haue set their rest on their Creatour and haue made him the end of their being and the meanes to the end euen a God to rule a Sauiour to redeeme and a happinesse to blesse these arise with the Image of God in their fore-heads God seeth his face in the face of their soules their workes also testifie the same for them These are clothed with pure White the Righteousnesse of Christ and the Righteousnesse of the Spirit with the first the Iustice of GOD is satisfied with the last the Mercie of God is pleased and by the last the first is adiudged to them They haue fed clothed and visited Christ in his hungry naked and imprisoned members these workes are the fruits of Loue and Loue is the fruit of Sanctification and Sanctification is an inseparable companion condition and witnesse of Iustification So by the works of Loue they are proued and approued to bee the sonnes of God who is Loue and if sonnes then also heires if heires they shall for euer dwell in the house of Glorie euen in the presence of God Their right to eternall Glory is by inheritance euen by being heires annexed with Christ but their admittance into their right is by the Euidences and Testimonies of the workes of Holinesse For it is a true Rule That none but the pure in heart can see God and againe None can be pure in heart but he must first be new begotten by God euen a sonne and heire of GOD. And now to these is sounded forth that most blessed voice which openeth the doore of eternall Felicitie a voice that consummateth that Supremest Marriage wherein Man is matched to the highest Essence the chiefest Blisse Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you In this Kingdome the ragged and filthy garment of the body of sinne the diseased infirmities of this sinful bodie the tears of oppression yea all griefe is wiped away And in stead of these Man is infinitely purified sublimated and so fitted for the presence of the highest Being In the Puritie of Holinesse hee is pure without blemish washed from guilt by the bloud of the Lambe and from corruption by the holy Ghost yea there is a new Light as a new Eye plāted in the vnderstanding exceedingly quickened and enlarged to a spacious view of Truth and Glorie Likewise new Vertue anoynteth and bedeweth the Will steeping and seasoning it in a Diuine Nature by which it excellently agreeth in harmonie with the will of God and is holy as hee is holy In the puritie of Substance the Soule shall be highly clarified vntill it be capeable of the vppermost and chiefest Light And the body shall bee lifted vp into a proportion with the Soule for the body shall then bee a spirituall Body euen a Body like a Soule euen so pure shall they both bee that they shall admit into themselues the beames of the Fountaine of Light vntill they bee filled with Light and Glorie God will bee their Sunne and hee will shine into them as into Christall and in his Light they shall haue the fulnesse of Light Then shall the Knowledge of Man ascend into Perfection farre aboue these poore pieced and patched knowledges which we call Arts and Sciences Euen the highest Degree of knowledge which in this mistie time of Ignorance Imperfection iustly holdeth the highest degree of Eminence shall then be the bottome and lownes of this new knowledge and then shall it be knowne that this kind of Learning is of vse much like to that of a Lanthorne It may doe vs seruice in this Night of Mans fall and corruption but in the Orient brightnesse of the Kingdome of Glorie the new light by surmounting it shall make it vselesse yea darken and discountenance it For whereas now wee doe but flutter about the branches and extremities of Wisdome then shall we behold Wisdome in the roote The Glorie and Fabrike of the Creature shall be seene in the Originall euen in the Creatour in whom it was first made within before it was made without In him shall wee reade the Resolution of all profitable vnknowntruths and his Wisdome shall bee a most perfect Oracle instructing all glorified and blessed Soules And with this Wisdome shall we also behold an infinite Treasure of Power and Almightinesse The right Hand and holy Arme of the Omnipotent God shall bee reuealed vnto vs and then shall wee wonder at this Power alone and not at the mightie Wonders which this Power hath done for then shal we plainly see that such Power might well worke such Wonders And while wee view and consider this Power the Power of GOD will point vs to the loue of God For so meane a thing as Man may well bee amazed at so infinite Power and Maiestie but that at once with the power there appeares an infinite Loue which tells the Soule that though Power not matched with Loue be a Terror yet tempred with loue it is the very Safetie Rest and Blisse of Soules beloued For as much power as there is in God so much is God able to blesse those whom hee loues and as much loue as there is in GOD so much willing is hee to blesse those whom by his Power hee is so much able to blesse Thus from Gods Wisdome his Power his Loue and his Light issue continuall obiects and spectacles of Ioy. Yet is not this all of that which cannot all be expressed For this whiles there flowes from the Deitie into the Heart of Man a most pleasant streame of the gladding Spirit wherein is the extremest power vertue of reioycing This is the new Wine of the Kingdome of Heauen which makes the Soule drunken with high comforts raptures and extasies which inward comforts meeting and clasping with outward ioyes fill vp a Man with an excesse of Ioy and Happinesse that he shall be euen swallowed vp and ouer-rauished with Ioy. And yet their Happinesse stinteth not for there is an addition of a most delectable and soule-pleasing Harmonie Harmonie is a chiefe pleasure and the most excellent Harmonie is the chiefest of this chiefe pleasure and the most excellent Harmonie is the chiefest of this chiefe Pleasure and the Harmonie of the most excellent Essences is the most excellent Harmonie and the most excellent Essences are Spirits and the Harmonie of Spirits is in the Kingdom of glory This Musike of Spirits exceedingly exceedeth the Musike of mortall voices yea that chiefe Musike of hearts which between men is called Friendship and betweene Man Wife is called marriage-Marriage-Loue is but a counterfeit resemblance and carries but some small rellishes of that Diuine and Celestiall Harmony For in the Quire of Heauen the Saints and Angels euen the blessed Spirits agree in a perfect Vnison of Truth and Loue. Their vnderstandings think one thing their hearts euen their wils loue themselues and their companions with one loue They delight themselues each in other especially all in God For as there is between themselues a perfect consent so there is also a true agreement between these Spirits and the chiefest Spirit which is the very top of pleasure and delight What perfection can be higher then that of the highest Creatour And how can a Creature bee more perfect then when he is consorted tuned to this highest perfection God speaketh to the hearts of these blessed Soules and the hearts of these blessed Soules thinke and vtter thoughts agreeable to the heart of GOD. God that saw his Workes of Creation that they were good and pleased himselfe in their goodnesse Now beholdeth his worke of Blessing and Glorification and reioyceth in the rest ioy which he hath giuen to his Beloued The glorified Soules behold and admire the Goodnesse and Mercie of God that gaue not only the workes of the six daies but the rest of the Seuenth to rebellious dust and sinful ashes In the infinite Loue of God their loue still steepeth and drowneth it selfe and the more it seeth the Loue of God the more it loues God and the more it loues God the more it is beloued And out of the feeling of this surpassing Loue of God breake out those Songs of Ioy and Voyces of Exultation Glory and Honour and Prayse bee to him that sitteth on the throne to the Lamb for euermore And Halleluiah For the Kingdome of the Lord God Almightie is come And Let vs be glad and reioyce and giue Glorie to God for the Marriage of the Lambe is come his Wife is readie and shee is arayed in pure and shining Silke And yet this felicitie is not all but that it may bee as long as it is large and as infinite in continuance as it is in extent there issues from the Deitie into the glorified Soules the sap and nourishment of an eternall Life The Tree of Life nourisheth eternally the branches of the same Tree Death is swallowed vp into victory and it selfe dyeth by the Word which is Life But the Soules partakers of God from him who is Eternall doe sucke Eternitie and so become that Kingdome whereof there is no end And yet this is not all of that inexpressible Felicitie but the greatest and chiefest is yet left in silence for that must needs be greatest which cannot enter into the heart of Man But let the transcendence of that which is vnknowne be a double spurre vnto vs in this Race of Happinesse one because it is transcendent another because vnknowne Let the Eminence prouoke our Ambitions the Secrecie our Curiosities Let vs desire and striue earnestly to enter into that which now by reason of wonderfull excellence cannot enter into vs. Let vs indeuour carefully to walke in the light of Grace which will bring vs to the full Reuelation of the yet inaccessible light of Glorie where Happinesse shall at once bee fully knowne and fully enioyed In the meane time it may be sufficient for me to discouer That the Soules seated in Beatitude passe their time which shall neuer bee past in the very top of Blisse and Delectation They laugh at sorrowes past and are secure for infinite ioyes to come God is theirs and they are Gods and in this Vnitie is the fulnesse of Felicitie FINIS
yeeres more perchance not twentie not ten And not much otherwise the Lawyer and Marchant fret out one halfe of their time in Education Labours and Aduentures that they may be rich the other halfe yea peraduenture a very short part of their time remayning And wilt not thou spend so much more time gladly willingly in expectation of an infinite Glorie which no time can end nor measure can limit Surely an endlesse incomparable happinesse is well worthy of a short lifes patience and expectation especially when the same life is so often worne out in expectation oftemporall vncertayne things But indeede wee deceiue our selues in this matter for this is not our disease that we cannot stay but that wee doe not verily see and beleeue that which being beleeued would easily giue vs a patient willingnesse to stay if we beleeued that there were such an vnmatchable felicity prepared for vs wee might indeede somewhat eagerly long to beat it but withall the assured hope of it would support vs ioyfully in the deferring of it For most true is that which is spoken of hope Hope maketh not ashamed that is it suffers not to be disheartned to be confounded but it keepes vp the heart from sinking and makes it beare vp in troubles present by the expectation of ioyes to come And this common experience shewes vs in worldly actions and sufferings for hope hath borne out mankinde through paynes almost intolerable vnto comforts stedfastly seene apprehended by it Wherefore doe not make a fault of the futurenesse of thy happinesse but finde and amend the true fault of thy beliefe hope Yet neither are wee altogether thrust vpon hope but euen in this life haue wee some fruition of this happinesse and the priuiledges thereof For as before euen here haue wee a crany opened by which some beames of the diuine Glory shine into our hearts giue vs a glimpse of that whereof hereafter we shall haue a full inioying They that haue had but such flashes of happinesse haue beene rauished vp in heauenly trances far aboue the world and haue as much despised the world as the world hath despised these ioyes They haue cryed out as men that haue taken possession of true rest and felicitie let vs here build vp our Tabernacles Surely as there is nothing more comfortable to the bodily sight