to weigh and consider Some bookes are to be tasted only others to be swallowed and some few to bee chewed and digested That is some are to be read only in parts others cursorily and few wholly and with diligent attention Reading makes a full man Conference a ready man and Writing an exact man Wherfore he that writes little had need have a great memory he that confers little had need have a present wit and hee that reades little had need have much cunning to seeme to know that he doth not History makes men wise Poetry witty naturall Philosophy deepe Morall grave Logick and Rhetorick able to contend There is no stone or impediment in the wit but may be wrought out by fit studies like as diseases of the body may have appropriate exercises bowling is good for the stone and reines shooting for the lungs and breast gentle walking for the stomach riding for the head c. So wandring wits should study the Mathematicks for in demonstrations if fancy bee drawne away never so little they must begin againe Let a wit not apt to distinguish or finde differences study the School men And he that is apt to beat over matters and to call up one thing to prove and illustrate another should study Law Cases so every defect of the minde may have a speciall Receit OVr behaviour should bee like our apparell not too straite or point device but free for exercise or motion Men had need beware how they bee too perfect in complements for be they never so sufficient otherwise their enviers will be sure to give them that attribute to the disadvantage of their greater vertues Opinion many times perverteth verity Praise from the vulgar sort is commonly false because they understand not many excellent vertues the lowest vertues draw praise from them Middle vertues astonish them but of the highest vertues they have no sence or perceiving at all Certainly fame is like a River that beares up things light and swolne and drownes things weighty and solid Vaine glorious men are the scorne of wise men the admiration of fooles the Idols of Parasites and the slaves of their owne vaunts Vaine glory sutes best with Commanders and souldiers for as iron sharpens iron so by glory one courage sharpeneth another IVdges ought to bee more learned than witty more reverend than plausible more advised than confident and ought also to remember that their office is Ius dicere and not Ius dare to interpret Law and not to make or give Law Else will it be like the authority of the Church of Rome which under pretext of exposition of Scripture doth not sticke to adde and alter pronouncing what they doe not finde and by shew of antiquity doe produce novelty The principall duty of a Iudge is to suppresse force and fraud Force being most pernitious when open and fraud when it is close and disguised One foule sentence doth more hurt than many foule examples for these doe but corrupt the streame the other corrupts the fountaine In cases of life and death Iudges ought as far as the Law permitteth in justice to remember mercy and to cast a severe eye upon the example but a mercifull eye upon the person Patience and gravity of hearing is an essentiall part of Iustice and an over speaking Iudge is no well-tuned Symbal It is strange to see that boldnesse of Advocates should prevaile with Iudges whereas they should imitate God who represseth the presumptuous and giveth grace to the modest The place of Iustice is an hallowed place and therefore not only the Bench but the footpace and precincts thereof ought to be preserved without scandall or corruption For certainly as the Scripture saith Grapes will not be gathered of thorns nor Figs of thistles Neither can Iustice yeeld her fruit with sweetnesse among the Briars and Brambles of catching and polling Clerks and Ministers An ancient Clerke skilfull in Presidents wary in proceeding and understanding in the businesse of the Court is an excellent finger of a Court and doth many times point the way to the Iudge himselfe ANger is certainly a kind of basenesse as it appears well in the weaknesse of those subjects in which it reignes Children women old folkes sick folkes Only men must beware that they cary their anger rather with scorn than feare so that they may seeme rather above the injury than below it which may easily be done if we can master our Passion by Reason The prime motive of anger is to be sencible of hurt and therefore tender and delicate bodies must needs be oft angry having so many things to trouble them which robust natures have little sence of PVblique reproofe is like striking a Deere in the Heard it not only wounds him to the losse of inabling blood but betrayes him to the Hound his enemy and makes him be pushed out of company by his fellows To be plaine in reproofe argues honesty but to be pleasing argues discretion Sores are not to bee anguisht with a rustick pressure but gently stroaked with a Ladied hand CHristian society is like a bundle of sticks laid together whereof one kindles another as solitary men have few provocations to evill so againe have they fewest incitations to good So much as doing good is better than not doing evill will I account Christian good fellowship better than an Hermitish and Melancholy solitarinesse AMbitious men are like poysoned Rats who having tasted of their baine cannot rest till they drinke and then rest much lesse till their death for ambition affoords as much discontentment in enjoying as in want It is better to live in the wise mans stocks in a contented want than in a fooles Paradise to be vexed with wilfull unquietnesse SVrely we deceive our selves to thinke that on earth continued joyes would please It is a way that crosses that which Nature goes nothing would be more tedious than to bee glutted with perpetuall jollities Were the body tyed to one though most delicate dish alwaies after a small time it would complaine of loathing and saciety and so would the soule if it did ever Epicure it selfe in joy I know not well which is the more usefull Ioy is to be chosen for pleasure but adversities are the best for profit and sometimes these doe so far help us that wee should without them want much of the joy we have VAlour is then best tempered when it can turne out of a sterne fortitude into the milde straines of pitty For though pitty be a downy vertue yet she never shines more brightly than when she is clad in steele A Marshall man compassionate shall conquer both in peace and war and by a twofold way get victory with honour WIth a generall swallow death still gapes upon the generall world It is a sleepe eternall the bodies dissolution the rich mans feare the poore mans wish an event inevitable an uncertaine journey a theefe that steales away Man Sleepes father Lifes flight the departure of the living and
