things 558. Worldly honours and greatnesse their vanity to be considered 571. Men in the midst of their worldly contrivances prevented by death 646. Worldly-minded men little think of Heaven and why so 663. The vanity of Worldly greatnesse 667. The danger of trusting to Worldly greatnesse in time of distresse 6. Dulnesse and drowsinesse in the service or Worship of God reproved 173. The anger or Wrath of God best appeased when the Sinner appeareth with Christ in his arms 99. Y. THe folly of Youth discovered and reproved 187. The time of Youth to be given up to God 250. Youth to be catechized 422. Youth to be seasoned with grace not giving the least way to the Devil 507. Z. ZEal and Knowledg must go hand in hand together 15. Zeal in Gods service made the Worlds derision 51. Zeal Anabaptistical condemned 179. Preposterous Zeal reproved 197. Want of Zeal in the Cause of God reproved 251. Men to be Zealous in God's Cause 252. To be Zealous for the honour of Jesus Christ as he is the eternal Son of God 379. The danger of immoderate Zeal against those of another Judgment And how so 385. The Zeal of Heathens of their false gods condemning that of Christians to their true God 411. Virgil. Eclog. 3. In praefat Reg. Aluredi ad leges suas Sr. H. Spelman in concil Aul. Gellius in noct Attic. Psalm 119. Is. Bargrave Parliament-Serm 1624. Apoc. 1. 8. Pont. Diaconus in vita ejus ut est vidâ—re in â—p praefixâ operibus ex edit Sim. Goulartij House of mourning or Fun. Seâ—mâ—ns Quae sensu volvuntur vota diurno Tempore nocturno reddit amica quies Claud. Conr. Zvingeri Theat hum Vitae Paul De Wann Serm. de Tempt Speculum Exemplorum Peccati mortificatio Diaboli flagellum Sedul Hybern Mart. ab 〈◊〉 Norvarri Concilia in â—ap de oratione horis canonicis In Dialogo ad Luciferium Non vox sed votum c. Esay 6. 5. 5. Psalm 4. 1. 2. Aver Metaph. Thales Miles Foelix criminibus nullus erit diu Ausonius Plin. nat hist. lib. 8. cap. 11. Sir Rob. Dallington's Aphorisms Ingens mole sua c. Plin. nat hist. Lib. 8. Chap. 25. Experientia docet Militem privatum non solum debere esse volentem c. Zenoph Cyropaed Lib. 2. Iean Bodin de la Republique Justitia Remp. firmat Ant. Bonfinius Lib. 3. rerum Hungar. Jer 22. 15. Lib. 7. Chap. 28. I. White Serm. at St. Paulâ—s London 1612. Flectitur iratus voce rogante Deus Ovid. Psal. 50â—â—5 Rich. Holdsworth Serm. at St. Pauls Lon. 1624. Videmus Dâ—um per Christum c. Fulgent D. Staughtons Sermon Haud ullas portabit opes Acherontis ad undas Propert. Matth. 4. Mark 8. 36. B. White Serm at St. Pauls London 1617 Exiguâ— percussus fulminis ictu Fortior ut possit cladibus esse suis. Ovid. ep Deuâ— 21. 7. Eph. â—â—dal Ser. at Mercers Chappel London 1642. Paâ—â—m te poscimus omnes Tho. Fuller Holy State ubi virtus discretionis perditur c. Greg. lib. 3. moral Rich Stainihurst de rebus Hybern Rom. 6. 12. Jos. Shute Sermon at S. Mary Wolnoth Lâ—mbardsâ—â—eet London 1619. Iohn 14. 2. R. Skinner Serm. at Court 1626. Via divine via 〈◊〉 R. Stock Serm. at Alhallowes Breadsâ—â— Lon. 1616. Rev. 6. 10. Psal. 125. 3 Tempus 〈◊〉 tempus opportunum Edw. Wilkison Serm. at St. Pauls Lond. 1639. D. Price Serm. at Christ-Church Lond. 1620. 1 Joh. 3. 20. 1 Cor. 2. 11. Plutarch in vitâ Alexandri Jos. Shure Serm. at St. Pauls Lond. 1619. Act. 20. Nihil in vitae durabile non opes non honores non potentia c. Const. Minos Annal. Com. in Matth. chap. 13. Boys Postills Terras Astrâ—â— reliquit Luk. 18. â— Plutarch in Apophthâ—gm Ant in Melissa p. 2. Serm. 33. T. Westfield Serm. at St. 〈…〉 Lond. 1641. Psal. 120. Numb 13. Iohn Boys 〈◊〉 Mar. Luth. in loc com de Christo. Plus vident oculi quâ—m oculus Joh. I. 1â— Th. Gataker's Parley with Princes Nulla fides piâ—tasque viris c. Th. Gaâ—aker's True Contentment in God's way a Sermon 1619. Job 1. 21. 〈◊〉 tellus domus c. Horaâ— câ—â— 2. 3. 〈…〉 Evang. Eccles. 8. 11. Th. Gataker's Appeal from Princes to God Carcer ejus est cor ejus Bernard Eustath in Homeri Iliadâ— Th Gataker's Gain of godlinesse Seneca de benefic Virtutibus aâ—rum vilius Horat. B. Hall occasionall Meditat. Vilius argentum est auro Horat. B. Hall ut antea In promptu causa est c. Ovid. Variam semper dant otia mentem Lucan Serm. in divites 〈◊〉 I. Boys Sermont 〈…〉 Bedae hist. lib. 3. cap. 6. Jam. 2. 16. R. Holdsworth Serm. at S. Peter poâ—r Lond. 1630. Verbis non solvendum est quidquam Terence Iâ— lib. de 〈◊〉 Iâ—d D. Featly Clavis mystica Divide impara Machiav Mark 3. 24. Plinius 〈…〉 Sueton hist. Xyphilinus house of mourning Discite in hoc mundo supra mundum esse c. Ambros. lib. de Virg. Lib. 1. epist. 15. ad Atticum Preface to the B. of Winchest Serm. Res tua tunc agitur c. In lib. Antiquit. 1 King 3. 26. Cuspinianus Christ. â—onse cae Quadragâ—sâ—ma Delirant Reges plectuntur Achivi Plutarch in Convi Diogen Laert in Vita Psal. 55. Sine caede sanguine pauci Descendunt Reges sicca morte Tyranni Juvenal Ammian Marcellin D. Featly Sermons Et quae non fecimus ipsi vix ea nostra voco Xenoph. cyro 〈◊〉 lib. 3. D. Featly ut antea Si Christum discis satis est 〈◊〉 â—aetera nâ—scis Plinii nat hist. lib 8. cap. 17. Rob. Dallington's Aphorisms Nec â—nim lex justior ulla est c. Ovid. Lud. â— Granada meditat Superanda omnis fortuna ferendo est Virg. Macrob. Sat. lib. 2. cap. 4. D. King lect on Jonah Th. Mouffeâ—'s Insector Fuller's Holy State Clem Alexan. Paedog lib. 2. cap. 12. Mich. Jemin Com. on Prov. Deipnosoph lib. 13. Mich. Jermin ut anteâ— Ingratus vir â—â—lium est perforatum Lucianus Mich. Jermin ut antea Quae vera sunt loqui virum ingenuum decet Ephes. 4. 25. Pag. 1874. edit ult Th. Plummer a Serm. at St. Paul's Lond. 1616. Natura pauciâ— contenta Iovis omnia plena Virgil. Prov. 13. 25. Numb 23. Joh. Downham 's Warfare Solum non Coelum amatur Rhemig Rheâ— Plutarch de cohibenda irâ— Jeâ—â—m Burrough 's Heart divisions 〈…〉 R. Prior. A Serm. at the Funer of Bâ— Smith 1632. Vive memor lethi hoc quod loquor inde est Persius Plin. nat hist. lib. 10. cap. 20. Playâ—er's Serm. Mat. 12. 43. Ovid. Metam Gabr. Inchinus de quat novissimis Si nunquam moreretur c. Bern. 〈◊〉 â—52 Aristot. 〈…〉 Gal. 5. 15. Sueton in vita Cl. Nero. Walâ— Soul's ornament a Serm. 1616. Magna tamen spes est in bonitate Dei Ovid. epist. Theodoret. hist. lib. 6. cap. 22. Joh. Williams B. Lincoln Serm. at a Fast Westm. 162â— Gen. 22. 12. Numb
yea though the Temple in his time were become a den of thieves yet then and there sent he up devout and holy prayers to Heaven Get but God and get all AS Noah when the Deluge of waters had defaced the Earth and blotted the great book of Nature had a copy of every kinde of Creature in that â—amous Library of the Ark out of which all were reprinted to the World So he that hath God hath the originall copy of all blessings out of which if all were perished all might easily be renewed Let friends and goods and life and all forsake us yet let but the light of God's countenance shine upon us and that shall be life and friends and goods and all unto us Afflictions the ready way to Heaven A Man taking his journey into a far Country and enquiring for the way is told that there are many plain waies but the streight and right way is by woods and hills and mountains and great dangers that there are many Bears and Lions in the way much difficulty is upon the road thither Now when he is traâ—ailing and finds such and such things in the way such mountains and hills of opposition such flats and vallies of danger he concludeth that he is in the right way thither And so the child of God that is going to the kingdom of Heaven though there be many waies to walk in yet he knowes that there is but one rigâ—t way which is very strait and narrow full of trouble full of sorrow and Persecution full of all manner of crosses and afflictions and when in this life he is persecuted for God and a good cause whether in body or in mind it argueth plainly that he is in the right way to salvation To be provident for daies of triall MEn in policy prepare cloaks for the wet provision for winter a staffe for old age a scrip for the journey they 'l be sure to lay up something for a rainy day or a bank of mony to flie to when occasion serveth Thus it should be with all true Christians they should be alwaies striving for the more and more assurance of God's favour to be sure of a stock going in the Lord's affection to get some perswasion of God's love whereby they may be able to stand in the evill day in the saddest of times in the hour of death and in the day of judgment A good Man is the prop and stay of his Country IT was the Poet's vain and groundlesse conceit of Hector that so long as he lived Troy could not be destroyed terming him the immovable and inexpugnable pillar of Troy But well may it be said of a faithfull man that he is a mighty stay and strength a main defender and upholder of the place where he liveth for whose sake for whose presence and prayers out of the Lord 's abundant kindnesse to all His even the wicked are often within the shadow of God's protection and spared It is Peace that sets up Religion ANtigonus told the Sophister he came out of season when he presented a treatise of Iustice to him that was at that very time besieging a City he could not hear the voice of the Lawes for the noise of Drums And so the Lawes of God the comfortable voice of the Gospell cannot be heard in times of war and hostility Religio doâ—enda non coercenda Fire and faggot are but sad Reformers It is Peace that is the good Ioseph the best Nurse to Religion When the Church had peace and rest then and not till then it multiplied Children to be brought up in the fear of God PArents are very carefull to prefer their children to great places and Noblemen's houses and to that end they give them gentile breeding which is welldon of them But if they would indeed be good parents to their children they should first endeavour to get roomes for them in the kingdom of Heaven But how shall this preferment be had God hath an upper and a lower house His Church and the â—ingdom of Heaven the Church is his house of grace Heaven is his house of glory Now if thou wouldst bring thy child to a place in the house of glory then thou art first of all to get him a place in the house of grace bringing him up so in the fear of God that both in life and conversation he may shew himselfe to be a member of the Church and then assure thy selfe that after this life he shall be removed to the second House which is the house of glory and there for ever be a freeman in the kingdom of Heaven In thus doing thou shalt not leave him an Orphan when thou diest for he shall have God for his Father Christ for his Brother and the Holy Ghost his Comforter to all eternity Heavenly Principles tend Heaven-ward FIre which here we kindle and is engendered on the earth it being no earthly but an heavenly body hath ab origine an aptnâ—sse and inclination carrying it towards the sphear of Fire which is the proper place thereof So from what time a man by God's calling is begotten to be an heavenly creature here on the earth he hath produced in him an inclination which doth make him move God-ward being heavenly principled he tends Heaven-ward Never did poor exile so much long to smel the smoak of his native Country as he breathes and pants after the Kingdome of Heaven Sathan suiting himself to all humours IT is observable that a Huntsman or Forrester goeth usually in green suitable to the leaves of the Trees and the grasse of the Forrest so that by this means the most observant in all the Heard never so much as distrusteth him till the Arrow stick in his sides And thus the Devill shapes himself to the fashions of all men if he meet with a proud man or a prodigal man then he makes himselfe a flatterer if a covetous man then he comes with a reward in his hand He hath an apple for Eve a grape for Noah a change of raiment for Gehezi a bag for Iudas He can dish out his meat for all palats he hath a laste to fit every shoo he hath something to please all conditions to suit with all dispositions whatsoever Love the bond of all perfection AS the Pâ—imum mobile in the Heavens sets all the other Sphears a going which move and make musiâ—k as the Pythagoreans thought in the god's bosome As Ens in Logick communicates his beeing to the ten Preâ—icaments So is Love to the ten Commandements in which they live and move and have their being Love is the end the scope at which they all aime the perfection in which they rest the tribute which they exact it is the bond of perfection or perfection of bonds the most perfect bond that ties all graces to us Forgivenesse of others an argument of God's forgivenesse of us TAke a
