but nothing less than his death would satisfie their inrag'd cruelty therefore he was condemn'd and then abus'd afresh by the Souldiers and loaded with his Cross and driven out of the City to Mount Golgotha Now here begins a new scene of sorrows the afflicted Son of Man having lost much blood and suffer'd so much having been rudely hal'd from the garden to Annas from Annas to Caiphas from Caiphas to Pilate from Pilate to Herod from Herod to Pilate again and from thence to the place of his Execution arives at last faint and weary and sorrowful upon Mount Calvary where he was to die here his hands and feet which are most sensible parts of our bodies by being most full of nerves were pierc't through and nail'd to the Cross and though there was a seat where to rest his body as the Ancients say yet the Cross being lift up and put into the hollowness of the ground to make it stand upright his wounded body was shaken and affected doubtless with a most acute pain he was expos'd naked not only to the view of the multitudes but also to the open air which was extreamly cold in that the Sun was hid he was burnt inwardly with an excessive heat and driness being tir'd with so many journies and being exhausted of spirits and moisture by his sorrows and bleeding insomuch that he complain'd of this above all his other sufferings crying out I thirst though we may say that he thirsted most our happiness that he thirsted to drink out the dregs of his bitter cup that we might drink the cup of Salvation he wanted the use of his hands and feet being tied to suffer so that he could not so much as stir nor wipe the blood off of his face he was afflicted with the fight of his afflicted Mother who from her wounded soul reflected sorrow upon her dying Son and Saviour His soul was also as it were crucified by the sense of the Divine Anger against the sins of men for the which he was making expiation insomuch that he complain'd that God had forsaken him And lastly his heart strings were broke and his body depriv'd of life by a most violent and bitter death And now who shall not love JESUS and who shall not admire that love which is exprest in the breath of the Cross Lord how exceeding broad was thy Cross which contain'd so many sorts of torments Nothing can be compar'd to it but thy charity which made thee take it up that we might be charg'd with nothing but a pleasant and easie yoke But Lord why do we most vile and sinful creatures refuse to bear thy light burthen when thou the Most Holy and Most Highest hast born for us so sad and intollerable a load §. 10. The length We are now to measure the length of the Cross that is the time of Christs bitter passion the tedious duration of his sufferings which began with his birth and continued to his last breath The Life of JESUS as we have seen was as it were a chain of miseries every link every connection had something grievous and afflictive he was a Man of sorrows therefore we no where read that ever he laught or injoy'd the pleasures and the mirth of this world but that he suffer'd much and wept several times is recorded by the Evangelists Every day was in some manner the day of his Crucifixion which to us is Good but to him was sad Friday for he knowing all along what he was to suffer and living in expectation of that cruel death we may say that his fears did in some manner prevent his murtherers and by anticipation acted upon him while he liv'd what they were to inflict on him to put him to death for he was pleas'd to assume together with our nature our innocent passions and infirmities I have a Baptism saith he to be Baptiz'd with and how am I constrain'd until it be accomplished that was the Baptism of his Blood which he wisht for because of his love to mankind his great desire of paying our ransoms but fear'd because of the repugnance of his humane nature to such bitter sufferings wherefore saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am constrained I am in a streight betwixt two I wish and yet I fear to die But that which we most properly call his passion because it exceeded the rest of his sufferings lasted eighteen hours without intermission nine of Thursday-night and nine of Friday from the time of his agony in the garden about nine at night while three in the afternoon of the day following all that time he suffered those several sorts of pains and tortures which are already mention'd all that time he drank full draughts of that bitter cup the fear whereof made him sweat drops of blood when he began to taste of it all that time he suffered what no tongue can express but what all hearts should indeavour to feel and to think of daily Lord JESU thou wert tormented a long time that we might not be tormented to all Eternity grant that we may indure any thing for thee and from thee our God who didst indure so much for men and from men §. 11. The depth We have seen that bar of the Cross on which the hands of our Blessed Saviour were nail'd the breadth and the length that is the variety and the tediousness of the pains and sufferings he underwent for us Now we are to consider the biggest piece which stood upright whereon his body rested and his feet were nail'd the depth and the height that is the pureness and the greatness of his sorrows If we read with attention the passion of Christ in the four Gospels we shall see our Blessed Redeemer as it were sunk into a deep abyss of misery by the heavy burthen of our sins he might well cry by his Prophet See whether there is any sorrow like unto my sorrow for the greatest of humane afflictions admit of many comforts whereas he was depriv'd of all as there was no part in us but was infected with sin there was none in him but was affected with pain he was all over stripes and sores an universal wound within and without he suffered in all his capacities in his outward and inward senses in all the parts and faculties of his soul and body the very circumstances of his passion did all concur to make it more bitter and afflictive He was depriv'd of that ordinary comfort of being assisted by his friends all the Disciples forsook him and fled as the Prophet had foretold of him I have trodden the wine-press alone and of the people there was none with me Isa 63. I looked and there was none to help I wondred that there was none to uphold He was like a mild and deffence-less-lamb in the midst of ravenous wolves there were none about him but such as thirsted for his blood And no wonder if man forsook him when he was in some manner forsaken even
