will not be well pleased to have such destruction made of his Subjects the Bishop answered Although the King at the first do think it evil done we will so bring it to pass that within a short space he shall think it well enough for we have the Cardinals on our side and especially the most reverend Cardinal of Tournon We read likewise of the unreasonableness of the malice of wicked men against Gods servants in the History of the Waldenses they petitioning that seeing it was permitted to the Turks Saracens and Jews who are mortal enemies to Christ to dwell peaceably in the fairest Cities of Christendom that pity and compassion might be shewed to them who have their whole Religion founded upon the Gospel and worshipping the Lord Jesus and that they might be suffered to live quietly in desolate Mountains and desarts and valleys protesting that they would live in all fear and reverence of God with all due subjection and obedience to their Lord and Prince and to his Lieutenants and Officers and yet this Petition could not be granted We read likewise that when that worthy Servant of God John Frith who was a learned and godly Minister was burnt at the stake together with one Andrew Hewet that one Doctor Cook a Parson in London openly admonished all the people that they should in no wise pray for them no more then they would for a dog O what bitterness and rage is there in the hearts of wicked men against Gods servants No marvel then seeing they live amongst them they suffer so much affliction as they do The Lord tells Ezekiel that he lived amongst bryars and thorns and that he dwelt amongst scorpions Thus all Gods people living with the men of the world may be said to live amongst bryars and thorns and to dwell amongst Scorpions no marvel then though they be so torn and stung as they are some have onely snarling wrangling railing spirits and there is all they can do the worst is but to prick and tear the flesh as a bryar and thorn but others are scorpions able to do a great deal more mischief Fourthly this opposition of wicked men against the godly is an universal opposition As first opposing all that do belong unto the ways of godliness as Luke 9. 53. it is said of the Samaritans that they would not receive Christ because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem their hearts were against any inclination against any thing that tended that way Secondly if they can have advantage against any one who makes any shew of Religion they let flye against all they rage against all as Haman against the whole people of the Jews when he was provoked against Mordecai Yea thirdly they even hate their children after them they shall fare something the worse for the forwardness of their Parents Fifthly it is a secret opposition for so Antipathies are there can be no reason given for it but as he said This onely can I say I do not love thee but I cannot say wherefore they are convinced that they are better then themselves in their most serious thoughts they wish to dye their death to be in their condition and yet their hearts do rise against them as they were wont to say of Caius Seius he was a good man but he was a Christian But it may be said there is a reason for our opposition we do not oppose them for their goodness but because they oppose Laws and we would see the Laws to be obeyed we do not oppose them for their godliness but for their hypocrisie For answer the Devil never opposed Religion but under some colour Pharaoh cryes out of the people of Israel that they were idle Haman says that it was not for the Kings profit to suffer the Jews Tobiah and Sanballat cryes out of them that they were enemies to Kings and Government Saint Paul was accused of sedition But surely it is not for the execution of Laws that mens hearts do so rise against such as are forward in the ways of Religion for in other things they count men too busie when they seek the execution of Law It was Tertullians appology in the behalf of the Christians against the Gentiles who objected the same thing against them O says he there are other Laws more for the good of the Common-wealth that you do not execute as he instanceth in Laws that were made to restrain men from sumptuousness in feastings and in apparel and houshold-stuff and in their excessive costs about their Shows and Games yea and many ancient Laws about Religion they regarded not And as for that plea of hypocrisie take this one evidence that it is not that which is opposed but Religion it self if it were hypocrisie that were opposed then the better they did grow when they were in their most serious moods the more they would oppose it for that which is evil must needs be so much the more opposed by how much the more any grows better but it is apparent that howsoever men in the heat of their pride and lusts set themselves against the servants of God under that name of hypocrisie by which they blinde their own consciences yet when at any time they are in any serious mood and their hearts grow into any better disposition then they are not so set against them as before whereas if it were evil that they hate them for upon their sick beds and death-beds they would hate