surer then the bonds of Grace We call on God our Father we acknowledge or should do one Church our Mother we suck the same breasâ—s of the Old and New Testament we are bred up in the same School of the Cross fed at the same Table of the Lord incorporated into the same Communion of Saints If these and the like considerations cannot knit our hearts in love one to another the very Heathens will rise up in Iudgement against us and condemn us The winning of a Soul unto God very acceptable with God MEmorable is the story of Pyrrhias a Merchant of Ithaca who on a time seeing an aged man captive in a Pyrats Ship took compassion on him and redeemed him and with him bought likewise his Commodity which the Pyrat had taken from him being certain â—arrels of pitch The old man perceiving that not for any service that he could do him nor for the gain of his commodity but meerly out of charity Pyrrhias had done this presently discovered unto him a great mass of Treasure hidden in the pitch whereby he grew exceeding wealthy having not without divine providence obtained an answerable blessing for so good an act of Piety Now if God so bountifully requite the Redemption of a poor old man de servitute corporeâ from a corporal servitude how much rather should every man contend to the utmost of his power Ministers in the Pulpit Magistrates on their benches Masters in their families every one by a good example to win a soul unto God to â—edeem his Brother from the thraldom of the Devil which is to save a soul from death And for which they shall be honoured with the name of Saviours and their reward shall be that they shall shine like stars for ever and ever The great difficulty of forgiving one another IT is worthy observation and such as are conversant amongst little children know it to be true That when they are taught to say the Lords Prayer they are usually out at that Petition Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us The reason is because of the harshnesse of the sound the reiteration of one and the same words the multiplicity of the Consonants and the like It were to be wished that that which they are so often out at we could be more frequently in at that what is not easie for their shallow heads to conceive may not be too hard for our more experimental hearts to practise But it is hard indeed why else did Christ make a Comment on that Petition passing by the other five when he taught his Disciples to pray And hence it is that injuries are registred in sheets of Marble to all Posterity whilst benefits are written in the sand ready to be dashed out by the foot of the next that passeth by Death is the true Christians advantage AS that Ass called Cumanus Ass jetting up and down in a Lions skin did for a time much terrifie his Master but afterwards being descryed did benefit him very much Thus Death by the death of Christ stands like a silly Ass having his Lions skin pulled over his ears and is so far from terrifying any that it benefits all true Christians because by it they rest from their labours and if they be oppressed with cares and troubles of the world perplexed distracted in the midst of a crooked and froward generation let but death come they have their Quietus est and are discharged The great danger of not listning to the Word preached THe Romane Senators conspired against Iulius Caoesar to kill him That very next morning Artemidorus Caoesars friend delivered him a paper desiring him to peruse it wherein the whole plot was discovered But Caoesar complemented away his life being so taken up to return the salutations of such people as met him in the way that he pocketed the paper among other Petitions as unconcerned therein and so going to the Senate house was there slain Thus the World the Flesh and Devil have a design for the destruction of Men Ministers such as watch for their good bring a Letter of advice Gods word wherein all the conspiracie is revealed but who doth believe their report Most men are so busie and taken up with worldly delights that they are not at leisure to listen to them or read the letter but thus alas run headlong to their own destruction Vniversal Repentance WE commend Prisoners for their wisdom who knowing they are guilty more wayes then one desire that all the Indictments may be brought in against them before the Verdict pass upon them that so they might be throughly discharged So he that arraigneth himself before the Bar of God's Iustice should not leave any thing unrepented of whereof he knoweth himself guilty nor conceal any part of his misery that needeth the help of God's mercy Prudence and worldly Policy uncertain THe Chirurgion that dealeth with an outward wound seeth what he doth and can tell whether he can heal it or no and in what time but he that is to make an incision within the body be it for the Stone or the like disease he doth but as it were grope in the dark and may as well take hold of that he should not as of that which he would And the Artizan that worketh in his shop and hath his tools about him can promise to make up his dayes work to his best advantage But the Merchant Adventurer that is to cut the Seas and hath need of one wind to bring him out of the Haven another to bring him out to the Lands end another perhaps to bring him to the place of Traffick where he would be he can promise nothing neither touching his return neither touching the making of his Commodity but as the wind and the weather and the men of War by the way and as the honesty and skill of them whom he tradeth with shall give him leave Juâ—â— so it fareth in matters of prudence and worldly Policy they are conjectural they are not demonstrative and therefore there is no Science of them they have need of concurrence of many causes that are casual of many mens minds that are mutable therefore uncertain not to be built upon Matter enough within us to condemn us PIso one of the Roman Generalls to shew the bloody humour that was in him commanded that a Souldier should be put to death for returning without his fellow with whom he went from the Camp saying that he had killed him The Captain who had the charge to execute this poor Souldier when he saw his fellow coming which had been missed before did spare the first mans life upon this Piso finds matter to take away the lives of all three Hear his worthy reason for it You are a man condemned saith he unto the first my sentence was passed on you and therefore you shall dye then turning him to the second you were the
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
a straight way yet try it put into it however do but disgest the diâ—â—iculty of the entrance and then thy feet shall not be straitâ—ed thou shalt find more and more enlargement every day more comfort then other Lewdnesse of the Preachers life no warrant to sleight the Ordinance of Preaching IT was an unhappy meaning that Sir Thomas Moor had though he spake it pleasantly when he said of a vitious Priest That he would not by any means have him say the Creed lest it should make him call the Articles of his Faith into question Thus too too many are apt to call the Truths of Gods Word into question because of the lewdnesse of the Preachers life One will not have his children baptized by such a one it goes against anothers stomach to receive the Sacrament from the foul hands of such a one others care not for their doctrine because they say and do not c. A preposterous Zeal God wot Eliah received comfortable food from a Raven as well as from an Angel If God speak to thee as he did to Balaam by the mouth of an Asse thou must have so much Patience saith Luther as to hear him If God will have thee to be saved by one who peradventure shall be damned hear what he saith and look not what he doth if thy Pastor live lewdly that is his own hurt if he preach well that is thy good take thine own and go thy way Good water which passeth into a Garden through a channel of stone doth the Garden good though it do the channell none and so may the Word and water of life conveyed by a bad instrument of a stony heart do good to the Church of God though it work not upon himself And good seed though it be cast into the ground with foul hands will â—ructifie One may be a bad Man yet a good Seeds-man both in the Field and the Church yet woe be to him by whom the offence cometh by whose means the offerings of Eli's sons smoked for this And to many which have prophesied in his Name Christ will say in his just displeasure Away from me ye workers of iniquity Wicked Men made by God instrumentall for the good of his People LEwes of Granada that devout Spaniard maketh mention of a very poor diseased Man dwelling in Italy that was brought so low that he could stir neither hand nor foot and seeking for a skilful Physitian to heal him he found a potent Enemy to torment him who to adde unto his misery cast him into prison and there kept him with a very small allowance of bread and water so much onely as should keep life and soul together But it so happened that there being a new face of Government in that Province he was released from his imprisonment and his disease together For the want of Food intended to take away his life proved the onely remedy to preserve it And thus it is that God makes use of Wicked Men for his Peoples good The Wicked cast them into the Furnace thinking to destroy them but they rise out thence more glorious then before They plow deep Furrowes on the backs of Gods people but that makes them more fruitfull in good works put them to death that proves their advantage vex grieve trouble and torment them yet do what they can do they are still gainers not losers so true is that of the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. All things work together for the best to them that love God How it is that one Man may be said to be punished for another Mans sin A Man that hath fâ—d high for a long time comes to have a plethory of crude and indigested humors in his stomach It so falls ouâ— that this Party riding afterwards in the wet and taking cold begins to shiver and shake and after falls into a durable lasting Feaver If the Physitian be a wise Man one that hath parts and skill ask him What was the cause of this sicknesse and he will tell you The ill humours of the body and the abounding of them yet it is like enough it had not turned to a Feaver so soon if he had not took cold of his feet or been some way troubled in his journey So when God brings punnishment upon People the proper cause is in every Mans self There are personall sins in every Man to make him obnoxious to the curse of God yet may the sins of the Father or Parent or Neighbour be the occasion that God will punnish Sin so that it may be said that the personal Sins of Men are the primary internal antecedent dispositive cause of Gods Iudgments but the Sins of other Men as they are Members of the whole may be the external irritating excitating cause of Gods Iudgments upon a People or Nation The Souls comfortable enjoyment of Christ. IT were a great grace and such as would minister much comfort to a Courtier lying sick at home of the gowt to have the Prince not onely to send to him but in person also to visite him but much more comfort and joy would it be to him to be able being recovered to repair to the Court and there enjoy his Prince's presence with such pleasures and favours as the place may afford How much more then in this case is it a grace and a comfort that God vouchsafeth to visit us here by his Spirit sometimes more familiarly and feelingly but alwaies so effectually as thereby to support us even in the greatest of extremity but how much more exceedingly shall our joy and comfort be encreased when being freed from all infirmities we shall be taken home to him that we may enjoy him for evermore As that Courtier having assurance given him of recovery by such a time would exceedingly rejoyce to think of the joy of that day and count every day a week if not a year to it wherein he should being recovered return to the Court and be welcom'd thither in solemn manner by all his Friends there and by the Prince in a more especiall manner So well may the faithful Soul not a little joy to fore-think with it self what a joyfull hour that shall be unto it wherein by Death parted from the body it shall solemnly be prâ—sented before the face of Iâ—sus Christ and entring into the Heavenly place shall be welcom'd thither by the whole Court of Heaven the blessed Saints and Angels Unhappy Prosperity happy Adversity IT is a Philosophical observation of Turtle Doves and some other birds that use to take their flights into other parts beyond the Seas that if the South-wind blow they will be sure of a good guide to direct them but if the wind be Northward then they venture of themselues without any conduct at all This may note unto us the unhappy Prosperity of the Wicked and the happy Adversity of the Godlâ— He that spreads his sailes before
