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
were thorowly frighted with the wrathfull countenance of God for their infinite pollutions and prouocations of the eyes of his glory Their consciences were neuer awaked out of their dead sensuall sleepe by the Trumpet of the Law nor receiued any speciall and particular illumination from the sanctifying Spirit In a word they haue no terrour no trouble no worke or businesse at home about their owne finnes in their owne consciences and therefore they haue leasure enough to looke about them and are full enough of sinfull curiositie and vnnecessarie medling to pry and enquire into other mens courses and carriages of malice and spitefulnesse to mistake and misinterpret of pride and peremptorinesse to proclaime many times with great noise and selfe-applause their owne idle malignant forgeries and fancies for faults of those who are much more righteous thē they When they looke forward or any wayes about them they are very sharpe-sighted into the fashions and failings of others most exact in obseruing their neighbours wayes Eagle-eyed to pierce beyond the Moone to spy the least moate in the Sun I meane the smallest infirmity in the most glorious Saint Nay they are of such a refined and sublimated eye-sight that they can discerne some errours and exorbitancies especially in Professours of Religion which neuer had any existence But when they should reflect vpon themselues and turne their eyes to contemplate and consider their owne corruptions there lyes a great beame of hypocrisie betweene them and themselues so that they cannot possibly fee so much as those huge mountaines of many crying sinnes which full heauily presse downe their owne soules towards hell those vnnumbred swarmes of beastly lusts which rage remorslesly within their owne bosomes 2. It is a point of their hypocriticall policie cunningly and confidently to impute those sinnes vnto others which are grosly predominant in themselues that thereby they might purchase an opinion of a supposed innocencie and freedome from the like faults For when they cry out with great noise and clamour vpon other men they thinke they still the cry and stop the mouth of their owne sinnes and labour to fasten a perswasion vpon their owne hearts that sith they with such confidence and bold faces reprooue and censure others others will not out of the congruity of a charitable ingenuousnesse thinke them so shamelesse as to bee iustly liable to the same imputations except some few wiser and more iudicious Christians who are able by spirituall experience to discouer the depths and mysteries of their hypocrisie and for such they care not much for in point of reputation they rely most vpon the common sort and greater part 3. It is the naturall humour of an hypocrite to bee supercilious and censorious Pride is no where more naturally bred so proudly seated and highly enthroned as in his heart And therefore it is his common practise to hunt after estimation by disgracing and disabling others Sith hee wants worth in himselfe he labours to shine by darkening others misconceiuing that euery detraction from other mens reputations is an addition to his owne 4. They hold it a point and proofe of forwardnesse to be forward in finding faults As though the flame of an holy zeale were enkindled in any mans heart onely to giue him light for the discouery of other mens sinnes and not as a sacred fire to burne vp the noysome lusts which boyle in his owne brest Thus and vpon such grounds as these it is the hatefull propertie of Hypocrites and selfe-guiltie ones and a common marke of their cruell seueritie to wade deepely into the search and censure of other mens wayes and to gore verie bloodily into the consciences of others whereas they neuer purged their owne But true zeale euer casts the first stone at a mans selfe and plucks the beame out of his owne eye that he may better discerne and draw the mote out of anothers eye I meane a sincere heart is euer most censorious and seuere against it selfe most searching into and sensible of its owne sinnes prying with speciall curiositie and inquisitiuenesse into the endlesse maze of its owne wicked windings and depths of guile Though it heartily and vnfainedly detest all sinne in whomsoeuer yet it s owne iniquities and pollutions sticke closest and goe neerest and beget in it a more particular and extraordinary impression of remorse and loathing The reason is it hath truly tasted the terrors of a wounded conscience been scorched with the secret sence of Gods angry face and formerly full sorely crusht vnder the most grieuous burthen of innumerable sinnes It knowes right well by wofull experience what bitternesse of spirit and anguish of soule springs naturally from the retired suruey of scandalous transgressions in cold blood It feeles from time to time deadnesse of heart lessening of graces losse of comfort to ensue vpon euery grosse relapse or willing fall It findes too often to its much griefe that if it foster and nuzzle in it selfe any sensuall corruption or secret lust the Lord will not heare its prayers It is full well acquainted with the vnualuable preciousnesse of a peacefull conscience and Gods fauourable countenance which it cannot possibly enioy if it lie delightfully in any one sinne against its knowledge c. This being the experience exercise and constitution of an vpright heart it is most angry and displeased with most Eagle-eyde and watchfull ouer most strict and seuere against its owne sinnes Which home-imployment happily hinders and moderates a man from too much medling abroad This world of worke within about his owne soule in discouering opposing and mortifying his owne vnruly lusts and rebellions ties his tongue from being so busie in censuring other mens faults As therefore thou wouldest haue a true testimonie of taking thine owne sinnes to heart and of hauing beene sincerely humbled vnder Gods mighty hand thy selfe keepe a constant and narrow watch ouer thy tongue be very sparing in speaking the euill which thou knowest by others iudge no man rashly out of spleene humour passion pride preiudice Pharisaisme c. or of his finall state For all sound Conuerts and truely mortified men desire and labour to be very charitable mercifull and seasonable in their censures Consciousnesse of their owne corruptions makes them compassionate towards others in this kinde Obiect Yea but will some say howsoeuer you put it vpon prophane men and hypocrites yet it is well knowne your Professours are the onely shrewd censurers very sightfull and seuere about other mens faults and are still ready vpon all occasion by their peremptory iudging to send all others vnto hell saue themselues and those of their owne sect as they speake And so was the way to heauen stiled many a yeere agoe Answer This I grant is many times the prophane mans censure of the true Christian and therein he discouers himselfe to be a true hypocrite for with much bitternesse and malice hee censures sincere-hearted men to be censorious when himselfe is the only
very spectacle of commiseration to euery spirituall eye euen as that body is which adorned with a goodly feature and many other admirable beauties yet wanteth eye-sight the comfort of life whereby it walkes in perpetuall darkenesse and desperate danger Goodnesse though attended with contempt and disgrace is incomparably more amiable in the eye of an honest Cato much more of an holy Christian then all the vaine-glorious boisterous representations of any greatnesse or pompe Memorable and remarkable to this purpose was the magnanimitie and resolution of that holy Prophet 2. Kings 3. 14. As the Lord of hosts liueth before whom I stand Surely were it not that I regard the presence of Iehoshaphat the King of Iudah I would not looke toward thee nor see thee Miserable then is the vanity and vaine-glorious slauery of such as with great eagernesse and impotency hunt so ambitiously after high dependances and hold it a strange happinesse to insinuate into the bosome of the worlds Fauourites though it be by basenesse bribery an vniuersall obsequiousnesse and vile accommodations They many times with vaunting intimation also to others proudly applaud and please themselues for their accesse countenance and entertainement with Great men as though it argued in them some rare extraordinary sufficiencie and worth when as perhaps it is their owne flattering insinuations and intrusion their instrumentall agencie and imployment in some ill offices lewd seruices which brings them into such request and acceptation But let such know it is a thousand times more comfort and true credit to be receiued with Christian loue and armes of grace into the heart and affections of a good man then to be entertained with greatest brauery and worldly applause into grace and fauour with the greatest gracelesse One vpon earth For alas when a man hath done all he can to please the humours of vngodly great Ones by an vnconscionable satisfaction of their carnall desires and to gratifie them hath vnhappily grieued his owne conscience hee can at last when Gods dreadfull visitation and flaming vengeance shall seize vpon him for that sinne looke for no better reward and reply than that cold comfort and cutting answere which Iudas in the extremity of his anguish and horrour receiued from the High Priests and Elders Matth. 27. 4. That cursed man came vnto them ready out of the rage of his vexed conscience to teare his traiterous heart out of his body with his own bloody hands and threw the thirty pieces of siluer amongst them and cryed out I haue sinned in that I haue betrayed the innocent blood But what recompence doe they returne for his imployment in villany to serue their turne Their reply is What is that to vs See thou to that And such a man shall certainely in the day of distresse bee enforced to take vp some rufull complaint proportionable to Wolseyes heauy groane Had I beene as carefull to serue the God of heauen as my great Master on earth He had neuer left me in my gray haires And wee see in the meane time fauour is deceitfull and transitory euen in priuate men much more in great personages The volubility of whose nature is soone glutted and very variable for kinds of satisfaction A thousand experiences in all Stories and times teach vs how irregular and many times retrograde the reuolutions of highest fauours runne They haue their paroxysmes and declinations and euer at length their most certaine expiration and euerlasting period But on the other side consciousnesse of hauing held an vnfained fruitfull correspondence and communion with Gods people the onely excellent Ones by all neerest and dearest engagements and Obligations of a profitable and comfortable fellowship in the Gospell and mutuall entercourse of godly conference heauenly counsell spirituall encouragements consideration one of another confirmation in grace and well-grounded testification of meeting together in heauen will incomparably more refresh the trembling heart of a dying man than if he had been crowned all his life long with the Imperiall glory of all earthly kingdomes And in the meane time there is nothing in this world to be admired but the illustrious splendour of heauenly graces shed and shining from Gods mercifull Throne by his sanctifying Spirit into the soules of the Saints Neither any thing so to bee desired no such prerogatiue and Paradise in this vale of teares as a mutuall communicating of their diuine brightnesse and the sweete ioy issuing thence a very glimpse and earnest of euerlasting glory to the humble hearts one of another 4. When thou visitest others or thy selfe inuitest them take notice euer before-hand with as punctuall and special suruey as thou canst possibly of their humours dispositions carriages opinions and behauiours and thereupon premeditate and prepare conuenient and seasonable matter whereby thou maist more successefully addresse and apply thy selfe with all meekenesse of wisedome and patient discretion to insinuate interpose argue answere reprooue reply and so demeane thy selfe in thy whole discourse that through thy default neither the glory of God the honour of his Truth the reputation of Christianitie or thine owne conscience receiue any indignitie disgrace diminution or wound Would Christians take this counsell hold this course they would at such times not so often depart with spirituall discontent and so smitten with consciousnesse afterward of their silence omissions cowardlinesse and vnprofitablenesse in company For want of care and conscience in this point countrey people meet many times in their Conuenticles of goodfellowship at Ale-houses Bake-houses Gossippings as they call them c. as at a common Mart of Tale-telling back-byting disgracing their neighbours raging against Professors sawcily and vnseasonably medling with and miscensuring other mens matters yea and would you thinke it sometimes euen highest Mysteries of State reuiling the Ministerie especially if managed with manifestation of the Spirit and an holy impatiency to see the deuill domineere and reuell it in the blood of the peoples soules without contradiction When they come together at such times euery one opens his packe of tales for I haue told you heretofore that a Tale-bearer is compared to a Pedlar as the word in the Originall cleerely intimates who hauing furnished himselfe and filled his packe with variety of peddling and petty stuffes trots vp and downe for vent from house to house where he finds best custome and speall entertainement I say at such meetings it is their manner to open euery one his packe of false and slanderous tales which they haue raked and scraped together by their owne malicious surmises listnings whisperings pragmaticall inquisitiuenesse into other mens businesses or some odde idle Intilligencers whom they entertaine for that purpose and there out of an itching humor of talkatiuenesse and tattling they lay abroad such rotten wares to the empoysoning of the eares of those that heare them the defaming of their brethren farre better then themselues and certaine remonstration to their owne consciences that they are as yet the children of the deuill the
