TWO BRIEF MEDITATIONS I. OF MAGNANIMITIE UNDER CROSSES II. OF ACQUAINTANCE With GOD. BY E.W. Esquire Pene omnis vita Naufragium est Salvian l. 3. Sunt fata deum sunt fata locorum Statius In hoc profundum inquietumque projecti mare alterâ—is aestibuâ— reciprocum modo allevans nos subitis increments modò majoribus damnis deserens assidueque jactans nunquam stabili consistimus loco Pendemus et fluctuamur et alter in alterum allidimur et aliquando Naufragium facimus semper timemus Senec. consol ad Polib c. 28. LONDON Printed by Thomas Maxey 1653. To the nobly accomplished Pair Dr JOHN GAUDEN AND Mris ELIZABETH GAUDEN his Wife Sir Madam I Hold it an Heresie in Civility as wel as Religion to divorce those whom GOD and their Loves have united Ex affectu omnes introducuntur nuptiae Justin cod de Nupt. l. 26 not only in a neer Relation but a more dear Affection And since I am highly satisfied Par pari jungatur conjux quicquid impar diffider that no Marriage is more amply expressive of sincere love and reall complacency then is Yours which God hath blessed with a Diapason of Contents I cannot but bespeak You to pardon me while I conjoyn You in this Dedication which tels the World that it is much my ambition to appear a friend to Your Vertues and in what I may a requiter of Your Civilities Accept therefore my noble Friends these Papers not as in the least proportionate to the reall service I should do you nor as clad in such Tissues of Language and florid Fancy as would become me to prepare for entertainment of your curious eyes but as an earnest of that great respect which shall be ever owned due to You from Greenford this 30 of Novem. 1653. Sir Madam Your humble Servant and truly affectionate Friend ED. WATERHOUSE A MEDITATION OF MAGNANIMITY under Crosses THere is no man but as he is mortal and by sin subjected to sorrow so ought he to prepare for and submit to those Tryals Servitutis nomen culpa meruit non Natura S. Aug. de Civ Dei l. 19. cap. 15. which not Nature but Transgression hath brought upon him God created us for his own service and it had been our perfection to continue what he made us While Nature knew no Master but him it needed no help nor feared it any hinderance in doing what was required of it But when Curiosity deluded by the varnish of the Serpents suggestion had perswaded man to usurp upon God in exceeding the bounds of his Makers appointment then rushed in those rebel Passions and troublous Diseases as Gods avengers of that insolence which had Pride and presumption for its Author and Encouragement Our Nature curbed by nothing but necessity and bound to the peace by the power of divine Soveraignty began to sink under the sense of that Might it had provoked and that Mercy it had abused God the protoplast and grand exemplar of pity considering whereof we are made by that promise that he would not strive with man alwayes Gen. 6.3 seeing he was but dust securing us against utter ruine calls our wandring mindes to contemplate and hearts to bemoan that folly which at once lost us Innocence and Impassibilitie Now we are left to Passions which switch and spur us without mercy and like all comers knock at our gates for entrance Love Joy Anger Fear c. act like tumultuous waves their several parts in our mindes and lives yea t is of the Lords mercy that the Jewel of Eternity is not lost in this crowd and the vessel in which our durable Treasure is proves not prize to those Pirats that surround her and is not naufragated in those seas that rise high Unum habuit filium sine peccato nullum sine flagello Zech. 13.7 and call to heaven for vengeance In all the catalogue of Mankind there was but one who prescribed against sin and that was the Man Gods Fellow but not one who could bring a writ of priviledg from sorrow for Christ though the Son of Love was designed by God the Father to be the Captain of our salvation perfect through sufferings Heb. 2.10 not as he deserved them â— Pet. 2.22 for there was no sin in him nor guile found in his mouth but as he observed the method of God who by his death and passion called immortality to light Here is the great Trophie of a combating Christian that no tryall can harmfully vanquish him who is one with that Victor who hath triumphed over all worldly evils leading captivity captive and condemning death in his body on the tree But since the Man is elder then the Christian Ezek. 16.6 God finds us in our blood before he refines us by effectual vocation and Arguments from Nature seem more congruous to lead the Van of this discourse then those which being more precious and perswasive are as the reserve for the dead lift to speed home execution I shall by Gods leave and by his assistance assigne some arguments to fortifie us against the utmost disappointments our course of life can meet and be made seemingly unhappy by And truly me thinks I hear my heart a suter to my pen in the words of Livius Drusus Si quid in te artis est