David Gideon Barak others who through faith subdued Kingdomes Hebr. 11. 32 33. That is basenesse of spirit and want of valour that makes a man a slave to sin and the Devill so a slave as he hath no heart to any worthy service to free himselfe from it but lies down under it and carries the fetters and yoake of his bondage about with him withersoever he goes That is cowardly basenesse that brings conscience into a servile subjection that cowardly basenesse that will suffer the cause of God to be betrayed rather than venture any thing for it what greater argument that men want true spirit than this Godlinesse puts a spirit of fortitude into men that will not suffer them to bee thus debased and where appeares the like courage in any as in these when they are called to stand for the truth Though all the Tiles of the houses in the City of Wormes were Devils yet thither would I goe to testifie to the truth saith Luther Againe it is not a turbulent spirit for turbulency of spirit makes men cruell and malicious this spirit causes men to love their enemies to do all the good they can to them turbulent spirits seeke onely their own ends they care not what becomes of others so it bee that they may but warme themselves they care not what house bee on fire They are boysterous in things that concerne themselves But the Saints of God in whom this other spirit rules they are meeke and gentle and yeeldable in their owne cause ready to put up wrong in all quietnesse take them in things that onely concerne themselves and you shall find none so readily so freely so chearfully denying themselves as they And againe turbulent spirits doe not love to examine things by rule to call things to account but follow their owne fiery humour and set upon their own will with violence but godlinesse takes off men from this ruggednesse and turbulency of spirit makes them gentle and peaceable let them bee never so active never so forward never so zealous in any thing yet if you wil call them to examine things by rule they will meekly and patiently heare you yea a childe shall leade them Esay 11. 6. And yet further turbulēt they are not for none more obedient to authoritie than they none see that Majestie of God in Autority as they doe none obey Authority out of conscience so as they doe If the will of men in authority rather than authority shall require any thing that the authority of Heaven forbids that they do not because they cannot obey for conscience sake And so sacred do they account Authority that they would have no obedience performed to it but obedience for conscience sake Blind obediēce the Church of God hath long agoe exploded as too servile for Christian spirits this were more servile than selling mens bodies in the Market for slaves which Christianity abhors It were too uncharitable a conceit of Christian Magistrates to thinke that they should require of or expect from any other obedience than in and for the Lord and in this obedience those who are godly are so forward as they are judged turbulent for being over-forward to maintaine the honor of Authority as some think when according to their places they promote the execution of laws made by authority and that of those lawes which are of the highest consequence for the furtherance of Piety and Peace Againe factious spirits they are not because they seeke above all things to keep to the maintenance of obedience to the Primitive truth that is faction that sides against that Tertullian hath a notable expression in his Apology for the Christians against the Gentiles to cleare Gods people from being men of factious spirits it seemes that aspersion was cast upon them then which was about 1400 yeares agoe his expression was this When good men when honest men meet together when godly men are gathered together it is not to bee called a faction but a Court and on the contrary the name of faction sayes hee is to bee applyed to them who conspire to the hatred of good and honest men And thus much of the first branch of the Vse which was the reprehension of the vile cōceits that men had of this other spirit Now the second followes which is the rebuking of the men of the world for the ill use they give to men who are of such excellent spirits The excellencies of the spirits of the godly do challenge all the good use that can bee but it is little they meet withall they are for the most part abused by the men of this vile world as if they were the vilest scurfe and filth of the earth yea so indeed they account them so saith S. Paul 1. Cor. 4. 13. We are made as the filth of the world and are the off-scouring of all things unto this day Why what was S. Paul and what were those that were with him who was so accounted of were they not men of most excellent and admirable spirits S. Paul was one of the most excellent spirited men that ever lived upon the earth and did as much service for God as ever any meere man did since the beginning of the world and yet how vilie was he thought of how contemptibly was hee used put into stocks and whipped wanted cloathes and victuals And for the others that were with S. Paul they were men of whom the Holy Ghost gives this witnesse that they were the very glory of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 8. 23. Oh unworthy world that ever they should have such men live amongst them Those who are the delight of Angels yea of God himselfe how are they abused in this wicked world as if they were dogges or the basest scumme and filth of the earth What scorne and contempt is cast upon them the most abject of men think themselves good enough to reproach and abuse them Were it not a grievous sight to see some base drudge to have power over the body of some noble Prince to abuse it by stripes or any other contumelious sordid manner but a more grievous thing it is to see the vile and base spirits of the world who are nothing but sinks of filth themselves to abuse men of such noble and excellent spirits as if they were more vile than dirt It was the bitter complaint of Ieremy Lament 4. 2. that the pretious sonnes of Sion comparable to fine gold were esteemed as earthen pitchers Such as blessed spirits would honour if they had them with them yet here they are cast out as filth What griefe sufficent to lament the seeing of such filthy swine to trample under their feet such pretious pearles in all ages thus it hath beene Those who were indeed the true honourable upon the earth such pretious and excellent spirited men as of whom the world was not worthy and yet they have beene most vilely abused and are so still by this wretched world
