together yet are wee all secure carnall blinde slouthfull petulant and most peeuish and peruerse both Teachers and Hearers either not ministering due censures and visitations or not enduring them to bee administred but except wee be rowsed vp their rests yet more grieuous things to fall vpon vs as these are Thirdly eternall punishments of body and soule for Christ who shall at the last day come as a iust Iudge shall ordaine the last censure both of godly and vngodly Teachers and Hearers This censure himselfe doth illustrate and set forth with singular comparisons of like things taken first Mat. 13.34 from the Haruest where the wheate shall bee purged from the cockle and tares which was sowne whilst men slept secondly from the separation of the good fish from the bad thirdly Mat. 13.43 from the rewarding of the faithfull seruant Mat. 24.44 and punishing of the vnfaithfull fourthly from the comming of the Bridegroome Mat. 25.1 where the fiue wise Virgins by which vigilant Preachers and Hearers are noted doe enter into the Marriage Chamber of heauen with the Bride and Bridegroome but the fiue foolish Virgins by whom slouthfull carnall and wicked Preachers and Hearers are ment are thrust out from the ioyfull Marriage fifthly from the account which the Lord requires of them to whom hee trusted his Talents Mat. 25.14 sixthly Mat. 25.31 from the Iudge before whom an infinite multitude of men stood to bee censured Mat. 25.32 seuenthly from the Shepeheard separating the Sheepe from the Goates and the same concluding censure of Christ Iohn Baptist remembers by purging the Floore Math. 3.12 and separating the Chaffe from the Wheate In this censure and triall of Christs touching blinde guides and lame followers no clamours nor answeres will bee of any force such as are at this day heard where the worst of men do boast of the Lord his Word and Glory For Christ shall say Math. 7.21 22.23 Not euery one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into my Kingdome but hee that doth the will of my father which is in heauen c. Nor shall the vaine excuses and shifts of those that are blindly led then auaile them such as many now a daies vse as if onely the Preachers must giue an account and not euery Hearer who suffered themselues to bee seduced Shall it not bee said to them If the blind leade the blind shall they not both fall into the ditch Namely the Ditch burning with fire and brimstome Apoc. 21.18 which is the second death O thou most sharpe and exquisite Censor and Iudge of Man-kinde Father Son and Holy Ghost doe thou in mercy rowse and raise both Preachers and Hearers from their sound sleepe of sinne let them know and acknowledge that this is the time of thy most gratious visitation that they may bee more carefull and patient of thy most wholesome censure that they may not bee inforced to beare that thy most heauy censure internall externall eternall but may ioyfully bee brought into their heauenly Countrey and bee with Thee and thy holy Angels blessed internally externally eternally Amen The second Daies Labour of a Christian to the end that bee may arriue at the Port of Heauen is to Meditate on sacred Things for the further enabling of him in the course of godlinesse AMongst all the exercises of a spirituall life as there iâ— none more difficult then the prayer of the minde and meditation of the heart so there is none more necessary which thing is aboundantly manifested as well by the infinite testimonies of most holy men as also by reason daily vse and experience it selfe so that it is no wonder if to get the practise thereof there bee great care diligence and desire required of euery man To the happy learning of this holy Art there are two Schoole-maisters very necessary First the holy Spirit of God for if all good gifts come from aboue much more this most excellent grace of holy Meditations and therefore with most instant and humble prayer is this gift to bee sought for at Gods hands Secondly the practise of Meditation for by it as are all other Arts so is that acquired for as hee who seldome or neuer writes shall neuer write perfectly so hee that seldome or neuer Meditates shall neuer come to the perfect vse and vnderstanding of Meditation But besides that wee may not faile in setting downe a right course of Meditation two things are to bee considered namely the Method and Maâ—â—er of Meditation for it is very fit that we know before-hand as well the manner how to meditate as the matter and obiect about which our minde is to bee employed else the want of either of these may so hinder our proceedings that wee shall not bee able either to bestow our minds in this holy exercise or to continue in it with that benefite which is to bee expected from it And this exercise comes very neere the nature of prayer if wee define prayer Chrys as some of the Fathers haue done to bee a colloquy and speech with God or an ascending of the minde towards God Damas for Meditation generally signifies all the inward acts of the understanding will and other powers of the soule when they are directed to God and things aboue And indeed Meditation is nothing else but a discourse of the understanding and studious intention of the minde diligently insisting about the finding out of something I say of the understanding either exhorting vs vnto that which is good or disswading vs from that which is euill and so weighing and digesting the godly things wee heare or reade to the worke of prayer euen as the foode whereby the will is fed and made strong and for this cause the manner of Meditation is to bee framed according to the worke of our will namely that Meditation may be vsed as an instrument whereby the will may bee affected with that and vnto that which is holy and good and for that cause may neither make too much hast nor yet bee too slow but onely may in such a sort bee exercised as may best serue the heart that when the will becomes inflamed it may bee interrupted vntill that heate being well allayed it bee fit to fall to it againe for more labour must bee bestowed vpon the affection then the meditation it selfe insomuch that by how much the meditation is shorter by so much is the prayer more happy being made fruitfull by the affection multiplyed vpon it In a word that wee may come to speake of the matter and manner of meditation as wee haue proposed this first vnderstand that meditation is in two sorts performed first when we meditate of things which may bee perceiued by the senses vnder corporall representations as of the actes of Christs Passion secondly or of things intellectuall as of the goodnesse and excellent beauty of God which albeit they may bee conceiued vnder some corporall imaginations yet they doe
nor doe engender ill affections They are ordered when they come reasonably that is in their owne time For not in their owne time euen to thinke good things is not without sinne as in praier to thinke of reading and in reading to thinke of prayer 3. In workes we must consider 1. That they be done out of a good intention a good intention is that which is simple right Simple without malice right without ignorance For that which is without malice hath zeale but that which is with ignorance hath not zeale according to knowledge Therfore the intention must bee right by discretion and simple by deuotion 2. That out of a right intention begun they bee with a perseuerant feruour brought out to the end that neither perseuerance may be sloathfull nor loue may wax cold 3. That they be commanded in the word of God Else God may say who required these things at your hands 4. That they proceed from faith else they will prooue to bee no better then birds without fethers that cannot flie and images without life that cannot stirre 5. That they bee done to the glory of God and the good of our selues and others which is the true and onely end of all our workes Now for our words we must consider in them that they be 1. True 2. Hurtfull to none 3. Necessary for some cause 4. That in fit time and place 5. In due maner spoken if in any of these wee offend concerning our thoughts that they bee lesse cleane or lesse ordered concerning the affections that they bee lesse right or lesse sincere concerning our workes that they bee lesse qualified then we haue spoken concerning our words that they be lesse true or lesse necessary wee must note it in our memorie that wee may the better conceiue a griefe for it and procure a purpose of amendement In thy examen of thy workes and words let this be thy forme for the auoyding of that detestable negligence which in this behalfe is vsed at some conuenient time bee thou a Iudge of thy selfe and take a strict account of thy Stewardship saying Oh euill seruant and slow tell mee how thou hast spent this daie Thou hast beene slow to do thy duetie vnto God Thou hast beene indeuout in doing it Thou hast spoken many words with little fruit thou camest late and labourest loiteringly Thou hast spoken vnprofitably demanded curiously iudged suspiciously reported dissolutely detracted wilfully thou hast beene mooued thou hast wandred both with thy heart and eyes Thou hast beene attentiue after worldly things negligent towards the things of God Thou hast beene to greedy of meate and drinke desired more and murmured at little Thou wast not patient at a little nor continent at more nor pleased in any thing Thou hast sought thy selfe in small things and hast left Charity and Fidelity vndone Behold where thou hast fallen and leaue to be proud giue God the glory for all thou hast receiued Euer deplore the state of the inner man with many passions intangled Search the secrets of thy heart if anger if enuy if concupiscence if malice if impatience or griefe hath mooued or ouercome thee Nor must thou search for euils committed onely but also for the good negâ—ected If thou receiued the benefits of God thankfully if thou hast praied as well for the enemies as friends if thou hast beene â—â—ithfull and obedient to those â—et ouer thee if thou hast beene compassionate to such as are weake in any teÌ„ptation if thou hast helped such as asked and comforted such as haue sorrowed if thou hast simply and purely sought the glory of God if thou hast strongly shunned the praise of men if thou hast frankly denied thy owne proper will if thou hast preferred thy selfe before no man if thou hast patiently taken correction if thou hast beene grieuous to no man if being hurt thou diddest loâ—â—ingly forgiue if thou hast asked pardon of him iniuried if thou hast done thy duety to God deuoutly if thou hast not beene peruerse if thou hast made hast to humble thy selfe if being contemned thou hast not contradicted if thou hast not thought to render euill for euill but hast laboured to ouercome euill with good if thou hast seriously repented thee thus we see many whole counsailes painted out before the eies of the mind to make vs ashamed who hauing so many occasions of growing daily more holy doe yet so defile our selues that wee haue iust cause rather of sorrow then solace from the tenor of our liues From these thou maist gather a dailie fardle of thy sinnes and a heape of sorrowes for them For placing these thy sinnes neere the benefits of God before remembred thou shalt see how little thou answerest vnto God for so many benefits how little thou dost recompence his gifts how vile and ingrate thou art who returnest him for benefits offences for gifts sinnes for loue obliuion and negligence Therefore thou maist well lament and powre out teares seeing thou hast so much matter of lamentation For thou canst neuer come to this examination but thou shelt finde sinnes ingratitudes and obliuions of thy Lord and creator these offences albeit they seeme small to the eyes of thy bodie yet with all the seruor thou canst for the loue of God detest and hate them because a faithfull soule beholding Gods goodnesse vnto it and its ingratitude towards God will count nothing small if he haue any celestiall knowledge that may offend so great and good a Maiesty 4 From this collation comparison of Gods benefits and thy ingratitudes and sinnes thou wilt deriue such sorrow and detestation of thy sinnes that thou shalt leaue no place to the smalnesse of faith Nay euen from this same that thou seest the soule soiled with so many sinnes and blemishes and thy most mercifull Lord to beare with thee so many yeers and to haue pardoned thee not 70 times seauen times but euen millions of times thou maist be lift vp to hope that God will neuer cast thee out so sorrowing and greeuing for thy sinnes but so often as thou shalt thus come vnto him and beg pardon he will redeeme thee as a most louing father 5 At the last set some paine vpon thy owne head for these thy many escapes and sinnes let it be an amercement proportionable to the quality of thy sinnes and ability of thy body that so thy repentance and sorrow for thy sins past may bee a barre against the propensitie of sinning after check and reproue thy selfe againe and againe and deale as a senere and iust iudge with thy soule and body imprisoning all thy sences and fettering thy affections that henceforth they may not stealt away thy pretious soule from thee But to end this point of discussion Whereas I haue often in this treatise made mention of this examination thou maist referre them all vnto two times namely before the Communion and before thou goest to bed For after thou hast taken a view of thy thoughts
