they die and all else are weary of them may well cry out by way of admiration O Lord the earth is full of thy goodness The earth is full of thy glory What rich mines may I dig out of the bowels of the earth when my God is angry the earth shakes and trembleth and the foundations thereof are moved and shall not my flesh tremble for fear of the God of the whole earth and my soul be afraid of his righteous judgements His hand hath laid the foundation of the earth and his right hand hath spanned the Heavens â— when he calls they stand up together and shall not I hear his call and obey his command Lord if the earth be thine and the fulness thereof the world and all that dwell therein Whos 's then am I Surely thine O help me to disown all title to my self to quit all my interest in my self and to live as one that is not his own but the Lords the earth is full of thy riches let my heart be full of thy righteousness and that will turn earth to me into heaven whilst I am full of thy likeness and thy love If we consider the Ocean that amazeth a beholder with its fierce countenance and seems to have neither banks nor bottom how it threatens the earth with its boysterous billows as if it intended to swallow it up in a moment and yet when it hath swoln it self to the height of its pride and its insulting waves have shewed their teeth how soon it retreats like a coward as if it were afraid of the smallest worm and had already outgone its bounds and commission what innumerable Fish both small and great take up their chambers in the waters and finde their food in the jaws of that devourer what multitudes of massy Vessels she fetcheth off from one Island and carrieth upon her back as a Porter his burthen and sets them down safe at another how she playeth with them what frights she puts them in by the way as men do little children tossing them up to heaven and then throwing them down again as if her belly should be the certain place of their burial and after all her frowns and fury refresheth them with her smiles and favour and doth but prepare them thereby to salute their harbour with the greater joy and gladness how she sendeth out of her store-house provision for the several families of the world furnishing the several pipes and aquaeducts of the earth with fresh springs and streams for the comfort of Man and Beasts If we but confider these things what cause shall we have to say with the Psalmist They that go down into Ships see his wonders in the deep and with those Mariners What manner of man is this whom the Winds and the Seas obey What manner of God is this who gathereth the waters of the Sea together and layeth up the Floods in store-houses who shutteth in the Ocean with bars and doors and saith Hitherto shalt thou come and no further and here shall thy proud waves be stayed who puts a bridle in the jaws of such a monster and when she threatens nothing but death and destruction puls her in and makes her retreat to her own den without doing the least hurt O what a God is this whom the rugged blustring winds and raging boistrous seas obey What excellent conclusions may a Christian gather from such premises Do the Winds and Seas obey God as stubborn and surly as they are and shall not I obey him Are they kept within their banks and shall not I be kept within my bounds Lord thou stillest the noise of the Seas the noise of the Waters and the tumults of the people O why dost thou not quiet the headstrong passions in my breast Thou observest how they roar and make a noise continually what frightful stormes they raise within me If thou wouldst but say to them in their height and heat Peace be still there would presently ensue a calm O suffer not these high winds to overturn me nor these swelling waters to overwhelm me I am even ready to sink save me Master or I perish Thus a Christian may consider the works of God either collectively or severally both in their insides and outsides to his marvellous advantage As the Rabbies say of the Word I may say of the Works of God Turn it over and over and over again for all is in it Turn them over and over and over again for all is in them There is wisdom in them in their variety diversity of natures subordination and serviceableness each to other O Lord how marvellous are thy works in wisdom hast thou made them all There is Power in bringing with a breath the whole Creation out of the barren womb of nothing He spake and it was done he commanded and it stood fast There is Mercy in providing so bountifully for every of his creatures The whole earth is full of thy goodness There is Faithfulness in upholding all things in their being Thy faithfulness is unto all generations thou hast established the earth and it abideth yea mercy and truth meet together Thy mercy O Lord is in the heavens and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds Every of Gods works is so profitable that as the Aromatick fruit not onely the kernel is a Nutmg but the skin of it is Mace As in a fair suit of Arras though the hangings never appear to their full advantage but when they are opened in all their dimensions and seen together yet a small shread may assure you of the excellency of the colours and richness of the stuff So though the Divine Perfections would appear most in their beauty and glory if we were able at one view to behold the whole world in its several eminencies and beauties yet a little part of it may speak the worth and richness of the whole It was an honest speech of a Monk who being asked how he could endure that life without the pleasure of books answered The nature of the creatures is my library wherein when I please I can muse upon Gods deep Oracles The Egyptians were instructed by Characters and Hieroglyphicks by something presented to the eye notions were represented to the understanding Reader it is thy priviledge that thou mayst perform this duty in any place No sight no sound but may afford matter for meditation If thou walkest in thy garden thou mayst turn it into an Eden by delightful meditations Dost thou behold the flowers standing in their ranks what a goodly shew they make thou mayst think what a lovely â—ight it is to see Christians contînuing in those several places and stations in which God hath set them Some flowers open and shut with the sun so doth the Christian observe the shining and withdrawing of the Sun of righteousness Some flowers dye having a worm gnawing their root so will all hypocrites wither and come to nothing notwithstanding their gaudy shew Flowers are tender things and must
Pigeon are dazeled and drawn with admiration but stouter Birds of prey the Merlin and Hobby are invited to stoop and gazing on the outward form lose themselves So when Satan spreadeth his day-net of pleasure and honour he allures not onely Heathens and Indians but even unsound and secure Christians As the Birds that are caught in the snare so are the Sons of men snared in an evil time Eccles. 9. 12. 3. That those that would conquer their spiritual enemies must be full of courage and valour The Kite is Andax in minimis timidus in magnis bold in dealing with tâ—me fowl as Chickens and Ducks but cowardly in medling with wild ones that will not yield Give not place to the Devil Resist the Devil and he will flee from you 4. The misery and mischief of contention The Hawk thinks constantly to make a prey of the Heron but sometimes the Heron when she cannot by any winding shifts get above the Hawk nor by bemuting his feathers make him flag-winged resumeth courage out of necessity and strikes the Hawk through the gorge with his Bill and so have both been seen to fall down dead together So rich men many times presume that they may oppress their inferiours at their pleasure but the event of their strifes and law-suits after all their turnings and winding Meanders in the Law sought out to get above each other hath proved the undoing of both 5. The unreasonableness of diffidence and distrust They will teach thee a lesson of faith and help to banish our fears Behold the Fowles of the Air for they Sow not neither do they Reap nor gather into Barns yet your heavenly Father feedeth them are ye not much better then they Mat. 6. 28. 6. The observation of times and seasons It s thy prudence to take notice of the stormes of judgements and sunshine of mercy The Stork in the Heaven knoweth her appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow observe the time of their coming but my people know not the judgement of the Lord Ier. 8. 7. 7. The pains thou shouldst take for spiritual food the fowles of the Air will flye far for meat Where the carcass is there will the Eagles be gathered together No labour should be thought too great for the meat that endureth to eternal life 8. The regard thou shouldst have to the preservation and safety of thy self and Family They build on high and make their nests on the tops and small twigs of trees and will spare it out of their own mouths to feed their young He who provides not for his Family is not onely worse then an Infidel but also worse then the very Birds of the Air. O my soul proceed farther Speak to the earth and it shall teach thee 1. A lesson of Humility Thou art but breathing earth enlivened dust as vile as the dirt that every Beast of the field trampleth on Behold I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord who am but dust and ashes Gen. 18. 27. 2. A lecture of thy frailty that thine earthly tabernacle will ere long fall to the ground Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return 3. A lesson of fruitfulness It bringeth forth thirty forty sixty an hundred for one And Isaac sowed in the Land and had an hundred fold increase 4. A lesson of faith and trust in God The earth hangs on nothing it hangs in the thin air where an Hair-ball nay a straw will not stay without a support Job 26. 7. He hangeth the Earth upon nothing Once more And the fishes of the Sea shall declare unto thee Though they are mute Masters yet they are great Teachers They declare unto thee 1. The Affection and communion that ought to be amongst Saints Fish of the same kind flock together in Sholes The Greek word for Fish is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is derived as some think from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to come and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be carried with force and violence so the Fish swim in troops with great force The safety of Saints consisteth much in their society 2. The misery of want of government The greater Fish devour the lesser The Pike feed upon Roach Thou makest men like Fishes of the Sea that have no government Hab. 1. 14. So Men without Magistrates like Canibals feed on each other 3. The folly of men that take not warning by others Silly fish are caught by the Angle or Net and carried to the fire yet they that remain are still greedy of the bait Satan takes some sinners with the snares and baits of his temptations jerks them out of the water of life and casteth them into the unquenchable fire yet those that survive are as ready to hearken to his suggestions as if there were no such thing Eccles. 9. 12. 2 Tim. 2. 26. For man knoweth not his time as the fishes that are taken in an evil Net and as the birds that are caught in the snare so are the sons of men snared in an evil time when it falleth suddenly upon them That they may recover themselves out of the snares of the Devil who are taken captive at his will 4. The subtile malice of Satan When thou seest the Fisher baiting his hook thou mayst think of the policy of the Devil who sugars over his poisoned hooks with seeming profit and pleasures Eves Apple was candied over with Divine knowledge Ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil 5. The multitude of Believers that are begotten by the Gospel When the Psalmist speaks of the Sea he saith Wherein are things creeping innumerable both small and great Beasts Psa. 104. 25. The Latine Piscis cometh of the Calde word Push which signifieth to multiply and increaâ—e for nothing multiplieth more then Fish So the great increase of Christians under the Gospel is compared to the number of the fish of the great Sea Ezek. 47. 9. And there shall be a very greaâ— multitude of fish because these waters shall come thither for they shall be healed c. 6. The duty of men to abide in their places Fishes do not change their element Birds are somtimes aloft in the air sometimes below on the earth but Fish keep always iâ— the water Let every man abide in the same vocation wherein he is called 1 Cor. 7. 20. 7. The benefit of abounding in holiness Fishes are then sweetest and acceptable to the pallat when they begin to be with spawn The fruitful Christian is most pleasing to God Herein is my Father glorified if ye bring forth much fruit Ioh. 15. 8. 8. The noisomness of sin Fish cannot abide any ill savour When the Pump of the ship is emptied they flie from the stench and smell of that nasty water hating the garment spotted with the flesh Iude 23. 9. The necessity of faith and holiness No Fish were counted clean but such as had Fins and Scales The Fins guide the fish the Scales are a defence and ornament