troubles When therefore thy Conscience like a sterne Sergeant shall catch thee by the throat and arrest thee upon Gods debt let thy only plea bee that thou hast alreadie paid it Bring forth that bloudy acquittance sealed unto thee from Heaven by Faith in Christ and streight way thou shalt see the fierce and terrible looke of thy Conscience changed into friendly smiles and that rough and violent hand that was ready to drag thee to prison shall now lovingly embrace thee and fight for thee against all the wrongfull attempts of any Spirituall Adversarie But the time wil come when the carelesse sinner shall bee plunged in woes and shall therefore desperately sorrow because he sorrowed not sooner for sin He may feast away his Cares for a while and bury them with himself in wine and sleep but after all these frivolous evasions they will returne again nor will they be repelled but increased hereby Sin owes him a spight and perhaps will pay him when hee is in worse case to sustaine it Namely up his Death-bed which shall prove very grievous unto him for his many wilfull adjournings of Repentance HE said wel who when some skilfull Astrologer upon calculation of his Nativitie had foretold him some specialties concerning his future estate answered Such perhaps I was borne but since that time I have been born again and my second Nativitie hath crossed my first The Power of Nature is a good Plea for those that acknowledge nothing above Nature but for a Christian to excuse his intemperatenesse by his naturall inclination and to say I am borne cholericke sullen Amorous c. is an Apologie worse than the fault For wherefore serves Religion but to subdue or governe Nature We are so much Christians as wee can rule our selves the rest is but forme and speculation THere is no difference but continuance betwixt Anger and Madnesse for raging Anger is a short Madnesse else what argues the shaking of the hands and lips the palenesse rednesse or swelling of the face glaring of the eies stammering of the Tongue stamping with the Feet unsteadie motions of the whole Body wilde distracted Speeches and rash Actions which we remember not to have done Doubtlesse a milde Madnes is more tolerable than frequent and furious Anger OVr Cowardlinesse and unpreparednesse is Deaths chiefest advantage wheras true boldnesse in confronting him dismayes and weakens his forces Happy is the Soule that can send out the Scouts of his thoughts before-hand to discover the power of Death a far off then can resolutely incounter him at unawares upon advantage such a one lives securely and dies with Comfort Death argues not Gods displeasure Abel whom God loved best dies first when the Murtherer Cain is punished with living COntentation is a rare Blessing because it either arises from a fruition of all comforts or a not desiring of some wee have not We are never so bare as not to have some benefits never so ful as not to want somthing yea as not to bee full of wants God hath much adoe with us either we lacke health or quietnesse or Children or wealth or company or our selves in all these Nature is moderate in her desires but Conceit is insatiable Who cannot pray for his daily bread when hee hath it in his Cup-bourd but when our owne provision failes then not to distrust God is a noble triall of Faith All grudging is odious but most when our hands are full To whine in the midst of abundance is a shamefull unthankfulnesse it is a base cowardise so soon as ever we are called from the garrison to the field to think of running away then is Fortune worthy of Prayse when wee can endure to be miserable O God I have made an ill use of thy mercies if I have not learned to be content with thy corrections NO benefit can stop the mouth of impatience if our turne be not served for the present former favours are either forgotten or contemned No marvell wee deale so with men when God receives this measure from us One Moone of ill weather makes us over-looke all the blessings of God and more to mutine at our sence of evill than to praise him for our variety of good It is an unfound praise that is given a man for one good action Many distrust God in their necessity that are ready to follow his guidance in their welfare if wee follow God and murmure it is all one as if wee staid behinde We can think him absent in our wants yet cannot see him absent in our sinnes It is wickednesse not affliction that argues him gone for he is most present when he most chastises And the sorrow of repentance comes never out of season all times are alike unto that Eternity where to we make our spirituall moanes that which is past and that which is future are both present with him It is neither weake nor uncomely for an old man to weep for the sins of his youth Such teares can never bee shed either too soon or too late THere is scarse a vicious man who name is not rotten before his Carcasse Contrarily a good mans name is often heire to his life either borne after the death of the Parent Envy not suffering it to come forth before or perhaps so well growne up in his life time that the hope thereof is the staffe of his age and the joy of his death The name of the wicked may be feared a while but is soone forgotten or cursed The good mans either sleepes with his body in peace or wakes as his soule in glory Vertue is not propagated Children naturally possesse only as bodily diseases so the vices of their Parents The grain is sowne pure yet comes up with chaffe and huske Hast thou a good son he is Gods not thine Is he evill nothing but his sinne is thine Help by thy prayers and endeavours to take away that which thou hast given him and to obtaine of God that which perhaps thou hast and canst not give else maist thou name him a possession but finde him a losse SPirituall gifts are so chained together that who excels in one hath alwaies some eminency in more Faith is attended with a Bevy of Graces he that beleeves cannot but have hope if hope patience he that beleeves and hopes must needs have joy in God if joy love of God hee that loves God cannot but love his brother his love to God breeds piety and care to please sorrow for offending feare to offend Vertues goe ever in troopes and that so thicke that sometimes some are hid in the crowd which yet are but appeare not IT is a rare evill that hath not something to sweeten it either in sence or in hope otherwise men would grow desperate mutinous envious of others weary of themselves The better the thing is wherein we place our comfort the happier we live and the more we love good things the better they are to us The worldling laughs more but the
Christian is more delighted Thou laughest not at the sight of an heap of thy gold yet thy delight is more than in a jest that shaketh thy spleene As griefe so joy is not lesse when it is least expressed It must needs be a strong and nimble soule that can mount to heaven possessing abundance of earthly things If thou finde wealth too pressing abate of thy load either by having lesse or loving lesse or adde to the strength of thy activity that thou maist yet ascend It is more commendable by how much more hard to climbe up to heaven with a burthen THe meaner sort of men would be too much discontented if they saw how far more pleasant the life of others is and if those of higher ranke could looke downe to the infinite miseries of their inferiours it would make them either miserable in compassion or proud in conceit It is good sometimes for the delicate rich man to looke into the poore mans Cup-board and seeing God in mercy lets him not know their sorrows by experience yet to know it in speculation Which will teach him more thankes to God more mercy to men and more contentment in himselfe I never saw Christian lesse honoured for a wise neglect of himselfe If our dejection proceed from the conscience of our want it is possible wee should be as little esteemed of others as of our selves but if we have true Graces and prize them not at the highest others shall value both them in us and us for them and with usury give us that honour we withheld modestly from our selves I never read of Christian that repented him of too little worldly delight he that takes his full liberty in what he may shall repent him how much more in what hee should not The surest course in all earthly pleasures is to rise with an appetite and to be satisfied with a little That mans end is easie and happy whom death findes with a weake body and a strong soule HErein as much as in any thing the perversnesse of our nature appeares that wee wish death or love life upon wrong causes we would live for pleasure and die for paine Iob for his sores Elias for his persecution Ionas for his Gourd would presently die and outface God that it was better for him to die than to live Wherein we are like to garrison souldiers that while they live within safe walls and shew themselves once a day rather for ceremony and pompe than need and danger like warfare well enough but being once called forth to the field they hang the head and wish themselves at home THe shipwrack of