Hee is a Surgion If thou beest sicke Hee is a Physition If thou burne Hee is a Fountaine If thou beest cold Hee is a Fire If thou beest a sinner Hee is Sanctity If thou beest laden with iniquity Hee is Iustice If thou wantest helpe Hee is a Succour If thou beest weake Hee is Strength If thou beest weary Hee is a Shadow If thou fearest death Hee is Life If thou hatest darkenesse Hee is Light If thou wouldst see GOD Hee is thy Glasse If thou wouldst haue accesse to GOD Hee is the Way If thou wouldst enter into heauen Hee is the Dore the Key the Keeper O LORD how sweete is Thy Name How pleasing is Thy Seruice How easie is Thy Yoke In truth he is worthy death who refuseth to liue to Thee Hee is a foole that is not wise to Thee Hee is iust nothing that would bee something out of Thee It is meete that hee should wither that will not grow in Thee Hee deserues to perish wandring that will not walke in Thee Misery bee his end that seekes not Blisse in Thee Death bee his Destiny that seekes not life in Thee And Hell his heritage that seekes not Heauen in Thee Thou mad'st all things for thy Selfe Hee that will bee some-thing to himselfe nothing to Thee amongst all things hee beginnes to bee nothing and of things euill hee deserues the worst Keepe mee therefore in Thy loue that I may not leaue Thee Preserue mee in Thy Breast and doe not loose mee If I leaue Thee I loose Thee in loosing Thee I loose my soule my selfe and all things with mee Of the Holy Ghost THE third Person of the blessed Trinity is called the Holy SPIRIT because Hee hallowes vs and being Himselfe Spired doth also inspire good things into vs. The scholler learnes quickely when the Holy GHOST is his Teacher The eye sees distinctly when the Holy GHOST doth enlighten it A man iudgeth truely when Hee doth direct him and liueth holily when Hee doth dispose him The SPIRIT is but one In Person yet seuen yea seuenty times seuen in His gracious Operations Hee hath Wisedome for thee against thy folly Vnderstanding against thy dulnesse Counsell against thy giddinesse Courage against thy cowardice Cheerefulnes against thy sluggishnesse Tendernesse against thy hardnesse Comfort against thy feares Light against thy darkenesse Truth against thy lies Humility against thy pride Faith against thy dissidence Hope against thy desperation and Charity against thy cruelty Hee is giuen vnto men for saluation when their heart returnes vnto GOD for succour when in our agonies Hee relieues our infirmitie for solace when Hee whispers into our hearts that we are GODS Children and for heate when Hee kindles in our soules the zeale of GOD and Charity to our neighbour for CHRIST His sake Thinke wee well it is of Him Will wee well It is by Him Affect wee well It is His worke Or liue wee well It is by His direction Hee lightens our mind giudes our reason strengthens our memory moues our will and rules our affections But because a man sees Him not therefore shall hee deny his Essence or his Presence Thou seest not Aire the Wind thine Heart thy Braines thy Soule The operations of the Aire doth shew it the noise and whirling of the Wind doth proue it the panting of the heart doth expresse it the thoughts and imaginations of the Braines doth declare them and life sense and motion doth shew thy soule is in thee Euen so spirituall motions and an holy conuersation doth argue the presence and presidence of the SPIRIT in vs. The Holy GHOST appeared in a Doue and in fiery tongues Hee dwels in them that are innocent meek and constant and whom Hee fils Hee makes them seruent and likewise eloquent Hee inflames their hearts with the heauenly fire of an holy zeale and makes them speake the praises of GOD Hee therefore hath the Holy GHOST who with his mildenesse and simplicity quenches not his zeale nor with bitternesse of zeale looses not his mildensse but harboureth both together in a discreet pious and peaceable Spirit Of the Holy and Indiuiduall Trinity THREE are better then One but here Three are One and One is Three and hee that hath One hath All and hee that wants One wants All. What One is All are What One hath None lackes All Three are one GOD all Three haue one LORDSHIP Amongst Them there is distinction but not diuision a plurality of Persons but a singularity of Nature Consubstantiall Coëternall and Co-aequall To bee busy in inquisition about the TRINITY is wicked curiosity to bleeue It soberly is faithfull security but to see It as It is is perfect and full felicity Nature cannot match this Mystery therefore the similitudes vsed to expresse It must bee warily considered and not strained too farre As that of the Sunne and Fire which haue three things motion light and heate of the Iewish Ephah a measure of three bushels of the Soule which is furnished with Memory Vnderstanding and Will of Water in the Spring Riuer and Pond or of the Finger Hand and Arme. Then here there can bee no where more dangerous crring nor more painefull seeking not more profitable finding It shall not grieue mee if I doubt to aske It shall not shame mee if I faile to learne O Verity Charity Eternity O Blessed and Blessing TRINITY Holy Holy Holy LORD GOD of Hosts Heauen and Earth are full the Maiesty of Thy Glory Whiles I thinke of Three I shut vp my thoughts in One and whilst I muse on One mine eies are dazeled with the sight of Three It is my misery that I am a stranger from Thee I shall bee happy when I shall bee with Thee see Thee and enioy Thee Of Christ OVr blessed LORD and Sauiour is called IESVS CHRIST The former Name is Hebrew the latter Greeke the one signifying a SAVIOVR the other ANNOINTED for Hee is both to Iew and Gentle an Annointed Sauiour Annointed with the oile of gladnesse aboue his fellowes to be a King Priest and Prophet vnto his Body His Person is but one but his Natures are two One Diuine and Vncreated the other Humane and Created Hee must bee man that Hee might bee able to die Hee must bee GOD that his death might bee Meritorious Hee must bee Man for man had finned and Man must therefore suffer Hee must bee GOD that in suffering Hee might ouercome and that dying Hee might raise Himselfe to life Man indeed could suffer but GOD alone could vanquish and ouercome O inestimable fauour GOD would become Man that wee men might bee reconciled vnto GOD. The Sonne of GOD was made the sonne of Man that the sonnes of men might bee made the sonnes of GOD. Hee became a Seruant to make vs free Hee would bee inglorious that wee might bee glorious and being LORD of Life Hee would suffer death that wee which had deserued death might haue by Him eternall Life LORD IESVS whom haue I to intercede for mee with
