mouth from corrupt communication 2. Oris As in the tongue of a Swine wee doe iudge of the soundnesse of the bodie so by the words of the mouth the cleanenesse of the soule is conceiued for when a good man openeth his mouth behold as it were in a temple the glorious similitude of a holy Soule A good man out of the good treasure of his soule bringeth forth good things therefore let no corrupt communication proceede out of your mouthes but that which is good to the vse of edifying that yee may minister grace vnto the Hearers and grieue not the holy Spirit of God Ià m 3.6 By his euill words wee know that an euill mans tongue is set on fire of Hell And by a good mans words Act. 2.4 we conceiue his tongue to be set on fire by the holy Ghost therefore the holy Prophet exhorteth O sing yee praise with vnderstanding no member without the bodie no part or facultie within the bodie is capeable of vnderstanding but by the soule and only by the powers thereof is vnderstanding infused into other parts as you haue beene taught already if therefore yee will grace your selues and edifie your Brethren and glorifie your God O let your soules speake first vnto your tongues and be a watch vnto your mouthes and set the seale of wisedome vpon your lips that ye may speake with vnderstanding it is the phrase of the wise Iew therefore I pray beare with me The hearts of Fooles is in their mouth but the mouth of the wise is in their heart If therefore you desire to bee counted wise and would not speake like fooles often let your soules take heede vnto your mouthes that you offend not in your tongue according to your words will all men iudge of your liues if your words be prophane your conuersation cannot be holy if your words bee good men will iudge your liues to bee honest by good words the soule is delighted by euill words the soule is grieued But take heede if one of vs will scarce abide where wee haue rude and base entertainment how much rather shall the holy Ghost the soules ghest being daily disquieted with blasphemies and disgrac't with filthy talking seeke to change her habitation and leaue vs destitute of all grace Againe the soule must bee our guide and leade vs in our actions that we may doe all things to the glorie of God Grace is the life of the soule by which only man is taught the knowledge of his sinnes the loue of God 3. Operis and how to cleaue fast vnto him now it is impossible for vs to iudge whether grace be in the soule of man or no but by his outward actions for the habite of the soule is knowne by the workes of the bodie the worke shewes what the soule is euery mans life is as his soule therefore saith our Sauiour let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in Heauen and we say a wicked man hath an vnfaithfull soule a good man is knowne by his workes as a Tree by his fruits do well then and men shall speak well of thee The soule moouing the members of the bodie to doe good makes the whole man delightfull to be in the assembly of the faithfull as the Prophet saith I was glad when they said vnto me we will goe into the House of the Lord and all my delight shall bee in the Saints that dwell vpon Earth and vpon such as excell in Vertue Also she teacheth them innocencie in their priuate life knowing that they are alwayes in the sight of God and therefore they abstayne from all iniquitie and shee teacheth them to deale iustly and charitably with all men Magistrates to deal cōscionably in their Offices Subiects to yeeld reuerent obedience to the Magistrates briefly so to liue one with another that the fruits of our faith may be made manifest vnto all and shee teacheth them of what calling or condition soeuer they be so to exercise themselues in their seuerall vocations that they may bee profitable and helpfull to themselues and priuate Families to the Church and members of God and to the whole Common Wealth wherein they liue Thus you see the qualitie of the soule to keepe vs innocent in our heart our mouthes and our workes which God grant vnto vs for euermore Thirdly Constantiam nutrit it nourisheth Constancie which is these three wayes humiliter accipiendo humbly taking vp our Crosse patienter tolerando patiently bearing our afflictions fideliter diligendo faithfully louing our Fathers correction First humiliter accipiendo while troubles doe assault vs our soules are humbled within vs there is giuen vs a pricke in the flesh to buffet vs lest we should be exalted aboue measure the weake flesh is readie to shunne all incumbrances like the Sluggard that saith There is a Lion in the way and a Beare in the streets or the Spies that spake of the great Gyants of Anacke but the valiant Spirit and soule makes vs