a good Conscience is the casting away of all other excellencies It is no rare thing to note the soule of a wilfull sinner stripped of all her Graces and by degrees exposed to open shame for since he hath cast away the best it is just with God to take away the worst and to cast off them in lesser regards which have rejected him in greater THe tongue will hardly leave that to which the heart is inured if we would have good motions to visit us in sicknesse we must send for them familiarly in health for such as a mans delights and cares are in health such are both his thoughts and speeches commonly on his death-bed And no marvell though the worldling often escapes earthly punishments God corrects him not because hee loves him not he will not doe him the favour to whip him The world afflicts him not because it loves him for each one is indulgent to his owne God uses not the rod where he meanes to use the sword the Pillory or scourge is for those Malefactors which shal escape execution LAughing is proper to Man alone amongst all living creatures though indeed he ought ever to be weeping because he ever sins and the beasts might rather laugh to see man so much abuse his most excellent part his reason Doubtlesse if man knew before he came into the world what should be his portion in the world he would feare his first day more than his last wherefore we ought to moderate our affections and in imitation of our great Lord and Saviour who was a man of sorrows we should not be altogether composed of mirth SEldome hath any man got either wealth or learning with ease and the greatest good is most difficult in obtaining he must not thinke to get Christ that takes no paines for him If men can endure such cutting such lancing and searing of their bodies only to protract a miserable life for a short time how much should we care what we doe or what we suffer so wee may win Christ No paine should bee refused for the gaining of Eternity MVch ostentation and much learning seldome meet together The Sun rising and declining makes long shadows but being at the highest makes none at all Skill when it is too much shewne loseth the grace as fresh coloured wares that are often opened lose their brightnesse and are soiled with much handling It is better to applaud our selves for having much of that we shew not than that others should applaud us for shewing more than we have The conscience of our owne worth should cheare us more in their contempt than their approbation comfort us against the secret check of our knowne unworthinesse Every man hath an heaven and a hell Earth is the wicked mans heaven his hell is to come contrarily the godly have their hell upon earth where usually they are vexed with many afflictions and temptations by Sathan and his complices their heaven is above in endlesse happinesse Though they sow in teares they shall reape in joy though their seed time be commonly waterish and lowring and their spring wet they shall bee sure of a cleare and joyfull harvest It is no marvell if the wicked have peace in themselves being as sure as temptation can make them Princes wage not warre with their owne subjects The The godly are still enemies and must therefore looke to be assaulted both by stratagems and violence Wherefore nothing should more joy us than our inward unquietnesse A just war is far more happy than an ill conditioned peace EVery good prayer knocketh at heaven for a blessing but an importunate prayer pierceth it though as hard as brasse and makes way for it selfe into the eares of the Almighty And as it ascends lightly up carried with the wings of faith so it ever comes laden downe againe upon our heads In prayer our thoughts should not be guided by our words but our words by our thoughts Good prayers never came weeping home and by fervent prayer we are sure to receive either what we aske or what we should aske VErtuous actions are a mans best monument Foolish is the hope of Immortality and future praise by the cost of sencelesse stone when the Passenger shall only say here lies a faire stone and a filthy Carkasse That only can report us rich but for other praises our selves must build
folly Action without Resolution is a foolish rashnesse first know what 's good to be done then doe that good being knowne If fore-cast be not better than labour yet labour is not good without fore-cast our actions should not be done without nor against knowledge NAture hath sent us abroad into the world and wee are every day travelling homeward if wee meet with store of miseries in our way discretion should teach us a religious haste in our journey and meeting with pleasures they should pleasure us onely by putting us in minde of our celestiall pleasures at home which should teach us to scorne these as worse than trifles A pleasant journey is deare bought with the losse of home and a troublesome life is oftner a blessing than a Curse wee may as well die of surfet as of hunger EAch Night is but the past dayes Funerall and the Morning his Resurrection Why then should our Funerall sleepe be other than our sleepe at night Why should we not as well wake to our Resurrection as in the Morning Death rather borrowes our life of us than robbes us of it and the glory of the Sunne findes a Resurrection why not the Sonnes of Glory Since a dead man may live againe we should not so much looke for an end of our lives as wait for the comming of our change COntention is very dangerous especially with great Ones as we may be too strong for the weaker so we must be too weake for the stronger we cannot so easily vanquish our Inferiors but our Superiors may as easily conquer us We should do much to be at peace with all men but suffer much ere we contend with a Mighty man THere is no heart of flesh that at some time or other relents not neither flint nor marble but in some weather will stand on drops Good motions barely better not the man the praise and benefit of those gusts are not in the receit but in the retention A good heart is easily staied from sinning and is glad when it finds occasion to be crost in ill purposes those secret checkes that are raised within it self do readily conspire with all outward retentives it never yeelded to a wicked motion without much reluctation when it is overcome it is but with a halfe consent Whereas obdurate sinners by reason of their full delight in evill and having already in conceit swallowed the pleasures of sinne abide no resistance but keep a headlong course in spight of opposition not weighing how neere their jollitie is to perdition Doubtlesse it is but just with God that they who live without grace should die without comfort IT is no measuring of men by the depth of purse by outward prosperitie for even the best deservings may want temporal rewards Servants are oftentimes set on horsebacke while Princes go on foot Shall we contemne his necessity who perhaps is so much more rich in grace as he is poor in estate Neither doth violence or casualtie more impoverish a man than his poverty somtimes enricheth him He whose wilfull folly hath made him miserable is justly rewarded with neglect but hee that suffers for good deserves so much the more honor from others as his distresse is more MAny speake fair that mean ill but when the mouth speakes foule it argues a corrupt heart Though with Saint Iames his verball Benefactors we say Depart in peace fill your bellies we shall answer for hypocriticall uncharitablenesse but if we revile and curse those needy soules we ought to relieve we shall give a more fearfull account of savage cruelty in trampling on those whom God hath humbled If not healing with good works be justly punishable what torment is there for those that wound with evill IT is ill hurting the children of God for though he suffers them not to sinne in revenging yet hee suffers not their adversaries to sin unrevenged He that saith Vengeance is mine I will repay repayes