are the diuels harbingers for hee lodges not but where they haue taken vp his lodging for him There are some vse to minish their sinnes either they are not great or they are not many Sure it is that the smallest sinne that can bee beeing the offence of the greatest Maiesty deserueth death and therefore is great enough to destroy the soule and though there were but one yet that were one too many For one foote of a bird taken or one wing belimmed may cost her her life One hole in a Ship may sinke her One bullet may kill as well as twenty The smallest sin is in it nature mortall yea the omission of the smallest duety which the Law of GOD requireth deserueth eternall death For cursed is euery one which continueth not in All Things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them If the smallest curse of GOD bee too great to suffer then the smallest sinne against GOD is too great to doe As I therefore desire to escape all curses so will I by the grace of GOD bee carefull to auoide all causes and will neuer count that little which might make mee sustaine so great a losse as is the forfeite of my soule Of the Gospell THE Gospell is good newes from heauen of remission of sins reconciliation to GOD redemption from hell death and condemnation and of resurrection to life and glory by the merites of our LORD and SAVIOVR IESVS CHRIST O happy newes O ioyfull tydings What newes more welcome to prisoners then of a Goale-deliuery What more pleasing to malefactours then to heare of their Princes pardon What would a blind man more willingly heare of then that his eie-sight shall bee restored to him Or what better tydings can bee brought to a man sea-beaten and spent with labour then that hee shall most certainely obtaine an hauen where hee shall most safely rest free from the malice of Pirates and fury of all foule weather Yet for all this the Gospell with many findes but poore acceptance It is because men haue no thorough feeling of their miseries they feele no misery and therefore affect no change What cares a clunch for learning or good manners that blesseth himselfe in his rudenesse and inciuility What cares a man for meate that feeles no hunger What doe you talke to him of cloathes that feeles no cold nor nakednesse The lacke of things causeth estimation the sense of lacke When men haue beene worne with warres how pleasing is the newes of a true and constant peace When a man feeles his disease and sees death staring in his eyes O how welcome is the Physition How welcome should hee bee that would bring him newes of a medicine which hee might easily haue that would cure him and set him vp againe When Sea-men haue beene long at Sea and spent their victuals and water euen a pound of bread would bee worth a pound in siluer and a little fresh water how welcome would it bee vnto them And if men would but duely consider of their captiuity slauery miseries and necessities into which they are driuen by sinne and wherein they are inwrapped they would bee glad to heare of deliuerance And beautifull should be the feete of those which shall bring vnto them glad tydings of peace I will therefore examine my selfe by the Law that I may bee brought to esteeme of the Gospell I will mediate of my slauery which I am brought to by transgressing the Law that I may duely respect the liberty which is Preached in the Gospell Mine owne bitternesse shall make mee delight in this Sweetnesse and mine owne vngraciousnesse in this so great a Grace Of the Law and the Gospell THE Law saith doe this and thou shalt liue The Gospell saith Beleeue in the Lord IESVS and thou shalt be saued In the Law there is seuerity but in the Gospell mercy In the Law there is reserued no repentance but by the sentence thereof hee that sins must die But the Gospell admits repentance and promiseth life to him that turneth vnto GOD. The Law terrifies but the Gospell pacifies The Law discouers sin but the Gospell couers it The Law requires a mans owne iustice but the Gospell Preacheth pardon in the iustice of another to wit of CHRIST The Law is written after a sort in the hearts of all men Pagans and Christians but the Gospell is not so generally knowne to all And the Gospell was not first and then the Law But the Law was first and then the Gospell To finde out my sinnes I will veiw the Law but to reade my saluation I will looke into the Gospell To despaire of my selfe I will weigh the Law but to hope in CHRIST I will receiue the Gospell If I were disposed to stand vpon my good deeds I would sticke to the Law but being desirous of mercy I will flye to the Gospell If I would stand vpon my iustice I wold plead the Law but crauing Grace I go to the Gospell Yet this will I doe because the Law is the rule of good workes I will endeuour to keepe it with care and conscience Yet euery day will I pray and say GOD bee mercifull to mee a sinner Of Good and Euill GOOD is more ancient then euill Sanctity is elder then sinne vice is yonger then Vertue There was first an Angell then a diuell First a Man then a sinner First a True-man then a thiefe In good no man can bee too much in euill no man can bee too little Hee that would encrease in good let him thinke hee hath yet too little Hee that would decrease in euill let him remember still hee hath too much The way to learne vertue is to vnlearne vice Hee taketh the ready course to become good which repenteth of his euils And Hee onely will proue a Saint which feelingly confesses himselfe to bee a sinner Of the Church Vniuersall THE Holy Catholique Church is the Corporation or Communion of Saints Triumphant in Heauen and Militant on earth This is the Mysticall Body of CHRIST who is the onely Head thereof by whose SPIRIT euery Member thereof is animated as euery part of the naturall body is animated of the soule And from which Head euery true mysticall Member deriueth all Spirituall life sense and motion And as the Moone receiueth her light from the Sunne so doth the Church receiue all her brightnesse both of grace and glory from IESVS CHRIST This Church is the Vine of GODS delight the Spouse of CHRIST His Faire One His Wel-Beloued GODS House and Citty the LORD and Keeper whereof is GOD the Wall His omnipotent Grace and gracious Omnipotency the Watch-towers are His Prouidence and Omniscience Her Ensignes or Armes are Faith Righteousnesse Peace Charity and ioy in the Holy GHOST Her foundation is the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles Her Gate is CHRIST Her Religion is the seruice of the blessed TRINITY Her Citizens are all poenitent and true Beleeuers and all the Saints of GOD. This is the
