fire of Hell or that our names are writ in Heaven it is enough to make us both patient and thankful though the trifles we delight in be taken from us But most men are so far from this that if God does not answer their desires in every thing they will take pleasure in nothing they will flight all his present mercies and former favours because in one thing he crosses them Liâ—â— Ahab they are more displeased for one thing they want or rather fain and pretend they want or at least have no right unto than they are thankfull for a thousand things they enjoy though the least mercy they injoy is beyond their best merit They are ready to receive all while they return nothing but sin and disobedience wherein they more than abound for they have done more against God in one week than they have done for him ever since they were born Yea such sotts they are that if another displease them they will be revenged on themselves grow melancholy and discontent like foolish Children who will forbear their meat and gâ—â—w sick of the sullens if never so little crost Yea though men have all â—heir hearts can wiâ—h and might if they would and had but the wiâ— and grace be as happy as any men alive yet some small trifle shall make them weary of themselves and every thing else as it fared with foolish â—â—man Esther 5.13 More particularly if their purses grow light their â—earts grow heavy yea as if men did delight to vex themselves how many are there that of happy make themselves miserable or more miâ—serable than they need by looking upon miseries in multiplying glasses the opinion onely of being poor or fear that they may be so when they are old makes them never injoy a merry day when they neither want nor are like to doe and every man is so miserable as he thinks himself The raft of goods or evils does greatly depend on the opinion we have of them SECT 2. Thus millions are miserable melancholy discontent by their own concelt when thousands would think themselves happy had they but a piece of their happiness Which discontent or melancholy occasions more murmuring amongsts us than ever there was among those Israelitos in the wilderness an unthankfulness able to make or keep them poor and miserable and that everlastingly Indeed because judgement is not executed speedily Eccles. 8.11 they think it no sin at all such is their ignorance Otherwise they might know that as the Israelites was so their murmuring is against even the holy One of Israel as Isaiah affirmed of Sensâ—â—â—erib 2 King 19.22 And David of Goliah 1 â—am 17.36 45. The Lord sâ—yes Moses to the people when they grumbled for want of bread and also to Daâ—hau and Abiram heareth your murmuring against him and what are we your murmurings are not against us but against the Lord Exod. 16.8 Numb 16.15 21. Onely this is the difference multitudes of them were destroyed suddenly even fourteen thousand and seven hundred at a clap yea they had all been consumed in a moment for their murmuring had not Moses stood up in the gap and interceded for them Numb 16.41 to 50. and 32.10 to 14. and 26.64 65 and 11.12 33. and 14.12 22 23. and 21.5 6. Whereas millions among us do the like and are not stung with fiery Serpents as they were because they are reserved without repentance to a fiery Serpent in Hell Nor stricken with death temporall because reserved to death â—ternal But God is the same God still and as just now as ever though now under the Gospel instead of corporall judgements he inflicts many times spirituall as blindness of mind hardness of heart and finall impenitency the fore-runner of eternal destruction of body and soul in that burning lake Revel 19.20 For why is their ruine recorded but for our learning and warning â— Cor. 10 11. Neither is forbearance any acquittance yea to be let go on in a continual repeating of so great a sin under such meanes of light and grace uncontrouled is the greatest unhappiness the heaviest â—urle because such seldom rest untill they come to that evill from which there is no redemption God owes that man a greivous payment whom he suffers to run on so long unquestioned and his punishment shall be greater when he comes to reckon with him for all his faults together O that men 〈◊〉 but seriously consider this before it proves too late â— and before the draw-bridge be taken up for favours bestowed and deliverances from dangers bind to gratitude or else the more bonds of duty the more plagues for neglect The contribution of blessings require retribution of obedience or will bring distribution of judgements Yea argue with all the world and they will conclude that there is no vice 〈◊〉 ingratitude and meer ingratitude returnes nothing for good but these return evill for good yea the greatest evill for the greatest good being more ingrateful to God and Christ than can be exprest by the best Oratour alive Our Redeemer hath done and suffered more or would do did we not so daily provoke him for which read Gods goodness and Englands unthankfulness more for us than either can be exprest or conceived by any heart were it as deep as the Sea Yea God hath removed so many evils from us and conferred so many good things upon us that they are beyond thought or imagination And were the whole Heaven turned into a Book and all the Angels deputed Writers therein they could not set down all the good which Gods love in Christ hath done us As consider if we are so bound to bless God for his external temporal inferiour earthly perishing benefits as food rayâ—â—nt friends fire air water health wealth life limbs liberty senses and a thousand the like what praise do we owe him for the lasting fruits of his eternal love and mercy and how thankful should we strive to be And as much do we owe unto God for the dangers from which he delivers us as for the great and many mercies he hath bestowed upon us Neither could we possibly be unthankful if we seriously thought upon what God gives and what he forgives Besides which would also be thought upon what should we have if we did truly love and serve Christ who hath done all this for his enemies neglecting and dishounouring him SECT 3. Now can any one in common reason meditate so unbottomed a love and not study and strive for an answerable thankful demeanour yet as if all that Christ hath done for us were nothing to move us we are so far from being thankful that our whole life language and religion is nought else but one continued act of muttering and murmuring this is the case and it is the case of almost who not And is this a small matter Is it Gods unspeakable mercy that we are not at this present frying in Hell flames never to be freed and do we complain for want of a
speak thou Musick to the wounded conscience Thunder to the feared that thy justice may reclaim the one thy mercy relieve the other and thy favour comfort us all with peace and salvation in Iesus Christ. Section 8. But secondly if this will not satisfie call to thy remembrance the time past and how it hath been with thee formerly as David did in thy very case Psalm 77.2 to 12. And likewise Iob Chapter 13. for as still waters represent any object in their bottome clearly so those that are troubled or agitated do it but dimly and imperfectly But if ever thou hadst true faith begotten in thy heart Ioh. 1.13 by the ministry of the Word Romans 10.17 Iam. 1.18.21 and the Spirits powerfull working with it Ioh. 3.3 5 8. whereby thine heart was drawn to take Christ and apply him a Saviour to thine own soul so that thou werâ— forced to go out of my self and rely wholly and onely on his merits and that it further manifested it self by working a hatred of sin and an apparent change in thy whole life by dying unto sin and living unto righteousness and that thou hast not since returned to thine old sins like the Dog to his vomit if it hath somtime brought forth in thee the sweet fruit of heavenly and spirituall joy if it hath purified thine heart in some measure from noysome lusts and affections as secret pride self-self-love hypoâ—risie carnall confidence wrath malice and the like so that the spirit within thee sighteth against the flesh If thou canst now say I love the godly because they are godly 1 Ioh. 3.14 and hast an hungring after Christ and after a greater measure of heavenly and spirituall graces and more lively tokens of his love and favour communicated unto thee My soul for thine thou hast given false evidence against thy self for as in a gloomy day there is so much light whereby wee may know it to bee day and not night so there is something in a Christian under a cloud whereby hee may bee discerned to bee a true beleever and not an hypocrite But to make it manifest to thy self that thou art so Know first that where there is any one grace in truth there is every one in their measure If thou art sure thou hast love I am sure thou hast faith for they are as inseparable as fire and heat life and motion the root and the sap the Sun and its light and so of other graces Or dost thou feel that Christ is thy greatest joy sin â—hy greatest sorrow that when thou canst not feel the presence of the spirit in thy heart thou goest moâ—rning notwithstanding all other comforts Assuredly as that holy Martyr said if thou wert not a wedding Child thou couldest never so heartily mourn for the absence of the Bridegroom Thus I might go on but a few Grapes will shew that the Plant is a Vine and not a Thorn Take but notice of this and severall graces will one strengthen another as stones in an Arch. As for example Master Peacock Fellow of a House being afflicted in conscience as thou art and at the point of despair when some Ministers ask'd whether they should pray for him answered By no means do no so dishonour God as to pray for such a Reprobate as I am but his young Pupill standing by said with tears in his eyes Certainly a Reprobate could never bee so tender of Gods dishonour which hee well considering was thereby comforted and restored when neither hee with his learning nor any other Ministers with their sage advice could do any good Again secondly if ever thou hadst true faith wrought in thy heart bee not discouraged for as the former graces shew that thou hast with Mary made choice of that better part which shall never bee taken from thee So this grace of faith is Christ's wedding Ring and to whomsoever hee gives it hee gives himselfe with it wee may lose the sence but never the essence of it It may bee eclipsed not extinguished Fides concussa non excussa The gifts and calling of God are without repentance as it is Rom. 11.29 Friends are unconstant riches honours pleasures are unconstant the world is unconstant and life it self is unconstant but I the Lord change not Malachi 3.6 In a swound the soul doth not excercise her functions a man neither hears nor sees nor feels yet shee is still in the body The Frantick man in his mad fits doth not exercise reason yet hee hath it he loseth the use for a time not the habit Yea a sober man hath not alwayâ—â—he use of his sences reason and understanding as in his sâ—eep shal we therefore conclude that this man is senceless unreasonable and without understanding it were most absurd for if we have 〈◊〉 but a while our argument will appear manifestly â—alsâ— Trees and so wee are fitly called bee not deâ—d in Winter which resembles the tune of adversity because the sap is shut up in the root and confined thither by the cold frosts that they cannot shew themselvâ— in the production of leavs and fruits for by experience wee know that for the present they live and secretly suck nourishment out of the earth which maketh them spring and revive again when Summer coms Yea eveâ— whiles they are grievously shaken with the winds and nipped with cold frosts they are not hurt thereby but contrarily they take deeper root have their worms and cankers kill'd by it and so are prepared made fit to bring forth more fruit when the comfortable Spring approaches and the sweet showres and warm Sun-beams fall and descended upon them Elementary bodies lighten and darken cool and warm die and revive as the Sun presents or absents it self from them And is not Christ to our souls the onely Sun of reghteousness and fountain of all comfort so that if hee withdraw himself but a little wee become like plants in the Winter quite witheredâ— yea in appearance stark dead or like Trees void both of leavs and fruit though even then there remains faith in the heart as sap in the root or as fire raked up in the ashes Which faith though it bee not the like strong yet it is the like precious faith to that of Abrahams whereby to lay hold and put on the perfect righteousness of Christ. The Woman that was diseased with an issue did but touch and with a trembling hand and but the hem of his garment and yet went away both healed and comforted Well might I doubt of my salvation says Bradford feeling the weakness of my faith love hope c. if these were the causes of my salvation but there is no other cause of it or of his mercy but his mercy Wherefore hast thou but a touch of sorrow for sin a spark of hope a grain of faith in thy heart thou art safe enough The Anchor lyeth deep and is not seen yet is the stay of all The Bladder blown may float upon the â—â—ood But cannot sink nor
of men drunk with the love of the World for although it bee as common a phrase as it is foolish when any great matter falls to a man O he is made yet experience proves that it rather marrâ— than makes him for not seldom do men possess riches as sick men do fevers which indeed rather possess them And certainly if riches were such pearls as most men esteem them it is not likely the Lord would cast them to sub Swine as mostly hee doth If such happy things hee would not throw them to such Dogs As what saith Luther of the whole Turkish Empire it is but a crum of bread which the master of the house throweth to his Dogs And the truth is what men think most pleasing viz. to have theiâ— wills and their lusts granted is most plaguing Psal. 81.12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts lusts and they walked in their own counsels so that the greatest temtation is to bee without temtation and the greatest affliction not to be afflicted 2 Cor. 12.7 Wherefore lift up your hands which hang down because of some sore affliction and your weak knees Heb. 12.12 and know that the worst of temporall afflictions are an insufficient proof of divine displeasure yea that stripes from the Almighty are tokens of his love and seals of his Son-ship Yea since hee that hath most grace commonly complains of most discomfort confess that the palate is but an ill Judge of the favours of God as it is in great love no doubt however it bee taken that the tender Father medicines his Child for the Worms gives him Aloes or the like the Child cries and sputters and keckeâ— as if it were poisoned yet still the Fathers love is never the less say it be bitter yet bitter poisons bring sweet health and who will not rather take a vomit then hazard life In the Sweating sickness in England their friends would stand by them and strike them over the faces with sprigs of Rosemary to keep them awake the poor souls faint and full of pain would cry out you kill mee but yet they must do it or else they kill'd them iâ—deed for all that slept dyed Look wee saith Saint Ambrose wiâ—h the eyes of our body upon Lazarus estate and wee think it miserable but if with the eyes of the mind it will bee otherwise for how did the Angels do by him but as Nurses are wont to do by their little children all the day long they carry them about in their arms and at niâ—ht they lay them down in their beds to â—est But the supernaturall works of God when wee look upon them with our own eyes are subject to a dangerous misprision the Sun-beams to whom wee are beholding for our sight if wee eye them directly blind us Miserable men we are ready to suspect truths to run away from our safety to bee afraid of our comforts to mis-know our best friends Wee usually think it a great signe of God displeasure when hee ruines our estate and brings us to nothing when hee in his wisdome knows that these riches would shipwrack the soul were they not cast over-board and his love onely forces him to it A Mother seeing her little Son brustled at by Turcki-cocks catcheth him up and strippeth him of his red coat at which those Eiâ—des are offended the child cries for his coat but shee regarding his good letteth him weep but satisfieth him not And the like of Enemies wee think our selvs mightily wronged by them But God finds it to fare with us as it doth with the Oak which gains by the maims and wounds given it and thereupon spreadeth out thicker than before Whence it is God suffers them to live and domineer as some Countries suffer Ravens enacting Laws to prohibit the killing of them thâ—t they may devour the Carrions which else would corrupt the air And so in all oâ—her trials for bee the root of this tree never so bitter yet the fruit is pleasant Well may wee catch a maim as Iacob did but such a blessing come withall that wee would not if wise bee without it Say it bee a sore and fiery citall yet better this fire to purge us than Hell fire to burn us But all the skill is in making men see this wherefore hee that opened the eyes of Paul open ours But furthermore as not to bee afflicted argues an absolute defect of goodness so if our troubles bee light and few it is because wee are weak and tender for therefore God imposeth no more upon us because hee 〈◊〉 wee can bear no moâ—e The Physitian will not suffer a milke-soâ— to see his vein opened but makes him wink or look another way The Master giveth not to his sick servant strong meats as hee doth to the rest but more dainty â—arâ— not because hee is worthier than the rest but because hee is 〈◊〉 and in greateâ— need The skilfull Armourâ—r tryeth not an ordinary Peece with musket-shot The wise Lapidary brings not his softer stones to the Stithy So that freedom from affliction is not a signe of potency but of impotency Wherefore when I am stronger I will look for more when I am a vessell fit for this strong and new wine I shall bee filled with it but not before Mark 2.22 Indeed the calling of God never leavs a man unchanged nor does hee imploy any in his service whom hee does not enable to the work hee sets them about Will any make choyce of a weak Champion no more will God hee will either find us fit or make us fit to discharge the place hee puts us in as when hee called Saul to bee a King hee gave him a Kings heart 1 Sam. 10.9 And when hee called the Apostles to that function hee gave them gifts answerable so when hee calls any to suffer for him bee it Martyrdom hee giveth them the courage of Martyrs as the times of Queen Mary witness But yet for the most part hee â—rains us up by degrees as we eat diverse things by morsels and easily digest them which if we should eat whole would choak us and doth not make us fit to undergo great matters on a suddain Wee must learn to fence in the School before wee fight in the Field and with wooden weapons men learn to fight at the sharp wee must encounter with some beasts or other I mean unreasonable men before wee fight with that fearfull Goliah death And indeed if wee do not learn to give entertainment to smaller crosses the harbingers messengers and servants of death how shall wee bee able to entertain the Lord and Master when hee cometh Wherefore as Iehoram said to Iehu when hee marched furiously Comest thou peaceably As if hee should say if thou comest peaceably march as furiously as thou wiltâ— so let us say unto God provided thy afflictions and chastisements bee directed to us as messengers of peace and love let them march towards us as furiously as thou pleasest but in
to Paul Act. 9.15 16. 23. ver 11. and our Saviour Christs words to his Apostles Ast. 1.8 yea to suffer for Christ saith Father Latimer is the greatest privilege that God gives in this world and the story of Iob is a book-case to prove it for did not God by him as sometimes a Schoolmaster with his Pupill who when he hath polished and perfected a good Scholar brings him sorth provokes adversaries to set upon him with hard questions and takes a pride to see the fruit of his own labours And in the warrs to have the hottect and most dangerous services imposed upon them by their General is accounted the greatest honour neither will he confer the same upon any but the stoutest and most valiant This Rod of the Lord like Ahasuerus his Scepter is never stretcht forth toward any of his but in great love and favour It is like the kisse which Cyrus in Xenophon gave to Chrysanthas which was accounted a greater and more special savour than the Cup of gold which he gave to Artabazus Which being so let us in this particular imitaâ—e the Muscovitish women who will not think their husbands love them unlesse they chastise them and the Indians who are ambitious to be burnt with them and the Thracians who are proud to wear their scarrs Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than all the treasures of Aegypt Heb. 11.25 26. And the Apostles esteemed it a grace to be disgraced for him and shall we grumble or think much at it No in the greatest extremity of straights let us acknowledge it a favour and give him thanks and so much the rather for that it is more acceptable to God to give him thanks once in adversity then six hundred times in prosperity as a grave Divine well observs and indeed it is the summe of all Religion to be thankfull to God in the midst of miseries True it is hard for Iob when the terrours of God fight against him and the arrows of the Almighty stick so â—ast in him that the venome thereof hath drunk up his spirit Iob 6.2 3 4. to think it a special favour and dignity but so it was being rightly considered It was hard for Iosephs brethren to hear him speak roughly unto them take them for spies accuse them of theft and commit them to prison Gen. 42.30 and think it is all out of love much more hard for Simeon to bee cull'd out from the rest and committed to ward while his brethren are set at libertie Vers. 24. and yet it was so yea he loved him best whom he seemed to favour least yet such is the infirmitie of our nature that as weak eies are dazled with the light which should comfort them so there is nothing more common with God's Children than to be afflicted with the causes of their joy and astonied with that which is intended for their confirmation Even Manoah conceivs death in that vision of God wherein alone his life and happinesse did consist Iudg. 13.22 And the Shepherds Luk. 2. who were sore afraid when the Angel of the Lord came to bring them good tidings of great joy to all people viz. their Saviours Birth which was Christ the Lord Vers. 9.10 But what hath been the answer of GOD alwaies to his children in such their extasies but his Fear not Gideon Judg. 6.23 Fear not Ioseph Mat. 1.20 Fear not Zachary Luk. 1.12 13. Fear not Abraham for I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward Gen. 15.1 Fear not Paul for I am with thee and no man shall lay hands on thee to do thee hurt c. Acts. 18.9 10. the words are often repeated as Pharaohs dreams were doubled for the surenesse Yea to the end that we should be fearlesse in all our sufferings so long as we suffer not as evil doers 1 Pet. 4.15 Fear not as one well notes is the first word in the Annunciation of Christs Conception and the first word in the first Annunciation of his Birth and the first word in the first Annuuntiation of his Resurrection and almost the last words in his last exhortation a little before his death are Let not your hearts be troubled and be of good comfort strengthening his followers and sweetning his Crosse by diverse forcible reasons Luke 21. Mark 13. And the words of dying men have ever been most emphatical most effectual Nay more than all this if yet thou wilt not be comforted look but Ioh. 16.20 and thou shalt have thy Saviour assure thee by a double bond His Word I say Verily verily I say unto you His Oath I say Verily verily I say unto you that though for the present you do fear and sorrow and weep yet all shall be turned into joy 〈◊〉 that joy shal no man be able to take from you v. 22. And so much of the Patience of the Womans seed Innocency of the Womans seed Felicity of the Womans seed If you will see the Malice of the Serpents seed Subtilty of the Serpents seed Misery of the Serpents seed Read the three foregoing parts viz. The canse and cure of Ignorance Error c. The cure of Misprision Characters of the kinds of preaching The last whereof sold only by Iames Crump in Little Bartholomeâ— Well-yard A two-fold PRAYER for the Morning and for the Evening as also another to be said at any time Jer. 10.25 Pour out thy fury upon them that know thee not and upon the families that call not on thy name Psal. 145.18 Rom. 10.12 The Lord is nigh and rich unto all that call upon him in truth Isa. 65.24 Before they call I will answer and whiles they are yet speaking I will hear Jer. 33.3 Call unto me and I will answer thee and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not 1 Joh. 5.14 If wee ask any thing according to his will he heareth us Joh. 16.23 Mat. 21.22 Whatsoever yee shall ask the Father in my Name believing he will give it you Psal. 55.17 Evening and Morning and at Noon will I pray A PRAYER for the Morning O Lord prepare our hearts to Pray O Most glorious LORD GOD and in JESUS CHRIST our most merciful and loving Father in whom wee live and move and have our being in the multitude of thy mercies we desire to approach unto thee from whom all good things do proceed who knowest our necessities befoâ—e we ask and our ignorance in asking It is true O Lord if we should consider onely our own unworthiness and how we have heretofore abused thy goodnesse and long-suffering towards us wee might rather despair with Iudas and like Adam run from thee then dare to approach thy glorious presence For we confesse O Lord to the shame and confusion of our own faces that as we brought a world of sinne into the World with us and deserved to dye so soon as wee began to live so ever since that thou hast spared us we have done nothing but add sinne unto sinne as
may work in us some flashes of desire and purposes of better obedience but we are constant in nothing but in perpetual offending onely therein we cease not for when we are waking our flesh tempts us to wickednesse if wee are sleeping it sollicites us to filthinesse or perhaps when we have offended thee all the day at night we pray unto thee but what is the issue of our praying First we sin and then we pray thee to forgive it and then return to our sins again as if we came to thee for no other end but to crave leave to offend thee Or of thy granting our requests we even dishonor thee and blaspheme thy name while thou do'st support and relieve us run from thee while thou do'st call us and forget thee while thou art feeding us so thou sparest us we sleep and to morrow we sin again O how justly mightest thou forsake us as we forsake thee and condemne uâ— whose consciences cannot but condemne our selvs But who can measure thy goodnesse who givest all and forgivest all Though we be sinful yet thou lovest us though we be miserably ingrateful yet thou most plentifully blessest us What should we have if we did serve thee who hast done all these things for thine enemies O that thou who hast so indeared us to serve thee wouldest also give us hearts and hands to serve thee with thine own gifts Wherefore of thy goodnesse and for thy great Names sake we beseech thee take away our stony hearts and give us hearts of flesh enable us to repent what we have done and never more to do what we have once repented not fostering any one sin in our souls And because infidelitie is the bitter root of all wickednesse and a lively faith the true mother of all grace and goodnesse nor are wee Christians indeed except we imitate Christ and square our lives according to the rule of thy Word Give us that faith which manifesteth it self by a godly life which purifieth the heart worketh by love and sanctifieth the whole man throughout Yea since if our faith be true and saâ—ing it can no more be severed from unfained repentance and sanctification then life can be without motion or the sun without light give us spiritual wisdom to try and examine our selvs whether we be in the faith or not that so we may not be deluded with opinion onely as thousands are Discover unto us the emptinesse vanity and insufficiencie of the things here below to do our poor souls the least good that so we may be induced to set an higher price upon Jesus Christ who is the life of our lives and the soul of our souls considering that if we have him wee want nothing if we want him wee have nothing Finally O Lord give unto us and increase in us all spiritual graces inlighten our minds with the knowledge of thy truth and inflame our hearts with the love of whatsoever is good that we may esteem it our meat and drink to do thy blessed will Give us religious thoughts godly desires zealous affections holy endeavours assured perswasions of faith stedfast waiting through hope constancy in suffering through patience and hearty rejoicing from love regenerate our minds purifie our natures turn all our joies into the joy of the Holy Ghost and all our peace into the peace of conscience and all our fears into the fear of sin that we may love righteousnesse with as great good will as ever we loved wickednesse and go before others in thankfulnesse towards thee as far as thou goest in mercy towards us before them Give us victory in temptation patience in sicknesse contentment in poverty joy in distresse hope in troubles confidence in the hour of death give us alwaies to think and meditate of the hour of death the day of judgment the joies of heaven and the pains of hell together with the ransome which thy Son paid to redeem us from the one and to purchase for us the other so shall neither thy benefits nor thy chastisements nor thy Word return ineffectual but accomplish that for which they were sent until we be wholly renewed to the image of thy Son These things we humbly beg at thy fatherly hands and whatsoever else thou knowest in thy divine wisdome to be needful and necessary for our souls or bodies or estates or names or friends or the whole Church better then we our selvs can either ask or think and that for thy Names sake for thy promise sake for thy mercies sake for thy Sons sake who suffered for sin and sinned not and whose righteousnesse pleadeth for our unrighteousnesse in him it is that we come unto thee in him we call upon thee who is our Redeemer our Preserver and our Saviour to whom with Thee and thy blessed Spirit be ascribed as is most due all honour glory praise power might majesty dominion and hearty thanksgiving the rest of this night following and for evermore Amen A Praier to be used at any time O Almighty Eternall most Glorious and onely wise God giver to them which want comforter of them which suffer and forgiver of them that repent whom truly to know is everlasting life Wee they poor creatures acknowledge and confess unto thee who knowest the secrets and desires of all hearts that of our selvs we are not worthy to list up our eyes to heaven much less to present our selves before thy Majesty with the least confidence that thou shouldest hear our praiers or accept of our services but rather that thou shouldest take these our confessions and accordingly condemne us to the lowest place in Hell for our continually abusing thy mercy and those many means of grace which in thy long suffering thou hast affoarded for our reclaiming Wee are the cursed seed of rebellious Parents wee were conceived in sin and born the children of wrath And whereas thou mightest have executed thy fierce displeasure upon us so soon as thou gavest us being and so prevented our further dishonouring thee wee have instead of humbling our selves before thee our God and seeking reconciliation with thy Majestie done nothing from our infancy but added sin unto sin in breaking every one of thine holy Laws which thou hast given us as rules and directions to walk by and to keep us from sinning Yea there is not one of thy righteous precepts which we have not broken more times and ways then we can express so far have wee been from a privative holiness in reforming that which is evill and a positive holiness in performing that which is good which thou maist justly require of us being wee had once ability so to do if wee had not wilfully lost it for thou did'st form us righteous and holy had not wee deform'd our selves whereas now like Satan wee can do nothing else but sin and make others sin too who would not so sin but for us for we have an army of unclean desires that perpetually sight against our souls