oftentimes when wee have forgiven when we have forgotten and calls to reckoning after our discharges Wherfore it is dangerous offending the meanest servant of Him whose displeasure and revenge is everlasting THat God whose the earth is makes roome for His every where and oftentimes provides for them a forreine Home more kindely than the Native It is no matter for the change of our Soile so wee change not our God if wee can every where acknowledge him He will no where be wanting to us THose who cannot fear for love may chance to tremble for feare And how much better is awe than terror prevention than confusion Destruction is never neerer than when security hath cast away feare There is nothing more lamentable than to see a man laugh when hee should feare God shall laugh when such a ones feare commeth for as in mercy he forgets not to interchange our sorrowes with joy so neither doth he the joyes of the wicked with sorrow 'T is an unreasonable inequalitie to hope to finde God at our command when we refuse to bee at his or to looke that he should regard our voice in trouble when we would not regard his in peace CVstome makes Sin so familiar that the horror of it by some is turned into pleasure To make a right use of Gods judgements upon others is to beare them in our selves and finding our sins at the least equall to tremble at the expectation of the same deserved punishments God intends not onely revenge but reformation in his execution as good Princes who regard not so much the smart of the evil past as the prevention of the future which is never attained but when we make application of Gods hand and draw common causes out of his particular proceedings THe best intent cannot excuse much lesse warrant us in unlawfull actions What we doe in faith it pleaseth our God to winke at and pitty our weaknesses but if we dare present him with the well-meant services of our owne making we runne to his indignation for Gods busines must be done after his owne formes which if our best intentions alter we presume There is nothing more dangerous than to be our owne carvers in matters of Religion It is better be too fearfull than too forward in those things which doe immediately concerne God As it is not good to refraine from holy businesses so 't is worse to doe them ill Awfulnesse is a safe interpreter of his secret actions and a wise guide of ours THe first piece of our amends to God for sinning is the acknowledgement of our sinnes he can doe little that in a just offence cannot accuse himselfe If we cannot be so good as wee would it is reason we should do God so much right as to say how evil we are It is strange to see how easily sinne gets into the heart and how hardly out of the mouth Is it because Sinne like to Sathan where it hath got possession is desirous to hold it and knowes it is fully ejected by a free confession or because thorow a
against him it will pull him downe and lay him flat and fill him with such inward terrors that hee shall bee more afraid of himselfe than of all the world beside THere is something in the very greatnesse of sin that may encourage us to goe to God for the greater our sinnes are the greater the glory of his powerfull mercy in pardoning will appeare The great God delights to shew his greatnesse in the greatest things hee delighteth in mercy it pleaseth him nothing so well as being his chiefe Name His mercy is not only above his own works but above ours also if we could sin more then he could pardon then wee might have some reason to despaire Despaire is a high point of Atheism it takes away God and Christ both at once Iudas in betraying our Saviour was occasion of his death as man but in despairing he did what lay in him to take away his life as God Wherefore we should never thinke the dore of hope to be shut against us if we have a purpose to turn unto God Invincible mercy will never be conquered and endlesse goodnesse never admits of bounds or ends If Christ be the Phisitian it is no matter of how long continuance the disease be hee is good at all diseases and will not endure the reproach of disability to cure any AS in the sinne against the holy Ghost feare shewes that we have not committed it so a tender heart fearing lest the time of true repentance is past shewes plainly that it is not past God is more willing to entertaine us than we are to cast our selves upon him As there is a fountaine opened for sin and for uncleannesse as it is a living fountain of living water that runs for ever and can never be drawne dry ALl men are not affected with a like sorrow for sin God giveth some larger spirits and so their sorrowes become larger Some upon quicknesse of apprehension and the ready passages betwixt the brain and the heart are quickly moued where the apprehension is deeper and the passages flower there sorrow is long in working and long in removing the deepest waters have the stillest motion Iron takes fire more slowly than stubble but then it holds longer It is fitter to leave it to Gods wisdome to mingle the portion of sorrow than to be our owne chusers IF wee grieve that we cannot grieve and so far as it is sin make it our grief it should not hinder us from going to Christ but rather drive us to him God delights not in our sorrow if we could trust in him without much sorrow then it would not be required and though want of feeling be quite opposite to the life of grace yet senciblenesse of the want of feeling shewes some degree of the life of grace When that which is wanting in grief for sin is made up in feare of sinning there is no great cause of complaine of the want of griefe for this holy affection is the awe-band of the soule whereby it is kept from starting from God and his waies That measure of griefe and sorrow is sufficient which brings us and holds us to Christ WE should grieve for our sins and rejoice for our griefe and though wee can neither love nor grieve nor ioy of our selves as we should yet are we often guilty in giving a checke to the spirit stirring these affections in us which is the maine cause of the many sharp afflictions wee endure in this life though Gods Love in the maine matter of salvation bee most firme unto us GRiefe is no farther good than it makes way for ioy which caused our Saviour to ioyne them together Blessed are the mourners for they shall be comforted it is one maine end of Gods leaving us in a sorrowfull condition that we may live and die by faith in the perfect righteousnesse of Christ whereby we glorifie God more than if we had perfect righteousnesse of our owne OVr corruptions are Gods enemies as well as ours therefore in trusting to him and fighting against them wee may be sure he will take our part in vanquishing them The looking too much to the Anakims and Gyants and too little to Gods omnipotency shut the Israelites out of Canaan and put God to his Oath that they should never enter into his rest And it will exclude our souls from happines at length if looking too much on these Anakims or great corruptions within and without us we basely despaire and give over the Field what coward will nor fight when hee is sure of helpe and victorie THough God be of pure eyes yet he looks upon us his poore Creatures in him who is blamelesse and without spot who by vertue of his sweet smelling sacrifice appeares for us in heaven and mingles his odors with our services and in him will God be knowne to us by the name of a kinde Father not onely in pardoning our deserts but accepting our endeavours WHatsoever comfort we have in goods friends health or other Blessings it is all conveied by God who still remaines though these bee taken from us And we have him bound in many promises for all that is needfull for us we may sue him upon his owne bond Can we thinke that hee who will give us a Kingdome will faile us in necessary provision to bring us thither who himselfe is our portion DEparture of friends should not