then beholding the Sunne shining in his glorie so nothing can bee more comfortable to the sight of the soule then to behold the Sunne of the Sunne euen that high and purest Light which shineth vpon the Sunne and all other things that shine but especially on Spirits himselfe being a Spirit Againe the very substance of the Spirit in vs is a kinde of heauenly oyle which makes glad not so much the face as the very heart of Man It hath in it a taste and rellish of the Deitie and therefore aboue all other this is the true oile of gladnesse The heart anointed herewith as it finds a light to guide it and a vertue mouing it to good and freeing it from the slauerie of sinne so also it feeleth in it selfe a blessed rest an heauenly Sabbath a ioy glorious and vnspeakable an harmonie peace with God which passeth all vnderstanding Hence come those vehement pangs and expressions of loue ioy vttered by the Spouse of Christ and penned by the wisest of men which flesh knoweth not how to vnderstand but by the flesh but the spirituall Man that discerneth all things fully discerneth and rellisheth them as spirituall truths From the sound of this harmony come those dancings and exultations of many of the sonnes of God who for this ioy of heart haue danced before him who hath filled them with ioy But then flesh and bloud seeing onely the dance and not hearing the musike mocketh and despiseth the effect whereof it sees not the cause But the Beholder of hearts knowes these motions of the heart to be chiefly reasonable and therfore principally allowes them And indeede how should they not be approued since this ioy is from the best and this ioy is in the best and therefore must needs be the very best ioy It is a ioy beyond the reach of mortall power yea beyond the reach of infernall power a ioy which no man nay nothing can take from vs. It is a boord in shipwracke a refuge in trouble a retyring place from the powers of darkenesse Besides these blessings wee haue another blessing the Authour of these and all other euen an vnion with God who is blessednes This blessednes is spirituall seene and felt by the spirituall It is seene by the eye of the soule while it beholds a godly Nature euen the seede of God powred into the heart of Man otherwise wholly polluted with the lust of Generation It is felt chiefely in the will and affections while in them a filiall loue ioy and feare is perceiued toward God who before was regarded as a stranger but now as a father who now is the end and rule of our conuersation but before was put farre below the satisfaction of Lust and Concupiscence And from this vnion the feeling of this vnion proceedes both that strength of Christians that the gates of Hell cannot preuaile against them and that strong confidence that if God kill them yet they will trust in him And why they are assured that God is with them and then they are also as much assured that if God bee with them nothing can bee against them except it bee to bee conquered by them For he that is in vs is stronger then hee or all they that be in the world to this vnion with God we may adde another vnion with the sons of God The first was the vnion of a Father and a Childe and this is a vnion of Brethren for it is a spirituall Brotherhood Euery sonne of God hath all Gods sonnes to his bretheren And as many bretheren so many friends so many louers so many helpers So many that reioyce in his comforts so many that bewaile his troubles so many to incourage him standing so many to raise him being falne so many to aduise him in doubts so many to releeue him in necessities In summe the true children of God euer were and stil are of one heart and minde louing and beloued They account themselues as one therefore no part of this vnitie can lacke what the other part thereof inioyeth Hee that is a son hath in him this loue and hee that hath not this loue in him is not a sonne for he must needes loue his spirituall kindred who is spiritually begotten Hee must needes loue them because of Vnitie because of Vniformitie because of Puritie and because the Spirit which begets him is the Spirit of Loue. And as we haue an interest in our brethren so haue wee in their prayers they stil commend vs to God and many times when our owne deadnesse of heart doth slacke the hand of GOD toward vs their feruency
entertaynement of blessednesse and thus knowing God in Christ euen to the welcomming of the Spirit resting on him resigning our selues to him wee sucke happines from him who is both the Fountaine the Conduit of happinesse Hauing done this I know not how to inioyne thee more though happines be infinitly more worth for how can Man giue more then all And how can hee receiue more then all saluation and a whole Sauiour But if thou dost not this thou art short of that which thou art able to doe And Mercy that accepts the vtmost of thy little power will not accept a voluntary defect scantnesse Now this great dependance fixing and surrender of the whole soule to the whole Sauior is that blessed affiance trust and beliefe Famous in holy wisdome for knitting soules vnto the same Sauiour Which as it hath beene approued because it is the highest fullest and mightiest indeuour of the soule so also it is iustified by the fitnesse it hath of receiuing and by the fitnesse and proportionablenes it hath with Christs manner of entring It is fit to receiue for the eye of the soule being fixed in Christ stands as an open window readie to receiue him who enters by a lightsome and illuminating Spirit The eye of the Spouse thus in lightned reflects the light to him which sent it and with spirituall glances shootes the arrowes of loue into the heart of her beloued so that hee confesseth Thou hast wounded my heart with one of thine eyes And no otherwise the wil wholly willing desiring and gasping after Christ is a doore wide opened to receiue the same Christ entring into vs by a quickning and sanctifying Spirit Yea the Will hath in it a power to hold and knit what it hath receiued euen by a knot of vnitie So the heart of IONATHAN was knit vnto DAVID and the Spouse of Christ is knit vnto Christ and runnes after him as one tyed vnto him and drawne by the cords of this vnitie And surely the soule thus knitting it selfe vnto Christ Christ also knitteth himself vnto the soule and this is the knot of happines Then begins that Song of ioy I am my Wel-beloueds and my Wel-beloued is mine To confirme this we haue also diuers promises which haue told vs that hee who giues happinesse will enter with the gift of happinesse into this posture and station of the soule GOD himselfe hath promised the Seekers to find and the Hungrie to be filled and the Sellers of all for the Treasure of happinesse to be the Buyers of that Treasure for which they sold all Hee telleth the Vnderstanding that to know God and his Sonne Christ is Life eternall and that in the knowledge of God is Mans chiefest glorying and therefore by the knowledge of God is mans chiefest happinesse Hee telleth the Will and Affections I will be found of them that seeke me euen of them that seeke mee with their whole heart Hee that cleaueth to God by a strong vehement loue shall dwell in his holy Mountayne He that cōmeth to Christ that is vpon the feete of the soule which can bee no other then these two the Vnderstanding and Will shall neuer thirst Let vs therefore goe out of our selues as out of tabernacles of miserie and leaue a large and open roome for him to enter who is the fulnesse of infinite felicitie Next if wee consider Christs manner of entring Christ enters into vs killing and giuing life killing our old nature and begetting in vs a new These workes are chiefly and fundamentally wrought in the vnderstanding will But if the vnderstanding know not Christ to be happinesse it will not stand still to haue the filme of naturall blindnesse taken from it neither to haue an vnknowne light and wisedome contrary to the old nature infused into it If the will bee not wholly deuoted to Christ as to the soueraigne Good and doe not trust in him alone as the only giuer of this soueraigne Good it wil neuer suffer the fleshly nature which hath so much delighted it to be cut off slaine by the sword of the Spirit nor a new inclination to be inspired into it by which it shall be subiect to Lawes and Commandements and things future and vnseene shal be wholly preferred before things present visible But if Christ bee knowne willed and trusted as our chiefest good and the way vnto it then let him enter circumcising cutting and slaying Our heart is only on our happinesse Hee may doe what he will so we may obtaine that blessed obiect of our vnderstandings and wills Againe our vnion with Christ is by a spirituall marriage Now let vs consider how such a marriage may most fitly be made Surely wee must first know him to be the fairest of men to be anoynted with the beatificall oyle of gladnesse and happinesse aboue all his fellowes and then forgetting our fathers house euen all the pleasures of the old ADAM we must wholly fasten our hearts on him and wholly cleaue vnto him resoluing to be his alone and to put our selues wholly vnder his shaddow protection and then the King will haue pleasure in our beautie Yea he will loue vs and come and dwell with vs If Christ bee the light of our eyes and the ioy of our hearts If his loue be pleasanter then Wine euen all earthly Comforts If it bee hee alone whome our soule loueth If we take delight and sit downe vnder his shaddow Cant. 2. 3. Then will hee set vs as Signets vpon his hand and as seales vpon his heart he will bring vs into the marriage Chamber and call vs his Loue his Doue and his Spouse Loue shall bee his Banner ouer vs this fruit shall bee sweet to our mouth and wee shall be no longer two but one flesh and one Spirit Now if this great affiance which worketh dedication resignation and so an application of the Soule yea of the whole Man vnto Christ bee the Key of our harts which openeth those euerlasting Doores that the King of glorie may enter in let vs take heed that this Key bee put home into the locke that our hearts be fully opened vnto him otherwise as much of our hearts as is shut vnto him so much of happinesse is shut out of vs. Let vs bee carefull that this Key of Faith bee not stayed and stopt within our vnderstandings but let it proceede to our wills and affections and make way to the bottome of our hearts that Christ may enter iust as far euen to the bottom For as far as this Faith enters so farre Christ followes And as far as Christ enters happinesse followes Therefore let not thy faith leaue entring vntill it hath made made roome inough for Christ to take vp his full rest in thee It seemes that the vnderstanding is but the Porch but the Will attended vvith the Affections is the chiefe roome of Christs rest and residence When the will is so seasoned by Faith that it hateth all felicities