sound direction and order bee prescribed which may as well delight the soule to apprehend as guide it to follow the true path that leads it to eternall rest for which cause amongst such as haue bestowed their pains and arguments of like nature but not fully and onely to this end I haue deemed it a work of much consequence to frame this Progresse of the Soule wherin by soure labours or dayes iournies of the Soule I doe orderly and fully discourse whatsoeuer may be requisite in the true seruice of God The first Iourney that the Soule must make towards Heauen is to heare the word of God with benefit That this may bee duely performed it sufficeth not that the Preacher bee skilfull to diuide the word of Trueth aright and therein be diligent to do his duetie but it is further required that the Hearer also bee not wanting on his owne behalfe to himselfe The duety then of the Hearer is no other but that both before the Sermon during the time of the Sermon and after the Sermon he consider learne and practise those things that are vnto God glorious and vnto the Church of God and himselfe wholesome and profitable And it consisteth in these two things first That he haue an eye to the scope and end of his calling secondly That he vse the meanes appointed to come to that scope and end First of the first part of the Hearers duety that is of the scope in hearing Sermons Forasmuch as there is one common scope as of all other things so of the Preachers and Hearers namely the glory of God and happinesse of the Church therefore it behooueth the Hearer to follow the guidance and direction on of the Preacher and to labour to come to that chiefe end by such means as leade thereunto namely by hearing the word preached by vnderstanding the thinges heard by louing the good thing vnderstood and hating the euill by a serious and earnest study and practise of the good thing beloued and a slying from the euill by which it will come to passe that God shall be glorified and the church and our selues edified 2 Of the second part of the Hearers duety that is of the meanes appoynted to come to this end and first of the meanes before Sermons That the Hearer may before Sermons as well as at Sermons and after Sermons ponder learne and practise those things which make for the glorie of God the churches comforts and his owne hee must duely prepare himsâ—lâ—â— to the hearing of Sermonâ— and this preparation consisteth in the sanctifying of himselfe vnto the Lord Exod. 19. for so were the people of God commanded to do that it might the more deeply penetrate into their hearts God instituted a peculiar ceremony for the same and it were to be wished that all Hearers would with earnest endeuour regarde for what causes this sanctification is required of them wherein it consists and how it is to be instituted and ordered Therefore heere wee will deliuer three necessary points touching this sanctification and preparation of the Hearers first what are the moouing causes why they ought to sanctifie themselues secondly generall obseruations belonging to the sanctification of the Hearers thirdly the parts and members of sanctification 1 The moouing causes why they ought to sanctifie themselues The causes chiefly moouing sanctification may bee gathered from the Apostles words Heb. 12 from the 12. verse vntill the 22. of the 13. chapter where albeit the Apostle may seeme to speake generally of the sanctification of a christian man yet doth he chiefly respect the time wherein men assemble to heare the word For there all things are holy 1 Then the Church is holie Heb. 12.18 22.19 and the communion of Saints 2 The Word is holy especially that of the Gospel those pretious pearles Matth. 7.6 3 The time is most holy the Sabbaoth of the Lord. 4 The Angels are holy Heb. 12 2â— who are present in the assembly 5 Those spiritually first borne are holy Heb. 12.23 6 A most holy God 23. who is present and President 7 The holy Saints in Heauen 23. whither we that are in the Militant Church ought to striue and contend to come 8 A holy Mediator 24. euen Iesus the righteous 9 The most holy blood of sprinckling which speaketh better things then that of Abel 24. Therefore let vs not contemne the communion with these most holy things neither let vs defile the same with our impurity and vncleannesse but labour for true sanctification vnto which thing let the consideration of these fiue reasons following added to the former stirre vp our hearts 1 The consideration of Gods holy commandement of sanctifying the Sabboath as also of that passage Be yee holy as I am holie 1. Pet. 1.15 16. for seeing he that hath called vs is holy wee must be holy in all manner of conuersation 2 Of that diuine and heauenly interdiction Matth. 7.6 giue not that which is holy vnto dogges nor cast ye your pearles before swine lest they treade them vnder feet and turning againe all to rent you 3 Of that assertion of S. Pauls 2. Cor. 2. that the preaching of the Gospel is vnto the vnsanctified and such as are neuer to be sanctified the sauour of death vnto death 4 Of that most grieuous danger of being smitten with the hidden or the manifest thunder-bolt of Excommunication 1. Cor. 5. to be deliuered vnto Sathan for the destruction of the flesh Where wee may remember that of the Apostle That without holinesse no man shall see God Heb. 12 1â— neither heere by saith in this world nor in the world to come face to face And what meant our Sauiour by that man which was bound hand and foot and cast into vtter darknes for want of a Wedding Garment but that the want of holinesse is the iust cause of our reiection from the presence of God and his Angells Mat. 2â— 11 5 Let euerie Hearer thinke with himselfe that hee is admitted to the speech and Supper of the great God and prepare himselfe as a meete guest for such a worthy entertainment 6 Let the change of our garments admonish vs of this sanctification namely the putting off of such garments as are soyled with the labours of our vocation and the putting on of cleaner and more precious garments For if the body must be hansomely and cleanely decked at such times how much more is the most pretious soule to bee sanctified and prepared To this purpose may also serue the consideration of the washing of our bodies wherin wee are daily carefull and the ringing of the Bell calling vpon vs for preparation 2 The generall obseruations which belong to the sanctification of the Hearers Seeing then the sanctification of the Hearers is so necessary not vnworthily are we to search with much diligence wherein the same consists here it is to be instituted and ordered as sanctification euen
from the force of the word of the whole life of a Christian consists in the mortification of the old man and vinification and quickening of the new man which the Apostle doth thus expresse that wee cast off concerning the conuersation in time past Ephes 4.22.23.24 the old man which is corrupt through the deceiucable lusts and be renewed in the spirit of our mindes and put on the new man which after GOD is created in righteousnes and true holines so this speciall sanctification which ought to goe before the hearing of the word consists in the same things which is very euideÌ„t by that singular comparison of the Apostles admonishing the Corinthians how they should prepare themselues to the celebration of the Lords supper â— Cor. 5.6 7.8 Know you not saith he that a little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe Purge out therefore the olde leauen that ye may be a new lumpe as ye are leauened for Christ our Passeouer is sacrificed for vs. Therfore let vs keep the feast not with olde leauen neyther in the leauen of maliciousnes and wickednesse but with the vnleauened bread of sinceritie and truth By which words and the rest to the end of the chapter the Apostle doth admonish in the preparation and sanctification to the hearing of the word that men should haue respect vnto foure principall things 1 To holy things the time is holy the word holy Christ is holy 2 To our selues who in part are regenerate and a new lumpe in part not regenerate hauing in vs the olde leauen originall sin and also the leauen of maliciousnesse and wickednesse actuall sinnes and therefore necessarie that wee trie our selues and sanctifie our selues 3 To others in the same assemblies with vs who are of two sorts first some purging out the olde leauen with vs second others not purging it out with these our labour must be to note them to mourne for them to purge them out after admonitioÌ„ and to shew them in our liues 4 To others that are without who are not of the Christian assembly that wee giue them no iust cause of scandall and offence For the regard of these foure doth not onely stirre vp the Hearer to a serious preparation and sanctification before the hearing of the Word that hee may performe an acceptable diuine seruice vnto God but withall worketh this in him that hee doeth thorowly weigh what is required of him in respect of euery one of these that hee may be a holie and vnleauened Hearer And albeit the Hearers ought through all the course of their liues to giue themselues to holinesse and purging out of the olde leauen yet it behooueth them to haue great care heereof chiefly before the hearing of the Word Therefore by occasion of those two notable testimonies before cited Heb. 12.16 1. Cor. 5. wee may obserue for our better instruction heerein these things following 1 What it is to sanctifie if we speake properly to sanctifie is to separate a thing from a common and prophane or naturall vse to a sacred vse as we may see in the seuenth day which is sanctified of God and also sanctified by vs so we are said to sanctifie the name of God when wee doe separate his essence properties and works from all other things and make more account of them then of all other things in the world so Christ and we his Ministers by the commaundement of Christ doe sanctifie the water in Baptisme and the bread and wine in the Lords supper to a sacred and holy vse 2 What is the sanctifying of a Christian man before the hearing of the Word It is no other but the separating of him from other worldly men either manifestly wicked impure and prophane or hypocritically vaunting their holinesse seeing it cometh to passe in him that he separates himselfe from the world and is not so affected as the children of the world are doth not so carry himselfe as they do neither doth fashion himselfe like vnto this present world 3 In what things this sanctification of the Hearer consisteth namely in hating and sleeing the thing that is euill chiefly that which hinders the fruitfull hearing of the Word and againe in the loue and desire of that which is good chiefly that which may procure the hearing of the Word To this purpose it shall be verie necessary aduisedly to consider that of Hebrews 12. and 13. chapters where after the handling of sanctification and his causes in generall at length he repeates a long catalogue and roll of things impious impure and prophane which a holy man ought to shun and hate and the contrary vertues which a man must loue and embrace but chiefly before the hearing of the Word And hence is that exhortation of the Apostle of purging out the old Leauen the leauen of maliciousnes 1. Cor. 5. and wickednes and of the new lumpe and vnleauened bread 4 Besides when the Apostle in the same place 1. Cor. 5. aduiseth vs to keepe the feast not with the olde Leauen neither in the Leauen of maliciousnes and wickednes but with the vnleauened bread of sinceritie and truth hee teacheth in generall what are the common euils in the sanctification of a hearer which he must flie shake off and mortifie namely the reliques of originall sinne which is signified by the olde Leauen Moreouer the little sources of euills that flow from the fountaine of originall sinne such as are eyther manifest impietie called by the Apostle the Leauen of maliciousnes or hypocrisie noted by the name of the heauen of wickednesse and on the other side he shews what good things are to be imbraced and solowed such as are sincerity and truth Now that the Hearer may attaine to the benefit of both these that is to say to purge out the old leauen and the leauen of maliciousnesse and wickednesse and to keepe the feast with the vnleauened bread of sincerity and truth it behooueth him to haue a grieuous combate and contention which can by no means be ended before the end of this teÌ„poral life 5 This also must generally be obserued that the chiefest is most eminent in euery profession as the father of the familie the Preachers Pastors Magistrates and their Ministers ought to make their lights shine before others in the care of sanctifying themselues therefore is it commaunded that they should obey them that haue the ouersight of them â—eb 13.1 and how much the example of great men and magistrates preuailes and what the Spirit of God doth worke by them is so well knowne that it needes no further declaration then that of the Wise man As the Ruler of the people is so are all they that dwell vnder him on the contrary what euills ensue when the Rulers and Leaders dedicate not their studies and cares to holines and religion but to impuritie malice and hypocrisie are not nor can not bee lesse then the hauocke which a mightie tree maketh when being cut downe it bruseth
selfe pag. 380 The third exercise is to adorne our selues with vertues for the beautifying of our soules pag. 402 Which is done by these three things first by begging helpe from God secondly by multiplying the acts of vertue thirdly by restraining the naturall affections and passions of the mind pag. 441 1. Of the passion of ioy and how to bridle it pag. 445 2. Of the passion of griefe and how to restraine it pag. 447 3. Of the passion of hope and how to limit it pag. 455 4. Of the passion of feare and how to stint it pag. 456 5. Of the passion of hate and how to curbe it pag. 461 6. Of the passion of andacity and boldnesse and how to handle it pag. 491 7. Of the passion of anger and how to handle it pag. 499 8. Of the passion of desperation and how to restraine it ibid. 9. Of the passion of loue and how to dâ—ale with it pag. 461 10. Of the passion of abhomination and how to vse it pag. 461 11. Of the passion of desire and concupiscence and how to bind it pag. 472 1. Of the loue of God and how it is pag. 531 2. Of the loue of our neighbours and what rules are to be obserued pag. 578 3. Of the loue of our selues and what considerations are to be vsed pag. 588 4. The short daily method and rule of practising such holy duties as will sanctâ—fie our liues by the grace of Gods Spirit Which consists in sixe actions and duties and at sixe seuerall times to be performed 1. Of the duties which are to bee done in the former part of the day The first duety in the morning is to rise timely and how to carry our selues at that time The second duety is preparation to prayer and how that is to be done The third duty is to bestow some time in mentall prayer The fourth duty is to read some portion of Scripture and how to doe it with profit The fift duety is to prepare our selues to the receiuing of the Loâ—dâ— sâ—â—peâ— which consists in thâ—se fowre coâ—siderations 1. In sanâ—tâ—ty of life 2. Rectâ—tude of intention 3. Sterring up the deuotion 4. Prayer for all thâ—ngs necâ—ssary both for our selues and others 1. Of the sanctity of life and how it is to be wrought 2. Of the rect tude of intention coâ—sisting of ten seuerall obseruations Where also are two rules giuen for the ordering of our intention consistâ—ng of seauen seuerall directions a peâ—ce 3. Of the stâ—rring up of the deuotion consisting of a seâ—uâ—n folde consideration of Christs good â—â—sse vâ—to vs in the institution of this Sacrament restâ—â—ting vpon thâ—se three circumst rices in euery of the seauen considerations first who secondly to whom thirdly for what cause he comes 4. The â—â—se â—f pâ—â—â—â—â— bâ—fâ—râ— the Lords supper with a forme of an excellent and absolute prayer to that purpose pag. 644. The sixt duty is thanks vnto God after the Communion and how wee are to be storred vp vnto it Where are deliuered seauen short meditations for the seauen dayes of the weeke euery medâ—tation consisting of fiue seuerall points Namely first in considering of Christ in seuerall respects towards vs. Secondly in giuing God thanks for 3. things Thirdly in detesting our sinnes Fourthly in louing God with all our hearts Fiftly in begging of God seauen necessary graces pag. 667. The seauenth duety is the study of christians and how they may profit in learning pag. 689. The eight dâ—ty is examination of the conscieâ—ce before dinner pag. 699 The ninth duty is our behauiour at dinner and how it is to be ordered pag. 702. 2. The dueties of the after noone helping to sanctification of life The first dâ—â—y is to bestow some time in reading of holy Scripture or some other godly booke pag. 706 The second duety is the examination of the conscience before wee addresse our selues to sleepe Where first is shewed the necessity of this duety by three strong demonstrations Secondly the benefit of it by sowre euident arguments Thirdly how this duty is to bee performed what is the matter about which it is exercised with fiue necessary obseruations concurring to this examination First a commemoration of benefites and humble thankefulnesse for them in fifteene circumstances Secondly a desire of grace enabling vs to search our hearts Thirdly an inquisition of the conscience to come to the knowledge of the sins of commission and omission Fourthly a detestation of our sinnes â—istly a due censuring of our selues for them pag. 714 The third duty is how to compose thy selfe to sleepe pag. 772 3. The duties to be done euery weeke pag. 774 The first duty is a preparation to the receiuing of the Sacrament and the manner of it if the conueniencie of the time place persons customes and the like will suffer or doe require it pag. 784 The second dutie is to heare the word preached 4. The duties to be done euery Month. pag. 791 The thing chiefly to be done is this that at the least one day or some conuenient time be set apart to examine the conscience and to rectifie it 5. The duties to be done euery yeere pag. 794 That which is here neuer to bee omitted is that euery yeere some speciall time be set apart for the renuing of the mind seeing our vices do increase as our yeeres and we wax old in sinne And how that is to be 6. The duties to be done at all times of euery Christian p. 805 1. Our duties vnto God in seuaen acts The first act of the presence of God Secondly the loue of God Thirdly the feare of God Fourthly the zeale of Gods glory Fiftly the praise of God Sixtly thankefulnesse to God Seauenthly a resignation of our selues to the will of God 2. Our duties to our brethren in seauen actions the first is to behold God in our brother The second is to loue him as our selues the third is affability and good example the fourth is honor the fift is to beare their infirmities the sixt is to helpe them the seauenth is to liue circumspectly pag. 807 3. Our duties to our selues in seauen actions First is modesty Secondly contempt of our selues Thirdly a generall abnegation and deniall of our selues Fourthly subduing the flesh Fiftly tranquility of minde Sixtly discretion Seuenthly praier Lastly three potent demonstrations and reasons to perswade all men but especially great ones thus exactly to serue God if they meane to rest with him for euer THE HEAVENLY PROGRESSE OR The Soules Iourney to Heauen AS there is no Arte or Profession that can bee profitably learned except some fit Methode and Order be obserued therein Euen Nature it selfe in all her courses keeping due order and both Art and Nature teaching vs that the great God is the God of Order so much lesse can that most soueraigne and heauenly knowledge of the right seruing of God which is the Art of Arts and perfection of Nature bee taught and learned of any Christian without some