be grievous unto us A true Beleever is unto Christ as his Mother Brother and Sister because he carries that affection to them as if they were so indeed to him As Christ makes us all to him so should wee make him all in all to our selves If all comforts in the world were dead wee may enioy them still in the living Lord HEalth is at Gods command and sicknesse stayes at his rebuke The time of sicknesse is a time of purging from that defilement we gathered in out health till wee come purer out which should moue us the rather willingly to abide Gods time Blessed is that sicknesse that proves the health of the soule we are best for most part when wee are weakest Then onely it truly appeares what good proficients we have been in the time of health IN all kinde of troubles it is not the Ingredients that God puts into the cup so much afflicts us as the Ingredients of our distempered passions mingled with them The sting and coare of them all is sinne when that is not onely pardoned but in some measure healed and the proud flesh eaten out then a healthy soul wil beare any thing when the conscience is once set at liberty we cheerfully undergoe any burthen But it is a heavy condition to be under the burthen of trouble and under the burthen of a guilty conscience both at once When men will walke in the light of their own fire and the sparks which they have kindled themselves it is iust with God that they should lie downe in sorrow IN all sorts of injuries which we suffer
we should commit our cause to the God of vengeance not meddle with his prerogative he will revenge better than we can and more perhaps than we desire The wronged side is the safer side If in stead of meditating revenge we can so overcome our selves as to pray for our enemies and deserve wel of them we shal both sweeten our owne spirits and prevent a sharp temptation which wee are prone unto and have an undoubted argument that we are sons of that Father that doth good to his enemies and Members of that Saviour that prayed for his persecutors and withall by heaping coles upon our Enemies heads wee shall melt them either to conversion or confusion WEe are not disquieted when wee put off our clothes and go to bed because we trust Gods ordinary Providence to raise us up again And why should wee be disquieted when we put off our bodies and sleep our last sleep considering we are more sure to rise out of our graves than out of our beds Nay we are raised up already in Christ our Head who is the Resurrection and the life in whom we may triumph over death that triumpheth over the greatest Monarchs as a disarmed and conquered Enemy THat which belongs to us in our calling is care of discarging our duty that which God takes upon him is assistance and good successe in it Let us do our work and leave God to do his owne Diligence and trust in him is onely ours the rest of the burthen is his He stands upon his credit so much that it shall appeare wee have not trusted him in vaine even when we see no apparance of doing any good Peter fished all night catcht nothing yet upon Christs word casting in his net again he caught so many Fish as brake it COvetousnesse when men wil be richer than God wil have them troubles all it troubles the house the whole family and the house within us our pretious soule which should be a quiet house for Gods Spirit to dwell in whose Seat is a quiet Spirit If men would follow Christs method and seeke first the Kingdome of Heaven doubtlesse all other things should be cast upon them GOd is neerest to us in troubles when our enemies on earth conclude our utter overthrow God is in Heaven concluding our glorious deliverance Vsually after the lowest Ebbe followes the highest Spring-tide Christ stands upon Mount Sion and will worke our raising by that very meanes by which our enemies seeke to ruine us There is no condition so ill but there is Balme in Gilead Comfort in the God of Israel The depths of miserie are never beyond the depths of mercy Naturall men from the common light of Nature discovering there is a God will in extremities run unto him and God as the Author of Nature will sometimes heare them as he doth the young Ravens that cry unto him But comfortably and with assurance those onely have a familiar recourse unto him that have a sanctified sutable disposition unto God as being well acquainted with Him It is an excellent ground of sincerity to desire the favour of God not so much out of self-aimes as that God may have the more free and full praise from us considering the soul is never more fit for that blessed duty than when it is in a cheerfull plight IF we seriously think of what is our Duty God will surely thinke of what shall bee for our Comfort we shall feel God answering what we look for from Him in doing what he expects from us Can we have so meane thoughts of Him that wee should intend his glory and he not much more intend our good Yet many doe grossely mistake in taking Gods curse for a blessing To thrive in an ill way is a spirituall iudgement extremely hardening the heart There can neither be grace nor wisdome in setling upon a course wherein we can neither pray to God for successe in nor blesse God when he gives it WHen we are at the lowest yet it is a mercy that we are not consumed wee are never so ill but it might be worse with us whatsoever is lesse than Hell is undeserved and it is a matter praise worthy to God that we yet have time and opportunitie to get into a blessed Condition THe Apostle thought it the first duty in affliction to pray Is any afflicted let him pray Is any joyfull let him sing Psalmes Praising of God is then most comely though never out of season when God seems to call for it by renewing the sence of his mercies in some fresh favours toward us If a Bird will sing in Winter much more in the Spring If the heart be prepared in the winter time of Adversitie to praise God how ready will it be when it is warmed with the glorious sun-shine of his Favour OVr life is nothing but as it were a Webbe woven with interminglings of wants and favours crosses and blessings standings and failings combat and victory therefore there should be a perpetuall intercourse course of praying and praising in our hearts We should often apply these generalls of Holy-writ to our selves to stir up our hearts to praise God He will never leave nor forsake us he will be with us in fire and water the issue of all things shall be for our good we shall reap the quiet fruit of righteousnesse and no good thing will he withhold from them that live a godly life If wee had a spirit of Faith to apply such like generall promises wee should see much of Gods goodnesse in particular toward us God promiseth the forgivenesse of sin and yet thou findest the burthen thereof daily upon thee Neuerthelesse cheere up thy selfe when the Morning is darkest then comes day after a weary weeke comes a Sabbath and after a fight victory will appeare wee must endure the working of Gods Physicke when the sick humor is carried away and purged then we shall enioy desired health PRaising of God may well be called Incense because as it is sweet in it selfe and sweet to God so it sweetens all that comes from us Wee cannot love and joy in God but he wil delight in us when we neglect the praising of God wee lose both the comforts of his Love and our owne too Our praising God should not bee as sparkes out of a flint but as water out of a Spring natural ready free as Gods Love to us as Mercy pleaseth him so should praises please us For unthankfulnesse is a sin detestable both to God and man and the lesse punishment it receives from humane lawes the more it is punished inwardly by secret shame and outwardly by publicke hatred if once it prove notorious THe living God is a living Fountaine never drawne dry he hath never don so much for us but he can and will doe more If there be no end of our praises there shall be no end of his goodnes by this means we are sure never to bee very miserable how can he be dejected
