and Men in authority 308. Kings Princes Rulers c. to hearken to good Counsel 520. Kings Princes c. subject to death as well as the lowest of the people 526. The greatnesse of them no protection from death 526. The state of Kingdoms and Common-wealths best known by the administration of Justice 3. A Kingdome divided within it self cannot long stand 195. The Kingdom of Christ a peaceable Kingdome 247. Kingdoms and Common-wealths their successions from God 309. How it is to know whether a Man belong to Heaven or not 4. God knowes his own People however distressed 46. Impossible for a Man to know all his sins 57. Impossible to know God perfectly in this World 96. How to know Gods dwelling place Heaven 100. How to know whether we are more troubled for sin then for worldly sorrow and trouble 356. Knowledg very usefull in the matter of Reformation 4. Gods knowledg and Mans knowledg the difference of them in the event of things 5. Zeal and knowledg must go hand in hand together 15. Difference betwixt a spiritual and carnall Man in point of knowledg 58. The Saints knowledg of one another in Heaven 68. Windy Knowledg and windy doctrine go together 82. Notional knowledg of God no true knowledg 100. Minister of all men to be men of knowledg c. 134. Experimental Knowledg the onely knowledg 156. 437. The confidence of much knowledg an argument of no knowledg 159. Knowledg not to be reserved 168. Knowledg and practice must go together 173. The great danger of concealed knowledg 192. Knowledg without practice reproved 213. Christians and their knowledg to be communicative 227. Man losing himself in the pursuit after knowledg extraordinary 238. True knowledg never rests on the Creature till it center in God the Creator 259. Knowledg in political affairs very uncertain 267. All knowledg but in part 268. The keys of Knowledg much abused by those that keep them 509. To have a perfect Knowledg of God impossible 532. The knowledg of God through Faith in Christ the way to true happinesse 534. Wherein the true Knowledg of Christ consisteth 556. L. LAughter of the Wicked but from the teeth outward 52. How it is that the Law is said to be the strength of Sin 491. How it is that Christ is said to be end of the Ceremonial law 534. The work of the law preceding the work of the Gospel 559. The Law of God abused by Libertinism 487. Law of God a perfect Law 19. The Law Gods Rhetorick in the delivery of it Man's duty to attend it 133. How to behold our selves in the glasse of Gods Law 246. 630. The Law of God bringing Men to the sight of themselves 297. Multiplicity of Law-Sâ—its condemned 588. Good Lawes and good Men are the pillars of State 150. Lex Talionis 157. 416. Good lawes obeyed are the support of a Common-wealth 175. The great danger of Law suits 207. The tedious length of Law-Suits 213. 524. The known laws of any Nation to be the rule of obedience 293. How it is that Men may be said to learn of little children dumb thews c. 409. Practice of the law abused 430. The downfall of piety and Learning to be deplored 118. Not to admire our own Learning or parts 168. University Learning to be countenanced by men in Authority 219. The necessity of humane Learning 240. Learning and honesty to go together 249. A Man of Learning speaks little 263. The Devills plot to root our Learning 276. 576. Excellency of the Knowledg of Jesus Christ above all humane learning whatsoever 363. The commodity and discommodity of learning 366. Knowledg and learning to be owned in whomsoever they be found 412. The right use of humane learning 421. No Man too good to learn 447. No Man so old but he may learn something 471. The right use of humane learning in Divinity 483. 577. The necessity thereof 484. Much learning to be found in few expressions 567. Impossible to arrive at a full perfection of learning in this life 568. Liberty the cause of licentiousnesse 504. Christian liberty abused by the Sectarian party 27. How it is that Men are so much mistaken in the thoughts of long life 375. Consideration of the shortnesse of life to be a Memento for death 430. The Life of Man subject to all sorts of calamity 61. The pretious life of Man to be preserved 62. An ungodly life will have an ungodly end 101. The brevity of our life may moderate our life 104. The life of Man miserable 219. Changing of this life for a better no matter of grief 280. Man's great vanity in proposing to himself long life 334. The great difference betwixt life spirituall and life natural 370. The uncertainty of Mans life 602. Like to like 234. How to be made like unto Christ 260. Likenesse to be a motive to lovelinesse 414. God must be loved for himself onely 16. Love for the most part is but complemental 8. Want of Love is the cause of all our sorrows 36. Love the bond of all perfection 49. The Love of Gods children is a sincere love 75. The wonderful Love of a true Christian to Christ Jesus 106. The strength of a true Christians Love to Christ 112. Want of Love to be deplored 132. 401. Great engagement to love one another 152. Love to Christ how to be recovered when once lost 236. Christ nothing but Love all over 299. Love to be preserved with all Men 313. The abundant love of Christ in dying for our sins 360. Love Peace and Unity the best supporters of Kingdoms Common-wealths c. 375. The Love of God the onely true love 409. The true love of God will cause familiarity with God 447. How it is and why God loves us 536. The exceeding Love of God to Mankind 550. The Love of Riches very dangerous 571. True brotherly love scarce to be found 613. The difference betwixt true and feigned love unto Christ 650. How our love to the Creature is to be regulated 666. Christians ought to be loving one to another 58. No Man a loser by giving himself up to Christ 38. God being once lost not easily found again 185. The losse of a faithful Ministery not to be sleighted and why so 258. Losse of the Soul irrecoverable 505. The good Man's comfort in matter of worldly losse 464. Not to repine at the losse of Friends and children 522. 670. Losse of good Men not laid to heart condemned 659. Simplicity of Men to be more affected with the losse of things eternal 677. Not to mourn for any outward losses because all is made up in Christ 55. A sad thing to lose both body and Soul together 111. Not to mourn excessively for the losse of any Worldly enjoyment and why so 356. To beware of the lusts of the Flesh 141. The lyars reward and punishment 443. M. A Good Magistrate or Minister is the support of the place where he lives 111. The great comfort of such 539.
Horse would needs have him foaming at the mouth but could not by any means do it Whereupon in a great rage he took the sponge wherewith he made his pensils clean and thrâ—w it at the picture intending to have utterly defared it but it so fell out that the spunge having sucked in severall sorts of colours effected that by chance which the Artist by all his industry could not compasse Thus it is with them that strive to make themselves great and eminent in the World How do they cark and care flatter lie and dissemble and all to be thought some body amongst their fearful Neighbours But all in vain this is not the way to do it for as Charles and Fifth told his sonne That Fortune was just like a Woman the more you woe her the further she flings off Let every good Christian then take up the spunge of contempt and throw it at these outward eminencies Moses did so and found to his exceeding joy that the abjection of vain glory was the acquisition of that which was true and reall The difference of good and bad Men in their preparation for Death A Wife that hath been faithfull to her Husband and waits his coming home let him knock when he will she is alwayes ready to open the door unto him but another Woman that is false to her husband and hath other Lovers in the house if her husband chance to knock at the door she does not immediately go to the door and let him in but there is a shuffling up and down in the house and she delayes the time till she have go the others out of the way Thus it is when Death knocks at the door of these Earthly Tabernacles of ours here 's the difference A good man is willing and ready to open to Death his Heart is in such an Heavenly frame that he is alwayes prepared for Death and seeing 〈…〉 Death that so he may take possession Whereas the Atheist he dares not die for fear of a Non esse that he shall be no more the prophane Person is afraid of Death because of a male esse to be made miserable and every wicked ungodly Man is loath to die for having espoused himself to the things of this World he shrinks at the very thought of Death and cryes out to his Soul as sometimes Pope Adrian did O my Soul whither goest thou thou shalâ— never be merry more Or as those ten Men Stay us not for we have Treasures in the Field of Wheat and of Barley and of Oyl and of Honey c. Jer. 41. 8. Christ to be the summe of all our Actions THere is mention made of one in the Primitive times who being asked What he was answered A Christian. What is thy name he answered Christian. What is thy Profession He answered Christian. Wâ—at are thy thoughts He answered Christian. Thy words and deeds What are they He answered Christian. What life leadest thou He answered still Christian. He had so digested Christ into his Soul by Faith that he could speak nothing but Christians And thus it is that Christ is to be made the summe and ultimate of all our actions we must labour that Christ may be made one with us and we with him that in all our Works begun continued and ended we may still conclude with that expression of the Church Through Iesus Christ our Lord. Gods Immutability A Man travelling upon the Road espies some great Castle sometimes it seems to be nigh another time afar off now on this hand anon on that now before by and by behind when all the while it standeth still unmoved So a Man that goes in a boat by water thinks the shore moveth whereas it is not the shore but the boat that passeth away Thus it is with God sometimes he seemeth to be angry with the Sons of Men another time to be well pleased now to be at hand anon at a distance now shewing the light of his Countenance by and by hiding his face in displeasure yet he is not changed at all It is we not he that is changed He is Immutable in his Nature in his Counsels and in all his Promises whereas all Creatures have and are subject to change having their dependance on some more powerfull Agent but God being onely independent is as the School-men say omninò immutabilis altogether immutable The Godly Man rejoycing in Death IT is storied of Godfrey Duke of Boloigne that when in that his expedition to the Holy Land he came within view of Ierusalem his Army seeing the high Turrets goodly Buildings and fair fronts though but as it were as so many Skeletons of far more glorious bodies being even transported with the joyfulnesse of such a sight gave a mighty showt that the Earth was verily thought to ring with the noyse thereof Such is the rejoycing of a Godly Man in death when he doth not see the Turrets and Towers of an Earthly but the spirituall building of an Heavenly Ierusalem and his Soul ready to take possession of them How doth he delight in his dissolution Especially when he sees Grace changing into Glory Hope inâ—o fruition Faith into vision and Love into perfect comprehension such and so great are the exultations of his Spirit such mighty workings and shoutings of the Heart as cannot be expressed Sin to be looked upon as the cause of all sorrow IN the course of Justice we say and say truly When a Party is put to death that the Executioner cannot be said to be the cause of his death nor the Sheriff by whose command he doth it neither yet the Iudge by whose sentence nor the twelve Men by whose verdict nor the Law it self by whose Authority it is proceeded in for God forbid that we should endite these or any of these of Murther Solum peccatum Homicidae Sin and sin onely is the cause and occasion of all sorrows It is not the looking upon any accidentals any Instrumentals of our Miseries and vexations but upon the principal the prime Agent and that 's Sin to take a wreak or holy Revenge upon that to send out an enquiry in our Souls after that and having found it to passe sentence thereupon The Good Mans comfort in matter of Worldly losse IT was a handsome conceit of a great Duke of Florence that had for his Arms a fair spread Tree having one branch onely lopped off with this Motto Uâ—o avulso non deficit alter intimating thereby that as long as the Trunk or body of the Teee was well rooted there was no fear though a branch or two were withered Thus a good Man bears up himself in the matter of temporal losse As to the matter of Government if a David be gathered to his Fathers a Solomon may succeed him in his Throne If a Iohn be cast into Prison rather then the Pulpit shall stand empty a greater then
himself or that hath his friend murthered If he have the party apprehended and said fast in prison is not presently out of patience because he â—eeth him not instantly executed but is well content quietly to expect the time of the Assizes though it be half a year after as long as he is sure that he shall then have Iustice against him So ought we not presently to flye out because evill doers prosper or grow impatient iâ— we see not justice done instantly so soon as our hasty hearts shall require it upon those we suppose have wronged us but rest content to stay God's leasure and to expect that day of his great Assize when we shall be sure to have justice done us according to that which the equity of our cause shall require remembring withall that all wicked ones are in the mean while in this world as in God's Jayle under the chaynes of a guilty conscience out of which there is no possible means of escape without judgment Godâ—s favour above the world's contentments to a godly man THe old Grecians that had fed altogether on Achorns before after that bread came in amongst them they made no reckoning of their mast any more but kept it onely for their swine And leathern and iron mony began to grow out of request amongst the Lacedemonians after that gold and silver came in use So when a man hath once found the favour of God in his heart and the love of God in Christ hath once lighted on it and got assurance of it he ceaseth then to be greedy of this worlds trash which is in regard of it but as drosse or peeble stones to gold and diamonds as mast to the best bread-corn yea rather of far lesse worth or value to that than either of these are to it A good Heart is a melting Heart IT is observed that gold is both the fairest and the most solid of all Mettalls yet is the soonest melted with the fire others as they are coorser so more churlish and hard to be wrought on by a dissolution Thus a sound and a good heart is easily melted into fear and sorrow for sin by the sense of God's judgments whereas the carnall minde is stubborn and remorselesse All mettalls are but earth yet some are of a finer temper than other all hearts are flesh yet some are through the power of grace more capable of spirituall apprehensions than others are An idle man subject to the least temptation SEt a narrow mouthed glasse neer to a Bee-hive and you shal soon perceive how busily the Wasps resort to it being drawn thither by the smell of that sweet liquor wherewith it is baited and how eagerly they creep into the mouth of it and fall down suddainly from that slippery steepinesse into that warry trap from which they can never rise but after some vain labour and wearinesse they drown and die Now there are none of the Bees that so much as look that way they passe directly to their hive without any notice taken of such a pleasing bait Thus idle and ill disposed persons are easily drawn away with every temptation they have both leasure and will to entertain every sweet allurement to sin and wantonly prosecute their own wicked lusts till they fall into irrecoverable damnation whereas the diligent and laborious Christian that follows hard and conscionably the works of an honest calling is free from the danger of those deadly enticements and laies up honey of comfort against the winter of evill A cheap Religion the beloved Religion with most men SAint Basil complained of the covetous rich in his age because they preferred only that kind of devotion which is without cost as to pray for fashion and fast out of miserablenesse but they would not offer one half-penny to the poor Such are to be found in our daies who are content to hear God's Word read and preached with their hatts on their heads and leaning on their elbowes and if need be they will make bitter invectives against Atheism and Popery yet they are willing to serve God with that which cost them nought Let but the Parish impose an ordinary charge towards the necessary repairs of the Church or the Pastour desire but some oyl for his lamp accustomed Offerings for his better subsistence you shall have them as a bulrush in a wet place so dry that a penny is as easily skrewed from them as a new coat from a child or a sword from a souldier enraged Charity to the poor to be reall not verball WE read in our Chronicles of King Oswald that as he sat at Table when a fair silver dish full of regall delicacies was set before him and he ready to fall to hearing from his Almoner that there were great store of Poor at his gates pitiously crying out for some reliefe did not fill them with words as God help them God relieve them God comfort them c. but commanded his Steward presently to take the dish off the Table and distribute the meat then beat the dish all in pieces and cast it among them This was true charity Words be they never so adorned cloath not the naked be they never so delicate feed not the hungry be they never so zealous warm not him that is starved with cold be they never so oyly cure not the wounded be they never so free set not them free that are bound visit not the sick or imprisoned Distractions will prove Destructions BEfore the destruction of the holy City and the Temple Iosephus wirteth of a man troubled in minde that ran about the City crying Wo to the City Wo to the Temple Wo to the Priests Wo to the People and last of all Wo to myself at which words he was slain on the Walls by a stone out of a sling Let us take away but one letter turning WO into O and his prophecy may prove our admonition O that the World O that this Nation in the World O that this great City of the Nation O that both City and Country would yet be wise and lay it to their hearts that our distractions will prove our destructions That a Kingdome divided within it self cannot long stand Love for the most part is but complementall THe Naturalists observe that the Females of Birds oftentimes lay eggs without Cocks but they are Ovâ— subventanea egges filled with wind unfit to be hatched Such is the issue of most mens love now adaies it bringeth forth Partus subventaneos windy brats good words large promises and happy wishes but no deeds little or no performance at all A great folly not to provide for Heaven IT is a thing that the Emperour Caligula is laughed at in all Stories There was a mighty Navy provided well Man'd and Victualled and every one expected that the whole Country of Greece
man will not gain or desire to gain so much as a shoo-string or a shoo-thread by prophaning the Sabbath with the Sidonian Merchants by fraud or deceit by oppression or extortion by biting usury the devills brokery by rifling and plundering or by any other unlawfull or indirect means that the devill may not one day say that he hath made him rich as he said sometimes to our Saviour Omnia 〈◊〉 tibi dabo All these will I give thee c. Riches oft-times prove pernicious to the owners thereof QUintus Aurelius in the daies of Sylla that Sylla of Rome had a fair Grange that lay commodious to some great one for love whereof he was attainted and killed amongst them that were put to death whereupon he cryed out when he saw his name in the paper Fundus Albanus me perdidit Out alaffe it is my land that I have at Alba and not any offence that I have done that is the cause of my death And is not this the case of many a man amongst us hath not many a man suffered for his means sake It is a common saying that when any man is in trouble his means will hang him Who were they that heretofore were robbed and plundered were they not the ablest and the richest of the land Did you ever hear of a poor Malignant It was the hainousnesse of the wealth not the hainousnesse of the fact that hath undone many a good Family So pernicious prove richâ—s many times to the owners thereof The security of a good Conscience THough the World should rattle about his ears a man may sit merry that sits at the feast of a good conscience nay the child of God by the vertue of this in the midst of the waves of affliction is as secure as that child which in a shipwrack was upon a plank with his mother till she awaked him then securely sleeping and then with his pretty countenance sweetly smiling and by and by sportingly asking a stroak to beat the naughty waves and at last when they continued boysterous for all that sharply chiding them as if they had been his playfellowes O the innocency O the comfort of peace O the tranquillity of a spotlesse mind O the serenity No Spanish skie so clear as a good conscience Not to mourn for losses because all is made up in Christ. SEneca tells a Courtier that had lost his son Fas tibi non est salvo Caesare de fortunatua queri c. That he had no cause to mourn either for that or ought else so long as his Soveraigne was in safety and he in favour with his Soveraign he had all things in him and he should be unthankfull to his good fortune if he were not cheerâ—ull both in heart and look so long as things stood so with him as they did How much better may it be said to every true Christian let his wants and his crosses be never so great his afflictions never so pressing his necessities never so biting that he hath little cause to mourn for them so long as he is in grace and favour with God he hath all things in Him and so long therefore he is happy and he have nothing else beside him An ill tongue never speaks well of any one IT is commonly known that Scarabs and flies swarm to the galled part of a poor pack-horse and there sit feeding upon that worst part of his flesh not once medling with the other sound part of his skin Even thus do malitious tongues of Detractours if a man have any infirmity in his person or actions that they will be sure to gather unto and dwell upon whereas his commendable parts and well deservings are passed by without mention without regard And what do they get by it It must needs be a filthy creature that is alwaies feeding on stinking carrion It is the glory of a Christian to passe by offences and injuries ONe Vitus Theodorus a German Divine sends to advise with Melancthon what he should do when Osâ—ander preached against him Melancthon writes to him and beseeches him for the love of God yea chargeth him that he should not answer Osâ—ander again but that he should hold his peace and make as if he heard nothing Vitus Theodorus writes back again that this was hard to do yet he would obey And thus must every good Christian do he must not be too hasty to oppose oppositions not be like those Salamanders that are never well but when they are in the fire of contention but go on patiently in a constant way resolving to bear what he meets with rather to suffer an hundred wrong than return one and then God at length will make his righteousnesse break forth as light For it is the onely valour to remit a wrong and the greatest applause that a man might hurt and would not Little sins if not prevented bring on greater to the ruine of the soul. THieves when they go to rob a house if they cannot force the dores or that the wall is so strong they cannot break through then they bring little boyes along with them and these they put in at the windowes who are no sooner in but they unbolt the doors and let in the whole company of Thieves And thus Sathan when by greater sins he cannot tell how to enter the soul then he puts on and makes way by lesser which insensibly having got entrance set open the doores of the eyes and the doors of the ears then comes in the whole rabble there they take up their quarters there like unruly souldiers they rule domineer and do what they list to the ruine of the soul so possessed The sense of sin is an entrance to the state of Grace IT is a sure signe that a man is awaked out of his sleep when he discovereth and seeth the errour of his dream and a sure signe of health when a man is able to tell his disease In the drawing up of water out of a deep well as long as the bucket is under water we feel not the weight of it but so soon as it commeth above water it beginneth to hang heavy on the hand When a man diveth under water he feeleth no weight of the water though there be many Tuns of it over his head whereas halfe a tub-full of the same water taken out of the River and set upon the same man's head would be very burthensome unto him and make him soon grow weary of it In like manner so long as a man is over head and ears in sin he is not sensible of the weight of sin it is not troublesome unto him but when he beginneth once to come out of that state of sin wherein he lay and lived before then beginneth sin to hang heavy on him and he to feel the heavy weight of it So so long as sin is in the will the proper