Religion let thy companie to such a one be a conuersation of reproofe and the doctrine of SIMON PETER to SIMON MAGVS or let it bee no companie at all These are they for whom chiefly the Name of God is ill spoken of among our Heathen Christians These be they that set Religion to the basest lowest seruice euen to the attendance and supportation of sinne which of all things else it most hateth and detesteth These be they that make Religion to bee most dangerous and hurtfull to those who haue most Religion if withall they haue not the wisedome to discern Spirits These be they that vse the Word of God to aduance prosper their owne wickednes and consequently their owne damnation and certainly their damnation sleepeth not but euery Sermon which they heare increaseth their heape of wrath against the Day of wrath Now as wee should generally apply our selues vnto the societie of the Saints so should we striue to bring Saints into the places of neerest vse and societie For goodnes being so neere vs will continually bee doing good vnto vs. Whereas on the contrarie gracelesnesse by the continuance of conuersation will be still infecting quenching and killing of grace Ancient examples of wretched Memory haue confirmed this at large the greatest and the broadest miseries hauing beene brought on mankind by the mischiefe of such infectious societie There was but one man at the first and in him was all mankinde and in him all mankind fell into destruction by his beleeuing a seduced wife and their both associating and beleeuing a seducing Serpent Yea there is before vs but one great World and by the conuersation of the daughters of men with the sonnes of God this world was both corrupted and drowned After that deluge there was but one Nation chosen by God as a pattern and Master-piece of the World in which God by miracles precepts mounted and improued mankind to his vtmost height to see what Man could doe towards his owne happinesse and saluation this chiefe Nation yea the chiefest one of that Nation became abominably sinfull by conuersing with sinners And can a part thinke to stand where the whole hath falne Or can our weaknes thinke to ouer-come that enemie before whom such strength and wisdome lies vanquished and subdued It cannot be expected Our vaine and groundlesse presumptions may puffe vs vp with an opinion of conquering but that very presumption is the mayne thing that by such perswasions leades vs to bee conquered and by telling vs of Victorie it leades vs on valiantly to be beaten And let vs assuredly beleeue this that if there bee the like prophane marrying and the like taking in marriage as there was in the dayes of NOE the like eating and drinking euen such wicked heathenish good fellowship the world that now is will bee as ripe for Fire as it was then for Water it will haue as much need of burning as it had then of drowning But let the wise of heart hasten this day rather by their prayers then their sinnes and to preuent sin let them walke as sonnes of Light with the children of Light and haue no fellowship with the works or workers of darknesse I know right well that the fewnesse of those who enter into the straight gate doth impose vpon vs a difficultie of fitting our selues round with the societie of Saints I know also that the necessities of this life doe forcibly carry vs into the companies of prophane godlesse men Yet let vs remember to striue stil for the best to account the euill as thornes in our sides and let vs finde willingly a trouble vexation in their companie but neuer satisfaction rest and contentment Let our hearts bee to the Saints still euen to the seede of the Womans seed and let there euer be a horror in vs and reluctation against the seede of the Serpent Let vs doe our indeuor cōtinually to vnwinde our selues from the wicked and from the need of their societie And let vs take heed that we doe not too easily despaire of accommodating our vses and occasions by some of those sanctified few especially in that place of neerest Vnion which requires but one and that one in the Lord GOD hath promised the seekers to find and that hee will withhold no grace nor blessing from them which seeke blessings for his Glorie To conclude conuerse also with the dead heare and reade their Actions and Sayings thou shalt finde that the dead will quicken the dead as the dead Prophet did the dead Souldier The spirit of the dead will enter into thy dead heart when thou considerest their excellent Actions and heauenly Meditations The zealous heate of their spirits remaineth yet in their words and actions and by these will enter into thee to raise thee vpto the same degree of feruence in the Spirit The first Loue was the best Loue and the first louers were the best louers The Apostles that were neerest to Christ were neerest to him in Loue those that succeeded the Apostles in time succeeded them best in Loue for then did the Kingdome of Heauen suffer greatest violence I know that God is stil mightie in his Saints but I know also that in these first times the fire of Loue was more generally vehement for then they did euen dote vpon Martyrdome and by their forwardnesse of suffering daunted many times the fury of their Persecutors But on the other side it hath beene fore-told that in these last Times Loue shall waxe cold and men shall loue pleasures more then God whereupon the World shall bee consummate Therefore let our cold Loue warme it selfe by the communion of their hote Loue and let no man so much condemne the Fathers for Errours as admire and imitate them for Zeale Let vs be followers of them that followed so vehemently after Christ yea of all such which since their daies and euen at this day haue beene followers of those followers of Christ. Thus compassed with a cloud of witnesses the testimonies of their loue will powerfully perswade vs to cast away all that presseth down and the sinne which hangeth so fast on and to runne more actiuely and swiftly in the race of Pietie Glorie which is set before vs. CHAP. IX Of Humilitie TO increase in the Spirit and so to grow in happinesse wee must carrie about vs a perpetuall Humilitie For Humilitie is the Fore-runner of Grace and it neuer goes before but Grace followes after This excellent Vertue casts out the old ADAM and makes roome for the New it puts away the fulnesse by which wee are full of our selues and so makes place for Christ that we may bee full of his Spirit Man as before hath gotten a God-head into him hee is filled and puffed vp with his knowledge of good euil euen with a selfe-happines which keeps out the true Happinesse God will not haue any gods but himselfe neither will he allow Man to haue two Felicities but he
Truth which vsually by Multitude is most forsaken There is a sure saying that a competent portion fit to defend vs from hunger and nakednesse that is a measure able to serue and satisfie our naturall vses hath attayned the fulnesse of the substantiall goodnes thereof Wee are trauayling thrugh this world to death if we haue enough to beare our necessarie charges by the way how is not superfluity rather a burthen then a comfort to a trauayler whatsoeuer is beyond our vse wee can but behold with our eies or put a vaine confidence in it which often hath deceiued those that trusted in it for euen that which they haue put their trust in hath been the same thing that hath betrayed them Therefore it is fit that care and feare as commonly they do should accompanie Abundance as well as Pride and Confidence And if so then what a motley and minggled happines ariseth from a doubtfull and carefull superfluitie And surely very commonly and very iustly the owners of this excesse are called miserable For besides that it often deliuers them vp into the hands of miserie it makes them most wretched in themselues because most wretched to themselues There is a beastly kinred betweene the heart of man money and this kinred begets such a loue that the heart will goe neere to starue it selfe before it will part from its most beloued obiect Yea money begets the loue of money and stirs vp the affection in such a vehemencie towards it that pos session doth inflame the desire and not satisfie it Now what can giue rest to such a miserable Soule when obtayning which in other things giues some though short satisfaction yet to this man it giues new appetite farther motion a longer busines yet this aboundance thus brought forth by the Mid-wiferie of torment and perplexitie many times flyes away like an Eagle by the following generations Folly or Luxurie and this certainly is a great vanity and wretchednesse of riches that they are so often left to a foolish sonne who is lesse kin to a true wise man then an honest stranger that somtimes they are left to a sonne that is no sonne and sometimes left and there is not a second to enioy them Howsoeuer left they must bee euen all things wherin thou hast shewed thy selfe wise and industrious and that to some who laboured not in them to some whom thou knowest not after two or three generations therefore knowest not whether they shal be wise or foolish whether they shall perform thy purposes and desires with thy substance yea whether they shall turne it into the price of a Whore or a Dogge which both are an abomination in the sight of Wisedome But if riches might escape all this succeeding miserie yet is not the present possessor of them happy The common miserie of man laies claime to all and will not bee bought out by Riches Therefore the Rich man shall meete with crosses losses in friends or estate he shall be sicke in minde and sicke in body yea fulnesse it selfe shall make him sicke in both And if hee might escape all this yet riches which are the Seruants of his body cannot make his soul happy which is better then the bodie for farre be it from the soule to finde her happinesse in her seruants seruant especially such a fugitiue vagabond vncertaine seruant These massie and grosse riches are too course an obiect for a pure and spirituall Essence they carry no likenesse or proportion vnto it and therefore can giue the soule no addition of her naturall pleasure or profit much lesse of her perfect happinesse wherein shee must haue a part so farre greater then the body as shee is more excellent then it CHAP. V. Of Knowledge BVT some morall Wizzard will tell mee that Knowledge hath some high priuiledge aboue Miserie and such a one as can giue Happinesse to this in spight of it vnhappy life Indeede knowledge is a dim light which is better then very darknesse It hath an excellency as dawning aboue night but though it be better it is not that chiefe good which can make vs happy It may indeede bee vsed as an instrument for the discouery of happinesse though seldome it bee put to that vse But in it selfe neither in any thing created shall it euer be able to discouer it Yea rather it shall finde in it selfe and in all things of this world many imperfections and faylings of those iust conditions absolutely necessarie to bee found in Mans soueraign good Our knowledge is but of a short reach the things beyond it are infinitely more then the things on this side of it Therfore when knowledge is come to a supposed perfection a speciall qualitie of it is to know it selfe to be imperfect euen those things which are within the compasse of it it searcheth by piece-meale part after part as one that reades a great Volume in the darke with a Glow-worm which shews him but letter after letter so a great deale of trouble goes to a very little profit Hence are our Sciences but many littles pieced together while the great body of truth wisedome stands beyond our sight and by the incomprehensiblenesse thereof accuseth our knowledge euen to it selfe of weakenesse as the glorie of the Sunne doth our eies by dazeling them And this magnified little knowledge which we haue what extraordinarie vātage doth it bring vnto Man Surely it often bestowes vexation on the owners of it and by increasing increaseth sorrow for to the greatest knowledge the vanitie and miserie of man doth present it selfe in a most full apparance yea great knowledges vsually take vp afore-hand euils to come and make them present Hence it is that many learned Philosophers haue vexed their liues with the consideration of their deaths which many ignorant and sturdy Clowns without premeditation haue vnder-taken with more ease as missing the troubles of anticipation haue dispatched with lesse businesse and wrastling as being hood-winked with a blinde contentment to doe as their fathers haue done before them For this cause also some of our greatest knowers haue winked against knowledge and haue desired that ignorance should coozen them of their griefs to which knowledge would continually and lowdly awake them Surely when the knowledge of man hath discouered throughout this frame of the world an excellent wisdome and order when it sees that there is an excellent beautie in the face of Goodnesse yea some excellence in knowledge it selfe how must not this needes torment the heart of the knower while the same knowledge seeth also the actions of mankinde to runne so madly and confusedly whiles it sees Iustice or at least Power treading vpon the face of goodnesse and exalting wickednesse while it sees an vndistinguishing chance to come vnto all and finally while knowledge seeth knowledge despised and yet not able to helpe it selfe not any of those euils which it sees Certainly these things are a vexation of minde to the men
