soule yea the outward estate before either soule or body These are the worlds fooles meer children that prefer an apple before their inheritance Besotted sensualists that consider not how this life of ours if it were not short yet it is miserable and if it were not miserable yet it is shoâ—t that suffer themselves to be so bewitcht with the loâ—e of their money and their hearts to be râ—veted to the earth to be so infâ—aved to coverousnesse as to make gold their God Câ—rtainly were they allowed to have but a â—ight of this Hell they would not do thâ—â— if they did but either see or foresee what they shall one day without serious and unfeigned repentance feel they would not be hired with all the worlds wealth to hazard in the least the losse of those everlasting joyes before spoken of or to purchase and plunge themselves into those ease lesse and everlasting flames of fire and brimstone in hell there to â—ry body and soule where shall be an innumerable company of Deviâ—s and damned spirits to affright and torment them but not one to comfort or pity them But O that thou who art the Sacred Monarch of this mighty frame wouldst give them hearts to believe at least that the soule of all sufferings are the sufferings of the soule that as painted fire is to materiall such is materiall to hell fire That things themselves are in the invisible world in the world visible but their shadowes onely And that whatsoever wicked men enjoy here it is but as in a dream their plenty is but like a drop of pleasure before a river of sorrow and displeasure and whatsoever the godly feel but as a drop of misery before a river of mercy and glory Then would they thinke it better to want all things then that one needfull thing whereas now they desire all other things and neglect that one thing which is so needfull They would be glad to spare something from their superfluities yea if need requâ—re even from their necessaries that they might relieve and cherish the poor distressed members of Jesus Christ. And let so much serve to have been spoken of the reasons that concern our selves in particular and how God hath promised to blesse the merciful man in his soule body name and estate I should now go on to declare that what the liberall man gives his seed shall inherit But I consider that if for the increasing of their estates for the obtaining of heaven and the avoyding of everlasting destruction of body and soule in Hell will not prevail with rich men to do some good with their goods while they live wharsoever else can be spoken will be lost labour and to no purpose I grant there are some of them such desperaâ—e doting fools that they can find in their hearts to damn their own souls and go to hell to leave their sonnes rich and therefore it will not be amisse to set down or poynt them to a few of those promises which God hath made to the mercifull or liberall mans seed and posterity after him I 'le alleadge but three places onely CHAP. XXXIV That if we bountifully relieve the poor the reward of oâ—r charity shall not onely extend to us but also to our Off-spring and Progeny the Prophet Esay witnesseth Chap. 58. where he tells us that if we will draw out our soule to the hungry and satisfie the afflicted soule the Lord will not onely satisfie our soules in drought make fat our bones but thâ—â— those also that come of us shal prosper unto many generations ver 10 11 12. And also the Psalmist Psal. 37. I have been young â—nd now aâ—â— old saith hee yes have I not seene the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging â—â—ead vers 25. then giveâ— the reason He is ever mercifull and endeth and his seed enjoyes the blessing vers 26. And so Psal. 112. His seed shall be mighty upon earth the generation of the righteous shall be blessed Vers. 2. to 6. Now what better inheritance can we leave to our Children then the blessing of God which like an ever-springing fountaine will nourish and comfort them in the time of drought when as our owne provision which we have left unto them may faile and when the heate of affliction ariseth will like standing waters be dried up Nor is this only probable but God hath set down that it shall be so For he speaks far otherwise of the unmercifull as Psal. 109. Let his children be fatherlesse and his wife a widow Let his children be continually vagabonds and beg their bread I pray mind it let them seek their bread also out of desolate places Let the extortioner catch all that he hath and let the strangers spoile all his labour Let there be none to extend mercy unto him nâ—ither let there be any to favour his fatherlesse children Let his posterity be cut off and in the generation following let their names be blotted out and the memory of them cut off from the earth Because mark the reason he remembred not to shew mercy but persecuted the poor and needy Vers. 6. to 17. all which he speaks by the spirit of prophesie Though indeed we want not examples of this in every age Was not this fulfilled in Hâ—man and is it not fulfilled daily in our experience For hence it is that riches ill got or ill kept shift masters so often But take some other instances out of the Scriptures of both kindes Jonâ—â—than is payd for his kindnesse to David in Mephibosheth Jethro for his love to Moses in the Kenites 1 Sam. 15. 