HEE that is perfect and marries not may in some sort be said to be guilty of a contempt against Nature when the husband and wife are together the world is contracted in a bed and without this like the head and the body parted either would consume without a possibility of reviving A wise wife comprehends both Sexes she is woman for her body and she is man within for her soule is like her husbands Questionlesse a woman with a wise soul is the fittest companion for man otherwise God would have given him a friend rather than a wife It is the crowne of blessings when in one woman a man findeth both a wife and a friend Poverty in Wedlock is a great decayer of love and contentation Above all therefore the generous minde should beware of marrying poore for though hee cares least for wealth yet will he be most galled with the want of it Single life is to be liked in those who can suffer Continency but should all live thus an hundred yeares would make the world a Desart NOthing makes a man more like to God than Charity As all things are filled with his goodnesse so the Vniversall is partaker of the good mans spreading love Wealth in a Misers hand is uselesse as a lockt up treasure It is charity only that makes Riches worth the owning To every thing that hath sence there is a kinde of pitty owing Solomons good man is mercifull to his beast Surely he that is right must not think his Charity to one in need a curtesie but a debt which nature at his first being bound him to pay yet should we not water a strange ground to leave our owne in drought MVsick is good or bad as the end to which it tendeth they that wholly despise â—t may well be suspected to be something of a savage Nature Light Notes are sometimes usefull as in times of generall joy and when the minde is pressed with sadnesse whose dull blood will not caper in his veines when the very aire he breathes in frisketh in a tickled motion We finde Halelujahs are sung in heaven and doubtlesse Musick is a helper both to good and ill it is therefore to be honoured when it moves to uertue as to bee shunned when it would flatter into vice REpentance is so powerfull that it cannot be but a gift of the Deity he is not to be pittied in his sufferings that may escape a torment by the compunction of a heart and teares Sometimes a returne after failing is a prompter to a surer hold S. Ambrose doubts not to say that Peter by his fall found more grace than he lost his faith being thereby much stronger The devill sometimes cosens himselfe by plunging man into a deepe offence A sudden ill act grows often abhorred in the minde that did it yet a man should beware the steps he once hath stumbled at Doubtlesse that is the best life that is a little sprinkled with the salt of crosses the other would quickly be ranke and tainted There are whose paths are washt with butter and the Rose bud crownes them but surely it is a misery to live in oily vice when her waies are made slippery with her own slime Heaven is not had without repentance and repentance seldome meets a man in jollity in the careere of lust and the bloods lose riot COmmanders in war should be wise valiant and experienced Experience puts a credit on their actions making them far more prompt in undertakings And indeed there is a great deale of reason why we should respect him that with an untainted valour hath growne old in armes and hearing the drum beat When every minute death seemes to passe by and shun him he is as one that the supreame God hath cared for and by a particular guard defended in the haile of death It is true it is a life tempting to exorbitancy yet this is more in the common sort that are pressed as the refuse and burthen of the land than in those that by a nobler breeding are abler to command Want idlenesse and the desperate face of blood hath hardened them to outrages Nor may we wonder hereat since even their life is but an ordered quarrell raised to the feud of killing Wars have the same nature with offences they must be yet are they mightily in fault that cause them When a just cause and a just deputation meet for war I shall ever thinke this one of the noblest and most manly wayes of dying BLots appeare fouler in a strict life than a loose one no man wonders at the Swines wallowing but to see an Ermin mired is a prodegy Where doe vices shew so foule as in a Minister When he shall be heavenly in the pulpit only Certainly they wound the Gospell that preach it to the world and live as if they thought to goe to heaven some other way than that they teach the people How unseemly is it when a grave Cassock shall be lined with a wanton Reveller and with crimes that make a loose one odious We should not professe that wee will not strive to practise Surely God will bee severest against those that will weare his badge and seeme his servants yet inwardly side with the devill and lusts They spot his honour and cause profane ones to jest at his holinesse Other offences God may punish this he must left the enemies of his truth triumph against him If thou beest unsound within soile not the glorious robe of truth by putting it upon thy beastlinesse This is to be religiously rude and even all the Church of sincerest good men suffer in a seeming good mans fall Let not thy actions sight against thy tongue or pen one ill life will pull downe more than many good tongues can build THe best way of speech is to be short plaine materiall Tedious admonitions dull the advised and make the giver contemptible It is a short reproofe that staies like a stab in the memory and many times three words doe more good than an idle discourse of three houres A limitlesse tongue is a strange unbitted beast to worry one with A talkative fellow is the unbraced drum which beats a wise man out of his wits Surely Nature did not guard the tongue with the double fence of teeth and lips but that shee meant it should not move too nimbly GOod men have most right to the best of Gods creatures and seeing Wine was given to cheare the heart why should I not use it to that end for surely the merry soule is freer from intended mischiefe than the thoughtfull man and a bounded mirth is a Patent adding time and happinesse to the crazed life of man without which he is but a meere lumpe of quickned care For as there are many that in their life assume too great a liberty so doubtlesse there are some that abridge themselves of what they might lawfully use forgetting what Solomon saith That the only profit to a man is to eat and drinke and
delight his soule in his labour for this is the hand of God I Never yet found Pride in a noble Nature nor humility in an unworthy minde Arrogance is a Weed that ever growes in a dunghill it is from the ranknesse of that soile she hath her height and spreadings To be humble to our Superiours is duty to our equals curtesie to our Inferiours noblenesse If ever Pride be lawfull it is when it meets with audacious Pride and conquers for then many times the affronting man by his own folly may learne the way to his duty and wit Vlee is a myery deepnesse If thou strivest to helpe one out and doest not thy stirring him sinkes him in the farther Fury is the madder for his Chaine When thou chidest thy wandring friend do it secretly in season in love Certainly he is drunke himselfe that prophanes reason so as to urge it to a drunken man To admonish a man in the height of his passion is to call a Souldier to councell in the heat of a Battell Let the Combate slack and then thou maist expect a hearing Who blowes out Candles with too strong a breath doth 〈…〉 a stinke and blow them 〈◊〉 againe And many times the tartnesse of speech makes a reprehension worse than the fault TO finde friends when wee have no need of them and to want them when wee have are both alike easie and common And certainly it is not the least part of mans misery that