full spreading than by any Clock or Watch. The Hopp in its growing winds it self about the pole always following the course of the Sun from East to West and can by no means be forced to a contrary way Some affirm that the sap in trees precisely follows the motion of the Sun ascending and descending at the same time and by the same steps the Sun doth if we come lower to inanimate creatures Plato observeth that all the Elements do naturally desire to evaporate themselves into the coelestial Region as it were there to attain to a higher degree of perfection the fire and air those lighter elements still aspire higher and higher as it were to make nearer approaches towards Heaven the earth and water those heavy Elements though they do not ascend in their gross bodies yet they are daily sending up some thinner part of themselves some vapours as it were some breathings toward Heaven Naturalists speak of several stones in which there is some representation of the heavenly bodies so that in the several orders of nature there is something that might mind us of this duty of conversing in Heaven and looking to things Eternal there is scarce any thing we look on but might some way or other put us in mind of this the best and choicest things the earth affords are hid from our eyes shut up in darkness so as if we look downward we see only the surface of the earth and there our sight is bounded whereas upward toward Heaven all things are open and transparent to note how vast our affections should be toward Heaven if we stand upon some high steeple and look downward to the earth we cannot look long without dizziness and fear whereas when we look upward toward Heaven though a thousand times greater distance we can continue looking without either as if nature would hereby mind us that our eyes were given us to look to Heaven not to the earth Having then so many Monitors we shall shew our selves ill scholars if we do not learn this lesson 2. If from other things we look to other men I mean the people of God they teach it by their example the Apostle speaking of himself and the rest of the Saints saith Our conversation is in Heaven the word (c) Phil. 3.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 civitas aut vita civilis though it hath several significations yet chiefly these two it signifies our City whereof we are Citizens and to which we belong Heaven so Zanchy we are Citizens of Heaven not of earth and therefore ought to seek the things that are in Heaven Or it signifieth carriage or deportment or converse (d) Phil. 1.27 Acts. 23.1 so the word rendered in other places And so most Interpreters and our translation render it Our conversation is in Heaven this is the inseparable property of every true Believer he converseth in Heaven The way of life is above to the wise (e) Prov. 15.24 This world is the place of his abode but not of his delight his body is here but his soul his better part above his commoration is on earth but his conversation in Heaven he liveth here but loveth there as Merchants who live in this Kingdom yet are called Spanish or Turky Merchants because their trading is in those places In like manner the Believer he is in the world but not of the world this world is but his Inn Heaven is his home his Country he is in Heaven while he is on earth he converseth with God while he sojourneth in the world his trading is for Heaven his love desire delight is placed upon heavenly things this is not obscurely held forth in Scripture by those several things to which Believers are compared sometimes to the Palm-tree The righteous shall flourish like a Palm-tree the Palm-tree groweth streight and upright They are upright as the Palm-tree (f) Psal 92.12 and 10.5 and so represents the heavenly minded Christian whose motions toward heaven are direct and streight without those obliquities and turnings aside which appear in the carriage of other men the Palm-tree is small in the body or trunk and biggest at the top close and shut up in that part toward earth but broad and open in that part toward Heaven and so further resembleth the Heavenly Christian whose heart is closed toward the world but is open and enlarged toward Heaven the Palm-tree hath no boughs or branches upon the sides or body but all the boughs grow together at the top to which perhaps that alludes I will go up to the Palm-tree I will take hold of the boughs thereof f and so is a further emblem of a Christian all whose branches and out-goings are exalted above the earth and without any straggling and dividing aspire toward Heaven Again Gregory Nyssen saith of this Tree That it riseth out of the earth with its perfect bigness and thickness at the top (g) Cant. 7.8 so that though it groweth in height or bigness in the other parts of it yet it never groweth any greater or bigger at the top if this be true In this likewise it resembles the true Believer who though in regard of other graces he be like the Crocodile that groweth till the very time of his death yet at his first conversion hath the frame and bent of his heart upon Heaven Yet once more Philo saith that whereas all other trees have their sap in the root which from thence ascends only the sap and heart of