them most of all but we know it is not so Sixthly and lastly the opposition that comes from Antipathy is an irreconcileable opposition it may be curbed and restrained a little and for a time but reconciliation can never be made except one of the natures be changed no arguments no perswasions no means can do any good here it is onely change of nature that can help Now then seeing that there is such an antipathy between the people of God and the men of the world with whom they live how is it possible but that while they live with them they must needs be afflicted by them CHAP. VI. Many Reasons why God orders things in his providence so as his beloved should be under sore afflictions in this world BUt though it be true that the Devil and world are malicious yet does not God rule over all why then will God suffer his beloved ones thus to be troubled and afflicted Answ Psal 97. 1. The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoyce it is well for us that the Lord reigneth or else his people could never stand before the rage of the world and Devil one or two wolves were able to devour a flock of sheep what then would many wolves do amongst sheep if there were not an over-ruling hand but as Psal 76. 10. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain God suffers and orders this so that he might turn all to his own praise For First sometimes
MOSES HIS CHOICE VVith his EYE fixed upon Heaven Discovering THE HAPPY CONDITION OF A Self-denying Heart Delivered in A TREATISE UPON Hebrews 11. 25 26. By JEREMIAH BURROUGHS LONDON Printed by John Field and are to be sold by Thomas Eglesfield at the Marygold and at the Brazen Serpent in St. Pauls Church-yard MDCL To the Right Honorable ROBERT Earl of WARWICK BARON of LEEZE One of the Lords of his Majesties most Honorable Privy Councel Right Honorable AS those who have been of late and in these days yet are of the Antichristian party may well be accounted men born in an evil time because howsoever heretofore was the time of Gods long suffering towards such the time of permission of them to prosper the set time of Antichrists downfal then being further off then now it is But now Gods time of setting his face against Antichrist and all the Antichristian party is come wherein GOD is determined to fight against them and to ruine them most wretched men therefore are they who now have spirits set for the upholding the pleading for that which God hath set himself against So happy especially now are those whose hearts have been and still are set to countenance maintain to further and honor the truth of the Gospel in the power and purity of it These are born and raised up by God and for God in a most blessed time wherein God stretcheth out his holy Arm together with them their hearts are guided by God himself to the furtherance of that work which is the greatest work that God hath to do in this latter age of the world namely To bring in his Truth and Ordinances with glory and power to set up Jerusalem as the praise of the earth to make godliness and the powerful profession of it as honorable as ever it hath been contemptible And now Right Honorable God hath been pleased to bless your Noble Family for many years past with this so great a blessing as to make it instrumental to this great work of his and your self have had a plentiful share in this so great a happiness Your Honor hath discountenanced superstitious time-serving spirits but as for the faithful Ministers of the Gospel and the most sincere and godly of your Countrey your Honor hath cast much respect upon them and been the encourager of them which reflects Honor as upon Gods name and his truth so upon your noble Family I believe there hath not ascended to Heaven more praises to God from any County in England for any Noble Family in regard of the placing of a godly painful conscionable Ministery as hath ascended from that County in which your Honor and your truly Noble Father hath had such a large opportunity of service for God and doing good to his people And I may further confidently affirm That no Noble Family in England hath more prayers of the Saints ascending to Heaven for a blessing upon it then that family of yours neither is there any Noble Family this day shall I say in England I may without presumption reach it further which the Lord hath blessed in regard of some Branches of it with more beauty and power of godliness then he hath blessed yours in regard whereof it would be the most miserable thing that could be if ever the succession of the countenancing and honoring the ways of godliness should be cut off from such a noble Family Cursed be that man who shall be the cutter off of the succession of so great an Honor to such an Honorable Family Psal 72. 