countenance so finely tempered with gravitie and austerity that hee in a manner commanded respect from others insomuch that many forbare to speake or act unseemely things in his presence that would not have beene so modest in other company Such a Majestie doth grace imprint upon the countenances of holy men that they draw respect from the greatest this made those persecuting Emperours to feare the verie faces of those poore Christians that appeared before them And this caused Constantine the Great so to honour the countenance of Old Paphnutius though disfigur'd by the losse of his eye that he did often for his delight kisse the hollow of that eye which was lost for the cause of CHRIST So true is that of Salomon wisedome causeth the face to shine and the rigour of the countenance to bee changed 3. He was very Zealous for GOD not onely by the power of his Ministery in converting many wherein GOD had wonderfully blessed him but in any publike or private good that tended to the honour of GOD to whose glory he wholly sacrificed himselfe and all his studies which I can the more safely affirme in that I know he hath divers times refused preferment from some of the Nobility and Prelates of this Kingdome and for no other cause in the world but that hee might not be divorced from that countrey where his Ministery was so much embraced and wrought so good effects 4. But zeale is oft of such violent motion that as the antient Philosophers supposed of the primum mobile that if the motion thereof were not finely cooled and allayed by the coelum Christallinum next to it it would set all the Orbes on fire and therefore the zeale of this Reverend man was alwayes tempered with singular Wisedome and discretion for though in all his Sermons he prest mightily upon the conscience of his hearers who many times like babes childishly wrangled at the breasts which should nourish them yet were they never able to resist the authority by which he spake so that for the space of 22 yeares being the whole time that his Lamp of light shined in Northampton Shire his doctrine was never drawne into question either for error or schisme so studious was hee ever of the unity and peace of the Church of ENGLAND which hee dearely loved that none could justly quarrell with him but Papists and other Sectaries as also others that were corrupted with error or evill life 5. Lastly for his Charity hee was ever universally bountifull but especially he exceeded in those publike distresses of Germany France Bohemia c. and to those that stood in true neede for the enabling of himselfe hereunto I have heard him often say he made it evident to me that ever since he was Minister of Broughton he spent every yeare all the revenewes of his Parsonage which was of good valew in the maintenance of his family and acts of hospitality and charity And that the estate wherewith GOD hath blessed him otherwise was meerely raised by that temporall estate hee had at first Let them therefore of his owne coate from henceforth cease to traduce him whom they never did nor dare to imitate I am sure the Towne of Broughton will ever blesse GOD for his charity for when that lamentable fire was among them September 21 Anno Dom. 1626. besides the many pounds he spent out of his owne purse he was a chiefe meanes that by the only supply of the country without any Letters Patents from above their houses which were burnt down unto the ground were all new built and their outward estates liberally sustained and upheld Nay such was his charity that though some of his owne towne had not onely slandered his Ministry but wronged him in his tithes yet he put it up and never called them to question as he might nor ever had any suite with them So that I may for conclusion summe up this in that wittie commendation of Nazianzen on Basill the Great He thundered in his Doctrine and lightned in his conversation This inestimable treasure it pleased GOD to put in an earthen vessell and about the beginning of September last began to breake it by visiting him with a Quartan ague a disease which brought Calvin to his end and by the judgement of the best Physitians by reason of the long grievous paroxysmes whereby it afflicts is ever deemed mortall vnto old men and so it appeared to him for perceiving after two or three sits that it mastered his strength he patiently submitted to indure what by strugling hee could not overcome And called for his Will which he had made long before and perfecting some things in it he caused it to be laid up and afterwards wholly retired into himselfe quitting the world and solacing his soule with the meditation of the joyes of heaven which he had provided to preach to his people for having compiled an elaborate discourse de quatuor Novissimis of the foure last things DEATH IVDGEMENT HELL and HEAVEN