and breaketh into fitters all the yong trees and litle shrubs that grow vnder it or as a great and massie stone which salling from an high place bursts it selfe into many small gobbets dissipating also all the things which it lighteth on and as a blemish in the face doth more deface the visage then any other deformity can doe any other part of the bodie so it is a greater shame and dishonour when men of power and gouernement are impious impure irreligious and profane then to haue many others so that are of a lower ranke euery vice of the minde being so much the more conspicuous notorious by how much as he that sinneth is of greater account and esteem 6 But this must not bee forgotten that to the end both the gouerner and the gouerned the magistrate and the people may haue a speciall care of holinesse they both stand in neede of an other more potent and holy Leader to set forwards that worke and that is the holy spirit of God without whose light and might nothing is in man to perfect so great and holy a worke as is sanctification 3 The parts and principall members of sanctification In ordering the chiefe parts of sanctification we must duly consider not onely what things a good Hearer is both outwardly inwardly to eschue before the hearing of Sermons but also on the contrary what things he is to imbrace and follow For the better vnderstanding whereof I will diuide the preparation and sanctification of the Hearer into two kindes the first is priuate the second is publike For albeit sundry of those things belonging to this preparation whereof we shal hereafter speak are also publikely to be continued yet because the beginning of them is priuately to bee made therefore may they more fitly bee placed vnder priuate sanctification 1 Of the priuate sanctification of the Hearer before Sermons That this kinde of preparation may be the more clearely described to the meanest capacitie of Hearers I will ranke the consideration both of such things as are to bee auoyded and also of such as are to be imbraced in this sanctification in a paralell and proportion of contraries reducing them into seauen seuerall heads 1 The Leauen to be anoyded is that we cast off all our sinnes and errours whatsoeuer without which all the labour of preaching and hearing is but vaine for as if a vessell be replenished eyther with water or any other noisome poisonous substance it can not admit good wine or wholesome liquor into it so that hearer whose heart is taken vp and wholely possessed with the poyson of his sinnes vnrepented of can digest no part of the sweet and comfortable doctrine of the Gospel Luk. 16.14 What befell our Sauiour Christ in this kinde is verie well discouered in the historie of the Gospell For why did the Pharises who were couerous mocke at Christs parabolicall admonition of making friends with the riches of iniquitie but that their hearts were set vpon riches and possessed with auarice who may not reade a long catalogue of such impurities and vicious humours both in the Epistle to the Corinthians and the Hebrews 1. Cor. 5.10 11 Hebr. 12. 13. chap. And what is the cause that at this day in most places there is so litle fruit of preaching the Word as well in faith as in life but this that men doe not purge out the olde Leauen of their inbred corruptions and also the Leauen of maliciousnes and wickednes before they presume to come to heare the Word preached therefore by the merite and efficacie of Christs passion and earnest and zealous prayer bathed in the teares of a truely penitent hearâ— let these bee purged out that place and entertainement may bee giuen to the sauing word of grace On the other side let euerie hearer labour for the vnleauened bread of sincerity and truth that by the grace of the holy Spirit he may bring with him to the hearing of the Word the study and care of truth and all vertues And heere may hee apply to himselfe those generall obseruations spoken of before Such a mind as this which is desirous of grace is very apt to receiue the Word with fruit for there is a most excellent consent and agreement betwixt them Beholde the same most sweetly expressed I stand saith God at the doore Apoc. 3.2 and knocke if any heare my voice and open vnto mee I will goe in vnto him and suppe with him and he with me O what admirable fruit of heaueÌ„ly Sermons would there be if wee had such hearers What other thing is this lumpe of Euangelicall doctrine but that sacred Leauen which being hid in the meale leaueneth euery whit of it Mat. 13.33 We see that if the Leauen bee hid in the meale or floure it wil leauen the whole lumpe but if it lie in the branne neuer so long it neuer worketh in it so is the precious Word if it meete with a soule that is boulted sisted with due repentance and holy preparation vntill it be made pure floure there it leaueneth seasoneth the whole man But albeit wee can not heere relate all the seueral sorts of vices and vertues yet in few wordes we will marke out some of them and those chiefly that seeme most necessary for our purpose 2 We must haue great regard that no secular and worldly affaires which are otherwise at other times both lawfull and commaunded be at that time managed and handled lest it befall vs as it did those which were inuited to the great Supper Luke 14.16 whose oxen farmes and wiues so forestalled them that they neuer tasted of that soueraigne supper for then the Hearers that are so prepossessed are first eyther hindred as they come not at all secondly or so fetterd that they come not in time to the Sermons thirdly or else so busied with carnall cogitatious that they goe out before the time that the Sermon is ended or fourthly if they tarrie their thoughts doe plunge them into a thousand distractions or fistly sluggishnesse heauâ—nesse and sleepe steales vpon them and robbes them of the very fâ—uits of their soules And what are these worldly affaires 1 The care and thought of their fields farmes oxen merchaâ—dise and the like 2 Labour and employment in their vocations vntill the midnight before the Saboath whereby they become so drowsie on the Saboath that it must bee a shrill Trumpet can keepe them waking 3 Suffering and drunkennesse which often chanceth on the Sabboath before Sermons wherby they become sleepie and vnapt to heare and conceiue what is spoken 4. Marriages Christning feasts merchandizing commessations and drinkings and all kind of seastings 5 Roasting baking boyling and dressing of many sorts of meates which restraineth it not the mother of the family yet some of them from comming to the house of God Heere then on the contrary the soule that would be well and fitly prepared for hearing must onely be intent
preachers and also by their brethren ◠2. Let the Magistrate compell them to come who albeit he haue no power to enforce the conscience yet ought he compell his subiects to heare the word of God Thus haue you heard the whole duetie of the hearer before the Sermon 2 The hearers duety during the Sermon time is to bee considered This duty of the hearer whilest hee is at the Sermon I may comprise in three points 1. In the number of the things which are required of the hearer at this time 2. In the connexion of them 3. In the manner which in describing these things is to be obserued 1 That the hearet may attaine to the highest drift and end of hearing Sermons the summe wherof we haue touched before there are foure things required of him 1. attentiue hearing of the word preached 2. sound knowledge of the things heard 3. a right affection of heart towards the things knowne 4. a serious purpose of the practise of the things heard throughout his whole life and these foure being the chiefe things required in hearing of Sermons must be the subiect which I will handle more largely in this duety of the Hearers whilest he is at Sermons 2 The coherence and connexion of these parts thus necessarie to the hearer whilest he heareth the Word preached may easily appeare vnto vs if wee doe but consider these 2. points 1. that if we take but one linke from this Golden Chaine of the things required at hearing of Sermons we neede not looke for any benefite that can issue from that holy exercise For what profiteth it to haue Sermōsif they be not heard and what helpes it to heare Sermons though most heauenly if the hearers like brute beasts horses and mules doe not soundly vnderstand and percelue thesense and meaning of them what profits it to vnderstand and conceiue the things heard if there be not a right holy affection of heart towards the things heard nor any purpose of the practise of them in our liues 2. That the holie Spirit of God doth in sundry places of Scripture make a most close and narrow connexion of these foure things that are required at hearing of Sermons I will enforme thee Psal 32.9 and teach thee in the way wherein thou shalt goe saith the Lord and I will guyde thee with mine eye and what saith the Lord by the Prophet to the rebellious Iewes Heare O heauens and hearken O earth Isay 1.2.3 I haue nourished and brought vp children but they haue rebelled against me the Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his maisters cribbe but Israel hath not knowne my people haue not vnderstoode The same expostulation GOD vseth in the Prophet Ieremie Not euery one that sayth vnto me Ierem. 8.7 Math. 7.21 Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of heauen but hee that doeth my Fathers will which is in heauen faith our Sauiour For it is most true which the Apostle speaketh The hearers of the Lawe are not righteous before God Rom. 2.13 but the doers of the Lawe are iustified And how strongly doth the same Apostle argue this poynt How shall they call on him in whome they haue not beleeued and how shall they beleeue in him of whō they haue not heard Ro. 10.14 and how shall they heare without a Preacher Be ye doers therefore saith Saint Iames Iac. 1.22 of the Word and not hearers onelie deceiuing your owne selues So that we see the holy-Ghost doth knit these foure seuerall requisite in the hearing of the Word in one indissoluble knot namely to heare attentiuely to vnderstand soundly to be affected towards that is heard heartily and to practise it faithfully without all which no profite redounds to the Hearer be he neuer so wise and learned 3 The manner to be obserued in hearing of this duety 1 To come then to the foure principall necessaries required in hearing of the Word we will so handle them as that first we will shew the nature of euery one of them secondly remoue the impediments and lets that may hinder them and thirdly shew the aduauncements and helpes that may further the fruitfull hearing of the Word 1 The first and most necessary thing to be obserued in this action is the attentiue and diligent hearing of the Word 1. the nature whereof consists in the consideration of the scope and drift of that which is saide and it is the foundation of all the other parts of the duety of hearing to which hearing doth also belong the fixing of the eyes vpon the Preacher for hearing doth properly belong to the Word pronunciation and gestures and is rightly called attentiue hearing for the infinite multitude of Hearers who onely eyther for fashion or for some cause as bad frequent Sermous who being present in their persons are wandering else-where in their mindes or being such as content themselues with one Sermon in a moneth or a quarter of a yeare 2. The impediments that hinder the fruitfull hearing of the Word are very many Sathan euery where and by all meanes labouring to hinder the successe thereof These impediments are of two kindes for 1. they are either such as doe so preuaile that they cause the hearing of Sermons to be altogether neglected and contemned or 2. such as doe cause that the Word is not attentiuely heedfully heard 1. Concerning such hindrances as do vtterly cause the hearing of Sermōs to be neglected and contemned I number them thus 1 The negligent consideration of the singular profite and great necessitie of the Word of God 2 The negligent consideration of the end of the Ministerie of the Word 3 The negligent consideration of euery many duetie in what condition soeuer he liue namely that all are the vassals and seruants of God according to whose holy will in his Word reuealed all our actions are to be squared 4 The carelesse security of the flesh 5 Selfe-loue and desire of the praise of Wisedome 6 Pride causing them to scorne frequenting of Sermons and lest they should bee thought to be subiect to the Minister euen to neglect and contemne the Sermons as if they lost some of themselues like other godly men 7 The care of earthly things and an opinion that the handling of Gods Word onely belongeth to the ministers which conceit hath taken deepe roote as in Popery so no lesse amongest many seeming Professours of the truth 8 Hope of long life whereby many propose vnto themselves that they shall yet heereafter haue time to heare those things which now they neglect and omit 9 An opinion of opus operatum namely that they wil in the time of sickenesse heare the Minister whose voyce whether they vnderstand or not yet they thinke it shall bee of great auaile vnto them 10 A preposterous iudgement and a loathsomnesse arising from some one Sermon or other which they haue not so well approued whereas they should consider that all things do not at all times fall out
