was and a by-word amongst the sonnes of Belial as was Iob If the world lowre and looke sowre vpon thee for thy looking towards Heauen and thy good-fellow companions abandon Thee as too precise If thy life be not like other mens and thy waies of another fashion as the Epicures of those times charged the righteous man when the booke of Wisedome was written In a word if thou walkest in the narrow way and be one of that little flock which liues amongst Wolues and therefore must needs bee little so that by all the Leopards Lions and Beares about thee I meane all sorts of vnregenerate men thou art hunted for thy holinesse as a Partridge on the mountaines at least by the poison and persecution of the tongue I say then thou art certainly in the hie way to Heauen 2. If the Saints of God bee men of singularitie in the sence I haue said then away with those base and brainelesse cauils against those who are wise vnto saluation What are you wiser then your fore-fathers then all the Towne then such and such learned men then your owne Parents Are you wiser then your Head may the Husband say c. Nay further to Noah it might haue been said by the wretches of those times Art thou wiser then all the world He out of the height of his heroicall resolution easily endured and digested the affronts and indignities of this kinde from millions of men But take thou these spitefull taunts and binde them in the meane time as a Crowne vnto thee and aduance forward in thine holy singularitie with all sweete content and vndauntednesse of spirit towards that glorious immortall Crowne aboue and let those miserable men whose eyes are hood-winkt by Satan and so blinded with earthly dust that they cannot possibly discerne the inuisible excellencies and true noblenesse of the neglected Saints follow the folly of their worldly wisdome and sway of the greater part to endlesse woe and then giue losers leaue to talke 3. Let euery one who in sinceritie of heart seekes to be saued euer hold it a speciall happinesse and his hiest honor to be singled out from the vniuersall pestilent contagion of common prophanenes and the sinfull courses of the greatest part and to be censured as singular in that respect Neither is this a singular thing that I now suggest but it hath been the portion of the Saints in all ages to be trod vpon with the feete of imperious contempt as a number of odde despised vnderlings whereas indeed they are Gods Iewels and the onely excellent vpon earth Behold saith Isaiah chap. 8. 18. I and the Children whom the Lord hath giuen me and for signes and wonders in Israel I am as a monster vnto many saith Dauid Psalm 71. 7. I am in derision dayly euery one mocketh mee saith Ieremy chap. 20. 7. We are made saith Paul a spectacle vnto the world and to Angels and to men 1. Cor. 4. 9. We are made as the filth of the world the off-scowring of all things v. 13. In Austins time those that made conscience of their waies durst not plunge into the corruptions of the times and play the good fellowes were scornefully pointed at not onely by Pagans but euen by vnreformed Professors Professors at large as we call them as fellowes that affected a precisenesse and purity aboue ordinary and others They would thus insult and scoffingly fly in the face of such an holy one You are a great man sure you are a iust man you are an Elias you are a Peter you come from Heauen c. In after-times if a man were but meerely ciuill ingenuous chaste temperate hee was made a by-word and laughing stocke to those about him They presently said Hee was proud singular beside himselfe Hypocrite c. Thus it was is at this time and will bee to the worlds end that euery stigmaticall Whoremonger beastly Drunkard ignorant Lozell scoffing Ismael and Selfe-guilty wretch will haue a bitter gird a dry blow as they say a scurrill gibe to throw like the Mad-mans fire-brand into the face of Gods people as though they were a company of odde humorous fellowes and a contemptible generation This I say euer was and euer will bee the worlds opinion of the wayes of God The children of darknesse euer harbour such conceits and peremptorily passe such censures vpon the children of light It is strange men are content to be singular in any thing saue in the seruice of God and saluation of their soules They desire and labour too to be singularly rich and the wealthiest in a Town to be singularly proud and in fashion by themselues to be the strongest in the company to powre in strong drinke They would with all their hearts be in honour alone and adored aboue others They would dwell alone and not suffer a poore mans house to be within sight They affect singularitie in wit learning wisedome valour worldly reputation and in all other earthly precedencies but they can by no means endure alonenesse and singularity in zeale and the Lords seruice In matters of Religion they are resolued to doe as the most doe tho in so doing they certainly damne their owne soules Math. 7. 