because for thee there is an inheritance reserv'd a full and everlasting possession of all happiness God spares them in this life for a time whom hee intends to damne to eternall paines That man passes to a Prison through faire and pleasant Medowes who posts to destruction and makes hast to ruine living all his life long in pleasure at ease Some observe that Roses grovving next to a bed of Onions send forth a more fragant and delitious sent And even God that heavenly Gardiner he hath his Roses which smell most sweetly Such are men destin'd to Salvation whose life and Actions savour of God and Goodness These Roses God Almighty doth so plant in the Garden of the Church that for the most part they are beset and begirt with weeds for the more honest and Religious a man is he shall find the more enemies even wicked and ungodly wretches who will boldly assault him with divers injuries and the Godly are ever subject to most Calamities Thus the fragrancy of of Roses is encreased by the proximity of stinking Garlick or Onions Moreover it is affirmed by others versed in the skill of Herbs and Plants that a Rose which by Aâ—t grows without pricks hath no smell Even so our vertues chiefly patience would loose their fragrancy would not be so glorious if they did want the sharp pricks of adversity which is the best Mistrisse whereby we learn and know how much wee have profited in the School of Christ That man as yet hath not begun to know himself who hath not beheld the face of his Soule in the glasse of misery and distresse Hee that hath tasted of Christs bitter Cup hath gotten a good degree of knowledg Those stars shine by night which are not seene by day in the suns bright eye-dazling light Iust so True vertue which appeares not in the noone-tide of prosperity shews its lustre in the dark night of Adversity And to speak the truth God our caelestiall Lord and Master is not so well pleasd with those servants who do with fidelity and carefullnesse what he commands as with those who suffer Adversity with patience And a cheereful reliance upon his Fatherly Goodnesse The Eagle to make tryall of her young Ones brings them to the Sun and concludes they are of a right stamp and breed if they can endure his scorching beames The Refiner of Silver tryes his mettall by a touch-stone and Christ tries his Servants in the furnace of Affliction Wee may then upon better ground then the Ancient Romans did cry out and say To do and to suffer hard and difficult things is the duty and property of good Christians Christ our head did go before us in this way of suffering and we his members must follow him in the same way with alacrity and Patience SYMBOLVM V. Tribulatio perpetua cum patientia Beati qui nunc fletis quia ridebitis Luc. 5. Embleme VI. Frequenting Sermons The wise man shall increase his wisdome by hearing pro 1 v. 5. The Sixth Signe IS The faithfull hearing of Gods Word exemplifyed by a Figg-Tree with this Subscription PROV 15. A wise man will heare and encreaso in wisdome THe Figge-Tree which Christ so often named in his Sermons at Christs command flaggd and withered in a moment wee may therfore rightly term itadutifulhearer of the heavenly vvord And for this cause by it is denoted the hearing of the word of God which wee may prove out of the very mouth of Christ to be a certain signe that we are predestinated to heaven and happinesse He that is of God heareth Gods word Ioh. 8.47 sayes our Saviour Saint Amb. upon the 1â—8 Psalme sayes well to this purpose How can the Word of God bee sweet to thy palate and pleasant to thy tast which is corrupted with bitter wickednesse That which we heare willingly Isid we doe without difficulty But those are the only true hearers of Gods Word whom our Saviour pronounc'd happy when he said Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keep it In vain or to little purpose is that kept in our memories which is not likewise kept in our lives There are who retain what they heare So that they never forget and yet their life and conversation is no whit amended Like as the Hart desireth the water-brookes so doth the Soul of one that is predestinated pant after heavenly things and desire to partake of Gods Ordinances his word and Sacraments he layes aside all businesse breaks off his sports and omitssometime to provide for his body its ordinary sustenance he has no thought of feasting he is urgent with his Servants to go to Church to heare the Sermon admits of no excuses but forces them to their duties Hee is not scared with a storm or tempest neither cares he for faire weather and prefers the Churches roofe before all the pleasures which the fields can afford and when he is come to Gods house he is most attentive in hearing but never weary nor satiated with the word A dutifull eare will attend to wisdome with all care and diligence So sayes the son of Syrach Eccle. 