purpose as the most do to cover preceeding evils which they are more ashamed to confesse then to practise helps therein the Divell in his own businesse But whosoever loves and makes a ly hath no right to the tree of life nor shall enter the gates into the holy City but shall remayn without with dogs and sorcerers and Whoremongers and Murderers and Idolaters we see with whom the Lord ranks lyers what reckning soever the world makes of them or they of themselvs He that tels one ly is not onely the more prone to tell another and so a third which is common to all evill doers but for the most part necessitated so to do for the covering of the former as beggars cover one patch with another and that a lesser with a greater and often a simple ly with a false oath as was Peters case Besides he that is once taken in a manifest ly will hardly escape suspition when he speaks the truth that I may not say with one that he deservs not to be trusted no not in that wherein he desires you would not trust him Neyther doth he wrong himself alone for after time but others also who speak the truth By somes lying others when they speake truely are not credited specially such as have any conformity with them in other things that is oft seen in effect which is said of the Host that being once deceaved by one that held his hat before his eyes when he gave thanks at meat would never trust any afterwards that used that fashion CAP. XIIII Of knowledg and Ignorance THe first lyne of the repayred Image of God in man and that by which he is first united to God is sound knowledg the second is the sincere love of the heart which draw with them in the third place the other affections and senses of soul and body As the waggon is guided by the waggonner and he by his ey so is the body by the soul and it by the ey of understanding and knowledg If the ey be single the whole body wil be full of light To beleev a thing futher then we know it is indeed impossible to love it lightnes to hate it injustice seeing it may deserv the contrary for ought we know He that knows not in his measure what he ought to know specially in the matters of God is but a beast amongst men He that knows what is simply needfull and no more is a man amongst men But he who knows according to the helps vouchsafed him of God what may well be known and so far as to direct himself and others aright is as a God amongst men And to this purpose the Lord tels Moses that he should be to his brother Aaron in stead of God Such bear the lively Image of Gods wisdom The knowledg even of things evill is good and the greater the better so as it be neither experimentall nor with approbation nor have other infectious accessorie joyned with it The Apostle knew Satans devises better then the Corinthians did And God onely wise and good onely knows all the both good and evill of men and Angels And so pleasing a thing is knowledg to reasonable Creatures not unmeasureably degenerated as the light is pleasant to him that hath eyes to behold it that not onely they who strive to attain unto it by likely means but even many who hold a course tending to all ignorance and errour do desire it as a naturall good and if not much the thing it self yet the opinion of it hating the imputation of ignorance as a matter vile and reproachfull By how much the more monstrous are many and grown out of kind who make reckning that it concerns not them to get or have any more knowledg then is simply necessarie for the maintaining of a poore barren and half-bruitish life How many specially of the meaner sort to let passe mens secure yea affected ignorance in Divine things would think it half curiositie in themselvs or others of their rank to know the East from the West or what the reason is of the Suns setting and rising again everie day though they see the thing continually before their eyes The punishment of Nabuchednezzar is upon such people who had an Oxes heart in a mans body Of them that seriously desire and carefully use means to obtain knowledg the ends are verie different Some desire to know that they might know which is curtositie Some that they might be known and that is vanitie Some onely to make profit of their knowledg and that is covetousnesse Some on the other side to edifie better themselvs and this is true wisdom And some withall to do good to others which is godly charitie The means to get knowledg specially Divine are First to love it If thou cryest after knowledg and liftest up thy voyce for understanding If thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and finde the knowledg of God The second is the knowledg of our ignorance It being an effect of Christs comming that they which see not to wit in the conscience of their own blindnesse might see and that they which see might be made blind To which joyn that of the Phylosopher that many more would attain to knowledg and wisdom if so many did not think that they had alreadie attained to it A third is the fear of God to which he hath made the promise of revelation of his secrets and to teach such the way which they shall chuse who will also set themselvs the most carefully to learn it A fourth is prayer by which this wisdom and knowledg as with a strong hand is fetcht from Heaven A fifth is the reading and meditating upon specially the Divine Scriptures and withall other approved Authours For as the affections are most moved by hearing so the judgment is best informed by reading The last means is the companie and societie of wise and understanding men whereupon it was that the Queen of Sheba pronounced the Servants of Salomon happie which continually stood before him to hear his wisdom They who profit not in knowledg and wisdom by conversing with wise men are unworthy of their companie and worthy to keep or keep with Oxen and Asses Besides the forementioned meanes of getting knowledg there is a mediocritie and mean-nesse of outward estate not a little advantageable to this purpose which if it be too low and depressed keeps down the disposition ingenuous and apt to great things as his Emblem imports who holds a wing in the one hand but hath the other clogged with a great stone On the other side a state great and prosperous usually lifts up men above the love of knowledg and learning making them arrogant in themselvs and fastidious of the labour and industry requisite for the getting of understanding and