dignities yea grace is the only thing that blesseth them and advanceth them And you whose spirits God hath raised above others in the excellencies of your parts and many excellent endowments of learning you have who are men of larger understandings of higher apprehensions than others and can looke upon ordinary men as low and meane in respect of the difference between your parts and theirs Do you labour yet to raise your spirits higher by grace and godlinesse that as you differ from them in naturall excellencies so you may differ from them much more in spirituall and divine How eminent would you be in grace if those parts and abilities of learning you have were sanctified for God What blessed instruments might you be of glory to God of comfort and encouragement to his people but otherwise your parts and gifts are poisoned a sinfull wicked heart will poison all It may be said of many as it was of Pope Eugenius the second he was a man of great Learning and great Eloquence with a mixture of great hypocrisie If it may bee thus said of any He is a man indeed of excellent parts very learned of strong abilities but he hath a corrupt spirit he is a man of a corrupt minde surely these parts are all poisoned no marvell then though such men swell so much by reason of them Parts unsanctified doe exceedingly enlarge mens spirits to be so much the more capable of spirituall wickednesse more than others of meaner and lower parts can be your parts will aggravate all your sinnes and increase your damnation It is a lamentable thing that such excellent parts and abilities as many have which might be of so great use for God and his Church yet that they should vanish into froth It was the great complaint of one Robertus Gallus a famous man an opposer of the corruptions of those times in which he lived which was in the 13. Century He compared the Schoole-Doctors to one having bread and good wine hanging on both his sides yet notwithstanding he was gnawing hungerly on a flint-stone Thus they leaving the wholesome food in the Scriptures busied themselves with subtile questions wherein there was no edification or comfort to the soule thus their excellent parts did all vanish into nothing Now if it be so grievous a thing for parts and learning to be imployed about meane and unworthy things how much more grievous is it when they are employed against God Oh what great cause have we then to pray for these men whose spirits are raised by naturall parts and how great cause have they themselves to seeke God and to use all meanes that their spirits might bee likewise raised by grace that that great blessing of parts and learning might be blessed to them by Gods bestowing upon them this other spirit Oh consider what an opprobrious thing it is to you that God should have more feare honour service from men of lower farre meaner weaker abilities That their hearts should close more with the wayes of godlinesse That their hearts should be more enlarged towards God than yours That they should enjoy more heavenly spirituall communion with God than you yea such communion with God as you are altogether unacquainted withall And that at length their soules should be saved and for ever blessed when yours shall be cast out as filth and an everlasting abhorring from the presence of the Lord What a grievous thing will it be to you when it shall appeare that your parts shall serve for no other and than to enlarge your soules to be more capable of the wrath of God than other men for be you assured that none are so filled with Gods wrath as knowing men It was the grievous complaint of S. Austin in his time The unlearned sayes he rise up and take heaven by force and we with all our learning are thrust down into hell It is a speech well knowne to Scholers of how great use might it be if God did settle it upon their hearts And S. Bernard hath a speech somewhat to the like purpose Let the wise of the world sayes he who minde high things and yet feeding upon the earth let them with their wisdome goe downe into hell And Luther hath a notable story which may be very usefull for this purpose It is in his writings upon the fourth Commandement which he makes the third It is to shew how the holinesse of the spirits of meane and unlearned men shall confound great understanding learned men where there is not the like godlinesse In the time of the Councel of Constance he tells us There were two Cardinalls riding to the Councell and in their journey they saw a shepherd in the field weeping one of them pitying him sayes that he could not passe by but he must needs go to yonder man and comfort him and comming neare to him hee asked him why he wept he was loath to tell him at first but being urged he told him saying I looking upon this Toad considered that I had never praised God as I ought for making mee such an excellent creature as a man comely and reasonable I have not blessed him that hee made not me such a deformed Toad as this When the Cardinall heard this hee was struck with it considering that hee had received greater mercies than this poore man and he was so struck as hee fell downe presently dead from his Mule his servants lifting him up and bringing him to the Citie hee came to life againe and then cried out Oh Saint Austine how truely didst thou say The unlearned rise and they take heaven and we with all our learning wallow in flesh and bloud You therefore whom God hath honoured with excellent parts that you may not be thus confounded another day before the Lord and his blessed Angels and Saints bee you restlesse in your spirits till you finde God hath added a further beautie to them even the beautie of holinesse the sanctifying graces of his Holy Spirit that may make you lovely in his eyes truely honourable before him and for ever blessed of him Take heed you rest not either in gifts of learning or in gifts of moralitie the gifts of moralitie are yet a further ornament to mens spirits but yet they come short of those divine excellencies of spirit that will make it blessed for ever Wee reade of many who were very eminent in morall excellencies and yet altogether strangers from the life of grace As for example Iosephus lib. 15. c. 8. reports of Herod the King that which would make one thinke hee was raised to very high morall excellencies once making a speech to his Army amongst other passages he hath this Perhaps some men will say that right and equitie is on our side but that the greater number of men and meanes are with the other but this their speech is unworthy of my followers for with those with whom justice is with those also God is and where God is
in the worke of grace is a perfect beauty and comlinesse Ezech. 16. 14. There is no grace wanting there is all true spirituall blessings Ephes 1. 3. Blessed bee God who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings so the words are in your bookes but in the Originall blessings is in the singular number with all spirituall blessing there is all and yet but one blessing to note that spirituall blessings are so knit together that they all make up but one blessing and therefore where there is one truely there none can be wanting there is such grace as in the growth of it it springs up to eternall life There is such a perfection as wants onely the ripening and it would bee the same with the life in heaven but where there wants any essentiall part though it bee ripened never so much let it grow up never so fast it will never come to be perfect Thus if there be any worke of grace wanting if there be any defect in the principle though that that be there grow up never so fast yet it would never attain unto eternall life Therefore in the work of sanctification where it is true though it bee never so weake yet there is this perfection that there are all graces in it but where there is onely a sweet nature where there is onely some morall worke upon the spirit there are onely some particular excellencies The most Morall man that ever lived hath had some way of evill that his spirit hath run out unto 4 Where there are true spirituall excellencies there is an impulse of heart a strong bent of spirit in following after the Lord there is such a powerfull impression of divine truths upon the soule as presses it on with strength in Gods wayes so that it cannot easily bee hindered as the Propher saith Esay 8 11. That the Lord spake to him with a strong hand that he should not walke in the way of the people such a spirit hath not onely some desires and some wishes to that which is good but goes on bound in the spirit as S. Paul sayes of himselfe The love of Christ constraines him there is a power of godlinesse where it is true When Eliah had cast his Mantle upon Elisha the spirit of Elisha was prest to follow him 1 King 19. 