peace it being done without the wit of the King So it is with sin in Gods children it breaks not the peace betwixt God and them because it is but a Rebel and they agree not to it There is a difference betwixt entertaining of sins as Theeves and Robbers and as guests and strangers Wicked men entertain sin as a guest the godly man as a Robber the one invites it as a friend and acquaintance the other throws it off as a rebellious Traitor Immediate addresses unto God by prayer find acceptance CUshai and Ahimaaz ran a race who should first bring tidings of Victory to David Ahimaaz though last setting forth came first to his journeys end Not that he had the fleeter feet but the better brains to chuse the way of the most advantage For the Text saith So Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain and overwent Cushai Prayers made to God by Saints fetch a needless compass about that is but a rough and uneaven way The way of the plain or the plain way both shortest and surest is Call upon me in the day of trouble such prayer though starting last comes to the mark first Sacriledge never thrives Coepio a Roman Consul with his Souldiers robbed the wealthy Temple of Tholouse a City of Narbon in France neer the Pyrene mountain but of those that had a share of any of those goods not one ever prospered It was so generally observed that it occasioned a Proverb If any man what by means soever decayed were fallen into poverty they would say of him Aurum habet Tholosanum He hath some of the gold of Tholouse The endowment of all other Churches whereof many have been plundered of rich Chalices and other utensils in sacrilegious times are like the gold of Tholouse that brought ruine to them and their Families If any man thriveth with them that holdeth them by a wrong tenure he hath better luck then any such Malefactor before him How many sacrilegious persons have utterly ruinated themselves as it is easie to find in many Monuments of learning how a Canker hath eaten their estates as a Gangrene did their consciences but see the Chronicle search the histories of sundry Nations both antient and modern and find me out but one Church-robber here that hath thrived past the third generation A seeming Religion no saving Religion WAndring Empiricks may say much in Tables and Pictures to perswade credulous people their Patients but their ostentation is far from apprehension of skill when they come to effect their cures How many Ships have suffered shipwrack for all their glorious names of the Triumph the Safe-guard the Good-speâ—â— he Swift-sure Bona-venture c. So how many souls have been swallowed up with the fair hopes of mens feigned Religions such as have at that very time the Deâ—il in their hearts when they seem to have nothing but God at their tongues end The vanity of needless and intricate questions CAmbden in his History of the life of Q. Elizabeth relateth how Captain Martin Forbisher fetched from the farthest Northern parts a Ships-lading of as he thought mineral stones which afterwards were cast out to mend the high-ways Thus are they served and miss their hopes who long seeking to extract hidden mysteries out of nice questions leave them off at last as altogether uselesse and unnecessary The life of Man subject to all sorts of Calamity IOnah's condition was but bad at the best as to be rocked and tossed to and fro in a dangerfull Ship the bones whereof aked with the violence of every surge that assailed it the Anchors Cables or Rudders either thrown away or torn in pieces having more friendship preferr'd him then he had hap to make use of and at length to be cast into the Sea a merciless and implacable Sea roaring for his life more then ever the Lion roared for his prey the bottom thereof seeming as low to him as the bottomless pit and no hope left to escaâ—e either by Ship or by Boat no Tabula Naufragii no plank or peice of board appearing whereby to recoâ—er the land besides all these to make the measure of his sorrows up to the brim the burning of God's anger against his sins like a River of brimstone This is the case of us all in the whole course of our lives as Ezâ—chias sang in his song From day to night thou wilt make an end of me We are tumbled and tossed in a vessel as frail as Ionah's Ship was which every stream of Calamity is ready to dash in pieces every disease is able to fillip on one side or other where neither Anchor nor Rudder is left neither head nor hand nor stomack is in case to give any comfort where though we have the kindness of Wife and Friends the duty of children the advice of Physitians we cannot use their service where we have a grave before us greedy to receive and never to return us till the worâ—s and creepers of the Earth have devoured us but if the anger of God for our sins accompany all these it will be a woful adventure for that Man when the sins of his soul and the end of his life shall come so neer together as the trespasse of Ionah and his casting out of the Ship Sacriledge cursed with a curse IT was usual in former times when any thing was given to the endowment of the Church it was done with a curse against all such as should ever presume to alienate or take them away Whether Mans curse shall take hold on such Church-robbers is wholly in the disposition of God and a secret But sure it is that God himself hath openly cursed all those how many or how great soever they be that rob him of Tythes and Offerings Yea cursed them with a curse redoubling the words not without great cause but emphatically to signifie that they shall be cursed with a strange curse such a curse such a signal curse that he that hears of it his ears shall tingle and his knees smite one the other God the proper object of Man's memory SEneca writeth of himself that he had a very flourishing memory being able to recite by heart 2000 names in the same order they were first digested Portius Laâ—ro writ that in his mind which others did in Note-books He was a man of cunning in History that if you had named a Captain unto him he would have run through all his acts presently a singular gift from God But as Tully comparing Lucullus and Hortensius together both being of a vast memory yet he preferreth Lucullus before Hortensius because he remembered matter this but words Thus certainly as the object about which memory is conversant is more principall so the gift more commendable And the most excellent object of all others either for the memory to account or for any part of the soul to conceive is God the Lord for he
ordinance to encrease goodnesse as wanting both his institution and benediction Profit is the great god 〈◊〉 the World IT was the usuall demand of one of the wisest amongst the Roman Judges Cossius sirnamed the Severe in all causes of doubt in matters of fact about the person of the Delinquent Cui bono who gained by the bargain on whose side lay the advantage assuring himself that no man of understanding would put himself into any dishonest or dangerous action without hopes of reaping some fruit by it As also that there can be no enterprise so beset with difficulties and dangers which some men for apparent hope of great gain and profit would not go through with And it is very true no arguments conclude so necessarily in the opinion of the greater part of men as that which is drawn ab utili Profit is the great god of the world Haec omnia tibi dabo was the Topick place the devill made use of above all other when he tempted our Saviour Profit is a bait that all bite at Hence is that Maxim of the Parthians Nulla sides nisi prout expedit No faith or keeping touch with any thing but as it maketh for advantage Iustice and honesty religion and conscience may be pretended but that which turneth the ballance and carryeth the greatest sway in all concernments is the matter of profit and emolument The poor distressed mans comfort by his appeal unto God AS a man that in some of the Courts is over-powerd in a just cause by a strong hand yet keeps up his hope so long as he hath liberty to make his appeal to a higher Court especially if he be confident of the sincerity of the Iudge to whom he is to make his appeal So those that are here oppressed rejected distressed are not therefore to be discouraged if at mans hand they receive little or no relief Why Because they may appeal unto God and they are sure to prevail with him according to the equity of their cause with him there is no respect of persons no accepting of bribes He is one who as he will not be corrupted so he cannot be deluded And that the poor may not alwaies be forgotten nor the hope of the oppressed perish for ever hath set down a certain day wherein he will without fail and without further delay if not before hear every mans cause right every mans wrong and do justice on every wrong-doer The Charity of former times abused in these times THe first Christians after the rage of persecution was over how open-handed were they in erecting and providing for places and persons dedicated unto Christ his service And as in other Countries so the good Christians of this Island have left honourable memorialls in their magnificent foundations and munificent endowments thereof many Millions have been that way expended at the foot of which account as a Schedule thereunto annexed is a bank of a million of mony not perfectly audited but flenderly cast up by an unskilfull hand in matter of account bestowed in the City of London and the two Universities in the last Century of years setting the rest of the Kingdom aside All these followed the rule of Gods law whatsoever they offered â—â—to him was 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 But by the way it may be observed That the floud of our Ancestors liberalities rose not to so high a pitch but their posteritic's sacriledge hath taken it down to as low an ebbe And a saying of William Ruâ—us a great though no good King of this Island pleaseth too many that live on the spoils of the Church Christ's bread is sweet Covetousness and Contentment inconsistent IT is one property which they say is required of those who seek for the Philosophers Stone that they must not do it with any covetous desire to be rich for otherwise they shall never find it But most true it is that whosoever would have the Iewel of contentment which turns all into Gold yea want into wealth must come with minds devested of all ambitiâ—us and covetous thoughts else are they likely never to obtain it Not to be in love with Sinne. IT is observable that Xerxes bare a strange affection to the Plane tree which he hung about with chains and deck'd with Iewels of greatest price A fond and foolish affection as being to a â—reee such a tree as is good for nothing but to shade one out of the Sun This folly of so great a Monarch very well resembleth all those who are not guided by the spirit of God into the ways of Truth and Life but are led by the spirit of errour or by the errour of their own spirits to ungodly and sinful courses the very beaten paths to Hell and Death The Tree they are in love with and adorn and spend so much cost upon is the forbidden tree of sin altogether unfruitful as that of Xerxes it hath neither fair blossoms nor sweet fruit on it only it is well grown hath large arms and broad boughes and casteth a good shade or to speak properly a shadow of good a noysome or pesâ—ilent shade making the ground barren and killing the best plants of Vertues by depriving them of the sun-shine of Gods grace yet as divers Nations in the dayes of Pliny paid Tribute to the Romans for the shade of these Trees so do these Men pay for the seeming delight and pleasure of sin being indeed but a shadow of vanity to the Devil the greatest Tribute that can be paid even the Tribute of their most prectous souls The sad effests of a wounded Conscience IF a Man be sick wear he never so stately Roabs he minds them not have he never so dainty fair he rellisheth it not lay him in never so soft a bed yet he cannot rest his diseased body feels nothing but the afflicting peccant humour Even so when the remorse of Conscience works all our giâ—â—s and parts be they never so great appear not Riches though in great abundance satisfie not Honours Preferments though never so eminent advantage not though we have them all for the present yet we have not the use of them we see we hear but we feel nothing but sin as Experience reacheth them that have been distressed in this kind Multitudes of Times-servers VVEe read of an Earl of Oxford fined by King Henry the seventh fifteen thousand Marks for having too many Retainers But how many Retainers hath Time had in all ages and Servants in all Offices and Chaplains too upon occasion doing as the Times do not because the Times do as they should do but meerly for sinister Respects and by ends to ingratiate themselves Gods spiritual blessing upon a mans employment in his Calling AS the Sonnes of the Husbandman in the Fable who being told by their Father lying on his Death-bed that he left much Gold buried under the ground in his Vineyard fell a delving and
hâ—retick he shall then have an heretick's reward Humanity that forbids the rifling of a grave bids forbear him that is shut in it and cannot answer for himself De mortuis nil nisi bonum was the saying of old to speak well of the dead is a thing both commendable and christian and much to blame are they that not contented to abuse the bodies besmear the memories but also quarrell at the salvation of the soules of men departed The encrease of Drunkennesse in England IT is an observation amongst the Mariners that as the Sea growes daily shallower and shallower on the shoars of Holland and Zeland so the channell of late waxeth deeper and deeper on the coasts of Kent and Essex It is much to be feared that as Drunkennesseâ—bbs â—bbs in Holland it flowes in England that it hath gained in the Island what is lost in the Continent How to walk circumspectly WHen children meet with primroses nuts or apples in the way then they loyter on their errands bring night home and so get the displeasure of their parents whereas those that meet with dangers or some affrights by the way make haste in their journey and their speed makes them welcome with commendations Thus God hath sent all of us abroad into the world and we are every day travailing homeward if we meet with miseries and vexations in the way discretion should teach us a religious haste in our journey and if we meet with pleasures they should onely pleasure us by putting us in mind of those pleasures which are at Gods right hand for evermore or else to scorn them as worse than trifles and to look upon them as pull-backs in the waies of God and goodnesse The great danger of Law-suits IT is the Relation of a Gentleman that seeing a Ier-falcon let fly at a Heâ—â—â— he observed with what clamour the Heron entertained the sight and approach of the Hawke and with what winding shift he strove to get above her labouring even by â—emuting his enemies feathers to make her flag-wingâ—d and so escape but at last when they must needs come to a necessitated encounter resuming courage out of â—ecessity he turn'd face against her and striking the Hawke through the gorge both fell down dead together This fight doth much resemble some great suit in Law where one trusting more to his Cause's Potency than his Cause's equity endeavours to disinherit his stubborn Neighbour by colourable title to his Land Here you may hear the clamourous obloquies of the wronged and fee the many turnings and winding Meanders of the Law sought out to get above his Adversary And then when the issue must come to tryal oftentimes in the grapple they both sink to beggery whilst lawfully they seek to get one above the other Conscientious Preachers not to be sleighted IT was a memorable passage that fell some years since from a godly Man preaching before the King I observe said he that the Ambassadours that come from Placentia are welcome to this place whereas these that come from Verona are sleightly set by but it will hereafter be found true that one Dr. Latimer with his down-right English will be worth a thousand Dr. Shawes who in a Sermon at St. Pauls Cross by the command of the then Duke of Glocester lost both his wits and his honesty together The Sermon being ended an eminent Courtier having observed the Preacher to have been an ancient Chaplain constant in his Attendance religious in the performance of his duty to God and the King asked a great Prelate then at Court How it came to passe that so grave so religious so conscientious a Preacher did not rise he meant by way of preserment in all that time Truly said this great man let me tell you that I verily think he will never rise till the Resurrection Thus was Amos sleighted Amos 7. 13. Micaiah clapt in prison 1 King 24. 27. Iohn the Baptist beheaded Math. 14. 10. St. Paul counted an enemy by the Galathians because he told them them the truth Gal. 4. 16. by all which it appears what cheap Markets are made of Conscience and how little conscientious Preachers are set by but had men their wits about them they would make much of such Preachers and hug such Doctrine that layes hold upon their Consciences that tells them what Christ is and what Christ hath done and suffered for them and what returns they have made that whereas he hath loaded them with blessings and benefits they have laden him with their sins and transgressions The benefit of self-Examination IT is reported of Sextus that every night before he slept he asked of his own heart What evil hast thou this day amended What vice hast thou shunned What good hast thou done In what part art thou bettered Thus must every good Christian do there is nothing more pleasant then this conâ—uetude for a man to examiâ—e himselfe to commune with his own heart to call himself to an accompt how he hath passed the whole day what good he hath omitted what had he hath committed closing up all with prayer and praises to God then will his Conscience be at quiet his sleep both sweet and comfortable Harlots the Devils night-nets to ensnare us WHen the Larker spreads out his Day-net in a fair morning and whirls about his artificiall motion it is easie to observe how by the reflecting of the Sun on the wheeling Instrument not only the merry Lark and fearful Pigeon are dazled and drawn with admiration but stouter birds of prey the swift Merlin and towring Hobby are enticed to stoop and gazing on the outward form lose themselves Thus Harlots and lewd women the very night-nets of the Devil are spread out for the sons of men in the vigour of their youth who with roling eyes draw on the lustfulness of affection and betray the wantonnesse of the Heart and with their alluring glances too too often make to stoop within the danger of their fatall snare not onely the simple and careless but others also Men of known parts men otherwise wary and wise who coming within the pull of the net lye at the merciless mercy of that treacherous Fowler the Devil to their certain and inevitable danger The Pharisee and the Publican differenced LOok but upon two Sawyers working at the Pit the one casts his eyes upward whilst his main action tends down-wara the other stands with a countenance dejected whilst his work is to draw the saw upward Thus the Pharisee and the Publican the reall Professor and the rotten-hearted Hypocrite the one looketh up towards Heaven whilst his actions tend to the pit inâ—ernal the other casts down his head whilst his hand and his heart move upwards the one seems better than he is the other is better than he seems the one hath nothing but form whilst the other hath the power of Godliness The Court-favourite's condition
LOok but upon a gallant Ship well rigged trimmed and tackled man'd and munition'd with her top and top gallant and her spread fails proudly swelling with a full gale in fair weather putting out of the Haven into the smooth Main and drawing the Spectators eyes with a welwishing admiration but soon after to hear of the same Ship splitted against some dangerous Rock or racked by some dysasterous Tempest or sunk by some leak sprung in her by some accident this were a suddain change And just such is the Court Favourit's condition to day like Sâ—â—anus he dazleth all mens eyes with the splendor of his glory and with the proud and potent beak of his powerfull Prosperity cutteth the waves and plougheth through the prease of the vulgar scorning to fear any Remora at his keel below or any cross winds from above and yet to morrow in some storms of unexpected dis-favour springs a leak in his honour and sinks on the Syrtes of disgrace or dashed against the Rocks of displeasure is splitted and wracked in the Charibdis of infamy and so concludes his voyage in misery and mis-fortune Every Man haunted with one evill spirit or other THere is a story of a Country-man of ours one Kettle of Farnham in the time of K. Henry the second who had the faculty to discern spirits by the same token that one time he saw the Devil spitting over the Drunkards shoulders into their Pots at another time laughing at a rapacious Usurers elbow whilst he was piling up Gold in his Coffers the same faculty is reported of Anthony the Hermite And Sulpitius reports the same of S. Martin These were the wonders of those dark times but there 's no such matter of admiration in these ill-spirited times of ours to see and clearly discern both Deâ—ils and divellish minded men Hell may now seem to be broken loose What natural Man is free One hath the spirit of errour another the spirit of sornication Hos. 2. another the spirit of fear 2 Tim. 1. another the spirit of slumber another the spirit of giddiness all spiritum Mundi the spirit of the World every man is haunted with one ill spirit or other Want of Maintenance the waste of Religion ONe asked sometimes how it was that in Athens so good and great a City there were no Physitians to whom this Answer was made because there are no Rewards proposed to them that practise Physick The same Answer may be made for our times the cause why the Church of God is so forsaken why Religion and the profession thereof is so much undervalued is because of the want of zeal in them that should either for their courtesie or for their ablility be fosterers of Learning and encrease the Livings where occasion is and give hope and comfort to learned Men What said I encrease Nay the Livings and Provisions which heretofore were given are now quite taken away so that he which â—eedeth the flock hath least part of the Milk and he that goeth a warfare hath not halfe his wages and he that laboureth and sweateth in the Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts hath his hire abridged and abated hence it is that scandalous livings make scandalous Ministers and scandalous necessitated Ministers make the Ordinances of God vilipendious Spoilers of Church and State condemned WHen Augustus had beautified Rome with setting up many fair buildings he said Inâ—eâ—â— lateritiam marmoream reliqui I found it made of brick but I leave it made of Marble Such was the Inscription set upon the Cathedrall at Carlisle as relating to Dr. Robinson then Bishop of that See Invenit destructum reliquit extructum he found it ruined but left it repaired Here was a good exchange Marble for Brick Reparations for Ruine But O the sad inversion of late times as concerning both Church and State the ruines of the one and dilapidations nay the extirpations of the other where Religion was become Rebellion Faith faction Reformation deformation where Temples were turn'd into Stables Princes Palaces into guards of unruly Souldiers Monarchy into Anarchy and the well compacted body of Government both in Church and State into a licentious looseness of life and conversation God regardeth and rewardeth his People WHen Ahasuerus read in the Book of the Records of the Chronicles and there found how Mordecai had discovered a plot of Treason against his Person he did not lay the Book aside and slightly passed by such a piece of service but enquires What Honour and what Dignity had been done to Mordecai It seems if the King had thought on or read him sooner he had rewarded him sooner But God hath ever in his eye all the Records and Chronicles of his Peoples actions he reads their journalls every day and where he meets with any that have done or spoken any thing aright for him the enquireth what honour what dignity hath been done for this Man If none hath been done he will do it himself if any thing hath been done he will do yet more Not a sigh not a tear not a thought for the glory of Christ shall fall unregarded unrewarded Gods wisdom to be attended with Patience IT is a great burrhen to wait upon a â—ool but we can easily stay for the Resolutions of the wise who we are sure have the compass of a businesse in their heads and are skilled in timing and ordering every circumstance thereof How blessed then are they who while they work for things below can attend upon the great God both of Heaven and Earth whose Moderation and Judgement and Wisdom are such as will not suffer them either to do any thing before the set appointed fit time come nor to stay the doing of it one minute after never any man repented his waiting patiently upon Gods disposal of him A worldly minded Man no publique spirited Man IT is recorded of the K. of Navarre then a Protestant being pressed by Beza to appear more in the cause of God and to own Religion to the purpose He makes answer to this effect That he was their friend but he resolved to put no further to Sea then he might get to shore if a storm should arise he resolved not to hazard his hopes of the Crown of France and it is well known what became of him So when men will make Religion as Twelve and the World as Thirteen it is no marvail if with Demas they forsake the cause of God and embrace the world and with those Potters in 1 Chron. had rather work with the King for good wages than build up the house of the Lord. Time present to be well husbanded UPon the Dyall-peece of the Clock in the Colledge Church of Glocester are pourtrayed four Angels each of them seeming to say something to those that look up to see what a Clock it is the whole inscription being made up of two old Latine Verses after the riming