hee can neither bee truly happy without a friend nor yet know him to be a true friend without his being unhappy Our fortunes and our selves are so closely linked that we know not to which of them our friends love alâ—es till one of these two shall part I confesse he is happy that findes a true friend in extremity but hee is happier that findes not extremity wherein to try his friend INfidelity is the cause of all our woes the ground of all our sins not trusting God we discontent our selves with feares and solicitations and to cure these we run into prohibited pathes Vnworthy earthen Worme to thinke that he that grasps the unemptied provisions of the world in his hand can be a niggard to his Sons unlesse he sees it be for their good and benefit O my God let me finde my heart dutifull and my faith upon triall stedfast that I may but serve thee and depend upon thee and then I need beg no farther supply for these will bee ground enough for sufficient happinesse while I live here NEither example nor precept unlesse in matters wholly religious can be the absolute guides of a discreete man It is only a knowing and a practicall judgement of his owne that can direct him in the Maze of this life in the bustle of the world in the twitches and twirles of Fate for mans life is like a State still casuall in the future and he that lives alwaies by booke Rules shall shew himselfe affected and a foole I will doe that which I see is comely so it be not dishonest rather than take grave advice to the contrary VIce ruleth as a god in this present evill world and it is impossible to live and not encounter her Wherefore it is good to be acquainted with Vertue also that the true beauty of the one may draw our affections from the ugly deformity of the other And happy is hee that makes other mens vices steps for him to climbe to heaven by THe good man is he to whom life and death is indifferent for he knowes while he is here God will protect him and that when hee goes hence God will receive him Certainly we are never quiet in any thing long till we have conquered the feare of death every spectacle of mortality terrifies and every casuall danger affrights us Feare of death kils us often when death it selfe can doe it but once But he that would not die when he must and he that would die when he must not are Cowards alike And why should we feare to doe that at any time which we know wee must doe once But what wee cannot do till our time comes let us not seeke to doe before He that hath lived well will seldome be unwilling to die for death hath nothing in it terrible but what our life hath made so Good men never die but as the Phoenix from whose preserved ashes one or other still doth spring up like them for surely nothing awakes our sleeping vertues like the noble acts of our predecessors COntemplation seconded by action makes men happy without the first the later is defective without the last the first is but abortive Contemplation like Rachel is fairest but Action like Leah is most fruitfull I will neither alwaies bee busie and doing nor ever will I be shut up in nothing but thoughts yet that which some would call idlenesse I will count the sweetest part of my life and that is my thinking VErtue were but a kinde of misery if fame only were all the Garland that did crown her but in heaven is laid up a more glorious and essentiall recompence For a mean man to thirst for a mighty fame is a kinde of fond ambition Great fames are for Princes and such as are the Glories of humanity good ones may crowne the private the same fire may be in the waxen Taper which is in the staved Torch but it is not equall either in quantity or advancement A Prince that leaveth law and ruleth himselfe and others by his owne appetite and affections is of all creatures the worst and of all beasts the most furious and dangerous for that nothing is so outragious as injustice armed and no armour is so strong as Wit and Authority whereof the first he hath as he is a Man and the other as he is a Prince LEt this be my advice and thy instruction Shun verbosity speake seldome and then to the purpose have a pure conscience and pray often study much and be familiar with few shun superfluous discourse follow the steps of godly and devout men regard not from whom thou hearest what is good and having heard it forget it not what thou readest or hearest cease not till thou dost understand be resolved of doubts and search not too far into things which are not lawfull to know THose sins are greater which are committed through lust than those which are committed through anger for he that is angry seemes with a kinde of griefe and close contraction of himselfe to turne away from reason but he that sins through lust being overcome by pleasure doth in his very sin bewray a more impotent and unmanlike disposition For the angry man sinneth by anothers injury that provokes him whereas the other doth of himselfe meerly resolve upon any evill action IT should be every mans duty to confine all his thoughts and cares to the attendance of that spirit which is within himselfe namely to keepe himselfe pure from all violent passion and evill affection from all
mans braine if it flow not from heaven it is odious to heaven The only way to bring comforts and to intaile a comfortable prosperity upon our Posterity is our conscionable inward obedience to God The services of our love to Gods Children are never thanklesse When wee are dead and rotten they shall live and procure blessings to those that never knew perhaps nor heard of their progenitors If we sow good workes succession shall reape them and wee shall be happy in making them so Doubtlesse that childe is happy whose progenitors are in heaven for he is left an inheritor of blessings together with estate whereas wicked Ancestors lose the thankes of a rich Patrimony by the curse that attends it A Good heart hath learned to frame it selfe unto all conditions and can change his estate without change of disposition rising and falling according to occasion whereas the worldly minde can rise easily but knowes not how to descend either with patience or safety OF all creatures Christians should have least interest in themselves but should live as given to benefit of others not caring much for what they have and nothing for what they have not seeing all worldly things though they require long labour in getting yet affoord but a short pleasure in enjoying them WIcked men that know the filthinesse of their soules dare not so much as view them but shift off all checks of their former iniquity with vaine excuses of good fellowship Whence it is that every small reprehension galls them because it calls the eyes of the soule home to it selfe making them see a glimpse of what they would not Like a foolish and timorous Patient who knowing his wound very deepe cannot endure the Surgeon should search it whereof what can ensue but a festering of the part and a danger of the whole body The old proverbe is true Oft and even reckonings make long friends Many prodigall wasters runne so far in bookes that they cannot abide to heare of a reckoning Happy is he that summes up his estate often with God he shall thereby know what he hath to expect and answer for neither shall his score run on so long that he shall not know his debts or feare an account or despaire of paiment FEw men feare to doe ill every man to suffer ill wherin if we consider right we shall finde that wee feare our best friends for Prosperity usually makes us forget our death Adversity on the other side makes us neglect our life Now if wee measure both of these by their effects forgetfulnesse of death makes us secure neglect of this life makes us carefull of a better So much therefore as neglect of life is better than forgetfulnes of death and watchfulnesse better than security so much more beneficiall should wee esteeme Adversity than Prosperity T Is a base thing