the Palm tree is at the top toward the top of the middlemost bough which is surrounded by other boughs as a General is by his Life-guard if so it hath yet a further resemblance to Believers whose hearts are in Heaven for there their treasure is and there is their heart also In the same place the Psalmist compareth the righteous man to the Cedar The righteous shall flourish like the Palm-tree and spread abroad like the Cedar in Lebanon The Cedar it is a stately Tree it is called the goodly Cedar (h) Psal 80.10 with Ezek. 17.22 the high Cedar it doth saith Jerom grow up fast toward Heaven and so resembles those Believers who are as he expresseth it aspiring toward Heaven Again they are sometimes compared to mountains They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion that cannot be removed (k) Psal 125.1 Chrysostome observeth there are three things more remarkable in mountains (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their firmness and stability their invincible strength and their inaccessible height in all these respects the Saints are like Mountains but the last is only proper to the present purpose of all parts of the earth the mountains are nearest unto Heaven the Mythology of that Poetical fiction of Atlas bearing up the Heavens was to represent the high mountains which some of them call the pillars and supporters of Heaven and some think they are meant by The pillars of Heaven tremble and are astonished at thy
he befool himself and cry out against his former presumption and credulity the greater his hopes were before the greater now will be hiâ— confusion Hope deferred makes the heart faint saith Salomon much more hope frustrated When Ahaâ—suerus asked Haman What shall be done to the man whoâ— the King delighteh to honour he presuming that himself was most likely to be the man nameth the highest honours that could fall within the compass of hiâ— thoughts but when he saw that himself was laid aside and this honour done to Mordecai his great enemy think what a dump this was to him and accordingly you read how he went home to his house anâ— told his wife and friends what had befallen him A man who hath a suit at Law and is before-hand coâ—fident he shall have the day if when the time come he finds himself cast this maketh his grief so mucâ— greater by how much his confidence was greater before and for him that was confident of Heaven tâ— be doomed to Hell for him that made no question of finding mercy now on the sudden to find himself past all hopes of mercy this is that which will double his damnation and make his condition far more miserable It is said of the hypocrite that his hope shall be cut off and his trust be as a Spiders web * Job 8.14 the Spider spends much time and taketh much pains in the weaving of her web some say every morning before she looks out for her prey she first mendâ—s heâ— broken web which she industriously spins out of her own bowels when all on the sudden by the sweep of a beesome or some other way her labour is spoiled her web broken down and perhaps her self killed in her own web thus the hypocrite takes much pains to nourish in himself a vain deluded hope he prayeth readeth heareth fasteth and in regard of outward performances seemeth to outstrip the devoutest Christian if the Believer with Cushi runs he like Ahimâ—az will outrun him for thus the Meteor for the time maketh a greater blaze than the fixed star the Drone hath a greater body seemeth a more beautiful creature than the Bee flies oftner and with a greater noise and humming in and out of the Hive the dead body is greater and longer than the same body when alive and thus the hypocrite in regard of outward profession and performance of Duties seems to go beyond the true Nathaniel by which means he doth not only deceive others but himself also concluding he is as sure of heaven as if he had one foot there already but no sooner doth death cut asunder the thred of his life but it cuts off all his hopes leaving him in a hopeless helpless and remediless condition The eyes of the wicked shall fail and his hope shall be as the giveing up of the ghost [h] Job 11.20 as the comparison holds in some other respects so in this at the giving up the Ghost when the soul quits this earthly tabernacle it never returneth again to live here with it in this world so when the hope of a wicked man departs at death it taketh an everlasting farewell of the soul and is swallowed up in desperation 3. Without any mixture of pity to him that is afflicted pity should be shewn from his friend [i] Job 6.14 And usually we do pity men in their misery even Malefactors in their justly deserved executions but this shall not the damned find 1. They shall have no pity from God he that madâ— them will shew them no pity nay so far is God from pitying them that their punishment is an ease to him (k) Isa 1.24 I will ease me of my adversaries it is his desire to punish them It is in my desire that I should chastise them (l) Hos 10.10 it is a comfort to him I will cause my fury to rest upon them and I will be comforted (m) Ezek. 5.13 it is a rejoycing to him I will rejoyce over you to destroy you and bring you to nought (n) Deut. 28.63 Once more