Cullen in Almain who was frequently seen picking Spiders off the wall and eating them digested the same into nourishment as Albert an eye-witness affirms And as Mithridates by his accustomed eating of poison made his body unpoisonable So the Godly notwithstanding they are by nature as a wilde Ass-colt as Zophar speaks Iob 11.12 Yet by their frequent and accustomary suffering of injuries these wilde Asses are made tame and the ablest to carry burthens of any creature yea though they were once as fierce and cruell as Wolves Leopards Lions and Bears and as mischievous as Aspes and Cockatrices yet Christ will so change their natures partly by his Word and partly by his rod of affliction that they shall now be as apt to suffer evill as they have been to offer it What else means the Prophet when he tels us that the Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard with the Kid and the Lyon with the Calfe so that a little childe shall lead them that the Cow and the Beare and the Lion and the Bullock shall eat straw together that the sucking childe shall play upon the hole of the Aspe and the weaned childe shall put his hand upon the Cockatrice hole Isa. 11.6 and so forward And so you see that according to the ancient Proverbial speech Use makes perfectness and that custom is not unfitly called a second or new nature Wouldest thou then attein to an unconquerable patience be able to undergo great trials hereafter accustom thy self to a silent suffering of thy present and smaller griefs tongue-provocations and the like If with Milo thou shalt take up a Calf some small crosse and enjoyn thy self to carry the like every day a little in process of time thou shalt be able to carry an Oxe the strongest and biggest affliction can come For nothing is miserable saith Seneca which once custom hath made natural Familiaâ—rity even with Lions takeh away the fear of them and the being used tâ— Tempests giveth heart and courage to endure them whereas any new disaster is tedious and irksom to the unexperienced but hard occurrences fall heavy upon them for that the yoak is most cumbersome to a tender neck An end of the first Part fitted and parted for the penurious who usually offer for a considerable Book the price of a Ballad The Second and Third follows for their sakes that are more generous and ingenious Pag. 15. line 40. for them read then Page 49. line 35 for repentance read recompence THE VICTORY OF PATIENCE Extracted out of the choysest Authors Ancient and Modern both Holy and Humane Wherein are a multitude of rare Examples necessary to be read of all that any way suffer Tribulation The Fourth Impression By R. YOUNGE Florilegus Imprimatur THO. GATAKER HAving shewn in the former Part the severall Reasons why God suffers the best of his Children to be afflicted with the manyfold benefits and advantages they make thereof I shall in this second Part shew the Reasons why the godly are so patient in their sufferings Reasons of Patience CHAP. XVII That the godly are Patient in suffering of wrongs because innocent NOw that some may be perswaded to make this use of their sufferings and that we may also put to silence the ignorance of others foolish men who are mistaken in judging of this matter supposing it a base thing to suffer injuries unrevenged see the Reasons which deservedly make Gods children so patiently to suffer wrongs that the men of the world never dream of And how through the study of vertue and Christian prudence they make the servile passions of their mindes fear and anger subject to the more worthy faculties of their souls reason and understanding We bear their reproaches and persecutions patiently Either in regard of Our Selves Our Enemies Our Selves and our Enemies Our Enemies and Others GOD. CHRIST and the Saints In regard of our selves 1 Because We are innocent 2 Because It is more laudable to forgive than to revenge 3 Because Suffering is the only way to prevent suffering 4 Because Our sins have deserv'd it and a far greater affliction 5 Because Our sufferings are counterpoysed and made sweet with more than answerable blessings 6 Because Our patience brings a reward with it First They bear the slanders and reproaches of wicked men patiently for that they are false and so appertain not unto them Socrates being rayled upon and called by one all to naught took no notice of it and being demanded a reason of his Patience said It concerns me not for I am no such man Diogenes was wont to say when the people mockt him They deride me yet I am not derided I am not the man they take me for This reason is of more force from the mouth of an innocent Christian. If a rich man be called poor or a sound Christian an hypocrite he slights it he laughs at it because he knoweth the same to be false and that his Accuser is mistaken whereas if a Begger be called bankrupt or a dissembler hypocrite he will wince and kick and be most grievously offended at it Yea as soares and ulcers are grieved not only at a light touch but even with fear and suspition of being touched so will an exulcerate minde saith Seneca And as small letters offend bad eyes so least appearances of contradiction will grieve the ill affected ears of guilty persons saith Plutarch For let mens tongues like Bells give but an indefinite and not a significant sound they imagin them â—o speak and mean whatsoever their guilty consciences frame in the fancie and whisper in the ear which are those evil surmises of corrupt mindes the Apostle taxeth 1 Tim. 6.4 When like Caius the humanist one thinks every word spoken tends to his disgrace and is as unwilling to bear as forbear reproaehes But where the conscience is clear the case is altered Marius was never offended with any report that went of him because if it were