willing to meete with any crosse and to embrace euery temptation cheerfully As Iob when hee had lost all his estate and had no friends left him rebuked his Wife for that she would not willingly receiue euil at the hands of God aswell as good likewise holy Dauid said of Shimei hee curseth because God hath bid him curse Dauid and as Paul flyeth not being perswaded not to goe vp to Ierusalem but answered I am readie not to be bound only but also to dye at Hierusalem for the Name of the Lord Iesus He hath done halfe his worke that beginnes well the willingnesse of the soule doth minister strength to the Labourer that he may not faint in the Worke of the Lord nor be wearie of well-doing It makes things that be most hard and difficult to seeme easie to be done therefore begin willingly for by continuall labour strength is attayned this willingnesse is only in the soule Secondly patienter tolerando the state of mans bodie is vtterly vncapeable of griefe but the soule must beare the burthen of affliction Lo Iob 13.15 though hee kill me yet yet will I trust in him Patience is the closet of the soule wherein it is preserued from all iniuries of temptation therefore when Christ our blessed Sauiour told his Disciples of the ruines of the World and terrours of the last times hee wisheth them to possesse their soules with patience This makes the Prouerbe true Vincit qui patitur He that suffereth ouercommeth not with fighting but with patient bearing as Eleasar being readie to giue vp the ghost 2. Mac. 11.30 said The Lord knoweth manifestly that whereas I might haue beene deliuered from death I am scourged and suffer these sore paines of my bodie but in my minde I suffer them gladly for his Religion The stalke of a rotten Apple will not endure the least winde without falling so the patience of an vnfaithfull soule will
enough to weep for Melt then your hearts in sorrow for your sinne as holy Dauid did whose heart in the middest of his bodie was euen like melting Waxe that God may quit your soules with peace and seeke him lachrimabiliter mournfully Secondly in seeking after God we must vse faithfulnesse without slothfull negligence and seeke him diligenter diligently as the woman in the Gospell seeking her Groat that was lost Luke 15.8 did light a Candle and sweepe the house and sought diligently vntill shee found it Eccles 9.10 And as Salomon the wise Preacher hath taught thee All that thine hand shall find to doe doe it with all thy power And as Dauid seeking the Lord did seeke him with his whole heart For you shall seeke mee with all your heart Ier. 29.14 and I will be found of you saith the Lord. And if thou seeke the LORD with all thy heart Deut. 4.29 and with all thy soule Pro. 10.26 thou shalt finde him For as Vineger to the teeth so is a slothfull body to them that send him Therefore the sleeper shall be clothed with ragges Pro. 23.21 and he is denounced accursed that doth the worke of the Lord negligently Ier. 48.10 The Lord loueth a cheerefull giuer as Zacheus and will be found of them that seeke him diligently that is faithfully But such is the madnesse of this rude age wherein we liue and the blindnesse of worldly minded men that they esteeme no labour too much in seeking after worldly gaine which cannot profit them and in seeking after the pleasures of this life which may much annoy them but will not step one foot towards Heauen with an holy desire to seeke after God In whom is the fulnesse of all true felicitie The Apostle complained not without a cause Phil. 2.21 That all seeke their owne and not the things of Iesus Christ but if thou desirest to finde Heauen seeke after God by Iesus Christ who is gone thither before to prepare a place for you and seeke him diligenter with all your hearts diligently Thirdly wouldst thou finde the Lord thy only Comforter seeke after him perseueranter constantly with perseuerance and bee not weary of well-doing for in due season yee shall reape if yee faint not therefore seeke the Lord and his face euermore Cant. 3.4 As the Spouse neuer ceased to seeke him whom her soule loued till she found him and tooke hold of him and left him not A Ship that hath made many a faire venture on the Sea and after perisheth in the Hauen brings losse and sorrow to the Owner that hoped for gaine And a Souldier that fainteth before the battaile bee ended must expect shame and death in stead of Victorie So he that seeketh after God and faileth in his intended course before hee finde him must needes bring losse and sorrow to his soule and expect confusion for saluation For the Crowue is giuen only to the Conquerour Apoc. 2.10 Be thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee the Crowne of