he should have held Mordecai's stirr up much lesse have changed preferment with him That Mordecai should be lifted up into Hamans favour at Court and Haman should be exalted to that fifty cubits eminency above ground in Mordecais room But go we on Love will cause us to open our hands unto such as are in want and lend or give them sufficient for their need as God commands Deut. 15. 8. It will make us of Iobs spirit who would not eate his morsells alone but invited the fatherlesse to eate with him Job 31.17 It will make a man love his enemies and do good for them that do hurt to him Luke 6. 35. Yea if need so require as in a famine or common persecution it will make us sell our possessions and goods and distribute them to all as every one hath need as did the Christians in the Primitive Church Acts 2.44 45. And lastly which is above all It will make a man to lay downe his life for the brethren 1 John 3.16 Whereas he that hath not this Christian grace feels and is sensible of common calamities just so much as appertains to his own private estate interest and no more It is the want of compassion that takes no compassion of others wants Yea this is an argument that the love of God is not in us 1 John 3.17 Whatsoever we thinke or say it is not at all in us Iohn 3.14 15.17 CHAP. XVIII Again It 's impossible that he who hath love should be ungratefull Mary Magdalen had received much and this made her love much and loving much she thought nothing too much to bestow even upon the most remote members of Christ to expresse her thankfulnesse Luke 7.38 And the like of Naaman when Elisha had done that great cure upon him whose hands were no lesse â—ull of thankes then his mouth Dry and barren profession of our obligation where is power to requite are unfit for noble and ingenuous spirits And so of Iacob If saith he I come again unto my fathers house in safety then shall the Lord be my God and this stone which I have set up as a pillar shall be Gods house and of all that he shall give me I will give the tenth unto him again Gen. 28.21 22. And Hannah who vowed a vow and said O Lord of Hosts if thou wilt looke on the trouble of thine hand-maid and remember me and not forget thine hand-maid but give unto thine hand-maid a man Childe then I will give him unto the Lord all the dayes of his life and there shall no razor come upon his head and she did it accordingly 1 Sam. 1.11.27 28. An ingenuous disposition cannot receive favours without thoughts of return Behold thou hast been carefull for us sayes Elisha to the Shunamite with all this care what is to be done for thee wouldst thou be spoken for to the King or to the Captain of the Host what is there to be done for thee And when he understood that a sonne was the onely thing she wanted and desired her husband being old he obtained of the Lord to fulfill her desire 2 Kings 4.13 to 17. Both Christ and the Angels the Prophets and Apostles were wont to be very beneficial guests to their hostes and hostesses and ever payd a blessâ—ng for their entertainment Elias requited his hostesse with a supernatnrall provision He gave also her owne and her sons life to her for his board Yea in that wofull famine 1 King â—7 He gave her and her sonne their board for his house-room Yea it is storied of Pyrrhus an Heathen that he did exceedingly grieve for that a friend of his hapned to dye before he had required his many favours Those hearts that are truly thankâ—ull delight no lesse in the repayment of a good turn then in the receit and do as much study how to shew their fervent affections for what they have received as how to compasse favours when they want them Their debt is their burthen which when they have discharged they are at ease and not before Resembling Homer who never forgot to requite a benefit received nor could be at rest untill he had done it CHAP. XIX Nor can there be a better signe of true love and â—ound amendment then that we can be content to be loosers by our repentance Many formall penitents have yielded to part with so much of their sinne as may abate nothing of their profit It is an easie matter to say yea and think what they say to be true that they love God and Christ. There is no Dives among us but he thinks scorne to be charged with the want of love What not love God But aske his conscience the next question What good hast thou done for his sake No he can remember none of that no goodnesse no workes of mercy or charity hath come from him all his life long But know this thou wretched rich miserly muckworme that thoâ— artbound to performe these works of mercy to the poore both ouâ— of duty and thankefulnesse to him who hath given thee thy selfe and all that thou hast Yea if thou beest not a meere beast or blocke When thou beholdest them the poor I meane behold how thou art beholding to Him that suffered thee not to be like them Hath God given thee all things and dost thou then thinke it a great matter to give him back something especially seeing thou givest him but of his owne as David gladly acknowledged 1 Chr. 29.14 For shame consider of it and let thy conscience make answer to what I shall aske thee what can be more equall and just then to give a little unto him who hath given all unto us especially seeing he hath granted unto us the use onely of what we possesse reserving still the chief propriety unto himselfe and to spare something unto the poor out of our abundance at his request who hath not spared to give unto us his onely begotten and dearly beloved sonne that by a shamefull death he might free us from everlasting death and condemnation and purchase for us eternall happiness Yea in truth what madnesse is it to deny being requested to give at his appointment some small portion of our goods who by his owne right and authority may take all And what senselesse folly were it to turne away our face from him when he asketh in the behalfe of the poor some earthly and momentaâ—y trifles from whom we expect as his free gift Heavens felicity and everlasting glory CHAP. XX. But to drive home this duty to mens consciences see further what cause we have to extend our liberality to the relief of Christs poore members For here I shall take occasion to slide into a discourse which in the Title page 1 durst not once mention as well knowing how averse most men are and how desperately most rich mens hearts are hardned against the poore whereof I le onely give you an instance Some six years since having taken no small paynes
of the same precious promises And by vertue of this Calling we serve one and the same God are of one Church and family and have one Religion one faith one baptisme are invited guests to the same Table and Supper of our Lord are all Heirs and Co-heires of the same heavenly kingdome and therein annexed also with Christ our elder brother Finally we are brethren of the same Father the onely Spouse of the same heavenly Bridegroom and members of the same mystical body whereof Iesus Christ is the head so that the neerest and strongest communion that can be imagined is between Christians one with another and all of them with their head Iesus Christ And should not all this move us to relieve them Yea more then all this If we do good to our fellow-members the benefit will râ—dound unto our selves who are of the same body even â—s the hand giving nourishment to the mouth and the mouth preparing it for the stomacke do in nourishing it provide nourishment for themselves also Yea more then all this there is such a neare and strong union and communion with the poor together with us and with our head Christ our Saviour That he esteemeth that as doâ—â— to himselfe which is done unto them even as the head acknowledgeth the benefit done unto it which the meanest member of the body receiveth Yea in truth that is much more acceptable which we do for his poor members then if we should do it to his owne person as being a signe of greater love For it is but an ordinary kindnesse to confer benefits upon our dearest friends but to extend our bounty to the poorest and meanest that belong unto them is a signe of much greater love For if for their sakes onely we do good unto these how much more would we be ready to do it unto themselves if they had occasion to crave our help And as in this regard he much esteemeth this Christian bounty so he will richly reward it also at the day of Iudgemeut For then these mercifull men who have relieved the poor for Christs sake shall with ravishing joy heare that sentence Come ye blessed of my Father because the works of mercy which they have done to the poor Christ will acknowledge as done unto himselfe And this will more rejoyce thy soule hereafter then it doth now refresh the others body when Christ shall say unto thee Come thou blessed and inherit the Kingdome Nor will it then repent thee that thou hast parted with a small part of what God hath given thee to the poor CHAP. XXXVI And indeed what can be a more forcible reason to make our hearts relent though they be never so stony and our bowels to yearn with pity and compassion towards the poor though they were of brasse and iron Then to consider that our dear Lord and Saviour in them doth crave reliefe for who is so more then brutishly ungratefull that can turne him away empty handed Who being infinitely rich in all glory and happinesse was contented for our sakes to become poore that by his poverty he might communicate unto us his heavenly riches Who would not give Christ lodging Yea even if need should require the use of his own bed if hee remember that Christ was content so far to abase himselfe for our sakes as to make a stable his chamber and a manger his lodging that we might be admitted into his heavenly and everlasting mansions Who would deny to cloath him being naked who hath câ—â—â—hed our nakedness and covered our filthinesse with the precious robe of his righteousnesse in which we stand accepted before God and receive the blessing of eternall happinesse Who would not spare food out of his owne belly to relieve poore Christ who hath given unto us his blessed body to be our meat and his precious blood to be our drinke whereby our soules and bodies are nourished unto everlasting life Who would not leave all pleasure and profit to go and visit him in his sicknesse and imprisonment that left heaven and his Fathers bosome that he might come to visit and redeem us with the inestimable price of himselfe Yea if wise we will count it an honour whereof we are very unworthy As most unworthy we are of such an honour as to relieve hungry thirsty and naked Christ in his poor members whence the Macedonians counted and called it a favour that they might have their hand in so good a worke 2 Cor. 8.1 2 3 4. And that David thanks God that of his owne he would take an offering 1 Chron. 29.9 And this is another reason to convince men that it is most just and equall they should be liberall to the poor members of Iesus Christ. And so much touching the reasons and motives to this Christian duty Then which there cannot be either more or clearer or stâ—onger or weightier inducements to perswade to any one thing in the world then there is to this if men have either hearts or braines CHAP. XXXVII The next to be considered is The time when we are to give and that is two-fold First when an opportunity of doing good offers it seâ—fe do it speedily without delay readily entertain the first â—oâ— on with-hold not good from thy Neighbour when it is in thy power to do it Say not to him that is in present need goe and â—ome again and to morrow I will give thee when thou hast it by thee Prov. 3.27 28. When Lazarus is in need of refreshment let him not wait or lye long at thy door Luke 16.20.21 22. For nothing is more tedious then to hang long in suspence and we endure with more patience to have our hopes beheaded and quickly dispatcht then to be racked and tortured with long delayes according to that Prov. 13.12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sicke but when the desire cometh it is a tree of life For as one saith Beneficentia oft virtus que moram non patitur Beneficence is a vertue which disliketh all delayes And as Seneca telleth us Omnis benignitas properat All goodnesse is quick of hand and swift of â—oot and hateth aswell the paralyticall shaking and staggering of those who doubt whether to give or no as the gouty lamenesse of such as after they are resolved to give make but slow hast The greater speed the greater love for love can abide no lingring Then does a benefit loose his grace when it sticks in his fingers who is about to bestow it as though it were not given but pluckt from him and so the receiver praiseth nor his Benefactors bounty but his owne importunity because he doth not seem to have given but to have held too weakely against his violenâ—â— These delayes shew unwillingnesse Et qui moratur neganti proximus est He that delayes a benefit is the next door to him that denyeth it Even as on the other side a quick haâ—d is an evident signe of a free heart For proximum est libenter facientis
was first got asleep Wouldest thou not be overcome be not secure Fly from the works of darkness at a great distance and consider as well the bitterness of what will follow as the sweetness of a momentany pleasure not unlike a great personage of this Land who said to his Lady offering him a bribe in behalf of a suppliant Gentle Eve I will none of your Apple Yea in vigilancy and watchfulness imitate the Nightingale which sleeps with her brest upon a thorn for fear of the Serpent which continually studies her ruine We would not willingly a Tempest should take us without our Cloaks Seneca reports of Caesar that he did quickly sheath the sword but he never laid it off the sight of a weapon discourages a Thief While we keep our Iavelins in our hands we escape many assaults so that a Christians resolution should be like King Alfrids Si modò victor eras ad crastina bella pavebas Si modò victus eras ad crastina bella parabas If we conquer to day let us fear the skirmish to morrow If we be overcome to day let us hope to get the victory to morrow An assaulted City must keep a careful watch or it will not long hold out Yea the provident Fen-man mends his banks in Summer lest his ground be drowned in Winter And we must so take our leaves of all afflictions that we reserve a lodging for them and expect their return And so much the rather because what hath been long expected falleth the easier and evils precogitated strike â—ut weakly CHAP. 9. How it discovers whether we be true Believers or Hypocrites 6 SIxthly that we may experimentally know our selves and be known of others whether we be true Believers or Hypocrites First our selves divers play Alexander on the Stage but few or none in the Field Many can suffer Martyrdom in speculation who being put to it cannot concoct a foul word We are all valiant Souldiers till we come to fight excellent Philosophers till we come to dispute Good Christians till we come to master our own lusts but it is opposition that gives the trial when corruptions fight against the graces and cause Argent to seeme more bright in a sable field Many while wealth lasts are very honest men and square dealers at least seem so yea they will maintain that all hardnesse is to be endured rather then Conscience violated or God offended but fall they into poverty and then that they may maintain themselves they will lie deceive steal prostitute their Chastity sell their Consciences and what not Even Hazael before he met with an opportunity could say What is thy servant a dog And Balaam could brag Though thou wouldest give me thine house full of gold I would not c. Yet when it came to the triall he did as bad for little or nothing but a man is indeed what he is in triall If with the Pome-citron Limon and Orenge-tree we are alwayes green and fruitfull Summer and Winter if our souls shall like of Christ for a suitor when we finde no other Ioynture but the Crosse we are sure we are Christians 2. That others may know us A Souldier is best known in the front of a Battel A Pilot in a storm a nimble active man in a Race and a Champion in the lists How well the strings of an instrument are tuned and set is best known when they are touched by the hand of a skilfull Musician There must be differences amongst you saith Saint Paul that the approved may be known 1 Cor. 11.19 For as Thrashing separates the straw and Winnowing the chaff from the Corn So Persecution separates the Hypocrite from the company of beleevers Luke 22.31 When a serving-man follows two men walking together we cannot tell which is his master till they part so when the Gospel and outward prosperity go together it is hard to judge which is most respected Our Churches are full blessed be God but come we not to please others as the Poet made his Plays or as Simon Magus was christened for company or is it not more for fear of the Law then for love of the Gospel It is a great question until persecution arising because of the Word puts it out of question but then is that of Claudius Taurinensis more then verified They worship the dead Saints in a cold profession while they worry the living in a cruel persecution so that if the Bramble had been the King of Trees the Vine could not have met with worse usage We all call our selves Christians Why it is an honourable thing to be so accounted but who are such is known onely where the power of godliness is in contempt Where as Saint Augustine speaks a Christian in name will scoff at a Christian indeed for Christ saith Nazianzen is stoned by many that are called Christians though no otherwise then the Heathen Images are called gods as Iustine Martyr notes or as another hath it many superstitiously adore the Crucifix that are enemies to the Cross of Christ. That Childe saith old Simeon meaning Christ is appointed for a sign to be spoken against that the thoughts of many hearts may be opened Luke 2.34 35. O how wicked men manifest their hatred and enmity against God and his people so soon as Persecution ariseth because of the Word Yea it would put a wise man into an extasie to think how prophane men in such times will rail upon those whom one day they will wish they had imitated as Iustin Martyr speaks But it 's well enough for by this means both the malice of Satan and the World are better known and avoided Demetrius the Silver-smith resisted Paul perhaps not so much for great Diana's sake as the little Silver Shrines by which his gain came in The carnal Capernaites followed Christ while he fed them Iohn 6.26 Pamachius an Heathen could say to the Pope Make me a Bishop and I 'le be a Christian. Aygolandus the better to make his peace with Charles the Great would become a Christian and be baptized But when he came to the Court where he saw at a table in a room thirty poor people in mean habits and at ordinary fare which the Emperour told him were the Servants of God he replyed That if God kept his servants so poorly he would be none of his servant Iudas can be content to bear the cross so he may bear the bag but Iob will trust in God though he kill him Iob 13.15 and David in deepest distress or desertion will hang on still Psal. 43.5 Now who will not say Give me the Bird that will sing in Winter and seek to my window in the hardest frost There is no trial of friendship but in adversity he that is not ashamed of my bonds not daunted with my checks not alienated with my disgrace is a friend for me one dram of that mans love is worth a world of inconstant formality But that friend is fals-harted who observes me
brought men into Campania but carried women out again Yea the more deliverances David had the greater was his faith for after the Lord had delivered him often out of extream exigents namely from this great Goliah the cruelty of Saul the unnatural insurrection of Absalom and the unjust curses of Shimei he was able to say I trust in God neither will I fear what flâ—sh can do unto me Psal. 56.4 And in Psal. 3. I will not be afraid for ten thousand of the people that should beset me round about Vers. 6. And in Psal. 18.29 By thee I have broken through an host and in thy Name I will leap over a wall His experience had made it so easie to him that it was no more then a skip or jump We men indeed therefore shut our hands because we have opened them making our former kindnesses arguments of sparing afterwards but contrarily God therefore gives because he hath given making his former favours arguments for more It is Davids onely argument Psal. 4. Have mercy upon me saith he and hearken unto my prayer Why Thou hast set me at liberty when I was in distresse Vers. 1. I might likewise here shew from 2 Chron. 20.29 Phil. 1.12 13 14. how the delivering of some increaseth the faith of others but I passe that That we may live by faith and not by sense he first strips us of all our earthly confidence and then gives us victory and not before lest he should be a loser in our gain his help uses to shew it self in extremity he that can prevent evils conceals his aid till dangers be ripe and then he is as careful as before he seemed connivent Daniel is not delivered at the beginning of his trouble he must first be in the Lions den and then he findes it Those three Servants Dan. 3.26 are not rescued at the Ovens mouth in the Furnace they are That is a gracious and well tried faith that can hold out with confidence to the last Like Abraham who is said to hope against hope Rom. 4.18 which with God is a thing much set by Yea such he accounts his Champions and Worthies Whence it is many are trained up in trouble all their dayes as it fared with David for as a Beare came to David after a Lion and a Giant after a Beare and a King after a Giant and Philistines after a King and all to make him more hardy and confident in his God so when they that are intended for Christs Champions have fought with the Devil and their own lusts they shall fight with envy when they have fought with envy they shall fight with poverty when they have fought with poverty they shall fight with infamy when they have fought with infamy they shall fight with sicknesse and after that with death Like a Labourer that is never out of work and this not only proves but mightily improves their faith And indeed till we have been delivered out of a lesser trouble we cannot trust God in a greater Resembling that peasant who would trust God upon the Land but not upon the Sea where should be but an inch-bord between him and death To hear a man in his best health and vigour to talk of his confidence in God and assurance of divine favour cannot be much worth but if in extremities we can believe above hope against hope our hope is so much the more noble as our difficulties are greater For Iairus to believe that his sick daughter should recover was no hard task but Christ will scrue up his faith to believe she shall again live though he sees with his eyes she is fully dead When we are in heavy Agonies and feel a very hell in our conscience then to apprehend mercy when with Ionas in the Whales belly we can call upon God in faith and see one contrary in another in the very depth of Hell Heaven in the very midst of Anger Love When with the woman of Canaan Matth. 15. we can pick comfort out of the reproachful name of Dog and when nothing but war appears in Gods face then by faith to pierce through all the thick clouds and behold the sweet sun-shine of Gods favour and grace in Christ Heb. 11. 1. we are believers indeed And he saith Saint Bernard is to be reputed constant whose minde taketh fresh courage in the midst of extremities Like the Palm-tree which groweth so much the higher and stronger and more fruitful by how much the more weight it hath hanging upon it Not that the strongest faith is free from doubting for let a man look down from the top of the strongest steeple admit the Battlements be brest-high and he is sure he cannot fall yet a kinde of fear possesses him And well is it for us that our assurance is mixed with doubting Since the one makes us live as though there were no Gospel the other to die as if there were no Law The Lion seems to leave her young ones till they have almost kill'd themselves with roaring and howling but at last gasp she relieves them whereby they become the more couragious When the Prophet could say Out of the depths have I cried unto thee instantly follows and not till then the Lord heard me the Lord saw him sinking all the while yet lets him alone till he was at the bottom Every main affliction is our Red-sea which while it threats to swallow preserves us now when it comes to a dead lift as we say then to have a strong confidence in God is thank-worthy Hope in a state hopeless and love to God under signes of his displeasure and heavenly mindedness in the midst of worldly affairs and allurements drawing a contrary way is the chief praise of faith to love that God who crosseth us to kiss that hand which strikes us to trust in that power which kils us this is the honourable proof of a Christian this argues faith indeed What made our Saviour say to that woman of Canaan ô woman great is thy faith but this when neither his silence nor his flat denial could silence her Matth. 15. It is not enough to say God is good to Israel when Israel is in peace and prosperity and neither feels nor wants any thing but God will have us believe that he is good when we feel the smart of the rod and at the same time see our enemies the wicked prosper It best pleaseth him when we can say boldly with Iob Though he kill me yet will I trust in him When our enemies are behinde us and the Red-sea before us then confidently to trust upon God is much worth When we are in the barren Wilderness almost famished then to believe that God will provide Manna from Heaven and water out of the Rock is glorious when with the three Children we see nothing before us but a fiery Furnace to believe that God will send his Angel to be our deliverer this is heroical Dan. 3.20 And those which are acquainted with
