in the kingdome of Christ I will not lighten my burden by the memory of a corporall death but make my yoake easie by dying daily without which to die well can neuer be 34 The Laborinth of nature is more intricate and vnsearchable then the mysteries of diuinity Man hath a whole world of causes effects and ends of scruples and ambiguities in the one to exquire and discusse by himselfe and the helpe of his owne inuention and when hee hath strained his capacitie to the highest he must leaue more knots and difficulties vntouched then hee hath cleered and vntyed and what hee imagines perspicuously resolued lyes still in the way of reasonable opposition as partly true and partly false in all like the Sunne with the better halfe eclipsed But in the Theory of saluation if any more causes be necessary to be known then the efficient meritorious and instrumentall which are the Father the Sonne and Faith any other effect then the sauing of the soule or other end but the glory of God we may finde them truely reuealed by the Spirit of trueth I will passe by that immense Vniuersitie of Gods inscrutable wisedome with admiration and conteine my selfe in the suruey and search of mine owne little world where I finde a tenement of mortall clay inhabited with an immortall guest the reason whereof in their differences I conceiue to bee that the body being framed out of so fraile and contemptible a matter should waxing lofty be beaten down with that inherent apprehension Thou art but dust and ashes And thy soule contrarywise ennobled with the diuine image of her infusor should loath to vouchsafe an inglorious descent to the allectations of the flesh The end of their coniunction also that the body as through the ponderousnes of the predominant elements it declineth sinketh downeward so through the propertie of innate corruption it yeelding to a sluggishnesse sleepe and death in sinne should by the liuely and quickning faculty of the soule be eleuated and rouzed vp to associate her in an heauenly conuersation 35 I find an euen carriage is best that may impart curtesie to all too much familiaritie and secrets vnto none It was a wise shift of a noble Romane whose Lady importunate to know what was debated of that day at the Councell Table when he could not but in some sortsatisfie her instant demand hee answered the Priests had seene a Larke flying in the ayre with a golden helmet on his head and holding a speare in his foote which being heard shee broke the matter immediately to one of her maids shee againe to an other of her fellowes and so forward till it was spread through the Citie and passed for currant but then it receiued a checke and so was staied Some friends are of that sort they will curiously diue into ones brest and by serious inquisition make themselues priuy to the secrets of his knowledge to such I will commit no more then what my minde is ouercharged withall at the present meaning to take it vp againe in another place others are faster lockt but as faulty otherwise though Muske bee one of the sweetest perfumes it is none of the wholesomest and familiaritie though delightfull is incommodious for the concomitant disrespect and following contempt 36 So farre as auncient Fathers accord with holy Writ I will make vse of them and thus I will carie Augustine in my heart Bernard in my mouth and the rest of them before mine eies for soundnesse befits our faith a patheticall and feeling speech is requisite in praier and religious precedents are necessary for the whole life 37 Humane society is like a Ruby that being put into the fire certain houres becommeth afterward of the colour of a burning coale If I addict my selfe to the company of the vertuous I shall bee answerably affected if of the laciuious and disordered of a like blemished reputation 38 Alfonsus King of Aragon after an oratour had concluded an ample Panagerick of his praises answered if thou hast said trueth I thanke God for it if otherwise God grant mee grace that I may doe it Vicious philaty is now generall Vmpire insomuch as he that praiseth most pleaseth best and it is hard to say whither that good King did more heartily attribute glory vnto God or most now arrogate merit to themselues The faithfull heere see God darkely through a glasse which may bee a reason the greater part see him not at all and therefore glory in a sacralegious vsurpation of his due praises as not acknowledging any supernaturall efficient cause besides their owne nature and dexteritie If any thing praise worthy proceed from mee I am but the instrument God is the principall agent It is the effect of his grace and the manifestation of his goodnesse God in euery creature set a chracter of his glory in man his whole image that he might bee knowne to bee wholy his and not his owne 39 Cruell inuentions when flowing from