6. some hundreds of years after he their Ancestor was dead The Aegyptians might not be unkindly dealt withall for their harbouring the Patriarchs though they afflicted their posterity But the Moabites and Ammonites were either to dye or not to enter into the congregation of the Lord to their tenth generation because they met not Gods Israel with bread and water in the wildernesse Deut. 23. 3 4. God caused Saul to spare all the Kenites for that they had shewed mercy to Israel who otherwise had all of them been destroyed 1 Sam. 15 6. Another example you have in Job 21. 18 19 20. all which shewes that God usually blesseth and rewardeth the children for their fathers goodnesse The loving kindnesse of the Lord saith the Psalmist endureth for ever and ever upon them that feare him and his righteousnesse upon childrens children Psal. 103. 17. And so on the other side Eternall payments God uses to require of their persoâ—s onely temporary often times of succession as we sue the Heyres and Executors of our debtors Now if this be so that what the liberall man gives his seed shall inherit then the good provision that we should make for our Children consist not so much in laying up as in lâ—ying out and more in making provision for their soules then for their bodies I confesse it is the case of niâ—e parts of the Parents throughout
celestial Brook the stone or Pible that would kill this Goliah then would I stick it into his temples with all my might For I thirst to pleasure these unworthy men with that which is more worth beyond compare than all their wealth multiplyed as many times as there are lands on the sea-shore For let me tell you you worshippers of the golden Calf that the cure which Erasistratus did upon Aâ—tiochus for which he had fourteen thousand three hundred and seventy five pounds was nothing to this cure of covetousnesse in him that is therewith infected or thereto inslaved as you will confesse if you but consider what the difficulty of this cure is of which I have largely spoken in Chapter 19 to Chapter 23. of the fore-going part CHAP. II. Now there is no way to remove this let or to rescue them from this Remora except I can insure them that they shall be gainers by the bargain and receive by way of exchange that which shall more than countervail what they part withall which I doubt not by the blessing of God to do if they will but vouchsafe or be willing to hear either reason or Divine Authority And 1. I will prescribe or give them some rare Receiâ—s acquaint them with some soveraign Remedies against this desperate evil and therein shew them how they shall or may of the most miserable men alive become the most Blessed and Happy And who knows whether God hath nor put me upon this work and will accordingly blesse the meanes that shall be used though by a most unworthy and insufficient Instrument Neither is the strength or weaknesse of meanes either spur or bridle to Gods choice who sometimes does greatest acts by weakest Agents and gives the greater successe to the weaker meanes However an Emperick or Quacksalver hath now and then had the hap to cure a Patient whom a learned Artist could not do Wherefore be at leasure you lovers of money to hearken to what I shall produce from the word to your ears and God shall speak to your hearts by his spirit touching your temporal civil spiritual and eternal state Now if you would relinquish this sinne and so be everlastingly happy If you prefer true content and the peace of God which passeth all understanding before your own misery and vexation And rather desire to go to Heaven with Lazarus than with Dives to those scâ—rching flames observe these few things in order In the first place lay to heart the things formerly delivered consider that a competency of earthly things with content is the best estate in the world Yea that a poor and mean condition in case God be pleased to give grace and his blessing with that little he bestowes is far better and happier than to swimmâ— in great wealth and aboundance Consider also and set before you the hainousnesse of this sinne and the manyfold evils and mischiefs which do accompany covetousnesse and how it is the cause of many heavy and grievous judgments here as well as depriving men of everlasting happinesse in Heaven and plunging them into eternal hellish torments hereafter Yea apply every word that hath been spoken to thy self and this will be a good meanes to make thee moderate thy greedy desire morâ—ifie thy carnal affections and curb thine unruly and insatiable appetite after gain And without this all is to no purpose Little would it have availed the Israelites that the Manna lay about their tents if they had not gone forth and gathered it beaten it baked and eaten it so let the meanes of salvation be never so plentifull if we bring it not home and make it ours by application and faith we are never a whit the better for the same Cloaths must be put on meat eaten a pâ—aster applyed or they will never warm nourish or heal CHAP. III. Secondly though I inverte the order in setting the cart before the horse dote not so upon the world for while our mindes are so scattered among these visible things we