19 20. so that when Elisha desired leave of him to goe to his father and mother to take his leave of them and said that then he would follow him Eliah answershim What have I done to thee Eliah indeed did nothing in outward appearance to draw him after him for what was the casting of his Mantle upon him to worke such an effect in him but together with the casting of his Mantle there went a spirit into Eliah that hee could not but follow him Such a powerfull worke is there in the sanctifying graces of Gods Spirit as with strength to cause the soule to follow him there is a law of the minde that hath power and command in it as before there was a law of sinne But where there are onely sweet natures there men are easily drawne one way and as easily drawn the other way they joyne with those that are good in good actions but their hearts are not so set on that they doe but that they may bee easily taken off and carried another way Fifthly where there are onely moral principles there the soule sees not into is not sensible of turnes not from the evill of sinne as the greatest evill it sees not such evill in it as to make it subscribe to the righteousnesse of God in all those dreadfull things that are threatned against it but thinkes they are too hard Surely God is not so severe a God God forbid things should bee so as those wee read of in the Gospell When Christ spake that Parable concerning those who smote the servants of the Lord of the Vineyard Luke 20. 16. and told them that the Lord should come destroy those Husbandmen and give his Vineyard to others It is said When they heard that they said God forbid So many when they heare the dreadfull wrath of God denounced against sinne they say God forbid they thinke indeed that sinne ought not to bee committed but they doe not thinke it so great an evill as to procure so great miseries but if their spirits were right they would apprehend sinne as opposite to an infinite good and so having a kind of infinitenesse of evill in it they would not onely yeeld to the Justice of God revealed but acknowledge that there are greater and more fearefull miseries due to it than can be conceived yea they would see cause that if God should bring those evils upon them for their sinne that there is infinite equitie that they should lay their hands upon their mouthes and take shame to themselves and acknowledge the Lord to bee righteous for ever Sixthly where there are onely naturall and morall excellencies they do not raise the soule to a love of the strictest wayes of God they thinke of accuratenesse and exactnesse in Gods wayes to be but nicenesse and too much precisenesse luke-warmenesse is the onely temper sutable to them they thinke wisedome consists in the remission of godlines not in the improvement of it what is beyond their temper they judge as weaknes and folly and it must needs bee that morall men must have such thoughts of the strictnesse of the wayes of God because that good they have is such as arises from the principles of naturall reason and makes a naturall good its end and therefore all their vertue and goodnes must be such as must not stretch nature but must be subserviet to that naturall good they frame to themselves Now the observing of some Rules and Duties of Religion will suite well with this and so farre they approve and like well of Religion and here they sticke and thinke any thing that is further than this is folly and more than needs The worke of godlinesse in the power of it must needs be distastefull to them because it seekes to empty a man of himself to cause him to deny himselfe to fetch all from principles beyond himselfe to be for a higher good than himselfe is which is an infinite good and therefore if it were possible it would work infinitely towards it but howsoever it will set no limits to it selfe Seventhly where there is onely nature or morality there is no sense of the breathings of Gods Spirit in his Ordinances the Ordinances are dead and flat things to them a meere morall man can like well enough of presenting himselfe in the Ordinances but he feeles no vertue in them no impression that they worke upon him that abides on his spirit after the Ordinances are done he knowes not what it is to enjoy God in them he knowes not what it is to stirre up himselfe to take hold on God in the exercise of them those excellencies that hee hath
where he had much gold a Lord came to him and wished him to go to his Chamber and not lie there his answer was I am well where I am so long as I can tarry for I am neare unto my friends meaning his Coffers and his gold What drossie corporall soules have such men The Gadarens drove Christ out of their Country they esteemed their Swine above a Saviour Demas embraceth the present world Ananias and Saphyra reserve a portion for themselves such spirits ever have been and will be in the world Spirits they are as much beneath common reason as those mentioned in this work are above it It is choyce not common spirits that will honour God in stormy times Had not a choyce and excellent spirit been in Nehemiah the plots and practices of enemies would have daunted him but take a view of his spirit Should such a man as I am flee and who is there that being as I am would go into the Temple to save his life I will not go in He had a good cause a good conscience a good God which advanced his spirit to such resolvednesse that hee would not take Sanctuary and disparage either of them by his feare or faint-heartednesse wheÌ„ he saw the Sabbath prophaned he hid not his eyes from it but contended with the Nobles about it What Divine spirits were in the three Children Could Nebuchanezars greatnesse mandates threats of the fiery Fornace force their spirits to false worship Be it known unto thee O King that we will not serve thy gods Here they did obediently disobey knowing that nothing pleases God but what hee hath commanded in his Word they would not deliberate in this case Wee are not carefull to answer thee say they When any enticements come to draw us from the pure worship of God wee should stop our eares charme the Charmers never so wisely Charles the Emperour and two great persons in this Kingdome solliciting King Edward the sixt to allow his sister the Lady Mary to have â—â—asse would not listen but bade them be conceâ—â—t for he would spend his life and all he had rather than agree and grant to that hee knew certainly to be against the truth the suit being yet pressed he brust out into bitter weeping and sobbing desiring them to desist The motioners seeing his zeale and constancy wept as fast as he and told one he had more Divinity in his little finger than they had in all their bodies What a choyce spirit was in that