the new life we ascribe glory to him for our Election for our Iustification for our Regeneration which are the maine works of our saluation and are the ioynt-workes of the vndiuided Trinitie But yet we can follow this truth no farder then it goes before vs. Therfore when we come to regeneration there must we stop and looke no further for saluation for therein is our saluation accomplished and all the parts thereof perfected If after we will goe on to workes as to further causes of our saluation we goe beyond the truth being past the God-head and come vnto man For though it may be said that God worketh these workes in man yet man ioyneth therein with God Now the saluation of man is deriued into man from God alone and is then absolute and full in parts whē Election Iustification and Regeneration the absolute and only workes of the Trinity haue wrought vpon him For regeneration hauing put into man the seede of God which is the seede of life Man is then translated from death to life and hauing begotten him the Sonne of God hee is then the heire of promised glory and eternitie Indeed works comming after the state and right of life and glorie their goodnesse as it comes from God so it shall be rewarded by God increasing the degrees of that glory wherein before we had an vndeniable property and title Therefore works adde not a new part of saluation but only increase the issues and fruit of a part formerly possessed Accordingly doth the Diuine song of that rauished soule orderly declare Gods sauing of vs from our enemies to goe before our seruing of God in holinesse all the daies of our life So workes themselues are placed as fruits of our saluation and therefore the glory giuen to workes is but as the fruite of the fruite of saluation But why then shall it be said Come yee blessed for ye fed mee and blessed are they that keepe the commandements that their right may bee in the tree of Life So that good works seeme to iustifie and saue in the day of iudgement Herein comparisons may inlighten though not prooue If a man haue a wife of a suspected life whose many children when the dying husband calleth before him hee saith to those that liuely represent him Come to mee the true sonnes of Mee your Father you truely resemble mee therefore to you shall bee giuen the inheritance of your Father Here for their countenance and proportion is the inheritance adiudged to them yet is it not for that indeed giuen them but because thereby they are iudged to be sonnes for which Son-ship the inheritance is verily giuen them So doth God in his great iudgement he will iudge men to bee his sonnes by their good workes it being impossible that good works can come from any cause but Regeneration and for the regenerate sonnes was the kingdome of glorie long agone prepared euen by that election which was before the world So the word For doth not still imply the cause it selfe but sometimes an inseparable signe annexed to the cause as if it should be said My sonnes are heires of my kingdome those which are my sonnes and they only bring forth the works of loue these workes haue I seene in you therefore do I acknowledge you to bee my sonnes enter into your Fathers ioy 28 There are two things without in the word which witnesse it to bee excellent aboue nature A supernaturall truth and a supernaturall holinesse There are also two supernaturall things within a Christian which ioyne their inward witnessing to the outward A supernaturall inlightning to acknowledge and beleeue this truth and a supernaturall vertue changing the will into a conformity with this holinesse So in the mouth of many witnesses standeth firme the truth of diuine truth 29 Man and the earth are growne wilde by the fall of Adam both bring foorth weedes of their owne nature But as the earth is cured by husbandrie good seed so by the regeneration of Christ the chiefe husbandman and the seede of the word man is brought into a fruitfull nature and hath a remedy for the first Adam by the last Blessed be the word which is God and reuerenced and desired be the word of that Word which is of God for of them is our life and health 30 As a man in his first conuersion yeelded himselfe into a generall submission vnto the spirit so must hee doe in euery particular action and then most resolutely when sin tempteth most strongly our selues Wee made our couenant at first for the whole and continually we must performe the parts of the promised whole When we gaue our selues to the spirit of dead branches to be made liuely branches withall inclusiuely we gaue our selues to bring forth the continuall fruite of liuing branches which is done by a continuall sucking of life from the spirit which quickneth vs. Now if we rest contented onely with our first ingrafting though the Almightinesse of him whose seed is immortall and who wil not faile of his end may preserue vs aliue yet do we what wee may to kill our selues and to falsifie our couenant with him who therefore beeing offended will chastise vs with