doth cause his countenance to shine fauourably on vs. Finally if the name of friendship bee sweet if loue on earth be a chiefe comfort and againe if the friendship and loue of good men of men wise in the chiefest wisedome of men true single in heart be the eminence of this eminent comfort then haue we all this in the Saints and sonnes of God For these are our friends vnto the death yea after death their loue is more equal stable then the loue of Women For goodnesse they are the salt of the world and without them the world is vnsauourie for wisedome they haue that chiefe wisedome which is to know and obtaine the soueraigne Good and for truth they haue that sincerity of heart which may giue rest to the heart that puts confidence in them Wherefore if it be a speciall addition in matches to match into a good family let vs know that in our marriage with our Sauiour wee match into the best family in the world the family of Saints euen a house-hold of Loue of Faith of Holinesse and of Happinesse Besides by our vnion with Christ we haue a new right in the Creatures We were disinherited by the fault of our first Parents and no part of our Fathers goods belonged vnto vs so the vse of Gods Creatures was a very robbery of God for it carried a meere absurditie that they whose liues were a continuall enmitie against God should preserue the same wicked liues by the benefits of GOD. Therefore the despisers of God haue no title in regard of God to the Creatures of God And though in regard of men they may seeme to haue a propertie in them it being not in the iudgement of men to define who is not and shall not bee the Child of God yet hereafter by the iudgement of God which shall make hidden things manifest it shall plainly appeare that this propertie was not by right but by vsurpation and by the long suffering of a most patient God And then shal they be cast into prison vntill they haue paid the vtmost farthing for their vnlawfull vse of the blessings of GOD. I must confesse they haue these benefits that in the greatest abundance but it is no otherwise then a prodigall borrower hath heapes of money lent or rather as a thiefe hath bags of treasure stolne The repayment of the borrower makes the remembrance of the heapes lothsome vnto him because the more they were the greater is the burthen and account The arraignment of the Thiefe makes him to curse the hugenesse of his bags for the greater the theft the harder the pardon and the more strict his sentence Therefore as in the things of this world there hath beene an honest wise and safe Prouerbe that a little of a mans owne is better then a great deale of another mans so in the Words of God we shall find a holier wiser and safer Prouerbe that a little thing to the Righteous yeelds more stedfast and vndoubtfull contentment then the greatest reuenues of the wicked can yeeld to their vnfaithfull vngrounded consciences And no maruel for they take the goods without the leaue of the Owner and transport them to the seruice of his Enemies fleshly lusts and an aduersarie angell and what shall the Lord of these things doe when hee commeth to iudgement Hee must needes render vengeance in flaming fire to these that haue robbed him of his Creatures and of the seruice and glorie due by them But they that are one with Christ are one with him who is true Heire of all things Al things were made by him and therefore all things are his owne and by our marriage with him wee haue a right in his goods Therefore truely may wee say If Christ bee ours all things bee ours for he whose all things are is ours And by his owne reason if hee giue vs the greatest gift which is himselfe hee cannot with-hold from vs the lesser which is his Creatures Besides these there is also a continual eie of Fatherly prouidence that watcheth ouer vs. The Redeemer of Israel is the Watchman of Israel and the Watchman of Israel doth not slumber or sleepe but at all times beholdeth all his flocke As the Sunne seemeth directly to behold looke on euery man that looketh vp to the Sunne so and much more doth the eye of GODS prouidence settle it selfe fully on euery one that is indeed a Man euen a Man of God which with the eye of his soule still looks vp vnto his God And then by his prouidence God doth hedge him about in safetie for hee seeth his dangers to preuent them and his necessities to releeue them The same prouidence sends some-times good Angels to gard him and when hee wanders it sends buffetting Angels to beate him home into the path of happinesse and through the diuers exercises of humiliation and exaltation it keepes him in one steadie course to his soueraigne Good Surely it is an especiall comfort to an heauenly Souldier to performe his seruice in the sight of his Prince whose eye incourageth him fighting valiantly whose power reseueth him being oppressed and whose bountie scores vp all his aduentures and sufferings vnto a finall reward And this reward is of such a glorie that the highest degree of suffering is not worthy of the least and lowest degree of this Glorie Lastly though it bee hard to giue a taste of Gods blessing in this life the Spirit of Christ besides the light of direction and clarification besides the Oyle of gladnesse besides that highest and supremest Vnion it giues also to the members of Christ a Testimoniall and Patent of their saluation and happinesse The light of direction somtimes growes dimme the light of glorie and the vanishing brightnesse are often extinguished the sauour of the oyntment for which the Virgin-Spouse doth loue her Lord Christ Iesus somtimes is drawn vp into heauen and the feeling of that Diuine Vnion is for a time wholly lost But though heauen and earth do passe yet one word of God cannot passe Now the Word of Gods Spirit is the Word of God for God speaketh to vs by his Spirit If therefore that Spirit hath giuen thee his testimonie that thou art the sonne of God if it haue shewed thee thy Regeneration and caused thee to behold the true Image of God thy Father in thee from henceforth thou mayst feare and serue God without feare euen without the feare of totall and finall desertion The seede of this Regeneration is like the Father of it an immortall God and an immortall Seede therefore it cannot die if once it hath had life in thee Then though the windowes of thy Soule be shut vp that no light can shine into thee though the voice of ioy and gladnesse bee not heard yea though thy owne corruption stand vp before thine eyes like a Wall or Mount of separation betweene thee and thy God yea though the terrors of God doe seeme to fight against thee
but God but willeth and desireth him as the onely felicitie when the will toward the attaynment of this felicitie dependeth trusteth and leaneth on no other meanes but Christ Iesus but on Christ it resteth fully as the onely Mediator of happinesse when the will toward the attaynment of Christ and the vertues of his mediation yeeldeth it selfe vp to no other humane inuention but fully and wholly surrenders it selfe to the holy Ghost regenerating newbegetting then is Christ sealed in thy heart hee is come into thee and his feet tread on the very bottome of thy soule Thou hast taken vp thy rest in him and hee hath taken vp his rest in thee and this is the inward Sabbath of this life and an earnest beginning of the eternall Sabbath Accordingly hee calls out vnto Man My sonne giue mee thy heart for in the hearts of men is the Throne of his Kingdome and except hee raigne in our hearts wee cannot raigne in his glorie Thy knowledge of God in Christ must not bee dead but effectuall and working and the worke thereof must be the kindling of a seruent loue dependance and affiance in thy will and affections Thy will againe must worke by this dependance and loue and the worke thereof must be a dedication and resignation of all vnto God in Christ taking possession of thee by the Spirit Till thou commest to this point thou art short of happinesse For this is the Centre of descending to the Spirit of Christ and in the very ground of the hart doth the Spirit onely fasten his rootes Wherefore giue the inmost of thy heart to the Spirit of blessednes and know that in giuing thou dost rather receiue then giue For thy gift is but the gift of a sinfull heart that which belongeth to it and serueth it But thy receit is the receit of the Spirit of Life Ioy eternal Wherefore it concernes thee not to be niggardly to thy own soule for as much of thy soule as thou keepest so much of it thou losest and as much as thou giuest so much dost thou crowne with happines Thou maist perchance thinke it inough to beleeue he is thine but if thou haue no better warrant then such a thought hee may not bee thine For thou beleeuest that hee is thine too soone if thou beleeuest it before this worke of faith hath in some measure wrought home vpon thee It is not a rash presumption nor a bare thought that can snatch at Christ make him thine it must cost thee thy selfe before thou haue him The getting of Christ is by the way of traffike thou must not thinke wholly to gaine vpon him but as much as wee would haue him to bee ours so much must wee striue to yeeld our selues to bee his CHRISTS Kingdome is a Kingdome of power and hee will enter into thee as a King of power and it is not a bare imagination that makes way for this Kingdome but an affiance of the heart which actually and effectually surrenders vs vp to his Scepter and Rule Therefore the best way is hereby to get him first into thee and after to beleeue he is thine Many haue lost Christ because not hauing him they thought they had him For they sought not him whom they thought they had and so lost him who is found by seeking But on the other side if thou hast felt the depth of this faith though in a narrow breadth know that Christ is thine for whom thou hast ceased to be thine owne As much as thou hast gone out of thy selfe to possesse him so much hath he entred into thee to posesse thee so much as thou leauest to Christ yeeldest thy selfe to the renew ing of his Spirit so much dost thou knit Christ vnto thee and so much thou drawest yea suckest his Spirit into the innermost part of thy soule Hee who is Goodnesse it selfe and dyed for vs when we were sinners cannot restraine his Spirit from vs when with a full trust wee haue cast our selues wholly vpon him and with a whole resignation haue giuen vp our selues fully vnto him Hee who is Loue cannot resist loue but hee is ouercome and taken by the feruour of our hungrie and thirstie soules giues vs to drinke freely of the waters of Life Christ is the Phisician of our soules and to be cured by him we must deale with him as with a Phisician Now to be cured by a Phisician it is not inough only to beleeue that the Phisician can cure vs nor that hee will cure vs but this confidence in the Phisician must worke in vs a willingnesse and resolution to take and admit his receits by which he may cure vs. Euen so it is betweene Christ and our sicke soules it is not inough barely to think that Christ can cure vs or that hee will cure vs but our beliefe must open the mouth of our soules to receiue his medicines giuen vs in the Cup of saluation This Cup of saluation is the Spirit by which he communicates to vs his Redemption his Holinesse his Eternitie Therefore must we so belieue that we receiue Christ for such onely as receiue him haue the prerogatiue to bee the sonnes of God so must we beleeue that we bee baptized with the holy Ghost for those onely who are so baptized shall bee saued And if we thus beleeue hee who neuer sent away any vncured of their corporall infirmities that sought him here on earth surely hee will not denie his sauing health to any beleeuing soule that thus heartily thirsts after him sitting in heauen For the spirituall phisicke was Christs truest most proper profession and the cure of bodies was especially to draw our faith thereby to behold beleeue receiue his cure of soules Therefore especially yee sicke soules bee of good comfort for you the Master calleth especially But when yee come to him remember that yee desire to bee cured of the whole spirituall maladie euen of sin and of sinfulnesse of the corruption of sinne as well as of the guilt and miserie that follow it For Christ will enter into none to cure the death of sin but withall hee will giue death vnto sinne neither will he by his Spirit giue any one the Life of glorie to whom by the same Spirit hee doth not first giue the life of Pietie CHAP. II. How a Man may get this facultie which vniteth Man to God BVt Man is brutish and sensuall both in vnderstanding will and so it is impossible for him while he is such to discerne a spirituall happinesse and the meanes of attayning it and much more hard it is to esteeme and loue the one or other Hee beleeues that which hee sees he loues that which he tastes and feeles but his grosse palate doth not rellish this celestiall and vnpalpable happines Therefore Man must bee lifted vp aboue this low estate of sensuall and carnall knowledge and to effect this there needes a second hand of the first