young Lord Harrington who was a man of prayer he prayed twice a day in secret twice with his servants in his chamber and joyned at appointed times with the family in prayer he would never be idle but alwaies well if not religiously imployed he meditated on 4. or 5. Sermons every day retaining five or six in his memory alwayes he kept an exact account of his life every day very conscientious of honouring God to purpose in publike and private on the Lords day he would repeat both the Sermons with his servants before supper and write them down in his night booke before hee slept and on the morning of that day he would as he made him ready repeat those Sermons hee had heard the Lords day before and for the Sacrament he received it very frequently and alwayes fasted the Saturday before spending the whole day in examination prayer and humbling himselfe that so he might be fitted to feast with Christ he gave away the tenth of his estate unto the poore pious uses besides his occasionall charity when he was abroad Here was a choyce spirit beautified with variety of graces not unfit for great mean to propound for their pattern Daniel in Babylon would not defile himselfe with the portion of the Kings meat nor with the wine which he dranke hee had rather eat pulse than defile his conscience When the writing was signed the Lions den threatned did he mussle up his Religion and shrink up his spirit he would not shut up his window nor diminish his prayers but thrice a day prayed and gave thankes unto his God as he did afore time here was a spirit for God and his wayes and not for the times Happily some temporizing politician will charge Daniel of indiscretion no it was the excellency of his spirit that in case of danger and that of life he would not separate external profession from inward faith when God should lose by it And what dost thou charge him with indiscretion whom the Scripture commends for his wisdome It was a proverbiall speech Wiser than Daniel Ezek. 32. 3. and his heart did not accuse him for that indiscretion when he was in the Lions den for he saith Innocency was found in him he was not ashamed of his godlinesse that had raised him and hee would maintaine the honour of it Such spirits have true excellency in them are not shie of the wayes or servants of God when the flouds of iniquity overflow threaten to beare down all Fearefulnesse to appeare in Gods cause is a part of the old man when God puts into his another a new spirit that wasts thy fearefulnes the more thou hast of Gods Spirit the more thy old timorous cowardly spirit is abated Mat. 9. 16. That is put in to fill up takes from the garment and when grace fils up a man it takes away from the old man the old basenesse feare and dastardlinesse in the cause of God and a holy undaunted resolution is begotteÌ„ in thee to justifie wisdom although thou daÌ„nifie thy self According to the fulnesse of mens spirits are their carriages with more or lesse confidence in their undertakings If Satan have filled the heart men will boldly serve him Acts 5. 3. Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie unto the Holy Ghost Satan had filled his heart and therefore he feared not to lie unto God himselfe Dieu saith upon the place Implere cor alterius est audacem eum reddere he cites that place Hest 7. 5. Quis hic est qui implevit cor suum ad faciendum sic Who is he that hath filled his heart in our Translations That durst presume in his heart to doe so Hamans heart was filled with malice and that made him bold to attempt the destruction of all the Jewes And where godlinesse fils the heart there will be as venturous bold attempts for God Paul being filled with the Holy Ghost set his eyes on Elymas and so thundred and lightned against him that presently his proud malitious spirit was blasted When the heart of a man is filled with divine truths it is not the presence of men in highest place can daunt it Elisha had a double portion of the spirit of Elijah and did the greatnesse or wickednesse of Iehoram daunt him There appeared a Deity in his very speech and spirit 2 Kings 3. 14. As the Lord of Hosts liveth before whom I stand surely were it
as well as Caleb 1 Some thinke that Ioshuah at the first did conceale himselfe although after hee did declare himselfe fully but certainly this had been a very great sinne of his to conceale himselfe in such a Cause of God to have stood as Neuter for the saving himselfe hee would not have passed without some signification of Gods displeasure against him for this But Verse 30. God promises Ioshua that hee shall enter into the Land together with Caleb Others therefore thinke that at the first Caleb was the more forward of the two in speaking because hee was of the more honourable Tribe one of the chiefe of the Tribe of Iudah and Ioshua was of Ephraim And besides Ioshua being Moses Minister to attend on him it might bee the more suspected that he might speake to gratifie Moses against whom the people now murmured because of the straits they were brought into by him And besides others thinke that Moses here relates this by Ioshua That Ioshua was used in the penning of this relation and therefore the lesse is said concerning Ioshua Another spirit The spirits of the rest were base and cowardly poore dead unworthy spirits but hee had another spirit went not that way There is a strange conceit some of the Jewish Interpreters have of this other spirit that is say they Caleb and Ioshua when they were in the Land and in their journey they said as the rest of the Spies did and concealed their purpose of declaring any other opinion they had of the Land than the others had and this they did for feare of their lives but when they came before Moses and the children of Israel then they had another spirit and spake plainly what they thought Many such chaffy interpretations of Scriptute wee finde amongst them God having given them over to the spirit of blindnesse Hee sollowed me fully The words are Hee fufilled to follow mee Nothing could take him off from mee what ever therefore becomes of the rest hee shall possesse the Land and his seed with him I intend only to handle the two latter commendations of Caleb First that hee was a man of another spirit Secondly that hee followed God fully And herein first severally secondly in the reference of the one to the other For the first the Point is It is the excellency of godly men to be men of other spirits of choice spirits differing from the common spirits of the world 1 Cor. 2. 12. We have not received the spirit of the world sayes the Apostle but the spirit which is of God There is a great deale of difference betweene our spirits and the common spirits of the world There is a vile spirit ruling in the world As Eph. 2. 2. A spirit that workes strongly and actively in the children of disohedience But of the godly it may be said as it was of Daniel Chap. 6. 