alike happily 11 The manifolde vices and defects of the Ministers in their words 12 The handling of Gods word vndecently and without zeale namely by such as doe make Sermons to bee but opus operatum and that it sufficeth onely to heare them albeit without all care of the dignity of the Word and all zeale of profiting 13 The life of many Ministers not being conformable to their doctrine 14 The example of others that neglect contemne or deride the hearing of Sermons 15 The exaggeration and pressing of the vices of the Minister passing by all remembrance of his vertues 16 The hatred both of the doctrine and the Teachers 17 A praeiudicate and fore-conceiued opinion These doe cause the hearing of Sermons to be vtterly neglected 2 For the impediments which hinder the hearing of Sermons attentiuely and zealously they are these 1 If there be not a due preparation of the hearer as before we spake 2 If either hee come to the Sermon too late or depart from it too soone before it bee ended or the hearing of it by starts and sits so that nothing is fully heard 3 The neglect of some domesticall businesse vpon which the minde runnes or other vnnecessary cares for as there is a time for all things to bee done at home so there is of all things in the time of hearing the Word 4 An euill custome taken in a superficiall and sleight kind of hearing the Word 5 Curiosity which is well declared in the wandring of the eyes too and fro 6 Talking with others and chatting of trifling businesse 7 The reading of bookes at the Sermon time 8 Sleeping at Sermons all causes wherof would be shunned at Sermons not chusing out sit places to sleepe in 9 The great neglect of repetition of the Sermon with our families or a solitarie meditation which hinders much the growth of the Word 3 Now then in the third place followes the aduancements and helpes to the attentiue hearing of the Word which helpes that they may bee the better vnderstood wee must consider two things First what it is to stirre vp euery hearer to the attentiue hearing of the Word Secondly what is required to this attentiue hearing and wherein it consists 1 The things which ought to moue euery man attentiuely to heare the Word Preached are 1 The scope of our creation and of our recordation and regeneration namely to know and serue the true God as hee hath reuealed himselfe in his holy Word 2 The vow that wee made in our Baptisme which we haue often repeated and confirmed 3 That the hearing of Gods Word is a true marke of the Sheepe of Christ and the Sonnes of God 4 The consideration that wee are all the vassals and seruants of God whose will euery one of vs is bound to heare in our seuerall administrations 5 The singular benefite which euery man shall receiue by his attentiue hearing of Sermons 6 The consideration of Gods commandement and his interdiction 7 Of his holy promises and heauy comminations 8 The obseruation of examples how those haue in this life beene punished who either forsooke the sacred Assemblies or else were not present with due attention and on the other side with what profit and comfort infinite thousands haue frequented the holy Assemblies 9 That fearefull iudgement of Christ vpon the contemners of his Word which vnto them that doe attentiuely heare the sacred Word is most wel-come and desierable 10 That God will with reuenging flames burne them to dust that will not know his will 2. Thess 1. 11 The consideration of that too too late hearing of the rich man in the Gospell 12 God doth heare vs when wee call vpon him and why then ought not wee to heare him 2 What is required to the attentiue hearing of the Word 1 Mutuall prayers both of the Minister and hearers vnto God for one another doth chiefly ground this worke 2 The hearers must by the assistance and helpe of Gods Spirit labour to lay aside the neglect they haue of the great profite which comes by the Word of God and Ministery thereof the security of the flesh selfe-loue pride vaine feare of loosing their liberty too much care of earthly things the peruerse opinion that the handling of Gods word belongs onely to the Ministers and that euery man else may at his pleasure liue as hee list the hope of longer life the vaine dreame to thinke it sufficient to heare Sermons onely preposterous iudgement and loathsomenesse in respect of the Ministers person all which as long as they haue any residence in the hearer doe hinder his affection but much more if all these concurre in him or the most of them 3 Auoid as much as is possible in the Sermon time all wandring cogitations curiosities confabulations and talking reading of bookes and sleepe 4 Take care to heare the whole Sermon and to that end come before it begin tarry till it bee ended 5 Chuse a fit place in the Assembly where you may both sit and heare the Minister and like a hunger-starued man feede both your eyes and eares vpon him and his words 6 To this end the hearer must rowse vp himselfe at the Sermon by a censuring of himselfe as namely whether hee perceiue this attention in himselfe or no if hee perceiue any regard-lessenesse or wandring cogitations in his minde let him shake them off saying auoide Satan and by the Spirit of God saying This is the businesse thou camest for apply and attend this But now forasmuch as at the beginning of any reformation other impediments doe arise besides those before spoken of it is not vnproper in this place to admonish the hearer For many in those places where things are reformed according to the Word are hindred from attentiue hearing by these stumbling blockes following 10 By an inueterate and antient opinion and custome 11 By a preposterous feare of the condemnation of our Elders Fathers and Friends dead which feare is ingendred first from the vaine boastings of the contrary party touching the word of God secondly from the horrible raylings calumnies and condemnations of it thirdly from the authority of men fourthly from the example of others fiftly from feare of persecutions 12 From considence of themselues as if they or others could not erre 13 From the opinion and conceit of zeale 14 From the boasting of the simplicity of their faith And these must by three meanes bee cared for and cured First by remouing these impediments through a sound instruction in euery particular secondly by stirring them vp thirdly by the vigilant exercise of the Magistrates duety 1 The impediments must bee remoued by soundly instructing them in these particulars First that the word of God foolishly vnderstood is not the word of God Secondly that the horrible slanders calumnies and condemnations of men vnconuicted is an argument of a bad cause that the doctrine of Christ the Prophets and Apostles was not therefore forsaken of the godly albeit the false Prophets
conceite reacheth not let him obserue it and after conferre with others and with the Preacher about it 17. That hee may the more soundly teach others and if need bee make confession of his faith to the edification of others Let him first giue all diligence soundly to learne not onely in the Schooles Catechisings administration of the Sacraments prayers singing of Psalmes conferences and reading of Scriptures but also in the Sermons bee shall heare in what things the substance of the matter of saluation consists 3 The third necessary duty to come to the right scope and drift of hearing Sermons is that the hearer haue a right and holy affection of heart towards the things vnderstood for many do heare and vnderstand Sermons who are yet nothing affected with them nor truely and rightly affected towards them There is no man liuing hath so sound a knowledge of truth and falshood good and euill as hath the deuill his knowledge heerein is farre more perfect and full then any mans in the world yet there is no man doth hate truth and goodnesse nor reioyce more at falshood and mischiefe then he doth which is the cause that makes his sins and punishments the more grieuous Therefore seeing it neither sufficeth to heare and vnderstand Sermons but withall that the affections of the heart must bee placed vpon them wee will heere as in the former duties discourse first of the nature of the duty secondly remoue the impediments thirdly shew the aduancements and helpes conducting to it 1 The right affection of the heart towards the things in Sermons perceiued and vnderstood is the third duety of the Hearers at the Sermon whereby he doth cheerefully entertaine true and good things present certainely beleeues them to come and hopes and heartily desires them but for things wicked and false in the present hee sorrowfully shewes himselfe auerse from them and feares and forsakes wicked and false things to come And this duty appertaines to the information of the will affections and conscience of the hearer And surely not without great cause ought our hearts to bee rightly and holily affected towards the things vnderstood in regard of the sundry sorts of men who heare and vnderstand Sermons but yet stand nothing well affected towards them First there are some men who euen at the Sermon doe giue very euident argument either by their words or behauiours that they are the manifest enemies of truth and vertue and the friends of falshood and vices These mens affections towards the Word are nothing right Secondly there are certaine hypocrites who albeit by their words and gestures make a faire shew of the loue of truth and goodnesse and the hatred of falshood and wickednesse yet their heart is not vpright Thirdly others do thinke that if they carry the truth and vertue hid in their hearts albeit in word and deed they carry themselues otherwise that they cannot bee accused of the vn-vprightnesse and prauity of their hearts but these haue not a right hart Fourthly there are some that albeit they vnderstand not soundly and fully the things heard yet are angry with the true and good things and are delighted with the false and wicked thing nor yet haue these men any right affection Fifthly some on the other side albeit they do soundly know the things they heare insomuch that they can say nothing against it yet haue things false and euill taken such deepe roote in them and so preuailed by the long custome they haue had with them that they had rather quite forsake that which is true and good then cast away their inueterate and ancient errours and manners and who can say that these men haue a right affection Sixthly but others are so taken vp with the care of the belly and worldly things and are so much estranged from suffering persecution for the profession of the truth and vertue that they will in no wise entertaine either vertue or truth and these mens affections are much lesse right then the rest And therefore a right affection and good heart towards the things which are heard is a most necessary duty of hearing 2 There are some impediments and hinderances of this right affection vnto things knowne which of necessity must bee remoued Now wee must know that whatsoeuer things do hinder the attentiue hearing and sound vnderstanding of the Word those also are blockes and lets to the right affection of the heart therefore I leaue the Reader to looke backe vnto those impediments which are described in handling the said two former duties of attentiue hearing and sound vnderstanding And heere in two obseruations I will onely point at the summe of those impediments before handled for it greatly hinders a right and holy affection First if the Preacher bee cold or luke-warme if hee do not labour by all meanes diligently prudently to moue inflame and direct the affections to that which is true and good and on the other-side to withdraw them from things false and euill Secondly say hee doe his duety yet if the hearer either by naturall corruption and malice of the will be auerse from the present truth and good of vertue and doe gladly embrace that which is false and euill and fall into doubting of that which is true and good to come and doth not desire it nor is troubled with that which is false and euill Either if that the hearer be infected with inueterate and euill manners which are pleasing to our corrupt nature and are easily conceiued but not so easily cast off Or with the outward glosse of good things as of riches pleasures and honours and of euill things as of calumnies condemnations and persecutions and so to bee with-drawne from a right affection towards truth and vertue and inclined to an affection towards lies and vices or to hypocriticall dissimulation then is the affection of the heart much blurred and dis-ordered and so are the things they heare not rightly affected 3 The aduancements and helpes of this duety are no other but such as are prescribed in the helpes of the two former duties of attentiue hearing and sound vnderstanding where the reader may bee furnished with meanes sufficient to promote this duety Yet to helpe the right affection of the heart towards vertues and the truth knowne and also falshood and vices we shall vnderstand that these haue great force namely first if the Preacher doe not onely put on the sense and right affection by the grace and operation of the Spirit according to the quality and quantity of the things spoken but also giue all diligence in mouing the hearers affections thereunto inflaming and directing them to the loue of truth and vertue by most weighty impulsiue causes chiefly by the couenants and promises of God by the examples of the godly and the singular and manifold benefite and vse And also by stirring them vp and stinging them to the hatred and detestation of falshood and vices by the seuere interdicts and comminations of God
promise protestation accusing of our selues weeping for our sinnes examination of our consciences admiration and such like actions are all of them certaine kindes of prayer and so to meditate contemplate giue thankes examine the conscience and the rest are nothing else but to pray yea to reade godly bookes to stirre vp our deuotions in this sense is nothing else but to pray For when to this end any doe reade godly bookes then God speakes to them euen as man speakes vnto God when hee prayes Bern. lib. de scala Claustr And this moued that deuoute Father to place the reading of godly bookes amongst the parts of prayer That therefore in this sense we may know what those things are which seeme to bee all one with prayer first it must be vnderstood that to meditate is nothing else but diligently and attentiuely to weigh and ponder the thing proposed to the end to pray vnto God or talke with him And this I doe therefore adde because the diligent consideration of the Mysteries of faith and other things as they are taught in the Church or as any other end of them is proposed is not to bee named prayer But this meditation or consideration is an act of the vnderstanding from which doth the act of the will immediately arise For man plainely knowing what is good and what is euill is most easily moued to the loue of the one and the detestation of the other Hence the Kingly Prophet saith that in his meditation the fire kindled Psal 38. And for this cause is prayer and meditation so coupled together that hardly can they bee handled asunder Secondly contemplation is a certaine excellent and full meditation of affections flowing out without any discourse or labour whilst the soule by knowledge and perfect loue is ioyned vnto God and delighted in him no otherwise then a man beholding a most elegant image with fixed eyes without turning his eyes this way or that for the singular delight that hee takes therein Thirdly the praise of God is to magnifie him for his excellent vertues and perfections inhaering in him Fourthly Thankes-giuing is to approue himselfe thankefull to him for his benefites receiued Fifthly Petition is to aske something of God without any obsecration Sixthly Obsecration is to aske something of God with some interposition of a sacred thing most acceptable vnto him by the power and sight whereof hee may bee moued to giue what we demand as when we aske him for the bloud and wounds of his most deerely beloued Sonne to grant our requests Seuenthly Oblation is to offer vnto him our soules bodies all our actions and whatsoeuer belongs to vs or is in vs. Eighthly the examination of our consciences is to remember our