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
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
euen Bellarmine himselfe speakes proportionably in another case Vpon a passage in Austin acknowledging the interior efficacy of Gods Spirit giuing testimony to our hearts concerning the truth of that which is contained in the Scriptures saith he This light of faith is a certaine testimonie of God by which it is said to the secret cogitations of our hearts That is true thou needest not to doubt thereof Here is an immediate testimony of the Spirit granted for the confirmation of the truth of the Word why may not the like bee expected for an assurance of the worke of the Word Mighty and remarkeable was the worke of the Spirit this way vpon the heart of that Noble Martyr Robert Glouer vpon the first sight and representation of the Stake so sweetely seasonable is God in all his refreshings For two or three dayes before his death hee was full heauily oppressed with the spirituall miseries of a dead heart and spirituall desertion In which time no doubt hee cried mightily vnto God and often reflected the eye of his renewed conscience vpon a truly beleeuing penitent humble holy and heauenly heart resolued to sacrifice its warmest blood in the mercilesse fire for the testimony of Iesus and yet no comfort would come But in the very nicke and needfull time as you may see in the Story the blessed Spirit did suddenly shine into his darke and desolate soule with the glorious beames of his owne immediate comfort and so sensibly filled it with such ouerflowing Riuers of spirituall ioyes that no doubt they mightily abated and quencht the ragefull fury of those Popish flames wherein hee sweetely fell asleepe It was a speciall and immediate springing of the holy Ghost in his heart which made Master Peacock after many dayes of extremest horrour professe that The ioy which be felt in his conscience was incredible We feele and acknowledge by daily experience that Satan doth immediately iniect and shall not the blessed Spirit after his holy and heauenly manner immediately also suggest sometimes Neither is this to bee reputed an extraordinary reuelation or Enthusiasme without or beside the Word of God I heartily abominate all Anabaptisticall fooleries and phrensies For that which the Spirit so reueiles vnto our consciences we our selues may collect and conclude out of Gods Word vpon the conscience of our faith repentance other sauing endowments and holy graces shining in our soules and vprightly exercised in our whole conuersation When wee by these meanes haue assured our soules that we are the children of God which is the testimony of our owne renewed spirits the Spirit of God as another witnesse secondeth and confirmeth this assurance by diuine inspiration and by sweet motions and feelings of Gods speciall goodnesse and glorious sauing presence and so acording to the Apostles phrase Rom. 8. 16. beareth witnesse with our spirits Wherefore if any man presume vpon or pretend any immediate suggestion or reuelation for his spirituall safetie and euerlasting well-beeing and yet want vtterly the testimony of 〈◊〉 renewed conscience to the same purpose the testimony of vniuersall obedience of not lying willingly and delightfully in any one knowne sin of crucifying the flesh with the affections and lusts c. I can giue him none but this cold comfort hee is cursedly coozened by the Deuils counterfeit glory of an Angell casting into his abused imagination such groundlesse conceits which in time of triall will vanish into nothing and flye away as a dreame By the way let me tell you that though this last manner of assurance bee more immediately from the Spirit yet conceiue that the other also are not effectuall vpon the heart without the excitation illumination and assistance of the same blessed Spirit For the first consider that forecited place 1. Corinth 2. 12. For the second when the conscience through the ministrie of the Law doth testifie to a man his state in sinne and vnder the curse it is through the spirit of bondage that it doth testifie then when it doth testifie to him his state of grace and freedome from the curse it is much rather from the Spirit of Adoption No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost For the third I doubt not but the blessed Spirit as a comfortable Remembrancer refreshed Hezekias memory when he cryed to the Lord Remember now O Lord c. Isai. 38. 3. But how shall a man discerne and difference a true perswasion and the testimony of the Spirit from a groundlesse presumptuous conceit and the Deuils delusion If Bellarmine aske me I will easily stop his mouth First by demanding him how his Saint Francis and S. Antony knew assuredly that their reuelations of the certaine remission of their sinnes were from the Spirit of God especially sith with him they were reuelations quite besides and without the Word For he holds that this proposition Francis is truly iustified Antony hath his sinnes forgiuen and so of other particular men is not to be found in the Word either immediately or by euident consequence which we vpon good ground contradict if the particular men be true beleeuers Secondly by that saying of Ambrose vrged by Catarinus in the Councell of Trent The holy Ghost doth neuer speake vnto vs but doth make vs know that it is Hee that speaketh But if the doubtfull Christian truly troubled about it would be taught and informed in the point or if it be possible that the Pharise the deluded One should heartily desire to be illightened I aduise that they would consider vpon these following markes of difference 1. A sound perswasion vpon good ground by the Spirit is euer agreeable and answerable exactly to the Word The inward testimony of the Spirit and outward testimony of the Word doe alway sweetely accord and one answeres to the other as face to face in water And therefore if that thy present state wherein thou conceiuest thy selfe to bee sure and safe inough for saluation bee disabled and condemned by Gods Word thy confidence is vaine and Satan deludes thee The Scripture tels vs That whosoeuer is borne of God doth not commit sin 1. Ioh. 1. 3 9. which is not to be vnderstood simply of the act of sinning For who can say My heart is cleane But in this sence He makes not a trade of sinning he sinneth not with purpose pleasure and perseuerance he doth not liue lie and delight in sinne he suffers it not to reigne in him If then thou allowest any lust in thy heart or goe on in the willing practise of any one knowne sinne or sensuall course and yet bee well conceited of thy selfe for comfort in the World to come the Deuill coozens thee God will not heare the prayers but wound the hairie scalpe of euery such a one For instance If thou lyest in lying for it s one thing to be ouertaken that way out of feare or ere thou be aware another thing to continue in
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
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
sinne thorowout though there may bee difference of heate and crying vnto God according to the necessitie and neerenesse of the passage in the prayer to our particular or the more vniuersall good desire Prayer is the creature of the holy Ghost euery part whereof we should heartily wish and earnestly wrastle that He would proportionably animate as it were and thorowly enlyue euen as the soule doth the body For the third with all intention and watchfulnesse pursue and presse after the things prayed for by a timely apprehension fruitfull exercise and vtmost improuement of all occasions ordinances helpes and heauenly offers which may any wayes concurre to the compassing of them For instance Thou prayest for knowledge walke then when thou hast done with a constant indeauour in the strength of this prayer thorow all the meanes reading hearing conferring practising for euen that also is a meanes to increase knowledge Ioh. 7. 17. especially experimentall catechizing c. for the storing of thy vnderstanding with all sacred illuminations and holy sences of Gods sauing Word Let no opportunitie passe be violent in catching all occasions for the enriching thy braine with such heauenly stuffe and hoarding vp in thine heart such hidden treasures If thou cryest after knowledge saith Salomon and liftest vp thy voyce for vnderstanding Chap. 2. 3. there is the prayer If thou seekest her as siluer and searchest for her as for hidden treasures vers 4. there is the endeauour Then shalt thou vnderstand the feare of the Lord and find the knowledge of God vers 5. there is the blessing see Psal. 27. 4. Againe thou prayest to be preserued out of ill company thou doest well but when thou hast done doest thou make conscience of that counsell of Salomon Prou. 4. 14 15. and by the power and impression thereof confront and oppose the cunning inticements cursed importunities of thine old companions and brethren in iniquitie Enter not saith Salomon into the path of the wicked and goe not in the way of wicked men Auoide it passe not by it turne from it and passe away c. He that makes Prayer the end of Prayer prayes only to pray and rests in his prayer thinking when that holy duty is done that there is no more to bee done prayes to no purpose There must be good doings as well as good duties He that doth not earnestly and in good sadnesse afterwards set himselfe against sinnes deprecated and pursue with zeale and conscience the graces and good things petitioned his prayer is not worth a button II. Decline idlenesse the very rust and canker of the soule the Deuils cushion pillow chiefe reposall his very tide-time of temptation as it were wherein hee carries with much ease and without all contradiction the currnet of our corrupt affections to any cursed sinne And be diligent with conscience and faithfulnesse in some lawfull honest particular Calling a good testimony if other sauing markes concurre of truth and true heartednesse in thy generall Calling of Christianitie not so much to gather gold and engrosse wealth as for necessary and moderate prouision for family and posteritie and in conscience and obedience to that common charge laid vpon all the sonnes and daughters of Adam to the Worlds end In the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate bread till thou returne vnto the ground 1. But euer goe about the affaires of thy Calling with a heauenly mind seasoned and sanctified with habituall prayer eiaculatory eleuations willingnesse if God so please to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ pregnant with heauenly matter and meditation pickt out of the passages of thy present businesse For instance Let the Husbandman in Seed-time collect this sacred Soliloquie and heauenly thought If I now take not the season I shall haue no haruest but starue in winter So proportionably if I gather not Grace in this Sun-shine of the Gospell and day of my visitation I shall find nothing but horror vpon my bed of death and burne in Hell for euer hereafter c. 2. In all the ciuill businesses of thy personall Calling let thy eye and aime be vpon Gods glory as the prime and principall end of all thy actions 1. Cor. 10. 31. and in them seeke and serue that glorious end of Gods honour not so much in procuring thine owne as the good of Church Common-wealth Neighbours and Family c. 3. By earthly imployments do not become an earth-worme In vsing the world grow not a worldling and such an one as findes more sweetnesse and pleasure in worldly dealings and the comming in of thy Profits then in thy heauenly traffick and treasures through the practise and trade of Christianitie III. In thy solitarie seasons 1. Single out some speciall profitable choyce matter to meditate on all the while thereby both to preuent the ordinary intrusion of many vaine foolish noy some thoughts impertinent wandrings and wofull trifling out thy precious time and also to keepe thy spirits and the powers of thy soule aworke lest as milstones wanting grist grate and grind one another they waste themselues in a fruitlesse barren melancholy When canst thou bee alone and not haue iust cause either to busie thy mind about some lawfull affaires of thy Calling or wrestle with some corruption which troubles the peace of thy conscience or breake out into the praises of God or some other holy passages of heauenly meditation whereof there is so great varietie and store 2. Watch and withstand with all godly iealosie and care two dangerous euils 1. Thoughts of pleasures from thy youthfull sinnes and vnregenerate time which at such times are ready to make re-entry and very eager being aided by the Deuils cunning and hearts-corruption to re-infect and pollute thy soule againe with sensuall filth and renewed guiltinesse And in this point take heed lest the Deuill delude thee in the glory of an Angel or by the flashes of his counterfeite light cast into thy heart his secret wild-fire and sparkes of lust For in thy solitary musing thou mayest resume into thy memory the abominations of thy former life especially of that sinne which was thy minion-delight and darling-pleasure vpon purpose to bewaile and detest them and yet without a very vigilant eye the Deuill in sinuating some secret ticklings of woonted sinfull sweetnesse that which was intended for an exercise and increase of repentance may cursedly end in the iteration and re-inioyment of old filthy pleasures 2. Take heed also at such times of acting any new sinnes vpon sensuall suppositions and imaginary plots as of worldlinesse lust speculatiue wantonnesse ambition reuenge dishonouring Gods prouidence by an vnnecessarie distrustfull forecasting of fearefull accidents vpon thy selfe family goods posteritie the State c. Some sonnes of Belial there are who make no bones as they say of acting all manner of vncleannesse horrible impuritie in the inward parts by the meere worke of imagination When they cannot compasse and attaine the reall accomplishment of their