life the fire of Gods Altar must neuer goe out so the zeale of a constant Professor must not be extinguished by worldly care No man that putteth his hand to the Plough and looketh backe Luk. 9.62 is apt to the Kingdome of God Remember Lots wife Gen 19. who for looking backe was turned into a Pillar of Salt And hauing once begun to seeke after God Col. 3.1 and to seeke those things which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Col. 2.20 why as though yee liued in the World are yee burthened with traditions The Prophet testifieth that the life of a righteous man shall neuer fade Psal 1.4 and that the heart of a righteous man shall neuer faint Psal 112.8 if his faith were enioyned to seeke after God through all the fierie tryalls of this World and all the fierie flames and torments of Hell it would not sticke at the condition being before with confidence perswaded Philip. 1.6 That he that hath begunne this good worke in him will performe it vntill the Day of Iesus Christ Thus must you seeke after God Psal 51.17 with a sorrowfull heart which he shall not despise you must seeke him diligently that you may bee counted worthy to escape all those things that shall come to passe And that you may stand before the Sonne of man Luke 21.36 and you must seeke him with perseuerance and neuer giue ouer for any temptation lest you fall away for God is faithfull and will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you bee able 1. Cor. 10.13 but will euen giue the issue with the temptation thus Thus to seeke the Lord alwayes longing after the God of our saluation wee cannot chose but finde the comforts of his graces in our soules and bee assured to bee deliuered from the power of darknesse Col. 1.13 and to bee translated into the Kingdome of his deare Sonne whether hee bring vs all that hath so dearely bought vs with his precious bloud euen Iesus Christ our Lord and only Sauiour Amen Thus you haue heard the manner how to seeke God It followeth whereby we may learne the time when to seeke God which is our second obseruation in my Text as in the time of sinne Iam. 1.14 the lusts of our owne concupiscence led vs astray from God so now in the time of grace through the preaching of the Gospell being led by the Spirit in the light of faith wee make haste to returne and seeke after God in whom alone we may find true rest vnto our soules debito tempore in a conuenient time And as at al times and in all places it is meete to seeke vnto God Rom. 11.36 Of whome and through whome and for whome wee liue and mooue and haue our being So wee are taught in holy Scriptures of three times most conuenient to seeke after God First Dum dies est Secondly dum praesens est Thirdly dum misericors est First while it is day Nicodemus Iohn 3.2 though hee was a Ruler of the Iewes and a Teacher in Israel hath this Record left in Scripture against him that hee came to Iesus by night And the Spouse in the Canticles confesseth Cant. 3.1 why she could not finde her Loue that is because shee sought him by night and our Sauiour himselfe teacheth Iohn 9.4 The night commeth when no man can worke In the night of Ignorance wee are more prone to seeke after Error then the Truth In the night of sinne we seeke for the things that please men and not the things that please God and in the night of death we shall not bee able to seeke at all For who shall giue thee thankes in the pit therefore holy Dauid longing for the God of his saluation deferres no time But flyeth to the Lord before the morning watch Psal 130.6 Psal 63.1 2. Chron. 33 3.
of the whole Word is not to be valued to the worth of the soule for what shall it profit a man to winne the whole World and lose his owne soule Wee reade that the holy Saints haue crucified their owne bodies and chastized themselues with hard penance and all that they might saue their soules Gal. 5.4 For they that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts of it O you holy Saints and dearest friends of God tell vs O tell vs why with so many Watchings so many Prayers and so much Discipline you haue so cruelly mortified your flesh O most glorious Martyrs why haue you exposed your selues to such cruell torments that you haue not refused to die yea euen a violent death with cheerfulnesse embracing such a sentence O blessed Iesus why diddest thou suffer three and thirtie yeeres together hunger thirst labour sweat deepe wounds and finally death it selfe they answere all aloude it was for the soule therefore it is manifest the soule is more precious then all the other things of the world Seeing then all things are but vile in comparison of the soule why doe wee so vainly care for the preseruation of euery thing