ambitious policy are vsually layd frustrate to the vexation of the complotters the proceedings of Pharaoh and Haman against the Iewes doe witnesse it wherein we see cares and anxieties by due iustice aggrauated vpon them both and Gods people safely deliuered from the malice of them both If I be not conscious I will not feare the disfauour of the mightiest their most enuious proiects of iniustice shall bee reflected from the glasse of mine innocencie to their owne trouble and disgrace 40 When the Sonnes of God ioyned themselues to the faire daughters of men they brought foorth no other fruit but Giganticke and monsterous ofsprings and when the soule condescendeth to the smooth enticement of the flesh thereon followeth the conception of hellish thoughts which breake foorth into horrid and mischieuous designements 41 The Scythian will accuse the Romane ayre as infectious and breeding feuers which is neuerthelesse very wholsome The Blackmoore wil deride the Indian as ill coloured lesse beautifufull then himselfe So custome and nature acquainting euery one best with his owne confirmes in him also a better liking of it then of others I will accustome my selfe so neere as I can to that which is good that I may dispraise nothing in others but what is euill and like nothing in my selfe but what I cannot liue well without 42 I will not bee to liberall in praising any nor to forward this sauours of folly that of flattery bee his vertues resplendent they will shine to others as well as to me if more concealed and priuate they shall be mistrusted of the ignorant for al me and I haply for them if more particular in application to my selfe then to others they will be neglected as lesse materiall and impertinent much forwardnesse is a a note of indiscretion euincing my affectation rather of the party then of his good parts Whatsoeuer I know of the well deseruing though I may speake it publikely for the incouragement of others yet will I bee no common actor but rather a studious
into the iawes of death for which he gaue himselfe that he might redeeme them from death But now let the faithfull of the Lord look vp though in the extreamity of Egyptian seruitude though in the fire of persecution though vnder the rage of enuy and speak cheerefully to their soules Why are ye cast downe Why are ye disquieted Trust in God For they haue a two-fold cause of reioycing in the Spirit Gaudendum est de ijs quae expectamus gaudendum de ijs quae sustinemus Present sufferings and hoped glory are both matter to feed their ioy It was the hope of a better resurrection that so notably confirmed the faith of our Ancients and made them ioyfull in all sorts of trials refusing deliuerance If it were not for this we are saith S. Paul of all men the most miserable 1. Cor. 15.19 but now as he should so conclude the most happy Touching the other There is no chastning for the time seemeth to be ioyous but grieuous yet whither it bee inflicted for siune if ye endure it God offereth himselfe vnto you as vnto Sonnes and in the end it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousnesse to them that are thereby exercised Hebr. 12. Thus much we gather from the confession of that holy King Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I keepe thy word It is good for me that I have beene afflicted that I may learne thy Statutes Psal 119.67.71 Or whither they bee afflictions laid vpon vs by the malignant Church for Christs sake they tend most directly and infallibly to the eternall tranquility and saluation of our soules for this cause that miraculously conuerted seruant of God after hee knew the holy ghost had witnessed concerning him that bands and afflictions did abide him in euery Cittie for the name of Christ set light euen by life it selfe which hee no longer counted deere vnto him so that he might fulfil his course with ioy and his Ministration to testifie the Gospell of the grace of God Act. 20.24 He accepted them as a tempest raised to further him towards his wished Citty For there is no reigning with Christ vnlesse there be first a suffering for Christ For hereunto ye are called for Christ also suffered for vs leauing vs an example that wee should follow his steppes 1. Pet. 2.21 By patience and Faith in tribulations and persecutions we are counted worthy of the Kingdome of God for which we suffer 2. Thess 1.5 Then let vs be manfull in our Christian profession and so suffer not suffering any longer that ignominious imputation on vs wherewith we are iustly blotted Solus homo non compatitur pro quo solo Christus patitur If we be his members effectually ingraffed wee will doe any thing wee may for the glorie of our head as hee hath done and doth still for vs in so much that the Spouse daily tasting the matchlesse comfort of his mercifull presence is so more and more