to cut off my right hand and pluck out mine eye when they offend is more than barely to resolve Gal. 5.24 and promise high and proceed no further They that are Christs have not only verbally renounc'd but actually crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts therefore now I have given up my self to Christ and desire ever to be his I must pray heartily and watch diligently against my sins those especially that are most pleasing and customary to me I must like S. Paul not fight in the air against generals but keep under my body be temperate in all things and strive to the utmost for the incorruptible crown I must use that violence to my self such harsh applications acts of penance and mortification of my own or the Spiritual Physicians appointment as are fit and requisite to cure my distemper to expel or reform that evil inclination which is inconsistent with my love to JESUS To that end it will be very useful frequently to meditate on the passion of Christ the day of our change our appearance in judgement the joys of heaven the torments of hell and the amazing consideration of Eternity and I am perswaded and will therefore speak it plain though to the dislike of most Dissenters that it might be very profitable a great token of sincerity and an excellent instrument of reformation to acquaint the Spiritual Judge and Physician with the state of our Conscience and the distempers of our souls to submit to his impositions to follow his counsels and carefully observe his prescriptions This is recommended to us by Divine Authority the general practice of the Christian Church while of late and the greater Piety of our Ancestors and it would be a good remedy against our ignorance the wrong judgment we make of our selves our self-love and partiality our inward doubts and tormenting fears and our reigning lusts and most common temptations Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown but we an incorruptible He that would vanquish his antagonist was in the first place to vanquish himself to indure hardship and severity and use all indeavours for the victory for a fading garland so he that will overcome his lusts and master himself and obtain that heavenly crown which never fadeth must use great industry many arts all means that can conduce to that end §. 31. Love will work the best Reformation But the voluminous directions of Casuists and Confessionists cannot reach all cases and all particulars to shorten our labour therefore let the love of JESUS do the work of self-reformation and it will be soonest and best done Love will find out the most effectual means for the extermination of our sins and love will use them to the best purpose Certain it is that love in all instances sets men upon acts of self-denial as great Generals and many more who forego the peaceable injoyment of the comforts they might have at home and expose themselves to dangers because they love honour merchants who forsake their dearest relations and run through many great troubles and perils because they love gain and the more generous love of friendship which hath caus'd many to chuse great inconveniences and even death to serve their friends and therefore certain it is also that the love of JESUS will make his yoke and even his cross easie will make us deny our selves and forbear what displeaseth him though otherwise pleasing to us That men might be without excuse God hath made a short work upon the earth Vt nemo habet excusationem in die judicii voluit Dous sicut scriptum est consummare abbreviare verbum super terram Aug. de Doct. Christiana l. 1. c. 1. saith S. Aug. by contracting his immensity into the narrow dimensions of man he hath abbreviated his doctrine and our talk JESUS is the Center and the sum of our Faith and Religion and the love of JESUS is the content of our duty I have determined 1 Cor. 2.2 saith S. Paul not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified 1.24 and we preach Christ crucified to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness but to them that are called Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God that is in whom God fully reveals his will and gives us full power to fulfil it Gal. 6.14 Therefore saith the Apostle God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of Jesus Christ my Lord by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world The knowledge and love of JESUS our Crucified Saviour is the most proper means to teach us our duty the greatest motive to undertake it and the best instrument to perform and effect it withal it will kill our lusts crucifie the members of the body of sin and carry us through the labours and difficulties of penitence and sincere amendment it will be the fulfilling of repentance as it is the fulfilling of the law For as love is strong to overcome strong