true it would sound to his praise if false his life and manners should prove it contrary And indeed the best confutation of their slanders is not by our great words but by our good works Sophocles being accused by his own children that he grew Dotard and spent their Patrimonies idly when he was summoned did not personally appear before the Magistrates but sent one of his new Tragedies to their perusall which being read made them confesse This is not the work of a man that dotes So against all clamours and swelling opprobries set but thine innocency and good life thou needest do no more ' That body which is in good health is strong and able to bear the great storms and bitter cold of Winter and likewise the excessive and intemperate heat of the Summer but with a crazie and distempered body it is far otherwise Even so a sound heart and cleer conscience will abide all tryals in prosperity it will not be lifted up in adversity it will not be utterly cast down whereas
A CHRISTIAN Library OR A Pleasant and Plentiful Paradise Of Practical Divinity in 37. TREATISES Of sundry and select Subjects purposely Composed to pluck Sinners out of Satans snares and allure them into the glorious Liberty of the Gospel By R. YOUNGE of Roxwel in Essex Florilegus LONDON Printed by M. I. and are to be sold onely by Iames Crumpe in Well-yard 1660. To the worthy Author and to the Ingenuous Reader SIR THe accurate Florist who makes it his delight to study flowers is not more taken with their dress their marks their varieties rich above Solomon in his royalty nor more pleased with every line in that his sweet Library then your Reader will be in his perusal of this Christian Library which here you put into his hand not great in bulk for so neither are precious stones or jewels which are rich in substance and of high esteem for their oriency Few men are Masters of so excellent an Alembick for extraction of quintessences spirits whereby you have given a Supersedâ—â—s or Writ of ease to your Reader from searching surveying the whole Garden where these flowers grow by transplanting them into one knâ—t where they are presented as a sweet nosegay I wish you such diligent Bees as may sit upon your flowers depopulate your garden he that sucks Poyson from any Rose here doth but shew himself to be a Spider by so doing READER These ten Treatises being like ten small Corn-fields now laid together as it were within one hedg have thereby put off that name wherewith while they went single malevolent spirits might be ready to asperse by calling them Pamphlets a name rather due to Books of trivial matter than small stature in them every of them the mower may fill his hand and he that gathereth sheaves his bosom with practical Divinity which hath the preheminence above Polemical and controversal as the planting and pruning of the trees of the Garden hath above the keeping of the Mound or mending of the Hedge I know a hungry appetite is better content with Barley loaves and â—oor fishes then a disdainful Palate with Quails Manna but I need make no such apologie for this Book where the meat is savoury and the cookery artificial by a rare mixture of sweet and profitable let thy walk therefore be in this Paradise from the trees whereof thou maist gather fruit for meat maintaining thy spiritual life in the whole duty of a â—hristian or for Medicine in the cure of thy Diseases Drunkenness Swearing Unthankfulness Deceitfulness of Heart or for the arming of thy self with disswasives against Scoffing and Derision or from some of them twigs to whip the Mammonist out of his Idolatry the love of money or Apples of Gold from the tree of life and under some of them thou shalt hear two Advocates pleading the cause of their two clyents the Pasteur and the Poor the one for shutting of the mouth that sends forth unsavoury eructations the other for opening the close hand that 's almost dried up And all the trees breathing forth sweet perfumes as the smell of a Field which the Lord haâ—h blessed In short If thou do but taste the fruit of one of these trees thy appetite will be prâ—voked thereby towards another and the pleasantness of the way wil make the forget the length of thy journey Thy servant in the service of Christ Richard Vines London Lawrence fury Iune 16. 1655. To the READER READER SO many and excellent are the Helps that God affordeth to this unworthy Nation for to enlighten dark souls for recovering of revolted sinners unto God that if any after all thâ—s be Blinded and Rebellious they wil be the most unexcusable and most miserable people in the World By how many voices and with what holy skilful Oratory with what earnest and incessant Importunity doth the God of Mercy call upon sinners to Repent Who is then in the obscurest Corner of England that may not hear the Word of Life or that may not read the Scriptures the excellent Writings of the Servants of Christ if they have ears to hear and eyes to see are but willing and diligent for their own good what a precious mercy is it that every Book-sellers shop every Market almost and aâ—l the quarters of the Land do so abound with wholsom and excellent Books declaring the way to everlasting Happiness What abundance of such Helps are ready at hand for the Recovery and salvation of any sinner that is but wiâ—ling to read and consider them It was not so with us in the dark times of Popery nor is it so in other Nations What pitty is it after all this that there should be so many ignorant eaâ—thly miâ—ds so many Drunkards sensnal Wretches so many ungâ—dly prayerless Familyes among us as there are Are men resolved to destroy themselves Do they love damnation Do they Hate their own souls as well as holiness the Holy God Why else do they madly shut their ears despise their