if he remitted his stroke never so little where he had leisure to consider with himself that now he was chained who might have walked at liberty now he was a slave who might if he would have been a King now he was over-ruled by Turks who might have ruled over Christians The thought whereof could not but double his misery and make him bewail his sorrow with tears of blood Now this hereafter will be the case of all careless persons save that this comes as 〈◊〉 of that as earth comes short of heaven and temporal misery of eternal Wherefore if thou wouldest have this to become thy very case go on in thy wilfull and perverse impenitency but if not bethink thy self and do thereafter and that without delaying one minute For there is no redemption from hell if once thou comest there And 〈…〉 thou canst swallow thy spittle if thou diest this day in thy natural condition Many men take liberty to sin and continue in a trade of sin because God is mercifull bâ—t they will one day find that he is just as well as mercifull There is mercy with God saith the Psalmist that he may be feared not that he may be despised blasphemed c. Psal. 130.4 Yea know this and write it in the Table-book of thy memory and upon the table of thy heart That if Gods bountifulness and long-suffering towards thee does not lead thee to repentance it will double thy doom and encrease the pile of thy torments And that everyday which does not abate of thy recâ—oning will encrease it And that thou by thy hardness and impâ—nitency shall but treasure up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath and the declaration of the just judgment of God Rom. 2.4 5 6. Now this Iudg hath told us that we must give an account for every idle word we speak Mat. 12.36 much more then for our wicked actions therefore beware what thou dost against him Men may dream of too much strictness in holy courses but they do not consider the power the purity and strictness of the Iudg He who briâ—gs even idle words to judgment and forgets not a thought of disobedience How will he spare our gross negligence and presumption How our formality and irreverence in his service much more our flagitious wickedness Heb. 12.29 Sect. 3. Wherefore as you ever expect or hope for Heaven and Salvation as you would escape the tormenting flames of hâ—ll-fire cease to do evil learn to do well For Sanctification is the way to Glorification Holiness to eternal Happiness If we would have God to glorifie our bodies in Heaven we also must glorifie God in our bodies here on earth And now for conclusion Are the Ioyes of Heaven so unspeakable and glorious the torments of Hell so wofull and doloâ—ous then it behoves all Parents and Governours of Families to see to their Children and Servants souls and that they miscarry not through their neglect As tell me Will not their blood be required at your hands if hey perish through your neglect Will it not be sad to have Children and Servants rise up in judgment against you and to bring in evidence at the great Tribunal of Christ saying Lord my Father never minded me my Master never regarded me I might sin he never reproved me I might go to Hell it was all one to him Will not this be sad Secondly If it be so Let Children and Servants consider that 't is better to have lust restrained than satisfied 't is better to be held in and restrained from sin than to have a wicked liberty Be not angry with those who will not see you damn your souls and let you alone they are your best Friends Fear the strokes of Gods anger be they spiritual or eternal more than the strokes of men What 's a setter to a Dungeon a Gallows to Hell fire Give not way to imaginary speculative heart-sins Murther in the beast uncleanness in the eye and thoughts given wâ—y to will come to actu 〈…〉 he get but in he will be to hard for you And let so much serve to have been spoken of Heaven and Hell Upon the one I have stood the longer that so I might if God so please be a means to save some with fear plucking them out of the fire of Gods wrath under which without Repentance they must lie everlastingly And for the other I have like the Searchers of Canaan brought you a cluster of grapes to give the Reader a taste thereby of the plentifull vintage we may expect and look for in the heavenly Canaan Now if any would truly know themselves and how it will fare with them in the end let them read the whole Booâ— out of which this is taken viz. The whole duty of a Christian. Which Book is licenced by Iohn Downame and Thomas Gataker What follows is both to fill up the sheet and to occasion or forewarn Swearers who swarm so in all places and ignorant persons whose number is numberless and who of all others are most confident that they shall do well enough not to forget what they have herein heard of Heaven and Hell And to these their faithfull and impartial Monitor the Book giver presents a few Considerations EVen such is the power of sin that it made God become man Angels become Dâ—vils and men become beasts For each man by nature every one whose heart is not changed by the Loadstone of the Gospel is a very beast in condition as Ieremy affirms Ier. 10.14 and St. Peter 2 Pet. 2.12 But that 's not all for when the custom of sin hath so brawned mens hearts sâ—ared their consciences and blinded their minds that they can Swear and Curse as familiarly as dogs bark When the just and true God hath for their rebellious wickedness in rejecting him and despising all good means of being bettered given them up to their own hearts lusts and to Satan the god of this world to be taught and governed by him even as a just Iudg having passed sentence upon some hainous Malefactor gives him up to the Iaylor or Executioner as you may see by sundry places 2 Thes. 2.10 11 12. 1 Kings 22.20 21 22. 2 Tim. 2.26 Ephes. 2.2 Iohn 13.2 Acts 5.3 1 Chron. 21.1 Gen. 3.1 to 6. Revel 2 10 3 15. Iohn 8.44 12.31 14 30. 2 Cor. 4.4 Then they become so devilized that as Paul being guided by the good Spirit of God could say I live not but Christ lives in me Gal. 2.20 so may they say we live noâ— but the Devil lives in us For he is not onely their Father Gen. 3.15 Iohn 8 44. But their God 2 Cor. 4.4 And their Prince Iohn 14.30 And works in them his pleasure Eph. 2.2 2 Tim. 2.26 So that they are ready and willing to say or do what he will have them as you may plainly read Ioh. 13.2 Acts 5.3 12.1 2 to 12. 1 Chro. 21.1 Gen. 3 1 to 6. Rev. 2.10 And these you may