the works of his worship but in those also of our conversation with men and putting our selvs in all our waies under his protection and that specially in the time of distresse or danger that as the bodily hand gets and gathers strength by being diligently used in works competent so may also the Spirituall hand do which Faith is Now as for our succesfull wrestling against the Rulers of the darknesse of this World and spirituall wickednesses in high places we must put on amongst other parcels of the Armour of God the Shield of Faith so must we not forget the Helmet of Salvation Hope whose strength is great to bear off all blows of temptation and that with chearfulnesse For what burthens of afflictions and temptations will not he cherfully undergo that expects undoubtedly their speedie ending in endlesse happinesse Alexander the Great meaning to invade Asia and giving away his riches aforehand being asked what he would reserv for himself answered Hope But what is the shadow to the substance He hoped for the Kingdom of Persia we of Heaven And what if his hope stretched it self to the Monarchy of the whole World It was but to this World wherein also it was frustrated and perished with him But the Anchour of our hope is cast within the veil and extendeth to the World to come being also firm and stedfast and which cannot be disappointed nor shall have other end then in being perfited in the end of all the full fruition and eternall possession of happinesse with God Were it not for hope the heart would break but we having this hope faint not but hold fast the profession thereof without wavering yea even glorie in afflictions under the hope of the glorie of God Lastly Touching Love as it is the affection of union so it makes after a sort the loving and loved one such being the force thereof as that he that loveth suffereth a kind of conversion into that which he loveth and by frequent meditation of it uniteth it with his understanding and affection Thus to love God is to become godly and to have the mind after a sort deified being made partakers of the Divine nature in its effects to love the World is to become a worldling and so of the rest Thus in the Parable of the Tares the Children of the Kingdom are called good Seed and Wheat as growing and becoming Wheat of the Wheat or Seed sowen in them as the Wheat ear groweth of the Wheat corn As on the contrarie ungodly men are said to have eyes full of Adulterie and the like and not onely to be sinfull but sin unrighteousnesse darknesse and beliall as being even metamorphized and transformed into the evils which they love and delight in Oh how happie is that man who by the sweet feeling of the love of God shed abroad into his heart by the Holy Ghost which is given him is thereby as by the most strong coards of Heaven drawn effectually and with all the heart to love God again who hath loved him first and so becomes one with him and rests upon him for all good and happinesse For this our love to God there is required not onely the positive affection of the heart aspiring unto union with God upon knowledg of him as the chiefest good both in himself and to us in Christ and a contentation in him so known and obtained but withall that we exercise prove and approve that our love to him in our love to such good persons and things as unto which he hath imparted some sparks of his goodnesse especially to his good Children and good Word and Ordinances He cannot love him that begetteth saith the Apostle who loveth not him and that in deed and truth who is begotten in truth of affection and in deed of action for his comfort and this with greater bent of both as the graces of God are more eminent in him Neither loves he God that loves not his Word and that both in affection of heart and effect of readie obedience to all his Commandments We must take heed of a shadowish love of goodnesse and pietie onely in the abstract and must love it in the concrete where both the person and good in him is visible in whom Hypocrites for the most part hate and persecute it He but pretends to others the love of goodnesse or imagines it in himself that loves not good men for it Lastly He that loves not his brother whom he sees how can he love God whom he sees not Not but that there is matter of love infinitely more then in any or all men but because for the loving of God we want the advantage of sense and motive of compassion by which our love to our distressed brethren is holpen This love is the fulfilling of the Law the love of God being the greatest Commandment and the love of our neighbour like unto it It is also that to which the Gospel in the end leads us by which Gospel or new Covenant God writes his Lawes in the mind and heart of his and so perfits the one in the other And