that is great in the world think not then too highly of transitory things nor too basely of thy selfe remember what thou hast received and whereunto God calleth thee and thou shalt have no cause to complaine of thy lot Meditation 18. Suspition I Know not wherefore Suspition is good except on just cause and then it is providence but to make our idle conjectures the arrowes and other men the butts and to hit them which are not in our way because wee have a crooked aime this is for want of charity and from too much love of our selves wee love our selves so well that wee would have all men worse then our selves and so little doe wee love others that wee care not how bad wee make them If Suspition hunt like a yong dogge which knowes not his game it is taken oft with a lye and falls soone into a dead fault but if it worke an experience and triall it gives soone over where it is not good and never holds but where it should Vaine feares and vaine suspitions are much like for feare makes us suspect the helpes which might do us good and Suspition makes us feare friends which meane us no hurt and both betray their followers feare to danger and Suspition to shame the one by refusing her owne strength the other by discovering his owne weaknesse If Suspition come of weaknesse it is the more tolerable but if for want of charity and strengthned with malice it is intolerable and to be hated for it rangeth farre and runneth riot and will bee under no command you shall never satisfy it though you would neither can it satisfy it selfe but by complaints What poyson lieth hid under Suspition may appeare because it breedeth jealousy betweene man and wife for what is jealousy but the Suspition of a stranger In this cause the parties are so disquieted that the joy which they took by each other doth decay their society becomes odious and a cursed parting the bane of holy wedlock followes The suspitions man as he is no good husband so is he a bad neighbour and a worse friend an unruly servant and a crooked master he mistakes more then he takes in good part he will not lend a good turne for feare of losing his labour and and yet hath lost all judgment because he will not lend so much as a good opinion hee heares what men speak when they are silent and seeth them doing something amisse when they are asleepe he doth challenge the fairest proceedings of a foule intent he thinkes all men naught and is the worst himselfe he trusts no man in private and is publiquely noted he hath a window in every mans breast and an eye into every mans window a cleare minde thinkes of others as of himselfe at all times he doth passe over that which may have any good construction many times takes no notice of ill or offence he consults not with tales and opinions but out of discretion and observes both what humane society doth require and how far charity must bear and may win a stranger Meditation 19. Of Gaine A Desire of Gaine if wee have a greater desire of Gods glory and the common good if it be limited within the bounds of nature and honesty if it be our owne and not to gaine by anothers losse is not to be condemned yet are wee scarsly to desire Gaine by our Saviours rule That which wee may lawfully desire we may honestly seeke but Christ will not have us seeke the things belonging to Gaine but to the kingdome of God and to accept the other as it falleth out meaning that our whole purpose of living here should be set on our spirituall life with God to make our advantage that way and that our naturall and civill life should receive their convenient blessings from God without our cark or vexation though not without our employment without gaining our affections though commanding our meanes There is sometimes a fault in the desire when it is greedy and in the Gaine when it is filthy and commonly a greedy deâ—ire doth not refuse filthy Gaine and when they goe both together it is the worse Usury is not only a desire but a greedy desire of filthy Gaine yea unsatiable and cruell a Gaine and a staine to the Soule of him that useth it a Gaine and a paine to the heart of him that payeth it a Gaine and a traine of the Devill by the love of mony to bring men to perdition Yea but much good commeth to the Common-wealth by usury and the like is said of witch-craft men else will not lend as much to say as they will not be Christians but will you bee so bold as to condemne all usury I referre you to your conscience a little rectified deale as you would be dealt withall abuse not thy neighbours want use the honest meanes of some calling depend on Gods blessing and tell mee what course of usury is lawfull many lend not for themselves but for Orphanes A speciall cause and hath speciall rules of conscience many pay use the occasion of borrowing may accuse or excuse the greatest Gaine and the surest profit is God lives for it hath the promises of this life and that which is to come and joyneth piety with prosperity But what are promises worth say some who will stand on them promises are but debts and debts are not willingly paid though promised by forfeit under hand and seale True betweene man and man but betweene God and man not so because his promise is better then any mans performance think not small of the promise of his love But I see no experience I have no feeling of this promise David did when he said I never saw the righteous forsaken David many times beleeved without feeling and so doe thou if thou find it hard pray that thou maist for it is full of reward If thou be godly I permit thee to deale with the earth or naturall ready and ordinary Gaine shee takes no hurt thou much advantage thy diligence maketh her bountifull thou lendest a little and shee payes thee home with great store I know thou wilt as willingly deale with the poore an excellent usury God is the pay-master not according to thy merit but far above of his owne mercy for the interest of unrighteous Mammon behold a crowne of righteousnesse with Christ for him forsake Father Mother Brother Sister House and what not else and receive a hundred fold is not this Gaine enough will not such Gaine content thy desire this or none Two things hast thou oh my soule to avoid about worldly Gaine distrust if it come not security if it doe Doe thy meanes faile thou hast a father carefull of thee above all meanes Art thou not rich to the world it is better 〈…〉 rich towards God of a liâ—… give a little God respecteth according to that a man hath not according to that he hath not and loveth a cheerfull rather then a costly giver thou
