good reason besides Religion that they should grow into such resolutions for all things here below are full of transitorinesse mortality and change Vanity of vanities all is vanity but aboue is constancy and eternitie of all excellencies perfections and pleasures Besides that thou shalt haue there a Body brighter then the Sunne a Soule replenished with vnutterable delights the glorious company of Christ Iesus Angels Saints Christian Friends the vision and fruition of God blessed for euer wherein consists the Crowne and Life of all celestiall ioyes I say to say nothing of these but euen the space of one foot vpon the pauement of the Empyrean Heauen is incomparably more worth then the great Body of the whole Earth were it all turned into Gold and beset with as many vnualuable Pearles as it is now with piles of Grasse 5. Nature saith a meere Moralist seemeth in the first birth of Gold and wombe from whence it proceedeth after a sort to haue presaged the misery of those that are in loue with it For it hath so ordered the matter that in those Countries where it groweth there growes with it neither Grasse nor Plant nor any thing that is worth any thing as giuing vs to vnderstand thereby that in those minds where the desire of this metall growes there cannot remaine so much as a sparke of true honour and vertue 6. God is not onely a Father but also All-sufficient Why shouldest thou then feare want that fearest him He prouides euery day for millions of Fowles Will Hee then bee wanting to a Man to a Christian to His owne Child Christ himselfe pressing reasons to this purpose tells vs that our heauenly Father cloathes the Lilly aboue Solomons Royalty and feedes the Fowles of the aire which neither sow nor reape nor gather into barnes What a cursed vaile then of base distrust darkens thine hard heart that thou shouldest either carke or deale vnconscionably 7. One two houres fire will disperse and consume the hoard of an hundred yeeres heaping together And where art thou then Thine heart then is seized vpon at once with vnutterable anguish and the very horror of Hell for the losse of thine Heauen vpon Earth and with cryes of blood and furies of conscience for thy couetous cruell vsurious iniurious courses for many yeeres Thus many a worldling spins a faire thread to strangle himselfe both temporally and eternally 8. The Sunne is a very glorious and contented creature and yet it harbours no golden Mine in its faire and refulgent Body The blessed Angels are full of all felicities and yet they haue no siluer they want no happinesse and yet they want gold Heauen the chiefe and Royall Seate of Blessednesse is empty of these treasures there grow no Minerals the Veine of siluer and gold is not to be found there The Sonne of God himselfe infinitely the most happy Creature I speake in respect of his Humanitie that euer issued out of the hands of God were there any such great matter or excellency in riches had neuer said of himselfe The Foxes haue holes and the Birds of the Aire haue nests but the Sonne of Man hath not where to lay his head Could a Bearing-mantle of cloth of gold an empearled Cradle delicious fare euery day thousands a yeere make a man truly happy the right and Royall Heire of all things would neuer haue chosen a Stable for his Birth-chamber A Manger for his Cradle Barley-bread for the entertainement of his Followers a lesse fixed habitation for himselfe then the poorest Bird c. 9. The Sunne and Moone are farre more glistering and glorious then the burnisht gold of Ophyr and the poorest man hath as large a prospect and part in them as the vastest Incloser or most griping Vsurer but much more benefit by them then the rich worldlings by their golden heapes For he is comfortably warmed and refreshed with the influence of their heate and light but they if the Deuill did not hoodwinke them might see euery time they looke thereon that rust cleauing to their vnrighteous Mammon which hereafter shall eate their flesh as it were fire 10. One Starre doth incomparably exceed in beauty and worth a golden earth and if thou be truly Gods and haue thy foote already vpon the Moone as thou oughtest thou shalt hereafter tread euerlastingly vpon thousands of them Disdaine then in the meane time to let thy heauenly spirit dote vpon those baser hoards of shining earth which are making themselues wings to flie away as an Eagle toward Heauen for riches are like transitorie streames which posting by the side of a Citie no man can stay Were it not a sencelesse and brainelesse endeauour and expectation for a Towne to hope and assay to keepe with them the hasty current of a mighty Riuer which none of an hundred Townes before could hold And doest thou expect any constancy of abode with thee of that thicke clay which hath passed thorow so many hands before Neither is it so much thine as the Worlds A Dog followes two men it is not knowne to whom he belongs vntill they bee parted Vpon the arrest of death thy wealth leaues thee euerlastingly and cleaues vnto the World and therefore it was worldly wealth 11. Moderation and conscionablenes in getting may by the mercy of God draw from His bountifull hand a more speciall extraordinarie gracious prouidence and blessing vpon posterity whereas contrary carriage may bring an heauy curse The Prophet who was husband to her who came crying to Elisha for comfort 2. King 4. 1. did feare God saith the Text. Whereby he was happily restrained from all wicked wayes of gaining and growing into wealth Durst he haue enlarged his conscience proportionably to the corruptions of those times and shifted his Sailes according to the sitting of euery wind as pillow-sowers vnder mens elbowes and preachers of smooth things are woont I see no reason but he might haue been aduanced to Iezabels table as well as the foure hundred flattering false temporizing prophets and by seruing the time also haue risen and enricht both himself and his But this honest man would rather die in debt leaue his wife and children in extreme pouerty and expose his two sonnes as bondmen to the Creditour then to put his hand to any manner of iniquitie in getting or to raise an outward rotten estate vpon the ruines and bloody desolations of mens precious soules And what followes Rather then the wife and children of such a man shall want God will haue the Prophet doe a Miracle for their supply and comfort as appeares in the Story But now on the otherside Gehazi in the very following Chapter 2. King 5. will needs by Bribing make himselfe and his children for euer And what is the issue He puls thereby an horrible curse both vpon himselfe and his posteritie The Leprosie therefore of Naaman shall cleaue vnto thee and vnto thy seed for euer Vers. 27. Thou haddest better
Fatlings ready prepared and now reuealed to the Beleeuer by the Spirit For the third Heare the voice of sweetenesse and peace Esa. 27. 2. Sing vnto her A Vineyard of red Wine Sing sounds nothing but ioy lightsomnesse and mirth Unto her the sexe of more amiablenesse tendernesse and loue A Vineyard Vineyards Orchards Gardens and such inclosed Plots are as it were the flowers starres and Paradises of the earth Of Wine as though the Vine-trees of this Inclosure brought not foorth the grosser and vncrushed Grapes but more immediately the refined and pure blood of the Grape Red The most generous sparkling delicious wine A Vineyard is as it were the Diamond of the Ring wine the sparkle red the splendour of the sparkle all excellencies sweetenesses transcendencies where God opens expresses his heart and loue to his Church or any of his Chosen For the fourth Let thy faith peruse with enlarged Meditations those precious passages of gracious inuitation and bountifull entertainement Mat. 22. 3 4. Isa. 55. 1 2. Pro. 9. 2 3. Cant. 2. 3 4. Thou shalt sucke and be satisfied euen with the brests of consolations Thy dearest and most glorious Mother which is clothed with the Sunne treads vpon the Moone and weares on her head a Crowne of twelue Starres shall sweetly and tenderly beare thee vpon her sides and handle thee vpon her knees Isa. 66. 11 12. For the fifth It is compared to a wedding Feast and that of a Kings sonne which is woont to be honoured and crowned with height and variety of all magnificence and Maiestie ioy and triumph mirth and musicke When an humbled soule is first made sure to the Sonne of God the ioyfull harmony of all good hearts that heare of it and the triumphant Halleluiahs of the blessed Angels in heauen concurre in consort as it were of congratulation for so happy a match in gladnesse and ioy for so holy a change This Feast begins at thy first betrothing when thou receiuing a Ring as it were beset with fiue precious stones 1. Righteousnesse 2. Iudgement 3. Louing kindnesse 4. Mercies 5. Faithfulnesse It is afterward continued with many gracious passages of loue and sweetest entertainements on both sides euen in this life as appeares in Solomons Spirituall Loue-song It shall at last be crowned with an euerlasting Iubilee and pleasures moe then the Starres of the firmament in number when the Lambe receiues his wife into his neerest and dearest embracements euen into full possession of the most blessed neuer-ending Kingdome of heauen bought for her full dearely with his owne hearts blood Then our Feast of grace ends in the endlesse fruition of Glory How merry then ought wee to be in the meane time who are admitted and enrighted to this gracious and glorious Feast Of expressing which to the life the finest fare and most exquisite delicates of all earthly feasts come as farre short as the dull earth comes short of the glistering heauen a grosse mortall body of the preciousnesse of an euerliuing soule An inch of time of the length of eternity For corporall dainties fat a fraile body for a span of time with earthly food accompanied with a little poore vanishing delight of sence But spirituall food fills an immortall soule with heauenly Maâ—…na out of the mysterie of Christ attended with purest ioy and sincerest pleasures through all eternity 6. As thou doest honour Gods Iustice in trembling at his threats and throwing thy selfe into the dust as extremely vile and fewell for hell vnder his mighty hand and the piercing Maiesty of his pure Word representing clearely vnto thy conscience and pressing terribly vpon it the hainousnesse of all thy lusts iniquities abominable prouocations of the eyes of his glory and diuine indignation flaming against them so when thou findest and feelest thy heart truly wounded by the sword of the Spirit with remorse and sorrow for thy sinnes weary with the heauy weight and burthen of them possessed with sincere hatred and lothing of euery euill way thou oughtest and are bound in conscience and by the commandement of the holy Ghost to glorifie Gods truth in his promises of mercy by throwing thy selfe into the blessed armes and bleeding embracements of the Lord Iesus dying vpon the Crosse in whom they are all yea and Amen with much assurance and peace with vnspeakeable and glorious ioy And the rather because the speciall season and onely opportunity of thy magnifying and honouring the sweet influence of Gods dearest mercies tender-heartednesse and truth vpon humble soules through the precious promises of life is in this life In the world to come they shall all bee accomplished vpon thee to the vtmost and crowned with a cleere vision and full fruition of that euer-blessed and most glorious Maiesty Then faith for euer expires and we see face to face These things being so and most sure let euery true-hearted Nathaneel be heartily intreated nay iustly charged in the name of Iesus Christ by the blessed Spirit the fountaine of all comfort as hee will answer it at the glorious Throne of Mercy erected in heauen vpon purpose to make him euerlastingly merry that hee henceforth most resolutely and for euer cast out of his conscience sprinkled with the Blood of the Lambe and out of the Kingdome of Christ ouerflowing with Peace and Ioy now comfortably established in his soule those intruding vsurpers Tyrants onely naturall Lords ouer naturall men I meane horrours of guiltinesse false feares slauish terrours damps and droopings all vncomfortable pensiuenesse deiections and feare And leauing such Harpies as these and heart-eaters onely to the grumbling and guilty consciences of all those that hate to be reformed and Satans slaues as their proper furies let him with an holy violence against the deuils cruell assaults and contradictions of his owne distrustfull heart and with a cheerefull spirit lay hold vpon his iust inheritance and euerlasting portion purchased for him by the bitter and painefull sufferings of the Sonne of God euen floods and fresh successions of sweetest ioyes shed and showred downe continually from the Throne of Grace vpon his vpright heart in great abundance if hee will but onely vouchsafe to open the doore by the hand of faith that the blessed beames of such lightsomnesse and comfort shining from the face of Christ may come in Let his soule full fairely arayed with its heauenly roabes to which the beauty of the morning brightnesse of the Moone and glory of the Sunne are but a shadow and listning sweetly to that melodious Song composed all of Peace and Ioy Pleasures and Pardon of finne which the mercy of God makes in the eare of its faith fall to and fill it selfe at the Wedding Feast of the Kings Sonne with those euer-springing riuers of spirituall refreshing out of the bottomlesse depth of Gods free loue reuealed in the mysterie of Christ by the ministery of the Word and Sacramentall grace as with marrow and fatnesse Let it sucke aboundantly and be satisfied with the
corruptions of the times c. by all dearest meanes and vtmost endeauours to leaue them gracious when they goe out of this world And Godlinesse saith Paul hath the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come It giues right and full interest to all the true honour blessings and comforts which are to be had in Heauen or in Earth 3. Children are ordinarily apt out of a kindly instinct of naturall louingnesse from many and strongest motiues to imitate and follow their Parents either in basenesse or better carriage to Heauen or Hell 4. A father that truly feares God dare not for his heart heape vp riches or purchase high roomes for his children by wrong-doing or any wicked waies of getting whereupon both he and his fare farre the better and happily decline the flaming edge of those many fearefull curses denounced in Gods Book against all vnconscionable dealers Such as that Ecclesiast 5. 13 14. There is a sore euill which I haue seene vnder the Sunne namely riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt But those riches perish by euill trauell and he begetteth a sonne and there is nothing in his hand And Habac. 2. 9 10. Woe to him that coueteth an euill couetousnesse to his house that he may set his nest on hie that hee may bee deliuered from the power of euill Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people and hast sinned against thy soule Vses 1. Wouldest thou then haue thy little babes thou louest so dearely blessed vpon earth truly noble Gods fauourites meete thee in heauen Be holy thy Selfe Men are very carefull and curious to haue their seed-corne and breed of cattell choise and generous and will they not endeauour to nurture manage and conduct the immortall soules of their children with grace by godly education to the highest aduancement of which those noble natures are capable euerlasting blisse fruition of all heauenly ioyes world without end 2. This may also serue to reprooue and correct those couetous Bedlams that labour more to haue their children great than good rich than religious It is a madnesse of that kinde which wanteth termes to expresse it That a Man should goe to Hell himselfe and fit his children to follow him in seeking to establish his house and raise his posteritie by Sacriledge Simony Bribery Vsury Oppression Depopulation or any other course of cruelty and wrong For so they lay their foundation in fire-workes which is able to blow vp themselues and their posterity body and soule roote and branch 3. Let this fill the heart of the dying Christian with sweetest peace For whereas the bloody knife of prophane mens vnconscionable and cruell negligence in training vp their children religiously doth sticke full deepe in their soules and leauing this life they bequeath vnto them the curse of God together with their ill gotten goods he haply finds his conscience by reason of his former thirsty desire and sincere endeauour to doe his children good spiritually freed from the horrour of such bloud-guiltinesse and leaues them to that comfortable outward estate which no iniury or vsurie hath impoysoned and to that neuer-failing prouidence of our heauenly Father which then is wont to worke most graciously and bountifully for vs when wee renouncing the arme of flesh the fauour of man riches of iniquitie and all such broken staues of reede depend most vpon it If wee will needs bee our owne caruers for things of this life either by right or wrong fraud or faire dealing all is one so that wee may thriue and grow great in the world then are we iustly cast off from all mercifull care ouer vs and exposed to ruine and curse But if wee rest sincerely for our selues and ours vpon the all-powerfull Prouidence it will neuer faile nor forsake vs but euer exercise and improoue its sweetnesse and wisedome for our true and euerlasting good In the third Point a description of Noahs spirituall state which is the compleate Character of a true Christian consisting of three Attributes 1. Iustnesse 2. Sinceritie 3. Piety I collect from the first this note Doct. Euery truely religious Man is also a righteous and true-dealing man From the second this Doct. Sinceritie is the sinew and Touch-stone of true Christianitie But these two I haue so often pressed in the course of my Ministery that I will pâ—…sse by them at this time Looke what kinde of honestie to men that is which is not accompanied with Religion towards God the same is that Religion towards God which is not attended with honestie to men Unhonest religion irreligious honesty vnsincere religion and honesty are all in one predicament as they say and all out of the right path If thou haue respect onely to the commandements of the first Table and outward performance of religious seruices but neglect duties of the second and conscionable carriage to thy brethren Thou art but a Pharise and formall Professour If thou dealest iustly with thy neighbour and yet be a stranger to the mysterie of godlinesse canst not pray sanctifie the Lords Day submit to a sincere and searching Ministerie c. which the first Table enioynes Thou art but a meere ciuill man If thou put on a flourish and outward face onely of obedience and conformitie to both and yet be true-hearted in neither as did the Pharises Math. 23. 14 23. thou art but a grosse Hypocrite Beare thy selfe holily towards God honestly towards Man and true-heartedly towards both or thou art no Body in Christs Kingdome but still in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquitie Put on righteousnesse and true holinesse in this life or thou shalt neuer put on a Crowne of glory in the life to come In His generations which were many and mainely corrupt In that then Noah stood out and stucke vnto God thorow so many ages and against so wicked a world we may learne Doct. That constancie is euer an inseparable Attendant vpon true Christianitie But because a double constancie is heere implyed 1. One in respect of continuance of time 2. Another in respect of opposition to the corruptions of the times I may obserue two points Doct. 1. Grace once truely rooted in the heart can neuer be remooued See for this purpose Rom. 11. 29. Mat. 24. 24. 1. Ioh. 2. 19 27. Ioh. 10. 28. Rom. 8. 35. Luk. 22. 32. 2. Cor. 1. 21 22. Ephes. 4. 30 c. Reasons may be taken from 1. The dearenesse strength constancie inuiolablenesse of God the Fathers loue vnto His Children It is dearer then a Mothers to her sweetest Babe Isa. 49. 15. It is stronger then the mountaines Esa. 54. 10. It is as constant as the courses of the Sunne and Moone and Starres of the day and of the night Ier. 31. 35 36. and 33. 20 21. It is as sure as God Himselfe Psal. 89. 35 c. 2. Christs triumphant session and intercession at His Fathers
and rare felicitie in pitching iust vpon the golden meane as they conceiue betweene prophanenesse and precisenesse infamous notoriousnesse and persecuted strictnesse But that Prouerbe in the meane time falls pat vpon their pates There is a generation that are pure in their owne eyes and yet is not washed from their filthinesse And at length most certainely the iust execution of that terrible commination Reuel 3. 16. will crush their hearts with euerlasting horrour confusion and woe But I should be endlesse in the discouery of this hidden and hellish gulph of hypocrisie wherein thousands are swallowed vp euen in this glorious Mid-day of the Gospell For a man may assoone find out the way of an Eagle in the Ayre the way of a Serpent vpon a Rocke the way of a Ship in the midst of the Sea and the way of a man with a maid as to tracke the cunning and crooked footsteps of this foule fiend in the false hearts of Satans followers Only take notice that thou canst neuer possibly delight in God or euer comfortably come neere him if thou giue any entertainment vnto it in what forme soeuer it represent it selfe or whatsoeuer vizor it offers vnto thee though neuer so fairely varnished and guilded ouer with the Deuils angelicall glory III. Build and erect all thy resolutions and conclusions for Heauen and Gods seruice vpon that strong and purest pillar that maine and most precious Principle of Christianitie Selfe-deniall No walking with God no sweete communion and sound peace at his Mercy-Seate except for his sake and keeping a good conscience thou be content to denie thy selfe thy worldly wisdome naturall wit carnall reason acceptation with the world excellencie of learning fauour of great Ones credit and applause with the most thy passions profit pleasures preferment neerest friends ease libertie life euery thing any thing And feare no losse for all things else are nothing to the least comfortable glimpse of Gods pleased face From this Principle sprung all those noble resolutions and replies of Gods worthiest Saints and Souldiers That of Hester for the preseruation of the people of God Well saith she I wil goe in vnto the King which is not according to the law and if I perish I perish That of Micaiah sollicited strongly by the messenger to temporize in managing his Ministery with sutablenesse and conformity to the Kings pleasure and plausiblenesse of the false prophets As the Lord liueth what the Lord saith vnto mee that will I speake That of Nehemiah Should such a man as I flee As if he should haue said Tell not mee of fleeing my resolution was pitcht long agoe if need require to lay downe my life and lose my blood in the Lords battels That of Paul when his friends were weeping and wailing about him What meane you to weepe said hee and to breake mine heart For I am ready not to be bound onely but also to die at Hierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus That of Ierome If my father stood weeping on his knees before mee and my mother hanging on my necke behind me and all my brethren sisters children kinsfolke howling on euery side to retaine me in sinfull life with them I would fling my mother to the ground despise all my kinred run ouer my father and tread him vnder my feet thereby to run to Christ when hee calleth me That of Luther dealt with earnestly and eagerly not to venture himselfe amongst a number of perfidious and blood-thirstie Papists As touching me saith he since I am sent for I am resolued and certainely determined to enter Wormes in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ yea although I knew there were so many Deuils to resist me as there are tiles to couer the houses in Wormes That of a most renowned Italian Marquesse Galeacius Carracciolus tempted by a Iesuite with a great sum of money to returne from Gods Blessing at Geneua to the warme Sunne in Italy Let their money perish with them who esteeme all the Gold in the world worth one dayes societie with Iesus Christ and his holy Spirit That of George Carpenter Martyr My wife and my children are so dearely beloued vnto me that they cannot bee bought from mee for all the riches and possessions of the Duke of Bauaria but for the loue of my Lord God I will willingly forsake them That of Kilian a Dutch Schoole-master to such as asked him if he loued not his wife and children Yes said he If the world were Gold and were mine to dispose of I would giue it to liue with them though it were but in prison yet my soule and Christ are dearer to me then all IV. Exercise thy selfe continually and bee excellent in that onely Heauen vpon Earth and sweetest Sanctuarie to an hunted soule the Life of faith Which to liue in some good measure is the duty and property of euery liuing member of Christ Iesus Loue therefore and labour to liue by the power of faith the life of saluation sanctification preseruation 1. Of saluation thus Let thy truely-humbled soule grieued and groaning vnder the burden of sinne throw it self into the meritorious and merciful armes of Iesus Christ wounded broken and bleeding vpon the Crosse and there let it hold and hide it selfe for euer in full assurance of eternall life by vertue of that promise Ioh. 3. 36. Hee that beleeueth on the Son hath euerlasting life For hauing thus laid hold vpon him He by his Spirit doth communicate first himselfe vnto thee then both the merit of his death for remission of thy sinnes and of his actiue obedience for thy right to saluation and happinesse and withall the power of his Spirit to quicken thee to the life of grace in this World and to raise vp thy body to the life of glory at the last day 2. Of sanctification If thou keepe thy faith the fountaine roote and heart as it were from which all thine other graces spring in life and vigour thou shalt pray more comfortably bee more couragiously patient heare the Word more fruitfully receiue the Sacraments more ioyfully passe the Sabbaths more delightfully conferre more cheerefully meditate more heauenly walke in all the wayes of new obedience with more strength and conquest ouer corruptions For ordinarily euery Christian shall finde the exercise of other graces to bee comfortable or cold according to the liuelinesse or languishing of his faith 3. Of preseruation both temporall and spirituall In crosses afflictions and all Gods outward angry visitations by the power of such promises as those Psal. 89. 33. and 50. 15. Heb. 12. 7 8 11. 1. Thes. 3. 3. Act. 14. 22. Luke 9. 23. Isai. 63. 9. In the course and carriage of thy particular Calling the duties and workes whereof if thou discharge with conscience diligence and prayer thou mayest goe on with comfort contentment and freedome from that torturing and racking thoughtfulnesse from those restlesse and cursed carkings of carnal worldlings
and resolued by the coldnesse thereof as vapours in the middle region of the aire raine downe into the body abundance of rheume the source of all sicknesses distempers and diseases gowts dropsies aches consumptions palfies and other innumerable maladies As therefore thou wouldest not with a dram of swinish pleasures purchase a pound of exquisite paine rise still from the table with an appetite 3. Continuance of life is a deare indulgence from God and to be highly prized both of the vnregenerate that hee may yet repent and make his peace with God before the pit of destruction hath shut her mouth irrecouerably vpon him and also of the Christian that hee may doe more nobly yet make his election yet sure with fuller conquest tramplâ—… vpon his bosome lust and body of death grow into a neerer fellowship and communion with his God and looke backe vpon as much time as he can possibly get spent sincerely in his seruice before he looke his Captaine Christ Iesus in the face who hath so dearely bought him and will so gloriously crowne him Now this foule excesse and fulnesse of feeding robs vs of this Iewell before our time shorteneth yet more our already short spanne of liuing in the world He that dieteth himselfe prolongeth his life saith the Wise man Therefore it followes by a consequence of contrariety he that is greedy vpon meates puts a knife vnto his throate Whereupon saith one many by ouermuch eating and continuall feasts stifle Nature and choake vp themselues which had they fed coursely or like Gally slaues beene tied to an oare might haue happily prolonged many faire yeeres And a noble learned Knight inquiring the cause of our short-lâ—…uednesse in these last times in respect of former renders such reasons as these 1. The tender bringing vp of children first fed and nourished with the milke of a strange Dug an vnnaturall curiositie hauing taught all women but the Begger to find out Nurses which necessitie onely ought to commend vnto them 2. The hasty mariages in tender yeeres wherein Nature being but yet greene and growing we rent from her and replant her branches while her selfe hath not yet any roote sufficient to maintaine her owne top and such halfe ripe seedes for the most part in their growing vp wither in the bud and waxe old euen in their infancy 3. But aboue all things the exceeding luxuriousnesse of this gluttonous age wherein wee presse Nature with ouer waighty burdens and finding her strength defectiue we take the worke out of her hands and commit it to the artificiall helpe of Sacke Tobacco strong Waters hot Spices prouoking Sawces c. As thou wouldest then not abridge thy dayes and be guiltie of thine owne vntimely death doe not gormandize 4. Neuer any man giuen to his belly did nobly in any kind or euer performed any great worke but ordinarily prooues a swinish idle vnprofitable burden of the earth and hath his soule onely as they say for salt to keepe his body from putrefaction The excellency and actiuitie of the soule is quiet dampt and vtterly disabled from all deepe and diuiner contemplations from all noble atchieuements and imploiments of waight by the burthensome fulnesse and dulnesse of a gluttonous body Wee can neuer looke for great matters from that man which better relisheth sweet sawces then the sweetnesse of doing vertuously and hath a better palate then braine All the greatest personages of the world and those that haue excelled any way either in managing affaires of Kingdomes warlâ—…ke exploites heauenly naturall morall or manuall skill c. haue been sober Euen amongst the very Heathens as Cyrus Cesar the Romane Curij and Fabritij more ennobled and renowned for their frugality then famous victories But now on the contrary the most execrable monsters for villany cruelty luxury vnnaturall impuritie that euer liued haue been gluttons as the Sodomites Caligula c. As therefore thou wouldest not drowne and dull the powers of thy soule in the sottishnesse of such dung-hill excesse but haue them at command for the ready exercise and improuement of their best abilities at time of need and for a comfortable discharge of both thy Callings eate moderately Sound sleepe commeth of moderate eating saith the Wiseman he riseth earely and his wits are with him to wit able actiue and strong for any vndertaking For as the soule ought not with carking thoughtfulnesse false feares vnnecessarie deiection to afflict and waste the body so neither ought the body by any sensuall indulgence and intemperancy to weaken and emasculate the soule but both body and soule should serue one another in sobriety and moderation that the whole man may be more sufficiently and chearefully seruiceable to him that created both body and soule for that purpose 5. The very Heathens by the light of reason did abominate with much morall indignation the superfluous vanitie and curiosities of this swinish sinne A Bull saith Seneca will be fild with a pasture of a few Acres one Forrest will suffice many Elephants But scarce the Aire with all her Fowle the Sea with all her Fish the Earth with all her rootes and richâ—…s will satisfie the insatiable Gut of a gluttonous Epicure And therefore saith he we may well ranke and reckon men giuen to the belly amongst bruit beasts not reasonable creatures nay some of them not so much as amongst liuing creatures but rather loathsome dead carrions Now in a second place concerning excesse in drinke It is not possible that any who hath giuen his name to the purity and power of godlinesse would plunge himself into the hatefull and abhorred dungeon of drunkennesse which Austin compares to the pit of Hell In steed therefore of pursuing this foule Fiend the proper familiar of the sonnes of Belial I will spend a word or two about Healthing to which perhaps at sometimes in some company thou art tempted with much scornefull importunitie but after troubled in cold blood for hauing so conformed to the fashion of the World And lest opposition to this exorbitant humour of the times should be charged with too much precisenesse and noueltie I will onely at this time in this point acquaint you with the iudgement zeale and noble indignation of the ancient Doctors both of the East and West Churches against it Many foule sinnes are there in these last and worst dayes which elder times were exceedingly angry with all sacred learning abominates and yet I know not how are so transformed and incorporated into the affections and approbation of the present times that they rather go in the esteeme of the most for honest recreations Gentlemen-like sports tolerable trades trifles not to be taken notice of Prodigious impudencie then for workes of darkenesse and Satans seruices as they are indeed Such as Stage-playes mixt dancing dicing officious lyes painting of faces false haire vsury healthing c. these and the like are at this day so painted ouer with sensuall dawbing and
of conscience bee fearelesse and senselesse of the wrath of God the wrong of his neighbour and the wretchednesse of his owne soule yet if he desire as hee doth with a raging vnsatiablenesse like the graue or hell to thriue in his outward state and prosper in the world let him not meddle so much as with a sticke or a straw a pin or a point of another mans neither at any time put his hand to any wicked way of getting lest beside the losse of his soule at last and a world of miseries in the meane time hee misse the very marke so eagerly aimed at of making him and his great in the world For hope of which hee is cursedly content to part with all true contentment in this life and a Crowne of blisse in the Kingdome of heauen For this purpose and to perswade and presse this point vnanswerably let vs take a view in Gods Booke of the diuers waies how he is wont in wrath to deale with wrong-doers and vnconscionable dealers It comes to passe sometimes that the wicked worldling insatiable earth-worme God cursing his couetousnesse and cruelty may see an end of his wealth euen in this world according to that Ier. 17. 11. As the Partridge sitteth on egges and hatcheth them not so hee that gettethriches and not by right shall leaue them in the middest of his dayes and at his end shall be a foole Iob 20. 15 28. Hee hath swallowed downe riches and he shall vomit them vp againe God shall cast them out of his belly The increase of his house shall depart and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath Or it is no strange thing to see him prosper by vnconseionablenesse and craft vsurious and other iniurious practises all his life long but then hauing scraped together his hoard of iniquity with a great deale of carking thoughtfulnesse and selfe vexation kept it with extreme feare slauish distrust and heart-gnawing iealousies parted from it with much anguish horrour and almost with as painfull diuorce as that of the soule from the body at last after the losse of it soule and all 1. He either leaues it to them who will liberally let flie abroad and enlarge those golden heapes which greedinesse had formerly confinde and strongly guarded with bolts and barres According to that Prou. 28. 8. He that by vsurie and vniust gaine increaseth his substance hee shall gather it for him that will pitie the poore See also Prou. 13. 22. Iob 27. vers 16 17. 2. Or it may be wholly scattered amongst meere strangers according to that Eccles. 6. 2. But a strange man shall eate it vp See also Psalm 39. 6. Eccles. 4. 8. and 2. 18 19. 3. Or being bequeathed to his owne children and blasted by Gods secret curse it may melt away in their hands as snow before the Sunne according to that Eccles. 5. 13 14. There is a sore euill which I haue seene vnder the Sunne namely riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt But these riches perish by euill trauell and he begetteth a sonne and there is nothing in his hand But howsoeuer whether ill gotten goods perish or prosper in the owners hands or his posteritie sure I am the ineuitable plague and iust vengeance of God cleaues inseparably vnto his soule and hunts that man to destruction whosoeuer he be that enricheth himselfe by wicked and wrongfull meanes without timely repentance and true restitution if he be able He that hath oppressed the poore and needy or hath spoyled by violence or hath giuen vpon vsury or hath taken increase the same reason is also of all indirect and vnlawfull getting shall he liue He shall not liue he hath done all these abominations hee shall surely die his blood shall bee vpon him Ezek. 18. vers 12 13. And maruaile not neither be mis-led though thou obserue sometimes wicked worldlings themselues their heires and heires heires to wallow also in that wealth which the Grandfathers got wrongfully For they are for all this but as so many sensuall earth rooting hogs fatted for the knife and haue this wofull brand set vpon them by the Spirit of God Psal. 17. 14. They are men of the world and haue their portion in this life But euer hold this as a terrible and true principle It is one of the greatest curses vnder the Sunne to prosper in our wayes and be out of the way to Heauen 3. Thirdly it is a ruled case and concurrent resolution amongst Diuines That if thou doest not restore being able whatsoeuer thou hast any waies got wrongfully and wickedly thou canst haue neither well grounded assurance of vnfained repentance nor true comfort of the pardon of that sinne A cutting conclusion against all cut-throat Vsurers Simonists Sacrilegians Bribe-takers Grinders of poore mens faces Hoarders by fraud Oppressors of all vnder them of the same trade by some Machiuillian tricke and the rest of that cruell crue How can he be said to repent soundly that lies still soaking in his sinne wittingly and willingly Now whosoeuer keepes still in his hands any thing wickedly got continues a wrong doer still and therefore doth it not faithfully but only faineth repentance Whereupon saith Austin If a man restore not ill gotten goods being able his repentance is not comfortable but counterfeite Dreadfull also is the doome of the said Father vpon all wrong-doers The sinne is not remitted except that which hath been vniustly taken be restored Either in act if thou be able or at least in vnfained affection if thy state be wasted What a bedlam folly is it then and cursed cruelty to thine owne soule to heape vp those riches of iniquity by basenesse and wrong which thou must afterward restore in the sense I haue said or else neuer enioy any comfortable assurance of a true conuersion or pardon of sinne Were he not a foolish thiefe that would keep his stollen goods both in the face of his accuser and Iudge Though in the meane time thou conceale thy cunning conueiances from the discouery and doome of humane iustice yet assure thy selfe besides the secret grumbling of thy selfe-accusing conscience the angry eye of God also sees cleerely and will shortly most certainely reuenge 4. Almesdeeds charitable erections of Colledges Hospitalls Free-Schooles and other inferiour bountifull contributions when God inables by good meanes the necessities of his Poore cry for reliefe and the sanctified heart with affectionate sincerity aimes at Gods glory are sweete-smelling sacrifices with which God is well pleased Philip. 4. 18. Heb. 13. 16. But if his slauish gifts and good deedes largesses and liberalities in this kinde be impoysoned with former fraud oppression and wrong though it bee well that the Church of God sometimes the backes and bellies of the poore bee better thereby yet to the impenitent and not restoring vsurer himselfe or any other wicked dealer in respect of acceptation with God and true comfort to his
comfortable entercourse and blissefull Communion which it enioyes in part with the blessed Trinity by the Word Sacraments and other his holy Ordinances appointed and sanctified for that purpose vntill it remooue from an house of flesh into the Empyrean heauen And then 1. The vnderstanding is first filled with finall and euerlasting contentment by a cleere glorious sight of God which they call Beat ficall vision when we shall see him face to face know him as we are knowne 1. Cor. 13. 12. see him as hee is 1. Ioh. 3. 2. For as the Sunne of this world by his beames and brightnesse illâ—…ghteneth the eye and the ayre that wee may see not onely all other things but also his owne glorious face so God blessed for euer the Sunnes Creator the Imperiall Sunne of the world aboue in whose presence the vnited splendour of ten thousand of our Sunnes would vanish away as a darkesome moate and lumpe of vanitie doth by the light of his holy Spirit so irradiate the mindes of all the blessed that they are thereby enlarged and inabled not only to behold eminently in him the beauty goodnesse and excellency of all creatures in a farre more admirable and orient manner then in their owne beings but also his owne face essence will and counsels perfections and attributes incomprehensible greatnesse and Maiesty 2. Secondly the will also is then fully and for euer satisfied with a perfect inward eternall communion with God himselfe Oâ—…r sweet glorified Sauiour being God and man by his humane nature assumed vniteth vs to God and by his diuine nature assuming vniteth God vnto vs so that by this secret and sacred communion we are made in an admirable and blessed manner partakers and as it were possessours of God himselfe and communicate with him in all his goodnesse perfections excellencies and happinesse O bottomlesse depth and dearest confluence of all ioyes pleasures sweetnesses delights vnconceiueable vnutterable infinite This is the supreme end of our Creation and Redemption the very flower quintessence and sinew as it were of our So ueraigne good By this act of blessednesse we are filled with all the fulnesse of God He becomes vnto vs All in all so that thereby we liue his very life in purity eternity sincerest pleasures highest perfection though not to the height of his infinitenesse for wee are but creatures yet in proportion to our capacitie and vtmost possibility which is a felicitie aboue measure and past imagination In these two acts thus exercised about an infinite Obiect God himselfe doth Blessednesse essentially and formally consist but principally in the fruition of God by a full immediate and compleate communion with him and most blessed participation of all his glory and All-sufficiency And therefore Aquinas and all his followers come short in placing our highest blisse onely in the act of the vnderstanding the Vision of God I am woont to expresse and illustrate it thus though there be an infinite distance and disproportion in the things compared It would mightily delight a man really and in person with ease and safetie to passe ouer and view the circuite of the whole earth and all the wonders of the world all the great cities renowned men magnificent courts rich mines spicie Ilands Chrystall mountaines coasts of Pearles rockes of Diamond c. of which Geographers write and Trauailers talke but if besides as he passed along he should haue sure and euerlasting possession giuen of them all what an immeasurable materiall addition would it make vnto his speculatiue delight And with what strange amazement and admiration of his making for euer and marueilous happines would it rauish his heart Euen so proportionably but aboue all degrees of comparison though a boundlesse Ocean of endlesse sweetnes and inexplicable ioy arise in the soule from the sight of God yet this blissefull communion whereby we possesse and enioy him in a neere excellent vnspeakable maner partake with him in all his excellencies perfections and felicities doth crowne as it were our Crowne of glory and actuate that heart-rauishing contemplation with the very life of euerlasting life and soule of heauenly ioyes and highest blisse Thus and in this manner doe the restlesse wanderings and infinite appetite of these aspiring sparkes of heauen our immateriall and immortall spirits come to finall rest and euerlasting repose When at last they shall graspe in the armes of their desire that chiefest Good the most glorious Deitie and bathe themselues freely and fully in that euer-during Welspring of Immortality and Life But now set aside the fruition of this Obiect infinite both in excellency and endlesnesse the onely aime and end of the soules endlesse aspirations And though thou shouldest crowne a man compleately with the worth of this whole world the admirable splendour of the Empyrean heauen the beauty of a shining Sunne-like body the rich and royall endowments inherent in a glorified soule the sweetest company of Saints and Angels the comfort of eternity yet his soule would still be full of emptinesse and appetite and vtterly to seeke for the surest Sanctuary and supremest solace to settle her vnsatisfied longings vpon Onely once admit it to the face of God by Beatificall Vision and to fruition of the most glorious and euer-blessed Trinity by immediate communion and so consequently to those Torrents of pleasures and fulnesse of ioy flowing thence and then presently and neuer before its infinite desire expires in the bosome of God and it lyes as it were downe softly with sweetest peace and full contentment in the imbracements of euerlasting blisse The other innumerable inestimable ioyes in heauen are I deny not transcendent and rauishing but they are but all accessories to this Principall drops to this Ocean glimpses to this Sunne Well then if this bee the onely way to the soules eternall welfare then those vnhappy soules which runne a contrary course and seeke for satisfaction in any creature or created comfort stand deseruedly still vpon the racke of restlesse discontentment and are iustly cursed with the gnawing rage of vnsatiablenesse and must needs be so For besides 1. That the furious torrent of our sensuall corruption being once on foote after worldly pleasures and swelling by a continuall infusion of hellish poyson doth with an impetuous headstrongnesse beare and breake downe all bonds and bankes of moderation and stint and will neuer be restrained from its vnsatiable rage if God helpe not vntil it be swallowed vp in the bottomlesse gulfe of misery and horrour for it is the natiue property or rather poyson of inordinate affection not onely to drinke deepe of sinfull delights but to carouse to be drunke nay to adde vnquenchable thirst vnto drunkennesse sucking them in with fresh supply of endlesse greedinesse as the Horse-leach corrupt blood till it burst againe 2. That the infinite desire of the soule confined to a creature or any worldly comfort is payned and pinched as a foote wedged in a straight shooe it being no competent or proportionable