temporall iudgements and desertions and will shew that when hee is angry he is a consuming fire But let the true sonnes keepe neere to their father let them keepe close to his spirit moouing at euery motion of it and filling the wants in their Lampes with the continuall oyle thereof for this spirit is our very life and the witnesse thereof By our generall resignation this life entred and by particular resignation this life increaseth so the more we sow to this spirit the more we shal reape of life eternal Again as a mā in his great main conuersion from a sinner guilty to a sanctified and iustified man goeth ouer himself in general with y t iudgement of the Law whereby finding himselfe a man of death he flieth vnto Christ who baptizeth him from his guilt and sinfulnesse by his Bloud and Spirit giuing both his actuall righteousnes and the spirits habitual righteousnesse so after the committing of euery particular sin we shold go ouer it with a particular iudgment of y e Law wherby acknowledging it to be a worke of death wee should flie to a particular applicatiō of the great Baptisme that so putting away the particular guilt of that sinne by the washing of Christs blood and the particular vncleannesse of that sinne by the washing of Christs Spirit we which before were generally clensed and iustified may also haue a particular and continual clensing and iustification For our inward and outward Baptisme though at once performed is of continual vse and daily wee must haue a recourse thereto to wit by the outward remembring and passing to the inward that the stocke of iustification and sanctification at first imparted may be daily applied and distributed to our particular necessities And thogh being in Christ we
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
that it is sufficient to beleeue the Church there mans minde is perswaded to rest in that beleefe and careth not to beleeue the word for it selfe Such a perswasion fastneth the eye on men and turneth it from the word of light which giueth light to the simple and might and would be seene it selfe Indeede it is an excellent couer for a bad Religion for it keepes men within the pale of securitie since they must aske their teachers only whether their teachers bee deceiued By the same rule may the Alcoran also be established or any the most pestilent Herisie if men must bee bounded by their teachers and not looke beyond their teaching But farre more blessed are they if they be also blessed with thankfulnesse who may looke Diuine truth in the face and loue it for the beauty which themselues behold in it And as men haue happinesse hereby so hath God his glory who scorneth that his word should haue men to giue their word for it It is a word that standeth by it selfe it approoueth it selfe And lest men should say that the former trust helpes the weakenesse of men and not of the word they shold know that God hath taken course himselfe that man should not still continue in such a weaknesse that still might neede such helpe For as he giues the word to shine from without so hee giues his Spirit to shine within that the light of the Spirit might apprehend the light of the word Let vs not therefore forsake this inuincible rocke of Christian religion euen a self-approuing and selfe-establishing authority of the word For as hreby it is strong in it own strength so beareth it selfe vnmoueable against all exception so herein it excelleth all errors and heresies since none of them can stand in their own power Bee this then the priuiledge of the word neuer to be lost 24 There are in man naturally three knowledges of good and euill one of reason which is true as farre as reason guides it Another of instinct imprinted into the nature of man at his creation such a knowledge thinks it good to loue our children to relieue the distressed and thinks the contrarie euill Hereto is ioyned that naturall affection which Paul commends Rom. 1. but in this sometimes is excesse sometimes defect and therfore it must be aduanced or lessened as the measure of reason requires A third is of lust and somtimes called by vs humour which esteemes things good or euill out of some blind affection not for any reason or iust cause So some loue killing and hate mercy some loue trouble and hate quietnes some loue nothing but wealth some vtterly neglect it some thinke fame to be good and honestie foolishnesse This came with the fall and hereof we must take heed in all our actions for this is that darknesse which brings foorth the workes of darknes and leades to eternall darknes 25 The things of the next world are as certaine as these heere for the same word that said Let these be and they were saith also There are such incomprehensible things prepared for them that loue God They are as certainely known by faith as these by sight as truly though not so largely For Moses saw them certainely else perchance for them would he not haue forsaken the certaine pleasures of sin And the Word saith that his faith