3. And certainly there can be no better nor no surer Wisdome had then that which may bee gathred out of the vvord of God The devout soule sayes St. Ber. seeks after the word by which if it consents to it its errors may be corrected The understanding enlightned with the knowledg of God out of which too as it were a rich Mine The Treasures of Vertue and Wisdom may be acquired the vvill may be reformed the affections made conformable to the strait rule of Gods commandements and the heart filled vvith unspeakable delight and comforts The soul that is replenished vvith this heavenly food how does it cry out vvith the Prophet Ieremy Jerem. 15.16 Thy words were found by me and I did eat them and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of my heart St. Chrys. sayes vvell and truly to this purpose As to be hungry is a signe that the body is in health so to love the divine Oracles of the vvord of God is an infallible argument of an healthfull soul And vvho can beleeve that his mind is in a good temper Hom. 14. in Gen. not sick of a phrensie who stops his eares from hearing the truth and opens them vvide to fables the delight of fools vvho vvil not say that he is sick of madness Who vvhilst the Preacher is declaiming against sin in the Church is acting the same at home vvithout all remorse of conscience and instead of hearing a godly exhortation to repentance is either carovvsing vvith his companions or playing at Dice or wasting precious hours in vaine talk and idle walkes and if he does neither of these yet whilst the preacher is sweating in the Pulpit he is either hunting in the Woods or sleeping at home upon a soft downy Bed neither doth this drowsie Dormouse blush to be surprizd even at Noone-tide in his
imperfect First How our Obedience must be qualified It must not be performed with limitations and restrictions to some few of Gods Commandements but unto them all without Exception Herod heard John Baptist willingly and did many things gladly yet rejected and made light of the * Thoâ— shalt not committ â—dultery seventh Commandement Mar. 6.20 many such Herods are there amongst us But they must know that the badge or mark of sound obedience is it's Vniversality it stretches it selfe to all Gods Commandements Ps 119. v. 6. Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy Commandements As he that amends repents and he that obeys beleeves so he that saith he beleeves or gives assent to the Infallible truth of God's word yet being bewitched with any sinful Custome enticed by any Commodity or hailed by any pleasure gives himselfe scope and liberty to live in the breach of any one of Gods Commandements be it secret or open as constant neglect of the duties of Religion in private usuall swearing or Lying secret thoughts and practises of Vncleaness unsatiable desires of earthly greatness and abundance unjust increase of Riches by biting Vsury Bribery or other secret indirect courses A man that allowes himselfe in these or the like practises contrary to Gods will revealed in his sacred word in heart he is an Infidell though in name he be a Christian He hath an evill heart full of unbeliese as the Apostle speaks Heb. 3.12 that having embraced certaine Truths not prejudiciall to it selfe upon vaine and worldly considerations and to which it may assent without crossing it's desires and purposes in others slips the Collar and departs from the living God by a refusall to yeeld Obedience to the Truth of that Command which shall any way oppose his carnall affection Ia. 2.10 That of Saint James must be held by us for a maxime most true in the Schole of Divinity VVhosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet faileth in one point is guilty of all For he that acknowledges not God's soveraignty to be the same in every Commandement but breakes one willfully and customarily keeps none at all for Conscience sake out of an humble acknowledgement of Gods supreame Authority And if occasion or an opportunity should invite him to sin he would be as ready to transgress in the rest as in any one Wherefore God Heb. 4.12 who is a discerner of the Spirit judges him according to the disposition of his heart at whose doore sin lyes within lurking and readie if a strong temptation should knock to break forth into open act To conclude this first qualification of our new Obedience I say with a reverend and learned Divine Obedience to many Commandements is indeed before God no Obedience but a flat sin if 〈◊〉 man wittingly and willingly carry a purpose within to break any duty of the Law Againe He that repents of one sin heartily and seriously doth truly repent of all And he that lives but in one known sin without repentance repents of none indeed although he pretends never so much reformation of life Secondly 2 Qualification As this Obedience must be Vniversall in regard of the Object which is the whole law of God so also it must be in regard of time It must