17. it is said The name of Christ should endure for ever Filiabitur nomine ejus so the words are it shall be begotten as one generation is begotten of another and so there shall be a succession of Christs name It is a most blessed thing when in a Family there is a begetting of the name of Christ and so it is left unto the succeeding generation as the name of the Family is left unto it Pliny tells us that it was accounted a great honor yea the height of felicity that in one house and Race of the Curio's there were known to be three excellent Orators one after another by descent from the Father to the Son and that the Fabii afforded three Presidents of the Senate in course one immediately succeeding the other If this succession be so honorable so happy how honorable how happy doth the succession of Religion from Father to Son make Families to be This succession in your noble Family is the subject of the prayers of many precious spirits exceedingly dear to God And my Lord although God hath made you exceeding instrumental for much good to his people which is one of the greatest blessings under heaven yet let not your Lordship rest in this Gods warning to Solomon 1 Kings 9. 4. is very observable after Solomon had finished that glorious Temple for the honor of the Lord after he had assembled all the Elders of Israel to bring up the Ark of the Lord with all solemnity after he had made such an excellent Prayer before all the people after he had offered to the Lord two and twenty thousand Oxen and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep and in his rejoycing in this great work done to the honor of God he made a great Feast to all the people seven days and to them he added seven days more and sent away the people with joyful and glad heaets yet after this God says to him If thou wilt walk before me as David thy father walked in integrity of heart and up rightness to do according to all that I have commanded thee then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom Though the things that you have done be great things yet I expect walking according to all that I have commanded thee or else all is nothing It were infinite pity and God forbid so great an evil that any one way of sin should ever stand up to hinder the blessing upon a noble spirit and such worthy services for the Church as you have done well beseeming that true nobility of such a spirit Your Honor hath appeared much for the Honor the Safety Peace Liberties of the Saints and your Countrey and how many now have their consciences check them and shame is upon their faces for that base cowardise and vile time-serving that the true nobility of your Lordships spirit scorning such baseness delivered you from God hath now appeared for his people more then ever in our or our Forefathers time do you now appear more then ever for them As God hath mightily enlarged the opportunity of service so the good God enlarge and heighten with true Nobility and Christian generousness your Noble spirit that you may be as a chosen shaft in the Quiver of the Lord reserved to these times to be in a high degree instrumental to his praise It is now near three years since that your Lordship lying sick not without apprehension that Gods time to
garment of the Kings daughter the Church be of divers colours yet why may it not be like Christs garment without seam For the Lords sake let us take heed of divisions and quarrels especially let us take heed that under the pretence of Religion we do not maintain quarrels for this is to bring down the holy Ghost from appearing like a Dove to appear in the form of a Vulture or Raven You know what S. Paul says of speaking with several tongues will not he that comes in say you are mad When wicked men hear of so many dissonant opinions of so many dissentions among you will they not think you mad And because you all pretend Religion will they not think that that kinde of Religion which you pretend is a mad thing So far shall you be from making the way of Christ honorable in their eyes which yet should be the thing you should more desire seek after rejoyce in then your lives Religion hath the name from binding and certainly it is the best band of humane societies there is great reason then that we seek to keep it in the band of unity And that is the third thing I would say to those that are in Church-fellowship not to darken the excellency that is in communion with the Saints The fourth exhortation is that you would walk and live so as by your walking you may draw others to be in love with this fellowship as God hath made it to be glorious so that you would set out the glory of it to others that all that go by you should say Surely they are the blessed of the Lord certainly God is with them and therefore we will likewise joyn with them O what a blessed thing were it if we could by our lives convince others that we are the plants of the Lords own planting The lives of men convince more strongly then their words The tongue perswades but the life commands is the speech of an Ancient We read in Rev. 14. Those that stood with the Lamb upon Mount Zion enjoying communion there they had his Fathers name written upon their foreheads the glory of God shined in their foreheads a convincing conversation is that which God calls for at your hands Let the name of God be precious to you Is it not a precious thing to live so as to bring honor to God to hold forth the honor of God is all the glory we can bring to God let us be known to be those we profess our selves to be separated from the world by the holiness of our lives as Tertullian says of the Christians in his time they were known to be Christians from the amendment of their former lives You are joyned near to Christ as a girdle about a mans loyns take heed you be not as that girdle Jer. 13. A rotten girdle fit for nothing so were the Church of the Jews at that time but you should be as that girdle of Christ Rev. 1. A golden girdle about his paps By which the beauty and glorious condition of the Church in the Primitive times is described Let us walk so as to manifest and hold forth the beauty and amiableness of godliness in the eyes of all that they may see it whether they will or no and to force esteem from the consciences of men Cant. 6. 