truly saw God and no one true thing is more true then another Againe the things inuisible are certainly better then the visible for holy men haue euer despised the present for those to come The hart can conceiue temporall things but not eternal and that which is of God is infinitely inferior to God himselfe But what is the reason then that we chuse them not being certainly knowne and farre better The reason is because our station is natural elementarie and grosse and likenesse makes loue onely to like Therefore also the things aboue being supernatural and pure must haue a minde of like temper to loue them There must be a new station a second worke euen stinting and crossing nature Yea wee must haue a minde lifted aboue nature to loue things aboue nature wee must bee raised aboue flesh into an heauenly knowledge to see heauenly truth not sinking with beasts into the low region of seeing touching and tasting Thus lifted vp and made spirituall we shal discerne and approue spirituall things as the naturall man doth the obiects of nature Therefore let vs importune God the Father of this better nature that hee will distill into vs some drops of that heauēly dew which may giue vs heauenly mindes and make vs to loue the things of heauen as much as flesh and blood doth things of earth Surely vntill then the wise Naturalist thinks happinesse folly and then the spirituall man demonstrably seeth and prooueth all present things to bee vaine vanitie Vntil then we are but great children or brute beasts concluded vnder the senses and we then onely are men whē we get the image of God our Father which both knowes him and is knowne of him Such were they whom God made at first such are they whom God now makes againe 26 If euery thing bee desirable according to the benefit thereof then either prosperitie or aduersity may be loued and neither determinately hated or cōdemned For either is very profitable to a man and most commonly aduersitie Let vs therefore cease to despise it in others or impatiently to beare it in our selues since aduersitie hath whipt many to heauen when prosperity hath coached more to hell Let vs leaue off with children onely to desire pleasant things and growne into men in Christ let vs desire wholesome things It is better in good sadnesse to be saued then in good fellowship to be damned 27 The Church truely and rightly calleth God her saluation By God is not one person only meant but the whole three persons For God the Father through his Son by the holy Ghost saueth vs. God the Father principally out of a fundamentall loue elected vs appointed gaue the means by which this election might produce saluation God the Sonne principally did put himselfe into the very work of our saluation and became the maine matter meanes and treasurie thereof God the holy Ghost principally distributeth and imparteth by particular gift and application the saluation which was fore-ordained by the Father and is treasured vp in the Sonne So the whole Trinitie ioyneth together in this our happinesse it being absolutely necessarie toward our saluation that there should be an election and appointment of the meanes an actuall exhibition of the meanes appointed and an actuall application of the meanes exhibited Therefore when wee say we are saued by Christ we meane not that wee are saued by the second person onely and the humane nature vnited to him but with Saint Paul we meane that whole God was in Christ and reconciled the world to himselfe Accordingly in our due thanksgiuings whē we praise God for his gifts toward
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
part of him is alreadie too great a friend to our greatest enemie let vs not adde to this fleshly part a whole body of flesh to increase the griefe and incombrance of the Spirit of God in vs and to increase the force of Satan and of his temptations against vs. But let them that do so know that they seek the ruine of their houses by the same meanes by which they seeke to raise them For though Satan bee a strong man able to keepe a house in peace yet there is a stronger then he who often bindeth this strong man and taketh his house from him or if hee leaue it to him still to bee maintained as indeed hee is allowed to be a kind of a Prince in this world yet miserable is that standing and worse then falling which stands by Satan for there comes a day wherein his principalitie it selfe shall fall and bee ouerthrowne and al that it doth sustaine And in the meane time what a bettering of an house is this to increase the liuing and to corrupt the liuers to grow outwardly in wealth and to decay inwardly in grace and vertue to lose in our selues our posterity y t we may adde to the estate of our selues and our posteritie The true paterne of marriages was the first made by God himselfe and therefore to be imitated by the children of God therin God gaue man a helper fit for him fit she was to help him in spiritual things euen the seruice of God fit to help him in temporal things euē