3. An excellent spirit was found in him so surely an excellent spirit is found in them Herein first what this other spirit is Secondly wherein the excellency of it lies Thirdly apply it For the first it is first a spirit that hath other principles a better principled spirit than the spirit of the world The spirits of worldly men have base corrupt principles by which they judge of things by which they are led according to which they favour rellish whatsoever is propounded to them The vilenesse and power of these appeares in the wayes of the world but the spirits of the godly are acted by Divine heavenly holy principles that carry them to God to divine and heavenly things they carry them by a kind of naturall instinct the frame of their spirits is so principled that by as it were a naturall instinct naturall I mean the new nature they savour of spirituall and heavenly things their hearts worke after them cloze with them unite themselves to them finde much sweet and contentment in them are fastned and setled unto them What is the reason the same truths propounded set before divers spirits whose naturall parts are equall one sees much excellency in them receives them rellishes them the other looks on them as mean and foolish things wonders what men see and finde in them they are unsavory to them their hearts turne away from them This is from their divers principles Where the spirit is well principled it is carryed on sweetly and strongly in Gods wayes though the naturall parts bee weake though obiections against them many pretences for evill wayes fayre yet these divine principles are as a pondus a waight upon these spirits that carries on the soule still towards God when all is said that can bee against Gods wayes and for sinnefull wayes it will it cannot but hold the conclusion Surely Gods wayes are good As that blessed Martyr said I cannot dispute for the truth but I can dye for the truth These principles cause if not a disputative knowledge yet a savory knowledge Perswade a man by most subtill arguments eloquent orations that what he tasts sweet is bitter perhaps he cannot answer all you say but yet hee knowes the thing is sweet So the Spirit principled right with grace having the savour of the knowledge as the Apostle speakes though many subtill wiles of Satan and cloquent perswasions from the wisdome of the flesh be brought to perswade to the contrary yet still it sayes It is good to walke in the wayes of godlinesse Every life hath principles according to the nature of it receiving to it selfe things sutable or turning from things disagreeable to it the vegetative life according to the nature of it so the sensitive and the rationall life and the life of grace according to it Most mens spirits are led by the principles of a sensitive life few live so high as rationall principles reach to There is a death of the soule in this respect onely God puts in by a common worke of his Spirit some common notions which appeare in some which give but a glimmering light and are very weake but where the life of grace is in any soule there are principles of an higher nature full of light and beauty carrying the soule to high spirituall supernaturall things for the attaining to and injoyment of the highest good Other creatures under the rationall are made for the enjoyment of no higher good than is within the cōpasse of their owne natures therfore their principles are onely to receive in such good things as are sutable to those natures and in them they rest satisfied for they are capable of enjoyment of no higher I say they cannot enjoy any higher indeed they are of use to and were made for that end that they might be serviceable to some higher good than themselves but this they enjoy not The destruction of their natures is the highest use that creatures which are above them have of them But the rationall creature was made for a higher good than is within
one riding on with strength in his journey hindred by the barking of whappets at his horse heeles hee rides on and minds them not and as for railings and revilings at the wayes of God by which many are discouraged the spirit of a godly man can shake them off as St. Paul the Viper that hung upon his hand and feele no hurt it beares off many hardships that are like to bee very grievous to flesh and bloud that it is like to meet with which discourages the hearts of many both from beginning to enter upon Gods ways and from continuance in them after some entrance made as the other Spies that were sent with Caleb and Ioshua their hearts fainted they tell of great difficulties are like to bee met with The land indeed is good but there are children of Anak there and walls that reach up to Heaven but this was the brave heroicall spirit of Caleb and Ioshua their spirits were undaunted they would goe up and possesse the Land let what ever could bee stand in their way Thus many have convictiōs of conscience that the wayes of God indeed are good but the great hardships that they are like to suffer in those ways keep them off But a true godly spirit is willing to embrace Religion with all the hard terms annex'd unto it it is a poore meane spirit that must indent with God a forehand If I were sure to hold out to have at last that which I desire then I would venture upon the wayes of godlines but I am afraid it will never be and so sinks and hath no mind to set upon the work But this spirit will set upon the worke with all the hazards as Ester If I perish I perish this was a brave spirit indeed If she had had such a base cowardly spirit as many to think Alas what good shall I do I may hazard my selfe and bring my selfe into trouble but no likelihood of any good will come of it she is content to venture all upon a meere possibility of good To breake thorow armies of difficulties as Davids Worthies shewed the excellency of their spirits in breaking thorow an Hoste to gratifie their Lord. If the Worthies of God in former times had stood upon every difficulty what had been done in Gods cause No this spirit sets upon that which God cals it to doth what it can and leaves it self and the issue of its work to God as Ioab 2 Sam. 10. 12. Let us play the men for our people and for the Cities of our God and the Lord do that which seemeth him good It was a brave speech of him that shewed an excellent brave spirit in him A poor low spirit thinks every difficulty an impossibility but this spirit will not easily entertain thoughts of impossibility in services that are noble and worthy of choice spirits it will rather thinke with it selfe Was there never any such thing done before or was there never any thing that had as much difficulty as this in it that was as unlikely as this to come to a good issue and yet was at last accomplished why may not this then be done and so sets about it without any more objectings against it with this resolution Quic quid sieri potuit potest That which hath been done may be done Such a spirit as this is ashamed to see and heare reade what great things have beene done by others and what poor things it hath all this while been imployed in Suetonius reports of Iulius Caesar that seeing Alexanders Statue he fetched a deepe sigh because he at that age had done so little Yea so farre is a true heroicall spirit from being discouraged by difficulties as it s raised by difficulties thus it s said of a true godly man that hee stirres up himselfe against the hypocrite that hee holdes on his way and growes stronger and stronger Iob 17. 