it is a matter oâ— laughter to him I will laugh at their destruction (o) Prov. 1.26 what God speaks with laughing Do thou read with trembling Woe and a thousand woes to that man whose destruction is a matter of laughter to Almighty God! What can be more sad and dreadfulâ— than when the God of mercy shall so far abandon alâ— pity as to laugh at the destruction of his own creatures 2. No pity from the Angels or Saints Dives begged but one drop of water to cool his tongue Alas what were one drop of water against a whole furnace of fire but this he cannot obtain not so much as one drop of cooling water against a whole stream of scalding Brimstone then he begs to have one sent from the dead to preach to his Brethren but is denyed by Abraham in that also he begs it again and is denyed again and this will be a further addition to the misery of those lost forlorn creatures There was at Isenacus a Play (q) Mel. Adam in vit Gobelini or Enterlude acted before Frederick the Prince of that place in which was represented the five wise and five foolish Virgins the wise Virgins were presented to be the Virgin Mary and four other Virgins sainted by the Papists the foolish Virgins come and entreat them to give them of their oyl that is as the Actor presented it to intercede to God for them that they might â—e admitted into the Marriage-Chamber into Heaven â—ut the wise Virgins peremptorily denyed them and bid them go and buy for themselves They beg again and are denyed again they knock and weep and importune with miserable out-cries but all in vain which the Prince seeing was so astonished that he presently fell into a grievous sickness crying out To what end is Christian Faith if neith r Mary nâ—r any other Saint can be intreated to intercede for them that sue to them To what purpose are those merits and good works so much cryed up amongst us And this apprehension that they should beg so importunately and yet be denyed did so seize upon him that he sell forthwith into a fit of the Apoplexy of which he dyed within four dayes after If he was thus astonished to fee this but acted in a Play how terrible will it be when this and much more shall be done in deed and good earnest if he were thus troubled to see others denyed when it concerned not himself how sadly will this be resented when poor creatures shall find themselves thus dealt with when the Saints in Heaven shall be so far from pitying them that they shall rejoyce in their destruction The Lord shall destroy thee for ever the righteous also shall see this and fear and shall laugh him to scorn The righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the vengeance * Psal 52.5 and 58.10 here it is a matter of lamentation to good men
from whence they came the bosome of Eternity It is a Maxim every thing hath a natural inclination to its original (p) Omne principatum sequitur naturam principiorum Rivers come out of the Sea and unto the place from whence they came thither they return again (q) Eccles 1.7 Though Fishes enjoy the vastness of the Ocean yet they more frequently visit the place of their first spawning finding it more commodious Bees will not be forced to tarry in another Hive unless they voluntarily leave their own in a swarme take them at other times when they lye out and sweep them into another Hive they will at furthest the next day return into their own Some say if a Partridge-Egg be taken out of the Nest and be hatched under a strange Partridge yet upon first hearing the call of her own Damme she will presently quit the Partridge that hacht her and render her self into her own Covey thus the Soul having its original from Heaven can never be satisfied but with heavenly things One (r) Bellarm. de Ascen grad setteth it out by this similitude As a heavy body cannot rest in the air be it never so wide nor in the water be it never so deep but still sinketh down till it comes to its center so the soul of man can never find any repose either in the airy and flitting honours or in the earthly dirty Riches or in the watery and softning pleasures of this life till it cometh to pitch upon God and Heaven Another thus As the bubble cannot stay it self at the bottom of the water but ascendeth higher and higher till it commeth to the top and then striveth to ascend no higher but breaketh its thin filme and pours forth it self into the open air (s) Gr. Nyss so the soul cannot stay it self in any of these earthly inferiour things but ascendeth up till it cometh to close with its proper object and there it findeth true repose Satisfaction which is in vain sought for in these temporal enjoyments is abundantly found in heavenly things They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house (t) Psal 36.8 he that hath them for his portion hath a goodly Heritage may say to himself with Deborah Thou hast marched valiantly oh my soul that hast got such a booty Or David Return unto thy rest oh my soul the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee 12. It brings the greatest measure of joy that this life is capable of If one look to the land behold darkness and sorrow (u) Isa 5.30 But look up to Heaven and behold light and joy such as converse in Heaven are as was before-said