an argument that some Iesuites and Friars have bungled in and having finished the three former told them that the next day he would treat of Heaven But the day before being Saturday he was visited with sickenesse and never preached after GOD then preparing him for the fruition of those inexplicable joyes which hee had provided for his people in contemplation His sickenesse though it was long and sharpe yet he bare it with admirable patience for he saw Him that was invisible and his whole delight was to bee with Him often breathing out such speeches as these whiles the violence and frequencie of his fits gave him any intermission Oh when will this good houâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall I bee dissolved when shall I bee with CHRIST Being told that it was indeed better for him to be dissolved but the Church of GOD could not misse him nor the benefit of his Ministery To which he thus sweetely replyed with David If I shall finde favour in the eyes of the LORD hee will bring mee againe and shew me both it and his habitation but if otherwise loe heere I am let him doe what seemeth good in his eyes Being asked by another whether hee could not bee content to live if GOD would grant him life he thus answered I grant that life is a great blessing of GOD neither will I neglect any meanes that may preserve it and doe heartily desire to submit to GODS will But of the two I infinitely desire to be dissolved and to bee with CHRIST In the time of his sickenesse there came many to visit him but hee admitted none but his intimate friends using a speech of Saint Augustine who desired ten daies before he died none might come to him that he in that time might the better fit himselfe for GOD. But to those that came to him he gave very godly and wise exhortations suting to their callings and conditions for although his
experience of His all sufficiency extraordinary exercise of faith sweeter taste in the Promises closer cleaving to the Word clearer sight of divine excellencies heartier longing for heavenly joyes c. One drop of which spirituall refreshing deawes distilling upon the soule even in greatest outward distresse one glimpse of such glorious inward joyes shining from the face of the Sun of salvation into the saddest heart in the darkest dungeon doth incredibly surpasse all the comfort which wife children wealth or in a word any worldly good or mortall greatnesse can possibly yeeld 4. Or in posterity by a very remarkable if not miraculous providence and care for them Consider for this purpose that GOD-fearing Prophet 2 Kings 4. who upon the matter and in the true meaning denied himselfe and forsooke all for GODS sake For he doth so also who preferres the glory of GOD the Gospell the cause of CHRIST and keeping of a good conscience before any or all earthly things holding fast unfainedly a resolution if he be put to it and times require really and actually to leave all for CHRIST This good man might have applied himselfe to the present served the times sought the Court and sate at Iezabels Table with her other temporizing trencher-chaplaines But it is said in the Text that he feared the LORD and so disdained and abhor'd to gaine by humouring greatnesse to grow rich and rise by basenesse and flattery And therefore did chuse rather to die a begger to leave his wife in debt and expose his children to the bondage of cruell creditours than any waies to make ship-wracke of a good conscience or consent and concurre to the adulterating of GODS sincere and purer worship But mark what followes rather than the wife and children of such a man who preferred GODS glory before his owne preferment shall suffer want they must be relieved by a miraculous supply as appeares in the story 5. Or in good name which is rather to be chosen than great riches saith Salomon For instance compare together Bradford and Bonner The name of that blessed man shall be of most deare and glorious memory to all that love our LORD IESVS CHRIST in sincerity untill His second comming and it is like we shall looke upon him and the rest of that royall Army of Martyrs in Queene Maries time with thoughts of extraordinary sweetnesse and love in the next world thorow all eternity But now the remembrance of that other fellow who like a bloud-thirsty Tyger made such horrible havocke of the Lambs of CHRIST shal be had in a most abhorred execrable and everlasting detestation The name of the fore-named noble Marquesse who left and and lost all with a witnesse for the Gospels sake shall be infinitely more honoured of all honest men so long as any one heavenly beame of GODS eternal truth shall shine upon earth than his uncles Paul the fourth or all that Rope of Popes from the first rising to the finall ruine of that Man of sinne Nay theirs shall rot everlastingly but his