enemies to kill the greatest sins so it is wise and quicksighted to see and to find out the least A loving friend will not only not slander and defame his friend not rob or strike or murther him but will forbear all words and actions which might bring him the least grief or inconvenience love will not only not give the greatest provocations but even not disoblige or displease in the least instances And so if my love to JESUS be sincere it will not only keep me from confederation with his profest and greatest enemies but even make me shun and forsake the most secret and contemptible of them I mean that the love of JESUS will never suffer me to entertain any the least sin and whenever I find that I have been unhappily seduc'd to commit any it will cause me to grieve and sadly to repent that I have displeased my dearest Saviour and wounded that tender love I have for him And indeed it is reported of many devout persons great lovers of JESUS that they would sorrow and weep for ordinary failings for small omissions more than others would for much greater sins Divine Love like a bright burning flame will feel a commotion and disturbance by the least drop of water that falls upon it a small irregularity will be more grievous to a pious lover of JESUS than great crimes to another Therefore he that could say the love of Christ constraineth us would also highly complain and groan under the sense of our unavoidable imperfections Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Nothing will make us more sensible of our least and most common sins than the love of JESUS it will make us angry at and impatient of them and earnest and severe in reforming of them §. 32. The exercise of repentance So then as I profess my self a
necessity and comeliness and then admire the great goodness as well as wisdom of thy creator and say with the Psalmist that thou art fearfully and wonderfully made and that Gods works are very marvellous After this let thy thoughts dive deeper and consider thine interior senses the mysterious union of thy soul and body with the beauty of that Divine Light which we call Reason thy memory thy will thine understanding which are the faculties of thy precious soul which is not only created after Gods image but is capable and desirous to enjoy him and then see how numerous or rather innumerable are the benefits which God hath bestowed upon us in our creation and how just it is that we should love him that we should glorifie God in our Body and in our Spirits which are Gods §. 3. Of Preservation Preservation comes next to be consider'd a benefit of very large extent and well deserving that rank the Church hath plac'd it in in making it the subject of our daily thanksgiving for ever since man chang'd the impenetrable armour of Original Righteousness for a thin covering of fig-leaves he became so defensless and yet expos'd to so many sharp and wounding arrows that should not Divine Protection interpose for to shelter and secure him his temporal Life would be a true and a sad emblem of Eternal Death It appears by the history of Patient Job that if we were not senc'd about with the hedge of a gracious providence we should find that all creatures conspire our vexation and ruine God had no sooner broke the inclosure but afflictions crowded in so fast upon that happy man that in a short time there remained nothing of his former prosperity but a bare and bitter remembrance to make the sense of his present misery more grievous There is no man but is expos'd to all the greatest Calamities that ever befel any of the Sons of Adam and there is none able by his own power to defend himself against the least of them Fortune and accidents sport themselves if I may so speak with our goods and estates Moths fret our garments rust cankers our mettals thieves break through and steal our riches or else they make to themselves wings and fly away besides their own corruptibility which of its self would consume them they are expos'd to so many hazards that it would be as impertinent as 't is impossible to number all the ways and means whereby men are afflicted with losses and brought to poverty only from hence we may justly infer that the same God who gives us all things richly to enjoy must also secure them in our possession or else we certainly lose them If we look on our selves we shall like the Prophets man in Dothan 2 King 6. see armed enemies on all sides of us our spiritual enemies are many strong and full of rage and malice and yet we have no defence against them but that God makes his heavenly host to wait on our safety incamps his Angels about us to be an invisible guard against our invisible enemies and not only so but to secure us also from thousands of sudden and sad accidents which might every moment befal us All creatures are now furnish'd with a sting wherewith they may either vex or kill us The elements and all compounded bodies the air we breath and the food that nourisheth us all things in nature and all things in chance may become our tormentors or murthers Nay we carry swords and daggers in our own bosoms we have within our selves the matter of all sorts of distempers not one joynt in our bodies but may be afflicted with the gout Not one humour but may overflow its banks and quench the light of Reason or the fire of Life Not one pore or part within or without but may unexpectedly at all times and in all places become an entrance to death and sorrow In the midst of so many and great dangers it were impossible for us to stand one moment but that God defends us under his wings and keeps us safe under his feathers Psal 90. as the Psalmist speaks and so the blessings of immunity which most men slight or over-look are never enough to be acknowledg'd but deserve the thanks of a whole life We dwell under the defence of the most high and abide under the shadow of the Almighty therefore let us set our love upon him and glorifie him §. 