vnion with him haue a perfect wisedome and are in him perfectly wise Let vs therefore esteeme our selues others more or lesse wise as we are more or lesse partakers of that high and infinite wisedome and therein especially let vs striue for Supereminence If in this litle and narrow knowledge of man wee only excell others it may bee a iust ground of cōtempt against our selues rather then a reason of that pride which is commonly assumed and imployed in despising others For those whom this humane wisedome despiseth may haue an assured Right in the Diuine wisedome which in the foolishnesse thereof is wiser then the wisest of men and which being wise approoues her children for the most wise for iustifying of her and which finally shall raise vp her meanest children in so true an image of God that in regard of their new vnderstanding the Schoole-taught knowledge euen of old Doctors shall bee ashamed of the name of knowledge and shall appeare to bee but as the rudiments of children Let Christ therefore be the wisedome by which mankinde should be especially measured and valued so shall the iudging of them be according to truth not outward appearance we shall iudge the iudgement of God and not of man 13 If any man haue done some excellent worke by wit learning or valour we ascend presently from the excellencie of the worke to the excellencie of the worker imagining him to be a fountaine wherof his work is but a streame and wee earnestly desire to see the more excellent cause of so excellent an effect This is the ordinary course of naturall Men yet is there a most notable and incomprehensible worke the worke that containeth all humane workes yea man himselfe and this worke is daily seene but few ascend from the worke to consider the worker and much fewer desire to see him and fewest of all wonder that they doe not desire Surely to a rectified soule it is a great wonder that for Atchieuements small in comparison of this great one wee should looke vp with loue admiration to their cause but for this huge worke we should not lift vp our eyes and desires to the cause thereof which indeed comprehendeth causeth all other causes But againe the same soule ceaseth to wonder when it lookes on the fall of man for therin it sees mans chiefest corruption was in that fleshly wisedome which hath blinded vs to the Creator makes vs broad-sighted to the creature which hath put the head of a beast into the heart of a man and makes him looke downward with the beasts from the maker to things made But it is our part to vnhood our selues as much as we may from this vizard of wisedome and to iudge of things according to cleare truth not blinde opinion Let vs pursue truth as long as it lasteth not so long only as our muffled vnderstanding doth naturally and easily follow and apprehend it In this course of outgoing nature yet let vs set our first foote in her owne pathe So on her ground we fasten this that the Author is more excellent then the worke the cause then the effect and therefore if it be pleasant or glorious to see and know the worke and effect it is farre more pleasant glorious to see the cause and author himselfe But whereas grouelling nature applies this rule only to these lower things we knowing that the truth thereof proceeds further yea reacheth especially to the cause of causes let vs out-strip nature and follow this truth vntill it leade vs into an amazing wonder a feruent loue a longing desire to see that great producer of all excellent workes that infinite being from whom all this masse of Creation hath his Being and who as farre exceedeth in wisedome power and glory the created wisedome power and glory as an infinite and indeterminable cause may effects finite and determined 14 If God haue reuealed a truth to vs which hath bin long concealed let vs not seeke to haue our selues proclaimed as the fountaines of that truth nor draw followers to our selues but to it and by it to God For God is the Author and fountaine of all truth and of the reuelation of truth and so the truth found is Gods and the finding of the truth appertaines to the grace of God Therefore let vs desire to get glory to him to whom the glory indeede belongs And humbly thanking God that among many of his excellent seruants hee hath vouchsafed to vse vs in the reuealing of it let vs steale away our own names if we may from the honour thereof leauing the whole glory to the name of God whose worke it is If thus we draw men to the truth by the truth vnto God not to Paul or Cephas but vnto Christ this seeking of gods glory with the losse of our owne will God reward with infinite glorie whereas the setting vp of our selues in Gods stead the iealous God will punish with extreame torments as most odious idolatry Yet euen in this life to such humble seers doth honour belong though not the honour of fountaines yet the honour of cesternes euen the honour due to such as God honours by committing to them his oracles and secrets And euen to