at last without Heaven This followeth from the former They being visibly without the Church and really without God and Christ must needs be without Heaven Without are Dogs Children onely are within doors Rev. 22. 15. Luk. 13. 25. The manner of the Apostles expression is worth our observation he saith not Walk with them No they ought not to be our Companions but walk wisely towards them Let them be the object of your caution as if he had said I know your callings or relations or some occasions or other will bring you into the Company of many that are not Members of the Church Militant and shall be excluded the Church Triumphant but take heed to your selves that ye keep good consciences in such company that ye defile not your own souls by being partaker of their sins be watchful that ye give no offence to them and that ye take no infection from them Walk wisely towards them that are without SECT I. FRiend to quicken thee to the greater caution I shall offer thee these two thoughts First Consider that evil Company is very infectious Wicked men like the Crocodile slime the way to make thee fall and when thou art down suck out as it were thy blood and with it fatten their insulting envy Thy experience tells thee that they are industrious to make men wicked and wretched Such is the corruption of our nature and the nature of our corruption that we are sooner polluted by the wicked then they purified and amended by us as the good Corn is rather soiled by the bad then the smutty made bright by the good The fresh waters run into the Sea yet they do not sweeten but are made brackish by it Our sinful hearts as Onions if there be any infection in the room are apt to draw all to themselves We may hope to save them when they may destroy us How many have leaped into the waters to save others from drowning and been drowned with them Wholesom Planets if in conjunction with those that are malevolent are of bad influence It s recorded by the Holy Ghost concerning the Israelites They were mingled among the Heathen and learned their ways Psa. 106. 35. They who joyn with wicked persons are prone to learn their wicked practices Evil men are as Mildew to the good Corn which makes it black It s an encouragement to men to walk in bad and by-ways when they have Company with them Sinners are compared to dust that breeds vermine in houses to Sepulchres which send forth noisom vapours and to thorns and briars that pierce and pain such as meddle with them can they be too wary then that handle them Luk. 15. 8. Rom. 3. 13. Heb. 6. 8. The Owl is a Night bird and altogether for darkness but they that Hawk for Birds make a Stale of her and whilst the silly Birds are wondering at her catch and kill them The Divel who makes it his work to take and destroy souls doth often make use of ungodly men as Stales to further his defignes Sampson was too hard for the Philistines when they opposed him by force but when they procured Delilah a wicked companion to tempt him by that fraud they prevailed against him The reason according to some why our Saviour forbad the Disciple to go and bury his Father was not out of aversness to civil much-less to natural respect but left his corrupt Kindred who might be present at the Funeral should corrupt him again and so he should dye with them When the Raven went out of the Ark it returned not again meeting as is supposed with some dead carcasses by the way The Caprimulgus or Goat-sucker flieth upon the Goats and sucketh them that their milk drieth up and they are afterwards blind I write these things Reader to make thee more careful in such company If thou wouldst keep thy graces lively and flaming amongst such damps and waters of wickedness thy watchfulness must be more then ordinary The more stones lie in thy way the greater must thy caution be if thou wouldst not stumble A Common Pilot may serve in a Calm Sea but he that would steer a Vessel right in a Tempestuous Ocean amidst Rocks and Quick-sands had need to be eminent both for skill and care Secondly Consider it is possible for thee not onely to keep thy self from waxing worse but to be the better for evil company I speak not this to encourage thee to cast thy self into temptations but to qâ—icken thee to the more care when God calleth thee among them The Weesel is an unclean creature and many ways hurtâ—ul yet it devoureth Mice whence its named in Latine Mustela and so is usefâ—l Unclean sinners that are intentionally pernicious may be providentially profitable to the Saints Some creatures can draw nourishment from hard bones A Saint may suck honey out of dry and bitter herbs The wise God would not send evil things as afflictions but for the good of his chosen nor suffer evil persons but for their profit Pluck not up the Tares lest the Wheat be pulled up also Math. 13. The good Husbandman makes an hedge of unfruitful Plants as Briars and Crab trees and other barren Trees to defend the Vineyard from Cattel and the good Trees in it from harm The Lyon as cruel as he was defended the old Prophets body God left some Canaanites amongst the Iews lest the Beasts of the Field should over-run the Country Exod. 23. 29. God leaves some wicked ones amongst his chosen in this World to keep under their brutish lusts which otherwise might undo them The Lees are helpful to preserve the Wine and the Chaff is useful to preserve the Corn Vermine are good against the Iaundise The Taunts and Scoffs of evil men have sometimes been instrumental to cure good men of their spiritual diseases The Sword of an enemy may let out thy rank blood Iason had his Imposthume opened and so healed by a blow that he received in the Wars from his enemies which his friends the Physitians could not cure Those tongues which have been as sharp as Razors piercing the Christians good Name have proved instrumental to heal their depraved natures The more the wicked twit thee with thy weaknesses the more they may quicken thee to watchfulness Thou wantest possibly a faithful friend to admonish thee therefore God sendeth thee furious enemies to cast thy faâ—lts in thy teeth and if now thou dischargest thy duty thou mayst hope that their malice shall be a Medicine to increase thine inward health and welfare A Fool loseth the improvement of his Friends but a Wise man can make an advantage of his enemies As the Herb called Ros Solis though the heat of the Sun lye upon it all day yet the hotter the Sun is the moyster it is So the Christian is the more softned and tender when others are hardened and bitter against godliness SECT II. I Proceed now to shew wherein the Exercise of Godliness in
with Mithridates they were so eager after their prey that thereby they missed taking the King who could not otherwise have escaped their hands Ah! how foolish art thou if through thy violent pursuit of a perishing world thou shouldst lose an eternal kingdom As Constantinople was lost through the covetousness of the Citizens so is the crown of life and glory the City that hath a foundation through mens eager endeavours after earthly things The beloved Disciple doth not unfitly represent all the beauties and glories and excellencies of this lower world under the name and notion of the Moon which is ever in changes and never looks upon us twice with the same face and when it is at the fullest is blemished with a dark spot and next door to declining Rev. 12. 1. An old man of Brasil discoursing with the Merchants of France and Portugal and perceiving the long and dangerous voyages which they took to get riches asked them If men did not dye with them as well as in other Countries They told him Yea. He asked them who should possess their riches after their deaths They said their Children if they had any if not their next kindred Now saith the old man I perceive ye are fools for what necessity is there for you to pass the troublesome Seas wherein so many perish and to run so many hazards Is not the earth that brought you up sufficient to bring up your children and kindred also We have children and kindred that are likewise dear to us but when we consider that the earth which nourisheth us is sufficient to nourish them we rest satisfied That busie Bee and great trouble-world Alexander had a tart yet wise reproof from Diogenes when being taken with the Philosophers witty answers he bade him ask what he would and he would give it him The Philosopher desired him to grant him the smallest portiou of immortality Alexander said that is not in my power to give Then saith the Philosopher Why doth Alexander take such pains and make such sâ—ir to conquer the world when he cannot assure himself of one moment to enjoy it Ah! why should thou neglect thy God and Christ and soul and eternal good and tyre and weary thy self night and day for these unsatisfying comforts which may leave thee to morrow and of which thou canst not secure the enjoyment of one moment If God complain of wicked men and threatens them with fierce wrath and fiery indignation for selling the righteous for silver and the poor for a pair of shoes and would make them know that he valued his people at an higher price and would not suffer them to be sold at such a rate What will become of thee if thou shouldst sell thy soul thy salvation thy God thy Christ for silver for vain unsatisfying corruptible silver when their value is above millions of worlds O take heed that thou dost not cast away thy self for such transitory trifles Let not the Worlds venison cause thee to lose thy Fathers blessing T was a poor change of Glaucus to exchange gold for copper but O what a sad exchange wilt thou make to exchange heaven for earth the endless fruition of the blessed God for a moments enjoyment of creatures Thou wouldst condemn that Mariner of folly who seeing a Fish in the water should leap into the Sea to caâ—ch it which together with his life he loseth What a fool art thou for mortal comforts to lose an immortal crown The women of Corinth saith an ancient Father did set up Tapers at the birth of every child with proper names upon each of them and that Taper which lasted longest in burning had its proper name transferred to the Child God himself gives the highest and richest though conceited worldling his name Thou fool this night c. Nabal is his name and folly is with him The plain truth is the world is the ruine and destruction of men Its pleasures and honours make the sinner merry and jolly as the hearb Sardonia the eater who eating dyeth They that will be rich fall into temptations and snares and many hurtful lusts which drown men in perdition 1 Tim. 6. 9. The world serveth its darlings as that tyrannous Emperor did his servants let them through a sliding floor into a Chamber â—ull of Roses that being smothered in them they might meet the bitterness of death in sweetness O do not spend thy strength for that which is not bread but hearken to Christ and thou shalt eat that which is good and thy soul shall delight it self in fatness Isa. 55.3,4 Secondly Consider the brevity of thy life He who hath but a little time and a great task must work hard or his work will not be done The Birds know their time and improve it in some Countries the shorter the days are the faster they flye Heathen have been sensible of this Theophrastus cryed out on his dying bed Ars longa vita brevis Time was short and not sufficient for humane arts and sciences Seneca saith of himself Nullus mihi per otium exiit dies partem noctis studiis devovi I lose no day through idleness but even devote part of the night to my studies The very Devils follow their cursed trade with the greater diligence knowing that their time is short Rev. 12. 12. Now Reader Consider how few thy days are What is your life even a vapour a coming and a going a flood and an ebbe and then thou art in the Ocean of eternity I have read of one that being asked What life was was answered answerless for the party of whom the question was demanded onely turned his back and went away We come into the world and take a turn or two about in it and God saith Return ye Children of men A little child may number the days of the oldest man We project high things and lay foundations for an earthly eternity but the longest life is less then a drop to that Ocean Yet alas the most are blown off in the spring and few continue to fall off in Autumn Plutarch compareth Galba Otho and Vitellius in regard of their short reign to Kings in Tragedies which last no longer then the time in which they are represented on the Stage The River Hypanis in Scythia bringeth forth every day little bladders out of which come certain Flies which are bred in the morning fledg'd at noon and dye at night Man cometh up like a flower and is cut down he fleeth as a shadow and continueth not Job 14. 2. This short time posteth away with speed How soon do our days vanish Iob tells us that his little time made great haste to be gone My days are swifter then a Weavers shuttle Job 7. 6. The Weavers shuttle is an instrument of very swift motion and so swift that it is used for a Proverb for all things that are swift and speedy Radius Textoris dictum Proverbiale Radio velocius The Latines express it by a beam of the