4. The Positive blessings of this life The Positive blessings of this life are now to be exposed to view but of them I may use the words of the Psalmist Psal 40. If I would reckon and speak of them they are more in number than can be numbred Health and strength and comliness with industry and learning are shar'd among the sons of men in several proportions and so are good friends and a good name peace plenty and pleasures any one of those single might make a rich portion for one man for each within it self contains many rich and precious blessings yet oftentimes God unites all or most of these together to crown us with loving kindness and tender mercies Psal 103. The works of creation and the works of providence are not more numerous then the graces and gifts of God to mankind any one that should seriously meditate upon this subject would find it multiply and increase almost to immensity and would be forc'd to break off with the exclamation of David Lord Psal 8.4 what is man that thou art mindful of him and the son of man that thou so regardest him God renews his mercies to us every day together with our lives every hour Psal 36. we eat of the fatness of his house drink of the river of his pleasure and receive the sweet emanations that flow continually from the fountain of life But of those benefits which God pours open hands upon us how many are there that pass unregarded we usually mind not what we receive but what we desire Let heaven rain Manna never so thick upon us if we wish for Quails Angels food shall be unsavory and perhaps distastful They that long for great and well covered tables find no relish in their daily bread they that pursue after wealth look not on the blessings of competency they that aspire to honour receive health food and raiments rather with a disdainful anger than with thankfulness all the favours we receive from God are unobserved or slighted as long as he doth not gratifie our humour with what we desire and even these gifts whereof we are most sensible are soon laid in oblivion an hours pain will cause many longer pleasures to be forgotten and if God sends evil upon us only for one day it makes us forget the many good things which we for many years received from him This I say because many mens unsatiableness and ingratitude makes them overlook most of Gods blessings despise what they have and value only what they have not and
the horrors and torments of Hell hath laid on thee at least as great obligations to love him as if he had brought thee out of it after thou hadst been long detain'd therein Therefore I desire thou wouldst bring thy thoughts back again to that unpleasant abode and consider thy self as if thou wert shut up in that dismal dungeon and then express what thou wouldst give to be releast what thou wouldst do for him that should bring thee out of that horrible and bottomless pit I know that they that are afflicted with sharp pains and grievous sicknesses would purchase health with all the wealth they have and I believe no reward would hire a man to hold his hand in the fire but for one hours time therefore I doubt not but that if it were in a mans power he would give this and a thousand more worlds to be brought out of an ever-burning furnace and I am perswaded that if thou wilt suffer thy fansy to be active in framing the black and dreadful scene of hellish horrors about thee thou wilt then heartily say were I owner of the whole universe I would joyfully give it to come out of these ever-burning flames which torment my body and to be freed from this never dying worm the remorses of my guilty conscience which torture my soul but because I have nothing freely would I give my self to him that should bring me out of this woful place O I would follow him any where do any thing that he should command me imbrace his feet kiss the ground they tread on and give him all the demonstrations of a sincere and passionate Love Well thy petition is granted before 't was presented the Love and Mercy of JESUS hath prevented thy request and distress New make good thy vows and resolutions Love and Serve JESUS thy Redeemer and give thy self up wholly to him I know that many may be good Christians without being snatch't out of the fire without these terrors and affrightments but I am shewing what our condition had been without a Saviour what is that gulf of perdition whence JESUS hath sav'd us if we will be saved by him and I mention these terrors of the Lord as S. Paul calls them to perswade men to be motives of an active and vehement Love For 't is too observable that few men seriously consider what Redemption means what it was we were redeemed from else they could no◠be so indevout so disobedient so unthankful to their Saviour S. Paul supposing as I do here that without Christ we were already dead and perish't makes it the reason of that Constraining Love which enabled him and other Primitive Christians to suffer so patiently and act so zealously for JESUS the love of Christ saith he constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead as if he should say we were certainly dead irrecoverably lost had not Christ died to purchase life and salvation for us therefore we cannot chuse but love him and it is no wonder if that love be strong and if we are govern'd and acted by it That thou maist therefore love affectionately and live devoutly consider seriously that death the misery of that condition wherein thou wert and ever must have been hadst thou not a JESUS I might add that we were delivered from the power and slavery as well as from the condemnation of sin but this is included in the other it being impossible to be saved from the wrath to come without bringing forth fruits meet for repentance and as it is mercy and grace on God's part so on ours it is matter of duty and earnest indeavour and must be the result and effect of our love first that we offend not and then that we serve diligently and faithfully him that redeemed us from our vain conversation and gave himself for us that we being dead unto sin might live unto righteousness §. 