battered and shaken that consent who is Captaine of the place falls to a parley and yeeldes on any conditions to my losse How far better had it beene for mee to have avoided the fury of Saul by wandering in the wildernesse barring my selfe of those betwitching vanities Meditation 24. Presumption and Despaire PResumption and despaire the two extremities of faith faith grounds it selfe on the promise of God presumption assumes unto it selfe Gods mercy without promise desperation takes no comfort by the promise Presumption intrudes it selfe into the promise desperation excludes it selfe out of the promise faith holdes the promise fast as his proper right Presumption is more bold with God then wise desperation puts a man more in feare then is safe faith without boldnesse or feare is confident Presumption hurts the conscience most and layes it open to sinne desperation wrongs God most as though he would not or could not be mercifull to a sinner faith doth keep the conscience from sinne to come and makes the way for Gods mercy for the pardon of sinnes past Presumption hath an eye only on the mercy of God desperation on his justice and faith doth behold in God both justice and mercy Presumption is fed by prosperity impunity Gods long sufferance desperation strengthened by some speciall crosse and adversity at what time sinnes appeare greater and more in number then before Faith standeth on the death of Christ and there doth see both the greatnesse and grievousnesse of sinne and findeth a way to escape the danger Presumption doth despise the justice of God the feare whereof might make him fit for mercy desperation cannot apply unto it selfe the mercy of God in time of need the helpe whereof might cause him to avoid justice Presumption doth cause a man to think well of himselfe of his own wisedome righteousnesse and to preferre himselfe before others desperation doth cause a man to think ill of God and no otherwise then of a tyrant Presumption is a Pharisee despaire a Devill faith the penitent Publican finally Presumption is a steep cliffe without footing desperation a deep pit without bottome and faith Iacobs ladder by which God comes downe to man and man goes up to God Oh my soule thou best knowest thy owne wandring there lies danger on both sides the common waies are the worst and that the safest which fewest find let thy guid be the word of God walk by faith purpose not to offend though pardon were granted thee before hand Hast thou offended seeke for mercy not considering so much how great thy sinnes are but how great is his mercy to them that truly repent A good conscience may presume of mercy when it hath no feeling expecting Gods leasure with patience and this is to hope above hope and despaire of her owne sufficiency when it doth most good so learning to depend ever on God alone Meditation 25. Society with God MAn by nature is sociable and of all Societies none better for him if it may be had then that with God for if wee enter into a common right with them of whose Society wee are how much shall wee by this Society bee blessed above all others which possesse God who is the fulnesse of all good things and are so possessed of him that nothing shall bee able to part us from him Now behold how thou maist attaine to this neere and inward society with God he which dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him for God is love a holy flame burning with the love of goodnesse the Father loveth the Sonne eternally and the Sonne the Father and the Holy Ghost is one and the same incomprehensible love of the Father and the Sonne three persons but one love for God is love and this inferior love of the creature is but a beame a streame of that love which if it bee so necessary betweene the creatures themselves that the course of things may not bee maintained without it how much more betweene the Creator and the creature for both the being and well-being of the creature doth depend on the love of the Creator and these creatures are the lesse happy how excellent so ever otherwise as the Sunne Moone and other glorious bodies which being loved of God cannot love him againe Oh man what cause hast thou to love God which was not content only to make thee a creature whom he would love but endued thee also with a nature to love him againe that so thou mightest enjoy him the more and certainly as the being of God is love so there can bee no greater perfection in men then to love God God doth give most glorious signes of his presence in Heaven but out of doubt the Heaven of his delights and where he is alwaies present is the soule of a true lover Love is a quiet thing yet not idle active as heat and nourishing goodnesse like a naturall heat it is much in giving much in forgiving in giving to God his honour to man convenient helpe and succour in forgiving wrongs and injuries Loves kindred is not of flesh and bloud a Christian unto it is more deare then a brother and a brother the more deare if a good Christian Love soares over all the pleasures the riches the honours of the world and stoopes downe to none of these because with the Eagle it findes nothing worth the looking on but Christ Jesus the sonne of righteousnesse The priviledge of love is this where there is love it is accepted not according to the worke but for the worker according to that one hath and not according to that he hath not many oversights are borne with where there is love and where there is no love the greatest diligence is rejected Oh my soule faile in any other thing rather then in love though a small measure of knowledge must content thee yet love God out of measure above thy selfe for himselfe doe good unfaignedly if not strongly and let thy heart be ready when it hath made thy hand empty Meditation 26. Of Peace I Would that all they which are of one opinion were of one affection How well doth it become them that professe one truth to maintaine peace as one man because the author of their truth hath commended peace unto them as the fruit of goodnesse which springeth up in them that love the truth Now because they which are one in opinion are many times differing in affection truth it selfe which is but one seemes to be rent in parts and is ill spoken of by adversaries which agree with true professors neither in opinion nor affection and shall I wish likewise that they which are of one affection as man and wife parents and children brother and sister master and servant were of one opinion How necessary is it that they which agree in the lesser matters of life should in the greater much more and that they which have vowed to be true to one another should be both true to Christ but now because