Teachers go on in a worldly wicked life unthankfully refuse the Helps that are offered them Among others the Author of these ten Treatises an ancient and faithful Servant of Christ though not of the Tribe which waiteth at the Altaâ— hath enriched this Nation with many of his Labours whicâ— though he own buâ— as Collections yet may you read many Book before you find from whence they are collected I havâ— formerly with much delight read his excellent Books calleâ— The Cure of Prejudice The Victory of Patience and some others full of useful pertinent matter delivered in a style more quicâ— and smart more accurate and adorned then is ordinarily tâ— be found And finding that these do savour of the same Ingeâ—nuity and Diligence and contain such necessary and seasonaâ—ble advice I recommend them to thy careful perusal consideration What a cure is here for the Swearer Another â—oâ— the Drunkard Another for the Covetous What a Key to unâ—lock the Rich Mans Chests and enrich himself by Giving to the Poor if men will but use them What Considerationâ— are here to shame the Reproachers of Godliness to encouragâ— the weak against their reproaches The unsanctified Formalisâ— is here stript bare The Ministry is Patronized and usurpers and Intruders sharply reprehended by an Impartial pen less liable to Accusations of Self-seeking then our own in the eyes of the Contentious would have seemed Reader if thou thankfully make use of the Helps that are offered thee by this servant of Christ who willingly layeth out his time and labour and estate for thy spiritual benefit As thou wilt encourage such faithful endeavourers of thy good so wilt thou have thy self the everlasting consolation and maist see that blessed face of God and enjoy that felicity which thy sin would deprive thee of This is the desire of him that would gladly be A further of thy Salvation Rich. Baxter London Decemb. 21. 1654. The several Treatises
minde as the Iewes to this day believe that his Disciples stole him out of the Sepulchre Matth. 28.15 to the hardning of many in their Atheism and Unbelief For what should hinder When Naboth was proved to be a blasphemer of God and Susanna a whore upon oath and the same recorded to posterity when Ieremiah was reported to be an enemy to the State Paul a polluter of the Temple Steven a destroyer of the Law All the Disciples deceivers and Christ himselfe a wine-bibber a Sabbath-breaker a seducer of the people a Belzebub c. So we may perhaps under-goe the like in one kind or other as the Devils servants want neither wit nor malice to devise But what need it trouble us so long as it shall add waight to our Crowns For if we any way suffer for Christ be it but rebuke for his sake happy are we here and great shall our reward be in heaven Mat. 5.11 12. VVherefore let us never be ashamed of our Masters service nor of their censures No matter what Iudas saith touching Maries ointment so long as Christ approves of it Did our Saviour Christ forbear to heal on the Sabbath day because the Scribes and Pharisees took it ill no but rather did it the more Luke 6.7 to 12. and Luke 13.31 32. VVhen Peter and Iohn were charged to speak no more in the name of Iesus their answer was We cannot but speak that which we have heard and seen Acts 4.20 VVhen Michol scoft David and called him fool for his dancing before the Arke His answer was I will be yet more vile and more lowly in mine own eyes He knew that nothing could be more heroical then this very abasement And it is our very case Every scoffing Michol for none else will do it every drunken sot derides our holy profession but with God and the gracious we shall be had in honour Yea our very malicious and scoffing adversaries shall honour us by deriding us Their dispraise is a mans honour their praise his dishonour VVherefore let us imitate St. Austin who as he feared the praise of good men so he detested that of evill and ungodly men And take our Saviours counsel seek to justifie our judgements to the children of wisdome of whom she is justified and not to fools by whom she is daily crucified Neither let any think the better of such whom they extoll for the blinde eat many a flie § 61. Thirdly are the one regenerate the other carnall the one of this world the other chosen out of it the one children of light and of the day the other blinde and in darknesse the one Christs friends the other his enemies do the one live after the flesh the other after the spirit Gal. 5.25 1 Pet. 4.2 Then look we for no love from or peace with them Different dispositions can never agree There can be no amity where there is no sympathy Athens and Sparta could never agree for that the one was addicted to serve Minerva the other Mars Yea when it was said of Phocian and Demosthenes that they could never agree it was answered No how should they when the one drinks water and the other wine Much more may it be applyed to these when the holy Ghost sayes 2 Cor. 6. What communion between light and darknesse what peace between the Believer and the Infidel or unbeliever vers 14 15. And in another place Know ye not that the amity of the world is the enmity of God And that whosoever will be a friend of the world maketh himselfe the enemy of God Jam. 4.4 And again He that is borne after the flesh will persecute him that is born after the Spirit Gal. 4.29 Yea Solomon tels us directly and in plain terms That a wicked man is abomination to the just and that he who is upright in his way is abomination to the wicked Pro. 29.27 Even our very ways which God hath commanded us to walke in are abomination to them VVhence it is that the Naturall man can agree with all that be naturall be they civill or prophane Turkes or Iewes Papists or Atheists because all these agree with him in