in Aegypt pray for thy Lord and Maister Be a Father vnto his people forget not thy thy kindred nor familie whether within or without in the Church or in the Common-weale but according to thy power as a feeling member thereof make them sensible of thy fidelity But art thou none of these but one of the cōmon sort it may be not because thou deservest not better then thinke with thy selfe that he who disposeth all thinges with waight number and measure who discerneth within thee that thou seest not thy selfe knowes best what is fittest for thee handles thee according to thy disposition hee takes that wine from thee which heated thy liver and therefore brought thee to this dyet And therefore bridle thine appetite and looke vpon his favours bestowed vpon others without repining liue without envie But hast thou beene in credite and reputation and art thou reiected be it by alteration of thine estate or by the Prince not of thy selfe be not discouraged thy fall is not great and seeing thou canst be no more reverenced vpon thy Chariot as a Ioseph let them reverence thee as a Iob although vpon a dunghill even by those holy consolations which thou hast learned hereby thy selfe and which thou shalt also leaue vnto others Beleeue mee that all those applaudings those flatteries those adorations which were given vnto Ioseph are now vanished in the ayre who nourished so many bodies and saved them from famine whereas on the contrary the holy speeches of Iob are consecrated vnto all eternitie for instruction and are so many perpetuall consolations reviveth and comforteth the soules of the Saints vnto this day and then this danghill being ordered by pietie wouldst thou change it for the smokes of a Court or for all the glory and treasures of Aegypt Art thou a Magistrate A Magistrate thinke then with thy selfe that he who judgeth here below shall be thy ludge from aboue and remember also that thou executest Gods judgement and not thine And therefore execute judgement and justice justice in helping the poore out of oppression judgement in chastizing the oppressor without exception without acception of person And hold godlinesse alwayes as thy sword in thy right hand poyse thy ballance straight not to make a false draught but to carry it even But art thou a private person A private person thinke then how much GOD hath spared thee who hast not to giue account of the goods of another nor of the bloud of thy brethren Arme thy selfe to suffer iniuries and ponder in thy minde in thine owne conscience the difference between such an high estate and thy meane condition whether in suffering or doing Hast thou beene a publicke person Of a publicke person becōming a private and art thou now deprived deprived not having deserved it deprived peradventure having deserved better and more then deserved it also disrobed notwithstanding of scarlet brought to weare freese then thinke with thy selfe how often thou hast willingly vnclothed thee to go to bed and didst thou sleepe the worse to take thine ease thinke then with thy selfe that this costly attyre is such where the Mothe most breeds the Mothe of the Court as jealousie slander envie But rather remember how many Kings and Emperours being weary of wearing their Crownes impatient of sustaining and vndergoing the same haue cast them off detested them to finde rest vnto their minde and that by laying them aside Many also to seek the health of their soules which they thought could not stand therewith namely true pie tie this One thing necessary and yet pietie which abhorres neither Scepters nor Crownes but on the contrary makes them flourish when they beleeue it But to a very few hath the Lord vsually given especially to these great powers a capacitie to holde them vpon such dependences And from thence comes so many miseries in the world But besides be it thou be disrobed and further vexed in thy estate they grate thee they hewe thee know how that God hath his dimonds amongst men and we are beautifull if we be such Rough as they be he puties them vnder the Wheele of steele he polisheth them he smoothes them he cuts them in Taples in pomted ones c. Otherwise it could not be done and then they shew their hardnesse their water their fire their faith their sinceritie their zeale And therefore feare not that he who is so good a leweller should marre thee for in cutting away some of thy rubbish Note he giues thee thy forme by diminishing of thy waight he augments thy price Pretie teacheth it thee it telles thee that all things nothing excepted worke together for good Rom 8.28 helping forward the salvation of them that loue it but to speake it more warily to those that it loues Of an helth full constitution of body Art thou healthfull art thou strong it is a gift of God giue him thankes for it but abuse it not vnto disorder and violence possesse these as things that are but frayle Of a sickly constitution But art thou sickly and afflicted with infirmities and hath Sathan touched thy flesh afflict not thy selfe aboue measure thinke