Creator If the bodily sight be extinguished He which made the first sight can only make a new and when the eye of the soule is so farre put out that it seeth not him that made it He that made it only can giue it a new sight whereby himselfe may bee seene Wherefore if thou which readest thus farre yet beleeuest not what thou readest I wonder not for I know what thou art I looke not that blindnesse should see or carnalitie should sauour spirituall ioyes Thou art bounded with thy owne flesh which is thy Horizon limit of discerning Thy candle cannot see thorow the thicke Lanterne of thy bodie to perceiue the mysterie of the blessednes of Spirits nor the glorie that is aboue the vaile of this visible heauen But perchance thou wilt aske If the opening of the eyes be from God alone to what purpose shall aduice begiuen to thee in a matter that lyeth not in thee and which is not effected by aduice but by supernaturall operation To this I answere That although the power that must inlighten thee doth descend from aboue yet vsually it doth communicate it selfe vnto vs by the seruice of certaine meanes left with vs here below Againe when grace doth first breathe vpon vs it worketh by degrees which degrees being by some neglected or misconstrued it hath bred vnto them a greater difficultie hardnesse of trauaile in the new birth but being perceiued and duely entertayned they turne into Testimonials vnto vs yea to incouragements vnto farther degrees of grace But if thou aske mee againe how thou shalt like or vse the meanes when thou neither seest nor likest the happines intended by the meanes To this I must reply That without God thou canst not so much as loue the meanes yet as a naturall man thou mayest consider these things following first If thou looke into the best sort of heauenly Philosophers thou shalt see among them Men wise and vnderstanding iust righteous inioying both wealth and honour and if thou talke with those Men they will tell thee seriously that they most certainly see and feele an estate of happinesse and that they came to the sight of such an estate by frequenting the meanes left with vs here on earth Secondly if thou wilt search some special works of men thou shalt finde Writers of vndeniable worthines who by Miracles Prophesies Oracles Successe and Victorie against oppositions haue proued the veritie of Christian learning it being impossible that a Doctrine mainly contrarie to flesh bloud should be aduanced so much among men whose very frame is flesh bloud without the maintenance of an Omnipotent LORD Thirdly doe but consider what this Doctrine which is the instrument meanes of Life proposeth to thee and requireth of thee It proposeth to thee an eternall felicitie it requireth of thee Pietie and Puritie things of themselues desireable excellent But thou wilt say that this puritie will cost thee deare for it is sure to cost thee all thy sinfull pleasures and may cost thee much paine yea thy life it selfe But to this I may answere That though it may cost thee something yet vpon the matter it loseth thee nothing for whatsoeuer pleasures of sinne thou canst inioy being inioyed they dye and come to nothing yea life it selfe comes at last to nothing that for nothing so the condition required of thee is onely this That what shall be nothing if it be may be nothing by not being and to incourage thee herein thou hast for aduantage an aduenture for Eternitie In summe thou art required at the most but to lose that which will bee lost for an happinesse which may and shall be found for euer Yea for these grosse pleasures euen in this life thou shalt haue ioyes vnspeakeable Howsoeuer whether thou receiue the meanes of happinesse or refuse it certaine it is that to all those that receiue the Life of blessednesse the Doctrine of God left vnto vs in writing and vnfolded by his seruants properly deputed to this office is the vsuall conueyance of this life God alone inuented and conceiued the remedie of Mans miserie and a way from miserie vnto felicitie The same God who onely knew it could only tell it and only by telling can men know and beleeue it and only by knowing and beleeuing can men striue toward it and so finally attaine it So wee see that men must know and beleeue happines to obtain it and happinesse must bee taught if they will know beleeue it and to teach this happinesse there needeth a word of Reuelation and to reueile this GOD himselfe must speake vnto vs who alone was the Founder and Knower of this mysterie Therefore must we esteeme this Word highly as a great second Mercy by which the first great Mercy is de liuered to vs. Before this Doctrine our happines was lockt vp in Gods vnsearchable purpose but by this Doctrine happinesse is reached out to vs and issueth from the heart of God into the heart of Man Wherefore let vs be farre from accounting it a vaine Word for it is our life and the length of our dayes and by it wee receiue eternall Life from the Ancient of daies For while it is taught vnto vs without the Vertue and Spirit of God entreth into vs within and makes vs capable of that happinesse which is taught vnto vs. Now the degrees by which this Spirit vsually worketh vpon vs are these First it causeth vs somewhat to discerne allow the truth of this Word And next it moues a desire of more knowledge and of a greater taste of the Word of Life which is also made knowne to God in Prayer And at length the heart is moued with so seruent a loue vnto it that it desires to be wholly sauoured salted and seasoned therewith that the naturall Man may no longer liue in the heart but that CHRISTS Kingdome may bee set vp therein And so the Word or CHRIST in and by the Word becomes the Treasure of the heart and therefore from thenceforth the heart is euer thinking on his treasure it thirsts after it it seekes it with eye and eare But that thou maist not be discouraged in thy first beginnings thou must also know in what manner and order the Doctrine and Art of felicitie doth present it selfe vnto thee It will first offer to thy knowledge and meditation the lamentable face of humane miserie so that thy flesh perchance will feare to goe on halfe despairing how thou canst euer come through so great miserie vnto felicitie But feare not the beginning and the end are contrarie Thy naturall estate is indeede very miserable And this Doctrine doth not make it to be so but shewes it to bee so The corruption of nature made thee miserable and hid thy miserie from thee and so made thee contentedly to continue in miserie But this Doctrine sheweth thee thy miserie that by shewing it it may cure it It shewes thee indeede the vgly face of thy
increase our glorie we must striue to increase our holinesse and by holinesse and other helps aduancing and supporting holinesse to in crease comfort and cherish the Spirit by which both holinesse and glory may be increased Now to know what these helps are we must seeke in the Oracles of God whose office and mayne purpose is to shine as a Light to mankind that standeth in the darke place of a clouded and corrupted soule and to guide their feete into the way of Peace and Rest. This sure Word of GOD was giuen by GOD vnto Man to direct Man vnto God And to effect this it hath a power to make the children of men the sonnes of God Yea it hath a power to nourish this spirituall and heauenly sonship so bestoweth a gift of growth as well as a gift of life for it causeth the sonnes and heires of God to grow vnto their perfect stature of Grace Glory The great Spirit of God which powreth that portion of the Spirit into vs wherein lyes our sanctification and sealing powred also in the Prophets Seers and Apostles the Word and Counsell of God So the Spirit within vs and the Word without vs are neere of kin they haue one Father euen the Spirit which is God and being brethren they must needes cherish loue and strengthen each other Yea the Spirit of GOD which best knowes how the Spirit issuing from him may bee cherished hath by that Word of purpose shewed vs sundry meanes by which that which hee hath giuen vs may be increased And God expects that wee which were dead and are now raised to life by him though in our deadnesse wee could not moue towards him yet being quickned wee should by imployments and exercise stirre vp the life bestowed on vs kindling it by those helps which his Word ministreth vnto vs. So behold O Man a double mercy one that the indeuours of the Saints may increase their glorie another that meanes helps and directions are giuen for the aduancement and execution of such indeuours Wee must not be still like Embrious and children in their first conception to haue the nourishment of life sent in o vs without our knowledge and will but being now at least babes in Christ wee must desire and sucke the sincere Milke of the Word that wee may grow thereby or being strong men we must desire and digest the solid meate by which wee may grow from strength to strength wee must by manly exercises seeke to fortifie the power of Christ in vs and we must worke towards the increase of our spirituall estate by heauenly traffike and marchandize that the talents of grace being increased may increase the talents of glorie But now perchance it wil bee demanded what these helps are by which the Man of GOD may enlarge his stature and grow vp to his head Christ Iesus For satisfaction to which demand I would point him to the Word of God which is the Treasure of the perfect knowledge of this Arte of felicitie but yet to giue some stay to hungrie soules that presently desire the prosperitie of the Spirit will not bee delayed I may name some of the chiefest though likewise I may leaue others vnnamed to stirre them vp somewhat to seeke for their owne prouision And here as the first means of increasing the Spirit I will name the increasing of those meanes by which the Spirit was first receiued we must striue to increase that faith and affiance by which wee cleauing vnto Christ Christ claue vnto vs. For the more wee cleaue vnto Christ the more Christ cleaueth vnto vs the more we comprehend him the more he doth comprehend vs by a larger and fuller possession of vs. Faith increased increaseth our capacitie of Christ Iesus and as wee are inlarged in our owne bowels by faith so doth Christ inlarge himselfe within vs by his Spirit To this end let vs remember what hath beene formerly set forth as the meanes of breeding faith and in those meanes let vs bee the more conuersant as wee would bee the more plentifull in faith and more ingraffed in the obiect of faith Christ Iesus Briefly let vs feruently and