sinnes before God to aske pardon for them and promise from the heart an amendment of them Ninthly Admiration is an excellent act of prayer when the soule in contemplation doth vehemently admire and is astonished at the wisedome goodnesse power and other workes of God which for the most part is accompanied with inflamed affections and exclamations and very often with extasies and rauishments of the soule Luther was therefore wont to say that prayer bringeth more profite then many labours of learning and that therefore hee came to the knowledge of heauenly doctrine which hee had by these three instruments prayer meditation and temptation For prayer brings those sentences of Scripture which in reading wee conceiue into vse 2 But if you take prayer in the second signification then there are three sorts or kindes of prayer mentall or of the minde vocall or of the tongue and mixt of both and the reason heereof is for that man doth negotiate and speake with God three manner of waies namely in heart mouth and in both together and therefore there must needs bee three sorts of prayer First wee may call that mentall prayer when the soule speaks to God inwardly without speaking of any words or mouing of the lips This is true prayer and before all others most acceptable to the Maiesty of God of which our Sauiour speakes thus God is a Spirit and those that worship him Iohn 4. must worship him in Spirit and truth Secondly vocall prayer is that when the words of prayer are cōceiued vttered with the mouth Where yet we must obserue that it ought to proceed frō the heart first that the words which are recited ought to be reuolued pondred in the mind for if any with the tongue onely pray without any attention or consideratiō not labouring to anoide all distractions and wandrings of the minde hee is not to bee accounted to pray vocally but contrarily casts himselfe into a grieuous sinne with which the Prophet vpbraids his people This people honour mee with their lippes Esay 29. but their hearts are farre from mee Ergo this kinde of prayer is not therefore called vocall because onely vttered by the mouth but that it might bee distinguished from the mentall which being onely made in the minde the vocall also addes to the intention of the minde words besides Thirdly the mixt kinde of prayer composed of both these kindes is when hee that prayes doth partly with heart and partly with his tongue pray vnto God therefore it is not to bee called a mixt prayer when any shall at one and the same time pray with the Spirit and wordes conceiued reuoluing with himselfe the things which hee speaketh for that is vocall prayer but that is a mixt prayer when after the prayer conceiued onely in spirit and minde hee that prayes doth ioyne vnto it a vocall prayer of the mouth 3 It followeth then that wee discourse of the things required in prayer that wee may pray aright where as we shall finde diuerse things that may prouoke that duety so shall wee meete with many incumbrances and lets and therefore our industry must bee to gaine the one and shunne the other with might and maine But because I haue in the former tract of meditation spoken both of these helps and impediments I will onely heere name them referring the Reader to that place for a fuller satisfaction First then there is to this holy exercise required a fit time which euery day is to bee allotted vnto it Where wee may fitly obserue first that so much time euery day is to bee assigned to this exercise as the condition and state of the party may well spare secondly for no cause nor vpon any occasion to omit this time or put it off vnto another season but to perswade himselfe that this exercise is farre more worthy then any other though neuer so beneficiall thirdly if vrgent necessity enforce the interruption of this time to repaire that losse some other houre of the day if it possible fourthly that the best houre for prayer is mid-night in respect of the quietnesse thereof next to that is the morning timely before wee set hand to any businesse for that will season the labours of the whole day
which thou hearest or readest giue thy selfe to vnderstand them and certifie thy selfe of all doubts Twelfthly vse all diligence to commend to the Treasure-house of thy minde as much as possibly thou canst euen as one that is desirous to fill a vessell Thirteenthly seeke not after things beyond and aboue thy reach And following these steps thou shalt carry and bring forth on thy shoulders as long as thou liuest both boughes and fruites most profitable into the Vine-yard of the Lord of Sabaoths these things if thou dost follow thou shalt attaine to the thing thou affectest Now hauing laid these short grounds of procuring the vertues tending to sanctification and holy perfection as an entrance to the sequent Treatise you may remember that in the front of this last part hauing said that the ignorance of a certaine methode and Art whereby to direct vs to the attaining of Christian perfection and the knowledge of a right seruing of God was the onely cause why so many Christians came so farre short of their duty drift heerein as that scarce one was to bee found who had made any competent passage into the habite of any one vertue I must now as my first ground of this Discourse according to my promise set forth this methode and Art of seruing God aright to euery mans view Wherein for our better proceeding I will first giue some more generall instructions to direct vs in all our actions secondly some more particular for the repayring of that slaughter which sins haue made in mans soule thirdly I will speake of the loue of God and of the things which a man ought to loue in which loue consists the fulfilling of the Law and of all our good works 1 If it be true which S. Ambrose writeth that the ignorance of order and manner whereby things are to be done doth much trouble and deface the quality of ones desert and worke and that hee is not to bee thought to haue the full knowledge of any thing who knoweth what is to bee done but yet knoweth not the order whereby hee is to proceed therein Then it is manifest that it profites very little that a man do know all that is written concerning the seruice of God if withall hee bee ignorant how and by what meanes the same is to bee put in practise And albeit all Arts and knowledge of good things doe slow from the supreme Artificer God and many are enlighted with his goodnesse and preuented with the blessings of sweetnesse yet are wee not for that cause to omit our duty nor is the obligation of doing what is in our power dissolued in searching into his Precepts and Will and such things as are necessary for vs to the end that we may doe what is pleasant in his sight to which purpose this present methode is necessary wherby wee may know and bee able to put in practise all those excellent things which the holy Scripture teacheth vs. Nor let any man thinke it superfluous that wee shall haue instructions giuen vs helping to the seruice of God seeing the whole Scripture witnesseth it and the Apostle expressely that wee are Gods fellow-Labourers 1. Cor. 3. But wee cannot say that he doth truely or sufficiently helpe that doth not helpe so much as hee can and ought to helpe Nor is it any thing else for vs to bee helpers vnto God then to moue the soule in all our workes as much as wee can to repaire the grieuous losses which sinne hath brought into the soule and purely to loue God aboue all Besides there is no cause why any should excuse themselues in that the annointing of the Holy Ghost doth teach all things and so there should bee no vse nor need of any Art or methode whereby to learne the seruing of God For that is true but yet so as that wee bee not wanting vnto the Spirit and to our selues in searching and labouring by all holy meanes to come to that knowledge For the holy Ghost teacheth not those that are altogether vn-willing much lesse such as reluct and striue against it Nor let any thinke this sweete yoke of the Lord to bee heauy in spending so much time to attaine so high and heauenly wisedome whereby to vse this methode of seruing God aright For if vsually men spend three foure or more yeares in Grammer Logicke and other inferiour Arts nay sometimes all their liues if they study to bee perfect in it how much better shall hee bestow his whole life to learne perfectly this most heauenly Art to teach vs which our most deere and heauenly Maister Iesus Christ came downe from heauen vnto vs and with so much labour and paine performed it therefore let not any bee discouraged in following this course if hee finde in himselfe many disabilities for herein it chanceth to him as to an infant for hee hauing a soule hath not yet the vse of reason and hauing a body feete and legges yet cannot goe but when hee beginnes to grow and to moue the members of the body hee can goe yet for all that with much difficulty and often falling vntill increasing in yeares and by continuall exercise hee goes so freely that whē he listeth he can runne The same thing falleth out in holy exercises whilst one beginnes purely to serue God for albeit the soule bee found yet it is so bound and burdened so without power wherby to moue it selfe in this iourney to God as the whole Scripture declareth that we cannot walke at all and if wee bee moued something towards it yet it is with such difficulty faintnesse and fallings as that our walke is but a very standing still if not rather a very going backewards but when we shall haue practised this methode and meanes of seruing God for some short time wee shall grow to such strength therein that wee shall doe things which before wee durst not hope for and shall so runne through these high and heauenly iournies as that our motions may rather bee called the motions of Angels flying then of men walking on the earth And it is much to bee forewarned that no man make any pretext or excuse of seruing God in this ensuing manner as contenting himselfe with the ordinary manner of seruing God to bee sufficient to bring him to saluation for it is the will of God euen our sanctification 1. Thess 4. and not our sanctification for some short time or in some one part of body or soule but during the whole life and throughout the whole Spirit soule and body Seeing then that the louers of the world are neuer satisfyed with riches honours and pleasures but still wish and seeke for more yea God commanding the contrary neither let vs bee content with present graces and vertues but labour for an increase of all graces and of that Crowne of glory which wee daily expect seeing God so earnestly desires that wee should obtaine it and if so bee our mindes and appetites bee not therefore set
them or else because that by these duties hee should performe something acceptable vnto him Once the Diuine Maiesty said to his Disciples Ioh. 15. That for this cause hee spake vnto them that his ioy might bee in them But this is the ioy of God which is in vs as one saith whereby hee vouchsafeth to reioyce concerning vs Aug. namely when wee are obedient to his will But no manner of seruice is so acceptable to him as that the seruant of God should so will that which hee willeth so desire what hee desireth that whatsoeuer himselfe is or can be may with all his force bee powred out to the obedience of God as hee that in euery worke conceiued no other end which might moue him to worke then to bee willing to please God and to do a worke acceptable to him This I say is the thing I meane that he should in some sort forger the good and glory which may befall himselfe from the practise of vertue being onely mindefull of God which requires it and for this cause onely would doe it because God willeth it and commandeth it and not without great cause of his goodnesse requires it To make this plaine by example Conceiue a sicke man who for the recouery of his health desires some meate or medicine and not onely desires it but procures it in the meane time it fals out that some deere friend of his fals sicke of a more dangerous disease and stands much more need of that meate or Physicke heere hee that was first sicke being vnmindfull of his sickenesse how great soeuer and of that desire hee had to it for his owne sake beginnes now to desire the same and to procure it not to himselfe but to his friend so that the loue to his friend makes him desire and procure that which is needfull for himselfe not to satisfie his owne necessity but the necessity of his friend so that after hee hath by sundry wayes busying himselfe found it hee perceiues in his minde a certaine boyling desire to get it for his friend as forgetting that hee needs it himselfe and hauing gotten it reioyceth greatly that the will and necessity of his friend is satisfyed The like ought it to be to him that should moue the seruant of God to euery desire and worke euen the like by all meanes namely that in his soule hee feele an instinct whereby to desire and do that is good but that desire must be because God willeth that the thing bee done and by that leades a man to performe obedience to him as if it were very necessary to him and euer forgetting that by these vertues which hee sought desired or wrought hee should attaine glory and saluation For it is a farre more necessary end that wee therefore worke because God would haue vs to doe it and for his goodnesse which moues vs to loue and serue him then that wee our selues should possesse glory For wee ought to desire that wee may enioy glory and good things chiefly for that cause because God would haue vs to desire and haue them and that in hauing them wee might loue him and after an excellent manner serue him and not for our owne profite ioy or glory And so great is the magnificence and goodnesse of GOD that by how much as wee doe in this manner the more desire or do any good thing so much more shall be our glory in heauen This instruction I confesse may seeme vnto many to be full of difficulty but surely the beginnings of all things doe appeare to be such to all beginners for they iudge they shall neuer attaine to that they haue begunne but yet so long doe they exercise themselues in those things that by continuall exercise they become Maisters where at first they durst not call themselues Schollers And obserue it for trueth that if any man haue a will inflamed with deuotion hee shall doe all these things with such facilitie that in a sinall space of time hee may seeme to haue done wonderfull things But vnto him who is not enkindled with so great a flame of deuotion this must be a rule which wee now lay downe wherein shall distinctly bee touched the manner and reason which hee must obserue in attaining vnto it Let a man on the one side propose God as his chiefest friend and himselfe on the other side when the will is moued to desire any vertue or profitable thing let a man consider with what end hee it moued and hee shall perceiue for the most part that hee is moued either with feare of punishment or loue of glory and vertue Now this motiue ought not to satisfie vs although it bee not euill but seeing mans will preuented and assisted by the grace of God hath so much freedome and power in some measure as to forsake the one and chuse the other and seeing we know the will of God to be much more excellent and more woorthie to moue vs then our owne will wee must now forbeare to bee moued after that manner as wee haue beene and turne all our will to desire the same thing after the best manner namely because he would haue it so who is worthy of all obedience Surely he should of right account himselfe vile and wretched who desires or doth any thing moued thereunto with a naturall desire albeit the thing be good and holy seeing hee hath euer the will of GOD present before him which should mooue him euer to will and desire but chiefly seeing GOD giues euer such strength as that one may forsake his owne will as it is stirred vp with a naturall desire albeit a good desire and be moued with a heauenly desire And so much difference there is betwixt these two scopes and motiues that nothing in this world differs more from another then these two doe the one from the other so that the one of these is incomparably more excellent then another as the Sunne exceeds the brightnesse of a candle the Sea a drop of water infinite talents of Gold a peece of Lead Therefore let vs euer endeuour to desire and worke being moued with so happy an end and motiue seeing the Diuine Goodnesse most desirous of our aduancement and glory doth binde vn to do all our workes corporall and spirituall great and small proceeding from the body or the soule euen such as are done according to our naturall disposition to do them I say onely because it is the will of God wee should doe them For all our actions from the least to the greatest serue for the conseruation of this naturall life and as wee cannot forsake them so in vsing them for the loue of God they much further to the increase of a holy and happy life and so the least and meanest worke wee doe is in the sight of God of more worth then the best and highest action performed of him that hath not the same scope And indeed it is a thing wonderfull and worthy of