esse nisi cum Diabolo qui non est cum Christo There is no medium place He must needs be in Hell with the Devill that is not in Heaven with Christ. Men by Nature desirous of things unlawfull and prohibited IT was the saying of an Ingenious witty Divine that our Grandmother Eve got such a cold in Paradise that all her Posterity have ever since had a cough of the Lungs nothing will down with them but forbidden fruit Would you have a Bookâ—ell â—ell well the Stationer will soon find a way for that let it be but prohibited and call'd in by Authority The onely way to make a Woman be a blab of her tongue is to bid her keep Counsâ—l Venison is nothing so sweet they say as when it is stollen and then it comes to be dear many times with a Witnesse Thus it is that nothing more enflames the Natural affections of Men then the prohibition of things they desire they long to be medling with the forbidden morsels of sin they love to eat that on Earth which they may chance to disgest in Hell It is quite against the Nature of Man to be confin'd to be limited he will have his own Will though it be contrary to the Will of God though he get Hell for his Will he will have his will And so much the stronger the interdiction is of any thing so much the more such is the exorbitancy of his Nature he is enflamed with desire till he have accomplished it Christs Wounds the onely hiding place of a Christian. THere is an Apologue how the Dove made moan to her fellow Birds of the Tyranny of the Hawk One counsels her to keep below but the Hawk can stoop for his prey Another adviseth to soar aloft but the Hawk can mount as high as she Another to shrowd her self in the Woods there she shall be sure but alas that is the Hawk's Mannour the place where he keeps his Court. Another bids her keep the Town there she was sure from the Hawk but so she became a prey to Man and had her eyes put out to make the Hawk sport At last one bids her rest her self in the holes of the Rock there she should be safe Violence it self could not surprise her This Dove is the Soul of every Man she would gladly be secured from Sathan Come to me saith Riches here thou shalt be sure No Wealth is the Devil's stirrop whereby he gets up and rides the Covetous Man Come to me saith Pleasure here thou shalt be safe as if she were not as very a Whore as Dalilah to betray thee to the Philistines Honour sayes Come to me here thou art sure as if the Devill durst not come near the Court gates or greatnesse were a Supersedeas to sin or a protection against the arrest of Judgments No there is no assurance in any of these yet there is a Rock of safety clefts in that Rock the wounds of Iesus Christ there and there onely the Soul shall be in safety No Safety to be expected in the midst of publique danger IT is the observation of Platina that when one Facimus Canis was hired by the Gibellines to suppresse the contrary faction of the Guelphs in the City of Papiâ— and the convenant was That he should have the goods of the Guelphs for his pay He obtaining the Victory falls a rifling the Gibellines also without any distinction at all and being accused therefore as not standing to his promise made this answer That themselves indeed were Gibellines and should be safe but their goods were Guelphs and must go to wrack as well as those of their Adversaries Just like that of Garnet the Provinciall who being questioned by Catesby Whether with a safe Conscience they might proceed in their power-project seeing that in blowing up of the King and Protestants divers also of their own party must necessarily go the same way replyes very profoundly that No doubt it might well be done seeing it would redound to the good of the Catholique cause What not spare their own side to do ours a mischief No it will not be there 's no safety there can be no immunity from damage in the times of publique danger The truth of this assertion hath been experimenâ—ally felt in these late differences amongst us If our Persons were on the right side our Goods were on the wrong all proved Fish that came to the net whether Friend or Foe the goods were sure to suffer How it is that the Law is said to be the strength of Sin AS when a Physitian that is skilfull in his Profession doth all that belongs to the best of his Judgment the druggs that he gives and the ingredients that â—e infuseth are able to work their effect if they fall into a suitable body But if the Patient be froward and will not be ruled or his body be distempered he is never the better for it Now the fault is not in the Physiâ—ian nor in the Physick they be both very good but in the Party that was not prepared for it or that would not receive it and convert it to that use for which it was prepared Thus it is that God gave the Law for a good Law an holy and just Law as a true direction for the reformation of life and manners but the Party that received it did not take it thus so that occasionally not from the Nature of the Law but by the ill acceptance of the Party it comes to be the strength of Sin The Law of it self is said to be a light unto our feet and a lanthorn to our paths and the light of it self were we but able to follow it but because of our own Natural indisposition it comes so to passe that the Law which should pull down Sin gives strength unto it and being made to kill sin gives life unto 〈◊〉 Gods Promises are for the most part conditional A Proclamation is read wherein a Christian King grants honour and Wealth to certain of his Subjects with assurance of donation upon their just demand One amongst the Multitude leaps at the news springs away and stayes not to hear it out there is a Condition following provided first That they put on Arms and expell the Turk which infests some part of his dominions This Man comes one of the foremost to demand the promised honours he is asked for a testimony of his Valour and service in the Warrs Alas He never tarried to hear that condition and therefore lost the Retribution Thus it is that God promiseth eternâ—l life to Mâ—n but withall chargeth them to believe in Christ and to do him faithful service against the World the Flesh and the Devill but so it is that many are quite lost for not staying to hear the Proclamation of the Gospel out they run away with opinion of sufficient belief and never think of obedience Whereas the Promises of
and convenient for himself in wisdome choosing the form the Field the time the place and all for the advantage of his Army giving not the least foot of advance to his Enemy whereof he could possibly hinder him And thus it is that many though otherwise high-spirited enough do erre in a false opinion of their own valour and thereby lose both themselves and their honours so that whilest they affect to be called gallant Fighters do prove indeed to be but foolish Commanders and ill Captains not getting that Honour and Vaâ—our which they so eagerly seek but the blame of temerity and rashnesse which they should mostly avoid Ministers to be active and vigorous in the reproof of Sin SUppose a Town to be all on fire Should we not count the Man ridiculous that should come and tell us a cold story saying Sirs let me tell you a thing there is a great Fire in the Town and I verily think it may burn all the Town and you should do well to go and quench it This Man tells us so indeed but should not we think him a Fool for telling us such a thing in such a cold and carelesse manner Nature it self teacheth another course in such a case Fire Fire help O help for the Lords sake water water in all haste Alas alas we are undone quickly quickly run for ladders run for buckets run for wet cloaths Ah you lazy Villain run apace for Iron hooks and the like So it is in the matter of Preaching What weighty things doth the Word contain Truths that should make the very bowels of the Minister to yern and pour out his affections in the Pulpit to rouze up the Peoples thoughts and awaken them from the sleep of Sin and security wherein they have a long time snorted otherwise when they hear of matters of life and death eternal life salvation and damnation they sit like blocks on their feats as though it were no matter of concernment Not to be hasty in the matter of Revenge IT is reported of Iames the Fourth King of Scotland that being much offended with the Earl Crawford he vowed to pull down his house from the top to the bottom but the Earl by his timely submission took off the edge of the Kings anger against him Insomuch that the King that he might in some sort be as big as his word went up to the top of his house and without doing any more harm at all threw down a little stone which was closed to the Fabrick which is to this day kept as a Monument of the Kings favour to that Family And thus it were to be wished that Men in the height and heat of their passion would throw themselves down at the footstool of him to whom vengeance belongeth not to be hasty in matters of Revenge and upon every sleight occasion or the least punctilio of honour to be ready to sheath their swords in the bowels of one another thus to do is sawcily to seat themselves upon Gods throne and as much as in them lyeth to wrest the sword out of his hands But let all such know that the lesse any Man strives for himself the more God is his Champion and he that said I seek not my own glory addes but there is one that seeks it and judgeth God takes his part ever that fights not for himself More Converts made by Preaching then by Reading A Man may be converted by Reading as Luther said he was It is the confession of Luther that the reading of Iohn Hus's Works was the main cause of his Conversion And S. Augustin's tolle lege taking up of the book and reading that of the Apostle Not in chambering and wantonnesse was by Gods especial favour a means to draw him out of that puddle of Sin wherein he had a long time wallowed Thus there is a blessing for Readers And there may a Fish or two hang on the Net being let down on a heap but that 's a chance It is not the Net lapped up together that bringeth in the draught but hailed out at length and spread all abroad that closeth in the Fish So it is the spreading of the Word the stretching of it out upon every Soul present by the work of the Ministry that is the way to catch many so that the reason of such ill successe in many Ministers is not spreading the net not dilating upon the matter in hand whereby their Preaching seems to be little better then Reading Magistrates Rulers c. of all Men to be resolved in the cause of God and their Country JAmes the Third King of Scotland waving the wholesome advice of his Nobility betook himself to the Counsels of some few unworthy Men insomuch that all things were out of order so that