continually pray with the Disciples vnto the Author and Finisher of our faith Lord increase our faith Let vs be frequently conuersant with Christ Iesus and often behold him liuely described in the Word in the Sacraments by hearing by seeing by receiuing by meditation The more Christ is looked on the more trust and the more loue and so the more Vnion Wee cannot looke on the fairest of Men but we shall bee rauished with his loue for hee kindleth our affections as coles of fire and as a vehement flame And surely if wee looke into his Word and into the seales of his Word wee cannot choose if wee bee spirituall but wee must plainly looke on Christ himselfe For the Word of Christ is the Image of Christ hee hath stamped on it his owne likenesse and therein wee may see him borne liuing teaching dying rising againe Therein may wee behold his graces and gifts his excellencie and dignitie his loue vnto Men and his labours for Men. The Sacraments also Christ hath imprinted with his owne resemblance and they are the characters and representations of Christ. So in them may wee see Christ redeeming by passion and washing by regeneration feeding and quickning by viuification yea performing his part of the whole Couenant of Life And CHRIST being thus discerned what dull heart will not rise vp toward him in a stronger affiance in a more firie loue Wherefore walking along with the staffe of Prayer in our hands let vs still bee tasting of these restoratiues of Faith that so faith being cherished may cherish the Spirit and the Spirit being cherished may cherish our life eternall CHAP. IIII. Other helps of retayning and increasing happinesse The first is quicke obedience AN especiall furtherance and nourisher of the Spirit is a readie and prompt obedience to the motions of the same Spirit The businesse of our life is indeede no other but an attendance on the Spirit in whom lyes our dutie and happinesse and al other businesses that are not subordinate to this businesse are inordinate Wherfore to the holy lusts of this liuing and mouing Spirit must our continuall care bee attentiue that when it moueth vs we may be moued by it and that the commands thereof bee answered by a speedie obedience For the Spirit is the issue of the God of power and is it selfe a power proceeding from that great power now power reioyceth in action yea these second powers grow more powerfull by action In naturall things wee see that motion makes a thing more apt to moue and by how much more the strength of Man is exercised the more able and mightie it groweth No otherwise doth the Spirit in vs. It grows mightie by a free and prosperous exercise of his might It growes more vigorous and actiue by doing and by mouing it is more
taught vs that importunitie is a way to ouer-come him Earnest prayer vseth violence toward him and thereby we that are weaknesse are too hard for him who is infinite power But how commeth this to passe that wee who haue no strength but from GOD should ouer-come him from whom wee haue our strength surely if we looke neerly vnto it we shall find that praier perswades God to ouer-come himselfe It moues his owne goodnesse to ouer-come his owne power so that we feele only the effects of power mastered and conquered with goodnes Therefore is God by prayer as it were troubled and stopped in some actions outwardly proposed to haue beene effected So LOT holdeth the Angels hand from destroying of Zoar a towne of the sinfull Plaine and to her growth equally lyable for wickednesse to fire and brimstone And MOSES hindreth and doth not let GOD alone when in his furie hee would destroy Israel but diuerteth the plague denounced against them Goodnes cannot denie the importunitie of beloued-ones The bad whereof is in an earthly father whose bowels are turned within him if hee cannot giue what his hungrie childe doth craue of him But the roote here of is God who is goodnesse it selfe in whom is the Fountayne of that drop which wee call good Nature in Men. The same God who is goodnesse is also loue loueth his Children farre more tenderly then earthly fathers and loue workes vpon the will to make it willing to communicate to the beloued the fruits and effects of goodnesse The same God is also Almightie so that whatsoeuer streames of goodnesse the will moued by loue would particularly distribute the Almightinesse of GOD is able to fulfil accomplish Wherefore in confidence of the great goodnesse the loue the power of God let vs boldly hopefully yet humbly repaire vnto him beleeuing that a power so mastered with goodnesse loue cannot denie a vehement importunate prayer But if we faile of obtayning it is certainly some impediment on our owne side so that either we haue asked in an ill manner or for an ill matter or to an ill end or else we haue limited the most High telling him how and when we wil haue our request But if wee aske for good things in a good manner to a good end submitting the conditions and seasons to that infinite Wisdome to whom to submit is mans chiefest wisedome then let vs bee assured that wee are in the way of hearing let vs fasten our foote in that way and resolue neuer to turne from it though checked with the woman of Canaan and deferred with IOB This way ends assuredly in granting and thou shalt either haue the same thing thou crauest or a better For as all Gods actions to his children are for their good and aduantage so are also his deferrings and denyals And this the daily experience of the Saints can testifie who haue found that they were then heard vvhen they thought themselues most neglected The vision and message of the most High as that of DANIEL was botimes sent forth though the time of accomplishmēt was appointed to bee later GOD will not breake the Couenant of Prayer but vvould raise thy faith to that high pitch euen to beleeue that God is good to Israel euen when thou feelest the smart of thine owne miserie and seest the prosperitie of the wicked or hee would raise thy patience to such a degree that though GOD should kill thee yet thou wouldest submit thy self to his mightie hand or hee would humble chastize and nurture thee that he might do thee good in thy latter end Therfore stand thou strong in the path of prayer and therein especially hunger thirst after Righteousnesse euen spirituall graces for therewith thou shalt surely bee filled But if with the stubborne King of Israel being grieued thou say It is the Lord Why should I seeke him any more thou turnest thy selfe out of the way of obtayning thou forsakest him who is the onely giuer of euery good and perfect gift thou changest him who only heareth and granteth prayers for miserable helpers who without him like IEROBOAMS politike Calues through a wise foolishnes shall become their Masters destruction Now that our prayer may yet haue a farther increase of force and so a fuller preuayling let our prayers partly consist of praise Let the remembrance of benefits past accompanie the Petition of benefits to come let vs pray that Gods Name may bee hallowed when wee pray that his Kingdome may come more into vs. In the Law of Nature thankfulnesse for one benefit inuiteth another and much more with the Father of Grace and Nature doe thanks for a lesse degree of Grace perswade for a greater Praise glorie to God is the end and fruit of Gods gifts and where God reapeth this fruit abundantly there will he abundantly sow the seed of this fruit For if Christ called his Father an Husbandman wee may boldly say he is a good Husbandman and therefore he will not commit that ill husbandrie to sow little that hee may reape little when hee sees that by much sowing he may reape much GOD will not bee wanting to his own glorie by sowing smal grace where by much grace hee might reape much glorie That this was agreeable to the heart of God well knew that holy Man who was according to GODS heart and therefore continually hee mixeth his prayers with praises yea sometime he plainly discouereth the secrets of this skill as when hee saith Let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee then shall the earth bring forth her increase and God euen our God shall giue vs his blessing Examples confirme this instruction NOAH gaue a sacrifice of praise for his deliuerie from the floud and God being praised for that one deliuerance perpetuateth his benefit and promiseth an euerlasting deliuerance to the earth from any more flouds When SALOMONS Leuites Singers and Priests made one sound in praising the Lord the glorie of the Lord filled the house of God When the Singers of IEHOSAPHAT praised the Lord because his mercy indureth for euer God laid ambushments against the children of Ammon Moab and Mount Seir and they slue one another What doe these things shew but that prayer is sharpned with praise and it enters more powerfully into the acceptation of the Highest They teach vs plainly that God willingly opens his eare to receiue his due praises and into his eares so opened the adioyned Petitions haue more speedie admittance Surely God well accepts his owne glorie he accepts his glorifier and with his person his prayers But as farre on the other side doth vnthankfulnesse shut vp the bountie of God and make it fast against our selues God will not long giue benefits whereof himselfe may haue no benefit but if there bee gifts like benefits bestowed on the vnthankfull let it be thought that these seeming benefits are very curses euen gifts giuen in wrath as Quailes and a King vnto Israel
For how can a Creator continue his bountie when hee sees his Creature doth onely make vse of him that he sorues his owne turne vpon him and makes himself the end of God and not God the end of himselfe Therefore euenholy HEZEKIAH while he is more carefull to shew the glorie of his Treasures to the Heathen Ambassadors then to giue glorie to God for his health by which he inioyed them the treasures must bee carried away to the same Babylon whose Ambassadors he had intertayned with the sight of them The heart of man being filled with blessings must not bee lifted vp within it selfe but it must bee lifted vp with praise and thankfulnesse to the Authour of those blessings Therefore hauing receiued some Talents of grace let vs returne vnto God some other Talents of glorie and then to vs by whom hee receiues aduantage shall more bee giuen but if otherwise that which wee haue shall be taken away God hath put al things in order to himselfe and vpon this order the God of order rayneth his blessings If then wee will bee vnder his blessings we must be vnder this order wee must looke towards him glorifying praising if wee will haue him looke towards vs blessing sanctifying Therefore in summe Let vs pray continually and feruently and in al things giue thanks which is the will of God in Christ Iesus towards vs. If wee conclude our Psalme 33. with Prayer Let thy mercy and grace bee multiplied vpon vs as we trust in thee let vs begin it with thankfulnesse Reioyce in the Lord O ye righteous for it becommeth vpright men to bee thankefull For if thus Psal. 66. we call to him with our mouth and also exalt him with our tongue God will heare vs and will consider our prayer wee shall againe praise God who doth not put backe our prayer nor his mercy from vs. CHAP. VII Of Meditation ANother speciall preseruatiue and restauratiue of the Spirit is Meditation Hereby the beames of the heauenly Spirit are contracted into a point vpon the soule as the beames of the Sunne by a Cristall whereby the light and heate of grace are increased and multiplied into a spirituall Fire The soule goeth in from the flesh into the Spirit and bathing and anoynting her selfe in that Oile of gladnes shee sharpneth her sight and quickneth her might becomes much abler to see into heauen to see into her selfe to see and iudge the things on earth Hereby she groweth in the knowledge acquaintance of her soueraign Good hereby she takes out Lessons of a comfortable departing out of this world of vanitie vnto her Citie of blessednes and hereby shee iudgeth