and smiling but his conscience is red and fiery But the godly mans inside is his best side though his full sacks of joy and delight are not opened till he comes to his Fathers house yet the blessed Jesus gives him as Ioseph the Patriarchs sufficient provision for the way The Law gave the first fruits of the earth to God the Gospel gives the first fruits of Heaven to men which are both an earnest and a taste of their glorious and everlasting harvest All sorrow proceeds from sin As the shadow followeth the body so doth grief follow guilt Lust like rotten flesh or wood will breed worms to gnaw in the sinners bowels Therefore it s no wonder that Nabal Saul and Belshazzar when their lusts flew in their faces dyed or were ready to dye with horror If a godly man sin wilfully and wound his soul it s no wonder if he feel the smart and pain of it When David steps awry and slips with his feet and falls dangerously he may well keep his bed and water his couch and cry out of his aches and broken bones yet the very sorrow of a Saint for sin against his God hath more real joy and delight in it then all the skin-deep pleasures of gigling Gallants Crates could dance and laugh in his thread-bare coat and his wallet at his back which was all his wealth The Saint can rejoyce in his saddest afflictions though he seldom live in Palaces yet he always lives in a Paradice having if he be careful to keep a good conscience a constant youth of joy and perpetual spring as that place they write of under the AEquatour The tears of those that pray saith Austin are sweeter then the joys of the Theatre It s true godliness doth abridge men of sinful pleasures but it s the more pleasant for seperating it self from that which is worse then poison Agesilaus could taste by a natural appetite that such pleasures are more fit for Slaves then Freemen Averroes and the rest of the Arabian Philosophers are ashamed of that sensual and beastly Paradise which their Mahomet provided for them as most unworthy the soul of man and infinitely shoâ—â— of true delight Godliness doth not deny us our natural delights onely rectifie and regulate them lest we should surfeit on them It doâ—h not deny us drink but drunkenness nor meat but gluttony Nature even in things in themselves lawful would run out unlawfully if she were not restrained Grace onely keepeth the reins in its own hands least that skitâ—ish Colt should through its wantonness break its own nâ—ck It is as the Pale to the Garden to preserve the flowers in it from Beasts or as an hedge to a Field to keep what is in it within bounds As Leonidas the Captain perceiving that his Souldiers left their Watch on the City Walls for the Ale-houses commanded that the Ale-houses should be removed to the City walls that they might both enjoy their pleasure and discharge their duties together Godliness alloweth men the comfort of their Relations and Possessions only it so limiteth our delight in them that we may not by them be hindered from working the work of God and minding our eternal salvations Godliness brings more noble and excellent pleasures Others are puddle-puddle-water those pleasures which godliness giveth are pure and clear streams such as flow from God himself There is more sweetness in one drop of the Fountain then in all the waters of the Sea There is more joy more comfort in a little communion with God then in the greatest confluence of creature-enjoyments Austin saith How sweet was it to me on a sudden to be without these sweet vanities thou Lord who art the true sweetness didst take them frem me and enter in thy self who art more pleasant then all pleasure and more clear then all light The world as they say of Fairies deprives of true children and puts changelings in their room deprives men of true substantial joy and gives them shadows in the room but godliness on the contrary deprives oft painted poisons and gives them wholsome and real pleasures All the comforts of this world to a person void of grace are but as a sack of perfumes and medicines and cordial drugs to the back of a galled horse which may vex and inrage his sores with their weight but do not ease or abate his pain with their vertue A Saints life notwithstanding his greatest sufferings whilst it is blessed with the smiles of his father is an heaven upon earth but the sinners life notwithstanding his honours and pleasures and riches and relations whilst under the wrath of an infinite God and anguisht with the gripings of a guilty conscience is little less then an earnest and taste of hell Grace is sugar to sweeten all our crosses and sin is vinagar to sower all our comforts The iron seems to embrace the load-stone with great delight and to be rapt with an amorous extasie So as Thales thought it animal and yet that motion is void of the least sense of pleasure The wicked man seems by his smiling face and gigling countenance to be the onely merry man when he is as far from true pleasure as from true piety The least Bee finds more delight in making and tasting a little honey then the great Sun and all his glorious attendants in their high and perputual courses The meanest Christian hath more comfort in making sure his salvation and tasting the sweetness of his Saviour then the Kings of the earth and their Courtiers in their abundance of all earthly comforts The Wiâ—e man tells us concerning the ways of wisdom wherein a Christians daily walk is Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace Pro. 3. 17. And the Saints find them so by experience The word of God which is the rule of their work is sweeter to them then the honey and the honey comb and they delight to do the will of God The sinners life is an uncomfortable life beâ—ide those inward gripes and horror which sin causeth in the conscience at present and its end the sting in the tail which is the eternal fire there is trouble and fear and shame and vexation in the very act or commission of many sins To forgive an injury which is one peice of Christianity is pleasant and delightful but to revenge an affront what heats and colds what passions and perturbations doth it cause To love our neighbours and wish their wellfare is a sweet thing a reward in it self it hath meat in its mouth but to envy my neighbour because he is richer or more honourable or hath larger gifts and more friends then my self is as rottenness to the bones it wasteth and consumeth the inward parts as rust eateth out iron according to Solomons phrases A Contented man hath an heaven upon earth all the year with him is spring-time or summer like a child he takes no carking care for food or raiment or houseâ—rent but minds
thy heart right as mine is Is there the fear of God truth of grace in thy heart then give me thy hand come up into the Chariot be thou my friend The Choice of a Christian must flow from another fountain then worldly profit namely the amiableness of the Image of Christ in the person The heat and light of a wicked mans love as a lamp is fed with and floweth from some earthly substance and is extinguished when that is denyed but the heat and light of a Saints friendship as the solary rays springeth from an heavenly cause and therefore will continue The Apostle speaketh of love out of a pure heart 1 Tim. 1. 5. That iâ— pure love a pure stream which ariseth from a pure heart a pure spring that is not onely the grace of God secret in a Christian but the grace of God seen in his Companion whom he loveth It is clearly visible that many associate with Christians not for their vertues but at a venture they were possibly the first they fell in league with or upon some other respect for they know others as high in holiness whom they slight nay possibly hate whereas he that loveth grace in one loveth grace in all It s an infallible sign of a crooked nature saith Cicero to be affected with none but Praetors and great men It s little sign I am sure of grace to joyn onely wiâ—h those Saints that are rich or high in the World If thou admirest holiness in scarlet and robes and contemnest it in sackcloth and russet I must tell thee thou art grosly deceived for thou admirest the Scarlet and honour not the holiness at all I do not deny but amongst Christians a man that hath the opportunity may choose out some rather then others to be his most intimate companions Christ though he loved all his Disciples yet had one especially the beloved Disciple who leaned on Iesus bosome Amongst all the Apostles he vouchsafed to three onely the favour of his extraordinary friendship When he raised up the Rulers daughter he suffered none to go in save Peter Iames and Iohâ— When he was transfigured he took up with him onely Peter Iames and Iohn In his bitter and bloody Agony these three were taken out from the rest Luk. 8. 51. Mat. 17. 5. and 26. 37. But if I might advise thee Reader in such a Choice I would give thee these two Cautions First That thou prefer those whom God prefers I mean such as have most grace It s a sign of a Coward to choose a weak enemy and its a sign of little grace to choose the weakest Christian friends He that hath most of Gods heart deserveth most of thine I am ready to think that Peter Iames and Iohn that had more of Christs love then the rest had more of his Likeness and Image then the rest I confess some respect in the choice of a bosome friend ought to be had to his prudence Some men though holy are indiscreet and in point of secrets are like Sives can keep nothing committed to them but let all run thorough A blab of secrets is a Traytour to society as one that causeth much dissention It s good to try him whom we intend for a bosome friend before we trust him As men prove their Vessels with Water before they fill them with Wine If we finde them leaking they will be useless as to that purpose Too many are like the Dead Sea in which nothing saith Aristotle sinks to the bottom but every thing thrown into it swims at the top and is in sight Nakedness in mind is as well a blemish as nakedness in body It s wonderful folly which some persons manifest in stripping themselves naked before every one and unbosoming themselves whoever stands by Pictures that have no Curtains before them gather much dust and so do those minds that are ever open and exposed to every mans view Others are like the Sea full of wealth and worth of great abilities in spiritual things but there is no coming at it they are so concealed that none is ever like to be the better for it Those golden Mines that are never known enrich none There are a middle sort of Christians between these that like a secret box in a Cabinet is not seen without some difflculty but as occasion is it is opened and then many jewels of rare value appear The Bow that is hardest to bend doth the most service for it sendeth forth the Arrow with the greatest force The Nut that is hard to crack hath the best kernel These Christians may as likely as any be thy bosome friends Though some respect I confess may be had to sutableness of disposition in him whom thou choosest for an intimate friend As in marriage so in friendship its best when there is some equality and likeness in pairs as of Tongs or Gloves there must be a parity Such friendship founded both in grace and nature is like to be lasting 2. That in prefering some thou castest no contempt upon others The smallest piece of peaâ—l is worthy of esteem the little violet is pleasant The poorest Christian he that hath the least grace deserveth our love and observance Christ takes notice of two mites of a little strength of some good thing and shall not we Math. 12. 43. Rev. 3. 8. 1 King 13. 14. Babes in Christ being unable to help themselves have most need of good Nurses Weak Saints who can hardly go alone do most want an helping hand A Saint that is mean as well as a mean Saint must be countenanced It s good to countenance godliness in the rich but its evil not to encourage it in the poor Our love must like the oyntment powred on Aarons head which ran down not onely to his beard but to the very skirts of his garment be drawn out to the highest and fall down on the lowest Saints David by this shewed the life and truth of his love I am a Companion of all that fear thee and keep thy Statutes Psa. 119. 63. Of all None that hath thy fear but shall find me their friend Though I am their King and above the highest yet for thy sake I can chearfully be Companion to the lowest SECT V. THirdly In thy Choice have respect to spiritual ends and accordingly improve it Attend and intend thy own and thy Companions soul-good in it Fâ—iendship hath a key to the heart which it may use nâ—t only to let it self into its secrets but also to introduce its own conceptions He hath a great advantage of perswading another to and encouraging him in holiness who is already entertained as his friend into his heart Where the person is so acceptable the instruction will be the more welcome We carry others sometimes along with us to our friends houses and they are kindly entertained for our sakes Now to improve this interest any other way then on Gods behalf is sacriledge How abominable were it then