they which are of one affection doe square in opinion the knot of love is broken which truth doth commend and it seemes that truth is the author of confusion what then indeed is to be wished that our opinions be ruled with truth and our affections tempered with love and this will bring the diversities of men to a world of university wherein though there be differing parts both for stuffe and use yet they shall all tend to the good of one another and so of the whole chiefly insomuch if that come in question once every particular will lose some part of his interest rather then the whole shall labour and this shall be done more strongly by the guide of reason then by the instinct of nature where for the same cause sometimes heavy things climb upwards and light stoop downe contrary to both their proper rights And were it this then must wee all needs be of one opinion of one affection that is Christians both in name and in truth for this is the thing which our Christian profession doth chaime of us and a thing rather indeed to be wished then hoped for and I think God hath of purpose placed us to live amongst such which if they doe agree with us in affection they shall disagree from us in opinion so barring us of this unity either for the exercise of our vertue or that wee should bee out of love with the world and long for the other to come where wee shall perfectly enjoy it Howsoever in the meane space they which will nourish in themselves any hope of comming to such happinesse promised must maintaine this band of unity in the communion of Saints and that is not only to love the truth but also in truth Oh my soule labour for truth and suffer many things for Peace prefer the truth before all things but use the truth to winne thy brother thou knowest how much truth doth belong to thee as a man reason searcheth truth more as a Christian faith receives truth give thankes to God if thou meet with such as can teach thee and bee as ready to teach others this will bee a stay from wandring opinions which have no end but if thou meet with such as love the truth with thee and affect thee in the truth give God thankes for such a heavenly blessing and let not thy oile bee wanting to keep such a lamp burning Brethren indeed are they which are of the same profession and affection Christ is the head of their society it will never want life the spring of their affection it will never want love and what soever spirituall comfort thou hast in this life remember the greater part is behind and therefore lift up thy selfe for that day when thou shalt bee present with the Lord. Meditation 27. Of Love TO love the truth is the more worthy Love and yet to love in truth more urged and required because that as in the first there is more excellence in respect of the object so in the second more evidence in respect of the subject and though by the order of teaching wee learne first to love the truth and then to love in truth yet according to the order of nature wee can never profit much in the first till wee have well practised the other for love is stirred up by sight and he that loveth not his brother whom he dayly sees how can he love God whom he never saw So God loveth us first after wee love him but this love cannot reach to that heighth except by certaine degrees we climb up thither beginning the love of God in the love of our brother Is not he worthy of my love whom God hath made partaker of his and if I forme my selfe to love all men as brethren shall I not love God the more which loves all those whom I do love As we know so wee love but God would have us to know and acknowledge himselfe first in our brother and to cast our eyes upon him as his Image and therefore if this may not move us to a due consideration of love for the Image sake neither will wee love him for his owne sake who is yet more unknowne unto us In love it is a speciall point to observe the disposition of the beloved for this makes Love acceptable now God is specially pleased when the duties which in Love wee owe unto him are for his sake done unto our brother and therefore when wee resigne up our hearts to serve God which is the chiefest of our Love wee must expresse it in striving to do good one unto another in Love and he that is thus affected cannot bee carelesse of his brother or comfortlesse unto him Love like fire it can neither bee idle when it hath matter to work on nor lye hid water will not quench it cover it you cannot but the flame will break forth The true lover of God doth embrace him in his heart his mind ever thinkes on him and his will desires him But this is raked up and hidden in the inner man how breaks it forth by respecting and affecting all men for Gods sake to his power above his power bearing their necessities for bearing their wrongs feeling with them in joy or grief taking part of their harmes and imparting his owpe advantages unto them God hath made all his creatures that in them wee might know his power reverence his greatnesse admire his wisedome and be thankfull unto him for his bounty but the only use which wee can make one of another is this that by mutuall love for Gods sake wee love God not as in his worke onely which may bee said of the rest but as in his likenesse which no work else can yeeld us Dost thou then love the Olive because of his fatnesse or the Vine because of his strength or the Figge-tree because of his sweetnesse dost thou love the Sunne because he is King of the day or the Moone because shee is Queene of the night dost thou love the Fire because of his heat or the Water because of its moisture dost thou love the Aire because it doth refresh or the Earth because it doth cherish thee yet hast thou a greater cause then any of these to love thy brother for the likenesse of God which is in him love all the Creatures for in them God hath left the print of his footsteps but love thy brother more then all for in him God hath printed his owne face and fashion Thou wilt say that coine shall bee currant with mee which beares my Princes Image and shall not thy brothers love be currant with thee who beares the Image of thy God It seemes when God made man he resolved on a likenesse to himselfe rather then any other patterne that man should love his God better and be the better beloved of another man who is no other then a brother unto him that is another such Oh my soule thou knowest well thy own backwardnesse in this duty