but the soule our bodies our riches our cattell our garments are curiously deckt and prouided for but alas few men haue any respect at all vnto their soules O vnhappie wretched men why are you so carefull about many things nay euery thing sauing this one thing for which all your care should be bestowed Remember Christs counsell to Maries complayning Sister Martha Martha thou carest and art troubled for many things but one thing only is necessarie O then beloued in the Lord let vs louingly care for this one thing our soule in the faithfull preseruation whereof consisteth all things else that pertaine to mans eternall happinesse which God giue vs grace truly to performe for euer more Amen The third circumstance to be considered whereby to know the dignitie of the soule is by the habitation being capeable of such a glorious Tenant as the Holy Ghost for God hath created the soule to no other end but for himselfe which is to be his habitation so that the soule is called the Temple of God As the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 3.16 Know yee not that yee are the Temple of the Holy Ghost and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you if you bee the holy seate of God thither our Sauiour comming to keepe perpetuall Holidayes hath ordayned all things necessarie for the honour of his entertaynment So long as God dwels in the soule of a iust man Psal 91.1 Hee hath commanded an Host of Angels to guard him Hee shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes Psal 34.7 And the Angell of the Lord tarryeth round about them that feare him to deliuer them Behold the dignitie of the soule how God hath appointed the Angels that are so noble Creatures to bee their keepers Man made lower then the Angels yet lo attended by them Surely its great dignitie to the soule that euery man at his birth hath an Angell chosen to bee his keeper And this Angell is so employed about our businesse as a Messenger alwaies running betwixt the Beloued and her Loue offering our Desires and Prayers as an acceptable Sacrifice vnto God and bringing downe the Royall Present of Gods holy Gifts into the soule still stirring vp the soule to all good workes and labouring to appease Gods wrath that it should neuer bee kindled against vs this Royal prerogatiue of the soule to entertayne God as a Ghest truely describes the dignitie of the same which all this while is attended with an Armie of heauenly Souldiers 2. Kin. 6.17 Againe whilest God inhabiteth the righteous soule he makes it a continuall feast in the large open Chamber of a quiet conscience and giues them the Bread of Life to feed vpon euen by breaking his owne precious Bodie vnto them the effect of bread is to preserue life and to strenghten mans heart So Christ that is the true Bread come downe from Heauen giueth them spirituall Bread his Bodie thereby to preserue the life of the soule Labour not then for the meate that perisheth but for the meate that endureth to euerlasting life which the Sonne of man shall giue vnto you for him hath the Father sealed Againe yet whilest God in habiteth the righteous soule hee bringeth her a greater blessing then Caleb could bestow vpon his Danghter although hee gaue her the Springs aboue the Springs beneath a rich Dowrie Iosh 15.19 For whereas Man by nature and sinne is made barren of all Grace yet being bathed and washed in the euer-streaming Fountaine of Christs Bloud by Repentance and renewed by the Grace that is brought vnto her through our Lord Iesus Christ She is made fruitfull in euery good worke and to walke acceptably before God The Apostle shewing the Corinthians That the vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of GOD saith such were some of you but ye are washed but yee are sanctified behold the dignitie of the soule in the estimation of her price For saith the Apostle yee are bought with a price 1. Cor. 6.20 Great is the price of the soule whome nothing could redeeme but the bloud of Iesus Christ God make vs carefull of this dignitie for euermore through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen In the second place we are to consider the qualitie of the soule which may bee vnderstood in the three powers of the soule which I told you of before and is mentioned in this word your First Sapientiam docet It teacheth vs Wisedome Secondly Munditiam seruat It preserueth vs in Innocencie Thirdly Constantiam nutrit it nourisheth our Constancie who were else vtterly vnable to fight that great and tedious battaile betweene vs our spirituall enemies It teacheth vs wisedome three wayes intelligende praeterita by vnderstanding the things long since past Iudicanda praesentia in being able to discerne