so naturall to Christians is this brotherly love as that the Apostle makes account he needs not write to the Churches to teach them that which God taught them so many wayes By this we know our selvs to be raysed from death to life by it all others know us to be Christs Disciples if we love one another See said the Heathens pointing at the Christians how they love one another and see said the Christians of them how they hate another Oh that Heathens could not now say of Christians as they sometimes said of them If we were perfit in this Love we needed no other Law to rule us either in the duties towards God or our neighbours no more then do the Angels in Heaven and Souls of the Faithfull men departed who by the Law of Love alone do live both most perfit and most happie lives And indeed to love as we ought is a verie happie thing wherein we resemble God and the Angels as by the contrarie we complice with the Divel and wicked men who live in mallice and envie hatefull hating one another And howsoever naturally we desire rather to be beloved then to love yet is it incomparably a more both excellent and blessed thing to love then to be beloved as it is to give rather then to receav Besides Love is the Loadstone of Love And the most readie and compendious way to be beloved of others is to love them first They taking knowledg thereof will be effectually drawn to answerable good will if they be not harder then Iron and such as have cast off the chains and bonds of common humanitie for even Publicans and sinners love those that love them Yea admit thy love of them never come to their knowledg yet will God by the invisible
fond love of parents the family This love Salomon respecting the effect more then the affection cals hatred saying He that spareth his rod hateth his son Notwithstanding this and that God hath left power and charge also of punishments in all societies family church and common wealth which they that exercise bear the image of Gods justice and holynes the honour whereof they are to preserv and to breed and continue in them over whom they are set a reverend aw of their authoritie for their good yet considering both mans frailtie and pronenes to offend and miserie in suffering for offences all in authoritie should still encline to the more favourable part and rayther to come short then to exceed measure in punishing even where the offence is evident and where it is doubtfull to forbear at any hand He that punisheth another whether as judg or exequutioner eyther must know legally that he hath done evill and deserved it otherwise the authoritie of the whole world cannot bear him out from being a murtherer before God The law which sayth Thou shalt not murther forbids specially violence in judgment Besides punishments must be administred with sorrow and commiseration as rewards with joy and gladnes It is pittie men should deserv punishments and deserving them pittie but they should have them yet are we to pitty them in their miserie also which he that doth remembers himself to be a man Lastly it is worthy the observing which one hath that in all punishments respect is to be had to things to come rayther then past For howsoever the punishment be just onely in lieu of the offence committed yet is it profitable onely because it tends to prevent after offences eyther in the person punished or in others warned by it And hereupon another would not have a wise man punish because an offence is committed but least it should be committed afterwards of which the former renders this reason that things past cannot be recalled but things to come may be prevented Temporary torments specially those more great are greivous to conceav of how much more to undergoe yet will the sad and serious consideration of those that are eternall eat them up as it were and make them seem nothing in comparison Whereupon it was that Polycarpus tould the proconsul who threatned to burn him if he did not renounce Christ Thou threatnest me with the fire which would burn for a time but presently after should be extinguished because thou art ignorant of the fire of the judgment to come prepared for the eternall punishment of the wicked Fear not them then which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul But rayther fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell CHAP. LIIII Of the Affections of the minde OVR affections as love sorrow fear and the rest are common to us with bruit beasts which therefore the understanding must order that they be not bruiteish and with them the will for its yeilding of consent to their motions or withholding it from them But as the litle sticks set the greater wood a burning so do they most what set the understanding and will aworking in sensuall objects For example One sees a naturally pleasing good thing but belonging to another or not to him as Achans wedg of gold His affection of love and appetite is inordinately caryed unto it and is ready to sollicit the will to consent to the getting and enjoying of it But now if the understanding do its dutie it steps in represseth the affection and restreyneth the will by discerning and discovering that the good thing desyred is anothers and therefore not to be desyred or had by him But as the fumes arysing from a corrupt stomack darken and dim the bodily eyes so in sensuall persons the understanding is commonly besides its own inherent blyndnes so corrupted with partiall and brutish affections as that it neglecteth all due search and disquisiâ—ion and unadvisedly judgeth that good which is pleasing to appetite and sense