for banishing it was better not to let him stirre out of Macedoneia where all men knew that he lyed then to send him among strangers who not knowing him might admit his slanders for truth better he speak where we are both known then where we are both unknown And this made Chrysippus when one complained to him that his friend had reproached him privately answer Ah but chide him not for then he will do as much in publike Neglect will sooner kill an injury than Revenge These tongue-squibs or crackers of the brain will die alone if we revive them not the best way to have them forgotten by others is first to forget them our selves Yea to contemn an enemy is better then either to fear him or answer him When the Passenger gallops by as if his fear made him speedy the Cur followes him with open mouth and swiftnesse let him turn to the brawling Cur and he will be more fierce but let him ride by in a confident neglect and the Dog will never stir at him or at least will soon give over and be quiet Wherefore when aspersed labour as the eclipsed Moon to keep on our motion till we wade out of the shadow and receive our former splendor To vex other men is but to prompt them how they should again vex us Two earthen pots floating on the water with this Inscription If we knock we crack was long ago made the Emblem of England and the Low-Countreys When two friends fall out if one be not the wiser they turn love into anger and passion passion into evil words words into blowes and when they are fighting a third adversary hath a fair advantage to insult over them both As have you not sometimes seen two neighbours like two Cocks of the Game pick out one anothers eyes to make the Lawyers sport it may be kill them As while Iudah was hot against Israel and Israel hot against Iudah the King of Syria smote them both At least Sathan that common and arch enemy will have us at advantage For as vain men delight when two Dogs or two Cocks are a fighting to encourage and prick them forward to the combate Even so doth Satan deal with us Controversies like a pair of Cudgels are thrown in by the Devill and taken up by male-contents who baste one another while he stands by and laughs And we cannot please the Divell better for as the Master of the Pit oft sets two Cocks to fight together unto the death of them both and then after mutuall conquest suppeth perchance with the fighters bodies Even so saith Gregory doth the Devill deal with men He is an enemy that watcheth his time and while we wound one another he wounds and wins all our souls Thus like the Frog and the Mouse in the Fable while men fight eagerly for a toy the Kite comes that Prince and chief Foul that ruleth in the aire and snatcheth away both these great warriours Or like two Emmets in the mole hill of this earth we fight for the mastery in mean while comes the Robin-red breast and picks both up and so devours them But on the other side by gentlenesse we may as much pleasure our selves It is said of Aristides when he perceived the open scandall which was like to arise by reason of the contention sprung up between him and Themistocles that he besought him mildly after this manner Sir we both are no mean men in this Common-wealth our dissention will prove no small offence unto others nor disparagement to our selves wherefore good Themistocles let us be at one again and if we will needs strive let us strive who shall excell other in vertue and love And we read of Euclides that when his Brother in a variance between them said I would I might die if I be not revenged of thee he answered again Nay let me die for it if I perswade thee not otherwise before I have done by which one word he presently so won his Brothers heart that he changed his minde and they parted friends Milde words and gentle behaviour may be resembled to Milk that quencheth Wild-fire or Oyl that quencheth Lime which by water is kindled And this was Davids way of overcoming 1 Sam. 24. He whose Harp had wont to quiet Sauls frenzie now by his kindnesse doth calm his fury so that now he sheds tears instead of blood here was a victory gotten and no blow stricken The King of Israel set bread and water before the host of the King of Syria when he might have slain them 2 King 6.23 What did he lose by it or had he cause to repent himself No he did thereby so prevent succeeding quarrels that as the Text saith the bands of Aram came no more into the Land of Israel so every wise Christian will do good to them that do hurt to him yea blesse and pray for them that curse him as our Saviour adviseth neither is he a fool in it for if grace comes and nothing will procure it sooner than prayers and good examples though before they were evil enemies now they shall neither be evil nor enemies It was a witty answer of Socrates who replied when one asked him why he took such a mans bitter railing so patiently It is enough for one to be angry at a time For if a wise man contend with a foolish man saith Salomon whether he be angry or laugh there is no rest Prov. 29.9 whereas gentle speech appeaseth wrath and patience bridleth the secret pratling of mockers and blunteth the point of their reproach Had not Gideon Judg. 8. learned to speak fair as well as to smite he had found work enough from the swords of Iosephs sonnes but his good words are as victorious as his sword his pacification of friends better than his execution of enemies Vers. 2 3. As it is not good to flatter or lye no more is it in some cases to speak the truth we know the Asse and the Hound in the Fable were both kild by the Lyon the one for hiâ— slattery in commending the sweetnesse of his breath the other for his plain dealing when he affirmed it had an ill savour whereas the Fox by pretending he could not smell by reason of a cold he had got saved his life Rage is not ingendred but by the concurrence of cholers which are easily produced one of another and born at an instant When the stone and the steel mâ—ets the issue ingendred from thence is fire whereas the sword of anger being struck upon the soft pillow of a milde spirit is broken The shot of the Cannon hurts not Wool and such like yeelding things but that which is hard stubborn and resisting He is fuller of passion than reason that will flame at every vain tongues puff A man that studies revenge keeps his own wounds green and open which otherwise would heal and do well Anger to the soul is like a coal on the flesh or garment cast it off suddenly it doth
