were solue not when your hart is once thus setled it shall commaund all things to aduantage The World shall not betray but serue it and that shall be fulfilled which God promises by his Salomon VVhen the wayes of a man please the Lord he wil make his enimies also at peace with him Sir this aduice my pouerty affoorded long since to a weake friend I Write it not to you any otherwise then as Schollers are woont to say their part to their Maisters The world hath long and iustly both noted and honoured you for eminence in wisedome and learning and I aboue the most I am ready with the awe of a Learner to embrace all precepts from you you shall expect nothing from me but Testimonies of respect and thankefulnesse EPIST. III. To S George Fleetwood ¶ Of the remedies of sinne and motiues to auoyde it THere is none either more common or more troblesom guest then Sin Troublesome both in the solicitation of it and in the remorse Before the act it wearies vs with a wicked importunity after the act it torments vs with feares and the painful gnawings of an accusing Conscience Neyther is it more irkesome to men then odious to God who indeed neuer hated any thing but it and for it any thing How happy were we if we could be rid of it This must be our desire but cannot be our hope so long as wee carry this bodie of sinne and death about vs yet which is our comfort it shall not carry vs though wee carry it It will dwell with vs but with no commaund yea with no peace Wee grudge to giue it house-roome but wee hate to giue it seruice This our Hagar wil abide many strokes ere she be turned out of doores she shall go at last and the seede of promise shall inherit alone There is no vnquyetnesse good but this and in this case quietnesse cannot stand with safetie neither did euer warre more truly beget peace then in this strife of the soule Resistance is the way to victory and that to an eternall peace and happynesse It is a blessed care then how to resist sinne how to auoyd it and such as I am glad to teach and learne As there are two grounds of all sin so of the auoydance of Sinne Loue and Feare These if they be placed amisse cause vs to offend if aright are the remedies of euill The Loue must be of God Feare of Iudgement As he loues much to whom much is forgiuen so hee that loues much will not dare to dooe that which may neede forgiuenesse The heart that hath felt the sweetnesse of Gods mercies will not abide the bitter rellish of sinne This is both a stronger motiue then Fear and more Noble None but a good heart is capable of this grace which who so hath receyued thus powerfully repelles tentations Haue I found my God so gracious to me that hee hath denyed mee nothing eyther in earth or heauen and shal not J so much as deny my owne will for his sake Hath my deare Sauiour bought my soul at such a price and shall he not haue it Was hee crucified for my sinnes and shall I by my sinnes crucifie him againe Am J his in so many bonds and shall J serue the Diuel O God! is this the fruit of thy beneficence to me that J should wilfully dishonor thee Was thy blood so little worth that I should treade it vnder my feete Dooth this become him that shall be once glorious vvith thee Hast thou prepared heauen for me and do I thus prepare my selfe for heauen Shall I thus recompence thy loue in dooing that which thou hatest Satan hath no Dart I speak confidently that can pierce this Shielde Christians are indeed to oft surprized ere they can holde it out there is no small pollicy in the suddainenesse of temptation but if they haue once setled it before their brest they are safe and their enemy hopelesse Vnder this head therefore there is sure remedie against sinne by looking vpwardes backwards into our selues forwards Vpwards at the glorious Maiesty and infinite goodnesse of that God whom our sinne would offend and in whose face we sin whose mercies whose holynesse is such that if there were no hel we would not offend Backwards at the manifold fauours whereby we are obliged to obedience Into our selues at that honourable vocation wherewith he hath graced vs that holy profession we haue made of his calling and grace that solemne vowe Couenant whereby we haue confirmed our profession the gracious beginnings of that spirit in vs which is grieued by our sinnes yea quenched Forwards at the ioy which will follow vpon our forbearance that peace of conscience that happy expectation of glory compared with the momentary and vnpleasing delight of a present sinne All these out of Loue Fear is a retentiue as necessary not so ingenuous Jt is better to be wonne then to be frighted from sinne to be allured then drawne Both are little inough in our pronesse to euil Euil is the onely obiect of feare Heerein therefore wee must terrifie our stubburnnesse with both euils Of losse and of sence that if it be possible the honor of the euent may counteruaile the pleasure of the tentation Of losse remembering that now we are about to loose a God to cast away all the comforts hopes of ano her world to rob our selues of all those sweete mercies we inioyed to thrust his spirit out of doores which cannot abide to dwell within the noysom stench of sinne to shut the doores of heauen against our selues Of sence That thus we giue satan a right in vs power ouer vs aduantage against vs. That