shall re-flourish with sweetnesse and fresh admiration to the worlds end 2. That to die is but to be once done and if we erre in that one action we are undone everlastingly And therefore have thine end ever in thine eye Let all our abilities businesses and whole being in this life let all our thoughts words actions referre to this one thing which as it shall be well or ill ended is attended either with endlesse plagues or pleasures with eternity of flames or felicity 3. That thou maist looke upon thy last bed tobe full sorely terribly assaulted by the king of feare accompanied with all his abhorred horrours and stinging dread by the fearefull sight of all thy former sinnes arrayed and armed in their grisliest formes and with their fieriest stings with the utmost craft and cruelty of all the powers of darknesse and the very powder-plot of the prince of hell that roaring Lion who hath industriously laboured to devoure thy soule all thy life long with the terrour of that just and last Tribunall 〈◊〉 which thou 〈◊〉 ready to passe to reckon precisely with Almighty GOD for all things done in the flesh What manner of man ought thou to be 〈◊〉 iâ—… the meane time in all holy care fore-cast and casâ—…g about to give up thine account 〈◊〉 comfort at that dreadfull houre Be so farre from deserring repentance in this Day of visitation and patting off till that time For how canst thou possibly attend so great a busines when thou art beset with such a world of wofull worke and hellish rage That â—…hou â—…hould est in this thy day like a sonne of wisdome constantly ply and improove all opportunities occasions offers every moment Ministry mercy motions of the Spirit checks of conscience corrections temptations c. To store thy selfe richly with spirituall strength against that last encounter and of highest consequence either for eternall happinesse or unconceiveable horrour 4. That thy body when the soule is gone wil be an horrour to all that behold it a most loathsome and abhorred spectacle Those that loved it most cannot now find in their hearts to looke onâ—… by reason of the griesly dâ—…formednesse which death will put upon it Downe it must into a pit of carions and confusion covered with wormes not able to wagg so much as a little finger to remoove the vermine that feed and gnaw upon its flesh and so moulder away into rottennesse and dust And therefore let us never for the temporary transitory ease pleasure and pampering of a râ—…inous and rotten carkasse bring everlasting misery upon our immortall soules Let us never for a little sensuall short and vanishing delight flowing from the three filthy puddles of the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life drowne both our bodies and soules in a dungeon shall I say nay in a boyling sea of fire and brimstone where we can see no banks nor feele no bottome 5. That when the soule departs this life it carries nothing away with it but grace GODS favour and a good conscience The Sun of all worldly greatnesse prosperity and joy then sets for ever Even Crownes Kingdomes Lands Livings and all earthly Possessions are everlastingly left And what will an immortall soule destitute of divine grace do then Then will that now newly-separated soule finding no spirituall store or provision laid up in this life against the evill day with an irksome and furious reflexion looke backe upon all its time spent in the flesh and beholding there nothing but abominations guiltinesse and sinne Presently awakes the never dying worme which having formerly had its mouth stopt with carnall delights and musâ—…'d up with outward mirth will now feed upon it with horrour anguish and desperare rage world without end O then let these precious deare everlasting things breath'd into our Bodies for a short abode in this Vale of teares by the
malice hath Satan bestirred himselfe What a deale of deare and innocent bloud did that red Dragon drinke up in Queene Maries time For five yeares space the fire of persecution did flame in this land and the sacred bodies of our glorious blessed Martyrs were sacrificed amids the mercilesse fury thereof Afterward what a blacke and bloudy catalogue of most hatefull and prodigious conspiracies did run parallell with that golden time of Queene ELIZABETHS life that now glorious Saint of dearest memory But in all this hellish rage the Devill never played the Devill indeed untill he came to the gun-powder-plot that was such a piece of service against the light of the Gospell as the Sun never saw before the sons of men never heard of hel it self never hatcht Since Satan fel from heaven and a Church was first planted upon yâ— earth there was never any thing in that kind which made the Devils Malice more famous GODS mercies more glorious that Priest of Rome and his bloudy superstition more odious