ita componâ— domum meam ut quicquid agam ab omnibus perspici possit Velleius Paterculus l. 2. p. 28. to the Architect that was to build his house O Friend if thou hast any art so dispose mine house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xâ—nopn Memorab 4. that mine actions therein done may be visible to every eye So would I frame and model my Discourse Satius est moribus Antiquorum prudentium vivere quam corum tantum linguâ arte loqui Auson lib. 2. cap. 33. as one who desires to practise what he prescribes preferring actions above words and endeavouring rather to follow the Vertues of Wise men then to speak their Language And here as the Poet of old Inopem me copia fecit There is so great a harvest of Arguments that it seems more then an Herculean labour to answer the importunities of them and becomes a strait to me to chuse which of them shall be Master of the feast and Prince de l'Amour for what is there in Nature which contributes not to mans incommodation from what quarter of this Globe are not wafted to him engines of mischief in what state climate age is he not infested with somewhat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which makes him cry out with him in Stobaeus O that I were one day free from trouble And therefore since every thing more or lesse serves to this drudgery I will omit curiosity of order and produce them in that Method my Genius presents them to me And the first Argument to allay impatience Argum. 1 and perswade to courage under them is that of the Preacher The thing that hath been is that which shall
Sir Francis Walsingham Secretary to the Queen Knight of the Gartar and Chancellor of the Dutchy was a man of great wisdom and industry to promote his Mistris and the Nations Service yet was he so nibbled at by those Momusses his enemies whom he detected and by others whose parts he obscured and therefore incurred their revenge and disaffection that having spent his estate contracted many debts for service of the Publike lost his credit by non-payment of them and resting wholly unrecompensed at least to the proportion of his desert and labour his heart broke his enemies had their desire glorying in the obscurity of his Funerals which were at S. Pauls Church in the night time without any Funeral Solemnity or magnificent proceeding There are multitudes of instances of this nature as numerous almost as the fishes were in the Disciples net enough to overcharge this paper as they did that net but I pass them by concluding this with the dying lamentation of famous Queen Elizabeth who finding her selfe when she grew old and sickly slighted by her Courtiers as unfit for Goverment and applications covertly made to the rising Sun Browns Ann. Q. Eliz. p. 382 complained of her inconstant Favorites and false Courtiers in these words They have yoaken my neck Sapienti maju◠periculum ab invidia quam navigarti à tempestate vel pralianti ab hostibus I have none now to trust mine Estate is turned topside turvey So true is that of Apollonius Tyanaeus Greater danger betides a wiseman from envy then a Sea man from a Tempest or a Souldier from his enraged foe Sometimes self-love made the Thessalian women murder Lais the beautiful Mistris of their youthful men that so they might be less despised sometime the tickle of popular giddiness Ad reprehendenda alia dicta facta ardet omnibus animus Salian de Ord. Religios eggs on to censure and pursues desperately what it hates but understands not things by ill will are ever represented worse then they are and so as may give some lovely blush to envyes meager deformity Secta Stoicorum licet apud imperitos male audiret tanquam nimis dura nullam benigniorem lenioremque esse nullum amantiorem hominum Senec. Clem. l. 2. c. 5. Seneca tells us that the Stoicks who were ill thought on by the ignorant as too rigid were the most gentle and loving Sect of men Good Lord that Satan should have such power in our passions as to make our eyes evil on good men and graceful actions yea so far to degenerate as to cross as much as in us lyes what God has crowned and will support to full growth Who would think that Fulvius the Roman should coin a scoff for every action of Antoninus and charge on him neglect of the Senatorian gravity in going amongst the Captives the day dedicated to Janus and letting them touch his garment whereby they were enfranchised and that he walked without his traine and Equipage of State Or that Cardinal Langi should acknowledge the Reformation of the Mass honest the liberty of meats convenient and the demand just to be disburthened of so many commandments of men History Counsel Trent p. 55. and yet cry out against Luther as a poor Monk and a not to be indured instrument in such a cause or that Saint Jerom should be forced to complaine that his detracting enemies were such Scribere disposui si vitam tamen dominus dederit si vituperatores mei saltem fugientem me inclusum persequi desierint