iudgements and the spirit of the Prophets I conceiue that a sanctified man may be assured of his spirituall safety and sound estate to Godwards diuers wayes 1. By the euidence and single act of internall Vision Wee haue receiued saith the Apostle not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that wee might know the things that are freely giuen to vs of God that is to say say our Country-men of Rhemes Christs Incarnation Passion presence in the Sacrament and the incomprehensible ioyes of heauen But it is cleare in the Text that the Apostle speakes of all the gifts generally that are giuen vs of God whither serueth the argument of comparison that as a mans spirit teacheth him to know all his thoughts that are in him at the least in some measure so also the Spirit of God teacheth the Beleeuers to know all that God hath giuen them Hee doth not say that we know Gods gifts but that we know the gifts that God hath giuen vnto vs. See further to this point and purpose 1. Ioh. 5. 13. 2. Tim. 1. 12. By a secret and sacred irradiation of the Spirit of faith the sanctified soule is ascertained of its personall and particular dependance and reliance vpon the promises of life and Gods mercies through Christ by which it knowes it hath eternall life Ioh. 3. 36. As certainely as he that hath a corporall eye knoweth that he sees so certainely he that is illuminated with the light of faith knowes that he beleeues The glorious splendour of such an orient and heauenly Iewell cannot but shew it selfe and shine clearely to the heart wherein it dwels Like a bright lampe set vp in the soule it doth not onely manifest other things but also it selfe appeareth by its owne light when I see and rely vpon a man promising me this or that I know I see and rely vpon him shall I by faith behold my blessed Redeemer lifted vp as an Antitype to the brazen Serpent for the euerlasting cure of my wounded conscience and rest vpon him and yet know no such thing Heare how cleare learned Austin is for this internall vision Our faith saith hee is conspicuous to our owne minde Faith it selfe is seene in the minde although that which is beleeued by faith is inuisible A man holds his faith by most certaine knowledge and plaine attestation of conscience Euery man sees his Faith in himselfe c. Euen Durandus taking vpon him to expound one of those passages in the fore-cited place of Austin tels vs That he which hath faith is so certaine that hee hath it as hee is of any other thing for hee that beleeues feeles that hee beleeues and by consequent that hee hath faith and there is nothing more certaine then experience c. * Vegaes words also in the Councell of Trent sound this way As hee that is hote is sure he is so and should want sense if he doubted so he that hath grace in him doth perceiue it and cannot doubt yet it is by the sence of the minde not by diuine reuelation Ob. But if these things be so how comes it to passe that Gods dearest children complaine sometimes that they haue neither sight nor sence of their faith Answ. I speake of that which is ordinary not euer The Sunne in a cleere sky discouers and manifests it selfe with a witnesse though sometimes it bee ouercast with clouds or eclipsed with the Moone This heauenly lampe of Faith shines and shewes it selfe clearely enough to the sanctified heart in the calmenesse of a Christian course and serenitie of the soule especially freshly cleared and purged with showres as it were of penitent teares though in the dampe of spirituall disertion darkenesse of some stronger temptation eclipse of earthly-mindednesse it may lye hid and obscured for a time And yet for all this if Christians would bee counselled and beleeue the Prophets if they would not vnderualue Gods infinite mercie by looking vpon him through a slauishly deiected and melancholike humour which is wont to represent him as terrible fierce and inexorable whereas in his owne nature and sweetest disposition hee is indeed euer most compassionate tenderhearted and melting ouer the bleeding miseries of a truly broken heart I say if they would not thus mistake but conceiue aright of that most adored mystery and bottomlesse depth of his free loue Hos. 14. 4. Ezek. 16. 8. Ier. 31. 3. Cant. 2. 4. Ioh. 3. 16. 17. 23. they might euen in times of desertions temptations spirituall afflictions of soule sweetely vphold their hearts with assurance of Adherence though for the present they want the assurance of Euidence For such an assurance is intimated Psal. 22. 1. 42. 5 11 43. 5. For instance many a faithfull soule making conscience of all sinne sincerely following the best things resolued without reseruation to doe or suffer any thing for Christ would giue a world to be sensibly assured of Gods fauour and fully perswaded that his sinnes were pardoned By reason of the want of sence and feeling whereof hee slauishly languishes vpon the racke of tormenting feares and terrours vtterly without all cause neither onely so but thereby also gratifying the deuill dishonouring Gods free mercy disabling himselfe for a comfortable discharge of both his callings and that which he little thinkes on lying in the sinne of not receiuing comfort and of not accepting his owne proper legacie which Christ left him Ioh. 14. 27. For in the meane time his heart doth cleaue vnto Christ as to the surest rocke Hee cries and longs after him and would not part with him for all the world Hee would infinitely rather haue his body rent from his soule then his soule from his Sauiour Aske his affection and resolution this way and for all his feares and sorrowes he will tell you that he will still rest and relye vpon his Lord and euer-blessed Redeemer let him doe with him as hee please hee will trust in him though he kill him Now the internall vision consciousnesse reflexed act that I may speake in the phrase of the Schooles of this sincere adherence vnto Christ and those exceeding precious promises of life sealed with his Blood might and ought to assure him of the euerlasting safetie and happinesse of his soule and so by consequent to comfort him infinitely more then if hee had the Crowne of the whole worlds soueraigntie set vpon his head Iustifying faith which giues infallible interest to eternall life is not to speake properly and punctually to be assured of pardon but to trust wholly vpon the mercy of God through Christ for pardon If there arise question in thy fearefull heart about thy spirituall state sence and feeling is no substantiall ground whereon to build being a separable accident to the graces of saluation but the truth and tender heartednesse of Christ in the promises which can neuer faile being as sure as God himselfe If some
singularitie I meane it not in respect of any fantasticalnesse of opinion furiousnesse of zeale or turbulencie of faction truely so called but in respect of abstinence from sinne puritie of heart and holinesse of life Reasons 1. Gods holy Word exacts and expects from all that are new-borne and heires of Heauen an excellency aboue ordinary Pro. 12. 26. Matth. 5. 20. 47. Being taken forth as the precious from the vile Ierem. 15. 19. by the power of the Ministerie they must not onely goe beyond the hiest ciuill perfections of the exactest morall Puritane amongst the most honest Heathens Heb. 12. 14. but also exceed the righteousnesse and all the outward religious conformities of the deuoutest Pharises whose sufficiencies Luk. 18. 11 12. many thousands in these times come short of and yet hope to be saued or they can in no case enter into the Kingdome of Heauen But lest any bee proudly puft vp with sence of this singularitie and excellencie aboue his neighbour let him know that humilitie is euer one of the fairest flowers in the whole garland of his supernaturall and diuine worth and that selfe-conceitednesse would impoyson euen Angelicall perfection 2. They must vpon necessitie differ from a world of wicked men by a sincere singularitie of abstinence from the course of this world the lusts of men the corruptions of the times familiaritie with gracelesse companions the worldlings language prophane sports all wicked wayes of thriuing rising and growing great in the world c. 3. They make conscience of those duties and diuine commands which the greatest part of men euen in the noonetide of the Gospell are so farre from taking to heart that their hearts rise against them As to bee hot in Religion Reu. 3. 16. To be zealous of good workes Tit. 2. 14. To walke precisely Ephes. 5. 15. To bee feruent in spirit Rom. 12. 11. To striue to enter in at the straite gate Luke 13. 24. To plucke out their right eyes that is to abandon their bosome delights Matth. 5. 29. To make the Sabbath a delight Isa. 58. 13. To loue the Brotherhood 1. Pet. 2. 17. With an holy violence to lay hold vpon the Kingdome of Heauen Matth. 11. 12. 4. Experience and examples of all ages from the creation downeward clearely prooue the point At this time as you see the Saints of God were all harboured vnder one roofe and yet not all sound there Suruey the ages afterward The time of Abraham who was as a brand taken out of the fire of the Chaldeans The time of Elijah when none appeared to that blessed man of God The time of Esaiah who cryed chap. 53. 1. Who hath beleeued our report The time of Manasseh who built altars for all the host of Heauen in the two Courts of the House of the Lord The time of Antiochus when he commanded the Sanctuarie and holy people to bee polluted with Swines-flesh and vncleane beasts to be sacrificed the abomination of desolation to bee set vp vpon the Altar That darksome time when the glorious Day-Star Christ Iesus himselfe came downe from Heauen to illighten the earth The time of Antichrist when all the world wondred after the Beast Our times wherein of sixe parts of the earth scarce one of the least is Christian. And what a deale of Christendome is still ouer-growne with Popery and other exorbitant distempers in point of Religion And where the Truth of Christ is purely and powerfully taught how few giue their names vnto it And of those who professe how many are false-hearted or meerely formall 5. Me thinks worldly wisdome should rather wonder that any one is wonne vnto God then cry out and complaine Is it possible there should be so few Sith all the powers of darknesse and euery diuell in hell oppose might and maine the plantation of grace in any soule sith there are moc snares vpon earth to keepe vs still in the inuisible chaines of darknesse and sinne then there are starres in heauen sith euery inch euery little artery of our bodies if it could would swell with hellish venome to the bignesse of the greatest Goliah the mightiest Gyant that it might make resistance to the sanctifying worke of the holy Ghost sith our soules naturally would rather die and put off their immortality and euerlasting being then put on the Lord Iesus In a word sith the new creation of a man is holden a greater worke of wonder then the creation of the world 6. Lastly let vs set aside in any Country Citie Towne Family First all Atheists Papists and distempered exorbirants from the blessed Truth of doctrine taught in our Church Secondly all Whoremongers Drunkards Swearers Lyers Reuellers Worldlings Vsurers and fellowes of such infamous ranke Thirdly all meerely ciuill men who come short of Cato Fabricius and other honest Heathens and wanting holinesse shall neuer see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. Fourthly all grosse Hypocrites whose outsides are painted with superficial flourishes of holinesse and honesty but their inward parts filled with rottennesse and lust who haue their hands in godly exercises when their hearts are in hell Fiftly all formall Hypocrites who are deluded in point of Saluation as were the foolish Virgins and that proud Pharise Luk. 18. 11. Sixthly all finall back-sliders of which some turne sensuall Epicures and plunge themselues into worldly pleasures with farre more rage and greedinesse by reason of former restraint by a temporarie profession others become scurrill deriders of the holyway some bloody goads in the sides of those with whom they haue formerly walked into the house of God as friends Seuenthly all vnsound Professors for the present of which you would little thinke what a number there is I say let these and all other strangers to the purity and power of godlinesse be set apart and tell mee how many true-hearted Nathaneels wee are like to finde Vses 1. Trie then the truth of thy spirituall state by this marke of a sober and sincere singularitie If thou still holdest correspondence with the world and conformitie to the fashions thereof if still thou swimmest downe the current of the times and shiftest thy sailes to the sitting of euery Winde if thine heart hanker still after the tastlesse fooleries of goodfellowship and follow the multitude to doe ill if thou be carried with the swinge and sway of the place where thou liuest to vphold by a boisterous combination lewdnesse and vanity to prophane the Lords day to scorne Profession oppose the Ministerie and walke in the broad Way In a word if thou doest as the most doe thou art vtterly vndone for euer But if with a mercifull violence thou bee pulled out of the world by the power of the Word and happily weaned from the sensuall insensible poison of all bitter-sweet pleasures and fellowship with vnfruitfull workes of darknesse If by standing on Gods side and hatred of all false wayes thou art become the Drunkards song as Dauid
as neuer Nation enioyed Walke ouer the World Peruse the whole face of the Earth from East to West from North to South which is aboue one and twenty thousand miles about both wayes and from one side of Heauen to another thou shalt not finde such another illightned Goshen as this Iland wherein we dwell Of sixe parts of the Earth fiue are not Christian and in Christendome what other part is so free from the reigne of Popery the rage of Schisme or the destroying Sword Or where besides doth the Gospell shine with such glory truth and peace Or in what nooke of the World are there so many faithfull Soules who cry vnto God day and night against the abominations of the times for the preseruation of the Gospell that Gods Name may bee gloriously hallowed His Kingdome come His will bee done in euery place and themselues serue him with truth of heart And yet we are too ready if wee haue not the height of our desires and our wils to the ful in stead of patience teares and prayers which best become the Saints to embitter all other blessings and to discouer most horrible vnthankefulnesse for them by repining grumbling and discontent I am sure by not reioycing as we ought in euery good thing which the Lord our God hath giuen vnto vs and by not improouing the extraordinarinesse of His mercies to our more glorious seruice of Him and more humbly and precisely walking before Him Giue me leaue therefore in short to reuiue and refresh your memories with representation of some generall heads onely of those innumerable speciall fauours with which Gods mercifull hand hath crowned this Kingdome for the stirring vp and enlarging our hearts to the entertainment and exercise of this most necessarie and most neglected dutie of praising Iehoua And here wee of this Nation may a great deale more iustly and rightly say then the French Chronicler in the Preface to his Story That we haue liued in a time of Miracles our Posteritie will hardly beleeue the wonders done in our dayes Was it not a miraculous mercy that such a glorious noone tide of the Gospell as wee haue enioyed all our life long should spring out of the darkest mid-night of damned Popery which vnhappily seized vpon the face of this Kingdome in the time of Queene Marie especially watched extraordinarily and most strongly guarded by all the policie of hell and power of the Pepe that the blood of those blessed Martyrs should bring forth since such a world of Gods sincere worship and so many thousands of gracious Soules who are alreadie crowned with euerlasting blisse That Queene Elizabeth that matchlesse Princesse and Pearle of the World should in those fierie times bee preserued in safetie as a sweete harmelesse Lambe amidst so many mercilesse Romish Wolues who implacably thirsted for her precious life Was it not a wonder that the sacred hand of that selfe-same crowned blessed Lady next vnder Gods Almightie One should in despite of all the Powers of Darknesse and Popish rage raise our true Religion as it were by miracle from the dead a thing which the World so little hoped to see that euen they which beheld it done scarcely beleeued their owne senses at the first beholding That afterward the Siluer line of her much-honoured life should be hid in the endless maze of Gods bottomlesse mercies from the fierce assaults of so many Popish Bulls such a prodigious varietie of murdrous complotments against her sacred Person and all those desperate Assasins of Rome who all her life long hunted full greedily after her Virgin blood And was not our deliuerance in Eightie eight a Miracle when the Sea fought for vs and her proud waues enlarged themselues to swallow vp quick their prouder burden There was a day as many of vs may remember which the Papists called The long-lookt-for Day the Day which should pay for all They meant the Day when Queene Elizabeth should die About which their false prophets were so confident and hopefull that they expected vpon the blood of that Day to haue built their Idolatrous Babel againe For they would needs foretell that it would bee a bloody Day By the vncertaintie of the next Heire said one of them in the late Queenes dayes our Countrie is in the most dreadfull and desperate case in the greatest miserie and most dangerous termes that euer it was since or before the Conquest and farre worse then any Countrie of Christendome by the certainty of most bloody ciuil and forren warres all our wealth and felicitie whatsoeuer depending vpon a few vncertaine dayes of Queene Elizabeths life Clouds of blood saith another hang in the Aire which at the death of Queene Elizabeth will dissolue and raine downe vpon England which then is expected as a prey to the ambition of neighbour-Nations I am sure the false prophet spake to this sense And what comes of all this when the Day came God euen wrought a miracle of mercy for the comfort of this Kingdome and further confusion of such tellers and foretellers of lyes For the Sunne set and no night followed the same mercifull hand at the same time crowned Queene Elizabeth with immortall glory and set the earthly Crowne of this Kingdome vpon King Iames his head without sheading so much as one drop of blood And was it not a miraculous mercy to haue such a King after such a Queene who hath alreadie next vnder that mighty God by whom Kings reigne continued the Gospell vnto vs and preserued vs from the destroying Sword now full twenty yeeres And what do you thinke were twenty yeeres Peace and the enioyment of the Gospell worth were it to be bought Who hath ennobled this Kingdome for euer by his excellent Writings in the cause of Religion against Antichrist which would haue created a great deale of honour to a priuate man minding nothing else How illustrious then doe they make our King The child vnborne will blesse King Iames for his premonition to all the Princes and free States of Christendome and that Royall Remonstrance against the rotten and pestilent Oration of the French Cardinal to the vtter and triumphant ouerthrow of it penned in that stile that none can possibly reach but a learned King his Golden pen hath giuen such a blow to that beast of Rome that hee will neuer be able to stand vpon his foure legs againe hee hath shot out of his Royall bow such keene arrowes taken out of the quiuer of Gods Booke which will hang in the sides of that skarlet Whore and make her laâ—…e as long as she liues Did hee not seale vs an Instrument of his hand as it were to testifie his inuincible cleauing to the Truth which he hath so excellently and vnanswerably defended with his Pen the same day hee gaue the Noble Princesse a second Elizabeth to the Palatine Hath he not most happily and seasonably stopped the hasty torrent of the Arminian Sect the domineering rage of bloody
Duels c And was not the discouery and deliuerance from the Powder-plot that great astonishment of Men and Angels one of the most vnparalelled and mercifull Miracles that euer the Church of God tasted Is it not admirable in the eyes of all Christendome that the only Daughter of our King vnworthily hunted vp and downe like a Partridge in the Mountaines should with such Heroicall height of spirit passe thorow so many insupportable dangers difficulties and indignities impossible to be forced vpon Ladies by generous spirits and as impossible to bee borne and ouercome but by an inuincible spirit and that Shee and all her Royall little Ones should bee still safe in the golden Cabinet of Gods sweetest prouidence And to crowne all with a wonder of greatest astonishment doe not we all that are the Kings faithfullest Subiects almost feare still lest we be in a dreame that Prince Charles the Flowre of Christendome should returne home so To say no more Away then with all sowre melancholike causelesse sinfull discontent And Praise ye the Lord sing vnto the Lord a new song and his praise in the congregation of the Saints Let Israel reioyce in him that made him let the children of Zion be ioyfull in their King For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people Hee will beautifie the meeke with saluation Let the Saints be ioyfull in glory let them sing aloud vpon their beds In a word let vs of this Iland as we haue iust cause aboue all the Nations of the earth and aboue all Ages of the Church from the very first creation of it praise Iehoua most heartily infinitely and for euer 2. Neuer hit any in the teeth with deformity of bodie dulnesse of conceit weaknesse of wit poorenesse in outward state basenesse of birth c. For who makes thee to differ from another Either In naturall gifts as comelines of body beauty feature stature wit strength c. See Iob 10. 10 11. Psal. 139. 13 14 15. In ciuill endowments or any artificiall skill vntill it come euen vnto matters of Husbandry See Esay 28. 26. In outward things see Psalm 127. More particularly in preferment and promotion see Psal. 75. 6 7. In children 1. Sam. 1. 27. Psal. 127. 3. In a good wife see Prou. 19. 14. In spirituall things see Ezech. 16. In any thing thou canst name We are all framed of the same mold hewed out of the same Rocke made as it were of the same cloth the sheares as they say onely going betweene it is therefore onely the free loue and grace of God which makes all the difference Whereupon it was an excellent speech of the last French King as his Chronicler reports When I was borne there were a thousand other soules more borne what haue I done vnto God more then they It is his meere grace and mercie which doth often bind me more vnto his iustice for the faults of great men are neuer small Let none then I say ouer-looke disdaine or brow-beate their brethren by reason of any extraordinarinesse of gifts eminency of parts singularitie of Gods speciall fauour or indulgence towards him in any good thing which he denies to others Especially thy selfe being vouchsafed the mercy of conuersion neuer insolently and imperiously insult ouer those poore soules who are beside themselues in matter of saluation who like miserable drudges damne themselues in the Deuils slauery and suffer their corrupt nature to carrie them to any villanie lust or lewd course Alas our hearts should bleed within vs to behold so many about vs to imbrew their cruell hands in the bloud of their owne soules by their ignorance worldlinesse drunkennesse lust lying scoffing at profession hating to be reformed c. What heart except it be hewed out of the hardest rocke or hath suckt the brests of mercilesse Tygers but would yerne and weepe to see a man made of the same mold with himselfe wilfully as it were against the Ministery of the Word a thousand warnings and Gods many compassionate inuitations to cast himselfe body and soule into the endlesse easelesse and remedilesse miseries of Hell And the rather should we pittie and pray for such an one who followes the swinge of his owne heart to his owne euerlasting perdition because as I said before there went but the sheares betweene the matter whereof we were all made onely the free mercy goodnesse and grace of God makes the difference If he should giue vs ouer to the vnbridled current of our corrupt nature wee might be as bad and run riot into a world of wickednesse as well as he if the same God visit him in mercy he might become euery way as good or better then we 3. If the free loue of God bee the fountaine of all our good away then with that fained fore-sight of faith right vse of free-will good workes which should mooue God to elect before all eternitie and that Luciferian selfe-conceite of present merit fit monstrous broode of that Beast of Rome who opposeth and exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God For workes meritorious fore-seene are equally opposite to Grace as workes meritorious really existing Here you must cal to mind those eight considerations which I opposed against that wicked Tenent of Merit which doth iustly merit neuer to taste of Gods free mercy From the second point in these words These are the generations of Noah whereas the fame and memoriall of all the Families vpon Earth besides lay buried and rotting in the gulfe of euerlasting obliuion as their bodies in the vniuersall graue of Waters the family of Noah a righteous and holy man is not onely preserued in safetie from the generall Deluge but his generations registred and renowned in the Booke of God and conueyed along towards the Lord Iesus as his Progenitors and precedent Royall Line I obserue this point Doct. Personall goodnesse is a good meanes to bring safety honour and many comfortable blessings vpon posteritie see Deut. 5. 29. Exod. 20. 6. Psal. 37. 26. Prou. 20. 7. and 11. 21. Psal. 112. 1 3. Act. 2. 39. Reas. 1. Parents professing Religion in truth make conscience of praying for their children before they haue them as did Isaac Hannah When they are quicke in the wombe as did Rebeckah When they are borne as did Zachariah In the whole course of their life as did Iob At their death as did Isaack And prayers we know are for the purchasing of all fauour at the hands of God either for our selues or others the most vndoubted soueraigne meanes we can possibly vse 2. Godly Parents doe infinitely more desire to see the true feare of God planted in their childrens hearts then if it were possible the Imperiall Diadem of the whole Earth set vpon their heads And therefore their principall care is and the Crowne of their greatest ioy would bee by good example religious education daily instruction louing admonitions seasonable reproofes restraint from wicked company the
right hand Which may for euer with sweetest peace and freedome from slauish trembling assure vs of our rootednesse in Christ constancie in grace and euerlasting abode with him in the other World Hee that will rent vs from Christs mysticall Body being once implanted into Him by a liuely fruitfull Faith and blessedly knit vnto Him by His Spirit as fast as the sinewes of His precious Body are knit vnto His bones His flesh to his sinewes and his skinne to His flesh must pull Him out of heauen and remoue Him from the right hand of His Father What so furious or infernall power can or dare lay a finger on vs in this kinde Hee hath taken the poisoning power out of euery thing that should hurt vs or hale vs backe to hell He hath conquered captiuated carried in triumph and chained vp for euer all the enemies of our soules and enuiers of our saluation They may exercise vs in the meane time for our good but they shall neuer be able to execute their malicious wils or any mortall hurt vpon vs either heere or in the next life 3. The irreuocable obsignation of the blessed Spirit Eph. 1. 13 14. 4. 30. And who or what can or dare reuerse the Deede or breake vp the Seale of the holy Ghost Heere then as you see the blessed Trinity is the vnmooueable ground of our going on in grace 4. The lasting and immortall power of the Word once rooted in a good and honest heart Luke 8. 15. 1. Pet. 1. â—…3 5. The certainety and sweetnesse of promises to this purpose Ier. 32. 39 40. Zech. 10. 12. Ioh. 8. 12. 2. Sam. 7. 14 15. Psal. 89. 31 c. 6. The force and might of Faith 1. Pet. 1. 2 3 4 5. 7. The efficacie of Christs Prayer Luk. 22. 32. Ioh. 17. 15 20. Rom. 8. 34. 8. The durable vigour of sauing graces Ioh. 4. 14. Rom. 11. 29. 9. The inabilitie nay impossibilitie of all causes or creatures to plucke out of Gods hand Ioh. 10. 29. or to draw any of His to a totall or finall falling away 1. It is not the Diuell himselfe can doe it 1. Iohn 5. 18. 2. It is not the world 1. Ioh. 5. 4. Ioh. 16. 33. 3. It is not the concurrent fury and vnited forces of all the powers of darknesse Math. 16. 18. 4. It is not sinne 2. Sam. 7. 14 15. Psal. 89. 31 c. 5. It is not weakenesse of Faith and other graces Mat. 12. 20. Esa. 42. 3. 6. It is not the imposture of false prophets Matth. 24. 24. 7. It is no creature or created power Rom. 8. 38 39. Vses 1. This Point thus confirmed doth confound that forlorne Tenent of the Popish Doctors which tels vs that a iustified and sanctified Man may fall finally and totally from grace In which I haue heretofore vpon other occasion in your-hearing punctually refuted those which I conceiued Bellarmines best Arguments I wil not then trouble you now with his Sophistry againe 2. This sweet and precious Truth may crowne the hearts of all those that are truly Christs with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious Let new Conuerts and Babes in Christ who are woont to bee very fearefull and much troubled lest they should not hold out because vpon their first entrance into the wayes of Christianitie they are cunningly and concurrently encountred with so many oppositions From the Deuill which then rageth extraordinarily From the World which then tendereth moe and more alluring baites From the Flesh which naturally is very impatient of any spirituall snaffle From carnall Friends who cannot endure their forwardnesse From their old Companions who cry out They are turning Puritanes From the Times which lowre and looke fowre vpon their zeale Sometimes from the Father which begat them from the Mother which gaue them suck from the Wife which lies in their bosome from a world of enemies to grace I say in such a case let them graspe in the armes of their Faith the proofes and promises in the present Point and ride on because of the Word of Truth Let them sweetly with full assurance and vnconquerable resolution repose vpon that euerlasting encouragement for the finishing of their spirituall building which Zerubbabel receiued from the mouth of God Himselfe for successe of the materiall a Type of this Not by might and power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts Who art thou O great mountaine before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plaine and hee shall bring foorth the head stone thereof with shoutings crying Grace grace vnto it And that they may more comfortably and constantly go on let them cast their eyes betime vpon these and the like cautions at their very first giuing their names vnto Christ. 1. Propose such interrogatories as these to thine owne heart Art thou content to abandon thy bosome sinne the sensuall froth of former pleasures hereafter to delight in God as thy chiefest ioy Canst thou take vp thy crosse and follow Christ His Truth and holy tracke amidst the many by-paths that leade to hell and different opinions of multitudes of men Art thou willing to suffer aduersitie disgrace and discountenance with the righteous and contemned godly Ones Canst thou endure to haue things laid vnto thy charge thou neuer didst thoughtst or dreamdst on To become the Drunkards song a By-word to those that are vilâ—…r then the earth musicke at the feasts of those that sit in the gate c In a word for Christs sake to deny thy selfe thy worldly wisdome naturall wit carnall friends old companions pleasures profits preferments ease excellency of learning acceptation with the world outward state liberty life or what else thou canst name dearest vnto flesh and blood If thine heart answere not affirmatiuely I meane out of the resolution of a well-aduised regenerate iudgement for I know the flesh will grumble and reclaime thou wilt certainly fâ—…ll away or end in formality 2. Looke to thy repentance that it be sincere vniuersall constant from the heart-roote for all knowne sinnes to thy dying day 1. If some worldly crosse be the continued principall motiue 2. Or the humour of melancholy 3. If it bee confusedly onely for sinne and in generall 4. Or for some one speciall notorious sinne onely 5. Or for some lesser sinnes with neglect of greater as for tything Mint c. 6. If it be onely legall 7. But for some sinnes of what kinde soeuer leauing but so much as one knowne sinne not taken to heart 8. Or but for a time All will come to naught A foundation of godly sorrow leasurely aduisedly and sincerely laid at first will be for euer after a comfortable encouragement to Faith spirituall ioy well-doing and walking with God 3. Take the touch-stone of fruitfull powerfull and speciall markes to discerne and difference iustifying sauing Faith from all false and insufficient faiths For a temporarie may goe farre 4. Let knowledge and affection like two indiuiduall twins grow vp together in thee and mutually
transfuse spirituall vigour into each other Presume not vpon any knowledge without an humble inflamed affection neither build too much vpon the heate of zeale without the light of knowledge Either of these may be single in some and that in singularitie who after may fall away shamefully 5. Aboue all looke vnto thy heart If thy change were Angelicall in words actions and all outward carriage and yet thy thoughts still the same and reserued thou art but a guilded Tombe and cannot bee saued Let a man take a Wolfe beate him blacke and blue breake his bones knocke out his teeth cut away his clawes put vpon him a Sheepes skinne yet still hee retaines his Woluish nature Let a man become neuer so harmelesse outwardly yet without a new heart all is naught 6. Incorporate thy selfe into the company of Gods people by all engagements and obligations of a profitable intimate and comfortable fellowship in the Gospell There is a secret tie vnto constancie in the communion of Saints Hee is not like to walke long that walketh alone especially if he might enioy good company Shunning society with the godly is too shrowde a signe of a temporarie 7. Consider well for the contrary is a notable discouerie of counterfeits that thy calling to grace must settle thee more surely in thine honest particular calling and make thee therein more faithfull conscionable and painefull Let Christians also of longer standing and more strength in their assaults about perseuerance haue recourse vnto this Tower of Truth and labour to preuent that which they feare 1. By constancie in a carefull vse of all the meanes the Word Prayer Conference Meditation Sacraments c. To which let them preserue appetite and practise that they heare without omission or delay Hee that giues way to a heartlesse neglect or customarie hardnesse of heart in the vse of the Ordinances may iustly suspect his neerenesse to some fearefull sinne or fierce temptation to some heauy iudgement or dangerous Apostacie 2. Assoone as they discouer any spirituall weakenesse or decay assault or temptation let them complaine betime vnto the Throne of Grace and mightily oppose with the feruentest prayers of extraordinarie priuate humiliation 3. Let them keepe perfection still in their eye and aime and towards the attainment thereof acquire and acquaint themselues with Rules of holy life daily directions courses of most mortified men c. 4. Let them watchfully decline all occasions of falling backe Spirituall pride knowne Hypocrisie desire to bee rich vnder-valuing declining the most searching meanes forme and perfunctorinesse in religious duties discontinuance of intimatenesse with the godly neglect of distractions vpon the Lords Day c. 5. Let them consider that all is lost which is past if they fall off 2. Ioh. 8. This former Point of constancie in grace did arise from consideration of blessed Noahs continuance in goodnesse through so many ages Now in that hee did not conforme to the iniquities of the times but did stand vnstained amidst the wickedst generations that euer dwelt vpon earth I collect the necessitie of another constancie and that is in respect of opposition to the corruptions of times Doct. The seruant of God must not serue the times Or thus The true Christian ought to stand at staues end with the corruptions of the time Reason Hee is bound vnto it by his Baptisme Of such as prophaned themselues being Christians with irreligious delight in the Ensignes of Idolatry heathenish spectacles showes and stage-playes Tertullian to strike them the more deepe claimeth the promise which they made in Baptisme Hee is not of the world Ioh. 15. 19. His life is hid with Christ in God Colos. 3. 3. There is a secret heauenly vigour infused into euery gracious Soule by the sanctifying Spirit which deads it to the world and makes it delight in God He ought to shine in the world as a light in the midst of a crooked and peruerse nation Phil. 2. 15. Light and darknesse cannot endure one another neither the power of Grace those workes of darknesse in which the world lyes drowned Hee is by no meanes to bee conformed to this world Rom. 12. 2. nor to runne with the wicked to the same excesse of riot 1. Pet. 4. 4. He is now new-borne and become a Child of Eternity whereby his heart is falâ—…e in loue with new and euerlasting delights and the eye of his soule turned from the dung of this world towards the glory of the second Life As the worldling cannot rellish the sweet ioyes of gracious exercises so neither can the Christian the frothy pleasures of good-fellowship You can as hardly draw the sound Professor to a Conuenticle of swaggering companions as a good-fellow to a day of humiliation Vses 1. Howsoeuer then thou mayst seeme to stand on Gods side by an artificiall acting of some affected formes in Religion by countenancing the Ministerie if thou beest a great Man and outwardly conforming to the Ordinances yet if in thy practise thou beest plunged into the corruptions of the present and thine heart hanker still and hunt in secret after youthfull delights the lusts of men most applauded fashions of the greater part thou art not a Christian in truth but a true counterfeite Assure thy selfe if thou swim downe the current and saile with the tide of the time thou mayest iustly looke euery moment to fall vpon the sudden perhaps in the height of thy temporall happinesse and hottest gleame of thy worldly glory into the irrecouerable and euerlasting Lake of brimstone and fire c. 2. Let euery one who hath giuen his name vnto Christ euer hold it his Crowne and comfort to hold a strong and vnconquerable counter-motion to the courses of the world Let him still discouer the true noblenesse of his Christian spirit and of a mind spiritually generous by gathering vigour and growing inuincible from the very oppositions of the wicked and villanies of the time See Psal. 119. 126 127. 1. King 19. 14. 1. Thes. 2. 2. It was the saying of a morall Heathen That to doe well where was no danger was a common thing but to doe well where was both perill and opposition was the peculiar office of a man of vertue much more say I of a man of God And Noah walked with God Walking with God is the top and flower of all Noahs excellencies and spirituall felicities vpon earth Whence note Doct. That walking with God is the Crowne of the Christians character It is the dutie and propertie of euery true Christian to walke with his God By walking with God I meane a sincere endeauour punctually and percisely to manage conduct and dispose all our affaires thoughts words and deeds all our behauiours courses carriage and whole conuersation in reuerence and feare with humilitie and singlenesse of heart as in the sight of an inuisible God vnder the perpetuall presence of his All-seeing glorious pure eye and by a comfortable consequent to enioy by the
mortifie the deeds of the body by the Spirit thy case is the case of saluation 4. A good conscience stands not with a purpose of sinning no not with an irresolution against sinne 5. The rich and precious boxe of a good conscience is polluted and made impure if but one dead Flie be suffered in it He meanes any one knowne sinne lyen and delighted in impenitently 6. Where there is but any one sinne nourished and fostered all other our graces are not onely blemished but abolished they are no graces 7. Most true is that saying of Aquinas That all sinnes are coupled together though not in regard of conuersion to temporall good for some looke to the good of gaine some of glory some of pleasure c. yet in regard of auersion from eternall Good that is God So that he that lookes but toward one sinne is as much auerted and turned backe from God as if he looked to all In which respect Saint Iames sayes He that offendeth in one is guiltie of all 8. Euery Christian should carry in his heart a constant and resolute purpose not to sinne in anything for faith and the purpose of sinning can neuer stand together Thou seest then if Satan keep possession but by one reigning sinne it will be thine euerlasting ruine Thou shalt then bee so farre from euer enioying any humble holy acquaintance with our God that thou art gone body and soule for euer One breach in the walles of a Citie exposeth it to the surprize of the enemy one leake in a ship neglected will sinke it at length into the bottome of the Sea the stab of a penknife to the heart will as well speed a man as all the daggers that kild Caesar in the Senate-house If thou hedge thy Close as high as the middle Region of the Aire in all other places and leaue but one gap all thy grasse will bee gone If the Fowler catch the bird either by the head or the foote or the wing she is sure his owne It is so in the present case If thou liue and lye with allowance and delight in any one knowne sinne without particular remorse or resolution to part with it thou as yet carriest the Diuels brand he hath thereby markt thee out for his owne As obedience is vniuersall and Catholike if sincere so repentance if true is also generall It sâ—…rips vs starke naked as a worthy Diuine saies well of all the garments of the old Adam and leaues not so much as the shirt behind in this rotten building it leaues not a stone vpon a stone As the flood drowned Noahs owne friends and seruants so must the flood of repenting teares drowne our sweetest and most profitable sinnes The premonition therefore I tender in the first place is this Thou canst neuer possibly be fitly qualified either for the right vnderstanding or sauing practise of this sacred and sweetest Art of walking with God except thou resolue to stand for euer sincerely at the swords point against all sinne Euen thy bosome sinne must be abandoned if thou look for any blessing in this kinde Thou must put off the shirt from thy sinfull soule for as the shirt is to the body so is the beloued sinne to the soule it sticks closest and neerest and is done off with most adoe And because this darling-pleasure minion-delight Peccatum in delicijs as the Fathers call it is Satans strongest Hold his Tower of greatest confidence and securitie when he is driuen out elsewhere and so by consequent most powerfull and peremptorie to keepe a mans heart estranged with largest distance and incompatible auersion from all holy acquaintance with God I will in short labour to illighten and dis-intangle any one who vnfainedly desires an vtter diuorce from this bosome-deuill by telling him first what it is secondly what his is thirdly how he may be deceiued about it 1. As in euery man there is one element one humour and ordinarily one passion predominant so also one worke of darknesse and way of death And it is that which his corrupt and originall crookednesse vpon the first electiue suruay and prospect ouer the fooles Paradise of worldly pleasures fleshly lusts and vanities of this life by a secret sensuall inclination and bewitching infusion of Satan singles out and makes speciall choice of to follow and feede vpon with greatest delight and predominant sweetnesse afterward by custome and continuance growes so powerfull and attractiue that it extraordinarily endeares and drawes vnto it the heate of all his desires and strongest workings of his heart with much affectionate impatiencie and headlongnesse and at the height by an vnresistable tyranny it makes all occasions and occurrences friends and followers the deepest reach of policie and vtmost proiects of wit Religion conscience credit with the world the vniuersall possibilitie of body soule outward state seruiceable and contributarie vnto it as the Captaine and commanding sin as to the Deuils vice-roy domineering in the wasted conscience In some it is worldlinesse wantonnesse ambition opposicion to godlinesse vsurie pride reuenge or the like In others it may bee drunkennesse the swaggering vanitie of good fellowship gluttony pleasures of Play-house hanting gaming scurrill iesting c. obstinate insatiablenesse in allowed recreations idlenesse or such like 2. Thou mayest discouer it by such markes as these 1. It is that which thy truest friends thine owne conscience and the finger of God in the Ministerie many times finds out meetes with and chiefely checks thee for 2. It is that which if it breake out into act and be visible to the eye of the world thine enemies most eagerly obserue and obiect as matter of their most insultation and thy greatest disgrace 3. That which thou art lothest to leaue art oftenest tempted vnto hast least power to resist and which most hinders the resignation and submission of soule and body of all thy courses and carriage heartily and vnreseruedly to the Word and will of God 4. It is that which God oftnest corrects in thee euen in the interpretation and guiltie acknowledgement of thy selfe-accusing heart It may be at seuerall times thou hast bin afflicted with some heauy crosse in thine outward state losse of a child some fits and pangs of bodily paine terrours and troubles of mind or some such proportionable visitations now in all these and like afflictions vpon the first smarting apprehension thy conscience if any whit awaked on its owne accord seized vpon that sinne we now seeke for as the principall Achan and author of all thy misery 5. If euer thou wast so sicke as out of extremitie to receiue sentence of death against thy selfe and despaire of recouerie if thy conscience was stirring this sinne afrighted thee most and gaue the deadliest blow to driue thee to finall despaire And if thou shouldest die in it without repentance which God forbid it would infuse most hellish vigor and venome into the neuer-dying worme which would thereby more mightily gnaw vpon thy