reach and extend it selfe to the whole course of a man's life after he has made his peace with God and washed his soule in the laver of Repentance Non confideratur in Christianis principium sed finis Saies an ancient Father God respects not so much the beginning as the end in Christians Many for want of constancy and perseverance are now in Hell who made a faire shew in the world and began to set footing in the race of Piety Such as the course of a man's life is such is the man Our failings in this or that particular do not prejudice our estate before God if so be we renew our Repentance daily and make not a trade of sin It is not our falling into sin but our lying in it will damne us There be those now in Heaven that have beene greater sinners then some of those that are in Hell The reason or ground of this difference is only Repentance Heaven is no place for unrepentant sinners No uncleane thing shall enter there VVithout aro Doggs c. Rev. 21.27.22.15 Thirdly 3. Qualification It is required in new Obedience that it be also Vniforme that it proceed from the whole man which is David's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His Holocaust mentioned in that paenitentiall Psalme Ps 51. v. 19. And this Holocaust or whole Burnt-Offering we then offer up unto God when every faculty of the Soule and every member of the body are contributaries to set forth His praise and advance his glory When our understandings are seasoned with high thoughts of God when we exalt him in our apprehensions to the highest degree of Majesty and debasing our selves with that good Patriarke to the lowest that may be Gen. 18.27 even to Dust and Ashes we subject our wills to God's will by an humble resignation of our selves to his divine pleasure and in a chearfull readiness either to do or suffer whatsoever in his holy wisdome he shall think fit for us When our affections are chiefly set upon God when we only feare his displeasure as a good Child is afraid of displeasing his Father and tremble at the very thought of sin whereby we may lose his favour when upon this ground we are no less afraid of sin then of Hell and had rather be punished there without sin then sin here without punishment Gen. 39.9 and with chast Joseph stick rather at the sin then at the Judgement which is ever sins attendant as those who if there were no Hell would shun the offence whereby the smiles of a loving God might be turned into the frownes of an angry Lord In a word when we love God above all things and for the love of him can suffer the losse of all things here below in hope of enjoying him one day above where there are pleasurs for evermore And when we love whatsoever God loveth when his love is made the rule of ours so that we can love the poorest Saint on earth above the richest Dives when we behold God's Image stamped upon that poore Lazarus the Image of his Holiness an inclination to all good and a freedome from all wickedness If our soules be thus tempered if the faculties be so well tuned This is that reasonable service commended by St. Paul Rom. 12.1 then are they a sacrifice acceptable to God And when all the members of our Bodyes are attemperd to our soules so as each and every one of them serves God in that way and in a full discharge of that work and duty for which it was made and created When all the powers of our Soules and al the parts of our bodies shall thus comply in a reverent devotion
because they are minded to doe evill and no good They flatter and deceave themselves with a voluntary and pleasing ignorance they love to walk in crooked and by paths Such of this rank and number were yee O you Inhabitants of hell Ye would not understand that yee might doe well therefore now you may tyre your selves with howlings and bitter cries to all Eternity Ergo erravimus therefore we have erred and the light of Righteousnesse hath not shind unto us This is the Psalm and these the dolefull notes which shal be for ever chanted by those spirits in the infernall pit Attend then O ye Christians and lift up the eyes of your soules and delude not out of a wilfull blindnesse those rayes of Truth which God in his word hath manifested unto us â—â—rue 12. The Lord give us strength and enlighten our eyes By the vertue of this light it will bee apparent to us that men are not to bee more esteemd then God nor riches more than Conscience neither mans favour more than Gods It will moreover direct our judgements in the choice of what is best for us teaching us that no pleasure bee it never so delightfull is to bee preferred before heavens joyes no temporary things before those that bee Eternall and not subject to Natures law And truly sayes Chris there is not the thing in this world on which a man can fasten his affection who hath had a tast of heavens sweet delights wherewith hee shall be filled when he partakes of the beatificall Vision This light of the