of fire be kept from consuming and as Gideons fleece be moyst when all the earth about it is dry O that I might as Fish retain my freshness in the saltest waters and never savour others vices or follow their steps who depart from the Commandements of my God Lord whose promise is to thy Disciples They shall take up Serpents and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them Mark 16. 18. Is it not thine own hand writing and canst thou fail of fulfilling it O let thy powerful presence accompany me whithersoever thy providence calleth me Let thy preventing grace preserve me from receiving harm and thy quickening mercy enable me to do good that whereas thine enemies are apt to speak evil of me as an evil doer they may be ashamed who falsly accuse my good conversation in Christ 1 Pet. 3. 16. I Wish that I may be so far from receiving prejudice that I may be profited by the worst of those with whom I associate As my God created nothing in vain so he permits nothing but to some good purpose T is true wicked men are Dogs Mat. 7. 12. prone to faun on me that they may defile me but even of Dogs there may be a good use The Flock is the more safe from Wolves and the House from Theives through their watchfulness They are dust apt to breed vermine but some creatures live upon it as their Aliment and in it as their Element and the basest rubbish may be serviceable about the foundation of a building The Guts and Garbage of some beasts are food to others Doth not experience teach us that many Fowls draw nourishment from unclean and filthy Carcasses Why may not my stomach be so good and my spiritual constitution so strong as to concoct such unwholsom food Lycurgus taught the Lacedemonians vertue not onely by the pattern of their Sober Ephori but also of the drunken Helots their slaves Poisons are as necessary as the best diet if they be in the hands of him who is able to improve and prepare them Beer is the better the more lively and brisk for the grouns that are in the same vessel with it O that my graces might be the more quick and active for the lees of others vices that their sins might increase my sanctity both in making me more thankful to him who maketh me to differ and more watchful over my self lest I fall from my own stedfastness The Mariners are directed in their sailings by Rocks and Shelves as well as by the Northern star My God instructeth Jonah by the shadow of a Weed Go to the Pismire thou sluggard consider her provident ways and be wise to follow them Observe the men of this world O my soul consider their wicked ways and be wise to avoid them Ask these beasts of the earth and they will teach thee nay shame thee How unwearied are they in the pursuit of the world how diligent about their works of darkness how often do they lose their sleep to do mischief and neglect their food and callings to indulge their fleshly lusts whilst thou whose Master is the Lord of Glory whose service is the onely freedom and whose recompence will be infinite art loytering and lazing upon the bed of security O that thou mayst learn industry about the concernments of heaven and eternity from others industry about the affairs of this earth for a few days and take shame to thy self that Satans Servants should be more forward to gratifie their Soul-destroyer then thou art to please the blessed Saviour Lord it is thy prerogative to cause light out of darkness and to bring good out of evil teach thy servant to gather figs from these thistles and to be the better because others are so bad Because the wicked forsake thy law therâ—fore let me love thy commandements above gold yea above much fine gold I Wish that though in pursuance of my calling I do afford my â—ompany to sinners I may never bear them company in their sins True Gold will not change its colour or nature for the hottest fire The Rock keeps its place and is immoveable notwithstanding the continual dashing of the water The earth is not hurt either by the heat of Summer or cold of Winter Though much dirt be flung at a post well oyled it will not stick My God hath enjoyned me Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness Whence I learn these three things 1. That sin is a work of darkness The Prince of darkness is its Father It s his natural off-spring therefore called the work of the Devil Iohn 8. 44. A dark heart is its Mother there it s conceived thence it s brought forth In dark holes these vermine breed and swarm Ephes. 4. 18. Hos. 4. 1 2 3. 2 Cor. 4. 4. It s portion is utter darkness blackness of darkness for ever all its inheritance lieth in darkness and the shadow of death 2. I learn that the works of darkness are unfruitful The sinner makes a sad market of all his wicked wares He soweth vice and reapeth vanity promiseth himself much pleasure and sindeth it wholly unprofitable What fruit had ye in those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end of those things is death O what a frightful monster is this miscreant It hath fruitlesness in the beginning shame in the middle and death in the conclusion 3. I learn that I onght not to have fellowship with these unfruitful works of darkness Indeed I have little reason if I consider the two former particulars yet how prone am I to it either by my silence when they sin or by my secret complyance with them in their sin My corrupted heart is like Touch-wood ready to take fire by the least spark When others are bold to blaspheme God I am apt through an ungodly bashfulness to hold my peace little considering that I must one day answer as well for my sinful silence as for every idle word It s my duty to hold the jewel of my faith fast lest Satan steal it from me to hold my profession to the end lest by leaving my Colours I lose my Crown but not to hold my peace in the quarrel of truth lest by suffering sin in others I wrong my own soul Where is my love to others if I stand still whilst they destroy themselves It may well break the strings of my tongue as of the Son of Cyrus when sin like the Persian is ready to kill my Father or Brother or Neighbour Evil men are like Traytours with whom if we act or conceal we are guilty Where is my love to my self if I take others intolerable burthens on my own back Sin is a load too heavy for the stoutest for the strongest to carry Should I by my silence give consent to others Oaths or Lyes or Ieers at godliness and godly men I become a party in their bonds and liable to make satisfaction for their debts and may
a necessary cause is a sin and bringeth great disadvantage both upon our selves and others 1. Upon our selves we lose those helps which God hath afforded for the edification of our souls Fire laid abroad qâ—ickly abateth nay goeth out when if it be raked up together it continueth and increaseth I suppose the Spirit of God is so exact in registring the absence of Thomas from the Apostles company when Christ vouchsafed them his personal and gracious presence and the sad fit of unbelief which he fell into upon it partly as a warning to all Christians that they lose not such seasons as they love their immortal souls Ioh. 20. 24 25. But Thomas one of the twelve was not there when Iesus came The other Disciples therefore said unto him We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them Except I shall see in his hands the print of the Nails and put my fingers into the print of the Nails and thrust my hand into his side I will not believe Had Thomas been present when the Lord appeared how strongly might he have withstood Satans assaults against his faith His senses had been sufficient to have confuted the father of lies and helpful to have quencht his fiery darts but by his absence how dangerously was he shaken in that fundamental truth Satan hath a wonderful advantage of that person whom he meets without any warrant from God alone If I travail alone between Sun and Sun I have the Law for my protection that if I be robbed I may recover my loss of the Country but if at other times it is at my own peril If I be alone at the call of my God either when secret duties or my particular calling require it and my grand enemy set upon me I may expect help from him whose work I am about but if when he commandeth me to associate with his people I needlesly wander from them and any hurt befal me I must thank my self and look for no reparation at his hands It is observable that the house of Iobs Eldest Son which was the grave wherein all his children were buried stood alone otherwise the wind from the Wilderness could not have smote the four corners thereof O t is dangerous to be solitary when God requires thy company amongst his chosen There is a wo to him that is alone such a man shall be sure to have Satan for his companion He is ever ready to assault when none is neer to assist Eve was tempted with too much success when she was alone without her Husband Dinah gadding from her fathers house was defiled Ioseph was then assaulted when the whole Family was gone save the instrument of the assault How soon are straglers snapt up when those that march with the body of the Army are safe Pyrates lye skulking to find a Vessel sailing alone when those that sail in company are a convoy to each other They who separate are soon seduced The Cormorant or Sea-Eagle hath this property that she will not seise upon the fish in the water when they are in sholes but when single she makes them her prey Solitude is not more hurtful to the body then to the soul and to nature then to grace When David was an exile from the society of the Israelites and wandred abroad he fell into diffidence and distrust nay into hard and blasphemous thoughts of God as if he had forgotten to be gracious as if he himself had cleansed his heart in vain He then said in his haste that all men even Samuel who had anointed him to the Kingdom and promised him from God that he should be King were lyars It is a disadvantage to others When Saints do not meet together their love cooleth nay contentions frequently follow to the hardening of the wicked and the discouraging of the weak The Temple or body of Christ is not built up with blows and Schismes The parts of the Temple were framed and squared in Lebanon at the rearing of it up in Zion there was no noise either of Axe or Hammer Babel it self could not be built by divided tongues muchless Sion by divided hearts When Christians divide and separate weak beginners know not what to do whom to follow but are ready to say with Cicero when Caesar and Pompey were at odds Quem fugiam scio quem sequar nescio I know whom to flie but I know not whom to follow O how dreadful are the consequents of such civil wars Discord is not without cause described by the great Italian to be cloathed with a garment of divers colours made up of patches and they rent cut and torn her lap fâ—ll of writs citations processes and arrests attended onely wiâ—h Clarks Scriveners Atturneys and Lawyers but she was followed with bitter clamours and diswal howlings Melancthon perswading the Protestants in his time to peace tells them a parabolical story of the Dogs and Wolves who were meeting to fight one against another The Wolves sent out their Scout to know the strength of their adversaries The Scout returns and tells the Wolves that indeed the Dogs exceeded them in number but they need not fear them for he had observed they were not like one another Besides they marched as if they were offended rather with themselves then their enemies grinning and snarling yea biting and tearing one another therefore let us not be discouraged but march on resolutely Dissention amongst men brings destruction on men A Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand They who imbodied toâ—â—â—her may be able to overcome thousands divided and taken singly may be overthrown by a very few The hardest Adamant if once broken flieth into such small dust that its scarce discernable and so cometh to nothing The people of God have not seldom made themselves a prey to Persecutours by their heart burnings and divisions When the Town is once set on fire by the Granadoes shot in from them that besiege it the enemies hope to take it with the more ease Naturalists tell us that a Punice stone cast into the waters though it be never so big whilst it remains entire and the parts hold together t will swim above the water but break it once in peices and every part sinks to the bottom Truly such often times is the state of the faithful They who holding together are safe and as a bundle of stâ—ves not to be bowed when parted and taken singly are easily broken It is the Shepherds observation that when Sheep Butt one against another it s a sign of foul weather and of an approaching storm We have too much cause to fear that the Schismes and Contenâ—ions in the Church of God at this day do portend some heavy judgement to hang over our heads SECT III. I Shall now direct thee Reader how 〈◊〉 â—xercise thy self to godliness in Christian Company First I must give thee a Word of Caution Take heed of those sins which Christians when they accompany together are most prone to Saints are apt to