the Nobility fell upon consultations for the good of their King and Country Archibald Earl of Angus contrives the way how the wicked Counsellors might be feâ—ch'd off from the King all approve it onely the Lord Grey perceiving the forwardnesse of the People told them the Fable of the Rats and Mice who consulting in a publique meeting how they might be secured from the surprisal of their publique Enemy the Cat found out as they thought a very good way for their safety which was to hang a bell about every Cats neck that so they might have warning of their approach and shift for themselves But when it was put to the question Who should undâ—rtake to tye the bell about the Cats neck they were all at a stand not one durst undertake to do it The Earl of Angus sodainly smelt out his meaning and what application was to be made upon the matter and thereupon made answer I will bell the Catt and what your Lordships shall conclude fit to be done shall not want for Execution which fell out accordingly And thus it is that Resolution in the cause of God and the Country becomes all Men especially Christian men such as are in places of power and authority that when their Religion and liberties lye at the stake they would not stand shall I shall I but bell the Cat stare in the face of any opposition whatsoever and boldly seize upon the Enemies of their peace and safety The Ministers calling to be owned from God VVHen the Danites asked the Levite in Mount Ephraim Who brought him thither and what he made in that place he made no other answer but that Micah had hired him and dealt well with him c. he knew well enough that he put himself there sought for the place himself It was maintenance that brought him thither His own Conscience told him He was an Hireling he came not in by the door but at the Window he could not say that the Lord brought him thither And thus it is that no Man can be said to enter into the Ministery in a right way but by God he must have his letters of
as maintain him though he were a Papist in the matter of his Religion yet this unthankfull Fellow went about to betray him to death but the Merchant having escaped his hands meerly out of love to his Soul used all means to be Friends with him again and invited him to his house All this would not do his heart was so embittered that he would shun the way of him and not so much as look at him It fell out so at length that he met him in such a narrow lane that he could not balk him but must needs talk with him The good Merchant takes him to him tells him he was glad he had met with him and wondred that he was grown so strange What said he do you think me your Enemy If I were Could I not crush you with a word speaking Alas I am not offended with you if you be not with me and for all your treachery against me will forgive and forget it These kind words were no sooner spoken but the Cobler melted into tears and falling down upon his knees confessed his villany and repenting of it told him This love of yours shall bind me to you for ever to serve you in all that I may or possibly can This Popish Cobler is the heart of every child of Adam this Royall Merchant is the great God of Heaven this narrow lane is the streight of Conscience beset with sins and curles this kind behaviour is the tender of Grace Let us not then be worse to our poor Souls then the Cobler was to his but break our hearts by Repentance and sorrow for our sins that ever we should offend so good a God so gratious and loving a Master and with Saul to David say Where shall a Man find such love as to spare his Enemy when he had him in his hand and to be content to cut off onely a lap of his garment to correct him here in this World with some temporary Iudgment when he might have cut his throat and cast him into Hell-torments for evermore God raysing up Instruments for the deliverance of his People MEmorable is that Vision of Zachary I lift up mine eyes said the Prophet and saw and behold four horns Chap. 1. vers 18. And the Lord shewed me four Carpenters vers 20. Now what were these four horns What but the Enemies of the Church vers 19. Horns so called for their power and said to be four in reference to the four parts of the World East West North and South from all which they came And what are the Carpenters Why Instruments raised up by God to break and batter those horns to oppose to overthrow that adverse power vers 21. and they are said to be four to import an equality of strength and power Thus when God hath a work to do be it to beat down Babylon or build up Ierusalem he can raise up Carpenters Instruments that shall be sufficient for the work though never so mean yet they shall effect great work Trumpets of Rams horns if they do but blow down go the walls of Jericho with a Vengeance Nay though Instruments fail yet the promise shall not fail though the Carpenters should not strike one stroke yet God hath waies to take off the horns of his enemies though his People should be destitute of all humane protection yet he will find out a way to deliver and secure them no Temptation no crosse no trouble shall so far seize upon them but he will find a way to esape that they may be able to bear it All endeavours to be sanctified by Prayer THere was a certain Husbandman that alway sowed good seed but never could have any good corn at last a Neighbour came unto him and reasoned What should be the cause he sowed so good seed and râ—aped so bad corn Why truly said he I give the Land her due good tillage good seed and all things that be fit Why then replyed the other It may be you do not steep your seed No truly said he nor ever did I hear that seed should be steeped Yes surely said the other and I will tell you how It must be steeped in Prayer When the Party heard this he thanked him for his good counsel put it home to his Conscience reformed his fault and had as good corn as any other Man whatsoever Thus it is that if ever we look to have a good improvement of our labours and to have a blessing upon what we undertake we must have recourse unto God by Prayer Otherwise we may trade and trasfick fight and warre and get nothing Nay let us get ever so much it is all in vain because we ask not aright Iam. 4. 2. Universal Obedience unto God injoyned AN Instrument if one onely string be out of tune although the rest be well set yet that one keeps such a jarring and harsh sound that the lesson plaid thereon will relish as unmusically in a skilful ear as if all the strings were out of tune And thus if a Man should abstain from swearing and drunkennesse yet if he were given to lust or if from those three and yet addicted to Covetousnesse it comes all to one reckoning Let every Man therefore look into his bosome sin observe diligently that one jarring string and never leave screwing and winding of it up till it be brought into right tune and if that cannot be effected break it pluck it out For God will have a compleat harmonious consent a resolution for Universal obedience otherwise no acceptance To be more careful for the Body then the Soul reproveable THe Iews have a Story of a Woman that took two Children to nurse the one a very mean deformed crooked blind and not likely to live long the other as goodly a child as may be beautifull well-favoured and likely to be long-liv'd Now this foolish Woman bestowing all her care and diligence pains and attendance upon the worst child never so much as minding the best must needs be ignorant and very foolish in so bad a choyce and of so great neglect Thus it is that the most of Men are herein to be reproved who having taken two Children to nurse their bodies and their Souls and well knowing that the Soul is infinitely far better then the body more beautiful and of longer continuance yet like the foolish Nurse they bestow all their care labour and pains for the worst they make provision for the Flesh pamper up the body which must ere long lye down in the dust and starve the Soul which doth and must live for ever The great danger of Repentance put off till old age HE cannot be otherwise looked on then as a very Unwise Man that having made a burthen of sticks and finding it too heavy for his shoulders should lay it aside and go and cut down more and adde unto it And him little better then a Mad-man that
having a great journey to go and a great burthen to carry and having choyce of many lusty horses should let them all passe empty away and lay his carriage upon a poor feeble Iade that could scarce bear himself And him also none of the wisest that shall neglect to passe over the Foord in the morning when the water is low and think to go over it at night when the banks are full Yet such are all they that put off Repentance till old age that think to serve Sathan and their youthful lusts with full dishes and reserve a few abject scraps of old age for Gods Table but let such seriously consider Whether it will be easier for them now to repent and amend in the time of their youth then hereafter in old age now in health then hereafter in sicknesse now when the burthen of their Sins is lesser then hereafter when it shall be greater In a word now whilest Grace is near or when it shall stand at a further distance In the midst of delay the accompt is encreased the debt augmented the Enemy more strong themselves more feeble and all the difficulties of Conversion daily more and more multiplyed upon them having a day more to repent of and a day lesse to repent in The danger of sleeping out Sermons A Certain Maid went to Church with a purpose to sleep from day to day as she confessed afterwards thinking she could sleep more sweetly there then any where It so pleased God that one night she fell into a dream and imagined her self to be walking two wayes were presented unto her in the one way was a great Fire that way she would not go the other way she took it led her by the Church she awaked with this application of her dream That she had been wont to sleep much at Church and if she did not amend that fault she must expect no other but Hell-fire This dream thus applyed made her leave sleeping and fall to Hearing and from Hearing to believing and repenting Thus it is that Hell is made for Sermon-sleepers torment being the just recompence of sinful ease that they who sleep when they should awake must make accompt to awake with pain when they would be at rest Reall Thanksgiving to be made unto God for benefits received THe Covetous Husbandman when he seâ—s a plentifull Harvest towards or the Merchant a good return in trading they will perhaps afford a God be thanked buâ— it comes off so poorly with such a squint-ey'd relation to their profit that a Man may easily perceive had not all things happened aright he should have had little thanks at their hands as if they were no more bound to give God praise then he to give them present benefit But it was otherwise with holy Iob he did not onely sacrifice for his Children his health and wealth whilest he enjoyed them but when they were taken away from him Chap. 1. And herein a good Man imitates the bells that ring as pleasantly at a Funerall as at a Wedding When it goes well with him he praiseth the Mercy of God when ill with him he magnifies his Iustice he is thankfull in all Conditions not sleightly as the manner of the World is but cheerfully and with a good courage Psalm 33. 