and iudge of those things that bee now present Expectando futura in expecting good things to bee receiued hereafter at the hands of God First Intelligendo praeterita bona Animae Sapientiae Wisedome is the treasure of the soule a good man knoweth all things which God hath made to be knowne aswell those things of the World which are past as the things that are to come euen the inuisible things of God that is his eternall Power and Godhead are seene by the Creation of the World being considered in the Creatures his Workes This made Dauid sing The Heauens declare the glorie of God and the Fi mament sheweth his handy-worke the soule is only capeable of Reason and therefore considering the worthinesse of her selfe the vilenesse of the bodie and the shortnesse of this life therefore she chuseth rather to prouide for the Life to come which is immortall then to regard at all this life which is so transitorie this makes vs to worship
God before whom wee must stand to render our account at the Day of Iudgement this made holy Dauid faithfully to apply his heart vnto Wisedome after hee knew how few dayes he had to liue this knowledge and vnderstanding is the true difference betweene Man and Beast and therefore wee reade of Pauls complaint that he had fought with Beasts at Ephesus after the manner of men that is beastly men carnally minding earthly things but not sauouring the things of God and surely he that is ignorant of these things may be said to haue no soule as we reade of Ephraim Who was said to bec like a Doue deceiued without a heart Hose 7.11 that is without a soule worldly wisemen are euen like Moles and beasts In terra sapienter se habent supra nihil vident They behaue themselues orderly vpon Earth but see nothing concerning the mysteries of Heauen but it is the soule doth teach vs to vnderstand wisedome secretly O giue mee vnderstanding and I shall liue Secondly Iudicando praesentia hoc iudicium nihil aliud est quam reddere cuique quod suum est This iudgement is nothing else but for vs to giue euery man his owne Therefore let euery man arise and sitting in Iudgement vpon the Throne of his soule let his thoughts accuse or excuse let his conscience witnesse and let his memorie giue right Iudgement in all things concerning himselfe and God and man For himselfe let him forsake sinne For God let him punish sinne For men let him doe good Righteousnesse is nothing else but not to sinne Iustus quod contra Iustitiam fecit per lachrimas punit A iust man punisheth that sinne with teares which hee hath committed by frailtie If wee would iudge our selues we should not bee iudged therefore Whatsoeuer yee would that men should doe vnto you euen so doe yee vnto them for thus is the Law and the Prophets God hath ordained vs to bee Iudges in the Court of our consciences that we might arraigne our sinnes and put them to death This is the wisedome of the soule neuer to consent to any though neuer so good if hee doe the things that are euill and neuer to contradict any man though neuer so euill if hee doe the thing that is good This Iudgement can no waies bee so truely performed as by the helpe of the memorie in our soules one of the powers of the soule that keepes the whole course of our life in the comlinesse of good order Thirdly expectando futura bona expecting good things to come which proceed from the grace of God through a good conscience and this is in the choyce of the will Many things seeme hard to the vnwilling but nothing is vneasie to a good will for if a small reward in this life makes vs esteeme great labour little toyle how much rather should our eternall reward of that blessednesse to come make vs cheerfully to meet all confronting troubles and comfortably to expect all succeeding graces and offered blessings which God hath assured to them that obediently serue him who would not expect the reward promised yea though he be a sinner seeing God is mercifull The Psalmist thus reasoneth with his fainted soule Why art thou so heauie O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within me O put thy trust in God for I will yet giue him thanks which is the helpe of my countenance and my God Three things doe moue the soule in willingnesse to waite for the blessings of Gods reward First the Charitie of our adoption who being slaues to Sinne and Satan by Iesus Christ are now called the sonnes of God Secondly the truth of his promise who is neuer forgetfull of his Couenant made to a thousand generations Thirdly the possibilitie of his performance to whom all power belongeth and who is mercifull to reward euery man according to his works The Husbandman patiently expecteth the fruits of the earth and a good pawne is