In vita Malchi Monachi that they carped at his words and followed him with reproaches even when he both shunned all provocation of them and was a Recluse But that is true of Xenophon and Velleius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenophon Paedag. Nunquam Eminentia invidiâ carent Vellcius lib 2. Great parts occasion great envies this Envy is the Gallowes that Hamons have for Mordecaies in this day of mourning the worlds Esaus plot revenge on Jacobs For as Caesar said in his Oration against Ariovistus Every thing that transcends the Vulgar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Dion l. 38. p. 84. is subject to dislike and emulation which breaks out into an array of Subjects against Governors and arives at the ruine of both Nor must it be strange to us thus to suffer for well doing since that good actions and brave men have been mistaken and misused ariseth from the good pleasure of God who by this designes their clarification and cals to wise men to look about them while these evils of Satans malice and mans envy surround them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epictetus the Divel is no Loyterer he is ever in his walk the perpetual motion to mischief is his and he trains up his Instruments to assiduity and ruining vigilancy in every Garden-plot of Vertue he brings up weeds over every clear Heaven in the soul he casts some dismal and unbeauteous cloud his ill will to man is in combate with the best actions though he fights against small and great vertues in us yet his main designe is to surprize mans King the Heart and if he miss that he fumes and projects revenge with great accurateness and when hee sees the Michael of Mercy with his Angellick Forces come to the rescue of man by him assaulted then hee retreats to his small games and turnes Adder hissing out his poison upon all occasions He hath not only Vinegar and Gall to imbitter the sufferings of good men but the poyson of Asps to blemish their best actions and most spotless intents Read we not in holy Writ of the Devotion of Hannah begging a man child of God and that not for Politick but Pious ends that she might consecrate him to God censured Drunkenness and that by a good man through 1 Sam. 1.14.17.28 his mistake And of Davids brethren miscalling his coming to the Army to be pride of heart when as indeed God led him thither the better to bring his pleasure about in the surprise of Goliah by his courage Is not Jobs Sanctity asserted Craft Job 1.9 10 11 and his Godlinesse Gaine by Satan who avers his love to God mercenary and his Zeal coolable upon withdrawing of Blessings on him and his Was not our Lord Jesus traduced for a Wine bibler Matth. 1.19.12.24 a friend of Publicans and sinners a deceiver Luke 11.15 one that cast out Divels by Beelzebub when as he in Superlative love and stupendious Charity came from the Region of Glory and out of the bosome of his Father to accomplish the Work of our Redemption and to endow us with his Grace and Glory who were and without him ever had been strangers to both and after he was ascended and left his Apostles to seminate the Gospel and to impregnate the believing world were they not accounted the very dregs of mankind Bablers Seducers enemies to Government when indeed they were to serve not rule to
of Modesty or perhaps Security lest like unnatural Absaloms they should ryot against their Parent My resolution for the future is and by Gods help shall be to preserve such blessings of God on my Studies as Memorials of his Mercy and Excitations to my Gratitude In all earthly things there is change and sorrow yea the best Commodity our Nature trafficks in sometimes brings home loss or disquiet there is a toyl in multitude of Books and a kind trouble in common friendship in the Favour of God only is Life and in his Acquaintance Peace the experience whereof mâ—de me methodize this Meditation and now print it In the latter clause of the counsel to Job which most Versions read by Thereby shall good come unto thee or So shalt thou have the best fruits or So shalt thou have prosperity or So shall good things happen unto thee or So shall thy fruit be in good things or In them is good increased I have rendred it So shall no evil come unto thee which I humbly conceive is pardonable the peace of God in the former clause couching the good things of acquaintance with God and also there being no good truly so called which this protection from evil comprehends not for what ever defends us from the Fallacies of Satan this world and our own hearts must needs leave us in Gods Blessing as meet Objects of his Mercy and Bounty I will here conclude with this humble Petition to God That he would pardon the temerity of my pen and accept of my plea in Ephraims bemoaning words After I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed c. Jer. 31.19 And I trust that he that breaketh not the bruised reed and quencheth not the smoaking flax will not refuse this offering at my hand Octob. 