understanding our good and Gracious God was pleased to infuse in a full measure into the mind of Saint Austine l. 1. Conf. clo. I being advertis'd sayes he by Gods privy Monitor the Holy spirit to returne after my long wandring home to my selfe I entred into the closet of my heart where I beheld with the eye such as then it was of my soule the incommutable or unchangeable light of the Lord hee that knowes it or hath had a sight of it that man hath had a glimpse of eternity By that light so the Father goes on I found that I was farre remote from thee O God even in a Region of darknesse farre unlike to thee who art all light and most glorious From this light of the understanding and Justice little differs that light of devotion of which Saint Bernard thus Entreate the Lord sayes hee to give thee the light of Devotion a cleere day in thy understanding and that spirituall Sabbath of the soule by meanes whereof as a Souldier discharg'd by reason of Age in all thy labours thou mayst live without sense or feeling of thy labour and paynes taken in Gods service whilst thou dost run cheerfully Serm. 3. de Circ thy heart being enlarged with joy in the way of his Commandements And pray that what thou didst before with anguish or bitternesse of heart and restraint of thy will thou mayst ever after performe with delight and alacrity of spirit To this light of Devotion the Kingly Prophet David invites us Come sayes he and be enlightned Psal 33. tast and see how Gracious the Lord is This inward light of the soule is pleasant and lovely it is a slame full of comfort and delight which discovers unto man daily more and more the nature of the Deity As this light set up by God in mans brest growes greater and greater So what may seeme wonderfull to relate hee who is not capable of Augmentation may finde growth in our understandings hee may encrease even God who is immense without bounds and limitation our eternall and mercifull Creatour SYMBOLVM I. Lux interna Lucerna pedibus meis verbum tuum et lumen semitis meis Psal 118. Embleme II. A preparation to death I am in a straight betwixt two haueing a desire to depart to be with Christ phis i. v. 23. The second Signe A promptnesse or readinesse to die Set out by a Scull the Motto that of St Paul to the PHIL. 1.23 J am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ BY the scull is set out unto us a mind prepar'd and ever ready for what death soever And be ye saith Christ like unto men that expect their Masters returne from the wedding that when hee comes and knocks yee may open presently unto him The Lord then knocks so Saint Gregory when Hom. 13. in Evang. afflicting thee with some sore disease he denounces the neare accesse of death to whom we presently open if we entertaine him thus comming unto us by sicknesse with love That man does not willingly open to the Judge thus knocking who trembles to thinke of his exit from the body when he shall be haled by his executioner into the presence of that God whom hee remembers to have contemn'd whilst he lived the thoughts of standing one day before him as his Iudge this fills the sinners conscience with horrour and dread But contrariwise he whose mind is setled with the Anchor of a firme Hope and secured with the Conscience of his good works to man and piety to God that man opens without delay at Gods first knocke he rejoyces that hee is now called to his desired Haven of rest and for the glory of the future reward even the everlasting joys of the heavenly Paradise he rejoyces even in the midst of sorow when his eyes are water'd with tears Why doe wee not desire then to bee dissolv'd Phil. 1. Aug. de doctrina Christiana and to bee with Christ This no doubt is farre better then that the time of our sad sojourning here be prolong'd He cannot dy ill that hath liv'd well neither hee dye well who hath liv'd ill whose life hath beene a continued practise of impiety and profanenesse And what is that we so much feare should be taken and snatcht from us What is our life but a Scene of mockeries and follies a sea of miseries Be the shippe what it will wherein thou art carryed bee it made of Gold or of Silver of precious stones or Wood thou canst not avoyd the fury of the waves which will beate against it many rockes shalt thou meet with on many a shallow or shelfe wilt thou sticke Blessed and happy is the man who hath sailed over this Sea Blessed is hee who is escap'd the danger of it and is now in the heaven of security and rest If there bee any as there are many who in the middle or prime of their dayes are snatch'd out of this life by an unexpected death they ought no more to complaine of this then hee that hath soone and safely pass'd over the Sea Why then doe we feare death which is the end of our labours and the beginning of our rewards The sentence of death is pass'd upon all flesh by him who is the Iudge of Heaven and Earth None escap'd it in the former ages and none shall avoyd it in those that are