most Wherefore patience and mildnesse of spirit is ill bestowed where it exposes a man to wrong and insultation Sheepish dispositions are best to others worst to themselves I could be willing to take injuries but I will not be guilty of provoking them by lenity for harmelesnesse let me go for a Sheep but whosoever will be tearing my fleece let him look to himself Diogenes the Stoick teaching his auditors how they should refrain anger and being earnest in pressing them to patience a waggish boy spit in his face to see whether he would practise that which he taught others but Diogenes was not a whit moved at it yet said withall I fear I shall commit a greater fault in letting this boy go unpunished than in being angry In some cases for reason to take the rod out of the hands of wrath and chastise may be both lawfull and expedient The same which Aristotle affirmed in Philosophy viz. That choler doth sometime serve as a whetstone to vertue is made good Divinity by St. Paul Be angry but sinne not Ephes. 4.26 that is be angry with sinne only For Cautions and Rules to be observed when we appeal to the Magistrate First Let it be in a matter of weight and not for trifles True thou canst not be more forward to cast away thy money than some Lawyers are to catch it but the Physician and Lawyer are for necessity not for wantonnesse What said one to a Lawyer offering to right his wrongs and revenge him of his adversary by Law I am resolved rather to bear with patience an hail shower of injuries than seek shelter at such a thicket where the brambles shall pluck off my fleece and do me more hurt by scratching than the storm would have done by hailing I care not for that Physick where the remedy is worse than the disease Secondly Let it be in case of necessity after we have assayed all good means of peace and agreement using Law as a Father doth the Rod ful sore against his will As whatsoever our wrongs be true wisdome of the spirit will send the Apostle leâ—ity as admonitions harbinger with offers oâ— peace before she takes out process 2 Tim. 2.25 Thirdly Let not our aym and end be the hurt of our enemy but first the glory of God secondly the reformation of the party himself that so he which is overcome may also overcome and if it may be others by his example whereby more than one Devill shall be subdued And thirdly to procure a further peace and quiet afterwards as Princes make warre to avoid warre yea in case we see a storm inevitably falling 't is good to meet it and break the force Fourthly Let us not be transported either with heat or hate but begin and follow our suits without anger or using the least bitternesse or extremity against the person of our adversary as Tilters break their Spears on each others breasts yet without wrath or intention of hurt or as Charles the French King made warre against Henry the seaventh King of England rather with an Olive-branch than a Lawrell-branch in his hand more desiring peace than victory not using bribery or any other means to corrupt or hinder justice but to seek our own right Fifthly and lastly Having used this ordinary means that the Lord hath given us for the righting of our selves in case we finde no redresse let us rest with quietnesse and meeknesse therein without fretting or desiring to right our selves by private revenge knowing assuredly that the Lord hath thus ordered the whole matter either for our correction or for the exercise of our patience and charity or that he will take the matter into his own hand and revenge our cause of such an enemy far more severely or for that he means to deal far better with us if we commit our cause to him than either our selves or any Magistrate could have done To conclude this argument in a word If thou go to Law Make Conscience thy Chancery Make Charity thy Iudge Make Patience thy Counsellor Make Truth thy Attorney Make Peace thy Solicitor And so doing thou shalt be sure to finde two friends in thy suit that will more bestead thee than any ten Iudges namely God and thy Conscieâ—â—â— God who being Chief Iustice of the whole world can do for thee whatsoever he will and will do for thee whatsoever is best thy Conscience which is instead of a thousand good Witnesses a thousand good Advocates a thousand good Iuries a thousand Clerks of the Peace and Guardians of the Peace to plead procure pronounce record and assure to thee that peace which passeth all understanding But I fear I have incited your impatiency by standing so long upon patience An End of the Second Part the Third follows Together with London Printed by A. M. for Iames Crump in Little Bartholomews Well-yard 1654. A handfull of Nuts MEn no more differ from Beasts Plants Stones in speech reason shape then some differ from others in heart in brain in life Nor is the Epicure more like a swine the Lustfull person a Goat the Fraudulent man a Fox the Backbiter a barking Dog the Slanderer an Asp the Oppressor a Wolf the Persecutor a Tygâ—r the Church-robber a wild Bore the Seducer a Serpent yea a Devil the Traytor a Viper c. 2 Tim. 4.17 Luk. 13.32 Phil. 3.2 Psal. 22.12 13 16 20 21. 74.13 14 19. 80.13 Matth. 23.33 Dan. 7.4 5 6 c. Zeph. 3.3 4 c. Cant. 2.15 17 c. then every of them is unlike another as the holy Ghost intimates in comparing severall men to almost every severall Creature in the Vniverse Neither does sin and grace only make this difference or occasion the very Heathen Poets usually and most fitly to compare some men to Stones for their hardness and insensiblenesse which may be understood of the Adamant stone as Zech. Chap. 7.12 hath it others to Plants that only fill their Veins a third sort to Beasts that please their senses too a fourth to evil Angels that only sin and cause others to sin a fifth to Good Angels that are still in motion alwaies serving God and doing good yet ever rest But as Menander speaks there is no lesse difference between the wise and simple the learned and unlearned then there is between men and beasts or between the living and the dead as another hath it And yet the rational does not so much excell the sensuall as the spirituall excels the rationall For as the soul is the lamp of the body and the reason of the soul and Religion of reason and Faith of Religion so Christ is the light and life of Faith Joh 1.9 8.12 Act. 26.18 Ephes. 5.14 Christ is the Sun of the soul and the day we know with one eye doth far more things descry then night can do with more then Argus eyes Whence it is that all men in their natural condition are said to be blinde and in darknesse Mat. 4.16