4. it is said of the Church She is terrible as an army with banners A Church of God that walks close to the rule is terrible to guilty consciences Let us walk so as when the Balaams of the world look upon us they may see our comely order so as to be forced to say O how goodly are thy tents O Jacob and thy Tabernacles O Israel as the valleys are they spread forth as gardens by the Rivers side as the trees of Lign-Aloes which the Lord hath planted and as Cedars beside the waters Numbers 24. 5. St. John Epist 1. chap. 1. 3. expresseth his desire for those whom he wrote to that they might have fellowship with him and the rest of the Saints and he brings this as an argument Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ this would be a mighty prevailing argument indeed if we walked so before others as to manifest that we in truth have fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ then our fellowship would be desireable indeed CHAP. XXIII How should Gods people so walk as to draw others in love with their communion BUt how should Gods people so walk as to bring others in love with their communion First in the general take heed of those sins especially that those which you converse with are guilty of that they be not able to spy the same sins in you which their consciences accuse themselves of take heed of the pollutions of the world Cant. 6. 10. Who is she that looketh forth as the Morning fair as the Moon clear as the Sun and terrible as an army with banners The Church of God ought to be fair as the Moon but the Moon hath spots and therefore it follows Clear as the Sun and then she is terrible as an army with banners Either she will draw the hearts of others to love her or she will daunt their hearts Yea let them not see any defilement answerwable to their defilement for wicked men though they cannot spy evils in the godly yet surely they think they are guilty of the sins which they live in as well as themselves as Nero because he was unchast thought all the world was unchast and therefore the godly should labor to keep themselves from such sins as the world is guilty of that they may not spy such in them A godly man should not onely labor to be kept from outward defilement that may be done by the strength of a natural conscience without any sanctifying grace and it should be a shame to one that hath grace if he should not do that if he cannot do that how can he purge himself from secret and spiritual evils that are in the heart Secondly if you would walk so as to draw others in love to communion with you walk in singleness and uprightness of heart Acts 2. 46 47. They did eat their bread with gladness and singleness of heart praising God mark what follows having favor with all the people and God added to the Church Singleness of heart makes Church-communion lovely But what is that uprightness and singleness of heart that we are to walk withal By that I mean this namely to be sure that there be an answerableness in our conversation unto all those principles of godliness that we profess for take the most strict principles of Religion and the men of the world cannot speak against them and when it comes to this is all they have to say Ah! if it were in truth and in sincerity it were something but they are hypocrites they acknowledge the principles are right but they
can be their consciences cannot but accuse them that they undertake the ways of Religion to employ them for no more then for the attaining such low ends Yea many that are now in Heaven and have this glorious reward did not finde so much difficulty in the ways of Religion as many Hypocrites do There are three Reasons for it First that they do is by their own strength and when one comes to perform the duties of Religion by his own strength they are hard to him a gracious heart hath strength from Heaven and from Christ now when a man hath received strength he can do that with ease that was difficult before A man that hath a base unclean heart the ways of Religion must be tedious to such a one as a mans body being corrupted whatsoever he does is tedious to him if he were sound it would not be so tedious and so the ways of Religion are tedious to an hypocrite because he does all in his own strength and his soul is corrupted Besides the ways of Religion are not suitable to his principles but he is fain to force himself to them and all forced things are tedious but a gracious heart goes on in the ways of Religion as suitable to his principles Besides an Hypocrite hath