heaven that gives him those godly desires 54. 'T is very both easy and ordinary to censure others for their â—aults But it is very hard and rare to avoid and hate in our selves the faults we censure in others 55. He that dares commit sin without all fear of damnation but dares not professe Christ for fear of disgrace or danger is the veriest the maddest the cruellest coward in the world and yet he dares do more then a Saint who is both bold as a Lyon and the only true valiant man for he dares not knowingly and willingly commit one sin for all the world 56. He that will be of any Religion to please the Time he lives in will live in time to be of no Religion at all 57. He that makes no Conscience of being a dwarfe will quickly grow up to be a Gyant in wickednesse For if his face be not red with blushing at his whispering provocations he will not be ashamed nor afraid to die his soul scarlet with loud-crying abominations 58. Not only those sins that are of the first or second magnitude but even those also that are of the least size are in their own nature both great and mortall Jaels nail will kill as sure as Goliahs Sword A little halter will strangle a Felon as well as a Cable-roap And 't is well known that little Boyes have often let in great Thieves to rob the house and murder the Master 59. His heart cannot be good who never mourned under the sense and misery of a bad nor servently begg'd of God that changes the heart to have his heart changed and to give him the great mercy of a good heart 60. His doings are well pleasing to God that is well-pleased with Gods doings 60. He was never athirst for grace that did not thirst for more grace then he had 62. He that would have God to blesse him daily in his calling must both have a cleer a lawful calling to his calling and call daily upon God to blesse him and his Labours in it 63. He that praies to God in anger wrath or malice against others provokes God to wrath and anger by his prayers And in stead of prevailing with God for the forgivenesse of his trespasses he doth trespasse yet more in asking him