for banishing it was better not to let him stirre out of Macedoneia where all men knew that he lyed then to send him among strangers who not knowing him might admit his slanders for truth better he speak where we are both known then where we are both unknown And this made Chrysippus when one complained to him that his friend had reproached him privately answer Ah but chide him not for then he will do as much in publike Neglect will sooner kill an injury than Revenge These tongue-squibs or crackers of the brain will die alone if we revive them not the best way to have them forgotten by others is first to forget them our selves Yea to contemn an enemy is better then either to fear him or answer him When the Passenger gallops by as if his fear made him speedy the Cur followes him with open mouth and swiftnesse let him turn to the brawling Cur and he will be more fierce but let him ride by in a confident neglect and the Dog will never stir at him or at least will soon give over and be quiet Wherefore when aspersed labour as the eclipsed Moon to keep on our motion till we wade out of the shadow and receive our former splendor To vex other men is but to prompt them how they should again vex us Two earthen pots floating on the water with this Inscription If we knock we crack was long ago made the Emblem of England and the Low-Countreys When two friends fall out if one be not the wiser they turn love into anger and passion passion into evil words words into blowes and when they are fighting a third adversary hath a fair advantage to insult over them both As have you not sometimes seen two neighbours like two Cocks of the Game pick out one anothers eyes to make the Lawyers sport it may be kill them As while Iudah was hot against Israel and Israel hot against Iudah the King of Syria smote them both At least Sathan that common and arch enemy will have us at advantage For as vain men delight when two Dogs or two Cocks are a fighting to encourage and prick them forward to the combate Even so doth Satan deal with us Controversies like a pair of Cudgels are thrown in by the Devill and taken up by male-contents who baste one another while he stands by and laughs And we cannot please the Divell better for as the Master of the Pit oft sets two Cocks to fight together unto the death of them both and then after mutuall conquest suppeth perchance with the fighters bodies Even so saith Gregory doth the Devill deal with men He is an enemy that watcheth his time and while we wound one another he wounds and wins all our souls Thus like the Frog and the Mouse in the Fable while men fight eagerly for a toy the Kite comes that Prince and chief Foul that ruleth in the aire and snatcheth away both these great warriours Or like two Emmets in the mole hill of this earth we fight for the mastery in mean while comes the Robin-red breast and picks both up and so devours them But on the other side by gentlenesse we may as much pleasure our selves It is said of Aristides when he perceived the open scandall which was like to arise by reason of the contention sprung up between him and Themistocles that he besought him mildly after this manner Sir we both are no mean men in this Common-wealth our dissention will prove no small offence unto others nor disparagement to our selves wherefore good Themistocles let us be at one again and if we will needs strive let us strive who shall excell other in vertue and love And we read of Euclides that when his Brother in a variance between them said I would I might die if I be not revenged of thee he answered again Nay let me die for it if I perswade thee not otherwise before I have done by which one word he presently so won his Brothers heart that he changed his minde and they parted friends Milde words and gentle behaviour may be resembled to Milk that quencheth Wild-fire or Oyl that quencheth Lime which by water is kindled And this was Davids way of overcoming 1 Sam. 24. He whose Harp had wont to quiet Sauls frenzie now by his kindnesse doth calm his fury so that now he sheds tears instead of blood here was a victory gotten and no blow stricken The King of Israel set bread and water before the host of the King of Syria when he might have slain them 2 King 6.23 What did he lose by it or had he cause to repent himself No he did thereby so prevent succeeding quarrels that as the Text saith the bands of Aram came no more into the Land of Israel so every wise Christian will do good to them that do hurt to him yea blesse and pray for them that curse him as our Saviour adviseth neither is he a fool in it for if grace comes and nothing will procure it sooner than prayers and good examples though before they were evil enemies now they shall neither be evil nor enemies It was a witty answer of Socrates who replied when one asked him why he took such a mans bitter railing so patiently It is enough for one to be angry at a time For if a wise man contend with a foolish man saith Salomon whether he be angry or laugh there is no rest Prov. 29.9 whereas gentle speech appeaseth wrath and patience bridleth the secret pratling of mockers and blunteth the point of their reproach Had not Gideon Judg. 8. learned to speak fair as well as to smite he had found work enough from the swords of Iosephs sonnes but his good words are as victorious as his sword his pacification of friends better than his execution of enemies Vers. 2 3. As it is not good to flatter or lye no more is it in some cases to speak the truth we know the Asse and the Hound in the Fable were both kild by the Lyon the one for hiâ— slattery in commending the sweetnesse of his breath the other for his plain dealing when he affirmed it had an ill savour whereas the Fox by pretending he could not smell by reason of a cold he had got saved his life Rage is not ingendred but by the concurrence of cholers which are easily produced one of another and born at an instant When the stone and the steel mâ—ets the issue ingendred from thence is fire whereas the sword of anger being struck upon the soft pillow of a milde spirit is broken The shot of the Cannon hurts not Wool and such like yeelding things but that which is hard stubborn and resisting He is fuller of passion than reason that will flame at every vain tongues puff A man that studies revenge keeps his own wounds green and open which otherwise would heal and do well Anger to the soul is like a coal on the flesh or garment cast it off suddenly it doth
is like the setting of a mans own house on fire through carelesnesse in which case he not only bears the losse and scorches himself in it but must give five pounds to the Sheriff also if it be in London So that the best answer is either silence or laughter or if neither of these will do a cudgell The best answer to words of scorn and petulancy saith learned Hooker is Isaacs Apologie to his brother Ishmael the Apologie which patience and silence make no Apologie and we have our Saviours president for it for when false witnesses rose up and accused him fasly before the Priests Scribes and Elders it is said that Iesus held his peace that infinitewisdome knew well how little satisfaction there would be in answers where the Sentence was determined where the Asker is unworthy the Question captious words bootlesse the best answer is silence Let our Answer then to their Reasons be No to their scoffs nothing And yet when the slanders which light on our persons rebound to the discredit of our profession it behoveth us not to be silent in answering truly whenas our adversaries are eloquent in objecting falsly An indignity which only toucheth our private persons may be dissembled as Augustin replied to Petillian Pâ—ssumus esse in his copiosi pariter sed nolumus esse pariter vani But in the other case the retorting of a poysoned weapon into the adversaries own breast is laudable It is the weaknesse of some good natures the more is the pitty to grieve and to be angry at wrongs received and thereby to give advantage to an enemy But what would malice rather have than the vexation of them whom it persecutes We cannot better please an adversary than by hurting our selves and this is no other than to humour envy to serve the turn of those that maligne us and draw on that malice whereof we are already weary whereas carelesnesse puts ill will out of countenance and makes it withdraw it self in a rage as that which doth but shame the Author without hurt of the Patient In a causelesse wrong the best remedy is contempt of the Author CHAP. XXVI Because it is for our credit to be evill spoken of by them and would be a disparagement to have their good word 3. Reasons joyntly respecting our selves and our enemies are two 1 Because it Were a disparagement to have their good word 2 Because it Is the greatest praise to be dispraised of them THese two Reasons being neer of kin in speaking of them I will cast both into the similitude of a Y which is joyned together at one end brancht in the middle And first to joyn them both together The condemnation and approbation of wicked men is equally profitable and acceptable to good men for every word they speak of the conscionable is a slander whether it be good or evill whether in praise or dispraise his very Name is defiled by coming into their mouthes or if this do not hold in all cases yet as a Reverend Divine saith it is a praise to the godly to be dispraised of the wicked and a dispraise to be praised of them their dispraise is a mans honour their praise his dishonour so that when deboished persons speak ill of a man especially their Minister the worse the better for to be well spoken of by the vicious and evill by the vertuous to have the praise of the good and the dispraise of the bad is all one in effect as Salomon sheweth They that forsake the Law saith he praise the wicked but they that keep the Law set themselves against them Prov. 28.4 Thus much of both Reasons joyntly now of each severally and first That it is a disparagement to a godly man to be well spoken of by the wicked When it was told Antisthenes that such an one who was a vicious person spake good words of him he answered What evill have I done that this man speaks well of mee To be praised of evill men saith Bion the Philosopher is as evill as to be praised for evill doing For such like Garlick suck only the ill vapours from all they come neer Out of which consideration our Saviour Christ rejected the evill spirits testimony which though it were truth yet he would not suffer the Devill to say Thou art the Christ the Sonne of God or that holy One but rebuked him sharply and enjoyned him to hold his peace Luk. 4.35 No he would not suffer the Devils at another time to say That they knew him Vers. 41. And good reason for he knew that the Devils commendations would prove the greatest slander of all Neither would St Paul suffer that maid which had a spirit of Divination to say he was the servant of the most high God which shewed them the way of Salvation Acts 16.17 18. well knowing that Satan did it to this end that by his testimony and approbation he might cause them which formerly beleeved his doctrine to suspect him for an Imposter and deceiver and that he did his miracles by the help of some Familiar spirit And indeed if the good report of wicked men who are set on work by Satan did not derogate from the godly or from the glory of God Satan should be divided against himself and if Satan be divided against himself saith our Saviour how shall his Kingdom stand Now we know he seeketh to advance his Kingdom by all possible means and consequently in this Wherefore if we enjoy any wicked mans love and have his good word we may justly suspect our selves are faulty in one kinde or other for it 's sure he could not do so except he saw something in us like himself If every thing were unlike him how is it possible he should love us Difference breeds disunion and sweet congruity is the Mother of love This made Aristotle when a Rakeshame told him he would rather be hanged by the neck than be so hated of all men as he was reply And I would be hanged by the neck ere I would be beloved of all as thou art And Phocion to ask when the people praised him What evill have I done It was a just doubt in him and not an unjust in any that are vertuous like him which occasioned Luther to say I would not have the glory and fame of Erasmus my greatest fear is the praises of men Yea their reproaches and evill speeches are to me matter of great joy And another Their hatred I fear not neither do I regard their good will Secondly A wicked mans tongue is so farre from being a slander that it makes for our credit to be evill spoken of by them To be evill spoken of by wicked men saith Terence is a glorious and laudable thing And another It is no small credit with the vile to have a vile estimation As a wicked mans glory is in his shame so the godly mans shame for doing good is his glory and to be evill spoken of for well-doing is peculiar
or suffered was either to purchase fame to themselves or to merit reward by it their aym and end was not Gods glory but their own honour and glory and vertues are to be judged not by their actions but by their ends Yea they called vertue Bonum Theatrale as if a man would not be vertuous if he had not spectators to take notice of him but it is false for vertue will be as cleer in solitudine as in Theatrâ— though not so conspicuous only it may grow more strong by the observation and applause of others as an heat that is doubled by the reflection But O the difference between these naturall and meer morall men and a true Christian the Christian loves goodnesse for it self and would be holy were there no Heaven to reward it he does all and suffers all out of sincere affection and a zeal of Gods glory and the Churches good Matth. 5.16 to the end his Name may be magnified and others won and edified 1 Pet. 2.12 as most fit it is that the profit being mans the honour should be Gods And this his sincerity the rather appears in that he holds out maugre all opposition disgrace persecution c. whereas the other like wind-mills would not turn about to do any good service but for the wind of mens praises Now it is one method to practise swimming with Bladders and another to practise dauncing with heavy shooes We read of some that in the Monastery could fast whole dayes together with ease but in the desart they could not hold out untill noon but their bellies would be craving presently 4. The one doth it in faith which only crowns good actions for whatsoever is not done in faith is sin Rom. 14.23 and therefore cannot please God Heb. 11.6 the reason is this If our best actions be not the fruits of a lively faith they spring from ignorance and infidelity as herbs may do from a dunghill And its evident they have not faith for how should they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard Rom. 10.14 And it were well if all that are meer civill and morall men would look to the Rock where-out their works are hewn and to the Pit where-out they were digged for God looketh at no action further than it is the work of his Spirit but the spirit is no where but in the sons of God Gal. 4.6 and no sons but by faith in Christ Gal. 3.26 So that obedience without faith is but as the shell without the kernell the husk without the corn the carkasse without the soul which the Lord abhors as the sacrifice of fools Isa. 66.3 Whence it is that all the vertues of the Heathen are called by Divines splendida peccata shining or glistering sinnes sinnes as it were in a silken Robe 5. The sum of all Morall Philosophy is included in these two words sustain and abstain and a wicked man may restrain evill as do the godly but here is the difference the one keeps in corruption the other kills corruption 6. The Philosopher and so all civill and morall men can forbear the Christian forgive they pardon their enemies we love ours pray for them and return good for evill and if not we no whit savour of Heaven For if you love them that love you saith our Saviour what thanks shall you have for even the sinners do the same such as see not beyond the clouds of humane reason But I say unto you which hear Love your enemies blesse them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which hurt you and persecute you Matth. 5.44 Luk. 6.27 32 33. shewing that if we will ever hope for good our selves we must return good for evill unto others In which words you may note a triple injunction one to the hâ—art the treasury of love another to the tongue loves interpreter the third and principall to the hand which is loves Factor or Almoner Wherein our Saviour seems to set man like a Clock whose master wheel must not only go right within nor the bell alone sound true above but the hand also point straight without as for the motion and setting of the wheel within he sayes to the heart love your enemies for the stroke and sounding of the bell above he saith to the tongue blesse them that curse you and for the pointing of the hand or Index without he saith to the hand Do good to them that hurt you Now well may naturall men sayâ— with the winde of their naturall passionâ— and corrupt affections in rendring evill for evill but Christ the Master and Pilot of his Ship the Church hath charged all passengers bound for Heaven the Haven of their hope and Harbour of their rest like Pauls Mariners Acts 27. to sayl with a contrary wind and weather of doing good for evill and like the Disciples on the Lake of Genazereth Râ—â— through the raging waves of their enemies reproaches with a contrary breath not rendring rebuke for rebuke but contrariwise to blesse 1 Pet. 3 â—â— And the better to teach us this lesson he practised it himself adding example to precept for his word and his work like mercy and truth were together his precept and his practise like righteousnesse and peace kissed each other for when they in devilish malice sought nothing but his condemnation he in great love went about the work of their salvation when they shed his blood to quench their malice he swet water and blood to wash their souls Yea when the Iews were crucifying of him he at the same time though the torments of his passion were intollerable incomparable unconceivable solliciteth God for their pardon Luk. 23.34 Now his prayer could not but he efficacious and a pardon for such murderâ—rs was no mean good turn And this likewise is the practice of the Saints who strive to imitate their Master in all things which he did as man St Steven at the instant while his enemies were stoning of him kneeled down and prayed Lord lay not this sinne to their charge Acts 7.60 Where is one thing very remarkable he stood when he prayed for himself but kneeled when he prayed for his enemies hereby shewing the greatnesse of their impiety which easily could not be forgiven as also the greatnesse of his piety And indeed as to render good for good is the part of a man and to render evill for evill the part of a beast and to render evill for good the part of a devill so to render good for evill is only the part of a Saint Be mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull Luk. 6.36 It were easie to abound in examples of this kinde How often did Moses return good unto Pharaoh for his evill in praying to and prevailing with God for him to the removall of nine severall plagues notwithstanding his cruell oppression And David what could he have done for Saul that he left undone notwithstanding he so cruelly persecuted him and hunted after his life
15.14 Eph. 4.18 19. 5.8 1 Pet. 2.9 whereas Beleevers are called Children of light and of the day 1 Thess. 5.5 1 Pet. 2.9 And as no man can see the light of the Sun but by the benefit of the Sun so no man can know the secrets of God but by the revelation of God 1 Cor 2.11 12 13. Mat. 16.16 17. To know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven we must have hearts eyes and ears sanctified from above Deut. 29.2 3 4. Psa. 111.10 Luk. 24.45 Ioh. 15.15 Rom. 8.14 15. No learning nor experience will serve to know the riches of the glory of Gods inheritance in the Saints to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Eph. 1.17 18. 3.19 Reason and Faith are the two Eyes of the soul Reason discerns natural objects Faith spirituall and supernaturall But as meer sense is uncapable of the rules of Reason so Reason is no lesse uncapable of the things that are divine and supernaturall Jer. 10.14 1 Cor. 2.14 15 16. Eph. 5.8 And as to speak is only proper to men so to know the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven is only proper to Believers Psa. 25.14 Pro. 3.32 Amos 3.7 Faith and illumination of the Spirit addes to the fight of our mindes as a prospective glasse addes to the corporall fight Mat. 16.17 1 Cor. 2.7 8 10 11 12 14 15 16. Joh. 12.46 Sense is a meer Beasts Reason a meer Mans Divine knowledge is only the Christians Some men are like the Moon at full have all their light towards Earth none towards Heaven Others like the Moon at wain or change have all their light to Heaven-wards none to the Earth A third sort are like the Moon in Eclipse having no light in it self neither towards Earth nor towards Heaven Now according as men are wise they prise and value wisedom and endeavour to obtain it Pro. 18.15 like Solomon who prayed for wisedom and Moses who studied for wisedom and the Queen of Sheba who travelled for wisedom and David who to get wisedom made the word his Counsellour hated every false way and was a man after Gods own heart As O the pleasure that rational men take in it Prov. 2.3 10 11. 10.14 Phil. 3.8 Whereas on the contrary brutish and blockish men as little regard it Prov. 1.5 7 13. A man desires not what he knoweth not saith Chrysostome neither are unknown evils feared wherefore the work of regeneration begins at illumination Act. 26.18 Col. 1.13 1 Pet. 2.9 Knowledge is so fair a Virgin that every clear eye is in love with her it is a pearl despised of none but Swine It is more true of divine wisdome then it was of that Grecian beauty no man ever loved her that never saw her no man ever saw her but he loved her Lucian tells of an Egyptian King who had Apes taught when they were young to dance and keep their postures with much art these he would put into rich Coates and have them in some great presence to exercise their skill which was to the admiration of such as knew them not what little sort of active nimble men the King had got And such as knew them thought it no lesse strange that they should be trained up to so man-like and handsome a deportment But a subâ—ile Fellow that was one admitted to see them brought and threw amongst them a handfull of Nuts which they no sooner spied but they presently left off their dance fell a scrambling tore one anothers rich Coats and to the derision of the beholders who before admired them they discovered themselves to be meer Apes These ensuing Notions which I have purposely taken as a handfull out of the whole sack to squander away amongst my acquaintance are such Nuts as will discover not a few who are men in appearance their own opinion to be as wise and well affected as Aesops Cock that preferred a barley Corn before a Pearls or Plinies Moal that would dig under ground with great dexterity but was blind if brought into the Sun Or Diaphontus that refused his mothers blessing to hear a song Or the Israelites who preferred Garlick and Onions before Quails and Manna And so much for overplus to this division A SOVEREIGN ANTIDOTE against all Grief Extracted out of the choisest Authors Ancient and Modern both Holy and Humane Necessary to be read of all that any way suffer Tribulation The Fourth Impression By R. YOUNGE Florilegus Imprimatur Thomas Gataker CHAP. 33. Vse and Application of the former Reasons Vse 1. THese latter Reasons being dispatcht return we to make use of the former for I may seem to have left them and be gone quite out of sight though indeed it cannot properly be call'd a digression seeing the last of the former reasons was That God suffers his Children to be persecuted and afflicted for the increase of their Patience First if God sends these afflictions either for our Instruction or Reâ—ormation to scoure away the rust of corruption or to try the truth of our sanctification either for the increase of our patience or the exercise of our faith or the improvement of our zeal or to provoke our importunity or for the doubling of our Obligation seeing true gold flies not the touchstone Let us examine whether we have thus husbanded our affliction to his glory and our own spiritual and everlasting good I know Gods fatherly chastisements for the time seem grievous to the best of his Children Yea at first they come upon us like Samsons Lion look terrible in shew as if they would devoure us and as Children are afraid of their friends when they see them masked so are we But tell me hath not this roaring Lion prevailed against thy best part Hast thou kept thy head whole I mean thy soul free For as Fencers will seem to fetch a blow at the leg when they intend it at the head so doth the Devil though he strike at thy name his aim is to slay thy soul. Now instead of being overcome doest thou overcome Hath this Lion yielded thee any Honey of Instruction or Reformation Hath thy sin died with thy fame or with thy health or with thy peace or with thy outward estate Doest thou perceive the graces of Gods Spirit to come up and flourish so much the more in the spring of thy recovery by how much more hard and bitter thy winter of adversity hath been Then thou hast approved thy self Christs faithful Souldier and a Citizen of that Ierusalem which is above Yea I dare boldly say of thee as Saint Paul of himselfe That nothing shall be able to separate thee from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord Rom. 8.39 To finde this Honey in the Lion more then makes amends for all former fear and grief and in case any man by his humiliation under the hand of God is grown more faithful and conscionable there is Honey out of the Lion or is any man by his
Sennacherib 2 Kings 19.22 Whom hast thou blasphemed And against whom hast thou exalted thy self Even against the Holy One of Israel Whom are you angry withal Doth the rain and waters or any other creature displease you Alas they are but servants if their Master bid smite they must not forbear they may say truly what Rabshakeh usurped Are we come without the Lord Isa. 1.36.10 Yea are we not sent of the Lord in loue and to do you good and to give you occasion of rejoycing afterward if you bear the Cross patiently and make that use of it which others do and the Lord intends Yea Saint Paul could rejoyce even in tribulation But alas these are so far from rejoycing with that blessed Apostle that they rave in tribulation and like some beasts grow mad with baiting or like frantick men wounded who finding ingredients prepared to dress them tear them all in pieces But let us not be like them if Satan robs us of a bag of silver let not us call after him and bid him take a bag of gold also If he afflict thee outwardly yet surrender not to him the inward rail not at the Hangman but run to the Iudge fret not with Ioash 2 Kings 6.33 but submit with Hezekiah Isai. 39.8 When Gods hand is on thy back let thy hand be on thy mouth If thou beest wronged call not thine adversary to account but thy self and let it trouble thee more to do ill then to hear of it be more sorry that it is true then that it is known Yea neither rage at the Chirurgion as mad-men nor swoun under his hand as Milk-sops but consider with whom thou hast to do The Lord the Lord strong merciful and gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodness and truth reserving mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin and that will by no means clear the guilty but visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and upon childrens children unto the third and fourth generation Exod. 34.6 7. And this if any thing will do It was before the Lord saith David and therefore I will be yet more vile Reproach in Gods service is our best preferment the Lord so noble the servant cannot be too humble even Bucephalus that disdained any other rider in all his trappings would kneel down to his Master Alexander and go away proud of his burthen Yea to go yet further let us with good old Eli who was a good son 〈◊〉 God though he had been an ill Father to his sons even kiss the very rod we smart withall and say It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good for whatsoever seemeth good to him cannot but be good howsoever it seems to us Yea let us receive his stripes with all humility patience piety and thankfulness resolving as that holy Martyr Iohn Bâ—adford who said to the Queen how much more did he mean it to the great King of Heaven and Earth If the Queen will give me liâ—e I will thank her if she will banish me I will thank her if she will burn me I will thank her if she will condemn me to perpetual imprisonment I will thank her A man will easily swallow a bitter Pil to gain health The stomach that is purged must be content to paâ—t with some good nouâ—ishment that it may deliver it self of more evil humours and the Physician knows what is best for the Patient the Nurse better then the Infant what is good and fit for it Now the Tenant is more noble then the House therefore why are we not more joyed in this then dejected in the other since the least grain of the increase of grace is more worth then can be equalled with whole pounds of bodily vexation Yea let us take them as tokens and pledges of Gods love and favour who loves his Children so as not to make wantons of them They that would tame pamper'd Horses do add to their travel and abate of their provender as Pharaoh served the Children of Israel Which of us shall see pieces of Timber cut and squared and plained by the Carpenter or Stones hewn and polished by the Mason but will collect and gather that these are Stones and Timber which the Master would employ in some building If I suffer it is that I may reign And how profitable is that â—ffliction which carrieth me to Heaven Oh it is a good change to have the fire of affliction for the fire of Hell Who would not rather smart for a while then for ever It 's true these Waspes wicked men sting shrewdly but the Hornet Sathan would sting worse a great deal And not seldome doth the infliction of a lesse punishment avoid a greater Neither must any man think to be alwayes free from censures aspersions and wrongs nor sometimes from faults The very Heathen could say It is for none but God to feele or want nothing Indeed many are too apt to expect it and therefore can bear nothing like Minderides the Sybarite who was grieved for that some of the Rose-leaves which he lay upon were rumpled together But this is to vilipend and undervalue his kindnesse to make no repute nor reckoning of his deepest indulgencies whereas the contrary approves our sincerity beyond all exceptions Every man can open his hand to God while he blesses but to expose our selves willingly to the afflicting hand of our Maker and to kneele to him while he scourges us is peculiar to the faithfull 3. Vse 3. Thirdly if the sharp sufferings and bitter conflicts and sore travels of Gods children are usually the forerunners of a joyfull issue even the happy birth of saving repentance that the sharp pain of the Chirurgions cutting them is only to ease them of a more durable and dangerous yea a far heavier pain the stone of the heart If while their enemies go about to rob them they do but inrich them As that Sexton who in the night went to rob a Gentlewoman that had been buried the day before with a gold Ring and having opened the coffin loosed the sheet and chafed her finger to get it off she having been but in a swoone before her spirits returning she revived and for many years after lived comfortably If they may be resembled to the five loaves in the Gospel which by a strange Arithmetick were multiplied by Division and augmented by Substraction then let none dare to flatter or flesh themselves because their estate is prosperous especially in an evil way As it fared with Leah whoÌ„ we may hear thus chanting her happines God saith she hath given me my reward because I have given my maid to my husband Gen. 30.18 when she should rather have repented then rejoyced And the like with Micah Iudg. 17.13 and Saul 1 Sam. 23.7 and Dionysius when he found the windes favourable in his navigation after he had despoiled the Temple of all the gold therein Neither let such as suffer not censure their brethren that do as those