inflamed with delight that she is euen sicke of loue Whose cure he vndertakes and performes by holding his left hand vnder her head and with his right hand embracing her Cant. 2.6 Where can she haue a more wished repository then in the bosome of her beloued or what ioy may be compared with hers She finds it is incomparable For he is the chiefest of tenne thousand Cant. 5.10 His arme supporting her is the strength of her life the exile of feare her warrant of prosperitie the other encompassing her a bed of rest a Paradise of full content the port of safetie an vnpregnable fortresse of perpetuall protection so that she shal neuer perish neither shall any man take her out of his hands Iohn 10.28 Fight principalities and powers with the mad threatning Sodomites of this world against the righteous Lots of Gods heritage vntill the passage of their fiery darts offend them and their violent prouocations discruciate and perplex them it is but a customary combate they haue and the more vsuall the better it is for them seeing all things work together for best vnto them Rom. 8.28 and their ioy is neuer so exceeding as whē their faith is held in exercise with diuers tentations Iam. 1.2.3 they being permitted either to dispossesse or preuent securitie that they may not decline from a watchfull care and pious obseruation of him through whom they haue victorie 1. Cor. 15.51 and restitution vnto peace and perfect liberty Arise my loue my faire one and come away for behold the winter is past the raine is changed and gone away Cant. 2.10.11 which his husbandly tendernesse and propitious eye continued to the happy experience of all that loue him allures their subscription to those testimonies and honourable euidences which his Apostle Paul hath left of him That all things are but losse and no better then dunge in respect of the knowledge of Christ being found in him Phil. 3.8.9 That the glory which hee will henceforth reueale vnto them in the kingdome of his Father farre passeth the worthinesse of al present sufferings Rom. 8. and consequently that there is nothing so good nor so desiderable as to be with Christ which is best of all That great Sophy who diligently imployed his heart as is said in the curious exploration of all things sounded a faire and fearfull palinody from the loue of pleasure when he descried his owne aberration therein from the fundamentall principle and beginning of true wisedome The feare of the Lord. Prou. 1. And his father before him valued it his most eminent glory that he could safely say The Lord is my portion and the inheritance of my cup. Psal 15. Thou art my house of defence and my Castle thou art my hope from my youth Psal 71. Howbeit he might otherwise haue largely boasted of his strength and valour of humane amplitude and dignities forasmuch as in Christ nothing auaileth but a new Creature Gal. 6.15 therein standing a patterne vnto vs whereby we should endeuour before all things To put on the Lord Iesus Christ and take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13. We haue all things in Christ and Christ in vs is all things saith Saint Ambrose therefore vpon our righteous seeking of him are we assured of a conuenient supply of all necessaries that though the Lyons starue and suffer hunger wee shall want no manner of thing that is good Psal 34. But shall cate the good things of the Land Isa 1.19 Wee shall possesse the earth and haue our delight in the multitude of peace Psal 37.11 Saint Bernard glorifies him by the stile of Thesaurus indeficiens an incorruptible neuer failing treasure So is he more then perishing food to the hungry For my flesh is meale indeed Ioh. 6.55 not such as our Fathers are in the wildernesse and are dead Drinke also to the thirstie not like that of Iacobs well but flowing from the inexhaustible fountaine of himselfe which whosoeuer drinketh shall neuer bee more athirst Iohn 4.14
Adonijah to exalt himselfe and vsurpe where he had no right to rule 1. King 1.5 But graunt he were in as ample authority as Magistracy can allow suppose in imperiall preheminence what is his condition safer What more excellent then was the Gouernors of Ierusalem who deuiating through a secular and sensuall spirit from a pious and equall carriage in their functions were iustly noted by God himselfe with the aspersion of filthy polluted and robbing and abandoned with a fearefull detestation Zeph. 4.1 The obiect of Ambition is not euer temporall but sometimes doth it collimate at things supernaturall and immortall but in a presumptious and prohibited manner whereby our commanded striuing to enter in at the streight gate is hindered by vaine and ignorant petition as we see in Iames and Iohn the sonnes of Zebedeus suing vnto Christ that they might sit one at his right hand and the other at his left hand in his