3. Plots and Contrivances of the Wicked turning to the good of Gods People TUlly maketh mention of one Phereus Iason whom his Enemy running through with a sword intending to kill him by chance opened an Impostume in his body which the Physitians could not by any means cure Such was that confederacy of Ioseph's brethren they sell him into Egypt thought all cock-sure but God so ordered it that the wickednesse of their consâ—ltation was the stirrop whereby he mounted into greater exaltation Thus it is that all the Plots and contrivances of wicked men shall turn to the good of Gods people the vexations troubles sorrows or any Affliction whatsoever wherewith the Sons of Belial are wont and do usually exercise the Children of God are but as so many spurs and goades in their sides to drive them forward to their Heavenly Father And though by his permissive Providence it hath and doth often so fall out that they have a very large Commission to touch their bodies their goods and their good names nay their very lives yet all shall be for the good of their pretious and immortal Souls The sad effects of not giving unto God his due Glory IT was the frequent affirmation of the late Heroick and Victorious King of Sweden That he feared the Peoples ascribing too much of that Glory to him which was duè to God would remove him before the work was finished And for ought as any Man knowes it was a speech too Prophetical Thus it is that there is not any way speedier to bring Iudgments upon Rulers and Nations then when the due honour shall be taken from God and ascribed to Men which are but secondary subordinate Instruments to convey them It is the onely way to forfeit all favours when we ascribe too much to the second causes and too little to the first by looking more to them for safety then to him from whom all deliverance cometh Invocation of Saints and Angells condemned ERasmus amongst others of his pleasant conceits reporteth a story of one at Sea where as their manner is every Man in a wrack flieth to his Saint as it were a Tutelar God There was one saith he amongst the rest when he saw the present and imminent danger and that there was no time of delay In the midst of his distraction thought with himself thus If I should pray to Saint Nicholas it is uncertain whether he hear me and it may be he is busy in hearing and dispatching some body else or if not so yet it may be he cannot have so speedy accesse to mediate for me as my presâ—nt necessity requires I will therefore take the safest and the surest course and go directly to God himself by Christ Iesus according to that of the Psalmist O thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come And without all doubt it is a manifest derogation and robbing of God even of his peculiar right who is the sole hearer of his Peoples prayers when solemn addresses are made unto Saints and Angells by way of Invocation there being no warrant in all the Scrâ—ptures for the same as Eckius and other Pontificians do confesse Nay more that it is the safer and better way to call upon God onely in the name of Iesus Christ as another of them out of a work ascribed to S. Augustine concludes the question thus Tutius et jucundius loquor ad meum Jesum c. More safely and more sweetly do I speak in Prayeâ— to my Iesus then to any of the Angels or Saints departed Curious Inquisitors into Gods secrets deservedly punished IT is
but let Patience have its perfect work in them so that when they are as it were overwhelmed in a deluge of distress finding no way to get out they would tarry Gods time and though deliverance come not at an instant yea though it be irksome at the present in due time they shall certainly receive comfort Pride a main Engine of the Devill AS when a City or a Castle is besieged amongst other stratagems and devices Men use to undermine the Foundation and blow it up with Gunpowder that being as they think the surest way to gain it So the Devill laying battery to the Fort of Mans Soul undermines it and puts the Gunpowder of Pride into it knowing that as he himself was blown up so will that pretious Fortresse be easily scaled if that powder once take fire in it And as those that fish with nets in standing Rivers where they pitch down their net do blunder and trouble the water that the Fish may not see the net and then with poles beat and dash the streams above to drive the Fish into the net So Satan setting the net of disobedience muds and troubles the heart of Man by Pride and so beats him down the stream of his own affections till he have caught him in his deadly Net of destruction Nature cannot work out Peace of Conscience THere are a sort of foolish Country people that think Nature will work out all distemperatures and they need no Physick Some of them are confuted by their graves others of more strength and healthier Constitutions possibly recover their former vigour but their diseases make a truce onely not a peace with their bodies the latent cause remains and watcheth its advantage of the next heat or cold the body takes or the next intemperate season that comes And thus many deal with their Souls never regarding when their Spirits are troubled to heal up the wound with the balm of Gelead but go on in their Worldly natural way and at last their troubled Spirits are quiet again so they get their Peace of course but all this while the hidden cause of their trouble watcheth the next advantage their Souls fester within and on a sodain they are ready to despair and to lay Violent hands on themselves Men to set an high Valew upon their Souls WHen Praxiteles a cunning Painter had promised unto Phryne one of the choicest pieces in his shop she not knowing which was the best began to think upon some plot whereby to make him to discover his Judgment which of them was the piece indeed suborned one of his Servants to tell his Master being then in the Market selling his Pictures that his house was on fire and a great part of it burnt down to the ground Praxiteles hearing this presently demanded of his Servant If the Satyre and Cupid were safe whereby Phryne standing by discovered which was the best Picture in the Shop And shall a silly painter set so high an esteem upon a poor base Picture the â—â—ubber'd work of his own hands And shall not we much more value the Soul that is of an Immortall being the most pretioâ—â— piece that ever God made the perfect pattern and Image of himself let Riches honours and all go if nothing but this escape the fire it is sufficient Peace of Conscience not wrought out by merry Company or drinking SOme there are that if they be in an ague or the like distemperature will drink hot waters or good store of Sack to prevent their cold â—it and out-burn Nature but alasse all the good that comes of it is onely that they fall into a burning Fever and perhaps consume their dust into ashes So there are such prophane wretches that if their Conscience alarums them if their Spirit troubles them or if crosses multiply upon them think there is no other way to wind out of the Devils fingers but by throwing themselves into his arms making themselves twice more the Children of the Devil then they were before they must needs to the Tavern or to the Alehouse seek out some boon Companions drink away their sorrow but had Zimri peace that slew his Master Damning a Soul cannot surely be the way to save it The vast difference betwixt Pride and Humility SPectacles that are of an antient sight if the young go about to use them they shew all things lesse then they are but unto old Men they present all things greater then they are Such is the difference betwixt Pride and Humility that Pride is like the old Mans spectacles and makes things bigger then indeed they are but Humility like the spectacles worn by young Men causeth every thing to seem lesse then it is A Proud man thinks no man better then himself an Humble man none worse The one lifteth up himself on high the other layeth his mouth in the dust Lament 3. 29. Much Learning to be found in a small compasse of expressions THe Learned Heraclite no lesse elegant then Aenigmatical amongst other his quaint speeches hath this saying of special remembrance and observation That the greedy Mettal mongers in their too too eager search for the Worlds wealth after long toil and trouble find parvum in magno a little pure substance in a great deal of unprofitable Earth But it fareth otherwise in the Inquisition and pursuit after Learning For there a well grounded Scholler shall find with a little abstractive speculation magnum in parvo much matter in few words every short golden sentence and particle thereof containing incredible store of most pure substance every short Aphorisme every Axiome every Maxime nay almost every contracted line comprehending matter sufficient to fill whole Volumes The true Nature of Humility RUffinâ—â— the Companion of S. Francis having a Revelation that a Crown of glory was laid up for that holy Man told him one day that it would very much rejoyce him if he would let him understand What he thought of himself To whom S. Francis gave this answer I esteem my self the greatest Sinner of any in the World and that I serve God lesse then any other man How can that be said Ruffinus seeing some are Thieves some Murtherers some Adulterers and many most prophane and Wicked wretches such as are in the very gall of bitternesse such as never think of God or goodnesse and thou art not onely free from all these but withall a Man of much sanctity and holinesse But he replying said Out of doubt if God had been so mercifull to them as he hath been to me they would have shewed themselves more thankfull then I have been And besides if God had forsaken me I should have committed far greater Sins then they have done Here was a good Man though a Papist a rare pattern of Humility so far imitaâ—le as being a Man arrived at a most excellent degree of self-denyal coming from an inward and high
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
a serious communication clear intelligence and acquaintance with their own hearts saying Heart how doest thou How is it with thee for thy spiritual estate Heart how wilt thou do or what doest thou think will become of thee when thou and I must part and never have the happinesse to talk with one another again Faithfull Soul and an Unbeliever their difference in relying upon God LOok how it is with two Watermen the one hales his Boat about the shore and cannot gâ—t off but tugs and pulls hard yet never puts her forth to the â—ide the other having more skill puts off presently 〈◊〉 up his Sail and then sits still committing himself to wind and tide which eaâ—â—ly carry him whither he is to go Just thus it is with a Faithfull Soul and an Unbeliever all the care of the one is to puchimself upon the stream of Gods providence to set up the Sail of Hope to take the gale of Gods Mercy and so he goes on cheerfully And why but because he is not moved by any externall Principle it is Faith in Christ Iesus that puts him on it is by Faith that he hath got a skill and a kind of slight to put over all cares to another and though he take up the Crosse yet he hurls all the care upon Christ and then it is an easy matter to lye under the burthen when another bears the weight But the unfaithfull unbelieving Soul thinking by his own wit and power to bring things about tugs and puls hard yet finds neither ease nor successe but sinks under the pressure of every carnal Worldly â—â—â—â—rrent that betides him Self-deniall the excellency thereof THere is mention made of a certain godly Man that was in his time sore tempted by Sathan the Man was much in duty to whom Sathan said Why takest thou this pains thou dost watch and fast and pray and abstainest from the sins of the times But O Man What dost thou more then I do Art thou no Drunkard no Adulterer No more am I Dost thou watch and fast Why let me tell thee I never slept I never ate nor drank What dost thou more then I do I will tell thee said the good Man I pray I serve the Lord nay more then all this which is indeed the sum of all I deny my self Nay then saies Sathan thou goest beyond me For I am proud I exalt my self and so vanished O the excellency of self-deniall when Christ may be said to rule within a man when in every way a Man subjects himself to Christ in his understanding to know Christ in his will to choose and embrace Christ in his thoughts to meditate upon Christ in his fear to serve and honour Christ in his Faith to trust and depend upon Christ in his love to aâ—â—ect Christ in his joy to delight in Christ in his desires to long after Christ in his endeavours to exalt Christ in all his duties graces gifts and abilities to make them serviceable to Christ so that he may be said to live yet not he but Christ that liveth in him Gal 2. 