15. 1653. EDW. WATERHOUSE DIVINE MEDITATIONS ON ACQUAINTANCE WITH GOD From those words in JOB 22 Job 21. Acquaint now thy self with GOD and be at peace so shall no evill come unto thee T Was a competent and congruous Definition of Man which the Philosopher gave when he called him a sociable Creature the nature of man being more receptive and sparsive of good then any Creature which hath not reason to distinguish and entertain what it knows to be usefull and conducing to content for though all creatures have the imperfect and first lines of sociation effigiated on them and in some degree or other affect their own species or other creatures which either suite or serve to their ends yet is no desire so wisely impetuous as that which originated from reason is seconded by the assurance of unquestionable Experience nor do we soberly believe any thing so undoubtedly which hath not the probate of a cleer evidence to the advantage of which the life of man pleasured by nothing more then generous and pious society is a clear and noble instance That therefore Man the Epitome of this Microcosm and the little Lord next under his MAKER of this glorious Pile of Divine Architecture might not mistake his match and while he ought to seek a Kingdom find asses or by vain delusions and pretended nothings miss the Mark of Eternity and the Pawn of an unerring Conduct to that Canaan This Scripture like a goodly Glasse rightly modelled and truly hung to a Christians view shews him the most reall and incomparable object of the Soul illustrated from the Divinity of its nature pure unmixt neither capable to be tempted or to tempt unlesse it be to a holy Love and happy Acquaintance which ends not worse but better then it began in temporall Peace and in eternall blesse abandoning evill either of sin or sufferings all which are comprized in these Words Acquaint c. Me thinks my Meditations fix on a double sort of subjects in this Scripture Self GOD Peace Evill in their natures different for what lesse harmonius then corruption and incorruption then good and evill then the best we wish and the worst we fear yet both accorded and united in the Term Acquaint Man who ought to be linked to God by the bond of Love as well as subjected to him by the Law of obedience as he hath no adversary to fear so no good to desire beyond that Monarch GOD who is all to the soul by way of completion and to the outward man by way of munition by this means may obtain felicity in Acquainting himself with GOD c. There is so much Treasure in this Scripture that the rich Spoils of it are beyond the capacity of men to conceive or Angels to language I shall confine my thoughts to these ensuing Heads as the Tracts by which to come to the Mansion of holy Comfort residing in it 1. What is meant by Acquaintance with GOD. 2. How it is to be attained 3. What Peace it is that those have which attain it 4. How it may be said to repell evill from us 5. When this is to be sought after These discussed will enodate the obscurity and present the blessing in its true and Princely Dresse OF the First Acquaintance with GOD I shall say in the Psalmists Phrase Psalm 87.3 Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou light sprung from on high thou ray of eternity to which all mortall contents and Mundane confedracies are but as atoms yea non-entities Acquaintance with God is somwhat stupendious and requires a touch from the Altar to decypher it 't is a beam of glory darting on the face of a Child of glory a Love-token erranded to signifie the good will of him that dwels in the Bush to his that are among the pots slurred amongst the brambles scratched in the fire and in the water abused debased but not forsaken but this is rather an effect of it then a Description of it that which forms it is the being and that which expatiates it is the wel-being of it For the more this grace for lesse it is not is meditated upon the greater are the touches of sweetnesse in the Souls visage from this lovely Pensill of the most lovely Artist GOD And therefore I shall conceive it to ascend its Zenith by these Gradations 1. Step. 1 The lowest and inchoate step to this Mount is the Vnderstanding that must know him the chief good or else it will never desire him mans intellect is the Bucket by which he drawes and the Ladder at which he climbs to will and wed the object he knowes good without this 't is as impossible to love and obey as without eyes to judge of colours or without taste to discriminate Liquor and Meats God hath given the priority to this faculty as that which must season to and prepare appositely for the rest And truly this is of the foundation and reall nature of the rationall soul for from this are we determined to be worthy as to other creatures of that Supremacy and jurisdiction God hath given us over them for did not our Understandings direct us to a carriage proportionate to