and quenched let a Christian but for a while abandon his holy conference and comfortable communion with Gods children and plunge himselfe into the company of those who are but cold and carelesse lazie and luke-warme Professors and he shall in very short time find his zeale to be very much cooled his forwardnesse abated the tendernesse of his conscience too much qualified with worldly wisedome much dulnesse of heart deadnesse of spirit drowzinesse and heartlesnesse in his affections to holy things and an vniuersall decay of his graces insensibly to grow vpon him In this respect many Christians doe themselues much wrong and afflict their soules with many vnnecessary spirituall miseries For they doe sometimes vnaduisedly by reason of kindred for old acquaintance aduantage and carnall contentment because of the worldly wisedome immunity from grosse sinnes and other good parts of the parties hold a too neere intimate and delightfull correspondence with such as are but onely ciuill men or Pharises at the best with whom spending most of their time and they wanting both heart and skill to vphold any holy conferences or to affoord any reciprocall or mutuall helpe in the feeling passages of sanctification are occasions to put Gods Children out of vse and vre with the language of Canaan from the embracement of many ioyfull considerations and exercise of those comfortable Meditations and holy conuersation aboue which Christian company would occasionally and seasonably put into them and keepe fresh and working in their mindes and by consequent bereaue them thereby of much zeale comfort feelings of Gods fauour ioyfull springings of heart boldnesse in their wayes cheerefulnesse in the exercises of Religion and that comfortable fruition of other prerogatiues of Christianity which many other of their brethren doe and they by the benefit of religious companions and delightfull conuersing with the Saints might plentifully enioy Apprehend this passage aright I say a Christian may be much worsened and weakened in his graces by companying too much and conuersing delightfully with the meere ciuill man or Whited Tombes For he may spend with such men whole weekes nay moneths and yeeres and haue not one word of sanctified discourse and holy talke ministred vnto him Scarce a word to bee had from them of the Word of God and way to heauen no conference of the secrets of Sanctification of perplexities of conscience of their euerlasting abode together in the Mansions of heauen Motions that way would bee very irkesome and tedious vnto them such talke would quickly beget silence melancholy sadnesse and a desire to breake off company Now the Christian by this meanes neither hauing his tongue exercised nor his eares much acquainted with edifying Christian discourse growes neglectiue of storing his memory with holy things vnzealous and cold in the apprehensions of heauen dull and heartlesse to godly duties If thus what infection then from notorious and lewd companions But aboue all in this point the fellowship of the Papist is most pernicious for by him a man is in danger both of hauing his vnderstanding and iudgement corrupted with heresie and his life and conuersation infected with impiety There are two steps and passages as it were out of the state of prophanenesse into the Paradise of Christianitie 1. Illumination of the vnderstanding with sauing knowledge 2. Sanctification of the heart with speciall grace Now the Papist labours to peruert and impoyson both For commonly you shall finde the Papist to be stigmatized and branded with a double marke Hee receiues one immediately from the Beast a brand of Idolatry And Satan commonly fastens vpon him another speciall marke some notorious and scandalous sinne in his conuersation as swearing lying vncleannesse the vanities of good-fellowship Sabbath-breaking or such like For we must know that Antichristianisme cannot produce sanctification and therefore you shall commonly finde euery Papist to lye in some raigning sinne howsoeuer formall deuotion is the highest perfection attainable in that Antichristian state By Popish company then a man is in danger of corruption both in his vnderstanding and conuersation By the lewd which yet make profession of Gods Trueth of infection with notoriousnesse in conditions By meere ciuill honest men and formall Professors of defection from zeale and forwardnesse at the least 2. As the Christian incurres by the company of prophane men euident hazard either of infection with their sinnes if they bee notorious or defection from zeale and forwardnesse if they be something more tolerable and formall so he is euery houre which hee is in their company without a warrantable calling and iust dispensation out of the Word and from a good conscience in great danger of being inuolued within the flames of the iust confusions and inwrapt within the compasse of those outward curses and plagues which Gods indignation inkindles and inflicts vpon wicked men All prophane men being vnreconciled to God are euery moment liable to all those miseries and fearefull iudgements which either man or deuill any of Gods creatures or his owne immediate hand can bring vpon them They are onely respited and reserued by Gods mercy and deferred onely vnto those opportunities and seasons which seeme best and fittest to his holy Wisedome Now if when they light vpon them as they may iustly at any time any of Gods Children bee found amongst them vnwarrantably and delightfully it is righteous with God that he receiue his portion amongst them at that time and bee fearefully infolded within the fury of the greatest temporall visitation It is righteous with God that if his owne Child will needs bee vnwarrantably familiar with his enemy that he also bee partaker of any temporall plague especially with his enemy euen to the losse sometimes of his naturall life Take then I beseech you the holy counsell of the blessed Apostle Eph. 5. 7. Bee not therefore companions with them And let his reason fright you out of their company Let no man deceiue you saith he with vaine words for for such things commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience For such things to wit fornication vncleannesse couetousnesse filthinesse foolish talking iesting and such like Take heed therefore of conuersing with the practisers of these vncomely things 2. Secondly there must very shortly bee an euerlasting separation betweene the Christian and prophane men at the farthest they must part vpon their death-beds and neuer see one another againe vnto the day of Iudgement and then they must shake hands for world without end For there is set betwixt them by Gods immutable and irreuocable Decree a vast and immeasurable gulfe which stands as fast and vnremooueable as God Almightie in his Throne of Maiestie so that they can neuer possibly meete Betweene vs and you saith Abraham to the rich man in hell there is a great gulfe fixed so that they which would passe from hence to you cannot neither can they passe to vs that would come from thence If it be so then that after an inch 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
euer since 2. Resist and crush euery exorbitant thought which drawes to sinne at the very first rising Encounter it with this dreadfull Dilemma Say vnto thy selfe If I commit this sinne it will cost mee vnvaluably more heart-breake and spirituall smart before I can purchase assurance of pardon and peace of conscience then the sensuall pleasure is worth If I neuer repent it will bee the death and damnation of my soule See what a world of misery man brings vpon himselfe by giuing way to the first wicked thought Disc. of true Happinesse pag. 150. 3. Entertaine euer with all holy greedinesse and make exceedingly much of all good motions put into thy heart by the blessed Spirit howsoeuer occasioned whether by the Ministery of the Word mindfulnesse of death Christian admonition reading some good Booke some speciall crosse extraordinary mercy any way at any time Feede enlarge and improoue them to the vtmost with Meditation Prayer and Practise So thou shalt preserue thine heart in a soft holy comfortable temper and heauenward which is a singular happinesse 3. Eleuation and often lifting vp of the heart towards heauen What Christian heart can indure to discontinue its sweet familiaritie and humble entercourse with God for one day Let thy broken heart therefore euery day besides solemne and ordinarie eiaculations Euening and Morning and vpon other speciall occasions bee sure 1. To bathe it selfe deliciously in the blisfull depths of Gods boundlesse mercies in Christ that it may bee happily kept spiritually merry thankefull and in heart to all holy duties 2. To kisse sweetly the glorified Body of our crucified Lord with the lips of infinitely dearest and vnexpressably affectionate loue though the distance bee great yet the hand of Faith will bring them easily together that it may be preserued in peace puritie and reuengefull opposition vnto sinne for as the application of his meritorious Blood is a soueraigne Plaister to heale the wounded conscience to turne Crimsin and Scarlet into snow and wooll so me-thinkes a serious and compassionate commemoration of the deare effusion thereof should bee both a precious corrosiue to eate out the heart of corruption and a speciall preseruatiue to keepe from sinne sith sinne was the principall in slaughtering the Lord of life 3. To cast the eye of hope vpon the glory euerlastingnesse and vnutterable excellencies of that immortall shining Crowne aboue which after this life and this life is but a bubble a smoake a shadow a thought shall be set vpon thy head by the hand of God a very glimpse of the goodly splendour and rauishing beauty whereof is able both to sweeten the bitterest villanies and basest wrongs from the world and wicked men and to dispell those mists of fading vanities and hurtfull fumes of honours riches and earthly pleasures which this great dunghil of the world heated by the fire of inordinate lusts is wont to euaporate and interpose betwixt the sight of mens soules and the blisse of Heauen VI. Be very watchfull ouer thy most predominant and troublesome passion whether it be feare sorrow loue anger c. All of them are vnruly and raging enough but yet commonly one ouer-rules all the rest and playes Rex as they say in the vnregenerate man nay too often offers to rise in rebellion euen against the most sanctified soule Whatsoeuer it be 1. In thy priuate morning sacrifice be sure to lay on loade of deepest groanes and strongest cries for mortifying grace against it and comfortable conquest ouer it Let that period and passage of thy prayers bee enforced and enlarged with an extraordinarie pang of feruencie and feelingly sealed as it were with the most Seraphicall Selah 2. Cut off all occasions whatsoeuer it cost thee which may any wayes stirre awaken and kindle it Withdraw the fewel that ministers food vnto that passionate flame though it should bee as painefull vnto thee as the plucking out of thy right eye or the cutting off of thy right hand Assuredly the pleasures of inward quiet and sweet spirituall calmnesse of thy so vnderstanding Soule will infinitely recompence any paines in oppositions and resistances in that nature 3. Consider seriously before-hand what a deale of disturbance and vnsettlednesse the visible exorbitancy and breaking of it out will breede and bring vpon thy inward man It will be like a dead Flie in a boxe of precious oyntment disgrace all thy graces and full foully darken the glory of thy profession It will be like fire in the Thatch and for the while cast into combustion as it were the whole frame of thy spiritual building and turne the heauenly peace of thy appeased conscience into a bitter tempest Tell mee whether after a lawlesse transgression of those bonds of moderation to which thy Christian resolution hath confinde it and that it hath preuailed against thee with any notorious excesse I say whether at night thou finde not thy spirit quite downe and much deaded to the exercise of prayer or any other euening duty And if vpon thy waking in the night there should be any terrible winde dreadfull thunder or other affrighting accident whether thy heart would not smite thee vpon that occasion with much more feare and apprehensions of horrour I will suppose thy raigning or rather rebelling passion for I speake to the Christian to be choler and anger and then first listen to the counsell which the very morall Sages minister against this spirituall maladie and to the rules and remedies which the light of reason leades vs vnto 1. Cut off say they the causes and the effect wil vanish Quench the firebrands which enrage this fury and thou shalt be at quiet They are such as these 1. Weakenesse of spirit vnmanlinesse of minde Hence it is that old men infantâ—… and sicke folkes are commonly more cholericke then others Impotency and excesse of passion euer argues the disgrace and inferiority of the vnderstanding part the noblest power of the soule And therefore if we would be armed against the sallies and assaults of this domineering raging distemper we must suffer the hiest and heauenliest part of our soule to know and exercise its place and strength Wee must not make our vnderstandings vnder-lings but giue reason his right and regiment 2. Selfe-loue a foolish doting vpon and adoring our selues which springs from the cursed root of Selfe-ignorance and quite puts out that light of Natures law in our consciences Doe as thou wouldest be done by If before thou lose the reines to that short phrensie thou wouldst suppose and set thy selfe in the place of the party with whom thou art angry and then say and doe no more then if thine owne person were the patient it would bee a notable meanes to curbe thy choler and keepe the credit of dipassionatenesse and moderation and make thee patiently suffer that which perhaps thou hast often confidently offered to others 3. An ouertendernesse and delicate nicenesse in bearing wrongs an impetuous impatiencie for being abused Whereas insensibilitie and
