betweene Faith and profession but if his Workes bee good and godly thou maist boldly presume that the Sunne of righteousnesse is risen on him and hath with his beames of Religion enlightned him wherefore James saith Pure religion and undefiled before God and the father is this to visit the fatherlesse and widowes in their adversities and to keep himselfe unspotted of the world marke how he judgeth of Religion not by Faith but obedience and yet there is no Religion pure but by Faith because Faith is also to be tried by obedience in the sight of men as obedience by Faith before God And Christ useth the same direction Hereby shall all men know you are my Disciples if yee love one another and love as yee know containeth all duties of the Law and hence is Christs answer in the Gospell to such as shall say at the day of judgment Have not wee taught and preached and done great Workes in thy name Depart from me I know you not all yee workers of iniquity Christ looked not on their profession but practice There is a knowledge of the truth and that wee have from Faith beleeving in the Death Resurrection and Ascension of Christ and there is an experience of the truth when the vertue of these things beleeved doth worke in our lives as when by the power of Christs Death wee die unto sinne and by the power of his Resurrection wee arise unto newnesse of life and by the power of his Ascension are heavenly minded When wee are come to knowledge wee passe on to trust and confidence by applying to our selves the promises of the Gospell so when wee are come to this trust wee must passe on to experience and triall in our lives by imitating those things in our selves which Christ hath done for us this is that which Saint Paul saith wee all behold as in a mirrour the glory of the Lord with open face and are changed into the same Image from glory to glory as by the spirit of God God sheweth his face open to us in the Gospell wee behold it by Faith wee are changed into the same by speciall trust and confidence that the things there promised belong unto us as remission of sinnes the righteousnesse of Christ freedome from death and the gift of eternall life and wee passe from glory to glory by the experience spoken of when the vertue of the things wee beleeve doth worke in our lives and make us holy as he is holy and wee have both righteousnesse inherent and imputed and for this cause Paul speaking of the same matter to the Philippians doth not count himselfe perfect or to have as yet attained the full end of his calling for though he had begun in the first degree to beleeve and gone forward to the second for application yet had he much to doe in the last as long as it should please God to lend him life But you will say what doth the vertue of Christs Passion Resurrection and Ascension belong to us As the sap of the stock belongs to the graft so wee being grafted into Christ by a lively Faith that vertue of his whereby hee overcame death rose againe and ascended must needs grow up in us to bring forth like fruits and to signify this union he in other places is called the head and the faithfull members of the same body a vine and the faithfull branches of the vine and how this union is made betweene Christ and the faithfull the Sacrament of Christs blessed body and bloud doth not only represent but that it is done also as often as the faithfull doe rightly receive the same it doth testify and therefore there is not bare bread or a signe only but the body and bloud of Christ really yet not grosly as the Papists imagine but after a heavenly manner to the Soule to Faith neither is it necessary for this union and the benefit thereof that it should be locall so as Christs body must enter into ours but when Faith doth embrace Christ crucified for us that the Spirit whose power is not tied to distance of places make the faithfull man partaker of those gifts and graces of his redemption which can be no otherwise derived unto him but from the humane nature of Christ which suffered and as hee is a member of Christ Meditation 11. Of Merit THere is a great question betweene the Papists and us what workes please God best either such as are done to Merit or of duty they say workes done of duty have lesse zeale but belike they separate duty from love wee say workes done to Merit savor more of pride and cannot please God of themselves because they want duty and if wee should joine with them in an issue about zeale it might bee proved that their zeale for the glory of God is not so great which worke to Merit as the others Saint Paul as appeareth in his Epistle to the Philippians wrought not to Merit but of duty and love he which worketh to Merit must remember what is past and examine all his workes from the beginning to the end whether they be worhty that reward which he meanes to challenge but Saint Paul working of duty forgot what was past as though he had done nothing and his mind was only on that which he might be able to do farther as long as God would give him life according to that of our Saviour When yee have done all that you can say you are unprofitable servants as if he should say thinke so meanly of what you have done that you count it your duty to doe much more as long as you live even as much as you can and yet shall you be unprofitable servants both in respect of the grace used and not turned to the best advantage and in respect of the glory to bee received for which you can give no worthy recompence saving that it is the fathers will for my sake to give it to you what he hath promised he will in justice performe Belike Christ when he spake so much of duty meant to take zeale from workes nothing at all but to adde the more love and willingnesse which is the cause of zeale to the base and slavish mind a benefit past is of no force whereas the free and gentle heart is disposed towards a good turne received but because both they and wee agree thus farre that good workes are necessary let us rather busy our selves about doing well then disputing wittily God grant that I may remember I am a Christian if this bind me not to doe good nothing will if I doe unfeignedly what I can God will bee mercifull where I faile and Christ will rather want merits then I shall want reward Meditation 12. Pastorall cure THey which know what belongs to a flock are not ignorant of the care of a Shepheard or the necessities of Sheep neither is it an unworthy consideration for out of Shepheards have been taken Kings and Kings in time