13. Basest cowardlinesse and fearefulnesse fit for such a doome Reuel 21. 8. They are afraid of taking Gods part too much of fighting too valiantly vnder the Colours of Christ of being too busie about the saluation of their soules lest they should bee accounted too precise fellowes of an odde humour and engrossers of more grace than ordinarie It is one of Satans dreadfull depths as wide as hell and brimme-full with the blood of infinite soules To make men ambitious and couetous of singularitie in all other things but in godlinesse and Gods seruices not to suffer it in themselues and to persecute it in others Now in this Story of Noah so highly honoured with singularity of freedome from the sinfull contagion of those desperate times and happily exempted from that most generall and greatest Iudgement vpon earth that euer the Sunne saw an vniuersall drowning gloriously mounting vp vpon the wings of saluation and safety both of soule and body when a world of Giant-like Rebels sunke to the bottome of that new Sea as a stone or lead I consider 1. The cause of such a singular blessed preseruation which was the free grace and fauour of God But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord vers 8. 2. The renowne and honour of Noahs name in that he stands heere as the Father of the new world holy seede and progenitors of Iesus Christ These are the generations of Noah verse 9. 3. The description of Noahs 1. Personall goodnesse 2. Preseruation 3. Posteritie These two latter follow His personall description stands in the end of verse 9. Noah was a iust man and perfect in his generations and Noah walked with God Where wee finde him honoured with three noble Attributes which make vp the Character
of conscience bee fearelesse and senselesse of the wrath of God the wrong of his neighbour and the wretchednesse of his owne soule yet if he desire as hee doth with a raging vnsatiablenesse like the graue or hell to thriue in his outward state and prosper in the world let him not meddle so much as with a sticke or a straw a pin or a point of another mans neither at any time put his hand to any wicked way of getting lest beside the losse of his soule at last and a world of miseries in the meane time hee misse the very marke so eagerly aimed at of making him and his great in the world For hope of which hee is cursedly content to part with all true contentment in this life and a Crowne of blisse in the Kingdome of heauen For this purpose and to perswade and presse this point vnanswerably let vs take a view in Gods Booke of the diuers waies how he is wont in wrath to deale with wrong-doers and vnconscionable dealers It comes to passe sometimes that the wicked worldling insatiable earth-worme God cursing his couetousnesse and cruelty may see an end of his wealth euen in this world according to that Ier. 17. 11. As the Partridge sitteth on egges and hatcheth them not so hee that gettethriches and not by right shall leaue them in the middest of his dayes and at his end shall be a foole Iob 20. 15 28. Hee hath swallowed downe riches and he shall vomit them vp againe God shall cast them out of his belly The increase of his house shall depart and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath Or it is no strange thing to see him prosper by vnconseionablenesse and craft vsurious and other iniurious practises all his life long but then hauing scraped together his hoard of iniquity with a great deale of carking thoughtfulnesse and selfe vexation kept it with extreme feare slauish distrust and heart-gnawing iealousies parted from it with much anguish horrour and almost with as painfull diuorce as that of the soule from the body at last after the losse of it soule and all 1. He either leaues it to them who will liberally let flie abroad and enlarge those golden heapes which greedinesse had formerly confinde and strongly guarded with bolts and barres According to that Prou. 28. 8. He that by vsurie and vniust gaine increaseth his substance hee shall gather it for him that will pitie the poore See also Prou. 13. 22. Iob 27. vers 16 17. 2. Or it may be wholly scattered amongst meere strangers according to that Eccles. 6. 2. But a strange man shall eate it vp See also Psalm 39. 6. Eccles. 4. 8. and 2. 18 19. 3. Or being bequeathed to his owne children and blasted by Gods secret curse it may melt away in their hands as snow before the Sunne according to that Eccles. 5. 