their humility belongeth honour for humility is Gods way to preferment which though it takes away the value of our selues to our selues yet as an excellent grace it ought to increase the same value in the sight of others as it doth in the sight of God 15 When there comes any pleasure to be lost or paine to bee suffered for Gods sake let vs set vp a balance in our hearts in one scale let vs set the temporal pleasure we lose and in the other the eternall pleasure we gaine by this losse and wee shall see the weight of this latter to bee infinitely exceeding So likewise for paine let vs set the temporall paine in one balance and the eternal in the other and wee shall see there also the weight of eternal paine farre to exceed that of the temporall Now if we vse but our ordinarie iudgement of good things to chuse the greatest and of euils to chuse the least we shal presently consent with the losse of temporall pleasure to procure eternal ioy and with the enduring of temporall paine to auoide paine eternall especially since with the auoiding of that eternall torment the exceeding weight of ioy is ioyntly procured 16 There is a great craft of Satan which passeth too much vnmarked or vnresisted and this it is That he seekes by all meanes to keepe his owne kingdome whole and vndeuided and to diuide by schismes and contentions the kingdome and body of Christ that by the malice of such contentions the flocke of Christ may bite one another and consequently deuoure one another and so doe Satans busines for him But it behoueth Christians to note this his cunning and with detestation to beware that they be not Satans in struments nor become those mad members
cause loue the effect Therefore is earthly Paradise wiped out and the Sunne shall be taken away and worldly pleasure eaten vp by death And from hence haue wee infinite cōfort for besides the blessed end which comforteth all labours wee haue other comforts in our way thither For if some temporall effects of God be now wanting yet in God they are ready for vs and farre more excellent things when it shall be best for vs for God hauing cōmunicated himselfe to vs we may certainly beleeue he cannot denie things small in comparison of him when they shall be for our good Therefore when he withholds them hee doth it as not beeing good for vs yea we may reioyce in griefe knowing that a louing God and our God is the very cause of it and that to our good So while our flesh by nature is sad at the effect our heart by grace may reioyce confidently in the cause For God vnchāgeable through all our changes aymeth vnchangeably to this end our good Let all seeke God with their whole heart since himselfe is our exceeding great reward since all things attend vpon him ready to cast themselues vpon them whom they see fauored by him And since all things of what time soeuer that are cast on vs are turned into good by him who dwelleth in vs. 79 If a good name be better then a small parcell of goods then he that sits as iudge of a mans good name ought to proceede to sentence vpon as firme euidence as the iudge of a mans goods If this were obserued men would heare sufficient witnesses before they fall to their censures Surely it is a great fault of these times that men are sooner condemned to bee wholly naught then a publikely accused-man is to haue stollen a sheepe The reason hereof is There is a drop of the great Serpents venome powred into our hearts which breeds in vs a willingnesse to heare euill of our neighbours But let vs thirst for the medicinable drops of grace sucke thē into our hearts which will fill vs with that loue which reioyceth not in euill It is a pitiful thing that creatures of one forme of one condition should delight in the blemishes and miseries of each other But when the diuell brought vs to fall out with God he also brought vs to fall out among our selues that loue the fulfilling of the Law might be perfectly broken Yet they that are new made by Christ must learne Christs new commandement which is loue and be slowly and vnwillingly led to beleeue euill of their neighbour 80 It is a good degree of happinesse to haue a nature inclining yea in different to those waies to which the spirit bends it selfe and would bend it Thence it seemes a great aduantage when a man hath in his nature a coldnesse to Ambition to the glory of this world to the pleasures of the world and when it draweth and contracteth it selfe into a narrower content being satisfied euen with things necessarie For if we haue not this naturally in vs we must striue to make it naturall by custome because there is an absolute necessity that wee be such or still striue to bee such For God must reigne in vs if we will reigne with him how doth he reigne in vs but by moderating guiding the minde within the compasse of reason curbing and restraining wilde and inordinate affections And this it seemes is much the end of afflictions on the men whom God loues that there by taming swaging and cooling