and so being sweyed and led by the affections as a foolish waggoner by his horses draws with it the wils consent which obteyned the evill is done in Gods account and wants onely opportunitie for outward effect Although the seat of the affections be the soul whose motions they are and not the bodyes yet do they more or lesse vehemently and efficatiously act and exercise themselvs as the blood and spirits the souls immediate instruments are more or lesse fitted to their hand Hence is it that anger in the heart moved by some occasion is so vehement in a cholerick body sorrow or fear in a melancholick and so for the rest These our affections are eyther merely naturall in us or sanctifyed by grace or morally corrupt and inordinate Nature and so naturall affections is content with a litle corruption not with a great deal as the thirst which is naturall is quenched with a draught or two but that which is unnaturall and agueish not with a whole vessell of drink This and the reason of it he layes down wittily that sayth Naturall desires are finite but those arysing from false opinion have no limits as he that goes his right way hath some end of his journey he that wanders none And as for sanctified affections they alasse are too feeble in us and as Iehu was known by his furtous marching so may they be by their soft and lazy pace neyther if they were excessive were they sanctified that is directed by grace and good reason nor are they easily so if they be any thing vehement but have commonly too much flesh mingled with them And no marvayl for setting our affections above where Christ is and whither the spirit of grace advanceth them we clime up the hill and withall draw after us the clog of our flesh lusting the contrarie way whereas sensuall men led by their lusts goe down the hill and are caryed headlong to evill Besides sensuall objects are present to the outward senses by which the affections are moved but things spirituall are seen a far of as needing the direction and discourse of fayth for provokeing of affection unto them which makes their work in this case more weak and slow Yet being created faculties they are the greater the better if rightly ordered And so it is not unbrobably sayd by some that Christ had the greatest fear sorrow anger c. upon him that ever man had or could have But as the stronger the horses in the waggon are though the better yet the more dangerous so are those horses of the soul in us lest by misguidance they overthrow all And as for violent and inordinate affections the person in whom they are found how wise or wel meaning soever otherwise or howsoever bent upon some good course is no more to be trusted to then the charyot drawn by unbroken horses going for the present quietly on and in a good way
skill for the promoting of his own welfare By love of himself I do not mean that ravenous self-love which eaâ—s up all love of God and of other men save for a mans self but that affection of created nature enclyning everie man to procure his own true welfare to his power everie way The former is rather hatred of a mans self in effect whatsoever the positive affection be But now the question is what this himself means Himself is not his worldly riches nor honour nor any the like appurtenance but his Soul and body in a convenient state and constitution to perform good duties and to obtain true happinesse He that is wise for this himself is wise to God and for other mens true good But for that other common and commonly called self love in which men foolishly mistake by takeing that for themselvs which is not The best that can be wished to such is that they have little wit and lesse authoritie and that specially considering the deepest wisdom of such vermin is not to care how much and in how great things they harm others so they may benefit themselvs never so little in comparison like the thief that to get the Gold-ring would eat off the finger upon which it stuck close If the wealthiest life were the best wisdom were not so much to be desired considering how many meer Nabaâ—s and rich fools the World hath And if the merryest life were the best it were better to be a fool then wise The Fagle continually gnaws the heart of Prometheus And in much wisdom is much grief so as he that encreaseth knowledg encreaseth sorrow saith the wise man out of his own experience Whereas on the contrarie naturall fools and many artificiall fools also almost alwayes laugh and are merrie as having neither grace to mourn for sin not wit to be much troubled with crosses But for all that wisdom excelleth folly as far as light excelleth darknesse yea for that if there were nothing els Seeing by the sadnesse of the countenance the heart is made better whereas the laughter of fools is like the crackling of thorns under a pot There is in truth no greater recreation in the world then to converse with wise men Yet many cannot make themselvs merrie without a fool though Salomon amongst all the vain delights which he could devise or procure got not a fool to make him merrie with Such companions of fools might for the most part save that charg and say that in earnest which a wise man said for fashion When at any time I would be merrie with a fool I laugh at my self Salomon in his Proverbs uses to call good and godly men wise and wicked persons fools partly because there is folly and madnesse too in all wickednesse partly because the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom as both making men carefull to learn their duties and having a promise of direction in the way that they shall