wee make God to frowne vpon vs in heauen That we arme all his good creatures against vs on earth That we do as it were take Gods hand in ours scourge our selues with all Temporall plagues and force his curses vpon vs and ours That we wound our owne consciences with sins that they may wound vs with euerlasting torments That we do both make an hell in our breasts before hande and open the gates of that bottomlesse pit to rereceiue vs afterwards That wee doe now cast Brimstone into the Fire and least we should faile of tortures make our selues our owne fiends These vvhat euer other terrors of this kinde must be layde to the soule vvhich if they be throughly vrged to an heart not altogether incredulous Wel may a man aske himselfe how he dare sin But if neyther this Sunne of mercies nor the tempestuous Winds of iudgement can make him cast off Peters cloake of vvickednesse hee must bee clad vvith confusion as vvith a cloak according to the Psalmist I tremble to thinke hovv many liue as if they vvere neyther beholden to God nor affrayde of him neyther in his debt nor daunger As if their heauen and hell vvere both vpon earth Sinning not onely vvithout shame but not vvithout mallice It is theyr least ill to do
dish to tempt my Palate J feare a Serpent in that Apple and would please my selfe in a wilfull denyall I rise capable of more not desirous not now immediately from my Trencher to my Booke but after some intermission Moderate speede is a sure helpe to all proceedings where those things which are prosecuted with violence of indeuour or desire either succeed not or continue not After my latter meale my thoughts are slight onely my memorie may be charged with her Taske of recalling what was committed to her custodie in the day and my heart is busie in examining mine hands and mouth all other sences of that dayes behauiour And now the Euening is come no Trades-man doth more carefully take in his Wares cleare his Shoppeboord and shut his Windowes then J would shut vp my thoughts clear my minde That Student shall liue miserably which like a Camell lies down vnder his burden All this done calling together my familie we end the day with God Thus do wee rather driue away the time before vs then follow it I graunt neither is my practise worthy to be exemplarie neither are our callings proportionable The lyues of a Nobleman of a Courtier of a Scholler of a Cittizen of a Countreyman differ no lesse then their dispositions yet must all conspire in honest labour Sweat is the destiny of all trades whether of the browes or of the minde God neuer allowed anie man to do nothing How miserable is the condition of those men which spend the time as if it were giuen thē and not lent as if houres were waste Creatures and such as should neuer be accounted for as if GOD would take this for a good Bil of reckoning Item spent vpon my pleasures fortie yeares These men shal once finde that no bloud can priuiledge idlenes and that nothing is more precious to God then that which they desire to cast away Tyme Such are my common daies but Gods day cals for another respect The same Sunne arises on this day and enlightens it yet because that Sun of righteousnesse arose once vpon it gaue a new life vnto the world in it drew the strength of Gods moral precept vnto it therfore iustly do we sing with the psalmist This is the day which the Lorde hath made Now I forget the world and in a sort my selfe and deale with my wonted thoughts as great men vse who at sometimes of their priuacie forbid the accesse of all suters Prayer Meditation reading hearing preaching singing good conference are the businesses of this day which I dare not bestow on anie worke or pleasure but heauenly J hate superstition on the one side and loosenesse on the other but I finde it harde to offend in too much deuotion easie in profanenesse The whole Week is sanctified by this day and according to my care of this is my blessing on the rest I show your Lordship what I would do and what I ought I commit my desires to the imitation of the weake my actions to the censures of the Wise and Holye my weakenesses to the pardon and redresse of my mercifull God EPIST. II. To Mr. T. S. Dedicated to Sir Fulke Greuill ¶ Discoursing how wee may vse the Worlde without daunger HOwe to liue out of the daunger of the Worlde is both a great good care and that which troubles too fewe Some that the World may not hurt them run frō it banish themselues to the toppes of solitary Mountaines changing the Cities for Deserts houses for Gaues and the societie of men for beasts and least their enimy might insinuate himselfe into their secrecy haue abridged themselues of dyet cloathing lodging harbour fit for reasonable creatures seeming to haue left off themselues no lesse then companions As if the Worlde were not euery where as if wee could hide our selues from the Diuel as if solitarinesse were priuiledged from Temptations as if wee did not more violently affect restrained delights as if these Hieromes did not finde Rome in their hart when they had nothing but rockes trees in their eye Hence these places of retyrednesse founded at first vppon necessity mixt with deuotion haue proued infamously vnclean Cels of lust not of piety This course is preposterous If I were worthy to teach you a better way learne to bee