that forget God and the hypocrites hope shall perish whose hope shall be cut off and whose trust shall be a spiders web He shall leane upon his house but it shall not stand he shall hold it fast but it shall not endure Job 8.13.14.15 Albeit methinks I could live very chearefully upon such a hope as a godly man's is if it were a thousand yeares The Psalmist did not stick to pronounce for blessed not only him that hath the God of Jacob for his helpe already but him whose hope is in the Lord his God Ps 96.5 But the comfort is he that hath this hope hath a portion also in the Land of the living I cried unto thee O Lord I said thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living Psal 142.5 The godly man also hath a portion in this life though not his portion for it is not all he is to have as well as the wicked And farre better then his not only for the goodnesse of the thing being God himselfe who is the chiefest good but for the length of time that he is to have it not till he dies nor till the end of the world further then which to them their heires for ever reacheth not but for ever ever Ps 73.26 God is the strength of my heart and portion for ever Whereas the wicked man hath indeed a portion but it it might be said also he hath his portion he is to have no more From men which are thy hand O Lord from men of the world which have their portion in this life ps 17.14 And thus much for the godly man's wealth that he is rich I might say as much for Honour though not for honours viz that he is honourable even in the account of the wicked in their more serious thoughts His face seemes to shine so that many times they stand gazing and admiring at him But in the next place let us speak of his Health A tenth ground Health then which there is no temporall blessing of greater concernement for a merry life Now I may say of this also as I did of wealth that whether a godly man have it or not for I doe not make it necessary for every godly man to have every thing that is a cause of mirth he is fairest for it He hath those helps himselfe and practiseth those things that are good to preserve health of his own accord which others are forced to use for the recovery of it when it is too late There is scarcely a virtue or a virtuous action but hath some virtue more or lesse for the preservation of a man's health If you consider of it you will find it to be so as I say and if I had leasure enough to instance I could easily make it appeare to be so But leaving the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what may be or what is like to be in regard of the causes let us speak a word to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what is or hath been I will give any one leave to look abroad in the world and then tell me whether he doe not see it so by continuall experience that not only godly men their health is better but their life is longer seldome living out but halfe * Psal 55 23◠their dayes as the wicked doe unlesse they be taken from the evill to a Isa 57.1 come as some times they are 2. There are many places in Scripture that assure him of it Heare O my Sonne and recieve my sayings and the yeares of thy life shall be many Prov 14.20 For they are life unto those that find them and health to all their flesh vers 22. What man is he that desireth life and loveth many dayes that he may see good keep thy tongue from evill and thy lips from speaking guile Depart from evill and doe good seek peace and pursue it Psal 34.12 to the 15. Thou shalt come to thy grave in full age like as a shock of corne cometh in in his season Job 5.26 In full age Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In which word the Rabbines observe that according to the signification of the letters as they are used by the Jewes in numbring there is contained the number of 60. And they say it was a custome of the Jewes when they came to that age to celebrate a feast in token of joy and that they counted it a heavy judgment of God upon a man to take him away before There was a promise made to the children of Israel And the Lord will take away from thee all sicknesse and will put none of the evill diseases of Egypt which thou knowest upon thee but will lay them upon all them that hate thee Deut 7.15 See also c 25.15 Exod 9.14 And I am much taken with the testimony of the sonne of Syrach chap 1.12 The feare of the Lord maketh a merry heart and giveth joy and gladnesse and long life 3. It hath been observed by some that in the time of the second temple when men were worse in 420 yeares there had been a succession of no lesse then 300 Priests they were so short liv'd whereas in the time of the first Temple when men were better in ten yeares lesse space there had been no more then 18 because they liv'd so long It is reported among the Jewes by the Rabbines that the house of Eli according to the curse denounced against them by the * And thou shalt see an enemie in my habitation in all the wealth Which God shall give Israel there shall not be an old man in thyhous for ever man of God 1 Sam 2.32 lived very short lives so long as they continued in their old course of idlenesse and neglect of God's law but that at length upon advice given them by one of their Doctours telling them how that was the cause they died so soone they fell presently to reading and studying the Law and after that most of them lived to be old men 4. God hath much use of godly men and they are but scarce Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Psal 116.15 5. Perhaps for the former reason wicked men have been heretofore made ransoms for God's People to spare them So were the Egyptians for the Israelites Isa 43.3 and so may others be for others They are the Wiseman's words The wicked shall be a ransome for the righteous and the transgressour for the upright Prov 21.18 But yet some will say peradventure that Health and wealth and such like things are indifferent and that it goes for the most part in matters of this life as with the wicked so with the godly and if there be any odds the wicked man commonly hath the best For else to pay me againe in my own coyne how came it about that from Adam to the flood of the Patriarches who were good men there were eleven generations and of Cain's line who were bad men but