appeare beautifull and gracefull in his sight Which is to bee performed by these exercises following 1 Exercise is concerning sorrow for our sinnes which helpes much to relieue the discomfiture of the soule and of the manifold euill that comes by sinne He that hath offended so great a Lord as is our God by such grieuous treacheries as wee haue done would now againe come into his seruice it is meet that first he labour to get his offence pardoned that to doe this hee vse those meanes whereby he may more easily be restored to grace and that we may not as desperate persons or conceited ideots thinke that no remedy is to bee found for so great a malady as that of our malice the diuine goodnesse euer desirous of our good hath prouided for vs an easie remedy namely that we shold be sorry for our heinous proditions and offences which we haue committed against his goodnesse and no sooner shall we intimously from the heart conceiue this sorrow but by by all our wiekednesse shall be blotted out of his memory So great is the malice and poison of sinne that to the extinguishing and putting out of the same not all the sorrow and tears of all men in the world is sufficient of it selfe how much lesse the sorrow and teares of one man alone but yet so great is the clemeney and mercy of our Lord and of such value is the vnualuable price of the pretious blood of the sonne of God that he is pleased so that we repent our sinnes with a sincere heart and with a liuely faith apply that pretious merits of that spotlesse Lambe of God to our wounded soules to supply in mercy what is defectiue in our weakenesse and to accept that all sufficient sacrifice of his blessed Sonne vpon the Crosse for a complete and full ransome and satisfaction for all And surely it is but iust and right that wee grieue for our sinnes committed for there is no man lyuing who is not naturally greeued and doth not repene that hee hath done any act whereby either harme may ensue vnto him or he may be depriued of any good thing that hee affected Now sinne is the cause that wee loose that infinite good euren GOD himselfe it is the cause that grace is taken from vs wherein consists all our riches it is the cause that wee become Sathans seruants and GODS sworne enemies it is the cause that hee that dieth in it shall for euer bee depriued of the inheritance of heauen and buried in infernall dennes and iustly ought hee to suffer so great euill who commits Treason against the most supreme GOD who was content to die that hee might giue vnto vs life To recount the euills wherewith sinne affects vs were to number the drops of heauen in a storme of raine Therefore our sorrow for sins ought to be longer thē any words can reach seeing our GOD offended is so good and so worthy of our seruice and neuer to bee offended whose anger and offence ought most to vrge vs and whose will and goodnesse aboue all things to mooue vs to blot out our sinnes with the sobs of our hearts and teares of our soules that being put out of his sight that deuine goodnesse may be pleased with our lame obedience But the maner of acquiring this sorrow if the heart bee found to bee harde is that wee represent to the Soule the euill that proceeds from sinne and compell our will to desire that it were not committed and that God had not been offended by it And this act of the will we must labour often to produce sometimes generally for all sinne sometimes discoursing from one sinne to another and with the greatest endeauour we can albeit sometimes we may seeme to haue no sensible griefe for such is not in our power nor is absolutely necessary at all times God in whose hands it is will giue it vs if we often assume that which we can obtaine and in this sorrow he that will rightly begin to serue God must continue a month or more 2 Exercise Must be in the hatred of a mans selfe a thing before all other requisite in expelling the euill customes of the soule For as from the loue of our Sauior spring innumerable euils from which ill customes and habits doe arise to when the loue of our Sauior ceaseth and the hatred of our Sauior entreth to which the Gospell in many places exhorts euery sinne and euill custome is banished But because such kind of hatred seems at the first sight to defer vs from this exercise for the inbred loue which euery one hath towards themselues aboue all things in the world vnto which also euery man is bounde we will first shew the manner how euery one ought to hate himselfe Secondly wherefore euery one ought to hate himselfe and thirdly how this hatred can stand with true charity which begins at the loue of ones selfe I Presupposing the rule and Canon of the sixt instruction the manner wherewith euery one ought to hate himselfe must bee this that he neither will desire nor assume to himselfe any thing that may delight him besides that which without the offence of God he cannot omit but if he must desire it and take it to him then it must be so done that as much as in him is he be sorry for it conconsidering how vnworthy hee is of all delectation and pleasure in respect of his sinnes and thereupon is sorry that he is compelled to admit it yet in as much as it is the pleasure of God he willingly and ioyfully admits it As for the purpose eating drinking the like which bring some delectation with them thou must neuer assume will or desire them for thy owne comforts and delights or to satisfie thy owne appetite nay thou must with a firme will determine with thy selfe that thou wouldest not admit it if the will of God were not such as would haue thee to doe it To hold this firme resolution it is needfull that thou call to minde the sixt instruction And herein shalt thou know that thou hall gained such a will when thou takest onelie so much of these and in that manner as thou thinkest God would haue thee to take and desire God would that thou shouldest take of meate and drinke what is necessarie both in quantitie and qualitie In quantitie so much as is truely and not fainedlie necessarie vnto thee whereby thou maist bee disposed and made strong to the seruice of GOD in qualitie that with all thy power thou reiect all sweete taste therein except when it is necessarie for the remedie of thy infirmities In these and the like it will be euer expedient that wee take something lesse yea whilst yet it may seeme necessarie vnto vs to take so much For often the too much loue of our selues will impose vpon vs but seldome the hatred of our selues Besides it is necessarie together with this hatred of thy selfe that thou doest
no words which can manifest the ioy hee finds in his heart whose soule with the whole heart shall thus say Oh what an infinit good doe I possesse seeing God which is more I or more mine then I am my owne doth possesse so infinit good things whom I now see albeit imperfectly yet I seeke him and hold him for my owne more then euer I held or possessed any thing for mine Let vs not thinke that this can bee expressed in words but let vs to our purpose conclude only that so great a good ought to mooue vs that wee should not otherwise feele our griefes but as wee now haue spoken seeing wee ought not to desire for our selues any other thing then the diuine goodnesse hath ordeined for vs and after that manner he shall thinke fit to dispose But it is fit that we diligently ponder all the words wee now speake because they are of great vse and conteine great perfection Therefore euery seruant of God must be prouident that by the said coÌ„siderations he presently put from him the infinit paines and sorrowes which the miseries and discâ—nteâ—tments of the world thrust vpon him To which thing are necessary the acts spoken of in the sixth Instruction presently casting away the vnwillingnesse as it is there spoken and that so often as such griefe shall occurre or to speake more rightly euery one should in will occurre and meete the sorrowes that hee may desire those things from whence sorrowes and afflictions arise For when these are desired then the sorrow ceaseth which first did arise from heauen euen that we hated these things and it is most iust that wee should desire those things from whence commeth such grieuances aswell for that they come from the hand of God Iob. 1. as also for that our sinnes haue deserued them and with all many good things doe come vnto vs by them Therefore from hence it followeth as from a certain rule that the faithfull seruant of God ought either so to expell or else to direct his ioy and griefe to Godwards that nothing else should occupy his thoughts besides God wherby perfectly to expel it he may indeauour to make it a custome to take vp some painefull thing and as often as any delightfull thing or ioye shall fall out to bring fourth the act of sorrow and griefe and againe on the other side to reioyce as often as any grieuous thing shall fall out And surely it is most iust that he who offeÌ„ding God and expelling him from the soule hath deliuered his soule to Satan should ioy at euery griefe and grieue at euery ioy that befalls him In this manner is that to be vnderstood which is wont to bee spoken Let thy ioy bee euer vnto thee for a punishment and thy punishment for a loy And hee onely shall performe this perfectly who shall more manifestly know that all things in themselues and in respect of vs are nothing but so farre fourth as they are of themselues or by vs directed to Godward And albeit euery man thinkes he knowes this yet happy is that man in the world that sall truely know and feele this in truth 3. Now as for the affection of hope we must know that it is not the same with that vertue which is called Hope For that which is the vertue is not common to all men but that which is the affection of the minde all men haue so that it is naturall as well to Heathens as Christians in so much that as we see it is naturall as well to the one as the other to reioyce and to feare so shall wee see the Heathen hope for diuerse things as well as the Christian Of this hope which is no vertue but an affection common to all wee may obserue that albeit wee are inclined to Hope for many things often yet nothing ought to reft in our hearts to bee hoped for besides God and those things by which we thinke wee may the better draw neere to God to serue him for whatsoeuer thing else we must thinke to be of no worth anâ— if at any time we see the hope of any thing to fix it selfe more in our hearts then felicity and vertues we must presently expell it seeing that it is euidently against the due and right end 4. So must wee also doe in feare namely cast oft all that which is not concerning God The reason whereof the Prophet shewes The Lord it my light and my saluation Psal 26. whom then shall I feare and so the Sonne of God feare not them that can kill the body but feare him that can cast body and soule into hell fire q. d. You are much to feate the offending of God or to prouoke him to anger but he cannot be more prouoked to anger then if by your sinnes you giue him occasion to send body and soule into hell fire Hence it is that hee cries Alas I will reuenge my selfe of my enemies Is 1. Therefore most iust it is that this great God be so feared with a filiall feare For it is more to be desired that we should pluck out our eyes theÌ„ to doe any thing to displease so great a God and so good a Father and Lord as he is Nay hee is not to be feared with any other kinde of feare seeing he only can giue both life and death eternall and fearing him there is no cause thou shouldest feare any thing else in the world Qui timet Deum omnia timent eum qui non timet DeuÌ„ timet omnia He that feares God all things feare him but he that feares not God feares all things For albeit all the calamities of the world rush in vpon vs if we feare them not they can affect vs with no euill which can truely be called euill But rather if we boldly confront them and take them with a thankfull minde in that our God and Redeemer would haue vs to imbrace them in memory of those things which hee suffred for vs they will increase in vs perpetuall dignity and glory Therefore being prepared hereunto that we esteeme of no worth or rather esteeme as a pretious ornament whatsoeuer calamity can befall vs in the world if any feare creepe vpon vs by and by in will wee meet it to repell it that it haue not that place in vs. In which the reuerent feare of God necessary for vs ought to be placed to this the sixth Instruction is necessary Surely hee that shall thus rule the passions of the soule shall liue without vitious passions in a great perfection and shal come to that peace which maketh the peace-makers bee called the Sonnes of God Of the passions SEeing it is impossible for him to get the victory that doth not know his enemies and the more cruelly they vex vs and grieuously wouÌ„d vs the more need there is to know their wiles it cannot but be a matter of singular consequence for the true inriching of our soules to know how to