tell us that the love of some worldly matter hinders our confidence darkens our knowledge and clouds our understanding so that we cannot see God as he is let us remove it and stand up from the dead that Christ may give us light The Papists abuse of Scripture by Traditions c. IT was a very malicious plot of the Philistines to stop the Wells of Abraham and to fill them up with earth that so the memoriall of them might be quite dam'd up whereby Isaac his Son might not have the least inkling that ever they belonged to his Father and so they make a challenge to them as their own Thus the Papists have as much as in them lies stopped up the veines of the springs of life which flow every where in the sacred word of God with the earth of their own Traditions false glosses and unfit Allegories all this to Monopolize the Bible to their own use shutting up the Kingdom of Heaven neither entring themselves nor suffering others to enter therein Who fit for Government in point of temporall estate VVHen Servius Sulpitius Galba and Aurelius the Consull did strive in the Senate which of them should be sent into Spain against Viriatum the Senators differing amongst themselves and waiting which way Scipio would encline he said I give my voice that neither of them be sent his reason was this alter nihil habet alteri nihil sat est the one hath nothing and the other will never have enough intimating thereby that it was a dangerous thing to put the Government either into the hands of a rich wretch or a wretched poor man And most true it is that the ballance of Iustice whether it be in the hands of a covetous rich man or a man of a low estate it will be very apt to tite on one side Necessitas cogit ad turpia poverty is a great temptation to corruption and Riches an incentive to oppression one therefore qualified like Agur in his prayer that hath neither Poverty nor Riches but a competent estate is fit for the management of great affairs and the most likely to do justice according to the merits of the cause before him The unthankfull Husbandman condemned THe Heathens when they went to plow in the morning they laid on one of their hands to the stilts of the plough and they lifted up the other to Ceres the Goddess of Corne this did they do by the dim light of Nature What a sad thing then is it in such times of light that so many Husbandmen manuring the ground should be but as so many fungi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sprung up out of the ground like Toad-stools affixi glebae filii terrae having their minds fixed to the Earth never elevating them higher then the Oxe which laboureth with them but had they hearts to look up to God and to eye him in the wayes of his providence O beatâ—s Agricolas how happy would they be The providence of God to be eyed at all times WHen Lazarus was dead his two Sisters Martha and Mary came to Christ with a doleful noyse and pittifull complaint Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not dyed saith one Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not dyed said the other Ioh. 11. 21 32. And is not this the note and common language of the world when a Man is dead if such a Phisitian had been here if he had been let blood if he had not taken such a potion or eat of such meat or lived in such a â—oggy air if he had not done thus or thus or so and so he might have been a live man to this day not considering with Iob that the dayes of Man are determined and his bounds appointed which he cannot passe the time the place and every circumstance of his dissolution is decreed from all Eternity that one Man dyes in the field another in his bed one at Sea another on the shore one in this manner another in that this and all this it is fore-ordained in Heaven the hand of God is in all and he it is that having brought us into the World at his pleasure will take us hence at his own appointment To make Christ our Lord and Master IT is said of Mr. George Herbert that divine Poematist that to satisfie his Independency upon all others and to quicken his diligence in Gods service he used in his ordinary speech when he made mention of the blessed name of Iesus to add my Master And without all doubt if men were unfeignedly of his mind their respects would be more to Christ's command to Christ's will to Christ's pleasure could they but lift up their eyes to God to him that dwells in the Heavens then as eyes of servants look unto the hands of their Masters and as the eyes of a Maiden unto the hands of her Mistress so would their eyes wait upon and their hearts be in a dutiful frame of obedience unto the commands of Christ their Lord and Master A wanting Ministery will soon become a contemptible Ministery PLutarch in his Moralls tells us of a Laconian who seeing a Collector going about and gathering the Peoples devotions for the use of their Gods O sayes he I will now make no more reckoning of the Gods so long as I see them go a begging and to be poorer then myselfe And this will be the case of the service of the great God of Heaven if ever we live to see that the Ministers maintenance shall depend upon the Peoples courtesie or that ever the off all 's of any repining Labans revenues or churlish Nabals purse become the stay of the Ministerial function This may be so by Gods permission yet great pitty it is that ever it should be so but if it must needs be so then take another story by the same Author of one Philippus a Priest amongst the Heathen so poor that he begg'd for his living and yet he would go about and tell how happy he should be When quoth one will this be When I am dead saies he Then poor fellow quoth the other thou art too blame thou dyest not quickly that thou maist be happy And thus it will be with the poor despised distressed Ministers of the Gospel of Iesus Christ The Lord is our portion say they and we shall be happy but when sayes the World When we dye say the Ministers Why then sayes the World ye are too blame that yeâ— dye not quickly to be happy in Heaven whom the World hath taken an order with never to he happy upon Earth this will be the voice of the Sons of Belial who have an evill will at Sion and had rather put a Church into their purse then any way empty their purse towards the Churches maintenance God to have the glory of all THat Martial King Edward the third outwent his fame and was accompted to have done
that at the noyse of Thunder they are oft-times even terrified unto death insomuch that they which keep them use to beat a drum amongst them that they being accustomed to the softer noyse of the drum may not be daunted with louder claps of Thunder Thus it is with incorrigible sinners of all sorts they are so affected with the whisperings of wordly pleasures so taken up with the jingling noyse of Riches so delighted with the empty sound of popular applause and secular preferments so sottish and besotted are they that they are not sensible of Gods anger against them the very custome of sinne hath taken away the sense of sin that they do not so much as hear that which all the world besides heareth with trembling and amazement the dreadful voyce of Gods wrathful and everlasting displeasure Regeneration the onely work of Gods spirit IT is said of the Bear that of all Creatures she bringeth the most ugly mishapen whelps but by licking of them she brings them to a better form yet it is a Bear still Thus all of us are ugly and deformed in our inward man 'T is true good breeding learning living in good Neighbourhood may lick us fair and put us into a better shape but shall never change our nature without the operation of the blessed Spirit A Man may be able to discourse of the great mysteries of Salvation yet not be changed may repeat Sermons yet not renewed pertake of the Ordinances yet not regenerated not any of these nor any of all these put together will stand in stead till it hath pleased God to square them and fit them and sanctifie them unto us by the blessed assistance of his holy Spirit Scripture-comforts the onely true comforts IT is storyed of an ancient and Reverend Rabbi who that he might by some demonstration win the People to look after Scripture-knowledge put himselfe into the habit of a Mountebank or travelling Aqua-vitae man and in the Market-place made Proclamation of a soveraign Cordial or Water of life that he had to sell Divers call him in and desire him to shew it whereupon â—he opens the Bible and directs them to several places of comfort in it And to say truth there is the greatest comfort to be had being the word of the everliving God The waters of life which are to be thirsted after whereby we may learn to live holy and dye happy The deaths of friends and others not be sleighted THe Frogs in the Fable desire a King Iupiter casteth a stock amongst them which at the first fall made such a plunge in the water that with the dashing thereof they were all affrighted and ran into their holes but seeing no further harme to ensue they came forth took courage leapt on it and made themselves sport with that which was first their fear till at length Iupiter sent a Stork among them and he devoured them all Thus it is that we make the death of others but as a Stock that somewhat at firstâ— affecteth us but we soon â—orget it until the Stâ—rk come and we our selves become a miserable prey Do they who close the eyes and cover the faces of their deceased friends consider that their eyes must be so closed their faces thus covered Or they who shrowd the Coarse remember that they themselves must be so shrowded Or they who ring the knell consider that shortly the bells must go to the same tune for them Or they that make the grave even while they are in it remember that shortly they must inhabite such a narrow house as they are now a building Peradventure they do a little but it takes no deep impression in them Prayers to be made unto God in Christs name JOseph gives strict command unto his brethren that if ever they looked for him to do them any good or to see his face with comfort they should be sure to bring the lad Benjamin their brother along with them Thus if ever we expect any comfortable return of our Prayers we must be sure to bring our elder Brother Christ Iesus in our hearts by faith and to put up all our requests in his Name They of old called upon God using the names of Abraham Isaac and Iacob three of Gods friends Afterwards they entreated God for his servant Davids sake Others drew up Arguments to move God drawn from the Creation of the World and from his loving kindnesse These were very good wayes then and very good to engage the great God of Heaven to us But unto us is shewed a more excellent way by how much the appellation of an onely begotten Son exceeds that of friend and servant and the benefit of Redemption excells that of creation and favour Dulce nomen Christi O the sweet name Iesus Christ no man ever asked any thing of God truly in that Name but he had his asking To be mindfull of Death at all times THere was once a discourse betwixt a Citizen and a Marriner My Ancestors sayes the Marriner were all Seamen and all of them dyed at Sea my Father my Grand-father and my Great-grand-father were all buried in the Sea Then sayes the Citizen what great cause have you then when you set out to Sea to remember your death and to commit your soul to the hands of God yea but sayes the Marriner to the Citizen Where I pray did your Father and your Grand-father dye Why sayes he they dyed all of them in their beds Truly then sayes the Marriner What a care had you need to have every night when you go to bed to think of your bed as the grave and the clothes that cover you as the Earth that must one day be thrown upon you for the very Heathens themselves that implored as many Deities as they conceived Chimaera's in their fancies yet were never known to erect an Altar to Death because that was ever held uncertain and implacable Thus whether it be at Sea or Land that Man is alwaies in a good posture of defence that is mindfull of death that so lives in this World as though he must shortly leave it that concludes within himselfe I must dye this day may be my last day this place the last that I shall come in this Sermon the last Sermon that I shall hear this Sabbath the last Sabbath that I shall enjoy the next Arrow that is shot may hit me and the time will come how soon God knows that I must lay aside this cloathing of Mortality and lie down in the dust Scripture-knowledge to be put in practice MUsicall Instruments without handling will warp and become nothing worth a sprightly horse will lose his Mettall by standing unbreathed in a Stable Rust will take the sword that hangs by the walls The Cynick rather then want work would be still removing his Tub Thus it is not Gods meaning that any Grace should lie
to their Riches like birds to their nests and the Lustfull to their Brothels like flesh-flyes to the Larder the Ambitious to their honour like Butterflyes to a Poppey the strong to their holds as Snayls creep into their shels the Learned to their arts as Bees to their hives Atheists to their sensual refuges as Dogs to their kennels and Polititians to their wits as Foxes to their holes the devout Soul will know no other Sanctuary â—ix upon no other object but Christ Iesus not pictured in her Chamber but planted in the inner Chamber of her heart God a just God as well as a merciful God AS the Lion hath his paw to imprison his voyce to terrifie and his teeth to tear his prey yet satis est prostrasse commiserateth the woes of the prostrate and suffereth no ravenous beast to devour that which he hath protected The Eagle hath his talons to strike and his wings to shadow from danger The Leopard hath comely spots but an ill-favoured countenance The Panther hath a sweet-scented breath but a rotten deceiptfull heart Thus God is just as well as merciful the Lyon of the tribe of Iudah that can as well encounter his foes with terror as entertain his friends with peace He that threats to chastise and favours to encourage A terrible countenance to beget a dread of his might and variety of Mercies to breed a delight in his Majesty And whomsoever the beams of his bounty cannot warm in affection the flames of his fury shall pursue to destruction The Ministers duty IT is reported of the Nobles of Polonia that when the Gospel is read they clap their hands upon their swords and begin to draw them out intimating that by that Ceremony their resolution to defend the faith and willingnesse to hazard their lives for the Gospels safety Thus God hath given every Minister a sword to slay Agag and all his Cattle originall impurity and all his droves of unhallowed thoughts he must maintain the Faith by preaching truth and confuting errour by commending virtue and disparaging vice by confirming the weak and confounding the obstinate by proving of Orthodox conclusions approving Innocency and goodness improving labour and pains reproving sinne and prophanenesse If he do otherwise he is not Praeco but Praedo not a Pastor but Impostor not a keeper but a deceiver of the People God bringing Order out of Confusion PAul and Barnabas continued a long time in the work of the Ministery together at last they fell out about a motion to visite the Churches where they had formerly preached Barnabas will by all means have Mark along with him No says Paul that shall not be because he was not at the planting of the Churches One will not go without him and the other will by no means go with him The Contention at last grows so high that it comes to a Non-communion they departed asunder one from the other one went one way and the other went another and by this means the knowledge of God was more spread abroad the Gospell of Iesus Christ further dispersed O faelix contentio c. said a good old Christian O happy falling out of two that was the falling in of so many unto Christ And thus God when his own time is can bring good out of evill light out of darkness and order out of confusion in making up the breaches and composing the differences both in Church and Common-wealth The lawfulnesse of Stage-playes questioned VVHen one accused the Comicall Poet that he brought a lewd debauched Ruâ—â—ian on the Stage and so gave bad example to young Men He answered True I brought such a Man on but I hang'd him before he went off and so gave good example to young men Thus it is to be supposed that he that goes to see a Play intends not to see a Truth but a Fable a Morall presented to his eye that should convey some profitable document to his heart But that any man should say He can learn as much good at a Play as at a Sermon this is a wretched blasphemy able to rot out the tongue of him that speaks it Again when a Tyrant objected to a Player his sawcinesse that he durst personally tax men on the Stage he made him this answer Be content for while the people laugh at our foolery they never mind your villany Thus there are some that seek to defend Stage-playing saying Cities are populous and vvhere are many men are most commonly many leud men if their time were not spent so it might in all likelyhood be spent Worse But this is no argument to defend sin by sin to prevent an evill not allowable by allowing an evill that is preventable In a word that which makes a man evill is his own evill mind Ministers to be painfull in the discharge of their duty THe Waldenses in an apology of theirs make mention of a better kind of Abbey-lubbar Qui ex sacerdote agricola factus est that of a Priest became a Husbandman and his reason was because he found it written In the sweat of thy brows shalt thou eat thy bread a strange humour Had he so diligently discharged his calling as he ought he never should have needed to have turned Husbandman he might have eaten his bread in the sweat of his brows and his brains too But as haply he so a number there are that live with such drie browes in the Ministry that drie bread in another calling would yield them more comfort and content then all their fulnesse in the Ministry because they make no conscience to fulfill their Ministry Danger of distracted Prayer AS long as Dinah stayed at home in her fathers house she remained a chast and beautifull Damosell but when a gadding fit came upon her that she must range abroad to see fashions Shechem Prince of that Country met with her and forced her virginity This is the right condition of every prayer that men put up unto God Almighty so long as we commune betwixt God and our own hearts and keep close unto him there will be a comfortable return made of that we pray for but if Dinah-like our hearts must needs be roving after vanity and taken up with the thoughts of worldly things then it is no wonder if the devill that Prince of the air seize upon us and lead us captive at his will so that it were better not to have prayed at all then to have offered the sacrifice of such foolish and distracted devotion The danger of Self-confidence IT is storied of two men named Denton and Wolsey that the one was very fearfull that he should deny the cause of Christ were he but called to make profession thereof The other which was Denton shewed a great deal of confidence as being able to stand upon his own legs But being both cast into prison and put to the tryall Wolsey stands up for the cause of
like the light in Goshen when all Egypt was dark besides or like Gideons fleece onely watered with the dew of Heaven whilst the rest of the earth was dry and destitute of his favour Great cause of thankfulnesse indeed Perjury attended by Gods Iudgments ULadislaus King of Hongary one that professed Christ covenanteth with Amurath Emperour of the Turks Articles are drawn up betwixt them a Peace is concluded for ten years Uladislaus swears to the agreement signes it as his act and deed and delivers it to the Emperour But the Pope Eugenius not well liking the businesse dispenseth with the Kings oath Whereupon provision is made for war the Turk is met with a great Army the Battle is joyned the service grew hot on both sides and the Turk is worsted at the first which Amurath their Emperour perceiving drawes the Articles out of his bosom spreads them in the face of Heaven with these words O Iesu Christ these men call themselves Christians and they have sworn in thy Name not to have war upon us for ten years If thou be Christ as they say and we dream shew thy self upon this People in the breach of their Covenant Whereupon the Battle turned and there were eleven thousand Christians slain upon the place in that day Thus it is that perjury hath ever been attended with Gods judgments who will not part with his honour though it be in the midst of a company of Infidells Can a perjured man prosper Was it ever neard that any false forsworn perjured wretch did prosper and if he did all that he got by it was put into a bag with holes witnesse Zedechiah Where was it that the flying Role of curses light where where but in the house of him that swearesh falsly Perjury may be carried off smoothly here in this world and walk up and down with an impudent face but yet for all that judgment dogs it at the very heeles so that one may casily read the fathers fault many times in the sons punishment even to the ruine of posterity Swelling big words of wicked men not to be regarded AFter the defeat of that great Armado in 88. the Duke of Ossuna presented himself to the King of Spain with a distaff at his side and a spindle at his back in stead of a sword and dagger the King hereby understanding that Dux foemina facti a Woman had foil'd them hastily stept to the Altar and taking a silver candlestick up in his hand swore a monstrous oath That he would waste all Spain yea his whole Indies to that candlestick but he would be revenged on England But praised be God those high words were but the effects of his malice without Englands ruine And had not a seasonable Peace not many years after been concluded he might for all his far streich'd greatnesse have been reduced to a Kingship of Oranges and Lemons And thus the swelling big words of wicked men are not to be regarded It were no living for any good man if the hands of foul mouth'd men were as bloody as their hearts Men and devills are under the restraint of the Almighty neither are their words more high or their designes more lavish than their atchievments be vain and their executions short like the reports of Ordinance they blaze and crack and smoak and stink and vanish away Men of self-ends condemned IT was a sweet and savoury saying of Oecolampadius Nolui aliquid loqui vel scribere c. I should be loath to speak or write any thing that Christ should dsiallow he is that Master to whom every man must stand or fall one good look from him is beyond all vulgar acclamation according to that of the Apostle Not he that commendeth himself nor he whom the world commends is approved but he whom the Lord commendeth Reprovable then are the Gnosticks of old who gloried in themselves and our modern Iesuits who vaunt that the Church is the soul of the world the Clergy of the Church and they of the Clergy And many amongst our selves that have as our English Seneca said Eve's sweet tooth in their heads would be more then they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or â— the man or some body such as are never well but when they are setting their good parts a sunning to gain the applause and admiration of the world such as turn the Perspective-glasse see themselves bigger others lesser then they are sacrificing to themselves as those Babylonians and setting up and serving themselves of Christ and his service as Iudas and his successors that rob him of his rents and run away with his glory Good Christians alwaies thankful unto God IT was an ancient custome amongst us though now much sleighted upon every New-years day mutually to give and receive Gifts as lucky pledges of an hopefull year to come according to that of the Poet Mos vetus est Iani dare mutua dona Calendis Annus ut auspicio prosperiore fluaâ— yet good and faithfull Christians are not contented to give thanks unto God onely on the first day of the year the first moneth of the year the first week of the Moneth the first day of the week or the first hour of that day but alwaies at all times upon all occasions they do but Think and Thank God lades them â—ayly with benefits and they press him dayly with thanks Be it Prosperity they look upon it as a pledge of his favour be it Adversity they entertain it as a tryall of Patience still thankfull Parents to be carefull what they say in presence of Children ELiah was taken up to Heaven in a fiery Charior and having left Elisha behind him in his room there was no want of mockers and jeerers in Israel that were ready to laugh at any goodnesse such as made themselves sport with the Prophets of God saying that Elisha should be taken up into Heaven too and this they did in the hearing of their Children No sooner was Elisha come to Bethel but a company of Children meet him saying Goup thou bald pate go up thou bald pate do as thy Master did thou must be in his room forsooth then thou mayst mount as he did The Propher hearing this turned back and looked on them it had been better for them if he had looked another way and cursed them whereupon there came forth two she-bears out of the woods and tore forty two of them asunder 2 King 2. 24. Here was a company of ill-bred Children Their Fathers had in their hearing abused the Prophet and they like ready Schollers were not long in taking our such a lesson though they paid very dear for their learning Let Parents therefore be carefull what they say or do in presence of their Children it cannot be imagined what large ears such slender pitchers have how apprehensive how imitable they are especially in that which is bad To