but serious They are indeed as sad or they are as serious as if they were sad as men that think it not becoming them to be profuse and childishly merry but to be considerate which they cannot well be if they be over-merry 'T is hard to be merry and consider as the preacher's word is Ecles 7 14 In the day of prosperity be joyfull but in the day of adversity consider They are no more sad then is necessary for a couragious man to be when he is in the mid'st of his eneimies or upon the sea in a storme or in any dangerous place He is wary doubtlesse and he may be somewhat fearefull and sad about the mouth but he is merry still at the bottome of the heart even for this viz to think how merry indeed he shall be when the danger is over He had no sadnesse but that of the countenance and by that the heart is made better saith Solomon Eccles 7.3 Even so is the godly man merry at the heart goe how it will yea and most merry in that part when least in the rest even when he is most afflicted The Thessalonians even in much affliction received the word with joy of the holy Ghost 1 Thes 1.6 Where you see by experience that Affliction and joy can very well goe together though they seem as strangely coupled as prosperity and sorrow or Affliction and prosperity But the HOLY GHOST that takes a way the wonder So the Maaedonian Christians Paul brags of them That in a great triall of afflicton 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the abundance of the joy c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abounded unto the riches of their liberality 2 Cor 8.2 And so Paul himselfe even for the good which others had received could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c I am filled with comfort I am exceeding joyfull in all our tribulation 2 Cor 7.4 And I doubt not but another godly man as he was may in his greatest afflictions say as much as he did upon good grounds For when he is most afflicted he is most assured that since he hath not his portion in this world he is one of those that are to have it in another He is glad of it as a prisoner that hath deserved death is glad when he comes to be whipt because now he presumes that he shall not be hanged He can be proud of it like a valiant Champion that he is chosen out by God himselfe to fight a combate with such strong adversaries as the divell and the world and the flesh whom it can be no small comfort and glory to conquer Nay he can glory with the beaten Apostles * that he is counted worthy to suffer He counts it an honour to drink of Christ's own Cup Though it be with sicknesse and much against the stomack he will joyfully pledge him He will cheerfully goe any where as long as he hath such a leader before him Whereas else he would be sad and feare that God had laid him aside as a stone unfit for his building viz if he did not beate him with the hammer of affliction that he had given him over as not fit to be wrought upon leaving him to himselfe and so to destruction Now he is merry and gathers heart and resolves to beare up saile because he thinks like the sick man that there is hope of life so long as the Lord giveth him physick and keeps him under with a diet of Affliction Like a man that hath a disease already upon him or a crazy body about him so that he needs the help of physick Because he thinks he hath need of it he cannot but be a little sad and pensive fearfull till he take it but when he hath taken it unlesse he be a child or a mad-man or a foole he is presently glad though it put him to never so much paine because he is confident it will doe him good and he expects every houre when it will Affliction is the Godly man's ordinary physick which he takes of course and like a man that hath been used to Physick at such and such certaine times and forbeares it but once 't is a hundred to one but he is presently sick if he want it He is naturally subject to many spirituall diseases and therefore is glad when he uses the meanes and is in a course of Physick to be cured and preserved Now what spirit hath so weak an edge as to be dulled with a little affliction which though it were more is not only attended with but the cause it selfe of so much good Away never talke of it I scorne your words that a godly man can be sad unless when it is his desire or his duty So as it is to see God dishonoured and men sinning against him He can beare any burden but such Endure any thing but sin And beare with any man but a wicked man whom he cannot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beare with or endure like the church of Ephesus of which it is said that she could not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beare them which were evill Rev 2.2 But as for other things Afflictions and persecutions as 't is said of the same church vers 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hast borne and hast patience they make nothing of them You will say yet that either your objection must be true or Christ's own words must be false who told his followers long agoe that it should be so as you say as it is recorded John 16 20 Verily verily I say unto you that ye shall weep and lament but the world shall rejoyce and ye shall be sorrowfull c But to answer you I pray what kind of sorrow did our Saviour mean He says himself in the very next verse it was but such a sorrow as that of a woman in travell And think you that women are truly sorrowfull when they are in travell No more are the godly in all their sufferings They may be in paine as women in travell are and in travell till they be delivered of their Affliction as no chastisement for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous * Heb 12.11 But yet so it is that they doe not only not remember their paine as soon as they are delivered for joy either that they are by this meanes regenerated and borne againe or that they were so well beloved as to be chastened and counted worthy to suffer But even all their paine be it what it will they will never think it too much or too high a price for the birth of such a child as Affliction in the new generation brings forth For the pangs and throwes of our short Affliction here as short and as sharp perhaps as those of a woman in travell to say nothing of the sweet fruit of righteousnesse which they usually bring to them that are thereby exercised in this world Heb 12.10 He chastneth us for our profit that we might be
MEDITATIONS OF THE MIRTH OF A CHRISTIAN LIFE And The VAINE MIRTH of a WICKED LIFE with the SORROVVES of it By ZACH BOGAN of C.C.C. OXON Psalm 32.11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoyce ye righteous and shout for joy all yee that are upright in heart OXFORD Printed by H. HALL for R. DAVIS 1653. To my honoured Mother Mris IOANE BOGAN I Have at length upon your earnest desire adventured to publish those unworthy lines long since scribled concerning the Joy of a Christian life If any aske you wondering how I that have spent whole yeares altogether in Sadnesse came to talke of Mirth you may answer them that I speake not of what I have my selfe the Lord knowes I have little cause to have any considering my many sinnes but what I think other Christians better then I am may have Before you or any one els do read me I desired much to be cleared in two things 1. That I have not the least meaning to favour any carnall merriment The mirth which I speak of is the mirth only of a Christian life 2. That I never thought my selfe better able to doe this work then other men My heart knowes I am too little a Christian to doe it as it might be done Onely I supposed that there had not been much done this way allready If my doing it ill may anger any one to doe it better I shall be exceeding well pleased I had been larger in the last part of the book had I not been hindred by a troublesome and dangerous sicknesse which began upon me when I began to print and continued in it's extremity almost till I ended Whatsoever is not much enough or well enough I hope the Lord will make amends for it in the blessing to whose protection I commit you and rest C.C.C. June 3. 