is the greatest for it hath the motion of contraction contrary to the vitall motion comming from the heart dilated it most grieuously hurts the minde as by this reason appears For the minde is kept downe by the weight of the euill present the actions are made more seeble a certaine cold vapour and sluggishnesse runnes thorow the whole man and almost dissolues the ioints whereby it is hardly mooued or else altogether slacks to the workes of vertue which being difficult stand need of extēsion to vndertake difficult things which by this reason is euident It is a thing well tried that any sorrow of the body long raging in short time the whole man must needes be dissolued nor can the imagination diuerte from thence to any other worke for sorrow is the bond of the minde Now if sadnesse be properly taken as differing from sorrow it much needes worse torment the minde then sorrow for the anxieties of the minde are much more grieuous then those of the body which is thus from the contrary prooued it is the generall opinion both of Diuines and Philosophers that the delectations of the Spirit are greater then those of the body for seeing delectation is a motion proceeding from the coniunction of good by how much as the good is greater the coniunction straighter the appetite more inacted to perceiue pleasure so much the greater shall the delectation be but the goods of the minde are greater then of the body as being Spirituall more narrowly ioyned as being without any body betwixt more liuely perceiued as hauing the vnderstanding to penetrate the essence of good Therefore by the same reasons the euills of the minde inwardly apprehended arc greater because they belong to the minde their coniunction is greater for euill inwardly conceiued is most nerely conioyned and repugnes the appetite but outwardly apprehended doth neerely repugne the body but if it should onely hurt the body the appetite not resisting it should bee more light yea and sometimes it should delight for many with delight of the appetite euen for foule causes doe suffer hunger blowes and stripes To conclude euill is more intensly perceiued but the inward sence is more able Hence may we collect how diligently wee ought to cut off the beginnings of sadnesse and of what weight it is prudently to cure these diseases For the learned know that these passions but especially the third do often put the vnexperienced worshippers of Christ out of the way of saluation that not without cause the Apostle was instant reioyce in the Lord euermore againe I say reioyce for it behooued him to speake it againe because it was of infinit weight 2 The remedies of these passions 1. A man sees something that is incommodious and hurtfull as he supposeth to him say that it bee some parts of the exercise of God-linesse which seeme difficult and and harsh to him by and by ariseth an auersion of the minde which is hate and with a most swift motion as much as belongs to it the appetite flees from it which is slight and being commanded or constreined to performe it he is cast downe with the burden of heauinesse and griefe Then therefore hee that hath care of himselfe assoone as the motion of hate ariseth may thus commaund himselfe absteine from thy auersion for it is not worthy of hate if I will heare reason speake for many more incommodious things must wee suffer for the loue of vertues and expediting of the minde from the fetters of the body for the liberty of man is by these motions hurt whilest hee hates the things which are not truely euill and will make him languish from the study of reason This manner of commanding the passion as I said of loue is common to heathen men 2. There is another very Christian manner which is to propose to the appetite true euills which by the instruction of faith it may abhorre and this comes from the superiour part of man thus abstaine from hate for here is nothing worthy of hate seeing sinne is a wanting which only is worthy of detestation for that as concerning the incommodity if it be without fault certainely it pleaseth God well 3. But there is a thing more diuine than this and that is taken from the imitation of Christ thus absteine from hate for how much more incommodious was the crosse of Christ on which for thy sake he suffred willingly is this the imitation of Christ Iesus crucified who when the foxes had holes the fowles of heauen nests yet had not where to hide his head and yet was most worthy of eternall rest By such exhortations is the superiour part wont so to preuaile that by his command and effectuall motions the appetite is weakened nay sometimes by a sudden conuersion it begins to loue what before it hated But oft-times these kinds of repressing the passions doe not profit because the appetite cannot receiue these reasons of the honest good or else it will not bee instructed by reason in respect of the violence and heate of the passion and then it will be to purpose to represent to it other more grieuous euills which by the experiment of lesser euills it hath cause to feare to shunne which euills if not willingly yet patiently he will not hate the present euill which he beganne to detest and this may thus be done desist from hatred nay loue and imbrace this incommodity for art not thou mercifully dealt withall who hast deserued the torments of hell ought not the fiery flames of hell to be changed for this incommodity These and such like present remedies are to be sought out before sadnesse and griefe haue taken too deepe rootes for if the griefe doe grow not from a light cause but proceed from some grieuous causes of the soule such as are woont to befall to men of a scrupulous conscience or vehemently vexed for the sins of their life past there are some more effectuall remedies to bee sought out For the written counsailes and as it were dead letters haue not so much power to heale these diseases which creepe into mans inwards and doe extenuate the powers both of body and soule putting on diuers formes as the Oracles of a liuing voice of some sweete singer in Israell who according to the nature of the euill can minister a word to the wearied in due season Such as the Psalmist deliuers Eduxit me de lacumiseriae de luto faecis statuit supra petram pedes meos Hee brought mee out of the pit of miserie and from the claie of dregges and set my feete vpon a rocke How many causes of ioy are heere Hee fetcht mee out of all my miseries and that I should not fall into them againe set mee vpon the rocke Christ Iesus from whom I shall neuer fall To conclude we may obserue that these three passions may not only be encountred with the said reasons whereby the superiour part maybe able to keepe them downe but also
then other workes but much more glorious and pretious Yet doth such coldnesse bring no small benefit to such as are fraile for neither doth the greatnesse of the worke inuite them seeing they perceiue it not nor yet the taste of the thing adde any strength vnto them and from the one and the other of these it commeth to passe that in their labours their strength is defectiue Therefore it is 2. fit that we indeauour to apply some remedies to this soare hauing already seene the causes of this coldnesse The first remedy and most common to cure this malady is to prouide that the corrupt appetite as in the 4. Instruction may be healed and by and by those who before felt that coldnesse shall perceiue their former workes which they iudged to be admirable to bee indeed very abiect if they bee compared to the loue of God This doth the Apostle whose palate was most sound teach vs saving If I speake with the tongue of men and Angels 1. Cor 13. it I giue all my goods to the poore if I giue my body to be burned and haue not loue it profits mee nothing and yet must not these bee iudged to bee of small moment But besides after all these speaking of sublime workes hee affirmes them all to be of lesse value then loue The same hath the Sonne of GOD himselfe taught as wee haue already said Therefore it is manifest that loue is the chiefest of all workes and duties seeing without it all other things are nothing And without any further proofe this ought to suffice vs that the eternall wisdome of God which cannot lie hath willed chosen and commanded vs to doe this before all other things that can bee done in heauen or earth Nothwithstanding 2. There is another remedy more singular which will make vs something feele the inexplicable greatnesse of this worke of the loue of God and the meanes hereof is that wee vnite and most strongly glue our wills to that will which is of infinit excellency and that we ioyne them in that manner that it be caried to nothing else but vnto that which that infinit will would haue it for then shal our wills be of much value when our owne will being abandoned they haue the wills of that infinit will which is God himselfe for he euermore willleth loueth and reioiceth for the infinit good which he himselfe hath Besides for many causes God would haue vs to desire that which hee so greatly desireth 1 For his onely goodnesse whereby hee vouchsafeth to sublimate our wills vnto so great nobility that they should be in his sight of great worth 2 Seeing he hath created vs to so great a good it is iust that wee doe him some seruice but what duty can we doe him seeing his Maiesty hath no need of our seruice although it were the greatest that can bee imagined Wee say therefore that least wee should be idle seeing God hath no neede of any thing nor can haue more good then now hee hath it is very iust that we as the obsequious and dutifull seruants of so great a Lord all our liues long be herein imploied to reioyce at the good and glory of God himselfe and indeed euery one may easily see that it is most iust and of great weight that all things as well in heauen as earth omitting all other things should euermore be herein exercised to reioyce at the good and glory wherwith God is infinitly filled 3 That for which God would aboue all other things haue our wills vnited vnto him is for that being yet on the earth we should begin to seeke that infinit will from the fulfilling wherof all the blessednesse which wee haue or hope for in the heauens is deriued vnto him that is lead with this loue For it is true that learned Diuines do say that gloria nihil aliud est quam gratia consummata glorie is nothing die but grace consummate to possesse charitie here in a measure is to bee glorified there in abundance and so it is begun here but perfected hereafter But it is to our purpose to shew how this glory which is heauenly may be perfected by this loue wherein the excellency of this loue will appeare Therefore wee must consider which is also againe and againe to be read and pondered that all our ioy proceeds from the fulfilling of our owne wiss and by how much more our will desireth any thing and by how much more perfectly it fulfils that which it desireth by so much doth it obtaine a greater ioy To these things let vs consider that the blessednesse or perfect ioy in heauen proceeds from the vision beholding of God who in the same moment wherein he is seene infuseth into all that see him a most perfect knowledge that he is most worthy to haue all the good and infinit glory which he hath For assoone as they see him they become all prudent and wise so that euery one may see what is conuenient for him to which knowledge of God is ioyned the loue of God aboue all created things together with an ineffable desire that hee may possesse all the good and glory which he is worthy of which desire and most intense and inlarged will of euery man this cleere vision of God doth succeed whereby they know and see apparantly that the same their desire is farre more perfectly fulfilled then they are able to comprehend For they see and vnderstand God himselfe whom they so much loue beautified with so great good and glory that for the infinities of it they are not able perfectly to vnderstand nor yet are able to come to die defects or increase of the glory And againe that so much is euery ones ioy the greater by how much his desire is greater and more perfectly fulfilled And here is opened the largenesse of the glory of the blessed seeing their desire in such a sublime manner is fulfilled as that nothing can bee more excellent besides that desire is of the infinit good of GOD himselfe whom they doe more loue and desire then they doe the glorie which properly belongs to themselues Blessed is the man who on earth shall with an intimous will loue and contemplate the being glory of God seeing he shall thereby obtaine that hee may see his owne desire in as high a manner to bee fulfilled in heauen Who is he that can imagine how much of his glory the Lord without any diminution of glory in himselfe shall giue vnto him who dwelling on earth wisheth nothing else but the glory and greatnesse which that Maiesty possesseth all these things doc those words of Paul well declare Eye hath not seene 1. Cor. 2. nor eare heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man which God hath prepared for them that loue him And this hee saith because no man can conceiue how intimously those that loue GOD here doe wish and will in heauen that good which God possesseth and in what
it but it sufficeth not him that is truely addicted vnto God to giue part vnto God but the whole so that the whole affection must be imploied in God or in that which is wholy directed to him Therefore whatsoeuer is vaine in this loue must bee cast away seeing it is certaine that nothing can bee ordered and directed towards God which is more loued in the creature then in God the Creator Our loue towards al persons ought to bee carried with so great affection as can proceed from that affection which wee haue towards God all other affections being cast off that that affection may haue place which wee owe vnto God And to the casting away of these things it shall not profit a little to remember what wee haue spoken before of vaine ioy together with the sixth Instruction Now therefore seeing in part we haue spokeÌ„ what kind of loue ours ought to be and that wee must cast away the loue that is not such wee will adde an example to open this manner of louing to which purpose wee neede but call to minde the example of that good Sonne of whose loue toward his Father wee spake in the former Chapter by whose imitation wee collected it is fit to loue our Heauenly Father So now let vs see in the imitation of him how wee ought to loue the seruants of our Father namely all that are in the world friends and enemies Therefore wee must adde in that example that the father so beloued of his son who yet expected no benefit froÌ„ his father had a seruant whom he onely loued but yet wanted all kinde of necessaries as well for himselfe as for his seruant sauing what his sonne did giue vnto him Now this seruant is odious and hatefull to this sonne and in nothing profitable to him or to his minde and if the sonne should onely seeke himselfe and his owne benefit and pleasure he would cast off this seruant yet vnwilling to doe any thing that may displease his father but rather seeking by all meanes to doe the things that may please his father induced thereunto by no other respect hee maintaines this serâ—ant in his house as one of his â—onnes or most dearely beloued seruants and so speakes vnto him â—nd intreates him that if at any time he would seeme to leaue the house the sonne would be grieâ—â—ed and would intreat him to tarry fearing least his father should bee grieued for his absence Such loue must that be which wee ought to carry towards our neighbours namely that considering they are so much beloued of God that hee gaue himselfe to death for them when as yet all of them were his enemies we also should loue them al so much helping them in all that is good and necessary for them as well in body as in soule euen so much I say as we are wont to loue them who do much please and delight vs and that also albeit their conuersation were odious and gâ—ieuous vnto vs so to speake vnto them and prouide for them in all necessaries euen as for those who are much beloued of that our Father and Lord who both would it should bee so and hath also so commanded it to be done And all these things wee must doe with as great and feruent a will as wee are able because this is most acceptable vnto God and he would haue vs doe it and this he his infinit will that it should bee so done of vs. Let them who desire to serue God chiefly obserue that whosoeuer doe affect vs with any iniury giues vs great occasion to increase in the seruice of God for after this occasion of so great good which comes vnto vs ioyned with the commandement of God who would haue it so what excuse can we haue if wee doe not with intimous and ardent bowels loue then that load vs with euils chiefly whilst wee consider that God himselfe will happily afterwards take from such our perse cut ours all excellent and high duties as it often befalleth many other sinners Therefore the good seruant of God he must neuer be accounted who reioiceth not at the afflictions and iniuries which are cast vpon him for his Lord. If therfore hee shall esteeme