wherein they basely languish and lose their soules and leaue the successe issue and euent of all thy labours and vndertakings vnto the Lord whatsoeuer it may bee resting sweetly and euer relying vpon that gracious promise Heb. 13. 5. I will neuer faile thee nor forsake thee In ordering and guiding the affaires of thy family depend by faith vpon Gods blessing the strength and sinew of all sound comfort and true contentation that way See Psal. 127. In the losse of outward things for thy loue and seruice vnto God by beleeuing that Man of God 2. Chron. 25. 9. The Lord is able to giue thee much more then this Nay in the losse of all earthly things in euery kind see Habac. 3. 17 18. Although the fig-tree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Oliue shall faile and the fields shall yeeld no meate the flocke shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalles yet I will reioyce in the Lord I will ioy in the God of my saluation Consider also for this purpose Iobs patient blessing of God vpon the surprize and concurrence of an vniuersall misery Iob 1. 21. In pangs of the New-birth spirituall infancy weakenesses of faith prayer godly sorrow and other graces by those cordiall refreshing promises Reu. 21. 6. Math. 5. 6. Isa. 42. 3. and 40. 11. and 57. 15. In oppositions against the raising or restauration of spirituall buildings by the Ministery of the Word or in temptations against a mans personall progresse and holding out against Gods waies vnto the end by renouncing our owne strength disclaiming the arme of flesh and crying in euery encounter Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hoasts What art thou O great mountaine c In languishings and tremblings after relapse into some old or fall into some new sinne by such precious places as these 1. Ioh. 2. 1. Luk. 17. 4. 1. Sam. 12. 20. 1. Iohn 1. 9. From this last place a reuerend Diuine collects this comfort If we see our vnworthinesse and with broken hearts acknowledge it God is faithfull and iust to forgiue it bee it neuer so great But this is a iewell fit onely for the eare of a sincere Christian when out of the fearefulnesse of his distrustfull spirit he puts off all comfort though truely humbled after ensnarement in some more speciall affrighting sinne Let no swine trample vpon it In all kindes of temptations by the power of that promise 1. Cor. 10. 13. Nay euen amidst varietie of them by obeying that precept Iam. 1. 2. My brethren count it all ioy when you fall into diuers temptations In spirituall desertion by refreshing and resting thy sinking soule in the meane time vntill the Lord returne vpon that surest Rocke Isa. 30. 18. Blessed are all they that waite for him Most blessed deare and sweetest Sanctuary If the Christian die in that waiting state he shall be certainely saued For the holy Ghost pronounceth him blessed In the deepe and almost despairing apprehensions of thine extreme vilenesse and as it were nothingnesse in grace by apprehending that most mercifull promise from Gods owne mouth Isa. 43. 25. In thy perplexed and troubled thoughts about returne after backsliding by those comfortable encouragements Ier. 3. 1 12 13 14 22. Hos. 14. 1 2 4. In doubts of losing the loue of God and life of Grace by consideration of those passages in Gods Booke where it appeares that the loue of God vnto his child in respect of tendernesse and constancy is infinitely dearer then that of a most louing mother to her little one Isai. 49. 15. stronger then the stony Mountaines and Rocks of flint Isa. 54. 10. as constant as the courses of the Sunne and of the Moone and of the Starres and of the day and of the night Ier. 31. 36. and 33. 20. nay as sure as God himselfe Psal. 89. 33 34 35. In the Haile stormes of slanderous arrowes and empoysoned darts of disgrace by cleauing to most glorious promises 1. Pet. 4. 14. Mat. 5. 11. In the valley of the shadow of death by an assurance of Gods mercifull omnipotent presence Psal. 23. 4. In the extremitie depth of such desperate distresses and perplexities wherein in thy present feeling thou canst see and find no possibilitie of helpe from Heauen or Earth God or Man but art both helpelesse and hopelesse as the Church complaines Lam. 3. 18. by such like places as those Isai. 33. 9 10. 2. Chron. 20. 12. Gen. 22. 14. Exod. 14. 13. Psal. 78. 65. In euery thing or any thing that shall or can possibly befall thee prosperitie or pouertie crosse or comfort calmnesse of conscience or tempests of terror life or death c. by extracting abundance of vnconquerable patience and peace of soule from those three heauenly golden conduits of sweetest comfort Rom. 8. ver 18 28 32. Thus in any trouble of soule body good name outward state present or to come thou mayest by the soueraigne power of faith working vpon the Word not onely draw out the sting and expell the poison of it but also create a great deale of comfort to thy truly-humbled soule and maintaine it in despite of all mortall or infernall opposition in a constant spirituall gladnesse For all those promises whereupon thy heauy heart in such cases may repose and refresh it selfe haue their being from the blessed name Iehoua see Exo. 6. 3. and therefore are as sure as God himselfe they are sealed with the bloody sufferings of his onely Sonne and therefore as true as truth it selfe and if thou be in Christ are all as certainely thine as the heart in thy body or blood that runnes in thy veines Nay and a little more for thy comfort the glory of Gods truth is mightily aduanced and himselfe extraordinarily pleased by thy more resolute stedfast and triumphant cleauing vnto them What a blessed sweete and heauenly life then is the life of faith V. Apprehend in thy minde and settle in thine heart a true estimate and right conceit of the substance and power marrow and materials of Christianitie Which doth not consist as too many suppose In outward shewes profession talking in holding strict points defending precise opinions contesting against the corruptions of the times in the worke wrought externall formes of religious exercises set-taskes of hearing reading conference and the like in some solemne outward extraordinarie abstinences and forbearances censuring others c. But in righteousnesse peace ioy in the holy Ghost in meekenesse tender-heartednesse loue in patience humilitie contentednesse in mortification of sinne moderation of passion holy guidance of the tongue in workes of mercy iustice and truth in fidelitie painfulnesse in our Callings conscionable conuersing with men in reuerence vnto superiours loue of our enemies an open-hearted reall fruitfull affectionatenesse and bounty to Gods people in heauenly-mindednesse selfe-deniall the life of faith in dis-esteeme of earthly things
contempt of the world resolute hatred of sinne in approouing our hearts in Gods presence a sweete communion with him comfortable longing for the comming of the Lord Iesus c. Yet mistake me not thou must make a shew professe and talke if thou wouldest haue Christ Iesus to owne thee at that last and dreadfull Day Mark 8. 38. It is therefore an idle and brainelesse cauill of some lewd ignorant Lozels to say We can by no meanes endure these shewes Cannot a man bee religious to himselfe except he hang out his flag and let all the world know it For where the power of Religion is there will bee the shew also Painted fire shines not ascends not heates not but true fire is euer inseparably attended with these properties We cannot put a Candle in a Lanthorne but the light will shew it selfe thorow the hornes if true grace bee planted in the heart it will shine forth in our words gestures actions all carriages and our whole conuersation He that will take shewes from the substance of Religion let him take brightnesse from the Sunne glistering from Gold breathing from a liue-body Shew and profession of Christ before men is commanded as well as the substance and soundnesse of heart Rom. 10. 9 10. Thou must bee a patrone and in some good measure a practiser of precise points if euer thou wilt haue true peace and assurance of walking in the narrow path that leades vnto life as of walking precisely Ephes. 5. 15. Being feruent in spirit Rom. 12. 11. Striuing to enter in at the strait gate Luke 13. 24. Selfe-deniall 14. 26. Surpassing the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises Mat. 5. 20. Laying violent hands and hold vpon the Kingdome of Heauen Mat. 11. 12. In a word of the way which is called holy and yet so spoken against euery where Act. 28. 22. For I meane only that precisenesse which is commended vnto vs and commanded by the blessed Spirit in Gods pure and holy Word I know all passages of sanctification are too precise and paradoxes intolerable and burdensome to flesh and blood and in the interpretation of worldly wisedome which notwithstanding are easie and sweet to mortified men Thou must stand at the staues end against the sinnes of the times and like the Eagle prune vp thy selfe against a storme or else thou art a temporizer Outward exercises of Religion are as it were the bodie without which the soule of Christianitie hath no existence Thou must be content to abridge and confine thy Christian liberty at any time according to opportunities and exigents for the enlargement of Gods glory the building vp of thy brother and snaffling thine owne rebellious nature Thou mayest and must iudge by the fruits It is Christs Rule Matth. 7 16. If therefore thou seest the abominable and vnsauory fruits of lying swearing drunkennesse Sabbath-breaking vsury scoffing at Religion c. hanging out in the fight of the Sunne thou mayest iustly censure the tree to be rotten and for the present fewell for the fire of Hell Thou mayest iudge no man rashly nor of his finall estate If we see a malefactour cast and condemned for some grieuous crime yet reprieued vnto the next Assize no man can say he shall be certainely hanged because a pardon may be procured and come from the King in the meane time it is so in the present case But thou mayest call a spade a spade a drunkard a drunkard an vsurer an vsurer Otherwise if thou dawbe and dissemble how shalt thou euer be able to escape liablenesse to that abomination Prou. 17. 15. He that iustifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the iust euen they both are abomination to the Lord And to the sting of that woe Isai. 5. 20. Woe vnto them that call euill good and good euill that put darkenesse for light and light for darkenesse that put bitter for sweete and sweete for bitter Yet know that speaking the euill thou certainely knowest by another must be seasonable charitable and discreete not out of humour spleene imperiousnesse at thy pleasure but for Gods honour the good of the party thine owne discharge vpon a warrantable calling c. according to those Rules I shall hereafter deliuer for guiding the tongue My meaning then in this point is that those greater matters be dearliest prized and principally plied proportionably to their worth and waight and yet these lesser things not neglected It is too true that those who are more fierce and forward about the ceremonials and circumstantials then truly hot and zealous in the essentials and substantials of Christianity prooue too often vaine-gloriously and proudly mounted vpon that foule hellish fiend Hypocrisie and posting apace towards some fearefull Apostacy or Anabaptisticall phrensie VI. Let thy spirit mindfull of its owne heauenly birth immortall nature and euerlasting home euer generously fortifie it selfe with victorious resolution against worldlinesse the canker and cut-throate of all heauenly-mindednes and hearty conuersation aboue Of all the foule fiends that haunt the hearts of carnall men there is none that holds a stronger opposition and counter-motion to walking with God then couetousnesse Ambition sensualitie and other wayes of death cut off their slaues with an accursed disacquaintance and estrangement farre enough from all comfortable accesse vnto the Throne of Grace but affections nailed and glued to the Earth haue this pestilent precedency that they hold the remotest point of declination from the warmth and influence of any sweete communion with the Sunne of righteousnesse and Gods glorious face All earthly-minded men ordinarily howsoeuer they may be outwardly restrained and reserued are secret deriders of the power of godlinesse holy strictnesse of the Saints and mysteries of Grace And the Pharises also saith Luke chap. 16. 14. who were couetous heard all these things and they derided him euen mockt and made themselues merry with the searching and heart-piercing Sermons of the Sonne of God Their hearts and hopes are wholly anchored vpon the Earth and lockt vp in their chests and therefore they dreame of no other heauen then their golden hoards heapes of wealth and present temporall happinesse Whereas notwithstanding one refreshing glimpse shining and shed into our hearts from Gods pleased face and well-grounded assurance of being His is infinitely more worth then all the Gold that euer the Sunne made or shall make while it stands in Heauen VII Let thy holy affections bee euer thorowly warmed and rauisht extraordinarily with the loue of God To which there are infinite inflaming motiues and Obligations 1 Hee being absolutely considered is immeasurably louely The most attractiue obiects of insatiable loue and al amiable excellencies are eminently and transcendently triumphant in him eternally Beauty Glory Worth Wisedome Greatnesse Goodnesse Holinesse Puritie any thing euery thing that is any wayes admirable and loue-worthy 2. Or consider Him in relation to thy selfe and shouldest thou euery moment thorow an interminable time lay down ten thousand liues for His sake thou couldest
neuer come neere the requitall of the least inch of His infinite loue towards thee which reacheth from euerlasting to euerlasting 1. He bore thee in the bosome of this His free loue from all eternitie and that so dearely that from the same eternity He decreed that His owne deare Sonne should die for thee 2. Hee brought thee out of the abhorred state of being nothing into the ranke of his reasonable and noblest creatures 3. Hee bought thee againe when thou hadst wilfully lost thy selfe with the hearts-blood of His onely Sonne 4. He preserues thee euery day from a thousand dangers a thousand deaths which might seize vpon thee both from within and from without 5 He will shortly crowne thee with euerlasting life fulnesse of ioy and pleasures at his right hand for euermore 3. Thirdly confider the vnquenchable impatiencie of Christs inflamed loue vnto thee now washed with His Blood and beautified with His grace Cant. 4. 9. Thou hast rauished my heart saith He to the Church and by consequent to euery true Christian my sister my spouse thou hast rauished my heart with one of thine eyes with one chaine of thy necke Now loue is of that alluring nature that many times it will draw loue from a man when there is no louely part in the partie louing What a deale of loue then doth the Soueraigne Lord of all goodnesse the well-spring of all beauty excellencie and sweetnesse exact at our hands especially sith wee are his meere creatures in respect both of our naturall being outward state gracious state and state of glory See how His spirituall amiablenesse is shadowed by outward beauties Cant. 5. 10. VIII Prize the fruition of Gods pleased face a neerer communion and acquaintance with His blessed Maiestie the loue and light of His countenance and thereupon a free and frequent accesse with an humble boldnes vnto the throne of Grace at a far higher and more vnualuable rate than heauen and earth as a very reall fruitfull fore-taste of eternall ioyes For to say no more at this time If thou hold an holy familiaritie with thy God and He looke pleasedly vpon thee thou shalt graspe Iesus Christ more sweetly and feelingly in the armes of thy Faith partake more plentifully of the ioyfull freedome presence and communication of His comforting Spirit be garded more strongly and narrowly by His glorious Angels sucke more sweetnesse and heauenly Manna out of the Ministerie and other His blessed Ordinances walke in safetie amongst the creatures like an vnconquerable Lyon Thou shalt bee in a league with the stones of the field and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee when thou goest thy gate shall not be straite and when thou runnest thou shalt not fall when thou sleepest thy sleepe shall be sweet thou shalt dwell safely and none shall make thee afraid Thou shalt neuer more be afraid of any euill tidings or of destruction when it commeth when thou passest thorow the waters thy God shall bee with thee and thorow riuers they shall not ouerflow thee when thou walkest thorow the fire thou shalt not bee burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee c. And if at any time thou bee seized vpon with any crosse or calamitie from any of the creatures any trouble or temptation from man or Deuill any lowring or crueltie from the iniquitie of the times or persecuters of the Truth yet the refreshing beames of Gods pleased face shining vpon thy heart through the darknesse of such discomforts will sweetly mitigate reuiue and infinitely make amends for all The poyson and curse of them shall neuer come neere thy soule The Lord in the meane time like an Eagle flutttering about her nest will most tenderly defend and protect thee Esa. 31. 5. and at length most certainly come like a yong Lyon roaring on his prey for thy rescue and glorious enlargement Isa. 31. 4. IX Labour by a constant watch to keepe thy heart in a spirituall temper still and still sweetly content and fruitfully conuersant in the Mystery of Christ and Secrets of His Kingdome which thou shalt more easily doe If thou first reioyce in God his Word Graces as thy chiefest ioy and greatest aduantage 2. By all earthly things be drawne to the loue of heauenly For though God hath appointed but one Sabbath in seuen dayes for his more solemne publike worship yet to a Christian euery day is sanctified to be a rest from all the deeds of the flesh wherein he is to walke with his God and shew forth the religious keeping of his heart and good conscience in euery action of his whole life so making euery passage of his particular Calling a part of Christian obedience and dutie vnto God 3. Let the noblenesse of thine inlarged Spirit as infinitely disdaine to be any wayes vpon any termes in bondage to the corruptions of the times so finde a farre sweeter rellish and take incomparably more contentment in the seruices of thy Lord and his holy Ordinances then in all his outward benefits and fauours of this life For as the best of these abused will most certainly at the Barre of God turne scourges and Scorpions to the worldling conscience and in the meane time there is no man so assured of his honour of his riches health or life but that hee may be depriued of either or all the very next houre or day to come so the other will prooue vnto the Christian hauing beene conscionably and constantly exercised in them as a rich stocke to bring in comfort patience and inward peace in his most neede and greatest extremity 4. Assoone as thou discouerest any spirituall weakenesse or decay any extraordinarie assault temptation deadnesse c. complaine betime cry mightily vnto God giue him no rest neither giue ouer seeking vntill hee returne vnto thy soule with power and life againe If ordinarie meanes will not preuaile presse vpon him with extraordinary if then he doe not reuiue thee with woonted quickning vigour waite with a patient wakefull longing of all the powers of thy soule and then all this while thy soule is still in its true spirituall temper and a most blessed state See Isa. 30. 18. 5. Decline watchfully all occasions of falling from thy first loue feruencie and heauenly-mindednesse as spirituall pride knowne hypocrisie desire to be rich discontinuance of thine intimatenesse with the godly neglect of thy particular Calling or dayly watch ouer thy heart vngodly company forme in religious duties coldnesse and customarinesse in the vse of the meanes c. 6. Suffer not thine affections to bee chained downe and set too much vpon those things which the common sort and greatest part of men seeke after insatiably and slauishly sinke vnder praise profit credit acceptation with the world fauour of great Ones mirth pleasures ease feare sorrow earthly contentment preferment wealth long life or any worldly thing but debase and dis-esteeme all other delights in respect of doing Gods will
which should euer bee vnto thee meate and drinke thy chiefest and choisest recreation and onely Paradise vpon earth X. Let thy soule full often so are aloft vpon the wings of faith vnto the glory of the Empyrean Heauen where God dwelleth and bathe it selfe before-hand with many a sweet meditation in that euerlasting blisse aboue Oh thinke with thy selfe though it farre passe the reach of any mortall thought what an infinite inexplicable sweetnesse it will be to looke for euer vpon the glorious Bodie of Iesus Christ shining with incomprehensible beautie and to consider that euen euery veine of that blessed Bodie bled to bring thee to heauen and that it being with such excesse of glory hypostatically vnited vnto the second person in the Trinity hath honoured and aduanced thy nature in that respect far aboue the brightest Cherub To say nothing of the beauty and brightnesse of that euer-blessed Place that vnapprochable Light which besets Gods dreadfull Throne the walking arme in arme with the Angels of God that euerlasting ioyfull communion and conuersing with the dearest Christian friends and all the crowned Saints and innumerable felicities moe which infinitely surpasse in excellencie and sweetenesse the comprehension of the largest heart and expression of any Angels tongue contemplate principally the Fountaine of all thy blisse how the mighty IEHOVAH God blessed for euer will powre out of Himselfe by the influence of Beatificall Vision as they call it perpetuall riuers of vnutterable ioyes and pleasures vpon thy glorified Body and Soule thorow all eternity euen as the Sunne powres out his beames and shining euery day afâ—…esh vpon the world without emptinesse or end and with such variety for hee is infinite that they shall bee vnto thee as fresh as new as sweete as rauishing millions of yeeres after thou hast dwelt in those Mansions of rest as they were the very first moment thou enteredst that blisfull Place Such fixed considerations as these of things aboue will serue as notable helpes to draw and keepe thy heart Heauen-ward and may mightily moue thee to delight in God and to hold it the sweetest life vpon earth to walke with him in the wayes of Puritie and Peace Methinkes if a man doe but once a day seriously and solemnly thus cast vp the eye of his Faith vpon that neuer-fading Crowne of Life which after an inch of time shall eternally rest vpon his head the goodly splendour thereof and beames of that incomparable ioy should be able to dispell those mists of fading vanities and hurtfull fumes of honours riches and earthly pleasures which this great dung-hill of the World heated by the fire of inordinate lust doth euaporate and interpose betweene the sight of the soule and celestiall Blisse So that hee might with more affectionate freedome and contempt of earth haue his conuersation aboue and turne the current of all his delights loue and longings with more resolution and constancie towards his heauenly home These Preparatiues thus premised I proceed to some generall directions for a more comfortable walking in the way that is called Holy 1. First and before all other things haue a speciall eye and attendance to a sincere constant and fruitfull performance of holy duties Gods seruices And to say nothing punctually and particularly at this time of priuate reading the Scriptures publike hearing the Word personall Prayer and with thy yoke-fellow if thou liue in that estate singing of Psalmes Meditation Conference dayes of humiliation c. of which thou must proportionably make conscience in their due place obseruing also in them the ensuing Cautions for a knowne grosse customary neglect of any holy dutie religious exercise diuine Ordinance in its season may bring a dampe vpon the rest and a consumption vpon the whole bodie of Christianitie I say to leaue these and the like in their courses and turnes to bee performed also with all good conscience and following Cautions I onely at this time purposely aduise for the better sanctifying thy selfe and all about thee to a more comfortable and successefull managing of all affaires businesses and vnder-takings either spirituall or ciuill that thou beeing Master of a Family for I single out such an one for instance bee euer sure to glorifie God amidst thy people by Morning and Euening sacrifice of Prayers and praises to his heauenly Highnesse In the discharge of which maine dutie of Christianitie vtterly neglected by the most and empoysoned to many by their resting only in the worke wrought take heed of growing into forme customarinesse perfunctorinesse which will most certainely draw the very life-blood and breathing out of those holy businesses being euer the canker and cut-throate of all true godlinesse and gracious acceptation with God Labour therefore by a reuerent recollecting all the powers of thy soule and fresh renewing and strengthening thy watch at euery seuerall time to preserue heart and spirit in those daily deuotions and family-duties Which thou shalt the better doe if thou looke to 1. A right disposition before 2. A spirituall behauiour in the doing 3. An holy carriage afterward 1. For the first 1. Come not before God with any sinne lying vpon thy conscience vnrepented of or delighted in see Psal. 66. 18. 2. Neither with passion wrath or heart-burning against any 3. Stirre vp and quicken the actiuenesse and particular apprehensions of thy Faith about the things desired and deprecated In a word in the Apostles words for that is my meaning Lift vp holy hands without wrath and doubting Bring 1. Resolution against all sinne in respect of God 2. Peace and appeased passions in respect of men 3. Assurance to be heard in respect of thy selfe Or thus Before thou fall vpon thy knees shake off three empoysoning and heauy hindrances which will clog and clip the wings of thy prayers that they will neuer be able to ascend vp vnto Heauen sinne anger distrust And possesse thy heart of three excellent helpes and inflaming furtherances 1. A right apprehension of Gods dreadfulnesse puritie power c. 2. A true sence of thy owne vilenesse abominablenesse nothingnesse c. 3. A heartie suruay of the infinitenesse and vnexpressablenesse of Gods bountie blessings and many compassionate forbearances towards thee 2. For the second 1. Repell with an vndaunted spirit and resolute contempt Satans blasphemous iniections if he be busie that way and he is ordinarily most spitefull against the best businesses and the rather because if they be heartily abominated and abandoned with heart-rising and loathing they are put vpon the Deuils score and are onely thy crosses not thy sinnes 2. Watch ouer the World with all care and timely opposition that if it be possible not an earthly thought may creepe into thy heart all the while 3. Striue to hold thy heart in heate as well in confession as deprecation in deprecation as petition in intercession as for personall blessings as well for puritie of heart as pardon of
All-seeing Eye the curbe of the last Commandement and checke of a tender conscience to range thy thoughts into order to confine and keepe them within a holy compasse from their vaine and impertinent vagaries 2. That thou must be accountable and answerable for euery wandring thought as well as for idle words and wicked actions Now consider what numberlesse swarmes of imaginations passe the Forge of thy phantasie euery day and therefore if thou be not extraordinarily and exactly vigilant eye-full ouer thy heart thou mayest iustly feare that vpon the opening and illightning of the booke of thy conscience at those two dreadfull dayes of Death and the last Iudgement innumerable armies of exorbitant thoughts which haue lyen in ambush as it were in the secret corners of thy deceitfull heart will charge vpon thee with a farre heauier account then perhaps thou art aware of or hast seriously thought vpon heretofore 3. That Gods glory must aswell shine in thy thoughts in the inuisible workings intentions desires and eleuatious of the heart as in thine outward conuersation As God exacts and expects honour and seruice from his Children in words and workes so there is also a Thought-seruice a Thought-worship that I may so call it which is very pleasing and precious in his eyes as springing more immediately from the heart wherein he principally delights and because the secrecie of it is attended with more sincerity Remember therfore to render with all reuerence and zeale vnto the Father of Spirits and Lord of thy soule the dayly tribute of thy Thought-seruice as well as the Tongue-seruice and Handseruice And the rather and more plentifully 1. Because opportunities abilities and meanes may faile for outward performancee but the heart is euer at leasure and libertie to thinke nobly No times no tyrants no wants or restraint can hinder it from an inuisible fruition of Gods owne Selfe with thoughts of sweetest rapture and reuerence of loue and lowliest adoration from bathing it selfe in the meritorious Blood of the Immaculate Lambe with thoughts of inexplicable peace ioy and triumph from cleauing to the promises of life and diuing into the Mysterie of Grace with extraordinary dearenesse purest delight victorious faith from being as a mountaine of Myrrh and Incense sending vp a spirituall Sacrifice of praise-full thoughts infinitely admiring and magnifying the glory and goodnesse of that mercifull Hand which writ thy name with the golden Characters of his endlesse loue in the Booke of Life from all beginnings suffered the dearest and warmest Blood in His Sonnes Heart to be spilt as water vpon the ground for the washing of thy body and soule from sinne and after a span of time will set a Crowne of Eternitie vpon thy head composed of all comfort rest and peace ioyes pleasures and felicities c. And also because besides Gods more speciall acceptation and more certaine sinceritie of this inward inuisible seruice it is ordinarily full of more spiritualnesse intention and life by reason that it is neerest and most immediate to the obiect of Adoration The best man though he may labour to doe his best euery way yet he shall find a difference and degrees in his ability to discharge and the executions of his Duties Deuotions and seruices towards God His workes doe not euer answere with that exactnesse to his words His words cannot expresse so to the life the thoughts of his heart The thoughts of his heart come infinitely short of the excellency of God Those streames which are next to the well-head are strongest and purest The thoughts of a sanctified heart laying hold vpon with immediate apprehension and neerest imbracements that most amiable holy and glorious Obiect God Himselfe blessed for euer and his sweetest Attributes giue Him His due and reuerent Attributions with more heartinesse life and heauenlinesse then his words or Actions are woont though all a mans best and vtmost in thought word and deed falls too fearefully short of that which we owe and ought to doe 2. A continuall excubation and narrow watchfull guard ouer thy heart It is like a Citie liable euery moment both to inward commotion and outward assault The fountaine of Originall impuritie though its mayne streame and bloodie issue bee stayed and in some good measure stopt by the sanctifying power of Christs sauing Blood yet it doth still lesse or more bubble vp rebelliously The world doth labour continually with her three great battering Engines of Pleasures Riches and Honours to lay it waste and rob it of all heauenly treasures The Deuill watches euery opportunity to hurle in his fiery darts to cast all into combustion and thereby further to enuenome and inrage the already too much impoysoned viciousnesse and impetuousnesse of our corrupt nature Precious therefore and worthy all practise is that Precept of Salomon Keepe thy heart aboue all keeping Prou. 4. 23. which thou mayest doe with more successe and comfort if first thou watch ouer the windowes of thy soule the sences as the Worthies of old were woont with extraordinarie ward See Iob 31. 1. Psal. 119. 37. It is incredible what a deale of pollution and ill the Deuill conueyes insensibly through these Flood gates of sinne into their bosomes who are carelesse and watchlesse this way To instance in the eare and eye What balles of Wild-fire as it were doth many an obscene and filthy tongue set on fire of hel throw thorow their eares into mens hearts with rotten and ribald talke which after begets within worlds of speculatiue wantonnesse and flames of Lust Many false reports drop from the slanderers mouth into the eare which after in the heart becomes the cursed seed of heart-burning spite and mentall murder at the least And such wicked weeds cannot but fructifie very rankely in such a naturally sinfull soile A Tale-bearer tells thee that such an one said of thee so and so when as in truth it was neither so nor so Thou presently thereupon conceiuest thoughts of vnkindnesse displeasure and it may be of rage against that man that neuer thought the ill Heere thou spillest innocent blood for thy heart may kill as well as thy tongue and hand It is fit therefore for euery honest face to furnish and fill it selfe with frownes of distaste and indignation at the approach of any Tale-teller As the North wind driueth away raine so doth an angry countenance a back-biting tongue Pro. 25. 23. Concerning the Eye Dauids wofull example may warne the holiest men to the worlds end to bee very watchfull with a most restlesse and eye-full iealousie ouer that wandring sence An idle glance vpon Bathsheba was like a theeuish boy thrust in at a rich mans window which lets in a number of villanous desperate Cut-throats to ransacke and robbe the house it being not resisted at the first drew after it such a blacke and bloody traine that robbed his royall heart of much heauenly wealth and wounded his soule as deepely and dangerously as perhaps any of Gods seruants
sense with some Pomander or other sweete perfume and so they may declaime noysomnesse of the smell and repell the contagious insinuation so when any prophane wretch hath let fall any rotten speech the Christian with a present counter-poyson as it were of a seasonable reproofe should stop his owne apprehension lest any baser infection insinuate staine the soule and to preserue in heat and life a fresh and strong opposition of the heart and affections to all such lewdnes and scuâ—…ility 2. Silence at such a time will seeme to bewray either thy cowardlinesse in the cause of God or hypocrisy in thy profession For it will seeme strange that thou which makest shew of standing on the Lords side and professest thy selfe to bee a party in that glorious Communion of Saints shouldst heare the name of God prophaned in a base and blasphemous manner and the innocency sometimes of a good man carried in triumph by the slanderous tongues of wretches and trampled vpon as it were euen vnto dust by the feete of pride and malice and yet neuer open thy mouth As thou therefore desirest to preserue the glory of thy Christian reputation entire and shining and hold it thy crowne and honour to bee Champion vnto the mighty Lord of heauen a Proctor in his Spirituall Causes and the protector of the good names of good men be euer ready to open thy mouth when a iust apologie in any of these respects is needefull and required at thy hands 3. If thy conscience be inlightened awake tender and rightly informed it will smite and checke thee after the omission of such a duty when afterwards thou considerest with thy selfe that by thy cowardly vnseasonable silence thy soule is entangled in the guiltinesse and hath incurred an accountablenesse for that sinne As thou then wouldest keepe all in quiet at home in thine owne bosome and still possesse the paradise of a peacefull heart suffer not blasphemies obscenities raylings and other such ribald and rotten talke passe vncensured and vnsorrowed for Nay and in so doing besides the vnualuable comfort of a peacefull conscience thou shalt also purchase vnto thine heart a sound testimony of that gracious tender-heartednesse which is wont to melt and resolue the hearts of Gods children into compassion and commiseration in such cases and which they vse to expresse and exercise euen towards the lewdest wretches and such as haue no pitty vpon the spirituall miseries of their owne poore and wofull soules See 1. Sam. 15. 35. and 16. 1. Ier. 9. 1. Phil. 3. 18 19. 2. Cor. 12. 21. Luk. 19. 41 42 c. It was the dogged and damned voyce of cruell and cursed Cain to say Am I my brothers keeper But euery true and tender-hearted Christian doth grieue to see so many of his brethren sticke fast in the clutches of that roring Lyon and betweene the teeth of that Red Dragon and therefore labours by all meanes hee can to rescue them to see so many about him runne as fast and furious as they can to drowne themselues in the pit of endlesse perdition and therefore as occasion serues cals and cryes vnto them to stay their course before the hellish Gulfe of confusion and horrour hath shut her mouth vpon them Thirdly in respect of those which be present 1. By thy speaking in such a case thou mayest lay as it were the spirit of profanenesse for that time so that it doe not rage and ouer-rule in the rest as otherwise it would For wee may sometimes obserue that a seasonable reproofe passing from a man of vnderstanding with resolution and authority vpon a fellow that so behaues himselfe as though swearing were his profession and traducing the Saints his Trade doth so quell and confound the swaggering humour of the rest of the same crue in the company that they are quite put out of their humour as they say perhaps hang downe their heads all the while and thinke in their hearts if once they get out they will come no more amongst such precise fellowes which cannot abide an oath or where they cannot haue their fling and forth in their profane villanies and cursed reuelling 2. Thou mayest hereby hold in the weake that they be not scandalized 3. Thou mayest hold vp the hearts of stronger Christians that they be not grieued and cast downe with the domineering of prophanenesse and out-swaggering rage of Satans Reuellers Fourthly in respect of God Himselfe 1. That though the dayes wherein we liue be strangely prophane and desperately naught for this old age of the world is pestred with all the pollutions and abominations which the course and current of all former ages haue conueied and carried into it though iniquity mightily abound with much tyranny and triumph and fearefully preuaile in all places yet I say that it may appeare that God hath some to speake for Him That though Satan more is the pitty hath innumerable swarmes of knights of the Post as they say that are ready at a becke to doe him any desperate seruice yet notwithstanding heere there God hath a Champion who fearelesse of the face of man dare with an vndaunted and holy resolution defend His wayes and stand on His side 2. But aboue all let that strict charge from Gods owne mouth Leuit. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sinne vpon him fright and fire euery one of vs out of our sinfull silence and cowardlinesse this way and keene vs with resolution and forwardnesse to a seasonable discharge of this holy duty Take notice of a three-fold duty which lies vpon euery Christian in his carriage towards men in their presence and before their faces 1. Christian admonition 2. Christian reproofe 3. Christian silence and forbearance in such cases 1. If a brother bee ouertaken with a fault or some lesse offence we are to admonish him in the spirit of meekenesse Gal. 6. 1. 2. If hee offend more grieuously wee are freely to reprooue him and not to suffer sinne to rest vpon him Leu. 19. 17. 3. If hee be a sonne of Belial a scoffing Ishmael a dog or a swine wee are commanded by Christ to say nothing Matth. 7. 6. Neither priuate admonition nor brotherly reproofe is to be vouchsafed to desperate sinners or prophane Ruffians who would entertaine it with crueltie or scurrilitie II. Obserue a sanctified silence from 1. Rash censuring which is seuerely censured by Christ Himselfe and set as a visible Brand vpon the face of the Hypocrite Let it euer bee onely the peeuish property of those who are naught and most obnoxious themselues of Pharises and false-hearts to bee the greatest finde-faults vncharitably to entertaine causlesse disconceits and to passe rash censures against those who are farre better then themselues Which they will ordinarily doe because 1. They were neuer truely humbled with sight and sence of their owne sinfull and accursed state They neuer trembled nor
not in respect of degrees yet in respect of parts Euery part and power of body and soule must haue its part of sanctification though no part his full perfection and all degrees before the dissolution of our earthly tabernacles Proportionably in the present point though some mixture of infirmities and imperfections will cleaue vnto the face of the fairest action an absolute and vnstained purity is incompatible with this vnglorified state of mortalitie yet notwithstanding euery seuerall ingredient must bee attended and tempered with its owne particular goodnesse and honestie and seasonable conformitie to the whole or else the whole action howsoeuer right in other respects is vtterly robd and disroabed of all true splendour acceptation and grace A little heauen sowres the whole lumpe one noxious hearbe brings death into the pot The goodliest deed or dutie is quite peruerted and empoysoned by the enormitie of any one particular requisite We say truely in the Schooles The conclusion euer followes the worst part Semblably in morality the iniquitie defect and exorbitancie of any one ingredient denominates the whole action naught In euery one of thine actions and vndertakings looke euer if thou looke for comfort that euery concurrent bee iustifiable that euery ingredient be gracious 〈◊〉 bring his probatum est For instance 1. It must be good in its owne nature and warrantable out of the Word by which all things must be sanctified vnto thee 1. Tim. 4. 5. as a good seruant will venture vpon nothing but what he knowes will please his Master Otherwise let the person be neuer so pleasing vnto God his intention neuer so good his heart neuer so zealous the meanes circumstances and end neuer so excellent yet all is naught Worshipping Christ in a Crucifixe is naught in its owne nature abominable idolatrous condemned in Gods Law Exod. 20. 4 c. And therefore bee it done with neuer so great deuotion and good meaning with neuer so much Popish dawbing or goodly pretence whatsoeuer it is still cursed and damnable 2. The obiect whereabout the action is exercised must be qualified according to the rules of Religion Almes-deeds and Doles of charitie are sweet and acceptable sacrifices vnto God But amongst other cautions and considerations to season them the parties that are to be made partakers thereof are to bee singled out with all godly discretion 1. The true wants of a religious Professor should in the first place bee the principall and most moouing obiect to draw bounty from a truely charitable heart according to that Galat. 5. 10. As we haue therefore opportunitie let vs doe good vnto all men especially vnto them who are of the houshold of faith 2. In the next place the lame the blind the sicke the aged the trembling hand or any that God hath made poore 3. Any whosoeuer in a case of true necessitie and extremitie whatsoeuer the partie hath been before for there not the man as it were but the common state of humanitie is relieued But now if for such a purpose thou makest choise of a sturdy begger idle rogue canting companion the shame and plague of this noble Kingdome thou doest not only depriue thy selfe of the comfort and honour of a truely charitable deed but thereby incurrest a great deale of guilt by incouraging and nourishing idlenesse filching many strange vnknowne villanies nay euen an execrable irreligious Paganisme in such lewd lazy drones vnprofitable burdens of the earth and intolerable caterpillers of the Common-wealth For such saith a worthy Diuine as turne begging into an Art and occupation they are by order to be compelled to worke for their maintenance which is the best and greatest almes The obiect of thy speciall intimate and dearest loue must bee the Christian euen the poorest professour of Religion not the compleate Carnalist or most magnificent Worldling 3. Thou must also looke vnto the matter else all may bee mard For instance The matter of thy bounty and beneficence must bee thine owne goods got lawfully not formerly hoarded by Vsury and wrong otherwise it will but prooue in respect of diuine allowance but an abominable sacrifice for many times that which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God Luke 16. 15. 3. The person must bee pleasing the actor acceptable vnto God Otherwise his best and most bountifull deeds are at the best but beautifull abominations Seruices most sacred in their owne nature as Prayer hearing the Word receiuing the Sacrament c. are from him and the altar of his vnsanctified heart but as the offering of Swines blood If thou be not iustified by faith and accepted through Christ all thy actions naturall ciuill recreatiue religious whatsoeuer is within thee or without thee the vse of the creatures all thy courses wayes and passages are turned into sinnes and pollutions vnto thee enlarge and aggrauate thy woe and damnation Euen the sacrifice and whole way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord Prou. 15. 8 9. The Pharise Luk. 18. was not a button better for all his prayers fastings c. nay by accident more accursed I meane in respect of any gracious entertainment with God who was not pleased with Him in Him in whom Hee is well pleased 4. The heart must be sincere else euen the noblest duties of Religion are nothing Iudas gaue his name to Christ preached and wrought miracles and yet all the while was a desperate hypocrite a very incarnate deuill because his heart was rotten drencht in the gall of bitternesse and snared in the bond of iniquitie The Israelites humiliation seeking God returning and inquiring earely after him bespeaking him with all termes of dearenesse and dependance our Rocke our high God our Redeemer was all but temporarie and vnsound because their heart was not vpright When hee slew them then they sought him and they returned and inquired dearly after God And they remembred that God was their Rocke and the high God their Redeemer Neuerthelesse they did flatter him with their mouth and they lyed vnto him with their tongues For their heart was not right with him Psal. 78. 34 35 36 37. 5. The meanes must be good Otherwise be the end neuer so excellent let there bee neuer so exact and absolute concurrence of all other causes yet the glory and comfort of the action is quite darkened and desperately empoisoned to the man that willingly and against the cry of an illightned conscience imployes and puts his hand to any wicked meanes for the atchieuement Suppose that by a lie thou couldest saue a mans life his soule the soules of all the men vpon earth nay winne thereby vnto God as much glory as accrewes vnto him by all his creatures yet for all this on thy part all were naught For it is a sacred Principle sealed vnto by Truth it selfe We must doe no ill that good may come Rom. 3. 8. 6. The circumstanes must bee seasonable For instance Personall and priuate prayer is a