heare and digest with patience and silence the oathes and rotten speeches of their seruants and perhaps their sonnes without any contradiction or correction In their owne families some perhaps sweare others talke filthily some raile against the Ministry others iest vpon the sinceritie of the Saints c. and yet the wicked Gouernor ◅ayes neuer a word But in this point my purpose is principally to counsel Christians I meddle not at this time with such Synagogues of Satan and dennes of Atheists 2. Some others it may be but they are not neere so many may runne into the other extreme and out of a spirituall foole-hardinesse as it were and furious zeale with an imperious and vnwarrantable boysterousnes flie in the face of some desperate Swaggerer with an vndigested and vnseasonable reproofe whereby they both incurre the guilt of giuing an holy thing vnto a Dog and vnnecessary danger from the gracelesse fury of the partie Or else for want of spirituall wisedome and an holy discretion of circumstances they may tender an admonition to some such contemptuous swinish wretch which will passe ouer and put by the precious seuerity of the Word of Truth with a scurrill iest or with a dull and scornefull sottishnesse trample vnderfoote that sacred Pearle Though it be no constant character of Dogs and Swine yet commonly those desperate wretches to whō by Christ s commandement we must giue no holy things are fellowes of dogged sowre and contracted countenances especially towards true Christians and haue a kinde of desperate furiousnesse impressed vpon their foreheads which is then most visible when they are crost in their villanies and heare of any contradiction or condemnation of their gracelesse courses and contemptuous carriages And those Swinish Gadarens before whom we must cast no Pearles are fellowes of a ◅leering gibing and scornefull carriage especially towards good men and godly exercises they are so drowned in sensualitie and glued to the earth that they doe not onely despise but also deride the precious things of Heauen As I take it sensualitie and earthly mindednesse mingled with a great deale of Atheisme begetteth in men this sottish swinishnesse and brutish contempt of the blessings of Grace and directions to euerlasting blisse These premonitions and cautions premised and obserued euery Christian ought to addresse himselfe with resolution and conscience to discharge this Christian duty of reproouing when a iust occasion and a calling thereunto doe require and exact it at his hands For these reasons First in respect of the party offending 1. A seasonable reproofe mingled and sanctified with the spirit of inuocation and compassion may by the blessing of God be an occasion of conuersion to the offender And let him know that he which conuerteth the sinner from the errour of his way shall sa◅e a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sinnes And it is the most glorious worke in the World and the noblest imployment vnder the Sunne to haue an hand in the holy businesse of sauing a soule Let hope then of doing spirituall good to thy brothers soule be the speciall aime and a principall motiue of performing this dutie There is a Law Exod. 23. 4 5. that if a man meete his enemies Oxe or Asse going astray he must bring him againe If he see his enemies Asse lying vnder his burden hee must helpe him vp againe How much more deare and precious in our eies should the immortall soule of our Brother be then the Asse of our enemie If we must turne backe the straying Oxe of our enemie and lift vp his Asse when he is crusht vnder his burden with what eagernesse and zeale ought wee to labour to stop the furious course of a reasonable creature towards the pit of Hell and to put our helping hand to raise vp that silly foule which by reason of the heauy weight of its finne is full sorely bruised and bleeding ready euen to breathe out it last and sinke into the misery of endlesse horrour Speake then boldly in the cause of God when thou hearest thy brother blaspheme his Name iest with his Word talke filthily raile against holines slander good men pleade for prophane pastimes c. for they are so many mortall stabs into his owne poore soule besides the naturall infectiousnesse of rotten speeches which may doe much mischiefe to the standers by Though thy reproofe preuaile not at the present yet thou knowest not what impression and working it may haue afterward vpon his hard heart whereby perhaps he may happily thinke vpon a new course and of conuersion to God and so thou be a blessed instrument of sauing a soule 2. But if it haue not so happy a successe vpon his soule yet it may be thou mayest thereby tame and take downe his insolency so cut his combe by a seasonable contradiction that he doe not carry it away brauely so coole and confound his swaggering humour that he doe not glory in his villany that hee doe not pride himselfe in his blasphemies and bloody oathes in his contempt of Grace and other outragious carriages Answer a foole saith Salomon according to his foolishnesse lest he be wise in his owne conceit lest hee bee too proud If a desperate and prophane wretch will needs sweare and swagger and raile against the seruants and seruices of God yet let him know that all the while hee fights against God damnes his owne soule and pleases none but Deuils Drunkards and deuilish men If he will needs labour to be famous by a surious opposition to the Ministery and wayes of God let him know that his name shall rot after him as vilely as his carkeise in the graue and himselfe burne in Hell euerlastingly if hee hold on in that humour without timely repentance and reformation 3. Thirdly at the least thou shouldst thereby increase and aggrauate his inexcuseablenesse and so glorifie the Tribunall of Gods Iustice when it shall there appeare that besides many other meanes afforded and offered vnto him by Gods mercies thou also diddest lend him thine hand to haue puld him out of the fire gauest him one call to haue stayed him in the furious and wilfull pursuit of his owne damnation But because he still hated to be reformed because varietie of meanes for his amendment made him more malicious and obstinate in his owne wayes and that contradiction and counsell to the contrary inflamed and set on fire the lustfull viciousnesse of his corrupt nature to hunt more greedily after forbidden pleasures therefore I say hee will bee more and more fearefully ashamed and confounded at that great and fearefull Day and the moe occasions he hath had of his conuersion the iuster cause then will he see of his deserued confusion and by consequent more glory will accrew vnto the glorious Tribunall of Gods Iustice. Secondly in such cases the Christian must speake in respect of himselfe 1. When the aire is impoysoned with any infectious vapour men vse to fill their
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
from all stormes of violence oppressions and wrong nay and perhaps by their countenance procure them a great deale of credit and esteeme if not obseruance and awfulnesse from those amongst whom they liue 3. To call to mind out of too many wofull experiences that in the frownes and angry foreheads of great men are infolded many times many secret complots of cunning cruelty and plausible malice which when time serues fall full heauy vpon the hearts and heads of inferiours which are not in all poinis pliable to their humours And out of such carnall considerations as these by a rash vnaduised yeeldingnesse they too often plunge themselues hand ouer head into vnworthy engagements and become instruments of ill offices the basenesse and iniquitie whereof doth afterward in cold blood strike full cold vnto their hearts and leaues a gash and grieuous wound in their consciences comforts and Christian reputations 4. At such entertainments and tables of Great men not friends to the truth thou wilt be ready to vomit thy morsels and shalt loose thy sweet words Thy dainty fare may bee sawced perhaps with many bitter girds much rotten talke enforced healths if not empoisoned with blasphemies obscenities and horrible oathes Thy musicke wil be merry lies fained iests scofs scurrilities against Gods best seruants and the Kings best subiects commonly calumniated as pestilent fellowes For so the Church complaines Lam. 3. 63. I am their musicke Few feasts where the founder is not Gods friend but after his good-fellow guests bee well heated with variety of dishes and strong drinke as their faces are inflamed with fiery reflections one from another so their hearts will be enraged with mutuall infection of furious malice to belch out most prodigious dunghill villanous lies hammered by the very foulest Fiend in the darkest nooke of hell against those that are true of heart Lord thou knowest The complementall formes and flourishes of thy welcome may prooue as a pitfall to plunge thee into some dishonourable imployment or one way or other to betray thee to an vncomfortable entanglement of thy conscience So that if thy generous spirit will nobly rise against such froth and folly ribaldry and railing the vnworthy degenerations of these worst times if it bee sensible of Gods dishonour the disgrace of the Saints and thine owne danger thou canst not choose but be wearie of such good cheere Nay besides the resolution of thy iudgement that in such a case thou wouldest farre rather haue stayed at home with a dinner of greene hearbs then to haue thine eares so grated and heart grieued all the while at a great table euen in nature thou shalt fare worse For thy iust indignation discontentment and sadnesse vpon such ground will naturally contract thine heart thicken thy blood chill thy spirits that naturall heare will faint and faile in the ordinary current and course of concoction No maruaile then though thou be readier to vomit thy morsels then to reioyce in those high entertainments or variety of messes which are dissweetened with such distastfull and bitter mixtures And thou shalt loose thy sweet words both of humanity and Christianity For the first out of the ingenuous simplicitie and honesty of thy heart thou wilt returne reall sincere affectionate demonstrations of thankfulnesse for meere dissembled formall ceremonies of entertainment and welcome For the other thou shalt be so farre from finding a free and comfortable vent and entertainment to any good talke that if thou meddle that way thou marrest all the mirth Mention of heauenly things our last account the life to come iudgements against sinne priuiledges of the Saints happinesse of the holy Ones c. which might sweetly season and as it were sanctifie their meeting and those good creatures of God they so plentifully enioy would presently cast all the company into dumps of melancholy The Word of God writ vpon the wall in the very height and ruffe of their greatest iollitie and reuelling did make the heart ioynts and knees of that mighty King Belshazzer to tremble as the leaues of the forrest when they are shaken with the winde How often may we obserue many goodly and gracious discourses buried in the bosomes of men of vnderstanding and worth placed below by reason of the domineering talkatiuenesse and imperious ignorance of some silken Idoll sitting at the head of the table Horses and Hounds Hawks deuoure full often and eate vp not onely spirituall and holy but euen all morall and manly talke For the more conuenient declining and preuention of any ensnarement and inconuenience in this kinde let mee commend to the Christian such cautions and considerations as these 1. Euer before thou enter out of thy doores vpon any occasion businesse iourney visitation weigh well with due deliberation in the ballance of an holy wisedome all circumstances concurrents company probabilitie of all euents and consequents on both sides of staying at home or going abroad visiting this or that friend vndertaking that or the other businesse and euer constantly encline and resolue that way which in all likelyhood will bring most glory vnto God good vnto others and comfort vnto thine owne conscience Let it onely bee the sinfull libertie of hopelesse worldlings to waste their time and labour for the needlesse expence of euery moment of the one and motion of the other they must very shortly be full dearely accountable at Gods strict Tribunall in those impertinent vagaries and idle visitations which haue no other motiue but a desire to be rid of time and to feede a gadding and restlesse humor no other end but vanity or vaine-glorie no issue but temptation and greater disabilitie to good duties But let euery wisely resolute and truly iudicious Christian disdaine howsoeuer worldly wisdome deride it to step ouer his threshold without a warrantable Calling aime at some honest end probable foresight of some good to come thereon honour to God furtherance of some good cause good vnto our brethren discharge of some dutie of our Calling performance of Christian offices of charitie humanitie naturall affection mutuall comforting confirming refreshing and building vp one another in our most holy faith and the like Otherwise hee shall bee in great danger to returne home farre worse then when he went out laden both with more personall guiltinesse and accessarinesse to others sinne bleeding with some fresh bruise of conscience by falling scandalously or failing in some Christian dutie growne into a further disacquaintance and estrangement from God deepelier sunke perhaps into some sinfull societie and sensuall conformities with men of this World Some actions I confesse and vndertakings in their owne nature and in respect of the obiect as the Schoole men speake are indifferent but cloathed with circumstances and indiuiduated by the actuall working of a particular Agent are not so but necessarily become morally good or euill to the doer And therefore the assertion of Catarinus in the Councell of Trent to this purpose