that these grieses are as so many summons and goads to vrge thee to pray vnto God to call for his grace nay rather prayse him Note How often are the sicknesses of the body sent for the health of the soule and haue kept vs from sinnes and other follies For sicknesses and adversities haue their songs of prayse no lesse then prosperities yea even as well as the greatest joyes in their divers accents and tunes of sweetnesse most harmonious we haue an example in David who sung more in affliction then when he was jocund yea even in adversitie hee seemes to redouble his melodie because our nature being little or nothing sensible of the graces of God is not touched vnto the quicke hath quickly enough or lightly passeth it over and according as his hand is light or heavie it leapeth it cryeth and will haue no nay vntill she be heard Note But know be sides O Christian that forrow hath her part to pl y as well as joyes that as fulnesse hath emptinesse succeeding it in order so sorrow hath her sweete relish which stirres thee vp to call vpon thy Creator in thy misery and hearest him answering thee by his holy spirit in his mercy who feelest him in thy soule from his sweete hand bringing a slumber vpon thy sorrowes binding vp thy soares who teaching thee causeth thee to see that they are but incissions of the surgeon and not the wounds of an enemy being guided by the judgement of loue and not by a fury of hatred Whence the Apostle willeth vs. Phil. 4.4 To reioyce alwayes in the Lord and againe to reioyce being in a season when the Apostle was full of combatts of persecutions and of Bondes himselfe being bound for the Gospell But obserue that he sayth in the Lord for as much
eternall Nay let vs yet goe further even he who tells vs plainely that he came not to set peace in the world but warre who forewarneth his Apostles that for his sake housholds shall be devided Kingdomes troubled his Disciples persecuted from place to place That even then they should esteeme themselues happie when they shall be persecuted for his name He hath not promised vs a deceitfull and fraudulent peace which flatters many times the bodie to the hurt of the soule and makes vs forsake our inheritance for a pease and for very huskes and therefore he addes further I giue vnto you my peace not the worlds peace but contrariwise make your account to haue the world for your enemy What else doe wee see in all the liues of the Apostles for the space of so many ages in the death of so many Martyrs Not the peace of this world how long shall we be children and how long vnder the tutorship of the Law onely to taste and desire milke and hony Not peace with men seeing for this cause it behooved that God should become man and that heaven should come downe vpon earth Could not some Salomon haue given vs that peace But my peace peace with God peace in our selues with our selues which the onely Prince of peace the father of eternitie can giue vnto vs. Even he as the Prophet tells vs Mich. 5.3.5 whose goings forth haue beene from everlasting of whom it is written this man shall be the peace being able both to accomplish it and to giue it and is that very peace himselfe The governor of Israell of whose comming Haggai the Prophet sayth Hag. 2.6 I will set peace in this place to wit in my Temple in my Church sayth the Lord of Hostes A peace notwithstanding far different from that which carnall people which flesh and bloud comprehends Seeing that the government of this Prince of peace is vpon his shoulder A proofe that he should haue much to suffer himselfe even this governour whole kingdome is wholly disdained throwne downe and crushed and yet therein properly cosisteth the peace which he bringeth vs that in his wounding we might and healing for what temporall peace can wee expect from him and by him whose life in this world was a continuall warrefare He will say vnto vs Shall the servant thinke to be better intreated then the Sonne then the heire then the Father of the Familie Well then sayth he I giue you my peace mine such a peace as no other but I could make I. peace with God whom no other but Man God could vndertake Your iniquities had made a separation betweene you Isai 59.2 and your God and hath made him to hide his face from you nor would he vouchsafe to looke vpon you neither could he but in his anger and to your ruine and eternall damnation And therefore behold now how that by my mediation you haue peace with him and that in my bloud which I am ready to shed for you is made the propitiation for your sinnes a mystery heretofore hidden from other ages but now a myracle which will fill all the world with astonishment confound all humane wisdome in their discourses whence it is that the Prophet long agoe being ravished in himselfe cryeth out and sayth Esa 52.7 Oh how beautifull are the feete of him vpon the mountaines who bringeth glad tydings who proclaime peace and salvation vnto Israell And you haue this priviledge to be of them not onely to partake of this salvation but also to be the