of nature impose upon us a taske which may be done with more facility Forgive ye shal be forgiven Thus Christ againe Our Answer is this we cannot and that you may know we cannot know that we will not bridle our Anger with the curbe of Reason we will not hold in our Teeth nor containe our hand And who can command his thoughts we are therefore resolv'd to meditate and practise revenge If you forgive men their sins your heavenly Father will also forgive you your trespasses This is Christs loving and sweet admonition to us but we ungodly miscreants make ansvver to this vve would vvillingly dye so that vve might first see our enemies perish O my Christian Brethren do you hate Heaven so that you vvill vvith a speedy course post to Hell have you banish'd that Petition in the Lords Prayer out of your thoughts Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us From this you may inferre that either your enemies are to be loved or that you cast a snare upon your selves as oft as you put up this request to God As vve forgive others so Lord do thou forgive us But we forgive nothing out of an implacable hatred to mens persons vve are ever forvvard to punish and revenge the least affront or hurt vve receive from them Therefore O Lord forgive us nothing but punish so oft as vve offend This is the language of our Esawes the Reprobate not of Gods elect ones vvho although they receive never so great hurt and dammage from their enemies yet they are ready to call to God and say vvith their Saviour Father forgive them c. And Lord lay not this sin to their charge I forgive all I remit all and vvill revenge none This is the voyce of Iacob of one ordain'd to life and salvation But before I put a period to this discourse I must entreat all those who shall peruse this and not love their enemies to tell me ingeniously whether they beseeve these things to be true Certainly they vvill ansvver affirmatively unless they can imagine that Christ vvill deceive us or that Truth it selfe can lye If then these things be true nay most true what wicked contumacy then are they guilty of vvho out of an obstinate spirit make a mock at Gods word and contemne his commands Christ calls and commands Love not only your friends but also your very enemies if they have vvrong'd you pardon and remit al their injuries Christ may command yet you are stifly resolv'd to hate and persecute not to pardon your enemies and detractors What is God and Christ is Heaven and happines of so little vvorth in your esteeme that the promise of so great a revvard cannot vvrest and extort from your tongues and hearts this one vvord I forgive I remit and the Lord pardon that man his sin whosoever he be that has done me any wrong What for all this which has bin delivered do ye stand yet as stocks without sense and voice without any motion or inclination to forgive and pardon Does your Iron brest yet breath Reveng Doe ye yet cry the Devill or the Gallowes take him that has wrong'd mee Doe ye still wish mischief to him do you still hate your enemy And will not ye hearken to Christ listen to what he commands If you are fully minded not to cast out this poyson enjoy your malice but let me tell you for a certaine doe what you will take what course you please you are in the road vvay to hell and out of that vvhich leads to Heaven Faith and loye lead to this malice and hatred to that For most true is that saying of a learned and devout Author He that ceases not to hate his enemy cannot love God SYMBOLVM IX Dilectio inimicorum Noli vinci a malo sed vince in bono malum ad Rom. 12. Embleme X. Detestation of Sins past I will come vnto thee quickly remoue thy candlestick out of his place except thou repent Rou 2. v. 5 The tenth signe IS A detestation and loathing of our former sins The emblem of which he makes Whips and scourges to shew that vvhen vve truly hate our sins vve subdue them and our lust by chastising our selves Ps 69.10 as David did with fasting and religious duties Vnder that Emblem vve have these vvords APOC. 2. I Will come quickly and unless thou repentest I will remove thy Candlestick from thee ST Augustine covnts it an abominable vvickednes for a man to record his former sins and to glory in them with a certaine joy and delight when as he should rather greive for them and use the best meanes to release his soule from their power and his conscience from the guilt of them Lib. 5. de lib. arb For as the same St. Aug. truly affirmes He that beates his breast out of a seeming sorrow for his offence and does not correct his ill life and manners that man rather hardens his heart then removes his sins David mourning for his transgressions sayes thus of himself Psalm 51. My sins is ever before mee and therefore he entreats God so earnestly to create in him a cleane heart and to renew a right spirit within him Happy and blessed