together Some no sooner creep into the Cradle of Profession but immediately they leap out of it into the Chair of Censure If a Christian do stumble he saith he falls and so carrieth it up and down He always greatens others and lessens his own sins Things in a mist seem bigger to us then in a fair day by reason of the indisposedness of the air or medium He looks on the sins of others through the mist of envy and so makes them bigger then they are He beholds his own sins as God doth himself afar off or as things on a Steeple which seem small and little Because some persons are not of his party therefore they are in the bond of iniquity saith the Censorious man Thus the Romans judged others not Saints because they were not exactly of their own size Rom. 14. 3. If good men are brought to the fire of affliction it is saith he because they bear not good fruit and are fit for nothing but fuel Thus Iobs friends judged him an Hypocrite and without armour of proof because he was the Mark at which the Arrows of the Almighty were levelled Job 4. 5 6 7. If a good man step awry he tells others positively that his whole way and course is wrong From his failing in one action the Censurer condemneth his whole conversation as feigned and fraudulent as if the best gold did not need some grains of allowance and the brightest burning Taper had not some smoke with it He judgeth according to appearance and doth not judge righteous judgement When an action is doubtful and admits of a good or bad construction to be sure he will take it in the worst sense He never meets with an ambiguous text but he makes a bad comment on it If Christ associate with Zacheus though not for communion with him in his sins but for the conversion of his â—oul he will presently cry him up for a Wine-bibber a Glutton and a friend of Publicans and Sinners In this and in all the rest he judgeth without judgement For indeed it is from want of judgement that the heaviest judgement comes O how sad is it that those who believe a day of judgement should walk so contrary to the rule of their Iudge Mat. 7. 1. 1 Cor. 4. 5. Jam. 3. 1. The Dogs were kinder then such Men for they licked the sores of honest Lazaruâ— but these rub and fret the sores of Godly men by publishing them to others It s our duty to mourn for the sins of good men Lest when I come my God will humble me saith Paul for them that have sinned how contrary are they to Christianity that are glad they have somewhat to talk of I cannot esteem them Christians that think their feast wanteth musick unless the Baptist Head be brought in a Charger at the first course A desire to disgrace others never sprang from grace It s ill to enquire into others actions that we might have matter to draw up a bill of Indictment against them Like those who in reading Books mark onely the faults or such as take more pleasure in beholding a Monster then a perfect Man such is a censorious person But itâ— a swinish property to feed upon excrements They have too much affinity to the old Serpent that can pick nourishment out of poison Have not all men business enough of their own without raking into others graves But as the Fish Sepiae darken the waters that they may escape the Net so they darken the credit of others that they may escape the net of censure which is due to themselves These men are usually eagle-eyed abroad but as blind as Moles at home The most vicious are ever the most suspicious As Galileus looked through his Prospective-glass to find Mountains in the Moon so these examine others lives and search their actions as narrowly as Laban did Iacobs stuff to find matter of accusation But as it s Fabled of old Lamia that she had eyes like unto spectacles which she might take out and put in at her pleasure and that as soon as she came into her house she always locked them up in her coffer and sat down to spinning as blind as a Beetle and that when she went abroad she put them into her head and would very curiously behold what other men did So the Censurer is so quick-sighted abroad that he can see the moats in others eyes but so blind within doors that he cannot see the beam in his own Some of these men have a fine way of censuring and condemning others by commending them that you will not easily discern their envy or ill-will because of the throng and press of their subtle praises They will set forth a Christian eminent for grace with many and large flourishes of commendation but after all in two or three words dash out all they had spoken and leave a blot in the room As the Holy Ghost saith truly of Naaman He was a Mighty man Captain of the Syrian Host but a Leper So they of a Saint whose worth they cannot for shame deny He hath great parts many excellent guifts large abilities but I wish the root of the matter were in him or but he knoweth them too well or but he is covetous or proud as the Smith that shoeth an Horse and pretendeth therein to do him a kindness but pricks him in shooing him and therefore had better have let him alone This one flie of But c. mars the whole Pot of Oyntment The Censurer with that short Knife stabs his Neighbours fame to the heart Reader I beseech thee both for thy own sake and the Gospels to be tender of the repute and credit of Saints A good mans name is like a Milk white Ball which exceedingly gathers soil by tossing and therefore is to be sparingly talked of Words reported again have another sound and many times another sense Besides one Dog sets many others a barking Talk of his failings as low as thou wilt the world is quick of hearing and they take the size of all Christians cloaths by the measure of the weakest Thy charity should clap a Plaister supposing there be a real wound and cover it with the hand of privacy to keep it from the open air The Egyptian who carried something wound up in a Napkin answered discreetly to him that asked What it was It is covered to the end that no man might see Truly if we know of others failings and infirmities we should hide them with the mantle of love and not shew them to any but in relation to the offendors good and recovery for why should a fallen brother have cause to complain I am wounded in the house of my friends had it been an enemy I could have born it but it was thou O man my friend mine equal and my acquaintance Apelles drew Antigonus who had but one eye half-faced whereby that blemish was hid so should Christians their brethren The wise man tells us the worth
better to receive the greatest Theives into our houses then vain thoughts into our hearts Iohn Husse seeking to reclaim a very prophane wretch was told by him that his giving way to wicked wanton thoughts was the original of all those hideous births of impiety which he was guilty of in his life Husse answered him That though he could not keep evil thoughts from courting him yet he might keep them from marrying him as saith he though I cannot keep the Birds from flying over my head yet I can keep them from building their nests in my hair Christian be careful when thou art out of Company as well as in it for these guests will visit thee as soon ever as thou art alone and if thou shouldst not frown upon them they will turn thy solitude into a crowd as Hierom found Rome in a Wilderness The Heathen Cicero employed his solitude to better purpose then most seeming Christians I being weary saith he of living amongst wicked men with whom all places in a manner swarm betake my self to solitariness as much as I can yet that none may think I trifle away my time idly to say no more let my Books speak how I employ my self Yet alas when many Christians are retired out of the crowd and throng of worldly men they suffer worldly things to crowd and throng so abundantly in their hearts that as it was said of Ephraim strangers devour their strength earthly things though tending to no profit waste their time and devour their thoughts which as Reuben are the excellency of dignity and the excellency of strength SECT IV. SEcondly If thou wouldst exercise thy self to godliness in solitude labour to spiritualize earthly things I must say this is one of the most excellent and enriching arts in Christianity Though these occasional thoughts resemble lightning as well in the suddenness of their journey as the vastness of their way being able to reach from one end of Heaven unto the other yet such light gains with quick returnes make an heavy purse He that hath learned this mystery is the true Chymist he leaves the dregs and lees of things and extracts the substance and quintessence of them He hath better then Midas Wish he turns all he toucheth into better then gold Many a great Scholar begs with rare notions of the nature of silver and gold and pearls when some Merchants who never saw Mine or Furnance or read Book concerning them hath his Coffers full of them The Rabbies of the world were they able like Solomon to speak of all plants from the Cedar to the Hysope and of all Beasts and Fish and Fowl nay and of all creatures in a Physical and Philosophical way are not comparable to the illiterate Countryman who can read his God in them and improve them for his spiritual advantage Luther relates a story of two Cardinals riding to the Council at Constance how by the way they heard a shepherd weeping and crying out sadly upon which they turned aside to know what was the matter and found the shepherd looking upon an ugly Toad They asked him the ground of his lamentation He answered I cannot but weep to consider the goodness of God that he did not make me such a loathsom creature and my own unthankefulness that I should be no more sensible of it At which one of the Cardinals was so affected that he fell from his horse in a swoon and coming again afterwards to himself told his Brother Well said St. Austin Indocti rapiunt coelum c. The unlearned take heaven by violence whilst we with all our parts and learning wallow in the mire of the earth and flesh Natural beings are as spades wherewith we may open the mines and dig out spiritual riches He that hath a gracious fancy may like the Bee suck honey from every flower in the garden of the creation and climb up by the stairs of the meanest creature to the Supream and Infinite Creator All objects to a wise Christian may be wings to mount him up to heaven As the old Romans when they saw the blew stones thought of Olympus so the holy person by every work is elevated to admire some excellency in the workman There is a threefold aspect which men cast upon the Works of God according to the difference of their eyes or the degrees of their understandings 1. Ordinary and vulgar persons who differ little from Brutes and behold the face of nature as beasts do a picture onely viewing the outside and surface of it rudely and superficially never considering any art or curiosity in it As the Horse and Mule which have no understanding they view and drink of the streams but mind not the purity or clarity of the water or the fountain whence it floweth these look on Gods works at best but as passengers on a clock to know the time of the day but take no notice of the wheels and poises and their several motions and contrivances 2. Schollars and Philosophers who go a step higher and view this picture somewhat exactly as Artists contemplating its curious wormanship its proper colours comely features and rare composure of the whole with admiration As Nicotratus that told the Country man who wondred at his wondring at the exact piece of Helena drawn by Zeuxis If thou hadst my eyes thou wouldst be affected as I am 3. Christians and spiritual men who move above the Philosopher and most skilful Naturalists in their own sphere these look on the face of nature with a spiritual eye as a lover on the Picture of her beloved delighting more in the resemblance then the table contemplating the matchless Power embroidered Wisdom and infinite Goodness of their God which appear in his creatures These are the men that can turn the stones and dirt of the streets yea the snakes and serpents of the earth into bread for their souls if they should be denied the Scripture which God forbid they can fetch spiritual food out of the creature The Heron findeth her food in lakes and rivers and picks it out with her long bill where other birds can get none So saith Hesychius the Christian by meditation can get food for his soul where others that understand not this duty starve Our blessed Saviour teacheth us to see the face of heavenly things in earthly glasses and to make a ladder of the creatures whereby we may ascend to heaven in our thoughts He hath set us a pattern that we should follow his steps What honey of profit and pleasure doth he tâ—ach us to draw from all the flowers and weeds too that grow in the garden of the Creation He instructeth his Disciples by Lillies growing and seed sown in the field by trees and vines in the Orchard and Vineyard by pearls treasure tares leven mustardseed water bread nets fish salt oyl lamps and as at Cana in Galilee turns all this water into wine as well for their imitation as information A mean