DIVINE MEDITATIONS AND CONTEMPLATIONS upon severall heads of Divinity By G. R. Compiled for his owne private use and published for the common good PSAL. 1.1,2 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsell c. But his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night LONDON Printed by R. C. for Sam. Enderby and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the Starre in Popes-head-Alley 1641. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARLE OF WARWICK c. Right Honourable IF having neither merit or other relation to usher the admittance I seeme to intrude this present of so meane condition whence â—…ver it came upon your Lordships favourable construction and acceptance the report of those many excellencies in you imploy'd for the honour of your Prince and good of your Country so eminently obvious to the eye and admiration of the vertuous hath imboldned mee to the attempt and must serve for excuse instead of a larger apologie I have not the will or skill to flatter my thoughts aime at no base ends in this presumption and were I not certaine your Honour were as much a lover of goodnesse as an enjoyer of greatnesse and no lesse humble than honourable and would be rather a gratious interpreter than strict censurer my penne should not have been so ambitious or dared to rest under so noble patronage nor so inconsiderate to have exposed my owne and others weaknesse to publique view And yet the honesty of the subject whiles it directs the mind to the consideration of spirituall and necessary concernments for the soules welfare and a Christians profit may thus farre presume as not unworthy the perusall of the religious of what degree soever at times convenient to bespeake protection for the matter and pardon for the author be hee what hee is and his expressions otherwise never so meane or deservings answerable Please it therefore your Lordship to beare with this challenge which I have not used in the way of my owne right nor to forestall your Lordships judgement to which I humbly submit in both but to intimate that by how much the present is the more considerable for any worth or value to be found in it by so much the more it belongs and is fit to such worthy patronage to be presented But herein your Honour must accept the will for the deed from him whose desires in the height of their ambition soare no higher in that respect than to become effectuall Orators for your Honors prosperity temporall and eternall and that he may be worthy Of Your Lordships command in any service G. R. Meditation 1. Of prosperity and adversity IN prosperity it may seeme we love God in adversity we feare God for prosperity doth cause us to praise God and adversity to pray unto him and yet in the end it doth then appeare wee neither love nor feare God A strange matter indeed that God should not be beloved of us then when he sheweth himselfe a friend or not feared when as a Judge he calleth us to account and therefore not to be beleeved without good proofe He that doth truely love God loves him for himselfe and hee that doth truely feare God feares him for himselfe and finding in him alwayes the same cause of feare and love doth never cease to feare or love love is his possession feare his Security what hee hath once gain'd by love by feare hee is willing to keepe and he doth as much feare not to lose as love still to enjoy May hee then bee said to love God in prosperity which in adversity doth not love him or to feare God in adversity which in prosperity doth not so If then wee cannot endure the change of a prosperous estate but are so much disquieted that we take no comfort in the favour of God this is a sure token we loved not God in prosperity though then we praysed him for a little of this love abiding in us though at first it should not be able to free us from feeling and passion yet at last would it so calme and settle us that not having the gifts wee would much more rejoyce in the giver for whose sake onely all things are worth the having Likewise if good successe and better credit doe but inable us to do wrong without looking to the will of God which awardeth right this is a sure token we feared not God in adversity for a little of this feare would stay us backe from such attempts though there were none in the world to control us If not God what loved wee then in prosperity what feared we in adversity Wee loved the gift not the giver wee feared the punishment not the Judge that is we neither loved with feare nor feared with love Oh unworthy love which doth more respect the gift than the givers good will Oh vaine feare which observes the mighty but not the Almighty If Gods gifts bee better welcome to us than himselfe little is the love we beare to God if wee feare Gods punishment more than the losse of his favour such feare is not religious But will we give a true testimony of our love and feare towards God Let us doe that in adversity which even hypocrites do in prosperity let us I say praise God and be content Againe let us doe that in prosperity which even hypocrites do in adversity Let us I say pray heartily unto God and commend our selves and all our doings unto him In a word let us love him in adversity and feare him in prosperity to this purpose looke we in prosperity on the threats of Gods law beleeving that none of them shall fall to the ground In adversity on the promises of God firmely trusting to receive comfort and deliverance from him though as yet wee have no feeling thereof Shall we not feare such a God in our greatnesse who hath ever vengeance ready and that without respect of persons Shall wee not love such a God in our weaknesse who is so faithfull and kinde that he will never neglect them in their greatest distresse which put their trust in him Adde this to make us feare in prosperity that God doth but make us his Stewards hee may when he will and hee will when wee thinke least on it call us to reckoning the more we take the more will be required and negligence shall finde a streighter judgement than ignorance And wee shall love God the better in adversity if wee consider that evils are justly layd upon us because of our sinnes and yet from Gods mercy that chastising us as children we may repent and be saved and that it is sarre better that hee should take our estate from us than that our estate should take us from him Meditation 2. Of Love Faith is the assurance of Gods love to a Christian which faith breedeth in him a love answerable to his apprehension though not comparable to the object and it is a borrowed fire a