their nature and as it were washing and taking away by a priuation the head-strong affections which it beareth to the world the spirit may vnresisted enter in and quietly worke his nature into the afflicted And as for these naturall vertues though they bee not Christian nor in themselues acceptable to God while they are meerely mooued by nature to a naturall mans ends yet when nature is mooued to do them by the spirit from a right cause which is the loue of God vnto the right end which is the glory of God then the actions so done by the seruice of nature are good acceptable to God As for those whose crooked and more vnmannagable nature standeth stiffe against the discipline of the spirit and their owne desires let them not therefore despaire because their euill ground bringeth forth lesse fruite more bryers then the others It pleaseth God indeed to make thee one of those to whom he appointeth more labour for the promised penny yet be not wearie of well doing for if thou faint not thou shalt in due time receiue thy wages If thou striue heartily against thy euill and hate it God is pleased with thy will and affection as much as the others action Therfore striue hopefully according to the might which thou hast praying for more and his grace is sufficient for thee 81 The wisedome of man and the wisedome of God are exceeding different and no maruaile one being infinitely pure and purely infinite the other narrow but great in corruption As in all things therefore wee should forsake our owne wisedome and leane vnto Gods so not with the least care in the matter of reuenge when thou hast suffered some euill thine own wisedome bids thee returne euill to the doer but the wisedome of God bids thee to returne him good notwithstanding this euill Hereat thou wondrest and thy flesh finds no wisdome in this to returne good for euill to helpe him who hurts thee yet is the counsell of thy wisedom indeed folly this of Gods excellently wise For 1. in reuenging thy self thou dost foolishly for God hauing taken to him self alone the name power of being iudge of the world thou steppest into this place and wilt bee thy owne iudge And God hauing delegated part of this power for a time vnto Magistrates thou intrudest into their place and so art Rebellious both against God and man And indeed as thou hast made thy selfe a iudge so thou makest thy selfe an executioner and art the hangman to execute the sentence of thy own malice surely if a man had robbed thee though with some blowes and were apprehended and condemned by the Magistrate thou wouldest take it a great disgrace to be appointed for a hangman or executioner of him who thus offendeth thee yet heere is nothing but iustice but when thine owne wrath vsurping the place of Iudgement condemnes a man for a blow or a word to die then it is a part of honour to bee the executioner of thy own vniust and vnlawful sentence Be not deceiued this latter is the worse hangman of the two But to examine thy folly neerer how art thou indeede auenged by this which thou thinkest and callest reuenge By intruding into Gods office thou hast taken the matter out of Gods hands into thine owne but so where before a God and an offended God was thy enemies Iudge who in his wrath could cast both soule and bodie into hell fire now a man hath
the effect is like the cause Hence are those endlesse desires which are euer reaching though without need with out vse Hence it is that the man who is ignorant of his owne nature so often deceiueth himselfe while as often hee telleth himselfe that such a thing had hee will leaue desiring For euen after that had hee desires afresh and on that verie thing ofttimes whereby hee thought to bound the old he raiseth a new desire the whiles hee perceiueth not that himselfe is still the cause of his desires and not the obiects so that whiles he is himselfe hee shall still desire Indeed when a thing desired is enioyed the desire seemeth to cease and then man thinkes hee will desire no more But that is but one single desire which ceaseth by the obtaining of that his obiect the power of desiring still remaineth vnslaine and is no more taken away then a roote by the breaking of a single branch therefore it still newly buddeth out and makes endlesse worke vpon the ende of one desire sending foorth a new But what remedie is there to this euill Surely we must not run so much to obiects thereby to satisfie and quiet desires which is endlesse as to our selues to kill them all in the roote But this euill cleaueth so fast to man that except man can be vntwined frō himself which is also very hard it seemes impossible to bee cleared And this very thing that is impossible to man is possible to God and done by God He by regeneration putteth a new man into vs which eateth out the old man corrupt through these deceiueable lusts This new man teacheth and mooueth vs to denie the lusts which fight against the soule It changeth vs and our nature and makes vs dead vnto