heraulds dispensers therof to proclaime the benefit of my death the forgiuenesse of sins vnto the world to manifest vnto Sion this good tydings Thy God reigneth Isa 52.7 and yet not with an iron rod for who then could beare it But with meekenesse and with mercie Zech. 9.9 Whereof you inioy the priviledges of his kingdome that is righteousnesse peace and ioy in the holy Ghost Rō 14.17 And therefore wee reade so often in the Writings of the Apostles Grace be with you and peace from Iesus Christ Peace through grace for without the grace of God there is no peace And therefore so often it is sayd Mercy and peace are mett together Gal. 6.16 one proceeding from the other Iude the 2. verse and both of them in Christ alone Thence it is that the Lord himselfe tells vs. Esay 48.22 57.21 that there is no peace for the wicked because there can bee no peace where there is no grace What soever peace they seeme to haue in outward appearance yet alwaies sayth the Prophet they are like a troubled Sea And there can be no grace but onely in Christ In Christ in whose name God sends to proclaime peace every where Act. 10.36 In Christ Ephe. 2.14 Rom. 1.5 who himselfe is our peace In whom being iustified by faith wee haue peace with God peace with all men Truly that peace which we seeke and which wee finde in him But here it is time now to examine what is the efficacie thereof Certainely it is such that in this peace alone we finde whatsoever is in all others and yet in all others put together we finde nothing of that which is found in this peace perfect in it selfe and makes a supply to all others Now three kindes of peace are vsually recōmended vnto vs. And first peace with all men as the Apostle saith Rom. 12.18 if it be possible as much as lyeth in you haue peace with all men But hath a man it when he will or did even the Apostle himselfe obtaine it And seeing such manner of speeches are doubtfull is it not rather to be desired then hoped True Christians especially being the obiects of the hatred and fury of the world secondly peace amongst our selues As when our Saviour sayth vnto his Disciples Mark 9.51 haue salt in your selues and be at peace one with another But amongst such varietie of humaine passions and so many civill broyles what salt what wisedome will suffice to season it if the bond of the spirit and true Christianitie come not betweene for even amongst the Apostles themselues at the evening of the Passion and in the presence of their maister yea even of such a maister who saw the very depth of their soules what disputes had they And now last of all peace amongst our selues To which purpose the Apostle exhorteth vs. 1 Thess 5.13 Be at peace among your selues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say possesse your soules in patience But againe how can this be where the outward man striveth against the inward the flesh lusteth against the spirit the spirit of flesh against the spirit of God the law of our members against the law of our minde tameth it leadeth it captiue is sold vnder sinne But in that peace which we haue with God by Christ alone wee recover all this even peace with all men will they nill they Because he who hath peace with the Creator
also depends on thy wisedome And therefore let vs waigh this saying of our Lord who contradicts not himselfe either in words or actions and let vs seeke with reverence among so many things what then may be this One thing necessary The which certainely ought to glad vs and to giue worth to all other things though otherwise superfluous One thing then sayth he is necessary necessary for thee Martha and vnto every beleever Now we properly account that necessary with which wee can and without the which wee cannot liue much lesse liue well wee I say who are composed of body soule one part mortall the other immortall It should then follow that this one thing must haue reference vnto both otherwise one thing would not suffice both but one of them rather then the other rather the soule then the bodie according to the vsuall manner of Christes words which alwayes respect the soule more then the bodie not as having an eye vnto the bodie but for the good of the soule Therefore let vs stand no longer Cheapening about riches favours greatnesse health or knowledg things which are not heere to be sought for nor in this one thing to be found things which all men haue not for if all were rich mightie learned then there should be no difference at all Men being respected more or lesse according as they want these things or as they haue them in greater abundance then others Our Lord then to giue it vs in one word sayth that Mary hath chosen the better part which shall not be taken from her For for the most part those things formerly mentioned are subiect to perish and totally to be lost Therfore this one thing must needes be Godlinesse that is mans dutie towardes God and his well-being with God subsisting in it selfe without the ayde or helpe of any other having the promises both of things present and to