20. Graces divine not parts humane hold out in the end AS it is with two Children playing together in the day when night comes one Child goes to his Father and the other to his Father It may be all the day they are so like that you cannot say whose Child is this or that but when night comes the Father then cometh to his Child and saith Come my Child come in at dores And if the other do but offer to come in No child you must go home to your Father So while we are living Grace and gifts are mingled together some men have gifts and some Men have graces and they look very like Ah but when night comes when Death comes then saith God to those that have Grace Come my Children enter in but if those that have gifts onely come he sends them another way so that if a Man have never such parts and gifts yet if he have not Grace withall he may go to Hell and perish to all Eternity How it is that Graces of the Spirit may at present seem to be lost AS in a Fire the fewel may be quite burnt out the flame abated and quite extinguished but yet there still remains an heap of Coals on the hearth and in them a good Fire though all may seem to be quenched And it is obvious to every eye that the Sun doth not alwaies shine out in its lustre a cloud may interpose and so intercept its beams yet for all that the body of it is in the Heavens as the Fountain of all other light whatever So it is that the Graces of the Spirit such as Faith Hope Love cannot be finally and totally extinguished in the Soul when they are once wrought there by the Spirit yet their lustre their radiancy their shine and flame may be clouded for some time And so it comes to passe that though a Man cannot lose his hope yet he may at present lose the comfort and confidence of his hope though he cannot lose his Love yet he may cool the heat and fervour of his Love The flame of the Spirit the feeling and sense of it may in the secondary causes thereof for a time be quenched but yet the Spirit it self and the Cardinal graces thereof remain still in their full glory and splendor Sin to be removed as the cause of all Sorrow IF a Man have a thorn in his foot it puts him to a great deal of pain it swells and is full of anguish Now let him anoint his foot let him lap it up and keep it warm let him sit still and not walk upon it yet all the while the thorn is still in his foot he hath no ease but it akes and throbs and goes to the very Heart of him The way then for ease in such a case is to remove the cause of the sorrow by all means to get the thorn pluck'd out to get that drawn forth So when a Mans Conscience is in trouble and disquiet he may use plaisters of ease may seek to quiet his Spirit with merry Company good fellowship following his Pleasures minding his businesse he may be padling with these plaisters and Poultesses that Men of the World seek ease by but yet so long as the thorn is in the Heart guilt in the Conscience and Sin in the Soul all these slabberments will do not good the â—horn must be pluck'd out Sin must be removed as the cause of all sorrows whatsoever Means in the attainment of Grace and the use thereof enjoyned by God IT was as easy for Boaz and might have been done with as little charges to have given Ruth as much corn at once as would have yielded her an Ephah of Barly and so have sent her home without any more ado but he would have her
to use her endeavours to gather and to glean it and bear it out too when shee had gleaned it Thus God gives grace and the knowledg of his Truth as Boaz gave Ruth corn not but that he can if it so please him give knowledg by immediate Revelation and Grace by immediate infusion yet he will have us to use the means of hearing reading conference c. and so leave the issue of all our labours and endeavours to his good Will and pleasure The great benefit of Hearing and practising Gods Word AS we see in the siege of some strong hold when Men have been long coop'd up and have not had meat to eat they have come out like so many dead carcases as it were so many Sceletons so weak so poor with such gastly looks as it were enough to scare any Man with the sight of them But now eating mends all this upon eating follows strength to walk and strength to work upon eating follows fatnesse and goodnesse of Complexion And thus it is upon eating of the Word when Men with râ—adinesse and forwardnesse receive the Word of God and practise what they hear then it is that they have strength in their Souls to walk in the wayes of God then it is that they grow up as Calves of the stall full of good fat and flourishing and then it is that they have fair and good complexions their Wisedome and other Graces cause their faces to shine in the fair and lovely carriage of their lives and conversations Meditation the difficulty in the first entrance thereupon AS in the heating of an Oven the Fewel is set on fire yet not without some pains to blow it up into a flame but afterwards when the Oven begins to be somewhat hot the Fewel will catch and kindle of it self and no sooner is it thrown in but it is all in a blaze on a sodain Such is the difficuâ—â—â— of Meditation at the first When there is but as it were a little spark of Love in the heart it will cost a Man some pains to blow it up into a Flame but afterwards when the heart is once heated with those flames of Love then it will enflame all the thoughts and set the affections on fire In so much that the duty of Meditation will not be onely easie and delightfull but so necessary that a Man cannot tell how to avoid it Sathan's subtilty to ensnare THere is a story of an excellent Painter that to shew the rarily of his Art drew a white line so small that it could hardly be discerned Whereupon another that was looked on as a very able Artist to shew that he could excel him drew a black line through the middle of it so exactly that it required an exquisite sight to discern either Thus it is that the Devill slily insinuateth into and craftily worketh upon the hearts of the sons of Men the thread of his Policy being so finely spun the train of his subtilty so privily laid and the black line of his Temptations made so small that it is almost impossible to discover the secret destruction that runs through the plausibility thereof Purity of Heart no comfortable sight of god without it AS the eye that hath dust in it without or thick vapours stopping the nerves within cannot see except it be cleansed from the one and purged from the other And as the Glasse on which there is a thick mist does not represent ones face clearly before it be wiped off So neither can we see God in his Creatures in his Word in his Sacraments or in those secret inward and sweet manifestations of comfort and joy whereby he often reveals himself even in this life to them that love him so long as there is any impurity cleaves to us The pure in Heart are the onely ones that shall see God Matth. 5. 8. It is not Learning nor a clear understanding not Religious education not any one of these not all of these together but holinesse and purity of Heart that fits a Man for such a blessed Sight at God is Active Christian the best Christian. PLutarch speaks of two Men that were hired at Athens for some publique work whereof the one was full of tongue but slow at hand and the other blanck in speech yet an excellent Workman Being called upon by the Magistrates to expresse themselves and to declare at large how they would procâ—ed When the first had made a large speech and described it from point to point the other seconded him in few words saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye Men oâ— Athens What this Man hath said in words that will I Make 〈◊〉 in true performance And as he was adjudged the better Artisan so is the Man of action the better Christian It is not the Man of words but the Man of deeds not the learie but the fruitfull not the discoursing but the doing Christian that shall be blessed here in this world and happy in that which is to come The good Christians Hope at the death of a Child of God AS Papinius Statius reports of the old Arcadians That mourning all night for the setting of the Sun they were comforted notwithstanding at the break of day when they saw him in his sphere again And as the People enraged at the death 〈◊〉 â—omulus were quieted by and by with Proculus his newes that he saw him in glory riding up to Heaven So it is that such as are without Hope are extreamly troubled at the death of their intimate Friend and acquaintance as if he were lost and they should never see him again but the good Christian remaines full of Hope at the death of any Child of God well knowing that Mors janua vitae he had no way but by this Mortality to cloath himself with Immortality and that as he is gone before into glory they shall both meet in Heaven with comfort Blessing of God attendant on People listning to the doctrine of their own Minister PHysitians say That the Mothers milk though not so weighty as anothers if no noxious humour be tasted in it is more proper for the Child then any strangers can be because it is more natural And certainly it would not be an error if a Man should say as much of the milk which the Minister gives to his own Flock and that a People conscientiously lying at the breasts of their own Minister if the milk he gives be wholesome the doctrine preached be sound and Orthodox may expect the blessing of God for their nourishment though it hath not so much lushiousnesse to please the curious raster so much of Rhetorick to tickle the itching car as some others have State of Nature an absolute state of impotency IF a Ship that is lanch'd rigg'd and with her sayls spread cannot stirre till the wind comes fair and fills them much lesse
tryall 47. The providence of God to be eyed in all things 224. 512. God is not to be provoked to anger 16. The proud Man's Memento 565. Men not to be proud of their Lands and Livings 631. Prudentiall part of a Man to do as well as he may 653. God to be consulted at all times but more especially in the beginning of all Publique concernments 9. Publique Men to have publique spirits 32. The proposal of punishments and rewards very usefull to the bringing in to Christ 644. Punishments of the Wicked in this life nothing in comparison of those in Hell hereafter 671. The place of Purgatory a meer dream 489. Purity and the heart of Man seldome meet together 508. Q. THe vanity of needlesse and intricate Questions 61. No Quietnesse in the Soul till it come to Christ 19. The good of Quietnesse and evill of contention 331. R. RAnters Roaring Boys their Conversion to be endeavoured 358. The Ranters Religion 439. Hell broke loose by swarms of Ranters 512. How to read with profit 235. Reason must submit to Faith 125. Reconciliation with God in Christ to be made sure 290. To be made with all Men 488. Recreation the necessity thereof 247. Lawful recreation the benefit thereof 250. The high price of Mans Redemption 620. Men to labour that they be regenerated 614. Regeneration the excellency thereof 611. Carnal unregenerate Men unserviceable in Church oâ— State 534. An unregenerate Man a carelesse Man 135. Regeneration the necessity thereof 263. Regeneration the onely work of Gods Spirit 264. Corruption of Nature left even in the most Regenerate to humble them 355. To rejoyce with trembling 157. No true cause of rejoycing in this World 293. Relapses into sin dangerous 89. Gods delight in a relapsed Sinner's repentance 155. To beware of relapses in sin 279. A cheap Religion the Worldlings best Religion 42. A cheap Religion the best Religion with most Men 8. Religion and Unity the onely supporters of Church and State 16. Protestant Religion the onâ—ly comfortable Religion to dye in 21. Peace sets up Religion 48. A seeming Religion no saving Religion 61. Not lawful to fight for Religion 77. The Christians inside Religion and outside to be all one 95. Talkâ—rs and not doers of Religion condemned 98. Religion pretended mischief intended 130. 