we do it will make us like a wall of brasse to beat back all the arrows of strong perswasion that can be shot against us like an Armour of proof against all the Anakims and Zanzummins Scyllas and Syrens temptations on the right hand and on the left like the Angell that roled away the stone from before the dore of the Sepulchre it will enable us to remove the great mountains of opposition that lye in our way or else to stride over them yea like the ballast of a Ship will keep us steddy in the cause of God and his Church who would otherwise be but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like those mentioned by the Apostle men of double minds unsetled and unstable in all our wayes Gods omniscience necessarily demonstrated from his omnipresence SUppose we in our thoughts a Sphere of infinite greatnesse and efficacy whose center were every where and circumference no where it must necessarily follow that whatever thing or things be besides this Sphere must needs be within it encompassed by it and contained in it and all things existing within this Sphere it will follow That there can be no action nor motion but this Sphere will perceive it Such is God a Sphere of infinite being who filleth all things that he hath made as spirits bodies things above and below things in Heaven and Earth all that encompasseth all things is above all things and susteyneth all things neither doth he â—ill them on the one side and encompasse them on the other side But by encompassing doth fill them and by filling doth encompasse them and by susteyning them he is above them and being above them he doth sustain them then must it needs be that God that thus filleth encompasseth and susteineth all things doth also know all things To be Zealous for the honour of Jesus Christ as he is the eternal Son of God IN the dayes of Theodosius the Arrians through his connivence were grown very bold and not onely had their meetings in Constantinople the chief City of the Empire but would dispute their opinions etiam in foro and no man could prevail with the Emperour to lay restraints upon them because saith the Historian he thought it nimis severum et inclemens esse At length comes to Constantinople one Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium a poor Town an honest Man but no great Politician for the World he petitions the Emperour to restrain the Arrians but in vain Next time he comes to the Court finding the Emperour and his son Arcadius whom he had lately created joynt-Emperour standing together he doth very low obeysance to the Father but none to the Son yet coming up close to him in a familiar manner stroaketh him on the head and saith Salve mi fili God save you my child The Emperour taking this for a great affront being full of rage bids turn the Man out of dores As the Officers were dragging him forth he turning to the Emperour saith Ad hunc modum existima ò Imperator c. Make an accompt O Emperour that thus even thus is the Heavenly Father displeased with those that do not honour the Son equally with the Father Which the Emperour hearing calls the Bishop back again asks him forgivenesse presently makes a law against Arrianism forbids their meetings and disputations constitutâ paenâ Here was a blessed artifice by which the Zeal of this Emperour was suddenly turned into the right channel and he was taught by his tendernesse over his own honour and the honour of his Son to be tender over the honour of God and his Son Christ Iesus Now so it is that much of Arrius is at this day in England and more then ever was since the name of Christ was known in England yet it is much hoped and heartily wished for that as there hath been some actings for God that men may no longer impunâ— wickedly and pertinaciously blaspheme his glorious essence and attributes so to shew the like Zeal for the glory of his eternall Son and spirit This being the will of God that all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father he that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father Politicians spoyled in the height of wicked designs AS the Potters clay when the Potter hath spent some time and pains in tempering and forming it upon the wheel and now the Vessell is even almost brought to its shape a Man that stands by may with the least push put it clean out of shape and mar all on a sudden that he hath been so long a making So it is that all the plots and contrivances of leud and wicked Men all their turnings of things upside down shall be but as the Potters clay For when they think they have brought all to maturity ripenesse and perfection when they look upon their businesse as good as done on a sodain all their labour is lost the designs they travell so much withall shall be but as an abortive birth for God that stands by all the while and looks on will with one small touch with the least breath of his mouth blast and break all in pieces Consideration of Gods omnipresence a strong motive to Christian confidence THere is a story of that holy Martyr of Jesus Christ B. Latimer that having in a Sermon at Court in Henry the eighth's dayes much displeased the King he was commanded next Sunday after to preach again and make his recantation according to appointment he comes to preach and prefaceth to his Sermon with a kind of Dialogisme in this manner Hugh Latimer doest thou know to whom thou art this day to speak to the high and Mighty Monarch the Kings most excellent Majesty c. that can take away thy life if thou offend therefore take heed how thou speak a word that may displease But as it were recalling himself Hugh Hugh saith he dost know from whence thou comest upon whose message thou art sent and who it is that is present with thee and beholdeth all thy wayes Even the great and mighty God that is able to cast both body and Soul into Hell for ever therefore look about thee and be sure that thou deliver thy message faithfully c. and so comes on to his Sermon and what he had delivered the day before confirms and urgeth with more vehemency then ever Sermon being done the Court was full of expectation what would be the issue of the matter After dinner the King calls for Latimer and with a stern countenance asked him How he durst be so bold as to preach after that manner He answered That duty to God and his Prince had enforced him thereunto and now he had discharged his Conscience and duty both in what he had spoken his life was in his Majesties hands Upon this the King rose from his seat and taking the good Man from off his knees embraced him in his arms saying He blessed God that he
spiritual Crosses and been prepared for the worst of times that could be Mans Extremity Gods Opportunity PHilo the Iew being employed as an Ambassador or Messenger to Caius Caligula then Emperor of the Romans his entertainment was but sleight for he had no sooner spoke on the behalf of his Country but was commanded to depart the Court Whereupon he told his People That he was verily perswaded that God would now do something for them because the Emperor was so earnestly bent against them And certainly Gods help is then nearest when Man 's is furthest off the one's extremity made the otâ—er's opportunity Ubi desinâ—t Pâ—ilosophus incipit Medicus c. Where the Philosopher ends there the Physitian begins and where the Physitian endeth there the Minister beginneth and where Mans ayd endeth there Gods beginneth Deliverance is oft nearest when destruction seemeth surest Parents not to be too much dejected for the death of an onely Sonne or Child ABraham was ready to have sacrificed his onely son Isaac And God gave his onely Sonne Christ Iesus to death for our salvation It is most true that the death of an onely Sonne must neeâ—s be grievous and the cause of great heavinesse and lamentation But let all disconsolate Parents take notice what Elkanah said to Anna Am not I better to you then ten Sons So doth God say What though I have taken away your onely Sonne the child of your delight there is no just cause of complaint I have taken but my own I will be better then ten hundred sons to you and you shall one day find that he is but gone before as your Feoâ—â—ee in trust to take possession and keep a place for you in Heaven How it is that Men may be said to learn of little Children dumb shews c. SExtus Tarquinius the sonne of Lucius being suborned by his Father pretending to be banished fled fraudulently to the Gabii where having screwed himself so much into their bosomes as he thought was sufficient for his design sent secretly to know his Fathers pleasure who leading the Messenger into the Garden walked a while and not speaking one word with his staffe strake off the heads of the Dazies which grew there the Messenger reports this to his Son who thereupon put the chief Noble-men of the Gaâ—ii to death and so by force and Injustice usurped a power over that Common-weal Such was the tacite Counsell that Periander the Corinthian gave unto Thrasibulus the Tyrant of Athens when pulling the upper ears he made all the standing corn equall intimating thereby what a Tyrant must do that would live safe and quiet Thus it was but in a better way and a far better sense that when the Disciples were building Castles in the ayr quaerentes non quaerenda seeking who should be highest in Heaven when they should rather have been enquiring how to get thither Christ sets a little Child before them who neither thinks great things of himself nor seeks great things for himself conâ—uting hereby their preposterous ambition and affectation of Primacy And thus it is that dumb shews may be said to speak out much to the purpose and speechlesse Children read many a significant Lecture to the Sons of Men as of simplicity humility innocency ignoscency c. not of childishnesse peevishnesse open-heartednesse c. Non praecipitur ut habeant aetatem sed innocentiam parvulorum not of their age but innocency Whereupon some mis-understanding the Text in a Nichodemicall way as one Goldsmith an Anabaptist and Masseus a Franciscan Fryer to abundance of more then childish folly Gods Judgments the causes of them to be considered LAy a book open before a Child or one that cannot read he may stare and gaze upon it but he can make no use of it at all because he understandeth nothing in it yet bring it to one that can read and understandeth the language that is written in it hee 'l read you many stories and instructions out of it It is dumb and silent to the one but speaketh to and talketh with the other In like manner it is with Gods Iudgments as S. Augustine well applyes it All sorts of Men see them but few are able aright to read them or to understand them what they say Every Iudgment of God is a reall Sermon of Reformation and Repentance every Iudgment hath a voice but every one understands not this voice as Paul's companions when Christ spake to him they heard a voyce and no more But it is the duty of every good Christian to listen to the Rod and him that sent it to spell out the meaning of Gods aâ—ger to enquire and find out the cause of the Crosse and the ground of Gods hiding his face Why it is that he dealeth so harshly with them and carrieth himself so austerely towards theâ— The Love of God the onely true Love EVery beam of Light proceeding from the body of the Sun is either direct broken or reflex direct when it shineth out upon the Center in a lineary motion without any obliquity broken when it meets with some grosser body so that it cannot shine out-right but is enforced to incline to one part or other and therefore called a collaterall or broken light reflex when lighting upon some more grosse body it is beaten back and so reflects upon its first principle Thus let the Sons of Men pretend never so much to the Love of God their Love is either a broken or reflecting Love seldome direct broken when it is fixed upon the things of this World reflex when it ayms at self-Interest Whereas the Love of God is the onely true Love a direct Love without obliquity a sincere Love without reflexion such a Love as breaks through all impediments and hath nothing in Heaven but God and desireth nothing on Earth in comparison of him such a Love as looketh upon the World by way of subordination but upon God by way of eminency The Active Christian object of the Devil and Wicked Mens malice LUther was offered to be made a Cardinal if he would be quiet He answered No not if I might be Pope and defends himself thus against those that thought him haply a proud Fool for his pains Inveniar sane superbus c. Let me be counted Fool or any thing said he so I be not found guilty of cowardly silence The Papists when they could not rule him rayl'd at him and called him an Apostate He confesseth the action and saith I am indeed an Apostate but a blessed and holy Apostate one that hath fallen off from the Devil Then they called him Devil But what said he Prorsus Sathan est Lutherus c. Luther is a Devill be it so but Christ liveth and reigneth that 's enough for Luther So be it Nay such was the activity of Luther's spirit that when Erasmus was asked by the Elector of Saxony Why
estate supposing that she would not go along with him but she answered the Emperour saying There is a cause that hinders me from partaking the benefit of your bounty The affection I bear to my husband because I have shared with him in his Felicity Whereupon the Emperour being displeased with her answer banished her likewise Memorable is that also of David's brethren and those of his Fathers house who when they heard of his being in the Cave of Adullam sleighted the forfeiture of their goods and venturing the displeasure of Saul went down to comfort him And thus it is that true Friendship is best tryed in times of Affliction and distress A brother a Friend a Wife is for the time of Adversity Away then with those Summer-birds those false-hearted Friends that like ditches are full in the Winter-season but dry in the heat of Summer when we have most need of them Natural Wants and weaknesses not to be objected against the practice of Divine Meditation MEn that are sick and weakly in their bodies do not altogether abstain from food and Physick but rather use them that they may recover their strength again and though their appetite is small yet they force themselves that by eating a little and a little they may get a stomach Shall a Man that is dim-sighted shut the windowes because the house is dark Shall he not rather open them to let in the light that he may the better see to go about his business And the colder a man feels himself the more needful he thinks it to come to the fire and warm himself or use some exercise that so he may recover his natural heat Thus in like manner the sight of our own natural wants and weaknesses is not a sufficient plea to barre us from the exercise of divine Meditation but rather incite us thereunto it being an excellent means to clear up our sight to enlighten our minds with more knowledge to get spiritual health and strength and to warm our cold and frozen hearts that so by Gods assistance we may perform service unto him with more heat of Godly Zeal and fervour of devotion The greatest boasters the smallest doers ERasmus in his Adagies reports of a young Man that had travailed many Countreys and at last returning home began to praise himself in every Company and amongst many his other excellent feats that he had done he said that in the Isle of Rhodes he out-jumped all the Men that were there and all the Rhodians could bear him witnesse of the same Whereupon a stander by said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If thou sayst true think this to be Rhodes and jump here And then he could do just nothing but hid his face for shame Thus as those sticks that send forth most smoke do afford least heat So those Men that are the greatest boasters are for the most part the least doers according to our English Proverb Great boast and small roast Alas what are words meer vanâ—ty if not attended with deeds hence is that saying Loquere ut te videam so speak that I may see you make no more words but what may be demonstrated by deeds in the view of all Men. God rewarding the least of good done to his People IT is reported of Herod Agrippa the same that was eaten up of Worms Act. 12. 23. that being bound in chains and sent to prison by Tiberius for wishing Caius in the Empire one Thaumastus a servant of Caius carrying a pitcher of Water met him And Agrippa being very thirsty desired him to give him drink which he willingly did Whereupon Agrippa said This service thou hast done in giving me drink shall do thee good another day And he was as big as his word for afterwards when Caius was Emperor and Agrippa made King of Iudea he first got his liberty then made him a chief Officer of his houshold and after his decease took order that he should continue in the same Office with his Sonne How much more then shall Christ reward those that shall give to his distressed members but a cup of cold water one of the least readiest and meanest refreshments that may be in the midst of their Afflictions Shall not he that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet have a Prophets reward Yes surely they shall not be unrecompenced when Christ shall appear in his glory he will own them before Men and Angels Want of matter not to be pretended against the practice of Divine Meditation LOok but upon an Earthly-minded Man and hee 'l have matter enough to think and meditate upon in worldly things if it were for a whole year together building as it were Castles in the ayr busying himself about things that are not or ever shall be and herein they are such quick Workmen too that they can both gather their straw and burn their brick in full tale Strange then that any Man should object the want of matter or barrennesse of invention in the Meditation of things spiritual whereas did he but resort to Gods store-houses like the Egyptians to Iosephs did he but open the large volume of the Creation and unclasp the book of holy Scriptures he might find abundant matter of Meditation besides the consideration of his own misery his manifold sins and corruptions wants and imperfections Gods great Mercies and blessings the adminâ—stration of his Judgments the workings of his Providence c. so that there is no want of good seed no cause to complain of any thing but the barrennesse of heart and aversnesse to good things if there be not bringing forth fruit in a plentifull manner More comfortable to have a strong Faith then a weak one AS two Ships sailing together the one sound and well tackled the other leaking and wanting sailes though both do arrive at the same port yet not both alike disposed the one comes in merrily and confidently the other with much difficulty and doubting So the strong in Faith doth singingly walk towards Heaven goes on comfortably and with full assurance when they of little faith do but as it were creep thither with many doubts great fears and small joy And therefore as it is no Wisdom for any Man to continue poor that may be Rich or to live in Fear when he may be free from it So it is no point of Wisdome no piece of Christian Prudence for a Man to content himself with a weak Faith when by any means he may encrease it Men to be forward in promoting the cause of God and Religion FAmous is the Story of one Terentius a Captain in the Emperour Valens his Army who returning from Armenia with a great Victory the Emperour bade him ask what he would He onely desired as a Recompence for all his service That there might be granted a Church to the Orthodox in Antioch where to the honour of the place Christ did as it were
at first spread his glorious banner Act. 11. 26. that they might freely meet there and publiquely joyn together in the service of their God The motion he could not but know must be exceedingly unwelcome to the Emperor because he was an Arrian and so it proved For the Emperor tore his Petition and bade him ask something else but Terentius gathered up the torn pieces of the paper and said Hoc tantum desidero c. This I ask as a reward of my service and I will ask nothing else Here was a â—ree spâ—rited Man a true Christian Souldier that sum'd up all his service for the publique in an humble Petition for the Churche's good Dic mihi Musa virum Sâ—ow me such another Do men improve their Interest in great ones and make such use of opportunities as may conduce to the good of Gods cause and Religion They do not It is too too apparent that Men are too much byassed too much 〈◊〉 ended seeking quae sua non quae Christi their own things not the things of Iesus Christ preferring their own private gain and Worldly profit before the advancement of Gods true Religion Gods Omnipresence the consideration of it to be a restraint from Sin IT is the perswasion of Seneca to his Friend Lucilius for the better keeping of himself within compasse of his duty to imagine that some great Man some strict quick-sighted clear-brain'd Man such as Cato or Laelius did still look upon him And being come to more perfection would have him to fear no Mans presence more then his own nor any Mans testimony above that of his own Conscience and addes this Reason because he might flee from another but not from himself and escape another's censure but not the censure of his own Conscience Thus did but Men set God before their eyes and alwaies remember that his eyes are upon them it would be a notable bridle to pull them back and to hold them up when they are ready to fall into any Sin it would make them to watch over themselves that they did not do any wickednesse in his sight who is greater then their Consciences and so upright in his Iudgments that though Conscience may be silenced for a time and give no evidence or be a false Witnesse to the truth yet it is impossible to escape his sentence either by flight or any appeal whatsoever The holy Scriptures to be valewed above all other Writings JOsephus in his book of the Antiquities of the Iews maketh mention of one Cumà nus a Governor of Iudea that though he were but an Heathen and a Wicked Man yet he caused a Souldier to be beheaded for tearing a Copy of the Book of Moses Law which he found at the sacking of a Town And venerable in all Ages and amongst all Nations have been the books that contained the Laws either of their Belict or Politie as the Jews their Talmud the Romans the Laws of the twelve Tables the Turks their Alcoran and all Pagans the Laws of their Legislators And shall not Christians have then an high esteem of the holy Scriptures and deem them as the good old Christians did to be the Miroir of divine Grace and Mans misery the Touchstone of Truth the Shop of remedies against all evill the Hammer of Hereticks the Treasury of Virtue the Displayer of Vanities the Ballance of Equity and the most perfect Rule of all Truth and honesty Men to be forward in frequenting the Ordinances of God IT is a note of Mr. Calvin's upon that Text Seek ye my face Psal. 27. 8. That Superstitious People will go on Pilgrimage to the Image of such a Lady or such a Saint or to visite the Monument of the Sepulcher at Ierusalem and they will go over Mountains and through strange Countries and though they be used â—ardly and lose much of their estates sometimes in perils of false brethren other times in the hands of Arabian Robbers they satisfie themselves in this I have that I came for Alas What came they for the sight of a dumb Idol a meer nothing If they then will endure such hardship for the sight of a meer empty shadow How much pains should we take to see God in his Ordinances What though the way to Sion lie through the valley of Bacha Surely when God moves the hearts of Men to joyn with his People a little difficulty cannot hinder them they will be content to go through the valley of tears so as they may appear before God in Sion they will go through thick and thin rather then not go to Church at all And thus as it is prophesied of the Church of God that she should be called Sought out i. e. sought unto or sought after Esay 62. 12. It is heartily to be wished that it might be so a place had in high estimation and regard which out of respect and devotion Men would repair and resort unto encouraging others also so to do saying Come let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord that our hearts may be refreshed with the consolations of our God in the way of his Ordinances Experimental Knowledge the onely Knowledg IT is well known that the great Doctors of the World by much reading and speculation attain unto a great height of Knowledge but seldom to sound Wisdome which hath given way to that common Proverb The greatest Clerks are not alwaies the wisest Men It is not studying of the Politiques that will make a Man a wise Counsellor of Estate till his Knowledge is joyned with experience which â—eacheth where the Rules of State hold and where they fail It is not book-knowledge that will make a good General a skilfull Pilot no not so much as a cunning Artizan till that knowledge is perfected by practice and experience And so surely though a Man abound never so much in literal knowledge it will be far from making him a good Christian unlesse he bring precepts into practice and by feeling experience apply that he knowes to his own use and spirituall advantage The Church of the Gospel it 's amplitude above that under the Law THe Samaritans Inne was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it gave entertainment to all strangers Luk. 10. 34. In S. Peter's sheet were all sorts of Creatures four-footed Beasts and creeping things Act. 10. 11. The Net mentioned in S. Matthews Gospel caught all kind of Fish Chap. 13. 47. Ahashueru's Feast welcom'd all comers Esth. 1. 4. Such is the Church of the Gospel in its amplitude The Prophetical Gospel was hedg'd in and limited within the pale of Palestine but the Apostolical Gospel is spread over the face of the whole Earth Then it was lux modii a light under a bushell now lux mundi the light of the World Then the Prophets sang In Iudaea natus est Deus In Iury is God known his Name is great in Isâ—ael but now