right precious sacrifice and seruice but let it bee seasonable for the circumstance of place or else it may loose its sweet-smelling sauour in the nostrils of God and bee tainted with Pharisaisme The closet or some retired place is fit for this exercise which the more secret the more sincere not the Synagogues and corners of the streets which was the Pharises vaine-glorious woont who sought more for praise of men then pleasing of God Meditation vpon diuine mysteries and quickning spirituall points is an excellent and acceptable exercise so it keep its owne turne and be confinde to a fit time but in the heate of the Preachers powring out his soule for vs in prayer at the Throne of Grace it is sinfull because vnseasonable Calling to minde seriously some speciall passages formerly heard or read to presse them with more life and power vpon the conscience is a right needfull and religious dutie but so to doe at a Sermon in singing a Psalme or when wee ought to bend all the powers of our soules and best attention to the present is but one of Satans tricks in the glory of an Angell to make vs guilty of the contempt and rob vs of the comfort of the ordinance in hand 7. The end also must bee answerable in goodnesse and by its excellency and attractiuenesse inspire amiablenes and allurement into all the means leading thereunto though they should be in their owne nature painfull and vnpleasing In all thy enterprizes and vndertakings thou must haue in thine eye principally that vniuersall aime of all our actions Gods glory other wise let the whole affaire bee carried neuer so fairely in the eyes of men be cloathed with neuer so goodly a show and glorious outside yet in respect of acceptation with God or true comfort to the partie it is no better then the cutting off a Dogs necke Iehu did right noble and worthy seruice by his resolute rooting out and couragious cutting off that bloody and idolatrous House of Ahab and sweet in the nostrils of GOD was that great sacrifice of Baals Priests he marched furiously in this holy businesse and was very zealous to execute Gods charge in that regard exactly And yet for all this all these outward glorious visible conformities to Gods commandement were to him but as the killing of a man because his eye was not vpon the right end Gods glory Hee principally aimed at the secure settling of the Crowne vpon his owne head by an vtter extinguishment of the Kings family Had his aime been right his heart had beene as well set against the golden Calues in Dan and Bethel as his hand and sword against the idolatrous house of Baal but it was not so 2. King 10. 29. Now I come to some particulars and 1. First concerning recreations which howsoeuer they ought to be very moderate and sparing and in that respect me thinkes I should rather spare my labour and not spend many words yet because they are not onely insatiably pursued and plunged into by men of this world but also too much looked after and lyen in euen by some who looke towards Religion I shall be somewhat the longer and aduise that they be not 1. Costly To curbe and confine thine affections to a seasonable and sanctified moderation herein consider 1. how the backes and bowels of many poore members of Iesus Christ and distressed Saints call nay cry euen with teares of blood for reliefe and compassion from thine abundant and ouerflowing abilities 2. That thou must be called vpon and accountable with seueritie and exactnesse at that last and dreadfull Tribunall for euery farthing how thou gotst it and with what warrant thou keptst it vpon what thou spentst it 3. The iudgement of Austin that great and renowned Father of the Church who as Diuines report for I must confesse I take it at other mens word not knowing where it is in his workes but it is a saying worthy so excellent a man would haue all things gotten by play taken from the winner and neuer restored to the looser but giuen to the poore that both the winner might want what so greedily hee gaped for and the looser not to recouer what so foolishly he parted with 4. The resolution of that graue and profound Diuine of these latter times But some say saith he they can take no pleasure in play except they play for money But we are to know of them how they would haue the money bestowed Perhaps they will say Vpon a common Feast And why not rather vpon the poore But I say It is much better and more safe that no money bee laid to the stake for although it may bee that thou art not toucht with greedinesse of winning yet he with whom thou playest may bee tainted that way Let occasions of ill be taken away which are too many at all turnes II. Cruell Bathe not thy recreations in blood Refresh not thy tired minde with spectacles of crueltie Consider 1. How God himselfe out of tendernesse and pittie would not haue his people feede vpon the flesh of Beasts with the blood lest thereby they should be flesht to crueltie and inured to behold rufull obiects without horrour And doest thou thinke then hee will allow thee to feede thine eye and fancy with their bloody torturing and tearing one another in pieces 2. With what brutish sauagenesse thou deiectest and debasest humanitie below the immanitie of beasts No beast they say takes contentment in the hurting of any other except in the case of hunger or anger They satisfie their appetites and rage sometimes with cruelty and blood but their eyes and fancies neuer 3. That men bloodily minded towards harmelesse beasts discouer our naturall propension to cruelty which is further manifested 1. by the multitudes many times thirsting and thrusting after the curiositie of wofull spectacles and their impatiency to tarrie the beholding of the lamentable executions of guiltie persons 2. And in that they take no delight to see wild beasts play and sportingly to make much one of another but are well pleased to see them bloodily encounter mangle and enter-teare each other These seeds then or rather weeds of crueltie originally implanted in our hearts by the curse of nature are too ranke and luxuriant of themselues they need no manuring with barbarous inhumanities and sports of blood 4. That Rule which Diuines giue about recreations we must not make Gods Iudgements punishments of sinne either vpon man or beast the matter and obiect of them Now best Diuines hold that enmitie amongst themselues was a fruite of our rebellion against God and more generall iudgement inflicted vpon the creature after the fall Which miserie comming vpon them by our means should rather break our hearts and make them bleed then minister matter of glorying in our shame vexing those very vexations which our impiety hath put vpon them Alas sinfull man what an heart hast thou that canst
of endlesse reuolutions to beget and giue vs time I say vs who for the sinne of euery moment in it deserue eternity of punishment But that our hearts may bee more sensibly wrought vpon and more effectually affected with the dearenesse and preciousnesse of it let vs suppose that the Lord by diuine and extraordinarie dispensation should giue leaue to a damned soule to come into this life againe and would vouchsafe him but one houre of a new triall as it were and a second time of gracious visitation Oh how highly would hee prize how eagerly would hee apprehend with what infinite watchfulnesse endeauour and diligence would hee improoue that little short golden season And if therein he might haue but the happinesse to heare a Sermon Oh with what affectionate inflamed attention would hee listen vnto the Word of Life how would his heart breake and bleed within him and fall asunder in his brest like drops of water to heare Gods iust wrath and holy indignation thundred out and threatned against sinne With what insatiable grasping and deare imbracement would he labour to lay hold vpon Christ Iesus and his gracious promises In a word he would think that in demonstration of thankefulnesse for Gods fauour might hee be so happy as to haue it the spending of euery moment of all that great body of time which lies betweene the Creation and the worlds end if hee might liue so long in as holy pure strict precise heauenly manner as euer did the most mortified Martyr vpon earth were farre too little Shall we then triflingly passe and play away the time that is so precious And in my supposition the damned soule should bee sure of an houre But none of vs can possibly purchase securitie for very one moment after I haue spoken this word The time present is our onely time wee haue no more power and command ouer the time to come then ouer the time past Euen the next minute thou mayest be cut off by the stroake of death from all further time of repentance acceptation and grace for euer Nay yet further were it possible that any vncomfortable passion were incident to a glorified Saint in heauen he would be sorry and transported with extreme anger and indignation against himselfe That hee was not a more greedy ingrosser as it were and improouer of time for doing excellently vpon earth and that euery houre after his cōuersion was not crowned with some rarer and more remarkable exploit with some more speciall and noble seruice for the glorifying of that most bountifull and euer-blessed God who hath now honoured him with such vnspeakeable glory and that Crowne of ioyes so infinitely transcendent to the vtmost expectation of the most enlarged heart Howsoeuer therefore men of this world for the most part except they be continually exercised in variety of pleasing imployments and still entertained with fresh successions of new pleasures are sore troubled with time and tediously perplext how to passe it which is the reason that they deuise so many passe-times with much sollicitous and sensuall forecast plot and proiect to themselues aforehand many and many a merry meeting idle visitations feastings mutuall entertainments of meere complement and vanitie iouiall reuellings as they call them c. that they chaine together as it were by the Art of Epicurisme and with linkes of liberty continued occasions of company keeping and good-fellow meetings from the one end of the weeke to the other For solitarinesse and selfe-conuersing is a very torturing racke and the tide-time of melancholy to the waking consciences of gracelesse and guilty men Though I say this bee the custome and carriage of Satans Reuellers yet all Christians ought to haue time in deare and high esteeme in euery moment whereof should they lay downe ten thousand liues for His sake that pardons their sinnes and also doe him all the glorious seruice of all both the militant and Triumphant Saints it were infinitely too little for his loue Wherefore no marueile though well-aduised and watchfull they feele themselues rather pincht with want then prest with plenty of her golden offers and opportunities to doe good and bee euer addrest to entertaine and welcome euery houre with speciall attendance as a gracious Indulgence of his patient loue and long-suffering and suffering them to doe him yet more honour for which cause alone they long to liue before they goe downe into the pit and be seene no more And they should be so farre from being afraid of solitarinesse as to hold their time alone the only time for sweetest contemplations heauenly commerce neerer conuersing and communion with God 3. We that are earthly Angels by the noblenesse of Creation though by voluntarie degeneration incarnate deuils were put into and planted within the compasse and comforts of this great and curious Frame round about vs the goodly Workmanship of Gods owne Almightie hand wherein we haue the Sunne to serue vs and wee of this Kingdome by matchlesse and incomparable fauour the heauenly and healing beames of the Sunne of righteousnesse to shine vpon vs through his glorious Gospel I say we were placed in this world not to serue our owne turnes to please our owne hearts to follow our own wayes to eate drinke and sleepe to temporize reuell or roote in the earth to play the Epicures Libertines Machiauelians to climbe into high roomes by all meanes lawfull and vnlawfull by briberie simonie flatterie base insinuations following the times or some fouler meanes and thereto domineere and tyrannize In a word to serue the deuill for a few and euill dayes to die and so to be damned No no a nobler taske and more excellent end is appointed and apportioned for the Prince and principallest of all earthly creatures Our being vpon earth this little inch of time is for businesse of another nature and for a farre more important affaire and of dearest consequence euen with humblenesse and truth to know obey our God to serue our brethren in loue and to saue our owne poore soules in the Day of Christ. This is that One necessarie thing in respect of which all other things though otherwise honest and excellent are but respectiuely necessarie and so farre as they further and are warrantably and comfortably subordinate and contributary to this end Nay to this the exquisite Quintescence and concurrence of all other the dearest and most desireable things vnder the Sunne are to be accounted but drosse and dung And yet for all this many of vs while wee yet abode in the darknesse and damnation of our naturall state spent many yeeres some twenty some thirtie some perhaps fortie wholly vpon hell in base and vnblessed courses quite crosse to the end of our Creation All that time a misery to be lamented euen with teares of blood was vtterly cast away vpon the kingdome of darkenesse fearefully lost vpon our owne lusts sinfull fashions and pride of life slauishly and wofully wasted in the deuils seruice Nay all that while
abominable and beastly wretches that wee were wee set our selues with sensuall rage against the very face of heauen lay in actuall high Treason and bore Armes in open Rebellion against that dreadfull Maiestie which might most iustly euery moment of that wofull time haue arrested vs with death arraigned vs at the Barre of his Iustice and throwne vs down into hell What manner of persons then I pray you ought wee to be in the short remainder of those few and euill dayes which are behind Euen to imploy and improoue the vtmost possibilitie of all our naturall acquired and gracious parts our credit calling outward state all our power means occasions aduantages to win and worke out glory vnto God enlargement of Christs Kingdome confusion to the deuils dominion conuersion of others comfort vnto our owne poore soules against our ending houre A fellow that hath loytered a great part of the day in his iourney or businesse and yet must needes reach home and finish his taske will toile and sweat at it towards night double his paines and put all his strength vnto it so we hauing not only been slacke in our businesse about Gods seruice and slow in the way to heauen but euen for many yeeres perhaps runne in a quite contrary course and done the deuils worke must now towards the night of our naturall life and the conclusion of the short span thereof spare no paines double our diligence presse hard to the Price of the high calling quit our selues like men and be strong with an holy violence lay hold vpon the Kingdome of heauen with all zeale courage and resolution labour to redeeme the time past for the dayes are euill and our particular doome for eternitie of ioyes or woes pleasures or paines drawes on apace and is euen at the doore And as consideration of former time cursedly misspent so a fore-conceit also of dreadfull times to come may iustly cause vs to make much of and husband well euery moment wee haue presently in our hands for treasuring vp an heauenly hoard of grace comfort patience and courage against the euill day Though the times as yet bee faire and calme happy and Halcyonian and the Candle of God shines still vpon this Kingdome with extraordinary prosperitie and peace there is no carrying into captiuitie or crying in our streets but euery man is quietly reposed vnder his owne Vine and there refresheth himselfe with the riches and comforts of a good and pleasant land yet as sure as the night followes the day a change will come If the glorious and Triumphant times of the daughter of Ierusalem that men called The perfection of beauty The ioy of the whole earth The glory of all lands were turned into a day of trouble and of treading downe and of perplexitie by the Lord God of hosts in the valley of vision breaking downe the walles and crying to the mountaines what may wee of this Land looke for if we still turne the grace of God into wantonnesse but at length to bee turned out of our houses of peace as the vnthankfullest and vnworthiest people that euer the Sunne of Heauen saw or the Sunne of Christs glorious Gospell did shine vpon so faire and so long But howsoeuer the Kingdome fare and God deale with vs in publike Onely let me tell you by the way that in the meane time wee stand by a miracle of Gods mercy and a prop of his extraordinarie patience yet euery one of our particular day and doome cannot bee farre off As yet perhaps the Almighty is with vs his prouidence protects our habitations no remarkable affliction hath taken hold vpon vs so that there is no mourning or spectacles of miseries in our families no crying O my father Abraham and O my sonne Isaac O my sonne Absalom my sonne my sonne Absalom O Absalom my sonne my sonne And these houses of flesh it may be wherein wee dwell for a few and euill dayes are as yet in reasonable good repaire and it is euery way with vs as it was with Iob in the dayes of his youth when he washed his steps with butter and the rockes powred him out riuers of oyle yet wee may build vpon it as a Principle which neuer failed sinfull mortalitie that dayes of danger and distresse will haue their turne and time also Sorrow and sicknesse perplexitie and feare temptation disertion trouble of conscience the destroying Sword a fierie triall striuing vnto blood Marian times of most abhorred memory or some dreadfull visitation in one kinde or other may seize vpon vs we know not how soone But howsoeuer we escape in the meane time sure I am these fraile bodies of ours after a short while will fall in funder and moulder away into rottennesse and dust and our naked soules must stand at the iust Tribunall of the euerliuing God countable with exactnesse and truth for all things done in the bodie Farre bee it from vs then and euery one that at that last and great Day would not cry to this Rocke and that Mountaine to couer him like sonnes and daughters of confusion to trifle away time in this heate of our spirituall haruest but rather with doubled and extraordinarie resolution let vs gird vp the loynes of our mindes and with all fruitfulnesse and power improoue euery houre of this faire Day of our gracious visitation to treasure vp peace to our poore soules against the stormy winter night of death towards which euery winde driues vs and both sleeping and waking we are posting apace though we perceiue it not 4. Wee must bee countable for time At the dreadfull Barre of that last Tribunall as wee must bee exactly answerable euen for wandring vaine imaginations idle words and euery the very least errour of our whole life nay for not improouing all our gifts goods and graces to the best aduantage for Gods glory for misimployment of our wit vnderstanding memory affections health strength courage learning libertie authoritie policie or any other power or possibilitie which God hath put into our hands so must wee also giue vp a strict account for the expence of euery moment of time Now tell mee at that great and generall Audit whether of these two summes will sound more sweetly in our eares Item so many dayes in Recreation or so many dayes in Humiliation so many houres in Prayer or so many houres in playing at Cards so many weekes in Iouiall reuellings and merry meetings or so many weekes in watching ouer our wayes and walking with God c. A serious fore-conceit of the vnconceiueable comfort of the one and how cold the other will strike vnto our hearts might make vs easily grow into blessed Bradfords care and practise this way of whom it is reported That he counted that houre not well spent wherein he did not some good either with his pen study or in exhorting others c. and not to rush vpon recreations vnseasonably without necessity and warrantable calling 5. The holiest hearts of
the most worthy Saints are wofully haunted with too many distractions and violent intrusion of idle vaine and impertinent thoughts euen in holy duties religious exercises and solemne vse of the ordinances which without extraordinarie watchfulnesse and wrastling on their parts would vtterly bereaue and robbe them of all the sweetnesse power and profit of those blessed meanes and by little and little quite transforme them into forme and perfunctorinesse If in the best then and heauenliest businesses the vanity of our owne mindes and malice of the Deuill presse vpon vs with such importunitie and restlesse assaults with what furious and impetuous incursions and vastations of conscience are they like to oppresse vs in our idle houres ill spent time and pursuit of pleasures Consideration whereof me thinkes should cause Christians who alone are truely sensible of the interruption and discontinuance of their sweet communion and societie with Christ and smart many times for the estrangement of their thoughts and affections from God onely to haue recourse to recreations in case of true neede for necessitie I say and seasonably euen as they vse physicke so may they expect Gods gracious protection from the hurtfull preuailing of those sensuall distempers and licentious ranging of their thoughts which are wont to enrage and empoyson the mindes and affections of carnall men all the while and to make account so often as they are haled by the cunning ensnarement of old companions the tyrannie of former custome or vnmortified yeeldingnesse of their owne deceitfull hearts to immoderation and excesse in this kinde so often to expose their hearts by Gods iust permission as a prey to temptation and vanitie Whereby they may bee in continuall danger either by little and little to bee drawne backe and drowned againe in the froth and fooleries of their disauowed pleasures which were an horrible thing or else at least to bring vpon themselues from time to time as they transgresse in this kinde much vnnecessarie discomfort and dissettlednesse in their Christian course dis-rellish in Religious exercises deadnesse of heart disacquaintance with heauenly comforts losse of that dearest Thing and earthly Paradise peace of Conscience which perhaps they shall hardly with much adoe recouer a long time after 6. Sixthly consider Chrysostomes precisenesse against wasting time this way The present time saith he is not for melting into 〈◊〉 but for lamentation and mourning And yet doest thou vainely mis-spend it in merry conceits The Deuill gnasheth the teeth roares and foames and flashes out fire against thy saluation and doest thou sit still and Iouially iest it out Doe wee play and sport our selues Beloued Wilt thou learne the conuersation of the Saints Heare what Paul saies Act. 20. 31. By the space of three yeeres I ceased not to warne euery one night and day with teares 2. Cor. 2. 4. Out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote vnto you with many teares 2. Cor. 11. 29. Who is weake and I am not weake Who is offended and I burne not 2. Cor. 5. 4. For we that are in this Tabernacle doe groane being burdened And the Apostle desiring that I may so speake euery day to depart this life Doest thou laugh and play Our time here is a time of warre of fight of watch and ward of harnessing of standing in the face and fury of the enemy and doest thou demeane thy selfe like a dauncer Doest thou not see the faces of Souldiers in the fight how sad they are how contracted how terrible with frownes how full of horrour Doest thou not behold the austore piercing intention of their eyes an extraordinarie excitation of heart leaping and panting in their brests c. His meaning imports thus much Doth an ordinarie Souldier in the field against a mortal man earthly enemy recollect and vnite all the spirits and powers of body and soule with all efficacie and earnestnesse for the encounter And shall a Christian Souldier that wrastles not against flesh and blood but against Principalities against Powers against the rulers of the darknesse of this world against spirituall wickednesses in high places who is euery moment furiously assaulted and hunted euen like a Partridge in the Mountaines by the deuils open rage the ambushment of the World and the endlesse treacheries of his owne false heart trifle away his time and turne aside to toyes 4. No incrochers vpon heauenly comforts no diminishers of our delight in God no deuourers of spirituall ioy For this is a very deare and diuine thing to bee prized and preserued as a sweet and celestiall Iewell far more worth then heauen and earth which the world can neither giue nor take from vs neither must any stranger meddle with it Wee may take an estimate of its excellency by casting our eyes vpon 1. The intolerable bitternesse of the contrary I meane spirituall horrour which we see sometimes by wofull experience doth enrage the guilty consciences of some forlorne wretches with such restlesse furies and vnutterable anguish that at length extremest I know not whether madnesse or cruelty they lay violent and villanous hands vpon themselues In which case such an hell vpon earth is horrour of conscience they care not a button for the sweetnesse of life the rufull cries of their owne deare children the heauy lookes of their yoke-fellowes the abhorred infamy they bring vpon their owne names families kindred buriall posteritie Oh how they spurne at with a vile disdainefull contempt Pleasures Riches Honours Crownes Kingdomes Worlds of gold any thing euery thing as miserable comforters Nay it is so stinging that they will rather venture vpon that other Hell to which they are posting in a Coffin of blood a thousand thousand times more horrible then endure it any longer If sence then of diuine indignation taking secret vengeance vpon the guilty conscience of an impenitent Rebell puts him as it were into hellish flames aboue ground what an heauen vpon earth is a sweet feeling of Gods reconciled face and his euerlasting mercies through Christ sealed and set on by the holy Ghost and testimonie of a good conscience And how deliciously doth an humble soule so honoured with a foretaste and first-fruits as it were of eternall ioyes graspe the Lord Iesus in his ordinances and blisfully sunne it selfe in the loue and light of His countenance 2. The practise of the prophane in their insatiable restlesse pursuite of false ioyes and painefull pleasures which at best are but as crackling of thornes vnder a pot and flashes of lightning before euerlasting fire They hunt after them euen into hell and light a candle at the Deuill for lightsoâ—…nesse of heart by haunting Ale-houses Tauerneâ—… Brothel-houses Play-houses Conuenticles of good-fellowship sinfull and vnseasonable sports a thousand kinds of vanities and fooleries which are nothing but the Deuils Wakes and reuellings of Hell And all this little poore carnall mirth is purchased many times with much shame losse misery beggery rottennesse of body discredit damnation At what an high
father of lies and slanders and haue of him already learned the very language of hell Were such meetings mingled and seasoned with gracious talke and all our talke ought alwayes to be with grace Coloss. 4. 6. with holy conferences and helping one another towards heauen with planting and preseruing Christian loue and kinde affections one towards another it were an happy thing but while there is nothing but ribald and rotten communication sowing many times much seed of bitternesse and heart-burning against their brethren in the earas of one another and a cursed sacrifice as it were of spitefull and slanderous tongues offered vp vnto Satan such miserable meetings are fitter for Pagans then Professors of Religion for the consistory of hell then for the communion of Saints Neither are higher places and great Feasts free from such froth and transcendent villanies of the tongue Because there the most hold it a point of precisenesse to make conscience of their conference say to themselues Our lips are our owne who is Lord ouer vs Psal. 12. 4. labour more to furnish themselues before hand with complementall phrases formes of flattery flourishes of wit variety of iests and other vaine glorious ostentations of courtly ornaments then with any one word of the Word of God world to come or the way to heauen They I say therefore too often vnworthily dishonour such meetings with much vnnoble deportment in their discourse Besides other deformities and indignities how seldome shall we finde great Tables and solemne Feasts without that cursed Musicke mentioned Lament 3. 63 But oh how infinitely vnworthy is it a man of honour and worth to suffer with patience any roguish Fiddler scurrill Iester or stigmaticall sonne of Belial to fall foule vpon those men the truest Nobles vpon earth Psal. 16. 3 Of whom and the time is at hand euen the proudest of them all repenting and groning for anguish of spirit will say nay with hideous yellings roare out These were they whom we had sometimes in derision and a Prouerbe of reproch We fooles accounted their life madnesse and their end to bee without honour but how are they now numbred amongst the children of God and their lot is among the Saints Therefore haue we erred from the way of Truth c. Where is now the brauery and pompe of our high places the earthly Paradise of our dearest pleasures the Rose buds with which we crowned ourselues in the spring of our youth They are all withered vanished and come to nothing they are passed away like a shadow as the remembrance of a guest that tarrieth but a day nay as a Poast that hasted by Thus much also of Visitations Now III. Concerning naturall actions as meate drinke sleepe c. I shall not say much For were it not that through the course of nature we wofully besot euen common sence and infatuate our reason with sensuality and wilfull blindnesse euery man might be a rule vnto himselfe for temperance and moderation this way Hence that prouerbe hath its porbability Euery man is either a foole or a Physicion Either he hath learnt by manifold experience and obseruation of the state exigency and ability of his owne body what seasons and proportions of such naturall helpes may bee fittest for his temperament and constitution or else hee is most vnworthy of that noble thing an vnderstanding soule which he beares in his bosome For the first Gluttony fulnesse of bread one of Sodoms sins which as the Scholemen say out of Gregory consists in these fiue points 1. In an ouer-burning of nature with new matter and more meate before the perfection period of concoction haue raised a kindly appetite 2. In a curious hunting after costlinesse variety and daintinesse of fare 3. In a luxurious affectation of too much Art and exactnesse in dressing and preparing it 4. In excesse and immoderation in respect of the quantity 5. In a sensuall fury of the appetite after good cheere I say this vnmanly monster and Tyrant of the belly as Chrysostome calls it doth at this day raigne as generally and cry as loud as any sinne I can vpon the suddaine remember so little contradicted And yet there are many foule and scarlet abominations contempt of godlinesse vnworthy comming to the Sacrament vsury idlenesse many hatefull baites and entisements to lust as nakednesse of brests and wrists abhorred filth painted faces false haire monstrous fashions c. which are not taken to heart in any proportion to their execrablenesse against which Pulpits are too silent and the times digest without any great remorse and reclamation We lift vp our voices lowd against drunkennesse and it is high time for it growes towards an high tide and threatens without timely resolute opposition a lamentable inundation to the whole Kingdome Whereas his fellow foule fiend gluttonous reuelling eates vp Gods creatures with abominable excesse farre more vnobseruedly and vncensured and yet it is a worke of darkenesse and damnes as well as drunkennesse Rom. 13. 13. Gal. 5. 21. nay and that more dangerously because more insensibly To preserue thee faire and free not onely from wallowing in this beastly sinne which is proper to Belials but euen from any touch and all appearance of it take notice Nay to fire the most rauenous sensualist out of this swinish filth let him also consider 1. First That euen that sinfull superfluity by which hee slayeth his owne body For by surfeting saith the Wise man haue many perished might very comfortably reuiue the hungry faintings and sustaine the languishing life of many made of the same mould and farre better then himselfe So that vpon the matter there is as it were a double murder How then are such good creatures of God sanctified by Word and prayer 1. Tim. 4. 5. to such luxurious Fratricides vnmercifully mindlesse of Iosephs afflictions or how doe they eate to the glory of God 1. Cor. 10. 31. 2. Whereas thou mightest enioy an actiue able healthfull and lightsome body which is an happinesse to bee prized aboue gold riches infinite wealth By thine intemperancy this way thou fillest it with crudities rheumes obstructions distillations and many wofull distempers The paines of watching and choller and pangs of the belly are with an insatiable man saith the Wise man Many a one complaines of his head for sending downe so much rheume the mother of all maladies But the head might well answere as one saies wittily Desine fundere ego desinam fluere Bee thou sober in powring downe and I will bee sparing in dropping downe Doe not thou distemper with excesse and I will distill lesse The stomacke surcharged aboue the sphere of its actiuitie as they say and power of naturall heate by immoderate cramming or heaping vpon it more meate before the former bee concocted like a fire beginning to burne loaden with greene wood engenders many smoaky clouds as it were of raw superfluous fumes which ascending into the braine
streines of wit so preualent in mens affections so impatient of contradiction so raging against any talke of reformation and sheltered vnder the wings of good fellowship that the Minister which meddles with them shall twenty to one be ipsofacto a ranke Puritane Against the rest I haue vpon other occasions discharged the Ordnance of Antiquity Heare at this time what the Fathers say against Healthing Ambrose powers out himselfe in a mighty torrent of sacred eloquence with much power and holy indignation against the Healthers of his time as you may see in diuers Chapters of his booke de Helia iniuniâ—… his 13. Chapter is intituled De Potu ad equales calices Of drinking Healths In the 18 Chapter he brings them in thus in their swaggering humour Let vs drinke say they to the health of the Emperour and whosoeuer pledgeth not his health let him be obnoxious and guiltie in point of deuotion Highest prophanenesse Hatefull impietie Shall an honest sober man and faithfull subiect who loues the King dearelier then his owne hearts blood and would willingly both out of courage and conscience powre it out if need required for the preseruation of his person besides Prayer for him in the House of God and in his family makes conscience also of solliciting the Throne of Grace ordinarily twice or thrise a day in priuate with heartinesse and feruency for chiefest and choisest blessings vpon his soule body gouernement posteritie c. and if any conuenient and discontented thought offer it selfe repells it as a diabolicall temptation I say Shall such an one onely because he dares not giue his name by reuelling to that cursed catalogue of carnall condemned workes Gal. 5. 21. 1. Pet. 4. 3. nor conforme to the exorbitant riotous humours of the time lest he wound his conscience and weaken his power to pray for him bee questioned about his good intentions and well-wishing to the King And shall a swaggering Gallant empty many times of all reall worth and truly noble parts onely audacious enough to expose the crowned Maiesty of our earthly gods to cheapenesse and contempt by an vnhallowed tossing the venerable name of Soueraignty amongst his Cups and in stead of praying to which he is of a meere stranger and holds it Puritanicall prouokes daily and hourely and pulls downe all hee can Gods fierce wrath both vpon King and Kingdome by his swearing drinking lying whoring c. Hos. 4. 1 2. I say shall hee bee the Emperours onely friend Whereupon the good Father immediately after ironicaâ—…ly abominates such Bedlam folly Opiae deuotionis obsequium saith he A sweete peece of pious deuotion sure Paul teacheth vs another lesson 1. Tim. 2. 12. That wee should pray for the health and saluation of Kings And therefore it was a wise speech of a great man By your leaue I will pray for the Kings health and drinke for mine owne Great Basil also paints them out and the fashion of his times in his Sermon of Drunkennesse to this sence Then growing to the heate and height of their bouzing and banqueting there comes me out a young man not yet drunke and brings vpon his shoulders a vessell of cooled Wine and he the drawer withdrawne standing in the midst doth deriue and conuey through seuerall crooked pipes to all the good fellow guests equall measure of drinke and matter of drunkennesse This is a new kinde of measure saith he where there is no measure of their measure that by equalitie of their cups there be no grumbling amongst them nor one deceiue or circumuent another in drinking Learned Austin in his Sermons of auoiding drunkennes pursues this luxurious vanitie and swaggering excesse in many zealous passages amongst the rest mee thinks these should moue It is now come to this That at their feasts and banquetings they laugh at those which can drinke lesse and blush not to adiure men by vnfriendly friendship that they would take more drinke then is meete They blush not to swill oftentimes euen vntill they vomit and to drinke by measure without measure Greater cups are prouided They contend by a certaine law of drinking and hee that can ouercome gets praise by his horrible sinne Doe not adiure do not vrge thy friend to drinke but leaue him to himselfe to drinke as much as he please and if he will needes bee drunke let him alone perish and be not both damned Beloued brethren while I tell you these things I free mine owne soule before God Whosoeuer disdaines to heare mee and continues still in his hâ—…mour of drinking or to adiure and vrge others at their feasts shall be full dearely answerable both for himselfe and them at the day of Iudgement And because which is worse euen some men of the Church also which ought to forbidit euen they vrge others to drinke more then is expedient let them henceforward begin to amend themselues and reprooue others c. Aboue all let mee intreate this at your hands nay I adiure you by the dreadfull Day of Iudgement that as often as you mutually inuite one another you would abominate and abandon from your banquets as the very poyson of the deuill that filthy custome by which men are woont either willingly or enforcedly to drinke by great measure without measure c. But those passages which are more punctuall to my purpose are to bee found in the second Sermon wherein hee meetes with those ordinarie excuses which they who are conquered and conforme to the company and times are woont to pretend But they are woont to say saith hee Some great personage prest mee vnto it and vrged mee to drinke more and it was at the Kings banquet I could doe no other Austin answers Well saith he If it come to this that there it be said vnto thee Either drinke or die it were better thy sober body were slaine then thy soule be damned for drunkennesse Secondly saith hee This is but a friuolous and false pretence for Kings and great men because by the mercies of God they are Christians and wise and sober and feare God with all their heart if they see that out of conscience thou stands out resolutely against that drunken custome although they seeme to be angry with thee for an houre or so yet after they will haue thee in great admiration saying What adoe wee had with him And with what threats and terrours did we fright him and yet could not possibly separate him from sobriety For that God which sees that for thy loue to him thou wouldest not conforme to their drunken fashion will giue thee fauour euen in their eyes who seemed to perswade and presse thee to drinke more Take notice by the way lest any causelesly please himselfe in any of the fore-cited passages because hee vseth not to Health vntill he be starke drunke that not only those are to be esteemed drunkards say Diuines who depriue themselues of
owne heart they are no better then the cutting off of a Dogges necke or the sacrifice of a foole Ill gotten goods are for restitution not for distribution Lest any couetous cauiller thinke the point too harsh precise heare what the ancient Fathers say to this purpose Bernard God receiueth not any almes at the hands of an oppressor or vsurer Hierome Significantly saith the Prophet His owne bread lest men should turne bread gotten by oppression and Vsury into a worke of Mercy Austin When God shall begin to iudge those that liue now by fraud and giue almes of the spoyles of the oppressed will say Lord we haue kept thy Commandements and in thy name wee haue done workes of mercy we haue fed the Hungry we haue clothed the Naked and entertained Strangers To whom God will reply You tell me what you haue giuen but you tell me not what you haue taken away You recount whom you haue fed but why remember you not whom you haue vndone They reioyce whom you haue clothed but they lament whom you haue spoyled c. A man is filled with bread whom thou feedest with spoyle but the Lord will blesse not thee but him whom thou hast vndone c. Chrysostome But what is the excuse of many I haue indeed been an Vsurer say they but I haue also been good to the poore A sweete piece of matter sure But God accepts not such sacrifices It were farre better to giue nothing to the poore at all then giue in that manner That wealth which is wonne by thy iust labours is many times quite mard with such wicked mixtures c. The very Heathen man tells vs That the poore are not to be fed like the Whelpes of wilde beasts with blood and murther rapine and spoile but that which is most acceptable to the receiuers they should know that that which is giuen vnto them is not taken from any body else Nay one of the bloodiest men that euer breathed Selymus a Turkish Emperour yet vpon his bed of death replyed thus to his Bassa moouing him with the wealth taken from the Persian Merchants to build an Hospitall for reliefe of the poore Wouldest thou Pyrrhus that I should bestow other mens goods wrongfully taken from them vpon workes of charitie and deuotion for mine owne vaine glory and praise Assuredly I will neuer doe it nay rather see they bee againe restored vnto the right owners Which was done forthwith accordingly to the great shame saith the Author of many Christians who minding nothing lesse then restitution but making ex rapina holocaustum doe out of a world of euill gotten goods cull out some small fragments to build some poore Hospitall or mend some blinde way A poore testimony of their hot charitie Wretchedly then doe they delude the World and deceiue their owne soules who vainely thinke that some workes of mercy at last when they must needs leaue all will expiate and recompence the cruelties and vnconscionable dealings of their whole life before Zacheus penitent Proclamation consisted of two branches Luk. 14. 8. As well for restitution as distribution He that would find the same mercy must follow the same methode 3. Let thy desire and delight neuer fall or be fastened immoderately vpon any earthly thing though neuer so excellent delicious or amiable For exorbitancy and errour this way brings many times 1. A losse of the thing so doted vpon 2. Sometime a crosse 3. Euer a curse 1. For the first our righteous and holy God when hee â—…ees the current of his creatures affections to bee carried inordinately and preposterously from the Fountaine of liuing waters vpon boken Cisternes that can hold none from the bottomlesse treasury of all sweetest beauties dearest excellencies amiable delights vpon painted shadowes from the Rocke of eternitie vpon a staffe of Reede I meane from the Creator vpon the creature He wisely and seasonably in the equitie of his Iustice and out of the iealousie of his owne Glorie takes away that earthly Idoll that the occasion of such irregular affection remoued he may draw the heart in which he principally takes pleasure to his owne glorious Selfe the onely Load-Starre of all sanctified loue and boundlesse Ocean of happinesse and blisse Nay it may be said in the sweetenesse of his mercy also when he sees vs distracted and as it were desperately mad with making too much of any transitorie thing so that our mind doth still runne and rest vpon it as our onely heauen vpon earth He snatches the edge toole out of our hands lest we make away our selues spiritually and withdrawes the beloued vanitie from before our eyes lest we grow starke blind in the mysteries of Faith and matters of Heauen by too much gazing vpon the fading beauty of any baser earthly obiect Thus the immoderate partiall affection of Parents may become many times occasionall and accessary to the vntimely taking away of a sweete faire and towardly child Whereby our gracious God iustly intimates vnto them their intolerable vnthankefulnesse of his mercy and extreme indignitie to his Maiesty in wickedly preferring in their loue a creature before their Creator and mercifully teaches them that the flowre and seruour of their best and dearest affection is onely due and should bee wholly deuoted to the greatest Good God himselfe and those truest vnutterable euer-during delights prepared for the Blessed in his Word here and in the World to come hereafter 1. Cor. 2. 9. Conceiue proportionably of other things immeasurably desired and delighted in If thou dotest vpon a good wit thou mayest be stricken with distraction if vpon abundance of learning or much worldly wisedome thou mayest be infatuated at least at some speciall times when thou wouldest gladly doe the best or in some important businesse which most concernes thee if vpon some highplace thou mayst with Haman Shebna and thousands moe be throwne down into the gulph of calamitie and woe contempt and scorne if vpon a faire house it may be leuelled with the ground by the flames of Gods wrath if vpon a beautifull face it may bee disfigured with the Poxe or other deformities if vpon a hoard of gold it may be disperst by fire robbery desolations of warre nay if euen vpon thy graces with an ouerweening conceit of selfe-excellency selfe-opinion selfe-sufficiency if they be onely generall graces thou mayst bee quite stript of them if sauing thou mayst bee cast into a dampe and desertion for a time in respect of all comfort sense vse and exercise c. 2. For the second though God may permit thee to possesse still that outward worldly comfort vpon which the fury of thine affection is so fastened and thine heart graspes with such greedinesse and excesse yet in this case thou mayest iustly expect a crosse either 1. In the thing doted vpon With what a deale of cutting discomfort and gashes of bitter griefe did Absalom dandled in Dauids affection with too much indulgence rent his Fathers