those of this life Such is y e wife described by Salomon fit to do her husbād good al the daies of her life good to his soule good to his body for she feareth the Lord therfore is praised This paterne being followed wee may certainely beleeue that he which allowed and blessed the first will also allow and blesse all those which are like it He will behold such a marriage with pleasure while it is making he will be present at it for his good will was principally sought in it and he will prosper it that men shall haue cause to say Lo thus shall the man bee blessed that feareth the Lord. But because goodnesse in any sexe is ouer rare and it may seeme a hard matter to get one that may fully equall the patterne first remember whose gift a good wife is and seeke to him from whom commeth euery good gift Surely it is to be feared that many haue bestowed themselues ill because they sought not to him who onely could haue bestowed them well or because they sought him more for outward aduantages then for inward graces Secondly if thou hast done this and yet thou findest not that one among a thousand and need so requires that thou must proceed in thy purpose when thou canst not get a burning lamp get thee a smoking flax if not one that is expert and by long custom exercised and vsed to strong meate yet one that desires the sincere milke of the Word to grow thereby Take one that is likely to become a Temple for the holy Ghost and this likelihood find not in thine own presumption but in her disposition That this may be really performed let vs first discerne a mind teachable and willing to learne It is a first and chiefe step toward God to hearken after God Therefore wisedome euer begins her speech with this Heare yee children and incline your eares to wisdome and He that heareth is wise and wil increase in learning Next let her be humble and meek for such a spirit is a fit receptacle for God it is before God a thing much set by and to such God will reueale his secret mysteries Now because man is weake and his affections rob him of his iudgement making him to thinke that partie excellent to whom hee hath an excessiue affectiō Let God bee instantly sought to establish weake and deceiueable man let him be intreated that he wil not be wanting to that which much concerneth his glory and seruice and the good of his seruants And these things thus ordered strong hope may be conceiued that he who heard Abrahams seruant when hee intreated a wife for his Masters sonne will giue such a wife as shee was to the sonnes of Abraham and he who gaue vnto Ruth a mighty man of wealth and one blessed of the Lord because she resolued that the God of Israel should be her God will also giue the like blessing vnto the followers of Ruth But while I sing the Songs of Sion in a strange land the Chaldeās or wizards of this world vnderstand not the language the naturall man perceiueth not the things of God neither can Scripture by any meanes make him leaue a good bargaine Therefore will hee still in spight of heauen marry his land to his neighbors great portion I meane his Son that would perchance bee better then himselfe to his neighbors daughter which perchance will make him if she can worse then the father These exchangers of money by bargaines consummated in the Temple since the Word which forbiddeth the house of God to bee made a denne of theeues cannot driue them thence it may he a whip of cords will And surely in euerie daies experience such a one is laid soundly on many of their backes And therein a twofold cord that breaketh both bones and hearts is especially remarkable One is the often dislike betweene such vnhallowed or at least vnequall parties Religion is the truest and strongest bond of loue where that failes nature is next which is most corrupt Nature delightes in new lusts and so runnes after that which it hath not neglecting what it hath Hence hath that cursed speech issued from one of her followers That hee could loue his wife aboue any other if shee were not his wife making that a reason of hatred which a Christian makes chiefly a reason of loue And when this loathing of the partie possessed hath brought forth the desire of another and that desire obtaining what hart is then great inough to beare the vexing and tormenting thoughts that swell therein by this forsaking if it be the wiues part as most often it is shee still beholdeth with indignation the lothing of her selfe the losse of her right in him for whom she forsooke all others and his giuing of himself away to a stranger These meditations eate vp her heart and then she curseth the time of her marriage and all them that made it When this newes commeth home to the churle her father he doubts at last his daughter is cast away which he might probably haue doubted before and much more profitably for then he could haue holpen it And now when she sitteth as a Nun forsaken of the world breaking her owne heart and somewhat her fathers miserie beateth into them that instruction could not teach them that marriages made without God are wordes not actions since such a woman hath had much money bestowed on her to bee called a