must learne to wait on God from day to day it is thy obedience his glory if thou bee rich thy account will bee the harder to make Things themselves are not good to thee but in their lawfull use they serve not thy turne except thou serve God with them make not that a snare to entangle thee in vanity which is given thee for the exercise of vertue Alas why complainest thou when any crosse interrupts thy worldly proceedings and dost not feele the losse of spirituall grace whiles thou art thwarted in a good course by sinne why art thou so well pleased at good successe and dost not rejoyce rather for the good seedes of thy regeneration for the fruits of thy faith hope love zeale patience chastity meeknesse temperance sobriety and the rest for that thou hast found or art directed in the way to find the treasure of inestimable worth and value to wit the keeping of a good conscience this that thou dost not ought to make thee mourne and lament and thou shouldest not take comfort in that wealth which keeps thee from feeling thy dayly want and enjoying sound prosperity Meditation 20. Of Giving GAining is good if it bee to give for Giving is better God gaines nothing by any yet gives all that is his perfection the light of the Sun and Moone the influence of the Planets the sweetnesse of the aire the variety of seasons the fatnesse of the cloudes the fruitfulnesse of the earth the fulnesse of the Sea the vertue of herbes the beauty of flowers the profit of beasts and cattle the price of Gold Silver and pretious stones are nothing to him nay the redemption of mankind the gathering of the Saints the gifts of the Church the graces of men our regeneration sanctification prayers sacrifices and services are nothing to him for he is his owne perfection ours it is to gaine and give receive and bestow of all things besides God it may be said what have they which they have not received yea the creatures which have most as Angels and men have received most and are the more bound to the giver wherefore their first perfection is to receive but because to give to bestow is a farther extent of perfection and more answerable to the perfection of him which is the giver of all good therefore is it a better thing and as our Saviour said by Pauls report a more blessed to give rather then to receive a better good the chiefe good a better good that 's vertue the chief good that 's happinesse the life of every vertue is action and happinesse the perfection of actions and action of vertue is nothing else but a giving of good in some kind as the act of justice to give every one his owne of fortitude to give courage against death of temperance to give a measure to pleasures of prudence to give order to affaires of liberality to give gifts where and when it is convenient and therefore as wee say there is a kind of justice in all vertues so is there a kind of liberality though one kind of giving for his use and excellency be so specially called for he which giveth of his owne to relieve another doth it most freely without any consideration to move him besides the love of vertue and for the good which comes thereof is deemed a God amongst men for which cause Princes are by a speciall title termed Gods because as their places require them to doe all vertuous actions more then others so above all they are enabled to give liberally and by giving to helpe many he that doth good unto his neighbour according to the action of any vertue gives him his helpe more worth then goods and therefore gives in the true nature of giving and if his helpe be for the soule and the life to come the gift is greater then if it pertained to this life only and yet I know not how they which give out their goods freely to the comfort of others win a more deep affection and excellent reputation then they which doe good according to any other vertue yea a liberall man hath the commendation of all vertue hee is thought wise because he knowes the true use of riches valiant because he can overcome the covetous desire which rules too many just because hee willingly makes that to be anothers which is his owne because he thinkes it more due unto him for the good which may come thereof temperate because hee doth withdraw much from superfluity and excesse that he may have wherewith to doe others good and hee will spend the lesse to give the more Wee must gaine then that wee may give and wee must receive that wee may bestow and doe good with that wee have the one is blessed for the other and therefore the latter rather blessed then the other but hee which thinkes that to keepe in his gaines is the only way to doe himselfe good as if they were all lost if others should occupy with him hath as poore a trade as he which hid his talent in a napkin of which came no advantage for lack that it was not put out every Christian must know himselfe to bee as it were the stomach to digest and disperse those gifts which he receiveth to the good of Christs body Christ emptied himselfe to fill us hee being rich saith Paul for your sakes became poore that you through his poverty might bee made rich What he got of his Father by his holy life or patient death he bestoweth on us and what he might justly claime at our hands for his gifts bestowed on us he leaves to bee disposed by us to the good of our mother as the Tithes of our goods on the Ministers which watch not for his but our good Almes of our goods which the poore receive and hee accepteth and rewardeth as if they were bestowed on himselfe and if he bestow a spirituall grace on mee he looks not for the returne but puts it over to the brethren as when he said I have prayed for thee Peter that thy faith faile not strengthen thy brethren and for the good instruction which wee receive in the Church to our soules health hee bindes us to teach and exhort one another A Christian then hath a life both active and passive the one all in receiving the other all in giving he doth receive faith hope charity and all this while nature doth nothing grace doth all then after by grace he liveth in doing good according to his faith hope and love the first life brings him into the favour of God the second into the possession of his kingdome to doe thy selfe most good is to depart with thy goods unto others and in this cause they are kept better to serve thy turne then if they were in thine owne keeping for if thy treasure be in the hand of the poore Christ is thy treasurer who will make thee good account of all such expenses I speak strange things to the eares