of God but it would be against reason for in reason if he hath vouchsafed us that great mercy to make us his own he hath given the whole army of afflictions a more inviolable charge concerning us then David gave his Host concerning Absalom See ye do the youngman my son Absalom no harm Now if for the present thou lackest faith patience wisdom and true judgement how to bear and make this gain of the cross Ask it of God who giveth to all men liberally and reproacheth no man and it shall be given thee Jam. 1.5 For every good giving and every perfect gift is from above and commeth down from the Father of lights Verse 17. 6 Use. 6 Sixthly for this point calling more for practice then proof it behoves us to be larger here briefer there If that which is one mans meat proves another mans poison let it be acknowledged that the fault is not in the meat but in the stomach and that it is the wickedness of our hearts want of a sincere endevour to make good use of Gods corrections which causeth him to withdraw his blessing from them Wherefore let it provoke us as we love our selves as we love our souls through all the transitory temporary momentany passages of this World first to strive after and then to preserve the life of our lives and soul of our souls sincerity and inegrity Again if afflictions which are in their own nature evil and unto others strong temptations to sin by the goodness of God do make so much for our advantage and benefit here and hereafter If our Heavenly Father turns all things even the malice of Satan and wicked men yea our own sins to our good Rom. 8.28 If for our sakes and for his Names sake he even changeth the nature and property of each creature rather then they shall hurt us as it is the nature and property of fire to burn yet that vehement â—ire in Nebuchadnezzars Furnace did not burn the three servants of God It is proper to the Sea to drown those that be cast into it yet it did not drown the Prophet in the very depth of it It is proper for hungry ravenous Lions to kill and devoure yet they did Daniel no harm And the like when we need their help It is proper for the Sun to move yet it stood still at the prayer of Ioshua proper for it to go from East to West yet for Hezekiahs confirmation it went from West to East It is proper for Iron to sink in the water yet it swom when the children of the Prophets had need of it In like manner It is proper for affliction to harden and make worse as well as for riches and prosperity to ensnare But as some Simples are by Art made medicinable which are by nature poisonable So afflictions which are in nature destructive by grace become preservative And as evil waters when the Vnicorns horn hath been in them are no longer poisonable but healthful or as a Wasp when her sting is out may awaken us by buzzing but cannot hurt us by stinging so fares it with affliction when God pleaseth to sanctifie the same as he doth to all that loue him Rom. 8.28 For of God it is without thanks to Affliction or our selves or our sins that we are bettâ—â—ed by them All the work is thine let thine be the glory But lastly for though we can never be thankful enough for this yet this is not all that we should finde him a Saviour whom our enemies finde a just revenger That we should be loosed from the chains of our sins and they delivered into the chains of Plagues That the same Christ should with his precious blood free us that shall with his Word sentence them Again if we were by nature the Seed of the Serpent children of the Devil and Subjects to that Prince which ruleth in the air even that spirit which now worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes. 2.2 We may learn by it to be humble and thankful if changed to be the womans seed children of God and members of Christ since we were once in so vile a condition for God found nothing in us but Enmity 1 Cor. 15.10 Rom. 7.18 25. We are not born but new-born Christians and whereas he might have left us in that perishing condition being bound to none and have chosen others he hath of his free grace adopted us and left others What 's the reason surely no reason can be given but O the depth only this I am sure of it is a mercy beyond all expression O my soul thou hast not room enough for thankfulness Wherefore let it provoke us so to love him that we shew forth the vertues and fruits of him that hath called us and done all this for us 1 Peter 2.9 But I fear we forfeit many of Gods favours for not paying that easie rent of thankfulness For conclusion If we be the seed of the Woman and our enemies the Seed of the Serpent let us go before them in goodness as far as God hath preferred us before them in mercy let us be able to say of our enemies as Iob of his I have not suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse unto his soul Job 31.30 Yea let us send down water from our compassionate eyes and weep for them by whom we bleed In brief let us hate their opinions strive against their practice pitty their misguidings neglect their censures labour their recovery and pray for their salvation CHAP. 34. That though God disposeth of all their malice to his Childrens greater good yet they shall be rewarded according to their mischievous intentions Ob. IF it be so that the malice of wicked men makes so much for the behoof of Gods people and that whatsoever they do unto us is but the execution of Gods will and fâ—ll accomplishment of his just decree it may seem to make on their side and not only extenuate their evil but give them occasion of boasting Ans. Although God disposeth it to the good of his children that he may bring about all things to make for his own glory yet they intend onely evill in it as namely the Dishonour of God the ruine of mens souls as I have proved in the Drunkards Character and the satisfying of their own serpentine enmity and thirst of revenge We must therefore learn to distinguish betwixt the act of God and of an enemy as indeed Gods people do When ye thought evil against me saith Ioseph to his brethren God disposed it to good that he might bring to passe as it is this day and save much people alive Gen. 50.20 God had no hand in doing the evil but God will have a hand in the disposing of it When Satan and wicked men have their wills even therein also is Gods will fulfilled for Gods will is the highest cause of all things Psal. 115.3 4. Yea the holy God challengeth to himself whatsoever is done in the City Amos