best of her own fitnesse for that happy voyage And hauing iudged her selfe in Meditation by the same she studies to increase that which is right in her through the remembrance of profitable motiues and documents heard read or conceiued and shee indeuoureth to cast away all that presseth downe and whatsoeuer sinne hinders by cleauing on too fast If we would speak of the subiect of Meditation wee might name all that is for al things haue in them some profitable doctrine and are Teachers of the glorie of their Creator But if we aske for the chiefest Matter and that which is most aduantageable to the Citizens of the New Ierusalem which is our present businesse Then let the soule flye vp from this place of miserie and take vp her rest in her only Rest. Let her thoughts bee on her happinesse and the way vnto it and let that be her chief meditation which is her chiefe concernment And that shee may draw neerer vnto happinesse by the wings of an inflamed affection Let her consider the beautie of the highest Essence let her thinke vpon a glorie creating and vncreated let her thinke on the Light of that Light which darkneth and shaddoweth the Sunne when shee hath thus thought let her know the glorie happinesse which shee shall inioy is more beyond her highest imagination then imagination can be beyond any thing which is seene Let vs also consider what God hath beene and is to vs as well as what hee is in himselfe and to this end let vs cast our inward eye on the great loue of him who is both our Fountaine and Felicitie our Beginning and End Let vs consider how great things this infinite loue hath done for vs from how great a miserie hee hath translated vs to make vs partakers and intoyers of himselfe and by the greatnesse of the effects let vs ghesse at the infinitenesse of the Cause There is nothing greater then Himselfe and this greatest Himselfe hath he giuen to Man by a wonderfull and mysterious Incarnation Hee hath also giuen the Bloud and Life of this incarnate Deitie to ransome vs the slaues bondmen of guilt and punishment from eternal death He hath giuen vs also his most pure sacred Spirit to purge the most lothsom corruption of our lustfull generation He hath giuen vs infinite blessings of this life and all these that we might serue him in holinesse without the feare of our enemies and hereafter may inioy him in that Kingdome wherein wee shall triumph ouer these enemies But hauing waighed though the weake ballances of our vnderstandings bee far vnable to beare and containe the exceeding weight of this infinite loue of God then let vs consider how wee ought to answer this loue with loue his mercies by thankfulnes and obedience And when we haue found out our dutie then let vs examine our performance euen whether the goodnesse of God hath had a perfect working vpon vs and hath brought forth fruits answerable to it and whether we haue sufficiently yeelded vp our selues vnto God in his blessed work of making vs blessed And herein let vs rippe vp our soules euen the very bowels of our consciences and let vs tent the bottome of our hearts to feele what is sound and what vnsound in them that the sound parts may be cherished and the vnsound healed If wee see any sparke of the Spirit let vs kindle it into a fire let the infinitenesse of that loue which is our patterne draw vs on by imitation to a continual inlargement of our loue and of the fruit of loue obedience If by Meditation we taste the sweetnesse of God in the Spirit dwelling in vs Let vs thirst afresh for the liuing GOD who the more he is thirsted after the more hee giues of the waters of Life So shall thirst increase that which satisfies thirst and the satisfying of the thirst shall increase our thirst that so the satisfaction may still increase The Riuer of Regeneration points vs to the Ocean of Regeneration euen the Spirit within vs vnto the great Spirit aboue vs. From him it confesseth that it commeth to him it desires to returne that so it may come larger from him then it returned to him But if by the inquest of our meditation wee finde that some rebellious
of an ill action like a Rule it will presently shew vs the crookednesse of it point vs to the right way from whence we haue straied and if it haue beene too long deferred so that the sinne is past before it was called for then will it bee a Seer vnto thee to tell thee thy sinne and to deliuer thee ouer to the larger meditation of Repentance Secondly if thou art in a good and right action it stands by thee to abet and incourage thee thou art in the path of Gods protection in the way where the Angels gard and watch Goe on valiantly feare not what man nor euill angels can doe vnto thee Thus shall the soule cōtinue her flight towards heauen if euer among shee anoynt her feathers with this Oile of the Spirit For in this respect shee is not vnlike those flying fishes whose wings by flying grow drie and by being drie lose their flying so that still they must haue recourse to the Sea by the moysture thereof still to make good their flight So the soule flying through this world vnto heauen her wings euen her cogitations purposes and conceptions will grow drie by earthly conuersation and therefore must bee new oyled with grace if they will carry her throughly to her iourneys end The cares and temptations of this life quickly dry vp the heauenly Vnction and so the soule is in danger to fall if she doe not often moisten her selfe in the Riuers of Oyle which flow from the eternall Spirit and thither doth this short Meditation direct vs. Lastly we may adioyne hereunto incident occasionall Meditations which will bee very vsefull vpon the receiuing of extraordinary blessings or the suffering of vnwonted chastizements It is fit wee should search out Gods meaning as neere as we may by the light of his Word when he speaketh to vs in his fauors and frownes His blessings should bee esteemed like so many bands of obedience and thou shouldest acknowledge both in heart and actions that each of them calls to thee for more Loue more Thankefulnes more Holinesse Yea thou art by them led vnto Humilitie for when thou lookest on Gods blessings and thy sinfull selfe at once thou must needs cry out I am lesse then the least of thy blessings and what is man that the Lord regardeth and visiteth him yea the bountie of God leadeth thee to Repentance and God is often to vs a patterne of ouercomming euill with good euen our sinnes with his Mercies Hee dresseth and manureth many times a fruitlesse Tree that he may receiue fruit from it Therefore bee thou amended by his benefits and increase thy fruit otherwise blessings made vnfruitfull are the fore-rūners of cursings and dressing if to no purpose is the way to digging vp and casting into the fire Likewise let the chastizements of God be entertayned by Meditation vnto thy profit and aduancement They would haue thee either to examine thy selfe of some neglected sin or they would haue thee repent euen for thy secret sinnes for though thou know nothing by thy selfe yet art thou not thereby acquited or they would haue thee humble thy proud heart vnder the mightie hand of God or they would spurre thee to a speedier and more actiue Zeale or they would teach thee the skill of that excellent vertue Patience and instruct thee to loue God afflicting and to trust in him slaying Some of these are commonly the purposes and ends of affliction and if thou take occasion by chastizements to put them all in execution thou shalt bee the surer to hit the right one and so to bee a gainer by thy sufferings But before wee leaue this subiect if wee would know which is generally the best and fittest habitude of Man for the receiuing of profit by the larger and more leisurable kinde of Meditation Surely it is when the body least burdeneth the soule especially when shee is least clogged with the grosse vapours of fulnesse and repletion It is truely said by the Wiseman That the corruptible bodie weigheth downe the soule and therefore as truely it may be said That the bodie rarified and lessened by abstinence lighteneth the soule when the eyes or eares which see and heare the soule are stopt vp by thick exhalations the soule cānot tel the dul body what the Spirit of God doth tell it But since spirituall things are spiritually discerned surely then are spirituall things best discerned when the bodie is most spirit-like and least bodily When the Lanthorne of the flesh is pared and thinned by Abstinence then the Light of the soule shineth most cleerly through it Saint PAVL spake of the Man that saw Reuelations vnvtterable that whether hee were in the body or out of the body hee knew not so if wee will see Reuelations otherwise inconceiuable wee must striue to goe out of the body so farre by abstinence as wee may with preseruing the bodie For certaine it is That the soule inlightened by Grace if it were not for the cloud of the bodie would shine out to vs in many notable and excellent Truths and therefore hee takes the true course to meete them that goes a little out of his body towards them And surely such soules so walking toward God by going out of the flesh into the Spirit GOD hath often met with heauenly Visions whereas others shutting vp their windows by continuall fulnes haue lost great Reuelations To DANIEL fasting GABRIEL appeared to PETER fasting the Sheete was let downe from Heauen and to CORNELIVS fasting euen to the ninth houre an Angell was sent from God And surely this latter kind of fasting seemes most profitable for Meditation euen the fast of the Morning rather then of the Euening For in the Morning after rest the Spirits are freshest and most capable both of Light and Action they are most lightsome most actiue for Meditation And as fasting kindles the bright flame of Meditation so the true and kindly fire of Meditation sends vp to Heauen the smoke and incense of Prayer For fasting is an excellent Preparatiue to Meditation and Meditation to PRAYER Without abstinence Meditation lesseneth her Light without Meditation Praier lesseneth her might but Meditation ioyned to Abstinence mounteth the higher and Prayer mounted on Meditation pierceth the swifter and reacheth the neerer to Heauen Againe as by Abstinence we are made the fitter to meditate and by Meditation made the fitter to pray so by Prayer wee get a greater fitnesse and ability both for Abstinence and Meditation Such Prayer blesleth the meanes by which it is begotten by going to the Father of blessings and it is of a great power with GOD euen so powerfull that some kind of Deuils go not out but by it Let vs therefore often abstaine that wee may often meditate and when wee haue dwelt awhile in Meditation let vs goe forth into Prayer For Prayer thus inflamed by Meditation is as the Sacrifice of Israel kindled by the fire of Heauen and such a Sacrifice is indeed
