drop taken out of the sea of Gods mercy Love is a briefe of the Law a legacy of Christ the cognizance of a Christian the life of a good conscience the assurance of prayer the strength of devotion the prop of patience and in a word the band of perfection The love that we owe is unto God but God will have the duty discharged to his image our neighbour to his members our brethren specially where this duty may give most evident token of love as when wee provide for the poore which can make no recompence or pray for our enemies which hate us Indeed thou losest nothing by giving to the poore for it is put on his score to whom thou owest thy selfe it is repaied by him who hath given himselfe for thy redemption and will give himselfe unto thee for thine eternall salvation Thou findest no cause to love thine enemy neither did God to love thee God loved thee without an example but hath left it to thee for thy imitation for so well hee loves thee that he would have thee like himselfe Hee loved thee freely for himselfe thou must love freely too but for his sake is not this cause enough God bids thee shall the countenance of an enemy dismay thee this is the way pointed out by God and blessed by him to make thy foe thy friend fall it out otherwise he is thy friend more than his owne he gives place to thee in goodnes strive not thou with him who shall be worst After love hath dispatcht her duties abroad she returneth home and doth privately converse with God and this is an entring into the chamber of her well beloved Let mee dye if the wealth of the covetous or the honours of the ambitious or the delicates of the voluptuous be to be envyed and not rather contemned in respect of this if thou know it thou desirest nothing else if not any thing Meditation 3. Of Passions Passions are originall and naturall they are bred with us they are a part of us wee can no more leave to be without them then to be mâ—n yet are they the baser part of the minde for their familiarity with the sanses and hence the Philosophers thoâ—…ht did arise their disorder but if the minde it selfe be insected how can there he cleane And if the eve be darknesse what light can there be in the members yet vertue is the government of Passions and all vertues whereby man doth imitate Gods holinesse or righteousnesse are but well governed Passions Mans vertue is in the middest of much weakenesse and therefore his victory the more commendable And of all victories it is the best when one overcomes himselfe Many have been invincible abroad which have beene overcome by their owne weakenesse at home I feare nothing so much as treason within I speake it without pride through the gift of God I know more than many though I know nothing as I should and yet practise but little according to my knowledge I know what piety what common duty doth require yet stand I unresolved or slow I have much bettered my judgement by hearing but am a very Infant in performing what I have heard I am more sound alone than in company more upright for strangers than in my owne or friends cause I am not so bad in intent as in event What I do not prevent I would gladly amend I thought not on that which after makes mee wonder how I could forget all this I impute to passion Religion sanctifies passion by opposing a fit object as love as much as you list so you love God hate as much as you list so you hate sinne rejoyce alwayes but rejoyce in goodnesse be sorry too but let it be the sorrow of repentance Wee may bee full of hope but as pilgrimes bound for heaven Wee ought to feare so that it be to offend God Will we envie it must bee that others goe not beyond us in well-doing will we be jealous it must bee that nothing defile our conscience Wee have wherein to trust if it be in Gods grace and wherein to distrust if it bee in our owne nature Likewise there is a holy confidence a holy despaire the one claimes Christs merits the other denies her owne That revenge also is just whereby wee debarre our selves of the occasions which led us into sinne Yea passions here doe passe into another nature as anger into zeale for Gods glory love into charity sorrow into repentance pity into almesdeeds hope into patience feare into watching and prayer mirth into thanksgiving confidence into perâ—everance The inconstancy of the wind makes the Pilâ—t at sea watchfull and the disorder of our affections ought to make us advised As is a horse without a bit so are our affections without understanding let reason rule the reines lest thou bee overthrowne Hast thou to deale with a cunning man which is like to overtake thee or a great man which will be too hard for thee or a hasty man which will offer to hurt thee or with a lewd man which may corrupt thee looke well about thee there is more danger from thy owne passions then from any or all these It is good to doe nothing in passion give time to reason and use the helpe of prayer and thou shalt anon espy the depth of some temptation which lies commonly hid under an ordinary passion There are tentations of all sorts and for all sorts of passions for merry men unlawfull pleasures for sad men uncomfortable despaires for presumptuous crying sinnes for angry men quarrels and brawles Looke to thy passions and thou maist prevent many though not all temptations Meditation 4. Of Providence Thou art not able to change the course of nature it is only in the power of God who made it The second cause is tied to the first but the first worketh freely either with it or without it Hath God taken order for one part of his worke and not for all Thou hast a free will not to be constrained true yet is this thy will subject to the highest and first will which moving all our willes is moved of none Thou must needs follow it that will not follow thee God made mee in the first man as in my cause and hee made the first man for himselfe Wherefore the fall of man did not crosse his supreme counsell for then should not that have beene which notwithstanding he did most willingly and justly suffer Is it Gods will then that all men should be concluded under sinne that hee might have mercy on whom hee would and whom hee would he might justly forsake so it followes Yet is his will no cause of sinne but a rule of all righteousnesse so ought I to beleeve Well doth God looke on mee in the face of his well beloved do I beleeve the Christian Faith doe I desire to doe all Christian duties strive I against mine owne corruptions this is Gods speciall favour unto mee it is his worke in mee for which
must learne to wait on God from day to day it is thy obedience his glory if thou bee rich thy account will bee the harder to make Things themselves are not good to thee but in their lawfull use they serve not thy turne except thou serve God with them make not that a snare to entangle thee in vanity which is given thee for the exercise of vertue Alas why complainest thou when any crosse interrupts thy worldly proceedings and dost not feele the losse of spirituall grace whiles thou art thwarted in a good course by sinne why art thou so well pleased at good successe and dost not rejoyce rather for the good seedes of thy regeneration for the fruits of thy faith hope love zeale patience chastity meeknesse temperance sobriety and the rest for that thou hast found or art directed in the way to find the treasure of inestimable worth and value to wit the keeping of a good conscience this that thou dost not ought to make thee mourne and lament and thou shouldest not take comfort in that wealth which keeps thee from feeling thy dayly want and enjoying sound prosperity Meditation 20. Of Giving GAining is good if it bee to give for Giving is better God gaines nothing by any yet gives all that is his perfection the light of the Sun and Moone the influence of the Planets the sweetnesse of the aire the variety of seasons the fatnesse of the cloudes the fruitfulnesse of the earth the fulnesse of the Sea the vertue of herbes the beauty of flowers the profit of beasts and cattle the price of Gold Silver and pretious stones are nothing to him nay the redemption of mankind the gathering of the Saints the gifts of the Church the graces of men our regeneration sanctification prayers sacrifices and services are nothing to him for he is his owne perfection ours it is to gaine and give receive and bestow of all things besides God it may be said what have they which they have not received yea the creatures which have most as Angels and men have received most and are the more bound to the giver wherefore their first perfection is to receive but because to give to bestow is a farther extent of perfection and more answerable to the perfection of him which is the giver of all good therefore is it a better thing and as our Saviour said by Pauls report a more blessed to give rather then to receive a better good the chiefe good a better good that 's vertue the chief good that 's happinesse the life of every vertue is action and happinesse the perfection of actions and action of vertue is nothing else but a giving of good in some kind as the act of justice to give every one his owne of fortitude to give courage against death of temperance to give a measure to pleasures of prudence to give order to affaires of liberality to give gifts where and when it is convenient and therefore as wee say there is a kind of justice in all vertues so is there a kind of liberality though one kind of giving for his use and excellency be so specially called for he which giveth of his owne to relieve another doth it most freely without any consideration to move him besides the love of vertue and for the good which comes thereof is deemed a God amongst men for which cause Princes are by a speciall title termed Gods because as their places require them to doe all vertuous actions more then others so above all they are enabled to give liberally and by giving to helpe many he that doth good unto his neighbour according to the action of any vertue gives him his helpe more worth then goods and therefore gives in the true nature of giving and if his helpe be for the soule and the life to come the gift is greater then if it pertained to this life only and yet I know not how they which give out their goods freely to the comfort of others win a more deep affection and excellent reputation then they which doe good according to any other vertue yea a liberall man hath the commendation of all vertue hee is thought wise because he knowes the true use of riches valiant because he can overcome the covetous desire which rules too many just because hee willingly makes that to be anothers which is his owne because he thinkes it more due unto him for the good which may come thereof temperate because hee doth withdraw much from superfluity and excesse that he may have wherewith to doe others good and hee will spend the lesse to give the more Wee must gaine then that wee may give and wee must receive that wee may bestow and doe good with that wee have the one is blessed for the other and therefore the latter rather blessed then the other but hee which thinkes that to keepe in his gaines is the only way to doe himselfe good as if they were all lost if others should occupy with him hath as poore a trade as he which hid his talent in a napkin of which came no advantage for lack that it was not put out every Christian must know himselfe to bee as it were the stomach to digest and disperse those gifts which he receiveth to the good of Christs body Christ emptied himselfe to fill us hee being rich saith Paul for your sakes became poore that you through his poverty might bee made rich What he got of his Father by his holy life or patient death he bestoweth on us and what he might justly claime at our hands for his gifts bestowed on us he leaves to bee disposed by us to the good of our mother as the Tithes of our goods on the Ministers which watch not for his but our good Almes of our goods which the poore receive and hee accepteth and rewardeth as if they were bestowed on himselfe and if he bestow a spirituall grace on mee he looks not for the returne but puts it over to the brethren as when he said I have prayed for thee Peter that thy faith faile not strengthen thy brethren and for the good instruction which wee receive in the Church to our soules health hee bindes us to teach and exhort one another A Christian then hath a life both active and passive the one all in receiving the other all in giving he doth receive faith hope charity and all this while nature doth nothing grace doth all then after by grace he liveth in doing good according to his faith hope and love the first life brings him into the favour of God the second into the possession of his kingdome to doe thy selfe most good is to depart with thy goods unto others and in this cause they are kept better to serve thy turne then if they were in thine owne keeping for if thy treasure be in the hand of the poore Christ is thy treasurer who will make thee good account of all such expenses I speak strange things to the eares