13 14. There is a sore euill which I haue seene vnder the Sunne namely riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt But these riches perish by euill trauell and he begetteth a sonne and there is nothing in his hand But howsoeuer whether ill gotten goods perish or prosper in the owners hands or his posteritie sure I am the ineuitable plague and iust vengeance of God cleaues inseparably vnto his soule and hunts that man to destruction whosoeuer he be that enricheth himselfe by wicked and wrongfull meanes without timely repentance and true restitution if he be able He that hath oppressed the poore and needy or hath spoyled by violence or hath giuen vpon vsury or hath taken increase the same reason is also of all indirect and vnlawfull getting shall he liue He shall not liue he hath done all these abominations hee shall surely die his blood shall bee vpon him Ezek. 18. vers 12 13. And maruaile not neither be mis-led though thou obserue sometimes wicked worldlings themselues their heires and heires heires to wallow also in that wealth which the Grandfathers got wrongfully For they are for all this but as so many sensuall earth rooting hogs fatted for the knife and haue this wofull brand set vpon them by the Spirit of God Psal. 17. 14. They are men of the world and haue their portion in this life But euer hold this as a terrible and true principle It is one of the greatest curses vnder the Sunne to prosper in our wayes and be out of the way to Heauen 3. Thirdly it is a ruled case and concurrent resolution amongst Diuines That if thou doest not restore being able whatsoeuer thou hast any waies got wrongfully and wickedly thou canst haue neither well grounded assurance of vnfained repentance nor true comfort of the pardon of that sinne A cutting conclusion against all cut-throat Vsurers Simonists Sacrilegians Bribe-takers Grinders of poore mens faces Hoarders by fraud Oppressors of all vnder them of the same trade by some Machiuillian tricke and the rest of that cruell crue How can he be said to repent soundly that lies still soaking in his sinne wittingly and willingly Now whosoeuer keepes still in his hands any thing wickedly got continues a wrong doer still and therefore doth it not faithfully but only faineth repentance Whereupon saith Austin If a man restore not ill gotten goods being able his repentance is not comfortable but counterfeite Dreadfull also is the doome of the said Father vpon all wrong-doers The sinne is not remitted except that which hath been vniustly taken be restored Either in act if thou be able or at least in vnfained affection if thy state be wasted What a bedlam folly is it then and cursed cruelty to thine owne soule to heape vp those riches of iniquity by basenesse and wrong which thou must afterward restore in the sense I haue said or else neuer enioy any comfortable assurance of a true conuersion or pardon of sinne Were he not a foolish thiefe that would keep his stollen goods both in the face of his accuser and Iudge Though in the meane time thou conceale thy cunning conueiances from the discouery and doome of humane iustice yet assure thy selfe besides the secret grumbling of thy selfe-accusing conscience the angry eye of God also sees cleerely and will shortly most certainely reuenge 4. Almesdeeds charitable erections of Colledges Hospitalls Free-Schooles and other inferiour bountifull contributions when God inables by good meanes the necessities of his Poore cry for reliefe and the sanctified heart with affectionate sincerity aimes at Gods glory are sweete-smelling sacrifices with which God is well pleased Philip. 4. 18. Heb. 13. 16. But if his slauish gifts and good deedes largesses and liberalities in this kinde be impoysoned with former fraud oppression and wrong though it bee well that the Church of God sometimes the backes and bellies of the poore bee better thereby yet to the impenitent and not restoring vsurer himselfe or any other wicked dealer in respect of acceptation with God and true comfort to his
wherein they basely languish and lose their soules and leaue the successe issue and euent of all thy labours and vndertakings vnto the Lord whatsoeuer it may bee resting sweetly and euer relying vpon that gracious promise Heb. 13. 5. I will neuer faile thee nor forsake thee In ordering and guiding the affaires of thy family depend by faith vpon Gods blessing the strength and sinew of all sound comfort and true contentation that way See Psal. 127. In the losse of outward things for thy loue and seruice vnto God by beleeuing that Man of God 2. Chron. 25. 9. The Lord is able to giue thee much more then this Nay in the losse of all earthly things in euery kind see Habac. 3. 17 18. Although the fig-tree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Oliue shall faile and the fields shall yeeld no meate the flocke shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalles yet I will reioyce in the Lord I will ioy in the God of my saluation Consider also for this purpose Iobs patient blessing of God vpon the surprize and concurrence of an vniuersall misery Iob 1. 