or that cast such a shame and obloquy upon the innocency of Christian Religion And all this was the Devils doing of pure spite and malice against the glory of the Gospell the power of the Word and the Saints of GOD. I say he was the arch-plotter and first moover of all these mischiefes The Pope and Iesuites and their cursed confederates were indeed his instruments executioners and agents as we well know and some of the Priests themselves confesse See Quodl 7. Act. 8. pag. 199. Scarce was that blessed Queene and incomparable Lady warme in her Princely Throne but Satan sets on the Pope Pius Quintus he sends from Rome two Popish Priests Morton and Webbe with a Bull of excommunication whereby the subjects and people of the Kingdome were in a Popish sense discharg'd and assoil'd from their allegiance loyaltie and obedience to her Majestie They sollicit the two traiterous Earles of the North Northumberland and Westmerland to be the executioners of this bloudy Bull which indeed was the fountaine and foundation of all the succeeding horrible plots and barbarous treacheries See Bells Anatomy of Popish tyrannie in his Epist. Dedic a little booke called The executioner of justice in England c. I pray GOD now at length turne these Popish murderous hearts from whetting any moe swords to shed the bloud of the LORDS annointed or returne the sharpe swords from the point with a cutting edge on both sides even up to the very hilts into their owne hearts bloud O LORD let the King flourish with a crowne of glory upon his head and a Scepter of triumph in his hand and still wash his Princely feet in the bloud of his enemies 3. This spitefull rage and furious oposition of Satan against the power of the word appears also by daily experience in those towns parishes where by the mercies of GOD a conscionable Ministry is planted before while Satan ruled and raigned amongst them by his wicked deputies ignorance prophanenes Popish superstitions sinful vanities lewd sports prophanation of the Saboth filthines drunkennes and such other accursed Pursevants for Hell Why then all was well all was in quiet and in peace O then that was a merry world and as good a Towne for good-fellowship as was in all the Country And no marvaile when a strong armed man keepeth his Pallace the things that he possesseth are in peace Luke 11. 21. While Sathan sits in their hearts and rules in their Consciences he suffers them to have their swings in their furious vanities and wicked pleasures without any great disturbance or contradiction And commonly he never sets prophane people together by the eares and at odds but when his owne kingdome may be more strengthened and their soules more endanger'd by dissention than by their partaking in prophanenesse and brotherhood in iniquity Let it not seeme strange then when townes and parishes where conscionable meanes are wanting live merrily and pleasantly for they walke together in the knot of good-fellowship through the broad way they follow the course of their owne corruptions and swing of their corrupt affection and swim downe the current of the times and are at Satans beck to do him any desperate and notorious service at all assaies in all passages of prophanenesse and offices of impiety and rebellion but bring amongst such a powerfull Ministerie which takes a right course for the plantation of grace and salvation of their soules and then marke how spitefully and furiously Satan begins to bestirre himselfe besides his owne malice and machinations he presently sets on foot and on fire too all that belong unto him in his instigation They band and combine themselves with great rage and indignation against the power of the Word and the faithfull messengers of GOD. They fret and fume picke unnecessary quarrels raile slander and indeed foame out filthily their owne shame in disgracing the truth of GOD without all truth or conscience and il Satan spies any poore soule amongst them to be pulled out of his clutches and kingdome of darknesse by the preaching of the Word he presently sets all the rest upon him as so many dogged curres or rather furious wolves for so our blessed Saviour makes the comparison upon a harmelesse lambe he whets like sharpe razors all the lying and lewd tongues in the towne and tips them with the very fire of hell so that they plead for prophanenesse prophaning the Sabbath and many sinfull fooleries and vanities in all places where they come He makes those who have a little more wit his close factors and under-hand-dealers for that stands not with Satans policy and the reputation of the worldly-wise that themselves should be open actors in childish vanities and profes'd enemies to the Law of GOD they do him sufficient service by being secret patrons and protectors of impiety counsellers and countenancers of the works