would not reverence the issue for the Authors sake Surely that coin deserves esteem which hath that Kings Image and Superscription on it The matter in thee merits respect Thou art a Love-letter from God to his creature revealing his eternal thoughts of good will publishing his acts of grace and oblivion to all traytors and rebels in arms against his Majesty upon condition they will throw down their weapons and become Loyal Subjects for the future Thou art the Churches Charter containing all the priviledges which the blessed Jesus purchased for her What wise man would not value the deeds and evidences which speak and give a right to pardon love grace joy peace and the undefiled inheritance for ever When thou comest to a soul salvation comes to that soul Thou art always attended with a rich train of all sorts of comforts The good tidings thou bringest and great blessings thou conveyest where ever thou comest may well make thee welcome I may well say unâ—o thee beholding the bracelets and ear-rings wherewith thou adornest the Spouse of the true Isaac as Laban to Abrahams servant Come in thou blessed of the Lord why standest thou without I have prepared lodging for thee If I am bound to bless my God for the natural lights which he hath made the greater to rule the day and the lesser to rule the night because thereby it appears that his mercy endureth for ever Psa. 136. 7 8 9. How much am I bound to bless him for the spiritual light of his word that true that marvellous light which shineth in a dark place till the eternal day dawn O what mercy what mercy enduring for ever is there in every leaf in every verse in every line of that sacred Book If Regeneration be a mercy to be partaker of the divine nature the stamping the lovely Image of the glorious God upon thee then the word is a mercy for that is the seal in the hand of the Spirit which imprinteâ—h it on thee Iames 1. 18. Is faith a mercy that shield of the soul whereby it quencheth the fiery darts of the Devil that Ladder by which the soul mounteth to Heaven and converseth daily with its Lord and Master then the word is a mercy for faith comes by hearing the word is the door of faith Rom. 10. 14. Act. 14. 27. If repentance be a mercy those second and best thoughts of the soul that recovery of the man to his wits and right mind then the word is a mercy for t is the voice of Christ in the word that casteth the Devil of impenitency and sensuality out of the heart where it raigned and raged sending out fire and flames like AEtna for many years and makes the man like him in the Gospel out of whom the Devil was cast to sit at Iesus his feet in his right mind bitterly weeping and mourning for his former folly and madness T is the hot beams of love that shine in the Gospel that thaw the frozen spirits Is hope a mercy â—hat Helmet of salvation which defendeth the head of Christians from Swords and Musquets the souls of Saints from the darts and dangers of temptations those Bladders of the soul which keep it from sinking in deep waters then the word is a mercy for we through patience and comfort of the Scripture have hope Rom. 15. 4. Hope had never lookt out at the window longing for the coming of its beloved if the word had not come before as a faithful Messenger and brought certain news that he was upon the way Are pardon reconciliation with God adoption growth in grace yea Heaven it self a mercy then the word is a mercy All those Jewels are lockt up in that Cabinet Man durst not have presumed he could not have conceived that the glorious jealous God should ever have such infinite respect for such wretches and rebels if he had not found it written with his own hand in the word T is on the waters of the sanctuary that the Saint saileth safely through the Sea of this world to the Port of salvation There was no visible bridge laid over the Gulf of Gods wrath for sinners to pass into the Kingdom of grace here and glory hereafter till the Gospel erected one O my soul what honour can be high enough what love hot enough for the holy Scriptures 1. Consider the preciousness of them in the eyes of good men and the love they had for them Iob preferred them before food before his necessary food Solomon before ornaments of gold crowns of glory Paul before all other Doctrines though Preached by Angels David before the honey and the honey comb great spoils thousands of gold and silver all riches And when he ceaseth to compare beginneth to admire iâ—s worth Wonderful are thy testimonies And his own fervent affection to it O how love I thy law it is my meditation all the day 2. The price paid for it It cost the blood of thy beloved well may the Scriptures be called Testaments they were both sprinkled with blood and made valid by the death of the Testatour Heb. 9. 15 16 17. And for this cause he is the mediatour of the New Testament that by means of death for the redemption of transgressions that were under the first Testament they which were called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance For where a Testament is there must of necessity also be the death of the Testator For a Testament is of force after men are dead otherwise it is of no strength at all whilst the testator liveth 3. The pearl hid in it The Lord Jesus Christ is the matter as well as the Author of it Well may it be called the Word of Christ. Search the Scripture for they are they that testifie of me He was the substance of the Law and he is the sum of the Gospel Thou hadst not known sin but for the Law nor the Saviour but for the Gospel When David considered the kindness he had receâ—ved from Ionathan he said to his servants Is there none left of the house of Saul that I may shew kindness to for Jonathans sake He could not but in gratitude study some return suitable to that good will of his dear friend Great is the kindness I have received from the Scripture What wilt thou say what wilt thou do O my soul for this Word of thy God! O swear unto the Lord and vow unto the mighty God of Jacob surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house I will not go up into my bed I will not give sleep to mine eyes nor slumber to mine eyeâ—lids until I â—inde out a place for the law of the Lord and an habitation for the Gospel of the God of Jacob. Wilt thou not willingly O my soul rather then this worthy guest should lie without doors take it into thy heart O that thou wert the ark wherein the two Tables the two Testaments might be laid up for ever Lord I will
to them Faith is a Christians guide and good Works his garment As the Fish by the Fins are raised from the mud to the top of the water so faith lifteth the soul from earth to heaven It is the evidence of things not seen Good works are as Scales a shield to a Christian and are not unfitly called the Breast plate of righteousness Thus O my soul though thou couldst not read a line in any Printed book thou mightest read many good lessons in this natural book Even things without mouths can Preach and speak thy Makers praise and pleasure Their voices are heard in every language and their words go to the end of the world Psa. 19. 4. Wheresoever O my soul thou goest thou mayst by meditation get some steps nearer thine eternal weal Art thou walking Consider thou art but a sojourner and traveller in this world thy life is a continued moâ—ion thy way is the Son of God thy home is the Fathers House thy motion is painful thy way is perfect and thy home will be full of pleasure Why shouldst thou wander and come wide or loyter and come short of Heaven O be sure to walk in the right way and be content to travail hard that thy saâ—e way may find its end in solace and thy painful walk make thy home more welcome Art thou walking in thine Orchyard thou mayst from every tree as a Text gather many profitable doctrines and inferences Take a turn or two among the Trees and thou mayst find much wholsom fruit on them 1. Some Trees are profitable for one purpose some for another some to quench thirst some to comfort and refresh the inward parts c. so the Children of God are diversly serviceable according to the different gifts bestowed on them by the Holy Ghost 2. Every living fruit tree is in some measure fruitâ—ul though some bring forth more fruit some less yet all bring forth some All living Christians are thriving and bearing fruit though some are more eminent for growth and proficiency in grace yet all bring forth fruits worthy of repentance The Hypocrite like a dead stake in an Hedge continueth at a stay is without good fruit nay groweth more rotten every moneth then other but the true Saint like the living Tree the longer he continueth rooted in Christ the more abundant he is in the work of the Lord. 3. The best Trees have a winter wherein they seem to be dead and barren yet they have their life and sap at that time remaining in the root Christians under desertions and temptations may be judged by themselves and others to be dead and undone but even at such seasons their life is hid with Christ in God Though they may fall fouly they cannot fall finally 4. Fruit-trees are tossed and shaken by the wind but there is no danger of their overturning or death whilst their root remains firm in the earth Saints may be stirred and tossed by the high winds of Satans and the worlds temptations but can never be overthrown because they are rooted in Christ. Grace may be shaken in but never out of their souls 5. The winter which the Trees suffer in frosts and snow and the continuance of their sapunder ground is profitable for them and helpful to their greater growth in Spring So the various and severest providences of God towards his people are serviceable to their good and their seeming declensions in order to their greater growth As Children under a fit of an Ague they may at present be weakened and stand at a stay but afterward they shoot up the more 6. The fruits of trees are harsh and little worth till they are grafted so the fruits of all by nature are wild and unpleasant to God till they are grafted into Christ. 7. Those trees that stand most in the Sun bring forth the sweetest and the largest fruit So those believers that live nearest God by an holy communion do the more abound in the fruits of righteousness and their fruits are the more acceptable springing from a principle of love to God 8. The more the boughs are laden the more they bow down to the earth so the more abundant any are in holiness the more humble and lowly they will be 9. The Husbandman chuseth what plants he pleaseth to bring into his Orchyard and his grafting of them and care about them makes the difference between them and others So God chuseth whom he pleaseth out of the wilderness and waste of the world and his grafting them by regeneration and conduct of them by his Spirit distinguisheth them from all the rest of the earth 10. The Leaves drop from the Trees in the beginning of Autumn Such is the friendship of this world whilst the sap of wealth and honour lasteth with me and whilst I enjoy a summer of prosperity my friends swarm in abundance but in the winter of adversity they will leave me naked O how miserable is that person who hath no friends but of this world How happy is he that hath the sap of grace which will remain with him in the coldest winter Thus O my soul whilst thou art walking with regenerate creatures thou mayst better thy spiritual senses and walk with thy Creator O how may thy thoughts be raised to the trees that are planted in the house of the Lord and flourish in the Courts of thy God that are planted by the Rivers of waters and bring forth their fruit in due season Lord I confess thy goodness in giving me so many ushers yet alas my dull and blockish heart to this day hath not learnt those lessons which thou hast set me by them Vnless thou who art the chief Master of the Assemblies undertake the work all will be in vain Thy creatures are as burning glasses they cannot make the Sun to shine but when it doth vouchsafe its heavenly beams they help to increase both light and heat It s thine own promise that all Sions Children shall be taught of God Let it please thee to undertake the tuition and instruction of thine untoward Scholar O do thou spiritualize my heart and then I shall spiritualize all the works of thine hand do thou enlighten me so powerfully by thy blessed Spirit that I may turn every spark into a candle and every candle into a star and every star into a Sun and by the light of all be enabled to see more of thy beautiful face and blessed perfections I Wish that I may not onely taste by occasional but make a full meal by set and serious meditation of that food which may God provideth for my soul If a drop a little be reviving and strengthening surely a good draught will yeild me more comfort and profit If ever it be true it s here the best is at the bottom That rare object which upon a transient view gives me some delight upon a permanent vision will afford more pleasure If my meat abide in my body it will afford me the better