21. In pangs of the New-birth spirituall infancy weakenesses of faith prayer godly sorrow and other graces by those cordiall refreshing promises Reu. 21. 6. Math. 5. 6. Isa. 42. 3. and 40. 11. and 57. 15. In oppositions against the raising or restauration of spirituall buildings by the Ministery of the Word or in temptations against a mans personall progresse and holding out against Gods waies vnto the end by renouncing our owne strength disclaiming the arme of flesh and crying in euery encounter Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hoasts What art thou O great mountaine c In languishings and tremblings after relapse into some old or fall into some new sinne by such precious places as these 1. Ioh. 2. 1. Luk. 17. 4. 1. Sam. 12. 20. 1. Iohn 1. 9. From this last place a reuerend Diuine collects this comfort If we see our vnworthinesse and with broken hearts acknowledge it God is faithfull and iust to forgiue it bee it neuer so great But this is a iewell fit onely for the eare of a sincere Christian when out of the fearefulnesse of his distrustfull spirit he puts off all comfort though truely humbled after ensnarement in some more speciall affrighting sinne Let no swine trample vpon it In all kindes of temptations by the power of that promise 1. Cor. 10. 13. Nay euen amidst varietie of them by obeying that precept Iam. 1. 2. My brethren count it all ioy when you fall into diuers temptations In spirituall desertion by refreshing and resting thy sinking soule in the meane time vntill the Lord returne vpon that surest Rocke Isa. 30. 18. Blessed are all they that waite for him Most blessed deare and sweetest Sanctuary If the Christian die in that waiting state he shall be certainely saued For the holy Ghost pronounceth him blessed In the deepe and almost despairing apprehensions of thine extreme vilenesse and as it were nothingnesse in grace by apprehending that most mercifull promise from Gods owne mouth Isa. 43. 25. In thy perplexed and troubled thoughts about returne after backsliding by those comfortable encouragements Ier. 3. 1 12 13 14 22. Hos. 14. 1 2 4. In doubts of losing the loue of God and life of Grace by consideration of those passages in Gods Booke where it appeares that the loue of God vnto his child in respect of tendernesse and constancy is infinitely dearer then that of a most louing mother to her little one Isai. 49. 15. stronger then the stony Mountaines and Rocks of flint Isa. 54. 10. as constant as the courses of the Sunne and of the Moone and of the Starres and of the day and of the night Ier. 31. 36. and 33. 20. nay as sure as God himselfe Psal. 89. 33 34 35. In the Haile stormes of slanderous arrowes and empoysoned darts of disgrace by cleauing to most glorious promises 1. Pet. 4. 14. Mat. 5. 11. In the valley of the shadow of death by an assurance of Gods mercifull omnipotent presence Psal. 23. 4. In the extremitie depth of such desperate distresses and perplexities wherein in thy present feeling thou canst see and find no possibilitie of helpe from Heauen or Earth God or Man but art both helpelesse and hopelesse as the Church complaines Lam. 3. 18. by such like places as those Isai. 33. 9 10. 2. Chron. 20. 12. Gen. 22. 14. Exod. 14. 13. Psal. 78. 65. In euery thing or any thing that shall or can possibly befall thee prosperitie or pouertie crosse or comfort calmnesse of conscience or tempests of terror life or death c. by extracting abundance of vnconquerable patience and peace of soule from those three heauenly golden conduits of sweetest comfort Rom. 8. ver 18 28 32. Thus in any trouble of soule body good name outward state present or to come thou mayest by the soueraigne power of faith working vpon the Word not onely draw out the sting and expell the poison of it but also create a great deale of comfort to thy truly-humbled soule and maintaine it in despite of all mortall or infernall opposition in a constant spirituall gladnesse For all those promises whereupon thy heauy heart in such cases may repose and refresh it selfe haue their being from the blessed name Iehoua see Exo. 6. 