lusts and aliue vnto truth and reason Therfore if wee will bee at rest in our selues and keepe a perpetuall Sabbath in our soules let vs pray for this godly nature vnto God the father of it which may free vs from this slauerie of lust that like the Egiptian bondage still sends vs about to seeke worke for our selues and may put into vs holy reasonable and measured desires Let vs giue our selues wholly to be led by the light and motion therof taking no care to fulfill the vnlimited lusts of the flesh And surely this world of vanitie is not worth a long or large desire neither is the lustfull desire of any thing more then a sickenesse labor of the mind and no helpe to the thing desired 34 As a man Regenerate hath two natures in him so haue tēporall euils which fall on him two natures and effects instilled into them from the former two For first by the old man they haue a taste wholly bitter put vpon them they are to it proposed and beheld as punishments euen the strokes of God hating and afflicting This made many holy men cry out in their agonies that God hated them that hee did set them as Markes that they were borne vnto sorrow and darkenes But the godly nature which wee haue from Christ touching these afflictions when they touch vs turnes them as the waters of Marah into wholesome sustenance yea into medicines For Christ is actiue euen vpon his passions both in himselfe and his members And as all such troubles are sanctified by the touch thereof so doth the same nature inwardly teach vs that these chastisemēts are the strokes of a louing Father withall it so comforteth and asswageth our soules with the oyles therof that we reioice amid tribulatiōs among the complaints of the old man there often breake forth pangs of ioy sent from this holy and blessed nature as wee finde in the writings of the Prophets Let vs therefore in our sufferings not so much looke to the outward shew of temporall euils but goe inwardly into that temple of ours where the holy Spirit dwelleth and there let vs aske aduice of it inquire what they are This Spirit will answer vs with comfort that they are blessings that they are blessed to vs that they cure vs beeing heauenly exercises imposed to suppresse our corruption to keepe our new man actiue and able to make him bring forth the fruite of patience and righteousnesse And if we hearken with beleefe and rest to the spirit thus informing vs we shall see the promised effects euen increase of sanctification and glorification 35 Most rightly doth the wisedome grace of God informe vs against lust which is the maine roote of sinne a mistresse of folly an inuenter of torments It is still begetting of sinne for still it setteth vs either against God or holdeth vs from him by committing euill and omitting good it wrappeth vs in continuall folly for it selfe is blindnes and possessing the vnderstanding neither seeth it self neither suffers it to see Accordingly it imployes man in many endlesse vnprofitable yea impossible proiects which condemne the man that laboureth in them of a darke and deceiued iudgement and withall punisheth him for it It filleth our life with torments for whereas enioying is the comfort chiefe portion out of this life lusts neuer suffer men to enioy or at least not long but sets him still on new worke and spurres him vnto new trauailes It tells the minde that which thou hast is nothing except thou haue some other addition increase that which thou art is nothing except thou some way increase it thy selfe So is the soule still driuen from her rest made a Lackey to trudge on the businesses of lust Amidst which trauailes she meetes with many crosses feares griefes which like theeues and wilde beasts stand readie for them which go that dangerous way how much better were it for the soule to cut it selfe off by diuine circumcision from this accursed lust and to ioyne it selfe to grace the contrarie and remedie thereof For grace will draw vs nearer to God our happinesse it will make vs to rest in God and by conforming vs to him will both please him and blesse vs it will be a light to our soules euen a day-starre in our hearts shewing vs waies right profitable and possible it will ease vs from many harsh and laborious seruices teaching vs to beleeue that it is farre better to walke in the sight of the eye then in the lusts of the flesh 36 There are many considerations which would allay the swelling of Ambition if they were as duely applyed to it by reason as glorious obiects are to it by corrupted nature Now since with naturall men naturall thoughts fit best let vs talke with them in their owne language It is a confessed thing by all that vnderstand this life that enioying is the height vtmost of life and the more solide and hearty inioying the higher is that height This being chiefest to that should the minde chiefely aspire for if it goe to that which seemes higher but is not it sells substance for shadow and being for seeming Now if we inquire in