our wisdom is the only end for which he gives us to be wise And for default of this end he not seldom crosseth the means whereby while men strive to expel ignorance they fall into error as an Emperick to cure one Disease causeth a worse Briefly to conclude this point So many as are puft up with their knowledge or do not part with their sins thew that they never sought it for Gods glory but for their own honour and glory And certainly if we seek not Gods glory in doing his work he will give us no wages at the latter end Sect. 48. BUt for men to do no good with their gifts is not all yea it were well if that were the worst for not a few of them resemble Achitophel and Jonadab who imployed their wit wickedly and do mischief insteed of good with their wisdom like Herod whom you shall see turning over the Bible searching the Scriptures examining the Prophets but to what end and purpose To know good but to do evil yea the greatest evil under the Sun slay Christ in the cradle With many their knowledge and learning is not for God and for Gideon but for Antichrist and for Babylon and so of all other gifts how many are the worse for them As give Saula Kingdom and he will tyrannize give Nabal plenty and he will be drunk give Judas an Apostleship and he will sell his Master for mony let Sarmantus have a good wit he will exercise it in scoffing at holiness Briefly how oft doth wisdom without grace prove like a fair estate in the hands of a fool which not seldom becomes the owners ruine Or Absoloms hair which was an ornament wherewith he hanged himself So that wisdom without grace is nothing else but a cunning way of undoing our selves at the last Many mens knowledge to them being like the Ark to the Philistims which did them more hurt than good When their knowledge makes them prouder not better more rebellious not more serviceable as it is Isa. 47.10 Thy wisdom and thy knowledge they have caused thee to rebel And very often this falls out that as the best soyl usually yieldeth the worst air so without grace there is nothing more pestilent than a deep wit no such prey for the Devil as a good wit unsanctified VVit and Learning well used is like the golden ear-rings and bracelets of the Israelites abused like the same gold cast into an Idol than which noâ—hing more abominable Now when it comes to this That they fight against God with the weapon he hath given them when with those the Psalmist speaks of Psal. 73.9 They set their mouths against heaven and are like an unruly Jade that being full fed kicks at his Master what course doth the Lord take with them Answ. Read but that Parable Luk. 19.24 Ioh. 7.17 it will inform you For to him that useth his Talent of knowledge well he giveth more as to the servant that used his talents well he doubled them but to them that use not their knowledge well much more if they abuse it he taketh away that which he had formerly given them as he took heat from the fire when it would burn his Children Dan. 3.27 As you may see Isa. 44.25 2 Thess. 2.10 11 12. Ioh. 7.17 Psa. 111.10 1 Cor. 2.15 Eccles. 2.26 Prov. 28 5. Matth. 21.43 Acts 26.18 Isa. 29.14 44 25. 6.9 10. Dan. 2.19.23 Iob 5.13 14. Ioh. 9.39 12.40 Rom. 1.28 Ephe. 4.18 19. 1 Cor. 1.20 2 Thess. 2.10 11 12. turn to the places for they ate rare I will destroy the Tokens of the Soothsayers and make them that conjecture fools I will turn the wise men backward and make their knowledge foolishness saith the Lord Isa. 44.25 He taketh the wise in their own craftiness and the counsel of the wicked is made foolish Job 5.13 the case of Achitophel And justly are they forsaken of their reason who have abandoned God yea most just it is that they who want grace should want wit too And so much of abusing their gifts Lastly These great knowers and wise men are so far from desiring soul wisdom and saving-knowledge to the ends before specified that they do not at all desire it for that it suits not with their condition For Natural men desire only humane and mundane knowledge Spiritual men that which is heavenly and supernatural and the reason why they desire it not is for that they know it not A man desireth not that he knoweth not saies Chrisostome neither are unknown evils feared wherefore the work of Regeneration begins at Illumination Acts 26.18 Coll. 1.13 1 Pet. 2.9 Now according as men are wise they prize and value this wisdom and endeavour to obtain it Prov. 18.15 For it is more true of divine wisdom than it was of that Grecian beauty No man ever loved her that never saw her no man ever saw her but he loved her And so on the contrary according as men are ignorant and blockish they under-value and dis-esteem it hate it and are prejudice against it And hereupon carnal men being blinded by the Prince of darkness together with their own wickedness and being of a reprobate judgement do most usually and familiarly term and esteem this soul-wisdom this divine spiritual experimental and saving-knowledge to be meer foolishness or madness Wisd. 5.3 to 9. and the Professors thereof to be fools madmen Elisha was counted no better 2 King 9 11. and the rest of the Prophets Hosea 9 7. and Paul Acts 26.20 and all the Apostles 1 Cor. 4.10 Yea our Saviour Christ himself with open mouth was pronounced mad by his carnal bearers Joh. 10.20 Mark 3.21 and this hath been the worlds vote ever since The sinceer Christian was so reputed in Pliny's time and after in St. Austin's time yea Julian the Pelagian could gibe St. Austin that he had none of the wise Sages nor the learned Senate of Philosophers on his side but only a company of mean tradesmen of the vulgar sort that took part with him Whole Answer was Thou reproachest the weak things of the world which God hath chosen to confound the things that are mighty To wordly men Christian wiseom seems folly saith Gregory And well it may for even the wisdom of God is foolishness with the world 1 Cor. 1.18 23. therefore no disparagement to us his servants if they repute us fools nor I think any honour to such sensualists that so repute us However we will give them their due For Sect. 49. I Grant that in some kind of skill they out-strip the best of Gods People who if they are put to it may answer as Themistocles did when one invited him to touch a lute for as he said I cannot fiddle but I can make a smal town a great state So the godly may say We cannot give a sollid reason in Nature why Nilus should over-flow only in the Sommer when waters are at the lowest Why the Loadstone should draw iron or