7. How we were Redeemed A further ingagement to love and obey will be to consider the manner how our redemption was effected and the price that was paid for it thus The Blessed Son of God the Second Person of the Ever-glorious Trinity undertook that work himself which none else could perform for us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary In praesepe jacet sed mundum continet ubera sugit sed angeles paseit Aug. Ser. de purific 2. and was made man In this act of his miracles and mercies seem to vie one with another that the God of Eternity should be born in time that the Creator of all things should be the Son of a Creature that the most highest should abase himself to the low condition of a servant that God should become an infant is a miracle of Love which we can admire and adore but never fully comprehend The greatness of God is unsearchable his excellencies and perfections are incomprehensible he is infinitely good powerful wise and holy Man contrariwise is in himself wicked and weak ignorant impure and miserable there is so great a disproportion betwixt God and man Haec est mensura amoris non solum quantum fecit nos quanta fecit pro nobis sed quantillus factus est pro nobis so wide so immense a distance that nothing less than an infinite love could have fill'd up the gulf betwixt those two so different natures and united them into one person 'T was never seen that a shepherd would creep upon all four and cover himself with a sheep-skin to call his flock out of danger and to expose himself for it but the good shepherd did much more When he came to lay down his life for his lost and wandering sheep and gather them into his fold he took on him not only the likeness but the very nature of them he became the lamb of God that he might be the shepherd of mankind Though he was infinitely more above man then men are above beasts yet he became the son of man that he might become the Saviour of men 'T was never seen that a Sovereign Prince would seek to reduce to loyalty the most abject of his rebellious subjects by mixing blood with them uniting their families together but behold the Supreme Monarch of heaven and earth contracts a near affinity with his ungrateful rebels who are as vile and miserable as they are criminal that he may free them from their guilt and win them to their duty and their happiness Proud and wretched sinner thou wouldst be so far from entring into the kindred of meaner persons those that are much thine inferiors that thou canst hardly indure to be in their company and behold the most Glorious and Holy God thine offended Sovereign is become thy near relation is become thy Brother that he may win thine affections and become thy Saviour His life all along was a continuation of his great mercy and humility he
to man for a Saviour Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life And likewise man is enabled or rather forc't by love to do and suffer any thing as soon as Divine Love enters a mans heart of proud it makes him humble of lustful and intemperate it makes him chaste and sober of covetous it makes him charitable of dainty and effeminate it makes him a Martyr No ill habits so deeply rooted but love can pluck them up no cross so heavy but love can bear it Many waters cannot quench love saith Solomon neither can the floods drown it Cant. 8.7 No the strongest torrent of affliction is but like drops of water sprinkled upon the fire it increaseth the flames and ardency thereof 6. Love is as strong as death and death is very strong Magnum verbum fortis ut mors dilectio magnificentius exprimi non potuit fortitudo charitatis quis enim morti resistat ignibus undis ferro regibus resistitur venit una mors quis ei resistit nihil illa fortius propterea viribus ejus charitas comparatur Aug. in Psal 121. stronger than all visible creatures We daily fight against death and beat it back by rest and food and Physick we dispute the victory with it many years but it is ever victorious at last so is love it never gives over till it hath conquer'd all oppositions it 's courage increaseth together with difficulties the more obstacles in its way the greater it's indeavours the more fierce it's contentions Death severs a man from himself and disunites what seems inseparable love also takes the lovers soul from him and unites it to the beloved so that he lives more in what he loves than in himself love is as strong as death Death converts the greatest sinners or at least keeps them from sinning at all any longer so doth love it certainly mortifies all even the most reigning sins it will not suffer them to sin that love God We can tame wild beasts by industry overcome the barrenness of the earth by labour resist the angry elements by Art and Physick no evil but hath a remedy only death hath none there is no striving against it so that nothing can better express the irresistible power of love than to say that it is as strong as death §. 