of darknesse he fils the mouthes of the ignorant with slanderous complaints and cries that there was neuer good world since there was so much knowledge that there was never more preaching but never lesse working whereas poore soules they never yet knew what grace or good work meant or scarce good word but their naughty tongues and hatred to be reformed are true causes why both the world and places where they live are farre worse Those that are desperately and notoriously naught he inforces and inrages like mad dogs so that they impudently and openly barke at and with their impoysoned fangs furiously snatch at that hurtlesse hand which would heale and bind up their bleeding soules they are like dogs barking at the moone for GODS Ministers are starres in the right hand of CHRIST Revel 1. 16. If they would do them any deadly harme they must plucke them thence but let them take heed how they be bold and busie that way lest at last they take a beare by the tooth and awake a sleeping lion Thus you see what a stirre the Devill keepes when he is like to
be driven from his hold by the power of the Word and how he playes the Devill indeed when the light of the Gospell begins to shine in a place which himselfe hath long kept in darknesse and errour by those twofold fiends ignorance and prophanenesse Perhaps at the very first rising of that glorious sun of the Word of life unto a people that hath sit in darknesse and under the shadow of death it breeds onely astonishment and amazement they are for a while onely dazelled with the glory and beauty of so rare and extraordinary a light but when after some little space they be thorowly heated and it begin to burne up their noy some lusts to gall their guilty consciences to sting their carnall hearts to vexe and disquiet their covetous affections then begins all the stirre and Satan to play his part the sudden infliction of a wound is not so very painefull and while it is greene it is not so grievous but after when it comes to be searched in cold bloud to have tents put into it and corrasives applied then it goeth to the heart When the sword of the Spirit first strikes the carnall heart it may perhaps beare away the blow reasonable well but if the Chirurgion of the soule I meane the Minister of the Word follow his cure faithfully and open the wound wider as he sees need apply spirituall corâ—…osives to eat away the ranknesse of the flesh and the poyson of sinne then begins the prophane man if the LORD give him not grace to suffer his soule to be saved to rage and rave with the smart of it and perhaps with malice and fury to fly into the face of his soules Physitian See the humour of prophane men against the power of a conscionable Ministery Ier. 44. 15 c. Acts 13. 8. and Cap. 14. 2 c. and Ver. 19. and Cap. 16. 19. and Cap. 17. 5. and Ver. 32. and Cap. 19. 2â—… and 24. 5. This spite and malice of Satan against sincerity and grace is to be seene also in private families if the governours of the house the children and servants be all prophane as it is very true of very many in most places then they are passing well met for matter of Religion and were there nothing amongst them to breed difference and dissention but GODS service they would never fall out for they are all content to heare no more or more often of the affaires of heaven judgements for sin the wayes of GOD and reformation of their life than they must needs they are all willing and forward to prophane the Sabbath in one kind or other some by absenting themselves from the house of GOD some by worldly talke all the day long some by idlenesse some by sinfull sports c. They are well content to lie downe at night like wild beasts in their dens without lifting up their hearts together unto that mercifull GOD which hath preserved and prospered them all the day to rise up also in the morning prayerlesse or onely with formall prayers They all joyne in malice against the Ministry of the Word in slanderous lies against the messengers of GOD in base and reviling speeches against the professours of Christianity The reason is they are all possessed with the same spirit of prophanenesse love of pleasures hatred to be reformed and carnality of heart But if it once please the LORD to plant grace in the heart of the Master of the family so that he begin to plant in his house reformation houshold instruction prayer sanctification of the Sabbath and other holy orders and godly exercises then presently begins the Devill to stir in the hearts and tongues of their prophane servants they begin to be furiously impatient of such precisenesse strictnesse and restraints for so they wickedly and wrongfully call the pleasures of grace and way to heaven they can by no meanes digest such new fashions they 'l not be troubled with giving account of Sermons they heare they 'l have their recreation on the Sabbath that they will they 'l not be mew'd up at home when other mens servants are at their sports abroad c. Nay perhaps even their owne children except the LORD season them with the same grace may grow stubborne and refractory and very rebellious and disobedient to the best things so that in a holy sense CHRISTS words may be there truly verified Matth. 