an Hermit at home Begin with your owne heart estraunge and weane it from the loue not from the vse of the world Christianity hath taught vs nothing if wee haue not learned this distinction It is a great weakenesse not to see but wee must be inamored Elisha saw the secret state of the Syrian court yet as an enemy The blessed Angelles see our earthly affayres but as strangers Moses his body was in the Court of Pharaoh amongest the delicate Egiptians his heart was suffering with the afflicted Israelites Lot tooke part of the fayre Medowes of Sodom not of theyr sinnes Our blessed Sauiour sawe the glory of al Kingdomes contemned them and cannot the world look vpon vs Christians but wee are be witched We see the Sun daily warme vs at his beames yet make not an Idol of it doth any man hide his face least he should adore it All our safetie or danger therefore is from within In vaine is the body an Anachoret if the heart be a Ruffian And if that bee retyred in affections the body is but a Cipher Lo then the eyes will looke carelessely and strangely in what they see and the tongue will sometimes answere to that was not asked We eate and recreate because wee must not because we would and when wee are pleased wee are suspicious Lawfull delights we neyther refuse nor dote vpon and all contentments goe and come like strangers That all this may be done take vp your hart with better thoughts be sure it will not be empty if Heauen haue fore-stalled all the roomes the Worlde is disappointed and eyther dares not offer or is repulsed Fixe your selfe vpon the glory of that eternity which abides you after this short pilgrimage You cannot but contemne what you find in comparison of what you expect Leaue not til you attaine to this that you are willing to liue because ye cannot as yet be dissolued Be but one halfe vppon earth let your better part conuerse aboue whence it is and enioy that whereto it was ordained Thinke how little the World can doe for you and what it doth how deceitfully vvhat stings there are with this Hony vvhat farewell succeeds this Welcome When this Iael brings you Milk in the one hand know shee hath a nayle in the other Aske your heart what it is the better what the merrier for all those pleasures where with it hath befriended you let your own trial teach you contempt Thinke how sincere how glorious those ioyes are which abide you elsevvhere and a thousand times more certaine though future then the present And let not these thoughts be flying but fixed Jn vaine do we meditate if
euill Behold they speake for it ioy in it boast of it inforce to it as if they vvould send challenges into heauen make loue to destruction Their leudnesse cals for our sorrowe and zealous obedience that our God may haue as true Seruants as enimies And as vvee see naturall qualities increased vvith the resistaunce of theyr contraries so must our grace vvith others sinnes We shal redeeme somvvhat of Gods dishonour by sinne if vve shal thence grovv holye EPIST. IIII. To Mr. Doctor Milburne ¶ Discoursing how farre and wherein Popery destroyeth the foundation THe meane in all thinges is not more safe then hard whether to finde or keep as in al other morality it lyeth in a narrow roome so most in the matter of our censures especially concerning Religion wherein we are wont to be eyther carelesse or too peremptory How farre and wherein Popery raceth the foundation is worth our inquiry I neede not stay vpon wordes By foundation we mean the necessary groundes of Christian faith This foundation Papistry defaces by laying a new by casting downe the old In these cases addition destroyes he that obtrudes a new worde no lesse ouerthrowes the Scripture then hee that denÌ„yes the olde yea this very obtrusion denies he that sets vp a newe Christ reiects Christ Two foundations cannot stand at once The Arke and Dagon Now Papistry layes a double how foundation The one a new rule of faith that is a new word The other a new Author or guide of Faith that is a newe head besides Christ God neuer layde other foundation then in the Prophets and Apostles vpon their Diuine writing he meant to build his Church which hee therefore inspired that they might be like himselfe perfect and eternall Popery buildes vppon an vn-written word the voyce of old but doubtful Traditions The voyce of the present Church that is as they interpret it theyrs with no lesse confidence and presumption of certainety then any thing euer Written by the finger of God If this be not a new foundation the old was none God neuer taught this holy Spouse to knowe any other husband theÌ„ Christ to acknowledge any other head to followe any other Shepheard to obey any other King he alone may be inioyed without iealousie submitted to without danger without errour beleeued serued without scruple Popery offers to impose on Gods Church a King shepheard head husband besides her owne A man a man of sin He must know all things can erre in nothing direct inform animate coÌ„mand both in earth and Purgatory expounde Scriptures cannonize Saints forgiue Sins create new Articles of Faith and in all these is absolute and infallible as his Maker who sees not that if to attribute these things to the son of God bee to make him the foundation of the Church Then to ascribe them to another is to contradict him that sayde