counted a sufficient securitie We haue Gods Word and Sacraments and Christ himselfe hath laid downe his life for vs cum opus proficit praemij fiducia crescit when the worke is finished the expectation of the reward encreaseth Thus behold wisedome is infused into man by the powers of the soule and this is the first qualitie to be obserued in the soule sapientiam docet it teacheth vs wisedome Secondly munditiam seruat it preserueth vs in innocencie and sanctitie the Psalmist propounds a question and answereth himselfe Who shall assend into the Hill of the Lord or who shall rise vp in his holy place euen hee that hath cleane hands and a pure heart and hath not lift vp his minde vnto vanitic nor sworne to deceiue his Neighbour hee shall receiue the blessing of the Lord and righteousnesse from the God of his saluation And what part of man can performe this but the soule the soule and spirit only keeps the heart from euill thoughts the mouth from corrupt communication the hands from hatefull works so that hereby wee are taught the soule preserueth vs innocent in heart in word and in deede No man putteth a precious oyntment which hee is desirous to preserue and keepe 1. Cordis into a vessell that hath beene vsed to filthie and corrupt sauours therefore wash your hands O sinners and cleanse your hearts you double minded keepe your hearts cleane that would receiue the graces of God for God will not send downe his grace to enter into that heart that is accustomed to sinne It is easier to make him rich that hath a great substance left of Parents and is carefull to preserue the same then for the prodigall that hath already consumed the inheritance of his fathers So hee that yet hath preserued the vertues of nature may more easily be inriched with the graces of the Spirit then hee that hath lost the innocencie of his soule The life and spirit yea euen the vnderstanding of the heart is of the soule and comprehended in this one word soule this is the great Wheele that sets all the rest agoing vnto good or euill as it is so are they euen all the parts and members of the bodie The innocencie of the soule consisteth in the forsaking of sinne and following of grace when we cease to doe euill and learne to doe well if the heart be free from euill thoughts all the bodie shall be free from sinne therefore when God willed Ierusalem to wash her heart from wickednesse that she might be saued he concluded how long shall euill thoughts remaine within you there sinne beginnes Ier. 4.14 there the rootes are fastned pluck vp the rootes then and it shall bee impossible for sinne to prosper It was Dauids petition Make me a cleane heart O God and renew a right spirit within mee Thus you see the soule and spirit keepe the heart in innocencie and so all the bodie shall be cleane from sinne also the soule and spirit of man while hee liues must keepe the
not endure the least winde of temptation without falling into finall desperation as Achittophel and Iudas Iscariot What is the cause beloued that so many endure great labour and take sore paines to doe euill and to wearie themselues in the wayes of wickednesse and we will not patiently endure the least paines in the profitable paths of godlinesse and that some labour more for death then we for life as Theeues and the wicked Iudges is it not the corruption of an vnfaithfull soule O then let vs not bee as naked men in the middest of our armed enemies A raw Tyle cast into the water is easily dissolued but being burnt in the Furnace doth wax hard and durable so man liuing in the waters of sinne is full of carnall pollution but being burnt in the fire of holy loue or in the furnace of tribulation his soule is constant in holy deuotion therefore as Beares are made fat by stripes and the Asse is fedde with a whip and the Salamander delighteth in the fire so let our soules take food and fatnes in temptation and be delighted in the patience of true constancie foreuermore Amen Thirdly fideliter diligendo when wee consider the sweetnesse of Gods mercie sparing when wee deserue punishment c. How can wee but open our soules in loue and sing to God It is good for me that I haue bene troubled c. Thy Rod and thy Staffe do comfort me O how great is the multitude of thy Mercie O Lord The Lord is gracious vnto euery man and his Mercie is ouer all his Workes and it is an especiall dutie of Religion for loue of God wisely to auoyd the snares of the World the Flesh and the Deuill for the soule that is enlighted by God doth driue away the wicked motions of temptation as the Sunne draweth vp the mists from the Earth and this loue of the soule being firmely fixed vpon God doth easily ouercome all feare euen the feare