what estate this enioying is greatest we shall finde in that wherein naturall and as we terme them kindly affections and desires haue most satisfaction For indeede what comparison is their betweene the imagination of being pointed at for greatnesse and the solide sweetnesse of being loued of a wise and honest friend What comparison betweene the officious and hartles complements of seruice-offring-flatterers and the obsequious loue of a chaste wife and dutifull children what equality betweene the delicate inuitations of a dainty feast vnto a cloyed stomacke and the sweetnes of plaine fare to a naturall appetite which desireth it not beeing desired of it If these be the better comforts of life and that life is better which hath most of them then in a meane degree and not still in the greater is the best portion of life Therefore it is not amisse for men sometimes to aspire downwards euen to the conditions of an estate beneath them selues This I set forth not as perswading an vniuersall priuatenesse which as mans ouer-spreading ambition will euer make impossible so it needeth not but only in a publike fortune to carry a priuate minde not swilling in too generall and large desires but bounded within naturall and becomming affections And this not to make a heauen of it on earth as the Philosopher in vaine assayed in a world so throughly tempered and seasoned with misery but to draw men vpon profitable and aduantageable termes into the most quiet and orderly compasse of life that the order and quietnesse thereof might allow roome for the practise of some course profitable to the Commonwealth and especially to the contemplation of a better life For these are too much put out of minde by swolne Ambition that oft so takes vp the whole heart that it thrusts this present life the countrey wherein life was receiued and that country where only true life and happinesse shall bee beyond all care and remembrance 37 The pleasures of this world after they are past and after they begin they are going to be past are as much nothing as if they had not beene Therefore whē sinfull pleasures tempt vs let vs thinke that if we by Religion put them not from being they will euen by beeing put themselues from being Wherefore let vs much rather choose that grace should make them to bee nothing and to performe an acceptable worke to God which shal haue his reward then giue them leaue by their owne nature to bring themselues to the same nothing and yet to leaue guilt behind and obligation to punishment But if the mind will needs dote on dying pleasantnesse let the same mind at that same time know and beleeue the pleasure of seeing Gods face infinitely to exceede this both in quantitie and in qualitie and that it shall as certainely appeare to vs hereafter as these doe now if wee refuse these for it There is no ods that may disswade vs but presentnes of the one and futurenesse of the other which being againe vnmeasurablely ouerwaied by aduantage of excellencie and eternitie should so mainely carry vs that we should despise the presentnesse of all sinfull pleasures much more then Iacob his next present seuen yeeres libertie for Rachel or one that proueth masteries his present ease and pleasure for a corruptible crowne 38 The affections of man are vsefull and commendable meeting with fit occasions and limited by due measure But they are commonly inordinate among vs and lay hold on wrong obiects or on true in wrong measure Ioy is good yea necessarie when Gods loue is beheld and considered And ioy is good when Gods blessings are powred vpon vs for euen that ioy is the gift of God but ioy oft transgresseth for it reioyceth more in the blessings then in God and it is too liuely in temporall things and too dull in eternall Yea it reioyceth somtimes in sinne our owne or others which is a ioy in the place of sorrow For sorrow though hated is also very profitable and excellently meete for the sinfull and miserable estate of man Sinne when it hath myred the soule by repentant sorrow hath the filth though not guilt washed away and indeed the guilt is not washed away by Christ vntill the filth bee washed away by spirituall sorrow For as long as the dregges of sinne lie on the soule vnbathed in repentance so long the blood of Christ as it were lotheth to come neere it Againe sorrow fitteth excellently the estate of vanity and misery that our looke being sad our heart may be made better and that griefe may stirre vs vp to apply our hearts to wisedome whereby wee may escape through vanitie and misery into immortalitie and happinesse But sorrow is often faulty when it sorrowes more for losses then for sins which in effect is more for losses of this life then of life eternall It is faulty also when it is stubborne against spirituall ioy and will not let the hart reioyce in the mercy of God though he bid it reioyce continually yea hatred it selfe is good yet in one only cause when it is against men that hate God for then may we hate both