of the Land saith Hoseah because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of GOD in the Land My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge This ignorance is the mother of superstition and prophanesse and the reason why men feare not GOD but are disobedient and vnawfull Therefore they in Iob that had said in their hearts Wee desire not the knowledge of Thy Waies say also Who is the Almighty that wee should serue Him And what profite should wee haue if wee should pray vnto Him If a man bee disposed to deuotion yet being ignorant of GODS Will hee will deuise some Wil-worship and foolish ad-inuentions which are as pleasing vnto GOD as Luke-warme water to the stomacke as apish complements to a graue man or as painting and pranking is to a staied and holy Matrone Besides the ignorance of GOD makes men do that against the truth and the professours of it which otherwise it is very likely they would not do Ignorance of CHRIST made the Iewes to crucifie Him and Paul to persecute Him in His Members They shall excommunicate you saith our LORD yea the time shall come that whosoeuer kils you shall thinke hee doth GOD good seruice and these things will they doe vnto you because they haue not knowne the FATHER nor MEE And for the life to come it shall bee no helpe to say wee would haue serued Thee had we knowne Thee But why did you not know Mee For mine Eternall Power and God-head are seene by the creation of the world The heauens declare the glory of GOD and the firmament sheweth the workes of His Hands But besides the booke of Nature you had the Scriptures Moses the Prophets and Apostles besides the world you had the Church I sent you my Messengers in whom I spake continually to you and entreated you to learne and serue Mee It is euident therefore that ignorance will not serue the turne For the LORD IESVS will render vengeance vnto them that know not GOD and obey not His Gospell which shall be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the LORD and from the glory of His power And finally whereas all the vanities pompe and glory of the world which wee do so much admire shall perish with the world this our knowledge of GOD begunne in this world shall be perfited in the world to come Now I know in part but then shall I know euen as I am knowne Then a man shall haue Light without darkenesse Knowledge without ignorance Wisedome without folly Vnderstanding without dulnesse Iudgement without errour Reason without perturbation Then shall all the Saints see GOD and serue GOD alwaies and for euer Of Seruing God IT was well said of a father to his sonne Know thou the GOD of thy father and serue Him How shall a man serue Him that doth not know Him And what will it profite to know Him if hee doe not serue Him But if men doe serue Him they shall end their daies in prosperity and their yeares in pleasures Or if Hee try them with the Crosse Hee will afterwards honour them with a Crowne Their griefes shall end in Glory their mourning in Mirth their tentations in Tryumphes their vinegar shall bee changed into Wine and though they haue sowne in teares yet they shall reap in Ioy. What desirest thou in a Maister Wisedome His Wisedome is infinite Greatnesse His Greatnesse is incomprehensible Strength Hee can do all things nothing is impossible with Him Valour Hee is not afraid of death nothing can dismay Him Magnificence Hee is the LORD of Hoasts cloathed with Glory and Honour Hee couereth Himselfe with light as with a garment and spreadeth the heauens like a curtaine Hee maketh the clouds His Chariot and walketh vpon the wings of the Winde Hee sitteth vpon the circle of the earth and the inhabitants thereof are as Grashoppers Hee bringeth the Princes to nothing and maketh the Iudges of the earth as vanity His garment is white as snow the haire of His Head like pure wooll His Throne like the fiery flame and His Wheeles as burning fire Thousand thousands Minister vnto Him and ten thousand thousands stand before Him Wouldst thou haue a Maister rich The earth is the LORDS and all that is therein the round world and all that dwell within it One that can aduance thee Promotion comes neither from East nor West nor South nor North but from GOD Who throweth the proud from his Pinacles raiseth the needy out of the dust and lifteth vp the poore out of the dung that Hee may set Him with Princes euen with the Princes of His people Or One that is kind and louing patient and compassionate The LORD is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great mercy Hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare Him Hee will heare their cry and saue them Men will serue men specially such as may doe them good or defend them from harme Why then should wee not much more willingly serue GOD who is able to saue a man though all would destroy him and to destroy him when nothing can saue him If Hee blesse who can curse If Hee curse who can blesse Sometimes a seruant serues a Maister who growes weary of him because hee thinkes hee may proue costly to him Many Maisters hauing serued their turnes shake off their seruants as a dogge doth water or as a man would do burres and a good seruant may sometimes waite long and get little But GOD neuer forsakes or turnes out His seruants Hee lets them not serue Him vnregarded but as they honour Him Hee honours them And the more they serue Him the freer they are in this world and the greater rewards they shall receiue of Him in the world to come And it is to bee obserued that yong folkes vsually do giue themselues to bee seruants of men Why then should they not giue themselues to the seruice of GOD whom to serue is indeed to reigne and in whose seruice that may bee gotten which cannot bee found in the seruice of any mortall man O that wee would remember our Creatour in the daies of our youth and inure our neckes to His yoake whiles wee are fresh and tender But what must be the Rule of our seruice Surely not our wils who are but seruants but His Will who is our Maister which hee hath reuealed to vs in His Word to which wee ought to conforme and apply our selues infeare and humblenesse indeuouring to obey Him in all His commands sincerely cheerefully and to our end so shall we bee sure to dye in His grace and to bee raysed vp from the graue of death to possesse the glory of Eternall Life Of the Sower and his Seed THE Sower went out to sow Euery true and faithfull Minister of CHRIST IESVS is a Sower GODs Word is his Seed Mans heart is the ground that should receiue it The Word is a very rare and admirable Seed altogether matchlesse For by it men are made Christians sinners are