8 9. When a difficulty when any opposition or danger comes in Gods wayes now it sees an opportunity offered of shewing so much the more love to Iesus Christ so much the more sincerity and power of grace to bring so much the more honour to God and his cause and in this it rejoyces this was the reason why the Apostles and Martyrs rejoyced so much in their sufferings for Christ When Ignatius felt his flesh and bones begin to bee ground betwixt the teeth of wilde beasts now sayes he I begin to be a Christian When Alexander saw an apparant great danger neare him his spirit workes on this manner Now sayes he here 's a danger fit for the minde of Alexander to encounter withall When David at first heard of being the Kings sonne in law he was troubled at it 1 Sam. 18. 22. But when he knew what a difficult and hazardable service hee was to undertake for it then saies the Text in the 26 Verse It pleased David well to be the Kings sonne in law that which would have discouraged others who would gladly have had the preferment that raised the spirit of David and made him like the offer the better and surely this was not an ordinary common spirit it was the true magnanimity of the spirit of David Tenthly A solid serious spirit other spirits are sleight empty vaine frothy rash spirits which are exceeding great evils in the spirits of men sleightnesse of spirit makes men almost uncapable of any good what ever judge ment the Lord laies upon mee in this world yet the Lord deliver me from a vain sleight frothy spirit how doe the blessed glorious truths of God which are of infinite consequence passe by such and are never minded nothing sticks by them nothing abides with them that may be usefull for their everlasting good but this spirit is put into a serious solid frame it examines the ground of actions compares one thing with another looks much at the issue of things this must needs bee because the feare of the great God and the feare of eternity is fallen upon it Esay 11. 2. These are joyned together the spirit of knowledge wisedome the spirit of counsell and the fear of the Lord it converses so much with serious things of high and infinite consequence that it must needs be put in a serious frame Eleventhy It is an active lively spirit serious but not sullen not heavy dull solid but not stupid 1 Pet. 2. 5. The godly are called lively stones stones because of their solidnesse lively because of their activenesse God is himselfe a pure act and these spirits have some likenesse to him and nearenesse with him the higher things are the more active water more than earth aire more than water fire more than all these spirits are raised to the highest excellencies of any creature in this world They are of quick understanding as Esay 11. 3. And ready prepared to every good work as 2 Tim. 2. 21. The most noble excellent activenesse is from life and the more noble excellent the
meere creatures but the righteousnesse of the Saints is the righteousnesse of that Person which is both God and man 3 The sonneship of the Saints is founded in a higher right then that of the Angels namely in the Sonneship of the second Person in Trinity 4 They are the members of Jesus Christ and so in a nearer union with him then any other creature 5 They are the Spouse of the Lambe whereas the Angels are but ministring spirits as the servants of the Bridegroome but the Saints are the Bride Surely then the mercies reserved for these choice spirits are choice and glorious not onely other mercies then others have or they themselves have now but other mercies then they are able to imagine these therefore wee are to looke upon as most blessed and honourable creatures CAP. VI. A Rebuke to this vile world who have vile conceits of this spirit and abusemen of such excellent spirits IF the spirits of godly men bee thus pretious how vile then is this base world which hath such irrationall absurd conceits of this spirit and which so scornes and abuses men of such excellent spirits There are two branches of this use In the first the vile conceits that men of this world have of this spirit are rebuked For 1 they thinke godlinesse befooles men 2 They thinke it makes them cowards to bee men of no metall and valour poore spirited men 3 They thinke this spirit to bee a turbulent spirit as Ahab said of Elijah Art thou hee that troubles Irael Luther was called the trumpet of rebellion 4 And lastly They thinke them to be factious spirits For the first of these What more ordinary than to cast this aspersion upon Godlinesse that it makes men to be dull heavie stupid fooles not sit for the great and high things of the world and therefore they labour to stifle any beginnings of godlinesse in their children or in any neare to them for feare it should â—inder their parts and take away the quicknesse of their wits and bravenesse of their spirits Except you think that to be the only bravenesse of spirit to venture upon any thing that may further your owne ends not to feare sinne nor the displeasure of an infinite God to let out your hearts to the utmost to the satisfying your owne desires to examine nothing by rule but to doe whatsoever is good in your owne eyes to rejoyce in the wayes of sin and to blesse your selfe in the proud swellings of your owne heart to be able to scorne at conscience humiliation for sinne strictnesse in Gods wayes as too meane a thing for men of such qualitie of such birth as you are of such estates hopes preferments and designes as you have things fitter for poor snakes meaner people contemptible silly soules to looke after If this be the excellency of your spirits then godlinesse debases them indeed yea it debases them as low as hell it selfe it casts shame in the faces of and breaks in pieces such haughty swoln spirits as these are it brings them down to lie at Gods feet as poore contemptible creatures in their own eyes loathing and abhorring themselves as there is infinite cause they should and judging themselves worthy to bee destroyed but as for any true naturall excellency of spirit godlinesse doth not quench it but raises it and beautifies it and perfects it It is either grosse ignorance or desperate malice that causes these conceits of the worke of godlinesse in the spirits of men yea there is much blasphemy in them What shall the worke of Gods grace wherein the glory of God consists which is the life of God the Image of God the Divine Nature as hath been shewne shall it be the debasing the besotting the befooling of mens spirits What doth holinesse that makes God glorious make man contemptible and vile doth that which makes God so honourable in the eies of the blessed Angels and Saints make man a sott and a foole in the eyes of men Oh! that ever there should bee such malice in the hearts of men against the grace of God ever to have such vile conceits of it pray if it be possible that this thought of thy hart may be forgiven thee Did not malice blind men they might see that the Lord hath had and still hath some of his Saints as emineÌ„t in any outward true excellency as any in the world as great Schollers as brave Courtiers as any living as deepe in policie as profound in learning as compleat every way as any whosoever Who more eminent in learning than Moses who was learned in all the learning of the Aegyptians who ever had a higher straine of eloquence than Esay who ever more profound than S. Paul And in later times yea even in our dayes the Church hath not wanted worthy and glorious lights who have beene exceedingly eminent in all that naturall excellency could make them even their enemies being Judges What braver Courtiers ever lived than Ioseph Nehemiah and Daniel Could godlinesse in the power and life of it in the strictnesse of it stand with bravenesse of spirit naturall excellencies then and can it not do so now Though God choseth oft-times the poore in the world to bee rich in faith the foolish things in the world to confound the wise and weake things of the world to confound the strong and base things and things despised c. 1 Cor. 1. 