their wickednes and them as our vtter enemies Yet wee must beware wee hate not men for some single sinne who otherwise striue to liue vprightly for in many things we offend al and haue need our selues in such cases often to be spared To such belongs the Spirit of meekenes to restore them and if Dauid say I haue sinned against God the Prophet must say Thy sinne is also forgiuen thee But the habitual and greedy sinner that putteth God far from him and in defiance saith Who is the Lord this man is odious and Iehosaphat shall be bitterly chidden if he loue them yet the bond of charitie may still hold on which must watch that our hatred be for Gods sake onely and not our owne for man ought not to hate man in his owne behalfe Beside this charitie must pray for the amendment of him for charitie to man desireth the preseruation not the destructiō of man as farre as it may without offending the charitie of God But summarily to bring all affections into their true vse and proportion let vs finde out both their vse and measure in the word of light kindling or quenching them lengthening or shortning them according to the direction and line thereof 39 The best knowledge hath been anciently thought to be mans knowledge of himselfe but the best knowledge indeede being the knowledge of the best which is God the knowledge of man comes next in worth who is the next best in this lower world and whom God knowne teacheth and commandeth to know himselfe and who by knowing himselfe shall the better know God Now the immediate vse of this knowledge being to better the knower hee that will make most vse therof must learne to know himselfe most in those parts and faculties which are of most vse and excellence Therefore on the soule let the soule of man
seeth them not that there should bee miracles by the diuell wrought or forged to stand betweene the eyes of men and this reuealed Antichrist that there should be distinctions coined subtill enough for lesse subtill soules to distinguish to the manifest Antichrist from it selfe Yet all these things are prouided by the seruants of this sonne of perdition and so powerfull that it is Gods election onely which mainely preserues those that stand and withstands this Mysterie of Satan And indeede how can that ignorance which is inioyned to the disciples of Rome be brokē through by them which are bound thereunto by a solemne vow and vnder feareful penalties They must know but what deceiueth them vntill they be so throughly deceiued that it is almost impossible to bee vndeceiued againe But this let them take with it that the same ignorance will serue to breede vp a man in any religiō be it neuer so grosse and at this day it equally serues the diuels turne to nurse two of his goodliest children the erroneous doctrines of Mahomet and the Pope Yet lest ignorance should faile and perchance a glimse of light might shine in vpon the seeled eies there are miracles daily prouided to set before the sight of men These draw them to say that Simon Magus is the great power of God but wee are taught to goe from these signes to the Law to the Testimony to the Word and this Word telleth vs that miracles in the latter times shall be fixed and vnseparable companions of the man of sin So in stead of conuerting vs they are acknowledged by vs to be the badge of Satan fastned on Antichrists sleeue and they tell vs to whom he belongs Wee neede no miracles now but to reueale Antichrist for wee beleeue the doctrine of Christ once fully confirmed by his own miracles Lastly if yet some greater light dazle the eies which neither ignorance can keepe out nor miracles employ in drawing the eies wholly to themselues then are there prouided subtill nice and sublimated distinctions and reasons whose office is to confound and intangle the vnderstanding rather then to enlighten it Falshoods are purified and refined and made as like truths as possibly they may that the vndistinguishing mind may equally accept them and so led by a little mistaking vnto a grosse error And hereof at this time is there a stedy forge in the Church of Rome which doth but expect what the Pope and his Priuie Councell say and instantly they are ready with their excellent inuentions to prooue it the voice of God and not of man Surely the wit of man is a powerfull thing in regard of man but in regard of the Spirit which made it alas weake it is and the effect cannot striue with his cause which is mightier then he Therefore this Babel of mans wit built vp against the Lord must needs be destroied by the Spirit of his mouth In the meane time vntill this victory of Christ vpon Antichrist be fully performed let vs pray vnto God that he will adde easily vnto the Church those who belong vnto him and that they may plainely see that hee who seeketh earthly things more then heauenly is of the earth earthly and farre from being the Deputie of the Lord of heauen 60 The second resurrection needes not to seeme very strange if wee consider the