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
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
let her brests satisfie thee at all times be thou rauished alwayes with her loue See also Eph. 5. 25. Methinkes this charge from the holy Ghost being often reuerently remembred should euer beate backe and banish from both their hearts all heart-rising and bitternesse distaste and disaffection all wicked wishes that they had neuer met together that they had neuer seene one anothers faces c. When the knot is once tied euery man should thinke his wife and euery wife her husband the fittest for him of any in the world Otherwise so often as he sees a better he will wish that his choise were to make againe so fall off from respect to this Commandement and from kindnesse and loue to his owne Which is an inexpiable disparagement to Gods prouidence and an execrable empoysoner of Marriage comforts 2. That by the power of the honourable Ordinance of Marriage the two are made one And therefore they ought to be as louingly and tenderly affected one vnto the other as they would be to their owne flesh 3. The compassionate and melting compellations which Christ and his Spouse exchange in the Canticles My faire one my sister my loue my Doue my vndefiled my welbeloued the chiefe of ten thousand c. whose chaste and feruent loue that of married couples should resemble and imitate 4. That these mutuall expressions and exercise of this matrimoniall loue are very powerfull to preserue chastity and purenesse in body and spirit on both sides It is noted of Isaac that he loued Rebekah dearely and this was a speciall preseruatiue that hee fell not to Polygamy or concubines as many of the Patriarkes did II. Faithfulnesse 1. In respect of the Marriage-Bed which they ought on both sides to keepe inuiolable vndefiled and honourable Wherein if they transgresse besides an whole hell of spirituall miseries they strike at the very sinew heart and life of the Marriage Knot and become liable if the Magistrate should doe as God commanded amongst his people to the bloody stroke of a violent death And therefore it behooues all that enter this state to bee humbled and repent for all former wantonnesse or else a thousand to one it will breake out either into a sensuall immoderate abuse of the Marriage which the Fathers call Adultery with a mans owne wife or else into a lustfull hankering after the strange woman 2. In respect of domesticall affaires and businesses of the family The care and burthen whereof is common to them both The Husband that hath a prodigall and slothfull wife doth but draw water with a Siue as the Heathen man said and casts his labours into a bottomlesse sacke And the wife that is maâ—…cht with an idle vnthristy Husband drawes a Cart heauy laden through a sandy way without a Horse By which is intimated an impossibility of thriuing in the world and prospering in their outward state 3. In the concealement of each others secrets It is a very vnnaturall and monstrous treachery to publish one anothers faults and frailties or any thing which in hope of keeping counsell they haue communicated one to another They are ill birds as they say that defile their owne-nests and franticke Bedlams that so throw dirt in each others faces III. Patience Which is as precious and needfull an holy dutie as I can possibly commend in this case for comfortable conuersing together For a more prepared and constant exercise whereof consider 1. That two Angels are not met together in a Matrimoniall state but a sonne and daughter of Adam And therefore they must looke for infirmities frailties imperfections passions and prouocations on both sides 2. That it is a charge giuen to all That the Sunne must not goe downe vpon their wrath much more to Man and Wife linked together in the neerest bond 3. That there neuer did nor euer will come any good by the falling out of Man and Wife Well may they thereby become ridiculous to their seruants a by-word to their neighbours Table-talke to the Countrey troublers of their owne house and as a continuall dropping one vnto another but they shall neuer gaine by their mutuall hastinesse passions and impatiencie What good can come by a mans anger and indignation against his owne flesh What prodigious madnesse is it for them to grow strange whom so many and perpetuall bands haue tyed so fast and who without dearest and most intimate familiarity can neither enioy ciuill contentment or peace of conscience Suppose that the heart should fall out with the head and deny vnto it those spirits which become animall in the braine and serue for exercise both of sence and by consequent of the higher part of the soule What would follow but distemper distraction and madnes Or that the head should fall out with the body and thereupon restraine from it the influence of animall spirits the instruments of the quickning and moouing it What would become of the head when the body were dead Proportionable mischiefes and miseries fall out vpon the Marriage-state by falling out strangenesse bitternesse and angry reseruednesse betweene the parties This grace then will be of excellent vse and must be exercised many wayes 1. In bearing with the wants and weakenesses infirmities and deformities of each other And let the man for the woman is the weaker vessell remember for this purpose how many faults frailties and falls and how many times Christ remits and pardons to his Spouse the Church And hee ought to loue his wife as Christ doth the Church Eph. 5. 25. The body doth not reiect the head because it is bald or but one eyed The head rageth not against the body because it is deformed or diseased but doth rather condole and sympathize 2. About crosse accidents in the family losses in their outward state going backward of businesses c. They must not lay the fault one vpon another to the breaking out into choler impatiencie and stamping but both ioyne with blessed Iob in that sweet and meeke submission to Gods pleasure The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. 3. In waiting for the conuersion of one another if either prooue vnconuerted In which case be patient pray and expect Gods good time We haue God himselfe a sweet Patterne for this purpose See before pag. 102. Or if the one be but a Babe in Christ weake in Christianity deale fairely louingly and meekely Let our Lord Iesus his tender-heartednesse to spirituall younglings teach vs mercy this way See Isa. 40. 11. IV. An holy care and conscience to preserue between themselues for there is a coniugall as well as virginall and viduall chastity the marriage bed vndefiled and in all honour and Christian purity It ought by no meanes to be stained and dishonoured with sensuall excesses wonton speeches foolish dalliance and other vncleane incentiues of lust which marriage should quench not inflame Euen in wedlocke intemperate and vnbridled lust immoderation and excesse is deemed
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
for our dealing in the world and ciuill affaires V. Now concerning workes of mercy which springing from an heart melting with sense of Gods euerlasting mercy to it selfe quickened with a liuely faith in the Lord Iesus and shining with sauing graces are an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable well pleasing to God Philippians 4. 18. Hebr. 13. 16. Conceiue first there be two sorts of them 1. Spirituall 2. Corporall 1. Spirituall flow from the fountaine of truest mercy and compassion of greatest tendernesse and consequence euen to relieue repaire and refresh the pouerty wants and miseries of the soule 1. By instructing the Ignorant Prou. 10. 21. and 15. 7. 2. By giuing counsell to them that need or seeke it Exod. 18. 19. c. Ruth 3. 1 c. 3. By reducing the erroneous Exo. 23. 4. 4. By labouring the conuersion of others Psalm 51. 13. Luk. 22. 32. 5. By exhorting one another Heb. 3. 13. 6. By reproouing the offendor Leuit. 19. 17. 7. By admonishing them that are out of order 1. Thes. 5. 14. 8. By considering one another to prouoke vnto loue and to good workes Hebr. 10. 24. 9. By comforting the heauy heart and afflicted spirit 1. Thes. 5. 14. 10. By forgiuing from the heart our brethren their trespasses Matth. 18. 35. 11. By chastising delinquents Prou. 22. 15. 12. By raising those which are fallen by infirmity with much meekenesse and tendernesse of heart Gal. 6. 1. 13. By mutuall encouragements against the cruelty and confusions of the times in the way to Heauen Mal. 3. 16. 14. By supporting and mercifully making much of weake Christians 1. Thes. 5. 11. 15. By patience towards all men 1. Thes. 5. 14. 16. By praying one for another Iam. 5. 16. 2. Corporall spring from a compassionate heart and fellow-feeling affection yerning ouer the temporall wants and necessities of our brethren whereby we are stirred vp as occasion is offered according to our ability to succour and support their outward extremities and distresses To feede the Hungry To giue drinke to the Thirsty To clothe the Naked to entertaine the Stranger To visit the sicke To goe to those that are in Prison Math. 25. 35. To put to an helping hand for raising our Brethren fallen into decay Leuit. 25. 35. To lend hoping for nothing againe c. Luke 6. 35. Thus Christians ought to be ready to distribute willing to communicate in all kindes to the outward necessities also 1. First Of those of the houshold of faith the principall and most moouing obiect to draw bounty from a truly charitable heart Gal. 6. 10. 2. In the next place Of the lame the blind the sicke the aged the trembling hand or any that God hath made poore 3. Thirdly Of any whosoeuer in a case of true necessitie and extremity whatsoeuer the party hath bin before For there thou relieuest not his notoriousnesse but his nature though thou abhorre the man for his former villany yet vpon poynt of perishing doe good vnto the common state of humanity Now of these two kindes Fathers Schoolemen Casuists all concurre and conclude that spirituall almes caeteris paribus as they say are more excellent and acceptable then corporall Because 1. The gift is more noble in its owne nature 2. The obiect more illustrious Mans immortall soule 3. The manner transcendent being spirituall 4. The charity more heauenly which aimes at our brothers endlesse saluation Let then euery Christian conscionably and constantly endeauour to improoue to the vtmost vpon all occasions and seasonable offers all his spirituall abilities heauenly endowments illuminations of learning morall wisedome prouidence discretion c. all his skill in the Mystery of Christ Word and waies of God all his experience in temptations cases of conscience spirituall distempers his spirit of counsell comfort courage or what other gift or grace soeuer he is illightened and endowed with to relieue and refresh euery way the soules to procure and promote by all meanes the eternall saluation of others Let the sauing light of thy diuine knowledge spirituall wisedome heauenly vnderstanding or what other excellencies and perfections of the minde shining in thy soule resemble in all fruitfull improouement and free communicating it selfe that bountifull light in the body of the Sunneâ—… That 1. first illighteneth that goodly Creature wherein iâ—… originally dwels and makes it the fairest and beautifulleâ—… thing in the world 2. Next it illuminates and beautifiâ—… all the Orbes and heauenly bodies about it 3. Thirdly bâ—… the proiection of his beames it begets all the beauty glory sweetnesse wee haue here below on the earth 4. Fourthly it insinuates into euery chinke and crany of the earth and concurres to the making of those precious metals which lye in her bowels 5. Fiftly his beames glide by the sides of the earth and illighten euen the opposite part of Heauen with all those glorious Starres we see shining in the night 6. Sixthly it is so communicatiue and greedy of dooing good in its kinde that it strikes thorow the firmament in the transparent parts and seekes to bestow its brightnesse and beauty euen beyond the Heauens and neuer restraines the free communication of its influence and glory vntill it determine by naturall and necessarie expiration Euen so proportionably let the fruitfull light of thy diuine knowledge and heauenly counsell especially be still working shining spreading to doe all possible good 1. Let it First make thine own soule all glorious within fairely enlighten it with an humble reflection of selfe-knowledge with puritie peace and spirituall prudence to guide constantly thine owne feete with all vprightnesse and patience in the path that is called holy 2. Secondly Let it shine vpon thy family and those that are next about thee with all seasonable instructions in conuincing them of the truth and goodnesse of the wayes of God either for their conuersion or inexcusablenesse 3. Thirdly let it bee spent and imployed vpon thy neighbours kindred friends acquaintance visitants of all sorts when they come towards thee to warme their hearts all thou canst with heauenly talke and to winne their loues to the life of grace 4. Fourthly let it insinuate also amongst strangers and into other companies vpon which any warrantable Calling shall cast thee and intimate vnto them especially if it finde acceptation and entertainment That one thing is necessarie That all impenitents shall bee certainly damned That vpon this moment dependeth eternitie c. 5. Nay let it offer it selfe with all meekenesse of wisedome and patient discretion euen to opposites and labour to conquer if it bee possible the contrarie minded if their scornefull carriage and furious visible hate against the mysterie of Christ hath not set a brand of Dogges and Swine vpon them 6. Lastly when vpon all occasions in all companies by all meanes it hath done all the good it can yet let it still retaine that constant propertie of all Heauenly Graces an edge