glory Mar. 10.37 A course in familiar practise with many that will bestow some time onely in making request for the matchlesse priuiledge of inhabiting the mansions in Gods house as if they were streight-waies worthy to enter not respecting how Gods promise that they which aske shall receiue is limited to those onely that aske in faith and labour in sanctitie of life thereunto and that none others can receiue neither shal because they aske amisse as the Lord himselfe professeth When ye shall stretch out your hands I will hide mine eyes from you and though ye make many prayers I will not heare for your hands are full of blood Isa 1.15 they were not cleansed from their sinnes Sometimes it leuels at diuine and sacred gifts past our fittingnesse and capacity such was the ambition of Simon the Sorcerer that offered money to buy the power of giuing the holy ghost Act. 8.19 And of this are they notoriously conscious that not contented with that course wherein they are confirmed by a lawfull vocation doe couet and ambitiously take vpon them the offices and persons of more worthy men as the Plough-man when he wil sit in Moses chaire and the mechanicall Seperatist be a Preacher To this is allied that Ambition of hypocrites that I may not present the Name of pragmaticall Nouatians whereby they intrude into Christs sheepe-fold as if they were faithfull members of the Saints fociety and deseruing an equall honour for onely washing the outside of the Cuppe and Platter These are knowne to God by their hearts to man by their fruits they sweare by the Name of the Lord and make mention of the God of Israel but not in truth nor in righteousnesse Isa 48.1 When they are inuited to returne the Lord most ready to forgiue promiseth thereupon that hee will returne vnto them the pride of heart hath so lifted them vp that they cannot see from whence they should returne Wherein say they shall we returne Wherein haue we spoyled thee Mal. 3. Per arrogantiam deprauantur quum paratiores sunt mort quam corripi as wel saith Gregorie they are so corrupted with arrogance that they had rather suffer death thē rebuke so much their soule delighteth in their abhominations Isa 66.3 But how long cry the godly how long Lord holy and true doest thou not iudge them Apoc. 6. This is the first part of their iudgement that though they deceiue for a time as the Deuil Iudas valed in his Apostleship Yet shall they bee vncased to tha world though not all and to the ioy of the righteous be visibly cut off from their communion though not at an instant Though thou exalt thy selfe as the Eagle and make thy nest among the starres thence will I bring thee down saith the Lord. Obad. 4. The extent of Ambition is generally without period Empedocles was not heigh enough vpon the top of Etna but from thence would haue climbed the skies to rule the Heauens and vndertake the gouernment of the Stars Some are so transcendent in their proud conceits that without all regard of the meane and end Quos vltra citraque nequit consistere rectum which only should praise their actions to bee iust and right they proceede in hope of an vnattingible summe of glory In which restlesse and haplesse taske diuers are imployed sundry waies some caring how they may effect vnto themselues the wish of Pirrhus not onely to be enriched with the spoile of one Citie but after that to subdue and command Countries till they become Lords of the whole world These great world deuouring Helluos are epitomized in the bosome of euery Common-wealth where is at the least one swarme of Hornets that snap the Bee in sunder to cram themselues with that sweete which they haue industriously gathered and this not of a few but euen of very many till they haue begotten a crew of honest beggars by their impious dealing for their owne ditation and so rule rather by force then fauour Others like Perithous that made a voyage to Hell to steale Proserpina from Plutoes bed seeke by rare aduentures of impossible expedition to merit same and popularitie though in so doing they must make shipwracke of faith and of a good conscience and euen bequeath their soules to Sathan Of this sort are they that seeke deepe to hide their counsell frō the Lord whose works are in darknesse and that say Who seeth vs and who knoweth vs Isa 29.15 We may without iniury take here for instance the Romish Catholike Cannibles the insaturable appetite of whose Herodian tyrranny nothing can satisfie but a deluge of Innocents bloud wherefore they waite with a daily thirst inhiation after that which Gods tender clemency towards the faithfull profession of his true religion doth most mightily and admirably disappoint them of vpon the executiō of which their infernal indulgence they retaine a strong perswasion besides the assurance of their Masters benedictiō countries applause of