24. The fourth The last property of love I shall now mention is that love sweetens bitter things makes our labours pleasant and even our sufferings delightful How heavy is that yoke which is impos'd by an ungrateful hand the Souldier prest to the service can hardly bear his arms but he that is inrol'd by love thinks them light and bears them with pleasure the slave that works in the Mines counts his very life a burthen the niggard that works much harder likes well his drudgery because the love of riches is his task-master he that serves his master out of fear works faintly and with a heavy heart he that serves him out of love doth it diligently and yet with chearfulness the Christian pilgrim who is driven heaven-ward with fears and terrors goeth on with much reluctancy and a sorrowful heart he that is drawn with the cords of love follows with joyfulness minds not the ruggedness of his way and even rejoyceth in his weariness because it brings him nearer and nearer to his beloved he that could say the love of Christ constraineth us could say also we rejoyce in tribulations 'T was the love of JESUS made primitive Christians work hard and suffer much Nullomodo sunt oncrosi labores amantium sed etiam ipsi delectant sicut venantium piscantium interest ergo quid ametur nam in eo quod amatur aut non laboratur aut laber amatur Aug. with comfort and unspeakable joy and 't is for want of that sweet and Divine Love that Christians now find sorrow and great difficulty in that little they do or suffer for JESUS The labours of love are ever pleasant nothing is hard that love binds upon us §. 25. A farewel to all sinful desires These considerations are now to be reduc'd into practice And so I come to enter upon the work and labour of love Heb. 6.10 I come to profess my self a lover of JESUS and so to approve my self by deeds and actions The love of JESUS hath prevail'd I find my heart wounded I can no longer resist the charms of his love he hath woed me so long and with so much kindness that now my heart is his I will love him because he first loved me Now it repenteth me that ever I rejected his sute that ever I was unkind to him it grieveth me that ever I countenanc'd and prefer'd his rivals the lusts of sensuality covetousness and pride which I renounc'd in my Baptism I will now exclude them wholly this is the first mark JESUS shall receive of my sincere affection to him that I will entertain nor caress no longer those his enemies with whom I have had an unhappy intelligence for too long a time henceforth if they come near me I will indeavour to drive them away if they come after me I will flee if they persevere in their attempts they shall get nothing else but shame and denials Away from me then ye wicked spirits with all your tempting allurements worldly vanities deceitful riches sensual pleasures I remember that I renounc'd you all when first I gave up my name to JESUS when he first began to shew and seal his love to me and to ingage mine I then renounc'd the devil and all his works the vain pomp and glory of the world with all covetous desires of the same and the carnal desires of the flesh I now remember those my ingagements and grieve that I have not kept them and therefore will hate you the more that you made me forget my promises and break my holy vows Now will I be reveng'd of you ye proud and ambitious designs lustful thoughts greedy desires of wealth I will now kill and crucifie you Henceforth it shall be my honour that I am a Servant of JESUS it shall be my delight and pleasure that I am a lover of JESUS and it shall be my wealth that he is mine as I am his JESUS hath done and suffered much to declare his love and to deserve mine he hath come down from heaven and humbled himself to my mean and low condition he hath liv'd poor and despised he hath been afflicted and persecuted he hath died for me hereby I know that he loves me because he laid down his life for me but ye his unworthy rivals never gave me any assurance of your affection never did or suffered any thing for me JESUS expos'd himself to shame that I might become glorious indur'd pains that I might have pleasures he became poor that I might be enrich'd but covetousness offers me riches to pierce
me through with many sorrows lust inticeth me to wound me when I have consented to it and pride promiseth me honors to cumber me and expose me to envy JESUS is infinitely lovely he is all perfection and goodness and he desires to be loved not for any advantage of his own but to make his lovers intirely and eternally happy but you painted idols of abused mortals are in your selves ugly and even loathsome though at a great distance ye may seem somewhat fair yet near at hand ye are nothing but deformity ye always prove vain and vexatious ye seek to enter mens hearts only to tyrannize and torment them and betray them to eternal sorrows JESUS is a true and constant lover he ever owns his friends he never fails them that love him he helps them in their distresses he comforts them in their sorrows and when they die he stands by them but ye temporal deceitful pleasures are false and inconstant ye forsake your friends in their greatest need ye flatter them for a few Summer days while the Sun shines kindly upon them but in the rigors of Winter when an unprosperous storm ariseth you are gone ye leave them to die comfortless they carry nothing of you when they go from hence but the bitter remembrance of your treacherousness JESUS is a most grateful lover he ever returns love for love he is ever found of them that seek him to them that desire him he ever gives himself every true lover of JESUS is sure to injoy him but you worldly injoyments are generally most unkind to your most passionate lovers ye flee from them that run after you ye grieve and vex your greatest admirers ye are ever uncertain false and ungrateful I will therefore never love you again nay I resolve to hate and persecute you to mortifie the lusts of my flesh to humble the pride of my heart and overcome the covetous desires of my mind but JESUS shall reign in my heart him will I love him will I serve him will I indeavour to please in all things I will be wholly his therefore I renounce all friendship with you that are his enemies there can be no agreement betwixt the Holy JESUS and this sinful world If any man love the world 1 Joh. 2.15 the love of the father is not in him §. 