to get goods only to keep them wee see that God who is only infinite rich holdeth nothing in his own hands but gives all to his Creatures But if wee wil needs lay up where should wee rather repose it than in Christs Treasury which is the poore mans hand There should all our superfluity bee hoarded up where doubtlesse it shall be safely kept and surely returned us If our money were anothers wee could but keepe it onely expending it shewes it our owne t is better to lay it out well than to keep it safely NO worldly pleasure hath any absolute delight in it but as a Bee having honey in the mouth hath a sting in the taile Why then should wee be so foolish to rest our hearts upon any of them and not rather labour to aspire to that one absolute Good in whom is nothing savouring of griefe nothing wanting to perfect happinesse EVery man acts his part upon this worlds Theatre The good man is a Comedian who however hee begins ever ends merrily but the wicked man acts a Tragedy and therefore alwaies ends in horrour Who sees an Oxe grazing in a fat and rank pasture and thinks not that hee is neere to the slaughter whereas the leane beast that toiles under the yoke is farre enough from the shambles The best wicked man cannot bee so glorious in his first shewes as hee is miserable in the conclusion THat affection which is grounded on the best and most Heavenly vertue must needs be the safest for as it unites man to God so inseparably that no temptations no torments no not all the gates of hell can sever him so it unites one Christian soule to another so firmely that no outward occurrents no imperfections in the party loved can dissolve them Hee that loves not the childe of God for his owne and his Fathers sake more than a friend for his commodity or a kinsman for bloud never received any sparke of true heavenly love IT happens to Christians in their pilgrimage to a better life as it doth to Travellers who meet with many hosts but few friends Good friends are a great happinesse and therefore should not easily bee lost nor must they bee used as suits of apparell which when wee have worne thred-bare wee cast off and call for new Nothing but death or villany should divorce us from an old friend we should still follow him so farre as possibility or honesty can guide us which if he chance to leave we should yet leave him with sorrow THere is no man so pure in whom we may not mislike somewhat and who may not as justly mislike somewhat in us Our friends faults therefore if little should bee swallowed and digested if great they should be smothered at least winked at to others yet lovingly notified to him WHy should we vexe our selves because another hath vexed us Injuries hurt not more in the receiving than in the remembrance A small injury should goe as it comes great ones may dine or sup with us but if they lodge with us we shall finde them very irksome A Friends death as it may moderately grieve us so it may another way much benefit us in recompence of his want for it should make us think more often and seriously of earth and of heaven of earth for his body which is reposed in it of heaven for his soule wch possesseth it before us of earth to put us in minde of our like frailty and mortality of heaven to make us desire and after a sort emulate his happinesse and glory and it is a true saying he which hath himselfe hath lost nothing IT is better not know than by knowledge to bee made miserable he that never tasted the pleasures of sinne longs least after those deceitfull contentments 'T is easier to deny a guest at the first than to turn him out having stayed awhile The senselesse man knowes not what joy hee loseth when he fondly lasheth into new offences While the Conscience is unspotted it can make us smile even on the Rack and in Flames but that once wounded our joyes are buried at once and wee throw a jewell from
are such as their institution Infancy is led altogether by imitation it hath neither words nor actions but infused by others their full growth in good or ill is but borrowed and the shame or thank is due to those that lent it Next to being good is the happinesse of conversing with them that are so for if we be not bettered by their example yet are we often blest by their protection THe contempt of honest callings in those which are well borne argues pride without wit humble resolutions are so much the more heroicall as they fall into higher subjects We may freely come to God but wee may not come too neare him when we meditate of the great mysteries of the Word wee come to him we come too neare him when we search into his Councels A man may be too lowly in his dealings with men even unto contempt with God hee cannot but the lower he falleth the higher is his exaltation And I never finde that any man bragged to God although in a matter of truth and within the compasse of his desert and was accepted IT is a great skill to know what is enough and great wisdome to care for no more As in words much talke argues a braine feeble and distempered so affectation of superfluity is in all things a signe of weaknesse IN all humane things indifferency is safest if our doubts be equal to our desires our disappointment shall not be grievous because our expectation was not peremptory DEceit is gracious company for it alwaies studies to be faire and pleasant but then like a theefe having trained us from the road it robs us where all the benefit we have left is this that if we have time to see how wee are couzened we may have so much happinesse as to die repenting SEeming wise men may make shift to get opinion but I would wish no man to choose them for imployment for certainly you were better to take for businesse a man somewhat absurd than over-formall THere is but one way wherin a man may commend himselfe with good grace and that is in commending vertue in another especially if it bee such a vertue whereunto himselfe pretendeth HE that resteth upon gaines certaine shall hardly grow to great riches and hee that puts all upon adventures doth oftentimes breake and come to poverty It is good therefore to guard adventures with certainties that may uphold losses FINIS A description of true Happinesse LOng have I sought the wish of all To finde and what it is men call True happinesse but cannot see The world has ought which it may be Or vvith it hold a sympathie He that enjoyes vvhat here belovv Fraile Elements have to bestovv Shall finde most svveet bare hopes at first Fruition by fruition burst Sea-vvater so allayes the thirst Whoever vvould be happy then Must be so to himselfe for vvhen Iudges are taken from vvithout To judge vvhat vve fence close about They erre judge not but guesse and doubt He must have reason store to spie Natures hid vvaies to satisfie His judgement So may he be safe From the vaine fret for fooles vvill chafe At that which makes a vvise man laugh Wealth to keep vvant avvay and feare Of it not more Some friends still neare And chosen vvell Nor must he misse A calling yet some such as is Imployment not a Businesse His soule must hug no private sin For that 's a Thorne hid by the skin But Innocence Shee being nurst Plants valiant peace So Cato durst Be godly good when Rome was worst God-built he must be in his minde So deeply that his faith no winde Can shake when boldly he relies On one so noble he out flies Low Chance and Fate of Destinies Life as a middle way immur'd 'Twixt joy and griefe to be indur'd Not spurn'd and wanton'd hence he knowes In crooked bankes a spring so goes 'Ore stone mud weeds yet still cleare flowes And as springs rest not till they lead Meandring high as their first head So soules rest not till Man ha's trod Deaths height then by that period They rest too Rais'd as high as God Summe all He happiest is that can In this worlds jar be honest Man Be since perfection is so high Beyond Lives reach he that would try True happinesse indeed must die Laus Deo