and when thou wouldest doe any thing thy great weakenesse dost thou not oft thinke so I am well all is well what a hard charge is this to love my enemy how unsutable to policy what a crosse to my life thou dost preferre thy reputation before common peace thine owne advantages before thy brothers soules health and dost not consider how that thou maist not be well except thou doe well and doe well thou dost not if any thing in thee bee wanting why thy brother is not so too more thy particular depends upon the common God if it bee hard to love thy enemy yet it is godly and for Gods cause whose wisedome if wee follow let us bee counted fooles Thou knowest whose speech it is Am I my brothers keeper the wicked crush one another with such thoughts and specially are cruell to the good but they which are Christs quite and quiet one another with love oft times man is a keeper of beasts Why should not one man have care of each other if so why not much more of a brother if not of a brother of whom if of none he which keeps thy brother will not keep thee Meditation 28. A good conscience GOd is possessed by love and the profession of the truth maintained by keeping a good conscience A good beliefe must bee strengthned by a godly life and a godly life seasoned with a good beliefe they are as the two twinnes which did live together and die together The Christian is in this world as it were in a broad Sea his profession teacheth him that his Heaven is Heaven and there is no Card or Compasse can so well direct him in a good course unto it as a good conscience whose direction if once he leave he soone makes shipwrack of his profession for to use thy faith with a bad conscience is as it were to meet with a rock or whirle-poole in thy course and as it is said of danger they that love it shall fall into it so they which love the danger of an ill conscience fall by it by the just judgment of God into the gulph of divers errors contrary to their profession Dost thou desire to continue in this holy profession unto thy lives end I know thou dost then look well unto thy conscience All men are sinners by propagation that 's originall and by imitation that 's actuall and this is as true that every one doth best know his own sinne and is lesse privy to other mens sins wherfore the just man is the first accuser of himselfe for he presumeth as well of others as possibly he can and assumeth nothing to himselfe of all his goodnesse but freely consesseth that sinne is his owne for which he doth dayly aske pardon with the rest of Gods children as Forgive us our trespasses A Christian ought to bee that towards his Conscience which a cleanly huswife is in her house if shee see any filth in the floore or cobwebs in the walls or roofe shee takes the beasome in hand sweeps them out so ought wee still to have an eye on our Conscience and if there bee any thing offensive let us labour to remove it leaving nothing within which is not pleasing to God and comfortable to our selves then shall God delight to dwell in such a Conscience and wee shall delight to dwell at home in our selves the wicked because they have no care to keep cleane their Consciences when they returne home to themselves which is very seldome find all things out of order and unquiet which forth with makes them seek abroad for some outward comfort to forget the strife at home as they which are chidden out a doores by their curst wives these cannot abide to look on their owne faces but cast away the glasse which doth discover their deformity they are like bad debters which cannot abide to cast up their accounts and come to a reckoning whereas the good man findeth all his comfort laid up in his owne breast and hath there the light of cleare beames though all the world else be benighted Oh my soule if thy Conscience bee the Lords house how cleanly ought it to be kept above all other roomes if his temple how oughtest thon to perfume it with the sweet odours of holy thoughts meditations purposes resolutions and prayers the bells wherein should bee continuall thanksgivings to sound aloud the praises of thy God And this shall be thy warrant that doing as thou professest thou shalt bee still the more in love with thy profession Meditation 29. Consideration ALI the learned commend Contemplation Philosophers Divines but give me Consideration I find my selfe oft in danger for want not of knowledge but Conscience not of apprehension but reprehension I know that contemplation is a great help to consideration as much as wisedome is to prudence for that is an act of the one and this of the other and they are both compared one to the Sunne the other to the Moone one to the Well the other to the streame for prudence doth borrow her light from wisedome and her fruitfull streames issue from that fountaine yet like I better for my necessity the pipe which conveyeth the streame unto me then a conduit which holdeth the water whereof I have no use Contemplation is this conduit filled up from the well of wisedome but Consideration is the pipe by which prudence in a true levell doth bring this water home to my house use Contemplation is a beame of the understanding cast directly forth but Consideration a beame of the understanding turned and reflected on it selfe contemplation cleares my understanding Consideration orders my will Contemplation makes mee skilfull in the Theorick of goodnesse but Consideration perfect in the Practique of it Contemplation gives mee eies Consideration hands Contemplation stayeth it selfe within one bare proposition This God is good and here it beholdeth how many waies God is good of himselfe originally in himselfe effentially in his work in his word statutes judgments punishments corrections promises every way every where good yea when he suffereth us to bee evill but Consideration proceedeth farther to an application how this doth concerne himselfe that I ought to bee good and to seek that good which I want in him who is goodnesse it selfe and concludes with a resolution to use the meanes which may cause mee to be good Consideration is the exercise of conscience and reason mutually helping one another or a conscience grounded on reason which hath his owne light or is enlightned from above or is by teaching or by use and experience directed Consideration setteth before mee things past maketh mee provident for things to come and plucks mee by the eare not to neglect things present which it doth by comparing and matching all these together things past with things to come and conceiving a like forme in both doth by things already acted enter into a right course of action Contemplation hath generall grounds of truth from which many
I am bound to bee thankfull unto him in which I am to take comfort this is my duty to follow his calling to be obedient to his government herein standeth my eternall happinesse or bee it that I doe not beleeve or love God or live in his feare yet is not this in my power to amend or have I any just cause of excuse examine not Gods decrees by thine owne reason or those lawes of justice which wee are bound to observe feare his Majesty humble thy selfe before his presence seeke his mercy receive not grace in vaine there is no way to heaven but a holy life and hee that purposeth thou shouldest besaved doth call thee to faith and repentance If thou avoid the meanes to attaine unto either thou â—…est thy selfe out and art an â—…my to thine owne Soule if thâ—… come unto God he will not reject thee wherefore aske for grace that thou maist come without which thou shalt never come and it is necessary for thee to know this lest thou shouldest trust to nature and not seeke grace or despaire when thou seest thou canst not attaine unto it by thine owne strength Aske not how he is mercifull which saveth a few and condemneth many how he is just which by his will so bringeth it about that wee are all in the cause of damnation but beleeve it aske not why God doth not change the wills of wicked men with whom and in whom hee doth not cease to worke but reverence his decree whose judgments are just though unknowne But thou art much troubled and vexed to heare this doctrine and so are many others this trouble this vexation if thou belong to God shall turne to thy good for it shall so humble and cast thee downe that thou shalt wholly depend on God and give him his glory but if thou belong not to him thou shalt complaine and murmure more and more and be nothing the better nothing the neare for God will not cease to be God though wee beleeve not nor good though we be wicked But who will care to beleeve to amend his life to strive against sinne if it be not in us if without us God have disposed of us surely none of himselfe can or will they only doe whom God doth vouchsafe to enable The word of God which is his revealed and conditionall will is unto some the savor of life unto life and unto others the savor of death unto death to none the savor of life but to those that beleeve to none the savor of death but to those that beleeve not he will have all men to be saved if they will them selves and hee forsakes none but they that forsake him these things are for us to marke and observe yet to beleeve or not to beleeve to will salvation or to will it not doe depend upon a higher will whose law is unknowne to us wee must live by that which is revealed and adore that which is hidden from us so shall wee neither neglect our duty nor deprive God of his glory and majesty Meditation 5. Of Patience THere is none which can bee merry none rich none well friended none in authority none have ever good successe more safely then a Christian for in all these he useth a good conscience yet because such a streame of prosperity is dangerous to mans frailty hee is not to looke for his heaven here but elsewhere because he is now in triall not in triumph a pilgrim and not at home that many troubles must bee suffered either to purge him of vice or for his better exercise of vertue and both to Gods glory I see nothing more necessary for him then Patience a vertue which doth harden him to follow Christ willingly and quickly in bearing the Crosse and if wee consider our Saviours life wee may observe that he used no one vertue more then Patience not only in his Passion but in the whole course of his life which as it were nothing but a Passion throughout so was it but an exercise of his continuall patience wee must suffer many things of our adversaries which will oppose themselves to our vocation it is not in our power to put them by and take them quietly wee cannot without patience Yea which is worst of all God will seeme sometimes to be against us and taking from us inward consolation will leave us to sorrow and sadnesse of spirit as if we were forsaken these things befell unto our Lord who used Patience as the best remedy teaching us not only to beare his Crosse but how to beare it also till it shall please God to returne againe unto us with comfort Wee must have patience to beare great tentations as well as small and to beare them as long as it pleaseth God whether great or small great troubles will need great Patience and small troubles enduring long no small Patience Now the Christian is to be exercised grievously continually because God meanes to make him partaker of a great victory a great reward Faith is necessary for our entrance into the Church hope to nourish faith and love is the fruit of faith and briefe of all the Commandements see here the summe of divinity But without Patience wee cannot abide in the Church for being once offended wee shall lose them except we have Patience Why is it said Woe bee to him that hath lost patience belike it is the last losse If a Master of a Ship lose his Anchor or Maine-mast or a Saile those are great losses yet to be repaired but if it be said once he hath lost his Ship wee know hee hath lost all and perhaps himselfe too so if wee lose a time of Prayer or the exercise of reading and meditation an occasion of doing good if wee stagger in faith these are heavy losses indeed yet particular and recoverable but if it be said wee have lost Patience what meanes it but that wee have lost all and our selves too Wherefore well is it said Woe be unto him that hath lost Patience Patience is as it were the second concoction of all vertues and drawes from them whatsoever is for the strength and nourishment of a Christian life if this be weake in working our strength is small From faith Patience drawes confidence from Hope perseverance from Love cheerfulnesse They which are Saints in Heaven are said to have Palmes in their hands a resemblance of Patience by which they are victorious Patience is a remedy in those causes which nothing else can remedy Shew thy faith to the persecutor he will not suffer thee to enjoy it except thou wilt lose liberty goods friends and life what will become now of thy faith except thou have Patience shew thy charity to thine enemy hee will despise it hee will wrong thee still more and more what then will become of thy charity if thou have not Patience let it bee knowne that thou art an upright man the Devill will tempt thee outwardly and inwardly and what will become