royall heart by imbruing his hands in his brothers blood and with vnnaturall trayterous violence and villany snatching at the Imperiall Crowne vpon Dauids head Another famous instance to this purpose we find in the story of the Greeke Emperours The old Emperour Andronicus doted with such extreme impotency of partiall affection vpon his Nephew young Andronicus that in comparison of him he did not onely disregard the rest of his Nephewes but also his owne children and as the Storie tels vs was not willing to spare him out of sight either day or night But what were the consequents of this cockering When he was stept further into yeeres besides a world of miseries and molestations created to his Grandfather in the meane time at length pressing without resistance vpon his Palace with purpose to surprize his person though the old Emperour intreated him with much affectionate Royall eloquence which might haue pierced an heart of steele or Adamant That he would reuerence those hands which had oftentimes most louingly embraced him yet crying in his swathing clothes that he would reuerence those lips which had oftentimes most louingly kissed him and called him his other Soule that he would spare to spill that blood from which himselfe had taken the fountaine of life c. For all this after some kind words and courteous embracement at first indeed premised and in hot blood in conclusion being polled and shauen was made a Monke and the Anuile of much dunghill scorne and vilest indignities vntill the workemanship of death had finished the sorrowfull businesse of a wretched life A third and very remarkeable to fright all Parents from foolish doting heare out of Austin By reason of a terrible dreadfull accident he called his people together as it seemes to a Sermon the third time the same day thinking no doubt out of his watchful spiritual wisdom to work more succesfully and to leaue more strong and lasting impressions in their hearts while the bloody vnnaturall villany was yet fresh in their eyes and eares And when they were met together he relates the dolefull storie Our noble Citizen saith he here of Hippo Cyrillus a man mightie amongst vs both in worke and word and much beloued had as you know one onely sonne and because he had but onely one he loued him immeasurably and aboue God And so being drunke with immoderate doting hee neglected to correct him and gaue him liberty to doe whatsoeuer he list Now this very day this same fellow thus long suffered in his dissolute and riotous courses hath in his drunken humour wickedly offered violence to his mother great with child would haue violated his sister hath killed his father and wounded two of his sisters to death O mightie domination of the Deuill c. But I need not prosecute this point by further illustration out of strange Stories Daily experience presents vnto our eyes and eares the many wofull discomforts vnkind requitales and vnnaturall vsages which Parents receiue at the hands of those children which in their younger yeeres they made wanton with their loue and vndiscreetly doted vpon 2. Or in some other kind for example If thine heart be set vpon riches God may iustly and mercifully too exercise and afflict thee with his heauy hand vpon thy body with sicknesse vpon thy conscience with terror vpon thy reputation with disgrace or the like thereby to vnglue thy noble spirit from the dust and rent it from grouelingnesse vpon the earth If thou be ambitiously enamoured vpon honours and high roomes after wasting thy wealth wounding thy conscience wearying thy selfe with bribery basenesse and irkesome waiting thou mayest bee taken away vntimely in the very pursuite or presently after the attainement of them c. Thus it is not strange or extraordinary with God to preuent or take off our hearts from taking selfe-conceited pleasure or pride in any thing we enioy by crossing and correcting vs in other kindes Euen Paul that blessed Saint and seruant of the Lord lest his heart should be too much pleased and puft vp with abundance of reuelations he was vext and crost with his owne concupiscence there was giuen to him a thorne in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet him 2. Cor. 12. 7. that is as I conceiue hee felt his originall corruption sharpened and eneagered against him and let loose in some sort vpon him which is a terrible cut to a tender conscience 3. For the third howsoeuer it fare with thee otherwise if thou settle thine heart vpon any earthly thing with inordinate desire and delight thou shalt be sure to be haunted with a double curse 1. The rage of vnsatiablenesse vnsatisfiablenesse 2. That greatest plague hardnesse of heart 1. The Father of Spirits hath inspired into our immortall soules a large capacity and such an infinite appetite that no finite excellency created comfort or earthly thing can possibly fill Gold siluer riches honours crownes kingdomes are no fit matter or adequate obiect for such an immateriall and heauenly borne spirit to repose and feed vpon with finall rest and full contentment Nay not this whole materiall world were it beautified and set out with all the amiablenesse splendour and allurements which the deuill by his iugling Alchymy put vpon it when he presented it to the eye of Christ Iesus Math. 4. 8. with addition of the starry and Empyrean heauen shining with all their admirable beauty and glorious inhabitants could by any meanes confine satisfie and content the irke some wandrings vnlimited desire and vast comprehensiuenesse of the soule but it would still bee transported with the passionate disquietnesse of selfe vexation and tortured vpon the racke of restlesse discontent vntill it fasten and fixe vpon an obiect infinite both in excellency and endlesnesse wherin is contained the whole latitude of Entity and goodnesse the euer-blessed and onlyadored Trinity Where and when alone it softly and sweetly with the hight and fulnesse of all desireable contentment rests in the armes of God and bosome of eternall blisse which all blessed soules attaine thus and by these meanes When it pleased God by the mercifull violence of his Almighty hand to turne the sensuall bent and powerfull current of the seduced soule from the creature to the Creator from the painted brauery of this vaine world to the heauenly beautie of his blessed Word from carking encumbrance about many things to pursue and ply that One needfull thing by a sound and vniuersall change of the whole man and translation of him from the darkenesse of naturall ignorance death in sinne and power of the deuill to the light of sauing knowledge the life of sanctifying grace and the liuing God I say then the restlesse wandrings of the vnsatisfied soule begins first to settle with some sweet contentment vpon the flowers of Paradise glimpses of heauenly glory infallible earnests of euerlasting blisse sauing graces and its infinite appetite is well stayed in the meane time with that
satisfaction to its expectation and large capacitie Hence it is that giue Rome to Caesar as they say and he will ambitiously pursue the Soueraigntie of the whole earth Let Alexander conquer the world and he will aske for moe let those be subdued he would climbe vp the staires of his vast desires towards the starres if hee could aspire thither hee would peepe beyond the heauens c. No rest vnto mans soule but in Gods eternall rest 3. That there being no proportion betweene spirits and bodies thou maiest aswell vndertake to fill a bag with wisedome a chest with vertue as thine immortall soule with gold siluer riches high roomes this whole materiall world or any earthly thing See Eccles. 5. 10. 4. I say Besides these three causes of vnsatisfiablenesse God himselfe doth iustly put that property and poyson into all worldly things doted vpon and desired immoderately that they shall plague the heart that pursues them by filling it still with a furious and fresh supply of more greedinesse longings iealousies and many miserable discontentments So that they become vnto it as drinke vnto a drunkard a man in a dropsie or burning feauer serue onely to inflame it with new heate and fierie additions of insatiable thirst and inordinate lust No maruaile then though the working heart of euery naturall man vnreconciled to God be like the raging sea that cānot rest That roaring Element to which the Spirit of God resembles a wicked man must needes bee a much troubled and very restlesse creature sith it is continually tossed turmoyled with variety of contrary and confused motions that of estuation reuolution reflectiō descension and agitation by the windes semblably if thou couldest see the inside of the greatest gracelesse Monopolist and ingrosser of all the most desireable excellencies vnder the Sunne glistering in the highest Emperiall Throne vpon the earth thou shouldest behold his heart for all that rent asunder with many raging distempers and tempestuous whirlewindes of contrary lusts a very hiue of vnnumbred cares sorrowes and passions boyling incessantly with irkesome suspitions false feares insatiable longings secret grumblings of conscience torturing distractions and tumultuations of hell By the way let me tell you that this immoderate desire inordinate delight which I speake of glued to some speciall sensuall obiect which naturall corruption singles out and makes chiefest choice of to follow and feed vpon with greatest contentment and carnall sweetnesse become the parents of euery mans bosome sinne If it fall in loue with honours and greatnesse it breeds and brings forth ambition which is an vnquenchable thirst after visible glory and a gluttonous hunting after high roomes As it inhabiteth the highest and haughtiest spirits and is superlatiue and transcendent in its obiect and aspirations so of all the stormy perturbations which rent and rage in the heart of man it is most tempestuous and desperate Ventrous it is to climbe vp any staires of basenesse bribery blood to tread vpon the ruines of the noblest innocency vpon the mercilesse desolations of dearest friends and neerest kindred to domineere for a while though it be damned euerlastingly afterwards as it is too cleere in the Turkish Emperors and in that great Master of mischiefe and Machiauelisme Richard the third of this Kingdome who with a bloody hand pressed out the breath of those two orient Princes in the Tower his Nephewes and naturall Lords It is victorious ouer all other affections and masters euen the sensuality of lustfull pleasures as appeares in the greatest Warriours and ancient Worthies amongst the Heathen who tempted with the exquisitenesse and variety of choisest beauties yet forbore that villany not for conscience sake and feare of God whom they knew not but lest they should interrupt the course and stop the current of their warlike reputation ambitious designes and atchiuements of state But whatsoeuer other pestilent properties empoyson it it neuer failes to ingender in the heart which harbours it as its proper Thunder-bolt and blasting feares cares iealousies enuies enraged thirst of rising still impatiencie of competition vncapablenesse of satiety which is most for my purpose For the proud and ambitious man enlargeth his desire as hell and is as death and cannot bee satisfied Hab. 2. 5. Who can fill the bottomlesse pit of hell or stop the vnsatiable iawes of death neither can the greedie humour of an haughtie spirit the aspiring insolencie of a boisterous Nimrod be possibly stayed or stinted no not with the top and variety of highest honours though hee should alone and absolutely be crowned with the Soueraignitie of the whole earth and command the felicities of this wide world If it fall in loue with riches it breeds and brings forth couetousnesse the vilest and basest of all the infections of the soule in the most contemptible and dunghill disposition For this kyte-footed corruption wheresoeuer it seizeth and domineeres blasts and banisheth all noblenesse of spirit naturall affection humanity discretion reason wisedome manlinesse mutuall entertainements entercourse of kindnesse and loue and turnes all euen the soule it selfe into earth and mudde It drawes by a cunning reserued basenesse all occasions circumstances aduantages witte policy euen friends and acquaintance nay religion conscience and all to bee seruiceable and contributary to a greedy wolfe and raging gangren of hoarding vp Gold and worldly pelfe In a word it makes a man with a Bedlam cruelty to contemne himselfe body and soule for a little transitory trash wilfully to abandon both the comfortable enioyment of the short time of this present mortality and all hope of the length of that blessed eternity to come And as the obiect of it is most earthly base and incompetent so of all other vile affections it is most sottishly and senselesly vnsatisfiable For how is it possible that earth should feed or fill the immateriall and heauen-borne spirit of a man It can not be and the Spirit of God hath said it shall not be Eccles. 5. 10. 4. 8. He that loueth siluer shall not be satisfied with siluer The eye is not satisfied with riches Hence it is that the deepelier and more eagerly the dropsie heart of the couetous man doth drinke of this golden streame the more furiously still it is inflamed with vnsatiable thirst nay certaine it is that if he should purchase and possesse a Monopoly of all the wealth in the world were he able to empty the Westerne parts of Gold and the East of all her Spices and precious things should hee enclose the whole face of the earth from one end of heauen to another and heape vp his hoard to the starres yet his heart would be as hungry after more riches as if he had neuer a penny and much more If it fall in loue with beauty and the swaggering brauery of good fellowship it begets lust and sensuality which make their minions madde with bitternesse and malice against the very least glimpse of holinesse or any religious restraint enrage them
with mutuall fury to engulfe themselues into the bottomelesse whirlepoole of sensuall pleasures and so empoyson their hearts with a furious vnquenchable thirst after them that they will neuer leaue their hold and haunt vntill they either bee broken with the hammer of the Word or burst with the horror of despaire You may trace these pestilent properties in the practise of those voluptuous Gallants Wisedome 2. A booke though not of diuine authority yet profitable for precepts of morality In which Chapter you may finde as I haue euer conceiued a description to the life and most exact Character of the goodfellowes of our times who are transported equally with a desperate insatiable humour of rauenous feeding vpon the froth and filth of their impure delights as greedily as the Oxe suckes in water and with an implacable enmity against the purity and power of godlinesse For the first heare their cry vnto their companions Verse 6 c. Come on therefore let vs enioy the good things that are present and let vs speedily vse the creatures like as in youth Let vs fill our selues with costly Wine and Ointments and let no flower of the Spring passe by vs. Let vs crowne our selues with Rose-buds before they bee withered Let none of vs goe without his part of our voluptuousnesse let vs leaue tokens of our ioyfulnesse in euery place for this is our portion and our lot is this For the other take notice of their boystrous swaggering combination to become bloody goades in the sides and cruell prickes in the eyes of Gods people For proportionable to their impatiency of being crost in their course of pleasures is their rage in persecuting the godly And therefore being resolute to liue and dye good fellowes they also resolue from the same ground to hold an euerlasting vnreconcileable opposition to the way which is called holy especially sith euery where it is so spoken against Whence I say they grow and glue themselues together in this combination Verse 10 c. Let vs oppresse the poore righteous man Let our strength bee the law of iustice for that which is feeble is found to bee nothing worth Therefore let vs lie in waite for the righteous because hee is not for our turne and he is cleane contrary to our doings hee vpbraideth vs with our offending the Law and obiecteth to our infamy the transgressing of our education Hee professeth to haue the knowledge of God and he calleth himselfe the childe of the Lord. Hee was made to reprooue our thoughts Hee is grieuous vnto vs euen to behold for his life is not like other mens his waies are of another fashion Wee are esteemed of him as counterfeits hee abstaineth from our waies as from filthinesse hee pronounceth the end of the iust to bee blessed and maketh his boasts that God is his Father Such things they did imagine and were deceiued for their owne wickednesse hath blinded them As for the mysteries of God they know them not neither hoped they for the wages of righteousnesse nor discerned a reward for blamelesse soules If it edge and eneager malice it breedes reuenge a woluish and vnnaturall thirst after blood which haunts most the most weake fearefull and cowardly spirits For we euer see the baseft and most worthlesse men to be most malicious and reuengefull Seldome doth it finde any harbour in a wel-bred and a generous minde As Thunders Tempests and other terrible agitations in the ayre trouble onely and disquiet these weaker fraile bodies below but neuer disturbe or dismay those glorious heauenly Ones aboue so scurrill girds imperious doggednesse disgraces and wrongs vexe and distemper men of baser temper but the nettling disposition causelesse spite and childish brawlings of hasty fooles wound not great and noble spirits Now this boyling and biting distemper though against nature it feede vpon blood yet so true is the point I pursue but would you thinke it is also insatiable Witnesse that Monster of Millaine who as Bodin reporteth when hee had surprised vpon the suddaine one whom hee mortally hated hee presently ouerthrew him and setting his dagger to his brest told him hee would certainely haue his blood except he would renounce abiure forsweare and blaspheme the God of heauen Which when that fearefull man too sinfully greedy of a miserable life had done in a most horrible manner hee immediately dispatcht him assoone as those prodigious blasphemies were out of his mouth and in a bloody triumph insulting ouer his murthered aduersary as though whole hell had dwelt in his heart he added this most abhorred speech Oh saies hee this is right noble and heroicall reuenge which doth not onely depriue the body of a temporary life but brings also the neuer-dying soule vnto euerlasting flames Witnesse the cruellest of men Mahomet the great who as the Story reports was in his time the death of eight hundred thousand men But aboue all that Beast of Rome carries away the bell for insatiablenesse in blood-sucking who though he was long since drunke with the blood of the Saints as with new Wine and in his drunken humour hath furiously spilt and powred out vpon the face of Christendome a world of blood almost all in our remembrance Witnes the incredible deale of Christian blood which that mercilesse monster the Popish Inquisition swallowes downe in secret Witnesse the horrible butcheries executed vpon Professours in the Low countries Gesse the rest by that cruell confession of Alua who bosting in the bloodshed of the Saints said on a time at his table that he had been diligent in rooting out of heresie so the Antichristians call the right way to Heauen For besides those which were slaine in warre and secret massacres he had put into the hand of the Hangman eighteene thousand in the space of sixe yeeres Witnesse Farnesius his ferall resolution at his departing out of Italy to make his Horse swimme in the blood of the Lutherans Witnesse that most abhorred prodigious villany that euer the Sunne saw the massacre at Paris when in diuers places of France about threescore thousand persons were murthered and the streets of that Citie as the Storie tels vs strewed with carcases the Pauements Market-places and Riuer dyed with blood Witnesse besides other cruelties and bloody afflictions three hundred faithfull seruants of Christ burned to ashes in this Kingdome within lesse then fiue yeeres Witnesse that horrible parricide perpetrated vpon the Royall persons of two French Kings Henrie the third and fourth who were successiuely butchered in a most barbarous manner by two Popish Assasins Clement and Rauilliac Nay in the late ciuill warres of France twelue hundred thousand naturall French are said to be slaine this Romish Beast being the bellowes and incendiary c. Yet I say Though he hath already drunke vp such a deale of blood as insatiably as Behemoth the Riuer Iordan he is yet still like a shee-wolfe in the euening and at this very time carousing almost
worldly additions as a comfortable accessory considerable onely in a second place Let the world say what it will to a mind truly generous ennobled with grace the absolutest concurrence and quintessentiall exquisitenesse of beauty gold birth wit or what else besides may be found most remarkable and matchlesse in that sexe should be nothing nor hold scale with the lightest feather vpon any Ladies head in respect of a gracious disposition godly heart Religion and the feare of God as it is generally the foundation of all humane felicitie so must it in speciall be accounted the ground of al comfort and blisse which man and wife desire to find in the enioying each of other There was neuer any gold or great friends any beautie or outward brauery which tied truly fast and comfortably any marriage knot It is onely the golden linke and noble tye of Christianitie and Grace which hath the power and priuiledge to make so deare a bond louely euerlasting which can season and strengthen that neerest inseparable societie with true sweetnesse and immortalitie 2. Let coniugall loue warme thine heart at least in some measure with affectionate contentment and some more speciall repose vpon the partie as one with whom thou canst heartily and comfortably consort for the husband all concurrents and ordinary possibilities considered ought to settle his affections vpon his wife as the fittest that the world could haue afforded him and the wife should rest her heart vpon her husband as the meetest for her that could haue been found vnder the Sunne By a constant entercourse of which mutuall contentment in each other the husband will be to the wife as a couering of her eyes that she lift them not vp amorously vpon any man and the wife to the husband the pleasure of his eyes that he may still looke vpon her with sober and singular delight Otherwise they will find but cold comfort in that counsell and commandement of Salomon Prou. 5. 18 19. Reioyce with the wife of thy youth Let her bee as the louing Hind and pleasant Roe let her brests satisfie thee at all times and be thou rauisht alwaies with her loue Without this mutuall complacency that I may so speake and louing contentment each in other I doubt whether I should encourage any to proceed And yet why should not a comfortable concurrence of grace on both sides consent of Parents meetnesse in state stature birth yeeres and all other requisites besides create in a mortified heart matrimoniall affection And yet I would by no meanes causelesly confine and ensnare any And yet I would not haue an inuincible Antipathy and I cannot loue but I know not why pretended when as perhaps indeed and truth it is only carnall curiosity which breakes a conuenient match 3. In going about such an important businesse plie the Throne of Grace with extraordinary importunitie and feruency of prayer presse vpon and wrestle as it were with God in dayes of more secret and solemne humiliation for a blessing in this kind and with that sinceritie that thou doe heartily desire him whatsoeuer thy conceits and expectation of future comforts and conueniences may be yet if it bee not with his liking and to his glory he would bee pleased to dash it quite A good wife is a more immediate gift of God House and riches saith Salomon are the inheritance of fathers but a prudent wife is from the Lord. And therefore such a rare and precious Iewel is to be sued sought for at Gods Mercy-seate with more extraordinary earnestnesse importunitie zeale And methinks that wife child or what other good thing is procured at Gods mercifull hand by prayer should bring with it euen in our sence and thankefull acknowledgement a thousand times more sweetnesse and comfort then that which is cast vpon vs by Gods ordinary prouidence without any suite at all vnto his heauenly Highnesse 4. Let the parties deale plainely and faithfully one with the other in respect of their bodies soules and outward state I meane it thus That they should not deceiue and coozen one the other by a craftie cōcealement of some foule disease speciall deformity naturall defect c. in body especially which they thinke in their consciences and impartiall consideration if it were their case would breed intolerable distaste and discontentment or of some secret maime and cracke in their outward state which neither the other partie or friends do either expect or suspect For so they may bring a great deale of after-misery and too late repentance vpon the match For naturally we hate them which beguile vs. And a man or woman is most impatient of failing and being disappointed of their hopes and expectations in so great and waighty affaire as Marriage is And therefore it were very conuenient and much better to disclose the one vnto the other the materiall infirmities and wants in either of their bodies or goods though with hazzard of missing the match rather then the one to obtaine the other with guile cunning and after-discomfort I said also in respect of their soules by which I meane that for the time of Wooing onely as they call it they should not put on a visour flourish and shew of Religion conuersion and grace when in deed and truth there is no such matter For this execrable imposture also is sometimes villanously practised to the infinite preiudice and perpetuall hearts-griefe of the deluded partie And not onely some parties are cunning reserued and faultie this way but euen Christian friends are too often too forward peremptory and audacious in giuing testimonies and assurances in such cases Now this is the greatest guile and most cursed coozenage of all when one conceiues by the present cunning carriage of the partie and partiall information of friends that he or she hath met with a soule beautified with grace whereas when it comes to the tryall hath iust none acquaintance with God at all Now I come vnto the second Point A religious and comfortable continuance in the Marriage-state For the happy attainement whereof let vs take notice of and to heart first some common Duties which are mutually to be performed on both sides I. Louingnesse Which is a drawing into action and keeping in exercise that habit of coniugall affection Matrimoniall loue mentioned before It is a sweet louing and tenderhearted powring out of their hearts with much affectionate dearenesse into each others bosomes in all passages carriages and behauiours one towards another This mutuall melting-heartednesse being preserued fresh and fruitfull will infinitely sweeten and beautifie the Marriage state For an vninterrupted preseruation of this amiable deportment on both sides let them consider 1. The wise hand of Gods gracious prouidence guided all the businesse and brought it to passe And he commands constancie in this louing lightsome carriage Pro. 5. 18 19. Reioyce with the wife of thy youth Let her be as the louing Hind and pleasant Roe
both by ancient and moderne Diuines no better then plaine adultery before God Two ancient worthy Fathers Ambrose and Austin speak thus What is the intemperate man in marriage but his wiues adulterer The resolution of the rest sound to the same sence As a man may be a wicked drunkard with his owne drink and a glutton by excessiue deuouring of his owne meat so likewise one may be vncleane in the immoderate vse of the marriage bed Euen Popish Casuists discouer and detest aberrations and exorbitancies of married couples in their Matrimoniall meetings But reade such passages with much modestie and iudgement Nay heare what a very Philosopher saith of the point In the priuate acquaintance saith he and vse of marriage there must be a moderation that is a religious and a deuout band for that pleasure that is therein must be mingled with some seuerity It must bee a wise and conscionable delight A man must touch his wife discreetly and for honesty c. Another thus Marriage is a religious and deuout bond and that is the reason the pleasure a man hath of it should bee a moderate stayed and serious pleasure and mixed with seuerity it ought to be a delight somewhat circumspect and conscientious We may conceiue what moderate reuerent and honourable thoughts Antiquity entertained of the Marriage state and coniugall chastity by Euaristus words Epist. 1. ad omnes Episc. Aphri Let new-married couples saith he for two or three dayes ply Prayer that they may haue good children and please the Lord in their marriage-duties Now all intemperate excessiue or any wayes exorbitant pollutions of the marriage-bed though Magistrates meddle not with them because they lie without the walke of humane censure yet assuredly Gods pure Eye cannot looke vpon them but without repentance will certainly plague them Methinkes therefore if the feare of God awfulnesse to his All-seeing Eye loue of purity c. will not restraine from immodestie and immoderation in this kind yet that slauish horrour lest God should iustly punish them therefore with no children mis-shapen children idiotes or prodigiously wicked children or some other heauy crosses should fright them from such abhorred filth In the next place let vs take a view of and to heart duties peculiar and proper to each seuerally I. To the Husband 1. Let him behaue himselfe as an head to the body 1. Cor. 11. 3. Eph. 5. 23. 1. The head is as it were the glory and crowne of the body So let the husband shine and shew himselfe in a kind of eminencie excellencie and authority ouer the wife To be an head implies and imports a preeminence superiority and soueraignty as appeares by the Apostles gradation 1. Cor. 11. 3. Man is the womans head Christ is mans head God is Christs head For procuring and preseruing which Let the husband bee manly graue worthy not light vaine contemptible Let him not be bitter wayward passionate Let him not bee base-minded vicious vaine glorious Let him not bee a drunkard a gamester a good-fellow Dissolutenesse and a disordered life in the Man doth much abate and diminish the wiues respectfulnesse and reuerence vnto him Maiestie authority venerablenesse in any Superiour is not any wayes more lessened or sooner lost then by light behauiour personall worthlesnesse or vnworthy deportment in his place Whereas true worth goodnesse grace shining from within doth beget a more louing reuerence and reuerent loue then all outward formes of pompe and state then any boysterousnesse or big looks can possibly produce 2. The Head is the seate of vnderstanding wisedome discretion forecast Out of which consideration Let the husband stirre vp quicken and inlarge his manly spirit to comprehend and rightly conceiue all affaires prouisions occasions offers ingenuous deportment and worthy vsages which may any wayes procure and promote his wiues true contentment honour and happinesse It is his necessary and noble charge with a speciall and punctuall care and casting about to prouide for her soule body comfort and credit with all meekenesse and loue to instruct and informe her in all passages of her duty and procurements of her good 3. The Head indeed hath the precedency and prerogatiue of noblest operations and the soules diuinest acts by the benefit of its natiue temper and constitution seate of the sences and other proper instruments fitted for such high imployments and challenge of that excellency yet notwithstanding the body and other parts are animated and enlyued with the very same soule both for substance faculties immortality actiuenesse euery way So that if the foot for instance had an eare an eye an animall spirit and an organization as the Philosophers speake apted for such functions it would heare and see and vnderstand as well as the head And therefore the head by a naturall instinct as it were and sympathie doth continually tenderly with fresh successions of a liuely and quickning influence cherish and refresh other parts as well as it selfe The husband by the benefit of a more manly body tempered with naturall fitnesse for the soule to worke more nobly in doth or ought ordinarily outgoe the wife in largenesse of vnderstanding height of courage stayednesse of resolution moderation of his passions dexterity to manage businesses and other naturall inclinations and abilities to doe more excellently yet notwithstanding let him know that his wife hath as noble a soule as himselfe Soules haue no sexes as Ambrose saith In the better part they are both men And if thy wiues soule were freed from the frailty of her sexe it were as manly as noble as vnderstanding and euery way as excellent as thine owne Nay and if it were possible for you to change bodies hers would worke as manlily in thine and thine as womanly in hers Let the husband then bee so farre from insulting ouer contemning or vnderualuing his wiues worth for the weakenesse of her sexe that out of consideration that her soule is naturally euery way as good as his owne onely the excellencie of its natiue operations something damped as it were and disabled by the frailty of that weaker body with which Gods wise prouidence hath clothed it vpon purpose for a more conuenient and comfortable but ingenuous seruiceablenes to his good that I say he labour the more to entertaine and intreat her with all tendernesse and honour to recompence as it were her suffering in this kinde for his sake 4. The Head is the well-spring of all quickning motion and sence liuelinesse and lightsomenesse to the body If the deriuation of animall spirits from the braine were restrained and intercepted for a while the body would bee presently surprized with a sencelesse dampe and dead palsey The wife for the husbands sake hath forsaken her natiue home fathers house father mother and many comforts in that kind And therefore good reason shee should expect now and receiue from her Head new matter and a continued influence of lightheartednesse comfortable enioying
and eagernesse to doe more good still and rather want matter and meanes then readinesse and resolution to propagate it selfe And this way now may the poorest Christians bee plentifull in workes of mercy and enrich the richest with spirituall almes Which in the meane time may comfort the bountifull hearts of those who are true of heart to whom the Lord out of his best wisedome hath denied this earthly drosse But yet for all this I would haue you know that I know none not the poorest excepted or exempted from seasonable ministring to the corporall necessities also of their brethren We haue a Precept from blessed Paul Ephe. 4. 28. That we must worke with our own hands that we may haue to giue to him that needeth And a noble president in the poore Widdow Mark 12. 44. who cast her two mites into the Treasurie which was all shee had euen all her liuing And if any heere make a counterplea of their pouertie I would know if there bee any so poore which is not able to giue a cup of cold water onely and yet this from a sincere heart shall bee both graciously accepted and certainly rewarded Matth. 10. 42. And therefore in a second place I infinitely desire and intreate and this is that which in this point I would specially presse and perswade with deepest impression that euery one which hath giuen his name vnto Christ rich or poore according to his power and proportion would with singular care and conscience addresse himselfe to a fruitfull affectionate and constant discharge of this much honoured dutie of almes-giuing in this kinde also properly so called 1. For we are bound to abound in this grace also Therefore saith Paul 2. Cor. 8. 7. As yee abound in euery thing in faith c. see that you abound in this grace also There is no religious Professour of any reputation vpon good ground with the Church of God but takes to heart and desires to bee exact in all commanded Christian duties euery day as Prayer reading Scriptures c. Vpon thy secret then and solitarie reuise and suruey of the day past call thy selfe to a strict account as for others so concerning this dutie also of doing good vnto all men especially vnto them who are of the houshold of faith Gal. 6. 10. for the discharge of this dutie ought also to bee daily if thy abilitie will beare and the necessities of the poore shall require In the morning sowe thy seed and in the euening withhold not thy hand Giue a portion to seuen and also to eight Eccles. 11. 6 2. and let the sense and consciousnesse of any omission neglect or sloth in performing it wound thy conscience also humble thy soule and quicken thine heart with new life of resolution and more liuely endeuour to mend euery morning and perfume as it were thine euery dayes walking with God and this sweet smelling sacrifice also of mercifulnesse bounty and loue Phil. 4. 18. Let this duty likewise with the rest fall within the compassâ—… of thy seuerest search penitent melting renued vowes in all thy more solemne selfe-examinations before the Sabbath Sacraments vpon dayes of humiliation c. It is a profitable consideration to thinke that a customary grosse neglect of any one Christian dutie in its season of which the conscience is or may be conuinced may iustly dampe and dead the lightsome and fruitfull performance of all the rest For example A willing knowne omission of priuate Prayer or set reading the Word euery day may intercept and restraine the sweet influence of Gods woonted refreshing mercy and the fructifying beames of his pleased countenance from thine heart in the vse of all the other ordinances an affected idlenesse and dis-imployment of any one grace in the soule when seasonable occasion calleth for improouement may blast the comfortable exercise and sensible comfort of all the rest For example If thou suffer thy patience ordinarily to sleepe when thy disauowed passions begin to breake in vpon thee like a torrent and heate thine heart with their swelling poyson or when some crosse doth nettle thy desire of ease no maruaile though thou finde a faintnesse also to seize vpon thy faith brotherly kindnesse loue zeale ioy and peace in beleeuing c. Why then when thou feelest thine inward man to begin to languish and the whole body of Christianitie to grow as it were towards a consumption amongst other inquisitions why doest thou not also feare out of a godly iealousie and labour to finde out whether the coldnesse of thy charity and too much neglect of releeuing the poore members of Iesus Christ may occasion thy spirituall dampe It is the duty and property of euery true-hearted Nathaneel as to haue respect to all Gods Commandements Psal. 119. 6. so though they cannot in perfection and height yet with truth and sincere endeauour to haue respect to a conscionable vse of all the ordinances to the performance of all holy duties and exercise of all spirituall graces in their due seasons 2. If the world hath locked vp thine heart and congealed the bowels of thy compassions towards the poore let the blaze of thine outward profession shine neuer so faire manage the heartlesse representations of externall holinesse neuer so demurely keepe the times and taskes of daily duties with neuer so great austeritie nay though thou bee able to amuse weaker Christians with some affected straines and artificiall feruency in Prayer for by the meere power or rather poyson of hypocrisie and vaineglory a man may pray sometimes to the admiration of others especially lesse iudicious hauing cunningly collected the most moouing passages for that purpose from the best-gifted in that kinde and then giuing an enforced action and life vnto them in the deliuerie as some in other cases act other mens inuentions to the life I say for all this if the holy heate of brotherly loue doth not warme thine heart and vpon occasion worke affectionately and effectually I dare say thou art rotten at the heart-roote there is no true loue of God in thee no grace no hope of saluation Let that terrible and flaming place against all couetous Pharises 1. Ioh. 3. 17. dissolue thy frozen-heartednesse this way and enlarge the bowels of pitie towards the poore brethren of Christ Iesus or else neuer looke hereafter to looke him in the face with comfort or to finde mercy at that Day Marke it well and meditate vpon it Whoso hath this worlds good and seeth his brother hath need and shutteth vp his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him 3. But aboue all other motiues of mercifulnesse to the poore which in the Booke of God are very many and most quickening methinkes that argument which Paul presseth to this purpose 2. Cor. 8. 9. should melt the most flinty heart For yee know saith he the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ that though he was rich yet for your sakes hee became poore that yee