haue bin that they might neuer haue bin spoken of so now it desires to couer with silence But the lay seruants of Satan despight them diuers waies And first they let flie at the very calling it selfe by turning the Ministerie into an ignominy and reproch If a man be a Minister he hath deserued at the next quarrell pickt at him to be cald pild Priest And when this is done it is to be thought hee hath beene cald worse then rescall euen as Paul saith the very scumme of the earth But where liue we the whilest and among what people It is thought among Christians But are they Christians that thus tread downe those messengers of Christ which outwardly by Baptisme make them such Christians as they are and inwardly by the word make better Christians then they are yet Are they Christians that being begotten by spirituall fathers will raile on their fathers that begat them surely it shewes they were neuer truly begotten A Christian honoureth Christ by whom hee beareth y e name of Christiā He honoreth him so that whosoeuer bringeth Christ to him and him to Christ hee honoureth them also Christ himselfe was a Preacher and the founder of the Ministerie if thou then despisest the Ministerie thou despisest the very function of Christ and the institution of Christ yea thou despisest Christ himselfe and then without question thou despisest thy owne saluation Take heed therfore thou run not against this sacred Priesthood of the Gospell for it is rocky and whosoeuer runneth against it breaketh himselfe in pieces It is rockie for Christ the rocke is the foundation of it and what is built on it is rocky as Peter from Petra But some will say They despise not the Ministers for their office but their liues and consequently not the good but the bad Surely as this on the one side preferres a petition to the reuerend Fathers to admit or continue none of scandalous life so otherwise it giues vs this answere that these are y e more mannerly kind of men that so say for there is a number which if they see but a man in black in their brauery come off presently There goes a Priest whereof the meaning is There goes a man of contempt per excellentiam But if thou which excusest despisest onely the men why castest thou a reflex of thy malice on the calling by reuiling him with the name of a Priest as with a reproch VVhat is the chaffe to the wheate Is he euill He can neuer defile that excellent calling though hee may scandall it the euill is from himself not from his Ministerie yea the Ministerie is good though tied to an ill person therefore is not the Ministerie of a good man any way within reproach for the faults of a bad one Let his person beare his faults and not the Ministery which is not the cause of them Let him beare it him selfe and not other righteous men with him which hate his conditions honestly as much as thou dost him maliciously 2. Part. Another notable signe of the contempt of the Ministery is that gentlemē scorne to bestow their sons in that calling If a man haue a means he is too good for God and he is counted mad or base if he will turne Minister But know thou puffe of flesh and bloud whosoeuer thou art that the seruice of God is the end of man and there is no man good inough to deserue imployment in his seruice much lesse to surmount it Thy meanes are giuen thee for helpes and aduancements in his seruice not for discouragements and he that made both them and thee lookes for glory to himself of both and that with al thy might not ease and idlenesse only to thy selfe If thou haue gifts for such a seruice and imployest them not therein thou that wouldest not serue his mercy shalt serue his iustice and the tree that would not beare fruit in his field shall beare the fire in the place of torment Why cumbreth it the ground Hew it downe and cast it into the lake that burneth for euer It is a due and necessarie course for parents concerning their sonnes and sonnes when they come to iudgement concerning themselues to waigh and consider wherein and in what way such sonnes are most fit and able to serue and glorifie their Maker In that way let thē be placed for it is a way of safetie protection blessednesse Any way besides that is a way of dragons it is the broadway and leadeth to destruction If this were obserued God should haue the due vse of his own creatures Many Alehouses play-houses yea many Gibbets would be emptie that now are filled mechanicall soules should not so oft become Ministers and excellent able soules wold not so oft turne Lawyers merchants yea earth wormes and Priests of Mammō Yet blessed be God y t hath not giuē al times places ouer to this high Treason Infidelity for euē nobles who now too much behold this profession a far of haue ennobled thēselues by seruing a greater King thē any they here serue yea crouch and creepe to serue Gentlemen of great possessions whereof yet France is