of thy uprightnesse if thou have not Patience thou prayest and God heareth not thou askest he giveth not thou wouldest have plenty and behold want thou wouldest have health and strength and behold weaknesse thou wouldest have peace and behold warre thou wouldest have credit and behold slander thou wouldest be some and art no body and what will become of thy prayers if thou have not Patience To keepe Patience wee must be beholding to experience Try once how much profit Patience doth bring thee and thou shalt never bee weary of it thou shalt sinde succour feele comfort unexpected observe Gods providence forget not his love this will direct to the end where wee shall finde contentment when nothing shall make us more happy then that wee have suffered with Patience they that will not bee patient shall suffer more then wee but wee only which are patient shall receive the reward of suffering Meditation 6. Of Liberty VVEe love to take liberty and fare all the worse because our choice is of such as is agreeable to a nature sick and not sound God is necessarily good and yet doth good most freely man since his fall is necessarily evill and doth evill most freely but alas what a freedome is this so to bee overlookt by sinne that we cannot doe any thing to please God or to ease our selves Christ by his Gospell calleth us to a Liberty not of the flesh to live according to the lusts thereof not an outward liberty to discharge us from duties fit for our callings or prescribed by lawes not repugnant to the word of God but to a Liberty of the spirit first from the curse of the Morall Law by which we are subject to the wrath of God And this Liberty comes from the free remission of our sinnes in his bloud who is become our Saviour so that all the evills which befall us in this life even unto death it selfe turne unto our good and are sent not from an angry Judge but from a mercifull Father as it is said Wee are afflicted but not convicted we doubt but wee despaire not wee are persecuted but not forsaken wee are cast downe but wee perish not Secondly from the tyranny of sinne so that we doe not only begin to strive but doe also prevaile against it more and more and shall at last utterly overcome it even to the breaking of the Serpents head Thirdly from observation of ceremonies and judicialls of Moses as touch not tast not handle not and wee may freely use the creatures of God with sobriety and thanksgiving which are given for meat drink and apparell and use likewise or not use all things indifferent according to charity Fourthly from all Lawes and constitutions of men that they binde not the conscience as matters of salvation though for outward order and policy wee are in cōscience bound to observe them if they bee not contrary to Gods word but agreeable to the generall rules thereof this is true Liberty agreeable to the state of our first Creation and abounding more in grace it wee seeke for it for the which wee are continually to praise God the author thereof It is great Liberty to be out of bondage but it a greater to be the freeman of Christ it is a great Liberty to be taken out of the hands of a Tyrant but a greater to be rescued out of the power of sinne and Satan it is a great Liberty which Nobility doth challenge but a greater which a good conscience What a Liberty is it to doe that which is good to speake that which is wholesome and for edification to wrong no man not to wrong himselse to live without shame and to die without feare Let us detest the youths Liberty to have no Tutor the Theefes to escape the halter the fooles to scoffe at his Brother the blasphemers to sweare the wantons to bee unseene the drunkards to pledge healths and use much quaffing the malecontents to have no state the unthrifts to turn himselfe out of house and home Meditation 7. Humane frailty O Father Adam thy Children are all too much like thee would I were a Pillar of Marble in the House of my God that no tentation might shake mee no sinne displace mee or as the two Pillars of Solomons Temple Jatui and Boa that there might be certainty in my resolution and constancy in my courses A Christian is a man but I am more a man then a Christian nay rather a child then a man I weep for vanities and toies and cast hehind mee the Law of God more worth then the Gold of Ophir I would stand but I fall downe flat I would be better but prove worse I would sinne no more I did not to my knowledge sinne so much before Oh hell in this world to hate sinne yet to entertaine it to beare the shame the sorrow the smart of sinne and yet to shake hands withit Where shall I have teares enough to bewaile my sinnes my heart is broken with sighing and my braines dried up with weeping Would to God my head were a fountaine of teares and mine eyes rivers of waters to bewaile the desolation that sinne hath wrought within mee If I bee not able to match sinne in his strength why give I it time and not rather kill it while it is young If jealous thoughts and occasions not cut off doe increase his band why doe I suffer him to muster Souldiers in mine owne dominions Oh that wee could renew our fight when wee are put to flight as I have read of some people and take our pursuers at a disadvantage but when wee begin once to slie nothing can stay us and though no enemy follow wee run our selves out of breath The comforts wee might lawfully use are ten thousand times more then the pleasures wee unlawfully steale the devotion which Gods law asketh is free noble full of reward the tax which sinne imposeth base slavish beggerly yet how proud are wee in such poverty if wee compare our selves then are wee farre more circumspect more holy then others if any duty required of us then presuming of our owne strength wee follow Christ to the death and a little after deny him Peter did once I would wee did not often for lesse cause How necessary for us then is humility and prayer humility to value our selves as wee are and wee cannot indeed thinke worse of our selves then wee are wandring weake unconstant wilfull wicked and prayer that wee may find in God what wee want in our selves for surely he would never have sent his sonne amongst us had he not had care to redresse our miseries and to aske of the Father in the name of the Sonne is the way to bee gratious in obtaining our suits Let not thy unworthinesse discourage thee to come unto God nor let his mercy make thee forget thy vilenesse that keeping a hard hand on thy corruptions thou maist the better prevaile with God as Jacob did Meditation 8. Of
past have not refused to be Shepheards and they which at this day doe rule in the State have this as no meane title of their authority to be stiled Shepheards of the people yea God himselfe doth vouchsafe to expresse the Government which he taketh over his people under the title of Shepheard and Christ Jesus our Lord who died for mankind is called the great Shepheard of our Soules And indeed the charge over a flock or people are much like wee in England have a great desire to deale on Sheep and it is one of the chiefest commodities in the Countrey they are so profitable their Wool is in great request at home and with strangers their bodies are good for meat or medicine yea their very excrement have their use they are gentle of nature not dangerous to be handled as other beasts which are armed to defend or offend howbeit in this doth not the resemblance hold so well but if you respect the weaknesse and necessities of Sheep it may notably expresse the care the faithfullnesse the diligence which God useth in governing his people God is desirous to rule his servants as a flock of Sheep not for any great profit he can make of them neither is it intended of him which needs it not or lookt for there where it cannot be had for though their bodies were of excellent imployment by creation yet what are they of themselves since Adams Fall but cages of uncleane Birds nests of sinne grievously tainted with a sicknesse that in Sheep makes carcasse and Wool unprofitable It is alone then for our profit that hee will have us under government the Laws which he makes are not for his owne good which is infinite goodnesse in himselfe but for ours neither the courses which wee undertake under his direction for his happinesse who is eternall happinesse himselfe but for ours True it is that he addeth unto his Law authority to make us the rather yeeld unto that which is for our benefit and from his authority doth proceed reward or punishment that wee may know hee commandeth not in vaine Moreover the government of men as they best know which know State matters is the men themselves being so variable full of discontent and malice above all Creatures if wee will count them tame because of reason wee shall find them wild and savage by evill course and custome of life notwithstanding God doth make them so his owne whom he rules as his flock that none shall be able to pull them out of his hands he will not lose one of the least of them he leaveth the ninety and nine to seek out the wandring and lost Sheep and when he hath found him layeth him on his shoulders with joy and returning home maketh merry with his Neighbours for the Sheep that was lost but is found he knoweth his Sheep and is known of them he will lay downe his life for his Sheep and will not forsake them he bringeth them into the sweet pastures of his holy Word and refresheth them with the coole Waters of his Spirit he hath a rod and a staffe the rod keeps in his Sheep and the staffe keeps out the Wolfe by all which it commeth to passe that no flock is in such state as his they have a comely order in their going forth a provident provision of needfull things and sure safety all about them happy is he that can say The Lord is my Shepheard he that is not of this fold is of the Devils wast Christ hath many promises of good to be done unto his flock and for his flockes sake it is he cannot abide the Wolfe of which one is no good Neigbour and the other a deadly enemy to Sheep I count him the Wolfe which is the knowne adversary and the Goat is the loose Christian the adversary hath a bloudy mind and the loose Christian is offensive by an ill life Meditation 13. Dulnesse of Spirit THere is no disease more dangerous to a religious Soule then dulnesse or heavinesse of Spirit which makes the ground of the heart so cold that the seed of grace lyeth for a time as it were dead and hath no growth it makes the Christian either fearfull or slow to doe good and layeth him open to tentations it ariseth from the corruption of nature which is froward increaseth by diseases and discontentments and groweth to a head by particular doubts and uncertainties it hath strange Symptomes even in those which have beene well schooled and trained up in Christianity it suggesteth and would perswade them well-neare that it is all as well with the godlesse as the godly that he is in as good cause that sweareth as he that feareth an oath that an upright conscience is but a ceremonious scrupulosity formality and complement may serve as well that the world is not so unworthy a thing as lightly to be set by and the joyes of Heaven belong rather to Angels then men it is offended at hearing or reading Gods word prayers good workes holy meetings and hath some exception against them all it will perswade thee in particular that God doth not regard or so much as respect thy service and close with thee this at last if thy calling bee so worthy as thou wouldst make it yet art thou unworthy of thy calling unfit and so farre from speeding in it that it were better for thee to doe any other thing or just nothing I know not whereunto I may better compare this disease then to that which in women yong with child they call Longing when the stomach stopt with ill humours the appetite is altered and the Patient importunately desireth strange meats so in this cause naturall inbred corruptions striving against grace and abounding within doe alter the godly appetite making Gods servant loath his ordinary diet and exercises as being uncomfortable unsavory and to affect strange things contrary to the health of the Soule They which travell by Sea when they see it once calme and on a sudden to dance and shake and know no cause why looke for a tempest shortly after so this dulnesse or heavinesse which is so unquiet and out of order goeth many times before some greater sinne let it be considered whether such a kind of dulnesse came not on David before his adultery and numbring the people on the Disciples before they forsooke their master and specially on Peter before he denied his Lord. I put a difference betweene this heavinesse or dulnesse of spirit and that hardnesse of heart deadnesse or benumming which is proper to the wicked in cause for that proceeds from customes and habits in sinne from wilfull stubbernesse this from the reliques of corruption yet abiding in Gods children in degree that is without sense or feeling Like a lethargy this hath some resistance and like the fit of an Ague in event that doth make them worse and in the end overcome them this the godly doe overcome and after grow the better advised The meanes to avoid