a Saints remuneration in the heauens Thus far it appears that Ambition is tinea sanctitatis as Bernard the fretter out or consumer of piety ex remedijs morbos creans ex medicina longuorem generans turning the best remedies into pernitious diseases Which is also Cathedra pestilentiae as Saint Augustine the seat of pestilence and a cruell plague to the Church of God For they which loue to haue preheminence doe enuiously oppose and open their mouths against Christs Pastors and so stop what lieth in them the Gold sanded current of his glorious Gospell Thus Saint Iohn complaineth of Diotrephes I wrote vnto the Church but he which loueth to haue the preheminence among them receiueth vs not but prateth against vs with malitious words and not therewith content neither hee himselfe receiueth the brethren but forbiddeth them that would and thrusteth them out of the Church 3. Epist Ioh. 9.10 Furthermore it is in our Aduersaries the mother and Nurse of strife raylings euil surmisings and vaine disputations which beget in the minds of the vnresolued often doubtings concerning the truth
and sometimes translating them into the fearefull state of Apostasie whereof examples are not scant this day If any man saith S. Paul teach otherwise and consenteth not to the wholesome words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse hee is puft vp through ambition and knoweth nothing but doteth about questions and strife of words c. from such separate thy selfe 1. Tim. 6.3 But if any Greatnesse should heere enter an Apology for Ambition saying they could not rise without it forasmuch as nothing is more prosperously atchieued then what is attempted with importunate desire and dignitie is the life of nobilitie it may suffice for farther resolution that such an earnest will to aspire to ciuill dignity before sufficiency and desert make way vnto it whereby there may be a likelihood of the answerable performance of those weightie duties which are required in so high a calling is contrary to true contentation which being one of the most notable vertues of a resolute Christian that other by consequence is iustly branded for a hatefull sinne and therefore vnworthy the entertainement of Noble hearts whither S. Bernard as a carefull Watch-man for the good of the Church highly commendeth a better guest in this his feeling confessiō of him Dignus est plane morte qui tibi Christe recusat vinere qui tibi non sapit desipit qui curat esse nisi propter te pro nihilo est plane nihil est Christ onely must bee the obiect of our wisdome of our life of our being that wee may liue to bee wise in him and be wise to bee found in him or else our sentence ends not in dignus morte but in morte morieris Thou shalt dye the death for whilest we delude our selues in the glory of a fleshly wisedome we incurre not onely the censure of being fooles but that more strict one Nihil sumus whatsoeuer wee are wee are nothing in estimation with God To aspire vnto Christ with the wing of spirituall graces and celestiall vertues is the onely true Nobilitie and the beauty of both the other of the natural which is deriued from Parents and of the ciuill which is imposed by supreme Authority Nobilitie saith Boetius est laus quaedam proueniens ex merit is parentum It is a certaine praise issuing from the merits of the Parents Thereby insinuating our Ancestors to haue gone through the Temple of Vertue to the Temple of Honor and deseruedly to haue reached their dignitie which so long continueth an honourable praise to their posterity as they hold on a correspondency with them in vertue but if otherwise they inherit their Nobility and not the soule by which it liues they doe not onely demolish the Trophe of their Fathers worthines but open the passage of iust dishonour to themselues For who seeing a letter of Gold in a mud wall wil not iudge it out of its place and where grace and vertue haue not their character in the forehead and polish the actions that face is to foule that heart to vnworthy of the faire titles Christian and Noble A great Man should be like the Sunne which as it is more excellent then the other Planets so it sendeth forth more light that he may say as Paul Brethren be ye followers of me and looke on them which walke so as yee haue vs for an ensample Phil. 3.17 It is memorable of him that beeing a King thought nothing could suit better with Maiesty then wisedome to gouerne his people and therefore the Ambition of all other things seposed he asked of God only that wherewith honor and riches stand bound but are not the principal The affluence of honour and riches which are to vertue no better then iniusta nouerca checking her ouer precisenesse for awaking the conscience to looke scornefully vpon Ambition and Auarice are not to be sought or coueted of those that stand charged with the