whereof hath been a great inlet to Idlenesse negligence and ignorance in the study of Divinity Blessednesse of the Poor in spirit in the matter of Hearing Gods Word IT is fabled that when Iuno on a day had proclaimed a great Reward to him that brought her the best present there came in a Physitian a Poet a Merchant a Philosopher and a Beggar The Physitian presented a hidden secret of Nature a prescript able to make an old Man young again The Poet an Encomiastick Ode of her bird the Peacock The Merchant a rare hallow Iewell to hang at her ear The Philosopher a book of strange Mysteries The poor quaking Beggar onely a bended knee saying I have nothing that is worth acceptance Accipe meipsum Take my self Thus it is that many come unto God in the hearing of his Word with prescripts of their own they have receipts enow already they care for no more Others like the Poet come to admire Peacocks the gawdy Popinjayes and Fashionists of the time all to be dawb'd with gold and silver Feathers Others like the Merchant present Jewels but they are hallow they come with criticall or hypocritical humours like Carps to bite the net and wound the Fisher not to be taken Some like the Philosopher bring a book with them which they read without minding the Preacher saying They can find more Learning there then he can teach them But blessed are the poor in spirit that like the Beggar give themselves to God Iuno gave the reward to him and God gives the blessing to these It is a poor Reverently devoted heart that carries away the comfort Godlinesse in the humble dust of adoration that shall be lifted up by the hand of Mercy Christ to be our Example and Pattern of Imitation in life and death ST Hierome having read the life and death of Hilarion one that lived most Christianly and dyed most comfortably folded up the book saying Well Hilarion shall be the Champion that I will follow his good life shall be my Example and his godly death my President How much more then should each of us first read with diligence the life and death of Iesus Christ and then propound him to our selves as the most absolute pattern for our Imitation resolving by the Grace of God that Christ shall be the copy after which we will write the pattern which we will follow in all things that he hath left within the sphear of our Activity so also in that necessary duty of Preparation for death He did so Iob. 14. and we must do so For as in shooting there is a deliberate draught of the bow a good aym taken before the loose be given so if ever we look for comfort in death we must look at death through the preparation for it The greatest of things wrought by God without means AS when Gedeon was to fight with the Midianites pretending that his Army was but a few How many hast thou saith the Lord So many thousand They are too many The Lord will not have them all but commands them to be reduced to one half and yet there were too many the Lord would not work by them they were too strong At last he comes to make choyce of them by lapping in the water then they came to three hundred Men to fight against three hundred thousand For it is said they covered the Earth like Grashoppers And now the Lord begins to work by these Men. And how doth he work by Weapons No but with a few broken pitchers in their hands and they had the day of it the Midianites be delivered up into their hands as a prey This was a wonderful act of the great God who not tyed to means wrought out Victory by his own arm It is true that means and second causes he hath much honoured in the World and commands them to be used but when he comes to effect great things such as was the Redemption of Mankind by Christ such as shall be the Resurrection of the dead at the last day then such means and causes as seek to set him forward he rejects them and works not by them but the clean contrary The greater stench the bodies have sustained in the grave shall work it unto greater sweetnesse and the greater weaknesse it had the greater strength shall accrew unto it and wondrous puissance shall God work unto that part that lacked honour according to his blessed dispensation in all things Not to be Angry with our Brother A Railing Fellow fell very foul upon Pericles a Man of a Civil and Socraticaâ— spirit and he left him not all the day long but continued till he had brought him to his own doors in the Evening somewhat late at Night He all this while not returning one unbeseeming word commanded one of his Servants with a Torch to light the brawler home to his house Thus did he by the dim light of Nature And therefore if a brother offend us upon ignorance let us neglect it if upon infirmity forget it if upon malice forbear it upon what terms soever forgive it as we would have God to forgive us It is a saying That every Man is either a Fool or a Physitian so every Christian is either a Mad-man or a Divine A Mad-man if he give his passions the rein a Divine if he qualifie them The Natural Mans blindnesse in Spirituall things WHen Xeuxes drew his Master-piece and Nicostratus fell into admiration of the rarenesse thereof highly commending the exquisitenesse of the work there stood by a rich Ignorant who would needs know what he had discovered worthy of so great applause To whom Nicostratus made this answer My Friend couldst thou but see with my eyes thou wouldst soon see cause enough to wonder as well as I do Thus it is that the dear Children of God have inexhaustible treasure even in the midst of their poverty transcendent dignity in the midst of their disgraces heighth of tranquillity in the very depth of tribulation their pulse and Locusts relish better then all the Gluttons delicious fare their Sheep-skins Goat-skins and Camels hair wear finer then all the Purple and soft rayment the Worlds hate makes them happier then all the applauses of the Capitol Now the sensual carnal Naturalist sees none of all this he perceives not the things of the spirit neither indeed can he for they are spiritually discerned no Man knowes them but he that hath them but had he spirituall sight were but the scales fallen off from his eyes as they did from S. Paul's at the time of his Conversion then he would clearly see and say as the same S. Paul did That though we suffer tribulation in all things yet we are not distressed we are brought into perplexities yet we are not forsaken Negligent Hearing of Gods Word condemned A Servant coming from Church praiseth the Sermon to his Master He asks him What was the
Crown of glory but hath divers other titles of preheminency given unto it of which all shall be true partakers that are Godly A Crown of Righteousnesse by the imputation of Christs Righteousnesse A Crown of Righteousnesse by the imputation of Christs Righteousnesse A Crown of life because those that have it shall be made capable of life Eternal A Crown of Stars because they that receive it shall shine as Stars for ever and ever The slavery of Sin to be avoided WHen Alexander found Diogenes in his Tub and disputed with him Whether was the freer estate With Alexander to command thâ— World or with Diogenes to be confin'd to a baâ—rel The Cynick answered Latior tua potestas non felicior Thou commandest others I command my self I am a servant to the King the King is a servant to his slave yea even to my slave I am Emperour over those affections that exercise a dominion over thee And surely most true is that undeniable Axiome quot Vitia tot Tyranni Sin and slavery cannot be separated The Dog runs at the Masters whistling but for the Master to go at the Dogs commanding is a preposterous servility Great cause have we then to abandon that service which must be obsequious to the Vilest proudest basest grooms in our Family our own carnall lusts which are no better though they dwell with us then the very limbs of Belial How to use the World rightly A Servant whilest a stranger walks with his Master followes them both but when the stranger takes his leave and departs from his Master he leaves the stranger and followeth his Master Thus whilest the World doth any way concur with the Lord and conduce to the Salvation of the pretious Soul so far we may accompany it but if it once depart from that then let us give the World a Farewell follow God and have a care of our Souls Again as Almighty God by bounding and confining the waters to their proper places hath made the Sea a garment which was before a grave to the whole Earth So we by bounding and ordering our affections towards the World and actions in the World may make it a help which otherwise would be an hinderance in our way to Heaven Fac trajectitium saith S. Augustine meaning that we should employ these Earthly things to the glory of God and the good of our brethren that like provident Merchants we may have those temporals returned in Heaven by bill of Exchange into things Eternal Christianity the best Nobility HErmodius a Nobleman born upbraided the Valiant Captain Iphicrates for that he was but a Shoomaker 's sonne My bloud saith Iphicrates taketh Beginning at me and thy bloud at thee now taketh her Farewell intimating that he not honouring his house with the glory of his virtues as the house had honoured him with the title of Nobility was but as a woodden knife put into an empty sheath to fill up the place but for himself he by his valorous atchievements was now beginning to be the raiser of his Family Thus in the matter of Spiritualty He is the best Gentleman that is the best Christian The Men of Berea who received the Word with all readinesse were more Noble then those of Thessalonica The Burgesses of Gods City be not of base linage but truly Noble they boast not of their Generation but their Regeneration which is far better For by their second birth they are the Sons of God and the Church is their Mother and Christ their elder Brother the Holy Ghost their Tutor Angels their Attendants all other Creatures their Subjects the whole World their Inne and Heaven their Home John 14. 2. The Devill rewarding his Servants CHarls King of Swede a great Enemy of the Iesuites when in the time of Warr he took any of their Colledges would first hang up all the old Iesuitâ—s and then put the rest into his Mines saying That since they had wrought so hard above ground he would now make a tryall how they could work under ground Thus the Devil when the Wicked have done him what evil service they can upon Earth he confines them to his lower Vaults in Hell for evermore A sad reward to sow trouble and reap nothing but horror and vexation of spirit still bringing fewell to that Fire which must burn themselves to all eternity Every thing in specie made perfect at one and the same time in the Creation ALL Artists in what they do have their second thoughts and those usually are the best As for Example A Watchmaker sets upon a piece of Work it being the first time that ever Men were wont to carry a Passe-time in their pockets but having better considered of it he makes another and a third some ovall some round some square every one adding lustre and perfection to the first invention whereas heretofore they were rather like Warming-pans to weary us then warning-pieces to admonish us how the time passed The like may be said of the famous art of Printing Painting and the like all of them ouâ—doing the first copies they were set to go by But it was not so with God in the Creation of the several species of Nature he made them all perfect simul et semel at one and the same time every thing pondere et mensura so just so propoâ—tionate in the parts such an Elementary harmony such a symmetry in the bodies of Animals such a correspondency of Vegetals that nothing is defective neither can any thing be added to the perfection thereof Men to argue themselves into a mood of Contentment ALexander that great Monarch of the World was discontented because Ivy would not grow in his gardens at Babylon but the Cynick was herein more wise who finding a Mouse in his sachel said He saw that himself was not so poor but some were glad of his leavings Thus had we but hearts to improve higher providences we might soon rock our peevish spirits quiet by much stronger Arguments As to take notice of Gods bountiful dealing with us that we are lesse then the least of his Mercies that though we be not set in the highest form yet there are many below us that God is our good Benefactor this would bring us to that passe as to conclude with our selves Having food and rayment therewith to be content and though we were many times cut short of Creature accommodations yet this would limit our desires after them and make us rest assured that nothing is withdrawn or withheld from us which might be really advantagious to us To do good for evill A Malefactor in birth and person a comely Gentleman was sentenced to death by a Iudge deformed in body Hereupon he turned all his prayers unto Heaven into curses and revilings of the Iudge calling him a stigmaticall and bloudy Man The patient Judge for that time reprieved him still he
man from the cold starving Climate of Poverty into the hot Southern Climate of Prosperity and he begins to lose his appetite to good things he grows weak and a thousand to one if all his Religion do not dye but bring a Christian from the South to the North from a rich flourishing estate into a jejune low Condition let him come into a more cola and hungry ayre and then his stomach mends he hath a better appetite after Heavenly things he hungers more after Christ he thirsts more after Grace he eats more of the bread of life at one meal then he did at six before and such a Man is like to live and hold out in the way of Gods Commandements to the end A foul polluted Soul the object of Gods hatred THe rheumatick and spawling Cynick when he was entreated by the dainty Mistresse of the house where he was entertained that he would spit in the foulest part of the house did thereupon very unmannerly spit in the Mistresses own face because that in his opinion it was the foulest Thus as it is the honour of the Holy Omnis decor ab inâ—ùs to be all glorious within what outward wants soever seem to disgrace them so it is the disgrace of the Worldly Omnis faetor ab intus they are filthy within what outward abundance soever doth seem to honour them God requires truth in the inward parts but alasse we may say truly of these their inward parts are very wickednesse so that when he sees their houses kept neat and clean the floores swept the walls hung the vessels scowred their Apparel brushed their bodies adorned all curiously highted onely their hearts filthy and polluted he will certainly spit his contempt upon that Heart Therefore wash thy heart from iniquity O Ierusalem that thou mayest be saved 2 Kings 9. 12. The high price of the Soul PLato that divine Philosopher travelling to see the wonders of Sicily was upon some discourse had betwixt him and Dionysius the Tyrant apprehended and clapt up in Prison his fact was made capital but by the favour of some near the Tyrant he was adjudged to be sold one Annecerts buyes him layes down twenty pounds and sends him home to Athens Seneca quarrels the price censures Anneceris for undervaluing so worthy a Man ballancing one of such high parts with such a low sum of Money But this censure cannot light upon our Saviour who gave not for the Soul of Man the Earth the Sea the World but that which was of infinite Value even his own dearest bloud Propter Animam Deus secit mundum c. It was for the Souls sake that God made the World And it was for the Souls sake that the Son of God came into the World made himself of no Reputation was like unto man in all things sin onely excepted scorned scourged derided c. and at last submitted himself to Death even the Death of the Crosse Phil. 2. 8. Prosperity for the most part draws Envy to it SHeep that have most Wool are soonest fleeced The fattest Oxe comes soonest â—o the slaughter The barren Tree grows peaceably no Man meddles with the Ash or Willow but the Appletree and the Damosin shall have many rude suiters David a Shepheard was quiet but David a Courtier was pursued by his Enemies Thus it is that Prosperity is an Eye-sore to many and a prosperous condition for the most part draws Envy to it whereas he that carries a lesser sail that hath lesse Revenues hath lesse Envy such as bear up with the greatest Front and make the greatest shew in the World are the White for Envy and Malice to shoot at Liberty the cause of Licentiousnesse IT was a grave and smart answer of Secretary Walsingham a great Statesman of that time when he was consulted by the Queen about the lawfullnesse of Monopoly-Licences Licentiâ omnes deteriores sumus We are all the worse for Licence And most true it is let but the golden raynes of Law and Religion lye any thing loose upon the People shoulders they will soon be licentious enough If the well-compacted hedge of Discipline and Government be broken down neither Church or State shall long want those that will intrude upon their Priviledges and trample all Authority under their feet The Folly of Men in parting with their Souls for trifles WE laugh at little Children to see them part with rich Jewels for silly trifles And who doth not wonder at the Folly of our first Parents that would lose Paradise for an Apple and of Esau that sold his birth-right for a messe of Pottage yet alasse daily experience doth proclaim it that many are so childish to part with such rich and pretious Jewels as their immortal Souls for base unworthy trifles and so Foolish as to lose the coelestial Paradise the kingdome of Heaven for Earthly vanities of whom it may be truely said as Augustus Caesar in another case They are like a Man that fishes with a golden hook the gain can never recompence the losse that may be sustained The spiritual benefit of divine Contentment ZEno of whom Seneca speaks who had once been very rich hearing of a Shipwrack and that all his goods were drowned at Sea Fortune saith he speaking in an Heathen Dialect Iubet me Fortuna expeditiùs Philosophari hath dealt well with me and would have me now to study Philosophy He was content to change his course of life to leave off being a Merchant and turn Philosopher And if an Heathen said thus shall not a Christian much more say When the World is drained from him Iubet Deus mundum derelinquere et Christum expeditiùs sequi God would have me leave off following the World and study Christ more and how to get Heaven to be willing to have lesse gold and more goodnesse to be contented to have lesse of the World so I may have more of Christ to sit down with a little so much as shall recruit Nature and if that fail so that the slender barrel of Provision fall shorter and shorter not to murmure and say with Micah Have ye taken away my gods and do ye ask me What I aile Judg. 18. 24. Hope to be kept up in the midst of all Perplexities PAndora a beautiful Woman as the Poets â—eign was framed by Vulcan to whose making up every god and goddesse gave a contribution They put into the hand of this fair Inchanâ—resse a goodly box fraught and stuffed with all the Woes and Miseries that might be onely in the bottom of it they placed Hope It was presented to Prometheus but Providence refused it then to Epimetheus and After-wit accepted it Which he no sooner rashly opened but there came out a swarm of Calamities fluttering about his ears This he perceiving clap'd on the cover with all possible speed and so with much ado saved Hope sitting in the bottom Such
Mortality when by the course of Nature they are driven on and carried out to their last home the very encrease of their life tendeth to a decrease till they meet all in one place that which Adam hath provided for all his Posterity and where himself being already laid all shall be brought unto him How it is that the Sins of Parents are visited on their Children IT is reported of a Persian Emperour Artaxerxes the long-handed that for such faults as his Nobles and Captains committed he enacted That whereas their hair was wont to be pulled their headâ— tire or turbants should be so used and for such offences as their bodies had been wont to be beaten their robes should be publiquely scourged In like manner God dealeth with men when they offend of themselves he punisheth not themselves alwaies in their persons but oft-times in their possessions in their goods and chattels and in their temporal estates And if in their possessions no marvel if in their children too they being part of their possessions nay part of themselves Witnesse that indulgent Master Math. 15. 22. Reproofs of a Wise Man not to be sleighted IT is storyed of Alexander the Great that having had a Philosopher a long time with him at length said unto him Recede â— me prorsus consortium tuum nolo Be gon from me I desire not thy company And being asked why made answer Quod quum tantopere mecum degeris c. because having lived so long with me thou hast not reproved any vice in me For either thou hast observed me not to erre which is a great argument of Ignorance because being a Man I know my self to be exposed to many errours Or else thou hast known me to erre and hast held thy peace which is a proof of thine unfaithfullnesse It was the praise of that great Monarch thus to do and in this he jumped even with the Preacher It is better to hear the Rebuke of the Wise Man c. It may be not so pleasant but sure it is better and there is lesse hurt and more good that ariseth from it There is in Reproof a jarring and harsh Musick because it opposeth the fault that is committed it disagreeth with the mind of him that hath committed it but yet it soundeth sweeter then the melodious songs of flattering Parasites who leading on to Wickednesse do lead into destruction Magistrates to be Men of Understanding HEraclitus being sick examined his Physitian concerning the cause of his sicknesse but finding that he was ignorant thereof he would take none of his Physick saying If he be not able to shew me the cause he is lesse able to take away the cause of my disease Thus there are many sores and sicknesses in a Common-wealth mille nocendi artes a thousand wayes of cheating the generality of Men is as Ovid said of Autolycus furtum ingeniosus ad omne witty in all kind of wickednesse â—ay mundus in maligno positus the World is set upon Mischief And such is the subtilty too of Offenders that Tertullus his trim tale for the Iews goes currant till the Apostle comes after him and unstarcheth it How easy is a fair glove drawn upon a foul hand a bad cause smoothed over with goodly pretences so cunning so wary and so wise are the Many that as Caesar said of the Scythians difficilius invenire quà m interficere it is harder to find them then to foil them like the Fish Sepia they can hide themselves in their own mud cover themselves close in their own devices The Magistrate then that Physitian of the body-Politick had need to be Wise and learned to get and keep that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one ear open for the defendant to be a Man of great experience 〈◊〉 and judgement to catch all such with the hooks of Iustice who are crafty and slippery to avoid them and by this means take away the causes of Corruption Men to be carefull how they make Oath in Iudicature or otherwise IT is said of Alexander the great that being about to destroy Lampsacum an eminent Port-town in Bithinia Anaximenes the Philosopher and his former Master being a Native of the place came to meet him and to entreat him in the behalf thereof which being foreseen by Alexander He swore that he would not do that which Anaximenes should ask him Whereupon Anaximenes told him That which I desire is that thou wouldest destroy Lampsacum Now Alexander being so taken by his word for the reverence of his Oath did not destroy the place Most Noble was it in this great Man to keep his Oath and necessary is it for all infâ—riours to keep theirs For an Oath is not a slight businesse although it be despised because Men are accustomed thereunto namely being the testimony of God concerning things doubtfull and therefore to cite God as the Witnesse to a Lye must needs be a foul Wickednesse and horrible Impiety Tedious length of Law-suites condemned IT is said of Hippocrates the famous Physitian that he was never seen to be in choller with any Man And that he had many Schollers yet permitted none to practise before they had taken an Oath at the Altar of Apollo to abbreviate the cure of all diseases to the utmost of their power A good President for Physitians then and a good Pattern for Lawyers now to dispatch their Clients cause with expedition not to spin out time in the suit donec evacuata Marsupia till all their Money is gone In the Iewish Common-wealth Judgment â—eaâ—s were placed in the gates of the Cities Ruth 4. 2. intimating quick dispatch that causes should not depend so long as to become aged and gray-headed in Courts lest they force the poor Client to say unto his Lawyer as Balaams Asse did to his Master Am not I thine Asse which thou hast ridden upon since thy first time till this present day Numb 〈◊〉 30 Cruelty of the Wicked no prejudice to the Godly IT is reported of Constantine that being spoken to by many to punish some who had thrown stones at his Image saying that with the stones they had bruised all his face he wiping his Face with his hand and smiling with his Countenance gave them this answer Ego verâ— vulnus nusquam in fronte factum video c. I do not feel any hurt about me or any wound made in my face but my head is sound and all my body likewise Plainly so it is with them that keep the Commandements of God all the evill which the Devil or any wicked man can work or do against them it is but like an evil done to their Pictures they feel it not For how should they feel evill to whom all things work together for their good It is true they may know sorrow but not so to know it as to take care for it they may find the dealings of Wicked