Other foundation can no man lay then that which is layde which is Iesus Christ. To lay a new foundation doth necessarily subuert the old yet see this further actually done in particulars wherein yet this distinction may cleare the way The foundation is ouerthrowne two wayes either in flat tearmes when a mayne principle of faith is absolutely denyed as the deity and consubstantiality of the sonne by Arrius the Trinity of persons by Sabellius and Seruetus the resurrection of the bodye by Himeneus and Philetus the last Iudgement by Saint Peters Mockers Or secondly by consequent when anie opinion is maintained which by iust sequell ouer turneth the trueth of that principle which the defendant professes to holde yet so as hee will not graunt the necessity of that deduction so the Ancient Mâ—nâ—i of whom Ierom speaketh while they vrged Circumcision by consequent according to Paules rule reiected Christ so the Pelagians while they defended a full perfection of our righteoushes in our selues ouerthrew Christes iustification and in effect sayde I beleeue in Christ and in myselfe so some Vbiauitaries while they hold the possibility of the conuersion and saluation of reprobates ouerthrow the Doctrine of Gods eternall decree and immutability Popery comes in this latter rank and may iustly be tearmed heresie by direct consequent Though not in their graunt yet in necessarie proofe and inference Thus it ouerthrowes the truth of Christs humanity while it holds his whole humaine body locally circumscribed in heauen at once the same instant wholy present in ten thousand places on earth without circumscription That whole Christ is in the formes of bread with all his dimensions euery part hauing his own place and figure and yet so as that he is wholly in euery part of the breade Our iustification while it ascribes it to our owne workes The Al-sufficiency of Christs owne Sacrifice whiles they reiterate it daily by the handes of a Priest Of his satisfaction while they holde a payment of our vtmost farthings in a deuised Purgatory Of his mediation while they implore others to ayde them not only by their intercession but their merites suing not onely for their Prayes but their gifts The value of the Scriptures whiles they hold them insufficient obscure in points essentiall to saluation bind them to an vncertaine dependance vpon the Church Besides hundreds of this kind there are heresies in actions contrary to those fundamentall practises which God requires of his As prohibitions of Scriptures to the Laity Prescriptions of deuotion in vnknowne tongues Tying the effect of Sacraments and Prayers to the externall worke Adoration of Angels Saints Bread Reliques Crosses Jmages All which are as so many reall vnderminings of the sacred foundation which is no lesse actiue then vocall By this the simplest may see what we must holde of Papists neyther as no Heretiques nor yet so palpable as the worst If any man aske for theyr conuiction In the simpler sort I grant this excuse fayre and tollerable Poore soules they cannot bee any otherwise informed much lesse perswaded Whiles in trueth of heart they hold the maine principles which they know doubtlesse the mercie of God may passe ouer their ignorant weakenesse in what they cannot know For the other I feare not to say that many of their errours are wilfull The light of truth hath shined out of heauen to them and they loue darkenesse more then light Jn this state of the Church hee shall speake and hope idly that shall call for a publique and vniuersall euiction How can that be when they pretend to bee Iudges in their owne cause Vnlesse they wil not be aduersaries to themselues or iudge of vs this course is but impossible As the Diuell so Antichrist will not yeelde both shall bee subdued neyther will treat of peace what remains but that the Lorde shall consume that wicked man which is now clearely reuealed with the breath of his mouth abolish him with the brightnes of his coÌ„ming Euen so Lord Iesus come quickly This briefly is my conceit of Popery which I willingly refer to your clear deepe iudgement being
not more desirous to teach the ignoraunt what I knowe then to learne of you what I should teach know not The Lord direct all our thoughts to his glory the behoofe of his Church EPIST. V. Written long since to Mr. I. VV. ¶ Disswading from seperation shortly oppugning the grounds of that errour IN my former Epistle I confesse J touched the late seperation vvith a light hand onely setting downe the iniurie of it at the best not discussing the groundes in common now your daunger drawes me on to this discourse it is not much lesse thanke-woorthy to preuent a disease then to cure it you confesse that you doubt I mislike it not doubting is not more the way to errour then to satisfaction lay downe first all pride and preiudice and I cannot fear you I neuer yet knew any man of this way which hath not bewraide himselfe far gone with ouer-weening and therefore it hath beene iust with God to punish their selfe loue with error an humble spirit is a fit subiect for trueth prepare you your heart and let mee then answere or rather God for mee you doubt whether the notorious sin of one vnreformed vncensured defile not the whole Congregation so as we may not without sinne communicate therewith why not the whole