1653. Your Obedient Sonne ZACHARY BOGAN The First Book Phil. 4 4. Rejoyce in the Lord alway and againe I say Rejoyce Psal 32.11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoyce ye righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart IT were as easy for me to doe as any thing that I know to shew my reader what a deale of mischiefe is done by Mistakes and Prejudices how many godly actions and profitable designes are hindred by them But because I thinke it needles to goe so largly I will take a narrower compas and confine my selfe to the naming only of some of those mistakes and prejudices which attend a godly life the chiefe whereof my endevour shall be in my ensuing discourse to remove They are such as these That there is a necessity of Monkery and beggery because it is said It is easier for a Camel to goe thorow the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heaven Math 19.24 That there is a necessity of exposing ones selfe to all manner of injuries because it is said that If a man smite me upon one cheek I must give him the other Math 39. That there is a necessity of starving with hunger cold and perishing for want because I must take no thought what I shall eate or what I shall drink or wherewithall I shall be cloathed Math 6.31 That there is a necessity of denying my selfe necessary rest and recreation because I must be continually watching and praying Mark 13.33 1 Pet 4.7 c That there is a necessity of being mine own enemy because I must deny my selfe Math 16.24 That there is a necessity of casting off naturall affection because I must hate father and mother If I will be Christ's disciple Luke 14.26 That there is necessity of allowing Rebellion and disobedience to magistrates and parents because I must obey God rather then men Acts 5.29 That there is a necessity of being strange and peevish and phrantique and many other such things as unsuitable and inconsistent reproachfull as they are thought to be requisite and gracefull to the profession of Christianity because the hypocriticall sort of professors use to be so and the honester are and have been many times counted so as that prophet was by Jehu 2 Kings 9.11 and the rest of the prophets Jer 29.26 I could name you up a great many more mistaks of the like nature which like so many bugbeares or lyons in the way either do Indeed affright the Ignorant who know not what it is to be godly or are used for pretences of feare by the slothfull and malicious who are unwilling to travell in the wildernes where people doe not use to travell although they might have manna from heaven for meat and water out of the rock for drink which are helpes sufficient to make the journey easy and although it lead to the land of Canaan where there is milk and honey enough to make sufficient recompence were the journey never so painfull And indeed I know not any thing that suffers so much from mistake prejudice as a Godly life and it were easy to make more complaints of this nature But I will name only one more that which I think does as much mischeife as any that which I shall endevour in this discourse to remove viz A necessity of being sad and unsociable and cynically malancholick because it is said Woe unto you that laugh Luk 6.25 And Blessed are they that mourne Math 5.4 Now of this necessity Godlines hath ever had the luck not only to be falsly accused but unjustly condemned by too too many So that pity it is to see it thinking they shall meet with nothing but stormes and tempests to disquiet their heads with nothing but rocks of offence to break their hearts upon nothing but gulfes of despaire to swallow up their soules in they resolve a thousand times rather to lye at anchor in the haven and sleep in a whole skin and never put forth at all then upon such termes And no wonder For doubtlesse the thought of Sadnesse which is a thing most avoided of all must needs have a very great power to affright and deterre as the thought of Joy which is the thing most desired of all being the fruit end of all desires hath the greatest power to entice and perswade Sorrow and sadnesse being against our natures even as their causes are we cannot chuse but feare and shunne them or whatsoever we think either may be a cause of them or uses to be attended with them No wonder I say that men are so loath to venture upon a godly life when their Judgments are forestald with feares of a sad life I can never be willing to doe that which will make me sad no more then that which will make me sad can agree with my will which if it did not disagree with I should never be sad I can not possibly will now to have that thing which I know when I have it will make me will that I had it not If there can be no Joy in the having there may not be a will or
a desire for the having will and desire looking forwards and Joy and content looking backward each of them upon the same object Can I but make a man believe he shall be merry when he hath done a thing I shall not be long in making him willing to doe it To be joyfull 't is life and more for it is the very life of life If a life be never so long high in honours and preferments * Called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ex 6 9 So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be straitned is usd for to be grieved Jud 10 190 16 16. Job 21.4 if it be not large too i e if there be any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 straitnesse either of body or spirit but especially of spirit no free breathing and no enlargment of heart to enjoy what a man enjoyes 't is but to be in a prison in green fields that are a man 's own where it is so much the worse because he is so much the more vex'd to see so much the more of that which he hath and cannot enjoy If therefore I will leave the men that use these pretences altogether without excuse I must make it appeare that their pretences are false and that there is no such thing as they feare or believe or would willingly have to be true Now that it is false and that it is no way necessary for a christian to be more sad then other men if there were no other argumēt it were sufficiently proved by this that it is in the Scripture above writen enjoyned as a duty or at least exhorted unto as a possibility to rejoyce Now if God command a thing to be done it may be done and it is not necessary to doe the contrary But yet because you are apt to think his cōmands greivous and to look upon him as an austere man that taketh up where he laid not down c to make it appeare to the contray that there is good reason for it we will consider a little how the case stands with a godly man what he is or what he hath that it should be expected he should be alwaies rejoycing or what cause he hath why he should be merrier then other men My method therefore shall be this First I shall shew you the grounds and causes of his mirth Secondly I shall answer the maine objection concerning Affliction After that I shall shew