to that renowned Captain Bellizarius It was yet worse which Popilius shewed to Cicero which Lycaon shewed to his stranger guests that came to him for relief It was worst of all in the Iews to scourge and crucifie Christ who did them good every way for he healed their diseases fed their bodies enlightened their mindes of God became Man and lived miserably amongst them many years that he might save their souls though in killing him they did their utmost to sink the onely ship that could save them But all these fall far short of our ingratitude to God for his maintenance we take and live on the bread we eat the air we breath the cloaths we weare all are his § 3. That we are out of Hel there to fry in flames never to be freed That we have the free offer of grace here and everlasting glory hereafter in Heaven where are such joyes as eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath entred into the heart of man to conceive 1 Cor. 2.9 we are beholding to him Yet we not onely deny this Lord that hath bought us as every one does that prefers Mammon or any other thing before him but we hate him as he doth hate and not love God that loves what he hates or hates what he loves but most spightfully and maliciously fight on Satans and sins side against him and persecute his Children and the truth with all our might perswading and enforcing others to do the same even wishing that we could pull him out of his Throne rather then to admit him our just Iudge And all this against knowledge and conscience after illumination I wish men would a little think of it and then if this will not melt their hearts no hope that any other means should do it but perish they must § 4. I confess I have small hope that what hath been said of Gods love and our odious unthankfulness his goodness and our ingratitude which being seriously considered were enough to bring the whole world upon their knees should make them any whit ashamed or the better because their blockishness is such that they think themselves good enough and that to doubt of it or strive to be more holy were but a foolish and needless scrupulosity Yea they prefer their condition before other mens that are so consciencious A thing strange yet it is so For although there be not a leaf in the sacred Volume but hath matter against a voluptuous life none for it For â—o please flesh and blood is the Doctrine of the Devill Yet how do a woâ—ld of men stifle their consciences and force themselves to believe if it were possible that in case men will not swear drink drunk conform to their lewd customes and the like they are over-precise and that God will like a man the worse for his being the better or for having of a tender Conscience And that he looks for less fear reverence and obedience from his servants then we do from our servants and yet hold that a servant can never be too punctual in his obedience to his Masters lawful commands They think it not enough for themselves to prefer the pleasing of their senses before the saving of their souls and to venture tasting the forbidden fruit at the price of death eternal but they account them fools that do otherwise CHAP. VII § 1. O My brethren it is not to be believed how blinde and blockish men are that have hardened their hearts and seared their consciences with accustomary sinning for albeit I have informed them how dangerous their estate is that they might plainly see it truly fear it and timely prevent it yet I have very little hope to do any good upon them For first These lines to them are but as so many Characters writ in the water which leave no impression behinde them as being like one that beholdeth his natural face in a glass who when he hath considered himself goeth his way and forgetteth immediately what manner of one he was James 1.23 24. of like some silly Fly which being beat from the Candle and hundred times and oft singed therein yet will return to it again until she be consumed Prov. 23.35 All those Beasts which went into the Ark unclean came likewise out unclean Secondly Though these sparks of grace may kindle piety in others yet not in them for they are out of all hope of being healed For what is light to them that will shut their eyes against it or reason to them that will stop their ears from hearing it and men of their condition do on purpose stop their ears and wink with their eyes lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and so should be converted as our Saviour shews Matth. 13.15 and St. Paul Acts 28.27 yea it 's well if they do not carp and fret against the Word and persecute the Messengers as Herod did Iohn Baptist Demetrius Paul and the false Prophets Ieremiah And how should not that patient perish who after he is launced flies from the Chirurgion before the binding up of his wound Or how should not that sin be past cure which strives against the cure certainly salvation it selfe will not save those that spill the potion and fling away the plaister O if these Adders had not stopt their ears how long since had they been charmed I grant they have reason so to do such as it is For will a Leper take pleasure in the searching of his sores and Satan the like for if they could clearly see the loathsomnesse of their impieties it were not possible not to abbor them not to abhor themselves for them but their blindnesse makes them love their own filthinesse as Ethiopians do their own swarthinesse § 2. And to tell you the truth though I speak against my self had I not a further reach in it it were an unreasonable motion in me if I should request mindes propossest with prejudice to hear reason Since the World and the Devil hath so forestalled their judgements therewith against Gods people and goodnesse it self that they resolve never to be better then they are And where Satan hath set this his porter of prejudice though Christ himself were on earth that soul would make an ill construction of whatsoever he did or spake as we see in the Scribes and Pharisees who when he wrought miracles reputed him a sorcerer when he cast out Devils thought it to be by the power and Prince of Devils when he reproved sinners he was a seducer when he received sinners he was their favourer when he healed the sick he was a Sabbath-breaker and the like yea they counted him the greatest offender that offended not once in all his life which would make a wise man suspect his own judgement or the common â—ame and to examine things throughly before they condemn one whom they know no evil by Yet this is the case of these men of most men for