forget how the stare stands within us Besides I have shewn you that as nothing so alienaâ—es a mans love from his vertuous Consort as his inordinate affection to a filthy strumpet so nothing does so far separate and diminish a mans love to God and heavenly things as our inordinate affection to the world and earthly things The damps of the earth do not more quench fire than the love of the earth stifâ—les grace Neither trees nor grasse grow above where the golden Mines are below If the love of money be once entered into the heart no fruites of goodnesse can appear in the life Yea there is an absolute contrariety between the love of God and the love of money The Covetous man is like that Pompous Prelate who said he would not lose his part in Paris for his part in Paradice Or like Vlisses who so dearly loved his Countrey that he preâ—erred his native soyl Ithaca before immortality Or the Child that more esteemes of an Apple than of his Fathers Inheritance For thus stands the case with them Man hath a precious Jewel to dispose of viz. his soul God and the world come to buy it the world steps in first and tempts him as once Saul his servants saying Hear now ye Benjamites will the son of Ishay will the son of Mary give every one of you fields and vineyards will he make you all Captaines over thousands and Captaines over hundreds 1 Sam. 2â— 7. Yea if a man will needs have present possession Satan will instantly give him bags of money as he dealt with Gehazi Achan Judas Annanias and Saphira Balaam and in a thousand the like cases God comes and out-bids the world for he offers grace and peace and glory but withall he craves day for the greater part of it and gives nothing in hand but his promise his Word and some small earnest of the bargain Nay perhaps instead of bettering our condition he makes it worse for the incouragement that Christ gives is Whosoever will be my Disciple let him take up his cross daily and follow me Luk. 9. 23. Yea more than that in case a man hath got any part of what he injoyes unjustly he must restore the same to the right owners though it be to the impoverishiing of his estate As in case thou wouldst indeed and to purpose become rich happy and cheerfull If thou lovest not gold above thy salvation restore to every man thy evil-gotten goods For as humility is the repentance of pride abstinence of surfeit almes of covetousnesse love of malice so only restitution is the repentance of injustice This is the revenge that a Christian must take upon himself if he meanes to be saved 2 Cor. 7. 11. For as the best charm for the tooth-ake is to pull out the tooth Or as they who have meat in their stomachs undigested or store of ill humours are eased only by vometing them up so if ever thou lookest to find ease in thy soul and
the wheels one way such an oyl is upon the heart that it makes all nimble and current about it but without the heart all is mute and dumb As the tongue will not praise because the heart doth not love the ear doth not hear because the heart does not mind the hand does not give because the heart does not pitty the foot will not go because the heart hath no affection All stay upon the heart like the Captain that should give the onset Nor is any service we can do accepted without the heart and affections flowing thence Therefore Davids prayer is Create in me a new heart and renew a right spirit within me Psal. 51. 10. The Scribes and Pharisees did fast and watch and pray and hear and read and give and do all that we can do and yet Christ rewarded all their works with a wo because they wanted a good heart and true affections flowing thence They honoured God with their lips but their hearts were far away from him Whence he also calls them hypocrites Mark 7. 6. The Disciple that betrayed Christ heard as much as the Disciples that loved him CHAP. XIII But here least I should be mistaken let me joyn to what hath been said and what shall be further said by way of caution Expect not that this should be done by any power of thine own for except God give thee repentance and removes all impediments that may hinder thou canst no more turn thy self than thou couldst at first make thy self We are not sufficient of our selves to think much lesse to speak least of all to do that which is good 2 Cor. 3. 5. We are swift to all evil but to any good immoveable We can lend no more active power to our conversion than Adam did to his creation than the Child doth to his conception than the dead man to his raising from the grave It was the Lord that did open the heart of Lydia to conceive well Act. 16. 14. the ears of the Prophet to hear well Isa. 50. 4. the eyes of Elishaes servant to see well 2 Kings 6. 17. and the lips of David to speak well Bid a man by his own strength do the least good or bear the least trouble you may with as good successe stand in the street and bid a chained prisoner come out of his dungeon S t. Paul before his conversion could do as much as the best accomplished moralist of them all his words are If any man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh much more I Phil. 3. 4. Yet when he speaks of his doing or suffering he sheweth that it was because the love of God was shed abroad in his heart by the holy Ghost which was given him Rom. 5. 