you the Nature of his mirth when I shall tell you that he hath not only better causes of mirth then a wicked man whom you think to be the only man that lives a merry life but better mirth when he hath it And lastly I shall speak somwhat to shew what cause there is of sorrowe and what sorrowes there are in a wicked life and how imperfect and vaine the joy is that wicked men have Now the causes that a godly man hath to be joyfull and the helps meanes he hath to make him merry are either from the goodnesse of the Condition in which he is or the goodnesse of the Conditions and habits and graces which are in him For the state and Condition in which he is First * First ground Good Company it is such as let him be where he will be he can never be without good company and that every one will say is a very good helpe for a merry life Now the company which I meane is First God the father who * By adoption out of love See View of Threats the last words et p 914. is his father therefore willing God all sufficient therefore able to comfort him He is the God of Consolation from whom all comfort comes In his company and presence even upon earth while we are at his left hand or while we sit on his footstoole is joy as long as the time lasts but at his right hand are ravishing delights and pleasures and that for evermore Psal 16.11 What an extraordinary comfort must it needs be to have the enjoyment of such good company of which a man can never be depriv'd nor be weary nor so much as feare that he shall be Such company God is But you will say perhaps this is but a phancy of yours that a man can have joy in the company of God For if he goe down to Hell he will find him there also Psal 139.8 And upon what ground can I take delight in his countenance who seeth all things I answer It is true indeed It is possible God may be with thee yet notwithstanding all the while he may not be with thee but against thee He might be present with thee not as a companion or a friend to watch over thee that no other thing may doe thee hurt but as an observer an enemy to watch for spy thy faults to doe thee hurt himselfe But if he be present with thee indeèd so as thou art also present with him which can hardly be said of a wicked man and if thou art not only under the sight of his Countenance so as to be seen by him but also in the light of his Countenance too so as to see him againe and enjoy communion and fellowship with him through his spirit certainely if any condition in the world will make thee merry this will Job when he speakes of the comfortable condition of a man that God hath delivered from going down into the pit from his bed of sicknesse after the mention of other blesings given him to recompence his misery addes it as a complement of his happinesse that He shall see the face of God with joy ch 33.26 Happy sicknesse that is attended with such a consequent David speaks more then once more then twice of God's countenance as of that wherein he took more comfort then in all the world besides There be many that say who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy COUNTENANCE upon us Ps 4 6. For thou hast made him most blessed for ever thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy COUNTENANCE Ps 21.5 See how he magnifies it Ps 42.5 Ps 44.3 Ps 89.15 For though it be metaphorically used for favour yet is the speech not all metaphor that well experienced Christians will tell you when a man would think his sighes would have been many his heart would have fainted for sorrow by reason of trouble what course takes he to make himselfe merry He sets the Lord alwaies before his face Saith he I have set the Lord alwaies before me Because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoyceth my flesh also shall rest in hope Psal 16.8.9 The words are cited by Peter Act 2 25 other words joyned with them vers 27 28 where also in the end of the 28 verse it is said Thou shalt make me full of joy with thy COUNTENANCE Job speakes of seeing God's sace and David speakes of setting the
Lord before him And indeed it would be small cause of joy for a man when God is with him to have his backe towards him to be in his presence so as not to enjoy his company If my friend see me I cannot see him againe what comfort is it to me that he sees me 'T is rather so much vexation 'T is not what another thing does to me neither is it what another thing is if that be all that can make me merry I must doe somewhat my selfe Use and enjoy and improve that which I have For what is the noone light to a blind man or the most nourishing food put into a dead man's mouth I must see God as well as he see me And I must see him in love and peace and so enjoy him or else I shall never be the better as I can never be better then when I doe so And even so Godly men doe through the spirit For as God sets them before his face as a father does his child to looke to it that it take no hurt Ps 41 12 * And set test me before thy face for ever so they againe like little children not able to stand alone keep continuall looking upon him smiling and rejoycing because though they themselves are weake yet he they know can and will stretch forth an almighty hand whensoever they are ready to fall Psal 16.8 a Because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved Now doe but consider Can it be lesse then unspeakable comfort for men to be still in the presence of a just and powerfull God who will not see them wronged of a bountifull God who will not see them want and of a loving tender hearted God who cannot endure to see them sad but to prevent it will continually * Lev 26.11 12. 2 Cor 6.26 walke in them and dwell in them never leave them alone But what doe I tell you of having God's presence so as all the creatures have only they wāt the enjoymēt of him when I might tell you of being hid in the secret of his presence For thus David speakes of those that feare God Thou shalt hide thē in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man thou shalt keep them secretly a See Psal 91.1 in a pavilion from the strife of tongues Psal 31.20 Hereupon he calls them God's Hidden ones Psal 83.3 Godly men are God's Jewells b Mal 3.17 which he bought with a high price even the Highest priests own bloud And therefore doubtlesse they are higly priz'd and curiously kept and sure to be safe He is as tender of them as a man can be of the apple of his eye Zach 2.8 They are his anointed and consecrated ones whom he hath set apart for himselfe Psal 4.3 So that he will not have any thing else to have part in them much lesse will he allow them to be touched by the hand of violence Touch not mine anointed c. Psal 105.15 Little doe the men of the world think how near the Saints even while they are here on earth are to God that dwelleth in heaven David saith of the children of Israel that they were a people neare unto him Ps 148.14 They were as neare to him as a man's girdle is to his loines Jer 13.11 * As a girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel They cannot want any thing but he will be sure to know of it and they shall not desire any thing