made Saints dead men are made aliue From it all manner of vertues spring and with it are nourished And were it not for it the whole world and euen the Church it selfe would be worse then a wildernesse and turned into Sodom and Gomorrah But as it is in vaine to sow Seed in the fire aire or water or any where but in the earth which is in the middle of the world and that it may prosper well the ground must be quiet not troubled or tossed nor continually troden on and both it and the seed to be cast into it must be pure and good not mingled or corrupt So it is bootlesse to sow the Word in the eares onely or in the eyes or vnderstanding and memory or indeed any where if not in the heart which is in the midst of a man And that it may thriue and flourish the heart must be quiet and not disturbed or tossed with the stormes and tempests of fleshly passions It must be cleansed of noysome and stinking weeds It must not be troden vnder foote and continually walkt vpon by wordlly cares carnall desires and foolish fansies which keepe a great coile and are alwaies trotting vp and downe in worldings belly-gods and naturall men and the seed must be sowne purely and not mingled with the tares and darnell of heresies and errours A Ship cannot saile without Sea-roome and seed cannot thriue without Earth-roome No more can the Word without Heart-roome If the ground receiue not the seed into it and cherish it and giue it scope to roote it selfe in it the seed cannot prosper and come to perfection So the Word of GOD thriues not except the heart receiue it meekely cherish it louingly and giue it roome to roote it selfe throughly Drunkennesse and gluttony doe drowne this Seed couetousnesse and worldly cares do choke it vnchaste desires do scortch and burne it rage and contumacy repell it hatred and malice pinch and bite it hardnesse of heart and double mindednesse will not suffer it to roote well Euery man would haue his ground good yea what is there that a man would not haue to be good his wife his childe his seruant his friend his fellow his apparell his house his horse his dogge hee would haue all good and shall himselfe be naught Shall the heart which is the onely seed-plot of the Word which is able to saue his soule shall it be euill and suffred to be euill and ouergrowne with euill weedes Why is it that the raine falling and the Sunne shining vpon a well ordered Garden makes it sweete and flourishing but vpon some other peece of ground and it brings out nothing but Mosse and Weedes The fault is in the ground not in the Sunne or Raine So one man is benefited by the Word it takes well and bringeth forth fruites in him and another doth not reap any good by it it proueth not in him by reason of his vncapablenesse and wicked lusts that will not giue way vnto it but makes him to resist it and rebell against it A man may set or sow in our fields whiles wee sleepe or though wee would not But the Minister cannot sow the Word of GOD in our hearts if wee snort in sin if wee bee regardlesse of the Word and will not receiue it Seed may bee pickt out of the ground and eaten of birds whether a man will or no his corne may bee burnt his plants may be stollen or puld vp and broken downe though hee would not But wee and the Word that is sowne or grafted in vs cannot bee separated against our wils our Bibles may bee taken from vs by force but the Word ingrafted in vs cannot bee taken from vs against our will the birds of hell cannot steale it from vs and pick it out except we our selues be willing if euer wee and it do part wee must thanke our selues Seed sowne in the ground after a time comes vp and flourishes for a time but at length it decayes and withers For this is the nature of seed it is partly turned into the ground and turnes the ground partly into it It turnes and is turned it suckes and drawes to it a certaine nurriture out of the ground at length shootes out growes vp and increaseth a certaine space then in processe of time it decayeth and at length dyeth But the Word doth otherwise For the Word being sowne in the heart that entertaines it taketh thriueth comes vp and beareth fruite It is not turned but it turneth the heart It is not corrupted but rather corrupteth and killeth the euill qualities that are within vs It it is no whit turned into man but it rather turnes a man into it and workes him to it will It suckes no nourishment from man but it affoords strength and comfort vnto man and it neuer decayeth of it selfe It dies not neither can it bee by any meanes rooted vp or taken from vs but by our wils Wee yeelding consent thereto If euer it faile and die if it bee parched and dryed vp it is long of vs and not of it There is no plant which time killeth Nature hath appointed it a time to liue and a time to die be the ground neuer so good the yeares neuer so seasonable the heauens neuer so benigne yet it must decay and die But if the Word be planted in a good and honest heart it cannot be rooted out nor perish except the ground proue barren and naught except a man do waxe weary of the Plant vnlesse a man would be ridde of it it will not away but will grow vp with him and will saue his soule by the blessing of GOD. This Seed is at this day scattered in all places amongst vs yet it takes but badly in the most The Seed is good but the ground as it seemes is for the most part naught That is the onely good