26. Of the antipathy betwixt sin and Jesus Fleshly lusts are against the purity of JESUS pride is against his humility and wordly-mindedness contrary to his heavenly promises and his mercifulness These are never to be reconcil'd with JESUS they are mortal enemies mortal I may call them because they were his murtherers or rather because he died to put them to death We were not redeem'd with corruptible things as silver and gold from our vain conversation but with the precious blood of Christ JESUS shed his blood to redeem us as well from the practice and commission as from the punishment and destruction of sin Nay the first is that which he chiefly design'd because though we should not be punish'd yet if we remain in sin we are unhappy holiness being the ultimate end perfection and happiness of man Blessed are the pure in heart for without holiness no man shall see God S. Paul therefore saying that Christ died unto sin that is to take away sin infers from thence Rom. 6. that we being baptized into Christs death our old man is now crucified that the body of sin might be destroy'd that henceforth we should not serve sin and S. Peter likewise makes it the purpose why Christ did bear our sins their punishment on his own body on the tree 1 Pet. 2.24 that we thereby being dead unto sin might live unto righteousness Christ gave himself for us Gal. 1.4 that he might redeem us from this present evil world 1 Joh. 3.8 The Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil Sin is that which God hates above all things sin is that which is most contrary to his nature and to our happiness and so JESUS was crucified that sin might be destroy'd he died that sin might live no longer and therefore I renounc'd all sin the Devil and all his works when JESUS own'd me for his friend and I own'd him for my Lord and Master they are incompatible their inconsistency is irreconcilable if I hold to the one I must despise the other if I love one I must hate the other I will therefore as I am most bound and as I have promis'd forsake sin and follow JESUS I will fight against his enemies and side with him against my own corrupt affections while I have a being I will love and obey JESUS §. 27. Of outward helps and means Now To effect this means are to be us'd for our hearts will not of a sudden be brought to a Religious temper 't is not bare resolutions will make us resist temptations when they assault us with their most prevailing inticements grace indeed is never wanting to us but if we be wanting to our selves we receive it in vain if we second it not with our indeavours we make it ineffectual Now among private means of grace for I speak not of those that may be had in the Church in the dispensation of the word and Sacraments belonging to all fasting alms and prayers which are also acts of Religion may hold the first rank But besides them there are other adminicula pietatis instruments of holy contrition handmaids to devotion which though they be indifferent and uncommanded yet may help to move our affections and secure our duty Such are retirement from the world reading of good Books pious Meditations humble prostrations c. And though needless scruples and rejecting of Ancient Ceremonies be now much in use and credit yet amongst them I will reckon the sign of the Cross which was certainly us'd by Primitive Christians very frequently and yet without superstition thereby to vouch it to others and even to themselves that they own'd JESUS Christ crucified for their Lord and Saviour as also it was made upon our fore-heads in Holy Baptism in token that we should not be ashamed to profess the faith of Christ crucified Caro signatur ut anima muniatur Tert. and manfully to fight under his banner against sin the world and the devil c. And to the same purpose we may use it on our selves again to testifie that we own the profession we then made and tacitely to confirm and renew our vows of obedience and fidelity not to conjure away spirits and work such feats as many intend it for in the Church of Rome but to strengthen our good resolutions by moving and affecting our hearts Certain it is that nothing palpable or visible may in this life be the object of our worship it may have some power on the heart as well as what comes in by the ear but though it have the warrant of antiquity yet it may not serve any