493. Religion not Reason is the square of all good actions Englands distractions as to the matter of Religion 169. Sin attendant on the best of Religious performances 170. How to walk circumspectly or Religiously 206. Religion wasted by the want of Maintenance 209. Not to give occasion that Religion be ill spoken of 258. Religion consisting in duty both to God and Man 398. The way of Religion irksome in the begining but comfortable in the end 417. Men to be forward in promoting the cause of Religion 435. Religion not to be made a stalking horse to policy 471. Satan's aym at those that have most of God and Religion in them 649. Truth of Religion lost as it were in the crowd of many Religions 654. Life libâ—rty estate c. to be undervalued when Religion is in danger of losing 658. Women Reformers intollerable 516. Reformation pretended deformation intended 116. Ignorant Reformers whether in Church or State reproved 580. Knowledg very useful in the matter of Reformation 4. The Church robbed of her maintenance upon pretence of Reformation 17. A bad Reformation of the Church is the deformation of the Church 26. To find out the impediments of Repentance in our selves 557. The great danger of Repentance put off till old age 552. Repentance not to be put off till old age 329. 414. 489. The true Râ—pentant Sinnâ—r's encouragement notwithstanding all his former Wickednesse 349. The great folly of late Repentance in any thing 17. 248. What true Repentance is 29. The time of Repentance not to be deferred 34. The vanity and danger of late Repentance 68. Nationall Judgments call for National Repentance 68. Repentance to be Universall 91. 154. 631. Our whole life to be a life of Repentance 95. Seasonable Repentance is safe Repentance 122. The fruits of Repentance are to be as well outward as inward 146. True Repentance will not admit of any sin 160. The prevalency of Repentant tears 167. 446. Christians not to revile and reproach one another 445. How to bear the Reproaches of Men 446. Reproaches to be born chearfully and why so 447. Reproaches and sufferings for the Name of Christ are marks of Salvation 449. Reproaches and sufferings made honourable by God 451. Faults in manners and errours in doctrine to be distinguished in the matter of Reproof 257. The Ministers partiality in the reproof of sin condemned 262. Reproofs of a Wise Man not to be sleighted 523. Ministers to be carefull in the reproof of Sinners 529. Resurrection of the dead asserted 515. Gods iâ—finite power in the Resurrection of the body 14. Resurrection of the body proved by demonstration 148. The happy meeting both of body and Soul in the Resurrection 176. The comfortable Resurrection of Gods poor people 311. Resurrection of the just asserted 406. Excellency of Resolution in the cause of God 378. Resolution in the cause of God very requisite 232. The Resolved Christian makes way through all difficulties 105. The Resolved Christian 50. 647. Restitution the necessity thereof 290. Neglect thereof condemned 479. Revenge above all other passions is of a growing Nature 80. Not to be hasty therein 545. The grand impostory of pretended Revelations 476. Reverence to be used in the service of God 25. 466. Reverence of Man more then God a true sign of a decaying State or Kingdome 211. Reward of Heaven will make amends for all 136. God regardeth and rewardeth his People 209. God rewarding the least of good done to his people 434. Faithful and seeming servants of God differenced by way of reward 461. Certainty of the good Man's reward 584. God himself the reward of all good endeavours 486. The fulnesse of reward reserved till after this life 620. The powerful effects of Rhetorical elocution 109. Gods Rhetorick in the delivery of the Law 133. Riches avail not in the day of Wrath 3. Riches honours preferments c. transitory 5. Riches the deceitfulnesse of them 15. Riches have wings 29. Riches without content yield no comfort 54. Riches oft-times prove pernicious to the owners thereof 55. Riches without grace yield no true comfort 87. Riches are snares 89. The safest way is to trust God with our Riches 95. The Vanity of heaping up Riches 99. The readiest way to get Riches is to trust God for them 128. The dangerous effects of Riches being not well used 131. Riches ill gotten seldome prosper 138. 495. How to use Riches 192. 590. Riches honours c. the Devil's bayts 201. Riches ill gotten never prosper 303. Riches beauty c. in comparison of God are lying Vanities 319. How to become true possessors of Riches 357. A blessed thing to have Riches and a heart to use them aright
Souls for trifles 504. The Soul not to be starved in the want of means 506. The Souls safety and danger 506. To be carefull in the keeping and presenting our Souls clean at the time of death 514. Neglect of the Soul reproved 528. 666. To be much more careful of the Soul then body 555. Men to set an high value on their Souls 566. Christ the proper object of the Soul 648. The welfare of the Soul to be preferred before any Worldly enjoyment whatsoever 668. How the Spirit is said to be quenched in our selves and in others 18. Every Man haunted with one evill spirit or other 208. The silent coming of Gods Spirit into the heart of Man 215. The blessed guidance of Gods holy Spirit to be implored 322. A reprobate and regenerate Man their different enjoyment of the motions of the holy Spirit 353. The motions of the Spirit in wicked Men tend onely to outward formality 354. How it is to be understood that the holy Spirit dwelleth in us 354. The comfortable art of spiritualizing the severall occurrences of the World and observing Gods providences therein 343. The supernatural workings of the Spirit 632. How to demean our selves after we are sealed by the Spirit 667. The danger of Stage-Playes 197. The lawfulnesse of Stage-Player questioned 274. The sins of swearing and blasphemy the commonnesse of them 122. Gods goodnesse to us to be a motive from vain swearing 451. To suâ—â—er any thing for the cause of Christ 633. Men to prefer suffering before sinning 650. T. A Man full of Talk full of Vanity 235. Dangerous to be seduced by false Teachers 64. More Teachers then Learners 428. Repentant tears purging the heart from pollutions of sin 295. The condition of Temporizers 25. The Temporiser described 93. Temperance cannot preserve a Mans life when God calls for it 171. To be temperate in meat and drink 429. An idle Man subject to the least Temptation 7. No Man free from Temptations 373 Sathan's subtilty in laying his Temptations 377. Temptations from within and without how to be dealt withall 672. Reall Thanksgiving to be made unto God for benefits 553. How to be truly thankfull unto God 448. Impossible but that a true Christian will be a thankfull Christian 21. Gods goodnesse satisfied with Mans thankfulâ—esse 37. The not returning thanks for Grace received is the ready way to be gracelesse 83. To be thankfull unto God at all times especially in the time of Prosperity 181. Gods goodness ought to procure Mans thankfulnesse 183. To be thankfull unto God in all Conditions 201. 225. 468. The true cause of Christian thankfulnesse 277. Good Christians are alwayes thankful unto God 279. To commit our selves to God in all things and to be thankfull to his holy Name 331. Men to be thankfull for the liâ—tle strength of Grace that God affordeth 371. Woâ—ldly thoughts and distractions in the time of Prayer condemned 2. How to discover our thoughts in preparation to Prayer 556. The very thoughts of former pleasures add to preâ—ent sorrows 86. The misgiving thoughts of a Worldly-minded man in reference to the enjoyments of Heaven 458. How the Devil is said to know our thoughts 461. Wicked thoughts to be carefully washed off from the heart 620. God's time the best time for deliverance 5. Time to be well uâ—ed 18. Shortnesse of Time will not admit of long discourse 40. Time well spent 120. Time ill-spent 128. No time to be mis-spent 587. Not to make use of the present Time dangerous 133. Gods time the best time 140. Time to be well husbanded 161. 270. Multitudes of Time-servers 200. Time present to be well husbanded 210. To take time while time serves 244. The least moment of time cannot be assured 250. Present occasion of time to be made use of 358. 369. Time mis-spent to be carefully redeemed 438. 664. How it is that a prudent Man may lawfully comply with the times 335. Government of the Tongue required 22. 372. An ill Tongue never speaks well of any one 55. Tongue prayer not the onely prayer 64. Study of the learned Tongues to be encouraged 99. A Tongue nimble to evill slow to goodnesse reproveable 103. Government of the Tongue commendable 146. The Tongue is the hearts interpreter 205. The original and excellency of the Hebrew tongue 403. The tongue for the most part a mischievous member 440. To be careful how we come under the reviling of an evil tongue 444. Men to be as well industrious in their trades and Callings as zealous in their devotions 539. Every Man to follow his own Trade 84. 33. Diligence in Trades and callings required 139. Trades and Occupations the Wisdome of our Forefathers in the invention and keeping them up 308. The poorest Man in his Trade or calling may do very good service unto God 423. Deceipt in Trade and commerce condemned 455. The danger of loose travell into forraign parts 156. The just reward of Treachery and false dealing 304. One God and three Persons in the Trinity faintly demonstrated 46. The blessed Trinity co-operating in the Righteous mans prayer 30. The myâ—â—ery of the blessed Trinity unconceiveable 286. Shadowed out in familiar resemblances 462. Many are the Troubles of the Righteous 67. Troubles not so much to be questioned how we came into them as how to get out of them 79. The Souls breathing after Christ in time of trouble 186. Faith in Christ the onely support in time of trouble 194. Easie to come into trouble hard to get out 204. Men not to run themselves into trouble 246. Troubles and vexations of spirit not to be allayed by wrong meanes and wayes 345. God onely to be sought unto for safety in time of trouble 360. Why God suffers his Children to be in want and trouble 493. Times of trouble and danger distinguishing true Profâ—ssors from false ones 562. To depend upon Gods All-sufficiency in time of trouble 676. The danger of trusting to Worldly greatnesse 6. To take heed whom we trust 82. To trust God who is the great Lord Proâ—â—ctor of â—is people 190. To trust in God onely 255. 623. God onely to be trusted unto in time of distresse 622. What it is to trust in God really and truly 643. Man not to be trusted unto 660. Every Man to speak Truth to his Neighbour 11. Truth seek no corners 140. Ministers to stand up for the Truth 147. Truth beloved in the general but not in particular 243. The telling of tâ—uth begets hatred 245. Men of all sorts of stand up for the Truth 246. God fetching testimonies of Truth out of the very mouthes of his Adversaries 498. Truth commended Falshood condemned 588. How it is that Truth doth not alwayes appear 674. Tyranny oppression murther c. are not long-lived 9. The sad condition of people under Tyrannical Government 310. Tyrants Infidels c. forced to acknowledg God 583. Tyrants raising themselves by a seeming compliance with the People 617. How it is that Tyrants are usually long-liv'd