5. Of himself he could do nothing though he were able to do all things through Christ and by the Spirits assistance who strengthened him Phil. 4. 13. Man is like an Organ-pipe that speakes no longer then wind is blown into it Wherefore as when David came to fight with Goliah he cast away Sauls armour so let us in this case cast away all trust and confidence in our selves and only set forward in the Name of the Lord God of Israel If we trust to our own resistance we cannot stand we cannot miscarry if we trust to his Yet this is to be considered that God does not work upon us as upon blocks and stones in all and every respect passive but converts our wils to will our own conversion He that made thee without thy self will not justifie nor save thee without thy self Without thy merit indeed not without thine endeavour When those deadly waters were healed by the Prophet the outward act must be his the power Gods he cast the salt into the spring and said Thus saith the Lord I have healed these waters there shall not be from thence any more death or barrennesse Elisha was the Instrument but far was he from challenging ought to himself Wherefore be sure to use that power which Christ shall give thee and then my soul for thine he will not be wanting on his part And amongst other thine endeavour exercise Prayer Omit not to beg of God for the grace thou wantest and praise him for what thou obtainest Abhor to attribute or ascribe ought to thy doing trust only to Christs obedience in whom only what we do is accepted and for whom only it is rewarded Now you are to know that as no Sacrifice was without Incense so must no service be performed without Prayer And Prayer is like the Merchants Ship to fetch in heavenly commodities It is the Key of Heaven as S t Austin terms it and the Hand of a Christian which is able to reach from earth to Heaven and to take forth every manner of good gift out of the Lords Treasury Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name saies Christ believing he will give it you John 16. 23. Matth. 21. 22 Unto fervent Prayer God will deny nothing It is like Sauls Sâ—ord and Jonathans bow that never returned empty Like Ahimaaz that alwaies brought good tydings It is worth the obseâ—ving how Cornelius his serious exercies of this duty of Prayer brought unto him first an Angel then an Apostle and then the Holy Ghost himself Hast thou then a desire after that happinesse before spoken of seek first to have the asistance of Gods Spirit and his love shed abroad in thine heart by the Holy Ghost Wouldst thou have the love of God and the asistance of his Spirit ask it of him by Prayer who saith If any of you lack in this kind let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him James 1. 5. Wouldst thou pray that thou maist be heard Ask in faith and waver â—ot for he that wavereth is like a wave of the Sea test of the wind and carried away Vers. 6. Wouldst thou have saith be diligent to hear the Word preached which is the sword of the Spirit that killeth our corruptions and that unresistable Cannon-shot that battereth and beateth down all the strong holds of sinne and Satan Rom. 10 17. Unto him therefore that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think I commend thee CHAP. XIV Lastly For conclusion of this point Wouldst thou be a contented and Happy man then strive to be a Thankefull man and when God hath the fruit of his mercies he will not spare to sow much where he reapes much Wouldest thou become thankefull then bethink thy self what cause thou hast by calling to mind and considering what God and Christ hath done for thee As first That he is the Authour of thy natural life For in him we live and move and have our being Act. 17. 28. Secondly Of thy spiritual life Thus I live saies Paul yet not I now but Christ liveth in me Gal. 2. 20. Thirdly Of thy eternal life 1 Joh. 1. He is the way
the day could not finish my wonted Devotions neither accomplish my usual prayer But wishing that all men might be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth I folded and wrapped my self in the snares of the Devil I got me unto the wicked Assembly I required of them to perform the Covenant made the night before and coming as I thought unto the Baptism I silly soul not knowing of any thing answered but in a word and became reproachfully defamed I spake without malice yet felt I their inveterate and deadly spite for instantly the Divel raised an Assembly about me who carried me to an Altar of theirs where a foul filthy Ethopian being appointed this option or choice was offered unto me namely Whether I would sacrifice to the Idol or have my Body polluted with that foul and ugly Ethiopian In which strait I having ever kept my Chastity undefiled and much abhorring that filthy villany to be done to my body brake out into many moans lamentations and cryes against both Yet O wretched man that I am at length yeilded rather to sacrifice Whereupon the Judge putting Incense into my hand caused me to set it to the fire upon the Altar for the which impiety I was delivered both from that and Martyrdom But upon my discharge the Devil raised such an out-cry in the City in pronouncing against me that just and yet