10.29.30 Let the Powder-Traytors plot and contrive the ruinâ— of our state never so cunningly and closey let them go on to the utmost as there wanted nothing but an actor to bring on that Catholick dooms-day yet before the match could bee brought to the Powder their artificiall fire-works were discovered their projection prodition deperdition all disclosed and seasonably returned on their own heads And the like of their invincible Navie And of Pope Alexander the sixth who prepared a feast for diverse Cardinalls and Senators purposing to poyson them but by the providence of God they escaped and hee alone was poysoned Let Iezabel fret her heart out and swear by her gods that Eliah shall die yet shee shall bee frustrate Eliah shall bee safe Let the red Dragon spout forth floods of venom against the Church the Church shall have wings given her to flie away she shal be delivered Rev. 12. Let the Scribes and Pharisees with their many false witnesses accuse Christ never so yet in spite of malice innocency shall find abbettors and rather than hee shall want witnesses the mouth of Pilate shall bee opened to his justification Yea let Ionas through frailty run away from the execution and embassage of God's charge and thereupon bee cast into the Sea though the waves require him of the Ship and the Fish require him of the waves yet the Lord will require him of the Fish even the Sea and the Fish had as great a charge for the Prophet as the Prophet had a charge for Niniveh for this is a sure rule if in case God gives any of the creatures leave to afflict us yet hee will be sure to lay no more upon us than we are able or he will make us able to bear yea than shall make for our good and his glory Hee hath a provident care over all the Creatures even Beasts and Plants and certainly wee are more precious than Fowls and Flowers yet the Lord cares for them Will the House-holder take care to water the herbs of his Garden or to fodder his Cattell and suffer his Men and Maids to famish through hunger and thirst Or wil hee provide for his Men and Maids and let his own children starve Surely if a man provide not for his own Hee hath denyed the faith and is worse than an Infidell 1 Tim. 5.8 Far bee it then from the great Hous-holder and Iudge of all the earth not to provide for his dear Children and Servants what shall bee most necessary for them indeed wee may fear our own flesh as Saint Paul did but God is faithfull and will not suffer us to bee tempted above our strength but will even give the issue with the temptation and in the mean time support us with his grace 2 Cor. 12.9 You have an excellent place to this purpose Ier. 15.20 21. Section 2. Objection But wee see by experience that God gives wicked men power often times to take away the very lives of the godly Answ. What then If wee lose the lives of our bodies it is that wee may save the lives of our souls and attain the greater degree of glory Luk. 9.24 and so wee are made gainers even by that loss Now if God takes away temporall and gives eternall life for it there is no hurt done us hee that promiseth ten pieces of silver and gives ten pieces of gold breaks no promise Peace bee unto this house was the Apostles salutation but it was not meant of an outward peace with men of the world and Christ â—aith you shall have rest Matth. 11.28 but it is rest unto your souls Again thou hast merited a three-fold death if thou bee'st freed from the two worser spirituall and eternall and God deal favourably with thee touching thy naturall death hee is mercifull if not thou must not think him unjust Though the Devill and the world can hurt us aswell as other men in our outward and bodily estates as the Devill had power over Iob in his ulcers over his children in their death over Mary Magdalen that was possessed and over that daughter of Abrahams Luk 13. whom hee kept bound 18. years ver 16. yet they can do us no hurt nor indanger our souls they shall lose nothing but their dross as in Zachary 13.9 Isa. 12. Let them sluce out our blood our souls they cannot so much as strike let wild beasts tear the body from the soul yet neither body nor soul are thereby severed from Christ. Yea they can neither deprive us of our spirituall treasure here nor eternall hereafter which makes our Saviour say Fear yee not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell Matth. 10.28 The body is but the Bark Cabinet Case or Instrument of the soul and say it falls in pieces there is but a pitcher broken the soul a glorious Ruby held more fit to bee set in the crown of glory than here to bee trodeâ— under foot by dirtie swine and therefore so soon as separated the Angels convey her hence to the place of everlasting bliss Alas what can they do they cannot separate us from the love of God in Christ Iesus Rom 8 38.39 Yea they are so far from doing us harm as that contrariwise wee are much the better for them In all these these things wee are more than conquerours through him that loved us ver 37. Whatsoever then becoms of goods or lives happie are wee so long as like wise Souldiers wee guard the vitall parts while the soul is kept found from impatience from distrust c. Our enemie may afflict us hee cannot hurt 〈◊〉 Objection Nevertheless that which I suffer is exceeding grievous Answer Not so grievous as it might have been for hee that hath afflicted thee for a time could have held thee longer hee that toucheth thee in part could have stricken thee in whole hee that laid this upon thy body hath power to lay a greater Rod both upon thy body and soul. Again there is no chastisement not grievous the bone that was dis-jointed cannot bee set right without pain no potion can cure us if it work not and it works not except it make us sick Nay my very disease is not so painfull for the time as my remedy how doth it turn the stomack and wring the in trails and work a worse distemper than that whereof I formerly complained neither could it bee so wholesome if it were less unpleasing neither could it make mee whole if it did not â—iâ—st make mee sick But wee are contented with that sickness which is the way to health There is a vexation without hurt such is this wee are afflicted not overpressed needy not desperate persecuted not forsaken cast down but perish not how should wee when all the evill in a City comâ— from the providence of a good God which can neither bee impotent nor unmeâ—cifull It is the Lord let him do
words or rather no words but a few poor thoughts conceived aright pass all the flowing eloquence of Demosthenes and Tully yea Tertullus and all the Orators that ever were in the world for this matter is not expressed with words but with groanings and these groanings are from the blessed Spirit A Father delights more in the stammering of his little Child than in the eloquence of the best Orator Neither is hearty prayer in our own power but it is the gift of God which at somtimes in plentifull measure hee bestoweth upon his children and at other times again hee pulleth back his liberall hand that by the want thereof wee may leern to ascribe the glory and praise of this grace to the giver who worketh in us the will and the deed which praise otherwise in pride of heart wee would arrogate unto our selvs as beeing in our own power Also that wee may more highly esteem it and with more joy and diligence use it when we have it bestowed on us If it bee asked why God reckons so highly of a few sighs and groans and why the prayers of the faithfull are so powerfull it is because they bee not ours but the intercession of Gods own Spirit in us powred out in the name of Christ his own Son in whom hee is ever well 〈◊〉 for as for us wee know not what to pray as wee ought but the Spirit it self maketh request for us with sighs which cannot bee expressed Rom. 8.26 It is the Spirit whereby wee cry Abba Father ver 15. Gal. 4.6 Now if thou wouldest have the Spirits assistance and bee heard of God when thou makest supplication to him do not as too many do fall into prayer without preparation and utter a number of words without devotion or affection for no marvell if we ask and miss when we thus ask amiss Iâ—â— 4.3 Neither do as Children which never look after their Arrow but like Daniel Dan. 9. take notice of thine inlargements in prayer and of thy success after Nor onely pray and no more for to pray and to do nothing else is in effect to do nothing less But let your Prayers be ushered in by Meditation and 〈◊〉 by zealous devotion and then beleeving that you shall receive whatsoever you ask in Christs name and according to his will 1 John 5. â—â— John â—6 23 God will bee 〈◊〉 to give you that you desire 1 John 5.14.15 Mark 11.23.24 or that which is better for you 〈…〉 And suppose thou art not presently heard yet continue asking stil as Peter continued knocking till the door was opened for afâ—er an ill harvest wee must sow and after denials wee must woo God Yea if it bee possible with the Woman of Canaan let delays and seeming denialls encrease the strength of thy cries And commonly they bee earnest suits which issue from a troubled soul like strong streams in narrow straights which bear down all that stands in their way Nothing so strong as the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah for it overcame the roaring Lyon yet the Praier of Faith from the knees of humility and a broken heart will conquer even that Conquerour Matth. 15.28 And thus you see that nothing can befall us without the sorciall appointment of our good God who not only takes notice of our sufferings but sweetneth them with his presence takes our part stints our enemies and so ordereth the whole that our grief is either short or tolerable and that though hee is oftentimes harsh in the beginning and progress and late in coming yet hee coms on the sudden and is always comfortable in the conclusion And lastly that if hee defer his help it is on purpose that our trialls may bee perfect our deliverance welcome our recompence glorious And may not this comfort thee CHAP. 37. That stripes from the Almighty are speciall tokens and pledges of his adoption and love 3 WEe shall bear the Cross with more patience and comfort if wee consider that stripes from the Almighty are so far from arguing his displeasure that contrarily there are no better tokens and pledges of the Adoption and love As many saith God as I love I rebuke and chasten Rev. â— 19 My Son saith the Author to the Hebrews out of Solomons Proverbs Despise not the chastening of the Lord neither saint when thou art rebuked of him for whom the Lord loveth hee chasteneth and hee scourgeth every son whom hee receiveth If you endure chastening God offereth himself unto you as unto sons for what son is it whom the Father chastenâ—th not If therefore yee bee without correction whereof all are partakers then are yee bastards and not sons Heb. 11.5 to 13. Prov. 3.11.12 Hee is a Thistle and not good Corn that cometh not under the flail Yea what use of the grain it self if it pass not the edg of the sickle the stroak of the flail the wind of the Fan the weight of the milstone the heat of the oven Many a mans fellicity driveth him from God and where happiness domineereth virtue is commonly banished And doth not experience shew that fear and joy sweet and sowr sharp and flat one with another do better than either alone for if you bee too â—aâ—sh you make the 〈◊〉 a fool if â—oo fondâ— a wanton The bridlâ—â— governs the horse the 〈…〉 hiâ— the weight upon 〈…〉 Iack â—o the 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 The sayls give the speed the 〈…〉 to the 〈◊〉 of the 〈…〉 upon God 〈…〉 to us our favours and crosses in an equall ballance and so tempers out sorrows that they may not oppress and our joys that they may not transport us Each one hath some matter of envie to others and of grief to himself Thou dealest mercifully with us lest wee should fall from thee and despair thou beatest us lest wee should forget thee and so perish saith Saint Austin Hee that knows our frame knows wee are best when wee are worst and live holiest when wee are miserablest wherefore by affliction hee separates the sin that hee hates from the sinner whom hee loves and wee are by much the better for this scouring It is the wont of Fathers to hold in their Children when they suffer the children of bond-men to go at large and do as they list yea when diverse children are playing the wantons if wee see a man take one from the rest and whip him soundly we conclude that alone to be his Child Yea wise and discreet Fathers will force their Children earnestly to apply themselvs to their study or labour and will not let them bee idle although it bee holy-day yea constrain them to sweat and oftentimes to weep when their Mothers would set them on their laps and keep them at home all day in the shadow for burning their white Iacob is bound Apprentice while prophane Esau rides a hunting of Elkanah his two wives Hanna was in more esteem with God yet barren and Peninnah less yet shee was fruitfull 1 Sam. 1. They were all gross
And know withall that it is no small sin even to doubt when we have God's command and warrant to secure us Thou thinkest thy self miserable God saith thou art blessed Thou saiest thou art hated of the world God saith thou art beloved of Christ who hath chosen thee out of the world Thou thinkest it a shame to be reproached God saith It is thy glory Thou grievest at it God saith thou hast great cause to rejoice for it sheweth thee to be born of God thine enemies to be the seed of the Serpent Thou saiest that all things go crosse with thee God saith That all things shall work together for the best it may be the increase of thy temporal happinesse however that it shall bee for the improvement of thy graces here for the advancement of thy glory hereafter Thou thinkest it a sign of displeasure God saith it is to thy Enemies a token of perdition but to thee of salvation Thou thinkest thy self near forsaken God saith The spirit of glory and of God resteth upon thee Thou saiest thou shalt one day perish God saith that neither things present nor things to come shall ever be able to separate thee from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Thou thinkest the Lord doth not hear thee because he doth not presently answer thee in the things that thou requirest I tell thee it were ill for the best of us if we were permitted to be our own choosers Let Peter have his desire and his Master shall not die so Peter himself and the whole world had been lost In unfit supplications we are most heard when we are repelled our God often times doth answer our praiers with merciful denials and most blesseth us in crossing our desires We may ask either bad things to a good purpose or good things to a bad purpose or good things to a good purpose but in an ill season Now if we ask what is either unfit to receive or unlawful to beg it is a great favour of our God to be denied granting is not alwaies the effect of love if so then had Paul been lesse loved then Satan Satan begg'd but once and had his paier granted concerning Iob S. Paul begg'd thrice that he might not be buffeted yet was denied Satan beg'd his shame who envied his successe Saint Paul that freedom from temptation which would have been worse bad then wanted yea if granting were alwaies an effect of love then was our blessed Saviour lesse loved than Satan for the Lord would not let the Cup of his Passion passe from him upon his earnest praier which he made as he was Man But you must know that denials in some cases are better than grants the Lord will not take away the body of sin from us upon our earnest praiers yet he granteth us that which is equivalent viz. Grace to subdue our corruptions and withall takes away the occasion of pride which is better for certainly he is more supported of God that hath grace given him to conquer a temptation as had the Martyrs in being able to suffer those tortures than another who is excused to fight Again we must not measure God's hearing of our suit by his present answer or his present answer by our own sense touching the first Zachary a long time failed of a Son for all his Praier but when he had even forgot that Praier he had a Son the Angel brings him good news Luk. 1.13 Thy Praier is beard When did he make this Praier Nor lately for then he was grown old and had given over all hope of a child so that his request was past over many years and no answer given The like example we have in Hannah who powring out her soul before the Lord in the trouble of her spirit God did not immediately tell her by revelation that she should conceive a Son but he gave her for the present faith which did work in her joy and peace of conscience for saith the text she looked no more sad and when shee had waited his leisure a certain time The Lord remembred her with a Son 1 Sam. 1. There is nothing between God and thee but time prescribe not his wisdom hasten not his mercie now his grace is enough for you his glory shall be more than enough hereafter Tarry a little the Lords leisure deliverance will come peace will come joy will come thy tears are reserved thine hunger shall be satisfied thy sorrow shall be comforted In the mean while to be patient in misery makes misery no misery while we consider that when a little brunt is once past troubles will cease but joies shall never cease Wherefore let us never give over but in our thoughts knit the beginning progresse and end together and then shall we see our selves in Heaven out of the reach of all our enemies 2. To prove that wee are not to judge of Gods answering our praiers by our own sence I need but to instance the woman of Canaan as what can speed well if the praier of faith from the knees of humility succeed not and yet behold the further she goes the worse she fares her discouragement is doubled with her suit It is not good saith our Saviour to take the childrens bread and cast it to dogs here was cold comfort yet stay but a while he clears up his brows and speaks to her so comfortably that 't were able to secure any heart to dispel any fears O Saviour how different are thy waies from ours when even thy severity argues favour The trial had not been so sharp if thou hadst not found the faith so strong if thou hadst not meant the issue so happie It is no unusual thing for kindnesse to look sternly for the time that it may indear it self more when it lists to be discovered It was cold comfort that the Cripple heard from Peter and Iohn when he begg'd of them an alms Silver and gold have I none but the next clause rise up and walk made amends for all O God! we may not alwaies measure thy meaning by thy semblance sometimes what thou most intendest thou shewest least In our afflictions thou turn'st thy back upon us and hidest thy face from us when thou most mindest our distresses So Ionathan shot the arrows beyond David when he meant them to him So Ioseph calls for Benjamin into bands when his heart was bound to him in the strongest affection so the tender mother makes as if she would give away her crying child whom she huges so much closer in her bosom If thou passe by us whiles we are strugling with the tempest we know it is not for want of mercie thou canâ—st not neglect us Oh let not us distrust thee if thou comest it is to relieve us if thou staiest it is to trie us howsoever thy purpose is to save us Surely God will work alone and man must not be of his counsel Wherefore many times he deals with wicked men as
Schools of learning and good literature especially the Universities Remember in much mercy all that are afflicted whether in body or in mind of in both whether in conscience groaning under sin or for a good conscience because they will not sin and as thou makest them examples to us so teach us to take example by them and learn wisdome by thy hand upon them These and all things else which thou knowest we stand in need of we humbly crave at thy mercifull hands and that for the alone worthinesse and satisfaction of thy son and the honour of our onely Redeemer and Advocate Jesus Christ to whom with thee O Father and thy blessed Spirit be given as is most due all praise glory and dominion the residue of this day and for evermore Amen A PRAYER for the Morning O Lord prepare our hearts to Pray O Most glorious LORD GOD and in JESUS CHRIST our most merciful and loving Father in whom wee live and move and have our being in the multitude of thy mercies we desire to approach unto thee from whom all good things do proceed who knowest our necessities befoâ—e we ask and our ignorance in asking It is true O Lord if we should consider onely our own unworthiness and how we have heretofore abused thy goodnesse and long-suffering towards us wee might rather despair with Iudas and like Adam run from thee then dare to approach thy glorious presence For we confesse O Lord to the shame and confusion of our own faces that as our first Parents left us a large stock of sinne so we have improved the same beyond measure O that we could have so improved that stock of grace which wee have received from thee But whereas thou gavest us as large a portion we suddenly lost it We were created indeed by thee after thine own image in righteousness holiness in knowledg of the Truth But alas now our understandings are so darkned and dulled our judgmeÌ„ts so blinded our wils so perverted our affections so corrupted our reason so exiled our thoughts so surprised our desires so entrapped and all the faculties and sunctions of our souls so disordered that we are not sufficient of our selves to think much lesse to speak least of all to do ought that is good And yet usually like Bladders we are not more empty of grace than we are blown up with pride whereby with Laodicea we not once see our own spiritual misery and nakednesse but think we are rich and good enough as wanting nothing when as scarce any spark of grace yet appears in us Yea so far have we been from loving and serving thee that we have hated those that do it and that for their so doing And so far have we been from performing that vow which we made to Christ in our Baptism when we took his presse-mony to be his Souldiers and serve him in the field of this world against his and our enemies that we have renounced our vow made to him and fled from his standard yea fought for Satan and the World seeking to win all we could from Christ by tempting to sin and by persecuting such as were better then our selves so that all our recompence of thy love unto us hath been to do that which thou hatest and to hate those whom thou lovest Yea we cannot deny but we have persecuted thee with Paul denied thee with Peter betraied thee with Iudas and crucified thee with those cruel Jews Now Lord it being thus with us how can we expect that thou shouldest hear our praiers grant our requests yea how can wee look for other at thine hands then great and grievous yea then double damnation as most justly we have deserved Yet most most merciful Father being that thou hast given thy Son and thy Son himself for the ransome of so many as shall truly repent and unfainedly believ in him who hath for our sakes fulfilled all righteousness yea suffered on the Crosse and there made full satisfaction for the sins of all thine Elect. And likewise knowing that mercie pleaseath thee and that the sole perfection of a Christian is the imputation of Christs righteousnesse and the not-imputation of his own unrighteousnesse We are emboldened to sue unto thee our God for grace that we may be able to repent and believe Wherefore for thy promise sake for thy Sons sake and for thy great Names sake we beseech thee send down thy holy Spirit into our souls regenerate our hearts change and purifie our natures subdue our reason rectifie our judgments strengthen our wills renew our affections put a stop to our madding and straying fancies beat down in us whatsoever stands in opposition to the Scepter of Jesus Christ and enable us in some measure both to withstand that which is evil and perform that which is good and pleasing in thy sight And because every day which does not abate of our reckoning will increase it and that by procrastinating we shall but heap unto our selves wrath against the day of wrath Good Lord suffer us not we beseech thee to defer our repentance lest the custome of evill makes it altogether unalterable in us or lest we dye before we begin to live or lest thou refusest to hear us another day calling upon thee for mercy because we refuse to hear thee now calling to us for repentance Wherefore if we be not yet converted let this be the happy hour of our conversion that as our bodies are risen by thy power and providence from sleep so our soules may daily bee raised from the sleep of sin and the darknesse of this world that so we may enjoy that everlasting light which thou hast prepared for thine and purchased with the bloud of thy dear Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Give unto us we beseech thee a true lively and justifying faith whereby we may lay hold upon those gracious promises which thou hast made unto us in him and wherewith we may vanquish all our spirituall adversaries Seal up unto us the assurance of our salvation by the teâ—stimony of thy blessed Spirit Give to us thy servants that wisdome which descendeth from above that we may be wise unto our eternall salvation so shall our hearts instead of a Commentary help us to understand the Scriptures and our lives be an Exposition of the inward man Give us grace to account all things in this world even as drosse and dung that we may win Christ Jesus and Heaven and happinesse by means of him Give us single hearts and spirits without guile that wee may love goodnesse for it self and more seek the power of godlinesse then the shew of it and love the godly for thy sake and because they are godly Grant that in the whole course of our lives we may doe unto all others as we would that they should doe unto us considering that whether we do good or evill unto any one of thy members thou takest it as done unto thy self Discover unto us all our
my own holiness and thought my moral honesty would be sufficient to save me Nor did I know wherein I had offended And whereas the Law is spiritual and binds the heart from affecting no lesse than the hand from acting I was so blind and ignorant that I thought the Commandement was not broken if the outward gross sin be â—orborn Whence these were my thoughts I never brake the first Commandement of having many gods for I was no Papist nor Idolater nor the second for I worshipped God aright nor the third for I had been no common swearer only a few petty oaths nor the fourth for I had every Sabbath gone duly to Church not the fifth for I ever honoured my â—arents and have been a loyal subject not the sixth seventh eighth ninth or tenth for I never committed murther or adultery never stole ought never bare false witness nor could I call to mind that I had at any time coveted my neighbours wife servant estate c. And nothing more common with me than to brag of a good heart and meaning of the strength of my faith and hope of my just and upright dealing c. And because I abstained from notorious sins I thought my self an excellent Christian if God was not beholding to me for not wounding his name with oaths for not drinking and playing out his Sabbaths for not railing on his Ministers for not oppressing and persecuting his poor Members c. Sect. XXX And yet had it been so as I imagined admit I had never offended in the least all my life either in thought word or deed yet this were but one-half of what I owe to God this were but to observe the negative part of his law still the affirmative part thereof I had been so far from performing that I had not so much as thought of it And to be just in the sight of God and graciously accepted of him these two things are required the satisfactory part to escape Hell and the meritorious part to get Heaven And the true method of grace is Cease to do evil Learn to do well Isa. 1.16 17. The Fig-tree was cursed not for bearing evil fruit but because it bare no good The evil servant was not bound hand and foot and cast into prison for wasting his Masters goods but for not gaining with them And those Reprobates at the last day shall be bid depart into everlasting fire not for wronging or robbing of any but for not giving for not comforting Christs poor Members Mat. 25. So that my case was most desperate For though with that Pharisee Luk. 18.11 I was apt to thank God and brag that I was just and paid every man his due yet I never thought of being holy and of paying God his dues as his due of believing or repenting of new obedience his due of praying hearing conferring meditating on his word and works sanctifying his Sabbaths and instructing my Children and Servants teaching them to fear the Lord. His due of Love Fear Thankefulnesse Zeal for his Glory charity and mercy to Christs poor Members and the like I should have served God in spirit and according to Christs Gospel as all that are wise hearted do live and believe and hear and invocate and hope and fear and love and worship God in such manner as his word prescribes I should have been effectually called and become a new Creature by regeneration being begotten and born anew by the immortal seed of the Word I should have found an apparant change wrought in my judgment affections and actions to what they were formerly The Old man should have changed with the New man worldly wisdome with Heavenly wisdome carnal love for spiritual love servile fear for Christian and filial fear idle thoughts for holy thoughts vain words for holy and wholesome words fleshly works for works of righteousnesse even hating what I formerly loved and loving what I formerly hated But alas I have heard the Gospel day after day and year after year which is the strong arm of the Lord and the mighty power of God to salvation That is quick and powerfull and sharper than any two edged-sword and yet stood it out and resisted Instead of submitting to Christs call even refusing the free offer of grace and salvation I have heard the word faithfully and powerfully preached for forty years yet remain'd in my natural condition unregenerate without which new birth there is no being saved as our Saviour affirms Ioh. 3.5 I had not troden one step in the way to conversion for the first part of conversion is to love them that love God 1 Joh. 3.10 11 14. I should daily have grown in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ but I was so far from growing man shall see the Lord Heb. 12 14. I was all for observing the second Table without respect to the first or all for outward conformity not at all for spiritual and inward holinesse of the heart Sect. XXXI Either what I did was not morally good for the matter or not well done for the manner nor to any right ends as out of duty and thankfulnesse to God and my Redeemer and out of love to my fellow members Without which the most glorious performances and rarest virtues are but shining sins or beautifull abominations Gods Glory was not my principal end nor to be saved my greatest care I was a good civil moral honest hypocrite or Infidel but none of these graces grew in the Garden of my heart I did not shine out as a light by a holy conversation to glorifie God and win others Now only to refrain evil except a man hates it also and does the contrary good is to be evil still because honesty without piety is but a body without a soul. All my Religion was either superstition or formality or hypocrisie I had a form of godlinesse but denied the power thereof I often drew near unto God with my mouth and honoured him with my lips but my heart was far from him Isa. 29.13 Mark 7.2 to 14. Matth. 15.7 to 10. All which considered viz. the means which God had afforded me and the little use I had made thereof left me in a far worse condition than the very heathen that never heard of Christ. So that it was Gods unspeakable mercy that I am not at this present frying in Hell flames never to be freed God hath sent unto us all his Servants the Prophets rising up early and they have been instant in Preaching the Gospel both in season and out of season but my carnal heart hath ever been flint unto God wax to Satan you shall dye if you continue in the practice of sin I heard but you shall not dye as saith the Devil I believed Sect. XXXII Besides all this suppose I had none of these to answer for neither sins of Commission nor sins of Omission yet Original sin were enough to damn me no need of any more and yet my actual