chuse and partly to free true pietie and goodnesse from the reproach of folly and simplenesse cast upon them by worldly-wise men who as the Heathen-wise counted the Doctrine of the Gospel foolishnesse so do these worldly-wise judg all true conscience of it and obedience unto it to arise from want of wit and superstitious simplicitie But say men what they will the Gospel is the wisdom of God and the obedience of it the wisdom of Gods people in his sight and in all theirs that judg aright which to neglect and true happinesse in it is the madnesse of folly We say of some that they have good wits if wise men had them in keeping But as wooden daggers are fitter for some then those of Iron and Steel so a blunt wit is indeed fittest for him who wants discretion and wisdom how to use it without which the sharp is as dangerous as is the sharp Knife in a Childes hand or Dagger at a Fools back And as sharp wits without wisdom are dangerous so are they pernitious without grace serving to make men both more incorrigible and more inexcusable and fitter Instruments of the Divel for mischief even as the fat soyl unordered brings forth greatest plentie of thorns and weeds The Serpent was more subtile then any beast of the Field and of him before the rest the Divel made choyse to deceav by who accordingly so well fitted his turn at the first as ever since he hath well liked and much used such subtile and Serpent-like Instruments for mischievous purposes But the Serpent who was more subtile then other beasts was also cursed by the Lord above all other beasts and so are those Serpent-like men for whom how much better were it if they had been born Ideots and naturall Fools then to abuse Gods good gifts of naturall wit to the dishonour of the giver as they do CAP. XVII Of Discretion DIscretion is a skill enabling a man to improve himself in all his affairs and whatsoever he is or hath to best advantage according to variable circumstances and occasions Sapience or wisdom stands in bare contemplation of things excellent gathered from principles and conclusions Prudence and discretion are for practise which if we will distinguish the latter discretion is to be restrained to things fit or unfit This discretion is neither wit nor wisdom nor learning nor any Art liberall or illiberall but that which shews how to govern them all conveniently everie other thing with them like Iphicrates who was neither legionarie Souldier nor Archer nor Targeter but one that could rule and use all these And of such use is this discretion in the whole course of our life in regard of the infinite varietie of circumstances according to which particulars are performed conveniently or inconveniently as that we may daily observ men of lesser meanes for the World as riches trading and skill in faculties and yet doing well in it yea better by discreet manageing their little then others wanting this discretion with far greater helps and measure of means otherwise Yea even in Divine matters some of lesse knowledg zeal diligence and other generall graces by the benefit of this particular vertue are found more serviceable to God and profitable to men then others wanting it though far exceeding them in the former Discretion is to be preferred before wit or art or learning and onely comes after goodnesse in worth As the Serpent-like generation specially where truth and honestie goes with a scratcht face and is in disgrace of the times esteems men square upright in their courses for witlesse silly so must the more shallow-headed take heed that they sensure not discreet cariage and handling of things for craftie and unhonest considering that other men may do that in good honest discretion which they by defect thereof could not do but in evill conscience The same honestie sinceritie may continue in a man though in discretion applying himself diversly
open to receav advice from us as conceiving that we neither are forward to crosse his designe nor caried against him or it in passion contempt or unadvisednesse CAP. XXI Of Thoughts MEn say Thoughts are free and pay no tribute and this is true being understood of mens Custom-houses where they cannot be searched but as they bewray themselvs by some outward signe either word or work But so much the more watchfull we had need to be in our selvs over those close commodities lest we willingly feed a filthy though secret sinck within us which in time will shame us before men as it stinks in the mean while where it is in the Nostrils of God and men for it Besides if we do evill in word or deed men may help us either by contrarie examples or friendly reproofs or hatefull upbraydings or just punishments but against sinfull and unsanctified thoughts we have no help but from God alone and our selvs by his grace to whom alone they are known Everie thought of evill is not an evill thought but onely such as to which we adjoyn either consent of will or at least delight of affection For besides the thoughts of or about evill which are either in pure speculation or naturall consideration of the thing or with aversenesse of affection from the matter thought on there are thoughts meerly by suggection from Satan who being a Spirit and having such affinitie of nature with our Spirits and Souls can unite himself in his suggestions with our imagination after a manner by us unconceavable and offer unto us thoughts of great evill which yet we may by grace so resist as that they are to be accounted his sin and our crosse onely who are constrained to bear such temptations as we are compelled oftentimes to hear and bear