soundeth as ill as the old It is the very kind of man to bee miserable while hee breatheth as it is the kinde of sparks to flie vpward And if a man striue to cure his present miserie with present mirth commonly the miserie of such is not taken away but changed and of temporall made eternall The rich Man that was euery day gorgeously arrayed and euery day fared deliciously ended his luxurie in miserie and his iudgement is Thou hast taken thy pleasure therefore art thou now tormented The cure of our miserie must be by vulneraric potions not by outward playsters by the bloud and Spirit of Christ inwardly receiued not by the naturall Balme of Gilead euen the pleasures of this world The things of this world are to serue and cherish vs in our way to happines not to be taken as our happines or the absolute cure of our miserie For if so vsed they cure our miserie but with a greater miserie and by making vs happy they make vs lose a greater happinesse Thus must man bee content to see himselfe of himselfe wretched and miserable He must needes crie out What is Man that he is so regarded And Man is of a short continuance and his life is full of trouble surely Man is altogether vanitie Hee must also complaine of his filthinesse our righteousnesse is as a filthy cloth and if wee should wash our selues our clothes would defile vs. In iniquitic haue we beene begotten conceiued in sinne And vvho can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse Thus lothing and condemning our selues and being weary of our selues Christ IESVS stands with open armes ready to receiue such weary laden soules and to refresh them Hee will refresh vs with the Riuer of the Citie of God euen with fresh streames of grace and the holy Oile shall drop downe from the head of our high Priest vnto vs who are the skirts euen the humblest parts of his garment And then shall wee be filled with the sweet sauour of Holinesse and life Eternall CHAP. X. Of Patience LAstly for the preseruation aduancement of the estate of Happinesse wee haue great need and vse of Patience Our need of patience is absolute because the Saints of God are here with the rest in a world of miserie and beyond the rest in a vvorld of enmitie Euery houre there is a likelihood of some trouble and temptation and euery trouble without patience which is the Ward of the soule breaketh in vpon the soule and carries her away into tumultuous enormous and vnreasonable perturbations But on the other side Patience raileth in the soule amidst the prease of temporall euils and keepeth her in a continuall quietnesse and repose consequently in an abilitie of iudgement discretion and direction and this is a first and chiefe vse and benefit of Patience For doth not that greatly aduantage vs and the graces bestowed on vs which makes vs Owners and Masters of our selues them By Patience wee can with the Centurion call for this seruant and hee commeth and send that Souldier and he goeth We can make vse of our vnderstandings and by our vnderstandings of those very euils which are the subiects of our patience We can make vse of our wills and affections to will and loue God to will and loue that which GOD wills and loues yea to will and loue the very troubles and incumbrances which vrge and presse vs. Hence come those excellent voyces Though God kill me yet will I trust in him and Before I was chastized I went astray but now doe I keepe thy Lawes Blessed is the man that beareth the yoke in his youth Hee sitteth solitary and is quiet because God hath laid it on him By Patience wee can make vse of our memories to call to mind the mercies of God in old time how our Fathers trusted in him were deliuered yea how often God hath beene our helper and therefore wee need not to feare what man can doe against vs. Hereby wee may also call to mind those wise and holy Precepts and counsailes which euery wise and holy man doth prepare and lay vp for times of trouble and temptation For it is fit that in calmes wee should prouide for stormes we should in the quiet times of life sit downe and according to our Sauiours most prudent aduice cast vp our reckonings what the forces of our enemies be what kind of fighting they vse how their wounds may bee preuented and how cured if suffered for want of preuention Hee that hath performed this act of consideration he fitteth himselfe with spirituall armour proper to each kind of conflict As soone as he sees the trouble he chooseth out a fit shaft to pierce and encounter it when he sees the blow comming he knowes the Ward that must defend it And all this is put in execution by the benefit of patience For the impatient lyes open to al blowes his wits are confounded when he should hold vp his shield hee striketh with his sword and when he should take an arrow from the quiuer of the Spirit he catcheth at a club proffered to him by the flesh To such a one all things are confused hee is besides himselfe and therefore knowes not the choise of actions Againe by patience wee haue the vse of Charitie a principall and Mother-grace For hereby euen in the midst of persecutions we can pray for our Persecutors and say Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe and Lord lay not this sin to their charge This qualitie of ouer-comming euill with good and likewise the helpe of patience toward the performance of it must wee beleeue to bee a chiefe preferment to a Christian in this race vnto glorie For certainly it is so neere a resemblance of the perfection of God that God exceedingly delighteth in the doers thereof and takes speciall notice of such as those who are lifted vp aboue the dregs of humane corruption into a high participation of a diuine and godly Nature They are good out of an inward goodnes and not because they looke on good and pleasant obiects For whatsoeuer their obiect is they are still good account the excellency of goodnesse and the fauour it hath with God to be sufficient causes of goodnesse though in the world they see nothing but euill which of it selfe deserueth onely euill And that this must needes procure a great loue blessing from God doth appeare by the effects it worketh in creatures infinitely inferiour to God yea impure and depraued For euen SAVL himselfe whom the Deuil draue to the hunting of DAVID as a Partrich in the Mountaynes this SAVLS euill and wicked rage melteth away with the beames of DAVIDS shining and glorious goodnesse and being preserued by him whom hee sought to slay he is so ouercome and changed by that goodnesse of DAVID that he is inforced to blesse him as a sonne whom hee had taken such paines to slay as an enemie And if a
doore of Death to admit the Prince of Death but by Patience admit the King of Glorie and giue him the possession of thy soule for his stripes are healers his chastizements are restoratiues and his strokes are the strokes of a Father So shalt thou prosper in grace by afflictiōs through the good husbandry of Patience and on the other side thou shalt preuent all Satans mischieuous purposes euen all the euils that vsually doe issue from a tottered disioynted and abandoned spirit Now that thou mayst prouide for thy selfe such a strong Patience which may bee a Coate of proofe to the soule thy Patience must be tempred and steeled with Resolution This Resolution is the Armour of thy Armour euen the keeper of thy Patience which is the keeper of thy soule and the Graces bestowed vpon it For hereby wee are constantly prepared to indure all the crosses and troubles of this transitorie race of miserie And this Resolution to be good must also issue from faith that sees GOD our felicitie who otherwise is inuisible and from hope by which future blessednesse though absent yet assured yeelds vs comfort aboue all vanishing miseries Thus the Souldier of God warfaring against the Enemies of his heauenly Countrie stands inuincible against the gates of Hell and himselfe being wounded or slaine yet his Patience and consequently his soule is safe and aliue But if thou hast not this Resolution stil ready at hand thou art impatient as soone as thou feelest a blow thou must needs run away for thou didst neuer resolue to fight Thou hast not made thy cōputation what the Kingdome of Heauen will cost thee or at least when thou sawest the reckoning thou diddest not resolue to bee at the charge Therefore thou art not for the Army of Christ for all his Souldiers haue resolued to sell all to take vp his Crosse and to follow him in the way of suffering vnto the Crowne of Glorie To conclude that wee may yet bee more secured that neither our Patience nor Resolution faile vs in the day of tryall Let vs know by whose strength wee may stand and in that strength let vs especially seeke strength We may doe well to open the Eye of Faith to behold the ioyes of Heauen which are eternall for Christ on the crosse beheld this Glory therefore endured the Crosse no doubt the same ioyes seene with the same sight may worke the same Resolution We may doe well to apply the Oyle of hope to the sores and wounds made by troubles temptations we may doe well to behold the loue of GOD which wee cannot thinke intends to punish or torment but to amend and exalt and we may doe well to looke vpon the print of Gods seale in our hearts by which that loue is assured to vs. Yet when wee haue done all this it is the power of God that makes all this profitable to vs. If GOD draw in his breath we shall be troubled in the midst of our Contemplations and Resolutions we shall after many protestations deny him with PETER all these helps will helpe vs no more then the Law did the Iewes without the strong Helper For euen Christ himselfe by the power of God endured the wrath of God and by being GOD despised the shame imposed for the sins of men The Glory proposed comforted him but by the Comforter the Spirit which hee had not by measure did aboue measure quicken him with the sight of those ioyes Wherefore let vs especially by earnest Prayer resort to our chiefe and only strength without whom no man shal bee strong in his owne strength Let vs seeke of God that power by which PAVL being strengthened was able to doe all things Let vs put our trust in God alone and with DAVID call him our Rocke our Fortresse our Shield and our strength We are but Dwarfes to Satan and hee that is in the World is farre greater then we But if God be in vs hee is farre greater then he that is in the World and he can make our weaknesse to exceed Satans strength Therfore disclayming the keeping of our selues let vs commit our selues to GOD trusting that he will keep to the end what wee haue committed vnto him Let vs draw neere vnto GOD and to the power of his right hand let vs take vp our rest vnder the shaddow of his wings In his Name and not in our owne may wee boast all the day long for it is his right hand that will get himselfe the victory in vs. If thus wee seeke the Lord hee will be found of vs if we ascribe power to the Lord the power of God will descend to those that glorifie his power if we trust in the God of Battailes of weake we shall be made strong as the faithfull haue beene in the dayes of old And if we can once say The Lord girdeth mee with strength to the battell wee may also say Those that rise against vs shalt thou subdue vnder vs. Let Principalities Powers muster vp things present and things to come height and depth life and death yet in all these shall wee be more then Conquerours through him that loueth and sustaineth vs. Our Patience and our Resolution are grounded vpon the Rocke of Omnipotence though the windes blow the flouds beat they shall stand for they are grounded on a Rocke and while Patience standeth the Soule flourisheth where God seeth Patience he seeth also that the workes are more at last then at the first for that and that alone is a good and fruitfull ground which bringeth forth fruit with Patience CHAP. XI Of the finall possession and fruition of Happinesse THis World though of it selfe it be vnto Man but Misery or Vanity yet by the Mercy of the Creator it is made vnto Man a Nursery vnto Happinesse For the Creatour hauing lost his Creation recouered it by Redemption And by this Redemption the World which otherwise is but troublesome transitorie yet it serues to fit vs for Ioy and Eternity yea the troubles and transitories thēselues are imployed to doe much of it For the troubles of this life beate vs on to ward future blisse and the transitorinesse deliuers vs vp to euerlastingnesse In this life is the Bride trimmed and dressed here is she decked for the Day of her Gladnesse and here being made glorious within shee goes hence to be made perfectly glorious both within and without hauing glorified God by an inward Puritie shee goes to bee glorified by God in a shining Eternitie But what tongue of Man can expresse the Glory of this felicity which the Heart of Man cannot conceiue The Tongue must receiue it from the Heart and the Heart it selfe doth not receiue it The Tongue is more narrow then the Heart and the Heart is infinitely too narrow for the receit of these Ioyes so how narrow must bee Mans relation of this Happinesse which must issue from that which is narrower then that which is infinitely narrower then