drop taken out of the sea of Gods mercy Love is a briefe of the Law a legacy of Christ the cognizance of a Christian the life of a good conscience the assurance of prayer the strength of devotion the prop of patience and in a word the band of perfection The love that we owe is unto God but God will have the duty discharged to his image our neighbour to his members our brethren specially where this duty may give most evident token of love as when wee provide for the poore which can make no recompence or pray for our enemies which hate us Indeed thou losest nothing by giving to the poore for it is put on his score to whom thou owest thy selfe it is repaied by him who hath given himselfe for thy redemption and will give himselfe unto thee for thine eternall salvation Thou findest no cause to love thine enemy neither did God to love thee God loved thee without an example but hath left it to thee for thy imitation for so well hee loves thee that he would have thee like himselfe Hee loved thee freely for himselfe thou must love freely too but for his sake is not this cause enough God bids thee shall the countenance of an enemy dismay thee this is the way pointed out by God and blessed by him to make thy foe thy friend fall it out otherwise he is thy friend more than his owne he gives place to thee in goodnes strive not thou with him who shall be worst After love hath dispatcht her duties abroad she returneth home and doth privately converse with God and this is an entring into the chamber of her well beloved Let mee dye if the wealth of the covetous or the honours of the ambitious or the delicates of the voluptuous be to be envyed and not rather contemned in respect of this if thou know it thou desirest nothing else if not any thing Meditation 3. Of Passions Passions are originall and naturall they are bred with us they are a part of us wee can no more leave to be without them then to be mâ—n yet are they the baser part of the minde for their familiarity with the sanses and hence the Philosophers thoâ—…ht did arise their disorder but if the minde it selfe be insected how can there he cleane And if the eve be darknesse what light can there be in the members yet vertue is the government of Passions and all vertues whereby man doth imitate Gods holinesse or righteousnesse are but well governed Passions Mans vertue is in the middest of much weakenesse and therefore his victory the more commendable And of all victories it is the best when one overcomes himselfe Many have been invincible abroad which have beene overcome by their owne weakenesse at home I feare nothing so much as treason within I speake it without pride through the gift of God I know more than many though I know nothing as I should and yet practise but little according to my knowledge I know what piety what common duty doth require yet stand I unresolved or slow I have much bettered my judgement by hearing but am a very Infant in performing what I have heard I am more sound alone than in company more upright for strangers than in my owne or friends cause I am not so bad in intent as in event What I do not prevent I would gladly amend I thought not on that which after makes mee wonder how I could forget all this I impute to passion Religion sanctifies passion by opposing a fit object as love as much as you list so you love God hate as much as you list so you hate sinne rejoyce alwayes but rejoyce in goodnesse be sorry too but let it be the sorrow of repentance Wee may bee full of hope but as pilgrimes bound for heaven Wee ought to feare so that it be to offend God Will we envie it must bee that others goe not beyond us in well-doing will we be jealous it must bee that nothing defile our conscience Wee have wherein to trust if it be in Gods grace and wherein to distrust if it bee in our owne nature Likewise there is a holy confidence a holy despaire the one claimes Christs merits the other denies her owne That revenge also is just whereby wee debarre our selves of the occasions which led us into sinne Yea passions here doe passe into another nature as anger into zeale for Gods glory love into charity sorrow into repentance pity into almesdeeds hope into patience feare into watching and prayer mirth into thanksgiving confidence into perâ—everance The inconstancy of the wind makes the Pilâ—t at sea watchfull and the disorder of our affections ought to make us advised As is a horse without a bit so are our affections without understanding let reason rule the reines lest thou bee overthrowne Hast thou to deale with a cunning man which is like to overtake thee or a great man which will be too hard for thee or a hasty man which will offer to hurt thee or with a lewd man which may corrupt thee looke well about thee there is more danger from thy owne passions then from any or all these It is good to doe nothing in passion give time to reason and use the helpe of prayer and thou shalt anon espy the depth of some temptation which lies commonly hid under an ordinary passion There are tentations of all sorts and for all sorts of passions for merry men unlawfull pleasures for sad men uncomfortable despaires for presumptuous crying sinnes for angry men quarrels and brawles Looke to thy passions and thou maist prevent many though not all temptations Meditation 4. Of Providence Thou art not able to change the course of nature it is only in the power of God who made it The second cause is tied to the first but the first worketh freely either with it or without it Hath God taken order for one part of his worke and not for all Thou hast a free will not to be constrained true yet is this thy will subject to the highest and first will which moving all our willes is moved of none Thou must needs follow it that will not follow thee God made mee in the first man as in my cause and hee made the first man for himselfe Wherefore the fall of man did not crosse his supreme counsell for then should not that have beene which notwithstanding he did most willingly and justly suffer Is it Gods will then that all men should be concluded under sinne that hee might have mercy on whom hee would and whom hee would he might justly forsake so it followes Yet is his will no cause of sinne but a rule of all righteousnesse so ought I to beleeve Well doth God looke on mee in the face of his well beloved do I beleeve the Christian Faith doe I desire to doe all Christian duties strive I against mine owne corruptions this is Gods speciall favour unto mee it is his worke in mee for which