are those men who so lament and with a generous hatred so detest their sins that they grieve for this because they can grieve no more nor so much as they should and are therefore sorrovvfull for that they sorrovv less then they ought or vvould And truly this sorrow which is according to God 2 Cor. 7. or Godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation not to be repented of i. e. stable and firme which is to be noted with an attentive consideration For many recover and obtaine salvation by their Repentance but not a firme and stable salvation They relapss into sin againe and so lose their former joy and comfort Therefore Christ expresly commands us in St. Luke Lu. 13 not to let our Repentance slip when we have attain'd to it but to keep and preserve it unless ye have repentance ye shall all likewise perish For we must not do with our repentance as we do with money which is borrowed for a sett and certaine time this we must returne but that we must not part with when once we have gotten it into our possession Not unfitly said Aquinas True and serious repentance Part. 3. c. Que. 48. Art 8. does not only expiate and blot out our sins past but also preserves us from sin to come That man hath not repentance who hath not a firme purpose never to commit his former impieties Christ when he had cured the man sick of a Palsy comanded him to take up his Bed walke Io 5. Mar. 2 which the poore man did Thus ought we to do we must take up our Beds remove out of our soules all vitious habits so shall we walke more nimbly and with freer spirits in the path of Gods commandements
truth calls unto us in the word Mat. 7.27 he exhorts and admonishes us to enter in at the straite Gate for broad is the gate and wide is the way that leades to perdition and many there be who enter in it but strait is the Gate and narrow is the way which leads to life and few there be that find it Luk. 13.23 In another place he does advise us to the same purpose Strive to enter in at the strait Gate for I say unto you that many shall strive to enter in and shall not Truly the way is narrow that leads to happiness it is so narrow that but one can go in it Gal. 6. And that without a companion For every one of us shall give an accompt to God for himselfe 1 Cor. 3. And every one shall beare his owne burthen every man shall be rewarded according to his owne workes This overthrowes that absurd opinion of the Papists concerning workes of Supererogation Againe our Saviour even sighing uttered these words Mat. 20. et 22. Many are called but few are chosen This one small word Few as if it were a terrible clap of Thunder has roused a great part of the world from the Lethargie or dead sleep of security It has driven some out of populous Cities into Dens and Wildernesses and how many hundred thousand Martyrs has it forced by a secret violence to expose themselves to the furie of Tormentors whereby they were cast into Prisons put upon racks burnt at Stakes hang'd upon Gibbets and devoured by beasts Their only voice was this We feare not to die but accompt death easy so long as we hope to be glorified with the Few Elect. Let the sword rage and drowne it selfe in our bloud we weigh it not so long as we may be numbred among the Elect who are few in number but for ever blessed And which of them durst not say If J alone could be hanged upon an hundred Gibbets I would not refuse this shamefull torment If I could lay down an hundred necks upon the block and subject them to the Hatchet I would not subtract or withdraw one To die an hundred deaths would be a pastime to me I should esteeme of my torments as Recreations and sports so long as I may be admitted into the society of those Few which shall raigne with Christ in everlasting glory From this spring did issue that generous and brave exclamation of Ignatius let Fire and the Cross wild beasts and all the torments that the Devill can invent come and surprise me so long as I may enjoy Christ This little word Few utter'd by Christs owne mouth has filled many with that horrour and amazement that though they were men of most impure lives yet seaving the pleasant Meadows of luxurie and voluptiousness they shut themselves into the house of mourning and sadness thinking it better to be saved with a few then to perish with many It doth not lessen our paine to perish with a multitude This Paucity of those that shall be saved was in all ages proposed for a caution unto us Concerning this even Noe a Preacher of righteousness so he is called by the Apostle Peter preached an hundred yeares before the Flood 2 Pet. 2. but all or most of them being obstinate in their wickedness out of that great infinite number of men only eight persons were saved in that wooden Prison or ship call it which you will the Ark And amongst those Few there was a Cham who was wicked For as Roses grow not without Prickles and Thornes so the ungodly