unjust sentence Origen hath sacrificed Whereupon he was excommunicated out of the Church and driven with shame and sorrow out of Alexandria and going to Jerusalem and being there among the Congregation was requested by the Priests to make some Exhortation in the Church to the people the which he refused to do for a great while but at length being constrained through importunity he rose up and turning the booke as though he would have expounded some place of the Scripture he hap'ned upon read onely the 16. verse of the 50. Psalm where he found it thus written But God said unto the sinner What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldst take my Covenant into thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my Word behind thee Which being read he shut the Book and sate down weeping and wailing the whole Congregation weeping and lamenting with him he said unto the Church Wo is me my Mother which brought me forth as an high and lofty Terret yet suddenly I am turned down to the ground as a fruitful Tree yet quickly withered as a burning Light yet forthwith darkned as a running Fountain yet by and by dried up Wo is me that ever I was decked with all gifts and graces and now seem pitifully to be deprived of all The Lord hath made and ingrafted me a fruitful Vine but instead of pleasant Clusters of Grapes I brought forth pricking Thorns Let the Well-springs of tears be stirred up and let my Cheeks be watered let them flow upon the earth and moisten it for that I am soaked in sin and bound in mine iniquity every creature sorroweth and may well pity my case for that I was wont heretofore to pour out my prayers unto God for them all but now there is no salve for me Where is he that went down from Jerusalem to Jericho who also salved and cured him that was wounded of the Thieves Whenas I went about to enlighten others I darkned my self when I endeavoured to bring others from death to life I brought my self from life to death Oh blinded heart how didst thou not remember O foolish mind how didst thou not bethink thy self O witless brain how didst thou not understand O thou Sence of Understanding Where didst thou sleep But it was the Devil which provoked thee to slumber and sleep and in the end to slay thy unhappy wretched soul He bound my power and might and wonded me I bewail sometime the fall of Sampson but now have I faln far worse my self I bewailed heretofore the fall of Solomon yet now am I faln far worse my self I have bewailed heretofore the estate of all sinners yet now am I plunged worse then them all Sampson had the hair of his head clipt off but the Crown of Glory is faln off my head Sampson lost the curnal eyes of his body but my spiritual eyes are digged out Even as he was severed from the Israelites and held captive among Idolaters so I have separated my self from the Church of God and am joined with evil spirits Alas my Church liveth yet am I a Widower Alas my Sons be alive yet am I barren Alas O Spirit which camest heretofore down upon me why hast thou forsaken me O thou Devil what hast thou done unto me O Satan how hast thou wounded me It was the wiliness of a Woman that brought Sampson to his confusion but it was my own Tongue that brought me to this sinful Fall Alas every Creature rejoiceth and I alone forsaken and sorrowful Bewaile him that is bereaved of the Holy Ghost bewail me that am thrust out of the Wedding-Chamber of Christ bewail me that am tormented with the prick of Conscience for now it behoveth me to shed infinite tears for my great sin Who knoweth whether the Lord wil have mercy upon me Whether he will pity my fall Whether he will be moved with my desolation Whether he will have respect unto my humility and incline his tender compassion towards me Now let the Elders mourn for that the staffe whereto they leaned is broken Now let they young men mourn for that their School-Master is faln Now let the Virgins mourn for that the advancer of Virginity is defiled Now let the Priests mourn for that their Patron and Defender is shamefully falne from the Faith Assist me holy Spirit and give me Grace to repent Let the fountain of tears be opened and gush out into streams to see if that peradventure I may have the grace worthily and throughly to repent Why hast thou shut my mouth by the holy Prophet David Am I the first that have sinned Or am I the first that fell Why hast thou forsaken me and banished me from among the Saints and astonied me to preach thy Laws Saint Peter the Pillar of truth after his fall wiped away that bitter passion of forswearing his Master with monrnful tears and was purged from the venom of the Serpent in a short time Restore me again to my former health of salvation O all ye which behold my wounds tremble for fear least God forsake you and you fall into the like crime O wo is me that I am fevered from among the company of the blessed Assemblies I have my death's wound I see the Clouds in the Skye shadowing the Light from me and the Sun hiding from me his bright beams O Satan What mischief hast thou wrought unto me How hast thou pierced my breast with thy poysoned Dart Thinkest thou that my ruine will avail thee any thing at all Thinkest thou to procure unto thy self ease and rest whiles that