conclusions may more specially bee deduced but the life of action lies in circumstances the soule where of is Consideration wherefore contemplation reades mee over a lesson which Consideration doth make mee perfect in by observation experience correction Blessednesse which is the perfection of man hath his beginning from Contemplation but his consummation in us by Consideration for as by that I know God who is the cause of causes so by this I love God who is the last end The soule doth performe some actions without discourse so doth it move the body receive digest bestow the meat for nourishment and in those it so falls out because the end is as present as the meanes namely the life of the body but those actions which tend unto her owne proper end or rather of the whole shee doth not produce without discourse because the meanes are nearer and the end farther of Angels for the perfection of their nature doe all their actions without discourse but as the Angels herein are above men so man by the priviledge of discourse above all other Creatures for as in a Mill the stones know not what thing meale is nor to what end neither the wheeles nor the Water which driveth them about but the Miller only which sets the Mill to worke so none of the Creatures of this world know their owne worth or employment but only man which is Lord over them and hath not only the use of particular objects but of common notions also and beholding causes in their effects and ayming at a farther by the next doth sort convenient means to their proper ends and all ends to the chiefe end What a high art is Consideration which doth effect such wonderfull things out of one good it multiplies many and makes her advantage of evill it takes on her the cure of our weakest and worst parts and addeth both comelinesse and grace to the best where Consideration is all things are done orderly but they which by chance doe a good without it doe lose the commendation of their worke for want of it yea of such force is it that actions not speeding in the end yet set a foot by Consideration retaine still the praise of vertue it hath as it were the true touch of that stone whereby Gold is knowne from other metals for so by it wee discerne betweene that which is honest profitable and pleasing preferring honesty to the rest as Gold to other metals it doth cause profit and pleasure to give place to honesty and out of honesty requites us with true profit and pleasure but if profit and pleasure strive with honesty to have their turnes served first or without it then it sheweth them to be base metall and nothing worth that such profit is but losse such pleasure but sorrow and that indeed there is nothing either profitable or pleasant which agreeth not with honesty As they which behold other mens buildings walke in other mens Parkes solace themselves in other mens Gardens make a use to themselves though the possession belong to another so doe we neither heare any thing spoken or see any thing done neither is there any object proposed unto us whereof by Consideration wee may not make some use unto our selves though the matter belong to others And herein is the busy body faulty which medling with all kind of matters doth desire to be a party in possession where he hath nothing to doe whereas if he had Consideration he might take notice of any mans dealing for his owne use and doe no wrong for he cannot bee accounted a busibody which out of Consideration observeth for his owne use from those things which belong not unto him Excesse of anger or pleasure is the greatest enemy to Consideration and the promoter of all hasty and forward attempts which end in sorrowfull events but the feare of death and other miseries are lessened by Consideration Meditation 30. Subjection BEtter well markt then a whole eare is the husbandmans Proverb for the beast which straies away is the sooner owned and brought home againe with a marke but without it lost better to be under government then to follow a loose and lawlesse life better to be trained up under the discipline of the Church then to range at liberty as an Ethnick It was the better for the prodigall youth that he went out a sonne though he returned a sinner and hee receives more liberty by his comming home then he found abroad his Father knowes him the house receives him the fat Calfe is provided for him and all make merry with him The Church doth exercise authority over them which beare the mark of Christ and if there be cause why it doth correct them according to the quality of their faults sometimes by words chiding them sometimes by deeds suspending them from the Sacraments or excommunicating them from the society of the Church and if the Church perceive that any hath entred through hypocrisy and is now discovered by blaspheming the truth which is a casting off of Christs marke such a one it doth remove by the eternall curse Atha Maranatha and for such a one indeed had it beene better never to have received that mark and for those also which in the end doe fall from the Church contemning the order thereof though not cursed but they which are the true members of the Church take great profit by those censures for though they fall oft times through humane frailty yet the Church doth not cease to acknowledge them for her owne because they beare the marke of Christianity and taking a speciall care of them doth by this discipline bring them againe to repentance and amendment of life they are converted they are received they are confirmed more then before and the Church is glad of them as a woman of the child wherewith shee hath long travailed howbeit with them which are without the Church medleth not therefore runne they on still in sinne to their owne perdition as they which are utterly lost in the waste of this world because they have not the mark of Christ Count it thy greatest good in this life that Christ hath markt thee for his owne by baptisme that thou livest under the discipline of that Church wherof he is the head and therefore suffer thy selfe to be rebuked privately openly and if any greater correction befall thee humble thy selfe repent amend and this priviledge that thou art markt by Christ shall restore thee againe to thy former estate and thou shalt be his more then before only beware of hypocrisy which one day shall be discovered and turne not back like a dogge to his vomit for such have their end worse then their beginning and it is better never to have knowne the way of righteousnesse then afterwards to depart from the holy commandement by a wilfull heart into which extremity they are at last led which use not their most honourable profession with a good conscience The fall of a starre is fearefull