Watch against sin against all sin The Gardiner doth not onely watch over his Flowers to water and cherish them but also watcheth all weeds to pluck and root them up Take heed lest there be any root of bitterness Epiphanius tells us when a dead corps was carried by any of the Israelites houses they used to shut their doors and windows intimating that men must be watchful against the sent and infection of sinâ— It s in vain for a Captain to guard one gate of a Castle to prevent the enemies entring there if he leave another open when the whole Fort is beleagured and surrounded with mortal enemies Watch especially against thine own sin If a man have many wounds whereof one is more dangerous then the rest being near a vital part though he will be mindful and careful of all yet he will have a special care of that which is most dangerous A Christian must watch against all sin all soul-diseases but principally against his own sin that disease which is most dangerous as a wise Governour will have a special eye upon that particular person in his Garrison whom he knoweth to be a Traytour Watch for the doing of good For seasons of Prayer and Hearing and Christian Communion The Country-man watcheth for the Bell ringing on the Market-day when the sacks will be opened that he may buy food for himself and his family The Mariner watcheth for the Tide The diseased folk watched for the moving of the waters by the Angels David watched as a Sparrow on the house top where he might peck up some corn get some spiritual nourishment An opportunity of worshipping God is a jewel the Christian may well watch to take it up Watch in duties The Child must be watcht at School or he will play and toy instead of getting his lesson The heart must be watched in an Ordinance or it will wander wholly from the business in hand continue in prayer and watch in the same Col. 4. 2. Take heed how ye hear The Bible will drop out of the sleepers hand and prayer is a wrestling with God which is not a work to be done nodding They who talk in their sleep talk idly Watch after duties Running carelesly into the open air immediately after the taking of Physick is dangerous When the Garden is drest and the seeds sown in it we must watch it lest Hogs get into it and root up all Satan thinks to take the Christian at an advantage after the duty is over and though he could not beat him in the fight yet to do it when the Saint hath laid by his weapons It was a wise speech of Marcus Aurelius after he had vanquished Popilion General of the potent Parthians and won the day I tell thee of a truth that I stand in greater fear of fortune at this present then I did before the battel for she careth not so much to overtake the Conquered as to overcome the Conqueror Truly Satan will be industrious to destroy both the conquered utterly and to overcome the Conquerour Watch thy senses These are the Cinque-ports as one calls them of the Isle of man which if not well garrisoned will let in strangers and disturbers of our peace At these Havens much of Satans lading is taken in Ioâ— made a Covenant with his eyes he would not suffer them to gad and gaze at random lest they should return defiled Democritus walking abroad would shut his eyes lest by their wandring his mind should be taken off from the contemplation of honest things Acteon became as the Poet fancieth meat for his Dogs by suffering his eyes to wander Lusting hath often been the issue of looking witness Iosephs Mistriss David Achan the Israelites Numb 15. 39. Stratonice took Mithridates with a Song The heart hath often been angled into sin by the ear and led into temptation by the eyeâ— therefore Cassian relates that to preserve the cleanness of the heart the Egyptian Masters taught that men must be Surdi Caeci Muti Deaf Blind and Dumb. If those out-works be well guarded the Royal Fort is in the less hazard Shut up the five windows i. e. guard the five senses that the whole house may be full of light according to the Arabian Proverb Watch your affections If those waves be tempestuous they will cast up much foam and froth mire and dirt He had need to make a strong wall that would keep these raging waters within their bounds Watch your Tongues The Sea hath not more need of banks to keep it in then the tongue of a bridle The tongue is compared to a Sword to a Razor both which are keen weapons and must be handled warily Psa. 39. 1 2. I said I will take heed to my ways that I offend not with my tongue I will keep my mouth with a Bridle whilst the wicked are before me Watch your hearts The heart is the Forge the spring of life and a wound there is mortal Keep thy heart with all diligence super omnem custodiam above all keeping Jun. out of it are the issues of life Watch over all things watch in all things This voice saith Bucer should always sound in our ears Watch Watch. How frequent is Christ in his Precepts to this duty as knowing fully the weight and concernment of it Watch ye therefore for ye know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of man cometh Watch and Pray lest ye enter into temptation What I say unto you I say unto all Watch. And he is as frequent in his promises to it Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find watching Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his Garments and if he shall come in the second or third watch and find him so blessed is he Luk. 12. 37 38 43. Surely Blessedness is worthy our waking Bliss is worth keeping our eyes open a few days for Apollonius held in his time for an Oracle coming early in the morning to Vespasians gate and finding him then a private person up and at study he said to his Companion This man is worthy to raign and command an Empire which afterwards came to pass He that watcheth with Christ the short hour of this life shall be counted worthy to raign with him in his Kingdom for ever Sion which is frequently put for the Church of God signifieth a Watch-Tower because from that hill a man might see the Holy Land and all the Countries thereabout but the spiritual signification of it may be this that all the members of Gods Church must be like Souldiers in a watch-tower observing who commeth in and who goeth out lest Traytors should steal into the fort of the heart undiscovered Fifthly If thou wouldst exercise thy self to godliness Think often of thy dying day and of what price and value godliness will be to thee at such a time There are few thoughts more terrible or more profitable then of death Hence it is that God commands man
hands of the living God for our God is a consuming fire They know his fury is terrible intolerable none can abide it no sinner can avoid it therefore they hate sin the object of it and flie to Christ who delivereth from it O what a work a gracious sanctifying work doth the knowledge of God make in the soul It makes the understanding to esteem him above all the will to chose him before all the affections to desire him to delight in him more then all the whole man to seek him to serve him to honour and praise him beyond all in Heaven and earth What is the reason that God is so much loved admired and worshipped and glorified in his Church when all the World besides despise him but this In Judah is God known his name is great in Israel Psa. 76. 1. O Reader be confident of this the more thou knowest of the excellencies of God the more thou wilt prize his Son submit to his spirit crucifie the flesh contemn the world fear to offend him study to please him the more holy thou wilt be in all manner of conversation Hence the main work of Christs prophetical office was to reveal God to the world And the Devils great work is to keep men from this knowledge of God knowing that it will tend so exceedingly to their sanctification and holiness and to the overthrow of his interest The Miller mufleth and blindeth his Horse that draweth his Mill and thereby keeps him at his round deceiving him in making him to think he goeth forward The first work of the Philistines was to put out Sampsons eyes and then they made him grind at their Mill and make them sport The Eagle saith Pliny Nat. Hist. lib. 10. cap. 20. before he setteth upon the Hart rolleth himself in the Sand and then flyeth at the Staggs head and by fluttering his wings so dustieth his eyes that he can see nothing and then striketh him with his Talons where he listeth Satan darkneth mens understandings and thereby commandeth their wills and affections and destroyeth the whole man If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that perish whom the God of this world hath blinded their minds lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. 4 5. When men are spoken in Scripture to be vicious and prophane they are onely said not to know the Lord and there is no knowledge of God in the land Ier 4 22. Hos. 4â— 1. and when God undertakes in his Covenant of Grace to sanctifie and make men holy he is said to put his knowledge in their hearts and his promise is They shall all know me from the least to the greatest Heb. 10. Ier. 31.34 And they that would grow in grace are commanded in order thereunto to grow in knowledge 2 Pet. 3. 18. Ignorance is the mother of all irreligion of all atheism Ephes. 4. 18. They are alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their hearts As Owles sinners may see in the night of this world have some knowledge in worldly affairs but they cannot see in the day are ignorant of spiritual of heavenly things Sin like the pestilence David speaks of walketh in the dark Psa. 91.5 And Satan is the enemy that soweth his tares by night This is one cause why sin is called a work of darkness It is from that darkness which is in mens understandings that they turn their backs upon God and run upon their own eternal ruines It were impossible for the rational creature to be so desperately mad as to play with the wrath of God and slight the love of God to neglect his mercy and despise his justice if they did but know God When Princes go incognitâ—s in a disguise and aâ—e unknown then they are disesteemed Hence they who are obstinately prophane and resolved on wickedness say unto God Depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy ways Job 21. 14. The hooded Hawk that seeth not the Partridge will never flye after it The Israelites pitched in Mithkah which signifieth sweetness before they removed to Cashmonah which signifieth swiftness They onely who know the sweetness of God will flye to him with swiftness Ignoti nulla cupido He who knoweth the Allsufficiency of God will never turn to the Creature even as the Bee if it did not find honey enough in one flower would never hasten to another Those that are ignorant of God abound in all manner of Atheism and wickedness The Families which know not God will not call on his name There is no truth no mercy but lying and stealing and swearing and killing where there is no knowledge of God Hos. 4. 1 2. 'T is no wonder to see blind men stumble and fall and break their limbs I do not marvail to see ignorant men who know not God to live without him to turn him out of their hearts and houses as if they had no dependance on him or ingagements to him Whence is it that men are regardless of their souls and eternal estates that they dance over the unquenchable lake and are merry and jovial at the very brink of destruction that they despise the God that made them preserveth them bought them and hath them in his hands and at his mercy every moment that they slight his Son his Spirit his Law his Love his wrath his promises of eternal life as if they were things of no value and rather fit to be trampled on then esteemed that they can lye down and sleep and rise up and eat and dâ—ink and follow their sports and pleasures and laugh and sing under the guilt of sin and curse of the Law and infinite wrath of the Lord but their ignorance of God Ah did they but know his holiness his Jealousie his Power his Justice they they would sâ—oner undergo any misery that men could inflict on them then incur his anger or provoke him to jealousie they would never neglect â—is Worship or put him off with a few heartless prayers Ludentes cum Deo ut pueri cum suis puppis as Calvin hath it Playing with him as children with their babies when they come immediately to his presence and pretend to seek his face The holy times under the Gospel wherein the people of God shoâ—ld be of one heaâ—t are spoken of as proceeding from this cause The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as waters cover the sea Isa. 11.9 The perfection of grace and holiness in heaven will be the effect in part of this knowledge of God When we shall see him perfectly we shall be perfectly like him 1 Ioh. 3.2 Reader be perswaded therefore to study this knowledge of God think no labour too much for itâ— pray and read and hear and confer and mourn that thou mayst know God Beleive it it is a jewel that will pay thee well for all