first already done in vs for whereas there is naturally in vs but a carnall wisedom that seeth and alloweth only present visible things for happinesse wee haue in our regeneration a wisedome placed in vs which blotting out the former wisedome and the happinesse thereof beholdeth God which is inuisible as our onely true happinesse We haue also in stead of our fleshly will which onely sauoureth fleshly obiects a will directly contrary therunto planted in stead of it which hateth the former will and the sinful pleasures wherein that wil chiefly delighted and loueth euen the persecutions of Christ which the naturall will especially hated Thus by the new birth light being created in darknesse out of no former creature a rightnesse of will being framed where was nothing but crookednesse and such a light and will that they alter the affections actions whole course of mā why may not the same new birth haue also another power with it euen to change the mortalitie of the body into immortality as it hath to change the corruption of the soule and body into puritie incorruption it being alike easie to go to giue life vnto death as light vnto darknes and good to euill 61 Because wee see not God or at lest we do not see how he seeth vs wee rather thinke that he sees vs not or are careles of his seeing So our blindnesse toward God casteth the likenesse of it selfe on God towards vs and imagineth him to bee vnto vs as we are to him Herein men are to God as some birds are to men who hiding their heads from seeing men think that men the whilest doe not see them But since the knowledge of God is the cause of men the being of men can reach no farther then the knowledge of God So whosoeuer takes the knowledge of God from him takes from himselfe his owne being for where the knowledge of God ceaseth to know him there he ceaseth to bee otherwise should man who is but the effect of Gods knowledge go farder then his cause which cannot be But surely God that made mā by his knowledge knoweth the man that he hath made he hath not placed him out of his owne reach but as at first after he made his creatures he saw euen through them that they were throughly good so for euer he veweth and pierceth them searching all things by that very wisedom which made thē Since then we are manifest and naked before our glorious God who both seeth and hateth all vncleannes but beholdeth with pleasure holinesse and purenes let vs take heede to our hearts yea our whole selues that no filthinesse appeare to him lest we bee shut out from the City into which no vncleane thing may enter But that God seeing vs to be pure in hart euen in soule body may at length be called vp to see God who is the fulnesse and perfection of all felicitie 62 The very being as well as the discoursing of our naturall reason may well prooue that man was not made onely for this world For if first it be granted that a great and excellent wisedome created this Vniuerse which the curious subtiltie of the parts and frame therof will inforce vpon vs it must also be belieued that wisedome doth all things wisely both in regard of order and end euery thing bringing forth his like now the beasts hauing a more easie and vninterrupted enioying of the world as not tilling or reaping neither building Barnes nor filling thē not foreapprehending griefes nor long retaining them what doth this reasonable soule in man I speake of the generall if his bound be this world
not the men euill that did them It were pittie that men should go to work this way with Dauid and onely iudge of him by his murder and adulterie but it rather becomvs to see whether his course of life being different from his fact do not manifestly prooue that these sinnes were of infirmitie of sinne cleauing to him not reigning in sinne And in this point should euery man be the milder for as it is said commonly in other matters it is euery mans cause this mans to day and thine to morrow And though thou sweare with Peter that if al the world deny Christ thou wilt not denie him yet I wil neuer beleeue thee no more then Christ did Peter for in many things we sinne all and as the Apostles said We are also men subiect to the same infirmities Part 9. But if these cautions wil not yet moderate the sauages of this world as indeed a foole though braied in a mortar will not grow wise Yet O thou man of God whosoeuer thou art that sufferest for Christs sake binde this rebuke to thine head for a crowne and reioice that thou art such a one as the diuell and his followers hate for hee cannot be but good whom the diuell hateth Reioyce when men speake all euill of thee falsely and know thou art now a brother of Christ and his Saints in tribulation and in the kingdome for if thou suffer with him thou shalt also bee glorified with him The spirit whose shame now thou bearest shall hereafter cause thee to beare his glorie and the more shame for his sake the more glorie So shall these Balaams whose hearts are so ready to curse the