resolution to saue a mans soule more is the pitie is many times a notable curbe to keepe him from growing rich and into reputation with the world Gods blessings euen in temporall things I deny not are sometimes very plentifully vpon the right owners Gods owne children and both heauenly and earthly happinesse haue beene wreathed together by the mercifull hand of God and set vpon their heads but if wee looke vpon the common courses holden in the world that way and in all forecast of carnall reason hee is likeliest to grow rich and rise who is resolued to damne his soule In ordinary conceit of prophane policie and apprehensions of worldly wisdome Ioseph mist a great deale of earthly contentment and in a precise humour put from him much possibilitie of preferment by not yeelding to the impure sollicitations of his wanton Mistris Micaiah in not iumping with the foure hundred false prophets in their lying flatterie to please the two Kings Ionathan in not ioyning with his father Saul for the preuention and confusion of Dauid Had a sensuall worldling beene in Iosephs case an vnsanctified Minister in Micaiahs an ambitious Absalom in Ionathans assuredly they had all yeelded to the seuerall temptations The conscience of an vnregenerate man will marueilously stretch it selfe and grant out very large dispensations especially when any speciall glory profit or pleasure of the world is in pursuit and possibilitie It was so in all ages and at this day many a good man many times of great spirit worth and vnderstanding sits obscurely in a very low roome and is kept vnder in meane estate by the worlds oppressions because he dare not displease God or enlarge his conscience proportionably to the vast gulfe of the times corruptions This is the very true reason why folly is set in so great excellency and sinceritie seated in the low place why so many seruants are on horsebacke and so many Princes walking as seruants on the ground Sith therefore the Christian is happily restrained by the checks and tendernesse of a good conscience from all vnwarrantable meanes and vnconscionable courses of getting though his bowels bee most compassionate his heart heated with true charitie and his desires enlarged to doe good vnto all and all the good he can yet he is many times kept short by reason of his short pittance from those outward reall expressions and effects of charitie to which his tender-hearted zealous affection is inwardly truely inflamed and from those more bountifull effusions and liberalities which rich worldlings may out of the tythe nay the thousandth part of their ill gotten goods plentifully performe 3. Thirdly Christians know themselues bound in conscience to a carefull prouision for their Families to diligence and faithfulnesse in their callings from all vnnecessarie expences and the prodigall effusions of goodfellowship from ambitious affectation of applause and vaineglory by Pharisaicall ostentations and therefore to the greedy obseruation of carnall eyes and vndiscerning spirits of vnregeneration which want no malice to mistake or cunning to apprehend any shadow or shew of any seeming aduantage for the disgrace of good men they seeme and are miscensured to hold vpon the world to feede vpon earthly-mindednesse not to bee so open-hearted good-natur'd and charitably affected as other good fellowes as they call them which make no such profession of purity and precisenesse And this misconceit of Gods children is made more passable by the prophane plausiblenesse of vaineglorious worldlings It is sooner and more easily entertained because vnconscionable men take any compendious course of growing rich which their couetous humour suggests vnto them and by allowance and exercise of vnlawfull meanes of getting bring in many times great store of wealth with much ease and therefore neede not toyle so in their trades or follow the businesses of their proper callings with such attention and exactnesse And if at any time they resolue to be more bountifull and liberall they commonly make choyce of those times places persons and other circumstances whereby as they thinke their good natures may be most noted and their names grow greatest for extraordinarie kindnesse and good-fellowship 4. The Christian doth encline and enlarge the bowels of his speciall compassion towards the necessities of the Saints and conueyes the noblest issues and effects of his inflamed charitie into the bosome of Gods child And indeed hee is so prest by the commandement Doe good vnto all men but especially vnto them who are of the houshold of Faith And there was neuer more need For howsoeuer worldlings may bee bountifull one to another and exercise many mutuall offices of kindnesse and carnall loue among themselues yet for the most part they are very vncompassionate straitlaced and hard-hearted toward distressed Christians Nay ordinarily they are rather ready to combine and contribute their malices policies and purses to throw them downe lower into outward want and misery then to put to their helping hands for their recouery comfort and enlargement though it were in their sufferings for Gods cause and testimony of a good conscience So that as Christian distresses are the principall obiect of the Christians compassion and bounty So worldlings are onely heartily kind and openhearted to the men of the World Now that you may rightly vnderstand the point you must conceiue that the good deeds and commendable parts of an vnregenerate man are euer carried more boisterously and with greater noyse are entertained of the World with a farre more general applause and notice then the godly actions and diuine Graces of Gods children The World deales with men in this case saith a worthy Diuine as it deales with Witches and Physicions the Witch though shee faile in twenty things yet if she doe some one thing aright though it be but small the world loueth and commendeth her for a good and wise woman But the Physicion if hee worke sixe hundred cures yet if through the waywardnesse of his Patient or for the punishment of his Patients sinne he faile but in one that one faile doth more turne to his discredit then his manifold goodly and notable cures doe get him praise In this manner saith hee doth the world deale with men If a worldly man haue but an outward gift of strength of speech or of comelinesse he shall be greatly praised and counted a goodly man though he be an Idolater or a prophane person and though hee swimme and flow ouer in all manner of vices But let the child of God bee truely zealous in true Religion let him bee honest and holy in conuersation yet if there be but one infirmitie in him or if he haue through weakenesse fallen into some one sinne that one infirmitie against which he striueth or that one sinne for which he is grieued shall drowne all the Graces of God in him bee they neuer so great and the World will account him a most wicked man It is iust so in this particular A prophane man many times
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
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
let the principall motiue passe it is impossible but that the feeling consciousnesse that Gods free loue through Christ hath freed vs from eternity of torments one houre wherein is infinitely more stinging and terrible then all the tortures that all mankind hath doth or shall endure from the Creation to the end of the world and certainely interessed vs to eternity of ioyes one houre wherein doth incomparably surpasse all the delights of this wide world were they collected into one lumpe of pleasure I say it cannot be but that such an assurance should stirre vp the blessed soule to do or suffer any thing for Christs sake rather to die then turne Papist to doe worthily in Ephrata and bee famous in Bethlehem But now the other groundlesse confidence being in truth but a fancie must needes bee powerlesse fruitlesse vnactiue and makes the deluded rather secure carelesse presumptuous onely formall 6. The blessed Spirit is woont to spring in our hearts with heauenly refreshing and his sweetest testimonie especially at such times as these When wee retire and recollect our selues to conuerse with God in a more solemne and solitary manner opening our consciences breaking our hearts and powring out our soules into his bosome when wee are preparedly and fruitfully exercised in the ordinances in our innocent patient sufferings for good causes and conscience sake when we feele that wee haue conquered or well curbed some corruption by the power of Prayer in the beleeuing contemplation and reuise of our change and the infallible markes thereof when we meditate effectually vpon the bottomlesse depth of Gods free loue vnto vs with which hee hath loued vs from euerlasting to euerlasting vpon dayes of humiliation c. But that other counterfeit flash keepes a deluded Pharise in a fooles Paradise continually he is ordinarily at all times alike peremptory in the point of assurance You shall not take him any weeke in the yeere any day in the weeke any houre in the day without a bold perswasion and protestation if neede be That he hopes to bee saued as well as the precisest Hee is as confident this way when he is cauilling against the purity of the Saints and power of Godlinesse as when he is the deepest in his Pharisaicall deuotions 7. The presumption of the Pharise is ordinarily at the height in his height of outward prosperity and when Gods Candle shineth faireliest vpon his head with worldly blessings But the perswasion of the Christian is for the most part then strongest when the world most frowneth vpon him for his forwardnesse and in heate of persecution 8. Those that are deluded with a groundlesse confidence haue ordinarily beene so conceited of themselues euer since they may remember or had any thoughts of heauen and that without consciousnesse of any conuersion change or supernaturall sauing worke vpon their soules at all For though the deuill seales it with more security vpon their hearts by his counterfeit Angelicall glory yet hee findes matter enough in our corrupt nature ministred originally for such a golden dreame and imaginary castle in the aire But the testimony of the Spirit and that other true perswasion is supernaturall and neuer felt before conuersion nor euer to be found but in a regenerate soule I doubt not but many Christians to their singular comfort further assurance can tell their experiēce of both Their bold peremptory ill grounded presumption in their vnregenerate time and their now true kindly sweet perswasion so much enuied and assaulted by Satan accompanying their conuersion 9. Naturall presumption guilded ouer with the deuils delusion euer shrinkes in the wetting Troubles of conscience fiery tryals heauy crosses the face of the Prince of terrour disastrous and dismall times dissolue it into nothing But the oher true testimony holds out like armour of proofe against thickest haileshot of all aduersary power Nay it is woont to shine and shew it selfe with vnited vigor and more lightsomnesse within in the greatest dampe of outward discomforts and most confusions abroad 10. The Christian can giue sound reasons for his resolution in the point of assurance from his conuersion holy conuersation loue of the brethren vniuersal obedience c. those meanes I mentioned before proper to the Child of God But put the Pharise to prooue in this case and perhaps hee will not bee able to say so much as his formall deluded brother Luk. 18. 11 12. Sure I am all that hee can produce for that purpose being tryed by the Touchstone of Gods Truth will prooue too light and inconsequent Reuise the false mediums and insufficient grounds discouered before and you shall perceiue that none of them can possibly inferre a comfortable conclusion 11. The Laodicean longs farre more for gold then growth in grace thinkes himselfe already rich enough in Religion and that he hath attained that very temper which euery wise man should rest vpon without any more medling that if hee should stirre forward he should be too precise if he should grow any worse he should be too prophane and therefore concludes I haue need of nothing But the illightened Christian hauing truely tasted of the assurance of Gods loue is infinitely greedy of growing in grace of conquering corruptions of neerer communion with his Christ of doing his God all the most glorious sincere seruice hee can possibly before hee goe downe into the pit and be seene no more His performances by the grace of God are many his endeauours moe but his desires endlesse and euer vnsatisfied with his degree of well-doing his present pitch of grace and measure of obedience Thus hauing premised a discouery of spiritual self-deceit whereby many so ouervalew themselues in point of their spiritual estate that they conceiue they are very right whereas in truth and tryall they are starke rotten at the root Their case herein is like that mans who lying fast asleepe vpon the edge of a steepe Rocke dreames merrily of Crownes Kingdomes and the very confluence of all earthly contentments conceiuing that hee wallowes himselfe in the ouerflowings of all worldly felicities but vpon the sudden starting for ioy breakes his necke and tumbles into the bottome of the Sea They are lulled asleepe by the deluding charmes of the Deuill vpon their beds of presumptuous security all their life long dreaming of no danger at all but euer confident their case is good enough to God-ward but their consciences being awaked vpon their beds of death or at farthest at Gods Tribunall they are suddenly swallowed vp of despaire and drowned in euerlasting perdition I come now to forewarne and forearme the true Christian that with all watchfulnesse and constancie hee would euer labour to preuent and defeate the secret assaults and insinuations of that white Deuill as a worthy Diuine calls it Spirituall pride A guilded poyson which Satan that cunning Alchymist and hellish Spider doth first extract out of the very sweetest and fairest flowers in Christs Garden I meane the most holy vertues and