but he will be ready at hand to give it He hath so much power for them and so much love towards them that in what condition so ever they are he is able and willing to be what they stand in need of even all in all They are his sheep And he is their shepheard in the wildernesse to lead them to the green pastures Psal 23.1 A shadow to hide them from the heat of persecution Psal 91.1 A hiding place to run to from the wolves Psal 31.20 They shall not want help nor protection nor any thing else so long as they are like sheep harmelesse and quiet and desire but to defend themselves for I must confesse I know of but little helpe they have promised them in offending others Neither is it a thing they ought or doe desire to have If others offend them they are told that God will be their buckler their shield Ps 3.3 and their fortresse Ps 31.3 Ps 144.2 But If they will offend others he doth not say he will be their speare or their sword Now a man that is of a peaceable disposition as a true Christian certainly is above any in the world if he can but be defended and protected from harme himselfe I le warrant you he will be merry enough trouble no body And how can there be bee or protection desired then what a godly man hath For as I told you God himselfe is his fort And he is such a fort as cannot be scaled for he is higher then the highest and there is not a higher then he Eccle 5.8 And such a fort as is * Be thou my strong habitation whereunto I continually resort Psal 71.3 never shut to him let him come when he will And alwaies near to him let him be where he will for being every where he must needs be a very present help in trouble Ps 46.1 The ūgodly are nothing so But are like a Cony that being a great way off from his bury knows not wich way to take and shifting some times to this bush and sometimes to that and sometimes to a shallow hole imagines himself safe enough though doubtles if it ever cōe to his remembrance he thinks he should be more safe in his bury But all these refuges prove but so many traps he is so much the more easily taken Farther yet The godly are not happy ōly with the secret of God's presence in which they are hid but with the presence of his secrets which they are not concealed The secret of the Lord is with them that feare him Psal 25.14 O the glorious ravishing things that are to be had in God for the soules of those that follow after him zelous unwearied soules not entertaining only but with incessant workings of affection maintaining communion with him I know the men of the world because there is nothing that they know of having but the Spirit of the world which cannot discerne the things of God think think there are no such things at all as godly men usually talke of and take them but for phancies But I am confident and I can guesse somewhat by what I my selfe have tasted that they * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are things which neither eye hath seen nor eare heard and that have not entered into the heart of man which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor 2.9 Now he revealeth many of these
without any discovery of God and his love any more then beasts have either like a candle blown out with the wind he leaves a filthy snuffe of a foul life to stink behind him having the love of no body or else he passeth away like the wind or a ship in the sea and leaves no signe at all his remembrance life being cut off together Ps 34.16 Now if a godly man have so much peace who will offer to question it whether he may have so much joy yea and much more then I speak of For if there be peace any where spirituall peace especially it seems to me impossible that joy should be long a comming after and so if joy be any where you may assure your selfe peace hath been there before See how joy and peace goe hand in hand Rom 14.17 chap 15.13 Gal 5.23 3ly A third cause that godly men have to be merry is Redemptiō Liberty Liberty obtained for we are not as others have been before us to use the words of the Prophet Zach 9.12 prisoners of hope we shall be so indeed when we are dead in regard of our bodyes a Why cannot the Papists in terpret the vers before this of the resu rection as well as those words in Mal c.. 4.2 the redemption whereof we must wait for But our maine captivity is turn'd already and God hath brought us out of darknesse b Rom. 8.23 the shaddew of death having broken our bands in sunder And therefore well might Moses say to us the Gentiles who partake of this mercy that which the Apostle repeats Rom 15 10. Rejoyce ye gentiles with his people Rejoyce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be merry For can a man if he be but as much as a beast and have but the use of a sensitive soule be insensible of so great a good as liberty when he enjoys it nay refraine from skipping and leaping for it when he thinks upon it Unlesse he can enjoy it without enjoying it God hath given thee rest from thy sorrow c Luk 1.17 and from thy feare and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve as he promised to doe the captive Jewes Isa 14.3 Wilt thou be so froward as not to take it or canst thou be so sencelesse as not to be glad for it That man that shall be any whit sad when he tells me he is redeemed from a miserable slavery in Turky I shall hardly believe what he sayes Certainly one that is delivered redeemed oh the sweetnes that is in the word snatcht as a firebrand out of the fire he cannot be sad if he would Saith David P 53.6 When God bringeth back the captivity of his people Jacob shall rejoyce and Israel shall be glad So Ps 71.23 My lips shall greatly rejoyce when I sing unto thee and my soule which thou hast redeemed As if there must needs be the voice of rejoycing presently where there is the least sound of redeeming Thus was it said of the redemption of the Jewes from their captivity But our redemption is more worth then theirs our liberty is greater and better and our bondage was worse And shall our joy be lesse Let us but consider We are freed from the slavery of having many masters for 't is slavery enough to have them let them use us never so well that servant who hath many masters let him be merry if he can I say many masters For many they are and many sorts and many of a sort and all that are of a sort such as if we have but one of them we shall find it hard service enough That sort I meane is our Lusts which are so numerous and various every way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 serving DIVERS lusts saith Paul Tit 3.3 which I could easily make appeare were it not too much digression and doe purpose to speak somewhat of it in another place But we are not freed from the slavery of these masters only No we are freed from the slavery and delivered from the pow-of all the masters who had formerly the command of us whom it is not barely service but misery and slavery to be subject to I meane Sinne Death The World The Divell I may adde Our selves for if God had not been a better friend to us then we are to our selves I know what had become of us I meane not of lusts only for we hurt our selves