the ill counsell of wicked men his Instruments with sin in them and grief in our selvs but without our sin if we no way hearken unto them yea with commendation both in the one and other in the victorie of Faith which we obtain over them Indeed we are too readie to receav such suggestions as tinder is to take fire specially being subtilely fitted by Satan to our speciall inclinations and occasions and so must be more carefull either to prevent them by nourishing in our selvs an abhorring of them or to quench them if they arise by the stream of Holy meditations running in our hearts They whose words and deeds are faultie and evill and yet plead their good hearts towards God are like malefactours who being convinced of theft or the like naughtinesse by plain evidence to their faces do appeal to the testimonie of such persons for their purgation as they know cannot be found If the hearts of such men could be seen of others as their works and words are they would appear worse then they as they do to God who seeth them There is no evill in the mouth or hand which was not in the heart first as the stream in the Fountain Neither can the flesh be corrupted except the mind be corrupt first Men judg of our thoughts by our words and actions but God of our words and works by our thoughts accounting the thing whether good or evill as done in his sight if once it be resolved on in the purpose of the heart Thus Abraham offered up Isaack by Faith and Iudas did that which he meant to do And as God judgeth of us and of our doings so ought we to do our selvs The thoughts of the righteous are righteous And by these good and evill men are best and trulyest differenced one from another Whereas all outward works ly common and are many of them oft exercised equally by good and bad No outward works are so good but Hypocrites have done them at times And few or none so evill but some godly haue at some times by temptation faln into them But how alike soever the outward faces of such sinfull actions be the difference is great in the heart of the doer and is so seen of God to be at the verie time of the doing and by after and better fruits in their time so manifested unto men afterwards to have been at that time when in the outward evill act no such difference could appear But our onely comfortable course and that by which our hearts are assured before the Lord is to provide that in them may run constantly so strong a stream of holy purposes and setled thoughts as may both overbear the contrarie current of our flesh and lusts and also carrie with it our outward man to all good and godly practises CAP. XXII Of Speech and Silence MAn is endowed above beasts especially with reason and with speech to uttet it without which his reason how deep and profound soever were little more profitable unto others nor many times to himself neither then a Spring hidden in the ground Hence the tongue is called the Index of the mind and as by the Index we know what is in the Book so do we by the speech what is conceaved in the heart Out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh And so readie is the passage from the heart to the tongue as that what is conceaved in the one is usually brought forth by the other neither doth any outward thing so soon bewray a man as his words Though Iacob brought his Brother Esaus hands and neck and meat and sauce and smell to his Father Isaak yet could he not bring his tongue and voyce And though a man put upon his hands the Gloves of dissimulation and the Shoes upon his feet and mask his face never so cunningly yet can he hardly so tip his tongue but in a short time a wise man will discover him discern whether he be good or bad specially whether he be wise or simple Great is the affinitie between the heart and mouth And so the Second Person in Trinitie is not called the Work but The Word of God Salomón in his Proverbs compares the speech of a wise and righteous man to a Tree of Life and to a Fountain of Life and to many other pleasant and profitable things Which must teach both them that speak to preserv pure that Fountain and to prune dig about and manure with all diligence that Tree that it may bring forth fruit to the hearers And so must it teach them that hear not to neglect that benefit but to admit and receav the words of truth and wisdom as seed by which they also may conceav and bring forth good fruit A word spoken in due season is like Aples of Gold in pictures of Silver And so a wise man must provide that his words be not onely Gold for their worth but also framed to silver-like opportunitie There being a time when nothing a time when something but no time when all things are to be spoken That which is generally spoken of a blessed
of riches and think them so much esteemed of by others as that if they seem not to the world to have them their life is a death unto them and therefore they will be sure to make a fayr outside and appear rich though they be nothing lesse The other esteeming themselvs happy in having and keeping them conceal and spare that theyr treasure what they can least by haveing it known they should be occasioned one way or other to diminish it Both are injurious to God to other men and to themselvs To God in belying him the former as if he had given them that which he hath not the latter as not haveing given them that which he hath To others the former in getting into their hands the riches which they cannot satisfy for or credit which they deserv not the latter by with-holding both from God and men their due To themselvs the former in frustrateing the