of al pleasures and glory through all eternitie 6. Nay the way to thriue and fare well in the World if our most wise God thinke it fiâ—… is to bee compassionate this way If thou draw out thy soule to the hungry saith the Prophet and satisfie the afflicted soule then shall thy light rise in obscuritie and breake forth as the morning and thy darknesse bee as the noone-day and thy health shall spring forth speedily the Lord shal guide thee continually and satisfie thy soule in drought and make fat thy bones and thou shalt be like a watered Garden and like a spring of water whose waters faile not Thine horne shall be exalted with honour and thou shalt not want It will be then a profitable Inquisition amongst others when a man findes himselfe to goe backward in his estate Gods secret displeasure to blow vpon his wealth or afflict his body with painefull diseases c. to examine well whether he was not ordinarily woont rather to shut vp his bowels of compassion then to powre out his soule to the poore In a third place take notice of the order of those obiects vpon which thy Christian loue is regularly and seasonably to be directed and thy workes of mercy discharged The Catalogue of them runneth thus as I conceiue The publike State wherein thou liuest and whereof thou art a member challengeth the first place and precedencie If it liued a naturall life as thou doest and thou haddest but one morsell of bread which would onely sustaine the life of one of you thou wert to perish that it might flourish for it is euer better that one member should bee cut off then the whole body consumed In the next place stands thy selfe then thy wife then thy parents then thy children and family then the household of faith then thy naturall kinred sprung lately from the same progenitors then thy neerest neighbours and common friends then thy countrymen then strangers then thine enemies For as thou wouldest be holden a child of the Highest Luk. 6. 35. thou must loue thine enemies and relieue them too Prou. 25. 21. Rom. 12. 20. And because our naughty hearts doe naturally rise and swell against them with much enraged anger disdaine and contempt ponder seriously vpon these points as counterpoysons to keepe out these foule fiends and preserue thine affections euer calme and vnstained this way and in an holy charitable temper and disposition to doe them good 1. First he that becomes a bloody goad in thy side for thy blessed profession and because thou followest goodnesse is starke mad and vtterly besides himselfe in matter of saluation Hee is as a dead man without all sense of spirituall selfe-murder now it is extreme weakenesse to euen thy wit as they say with a Bedlam and barbarous inhumanitie to wreake thy spite vpon the dead and basely to vexe a liuelesse carcase with brauing insultations 2. Thou shouldest most wilfully forsake thine owne mercie and iudge thy selfe more then infinitely vnworthy of euerlasting life of any part or portion in the rich glorious eternall purchases of His meritorious death if thou couldest not frankely forgiue the greatest wrong of thy greatest enemy vpon this ground onely because Iesus Christ hath freely powred out the dearest and warmest blood in his heart to purchase for thee a worme and wretch and while thou wast yet his desperate enemy pardon and saluation from the endlesse woes and damnations of Hell 3. Thirdly the mercifull patience of God himselfe in forbearing and bearing with infinite wrongs and dishonours done vnto his great Maiestie euery day may be a matchlesse patterne and precedent to vs wofull sinners and worse then nothing easily to pardon and patiently to passe by all the prouocations of our fellow creatures How many blasphemous mouthes are continually open against the Maiestie of Heauen With what damned oathes doe they teare and recrucifie the precious body of his glorified Sonne that fits at his owne right hand With what monstrous lyes and hatefull slanders doe they disgrace his Ambassadours and vilifie his chosen Nay where shall you find one of those who haue sincerely giuen their names vnto Christ whose neglected innocency is not trampled vpon with the feet of pride and contempt and whose guiltlesse fame lyes not bleeding vnder the mercilesse strokes of intemperate tongues How many sonnes and daughters of Belial doe horribly and with an high hand prophane his Sabbaths pollute his Sacraments and turne their backs vpon his Word How many euery where turne themselues into barrels and beasts euen into sincks nay and sometimes into Sodomites Hab. 2. 15. by their swinish drunkennesse How many inclosing Nimrods and Machiauellian Landlords grind the faces of the poore pluck off their skins teare their flesh breake their bones chop them in pieces as for the pot and eate the flesh of Gods people In a word How many incarnate deuils walke vp and downe the Earth with hearts and hands as full as Hell with all manner of mischiefe lewdnesse and rebellion And yet wee see in the meane time our gracious God beares patiently with these many and prodigious prouocations Though hee be armed with his owne vnresistable omnipotency haue euer in a readines all the Angels of Heauen all the creatures vpon Earth all the Deuils in Hell nay the very hands and consciences of such stubborne Rebels to be the instruments and executioners of his iust wrath vpon their sinne yet doth hee sweetly and fairely temper and moderate his indignation to see if the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long-suffering will leade them to repentance If Almighty God then whose Maiesty blessed and glorious for euer is chiefly wrongged euen by thy wrongs also whose mildnesse and mercy is most shamefully abused with the horrible ingratitude and intolerable contempt of such as hate to be reformed bee so wonderfully patient be not thou peruerse but rather heape coales of fire vpon thine enemies head by kindnes and loue that thou mayest be the charitable child of thy Father which is in Heauen who suffers his raine to fall as well vpon heaths and weeds as vpon flowers and fruit-trees 4. By harbouring heart-burning and angry thoughts in thy brest against those thou art tempted to hate thou wofully hardenest thine own heart which is an vnualuable hurt and depriuest thy selfe all the while thou art so dogged of the blessing benefit and comfort of all the ordinances not onely of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper as ignorant people suppose but also of Prayer hearing the Word singing of Psalmes conference c. 1. Tim. 2. 8. Matth. 5. 23 24. Iam. 1. 20. Now what extreme madnesse is it and Bedlam cruelty to thine own soule by cherishing and keeping warme in thy bosome such a base dunghill Viper as reuengefull spite to cast the whole Frame of thy spirituall building into combustion and to make God thine enemy whereby thou hurtest thy selfe incomparably more then thou
good conscience and take liberty vnto himselfe to place his good turnes there where there is best possibilitie of being most spoke of and greatest hope of the richest returne of applause and admiration So that such an one ordinarily in his open-heartednesse and charitable distributions hath a speciall eye and inclination to those that flatter him to his face and are like to prooue the loudest trumpets of his bountifulnesse abroad where they come And hee is so farre from a right and seasonable apprehension of due circumstances difference of parties and those spirituall discretions obseruable and necessary in such Christian exercises of loue and from the practise of the Apostles precept Galat. 6. 10. Doe good vnto all men but especially to them which are of the houshold of faith that hee would rather afford his helping hand for the reliefe raising vp of a decayed goodfellow then of a distressed Christian. 4. Fourthly though carnall men bee so couetous and hold-fast of earthly contentments that they would rather loose their precious soules euerlastingly then leaue them yet if it might bee if they were possibly compatible they would giue any thing in the world both to serue and satisfie themselues in the wayes of vanitie and after to saue their soules in the day of wrath both to partake of the pleasures of the present and to be secured from the vengeance that is to come What would not the great Ones of the world giue to purchase two Heauens one here and another in the other world What would not sensuall worldlings part with to redeeme their sinnes if they might haue a dispensation to continue in sinne to liue the life of vanity and lust and after to die the death of the Righteous and to receiue their crowne In such cases in their sober considerations so that their present temporall happinesse sustaine no hazard or diminution nor the delights of their sweete sinne any disturbance they would not stand vpon any worldly good though it were a thousand Rammes or ten thousand Riuers of Oyle Nay they would giue their first-borne for their transgressions euen the fruit of their bodies for the sinne of their soules Many there are which may bee easily perswaded and can well finde in their hearts to giue any thing towards the seruice of God and saluation of their soules saue themselues I meane their hearts and affections which the world and their darling-pleasures haue principally possest Hence now it is that many rich Ones and men of the world being otherwise very guilty and obnoxious in many respects are very willing and well content many times to contribute bountifully to good vses and to make good shew of liberalitie towards the poore that thereby lesse notice may bee taken of their other notoriousnesse and with some kinde of hope so to couer and conceale many grosse corruptions from the wrath of God and the worlds censure For I know not how there is an inbred opinion and conceit seated in the hearts of naturall men and Papists that almes-deeds and such workes of charitie make amends for other miscariages though foule and scandalous and be pleasing to Almightie God though the parties frō whence they proceed be polluted with secret impurities and raigning sinnes Sith therefore they perswade their hearts that charitable deuotions distributions haue some power as it were somewhat to appease diuine wrath and to satisfie for other sinful exorbitancies and aberrations and see plainely that it is the most compendious way to purchase a great deale of credit in these cold compassionlesse times and the onely obiect to diuert the eyes of the greater from the obseruation of their other faults I say therefore they open their hearts the more liberally and enlarge their bowels to greater bountifulnesse which otherwise their couetousnesse would keepe shut Thus many to diminish the horrour and markeablenesse of their vnmortified lusts and open lewdnesse exercise a good art without a good heart Occasions from the parties slandered are such as these 1. Christians of all men in the world are the speciall markes and ordinary obiects vpon which are discharged and exercised all kindes of malice and mischiefe not onely the empoisoned arrowes of spitefull tongues the sword of Tyrants the flames of crueltie but also many lesser and lessemarkt vexations as wrongs oppressions mercilesnesse and many vnconscionable vsages Prophane men being seated in high roomes or besotted with the worlds fauours and flatteries doe many times out of their pride and malice very contemptuously roule downe as from aloft indignities insolencies many hard and heauy inhumanities and iniustices vpon Gods Children as a number of neglected vnderlings So that as the Prophet speakes Hee that refraineth from euill maketh himselfe a prey Hee that by the mercies of God breakes out of the bonds of Satan into the blessings and blessed estate of grace shall for euer after not onely be furiously persecuted by the rage of hell and malice of prophanenes but also lie more open to the insultations wrongs and oppressions of his aduersaries and trecherous insinuations of false friends Sith therfore Christians by reason of their patience the worlds discountenance disaffection of great Ones their own resolute disallowance of all indirect courses of any base and vnconscionable aduantage are many times mightily hackt vpon and opprest by the greedy policies expilations and encroachments of boysterous worldlings and causelesse opposites and not onely so but sometimes also cunningly insensibly preyed vpon euen by profest friends For there are a kinde of men which putting on for the time the glory of an Angell mixe themselues with Gods people and presse into their company onely because they see and finde them to bee such as from whom by reason of the singlenesse and simplicitie of their heartts the vnsuspiciousnesse of their charitie the equity and conscionablenesse of their dealing in these coozening supplanting and vndermining dayes they may the most fairely and easily sucke out the greatest aduantage I say therefore sith Gods children are most subiect both to the wrongs of open enemies supplantation of seeming friends they are many times not so enabled in outward things or strong in their worldly state to make such a flourish in dispersing their superfluities as those men which get without conscience and disburse without spirituall discretion 2. A Christian dare not for his life so farre enlarge his conscience as to gaine by any vnwarrantable meanes or vnconscionable course as oppression corruption coozening violence lying vniust dealing c. and therefore in this griping and greedy age in the highest noonetide of iniquitie or rather darkest midnight of the workes of darknesse though outward want bee infinitely counteruailed with inward comfort hee doth not commonly come to that excesse and superfluitie of temporall things which many times worldlings with wider consciences easily and immeasurably ingrosse The largest consciences in these last worst dayes are the onely deuourers and swallowers downe of worldly wealth A religious
then leaue a wallet to thy child to go from doore to doore then a cursed hoard of ill gotten goods 12. But aboue all to curbe thine heart from couetousnesse meditate much vpon such places as these Mat. 6. 25. to the end Phil. 4. 6. 1. Tim. 6. 9 10. Iam. 5. 1 2 3. Prou. 23. 5. 1. Pet. 5. 7. VI. Lastly concerning a right and comfortable managing of our spirituall estate a point of deepest consideration and highest consequence take notice of two extremes two dangerous Rockes vpon which the soule may run and split it selfe spiritually 1. The one is a proud ouerprizing of our owne graces with a conceited ouerweening selfe-admiration 2. The other a deiected distrustfull vnderualuing of Gods mercies the promises of life and those graces which we possesse in truth and holy desire though not in that degree wee desire I. Before I can seasonably and preparedly fall vpon the first to instruct punctually and arme the Christian against it with whom I principally deale in this whole discourse giue mee leaue to discouer a mysterie of spirituall Selfe-deceit by which Satan sits presumptuously in the darkned minds and deluded imaginations of those whom with his cunning and malice he hood winkes and hardens to their endlesse confusion Many thousands euen vnder the meanes and in this glorious mid-day of the Gospell are groundlesly conceited that they are right when as in truth and triall they are rotten at the heart roote that they are sure of Heauen when they are as yet most certainely of the family of Hell Neither is this any strange thing so deluded were the foolish Virgins Mat. 25. 11 12. and so are all such outside Christians Those Luk. 13. 26 27. and so are all who stand onely on the worke wrought bare taske of religious duties without the power of inward holinesse The yong man in the Gospell Mat. 19. 20. with that generation Prou. 30. 12. And so are all such ciuill Iustitiares the proud Pharise Luk. 18. 11 12. who was so confident that he gaue God thankes for his blessed condition when he was but yet a cursed vniustified wretch and so are all of his formall straine Those Ioh. 8. 39 who held themselues to bee Abrahams children whereas Christ tels them the Deuill was their father Vers. 44. And so are all those who build onely vpon the outward priuiledges of Christianitie without personall puritie Paul in the state of Pharisaisme and so are all those who wandring out of the path which is called holy swell with a proud opinionatiuenesse and furious zeale aboue the bankes of Gods blessed Booke and bounds of all holy discretion will needs so are aloft on waxen wings of selfe-conceitednesse and superficialnesse to strange and vncouth heights of excellent fancies without hauing euer laid sound foundation in true humiliation for sin and in selfe-deniall the Church of Laodicea Reuel 3. 17. and all such lukewarme Professors Hence wee haue a taste what a world of pâ—…ople are wofully blindfolded by the Prince of this World and through the insinuating imposture and vnexamined delusion of spirituall selfe-deceit are put into a fooles paradise of being already safe and secure for Heauen whereas as yet they are meere strangers to the Mysterie of Christ and the New creation and shall be certainely damned if they so continue for that which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God saith Christ to the selfe-iustifying Pharises Luk. 16. 15. And yet some sorts of vnregenerate men are here to bee excepted from this generall deluge of selfe-delusion who lye not so grossely inwrapped in the iuggling mists of the deuils Angelicall glory Not that they are better then those deluded Ones or haue any good assurance vpon sound vndeceiuing grounds of their spirituall well-being for such an humble true perswasion is confined only to true Conuerts but it happens by accident that by reason either of the extreme villany of their liues or desperate positions of their Antichristian doctrine they see cleare reasons stand like an armed man in their conuinced consciences that if they continue in their forlorne courses they cannot possibly be saued or faine reasons coine distinctions vpon purpose to exclude all froÌ„ any infallible certainty of saluation They are such as these 1. Grosse hypocrites who deceiue others but not their owne hearts as Iudas 2. Those notorious Ones who in their cold blood 〈◊〉 sticke to confesse that they are yet quite wrong and vtterly wide from the way that is called Holy and will sometimes set a time when they purpose to cast off for euer and casheire their sensuall courses and swaggering company and begin at length to looke towards Heauen and learne the Art of sauing their soules and in the meane time they make a couenant with death and are at an agreement with Hell Isai. 28. 15. 3. Other sonnes of Belial whose hearts by their obstinate wallowing in the worke of darkenesse hardening their foreheads by their impudent vallanies against the face of Heauen and with their owne soule-murthering hands and horrible crueltie pressing an hot iron vpon their consciences are growne at length into such a prodigious Rocke that though they know themselues to be posting towards the pit of Hell yet they are senselesse and fearelesse of that fiery dungeon 4. Those who being conuinced of the truth and goodnesse of the Gospell and approouing in their iudgement and conscience the power and practise of it as the onely way to euerlasting blisse but then reflecting their carnall eyes vpon the furious entisings of their darling sinnes and by the touchstone of sense comparing the pleasures of these which they presently graspe with the spirituall strictnesse and promised ioyes of the other stand infinitely vnresolued and desperately obstinate by no meanes vpon no termes to leaue the present sensuall ioyes of their earthly paradise but rather choose euen in their cold blood to turne their backes vpon God blessed for euer his holy truth seruice seruants and all the glory in the World to come And then by good consequence hauing thus subscribed and sealed by an irreuocable resolution and sworne vassalage to bee Satans for euer and for euer to stand on his side receiue into their hearts an inward certificate that they are vtterly forsaken of God and shall be certainely damned Whereupon they turne euen young deuils they shall haue their perfection in hell boyle inwardly with much malicious blasphemous rage against God whom they haue renounced persecute with implacable spite the blessed Gospel and glorious wayes of Christ which they haue so desperately reiected and gnash the teeth like so many already hellish Fiends against all those happy Ones whom they see walke with constancie and comfort in that holy way to innumetable ioyes which they with certaine knowledge of their heart and against the cleere light of their conscience haue wretchedly abandoned for euer And so sinne against the holy Ghost 5. The Papists also
day-labour will helpe him to heauen and serue his turne for saluation And if any of these sottish cauillers be questioned challenged for the vnsoundnesse of his spirituall state he will be ready with absurd rudenesse and irkesome clamour to breake out into such brags as these What tell you mee of these high points or trouble mee with this new learning I was neuer asked thus much before in all my life and yet the time is to come that euer our Parson threatned to keepe me from the Communion I doe no man wrong I pay euery man his owne I am neither thiefe nor drunkard nor whoremaster I liue peaceably amongst my neighbours c. I know as much as the Preacher can tell me though he preach out his heart That I must loue God aboue all and my neighbour as my selfe and that I hope I doe c. whereas poore blinded soule hee is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pride ignorance prophanenesse and impenitencie as the skin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is â—…moothly carried hoodwinckt by the diuell to hell without all noyse or any contradiction 7. The worke of Gods restraining Spirit Which sometimes by its power and terrour keepes in and confines a mans inward corruption that it breakes not out into such open outrages and outward villanies as in some other wicked Ones And that for the good and quiet of his owne people or some other secret ends seene and seeming good to his heauenly Highnesse Now this restraint by the delusion of the deuill and deceit of a mans owne heart may bee apprehended as a great conquest ouer corruption and so a conuersion thence vainely concluded 8. Education in a religious family thus Some in such a place being onely outwardly warmed with the heate of holy exercises about them and by custome and for company growne conformable to religious duties with some contentment depart thence with a â—…aineglorious conceit and vnsound perswasion that they are also of the right stampe because they were so long amongst spirituall tooles and at the fire which might indeed haue truly melted their yet too frozen and flinty hearts Put a Sow into a greene medow and shee will keepe her selfe as faire as the Sheepe but let her breake out and she will wallow againe in the mire as filthily as before so it is with too many such 9. Much knowledge and noble defence of that blessed Orthodoxe Truth which wee professe without a kindly sauing impression of goodnesse and grace in the heart Many great men and great Schollers more is the pitie are empoysoned with this conceit they are selfe conceited that if they be zealous Patrones and protectours of true Religion they are safe enough for saluation though alas they be meere strangers nay too many times opposites to the power and practise thereof 10. The benefit of a better nature and a constitution not so precipitant and prone to some corruptions For instance A man hereby may see others lâ—…e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most abominable beastly sinne of drunkennesse when his heart riseth against such swinish filth others transported with furious and fiery passions when as his milder temper knowes no such rage others hunting after high roomes with the hazzard of their soules and certaine ship wracke of a good conscience when as his solitary disposition affects retirednesse and home Thus when it is many times the infirmity impotencie or deformity of nature or at best but the naturall moderation of a better complexion that dis-inclines and disables him from the acting of some grosser euils hee fondly conceiues that it is the power and soueraignetie of grace which makes the difference betwixt himselfe and other sons of Belial who by natures impetuousnesse are more prone and prouoked thereunto 11. The heartlesse effects of slauish feare which sometimes will curbe some kinde of men from committing some notorious sinnes and spurre them forward to the outward performance of some holy duties yet they not marking the motiues manner or end nor taking to heart at all the grosse exorbitancy of any of them but onely eying the worke wrought may causlesly bee too well conceited of themselues and so coozen their owne soules But let no true-hearted Nathaneel heere mistake I know some of Gods dearest Children who make conscience of all sinne and to please God in all things yet in darkenesse of their melancholy or heate of temptation may feare all is naught with them because they feare they doe all for slauish feare But their feares iealousies hearty complaints and holy desires to the contrary may minister comfort enough if they will be counselled vntill they come out of temptation 12. Euen the blessed Word of God misunderstood and wretchedly abused to the deuils aduantage and damnation of mens soules For instance Some sucke poyson out of that heauenly flower Rom. 10. 13. Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued collecting and concluding thence that if they can say Lord Lord though they bee meere strangers to the life of Grace yet they shall liue for euer But such should know that euery one who in that sauing sence calleth vpon the Name of the Lord must depart from iniquity 2. Tim. 2. 19. and must sauingly beleeue Rom. 10. 14. Now such a fruitfull faith euer purifies the heart Acts 15. 9. and is inseparably attended with a glorious traine of heauenly graces vertue knowledge temperance patience godlinesse brotherly kindnesse charity 2. Pet. 1. 5 6 7. I haue heard with mine owne eares that place Rom. 12. 1. sottishly peruerted to the maintenance of lukewarmenesse coldnesse in Religion and goodfellowship When purity in heart holinesse of life vniuersall obedience and other requisites to saluation haue beene pressed it hath beene replyed in good earnest I pray you why are you so hote what needs all this what needs so much adoe when a reasonable thing will serue the turne Is it not said which is your reasonable seruice Now I often wonder what such men as these meane who are Proctors and pleaders for this Leodicean reserued mediocritie and politike moderation in matters of heauen what worship and seruice they would proportion out for the All-powerfull God Doth any man of braine conceiue that the mighty dreadfull Lord and Iudge of all the world who offers vnto vs by the Ministerie in the meane time his owne deare Sonne with all the rich purchases of his hearts blood and would giue vs the full fruition of himselfe heereafter with all the glory and endlesse felicities aboue will be bobd off if I may so speake with an heartlesse formall outwardnesse with a cold rotten carkasse of religion It cannot be He is a Spirit and must be worshipped in Spirit and truth If men will needs harden themselues in bitternesse and blasphemies against the purity and power of godlinesse if they will still browbeate and beare downe their brethren for their zeale and feruencie in the affaires of God let them teare those sacred leaues out of Gods blessed Booke that sparkle out vnto vs
the holy fire of forwardnesse and heate and presse vpon vs punctually power spirit and quickning in heauenly businesses and the seruices of our most bountifull and euer-blessed God See Luke 13. 24. Rom. 12. 11. Eph. 5. 15. Matth. 5. 29 30. 11. 12. 1. Cor. 9. 24. 1. Thes. 5. 22. Phil. 1. 10. 13. A bare speculatiue opposition and verball contradiction to the corruptions of the times and controuerted ceremonies For I doubt there are some who seeing some of Gods dearest Children both godly Ministers and other Christians onely out of tendernesse of conscience stand vnresolued about these latter are too well perswaded of themselues spiritually for a meere boystrous masterlike partaking with them in that particular when as they haue no part at all in their holy graces and humble sanctification 14. An ouerheady furious zeale in will-worship superstitious formes and selfe-conceited seruices As in Paul yet vnconuerted and many ignorant Papists not so exactly acquainted with Antichristian Schoole-points in the pursuite of some religious distempers and spirituall exorbitancies bred onely in some phantasticall braine giuen ouer for horrible pride to strong delusion yet tendered with many holy pretences and representations of highest perfection nay sometimes seconded with strange reuelations and raptures the meere iugglings of the deuils Angelicall glory in melancholike or otherwise deluded imaginations and so Satan can put a Familist or Anabaptist euen into a trance of imaginary ioy 15. Serious meditation vpon that quickning passage of Christs holy Sermon of the fewnesse of those which shall be saued should properly and naturally keene our desires and endeauours to a singular constant contention after an holy strictnesse forwardnesse and fruitfulnesse in euery good worke and all the waies of God that wee might bee sure to bee in the number of those few yet by accident it may confirme some kind of men not so notorious vnder the meanes yet vnconuerted in a false perswasion of their good estate to Godward and that thus Some there may be of larger capacity and more vnderstanding who out of a contemplation of that great vniuersall deluge of Turcisme Paganisme Iudaisme and Infidelity which at this day doth fearefully ouerflow the face of the Earth scarce the fifth part whereof now professeth Christ and also out of a neerer consideration of the state of Christendome wherein Popery that foule sinke and Hydra of all heresies besides too many other exorbitant giddy deuiations from the sobrietie and analogie of true Religion and the path which is truly called Holy mightily preuaile and damnably empoyson innumerable soules and which is yet more feeing so many amongst those who professe Christ truly I meane in respect of doctrine notoriously lewd and prophanely naught so many Atheists Drunkards Scorners Swearers Worldlings c. And then after this prospect and suruey abroad reflecting a partiall eye vpon themselues and their owne wayes and finding themselues in the bosome of the Church and ciuill men thinke verily out of their extreme blindnesse and spirituall folly that Heauen would be vnfurnished and vnfilled if they should be excluded and that it were a disparagement to the mercies of God to ranke and arraigne them amongst Turks and Pagans at that last great Day But if to their ciuill honesty they adde a formall profession why then they thinke they haue a great deale of wrong if saluation be denied them then already in conceit they knock bounce as it were at the Gates of heauen for entrance with great boldnesse and confidence like the foolish Virgins Matth. 25. 11. and those Matth. 7. 22. and with the Pharise giue God thanks for their good estate to Himward Alas poore soules Let no man deceiue you with vaine words neither delude your owne soules with idle fancies To whomsoeuer the glorious Gospell of Christ shines sauingly and breathes spirituall life they must deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts liue soberly righteously and godlily in this present world Meere ciuill honesty neuer brought any vnto Heauen And euery lukewarme Professor shall certainely bee spued out of the mouth of Christ. 16. But amongst all the vnsound grounds insufficient matter and false mediums vpon which Satan and the deceitfull heart labour to erect their rotten buildings of vaine hopes in the credulous conceits of those who are carried hoodwinkt towards Hell all which in the time of triall and vnder the tempest of Gods visiting wrath will prooue but a Spiders web They shall leane vpon their house but it shall not stand they shall hold it fast but it shall not endure I say amongst them all there is not any that doth set on the counterfeit seale of this false perswasion with more peremptorinesse and confidence then a concurrence of those excellencies perfections endowments incident to Temporaries and attaineable in the state of vnregeneration which I haue touched in my Discourse of true happinesse and may bee collected from such places as these Matth. 27. 3 4. Mark 6. 20. Luk. 13. 26. and 18. 11 12. Matth. 12. 53. 25. 1 c. Heb. 6. 4 5. 2. Pet. 2. 20 22. Now these and the like are the vnsound seeming and vnsufficient grounds whereupon the Deuill workes and doth easily by the aide of naturall presumption and his owne Angelicall flashes insinuate and inferre his soule-coozening conclusions and cunningly infuse the poyson of spirituall selfe-deceit thus or in the like manner I will giue instance onely in the last he is woont also proportionably from the rest to conclude such groundlesse confidence and false perswasions of a good estate towards God Whosoeuer doth with some penitent remorse tremble vnder the reuenging wrath of God for sin and out of that horror confesseth and maketh restitution and yet so did Iudas Mat. 27. Whosoeuer reuerenceth a godly Minister heares him gladly and doth many things after his doctrine and yet so did Herod Mark 6. 20. Whosoeuer doth hold conformitie in profession with the best c. and yet so did the foolish Virgins Mat. 25. Whosoeuer is an hearer of the Word and that with quicknesse and receiues it with ioy and yet so doth the stony ground Matth. 13. 20. Whosoeuer is able to disclaime grosse sinnes giues euery man his due fasteth praieth and giueth almes and yet so did the Pharise Luk. 18. 11. 12. Matth. 6. 1. Whosoeuer is illightned tastes of the heauenly gift c. and yet such may afterward fall away irrecouerably Heb. 6. c. is sure enough to be saued at last But I may the deluded Pharise and formall Professor say finde and feele all or most or many of these in my selfe For what any vnregenerate man hath heretofore attained it is not impossible but that any now or hereafter may attaine the same Therefore doth hee conclude falsely out of Satans Sophistry I am safe enough for saluation And in all this Satan lest hee should be wanting to his labours by a lying resemblance to imitate the worke of the holy Ghost in the hearts
of the faithfull For that which the Deuill putting on the glory of an Angell of light puts vpon his followers in this kinde falsely and groundlessely That the blessed Spirit performes to those who are true of heart truely and vpon good ground For it is not the vniuersalitie and excellencie of all naturall ciuill meerely morall politicke and learned endowments and sufficiencies but aboue and besides all these a supernaturall heauenly and speciall worke of the Spirit sanctifying thē all for Gods glorious seruice It is not a bare taske of holy duties religious exercises presence at the ordinances outwardly performed but the soule as it were of sauing grace animating and informing them with spirituall life reuerent heartinesse and fruitful improouement It is not the glistering blaze of a visible forward profession of Religion but the power of godlinesse and sincere practise of workes of iustice mercy and truth It is not a generall participation of the Spirit the Spirit onely of illumination or largest speculatiue cōprehensions of sacred knowledge but an humble fruitfull experimental skill and dexterity in the mystery of Christ and of walking humbly with our God which doth soundly comfort the heart of a man spiritually wise about assurance of his happy estate to Godward And therefore the true Christian when he would refresh his spirits with the sweet contemplation of his spirituall safety and comfortable being in a gracious state causeth his sincere conscience to answer in truth to such like interrogatories as those which I haue proposed for triall in such a case in my Discourse of true happinesse pag. 85. c. Reuiew the place and ponder well vpon them He ordinarily hath recourse vnto and runs ouer in his mind with an humble rauishing commemoration the heauenly footsteps and mighty works of the holy Ghost in his conuersion speciall watchfulnesse ouer his wayes sincere-heartednesse holy strictnesse and sanctified singularities in his conuersation which as they are peculiar to Gods people so are the mysteries and strange things to the best vnregenerate man and that thus or in the like manner Blessed be God saith hee within himselfe that euer it was so yet so it was The holy Ministery of the Word sanctified and guided particularly for that purpose by the finger of God happily seized vpon mee while I did yet abide in the armes of darkenesse and the Deuils snares a most polluted carnall abominable wretch and effectually exercised its sauing power vpon my soule both by the workings of the Law and of the Gospell It was first as an hammer to my heart and broke it in pieces By a terrible cutting piercing power it strooke a shaking and trembling into the very center of my soule by this double effect 1. It first opened the booke of my conscience wherein I read with a most heauy heart ready to fall asunder euen like drops of water for horror of the sight the execrable abominations of my youth the innumerable swarmes of lewd and lawlesse thoughts that all my life long had stained mine inward parts with strange pollutions the continuall wicked walking of my tongue the cursed prophanation of Gods blessed Sabbaths Sacraments and all the meanes of saluation I euer meddled with In a word all the hels sinkes and Sodoms of lusts and sinne of vanities and villanies I had remorselesly wallowed in euer since I was borne I say I looked vpon all these engrauen by Gods angry hand vpon the face of my conscience in bloody and burning lines 2. Whereupon in a second place it opened vpon mee the Armory of Gods flaming wrath and fiery indignations nay and the very mouth of hell ready to empty themselues and execute their vtmost vpon mine amazed and guilty soule In these restlesse and raging perplexities wherewith my poore soule was extremely scorched and parched with penitent paine His wrath who is a consuming fire wringing my very heart-strings with vnspeakeable anguish Iesus Christ blessed for euer was lifted vp vnto me in the Gospell as an Antitype to the erecting of the brazen Serpent in the Wildernesse In whom dying and bleeding vpon the Crosse I beheld an infinite treasurie of mercy and loue a boundlesse and bottomelesse sea of tender-heartednesse and pitie a whole heauen of sweetnesse peace and spirituall pleasures Whereupon there sprung vp and was inkindled in mine heart an extreme thirst ardent desires vehement longings after that soueraigne sauing blood which alone could ease my grieued soule and turne my foulest sinnes into the whitest snow So that in the case I then was had I had in full taste and sole command the pleasures profits ioyes and glory of many worlds willingly would I haue parted with them all and had I had a thousand liues freely would I haue layd them all downe nay with all mine heart would I haue beene content to haue lyen for a season in the very flames of Hell to haue had the present horrour of my confounded spirit comforted from heauen and my spirituall thirst allayed and a little cooled but with one drop of Christs precious blood the darknesse desolations of my wofull heart refresht and reuiued but with the least glimpse of Gods fauourable countenance The edge eagernesse of which inflamed affections made me cast about with infinite care how to compasse so deare a comfort Then came into my minde the holy Spirit being my mercifull Remembrancer those many melting compassionate inuitations more warming and welcome to my heauy heart then many golden worlds more delicious then delight it selfe Matth. 11. 28. Reu. 21. 6. Ioh. 7. 37. Isa. 55. 1. 57. 15 16. Ezek. 18. 30 31 32. 33. 11. So that at last O blessed worke of faith staying my selfe and resting my sinking soule vpon the Rocke of eternity and the impregnable truth of these sweetest promises sealed with the blood of the Lord Iesus and as sure as God himselfe I threw my selfe into the mercifull and meritorious armes of my crucified Lord with this resolution and reply to all terrors and temptations to the contrary that if I must needs be cast away they shall teare and rent me from the tender bowels of Gods dearest compassions vpon which I haue cast my selfe If they will haue me to hell they shall pull and hale me from the bleeding wounds of my blessed Redeemer to which my soule is fled Whereupon I found and felt and I blesse God infinitely and will through all eternity that euer it was so conueied and deriued vpon me from my blessed Iesus the welspring of immortality and life a quickening influence of his mighty Spirit and heauenly vigour of sauing grace wherby I became a new man quite changed new created By this vitall moouing and incubation as it were of the Spirit of Christ vpon the face of my soule all things became new mine heart affections thoughts words actions delights desires sorrowes society c. Old things passed away behold all things become new And I am sure my change is sound
and sauing for it is not 1. A meere morall change from notoriousnesse to ciuility and no further 2. Nor a formall change only which addes to morall honesty outward profession and outside conformity to the ordinances holy exercises most duties of Religion no more 3. Nor meerely mentall I meane it thus for I know true repentance is called change of minde in another sence When the vnderstanding onely is illightened with diuine knowledge guilded ouer as it were with the dazeling splendor of generall graces not without some speculatiue flashes of fleeting ioy swimming in the brayne indeede but not rooted in the heart 4. Not temporary only such as that Matth. 12. 43. 2. Pet. 2. 20 22. when a man discontinues and surceases from the outward practise perhaps of all grosse sinnes for a time out of terrour suddaine fright from some Sonne of thunder or vpon triall whether by his owne strength hee be able to endure and digest a diuorce from his darling pleasure and the holy wayes of those who walk towards heauen without too much discontentment for without too sore a crush to his carnall heart hee could be content to looke after a crowne of life and I wite him not Or for some other by-end But because his heart was not honest and good neither did the Word take an humble roote in it nor himselfe resolue vpon a sincere generall and constant selfe-deniall at first hee falls againe vpon his former vomit and againe wallowes in the myre of his sensuall pleasures with more rage and resolution then before 5. Nor partiall where there may bee an outward reformation in the most things but yet there is still retained a secret resolued reseruation of an impenitent intire enioyment of all the delights and full sweetnesse of the bosome sinne which is vtterly incompatible and cannot possibly consist with a truly religious and regenerate state I say my change I onely and infinitely magnifie admire and adore the free grace and loue of my most holy and euer blessed God for it was not onely morall formall mentall temporary or partiall in the sence I haue said but vniuersall both in respect of the subiect and obiect as they say without all reseruations exceptions sensuall distinctions Pharisaicall imposture partialities hypocrisies selfe-delusion For my teachers haue told me by the touchstone of his pure and holy truth That euery true change is of the whole man from the whole seruice of Satan to the liuing God in sincere obedience to his whole Law in the whole course of our liues That it is discernable and differenced from all partiall insufficient hollow halfe-conuersions By 1. Integrity of change I meane in all parts and powers of spirit soule and body in the vnderstanding iudgement memory conscience in the will affections desires thoughts in the eyes eares tongue hands feet for euen as they were members of the body before imployed wholly for Satan and sensualitie so now are they also become instruments of righteousnesse vnto God God begets no monsters as they say a child new-borne hath all the parts of a man though not the perfection of his growth So a new-borne babe in Christ is throughly and vniuersally changed though not yet a perfect man in Christ. 2. Sinceritie of change as well in heart and inwards parts as in life and outward carriage O Ierusalem saith the Prophet wash thine heart from wickednesse that thou mayest be saued how long shall thy vaine thoughts lodge within thee No externall priuiledges of Religion though neuer so glorious no exactnesse of the worke wrought no Pharisaicall formes of deuotion no outward behauiour be it neuer so blamelesse no cost or contributions in the seruice of God will serue the turne without sincerity of heart Though a man should come before the Lord with thousands of Rammes or tenne thousands of riuers of oyle should be giue his first-borne for his transgression the fruit of his body for the sinne of his soule should he bestow all his goods to feede the poore and giue his body to be burned were he able to comprehend within his braine the whole Booke of God and with the largenesse of his vnderstanding deuoure all that holy sence should hee eate and drinke vp at the Lords Table all the sanctified Bread and Wine were hee plunged ouer head and eares in the Water of Baptisme nay if it were possible washed outwardly from top to toe in the precious blood of Christ yet all this were more then all in vaine and vtterly vnauaileable without vprightnesse of the heart and puritie in the inward parts 3. Spirituall growth Vnregenerate men at the best grow but in the generalities flourishes deuout representations and temporary forwardnesse of formal Christianity Which is like the growth of corne on the house top or the seed springing out of the stony ground but the honest and good heart bringeth forth fruit with patience Spirituall stuntings there may bee and standings at a stay for a time But as good corne in a good soyle being refreshed after a binding drought with a groūd-showre springs vp faster and more freshly so it is with the sound-hearted Christian after a dampe in grace to which he may sometimes be subiect For being rowzed and awaked out of such a state by the quickening voice of a piercing ministery the cutting sting of an heauy crosse or some other speciall hand of God he layes hold vpon the Kingdome of Christ with more holy violence then before and labours afterward by the helpe of God to repaire his former spirituall decay with double diligence in watchfulnesse zeale and heauenly-mindednesse Progresse in Christianitie is resembled to the thriuing of a Child which may fall into sicknesse but it many times prooues a growing ague To a man in a race who may stumble and fall but after his rising takes surer footing and runnes faster To the ascending of the Sunne towards midday which may be ouercast with a cloud but after hee hath recouered a cleare sky shines more brightly and sweetely 4. Selfe-deniall Of which see something before page 52. Hee that would soundly comfort his conscience with the true testimony of a true Conuert must at the first giuing his name vnto Christ and vpon his proclaiming Warre and entering the lists against Satan sound with a sincere heart the depth of that fundamentall principle of Christianitie and Christs own holy rule If any man shall come after me let him deny himselfe c. Assoone as hee resignes vp himselfe to this Royall seruice vnder the colours of the Lord Iesus he must presently in our Sauiours sence make ouer all his interest in liberty life liuelihood all earthly pleasures and treasures without any reseruation or he will certainely faint and fall off in the day of battaile The necessitie of this rule and resolution is intimated vnto vs in two Parables Luk. 14. 28 31. A man that will build must count the cost beforehand and make sure of meanes to