many other waies The fourth of these whom we most feare as dreadfull as he is thought is but the Prince of this world and therefore hath no power over the subjects and heires of another Kingdome such as Christians are being translated * Col. 1.13 from his They are dead as to sinne and what then is there left for thee O thou destroyer of men to carry away captive * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 2.26 alive at and for thy pleasure They are no longer captives and gally-slaves as once they were to worke for thee and for nothing Thou mightest have heard long agoe of their releasment and their joy thereupon which thou shalt never be able to take from them no more then thou canst make them slaves againe or make the prophecy false or the promise of none effect Heare but what the Prophet's words are Isa 61.1.2.3 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek He hath sent me no bind up the broken hearted to proclaime liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound To proclaime the acceptable yeare of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God To appoint unto them that mourne in Zion to give unto them beauty for ashes the oyle of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heavinesse that they might be called trees righteousnesse the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified Behold now the time is come I tell thee again the time is come and those promises are fullfilled For we who by that malice our own were worse then bound to be sinfull and miserable even fast bound in misery an iron are now out of out bands adopted for nothing into the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God Rom 8.21 Presume no longer upon the strength of thy associates Sin and the Lusts of our flesh For they are deposed from their regall power their dominion and strength is ended 'T is true their being is not ended but that makes so much the more for a godly man's joy as it doth for any other conquerour to have his enemy led in triumph alive or to have him lye vanquished before him more then to have him cleane removed out of the way Having sinne thus laid at our feet it may looke fiercely up upon us and threaten to bite and turne it's taile about our heeles but the danger is gone we have broken it's head and struck out it's teeth and though
of many in the multitude of Counsellours there is safety saith Solomon Prov 11.14 2ly We will never believe that our Saviour will be lesse carefull of a member of his body then we are of one of ours which most certainly we will never suffer to perish if we are able to helpe it and who can deny that our help is laid upon on that is a Is 89.19 mighty to save 3ly God keepeth all our bones Psal 34.20 And the haires of our head are b Mat 10.13 numbred and will he not care what becomes of our soules Shall we that are lying c Isa 30.9 Children be faithfull to put our trust in him and will not he that is truth it selfe be faithfull to answer our confidence If a Believer cannot stand of himselfe he shall be held up which is all as good security from falling nay it is the best and it is the only security he pretendeth to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Paul Rom 14.4 Yea he shall be holden up for God is able to make him stand So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God's establishing the Saints it is very often mentioned in the Epistles as Rom 16.25 1 Thess 3.13 2 Epist 3.3 1 Pet 5.10 I will adde one thing more of great consequence to comfort a godly man upon the thought of safety And that is that he is preserved safe not in a way of common providence as wicked men are for I should take little or no comfort in that because it may be for my hurt but out of speciall affection out of loving kindnesse and truth Psal 40.11 and because he hath a favour unto them Psal 44.3 Now then you that truely feare God I will say to you in the words of Moses to the children of Israel Deut 1.31 You have seen what the Lord your God doth for you how he doth beare you about as a man would beare his Sonne in his armes c. And therefore doe not provoke the Lord in this thing to be afraid and to doubt whether the Lord will bring you into the land which he hath promised you Let not your brethren * Deut 1.28 discourage your heart Rejoyce in the Lord and againe I say not any way rejoyce but rejoyce in the Lord viz that he and not one that is unable to save or one that will easily change his mind is your Saviour and preserver Rejoyce no more as the wicked sensually doe because thou hast milke in thy breasts marrow in thy bones or because thou hast honour in abundance Talk no more of trusting to thy leggs or the strength of a horse or such like things A horse is counted but a vaine thing for safety Psal 33.17 and so may any thing besides God For shame you that have the Lord for your God speake no more of such poore businesses Behold a safeguard for you worth all as the Psalmist addes vers the 18. Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that feare him upon them that hope in his mercy 9. Another cause or ground of a godly man's mirth may be his having Plenty Ninth ground Plenty and all things to his mind or prosperity and good successe And he that is in such a condition you will easily grant may be merry and wise For successe 't is not to be told of what use the bare pretext and bare it may well be for I know not any cloake so much worne I say the bare pretext of Religion and godlinesse is for the compassing of temporall ends even as much almost as the truth of either useth to be for spirituall Now if Godlinesse beget such warmth when it is worne outmost like a cloake why should it beget lesse when it is worne inmost next to the skin Or how is it that a man must needs goe the colder if he weare it so I speak of having truth in the inward parts As if nothing might be worne upon godlinesse but godlinesse might be worne upon any thing Believe it the godly man is not so many miles behind the wicked even in the way of temporall happinesse as the world thinks he is There is no impossibility that he who is rich * Luk 12.