his owne worth doth aboue all other passions blast our minds as it were with lightning and make vs reflect our thoughts vpon our owne seeming inherent goodnesse forgetting the whilest Him to whom we are indebted for our very Being and besides it blowes vpon our gifts with such a malignant humour that they also become vnfruitfull and vnprofitable to others Thus much concerning the first extreme and errour in managing our spirituall estate to wit a proud ouerprizing of our owne graces with a conceited ouer-weening selfe-estimation I come now to the second which is A deiected distrustfull vndervaluing of Gods mercies the promises of life and graces which we possesse And here I cannot hold but must euen with some indignation expostulate and contest with many of Gods hidden Ones about their heauy pensiue and vncomfortable walking for that they are so farre from entertaining and expressing that vnspeakable glorious ioy which vpon their new birth is their natiue portion and patrimonie their iust and due inheritance as certainely theirs by an euerlasting proprietie and right if they would but open their eyes to see it and enlarge their hearts to graspe it being a fruit of that holy Spirit which dwels in them and a price of Christs Kingdome established in their soules as their cloathes vpon their backes their hearts in their bodies and blood that runnes in their veines I say they are so farre from walking in the strength and light of this ioy that they wickedly I dare say if not wilfully abandon and expose their spirits freed for euer by the Lambs blood from the hellish fangs of any slauish horrour to the vnnecessarie racke of much fruitlesse vnworthy and slauish sadnesse Whereby besides their owne needlesse sinfull selfe-created torment 1. They most vnworthily vndervalue abridge and disparage the infinitenesse of Gods dearest and tender mercy who is a thousand times more ready and forward to binde vp any broken heart then it to bleed before him 2. They vnnecessarily disable and indispose themselues for the duties and comfortable discharge of both their Callings 3. They gratifie Satan and satisfie his cruell humor who if hee cannot haue a mans company in Hell hereafter for if he were sure of that he would make him liue as ioyfully and Iouially as hee could possibly he labours might and maine to hold him vpon the racke of slauish distrustfull terrours all the dayes of his life 4. They are thereby many times occasions of discouragement and disheartning to those which are without that they are more loth to enter into the wayes of life preiudging them to be thorny and rough darke and deepe full of dumps and drooping of heauinesse and horrour whereas indeed and truth they are all paued with mercy and loue strowed with Violets and Roses full of fresh springs of spiritual comforts and sweetly illightned euen in the darkest passages with heauenly and healing beames of the Sunne of righteousnesse For whether it bee fit to beleeue the Spirit of all truth and comfort or the scornefull spirit of impure drunkards and Satans Reuellers iudge you This precise and strict walking say they which is pressed vpon vs with such importunatenesse and confidence would not leade vs to mopishnesse and melancholy would enchaine vs to that abridgement of our pleasure restraint from company from crowning our selues with Rose-buds and former courses of good fellowship and mirth of which our generous and Iouiall spirits are most impatient and vtterly vncapable But what saith the blessed Spirit Her wayes are wayes of pleasantnesse and all her paths are peace They giue them occasion to mis-conceiue that the yoke of Christ is burdensome and will gaule their necks whereas in truth and tryall it is easie and light and would prooue a chaine of heauenly Pearles to adorne their soules that after they haue giuen their names to profession they shall neuer haue merry day but must necessarily bid adieu to all delight whereas their ioyes should not be taken away but onely changed as one of the Ancients speakes and that most happily and with an vnualuable aduantage For the filth and froth of their sensuall bitter-sweet pleasures fugitiue follies furious delights which passe away in the act as the taste of pleasant drinke dyeth in the draught should bee turned into that true vnconquerable spirituall ioy which the World cannot giue nor man nor deuill take away Their crashes of loud laughter amid their pots and pastimes which are but as the cracking of thornes vnder a pot the Deuils Wakes and Musicke for Hell should be conuerted into a sweet constant habituall contentment of minde Nay more whereas before in the very height and ruffe of their maddest meetings most roaring outrages and reuellings their hearts vpon remembrance of death their secret impenitent guiltinesse that strict account at Gods dreadfull Tribunall at which they may bee arraigned the next houre c. were full often twitcht and stung with many inward bitter gripings and slauish foretastes of hellish terrour yet vpon their change and change of ioyes euen in the highest tide and torrent of their penitent teares and sorrow for sinne and they should be sad for nothing else their spirits shall be refreshed and rauisht with a Paradise of sweetest peace and heauenly glimpses of eternall light In a word if they would in earnest abandon the Deuils seruice come out of Hell giue their names vnto Christ in truth and try I dare assure them in the Word of life and truth they would not exchange the saddest houre of all their life afterward with the prime and flower of all their former sensuall pleasures might they haue ten thousand Worlds to boot Here then is no losse in the change But in the meane time much to blame are they who being truly Gods yet out of weakenesse want of wisdome wilfull listning vnto the father of lyes will not giue way to the counsell of the Prophets that they may prosper in spirituall hearts-ease and so preuent such occasions Let those that hate to bee reformed hang downe their heads let swaggering Belshazzars countenance bee changed let his thoughts trouble him let the ioynts of his loynes bee loosed and his knees smite one against another let the hearts of all ambitious Nimrods couetous Worldlings swinish Drunkards filthy Whoremasters cruell Vsurers louers of pleasures or whosoeuer liue and lye in any beloued sin against an illightned conscience tremble as the leaues of the Forrest that are shaken with the wind Let a sound of feare be euer in their eares and sorrow seize vpon their hearts as the pangs of a woman in trauaile euen as the torture of her that bringeth forth her first child Let trouble and anguish and the cup of trembling in the hand of the Lord make them afraid and let them euery houre looke to meete their angry God as a Beare bereaued of her Whelps to rent the very cawle of their hearts and to deuoure them
member They had more store of grace then I but I haue my measure and therefore sure of glory It is strange then that any true-hearted Nathanael hauing such good ground of reioycing sinning in that he doth not reioyce and ioy being so sweet and welcome a guest to the heart of man should weare out a few and wretched dayes in vnnecessarie heauinesse and sinfull sadnesse whereby he highly dishonours Gods free loue hinders others from the wayes of life hurts full sore his owne soule and onely gratifies Satan 3. It is a constant marke of euery regenerate man to make conscience of all Gods Commandements Psal. 119. 6 Now the holy Ghost doth not onely in many seuerall places giue vs charge to reioyce but is very earnest vpon vs in this poynt Nay doth so often double and treble with extraordinary emphasis and elegant gradation his entreatie and importunitie in the same place Let the Saints saith he be ioyfull with glory Psal. 149. 5. Let all those that seeke thee reioyce and be glad in thee Psal. 40. 16. Reioyce in the Lord O ye righteous Psalm 33. 1. Reioyce euermore 1. Thes. 5. 16 Reioyce in the Lord alway and againe I say Reioyce Phil. 4. 4. Let all those that put their trust in thee reioyce let them euer shout for ioy Psalm 5. 11. Let the righteous be glad let them reioyce before God yea let them exceedingly reioyce Psalm 68. 3. Bee glad in the Lord and reioyce yee righteous and shout for ioy all yee that are vpright in heart Psal. 32. 11. It is not an arbitrarie or indifferent thing as some may suppose to reioyce or to be sad But a comfortable commandement is sweetly enforced vpon vs by the fountaine of all comfort to reioyce and we breake a commandement if we reioyce not And therefore we are bound in conscience to shake our selues from the dust to plucke vp our spirits to expostulate and bee angry with our hearts if they grow heauy as Dauid did Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted within mee For wee must answer as well for not reioycing as for not praying for breaking this commandement Reioyce euermore as that other Thou shalt not kill I know full well there are difference and degrees in sinne But here a weake Professor being pressed to the intertainment and excellency of this ioy may be troubled and tempted vpon the suruey of the definition and nature of it For this spirituall Christian ioy is a delicious motion of the minde stirred vp by the holy Ghost from the presence and possession of Christ Iesus our Soueraigne God dwelling in the soule by faith whereby the heart is extraordinarily rauished and refreshed with a sweet holy vnspeakeable delight Now saith he if it be so I must tell you I find and feele no such sensible grasping of Iesus Christ in the armes of my faith or assured possession of him that I dare admit of this ioy or meddle with it But know that in the time of thy spirituall infancy temptations desertions and other dampes and deiections of soule especially let thy feeling or acknowledgement be what it will thou dost most certainely enioy the Lord Iesus euen by a sincere hunger and thirst after him and his righteousnesse and by thine vpright hearts adhering and cleauing vnto him as thy onely and chiefest ioy and by consequent art vpon good ground and by true right interessed to all that ioy which the blessed Spirit doth so importunately presse vpon thee inso many places Here refresh thy memory with the reuise of my former distinction of assurance of euidence and adherence 4. What canst thou thinke vpon or what can possibly befall thee out of which thou being turned vnto God and true of heart maiest not collect matter of comfort and by the mighty helpe of faith extract some ioyfull meditation 1. If thou suruay thy graces with which the free mercy of God hath glorified thy soule thou shalt see in them a sacred heauenly sun-shine which is able to illighten the darkest midnight of all thine outward miseries to disperse dissolue the blackest and most tempestuous clouds of temporall troubles Thou shalt feele in thē such an inexplicable excessiue sweetnesse which were the world aboue thee a Sea of bitternesse and gall might turne it all into sugar Thou shalt find in them such an impregnable mortall vigour that will most certainly vphold thy spirit vnconquerably at thy dying houre and before that last dreadfull barre when all impenitent wretches shall roare like wilde Bulls in a net full of the terrours of God and cry vpon the Hills and rocks to hide them from his vnquenchable wrath which they shall neuer bee able either to auoide or abide Hence springs that abundant and vnexhausted matter of ioy that the ioy of Haruest of diuiding great spoiles and that which is of such rauishing temper that wee thinke wee are but in a dreame is but a toy and trifle a type and shadow to it and which euer predominates and incomparably transcends all matter of mourning 2. If thou looke out vpon thine outward state vpon thy wife children friends health goods good name Orchards Gardens possessions honours or whatsoeuer thou hast attained or dost enioy with good conscience and sanctifiedly thou art bound to reioyce in them as temporall tokens of Gods eternall loue notable encouragements to doe more nobly in his glorious seruice and comfortable additions to thine hope of heauen but so and in such order that as thy cloathes first receiue heate from thy body before they can comfortably warme it so some inward ioy of reconcilement to the Creator must first warme thine heart before thou canst take any kindly comfort from the creatures 3. Concerning crosses afflictions troubles persecutions which are wont to present themselues to the apprehension of carnall men with much horror euen in the very bitternesse and extremitie of them if thou cast the illightned eye of thy soule vpon such places and promises as these 1. Cor. 10. 13. Heb. 13. 5. Rom. 8. 28. Heb. 12. 6. 2. Cor. 4. 17. Esay 63. 9. and the 43. 2. and then reflect vpon thy afflicted selfe thou mayest by the marueilous worke of faith draw a great deale of ioy from them A patient submission vnto and fruitfull exercise vnder Gods visiting hand is an vnfallible demonstration that thou art a sonne and not a bastard Is there then not more sweetnesse in those afflictions which are euident markes thou art in the right way to Heauen then in worldly pleasures which clearely remonstrate to thy conscience that thou art posting towards Hell Hence it was that the Apostles reioyced being beaten that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the Name of Iesus that Paul and Sylas sung in prison at midnight that Ignatius cryed Let Fire Rackes Pullies yea all the torments of Hell come on mee so I may winne Christ. 4. Nay euen contumelies and contempt reproaches