imminent but cannot give themselves a supersedeas from Death approaching They are said to be like tumbling Seas whose boyling swelling overflowing waves bring terrour and trouble to all that are near them But God hath said unto them Hither shall ye come and no further here shall your proud waves be staid here in the midst of your march be it never so fierce shall the wheels of your Charriots be knocked off and here in the ruffe of all your greatnesse shall Death arrest you Marriage not to be made for Money onely THere was a Rich Man in Athens which had a daughter to marry and he asked counsel of Themistocles how to bestow her telling him that there was a very honest Man that made suit unto her but he was poor And there was a Rich Man which did also defire her but he was not Honest Themistocles answered that if he were to choose he would prefer Monilesse Men before Masterlesse money Intimating thereby that Marriage is not to be contracted for Money onely yet the question is now with what money not with what honesty the party whom they seek is endowed whether they be rich not whether they be godly What lands they have on Earth not what Inheritance they have in Heaven It is dos not Deus all 's good enough if there be goods enough it is Money that makes the Match But let such know that as their Money wasteth so their love weareth neither is there any Love or Friendship constant but that which is grounded on constant causes such as Vertue and Godlinesse which will hold out to the last The day of the last Judgment a terrible day THere is a story of two Souldiers that coming to the Valley of Iehosaphat in Iudea and one saying to the other Here in this place shall be the generall Iudgment Wherefore I will now take up my place where I will then sit and so lifting up a stone he sate down upon it as taking possession before-hand But being sate and looking up to Heaven such a quaking and trembling fell upon him that falling to the Earth he remembred the day of Iudgment with horrour and amazement ever after And to say truth so fearfull and terrible shall be the appearance of that day that our Saviour in some sort describing the same saith that then the powers of Heaven shall be shaken de Angelis hoc dicit saith S. Augustine Christ here speaketh of the Angels that trembling and great fear shall surprise them so that if those glorious spirits shall tremble at the horrour of that day who being guilty of no sin shall not then be judged How shall poor Martals stand amazed especially the wicked whose Iudgment and condemnation shall then be pronounced The benefit of History LUcius Lucullus being appointed Captain General over the Romane Forces against Mithridates had not great experience or knowledg in War but onely what he had gotten by reading History yet proved a discreet and Valiant Commander and vanquish't at that time two of the greatest Princes in the East Thus it is that History is and may be the director of meanest Men in any of their actions how others have behaved themselves upon several occasions and what hath followed thereupon It is a trusty Counsellour of State by whose advice and direction a Common-weal may be framed governed reformed and preserved an Army may be ordered Enemies vanquished and Victory obtained In it as in a glasse we see and behold Gods providence guiding and ruling the World and Mens actions which arrive often at unexpected events and even some times reach unto such ends as are quite contrary to the Actor's intentions It is a punisher of Vice presenting aged Folly green and fresh to Posterity not suffering Sin to dye much lesse to be buried in Oblivion It is also a Reâ—arder of Vertue reserving worthy deeds for Imitation A good Work though it dye in doing is a Reward to it self yet that some dull Natures might be stirred up the more and all benefited by seeing gratious steps before them this onely is exempted by a firm decree from the stroke of Death to live in History Men usually judging others to be like themselves IT is said of Moses and Ioshua that when they were coming down from the Mountain and heard a noise in the Camp Ioshua said There was a noise of War But Moses said the noise of them that sing do I hear Here was now great difference of these two great Mens Iudgments but the reason was that Ioshua being a Martial man therefore judgeth the noise to be a noise of War but Moses being a Man of Peace judgeth the noise to be a noise of Peace each of them judging according to their several dispositions Hence is that of the Philosopher Qualis quisque est tales existimat alios such as every one is the same he thinketh others to be measuring of other Mens actions by his own bushel The Lascivious Man thinketh others to be lascivious The Covetous person thinks others to be Covetous the Fool thinks every Man to be as arrant a Wise man as himself hoc proclivius suspicatur in alio c. Every Man readily suspects that of another which he findeth in himself Neglect of the Soul reproved THere is a story of one Pambo that on a time looking out at a Window and perceiving a Woman to spend a great deal of time in trimming her self fell a weeping And being demanded the cause answered Have not I a great cause to weep to see yonder poor creeping worm consume so long time in decking and adorning her poor Earthly carcase to the sight of Man and I spend so small time in preparing my Soul for God But were this Man alive now he would do nothing else but lament and take on to see how people of all sorts from the highest to the lowest are taken up with high thoughts of their bodies little thinking of their Souls Men and Women trifling out whole dayes inter pectinem et speculum in finifying of their Fantastical Phisâ—omies and not bestowing one hour in smoothing and rectifying of their most pretious Souls To Compassionate others miseries THere is mention made of some Mountains called Montes Lactarei the milky Mountains on which the Beasts that feed do give such nourishing milk that Mens bodies though much consumed away do thereby not onely receive strength and health but fatnesse also whereas the beasts themselves are exceeding lean so that after a wonderfull manner the beasts do not profit by that grasse by which the bodies of Men come on and prosper they go up and down near the thickets of the Mountains meagre and thin and as it were sustaining the condition of those who are healed by them Like to these beasts should Charity make every one of us that as we comfort the Poor with the milk that we give them the relief that we afford them
otherwise afraid to enter the troops of ten thousand armed Men will be so scared with the strangenesse of the noyse that the Rider shall be scarce able to sit him yet if this bladder be but prick'd with a pin it comes instantly to nought A true resemblance of such whom God enricheth with his blessings casting into their bosoms some beans and pease of extraordinary gifts and graces of authority honour wisdom and the like with which they make such a ratling that even valiant hearts are daunted with the sound thereof and they themselves drawing in the wind of popular applause begin to swell as big as any bladder with presumption of their own merits but if their Princes displeasure do but breathe on them or some feaver or distemper seize upon them this great wind is abated their Souls are galled with impatience and they sing their part with those wretched ones What hath Pride profited us or what hath the pomp of Riches brought us Wisd. 5. 6. Security the cause of all Calamity IT was well observed that it was as necessary for Rome that Cato should be born as well as Scipio the reason was Alter cum hostibus alter cum vitiis bellum gessit the one kept Warr with their Enemies the other with their vices so that being alarm'd on both sides they were ever in a posture of defence Thus it is that what with the sword of the Spirit drawn against the exorbitance of the time and that of the Militia to defend the Frontiers the People rouze up themselves and become vigorous well considering that no Man is sooner overthrown then he that feareth nothing and most usually it so falleth out that Security is the main cause of all calamity Riches Honours c. the different use that is made of them IT is said of the seeds of Henbane that they kill all birds saving Sparrows and to them they are nourishing food the reason given is this their veins are so narrow that the fumes thereof cannot passe to the heart and surprise it so soon as it doth other Creatures Such is the condition property quality and use of Riches honours preferments or any other outward thing whatsoever they do nothing at all hurt the Godly such as know how to make a right use of them but to the Wicked and Ungodly such as know no other Heaven upon Earth but the bare enjoyment of them they are but as so many â—nares and temptations to entrap them so that what is one Man's meat becomes the others poyson And why so because the Godly have certain private veins of Knowledg and goodnesse whereby that deadly fume of Henbane the love of the World cannot passe to the heart Let Honours mount never so high Riches encrease never so much they look above them they set not their hearts upon them but take up that of the Wiseman Omnia bonis in bonum All things to the good are turned to good Wisd. 39. The soveraign Vertue of Humility PHysitians and Naturalists do say that there is nothing of the Mulâ—erry tree but is medicinal and usefull in some sort or other the fruit the root the bark the leaf and all Such is the soveraigne Vertue of Humility that every part of it as well the root of affections and the bark of Conversation as the leaves of words and the fruit of Works heals some diseases or other of the drooping Sin-sick Soul Hence is it that the great Physitian of our Souls as if they could never be at rest or quiet otherwise prescribes us this Recipe against all spiritual qualms and agonies Learn of me that I am lowly and meek and you shall find rest to your Souls Matth. 11. 29. The love of Riches very dangerous A Tree when it is half cut through deceives the Elephant when he leans unto it Mandrage if duly taken is good Physick but if immoderately it casts into a dead sleep congeals the spirits and deaddens the Natural faculty And as one said of Parliaments in England that they are very good purges to evacuate the ill humours of the body Politick but very bad Diet-drink to live upon weakning the vigorous spirits thereof and making it liable to much inconvenience Such is the immoderate love of Riches and the things of this life they deceive all that lean unto them there 's no safety in living upon them no rest in the acquiring of them They cast their Favourites and all such as dote upon them into strange dreams their reason and understanding being stupified their devotion and goodnesse congealed and in fine their bodies and Souls in great jeopardy to be everlastingly damned Worldly honours and greatnesse their Vanity to be considered THe Romans to expresse the Vanity of Worldly honour and greatnesse painted Honour in the Temple of Apollo as representing the form of a Man with a Rose in his right hand a Lilly in his left above him a Solsequy or Marigold and under him Wormwood with this Inscription Levate Consider by all this declaring that Man in this World flourisheth as a Rose in delights and Riches but at night that is in the time of Death or adversity he is dryed up rejected and set at nought as a dryed Rose which all the day long is carried in the hand with contentment but being once withered is cast away on the dunghill The Lilly excelling Solomon in its glorious cloathing but the leaves falling it becomes sordid aptly denoting the favour of Man whilst in worldly honour but once clouded by misfortune made of no accompt The Marigold opening and shutting with the Sun shewing that when the Sun of Prosperity shines he sees all things delectable but the Sun setting Death or Adversity approaching then appears nothing but darknesse and horrour of the grave The Wormwood signifying that all the delights in this World are sweet in the execution but bitter in the retribution no better then a bitter potion and the very gall of Dragons Esay 24. Lastly the word Levate is very necessary lift up your heads and consider ye that are proud of your honours and greatnesse ye are but Roses that will wither Lillies that will lose their beauty Marigolds that open and shut with the Sun and your portion without Repentance will be but Wormwood and bitterness The Heart of a VVorldly-minded Man never satisfied ALexander on a time having many Philosophers with him at a Banquet would needs have it put to the question what was the greatest thing in the World some of them said the hill Olympus some the Sun some the Earth some one thing and some another but one of them said that surely the Heart of Man must needs be the greatest because that in a moment it passed through the whole VVorld Heaven Earth Sea and all And such is the Heart of every Worldly-minded Man though in the substance of it such a bit as will hardly give a
Vice and all kind of vanity a Temple fit for the Holy Ghost to duell in a Vessell and preserver of the Graces of Gods holy Spirit Discretion the guide of all Religious actions THere is a story how divers ancient Fathers came to S. Anthony enquiring of him What Virtue did by a direct line lead to perfection that so a Man might shun the snares of Sathan He bade every one of them speak his opinion One said Watching and Sobriety Another said Fasting and Discipline A third said Humble prayer A fourth said Poverty and Obedience And another Piety and works of Mercy but when every one had spoke his mind his answer was That all these were exâ—ellent Graces indeed but Discretion was the chief of them all And so without all doubt it is being the very Auriga Virtutum the guide of all Virtuous and Religious actions the Moderator and Orderer of all the Affections For whatsoever is done with it is Virtue and what without it is Vice An ounce of Discretion is said to be worth a pound of Learning as Zeal without Knowledg is blind so Knowledg without Discretion is lame like a sword in a Mad-man's hand able to do much apt to do nothing Tolte hanc et virtus vitium erit He that will fast must fast with Discretion he must so mortifie that he do not kill his Flesh He that gives Alms to the poor must do it with Discretion Omâ—i petenti non omnia petenti to every one that doth ask but not everything that he doth ask so likewise pray with discretion observing place and time place lest he be reputed an Hypocrite time lest he be accounted an Heretick And thus it is that Discretion is to be made the guide of all Religious performances Humility exalted THe Naturalists do observe that the Egyptian Fig-tree being put into the Water presently sinks to the bottom but being well soaked with moysture contrary to the nature of all other wood bwoyes it self up to the top of the Water So we may say of humble-minded Men they keep the lowest place and degree in every thing but when in such places they are sooked with the waters of grace and devotion with the waters of tears and compunction of heart with the waters of pitty and compassion of other Mens miseries then do they after death especially swim up to that incomparable weight of glory which God hath assured to the poor in spirit Ioâ— 22. No Worldly thing must hinder the Service of God IT was a good saying out of a Wicked Man's mouth When Balaac put hard upon Balaam to curse the People of God No sayes he I cannot do it If Balaac would give me his house full of silver and gold I cannot do it I cannot go beyond the Commandement of God to do either good or bad of my own mind but what the Lord saith that will I speak And thus it is that when a Man is put upon any sinfull design such as shall not be agreeable to the Word of God nor suit with the dictates of his own Conscience let him desist with that resolution of Ioseph How can I do this great Wickednesse and so sin against God Avoid Sathan away with Riches Honours Preferments c. if they once appear to dis-engage me from the service of my God If not onely a house full of gold and silver but all the Kingdoms of the World were to be at my dispose I would forgoe them all forsake them all that I might stick close unto the service of so good a Master as God is Every Man is to make himself sure of Heaven and Heavenly things IT is related of a Man that being upon the point of drowning in a great River he looked up and saw the Rainbow in the Clouds and considering that God had set it there as a sign of his Covenant never more to drown the World by water makes this sad conclusion to himself But what if he save the whole World from a deluge of Waters and suffer me to be drown'd here in this River I shall be never the better for that when I am once gone all the world is gone with me Thus it is in the matter of Heaven and Heavenly things as in the point of Calling and Election whereas it is said That many are called but few chosen so that if a Man cannot make out unto himself that he is none of the Many so called and one of the few that shall be certainly saved he must needs be but in a sad condition What is the bloud of Christ though in it self sufficient to save ten thousand Worlds if it be not efficient in the application thereof unto his Soul He shall be never the better for it What if the Gospel come to him in Word onely and not in power not in the Holy Ghost and full assurance it would do him little good What are Promises if he be not Heir of them VVhat are Mercies if he be no sharer in them VVhat is Heaven if he have no Evidence for it And what is Christ though all in all in himself yet nothing nay the further occasion of damnation to him if he he not in him The deaths of Faithful Magistrates Ministers c. to be lamented IT is reported in the Life of S. Ambrose That when he heard of the death of any holy Minister of Christ he would weep bitterly The like may be read of Philo the learned Iew That when he came to any Town or Village and heard of the death of any good Man there dwelling he would mourn exceedingly because of the great losse that that place and the whole Church of Christ had received thereby How much more cause have we then of this Nation to lament our sad Condition who have in few years lost so many Reverend learned and Godly Ministers Magistrates and others Needs must we languish when the breath of our nostrils is expired needs must the Church be in a tottering estate when her props and supporters are taken away and such a one is every good Magistrate in his place every painful Preacher in his Parochial charge every child of God in the Precinct where he dwells And if the taking away of any of these be not matter of sorrow I know not what is Antinomian madnesse IT is said of Lycurgus that being cast into a phrensy by Dionysius in that distemper thinking to have cut down a Vine with the same hatchet slew his own Son So the Antinomist being possest with a spiritual phrensy which he calls Zeal when he lifts up his hatchet to cut off some errours which like luxuriant branches have sprung up about the Law cuts down at unawares the very Law it self both root and branch making the observation of it arbitrary in respect of Salvation or as a Parenthesis in a sentence where the sense may be perfect without it For under colour
be entertained therein SCipio being made General of the Romane Army was to name his Questor or â—râ—asurer for the Wars whom he thought fit it being a place in those daies as is now in these of great importance One that looked upon himself to have a special interest in Scipio's favour becomes an earnest suiter for it but by the delay mistrusting he should be answered in the Negative importun'd him one day for an answer Think not unkindnesse in me said Scipio that I delay you thus For I have been as earnest with a friend of mine to take it and cannot as yet prevail with him Intimating hereby that high preferments offices of charge and Conscience are fittest for such as shun them modestly rather then such as seek them greedily And without all doubt he that hunteth after any place or dignity whether in Church or Commonweal that doth omnem movere lapidem leave no stone unmoved no means unattempted no Friend unsolicited doth but declare himself as one byass'd to his own not the publique Interest and so a Man unfitting whereas he that lyes dormant till Preferment awaken him that humbly carrieth an inferiour condition till he hear the Governours voice Friend sit up higher Luk. 14. 10. is the onely Man fit to be entrusted Prayer and endeavour to be joyned together THe Pagans in their fabulous Legend have a story of Hercules whom for his strength they counted a God how a Carter forsooth had overthrown his Cart and sate in the way crying Help Hercules O Hercules help me At last Hercules or one in his likenesse came to him and laid on him with a good cudgel saying Ah thou silly lazy Fellow callest thou to me for help and dost nothing thy self Arise and set to thy shoulder and heave thy part then pray to me for help and I will do the rest Thus in the matter of Prayer unto God we must do somewhat on our parts It is not as we say lying in a ditch and crying out God help us that willâ—bring us out Shall a Scholler pray to God to make him learned and never go to his book Shall a Husbandman pray for a good Harvest and throw his Plow into the hâ—dg No no as a reverend B. said once in a Sermon before Q. Elizabeth It is not a Praying to God but a tempting of God to beg his blessing without doing our endeavour also Men to be ready to die for Christ. IT is reported of an able Ministâ—r now with God that riding with an intimate Friend by Tyburn which he had not know or not observed before demanded what that was and answer being made This is Tyburn where many Malefactors have lost their lives he stopped his horse and uttered these words with great affection O what a shame is it that so many thousands should die here for the satisfaction of their â—usts and so few be found willing to lay down their lives for Christ Why should not we in a good cause and upon a good call be ready to be hanged for Iesus Christ it would be everlasting honour and it is a thousand times better to dye for Christ to be hanged to be burnt then to dye in our beds And most true it is that it were every way more glorious to die for Christ then to live without him such was the Christian temper of the blessed Apostle that he was not onely willing to be bound but to dye for the Lord Jesus And after him those Primitive Christians How ambitious were they of Martyrdome in the cause of Christ And of late in the times of that Marian persecution How many cheerfully and willingly laid down their lives mounting Eliah-like to Heaven in Fiery Charriots And so must every good Christian be ready to do to dye for Christ willingly to endure the Crosse and not to shrink back for any torment whatsoever The generality of Men not enduring to hear of Death DOctor Rudd then B. of S. Davids preaching before Q. Elizab. An. 1596. on Psalm 90. vers 12. O teach us to number our dayes c. fell upon some sacred and mystical Numbers as three for the Trinity three times three for the Heavenly Hierarchy seven for the Sabbath and at last upon seven times nine for the grand Climacterical year but the Q. perceiving whitherto it tended began to be much troubled in her mind which the B. discovering betook himself to treat of some more plausible Numbers as of the Number 666 to prove the Pope to be Antichrist and of the fatal number 88 blessing God for hers and the Kingdoms deliverance not doubting but that she would passe her Climacterical year also Sermon being ended the Q. as the manner was opened the VVindow but she was so far from giving him thanks that she said plainly He should have kept his Arithmetick for himself and so went away for the time discontented though upon second thoughts she was pacified And thus it is that the generality of Men and Women cannot endure to hear of Death or to entertain any thoughts of their latter end you shall have them cry out upon the miseries of this wretched life and yet when Death appears be it but in the bare apprehension thereof they do as little Children who all the day complain but when the Medicine is brought them are nothing sick at all or as they who all the week run up and down the house with pain of their teeth and seeing the Barber come to pull them out feel no more torment Wit how to make a right use thereof IN the Levitical Law there are directions for the usage of a Captive taken to Wife When thou goest forth to ward against thy Enemies and the Lord thy God hath delivered them into thy hands and thou hast taken them Captive And seest amongst the Captives a beautifull Woman and hast a desire unto her that thou wouldst have her to thy Wife Then thou shalt bring her home to thy house and she shall shave her head and pare her nails And she shall put the rayment of her Captivity from ofâ— her and shall remain in thy house and bewail her Father and Mother a full moneth and after that thou shalt go in unto her and be her husband and she shall be thy Wife Thus by way of Allusion this Captive-Woman is Witt as yet unsanctified Witt without VVisdome Wit as they say Whither wilt thou When speeches are witty whilest the behaviour is wicked when deeds are incongruities whilest words are Apothegms VVhat must then be done shave the hair pare the nails take off the abuse of Witt pare off such evils as usually are concomitant 1. Blasphemy as in jesting with the sacred Scriptures 2. Lasciviousnesse as in wanton discourses 3. Insolence as in trampling on Men of weaker parts 4. Contention as in making Policy to eat ouâ— Piety this being done Wit is become Wisdome then marry her and use