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 towards God should be rich towards men too No the godly man is rich enough commonly in possession as well as in expectation He is comprehensor here also in many things as well as Viator Godlynesse Is not WILL be great gaine and quick trading enough however the merchandize * Prov 3.14 of it be undervalued and it's trade commonly counted dead and tedious and farre about Godlines is profitable to all * 1 Tim. 1.8 things It hath promises of this life i. e. of things belonging to this life and not only promises IN this life viz of things belonging to another Mention of such kind of promises you shall meet with often in the Scriptures As first in the Law and the Prophets In Deut ch 29.9 you find Moses when he exhorted the people to obedience speaking thus Keep therefore the words of this Covenant and doe them that ye may prosper in all that ye doe David spake after the same manner when he gave the same charge to his Sonne 1 Kings 2.3 And keep the charge of the Lord thy God to walke in his wayes to keep his statutes and his commandements and his judgments and his testimonies as it is written in the law of Moses that thou maiest prosper in all that thou doest whithersoever thou turnest thy selfe And you shall find his Sonne Solomon after him speaking in the same manner to his Sonne Prov 3.21 ch 3.16 17. ch 8.19.21 A great many of the Psalmes have some and some have a great many and there is one that hath nothing else but such promises viz Psal 1 28. Out of the Prophets I could promise hundreds But because I feare you will say to all that I shall bring thence This is nothing to us these promises were made under the law to men under the law and to be fulfilled under the law and what have we to doe with the Law and the Prophets I have look't into the Gospel to see if there be any such thing there and behold in two of the Evangelists these promises Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth Mat 5.5 And he said unto them verily I say unto you there is no man that hath left house or parents or brethren or wife or children for the Kingdome of God's sake who shall not recieve manifold more in this present time in the world to come life everlasting Luk. 18.29 30. Whether godly men are more rich whether more godly men are rich then there are of the wicked I know not This I am sure godly men have * Both spirituall and temporall more and better waies for getting riches I will adde and more ready waies though not seeming so then the wicked have unles they make hast to
seeming forced pleasure it may have in those things whereof it will be one time ashamed as being either drunk with lust or bewitched to madnesse like a man that is tyed up to the love of an ugly woman by the strength of a potion and that is the most I grant that even while she is fetter'd and confind to things below her condition and unbecoming her breeding she may be merry as long as she doth not think of it or after a sort make her selfe so that she may not A noble spirit forced to be a servant or a drudge or a begger as long as he does not think upon his condition may be as another man and make a shift it may be to have a sprinkling of mirth now then to wash away the memory of his unhappinesse of being brought into that condition But yet still his heart is another way and his mind is higher then so He is like the bird in the cage singing perhaps sweetly so that a man would doubt sometimes whether he had not rather be there then any where else but yet ever and anon thrusting out his head at the holes so that a man may be sure he is not where he would be or he is not in his element and that though he sing sweetly and pleasantly to you yet it is not so to himselfe Besides there is a singing tongue with a weeping heart and all the mirth such a man hath is but sorrow and sadnesse in comparison of that mirth which he would have if his person were as free as his spirit is ingenuous Thus the soule of a wicked man it is of the same breed that a godly man's is and being borne as rational as his would delight in rational actions and in the reasonable service of God as his does if it were it 's own soule and it 's own soule it would be if it knew well that it is not But alas she is not her own For the Devill hath bought her unto sinne for nothing and made her a slave she hath sold her selfe to slavery to commit iniquity for pleasures only seeming so by the jugling tricks and panourgie of the tempter and being in the power of darknesse does not regard to be redeemed The Divill hath taken her alive * 2 Tim 2.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and put her in the cage made her miserably subject a most pure spirituall divine substance to most foule carnal divellish accidents to the base impure passions and lusts of the flesh as to the commands of an imperious whorish woman But what doe I goe about to prove that gladnesse may be when I might as easily prove that it must be the companion of good actions insomuch that they cannot be good without it Companion I say not as bells on the neck of a horse to make him goe the faster or as sweetning to a pill for feare of nauseating good actions without it as if it were necessary only thus viz that we and not that God may be pleased No surely it is more then after this manner necessary For else the actions might be good enough without it as pills may be without sweetning if the mouth would receive them which they cannot be no more then they can without willingnesse which is altogether necessary for I meane in this sense the will of God cannot be performed without the will of man To goe further gladnesse in the performance of duties is more necessary then the performance of duties For a duty may not be done and yet I may doe my duty because I may doe another duty though I doe not this But I cannot doe my duty at all unlesse I be glad or unlesse I be willing willingnesse will cause gladnesse wheresoever it is in some measure I know not but it may be a command as well as advice Serve the Lord with gladnesse Psal 100.2 And so that Psal 107 22 Let them declare his workes with rejoycing And there is excellent encouragement for as many as doe so For it is said that God meeteth him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousnesse Isa 64.51 Wherefore as James said If any be merry let him sing psalmes so I say If any sing psalmes or doe any other duty let him be merry for God loveth not a cheerfull giver only but a cheerfull doer of any thing else that is good 'T were better thou did'st sleep when thou broughtest thine offering to the Lord unlesse thine heart encourage thee and thy spirit make thee willing Exod 35.21 But to make the joy which is to be had by good actions better yet and to speak a little more to what I began with as we are commanded to hold up our heads and look right forward with cheerfulnesse upon what we are doing so are we allowed to turne about our heads too sometimes and look backward with gladnesse and rejoycing upon what we have done as a carpenter or mason or any other workeman uses to doe upon his worke And good turne is it that we are so allowed Else we should soon transgresse For how could we chuse but be glad when we have done that which we are glad to doe when we did it and must will be glad to doe if it be to be done againe Even good words or words which we have well spoken are to look to like apples of gold in pictures of silver Prov 25.11 Much more then may good actions be pleasant to look to and comfortable to think upon Methinks I see how joyfully Samuel stood upon his justification because he had lived honestly and had done no body wrong Behold here I am wttnesse against me before the Lord and before his anointed Whose Ox have I taken or whose Asse have I taken or whom have I defrauded whom have I oppressed or of whose hand have I recieved any bribe c 1 Sam 12.13 And indeed I doe not not see how we can have any joy whatever we may have else if we want this cause Or it we have any it will be very short-liv'd and such as will runne away like hony that hath no combes made before to hold it as Bernard said upon those words of Paul Rom 14.17 Righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Justitia pax ipsa ergo praecedant tanquam cellulae mellis ut adhuc labilem liquorem suavitatis solidior possit materia continere comparing joy to the hony and righteousnesse and peace to the combes You may remember I told you that good actions are as pleasant to the soule of a spirituall man one that lives in the flesh indeed but not after the flesh but after the spirit and by the faith of the Son of God as meat and drink are to the body when it is sit to recieve them And so indeed they are and that not only for the present while they are as I may say in the mouth For so unwholsome meat may be pleasant to the distempered sick man and so