26 27. Yet when men are godly their parts are not by their godlines debased but raised many poore weake men who before were of mean naturall abilities yet put them now upon spirituall things and what strength of parts doe they shew in prayer in conference about the mysteries of God in discerning the subtilities and wiles of Satan in finding out the corruptions of their owne hearts in wisely ordering their affaires for God and the furtherance of their owne eternall good Wise in the right choice of the highest end and prudent in the right disposing of the best meanes tending thereunto These things are not the works of fooles of poore silly simple men they require quicknesse of understanding depth of judgement There are five reasons why godlines must needs raise a mans parts 1 Because it purges from many lusts that darken and besot men in their parts 2 It imployes men in conversing with high spirituall and heavenly things 3 It makes men serious and so strengthens their judgements in the apprehension of things 4 It makes men make conscience to improve their time in the use of all meanes and helps they can to enable and fit themselves for service Fifthly it causeth to imploy their parts faithfully and so they come to have the blessing of God upon them for the encrease of them according to his promise To him that hath it shall bee given Againe Godlinesse doth not make men cowards surely it hinders not spirituall valour who ever were greater souldiers more eminent in true valour and fortitude then Ioshua
is reported of Nero who proved the very Monster of men for wickednesse yet in the first five yeares of his reigne he behaved himselfe exceeding well so that it was used as a Proverbe to expresse the good beginnings of men Neroes five first yeares So Caligula who proved afterwards exceedingly wicked yet Iosephus reports of him that when he was young he travelled very diligently in good disciplines hee was of a sweet conversation and modest and he governed the Empire the first two yeares of his raigne with most noble directions behaving himselfe graciously towards all men yea Iulian himselfe who proved such a cursed Apostate yet when hee was young was very forward and hopefull he was a publick Reader of holy Scriptures in the Church he seemed to glory in nothing more than in Religion he was of a very temperate dyer content with meane food without much preparation hee used to lie hard in meane bedding to watch much a nights spend his time in study hee was very chaste cleare from the least suspition of lust those Officers that were about him that served for nothing but to maintaine delicacy and luxury hee banished from him hee tooke no delight in publike shewes when hee came to them hee came rather of necessity than for any pleasure hee tooke in them hee saith of himselfe that when he was on the Theater he was more like a derester of their Playes than a spectator of them and was present at them with trouble and disdaine and was joyfull when hee went from them hee loved learning exceeding much hearing of a Philosopher that came to him out of Asia he leaps out of the doore and goes to meet him and kisses him and entertains him with much honour In an Epist of his to one Eodicius a Governour of Egypt he hath this notable expression Some saith he delight in horses others in birds others in beasts but I from my very childhood have burnt with desire after books He had an honorable esteeme of mans soule looking upon the body as vile in comparison of it There is this notable expression reported of him concerning this It is a shamefull thing for any wise man seeing he hath a soule to seeke for praises from any thing that belongs to his body Hee seemed to have much uprightnesse in the course of Justice he would not condemne upon accusations without proofe there is this expression of his concerning this reported of him when one Delphidius accused one before him of a crime of which he could not bring sufficient proofe the party accused denyed the fact this Delphidius answers If it be sufficient to deny that which is laid to ones charge who shall be found guilty Then Iulian answers And if it be sufficient to be accused who can be innocent Many other notable things are reported of him but these I have related more fully because in this example we may see how farre a man may goe in much seeming good what hopefull beginnings he may have and yet what a vile cursed Monster he may prove if he lookes not to it Let none then rest themselves in their good beginnings but as they have made entrance upon this work in following the Lord so let them labour to fill it up as for those who heretofore have seemed to be forward and hopefull while they lived in good families and under the care and watchfull eye of able and godly men and yet have now forsaken the Lord and his wayes let such I say know that it is an evill and a bitter thing to forsake the blessed God to turne from him to follow after vanities that cannot profit so great an evill is it that God himselfe cals the heavens to be astonished at this Ier. 2. 12 13. Be astonished O ye heavens at this and be horribly afraid be ye very desolate saith the Lord For my people have committed two evils they have forsaken me the Fountaine of living waters and hewed them out Cisternes broken Cisternes that can hold no water The evill of this forsaking the Lord were great if this were all First that all your labour in Religion that all that you have done is lost In Hosea 8. 2. Israel shall cry to me My God we know thee but verse 3. Israel hath cast off the thing that is good therfore verse 7. it is said that They have sown the wind and shall reape the whirlewind It is but a sowing to the wind to follow God in some things and not to hold on in our way In the 2 Epist of St. Iohn and the 8. verse Look to your selves saith S. Iohn that wee lose not those things that wee have wrought It is an evill thing to lose all that wee have wrought for but this is not all Secondly if you leave off from following the Lord all the good that ever you have done and made profession of shall serve only to aggravate your sinne and encrease your torment Thirdly this leaving off from following the Lord is a great dishonor to God and his ways an upbraiding of them as if they were not good enough to draw the heart constantly after them as if there were not that in them that they make shew for Hence the Lord pleads with his people Ierem. 2. 5. who had forsaken him What iniquity have your Fathers found in me that they are gone farre from mee and have walked after vanity As if he should have said The world may thinke my ways are unequall men may thinke that I have not shewne my selfe a God ready to doe good and to reward those who follow me The forsaking of the truth the profession whereof wee have once taken up it is to put Christ to open shame Heb. 6. 6. Fourthly such men as these doe much mischiefe in the world they are grievous scandals they make the good wayes of God to be evill spoken of they harden mens hearts against them and the profession of them many in hell curse them as the cause of their ruin if a man were borne to doe mischiefe he could not doe greater any way than this So much hurt is done by them they cause such blemishes such sports to be upon the profession of godlinesse as we should be glad if we could wash them off with our dearest heart-blood and account it well bestowed but woe be to them by whom these offences come The greatest part of all the scorne contempt of and opposition against the wayes of God and godly men shall be charged upon these men as the causers of it for were it not for such as these wicked men could not tell what to say for themselves in their opposition of those wayes of godlinesse which in themselves are so equall and good and blessed woe be to them by whom such offences come Fifthly These men shall have their spirits filled with horrour they did not fill up their work in following the Lord but God and conscience