come which onely giveth the forme vnto all those other thinges Without this being but a confused lumpe whether mixed therewith or else being absent making them either good or evill as the salt to season them which otherwise would putrefie and corrupt or as the soule giving them their life feeling and motion which otherwise would turne and passe into rottennesse into wormes and into serpents which being ingendered therein eate out the bowells And therefore Salomon concludes with vs who had tasted of them even to distaste and possessed them to his fill Vanitie sayth he Eccl. the 1. and all is vanitie Feare God then sayth he and keepe his Comandements for this is the whole dutie of man Eccl. 12. This our Lord a greater then Salomon tells vs is that One 〈◊〉 necessary For doe we not see that our first Father in his integritie the Monarch of all the world not keeping himselfe vnto this one thing but suffering himselfe to be deprived of his favour which preserved him and made him better then all things thereby lost the government and almost the vse and knowledge of them so as notwithstanding the whole world was created for him yet hee revolting all became accursed and damnable vnto him from the greatest of the creatures even to the least The elements turned into corruption the beasts of the earth into rebellion the creeping things vnto persecution the hearbs into poyson the corne into thornes A curse which cannot be repayred but by returning vnto this onely pietie which by the perswasion of Sathan hee lost for all his posteritie but is now found againe for those who cleaue vnto God in our second Adam to wit in our Lord Iesus Christ God and man who sets vs againe in our way towards God making peace betweene him and vs And therefore he prayseth Mary who keepes neere vnto him sitting at his feete who setting aside all other businesse in the house le ts not goe her hold because in him shee finds all things or rather forgets all other things who indeed sucked the doctrine of life from that mouth and from that sacred spring and on the contrary hee reformeth Martha and cals her away from her houshold affaires and civill complements to a dutie of an higher nature wherein are to be found and recovered all other things that is vnto the studie of pietie and vnto this onely necessary thing Iacobs portion Maries lot even that pearle for the attaining whereof all must be sould Mat. 13.45 which thing being once got can never be taken away O Christian art thou rich glory not therein but be thou poore and be thou humble in spirit thinke that these riches are given vnto thee to make tryall of thy liberalitie towardes the Saints and of thy charitie towardes thy neighbours and so they turne as a blessing vnto thee which otherwise are to thee a snare the cause of a heavie reckoning reserving to him a great remaynder to be payd downe presently or else to prison or rather to the rack But art thou poore wast thou so borne thinke thou then that God in his justice hath neede of sergeants and officers to Cite and Summon the rich Or art thou decayd by theeues fire or by some banckrupt thinke then that thereby God hath discharged thee of this great account and therewithall hath lightened thine expences from superfluities vnto which these riches might seeme to bind thee and so to bring thee to that estate he hath ordained for thee But is it grievous vnto thee to haue lost that which once thou hadst yea more grievous then if thou hadst never had it thinke that in stead of being able to relieue others God calls thee to faith thinke also Note that GOD hath his Champions his Actors and so will haue thee to be one of them and that hee vnclothes when and whom it pleaseth him to set them as it were vpon the stage naked as my nayle even to the wast having neither raiment nor weapons to desend themselues withall against the iniury of the weather nor against the gripes of the world but onely his * Alluding to that oyle w th wrastlers vsed to annoint themselues with being naked from the girdle vpward Oyle But if they were clothed like others be it as rich as might be yet were they not acknowledged for Champions but if they come vpon the stage naked the beholders are attentiue they looke they admire their armes their sinewes their ligaments their musckles the stedfastnesse of their standing the force of their gripes their faith their constancie their vertue or rather the strength of this holy oyle of the spirit of God which is in them And being ready to depart thence they are proclaimed by the Herauld they carrie away the prize the crowne which withereth not Seest thou not then how pietie seasoneth the evill of thy povertie or wouldst thou now rather haue had the fairest garment of the rich Art thou in credit or reputation thinke it is but a smoake of the Court and beware least it turne to oppression Art thou as a Ioseph