compared to Mountains high Mountains being above the middle Region are free from clouds and storms there is nothing but calmness and serenity so Olympus is said to be all clear and beautiful (w) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a beauty and serenity is in the soul of the heavenly-minded Chistian he is like Adams Paradise when there was no flaming sword of terror placed there like Solomons Temple where no voice of Axe and Hammer was to be heard like the fields of Enna in Sicily where some say there is a continual spring and flowers all the year long whereas wicked men have mostly their heaven here and their hell afterward and most Christians have their hell here and their heaven afterward the heavenly minded Christian hath a double heaven one in time thâ— other in Eternity one in the way another in hiâ— Country one in labour the other in rest one is working the other in receiving the reward of his works as he is now in Heaven in regard of his practâ—ce and converse so in regard of his joy having here the first fruits of Heaven the prelibations of his future happiness Larks sing sweetest when they fly hâ—ghest theâ— is the soul of the Christian most full of joy when hâ— is soaring toward Heaven in his meditations Oh heâ— sweet saith Chrysostome is the contemplation of Heaven a man would dwell in this contemplation and noâ— come out of it A man saith Austin might age himself in it and sconer grow old than weary that anâ— cavil against the Religious Life as full of sadness anâ— Antipodes to all joy and cheerfulness is becausâ— they never experienced it and it is most unreasonable to censure what they never tryed it is as if 〈◊〉 Judge should condemn a man before he examine his cause or heard him speak for himself Wheâ— Jews went out to war if any took a beautiful Damsâ— captive he was not forbidden to marry her onely hâ— must shave her head and pare her nails and then hâ— might espouse her Joy is that beautiful Damsel thaâ— all the world court Religion doth not forbid us to marry it only to pare off the extravagancies of it and then we may enjoy it as Ambrose alluding tâ— the name Isaac which signifies laughter or ioy tâ— joy is not destroyed by Religion it is only laid upoâ— the Altar and made more sublime thy Isaac shaâ—â— not dye but the Ram thy joy shall not be taken away onely the extravagancy of it Tertullian in his Book de spectaculis proveth a large that there is no joy like the joy of a Christian and indeed what delight may be compared with thâ— delight of that Believer whose daily fellowship is wiâ—â— the Father and his Son Jesus Christ whose conversâ—â— is in Heaven who is continually drawing water out of the wells of Salvation and bathing his soul in those Rivers of Everlasting pleasures Some observe that the Grashopper neither feeds upon grass as beasts do nor upon seeds as birds do nor upon Flowers as Bees do only feedeth on the dew falling from Heaven and yet is both a nimble creature often shipping up and down and a cheerful creature frequently singing a true Believer as he doth not much trouble himself about the world so for the most part he hath little of it at least in regard of what the world giveth but conversing with things heavenly and eternal this filleth him with more joy than others have when their Corn and Wine encreaseth 13. It conduceth much to the encreasing of heavenly light and knowledge the higher men stand the further they see they that are in a Plain cannot see far they that are in a valley see but a little way such as are in a bottom of a well see only that point of the Heavens that is perpendicularly over their heads whereas those that stand upon the top of an high Mountain see over all the Country round about questionless they who are frequently conversing in Heaven cannot but know more than other men Origen upon those words of the Apostle Rom. 11. That when the fuln ss of the Gentiles is come in all Israel shall be saved hath this expression what is meant by all Israel shall be saved and what by the fulness of the Gentiles only God knoweth and his only
done all we can instead of seeing our selves we should see God in all our Duties and look upon all we do as Gods work in us The Ciens doth not bring forth fruit by any virtue of its own but by virtue of the stock into which it is ingrafted Without me saith Christ ye can do nothing if Austin in the Agonies of his first Conversion heard as he thought a voice speaking to him Do you stand in your self and do you not stand (d) â—n te fras non stas It was to let him know in his own strength If Catharine of Sienna labouring under temptations and begging Christs help had as is reported this Answer returned I am what I am thou art what thou art not It was to make her sensible that she was nothing in her self what she was she was in by Christ the promise of the Kingdom of Heaven is made to the poor in Spirit (e) Mat. 5. Such as know they are nothing have nothing deserve nothing can do nothing of themselves we must be emptied of our selves if we would receive of Christs fulness we must be nothing in our selves if we would have have Christ to be all in all to us when we have done all we can we must deny our selves and ascribe all to free grace When Joab had overcome Rabbah he sent to David to come and take it lest if he took it it were called after his Name (f) 2 Sam. 12.28 When we have performed Duties in the best manner we should be willing that God have the glory of all When David and the People offered liberally and willingly toward the Building of the Temple David ascribeth all to God Who am I and what iâ— my People that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort for all things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee (g) 1 Chron. 