transgressions have been such and so many and my ingratitude therein so great that it might have sunk me down with shame and left me hopelesse of ever obtaining pardon for them As see but some small part of my monstrous and devilish ingratitude to so good a God so loving and mercifull a Saviour and Redeemer that hath done and suffer'd so much for me even more than can either be expressed or conceived by any heart were it as deep as the Sea Touching what God and Christ hath done for me in the first place he gave me my self and all the creatures to serve for my use yea he created me after his own Image in righteousnesse and holinesse and in perfect knowledg of the truth with a power to stand and for ever to continue in a most blessed and happy condition But this was nothing in comparison for when I was in a sad condition when I had forfeited all this and my self 〈…〉 become his enemy mortally hating him and to my utmost fighting against him and taking part with his only enemies sin and Satan not having the least thought or desire of reconcilement but a perverse and obstinate will to resist all means tending thereunto he did redeem me not only without asking but even against my will so making of me his cursed enemy a Servant of a Servant a Son of a Son an Heir and Co-heir with Christ Gal. 4.7 But how have I requited this so great so superlative a mercy All my recompence of Gods love unto me hath been to do that which he hates and to hate those whom he loves Christ the fountain of all good is my Lord by a manifold right and I his servant by all manner of obligations First He is my Lord by the right of Creation as being his workmanship made by him Secondly By the right of Redemption being his purchase bought by him Thirdly Of preservation being kept upheld and maintained by him Fourthly His by Vocation even of his family having admitted me a member of his visible Church Fifthly His also had it not been my own fault by sanctication whereby to possesse me Lastly He would have me of his Court by glorification that he might crown me so that I was every way his God had raised me from a beggar to a great estate but how did I requite him I would not if possible suffer a godly and conscientious Minister to be chosen or to abide where I had to do but to bring in one that would flatter sin and flout holiness discourage the godly and incourage the wicked I used both my own and all my friends utmost ability Much more might be mentioned but I fear to be tedious Now argue with all the world and they will conclude that there is no vice like ingratitude But I have been more ingratefull to God than can be exprest by the best Oratour alive It was horrible ingratitude in the Iews to scourge and crucifie Christ who did them good every way for he healed their diseases fed their bodies inlightened their minds of God became man and lived miserably amongst them many years that he might save their souls but they fell short of my ingratitude to God in that most of them were not in the least convinc'd that he was the Messias sent from God and promised from the beginning But I have not only denied this Lord that bought me but I hated him yea most spitefully and maliciously sought on Satans and sins side against him and persecuted his children and the truth with all my might and all this against knowledge and conscience after some measure of illumination which cannot be affirmed of the Iews Yet miserable wretch that I was if I could have given him my body and soul they should have been saved by it but he were never the better for them Sect. XXXIII Lastly To tell you that which is more strange Notwithstanding all this that hath been mentioned and much more Yet I thought my self a good Christian forsooth yea with that young man in the Gospel I thought I had kept all the Commandements Nor was I a whit troubled for sin either original or actual but my conscience was at quiet and I was at peace neither 〈…〉 my self with that Pharisee Luke 18.9 to 15. and say I was not like other men not once doubting of my salvation I ever refused to do what my Maker commanded and yet confidently hoped to escape what he threatned Nor did I doubt of having Christ my Redeemer and Advocate in the next life when I had been a bitter enemy to him and his members in this life Here was blindnesse with a witnesse as it is not to be believed how blind and blockish men are that have only the flesh for their guide especially if they have hardned their hearts and seared their consciences with a customary sinning As I could give you for instance a large catalogue of rare examples how sin hath besotted men and what stark fools carnal men are in spirital things be they never so wise for mundane knowledg But least it should be taken for a digression or excursion you shall have a list of them by themselves the which I will add as an Appendix to this Discourse or Dialogue In the mean time I have given you a brief of my manifold provocations and great ingratitude to my Maker and Redeemer for otherwise I might be endlesse in the prosecution thereof It remains that I should in like manner lay open my original defilement which is the fountain whence all the former whether sins of commission or sins of omission do flow But touching it be pleased to peruse that small Tract intituled A short and sure way to Grace and Salvation Or Three Fundamental Principles of Christian Religion by R. Y. from page 4. to page 10. Sect. XXXIV Loose Libertine If this hath been your case no wonder it hath startled you for to deal plainly with you as you have done with me what I have heard from you makes me also tremble For is such honest moral men that live so unreprovably as you had done go not to heaven what will become of me that have been openly prophane and notoriously wicked all my time Yea it contented me not to do wickedly my self and so damne my own soul but I have been the occasion of drawing hundreds to Hell with me by seducing some and giving ill example to others the infection of sin being much worse than the act As how many have I drawn to be Drunkards and swearers and whoremongers and prophane persons insomuch that the blood of so many souls as I have drawn away will be required at my hands Yea my life hath been so debauched and licentious that I have brought a scandal upon the Gospel and made it odious to the very Turks and Infidels Rom. 2.24 Convert Alass what I did that was morally good or what evil I refrained was more for self-ends or more for fear of mens Laws than
minde as the Iewes to this day believe that his Disciples stole him out of the Sepulchre Matth. 28.15 to the hardning of many in their Atheism and Unbelief For what should hinder When Naboth was proved to be a blasphemer of God and Susanna a whore upon oath and the same recorded to posterity when Ieremiah was reported to be an enemy to the State Paul a polluter of the Temple Steven a destroyer of the Law All the Disciples deceivers and Christ himselfe a wine-bibber a Sabbath-breaker a seducer of the people a Belzebub c. So we may perhaps under-goe the like in one kind or other as the Devils servants want neither wit nor malice to devise But what need it trouble us so long as it shall add waight to our Crowns For if we any way suffer for Christ be it but rebuke for his sake happy are we here and great shall our reward be in heaven Mat. 5.11 12. VVherefore let us never be ashamed of our Masters service nor of their censures No matter what Iudas saith touching Maries ointment so long as Christ approves of it Did our Saviour Christ forbear to heal on the Sabbath day because the Scribes and Pharisees took it ill no but rather did it the more Luke 6.7 to 12. and Luke 13.31 32. VVhen Peter and Iohn were charged to speak no more in the name of Iesus their answer was We cannot but speak that which we have heard and seen Acts 4.20 VVhen Michol scoft David and called him fool for his dancing before the Arke His answer was I will be yet more vile and more lowly in mine own eyes He knew that nothing could be more heroical then this very abasement And it is our very case Every scoffing Michol for none else will do it every drunken sot derides our holy profession but with God and the gracious we shall be had in honour Yea our very malicious and scoffing adversaries shall honour us by deriding us Their dispraise is a mans honour their praise his dishonour VVherefore let us imitate St. Austin who as he feared the praise of good men so he detested that of evill and ungodly men And take our Saviours counsel seek to justifie our judgements to the children of wisdome of whom she is justified and not to fools by whom she is daily crucified Neither let any think the better of such whom they extoll for the blinde eat many a flie § 61. Thirdly are the one regenerate the other carnall the one of this world the other chosen out of it the one children of light and of the day the other blinde and in darknesse the one Christs friends the other his enemies do the one live after the flesh the other after the spirit Gal. 5.25 1 Pet. 4.2 Then look we for no love from or peace with them Different dispositions can never agree There can be no amity where there is no sympathy Athens and Sparta could never agree for that the one was addicted to serve Minerva the other Mars Yea when it was said of Phocian and Demosthenes that they could never agree it was answered No how should they when the one drinks water and the other wine Much more may it be applyed to these when the holy Ghost sayes 2 Cor. 6. What communion between light and darknesse what peace between the Believer and the Infidel or unbeliever vers 14 15. And in another place Know ye not that the amity of the world is the enmity of God And that whosoever will be a friend of the world maketh himselfe the enemy of God Jam. 4.4 And again He that is borne after the flesh will persecute him that is born after the Spirit Gal. 4.29 Yea Solomon tels us directly and in plain terms That a wicked man is abomination to the just and that he who is upright in his way is abomination to the wicked Pro. 29.27 Even our very ways which God hath commanded us to walke in are abomination to them VVhence it is that the Naturall man can agree with all that be naturall be they civill or prophane Turkes or Iewes Papists or Atheists because all these agree with him in blindnesse and darknesse But with a sincere and holy Christian a practicer of piety he can never agree because his light is contrary to the natural mans darknesse Grace in the one is a secret disgrace to the other VVherefore to be without enemies or to have such our friends we may rather wish then hope yea once to expect it were an effect of frenzy not of hope Onely let not us by our offending God or jarring amongst our selves put weapons into their hands to wound us withal and then we are sure to have Christ who is able enough to vindicate all our wrongs to assist us and prevent our Enemies § 62. Fourthly If none be truly wise but such as have pass'd the second birth and that this wisdome which makes us differ cometh downe from the Father of lights and that we cannot have it except God vouchsafe to give it us it may teach us to be humble Job 42.6 And not like the Ape that is proud of his Masters jacket And thankefull for Heavenly notions grow not in us wee spin them not out of our own breasts Nor was there any thing in us that makes us differ we slept nigh half our time in ignorance and that wee ever awakened it was onely Gods infinite goodnesse and free grace VVhat cause have we then to blesse the giver And to become suiters to our Saviour in their behalf who are not yet awake That he will be pleased to open their eyes and remove that vail which is laid over their hearts in their hearing the Gospel 2 Cor. 3.14 15 16. And in the mean-time let us condole their disastres and drop some teares in pity and compassion for their great and grievous misery Fifthly and lastly If with God one spark of spiritual experimental and saving knowledge be of more worth then all humane wisdome and learning then strive we after that knowledge that will make us for ever blessed Let us so be learned that we may be saved Let us not in our hearing reading and communication do as little children that looke onely upon the babies in a Booke without regard to the matter therein contained But like men in yeares have more respect to the pith and solidity of the matter then to the phrase and to the profit of our souls then the pleasing of our senses Yea let us so minde what we either hear or read that if any vertue be commended we practice it if any vice condemned we avoid it if any consolation be insinuated we appropriate it if any good example be propounded wee follow it Yea so minde wee what we hear or read as if it were spoke onely to each of us in particular which to do is to be for every happy Good counsell for our young Gulls who will hear no other Ministers but such as flatter sinne and flout
should we admire the love and bounty of God and bless his Name who for the performance of so small a work hath proposed so great a Reward And for the obtaining of such an happy state hath imposed such an easie task Yea more is Heaven so unspeakably sweet and delectable and Hell so unutterably dolefull Then let nothing be thought too much that we can either do or suffer for Christ who hath freed us from the one and purchased for us the other Though indeed nothing that we are able to do or suffer here can be compared with those woes we have deserved in Hell or those joyes we are reserved to in Heaven And indeed that we are now out of hell there to fry in flames of fire and brimstone never to be freed that we have the free offer of grace here and everlasting glory hereafter in heaven we are onely beholding to him We are all by nature as hell-fire being onely reprieved for a timâ— But from this extremity and eternity of torment Iesus hath freed and delivered us O think then yea be ever thinking of it how rich the mercy of our Redeemer was in freeing us and that by laying down his own life to redeem us Yea How can we be thankfull enough for so great a blessing It was a mercy bestowed and a way found out that may astonish all the sons of men on earth and Angels in Heaven Which being so 〈…〉 can any one in common reason meditate so unbottomed a love and not study and strive for an answerable and thankfull demeanour If a Friend had given us but a thousand part of what God and Christ hath we should heartily love him all our lâ—ves and think no thankâ— sufficient What price then should we set upon Iesus Christ who is the life of our lives and the soul of our souls Do we then for Christs sake what we would do for a Friends sake Yea let us abhor our selves for our former unthankfulness and our wonderfull provoking of him Hearken we unto Christs voyce in all that he saith unto us without being swayed one way or another as the most are Let us whom Christ hath redeemed express our thankâ—ulness by obeying all that he saith unto us whatever it shall cost us since nothing can be too much to endure for those pleasures which shall endure for ever As Who would not obtain Heaven at any rate at any cost or trouble whatsoever In Heaven is a Crown laid up for all such as suffer for righteousâ—ess even a Crown without cares without rivals without envy without end And is not this reward enough for all that men or Devils can do against us Who would not serve a short apprentiship in Gods service here â—o be made for ever free in glory Yea Who would not be a Philpot for a moneth or a Lazarus for a day or a Steven for an hour that he might be in Abrahams bosome for ever Nothing can be too much to endure fâ—r those pleasures that endure for ever Yea what pain can we think too much to suffer What little enough to do to obtain eternity for this incorruptible Crown of Glory in Heaven 1 Pet. 5.4 where we shall have all tears wiped from our eyes Where we shall cease to sorrow cease to suffer cease to sin Where God shall turn all the water of our afflictions into the pure wine of endless and unâ—xpressible comfort You shall sometimes see an hired servant venture his life for his new Master that will scarce pay him his wages at the years end and can we suffer too much for our Lord and Master who giveth every one that serveth him â—ot Fields and Vineyards as Saul pretended 1 Sam 22 7. c. nor Towns and Cities as Cicero is pleased to boast of Caesar but even an hundred-â—old more than we part withall here in this life and eternal Mansâ—ons in Heaven hereafter John 14.2 St. Paul saith Our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth us a far most excellent and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 18. Where note the incomparable and infinitive difference between the woâ—k and the wages light affliction receiving a weight of glory and momentary affliction eternal glory Suitable to the reward of the wicked whose empty delights live and die in a moment but their unsufferable punishment is interminable and endless Their pleasure is short their pain everlasting our pain is short our joy eternal Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of life â—am 1.12 〈…〉 what folly is it then or rather madness for the small pleasure of some base lust some paltry profit or fleeting vanity which passeth away in the very act as the taste of a pleasant drink dieth so soon as it is down to bring upon our selves in another world torments without end and beyond all compass of conceit Fourthly Is it so that God hath set before us life and death Heaven and Hell as a reward of good and evil leaving us as it were to our choyce whether we will be compleatly and everlastingly happy or miserable with what resolution and zeal should we strive to make our calling and election sure nor making our greatest business our least and last care I know well thou hadst rather when thou diest go to reign with Christ in his Kingdom for evermore than be confined to a perpetual Prison or Furnace of fire and brimstone there to be tormented with the Dâ—vil and his Angels If so provoke not the Lord who is great and terrible of most glorious Majesty and of infinite purity and who hath equally promised salvation unto those which keep his Commandments and threatned eternal death and destruction to those who break them For as he is to all repentant sinners a most mercifull God Exod. 34.6 so to all wilfull and impenitant sinners he is a consuming fire and a jealous God Heb. 12.29 Deut. 4 24. There was a King who having no issue to succeed him espied one day a well-favoured and towardly youth he took him to the Court and committed him to Tutors to instruct him provâ—ding by his Will that if he proved fit for Government he should be crowned King if not he should be kept in chains and made a Gally-slave the youth was mâ—sled and neglected both his Tutors good Counsâ—l and his Book so as his Master corâ—ected him and said O that thou knewest what honour is prepared for thee and what thou art lâ—ke to loose by this thy idle and loose carriage Well thou wilt afterwards when 't is to late sorely rue this And when he grew to years the King died whose Councâ—l and Executours perceiving him to be utterly unfit for State Government called him before them and declared the Kings will and pleasure which was accordingly performed for they caused him to be fettered and committed to the Galleys there to toil and tug at the Oaâ—s perpetually where he was whipt and lasht
in under Sin Satan and Hell I know you think your selves wise men and Christians good enough yea what but your high thoughts and good opinion of your selves hath brought you to become scorners of your Teachers and Instructors and more of their godly instruction As proud men are wont to admire their own actions but to abate the value and derogate from the esteem of others every whit as basely to vilifie other mens doings as they over-highly prise their own as Iulian observes Bnt consider it rightly and this alone could you be taxed with nothing but this not onely shews you to be foolish and frantick but so ingrateful and wicked withal as if your wickedness and unthankfulness did strive with Gods goodness for the victory as Absalom strove with David whether the Father should be more kinde to the son or the soâ—â— more unkinde to the Father As what can you alleadge for your selves or against your Pastors Are they any other to you then those three Messengers were to Lot that came to fetch him out of Sodom that he might not feel the fire and brimstone which followed Gen. 19. Or then the Angel was to Peter that opened the iron-gates loosed his bands brought him out of prison and delivered him from the thraldom of his enemies Acts 12. 3 ¶ What wrong do they do you They beg and dig they dig and beg as that good Vine-dresser did whose Mattock kept off the Masters Ax Luke â— 8 9. They beat their brains they spend their spirits pour out their prayers plot and contrive all they can to save your precious souls were you but willing to be saved They bring you the glad tidings of salvation would furnish and endow you with the spiritual invaluable and lasting riches of grace and glory They are content to waste themselves like a candle that they may give light unto and bring others to Heaven 1 Cor. 9.19 2 Cor. 12.15 And do you instead of honoring respecting and rewarding them hate traduce and persecute them This is not for want of ignorance For you shew just as much reason in it as if those blinde deaf diseased possessed distracted or dead persons spoken of in the Gospel should have railed upon our Saviour for offering to cure restore dispossess recover and raise them again And had not they great reason so to do For shame think upon it For did you know and rightly consider that you cannot be nourished unto eternal life but by the milk of the Word you would rather wish your bodies might be without souls then your Churches without Preachers You would not like so many Mules suck their milk and then kick them with your heels But this most plainly shews that you are so far from knowing the necessity and worth of the Word of life that you do not know you have souls which makes you as little care for them as you know them Otherwise how could you make such a mighty difference between your bodies and souls As had any of you but a leg or an arm putrified and corrupt you would even give money and think your selves beholding too to have them cut off Because it is the onely way and means to preserve the whole body And if so what love and thanks can be too much that is exprest to them who would would we give them leave pluck our Souls out of Satans clutches and bring us to eternal life Nor can he ever be thankfull to God who is not thankfull to the instrument or means by whom God does or would do him good Yea more That man I dare boldly affirm cannot possibly have any interest is Christs blood who is not forced with Admiration to say How beautifull are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace bring glad tidings of good things and publish salvation Rom. 10.15 Isa. 52.7 But to prove and cleer this see both Examples and Testimonies 4 ¶ First Examples The Galatians are said to have received them as Angels of God yea even as Christ Iesus and that to pleasure them they would if it had been possible have pluck'd out their own eyes and have given the same unto them Gal. 1.14 15. and thought it their duty to communicate unto them in all their goods Gal. 6.6 And likewise the Romans Rom. 15.27 Yea by the Apostles testimony we that are converted do owe even our own selves unto our spiritual Pastors Phil. 1.9 and the like of other Churches Insomuch that Luther speaking of the Primitive times and of Christians in general says that so soon as the Gospel took root in mens hearts the glad tidings of salvation by Christ was so sweet to them that in comparison hereof riches had 〈◊〉 relish And Acts. 〈…〉 and â— 34 35 〈…〉 same And indeed who ever knew what Conversion and Regeneration was who hath tasted of the powers of the world to come and enjoyed the joy of the Holy Ghost and that peace of conscience which passeth all understanding but would rather have their bodies want food and the Firmament want light then that their souls should want that light and spiritual food of the Gospel by which they are nourished and do live For far better be unborn then untaught as Alexander a meer Heathen could say That this is the one onely thing necessary and which Believers prize above all you may see by what holy David says of it Ps. 27.4 84.1 to 11. 119.103 One thing have I desired c. Oh how sweet is thy word unto me c. As turn but to the places and see how he expresseth himself for I may but touch upon things And the like of wise Solomon Pro. 8.10 True to you that are strangers to and utterly unacquainted with these soul-ravishing enjoyments these things will appear impossible as the like did to Nicodemus touching Regeneration Ioh. 3.4 and to that multitude of Iews touching Stephens vision when he told them how he saw the heavens opened and Iesus standing at the right hand of God in glory Which they were so far from believing that it made their hearts brast for madness to gnash their teeth stop their ears cast him out of the city and stone him to death Acts 7.54 to 60. They could not possibly believe that he should see what was hid to every one of them But this I can assure you even you my friends beyond all exceptions That if ever the mask of prejudice be taken from before your sight or if your eyes shall be opened before you drop into Hell you will have other thoughts of these things and so of the Publishers of them and be clean of another minde yea you will loath what you now love and love what you now loath Yea I dare refer my self in this case to the very damned in hell For what else made Dives being in those torments desire Abraham that one might be sent unto his brethren from the dead to give them warning and to acquaint them with his success but
the alteration of his judgment And you know how that Reprobate Balaam wish'd to die the death of the righteous though for the present he preferred and loved riches and honor before and above his soul. But 5 ¶ Secondly see precepts and testimonies to confirm it Are we not commanded by the Holy Ghost to have them in singular love and count them worthy of double honor for their works sake 1 Thes. 5.13 1 Tim. 5.17 Yea the Apostles words are not only Let them that labour in the word and doctrine be accounted worthy of double honor but he adds He who preacheth the Gospel should live of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.7 to 15. saying also Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all his goods Gal. 6.6 Yea if any man saith he does not communicate and communicate in all his goods God is not mocked v. 7. So it falls and I fear it falls heavy on many amongst us Again says the same Apostle If we have â—own unto you spiritual things is it a great thing if 〈…〉 that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple and they which wait at the Altar are partakers with the Altar c. v. 13 14. Again does he not say that our debt and duty he terms it not benevolence to our Spiritual Pastors is such as that we owe unto them even our own selves Phil. 19. with a great deal more of the like that he may meet with mens carnal reasonings in this case which are not a few 1 Cor. 9. All which is New Testament too if obstinacy would permit men to take notice of it Thus you see how you ought to esteem and reward your Ministers and how Believers do and have done Whereas you as if you were Antipathites to all wisdom and goodness hate revile slight rob and persecute them Are you not ashamed of it does it not make you tremble yea is it not enough to make you despair of ever finding mercy at the Throne of Grace or of having Christ your Redeemer and Advocate to whom and for whose sake you do it as I shall suddenly shew But you will say for want of acquaintance with the Word of God and your own hearts as every Natural man is as great a stranger to his own heart as Hazael was who could not be perswaded by the Prophet that he should commit such abominable wickedness as a while after it fell out That you neither hate nor persecute any one of them To which I answer What then makes you so spightful in spitting out your spleen against them when you but hear a Minister mentioned What makes you so frequent in slighting scorning and scoffing at them where ever you come and in all companies What makes you pick so many holes in their coats finde so many faults with them raise so many objections if not lies against them that nothing they either do or deliver can please you As how many of your cavils and exceptions could I reckon up that I have heard from your own mouths if I would foul Paper with them Yea I could give you a large List of instances and in your own expressions But they are so trivial barbarous and base that I am ashamed to nominate them and no less unwilling lest I should arm other mad men with your weapons Now do but lay aside dissimulation and speak the naked truth and then say whether all this proceeds not from an â—eart full fraught with enmity and malice against the Ministery even for the very graces of Gods Spirit that shines in them As it fared with that Councel of Priests Scribes and Elders touching Steven Acts 6.15 7.54 Do but examine your Consciences well and you will not deny it 6 ¶ Again what makes you that are so civil in other cases so uncivil as not to afford them of all other men the common Title of Master such an one which you will not deny to a very Cobler Can you tell me No I dare challenge the strongest brain'd Achitophel or the most fluent Tertullus amongst you to yield a wise reason thereof except that which God hath set down Gen. 3 15. I will put enmity between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman But further to convince you answer me another question What makâ—s you to detain their dues from them and not pay them a penny except you be forced to it Or if you do for your peace or credit sake any thing is thought too much for your Minister and what you part with is drawn from you as so much blood from the heart And then also you will basely asperse him at least you will alleadge one thing or other to save your purses as He had not my voice nor consent when he was chosen or I hear at other Churches and come not at him or I like not his preaching or the like As any thing shall serve to save your silver and to forestal you with preiudice and make you resolve against your own Conversion For what is this but to pick straws as it were to put out your own eyes withal Yea many they be that will pretend conscience forsooth that they may rob their Minister and alleadge That he hath taken Degrees is Ordained He is a Black-coat Or rather which is the same in effect He is a conscientious Pastor or Sheperd of Christs sending and not an â—ntruder But lest what hath been said should not prove sufficient how basely will you calumniate him that but takes his Dues especially of a poor body Ministers more then all the world besides must take a testern for a shilling And not he alone shall suffer but all these Church-men say you are so covetous that they never think they have enough when they have scarce enough to fill the bellies of their own families All which not onely argues you as brainless as beasts but proves you to be as full of the serpents enmity as the egg of a Cockatrice is full of poyson Thus every or any thing shall serve their turns that study quarrels Even as a crooked stick shall serve to beat a dog when a straight one cannot be found Now lay all together and tell me whether this argues not hatred if not what can For love as the Apostle witnesseth suffereth long it is kinde charitable envieth not doth not behave it self unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinketh no evil rejoyceth not in iniquity beareth all things enduretâ— all things 1 Cor. 13. Yea love is so far from finding faults where are none that as wise Solomon hath it it covereth or passes over all sins and will not see them Prov. 10.12 So that if you loved the Ministers as you will pretend you do you would deal by them as the people did by Vlysses whom they so applauded for the acuteness of an ingenious minde that they spared to object unto him his bodily deformities Or if any