10. 34 35. Thus was zealous David troubled with the vanity of a scornefull proud and prophane wife 2 Sam. 5. 20. Abel with a bloudy brother Gen. 4. 8. Iacob with a prophane Esau Gen. 27. 41. Isaac with a mocking Ishmael And many a gracious heart in families where grace beares not sway with the lewdnesse malice and ungodly oppositions of those among whom they live Or if it so fall out that the power of grace seaze on the heart of a servant or sonne so that he begin to be sensible of the ignorance disorders prophanenesse and sinfull confusions of the house where he dwels desires to spend the Sabbath as Christians use to do then presently begins Satan to put rage into the heart and frownings into the face of the father or master of the family he then takes on tels him that such precisenesse is not for his profit hee 'l have no such inferiour fellow to be a reformer of his family hee 'l not be controlled and contradicted in his owne house hee 'l governe his people in the old fashion as his father did before him c. so that there is no longer biding for that new convert under such a crabbed master without a very great deale of patience All this and a thousand more mischiefes are the blacke broods and bloudy effects of Satans malice against the power of the Word and the plantation of grace GOD Himselfe is the GOD of peace CHRIST IESVS the Prince of peace and the blessed Spirit is the fountaine of peace that passeth all understanding the holy Word is the Gospell of peace the faithfull Ministers are the Messengers of reconciliation and peace the Saints of GOD are the children of peace The Divell and the rebellious corruptions of prophane men are indeed and truth the true causes of all these stirs and strong oppositions which are raised any where at any time any waies in the case and cause of Religion The fault I confesse and imputation of troublesomenesse is lai'd upon GODS children by the lewd tongues of gracelesse men See Ier. 15. 10. utterly without cause 1. Kings 18. 17. Act. 24. 3 c. but these and the like are lies hatch't in Hell and managed by the malice of carnall men And that was most true which the blessed Prophet of GOD Elijah and the holy Apostle Saint Paul answered in such cases 1. Kings 18. 18. Act. 24. 13 14. and so proportionably may all Christians answer all prophane wretches amongst whom they liue It is you and your prophane families your proud ignorance hatred to be reformed malice
against the Ministery c. which trouble Israel are the true causes of all Dissentions and disquietnesse and bring upon us all these plagues and judgements which any way afflict us A godly Minister stands at staves end with all the world and hath the most enemies of any man He must warre not onely with desperate swaggerers and notorious sinners but also with civill honest men formall Professors counterfeit Christians unsound converts relapsed creatures c. 5. Lastly That particular person whom it pleases the LORD to sanctifie and set apart for his service hath good experience of Satans fury and rage against sincerity and grace there is not a man that passeth out of the powers of darkenesse and Satans bondage by the power of the word but he presently pursues him farre more furiously then ever Pharaoh did the Israelites to recover and regaine him into his kingdome See my discourse of Happinesse pag. 60. Thus I have given you a taste of the Divells malice and machinations against the light of the Gospell the power of GODS truth and the Ministery of the Word now you must understand that worldly wisdome is his very righthand nearest counsellor and chiefest champion in all these mischievous plots and furious outrages against GOD and goodnesse This hath beene more then manifest in all ages of the Church In those great Politicians the Scribes and Pharisees in the States-men of Rome in our times and amongst us daily worldly-wise men that are only guided by carnall reason they imploy their wit their power their malice their friends their under-hand dealings their policy and their purses too unlesse they be too covetous to hinder stop disgrace and slander the passage of a conscionable Ministery and the Messengers of Almighty GOD of whom the LORD hath said Touch not mine annointed and doe my Prophets no harme Psal. 105. 