as pietie makes vs receiue it all from God and as from a father makes vs to take sicknesses afflictions of the body as a purgation for the health of the soule for as much as but one dramme of the loue of God manifested vnto vs by his spirit is of power to dissolue a sea of griefes there needing but one sparke of the spirit of God to cōsume all Of such as are learned In a word art thou learned I will further instruct thee for know thou that whatsoever thou knowest is not the thousand part of that whereof thou artignorant for he who was most expert in the knowledge of the matters of this life acknowledged that all his knowledge was but vanitie yea vanity more apt to puffe vp then to fill to make thee proud rather then truely glorious A learned ignorance There is also a certaine learned ignorance that one who is truly learned would preferre before all thy learning And therefore in praysing God for his graces referring them to their right end namely vnto pietie to the service of God without the which they are nothing be not then I pray thee too wise in thy selfe But art thou ignorant Of such as are ignorant or esteemest thou thy selfe to be so who darest not speake before others and art ashamed of thy selfe Be not therefore troubled I am about to teach thee how to be both better learned and wise if thou wilt beleeue me nay if thou wilt but beleeue even that great learned Apostle who 1 Cor. 2.2 determined among his Corinthians to know nothing but Iesus Christ and him Crucified was notwithstanding rapt vp into the third heaven into Paradice where he both heard and sawe things not to be vttered and yet of all that he makes no reckoning in respect of this onely knowledge the knowledg of this one thing which is onely necessary on which they are all either grounded or confounded Let vs see then how pietie suffers not riches to make vs proud nor to turne favour into oppression greatnesse into violence health into disorder knowledge into vanitie but extracting these from it as it were poyson from Vipers to make thereof good Treacle turning it into the medicine of humaine societie being without this both dangerous and deadly to meddle withall It supplies also all our wants poverties infirmities afflictions and necessities as onely necessarie like vnto that hearbe Tobacco so much extolled in the New-found-Landes which alone is sufficient for meate and drinke for Clothes and for Physicke Wee say like to that Manna in the Wildernesse according to the Iewish Rabbines which fitted every mans taste whatsoever he desired else were there never so little of this drugge it would convert to it selfe and into it selfe every other thing See another Example in Saint Paul Phil. 4. ver 11. I haue learned sayth he to be content with that I haue I know how to want and how to abound every where and in all things I am taught as well to be satisfied as to hunger as well to abound as to want But heare how I am able to performe all things in Christ who giues me strength Phil. 4.13 in and by this his onely grace This onely grace of Christ doth furnish all being apt onely of it selfe both to pare away our excesses and to supply our wantes to make vs finde contentment in povertie and glory in shame And therefore sayth he elswhere God forbid that I should glory in any thing but in the Crosse of Iesus Christ A poore glory wilt thou say in one Crucified He is dead indeede but is risen againe ascended into heaven and raigneth there Of which glory of which kingdome hee that is a member of Christ feeles himselfe alreadie partaker of Who thinketh it strange that the head being in heaven the feete should not haue a feeling therewith should not glory therewith though creeping here belowe on the earth And from this glory it commeth that the Apostle stiles himselfe putting it in the front of one of his Epistles Philem. 1. Paul a prisoner of Iesus Christ in bondes for his Name Might hee not rather wilt thou say haue stiled himselfe with a more honourable title namely Rapt vp into Paradise as if he had beene equall to the Angells Note But his pietie this faith in Christ honours him and sanctifies his bondes so that to suffer in Earth for Christ is more vnto him then to be taken vp into heaven this ravishment being of short continuance but his sufferings which assure him of his promise to haue there an everlasting being and to raigne there for ever with him What is meant by this one thing But heere O Christian it may be thou desirest to knowe wherein this one thing properly consistes which hath so many vertues and onely can doe all things but thinkest and fearest that this knowledge is too laborious who seest so many bookes of so long studies written so many degrees to passe through to attaine to so high a knowledge And verily the mystery of godlinesse is great as Saint Paul telleth vs. 1 Tim. 3.16 That God was manifested in the flesh iustified in spirit seene of Angels preached vnto the Gentiles beleeved on in the world and received vp into glory For of every one of these Articles there might Volumes be made The Angels themselues sayth Saint Peter desire to prie thereinto 1 Pet. 1.12 But for all this be not dismayd For God the Creator of man in