ground which receiues it gladly giues it free passage willingly and brings sorth the fruites thereof patiently Men neuer more delighted in goodly Gardens and Orchards in variety of fruites and flowers then at this day But without doubt there is none of all their Seedes or Sets comparable to this For this brings fruites of all kindes that are good Fruits of which a man cannot surfet Fruits without which a man is more miserable than a very beast Fruites for the which a man shall bee crowned with life eternall Fruites which themselues are fruitfull one fruite bringeth forth another without the corruption losse or lessening of it selfe And whereas all their feedes are not able to saue the body from death this Seed is able to saue the soule from hell and to giue a man assurance that his dead body also shall be raised vp from death to life Their seeds and their plants and flowers do replenish and beautifie their grounds but this Seed and the fruites there of doe fill and garnish the soule Those if they prosper doe commend the soyle but this if it thriue doth commend the
of the Man The soule they say followes the temperature of the body as concerning operations and it is often likewise seene that the house goes much after the House-wifes humour The husband is the wiues head the wife then is as the husbands body Who but mad-men will mis-vse their bodies And who but bad women will mis-vse their heads Our women are very curious in decking and dressing of their heads I would they were as carefull in pleasing of their husbands I hold them best carefull that are carefull of both their heads together Of both her heads what if I said her husband was the better For her owne head is but head of her body but her husband is head both of her head and of her body her head serues to rule her body but her husband serues to rule her head her head is the better part of her body but her husband is the better part of her selfe It is true hee without her is a bodilesse head and as true againe shee without him is a headlesse body Wisedome Fore-cast and Direction belong to the head to Obey to Bend and to bee Gouerned are for the body Sure hee is an ill head that wanteth wit forecast care and gouernement and she is as bad a body that is vnruly vntractable and which wil not be directed A good wife is like a Marchants Ship laden with all kinds of vertues as it were with wares shee is for labour and not to lie still and is fitted for burthen rather then for battery Her Pilot and her Owner is her husband It is certaine women must be obedient to Princes as Subiects to Pastors as Sheepe but to their husbands onely as they are their wiues Wee requite in a looking-glasse principally that it do truely shew vs the colour of our faces for though it be set in gold or bee deckt with pearles yet if it bee deceiptfull wee care not for it the Gold or Pearles may bee esteemed but it is contemned The principall commendation of a wife is not gold siluer wealth or out ward brauery but Modesty Chastity Piety Verity Sobriety and Humillity If these things bee in her shee is worthy loue and will win the heart of any man that is a man and not a Bedlem that is a man and not a deuill But though she bring wealth and worship with her yet if these things be wanting in her which were chiefly expected of her and are most required surely she is but as a deceiptfull glasse a man is meerely cousened in her And though she haue brought with her coffers of gold yet can she not but be in truth contemned except she mend her manners Riches Beauty Brauery greatnesse of birth in a vicious proud profane and head-strong woman are but as good flowres or fine feathers stuck in a peece of dung Of a King GIVE vnto Caesar the things that are Caesars Caesar is euery free full and absolute Monarch The things of Caesar are Loue Honour Reuerence Obedience Fidelity Tributes Subsidies Customes and supreme Authority vnder GOD ouer all his Subiects in all Temporall and Secular things A King is a cetaine Mixed Creature made of all the people in a Kingdom Man is a little world and a King is a little Kingdome There is not a man within his Kingdome but he is as a part and member of the King Therefore as euery member of the body serues in his place for the good of the whole body and is obedient to the head where wisedom power prouidence and gouernment lyeth So euery Subiect should serue for the good of the State and seek it in his place and shold shew himselfe obedient to the King who is his Head And as the head challengeth a right in euery member and therefore doth good vnto them all and is affected with compassion if euen the smallest of them bee wronged or ill affected So a King hath a certaine right in all his subiects hee should animate and rule them all with his authority and by his Lawes hee should study the welfare of them all and should be affected truely with all their wrongs and miseries The head will yeeld to the cutting off an ill-affected member chusing rather that one should perish then all but it is not simply delighted in the death of any of the members So a good King loues not to destroy any of his subiects but had rather saue a thousand then kill one yet hee doth as it were enforce himselfe to draw his sword as knowing that it is better to cut off one then disturbe or loose all But though the head may determine to cut away a member yet doth it not by it selfe but by some other member or instrument so though iudgement and determination belongs vnto the King yet executions thereof are fittest by farre to bee performed of others But al-be-it the head agree to the destruction of a member yet no member is seene to lift it selfe vp against the head with violence as it were to strike or hurt it So is it altogether sauage and vnnaturall for Subiects to lay violent hands vpon the sacred bodies of their King who is as Mount Sinai which was not to bee touched vnder paine of death Mercy and Iustice are two saue-gards of a King and most comely for him If nothing can be safe from him there can be no safety for him His safety and security stands in the safety and security of his Subiects of whom it is safer for him to be loued then to be feared It is surer for him to tye them to him by Princely humanity then to exasperate and awe them with tyrannicall seuerity The King of the