29.14 Paul whom Austine for this cause calleth the best Child of Grace the faithfullest Servant of his Lord whatsoever he was or had or did he ascribeth all to free grace he was in nothing behind the chiefest of the Apostles yet confesses he is nothing (h) 2 Cor. 12.11 He was what he was eminent for grace yet what he was he was by grace By the grace of God I am what I am (i) 1 Cor. 15.10 he lived yet not he but Christ lived in him (k) Gal. 2.20 he laboured abundantly yet not he but the grace of God which was with him He was able to do all things but through Christs strengthning him (k) Gal. 2.20 When we do no evil we do our own as Christ saith of the Devil (l) Phil. 4.13 (l) John 8. we walk as mens they like men have transgressed the Covenant (m) Hos 6.7 But if we do any thing that is good it is from God who worketh all our wâ—rks in us as therefore of him and through him so to him are all things 2. We must take heed of relying upon them Luther saith We must take heed not only of our sins but of our good Works n Duties can never have too much diligence used about them nor too little confidence placed in them they are good helps but bad Saviours it is necessary we â—o them but it is dangerous to rely upon them John Knox lying upon his Death-bed passed over the last night of his Life with many sighs and groans being asked What was the cause of his trouble He answered that he had in his life-time gone thorow many Combats endured many buffettings of Satan but now theroaring Lion set more strongly upon him before the Devil had set his sins before him and tempted him to despair and sought to work upon him by worldly allurements but now he went another way seeking to perswade him that Eternal Life was but a due Reward for the great pains and labours he had taken in the Church of God and this he looked uppon as the most dangerous temptation if the Devil cannot diswade us from performing Duties he will perswade us all he can to rely upon them and this will as much gratifie Satan and as certainly ruine our Souls as if we wholly neglected them when we have done all we are able we must say We are unprofitable Servants Rollocke when some minded him upon his Death-bed of his great Service he had done in the Church He replied I abhor my Rectorship of the University my Reader-ship of Divinity my Pastor-ship of Edenborough and all I have done that I might be found in Christ not having on mine own Righteousness And at another time There is nothing of mine which I do not account as dung that I might win Christ And again I have nothing to glory in but the merits of Christ all other things I count losse 6. We should labour for those Graces which entitle to eternal happiness I shall name only some as 1 Knowledg This is eternal to life to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent (p) John 17.3 Though the Valentinian Hereticks had knowledg in too high estimation when they ascribed all to it affirming that as ignorance made us subject to all misery so the restauration of the inward-man must needs belong to knowledg only yet what some Philosophers said of Light that all the influences of the Sun and Stars are by light transmitted to this inferiour world so the light of Knowledg is that Conduit-pipe by which the several Graces God worketh are conveyed into the Soul as in the first-Creation light was the first thing God made so in the new Creation Josephus saith that Judas Maccabeus going about to repair the Temple and purge out the reliques of Idolatry began with the Lights placed a Light upon the golden Candlestick and ordained a Feast which they called Lights (p) John 17.3 Thus when God purifieth the heart (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and makes it a Temple for himself He first setteth up the light of knowledg in the Soul without this we can never hope to be made partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light When Hamans face was covered death followed when men live in a land of Light and yet have the things of their peace hid from their eyes it is a sad Prognostick of their everlasting miscarriage If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost (r) 2 Cor. 4.3 2. Godly sorrow which worketh repentance to Salvation not to be repented of (s) 2 Cor. 7.10 If any thinks he hath no sin I would say to him as Constantine of Acesius the Novatean Let him make new Ladders to climbe up to Heaven by but if we have sinned there is no other way than by godly sorrow sin must be purged either by water or by fire saith Guericus if the water of Repentance doth not here wash away our sins hell-Hell-fire will afterward burn our souls 3 Faith which the Apostle