this dulnesse is to converse with God and to keep our hearts in ure with him by calling to mind every day his benefits generall particular corporall spirituall what he hath done for thy Soule already what he will doe farther then to examine thy selfe how thou hast beene answerable that day for such kindnesse and love unto thee then to fall to prayer asking pardon for thy sinnes with a faithfull and penitent heart and entring into a new league betweene God and thy Soule to forsake sinne more earnestly and to serve God more carefully then in times past Meditation 14. Of Joy IT is good to rejoyce ever and never to rejoyce I meane carnally wee must not set up Joy as an Idol in our hearts as though there were no higher matter if a man ask us why wee are merry wee can say nothing but because wee love to be merry yet ought wee to preferre God to our Joy and the glory of God the good of our Neighbour and the health of our Soules wee must so rejoyce in temporall things that wee barre not our selves from heavenly comforts wee must be so familiar with outward things that wee grow nothing the more strange with God if otherwise wee sell our birth-right for Esaus Broth Canaan for the flesh-pots of Egypt and as it is commonly said Wee goe out of Gods blessing into a warme Sunne Take heed then to thy selfe it is lawfull for thee to use the blessings of God for thy necessity I say more for thy comfort and recreation so farre forth as doth concerne thy person yea thy state and calling but if thou use them for thy recreation only and have no farther or better end thou wilt quickly fall to the abuse respecting rather what thy appetite doth crave then God allowes God allowes no such use of his creatures as makes thee the lesse able or willing to serve him wherefore a restraint at least in affectation touching these things is better then by loosing too much the reins to our unruly flesh to suffer it to take the bridle and runne away let the feare of God be the steward of our expences and it shall make a good account for us if it cause us to passe by many worldly delights yet wil yield unto our consciences the sounder comfort for God doth bring unto him the joyes of the Holy Ghost which willingly forsakes outward pleasures the later end of such joyes is woe but of this it is said No man shall take it from you Wilt thou rejoyce ever me thought I heard thee say so bee sad ever to the world if thou smile with it let it bee from the teeth outward ingage not thy heart A strange Paradox that a man should bee sorry to make himselfe merry and these as strange wee must stand in feare to make our selves bold wee must bee fooles to bee made wise wee must die that wee may live Meditation 15. Humane reason IS not this our common answer Have I not reason to do as I doe yet are wee not to live by reason but by faith wheras we should rather say Doth not Gods word warrant mee to do as I do If Religion were but the improvement of Reason how would men entertaine it as their owne wheras now they suspect it as a stranger Many have thought that the Articles of Religion might winne credit from principles evident to the light of nature and that Philosophy hath laid as good grounds as Divinity Surely Humane learning can convince us well enough of many things wee doe but cannot bring us forward In that wee ought to doe for salvation it was a power in nature created to obey and beleeve if it would but now in nature decaied it is a want and it is not in mans will to beleeve and obey the truth and the misery is that it knoweth not how to find what it hath lost nor so much as that it hath lost any thing without a borrowed light the word of God is the powerfull meanes whereby the Holy Ghost which worketh inwardly in our hearts doth impart this light unto us our Reason is naturall Faith supernaturall Reason is the begining of Knowledge but Faith of Religion The Papists will say they have more Reason for their Religion then we for Free will Satisfaction Merits Purgatory Prayers Latine Service Images Pilgrimages Hierarchy stand all upon good grounds of Reason Let us give them what they aske wee may the more boldly challenge truth without which there is no Religion and to protest freely what wee maintaine and wherein wee desire by Gods grace to die wee follow not Reason in making choice of Religion but Gods word searching to understand the harder places and easy keeping our selves within the proportion of Faith refusing not the helpe of Humane learning for the phrase or story neither the testimony of better times by this word wee learne that man hath no good will nor hath his will power to returne to God untill grace make the will willing which of it self is unwilling and then but not till then doth it work with grace What if Reason deny this and teach the contrary By the word of God wee learne that there is no satisfaction for sins besides the death of Christ no merit to eternall life but his righteousnesse that sinnes are all mortall by nature though not equall that mans righteousnesse though done in grace is unperfect What if Reason deny this and teach the contrary By the word of God wee learne that bread in the Sacrament is not turned into the very body of Christ nor wine into his bloud yet that it is his very body and bloud to the faithfull communicant who is made partaker of whole Christ not by a grosse and fleshly incorporation but a ghostly and effectuall union What if Reason deny this and teach the contrary By Gods word wee learne that worshipping of Images amongst Christians is but a setting up of Idols as amongst the Heathen that Prayers in a strange tongue for the dead are neither devotion nor charity What if Reason deny this and teach the contrary By Gods word wee learne that Religion consisteth not in Popish shrift Penance difference of Meats Apparell Fasting Pilgrimage Reliques Crossing Holy-oile Holy-water Holy-bread Holybeades Holy-bells What if Reason deny this and teach the contrary to the decay of Christian obedience which consisteth in an inward mortisication and outwardly in a patient bearing of Christs crosse By the word of God wee learne that Christ is the only head of the Church and doth still governe the same by his spirit and word from which Gods Ministers or Priests fetch all their authority and hath not given over his place to another which should take authority above the word What if Reason deny this and teach the contrary By the word wee learne that the Scriptures have sufficient instruction to salvation What if Reason deny it and put us farther over to traditions revelations miracles to enforce doctrines contrary to the
word is not Reason justly to be suspected in all these things as thinking but too well of her self giving too much liberty to nature and justifying her owne hypocrisies for Gods good service of which it will not bee said as our Saviour of the lesser matters of the Law the tything of Mint and Cummin These things yee should have done but rather this Who required these things at your hands for which yee have left my commandements Now my Soule look to thy selfe how thou dost make thy choyce regard not that antiquity universality succession pompe authority which is not grounded on the truth in the word all these will follow Humane Reason regard the word of the Almighty and unchangeable truth it selfe which is alone sufficient without these and they without it nothing worth Meditation 16. Repentance deferred In Summer wee can provide for Winter in Youth wee lay up for Age but who in health doth prepare for sicknesse As long as wee doe well wee will not live well but put it over to that time when wee have much adoe to live then can wee not remedy what is past neither have we leasure to do better Repentance indeed is never too late and mercy may come on a sudden but repentance in health is the ordinary gift of God in sicknesse extraordinary because he doth not give it him which might and would not thou canst tell mee no cause why thou shouldst not repent when thou art well and I can tell thee many why thou canst not repent when thou art sick thy heart is a stranger to goodnesse and God to thee hardly canst thou heare good counsell but it is the hardest of all to settle thy selfe on it then when all things grow so troublesome and uncertaine Many have said it is too late would I could have followed it in times past neither have wee leasure to doe better Repentance indeed is never too late but sicknesse is the time past yet wilt thou not repent in health Dost thou make but a pastime of repentance take heed lest sicknesse be unto thee the end of a bad life which in health thou wouldst not amend and deliver thee over to endlesse death Oh my soule remember thy owne estate thou didst put over repentance and God did put thee over to sicknesse What discomfort was it to thinke on sinnes past what little hope hadst thou of good to come how unable wast thou to recollect thy selfe what meanes didst thou want to bee raised up if thou hadst any holy desire any feeling at the last thou wert more bound to thy Saviour which sought thee out a wandring sheep Where art thou now my soule what doest thou that which thou didst then promise to close nearer with thy God who hath given life to thy desire and yeares to thy life surely I have escaped a great harme and outlived my selfe good Lord have mercy on mee and graunt that I forget not thy goodnesse nor betray my selfe any more into the hands of danger thou knowest well enough what I am the worse for my abused health and if any thing the better for my sicknesse it is thy favour I like not my amendment halfe so well as I heartily lament my neglected time Meditation 17. Gifts of God and Men. ALl blessings without that one for whose sake they are bestowed are but a curse other blessings are given for a good life which is the chiefest blessing they are good but this makes us good they make us welcome to men as strength makes us welcome to the weake learning to the simple wealth to them which want authority to such as are oppressed but this makes us welcome to our owne consciences which entertaine us with a continuall feast to God which sayes welcome good servant for them wee must make reckoning but for this wee shall receive a crowne of righteousnesse yet see that men altogether admire and desire most the former kind of gifts to them give they a stile they come not without grace excellency majesty holinesse they call those that have them rulers benefactors Lords Princes but a good man is in no note no request and indeed he needs it not for he hath more then all the world can give him and his commendation is not from men but God Christ our Saviour the wisest steward provided not for himselfe or us blessings of the former kind but of the latter Judas had the bagge and Peter the sword but Christ in his heart had righteousnesse even to his lipps outwardly there was no guile found in his mouth and what he did by doctrine miracles passion for us tended to this end that being delivered from the captivity of sinne wee might bee made free men of righteousnesse and shew forth good workes to Gods glory The greatest gifts to this purpose that ever were bestowed on mankind was on that glorious day a white and happy day the Lords day a sunday 50 daies after the resurrection when according to his promise like a Prince new crowned he showred down the gifts of the Holy Ghost on his Church cloven and fiery tongues in terpretatiō of tongues knowledge to open the Scriptures and to apply them prophecy healing discerning of spirits and the like by which gifts Christ hath subdued the world and brought men from Idolatry and wickednesse to true godlinesse and righteousnesse amongst which doe excell Apostles Martyrs Confessors Virgins more famous in christianity then the demi-gods which anciently in the ruder times of the world have stored it with the rare invention of divers things profitable to the life of man Oh my soule how hast thou admired state greatnesse authority possession traine and pompe and if not to be one of them yet to bee neere unto them and though farther of yet that the beames of such glory might shine on thee And now observe whether in the meane while God hath not offered thee and thou by thy neglect hast lost better things and so hast proved to God unthankfull unprofitable to thy selfe Call to mind thy baptisme what intends it that thou following this most honourable profession into which thou hast entered shouldest bee enabled and incouraged to live a new life after the spirit and become a good man to God to this purpose comming to discretion God instructed thee in his word there wast thou made acquainted with the royall law his statutes and ordinances and with all the provisions cautions admonitions drawne from the same by the Prophets hence wert thou led on to the Gospell which met thee with abundant and effectuall grace and for thy better assurance that thou art received into the society and body of Christ he fed thee often in his blessed Sacrament with his owne body and bloud and for thy better guide in this course of salvation he hath afforded thee his owne and the examples of his holy ones which have shined as lights in a darke place What doth want unto thee that in the sight of God thou art above all