Church wo were vs if we should thus liue in the daunger of all men haue we not sins enow of our own but we must borrow of others Each man shal beare his own burden is ours so light that we cal for more waight vndertake what God neuer imposed It was enough for him that is God man to bear others iniquities it is no taske for vs which shrink vnder the least of our owne But it is made ours you say thogh anothers by our toleration conniuence indeede if we consent to them encourage them imitate or accompany them in the same excesse of ryot yet more the publicke person that forbeares a knowne sin sinneth but if each mans known sinne be euery mans what difference is betwixt the roote and the braunches Adams sinne spread it selfe to vs because wee were in him stood or fell in him our case is not such Do but see how God scorneth that vniust Prouerbe of the Iewes That the fathers haue eaten sower Grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge How much lesse are straungers Js any bond so neere as this of blood Shall not the childe smart for the Parent and shall wee euen spiritually for others You obiect Achans stealth Israels punishment an vnlike case extraordinary for see how direct Gods charge is Be ye ware of the execrable thing least ye make your selues execrable and in taking of the execrable thing make also the hoast of Israell execrable and trouble it Now euery man is made a party by a peculiar iniunction and not onely all Israell is as one man but euery Israelite is a publicke person in this act you cannot shewe the like in euery one no not in any it was a lawe for the present not intended for perpetuity you may as well challenge the Trumpets of Rammes-hornes and seauen dayes walke vnto euery siedge Looke else where the Church of Thyatira suffers the Woman Iezabel to teach and deceyue A great sinne Yet to you saith the spirit the rest of Thyatira as many as haue not this learning I will put vpon you none other burden but that which you haue holde fast Hee saith not Leaue your Church but Hold fast your owne Look into the practise of the Prophets ransacke their burdens and see if you find this there yea beholde our best patterne the sonne of God The Iewish Rulers in Christ time were notoriously couetous proud oppressing cruel superstitious our Sauiour feared not polluting in ioyning with them and was so far frō seperating himselfe that he called sent others to them But a little Leauen Leauens the whole lumpe it is true by the infection of it sinne where it is vnpunnished spreadeth it so wreth al those whose hands are in it not others If we dislike it detest resist reproue and mourn for it we cannot be tainted the Corinthian loue-feasts had grosse and sinfull disorder yet you heare not Paul say Abstaine from the Sacrament till-these bee reformed Rather he enioynes the act and controules the abuse GOD hath bidden you heare and receiue shew me where he hath sayd except others be sinfull Their vncleannesse can no more defile you then your holinesse can excuse them But while J communicate you say I consent God forbid It is sinne not to cast out the deseruing but not yours who made you a Ruler a Iudge The vnclean must be seperated not by the people I Would you haue no distinction betwixt priuate and publicke persons What strange confusion is this And what other then the olde note of Corah and his company Ye take too much vpon you seeing all the Congregation is holy euery one of them and the Lord is among them wherfore then lift you vp your selues aboue the congregation of the Lorde What is if this bee not to make a monster of Christs body hee is the heade his Church the body consisting of diuers limbes All haue their seuerall faculties and imployments not euery one al who would immagine any man so absurd as to say that this body shold be al toong or al hands euery man a Teacher euery man a Ruler As if Christ had sayde to euery man Goe teach and whose sinnes ye remit Howe Sencelesse are these two extreames Of the Papists that one man hath the Keyes Of the Brownists that euerie man hath them But these priuiledges and charges are giuen to the Church True to be executed by hir Gouernours the faculty of speech is giuen to the whole man but the vse of it to the proper Instrument Man speaketh but by his toong if a voice should be heard from his hand eare foote it were vnnaturall Now if the tongue speak not when it ought shall we be so foolish as to blame the hand But you say If the tongue speake not or speak ill the whole man smarteth the man sinneth I graunt it but you shall set the naturall body on too hard a racke if you straine it in all thinges to the likenesse of the spirituall or ciuill The mēbers of that being quickned by the same soule haue charge of each other and therefore either stand or fall together It is not so in these If then notwithstanding vnpunnished sinnes wee may ioyne with the true Church Whether is ours such You doubt and your solicitors deny surely if wee haue many enormities yet none worse then rash and cruel iudgment let them make this a colour to depart from themselues there is no lesse woe to them that cal good euil To iudge one man is bold and daungerous Iudge then what it is to condemne a whole church God knowes as much without cause as without shame Vaine men may libel against the spouse of