administration of a common-weale but wisedome principally to dispossesse and cleanse the heart of those choaking corruptions that it may be free for the lodging of equitie iustice and liberalitie For they being as it were the East which Aristotle cals Dextrum Coeli or for them more aptly dextram Reipublicae it is naturall to their high ascent and dexterious location for vertue to rise but neuer to set in them What could be more preiudiciall to the States of Israel then that the Prophet hauing nominated those duties which are pertinent chiefely to their eminent qualitie and he expected to haue found in them should through their dissolute distemper and extreame corruption be enforced to complaine the contrary But they haue altogether broken the yoake and burst their bonds Ier. 5. in not seeking the truth nor executing Iudgement by which two the man in authoritie is knowne to be Gods lawfull and approued delegate and Minister When Dauid heard that Saul was about to come vp to Keilah to destroy the Cittie for his sake he inquired of God Will the Lords of Keilah deliuer mee into his hands He made a question though it concerned the ruine of their Cittie and liues whither they would betray his innocency 1. Sam. 23.12 noting the dutie of good Gouernors that they should be so chast constant and faithfull in defence of integritie of the truth and of a well deseruing cause as that no hazzard should impell them to peruert iustice Although Balack offer large gifts to blind the eyes and allure them to curse where they should blesse yet must they answer as Elisha to Naaman I will not receiue it 2. King 5.16 and as Michaiah to Nahabs messenger who prayed him to speake good vnto the King his Master as the false Prophets had done Whatsoeuer the Lord saith vnto me that will I speake 1. King 22.14 If thou wilt giue me thy house full of Siluer and Gold I will not passe the commandement of the Lord. Numb 22.18 which is to do iustly to loue mercy and to walke with God Mich. 6.8 The tooth of auarice for the most part biteth like a fiery Serpent to the death of the soule hauing made impression it so inflameth that no earthly medicine can preuaile to asswage it Riches of all others seeme the surest Lenitiue which yet worke a contrary effect Non satiando sed irritando as Seneca kindling where they should quench and laying on more load where they should exonerate lighten for which our dignities haue to cast their eyes on the brazen Serpent of their Nobilitie which if it bee right by participation of Grace wil cure it by fundamentall extirpation For the Nobles of Berea when Grace saluted Greatnesse in the Parlour of their hearts discharged the world freely and with all readinesse receiued the word and searched the Scriptures daily Act. 17.11 their opinion was then altered which as it seduced them formerly to a secure dependance on earthly supplements as the essentiall props of honourable eminence so being illuminated they were soone
partialitie you may Neither will you in your affection vnto vertue I presume but take it well that I haue thus disposed part of your right In which affiance with the tender of my most humble duety I commit you to the protection of the Almighty Your most obedient Sonne Ch. Goldwell 1 GOds bounty in bestowing his giftes shall teach me moderation in vsing them lest wronging the purpose of his liberalitie whilst I exceed he thrust me out of the Garden into the field and giue mee thistles in stead of figs. 2 God beeing wholly and perfectly good could make nothing euil Whē I bebold my selfe an impure and spotted leper I know therein I am none of Gods making but of the deuils vndoing so that I will pray before all things to bee renewed that hee may acknowledge me to be the workmanship of his handes and I haue assurance of protection from him that will take notice hee made me 3 The definition of God saith Cassiodore is that hath no end in Sacred praises though it bee an endlesse worke duely to praise him I will not deferre to begin it argues not an impossibility of my performance but the infinitenesse of his excellency The heauens are accounted more noble that execute their office toward their Creator in a restles motion then the sluggish earth that is enforced to all by the influence and operation of the heauens It were more grauefor any being earthly to imitate the heauens then waiting for the adoption to be transported with eartly affections 4 I had rather bee a reuiuing then a dying Phenix not to haue my soule wasted and destroied in the sweet burning spices of sensuall contents but from their ashes their viler reliques which may breed my distast of them and teach me to loath them to bee reuiued vnto a second birth 5 Of all terrene things man is master God is Lord man secondarily to commaund and vse God principally to dispose and