wrangling fellow should lay claime vnto thy land thou wouldest not in such a case and controuersie consult with an ignorant neighbour hee perhaps out of his weakenesse and want of skill might raise doubts and dangers where there were none and put thee into a greater fright but thou wouldest haue recourse to some learned at the Law who vnderstandingly searching and surueying thine Euidences and finding no flaw would put thee out of all feare When in time of temptation thou art terrified and affrighted with renewed scruples and distractions about thy spirituall well-being doe not in any wise aduise with carnall reason which is starke blinde in the mystery of Christ much lesse with that euill One who is a sworne enemy to thy soule and father of lyes They may tell thee thou hast no sence no feeling therefore all is naught but to the Word and to the Testimonie let thy trembling heart cleaue to the impregnable truth of those sweetest promises Matth. 11. 28. Reuel 21. 6. Ioh. 7. 37. Isa. 55. 1 c. and thou art safe for euer For a more full impression of this comfortable point I would haue you to refresh your memories with a reuise of those foure estates of faith which I haue heretofore distinguished vpon purpose for the weakest Christians sake and know that the reflexed act of the lowest degree and least measure then mentioned might vpon good ground if hee doe not wilfully and wickedly refuse to be comforted fill his fearefull spirit as full with vnspeakeable glorious ioy as the Sunne is of light and the sea of waters These things laid together and well weighed may confect a precious and soueraigne Antidote against the slauish terrours causelesse feares and heauy walking of many which are true of heart distressed in conscience about their spirituall state who while they labour and long with insatiable greedinesse and I blame them not for a sensible assurance and feeling apprehension of Gods fauour doe too much neglect and disregard that comfort which their faith might affoord them vpon good ground in that notwithstanding their present distracting amazements and perplexity of spirit they are able still to commit their soules vnto Christ as a faithfull Redeemer and their euerlasting strength In this point I haue let some passages fall by the way which may serue to discouer and dissolue the vanity and weakenesse of that Dilemma wherein Bellarmine playes the wilfull egregious Sophister it runs thus The Protestants teach saith he that a man is iustified by speciall faith whereby he perswadeth himselfe that he is iust Now then he reasoneth thus When I begin to beleeue that I am iust I am either iust or vniust If iust then I am not iustified by faith by which I beleeue my selfe to bee iust because this faith is after my iustification If vniust then this faith is false and so a man should be iustified by a lye To this horned Argument wee answer thus There are sundry acts of speciall faith for my purpose at this time take notice of two 1. A fiduciall assent resting vpon the merit of Christ an affiance dependance adherence reliance or if there bee any other word expressing that act of an humbled soule whereby it casteth and reposeth it selfe onely vpon Gods promise in Christ for the obtaining of remission of sinnes and euerlasting life In this act the poore soule illightened and affrighted with sight and sence of its sinne and misery and seeing an infinite impossibility of satisfying God for the one or freeing it selfe from the other by any meanes or merit in heauen or earth but onely by the propitiatory mediation of Iesus Christ it throwes it selfe into his armes grasping fast about him hides it selfe in the clifts of this Rocke from the stormes of Gods fiercest and fiery indignation apprehends in him plentifull redemption and all-sufficiencie of saluation and therefore plyes him with strong cryes and teares for mercy bespeakes him in all termes of confidence and affiance My Lord and my God my hope my fortresse my rocke my strength my saluation saue me or I sinke hold mee fast or I am lost for euer You may see sometimes a little infant vpon apprehension and approach of some sudden danger how heartily and hastily it runnes into the mothers armes for succour and safety euen so a truely wounded soule pursued by the terrours of the Law and frighted with the dreadfull sight of Gods frowning countenance flyes with speed into the bosome of its blessed Redeemer clings inseparably vnto his bleeding wounds for euerlasting protection and there rests vpon the freenesse of his Loue merit of his Passion and truth of his Promise as vpon a Rocke of Eternitie neuer to bee remooued not the concurrent rage of all the Deuils in hell or powers of darknesse being euer able to make a diuorce By this act wee are accepted for iust before the Throne of Grace for Christs sake and sufferings 2. An act of certification which quickned by the Spirit of Grace when God pleaseth for his own glory and good of his Child reflecteth vpon the soule with a comfortable assurance that we are already in the armes of Christ and His for euer The least glimpse whereof a true heart would not exchange for all the Kingdomes vpon earth The first act makes vs iust The second findes vs iust and so certifies truely not by a lye as lying companions and Satans Sophisters calumniate It is the saying of an excellent Diuine both for depth of learning and height of Holinesse To beleeue that my sinnes are now pardoned and that I am saued this is not the first act of faith but followes when now a man doth see himselfe to be iustified in Christ. 2. By a secret application of the promises of the Gospell in forme of an experimentall Syllogisme thus Whosoeuer beleeues and repents is the Child of God But I beleeue and repent therefore I am the Child of God The maior or first proposition is cleare and euident in the very letter and by the immediate sense of Scripture See Iohn 3. 36. Acts 10. 45. 13. 39 c. But how doe you know the minor or second proposition to be certainely so By the certainty of internall vision whereby we as clearely see our faith as our life will thought knowledge c. as appeares in the forecited place of Austin In his opinion I say Faith is as visible to the internall eye of a sanctified mind as is a mans life and will Nay we are woont to discerne with a more eager eye and obseruation a Stranger then an ordinary Domestick Our life and will are inbred faith is aduentitious By the testimony of a renewed conscience which is as a thousand witnesses Now had I a thousand honest witnesses at the barre before an vpright Iudge to prooue my cause and iustifie my right against the outfacings and periuries of a Knight of the Poast as they say well knowne to be an infamous stigmaticall
forgerer and murtherer I would little doubt but to get the day It is proportionably so in this present point I meane betweene my regenerate illightned conscience and Satan Nay in this case should all the Deuils in Hell sweare the contrary did carnall reason naturall distrust or any other aduersary power cauill and contradict with neuer such irksome tediousnesse yet by the mercy of God I will not withstand that heauenly light standing in my conscience like an armed man I will neuer take away mine innocency from my selfe vntill I die But how do you know that you truly beleeue We may know perhaps that we haue some kind of faith but not that we haue the true liuely faith which will serue the turne for saluation I answer Saint Paul bids vs try and prooue our selues whether we haue that Faith by which Christ dwelleth in our hearts which is the faith of such as are accepted with God 2. Cor. 13. 5. Now it were strange if the blessed Spirit should bid vs examine and search for that which could not possibly be found out Againe if a man cannot be certaine that he beleeues with all his heart that is truly and sincerely Philips interrogatorie to the Eunuch Act. 8. 37. had beene in vaine and the Eunuchs reply rash and vnaduised Austin was cleerely of this mind that a man may be acquainted with the sincerity of his faith There is saith he a kind of glorying in the conscience when thou knowest thy faith is sincere thy hope certaine thy loue without dissembling But many say they beleeue and are deceiued thinking they haue that which they haue not How then can a man be certaine Answer So thousands amongst vs by the false spectacles of presumption making the bridge of Gods mercy broader then it is and larger then his truth which confines it onely to broken hearts are wofully deluded and ready euery moment to be drowned in the dungeon of fire and brimstone must therefore those few who are sincerely humbled for their sinnes truly beleeue and vpon good ground haue part in it be also deceiued Because mad men and men asleepe know not well that they are asleepe and rage must therefore men truly waking and wise not know certainely they are awake and in their wits The common people generally conceiue of the Sunnes magnitude that it is not past a foote round must therefore the certainetie of knowledge that it is many times bigger then the Earth be denied to the skilfull Astronomer Some men dreame that they are rich tumble themselues amongst their golden heapes and it is not so indeed when they awake doth no man therefore certainely know whether he be rich or no Conceiue proportionably of repentance an inseparable companion and effect of true faith which is then sauing when it is serious sincere and without hypocrisie and that may be manifest and cleerely discerneable to the heart that hath it Doe you thinke the seriousnesse of the Niniuites repentance was not certaine vnto them We haue receiued the Spirit of God saith Paul that we might know the things that are freely giuen vs of God which are not onely life euerlasting c. but iustification sanctification and such like I say sauingnesse of repentance as of faith consists not in the measure and muchnesse but in the sincerity and truth of which the true penitent may bee certaine as well as of his sorrow But now whereas the Popish Doctors being blind guides leade their hoodwinkt followers into such perplexed mazes of vncertainties and indeed impossibilities about contrition in respect of extension intension appretiation equiualence to sin no maruell though they pleade pertinaciously for the point and purgatory of doubting 3. By the effects and fruits growing from the roote of grace in the heart But there may be in the hypocrite an exact outward conformity and obedience I answer true it is that for the outside and carkasse as it were the workes of vnsactified men may be like to those of the godly but they are without the soule life and spirit which is in the worke of a true beleeuer to which he is no lesse priuy in his heart then to the outward worke which passeth thorow his hands And wee hold that workes done in vprightnesse of heart onely are they which truly testifie in this case Let euery true-hearted Nathaneel then comfortably conclude pardon and peace vnto his owne soule from all such fruits so qualified For instance in one Wee know that we haue passed from death to life because wee loue the Brethren 1. Ioh. 3. 14. I loue the Brethren therefore I am translated from death to life But is it possible for a man to know that he loues his Brethren as he ought and as the Apostle requires Saint Iohn makes it a signe of our being so translated therfore it may be knowne For signes manifesting other things must themselues be more manifest And Austin tels vs that a man knowes more the loue with which he loues then his brother whom he loues Thus may the Christian infallibly collect the sanctifying Spirit iustifying Faith sauing Grace to dwell in his heart by all good deeds holy duties inward or outward fruits springing from an vpright heart For as it followes and may be inferred infallibly and demonstratiuely from the effect to the proper cause in other things For example It is day therefore the Sunne is risen because day cannot be caused but by the Sunnes rising so in this point also explained as before If wee pursue and ply with true hearts the whole Trade of Christianity If we be sincerely exercised in the workes of holinesse iustice mercy and truth and walke humbly with our God we may build vpon it that we are truly blessed All such sound fruits of Faith are euident signes and demonstrations of our spirituall safety and standing fast for euer If ye doe these things saith Peter yee shall neuer fall 4. By the testimony of the Spirit which sometimes as in the time of more feruent prayer holy retyrednesse of mind heauenly meditation or in some quickning exercises of extraordinary humiliation or after some speciall important seruice done to God and his Church with humble sincerity and in true zeale or vpon the soule-searching passage of some well grounded Sermon of comfort and seasonable application of mercy or in the beginning of spirituall and end of naturall life as most needfull times or in the time of martyrdome and sincere sufferings for the Name of Christ c. I say at such times the Spirit may suggest and testifie to the sanctified conscience with a secret still hart-rauishing voice thus or in the like manner Thou art the Child of God Thou art in the number of those that shall be saued Thou shalt inherit life euerlasting And that as certainely and comfortably as if that Angell from Heauen should say to thee as he did to Daniel Greatly beloued And why should any Popish cauiller contradict this sith
A sound and vndeceiuing perswasion that thou art euerlastingly lockt in the armes of Gods mercy and loue grounded vpon the Word seconded and set on by the Spirit is a most rare and rich Iewell which doth infinitely out-shine and ouerweigh in sweetenesse and worth any rocke of Diamond Cristall Mountaine or this great Creation were it all conuerted into one vnualuable Pearle and therefore is infinitely enuied and assaulted mightily on all sides It is continually hunted like a Partridge on the Mountaines by naturall distrust the policy of Satan and all the powers of darkenesse There is not a wicked spirit but is transported with implacable indignation against that heauen vpon earth and therefore rages and roares about thee still to rob and bereaue thy humble brest of such an heauenly Iemme Besides the two maine ends and generall aimes of all the malice and machinations of those apostated angels 1. the dishonour of God and 2. the discomfort of mens soules In this poynt they are peculiarly enraged with extreme hellish anger to see a mortall man a childe of Adam crowned by Gods mercifull hand euen in this life with right and interest and as it were an earnest penny of the Inheritance with the Saints in light and of those blessed Mansions of glory and rest of which by their Apostacy and pride they haue vnhappily and euerlastingly depriued themselues Neither onely so but they imploy also their Agents enuious to the grace of God and thine owne fearefull heart to charge falsely many times vpon thee Hypocrisie and delusion left that white stone giuen thee by the holy Ghost the splendor and sweetnesse whereof none knoweth but hee that hath it should fairely shine vpon thy sad soule with that lightsomenesse and comfort as it both may and ought Whereupon it must needes follow that if thy perswasion be well grounded and assurance true it will be accompanied and often exercised with feares iealousies doubts distrusts varieties of temptations Satans firiest darts iniected scruples contradictions of flesh and blood cauils of carnall reasons want of comfortable feelign c. which will many times necessarily driue thee to cry mightily to God and complaine at the Throne of grace against all this hellish ordnance and assaults of thy vnbeleeuing heart by the wrastling of faith to warme thy â—…oule with meditation vpon the promises to re examine and reuise thy grounds to confirme thy watch to resort for counsell strength and comfort to the quickening meanes experience of former sweet feelings and motions of the Spirit to truly iudicious Diuines experienced Christians dayes of humiliation bookes of best rellish to a spirituall taste c. But now on the contrary side his presumptuous confidence and groundlesse conceit lyes in the Pharises bosome with much quietnesse and security without doubting difficulty contradiction or any such adoe The reason is his carnall heart is well enough content and meddles not because it still feedes vpon the delights of his darling sinne without disturbance Satan is too subtill to interpose tempt or interrupt in such a case For he well knoweth that his foundation is falsehood his hope of heauen but a golden dreame and therefore in policy he holds his peace that hee may hold him the faster Take notice by the way that that very thing which makes many a truehearted Christian to doubt of himselfe and of the soundnesse of his spirituall state should put him out of all doubt euen often exercise with doubts temptations multiplyed attempts against his faith and assurance of Gods loue prayed against humbly resisted and opposed with cleauing vnto the tenderheartednes of Christ truth of his promises though for the present he hath little or no feeling no such ioy and peace in so beleeuing And that very thing vpon which the deluded Ones doe build and many times boast themselues to wit that they are vntroubled vntempted in point of faith and pretended assurance may returne an infallible remonstrance to their own consciences that they are certainely deceiued For doubtlesse that faith which is neuer assaulted with doubting is but a fancy Assuredly that assurance which is euer secure is but a dreame Many a Pharise stands by the bedside of the sincere Professor visited with affliction of conscience and many heauy temptations secretly and sinfully pleasing himselfe in the vnblessed calmenesse of a groundlesse confidence and in his freedome from such terrors and spirituall troubles when as himselfe is like an Oxe fatting in the greene pastures of impunity and outward prosperity for the day of slaughter But the afflicted party is as precious gold purifying in the Lords refining furnace that hee may afterward come out and shine more gloriously 4. In that heart to which the Spirit of God testifies that we are His children Ro. 8. 16. doth the same Spirit create many feruent eiaculations strong cryes vnutterable groanings verse 26. The testimony of the Spirit is euer attended with the Spirit of prayer That glorious glimpse shining into the soule and assuring it of saluation is so sweete so heauenly so rauishing so transcendent and incomparably aboue all earthly ioy that it warmes the spirit of a man with quickning life liberty to powre out it selfe in the presence of his Lord and his God before the Throne of Grace sometimes in more hearty triumphant and as it were winged prayers at other times in those which are more faint and cold yet edged with infinite desires that they were more feruent and therefore by the way as it were mingled and perfumed with the soueraigne satisfactory incense in the Golden Censer which the Angell of the Couenant holds in his hand are graciously accepted of him which by an excellency and title of highest honour is stiled the Hearer of Prayers or at least with vnexpressable groanes and inward wrastlings for preseruation recouery enlargement of that same comfortable assurance it selfe and of all other holy graces and fruits of the Spirit purity of heart conquest ouer corruption neerer communion with God spirituallmindednesse and such other heauenly guests amongst whom it is woont to dwell with delight and represent it selfe more comfortably But now on the other side euery deluded Pharise is a meere stranger to the power of Prayer His presumption and groundlesse confidence is but a weede which will grow of its owne accord and therefore is not sensible of any necessity neither feeles any want of constant prayer from a broken heart vniuersall obedience or the holy precisenesse of the Saints to support it 5 An assurance of Gods Loue vpon sure ground doth mightily quicken keene and spurre forward the ingenuous Christian to more holinesse hatred of sinne resolution in good causes watchfulnesse ouer his heart walking with God Hauing these promises saith he let me cleanse my selfe from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God Hauing this hope I will labour to purifie my selfe euen as He is pure To
bring it downe and into the dust for increase of humiliation and lowlinesse in thine owne eyes as thou holdest out in the one hand the cleare Cristall of Gods pure Law to discouer the crookednesse of thy vile naturall disposition the villanies and skarlet abominations of thine vnregenerate time the daily spots staines which light vpon thy soule c. hold out also in the other hand or rather lay hold vpon Christ Iesus by the hand of faith hanging bleeding and dying vpon the Crosse for those very same sins that thereby thou maist vtterly quench all Satans fiery darts preuent drawing towards despaire nay preserue thy spirit in sweetest peace and vnconquerable comfort against if it be possible the least distrustfull intrusion of any slauish terrour 4. Vpon the holiest men that euer breathed the life of grace vpon earth and the most renowned in the Church thorow all generations for all spirituall sufficiencies and excellencies and thou shalt find them euer most humble in their owne conceits vilest in their own eyes nothing in their owne account Me thinks holy Pauls heauy complaint O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Heauenly Dauids continuall cry I am a worme and no man There is no rest in my bones because of my sinne My sinne is euer before me c. Blessed Bradfords abasing himselfe who was one of the worthiest Martyrs and the Heauenliest minded man that euer breathed out his last in the flames and ascended to heauen in a fiery chariot as himselfe spake at the stake I am as dry as a stone saith hee as dumbe as a nayle as farre from praying as he that neuer knew any taste of it He sometime subscribed in this manner to those Letters which were full of spirituall life diuinest streines and demonstration of the Spirit The most miserable hard-hearted vnthankefull sinner Iohn Bradford A very painted Hypocrite I. B. c. I say Me thinkes the humble deportment of these and all truely holy Ones should rather make thee sinke yet lower in thine owne conceit then swell with the poyson of Pharisaicall selfe-conceitednesse 5. Keepe in a readinesse and in fresh remembrance such considerations and cooling cards as it were as these when thy heart begins to swell vaine-gloriously That thou haddest thine hand in that fire-worke which blew vp all mankind I meane in Adams transgression that brought forth such a bloody sea of sinne and sorrow into the World such a world of miseries and mischiefes vpon all the sonnes and daughters of Adam all tortures vpon earth and torments in Hell thorow all eternity That thou camest into this world a sinke a Sodom a very hell of all filth and impuritie of all corruption and crookednesse euen a little Deuill for darkenesse and damnation That thou wofully lost and mis-spentst many yeeres perhaps the best of thy time strength of youth flowre of thy age in Satans seruice and vpon thy owne abominable lusts That now vpon thy conuersion the meere worke of Gods free grace thou being honored with part in Christs Passion with the presence of the blessed Spirit dwelling in thee with the highest aduancement of being Gods Fauourite the dearely beloued of his soule yet the best Sabbath that thou passest ouer the holyest duty that thou performest is distained and distempered with so many imperfections distractions frailties and failings That while thou yet inhabitest a house of flesh thou hast inherent in thy bowels secret seeds and inbred inclinations to all sinne Blesse the sanctifying Spirit for thy priuiledge and preseruation euen to Atheisme selfe-murder Sodomy despairing of Gods mercy familiarity with wicked spirits sinne against the Holy Ghost c. That whereas thousands about thee goe on in their sinnes and perish euerlastingly thy selfe it may bee before thy change worse then most of them yet now beeing sanctified thou mayest bee assured thy name was writ in Heauen from all eternitie and therefore from euerlasting thou layest in the bosome of Gods loue and from the same euerlasting had the Lord Iesus set apart to shead his blood in the fulnesse of time for the saluation of thy soule and haue patience but a little and euerlasting refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord thou shalt shine as the brightnesse of the firmament for euer and euer And in all this who made thee to differ Thou wast framed of the same mould made as it were of the same cloth onely the sheeres going betweene with those that perish It was onely Gods free grace the good pleasure of his will These and the like considerations layde together should infinitely rather mooue thee with all humble reuerence to adore the bottomlesse depth of Gods free loue vnto thee then conceitedly to magnifie thy selfe aboue thy brethren or proudly insult ouer those that are without to praise thy God with a neuer satisfied admiration of his vnconceiueable bounty then to plague thy soule and as it were empoyson thy graces with an humour of pride 6. Thou must shortly bee strictly accountable at the iust Tribunall of God for the vse and imployment of all the good things hee hath giuen vnto thee of thy life and euery moment of it of thy goods and euery farthing of them of euery word thou euer spokest of euery thought that euer sprung out of thy heart of euery Sermon thou euer heardst of euery Sabbath thou hast solemnized of euery line thou hast writ of euery glance of thine eye of euery iourney thou hast made c. of thy wit memory learning of thy strength courage credit of thine honour power and high place In a word of euery benefit or any good thing in any kinde thou euer receiuedst from the bountifull and blessed hand of Almightie God And the moe and more excellent and extraordinary endowments and gracious indulgences haue beene vouchsafed thee from the euer-springing Fountaine of all good the more exactly must thou bee answerable and in proportion accountable for more Wherefore sith the graces of saluation incomparably excell and outshine all other humane abilities all excellencies of nature art policie learning or what else can bee named admirable in the eyes of men God lookes that wee should keepe those heauenly Iewels especially orient bright and shining communicate them most frankely and abundantly to our brethren and with all watchfulnesse and wisdome vpon all opportunities imploy them to our Masters greatest and most glorious aduantage Now there is nothing more hinders the fruitfull improouement of them then Pride Nothing makes them more passable and profitable then Humility A proud man puft vp with an opinion of his good parts doth ordinarily out of an itching ambitious humour single out such seasons for discouerie of himselfe and ostentation of his gifts when hee may winne most applause from men and shew himselfe vaine-gloriously and thereupon is more rare dainty and reserued in exercising his talent But a downeright humble Christian is in this kinde
no wicked or vnregenerate man hath any true cause or good ground at all to reioyce laugh or bee merry I will make it plaine in a word euen to the scorner Suppose a great man conuicted and condemned for Treason going towards the place of execution a mile off and let there a Table all along be furnished with variety of dainties let him tread vpon Violets and Roles cloth of Arras cloth of Gold or what you will all the way let him bee attended on both sides with most exquisite musicke and honourable entertainments Doe you thinke all this would make him laugh heartily carrying this in his heart that he must loose his head at the miles end I â—…row not As farre lesse true cause hast thou to laugh whosoeuer thou art that walkest on impenitently in any wicked course or liest delightfully in any beloued sinne as a temporall death is lesse then endlesse torments For he is but going to loose his head but thou as an already condemned man also art posting towards hell Hee that beleeueth not saith Iohn is condemned already Ioh. 3. 18. If we peruse punctually the happiest estate of the most glorious worldling all his wayes we shall finde no matter at all for true ioy either to breed in or feed vpon Let vâ—… walke into his fooles Paradise and suruey all the fâ—…ding â—…owres of his imaginary felicities It may be we shall finde wealth power pleasures honours pompe and magnificence of state perhaps an Imperiall Crowne the top of all earthly happinesse And what of all these Alas Gold and Pearle aâ—… one sayes are but shining dust or excrements of the earth Power is but a flash of lightning â—…hat feares or strikes another and foorth with it selfe is suddenly extinct Pleasure is but a baite and yet passeth away in the act as the taste of a pleasant drinke dieth in the draught Honour is but a breath and yet binds a man in guilded fetters and blasts his spirit with farre more care and feare then when hee was most meane Euen as highest boughs are most shaken by the windes and the points of steeples beaten most with stormes and lightning All worldly splendor and pompe is but a smoake which vanisheth as it riseth and drawes teares from the eyes Euen a Regâ—…ll Diademe in the sence and censure of an Heathenish King is attended with such a weighty irkesome and painfull charge that saith he He who foreknew the weight of a Scepter should he finde it lying vpon the ground he would not deigne to take iâ—… vp And what is himselfe the owner and Lord of all these A little walking earth a coloured piece of clay a warme piece of dirt a very bag of choler fleame and other filth to day a man to morrow none his breath is in his nostrils stop but his nose and he is dead And what is his abode amongst these painted vanities and things of nought For sudden passage and change it is like a Shepheards tent a Weauers shuttle or a water bubble like a hying Poast or a flying cloud like a ship vnder saile or an Eagle on her wings like a fading flower or a falling leafe like foame that is scattered or dust that is driuen with the winde like a vapour a thought a smoake a winde that passeth and commeth not againe like a flying shadow yea the very dreame of a shadow as one sayes and that a morning dreame which is euen as soone ended as begun But let vs looke into his inside and the state of his soule and see if wee can there finde any more peace comfort or constancie No there you shall behold a liuely resemblance of the very restlesse tumultuations of the raging sea the neuer-dying Worme breeding and growing big in the froth of his filthy lusts and rottennesse of his rebellious heart In a word his poore soule bleeding to eternall death Let vs come vnto his death from the ineuitable stroake whereof all the Gold and Pearle of East and West can no more redeeme him then can an handfull of dust and there he shall find despaire and horrour like two euening Wolues enraged with hellish hunger ready to teare his soule in pieces when there is none to help And what followes He must lay down his cold carkasse among the stones of the pit at the rootes of the rocks his name by reason of his former pride luxury oppression opposition to goodnesse shall rot as fast and stinke as bad aboue ground as his body in the graue And lastly the onely forethought whereof should make him tremble all the dayes of his life his immortall soule sinkes irrecouerably by the weight of sinne into the bottome of the burning Lake where there are torments without end and past imagination exceeding not onely all patience but all resistance where there is no strength to fustaine nor abilitie to beate that which there whilest God is God for euer must be borne And when they haue beene endured millions of yeeres yet are no neerer endâ—… then when they began nor the soule neerer out then when it came in Tell me then I pray you in all this is there any roome for reioycing Is there any matter for true mirth No more then taste in the white of an egge then strength in a broken staffe of reede then sweetnesse in the apples of Sodom Why then it is a shame for the weakest Christian that breathes but the spirituall life euen of holy desires â—… not to be infinitely more merry then the most glorious and magnificent worldling vpon earth Shall a gracelesse wretch going towards hell to whom God himselfe hath proclaimed There is no peace no ioy as the Sepâ—…uagints tender it who is a meere Thiefe Robber and vsurper in respect of all the ioyes vpon which he intrudes and which way soeuer hee casts his eyes if hee weare not false spectacles or bee blindfolded by the Diuell can see nothing but the vgly face of horrour and true cause of trembling If hee looke backward vpon the time past hee may see all the abominable lusts of his youth all the sinnes of his former life registred with an iron pen in the booke of his conscience and lurking there like so many sleeping lions who vpoÌ„ the very first touch of Gods visiting hand will awake arise and rent impieces If he looke vpon his present state thorow the cleare Cristall of Gods righteous Law He may see Diuine vengeance dogging him hard at the heeles ready to strike him downe into hell vpon the next riot and rebellion against 〈◊〉 patient Lord That most horrible fiery tempestuous 〈◊〉 Psalm 11. 6. ready to fall vpon his head euen when he is warmest in his wealth and in the hottest gleame of his worldly prosperity sudden destruction ready to seaze vpon him vnauoydably as trauell vpon a woman with childe when hee is singing the securest Requiem to his soule of safety and peace If hee looke forward to future time hee sees death the
graue Gods strict Tribunall the last Iudgement and endlesse miseries of the other world the sting poyson and terrors of which he shall neuer be able either to auoide or abide I say Shall such a fellow fleere in the face And shall not a true hearted Nathanael to whom Iesus Christ hath bequeathed a legacy of peace whom the Spirit of God bids reioyce euermore and who which way soeuer he lookes if he open his eye of faith shall see nothing but matter of sweetest contemplation infinite cause of truest ioy and spirituall rauishment If he looke backward vpon the time whilest he yet lay vnder the â—…yranny of the Diuell and dominion of the first death hee shall see the Catalogue of all his former sinnes should it be as blacke as hell as soule as Sodom as red as scarlet fairely and for euer washed away in that fountaine opened for sinne and for vncleannesse euen the precious blood of that immaculate Lambe Iesus Christ the Holy and the righteous If hee looke vpon his present state he shall finde himselfe preserued as a Iewell most safe in the precious Cabinet of Gods dearest prouidence enuironed with a glorious guard of mighty Angels kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation ready to be reuealed in the last time If hee looke forward hee shall see death indeed but the stâ—…g taken out of it by the death of Christ the graue perfumed to his hand by his Sauiours blessed Buriall wherein hee may lye downe as in a bed of Downe fenced with the omnipotent arme of God for the glory of the Resurrection the Throne of grace in Heauen standing vpon pillars of mercy and loue where Iesus Christ sits as Iudge who shed his hearts bloud for him and is his Aduocate while he yet abides in this vale of teares the bosome of Abraham the armes of God Almighty wide open and stretched out to receiue him at the end of his Pilgrimage into his Masters ioy I say shall such a happy soule not haue an Heauen in his heart but be heauy-hearted Shall a vassall of the Diuell laugh and an hâ—…ire of Heauen looke heauy Monstrous absurditie 2. Euery Christian after his new creation hath euer incomparably more matter of mirth theÌ„ mourning infinitely greater cause to bee rauished with spirituall ioy then to bee deiected by griefe Though this may seeme a paradox to the clearest eye and best apprehension of worldly wisedome yet in truth it is a true principle in the mysterie of Christ. I doe thus manifest it and make it good to the saddest mourner in Sion if hee doe not giue more care to the lying malicious dictates of the Diuell and distrusts of his owne heart then to the well-grounded counsell of the Prophets and impregnable truth of Gods blessed Word In the right estimate and valuation all the afflictions and sufferings of this life whether of soule bodie outward state or any way are but dust in the ballance in respect of that exceeding excessiue eternall weight of glory purchased and prepared for him by the bloud of his dearest Lord. In the originall it is as a worthy Diuine sayes well a superlatiue transcendent phrase of speech which farre passeth the height of all humane Oratory and all the Râ—…toricke of the most eloquent Heathens because they neuer treated vpon such a Theame they were not inspired with such a spirit Whereupon saith the Apostle in another place Ireckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall bee reuealed in vs. Whence it followeth that a very fore-imagination of that most vnconceiueable happinesse to bee had hereafter to wit the shining splendour and sun-like glory of our bodies the vnspeakeable perfections and excellencies of our soules the admirable beauty of the place the glorious comfort of our heauenly company the beatificall fruition of the most blessed Trinity c. and that which crownes our blisse with impossibility of further addition endlesnesse of all these I say a serious preconceit hereof illightened and strengthened by saith is able to hold vp the Christians heart with infinite strength and to refresh it with a secret vnutterable gladnesse euen amidst varietie and extremiâ—…ie of all worldly troubles and doth minister as farre more matter of reioycing then these of mourning as that forementioned exceeding excessiue euerlasting weight of glory is to bee preferred before a little momentany light affliction Hence it is that the holy Martyrs of Iesus were so merry and sweetly contented in the middest of all their outward miseries pressures persecutions and Martyrdome it selfe I was in prison saith one of them till I goe into prison I feele no more paine saith another in the fire then if I were in a bed of Downe it is as sweet to me as a bed of Roses I beleeue saith a third there is not a 〈◊〉 heart in the world at this instant then mine it To One obiecting to a fourth Christs agâ—…ny and sadnesse to his cheâ—…refulnesse Yea saith he Christ was sad that I might be merry He had my sinnes and I haue his merit and righteousnesse But specially let vs looke vpon Paul a blessed and precious patterne for vs to imitate in this point He was troubled on euery side Without were fightings within were feares He was in stripes aboue measure in prisons more frequent in deaths â—…t Of the Iewes fiue times receiued he forty stripes saue one Thrice was hee beaten with rods Once was hee stoned Thrice hee suffered Shipwracke A night and a day was hee in the deepe In iourneying often in perils of water in pâ—…ils of robbers in perill by his owne countrymâ—…n in perils by the heathen in perils in the Citie in perils in the Wildernessâ—… in perils in the Sea in perils amongst false brethren In wearinesse and painefulnesse in watchings often in hunger and thirst in fastings often in cold and nakednesse He was called a pestilent fellow He was accounted as thâ—… filth of thâ—… world and off scouring of all things And yet for all this he professeth of himselfe that hee tooke pleasure iâ—… infirmities in reproches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christs sake Nay which is more and more punctuall for my purpose hee saith in another place That he was filled with comfort and exceeding ioyfull in all his tribulation Now euery sincere-hearted Professor is bound to ouer-abound exceedingly in this ioy as well as Paul Not so saith the weake Christian for Paul had a stronger faith then I and more grace It is true but yet thy faith is as true as his And it is not so much the muchnesse as the truth of faith which giues right and interest to a Crowne of life comfort in all afflictions and euerlasting lightsomenesse Therefore well said a worthy witnesse to the truth Paul and Peter were more honorable members of Christ then I but I am a
and scorne from the World for thy profession which naturally much nettles a noble spirit doe crowne thy head and should fill thy heart with abundance of glory blessednesse and ioy If ye be reproched for the Name of Christ happy are yee saith Peter for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth vpon you 1. Pet. 4. 14. Blessed are yee saith Christ himselfe when men shall reuile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of euill against you falsely for my sake reioyce and be exceeding glad Math. 5. 11. 12. Scurrilities and scoffes all spitefull speeches odious nick-names lying imputations cast vpon thee in this kind by tongues which cut like a sharpe rasor are in their due estimate and true account as so many honorable badges Let no cowardly Christian then decline them with wounding of his conscience of thy Christian magnanimitie and resolute standing on the Lords side and at the Throne of Christ will be certainely reputed as characters of speciall honour and remembrancers of thy worthy seruice whereby thou shalt appeare more acceptable and amiable in the eyes of Almightie God and all that glorious triumphant Church aboue 5. If thou rightly temper and well weigh euen thy sorest sorrow and the very bleeding of thy heart for sinne it should bee so farre from damping the lightsomnesse of thy spirit that it ought to open vnto thee a well-spring of purest ioy For the penitent melting of our affections and kindly mourning ouer Him whom we haue pierced with our sinnes argues infallibly and sweetely assures the presence and sanctifying power of the holy Spirit And what greater comfort or sweeter delight then that which ariseth from a well grounded euidence that the Fountaine of all comfort dwels in our soules Such teares as burst out of a heart opprest with griefe for sinne are like an April showre which though it wet a little yet it begets a great deale of sweetnesse in the herbes flowers and fruits of the earth As euen in laughing the heart of the wicked is sorrowfull so contrarily euen in such mourning the heart of the true penitent is lightsome and comfortable For habituall ioy may not onely consist with actuall sorrow and contrarily but also euen actuall ioy with actuall sorrow This is no strange thing in other cases when wee see a good man persecuted for a good cause stand to it nobly wee grieue for his troubles but reioyce in his resolution and vndauntednes As wee ought then to grieue bitterly for our sinnes so let vs reioyce immeasurably for such ingenuous grieuing Let vs lament heartily ouer him whom we haue wounded with our abominable lusts but let vs also bee infinitely glad at the very heart roote that they are all pardoned by the powring out of his blood Not the most exquisite quintessence and extraction of all manner of Musicke Sets or Consorts vocall or instrumentall can possibly conuey so delicious a touch and rellish to the outward eare of a man as a certificate brought from the Throne of mercy by the blessed Spirit sealed with Christs blood to the bruised heart and grieued soule of an humble sinner in the very depth of his sorrow 6. If thou be troubled with temptations and exercised euen with varietie of them heare the holy Ghost Count it all ioy when yee fall into diuers temptations To let other particulars passe From the very foulest and most griesly suggestions of Satan thou mayst collect this common glorious comfort That thou art none of his For as hee is wont to keepe vnconuerted men in as merry a moode and faire a calme of outward contentment and inward securitie as he can possibly retiring and reseruing his most fiery darts and hideous temptations vntill hee haue them at some dead lift and vnauoidable strait so all that are broke out of his hellish prison by the help of the holy Ghost he ordinarily pursues with deadly rage and all the powers of darknesse Hee hunts them in his fittest seasons like a Partridge in the Mountaines with troubles without and terrours within The lesse peace thou hast therefore from him the more pleasure mayst thou take in thine escape out of his clutches The more restlessely he followes thee with the fury and variety of his temptations the more sweetly and securely if thou wilt giue way to the counsell of the Prophets and the worke of â—…aith mayst thou repose thy wearied soule vpon the comfortable assurance of being certainly Gods 5. Euery one that hath part in Christs death is bound in conscience and bidden by the blessed Spirit to leade a most merry life euen to keepe a Feast a spirituall Holyday as it were from all seruile terrours slauish sadnesse vncomfortable deiections of spirit For euen Christour Passeouer is sacrificed for vs therefore let vs keepe the Feast 1. Cor. 5. 7. The sweetnesse and excellency of this Feast is notably set out and amplified by 1. the beautifull garments wee put on and weare when we are admitted vnto it 2. The matter and magnificent prouision 3. The musicke 4. The franke and bountifull entertainment and plenty 5. The extraordinarie pompe and princelinesse 1. For the first meditate ioyfully vpon that rich attire and those Royall attributes glorifying and crowning Christs blessed Spouse with most admirable and rauishing beauty Cant. 6. 10. Who is she that looketh forth as the morning faire as the Moone pure as the Sunne terrible as an army with Banners And know that all the essentiall glory and fairenesse which is to be found in the whole Church the Woman clothed with the Sunne as that of iustification and sanctification c. belongs to euery member thereof to euery faithfull Christian. As the morning 1. The morning springs out of the greatest darknesse the night is most darke as they say a little before day the illuminated soule arises out of the most darksome and damned graue of ignorance and sinne 2. The beauty of the morning is principally seene in her ruddinesse The soule that is newly deliuered out of the horror of Egyptian darknesse and hands of the hellish Pharaoh is all ruddy with passing thorow the red Sea of Christs blood that is the ground vpon which all its beauty and blessednesse is built 2. The glory of the morning after its first peeping in the East spreads fairer and fairer in all beauty and brightnesse vntill the mid-day and full illustration of the World Grace in the soule after the first plantation growes stronger and stronger shines fairer and fairer vntil it set in the bottomlesse Ocean of endlesse Glory See Prou. 4. 18. Faire as the Moone 1. The Moone receiues all her light and lustre from the Sunne all the graces holinesse inherent righteousnesse shining in a sanctified soule are the image and impressions of the Sunne of righteousnesse 2. The Moone hath some spots in her face but yet is a very beautifull creature by her borrowed light The Christian is somewhat blacke with the remnants of