hear the secrets of his heart made manifest to himself and others he will then be convinced and â—all down on his face and worship God and say This is of God indeed or of a truth Vers. 24 25. and I doubt not but by Gods help I shall shew these ignorant unbelievers from the written Word their very thoughts and the most secret intents of their hearts Heb. 4.12 and so that their own consciences shall bear me witness I belie them not Wherefore lend me your best attentions I beseech you and in reading take notice of what concerns each of you and if conscience plead guilty hearken thereunto § 3. Now that I may speak to all whom it concerns namely those ignorant unbelieving and ungrateful wrethches formerly spoken of and that It may prove of general behoof I will give you the several charaâ—â—â—râ— of seven sorts of men which include the whole number viz. The Loose Libertine The Civil Iusticiary The Formal Hypocrite The Miserly Muck-worm The Profound Humanist The Cunning Politician The False Teacher that flatters sin flowts holiness And in some one of these every natâ—ral man shall read the very thoughts of his heart together with his words and actions For if ought be wanting in the one it shall be supplied in the other which is as much as can be expected For otherwise I can no way avoid Tautologies nor Interfering If it be asked why I seem to forget the character of an ignorant person I answer it were not proper to make him a distinct party for all these that I have mentioned are equally ignorant if unregenerate touching spiritual experimental and saving knowledge though some more fools then others in the things of this life Nor is any Profound Humanist or Cunning Politician or False Teacher so wise but it is through ignorance that he doth so ill and which is as good the ignorant man shall meet with his own thoughts words and actions in every of the seven Characters if he be but wise enough to know the issue of his own heart and brain when he sees the Brats brought before him I shall also occasionally pourtray or paint out the usual cunning Covetousness and Cruelty Of Governours Of Officers Of Iudges Of Lawyers Of Projectors Of Engrossers Of Gripers Of Wasters c. And the better to illustrate or set out the fairness or deformity of each vertue and vice I will give you the lively and lovely Characters of Iustice Thankfulness Contentation Frugality Liberality CHAP. IX § 1. I Begin with the Loose Libertine or openly prophane for he shall lead the Troop as Judas led the Souldiers Thou that art openly proâ—hane dost so manifestly prove and profess thy self to be one of those ignorant unbelieving ingrateful wicked wretches herein coâ—cern'd yea to be one of the children of disobedience whom Satan hath blinded that in respect of others I should think it needlesse to spend time in further proof thereof yet I would gladly say something to shame thee out of thy self wherefore briefly thus Thou art kept by the Devil in a snare and taken captive of him at his will he ruleth and worketh his pleasure in thee as being thy God and Father and Prince and Mâ—ster 2 Tim. 2.26 Joh. 8.44 and 14.30 2 Cor. 4.4 Thy odious qualities are these and the like thou doest banâ—â—h all civility and give thy self over to sensuality and art neither afraid nor ashamed to let thy wickedest thoughts break forth into actions Yea thou thinkest thy self thâ— honester man for it and boastest thou art none of those dissembling Hypocrites that seem to be what they are not Thou art a common Drunkard inâ—tead of quenching thy thirst thou drownest thy senses and wilt leave thy wits rather then the Wine behinde thee § 2. Thou desirest not the reputation of honesty but of good fellowship Thou art a continual swearer and that of bloody oaths One of our Ruffians or sons of Belial who when thou art displeased with others wilt flie in thy Makers face and tear thy Saviours Name in pieces even swearing away thy part in that blood which must saye thee if ever thou beest sayed Yea if thou art neveâ— so little provoked curses with thee strive for number with oaths and lewd speeches with both Thou knowest no other dialect then roaring swearing and banning the language of Hell which thou learnest before thou comest thither and in case thou art reproved for it thou wilt say We take too much upon us as Corah and his complices twitted Mâ—ses Numb 16.3 not knowing how strictly God commands and requires it Levit. 19.17 Heb. 3.11 2 Tim. 2.25 Ezek. 3.18 to 22. 2 Pet. 2.7 8. Whence as the chief Priests answered Iudas What is that to us so thou wilt blaspheme God tear Christ in pieces and more then betray even shed his innocent blood digging into his side with oaths and say when told of it What is that to us When thou mightest as well say What is Christ to us What is Heaven to us or what is salvation to us For to us the one cannot be without the other We shall never inherit part of his glory in Heaven if we do not take his glories part upon Earth And with God it is much about one whether we be doers of evil or no hinderers For if we must not see our neighbours Ox nor his Sheep go astray or fall into a pit but we must reduce him and help him out of it Deut. 22.1 We are much more bound to help our Neighbour himself from dropping into the bottomless pit of Hell And what know we but we may win our brother and so save his soul Matth. 18.15 Again thou art an usual companion of Harlots thy summum bonum is a Punk and thou wilt rather burn in hell then marry All thy felicity is in a Tâ—vern or Brothel-house where Harlots and Sycophants rifle thy estate and then send thee to rob Thou art one of those that St. Peter speaks of thou hast eyes ful of adultery that cannot cease to sin Thou gazest upon every fair face and lustest after every beautiful woman Thy speech is lewd and obscene thy discourse scurrility lascivious thy behaviour Thou art a frequent slanderer of thy Neighbour an open Sabbath-breaker Canst boast of sin and mischief and if need be defend it § 3. Like the Salamander thou art never well but in the fire of contention And art apt to quarrel yea kill a man for every foolish trifle be it but for the wall or refusing to pledge thee as if thy honour were of more worth then thy soul. Yea the Devil hath so blinded and bewitcht thee that thou thinkest every wrong or disgraceful word quarrel just enough to shed blood that true valour consists onely in a brave revenge and being implacable that patience is but an argument of baseness and therefore thou wilt rather suffer a sword in thy bowels then a lie in thy throat I confess thou wilt fight in no