offended at the blemishes and wants of those Churches wherein they did live and have gone so farre in this humour as not to hold these assemblies for Churches though otherwise having the word soundly preached and Sacraments rightly administred wherein they saw so many hypocrites and loose livers and in the end have made a Separation from their Churches and sought unto themselves new conventicles as they thought pure and holy wherein as they did great wrong unto Christian charity and unity which was not in this cause to be broken so found they not that which they sought for and surely it cannot be that in this world there should be any visible Church so pure as they dreame of it that there should be in it Wheat without Tares Sheep without Goates for it is compared to a draw Net which gathereth Fishes of all kindes and it is a society wherein are men of all sorts and no doubt it is the providence of God which ordereth all things wisely that the good and bad should not live asunder parted with great Seas and Mountaines but mingled one with the other in this life which maketh much for the bettering of the good in the exercise of vertue and for the staying of the wicked from all kind of vice if all the good should live together how should their patience charity integrity of life constancy in the truth be exercised or appeare to the glory of God if the wicked should live all together what meanes might there be to reclaime them but as they be now bad so they would dayly grow worse one encouraging another and having none amongst them whose good examples might reprove them And therefore the good are to the bad like a piece of leaven the leaven is the least part yet it hath a powerfull force to turne the whole lump into his owne quality so are the good very few in respect of the bad yet conversing amongst them dayly they draw the world by little and little to their disposition and make a great alteration in their manners For such is the power of vertue above vice that though vice cannot root out vertue out of a mind well setled nor doe any hurt at all save unto it selfe yet vertue is of ability to drive vice out of that mind which hath beene long accustomed thereunto and doth good not only to it selfe but to many others which walk as it were but in the shew thereof Bee men bad the more need is there that good men should live among them None have so much need of the Physitian as those that are sick it is reserved for the Angels in the last day to make a separation betwixt the Sheep and Goates and not for men who were redeemed from sinne and Hell by Christ uncharitably to forsake their weak brethren But perchance this Separation is because those which should execute good lawes are corrupted or that certaine ceremonies are retained in the Church which at other times have beene abused unto superstitious uses or in that where the doctrine is condemned as repugnant to the truth certaine rites of indifferency tolerated by authority are not therewithall abolished But what partiality were this to hate the good conditions in any man for the rest of his bad qualities and what disorder would this be in religion to teach obedience unto Princes and to reserve a liberty to our selves of infringing his equall lawes what breach of charity is this to offend the conscience of a weak brother in denying habits and ceremonies Suppose they be used by Idolaters yet was Asa and other Kings of Israel commended for pious neither did the Prophets forsake their Countrey or charges although the high places were not taken away with the abuses Oh my soule disdaine not the Church for her spots neither be so offended at the bad as to forsake the fellowship of the good looke well into thy selfe and thou shalt find more amisse there then thou art aware of at first wherefore beginne to amend thy owne faults as one of the worst and after be as leaven to season other for such as think otherwise pity their weaknesse and pray for their amendment Meditation 34. Resolved constancy VVEe may observe two men borne in one Towne brought up under one and the same master keeping like company using the same diet aire and exercise to whom all things are as like as may be yet one of these two giving place to his owne appetite following his owne passions led away by vice and a loose kind of life to wax worse and worse the other obeying reason and framing himselfe earnestly after the goodnesse of his education to prove better and better whence is this difference If from outward causes as Gods providence the starres evill spirits or our owne unhappy condition which is past all recovery why are they not both bad seing they are partakers of the same nature of the same affections set forward in the same kind of education continued in the same company the wicked indeed rather then they will acknowledge their own fault will impute it to any thing rather then to themselves notwithstanding this doth plainly appeare to be the maine difference that the one of them is idle variable inconstant carelesse and so easily carried away with vanity the other well setled constant resolute in his purpose and determination industrious laborious and so overcomming all difficulties takes courage to go on in the course of vertue The course then which good men take doth depend on their owne godly choise of mind purpose resolution and the ill grow worse and worse because they do not wish unto themselves the thing that is good they doe not purpose to be vertuous but are altogether carelesse and uncertaine in their carriage Marke this yet more plainly for in this cause examples are more pregnant proofes then demonstration from reasons farre fetcht Have you lived sometimes in any populous City there might you have observed a world of courses which the Citizens follow some going about their owne businesse some attending their neighbours occasions some going to the Church to heare Sermons or to be at divine Service and all these are well employed if they deale honestly pray devoutly and heare submissively others againe are there idly walking about the Streets or dropping into a Tipling house or frequenting the Theatre or making fraies with them they meet or drinking and carowsing in Tavernes or sporting away the time in gaming places or solliciting their queanes in lewd houses and these are ill employed Now if a man should aske whence there is such odds betweene the men that live within the same Walls under the same Law and in the same time what may be said more likely and agreable to reason but this that the better sort amoved by grace out of the honest choice purpose and resolution of their mind to follow vertue with all diligence do take these commendable courses and the worser sort addicted to their lusts and pleasures