that is great in the world think not then too highly of transitory things nor too basely of thy selfe remember what thou hast received and whereunto God calleth thee and thou shalt have no cause to complaine of thy lot Meditation 18. Suspition I Know not wherefore Suspition is good except on just cause and then it is providence but to make our idle conjectures the arrowes and other men the butts and to hit them which are not in our way because wee have a crooked aime this is for want of charity and from too much love of our selves wee love our selves so well that wee would have all men worse then our selves and so little doe wee love others that wee care not how bad wee make them If Suspition hunt like a yong dogge which knowes not his game it is taken oft with a lye and falls soone into a dead fault but if it worke an experience and triall it gives soone over where it is not good and never holds but where it should Vaine feares and vaine suspitions are much like for feare makes us suspect the helpes which might do us good and Suspition makes us feare friends which meane us no hurt and both betray their followers feare to danger and Suspition to shame the one by refusing her owne strength the other by discovering his owne weaknesse If Suspition come of weaknesse it is the more tolerable but if for want of charity and strengthned with malice it is intolerable and to be hated for it rangeth farre and runneth riot and will bee under no command you shall never satisfy it though you would neither can it satisfy it selfe but by complaints What poyson lieth hid under Suspition may appeare because it breedeth jealousy betweene man and wife for what is jealousy but the Suspition of a stranger In this cause the parties are so disquieted that the joy which they took by each other doth decay their society becomes odious and a cursed parting the bane of holy wedlock followes The suspitions man as he is no good husband so is he a bad neighbour and a worse friend an unruly servant and a crooked master he mistakes more then he takes in good part he will not lend a good turne for feare of losing his labour and and yet hath lost all judgment because he will not lend so much as a good opinion hee heares what men speak when they are silent and seeth them doing something amisse when they are asleepe he doth challenge the fairest proceedings of a foule intent he thinkes all men naught and is the worst himselfe he trusts no man in private and is publiquely noted he hath a window in every mans breast and an eye into every mans window a cleare minde thinkes of others as of himselfe at all times he doth passe over that which may have any good construction many times takes no notice of ill or offence he consults not with tales and opinions but out of discretion and observes both what humane society doth require and how far charity must bear and may win a stranger Meditation 19. Of Gaine A Desire of Gaine if wee have a greater desire of Gods glory and the common good if it be limited within the bounds of nature and honesty if it be our owne and not to gaine by anothers losse is not to be condemned yet are wee scarsly to desire Gaine by our Saviours rule That which wee may lawfully desire we may honestly seeke but Christ will not have us seeke the things belonging to Gaine but to the kingdome of God and to accept the other as it falleth out meaning that our whole purpose of living here should be set on our spirituall life with God to make our advantage that way and that our naturall and civill life should receive their convenient blessings from God without our cark or vexation though not without our employment without gaining our affections though commanding our meanes There is sometimes a fault in the desire when it is greedy and in the Gaine when it is filthy and commonly a greedy deâ—ire doth not refuse filthy Gaine and when they goe both together it is the worse Usury is not only a desire but a greedy desire of filthy Gaine yea unsatiable and cruell a Gaine and a staine to the Soule of him that useth it a Gaine and a paine to the heart of him that payeth it a Gaine and a traine of the Devill by the love of mony to bring men to perdition Yea but much good commeth to the Common-wealth by usury and the like is said of witch-craft men else will not lend as much to say as they will not be Christians but will you bee so bold as to condemne all usury I referre you to your conscience a little rectified deale as you would be dealt withall abuse not thy neighbours want use the honest meanes of some calling depend on Gods blessing and tell mee what course of usury is lawfull many lend not for themselves but for Orphanes A speciall cause and hath speciall rules of conscience many pay use the occasion of borrowing may accuse or excuse the greatest Gaine and the surest profit is God lives for it hath the promises of this life and that which is to come and joyneth piety with prosperity But what are promises worth say some who will stand on them promises are but debts and debts are not willingly paid though promised by forfeit under hand and seale True betweene man and man but betweene God and man not so because his promise is better then any mans performance think not small of the promise of his love But I see no experience I have no feeling of this promise David did when he said I never saw the righteous forsaken David many times beleeved without feeling and so doe thou if thou find it hard pray that thou maist for it is full of reward If thou be godly I permit thee to deale with the earth or naturall ready and ordinary Gaine shee takes no hurt thou much advantage thy diligence maketh her bountifull thou lendest a little and shee payes thee home with great store I know thou wilt as willingly deale with the poore an excellent usury God is the pay-master not according to thy merit but far above of his owne mercy for the interest of unrighteous Mammon behold a crowne of righteousnesse with Christ for him forsake Father Mother Brother Sister House and what not else and receive a hundred fold is not this Gaine enough will not such Gaine content thy desire this or none Two things hast thou oh my soule to avoid about worldly Gaine distrust if it come not security if it doe Doe thy meanes faile thou hast a father carefull of thee above all meanes Art thou not rich to the world it is better 〈…〉 rich towards God of a liâ—… give a little God respecteth according to that a man hath not according to that he hath not and loveth a cheerfull rather then a costly giver thou
of men addicted to this life where plenty is before want and prosperity before poverty to whom giving seemes spending and receiving a fruitfull harvest but to the spirituall man whose life is in God it is plaine as grounded upon a true contempt of the world and is the right exercise of charity which Christians must regard and Christ at the last day will confirme it to be true by that finall judgment when hee shall pronounce them blessed which have given and others cursed which have had more care to gaine then give Oh my soule think nothing thine that charity bids thee spare or if it be thine it is by the right of using it well to the good of others for the rest thou shalt answer as for things stollen Meditation 21. Say well and doe well LEt every man speake as hee meanes but first let him meane well for he which useth to speak well and hath no good meaning doth soone prove a dissembler it is simply good alwaies to meane well for that causeth a man to speak well and to be the same in deed which he is in word let every man speak as he list so he live well saith another as though men could speak without affecting as many times they speak without truth He that doth use to speak ill will shortly bee the man he speakes of transforming himselfe by little and little into the Image of his owne words such a man indeed speakes plainly but dangerously to himselfe and others for his meaning being no better then his speech he imboldens himselfe and corrupts others and this is the rule Custome of good speech doth not alter the meaning which is ill but the use of ill speech doth alter the meaning which is good and make it naught whence it is if I heare a man speak well I am still uncertain but if I see him do well then I certainely know him though he bee silent because his meaning is shewed truly in deed which in words is dark or doubtfull It is the proverb Say well is good but do well is better How is it good if it make not a bad man the better or prove not one to be good nay it is oft times the vizard of a foule face the curtaine of an uncleane bed the plaister of a festered soare the seeling of some rotten wall and is first a countenance to sinne which lyeth hid under it and in the end a disgrace to goodnesse as though it were nothing else but verball Wherefore say well is good not positively or simply of it selfe but privatively that is lesse hurtfull then doing or saying ill respectively as it is joyned with a good meaning so say well is good when it shewes a man as he is affected but doe well is better for that is the fruit of a good affection The vessell doth yeeld such liquor as it hath and as the mans trade is so is his talke oh my soule conceive thy thoughts according to the Idea of that divine goodnesse which thy mind doth behold and when they are borne into words Jacobs lambes shall not be more like the party-coloured stickes laid before the Ewes in time of conception then thy words and deeds shall be unto that Idea but if thou suffer thy selfe to talke without good meaning thy words shall be without feeling and rather to condemne thy selfe then to amend others Another proverb is that true meaning hath no fellow there is none to whom thou maist commit thy selfe more safely and which will doe thee more good then true meaning it will save thee from sinne and shame and make thy word and deed both one and it will cause thy friend safely to commit himselfe unto thee and to find as much good in thy words and deeds as thou dost in thy owne true meaning by it thou shalt free thy selfe from much lip-labour and study of cloquence for true meaning shall teach thee to speak in few words and yet to bee well understood and shall adde such grace and force to thy words as if perswasion her selfe did speak for thee but who speakes without true meaning hath lost his voice because he speaketh from an hollow heart which yeelds an uncertaine sound and if men heare any thing it is the least part and as an eccho it is presently gone A sound heart makes a sound tongue the tongue in nature cannot and in reason should not move without the heart and therfore if the tongue move of it selfe or before the heart order is broken and it is ominous to say as wee meane is to follow God who is truth it selfe but to doe otherwise is to imitate the practice of the Devill who by this deceived our first parents Meditation 22. Of Obedience THere is an Obedience of the Law and an Obedience of Faith the Obedience of the Law tels mee what I ought to be the Obedience of faith leades mee unto it the Obedience of the law condemns mee for not being as I ought the Obedience of faith doth quit mee from the law the Obedience of the law doth bring mee into bondage of the curse the Obedience of faith makes mee an inheritor of the blessing in my mind I doe allow the obedience of the law but in my conscience I trust to the Obedience of faith I am cotent that my life be ordered by the Obedience of the law but look to be censured by the Obedience of faith The Obedience of the law hath boasting and merits repentance pardon acceptation desire unfaigned belong not to the Obedience of the law but of faith I have nothing to boast of except I should boast of my owne shame and I have no claime but mercy Except God look on my repentance and forgive my sinnes in Christ except he do accept what is done in his feare and pardon what is left undone except he regard my desire more then my deserving and measure my desires rather by their sincerity then their strength what will become of mee Meditation 23. Temptation SHake not hands with any Tentation but turne quickly and fly speedily from it as Joseph did from his Mistresse it is a greater hap not to goe downe into such a pit then any sure hope to returne out of it Oh my soule thou knowest what I meane and thou feelest the danger thou canst more truly dislike sinne then leave it and hate it then be rid of it yet he which commanded Lazarus forth of the grave can raise thee and hath he not done a like thing for thee Why dost thou still love danger to fall into it I neither love the danger nor the fall but sinne pleades custome and the more I yeeld the lesse able am I to resist I am only strong in opinion but weake in Tentation and I find more safety in flying then fighting while I stand on my guard my weapons to which I ordinarily trust are striken out of my hands the base towne of my senses is surprised the castle of reason so