not without example haue honoured God with their substance imployed it in the Ambassage of the most High And no maruaile for if we plainly knew saw what a glorious King our god is what a pretious thing a soule is what the truth not the name of Christiā were we should account it a high dignitie to be imployed by God in his busines a great gaine to turne one soule to righteousnes a right ready natural duty of a true Christiā to resigne himselfe ouer wholly to Christ to be bestowed by him in any function since he is his by couenāt redēptiō marke not his own any longer Be it therefore a law for euer to the vpright of heart that a good Minister is an honourable man being an Ambassadour of Christ a successor of Christ a factor for the King of heauen to returne soules the most pretious Iewels into his kingdome of glory and howsoeuer they are here couered with cōtemt they shall breake out in the daies of glory shining like the Sunne as hauing turned many soules to righteousnesse But that honour may continue safe to the Ministerie God perswade them to bestow that labour in the word and doctrine which deserueth double honour to liue as those that adorne the Gospell of Christ and themselues to bee humble rather receiuing honour then snatching at it For honour is best deserued when it is least intended to seeke our owne glory is no glory and to honour our selues is no true honour 3. Part. Another new engine of Satan is the impouerishing of the Ministery The diuell knowes that the Minister hath a bodie which must bee maintained by bodily sustenance and where this sustenance is not there cannot the Minister continue Heretofore when diuinitie was inspired not studied an Apostle though his spirituall worke were worthie of
raised If they haue done all it is a shame wee should not doe something wee should rather bee glad though not of the cause yet of this effect that there is matter left for our charitie to expresse it selfe in this kind and to let blind deuotion know that if our ancestors had not founded such spiritual maintenance it might and should yet haue bin done by vs. There are many godly deuout persons who haue in these daies of light made and increase dwellings portions for the bodies of the poore and needy Excellent indeed is this worke it is a blessed thing to giue and blessed are they that feede the hungrie and clothe the naked But yet of all Almes houses the spiritual Almes-house is the best and Paul that willeth you to desire the best gifts would haue you vse your gifts to the best aduantage Wherefore I shew you a more excellent way As the soule is infinitely better then the bodie and life eternall then life present so the food of the soule is farre better then that of the body and the sauing of the spirituall life better then the preseruation of the temporall life If thou giuest to the body thou dost well but thou giuest to that which shall die but if thou giue to the soule thou dost better for thou giuest to that which by thy gift may liue for euer in happines and make the body liue for euer in the same blisse with it If thou giue naturall bread thou dost well but thou giuest that which perisheth with the vsing but thou most resemblest Christ thy head and giuest the best Almes when thou giuest the bread of heauen What a comfortable and ioyfull thing to thy soule and heart will it be to see a whole Congregation fed on Gods holy day with thy Almes to see many soules receiuing saluation as it were from thy hand to heare many blesse glorifie God for his gifts to thee thine to them yea to blesse thee therefore in the name of the Lord Surely such ioy is infinitely better sounder and fuller of waight then the ioy of mony corne and oyle but the ioy that God shall giue thee in the great marriage day in the day of the gladnes of thy heart in that day will againe infinitely exceed this Thē shal Christ say vnto thee come thou blessed of my Father for when I was hungry naked and cold in the very soule of my little ones thou diddest buy Manna long white robes fire of the Altar to feede cloth warme me thou gauest the best gifts and which most nearely and inwardly cherish me therefore shalt thou haue the best reward come and sit nearest vnto me But if some backeward withdrawing hearts in whome God hath no delight put this grace and glory from themselues by a perswasion that this businesse concernes them not but that euery horse should beare his owne burthen and each congregation maintaine a Preacher for themselues Let them know that naturall men not vsed to instruction for want of it haue no desire to it Things not known are vnsought much lesse will a naturall man part from things knowne for things vnknowne It is the propertie of teaching to make men desire to be taught expect not then this desire from them which haue not the meanes to attaine it the sweetnesse of the word must be first sounded in their eares before they will loue the sound thereof it must teach them the worth of it selfe before they will part from any of