call consummate in the life to come is in his highest degree and without this imperfection Content as it proceeds from a comfortable use of particular things is either in respect of things tending to the being of life or to the well being and they which tend to the being of life are of two sorts some without which life cannot be as dirt and apparell others without which it cannot be else so liberally and worthily maintained as riches friends dignities and degrees of life and they which tend to wel being are also of two sorts some which are but meere helpes as arts and sciences some which are the well being it selfe of life as wisedome prudence morall vertues for in all these things as there is a good in respect of the giver and the end for which hee gives them so out of them particularly there doth arise a particular and generally a more generall content and therefore both these may be considered againe as outward or inward content the outward is that which commeth from externall things and yet no false content though they be common both to good men and bad And though I said before that false content is that which proceedeth from things seeming good and are not for they are indifferent and have their name from the use to them that use them well they are good but else not so and as flowers or fruit which otherwise would corrupt are preserved in sugar so those outward things which otherwise might prove to be evill are preserved in goodnesse by the sweetnesse and strength of vertue This then is the difference betweene the content which groweth from inward and outward things that outward things are not content in it selfe but as referred to the inward and inward things are content unto it selfe without the outward There be two things which helpe the good in the use of outward things first they have a right judgement of them to know that they are not simply good or necessary but indifferent and secondly they are indifferently disposed towards them to have them or to be without them when they have them they are content with them as they have them because of the good use which is to be made of them and when they have them not they are contented to have used them well and to be no more busied with them as setting their minds on the better things and without this equability of mind there is no content to be had in outward things the inward content is from the true knowledge of God the feeling of his favour and the testimony of a good conscience that wee heartily desire in all our life to obey him and this workes a wonderfull content when as the heart loving God and desiring him doth feele it selfe beloved againe of God yea loved first and before he himselfe did know how to love God and whence all his love and duty doth grow But here it may perhaps be said that they which serve God have the least content of all men for the world is against them and they against the world and as for these things wherein doth consist their chiefe content if wee shall beleeve them they complaine they want much and have very little as the Prophet David where hee saith As the Hart panteth for the rivers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God What content might that soule have which was so emptied with neede and so stretched out in desire and lived in expectation of the good it had not From that antipathy which is betweene the world and Gods servants doth arise their chiefest content for instead of the world they have God to be their steward and provider and the godly soule which having tasted of the sweetnesse of Gods mercy findeth unspeakeable content therein and thirsteth to drinke more yet without discontent though not without desire and this humility and vehement appetite in the children of God maketh their content the greater Thinke what a wretch thou art and most unworthy of that content thou oft feelest that thy content is choaked by turning thy desires after vanity or sinne which are the poyson of content labour by obedience and patience in the end to attaine full content in the meane space be not out of heart if many times thou have it not for God will try thee by all meanes seeke content in the best things else thou wilt lose it in all Meditation 42. Malice and Pride THe worke of sinne is an imitation of the devill but there are two which practised by men do make them in a short time as cunning as their crafts-master and to turne as right after him as any child can after his father they are Malice and Pride the devils malice is so great towards God though his Lord that there can be nothing more hatefull unto him than to be obedient to his will whose service wee count perfect freedome and doth for this cause what in him lyes that the holy and just lawes of God should be held of no force no authority by breaking them himselfe and causing others so to do and by maintaining lawes of his own repugnant to Gods as Idolatry Magicke and the like and so much doth hee please himselfe in this course that hee counteth himselfe and his followers for this doing better and more noble than other creatures as Angels and men which continue in obedience whom hee esteemes but as base slaves for that as hee saith they consent to live in such a bondage whereas living as hee doth under no command they might at least be Gods themselves in conceit and therefore against all such for the malice hee beares to God and obedience to him hee bendeth all his force and sleights if he cannot winne them hee will weary them and hee boasteth that hee hath more to follow his command than God hath And there is nothing that doth vexe him more and indeed it is his hell that when hee hath most deeply plotted and diligently practised to bring to passe a mischiefe to the dishonour of God or the hurt of his servants hee perceiveth himselfe in the end to come short of his purposes because the goodnesse of God by infinite wisdome power and mercy doth over-reach the depth of his malice using him onely to discover his owne naughtinesse but turning the businesse to his owne glory and the good of his servants and leaving him at last unto his shame as in the fall of Adam affliction of Job and the passion of our Saviour this makes him to eate and teare himselfe that hee should be but an instrument which would be counted a master of the worke and in all these appeareth his malice his pride is so great that though hee know himselfe to be over-ruled by Gods power and cannot go beyond the length of his chaine though hee suffer extreme punishment for his rebellion as separation from the divine presence and horror and though hee knowes God is very mercifull yet disdaines hee to