blindnesse and darknesse But with a sincere and holy Christian a practicer of piety he can never agree because his light is contrary to the natural mans darknesse Grace in the one is a secret disgrace to the other VVherefore to be without enemies or to have such our friends we may rather wish then hope yea once to expect it were an effect of frenzy not of hope Onely let not us by our offending God or jarring amongst our selves put weapons into their hands to wound us withal and then we are sure to have Christ who is able enough to vindicate all our wrongs to assist us and prevent our Enemies § 62. Fourthly If none be truly wise but such as have pass'd the second birth and that this wisdome which makes us differ cometh downe from the Father of lights and that we cannot have it except God vouchsafe to give it us it may teach us to be humble Job 42.6 And not like the Ape that is proud of his Masters jacket And thankefull for Heavenly notions grow not in us wee spin them not out of our own breasts Nor was there any thing in us that makes us differ we slept nigh half our time in ignorance and that wee ever awakened it was onely Gods infinite goodnesse and free grace VVhat cause have we then to blesse the giver And to become suiters to our Saviour in their behalf who are not yet awake That he will be pleased to open their eyes and remove that vail which is laid over their hearts in their hearing the Gospel 2 Cor. 3.14 15 16. And in the mean-time let us condole their disastres and drop some teares in pity and compassion for their great and grievous misery Fifthly and lastly If with God one spark of spiritual experimental and saving knowledge be of more worth then all humane wisdome and learning then strive we after that knowledge that will make us for ever blessed Let us so be learned that we may be saved Let us not in our hearing reading and communication do as little children that looke onely upon the babies in a Booke without regard to the matter therein contained But like men in yeares have more respect to the pith and solidity of the matter then to the phrase and to the profit of our souls then the pleasing of our senses Yea let us so minde what we either hear or read that if any vertue be commended we practice it if any vice condemned we avoid it if any consolation be insinuated we appropriate it if any good example be propounded wee follow it Yea so minde wee what we hear or read as if it were spoke onely to each of us in particular which to do is to be for every happy Good counsell for our young Gulls who will hear no other Ministers but such as flatter sinne and flout
holinesse nor read other Books then such as fill them with Pride and Lust and the Devil So I have given you a good and profitable Book one faultlesse fault being born with An answer that may satisfie such as shall make the Objection I expect viz. about repetition which I take to be a fault deserving thanks If any shall finde themselves gameis by reading of this piece let them also peruse the two fore-going parts viz. The Hearts Index and A short and sure way to Grace and salvation as treating upon the most needful subjects for a natural mans conversion that I could think of The which being small things are sold onely by Iames Crump in Little Bartholomews wel-yard And by Henry Cripps in Popes-head Alley ERRATA Not to mention all the litterall mistakes and points misplaced there is one fault in the Title page so grosse though it past the view both of Transcriber Composer Corrector and Authour without being discerned that it would be mended with a pen and of Floreligus made Florilegus FINIS A serious and Pathetical Description OF HEAVEN AND HELL According to the Pencil of the HOLY GHOST and the best Expositors sufficient with the blessing of GOD to make the worst of men hate Sin and love Holiness Being five Chapters taken out of a Book entituled The whole Duty of a Christian Composed by R. YOUNGâ— of Roxwell in Essex Florilegus CHAP. XIX Section I. THus as the Unbeliever and Disobedient is cursed in eveâ—â— thing and where-ever he goes and in whatsover he does Cursed in the City and cursed also in the field cursed in the fruit of his body and in the fruit of his ground and in the fruit of his Cattell Cursed when he cometh in and cursed also when he goeth out cursed in this life and cursed in the life to come as is at large exprest Deut. 28. So the Believer that obeyes the voice of the Lord shall be blessed in every thing he does where-ever he goes and in whatsoever befals him as God promiseth in the former part of the same Chapter and as I have proved in the eleven foregoing Sections Yea God will blâ—ss all that belong unto him for his children and posterity yea many generations after him shall fare the better for his sake Exod. 20.6 Gen. 30.27 Isa. 54.15 65.8 Rom. 11.28 Gen. 18.26 29 31 32. 26.24 39.5 1 King 11.12 32 34 〈…〉 where he dwells perhaps the whole Kingdom he lives in Gen. 39 to 48. Chap. Whereas many yea multitudes Numb 25.18 Deut. 1.37 3.26 Psal. 106.32 even a whole Army Iosh. 7.4 to 14. yea his childrens children unto the third and fourth generation fare the worse for a wicked man and an unbeliever Exod. 20 5. Besides his prayers shall profit many for he is more prevalent with God to take away a judgment from a people or a Nation than a thousand others Exod. 17.11 12 13. And he counts it a sin to cease praying for his greatest and most malicious enemies 1 Sam. 12.23 Though they like fools would if they durst or were permitted cut him off and all the race of Gods people Psal. 83.4 Hester 3.6 9 13. Which is as if one with a hatchet should cut off the bough of a Tree upon which he standeth For they are beholding to Believers for their very lives yea it is for their sakes and because the number of Christs Church is not yet accomplisht that they are out of Hell But to go on as all things viz. poverty imprisonment slander persecution sickness death temporal judgments spiritual desertions yea even sin and Satan himself shall turn together for the best unto those that love God as you have seen So all things shall turn together for the worst unto those that hate God as all unbelievers do Rom. 1.30 Iohn 15.18 even the mercy of God and the means of grace shall prove their bane and inhaunce their damnation yea Christ himself that onely summum bonum who is a Saviour to all Believers shall be a just revenger to all Unbelievers and bid the one Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Matth. 