Bees himselfe is alone without a sting Nature would not that he should be cruell and hath left his anger without a weapon Doubtlesse Clemency is a Princely vertue Herein a King may shew himselfe like the KING of Kings who though able easily to be reuenged of all that doe offend him yet is he so indulgent that he pardons many and sometimes deferres the punishments of His veriest enemies and strikes not alwaies when cause is giuen Him Euery King should remember to serue the KING of Kings CHRIST IESVS to whom all Kings are Vassals It is iust that they should be punisht with rebellious treacherous vnfaithfull and wicked Subiects that themselues neglect the Lawes of their SOVERAIGNE and are vnfaithfull to their GOD And herein a King doth most of all serue CHRIST to wit in doing that good and hindring that euill which hee could neither do nor hinder but as he is a King Some think a woman may not raigne What did Debora among the Ifraelites If woemen as many Virgines and Widdowes may be Ladies and Mistresses of seruants euen Males Why may they not be Queenes if the Prouidence of heauen bring them to it The Regall power is neither Masculine nor Foeminine but Diuine Sonnes are tyed to honour their naturall mothers and surely without staine vnto their sexe and what blemish or
indignity can it bee to men to honour their Politicall Mother Hee that honours an absolute Potentate aright whether King or Queene honours the power and authority which is Diuine and not Humane and honours the person for the Power not the Power for the person Bee the person good or bad the Power is good it is of GOD And it may fall out that an euill man may bee a good Monarch But whatsoeuer the Monarch is the Monarchy the Monarches power is euer good and neuer bad For there is no power but of GOD and the powers that be are ordained of GOD Whosoeuer therefore resisteth the Power resisteth the ordinance of GOD. And they that resist shall receiue to themselues condemnation Let euery soule therefore bee subiect vnto the higher Powers and not because of wrath onely but euen for conscience sake Of Death DEATH is not euill but to an euill man for to the godly death is good to the wicked death is euill to him it is the dore of life to this it is the entrance into hell The sting of death is sinne pull out this sting repent of sinne and death can do hurt but good Flye from sinne and death cannot be fearefull The sooner the Saint dies the sooner hee comes to his Crowne The longer a man liues the more time he spends vpon the Seas the sooner a man dies that dies well the sooner he comes into the hauen Hee dies well that liues well a bad death cannot follow a good life He liues and dies well that liues and dies in the faith and feare of IESVS CHRIST who is Rest to him that trauels Health to him that is sicke Refreshment to him that is weary and Life to him that dyeth eitheir for Him or in Him Death is not euill but an euill death This euill death no man dyeth which dyeth either In or For the seruice of CHRIST IESVS Of the Immortality of the Soule THE soule saith Austen is a created Substance Inuisible incorporeall Immortall being like to GOD that made it It is possible that the sould should be destroyed as it was for the Sunne to stand still for the sea to stand diuided for the fire not to burne the three children but this is not by the nature thereof but in regard of the power of GOD who is able if Hee pleased to turne the whole world into nothing as Hee once made it of nothing But indeed the soule of a man shall neuer die shall neuer bee dissolued as is the body but continueth whole and firme for euer For the proofe hereof I suppose it the surest way for euery man to fortifie himselfe with the vndoubted testimonies of holy Writ The Spirit saith Ecclesiastes returnes to GOD that gaue it The soule of the poore beggar was in ioy but the soule of the rich Epicure was in torment after their bodily death CHRIST said to the Thiefe now a dying This day shalt thou bee with Mee in Paradise And to His FATHER Into Thine hands I commend my Spirit Steuen being now ready to depart prayed LORD IESVS receiue my spirit Saint Paul saith Wee loue rather to remoue out of the body and to dwell with the LORD And againe I desire to bee dissolued and to bee with CHRIST By which it is most certaine that the soule doth liue after the body is dead But what though the soule shall liue for euer if it liue in paine as the soules of the damned do Surely it were better not to be then to be tormented and out of ease Therefore let vs die before wee die and leaue our sinnes before wee leaue the world If our soules do die to sinne in this life they shall not die by sinne in the life to come If they liue to GOD by grace in this world they shall liue with GOD in glory in the world to come The world is mortall but the soule of man is immortall Why should that that is immortall bee pind on that that is mortall Why should the soule that cannot die be buried in the loue of those things that cannot but die and come to nothing The body is mortall the soule is immortall why should wee make more account of That then This Why should we desire a good body and care not though wee haue a naughty soule If we neglect our soule we shall not saue our body if we forget out soules we forget our selues The soule was not made for the body but the body for the soule The soule therefore shoule be preferred to the body but he which neglects the chiefest and sets most by the meanest corrupteth both and condemnes himselfe But he that looketh well to his soule though hee be more carelesse of the body yet he shall not proue vnlucky for in tendring the safety of his soule hee shall saue his body also Of the Resurrection of the Body THERE is a resurrection of the iust and iniust the iust shall rise to iudge the iniust to be iudged the iust shall be absolued the iniust shall be condemned Euen that body that fell the selfe-same shall rise againe by GODs Omnipotency For euen they that sleepe in the dust shall rise that must rise againe that fell this mortall must put on Immortality I shall see GOD in my flesh saith Iob mine eyes shall behold Him and none other for mee If there were no resurrection then is not CHRIST risen againe for in Him we all dyed in Him we are all raised vp from death and this we haue