one did shew the least malignity towards him that person was branded for a notorious wicked man as Homer relates And to speak rightly we need say no more of a man then He is an Enemy to his faithfull Pastor that is enough to brand him Nor can there be a greater argument of his being of the brood of Cain Haman Eliah Michol Doeg Shimei Ahab Rabshekah Tobiah Saâ—ballat Pashur Zedekiah Elymus Herodias and their fellows then the hatred of good Ministers For such men would do the same to Christ himself were he their Minister There was never any so innocent or vertuous to whom such Belialists took not exceptions because they are as deeply in love with vice as others are with vertue Yea whom all men commend you have some Thersites will take occasion to blast I 'll give you an ear-mark to know such a one by whereas one of the modester sort will alledge his Minister is a Presbyterian or an Independent or a Royalist this overgrown Toad will object that he is a Roundhead the meaning whereof is a Religious Godly Conscientious man 7 ¶ But perhaps this is not your case Suppose it be not yet what I have before convicted you of is sufficient to prove you a souldier belonging to that great Red Dragon that fighteth against Michael and his Angels Rev. 12. Who when his hands are bound casteth a flood of reproaches out of his mouth against the Church and the remnant of her seâ—d which keep the commands of God and have the testimonies of Iesus Christ v. 15 16 17. But you are not at all versed in Scripture therefore we 'll come to Reason and therein answer me a few questions Do you do by the Ministers as you ought or as you would be done by Would you when you have discharged your duty and conscience to the utmost of your endeavour have ill constructions made of your best actions and intentions be rewarded with the greatest evil for the greatest good and the greatest hatred for the most superlative love For love to the soul is the very soul of love Is this an evidence that you have them in singular respect for their works sake Is this to receive them as an Angel of God yea as Christ Iesus Is this to make them partakers of all your goods and to be willing to pluck out your own eyes and to give them if need were as God commands and as the godly have been willing to do I think not Indeed if you may be your own Judges you will during the time of this your prejudice think all but little or nothing But if the Word of God be consulted with it will be found persecution in the highest degree Like that of Ahab and Iesabel to Elias or that of Herod and Herodias to Iohn Baptist or that of the Iews Scribes and Phariseâ—â— against our Saviour for they did but express their utmost spighâ— to Gods Messengers that came to save them and so do you And this is a sure rule He that now under the Gospel shews a spightfull and a malicious minde to a godly zealous Minister if he had lived in Christs dayes he would have been ready to have driven the first nail into his body and rather have been for Barrabas then Iesus And God measures what we do by what we would do whether in good or evil Thoughts and Desires in Gods account are good and evil works Neither does 〈◊〉 punish or reward any thing but the Will Again whereas you think not Tongue-taunts to be persecution 〈◊〉 shall one day if you go on hear it pronounced so in your Bill of Indictment Ishmael did but flout Isaac yet S. Paul saith he persecuted him Gal. 4.29 God calls the scorning of his servants by no better a name then persecution C ham did but scoff at Noah yet that scoff brought his fathers curse upon him and Gods upon that Even the serpents hissing betrays his malice Those two and forty little children though but children were devoured of wild Bears for only scoffing at the Prophets bald head 2 King 2.24 A small matter if Sensualists may be Judge But whatever you conceive of it let all even heart and tongue-persecution be as far from my soul as my soul from hell For assuredly God will one day laugh you to scorn for laughing his to scorn and at last despise you that have despised him in his Ambassadors 8 ¶ Again you think it nothing or no great matter to detain the Ministers maintenance But look narrowly into it and you shall find it to be theft sacriledge murder yea soul-murder and that in the highest degree For you rob the Minister of what is as due to him as any land of inheritance is to the owner You rob God of his Tythes offerings c. which he accounts most abominable as you may gather from the many complaints and threatnings which God throughout all the Old Testament utters touching it For which see only Mal. 3.8 9 10 11. 1.7 8 13 14. Hag. 1 2 chap. Hereby you make your selves guilty of murder First of murdering your Pastors body and whole family for if all should be of your mindes they should starve Secondly of your own and all the peoples souls as much as in you lies For how should your Pastor feed your souls if you feed not his body how should the lamp burn if you take away the holy oil that should maintain it and in case it burn not there will be but a dark house Men would have fire kept in the Sanctuary but allow no fewel they would have the lamp burn but without oil But how do they serve Christ themselves in so serving their Ministers To take away the Provante from the Army is to betray it to the Enemy And indeed if you might have your wills or if others were of your mind temper there should be no Preaching at all no souls saved all go to hell For to expect that Ministers should preach without maintenance yea good maintenance for to furnish themselves with Books only will cost more then a little is as if you should shut a Bird into a cage give her no meat and yet bid her sing It amazes me to think how unreasonable and base most men be They will bestow more upon their very Hair in a moneth or upon the Smoke of a needless Indian wanton Weed in a week then upon God and their souls in a whole year And were it not most just with God to take away our faithful Ministers from us when we so ill intreat them and so unworthily reward them yea since we love darkness more then light may not God justly leave us in the dark and bring upon us a famine of Preaching who would bring a famine upon the Preachers by purloining the maintenance of his Ministers It is but just with God to take away the lamp from that Nation which hath taken away the holy oil that should maintain it But it is a true
observation Sacrilege is the greatest theft yet of it men make the least conscienceâ— But lastly You make your selves not only guilty of persecution theft sacrilege of murdering bodies and souls of provoking God to send a famine of his Word and the like but you become by it guilty of high treason against God in thus using his Ambassadors and against Christ and all his members For besides that all the disgraces and wrongs that are done to Christs Ministers redound to him and he that â—raduceth or any way wrongs a Minister for the discharge of his place his envy strikes at the Image of God in him as a world of places prove So the very root or spring of this their spight and enmity against the Ministry is an inbred enmity and hatred against God himself As when Satan slew Iobs sons and servants his malice was against Iob Or as when Saul darted a spear Ionathan his spight was against David And accordingly God takes what is done to his messengers as done to himself as in that case of David sending his Ambassadors to the King of Ammon 2 Sam. 10.6 7. They have not cast thee away says God to Samuel but they have cast me away that I should not reign over them 1 Sam. 8.7 You are gathered together against the Lord and what is Aaron that ye murmure against him Numb 16.11 and the like Exod. 16.7 8. Luke 10 1â— Ioh. 15.23 24. Ioh. 7.7 He that despiseth you despiseth me 1 Sam. 17.45 Isa. 37.23 Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Acts 9.4 Rev. 16.9.11 Psal. 89.23 9 ¶ Which being so how does it behove you to look to your selves and bewail this sin this horrible and desperate sin Was there ever any that was stout against the Lord and prospered as Iob speaks Iob 9.4 When the Pitcher contends with the Rock straw with the fire it is easie to judge who will come by the worst And certainly if most men were not both blinde and mad they would more respect the Ministry For if I understand any thing of the Word of God or know what rectified reason is there is not a sin in the Nation that so hinders the blessings or pulls down the judgments of God upon us as does this very sin And yet it is not more provoking then it is a common sin How it will be answered to their Lord and master at the great day I tremble to think Can you answer it then with flashes of wit or carnal reasons as you do now I beseech you look to it Nor is our love or hatred to God any way better known then by our respect to and usage of his Ambassadors lip-Lip-love is but lying love If you love me keep my commandments says our Saviour Ioh. 14.15 Wherefore let my counsel be acceptable Break off your sins by repentance kick no more against the pricks Refrain your selves from these men and let them alone lest ye be found even fighters against God Acts 5.38 39. Nor will it ever repent you if you come in Heaven that you were stopt in this your way to destruction Yea let the consideration of what you have already done make you sink down with shame and tremble for astonishment to think that notwithstanding you have been so many years in arms against your Maker and Redeemer and most spightfully and maliciously persecuted his Ambassadors that came to rescue you from the subtlery and slavery of Satan that bloody devouring Dragon and vowed enemy of all mankinde yet God hath no taken the advantage of casting you into Hell but of his never enough admired mercy hath spared you to this hour whereas he might most justly have prevented all in sending you body and soul into everlasting torments when you were but a span long For know this that we need no more to condemn us then what we brought into the world with us Yea we were condemned so soon as conceived And that you and I are not at this present frying in Hell-flames never to be freed no reason can be alâ—â—adged but O the depth Wherefore take heed in time and as you tender the good of your own souls defer not a minute but study and bestir your selves how you may make your peace with God Yea do it while the yerning bowels the bleeding wounds and compassionate arms of Iesus Christ lie open to receive you whiles ye have health and life and means and time to repent and make your peace with God As you tender I say the everlasting happiness and welfare of your almost lost and drowned souls As you expect or hope for grace or mercy for joy and comfort for heaven and salvation for endless bliss and glory at the last As you shall escape the direfull wrath of God the bitter doom and sentence of Christ the never dying sting and worm of conscience the tormenting and soul-scorching flames of Hell and everlasting separation from Gods blissfull presence abjure and utterly renounce this accursed sin Oh get an interest in Christ For till we become members of his mystical body by regeneration and a lively faith we even the bâ—st of us are as Traitors condemned to suffer eternal torments in Hell-fire â—eing onely reprieved for a time O bless God all the dayes you live yea to eternity that the gate of mercy yet stands open 10 ¶ But withal take hold of the opportunity before the Draw-briâ—ge be taken up lest you never have the like again Do not dally with God and your own souls for if this warning be slighted never look for the like For warning such a warning not taking is a certain presage of destruction Pro. 29.1 1.24 25 26. The sons of Eli would not hearken unâ—â— nor obey the voice of their Father why because saith the Text the Lord was determined to destroy them 1 Sam. 2.25 I know saith the Prophet to Amaziah the Lord hath determined to destroy thee because thou hast done this and hast not obeyed my counsel 2 Chron. 25.16 20. Whereas contrarily the Ninevites by hearkning to Ionah and those very murtherers of the Lord of life by listening to Peter were converted and saved Acts 2.36 37. O take heed of preferring your own carnal reason before the written were of God And that what is spoken of Babel may not be verified in you We would have cured him but he would not be cured lest you be given to destruction as she was What sayes our Saviour This is the condemnation noâ— like this that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather thâ—â— light because their deeds were evil Iohn 3.19 20. Indeed if you will rather beleeve Satan or his sollicitor the Flesh or be led by the perswasions of your own flattering heart which is deceitfull above all things and most desperately evil Ier. 17.9 No marvel you should be deaf to all hath been said 〈◊〉 thinking your selves already good enough and then farwel all hope of being better For the opinion of mens being wise and
sit on or the stones they tread on There are a generation of Hearers who when a Minister does plainly reprove them for their sins and declare the judgments of God due unto the same to the end they may repent and beleeve that so they may be saved will carp and fret and spurn against the very Word of God for being so sharp and searching and thereupon persecute the Messenger as the Princes and false Prophets did Jeremiah Herodias John Baptist and the Pharisees Christ. 7. § And this God takes as done to himself What saith Paul 1 Cor. 7.10 I have not spoken but the Lord and therefore as the Lord said unto Saul Acts 9.4 that he persecuted him though in heaven so they which resist any truth delivered out of the Word do resist God himself and not his Messenger as evidently appears by these Scriptures Psal. 44.22 and 74.4.10.18.22.23 83.2 5 6. 89.50 51. 139.20 Prov. 19.3 Rom. 1.30 9.20 Mat. 10.22 25.45 1 Sam. 17.45 Isâ—â— 37.4 22 23 28. Acts 5.39 9.4 5. Joh. 9.4 1 Thess. 4.8 Joh. 15.20 to 〈◊〉 Numb 16.11 1 Sam. 8.7 Mark 9.42 Psal. 79. â—2 2 King 2.24 O that the Gospels enemies would but seriously consider these Scriptures and be warned by them For certainly it is neither wise good nor safe either resisting or angring him that can anger every vein of their hearts Yea God hath Messengers of wrath for them that despise the Messenger of his love 8. § But hear why they so mortally hate the naked truth Because it is the Word by which they are condemned they loath as much to hear it as a 〈…〉 if many as we know by experience love not to hear the worst of the temporall causes and cases nor yet of their bodily distempers with why their lives or estates be indangered How much more will wicked men deâ—cline from seeing their hainous abominations and themselves guilty of Hell and eternall damnation though thereof there â—â— an absolute necessity if ever they be saved 9. § Guilty sinners love application as dearly as a dog does a cudgell And no marvail for what Leaper will take pleasure in the searching of his soreâ—â— Nor were Satan his Crafts-master if he did permit them For if they could clearly see the loathsomnesse of their impieties it were not possible not to abhor them not to abhor themselves for them but their blindness makes them love their own filthinesse as Ethiopians do their own swarthiness Besides they love not to have their consciences awakened but would sleeâ— quietly in their sins And he that desires to sleep will have the curtain drawn the light shut out and no noise made Whence as good meates are unwelcome to sick persons so is good counsell to obstinate and resolved sinnerâ— Tell them of their swearing drinking whoring cheating they will fret and chafe and fume and swell and storm and be ready to burst again to hear itâ— But let envy sweat swell and burst truth must be spoken And indeed why should not Gods servants take as free liberty in reproving as the Devilâ— servants take liberty in offending Shall not the one be as loud for God as the other are for Baal and Belzebub 10. § Yea admonish them never so mildly they will say we take too much upon us as Corah and his complices twitted Moses Numb 16.3 not knowing how strictly God commands and requires it Lev. 19.17 2 Tim. 2.25 Ezek. 3.18 to 22. 2 Pet. 27 8. Whence as the Chief Priests answered Iudas What is that to us so they will blaspheme God tear Christ in pieces and more then betray even shed his innocent bloud digging into his side with oaths and say when told of it What is that to us when they might as well say What is Christ to us what is heaven to us or what is salvation to us for to us the one cannot be without the other we shall never inherit part of hiâ— gloâ—y in heaven if we do not take his glories part upon earth And with God it is much about one whether we be doers of evill or no hinderers For iâ— we must not see our neighbours oxe nor his sheep goe astray or fall into a 〈◊〉 but we must reduce him and help him out of it Deut. 22.1 we are much more bound to help our neighbour himself from droping into the bottomlesse 〈◊〉 of Hell And what know we but we may winne our brother and so save his soul Mat. 18.15 11. § They will hisse like Serpents if we trouble their nests never sâ— little And it s a sure sign the horse is galled that stirs too much when he iâ— touched But what are these men like and how are they like to speed â—â— the end they are like the Thracian flint that burns with water and is quenched with oil their souls are the worse for Gods endeavour to better theâ— His holy precepts and prohibitions doe either harden them as the Sun 〈…〉 12. § But to be exasperated with good counsell and in stead of penitency to break into choler when fury sparkles in those eyes which should gush out with water it is an evident sign of one that shall perish Prov. 29.1 Read the words and tremble a man that hardneth his neck being often reproved shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy see more Prov. 1 24 25 26 to 33. Whence â—is the Prophet tells Amaziah I know that God hath determined to destroy thee because thou hast done this and hast not obeyed my counsell 2 Chron. 25.16 20. and that the Holy Ghost speaking of Elyes sons saith that they would not hearken unto nor obey the voice of their father because the Lord was determined to destroy them 1 Sam. 2.25 Yea it is an observation of Livie that when the destruction of a person or Nation is destined then the wholsome warnings both of God and Man are set at nought And in reason that sin is past all cure which strives against the cure Herbs that are worse for watering Trees that are lesse fruitfull for dunging and pruning are to be rooted out or hewn down Even salvation it self will not save those that spill the potion and fling away the plaster When God would have cured Babylon and she would not be cured then she is given up to destruction without further warning 13. § Ignorant Worldlings who will beleeve nothing which comes not within the compasse of their five senses think that because God strikes not be minds not Psal. 50.21 Because sentence against an evill work is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to doe evill as Solomon speaks Eccles. 8.11 They are like the Israelites 1 Sam. 12.15 to 20. they will not beleeve without a miracle and it will be a miracle if ever they be saved For should they see miracle upon miracle should God forthwith strike one dead with a thunderbolt and rain down fire and brimstone upon another and
§ 6. Now the meditation of what God and Christ hath done for us should make us do what we are able for him again For did Christ all this for us and shall we do nothing for him for our selves like favours require like gratitude He that confers a benefit upon a grateful nature robs him of his liberty and self also and in one and the same act makes him a vassal and himself his master Wherefore if we have any ingenuity in us it will make us to direct all our thoughts speeches and actions to his glory as he hath directed our eternal salvation thereunto But to help and further you herein if you be willing so to do take these few directions First Let these things be never out of the mindes memories mouthes of those whom Christ hath done thus for O let us I say remember as we should never forget Si totum me debeo pro me facto quid jam reddam pro merefecto saith holy Bernard If I owed my whole self unto thee for giving me my selfe in my creation what have I left to pay for giving thy self for me to so cruel a death to procure my Redemption which was not so cheap as my creation Great was the benefit that thou wouldst create me of nothing but what tongue can sufficiently expresse the greatnesse of this grace that thou didst redeem me with so dear a price when I was worse then nothing We are full of thy goodnesse O let our hearts run over with thankfulnesse yea let so many of us as have either heart or brain in the next place say O Lord What is man that thou art so mindefull of hiâ— Psal. 8.4 And O man what is God that thou art so unmindful of him And then conclude with What shall I render unto thee ô Lord for all these thy benefits but love thee my Creator and Redeemeâ— and become a new creature I will serve thee ô Lord by the assistance of thy grace because thou hast given me my self but much more honour thee because thou hast given me thy Son Christ. § 7. Nor can any man in common reason meditate so unbottomed a love and not study and strive for an answerably thankful demeanure If a friend had given us but a thousand part of what God hath we should heartily love him all our lives and think no thanks sufficient What a price then should we set upon Iesus Christ who is the life of our lives and soul of our souls But thirdly this should at least make us part with our nearest dearest and sweetest darling sins to serve him in righteousness and holiness every day every hour all the dayes of our lives Even every sin for what sin should be so dear to us as Gods onely Son was to him Do we then for Gods sake not spare our dearest sin when God for our sakes did not spare his dearest Son Yea what a brutish and barbarous unthankfulness and shame were it that God should part with his Son and his Son with his own precious blood for us and we not part with our sinful lusts and delights for him § 8. Fourthly Hath Christ done all this for us his servants so much and so many wayes obliged unto him let us do what we are able for him again 1 Let us be zealous for his glory and take his part when we see or hear him dishonoured Nor can there be any love where there is no zeal saith Augustine Well-born Children are touched to the quick with the injuries of their Parents And it is a base vile and unjust ingratitude in those men that can endure the disgrace of them under whose shelter they live 2 Let us seek to draw others after us from Satan to Him 3 Do we all we can to promote his worship and service 4 Take all good occasions to publish to others how good God is and what he hath done for us 5 Let us wholly ascribe all the good we have or do to free grace and give him the glory of his gifts imploying them to our masters best advantage 6 Let us that we may expresse out thankfulnesse to him shew kindnesse to his Children and poor â—embers who are bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh Ephes. 5.30.7 〈◊〉 or we ourselves for our former unthankfulnesse and our wonderful provoking of him 8 Hearken we unto Christs voice in all that he saith unto us and express our thankfulness by our obedience Yea all this 〈…〉 if we do it but for our own sakes For what should we have if 〈…〉 thus serve Christ who hath done all these things for his enemies 〈…〉 and dishonouring him True we cannot properly be said to do any thing for 〈…〉 that have all we have from him Or if we could give him our bodies and souls they should be saved by it but he were never the better for them yet we may do these and many the like things which he accounts and rewards as done to himself CHAP. V. § 1. NOw these things we ought to do thus thankful we ought to be to God for his inestimable and unspeakable benefits towards us But do we thus requite the Lord or do we what we are able for him again O that I could say we did Yâ—â— I would we were but so thankful to Christ for all his mercies the least whereof is greater then all the courtesies of men as we are to a friend for some one good turn But wo worth us a people not worthy the crumbs of Christs our Makers least mercy Yea well worthy of more plagues then either Tyre or Sydon Chorazin or Bethsaida Capernaum Sodome or Gomorrah Matth. 11.21 to 25. or any people since the Creation For as if all that Christ hath done for us were nothing to move us we are so far from being thankful from loving and serving him that did we seriously think of Christs love and our odious unthankfulness and compare Gods goodness with our ingratitude rightly weighing how we have from time to time abused his mercy and those many means of grace which he in his long-suffering hath afforded for our reclaiming it would even make us speechless like him in the Gospel as neither expecting pardon nor daring to ask it Yea ô Lord it is thine unspeakable mercy that our Land hath not long since spued us out and that we are not at this present frying in Hell For whereas God hath removed so many evils spiritual and corporal temporal and eternal from us and conferred so many good things upon us that they are beyond thought or imagination § 2. We have striven to multiply offences against him and to make them as infinite in number as his blessings We have done nothing from our infancy but added sin unto sin as he hath added mercy to mercyâ— whereby our sins are become for number as the sands in the Sea and as the Stars of heaven and answerable to their multitude is the magnitude of them as I have