are ever mingled in the societie of Gods Saints And if God being about to overthrow Sodom Gen. 10. would upon Abrahams request have spared that land if he had found but ten righteous men in it which could not be found we must conclude that honesty and vertue there was very scarce Therefore the Angells charged Lot to make hast out of it that he might be saved Gen. 19. Thus out of the great flame in which the two most flourishing Cities of Sodome and Gomorrah were consumed only three escaped and to this day the Signes of Gods wrath are extant in the places where those Cities stood But we have another story in holy writ which clearely demonstrates the paucity or fewness of those that shall be saved When Moses led out of Aegypt six hundred thousand men on foot besides Women and Children a promiscuous multitude also following the Campe only two out of so great a number came into the fruitfull land of Canaan to the rest the wilderness was a capacious Grave in which as in a Common burying place for the dead many thousand of the Israelites were interred But that Aegyptian Tyrant who pursued them with a bloody furie Exod. 14. intending to stay their journey was with his whole Armie buried in the womb of the red Sea Ier 10. Behold how many thousand soules are here swallowed up by the devouring waves Who will not feare thee O King of Nations When the Children of Israell had corrupted themselves in worshipping a Calfe which they set up contrary to Gods Commandements Exo. 31. Moses being full of wrath and griefe proclaimed He that is for the Lord let him joyne himselfe to me and in that there were slaine three and twenty thousand men A great slaughter it was and only caused by that golden Idol which they worshipped such and so great is one sin especially that of Idolatry in Gods esteem When Joshua had overthrown the City of Iericho by compassing it seaven times Ios 6. and causing the people to make a great shout against it whatsoever was in it both of men and beasts all perished and were destroyed by fire and sword and at last the City it selfe was turn'd to ashes and utterly consumed only one house which was Rahabs being preserved When Gedeon prepared War against the Midianites Iud. 7. out of thirty thousand Souldiers three hundred only were chosen for that fight the rest being rejected God measures not his people by their number but by their vertue and goodness it is not a multitude of men but good men that are pleasing to him Neither is the way to destruction very long it is run over in a breath by one deadly sin we become guilty of high Treason against his divine Majesty and deserve the eternall flames of Hel. Thus for one libidinous act Iud 20. forty thousand of the Hebrews and fifty thousand and six hundred Benjamit's were put to death and slain by the sword How many thousands of the Bethshamit's but for looking into the Arke out of a wanton curiosity were flaine with a great 1 Sam. 6 slaughter we read v. 19. that there were slaine fifty thousand threescore and ten men This scarcity of the Predestinate or those that are Elect is no less evidently set out unto us in the second of Samuel where we read that when Absolon rebelled against his
sprout at length they grow to a Wood and thicket which cannot by any strength or force in us be rooted up However we must not dispaire but know that custome may be weak n'd by another which is better and our Crowne will be the more precious and sweet unto us the harder our fight is with our sins and infirmities and we may promise to our selves the victory if we sight under Gods shield if desiring to be conquerors we grapple with our vices and begge of God in our prayers to help and assist our weakness Let but Mâ—ses strike the waves of the Sea with his Rod God will take care for the rest and Israell shall pass safely over Ex. 14. when the Aegyptians shall be drown'd The Amorâ—â—e and the Canaanite shall be driven out of our coast if we do but inure our selves to fight and often skirmish with our enemies Sit still we may noâ— in sloath and Idleness Iob 7. The life of man upon earth is a warfare sayes Iob let no man trust himselfe for none has a more dangerous and treacherous enemy then himselfe with whom to make a truce is not very safe Neither can it be secure for us to lay downe our weapons and shut them up in our Armories untill we put off our flesh and lay that up in our Graves He that has a desire to get the victory over his Adversaries must perpetually watch and sleep in his Armes Saint Cyprian sayes excellently to this purpose It is the greatest pleasure to a man to have overcome his pleasures neither can there be a greater and more noble victory then that which we obtaine over our lusts and affections for he that overcomes his enemy is indeed the stronger but this is in respect of another but he that overcomes his lust is stronger then himselfe in that he overpowers his owne