3. and therefore are as sure as God himselfe they are sealed with the bloody sufferings of his onely Sonne and therefore as true as truth it selfe and if thou be in Christ are all as certainely thine as the heart in thy body or blood that runnes in thy veines Nay and a little more for thy comfort the glory of Gods truth is mightily aduanced and himselfe extraordinarily pleased by thy more resolute stedfast and triumphant cleauing vnto them What a blessed sweete and heauenly life then is the life of faith V. Apprehend in thy minde and settle in thine heart a true estimate and right conceit of the substance and power marrow and materials of Christianitie Which doth not consist as too many suppose In outward shewes profession talking in holding strict points defending precise opinions contesting against the corruptions of the times in the worke wrought externall formes of religious exercises set-taskes of hearing reading conference and the like in some solemne outward extraordinarie abstinences and forbearances censuring others c. But in righteousnesse peace ioy in the holy Ghost in meekenesse tender-heartednesse loue in patience humilitie contentednesse in mortification of sinne moderation of passion holy guidance of the tongue in workes of mercy iustice and truth in fidelitie painfulnesse in our Callings conscionable conuersing with men in reuerence vnto superiours loue of our enemies an open-hearted reall fruitfull affectionatenesse and bounty to Gods people in heauenly-mindednesse selfe-deniall the life of faith in dis-esteeme of earthly things
it habitually and resolutely against an illightned impenitent conscience and yet looke for Heauen thou art deceiued thou hast made a lye thy refuge and hid thy selfe vnder falsehood And why because Gods Word saith that the Fearefull and Vnbeleeuing and the Abominable and Murtherers and Whoremongers and Sâ—…rcerers and Idolaters and all Lyers shall haue their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Reuel 21. 8. Conceiue proportionably of lying in any other sinne damned in Gods Booke in the sence I haue said If thou abidest in the state of meere ciuill honestie and yet thinkest with thy selfe that thou art thereby furnished sufficiently for future happinesse it is but a false flash And why Because the Word saith Without holinesse no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. Which necessarily implyes That no meere ciuill man can possibly bee saued If thou bee a luke-warme Laodicean and yet conceiuest thou art rich enough spiritually and lookest to bee saued thou art deceiued And why Because the Word saith That Christ will spew such a one out of his mouth Reuelation 3. 16. Euen as a filthy bitter vomit is to the stomacke mouth and man that spewes it out such are all luke-warme formall professors to the Lord Iesus Christ as himselfe there professes A terrible and flaming sentence vttered from the Iudge his owne mouth in the meane time which mee thinks should horribly affright thousands in our daies who stand for a frozen formality heartlesse indifferency reserued neutrality and politicke moderation in profession and practise of religion Thus a true restimony and sound perswasion of a good estate to Godward euer holds correspondence to the Word and is infallibly grounded thereupon Obiect Say you so In spirituall cases and poynts of faith how is it possible that a man should bee infallibly certaine of that by the Word which is not contained in the Word either immediatly or by good consequence But Bellarmine affirmes that this particular proposition Such or such a man is truely iustified is not contained in the Word of God either immediately or by good consequence c. Answer To let passe at this time that which some worthy Diuines presse in this poynt that such places as these Psalm 103. 3. Esa. 43. 32. Rom. 10. 9. Gal. 2. 20. c. intimate and imply such a particular proposition immediately I answer that it is deduced by euident consequence out of the Word For from such generall promises and propositions as these He that beleeueth on the Sonne hath euerlasting life Ioh. 3. 36. Whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall receiue remission of sinnes Act. 10. 43. And by him all that beleeue are iustified from all things c. Act. 13. 39 c. follow by good consequence these particulars Paul Peter Luther Caluin Beza Bradford or any other particular man beleeuing in him receiues remission of sinnes is iustified hath eternall life Euen as it followeth directly and infallibly euery man is a reasonable creature therefore Iohn Thomas c. is endewed with reason Though no word saith expressely and immediately Thou Thomas beleeuing shalt be saued yet the same word which saith Euery one beleeuing hath eternall life saith also Thou Thomas beleeuing hast eternall life or shalt be saued As on the contrary this vniuersall He that beleeueth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him includeth vertually consequently infallibly as though they were writ in it these particulars Iudas Bellarmine or Bonner c. not beleeuing shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Otherwise if the generall did not thus sufficiently include and comprehend euery particular and an vniuersall proposition all subordinate singular propositions vnder it the Law Thou shalt not kill thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour would not belong to Faux blowing vp the Parliament to this or