15. They ever imitate and follow to a haires bredth their Father the Divell in malice and practise against grace and good men except sometimes they forbeare for a time for advantage for reputation or such other by-respects and private ends except naturally they be extraordinarily ingenuous and of very loving and kinde naturall dispositions or bee restrained by feare of some remarkable judgement from persecution of the Ministers 2. As worldly wisdome is divelish as Saint Iames calls it and ever mixed with a spice of Hellish malice and virulency against the Kingdome of CHRIST so it is also earthly for it mindes onely earthly things and though that casts beyond the Moone for matters of the world yet it hath not an inch of forecast for the world to come But though a man be to passe perhaps the next day nay the next houre nay the next moment to that dreadfull Tribunall of GOD and to an unavoideable everlasting estate in another world either in the joyes of heaven or in the paines of hell yet it so glues and nailes his hopes desires projects and resolutions to transitory pelfe and things of this life as though both body and soule at their dissolution should be wholly and everlastingly resolved and turned into earth dust or nothing To give you a taste of this earthlinesse of worldly wisdome give me a worldly-wise man and 1. Put him into discourse of the affaires of the world and the businesse of his calling and you shall find him profound and deepe in this argument able to speake well and to the purpose if it were a whole day and that with dexterity and cheerfulnesse But divert his discourse a little and turne him into talke of matters of heaven of the great mystery of godlinesse the secrets of sanctification cases of conscience and such like holy conference and you shall find him to be a very infant an ideot it may be he may say something of the generall points of Religion of matters in controversie of the meaning of some places in Scripture but come to conferre of practicall dignity experimentall knowledge passages of Christianity and practices of grace and you shall find him and he shall shew himselfe to be able to say just nothing with feeling and comfort many a poore neglected Christian which in the spirit of disdainfulnesse and out of the pride of his carnall wisdome he tramples upon with contempt and would scorne to be matcht with in other matters yet would infinitely surpasse him in this case quite put him downe that he would have nothing to say 2. Let him come to some great personage with a suit to intreat his favour and countenance or to give him thanks for some former good turn and he will be able to speake well plausibly pleasingly persuasively and seasonably but put him to pray in his family unto Almighty GOD for the pardon of his sins and a crowne of life for the remoovall of damnation and an everlasting curse to powre out his soule in thankfulnesse for every good thing he enjoyeth for he holds all from Him and such a wise man which is strange and fearefull in a businesse of so great weight will not be able to speake scarce one wise word without a booke 3. Come into his family examine the estate of his house you shall find all things in good order every affaire marshalled and disposed for the best advantage a provident fore-cast and present provision of things necessary for their bodies Every one busie in their severall imployments and carefull in the workes of their calling but search also into the estate of their soules what heavenly food is ministred for their spirituall life how the Sabbath is sanctified among them how it stands with them for houshold-instructions and family-exercises c. And GOD knowes in that regard that way there is no providence at all no care no conscience about any such matters Walke also amongst his husbandry you shall find his arable carefully dunged tilled and sowne his pastures well mounded bankt and trencht his trees pruned his gardens weeded his cattell watchfully tended but inquire into the spirituall husbandry at home in his owne conscience and you shall find his heart over-growne with sinne as the wildest wast with thistles and briars no fence to keepe the Devill out of his soule many noysome lusts growing thick and ranke like so many nettles and brambles to be cut downe and cast into the fire so that his silliest lambe and poorest pig is in a thousand times more happie ease then himselfe the owner and well were he if his last end might be like theirs that is that his immortall soule might dye with his body but that cannot be except in the meane time he repent and renounce his carnall reason hee must be destroyed with an everlasting perdition from the presence of GOD and from the glory of His power 4. Consider His care and affection towards His children you shall finde that to be all earth for whereas perhaps with farrelesse toyle and travaile by the mercies of GOD by teaching them the feare of GOD instructing them in the wayes of