their worth for it He must be partly or wholly a spirituall man that hungers for spirituall foode vnto the losse of his temporall substance and how shall many such be expected where the word by which the spirit entereth hath not bin fitly opened vnto them Therefore if thou wilt haue them doe for themselues do thou something first though but a little for them whereby they may heare the word And then it is likely the word heard will make way for it selfe and perswade for increase of maintenance for it perswades the truly sanctified to a farre greater degree euen to fell all to giue life all for the Treasure of happinesse Christ Iesus whome lying more closely in the Cabinet of the word preaching deliuers vnto vs opened and displaied in full glorie and Lustre Yea it may bee by the word so communicated by thee there wil be some prouoked to doe that for others which thou hast done for them and so a generation of goodnesse may bee continued of which thou hast beene the father and a chaine of good works may be lengthned of which the first linke framed by thee is both the beginning and cause Hereunto may be added this other reason of forrein helpe That such places beare already as great a burden without the benefite of preaching as others do that haue it Wherfore that Saint Pauls rule of equity may bee obserued which will not haue some eased to haue others doubly grieued and that rule of Charity Beare yee one anothers burden it is fit that the burthen of such places should be deuided among many so to take away the griefe of surcharging by an equalitie and to ease the weight of the burthen by deuiding it with others 5. Part. As these great blowes of Satan haue afflicted the Ministery in these latter times so doe daily buffets lesser pinchings of the seruants of Satan follow and persecute continually the same Ministerie His plot and his hatred still are one though the limitation of his power by Gods ouer-ruling suffer him not at all times to bring forth like effects He is God be praised tied vp somewhat from appropriating of spirituall liuings yet what he cannot get in a rent hee striues to obtaine in a fine The Patron that cannot haue the yearely profit must haue a grosse summe in consideration of it and a scholler hauing spent much of his portion spirits and time in studie to make himselfe worthie of a place in the Church yet after must he studie for sureties or readie mony to throw into the mouth of Cerberus euen of these porters of hell that they stoppe not his way into the deserued Benefice And this also is a vertue if they will bestow it in this kinde of bestowing on a man able and sufficient for if such a one bee not very neere as finable as a meere dumbe and vnlearned fellow sufficiency shall bee bought out profitable ignorance shall be preferred before edifying knowledge The great God Mammon must chuse the Priest that fitteth him best the greatest truest God whose Priest is thoght thē to be choosing hath least to do in y t choise But ô thou Marchant of hel Factor for Satā know y t cursed is thy mony with thee thy mony is the price of Soules euen of spirituall blood the life of spirits Thou hast for that summe giuen ouer so many soules to Satan thou hast giuen their throats to the Butcher and thou hast done
dogs they runne away with the crie and barke out this terme against euery honest man they meete But a lamentable persecution of tongues is this the whiles especially among Christians that a man should be reuiled for being a Christian and that regeneration the worke of the holy Ghost should bee reproched Cursed is hee that despiteth the Spirit of grace euē that Spirit which gaue his tongue that power by which hee is able to speake against the Spirit Cursed is hee that reuileth the holy Ghost and raileth on the power of the liuing God Know that the time shall come when thy words shall returne vpon thee as so many Lyons yea the diuell who now sets thee on worke shall come to worke vpon thee with torments but especially that blessed Spirit whom thou hast reuiled shall come against thee and teare thee in pieces and there shall be none to deliuer thee Thou seest in the whole course of such a mans life a maine current of honestie and goodnesse and who would thinke that any should bee so shamelesse to raile on goodnesse and to oppose against it For the verie opposing against goodnesse giues thee the title of wickednesse which alone is the enemie thereof It shewes thou art a souldier of the Dragon who goes out to make warre with that blessed seede that keepes the commandement of God But I doe know thy vsuall defences thou wilt say that there are none worse then such as make such a shew of purenesse and withall thou art furnished with some merry tales that shew many mad trickes of these ouer holie brethren Heere a little discretion and iudgement in stead of salt would be of very good vse to amend the sauour both of thy heart and tongue For an vpright iudgement as it findeth many truths so toward the true discouerie of