I will allow them to goe when there is good occasion and to another passion come and it comes Certainely there must needs be much content where 't is thus as there cannot well be any where 't is otherwise We are not so often sad neither doe we vex our selves so often and so much and so long for any mishaps as those that come by our own default and unrulinesse of our passions For then we bite our own lips and are grieved to think that we might have been at home as I may say or at leasure to have prevented such a mischiefe had we not been wholy taken up and carried abroad by such or such a passion In such cases the cause of sorrow being from within where it is constantly maintained can never keep out so the sorrow of the heart is reflected upon the heart till like the beames of the sun by long much beating it become burning hot and hard to be quenched In other cases judgment and reason will stench the bloud and enlarge the heart where it is straitned because it finds a reason to forbeare But here it wrings the more for want of reason and the wiser the man is and the more for reason the lesse merry he will be and the more unable to excuse the fault having only cause enough for the griefe but no reason for the cause Now the godly man hath little or none of this kind of trouble if he have had but time enough to discipline his passions Time I say for time it requires and deliberation and policy more then to conquer an army of men The enemy that is intestine is most dangerous and among'st our own men mutinies are worse then forrain warres A man may better overcome a thousand contrary crosse actions without then one froward crosse passion within which perhaps playes with him and makes him sport and laughes in his face like a fairy but will lead him against the trees and put him upon difficulties and at length like an ignis fatuus cast him into a bog of inextricable perplexities Well then we suppose that already he hath bred his servants I mean his passions to his hand and so disciplin'd his souldiers that they dare not rebell And having thus ordered them that every one knowes his own work and can discerne a right object keep a due posture and observe a fit time and place to stop or runne accordingly and to hold when it is too much or too little I do not see how he can have much sorrow from his passions A passion may be in him but he will never be in a passion I meane so as to be all in in it all in a passion as we use to say To instance a little he will never be up to the eares in love for he will love the creature so as to hate to abuse it So neither in hatred He will hate sinne so as to love the man that commits it the more that he may doe him the more good He will feare a danger so as to have courage to undergoe it He will joy in prosperous things so as to be sorry for his sinnes that make him unworthy and he will sorrow too in adverse things so as to rejoyce that he shall be never the worse now and the better hereafter He will hope for the best so as to feare and expect the worst and he will feare the worst so as to hope for the best following Seneca's rule not to hope * Nec sperave ris sine desperatione nec desperave ris sine spe without despaire nor to despaire without hope Third cause Self-deniall Another thing whereby godly men cause themselves mirth is Selfe-deniall Whosoever is sad is displeased Whosoever denies himselfe cannot be displeased I meane as we commonly use the word for he regards not to be pleased Let God afflict him He will say If God be so pleased so let it be I have denyed my selfe Let men persecute him he will say If God be pleased to have it so I am contented I desire not to have it as I will but as he will I have denied my selfe Whatsoever hurt any man does him he takes it no worse then if it were to another man Nay not so bad for he hath not denyed another man but only himselfe Let him be put to it either to be wicked or to lose all that he hath yet will he not be at all sad either with doubt of what he shall doe or with feare of what he shall suffer For in such a case Love of a man's selfe and of what is his and thoughts of selfe-Concernments I meane of what Concernes himselfe in a temporall way are the only things that make him sad it being impossible for a man to be merry either when he parts with or when he thinks he shall part with what he loves Let the selfe-denyer have never so many losses so long as he denyes himselfe he does not own himselfe and he that does not own himselfe will not care to own any thing else and he that owneth nothing cannot be sad for the losse of any thing Thought of propriety is a maine cause of sorrow Let his cowardly friends call upon him never so often 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words of Peter to our Saviour * they cannot make him at all to relent 'T is looking on ones selfe and pitying ones selfe that makes him sad almost in all cases at least of sinfull sadnesse How doe many men and how many times doe weak Christians make shipwrack of courage if not of a good conscience in the use of such selfe-doting expressions as these What! It is my selfe It is my own flesh 'T is that which I have laboured for 'T is my inheritance I have had it so long and shall I now part with it This goes against my very heart The selfe-denyer scornes such language being tender hearted to none but his brother and for temporall good things more a friend to any one then to himselfe What disgrace what losses what injuries what dangers what evills can make him sad by displeasing him who can be as well displeased as pleased whose eye is not upon himselfe who compares not what he meets with what himselfe viz how it fits his nature or his humour or his condition to doe him a pleasure but compares it still with his sinfull life determining if it be bad that he is worthy of it which will abate his sorrow If it be good that he is unworthy of it which will encrease his joy How selfe-denyall will dispose to mirth you will best percieve if you serioufly consider how the contrary disposeth to sadnesse and what sadnesse wicked men continually have from it It is as hard to be merry with selfe love as it is to have every thing to a man's mind He that loves himselfe too much will love many other things to much he that loves many things too much must needs have many