in Soe the day shall come when we shall haue it in Re. Neither is there any reason that another body and not the same which serued CHRIST and suffered iniuries for Him should be giuen vnto a man but it is host iust that the same body which was burnt or butchered for CHRIST should be glorified of CHRIST and that a man should receiue his reward and rest in that body in which he performed his seruice The body restored shall be a true body and not a Spirit For Gloria non tollit naturam sed extollit Glory doth not destroy but perfite Nature All defects deformities weakenesses and imperfections shall be remoued and all fulnesse feature fauour strength and perfections shall be giuen it And whereas many fall in their infancy children of a spanne long yet it is not to be imagined that they shall be raised vp of such a stature but in the stature of a man and yet the same body euen as the body of an old man for substance is the same it was in his youth or child-hood though enlarged and otherwise disposed And al-be-it it shall rise a spirituall body yet it followeth not that it shall be a Spirit no more then it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a soule when it fell because it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an animall or soule-body naturall body but it is a naturall body now because it is nourished and preserued by naturall meanes as food rayment sleepe physicke recreation labour A
soule-body because it is gouerned of the soule so it is called then a spirituall body because it shall be at the Spirits command and shall bee more pure and subtill and fuller of agility then it is in this world and shall not haue need of such naturall and bodily helpes to succour and sustaine it In a word all glorified bodies shall haue a temper of elementary qualities brought to such an equality that heate shall not ouercome moysture nor this that but there shall be peace for euer without discord and contention There is nothing goes from these bodies nothing is put to them there is no defect no superfluity no aliment no excrement their temperature is altogether invariable Neither may it seeme harsh to any that these our bodies shall be raised vp againe For GOD that knowes their frame and is thoroughly acquainted with their substance is Omnipotent and Eternall and can most easily do it If an Image or Statue were broken in peeces yet so long as the worke-man that made it liues and whiles his skill lasteth his memory and fancie faile not and matter wanteth not there is hope it may be made againe as good as euer But GOD our Maker is One and the Same for euer and both can and will performe all his Promises made in His Word The howre shall come in which all that are in the graues shall heare His Voyce the voyce of the Son of man and they shall come forth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation O that my soule might rise from sinne in this world that my body might rise from death to Life and Glory in the world to come Of the last Judgement VVEE must all appeare before the iudgement seate of CHRIST Hee shall iudge the world that was iudged of the world Hee shall condemne sinners who was Himselfe condemned for a sinner Hee will recompense to euery one according as his deeds haue beene and no man shall escape His Power Faire words can not deceiue Him gifts cannot corrupt Him intreaty cannot moue Him fig-leaues cannot delude Him But as men haue brued so shall they drinke euen as they haue baked so shall they eate They that haue done well shall speed well but they that haue followed reprobate and wicked courses shall be condemned The more Grace men haue shewed the more Glory they shall receiue and the more men haue sinned the more smart they must suffer O that wee could say with Saint Ierome As oft as I thinke of that day I tremble all ouer For whether I eate or drinke or whatsoeuer else I do me thinkes I heare that terrible Trumpet sounding in mine eares Surgite mortui venite ad iudicium Arise yee dead and come to iudgement O that we would iudge our selues in this world that we might escape the fearefull iudgement of the wicked in the world to come Of Life Eternall THEY that haue serued GOD aright in this world shall liue eternally with GOD in the world to come They that haue liued vnto CHRIST and haue dyed in the faith and feare of CHRIST shall be raised by the Power of CHRIST and shall enioy His face for euer to their vnspeakeable comfort and contentment and as men haue excel'd in grace so they shall exceed in glory It is more easy to tell what shall not be in that life then what shall be There shall be no mourning nor misery no want nor weakenesse no sinne nor sorrow no wearinesse nor weeping no death nor dolour no hunger nor thirst no ach nor anguish no diseases nor discontentments no troubles nor tentations But what shall bee there who is able to expresse No eye hath seene no eare hath heard no heart hath yet conceiued What are the good things which GOD hath prepared for those that loue Him There is supreme Felicity perfite Liberty true Charity sweete Eternity immortall Happinesse and happy Immortality Eternal Security and secure Eternity There GOD shall be seene without end loued without loathing and praysed without wearines There is whatsoeuer is desired and nothing is desired which is not there Thy food is not thy rayment nor it thy light nor these thy mony but there God will be all in all to all his children They shall possesse him and he them for euer and for euer For that life shall see no death those ioyes shall haue no end that state shal neuer sustaine a change This life this state these ioyes God of his mercy grant vs for Christ Iesus sake To whom with the holy Ghost be ascribed all honor praise power might and maiesty now and euermore Amen Trin-vni Deo Gloria â—or 3. 18 Mat. 12. 5 Luk. 8. 2 * Or rather Baptisme and the LORDS Supper An. Dom. 1346. Further Adam sinned but we all are punisht but now if the father eate the sowre grapes the sonnes teeth shall not be set an edge * I meane it not as if any of them were either gracious or glorious in the same degree with her