that Priest polluting himselfe in hearing confession to Bellarmine lying voluminously because it s no where expressely writ Thou Bellarmine shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour Thou shaueling beware of selfe pollution Thou Faux shalt not teare in pieces the Royall limbs of the Lords Anointed If Iohn or Thomas beleeuing be not bound to be assured of his saluation out of the generall promise except it were said somewhere in Scripture That Thomas or Iohn by name should be saued it would follow that these particular men were not bound to be honest men or to feare God because it is no where said in the Word that Thomas or Iohn ought to be honest men or are commanded to feare God but onely in the generall In a word let the Iesuite tell mee whether out of the Word he be infallibly certaine that his body shall rise againe at the last Day He dare not for his heart deny it And I pray you Bellarmine tell me where it is particularly and expressely said in Scripture That the body of Robert Bellarmine shall rise againe at the last Day All particular infallible assurance in this kinde springs out of the generall proposition and promise that All shall rise 1. Cor. 15 c. 2. That heart which doth sweetly enioy the Paradise of a true testimony and well grounded perswasion that it presently liues the life of grace and immortality is sincerely affected and inflamed with a reuerent loue and insatiable longing after the Word preached and read prayer singing of Psalmes meditation conference vowes daies of humiliation vse of good bookes godly company all Gods ordinances and good meanes appointed and sanctified for our spirituall good Because thorow them as so many golden conduits those gracious sauing operations of the holy Ghost are conueyed and continued vnto it which minister sound matter and true grounds of such comfortable assurance and in the conscionable vse and exercise of them also are woont sometimes to be secretly and sensibly breathed into it such heauenly reall refreshings themselues which the ioy of the whole worlds enioyment cannot possibly equall But now the affection this way of those who are Pharisaically puft vp with a groundlesse conceit and vaine confidence is faint and formall partiall and reserued not accompanied with that vniuersality and vniformity of reuerence and respect to all the blessed ordinances and meanes of grace It is euer the woont and wilynesse of such to qualifie their countenance and correspondence to these with that moderation and temper which may bee compatible and plausibly consist with the safety of their temporall happinesse and security of their bosome sinne And no maruell though their affection in this kinde be not so hearty and hold out for they draw no speciall vertue and sweetnesse from Christ through them And their conceit of being right is not fedde from the brests of the Bible and with the heauenly Manna of a conscionable Ministery but built vpon those insufficient grounds and rotten proppes I discouered and disabled before 3.
no wicked or vnregenerate man hath any true cause or good ground at all to reioyce laugh or bee merry I will make it plaine in a word euen to the scorner Suppose a great man conuicted and condemned for Treason going towards the place of execution a mile off and let there a Table all along be furnished with variety of dainties let him tread vpon Violets and Roles cloth of Arras cloth of Gold or what you will all the way let him bee attended on both sides with most exquisite musicke and honourable entertainments Doe you thinke all this would make him laugh heartily carrying this in his heart that he must loose his head at the miles end I â—…row not As farre lesse true cause hast thou to laugh whosoeuer thou art that walkest on impenitently in any wicked course or liest delightfully in any beloued sinne as a temporall death is lesse then endlesse torments For he is but going to loose his head but thou as an already condemned man also art posting towards hell Hee that beleeueth not saith Iohn is condemned already Ioh. 3. 18. If we peruse punctually the happiest estate of the most glorious worldling all his wayes we shall finde no matter at all for true ioy either to breed in or feed vpon Let vâ—… walke into his fooles Paradise and suruey all the fâ—…ding â—…owres of his imaginary felicities It may be we shall finde wealth power pleasures honours pompe and magnificence of state perhaps an Imperiall Crowne the top of all earthly happinesse And what of all these Alas Gold and Pearle aâ—… one sayes are but shining dust or excrements of the earth Power is but a flash of lightning â—…hat feares or strikes another and foorth with it selfe is suddenly extinct Pleasure is but a baite and yet passeth away in the act as the taste of a pleasant drinke dieth in