to that renowned Captain Bellizarius It was yet worse which Popilius shewed to Cicero which Lycaon shewed to his stranger guests that came to him for relief It was worst of all in the Iews to scourge and crucifie Christ who did them good every way for he healed their diseases fed their bodies enlightened their mindes of God became Man and lived miserably amongst them many years that he might save their souls though in killing him they did their utmost to sink the onely ship that could save them But all these fall far short of our ingratitude to God for his maintenance we take and live on the bread we eat the air we breath the cloaths we weare all are his § 3. That we are out of Hel there to fry in flames never to be freed That we have the free offer of grace here and everlasting glory hereafter in Heaven where are such joyes as eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath entred into the heart of man to conceive 1 Cor. 2.9 we are beholding to him Yet we not onely deny this Lord that hath bought us as every one does that prefers Mammon or any other thing before him but we hate him as he doth hate and not love God that loves what he hates or hates what he loves but most spightfully and maliciously fight on Satans and sins side against him and persecute his Children and the truth with all our might perswading and enforcing others to do the same even wishing that we could pull him out of his Throne rather then to admit him our just Iudge And all this against knowledge and conscience after illumination I wish men would a little think of it and then if this will not melt their hearts no hope that any other means should do it but perish they must § 4. I confess I have small hope that what hath been said of Gods love and our odious unthankfulness his goodness and our ingratitude which being seriously considered were enough to bring the whole world upon their knees should make them any whit ashamed or the better because their blockishness is such that they think themselves good enough and that to doubt of it or strive to be more holy were but a foolish and needless scrupulosity Yea they prefer their condition before other mens that are so consciencious A thing strange yet it is so For although there be not a leaf in the sacred Volume but hath matter against a voluptuous life none for it For â—o please flesh and blood is the Doctrine of the Devill Yet how do a woâ—ld of men stifle their consciences and force themselves to believe if it were possible that in case men will not swear drink drunk conform to their lewd customes and the like they are over-precise and that God will like a man the worse for his being the better or for having of a tender Conscience And that he looks for less fear reverence and obedience from his servants then we do from our servants and yet hold that a servant can never be too punctual in his obedience to his Masters lawful commands They think it not enough for themselves to prefer the pleasing of their senses before the saving of their souls and to venture tasting the forbidden fruit at the price of death eternal but they account them fools that do otherwise CHAP. VII § 1. O My brethren it is not to be believed how blinde and blockish men are that have hardened their hearts and seared their consciences with accustomary sinning for albeit I have informed them how dangerous their estate is that they might plainly see it truly fear it and timely prevent it yet I have very little hope to do any good upon them For first These lines to them are but as so many Characters writ in the water which leave no impression behinde them as being like one that beholdeth his natural face in a glass who when he hath considered himself goeth his way and forgetteth immediately what manner of one he was James 1.23 24. of like some silly Fly which being beat from the Candle and hundred times and oft singed therein yet will return to it again until she be consumed Prov. 23.35 All those Beasts which went into the Ark unclean came likewise out unclean Secondly Though these sparks of grace may kindle piety in others yet not in them for they are out of all hope of being healed For what is light to them that will shut their eyes against it or reason to them that will stop their ears from hearing it and men of their condition do on purpose stop their ears and wink with their eyes lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and so should be converted as our Saviour shews Matth. 13.15 and St. Paul Acts 28.27 yea it 's well if they do not carp and fret against the Word and persecute the Messengers as Herod did Iohn Baptist Demetrius Paul and the false Prophets Ieremiah And how should not that patient perish who after he is launced flies from the Chirurgion before the binding up of his wound Or how should not that sin be past cure which strives against the cure certainly salvation it selfe will not save those that spill the potion and fling away the plaister O if these Adders had not stopt their ears how long since had they been charmed I grant they have reason so to do such as it is For will a Leper take pleasure in the searching of his sores and Satan the like for if they could clearly see the loathsomnesse of their impieties it were not possible not to abbor them not to abhor themselves for them but their blindnesse makes them love their own filthinesse as Ethiopians do their own swarthinesse § 2. And to tell you the truth though I speak against my self had I not a further reach in it it were an unreasonable motion in me if I should request mindes propossest with prejudice to hear reason Since the World and the Devil hath so forestalled their judgements therewith against Gods people and goodnesse it self that they resolve never to be better then they are And where Satan hath set this his porter of prejudice though Christ himself were on earth that soul would make an ill construction of whatsoever he did or spake as we see in the Scribes and Pharisees who when he wrought miracles reputed him a sorcerer when he cast out Devils thought it to be by the power and Prince of Devils when he reproved sinners he was a seducer when he received sinners he was their favourer when he healed the sick he was a Sabbath-breaker and the like yea they counted him the greatest offender that offended not once in all his life which would make a wise man suspect his own judgement or the common â—ame and to examine things throughly before they condemn one whom they know no evil by Yet this is the case of these men of most men for
and oyle to the Sareptane widdow or make a little meanes go a great way and perform much as those two mean meales of the Prophet when in the strength thereof he travelled forty dayes 1 King 19 5. to 9. Unto which we may refer the strength of Moses who being one hundred and twenty yeares old â—ad not his naturall strength abated Deut. 34.7 and the like of Caleb Ioshua 14.10 11. All things are sustained by his almighty word how else should the whole Globe of the earth and sea hang in the middle of the air and have no other supporter The onely means for grasse and hearbs and trees and fruit to grow by is rain yet God provided for Adam all these things before ever it had rained on the earth The usual meanes of light is the sun howbeit God provided light before he made the sun light the first day the sun the fourth day he onely said let there be light and there was light Gen. 1.3 There is no reason in the world that seven loaves and a few little fishes in the Gospel should feed four thousand much lesse that five loaves and two fishes should feed five thousand meanes very insufficient to natural reason yet God speaking the word to them they did it The like whereof we may read 2 King 4.43 44. So for the apparell of the Israelites which they had when they were young and children in Aegypt to serve them till they were grown men even forty yeares together in the wilderness without being worn out Deut. 29 5. and the like of that water and pulse which with Gods blessing made Daniel and his companions farter and fairer than all the children which did eat the portion of the Kings meat Dan. 1 15. We live by food but not by any vertue that is in it without God yea without the concurence of his providence bread would rather choak than nourish us if he withdraw his word and blessing from his creatures in their greatrst abundance we perish A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven Iohn 3.27 All which should teach us confidently to trust in God what ever our extremeties be for if God needs not his own lawfull much lesse thy unlawful moanes Again if no moanes will serve the turn or do us any good without the blessing of God upon it let us not forfeit his blessing by our vile ingratitude but rather desire his blessing though we want the meanes Thirdly Is it be the blessing of God that makes rich and not anything that we can do let us take heed of ascribing the same to our wit and industry of sacrificing to our net and burning incense to our yarne as the Prophet speaks Hab. 1.16 Fourthly and lastly say not as many do O that I were so rich that I had but so much as such a manâ— then should I be happy but rather desire God that he will bless and sanctifie unto thee what thou hast that he may have glory thy self and others good by the same or else God may give thee thy desire yea more than thy heart can wish as the Psalmist speakes of the wicked Psal. 7 3.7 9. but it shall be to thy grief and sorrow as it was said to Neroes Mother about her sons being Emperour or as Bacchus granted the request of Midas whose desire was that whatsoever he touched might instantly be converted into gold which was little to â—â—â—comfort when even his bread wine the feathers of his bed his shirt garments and every thing else turned into that hard mettal as Fulgentius delivers it he had his desire but so as he would gladly nâ—w have unpray'd his prayers Alass how often does riches without Gods blessing upon them prove or become the owners ruine Many a young Heir hath a great and fair estate left him and is cryed up as happy but it proves to him within a while even like the Ark to the Philistines which did them more hurt than good and so fares it with all that forget God and are unthankful to him for what they have Neither is this all For CHAP. V. THirdly there are abundance of men that God doth not onely withdraw his blessing from them but sends his curse with the riches he bestowes As suppose a man growes never so rich by indirect meanes as some care not how but what and how much they get for to get one scruple of gold they will make no scruple of conscience they care not to make many poor to make themselves rich for they have consciences like a barn door as loving money better than themselves yea they care not so they may get silver if they loose their souls Now God not seldom suffers such to grow very rich but together with their riches they have the curse of God whereby they become the worse and not the better for them There is an evill sickness saies Solomon that I have seen under the sun to wit riches reserved to the owners thereof for their hurt Eccles. 5.13 To which accords that of the Prophet Malachy If ye will not hear it nor consider it in your heart to give glory to my names saith the Lord of hosts I will even send a curse upon you and will curse your blessings yea I have cursed them already because ye do not consider it in your hearts Mal. â— 2 Their riches are seeming benefits very curses even gifts given in wrath as a King unto Israâ—l I give them a King in my wrath saith the Lord Hosea 13.11 And so of their Quâ—iles He gave them their desire but be sent lâ—â—nnesse into their soules Psal. 106.15 They did â—â—â— and were well filled yet turned obey not from their lusts but the flesh was yet between their teeth before it was chewed even the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people and the Lord smote the people with an exceeding great plague Numb 11.23 Psal. 78.29 30 31. And in another place Let their table be a snare unto them and their prosperity their ruine Psal. 69.22 They had better have had no meat then such sauce withall The covetous Cormorant and unthankful wretch deales with God as a dog does with his master who devoureth by and by whatever he can catch and gopeth continually after more and it were a marvel that God should answer him with such abundance and as it were be still pouring water into that vessel which already runs over considering his monstrous unthankfulness were it not to rot the hoops and chines that so the whole cask may break in pieces were there not poyson mixt with it I mean Gods secret curse as I shall suddenly shew We well know that a Ship may be so laden as that her very freight may â—e the cause of her sinking Demonica having betrayed Ephesus where all her friends and kindred were to Brennus of Senona for the love of gain was brought to a great heap of gold and loaded so heavy therewith that she dyed under the
and a true use of his riches Thirdly he cares not for grace but for gold therefore God gives him gold without grace He longs not after righteousness but riches therefore he shall neither be satisfied nor blessed whereas both are their portion that thirst after the former Mat. 5.6 He desires riches without Gods blessing he shall have it with a curse he loves gold more then God and desires it rather then his blessing upon it or grace therefore he shall have it and want the other Whereas if he did first seek the kingdom of heaven all things else should be added thereunto Mat. 6.33 But this worldlings appetite stands not towards the things of a better life he findes no tast in heavens treasure let him but glut himself on the filthy garbage of ill-gotten goods he cares not for Manna He sings the song of Curio vincat utilitas let gain prevail he had rather be a sinner then a begger The Apostle Saint Peter said silver and gold have I none Act. â— 6 The devil says all these are mine Luk. 4.6 The Rich man I have much goods laid up for many years Luk. 12.19 Now ask the covetous muck worm whether had you rather lack with those Saints or abound with the devil and the rich man his heart will answer give me money which will do any thing all things Eccles. 10.19 Now if he prefers gold before either God grace or glory no marvail if God grant him his desires to his hurt as he did a King and Quailes to the Israelites CHAP. XIIII FOurthly he puts his trust in his riches not in God loves serves Satan more then God therefore he shall have his comfort reward from them and not from God Yea Satan shall have more service of him for an ounce of gold then God shall have for the Kingdom of heaven because he profers a little base pelf before God and his own salvation He loves God well but his money better for that is his summum bonum yea he thinks him a fool that does otherwise What part with a certainty for an uncertainty if he can keep both well and good if not what ever betides he will keep his Mammon his money though he lose himself his soul. And yet the Lord gives far better things for nothing then Satan will sell us for our souls had we the wit to consider it as we may see Isa. 55.1 2. Again he loves his children better then the Lord oppressing Gods children to inrich his own for so his young ones be warm in their nest let Christs members shake with cold he cares not He loves the Lord as Laban loved Iacob onely to get riches by him or as Saul loved Samuel to get honor by him He will walk with God so long as plenty or the like does walk with him but no longer he will leave Gods service rather then lose by it That the Mammonist loves not God is evident for if any man love the world the love of God is not in him 1 John 2.15 yea the two poles shall sooner meet then the love of God and the love of money Not is this all for he not onely loves Mammon more then God but he makes it his god shrines it in his coffer yea in his breast and sacrifâ—ceth his heart to it he puts his trust and placeth his confidence in his riches makes it his hope attributing and ascribing all his successes thereunto which is to deny God that is above as we may plainly see Iob 31.24 28. Nor ought covetous men to be admitted into Christian society We have a great charge to separate from the covetous Eat not with him sayes the Apostle 1 Cor. 5.11 and also wise Solomon Prov. 23.7 Covetousness is flat idolatry which makes it out of measure sinful and more hanious then any other sin as appears Col. 3.5 Ephes. 5.5 Iob 31.24 28. Ier. 17.5 1 Tim. 6.9 10. Fornication is a foul sin but nothing to this that pollutes the body but covetousness defileth the soul and the like of other sins Yea it is such a sordid and damnable sin that it ought not once to be named among Christians but with detestation Ephes. 5.3 It is a sound Conclusion in Divinity That is our God which we love best and esteem most as gold is the covetous mans god and â—ellychear the voluptuous mans god and honor the ambitious mans god and for these they will do more then they will for God Yea all wicked men make the devil their god for why does Saint Paul call the devil the god of this world but because wordly men do believe him trust him and obey him above God and against God and do love his wayes and commandments better then the wayes and laws of God We all say that we serve the Lord but as the Psalmist speaks other Lords rule us and not the Lord of heaven and earth The covetous Mammonist does insatiably thirst after riches placing all his joyes hopes and delights thereon does he not then make them his God yeâ— God sayes lend clothe feed harbor The devil and Mammon say take gather extort oppress spoil whether of these are our gods but they that are most obeyed Know ye not saith Saint Paul that to whomsoever ye give your selves as servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey Rom. 6.16 the case is plain enough that every wilful sinner makes the devil his god he cannot deny it I wish men would well waigh it The goods of a worldling are his gods Ye have taken away my gods says Micha and what have I more to lose Jud. 18.24 He makes Idols of his coyn as the Egyptians did of their treasure They have turned the truth of God into a lye and worshipped and served the creature forsaking the Creator which is blessed for ever Amen Rom. 1.25 The greedy Wolfe Mole or Muckworm who had rather be damned then damnified hath his Mammon in the place of God loving it with all his heart with all his soul with all his minde making gold his hope and saying to the wedge of gold Thou art my confidence and yet of all men alive he is least contented when he hath his hearts desire yea more then he knows what to do withall the issue of a secret curse For in outward appearance they are as happy as the world can make them they have large possessions goodly houses beautiful spouses hopeful children full purses yet their life is never the sweeter nor their hearts ever the lighter nor their meales the heartier nor their nights the quieter nor their cares the fewer yea none more full of complaints among men Oh cursed Ciatifs how does the devil bewitch them Generally the poorer the merryer because having food and raiment they are therewith content 1 Tim. 6.8 They obey the rule Heb. 13 5. and God gives his blessing But for those that make gold their god how should not God either deny them riches or deny his
cured Besides as there are no colours so contrary as white and black no elements so disagreeing as fire and water so there is nothing so opposit to grace and conversion as covetousness and as nothing so alienates a mans love from his vertuous spouse as his inordinate affection to a filthy strumpet so nothing does so far separate and diminish a mans love to God and heavenly things as our inordinate affection to the world and earthly things yea there is an absolute contrariety between the love of God and the love of money no servant saith our Saviour can serve two masters for either he shall hate the one and love the other or else he shall leane to the one and despise the other ye cannot serve God and riches Luk. 16.13 Here we see there is an absolute impossibility and in the fourteenth Chapter and elsewhere we have examples to confirm it All those that doted upon purchases and farms and oxen and wives with one consent made light of it when they were bid to the Lords Supper Luk. 14 15. to 23. The Gadarenes that so highly prised their hoggs would not admit Christ within their borders Luk. 8. Iudas that was covetous and loved money could not love his Master and therefore sold him When Demas began to imbrace this prâ—sent world he soon forsook Paul 〈…〉 put their trust and place their confidence in their riches they make gold their hope they set their hearts upon it and do homage thereunto attributing and ascribing all their successes thereunto which is to deny the God that is aboâ—e as we may plainly see Iob 31.24 28. and as for his love and regard to the Word of God I will referre it to his own conscience to determine whether he finds any more taste in it then in the white of an egge yea whether it be not as distastfull to him as dead beer after a banquet of sweet-meats Nor is it only distastfull to his palat for his affections being but a little luke-warm water it makes his religion even stomack-sick Let him go to the Assemblies which he does more for fear of the Law then for love of the Gospel and more out of custome then conscience as Cain offered his sacrifice and so will God accept of it he sits down as it were at Table but he hath no stomack to eat his ears are at Church but his heart is at home and though he hear the Ministers words yet he resolveth not to do them for his heart goes after his covetousnes as the Lord tells Ezekiel touching his Auditors Ezek. 33.30 to 33. And as is his hearing such is his praying for that also is to serve his own turn he may afford God his voice but his heart is rooted and rivited so the earth They have not cryed unto me saith God with their hearts when they â—owled upon their beds and when they assembled themselves it was but for corn and wine for they continue to rebell against me Hosea 7.14 O that God had but the same place in mens affections that riches honours pleasures their friends have but that is seldom seen the more shame folly and madness and the greater and juster their condemnation whence that terrible Text in Ieremiah Chapter 17. Thus saith the Lord Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm and withdraweth his heart from the Lord vers 5. And that exhortation 1 Tim. 6. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded and that they trust not in uncertain riches but in the living God who giveth us abundantly all things to injoy vers 17. And well does that man deserve to perish that so loves the creature aâ— that he leaves the Creator CHAP. XXII FOurthly another reason were there no other why it is so impossible to prevail with the covetous is they will never hear any thing that speaks against covetousness and their refusing to hear it shews them to be such for flight argues guiltiness always Covetous men will never hear Sermons or read Books that press to good Works or wherein the necessity of restitution is urged neither had Satan any brains if he should suffer them so to do A Faulkner ye know will carry divers Hawks bâ—â—ded quietly which he could not do had they the use of their sight Such I say will not vouchsafe to hear reason lest it should awake their consciences and convince their judgements resembling 〈◊〉 that would nor have his Physician remove the thirst which he felt in his ague because he would not lose the pleasure he took in quenching the same with often drinking they had rather have their lusts satisfied then exstinguished Now we know that hearing is the only ordinary means of life and salvation if then the soul refuse the means of life it cannot live If Caesar had not delayed the reading of his Letter given him by Artemidorus as he went to the Senate wherein notice was given him of all the conspiracy of his murtherers he might with ease have prevented his death but his not regarding it made the same inevitable which together with the rest of this Chapter gives me a just and fair occasion now I have obtain my purpose to acquaint the ingenuous Reader why I rather call my Book The prevention of Poverty and best way to become Rich and Happy then The arraignment and conviction of Covetousness for by this means many a covetous wretch may out of lucre be touled one to read it to the saving of their souls who otherwise would never have been acquainted with a thousand part of their wretchedness and so not capable of amendment Bnt Fiftly suppose he should be prevailed withall to hear me all 's one even an ounce of gold with him will weigh down whatsoever can be aledged from the Word for though with that rich man Luk. 10. he may have a good mind to heaven in reversion yet for all that he will not hear of parting with his heaven whereof he hath present possession He can like Canaan well enough so he may injoy his flesh-pots also and could love the blessing but he will not lose his pottage and in case he cannot gain by being religious his care shall be not to loose by it and thaâ— Religion shall like him best that is best cheap and will cost him least any Doctrine is welcome to him but that which beats upon good works Nor will he stick with the Sages to fall down and worship Christ but he cannot abide to present him with his gold No if another will be at the charges to serve God he will cry out why is this waste as Iudas did when Mary bestowed that precious oyntment upon her Saviour which otherwise might have been sold and so put into his bag The love of money and commings in of gain is dearer and sweeter to the Muck-worm theâ— the saving of his soul what possibility then of his being prevailed withall To other sins Satan tempts a
peace of God which passeth all understanding before your own misery and vexation And rather desire to go to Heaven with Lazarus than with Dives to those scorching flames observe these few things in order In the first place lay to heart the things formerly delivered consider that a competency of earthly things with content is the best estate in the world Yea that a poor and mean condition in case God be pleased to give grace and his blessing with that little he bestowes is far better and happier than to swimme in great wealth and aboundance Consider also and set before you the hainousnesse of this sinne and the 〈…〉 pany covetousnesse and how it is the cause of many heavy and grievous judgments here as well as depriving men of everlasting happinesse in Heaven and plunging them into eternal hellish torments hereafter Yea apply every word that hath been spoken to thy self and this will be a good meanes to make thee moderate thy greedy desire mortifie thy carnal affections and curb thine unruly and insatiable appetite after gain And without this all is to no purpose Little would 〈◊〉 have availed the Israelites that the Manna lay about their tents if they had not gone forth and gathered it beaten it baked and eaten it so let the meanes of salvation be never so plentifull if we bring it not home and make it ours by application and faith we are never a whit the better for the same Cloaths must be put on meat eaten a plaster applyed or they will never warm nourish or heal CHAP. III. Secondly though I inverte the order in setting the cart before the horse dote not so upon the world for while our mindes are so scattered among these visible things we forget how the state standâ— within us Besides I have shewn you that as nothing so alienates a mans love from his vertuous Consort as his inordinate affection to a filthy strumpet so nothing does so far separate and diminish a mans love to God and heavenly things as our inordinate affection to the world and earthly things The damps of the earth do not more quench fire than the love of the earth stiflles grace Neither trees nor grasse grow above where the golden Mines are below If the love of money be once entered into the heart no fruites of goodnesse can appear in the life Yea there is an absolute contrariety between the love of God and the love of money The Covetous man is like that Pompous Prelate who said he would not lose his part in Parris for his part in Paradice Or like Vlisses who so dearly loved his Countrey that he preferred his native soyl Ithaca before immortality Or the Child that more esteemes of an Apple than of his Fathers Inheritance For thus stands the case with them Man hath a precious Jewel to dispose of viz. his soul God and the world come to buy it the world steps in first and tempts him as once Saul his servants saying Hear now ye Benjamites will the son of Ishay will the son of Mary give every one of you fields and vineyards will he make you all Captaines over thousands and Captaines over hundreds 1 Sam. 22.7 Yea if a man will needs have present possession Satan will instantly give him bags of money as he dealt with Gehazi Achan Iudas Annanias and Saphira Balaam and in a thousand the like cases God comes and out-bids the world for he offers grace and peace and glory but withall he craves day for the greater part of it and gives nothing in hand but his promise his Word and some small earnest of the bargain Nay perhaps instead of bettering our condition he makes it worse for the incouragement that Christ gives is Whosoever will be my Disciple let him take up his cross daily and follow me 〈…〉 what he injoyes unjustly he must restore the same to the right owners though it be to the impoverishing of his estate As in case thou wouldst indeed and to purpose become rich happy and cheerfull If thou lovest not gold above thy salvation restore to every man thy evil-gotten goods For as humility is the repentance of pride abstinence of surfeit almes of covetousnesse love of malice so only restitution is the repentance of injustice This is the revenge that a Christian must take upon himself if he meanes to be saved 2 Cor. 7.11 For as the best charm for the tooth-ake is to pull out the tooth Or as they who have meal in their stomachs undigested or store of ill humours are eased only by vometing them up so if ever thou lookest to find ease in thy soul and conscience or to pacifie God be sure to vomit up all thy extortions by restitution For as it fared with those Marriners touching Ionas Ionah 1.15 they tremble pray unlade strike sayles fall to oares but all in vain the Vessel was sick and had taken a surfeit when she took in the fugitive Prophet all the losse of their goods cannot expiate the cause of this tempest there is a morsell that lyes undigested in the stomach throw out Ionas and all is quiet There are a world of men that bear the Name and wear the livery but have not the soules of Christians Others must pay them or they will use all kindes of extremity but they by their good wills will not pay what is lent them in their greatest need But a debtor that can pay and will not makes himself uncapable of pardon Indeed such men think to set all on Christs score and to say Dimitte nobis debitâ— nostra forgive us our debts is sufficient though they leave out the other part of the petition But God does not forgive spiritual debts where men have no care to pay temporal debts For he that dies before restitution dies in his sinne and he that dies in his sinne cannot be saved Nor is there a more infallible character of a wicked man in all the Book of God The wicked borroweth but payeth not again Psal. 37.21 Where is no restitution of things unjustly gotten there sin shall never be forgiven Non tâ—llitur peccatum nisi restituatur oblatum as St Augustin speaks and all Orthodox Divines hold in case the party have wherewithall For if a man have it not God will accept of the will for the deed Yea in this and all other cases he doth the will of God who does the best he can to do it But in case a man do it not so farre as he is able well may he gull his own soul but God will think it foul scorn to be so mockt As consider Repentance without restitution is as if a thief should take away thy purse ask thee pardon say he is sorry for it but keeps it still In this case wouldst thou not say he did but mock thee The Law of God under the penalty of his curse requireth thee to restore whatsoever by unjustice or oppression thou hast taken from thy neighbour or master with a