battered and shaken that consent who is Captaine of the place falls to a parley and yeeldes on any conditions to my losse How far better had it beene for mee to have avoided the fury of Saul by wandering in the wildernesse barring my selfe of those betwitching vanities Meditation 24. Presumption and Despaire PResumption and despaire the two extremities of faith faith grounds it selfe on the promise of God presumption assumes unto it selfe Gods mercy without promise desperation takes no comfort by the promise Presumption intrudes it selfe into the promise desperation excludes it selfe out of the promise faith holdes the promise fast as his proper right Presumption is more bold with God then wise desperation puts a man more in feare then is safe faith without boldnesse or feare is confident Presumption hurts the conscience most and layes it open to sinne desperation wrongs God most as though he would not or could not be mercifull to a sinner faith doth keep the conscience from sinne to come and makes the way for Gods mercy for the pardon of sinnes past Presumption hath an eye only on the mercy of God desperation on his justice and faith doth behold in God both justice and mercy Presumption is fed by prosperity impunity Gods long sufferance desperation strengthened by some speciall crosse and adversity at what time sinnes appeare greater and more in number then before Faith standeth on the death of Christ and there doth see both the greatnesse and grievousnesse of sinne and findeth a way to escape the danger Presumption doth despise the justice of God the feare whereof might make him fit for mercy desperation cannot apply unto it selfe the mercy of God in time of need the helpe whereof might cause him to avoid justice Presumption doth cause a man to think well of himselfe of his own wisedome righteousnesse and to preferre himselfe before others desperation doth cause a man to think ill of God and no otherwise then of a tyrant Presumption is a Pharisee despaire a Devill faith the penitent Publican finally Presumption is a steep cliffe without footing desperation a deep pit without bottome and faith Iacobs ladder by which God comes downe to man and man goes up to God Oh my soule thou best knowest thy owne wandring there lies danger on both sides the common waies are the worst and that the safest which fewest find let thy guid be the word of God walk by faith purpose not to offend though pardon were granted thee before hand Hast thou offended seeke for mercy not considering so much how great thy sinnes are but how great is his mercy to them that truly repent A good conscience may presume of mercy when it hath no feeling expecting Gods leasure with patience and this is to hope above hope and despaire of her owne sufficiency when it doth most good so learning to depend ever on God alone Meditation 25. Society with God MAn by nature is sociable and of all Societies none better for him if it may be had then that with God for if wee enter into a common right with them of whose Society wee are how much shall wee by this Society bee blessed above all others which possesse God who is the fulnesse of all good things and are so possessed of him that nothing shall bee able to part us from him Now behold how thou maist attaine to this neere and inward society with God he which dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him for God is love a holy flame burning with the love of goodnesse the Father loveth the Sonne eternally and the Sonne the Father and the Holy Ghost is one and the same incomprehensible love of the Father and the Sonne three persons but one love for God is love and this inferior love of the creature is but a beame a streame of that love which if it bee so necessary betweene the creatures themselves that the course of things may not bee maintained without it how much more betweene the Creator and the creature for both the being and well-being of the creature doth depend on the love of the Creator and these creatures are the lesse happy how excellent so ever otherwise as the Sunne Moone and other glorious bodies which being loved of God cannot love him againe Oh man what cause hast thou to love God which was not content only to make thee a creature whom he would love but endued thee also with a nature to love him againe that so thou mightest enjoy him the more and certainly as the being of God is love so there can bee no greater perfection in men then to love God God doth give most glorious signes of his presence in Heaven but out of doubt the Heaven of his delights and where he is alwaies present is the soule of a true lover Love is a quiet thing yet not idle active as heat and nourishing goodnesse like a naturall heat it is much in giving much in forgiving in giving to God his honour to man convenient helpe and succour in forgiving wrongs and injuries Loves kindred is not of flesh and bloud a Christian unto it is more deare then a brother and a brother the more deare if a good Christian Love soares over all the pleasures the riches the honours of the world and stoopes downe to none of these because with the Eagle it findes nothing worth the looking on but Christ Jesus the sonne of righteousnesse The priviledge of love is this where there is love it is accepted not according to the worke but for the worker according to that one hath and not according to that he hath not many oversights are borne with where there is love and where there is no love the greatest diligence is rejected Oh my soule faile in any other thing rather then in love though a small measure of knowledge must content thee yet love God out of measure above thy selfe for himselfe doe good unfaignedly if not strongly and let thy heart be ready when it hath made thy hand empty Meditation 26. Of Peace I Would that all they which are of one opinion were of one affection How well doth it become them that professe one truth to maintaine peace as one man because the author of their truth hath commended peace unto them as the fruit of goodnesse which springeth up in them that love the truth Now because they which are one in opinion are many times differing in affection truth it selfe which is but one seemes to be rent in parts and is ill spoken of by adversaries which agree with true professors neither in opinion nor affection and shall I wish likewise that they which are of one affection as man and wife parents and children brother and sister master and servant were of one opinion How necessary is it that they which agree in the lesser matters of life should in the greater much more and that they which have vowed to be true to one another should be both true to Christ but now because
conclusions may more specially bee deduced but the life of action lies in circumstances the soule where of is Consideration wherefore contemplation reades mee over a lesson which Consideration doth make mee perfect in by observation experience correction Blessednesse which is the perfection of man hath his beginning from Contemplation but his consummation in us by Consideration for as by that I know God who is the cause of causes so by this I love God who is the last end The soule doth performe some actions without discourse so doth it move the body receive digest bestow the meat for nourishment and in those it so falls out because the end is as present as the meanes namely the life of the body but those actions which tend unto her owne proper end or rather of the whole shee doth not produce without discourse because the meanes are nearer and the end farther of Angels for the perfection of their nature doe all their actions without discourse but as the Angels herein are above men so man by the priviledge of discourse above all other Creatures for as in a Mill the stones know not what thing meale is nor to what end neither the wheeles nor the Water which driveth them about but the Miller only which sets the Mill to worke so none of the Creatures of this world know their owne worth or employment but only man which is Lord over them and hath not only the use of particular objects but of common notions also and beholding causes in their effects and ayming at a farther by the next doth sort convenient means to their proper ends and all ends to the chiefe end What a high art is Consideration which doth effect such wonderfull things out of one good it multiplies many and makes her advantage of evill it takes on her the cure of our weakest and worst parts and addeth both comelinesse and grace to the best where Consideration is all things are done orderly but they which by chance doe a good without it doe lose the commendation of their worke for want of it yea of such force is it that actions not speeding in the end yet set a foot by Consideration retaine still the praise of vertue it hath as it were the true touch of that stone whereby Gold is knowne from other metals for so by it wee discerne betweene that which is honest profitable and pleasing preferring honesty to the rest as Gold to other metals it doth cause profit and pleasure to give place to honesty and out of honesty requites us with true profit and pleasure but if profit and pleasure strive with honesty to have their turnes served first or without it then it sheweth them to be base metall and nothing worth that such profit is but losse such pleasure but sorrow and that indeed there is nothing either profitable or pleasant which agreeth not with honesty As they which behold other mens buildings walke in other mens Parkes solace themselves in other mens Gardens make a use to themselves though the possession belong to another so doe we neither heare any thing spoken or see any thing done neither is there any object proposed unto us whereof by Consideration wee may not make some use unto our selves though the matter belong to others And herein is the busy body faulty which medling with all kind of matters doth desire to be a party in possession where he hath nothing to doe whereas if he had Consideration he might take notice of any mans dealing for his owne use and doe no wrong for he cannot bee accounted a busibody which out of Consideration observeth for his owne use from those things which belong not unto him Excesse of anger or pleasure is the greatest enemy to Consideration and the promoter of all hasty and forward attempts which end in sorrowfull events but the feare of death and other miseries are lessened by Consideration Meditation 30. Subjection BEtter well markt then a whole eare is the husbandmans Proverb for the beast which straies away is the sooner owned and brought home againe with a marke but without it lost better to be under government then to follow a loose and lawlesse life better to be trained up under the discipline of the Church then to range at liberty as an Ethnick It was the better for the prodigall youth that he went out a sonne though he returned a sinner and hee receives more liberty by his comming home then he found abroad his Father knowes him the house receives him the fat Calfe is provided for him and all make merry with him The Church doth exercise authority over them which beare the mark of Christ and if there be cause why it doth correct them according to the quality of their faults sometimes by words chiding them sometimes by deeds suspending them from the Sacraments or excommunicating them from the society of the Church and if the Church perceive that any hath entred through hypocrisy and is now discovered by blaspheming the truth which is a casting off of Christs marke such a one it doth remove by the eternall curse Atha Maranatha and for such a one indeed had it beene better never to have received that mark and for those also which in the end doe fall from the Church contemning the order thereof though not cursed but they which are the true members of the Church take great profit by those censures for though they fall oft times through humane frailty yet the Church doth not cease to acknowledge them for her owne because they beare the marke of Christianity and taking a speciall care of them doth by this discipline bring them againe to repentance and amendment of life they are converted they are received they are confirmed more then before and the Church is glad of them as a woman of the child wherewith shee hath long travailed howbeit with them which are without the Church medleth not therefore runne they on still in sinne to their owne perdition as they which are utterly lost in the waste of this world because they have not the mark of Christ Count it thy greatest good in this life that Christ hath markt thee for his owne by baptisme that thou livest under the discipline of that Church wherof he is the head and therefore suffer thy selfe to be rebuked privately openly and if any greater correction befall thee humble thy selfe repent amend and this priviledge that thou art markt by Christ shall restore thee againe to thy former estate and thou shalt be his more then before only beware of hypocrisy which one day shall be discovered and turne not back like a dogge to his vomit for such have their end worse then their beginning and it is better never to have knowne the way of righteousnesse then afterwards to depart from the holy commandement by a wilfull heart into which extremity they are at last led which use not their most honourable profession with a good conscience The fall of a starre is fearefull