the draught Honour is but a breath and yet binds a man in guilded fetters and blasts his spirit with farre more care and feare then when hee was most meane Euen as highest boughs are most shaken by the windes and the points of steeples beaten most with stormes and lightning All worldly splendor and pompe is but a smoake which vanisheth as it riseth and drawes teares from the eyes Euen a Regâ—…ll Diademe in the sence and censure of an Heathenish King is attended with such a weighty irkesome and painfull charge that saith he He who foreknew the weight of a Scepter should he finde it lying vpon the ground he would not deigne to take iâ—… vp And what is himselfe the owner and Lord of all these A little walking earth a coloured piece of clay a warme piece of dirt a very bag of choler fleame and other filth to day a man to morrow none his breath is in his nostrils stop but his nose and he is dead And what is his abode amongst these painted vanities and things of nought For sudden passage and change it is like a Shepheards tent a Weauers shuttle or a water bubble like a hying Poast or a flying cloud like a ship vnder saile or an Eagle on her wings like a fading flower or a falling leafe like foame that is scattered or dust that is driuen with the winde like a vapour a thought a smoake a winde that passeth and commeth not againe like a flying shadow yea the very dreame of a shadow as one sayes and that a morning dreame which is euen as soone ended as begun But let vs looke into his inside and the state of his soule and see if wee can there finde any more peace comfort or constancie No there you shall behold a liuely resemblance of the very restlesse tumultuations of the raging sea the neuer-dying Worme breeding and growing big in the froth of his filthy lusts and rottennesse of his rebellious heart In a word his poore soule bleeding to eternall death Let vs come vnto his death from the ineuitable stroake whereof all the Gold and Pearle of East and West can no more redeeme him then can an handfull of dust and there he shall find despaire and horrour like two euening Wolues enraged with hellish hunger ready to teare his soule in pieces when there is none to help And what followes He must lay down his cold carkasse among the stones of the pit at the rootes of the rocks his name by reason of his former pride luxury oppression opposition to goodnesse shall rot as fast and stinke as bad aboue ground as his body in the graue And lastly the onely forethought whereof should make him tremble all the dayes of his life his immortall soule sinkes irrecouerably by the weight of sinne into the bottome of the burning Lake where there are torments without end and past imagination exceeding not onely all patience but all resistance where there is no strength to fustaine nor abilitie to beate that which there whilest God is God for euer must be borne And when they haue beene endured millions of yeeres yet are no neerer endâ—… then when they began nor the soule neerer out then when it came in Tell me then I pray you in all this is there any roome for reioycing Is there any matter for true mirth No more then taste in the white of an egge then strength in a broken staffe of reede then sweetnesse in the apples of Sodom Why then it is a shame for the weakest Christian that breathes but the spirituall life euen of holy desires â—… not to be infinitely more merry then the most glorious and magnificent worldling vpon earth Shall a gracelesse wretch going towards hell to whom God himselfe hath proclaimed There is no peace no ioy as the Sepâ—…uagints tender it who is a meere Thiefe Robber and vsurper in respect of all the ioyes vpon which he intrudes and which way soeuer hee casts his eyes if hee weare not false spectacles or bee blindfolded by the Diuell can see nothing but the vgly face of horrour and true cause of trembling If hee looke backward vpon the time past hee may see all the abominable lusts of his youth all the sinnes of his former life registred with an iron pen in the booke of his conscience and lurking there like so many sleeping lions who vpoÌ„ the very first touch of Gods visiting hand will awake arise and rent impieces If he looke vpon his present state thorow the cleare Cristall of Gods righteous Law He may see Diuine vengeance dogging him hard at the heeles ready to strike him downe into hell vpon the next riot and rebellion against 〈◊〉 patient Lord That most horrible fiery tempestuous 〈◊〉 Psalm 11. 6. ready to fall vpon his head euen when he is warmest in his wealth and in the hottest gleame of his worldly prosperity sudden destruction ready to seaze vpon him vnauoydably as trauell vpon a woman with childe when hee is singing the securest Requiem to his soule of safety and peace If hee looke forward to future time hee sees death the