25.41 46. Which shall be an everlasting departure not for a day nor for years of dayes nor for millions of years but for eternity into such pains as can neither be expressed nor conceived Iude 6 7. Rev. 20.10 Mat. 3.12 Heb. 6.2 Sect. 2. Wickedness hath but a time a short time a moment of time but the punishment of wickedness is beyond all time There shall be no end of plagues to the wicked man Prov. 24.20 Their worm shall not dye neither shall their fire be quenched Isa. 30.33 66.24 Matth. 25.41 Mark 9.44 And therefore it is said the smoak of their torment doth asceâ—d for ever and ever Rev. 4.12 20.10 So that if all the men that ever have or shall be created were Briareus like hundred-handed and should at once take pens in their hundred hands and do nothing else for ten hundred thousand millions of years but sum up in figures as many hundred thousand millions as they could yet never could they reduce to a total or confine within number this trisyllable word Eternall or that word of four syllables Everlasting Now let such as forget God but seriously consider this it will not be an imprisonment during the Kings pleasure but during the King of Kings pleasure It is not a captivity of seventy years like that of the children of Israel in Babylon for that had an end nor like a captivity of seventy millions of generations for that also would in time be expired but even for ever The wicked shall live as long in Hell as there shall be a just God in Heaven Here we measure time by dayes months years but fot 〈…〉 is no Arithmetitian can number it no Geometrician can measure it Foâ— suppose the whole world were turned into a mountain of sand and that a little Wren should come every thousand year and carry away from that heap but one grain of the sand what an infinite number of years would be spent and expired before the whole heap would be fercht away but admit a man should stay in torments so long and then have an end of his woe it were some comfort to think that an end will come but alas when she hath finished this task a thousand times over he shall be as far from an end of his anguish as ever he was the very first hour he entered into it Now Suppose thou shouldest lye but one night grieviously affâ—â—cted with a raging fit of the stone strangury tooth-ach pangs of travel or the like though thou hadst to help and ease thee a soft bed to lye on friends about to comfort thee Physitians to cure thee all cordial and comfortable things to aswage thy pain yet how tedious and painfull would that one night seem unto thee how wouldest thou toss and tumble and turn from one side to another counting
succession shall reap them and we shall be happy in making them so so on the contrary wicked men leave their evill practises to posterity and though dead are still tempting unto sin and still they sin in that temptation they sin so long as they cause sin This was Ierobâ—ams case in making Israel to sin for let him be dead yet so long as any worshiped his Calves Ieroboam sinned Neither was his sin soon forgotten Nadab his son and Baasha his successour Zimri and Omri and Ahab and Ahaziah and Iehoram all these walked in the wayes of Ieroboam which made Israel to sin and not they alone but millions of the people with them So that it is easie for a mans sin to live when himself is dead and to lead that exemplary way to Hell which by the number of his followers shall continually aggravate his torments As O what infinite torments doth Mahomeâ— indure when every Tuâ—k that perisheth by his jugling does dayly adde to the pile of his unspeakable horrors And so each sinner according to his proportion and the number of souls which miscarry through the contagion of his evill example And look to it for the bloud of so many souls as thou hast seduced will be required at thy hands and thou must give an account for the sins perhaps of a thousand Thou doest not more increase other mens wickednesse on Earth then their wickednesse shall increase thy damnation in Hell Luk. 16. 9. § It were easie to goe on in aggravating thy sinne and wretchednesse and making it out of measure great and the souls that miscarry through the contagion of thy evill example numerous For is not the Gospell and the name of God blasphemed among the very Turks Iews and Infidels and an evill scandall raised upon the whole Church through thy superlative wickednesse and other thy fellows Yea does not this keep them off from embracing the Christian Religion and cause them to protest against 〈…〉 and all such wicked and prophane wretches are not like dirt in the house of God thrown out into the street by excommunication Or as eâ—â—ovements and bad humours in mans body which is never at case till it be thereof disburthened as Austin well notes That they are not marked with a black coal of infamy and their company avoided as by the Apostles order they ought Rom. 16.17 2 Thess. 3.6 14. Eph. 5 5 7. 1 Cor. 5.5 11. 