GOD in heauen but thee Whom haue I to guide and comfort me whiles I liue with men on earth but Thy SPIRIT In whom desire I to end my daies and die but euen in Thee With whom would I liue when I doe remoue but euen with Thee Grant that I may so liue to Thee and so die in Thee that I may liue eternally with Thee But my life doth scarre mee for when I sift it I finde it is either full of sinne or empty of good And if any fruite appeare therein it is either so feigned or so vnperfite or some way or other so corrupted as that either it cannot please or cannot but displease the most righteous and holy Iudge What shall I now doe Or whether shall I goe Thy Passion O LORD is my refuge and singular comfort Therein is my confidence on that I stand Thy Mercies are my Merites Thine Indulgence is my Iustice Thy Grace is my Glory Thy Crosse my Crowne and Thy Death my Life IESVS is a Name full of delight and sweetenesse Mel in Ore Melas in Aure Iubilus in Corde Hony in the mouth Melody in the eare and Ioy in the heart I will reioyce and trust in Thy Saluation I will not contend against Thee in the Vallies nor on the Mountaines The King of Israel is a Mercifull King Thy mercy it is thy mercies O LORD that I onely thirst for My soule thirsteth after Thy mercies as the chased Hart doth after water LORD IESVS in Thy mercy make mee pertaker of Thy Merites Of the Law THE Law saith Doe this and thou shalt liue It rests not in faith but exacteth action and promiseth life to them which keepe it It allowes not infirmities but requireth all perfections and if a man faile but in one point thereof it denounceth a curse vnto him Alas then what are wee what shall become of vs who are grieuous and continuall sinners Our very Iustice being strictly sifted by the Law which is the rule of Iustice would bee found iniustice and that would be contemned in the strict iudgement of the Iudge which is commended in the iudgement of the worker But could not this Law haue beene exactly kept Surely Adam might haue kept it if hee would but as the case now standeth wee cannot but trangresse it Neither yet is there iniustice in GOD For by commanding things impossible Hee makes not men sinners but humble that euery mouth should bee stopped and that all the world should bee made subiect vnto GOD because by the workes of the Law no flesh shal be iustified in his sight For when wee haue receiued a commandement and perceiue what is wanting in vs wee are put in minde to send vp our cries into heauen and GOD will haue mercy vpon vs and that so wee may know that wee are not saued by the workes of righteousnesse which wee haue done but by His owne free Mercy For indeed therefore was the Law giuen and is yet vrged to shewe not what wee can doe but what wee should doe and that the proude might see his weakenesse and seeing it might bee humbled and being humbled might confesse it and confessing it might bee saued Not resting vpon his owne dignity but on GODS Dignation not in his owne iustice but in the Righteousnesse of IESVS CHRIST Being therefore terrified by the Law let vs seeke for comfort in the Gospell And seeing all hope in our selues is cut off by the Law let vs flie to CHRIST IESVS Who is the fulfilling of the Law and in Whom whosoeuer beleeueth hath the perfection of the Law They say the Elephant as knowing his owne deformity loues not to looke into cleere water Foule faces would haue false glasses and such as would vent their copper loue not the Touchstone And they that haue deceiptfull wares like not the light But I doe desire to vnderstand the Law exactly that I may see all my deformities and foulenesse mine hypocrisies and false-dealings that so I might bee brought to a loathing of them and finding mine imperfections towards the Law I might bee prouoked to seeke for the perfection reuealed in the Gospell I will indeuour to keep the Law exactly but when I faile I will flie to the Grace of the Gospell speedily as knowing that not by mine owne iustice but by the iustice of CHRIST I must bee iustified and that I am not saued for any graces in mee but by the grace of GOD in CHRIST vnto mee Of Sinne. SINNE is the transgression of the Law If there were no Law there could bee no sinne The Law claimes obedience and when it is transgressed then sin is committed And the more men wander from it the more they sinne The cause of sinne is not GOD who is Truth and Goodnesse Wisedome and Iustice but a mans owne will yeelding to the diuell For it cannot bee that Hee should make vs fall into sinne who makes vs rise from sinne and that Hee should be the Author of that whereof Hee is reuenger And though Sathan be politique to beguile yet hath he no power to compell he cannot make thee sinne except thou wilt It is true hee can bewitch thy body inchaunt thine eyes and dull thy eares whether thou wilt or no but he cannot compell thy soule to sinne he cannot make thee sinne against thy will A man standing in a showre of haile or bullets or beeing among persons infected with the plague may be strucken and infected though he would not bee so but no tentation darted from the Diuell no bad example scandall or suggestion of any sinner can doe thee harme except thou yeeld vnto it Know that when thou sinnest it is not against but with thy will For the foundation and roote of sinne is in our selues and whosoeuer sinnes is the proper cause vnto himselfe of sinne It is true that God doth harden the heart and deliuer men vp sometimes vnto a Reprobate sence but how Not by the insusion of hardnesse or immission of corruption but by not imparting mercy and by leauing a man to himselfe and deliuering him vp into the hands of sathan For then Hee is said to harden when Hee doth not soften to deliuer them when Hee doth not retaine them to giue them vp when Hee lets them go and to leade them into temptation when Hee doth not deliuer them When therefore I shall commit a sinne I will not accuse GOD I will not impute all to the diuell but I will condemne my selfe smite my breast and say with the Publican GOD bee mercifull to mee a sinner I haue hard some complaine they cannot chuse but sinne O fearefull bondage O vnhappy necessity But who constraines thē against their wils Nothing But thus it is Euill thoughts of sinne beget delight delight consent consent action action custome custome necessity What shall a man doe that is thus intangled Let him beware of custome for the custome of sinning takes away the sense of sinne and let him preuent or mortifie euill thoughts which