expression as this Praised be the Lord even the God of our salvation who loadeth us daily with benefits Selah Psal. 68.19 The eyes of all wait upon thee and thou givest them their meat in due season thou openest thine hand and fillest all things living of thy good pleasure Psal. 145.15 16. To come to promotion is neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south but God is the Iudge he maketh low and he maketh high Psal. 75.6 7. And so of all other mercies and deliverances He that confers a Benefit upon a gratefull nature robs him of his liberty and self also and in one and the same act makes him a vassal will make us to direct all our thoughts speeches and actions to his glory as he hath directed our eternal salvation thereunto But to help and further you herein if you be willing so to do take these few Directions First Let these things be never out of the minds memories and mouthes of those whom Christ hath done thus for O let us I say remember as we should never forget Si totum me debeo pro me facto quid jam reddam pro me refecto saith holy Bernard If I owed my whole self unto thee for giving me my self in my creation what have I left to pay for giving thy self for me to so cruel a death to procure my Redemption which was not so cheap as my Creation Great was the benefit that thou wouldst create me of nothing but what tongue can sufficiently expresse the greatnesse of this grace that thou didst redeem me with so dear a price when I was worse than nothing We are full of thy goodnesse O let our hearts run over with thankfulnesse Yea let so many of us as have either heart or brain in the next place say O Lord What is man that thou art so mindfull of him Psal. 8.4 And O man what is God that thou art so unmindfull of him And then conclude with What shall I render unto thee O Lord for all these thy benefits but love thee my Creatour and Redeemer and become a new creature I will serve thee O Lord by the assistance of thy grace because thou hast given me my self but much more honour thee because thou hast given me thy Son Christ. Nor can any man in common reason meditate so unbottomed a love and not study and strive for an answerably thankfull demeanure If a friend had given us but a thousand part of what God hath we should heartily love him all our lives and think no thanks sufficient but to him that hath given me all things I have scarce given so much as thanks Yea I have striven to multiply offences against him and to make them as infinite in number as his blessings Thirdly The continual meditation of what God hath done for thee will make thee do what thou art able for him again For did God and Christ do all this for us and shall we do nothing for him again Like favours require like gratitude This then should at least make us part with our nearest dearest and sweetest darling sins to serve him in righteousnesse and holinesse every day every hour all the daies of our lives Even every sin for what sin should be so dear to us as Gods only Son was to him Do we then for Gods sake not spare our dearest sin when God for our sakes did not spare his dearest Son Yea what a bruitish and barbarous unthankfulnesse and shame were it that God should part with his Son and his Son with his own precious blood for us and we not part with our sinfull lusts and delights for him Fourthly Hath Christ done all this for us his servants so much and so many waies obliged unto him let us do what we are able for him again 1. Let us be zealous for his glory and take his part when we see or hear him dishonoured Nor can there be any love where thereâ— no zeal saith Augustine Well-born Children are touched to the quick with the injuries of their Parents And it is a base vile and unjust ingratitude in those men that can endure the disgrace of them under whose shelter they live 2. Let us seek to draw others after us from Satan to Him 3. Do we all we can to promote his worship and service 4. Take we all good occasions to publish to others how good God is and what he hath done for us 5. Let us wholly ascribe all the good we have or do to free grace and give him the glory of his gifts imploying them to our Masters best advantage 6. Let us that we may expresse our thankfulnesse to him shew kindnesse to his Children and poor members who are bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh Ephes. 5 30. 7. Abhor we our selves for our former unthankfulnesse and our wonderfull provoking of him 8. Hearken we unto Christs voice in all that he saith unto us and expresse our thankfulnesse by our obedience Yea all this let us do if we do it but for our own sakes For what should we have if we did thus serve Christ who hath done all these things for his enemies neglecting and dishonouring him CHAP. XVI But thou wilt say What can we do for God or for Christ I Answer We cannot properly benefit God nor add to his fulnesse They can add no good to him that have all their good from him The Ocean is never the fuller though all the rivers of the world flow into the same So What is God the better for our praises or performances to whom in that he is infinite nothing can be added If we be righteous our righteousnesse may profit the sonnes of men but what can we give unto him or what receiveth he at our hands Can the Sun receive light from a candle What profit does the Sunne receive by our looking upon it We are the better for its light not it for our sight or at all prejudiced by our neglect A shower of rain that waters the earth gets nothing to it self the earth fares the better for it Lord saith David our well-doing doth not at all extend unto thee but to the Saints that are on the earth and to the excellent ones in whom is all my delight Psal. 16.2 3. Yea if we could give him our bodies and souls they should be saved by it but he were never the better for them It is for our good that he would be served and magnified of us True as the Ocean daynes to take tribute of the small brooks and accepts that in token of thankfulnesse which was its own before it being the maintainer of the rivers streams Or as Ioseph accepted of his Brethrens small gifts albeit he had no need of them Gen 43.15 So does God accept of our free-will offerings and bountifully rewards them Phil. 4.18 Yea if in impolying our Talents we aim at his glory and the Churches good he doubles them Matth. 25.21 22 23. Nor does God look
easily parteth with his worldly goods to these uses unless by faith he be assured that he shall have in lieu of them heavenlâ—y and everlasting treasures The merciful man is ever a faithfull man Fourthly it testifies our unfeigned repentance whereof it is that Daniel saith to Nebuchadnezer Wherefore O King break off thy sins by repentance and thine iniquities by shewing mercy unto the poore Dan. 4 27. The which Zacheus practised Luke 19. For no sooner was he converted unto God but to testifie his unfeigned repentance he giveth half his goods unto the poore Verse 8. Fifthly giving much is an infallible signe that many sins are forgiven us as our Saviour speaketh of the woman Luke 7.47 Sixthly by it we may know our selves to be the children of God 1 Iohn 3.14 Yea and others may also know it Iohn 13.34 35. And hereby we know the unmercifull to be none of Gods children â—or the Father of Mercies hath no children but the mercifull Seventhly it is said that Obadia feared God greatly for when Iesabel destroied the Prophets of the Lord he took an hundred Prophets and hid them by fifty in a cave and he fed them with bread and water 1 Kings 18.3.4 Therefore it is a sure signe of the fear of God Eightly they are undoubted signes of our love towards God When as we so love the poore for his sake as that we be content to spare somewhat even from our own backs and bellies that we may the more liberally communicate unto their necessities But this a wicked man will never do the onely loves the Lord is 〈◊〉 did 〈◊〉 onely 〈…〉 riches by him Or as Saul loved Samuel to gain honour by him True they will say they love God and perhaps think so too but let them say what they will if unmercifull I will never believe against Scripture that they love God whom they have not seen that love not their brother whom they have seen if we love him we will love one another 1 Iohn 4.20 21. If any man saies the Apostle have these worlds goods and seeth his Brother have need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him 1 Iohn 3.17 And as they are manifest signes of our love to God so also of our love towards our Neighbours when as we carry our selves in all Christian bounty towards them as unto Children of the same Father and members of the same body suffering with them in their wants through compassion and fellow-feeling and rejoycing with them in their fulness and prosperity Hereby we know that we love the brethren because our hearts and hands are open to them for love is bountifull For otherwise it is but an unprofitable counterfeit and hypocriticall love to make shew of kindness and compassion in word and to perform nothing in deed as Saint Iames plainly affirmeth Iamesâ— 15. But that this alone is the best touchstone to shew the sincerity and truth of our love many places demonstrate as 2 Cor. 8.8 24. 1 Iohn 3.18 CHAP. XXVII And as our Almesdeeds are a sign of our love to God and our Neighbourâ— so the quantity of our almes respect being had to the proportion of our estate is a signe of the quantity of our love for he loveth but little that having much giveth but a little and contrariwise his heart is inâ—lamed with fervent love who hath it inflamed with bounty towards his poore brethren the extension of our love towards them being the true touchstone of the intention of our love towards God And as a great tree with many and large branches is an undoubted sign of a root proportionable in greatness and a small shrub above the ground plainly sheweth that the root also is small wch is under it so is it with our Almesdeeds which spring from it For if we be bountiful in Almes we are plentifull in love if we be slack in giving we are cold in loving but if we be utterly defective in bringing forth these excellent fruits then it is a manifest sign that this grace of love is not rooted in us 1 Iohn 3.17 Ninthly It is an evident demonstration that we have saving knowledge and spiritual wisdom for the wisdom that is from above is full of mercy and good fruits Iames 3.17 Otherwise we are not wise our wisdom descends not from above but is earthly sensuall and devillish Verse 15. Tenthly By these works of mercy we make our calling and election sure for if we do these things we shall never fall as St. Peter speaks 2 Pet. 1.7 8 10. And St. Paul infers Col. 3. Put on as the elect of God holy and beloved the bowels of mercy and kindness Verse 12. Which makes him in another place call charity a never failing grace 1 Cor. 1.8 And a little afâ—er he useth these words Now abideth Faith Hope and Charity these three but the greatest of these is Charity Verse 13. Eleventhly This is a duty which undoubtedly must justifie the truth of our religion or else condemn us as hollow hearted and swayed by hypocrisie Iames 1. This is pure religion and undefiled before God to visit the fatherless and widow in their affliction Verse 27. O that this lesson would enter home into every one of our hearts before we go out of our houses For men may cry up this side and cry down that but of all the three the Priest the Levite and the Samaritan none but the Samaritan that shewed mercy to him that was fallen into the hands of theeves was wounded and stript of his rayment was justified and approved of by our Saviour Luke 10.36 37. And indeed God so highly prizeth and esteemeth mercy and the works wherein it is exercised towards the poore that he preferreth them before the outward acts of religious duties Hosea 6.6 I desired mercy and not sacrifice that is rather then sacrifice This is the oblation which he chiefly requireth yea if we but look Micha 6. we shall fiâ—d that God esteemeth it more or above all sacrifices and burnt offerings were it thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of oyle Verse 6.7 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee to do justly to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God Verse 8 Finally these works of mercy are not onely an odor of a sweet smell and a sacrifice acceptable and well pleasing to God as the Apostle speaks Phil. 4.18 But also such an oblation as if we offer unto God with a lively faith the use of all the creatures shall be clean unto us according to that of our Saviour Luke 11 4â— See more Heb. 13.16 Isa. 58.6 7 8. Iames 1.27 And this is a Twelfth benefit CHAP. XXVIII Thirteenthly another no small benefit that we have thereby is by our bounty towards the poor we have the benefit of their prayers unto God the which are very available for the obtaining of all good things for us the which
that it shall be so For he speaks far otherwise of the unmercifull as Psal. 109. Let his children be fatherlesse and his wife a widow Let his children be continually vagabonds and beg their bread I pray mind it let them seek their bread also out of desolate places Let the extortioner catch all that he hath and let the strangers spoile all his labour Let there be none to extend mercy unto him mither let there be any to favour his fatherlesse children Let his posterity be cut off and in the generation following let their names be blotted out and the memory of them cut off from the earth Because mark the reason he remembred not to shew mercy but persecuted the poor and needy Vers 6. to 17. all which he speaks by the spirit of prophesie Though indeed we want not examples of this in every age Was not this fulfilled in Haman and is it not fulfilled daily in our experience For hence it is that riches ill got or I 'l kept shift masters so often But take some other instances out of the Scriptures of both kindes Ionathan is payd for his kindnesse to David in Mephibosheâ—h Iethro for his love to Moses in the Kenites 1 Sam. 15.6 some hundreds of years aftet he their Ancestor was dead The Aegyptians might not be unkindly dealt withall for their harbouring the Patriarchs though they afflicted their posterity But the Moabites and Ammonites were either to dye or not to enter into the congregation of the Lord to their tenth generation because they met not Gods Israel with bread and water in the wildernesse Deut. 23.3 4. God caused Soul to spare all the Kenites for that they had shewed mercy to Israel who otherwise had all of them been destroyed 1 Sam. 15 6. Another example you have in Iob 21.18 19 20. all which shewes that God usually blesseth and rewardeth the children for their fathers goodnesse The loving kindnesse of the Lord saith the Psalmist endureth for ever and ever upon them that feare him and his righteousnesse upon childrens children Psal. 103.17 And so on the other side Eternall payments God uses to require of their persons onely temporary often times of succession as we sue the Heyres and Executors of our debtors Now if this be so that what the liberall man gives his seed shall inherit then the good provision that we should make for our Children coâ—sists not so much in laying up as in laying out and more in making provision for their soules then for their bodies I confesse it is the case of niâ—e parts of the Parâ—â—ts throughout the Lâ—â—d to provide for their childrens bodies not for their soules to shew that they begat not their soules but their bodies to leave faire estates for the worser part nothing for the estate of the better part They desire to leave their children great rather then good and are more ambitious to have their sons Lords on earth than Kings in heaven But as he that provides not for their temporall estate is worse then an Infidell 1 Tim. 5.8 So he that provides not for their eternall estate is little better then a Devill The use which I would have you make of the premisses is this Let none refuse to give because they have many children but give the rather out of love to and for their childrens sakes that God who as you see hath ingaged himselfe may be their Guardian and provide and take care for them Or if not for their soules yet for thine owne For why shouldest thou love thy children better then thine owne person and in providing for them neglect thy selfe Yea why shouldst thou preferre their wealth before thine own soule and their flourishing estate in the world which is but momentany and mutable before the fruition of those joyes which are infinite and everlasting Will it not grieve and gall thy conscience another day to thinke that for getting or saving some trifles for thy posterity on earth thou hast lost Heaven or to remember that thy children ruffle it out in worldly wealth and superfluous abundance when thou shalt be stripped of all and want a drop of cold water to cool thy scorching soul in hell CHAP. XXXV Thus I might go on and inlarge my selfe upon this and add thereunto many other reasons First in regard of God Secondly in regard of Christ. Thirdly in regard of the poore Fourthly in regard of others I should also according to the order first proposed shew what are the ends to be propounded in our giving almes and lastly the severall impediments that hinder men from giving but I finde which when I fell upon it I did not foresee matter representing it selfe like those waters in Ezekiel Chap. 47. which at the first were but anckle deep and then knâ—e deep and then up to the loynes which afterwards did so rise and flow that they were as a River which could not be passed over Or like that little cloud which Elias his servant saw 1 Kings 18. Much hath been said of this subject bnt much more might be said for I could carry you a great way further and yet leave more of it before then behind But I am loth to tire my Reader or cause any to make an end before they begin as not seldome doth Addition in this case bring â—orth substraction and more writ cause lesse to be read Wherefore I will onely give you the sum of some few particulars briefly and leave the rest That little which I intend to deliver is First the neer communion that is between the poor and us with our head Christ. For besides the civill communion that is between all men as being of one fâ—â—sh the off-spring and generation of God Act. 1â— 28 9. The senâ—es of the same Father Adam and Noah and so brethren one with another and proceeding as so many flowers from one root many Rivers from one fountain many arteries from one heat many veines from one liver and many sinews from one braine And likewise of the same Country Common-wealth yea of the same City and Corporation yea perhaps neer Neighbours and parishioners every of which the Holy Ghost maketh a sufficient argument to move us to do these works of mercy in relieving the poor Isa. 5.8.6 7. There are many spirituall respects and divine relations which make a more neer communion between Christians one with another for we are elected to the same eternall life and happinesse we are not onely Gods workmanship created in Adam according to his owne glorious image but re created and restored unto the divine Image lost by Adam in Christ the second Adam we are redeemed in our soules and bodies with the same precious blood of Iesus Christ we are partakers of the same calling whereby we are chosen out of the world and gathered into the Church and communion of Saints that we may inheriâ— eternall gloâ—y together and that out of darknesse into maâ—vellous light and out of a desperate condition to be partakers
indeed if the very worst of men did but know and consider how they should pleasure themselves in being humble and thankful they would use all their possible endeavours to that end As most pleasant it is to God and most profitable to us both for the procuring the good we want and for the continuance of the good we have CHAP. XLVI INto the humble and thankful soul that giveth him abundance of glory his Spirit enters with abundance of Grace sowing there and there only plenty of Grace where he is assured to reap plenty of glory But who will sow those barren Sands where they are not only without all hope of a good Harvest but are sure to loose their Seed and Labour And in common Equity he that is unthankful for a little is worthy of nothing whereas thanks for one good turn is the best introduction to another Holy David was a man according to Gods own heart and therefore he continually miâ—â—eth with his Prayers Praises and being of a publike spirit he discovereth the secrets of this skill As when he saith Let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee then shall the earth bring forth her encrease and God even our God shall give us his blessing Psal. 67.5 6 7. When Heaven and Earth are friends then Summer and Winter Seed-time and Harvest run on their race When God was displeased what was the effect Ye have sown much and have reaped little Again when God was pleased mark the very day For from that very day I will bless you Hag. 2.15 to 20 Whensoever glory is given to God on high peace good will shall be bestowed on men below Luk. 2.14 Psal. 84.11 12. Noah gave a Sacrifice of Praise for his deliverance from the Flood And God being praised for that one deliverance he perpetuateth his blessing and promiseth an everlasting deliverance to the World from any more Floods Again it is the only way to procure Gods Blessing upon our endeavours It happened that Bernard one day made a curious and learned Sermon for which he expected great applause but received none The next time he made a plain wholsom Sermon and it was wonderfully affected liked and commended A friend of his noting it askt him what might be the reason Who answered In the one I preached Bernard in the other Christ in the one I sought to win glory and praise to my self in the other the glory of God and the salvation of souls which received blessing from above and that made the difference yea were there nothing good else in it yet this were the way to gain true honor We cannot so much honour our selves as by seeking to honour God To seek a mans own glory says Solomon is not glory Prov. 25.25.27 but to seek Gods glory is the greatest honour a man can do himself For as Cicero said of Iulius Caesar That in extolling of dead Pompey and erecting his Statues he set up his own So who are more venerably esteemed and spoken of then such as are most tender of Gods glory and least seeke their own They are the Lord 's own words to Saul They that honour me I will honour but they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 2.30 The way for a man to be esteemed the greatest is to esteem himself the least It is humility that makes us accepted both of God Man whereas the contrary makes us hated and abhorred of both The Centurion did many excellent things but he never did a Work so acceptable in the sight of Christ as was his disclaiming his own Works While Saul vvas little in his ovvn eyes God made him Head over the twelve Tribes of Israel and gave him his Spirit but when out of his Greatness he abused his Place and Gifts God took both from him and gave them to David whom Saul least respected of all his Subjects 1 Sam. 15.17.28 16.14 Other proofs of such as he will honor for honoring him you have Gen. 39.21 Zeph. 3 19 20. Dan. 2.19 to 50. as when Nebuchadnezzar sought his own honor honor departed from him and he was made like a Beast but when he sought God's honor honor came to him again and he was made a King Dan. 4.34 to the end Before honour goeth humility Prov. 15.33 But when pride cometh then cometh shame Prov. 11.2 And commonly great Works undertaken for ostentation miss of their end and turn to the Author's shame nor have any less praise then they that most hunt after it It 's true the Lord sometimes gives wicked men even what in their thoughts they ask as some desire riches onely and God gives it them with a curse some honor and dignity and they have it that their fall may be the greater others fame and reputation as loving the praise of men more then the praise of God and these have many times what they aim at they are extolled to the skies and that shall be the reward of all the good that ever they do Lastly God's people make spiritual and eternal things Grace and Glory and God's favour their onely option and they have their desire yea not seldom are riches and reputation super-added though they seek them not they seek onely God's glory on Earth as for their own glory they let that alone till they come to Heaven knowing that he onely is happily famous who is known and recorded there True he lives so well that the praise of men especially good men will follow but as I said before so say I again he wil not follow it least to gain the shadow he should lose the substance as Absolom in seeking a Kingdom lost himself CHAP. XLVII IT is a sad thing to consider how many formal Christians gulâ— themselves in thinking that Christ will reward them when they have done him no service As for example we find the Iews in the 58. of Esay urging God with their fasting as those Reprobates Luke 13. alledge unto him their preaching in Christs Name casting out Devils We have fasted say they and thou seest it not we have afflicted our selves and thou takest no notice thereof they expect some great reward but the Lord answers Have ye fasted to me No such matter and therefore sends them away empty ver 25. to 29. And so will he say unto these that perhaps do many good works for the matter of them Have ye done these and these things in love obedience and thankfulness unto me and that in Christs Name that my Name may be magnified and my People won and edified No but in love to your own credit profit and such like carnal respects and therefore look to it as you love your own souls for if in doing good and discharging our places we have served our selves and sought our selves rather then God when we come for his reward as Esau when he had brought the Venison came for the blessing making himself as sure of it as if he had had it
a great favour We would willingly do it without any reluctancy yea rather then fail we would borrow it though we had our selves many children yea there is no man when he sows his ground thinks that it is lost and cast away or so buryed in the Earth that he shal never see it more No he lookes that that should bring him in a great deal more and pay him with overplus for all his cost and this hope makes him prodigal of his Seed so that it shal have as much by his good wil as the ground can bear or bring forth And does not this plainly prove that we wil give credit to a man's Word or Bond yea that we wil trust the very ground it self rather then take God's or Christ's Bond or the Bible-Security You know the place wel enough where God hath given his Bill to you for the re-payment of what you give to the poor Prov. 19.17 He that giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord and that which he hath given he will repay him again Lo brethren the bil of Gods own hand as I may call it in which he hath both acknowledged the Debt and promised payment Be it known unto all men by this present promise That I the Lord God of Heaven Earth do own and acknowledge my self to be indebted to every merciful or liberal man all those sums of money which he hath bestowed or shal bestow in relieving the distressed to be paid back unto him whensoever he shal demand it for a Bond or Bill that names no day of payment binds to pay it at demand and to this payment wel and truly to be paid I bind my self firmly by this present promise sent sealed and delivered by Solomon my known Secretary or Scribe So that not to give readily upon this consideration is to proclaim the Lord an insufficient or a dishonest Pay-Master either that we do not believe Godâ—s â—s Promises nor give that credit unto him on his Word which we would give to a Turk or Infidel dwelling among us or that we do not esteem the payment of his spiritual Grace or Heavenly Glory vvhich together vvith pecuniary pay is super-added for current money or of equal value to these transitory trifles which we impart unto the poor for if a man of any credit should promise for the laying out of an hundred pounds that we should have Annuity of a hundred pounds a yeare for term of life how eagerly would we catch at such an offer though the quick approach of Death might make us loosers by the bargain But God promiseth that if we wil lay out our money on these uses wee shal have an hundred for one of these Earthly trifles together with Spiritual heavenly everlasting Treasures to boot in the Life to come So that it is undeniable if we do not obey the Precept of God herein we charge God with flat falshood For consider God saith he wil repay it thou saist He wil not He saith That to give is the onely vvay to have and to grovv rich yea never â—o want nor to have thy Children want Thou sayst if I give so much I shal neveâ— be rich yea I shal be a Beggar What is this but to give God the Lie and to make the excuse worse then the fault For shame then let us acknowledge the sufficiency and faithâ—ulness of God and go away assured that he wil abundantly perform more then we can imagine according to the riches of his grace in Iesus Christ. Nor can we doubt but God is as good a Debtor as a giver for if he freely give us wherewithal to lend and grace to give he wil much more pay us what we have lent and give us because we have given that is his Bounty this his Justice As what says Saint Paul God is not unrighteous that he should forget your work and labour of love which ye shewed towards his Name in that ye have ministred unto the Saints and yet minister As if hee should say that God were unrighteous if he should do so Heb. 6.10 Dost thou then love thy mony and wouldst thou have it increased Deliver it not into the hands of men saith Saint Austin who wil rejoice when they borrow and mourn when they repay it intreat that they may receive and calumniate when they should restore who may be bankrupt and cannot or deceitful and wil not pay or who wil put thee off with many delays and trouble thee with expecting as they have formerly troubled thee with their importunity in borrowing But if thou be a wise Usurer chuse God and Christ for thy Debtors who are owners of the whole world and all-sufficient sureties not subject to any casualties and just beyond all exceptions or comparison Nihil promittâ—t non reddit fidelis ille factus est debitor esto tiâ— avarus exactor as Austin on Psalm 32. And as the payment is most assured so the gain is inestimable so that we cannot lay up our wealth in a safer or better hand we cannot have a better Debtor then our Makerâ— nor a better Bond then the Bible Prov. 19.17 Luk. 6.35 CHAP. LXII BUt thou seest not this increase in thy worldly estate by giving Alms nor dost thou perceive that it brings thee any such blessedness as hath been talked of Answer This Objection makes me conclude that thou art a Miser and deservest not the name of an Alms-giver or if so let me add that if thou believest no more then thou seest why dost thou take upon thee the name of a Christian who liveth by Faith rather then by Sence For by how many secret passages can God conveigh unto thee the reward of thy Alms-deeds though he writeth no Superscription upon them to certifie thee for what it is sent it is sufficient that thou hast it and that thou knowest that he sent it As for the reasons which moved him to give these benefits unto thee he wil acquaint thee with them more particularly when he shal cal thee to make up thy recknoning Thou growest in thy stature from a Child unto a Man and thou seest not thy growing though thou perceivest that thou art grown neither knowest thou the particular time and means when or whereby thou comest to this height And thou knowest and acknowledgest that thou art nourished by thy meat though thou seest not the secret passages whereby it is carried from the stomach to the several parts nor canst tell at what time or by what food thou hast been chiefly nourished Why then hast thou not the like faith and much stronger in spiritual then thou hast in respect of natural things seeing they are much more secret and insensible and when thou hast God's promise of reward and seest it performed by his blessings multiplied upon thee why dost thou doubt or call them into question or ascribe them to thy self or other helps seeing whatsoever the means are they are of God's sending Finally if thou sayest that