1 Tim. 1.20 That they are not to us as Lepâ—rs were among the Iews or as men full of plague sores are amongst us We well know the good husband man weeds his field of â—urtfull plants that they may not spoil the good corn And when fire hath taken an house we use to pull it down lest it should fire also the neighbours houses Yea the good Chirurgion cuts off a rotten member betimes that the sound may not be endangered Nor will the Church of England ever flourish or be happy in her Reformation until such a course is taken MEMB. 4. Swearer Sir I unfainedly blesse God for what I have heard from you for formerly I had not the least thought that swearing by faith â—roth or any other creature was so grievous a sin â—s you have made it appear from the Word And I hope it shall be a sufficient warning to me for time to come 1. § Messenger If so you have cause to blesse God indeed For all of you have heard the self-same Word but one goes away beâ—tered others exasperated and inraged wherein Will only makes the difference And who makes the difference of Wills but God that made them He that creates the new heart leaves a stone in one bosome puts flesh into another 2. § Of hearers there are usually four sorts Mat. 13.19 to 24. as first an honest and good heart will not return from hearing the word unbettered Yea he will so note what is spoken to his own sin that it shall increase his knowledge and lessen his vices As who by looking in a Glasse shall spy spotâ— in his face and will not forthwith wipe them out A wise man will not have one sin twice repeated unto him And these may be resembled to wax which yeeldeth sonner to the seal then steel to the stamp But 3. § Secondly others are like Tullies strange soil much rain leaveâ— them still as dry as dust Or the Wolfe in the emblem which though she suckt the Goat kept notwithstanding her wolvish nature still For speak what can be spoken to them it presently passes away like the sound of a Bell that is rung Let testimonies and examples nâ—ver so much concern them they prove no other then as so many characters writ in the water which leave no impression 〈◊〉 hinde them Who may be resembled to an Hour-glasse or Conduâ—t that which in one hour runneth in the same in another hour runneth out again Or the Smiths Iron put it into the fire it is much sofined again put it into the water 't is harder then before Yea let them never so much smart for their sins they will return to them again untill they perish Resembling some silly flye which being beat from the candle an hundred times and oft singed therein yet will return to it again untill she be consumed Prov. 23.35 All those Beasts which went into the Arke 〈◊〉 came likewise ou◠〈◊〉 4. § Thirdly another sort will very orderly hear the Word and delight in it so long as the Minister shall rove in generalities preach little or nothing to the purpose But if once he touch them to the quick drive an application home to their consciences touching some one sin of theirs as John Baptist served Herod then they will turn their backs upon him and hear him no farther as those Jews served our Saviour Ioh. 6.66 The Athenians Paul Acts 17.16 to 34. and Ahab Micaiah 1 King 22.8 5. § Sore eyes you know are much grieved to look upon the Sun Bankrupts cannot abide the â—ight of their counting books nor doe deformed faces love to looke themselves in a true Glasse For which read John 3.19 20 2â— But let such men know that to flye from the light and reject the means puts them out of all hope That sin is past cure which turns from and refuseth the cure Deut. 17.12 Prov. 29.1 As what is light to them that will shut their eyes against it or reason to them that will stop their Ears from hearing it If those murtherers of the Lord of life Act. 2.23 had refused to hear Peters searching Sermon in all probability they had never been prickt in their hearts never been saved ver 37 38. And take this for a rule if ever you see a drowning man refuse help conclude him a wilfull murtherer 6. § Fourthly and lastly for I passe by those blocks that goe to Church as dogs do only for company and can hear a powerfull Minister for twenty or thirty years together and minde no more what they hear then the seats they
cured Besides as there are no colours so contrary as white and black no elements so disagreeing as fire and water so there is nothing so opposit to grace and conversion as covetousness and as nothing so alienates a mans love from his vertuous spouse as his inordinate affection to a filthy strumpet so nothing does so far separate and diminish a mans love to God and heavenly things as our inordinate affection to the world and earthly things yea there is an absolute contrariety between the love of God and the love of money no servant saith our Saviour can serve two masters for either he shall hate the one and love the other or else he shall leane to the one and despise the other ye cannot serve God and riches Luk. 16.13 Here we see there is an absolute impossibility and in the fourteenth Chapter and elsewhere we have examples to confirm it All those that doted upon purchases and farms and oxen and wives with one consent made light of it when they were bid to the Lords Supper Luk. 14 15. to 23. The Gadarenes that so highly prised their hoggs would not admit Christ within their borders Luk. 8. Iudas that was covetous and loved money could not love his Master and therefore sold him When Demas began to imbrace this prâ—sent world he soon forsook Paul 〈…〉 put their trust and place their confidence in their riches they make gold their hope they set their hearts upon it and do homage thereunto attributing and ascribing all their successes thereunto which is to deny the God that is aboâ—e as we may plainly see Iob 31.24 28. and as for his love and regard to the Word of God I will referre it to his own conscience to determine whether he finds any more