it is much to be feared that there are many at this day thus affected that they had rather be Kings though it were but of a Mole-hill then to be in subjection unto any yea such is the heat of their Ambition that the intemperancy of Nero's Mother may seem to be revived again who being very desirous that her Son might be Emperour And being certified by the Sooth-â—ayer that if he were so he should kill her she brake out into this unstayed and outragious speech Occidat dum imperet Let him kill me and spare not so he may be Emperour so they stick not to say Let us perish so we may but bear rule and sway over others Dead Men soon forgotten IT is a memorable Example amongst many others that we have of William the Conquerour's Successor who being unhappily kill'd as he was hunting in New-Forrest all his Nobles and Courtiers forsook him onely some few that remained laid his body in a Collyer's-Cart which being drawn with one silly lean beast through very foul and filthy way the Cart broke and there lay the spectacle of Worldly glory both pitifully goared and all to bemired Now if this were the portion of so mighty a Prince whom immediately before so glorious a troop attended What then must others of meaner rank expect and look for but onely with Death's closing up of their eyes to have all their Friends excluded and no sooner gone but to be as sodainly forgotten Hence is it that Oblivion and neglect are the two Hand-maids of Death and her Kingdom where she principally tyrannizeth is Terra oblivionis the Land of Forgetfulnesse Psalm 87. 8. Man by Nature lawlesse and ill-advised ORpheus in the Poet had no sooner tuned his Instrument but all the birds and beasts assembled and forgetting their several appetites though some were of prey some of game some of quarrel yet they stood all together in a sociable manner listning unto the sweetnesse of the Musick the sound whereof was no sooner ceased or drown'd by some lowder noyse but every beast returned to his Nature ready to devour and to be devoured one of the other Such is the Nature and condition of Man lawlesse and ill-advised full of savage and unreclaimable desires of profit lust power and Revenge yet as long as he gives ear to Precepts Laws and Religion sweetly touched with Eloquence and divine perswasions so long is Society and peace maintained but if these Instruments be silent or that sedition and tumult make them not audible then all things dissolve into Anarchy and meer confusion God the onely object of his People's trust in time of distresse THe Fish distressed slides into the Water and is relieved The bird flyes to the Dam and is shrowded under her wings The Child runs to its Parents strike the Dog and he runs to his Master Wound the Souldier and he flyes to the Aâ—my And by way of Antiperistasis cold makes the heat retire into the Fire and the force thereof is greater Thus if meer natural causes whose goodnesse is finite do cherish their effects How much more shall God whose goodnesse is infinite It is he and he onely that is the object of his Peoples trust in the midst of their distresse he is the first cause of all things and all things have recourse unto him Psal. 145. 15. How it is that God is more powerfull then all the Creatures IT is a Rule in Philosophy That that is most active which is most separated from Earthly parts most elevated à materia The Physitian distills his simples into waters he makes his extractions and quintessences that the more they be elevated à materia the more they might be active and work the better hence is it that Water is stronger then Earth Fire stronger then Water Angels stronger then Men God stronger then them all And why but because he is actu purus above and over all so full of activity that none is able to inflict the least of passion upon him In the apprehension of Fear and courage Mans mistaking of the Object spoils all HE that stands below and looks up to the top of St. Pauls London or some such high place they that are upon the top of the steeple appear to be out of small stature though in themselves they be tall and great and they that are at hand upon the same flat seem to be great and all this by reason of the distance of the one and the nearness of the other But è contrario if a Man stood upon the top of S. Pauls and should look down then they that are above would seem great and they that are below would seem little So it is with Men in time of trouble if their eyes be fastned upon the Earth their Enemies will appear to be great and mighty and God which is higher then the highest Heavens small and impotent but if their eyes be in Heaven as Iehosaphats were and that they look down from thence upon their Enemies then God will appear strong and mighty and the Enemy weak and withered It is the misapprehension of the Object that makes many living Creatures here below do and suffer many things more then they need to do The Sheep at the first sight of the Woolf apprehends him for a terrible object of fear whereas the Lyon passeth by him and all other beasts of the Forrest with an honourable scorn and disdain As for Men the three spies that were sent out to discover the Land of Promise having a sheeps eye spied out more danger then they needed Whereas Caleb having a Lyons Heart apprehended no terrour at all The Nobleman upon whom the King leaned in the siege of Samaria had so base an eye that looking upon the present miseries he took them to be greater then God and perswaded himself that although God should rain Victuals out of Heaven the Famine could not speedily be removed But Elisha had his eyes in Heaven and looking down from thence despised the present calamities in respect of the present help of God that by next day would make the price of Corn to stoop so low at the gates of Samaria that it should be there at a very easy rate and the siege removed And there was a flattering Courtier that looking upon the Royall person of the King held a Paradox That the King is the strongest thing in the World But the good old Prophet saw no such great matter in Kings and Princes when they be compared with God they were in his esteem but as so many Grashoppers skipping and leaping up and down the Field By all which may be easily concluded That in the apprehension of Fear and courage Mans eye mistaking of the Object spoyls all Ministers to be Men of Knowledg and Understanding THe Archer first takes a view of his mark then considers the distance of the ground after that
her patience her bottle and her hope were both out together O what must she do What Why there was upon the very place and that near at hand comfort enough a Well of water to refresh her had she but had her eyes open to have seen it Gen. 21. 19. Thus it is that in the midst of Aâ—â—lictions and distresse Men whine and repine as if they were quite lost they eye tâ—e empty bottle the crosse that is at present upon them but for want of spirituall sight they see not the Fountain of living waters Christ Iesus with the open arms of his Mercy ready to relieve them they as it were groan under the heavy burthen of oppression but for want of coming to Christ and believing on him they misse of that speedy refreshing which otherwise they might happily enjoy The supernatural workings of the Spirit PHilosophers observe that the ebbing and flowing of the Sea is by virtue of the Moon she flings her fainting beams into the Sea and being not able to exhale them as the Sun doth she leaves them there and goes away and that drawes them and when they grow wet they return again so that the Sea ebbs and flowes not from any principle in its self but by virtue of the Moon Thus the heart of every poor Creature is like the Water unable to move towards Heaven to think a good thought much lesse 〈◊〉 act any thing that is good till the holy Spirit of Grace bring in its beams and leave a supernaturall virtue by them upon the Soul and thereby drawes it up to it self Afflictions Not to be altogether taken up with the sense of them IT is very observable of Iacob That when his Wife dyed in Childbirth she called the child Benoni that is a son of sorrowes But Iacob in all probability thought thus with himself If I should call this Child Benoni every time that I name him it would put me in mind of the death of my dear Wife which will be a continual affliction to me and therefore I will nor have my child of that name but will from henceforth call him Benjamin that is the son of my right hand And this of Iacob may serve to shew us thus much That when Afflictions befall us we should not give way to have our thoughts continually upon them alwayes poring on them ever thinking and speaking of them but rather to have our thoughts on those things that may comfort us or that may stirre up our thankfulnesse to God for mercies even in the very midst of our Afflictions afforded unto us To suffer any thing for the Cause of Christ. IT is said of Hormisda a Nobleman of great eminency in the King of Persia his Court that because he would nor deny Christ he was degraded of all his honours stript out of his Lordly habit cloathed with sordid rags and so turn'a out to keep the Camels After a long time the King seeing him in that base slavish condition and remembring his former estate took pity on him caused him to be brought into his Pallace suited him like himself in rich attire and then perswadeth him to deny Christ at which he rent his silken cloaths and said If for these silly things you think to have me to deny my Faith in Christ take them again I le none of them And so with great scorn and reproach he was the second time cast out Thus it is that all of us should be ready to suffer any thing for the cause of Christ be contented to be made a by-word and laughing-stock for Christ and to bear with willing shoulders the most disgraceful things that can by the malice of Men and Devils be put upon us for Christ nay to bear up our spirits though all the World should frown upon us cast us off scorn us and accompt us as a disgrace unto them The sins of our Religious duties corrected by Christ and then presented to God the Father AS a Child that is willing to present his Father with something or other that might please him as a Poesie or Nosegay goes into the Garden and there for want of judgment gathers sweet smelling Flowers and noysome stinking weeds together but coming to his Mother she picks out the weeds and thus it is that whether we pray unto God or hear God speak unto us in his Word or are otherwise employed in the performance of any Religious action Christ comes and picks out the weeds takes away the iniquity of our holy things observes what evil or failing there is in duty and draws it out and so presents nothing but flowers nothing but what is pleasing and acceptable to God his Father The comfortable sight of Christ Iesus crucified to the poor Repentant Sinner IMagine that you saw some Malefactor led along to the place of Execution wailing and weeping for his mis-spent time for his bloudy acts for his heynous crimes and that his wailings and his weepings were so bitter that they were able to force tears from others and to make all eyes shoot and water that did but look upon him but then if this Man in this case should sodainly see his King running and riding towards him with a pardon in his hand What a sight would this be Surely none like it Thus thus it is with Man sorrowing and repenting for Sin Whilest he is weeping over the sadnesse of his condition and confessing what a little step there is betwixt him and damnation as if he were even dropping into Hell in a maze he looks up unto Christ whom he sees with a Spear in his side with thorns in his head with nayles in his feet and a pardon in his hands this were a sight indeed a most pleasant ravishing Heavenly sight such as all the rich and curious sights on Earth not all those glittering spangles in Heaven could afford the like Heart-Communication the want therof deplorable IT was the ingenuous confession of a learned Divine sensible of his neglect but more especially of the difficulty of the duty of Heart-communication I have lived said he Forty years and somewhat more and carried my Heart in my bosome all this while and yet my Heart and I are great strangers and as utterly unacquainted as if we had never come near one another Nay I know not my own Heart I have forgotten my Heart Ah my bowels my bowells that I could be grieved at the very Heart that my poor Heart and I have been so unacquainted Thus he then in a pious and conscientious manner expressing himself but mutato nomine it is the condition of most Men now in this Athenian age of ours such as spend their time in nothing more then in telling and hearing news How are things here how there how in this place how in that None almost enquiring how things are with their poor hearts few or none debating the matter nor holding
of the inferiour Members be cut off yet the body may live and do indifferently well but if the Head be taken off if the King be set aside actum est de Republica that Kingdome that People cannot long stand Christ the proper object of the Soul THere is no Agent that takes any rest or contentment but in its proper Object If a man had all the Musicall raptures and melodious Harmony in the whole World before him he could not hear it with his eyes because it is the proper object of the Ear If never so triumphant shews or Courtly Masques he could not see them with his Ears because they are the proper Object of the Eye So it is with the Soul of Man if it were possible that all the treasures pleasures honours preferments and delights which the World doth affect were presented and tendered to the Soul yet would they not afford unto it any true satisfaction because they be not the proper Object and Center of the Soul it is the Lord onely or as a godly Martyr said once None but Christ can compasse the Soul about with true content and comfort Sathans aim at those that have most of God and Religion in them PIrats and such as are Robbers at Sea slightly passe by smaller Vessels that are but poorly fraighted whilst ships that are richly laden and furnished with Merchantable commodities become the object of their greedy thoughts at whom they make the strongest opposition and for the gaining of whom rather then fail they will hazard their lives to the utmost of danger imaginable Thus it is that Sathan that Arch-Pirate lets poor silly ignorant Souls alone such as by their own defaults are but as so many empty Vessels floating on the Sea of this World Oh but when he spies out a rich Soul laden with the fruits of the Spirit that hath much of god Christ and Heaven in it there it is that he bends all his Forces and against such a Soul it is that he raiseth all his strength that so if possible he may bring it under his more then miserable subjection Sin to be abhorred as the cause of Christs Death AFter Iulius Caesar was treacherously murthered in the Senate-house Antonius brought forth his coat all bloudy cut and mangled and laying it open to the view of the People said Look here is your Emperours coat and as the bloudy-minded Conspirators have dealt by it so have they also with Caesars body whereupon they were all in an uproar crying out to slay those Murtherers then they took the Tables and stools that were in the place and set them on fire and ran to the houses of the Conspirators and burnt them down to the ground But behold a greater then Caesar even the Lord Iesus himself all bloudy rent and torn for the Sins of the World How then when we look on Sin as the cause of his death and seriously consider that Sin hath slain the Lord of life should our hearts be provoked to be revenged on Sin How should we loath and abhor it as having done that mischief that all the Devills in Hell could never have done the like A lesser Sin given way unto makes way for the committing of greater IT is S. Augustines story of Manicheus that being tormented with flies was of opinion that the Devill made them and not God Why then said one that stood by If the Devill made flies then the Devill made Worms True said he the Devill did make worms But said the other If the Devill did make worms then he made birds beasts and Man He granted all And thus saith the good old Father by denying God in the fly he came to deny God in Man and consequently the whole Creation And thus it is that the yeilding to lesser Sins draws the Soul to the commission of far greater as in these licentious dayes of ours is too too apparent How many have fallen First to have low thoughts of the Scripture and Ordinances of God then to slight them afterwards to make as it were a Nose of Wax of them and in conclusion to cast them quite off lifting up themselves their Christ-dishonouring and Soul-damning opinions above them so that falling from evill to evill from folly to folly and as it is in all other cases of the like Nature from being naught to be very naught and from very naught to be stark naught till God in his most just Judgment sets them at nought for ever Men to prefer suffering before Sinning IT is reported of that eminent servant of God Marcus Arethusus who in the time of Constantine had been the cause of overthrowing an Idoll-Temple but Iulian coming to be the Emperour commanded the People of that place to build it up again all were ready so to do onely the good Bishop dissented whereupon they that were his own people to whom he had formerly preached and who as in all probability any one would have thought might have learn't better things fell upon him strip't off all his cloaths then abused his naked body and gave it up to children and School-boyes to be lanched with their penknives but when all this would not do they caused him to be set in the Sun having his naked body anointed all over with honey that so he might be bitten and stung to death by Flies and Wasps and all this cruelty they exercised upon him because he would not do any thing towards the re-building of that Idol Temple Nay they came so far that if he would give but an half-penny towards the charge they would release him but he refused all though the advancing of an half-penny might have been the saving of his life and in doing thus he did but live up to that principle that most Câ—ristians talk of and few come up unto And thus it is that all of us must chuse rather to suffer the worst of torments that Men and Devills can inflict then to commit the least Sin whereby God should be dishonoured our Consciences wounded Religion reproached and our Souls endangered Discretion a main part of true Wisedome A Father that had three Sons was desirous to try their discretions which he did by giving to each of them an Apple that had some part of it rotten The first eats up his Apple rotten and all The second throws all his away because some part of it was rotten But the third picks out the rotten and eats that which was good so that he appeared the wisest Thus some in these daies for want of Discretion swallow down all that is presented rotten and sound together Others throw away all Truth because every thing delivered unto them in not Truth but surely they are the wisest and most discreet that know now to try the Spirits whether they be of God or not how to chuse the good and refuse the evill The difference betwixt true and feyned
the honour of the true God such sacrilegious wretches as rob the Church and enrich themselves with the spoils thereof such as take the houses of God into their own possession and with that Whore in the Proverbs wipe their mouths as if they had done no hurt at all but let all such know that their wealth so gotten shall melt as Snow before the Sun and their Fields of bloud purchased by the spoil of Christ shall prove as unfortunate to them and theirs as the Gold of Tholose did to Scipio's Souldiers of which whoever carried part away never prospered afterwards Prosperity attended by Fears and cares AS Winters thunder is in a Proverbiall speech held to be the Worlds wonder so in the extremity of Summers heat it may chance to thunder as it were afar off but the main claps and noise of Thunder usually fall out in the Spring and Autumnal part of the year when the face of the sky is at the clearest So it is that fears and Jealousies restlessenesse of Spirit and distractednesse of mind are usual concomitants with the prosperous conditions of men and attendant upon such as in the flourishing spring of temporall successe and fruitfull Autumn of Wordly encrease are lifted up on high and puffed up with the vain conceit of their own acquired greatnesse whilest he that is pinched with the winter of Adversity and scorched with the heat of persecuting necessity sings care away comforts himself in the Lord his God lives contentedly and dyes comfortably Perseverance in goodnesse enjoyned IT is the part of a good Workman not to leave his work imperfect A good Physitian will not forsake his Patient when he hath done but half his cure The Husbandman gives not over when he hath sowen but some part of his ground And he that doth but half build an house is but half a Carpenter So he that entereth into the way of Christianity and standeth still is but half a Christian the greatest part of his-work is yet behind It is not enough to begin well but to continue in well-doing It is not so much the entrance into as the Perseverance in goodnesse that is required God left not that great work of the Creation in the first or second day thereof but in six dayes finished it to the glory of his name nor as then in the generation of the Creatures but now also in their Regeneration Whom he loveth he loveth to the end and the good work that he hath begun in any shall be perfected having then so fair a coppy to write by so good an example to live by let us so run that we may obtain so sail in the Sea of this World that we never give over till we arrive in the desired Heaven so to begin as to be sure to make an end that it may be never said to our great and just reproach This Man began to build but was not able to finish Luk. 14. 30. Temptations from within or without how to be dealt withall IF a Man find weeds growing in his Garden and naturally springing out of his own ground he taketh much pains to weed them out but if he seeth that they have no rooting there and are onely cast over the wall by some ill-willer he careth not much for it because he can with as small pains cast them out again as they took that cast them in So if we perceive that the weeds of Temptation are rooted in our sinâ—ull Nature and spring from our corrupt Flesh we must take the more care and pains to weed them out but if they be onely injected by the malice of Sathan we are not to be so much moved therewith but to cast them out of our minds and hearts as often and as easily as he cast them in Justice to be purely administred THe Graecians placed Iustice betwixt Leo and Libra thereby signifying that there must not be onely courage in executing but also indifferency in determining The Egyptians expresse the same by the Hieroglyphical figure of a Man without hands winking with his eyes whereby is meant an uncorrupt Judg who hath no hands to receive bribes no eyes to behold the person of the poor or respect the person of the Rich And before our Tribunals we commonly have the picture of Man holding a ballance in one hand and a sword in the other signifying by the ballance Just Judgment by the sword execution of Judgment For as the ballance putteth no difference between Gold and Lead but giveth an equall or unequall poyse to them both not giving a greater weight to the gold for the excellency of the mettal because it is Gold nor a lesse to the Lead for the basenesse of it because it is Lead So they were with an eeven hand to weigh the poor Mans cause as well as the Rich but it is most notably set out by the Throne of the House of David which was placed in the gate of the City towards the Sun-rising In the gate to signify that all which came in and out by the gate of the City might indifferently be heard the poor as well as the Rich and might have free accesse and regresse to and from the Iudgment seat And towards the rising of the Sun in token that their Iudgment should be as clear from corruption as the Sun is clear in his chiefest brightnesse There 's no fighting against God THere is mention made of the Psilli a people of low stature and lesse wit silly ones no doubt that being troubled with the Southern wind went out on a day to make war against the same but the farther they went the more it blew untill at last it covered them all with the sands and so they perished And the same end or worse will betide all those that dare adventure to stand at Variance with God such as with the Pigmies dare contend with Hercules and with the Gyants in the Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make War against God but let all such know that impar congressus there 's no fighting against God no standing out against his power no resisting his will never any that did so prospered It were then the best way to sue for conditions of peace to lay down arms forbear all acts of hostility and seek unto Iesus Christ the blessed peace-maker betwixt Man and God offended Death put off from one to another PLutark in the life of Solon tells a story that on a time the young men of Ionia standing by the River side where the Milesian Fishermen had newly cast in their net bought of them that present draught And it so happened that when they drew their net unto the shore they found therein besides their Fishes a Golden Table or Trivet which Helena had let fall in that place as she sailed towards Troy Whereupon the buyers required the same as part of their bargain but the sellers would part with nothing but their Fishes The