people of God be the very meanes to procure a blessing vnto them For so many curses so many blessings therfore if there were no offēce to God nor hurt nor pittie to themselues we might well suffer them to curse apace for they curse vs as fast to glorie Part. 10. From Christs time place is approoued by truth not truth by place Hee that freed true worship from being tied to Ierusalem and tied it to the seruice in spirit which may be in all places gaue true religiō a large scope euen as large as the world it selfe Therefore Ierusalem being broken vp and true worship being set free into the whole world let not Rome seeke to captiue her againe and tie her to the chaine thereof for they that worship in spirit and truth haue God pleased with them though such worship bee in places that know not Rome to bee on earth 74 The Word of God is an vndefiled Word rightnes it selfe and therefore the most perfect rule Let therefore sinfull men frame their liues to it not seeke as many doe to frame it to their liues and so to sinne by the authoritie of righteousnes And let fraile and falling man though many of them thinke they be the Church not trie this VVord by themselues whether it bee right or not but by the VVord trie whether they bee right euen the right and true Church which is knowne by this that they heare Christs voice and walke according to this rule of Christ Galathians 6. 16. 75 Silly and foolish is the pride that any man takes in his seruice toward God For first the whole man being from God wee can giue him out of man nothing but his own Againe the whole man being due to God there can returne no good thing from man to God but what is his due Thirdly it is Gods free choise that vouchsafeth to vse thy seruice who refuseth the imploiment of many men excellent in naturall abilities Certainly we haue seene many such of great hope turned into earth before any or small vse of thē God Al-sufficient who can raise vp seruants of stones thus often sheweth that men haue need of God and his choise to doe him any good seruice but hee needeth not them Therefore let vs rather thanke God then boast before him if he imploy vs in his seruice Let vs with humilitie readily performe it as to that great Lord who hath refused infinite better to be serued by vs and whom therefore to serue is a happines priuiledge of ours frō him not a benefit of ours to him 76 Many seuerall women were made for many seueral men if many had bin allotted to one there would haue bin fewer of the masculine sexe for euen among heardsmen this rule is obserued But now there is a kind of equality in number that euery one might haue his mate diuidedly without diuiding with another And this which was indeed best was first for then there being but one woman to one man the sin which is now vnlawfull was then vnpossible What bare necessitie was to man by creation let necessarie obedience vnto God bee to the children of regeneration whose speciall vertue is to auoide the ill which may be done Surely as running after lust beyond this one is endlesse in regard of satisfaction so hath it a bad end in regard of retribution euen tormented old age that it can sinne no more and eternall death for hauing so much sinned 77 When a man is possessed by any lust be it of couetousnesse concupiscence or the like there is set vp an image in him though not a grauen one which is to him a God This image wholly filleth his minde to it he committeth idolatry for he offereth his whole heart in sacrifice to it and if he can obtaine the thing therin represented he accounteth himselfe happy as in the obtaining of God Such an image was there in Ahab of Naboths vineyard and such a one of Bathsheba in Dauid But let vs take heede of this worship of images for it is but a vaine shadow which steppeth into to the place of God It telleth vs of happinesse but it selfe obtained goeth into nothing robs vs of true happinesse Let vs rub out therefore the print thereof with prayer and holy meditations filling vp our hearts with profitable and eternall truthes to keepe out these dying and killing vanities let nothing posses our hearts but God himselfe who will one day glorifie the place wherein he dwels and make it looke like a temple of God And surely nothing but God is worthy of a man 78 God is the cause of all vnder-causes and of all effects in him is the fulnesse of all things the spring of all beings This world is a determinate measure of his effects The naturall life at the best is but a certaine number of these effects during a certaine peece and limit of time But the spirituall life caused by our vnion with God is an euerlasting and infinite enioying of the infinite cause of all things Hereby shall wee finde the Christian to bee most perfectly happie who possesseth all things in their cause and beyond al things that are shall enioy the cause it selfe Infinite is the difference betweene wisedome the cause and wisedome the effect light the cause and light the effect loue the