of Pouertie the feare of Death and the feare of Iudgement for perfect loue casteth out feare and loue is strong as death Much water cannot quench loue Cant. 8.7 neither can the flouds drowne it The loue of God is in vs and vnto vs the life of our soules O then let our soules liue to prayse him God euen for his loue will not shrinke from vs so let our soules in faithfull loue to him bee constant in all seruice appertayning to him humbly to take vp our crosse daily and follow him patiently to endure his chastnings of loue and faithfully to loue him for his gracious mercies towards vs for his prouident preseruation of our liues and estates and for his mightie deliuerances out of all our temptations And God almightie giue vs all grace to performe this truth for euermore Amen In the third and last place wee are to consider the vtilitie and comfort of the soule which is contained in these words shall liue carnally we say they that liue in mourning and miserie seeking for helpe of God and seeing it yet farre from them they are counted among the dead which be out of minde and liue in the graue and they that are voti compotes satisfied according to their hearts desire and frollick it in mirth and ioy are said to liue And so spiritually wee say the soule that truely seeketh after God onely delighting in the Lord may be truely said to liue in God these three wayes first per abstractionem desiderij by the restraint of his desire secondly per dispositionem voluntatis by the disposition of his will thirdly per praesentiam adiutoris by the presence of his friend and helper First per abstractionem desiderij your soule shall liue that is it being now dead by sinne and dead by sorrow yet God shall speake peace vnto your soules and you shall liue being refreshed with the blessing of peace Dauid complaineth of the deadly ebbe of his estate how his enemies liue and are mightie they come in no misfortune like other folke neither are they plagued like other men but I am cleane forgotten as a dead man out of minde and am become like a broken vessell and when he desires to liue he describes the manner hee would liue Ps 144.12 that our sonnes may grow vp as the young plants and that our daughters may bee as the pollished corners of the Temple that our Garners may bee full and plentious withall manner of store that our Sheepe may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets that our Oxen may be strong to labour that there bee no decay no leading into captiuitie and no complayning in our streets O this is a life indeed happy are the people that be in such a case but the iust liue euen as well in that they doe abstrahere desiderium restraine their desires from carnall and temporall delights The soule here is put for the life present because all our life is in our soule therefore the soules of the Saints doe euen now seeke heauen as Paul who desireth to be dessolued and to bee with Christ And Dauid hath rather to bee a dore-keeper in the House of God then to dwell in the Tents of vngodlinesse Zacheus so farre restrained his greedie appetite that he gaue halfe of that he had to the poore and restored his wrongs done to any foure-fold and the Prodigall considering his Fathers bountie will bee no more a sonne but a hired seruant and surely beloued if we did but once taste in our soules the gracious mercy of God towards vs we should haue lesse respect to the world and more care to receiue heauen giue to your soules the fulnesse of all pleasure which Salomon inioyed and with him you will crie out All is but vanitie and vexation of spirit or let soules choose any peculiar delight that this world can afford to comfort her yet will shee not be satisfied seeing God alone is the Alpha and Omega of all her happinesse Therefore I exhort and beseech you all beloued in the Lord put a bridle vpon your affections to restraine those boundlesse and vngodly lusts whereto our flesh is too too prone and seeke after God in your spirits with truth that your soules may liue in peace and ioy Secondly the soule is said to liue per dispositionem voluntatis by the godly disposition of her will A faithfull soule is the House of God because God is sed to dwell in her in this life present by the sweet taste of his gracious loue administred vnto her and in the life to come by the blessed fruition of his glory now it is most meete that euery Master or Lord should haue command of his house and so should God of our soules therefore it is our dutie euen as Christ hath taught vs to submit our will to his will not my will but thine be fulfilled thy will be done in earth as in heauen O Father from this time forth for euermore Amen Secondly the soule may be said to