book Thus it is that whereas God hath four especiall books First that of the Creation a large and visible book Secondly that of ordinary providence which is a kind of Chronicle or Diurnal of a God-head and a testimony that there is a God Thirdly that of the extraordinary works reaching upon occasion even to Nations without the borders of the visible Church Lastly the book of Mans Conscience a book that though here by reason of our sinfull blindnesse it may seem to be uncorrected dim printed and written with white and waterish ink so that God is not at present sâ—en distinctly in it yet this book together with the rest are but plaid withall slighted and neglected the most of Men looking upon them but not into them are able to discourse of them but have no mind to be truly informed by them so that if the Heathen be left without excuse What shall become of Christians knowing Christians to whom is shewed a more excellent way Psalm 19. 7 Gods decree of Election not to be made the proper object of Faith SUppose a rope cast down into the Sea for the relief of a company of poor ship-wrack't Men ready to perish and that the People in the Ship or on the shore should cry out unto them to lay hold on the rope that they may be saved Were it not unseasonable and foolish curiosity for any of those poor distressed Creatures now at the point of death to dispute whether did the Man that cast the rope intend and purpose to save me or not and so minding that which helpeth not neglect the means of safety offered Or as a Prince proclaiming a free market of Gold fine linnen rich garments pretious Jewells and the like to a number of poor Men upon a purpose to enrich some few of them whom of his meer Grace he purposeth to make honourable Courtiers and great Officers of State Were it fitting that all these Men should stand to dispute the Kings favour but rather that they should repair to the Market and by that means improve his favour so gratiously tendered unto them Thus it is that Christ holdeth forth as it were a Rope of Mercy to poor drowned and lost Sinners and setteth out an open Market of Heavenly treasure it is our parts then without any further dispute to look upon it as a Principle afterwards to be made good that Christ hath gratious thoughts towards us but for the present to lay hold on the rope ply the Market and husband well the Grace that is offered And as the condemned Man believeth first the Kings favour to all humble supplyants before he believe it to himself so the order is being humbled for sin to adhere to the goodnesse of the promise not to look to Gods intention in a personall way but to his complacency and tendernesse of heart to all repentant Sinners this was S. Pauls method embracing by all means that good and faithfull saying Iesus Christ came to save Sinners before he ranked himself in the front of those sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. Justice moderated IT is observeable that by the place of that sign in the Zodiack which according to the doctrine of the Astronomers is called The Virgin the Lyon is placed on the one side and the Ballance on the other The Lyon bidding as it were the Virgin Iustice be stout and fearlesse the Ballance minding her to weigh all with moderation and be cautious Thus it is that Iustice may be said to be remisse when it spares where it ought to punish and such sparing is Cruelty And Iudgment may be said to be too severe when it punisheth where it ought to spare and rigorous if at any time it be more then the Law requires and if at all times it be so much Extream right often proves extream wrong And he that alwaies doth so much as the Law allows shall often do more then the Law requires Whereas the Righteousnesse of God calls not for an Arithmeticall proportion i. e. at all times and on all occasions to give the same award upon the same Law but leaves a Geometricall proportion that the consideration of circumstances may either encrease or allay the censure Neutrality in Church or State condemned THere is mention made of a certain Despot of Servia which in the Eastern parts of the World is as much as a Governour or Ruler of the Country that living among the Christians kept correspondence with the Turks was a publick worshipper of Christ yet a secret circumcised Turk so that the Turkish mark might save him if need were And such are all Neutralists whether in Church or State such as under pretence of benefactors for Christ drive a Trade for the Devill and Antichrist such as Trade in both India's have a stock going on both sides that so they may save their own stake which side soever win or lose and live in a whole skin whatever become of Church or State and by this means procuring external safety with the certain ruine of their most pretious and immortall Souls The great danger of not standing fast in the Profession of Religion IT is observeable that an heard of Cattel being ship'â— for Sea when the storm doth roll the Ship on the one side the brutish heard run all over to the other thinking thereby to avoid the tosse but their weight soon brings back the Vessel and then they flee over to the old side again and so the ship is oft-times over-set and all are drown'd at last And such is the danger of all those who do not stand fast in their holy Profession that do not maintain their ground keep close to their station and stand upright in the wayes of God For whilst they are not true to their Principles but affected with every novelty in Religion now of this Church or Congregation anon of that and it may be after a while of neither no wonder if being given over to strong delusions they believe a lye and make shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience to their eternall ruine Life liberty estate c. to be undervalued when Religion is in danger of losing IT is storied of Epaminondas that exquisite Theban Commander that having received his deaths wound by a spear in a battel against the Lacedemonians the Spears head remained in the wound till he heard that his Army had got the Victory and then he rejoycingly commanded it to plucked out his bloud and life issuing out both together with these words in his mouth Satis vixi invictus enim morior I have lived enough that dye unconquered And being told a little before his death That however he had lost his life yet his shield was safe he broke out by way of exultation Vester Epaminondas cum sic moritur non moritur your Epaminondas thus dying doth not dye Thus it is that life liberty estate relation of Wife
Children Friends and all must be laid aside when the Cause of God suffers when Religion lyes at the stake bleeding even to death And certainly that estate is well weakened that strengthens the power of Religion and that life well lost that helps to save the life of Truth and yet a life so lost is not lost at all but saved Mark 8. 35. The Churche's Fall the Churche's Rise Suppose a stranger one that never heard of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea should come to some Navigable River as to the Thames side at an high water and should there observe how much it fell in six or seven hours Would he not conclude That after that rate the River would run it self dry in a short time Whereas they that are acquainted with the Tides know for certain that when the Ebbe is at the lowest the tide of a rising Water is upon the return Thus it is with the Church of God it may seem to be at a dead low water and in a sinking condition but even then its lowest estate is an immediate Fore-runner of its raising again As for instance the most raging and violent of those Ten bloudy Persecutions was that of Dioclesian but by the great mercy of God attended by the mild and peaceable times of Constantius the Father and Constantine the Son All Ages from time to time making this out for a Truth that the darkest and saddest night of sorrow that ever befell the Church of God hath been followed with a gladsome and comfortable morning of joy that its worst condition was but as a leading card to bring in dayes of more rejoycing Prayer a spirituall prevailing sword IT is said of Constantine the Great That after God had blessed and honoured him with many Victories whereas the Effigies of other Emperours were engraven upon their loynes in a triumphant manner he would be set in a posture of Prayer kneeling to manifest unto the World that he attributed all his Victories more to his Prayers then his Sword And surely Prayer is a prevailing sword it can give Victory in doubtful battels it can raise the most confident and desperate Siege What was said of the Wicked their tongue is a sharp sword swords are in their lips may be truly said of the tongues and lips of Gods people in Prayer they are as two-edged swords in their hands to execute Vengeance And without all doubt Gods enemies have often found the power of this sword of Prayer and those which are the Lords people may say of this as David once said of that which was Goliah's There is none like that give it me 1 Sam. 21. 9. The losse of good Men not laid to heart condemned AS you may see a silly Hen go clocking and scraping in the midst of her chickens then comes the Kite and snatcheth away first one then another after that a third till all are gone And the Hen brustles and flutters a little when any of them is so snatched away but returns instantly to her scraping and picking as if she had lost nothing Even so do the most of Men God hath in these later times made many great and lamentable breaches amongst us top'd the greatest Cedars in this our Lebanon depriv'd us of many excellent Men both in Church and State and we it may be for a moment bewail their losse in some such like passionate expression There is a brave Man lost I am sorry such a Man is dead c. and then every one goeth on again in his own way presently forgetting the losse but no Man sitteth alone by himself to enquire What God hath done and What he meaneth to do with us or What we have done to provoke him thus far against us We thrust such thoughts far away from us passing by on the other side as the Priest and Levite did by the wounded Man as if it nothing at all concerned us The woful gradation of Sin AS Marriners setting sayl first lose sight of the shore then of the houses then of the steeples and then of Mountains and Land And as those that are way-laid by a Consumption first lose vigour then stomach and then colour Thus it is that Sin hath its wofull gradations None declines to the worst at first Lust having conceived brings forth Sin and so proceeds to finishing as thus Sin hath its conception that 's delight and its formation that 's design and its birth that 's the acting and Custome is the education of the brat then followes a reprobate sense and the next step is Hell to all eternity The great danger of admitting the least Sin As when Pompey could not prevail with a City to billet his Army with them he yet perswaded them to admit of a few weak maimed Souldiers but those soon recovered their strength and opened the gates to the whole Army And thus it is that the Devill courts us onely to lodge some small sins a sin of infirmity or two which being admitted they soon gather strength and sinews and so subaue us How many have set up a trade of swearing with common interlocutory oaths as Faith and Truth How many have begun thieving with pins and pence How many drunkennesse with one cup more then enough How many Lust with a glance of the eye and yet none of them ever dreamt they should be prostituted to those prodigious extremities they afterwards found themeselves almost irrecoverably ingulfed in Destruction is from our selves AS Noah was drunk with his own Wine Goliah beheaded by his own swords The Rose destroyed by the canker bred in it self the breast by a self-bred wolf the apple by the worm the dams belly eaten through by the young Vipers Agrippina kill'd by Nero to whom the gave breath So we are undone by our selves our destruction is of ourselves The cup of the bitter waters of Marah and Meribah that we have and do drink so deep of is of our own mingling and embittering the rods that scourge us are of our own making Sin like a Fryer whips its self Punishment is connate innate to Sin Fools because cause of their Iniquities are afflicted saith David We may thank our own Folly for our own bane Man not to be trusted unto IT is reported of Caesar Borgis one of Pope Alexander's ungodly bastards that having built infinite projects upon his interest in so holy a Father when news was brought him of his sodain death cryed out This I never thought upon now my designs are all lost which fell out accordingly Thus for a certain Whoever it be that looks for much from Men how great how potent how excellent soever will prove like those who go to Lotteries with their heads full of hopes and return with their hearts full of blanks and be forced to lay his hand upon his mouth and say What a Fool was I to expect any great