4.1 that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God 2. so ye would abound more and more for ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord JESUS for this is the will of God even your sanctification Again Eph. 4.20 but ye have not so learned Christ as to follow the greediness and lusts of the Gentiles If so be that ye have heard of him and have been taught by him 21 c. as the truth is in JESUS that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts and be renewed in the spirit of your mind and that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness And in another place this change being so absolutely necessary is absolutely suppos'd to be wrought in us If ye are risen with Christ seek those things which are above for you are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth Coloss 3.1 fornication uncleanness 2 c. inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousness which is idolatry in the which ye walked sometime when ye lived in them but now you also put off these anger wrath malice blasphemy evil communication out of your mouth lie not one to another seeing that you have put off the old man with his deeds and have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him Here is nothing to countenance those frightful fanatical pangs of the New-birth which proceed from Enthusiasm or melancholy nothing to countenance the fansieful applications of a borrowed or rather snatcht-away righteousness but a real change in our affections and our manners is suppos'd and recommended And indeed Tit. 2.11 that grace of God which bringeth salvation teacheth none of these odd and new-devised doctrines but that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts 12. we should live in this present world soberly righteously and godly which is the sum of our duty that we should be temperate in our bodies and minds just and charitable in our intercourse with other men and pious in our minds devout in acts of Religion and worship to God The learning and practising this lesson is that and that alone whereby the offered salvation is obtained and laid hold on §. 40. A protestation of being faithful unto death So now I must remember that I am not mine own I am his that made and redeemed me I am his to whom I have given my self when I undertook manfully to fight under his banner against sin the world and the Devil to me is addrest that exhortation Thou O man of God flee these things strifes disputes and covetousness before mentioned and follow after righteousness godliness faith 1 Tim. 6.11 love patience meekness fight the good fight of faith lay hold on eternal life 12. I am become a Souldier of JESUS to me S. Paul speaks as well as to Timothy 2 Tim. 2.3 Thou therefore indure hardness as a good Souldier of JESUS Christ no man that warreth intangles himself with the affairs of this life 4. that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a Souldier If I were in the Militia of any other Prince I might indure hardness enough before I could obtain his favour or indeed be taken notice of heat and cold hunger thirst and weariness sleepless nights and perpetual dangers all this and much more I might indure many years and not be look'd upon here my General prevented me with his kindness he first fought against mine enemies he first loved me and indured hardship for me and he notes every thing I suffer for him sets it down and assigns a reward to it Under another commander I might do brave actions behave my self valiantly and yet not be seen here my General hath always his eyes upon me he incourageth me and rejoyceth to see my fortitude he is always ready to help me and is most delighted when he sees me zealous and diligent I might fight long enough for an earthly King I could only get a poor subsistence or an empty fame but never so much as one province of his dominions here fighting for my heavenly King I shall get unvaluable treasures immortal glory and a kingdom which shall have no end Rev. 3.21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne I will therefore never again fight against the captain of my salvation and I will never forsake him I will often renew my vows often swear allegiance to him upon that sacred blood which he shed for me and which he gives me to comfort and strengthen my heart I will daily think on those things that may increase my zeal and diligence and help me to resist temptations and I will suffer any thing use all means possible to perform these resolutions and approve my self unto death a lover of JESUS 1 Cor. 16.22 if any man loves not the Lord JESUS let him be Anathema Maranatha FINIS Claustrum Animae THE Reformed Monastery OR THE LOVE OF JESUS The Second Part. LONDON Printed for Henry Brome at the Gun in S. Paul's Church-yard the West-End MDCLXXVI THE PREFACF I Have now gone through half of my task the negative part of our Baptismal vow and of our duty and would to God Reader I had inkindled of the Divine fire of love in thy heart and mine but enough to secure us from works of darkness enough to quench and to consume our lusts I would not doubt but it would soon burn light inflame our hearts with a pious zeal and make us so fruitful in good works that men seeing them would glorifie our father which is in heaven I may with a just cause complain of my self concerning this Tractate of mine Eras Epist ad Volus as one did of Erasmus about his Enchiridion that there is more piety in the book than in the Author and withal I may complain of the book also that it is many ways defective that is it supposeth many things previous to the use of it Christian instruction a pious mind pious books pious meditations all helps and instruments of Religion and Holy Living and even in what it handles it falls far short of what the subject would bear The caution therefore I would give is this that no person would think that no other appetites are to be restrain'd no other sins forsaken than those I mention or that no other means to master our lusts and secure our duty are to be us'd than those I specified or that no other acts and expressions of love are to be given than those I have prescrib'd No my design is not to run over particulars and indeed 't is next to impossible for love hath a general intendance over all actions That little I have said concerning Self-Reformations abstaining from that which is