taste in it then in the white of an egge yea whether it be not as distastfull to him as dead beer after a banquet of sweet-meats Nor is it only distastfull to his palat for his affections being but a little luke-warm water it makes his religion even stomack-sick Let him go to the Assemblies which he does more for fear of the Law then for love of the Gospel and more out of custome then conscience as Cain offered his sacrifice and so will God accept of it he sits down as it were at Table but he hath no stomack to eat his ears are at Church but his heart is at home and though he hear the Ministers words yet he resolveth not to do them for his heart goes after his covetousnes as the Lord tells Ezekiel touching his Auditors Ezek. 33.30 to 33. And as is his hearing such is his praying for that also is to serve his own turn he may afford God his voice but his heart is rooted and rivited so the earth They have not cryed unto me saith God with their hearts when they â—owled upon their beds and when they assembled themselves it was but for corn and wine for they continue to rebell against me Hosea 7.14 O that God had but the same place in mens affections that riches honours pleasures their friends have but that is seldom seen the more shame folly and madness and the greater and juster their condemnation whence that terrible Text in Ieremiah Chapter 17. Thus saith the Lord Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm and withdraweth his heart from the Lord vers 5. And that exhortation 1 Tim. 6. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded and that they trust not in uncertain riches but in the living God who giveth us abundantly all things to injoy vers 17. And well does that man deserve to perish that so loves the creature aâ— that he leaves the Creator CHAP. XXII FOurthly another reason were there no other why it is so impossible to prevail with the covetous is they will never hear any thing that speaks against covetousness and their refusing to hear it shews them to be such for flight argues guiltiness always Covetous men will never hear Sermons or read Books that press to good Works or wherein the necessity of restitution is urged neither had Satan any brains if he should suffer them so to do A Faulkner ye know will carry divers Hawks bâ—â—ded quietly which he could not do had they the use of their sight Such I say will not vouchsafe to hear reason lest it should awake their consciences and convince their judgements resembling 〈◊〉 that would nor have his Physician remove the thirst which he felt in his ague because he would not lose the pleasure he took in quenching the same with often drinking they had rather have their lusts satisfied then exstinguished Now we know that hearing is the only ordinary means of life and salvation if then the soul refuse the means of life it cannot live If Caesar had not delayed the reading of his Letter given him by Artemidorus as he went to the Senate wherein notice was given him of all the conspiracy of his murtherers he might with ease have prevented his death but his not regarding it made the same inevitable which together with the rest of this Chapter gives me a just and fair occasion now I have obtain my purpose to acquaint the ingenuous Reader why I rather call my Book The prevention of Poverty and best way to become Rich and Happy then The arraignment and conviction of Covetousness for by this means many a covetous wretch may out of lucre be touled one to read it to the saving of their souls who otherwise would never have been acquainted with a thousand part of their wretchedness and so not capable of amendment Bnt Fiftly suppose he should be prevailed withall to hear me all 's one even an ounce of gold with him will weigh down whatsoever can be aledged from the Word for though with that rich man Luk. 10. he may have a good mind to heaven in reversion yet for all that he will not hear of parting with his heaven whereof he hath present possession He can like Canaan well enough so he may injoy his flesh-pots also and could love the blessing but he will not lose his pottage and in case he cannot gain by being religious his care shall be not to loose by it and thaâ— Religion shall like him best that is best cheap and will cost him least any Doctrine is welcome to him but that which beats upon good works Nor will he stick with the Sages to fall down and worship Christ but he cannot abide to present him with his gold No if another will be at the charges to serve God he will cry out why is this waste as Iudas did when Mary bestowed that precious oyntment upon her Saviour which otherwise might have been sold and so put into his bag The love of money and commings in of gain is dearer and sweeter to the Muck-worm theâ— the saving of his soul what possibility then of his being prevailed withall To other sins Satan tempts a
In which laborious travels and affairs of the Church in teaching writing confuting exhorting expounding he continued about fifty two years unto the times of Decius Gallus divers and great persecutions he sustained but especially under Decius in his Body he sustained Bonds and Torments Rackings with Bars of Iron stinking and dark Dungeons be sides terrible threats of Death and Burning all which he manfully and constantly suffered for Christ Yet at length like an Isickle he that could endure the rough Northern wind of Persecution wel enough melted with the heat of the Sun sweet Allurements and fair Promises of Satan and his Adherents his own flesh also proving a treacherous Solicitor For in the end being brought by the Idolatrous Infidels to an Altar of theirs he shamefully condescended to offer Incense thereupon in manner as followeth by his own Confession When saith he I sought to allure win these