weakness The Musitian never leaves handling his Jarring strings untill he has reduc'd them to an harmonious concord And a man predestin'd to salvation never ceases to allay the tumults and reconcile the differences between Reason and his affections till he compose the quarrell in a religious peace If we may beleeve Plato our body is as it were an Harp our Reason the Harper or Musitian who now playes upon these strings anon upon those sometimes it has to do vvith the eyes sometimes with the Tongue in proposing certaine Lawes and prescriptions to both now it stops the cares then it binds the hands and is still employed in managing and ordering the senses sometimes an affection of Luxury begins to rise this is presently suppress'd by casting upon it the bridle of Chastity At other times an affection of impatiency does start up and swell like a blister or bile Reason lets not this alone but launces it and le ts out the corruption Saint Paul was a skillfull Musitian as appeares by that confession of his 1 Cor. 9. I chastise my body and bring it into subjection And thus Gods elect ones are principally employed in tuning their Instruments in winding up or letting down the pins Now they strive with their Anger then reprehend Envy now they stir up and awaken their drowsinesse by and by they bridle their Laughter and wantonnesse and if griefe be predominant they mitigate it with lenitives with the comforts that do spring and arise from Gods promises and the consideration of his providence With the forenam'd and like strings of passion Reason like a good Artist is ever busied remitting some and intending others till all at length they become harmonious free from debate and dissention Those that are mark'd for heaven Gods chosen people never give way to their loose affections They are the greatest Admirers of other mens vertues and the hardest Censurers of their owne infirmities and ever shew the least pity to themselves for if upon a privy search and enquiry into their owne bosomes they find any unlawfull desire or any lust that domineers in their brests they presently sentence it to death and Crucifie it This therefore is a signe that we are predestin'd to eternall life if we crucifie the flesh with its imbred vices and lusts They that do this belong to Christ To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be ascribed as is most due all Glory and Honour from this time forth and for ever more Amen SYMBOLVM XII Moderatio affectuum Sub te erit appetitus eius et tu dominaberis illiut Genes 4. AN APPENDIX To the twelve Signes of PREDESTINATION Concerning the paucity or small number of those that are predestinated to salvation SAint BERNARD shall put an end to the former discourse Ser. 2. de Oct Pasel who sayes the Lord knowes who are his and he only knowes whom he hath chosen from the beginning of the World But what man is there that knoweth whether he deferves love or hatred Therefore if it be certaine that a man in regard of his daily infirmities cannot be alwayes certaine of his Salvation who then will not be much delighted when one shall offer to his consideration the signes of Election And what rest can our Spirits find in themselves untill we have gotten some sure testimonies that we are predestinated to eternall joyes Faithfull and true is the word most worthy of all acceptation which commends unto us infallible testimonies and pledges of our salvation In this word indeed there is ministred comfort to the Efect and all manner of excuse is taken from the reprobate For when the signes and markes of our predestination are discovered he that neglects them is manifestly convinced that he disregards the state of his Soule and makes nothing of Heaven the Land of the living By right such a man ought to blame none but himselfe who will not understand nor be saved God has not by a blind Chance predestined these to Heaven and those to Hell knowne unto the Lord are his workes from the beginning of the world Act. 15. Prosp Resp 3. ad Object Gal. And Prosper saies That good men are not necessitated to perish because they are not predestinated but therefore not predestinated to life because God foresaw that by their wicked deeds they would deserve death Li. 1. ad simplic St. August consents with Prosper in this God saies he did not hate Esau as a man but as a man full of sin or as a notorious Sinner For God hates nothing in man but sin he saies also in another place thus It is sin alone that obstructs our way and stops our passage to Heaven We all hasten and post to one end or marke and there be divers paths and maine wayes in which we move and run to that end and many perish in their race The way that leads to life is narrow and thorny The way of perdition is spred with Roses soft and easie it is a descent into pleasant valleyes whereas the other is climbing up of high and rugged Mountaines Truth it selfe or Christ who is the