the converse that Jesus Christ hath with the soules of his people is compared to that converse that friends have one with another in their walkings together in their galleries Cant. 7. 5. The King is held in the galleries hee doth not only walk with his Beloved there but is as it were bound he is kept there by the bands of love and when death comes then the soule is called up to the upper roome to heaven there to follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth Wee reade of a notable speech that Hilarion had when hee was to die Goe out goe out my soule why dost thou feare why dost thou doubt almost these seventy yeares hast thou served Christ and dost thou now feare death And if the end of our way at death hath so much good in it how much good will there be in the end of our way that we shall enjoy when we come to heaven As the consideration of the full reward in heaven was made use of before as an encouragement to those who doe fully follow the Lord so now wee make use of it as a strong motive to draw up our hearts to the full following after him It was S. Pauls motive to the Corinthians 1 Epistle 15. 58. perswading them to hee stedfast unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as they knew that their labour was not in vaine in the Lord. We doe not follow after shadowes and phancies in following the Lord but wee seek for glory honour immortality wee follow after an incorruptible crowne a glorious kingdome an eternall inheritance the glory of heaven the treasures of the riches of God himselfe are set before us to draw up our hearts fully to him It was the argument that S. Paul used to worke upon his owne spirit withall Phil. 3. 14. I presse toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus How full is the worke of many mens spirits in their working after some poore little scant good in this world whereas if they had all the world they had but an empty husk in comparison of that glory that is set before us They pant after the very dust what cause is there then that our hearts should pant in the strong workings of them after those high and glorious things that are reserved in heaven for us It was the goodnes of the land of Canaan that was a strong motive to draw Caleb and Ioshuahs heart fully after the Lord through many difficulties Canaan was but a darke Type of the glory of Heaven which God hath promised to reward the full followers of himselfe withall It was once a speech of Anselme If a man should serve God zealously here a thousand yeares yet should hee not thereby deservedly merit to bee one halfe day in heaven Let us bee as forward let our hearts bee as strong and zealous in Gods wayes as possibly they can be yet I may say as Abigail did to David in that particular case it shall not repent my Lord when he comes into his Kingdome so it shal never repent you of any thing that ever you have done for the Lord when you come into your Kingdome But if it were possible there could be sorrow in heaven you would be sorry that you did no more It was a speech of one Gordius a Martyr that the threats of his enemies were but as seedes from which he should reape immortality and eternal joyes so all the hardship and troubles that we meet with all in our way here in following the Lord are but increasers of that glory that is to be revealed why then should any thing hinder us or stop us in our way And thus I passe to the second thing propounded in this Use namely to shew what are the Causes that hinder men from following the Lord fully and they are five especially which I shall but name First low apprehensions that men have of God they see not God in his glory in his greatnesse surely they know not God and therefore it is that their hearts work so poorly after him Ier. 9. 3. They are not valiant for the truth upon the earth and what is the reason For they know not me saith the Lord. As if he should say Did they know me certainly they would be valiant for my trruth They that know thy Name saith the Psalmist Psal 9. 10. they will put their trust in thee so they that know Gods Name will love him will feare him will be zealous for will fully follow after him The knowledge of all truthes concerning Heaven and hell ven and hell or any other thing that can bee knowne can never raise can never inlarge the hearts of men so after the Lord as the knowledge of God himselfe and therefore where God is little knowne no marvell though he be so little followed Secondly unsound beginnings in the profession of Religion are the cause why men doe not fully follow after the Lord their hearts are not throughly broken not deepely humbled the truths of God not deeply rooted at first their soules not well principled the foundation not well laid If men be not well principled at first in their entrance into the wayes of God they are like to prove but shufflers and bunglers in Religion all their dayes If cloth bee not wrought well at the first though it shews faire in the Loome yet it will shrinke when it comes to wetting the cause why many doe so shrinke in the wetting when they come to suffer any thing in the wayes of Religion it is because their hearts were not well wrought at first A third cause is the strength of ingagements their hearts are so wrapped in them so glued to them as it is exceeding painfull to get them loosened from them they are so near and deare to a corrupt heart As it is said of Esau hee looked on the Pottage and it was so red so they looke upon their ingagements and they are so full of content it is so grievous to be taken off from them that they rather suffer their hearts to bee taken off from God himselfe when engagements have taken possession of the heart then how hard is it to work any thing upon the judgements of men it is hard to get the minde to view the truths of God to get it to search into them to consider of them it is ready to close with the least objection against them to catch hold of the least advantage to cast them off and if truths bee so cleare as a man cannot but see them as conscience for the present is over-powred with them yet if the heart bee not taken off from ingagements it will fetch about againe to see if something may not bee gotten against those truths to breake the strength of them but where the heart is taken off from ingagements how easily do the truths prevaile how soone is the heart brought fully to close with them 2 Sam. 22. 33.