Idolaters by cunning means to the knowledge of the Son of God after much fisting they promimised me unhappy man that they would by crafty conveyances avoid the subtilty of Satan and be baptized But being ignorant and unskilful in their divers cunning sleights they together with the Devil undermined my simplicity and Satan turning himself into an Angel of light reasoned with me that same night saying When thou art up in the Morning go on and perswade them and bring them unto God and in case they demand ought of thee so they will hearken and condescend unto thee do what thou shalt think necessary without staggering at all at the matter to the end many may besaved And again the Devil going before to prepare the way whetted their Wits to devise mischief against me silly Wretch and sowed in their minds hypocrisie dissimulation and deceit But I O unhappy creature skipping out of my Bed at the dawning of the day could not finish my wonted Devotions neither accomplish my usual prayer But wishing that all men might be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth I folded and wrapped my self in the snares of the Devil I got me unto the wicked Assembly I required of them to perform the Covenant made the night before and coming as I thought unto the Baptism I silly soul not knowing of any thing answered but in a word and became reproachfully defamed I spake without malice yet felt I their inveterate and deadly spite for instantly the Divel raised an Assembly about me who carried me to an Altar of theirs where a foul filthy Ethopian being appointed this option or choice was offered unto me namely Whether I would sacrifice to the Idol or have my Body polluted with that foul and ugly Ethiopian In which strait I having ever kept my Chastity undefiled and much abhorring that filthy villany to be done to my body brake out into many moans lamentations and cryes against both Yet O wretched man that I am at length yeilded rather to sacrifice Whereupon the Judge putting Incense into my hand caused me to set it to the fire upon the Altar for the which impiety I was delivered both from that and Martyrdom But upon my discharge the Devil raised such an out-cry in the City in pronouncing against me that just and yet unjust sentence Origen hath sacrificed Whereupon he was excommunicated out of the Church and driven with shame and sorrow out of Alexandria and going to Ierusalem and being there among the Congregation was requested by the Priests to make some Exhortation in the Church to the people the which he refused to do for a great while but at length being constrained through importunity he rose up and turning the booke as though he would have expounded some place of the Scripture he hap'ned upon read onely the 16. verse of the 50. Psalm where he found it thus written But God said unto the sinner What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldst take my Covenant into thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my Word behind thee Which being read he shut the Book and sate down weeping and wailing the whole Congregation weeping and lamenting with him he said unto the Church Wo is me my Mother which brought me forth as an high and lofty Terret yet suddenly I am turned down to the ground as a fruitful Tree yet quickly withered as a burning Light yet forthwith darkned as a running Fountain yet by and by dried up Wo is me that ever I was decked with all gifts and graces and now seem pitifully to be deprived of all The Lord hath made and ingrafted me a fruitful Vine but instead of pleasant Clusters of Grapes I brought forth pricking Thorns Let the Well-springs of tears be stirred up and let my Cheeks be watered let them flow upon the earth and moisten it for that I am soaked in sin and bound in mine iniquity every creature sorroweth and may well pity my case for that I was wont heretofore to pour out my prayers unto God for them all but now there is no salve for me Where is he that went down from Ierusalem to Iericho who also salved and cured him that was wounded of the Thieves Whenas I went about to enlighten others I darkned my self when I endeavoured to bring others from death to life I brought my self from life to death Oh blinded heart how didst thou not remember O foolish mind how didst thou not bethink thy self O witless brain how didst thou not understand O thou Sence of Understanding Where didst thou sleep But it was the Devil which provoked thee to slumber and sleep and in the end to slay thy unhappy wretched soul He bound my power and might and wounded me I bewail sometime the fall of Sampson but now have I faln far worse my self I bewailed heretofore the fall of Solomon yet now am I faln far worse my self I have bewailed heretofore the estate of all sinners yet now am I plunged worse then them all Sampson had the hair of his head clipt off but the Crown of Glory is faln off my head Sampson lost the carnal eyes of his body but my spiritual eyes are digged out Even as he was severed from the Israelites and held captive among Idolaters so I have separated my self from the Church of God and am joined with evil spirits Alas my Church liveth yet am I a Widower Alas my Sons be alive yet am I barren Alas O Spirit which camest heretofore down upon me why hast thou forsaken me O thou Devil what hast thou done unto me O Satan how hast thou wounded me It was the wiliness of a Woman that brought Sampson to his confusion but it was my own Tongue that brought me to this sinful Fall Alas every Creature rejoiceth and I alone forsaken and sorrowful Bewaile him that is bereaved of the Holy Ghost bewail me that am thrust out of the Wedding-Chamber of Christ bewail me that am tormented with the prick of Conscience for now it behoveth me to shed infinite tears