of true Faith rewarded 230 406. Christ to be entertained in our hearts by Faith 253. Without Faith impossible to please God 261. Faith the root of all Graces 262. Faith though weak rewarded and why so 341. How it is that Faith is the first act of Repentance 343. Faith to be preserved as the head of all Graces and why so 344. True saving Faith though never so weak is all in all 359 590. How it is that Faith challengeth superiority over all the Graces 386. The force of justifying Faith 518. Directions for the strong and weak in Faith how to demean themselves as to the matter of Gods providence 383. Faith not alwaies sensible 511. A sure anchor-hold in time of distresse 550. Faith and Repentance to be daily renewed and encreased 555. The appropriation of Faith is all in all 599. The several degrees of Faith 601. Men to be careful in the triall of their Faith whether it be found or not 641. The Faithfull servants of God well rewarded 273. God rewarding the least of Faithfull service done unto him 285. Faithfull servants of God the paucity of them 292. The Faithful soul and an unbeliever their difference in relying upon God 634. How it is that Faith is said to be made perfect by works 644. The Court Favourites condition 208. The Godly Man is Gods Favourite 227. A Man to be clear of that fault he condemneth in another 448. The apprehension of Fear and courage mans mistaking of the object spoyles all 624. Fears and jealousies the danger of them 94. God to be feared in his Judgments 307. Gods dwelling in the Soul that truly fears him 65â— He that truly feareth God passeth not for the affronts of Men 412. The sad condition of the fearlesse heart-hardned sinner 674. There 's no fighting against God 673. Flatterers to be avoided 439. A Caveat for Flatterers 615. Flesh and Spirit their opposition 185. The danger of Fleshly lusts to be avoided 330. 476. Flesh and bloud not to be hearkned unto 430. Forgivenesse of others an argument of Gods forgiving us 49. Injuries not onely to be forgiven but forgotten also 97. Forgivenesse of one another commanded and commended 114. The great diffiâ—ulty of forgiving one another 153. A Formal specious Christian no true Christian 100. Outward Formality onely in the service of God condemned 187. The Formal Christian described 403 450. The deaths of Friends and acquaintance not to be slighted 264. The hasty unexpected death of Friends not to be made matter of excessive sorrow 282. A Faithful modest Friend very hard to be found 371. Few or no Friends to be found in time of Adversity 432. God a sure fast Friend 610. Friendship to be made with God in Christ Jesus 300. True reall Friendship very hard to be found 372. Friendship tryed in the times of Affliction 433. G. God loveth a chearfull giver 482. Excellency of the crown of Glory 499. Glory to be given to God onely and why so 15. God is to have the glory of all things 83. 225. 288. The sad effects of not giving unto God his glory 553. Gluttony reproved 444. How it is that God is to every one of his children alone 642. God alone more powerfull then all the Enemies of the World 561. God working the greatest of things without means 485. God in wisdome ordering all things to work together for the good of his children 242. The workings of God and Man very different 244. An account of Gods knowledg not to be made out by the wisest of Men 318. God's Immutability 464. Gods omniscience necessarily demonstrated from his omnipresence 379. Watchfulnesse over his people forgood 496. Consideration of Gods omnipresence a strong motive to Christian confidence 380. To be a disswasive from sin 381. 436. God a mercifull God 234. 510. Gods speciall love to his children 112. God slow to anger 115. God a jealous God of his honour 535. The great goodnesse of God in sending Jesus Christ to save Sinners 167. Gods omniscience 577. Gods care over his children notwithstanding their many aberrations 171. God onely to be served 584. God a mighty God 190. The onely searcher of Man's heart 498. Gods Justice what it is and how defined 231. How it is that the proceedings of God in his Justice are not so clearly discerned 231. The several expressions of God in his mercies And why so 235. The generality of Gods knowledg 236. Gods great patience notwithstanding Man's provocation 382. God onely to be worshipped as the great Creator c. 661. God onely to be seen in Christ Jesus 3. God and his Graces go together 22. The manifestation of God in severall respects 26. God is All in all 42 Gods Eternity 44. Omnisciency 52. 266. The certainty of Gods Will and promise 69. The fulnesse of God 70. God the proper Agent in all things 85. God and his Attributes are answerable 97. Gods two hands of Mercy and Judgment 130. God onely wise 144. The onely searcher of the heart 577. God slow to anger and of great patience 146. God both powerful and merciful 185. God a just God as well as a mercifull God 274. God to be feared in his Judgments 307. God's Judgments the causes of them to be considered 409. God brings good out of evil for his Peoples good 22. To make good use of good Men while we have them 43. A good Man is the prop and stay of his Country 43. Carnal and spiritual Men their difference in doing good The good Man's life preserved for the good of others 158. The great difference of both good and bad Men in life and death 158. To do good for evill 501. Good Men as the Pillars both of Church and State to be preserved 200. The good Man rejoycing in death 464. The falls of good Men presage the Nations ruine 221. 662. Goodnese not greatnesse that holdeth out to the last 525. Goodnesse and greatnesse seldome meet together 108. The beginnings of goodnesse to be encouraged and why 150. Goodnesse or godlinesse the best Friend 214. The wayes of Godlinesse more comfortable then Worldly Men can imagine 431. Godlinesse a great mystery and why so 453. Godlinesse a very gainful Trade 457. Fears of the losse of Gospel light more at home then from abroad 14. 95. To joy in the light of the Gospel 20. Gospel-promises are the poor Man's supporters 117. How the Gospel propagateth it self 193. Christ seen more clearly under the Gospel then under the Law 258. How it is that the preaching of the Gospel is of a double and contrary operation upon different persons 372. The different effects of the Gospel preached 481. Gospel invitation to comfort 558. Powerfull preaching of the Gospel 670. Government of Christ a peaceable government 31. Popular Government popular confusion 49. The happinesse of good Government 51. 587. The excellency of good Government 65. Licentious Libertines impatient of Government 77. The good of Government 122. Who fit for Government in point of remporal estate
223. Change of Government not to be affected 234. The sad condition of people under Tyrannicall Government 310. A good wish to good Government 431. The great weight of Government 452. The heavy weight of Government ill attained 652. Governours as they are qualified are a curse or a blessing to the People 9. Rulers and Governours support the Common-wealth 29. Princes Governours c. to be prudentially qualified 110. Every peaceable frame of spirit and confident perswasion of Gods love is not a sure testimony that such an one is in the state of grace 324. Grace in the heart is certain though the feeling thereof be uncertain And how so 352. It is Grace not place that keeps a Man from sinning 324. Grace in the heart cannot be smothered 20. A totall deprivation of Grace in the heart deplorable 23. The doctrine of free Grace abused by licentious Libertines 37. Grace not greatnesse maketh Magistrates glorious 43. Grace of God above all Riches 54. The losse of Grace made up again in Christ onely 72. Saving Grace and seeming Grace much resemble one another 30. True Grace is diffusive 30. True Grace is accompanied with humility 88. Graces lost in the Soul to be made up onely in Christ 112. Different measures of Grace in different persons 139. Grace sometimes seemingly lost to a Child of God 145. 245. Weak beginnings of Grace not to be despised 149. A sense of the want of Grace a true sign of grace 156. 177. Grace in the heart may be a long time concealed 179. Grace of God the onely armour of proof 184. Graces to be stocked up against a day of trouble 254. God accepts the meanest of Graces 285. Graces of Gods Spirit not given in vain 311. Minding of good things a notable way to encrease Grace 511. Why it is that they which have the strongest graces are subject to the strongest corruptions 374. Grace and goodnesse to be highly esteemed even in Men of the lowest condition 374. God exercising the Graces of his Children 404. Small buddings of Grace in the Soul an argument of greater growth 538. Grace to be communicated 557. Perfection of Grace to be endeavoured 563. Graces of the Spirit to be made the Souls furniture 574. Though seemingly lost yet found at last 607. Man by refusing the tenders of Grace becomes the cause of his own destruction 628. How it is that the sweet fruits of Grace come to grow on the bitter root of Nature 632. Graces divine not parts humane hold out in the end 635. How it is that Graces of the Spirit may at present seem to be lost 635. 665. Means in the attainment of Grace and the use thereof enjoyned by God 636. The Grace of God is all in all 647. The way to greatnesse is full of danger 10. Condiscension is the great Mans glory 90. Conversion of great ones to be endeavoured 185. Greatnesse and goodnesse well met together 191. The vanity of Man in seeking after great things 598. Great Men and others not to raise themselves by the ruines of the Church 632. Growth of sin to be prevented 10. The not growing in grace reproved 347. The Christian's spirituall growth when seemingly dead aed declining 397. The Hypocrite and true Christian their difference in growth of Grace 505. The Christian's growth in Grace enjoyned 581. H. HAppinesse and blessednesse the onely things desireable 304. No way to Happinesse but by Holinesse 395. Happiness of him that hath the Lord to be his God 422. Others Mens harms to be our arms 39. 67. 338. Miseries attendant on the haters of Gods people 361. Not to be carelesse Hearers of Gods Word 21. 572. Sathan's endeavour to hinder the hearing of Gods Word 34. Curiosity in the hearing of Gods Word condemned 41. 135. Unprofitable Hearers of the Word described 74. Ministers to distinguish their Hearers 103. Hearers and not doers of the Word condemned 165. Hearing or listning after Vanity reproved 173. Hearing the Word and not meditating thereon dangerous 187. Partial Hearers of Gods Word reproveable 241. How to behave our selves in the hearing of Gods Word 249. Negligent hearing of Gods Word condemned 272. 585. Needfull requisites to make a profitable hearer of Gods Word 299. Men to hear the Word of God though they come with prejudicate thoughts 413. Partiality of affection in hearing Sermons condemned 420. Attention in hearing of Gods Word commanded and commended 469. Blessednesse of the poor in spirit in the matter of hearing Gods Word 484. To be diligent hearers of the Word of God and remember what we hear 487. Good and bad hearers of the Word their difference 506. Wanton hearers of the Word reproved 619. The great benefit of hearing and practising Gods Word 636. How to know Whether a Man belong to Heaven 4. A great folly not to provide for Heaven 8. The things of this World a great stop in the way to Heaven 11. A poor child of God comforted with the hopes of Heaven 13. The true Christian's hopes of Heaven 28. The Saints knowledg of one another in Heaven 68. Heaven the best Inheritance 80. How to know Gods dwelling place Heaven 100. A child of God is restlesse till he come to Heaven 101. At the time of death to be mindfull of Heaven 103. Hopes of Heaven the good Mans encouragement 104. A good Christian to be Heavenly-minded 136. The reward of Heaven will make amends for all 136. Heaven worth contending for 155. The Kingdom of Heaven an everlasting Kingdome 175. The great state of Heaven 196. How to get into Heaven 196. The Heavenly coâ—queror the happy conquerour 197. Not to admit of impediments in our way to Heaven 222. But one sure way to Heaven 222. Consultation with Flesh and bloud in the wayes of Heaven is very dangerous 237. Heaven the inheritance of Gods children 242. The World to be contemned in regard of Heaven 296. Men desirous to be in Heaven but will not take the pains to come rhither 300. The way to Heaven through tribulation 302. The joyes of Heaven not to be expressed 312. A true child of God half in Heaven whilest he is on Earth 317. Heaven the poor Saints comfortable Inheritance 347. Whilest we are here in this World to provide for Heaven 347. Heavenly happinesse not to be expressed 396. Heaven not to be found upon Earth 455. To be waited for with patience 460. Men upon hearing of the joyes of Heaven to be much taken there with 465 466. Every Man to make himself sure of Heaven c. 575. Heaven to be alwayes in our thoughts 585. Heaven a place of holinesse 610. The signs of Heaven as Sun Moon with their Eclipses c. as we are not to be dismaid at them so not to be contemners of them 655. No pains to be thought too much for the getting of Heaven 668. Why it is that God affords some glimpse of Heaven in this life 669. An Heavenly-minded Man looks through all Afflictions 458. Heavenly-mindednesse of a child of God 459.
377. Riches the grâ—at danger of them if not well used 401. The great danger that attends them 497. Very dangerous in getting of them 583. Riches honours c. the different use that is made of them 570. The uncerâ—ain comfort of Riches 601. Riches their uselesnesse in point of calamity 646. The dangerous use of Riches 651. Riches of Christ inexhaustible 652. A Rich Man had rather part with God then his gold 39. A Rich Fâ—ol described 71. A vain Rich Man 125. A Rich Man is Gods Steward 129. Rich poor Men 165. The unprofitable Rich Man 242. Rich Men to consider their beginnings and be thankfull 334. The wicked Rich Man's sad condition at the time of death 376. Rich Men to be mindful of what they have received 456. How to be made truly rich and truly Honorable 463. An uncharitable Rich man no Heavenly-minded 482. Better to be honestly then hastily rich 496. A Rich Man pleading poverty condemned 531. Riot and excesse condemned 291. Rulers and Governors are the supporters of a Common-wealth 29. Rulers actions exemplary 32. Rulers sins hasten the ruine of a State 38. A good Prince or Ruler no advantage to a bad People 106. Rulers and Men in Authority subject to many failings in Government 405. Rulers Magistraâ—es c. to be men of publique spirits 651. S. SEven Sacraments of the Papists not of divine Institution 27. A special Sacrament-duty to blesse God for Christs death 76. Sacramental Bread and Wine how better then ordinary 104. How to receive benefit from the Word and Sacraments 149. How to benâ—â—â—t by the Sacraments 152. Worldly thoughts to be set aside before the Sacrament 171. Sacramental Bread and Wine how differenced from others 267. The great danger of Sacriledge 51. 438. Sacriledge never thrives 60. Sacriledge cursed with a curse 61. Sacriledge condemned by the example of Cyrus 70. 588. Sacriledg justly rewarded to take heed of it 311. Sacrilegious persons condemned 671. The safety of Gods people 480. A singular Saint is a pretious Saint 14. Saints in glory what they hear and see 189. Invocation of Saints and Angels condemned 554. Salvation is the Lords 172. No salvation but by the mercies of God in Christ Jesus 423. Sanctification not perfected all at once 94. Sanctification not wrought all at once And why so 144. Sanctification wrought by degrees 181. The Schismaticks abuse of Scripture 59. The excellency of the Scripture in its fulnesse 70. Scripture-knowledge the onely necessary knowledg 89. Speciall places of Scripture marked with Gods speciall authority 103. Harmony of the Scriptures 116. The excellent connexion of the Scriptures 138. The holy Scriptures not to be jested withall 145. The power of Gods Word the Scriptures 158. How to read the Scriptures and Books Apocryphall 160. The Scriptures Rhetorick 160. Manna the Heavenly food of Gods Word how to relish it 114. Severall varieties to be found in Scripture 220. The Scriptures are but a dead letter without the operation of the Spirit 220. The Papists abuse of Scripture by Traditions c. 223. Scripture-comforts the onely true comforts 264. Scripture-knowledge to be put in practice 266. 283. Excellency of the Scripture-phrase 280. The great usefulnesse of Scripture-phrase 282. Scriptures not to be plaid withall 302. True comfort onely in the Scriptures 325. The holy Scriptures to be made the rule of all our actions 373. To be valued above all other writings 436. How it is that so many deceive themselves in their not rightly searching the Scriptures 384. The Scriptures discovering sin and Satan in their colours 392. The Scriptures onely to be rested on 510. The Books of Scripture to be preserved above all other books 535. To blesse God for the revelation of himself in Scripture 537. To keep close to the Word of God especially in troublous times 549. And in seeking after Christ 643. Men and Women to be knowing in the Scriptures 605. The great danger of not keeping close to the Scriptures 625. The praise-worthiness of reading and enquiring into Scripture 653. Scholers not to be unthankful to the University that bred them 78. Scholers to mind their books 40. No personal Security to be had in the time of publique danger 9. 170. Security in time of danger condemned 101. The great danger of security in times of danger 116. God chastiseth his Childrens security 142. Carnal security reproved 249. Security the cause of all calamity 570. The Secrets of Gods Counsâ—ls not to be pry'd into 27. Dangerous to pry into Gods secrets and Counsels 162. Not to consult with Gods secrets but his râ—â—vealed Word 335. Curious inquisitors into Gods secrets deservedly punished 554. The Sectarian schismatical seducers to be avoided 629. Sectarian subtiâ—ty Diabolicall delusion 630. The doctrine of seducers dangerous 227. Selfishnesse condemned 33. Self-praises condemned 35. Self-examination required 53. Self-tryal smooths the way to all other tryals 112. Self-conceited Men blame-worthy Men 129. Self-conceitednesse condemned as dangerous 151. The giving up our selves an acceptable sacrifice unto God 154. The folly and danger of self-conceitednesse 180. The benefit of Self-examination 207. The danger of self-confidence 275. Self-seeking Men reproved 277. 375. Men of self-ends condemned 278. How it is that the self-conceited vain-glorious Man deceives himself 336. Self-conceitednesse in matters of Religion condemned 340. How far Self-safety may be consulted 543. Self-denyall the excellency thereof 635. No Man a loser by giving himself up to God 645. Men to be careful in the choyce of servants 483. God hardly accepting of late service done him And why so 678. Men created for the service of God 652. Backwardnesse in the service of God reproved 398. No worldly thing must hinder the service of God 575. How it is that Men fail so much in the service of God 626. Service performed unto God must be personal 589. Service to God must be like Himself 58. Rash inconsiderate service of God condemned 340. Service of God is persect freedome 378. The Ministers repetition in Sermons warrantable 82. The difference betwixt Sermons preached and Sermons printed 110. 639. A Sermon preached many years before may be the means of Salvation many years afâ—er 115. A good Sermon not to be so much questioned as practised 183. A Sermon not done till it be practised 253. How to recover spirituall sight 82. Sicknesse immediately inflicted by God 506. Commendable Silence 332. 668. The Silent Christian is the sound Christian 23. Silence in the cause of Gods honour condemned 478. The Simonist discovered 627. Slandering of our brother the danger thereof 134. Slanders of Wicked Men not to be regarded 238. Slanderers discovered 286. Not to be â—econciled to God before we sleep is very dangerous 83. The great danger of sleeping out Sermons 552. The sloathfull Christian described 217. Sloathfulâ—esse and luke-warmnesse in Religion fore-runners of evill to come 334. Spiritual sloath in the wayes of God reproved 398. Man to be a sociable communicative Creature 316. The different conditions of Men in
Magistrates to look to their attendants 144. To be Men of understanding 523. To stand up in Gods cause 541. 545. Not to be found guilty of that which they forbid in others 531. Magistrates Ministers c. their rule to walk by 573. Their death to be lamented 575. Malice and Envy not fit for Gods table 73. The great danger of Malitious turbulent spirits 79. Not to be malitious in the exercise of holy duties 102. Matter enough within us to condemn us 154. A good Man denominated from the goodness of his heart 555. The sad condition of Man falling away from God 298. Man's being is from God 37. Man the best and worst of Creatures 216. The fall of Man described 216. Married Men better Common-wealths-men then Batchelers 203. Marriage to be sought of God by prayer 256. Children to have a care how they marry without consent of Parents 441. Marriage not to be made for money onely 527. The Martyr's welcome to Heaven 450. Good meanings of bad men destructive 621. Good means how to be used 114. Gods blessing upon the means doth all 92. Want of matter not to hinder Meditation 435. Natural wants not to hinder divine Meditation 434. The great comfort of Heavenly Meditation 191. 430. The necessity of divine Meditation 431. The beginnings thereof very difficult 432. 636. The excellency thereof 660. God the proper object of Man's Memory 62. To blesse God for our Memories 63. Repetition of good things helpfull to Memory 96. Memory must be active 106. Memory ought to be the treasury of all goodnesse 149. The difference betwixt a good and bad Memory 335. The excellency of a good Memory 547. The generall badnesse of Memory in good things 548. Gods Mercies to the worst of sinners repenting 651. Gods Mercy above his Justice 144. To be mercifully-minded is praise-worthy 163. To sin against the Mercies of God is to double our Sins 177. V Vorks of Mercy very rare to be found amongst us 306. Not to be put off from one to another 307. God as he is God of Mercy so he is a God of Judgment and therefore not to be provoked 328. The consideration of Mercies formerly enjoyed an excellent means to bear up our spirits under present affliction 355. Mercies of God in Christ Jesus the danger of dallying with them 425 The mercies of God to be particularly recorded to posterity 449. God shewing mercy even for Christ Jesus sake 451. Mercies of God to be recorded to all posterity 512. The great tenders of mercy to Repentant sinners 620. Acknowledgment of mercies received the ready way to have them further enlarged 640. A great exceeding Mercy to be one of Gods Children 662. A good Man merciful to his very beast 513. Merit-mongers condemned 269. 412. Ministers to be active and vigorous in reproof of sin 544. The Ministers Calling to be owned from God 546. Ministers not to be verball but reall in their expressions 547. A non-resident sloathfull Minister worthily discouraged 586. The Ministers calling full of labour and toyl 613. Ministers to preach plainly as well as learnedly to the capacity of their Hearers 281. The madnesse of Ministers Magistrates c. not to be guided by that counsell they give to others 299. 411. To see a necessitated Minister is matter of great grief 321. How it is that Ministers find so little success in preaching the Gospel 326. Ministers to be accomptable to God for what they have received 337. Ministers not to be afraid of the faces of Men 59. Ministers of all Men to be painfull in their calling 219. Ministers how to preach profitably 220. Leud Ministers what they are like unto 221. Ministers to be encouraged and protected against the plots of wicked Men and why so 253. The Ministers duty 274. Ministers to be painfull in the discharge of their duty 275. Ministers of Gods Word to be constant in the preaching thereof 276. Ministers to preach the Gospel notwithstanding the discouragements of their Auditory 457. Ministers to be wise Master-builders 28. To be Men of knowledg and understanding 624. Young raw Ministers blame-worthy 30. 513. The Ministers authority to be as much looked on as his sufficiency 35. An ill-lived Minister is a scandall to the Gospel 56. A fearful Minister is a Soul-murthering Minister 60. Ministers and Magistrates to be diligent in in their places 63. Young Ministers to be well principled 64. A Minister to be able and well furnished 64. Ministers to be Men of merciful dispositions 76. A Minister is to distinguish his Auditors 103. Every Minister to speak a word in season opportunely 110. A Minister to be carefull in the delivery of Gods Message 11. Ministers to cry down the Sins of the time 141. Ministers to teach as well the practice as the knowledg of Religion 176. The Ministers labour though insuccessefull yet rewarded by God 176. To be acquainted with the state of Mens Souls 517. Ministers to live according to that doctrine they teach unto others 189. To be Men of gravity and experience 468. The Minister and Magistrate to go hand in hand together 367. To be Men of courage 429. Ministers to be of godly lives and conversations 421. The painfull Ministers joy at the time of his death 471. Negligent Ministers advised 514. Every Minister to keep close to his Text 525. Ministers to be as they are called spirirual Men 542. To be earnestly Zealous in the Preaching of Gods Word 543. A Factious-spirited Man unfit for the work of the Ministry 21. Great safety in attending to the Ministery of the Word 205. The honour and dignity of the Ministery And why so 212. A wanting Ministery will soon become a contemptible Ministery 224. Men of other Callings not to meddle with that of the Ministery 239. The least Man in the Ministery not to be contemned 366. Four sorts of Men undertaking the work of the Ministery 549. Miracles why ceased 39. Popish miracles condemned 597. Moderation little set by 178. The fore-runner of peace 622. Christian Modesty commendable 296. Morning-prayers commended 292. Mortalitie's memorandum 108. 211. The greatest of Men subjects of Mortality 123. Mortality of the sinners life to be considered and deplored 126. All men and things subject to Mortality 194. Sin mortified the Devils terrour 2. Mortification of sin brâ—edeth sense of sin 127. Mortification the excellency thereof 391. The great necessity thereof 401. A great fault in Mothers not to nurse their own children 426. The greatnesse of Motherly affection to an onely son 532. Every Motion towards God is not a true motion towards God 16. The godly and ungodly their different motions in goodnesse 129. Murmuring at Gods doings the prejudice thereof 558. Uncertainty of the Multitude 36. The inconsiderate Multitude 167. The Multitude not to be guided by them 426. The Multitude always desirous of change in government 467. The Vanity of an unguided Multitude 606. The giddy uncertain disposition of the Multitude 629. Tyranny oppression Murther c. not longâ— lived