pride fourty years and five hundred or ten thousand pounds c. let them be in their right senses they cannot thin that God will take this for a good discharge of their Steward-ships though the devil may and will make them beleive that Christ will quit all scores between 〈…〉 father and them And thus I have made it plain that want and beggery is the 〈…〉 parent to riot and prodigality and that he who when he should not 〈…〉 too much shall when he would not have too littel to spend a 〈…〉 young gulls I have likewise shown that what the covetous 〈…〉 As O that the covetous Moule who is now digging a house in the earth for his posterity did but fore-see how his Prodigal son will consume whâ—â— he with so much care and industry hath scraped together for should he have leave hereafter to come out of hell for an hour and see it he would curse this his folly yea if possible it would double the pain of his infernall torment as it fares with Gnipho the Usurer who as Lucian feigneth lying in hell lamenteth his miserable estate that one Rodochares an incestuous Prodigal on earth consumed his goods Wastfully which he by unjust means had scraped together so carefully the which seemeth to have some affinity with the word of truth why else is Dives being in hell torments said to lift up his eyes and to see Abraham a farre off and Lazarus in his bosome parlying so seriously about his brethren whom he had left behind him Luke 16 23 c. Why else doth our Saviour say that the wicked shall gnash their teeth for vexation when they shall see Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of heaven and themselves thrust out of doors Luke 13.28 But that thou mayst the better foresee or at least fore-think what will follow I will shew thee thy case in sundry other persons Clodius son to Esophus the Tragedian spent marvelous great wealth which his father left him Epicharmus the Athenian having a large patrimony left him by his parents consumed it in six dayes and all his life time after lived a begger Apicius in banquetting spent great revenues left him by his parsimonius father and then because he would not lead a miserable life hanged himself Pericles Calias and Nicius by prodigall lavishing and palpable sensuallity spent in a short time very great patrimonies left them by their parents and when all their means was gone they drank each of them a poysoned potion one to an other and dyed in the place Again we read that Caligula in one year of his reign spent prodigally sixty seven millions of gold which Tiberius his Predecessor had gathered together as Tacitus tells us and whereas Iohn the 22. left behind him as Petrarch reports two hundred and fifty tun of gold insomuch that an odde fellow made this jest of him Erat Pontifex maximus 〈…〉 tumen maximus Pope Sixtus Quintus called of 〈…〉 by-word for selling our Kingdom to Philip of Spain Six 〈◊〉 through his intollerable covetousnesse left in his Exchequer five 〈…〉 his succersâ—r Gregory the fourteenth wasted four of them in ten 〈…〉 CHAP. 4. ANd so you have three Chapters taken out of the prevention of poverty In Gods goodnesse and Englands unthankfulnesse by the same Authour I find this ensuing Character of a Prodigall or Loose Libertine it is in Chapter the 9th where he is appointed to lead the Troop of Ignorant unbeleiving Ingrateful and wicked persons as Iudas led the Souldiers It begins and goes on as followeth Thou that art Openly profane dost so manifestly prove and profess thy self to be one of those ignorant unbelieving ingrateful and wicked wretches herein concern'd yea to be one of the children of disobedience whom Satan hath blinded that in respect of others I should think it needlesse to spend time in further proof thereof yet I would gladly say something to shame thee out of thy self wherefore briefly thus Thou art kept by the Devil in a snare and taken captive of him at his will he ruleth and worketh his pleasure in thee as being thy God and father and Prince and Master 2 Tim. 2.26 Joh. 8.44 and 14.30 2 Cor. 4.4 Thy odious qualities are these and the like thou doest banish all civility and give thy self over to sensuality and art neither afraid nor ashamed to let thy wickedest thoughts break forth into actions Yea thou thinkest thy self the honester man for it and boastest thou art none of those dissembling Hypocrites that seem to be what they are not Thou art a common Drunkard in stead of quenching thy thirst thou drownest thy senses Thou desirest not the reputation of honesty but of good fellowship Thou art a continual swearer and that of bloody oaths One of our Ruffians or sons of Belial who when thou art displeased with others will 〈◊〉 in thy Makers face and tear thy Saviours Name in peices even swearing away thy part in that blood which must save thee if ever thou beâ—st saved Yea if thou art never so little provoked curses with thee strive for number with oaths and lewd speeches with both Thou knowest no other dialect then roaring swearing and banning and in case thou arâ— reproved for it thou wilt say We take too much upon us as Câ—â—ah and his complices twitted Moses Numb 16 3. not knowing how strictly God commands and requires it Levit. 19.17 Heb. 3.11 2 Tim. 2.25 〈◊〉 3.18 to 22.2 Pet. 2.7 8 Whence as the Chief Priests answered 〈…〉 is that to us so thou wilt blaspheme God tear Christ in pieces and 〈…〉 22.1 We are much more bound to help our Neighbour himself from dropping into the bottomlesse pit of Hell And what know we but we may win our brother and so save his soul Matth 18.15 Again thou art an usual companion of Harlots thy summum bonum is a Punk and thou wilt rather burn in Hell then marry Thou art one of those that St. Peter speaks of thou hast eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease to sin Thou gazest upon every fair face and lustest after every beautiful woman â—hy speech is lewd and obscene thy discourse scurrility lascivious thy behaviour Thou art a frequent slanderer of thy Neigbour an open Sabbath-breaker Canst boast of sin and mischief and if need be defend it Like the Salamander thou art never well but in the fire of contention And art apt to quarrel yea kill a man for every foolish trifle be it but for the wall or refusing to pledge thee as if thy honour were of more worth then thy soul. Yea the Devil hath so blinded and bewitcht thee that thou thinkest every wrong or disgraceful word quarrel just enough to shed blood that true valour consists only in a brave revenge and being implacable that patience is but an argument of basenesse and therefore thou wilt raâ—her suffer a sword in thy bowels then a lye in thy throat I confesse thou wilt fight in no quarrel but a