originall corruption and by reason of his vnauoideable frailties and imperfections but yet comely as the curtaines of Salomon by the glory of his new creation and gracious beames that shine vpon his soule from the face of Christ. 3. The further the Moone is remoued from the Sunne the fairer she is and fuller of light The more an humble soule vpon sight of that holy Maiestie and purest eye ten thousand times brighter then the Sun which cannot look on iniquitie doth retire with lowliest thoughts into himselfe to abhorre himselfe in dust and ashes as most vile and farre worthier to be throwne into the lowest dungeon of the kingdome of darknesse then to bee honoured with the loue and light of his countenance is more beautifull and amiable in the eyes of God Fure as the Sunne The Moone shadowes out inherent fairenesse the Sunne resembles and represents our imputed puritie So that this Royall Robe the Sunne of righteousnesse the vnspotted Iustice of Iesus Christ doth glorifie the soule 1. With an entire vnstained beautie our inherent holinesse hath some spots and staines of imperfection like the Moone but that imputed for our iustification is much more spotlesse and orient then the Sunne 2 Vniuersally Wee are washed as it were from top to toe in the blood of Christ and couered wholly with his perfect righteousnesse 3. Constantly The exercise of spirituall graces and sence of inward comfort may sometimes ebbe and waâ—…e for a time but the Robe of Christs Royall Iustice once put on by the hand of Faith is sure and the same for euer Terrible as an armie with banners Besides this rich and royall attire all this abundance of spirituall fairenesse and beauty wee are to put on also leâ—…t hellish Harpies that I may so speake snatch away our delicious and diuine dainties that glistering Armour thicke seâ—… with heauenly Pearles described Ephes. 6. The glorious splendour whereof is able to dazle the deuils eyes to daunt his courage and driue him out of the field For hee well knowes it to bee tryed and of proofe worne by our Captaine Christ Iesus who foild him by the sword of the Spirit in that great combate in the Wildernesse Mat. 4. And it is that by which the weakest Christians shall shortly by the blessing of the God of Peace bruise Satan vnder their feet The summe is The heauenly attire of a sanctified soule is farre fairer and more amiable then the exquisite concurrence of all earthly beauties and visible glory Were the light of all the starres aboue collected into Sunnes which Astronomers say would make many and added vnto that great bright Body the Prince of all the lampes in heauen nay if besides there were an accession of all the orient splendour of all the Pearles and Iewels of all the Crystall and glistering things in this lower world and all compacted into one beautifull body it would be but as a lumpe of darknesse to the glory and fairenesse of a sanctified soule For the beauty and amiablenesse of an holy soule inflames the heart and affections of the Sonne of God with an extraordinarie pang of spirituall feruent loue Cant. 4. 9. whereas not all the glory of the world though represented to his eye with the fairest lustre and in the most refined forme could moue him euer a whit Matth 4. 8 9 10. Plato was wont to say if morall vertues could be seene with the outward eye they would stirre vp in the heart extraordinary flames of admiration and loue what vnspeakeable rauishments then would Christian graces enkindle were they visible to the carnall eyes They would be able to make Persecutors Professors to turne euen Drunkards into Puritans as they call them the most sensuall Epicure into a mortified Saint For the second Let thy spirituall appetite seed merrily vpon that sweetest place Isa. 25 6. And in this mountaine shall the Lord of Hosts c. Heere is prouided as wee may see a magnificent and glorious feast composed all of marrow and fatnesse of most refined and purified wines which shadow vnto vs spirituall delicacies those golden dainties digd out of the rich myne of the mysterie of Christ by the hand of Faith in the Word Sacraments Prayer Communion of Saints solemne humiliations sweet Soliloquies solitary conferences with our God feeling forethought of infinite ioyes thorow eternity c. Euery circumstance breathes out nothing but sweetnesse In this mountaine It is dressed in Mount Zion The perfection of beautie The ioy of the whole earth The glory of all Lands which represents vnto vs by way of shadow and type the ouerflowing glory of the Christian Church the very Heauen of all humane societies our onely Sunne in this inferiour world which though so much maligned yet were it remooued there would bee a little hell vpon earth and nothing left but a darke Midnight of villany and horror for incarnate Deuils to domineere in A feast of fat things a feast of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the lees well refined Hereby is intimated the matter of the Feast and Royall prouision amplified with extraordinary Emphasis of words elegancy of phrase and iteration of the same sence with variety of expression which also argues its excellency It is not enough to haue said of fat things but there is added of fat things full of marrow and so proportionably of the wines to intimate the most exquisite refined flower of all delicacies and dainties The marrow of the fatnesse as if a man should say the spirit of the quintessence the Diamond of the Ring the sparkle of the Diamond c. And yet all this comes infinitely short of what the holy Ghost would shadow and shew vnto vs by the most sumptuous materials of earthly Feasts But aboue all that which makes the Feast most matchlesse is the Feast-maker Iehouah is the founder and furnisher of it The maker of heauen and earth makes it The Poets describing men of most ambitious appetites after choisest dainties say that they rob all the Elements to please their palates The Master of this Feast the euer-blessed Iehoua tells vs of his store and treasuries this way Psal. 50. 10 11. Euery beast of the 〈◊〉 is mine and the cattell vpon a thousand hills I know all the fowles of the mountaines and the wild beasts of the field are mine But all these being but onely matter of corporall food are yet nothing to the spirituall sweetenesse of this heauenly Banqueâ—… The secret and sacred delight of those diuine dainties intended here by the holy Ghost being vnspeakable and glorious doth infinitely transcend the possibility of all creatures to contribute and the capacity of the largest naturall vnderstanding to conceiue So must be construed as a worthy Diuine sayes truly that Text 1 Cor. 2. Not of the ioyes of heauen which heere the spirituall man himselfe cannot tell what they shall bee but of the Gospels ioy of the Wine and
brests of euerlasting consolations And sith hee is incorporated into Iesus Christ and vpon all assayes hath the wings of faith in a readinesse to outsoare the height of all humane miseries let him for euer stand like Mount Zion inexpugnable and vnshaken with the most furious incursions of the floods and tempests of all worldly troubles pressures and persecutions Let all those monstrous and most abhorred iniections filthy temptations and fiery darts pointed with the very malice of hell ordinarily offered to the imagination of the best bee resolutely repelled by the shield of faith and retorted as dung vpon the Tempters face Let all vngodly oppositions from man or deuill or fearefull distrust be but as so many proud and swelling waues dashing against a mighty Rocke which the more boisterously they beate vpon it the more are they broken and turned into a vaine foame and froth But to descend with thee more punctually to some particulars Tell mee truly thou which hast giuen thy name to Christ in truth what it is that troubles thee what is it that still detaines thine heauy heart in the chaines and fetters of horrour and sadnesse and lockes it vp so long from the entrance and entertainement of spirituall lightsomenesse and ioy And if I bee not able to confront and confound it by some well-grounded counter-comfort and Antidote out of the Oracle of truth if I be not able to discouer it to bee a selfe-created crosse and to dissolue it into an imaginary and groundlesse fancie by the light of the Word then walke heauily still Onely beleeue the Prophets and thou shalt prosper Thou must then bee contented to be counselled by the faithfull Physicions of thy soule who can shew vnto man his vprightnesse and are instructed vnto the kingdome of heauen especially fetching all their prescriptions receits and counterpoysons out of the rich Treasurie of the Booke of Life Thou must learne 1. To put a difference betweene nullity of grace and imperfection of grace Many good soules desire sincerely that their hearts were broken in pieces and bled at the root for their many and hainous sinnes grieuing much that they can grieue no more They hunger and thirst for Christs righteousnesse more then for the wealth of the whole world They groane mightily in spirit for Gods fauour pardon of sinne power ouer their corruptions ability to pray better c. But yet because they feele not that measure of sensible smart and anguish of heart in lamenting their former life as they desire because they haue not their wished ioy and peace in beleeuing because they cannot now pray as feruently and feelingly as they perhaps were formerly woont not with that freedome and heartinesse as they would in a word because they are yet but smoaking flaxe and bruised reedes not full shining lampes and strong Pillars in the House of God they will needs haue all to be nought Whereby they I will not say belie the Spirit but most vnworthily deny and in their conceites nullifie his already wonderfull glorious worke vpon their soules to their I know not how great spirituall hurt and hinderance For such intolerable vnthankefulnesse may bee iustly punished and paide home with longer detainement vpon the Racke of distrustfull slauish feare and vnder the bondage of Legall terrours It is a speciall point then of spirituall wisedome and of singular consequence for the soules quiet and welfare to discerne weakenesse of grace from want of grace Christ Iesus declaring in his heauenly Sermon who are blessed doth not instance in the perfections excellencies and heights of Christianity though all that are true of heart sincerely pray for and presse after them but in the least and lowest degrees lest the smoking flaxe should bee quenched and bruised reedes bee broken He doeth not say Blessed are the stong in Faith the full assured Blessed are those that take on for their sinnes as for their onely sonne and for their first borne but Blessed are they which doe hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Blessed are the poore in spirit c. 2. Not alwayes to make sence and feeling the Touchstone for the truth of thy spirituall state A man in a swoone or a sleepe feeles not his life and yet is a liuing man It is one thing to haue grace another to feele grace One thing the life of faith another the life of sence 3. Not to disgrace thy owne graces by casting thine eye too deiectedly vpon other Christians perfections and precedencies Let it not fare with thee in this case as it doth with one gazing too much vpon the Sunne who looking downewards againe can see iust nothing whereas before he cleerely discerned all colours about him Looke vpon them for imitation and quickning not for slauish deiection and selfe-blinding 4. To acknowledge and expect that heauenly graces as Faith c. while they inhabite these earthly houses ebbe and flow waxe and wane faint and flourish by reason of the combate betweene the flesh and the Spirit So that if a man should tell mee that he hath euer prayed alike without temptation or dampes without any sence at any time of deadnesse or spirituall distempers that he hath euer beleeued alike without those doubts and scruples that faintnesse and feare of which most Christians so much complaine I durst confidently reply that then he neuer either prayed acceptably or beleeued sauingly The Fathers fitly resemble the state of the Church to the variable condition of the Moone which sometimes shines more gloriously sometimes not so It is so also with euery true member thereof in respect of the exercise of grace comfort in holy duties sence of Gods fauour spirituall feeling 5. To beleeue the Spirit of Truth the Word of God and voice of Christ before the father of lies dictates of naturall distrust and suggestions of flesh and blood To which methinks thou shouldest be easily perswaded and then all the mists of thy spirituall miseries would be quickly dispersed It is a mighty worke if not a great miracle to get any softnesse at all or true remorse for sinne into the heart of a man it is naturally so stony and impatient of griefe and the deuill such a stirrer against it so that the most are meere strangers vnto it yet for all that when this penitent sorrow is once sincerely on foote in an afflicted soule so endlessely and on euery side are wee prest with the policies of Hell it is too often too forward to feede vpon teares still and still too wilfull in refusing to bee comforted Satan then will bee ready to say Thou seest now thy conscience being illightened thy sinnes are so horrible and haiâ—…ous that they are too heauy a burden for thee to beare there is no way with thee but to sinke into horrour and despaire But what saith Christ Nay now is the season Come vnto me thus weary and heauy laden with thy sinne and I will refresh thee Here now if thou wilt beleeue the
place of Dragons This alone stings desperately keepes mee from Christ and cuts mee off from all hope of Heauen I am afraid my wilfull wallowing in it heretofore hath so reprobated my mind seared my conscience and hardened my heart that I shall neuer be able to repent with any hope of pardon And why so Is this sinne of thine greater then Manassehs familiaritie with wicked spirits Then Pauls drinking vp the blood of Saints Then any of theirs in that blacke Bill 1. Cor. 6. 10. 11. who notwithstanding were afterward vpon repentance washed sanctified and iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God Then Eâ—…s transgression who opened the floodgate to al the sins which shall bee committed from the Creation to the end of the World and to all those torments which shall flame in Hell thorow all eternitie Then that horrible sin of killing Christ Iesus And yet the murderers of that Iust and holy One vpon their true compunction of heart were saued by that precious blood which they had cruelly spilt as water vpon the ground But be it what it will a scarlet sinne a crimsin sinne a crying sinne and adde vnto it Satans malicious aggrauations and all that horrour which the deiectednesse of thy present afflicted spirit and darkenesse of thy melancholike imagination can put vpon it yet Pauls precious Antidote Rom. 5. 20 holds triumphantly Soueraigne aswell against the hainousnesse of any one sinne as the confluence of many Where sinne abounded grace ouer-abounded It is indeed a very heauy case and to bee deplored euen with teares of blood that thou shouldest euer haue so highly dishonoured thy gracious God with such an horrible sinne in the dayes of thy vanitie and thou oughtest rather chuse to bee â—…orne in pieces with wilde Horses then commit it againe yet if thy heart now truely wounded with horrour and hate of it will but cleaue to the truth and tenderheartednesse of Iesus Christ in his promises and fall into his blessed and bleeding armes stretched out most louingly to â—…ase and refresh thee as the hainousnesse of it hath abounded heretofore His grace will now abound to the same proportion and much more Nay I will shew thee a Pearle In this case by accident Gods mercies shal be extraordinarily honoured in pardoning such a prodigious prouocation because they are thereby as it were put into it and their dearenesse sweetnesse and infinitenesse improoued to the greater height and excellency and the blood of Christ made as it were more orient and illustrious and the honour and preciousnesse of it aduanced by washing away such an hainous hellish spot If we bring broken beleeuing hearts towards his Mercy-seate it is the Lords Name to forgiue all sorts of offences iniquitie transgression and sinne Exod. 34. 7. It is His Couenant to sprinkle cleane water vpon vs that we may be cleane and to cleanse vs from all our filthinesse and from all our Idols Exek 36. 25. euen from Idolatry the highest villany against the Maiestie of Heauen So that a Papist vpon repentance may be saued It is His promise not onely to pardon ordinary sinnes but those also which be as scarlet and red like crimsin Isai. 1. 18. It is his free compassion to cast all our sinnes into the depths of the sea Mich. 7. 19. Now the sea by reason of his vastnesse can drowne as well Mountaines as Molehills the boundlesse Ocean of Gods mercies can swallow vp our mightiest sinnes much more It is his mercifull power to blot out our sinnes as a cloud Isai. 44. 22. Now the strength of the Summers Sunne is able to scatter the thickest Fog as well as the thinnest Mist nay to driue away the darkest midnight the vnresistable heate of Gods free loue shining thorow the Sun of Righteousnes vpon a penitent soule to dissolue to nothing the desperatest worke of darkenesse and most horrible sinne farre more easily But this mysterie of mercy and miracle of Gods free loue is a Iewell onely for truely humbled soules and the sealed Fountaine Let no stranger to the life of godlinesse meddle with it Let no Swine trample it vnder his feete FINIS a Haec iustorum simplicitas deridetur quia ab hâ—…ius mundi sapientibus puritatis virtus â—…atuitas câ—…editur Greg. in â—…ap 12. Iob cap. 16. b Et quid diuitiae perâ—…untes transitoriae facultates nisi 〈◊〉 aeter na diligentibus sunt â—… Greg. in 1 Reg. cap. 2. c Non debet pro magno habeâ—…i honor humanus quia nullius est ponderis fumus August de Ciâ—…it Dei lib. 5. cap. 17. d Cùm coeperit Deo quisque viâ—…ere mundum contemnere iniurias suas nolle vlcisci nolle hîc diultias non hîc quaerere foelicitatem terrenam contemnere omnia Dominum solùm cogitare viam Christi non deserere non solùm à Paganis dicitur insanus sed quod magis dolendum est quia intus multi dormiunt vigilare nolunt à suis à Christianis audiunt Dictum est de ipso Domino quod insaniret August in Psal. 84. e Nobilitas Heroica est eminentia quaedam notabilis c. per quam homo fiâ—… per adoptionem Filius Dei fit Sponsa Christi sit Templum Spiritus Sancti sine quâ nobilitates caetâ—…rae nihil sunt nhiil proficiunt Gers. Tractat. De nobilitate Psal. 11. 6. f Cùm coeperit homo Christianus cogitare proficere incipit pati linguas aduersaâ—…tium Quicunque illas nondum passus est nondum proficit quicunque illas non patitut nec conatur proficere August in Psal. 119. g Heb. 11. 36 38. h Isa. 6. 2 3. i Ezech. 16. 14. zech 13. 11. g Lib. 5. Sect. 1. Prou. 3. 17. a Câ—…los 1. 1â—… b Rom. 12. 11. c 1. Iob. 3. 3. d Phil. 3. 20. Colos. 3. 2. e Ephes. 5. 15. f Iob 30. 8 9. Psal. 35. 15 16. and 69. 12. I am verò illud quale quà m sanctum quòd si quis ex Nobilibus ad Deum conuerti coeperit statim hâ—…norem nobilitatis amittit aut quantus in Christiano populo honor Christi est vbi religio ignobilem facit Statim enim vt quis melior esse tentauerit de eâ—…ioris abiectione calcatur ac per hoc omnes quodammodo mali esse coguntur ne vises habeantur Ita seculum totum iniquitatibus plenum est vt aut mali sint qui sunt in illo aut qui boni sunt multotum persecutione crucientur Si honoratior quispiam religioni se applicueâ—…it illicò honoratus esse defistit Si fuerit splendidissimus fit vilissimus Si fuerit totus honoris fit totus iniuriae Si bonus est quispiam quasi malus spernitur Si est maluâ—… quasi bonus honoratur Nihil itaque mirum si deteriora quotidâ—…è patimur qui deteriores quotidiè fumus Saluianus De verâ—… iudicio prouidâ—… tia Dei Lib 4. pag. 128 129. g
Idolatry ver 17 18. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hoc est non fastidiat conditionem humilem non affectet altiorem non temerè ab vnâ ad aliam tranfiliat Par. Perkins of Callings pag. 734. Gen. 3. 1â—… Such Machiuellian counterfeit are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 False Bâ—…ethren 2. Cor. 11. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 2 4. Irreptitij qui seclà m iâ—…sinuarunt Qui per fâ—…audem pietatis siâ—…ula ionem in album fidelium irrepserant Bez. So deluled were the foolish Virgins Mat. 25. these Mat. 7. Luk 13. 26. and many thousands at 〈◊〉 day who hauing a forme of godlinesse deniâ—… the power thereof They doe not onely not allow'it aâ—…d 〈◊〉 it but deny and 〈◊〉 it as more then needs and pressed vpoâ—… them onely by such as are too precise a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…er 〈◊〉 spititâ—… sâ—…thing 〈◊〉 Tiâ—… verbum factum à sono literae ζ. Eustath Vult vt nos qui sub lege Spiritus viuimus nihil remissum 〈◊〉 â—…epidum 〈◊〉 in nobis sed cum feruore Spiritus calore fidei cunct a peragamus Origen Prou. 30. 10. b Taught by the Lord Iesus himselfe Luk 14. 26 c. as a fundamentall Rule of Christianitie Aduersus parentes aduersus liberos aduersus naturalem cognationem contra vniuersum Orbem terrarum contra ipsam etiam animam pugnam indicit atque aciem esse instruendam ostendit Chrys. in cap. 10. Mat. Hom. 36. Paul calls is The very spirit of our seruice of God without which all our other Religion be iâ—… neuer so glorious and goodly is no more liuely nay is as very a carcasse as thâ—… body of a man destitute of that soule which maketh it reasonable and differing from all other bodies It was â—…gured by the Holacaust of the Law which signified the sacrifice of the flesh the crucifying of the old Adam Rom. 12. 1. See also Coloss. 3. 5. Mat. 5. 29 30. Hest. 4. 16. 1. King 22. 14. Neh 6. 11. Act. 21. 13. Fox in the Story of Martiâ—… Luther pag. 849. See the Story of his life pag. â—…7 Fox pag. 884. Hab. 2. 4. Rom. 1. 17. Gal. 3 11. Heb. 10. 38. Gal. 2. 20. Zech. 4. 6 7. * Humilitas in conuersatione stabilitas in fide verecundia in verbis in factis iustitia in operibus misericordia in moribus disciplina iniuriam facere non nosse factam tolerare posse cum fratribus pacem tenere Deum toto corde diligere amare in illo quod Pater est timere quod Deus est Christo nihil omninò praeponere quia nec nobâ—…s ille quicquam praeposuit charitati eius inseparabiliteâ—… adhaerere Quando de eius nomine honore certamen est exhibere in sermone constantiam quâ confitemur in quaestione fiduciam quâ congredimur in morte patiemiam quâ coronamur Hoc est cohaeredem Christi velle esse hoc est praeceptum Deâ—…facere hoc est voluntatem Patris adimpleâ—…e Cyprian de orat Domin Math. â—…3 23. a Si amator Dei esse vis â—…yncerissimis medullis caâ—…queâ—…ijs ipsum dâ—…lige ipsum aâ—…a illi flâ—…gra illi inhia quâ—… 〈◊〉 nihil inuenis quo melius quo lâ—…tius quo diuturnius Aug. in Psal. 85. Coelum terra omnia quae in eis sunt non cessant mihi dicere â—…t amem Dominum meum Tom. 9 pag. 1003. Deut. 32. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 3. 4. Quid vâ—…sper vc hat 〈◊〉 * Anima quae amat ascendit frequenter currit familiariter per plate as coelestis Hierusalem visiâ—…ando Patriarchas Prophetas saluando Apostolos admirando exerciâ—…us Martyrum Confessorum c. Aug. Tom. 9. pag. 1003. Maâ—… 6 33. * Nec solùm vobis sufficiat quòd in Ecclesia diuinas lectiones auditis sed etiam â—…n domibus vestris aut ipsi legite aut alios legentes requiâ—…ite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 August de 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5â—… a Ante omnes actus seculi debemus actus habere pietatis qui nos quiescentes et dormientes in lectulis custodiuit Quis enim nisi Deus dormientem custodit hominem qui ita resolutus in somnum et oblitus sui vigoris humani à se alienus efficitur vt nesciat quid ipse sit vbinam demoretur adesse sibi certè ipse non possit Necessarius igitur Deus adest dormientibus quia dormientes sibi adesse non possunt et à noctuâ—… nis insidijs genus hominum ipse custodiat quia id temporis ad custodiendum alter nemo peruigilat Debeo ergo illi gratiam qui vt ego securus dormiam ille peruigilat Ipse enim nos Deusituros cubitum quodam gremio quietis suscipit et Thesauro pacis recondito seruat et caliginum quadam tuitione in lucem defendit c. Ambr. Lib. Sâ—…rm Serm. 43. b Sed cùm vâ—…spera diem claudit ipsi debemus per psalterium laudem dicere gloriam eius modulatâ suauitatâ—… concinere Hoe autem vt faciamus fratres non solùm doceâ—…ur ratione sed etiam admonemur exemplis Nonne enim videmus minutissimas aues cùm illucescentem diem aurora producit in quibusdam nidorum cubiculis variâ dulcedine personare id studiosè agere priusquam procedant vt Creatorem suum quia loquelâ non possunt suauitate demulceant Et quemadmodum vnaquaeque earum quoniam confessione nequit modulis prodat obsequium ita vt videatur sibi deuotiùs gratias agere quae dulciùs personauit hoe etiam pacto diei cursu similiter facere Quid ergo sibi vult ista certis temporibus disposita cantilena et iugis intentio nisi gratiarum quaedam sit immoderata confessio Pastori enim suo auiâ—… iâ—…noxia quia sermone non potest suauitate blanditur Habent enim et aues Pastorem suum sicut ait Dominus Respicite volatilia coeli quoniam non nent neque meâ—…unt et Pater vester qui est in coelis pascit illa At quibus tandem cibis pascuntur aues vilissi nis scilicet terrenis Aues ergo propter viles escaâ—… gratias agunt â—…u pretiosissimis epulis pasceâ—…is ingratus es Quis igitur non erubescat sensum hominis habens sine Psalmorum celebritate diem claudere cùm ipsae aues ad gratificandum Psalterij suauitate persultent eius gloriam non versuum dulcedine personare cuius laudem volucres modulatâ cantilenâ pronunciant Imitare ergò frater minutissim as aueâ—… mane vespere Creatori gâ—…atias referendo Et si es deuotior imitare Lusciniam cui quum ad dicendas laudes dies sola non sufficit nocturna spacia peruigili cantilenâ decurrit c. Idem ibid. Aueâ—… cùm eunt cubitum quasi peracto laetae munere aethera cantu mulcere consuêrunt vt decursi vel adoriendi noctâ—…rni iuxta ac diâ—…rni temporis laudes suo referant Creatori Magnum incentiuum
her selfe and cheerefull walking If hee to whose company and conditions shee is now so neerely and necessarily confined and as it were enchained proue dogged shee holds her selfe vtterly vndone for any outward contentment 2. Let him dwell with her according to knowledge 1. Pet. 3. 7. 1. By a wise discouery at the first and timely acquainting himselfe with her disposition affections infirmities passions imperfections and thereupon with all holy discretion apply and addresse himselfe in a faire and louing manner to rectifie and reforme all hee can and to beare the rest with patience passing by it without passion and impatiency still waiting vpon God by Prayer in his good time for a further and more full redresse and conformity One of the rankest rootes of distastes and discontentment in the Marriage-state is the neglect of a punctuall obseruation of each others properties of taking the right measure of each others manners vpon purpose that with mutuall patience and forbearance they may support each other in loue and louingly beare one anothers burthens Memorable is that speech and may bee a fit medicine against marriage-iarres which a reuerend man receiued from an husband being asked how such a cholericke couple could so consort together Thus saith he when her fit is vpon her I yeeld to her as Abraham did to Sara and when my fit is vpon me she yeelds to me and so we neuer striue together but asunder 2. By a prouident discreet and patient ordering guiding and managing businesses abroad and family affaires without that carking impatiencie preuention and distrust of Gods prouidence without that clamour boysterousnesse and confusion with which worldlings are woont to trouble their owne houses It is incredible to consider the vast and vnualuable difference between the comforts calmenesse and many sweet contentments of an houshold gouerned by the patient wisedome of an heauenly-minded man and the endlesse brawlings bitter contestations about trifles disorders domesticall hurlyburlies c. which haunt that family where a cholericke couetous and hairebrained husband doth domineere This latter is like the middle region of the ayre continually torne and rent with fresh commotions thunders and many tumultuous stirres which rise at first from a thing of nothing a thinne inuisible fume drawne out of the earth So earthly things vainer then the most vanishing vapour doe ordinarily raise in such Nourceries of disquietnesse and noise a world of needlesse troubles passionate distempers and selfe-vexations But the former is like the highest part of the aire full of calmenesse tranquillitie and constant light the Sunne of righteousnesse shining still vpon it with the blessed beames of patience contentment and spirituall noblenesse of minde doth from time to time dissolue and driue away all mists of worldly mourning stormes of bitternesse and brawling matter of such sencelesse and brainelesse molesting one another and doth with a sweete and kindly heate refresh and support the heart against all chollericke encounters and crosse accidents by vertue of such heauenly and healing cordials as these which were wont to calme and repell the most tempestuous assaults vpon the afflicted Saints Iob 1. 21. 1. Sam. 3. 18. 3. But aboue all by leading his wife in the way of life and path that is called Holy This is the flower and crowne of all his skill to be a blessed and manly guide vnto her towards euerlasting happinesse For want of this wisedome and wil many a poore soule lies bleeding vnto eternal death vnder the bloody and mercilesse hand of an ignorant prophane or Pharisaicall husband which perhaps may haue knowledge enough and too much to thriue in the world to prosper in his outward state to prouide for posterity nay to oppresse ouer-reach and defraud his brother But no wit no vnderstanding no braines at all to teach and tell his wife one foote of the right way to heauen wise to do euill as the Prophet speakes Ier. 4. 22. But to doe good no knowledge at all No holy habit or heart to pray with her to instruct and incourage her in the great mystery and practise of godlinesse to keepe the Sabbath holy and daies of humiliation to reade Scriptures repeate Sermons and conferre of good things with her c. from which he is so farre that although it be the strongest barre to keepe her from grace and the bloody cut-throate of both their soules he will needes perswade her that all this is too much precisenesse And yet heare Chrysostome Let them both goe to the Church and afterward at home let the husband require of the wife and the wife of the husband those things which were there spoken and read or at least some of them And in the same Sermon Teach her saith he the feare of God and all things will flow in abundantly as out of a fountaine and thine house will be replenished with innumerable good things 4 By a conscionable and constant care also for the conuersion and saluation of their children and seruants Euery husband and head of Family is as it were a Priest and Pastour in his owne house and therefore if he take not a course to catechize them pray with them prepare them for the Sacrament and to bring them vp in the nurture and admonition of the Lord as the Apostle counsels Ephe. 6. 4. to restraine them all hee can from lewde courses ill company the corruptions of the time but suffer them to haue their swinge in their youthfull rebellions vnhallowing the Lords Day Alehouse-hauntings stubbornnesse against the Ministery c. vntill many times they swing in an halter as they say Let them then know that all those sinnes they so runne into by such grosse neglect and default are set vpon his score and he must be exactly countable and full dearely answer for them at that great and last Day Nay let mee further tell him that which will make his eares to tingle and heart to tremble if it bee not of Adamant and his heartstrings turned into Iron sinnewes Those his children and seruants which by his impenitent omissions and vnconscionablenesse in this kinde haue perished in their sinnes will curse him for euer hereafter amongst the fiends in hell They will follow thee vp and downe in that euer-burning Lake with direfull bannings and hideous outcries crying out continually Woe vnto vt that euer we serued such a wicked and wretched master that had no care of the saluation of our soules tooke no course to saue vs out of these fiery torments Euen thine owne deare children in this case will yell in thine eares world without end Woe and alasse that euer wee were borne of such accursed parents who had not the grace to teach vs betime the waies of God to keepe vs from our youthfull vanities and to traine vs vp in the paths of Godlinesse Had they done so wee might haue liued in the endlesse ioyes of Heauen whereas now damned soules we must lie irrecouerably in these euerlasting flames Oh will they say it
was the bloody knife of our owne deare parents vnconscionable and cruell negligence that all our life long stuck full deepe in our soules and hath now strangled them with euerlasting horrour That this must needes bee so ordinary obseruation common experience doth too often confirme Wee heare many times many miserable malefactours bitterly complaine at the place of execution against parents and masters carelesse and consciencelesse in this kind and saying If they had had care and conscience to haue taught and restrained vs betime wee had neuer come to this Dogges death and shamefull end How much more will they cry out against them with endlesse yellings when they shall feele the flames of hell II. To the wife 1. Let her be in subiection to her head 1. By a reuerent and humble perswasion of his precedency and authority ouer her grounded and ingrauen in her resolution principally 1. By vertue of diuine ordination Gen. 3. 16. Ephe. 5. 24. Though 2. The very law of nature 3. Her husbands headship 4. Womanly infirmity may also bee powerfull motiues to this purpose For if her heart begin to swell and be lifted vp with an ouerweening conceit of a sufficiency aboue her sexe so that she grow discontent and impatient of contradiction and command shee brings a world of vnnecessary misery and molestation into her owne house and lies in a grand transgression and grieuous sinne against the institution and honour of the marriage-state It is no noblenesse of birth greatnesse of portion nimblenesse of tongue pregnancy of wit or any other excellency incident to her sexe which can giue her any right or priuiledge to seize vpon the soueraignty and take the raines into her owne hands Some seruants also may be wiser then their masters some subiects more politicke then their Prince but that giues them no warrant nay for all that it were monstrous and vnnaturall villany for any seruant thereupon to domineere or priuate man to rush into a Royall Throne No sufficiency of gifts or singularity of worth must iustle vs out of that ranke and station wherein Gods wise prouidence and all-seeing wisedome hath placed vs. A man may bee a superiour in power and place to his superiour in parts and personall endowments No pretence then or plea on the womans part can possibly procure any dispensation against God and nature of vnwomanly domineering and deposing her head 2. By an hearty and cheerefull submission 1. To all his lawfull and honest dictates and directions For her personall behauiour and carriage that it may be fashioned and addrest with an ingenuous and louing accōmodation of her selfe to doe him all the honour and giue him all the contentment she can possibly with good conscience for educating ordering and disposing her children seruants and other domesticall affaires wherein notwithstanding there are some passages more proper and natiue to her sexe in which except she be witlesse gracelesse and strangely weake it will be very vnmanly dishonourable and vnworthy for him to be too medling prying and pragmaticall But aboue all for guiding her aright in the sweete and glorious path of Christianity that after their neerest and dearest comfort and communion in the best things and spirituall blessings which onely can allay the smart of al crosse accidents sweeten the bitternesse of a few euill daies in this vale of teares they may for euer be crowned together in heauen 2. To all his reasonable and Religious restraints not onely from wicked haunts and customes sinfull fashions and passions◅ but in case of inconuenience dishonour or iust displeasure for the abridging or abandoning of her ease wil desires delights this or that company conformity to the times in her attyre c. For the Spouse for Christs sake soueraignty and loue doth deny her selfe her owne reason and wisedome her naturall wit and wilfulnesse her passions pleasures and profits her ease and liberty c. And the wife is charged by blessed Paul to bee subiect to her husband as the Church is to Christ Eph. 5. 24. 3. To all his motions admonitions counsels comforts reproofs commands countermands euen in euery thing only in the Lord. So we see the body to rest vpon the heads motion eyther for rest or motion In a word she ought like a true looking glasse faithfully to represent returne to her husbands heart with a sweete and pleasing pliablenesse the exact lineaments and proportions of all his honest desires and demands and that without discontent thwarting or sowrenesse For her subiection in this kind should be as to Christ sincere hearty and free 2. Let her bee an helper Genesis 2. 18. and doe him good all the dayes of her life at all times vpon all occasions in all estates of aduersity or prosperity acceptation or disgrace sicknesse or health youth or old age c. and that with kindnesse and constancy A most memorable and famous patterne for this purpose is recorded by Uiues A yong tender and beautifull maid was matched as he reports to a man stricken in yeeres whom after shee found to haue a very fulsome and diseased body yet notwithstanding out of sence and conscience as it seemes that now by Gods prouidence she was become his wife she most worthily digested with incredible patience and contentment the languishing and lothsomnesse of an husband continually visited and vexed with variety and new successions of most irkesome and contagious diseases And though friends and Physicions aduised her by no meanes to come neere him for feare of danger and infection yet for all this shee passing by with a louing disdaine and contempt these vnkinde disswasions plied him still night and day with extraordinary tendernesse and care with obsequiousnesse and seruices of all sorts aboue her strength and ability or possibility as the Author saith had not her dearest coniugall affection supplied and supported her weake body with fresh accessions of vigor and vnweariednesse Shee was to him friends physicion husband Nurse These are nothing She was Father Mother Brother Sister daughter euery thing any thing to doe him good any manner of way Nay had there bin one exquisite quintessence of tendernesse dearenesse affectionatenesse and loue collected and extracted from all these it would hardly haue matched her mercifulnesse and melting affections towards him In case of want by reason of extraordinary expence and excessiue charges about him she sold her Rings chaynes and richest attire she emptied her cupbord of plate her cabinet of chiefest and choycest Iewels to doe him good And when hee was dead and friends came about her rather to congratulate her happie riddance then to bewaile her widdowhood shee did not onely deprecate and abhorre all speeches tending that way but protested if it were possible she would willingly redeeme her husbands life with the losse of her fiue dearest children And though as yet the flower and prime of her beautifullest and best time was not expired yet she strongly resolued against a second
by some one speciall markable act of bounty and contribution or for some few seasonable ostentations of good fellowship and kinde nature gets the start and precedency in opinion and reputation with the World from many a gracious Christian who beares in his bosome a constant habituall tender-heartednes to all true necessities and as occasion shall exact opens his heart his hands and his house most ioyfully and compassionately to refresh and comfort the needfull exigents of any true-hearted Nathaneel And the Worldling doth the rather and more easily carry it because in the dispersing of his doles and largesses hee many times makes choise of such tale-bearing Trumpetters who knowing his Pharisaicall humour are likeliest to blaze his bounty most abroad in the World whereas the Christian singles out specially for such purposes the distressed Saints from whom hee expects no more but a secret and silent blessing of God in their hearts for his goodnesse conueyed vnto them by such an Instrument Thus I haue discouered vnto you a mysterie of Satans malice and the cunning despitefulnesse of prophane men who labour many times out of pure malice wilfull mistakings to fasten vpon Gods children imputations of worldlinesse hard-heartednesse cruell dealing and such like The occasions as I haue largely told you are such as these Vpon the Worldlings part 1. His hearty desire to disgrace Christians whom sith by the Grace of God hee finds free from open grosse sinnes presently growes to such speeches as these Why but are not such and such giuen to the world as well as other men c. 2. He dare enlarge his conscience to courses of vnlawfull getting and therefore it is more easie for him to open his hand now and then to some boysterous flourishes of liberalmindednesse especially sith thereby hee hopes to repaire his reputation for his other indirections 3. He is commonly Pharisaicall in an ambitious exercise and more publike acting of his deeds of charitie and therefore whatsoeuer hee doth that way is for the most part carried abroad with speciall and remarkable noyse and notice 4. He would gladly still the cryings of his guilty conscience and seeme to himselfe to redeeme the sinnes of his soule by a more bountifull disbursement of outward things Vpon the Christians part 1. He is most subiect to wrongs and weakenings in his outward state both by the violent encroachments of profest opposites and couetous insinuations of false friends 2. He dare not for any gold or good vndertake any vnwarrantable and scandalous course of gaining 3. He finds himselfe bound in conscience to faithfull diligence in his Calling and Christian prouision for his Familie 4. He spends the best and most of his bounty and charitie vpon the houshold of Faith But in this point as I said before I apologize for none but those whom their owne consciences and the mercifull Tribunall of God doe acquite Let Christians looke vnto it the World is very watchfull and greedy with great curiositie and cunning to apprehend the least shadow of any occasions for the blaspheming of the wayes of God and the disgracing of his children And therefore euer and anon you shall heare the spirit of prophanenesse crying out and complaining You see these fellowes which make such show of forwardnesse and puritie what they are none so couetous none so vncharitable none so vnmercifull and cruell in their dealings as they none so hard-hearted to the poore c. Now although such bitter speeches as these are often the meere euaporations of pure malice and â—…low from no other ground in the world but onely from the gall of gracelesse men yet let all those which truely feare God take heed how they giue iust occasion thereunto Assuredly it were farre better for him whosoeuer he be that a milstone were hanged about his neck and he were drowned in the depth of the Sea then that by the continuance of his cruell and vnconscionable dealings in the world he should minister iust occasion to any rayling Rabshakeh to reuile the seruants of the Liuing God or to slander that holy Profession Me thinkes this one preseruatiue should be powerfull enough to keepe the heart of euery Christian from doting vpon the world or suffering it to bee possessed thereof It is this Euery Christian by a fruitfull faith may bee assured of a Crowne of life either by assurance of adherence or euidence or both Now if but once a day hee should take a serious suruay of the glory euerlastingnesse and vnutterable excellencies of that Immortall Crowne me thinkes it were able so to dull the edge and dissolue the drossinesse of all earthly desires that they should neuer more be able to heate or harden his heart with immoderate or delightfull repose vpon the vexing vanities of any worldly thing I say it againe Me thinkes if a man doe but once a day cast the eye of his Faith vpon that Crowne of life which our deare Redeemer holds for vs in his hand ready to set vpon our heads when we shall be dissolued from this vale of teares the goodly glory thereof should be able to dispell these mists of fading vanities and hurtfull â—…umes of honours riches and earthly pleasures which this great dunghill of the World heated by the fire of mens inordinate lusts doth euaporate and interpose betwixt the sight of their soules and the blisse of Heauen Worldlinesse earthly-mindednesse couetousnesse doth infinitely vnbecome an heire of Heauen Be fired then and frighted from all inclinations and bent that way by such considerations as these 1. It is a most base and dunghill distemper which eates vp not onely all Religion and honestie manlinesse and reason naturall affection and discretion but euen humanity also and friendlinesse So that a man had almost as well conuerse with a Caniball for any ingenuous and conscionable dealing as with a truely couetous caitife 2. Shall the immortall comprehensiuenesse of the diuine and excellent Soule which is able to peruse and passe ouer Heauen and Earth in a moment is capable of the mystery of Christ and the eternall vision of God be vnworthily confined to a piece of ground an heape of white and yellow clay A vile imprisonment and inexpiable wrong to so noble a Nature 3. It is a deuouring Gangrene an insatiable Wolfe which the more it hath euer the more hungry it is It is as fire which encreaseth by that nourishment which is giuen vnto it The barren wombe the Hoâ—…eleeches daughter the graue is nothing to this gulfe and it holds the heart continually vpon the racke of selfe-vexation and carking For three rauenous Vultures seize vpon it successiuely and gnaw in their turnes with incredible torment care feare griefe in getting keeping leauing 4. All Gods blessed ones in all ages embracing the promises of life in the armes of their faith willingly confessed themselues to bee pilgrims and strangers here vpon earth looking for a Citie in another Country which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God And