finally to take account I were better with a little well ordered then a slouthfull seruant with a large talent for God that letteth all vnto man and letteth him haue all expecteth for the least portion a rent of glory so that my homage and duety to him discharged he will secure vnto mee a quiet and contentable fruition of what I haue when the ingratefull rich shal stand at hazzard hauing forfeited all euen their very soules for lacke of payment 6 The Doue with the oliue branch in her mouth brought better newes to Noahs Arke then the Rauen that returned empty So doeth the grace of Gods Spirit impart great comfort to the consciences of his children in the promise of rest and liberty when the blacke intelligencers mans three dangerous combitants informe nothing but matter of trouble and confusion 7 God in cursing Cain tooke from him the grace of adoption but not his other graces As a bird onely admired for the beauty of some few feathers hauing cast them is of no reckoning with the rest So were I depriued of that grace which is the beauty and crowne of a Christian cursed and despisable notwithstanding all other endowments for as the Sunne sendeth light to our earthly mansions and makes them delightfull and fit for our daily vse which are without it in euery roume vnpleasant and obscure So are externall graces by this of adoption illustrated and adorned bringing to estimation the person so qualified who by the misse thereof is like a faire man with his eyes out I had rather haue the summe of all riches in one iewell then many iewels of no price be rather found seruing with Ioshua then sacrificing with Cain 8 Saint Augustine saith All things are vnpleasant besides God and there is no pleasure but in him and Seneca represents the worlds indignity by the mutability and danger of the Sea which he saith is troubled in a moment and where the ship now sayled hopefull it is incontinently swallowed vp Why then should I affect it if for riches I may possesse them and yet bee miserable poore and naked if for honours and superioritie I may aspire vnto them and still bee infamous if for delights in the middest of them I shall haue but a distracted conscience if it fare better with mee then thus for a time I am sure it cannot bee long But if I delight in God it is otherwise in him I enioy all things hauing nothing true comfort in apparant crosses and the assurance of glory in many disgraces I will quarell with the world vnto death to be at vnity with God trample embroidered shadowes vnder the foote of scorne that my soule may bee wholy vacant for the contemplation loue and desire of that certaine sweet and eternall good 9 When Abraham in his iournying came to any place hee sought before all things a place to serue God in To manage all actions and affaires vnder prayer and Gods patronage is the propertie of a christian to refer them to fortune or to warrant their successe from mans proper sufficiencie and endeauour is meerely heathenish The benefite of the former is certaine prosperity the punishment of the latter a doubtfull euent I had rather in vncertaine attemps bee resolued of a wished ende then in a plaine case bee vnhappily intercepted 10 It was a Tenent of Apelles the Marcionite that none might fitly reason of religion but that euery one should continue as he beleeueth a fit master for our daies who warranting our blindnes and freeiug vs form all industry in Sacred imployment who will not learne of Apelles The Eagle to the carrion dull nature to the dead tree of fruitlesse knowledge poysoned heresie and voluntary mistake But as I am curious not to take Physicke for my health of him that wishes my death so will I not sticke to the precepts of nature for ray experience in grace holding it no reason that is not enformed and strengthened by the rule and warmth of religion and that but colde religion which a man will not maintaine by the force of his reason or when hee thinkes it needlesse to better and confirme it by reasoning As I am my selfe naturally I beleeue that God neither heareth blasphemie nor setteth his eyes vpon any enormious acts of disobedience and therfore am pleased with the relax reines of licentiousnesse but as I am recombined to God in religion and haue mine owne eies opened I know that his eyes behold in all places the good and the euill and so am timorous to prouoke him Therefore I would haue none to continue as hee irreligiously beleeueth I will not bee guided by him that would be guyded by a woman but will so beleeue that I may continue to the end 11 The bread and the sword which Abimelech gaue Dauid in his flight from the face of Saul were more welcome in that his penury and perillos state then richer presents could haue been in the time of his safetie and abundance I had rather be fedde with moderate supplies in my necessity