himselfe happy when he is set vpon with iniuries and aduersities the onely will of seruing God makes him no lesse stable in louing him whom his inordinate affection made odious then him whom the abundance of benefits compelled to loue Yet it must be obserued that although loue must bee equally borne vnto all yet first it must bee shewed both in affection and good workes towards them that are giuen to vertue and holinesse of life 3 The last thing which I reserued for this place is the loue of our selues how he must loue himselfe that would truely loue himselfe To loue our selues is a thing so naturall that whosoeuer would hereof write may wel do it without feare of prouoking any to anger seeing our appetite doth increase in our loue towards our selues that albeit we be inriched with great riches yet doe wee iudge them but small because we loue our selues labour aduancement to greater matters For this cause our excellent Master the Sonne of God desiring that wee should loue our neighbours very much as those for whom hee laid down his life that he might shew in few words how much hee would haue vs to loue them he gaue this rule Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Math. 22. But seeing the blindnesse of sinne hath so inuaded vs that it hath taken from vs the iudgement and knowledge how wee ought to loue our selues it is fit by the direction of the Gospell wee prouide for this euill Therefore we will say that he truely loues himselfe who obserues these three rules 1 That with all his strengh hee procure euery thing whence hee vnderstands any good may come vnto him 2 That hee shun euery thing which may bring any harme damage or euill vnto him 3 That albeit many difficulties and rubs to the attayning of that which is good do offer themselues yet hee shall not refuse to oppose himselfe against them Of these three seeing wee haue often spoken in this discourse we will onely touch some few things which are more necessary to bee knowne that wee may learne aright to loue our selues 1 As concerning the first of these wee will obserue that this Cannon is euery moment very necessary hereunto that the thing which is good may bee made very good namely that in euery thing I repeate it againe in euery thing speaking generally which wee shall desire or obtaine two points may be considered 1 Is the good which from this thing commeth vnto vs or may come vnto vs. 2 That it is acceptable vnto God that this good thing should come vnto vs. Therefore hee that loueth himselfe and desireth great good things to himselfe must little esteeme the good that may befall him from any thing hee doth or desireth I say
wee repent for our sinnes when wee desire and purpose to shun them when in the discussion of the conscience wee shall vnderstand that they are euill and displeasing vnto God For the euils which either out of ignorance or infirmity or yet or mallice wee haue committed this discussion and this examination doth detect sets them before the eies of the minde that they may bee lamented and blotted out Therefore the things which we haue committed with more precipitancy then prudence and feare to be euil we must diligently discusse and by a wise retractation inquire whether they be iust or vniust profitable or vnprofitable Hence wee may collect that who doe not often examine themselues can seldome or neuer haue a right and sanctified life For euen as a line is not thought to bee exorbitant and swaruing from straightnesse when it is look't on without the helpe of the rule but assoone as the rule is laide to it the obliquity and crookednesse of the line is discouered so the defects of our liues do passe by and out of our knowledge whilest that the Rule of Examination doth not ponder all our workes For this discussion of the Conscience is the rule which directs our actions and shewes what is crooked and what is streight what is acceptable and what is odious to God in them If therefore the rule be necessarie to Artificers to the doing of their workes according to arte surely then is the examination of our thoughts and workes necessary to vs to the end that wee may liue well and frame our liues according to the rule of vertue When wee doe purpose to clense a house wee first gather and sweepe all the filth in one place that wee may afterwards cast it our So is the house of our conscience to bee clensed examination gathers our sinnes together and repentance after that casts them out But if by this exercise we doe not see our sins and defects and gather them into some corner of our memory euen to our confusion and teares for them how shall we euer cast them out One doth very aptly compare the examination of the conscience to the moouing of the humours in the body by physicke for as the art of physicke doth first by the benefit of some medecine mooue and collect the humours and afterwards by some potion driues them out so the art of holy liuing doth first by examination mooue our sinnes and as it were pull them out of their residence and after by true repentance castes them out This to bee the true fruite of examinatiō the Prophet shewes Let vs search and trie our waies Lam 3. turne againe to the Lord. For what other thing is it to search our waies but to discusse our manners affections words workes and thoughts What is this inquisition but to trie by examination whether these same things bee good or euill acceptable or odious vnto God And what will hence follow Surely that wee may returne vnto the Lord and by true repentance put away his indignation and obtaine his mercy and fauour Therfore the discussion of Conscience is auailcable hereunto that wee may detest and lament our sinnes Thus holy Dauid stirred vp himselfe to the destruction of his sinnes Psal 6. I am wearie of my groning euery night wash I my bed and water my couch with my teares Hee had said before Turne mee O LORD and deliuer my soule O saue mee for thy mercies sake In which words hee praies that the Lord would pardon his former sinnes But that I may obtaine pardon saith hee I will weary my selfe with mounrning I will in the place of my rest call to minde my sinnes and will sill my bowels with sorrow and griefe For this is the way O Lord to bend and incline thy mercy and allure thee to spare and forgiue my sinnes But now let vs briefly lay downe the necessities of this discussion 1 It detects our sinnes and giues light and wisdome to know them For whilst wee accustome our selues to looke into our selues and to separate the euill frō the good we are instructed of the Lord who is faithfull how to doe that is good shun that is euill When Gedeon was threshing wheate by the wine-presse to hide it frō the Midianits Iud. 6. the Angell of the Lord appeared vnto him who taught him the will of God and made him captaine to ouercome the Midianits And what is this to thresh wheat and hide it from the Midianits but to examine thy life by a wise consideration to auoid the snares of the diuell Doth not GOD looking vpon this thy labour send his messenger to make thee captaine against thy enemies whilst thou feelest a light sent frō heauen to make thee know thy sins and stirre thee vp by teares and repentance to cast them out What is it to thresh wheate saith a holy father but by streightnesse of iudgement to separate the graines of vertues Greg. 3. Mor. from the chaffe of vices Therefore those that by iudgement and examination separato their good deeds either from wicked workes or affections doe prepare themselues to receiue the beames of diuine light At the last day when God shal iudge the world he wil first examine the consciences 1. Cor. 4. and by the examination manifest them that after hee may giue vnto the Godly most ample rewards and to the wicked most bitter torments because euen nature doth teach that no man is to bee iudged good or euill till his cause bee knowne of the Iudge God will set before man his sinnes Psal 49. hee will write them in his sight with the pencill of his wisdome that hee may know himselfe guilty and GOD iustly punishing him and the same order if wee will doe aright must wee obserue namely first by a prudent examination ponder all our thoughts and workes before either wee arraigne our selues as guilty or acquite our selues as innocents For neuer whilst wee here liue will there bee awanting in our hearts sufficient matter to humble vs and to prouoke vs to a holy repentance except our liues lie hid vnder the vaile of selfe loue 2 Another reason of the necessity hereof is for that no man can without it sufficiently conceiue a detestation of his sinnes For who euer was mooued to detest the misery hee knowes not Who euer grieues for the stripes hee feeles not Or the infamy hee knowes not such is he who is vtterly ignorant of his defects and miseries who doubtlesse will neuer grieue for them nor by any censure of amendement will cast them out And how shall hee not be ignorant of his defects who neuer lookes into himselfe Who doth not examine and discusse himselfe And who neuer obserues what hee caries either in his hands or in his heart Therefore discussion of the consciēce is the beginning of all soueraigne sorrow and repentance whereby when wee behold our owne cases and estates wee are stirred vp to sorrow and detestation for
of the wise shall neuer erre If therefore thou shalt obserue these duties vnto God thy neighbour and thy selfe thou shalt wonderfully profit in sanctification of life 7 Prayer O Lord God whose all that is that is best of all who cōmandest thy seruants to shine with vertues the true ensignes of thy house and sendest into their hearts the desire of such excellent beauty kindle I beseech thee in our hearts the flaming desires of all vertues teach vs with prayers and groanes to seeke and obtaine them at thy hands that our vnworthinesse for the worthinesse of thy Sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ may obtaine of thee who art a most bountifull giuer these true and euer enduring treasures Teach vs the nature of vertues that wee take not vices for vertues stirre vp in vs the loue of them that we may loue them and thee the author of them strengthen our armes by the helpe of thy grace that wee by holy liues setting vpon the City of glory may through the merits of Christ be possessors of it let our life be the life of the righteous that wee may die in Christ and liue in thee for euer Amen The conclusion of the Booke IF shall be obiected that this manner of seruing of God is most troublesome and withall most impossible in repect of our many frailties miseries and also our necessary and alloweable imployments in our vocations I answere that hauing fully acquainted our selues with the seuerall rules and instructions conteined in this booke the greatest part of bodily labour in the seruice of God will easily be cut off and we shall lay for a foundation that of the Apostles that bodily exercise profiting but little 1. Tim. 4. our chiefe care must be to reuerence and loue God in our mindes holy cogitations and good desires albeit yet those duties of our bodies may not as time and place will giue leaue be vtterly neglected For it is godlinesse onely that is profitable vnto all things But besides seeing we are to giue an account vnto God for the expence of our times as the most pretious guift of God it is very necessary that euery man haue a knowledge of some profitable forme of seruing GOD that hee may thereby labour so to spend the foure and twenty houres of the day and so consequently all the daies of his life that he may assure his owne conscience this his life hath beene life indeed and not death and so may obtaine the glory of eternall life and auoide eternall death in which all they doe euer die that liue in these insinit streights of the world and doe not make vse of their most deare and pretious time to that end for which it was leut them namely to know loue feare and reuerence God to delight onely in him and the things directed vnto him Therefore experience teacheth vs that there are three considerations which do not only inuit but ought also to enforce euery man but especially great persōs who thinke thēselues most exēpted frō this kind of seruing God duly in such a streight exact manner as this is to serue God The 1. is the nobility of him which serueth The 2. is his greatnesse and goodnes whō we serue The 3. is hope of reward These 3. if we do rightly cōsider thē with many other motiues very effectuall hereunto wil casily so cōmand our affectiōs that we shal neuer omit to serue the high God in this sort 1 The nobility of him that serueth ought to mooue him to serue well For a generous minde in some sort compels a generous man to perform the taske he hath vndertakē after the most sublime excellent maner that possibly he can that especially when he hath to doe with great noble and generous persons Therefore euery man as much as is belonging to this businesse must consider what himselfe is of how great nobility and worth And thus doing wee shall finde our selues to bee of much more excellency then the heauens nay the whole frame of the world seeing wee are created after the image and similitude of God and are his Sonnes if wee serue him a right and shal be heires of his eternall Kingdome This nobility of ours ought much to incite vs rightly and duly to serue God For albeit we may omit that it is iust that the generous should vse his generosity through his fidelity to serue duly nothing else doth so much effect that generous noble persons may come nere to that most high and true nobility which they wish as to serue the most high God For thus Psal 82.1 of men they become Gods and so become farre more noble then if they were borne of the kings line For that is true liberty and nobility and that onely in which the seruice of Christ is found to bee If the Sonne doe make vs free then are wee free indeede Io. 8.36 if hee inoble vs then are wee truely inobled And surely this is not without great reason Matth. 24.47 for onely those shall be kings of heauen and rulers ouer all their Masters goods As the holy Gospell telleth vs Yea in earth shall be more eminent and high then the kings of the earth For in commanding themselues they doe also command whatsoeuer things else But al those that serue not Christ are not onely the sonnes of Satan but euen at length are made his most vile slaues in eternall darkenesse Therefore if there be any whom the former cause namely that he may obtaine most excellent liberty dominion and nobility doth not inuite to serue God surely that man ought to be terrified with the great euill which in the second place is noted namely that so hee becomes the sonne and slaue of the deuill and for this cause should striue with al his powers to serue God 2 Wee must also ponder the greatnesse and dominion and the bounty goodnesse of him for whose seruice we were created And we shall finde that the dominion which God hath ouer euery one of vs also ouer all the Kings and great Potentates and States both in heauen and earth is without al comparison greater then the dominion that all the Kings great ones of the world hath aboue one base basket of earth nor are they indeed the true Lords of so much but God is so the Lord of all them that with one only blast he can turne them vnto nothing and plunge them all into the deepe dungeon of hell except they shall serue him but if they will serue him he shall so exalt them in another life that they shall truely acknowledge that whatsoeuer they possessed here was nothing else but a base basket of earth compared vnto those worthy things which there they shall enioy There is no cause that wee should in many words extoll the greatnesse of this Lord for albeit wee should neuer cease yet should it be nothing that we had said in respect of that which the