this businesse it findeth these First that whosoeuer is indeed good shall and must also seeme good for his works wil praise him whether he will or no his fruits wil shew what tree he is they must shine before men that men seeing them may glorifie God their heauenly Father Hence first we conclude that euerie one that seemes good is not an hypocrite but contrarily he may bee one of Gods chiefest seruants Therefore thou canst not presently fall to thy nickname only for the shew of goodnesse Secondly that there is indeede a dissembled holinesse worne for a cloake to wickednes that the shape of an Angell of light some times couers a foule diuell yea the foulest diuels are they that most vse need this couer Now for this fellow if thou findest him puritā is too good a name for him for the Scripture hath sharper names as generation of Vipers Wolues in Sheepes clothing and painted Sepulchers full of rotten bones These bee they whereon the diuell sets the one foote when he kickes at true Christians with the other iustifying by these his railings on those who especially hate these as the diuels chiefest seruants But now there needs some discretion to know these from the other that thou call not good euill nor euill good nor a Christian Hypocrite nor an Hypocrite Christiā Toward this thou must looke to the fruites of both and that not a few particulars but to the generall For a Godly man is subiect to infirmitie hath some fals and an Hypocrite knowes that to couer his wickednesse hee must shew some goodnes But looke to the continuall course of both and thou shalt finde one good generally though sometimes fraile and the other often grosly transgressing though much couering his rotten heart The things wherein especially thou shalt try the difference may be these First a loue to Christ secondly a loue of Christs voice thirdly a loue of the members of Christ and a reioycing in them who excell in vertue Now these things will againe appeare if for the loue of Christ the loue of his word and the loue of his members a man be ordinarily contented to lose sinfull profits or pleasures and with the steward to write 50. for an 100. This is the touchstone of a Christian euen the taking vp of the Crosse forsaking all and following Christ. But this the hypocrite cannot abide he serues Christ that Christ may serue him to get pleasure and profit by him not to lose by him Part. 8. But now heere come in the many stories which condemne these purer men to bee guiltie against these duties and so to be hypocrites Yet runne not away too fast with this neither but euen in the point of hearing reports take also some discretion with you For against good men very commonly are bold and confident slanders raised which by their stoutnesse might seeme to bee truth it selfe But let not the wise beleeue them before examination For most commonly in the very telling of them will appeare a venom and malice the true issue of the old Serpent and vpon farther triall falshood and lying the naturall brother of the former and a truly begotten sonne of the Accuser of the Brethren He began the rule in Paradise and will continue euen to the new Ierusalem lie boldly for some of it will sticke fast for euer And how can it be otherwise since the lasinesse of men is such that they will beleeue a report at the first telling rather then trouble themselues to examine and finde out the truth which onely should be belieued withall their maliciousnesse is so great that they are willing and readie to receiue euill reports yea they delight in them But the seruants of Christ know that the last iudgement shall be by words and that a rash and a bitter iudge shall though not rashly yet seuerely be iudged Therefore according to the Psalmist The good man is merciful and guideth his words with discretion He inclineth naturally to beleeue good rather then euill yet auoiding to condemne the iust hee also shunnes to iustifie the wicked Therefore that his iudgement may bee righteous hee searcheth both the matter how probable it is in it selfe and next he examineth the re-reporters whether they bee those in whom the truth dwelleth and who themselues haue a good report of the truth not being like Pilate ignorant and yet to learne what is truth For it is a kind of murther of our neighbour in his name and reputation which is almost as his life both to beare false witnes and to receiue false witnesse against him Lastly a good man if hee may conueniently will inquire of the partie himselfe or of some of his acquaintance whether such things haue beene done by him and if done in what manner and vpon what occasion for many times the maner of things wholly alters the matter and the matter may be good in the manner in which it was done yet euill in the manner bestowed on it by the reporter Againe the thing being true yet the occasion and cause may though not iustifie yet excuse the fact for many euill deeds are done by infirmitie which yet prooue
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