offended at the blemishes and wants of those Churches wherein they did live and have gone so farre in this humour as not to hold these assemblies for Churches though otherwise having the word soundly preached and Sacraments rightly administred wherein they saw so many hypocrites and loose livers and in the end have made a Separation from their Churches and sought unto themselves new conventicles as they thought pure and holy wherein as they did great wrong unto Christian charity and unity which was not in this cause to be broken so found they not that which they sought for and surely it cannot be that in this world there should be any visible Church so pure as they dreame of it that there should be in it Wheat without Tares Sheep without Goates for it is compared to a draw Net which gathereth Fishes of all kindes and it is a society wherein are men of all sorts and no doubt it is the providence of God which ordereth all things wisely that the good and bad should not live asunder parted with great Seas and Mountaines but mingled one with the other in this life which maketh much for the bettering of the good in the exercise of vertue and for the staying of the wicked from all kind of vice if all the good should live together how should their patience charity integrity of life constancy in the truth be exercised or appeare to the glory of God if the wicked should live all together what meanes might there be to reclaime them but as they be now bad so they would dayly grow worse one encouraging another and having none amongst them whose good examples might reprove them And therefore the good are to the bad like a piece of leaven the leaven is the least part yet it hath a powerfull force to turne the whole lump into his owne quality so are the good very few in respect of the bad yet conversing amongst them dayly they draw the world by little and little to their disposition and make a great alteration in their manners For such is the power of vertue above vice that though vice cannot root out vertue out of a mind well setled nor doe any hurt at all save unto it selfe yet vertue is of ability to drive vice out of that mind which hath beene long accustomed thereunto and doth good not only to it selfe but to many others which walk as it were but in the shew thereof Bee men bad the more need is there that good men should live among them None have so much need of the Physitian as those that are sick it is reserved for the Angels in the last day to make a separation betwixt the Sheep and Goates and not for men who were redeemed from sinne and Hell by Christ uncharitably to forsake their weak brethren But perchance this Separation is because those which should execute good lawes are corrupted or that certaine ceremonies are retained in the Church which at other times have beene abused unto superstitious uses or in that where the doctrine is condemned as repugnant to the truth certaine rites of indifferency tolerated by authority are not therewithall abolished But what partiality were this to hate the good conditions in any man for the rest of his bad qualities and what disorder would this be in religion to teach obedience unto Princes and to reserve a liberty to our selves of infringing his equall lawes what breach of charity is this to offend the conscience of a weak brother in denying habits and ceremonies Suppose they be used by Idolaters yet was Asa and other Kings of Israel commended for pious neither did the Prophets forsake their Countrey or charges although the high places were not taken away with the abuses Oh my soule disdaine not the Church for her spots neither be so offended at the bad as to forsake the fellowship of the good looke well into thy selfe and thou shalt find more amisse there then thou art aware of at first wherefore beginne to amend thy owne faults as one of the worst and after be as leaven to season other for such as think otherwise pity their weaknesse and pray for their amendment Meditation 34. Resolved constancy VVEe may observe two men borne in one Towne brought up under one and the same master keeping like company using the same diet aire and exercise to whom all things are as like as may be yet one of these two giving place to his owne appetite following his owne passions led away by vice and a loose kind of life to wax worse and worse the other obeying reason and framing himselfe earnestly after the goodnesse of his education to prove better and better whence is this difference If from outward causes as Gods providence the starres evill spirits or our owne unhappy condition which is past all recovery why are they not both bad seing they are partakers of the same nature of the same affections set forward in the same kind of education continued in the same company the wicked indeed rather then they will acknowledge their own fault will impute it to any thing rather then to themselves notwithstanding this doth plainly appeare to be the maine difference that the one of them is idle variable inconstant carelesse and so easily carried away with vanity the other well setled constant resolute in his purpose and determination industrious laborious and so overcomming all difficulties takes courage to go on in the course of vertue The course then which good men take doth depend on their owne godly choise of mind purpose resolution and the ill grow worse and worse because they do not wish unto themselves the thing that is good they doe not purpose to be vertuous but are altogether carelesse and uncertaine in their carriage Marke this yet more plainly for in this cause examples are more pregnant proofes then demonstration from reasons farre fetcht Have you lived sometimes in any populous City there might you have observed a world of courses which the Citizens follow some going about their owne businesse some attending their neighbours occasions some going to the Church to heare Sermons or to be at divine Service and all these are well employed if they deale honestly pray devoutly and heare submissively others againe are there idly walking about the Streets or dropping into a Tipling house or frequenting the Theatre or making fraies with them they meet or drinking and carowsing in Tavernes or sporting away the time in gaming places or solliciting their queanes in lewd houses and these are ill employed Now if a man should aske whence there is such odds betweene the men that live within the same Walls under the same Law and in the same time what may be said more likely and agreable to reason but this that the better sort amoved by grace out of the honest choice purpose and resolution of their mind to follow vertue with all diligence do take these commendable courses and the worser sort addicted to their lusts and pleasures
call consummate in the life to come is in his highest degree and without this imperfection Content as it proceeds from a comfortable use of particular things is either in respect of things tending to the being of life or to the well being and they which tend to the being of life are of two sorts some without which life cannot be as dirt and apparell others without which it cannot be else so liberally and worthily maintained as riches friends dignities and degrees of life and they which tend to wel being are also of two sorts some which are but meere helpes as arts and sciences some which are the well being it selfe of life as wisedome prudence morall vertues for in all these things as there is a good in respect of the giver and the end for which hee gives them so out of them particularly there doth arise a particular and generally a more generall content and therefore both these may be considered againe as outward or inward content the outward is that which commeth from externall things and yet no false content though they be common both to good men and bad And though I said before that false content is that which proceedeth from things seeming good and are not for they are indifferent and have their name from the use to them that use them well they are good but else not so and as flowers or fruit which otherwise would corrupt are preserved in sugar so those outward things which otherwise might prove to be evill are preserved in goodnesse by the sweetnesse and strength of vertue This then is the difference betweene the content which groweth from inward and outward things that outward things are not content in it selfe but as referred to the inward and inward things are content unto it selfe without the outward There be two things which helpe the good in the use of outward things first they have a right judgement of them to know that they are not simply good or necessary but indifferent and secondly they are indifferently disposed towards them to have them or to be without them when they have them they are content with them as they have them because of the good use which is to be made of them and when they have them not they are contented to have used them well and to be no more busied with them as setting their minds on the better things and without this equability of mind there is no content to be had in outward things the inward content is from the true knowledge of God the feeling of his favour and the testimony of a good conscience that wee heartily desire in all our life to obey him and this workes a wonderfull content when as the heart loving God and desiring him doth feele it selfe beloved againe of God yea loved first and before he himselfe did know how to love God and whence all his love and duty doth grow But here it may perhaps be said that they which serve God have the least content of all men for the world is against them and they against the world and as for these things wherein doth consist their chiefe content if wee shall beleeve them they complaine they want much and have very little as the Prophet David where hee saith As the Hart panteth for the rivers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God What content might that soule have which was so emptied with neede and so stretched out in desire and lived in expectation of the good it had not From that antipathy which is betweene the world and Gods servants doth arise their chiefest content for instead of the world they have God to be their steward and provider and the godly soule which having tasted of the sweetnesse of Gods mercy findeth unspeakeable content therein and thirsteth to drinke more yet without discontent though not without desire and this humility and vehement appetite in the children of God maketh their content the greater Thinke what a wretch thou art and most unworthy of that content thou oft feelest that thy content is choaked by turning thy desires after vanity or sinne which are the poyson of content labour by obedience and patience in the end to attaine full content in the meane space be not out of heart if many times thou have it not for God will try thee by all meanes seeke content in the best things else thou wilt lose it in all Meditation 42. Malice and Pride THe worke of sinne is an imitation of the devill but there are two which practised by men do make them in a short time as cunning as their crafts-master and to turne as right after him as any child can after his father they are Malice and Pride the devils malice is so great towards God though his Lord that there can be nothing more hatefull unto him than to be obedient to his will whose service wee count perfect freedome and doth for this cause what in him lyes that the holy and just lawes of God should be held of no force no authority by breaking them himselfe and causing others so to do and by maintaining lawes of his own repugnant to Gods as Idolatry Magicke and the like and so much doth hee please himselfe in this course that hee counteth himselfe and his followers for this doing better and more noble than other creatures as Angels and men which continue in obedience whom hee esteemes but as base slaves for that as hee saith they consent to live in such a bondage whereas living as hee doth under no command they might at least be Gods themselves in conceit and therefore against all such for the malice hee beares to God and obedience to him hee bendeth all his force and sleights if he cannot winne them hee will weary them and hee boasteth that hee hath more to follow his command than God hath And there is nothing that doth vexe him more and indeed it is his hell that when hee hath most deeply plotted and diligently practised to bring to passe a mischiefe to the dishonour of God or the hurt of his servants hee perceiveth himselfe in the end to come short of his purposes because the goodnesse of God by infinite wisdome power and mercy doth over-reach the depth of his malice using him onely to discover his owne naughtinesse but turning the businesse to his owne glory and the good of his servants and leaving him at last unto his shame as in the fall of Adam affliction of Job and the passion of our Saviour this makes him to eate and teare himselfe that hee should be but an instrument which would be counted a master of the worke and in all these appeareth his malice his pride is so great that though hee know himselfe to be over-ruled by Gods power and cannot go beyond the length of his chaine though hee suffer extreme punishment for his rebellion as separation from the divine presence and horror and though hee knowes God is very mercifull yet disdaines hee to