not those comforts as those that are gracious have in their ways they have the assurance of Gods acceptance and the light of God shining upon them which Hypocrites have not so that the ways of God are more difficult to Hypocrites then to the godly and yet they get nothing by them but some base ends and the godly that do not endure so much difficulty get Heaven and immortality and a Crown of glory and all because their ends are different O be sure your ends be right you see what vast difference mens ends may make As if two should go to sea it may be they go out both together and one endures as much tempest and storm as the other and they are at the like charge perhaps yet the one comes home richly laden and the other brings nothing but Cockle shells and a little gravel when he that brought home the Cockle shells and the gravel shall see the difference between him and the other when as they were at like charge and endured the same difficulty how will he be ashamed This is the difference between a gracious heart and an hypocrite both go out in Religion the one makes as much stir as the other and suffers as much disgrace and contempt as the other the one enjoys all the riches of the Kingdom of God the other what does all his profession come to he gains a little respect from some that this body or that body says He is a man of good parts and here is all O miserable voyage that such as these are have made when all their profession comes but to this Yea it may be they do not so much as gain respect from those that are wise and judicious but onely from a company of pratlers that will speak well of you when you please them and when you do not please them they will speak as ill of you like a great blaze that a little fire will make in straw for the present and when it is past you see nothing but a few black ashes so many Professors make a great blaze and a great noise and shew and all that it comes to is that they get a little esteem in the world or like Kites they will flutter up a little but their eye is upon the carrion so many seem to be above in the ayr in the profession of Religion and yet their eyes are upon the carrion they make things below their aym What dishonor is this unto the ways of godliness those ways that are the most precious things in the world all the world is nothing to the profession of godliness and those ways that God hath appointed to lead to such glorious things as these are how are they vilified and abased you do not onely vilifie your selves but you vilifie Gods ways when as they tend to such a glorious end you put them under your base ends If a man were a Nobleman by birth what greater dishonor could be done to him then to make him serviceable to a drudge So the ways of God that are so glorious to make them serviceable to your base ends what dishonor is put upon the ways of God in this Certainly God cannot take it well at your hands to make the meanest creature of God our own civil actions serviceable to our lusts is a great sin but to make Prayer and the Word and the Sacraments and the ways of godliness to be serviceable to our lusts this is most horrible impiety Again how do you pollute that which is holy The way of God is a holy thing and take heed of polluting of it by having such low ends in it Again consider how you do take the name of God in vain the name of God is in the ways of Religion and for you to have no higher ends in Religion but such base ones you take Gods name in vain and God will not hold you guiltless These two men a gracious heart and a hypocrite may be compared to two men that follow the King one that follows the King for some Dukedom and place of Office to obtain some great thing from the King and a begger that knows not the King but runs after him for an alms and if he may have six pence or a shilling he goes away quieted So in the ways of Religion both seem to follow God a gracious heart follows God and knows what God is he knows that God is a blessed God a glorious God and that there are wonderful great and glorious things to be communicated from God to the souls of his people and therefore he follows God for great things for heaven and eternity and glory and immortality an hypocrite he knows little of God and he follows God that he may have a little credit and content for a while and he looks no higher O base ignoble spirits that have no higher thoughts in the ways of God! though we must take heed of high thoughts of our selves yet in the ways of God we must lift up our selves and have high thoughts and high ayms O what difference is there between an hypocrite and a true gracious heart A gracious heart hath high ends for God in the meanest actions in eating and drinking and an hypocrite hath low ends in his highest actions in the most solemn duties of divine worship Secondly those hypocrites are to be rebuked that go on fairly in the profession of Religion and make conscience of secret sins and not onely in shews but really are escaped many pollutions of the world and yet at last lose all for cleaving to some one sin but there is a great deal of difference between a real escaping and true sanctifying escaping many may really forsake