occasion of humiliation unto which the Lord by poverty cals them the latter by preventing or quenching the provocations unto thankfulnes to God for his plenty bestowed upon them besides other comfortable effects thereof The Apostle poynts at some Christians so called that will be rich even whether God will or no and say he what he will and almost do he what he can to hinder it They will be rich if it may be keeping fayth and good conscience in outward profession If that will not be they will be rich without them and rayther loose their own souls then not gayn the world But wo be unto them for they run greedily after the errour of Balaam and will haue God also run with them otherwise he is not for their company CHAP. XXX Of Sobriety THE grace of God in Christ his gospell which hath appeared teacheth us as well to live soberly as iustly and godlily in the world And he that is not sober in himself useing and desireing moderately the good things of this naturall life as meat drink apparrell sleep pastime credit and the rest will neyther converse righteously with men nor piously with God He that takes more to himself then is due to him cannot give eyther God or men theyr due Nature is content with few and small things for though the belly will be craveing yet it is no exacting creditour but will be satisfied with a small proportion which to presse with superfluityes makes things eyther unpleasant or hurtfull It is reasonable to deal with if we give it but what we owe and not what we can In reproof of glutâ—ony and excesse one sayth that the throat hath killed more then the sword And I think it may be truly sayd that how hard soever it have gone with many in the world at times that more haue receaved hurt by eating too much then too litle And though many be of mynde that by devouring a great deal they shall make their bodyes the stronger and lives the longer yet is there reason to think that were not men provoked by company and sensuall objects or misled by inordinate appetite or miswonted by custom even half the meat and drink which the most use would affoard as long and strong a state of body and bodily health as they do enjoy Moderate dyet sayth one is good both for the soul and body and so is it for the estate also and the contrary pernitious God both saying and ordering that he that loveth wyne and oyl shall not be rich He especially if he be a poore man and of small means that will this worlds goods win must at his belly begin It is a base and beastly thing for a man to give himself to eating and drinking or to eyther of them neyther are such to be reckoned sayth one among men but beasts But for a man to be so inordinate as to hurt eyther his body or minde by excesse as a riotous youth delivers over to old age a feeble body and more feeble mynde and destitute for the most part both of wisdom and grace is to follow the basest of beasts and to become swynish Few other beasts save Swyne will over-eat themselvs Neyther is it any sufficient excuse for him that hath plenty to be excessive more then for the cook that had made the meat oversalt to say that he had store of salt by him Neyther yet excuseth it that by custom some are able as they say to bear their drink and not be overcome by it For albeit drunckennes in this be very odious that whereas other sins deprive persons of Gods image it deprives them of mans leaving them the use neyther of reason nor speech in which two things man differs specially from beasts no nor of sense and motion accordingly wherein beasts excell stocks and stones but so blockifyes them for the present that neyther hand nor foot can do their office yet the Lord by the prophet denounceth a wo not onely against them that are overcome by drink which may befal some by a very litle through naturall weaknes of brayn but against them who can overcome it being mightie to drink wine and men of strength to mingle strong drink Considering that meat and so for other bodily good things makes us not the more acceptable before God and that God will destroy both the belly in that use and meat it should teach us in the mean while moderately to use all things for the belly and naturall life But if besides these considerations we weigh with our selvs how unworthy our sins make us of the least comfort by any of Gods creatures specially if with these things concerning our selvs we weigh how many in the world and those of the Lords faythfull servants stand in need of meat drink c. for their naturall necessitie If there be in us eyther fear of God or love of men it will work in us a great conscience not to mispend any thing vaynly or riotously wherewith we might comfort the hearts of them that need it And they who in this case will not be warned by Moses and the Prophets nor by Christ and the Apostles neyther shall with the glutton feel the torment of the flame of hel for their excesse in themselvs and unmercifulnes towards others The speciall use of wine and strong drink is that the heavy of heart and readie to perish might drink and forget his povertie and miserie But the abuse is more common then the use by which the strong and stout take the greatest part therein drinking many times till they forget both God and them selvs whilst the other languish in want and sorrow Christ and his Apostles oftens joyn in their exhortations sobrietie and watchfulnes together For drunckennes and gluttonie make men fitter for sleeping then watching And so doth all excesse in bodily things draw with it carnall securitie and securitie destruction We are therefore to be sober in the desire and