his mercies would that this mystery should of right belong as well vnto the ignorant as vnto the learned by very Idiottes he hath converted Orators in the netts of poore Fishermen he hath taken Philosophers In one and the same Sea both great and small fish liue and swimme depths for the one and shallownesse for the other thou hast thy part in this mystery or rather thy priviledge though thou couldest not reade Vnder the Law it was sayd doe this fulfill the Commaundements of God and thou shalt liue A lesson proportioned according to that integritie wherein our first parents were created After so great a fall which displaced which bruised all his faculties and ours in him as over-matched For where is the man that ever did or could performe it But Christ our Lord by his perfect obedience not content onely to satisfie for vs but therewithall giues vs a lesson both shorter and easier that is this mystery of faith If thou confesse sayth the Apostle the Lord Iesus with thy mouth and beleevest in thy heart that GOD hath raysed him from the dead thou shalt be saved Rom. 10.9 Wilt thou haue it in other words These things are written sayth S. Iohn these Gospels Ioh. the 20. and last verse that thou mightst beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the sonne of God and that in beleeving you might haue life in his Name And wilt thou make it thine and appropriate it vnto thy selfe say then with S. Paul 1 Tim. 1.15 It is a true
saying and worthie of all acceptation therefore waver not neither dispute but with him confesse that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners of whom say thou I am chiefe Here thou hast thy part take it home vnto thee it is Maries part which cannot be taken from her Cleaue therefore vnto Christ and cast downe at his feete by her example the pride of thy flesh the opinion of thy owne righteousnesse make thee a seat at his feete by humilitie in seeking his favour which is thy reconciliation with the Father And then say thou but not as David thy Law O Lord Psa 119.98 but rather thy Gospell which is the end of the Law Faith in thy Christ Rom 10.4 hath made mee more learned and wiser then all the learned men in the world Faith if of the right stamp is operatiue But learne also that this faith is not an emptie imaginary or idle opinion but an inward and found perswasion which hath a substance which manifests it selfe by workes makes a deepe Impression in thy soule engraues Christ in thy heart in thy spirit begetting in thine vnderstanding a feeling of the loue of God towards thee in thy will a holy fire of loue towardes God nourished by the same his loue which quencheth in thee all other loues Note that dependeth not thereon but aboue all the loue of thy selfe And therefore even as when thou hast grafted a grift vpon a wilde stocke and a while after commest to see if it hath taken findest the barke greene some budds and a little after both leaues and fruit thou reioycest and holdest it as yâ—â—nne so in like manner wilt thou see if the saith of Christ be rooted in thee and that vnto salvation review thy selfe from time to time if it hath imprinted in thee a hunger after the knowledge of God an ardent desire to please him a feare to offend him to order thy sences thy moovings thy actions thy passions to governe the faculties both of body and soule as instruments of puritie of integritie of charitie of justice to renew thee from day to day in thy inward and outward man casting forth a good savour in thy life and conversation then say boldly that faith hath taken roote in thee and the gift is past the worst but aboue all if shee renounce her first sape to receiue it from Christ this grafting being of another nature then ours are because these turne the wilde sape into them contrarily this conveyeth vs to Christ converts vs into Christ whence wee may then say with S. Paul Galat. 2. and 20. I liue yet not I but Christ liues in mee and whilst I liue now in the flesh I liue in the faith of the Sonne of God who hath loved mee and given himselfe for mee Being readie to cast away whatsoever is in vs and of vs whatsoever seemes to be most precious in our eye to keepe and to preserue this onely even this one onely necessary thing which is worth them all being then every way fit to say vnto Christ with all confidence and boldnesse I haue sinned but I know that thou art my JESVS the Sonne of God my redeemer this onely word sufficeth let vs therefore keepe it pure and without mixture with this Word let vs passe the night of this world let vs passe over his Barricadoes and Watches if we meete with some rubbes though it be with some danger yet let vs goe forward till breake of day even of our day of our rest there wee shall see our IESVS raigning in heaven to liue with him where wee shall raigne gloriously glorifying him for ever to whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be glory for ever AMEN FINIS ERRATA PAge 112. line 21. and 113. l. 2. for amongst read in P. 136. l. 5. for conversest read conversedst