and they shall receive right which would not doe right Princes and Popes which none did dare to call in question shall be here both examined and censured and the more mighty men have beene to do wrong the more mightily shall they be confounded Lastly the sentence is very short Come yee blessed Goe yee cursed but of the greatest weight and strength that ever was for this doth not passe on one man or a family or a Nation onely but on all mankind at one time neither is it touching goods and lands or credit or limme or life of the body but it doth concerne bodies and soules too for salvation or damnation and that not for a day or yeare to continue but for ever without any repealing And are these things so what manner of persons ought wee to be then in holy conversation and godlinesse looking for and hasting to the comming of the day of God for these things must so come to passe not to feare or trouble Gods children but to take revenge on his enemies As when some mighty Prince commeth towards a Castle of his besieged by the enemy and bringeth a great army with him to raise the siege this putteth them in no feare which are within but is to them a great comfort and therefore they looke over the walls and rejoyce at it with shouts and cryes but they which are without are perplexed with feare for the hurt which is neare unto them know yee not that to the worlds end the Church is besieged by the devill the world and the flesh then God will come to raise this siege and bring all his enemies under his feete and his comming is not to put them in feare which are within his Church but which assault it and therefore Christ said to his owne Lift up your beads for your salvation draweth nigh and in another place he saith Behold I come shortly and my reward is with mâ—e to give every man according to his worke Blessed are they that do his Commandements that their right may be in the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the City for without shall be dogges and enchanters and whoremongers and murtherers and Idolaters and whosoever loveth or maketh lies Meditation 45. Hell A Thought of Hell is sad not so sad as to feele the paine and they shall certainly feele it which thinke not oft on it and that sadly too make thy choyce if thou like mine goe forward with mee it is a punishment which shuts us out from the presence of God that is a losse of all good it is a paine of griefe in all parts of man according as their dispostion is to take griefe easlesse that 's the extremity comfortlesse it findes no pity endlesse it hath no remedy it is called the second death a worme of the conscience a bottomlesse pit utter darknesse fire unquenchable a river of brimstone which is kindled by the breath of the Lord of Hoastes there is no order but confusion weeping and gnashing of teeth Wilt know where it is how spatious the rage of the tormentors the fury of the torments the dispaire of the tormented God keepe thee and mee from this experience But is God so infinitely angry will hee so unmercifully forsake so hardly handle these which might have knowne and loved him had hee so listed and can never do him hurt though they would Dispute not vaine clay thou art in the Potters hand to deale with thee as hee pleaseth his judgements are too high for thee beleeve his word obey thy calling follow him which descended into hell to fetch thy condemnation thence and thou shalt find God mercifull to thy soule yea nothing but mercy and in this cause I put thee over for a conclusion of all to the meditation of Heaven Meditation 46. Heaven and the heavenly inheritance THis is not meate for all mouthes art thou truly humbled for thy sinnes persecuted for the truth oppressed in thy right dost thou hate the world and art thou prepared for death then art thou a Gomer fit to keepe this Manna without corrupting but thou must beleeve else shalt thou not understand for most true is that which the Apostle saith We walke by faith and not by sight the things which are seene are temporall but the things which are not seene are eternall and as Saint John saith Now are wee the sonnes of God but yet it doth not appeare what wee shall be and wee know that when hee shall appeare wee shall be like him for we shall see him as he is If a King can do so much what trow you will the King of Kings do for that man which hee meanes to honor he hath already given his Son for thee and by him forgiven thy sinnes he hath given unto thee the priviledg of thy calling the honour of thy profession the liberty of thy conscience the helpes of his Sacraments the use of his Word the communion of Saints the counsell of the wise the familiarity of the good the beginnings of regeneration the proceedings of faith hope and love the fruits of patience peace joy and conscionable dealing last of all that great prerogative the intercession of Christ in all thy prayers if he have done so much for thee in this pilgrimage what will hee do for thee in thy country if thou have had such benefits in the wildernesse what art thou to hope for in Canaan The eye hath not seene the heart of man is not able to conceive how then can the tongue utter them but beleeve thou in thy soule which loves God the things which he hath provided for them that love him this world was made without any provision what a world will that be which God doth provide so long before hand and hee tels thee hee hath provided it that thou mightst know thou canst not be deceived before we have it we have the earnest of it and when wee have it nothing can take it from us so that there is presently an immunity from evill and a security never to returne to evill and there is also plenty and community we enjoy all good yea God himselfe the well of goodnesse therefore wee live still but what wee were is a shadow to what we are yea the best we were is almost nothing to that we are wee were in grace wee are in glory wee live still but more in God than in our selves we rejoyce as much for others as for our selves we are not onely reformed in bodies and soules but also transformed into a divine nature as the Angels free from necessities as Christ highly favoured in Christ as God eternalnally blessed such is the heavenly inheritance of the Saints which although it be common to many yet every one of the family hath his proper right in it and though it be divided yet is not the propriety of any the lesse or the communion the weaker for every one is fully content with his part and doth rejoyce as much in
DIVINE MEDITATIONS AND CONTEMPLATIONS upon severall heads of Divinity By G. R. Compiled for his owne private use and published for the common good PSAL. 1.1,2 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsell c. But his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night LONDON Printed by R. C. for Sam. Enderby and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the Starre in Popes-head-Alley 1641. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARLE OF WARWICK c. Right Honourable IF having neither merit or other relation to usher the admittance I seeme to intrude this present of so meane condition whence â—…ver it came upon your Lordships favourable construction and acceptance the report of those many excellencies in you imploy'd for the honour of your Prince and good of your Country so eminently obvious to the eye and admiration of the vertuous hath imboldned mee to the attempt and must serve for excuse instead of a larger apologie I have not the will or skill to flatter my thoughts aime at no base ends in this presumption and were I not certaine your Honour were as much a lover of goodnesse as an enjoyer of greatnesse and no lesse humble than honourable and would be rather a gratious interpreter than strict censurer my penne should not have been so ambitious or dared to rest under so noble patronage nor so inconsiderate to have exposed my owne and others weaknesse to publique view And yet the honesty of the subject whiles it directs the mind to the consideration of spirituall and necessary concernments for the soules welfare and a Christians profit may thus farre presume as not unworthy the perusall of the religious of what degree soever at times convenient to bespeake protection for the matter and pardon for the author be hee what hee is and his expressions otherwise never so meane or deservings answerable Please it therefore your Lordship to beare with this challenge which I have not used in the way of my owne right nor to forestall your Lordships judgement to which I humbly submit in both but to intimate that by how much the present is the more considerable for any worth or value to be found in it by so much the more it belongs and is fit to such worthy patronage to be presented But herein your Honour must accept the will for the deed from him whose desires in the height of their ambition soare no higher in that respect than to become effectuall Orators for your Honors prosperity temporall and eternall and that he may be worthy Of Your Lordships command in any service G. R. Meditation 1. Of prosperity and adversity IN prosperity it may seeme we love God in adversity we feare God for prosperity doth cause us to praise God and adversity to pray unto him and yet in the end it doth then appeare wee neither love nor feare God A strange matter indeed that God should not be beloved of us then when he sheweth himselfe a friend or not feared when as a Judge he calleth us to account and therefore not to be beleeved without good proofe He that doth truely love God loves him for himselfe and hee that doth truely feare God feares him for himselfe and finding in him alwayes the same cause of feare and love doth never cease to feare or love love is his possession feare his Security what hee hath once gain'd by love by feare hee is willing to keepe and he doth as much feare not to lose as love still to enjoy May hee then bee said to love God in prosperity which in adversity doth not love him or to feare God in adversity which in prosperity doth not so If then wee cannot endure the change of a prosperous estate but are so much disquieted that we take no comfort in the favour of God this is a sure token we loved not God in prosperity though then we praysed him for a little of this love abiding in us though at first it should not be able to free us from feeling and passion yet at last would it so calme and settle us that not having the gifts wee would much more rejoyce in the giver for whose sake onely all things are worth the having Likewise if good successe and better credit doe but inable us to do wrong without looking to the will of God which awardeth right this is a sure token we feared not God in adversity for a little of this feare would stay us backe from such attempts though there were none in the world to control us If not God what loved wee then in prosperity what feared we in adversity Wee loved the gift not the giver wee feared the punishment not the Judge that is we neither loved with feare nor feared with love Oh unworthy love which doth more respect the gift than the givers good will Oh vaine feare which observes the mighty but not the Almighty If Gods gifts bee better welcome to us than himselfe little is the love we beare to God if wee feare Gods punishment more than the losse of his favour such feare is not religious But will we give a true testimony of our love and feare towards God Let us doe that in adversity which even hypocrites do in prosperity let us I say praise God and be content Againe let us doe that in prosperity which even hypocrites do in adversity Let us I say pray heartily unto God and commend our selves and all our doings unto him In a word let us love him in adversity and feare him in prosperity to this purpose looke we in prosperity on the threats of Gods law beleeving that none of them shall fall to the ground In adversity on the promises of God firmely trusting to receive comfort and deliverance from him though as yet wee have no feeling thereof Shall we not feare such a God in our greatnesse who hath ever vengeance ready and that without respect of persons Shall wee not love such a God in our weaknesse who is so faithfull and kinde that he will never neglect them in their greatest distresse which put their trust in him Adde this to make us feare in prosperity that God doth but make us his Stewards hee may when he will and hee will when wee thinke least on it call us to reckoning the more we take the more will be required and negligence shall finde a streighter judgement than ignorance And wee shall love God the better in adversity if wee consider that evils are justly layd upon us because of our sinnes and yet from Gods mercy that chastising us as children we may repent and be saved and that it is sarre better that hee should take our estate from us than that our estate should take us from him Meditation 2. Of Love Faith is the assurance of Gods love to a Christian which faith breedeth in him a love answerable to his apprehension though not comparable to the object and it is a borrowed fire a