drop taken out of the sea of Gods mercy Love is a briefe of the Law a legacy of Christ the cognizance of a Christian the life of a good conscience the assurance of prayer the strength of devotion the prop of patience and in a word the band of perfection The love that we owe is unto God but God will have the duty discharged to his image our neighbour to his members our brethren specially where this duty may give most evident token of love as when wee provide for the poore which can make no recompence or pray for our enemies which hate us Indeed thou losest nothing by giving to the poore for it is put on his score to whom thou owest thy selfe it is repaied by him who hath given himselfe for thy redemption and will give himselfe unto thee for thine eternall salvation Thou findest no cause to love thine enemy neither did God to love thee God loved thee without an example but hath left it to thee for thy imitation for so well hee loves thee that he would have thee like himselfe Hee loved thee freely for himselfe thou must love freely too but for his sake is not this cause enough God bids thee shall the countenance of an enemy dismay thee this is the way pointed out by God and blessed by him to make thy foe thy friend fall it out otherwise he is thy friend more than his owne he gives place to thee in goodnes strive not thou with him who shall be worst After love hath dispatcht her duties abroad she returneth home and doth privately converse with God and this is an entring into the chamber of her well beloved Let mee dye if the wealth of the covetous or the honours of the ambitious or the delicates of the voluptuous be to be envyed and not rather contemned in respect of this if thou know it thou desirest nothing else if not any thing Meditation 3. Of Passions Passions are originall and naturall they are bred with us they are a part of us wee can no more leave to be without them then to be mâ—n yet are they the baser part of the minde for their familiarity with the sanses and hence the Philosophers thoâ—…ht did arise their disorder but if the minde it selfe be insected how can there he cleane And if the eve be darknesse what light can there be in the members yet vertue is the government of Passions and all vertues whereby man doth imitate Gods holinesse or righteousnesse are but well governed Passions Mans vertue is in the middest of much weakenesse and therefore his victory the more commendable And of all victories it is the best when one overcomes himselfe Many have been invincible abroad which have beene overcome by their owne weakenesse at home I feare nothing so much as treason within I speake it without pride through the gift of God I know more than many though I know nothing as I should and yet practise but little according to my knowledge I know what piety what common duty doth require yet stand I unresolved or slow I have much bettered my judgement by hearing but am a very Infant in performing what I have heard I am more sound alone than in company more upright for strangers than in my owne or friends cause I am not so bad in intent as in event What I do not prevent I would gladly amend I thought not on that which after makes mee wonder how I could forget all this I impute to passion Religion sanctifies passion by opposing a fit object as love as much as you list so you love God hate as much as you list so you hate sinne rejoyce alwayes but rejoyce in goodnesse be sorry too but let it be the sorrow of repentance Wee may bee full of hope but as pilgrimes bound for heaven Wee ought to feare so that it be to offend God Will we envie it must bee that others goe not beyond us in well-doing will we be jealous it must bee that nothing defile our conscience Wee have wherein to trust if it be in Gods grace and wherein to distrust if it bee in our owne nature Likewise there is a holy confidence a holy despaire the one claimes Christs merits the other denies her owne That revenge also is just whereby wee debarre our selves of the occasions which led us into sinne Yea passions here doe passe into another nature as anger into zeale for Gods glory love into charity sorrow into repentance pity into almesdeeds hope into patience feare into watching and prayer mirth into thanksgiving confidence into perâ—everance The inconstancy of the wind makes the Pilâ—t at sea watchfull and the disorder of our affections ought to make us advised As is a horse without a bit so are our affections without understanding let reason rule the reines lest thou bee overthrowne Hast thou to deale with a cunning man which is like to overtake thee or a great man which will be too hard for thee or a hasty man which will offer to hurt thee or with a lewd man which may corrupt thee looke well about thee there is more danger from thy owne passions then from any or all these It is good to doe nothing in passion give time to reason and use the helpe of prayer and thou shalt anon espy the depth of some temptation which lies commonly hid under an ordinary passion There are tentations of all sorts and for all sorts of passions for merry men unlawfull pleasures for sad men uncomfortable despaires for presumptuous crying sinnes for angry men quarrels and brawles Looke to thy passions and thou maist prevent many though not all temptations Meditation 4. Of Providence Thou art not able to change the course of nature it is only in the power of God who made it The second cause is tied to the first but the first worketh freely either with it or without it Hath God taken order for one part of his worke and not for all Thou hast a free will not to be constrained true yet is this thy will subject to the highest and first will which moving all our willes is moved of none Thou must needs follow it that will not follow thee God made mee in the first man as in my cause and hee made the first man for himselfe Wherefore the fall of man did not crosse his supreme counsell for then should not that have beene which notwithstanding he did most willingly and justly suffer Is it Gods will then that all men should be concluded under sinne that hee might have mercy on whom hee would and whom hee would he might justly forsake so it followes Yet is his will no cause of sinne but a rule of all righteousnesse so ought I to beleeve Well doth God looke on mee in the face of his well beloved do I beleeve the Christian Faith doe I desire to doe all Christian duties strive I against mine owne corruptions this is Gods speciall favour unto mee it is his worke in mee for which