more they desire He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver nor he that loveth gold with increase Many men have too much of the world but no worldly man hath enough His voice still is like the Horse-leech Give Give Though he hath enough to destroy him yet he hath not enough to content him When the Parthians had taken Crassus the covetous Roman who had robbed the Temple they poured molted Gold into his mouth saying Drink now thy sill thou greedy wretch of that which thou hast so long thirsted after The Covetous Caliph of Babylon when taken Prisoner was set by the Great Cham of Tartary in the midst of those treasures which he had wretchedly scraped together and bidden eat his fill and satisfie himself but amongst all his heaps of silver and gold he was miserably famished The soul will starve for all the food which the whole world afâ—ordeth it A worldling is like Tantalus who had Apples at his Lips and water at his Chin yet pined for want In the midst of his sufficiency he is in straights If thou tryest the whole creation and empannellest every creature upon the Iury to enquire where satisfaction is to be had they will write Ignoramus upon the Bill If thou askest the Sea it will answer as concerning wisdom The Sea saith It is not in me And the Depth saith â—It is not in me The Earth saith It is not in me Ask every worldly blessing particularly and it will say It is not in me Thou mayst call and cry to them in thy need for comfort as eagerly and earnestly as Rachel for children and will each answer as Iacob did here Am I in Gods stead that hath with-holden thy desire from thee Or as the Angel to the women Why seek ye the living among the dead he is risen he is not here Am I a poor finite being in Gods stead to satisfie the vast desires of thy capacious soul Why seekest thou living comforts amongst dead creatures it is gone it is not here The World entertains its best guests no better then Caligula did his favourites whom he invited to a feast and when they were come set golden dishes and golden cups empty before them and told them they were welcome and he would have them feed heartily All the trees in the garden of the creation are like those trees which Solinus mentioneth in Assyria the fruit whereof seemeth as yellow as gold but being toucht is as rotten as dirt 4. The things of this world are vexatious Their sting paineth far more then their honey pleaseth They are like the Egyptian reed which will not onely fail them that trust it but also pierce them with splinters and wound them deeply sooner or later They who will be rich pierce themselves through with many sorrows 1 Tim. 6. 9. Instead of satisfaction thou wilt find vexation The things of this world are not onely wind for their vanity but also thorns for the vexation they cause As when the blood is corrupted by a poisoned Arrow it flieth to the heart thinking to find some remedy there but as soon as it toucheth the heart it findeth death where it lookt for life Thus men that are pressed with miseries run to the world as their refuge hoping to finde comfort and refreshment there but alass that doth increase their afflictions and gives them rather matter of more mourning then any abatement of their sorrows They who dive into the bottom of this Sea of the world to the hazard of their lives instead of the pearl of contentment and happiness which they take such pains for bring up nothing but their hands full of the sand and gravel of vexation and anguish All the ways of worldly delights are strowed with nettles and briars so that its greatest darlings are but like Bears robbing a Bee hive that with much labour get a little honey but are soundly stung for their pains Therefore reason much more religion may sound a retreat and call us off from our eager pursuit of these lying vanities Car on il nyâ— arâ—en a gaigner que des coups volontiers il ny vapas No man makes haste to the market where there is nothing to be bought but blows 5. Vncertain There is no constancy in outward comforts As Brooks in Winter are carried with violence and run with a mighty stream flowing over with abundance of water on every side when there is no want nor need of waters but in the heat of Summer is dried up when water is scanty and hard to be had Such is the friendship of the world t will promise us many things when we have need of nothing but when the wind turns and afflictions overtake us it is like a tree withered for want of sap and as a ditch without any water to refresh us When the sun of our prosperity is hid and coverd with a cloud these shadows vanish and disappear As leaves fall off in Autumn so doth the friendship of creatures fail men when the sap of that maintenance which commanded their company is withdrawn from them Man in honour doth not abide Psa. 49. As the rising Sun coming into our Horizon like a Giant ready to run his race appearing to us with a full and glorious countenance within an hours space is obscured with mists or darkned with clouds and however if it meet with neither of these when it arriveth at its noon-day height it declines descendeth setteth and is buried under us So the Ambitious person sheweth himself to the world as chief favourite at Court with much pomp and pride by and by his honour is eclipsed by the hate of the People or frowns of his Prince or envy of his fellow Courtiers or if not yet he dyeth and carrieth nothing away and his glory doth not descend after him The like is evident of earthly treasures they are soon gone though not soon gotten As a gallant ship well riggd trimmed tackled manned with her top and top gallant and her well spread sails putteth out of harbour to the admiration of many spectators but within a few days is split upon some dangerous rock or swallowed up of some disasterous tempest or taken by some ravenous Pyrate so are this worlds goods on a sudden taken from their owners or their owners from them There is a hole in our strongest Bags and rust in our choicest mettal The Apostle calls riches uncertain riches and honour a fancy and all the things of this world a fashion 1 Tim. 6.17 Act. 24. 1 Cor. 7. 29. We are not certain to keep these birds in our yards whilst we live for Riches make themselves wings and flie away but we are certain if they do not leave us that we shall leave them We brought nothing into this world and it is certain we shall carry nothing out of the world Reader how unwise is he who neglecteth eternal substance for fading nothings The Romans are recorded as guilty of much folly that in their fight
Sun or a word which signifieth a ray which is darted in a moment from one end of the Heavens to another Such speed doth our life make to pass away Cardinal Bellarmin when he had a full prospect of the Sun going down to perceive the quickness of its motion took a Psalter in his hand and before he had twice read over the 51. Psalm the whole body of the Sun was set whereby he concluded the earth being twenty one thousand miles in compass the Sun must go seven thousand miles in half a quarter of an hour However the Cardinal might be mistaken in his reckoning Yet Mans days are swifter then a post they flee away they see no good They are passed away as the swift ships as the Eagle that hasteth to the prey Job 9. 25 26. It s our shame and misery that our days should be so swift and we so slack that our time should be as speedy as a post or ship or Eagle and our hearts as slow about our eternal concernments as a Snail Our negligence herein speaks us brutish and void of common sense Reason will teach him that followeth its directions to be most industâ—ious about matters of such importance The Heathen Historian can agree with Scripture in this Vita nostra sicut fabula non refert quam diu sed quam bene Our life passeth away as a tale that is told it matters not much whether it be long or short but whether it be well or ill Surely it concerneth thee Reader to make Religion thy business and work the work of God when thine everlasting happiness dependeth on it and thy time is so short that thou hast to do it in In the days of Ptolomeus Philopater when the huge and great Anchor of the Ship Thalmegos was laid out upon the shore the Children of Alexandria did ride upon the stalk and crept through the ring of the Anchor as if it had been made purposely for their pastime whereas wise men knew it was appointed for better uses namely to stable and make sure the great vessel in storms and tempests Truly so do too many serve time they play and toy and trifle it away as if God had given it to them for that end when he who hath but half an eye as we say may see that it was given for better purposes viz. to furnish his soul for his eternal voyage and thereby to help to stablish and fasten him when he shall lanch into the stormy Ocean Protogenes made himself ridiculous in the judgement of all that are sober for spending seven years in drawing Ialisus and his Dog for though the most excellent Pictures are longest in drawing yet to spend years about that which may be finished in days argueth want of wisdom But having spoken somewhat largely to this in the sixt Chap. I am the more brief in this Thirdly Consider the examples of others who have wrought hard at this heavenly Calling Cicero tells us Nothing prevailes more with men then similitudes and examples Indeed worthy patterns are of great power Thucydides brake forth into tears out of love to learning upon hearing Herodotus read an history that he had written Themistocles tells us The statue of Miltiades would not suffer him to sleep Alexander was much provoked to valiant acts by reading the prowess of Achilles and Hector in Homer Cesar was so stirred to courage by reading the conquests of Alexander in his youth that he wept for anger that he had done nothing worthy of himself at that age Iron put into the fire is turned into fire conâ—ider therefore the Prophets and Apostles of the Lord how diligent they were at their duty how hard they wrought for God The great Apostle was indefatigably industrious for his soul and his Saviour Consider him in reference to his outward man how unwearied was he at his Masters woâ—k and in reference to his inward man how zealous how fervent in spirit serving the Lord From Jerusalem to Illyricum I have preached the Gospel His travails are computed to be 12970. miles He gives us when necessitated thereunto a brief Catalogue of his actions and passions for Christ. Are they ministers of Christ I am more in labours more abundant in stripes above measure in prisons more frequent in deaths oft Of the Iews five times received I forty stripes save one Thrice was I beaten with rods once was I stoned thrice I suffered shipwrack a night and a day have I been in the deep In journyings often in perils of water in perils of robbers in perils by mine own Countrymen in perils by the Heathen in perils in the City in perils in the wilderness in perils in the sea in perils by false brethren In weariness and painfulness in watchings often in hunger and thirst in fastings often in cold and nakedness besides those things which are without that which cometh upon me daily the care of all the Churches Who is weak and I am not weak who is offended and I burn not 2 Cor. 11. 23. to 30. Reader think thou hearest the Apostle speaking to thee as once to the Corinthians Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ. How did our blessed Saviour work the work of him that sent him while it was day He went about doing good Godliness was his meat and drink I have meat to eat which ye know not of My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work He wrought so hard that he forgot to eat his bread and was taken by his kindred to be mad It was his sleep and rest He went into a mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God He prayed with strong cries and groans And being in an agony he prayed the more fervently He was taken to be about fifty years old when he was little above thirty so much was he worn out with labour for his God Act. 10. 38. Ioh. 4. 34. Luk. 6. 12. Mar. 1. 34. Heb. 5. 7. Mar. 3. 20. O Reader let Christ be the Copy after which thou wilt write and the pattern which thou wilt follow and be a follower of others as they are of Christ Jesus Did Christ work so hard for thee did he lose his food and sleep and wear out himself that his strength was dried up like a potsherd and his heart was melted like wax in the midst of his bowels and wilt not thou spend and be spent for thy Saviour I would say for thy own soul for in serving him thou servest thy self Think of it when thou art trifling away thy time and neglecting thy spiritual watch and dull and dead in holy duties how eager and earnest how zealous and sedulous thy Lord Jesus was in working out thy salvation he did not play nor dally about the work of thy redemption but made it his business and did what he was called to with all his heart and soul and strength CHAP. XV. The excellency of this Calling and the