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
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
sweete voice of Christ Iesus rather then the murthering sophistry of Satan if in good maners thou wilt come when thou art called and not retire in a sinfull and cruell modesty thou shalt be presently lightened Yea but saith the Tempter thy heart hath been so strangely hardened and soakt in sinne heretofore now such an heâ—…sh cloud of darkenesse hath seized vpon it that there is no hope nor possibility But what saith the Word Seeke him that maketh the seuen starres and Orion and turneth the shadow of death into the morning It is hee alone that can most easily change the dismall midnight of thy present spirituall misery into the glorious midday of sweetest peace and lightsomnesse of heart Yea but saith he further thou hast lien long vpon the Rocke of guilty horrour had much counsell and been vnder the hands of many spirituall physicians and yet no comfort comes And what then Heare what the Spirit of truth tels vs Since the beginning of the world men haue not heard nor perceiued by the eare neither hath the eye seene O God besides thee what Hee hath prepared for him that waiteth for him Isa. 64. 4. Waiting patiently for the Lords comming to comfort vs either in temporall or spirituall distresses is a right pleasing and acceptable dutie and seruice vnto God which hee is woont to crowne with multiplyed and ouerflowing refreshings when he comes See Isa. 40. 31. Nay and shouldest thou die in this state of waiting if thy heart in the meane time sincerely hate all sinne heartily thirst for the mercy of God in Christ and resolue truely vpon new vniuersall obedience for the time to come thou shalt bee certainely saued because the Holy Ghost saith Isaiah 30. 18. Blessed are all they that waite for him 6. That defects distractions failings in our spirituall exercises and vndertakings groaned vnder grieued for and striuen against by an vpright heart are so farre from nullifying grace that they should not bereaue vs of peace of conscience or interrupt our sweet communion and comfortable walking with our God 7. Not to confine vnderualue and extenuate the mercies of God promises of life the holy Spirits sauing worke vpon thy soule and the present graces thou possessest in truth c. These cautions premised let vs come to the examining and answering of some complaints and counterpleas against entertainement of comfort which are wont to arise in troubled consciences out of ignorance and misconceite of the mercifull wayes of God and the mysterie of his free loue through Christ and doe thou conceiue that proportionable soueraigne Antidotes and counter-comforts may bee collected also in abundance out of Gods blessed Booke against the rest or any reply whatsoeuer And to begin with the first cryes of a Christian in the pangs of his New birth I. A poore soule hauing wallowed long in vanity of villanies and vanities of lust and licentiousnesse is now by diuine blessing at this or â—…e other Sermon struck thorow by the Sword of the Spirit with penitent remorse and his heart broken into pieces by the hammer of the Law In this depth of heauiest distresse and bleeding case he casts his eyes vpon Iesus Christ lifted vp in the Ministerie as an Antitype â—…o the brazen Serpent for his comfortable binding â—…p and euerlasting cure Those Messengers of God who are able to declare vnto Man his vprightnesse assure him in the Word of life and truth and charge him in His name who was anointed by the Lord for that purpose and appointed by the Father of mercies to comfort all Mourners in Sion that now being truly cast downe vnder Gods mighty hand thirsting for the blood of Christ and sincerely resoluing vpon a new course for the time to come He would turne his legall terrours into Euangelicall weeping ioy put on beauty for ashes the garment of praise for the spirit of heauinesse That he might be called a Tree of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord that hee might bee glorified Oh no saies he out of the deepe sence of his bottomelesse vilenesse The newes is too good to be true to wit that now the blessed Sonne of God and all the precious rich purchases of his vnualuable passion should belong vnto mee the sinfullest wretch that the earth beares who haue desperately spent my dayes and strength so long in the furious seruice of Satan and mine own sensuall lusts c. whereupon he refuses comfort and chooses rather to sinke againe and languish vnder the horrours of guiltinesse and feare Whereas he should incomparably more honour and please the God of all comfort by trusting his mercy sealing to his truth then by vnseasonable suspecting his iustice and power Here then hee wofully failes and forgets himselfe in a distrustfull vnder-prizing Gods incomprehensible greatnesse Almightie mercy vnlimited liberalitie and freenesse of his loue He is in this case not so much to consider what is fit for him to receiue as conuenient for the ability and bounty of so great and good a God as the mighty Lord of Heauen and earth to giue who as I told you before vpon other occasion doth all things like Himselfe If hee build he makes a world If he be angry with the world hee sends a floud ouer the face of the whole earth If hee goes out with the Armies of the Saints hee makes the Sunne stand still the Starres to fight the Seas to swallow vp the most dreadfull Armadoes If hee loue the precious hearts blood of his owne Sonne is not too deare If he deliuer any man Hee puls him out of the hand of the Prince of darknesse and frees him from euerlasting flames If any become his Fauourite through Christs mediation He wil make him a King giue him a Paradise and set a Crowne of eternitie vpon his head Earthly Princes at their pleasures ennoble those they loue with Dukedomes Marquesdomes Earledomes What then doe you thinke shall be done vnto the man whom the King of Heauen desires and delights to honour Let vs then I say in such cases consider not so much what is fit for vs silly wormes to receiue as for so great a God to bestow If wee can once bring hearts bruised and broken with the burden of our sinnes bleeding and weeping vnto his Mercy-seate Hee will thinke all the meritorious sufferings of his Sonne all the promises in his Booke all the comforts of his Spirit all the pleasures in his Kingdome little enough for vs. If wee looke vpon our selues sinful wretches we might iustly feare the extremest torments fiercest flames and lowest dungeon in hell infinitely rather then expect a Kingdome But Hee loues vs freely Hos. 14. 4. It is his pleasure to giue vs a Kingdome Feare not little flocke saith Christ for it is your Fathers good pleasure to giue you the Kingdom Luk. 12. 32. If it be the good pleasure of the King of Kings to bestow a Kingdome vpon a truely humbled soule which hee makes in the
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
assistance and exercise of Faith an vnutterable sweete communion and humble familiarity with his holy Maiestie In a word to liue in Heauen vpon earth Proofes Gods Couenant and commandement to Abraeham and in him to all the faithfull vnto the Worlds end requires it Gen. 17. 1. The practise and protestations of the Saints and seruants of God seale vnto it Enochs walking with God chap. 5. was an happy preparatiue to his extraordinary translating to glory The Lord before whom I walk saith Abraham chap. 24. 40. will doe thus and thus I will walke before the Lord in the Land of the liuing saith Dauid Psal. 116. 9. O Lord God of Israel saith Salomon 2. Chron. 6. 14. There is no God like thee in the Heauen nor in the Earth which keepest couenant and shewest mercy vnto thy seruants that walke before thee with all their hearts I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart saith Hezechiah 2. King 20. 3. And herein doe I exercise my selfe to haue alwaies a conscience voyde of offence toward God and toward men saith Paul Acts 24. 16. which sounds the same way 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 said that Noble Marquesse of Vico well skilled and experienced in an heauenly conuersing with his God Reas. 1. And it must needs be so For howsoeuer naturall men and worldlings out of their obnoxiousnesse and secret terrors slauishly retyre doe not willingly neither dare they draw neere to that God which to them is a consuming fire yet all those who haue truly tasted how gracious and glorious he is shall find their hearts out of a secret sence of Gods loue vnto them first kindlily inflamed with infinite desire to liue vnder the comfortable influence of his pleased countenance to enioy his holy Maiestie with constant peace and an humble spirituall accesse and acquaintance continually His spirit of Prayer infinite loue exercise of repentance temptations and troubles from Satan pressures and oppressions from the World losse of inward peace faintnesse of Faith want of spirituall strength assault of some speciall sinne sweetnesse of meditation daily fauours showred downe vpon him without number and aboue measure sore-thought of the great and last Account motions of the blessed Spirit spirituall desertion c. but aboue all the inexplicable blessâ—…dnesse goodnesse and excellency of that highest Maiestie it selfe driues him to his God many times a day 2. All Gods loues vnto vs His louing kindnesses protections preseruations bounty patience diuine illuminations spirituall blessings in a word euery linke of that golden chaine of Mercy Grace and Glory farre thicker set with sweetest blessings in all kinds then the Heauen with Starres which our happy Soules haue doe or shall enioy from the first springing of it vp if euerlasting could haue any beginning out of the adored Fountaine of his free Grace to the last moment of eternitie in highest heauenly blisse if eternitie could possibly euer determine should be so many keene spurres deepest oblâ—…gations strongest chaines to draw our hearts most greedily to this infinite delight in him and thus with an humble familiaritie to conuerse with his holy Maiestie 3. Consciousnesse of our former walking comfortably with God sanctified by the life of Faith will mightily and incredibly support our spirits and courage in the times of confusions and feare The hearts of sensuall worldlings for want of reconcilement and acquaintance with God in calme and comfortable times sinke and tremble in the Day of distresse and Gods dreadfull visitations as the heart of a woman in her pangs and fall asunder in their brests like drops of water But that happy One who in his prosperity hath made God his portion and walked humbly in his presence shall in the time of trouble stand like a strong vnmoueable mountaine impregnable against the rage of wind and weather against the cruell incursions of all aduersarie power when the wicked shall tire the Mountaines with bootelesse cries to couer them he shall be able to say with Dauid The Lord is my refuge and my strength c. therefore will I not feare though the earth be moued and the Mountaines fall into the midst of the Sea He shall by the mercies of God and humble dependance vpon his omnipotent Arme encounter and entertaine the terrours euen of the euill day of the houre of temptation of the King of feare and last Iudgement with confidence and peace 4. Thy walking with God will make thee extraordinarily powerfull and mightily preuaile in prayer one of the greatest blessings and sweetest comforts which can be named or enioyed in this life As the Kings Fauourite who stands still in his presence and vnder the immediate and gracious influence of his Royall eye doth farre sooner and much more easily obtaine both his owne and friends suites then those who are more estranged from the Court So it is in this case 5. But aboue all that which should most quicken and keene vs to this duty is that particular interest we haue by Iesus Christ in Iehoua himselfe blessed for euer A mysterie which if I should offer to open and enlarge I should be endlesse and yet come infinitely short Oh then let vs infinitely loue and learne exactly the most sweete and heauenly Art of walking with God! For a more comfortable illightning and guiding vs wherein before I come to giue some generall instructions giue mee leaue to premise these quickning preparatiues 1. Looke that thou lyest not in any one knowne sinne against thy conscience hating to be reformed do not cherish allow or goe on in any lust corruption or lewd way in thine heart life or calling suffer not any worke of darknesse or seruice of Satan to reigne and domineere in thee For if so thou art so farre from abilitie or possibilitie of walking with God or delighting in him that thou wearest the Diuels brand and art yet most certainely one of his See and search the true meaning of such places as these 1. Ioh. 3. 3. 6 8 9. Iames 2. 10. Ezech. 18. 21. Psalm 66. 18. and 119. 6 101. Ezech. 18. 30. Matth. 18. 8 9. 2. Cor. 7. 1. Sutable hereunto is the concurrent iudgement and doctrine of our best Diuines and worthiest Writers graciously instructed vnto the Kingdome of Heauen These are their seuerall assertions to the same sense in their owne words 1. A man can haue no peace in his conscience that fauoureth and retaineth any one sinne in himselfe against his conscience 2. A man is in a damnable state whatsoeuer good deeds seeme to be in him if he yeeld not to the worke of the holy Ghost for the leauing but of any one knowne sinne which fighteth against peace of conscience 3. So long as the power of mortification destroyeth thy sinfull affections and so long as thou art vnfainedly displeased with all sinne and doest
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